Gospels and Raptures (Christ - Part 16): Origin

The Gospels and their Raptures (Christ - Part 16)

Origin

In about 34-35AD, at the height of Saul's persecutions, God intervened. God would start a new program through Saul's conversion, and set a new pattern of grace. As the Kingdom program diminished, so the mystery program would increase. The Lord revealed many revelations to Paul throughout his ministry, but the most important would be the gospel of Christ which would pave the way for Gentiles to be saved by grace without the use of Israel, and subsequently become known and the Body of Christ.

Paul knew from early in his ministry that he was called as the Apostle to the Gentiles (Rom.11:13). Yet, his strategy was to go to the Jewish synagogues as he travelled from city to city, preaching not the gospel of Christ, but rather, the gospel of God. This gospel was his entry point into converting people to Christ. Going directly to the pagan Gentiles would be fruitless as they knew less than nothing of Israel's God and the Son of man, Jesus Christ. Going to the synagogues of the Jews made sense because they already knew the scriptures upon which the gospel of God was based on. It was just a matter of proving that Jesus Christ was the one prophesied about in the scriptures and that He had already come, was killed, but had risen again, fulfilling what the prophets had spoken (since the world began, Acts 3:21). This gospel was the same gospel that the 12 Apostles preached all over Jerusalem and surrounds. The 'church of God' (Acts 20:28) was wholly based upon this, and it is my personal view that Jewish converts* of this gospel were added to the 'little flock' (Lk.12:32) of Israel.

So, how do we get to the gospel of Christ? 

It is my view that Paul would approach these converts of the gospel of God, and he would encourage them to hear of a new and deeper revelation that he received of the Lord. For those who were interested, Paul would invite them to come out of the synagogue and meet in a home of a friend or a contact in that city. It is here were Paul would present them with the gospel of Christ, to which those who converted to this gospel would become the first members of the fledgling Body of Christ.

Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Part 17 will continue with the 'message' of the Gospel of Christ.