Category: Pauline Dispensationalism / Dispensational Bible Study

Time Travel and the Mystery #10

Friday, November 21, 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).

Satan knows that it will never be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things turn out differently. Today’s Scripture says he can never undo his undoing—Calvary’s finished crosswork.

Beloved, dispensational Bible study allows us to see, and thereby fully appreciate, God’s wisdom. Rather than the Bible being a patchwork of incongruent and burdensome verses, a jumble of contradictory passages, another volume to advance denominations and the confusion they engender, it is seen as the gradual unfolding of Father’s God marvelous two-fold, yet unified, plan to eternally restore to the Lord Jesus Christ all power and glory in heaven and earth (Ephesians 1:9,10).

We reread in Colossians chapter 1: “[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.” In the end, Jesus Christ will have preeminence in heaven and earth. He will defeat and destroy His enemies. He alone will be exalted in heaven (via us, the Church which is His Body; Ephesians 1:20-23; Ephesians 2:6,7) and earth (via the nation Israel; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 5:10).

The Bible says, “[God] taketh the wise in their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19; cf. Job 5:13). By keeping a secret, God proved to Satan that he was not as wise as he thought, and that His purpose and plan for creation would still be accomplished. While Satan will never forget his self-sabotage at Calvary, he has done—and still is doing—everything to keep that revealed information still a secret (he uses religious tradition to cause people to ignore God’s Word through Paul, Romans through Philemon). To most, “the mystery” is still a mystery!

Beloved, may we tell everyone about “Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25)! 🙂

Time Travel and the Mystery #8

Wednesday, November 19, 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.

Verse 6, which immediately precedes today’s Scripture, says: “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought.”

First Corinthians chapters 1-3 comprise a loving rebuke of the Corinthian Christians who delighted in human viewpoint and applied it to their lives. Only 45 miles (72 kilometers) from Athens (the ancient world’s intellectual capital), Corinth was engulfed by pagan philosophy. Thus, Paul claimed he did not preach man’s wisdom, heathen philosophy; he affirmed that he preached true wisdom, God’s wisdom in a “mystery.”

However, Paul could only speak these dispensational Bible truths to spiritually mature (“perfect”) Christians. The carnal Corinthian Christians could only handle Bible basics such as the Gospel of Grace; they struggled with elementary grace living (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; et al.). Hence, Paul’s two epistles to Corinth lack great detail about dispensational Bible truths (as opposed to Ephesians 3:1-11 to Ephesus, or Romans chapters 9-11 to Rome, or Colossians to Colosse, et cetera). Instead of meat-doctrine, these precious saints could only handle milk-doctrine (cf. Hebrews 5:11-14).

After numerous discussions with others, the Pauline dispensational Bible student has learned that, to the shame of most preachers and Bible teachers, the average church member or Christian knows very, very, very, very little to literally nothing about how God has designed His Word to be studied. When we read verses and explain the dispensational truths they convey, the common Christian understands little to nothing. We could say 1 Corinthians 2:6 with Paul. Dearly beloved, if we are to rejoice in God’s wisdom, we must see His wisdom demonstrated in His rightly divided Word….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should I recite “‘The Lord’s Prayer?’”

Time Travel and the Mystery #7

Tuesday, November 18, 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.

Rather than using appealing sermonettes abounding with dazzling theological terms to persuade people to advance a church program (“man’s wisdom”), the Apostle Paul’s goal was to have these Corinthian believers to trust in God’s power: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (verses 4,5).

Despite all the “wisdom” of His Adversary, God evidenced His wisdom by inventing a “mystery” plan to counter Satan’s rebellion; although there was much opposition, God proved His power in accomplishing that plan. Ephesians 3:1-11 explains the goal of God’s mystery plan. Verses 10 and 11 summarize: “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Through the living testimony of the Church the Body of Christ—that is, via the visible interaction of Jews and Gentiles who have relied exclusively on the Lord Jesus Christ’s shed blood as sufficient payment for their sins, and their reliance on the grace doctrines of Christ living His life in and through them—Satan’s fallen angels in outer space see “the manifold wisdom of God,” Jesus Christ’s life in human flesh, our flesh. Satan constantly witnesses how God’s grace demonstrated at Calvary can save even the worst sinners (“the power of God;” 1 Corinthians 1:18; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:4,5), how God can use His Son’s cruel death (and resurrection) to rescue people from Satan’s dominion and use them for His glory instead.

