Month: October 2024

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Thursday, October 31, 2024

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our special study, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” In addition, “What does the Bible say about ghosts?”

Run! Fight!

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

“I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:26,27 KJV).

Here is some outstanding direction for a fruitful Christian life and ministry….

Back when I was attending university, I knew a graduate lady who had a 95-year-old mother. The rumor in our geology department was that mother said motorized scooters were for “old people” and she absolutely refused to purchase one in which to ride. Fast-forward all these years later, and the woman just died at age 108! Believe it or not, she made world news as an athlete (runner) in her final years. We will all be left to wonder if she ever bought that scooter….

She took such small steps when she ran, and a neighbor of her daughter told me how he (himself in his late 80s) always cringed for fear that she would fall and get seriously injured and/or perish. Fortunately, she never did. In fact, she even set a world record—the only person between the ages of 105 and 109 to run the 100-meter dash! She had to stop running at 105 due to failing eyesight. A short illness finally caused her to leave this world… just a few months shy of 109. She still had a clear mind, wondering until the end as to why she had lived so long.

The above lady was an example of maintaining physical and mental health well above age 100—keeping active as much as possible, not just sitting in a chair and feeling sorry for herself. She was quite lively and determined to enjoy the time she had here. Most importantly though, we certainly focus on eternity, remembering that we, like a well-trained runner or boxer, know the boundaries and rules and goal of the activity and we are participating accordingly, lest our Christian service be rejected (we become the “castaway” of today’s Scripture). Sound Bible doctrine, the Word of God rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15), especially Romans through Philemon, will profit us even more than physical exercise will.

333’s 4900th – Free the Prisoners!

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32 KJV).

Today, “333 Words of Grace” marks its 4900th study!

Not long ago, a Christian lady we have been ministering to these last eight years asked me for some Bible study literature so she could give it to a few family members who needed to learn the truth. She spent several decades in a cult, after which she trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour (roughly 10 years ago). Her visits to local churches were most discouraging and disappointing—especially when she heard the loud music and saw the loss of bodily control (rolling around on the floor, for example). It is especially concerning when her brother, formerly in the family cult, became a Christian decades ago and used to be a Bible teacher—but has since gone back into worldly thinking and conduct (rendering him unfit to guide her into the truth).

As I sat with her at her dining room table, I began explaining a certain Bible concept that precious few ever come to know. Suddenly, she whipped out a sheet of paper that bore my handwriting—something I had written for her, on which she had scribbled the date “2016.” I had actually forgotten about it. All these years since I first visited her, and there she still had it in her Bible! Furthermore, she still recognized the importance of the Bible timeline—and was happy to pass it on to those relatives of hers.

Another Christian, who happened to randomly land on our ministry websites a few years ago, just celebrated his 75th birthday. He was fed up with his denomination leading him astray. As he has grown in the Word rightly divided, he realizes how vital dispensational Bible study is. It has truly revolutionized how he views the Holy Scriptures. Like with the aforementioned lady, we are more than eager to share what little we know—that more and more people be freed from the prisons of the traditions and speculations of men, in bondage to sin and Satan’s policy of evil (see today’s Scripture).

Beloved, for nearly 13½ years (believe it or not!), we have gathered here around daily studies of the King James Bible rightly divided. By God’s grace, let us continue to do so… moving along to #5000! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ!

A Tattered Book Retires!

Monday, October 28, 2024

“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart” (Psalm 119:111 KJV).

Recently, after more than 18 years of service in ministry, the pages of my personal printed Bible finally reached the irreversible point of disintegration. Stained with finger oils—and beginning to harden, fold, crack, and break—these leaves just could not handle any more wear and tear (or tape!). Such explains why good Bible manuscripts did not always survive church history, and why “old” age does not automatically suggest a manuscript has the best theological quality. A book in good or excellent physical condition indicates limited or no usage.

Contrary to what “scholars” repeat, we are not looking for the best text by establishing physical age of manuscripts (since age is sometimes difficult or impossible to determine, and false teachers go all the way back to Satan in Genesis chapter 3). We are seeking readings that meet other criteria—witnesses spanning multiple centuries (not just a few centuries), manuscripts scattered geographically (not confined to one location), readings translated into a variety of languages, and verses quoted extensively in Christian writings during the earlier centuries. A manuscript infrequently used means Christians must have been utilizing some other document. Climate (high humidity, as opposed to desert dry air) can accelerate the rate of decomposition of manuscripts. Good manuscripts can be easily lost to atmospheric conditions.

