If the Lord Will?

God, through James, taught saints to be conscience of the Lord’s will in every thing they do, in every where they go:

 James 4:13-17  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

God, through Paul, showed the example by experience of doing what James taught:

 1 Cor 4:17-21  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
 18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

 1 Cor 16:7-9  For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
 8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ live like God doesn’t care what they do or where they go .... and that no one should say anything to them about it .... because ‘they’re under grace’.  But God does have a ‘will’ about the way they live:

 Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
 Rom 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

Where Did Paul Rightly Divide

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ say that since ‘Paul’ told us to ‘rightly divide’ .... then we should ‘go to Paul’ to show us how! So they run to Eph 2:11-12 to pick up ‘time past’ .... followed by Eph 2:13 for ‘but now’ .... then they have to back-track in the scriptures, to before ‘time past’, to Eph 2:7 for ‘the ages to come’. I don’t have a problem with the concept of past, present, and future .... but I strongly disagree with the separation of saints that the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ assign for the three sections. They have Israel isolated in ‘time past’ with all the old testament prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and His 12 disciples, and all who believed by them. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ make ‘but now’ saints be ONLY those converts who have believed by PAUL. They think that Paul preached a different gospel than any other of Christ’s ministers, even though the scriptures teach otherwise:

Mark 1:1-4 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

John explained that He was talking about Jesus:

John 1:15-17 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

The old testament prophets preached in ‘time past’ .... the time of the old testament law .... but since John the Baptist came at the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ .... things changed. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ don’t recognize what God says in these verses:

Matt 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John:
since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

After John preached the kingdom of God ....
Jesus preached the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14).
The 12 disciples/apostles (Matt 10:1-2) preached the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-2).
Jesus told a certain unnamed man to preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:57-60).
Philip preached the kingdom of God (Acts 8:12).
Paul preached the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25, 28:31).

John recorded where John the Baptist rightly divided ....
between the law and Moses .... and grace/truth and Jesus Christ:

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

Paul rightly divided the very same place ....
between the law written in tables of stone .... and the Spirit’s writing of the law in the heart (just like the prophecy said Jer 31:33):

2 Cor 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Again, Paul rightly divided the same way ....
between the old testament ‘letter’ that killeth .... and the new testament Spirit that giveth life:

2 Cor 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
not of the letter, but of the spirit:
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Paul rightly divided the same points ....
between the ministration of death written in stones (the law, the letter that killeth) .... and the ministration of the Spirit:

2 Cor 3:7-8 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

Paul kept the same position of right division ....
between the ministration of condemnation (the law by Moses, written on tables of stone, the letter that condemned and killed) .... and the ministration of righteousness (the grace and truth by Jesus Christ, the law written in the heart by the Spirit that ministered righteousness and life):

2 Cor 3:9-10 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory,
much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

The law by Moses was done away .... but the grace of Jesus Christ continues:

2 Cor 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious,
much more that which remaineth is glorious.

The old testament by Moses is out .... and the new testament in Christ is in:

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

That’s just where Paul rightly divided ....
between the old testament law in ‘time past’ .... and the new testament grace in ‘but now’:

Rom 6:14-b for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

That’s the SAME place Paul rightly divided in Eph 2:11-13 ....
between the old testament and the new.

Paul did NOT divide the saints, the church of God, nor ministers.
But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ do. Beware!

1 Cor 3:3-4 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Yes, ye are!

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

What if God Gives Them What They Want?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ boldly claim that they have ‘no part at all’ in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as it is recorded by John:

Rev 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ deny new Jerusalem being their mother .... even though Paul declares it .... because new Jerusalem is in the book of the Revelation (Rev 3:12, 21:2).
What if God gives the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ what they want?
‘No part’ in new Jerusalem?

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ boldly claim that James, Cephas (Peter), and John wrote only to the circumcision (Israel) and not to the Gentiles (based on Gal 2:9).

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev 19:10b). ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ think they have no part in the book of Revelation. They want nothing to do with the book of Revelation:

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

What if God gives the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ what they want?
‘No part’ of the book of this prophecy .... and thus, no part in the book of life?

