Blogs by Wayne Stewart

The Olive Tree - Are We Graft In?
By Wayne Stewart
July 6th, 2014

The Olive Tree - are we graft in? This question seems to have an obvious answer. "Of course we are graft into the olive tree because that is what Romans 11:17 says!" Lets read it together:

17  (AV) And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
17  (TR) ει δε τινες των κλαδων εξεκλασθησαν συ δε αγριελαιος ων ενεκεντρισθης εν αυτοις και συγκοινωνος της ριζης και της πιοτητος της ελαιας εγενου

Before answering this we will back up a little and...

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The Head Metaphor and Mid-Acts
By Wayne Stewart
July 4th, 2014
κεφαλή

Some who defend the mid-Acts position say that "because Christ is the head of the church present in the book of Acts and is also the head of the church that is mentioned by Paul from prison that we cannot assume any fundamental difference between these two companies" -- I am quoting because I don't believe their assumptions are correct nor do I believe their conclusions are correct.

The english word "head" is translated from the greek word  κεφαλή and is used in the new testament in 68 verses. It is fairly frequent, however when we look at the usage in the epistles of...

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Mid Acts or Acts 28
By Wayne Stewart
June 22nd, 2014

When I began my christian life at the age of 21 in a small Baptist chuch in rural New Zealand I knew little of the bible and even less of its doctrine. I knew that I was saved by grace and that was a huge step from darkness to light, while not a library of knowledge it at least found me secure in the beloved.

I was however somewhat perplexed with the bible, not really understanding how to interpret it and not knowing on what systematic and logical basis I should ascertain what God was saying to me in this age. That there were ages declared in the bible I could readily see for...

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The Adjustment
By Wayne Stewart
June 10th, 2014
The perfecting of the saints

The book of Ephesians is the high water mark of PAul's prison ministry. It relates to us both  the circumstances and content  of the revelation of "the mystery" which was hid in God. All saints immediately prior to this revelation believed and held to the hope which was proclaimed to them in the Acts and therefore would need to be adjusted to the new and unprophesied hope that was now their's by grace.

Eph 4.11  (AV) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4.11  (TR) και αυτος...

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The Unsearchable Riches of Christ
By Wayne Stewart
May 29th, 2014

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:8 (TR) εμοι τω ελαχιστοτερω παντων των αγιων εδοθη η χαρις αυτη εν τοις εθνεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι τον ανεξιχνιαστον πλουτον του χριστου

The greek word translated "unsearchable" is the adjective ἀνεξιχνίαστος which is found here and in Rom. 11:33 where it is translated "past finding out".

Ro 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways...

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The Gospel of Peace
By Wayne Stewart
May 29th, 2014

Eph. 6.15  (AV) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph. 6.15  (TR) και υποδησαμενοι τους ποδας εν ετοιμασια του ευαγγελιου της ειρηνης

The passage above is taken from the armor of God section in Ephesians 6:11-18. It would be easy to assume that the gospel of peace only applies to that good news concerning the Lord’s death burial and resurrection, the gospel that we all need to hear and respond to and which is rooted in that which the Lord Jesus accomplished as a finished work on the cross at Calvary. This however is not the major subject of...

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