|
A COMPARISON OF PAUL AND THE 12 APOSTLES
IN THE BOOK OF ACTS AND THE ACTS EPISTLES
As a dispensationalist who rightly divides the Word of Truth
it is important to recognize and to teach men the difference between the 12 Apostles and the Apostle Paul. Most dispensationalists would agree with this statement, but
many try to show men the difference between the 12 Apostles and the Apostle Paul from the Book of Acts and the Acts epistles. In
the Book of Acts and in the Acts Epistles there are FAR MORE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE 12 APOSTLES AND THE APOSTLE PAUL THAN DIFFERENCES.
This
will no doubt come as a surprise to many dispensationalists. When showing someone the difference between the 12 Apostles and the Apostle Paul the best place to go in the Scriptures is the Prison Epistles of Paul written after the Acts period, for in them THERE ARE FAR MORE DIFFERENCES., THAN SIMILARITIES, which we will show in our next article.
In this article we want to show the many similarities between the 12 Apostles and the Apostle Paul in the Book of Acts and in the Acts Epistles.
As you read this article PLEASE read the verses mentioned in your own Bible.
The purpose of this study is to again emphasize HOW IMPORTANT the Prison Epistles of Paul are and to emphasize HOW DIFFERENT they are from his Acts Epistles. Please read this article and the next article with an open mind and be willing to accept the truth even when it contradicts what you believe.
(Note, when using the word "BOTH" in this article, I am referring to both Paul and the 12 Apostles.)
(1.) THEY BOTH PREACHED THE KINGDOM OF GOD
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 1:3, Acts 8:12, II Pet. l:ll
PAUL - Acts 14:22, 19:8, 20:25, 28:23,31
(2.) THEY BOTH SPOKE IN TONGUES
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:4
PAUL - ICor.14:18
(3.) THEY BOTH PRACTICED WATER BAPTISM
THE 12 APOSTLES- Mk.16:15-16, Acts 2:41, 8:38, 10:48
PAUL- Acts 16:15,33, 18:8
(4.) THEY BOTH WORKED SIGNS AND WONDERS
THE 12 APOSTLES - Heb. 2:4, Acts
5:12
PAUL - Rom. 15:19, Acts 14:3
(5.) THEY BOTH WENT TO THE JEW FIRST
THE 12 APOSTLES - Lk.24:47, Acts 1:8, 3:25-26, 11:19
PAUL - Rom.1:16, Acts 13:46, Acts 17:2-3
(6.) THEY BOTH OBSERVED FEAST DAYS
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:1
PAUL - Acts 17:2, 18:21, 20:16
(7.) THEY BOTH HEALED THE SICK
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 3:2-8, 5:12-16
PAUL - Acts 14:8-10, 19:11-12
(8.) THEY BOTH RAISED THE DEAD
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 9:36-44
PAUL - Acts 20:9-12
(9.) THEY BOTH PREACHED ISRAEL'S HOPE
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 4:2
PAUL - Acts 28:20
(10.) THEY BOTH KEPT THE LAW
THE 12 APOSTLES - Matt.5:18-19, Matt.23:1-3, Acts 21:20
PAUL - Acts 21:24, ICor.9:20
(11. ) THEY BOTH MINISTERED THE HOLY GHOST BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 8:14-17
PAUL - Acts 19:6
(12.) THEY BOTH WAITED FOR THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 1:11,3:19-21, Jms.5:8, IIPet.3:1-13
PAUL - IThess.l:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23
(13.) THEY BOTH BASED THEIR DOCTRINE ON THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES
THE 12 APOSTLES - Lk.24:44-48, IPet.1:10-12
PAUL - Acts 26:20-23
(14.) THEY WERE BOTH BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 1:5, 2:4
PAUL - Acts 9:17
(15.) THEY BOTH SENT OFFERINGS TO JUDEA AND JERUSALEM
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 11:27-29
PAUL - Acts 11:30, ICor.16:1-5, Rom.15:26-27
(16.) THEY BOTH PREACHED JESUS AS ISRAEL'S MESSIAH
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:37
PAUL - Acts 9:20-22,Acts 17:3, Acts 18:5,28
(17.) THEY BOTH WORSHIPPED GOD AT JERUSALEM
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts $:46-3:1
PAUL - Acts 24:11
(18.) THEY BOTH DELIVERED APOSTATES OVER TO
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 5:1-11
PAUL - ICor.5:1-5
(19.) THEY BOTH MET WITH AND TAUGHT THE HEBREW CHURCH
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:45-47
PAUL - Acts llc25-26, 13:26-28
(20.) THEY BOTH WROTE EPISTLES TO THE HEBREW CHURCH
THE 12 APOSTLES - James, I, II, Peter, I, II & III John, Revelation
PAUL - II Pet.3:15 - Hebrews
(21.) THEY WERE BOTH PRIESTS
THE 12 APOSTLES - IPet.2:5-9
PAUL - Rom.15:16
(22.) THEY WERE BOTH RELATED TO THE HEAVENLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM
THE 12 APOSTLES - Rev.21:14
PAUL - Ga1.4:26
(23.) THEIR DESIRE WAS THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL
THE 12 APOSTLES - Lk.24:47, Acts 2:22-38, Acts 3:12-26
PAUL - Rom.10:1, Acts 13:22-26
(24.) THEY BOTH PREACHED REPENTANCE
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:38
PAUL - Acts 26:20, Acts 17:30, Acts 20:21
(25.) THEY WERE BOTH SENT TO THE GENTILES. AS WELL AS TO ISRAEL
THE 12 APOSTLES - Mk.16:15-16, Lk.24:47, Acts 1:8, Acts 15:7,
Acts 10:45
PAUL - Acts 9:15
(26.) THEY BOTH CAST OUT DEVILS AND UNCLEAN SPIRITS .
