Originally posted by Kevin
Hope,
I'll admit that most of the Jews rejected the Messiah, but certainly not all of them.
There is more to the gospel than just believing Jesus is the Messiah. Many of His disciples turned back and refused the new testament in His blood for remission because under the Mosaic law all that drank blood would be cut off.
Paul started out preaching to the Jews (now why would he do that if he had a different gospel... the 12 others already had a gospel for the Jews), but when they rejected Paul, he took his message to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). Was Paul's message to the Jews the same as the other 12's to the Jews, or did Paul have a different Jewish gospel than that of the 12?
Stephen was the the first to speak against Moses and was stoned then Christ chose Paul to fulfil the gospel (Col 1:25) and it is a biblical fact that it was to the Jew first. Paul did not preach another gospel but it was different from the other apostles in the sense that it was with out the law and customs of Moses and this different doctrine was rejected by all Jews. Paul then turns to the Gentiles who where without the law and customs of Moses and they freely accepted Paul's different gospel.
Concerning Stephen:
For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. Acts 6:14
And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Acts 6:15
Paul taught:
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: Acts 13:38
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts 13:39
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; Acts 13:40
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. Acts 13:41
And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Acts 13:42
Apostles concerning Gentiles (Cornelius) and Mosaic law:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Acts 15:20
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Acts 15:21
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; Acts 15:28
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Acts 15:29
The apostles remained jealous of the Mosaic law and opposed Paul's doctrine which did not include it.
Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. Acts 21:18
And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. Acts 21:19
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: Acts 21:20
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. Acts 21:21
Paul taught that we are no longer under the law yet he was charged by the apostles to keep it.
Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. Acts 21:24
The apostles continued to hold Gentiles accountable to certain laws.
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Acts 21:25
Water baptism has it place within the Mosaic law and Paul not once taught a baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
The difference in Pauls doctrine and that of the other apostles can not be denied.
Likewise, when Peter spoke to Cornelious in Acts 10, did Peter use the same gospel that he spoke to the Jews in Acts 2... or did Peter have a special gospel for the Cornelious household?
Kevin, I am not a dispensationalist as you understand it. Don't debate with me on your preconceived ideas of what you think I believe but respond to what I write. I have never said that there were different gosepls for Jew and Gentile. Paul was chosen by Christ to fulfil the gospel and what follows is a progression of acceptance by the apostles. Peter is a prime example of man's progressive understanding of the gospel (truth) after it is revealed. Peter was instructed to go to all the world yet when God told him to go to Cornelius he had this to say...
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 showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Acts 10:28
Did Peter understand the so called Great Commission and still as late as Acts 10 have to be shown that God would accept Gentiles who were without the law.
So he was the first. That proves nothing in the sense that Paul had a new gospel.
It is NOT a new gospel! You are witnessing man's progressive understanding of the gospel that Christ delivered.
Emphasis on the word "my", right? All that means to me is that it is referring to the gospel that Christ instructed him to preach. I see no evidence that it is different from the gospel of the 12. Not one did Paul say that his gospel was different from the 12. Not once.
See above. Paul's gospel was different than that of the apostles.
Peter to Cornelius:
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Acts 10:35
Paul's different gospel:
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5
Peter certainly figured it out that the gospel that he preached (his gospel) was for both Jew and Gentile alike:
Acts 15: 7-11 (MKJV)
7) And after much disputing, Peter rose up and said to them, Men, brothers, you recognize that from ancient days God chose among us that through my mouth the nations should hear the Word of the gospel, and believe.
8) And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit even as to us.
9) And He put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10) Now therefore why do you tempt God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples, a yoke 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, according to which manner they also believed.
Look at verse 9 again... there's PETER recognizes that there is no difference between them and the Gentiles, and that the purifcation of hearts came through faith, just as Paul preached.
It had always been by the grace of God but not through faith without the law and the customs it contained. Acts 2:38 is not the new testament of Christ for remission (Matt 26:28). Repent and be baptized is the same gospel that the Baptisn taught.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4
Your doctrine of re-baptism is not biblical.
Yes, no amout of righteous work could have earned Christ coming down and providing salvation. God brought salvation to the world by, out of His grace, sending His Son to die for us. That's what makes it free. But obviously salvation is conditional, otherwise everybody will make it to heaven because Christ died on the cross.
Yes Kevin, the gospel is Christ died for our sins therefore we do not need water baptism for the remission of sins. Everybody will not be saved because of Christ's sacrifice for sins but all that have faith that His sacrifice alone grants salvation will be with Him forever. Christ died beacuse of the failure of men to work righteousness.
The verse makes it clear that we are saved by the washing of regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Spirit. If you look up the Greek for washing and regeneration, it's speaking of baptism. And it's NOT referring to Spirit baptism because Pauls speaks of the Holy Spirit renewing us AFTER the washing of regeneration.
Water does not regenerate. The verse said not by works of righteousness, are you saying that water baptism is not a righteous work? Then is it a unrighteous work? If not either then what is it?
