The speaker belabored a point by saying that Paul was giving out ‘new revelation’ which could not be found in the scriptures, so they had to take his word for it, based on his conduct and behavior among them. The speaker kept repeating that Paul was preaching "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8) that were not able to be verified in the old testament.
I researched the word ‘unsearchable’ and found the definition was, ‘that cannot be traced out, that cannot be comprehended’. I do not take that to mean that ‘knowledge of it was not recorded’, as the speaker taught. The LORD’s greatness WAS written in the old testament scriptures, but it is unsearchable, in that, one could search their lifetime and never exhaust the greatness of the LORD, nor come to its end:
Psa 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
Job 5:8-9 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
Regarding what the speaker insisted, that Paul’s message was ‘unsearchable’ (meaning, not able to be found in the scriptures) .... let’s compare that to what the verses say about the message Paul preached:
Acts 26:22-23 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
It was BEFORE Acts 26, that Paul testified the gospel of the grace of God in Acts 20. Thus, the gospel of grace MUST BE in prophecy, since Paul said "none other things" than the prophets prophesied:
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Peter actually shows that the prophets realized they were writing about a future time, which began to be experienced during the time of Christ and the apostles:
1 Peter 1:9-12 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The speaker referred several times to Paul’s "pastorial epistles" that he studied. There is NO Bible verse that even mentions any such thing. Paul gave Timothy instructions about the office of a bishop and the office of a deacon --- but never the office of a pastor:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:10,13 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul also wrote to Titus about the characteristics of a bishop --- but not a pastor. The Living Bible uses the word ‘pastor’ in all these verses (in Timothy and Titus), but not the KJV. The KJV, which ‘mid-Acts-ers’ claim is the very words of God in the English language, always says a ‘bishop’:
Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Paul addressed NO pastors at Philippi .... but he did write to the saints, bishops, and deacons:
Phil 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
I wish I had counted how many times the speaker said the phrase, "in the Pauline grace message". I can’t find it in the Bible either.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
