βFor I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:βΒ (Romans 11:13).
Behold, the verse that most have never noticed in the Bible!
Recently, a friend in the ministry dealt with a church-going man. When she asked him who our apostle was, however, he had no idea. Rather, he said, βAll 12 Apostles were our Apostles. All the Bible is applicable to us.β This is a common misconception, and unmistakable testimony that the professing Church actually does notΒ studyΒ the Bible. They justΒ presumeΒ to know it.
Romans 11:13 is clear that Paul is a special apostle in the Bibleβhe isΒ βthe apostle of the Gentiles.βΒ Ephesians chapter 3 affirms:Β β[1] For this cause IΒ Paul, the prisoner of Jesus ChristΒ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard ofΒ the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:β¦.βΒ Notice how Paul didΒ notΒ teach the same doctrine as the 12 Apostles. TheΒ βdispensation of the grace of GodβΒ was committed to him so he could give it to us Gentiles. It didΒ notΒ sayΒ βthe dispensation of the grace of GodβΒ was given toΒ the 12 Apostles.
Furthermore, the Apostle Peter admitted that Paul knew doctrine that he had a hard time understanding, for Paul had special wisdom given exclusively to him. Second Peter 3:15-16:Β β[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brotherΒ Paul also according to the wisdom given unto himΒ hath written unto you; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things;Β in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.β
In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, the Holy Spirit led the Apostle Paul to write:Β β[10] According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as aΒ wiseΒ masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. [11] For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.βΒ Notice theΒ βwisdomβΒ given to Paul.
Friend, I will be very frank with you. If you are going to adopt the position of βevery promise in the Bible is mine,β you have set yourself up forβliterallyβyour worst nightmare. You will stumble over one Bible contradiction after another. You doubt this? Just look around at the professing churchβall that spiritual confusion and impotence is because they embraced the βeverything-in-the-Bible-is-mineβ philosophy! Do you still want to follow through with it?
Consider this partial listing of Bible contradictions people often gripe about. Those in Matthew 5:18-19 are commanded to teach the law; Romans 6:14-15 says we areΒ notΒ under the law but under grace. Mark 16:16 teaches water baptism is necessary for salvation; Romans 3:28 says faith in JesusΒ alone,Β without works, is enough for salvation. Exodus 20:8-11 demands Sabbath-day observance; Colossians 2:16 says the Sabbath day isΒ unimportant.
Genesis 17:9-14 teaches physical circumcision isΒ necessaryΒ in having a relationship with God; Galatians 5:6 and Galatians 6:15 say God doesΒ notΒ care about physical circumcision and physical uncircumcision. James 5:14-15Β guaranteesΒ physical healing after the anointing of oil; there wasΒ neitherΒ physical healingΒ noranointing of oil for ill Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 or sick Trophimus in 2 Timothy 4:20. While this list could be expanded, there is enough here to see the βall-the-promises-in-the-Book-are-mineβ mentality is utter preposterousness. There areΒ mutually exclusiveΒ promises!
Friend, do youΒ reallyΒ want to claim all the verses in the Bible as applicable to you? If you persist, you go right aheadβno one will stop you. Still, you should be further warned that, you will eventually find yourself fallen into unbelief, waffling between βyesβ and βnoβ on dozens of Bible issues. In fact, you give it long enough and you will throw away the Bible in exasperation! Innumerable church members have already done so, and while I urge you not to do it, you have free will and you must make a choice. You can eitherΒ believe Romans 11:13, orΒ disbelieveΒ it.
The objection can be heard. How can Paul claim to beΒ βthe apostle of the Gentiles?βΒ Were not the 12 sent to all nations (Gentiles)? What about what Jesus told the 12 Apostles in Matthew 28:19-20?Β β[19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.βΒ Indeed, but this is to be understood in light of Jesusβ words in Luke 24:46-48 and Acts 1:8.
