Category: The Church the Body of Christ

Spellbound! #12

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Read Matthew 15:1-9 and Mark 7:1-13. The scribes (Hebrew Bible copyists and teachers) and Pharisees (strict works-religionists) were influential leaders in Judaism. They were greatly agitated when they saw the Lord Jesus’ disciples ignoring the rabbis’ religious tradition of washing hands with a trickle of cool water. Christ countered by asking why they—the scribes and Pharisees—had ignored Father God’s commandments!

The “Corban [Gift] tradition” was a clever manmade invention to bypass the LORD’S orders. As opposed to honoring father and mother (see Exodus 20:12), including financially supporting them in old age, the rabbis granted a man permission to declare his wealth as a “gift” to God and the Jerusalem Temple, thereby freeing the man from the economic obligation to his parents. Of course, “God” was given all the credit—and these religious leaders embezzled “God’s” gift! Such kind of false teaching polluted Judaism and warranted Christ’s repeated condemnations (see Matthew 15:6-9,12-14; Mark 7:6-9,13). Judaism’s religious tradition continuously took precedence over the words of Almighty God—and the same applies to Christendom 2,000 years later!

Upon the rabbis’ urging (false teaching), the “Corban [Gift] tradition” seemed pious and noble from the son’s point-of-view. After all, he was reserving money for “God’s work” (ha!). In reality, he was violating the Fifth Commandment by dishonoring father and mother, and doing nothing more than funding the Devil’s ministers! “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye” (Mark 7:13). The “Corban [Gift] tradition” was just one of countless examples of putting manmade ideas ahead of Divine revelation, transferring authority from God to men. Again, this practice plagues the professing church even now.

As pertaining to the Church the Body of Christ and this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, the Lord through our Apostle Paul alerts us to be on guard, watching out for self-serving religious leaders….

God’s Profaned Name #10

Thursday, August 17, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

Today’s Scripture is definitely part of the prophetic program. It involves God’s purpose and plan for Israel and the Earth. The Holy Spirit comments on how the nation Israel in time past abandoned the identity that their Creator gave them. They were not reflections of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Despite their infidelity, He, in the ages to come, will be faithful in bringing to pass His original promise to them. They are to be His vessels to reach the Gentiles when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to reign.

What about us, the Church the Body of Christ? Can we profane God’s name? Yes, we can. If we are not careful to walk in our identity in Christ, as described in Romans to Philemon, we can misrepresent Him as Israel did long ago. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).

If what we say and do is incompatible with all that the Lord Jesus would say and do (His “name”), then non-Christians will see and hear conflicting information. Our misconduct will become the scoffer’s principle: “I am not a Christian and never want to be a Christian because ‘Christians’ lead a worse life than I do as a non-Christian.” It will be similar to ancient Israel’s detractors: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written” (Romans 2:24). “If that nonsense is what it means to be a worshipper of JEHOVAH God, we will keep our idols and die as heathen!”

As we (the Body of Christ) seek to avoid Israel’s disasters, we bear in mind passages such as Philippians 1:9-11 and Philippians 2:13-16. “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).

A Grace Study Bible

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

“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” (2 Timothy 2:2 KJV).

Today, we reflect on 11 full years of the arC Ministries’ Grace Study Bible Project!

Some 100 years ago, the Scofield Study Bible was published. It was a work that popularized—not invented—dispensational Bible study. For a century, the Church the Body of Christ has used this monumental aid to edify itself. It was (and still is) useful in recovering precious Bible truths that had been lost for centuries, doctrines still pushed aside by denominational hierarchies that prefer to be the “authority” with their “tradition of men.”

Eleven years ago today, after much prayer and consideration, I began the formation of a new grace study Bible. Using the King James Bible, my goal in this project is to build on Dr. Scofield’s foundation laid long ago. We are (and will always be) indebted to that brother for his faithful service, his submission to the Holy Spirit to produce a profitable study Bible. (Incidentally, Dr. Scofield led a missionary to Christ, that missionary led a preacher to Christ, that preacher led a woman to Christ, that woman led Mom to Christ, and Mom led me to Christ.) What took Dr. Scofield decades to learn, we can acquire in a fraction of that time. Brother Scofield did not live long enough to progress any further in Bible understanding, but in the century since he has gone to heaven, a faithful remnant within the Body of Christ has expanded upon Dr. Scofield’s insightful notes. We recognize where he was wrong in certain areas, and we can improve those areas in our understanding and study.

In brief, some stats about our grace study Bible. We seem to be over 80 percent completed with it. How many more years it will take remains to be seen, but rest assured, what cannot be condensed into marginal notes or footnotes, will be, Lord willing, expanded into a full-Bible commentary book series! Stay tuned in the coming years and thank you for your prayer in this regard! 🙂

* You can read more about our Grace Study Bible Project here.

The Damsel and The Spirit of Divination #7

Sunday, June 25, 2023

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:16-18 KJV).

Behold—a slave girl, an evil spirit, a vexed apostle, and a mighty God!

