Category: The Church the Body of Christ

Time Travel and the Mystery #6

Monday, November 17, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

Colossians 2:13-15 explains: “[13] [God]…having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” As today’s Scripture says, it was through Calvary’s finished crosswork that Jesus Christ overcame sin, death, and Satan and his cohorts. Imagine Satan’s utter embarrassment when he learned from Paul’s ministry how God made a spectacle of him and his policy of evil; he was so horrified to discover that he had actually contributed to his own downfall. A plan he had labored so hard and so long to accomplish, and now he himself had permanently ruined it!

Jesus Christ’s blood shed at Calvary currently enables God to save us, formerly pagan Gentile sinners headed for hell, to baptize us into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit when we trust that shed blood alone (1 Corinthians 12:13). Why does God save us? Not just to keep us out of hell, but to use us corporately in the heavenly places in the ages to come, for Jesus Christ’s glory (“our glory” of today’s Scripture; cf. Colossians 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). We Christians will be glorified one day so, ultimately, Jesus Christ will be glorified in and through us throughout eternity future (Romans 8:17-25)!

As we saw earlier, Colossians 1:16-20 also provides clarity regarding Israel’s program and God’s restoration of Earth. God the Father will use Christ’s shed blood to ratify the New Covenant, allowing Him to redeem Israel from their sins (Hebrews 10:1-25).

With all that as “background,” we proceed to analyze today’s Scripture with its context….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How is mankind ‘lower than the angels?’”

Time Travel and the Mystery #5

Sunday, November 16, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

In the “sister” epistles of Ephesians and Colossians, the Apostle Paul describes the reason for God forming the Church the Body of Christ. God’s “eternal purpose” (Ephesians 3:11) is to, “in the dispensation of the fulness of times,” “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:9,10).

Colossians 1:16-20 amplifies: “[16] 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: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] 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. [19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; [20] 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.”

Prior to Paul, God revealed that He would use Israel to reconcile Earth unto Himself; but He kept secret how He would reconcile Heaven unto Himself. Now, with the mystery disclosed through Paul’s epistles, we see that God is using Jesus Christ’s shed blood to form a body of believers (the Church the Body of Christ) that will do in Heaven what Israel will do on Earth—make Jesus Christ preeminent in all of creation’s governments (His original plan before sin entered!).

Let us further examine how Christ’s shed blood develops God’s eternal purpose….

Time Travel and the Mystery #4

Saturday, November 15, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

From Genesis until Acts chapter 9, about a 4,000-year period, God revealed piece-meal (little by little) His purpose and plan for restoring Earth unto Himself: an earthly kingdom with Christ reigning (the kingdom Adam and Eve should have had back in Eden, but which transferred to Israel). This is called “prophecy,” or “[that] which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

While God was revealing “prophecy,” He was hiding “mystery.” By disclosing only part of His will, God caused Satan to focus on attacking only that. Satan was distracted. Additionally, by Satan trying to hinder that revealed part of God’s will (that is, by hindering God’s earthly plans, or killing Messiah Jesus), Satan behaved in such a way as to unwittingly participate in accomplishing God’s will for restoring Heaven and Earth. Romans 16:25,26 speaks of “mystery,” “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 [through Paul’s writings]….” After Calvary, God revealed to and through the Apostle Paul, how He will restore the Heavens using Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:8-10 how the secret will of God is now manifested: “[8] Wherein [God] hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; [9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: [10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”

Let us see just how God will accomplish this grand plan, in spite of Satan’s rebellion….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is John 1:29 really a reference to Calvary?”

Time Travel and the Mystery #3

Friday, November 14, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

The Prophets Isaiah (14:12-15) and Ezekiel (28:11-19), when describing Israel’s future re-gathering and restoration into God’s earthly kingdom, recapitulate Satan’s policy of evil and its ultimate failure. Isaiah noted Lucifer had sought to “be like the most High, possessor of heaven and earth” (Isaiah 14:14; cf. Genesis 14:19,22).

When Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” Colossians 1:16 explains: “For by [the Lord 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:” Heaven and Earth were designed with offices of government to run their operations to Jesus Christ’s glory. We see only Earth’s offices, but the same terminology is used for those in Heaven. Lucifer wanted to take over Heaven and Earth, have their governments glorify him and advance his will. God told Lucifer, “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thy traffick;…” (Ezekiel 28:18). Satan recruited many angels to rebel in Heaven with him; hence, God cast him to Earth (Luke 10:18).

Satan then attacked and recruited to his side newly-formed Adam and Eve, God’s king and queen over Earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 3:1-24). Having now captured offices in Heaven and Earth, Satan relentlessly disrupted God’s efforts to restore Earth to Himself. Satan used Cain to murder righteous Abel, evil spirits to bring about a Global Flood and the destruction of most of mankind, false prophets to mislead God’s people Israel, having them finally kill Messiah Jesus. The Devil became so focused on Earth because God kept His plan for restoring Heaven, a secret. As today’s Scripture says, Satan eventually learned Messiah’s death was his deathblow instead….

