"Paul's Gospel" pt. 5

"Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do." Galatians 2:10

I mentioned last time, that we would focus on this verse and why it is so important. What does this verse mean? Who are these poor? Why are they mentioned right here? Why was Paul and the apostles in Jerusalem so forward to remember them?

It would be easy to say that the Jewish apostles tell them to remember the poor, because it is just a good thing to do. It could also be that the Jewish apostles thought that Paul and those who followed his gospel, apostleship, and ministry of the mystery of Christ would abuse their liberty and not remember the poor? It could be. However, IT ISN'T. The Word of God is too clear on this issue when the Word of truth is "rightly divided". Let us quickly recap what is happening and had happened at the Jerusalem council, which can be found in Acts 15 and Galatians 1-2.

Paul receives a revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ to go up to Jerusalem, to "communicate unto them that gospel which I (Paul) preach among the Gentiles". We saw clearly that, unlike how most Christians teach and preach it, Paul's gospel is not the same gospel Peter preached. We also learn that Paul went up to Jerusalem to communicate that God had changed the program. God does not change, but His dealings with mankind have and will in the future. God changed from dealing with His nation Israel and salvation through Christ dying in order to give the new covenant to the nation of Israel. In doing so God will cause them to keep the commandments perfectly. This will produce righteousness in His sight. The Gentiles, once this happens would then find salvation in Israel as Christ reigns as the King of kings and Lord of lords over the entire earth. This is however, yet to be fulfilled. Christ came the first time to suffer and die, only to come again to rule and reign. However, He did not return again according to prophecy, but according to the mystery of God's will He appeared to the apostle Paul on the road to Damascus. In so doing God changed from doing all of that with Israel, to offering salvation to the Gentiles through Israel's fall of unbelief, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It would be "by the Cross" and "the preaching of the Cross" that God would use unto the Gentiles glory a part from Israel. The gospel that proclaims this message, which is the mystery of Christ, God hid within Himself, but revealed it unto the apostle Paul to teach all the nations, that all might be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. This is why Paul went up to Jerusalem to communicate this to the Jewish apostles. The Jewish apostles although it was hard to understand, "perceived the grace that was given unto me (Paul)". They also "saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul), AS the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;". Also they recognized that "He (Christ) that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles;" The Jewish apostles, because Paul went up and communicated unto them the change, recognized that change. How do I know this? Well Galatians 2:9-10, give us that answer.

"And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do."

Three things happen here. 1)The 3 who seemed to be pillars that is; James, Cephas, and John perceived the grace given unto Paul. 2)Those 3 gave to Paul and Barnabas the "right hands of fellowship". The "right hands of fellowship" did not acknowledge that they were preaching the same thing, remember? However, that they were preaching something different. They are acknowledging that God changed His dealings with mankind from Israel's salvation and Gentiles through their RISE which had not come yet, but would have and will at Christ second coming; to the Gentiles (and individual Jews, although God sees them as Gentiles today) salvation through Israel's fall. Again, how do we know this? 3)Both the Jewish apostles, Paul and Barnabas were forward to remember the poor.

Who are these poor? How does this confirm not only that God changed the program, but that the Jewish apostles knew of this change? By answering the former question we will answer the latter.

These poor are the followers Christ, those who believed He is the Messiah, that is their Christ. Also known as the little flock. The little flock, the true Israel, because they believed Christ not only in the Gospel accounts during Christs earthly ministry, but also in the early Acts period. Why are they poor?

I will start by quickly mentioning that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and the early Acts period you needed to sell all that you had or leave all that you had and follow Christ. When Christ called out His 12 disciples each one left what they were doing, their families, their businesses, everything in order to follow Christ.

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU." Matt. 6:25-33

Christ commands them to sell all, because He is going to provide for them. Earlier in Matthew before this passage He tells them how to pray "give us this day our daily bread". He tells them to pray for God to provide food for them, because Christ commands them to sell all. Why, because the kingdom of heaven was AT HAND and the Jew could bring nothing in. It would be God that provides for that Jew in that kingdom. Selling all was a work that proved that one trusted; that one had faith in God to provide for their every need. We see through the Gospel accounts that Jesus is continually providing for them. He gives them glimpses of the kingdom through miracles, providing food for the multitudes of 4000 and 5000 by multiplying 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.

