The Berean Expositor
Volume 29 - Page 169 of 208
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"And let the PEACE OF GOD rule in your hearts, to the which ye are also called in
ONE BODY; and be ye thankful" (Col. 3: 15).
"For our CITIZENSHIP in the heavens hath its rise" (Phil. 3: 20).
". . . . . each regarding not his own (interest, gifts, advantages, etc.), but each those of
others also . . . . ." (Phil. 2: 4).
"And did not HE make ONE? (make of TWAIN ONE FLESH?) Yet had He the
residue of the Spirit. And wherefore ONE? That He might seek a godly seed"
(Mal. 2: 15).
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"THE BOTH"; "THE TWAIN". -- Who are they?
Who are the "Joint-HEIRS", "Joint-BODY", "Joint-PARTAKERS" with US GENTILES?
Who are the "SAINTS" in Eph. 2: 19?
Does Scripture give us the answers to these questions? I believe it does, and what I
am writing in these notes sets out what I see, by God's grace, He would have me learn.
As, however, fellow-students of God's Word may not have arrived at the same answers in
the searching of the Word, I am seeking their help, either in confirmation or rejection of
the findings here set forth; in either case, may I humbly ask for all the scriptures on
which their findings rest. I think I have set out the bulk of Scripture passages which
prove the existence of two bodies or assemblies which are in Him created into One.
I think we can all agree that the above questions are only partially answered by
reference to the position of JEW (i.e., ISRAEL) and GENTILE before and since Christ
came. After prayerfully and carefully searching the Word of God, one feels that there is
no doubt that the clear statement:
"In order that He might create in Himself of TWAIN ONE new man,"
refers to a future creation, when two bodies or assemblies, one mainly Jewish and the
other mainly Gentile, are made ONE in Christ. As Rom. 10: and other passages tell us
Jew and Gentile are precisely on the same footing, "there is no distinction" as regards
salvation (verse 12), therefore the mystery made known by revelation to Paul "That the
Gentiles should be joint-heirs, joint-body, joint-partakers of the promise in Christ by the
gospel" is something much more, even that which God would make known to His saints
or saved ones of this dispensation (Col. 1: 26, 27). The great majority of saved ones ever
since Paul made known the mystery have followed the example of those to whom he
himself declared it, as stated in II Tim. 1: 15; 4: 16, 17, preferring to choose for
themselves what they think is their calling and hope rather than by "rightly dividing the
Word of truth", and by praying to God for His revelation (Eph. 1: 17) to perceive by the
Holy Spirit's teaching what is His calling and hope for them. Where we make our own
choice there can be no full assurance, for it is only as God reveals His choice for us that
we can have this. Paul says that he prays that this rejection of him (God's minister or