People of the Book

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

“The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:28 KJV).

If we are to be “People of the Book,” we must first be able to identify “the Book.”

According to The Oxford Dictionary of English, Muslims know Jews and Christians as, “People of the Book.” Muslims understand that the Holy Bible plays an integral role in the lives of Jews (Old Testament only) and Christians (both Testaments). I am not a Jew and thus cannot comment from their standpoint, but I, a Christian, can remark that I depend on the Holy Bible in all matters of faith and practice. No, I do not appeal to scientific consensus, denominational tradition or approval, and humanistic opinions, to form my worldview and conduct my life. My conviction is to compare what I hear and see to the Holy Scriptures, before I believe what I hear and see.

The Holy King James Bible proves itself to be trustworthy and inerrant. Thus, I rely on it. Whenever someone offers me another book and says, “Many scholarly translators used older and better manuscripts to produce this version,” I gladly take it and evaluate it with an open mind. In the last seven years of doing just that with numerous modern versions, I have discovered that Bible scholarship has not waxed better, but worse. Apostasy has not waned, but proliferated exponentially. May the Lord help us if we are so naïve and irrational as to believe that He is using today’s religious leadership to produce better Bibles!

In the context of today’s Scripture, some 600 years before Christ, false prophets had infiltrated Israel. Israel could not distinguish God’s pure Word from counterfeit “bibles,” and vice versa. The Church the Body of Christ finds itself in the same predicament today… confused, weakened, defeated! Even today, people are still “perverting the words of the living God” (Jeremiah 23:36).

As today’s Scripture says, if we have God’s Word, let us speak it faithfully. If we do not know what is God’s Word, may we be silent until we locate it!!

Peculiar

Friday, October 10, 2014

“For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure” (Psalm 135:4 KJV).

Our King James Bible uses the term “peculiar” seven times; what does it mean?

While we use the word “peculiar” today to mean “strange,” in older English (as in the King James), it meant “of private property” (from Latin peculiaris, from peculium ‘property,’ from pecu ‘cattle’ [cattle being private property]; the sense [odd] dates from the early 17th century).

JEHOVAH God told the nation Israel in Exodus 19:5: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine….” Deuteronomy 14:2 repeats, “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.” And Deuteronomy 26:18: “And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments….” Finally, 1 Peter 2:9: “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…” God wanted Israel to be His special nation in the Earth (see today’s Scripture). The Apostle Peter assures us that it will happen one day, after our dispensation!

Ecclesiastes 2:8 further explains how God’s Word uses the term “peculiar:” “I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces…” (notice “peculiar” means “belonging to kings…”).

Writing about us, the Church the Body of Christ, the Apostle Paul penned in Titus 2:14: “[Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” While Israel is temporarily fallen (Romans chapter 11), God is forming us, Christ’s Body, that we may one day serve Him in the heavenly places.

God’s people are always “unique,” but they are “peculiar” primarily because they are His!

1 + 1 = 1

Saturday, September 20, 2014

“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31 KJV).

On this day, my family and I invite you to join us in the celebration of two lives beginning as one brand-new life!

Today, my family will gain a new member, and I a new sister-in-law. My eldest brother, Isral, will marry his fiancée, Jivka (they will read this later). We wish them well on this their wedding day, when they join hands in holy matrimony and take lifelong vows before their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

They will no longer have two identities, but one identity; the context of today’s Scripture is how we Christians and Christ share one identity: “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (verse 30). My dear brother must now leave father and mother, to now cleave to Jivka. She must now come under his protection and guidance, as we have done in relation to Jesus Christ (verses 22-24). He must love her as Christ loves us (verse 25). They have a brand-new life together, and how we joy in Jesus Christ with them!

Marriage can be the happiest life event or it can literally be a worst nightmare—either extreme depends on what extent the Lord Jesus Christ is allowed to live in the lives of both spouses. Jesus Christ is fully compatible with Himself, so when two Christians join together in marriage and have issues, it is not Jesus Christ’s fault. Either the husband, the wife, or both, are not living the grace life—Jesus Christ’s doctrine regarding marriage (1 Corinthians chapter 7; Ephesians 5:18-33; Colossians 3:16-19) is not being applied by faith.

In this day and age, marriage vows are often taken very lightly. Sometimes, unfortunately, they are not taken at all. Beloved, no marriage is perfect, but when Christian couples apply by faith the marriage doctrines of grace as found in the words of the Holy Ghost through the Apostle Paul, their new life will literally be the life of Jesus Christ on display for all to see 1 + 1 = 1. 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who is ‘the Bride of Christ?’”

