Good afternoon, ya'll. I have been reading this thread with interest for quite some time but have had nothing to contribute. I did, though, run across something today that I'd read previously -- and I believe it's relevant to some of the distinctions ya'll are trying to discern related to Israel, the law, justice and grace -- so I'm going to bring the whole article into this post. My thinking is that it's important to keep not only general topical context in mind but where a concern fits within the historical context of Divine Word.
I mean no disrespect to anyone's particular take on Scripture or to anyone's positions on practices one considers essential in practicing their differing religions. It isn't my point to challenge any of that, even though certain of such things are addressed in the lists. I do believe, though, that it is important to consider the historical context, especially in relation to words spoken by Jesus or Paul. Jesus's ministry was strictly to his fellow Jews, and Paul's started out that way. The Acts is a chronicle of the historical aftermath of the Resurrection, and through much of it Paul had not yet had his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus -- and certainly hadn't yet been authorized to reveal The Mystery. His ministry began almost solely focused on his fellow Jews, but eventually his ministry was almost solely focused on Gentiles.
When Paul said what really does matter when making pronouncements about what rules we're to follow or what constitutes fulfillment.
Tavender's article was originally published in 2015 at spiritualblessings.org. I have refrained from messing with any of the context, but I did clean up some grammatical stuff.
So, without further ado . . .
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Different Conditions Before and After Acts 28
by – David Tavender
In this article, the different conditions in operation before and after Acts 28 will be summarized.
Those before Acts 28 are recorded in the book of Acts and the epistles written during that time, while those after Acts 28 are to be found in the last seven letters of Paul: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon.
Here, then, are some of the differences –
before and
after Acts 28 – with Scripture references for further study.
National Status (No. 1)
Before Acts 28:
There were two distinct orders of believers. These were called “
Jews that believe” and “
Gentiles that believe” (Romans 1:16; 2:9-10). There were different rules of life and requirements for these two groups of believers (Acts 15:19-20).
After Acts 28:
No such distinction exists among God’s saints today. God’s rule for one believer is God’s rule for all. “
Gentiles (ie, nations)
are fellowheirs” (Ephesians 2:14-15; 3:6; Colossians 2:14).
National Status (No. 2)
Before Acts 28:
The blessings that came to the Gentiles were related to God’s desires and purposes for Israel. They were given to the Gentiles in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (Romans 11:11).
After Acts 28:
The blessings that belong to the Gentiles now have no relationship to Israel. Believers of all nations are blessed independently of Israel.
National Status (No. 3)
Before Acts 28:
The gospel of salvation was to the Jew first. In each city that was preached to, Jews were given the first opportunity to believe (Acts 3:25-26; 13:5, 14, 45-46; 14:1; 17:1-2, 10; 28:17).
After Acts 28:
This gospel is no longer to the Jew first. All national priorities are abolished. Gentile believers become equal with Jewish believers in every way. A literal translation of Ephesians 3:6 is that Gentiles are joint-heirs, in a joint-body, and joint-partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel.
National Status (No. 4)
Before Acts 28:
There was an advantage in being a Jew, and circumcision was profitable (Romans 3:1-
2; Acts 16:3).
After Acts 28:
There is no advantage in being a Jew, and there is no profit in circumcision (Philippians 3:5-8).
The Mystery
Before Acts 28:
The mystery (or secret) of Ephesians was not yet revealed (Ephesians 3:3, 5).
After Acts 28:
The mystery that believers from all nations are now fellow heirs is revealed (Ephesians 3:5-6). Previously it had been hidden (Colossians 1:26). The church of the mystery is a new creation (Ephesians 2:15); therefore, the term “mystery” is never used of the church during the Acts period.
The Body
Before Acts 28:
The term “body” was simply an
illustration of the groups of Christians within each locality. The relationship of Christ as head of the body did not yet exist, as shown by I Corinthians 12. Here, various members of the body were compared with the eyes, ears, nose, etc – i.e. parts of the head (Romans 12:4-5, I Corinthians 12:12-20). Note that the Greek of I Corinthians 12:27 says “
you are a body [not “the” body]
of Christ”.
