What is it about two programs, two agencies, two doctrines, and two destinations?

What is it about two programs, two agencies, two doctrines, and two destinations?

I want you to spend a bit of your time considering these two bible passages, when you have a quiet moment to contemplate them.

Read them carefully and attentively and see if you can spot the points of interest that I highlight in the small list below.

First, read the passages....slowly 😉

Acts 3:19-25

(This is the apostle Peter speaking to Israel (Jews) on the day of Pentecost)

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Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'

Romans 16:25-26

(This is the apostle Paul ending his letter of Romans, written to us Gentiles)

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Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

Now, let me highlight some things I want you to spot when comparing these two passages:

#1. 

• The Acts passage concerns Israel (the Jews) and is applicable to their faith.
• The Romans passage concerns us (the Gentiles) and is applicable to our faith.

#2.

• Notice in the Acts passage how the restoration of all things was spoken by prophets since the world began. In other words, much prophecy was revealed to Jews about their future and salvation. It was clearly revealed in the scriptures for them to read and study.
• In the Romans passage, notice that there was a mystery that was kept secret since the world began. In other words, this was not spoken by prophets. This was a secret that nobody knew until Paul revealed it in his letter to the Romans.

#3.

• Notice how the Acts passage was spoken to the Jews only, since the promises mentioned in this passage are only applicable to them.
• In Paul's letter to Rome, notice how he includes the promises he mentions to ALL nations.

Summary

All I want you to be aware of in the above is that there are two very distinct and different PROGRAMS in operation here. ONE to Israel and ONE to the Gentiles. ONE is made know and ONE is kept secret. ONE is to only Jews and ONE is to all nations. This is a VERY important thing to note and something that the church denominations IGNORE to their detriment! If you can see a distinction between Israel and the Gentiles, you will start to understand the Bible much better and things in the Bible will become clearer and more understandable.

The first scripture says,

• spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began

The second scripture says,

• kept secret since the world began

These are two very different expressions. The one tells us how God revealed his plan of redemption through the prophets, speaking of these things openly. The other talks about a mystery that was kept secret since the world began but only now (when Paul wrote of these things) were they made known.

Basically, there are two programs. The one belongs to the Jews (including all the prophecies about their program of redemption and their earthly kingdom inheritance) and the other “secret program” that Paul revealed belongs to the Gentiles (including the secret, unprophesied content, as listed above, about our program of redemption and our heavenly inheritance.)

We need to distinguish or separate out Israel’s program from our program. We need to be aware that there are two programs, and that these two must NEVER be mixed or blended together. Doing so will cause confusion and contradictions in the Bible and in doctrine and cause a lot of false religion and harm to the faith of people.

The Jewish faith is VERY DIFFERENT to our faith. When you understand this, the Bible becomes easy to understand. The sad thing is that we NEVER hear this taught in the churches, and why so MANY people are in the dark about the wonders of the Word.

In short, the Jewish faith (or doctrine) is based on the law and involves ordinances, holy days, various rituals to practice, commands to keep and ways to worship God. Also connected to the Jewish faith is all prophecy and giftings and an earthly Kingdom that they will inherit when Jesus comes back in the second coming.

Our faith (or doctrine) is based on the epistles of Paul. Paul was separated by God to write to the Gentiles in this period under God’s grace today. 

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

So, the letters of Paul contain all the instructions on how we are to live today. Unlike the Jews, we do not live under the law, or ordinances, or holy days, or rituals or commands. All prophecy in the Bible is not spoken to or about us. As believers we are to gain in knowledge of the scriptures, in particular, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret by God and revealed to Paul for the Body of Christ. We are to learn to submit in obedience to the mystery doctrine and to bear the fruit of the Spirit as we wait for our great hope from heaven, Tit 2:13. Lastly, our inheritance is not on earth, but in the heavens according to the predetermined redemption plan of God.

The church and the Christian religion are so messed up today because they have been mixing up the prophetic doctrine of the Jews and the mystery doctrine of the Gentiles. When you mix or blend these things together you get a false religion that does not work and is full of ignorance, confusion, corruption and wrong practices. To avoid this, we should acknowledge the dual program of God, we should understand what it means to rightly divide the Word of truth, 2Tim.2:15, and we should read and interpret scripture in the wisdom of progressive revelation and dispensational truth.

There are two programs, prophecy and mystery, two agencies, Israel and the Body of Christ, two doctrines, law and grace, and two destinations, earth and heaven. These two must be kept apart in order to retain the context and accuracy of scripture and its interpretation.