Paul served as the apostle to the Gentiles and the minister through whom God revealed the mystery of the Church, the body of Christ.
Paul was not one of the original twelve, but was uniquely called and commissioned by God after Pentecost. He was given the dispensation of the grace of God for the Gentiles, and his letters alone are written to the Church. Les Feldick emphasizes that believers today must go to Paul for their basic doctrines.
Colossians 1:25-26 — Paul states he was made a minister according to the dispensation of God given to him for the Gentiles, to reveal the mystery hidden from ages.
Ephesians 3:1-2 — Paul identifies himself as the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles and the recipient of the grace-dispensation for them.
The Bible presents Paul as a minister specifically set apart for the Gentiles. In Colossians 1:25-26, Paul says he was made a minister according to the dispensation of God given to him "for you" — that is, for Gentile believers — to fulfill the Word of God by making known "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." In Ephesians 3:1-2, Paul identifies himself as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles" and speaks of "the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward." He further declares in Romans 11:13, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles." These passages show that Paul's role in the early church was unique: he was the apostle to the Gentiles, entrusted with revealing a previously hidden mystery.
Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul was not one of the original twelve, but was specially saved and commissioned by the risen Christ to be the apostle to the Gentiles. In Les's teaching, God gave the doctrines of grace to Paul just as He had given the law through Moses, and Paul delivered them to the Gentile world. Les points out that Paul's letters alone are written to the Church, and that Paul is the one to whom believers today must go for their basic doctrines. The revelation entrusted to Paul was the "mystery" or secret, hidden in God from the ages, now made manifest — namely, that Gentiles are fellow heirs of the same body.
Les Feldick stresses that Paul was uniquely called of God to be the Apostle of the Gentiles — not one of many, but THE apostle. He notes that 17 of the 28 chapters of Acts are given to Paul, who was not one of the original twelve and was not converted until long after Pentecost. In Les's view, this shows that Gentiles have a relationship to Paul that we do not have to the other apostles.
Les explains that Paul was made a minister according to the dispensation of God to reveal a secret hidden in God from ages and generations. That secret is that Gentiles are fellow heirs and of the same body. Paul was given this mystery by revelation, and he was to make all men see what had been hidden since the beginning of the age.
Just as God gave the law to Moses and Moses brought it to Israel, Les says God gave the doctrines of grace to the apostle Paul, and Paul took them to the Gentiles. Paul himself says he was given the dispensation of grace "to you-ward" — for the Gentiles.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul is the one to whom we must go for our basic doctrines. His letters and his letters alone are written to the Church. Until a reader separates Peter's ministry from Paul's, Les says confusion remains. Paul's unique position as the apostle of the Gentiles makes his writings the foundation for the church age.
The Mystery Hidden in God
Les notes that even Peter and John had no concept of the church age; the truths of the mystery were hid in God, preparing for their later revelation through Paul.
Paul Made a Minister of the Mystery
Les points to Colossians 1:25-26, where Paul says he was made a minister according to the dispensation of God given to him for the Gentiles to fulfill the Word of God by revealing the mystery hidden from ages and generations.
Paul Given the Dispensation of Grace for Gentiles
Les compares Moses and Paul: as the law came through Moses to Israel, the doctrines of grace came through Paul to the Gentiles, since Paul was the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles.
Paul — Apostle of the Gentiles
Les emphasizes from Romans 11:13 that Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, and that Paul's letters alone are written to the Church.
Go To Paul for Basic Doctrine
Les states that Paul was uniquely called of God to be THE apostle of the Gentiles, and that Paul is the one to whom believers must go for their basic doctrines.
Acts Devotes Seventeen Chapters to Paul
Les notes that 17 of 28 chapters of Acts are given to Paul, who was not an original apostle, showing that Gentiles have a special relationship to Paul.
Paul Ministered the Revelation of the Mystery
Les reads Ephesians 3 to show that Paul was made a minister to reveal the mystery that Gentiles are fellow heirs of the same body, making all men see what was hid in God.
Mystery Revealed By Revelation to Paul
Les highlights Ephesians 3:1-3, showing that the mystery was made known to Paul by revelation and that in other ages it was not made known to the sons of men.
Colossians 1:25-26: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Paul states his role as minister of the mystery for Gentile believers.
Ephesians 3:1-2: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Paul identifies himself as the prisoner for Gentiles and recipient of the grace-dispensation for them.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul directly calls himself the apostle of the Gentiles.
Ephesians 3:9: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
The mystery was hidden from the beginning and now is to be made known.
Ephesians 3:3: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Paul received the mystery by divine revelation.
No. Les Feldick notes that Paul was not one of the original 12 and was not converted until long after Pentecost. Yet God devoted 17 of the 28 chapters of Acts to Paul, showing his unique role.
Les teaches that Paul's letters alone are written to the Church. Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, and believers today are to go to him for their basic doctrines.
The mystery was that Gentiles are fellow heirs and of the same body with believing Israel. It had been hid in God from ages and generations and was now made manifest through Paul.
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