Sermon Tone Analysis

! Dispensationalism

 

!! Ministries of the Twelve and Paul

* *

*Having stated his theology, the writer must now search the scriptures and come up with more reasons to back up his belief.

In this chapter he compares the CALL of the 12 with the CALL of Paul and, based on the knowledge that they occurred under different circumstances, he makes the false presumption that their GOSPEL was also different.

If we follow this line of reasoning then we must presume that there are a myriad of different plans of God concerning his work in the earth present in the world today since there are so many different ways in which God calls his people.*

*As we go through these notes, one question must be placed at the end of each thought and scripture that the writer gives.

DO THESE VERSES STATE THAT A DIFFERENT GOSPEL WAS TO BE PREACHED?

If the answer is no, then the argument of the author is invalid.*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ The basic cause of the confusion which prevails in the professing Church doctrinally is the failure to recognize the distinctiveness of Paul's message and ministry from that of the twelve.

The majority of even sincere believers seem not to have asked themselves the question: Why Paul?

They seem not to have taken in the striking fact that after our Lord, in His so-called great commission, had sent the other apostles into "all the world" to preach "the gospel" to "every creature" (Mark 16:15) and make disciples of "all nations" (Matt.

28: 19) --after this, He raised up another apostle, and the twelve through their leaders, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, entered into a solemn agreement with this other apostle that he should go to the Gentiles while they confined their ministry to Israel (Gal.

2:7-9).

Thus some years after the "great commission" to the eleven (made twelve in Acts 1:15-26), Paul could declare: \\ "FOR I SPEAK TO YOU GENTILES, INASMUCH AS I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES; I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE" (Romans 11:13).

\\ Paul himself constantly emphasizes the distinctiveness of his apostleship and message.

/*

*We can in this verse see the distinction Paul makes in his apostleship, but there is absolutely no distinction mentioned concerning his message.*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ Three times he speaks of "my gospel" (Rom.

2:16, 16:25, II Tim.

2:8) /*

*Read these verses carefully in context and you will see that Paul is comparing his gospel, not with that of the other 12, but with either the beliefs of unregenerate men or those who have strayed from the truth.

*

*In Romans 2 he classifies all unsaved together Jew and Gentile alike.*

*In Romans 16 he states his gospel to Phebe in opposition to them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine they have learned vs.17+18.*

*In II Tim.

2:8 He states, "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel."

This is exactly the same thing that the other 12 taught in their gospel.*

*Take the time and read each of the other scriptures the author uses to make his point and you will see that there is NEVER a contrast made between the gospel of Paul and the gospel of the 12. *

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ In comparing the ministries of the twelve and Paul in this chapter we will number our statements concerning the twelve apostles so that they may be compared with those concerning Paul.

/*

*/1.

The twelve were chosen by Christ on earth (Luke 6:13).

/*

*/1.

Unlike the twelve, Paul was chosen by Christ in heaven (Acts 9:3-5, 26:16).

/*

*The writer makes a few mistakes in this contrast:*

*1.

Christ was on earth when he called the 12 and he was on earth when he called Paul, the difference is that Paul was called by Christ after he was glorified and the original 12 were called while Christ was in the flesh.

The reason I say original 12 was because Matthias never received the apostolic call from Christ in person, as Paul and the 11 did.

And if Matthias was indeed God's choice for the 12th apostle then he too received his call after the ascension of the Lord.

Again too, we need to ask the question, because the call may have been different, where in these verses does it say the message to be taught was different?*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ 2.  At the time when Paul was raised up the twelve had known only Christ on earth.

They had not even seen Him enter heaven at His ascension, for, "a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).

/*

*/2.

He knew only Christ in heaven, having never seen Him on earth (Acts 26:16, I Cor.

15:8).

/*

*Notice again, Paul saw Christ on earth the same as the other apostles only he saw Christ in His glory, which is the way all men, the twelve included, will see him from this time on.

Read Philippians 2:6-11, and you will see that the change was in Christ.

He was glorified due to his humility on earth, and it is this glory that all men will acknowledge as the stand before the judgment seat of God.

