Does Acts 28 teach TWO bodies of Christ?

 Brian Kelson of Bible Understanding answers:

"This is an old one, throwing the accusation that there are two bodies in the Acts 28 camp.
 

The body of Corinthians is not the body of Ephesians, so they are not two of the same bodies. If Paul uses the word body, this does not mean he is speaking of the same thing but Mid Acts insists he is and so accuse us, do you see?

First up, 1Corl.12 is about supernatural gifts. Mid Acts totally ignores this context. And again, it is supernatural gifts in Romans 12. 1Cor.1 started with supernatural gifts, :4-8 where Paul says they would be confirmed to the end, not until a new calling comes in.

Here it is as plain as it can be, written by Paul during Acts, that the human body is an analogy, it shows the synergy, the function of every part working together in harmony. In what way is this passage speaking of Christ the Head, the church which is His Body? It isn't because some of the members can be the head.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing

according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12:9  Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Paul speaks during Acts of those who are in Christ, indeed that they are members OF Christ,

1Co 6:15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

In 1Cor.12 the opening, and following context, sets the interpretation. Please notice this is identical language to Romans and in the same use as 1Cor.6. The believers were in Christ, members of Christ, and as such were seen like the parts of a human body which works together.
1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1Co 12:8  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

1Co 12:9  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

1Co 12:10  To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body?

1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Verse 27 cannot be taken out of the thread, it not only says you are (no article in the original) body of Christ it also says, and members in part, or individual parts of it. What this means must be understood by what has gone before. Christ's body (the saved believers) are parts of that body which is Christ. One is the ear (of Christ), another is the hand (of Christ), one is the foot (of Christ), Do you see, each one is Christ's body and they all have different parts to play. The human body works together, and they must consider the human body and like it, work together with whatever supernatural gift they have been given. If any one of them wasn't in this body which is Christ, then there would be no functioning. 

This body is about drinking into one spirit who gave these gifts, into this functioning body of gifts, they were baptized.

Paul goes on to say, that

1Co 12:28  God has appointed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who help others, administrators, and various kinds of tongues.

1Co 12:29  Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform miracles, do they?

1Co 12:30  Not all have the gift of healing, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all interpret, do they?

Paul continues his exposition about supernatural gifts, not about a called out company which is the Church His Body. If everyone was an ear, in Christ's body, then there would be no seeing, if everyone was an apostle in Christ's body, there would be no prophets. These are the divinely appointed gifts and offices of the church back in Acts, this is not about a calling today, but about gifts given back then.

The Corinthians were divisive, and this is a correction concerning the squabbles about which gift see 1Cor.14:22 onwards where Paul continues his arguments about what if all were this gift or that?.

This does not say Christ is the Head of the church which is His body, for post Acts nourishment comes from the head to us, the joints and bands. Not one of us today is an ear or an eye.

The hope and calling of the Corinthians is Trumpets and the resurrection to the earth. They were enjoying the gifts (Gals.3) which were the blessing of Abraham. Gifts promised to Israel and which anticipated the coming Kingdom. The hope of the Corinthians and the Romans was totally earthly.

The Body in Corinthians is the composition of the supernatural gifts given the believers who were in Christ. The human body is paralleled to Christ who anointed them with the gifts. Thus Romans tells us clearly this is not the church which is His Body thus;

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: (not all ears, not all nose etc)

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (members one of another, that is they worked together like the human body does)

The body of Corinthians and Romans is a figure. It was all the believers with their gifts working like the human body. These believers with their gifts were part of Christ, members in part, just as the eye, ear, nose and feet were part of a human body.

So there are not two bodies now or then.

We don't possess supernatural gifts today and need to work together like a human body, and they were not the church which is His Body back in Acts. In Corinthians, the head of every man was Christ (1Cor.11), but Paul had espoused them (corporately) as a chaste virgin to Christ, their husband.

I have lots on this on this link http://bibleunderstanding.com/ptaudios.htm Number 6 and 23.   