After Acts 28:
The Head
is Christ and the Body is the group of believers (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15-16; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:19). The term “The Body of Christ” is now the title of the church today, and not just an illustration as had previously been the case.
Israel’s Hope
Before Acts 28:
Israel’s hope of the Kingdom was active right up until Acts 28 (Acts 28:20).
After Acts 28:
There is no mention of Israel’s hope, because plans for Israel as a nation have been temporarily laid aside.
Disruption of the World
Before Acts 28:
The hope of believers is linked with ages “
since [or from]
the disruption of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
After Acts 28:
The hope of present believers is linked with ages “
before the disruption of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).
Grace
Before Acts 28:
God’s administration was not one of
pure grace. Some of His acts were gracious, others were acts designed to punish. People died for sinful actions (Acts 5:1-11; I Corinthians 11:30).
After Acts 28:
God’s Secret Administration is one of
pure grace. All of His acts are gracious. All direct judgment against human sin is in abeyance (Ephesians 3:2). Every blessing that comes to us is the result of God acting in grace – not as a result of our earning.
Covenants
Before Acts 28:
Every covenant that God had made with Abraham’s seed was in operation. Some of the blessings that came to them were the result of God keeping a covenant (Acts 3:25-26; Romans 9:4).
After Acts 28:
No covenant is in operation, because the people to whom they were made (i.e. Israel) have no standing before God (Ephesians 2:12).
Ordinances
Before Acts 28:
Ceremonies such as water baptism, the Sabbath and the Lord’s Supper (Passover) were observed.
After Acts 28:
Observance of these ordinances, which were for Israel, are now not necessary (Colossians 2:13-17).
Baptism
Before Acts 28:
At least two forms of baptism were in operation – water and spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-48).
After Acts 28:
Only one baptism is now in operation – that of being identified with Christ (Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 4:5).
Miracles
Before Acts 28:
Belief in Christ as Savior was confirmed by visible, miraculous signs (Mark 16:16-18; Hebrews 2:4; Romans 15:18-19). Miracles were a sign to Israel (Acts 2:22).
After Acts 28:
Believers are no longer accompanied by miracles. This is because the nation of Israel has been temporarily set aside. There are no references to miracles occurring after Acts 28.
Healing
Before Acts 28:
Paul could heal by his word, his touch, and even a handkerchief (Acts 19:12;
28:8-
9).
After Acts 28:
Paul was now no longer able to heal (I Timothy 5:23; II Timothy 4:20).
Content of Writings
Before Acts 28:
In his messages, Paul only declared that which was also covered by the writings of Moses and the prophets in some way. “
It is written” occurs forty-odd times in Paul’s early epistles (Acts 26:22).
After Acts 28:
Paul declared truths revealed to him about which Moses and the prophets knew nothing. This is because, in previous ages, they were “
not made known” (Ephesians 3:5,9). The term “
it is written” occurs not once.
OT References
Before Acts 28:
Quotations from the Old Testament and references to Old Testament people, places and events abound. Because Israel as a nation is still the center in God’s plans, there are many references to the Old Testament which feature Israel.
After Acts 28:
In the later epistles, there are very few quotations from the OT, and of this number, not one can be said to teach the mystery revealed to Paul. (Ephesians 4:8; 5:14,31; 6:2; I Timothy 5:18).
Word Occurrences
Before Acts 28:
Words and phrases associated with Israel and its part in God’s plans are very common. Such phrases include: Jew, Israel, Israelite, Abraham, Moses, miracles, tongues, healing, prophecy, circumcision, and others.
After Acts 28:
These terms are virtually non-existent. The few times they do occur, they emphasize the fact that there is no difference between the Jewish and Gentile believers. (Colossians 3:11; Ephesians 2:11-12; Philippians 3:3-9; Titus 1:14; II Timothy 3:8).
* * *
The above show differences in the way God has dealt with His people before and after the Acts 28 dividing line, and how the relevant Scriptures reflect this. It is our hope that we may all come to a better understanding of the unique and blessed place of the church under this current dispensation of God’s immeasurable grace.
