(Part 2) Various questions concerning the difference between the ministries and doctrine of Peter and Paul

Various questions concerning the difference between the ministries and doctrine of Peter and Paul (Part 2)

See Part 1 here

Question #1

• In regard to Matthew 25:31–46, you assign that as before the 1000-year reign starts, but what about at the end of the 1000-year reign when for a small season, the devil will be released from the pit for a last rebellion? You do not think that reference may apply to that time as that would be when the Great White Throne Judgment is at when all the dead are raised up and judged by their works.

Matthew 25 does not reference the time that Jesus refers to as the Sheep and Goats judgement. This judgement is specifically enforced to determine which Gentiles will enter the Millennial kingdom. Without this judgement, no Gentiles will exist in the kingdom, which does not line up with prophecy which tells that the Jews will be the preeminent nation in the kingdom and that the Gentile nations will seek the counsel of the Jews and abide by the law administered by the Jews as the kings and priests in the kingdom.

As you rightly identify, the release of Satan will deceive many at the end of the Millennial reign and both Satan and those deceived will be quickly ended when God sends down fire from heaven. Both Satan’s captivity in the pit, and the Sheep and Goats judgement occur before the beginning of the 1000-years.

Question #2

• I fail to see why the Lord would use Paul as a minister to the Gentiles in light of how you seem to see Peter & the disciples for all JEWS with gospel of the kingdom when Paul is a Jew. Why didn’t the Lord pick a Gentile then if your view regarding the gospel of the kingdom is different from the gospel of grace?

God's covenant promise to Abraham (Israel) was that in (or through) Israel all the nations of earth would be blessed. Through Israel, salvation would come to the world (Acts 1:8, Zachariah 8:23). However, about 5 years after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Jews stoned Stephan, and this triggered the downfall of the Jewish nation. Paul writes about the fall (or blinding) of the Jews in Romans 9-11. So, does this not cause a dilemma? How would the Gentiles be blessed if the source of blessing (Israel) has fallen? 

The answer is: Paul! God keeps His word and saves Paul, a Jew (a descendant of Abraham), and equips him with a new gospel and a mystery message and sends him to the Gentiles. Paul is a credible candidate to continue God's plan of salvation to the Gentiles because God chose him, and because of his heritage.

Gods covenant promise continued through Paul, as ... 

... a Jew

Philippians 3:5 ...circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness under the Law, faultless... 

(Also see Romans 9:3-5 ...my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites... and Romans 11:14)

... a Priest (one who stands between God and the people)

Exodus 19:4-6 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.

Romans 15:15 However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

Paul wrote that one day, "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). The "all Israel" will be Jews who will repent before the second advent of Christ at the end of the Tribulation. They will enter the "millennial" kingdom and begin to serve as priests (Exodus 19:4-6, Zachariah 8:22-23) to the Gentile nations. Until that day comes, Paul serves as a proxy for a redeemed, repentant Israel, in the role of priest. Since Paul was a Jew, since God commissioned him as the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13), God's divine plan to redeem "the body (church)", was faithful to his promise to Abraham (ie: in line with the covenant stipulations given to Abraham that through Israel all the families (Gentile nations) of the earth will be blessed). 

Question #3

• Not every Jew was there in that neighborhood when Pentecost had happened on His disciples for when they were officially saved. I am sure Paul as Saul, would have testified to being a witness to that and so I am pretty sure he can still be a former blasphemer in another way.

The blasphemy that Paul committed against the Holy Spirit fits the time and the context of what happened in Jerusalem when Pentecost came. By this time, the majority of Israel, including Paul, had rejected their prophets and crucified the Son of God. And now they were rejecting the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Stephan, who represented the final option of grace through the Spirit, was stoned and this was approved of by Saul. Thus, rejecting God and the Son could still be forgiven, but once they reject the Holy Spirit, there remained no more way for grace to be offered.

This is why Paul could not be saved under the Kingdom program. By God’s grace, Paul was saved by a whole different way that did not take the unforgiveable sin into account. I cannot see any other blasphemy fitting this scenario as perfectly as the rejection of the Holy Spirit. Remember, Paul tells us in Php.3:6 that he was blameless in the law. As a Pharisee (of the Pharisees) he was perfect in his lifestyle according to the law and was an example for Israel and his peers.

Question #4

• So, your view regarding the gospel of the kingdom being different from the gospel of grace is why you do not see them as collecting the scriptures & the epistles before history recognized it as a canon as if when Paul’s gospel of grace was growing in numbers?

I do not deny the fact that Israel collected and copied the scriptures of Moses and their prophets. It is clear that they had many scrolls and references in the time of Jesus and the early Acts church. What they NEVER had was the doctrine of the mystery which was exclusively written by Paul. Naturally, Paul’s letters were circulated between the churches and read. The kingdom gospel was set in writing (and in prophecy) in the Hebrew scriptures, but Paul’s grace gospel was not found in these. Paul says that his writings are unsearchable in the Hebrew scriptures, Eph.3:8. Thus, it is clear that Paul’s gospel was only available to reference in his letters circulated amongst the churches he established.

Question #5

• Even though Paul and Peter & the disciples had that right hand of fellowship in Galatians 2nd chapter, you still do not see how Paul speaking against another gospel as if there is only one gospel in the first chapter of Galatians for why I see that the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace is the one and same gospel?

The right hand of fellowship is not an agreement between these parties to preach the same gospel. It is an agreement between these parties that Paul would go to the uncircumcision with his gospel and the 12 would continue to attend to the circumcision in Jerusalem.

Question #6

• How do you apply this to Peter & the 11 disciples as preaching the gospel of the kingdom according to John 18:36-37?

The gospel of the kingdom is precisely this. The kingdom Jesus preached is one that comes down from heaven. This is why Matthew’s gospel refers to it as the kingdom of heaven. This is why the disciples asked Jesus, 

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 

Peter and the 11 were preaching the imminency of this kingdom that would be brought at the second coming of Jesus. But this kingdom’s arrival was suspended because Israel would not receive their King. God turned to Paul and sent him to the Gentiles with a new gospel and message that declared that through faith in the cross of Christ we have justification with God and are added to a new spiritual body, the Body of Christ, who will be used to restore the heavens, just as Israel will be used to restore the earth.