Category: religious bondage

Not in Vain

Saturday, September 8, 2012

“For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain” (1 Thessalonians 2:1 KJV).

The believers in Thessalonica demonstrate that ministry work for the Lord is not done in vain.

Paul and Silas, on Paul’s second apostolic journey, arrive in Thessalonica in Acts 17:1. Here, there are Judaistic Jews and Greeks (verse 1), people who have some comprehension of the Old Testament and the one true God. However, there are also pagan Gentiles, individuals who later “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

The Lord through Paul and Silas preached the Gospel of God’s Grace to us in Christ (dispensational Bible study). By placing their faith in that message, the Thessalonians either progressed to further understand God’s Word (that is, how God was now revealing advanced information—the mystery program—not found in the Old Testament), and/or learned that the one true God, unlike the pagan gods they had worshipped as heathens, had come in the form a Man to die for their sins. After the Thessalonians trusted Christ, today’s Scripture and its context (1:3–2:1) describe how God used them to evangelize their neighbors!

Ever wonder, “Are our preaching the message of God’s grace and teaching the King James Bible rightly divided, really worth it?” After all, many—even professing Christians (!)—hate it. Too prideful and too attached to their religious tradition to admit that God’s message to us Gentiles is Paul’s epistles (Romans through Philemon), denominational Christians vehemently oppose and attempt to suppress dispensational Bible study… THAT is vain. For, though we are few in number, we Pauline dispensationalists “serve the living and true God,” and nothing God does is ever “in vain” (worthless, futile). “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Again, “Are our preaching God’s grace and our teaching the King James Bible rightly divided, really worth it?” Today’s Scripture is a resounding, “Yes, it is worth it! It is ‘not in vain!’” 🙂

The Propensity to Acquire Our Currency

Friday, August 31, 2012

“For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face” (2 Corinthians 11:19,20 KJV).

Sinful mankind naturally seeks dishonest material gain, and today’s Scripture explains that clerics are no exception.

Since Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isaac has passed through my area, police and other state officials are cautioning residents to be wary of phony contractors who are going door-to-door and “offering” their (fraudulent) services of rebuilding and demolition. These persons, like false religious teachers, prey on the weak and desperate, and we need to guard ourselves against them.

The Corinthians, although Christians, had precious little understanding of God’s Word rightly divided. Hence, they were vulnerable to doctrinal error (heresies), which abounded in their assembly (the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to reprove them): “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be manifest among you” (1 Corinthians 11:19). Now, sometime later, Paul wrote today’s Scripture, and evidently the Corinthians are still “approving” these false teachers.

Notice Paul’s sarcasm in today’s Scripture: “Ye suffer [allow/permit] fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.” Essentially, “You Corinthians are so ‘wise’ that you gladly listen to a bunch of fools!” (Unfortunately, Paul would write this to Christendom today!) These false teachers discouraged the Corinthians from heeding and obeying the Lord’s Word through the Apostle Paul, and the Corinthians gladly allowed themselves to be deceived (cf. Galatians 3:1-4; Galatians 4:15-21). Today’s Scripture shows these false teachers acquired both the Corinthians’ trust and their income!

Saints, let us be “perfect” (spiritually mature) and “edified” (spiritually built up, strengthened) in God’s Word rightly divided, “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight [trickery] of men, and cunning craftiness [scams], whereby they lie in wait [secretly] to deceive;…” (Ephesians 4:12,14).

Let us be wary of false teachers, who have “the propensity to acquire our currency.”

Myriads of Itching Ears #2

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4 KJV).

Beware of the megachurches, for they teach mega error!

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [clearly], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1,2). False teaching within professing Christianity is nothing new: these verses (including today’s Scripture) foretold an explosion of it. Ever since Paul wrote these Scriptures almost 20 centuries ago, literally tens of thousands of apostate religious systems, denominations, creeds, and ceremonies have been devised.

