One Book...Rightly Divided
Expanded Edition
By Dr. Douglas D. Stauffer
Expanded Edition
By Dr. Douglas D. Stauffer
Chapter 2
(Section II of II)
(Section II of II)
God’s Spokesmen
(continued)
(continued)
E. Spokesman of the Millennium
The return of the Lord at His Second Coming will end the Tribulation and begin the Millennium. There can be no question as to the identity of God the Father’s Spokesman during this time. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself will be the Spokesman, King and Ruler during His literal, physical and visible 1,000-year reign on earth.
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
The next chapter (Revelation 20) tells about the Millennium—the 1,000-year reign of King Jesus on this earth. Those living in the Millennium had better listen to Him. He will be ruling with a rod of iron as a King who knows every thought, every action and every secret thing (Isaiah 66:23-24). There will be no excuses for failing to follow the dictates of King Jesus.
Summation: God chooses to give His message through a spokesman. When there has been no spokesman, everyone has “done his own thing” or “that which was right in his own eyes.” The world without a spokesman is not God’s desired method of interacting with man. However, if man ignores God long enough, God will show man the result of his chosen direction by allowing him to choose his own direction with heavenly silence.
With God’s method of communicating to man through a spokesman clearly established, focus will be directed toward the book of Acts and the Church Age. This will enable the reader to determine exactly whom God has designated as our primary spokesman. Some groups would try to convince you that today’s spokesman is Peter. The Bible clearly points to another spokesman for today. Today’s primary message is certainly not Peter’s early Acts dialog.
C. Spokesmen during the Book of Acts
As recorded in the Gospels and in the book of Acts, Peter serves as the main spokesman immediately after the departure of the Lord in Acts chapter 1. During this time period, an individual desiring to know the will of God would have listened to the words of Peter and the other apostles. Peter remains the main speaker until Acts chapter 12. Peter appears as speaker only one more time in the book of Acts. In Acts 15:7 we find him speaking concerning the Gentiles. There, he simply affirms the ministry given to Paul. Acts 2:14 is a typical verse reflecting Peter’s position as spokesman in the early part of Acts.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Peter remains the spokesman until shortly after the conversion of the Apostle Paul. From Acts chapter 13 forward, Paul becomes the main character and spokesman. God gives His complete revelation to Paul and he travels around the world testifying the message God had given him for individuals living in the Church Age. This point leads into the next and final period covered. The next thirteen books of the Bible, written by the Apostle Paul, are the books that predominantly cover this period called the Church Age.
D. Spokesman during the Church Age
The only period not discussed in detail thus far covers a period of time after the cross up to the Rapture of the Church—the period in which we live today. By determining who our spokesman is, we will know where in the Bible to find our primary instructions for living today.
Unquestionably, our chief spokesman is the Apostle Paul. We are first introduced to Paul (Saul) at the end of Acts chapter 7 and read about his conversion two chapters later. As previously demonstrated, Peter was God’s main spokesman until the time of Paul’s conversion. Shortly thereafter, Peter virtually disappears from the scene. One of the few times Peter reappears is in Galatians 2:11, when Paul rebukes him for his hypocrisy concerning the Gentiles.
Beginning in Acts chapter 13, we read about Paul’s missionary journeys. In the last chapter of the Book of Acts, we read about Paul’s placement in a Roman prison. When we turn the page to the next book in the Bible (Romans), the first word reveals much . . . Paul. His name is recorded as the first word in the next thirteen consecutive books (Romans through Philemon). God emphasizes the author in each of these thirteen books to show us the importance of our knowing exactly who penned each epistle. He also establishes these books as a unit to be studied together (II Timothy 2:15) and the place where we find the bulk of Church Age doctrine.
These thirteen books address a specific group (the Body of Christ) during a specific period of time (the Church Age). God’s use of Paul as the messenger of today parallels His use of Noah to speak to those individuals alive before the flood. God’s use of Paul also relates to His future use of the two Witnesses speaking during the Tribulation and to the Lord Jesus Christ speaking during the Millennium. Throughout history, God’s message has generally been conveyed in this same manner.
"...the truth concerning the Church was never made known until the beginning of Paul’s Apostleship (Eph. 3). We must not, therefore, except in types and symbols, expect to find it in Matthew."
William L. Pettingill
, Simple Studies in Matthew (Wilmington: Just a Word, Inc., n.d.) p. 121-122.
God gives us many scriptures expressing Paul’s unique ministry to the Church. As introductory material, we will specifically look at just seven of these beginning in the book of Romans.