Luke 24:46-48:Β β[46] And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: [47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations,Β beginning at Jerusalem. [48] And ye are witnesses of these things.βΒ And, the companion verse, Acts 1:8:Β βBut ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both inΒ Jerusalem, and in allΒ Judaea, and inΒ Samaria, and untoΒ the uttermost part of the earth.βΒ The 12 Apostles wereΒ notΒ to preach toΒ βall nationsβΒ until they preached toΒ all of Israel first!Β National, converted Israel would then evangelizeΒ βall nations.β
Scripture is clear that the 12 Apostles conducted a ministryΒ with Israel at the forefront of Godβs dealings with man.Β However, as we will see, Paulβs apostleship involvedΒ the fall of Israel, she no longer being at the head of Godβs program for mankind. That is, rather than the 12 Apostles converting all of Israel and then all of Israel reaching the Gentiles, Paul was reaching the GentilesΒ withoutΒ nationally-converted Israel. Hence, Paulβs apostleship should in no way be confused with the 12 Apostlesβ ministry, and neither should it be seen an extension of it.
Notice Romans 11:13 in context:Β β[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? [13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.β
Scripture is clear that Paulβs Gentile apostleship is exaltedΒ while the nation Israel is fallen. There isΒ noΒ βkingdom of priestsββconverted Israelβpreaching salvation among the Gentiles in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Rather, the Holy Spirit is using the Apostle Paul to reach the Gentiles. Clearly, the prophetic program that operated prior to Paul (pre-Acts chapter 9) has been temporarily interrupted. To see Israel functioning as a kingdom of priestsΒ afterΒ our dispensation, we can look at Zechariah 8:20-23, Isaiah 60:1-3, and Isaiah 61:6. In the meantime, we know that the mystery program is operatingβthe Church the Body of Christ is being formed using believing Jews and believing Gentiles.
Notice Ephesians chapter 3:Β β[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6]Β That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs,Β and of the same body,Β and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:β
Certainly, Paulβs ministry and message are unique.
The Lord Jesus told the Apostle Paul at his salvation in Acts chapter 9:Β β[17] Delivering thee from the people, and fromΒ theΒ Gentiles,Β unto whom now I send [apostello] thee, [18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in meβΒ (Acts 26:17,18).
First Timothy 2:5-7 adds:Β β[5] For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; [6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. [7]Β WhereuntoΒ I am ordained a preacher,Β and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not; )Β a teacher of the GentilesΒ in faith and verity.βΒ (Notice how Christ dying forΒ βallβΒ was the special messageΒ firstΒ declared in Scripture by Paul.)
Conclusion
The Bible is calledΒ βthe sword of the SpiritβΒ (Ephesians 6:17). A sword is a powerful weapon that you can use to defend yourselfβprovided, of course, you have been trained to use it properly. Likewise, Godβs Word can guard you from Satanβs attacksβprovided that you know toΒ βstudyβ¦ rightly dividing the word of truthβΒ (2 Timothy 2:15). You can do great damage to yourself and others if you do not use Godβs Word, Godβs way.
When we fail to realize that the Apostle Paul is Godβs spokesman to us, and we start trying to claim everything in Scripture asΒ toΒ andΒ aboutΒ us, we will not understand what God is doing today and what He wants us to do today. WeΒ cannotΒ go into time past and force its elements on to us (Christβs earthly ministry, the Law of Moses, Sabbath day, physical circumcision, tithing, material blessings, water baptism, healing miracles, confession of sins, and so on). Whatever came by special revelation from Jesus Christ through the Apostle Paul to us Gentiles, we find in the Books of Romans through Philemon.Β Let us search them to find Godβs words to and about us! source
[β¦] an illustration of how our Apostle Paul tells us to deal with sin! The way to βput off the old man with his deedsβ is to [β¦]
[β¦] The apostle instructed Timothy, βhaving food and raiment let us be therewith contentβ (I Tim. 6:8). While we are clothed spiritually in Christβs righteousness, I wouldnβt advise leaving home physically unclothed. Our very clothing is a physical blessing. [β¦]
[β¦] we reign in Christ in the heavenly places (and vice versa for Israel when He is with us in heaven). Our apostle reminds us Gentiles in the Body of Christ that we have the blessing of βChrist in you, the [β¦]
[β¦] death on Calvary, then, that sinners may be reconciled to a holy God. In Colossians 1:21,22, Paul, the Apostle of reconciliation, writes to [β¦]
[β¦] donβt you search the Scriptures, especially the epistles of Paul, our apostle. For it is Paul who says, βFor I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the [β¦]