Furthermore, the rise of megachurches in the past few decades has exacerbated this false teaching. These monstrous congregations have incorporated a mishmash of the aforementioned doctrinal errors in order to accommodate just about anyone. Sadly, it is “hypocrisy” (it professes to be Christianity, but it is everything but, and it deceives Christians and lost people alike). So many good, sincere souls are “bewitched” by religion, especially in megachurches. They, seeking entertainment, are under a satanic spell, as described in Galatians 3:1-3 and 2 Timothy 2:24-26, and many are oblivious to it.

In Paul’s final epistle, written just prior to his martyrdom, he admitted—2,000 years ago—that the Body of Christ was in apostasy: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). Two false teachers, Phygellus and Hermogenes had convinced “all they which are in Asia [that is, present-day Turkey]” to “turn away” from Paul. Basically, Phyllegus and Hermogenes had undone everything that Paul had labored so hard to accomplish with these Christians in Asia.

With the doctrine Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul now forsaken, the Christians in Asia had only one way to go spiritually—down, down, down, down, down! This is true of Christendom today, especially within the megachurches. Beware!!!

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #3

Friday, July 27, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

The verdict is in: Mankind is—guilty, guilty, GUILTY!

On the surface, mankind appears amicable, but peel away the attractive veneer—the ideologies of formalism (the elaborate religious ceremonies that seem godly) and self-reformation (“turning over a new leaf”)—to discover that mankind is a monster. Even the nicest person is potentially capable of doing the vilest of acts, in a moment’s notice.

After describing wicked mankind (verses 10-18), the Holy Spirit, through the pen of the Apostle Paul, summarizes God’s case against mankind: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (verses 19,20).

Why did God give the Ten Commandments? To demonstrate our worthiness to enter heaven, as many assume? NO! “The law is the knowledge of sin”—the Law proves God is just in damning us sinners to hellfire (1 Timothy 1:8-10)! The Ten Commandments, first given to Israel, actually condemn us all, Jews and Gentiles, as sinners (spiritually, we have “minus righteousness”).

We need to be honest with ourselves (our flesh abhors that!). There is nothing good in any of us: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12). Our basic problem is not that we commit sins, but rather that we have a sin nature, “desperately wicked hearts” (Jeremiah 17:9), an inherent predisposition that causes us to gravitate toward those sinful acts. We naturally follow our father Adam, federal head of mankind: we deliberately ignore God’s Word and do whatever we want (1 Timothy 2:14). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6ab).

But….

The Meek Pauline Dispensationalist

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

“Put them in mind… to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:1,2 KJV).

An individual recently shared a concern with me, so we offer a humble, friendly reminder to you, our grace brethren in Jesus Christ….

We understand and are saved by God’s grace to us in Christ. Nevertheless, most individuals are lost (dead in their sins). Also, we recognize and believe that Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul the special ministry and doctrine for this the Dispensation of Grace. Sadly, church tradition hides these truths, and most professing Christians are deceived doctrinally.

God’s will is to have “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Our goal in teaching God’s Word rightly divided is so everyone can also have a chance to be liberated from the bondage of sin and the burden of religion. We Pauline dispensationalists are privileged to proclaim these precious Bible truths to both lost people and Christians, thereby bringing our Saviour Jesus Christ glory and honor.

However, grace brethren, please exercise great caution. Do not allow Satan to utilize your flesh (sin nature) to get the advantage. Today’s Scripture instructs us to be “meek”—humble, not prideful—in the ministry. Why? Read the next verse: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). It is easy to grow angry with lost people, non-Pauline Christians, and non-King James users, but remember, we were once where they are. May we, without compromising sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine, gently, lovingly reach out to them on God’s behalf. 🙂

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #6

Sunday, July 15, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Do we in the Dispensation of Grace have any relation to the three baptisms of today’s Scripture?

BAPTISM #2: THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST

Baptism with the Holy Ghost is another confused topic, especially within charismatic circles (seeking the “gift of tongues”). Oftentimes, today’s church members try to follow Acts chapter 2, which they claim is key to “spirituality” (actually, stealing Israel’s doctrine on Pentecost and applying it to us has only caused apostasy).