NOWHERE in these verses does it say that there was a different message or gospel given.*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ 3.  They represented the nation Israel--one for each tribe.

This is clear from our Lord's promise to them.

/*

*/3.

Paul, as one apostle, represents the body of Christ./*

*Having read the following verses the writer gives: Rom.12:5,

I Cor.12:13, Eph.4:4, Col.1:21+22, Phil.3:5,6,

Acts 16:37+39; 22:25-29; 21:39; 25:10-12, and Eph.2:16, the scriptures show absolutely no disclosure at all, that Paul is the sole representative of the body of Christ.

I see where Paul was called to go to the Gentiles with the gospel, and in fact could be declared as the apostle of Christ to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 22:21), just as the twelve were initially called to go to the lost sheep of Israel, (Matt.

10:5+6) but again, the scriptures to not make even the slightest hint of a difference in messages or gospels.*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ 4.  These twelve were first sent forth to proclaim the kingdom of heaven at hand (Matt.

10:7, cf.

Dan.

2:44) and then, later, to offer it to Israel with a view to carrying the message to all the world (Acts 1:6-8, 3:19-26).

/*

*/4.

Paul was sent out to proclaim "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24, Eph.

3:1-3).

While he confirmed the fact that Jesus was Israel's Messiah, he never proclaimed the kingdom at hand or offered it for Israel's acceptance.

Nor had the twelve until then ever proclaimed the gospel of the grace of God.

/*

*The writer finally attempts to draw a distinction between the messages of Paul and the twelve.

At this point a review of earlier chapters will show where the Word of God disagrees with the theology of the writer.

i.e.:*

*a.

Paul proclaimed the kingdom at hand.

II Cor.6:2 comp.

with Isaiah 49:8-12, he also offered it for Israel’s acceptance Acts 28:17+23.*

*b.

Acts 3:25-26; 10:43, is just as much the gospel of grace, which was taught by the 12, as the gospel which Paul taught.*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ 5.

They were given power to work miracles (Matt.

10:8, cf.

Mark 16:17,18).

/*

*/5.

While at first Paul had "the signs of an apostle," his power to work miracles was withdrawn in connection with his God-given message (Rom.

8:22,23, I Cor.

13:8-13, II Cor.

4:16, 5:1-4, 12:7-10, Phil.

2:26,27, I Tim.

5:23, II Tim.

4:20).

/*

*Having read each of the scriptures the writer gives as proof texts concerning his statement about Paul, I can find not one mention of Paul's ability to perform miracles being taken away.

To be sure, they show the presence of sickness and death and even Paul's "thorn in the flesh", but sickness and death were also present at the time of Christ.

Matt.14:10-12.

Does this then mean that Christ was unable to perform miracles?*

*We do know that Paul performed many miracles according to the Word of God (Acts 13:10+11, 14:8-11, 16:16-18, 19:11+12, 20:7-12, 28:5,8), but there is not one verse of scripture which states that his edibility to perform miracles was removed.

And even if it was, this in no way implies that a different gospel was being taught.

*

*/Mr.

Stam tells us: \\ 6.  Their ministry was based upon the covenants and prophecy (Isa.

60:1-3, Luke 1:70-75, Acts 3:22-26).

/*

*/6.

Paul's message was not based upon covenant promises or prophecies but entirely upon the grace of God (Rom.

3:21-28, Eph.

1:7, 2:7).

It was a mystery, kept secret until that time (Rom.

16:25, Eph.

3:1-3) and gradually revealed to and through him (Acts 26:16, 22:17,18, II Cor.

12:1-7).

/*

*a.

Read Romans 3:21 and you will see the writer's first point made invalid by the Word of God.

/"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, BEING WITNESSED BY THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS/: THE GRACE OF GOD IN SALVATION DOES NOT DESTROY THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, IT FULFILLS THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS.*

*b.

The mystery spoken of by Paul in Eph.3:1-6 is not so much the grace of God, but the fact that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs of God's grace, vs.6.

Again as we read the scriptures we see that the mystery was given to a select group since the beginning of time (Rom.3:21,