One of the main spring-boards for ‘mid-Acts-ers’ is Ephesians 2.
They start out with ‘Time Past’ (in verses 11-12) ....
followed by ‘But Now’ (in verse 13 and following).
But then they go backwards (to verse 7) to pick out their future phrase ‘Ages to Come’.
Under the OLD Covenant, which God made with Abraham and his family (physical descendants), Gentiles had no privilege. They were foreigners to Israel:
Eph 2:11-12 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past
Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision
by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time (What time? Time Past)
ye were without Christ,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope,
and without God in the world:
God made covenants with Israel to resurrect them unto eternal life:
Acts 26:6-8 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
In the ‘But Now’ a change occured in the Gentiles status.
How was it accomplished? By Christ’s blood .... the blood of the NEW Testament (Matt 26:28, 1 Cor 11:25, 2 Cor 3:6, Heb 9:15):
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
It is no longer the OLD Covenant of the law for Israel ....
now it is HOPE in the NEW Covenant of grace for all.
Now because of Christ, we all can be near to God:
Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, (also see Rom 8:3,4; Acts 13:38-39; Gal 2:16)
but the bringing in of a better hope did; (also see Rom 8:23-25; 15:8-13; 1 Cor 15:19-26; Col 1:5; 1 Thess 4:13-14) by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Paul taught that Christ is the reason we (near or far) can have peace.
Because of His blood, now we Gentiles are no longer ‘separated’ from Israel --- now we are ‘one’ WITH them:
Eph 2:14 For he is our peace,
who hath made both one,
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ really mess this up. They keep the ‘but now’ saints divided from the ‘time past’ saints that were ‘in Christ before Paul’ (Rom 16:7).
The OLD Testament Law was taken away by Christ’s death ....
that made the NEW Testament Grace ....
and brought ‘near saints’ (Jews) and ‘far off saints’ (Gentiles) peacefully together:
Eph 2:15-16 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself ("in Christ") of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
‘The gospel of peace’ was preached by Isaiah (Isa 52:7) ....
and by Paul (Rom 10:15, Eph 6:15) ....
and by Christ (Rom 15:8-13):
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off (the Gentiles), and to them that were nigh (the nation Israel - Deut 4:7).
God offered peace to those who were far away, and the near:
Isa 57:19-21 I create the fruit of the lips;
Peace, peace to him that is far off,
and to him that is near,
saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,
whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Saints of ‘time past’ and saints of ‘but now’ are UNITED by ONE Spirit:
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ SEPARATE the saints in the dispensation of grace .... from the saints that were under the law. But the OLD Covenant saints that were under the law .... MOVED to faith in Christ:
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled:
ye believe in God, believe also in me.
The saints are NOT to be SEGREGATED by ‘time past’ and ‘but now’ as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ split them. God’s Spirit JOINED us ALL together:
Eph 4:3-6 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body (also see Eph 3:6, Rom 12:4-5, 1 Cor 10:17),
and one Spirit (not ‘another Spirit’ - also see 2 Cor 11:4),
even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (the resurrection of the dead for ALL believers - also see 1 Thess 3:13)
5 One Lord (the SAME Lord - Acts 1:11, 2:36; Heb 13:8 .... not ‘another Jesus’ as ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach was Jesus in His earthly ministry),
one faith (also see Gal 1:23),
one baptism (also see 1 Cor 12:13),
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (no difference in Jew and Gentile - also see Acts 15:9, Rom 3:22, 10:12; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11)
Paul repeatedly taught this same principle:
1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
We have the same spiritual drink with Israel .... not a different drink (also see 1 Cor 10:6,11):
1 Cor 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ.
Gentiles that believe are GRAFFED in AMONG believing Israel (Rom 11:17):
Eph 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellowcitizens with the saints, (also see Rom 11:17-24, fellowheirs as Eph 3:6)
and of the household of God; (also see 1 Cor 3:9, 2 Cor 6:16, Rev 21:3,7)
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; ('the SAME foundation' --- just where Christ had not been named - Rom 15:20-21 --- also see Psa 118:22, Isa 28:16, Matt 21:42, Acts 4:11, 1 Pet 2:4-6)
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together (not separated) groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (also see 1 Cor 3:16-19)
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Then ‘mid-Acts-ers’ get out-of-order in Ephesians 2, by reversing direction to get their ‘Ages To Come’ expression .... rather than going forward in the scriptures, like ‘Past, Present, and Future’.
The Greek word
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
‘The ages to come’ .... is like ‘the world to come’:
Isa 45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
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