When was salvation extended to the gentiles

For the apostle, mystery typically refers not to something unintelligible but rather to a truth that was dimly revealed in the Old Testament such that it was not grasped until the coming of the Spirit in the new covenant. They perpetuated old divisions, giving uncircumcised Gentile believers a lower status than the circumcised.

We receive individuals as full communing members in the local churchbased not on their ethnic background, income, social status, or any othercategory. Instead, all those who put their faith in Christ become full heirs ofall the promises of God. Teaching Series. With unbroken continuity, the New Testament picks up right where the Old Testament left off.

The first book of the New Testament, Matthew, begins right where the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, ended even though there were years of silence from God between the two books. Malachi was a Jewish prophet — someone who spoke to God and for God.

A prophet enforced the Mosaic covenant, a collection of laws under which the nation of Israel lived. The judgment would be particularly severe on the nation of Israel and its leaders because of specific sins against God such as hypocritical worship Malachi , social injustice , pagan religious practices , divorce and withholding tithes and offerings to God Instead, they have disrespected His name They were not reflecting God to the nations.

In every place, prayers and worship are to be offered to Him Because God is so concerned that He be honored among the nations, He is about to act, Malachi warns. The forerunner will come in the likeness of an Old Testament prophet; he will stand in the tradition of the fiery man of God named Elijah Malachi After the forerunner has prepared the way, then God, the Son, will come Himself Malachi Jesus was warning that a turning point in history was near.

The last of the prophets — John the Baptist, a type of Elijah — had been sent to bring about a message of reconciliation with God. Some months later, after the death of John the Baptist, He again identified John as the type of Elijah the prophet foretold by Malachi:. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands. John suffered just as the Messiah would suffer. Jesus had come to announce a new covenant promise to replace the old covenant that had been broken between God and Israel.

The Book of Malachi summarizes the Old Testament books as a unified story that point to the future. It was this love that sent Jesus into the world, as noted in the opening of the New Testament.

Jesus knew that the covenant agreement God made with His people at Mt. Sinai in Old Testament times had been broken again and again by a disobedient people. After a long line of prophets was sent to call them back to following God, they still failed. And He lived out and fulfilled the covenant law perfectly so that a new covenant could be introduced on behalf of a new people of God.

There was a note of urgency with which Jesus began His ministry. But by the time of Jesus, the term had become an honorific title of the Messiah, and many passages in the Book of Ezekiel were idealized and interpreted messianically. Especially significant for Jesus were the passages concerning a remnant to be spared ; the new heart and spirit ; 1 ; the new everlasting covenant ; and the promise that the Gentile nations would come to know the Lord, God of Israel ; , All these were to be fulfilled by Jesus as Son of Man.

In rabbinical commentary and popular thought, the term had already been highly spiritualized, indicating the ideal man, almost divine in nature. But it is not necessary to assume that Jesus was influenced by Enoch. The words of Daniel are clear enough:. Jesus knew that these things prophesied in Daniel 7 would take place after His suffering on the cross, His resurrection and His return to heaven.

Isaiah The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Acts When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Acts ,47 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles….

Acts And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. Context Crossref Comment Greek. Verse Click for Chapter. English Revised Version Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles: they will also hear. The Heart of the Matter.

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Mere Christianity. New York, NY: Macmillian. McGarvey, J. Cincinnati, OH: Standard Publishing. Monser, J. Rehwinkel, Alfred M.