Monday, December 1, 2008

Acts 2 Traditionally and Dispensationally Considered

I was reading through Acts and when I reached Acts 2, many thoughts and traditions of my former persuasion came to mind as I read the chapter. Acts 2 is traditionally where the church the Body of Christ begins or starts. It may not be tradition in all denominations or churches, however from the Baptist denomination and the 3 churches I formerly attended it was. I believe Acts 2 is the common place where most churches, denominations, and religions under Christianity find and begin the church the Body of Christ.

I write briefly and draw upon verses, so that we may renew our minds about when the church the Body of Christ began. Who was the first member of the Body of Christ? When did it start form?

I think it important to quickly note exactly what is the Body of Christ and what is it made up of. Quickly let us look at Eph. 2:13-17,

"But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made night by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh."

The both, is the uncircumcised and the circumcised; the Gentile and Jew. The Body of Christ is made up of both Jew and Gentile and the focus is not your race, but Christ and Christ alone. The Body of Christ is individual Jew and Gentiles together in Christ. The middle wall of partition, that law covenant is out of the way, being abolished. God reconciles both in one body. Is this what starts to take place in Acts 2?

As we go through Acts 2, notice the exclusivity of people. Notice the Jewishness of the passage and lastly whom Peter is speaking to.

Acts 2:1, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."

When what day was fully come, the day of Pentecost. This was a Jewish feast day. Who is the they? The "they" can be found in chapter 1:13-15. The 11, with the women, and Mary in total about 120. Where are they? They are in Jerusalem.

Now in verses 2-4, we see the prophesied event of the disciples being baptized with the Holy Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit does not dwell in them, but comes upon them. Christ made this known in John chapters 14-16, about Him sending the Comforter, that is the Spirit. It was upon them and would fill them and then just be upon them and then fill them again in certain circumstances. They spoke in tongues.

Acts 2:5, "And there were dwelling at Jerusalem JEWS, devout men, out of every nation under heaven."

Astonishing, Jews from every nation under heaven, came to Jerusalem to celebrate and take fellowship in those feast days. These are devout men and they are dwelling at Jerusalem and notice what happens next.

Acts 2:6, "Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

God gives the 120 the Holy Spirit manifesting the languages of the nations. However it is the languages of the nations, it is not the Gentiles that God wants to speak to, but the Jews in those nations that came to Jerusalem. The day of Pentecost a Jewish feast day was not coincidental in God's plan of giving them the Spirit. Every Jew dwelling there that is witnessing this extraordinary event hears in their own language. The response?

Acts 2:7, "And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?"

They were amazed at what they were witnessing, but most of all what they were hearing and who it was coming from. We know why they marvel, because each Jew can hear them in their own language, but why do they pose the question, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?" (I desire to go into this myself, but read the article below by Keith Blades to get a grasp of why might these Jews be astonished at these Galileans who are manifesting this power.)

Acts 2:8-11, "And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappaddocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phyrgia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."

All the nations represented and they heard in their own language the wonderful works of God. Now it is here that I can only see why it has become tradition that so many believe the church the Body of Christ began here. Tradition assumes that because the nations are represented here that this means the Body of Christ. We most not add to the Scriptures nor take away. The Jews out of every nation are at Jerusalem, not Gentiles. This must be clearly noted and understood. Yes, the devout Jews spoke the Gentile languages, however they were Jews and God is speaking not to the nations, but to the Jews out of those nations!!!

Acts 2:12-13, "And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine."

May we ask the same question, what meaneth this? Well may we not answer by tradition that this means the beginning of the church the Body of Christ, but may we let Peter answer for us.

