WHOSE Kingdom Is It? GOD's .... or .... CHRIST's?

The day before yesterday, we looked at, "Whose GOSPEL is it?"
Yestherday we though about, "Whose MYSTERY is it?"
Today, we will consider "Whose KINGDOM is it?"

‘Hyper-dividers’ also make 2 different kingdoms between Christ and God ....
and they think NEITHER is their inheritance.

They say that the kingdom of Christ is when Jesus reigns on earth for a thousand years (while God the Father remains in heaven).

They believe that the kingdom of God will occur when God the Father comes down to earth as the new Jerusalem descends, and then will He dwell among men:

Rev 21:2-3 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Some people think that Jesus will sit on David’s throne in the millennium, and thus IT is the kingdom of Christ:

Isa 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

'Mid-Acts-ers' also base the kingdom of Christ on Daniel's prophecy:

Dan 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

When the angel Gabriel announced to the virgin Mary of her conception of the Christ child .... he prophesied the kingdom of Christ:

Luke 1:31-33 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ make a DIVIDE ....
between the ‘appearing’ of Christ .... and the ‘kingdom’ of Christ.

They teach that Jesus will ‘appear’ at a ‘secret-mystery-rapture’ of what-they-call ‘the church, the body of Christ’ (meaning, ONLY those saints that have been saved during, when-they-think is, the dispensation of grace) .... even though Peter’s and John’s writings give NO indication that His appearing (1 Pet 5:4, 1:7; 1 John 2:28, 3:2) or Heb 9:28, is a ‘different’ appearing than Paul’s writings of His appearing (Col 3:4, 2 Tim 4:1,8; 1 Tim 6:14; Titus 2:13).

They say the ‘appearing’ (to them, the ‘rapture’) will occur 7 + ?# years BEFORE .... the kingdom of Christ (which they believe to be at what-they-call the 2nd coming of Christ [even though they teach that He has already ‘secretly’ come part-way, meaning, only to the clouds], when He comes all the way down to earth .... to set up His kingdom on earth and reign on the throne of David).

Recently in a message, I heard a ‘mid-Acts’ preacher reason that since ‘we know’ that ‘the quick and the dead’ are 2 different things (alive and dead) .... therefore, ‘we also know’ that ‘his appearing’ and ‘his kingdom’ are 2 different events. That kind of application is way wrong.

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;

‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ really prefer to avoid ANY and ALL references of Paul preaching the kingdom of God .... because

1) John the Baptist, Jesus in His earthly ministry, and His disciples/apostles preached the kingdom of God .... and Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote of the kingdom of God. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ disassociate with ALL of them, claiming that PAUL had an exclusive, distinctive ministry and totally different gospel.

2) ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ see both the kingdom of Christ (His millennial reign on earth) and the kingdom of God (His coming to earth in the new Jerusalem) as BOTH in what-they-call ‘Israel’s prophecy-program.’

Luke recorded that Barnabas and Paul (Acts 14:14) both preached the kingdom of God. ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ don’t want to be called DISCIPLES either, because they believe 'disciples' (also 'Christians' - Acts 11:26) had to do with 'Israel's program':

Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples,
and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

To the Ephesian elders, Paul said:

Acts 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all,
among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God,
shall see my face no more.

In the very last chapter of Acts, Luke wrote of Paul:

Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging;
to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God,
persuading them concerning Jesus, (From where? From his own ‘exclusive, distinctive, different’ revelation that Jesus committed unto him? NO! He taught them about Jesus, the MESSIAH [which is, the CHRIST - John 1:41, 4:25] from the LAW and the PROPHETS!!!)
both out of the law of Moses,
and out of the prophets,
from morning till evening.

Acts 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Paul wrote several times of the kingdom of God (Rom 14:17; 1 Cor 4:20, 6:9-10, 15:50; Gal 5:21; Col 4:11; 2 Thess 1:5). He specifically said that we are called unto it:

1 Thess 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God,
who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

To SEAL up the matter,
just as Col 2:2 took care of the MYSTERY of God and of Christ ....
so Eph 5:5 UNITES the KINGDOM of God and of Christ TOGETHER:

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater,
hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ want NO PART of the kingdom of Christ -- OR -- of God because they think neither are ‘for them’ ....
even though PAUL preached "the kingdom of Christ and of God."