For a pdf by Brian on the subject, please visit: 
www.bibleunderstanding.com/ptaudios.htm

Was Israel Cut Off at the Cross?

Did God intend to cut Israel off at the cross and then gave them a one-year extension because Jesus asked him to forgive them?  The answer is "No," and Brian Kelson of Bible Understanding explains why:

The pattern informs us of the fulfillment.

Let's go back to the pattern of Israel's deliverance.

1. Israel rejected Moses the first time, Ex.2. A picture of Israel's rejection of the Lord's prophets and messengers prior to Passover in the NT. One strike in the past meant nothing to God, how many strikes were there in their 40 years wandering? The still went into the Kingdom.

2. Moses' conversation with the Lord indicates Israel, nationally did not know their God, Ex.3:11-

3. Nationally Israel could reject the very deliverer sent to the, Ex.4:1-

4. Despite Israel being ignorant of all the Passover blood meant, they were delivered. They learnt later about the Lord holiness and blood access. After the cross, in Acts, then the truths were taught them.

5. Passover was the first step in Israel's national deliverance, it was not any point when they were cut off by God. Only Messiah was cut off at Passover and not for himself, Dan.9:26

6. The idea that God needed to add another year to Israel after Passover is totally out of step with the pattern. Even at Pentecost in the pattern, Ex.19, 32 Israel rejected the Lord and some were destroyed BUT NOT CUT off nationally. His purposes for them continued (Roms.3:1-4, what if some (a graceful understatement) did not believe, that does not invalidate God's faithfulness). Israel who had not been cast aside at the time of Romans way past Acts 7.

7. Israel refused to obey at Kadesh-barnea (Num13-14) (more than one year after Passover in Egypt) but they were not cut off, but turned through the wilderness so they could learn. God patiently giving them time to recognize that they would not live by bread alone. Acts period.

8. Trumpets was the next step in Israel's deliverance and Joshua lead them in, Joshua 3-6. The hope of the Acts period letters of Paul is trumpets, if Paul is writing about trumpets any concept that they were cast aside is contrary to the pattern.

9. Israel were forgiven at the cross for their sin of ignorance, no alteration of God's purposes took place, indeed Peter tell us clearly that what they did was according to what God had foretold, Acts 2-3. If Peter says it was all God's plan, then in what way does God need to add another year to what He knew would take place.

10. They were forgiven and the purpose continued. This is why Paul warned the Jews in Acts 13, that the northern army of Joel and Hab. was what they were to expect, Acts 13:40-41. Paul did not warn the Jews they would be cut off and a new dispensation introduced.

11. The new dispensation is not wrath on Israel. The reason is, it is Jews and Gentiles made one new man.

12 When God speak of wrath he does not mean cutting them off, he means wrath on THEM, suffering, death, pain. And the wrath was coming in Thessalonians, it was not in the past when Paul wrote that letter, so MA have missed the point again and invent an idea to suit their purposes. Wrath to the uttermost is FOR Israel to experience, not to be cut off and avoid it. And when he (was to come) back them, that is when the wrath would be poured out as per Revelation. The coming wrath 1 Thess.1:10

Did Israel EVER blaspheme the Holy Ghost?

Brian Kelson responds:

Stephen said this, and resist is not blaspheming. Israel did not blaspheme the Holy Ghost despite Mid Acts' claims:

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Act 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

Act 7:53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

The Lord was speaking directly to the Scribes and Pharisees in Matt.12 and Mark 3

Mat 12:24  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

Mat 12:25  And Jesus knew their thoughts,

Mat 12:31  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Mar 3:28  Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

Mar 3:29  But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Mar 3:30  Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

It is nowhere said that the nation of Israel blasphemed the Holy Spirit that I know of.

Hebrews speaks of those who insult (despite) the Holy Spirit and what they face.

Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

Was Israel already set aside in 1 Thessalonians 2:16 because their sins were filled up and "wrath is come upon them to the uttermost"?

