Category: The Church the Body of Christ

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #25

Saturday, October 4, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Just as sinners will face a judgment to answer for their sins (the Great White Throne Judgment), so saints will stand at a judgment to give an account for their Christian service (the Judgment Seat of Christ). That which is “gold, silver, precious stones” (sound doctrine, rightly divided Scripture) will result in the believer’s reward, whereas that which is “wood, hay, stubble” (everything else) will be a loss of reward (note again 1 Corinthians 3:9-15). A loss of reward is a more limited role in Heaven’s governments than would have been otherwise; pay attention to the rankings of offices in Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16. Our “inheritance” is the heavenly places, but “the reward of the inheritance” is the specific job we will have in them (Ephesians 1:9-14; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 3:24; cf. Acts 20:32; Acts 26:18; Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7).

Read 2 Corinthians 5:9,10: “Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” Observe Romans 14:10-12: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Finally, Colossians 3:23-25: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #24

Friday, October 3, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

“And [Father God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7). The heavenly places are our eternal destiny as members of the Church the Body of Christ. We will share in Christ’s authority in Heaven’s governments as redeemed Israel will in Earth’s governments.

Ephesians 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [heavenly] places.” Satan has already corrupted the heavenly places with activity contrary to God’s life. God will not let us members of the Body of Christ defile them with our foolishness either. Therefore, the Judgment Seat of Christ is designed to cleanse all believers’ souls of doctrinal pollution. Indeed, it is entirely possible to be a Christian and still believe and teach bad information. I myself did it for a decade!

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me [Paul], as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). This fire of the Judgment Seat of Christ saves us from doctrinal contamination by burning away the “spiritual combustibles” (false teaching) we have stored in our soul….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #23

Thursday, October 2, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Read 1 John 3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” The word “transgress” literally means, “step across, exceed, or pass a boundary;” the Law of Moses says, “Do not cross,” and we cross. We do what God tells us not to do, we go where He commands us not to go, and we say what He orders us not to say. The Law condemns us as sinners, pronouncing us “guilty before God” (Romans 3:19,20; cf. Romans 7:7-13); it is therefore “weak through [our] flesh” (Romans 8:3). If God’s nation Israel could not keep the Law for 1,500 years, what chance do we have of faring any better? Remember, we are all sons and daughters of Adam!

Anyone is cursed if he or she does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them (Galatians 3:10; cf. James 2:10). “But that no man is justified [declared right] in the sight of God, it is evident [clear, plain]: for, The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). Considering what the Scriptures indicate about our failure to measure up to the Law, we would be downright “foolish” (senseless, witless, unwise) to desire to be under the Law system (Galatians 3:1,3; Galatians 4:9,21). Howbeit, our tens of thousands of denominations are all predicated on some such performance-based acceptance system: “Do this, do that, do not do this, do not do that.” Billions of church members—including genuine Christians (!)—are in spiritual chains or shackles (legalism).

Individuals who insert the Law into their Christian (Grace) life and soul are “sowing [planting] to the flesh,” and they will “of the flesh reap corruption [destruction, decay, ruin of the Christian life]” (Galatians 6:8). This is the “wood, hay, stubble”—worthless, non-dispensational information—we are cautioned against placing into our soul in 1 Corinthians 3:9-15. To correct these blunders, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be held for us members of the Church the Body of Christ….

You Builders! #6

Sunday, August 31, 2025

“This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acts 4:11 KJV).

Who are these “builders?” What have they done—and not done?

Jesus Christ is “the head of the corner,” the cornerstone, the foundation of everything Father God will do with the nation Israel in the ages to come. All prophecies and promises radiate from His crosswork (the basis or focal point).

First Peter chapter 2: “[4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed [rejected] indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, [5] Ye [Little Flock, believing Israel] also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. [6] Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. [7] Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed [rejected], the same is made the head of the corner, [8] And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. [9] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: [10] Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

Likewise, everything God will do with us the Church the Body of Christ depends on Jesus Christ according to Paul’s mystery preaching of Him: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22). Romans to Philemon is to and about us, Christ as revealed in mystery being the foundation of God’s current dealings with man (1 Corinthians 3:9-17). Like Israel’s apostate spiritual leaders, however, our leaders for the last 2,000 years have corrupted us with garbage (non-dispensational) doctrine, mixing law and grace!

Asset or Liability to the Establishment? #11

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

“[Our Lord Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:…” (Galatians 1:4 KJV).

Are we assets or liabilities to Satan’s Establishment?

God bestowed spiritual gifts upon the early Body of Christ, that believers grow up into strong spiritual adults (not remain Bible babies!), for only spiritual adults can do the work of the ministry: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:…” (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Now, with the completed Bible canon, the temporary spiritual gifts are unnecessary. All revelation from God has been given, written down in the Bible, preserved through history via a multiplicity of reliable manuscript copies, and translated for us into our language English (the King James Bible). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Doctrine is information or teaching worthy of our faith/trust, reproof is criticism for wrong conduct, correction is for improving poor thinking—all three are instruction in righteousness (the right path to walk!). Satan wants us to be ignorant, to not know what God wants us to know, for, if we knew what God wished we knew, we would be “perfect [spiritually mature], throughly furnished unto all good works [the very good works that are liabilities to Satan’s lie program!!!].”

