Theology Club: SaultoPaul and the Dispensation of the Gospel

Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
Here SaulToPaul says that the 'Dispensation of the gospel" began in Acts 9.

SaulToPaul said:
I believe the dispensation of the gospel began in Acts 9.
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The only gospel being preached at Acts 9 is this one Paul preached in the synagogues of the Jews:

"And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God...proving that this is the very Christ" (Acts 9:20,22).​

The problem with this idea of STP is the fact that the dispensation or stewardship to preach this gospel began at Acts 2. Peter used facts of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus to prove the deity of Jesus and the fact that He is the promised Messiah. Peter ended his sermon with the following words:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).​

Dr. Stanley D. Toussaint, Senior Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary (Acts 2), writes the following commentary on Acts 2:36:

"Here is the conclusion to Peter's sermon. The noun 'Lord', referring to 'Christ', probably is a reference to Yahweh. The same word 'kyrios' is used of 'God' in verses 21, 34, and 39 (cf. Phil. 2:9). This is a strong affirmation of Christ's deity" (The Bible Knowledge Commentary; New Testament, ed. Walvoord & Zuck, [ChariotVictor Publishing, 1983], 359).​

The Jews who believed that Jesus is Christ, God come in the flesh, were "born of God". Dr. Zane Hodges, past Chairman of of the New Testament Department at Dallas Theological Seminary, writes the following in regard to Peter's words:

"Peter concludes his address with the assertion that 'God has made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ' (2:36). His hearers then reply, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' (2:37). But such a reaction presumes their acceptance of Peter's claim that they have crucified the one who is Lord and Christ. If this is what they now believe, then they were already regenerated on Johannine terms, since John wrote: 'Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God' (1 John 5:1; cf. John 20:31) " [emphasis added] (Hodges, The Gospel Under Siege, 101).​

Here are the verses to which Hodges makes reference:

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God...Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 Jn.5:1,5).​

On the day of Pentecost those who believed the "good news" that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, were "born of God" and saved.
Charles Ryrie, professor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary, says the following about the theme of Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost:

"To us today it does not mean much to say that Jesus is Christ or Messiah. To a Jew of that day it was an assertion which required convincing proof, and it was the theme of Peter's sermon. Peter's proof is built along very simple lines. First he paints a picture of the Messiah from the Old Testament Scriptures. Then from contemporary facts he presents a picture of Jesus of Nazareth. Finally, he superimposes these two pictures on each other to prove conclusively that Jesus is Messiah" [emphasis added] (Ryrie, "The Significance of Passover," Bibliotheca Sacra, Oct. 1955, Vol.112, # 448, 335).​

There can be no doubt that the only gospel being preached at Acts 9 was the good news that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And there can beno doubt that the stewardship to preach that gospel did not start at Acts 9 but instead at Acts 2.

Once again STP makes a gigantic blunder.
 
SaulToPaul 2

SaulToPaul 2

Well-known member
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:


Was Paul saved by this gospel, Jerry?
 
SaulToPaul 2

SaulToPaul 2

Well-known member
Jerry runs and hides from a simple question.

My question gets to the heart of the matter, and is not in his script, so he will not answer.
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
SaulToPaul said:
Jerry runs and hides from a simple question.

My question gets to the heart of the matter, and is not in his script, so he will not answer.
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I will answer just to show you how it is done. The gospel which you quoted did not save Paul. The gospel which you quoted is the one preached to the Gentiles and Paul did not receive that gospel on the Damascus road when he was saved. Here he talks about the events which surrounded his receiving of the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles:

"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus" (Gal.1:15-17).​

When Paul received a gospel from the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road he immediately went to Damascus (Acts 9:6-8). But when he received the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles he went immediately into Arabia.

That can only mean that since Paul was saved on the Damascus road he hadn't yet received the gospel which he preached to the Gentiles. Therefore, he was saved when he believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
 
D

Danoh

New member
Jerry Shugart said:
I will answer just to show you how it is done. The gospel which you quoted did not save Paul. The gospel which you quoted is the one preached to the Gentiles and Paul did not receive that gospel on the Damascus road when he was saved. Here he talks about the events which surrounded his receiving of the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles:

"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus" (Gal.1:15-17).​

When Paul received a gospel from the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road he immediately went to Damascus (Acts 9:6-8). But when he received the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles he went immediately into Arabia.

That can only mean that since Paul was saved on the Damascus road he hadn't yet received the gospel which he preached to the Gentiles. Therefore, he was saved when he believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
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Lol, in essence, Paul went into Arabia... and then he went into Arabia, lol
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
Danoh said:
Lol, in essence, Paul went into Arabia... and then he went into Arabia, lol
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Why must you try to pervert what I said. I never said that and you know it. Here is what I actually said:

When Paul received a gospel from the Lord Jesus on the Damascus road he immediately went to Damascus (Acts 9:6-8). But when he received the gospel which he preached among the Gentiles he went immediately into Arabia.​

Since you have no intelligent answer to what I said you just said something which makes no sense. Of course you did that in the hope that no one would notice that you had nothing intelligent to say on the subject.
 
SaulToPaul 2

SaulToPaul 2

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
Are we supposed to believe that actually represents an "intelligent" reply to what I said?

Evidently your comrades actually believe it is an intelligent reply, especially since they could do no better.
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Perhaps she is shocked that you actually believe Paul and yourself are in the same Body, but not both by 1 Cor 15:1-4 (KJV).

It is silly.
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
SaulToPaul said:
So, Jerry, is "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" the gospel of Christ?
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Yes, it is the "good news" of Christ:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel (good news) of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Ro.1:16).

That was the first instance of "good news" which was preached to the Jews first and belief in that "good news" brought salvation (Jn.20:31; 1 Jn.5:1-5).

That instance of the "good news" of Christ was indeed preached to the Jews first and then later the "good news" of Christ was preached to the Gentiles. But the "good news" of Christ preached to the Jews was not the same "good news" of Christ which was preached to the Gentiles.
 
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Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
SaulToPaul said:
Perhaps she is shocked that you actually believe Paul and yourself are in the same Body, but not both by 1 Cor 15:1-4 (KJV).

It is silly.
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What is silly is the fact that you cling to your silly beliefs at the same time you have no answer to what I said about the events which surrounded what happened when Paul received the gospel which he preached to the Gentiles.
 
SaulToPaul 2

SaulToPaul 2

Well-known member
Jerry Shugart said:
What is silly is the fact that you cling to your silly beliefs at the same time you have no answer to what I said about the events which surrounded what happened when Paul received the gospel which he preached to the Gentiles.
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Can a member of the Body believe Jesus is the Christ, and yet deny that he died for his sins?
 
Jerry Shugart

Jerry Shugart

Well-known member
Danoh said:
What's hilarious is his continued failure to see that how you and I see these issues differs
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The difference between how we see things is he fact that I believe what the Scriptures say and your views are based on a denial of the truth found in the Scriptures.

Case in point:

"Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life" (Jn.5:24).​
 
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