Paul's Two Ministries
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Acts 28

Paul’s Two Ministries

Eschatology is the study of the Biblical ‘things to come.’ The primary ‘things to come’ concern “the hope” of God’s Two, beloved people groups and their Differing Eternal Destinies. Paul wrote of Two Hopes. This study reveals the basis for the difference between two ‘things to come’ concerning;

  1. “the hope of Israel” (cf. Paul in Acts 28:20)
  2. “that blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) of the Gentile “church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a, 3:1-11).

These 2 ‘hopes’ are seen in Paul’s two successive ministries; 1) DURING the Acts Period, and 2) AFTER the Acts period of about 35 years, as addressed to the Gentile “body of Christ” in his last seven letters.

We’ll explain “the hope” of Two classes of Christians even today. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to The Saints which are at Ephesus, and to The Faithful in Christ Jesus:” Eph. 1:1. Paul addresses…

1) The unintelligized, nominally saved “SAINTS” of Israel and today’s unenlightened believers of Christendom, destined to dwell in “the kingdom” On Earth as Jesus’ ‘whosoever’ believers (Jn. 3:16)

2) But “the FAITHFUL” are the enlightened believers of “the body of Christ” who embrace Paul’s POST-Acts epistles and are destined to eternally dwell in “the HEAVENLY PLACES In Christ.”

The difference between “the SAINTS” and “the FAITHFUL” can be observed by studying Paul’s Acts-period epistles in comparison with Paul’s POST-Acts epistles “rightly divided” (2 Tim. 2:15).

(For more detail see https://artlicursi.com/articles/%E2%80%9C-saints%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9C-faithful%E2%80%9D)

This requires that we study Paul’s epistles according to their Chronological Order of Writing, not the order in which they appear in our Bible.

Paul had TWO successive ministries offering Two Different Eternal Hopes to Two DIFFERENT God-Ordained People Groups. Yet, both stand upon the Cross-work of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing Christ died for all, was buried, and rose again (1Cor 15:3-4) to secure “everlasting life” for all who will believe the applicable ‘gospel.’ This “everlasting life” will ultimately be lived in either of these two different spheres; 1) in the “HEAVEN ABOVE ALL HEAVENS” or, 2) in the “kingdom come ON EARTH.”

Paul’s TWO ministries toward these TWO believing groups;

1) Paul’s Acts Period ministry was unto ISRAEL’S believing “little flock” remnant who Hoped for “the kingdom of [from] heaven” to come On Earth. They are those Judeo-Christians who Believed During The Acts Period and those who even Today stand upon Jesus’ life-promising words of John 3:16. Jews and Gentile believers both enjoyed the same blessing of eternal life by the Cross, but Gentiles of the Acts Period were NOT of equal status with the believing Jews. God’s focus during the Acts period was then upon “The Jew first” (Rom. 1:16, 2:9) as seen in Paul’s epistles that were written during the Acts period.

2) By contrast Paul’s POST-Acts enlightened members of The Gentile “Church, Which Is His Body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) consist of ALL believers (Jews and Gentiles) on an equal basis based on ‘faith alone’ in ‘Christ alone.’

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of [not religious rites or law-keeping] works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

Now let’s further consider there Two Different ‘Hopes’ as reflected in the Apostle Paul’s 2 sets of epistles.

  1. The “hope” of the Acts period Messianic believers of Israel and their Gentile proselytes first was in accord with Jesus’ promise of ‘everlasting life’ (cf. Jn 3:16; 11:25-26). This then involved their looking to being “caught up” (i.e., raptured) in their resurrection bodies to “meet the Lord in the air [Gk. aer. not in the high heaven] … at the last trump” (1Cor. 15:52, 1 Thes. 4:13-18) … to then Return To Earth to be with Jesus’ in His 2nd coming in the Millennial Kingdom. Early in the Acts period The Twelve to Israel preached to “the lost sheep” of Israel” (Matt. 10:5-6) faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, and ‘water baptism’ to receive the Spirit; Paul also preached “the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8) to come down from heaven to the earth.
  2. Paul’s later POST-Acts gospel concerned the added full “revelation of THE Mystery” (Rom. 16:25) which was not revealed until AFTER Acts 28:28 when the ‘fall of Israel’ was complete and God had turned to “the Gentiles.” Paul then wrote of a ‘new gospel’ promising an Eternal HEAVENLY HOPE and Destiny for ALL such believers, now seen as “faithful” Gentiles. The “blessed HOPE” of Post-Acts Titus 2:13 pertains to “the faithful” (Eph. 1:1) members of the Gentile “body of Christ” who are destined to “Appear With Him” “Far Above” IN [Heavens] Glory” (Col. 3:4, 2Tim, 2:12, Eph. 1:3, 15-23) years before His 2nd coming to Earth.

