Santiago,
I would enjoy further conversations with you about the missions of the apostles.
<<The Kingdom program and the Body Church program differ in that the promises made to the Kingdom Church are earthly and the promises made to the Body Church are heavenly. >>
To tell you the truth I never heard that there was both a Kingdom Church and Body Church program. Could you make a list what promises are given to who?
As to the apostles not ministering to the anyone but the Jews, you are entitled to your beliefs but I would like to throw in some assumptions.
1. If the 12 apostles preached only to the Jews (13 if you count Paul) but only 1 preached to the Gentiles (Paul) then why wasn't a greater proportion of the Jews, who knew the laws of God converted? These apostles even had power to raise the dead!
2. I believe Paul was hated by the Jews because he told the truth and it hurt them. As a result they decided to retaliate against him rather than to believe him and be converted.
<<Does this sound like Paul and Barnabas were preaching and teaching the same message as the twelve? I think not. The Kingdom church still followed the Law of Moses, just as Christ had taught them to do. With one exception animal sacrefice is no longer needed.>>
I think they did and would invite you to read some of the passages out of Acts Chapter 15.
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved....
.. they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question...And when they were come to Jerusalem they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders....but there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses....And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe...and put no difference between us and them,...now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.......Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own country to Antioch....and they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
Notice that Peter is the one who said that God chose his mouth to speak to the Gentiles, and that it was a good while ago.
Chris |