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

Cannot Sin?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ apply being ‘born of God’ to Israel, never us Gentiles (John 1:11-13). They teach that Peter, James, and John ministered only to Israel (Gal 2:9), not us Gentiles. Those are 2 sure ways to totally eliminate having to deal with 2 verses, in particular, in John’s 1st epistle:

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Since I came out from being a ‘mid-Acts-er’ .... I am willing to reevaluate every doctrine I held, and take a fresh look at each issue .... without the ‘mid-Acts’ paradigm. I found MANY areas where they are, and I WAS, wrong. I admit it is much EASIER and more CONVENIENT to just throw these away, but that is not the right thing to do. So here is my understanding.

The Greek word [dikaioo] that is translated ‘freed’ in Rom 6:7 is written 40 times in scripture. It is translated ‘justified’ 37 times, ‘justifier’ 1 time, ‘be righteous’ 1 time, and ‘freed’ 1 time. Paul teaches in Romans that we are dead and ‘justified’ (freed) from sin. Therefore, we understand that sin cannot be ‘charged’ to us. We are released from it. We are detached from it. Sin cannot be on our account:

Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed (Greek [dikaioo]) from sin.

Rom 8:10-11 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Thus, in essence, we, who are dead (to sin) and yet alive (to God),
do not commit sin.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Did Paul Preach Messiah?

Indisputably, Paul preached the good news of Christ:

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. (also see Rom 15:29; 1 Cor 9:12, 18; 2 Cor 4:4, 9:13, 10:14; Gal 1:6-7; Phil 1:27; 1 Thess 3:2)

Common sense would tell you that the gospel of Christ is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Would any ‘mid-Acts-er’ contest this?

2 Thess 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Interestingly, could the gospel of Christ and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ be the same as the gospel of Jesus Christ? Of course, it is .... unless you’re a ‘mid-Acts-er’ .... then it can’t be, because they must maintain their paradigm .... even to the point of not being rational!

But surely, Christ is Jesus the Christ .... is Jesus Christ .... is the Lord Jesus Christ .... is Jesus Christ our Lord.

Not only is the gospel of Jesus Christ in Paul’s writings, and in the beginning of Mark, but gospel of Jesus Christ is also written in the OLD testament prophets:

Mark 1:1-2 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

John penned his gospel message so that people who read it would believe that Jesus is the Christ and be saved:

John 20:30-31 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Peter testified that the same Jesus who Israel crucified was their Christ:

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Paul himself proved from the prophetic scriptures that Jesus is Christ:

Acts 17:2-3 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Here is the kicker for the ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... ‘Messias’ is of Hebrew origin for the Greek word meaning ‘Christ’. The words, Messias (or Messiah) and Christ, are in different languages, Hebrew and Greek, with the same meaning ‘the Annointed’:

John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Paul had persecuted ‘this way’ unto the death (Acts 22:4, 26:11). He persecuted Jesus (Acts 22:8), not individually, but by persecuting His church (1 Cor 15:9, Gal 1:13). After Paul personally encountered Jesus (Acts 9), he preached in the Hebrew tongue (Acts 21:40, 22:2) .... the very same faith (Eph 4:5) that he had once destroyed (Gal 1:23):

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.

Thus, Paul preached Jesus, the Christ, the Messias.
He was not embarrassed of it, and neither am I, and neither should you be.

I am standing on the Word of God .... not just with Paul.
Will you even stand .... and if so, where?

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Different Gospels?

The gospel of Christ is the good news of grace:

Gal 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Just because Peter and Paul went different directions (Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles) .... does NOT mean that they took a different message:

Gal 2:7-9 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of (no Greek word here for the preposition 'of') the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of (no Greek word here for the preposition 'of') the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that
wrought effectually in Peter to (Greek: [eis]) the apostleship of the circumcision,
the same was mighty in me toward (Greek: [eis]) the Gentiles:)
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;
that we should go unto (Greek: [eis]) the heathen,
and they unto (Greek: [eis]) the circumcision.