Galatians was among of Paul’s Acts-Period epistles, written when he was concerned with “the Jew First” (Rom. 1:16, cf. Acts 9:15), thus concerning “the Kingdom Hope of Israel.” The Seven Acts-Period epistles below, written BEFORE the ACTS 28:28 Dispensational Divide, concern ISRAEL’S “HOPE” of the kingdom come on earth. Yet, they also contain some universal truth as applicable to us today’s during the “dispensation of the grace of God,” such as “the just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17).

  1. GALATIANS: “The just shall live [Gk. zao, have life] by FAITH” (Gal. 3:11). This is universal truth.
  2. 1 THES.: “The hope” of Israel’s “little flock” believers was of the being “caught up to meet the Lord in the air [Gk. aer, atmosphere]” (1Thes. 4:17), then to return to the promised kingdom On Earth.
  3. 2 THES.: In Chapter 2:1-10 Paul corrects the erroneous lie that the day of Christ’s 2nd coming had passed. Paul reminded them of 1Thes. 5:2 & 4 because they had become “shaken” due to believing a ‘Satanic counterfeit letter’ (2:1) that said “the day of Christ” 2nd Coming in wrath had already come and that they had missed being “caught up” and that they were now under God’s tribulation “wrath.” No wonder they were “shaken in mind.”
  4. HEBREWS: Declares “The just shall LIVE by faith” (Heb. 10:37-38) as Truth for Jew and Gentile.
  5. 1 COR.: Paul says the temporary communicative miraculous gifts (tongues, prophesy, etc.) “will pass” (Read 13:8-9), but Faith, Hope and Charity will abide. The ‘gifts’ ended with Paul’s completion of the Scriptures with that added “the revelation of the Mystery” being explained POST-Acts 28.
  6. 2 COR.: The matured Messianic Believers become ‘epistles’ (3:2) and “able ministers” of ISRAEL’S New Testament grace relationship which is “not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Cor. 3:6)
  7. ROMANS: This 1st Prison epistle reveals the grace way of reconciliation and justification unto eternal life by the Cross of Christ. “The JUST shall live [have life] by faith” (Rom. 1:17). When you read Rom. 16:20 (below) you will note that Paul had ended his Romans letter. Then Rom.16:25 is Paul’s Postscript bridge to Paul’s newly revealed Ephesian “fellowship of the Mystery” of the Gentile “body of Christ.” Both were written while Paul was imprisoned in Rome.

“And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. AMEN.” Romans 16:20 (KJV)

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my [Paul’s] gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery [God ordained secret], which was kept secret since the world began,” Romans 16:25 (KJV)

In Acts 28:20 Paul says he was in chains “for The Hope of Israel” which hope is tied to the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1-16, which echoes the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7, where the Messiah is described as the “Prince of Peace” who will reign on King David’s throne forever. Paul at that time was also looking for the Messianic “kingdom come on earth.” The “hope of Heaven” as a destination had not yet been revealed to Paul. But the Kingdom Hope of the Judeo Christian Messianic “Church” at that time was for Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom to Come On Earth and the kingdom of heaven to come DOWN from heaven to earth.

The ‘voice of the Archangel’ (Michael, is Israel’s Archangel, cf. Dan 12:1). 1Thes. 4:16 is another link with Israel’s hope, as does the connecting passage in 2Thes. 2:3-10 where the “Man of Sin” is spoken of. So, it was “the hope of Israel” (Acts 28:20) that was in view throughout the Acts period, from Acts 1:6 to Acts 28:20. But, since Acts 28:28, the Jewish hope of the 2nd “Coming” of the Lord to set up His Millennial reign is POSTPONED while Israel is set aside, and “blinded” during today’s Gentile age of “the Mystery [secretly planned]” Gentile “body of Christ” (cf. Rom. 11:25). Paul writes [below] concerning the ultimate “hope of Israel” in his Acts-period epistles;

“And now I [Paul] stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our [Israel’s] fathers: 7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes [of Israel], instantly serving God day and night, Hope To Come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Acts 26:6-7 (KJV)
“And again, Esaias [Isaiah] saith, There shall be a root of Jesse [of King David’s father], and he that shall rise to Reign Over The Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13 Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Rom. 15:12-13

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the [2nd] coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep [dead in their graves]. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel [Michael], and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we [of Israel] which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air [Gk. aer, atmosphere]: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (KJV)

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery [secret]; We shall not all sleep [remain dead], but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [the living] shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15:51-55

The verses above concern the hope of Israel’s believers. The Acts period “Jew First” positional status of “above ALL people” (Exo. 19:5) ceased with Acts 28:28. Israel today remains ‘fallen’ (cf. Rom. 11:10-11), set aside in “blindness” (cf. Rom. 11:25). Then the new Post-Acts “Dispensation of The Grace of God” (Eph. 3:) came into operation, per Paul’s POST-Acts 28 epistles “for ye GENTILES” (cf. Eph. 3:1).

