Category: Pauline Dispensationalism / Dispensational Bible Study

His Son #2

Thursday, October 20, 2016

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 KJV).

What can today’s Scripture teach us?

For some reason known only to Him, God the Holy Spirit chose not to reveal the human instrument He moved to write the Book of Hebrews. So, rather than squabbling about the man’s identity, all we need to know about its writer is found in the first word—God!

JEHOVAH God, Israel’s God, for centuries, had sent prophets to communicate more and more of His Word to her. “Time past” here in this context (Hebrews 1:1) denotes Abraham’s call all the way up to John the Baptist’s ministry (about 2,100 years). It started with Abraham because he was Israel’s father, and it ended just before John the Baptist’s ministry began (we will look at this verse later). For now, just know this was a time of piecemeal revelation to Israel—“at sundry times.” It involved various angelic appearances, handwriting, visions, dreams, miracles, fire from heaven, and so on—“in divers manners.”

First Peter chapter 1 says of the “Old Testament” prophets who, with limited understanding, tried to make sense of it all: “[10] Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: [11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” Notice this reference to Christ’s First Coming (earthly ministry—“the sufferings of Christ”) and His Second Coming (“the glory that should follow”).

With the passing away of such “piecemeal” prophetic ministries, Father God sent His Son as His Spokesman to Israel. Whatever those holy men spoke prophetically, Jesus would come (Matthew through John) and repeat, explain, and add to it….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Was the Law of Moses given by the LORD, or by angels?”

His Son #1

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:1-3 KJV).

What can today’s Scripture teach us?

The Book of Hebrews opens with these three verses. We would do well to notice this is the Epistle to the Hebrews. This will greatly help us understand today’s Scripture. Throughout church history, Bible expositors and church members alike have gotten into much trouble and suffered tremendous confusion because they took verses written to and about Israel, and forced them onto us (the Church the Body of Christ).

For many centuries prior to the Book of Hebrews, for several hundred years before the early Acts period, for many centuries before Christ’s earthly ministry, Father God had sent numerous prophets to Israel concerning His coming Son. Through the preaching of those holy men, He was preparing His nation to identify their Messiah when He arrived. Yet, Israel became increasingly unbelieving and stubborn. Suddenly, God began to speak more and more about His coming wrath as well.

As the Book of Hebrews tells us in today’s Scripture, Israel’s “last days” (the final stages of her program) commenced with the earthly ministry of Christ. Some 800 years before Jesus, the Prophet Joel (2:28-32) predicted those “last days.” First would be the outpouring of God’s Spirit on believing Israel (fulfilled in Acts chapter 2). Then there would be the outpouring of God’s wrath on unbelieving Israel (still awaiting fulfillment, but would have come in early Acts). In Acts 2:14-36, Peter the Apostle preached to Israel that Joel’s prophecy was coming to pass, and that wrath was coming! They must “repent and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ.” God’s Son, whom their prophets foretold would come, has come, and they have rejected Him, nailed Him to Calvary’s cross, and still refuse to hear Him….

Grace Abounding

Monday, October 17, 2016

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18,19 KJV).

Grace to hundreds of nations and billions of sinners—God’s abounding grace!

Recently, a Christian sister, experiencing marital difficulties, asked me why God had not yet punished her husband for the despicable evils he was still committing against her. I replied, “We are living in the Dispensation of Grace!” Now, please understand. God still hates sin as much as He ever has. Sin nailed His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross, so He will never change His attitude about sin. Still, that finished crosswork satisfied His wrath against man’s sin. When Jesus’ soul was literally offered for sin (Isaiah 53:10), He experienced on the cross what lost people experience forever in hellfire. God’s wrath came down upon Christ in the utmost severity. Thus, He cried out from His cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The holy God of the Bible forsook Christ, that we, by faith, would have redemption in Him, so He not forsake us in hellfire.

Instead of His wrath and judgment, today’s Scripture says the God of the Bible is offering to all nations (and individuals) of the world to come fellowship with Him through His Son. He changed their status, from being worthy of punishment, to being recipients of His grace. People still die and go to hell today, but they do so having rejected the Gospel of the Grace of God that would have saved them from that penalty of sin. They had a chance to be permanently reconciled to God by His Son’s death, and they refused it. God is not “getting even” with anyone—Christians or lost people—living today. The only divine punishment in the Dispensation of Grace is after physical death. In our Dispensation of Grace, God’s attitude toward the world is highlighted in the opening line of every Pauline epistle—“grace and peace.”

“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).

Feedback

Friday, October 14, 2016

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

Dear readers, what was written to the Thessalonians applies to you, too!

Saints, God’s Word touches hearts—sometimes it does gently, other times it is prickly! Checking ministry emails has its advantages and disadvantages. I never know if there will be good or bad news, praise or criticism, agreement or discord. As you can imagine, some very offended people use some very uncouth language to describe our Bible studies and/or even define me (whom they do not even know and have probably never met in person!). They cannot stand the fact that the King James Bible is right and they and their denomination are wrong. It seems like they would grab me around the neck if they could!

