ACTS 2-12: PREPARATION FOR THE UNFOLDING OF THE TRUTH OF THE MYSTERY

> Peter Prominent <

Acts 2-7: A YEAR OF GRACE EXPOSES THE JEW'S REJECTION OF THE SPIRIT'S TESTIMONY

THE CHURCH COMPOSED OF SAVED JEWS

Christ baptized (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5) those who had believed (John 7:39), in the power of one Spirit, into one body (1 Cor. 12:13) consequent upon Christ's exaltation (John 7:39; Acts, 2:32,33).  The Lord added to the church daily those who were to be saved (Acts 2:47).  While the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), i.e., the Jewish election of grace (Rom. 11:5), were exclusively being called during this brief period, the Spirit's testimony to Christ's resurrection and glorification was presented to Israel for their rejection before the gospel proceeded to Samaria and beyond. This testimony occupied the year of grace (Luke 13:6-9).  The Spirit's testimony through Stephen closed this year, with Stephen giving his life as the first Christian martyr.  He had traced their [Israel's] history of always resisting the Spirit (Acts 7).  Stephen answers to the embassy in the parable in Luke 19:11ff.  While the cross ended the standing of the first man [First Adam], Christ, the second man [Last Adam], had taken a place in glory, and it was needful to show that the first man (in the character of the favored Jew) would not have it so, before the Spirit gathered in Gentiles [to the Church].  Saul, soon to become an apostle for this purpose, is here seen as a persecutor.

During this year of exposure of the fall of Israel, the apostles ministered the Word in the power of the Spirit, accompanied by signs (Acts 2-4).  His presence as dwelling in the Church detected deceit (Acts 5) to keep the saints clean, and sustained unity and order in the face of internal difficulty (Acts 6).

This testimony was not really a continuation of the previous kingdom proclamation, for there was no preaching that the kingdom was at hand.  The Spirit called upon them to repent for the slaying of Christ and then the Lord would return and set up the kingdom. (And eventually, connected with their repentance, this will happen).  God thus cleared the ground for the unfolding of the heavenly things; for He knew that they would not repent, yea, that they could not unless He acted sovereignly to move them to do so.  Acts 2-7 shows that a blinding, in part, came upon them (Rom. 11:7-10; 1 Thess. 2:15-17).

Dispensational Truth, Volume 1, page 144-145, R. A. Huebner