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Christ baptized (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5) those who had believed (John 7:39), in the power of one Spirit, into one body (1 Cor. 12:13) consequent upon Christ’s exaltation (John 7:39; Acts, 2:32,33). The Lord added to the church daily those who were to be saved (Acts 2:47). While the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), i.e., the Jewish election of grace (Rom. 11:5), were exclusively being called during this brief period, the Spirit’s testimony to Christ’s resurrection and glorification was presented to Israel for their rejection before the gospel proceeded to Samaria and beyond. This testimony occupied the year of grace (Luke 13:6-9). The Spirit’s testimony through Stephen closed this year, with Stephen giving his life as the first Christian martyr. He had traced their [Israel's] history of always resisting the Spirit (Acts 7). Stephen answers to the embassy in the parable in Luke 19:11ff. While the cross ended the standing of the first man [First Adam], Christ, the second man [Last Adam], had taken a place in glory, and it was needful to show that the first man (in the character of the favored Jew) would not have it so, before the Spirit gathered in Gentiles [to the Church]. Saul, soon to become an apostle for this purpose, is here seen as a persecutor.
During this year of exposure of the fall of Israel, the apostles ministered the Word in the power of the Spirit, accompanied by signs (Acts 2-4). His presence as dwelling in the Church detected deceit (Acts 5) to keep the saints clean, and sustained unity and order in the face of internal difficulty (Acts 6).
This testimony was not really a continuation of the previous kingdom proclamation, for there was no preaching that the kingdom was at hand. The Spirit called upon them to repent for the slaying of Christ and then the Lord would return and set up the kingdom. (And eventually, connected with their repentance, this will happen). God thus cleared the ground for the unfolding of the heavenly things; for He knew that they would not repent, yea, that they could not unless He acted sovereignly to move them to do so. Acts 2-7 shows that a blinding, in part, came upon them (Rom. 11:7-10; 1 Thess. 2:15-17).
Dispensational Truth, Volume 1, page 144-145, R. A. Huebner
ACTS
The History of the Spirit’s Work in Testimony to the Resurrection and Glorification of Christ
(A five part overview of Acts, documenting the advent of the Body of Christ (Church) in Acts 2)
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ACTS 2-12: PREPARATION FOR THE UNFOLDING OF THE TRUTH OF THE MYSTERY
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> Peter Prominent <
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Acts 8-12: A TRANSITION PERIOD IN PREPARATION FOR PAUL’S MISSION
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GENTILES ADDED TO THE CHURCH
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After the year of exposure of the fall of Israel, the testimony of the Spirit “branches out into the free action of the Spirit of God, independent of, but not separated from, the twelve and Jerusalem as the centre” (J. N. Darby). Samaritans were brought into blessing, as well as an Ethiopian proselyte (a son of Ham), etc. (Acts 8), a token of the Spirit’s sovereignty in grace. A special vessel of grace (1 Tim. 1:13-16) was formed for future work with seeing the Lord in glory, Who said, “why persecutest thou me?” This view of the Lord gave character to the apostleship and ministry of Paul, who unfolded the heavenly glory and our union with the Head in heaven. Thus Paul immediately preached Christ as the Son of God (Acts 9), the character in which He is the foundation of the Church (Matt. 16:16-18). Formally, however, he did not enter upon his special mission until the time of Acts 13.
Next, through Peter’s continued ministry, Eneas and Dorcas experience the Spirit’s power (Acts 9) away from Jerusalem. Then the Spirit added Gentiles to the Church (Acts 10,11) with the lesson that God declared the Gentiles suited to hear the gospel and believe. The free action of the Spirit brought in more Gentiles (Acts 11:20,21), though in sending Barnabas from Jerusalem the connection with that center was kept up. The Spirit’s action was also manifested in prophecy (Acts 11:27-30).
In Acts 12 we see the ministry of angels for the heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14). As Paul’s conversion reminds us of the future conversion of Israel, in answer to the Lord’s prayer, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” so Peter’s deliverance reminds us of that future deliverance of the Jewish remnant.
Acts 8-12 is transitional and preparatory for a new mission about to begin from the Gentile assembly at Antioch–without dependence on Jerusalem or the 12 [other Jewish] apostles for its validity.
