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Brian Simmons wrote @
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for your comments, and sorry for the slow reply. I’ve been grappling with your post for a few days, and am still not 100% sure how to answer. For the record, I have read a lot of material which holds that the Gentile blessings were a complete secret. Honestly, I don’t find that in the Word of God. However, what I do find is that JOINT PARTICIPATION of Jews and Gentiles in a new body was a secret. So, I take a stance somewhere between traditional Acts 2 Dispensationalism and Bullinger (Acts 28) dispensationalism. Sounds sort of confusing I know. But I agree with 90% of what Bullinger taught. Only I believe the church as ‘bride’ began at Pentecost. The ‘Body’ is a special aspect of the church which has reference to the ‘naos,’ or spiritual temple — the inner temple, if you please — that is distinct from the 12 foundations (laid by by the apostles in the first century), or the 12 gates (raised by 2 witnesses during the future 70th week of Daniel). So in effect I believe that what Paul meant by a ‘joint body’ (Gr. sussoma) WAS a mystery in the purest sense of the word. This mystery was progressively revealed during Paul’s ministry, and is largely contained in his post-Acts writings. Hope I have answered your question.
BTW, If I recall, Charles Welch makes a distinction between THE mystery and the ‘mystery of Christ’ in Ephesians 3. His writing is interesting, but incredibly involved.
Peace & Health,
Brian
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Thankyou so much Brian for this discussion. I agree with you that it is so misunderstood even with “dispensationalist” Question, do you believe that the church partakes in the covenants of Isreal? I believe that all christians are saved unto the NC but the Mystery given to the gentiles are not part of the NC but is a separate calling, and distinct from the NC promises. Where I get a big disagreement from other dispensationalist is that I believe that the mystery of no difference between the jews and the gentiles is not the same as the mystery given to the gentiles in Eph, 3, I believe verse 7. I base this on the fact that the partaking of the promises in Eph . 3 is steeped in promises and prophecy because it is dealing with the jews, where as the mystery given to those among the gentiles deals only with the gentiles, with no promise atttached. This mystery is the only mystery that does not pretain to the jews but deals with the gentiles in a completly unique way. Dispesationalist do not see the difference between these two mysteries. Would appreicate your thoughts.