In the same letter, Paul emphasized that it made no difference between circumcision and uncircumcision:

Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

They certainly would not have had different gospels for them, when it did not matter:

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

When Peter went to the first group of Gentiles (at Cornelius’ house), he knew that everyone - regardless of whether they were Jew or Gentile - would be saved by the grace of Christ:

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

When God said, over and over, it makes ‘no difference’ ....
then ‘mid-Acts-ers’ should stop making a difference!

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Peter’s Further Revelation from the Risen, Glorified Lord

Scripture details Peter’s vision with the Lord, after He was ‘risen’ and ‘glorified’ .... but ‘mid-Acts-ers’ don’t like to mention it because it messes up their ‘Pauline’ paradigm:

Acts 10:9-20 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Like Saul in Acts 9:4, Peter heard a voice, but saw no man:
13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Like Saul in Acts 9:5, Peter called the voice he heard, “Lord”:
14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
Like Paul in Acts 26:19, Peter described his experience as a ‘vision’ -- also from ‘heaven’ as was Paul's (Acts 10:11):
17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate,
18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.
19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.
20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing:
for I (the Spirit) have sent them.

Peter testified that it was God that showed him the equality of the Gentiles:

Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Peter knew that God specifically picked him out to take the gospel to the Gentiles:

Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Peter understood the ‘no difference’ issue back in Acts 10, and he told the council at Jerusalem about it later:

Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Peter preached the gospel of salvation to the Gentiles:

Acts 11:11-14 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.
12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house:
13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

What gospel did Peter take? According to the Bible (and NOT the 'mid-Acts-ers'), it was the same gospel the 12 took, the same gospel Paul took:

1 Cor 15:3-5, 11 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas (that is, Peter),
then of the twelve:
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach (that is, Paul or them), and so ye believed.

Paul was not the only apostle to get ‘further revelation’ .... Peter got it, too!

The Bible disrupts ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine, so they follow a man with a chart instead. How sad!

This is David Dowell saying, “Think about it!”

The Gospel of God or the Gospel of Christ?

We will just consider 1 of Paul’s 13 epistles for this topic .... his letter to the saints at Rome (Rom 1:7).

Paul wrote that he was separated unto the gospel of God:

Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Then Paul wrote that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation:

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.

Paul wrote 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.

Paul wrote that he preached the gospel of Christ:

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.

Paul wrote that he will go to Rome with 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? Back and forth, back and forth .... the gospel of God .... the gospel of Christ .... Could Paul not make up his mind WHICH gospel he had? .... But the HOLY SPIRIT inspired his words .... so they MUST be RIGHT.

The Cunning (Eph 4:14) Royal Jester and his Jokers commonly refer to the gospel Paul preached as the gospel of Christ. They do NOT call attention to the fact that PAUL preached the gospel of God. They’re afraid some of their ‘mid-Acts-ers’ followers may venture ‘outside of Paul’ sometime and see that PETER also wrote about the gospel of God .... and that does not fit their wrested (2 Peter 3:16) paradigm:

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?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ believe that even though Paul and Peter wrote the SAME words and phrases .... they were talking about DIFFERENT things .... like, the gospel of God, for example.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Turning the Grace of God Unawares?

Paul warned the churches of imposters, who pretended to be fellowcitizens with the saints (Eph 2:19), entering in among them (also see Acts 20:29-30; Matt 7:15, 10:16; Luke 10:3) .... that would draw them away from the grace of Christ (John 1:17b) and put them under the law (John 1:17a):

Gal 2:4-5 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

The contrast IN THE BIBLE is between grace and law ....
not between Peter and Paul.

From what were the saints being pulled away?

Gal 1:6-7 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Spiritual perverts?! Turning the grace of God?!

Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of
the common salvation, (also see ‘the common faith’ in Titus 1:4)
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
(There is only ONE faith - Eph 4:5.
Paul preached ‘the faith’ that he once destroyed - Gal 1:23.)
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke recorded Peter’s words before the apostles and elders (Acts 15:6), telling about God chosing HIM to take the gospel of salvation to a group of Gentiles gathered at Cornelius’ house (Acts 10:1,24):

Acts 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

Acts 15:10-11 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Are ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ turning the grace of God unawares? They are not trying to put saints under the law. But what they are doing, is accusing Peter and the rest of the apostles of it .... even though the SCRIPTURES teach otherwise.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ deny that Peter and the other apostles taught salvation by grace through Christ, like Paul did.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

ABC's from the CRJ - Going Back to Basics

If I had not recognized the SBC pulpit this evening, I would have figured the Cunning Royal Jester (Eph 4:14) was speaking to an audience that had never heard his ‘mid-Acts’ doctrine before! Oh, no! Could a passage in Hebrews apply?

Heb 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Evidently the Cunning Royal Jester thought the 'Wednesday night faithful' needed a refresher of his paradigm .... or maybe his false foundation is crumbling beneath him as we chisel it away! He drew his infamous chart, with a circle around Paul’s epistles. He pointed that, inside the circle, there is ‘no difference’, indicating that there was a difference outside the circle. One problem with that teaching is Peter’s testimony of ‘now, no difference’ (Acts 15:9) .... when God chose him (Acts 15:7) to take the gospel (Acts 15:7) of salvation (Acts 11:14) to Cornelius and his kinsmen and near friends (Acts 10:24) who were Gentiles (Acts 10:1):

Acts 15:7-9 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith.

God sent Peter to leave from Joppa and go to Caesarea (Acts 9:36-43, 10:1-48) to preach to the Gentiles, directly after God’s announcement to Peter that He had cleansed the Gentiles (Acts 10:9-33, 11:4-14).

Here is a thought: If Saul (Paul - Acts 13:9) was the ‘first member’ of a ‘new’ church, called the ‘body of Christ’, made up of Jew and Gentile with ‘no difference’ .... then WHY did God not send him, instead of Peter?
Well now, that throws a wrench in ‘mid-Acts’ heresy, huh?

Let’s continue on in the scripture passage:

Acts 15:10-11 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

There is Peter, before Paul, taking salvation by grace to the Gentiles!

Matt 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind.
And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Woops! The Cunning Royal Jester and his jokers are in the ditch!

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Peter Paved the Way

Saul of Tarsus was saved in Acts 9. He immediately preached to Jews at Damascus that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God:

Acts 9:19-22 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Then Saul went to Jerusalem.
From there he went to Caesarea .... interestingly BY-PASSING Cornelius ....
and then into Tarsus, his hometown:

Acts 9:26-30 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
30 Which when the brethren knew,
they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him forth to Tarsus.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ use Gal 2:7 to say that Paul and Peter preached 2 different gospels:

Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that
the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul),
as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ignore the verse in the chapter before, that shows that ‘if they did preach 2 different gospels, then Peter would be accursed’:

Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

But .... for the sake of argument .... let’s see how absurd the ‘mid-Acts 2 different gospels’ doctrine works in the case of Cornelius and his kinsmen and near friends (Acts 10:24), who were the first Gentiles to receive the gospel after God declared them clean (Acts 10:15).

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ teach that God started a new church .... with Paul (the apostle of the Gentiles) in Acts 9 .... called ‘the body of Christ’. But they cannot give an answer why God picked PETER - NOT PAUL - in Acts 10 to go to the Gentiles .... just after Saul/Paul was saved.

Peter testified that God specifically chose him to take the gospel to these Gentiles .... which he did in Acts 10 .... just after Paul went right through the same area (Caesarea):

Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago
God made choice among us,
that the Gentiles by my (Peter’s) mouth
should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Here are some questions for ‘mid-Acts-ers’.

Did Peter take the gospel OF the circumcision .... TO the UNcircumcised .... since that was the gospel that was committed to him?

(In other words, did Peter give the gospel OF the Jews .... TO the Gentiles .... since that was the only gospel he had?)

- OR -

Did Peter take the gospel OF the UNcircumcision .... TO the UNcircumcised .... since they were UNcircumcisied?

(In other words, did Peter give the gospel OF the Gentiles .... TO the Gentiles .... since that was the gospel that belonged to them, being Gentiles?)

