For anyone that examines the scripture closely they will find the four Gospels contain (2) commissions given by Christ. The first commission (touched on yesterday) was limited to Israel only and it consisted the Kingdom of Heaven message that John the Baptist, Jesus himself, the 12 disciples, and the 70 carried during the Earthly ministry of our Lord under the covenant of the Law of Moses. Remember Jesus was born under law, lived under Law, and taught Law. The Grace Covenant didn't begin until His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus purchased the Church with His own blood...Acts 20:28
The second commission (an unlimited commission) was the Gospel message according to the Prophets. The first commission and the second commission are not to be confused, mixed up, or twisted or the Holy Scriptures cannot be rightly divided. The second commission was given by Christ after the nation of Israel rejected the first commission (the limited Kingdom message to Israel only where Christ would rule and reign as the Messiah in Jerusalem). After the rejection of the Messiahship of Christ, Jesus commanded His disciples to carry the Gospel message into all the world not just to the Jew only. Mat. 28:19, Mark 16:16-20, Luke 24:44-49. Jesus Himself preached the first Gospel sermon to His disciples in Luke 24:44-49.
His first commission (the Kingdom message) changed after Israel as a nation had rejected His Messiahship and earthly reign! The Gospel message of the death, burial, and resurrection 1 Cor. 15:1-4 (the second commission) was a distinct and different message than the Kingdom of Heaven message given to Israel only. This is where the confusion comes in! People mix up these two commissions today and don't rightly divide God's Word...especially in the four Gospels. False doctrines have been formed from these misconceptions! Peoples faith by the thousands has been ripped apart for centuries as a result of these false teachings. The Gospel message (to all the world) unlike the Kingdom of Heaven message (to the Jew only) was commissioned by Christ to be taken to both Jew and Gentile which today has birthed the Church, the body of Christ we now live under. This is where the dispensation of the fullness of times began. It is called the miracle of the Church which came under the Grace Covenant.
The Grace Covenant we now live under began at the death of a Saviour. The death of the Saviour never happened until Israel first rejected the King and the message of His Kingdom! Israel rejected Christ's first commission. When Israel rejected the King the message of the Kingdom of Heaven changed to the message of the death,burial, and resurrection of Christ. All four Gospels indicate such when you examine them closely. When you're able to see this in the Scriptures the liberty and freedom that comes from the revelation of Divine Grace is birthed in your heart. Glory! The Spirit of God will confirm it to you!
The Church was birthed through the shed blood of Christ at Calvary. The limited first commission (to Israel only) ceased and the unlimited commission of the Gospel (to all humanity Jew and Gentile alike) began. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus became the Law written in the tables of our hearts. The veil was rent twain as the ministry of the Holy Spirit could now be given to all the world through the preaching of the Gospel message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ according to the Prophets. That's what Paul, Peter, James and John taught and gave their lives for! Divine Grace now keeps the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit present in the Church. The great commission of the Gospel message was commanded by Christ to be taught in all the world. Not just to the lost sheep of Israel! That's what Jesus meant when He said, "I will be with you always".
I'd like to mention one last thing. The writers of the New Testament Epistles did not teach the Kingdom of Heaven message or the parables of Christ... and there is a reason why they didn't. The teachings of Christ, the parables, and the Kingdom of Heaven message applied to the limited first commission given to the lost sheep of Israel. These teachings were teachings according to the Law of Moses. The Jewish Apostles knew Israel rejected the King and the Kingdom that's why they didn't teach it! They had a New Testament revelation of Grace given to their hearts by the Spirit of God. They were enlightened to Divine Grace through the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ which was Christ's second commission...or what some call the Great Commission. Never do you see the these Apostles teaching the Kingdom of Heaven message, or the Parables. Why? Those teachings were the teachings of Christ under Law. The Apostles after the death of Christ had a new Revelation...it was called Divine Grace, the Church, the body of Christ . Being Jewish these Apostles had enlightenment to the distinction that was to be made between Law given to Isreal and Grace given to both Jew and Gentile.
More coming later on the difference between Kingdom authority from the four Gospels... and Throneroom authority from the New Testament Epistles. Why the Apostles did not teach Jesus' parables after the death of Christ. Clairification on the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. All this simply pertaining to right division of God's Word. God Bless you all! May the Grace of God minister truth, liberty, and freedom to all you hearts. He's exalted! Amen! Christ is exalted! He's exalted! Glory!
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