Category: Pauline Dispensationalism / Dispensational Bible Study

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #7

Sunday, April 7, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

While difficult circumstances are not enjoyable, they can be learning opportunities. Even the Apostle Paul needed spiritual growth. He finally learned how to change his outlook on suffering: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

The “treasure in earthen vessels” of 2 Corinthians 4:7, the “power of Christ” of 2 Corinthians 12:9, and the “inward man being renewed day by day” of 2 Corinthians 4:16, are summarized in Philippians 4:13—“Christ which strengtheneth me.” Hence, Paul wrote, “for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

God’s abundant grace (2 Corinthians 12:9) enabled Paul and Timothy to endure suffering in order to minister to these Corinthian believers: “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15). God strengthened them, which caused other believers to be thankful to God for giving Paul and Timothy provisions in Christ that got them through their difficult circumstances.

The spiritual fortitude and spiritual growth that resulted in these believers helped them to better understand how to deal with their own troubles, and it stored in their inner man the capacity to eternally function one day in the heavenly places for God’s glory. Therefore, this doxology—this praise to God—is not only here and now, but literally “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (today’s Scripture).

Remember, the issue is not the vessels—our frail, perishing physical bodies—but rather the treasure—the life of Jesus Christ—they contain. A doxology indeed! 🙂

Luke, the Beloved Physician

Friday, April 19, 2013

“Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you” (Colossians 4:14 KJV).

As I sat in the emergency room early this morning, I could not help but think about today’s Scripture, Paul’s friend and co-laborer in the ministry….

The Bible only mentions Luke by name in three verses—today’s Scripture, 2 Timothy 4:11, and Philemon 24. Let us look at these verses to learn more about this Christian in the Bible.

In today’s Scripture, we learn that Luke is a medical doctor, described by the adjective “beloved” (dearly loved). Actually, today’s Scripture is one of the closing verses of Paul’s epistle to the Christians in Colosse. Paul writes that Luke says “hello” to them (remember, in biblical times, unlike today, long-distance communication was very limited and just as slow). In fact, Paul is writing from his prison in Rome (Colossians 4:3,18)—Colosse is over 600 miles (966 kilometers) away!

When Paul writes to Philemon sometime later, he refers to “Lucas” (Luke) as one of his “fellow-labourers” (24).

Not too long after writing his epistles to the Colossians and Philemon, Paul pens his last letter, his second letter to Timothy. Paul’s ministry is coming to a close, and he writes, “Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11). The beloved physician is still with Paul, right to the end of the apostle’s life. Actually, Luke is a great comfort to Paul in that dank, dark, lonely prison cell.

Although not explicitly stated in Scripture, it is highly likely that Luke wrote the third of the Four Gospels, the book we call “the Gospel according to St. Luke,” and its companion volume, the book of Acts (Luke 1:1-4; cf. Acts 1:1). Furthermore, the pronoun “we” throughout the book of Acts indicates that its author followed the Apostle Paul during his apostolic journeys (Acts 16:10,12,16; Acts 20:5,13; Acts 21:17; Acts 27:1,27; Acts 28:16); it may have very well been Luke.

What happened to Luke after Paul’s writing of 2 Timothy, we do not know. All we know is that this intelligent man was a great friend of the Apostle Paul, his brother and helper in Christ, the “beloved physician….”

Good Riddance! #10

Thursday, April 18, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Originally, mankind had the spiritual light of God’s Word. Once he fell into sin in Genesis chapter 3, his heart was darkened. When God gave up the unthankful and willfully ignorant Gentile nations in Genesis chapter 11, in chapter 12, He created a new group of people, Israel, through Abraham, who would accomplish His will in the earth (Adam’s original purpose before sin entered). For 2,000 years, as we Gentiles groped in spiritual darkness (Acts 14:16; Acts 26:17,18; Ephesians 2:11,12; Ephesians 4:17-19), Israel had God’s Word and God’s light (Romans 3:1,2; Romans 9:4,5). Alas, Israel too rejected that wisdom!

And so, we come to today, the Dispensation of the Grace of God, which has been operating for nearly 2,000 years. While Israel is temporarily blinded (Romans 11:25), God is forming the Church the Body of Christ, an agency of people who will do in the heavenly places in eternity future, what Israel will do in the earth in eternity future—rule for Jesus Christ’s glory.

As people who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, we are members of the Church the Body of Christ. When we teach God’s Holy Word and the principles found therein, we are actually publishing the original laws and social structure that existed before sin entered. We are not “bigoted” for opposing the sins of the world; actually, they are presumptuous for defending and engaging in activity that never belonged in creation in the first place!

