Were there in fact two Churches?
The Little Flock (composed of kingdom believers) and the Church the Body of Christ (began with Paul preaching the Mystery)?
Per your similar question on your "I'm New" thread:
QUOTE:
What I'm confused about is why, when Peter and Paul fellowshipped together (just using them as an example) did Peter not jump on board with the Mystery program eventually? How about John? I know James his brother died early on, so never mind him for this discussion). I find it interesting that God gave PETER the revelation about being able to fellowship with Gentiles and that he had the first recorded individual Gentile conversion with Cornelius (Acts 10).
Yet, Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles. Seems as though the two men had a lot of common ground.
Why would the "Little Flock" including Peter, continue to follow what we call the Kingdom program given their access to Paul's teachings?
END QUOTE
When Peter is sent to a Gentile, at Acts 10, he at first takes issue with said instruction. Why? Because, all he has ever known is what the Lord informed that Gentile woman whom both the Lord and His disciples at first ignored - because Israel (the children of the Covenant, Acts 3) is to "be filled first" Matt. 15.
And by Acts 10, Peter has yet to see said filling having come to its fulness "first."
The poor guy. In Matthew 10 he was told they would not even finish the course of their commission before the Lord's return. Now he finds himself being informed that the Law of not eating certain creatures eaten by Gentiles, as a means of identifying Israel from the Gentiles, Lev. 11, was no longer! He could not but be beside himself.
Still, he goes as instructed "nothing doubting" - not held back by his doubts.
And what does he preach to this Gentile and his band of men. That "in every nation he that feareth God AND WORKETH righteousness is accepted with" God.
Get that - "in EVERY nation" those Gentiles who fear God. This is Israel's PROPHESIED Program's dealing with Gentiles - those Gentiles who fear the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Who, in keeping with said reverence bless Israel in some way, Luke 7. The very type of blessing this Gentile: Cornelius, is said to have blessed Israel with at the beginning of the chapter.
Then, to add to Peter's confusion as to what all is going on, BEFORE he preaches his Acts 2 gospel to this Gentile - submit to Israel's water rite - John's baptism - and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost - BEFORE Peter is able to get to that - these Gentiles begin to speak in tongues to the astonishment of those with Peter "they of (belonging to) the Circumcision."
Confused, Peter still goes ahead with the only order in things he has known "he that believeth and is (submits to the WORK of being water) baptized (a WORKS answer of a good conscience towards God) shall be saved."
Later, in chapter 11, Peter explains to the other Apostles his own remembering AFTER his having applied said water rite to these Gentiles that the Lord had told them (the Apostles) Acts 1, that John had baptized with water but they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And though, per ISRAEL'S PROPHESIED Program, Acts 2, that promise had been UNTO ISRAEL, for some reason, it had come on these Gentiles Peter had been sent to.
"The Jews require a sign" 1 Cor. 2, that had been a confirming sign to these Jews, and so, they "held their peace" despite their obvious confusion about this change in THEIR program.
They, like Peter, had understood that to have been a reference to their PROPHESIED Program, just as the Spirit had declared through Peter, in Acts 2. And that, per Mark 16, and Hebrews 2, being baptized WITH the Spirit was a sign of God's working within their midst.
They had had to believe, as Peter had had to, that this that had happened with these Gentiles was of God. That, doubting or not, they were not to resist this change. Recall that Israel falls for resisting the Holy Spirit working through these men, Acts 7 in light of Matthew chapters 10 and 12.
Paul's gospel? In Acts 15, Peter's understanding as to OUR Kept Secret Gentile Grace of Atonement NOW is ISRAEL'S Prophesied Grace Yet To Come. See Acts 3, and 1 Peter 1. Then, see Gal. 2 in light of Romans in 11, thus, Peter's words in 2 Peter 3.
Thus, first, Peter's Acts 15 "we (Israelites) SHALL BE saved even as they" (the Gentiles of Paul's ministry were NOW being saved).
"To this" concurs James "agree the writings of the prophets" (Acts 15). Hunh?
What God is NOW doing among the Gentiles WITHOUT Israel FIRST in no way conflicts with what God has PROPHESIED He will one day do among then THROUGH a redeemed Israel FIRST because He has PROPHESIED to do said Israel FIRST work among the Gentiles AFTER His return to RESTORE the Tabernacle OF DAVID.
They concur no conflict between the order God had Prophesied, and the order He was now working instead, because, per Paul to them, by this time (Gal. 2, Romans 2, 9-11, and 15) THEIR/ISRAEL'S PROPHESIED ISRAEL FIRST Program is NOW on hold "til the fullness of (this Gentile Grace) be come in."
Still, its all confusing to Peter and James, thus, his conclusion on the matter "Known unto God are his works FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD" - they are still attempting to understand what all has transpired through THEIR PROPHESIED lens.
To cut this long winded post short, Peter and "they of the circumcision which believed" THEIR "gospel OF THE CIRCUMCISION" remained under said gospel and its PROPHESIED HOPE - its PROPHESIED Grace TO COME because that was THEIR Hope - Acts 3, 1 Peter 1.
Note how that, in Acts 3 Peter preaches this blotting out of ISRAEL'S sins UPON the Lord's RETURN. And how that, such is still THEIR "shall be saved" hope in Acts 15, in 1 Peter 1, and how that, in 2 Peter 3, said hope is said to be on hold per Paul's writings.
They are not members of the Body of Christ (KEPT SECRET TIL PAUL) rather of Israel's PROPHESIED royal priesthood.
The "Little flock" the Lord had promised "the Father's good pleasure to give..." ISRAEL'S PROPHESIED "kingdom" of Priests to, Luke 11, Exodus 19, Isaiah 66, Hosea, Malachi 3, 4, Matthew 3, Mark 1.
Anyway, hope that is food for thought.
