Jesus of Nazareth, the Apostle:

Even nominal Christians repeat the truth that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, but did you know Christ was an Apostle sent to Israel (Heb 3:1)? “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;” Hebrews 3:1 (KJV)

Paul says, “Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Israel]” (Romans 15:8). John wrote, “He came unto his own [Israel]” (John 1:11); not anyone other race. Jesus said about his ministry, “I am not sent but [except] unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).

So, when God sent “the Son of God,” He was not sent to you or me, but to first century Israel. (We know that later in His ministry Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but His earthly ministry was to God’s earthy people, the circumcised Nation of Israel (Rom. 15:8).

The ‘Twelve Apostles’ Were All Galilean Jewish Apostles (Acts 1:11) sent to the Israel only:Most Sunday school graduates know that Jesus chose twelve men to be his Apostles, but did you know why he chose twelve? One Apostle was for each Tribe of Israel (Matt. 19:28).

The twelve apostles were not sent to minister to Gentiles, but given Apostleship to the circumcision [the Nation Israel].

“These twelve [Apostles] Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go NOT into the way of the GENTILES, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But Go Rather to the lost sheep of the house of ISRAEL.” (Matthew 10:5-6 KJV)

In their Kingdom commission from Jesus, these Twelve Apostles were to begin at Jerusalem and Israel (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8). Have you ever noticed that Jesus then also said to The Twelve in Matt. 10:23; “you shall not have been over the cities of Israel til I come [again].” The Twelve never fulfilled their ministry and won’t until the Millennial kingdom.

At Pentecost, Spirit-filled Peter addressed only the “men of Israel” (Acts 2:22) and “men of Judea” (Acts 2:14), and later the believers scattered by persecution, but to “none but unto the Jews only” (Acts 11:19).

Even later when Paul as a new Apostle was called and commissioned, Peter, James, and John agreed to limit their ministry to “none but the circumcision [Israel] (cf. Gal 2:9, Acts 15). They recognized Paul and his new “gospel of the grace of God” for all men, loosing Paul and Barnabas to go to all men – Jews and Gentiles.

1. The Apostle Paul:

2. Paul had the one Apostleship and message that was unlike the ministry message of Christ (cf. Matt. 15:24) and that ‘the Twelve’ Apostles’ brought unto Israel only (Matt. 10:5-6).

   We could say, Paul is as the Moses of “the body of Christ” as God’s messenger to “the Gentiles.” Christ sent Paul as the special “Apostle of the Gentiles.”

   “I [Paul] speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” Rom. 11:13

   When Paul tried to go to Jerusalem to minister to his Jewish kinsmen, the Lord told him to ‘get out and depart they will not hear you’ (Acts 22:18).

   “And saw him [Jesus, v14] saying unto me [Paul], Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they [the Israelites at Damascus] will not receive thy testimony concerning me.” - Acts 22:18 “And he [The Lord] said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.” (Acts 22:21)

   The only reason there is the testimony of Christ at all comes to mankind today comes … from the Gentiles and this is because the Lord sent Paul as the one Apostle for us Gentiles.

   “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:” - Ephesians 3:1-2

   Why Don’t Christians Listen to Paul as God’s Apostle of this Dispensational Age of Pure Grace?

   Today, Paul is largely marginalized by Christendom as ‘just one of the Apostles.’ If this is true, which it is, then why is it that most of the Christendom does not point to Paul’s place in the Bible as a most significant place to learn of the plan of God and listen to him?

   Answer: This is due to the non-dispensational teaching among Christendom’s teachers. Paul is most often discounted and hedged out by the ministries and teaching of Jesus and Israel’s Twelve Apostles … who were sent to ‘Israel’ only. They were not sent to us Gentiles. This is largely unknown to most Church attendees, both saved and unsaved. Even many fundamentalists moved away toward neo-evangelicalism and the God-given Pauline truths have been forsaken. Regarding when “the church, which is His body” first began, Paul is “the Apostle to the Gentile.” Paul coined today’s church as “the body of Christ.” Yet he is largely ignored by most Christians. Thus, today’s church is largely in favor or unbiblical tradition and myths.