The Hope of The Church of “THE MYSTERY [the “Secret” plan of God”] concerns the calling of the Gentile “Body of Christ” whose destiny is to ascend and dwell with Christ ‘Far Above all principalities and powers’ at ‘the right hand of God.” (cf. Eph. 1:20-21). Thus, “the faithful” of the Gentile “body of Christ” live today looking to ‘Appear With Him When He Appears In Heavens Glory.’ (cf. Col. 3:4). The eternal destiny for ‘the faithful’ is to ‘Reign with Christ’ eternally IN HEAVEN’ (cf. 2Tim. 2:12). This Hope is in the heavenly sphere “far above” Israel’s sphere on earth (Isa. 11:1-16). Today, we of “His BODY,” have the hope of Our Manifestation in Glory with Christ as the “HEAD” of His “body,” being MANIFESTED AT THE VERY SAME TIME.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath [/already] blessed us with all spiritual blessings IN HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ: Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is The Hope Of His Calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints, Ephesians 1:18 (KJV)

20 For our conversation [Old English for ‘citizenship’] is IN HEAVEN; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV)

1 If [since] ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on Things ABOVE, Not On Things On The Earth. 3 For Ye Are Dead, And Your Life Is Hid With Christ In God. 4 WHEN Christ, Who Is Our Life, Shall APPEAR, Then Shall YE ALSO APPEAR WITH HIM In [Heaven’s] Glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Note that His and our “appearing” is to occur simultaneously since we are “His body” with Him as “the Head” of His “One [spiritual] body.”

Paul’s seven POST-ACTS Epistles were chronologically written AFTER Acts 28:28 beginning with Ephesians, revealing the “Great Mystery” (Eph. 5:32). “THE Mystery [secret]” of Paul’s Post-Acts epistles concern God’s eternal plan and purpose for forming the Gentile “body of Christ.” This “Mystery” was a secret “hid in God” from or since the beginning the world [Grk. the kosmos, the current heaven/earth arrangement]” (Eph. 3:9). It is “now revealed” to all those who will “read” and believe Paul’s “knowledge of the Mystery” (Eph. 3:4-5) as seen most succinctly in his Post-Acts prison Epistles.

Paul writes of the ‘hope,’ relationship, and expectation of “the faithful” (Eph. 1:1) “enlightened” (cf. Eph. 1:18) members of “the body of Christ” in his Post-Acts epistles as seen below;

  • EPHESIANS: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings IN HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is THE HOPE of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” (Eph. 1:18)

‘Knowing’ the revelation of “the Mystery [secret]” is for us “… to make all men see what is the fellowship of THE MYSTERY, which From The Beginning of The World HATH BEEN HID IN GOD, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Eph. 3:9 (KJV)

“The Mystery [secret]” is “According to the Eternal Purpose which he Purposed In Christ Jesus Our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:11)

Today, There is One body, and One Spirit, even as ye are called in One Hope of Your Calling; (Eph. 4:4)

  • PHILIPPIANS: Today we look for our ‘Out-Resurrection’ to Heaven (Phili. 3:11, 14), as “THE Prize of The High [heavenly, upward] Calling of God In Christ” (Phili. 3:14)
  • PHILEMON: Humanizes the lofty doctrines such as the love of God, forgiveness in Christ, and the inherent dignity of humanity as having pertinent impact in the everyday life of Christians.
  • COLOSSIANS: Concerns dispensing of “the Mystery” (cf. Col. 1:25-26) and our ‘APPEARING with Christ’ when “He shall appear” “in [heaven’s] glory’ (cf. Col. 3:4).
  • *1 TIMOTHY: “Christ… our hope” (1:1), Be righteous unto “the Appearing” (1Tim. 6:14)
  • *TITUS: (Penned en route to Nicopolis, cf. Titus 3:12) The “blessed hope” of “The Glorious APPEARING Of The Great God And Our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)
  • 2 TIMOTHY: Paul’s farewell - The “Crown of righteousness” awarded to those who “love His APPEARING (4:8).