We study all the Bible, Genesis to Revelation, for it is all God’s Word. Yet, we know Paul is our Apostle, Christ’s spokesman to us (Acts 26:17,18; Romans 11:13). Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, describe God’s current dealings with man. If we fail to see what God is doing in the “but now,” and/or try to go back to “time past” (Scripture prior to Paul), that is a heavenly way to do the Devil’s work (serve as his assets)!

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

Asset or Liability to the Establishment? #7

Saturday, August 2, 2025

“[Our Lord Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:…” (Galatians 1:4 KJV).

Are we assets or liabilities to Satan’s Establishment?

The Apostle John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17). Composing today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul agrees. As God has delivered us from this present evil world (Satan’s influence positionally), so we should be separated from it practically. Unfortunately, the Galatians did not learn this, so Satan was thoroughly delighted when they kept hanging on to their “goodness” (rites, rituals, ceremonies, self-righteousness).

One day, God will overthrow this present evil world, this Satanic Establishment. It thus makes no sense for us members of the Church the Body of Christ to find value in what lost people do. Part of this present evil world is Satan’s religious system, in which we should not participate: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh [Corinth’s sinful conduct] and spirit [Galatia’s sinful doctrine], perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1).

There is more….

A Grace Study Bible

Friday, August 1, 2025

“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 13 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.”

Thirteen 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 Kingdom of God is Within You #13

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV).

Is there really a “mis-translation” in the King James Bible here?

The Bible opens, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Sin corrupted both realms: Satan contaminated the Heaven using his fallen angels and polluted the Earth utilizing sinful man. Creation is in rebellion. The Holy Scriptures are the record of God restoring both Heaven and Earth to Himself, that He fill each sphere of influence with His life, thereby achieving His eternal purpose.

“For by him [Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:16-20).

Father God will use Christ’s shed blood to redeem two groups. One is His earthly people, the nation Israel, whom He will fill with His life and then install in the offices of Earth’s governments. (If Amillennialists are correct—if there is no literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom—God will never be able to recover Earth from Satan’s influence!) The other is His heavenly people, the Church the Body of Christ, whom He will fill with His life and then install in the offices of Heaven’s governments.

As touching the ages to come, see Matthew 25:34: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:….” God had that kingdom in mind going all the way back to when He placed Adam on the Earth, proving Christ’s kingdom in prophecy is literal, physical, visible, earthly.

We summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

The Kingdom of God is Within You #12

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV).

Is there really a “mis-translation” in the King James Bible here?

Due to a miserable (!) failure to rightly divide the Word of Truth, today’s Scripture and context (verses 20,21) have been twisted out of shape to teach something they do not teach and never did teach. They do not describe God’s current dealings with man at all, but typify what He did with Israel in time past. Peter’s ministry—an extension of Christ’s earthly ministry—concerns Israel rising to kingdom glory, God’s salvation and blessing going to the world (Gentiles) in Israel’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic kingdom (Isaiah 60:1-3; Zechariah 8:20-23; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 2:32; Luke 24:47; John 4:42; Acts 1:6; Acts 3:24-26). However, Paul’s ministry is God’s salvation and blessing going to the world (Gentiles) through Israel’s temporary fall and without her kingdom (Romans 11:11-14). Though Christendom has neglected it for 20 centuries, we dare not miss this important distinction!

Just because God did something in time past does not mean He is doing it in the but now, and just because He is doing it in the but now does not mean He will keep doing it in the ages to come. Though He is not growing His earthly people (Israel) now, Romans 11:25-29 indicates He will return to that after He closes our program and completes us the Church the Body of Christ: “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: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

We are not Israel, and we have not replaced Israel, so we are wise in our own conceits (we think we are someone we are not) if we believe we are Israel or that we have replaced Israel….

The Kingdom of God is Within You #9

Saturday, July 19, 2025

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21 KJV).

Is there really a “mis-translation” in the King James Bible here?

To put it as succinctly as possible, “the kingdom of God” is the realm or sphere over which God has influence. It excludes unbelievers, Satan, and fallen angels. The expression is found in both Pauline and non-Pauline Bible verses. As touching us in mystery, we the Church the Body of Christ are “the kingdom of God.” In the prophetic program, however, the term takes the form of a literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom—and this is because Israel is God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly people. In today’s Scripture, Jesus tells the Pharisees they need to have faith in Him before they see His literal, physical, visible, earthly kingdom founded. They must have God’s influence in their hearts (“the kingdom of God is within you”—today’s Scripture) before they observe with their physical eyes how He demolishes earthly governments.

Read Luke 17:20 again. By looking for a literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom at so late a time during Christ’s earthly ministry, the unbelieving Pharisees (who have failed to receive Jesus by faith) and the rest of lost Israel have opened themselves up to the deception of the Antichrist’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom that will counterfeit and come before Jesus Christ’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom.

That is the warning of Luke 17:20-25: “…The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.”

Again, Calvary is just weeks away, which postpones the kingdom….