Peter and the Apostles had an understanding of the promises made to Israel concerning their Redeemer King, Jesus. They had hope in Jesus as King of the Jews. They did not have an understanding that His Kingdom on earth would be far in the future. The deeper meaning was their acceptance of the deity of Jesus. They did not perceive that in the mystery of God’s grace all of mankind could be saved.
Acts 2:29-36Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Acts 2:38-39 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 3:25-26 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
Out of the lineage of David came our Savior, Jesus the Christ. In His resurrection we, who abide in Him, will be raised in the same manner to live with Him in eternity. God, knowing all things, made a way for all of us when there was no other way that Jesus would die for our sins. In Him a path was made and in Him alone can we be saved! No greater love exists. Peter knew only of Jesus the King and Him crucified and raised from the dead, He knew that they needed to repent of their rejection and be baptized in His name. Then Holy Spirit would enter into their hearts and minds.
Paul did not require repentance for Gentiles. The grace of God, in Jesus His gift, is only received by faith. In the indwelling of Holy Spirit we will be changed precept by precept into the image of His only begotten Son.
1 Corinthians 1:17-25 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. Christ the Power and Wisdom of God 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
The Israelites, God’s chosen people, are the recipients of the promises of Abraham and the forefathers. They will reign with Jesus upon His return. Paul, an Apostle out of time, to him Jesus made know the mystery of the gift of God’s grace to the rest of humanity. In Jesus, the Savior, all who by faith believe in Him can be saved. Jesus, the name above all names. Carla
Although Paul baptized people as part of his ministry, he believed his primary calling was to preach the gospel (Romans 15:20; 2 Corinthians 10:16; Galatians 1:8). If credit for Christ’s saving work were given to Paul or anyone else, it would be diminishing the power of the gospel and essentially rendering void its purpose in their lives. The gospel’s purpose is to do what they cannot do on their own: free them from sin and put them in right standing with God.
Verses 18-25 Paul explains the true nature of God’s wisdom and the meaning of the cross. The Corinthians failed to grasp both of these issues. This explanation serves as the basis of Paul’s appeal for church unity (1 Corinthians 1:10), which he revisits in 3:1–4:21. Faithlife Study Bible
Paul’s primary ministry was to preach the gospel. Baptism naturally followed conversion but was secondary in importance. With the phrase not with wisdom of words, Paul addressed the Corinthians’ tendency to place undue emphasis on human wisdom. The immature Corinthians were so impressed by clever oratory and learned debate that many of them ignored the relatively “simple” message of the cross.
The message of the cross is the gospel, the Good News about Christ’s death and resurrection for our sins. The gospel penetrates to the core of self-centeredness. For those who exalt self, the message sounds absurd. But for those who bow humbly in faith, it becomes the power that is able to snatch them from death and impart eternal life. No wonder Paul put such confidence in this message (Romans 1:16).
The Jews sought miraculous signs from the Messiah to signal the beginning of the deliverance God had promised (Mark 8:11; John 6:30). The Greeks, especially the philosophers, sought to use wisdom to answer their questions about God and life. To the Jews, who expected a political savior, Jesus was a stumbling block. To the Greeks, whose self-centered wisdom could not make sense of the cross, to believe in Jesus was foolishness.
God’s plan of salvation does not conform to the world’s priorities. In fact, it seems foolish. Yet in reality, eternal salvation is more valuable than all the fame, wealth, and success pursued by the world. The NKJV Study Bible.
1 Corinthians 2:13–14 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Isaiah 29:14
Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people,
A marvelous work and a wonder;
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
Matthew 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.
…faith in God allows us, too, to filter our experiences through the knowledge that He is for us, not against us, bringing a heavenly perspective to any situation (Romans 8:31).
At some point, we all find ourselves in seasons that do not feel good or purposeful. It may seem as if God is never going to come through for us. Take heart, friend, and trust that He who has promised is faithful (Hebrews 11:11). God sent Jesus to die on the cross so we may be reconciled to Him (Romans 5:10; 1 Peter 2:24). First5
Scott-Maxwell got it right: there are no short cuts to wholeness.
Palmer continues, “The only way to become whole is to put our arms lovingly around everything we’ve shown ourselves to be: self-serving and generous, spiteful and compassionate, cowardly and courageous, treacherous and trustworthy. We must be able to say to ourselves and to the world at large, ‘I am all of the above.’ If we can’t embrace the whole of who we are — embrace it with transformative love — we’ll imprison the creative energies hidden in our own shadows and flee from the world’s complex mix of shadow and light.”
Thank you, Parker. And my heart tells me that your words were speaking directly to me. And I am so grateful…
Yes. Let us be this alive. No longer afraid… Sabbath Moments
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