Christ spoke in parables saying,
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matt. 13:44

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Matt. 13:45-46

Christ speaks over and over about selling all, because He will provide and the riches in the kingdom are far better, being eternal. This kingdom of heaven that Christ speaks, will come down from heaven, but it will be a literal, physical, visible, earthly kingdom (Rev. 21). Selling all that you had was a requirement to enter in the kingdom of heaven that Christ spoke about, and boy it was AT HAND. In the disciples and others selling all that they had, they became like the Jews in time past whom came out of Egypt with nothing but God to provide for them. The nation of Israel was BORN at that time. Those Jews murmured against Moses and the power of God displayed to them, through provision of food and water, miraculously. The setting was like that during Christs earthly ministry. He explains the trials ahead in the tribulation. They will have nothing, and will not be able to buy anything, but Christ teaches and shows them that He is mighty and powerful to provide for all their needs. They must as a nation be BORN AGAIN. He is worthy to be followed in the midst of the greatest persecution that man was ever to face.

Christ teaches a certain ruler in Luke 18:18-25,
"And a certain ruler asked Him, saying, Good master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor thy father and they mother. And he said, all these have I kept from my youth up. Now when jesus heard these things, he said unto him, YET LACKEST THOU ONE THING: SELL ALL THAT THOU HAST, AND DISTRIBUTE UNTO THE POOR, AND THOU SHALT HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN; AND COME, FOLLOW ME. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

Christ in the following verses teaches His disciples,

"And they that heard it said, who then can be saved? And He (Christ) said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And he said unto them, verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting."

Christ taught that it was not good enough to just keep the commandments, but now that the kingdom WAS AT HAND, that one needed to sell all and follow Christ. He also taught to the ones who did, such as Peter, that he will be rewarded and provided for from God at the present time, but also we receive the greatest reward eternal life in the kingdom.

In the early Acts period, after Christ's death, burial, and resurrection the little flock continued to follow the commandments of Jesus. Acts 2:44-45,

"And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and SOLD THEIR POSSESSIONS AND GOODS, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."

In verse 47, God added daily to that kingdom church, the little flock of Israel.

Acts 4:32-35, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."

Verse 37, "Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet."

In Acts 5, it talks about a couple who sold all, yet kept some of the money and they died and went to hell, because they did not follow the commandment of Christ to sell all.

Paul says in Eph. 2:12 that we (Gentiles) were at this time strangers or aliens from the "commonwealth of Israel".

My point is manifold in nature. The little flock were to sell all; houses, land, business, animals, etc. They were to do this because the kingdom of heaven was at hand and in that kingdom God is going to daily provide for their every need. God provided for them in the early Acts period by every one distributing the fruit of their goods to those who were in need in that little flock. It is evident that after the resources would run dry that God would provide for them as Christ taught. They would but need pray to the Father and ask in Christ's name and receive. My biggest point of all is, these are the poor that the Jewish apostles, Paul, and Barnabas are forward to remember. But why? God changed the program and they no longer needed to sell all, therefore leaving them in a poorer state then before. The commonwealth of that little flock had dried up or would soon. Paul along with his gospel, apostleship, and ministry communicated that God had changed the program and their kingdom that was AT HAND, is no longer at hand. Hence the reason today Christ is not reigning as the King of kings and Lord of lords in Israel and us Gentiles sojourning to Israel, grabbing the skirt of a Jew because God is with Israel, Emmanuel. That is yet to be fulfilled. No, God changed the program with the apostle Paul and for a season is no longer dealing with Israel and their kingdom, however He is dealing with both Jew and Gentile, forming and putting them in the Body of Christ, through faith in the Cross of Christ, that He died for our sins. This is the mystery of Christ, which God hid in Himself. God is not residing in the nation of Israel through Christ being the King of kings and Lord of lords, under the new covenant. God is residing through Christ in those that believe the Cross of Christ that by it He died for our sins, under pure grace apart from the covenants, law, and the commonwealth. This is not the fulfillment of God's promises or prophecies to Israel, but something different. It is the mystery of Christ!!!

Those poor that we mentioned are the "kingdom church saints" that followed Christ's command. As God changed the program they in their obedience became poor. It is vitally important to note that God still provides for them, but not through the kingdom and not through the commonwealth, but by the apostle Paul's ministry. This is mentioned in a few passages, however I will quickly note Romans 15:26,

"For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem."

God through His awesomeness, although He changed the program, although He changed His dealings with mankind, still provided for the saints who believed Christ's commandments to sell all and follow Him. He honored and provided for their faith. He still provided for them, still kept His word, however not in the same way as prophesied. It would be the Gentiles who were on the Jews back for hundreds of years, the Gentile believers that heard the mystery of Christ from the unique, distinct, gospel, apostleship, and ministry of the apostle Paul that would provide for the poor brethren of God's earthly program with the nation of Israel. That is GRACE!!!!! O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!!!


Until next time....
In Him,
Joshua Strelecki