Training Replacements #12

Saturday, June 21, 2025

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26 KJV).

One of the lesser-known purposes of Christ’s earthly ministry was that He trained 12 men to continue His work once He returned to His Heavenly Father!

We Pauline dispensationalists are frequently charged with exalting Paul above Jesus—this is Bible ignorance. For example, God’s inspired words in Romans 11:13 are: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:….” We do not worship Paul, but we do “magnify” (lift up, honor, esteem, glorify) his God-given office or apostleship. To diminish its importance or ignore it entirely, like many do, is a most serious error.

Supposedly, we throw away everything in the Bible except Paul—this too is Bible ignorance. For instance, God’s inspired words in 2 Timothy 1:13,14 are: “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” Timothy has heard something of Paul (not simply “Jesus”). Paul is Jesus’ spokesman, and Timothy would do well to notice just as Moses was God’s spokesman to Israel (see Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14), so Paul is God’s spokesman to us. We study all the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, yet, we are to firmly grip, not let go of, particularly the pattern of sound Bible doctrine in Romans to Philemon.

Now, 1 Timothy 1:3,4: “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.” Finally, 2 Timothy 2:2: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Timothy is to teach others the same information he learned from Paul. Likewise, we train men to come after us in grace ministry, for we will not always be here on Earth either. We too are training replacements!