The Serpent’s Subtilty #3

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV).

The Serpent is “subtil,” so the saint must be sagacious!

Some of Paul’s converts in Corinth, Greece, were questioning his apostleship, doubting that Jesus Christ had really sent him to them. False teachers had caused them to become anti-Paul, and thus, anti-Jesus Christ: they rejected Jesus Christ speaking through the Apostle Paul. That is the context of today’s Scripture. We want to focus on verse 4 now, particularly the phrase, “another Jesus:” “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

Paul feared someone would “preach another Jesus, whom we have not preached.” What does that mean? Paul was preaching “Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25). There was a special way to view Jesus Christ—primarily, Him being the Head of the Church the Body of Christ. This message was committed first to the Apostle Paul; God kept it secret prior to Paul. Peter, James, and John never preached it. To learn about the Jesus Christ whom Paul preached, we must read Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

We do not follow Jesus’ earthly ministry (Matthew through John)—it was to Jews only (Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Acts 2:22; Romans 15:8). The Bible says, “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Corinthians 5:16). Jesus Christ now has a heavenly ministry through Paul… to reach us Gentiles (1 Corinthians 14:37; cf. Romans 11:13)!

Unfortunately, there is so much emphasis on Matthew through John in most churches today, that few ever realize that Jesus Christ revealed additional information to Paul years later, special doctrine found nowhere else in Scripture. Like Eve, Satan has deceived them; they are misapplying, misquoting, and watering down Scripture, denying the contexts of Israel’s verses, et cetera. Satan’s relentless attack on God’s Word continues….

The Serpent’s Subtilty #1

Sunday, September 14, 2014

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV).

The Serpent is “subtil,” so the saint must be sagacious!

Satan, commonly called “the Devil” or “that old serpent” (Revelation 12:9), is one of the most misunderstood individuals in Scripture. The average church member is completely oblivious to exactly what he wants accomplished and how he operates to achieve it.

We should know our enemy, beloved—after all, he aspires to defeat us!! Just as a soldier does not haphazardly enter the battlefield, but first is briefed about his mission and the activity of the opposition, so we must study our Bibles to see how Satan wages war with us Christians (his overall goal is to thwart God’s plans). In today’s Scripture, Paul clearly explained that if we could understand the method Satan used to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden, then we could comprehend how he will trick us.

Let us read verses 1 and 2 with today’s Scripture: “[1] Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. [2] For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

As God’s spokesman to us Gentiles (Romans 11:13), Paul had a righteous jealousy. He did not want doctrinal error to spiritually defile us as illicit sexual activity would physically spoil a virgin. We Christians are joined to Jesus Christ; we are His Body forever, so we have no business dabbling in (false) religion. Six times JEHOVAH told Israel that He was a “jealous God,” so they were not to participate in heathen religion (Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 6:15; Joshua 24:19). If we are to withstand Satan’s war against us, we too must learn to identify and avoid “doctrines of devils….”

Jesus Christ, Preeminent One

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

“…that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18c KJV).

Behold, the Person who alone will have preeminence in all things!

A celebrity once questioned why people had to talk about Jesus Christ “so much.” (Perhaps people should be talking about her instead?) Beloved, such people are actually indicating that they have no clue as to why they exist. They are so self-absorbed that they are thoroughly shocked when they learn it is not “all about them.”

Imagine the pride that filled Lucifer’s heart when he saw his own reflection, and the envy that filled his heart when he realized that God was on the throne rather than he! These two emotions—pride and envy—permeate the sinful human soul; hence, the Bible calls lost mankind, “children of the devil” (John 8:44), “[those] of that wicked one” (1 John 3:12), and “children of disobedience” and “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:2,3). No wonder God has to kill that awful nature before He can let us into heaven!

The mystery of God’s will is to have all of heaven and earth under Jesus Christ’s authority (Ephesians 1:9,10). Colossians 1:16-20 says that Jesus Christ will have preeminence over all things, all the governments of heaven and earth. Throughout eternity future, Jesus Christ will have preeminence in everything, and He will use us to glorify Himself in heaven and redeemed Israel to glorify Himself on earth.

Philippians 2:9-11 says that all creatures in heaven, in earth, and under the earth (lost mankind and all the fallen angels in hellfire), will bow before Jesus Christ one day. Although the lost are permanently severed from Him, they will admit and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of Father God. All of the world’s religious leaders—popes, preachers, seminary professors, imams, gurus, “prophets,” Dalai Lamas, priests—will be forced to bow to Jesus Christ and give Him all the worship He alone deserves.

“Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

That is why we talk about Jesus Christ “so much!” 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A’s: “Did the Church the Body of Christ Begin in Acts 2?” and (our special 50th Q&A) “When Did the Church the Body of Christ Begin?”