When ‘mid-Acts-ers’ get together .... like at a conference .... to make conversation, they commonly ask each other, "When did you get 'THE MESSAGE'?" Well, ‘the message’ they are talking about is not "the message" of the scripture, as we will see:
1 John 1:5 This then is the message [epaggelia]
which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
No, THIS is certainly NOT ‘the message’ that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ are speaking of, when they ask, "How long have you known ‘the message'?" They reject ‘the message’ in those verses .... because it comes from JOHN .... not PAUL. They are prejudiced against ALL Biblical writers, other than Paul.
1 John 3:11 For this is the message [aggelia]
that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Furthermore, the Greek word [epaggelia] is written 53 times in the scriptures, and translated ‘promise’ 52 times, and ‘message’ 1 time. It means an announcement of a promise. (Similarly, [aggelia] is used only once, with the same definition and translated ‘the message’ also.)
1 John 2:25 And this is the promise [epaggelia] that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ refuse instruction from anyone except Paul, even though PAUL said:
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
‘The message’ that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ mean .... is what-they-consider to be ‘Paul’s mystery-message’ .... what-they-call ‘a secret revelation’ God gave ONLY to Paul to preach that ‘now’ Jews and Gentiles make up one body together --- yet COMPLETELY SEPARATE from the saints that were in what-they-say was ‘Israel’s kingdom program’ in the past and in the future, after what-they-think will be a ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ of just the saints saved by Paul’s message .... what-they-insist is ‘THE message’.
‘Mid-Acts-ers’ need to take a big dose of their own medicine.
Since they cry, ‘PAUL’ is the only one to follow (1 Cor 4:16) ....
then why don’t they practice what they preach ---
and follow PAUL (1 Cor 11:1 --- as Paul followed Christ).
Here are plenty of verses from PAUL about ‘the message’ [epaggelia] (also translated ‘the promise’) that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ refuse.
Abraham’s faith was counted for righteousness (Rom 4:3)
when he was in UNcircumcision (Rom 4:10),
"that he might be the father of ALL them that believe, though they be not circumcised" (Rom 4:11):
Rom 4:13-18 For the promise [epaggelia],
that he should be the heir of the world, (Gal 3:29) was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void,
and the promise [epaggelia] made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;
to the end the promise [epaggelia] might be sure to all the seed;
not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations,
according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
PAUL clearly explains WHO the seed includes .... the children of the promise:
Rom 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children:
but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise [epaggelia] are counted for the seed.
PAUL specifically tells the saints (in the churches of Galatia), that WE are the children of promise .... actually, the children of ‘the message’. This is NOT ‘the message’ that ‘mid-Acts-ers’ want .... but, nevertheless, it is ‘the message’ (same Greek word as ‘promise’) that PAUL wrote:
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise [epaggelia].
PAUL plainly described ‘the message’ (the promise) that was PROPHESIED to Abraham .... which is what we are still experiencing today:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise [epaggelia] of the Spirit through faith.
Again PAUL showed the PROPHECY that the Gentiles who believed would get ‘the message’ by faith in Christ:
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin (Rom 3:23), that the promise [epaggelia] by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Rom 3:21-22)
PAUL expressed stated that ‘the message’ was for ALL who are ‘in Christ’:
Gal 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise [epaggelia].
PAUL taught that the Gentiles WERE strangers from the covenants of promise in time past ---
but now, the Gentiles are PARTAKERS of the SAME promise ....
that we WERE PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED from:
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise [epaggelia],
having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,
and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise [epaggelia] in Christ by the gospel:
Jesus Christ came to Israel first (John 1:11, 4:22, Rom 1:16) ....
and then EXPANDED God’s mercy and GRACE ....
on out to the Gentiles --- just like the PROPHECY said He would.
Though ‘mid-Acts-ers’ try to place these blessings on the Gentiles out in the future ‘ages to come’ .... they are wrong!
We Gentiles are rejoicing TODAY .... in the ‘but now’ ....
WITH .... and AMONG (Rom 11:17; Acts 20:32, 26:18) .... ALL God’s people .... TOGETHER (1 Cor 3:9) --- not DIVIDED:
Rom 15:8-12 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises [epaggelia] made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy;
as it is written, (‘Mid-Acts-ers’ do not want these promises .... ‘the message’ .... because IT WAS WRITTEN in the PROPHETIC scriptures .... and they dismiss EVERYTHING there as "not applicable" for them .... because they take only PAUL’s ‘MYSTERY’ writings as "for them" now.)
For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
I am glorifying God for His mercy NOW.
I am rejoicing with God’s people NOW.
I am praising the Lord NOW.
I am trusting in Him NOW.
2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises [epaggelia] of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
I’ve got ‘the message’ .... but NOT ‘the message’ that the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ talk about. I’m standing on ‘the promises’ of GOD.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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