The above confusion regarding the doctrine of the Holy Ghost baptism is immediately dispelled when we, “Study to shew [ourselves] approved unto God, [workmen] that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). When we study God’s Word dispensationally, we understand that all of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us.

We are the Church the Body of Christ, so we must be careful to never confuse ourselves with the nation Israel (which the professing “Church” has done for almost 2,000 years!). All this talk in religion about “being baptized with the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues” is predicated on the false presumption that Acts chapter 2 is our pattern. Pentecost is a Jewish feast day, and has nothing to do with us Gentiles.

Acts chapter 2 does not belong in our dispensation: There is “one baptism” for our Dispensation of Grace (Ephesians 4:5). What is it? “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body…” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Our baptism is not Christ baptizing us “with the Holy Ghost” (Pentecost; today’s Scripture). When someone places his or her faith in Jesus Christ alone as personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit baptizes that person into the Body of Christ. Jesus Christ baptizing Israel with the Holy Ghost is totally unrelated to our baptism by the Holy Ghost into the Body of Christ.

Is Mary the “Mother of the Church?”

Sunday, July 8, 2012

“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:26,27 KJV).

Does today’s Scripture teach that Mary, Jesus’ mother, is “the mother of the Church?”

Pagan goddess worship was commonplace in the Roman Empire when Christianity spread during the first centuries A.D. So, “Christian” leaders, hoping to attract heathen followers, slyly adopted pagan practices and teachings. One of these compromises was to give Mary, Jesus’ mother, unscriptural preeminence. Religion took humble Mary (Luke 1:46-55) and exalted her to a godless-like position (today, she is called “the queen of heaven,” the title belonging to a pagan goddess; Jeremiah 44:15-28).

Mary is not the mother of any church in Scripture, and certainly not the Church the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ did not exist until Acts chapter 9 (see 1 Timothy 1:15,16), about a year after today’s Scripture. (The “church” at the time of today’s Scripture was the Messianic Church, those Jews who trusted Jesus as Messiah; Matthew 16:16-19).

In today’s Scripture, notice that Jesus (now crucified) is speaking to one individual, not a group: Mary is not everyone’s “mother,” but a certain disciple’s (allegedly the Apostle John, “the apostle whom Jesus loved”). Notice “thy mother” uses the second-person singular pronoun; Jesus did not say “your mother” (the second-person plural “your” would indicate He is speaking to a group). Of course, you lose this in modern “bibles,” which replace “thy” with “your,” concealing God’s truth.

Joseph evidently died some time earlier. Jesus is Mary’s eldest son, but Jesus is dying. Mary needs a man to take care of her (in the ancient world, single women without a male authority would have no income, often being forced to become prostitutes). At this time, none of Jesus’ half-brothers or half-sisters are believers, so Jesus appoints a disciple (John?) to be Mary’s caretaker. How simple!

Friend, God Himself declares Mary is not our mother. That is pagan heresy and superstition, not Bible.

Why Do We Go to Church?

Friday, July 6, 2012

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight” (Acts 20:7 KJV).

As grace believers who understand what God is doing today in this the Dispensation of Grace, we go to church….

  • To fellowship with God’s people (1 Corinthians 11:33).
  • To study the Holy Bible (King James Bible) (1 Timothy 4:13,15,16).
  • Not to gain God’s blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
  • Not to be entertained (2 Timothy 4:1-5).
  • Not to keep the Sabbath (Colossians 2:16).
  • Not to obtain salvation (Titus 3:5).
  • Not to “be in God’s presence/house” (2 Corinthians 6:16; cf. Acts 17:24).

