Donna Danna (19 Dec 2021)
"REPLY TO MIKE P. -- THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN REV. WERE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES & NOT JEWISH ASSEMBLIES"


This post is in reply to your 12/12 post at Re: Donna Danna's Reply To Greg --Will All Christians Be Raptured? (fivedoves.com) and to your statement, "The 7 Churches in Revelation were Jewish Assemblies and not Christian Churches under the Pauline Gospel."

The 7 churches were all located in Asia according to Rev. 1:4 & Rev. 1:11.  (They were actually located in western Asia Minor which is present day Turkey which was and is a Gentile nation.)

Saul who later became the apostle Paul was chosen by the Lord to preach to the Gentiles according to the verses below:

Acts 9:15, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"

According to Romans 15:16, Paul said, ""That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."

As for the seven churches being just Jewish assemblies as you claim and not Christian Churches under the Pauline Gospel, the seven churches in Asia did contain both Jewish & Gentile believers.  One of the seven churches was Ephesus, and the entire book of Ephesians was written by Paul to the Christians believers consisting of both Jewish & Gentile believers in the church of Ephesus so they would have heard the Pauline gospel.  However, Paul said specifically to the gentiles in church of Ephesus the following:

Ephesians 2:11-18, "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between usAnd came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

Since there were both Jewish & Gentile believers who were Christians in the church of Ephesus, it would be silly to think that there were no Gentile believers in the other 6 churches in Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia & Laodicea that were in Asia mentioned in the book of Revelation.  The church of Laodicea was specifically mentioned by Paul in Col. 4:15-16, "Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea." No where does he refer to them as just a Jewish assembly.

Also in regards to your statement "Jesus commanded His disciples not to preach to Gentiles" (Matthew 10.5-6), according Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus later told 11 disciples "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."  

And although the disciple Peter's main ministry was to the Jews, according to Acts 15:7 Peter said, "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe."  

How do you think the first Gentile believers received the Holy Spirit?  It happened after they heard Peter preach according to Acts 10:44-47 which says, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"