A ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensational’ preacher just this past Sunday made a typical division between Israel’s earthly blessings from the sermon on the mount .... and .... blessings in the heavenly places for what-he-calls the body of Christ (meaning only saints that are saved through Paul’s ministry).
He contrasted:
Matt 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Since that’s the paradigm he created and wanted you to see, those are the chosen verses he compared. But there are some other verses you need in order to make an informed decision on whether you buy his wares or not.
Consider this. The promise of earthly inheritance for the meek is an old one. Jesus brought it forward from Psa 37:11.
Psa 37:7-13 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him:
fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath:
fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off:
but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be:
yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth;
and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
The theme of that passage has to do with the righteous waiting patiently for the Lord to come and bring their inheritance .... as well as get His revenge on the wicked. Notice how similar the situation is in Paul’s day. Those are the very same issues that Paul taught:
2 Thess 1:4-10 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us,
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (not just ‘some’ of the saints .... but ALL who believe) (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
It is as it has always been. The wicked torment the righteous:
2 Tim 3:12-13 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (also James 5:1-9)
There will be a payday someday .... when Jesus appears and sets up His kingdom. (FYI, ‘mid-Acts-ers’ teach that those are divided events --- that Jesus will appear 7 + ?# years before He comes again to establish His kingdom on earth --- but there is no indication of that in the verse):
2 Tim 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (also Acts 10:42, 17:31, 1 Pet 4:5, Heb 9:27)
Yes, the culmination will come .... when the Lord comes .... at the last trump (1 Cor 15:52). That is when the righteous will get rewarded and the wicked will be destroyed:
Rev 11:15,18 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come,
and the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;
and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
At the onset of Paul’s commission from the Lord, Jesus told him that he would be used to tell the Gentiles they will share in Israel’s inheritance .... as fellow-heirs (Eph 3:6):
Acts 26:16-18 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Acts 20:32 says "to give you an inheritance among ALL them which are sanctified.")
The ‘mid-Acts’ preacher did not mention Jesus’ instructions .... continuing in the sermon on the mount .... to store up true wealth in heaven’s depository. The ‘mid-Acts’ preacher’s teaching about ‘only Paul’ and ‘only heavenly blessings’ for ‘only the body of Christ’ .... does not match Jesus’ words:
Matt 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Neither did the ‘mid-Acts’ preacher say anything about the heavenly promise in PETER’s epistle .... because it does not fit his paradigm of division -- instead of UNITY -- among God’s saints:
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
The ‘mid-Acts’ preacher makes separate believers and forces different inheritances on earth and in heaven .... but Jesus did not do that, and neither should we:
Matt 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Where are the showers of blessings? This is the promise of love.
They are laid up in heaven until the end of the world. Then Jesus will bring them with Him when He comes with ALL His saints (1 Thess 3:13):
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
.
