ARE YOU STILL STUCK IN ACTS 2?

By Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

April 5, 2010

Many dispensationalists are still stuck in Acts 2 just like the Cambelites. They think that what Peter and the other apostles preached in Acts 2 is what they continued to preach throughout the rest of their lives but this is totaly wrong. The truth is, the Apostles knowledge had increased greatly by the time they wrote their epistles and their preaching under went a major change from what it was in Acts 2-3. The apostles did not remain the same as they were doctrinally in Acts 2-3. Their doctrine and gospel under went many major changes. When the apostles wrote the Hebrew Christian Epistles they were influenced by a number of dispensational and doctrinal changes such as:

The Fall of Israel
The Abolishing of the Law of Moses
The Future Establishment of the Kingdom
Christ Building His Church
The Salvation of Paul
The Salvation of Cornelius
The Dispensation of Grace
The Apostolic Meeting in Jerusalem of Acts 15
The Pauline Epistles

The writers of the Hebrew Christian Epistles were all aware of these events, changes and doctrines and had read all of Paul's epistles. (See 2 Peter 3:15-16) These events and especially the salvation of Paul and Cornelius and Paul's epistles, had a major impact and influence upon these men and it is manifest in their epistles. It becomes very obvious when reading Hebrews through Revelation the apostle’s knowledge far exceeded what they knew in Acts 2-3. It is OK to compare Peter in Acts 2-3 with Paul in Acts 9 to show they are different. But to say that Peter believed and preached what he did in Acts 2-3 after Acts 9 is ridiculous!

For example: In their epistles the apostles write and proclaim in no uncertain terms that Christ died for their sins and that they were redeemed, cleansed, washed from their sins by the death and shed blood of Christ. Read these verses and see for yourself.

1 Peter 1:19 says that they were redeemed (past tense); With the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot or blemish.

1 Peter 2:24 says; Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.

1 Peter 3:18 says; For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.

1 John 1:7 says; The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Hebrews 9:14 says; How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 9:26 says; But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 10:12 says; But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.

Revelation 1:5 says; Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

The apostles also wrote and proclaimed that salvation and eternal life were a present possession. They had a present tense salvation just like us.

I John 5:11-13 says; And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Notice the word "hath and have" in these verses. Contrary to what many extreme dispensationalists say, salvation and everlasting life were their present possessions.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed (past tense) with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot.
These verses plainly show the Hebrew Christians were not waiting for eternal life, redemption and forgiveness of sins, they already had it. They had a present tense salvation just like us. If your dispensational doctrines do not allow the Hebrews to have salvation as a present possession then your need to change your doctrine and believe the Bible.

1 John 2:12 says, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (Notice the present tense of forgiveness)

2 Peter 1:9 says; But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged (past tense) from his old sins.

Heb.10:17-18 says; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
According to these verses their sins were forgiven and God did not remember them any more.

It is absurd to say that the Hebrew Christians were still waiting to get their sins forgiven as many hyper dispensationalists teach! This convinces me that most hyper dispensationalists are still stuck in Acts 2-3 just like the Cambelites!