Thankfully, we know faithful scribes and copyists passed down the words of God to us via a multiplicity of reliable manuscript copies (just as Satan’s counterfeits were preserved through unbelieving men via the energy of the flesh). It was never God’s intention to preserve His original manuscripts—only preserve the text of those manuscripts by having them copied onto other manuscripts. Therefore, a manuscript can be relatively young but have words descended from manuscripts several centuries older. Such is the case of our 400-year-old King James Bible.

Before the printing press was invented circa 1439, Bibles had to be copied by hand and thus were far rarer and more expensive to buy or rent. Brethren, we ought to be thankful we can easily purchase new, fresh Bibles when our old ones wear out. My replacement has been in service for a few weeks now. Maybe it will endure as long as its predecessor… maybe not….

By the way, see this archived study written six years ago: https://333wordsofgrace.org/2018/10/18/a-tattered-book/.

Note the Horizon! #20

Sunday, October 27, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

A Christian of nearly four decades—a deacon in my family’s former church and teacher of home Bible studies—came to understand dispensational Bible study. He told me, “The Bible is so clear now! Difficult passages make sense!” All those years he had struggled in the Scriptures. There was more darkness than understanding because much of what he believed was so shallow. His story is just one of innumerable reports throughout church history and around the world.

Organized religion and denominationalism will always contain “nuggets of truth” (for even the worst lie is not 100 percent false). Nevertheless, no study system has yet to open the Scriptures more fully than Pauline dispensationalism (recognizing Paul’s ministry is God’s dispensation for us, His set of instructions for us to believe and obey). Having spent many years in doctrinal error and spiritual childishness, my family and I can testify to that firsthand. I can honestly say I have no interest in returning to being one of the millions of “ignorant brethren!”

Unless we study to seek God’s approval, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are completely out of His will and we do not know what He is doing. If we are not doing by faith what the Holy Spirit is doing, we are doing the Devil’s work for him. As long as people do not see Paul’s distinctive ministry (separate from, not an extension of, the 12 Apostles’ ministry), as long as they mix law and grace, as long as they combine Israel with the Body of Christ, as long as they blend Heaven and Earth, as long as they confound prophecy with mystery, they have not noted the horizon—and thus have neither a hope nor a prayer of understanding and enjoying the Bible. Far better it is, or so they have been programmed to believe, to defend and maintain manmade church tradition than admit wrongdoing and believe the pure Holy Bible.

To avoid their blunders, dear friend, note the horizon of today’s Scripture!

-FINIS!-

Note the Horizon! #19

Saturday, October 26, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

While the Bible timeline from end to end is replete with changes to God’s dealings with mankind, that which is of utmost importance to us is how Paul’s ministry demarcates—establishes a horizon for—His current program for man. There are the “time past” before Paul, the “but now” of Paul, and the “ages to come” after Paul (see Ephesians 2:7,11-13). “But now” is the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon. To reach outside of these epistles and try to apply verses is to attempt to force God to do something He is no longer doing or will do later.

We do not throw away anything from Genesis through Revelation, and we study all 66 Books of the Bible, but we do know our “marching orders” are confined to Romans through Philemon (victorious grace/Christian living in this the Dispensation of Grace). To make everything in the Bible applicable to everyone at all times is to go the way of denominationalism and traditional theology—compounding Bible ignorance, multiplying misunderstanding, and perpetuating spiritual immaturity that so stifles growth, development, and Divine power.

One day, Paul’s ministry will finally come to an end. The mystery program or Dispensation of Grace will close forever. As God extended His hand of grace to the whole world going back to Acts chapter 9, so He will withdraw it at last when no one else wishes to believe Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). The Church the Body of Christ will be removed from Earth for the prophetic program to begin again. In that day, it will have been far better had the nations heard absolutely nothing from the Lord through Paul. How dreadful it shall be for them to have had the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, for at least 2,000 years—for they did not believe a word of them. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:4,5).

Let us conclude this devotionals arc….

Note the Horizon! #18

Friday, October 25, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

Carefully read Romans 11:11-14 to comprehend national Israel’s current status before God in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Basically, in spite of Israel’s unbelief, and through Israel’s fall, the salvation and blessings of God are coming to the Gentiles or nations via Paul’s apostleship, ministry, message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; cf. Acts 20:24). Gentiles can approach Israel’s God through faith in Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—without coming by means of Judaism, physical circumcision, or any other “time-past” requirement. You may also read Ephesians 2:1-18.