Acts 2:14, "But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:"

Peter stands up, lifts up his voice and announces whom he is speaking to. Who? Men of Judea and all that dwell in Jerusalem. Judea (Judah=2 tribes) and Jerusalem (Israel=10 tribes) are represented here. Notice Peter doesn't say listen to what Christ said while on earth, but he says "hearken to my words". Granted his words are that of the Holy Spirit, but Peter is the main apostle of the circumcision. It is only appropriate as Christ gave Peter the keys to the kingdom, not only for him to stand up with the 11, but that he speaks. He says, "hearken to my words". May we hearken to Peters words as well.

Acts 2:15-16, "For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;"

Peter corrects their thinking, that is, they are not drunk, but what they are witnessing is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. What is spoken by the prophet Joel, that Peter says it is that they are witnessing. Well Peter filled with the Holy Ghost quotes, Joel 2:28, with a slight change.

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prohesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and my servants and on my handmaidens i will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prohesy: and I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the hearth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Now compare with Joel 2:28-32

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the hand maids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the lORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."

Peter quotes Joel, but not saying that what those Jews are hearing and experiencing is a "new day" or a "new thing" such as, the Body of Christ, the one new man. In fact, he is speaking to Jews only warning them that what they are seeing is the manifestation of the Spirit upon the believers in the LAST DAYS. It is the last days Peter is in and referencing to and warning the Jews to repent (to change your mind), that is, change their mind about Jesus of Nazareth that He is the King of Israel and He is coming back. Peter is telling them to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, because what is next after the manifestation of the Spirit is wrath, that is, "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." The next event on God's prophetic time schedule was His wrath, "the times of restitution of all things" (Acts. 3:21). God's restitution was next and Peter was warning them, telling those Jews that they crucified their Messiah and that He was going to stand and take vengeance and consummate His wrath at His second coming.

I pose two questions. When did this wrath take place? Did it happen, Peter said it was next? Did he lie? Why do so many institutions, churches, and schools hold to the church the Body of Christ, the one NEW man beginning in Acts 2 at the day of Pentecost? The setting is completely Jewish, on a Jewish feast day, at Jerusalem, speaking about the prophecy of Joel, the 12 (representing the 12 tribes of Israel)preaching about what was happening and what was going to happen, that is, the time of Jacob's trouble.

The church the Body of Christ started with an unexpected return of the Lord Jesus Christ to one man, the apostle Paul. Jesus Christ instead of pouring out His wrath and proceeding with God's prophetic time clock put on hold His wrath and did endure and is enduring with longsuffering to show and dispense His matchless grace. God saved Saul who became Paul (a man who was a born Jew, but a Roman citizen, both Jew and Gentile in one body) to send him to the Gentiles with the unsearchable riches of Christ, riches that God had not made known since the world began, but in His timing has made them manifest. The Body of Christ started the apostle Paul in Acts 9, him being the first member of the one new man, that he might be a pattern to show forth God's longsuffering for those who should after Paul believe that Christ died for their sins, was buried and rose again.

Folks, it is by God's grace that He is holding back His wrath and saving sinners, however this dispensation, that is this administration of God's grace was never promised nor is it given a time when it will end. God's wrath was next when Peter spoke and although on hold it is next after God ends the dispensation of grace. If no one has ever loved you enough to ask you where you would spend eternity if you died today, let me ask you. Where would you spend eternity? If you don't know for sure, you can know. God sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to die for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. It is by His grace through your faith plus NO works that He will freely give you the complete forgiveness of sins; past, present, and future. Christ was delivered up for this purpose to be able to forgive sins and was raised again for justification, that's God's able right because of the sacrifice of His Son to give you His righteousness, a perfect position, standing and identity before Him. It is by His grace that today at this moment you can know for sure where you would spend eternity, that is in heaven. God does all the saving you do all the being saved, won't you trust Him today, never to be separated from the love of Christ. It is a gift. You don't have to pray a prayer, be water baptized, nothing, it is by grace through faith, just simply put your trust in Christ's work alone to save you.

Welcome!!!!!!

Welcome, I hope you all enjoy this blog as I will be writing down thoughts from the amazing Word of God, feel free to respond. Talk to you soon