   E.g., When it comes to the Faith versus Works controversy, Paul is supposedly corrected by the gospels and the epistles of Peter, James, and John epistle all of which pertain to and written to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. James wrote, “faith without works is dead.” But James was writing to ‘the lost sheep [of Israel] scattered abroad” (read James 1:1). By contrast Paul who makes it clear that;

   “ye [the believers] are not under the law [given to Israel] but under grace” - Romans 6:14

   “by grace are ye saved through faith [alone]; and that not of yourselves: it is the [free] Gift of God: ⁹ Not of Works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

    

   Thus most Christianity has regressed, still favoring the prophetic fulfillment of the Holy Spirit who ministered to Israel at a Jewish feast day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Just note who it is that Peter was addressing, “ye men of Israel.” (Acts 2:22) at Pentecost. Pentecost is a continuation of Luke toward Israel, not the start of “the body of Christ.” Words and context always mean something when we read the Bible.

   Just think, entire denominations name themselves after John the ‘Baptist’ who died years before Paul was saved and sent to the Gentiles with his new “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Do you realize that if “John the Baptist” were alive today he would never attend any of the estimated 200 splintered Baptist church denominations that today bear some form of his name… called ‘Baptist’?  Why wouldn’t John the ‘Baptist’ go to a Baptist church today?

   This is because ‘Baptist’ and all Christian churches today are filled with ‘Gentiles,’ as it should be, for God today sees both Jews and Gentiles as either lost Gentiles or saved Gentiles. In God’s eyes today, there is no other racial distinction among humans today.

   “There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gk. ethnos, Gentiles], there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3:28

   The fact is that John the Baptist was never sent to the Gentiles. John the Baptist was sent by God to Israel. He was a law-observant law-teaching Jew (Jn. 1:31) in line to be a Priest as his father was. Thus, John as a Jew was not permitted by law to be with or even speak with a Gentile.

   “… how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation [Gk. ethnos, ethnic race] …”  Acts 10:28

   Today, we as Gentiles, can and should listen to our Apostle, Paul, by reading his thirteen epistles written especially to us as found in the books of Romans through Philemon as found in your KJV Bible.

   Since Christ called, saved, and sent us Gentiles a ‘special Apostle,’ don’t you think we ought to give his message and ministry priority over any other Apostles in the so-called New Testament?

   The fact is that unless you are a first century Jewish believer looking for Israel’s kingdom, Paul is your One Apostle. Wherever true Christianity is found today, it is a result of Christ sending Paul as a special Apostle with “the gospel of the grace of God” for ALL men.

   Are you, as a believer today, listening to Paul’s unique gospel that leads us to heaven?

   “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory.” Col. 3:4 (KJV)
   “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13

   Have you ever noted how that Paul declares at the outset of each of his church epistles that he is an Apostle, sent by Jesus Christ, such as below?

   “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,” – Rom. 1:1

   “For I [Paul] suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles [to Israel].” – 2 Cor. 11:5

   “…our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I [Paul] am appointed a preacher, and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” 2 Tim 1:10-11

   “Unto me [Paul], who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery…” Eph. 3:8-9

   “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I [Paul] write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 14:37

   Paul, as the ‘Prototype Christian’ is our “PATTERN” to “FOLLOW”:

   The Lord saved and enabled Paul who like us came from a sinful past. Thus, Paul is the ‘pattern’ for all people to be believe, be regenerated, be saved from perdition unto eternal life, and be counted “faithful.”

   “And I [Paul] thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹³ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [Gk. protos, the PROTOTYPE]. ¹⁶ Howbeit for this cause I [Paul] obtained mercy, [so] that IN ME [Paul] FIRST [Grk. protos, as the ‘prototype’] Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering [patience], for a PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” 1 Timothy 1:14-16