If you have read through your Bible, you might have noticed how things have changed since the world began.
The only thing in Scripture that doesn’t change is God, that is His person, His character and His promises.
For I am the LORD, I change not;
Malachi 3:6
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8
Most of Christendom takes these Scriptures out of context and say this means God is doing the same things today as He had in the past with mankind.
But how could that be?
Let’s take the Garden for example before Adam sinned he didn’t have to worry about weeds and planting seeds. God took care of the growing.
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food;
Genesis 2:9
After the fall it was a different story.
Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Genesis 3: 17-19
Just in this instance alone we can see God dealing with man differently.
How about a man’s diet?
In the Garden they were vegans. After the flood,
Noah was able to eat any living thing.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Genesis 9:3
We can also see that God gave Israel some dietary restrictions under the covenant He made with them. There were clean and unclean animals. You can check that out in Leviticus 11.
Could the requirements of salvation have changed through the ages?
Peter says in Acts 2 after Pentecost.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2: 36-38
Let’s look at the context. Peter is speaking to the house of Israel, not to Gentiles. They ask him what shall they do? His instructions are repent, be water baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Is this our gospel? Is this what we share with someone when we are telling them the means to be saved?
Why isn’t Peter speaking to Gentiles? Could there be some new information coming and a change in the gospel that is being preached?
In chapter 2 of Galatians, we find a meeting between Paul with his group and the Apostles in Jerusalem.
This was 17 yrs. after Paul’s conversion.
And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,
Galatians 2:2
But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Galatians 2:6-7
Why 2 different gospels? The easiest thing to see here is that those of the circumcision are under the law which would be Israel and those of the uncircumcised would be Gentiles.
Paul had a different message, things were a changin!
Under Paul’s gospel, there is no Jew or Greek, we are not under the law, there is a spiritual baptism and believers are put into the Body of Christ.
The Gospel that saves today is by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
You can only understand this change by reading and studying Paul’s letters, Romans through Philemon.
Things have changed and you need to grasp that change to understand why God did it and what He is doing today.
To see Souls saved and Saints edified!
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