Dispensational Frontier, Acts 28:23-31 and Who then is Paul?, otherwise we shall have to occupy much of our

limited space in going over ground already covered.

We have however prepared a pamphlet pointing out that leading men among the early `Brethren' saw the

distinction between the calling of the church formed during the Acts and that of the church called afterwards, and

before producing some of the high glories of the Ephesian epistle, called by us `The Grapes of Eshcol' in reference

to this halt and withdrawal at our spiritual `Kadesh-barnea' we will reproduce that pamphlet here, in the hope that

some may be led to deprecate the attitude that not only refuses to go on into the high calling of the Mystery, but

which threatens to `stone' those who would emulate the simple trust of Caleb and Joshua.

An appeal, addressed to readers of the writings of B. W. Newton, and C H. Macintosh, concerning the unique

character of the dispensation of the Mystery and of Acts 28 as a dispensational frontier.

In 1907 and 1908, J. J. B. Coles wrote a series of articles in `Things to Come' under the Editorship of Dr. E. W.

Bullinger entitled KADESH BARNEA, in which he saw in the timidity of many believers, when faced with the teaching

of Ephesians 3:1-13 and Colossians 1:24-28, and the unpleasant consequences of accepting that claim of the apostle

to have received a dispensation for the Gentiles, a repetition of the attitude of the ten spies who said `we be not able

to go up' (Num. 13:31). While literal `stoning with stones' (Num. 14:10) has not been resorted to by Christians who

condemn our insistence upon Acts 28 as a dispensational frontier, the spiritual equivalent alas, has not been

unknown in the past, can still be sensed in the present and will possibly be intensified in the future, if we do not

misinterpret certain signs. It is not our custom to quote the opinions of others, or to cite their teaching, whether it be

for or against our own, but to occupy our time, strength and resources in giving positive teaching, leaving the

vindication of our witness or its refutation to the Saviour Whom alone we recognize as `Master and Lord'.

However, in this leaflet, we are making some quotations from the writings of men who were prominent teachers

among `The Brethren' whose testimony, had it been followed, would have led the believer over the dispensational

frontier of Acts 28, into the exclusively new and parenthetical dispensation of the Mystery, leaving intact Matthew

24 with its association with Daniel 9, as the hope of Israel, and yet allowing the position laid down in Romans 11 to

colour the teaching, as it should and does, of the early epistles of Paul, namely Galatians, Hebrews, Romans, 1 and 2

Thessalonians and 1 and 2 Corinthians. These epistles while giving the great doctrinal basis of Justification by

Faith for all time, revealed that Israel was still `first', that the Gentile believer though `justified' was,

dispensationally, a `wild olive' grafted contrary to nature into the existing olive tree of Israel. The organ of the

Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony (Watching and Waiting, March-April 1953) gives the testimony of one such

teacher among the early Brethren. He saw that the lo-ammi condition of Israel since the rejection of their Messiah,

demanded some compensatory change in the dealings of God with the Gentile world, and practically demanded the

church of the new calling which was revealed to Paul as the prisoner of Jesus Christ. The article in question is

entitled:

HOW B. W. NEWTON LEARNED PROPHETIC TRUTH

and one or two statements there recorded indicate how near that man of God came to ascending the hill country of

the Amorites and entering into the high calling of the dispensation of the Mystery.

`The question is (says J.J.B. Coles in his opening article in Things to Come, March 1907), have we entered

Canaan by way of the mountain of the Amorites? or, are we going with the multitude by the way of Jordan? The

lesson of Kadesh-Barnea has been lost to many, and Caleb's whole-heartedness has found but few imitators. We

must of course be careful not to press an Old Testament type beyond a legitimate application'. B.W. Newton's

immediate quest was the true interpretation of Prophecy, but Scripture is one in its testimony, so that to approximate

to the truth of Prophecy will necessarily lead to the illumination of related revelation.

First we quote B.W. Newton's interpretation of Romans eleven:

ROMANS CHAPTER 11 CONSIDERED

`Circumstances, however, occurred, that led me to consider with care the eleventh chapter of Romans. I could not

close my eyes to the fact that the future history of the literal Israel was there spoken of; and that it was put in

marked contrast with the history of those who are at present being gathered out from among the Gentiles, during

the time of Israel's unbelief. I saw the words `there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away