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

WHOSE Mystery? GOD's .... or .... CHRIST's?

Yesterday we thought about "WHOSE Gospel Is It?" Today, we will think about "WHOSE Mystery Is It?" ‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ divide ‘the mystery’ into ‘different programs’ .... just like they divide ‘the gospel’. They claim to be ‘rightly-dividing’ .... but actually, they are ‘wrongly-dividing’. ‘The mystery’ belongs to God and Christ --- and NOT independently (Col 2:2), as we will see.

Paul wrote of ‘the mystery of Christ’ .... as both a servant and prophet of God (Rev 10:7, Rom 1:1, Titus 1:1, Acts 13:1, 1 Cor 13:2). The old testament prophets realized that the grace they prophesied was for saints in the future (1 Peter 1:10-12). Paul got it explained to him personally from the Lord:

Eph 3:1-4 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

‘The mystery of Christ’ was not clearly comprehended ‘in time past’ the way it is now understood:

Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,
as it is now revealed
unto his holy apostles (plural, not just Paul)
and prophets (plural, not just Paul)
by the Spirit (not by Paul);

Paul clearly defined just what that secret was ....
we are ‘fellow-inheriters’ ....
what ‘they’ inherit, now ‘we’ inherit WITH and AMONG them that are sanctified by faith in Christ (Rom 11:17, Acts 20:32, 26:18) ....
we are all one body (Rom 12:4-5; 1 Cor 10:17, 12:12-13; Eph 2:16, 4:4; Col 3:15) ....
now we are ‘in Christ’ with those before us (Rom 16:7) ....
we partake with them:

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

What the Gentiles did NOT have in time past --- now we have!
God broke down the middle wall of partition (Eph 2:14), so now we have access (Eph 2:18, 3:12; Rom 5:2) to everything we were shut off from then.
We are not segregated anymore. The unbelieving Jews were mad about our position of equality, being welcomed ‘clean’ into the family of God. They hounded Paul for preaching our ‘no difference’ acceptance:

Col 4:2-4 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance,
to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

The same Greek word [musterion] is translated both singular (the mystery) and plural (the mysteries). I am not saying that there is only ‘one mystery’ but I am saying that the mystery/mysteries belong to God and to Christ, and they two (actually three, including the Holy Spirit) are one God:

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.

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the apostle John wrote that the mystery will culminate at the time of the 7th (the last - 1 Cor 15:51-52) trumpet. God will conclude the mystery then, just like He said He would (Rom 11:25). ‘Mid-Acts-ers’ want to separate ‘the mystery of God’ from Paul, or make it a ‘different’ mystery than that of Paul ---- to maintain their paradigm .... even though Paul also wrote of it:

Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound,
the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

‘Mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ make two or more of many things.
Rather than see ‘ONE’ .... UNIFIED mystery in Col 2:2 ----
they find two or three (maybe God and the Father being either one or two
.... and then Christ, makes two or three).
However, God settled the issue of ‘WHOSE’ mystery it is:

Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of
the mystery of God,
and of the Father,
and of Christ;

The mystery of GOD .... IS the mystery of the FATHER .... IS the mystery of CHRIST.
They do not each have their own separate, personal, individual mysteries.

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

WHOSE Gospel Is It? GOD's or CHRIST's?

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!"
.

Together in ONE .... or Separate in TWO?

Since .... in the end of the world ....
God will bring everything in heaven and everything on earth ---
TOGETHER in ONE .... in Christ ....
how is it, that ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispensationalists’ still think
that the saints will be SEPARATE in TWO places?

Eph 1:7-14 In whom (Christ) we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times
he might gather together in one (Greek [anakephalaiomai] meaning ‘to sum up, to condense into a summary, to comprehend together’)
all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth;
even in him:

God’s saints are in 2 separate places now.
Those who are ‘dead in Christ’ are in heaven now.
Those who are still alive, are on earth now.
But in the end, God will bring ALL His saints from heaven,
to be joined in the air .... with those caught up from off the earth (1 Thess 4:14-17). Then we will be together forever with the Lord:

1 Thess 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts
unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

I choose to believe the word of GOD ....
not the ‘mid-Acts-hyper-dispenational’ warped denial of it.