According to Paul’s epistles, “going to church” is not assembling in some million-dollar auditorium, where wheelbarrows are pushed around as “collection plates.” Neither is “church” a place where we go to feel “emotional highs” and to enjoy “ear-tickling motivational sermons.” Nor is “church” a time where we crank up loud music in order to appeal to the world. Yes, that is today’s average (so-called) “‘Bible-believing’” (!) church, but God’s definition is otherwise.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy regarding the local assembly of the Body of Christ: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:15,16).

As people who have trusted in Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, we are one body, the Body of Christ. We are united forever because of the eternal life we all now have in Christ. We gather in local assemblies to study God’s Word rightly divided (dispensationally), so we can then scatter throughout the region and share with others sound Bible doctrine (the Gospel of Grace to the lost, and Pauline dispensationalism to the saved).

Jesus Christ: A Minister of the Circumcision #1

Friday, June 29, 2012

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” (Romans 15:8 KJV).

Today’s Scripture clearly explains to whom Jesus ministered during His earthly ministry, but most of Christendom absolutely refuses to believe it.

Someone rightly stated that “Christianity” is merely “bastardized Judaism.” Today, what is called “Christianity” is actually Old Testament Judaism with “New Testament” verses tacked on. The root cause of the abounding doctrinal error and chaos in Christendom is a failure to believe today’s Scripture, and to practice dispensational Bible study, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). All of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us.

The doctrine that God gave us through the Apostle Paul for this the Dispensation of Grace is almost totally ignored today. It was to Paul alone that God revealed our mystery program, the Church the Body of Christ and God’s purpose and plan for heaven (Ephesians 3:1-9). What has Christendom done? It has mostly ignored Paul’s epistles, preferring to steal the Bible verses—especially the Four Gospels—that God gave strictly to Israel. Israel’s doctrine does not belong in our dispensation, yet denominations continue to attempt to obey God’s will for Israel.

For the past 2,000 years, religious tradition has instructed us to obey what Jesus taught in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Entire denominations and churches are built and sustained by “naming and claiming” (actually “taking and faking”) the ceremonies, prayers, doctrines, and promises found in the Four Gospels.

In religion, “Follow Jesus” is a phrase mindlessly and faithlessly uttered. Repeating the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” is greatly emphasized, as is “following Jesus in ‘believer’s baptism’” and “claiming the Beatitudes.” No wonder people are so confused about the Bible! They are claiming verses that belong to a program God is not operating today, and when the verses do not work, the Bible is ridiculed.

Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry, ministered only to Israel (the “circumcision”): He was not speaking to us Gentiles (today’s Scripture)!

Plastic and Paper Not Accepted in Heaven

Thursday, June 21, 2012

“And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:18,19 KJV).

Mankind has always tried to purchase the things of God with money… unsuccessfully….

Simon is a sorcerer (wizard) who has “bewitched” Samaria with satanic deception and counterfeit miracles (verses 9-11). But, once he sees the apostles laying hands on believing Jews, and their subsequent receiving of the Holy Spirit (which belongs in Israel’s program, not ours), Simon sees an opportunity for economic gain. He offers the apostles money in exchange for their God-given abilities. The Apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, gives God’s response to such matters: “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (verse 20).

Religion, down through the millennia, has been notorious for extortion. Consider all the poor souls who believed they could pay for God’s forgiveness in advance by purchasing indulgences from the Church of Rome! Ponder the cash penances paid after confession to priests. Consider the tithe demanded for salvation in today’s “Bible-believing” churches (which do not “believe” 2 Corinthians 9:7 and Titus 3:5).

Even if you had all the monetary wealth of all the ages, heaven’s gates would still be closed to you! The price for your forgiveness was paid, not with cash, but with the precious blood of God’s only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28). For salvation, you can offer God every cent you will ever earn, and He will refuse it. God wants perfect righteousness, and none of us have that.

Remember, you will be unable to write a check or swipe your credit card at heaven’s gate. God does not want your money. He only wants His Son, and those who have trusted in Christ’s sufficient payment for their sins. Salvation is a gift that only Jesus Christ could buy (Ephesians 2:8,9). “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”