"In fact, Peter never did accept Paul's gospel of grace, nor did the other 11 apostles ever receive Paul's "my gospel." "
How did you come to this conclusion? In fact, they even gave to Paul the right hands of fellowship. The gospel of the grace of God is nothing more than the fact that God would save non proselyted Gentiles. This was in accordance with prophecy according to Romans 10(see last 7 verses).
"Cornelius into His body just because Paul got that gospel personally in Arabia, at the same time Peter was in Joppa, ignores the fact that Peter had nothing to do with Paul's "my gospel." "
Cornelias was a non proselyte...he perfectly fit into Paul's "my gospel".
"He had no idea whatsoever what was going on with Paul in Arabia, and even Paul did not immediately understand all of what was presented or given to him by the Lord in Arabia. "
Again, this ASSUMES that Paul got his revelation in Arabia; that can not be proven. As far as Paul's progressive revelations are concerned, they were all directional in the book of Acts except when the brethren revealed to Paul in Acts 15 the problem with the Judiazers. I would challenge anyone to show me conclusively that Paul received a DOCTRINAL/THEOLOGICAL revelation once he BEGAN his missionary journeys.
"Nothing Paul does takes anything away from Peter and vice versa. There is no contradiction present whatsoever. "
That is my point, they are on the same page at this point. They are NOT on the same page after Acts 28 because that is when God revealed the mystery that was "hid in God" to Paul. Paul just had, untill Acts 28:28, a different side to the same prophetic program as Peter. Peter was NOT TRAINED to know what God would do with non proselyted Gentiles. He was STRICTLY a minister of the circumcision except for one small point-Cornelias. With the conversion of Cornelias, Paul was free to take the New Testament to the Gentiles.
"Obviously if Paul was given a gospel, "my gospel," and that gospel differed from Peter's gospel of the circumcision, putting believers of Paul's gospel into the position of being "bones" and "flesh" of the Lord,"
A gospel is one thing, a calling is another. Nobody was said to be bone of Christ's bone till after Acts 28. You were referring to Ephesians. Paul preached a few different "gospels" during the Acts period. All gospel means is just good news. The plan of salvation would be the same, but the content of faith differs. If you study out Romans 1 you will see that the gospel of Christ is the creation work of God. But the gospel of God is the fact that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was God.
"1 Timothy 1:16 explains the fact of what is going on with Paul's "my gospel" and why Paul was the "first" as the pattern to those believing the new gospel hereinafter it was given to Paul. Peter was never, and forever will never be, a part of what was given to Paul in Arabia. "
Nobody can conclusively prove what was given to Paul in Arabia. Paul MIGHT have gotten all of the doctrine for his Acts ministry at once for all we know. What God did with Paul is to show that if Paul could be saved, then any non law abiding GENTILE could be saved...in other words Paul is saying "If God can save ME, then God can save ANYBODY!"
As an x-midacts dispy I understand your delima. I was taught that the mystery given was basically GRACE and that Peter did not preach the cross. But, look at this...
I.Pet. 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself]
to him that judgeth righteously:
2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
I.Pet. 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, [even so]
minister the same one to another, as good stewards of
the manifold grace of God.
5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I
suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and
testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein
ye stand.
So, they had a standing in grace and the work of the cross.
Peter knew this before Paul was saved. In Luke 24 Jesus Christ explains the cross. Cornelias hears about Christ's death and remission of sins. According to Hebrews, remission is through the blood. Therefore, as a Jew, Peter HAD to have understood this. |