So far as the wrath of God to the uttermost is concerned., this is seen by Mid Acts as an indirect reference to the national casting aside of Israel. But the word, "uttermost," does not imply that God had set Israel aside.  Just because God's wrath was on them to the uttermost does not mean they had already been cast aside, but Mid Acts thinks it does. What do the Scriptures say?

First up every text has a context. In what way can Mid Acts claim the dealings with Israel are past, when the very hope of Thessalonians is the Day of the Lord, Christ returning to deal with the lawless one in Israel's temple, and Christ coming back to reign on the holy hill of ZION?

The Trumpets of Paul's writings during Acts is the Feast of Trumpets, this is a step in Israel's national deliverance. Joshua (Jesus) lead Israel across the Jordan and into the promised land and Jericho fell at the last Trumpet. If Israel had been cast aside because God's wrath was upon them to the uttermost, then Trumpets would have been postponed because Trumpets is when Israel enters the Kingdom on earth.

Thessalonians is the hope of ISRAEL. The faithful in Israel blessed, the disobedient in Israel to experience wrath.

All the talk about a glass full only means that God's wrath was full against them, this does not mean He had changed his plans by casting them aside. The gifts and calling of God were without change of mind, Roms.11, and that was written many years after Thessalonians.

If the wrath of God was to the uttermost, then what was the wrath TO COME in 1Thess.1:10?

Yes the glass was full, but it had not been poured out yet. Look also at 1Thess.5 thus;

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  (not escape what? the wrath that is coming).
1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. When He returns to them at Trumpets.

Thessalonians is full of OT references. Look at just a few in the above passage which I have highlighted.
The very theme of the 2nd to Thessalonians is to allay their fears that the Day of the Lord was upon them. The Day when the Lord pours out his wrath. The wrath upon unrepentant Israel brought the destroying fire, (as it did in the OT) not any casting aside of them or any change in dispensation.
2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Yes, Israel's sins were full, and as a consequence, the wrath was upon them, and this wrath was to be poured out at the Feast of Trumpets. No national setting aside, no change in dispensation.

When we ignore contexts we can make any verse say anything.

I have some audios; number s21 and 37 might be helpful:  http://bibleunderstanding.com/ptaudios.htm
Wrath on Israel means it was coming on Israel, it does not mean they had been set aside. The very use of the word in the context of the Lord's return at Trumpets means Israel were still God's people and He was going to deal with them as He said He would.

What is the Theme of Paul's Acts Ministry?

The theme of Paul's Acts period ministry and letters is the hope of Israel so embedded in Israel's festive program. Passover/Unleavened Bread had been fulfilled, Pentecost had been fulfilled and the next earthly redemptive event was the Day of the Lord culminating in the return of the Lord to the Earth at Trumpets. Reading 2Thess.2 pulls us right into Israel's temple and the abomination of desolation.

The Acts period was Pentecost in operation. Pentecost is a first fruit of Trumpets and the Thy Kingdom Come. The blessings (like gifts, guidance and supernatural transportation) and the curses, (like death for certain sins and sickness leading to death in others), was the foretaste, the first fruit of the millennial reign of Christ who will rule with a rod of Iron. Acts 5 is a picture of Is.66 in operation, a first fruit of it. When MA takes the millennial forecast events and doctrines of the Acts period and tries to squeeze into it the present dispensation of the grace of God, there are potholes and yawning gaps of dispensational truth which cloud and obscure the truth. That the Gentiles were included is no evidence of any change of dispensation, Gentiles were included in the Kingdom program for blessings and indeed for judgment upon Israel. So that when Paul quoted Is.28:11 in 1Cor.14:21 it was a reminder to Israel that they were rebellious but that God would have his way for them according to His purposes, please read Is.28 which follows on from 1Cor.15 Is.25. Paul through Corinthians is following Isaiah's earthly purpose themes.

How Can Saints Raptured in 1 Corinthians 15 be Israel When They're Resurrected to Immortal Bodies but We Know Millennial Saints Can Die in Kingdom?

Brian Kelson answers:

This is mixing things that differ.

First up, 1Cor. is full of the Feasts.

1Cor.5:7 the Passover and unleavened Bread.