THE 12 APOSTLES Acts 8:7
PAUL - Acts 16:18, Acts 19:12
(27.) THEY WERE BOTH MINISTERED UNTO BY ANGELS
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 5:19, Acts 8:26, Acts 12:7-9
PAUL - Acts 27:23
(28.) THEY BOTH HAD VISIONS
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 10:1?
PAUL - Acts 9:12, Acts 16:9-10, Acts 18:9
(29.) THEIR MINISTRIES WERE BOTH
PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
THE 12 APOSTLES - Isa.8:18, Acts 5:12
PAUL - Isa.49:6 - Acts 13:47
(30.) THEY BOTH PLACED THE GENTILES UNDER A SET OF RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 15:6-29
PAUL - Acts 15:6-29
(31.) THEY BOTH CALLED ABRAHAM THEIR FATHER
THE 12 APOSTLES - Jms.2:21, Acts 3:12-13
PAUL - Rom.4:1
(32.) THEY BOTH PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF GOD
THE 12 APOSTLES - I Pet.
4:17
PAUL - Rom. l:1-2
(33.) THEY BOTH HAD AN INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
THE 12 APOSTLES Lk.12:31-32, JMS.2:5,
II Pet. l:ll
PAUL - I Cor.6:9-10, Acts 14:22,
I Cor.15:50
(34.) THEY BOTH HAD A SPECIAL ANOINTING AND UNCTION FROM GOD AND NEEDED
NO ONE TO TEACH THEM
THE 12 APOSTLES - I Jn.2:27
PAUL - Gal. l:ll-12, I Cor.12:8
(35.) THEY BOTH PREACHED REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
THE 12 APOSTLES - IPet.1:19, IPet.2:24, IIPet.1:9, IJn.1:7-9, IJn.2:2,12, IJn.4:10, Rev.1:5
PAUL - Rom.3:24-25, Rom.5:9
(36.) THEY BOTH COMMANDED MEN TO DO WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. EITHER
BEFORE OR AFTER SALVATION
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 10:34-35
PAUL - Acts 26:20, Rom. 2:6-11
(37.) THEY BOTH DECLARED THAT IT WAS UNNECESSARY FOR GENTILES TO BECOME
CIRCUMCISED TO BE SAVED
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 15:1-29
PAUL - Acts 15:1-29
(38.) THEY BOTH DECLARED THAT "WHOSOEVER
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 2:21
PAUL - Rom.10:13
(39.) THEY BOTH DECLARED THAT IT WAS UNNECESSARY FOR THE GENTILES TO
KEEP THE LAW TO BE SAVED OR JUSTIFIED
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 15:22-29
PAUL - Rom. 3:20-22
(40.) THEY WERE BOTH PARTAKERS OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS AND WAITED IN HOPE OF HIS SECOND COMING GLORY
THE 12 APOSTLES - I Pet.
l:ll, I Pet. 4:13, I Pet. 5:1, 10, II Pet. 1:3, Jude 24
PAUL - Rom. 5:2, Rom. 8:18
(41.) THEY BOTH PREACHED CONDEMNATION AND DEATH TO BELIEVERS WHO WALKED AFTER THE FLESH
THE 12 APOSTLES - II Pet.2:1-22
PAUL - Rom. 8:1 ,13, I Cor. 5:1-5, I Cor. 11:29-30,
(42.) THEY BOTH DECLARED THAT THE TIME WAS SHORT AND LOOKED FOR THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO TAKE PLACE IN THEIR LIFETIME
THE 12 APOSTLES - Jms.
5:7-9, I Jn. 2:18, Rev. 22:20, Rev. 1:3, I Pet. 4:7
PAUL -Rom. 9:27-28, Rom.
16:20, I Cor. 1:7-8, I Thess. 1:9-10, I Thess. 2:19 I Thess. 3:13, Heb.1:l
(43.) THEY BOTH COMMANDED BELIEVERS TO BE UNDER SUBJECTION TO HIGHER POWERS
THE 12 APOSTLES - I Pet. 2:13-15
PAUL - Rom. 13:1-6
(44.) THEY BOTH COMMANDED BELIEVERS TO KEEP THE MORAL COMMANDMENTS OF THE
LAW
THE 12 APOSTLES - Jms. 2:8-12
PAUL - Rom. 13:8-10 ,
(45.) THEY BOTH DECLARED BELIEVERS TO BE DEAD TO SINS
THE 12 APOSTLES - I Pet. 2:24
PAUL - Rom. 6:11
(46.) THEY WERE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD
THE 12 APOSTLES - Gal. 1:13 (the 12 apostles were members of this Church - Acts
9:1, 13, 26, Acts 26:9-11)
PAUL - 1 Cor. 11:22
(47.) THEY BOTH
ENCOURAGED BELIEVERS TO BE FAITHFUL UNTO "THE END"
THE 12 APOSTLES - 1 Pet.