If God had begun a new entity with Saul/Paul in Acts 9 .... Peter would not have been the one God sent to the Gentiles in Acts 10.

Don’t forget that Peter also testified that the Jews would be saved through grace, the same as the Gentiles:

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Does that sound like a different gospel to you?
Not to me!

Peter paved the way to the Gentiles .... before Paul.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Changing Words?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are notorious for changing words in songs. They alter messages in traditional hymns in order to replace the doctrine with what-they-think will make them ‘rightly’ divided. When I did my own investigation, I discovered information from the Greek that proved even more of the Cunning Royal Jester’s teaching was wrested. I found that he builds doctrines on words, particularly prepositions, that do not bear out to be true when you test them.

For example, he creates 2 different gospels (1 for Peter and 1 for Paul) from the word ‘of’ that does not even have its own word in the Greek:

Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that
the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul),
as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

The Cunning Royal Jester furthers his 2 different gospels deception with the prepositions ‘by’ and ‘through’. With Rom 3:30, he teaches that
Israel is justified ‘by’ faith ....
and we Gentiles are justified ‘through’ faith:

Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify
the circumcision by [Greek: ek] faith,
and uncircumcision through [Greek: dia] faith.

Many times I have heard him preach, "You don’t need the Greek! You can’t read Greek! You read English!" He can read Greek, so we were supposed to trust him. But unless you check out the Greek for yourself, you won’t catch his errors. Since I got away from the Jester and looked at the Greek myself, I realized he deceived me. When you compare Rom 3:30 (above) with Eph 2:8 (below), it seems that he is right. But when you look at another verse, and compare Rom 3:30 (above) with Rom 5:1 (below), you can see that he is wrong.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through [Greek: dia] faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by [Greek: ek] faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Now see how the Greek and English switch yet again:

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through [Greek: ek] faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

The Greek word [ek] is written 921 times.
It is translated
‘of’ 366 times
‘from’ 181 times
‘out of’ 162 times
‘by’ 55 times
‘on’ 34 times
‘with’ 25 times
and miscellaneous words for the others.

The Greek word [dia] is written 646 times.
It is translated
‘by’ 241 times
‘through’ 88 times
‘with’ 16 times
‘for’ 58 times
and miscellaneous words for the others.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ought to be careful not to change the KJV word ‘bishop’. But for ‘bishop’, they substitute the word ‘pastor’ like The Living Bible does. Then they defend the KJV word ‘dispensation’ with vigor, and will allow NO substitutions for it .... yet the KJV translates the same Greek word 3 times as ‘stewardship’. So, a word of caution .... beware of the Cunning Royal Jester’s ‘sleight of word’ and his (along with other 'mid-Acts-ers') unfaithfulness to the scriptures.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through [Greek: dia] the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by [Greek: dia] the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

As for me, I will still sing the old hymn ‘AT the Cross’ and rejoice!

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Divide and Conquer

Even if ‘mid-Acts-ers’ engrave a plaque with a school logo based on Eph 4:4-6, don’t be fooled into thinking they support bringing all God’s people together in a unifying message. Far from it! They believe only ‘certain’ believers (specifically, just those who have been saved since Saul of Tarsus’ conversion in Acts 9, and by his ministry alone) are made ‘one’ in the body of Christ. But God wants us to have, and make an effort to maintain, a unity, a one-ness of the Spirit .... (which 'mid-Acts' teaching tries to destroy):

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)
and one Spirit, (the Holy GHOST is not separate or distinct from the Holy SPIRIT)
even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (there are not '2 hopes' as 'mid-Acts-ers' think .... 1 being for the 'body of Christ' - who 'mid-Acts-ers' see as 'just themselves' .... and yet another, different hope being for Israel)
5 One Lord, (the -SAME- Jesus .... not 'another Jesus' as 'mid-Acts-ers' teach)
one faith, (Paul preached the -SAME- faith which once he destroyed .... not a different faith - Gal 1:23)
one baptism, (THIS is the only 'one' 1 of the 7 that 'mid-Acts-ers' believe)
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Jesus even prayed for that when He was on earth:

John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Clearly, God wants us to have a one-ness with each other, and with Him .... a unity of the faith:

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Chloe’s family told Paul about the strife in the church of God .... who were debating over which minster brought them into the faith. Quite frankly, it did not matter ‘WHICH MINISTER’ gave them the gospel .... whether it was PAUL .... or Apollos .... or Peter .... or Christ. But 'mid-Acts-ers' don't agree with anyone's testimony who claims to have been saved by reading the epistles of Peter, or even the words of the Lord Jesus, much less any of the 4 gospel records while Jesus ministered on earth:

1 Cor 1:11-13 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith,
I am of Paul; (This is the only one 'mid-Acts-ers' will accept. They think all the others are FALSE conversions.)
and I of Apollos;
and I of Cephas;
and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Christ is not divided .... and neither should His body be! We are ONE body:

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (also see 1 Cor 10:17, 12:12-13,20; Eph 2:16; Col 3:15)

Initially, Apollos knew only the water baptism of John the Baptist. Aquila and Priscilla expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Then Apollos helped them much which had believed through grace (Acts 18:24-28). Obviously, Apollos preached the gospel to people at Corinth, since some of his converts were joined to the church of God there:

1 Cor 3:3-9 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul;
and another, I am of Apollos;
are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos,
but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I (Paul) have planted,
Apollos watered;
but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, (Paul is nothing.)
neither he that watereth; (Apollos is nothing.)
but God that giveth the increase. (also see John 3:30)
8 Now he that planteth (Paul) and he that watereth (Apollos) are one: ('Mid-Acts-ers' say that Paul and Apollos were in SEPARATE 'programs' .... but GOD said they were ONE!)
and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

Paul and Apollos are one. So why won’t ‘mid-Acts-ers’ be ‘one’ with those ‘in Christ’ before Paul (Rom 16:7)?

After Paul detailed the gospel that he preached "unto you" (at Corinth in 1 Cor 15:1-4 .... just like "unto you" in Gal 1:9 .... and "unto you" in 1 Thess 4:15) .... he listed many other ministers (1 Cor 15:5-7) and showed again .... it did not matter WHICH MINISTER they got the gospel from:

1 Cor 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they,
so we preach,
and so ye believed.

That's just what Abraham did .... he believed .... and God counted his faith for righteousness (Rom 4:3). UNITY .... NOT DIVISION .... has been enjoyable among God’s people for a long time. I think I’ll be glad in that. "What about you?"

Psa 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is NOT ‘right division’ to divide God’s saints from each other. It is wrong! There are no verses that teach that foolishness. 'Mid-Acts-ers' are protecting their paradigm, charts, etc.

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"

First in the Body?

For those ‘mid-Acts-ers’ who insist that Paul was the 1st person saved into the body of Christ, I ask .... why don’t YOU get into the body the same way Paul got in?

What are you waiting for? Follow Paul, get up, and get baptized!

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Just because Paul said he was sent not to baptize, but to preach the gospel (1 Cor 1:17), does not change the fact of what he did when he got saved. Paul was water baptized!

I’m not preaching water baptism .... but ‘mid-Acts-ers’ ought practice what they preach!

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"

Whether I or They

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ will not admit that Paul and Peter both wrote to the same people .... even though the Bible says they did. The verse plainly says so:

2 Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

So we must go back to the beginning of this epistle to find out to whom Peter addressed it. Right here it is:

2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,
to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

There you have it! Simple as can be! I’m not going to allow ‘mid-Acts-ers’ to twist the word of God for me. I choose to believe GOD’s word .... instead of the Cunning Royal Jester’s paradigm .... because they are not the same.

When you read on past where ‘mid-Acts-ers’ stop in 1 Cor 15:4 .... you see that there were a lot of men preaching the gospel .... not just Paul. ANY of them were "ministers by whom ye believed" (1 Cor 3:5):

1 Cor 15:11 Therefore whether it were I (Paul) or they (Peter, James, any of the 12 apostles, and over 500 men - in the context),
so we preach (the gospel by which ye are saved - 1 Cor 15:1-11),
and so ye believed.

