Sunday, May 12, 2013

Did believers converted under the kingdom hope of the Acts period cross over into the new hope of the mystery revealed post-Acts?

Did believers converted under the kingdom hope of the Acts period cross over into the new hope of the mystery revealed post-Acts? 


Titus is mentioned in 2 Corinthians and Galatians so what dispensation would Titus be in?



Acts 28 was a huge dispensational boundary and a unique 
point in God's purposes.  Paul and Titus certainly crossed 
that boundary; but Paul did not look back; he pressed onwards. 
He also prayed that the Ephesians, who also
crossed the line, would be given the wise and revealing spirit 
in the knowledge of Christ so they would know the hope, the inheritance and the power.   
These last three things had 
changed, but there was no change in
Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.   So Paul
wanted all believers to know about the change, to embrace it 
as he did.

Here are some passages to consider:
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but 
this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, 
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.   Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus 
minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall
reveal even this unto you."  (Php. 3:13-15)
"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first 
[previously] trusted in Christ."  (Eph. 1:12)
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus,
and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord  Jesus Christ, 
the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of
your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what
is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness 
of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working
of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised  
him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places;"  (Eph. 1:15-20)

Paul had been at Ephesus for 2 years and declared to 
them all the counsel of God and held back nothing, 
Acts 20:20, 27 but now he prayed they would know 
the things that had changed after Acts 28.   We
also read in Eph.4 that there is one hope of our
calling, singular.
We must leave those who crossed that boundary with 
the Lord but Paul rejoiced in the glory of the
new dispensation and the sufferings
associated with it. "Wherefore I desire that ye faint not 
at my tribulations for you, which is
your glory.   For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in Heaven 
and earth is named," (Eph. 3:13-14)



"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that
which is behind
of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, 
which is the
church; whereof I am made a minister, according to the 
dispensation of God
given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even
the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now has been 
revealed to his saints: to whom God would make known  
what is the riches of the glory of
this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, 
the hope of glory,"  (Col. 1:24-27)
Paul makes it clear that the riches of glory for all 
nations is found in the
new set of conditions that God introduced.  (Brian 
Kelson), see BibleUnderstanding FAQ   

FYI:  Brother Kelson is not KJV-Only 
so his articles may contain quotes from 
other versions.  
I took the liberty of changing the ones 
I've posted on this page 
to the King James version.

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