In this thought, we will read through Romans 1:1-7. ‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ boldly proclaim Paul’s use of the term "my gospel" .... but they rarely mention his separation to "the gospel of God." WHY would they shun "the gospel of God" as being Paul’s message? They would never say it out loud, but here are some motivations for their silent avoidance.
Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ do not like that Paul was separated unto "the gospel of God." They teach that ‘Paul’s gospel’ was part of his ‘secret, mystery information.’ The scriptures go against their paradigm .... saying that "the gospel of God" was foretold in the prophetic writings:
Rom 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
The Hebrew word for ‘Messiah’ (or ‘Messias’) is the equivalent to the Greek word for ‘Christ’ (John 1:41, 4:25) ....
so ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ try to down-play "the gospel of God" by squirming all over the word "concerning" .... saying things, like, "The gospel of God is NOT about that Jesus Christ is Messiah, but it is ‘concerning’ about Jesus Christ, Who was Israel’s Messiah, that back in Gen 3:15 God promised a Redeemer." What?!? The VERSES are PLAIN and CLEAR: The gospel of God was promised before by God's prophets in the scriptures:
Rom 1:3-a Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
Then ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ do not want to associate Jesus Christ ‘IN THE FLESH’ with Paul (2 Cor 5:16) .... because they say that Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry was ANOTHER Jesus (2 Cor 7:4) from ‘the risen, glorified Lord’ that called Paul. Yet, in the BIBLE, "the gospel of God" DOES concern the physical lineage (Luke 2:4) of the Lord:
Rom 1:3-b which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Whew! ‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ have to rush through the first 3 verses of Romans 1, before anyone has time to THINK about what the scripture actually says .... or how they just explained it away. So here at verse 4, they get calm again and go back to their ‘safe mode.’ They can handle this point:
Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Now they’re rolling! ‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ teach that the 1st thing --- the essential issue --- that Paul wants us to realize is his Gentile apostleship. In reality, that is what the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ want to spotlight:
Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Rom 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Paul was .... separated unto the gospel of God (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) .... to ALL the saints at Rome:
Rom 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
A few sentences later, Paul was not ashamed of Christ’s gospel:
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Then, near the end of his epistle to ALL that be at Rome, called to be saints (Rom 1:7), Paul said that he ministered "the gospel of God":
Rom 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Right after saying that he ministered "the gospel of God" ....
Paul said he preached "the gospel of Christ" .... that he planned to bring to Rome:
Rom 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum,
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Rom 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
Was Paul confused about ‘WHICH gospel’ he preached ....
"the gospel of GOD" .... OR .... "the gospel of CHRIST"?
.... OR ....
was "the gospel of GOD" .... AND .... "the gospel of CHRIST" ....
the SAME GOSPEL?
I believe the latter.
Paul preached "the gospel of God" .... "unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:" (2 Cor 1:1):
2 Cor 11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
Paul spoke "the gospel of God" .... "unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ:" (1 Thess 1:1):
1 Thess 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Paul imparted "the gospel of God" .... to them:
1 Thess 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we (not only Paul) were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
Paul (and others) preached "the gospel of God" .... to them:
1 Thess 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
Paul preached "the gospel of God" .... and yet ....
he laboured in "the gospel of Christ":
1 Thess 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:
Probably the main problem that ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ have with PAUL preaching "the gospel of God" .... is that PETER wrote of it.
Peter?!? Oh, no!
Oh, yes!
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ say that PAUL preached ‘a’ DIFFERENT gospel than PETER preached.
I stand with PETER on this one:
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said,
We ought to obey God rather than men.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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