That is plain as day! Whether I or they!

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

A Trusted Book in the Hands of Untrustworthy Men

The Cunning Royal Jester demonstrated why he holds the title tonight! He began wasting time on opening night by telling folks to turn in their Bibles to Psalm 33, and without even reading it, he immediately took off into Story-Telling Land for more than half an hour, pivoting from television personalities to politics to a trip with his wife to falling down an escalator to a dog chewing up his Bible to his rule on whether you should sing in public or not to musical instruments he can play to the first time he preached on the street and at the mission when he was 16 years old to losing a parked car ..... and on .... and on .... and on. His audience seemed entertained like they were watching a variety show. He is a Cunning Royal Jester, indeed.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

One story was about a man who didn’t know that the good Samaritan was from the Bible. The Jester described him as a blank (meaning, I assume, that the man had no Biblical knowledge), so the Jester just quit talking to him. Then he said you should think about your opportunity to be a light in a dark world. Why encourage others to do what he himself did not do? By his own testimony that he just gave, his experience was a bad example.

For a ‘speaker’ who claims to be celebrating 400 years of the KJV, it is a tragedy that he avoids the KJV word ‘bishop’ for the very office he holds, written by inspiration of God from the very apostle he pretends to follow .... all the while preferring The Living Bible word ‘pastor’ instead.

1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

Oddly, the Cunning Royal Jester does not handle the word ‘cross’ like he does ‘bishop’ by switching the ‘cross’ to be called the ‘tree’ since many religious denominations with which he disagrees use the word ‘cross’. Neither does he substitute even the KJV’s other translation ‘stewardship’ (Luke 16:2,3,4) for the KJV word ‘dispensation’ (Eph 3:2), by which he identifies himself.

When he finally got around to reading the Bible, the ‘instructor’ who teaches others to ‘divide Paul’ from the rest of the scriptures, taught from ‘outside of Paul’ as he expressed the authority of the Bible. He admitted he "talked too long getting started" .... but, hey, why should that matter, since "we’re people of the book"?

Prov 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness:
but a faithful man who can find?

Prov 25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

1 Cor 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards,
that a man be found faithful.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

LOVE SHOWS

When a scribe questioned Jesus about the first commandment, He answered him with BOTH the first and second commandments .... BOTH about love .... first for God; second for others in the kingdom of God:

Mark 12:28-34 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth:
for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
And no man after that durst ask him any question.

All the law and the prophets are hung on just two commandments:

Matt 22:34-40 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Here is the 1st one:
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
Here is the 2nd one:
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ don’t like for Paul to mention the law in a ‘working’ manner .... yet he did. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ need to look at what Paul said about ‘US .... fulfilling the law’. It is all about showing love:

Rom 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Being free from the law does not mean that we disregard it. The law is expressed by love:

Gal 5:13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

John understood this issue, too. Believers in Christ love each other:

1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

This is the very same thing Paul said that GOD taught:

1 Thess 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

We love God, and we love others. That is not a problem for believers, but it sure seems to be one for ‘mid-Acts-ers’ who SEPARATE from God’s children who don’t ‘follow Paul’ the way they do:

1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Our heart will not condemn us and we will have confidence toward God (1 John 3:20-21) and not be ashamed before Him at His coming (1 John 2:28). We will not feel guilty when we live and show love this way:

Rom 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Read Luke 10:25-37 about a certain Samaritan, who had mercy on a man who fell among the thieves that robbed him, stripped him of his clothes, wounded him, and left him half dead.

Love God, love your family, love your brothers and sisters in Christ, and love your neighbor. Let your love show!