1:13, I Pet. 4:7, Rev. 2:25-26, (Matt. 10:22, Matt. 24:13 these words spoken to
the 12)
PAUL - 1 Cor. 1:6-8, 2
Cor.
1:13-14, Heb. 3:6, 14, 1 Thess. 3:11, Heb. 6:11.
(48.) THEY BOTH HAD A
HEAVENLY CALLING.
THE 12 APOSTLES - Heb. 3:1,
1 Pet. 1:4
PAUL - Gal. 4:26
(49.) THEY BOTH WANTED THE
"LAST TRUMP" TO BE SOUNDED.
THE 12 APOSTLES - Matt.
24:29-31
PAUL - 1 Cor. 15:50-52
(50.) THEY BOTH PARTOOK OF
THE NEW COVENANT MADE WITH ISRAEL AND THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
THE 12 APOSTLES - Heb
9:11-17, Heb. 10:8-14
PAUL - 2 Cor. 3:6
(51.) THEY BOTH PARTOOK OF
THE BLESSINGS AND PROMISES GOD GAVE TO ABRAHAM AND ISRAEL.
THE 12 APOSTLES - 1 Pet.
2:9, Lk. 12:32, Acts 3:25-26
PAUL - Rom. 1:17, Rom.
15:27, Gal. 3:14, Acts 13:32-34, Acts 22:32
(52.) THEY BOTH DESCRIBED THE BELIEVERS THEY WROTE TO AS THE BRIDE
OF CHRIST.
THE 12 APOSTLES- Rev.19:7-9
PAUL - II Cor. 11:20-26, Rom. 7:4
(53.) THEY BOTH PARTOOK OF THE PASSOVER SUPPER.
THE 12 APOSTLES - Lk. 22:15-20, Matt.26:26-30
PAUL - I Cor. 11:20-26
(54.) THEY WERE BOTH A PART OF ISRAEL AND THE CHILDREN OF PROMISE.
THE 12 APOSTLES - Acts 3:13, 25-26, Jms. 1:1, I Pet. 2:9
PAUL - Rom. 11:1, Ga1.4:28, 2 Cor. ll:22, I Cor.lO:l
Also in the Book of Acts:
PAUL CIRCUMCISED A MAN - Acts 16:1-3
PAUL SHAVED HIS HEAD AND TOOK JEWISH VOWS - Acts 21:22-24
PAUL OFFERED A SACRIFICE FOR PURIFICATION - Acts 21:26
One could go on adding more facts to this long list, but enough has been written to convince any fair-minded Bible-believer that there are more similarities than differences between the 12 Apostles and the Apostle Paul in the Book of Acts and in the Acts Epistles.
All of these similarities between Paul and the 12 Apostles in the Acts period show me that I CAN'T FOLLOW PAUL'S ACTS MINISTRY TODAY.
When we as dispensationalists teach men the importance of following Paul today we most explain what we mean. Do we mean to follow what Paul said and did in his prison epistles, or what he said and did in
his Acts epistles? If you say his Acts epistles,, or period of PROMISE, then you shouldn't condemn those today who practice water baptism and who claim to speak in tongues, heal the sick, have visions, cast out devils, work
signs and wonders, etc. etc. BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT PAUL DID AND SAID IN THE BOOK OF ACTS AND IN HIS ACTS EPISTLES.
These similarities also show one that the only way a believer can follow Paul today is IN WHAT HE SAID IN HIS PRISON EPISTLES,
for in them there are FAR MORE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PAUL AND THE 12 APOSTLES.
In conclusion, let us realize that it would be naive for the Berean to say that there are no differences between the 12 Apostles and Paul in the Acts period, because there are. As I see it, the main two differences are t
(1.) HOW THEY PREACHED REDEMPTION AND REMISSION OF SINS
They both preached redemption and remission of sins through the Blood of Christ as seen in #35. But Peter preached that Water Baptism was a requirement
to enter the priesthood along with Faith to receive remission of sins by the Blood of Christ (Acts
2:38, I Pet. 3:21), but Paul preached that Faith alone was the requirement (Rom.
3:24-25, Rom. 4:5).
(2.) THE SEALING AND SECURITY OF BELIEVERS
Paul declared that believers were sealed and secured (II Cor. 1:21-22, I Cor.
1:8). The 12 never declared this truth (II Pet. 2:20-22).
But, other than these two things and a very few others, there are very few differences between Paul and the 12 Apostles in the Acts period. There are far more similarities than differences.
We hope you have read this article with an open mind and that you learned something from it.
|