In stark contrast, other readers, rejoicing in our Lord, are so grateful for our ministry projects. They are thrilled beyond words to have access to sound Bible teaching. Having not heard it in their churches, they are spiritually starving. Praise our Lord Jesus Christ, though, that they are learning “so much” now! To show their appreciation, they send an email to thank and encourage me, or send a monetary donation so our ministry can continue to reach others. We are thrilled to serve them!

Paul, Silas, and Timothy, in today’s Scripture, confess that their first visit to Thessalonica was not useless (cf. Acts chapter 17). After all, they had just written in chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians: “[9] For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; [10] And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” These precious people learned and believed the Word of God, and it went to work in their hearts and lives (1 Thessalonians 2:13). The same radical transformation is happening among you, dear readers! God’s grace is coming to life in your lives and we rejoice in Christ with you that we can minister to you the Word of God rightly divided! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How did Enoch ‘walk with God?’”

By the way, if we have helped you in God’s Word, please remember to donate if you can: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. (Or email me at arcministries@gmail.com if you want to donate without using PayPal.) Thanks!

Why Stand Ye Gazing Up Into Heaven? #4

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10,11 KJV).

Why did the angels ask the Apostles, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?”

Today’s Scripture declares the 12 Apostles looked “stedfastly” toward Heaven. They were not merely watching Christ Jesus ascend. Rather, they continued to look up. It was an intense gaze, not casual observation. Perhaps they even looked up long after He was out of sight. In spite of His instructions not to look for His return until they saw certain events (Luke 21:25-28), they looked up for Him to reappear immediately to “restore again the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6). As we ask someone doing wrong, “Hey, what are you doing?,” to cause him or her to realize misconduct, so the angels asked the Apostles, “Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?”

Jesus told Israel’s believing remnant—particularly His 12 apostles—they were not to look up for His Second Coming (for them) until they saw specific phenomena. Contrariwise, when describing Christ coming for us (the Church His Body), Scripture says nothing about preceding signs. For example, see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, Philippians 3:20, Titus 2:13, and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. There will be no warning signs concerning this coming (for the Body of Christ). In contrast to Israel anticipating the Second Coming, we should be looking for the Rapture to occur at any time. Only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, do we find this doctrine of the Body of Christ being caught up from Earth into Heaven. Us searching for the Rapture elsewhere in Scripture will introduce unanswerable confusion.

A thoughtful and prayerful consideration of the Bible reveals two future comings of Christ Jesus. To force all verses about “Christ’s coming” to apply to one event is dangerous. We must not combine what God has separated; we must not mixed what God told us to “rightly divide” (2 Timothy 2:15). These two future comings of Christ are separate!

Heart’s Desire

Saturday, October 1, 2016

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart” (Romans 9:1,2 KJV).

Why did Paul have “great heaviness and continual sorrow in [his] heart?”

Mom and I recently visited a family friend, a new Christian only a year old in the Lord. After our three-hour Bible study answering her questions, she spoke to us as we were leaving. Having just learned many precious truths from God’s Word, this dear lady began to literally weep. She now fathomed the immense deception of her former denomination. How she was so burdened that her son, her daughter, and her grandchildren were still trapped in that cult. She had raised them in that religious group, and while she had escaped, they had chosen to remain in it. We comforted and encouraged her.

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul was deeply disturbed, constantly sorrowful. Verse 3 explains, “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Paul was so saddened to see his Jewish brethren stuck in their apostasy—Satanic deception and anti-Jesus-Christ attitude. They hated Jesus so much they often attempted to take Paul’s life for preaching His name! Chapter 10 opens: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” And, verse 3: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

Friend, do you know what made it especially hurtful for Paul to see Israel utterly fallen and thoroughly deceived? As Saul of Tarsus, he had encouraged Israel to reject Jesus and kill His followers (Acts 8:1-4; Acts 26:9-11)! Being lost, Paul had led Israel’s rebellion against Jesus Christ! Now, having been saved from hell’s flames, he felt deep remorse for what he had done. Until his dying day, Paul surely prayed for his unbelieving brethren. They were to give up their works-religion and embrace Jesus Christ, as he had! Beloved, let us not cease to pray for our unsaved loved ones—and be ready to speak God’s truth when they want it!

Bible Q&A #310: “Can you explain 1 Corinthians 8?”

May Ignorance Not Be Your Preference!

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

“Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:4 KJV).

Want to know the Bible’s truths, especially Paul’s revelations? Read it!

Recently, I spoke with a Christian brother who explained how he had quite an “adventure” coming to understand the Bible rightly divided. It boggled his mind how, despite all the deception in the world, he had come to the knowledge of the truth. In fact, other grace believers often ask the same question he had, “Why did God choose to reveal this to me while so many others, especially professing Christians, know nothing about it and grope in spiritual darkness?” Dear friends, this is actually a flawed question because, whether we realize it or not, it endorses the false teachings of Calvinism (that is, “God chose me and He did not choose you! I am so special!”)