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"

When Saints Judge

In the Psalms, it was prophesied that God’s saints would be judges:

Psa 122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Psa 149:6-9 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
9 To execute upon them the judgment written:
this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

Jesus prophesied to Peter that His 12 disciples/apostles will be judges:

Matt 19:27-29 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ teach that a portion of God’s saints (those who have trusted Christ through the apostle Paul’s ministry, who-they-call, solely, the body of Christ) will be in heaven for eternity .... and that all the rest of God’s saints (meaning those who were saved BEFORE Paul and AFTER their unscriptural pre-tribulation, pre-70th-week-of-Daniel rapture of just Paul’s converts) will inherit the earth, especially and particularly the nation Israel. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ ignore the very apostle they claim to follow, Paul, when he prophesied to the saints that they/we will be judges:

1 Cor 6:2-3 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Recently, I heard the Cunning Royal Jester ask, ‘Do you know what world the saints will judge?’ .... Then he answered his own question, ‘The world of angels, that’s what world!’

For Paul to tell the saints that they shall judge the world, presupposes the fact that the saints will have to be ‘in the world’ in order to judge it. We know where ‘the world’ is. We know about this world .... and the world to come (Matt 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Eph 1:21; Heb 2:5, 6:5).

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!"

Faithful Ministers of the Mystery?

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ spout about Paul being the ONLY ONE who had ‘the mystery’ .... well, according to the scriptures, he wasn’t! In this passage, we see that Apollos and Cephas were ALSO faithful stewards of the mystery, as well as Paul:

1 Cor 3:21-23 Therefore let no man glory in men.
For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.
1 Cor 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Let’s re-read 1 Cor 4:1, in sections, with analysis:

1 Cor 4:1 Let a man so account of us (us, who? us in the context = Paul, Apollos, and Peter),
as of the ministers (Greek [huperetes] also translated ‘servants’) of Christ,
and stewards (Greek [oikonomos] like ‘dispensers’ from the same root word as [oikonomia] for ‘dispensation’)
of the mysteries (Greek [musterion] also translated in the singular, mystery) of God.

The passage (1 Cor 3:21-23, 1 Cor 4:1-2 together) proves that at least 2 other men -- other than Paul -- were dispensers of the mystery of God.

Do you listen to a FAITHFUL minister, who is TRUE to God’s Word (as found in the English language in the KJV), or do you heed the words of an unfaithful servant?

Prov 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness:
but a faithful man who can find?

If you’ve given your attention to ‘mid-Acts-ers’ .... you should realize, by reading the verses, that they are grossly unfaithful with God’s word.

This is David Dowell saying, "Think about it!

Standing on the Promises of God

Talking about ‘mid-Acts’ preachers before him, I have heard the Cunning Royal Jester say that we stand on their shoulders, but they did not see as far as we see. He excused them, stating they just didn’t have time to think things through. In retrospect, I believe they were not as radical at dividing as the CRJ is. He makes nearly 2 of everything .... 2 Jesus’ .... 2 groups of saints (those saved through Paul’s ministry vs. all other believers) .... 2 sets of last days .... 2 or 3 future comings of the Lord .... 2 different eternal destinies .... 3 churches (those before Paul, those by Paul, those after Paul) .... 3 or more resurrections .... the Holy Spirit / Ghost, etc.

Instead of standing on the shoulders of earlier ‘mid-Acts’ preachers .... to divide even more than they did, I would rather stand on God’s promises, like GOD, through ‘our’ apostle Paul, said:

2 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

GOD, through ‘our’ apostle Paul, explained that the promise of the Spirit we have, was the PROPHETIC one that God promised Abraham way back when:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise 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,

Anyone who denies the verses that Abraham is their father .... well, maybe they will get what they believe and want:

2 Tim 2:12-b if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Matt 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

God, through Paul, gave us Gentiles the benefits that He formerly promised to His people Israel. You can reference those promises in the scriptures and see Paul repeat them, and apply them to us Gentiles:

Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

2 Cor 6:16-18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Paul wasn’t the only prophet and apostle who sent ‘grace and peace’ in the opening of every one of his epistles .... Peter did, too, when he wrote to those of the same faith in Christ. Peter also recognized the wonderful promises of God to His saints:

2 Peter 1:1-4 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Since I got away from the Cunning Royal Jester’s denial of God's promises, and I have rejected his ‘mid-Acts’ madness .... I rejoice and glorify God for His promises to me!

This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"