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

We as They .... or .... They as We?

When God made the covenant of circumcision with Abraham and his physical seed,
God made provision for Gentiles to get in it also .... but they had to be circumcised, too:

Gen 17:9-14 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Some Judaeans went down to Galatia and taught the saints
that they could not be saved unless they submitted to Jewish circumcision ....
Paul and Barnabas went up to the council at Jerusalem about the problem:

Acts 15:1-11 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying,
That it was needful to circumcise them (Gentiles),
and to command them (Gentiles) to keep the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
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.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them (Gentiles) witness,
giving them (Gentiles) the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us (Israel);
9 And put no difference between us (Israel) and them (Gentiles),
purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke (the bondage of the law, as Gal 5:1) upon the neck of the disciples (also see Acts 11:26), which neither our fathers nor we (Israel) were able to bear?
11 But we (Israel) believe that
through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
we (Israel) shall be saved, even as they (Gentiles).

Notice that Peter did not say ....
that the Gentiles would be saved like Israel ....
but that Israel would be saved like the Gentiles.

After Peter had his say, and Barnabas and Paul had theirs, the apostles and elders ruled NOT to put the Gentiles under Israel’s rules of circumcision and keeping the law (Acts 15:13-20).

Because of the grace of Christ .... not only were the Gentiles not to be put under the law .... but neither was Israel under the law anymore:

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you:
for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Religious Gentiles that converted to Judaism were called proselytes (Matt 23:15; Acts 2:5-11, 6:5, 13:43). Now the Judaizers needed to learn the passing away of the Old Testament law (Heb 8:13), making way for the New Testament grace (2 Cor 3:6-18):

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

Paul taught the difference between the end of the law of Moses
and the beginning of grace of Christ:

Rom 10:4-5 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

The Jews who were zealous of the law had difficulty accepting the change:

Acts 21:18-22 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

After Christ came and instituted the New Testament in His blood,
God declared His righteousness by faith in Christ .... without the law,
yet witnessed by the law and the prophets:

Rom 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Paul continually defended his ministry of the new testament (2 Cor 3:6):

Acts 26:20-23 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
22 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.

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

Just "Saying"

In a ‘mid-Acts’ message entitled "Timing Is Everything," I heard the associate 'shepherd' (who thinks he has no sheep) belabor a point he made about the word "saying" in 2 Tim 2:18. He taught that Hymenaeus and Philetus were not really ‘preaching’ that the resurrection was already past .... but that they were "just saying" it .... "only talking" about it, sort of like spreading gossip, as busybodies.

2 Tim 2:15-18 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying [lego] that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Now that I am no longer a ‘mid-Acts-er’ .... in my curiosity, I looked up the Greek word for "saying." It is [lego]. Can you imagine where it is also used? How about we apply the ‘mid-Acts’ preacher’s explanation of "saying" [lego] as "just saying" not ‘preaching’ (in 2 Tim 2:18) to 1 Thess 4:15, where the same Greek word is found?

1 Thess 4:15-16 For this we say [lego] unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Do you think that Paul was .... not really ‘teaching’ with authority by the Lord’s word about the resurrection at the coming of the Lord .... but, more like, Paul was simply stirring up rumors .... just telling a tale? Not me!

But I think the ‘mid-Acts’ preacher tried to squirm out of the truth in 2 Tim 2:18, and as a result, he wrested the verse.

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

Did Paul Write to the Jews?