The consistent testimony of Scripture is people are ignorant of God’s Word, not because He chose them for ignorance, but because they refused Him and His Word. See Romans 1:20-32, for example. The Lord Jesus Himself said in John 7:17: “If any man will [wishes to] do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” He said in Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Finally, John 5:43: “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:13). Bibles are everywhere on this planet—in print, online, and audio. Oftentimes, people who have access to several Bibles never read any of them, let alone study any! Too many people, if they do read the Bible, always let theologians and denominations “interpret” (read that as “confuse!”) it for them. According to Scripture, the vast majority remains ignorant of God’s truths because ignorance is their preference! “If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38)!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Could you explain John 1:51?”

The Precious Blood of Christ #8

Saturday, September 24, 2016

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18,19 KJV).

God the Father and God the Holy Ghost think the blood of Jesus Christ is “precious.” And you?

When people tell us the blood of Christ is “slaughterhouse religion” or “too offensive to stress,” what they really mean is God’s purpose and plan for creation means nothing to them! “Without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]” (Hebrews 9:22). Life is in the blood, Leviticus 17:10-14 tells us. Save for the shed blood of the sinless God-Man, we sinners have no life—we would remain dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). The person who rails against the blood of Christ does so in ignorance. He or she has not a clue that just as sin brought us death, so the blood of Christ brings us life (cf. Romans 5:1-21).

By faith in the shed blood of Christ, any person can come to Father God and be justified (declared righteous) because he or she will share Christ’s identity. In today’s Dispensation of Grace, the believer joins the Church the Body of Christ. In time past, it was the nation Israel. In the ages to come, it will be the nation Israel. Regardless of which agency—Israel (Earth) or Body of Christ (Heaven)—both require faith in Christ’s shed blood to join. Now, we see how God will reconcile Heaven and Earth unto Himself. He will toss out Satan and his minions and replace them with His saints!

Romans 3:24-26: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” ’Tis only possible because “the precious blood of Christ” was shed so rich and free… for you and for me! 🙂

Teach Them Diligently Unto Thy Children

Thursday, September 15, 2016

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6,7 KJV).

Such wise words from so long ago!

Earlier, I overheard two women talking about raising kids in this very confused world. The boundaries of human sexuality have been blurred. Children are addicted to electronic entertainment. All we hear about violence. There is such uncertainty. Friends, this is going to sound harsh, but it is the truth. Most children these days have a very bleak future because their parents have such a very weak understanding of what really matters. They have religion, education, and material wealth, but they do not understand the things of God. They cannot stand by faith on the written Word of God because they do not know it. If they do not know it, they certainly cannot teach it to their children!

Today’s Scripture commanded the Jews to teach their children the Law of Moses. If those new generations of Israel did not faithfully keep that Mosaic Covenant, God would forcefully drive them out of that Promised Land. Israel treated this commandment very lightly. They did not faithfully pass on God’s Word to their children. About 900 years after Moses, Israel fell politically. Instead of holding to God’s Word, they had worshipped and served pagan idols. So, in righteous judgment, God fulfilled His Word to them. He forced them out of the Holy Land. Gentile armies robbed, ravished, imprisoned, and killed them! The Jews are scattered worldwide even today!

Friends, if we are worried about future generations today, we had better get them into God’s Holy Word rightly divided. Our King James Bible is a sure (reliable) basis for life. It will be here long after we leave this world. Religious tradition will not do it because it changes through time. Science will not do it because scientific ideas change through time. We had better get our young people especially into the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, lest our society wind up like ancient Israel’s!

When Christ Jesus Returns

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1,2 KJV).

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (verses 3,4).

Christian people often ask, “When is Christ Jesus coming back?” Various and sundry dates are provided. Church history abounds with many instances of such speculations. None have been accurate yet!

Years ago, I heard the following advice: “We Christians live like Jesus Christ is coming within the next 10 minutes. We plan like He is not coming for the next 10 years.” The point is our lifestyles should be glorifying Him whenever He comes for us. Furthermore, we should plan ahead as though He will not come for another decade. By what other means can we reach more lost people with the Gospel of the Grace of God? By what other methods can we teach other Christians the Word of God rightly divided? While we are waiting for Him, we have more opportunity to serve Him. As long as the Dispensation of Grace operates, Paul’s Gospel is still valid. The Church the Body of Christ is still open to membership. God’s attitude toward the world is still grace and peace.

Doubtless, we should anticipate our Saviour’s coming. The Bible calls it our “blessed hope” and we should be “looking” for it (Titus 2:13). However, we should not sit around idly waiting and guessing dates. God before ordained that we the saints should walk in good works (Ephesians 2:1). These good works should continue as long as we are on this Earth. Good works should cease only for two reasons—physical death or the Rapture. Even a bedridden saint can pray, particularly for those Christians who are mobile!

Whenever Jesus Christ returns, whether in our lifetime or not, two things should be true. Firstly, may it be true that it was His life living in us. Secondly, let it be true that we planned to continue letting Him live in us, had these physical bodies continued! 🙂