The lost world wishes we members of the Body of Christ were not here—they want to tell us “good riddance” for being hindrances to “progress.” One day, when the Lord Jesus catches us away to be with Him in the heavenly places, as we leave this earth, we can say, “Good riddance!” to this evil world system! 🙂

Good Riddance! #5

Saturday, April 13, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

The context of today’s Scripture uses the historical narrative of Cain and Abel to reinforce the doctrine the Holy Spirit is communicating through the Apostle John: “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:11-13).

John, writing to believing Jews who will live after our Dispensation of Grace—that is, who will live during the seven-year Tribulation—uses material the Bible already taught to further educate them. We can gain two main points from this passage.

Firstly, John reminds them of the kingdom doctrine Jesus Christ uttered to His little flock (believing Israel) during His earthly ministry: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). These Jewish believers are to love one another, just as Jesus Christ loved them (contrast this with today’s Scripture).

Secondly, John reminds believing Israel that just as unbelieving, disobedient Cain murdered his brother, Abel, the man of faith and God’s prophet, so her unbelieving brethren (that is, apostate Israel) will seek to persecute and kill her. Remember, Jesus Christ warned “a man’s foes shall be they of his own household” (Matthew 10:32-42). Speaking of the Tribulation, Jesus predicted His Jewish followers would not only be hated by the unbelieving Gentiles, but also by unbelieving Israel (who are all following Satan’s evil world system and the antichrist’s apostate religious system).

John, in today’s Scripture, reminds his audience suffering in the Tribulation, that Satan’s world system and its members have always hated the Lord Jesus Christ’s people. They should not be shocked, nor should they lose heart….

Good Riddance! #1

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Our Lord Jesus Christ was certainly unpopular with the religious and political leaders of His day because they dared not submit to Him, the God of creation, and His righteousness. They hated His message, so they attempted to get rid of Him any chance they got. Ultimately, they were quite pleased to have Him hanging on Calvary’s cross and slowly dying, during which time they mocked Him, laughed at Him, and reviled Him!

Just hours before that crucifixion, Jesus reminded His Jewish followers: “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me” (John 16:1,2). Ironically, the Jews, only about half a day later, would kill Jesus because they believed He was an imposter, and they believed their JEHOVAH God would want Him to be put to death. Imagine their horror when He resurrected and started preaching again!

The Apostle Paul was called a “pestilent fellow” (Acts 24:5)—he was not just annoying to the hell-bound pagans to whom he preached, but he was also a “mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Paul’s lost critics could not figure him out: he was a former Jewish religious leader who had hated Jesus Christ, and yet, for the past 25 years, he has constantly preached against Israel for killing her Messiah (Jesus), and unbelieving Israel had attempted to get rid of him for years! (For instance, read about the Jews fatally stoning Paul years earlier in Acts 14:19,20.) Regardless of who he was, he had to go, too!

We should not be surprised to experience the lost world treating us the same way….

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #6

Saturday, April 6, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

It is very difficult not to focus on our temporary suffering. After all, we see it. It is equally hard to focus on the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. After all, we cannot see it… sort of. In reality, we can see it! The verse following today’s Scripture reads: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (verse 18).

How do we “look…at the things which are not seen?” Hebrews 11:1 tells us: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). When we place our faith in what God’s Word says about suffering in the Dispensation of Grace—which would be the contents of Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon—then we, by virtue of spiritual eyes, see what God sees. He is manifesting the very life of Jesus Christ in our mortal body (2 Corinthians 4:10,11). “Though our outward man perish, the inward man is renewed day by day” (verse 16).

The spiritual fortitude and edifice of sound Bible doctrine that God the Holy Spirit is constructing within our inner man, is eternal, for the inner man (soul and spirit) is everlasting. Our physical body experiencing the present sufferings is temporary, for the physical body is temporary. Actually, the same word—“moment”—used to describe the duration of our present suffering (today’s Scripture), is equivalent to the split-second rapture that will one day catch us members of the Body of Christ up into heaven’s glory (1 Corinthians 15:52)!

By allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us as we believe this sound Bible doctrine, it brings God praise now… and forevermore….

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #5

Friday, April 5, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

One of the primary causes of the charismatic movement, besides a failure to understand the Bible dispensationally, is that its proponents are seeking God’s power and love. They believe that God needs to demonstrate His power and His love for them by removing their troubles and healing their sick bodies. They want literal, physical, visible proof of God’s presence. Because it is ironic, the thought never occurs to them that God’s wisdom, love, and power could be—and are—demonstrated by Him not removing their troubles and sicknesses.