Dispensational Truth, Volume 1, page 144-145, R. A. Huebner
ACTS
The History of the Spirit’s Work in Testimony to the Resurrection and Glorification of Christ
(A five part overview of Acts, documenting the advent of the Body of Christ (Church) in Acts 2)
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ACTS 13-28 THE TRUTH OF THE MYSTERY UNFOLDED
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> Paul Prominent <
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Acts 13-20: THE MYSTERY PROCLAIMED
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CHURCH PREDOMINANTLY GENTILE
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Acts 13 introduces the Spirit’s testimony in Paul’s mission, beginning formally at Antioch, based on the fact that the Church, which is the Body of Christ (Eph 1:22,23), was formed by the baptism in the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), at Pentecost, once for all. All added since that baptism in the Spirit receive the same “Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; John 14:16,26; 16:7). Such are “in Christ” and so there were those “who also were in Christ before me” (Rom.16:7). Paul’s mission included the unfolding of the truth of the mystery of Christ and the Church, as well as the gospel of the glory. As the Jews refused the Spirit’s testimony to Christ in glory, so they refused the Spirit’s testimony of grace to the Gentiles.
“The Holy Ghost now calls, through prophets, for the separation of Barnabas and Saul for the work to which he had called them, and they are sent forth by the Holy Ghost. It is a new kind of apostle. The first thing we find is a figure of the total blinding of the Jews who resist the Holy Ghost, and the eyes of Gentiles opened to believe. Notwithstanding this, Paul (for he is now called Paul) according to the Lord’s mind goes always first to the Jews, and afterwards to the Greeks. John Mark leaves them. After having preached round, they choose elders for the churches, of whom we here read first among Gentiles. He then returns to Antioch, and there we find what the laying on of hands had been: that is, they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they had now fulfilled. ‘And there they abode a long time with the disciples.’
“The church having now been freely established on heavenly principles outside Jerusalem, Satan seeks to introduce confusion by bringing in the law upon them; and God, to maintain unity, causes the matter to be referred to Jerusalem, so that the apostles there, and the church, should themselves declare the Gentiles free…. They dismiss Judas and Silas; then we get another thing, Paul gathering fellow-laborers around himself …. Now, we get the direct guidance of the Holy Ghost in the carrying out of his ministry; but that direct guidance as not excluding his drawing conclusions from divine intimations sent to him. Then we have Paul pursuing his ministry–kept of God everywhere–the very demons forced to own him–and as competent as the other apostles to confer the Holy Ghost: free ministry, under the guidance of God’s Spirit, still going on.” (Collected Writings of J. N. Darby 19:29).
Dispensational Truth, Volume 1, page 144-145, R. A.
ACTS
The History of the Spirit’s Work in Testimony to the Resurrection and Glorification of Christ
(A five part overview of Acts, documenting the advent of the Body of Christ (Church) in Acts 2)
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ACTS 13-28 THE TRUTH OF THE MYSTERY UNFOLDED
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> Paul Prominent <
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Acts 20-28: PRISONER OF THE LORD FOR THE GENTILES
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CHURCH PREDOMINANTLY GENTILE
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“And now Paul, returning to Jerusalem, intimates the close of his ministry in those parts to the elders of Ephesus at Melitus, predicting the efforts of Satan, and calling upon them to watch and labor with the same earnestness and energy as had marked his own labors amongst them…. He now returns to Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost warning Him, and the disciples telling him by the Spirit, not to go up. On the suggestion of the elders at Jerusalem, he accommodates himself to Jewish ceremonies, the believers at Jerusalem being all zealous of the law. This brings him into captivity; but the effect of the captivity is to bring him into the place of testimony before the Jews, who refuse grace to the Gentiles, before Lysias, Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Nero. But he is a prisoner all the time, and as such he works at Rome. (Paul’s gospel was a prisoner at Rome from the first day.) This closes the testimony to the Jews; and thus closes the history we have of the dissemination of the gospel in apostolic times.” (Collected Writings of J. N. Darby 19:30).
Thus the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus when He came in grace here below, thereby closing the history and trial of the first man [First Adam]. The second man [Last Adam], having been exalted above, consequently sent the Spirit in testimony to that exaltation first to the Jews, but they did not repent of their wickedness. And finally, they did what they could to hinder the grace flowing down from the glory, ministered by the Spirit to the Gentiles. And connected with these repeated exposures of their state, the Spirit proceeded with another work, the opening of the heavenly parenthesis on the day of Pentecost, the formation of the Body of Christ on that day, the gathering in of Gentiles and the unfolding of the heavenly truth of Christ’s glory and the position of the saints, through the ministry of Paul. All was perfectly timed as only God can sovereignly do for His own glorification in Christ. For God has but one purpose: to glorify Himself in Christ–but in two spheres, the earthly and the heavenly. The Spirit’s present work regarding the heavenly parenthesis will end at the Rapture. Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Dispensational Truth, Volume 1, page 144-145, R. A. Huebner
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