Though captive to Satan and men, the slave girl was not without hope. While the Devil and his angels are powerful, they were no match for the Lord God Who ultimately delivered her. Although her human masters fumed how their “prophetess” was now profitless; though they caused Paul and Silas to be publicly beaten, imprisoned, and tortured (all contrary to the laws of Rome); they inadvertently provided God’s preachers an opportunity to minister to yet more unfortunate souls in Philippi!

Read verses 25-40 (those which follow today’s Scripture). For example, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (verse 25). Though suffering immense mental, physical, and emotional pain, Paul and Silas talked to the Lord and sang hymns! Their cellmates also heard the Gospel of Grace. Once a major earthquake rocks the area, the jailer—under such extreme conviction—approaches Paul and Silas, asking in verse 30, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their answer was short and direct, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (verse 31). Released from prison, they proceed to minister to the jailer’s household and convert them too!

Saints, the lessons we can draw from this are simple. Though the world, the flesh, and the Devil interfere; by the might of the Holy Spirit, we can exercise God’s wisdom in successfully navigating those challenges (distractions, offers of compromise, persecution including physical violence, and so on); which will allow our testimony to have a far greater impact it otherwise would have never had.

The Damsel and The Spirit of Divination #6

Saturday, June 24, 2023

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:16-18 KJV).

Behold—a slave girl, an evil spirit, a vexed apostle, and a mighty God!

Though the young woman has been saved from Satan’s prison, and converted to the Lord’s family, her masters are most displeased because they have lost their source of income. Having no desire to believe the Gospel of Grace and be delivered from the Devil themselves, they proceed to persecute Paul and Silas. God’s people did not compromise with an evil ministry (religion), so Satan switches tactics to involve the government.

Keep reading: “[19] And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, [20] And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, [21] And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.” Hiding behind the guise of “apprehending criminals,” the slave owners bring Paul and Silas before court officials for indictment and punishment. What follows is illegal according to Roman law.

“[22] And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. [23] And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: [24] Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.” Publicly and severely caned, or mercilessly beaten with rods or sticks, Paul and Silas are thrown into a jail cell, where they are subsequently tortured (legs forced apart and secured in the “stocks”). Indeed, ministry has its challenges….

The Damsel and The Spirit of Divination #5

Friday, June 23, 2023

“And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:16-18 KJV).

Behold—a slave girl, an evil spirit, a vexed apostle, and a mighty God!

The devil-possessed damsel has bothered Paul “many days.” A habitual distraction from the Lord’s work, her preaching has become such a nuisance the Apostle must stop her now. “But Paul, being grieved [anguished, pained], turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.” The power was not in the name of Paul, but in the name of Jesus Christ.

Upon hearing this pronouncement, the evil spirit must leave the poor girl alone. He departs, rendering her useless to her masters because she can no longer communicate with the spirit world. She symbolizes the Gentiles or nations, how they can be delivered from satanic bondage by approaching the one true God through the Apostle Paul’s ministry. See also Acts 14:8-10, the crippled Gentile world now made spiritually whole or healthy via Christ’s heavenly ministry through Paul.

In Acts chapter 9, but recorded only in Acts chapter 26, the Lord Jesus Christ’s commission of Saul of Tarsus was as follows: “[17] Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, [18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” However, the Gentiles would not necessarily receive this information gladly. In fact, the slave owners in Philippi are not happy at all with Paul, for they are comfortable in their spiritual darkness….

The Case for Right Division #9

Sunday, May 28, 2023

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Can today’s Scripture deliver someone from absolute stupidity before he or she literally perishes in it? (Yes!)

Ephesians 3:1,2 relays the following: “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:…” The “dispensation” (Greek, “oikonomia,” “house rules”) the Lord has in effect today was given to the Apostle Paul (cf. Colossians 1:25-28). This is the body of truth applicable to us, and it is located in the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon. Through Paul’s ministry, the mystery program, God is manifesting His grace—His unmerited favor—to mankind in a new way. By faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins, we as Gentiles outside of Israel and her prophetic program can be made righteous in God’s sight. God the Holy Spirit is taking us believers in Christ and forming the Church the Body of Christ, separate and distinct from the nation Israel (see Ephesians 2:13–3:12).

Alas, denominationally-minded people are either unintentionally or deliberately blind to dispensational truth. To exclusively follow the Lord’s heavenly ministry through Paul means they must forsake their denominational system (built on Christ’s earthly ministry!). They would have to admit their preacher or teacher lied to them. In fact, those who wish to keep their church traditions have resorted to disparaging dispensational Bible study as a “cult,” “heresy,” and so on. That is their choice. If they are determined to stay in their chaos, we respect their free will and let them remain in that ignorance. They can continue claiming their physical healing, dying because they refuse to visit doctors and receive medication. They can keep their starvation by fasting, holding out and holding on for “answers” from God as to why this or that never came to pass.

Dear friends, in the wake of non-dispensational Bible study, billions are left perplexed, hopeless, and even spiritually, doctrinally, and physically dead. Here is the heavy price that must be paid for failing to apply today’s Scripture. Above all, here is the case for right division!