NOTE: 1 Timothy and Titus were written in the interval of Paul’s freedom during his Two years at Rome (cf. Acts 28:30), when Paul was treated as a military prisoner, being allowed some measure of liberty in his subsequent imprisonment treated as “an evildoer.” Paul then had no hope of release from that imprisonment, except by death.

Thus I’ve set forth the significance of the two Chronological sets of 7 Pauline epistles each as they concern; 1) the eternal “Hope of Israel” for “the Kingdom of [from] Heaven” to one day come to EARTH and, 2) the “Heavenly” Hope (expectation) and abode of the Gentile “church” … “the body of Christ.”

Thus, as we trace the unfolding purpose of God in the New Testament. We observe that in each period or age, a ‘Witness’ is raised up. ‘Witnesses’ for Pentecost and its message of ‘the offering of the Kingdom’ were abundant in the early Acts period miracles by the hand of both the Twelve Apostles, and then Paul. It was with the call and commission of Paul, a Roman Jew, that a new Witness appears, indicating another change had come. Paul was designated as “a chosen vessel” as recorded in Act 9:15. Paul was to “bear the name of the Lord before the Gentiles, and Kings and the children of Israel.” Unlike the Twelve, Paul’s ministry was not limited to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (cf. Matt. 10:5-6).  

Ever since Acts 28:28 the Gentiles occupy the first place. Recall the prophetic utterance of old Simeon, the priest who circumcised Jesus (cf. Luke 2:32) saying Jesus would be “a light unto the Gentiles,” but the Gentiles would be secondary to Israel’s program. The mentioning of the Gentiles in the passage below, during Acts, cannot be disassociated from the implied withdrawal of favour from fallen unbelieving Israel was to come, as demonstrated here in Acts 13 where the pattern is clear.

“It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [Antioch’s Israelites]; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, We Turn To The Gentiles” (Acts 13:46).

In Acts 22:6-15 Paul recounts more fully the Lord’s original Damascus Road commission he received, saying “For thou shalt be His witness unto All Men of what thou hast seen and heard” (v15).

Paul’s first ministry, during Acts. moves toward its end with the shadow of prison noted in Acts 20. The Lord summed it up Paul’s calling as; “testifying’ [or ‘witnessing’] to both to the Jews and also, to the Greeks [Gentiles], concerning repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, Not Knowing The Things That Shall Befall Me There:” (Acts 20:21-22). In his defence, Paul more than once linked the Two Sections Of His Ministry by the word that is translated either “testify” or “witness.”

“As thou [Paul] hast TESTIFIED of Me [the Lord] in JERUSALEM [to the Jew], so [now] must thou bear WITNESS also at ROME [the chief Gentile city]” (Acts 23:11).

In like manner, Paul’s prison ministry unfolds the new, formerly secret, dispensation of “the mystery [Gk. musterion, secret].” We find its exposition mainly in Paul’s “Prison Epistles” of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and 2Timothy. These Pauline epistles are a “witness” or “testimony” to The Truth For Our Times… TODAY.

So Paul’s 1st ministry during Acts was coming to an end as seen in Acts 20 wherein his new ministry is foreseen by his referring to his ‘prison bonds’ and ‘afflictions,’ but finishing his course and ministry to then “testify to the gospel of the GRACE of God.” Paul wrote;

“But none of these things [sufferings] move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, TO TESTIFY the Gospel of The GRACE Of God” (Acts 20:24, cf. Eph. 3:2).

This above implies something more than preaching the gospel as an “evangelist,” it includes this, but it gives special meaning to the emphasis that Paul lays upon a dispensation built upon the 100% PURE GRACE of God” totally apart from Israel’s law program with its Laws, rituals, and rites. In his Post-Acts Prison Epistles we see the New Dispensation which had been given to the apostle Paul as “the Prisoner of Christ Jesus for you GENTILES,” called “the Dispensation of The GRACE of God” (cf. Eph. 3:1-9).

In his own defence before Agrippa Paul quotes the Lord God’s words about his Twofold Ministry, using the word ‘witness’ concerning the things Paul “Hast Seen” and in which the Lord “Will APPEAR.”

“But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I Have Appeared unto thee [Paul] for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness BOTH of these THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN, and of those things in the which I WILL APPEAR Unto Thee;” Acts 26:16 (KJV)

Thus today we look for that day;

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the Glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJV)

“When Christ, who is our life, shall APPEAR, then shall YE ALSO APPEAR WITH HIM IN [HEAVEN’S] GLORY.” Col 3:4 (KJV)

  • As adapted from Charles H. Welch, with portions added for emphasis and clarity by Arthur J. Licursi