Acts
Bible Study
Lesson 21
Ľ As we
continue to look at the events unfolding in Acts, we will interpret them with
the assumption that the Church the Body of Christ began at the conversion of
Saul in Acts 9 and that the existing Kingdom saints stayed Kingdom saints and
did not transfer into the Body of Christ.
- I believe the Body was formed at SaulŐs
conversion because:
1. The Holy Spirit came upon Saul BEFORE he was baptized. This is a significant change from the events in Acts 2 when the Jews needed to be baptized for purification and preparation of becoming priests in the soon to come Millennial Kingdom before they could be baptized. ItŐs also interesting that the events surrounding the conversion of Cornelius were identical to that of Saul.
2. Paul was
separated out for his ministry to the Gentiles from his motherŐs womb and was
given his commission by God at the point of his conversion.
Galatians 1:15 But when God, who had
set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,
Acts 26:16 'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
3. With the assumption that the fall of Israel occurred at the stoning of Stephen, God raised up Paul within 4 years of their fall. If the Body of Christ were formed in Acts 13, there would have been a 15-year gap between the fall of Israel and the formation of the Body of Christ. It seems the shorter time period makes more sense.
4. Paul formed churches
around Tarsus in the regions of Syria
and Cilicia approximately 4 years after his conversion. He preached in this
region for about 5 years. These churches were gentile churches that are addressed
in Acts 15 when it was decided that the Gentile churches did not need to obey
the Mosaic Law. These churches were started at least 5 years before his first
missionary journey in Acts 13.
Galatians 1:21 Then I went into the
regions of Syria and Cilicia.
Acts 15:23 and they sent this letter by them,
"The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch
and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.
Acts 15:41 And he was traveling
through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
- I believe the Kingdom saints remained
Kingdom saints because:
1. It seems clear that Peter wrote his letters to Kingdom saints. It is written to the scattered Jews and later identified as a chosen race and a royal priesthood (not the Body of Christ where there is no recognition of Jew or Gentile). There is no mention of a Rapture but a number of references to the Day of the Lord. 1 Peter 4:17 also states that judgment will begin at the household of God. This cannot refer to the Body of Christ because we will only be judged for our rewards, not GodŐs wrath being poured out as it will upon Israel and the world. They were following prophesy, not mystery according to 1 Peter 1:19; 2 Peter 3:2 and were being encouraged that God will still fulfill the promises given to Israel, even as they were seeing the Kingdom program subsiding. (2 Peter 3:9). If there were no Kingdom saints when Peter wrote these things as late as 68 A.D. then he would have to be writing to Body saints.
2. When Peter and Paul agreed to maintain separate ministries (Galatians 2:7—9) this showed there were two distinct groups otherwise there would be no need to agree to split up the ministry duties.
3. Just the fact that God raised up a new Apostle to go to the Gentiles indicates the Kingdom saints stayed Kingdom saints. If the 12 Disciples became Body saints, they would be the ones going to the Gentiles.