I. The Apostle Paul’s writings minister the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel to the Gentile world so that we may be acceptable and sanctified.
Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
II. In order to obey the following command, one must consider who authored First Corinthians and follow the writings of this author. God led the Apostle Paul to write First Corinthians, thus we are to follow him as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
III. Later in the same epistle, the Apostle Paul informs us that he is the one who declares the gospel to us. He also defines the gospel as the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
I Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
IV. The Apostle Paul declares the gospel and also instructs us how to live as Christians. He instructs us to do those things we have learned, received, heard, and seen in him. Without considering the scriptures that Paul has penned, how can the Church Age saint obey this command?
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
V. Paul’s particular position as the primary spokesman of the Church Age also included a calling to serve as the example for the Church Age Christian. For this reason, Paul tells us that we receive from him instructions concerning how we should walk and please God.
I Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
VI. The reader should readily recognize how important Paul’s writings are to the Church. He beseeches us to be followers of him. He declares the Gospel of the Grace of God. He even tells us how to walk so that we may please God. It should come as no surprise when Paul tells those who want to understand all things to consider what he says.
II Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
VII. In order to understand all things, we must consider what the Apostle Paul has said through his writings. Obviously, this understanding of all things includes gaining an understanding of the Bible too! Do you want to understand the differences associated with the various instructions given in the scriptures (sometimes referred to as “contradictions”)? Consider what Paul says—any instructions that seem to contradict his writings apply to a group other than the Church. This would include, among other things, such issues as the observance of Sabbath Days, the eating of certain meats and the sacrificial system. Paul even claims that by him the preaching is fully known so that the Gentiles might hear God’s instructions to them.
II Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Much of the confusion within Christianity can be cleared up through systematic Bible study. Each of these scriptures will be more fully developed and many others will be provided in subsequent chapters. Simply, the student should recognize that Peter ministered primarily to the Jews while Paul’s ministry was primarily to the Gentiles (specifically to those of us living in the Church Age). This truth should make a difference in how you walk, talk, and think.
chart 2.4
The Bible can be viewed very simply in the fashion shown in this book. We must determine the period in which we live and the corresponding God-designated spokesman for our present age. For ease of reference, examine the previous chart. If you are reading these words prior to the Rapture of the Church (and obviously following the cross), you must place yourself within the Church Age. (This locates you to the right of the cross and to the left of the Rapture). The books written by the Apostle Paul (those bearing his name as the first word) are the primary books covering this period of time. All other scripture is profitable too (II Timothy 3:16), but must be studied in light of what our apostle (Paul) has been led to reveal to us.
"The Apostle Paul was principally, though not exclusively, the agent of the revelation of the grace of God for this dispensation. Christ himself brought the grace of God to mankind in His incarnation (Titus 2:11), but Paul was the one who expounded it. To be sure, the dispensationalist does not say that there was no grace ever displayed before the coming of Christ (any more than he says there is no law after His coming), but the Scriptures do say that His coming displayed the grace of God in such brightness that all previous displays could be considered as nothing."
Charles C. Ryrie
, Dispensationalism, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1995), p. 56.
Many people wonder how they can know if a particular scripture, epistle or doctrine outside of Paul’s thirteen Church Age epistles applies to the Child of God today. The answer comes only after diligent Bible study. Once the student learns the truths presented to the Church in Paul’s thirteen epistles, the answer is readily apparent (II Timothy 2:7). Quite simply, the scripture, epistle or doctrine in question cannot violate the explicit truths, instructions and doctrines given to us by our Apostle. If it does seemingly contradict the Apostle Paul’s guidelines, the passage should not be pulled out of its context and twisted to fit where it does not belong.
Consider the general epistles of Hebrews through Revelation, which contain truths following the resurrection. Although they contain much Church Age application, they cannot be arbitrarily applied in total to the Church without considering what the Apostle Paul has written. Paul says:
II Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Before we proceed, a common misconception must be dispelled. Some people claim to do everything the Bible says to do. Have you ever read some of the requirements in the Old Testament? If you attempt to do everything in the Bible, you are going to have a very difficult time keeping your sanity. We must obey the commands given by our spokesman in order to comprehend exactly what it is that God would have us do.
II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
When one rightly divides the Bible, he is naturally allowing the Bible to interpret itself when considering any particular command or scripture. Now that we have seen God’s appointed spokesman for the Church, we will look at an application of this truth in the next chapter. In later chapters, we will develop these points in even greater detail.