You're right. I look at it now and it's easy to see. But it was very difficult to understand at the beginning. I could see there was a difference between what Peter and the 11 were commissioned to teach and Paul's commission, but the grey areas that churches try to fill in did nothing but complicate the situation. Until I decided to put aside the opinions of men, and just read. READ and STUDY and COMPARE God's word, scripture with scripture. One day the light bulb just went off. I GOT IT. Seriously. Hard work, hard work, then voila, 2 Tim. 2:15 came alive and it all made sense: TIME PAST< BUT NOW> THE AGES TO COME of Ephesians. And the dispensation of the grace of God as compared to the dispensation of the law.
You're right, it took a lot of prayer and struggle and STUDY, but I will no longer fear being tossed around by every wind of doctrine that comes along. The questions always are: WHO SAID IT? WHO WERE THEY SAYING IT TO? AND WHAT WERE THEY SAYING? Find the dispensation and the questions answer themselves. :) God Bless, smvoice