In the context of today’s Scripture (4:1–6:18), the Apostle Paul discussed the ministry we have as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). He lists various afflictions that he and we Christians suffer, but concluded: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Notice, “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” Why do we have the treasure—the life of Jesus Christ—in our earthen vessels—our weak, limited physical bodies? So the exceeding greatness of God’s power can be demonstrated and our inadequacy in and of ourselves can be manifested.

When the Apostle Paul later commented about his various sufferings, he wrote: “And [the Lord] said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of God may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9,10).

To wit, we can and do endure difficult circumstances, not because of ourselves, but due to God’s power strengthening us by transforming our inner man to become the very life of Jesus Christ. What a concept….!

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #3

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

When we study the Bible dispensationally, and understand that Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are God’s Word to us, we have a new outlook on sickness and suffering. What seems like God’s unhappiness with us, what appears to be God’s wrath upon us, what feels like God’s forsaking us, is not really that at all.

In the context of today’s Scripture (4:1–6:18), the Apostle Paul discussed the ministry we have as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). He lists various afflictions that he and we Christians suffer, but concluded: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

The “earthen vessels,” of course, are these physical bodies made “of the dust of the ground” (Genesis 2:7). As people who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, our earthly tabernacles are “vessels,” and they contain a “treasure.” What is this treasure? Paul identifies it in 2 Corinthians 4:10,11: “…That the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” This produces the “eternal weight of glory” of today’s Scripture—nothing pleases the God of creation more than the life of His obedient, only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

What Paul is saying is that the very life of Jesus Christ manifests itself in and through us Christians when we walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to us. The sound Pauline Bible doctrine enables us to think about sickness and suffering as Jesus Christ did. By faith, we look at the broader picture—the sound Bible doctrine works mightily in us to bring glory to its Author, the God of the Bible….

A Doxology of Doctrine During Distressing Days #2

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2 Corinthians 4:17 KJV).

A brief, light annoyance—an everlasting, much heavier weight of praise and worship….

All sorts of afflictions plague us—daily annoyances, life-threatening accidents, illness, painful results of our mistakes and those of others, physical death of loved ones, et cetera. Then, there are the troubles associated with being a Christian in this Satan-dominated world. Burdens, burdens, burdens! These circumstances cause us to grow weary and depressed. They generate doubt and gender all sorts of questions. “Is God mad at me?” “Is He punishing me because of un-confessed sin?” “Does God really love me?” “Just why am I suffering?” These uncertainties only add to the despondency.

In the context of today’s Scripture (4:1–6:18), the Apostle Paul discussed the ministry we have as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-12: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you.”

Paul and Timothy, authors of 2 Corinthians (1:1), have suffered in the ministry for the sake of these Corinthians’ salvation and spiritual growth. They are “troubled on every side,” but they are not worrisome. Their suffering is difficult to comprehend, but they are not hopeless. They are persecuted, but the Lord is with them. Symbolically, they are thrown down, but their inner man has remained intact. This is God’s power, making the very life of Jesus Christ evident in their souls and their lives, and we have it too in Christ….

Christ Liveth in Me

Sunday, March 31, 2013

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).

“He is risen” is not a simple blasé cliché!

When Jesus’ disciples came to His tomb on that glorious Sunday morning nearly 2,000 years ago, they were startled to find it empty! Angels inform them that He has resurrected, but they are still in shock (Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-8). Jesus Christ Himself must later explain the Scriptures to them regarding what happened those last few days (Luke 24:44-46).

However, until Paul’s ministry, Christ’s finished crosswork is not preached as good news for salvation. Peter and Israel’s other apostles simply preach that Jesus Christ is now resurrected to “sit on [David’s] throne” (Acts 2:30)—that is bad news for much of Israel, for they still reject Him, weeks and months after His resurrection and ascension. Throughout early Acts, Israel’s apostles warn her that Jesus Christ is coming back to judge them.

When we come to the Apostle Paul’s ministry, we learn that we Gentiles can benefit from Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. Israel’s rejected Messiah is now our way to heaven! Yes, Israel hated Him, and demanded that He experience the most awful method of execution devised, but God allowed it in order to accomplish His will. Satan attempted to hinder God’s will by having Christ killed, but all that did was provide the method whereby God could save us pagan Gentiles. Calvary’s finished crosswork frees us from Satan’s evil system and gives us a chance to be God’s people (Acts 26:17,18)!

As people who have trusted Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for our sins, that crucifixion is our death to self and sin, and that resurrection is our raising to walk in newness of life—His life (today’s Scripture; cf. Romans 6:1-11)!

Indeed, Jesus Christ is alive, and He lives in and through those who walk by faith in God’s Word to them, Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon! 🙂

HAPPY EASTER!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study by the same name. That (2012) study can be read here or watched here.