Further response to material contained in the 8/19/2003 10:23 am CDT post by Mike Holt, where Mike Holt is actively attempting to defend the “28 position” with what he has been taught - rather than that which is solidly supported by scripture, as recorded:
Start of quoted material from Mike’s post:
Peter and Paul were justified by the same gospel...CHRIST DYING IN PROPHECY. The "we" in the text below is Peter and Paul. By the way, this is why After Acts 28:28 when the salvation is SENT unto the Gentiles that you no longer read that the blessing of Abraham is come upon ANY Gentile. They entered a dispensation where Christ is no longer identified as the seed of Abraham because this program takes you back before the foundation of the world, before there ever was an Abraham.
Gal. 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we
have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
works of the law: for by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified.
Gal. 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, [doeth he it] by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness.
3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the
same are the children of Abraham.
3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify
the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be
blessed.
3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with
faithful Abraham.
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3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify
the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all nations be
blessed.
3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with
faithful Abraham.
This was done so that a blessing that LOOKED like prophecy, but was really the unsearchable riches of Christ, could come on Gentiles? No, but what saith the scriptures?
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.
Peter acknowledged that before concerning Paul and his Gentiles because Cornelias [sic] was a Gentile. ***Peter said that they would be saved even as the Gentiles***.
End of quoted material from Mike’s post.
The last sentence statement: “Peter said that they would be saved even as the Gentiles” is the sole topic addressed herein, for the purpose of exposing another blatant misreading and misunderstanding of scripture used in an attempt to legitimize the “28 position.”
It was in Acts 15:11 where Peter said: “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they [Gentiles].” Were these Gentiles Peter was speaking of at this meeting saved the same as Peter and James, or, was Peter mistaken about their spiritual standing at that time?
In Acts 13:38-39, Paul first preached “his gospel” publicly to the Jews and they rejected it [Acts 13:45]. This gospel Paul preached only required that a person place his faith and trust in the fact that Jesus Christ died for one’s sins [1 Cor. 15:1-4] to obtain complete forgiveness of sins and have everlasting life. It was the Gentiles in Acts 13:48 that did receive this gospel message after the Jews rejected it.
The question is this: Were the Gentiles, accompanying Paul at the meeting in Acts 15, saved the same as Peter and James were saved? The answer is that THEY WERE NOT. Peter’s statement is another obvious example of where things Paul said and did were “hard to be understood” by Peter.
The protocol of Peter’s gospel required that a person repent, call or believe on the name of the Lord as Messiah, get water baptized, and do works meet for repentance to get *remission* of sins until the times of refreshing [Acts 3:19]. Paul personally accepted this gospel protocol, as presented to him by Ananias in Acts 9:18, and immediately came out preaching the exact same thing to Jews and Gentiles in Damascus, Jerusalem, and the coasts of Judaea [Acts 26:20]. Paul only knew and solely preached this circumcision gospel until he received another gospel – “my gospel” – given directly to him by the Lord in Arabia [Galatians 1]. After that point Paul had been provided with two distinct gospel protocols. He used either as he was led under the varying circumstances he found himself in throughout Acts as a minister and witness of both [Acts 26:16].
The gospel given directly to Paul by the Lord required only that a person place his faith and trust in the Lord for *forgiveness* of sins and everlasting life. No repentance, no water baptism, no works meet for repentance, and, no calling or believing on the name of the Lord as Messiah was required to get saved under Paul’s “my gospel” protocol. Thus, no circumcision was required of Paul’s Gentile converts, which was why this meeting was taking place.
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 [Cornelius, etc.] by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe [only getting remission of sins Acts 10:43, by believing on His name].
15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us [the “sign” to Peter and the Jews: Cornelius, etc., spoke in tongues Acts 10:46];
15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
15:10 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?
15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name [viewing Cornelius, etc. as being part of the remnant coming in before the kingdom is established].
15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written [in Amos 9:11-12: the remnant “Edomites” coming in before the kingdom is established],
15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
From Peter’s perspective, thinking that the kingdom was imminent, both Peter and James were looking at these Gentiles as part of the remnant “Edomites” coming in right before the kingdom was going to be established. Just one major problem. The kingdom was not coming for approximately another 2000 years, but Peter and James did not know that fact at the time. The Gentiles with Paul were not part of the remnant, but rather believers under Paul’s gospel. These Gentiles had complete forgiveness of sins as compared to Peter and James, and Cornelius, etc., who only had remission of their sins under the circumcision gospel preached by Peter, James, and John, etc.
Peter and James COULD have been saved the same as these Gentiles, similar to the way Apollos, like Paul, did get “saved,” twice. But they didn’t. Any Jew that first accepted the circumcision gospel could be presented with “the way of God more perfectly” [Acts 18:26] and thereby choose to get sealed into the same body everyone enters under Paul’s gospel the moment they believe. Peter, James, and John never did fully understand or accept Paul’s gospel, for if they had they would not be able to physically fulfill their future individual roles as clearly described in scripture.
Not studying to show oneself approved unto God, but rather parroting like an automaton what one has been taught obliterates any chance for a correct understanding of God’s word. Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Beware of the teacher, preacher, scholar, etc., that teaches as truth what he himself has been taught by others. If what he says does not line up with scripture, and definitions of words are carelessly changed to support his teachings, it is wise to avoid such person more than the plague.
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