Different views and perspectives of Bible doctrine

Different views and perspectives of Bible doctrine.

Social media is a rich ground for finding questions on Bible doctrine and discovering what views and doctrines people hold to. Sadly, it is rare to find posts and interactions that correctly divide the Word between prophecy and mystery so that interpretations are more accurate and in context. Going online to various sites does of course allow one to post one's own rightly divided content, and sow seeds that others might read, providing them the chance to identify sound doctrine which may have escaped them. 

Below is one such scenario where a person identified the view I held and asked questions about it. Whether they eventually change their view or not is up to them, but the key is that they get exposed to right division and provide the truth of written Word to generate life and truth within their hearts.

SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENT:

Your post concerning the difference between Peter and Paul’s ministries is interesting, but I don’t think that there is a ‘Messianic church’ and a ‘Gentile church’. There is neither Jew nor gentile in the church, but rather they form one body. See Ephesians and Colossians. The first Gentiles came in the body by the ministry of Peter.

MY REPLY:

Its only in Paul’s ministry that both Jew and Gentile are one. They are joined to the Body of Christ through Paul’s grace gospel and the doctrine he preached. Peter and the 11 preached the Kingdom gospel and their doctrine never preached about “a Body of Christ.” The Kingdom gospel is for the salvation of a nation, not a spiritual body.

When God sent Peter to Cornelius, Peter was reluctant to go at first. Even at the door of Cornelius’ house Peter still said,

Act 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation;

Thus, Peter was uncomfortable with this whole scenario. In Acts chapter 11, he had to defend himself from accusations from the Jews,

Act 11:2-3 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, (3) Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

You say that the first Gentiles came in the body by the ministry of Peter. This ‘body’ you refer to is NOT the Body of Christ that Paul teaches, but rather the body (or fellowship) of believing Jews. Cornelius would have proselyted and adopted the Jewish customs and laws after his conversion because he knew nothing of Paul's unique ministry. Remember, the ministry of Paul had not yet taken off. Paul was still in Arabia and had not yet preached the new mystery doctrine of the Body of Christ. So, there is no way that Cornelius was added to the Body of Christ. Members of the Body of Christ are identified through believing in the grace gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus which Peter did not preach. What he did preach was the Kingdom gospel that was nothing to do with the cross work of Christ but rather to do with the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and with repentance and baptisms.

One must be careful not to blend these two ministries into one. They are to be kept apart as they are designed for different people groups and for different purposes. This is why Paul tells Timothy to study the Word of truth and to rightly divide it, 2Tim.2:15. When you blend them together you end up with a skewed doctrine and a false narrative of the written Word, which is exactly why the denominational church system is in the confused and apostate condition they are today.