Hi.Yes, I to am enjoying the fellowship here today.
Paul in Romans said that there is no more Jew or Gentile,which would confirm Ephesians 2-15.We are now one new man.The law that separated both,is nailed to a cross now.In the third chapter of Galatians,it says,"the gospel was announced before hand",and we know it was for both Jew and Gentile.Also prior to the rules given to Gentile converts in the book of acts,Paul Peter and Barnabas were apposed to these,but with all the pressure of what was going on,it probably was good to cool the crowd.We see in acts,that was a concern,riots.Dont forget about a year later,Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 said eat all things sold in the meat market.All the foods in the market were sacrificed to idols.So paul knew that Jesus had made all foods clean anyways,he also said that all foods are clean in Romans 14.
Amen Jeff, We are a new man in Christ both indiidually and the big mystery is we are a new man corporatly as His spiritual body and He is the head of the body
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif][Eph 5:32] This is a great
mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif][Col 1:26,27] Even the
mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif]While the New Testament speaks of several different mysteries, there is one that stands out in greatness of importance. It is revealed to us by the apostle Paul, and contains
the details of Gods grand redemptive plan . I say the
details of the plan, because redemption in general is a theme that pervades the whole Bible.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif]So what exactly was the mystery? That God would send a Messiah to save His people Israel was not a mystery. Neither was it a mystery that Gentiles would be saved . For example, [Isa 42:6]
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; . It was even revealed that the Messiah would be a suffering servant in Isaiah 53.
What was the great mystery? [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif]What was hidden in the secret counsels of the Almighty was this: that
an entirely new creation, made up of a diverse assortment of people including both Jews and Gentiles,
possessing incredible spiritual riches (Eph 3:8),
would come into existence. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Univers,Zurich BT,sans-serif]This new creation is described as being in a living, organic union with the resurrected and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. It is called the Body of Christ, or the Bride of Christ, or the Church.
It is not an organization, but an organism. The Lord Jesus is the head of this unique organism: [Eph 5:23b]
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. [1 Cor 12:27
] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular[/FONT]