Like Paul (Rom 1:1, Titus 1:1) ....
Simon Peter was a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ:

2 Peter 1:1-a Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

Like Paul wrote to all the saints in Rome (Rom 1:7) about the mutual faith of them and him (Rom 1:12) ....
Like Paul wrote to the church of God with all the saints, about having the same spirit of faith (2 Cor 4:13) according as it was written in the Psalms (Psa 116:10) ....
Like Paul wrote to Titus after the common faith (Titus 1:4) ....
Like Jude wrote of the common salvation (Jude 1:3) ....
Simon Peter wrote to ones of like precious faith:

2 Peter 1:1-b to them that have obtained like precious faith with us

What do they have in common?
Like Paul wrote (Rom 1:16-17, 3:21-22; 2 Cor 5:21) of God’s imputed righteousness by faith in Christ ....
Peter’s readers were united the same way (Eph 2:18, Rom 10:12):

2 Peter 1:1-c through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Did Paul write to the Jews? Well, did Peter? Is this epistle of Peter’s addressed to the Jews? Notice again to WHOM Peter addressed his epistle .... because ‘mid-Acts-ers’ say that Peter wrote to the JEWS .... NOT the Gentiles. However, the SALUTATION does not say, nor indicate, that:

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:

Like Paul (Rom 1:7, 1 Cor 1:3, 2 Cor 1:2, Gal 1:3, Eph 1:2, Phil 1:2, Col 1:2, 1 Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:2, Titus 1:4, Phile 1:3) ....
Simon Peter sent grace and peace to his readers (1 Pet 1:2):

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Did Paul write to the Jews? Well, is this epistle of Peter’s addressed to the Jews? (2 Pet 1:1)

‘WHOEVER’ Peter wrote this epistle to .... Paul ALSO wrote to the SAME people:

2 Pet 3:15-16 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;

16-a As also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things; (plural)

(Of WHAT things?
Of the things Peter wrote about during this whole chapter.
Like Peter .... Paul wrote "of these things" too:
--- the last days (2 Pet 3:3 and 2 Tim 3:1)
--- the promise of the Lord’s coming (2 Pet 3:4 and 1 Cor 1:7, 15:23; 1 Thess 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23; 2 Thess 2:1,8)
--- the day of judgment (2 Pet 2:9, 3:7 and Rom 2:5,16; 2 Thess 1:7-9; Acts 17:31)
--- the longsuffering of God to bring about repentance (2 Pet 3:9,15 and Rom 2:4, 9:22; 1 Tim 1:16, 2 Tim 2:25)
--- the day of the Lord (2 Pet 3:10 and 1 Thess 5:2)
--- looking for such things (2 Pet 3:14 and Titus 2:13, Phil 3:20-21)
--- being in peace in Christ (2 Pet 3:14 and Eph 2:14-17, 6:16; Rom 5:1, 10:15)
--- being without spot (2 Pet 3:14 and Eph 5:27, 1 Tim 6:14)
--- being blameless (2 Pet 3:14 and 1 Cor 1:8, Phil 2:15-16, 1 Thess 5:23, 3:13)
--- beware of falling from stedfastness (2 Pet 3:17 and Phil 3:2, Col 1:23, 2:5,8; 2 Tim 4:15, 2 Cor 11:3, 1 Cor 15:58, Eph 4:14)
--- the knowledge of Christ (2 Pet 3:18 and Eph 4:15, Col 1:10, Phil 3:8)

(2 Pet 3:16-b) in which are some things (plural) hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ use 2 Pet 3:15-16 to say that since Peter was under the law, he said the things Paul wrote under grace, were hard to understand.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ also teach that Peter told the scoffers that if they wanted to know why God delayed His coming, then go read Paul to learn about the mystery program interrupting the prophecy program, by putting it in abeyance.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ say that the only thing -singular- (not "things" -plural- as 2 Pet 3:16 says) that Peter was saying that Paul also wrote about, was God’s longsuffering because the dispensation of grace and the ‘rapture’ are holding back the wrath to come.

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are wrong about "these things" (2 Pet 3:16) that they try to make singular (longsuffering) rather than plural (a list of various things).

‘Mid-Acts-ers’ are wrong about Peter and Paul not ministering to the same people, because sometimes they did, as evidenced at Corinth:

1 Cor 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith,
I am of Paul; and I of Apollos;
and I of Cephas (Peter - John 1:42); and I of Christ.

"According to the scriptures," Peter and Paul both preached the same gospel about Christ’s death and resurrection that was "according to the scriptures":

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 (Peter), then of the twelve:
11 Therefore whether it were I (Paul) or they (Peter and the others named in the passage), so we preach, and so ye believed.

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