1Cor.12, Pentecost and the supernatural gifts, see 1Cor.1:4-8.

1Cor.15:20-23 Christ the first fruit (of Unleavened Bread).

1Cor.15:51-55, The Feast of Trumpets.

The Feasts belong to Israel, and yes, the nation of Israel will be re-gathered at Trumpets but not to immortality, but those of the elect remnant of grace, the faithful Jews and Gentiles of the Acts period, are certainly raised with immortality and will judge the world and angels, 1Cor.6.

When the Lord descended with clouds, a trumpet and angels and a voice and darkness and fiery judgment in Ex.19-24, Moses and a remnant of 70, went up into the clouds to meet the Lord. When Israel was nationally stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, there was always the faithful remnant as Roms.11:1-5 shows. These are faithful virgins.

The resurrection of 1Cor.15 is to the earth because Paul quotes the OT which knows nothing of a heavenly inheritance with every spiritual blessing. These are the references which Paul looks to as the resurrection in view.

1Co 15:51  Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed;

1Co 15:52  in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed.

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54  But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. Is.25:8

1Co 15:55  O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" Hosea 13:14.

Now, here are the passages from which Paul brings forth the victory at the resurrection of 1Cor.15.

Isa 25:6  And in this mountain Jehovah of Hosts shall make a feast of fat things for all the people, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of refined wine on the lees.

Isa 25:7  And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering which covers all people, and the veil that is woven over all nations.

Isa 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord Jehovah will wipe away tears from all faces. And He shall take away from all the earth the rebuke of His people. For Jehovah has spoken.

Isa 25:9  And one shall say in that day, Lo, this is our God. We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is Jehovah; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Isa 25:10  For the hand of Jehovah shall rest in this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled under Him, even as straw is trampled in the water of a dung pit.

Read chapter 26 please seeing resurrection again in v19, and notice the trumpet in Is.27.

Hos 13:4  Yet I am Jehovah your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me. For there is no Savior besides Me.

Hos 13:5  I have known you in the wilderness, in the land of great dryness.

Hos 13:9  O Israel, you have destroyed yourself; but in Me is your help.

Hos 13:13  The pains of a woman in travail shall come to him. He is an unwise son; for he cannot stand still in the time of the breaking forth of sons.

Hos 13:14  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, where are your plagues; O Grave, where is your ruin! Repentance shall be hidden from My eyes.

See chapter 14 and 1. Hosea 1 is the very passage Paul uses in Roms.9 about the remnant of Jews and Gentiles.

Isaiah and Hosea are not about the church which is His Body.

Those resurrected at 1Cor.12 are chaste virgins (2Cor.11), Paul calls them that and they are going to meet the Bridegroom as He descends to them. See Matt.24:29-31, 25:1-6 and 1Thess.4:13-18.

Israel is the wife, those faithful in Israel are the elect remnant of prophesy and are associated with the Bride the Lamb's wife, namely the New Jerusalem.

The resurrection of 1Cor.15 is to the earth according to prophesy.

Please reference number 39 on this link http://bibleunderstanding.com/ptaudios.htm

What is the Significance of the "Two Adams"?

The Mystery of Romans 16 is for the obedience of faith, not the revelation of a new dispensation. Obedience is structured through the epistle but the comparison of the two Adams is significant. Only Paul writes about the two Adams. The two Adams are both associated with Eden, the first and the Eden restored. The first Adam in Eden, disobeyed, brought sin and death into the world and Paradise was lost. The Last Adam, obeyed, shed His blood, and reversed the ill, and the hope of Romans is the inner portion of the Promised Land which will be restored like Eden, Is.51. The Mystery of Romans 16 is the truth found in Adam who was a figure of Him who was to come. Only Paul brings out the truths of Christ as found in Adam. We cannot find Scriptures other than Paul which bring this out; but one thing is for sure, the mystery of Roms.16 is not explained by turning to Ephesians which wasn't even written at that time. The Mystery or Roms.16 fits in the structure and context of the letter.