William R. Newell

Unto none of the Twelve Apostles did God directly reveal the great body of doctrine for this age. Just as He chose Moses to be the revelator to Israel of the Ten Commandments, and all connected with the Law dispensation; so God chose Saul of Tarsus to be the revelator and unfolder of those mighty truths connected with our Lord's death, burial, resurrection and His ascended Person. And all the "mysteries," or "secrets," revealed to God's people in this dispensation by the Holy Spirit in the Word are revealed by Paul. Finally, Paul is the unfolder of that great company of God's elect, called the Church, the Body of Christ, which is also the Bride--members of the Lord Jesus Himself.

James addressed his epistle to "the twelve tribes"; that is, his epistle has a special reference to Jewish Christians in the early days, and to such throughout the dispensation, for that matter. Peter writes to "the strangers who are sojourners of the Dispersion," that is, to the dispersed Jews who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah. The word Cross does not appear in James, Peter, or John. Paul is the unfolder of what God did at Calvary. If Peter (1 Pet. 2:24), speaks of it, it is as "the tree" (Deut. 21:22,23) and for atonement only.

Paul calls down the anathema, that is, the curse of God Himself upon anyone who preaches any other Gospel than that which he declared (Gal. 1:8,9). Not for one moment are we to believe that James, Peter and John are at variance with Paul--not in the least! They are given certain things by the Spirit of God to say to certain classes of people, and they say it; and it is true--just as true as Paul's words, and they in no way conflict with Paul.

You cannot find the exact meaning of any of the great doctrines, such as Propitiation, Reconciliation, Justification, Identification, Redemption, or Sanctification. You cannot find what is perhaps the most tremendous fact of every Christian life, that of his personal union with the Lord Jesus in glory. Paul alone is the divinely chosen opener to us of truth for this age. "The Church, of which I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God, even the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints" (Col. 1:24-26). "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me toward you, how that by revelation he made known to me the mystery" (Eph. 3:2,3).

Saul already stood in clearer light regarding the Risen Lord Jesus than did the other apostles; for they had known Him primarily in humiliation, and they were His messengers to Israel, of whom is Christ "as concerning the flesh" (Rom. 9:5); but Saul's first vision of Christ was as the Glorified One, the Son of God, in resurrection glory. The concept of the Lord Jesus in Paul's epistles is one of constant, unspeakable glory. We do not mean that the other apostles did not recognize the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. They had, long since (Matt. 16:16; John 1:14, etc.). But their first testimony at Jerusalem and to Israel had been more of the Messiahship and Lordship of Jesus, as the Crucified and now Risen King, who was ready to return to Israel and set up His kingdom if they would repent (Acts 2:36; 3:19, etc.).

The moment Paul begins his life-work (Acts 13:2) he opens up to the believer a new thing, a marvelous thing, that far exceeds in fullness of grace any words of the other apostles up to that time. "He that believeth is justified from all things" (Acts 13:39). The basis of, the character of, Paul's Gospel is the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and of God as the One who raised Him from the dead and is now working on resurrection ground only!

Thank God for Paul, through whom those who seek liberty and deliverance believe the Gospel set forth in Gal. 2:19-21 concerning righteousness. When the heart rests in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, it just rejoices; it ceases from all efforts to produce anything. It knows it is not under law but under is grace; its bondage has ceased; the bond of the law has been taken away; the Lord Jesus is there instead of the law as the hope of the heart , and its Object.