This is my first post in a long time, but I recently received a comment to my first post in which I would like to respond to, not that my blog will be an answer time for responses, but in this case I choose to take some time and answer a couple comments that were made by "4hisglory" if you don't mind me using your user name. His or her response can be looked at under comments under my first post. The comments were, "You forgot to mention the latest and most recent of all the divisional doctrines in the church today; Dispensationalism", and "Is your dispensationalism part of that which is confusing for unbelievers?" The other comments and questions brought up within the response will be answered another time.
I thank you for your comment and response. Personally I would not like to be labeled, but just as the world does most of Christendom also labels people and religion in my opinion to dress it up . Many also label themselves for a source of identity. Personally I want my identity to be found solely in Christ as a member of the Body of Christ. For example, Baptists, they believe strongly in baptism if not for salvation, then as an ordinance to be observed after salvation. You take their water baptism away and they will fight you real hard. Also, Pentecostals, they believe strongly in the gifts, you take the gifts away and they struggle with their spirituality or I would say identity in Christ alone. After all this is said, I guess you can call me a Pauline Dispensationalist, BECAUSE it is NOT that I find my identity in Paul at all, but the message of the dispensation of the grace of God is only preached by Paul and in God's grace Paul's gospel is where I found how to be saved today and how I come to the knowledge of my identity solely in Christ.
This leads to your comment that I, "forgot to mention the latest and most recent of all the divisional doctrines in the church today; Dispensationalism." First I want to make a couple statements that will help clear somethings up. I can not speak for all Dispensationalists, because not all are Pauline in their knowledge and thinking, in fact everyone is a dispensationalist one way or another if you want to be or not. However the question is are you Pauline? Many may be thinking what is the big deal with Paul. Many may be thinking I make too much of him. Let me clarify this thinking by asking two questions. 1) Why Paul? Did not Jesus Christ give the 12 disciples the "great commission" as religion calls it to go to ALL the NATIONS? Why would God choose Saul of Taursus the leader of the rebellion against the 12? Were the 12 out of the will of God? Did God choose Paul one man to carry out what the 12 could not do? Or, did something change in God's plan that He had purposed in Himself before the foundation of the world not making it known unto the world keeping it a mystery until a due time? 2) Who is your apostle? Now that was more than two questions, but just somethings to get the brain thinking. Is Peter (Cephas), James, John, Apollos, your apostle or is it Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry that you are to follow and who is to teach you what God is doing NOW and where you fit in? Or is it Paul?
Your comment about Dispensationalism (Pauline) being another divisional doctrine made me think of 1 Corinthians 1-4. I am not going to post all four chapters and trust readers to be Bereans. Paul addresses that there were divisions in the Corinth Church for (1:12) some said, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, and I of Cephas. Don't stop there Paul also mentions Christ that some were saying, "I am of Christ." Isn't that a good thing isn't that what we want, how then could it be causing a division? Paul says those who say they are of Christ are causing division and contention within the church. As Paul continues he speaks about a hidden wisdom about Jesus Christ, that if the princes of the world would have known it they would not have crucified Him (v. 8). In verse 7 Paul's says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." God has a hidden wisdom in a mystery of His Son Jesus Christ and it is this message, gospel, and wisdom that they were to follow, not Jesus' earthly ministry for Paul later mentions in 2 Cor. to no longer Christ in the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16). Paul in Corinthians chapters 1 through 4 speaks about this wisdom and the fellowlaborours or workers of the Lord in teaching this and a student of the Word should compare 1 Cor. 1:12-13 to 4:14-17. See in chapter 1 the division came from people following the man Cephas, Paul, Apollos, and Jesus and in chapter 4 Paul makes the issue his gospel, his message, his apostleship, not himself, but his office. "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME (v.15-16). Only two people in the Bible use this statement; Jesus and Paul. Also in verse 17, "For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall BRING YOU INTO REMEMBRANCE OF MY WAYS WHICH BE IN CHRIST, AS I TEACH EVERY WHERE IN EVERY CHURCH." Romans 11:13 says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." We are not to follow Cepha's office, Apollo's office, nor Christ's office on earth as a man which is for Israel, but to follow after Paul's office of apostleship which is of Christ as the glorified crucified Savior in the heavenly places far above all principality and power (Eph. 1). Paul is not just our instructor as the Corinthians had 10,000 of those, but our father in the gospel and we are to follow Paul's ways
in Christ. Paul is your apostle he is the apostle of and to the Gentiles. Divisions come from mixing doctrine of Christ (Matt. 5-7 "beatitudes") for Israel with sound doctrine Romans-Philemon for and to us given by Christ from heaven to Paul. Division comes when theologians, scholars, and pastors mix Peter's message with Paul's. This is why we need to rightly divide the WORD OF TRUTH (2 Tim. 2:15). All God's word is truth, but not all of God's Word is written to and for you. It needs to be rightly divided. The answer to your comment about dispensationalism being another divisional doctrine is true if it is not Pauline, because as said before everyone is a dispensationalist and divides God's Word, but do you rightly divide by listening to your Apostle Paul? Pauline Dispensationalism is the solution to the divisions within the church today just as it was when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. The Body of Christ needs to be in remembrance of Paul's ways which are in Christ just as Israel needed to be called back to the Law of Moses. Paul is to the Body of Christ as Moses was to Israel. Today the struggle comes with having Pauline authority in our life just as Israel had problems with Moses authority. The authority Moses had was given by God and the authority Paul has is from Christ from heavenly places (Gal. 1:11-12). A final comment I would make is that Pauline doctrine has been under attack ever since his seperation from his mothers womb, Israel (Gal. 1:15) (it is not his real mother, read it in context). Pauline authority, apostleship, ministry, message, and gospel have been under reproach and persecution ever since leaving the Jewish religion to the gospel of the grace of God that was given solely to him as the Law was unto Moses to preach and teach everyone at every church (1 Cor. 4:17). Pauline doctrine speaks of what God's doing today (hence all of Paul's, "BUT NOW" statements), and wants the Body of Christ to walk worthy of their calling. Paul says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (what is this vocation and how) with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Eph. 4:1-6). Does the Church (singular) look like this today? No, we have churches (plural).
Paul's Warnings For Not Following Him (Division)
Concluding I defend Paul's apostleship, ministry, and gospel, because he is my apostle and yours and to show that Pauline truth or Pauline Dispensationalism is not another divisional doctrine, BUT the clear response to all the division. Paul's ways which are in Christ (can't stress enough) need to be remembered and his office to be magnified (to enlarge), not because I say so, but because God's Word says so. All scripture is truth, but it needs to be rightly divided by listening to our apostle Paul so that we may have an understanding in all things. So I say with Paul, "if any man think himself to be a prophet, OR SPIRITUAL, let him ACKNOWLEDGE (remember that word) that the things I WRITE UNTO YOU ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant (1 Cor. 14:37-38)." Better yet, he says, "Consider what I say; and THE LORD GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING IN ALL THINGS." The Lord is the one that gives understanding to those who listen to the apostle that He Himself gave an office to in order to teach us about Himself (Christ), the grace of God, and the purpose of God in the heavenly places (Body of Christ) and the earth (Israel).
Who is your apostle?
Why Paul?