It was to be expected that, when the Gentiles would hear this message (Israel’s fall, setting aside, casting away), these nations would gloat or arrogantly delight (smirking, chuckling, teasing—“God turned to us Gentiles because you, Israel, were in unbelief!”). Thus, the Holy Spirit through Paul in that very chapter (see Romans 11:15-36) alerted these nations to fear instead of boast. Why? As God rejected and set Israel aside because of their sin of unbelief, so He will reject the nations because of their unbelief in due time (and, in the ages to come, return Israel to her exalted status as in time past). Our “but now” is only temporary; the nations’ access to God without Israel is but momentary. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved…” (Romans 11:25,26a).

We are not Israel, and we have not replaced Israel. Yet, the Gentiles or nations resemble Israel in that they have responded to God in the same way Israel did. Israel overwhelmingly ignored all the prophets, John the Baptist, Christ’s earthly ministry, the 12 Apostles, and Father God’s other messengers to them. Likewise, the nations these last 20 centuries have not heeded the Apostle Paul (God’s spokesman to them).

Let us summarize this devotionals arc….

Note the Horizon! #17

Thursday, October 24, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

It is only because of God’s goodness (not man’s “goodness”) that the Dispensation of Grace goes on. That alone holds back Divine wrath or judgment. Yet, it is easy for sinners—such as unbelieving Israel during Acts, Paul’s audience in Romans chapter 2—to have such a low opinion of the riches of God’s goodness and forbearance (patience) and longsuffering (tolerance).

Observe these words from Romans chapter 2: “[4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds:… [8] But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;….”

Now, turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2: “[14] For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: [15] Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: [16] Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.”

Paul’s ministry (the Gospel of Grace, 1 Corinthians 15:3,4) was all that was preventing God’s wrath from falling on apostate Israel during Acts (when Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians), yet unbelieving Israel kept opposing Paul over and over and over and over and over again! Yet, we dare not forget how even unbelieving Gentiles are guilty of this sin of despising God’s Apostle to them. Their pride and ignorance will be their downfall too….

Note the Horizon! #16

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

In early Acts chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus left Jerusalem as a lost sinner swiftly bound for Damascus… and Hell! Smug in his religious goodness and callous in his fanaticism, he was enthusiastically eliminating all “Jesus-loving Jews” he could possibly locate, arrest, and torture! No one would dare challenge his theological system and get away with it! Saul did not know it, but the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ was staring down at Earth, intently watching him make his way northward from Judaea into Syria. The Lord Himself made certain they had a meeting—and, without any doubt whatsoever, Saul saw and heard things he neither expected nor forgot.

The Divine wrath that should have crushed his unbelieving, stubborn self in Acts chapter 9, was replaced with grace and peace. God’s wrath was not canceled, only postponed—pushed out into the future to a time known only to Him. Essentially, what the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to Saul can be paraphrased as: “Now that you have realized and experienced firsthand just how drastic a change My dealings with man have undergone, now that you know the unfathomable grace [unmerited favor] and the immeasurable mercy [pity] I have shown you here outside of Damascus, I now send you out as My Apostle to your undeserving world to preach that very message that saved your pathetic soul unto eternal life.” If necessary, read Acts 9:1-16, Acts 22:1-15, Acts 26:9-20, and especially 1 Timothy 1:12-16.

“And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;…” (Romans 2:3-5). As Saul’s ministry got underway, he learned how the apostate nation Israel he was once a part of was just as hostile to Jesus Christ as he had been….

Note the Horizon! #15

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

For three years, Jesus Christ preached repentance (change in mind) to Israel because God’s earthly kingdom was at hand. Alas, most of the nation was uninterested. Luke chapter 13: “[6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”

Israel received a one-year extension to believe, a renewed opportunity for repentance (verse 8)—the first seven chapters of Acts. As they blasphemed against the Son of Man and crucified Him, so they spoke against the Holy Ghost and stoned His prophet Stephen. By Acts chapter 7, wrath could no longer be delayed—as far as the prophetic program was concerned. In Acts chapter 9, the mystery program began: Jesus Christ poured out grace, mercy, and peace on Saul of Tarsus, His chief enemy in the Earth (see 1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Read Peter’s words in 2 Peter chapter 3: “[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance…. [15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

As God was gracious, merciful, and peaceful to save Saul/Paul, so Saul/Paul is a pattern of God’s longsuffering, His attitude toward sinful mankind even now….