The Case for Right Division #8

Saturday, May 27, 2023

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Can today’s Scripture deliver someone from absolute stupidity before he or she literally perishes in it? (Yes!)

When the Apostle Paul addressed his second epistle to young Timothy (from which today’s Scripture was extracted), two particular false teachers had combined the prophetic program with the mystery program. They ultimately implied the Lord Jesus had already come and taken away the Church the Body of Christ to Heaven (an event we commonly call “the Rapture”). Hearing this misinformation, Christians still on Earth erroneously concluded they were not Christians at all, for Christ would have also removed them to Heaven via the resurrection of 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Today’s Scripture in context: “[14] Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [16] But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. [17] And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; [18] Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.”

Such non-dispensational Bible study spreads like a cancer, growing into more and more apostasy (leaving the truth). The “faith” of some is overthrown, overturned, toppled, abolished. We observe this widespread confusion and discouragement in denominational churches—and how disgruntled church members finally turned to atheism, agnosticism, Satanism, or some other “ism.” They always pray for God’s will, but never discover it. Whereas they never cease to quote verses, they have yet to obtain any spiritual stability or lasting peace. All they can do is wallow in utter impotency and crushing dissatisfaction, worried about Bible contradictions and unanswered prayer. No pastor or teacher has anything meaningful to contribute either, for these church leaders are also victims of Satan’s policy of evil. Here is the case for right division, the absolute necessity for it….

The Case for Right Division #7

Friday, May 26, 2023

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Can today’s Scripture deliver someone from absolute stupidity before he or she literally perishes in it? (Yes!)

Undeniably, the most confused Bible Book is Acts. Though not complicated in and of itself, Acts has been confused courtesy of denominational nonsense. Acts is a transitional Book, God’s dealings with man switching from Peter to Paul, prophecy to mystery, law to grace, Israel to the Body of Christ, and so on. More times than not, however, these differences are smoothed over. Since the cliché “God never changes” has been mindlessly repeated in church circles for so long, no one really thinks there are any distinctions in Scripture at all. What alarming Bible ignorance!

“Whatever God did then, He must surely be doing now.” This is the wrong and ever so costly assumption that has led untold millions upon millions upon millions to a lost eternity in a perpetual Devil’s Hell, quoting verses that have nothing to do with them—though they believed these passages gave them a right standing before God. It is also the incorrect and ever so pricey assumption that has imprisoned countless millions upon millions upon millions of genuine (!) Christians (!) in spiritual kindergarten, their minds and hearts so filled and contaminated with useless, profitless, worthless teaching—and God the Holy Spirit has just as much influence over them as He does people who have no Bible at all.

Since the dispensational boundaries of Scripture are usually not appreciated in the average church or Bible study (it has been this way for almost 20 centuries!), the non-dispensational verses are hopelessly in conflict, so various and sundry clever excuses or gimmicks have been invented to sidestep “inconvenient” verses that cannot be adequately resolved. “This verse was not in the original manuscripts, it is a ‘poor translation,’ this does not mean what it says,” and on and on with the justifications as to why we must make everything in the Bible the same. Our King James Bible verses do not need to be reworded or retranslated—only re-read and re-examined within (!) their (!) dispensational (!) contexts (!)….

The Case for Right Division #6

Thursday, May 25, 2023

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

Can today’s Scripture deliver someone from absolute stupidity before he or she literally perishes in it? (Yes!)

Re-read Ephesians 2:11,12. In “time past,” God dealt with mankind on the basis of physical circumcision (Jews, Israel) and physical uncircumcision (Gentiles, nations). While this “middle wall of partition” was in place (see verse 14), God’s blessings and salvation were on the circumcision side (cf. Romans 9:4,5). Christ’s earthly ministry belongs in “time past” (see Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8).

Beginning with the Apostle Paul—the “but now,” Christ’s heavenly ministry—the Lord eliminated “the middle wall of partition” (see Ephesians 2:13-18). Now, the nations of the world approach God, but not through the nation Israel, for Israel is now fallen. Read Romans 11:11-14. We come to God via Paul’s ministry (Bible Books of Romans through Philemon), faith in Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for our sins (see 1 Corinthians 15:3,4). In “the ages to come” (Ephesians 2:7), God will use us the Church the Body of Christ to glorify Jesus in the heavenly places as He will utilize the nation Israel to exalt Jesus in the earth (Ephesians 1:8-12,19-23; Ephesians 2:6,7; Colossians 1:16-20). “Time past,” “but now,” and “the ages to come” is how to “rightly divide the word of truth.” Remember, note it well (!): principles in effect during time past may not be true today, so be careful, lest you misapply to yourself non-Pauline (outside of Paul’s epistles) Bible truths that are no longer true!

Also, we can view Jesus Christ from two perspectives. Firstly, Peter preached Him according to prophecy: “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Secondly, Paul preached Him according to mystery: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest,…” (Romans 16:25,26). “Prophecy” versus “mystery” is another way God “rightly divides the word of truth.” Let us elaborate….