Sadly, the Corinthians could not grasp such wisdom….

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 #2

Thursday, November 13, 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.

Satan has always recognized God as the most powerful; however, he, operating with a very demented mindset, still seeks to outwit his Creator and prove himself to be the wisest. Ever since he became “lifted up,” prideful (1 Timothy 3:6), ever since he fell in love with himself (Ezekiel 28:15-19), Lucifer/Satan has sought so desperately to deflect and receive the recognition and worship that only belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:8-10 and Luke 4:5-8 thus explained).

The Bible says Lucifer, Satan’s name before his fall from the third heaven, purposed to “be like the most High, possessor of heaven and earth” (Isaiah 14:14; cf. Genesis 14:19,22). Down through Bible history, and up to the present-day, Satan has contrived and implemented various “wiles,” schemes and scams, to achieve his original goal (Ephesians 6:10-12). The Devil still distracts people from Jesus Christ, and causes them to focus on something or someone else (himself, themselves, other people, pagan idols, good works, et cetera).

No human can ever really keep a secret—he or she has to tell at least one other person, and eventually, it is common knowledge to many. However, God had to keep, and did keep, a secret for at least 4,000 years; the triune God withheld that secret, neither telling angel nor human until the appropriate time came. He knew that His chief enemy, Satan, was a very wise spirit-creature (originally created to devise ways to glorify his Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, now devising ways to glorify himself). The way to ultimately defeat Satan was to outsmart him. Today’s Scripture says God Almighty did exactly that, glorifying Jesus Christ forever in the process, undoubtedly demonstrating who was the wisest of all….

Time Travel and the Mystery #1

Wednesday, November 12, 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.

As Bible students, we understand that Satan is the wisest of all of God’s creatures: “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12). The LORD said of Satan, “Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee” (verse 3). The Devil has existed for at least 6,000 years; he has witnessed all of human history and learned more than all of us will ever know. Satan thinks on a much higher plane than we.

For many decades now, cosmologists, physicists, astronomers, and other scientists have been pondering and researching the possibility of time travel. What exists in “science fiction” today is seen as plausible in the future. Still, we must face the truth of today’s Scripture—not even Satan himself is wise enough to reverse history.

If time travel were possible, Satan would have already figured it out, done it, and reversed the events of Calvary. While we regret our mistakes, the one most disturbed by the past is none other than Satan himself. Satan will always be angry with God. If he could ever undo one mistake, he would go back in time and he would never have crucified the Lord of glory. At Calvary, the Devil reveled in the notion that he had won the victory. The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was dead, and Israel, God’s nation, was guilty—what else could God do but utterly damn Israel, completely destroy His plans for her, and ultimately discard His original purpose for creation?

Satan did not know it, neither did the angels nor mankind, but God was keeping a most glorious secret….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What does ‘at the last trump’ mean in 1 Corinthians 15:52?”

Wayward or Wise

Monday, November 3, 2014

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15 KJV).

Today’s Scripture says we can be wayward, or we can be wise—one or the other is everyone before God’s eyes.

Sin is being our own authority, our operating independently of how God designed us to function. For 6,000 years now, the God of the Bible has tolerated our species, the sinful human race. Despite our technological advances that have made life easier, we are still so perplexed as to how to solve our basic problem, sin, that makes life harder.

For three years, the Lord Jesus Christ labored so fervently, so diligently, to turn around the nation He had delivered from Egyptian bondage 1,500 years earlier. He preached, and confirmed with miracles, that He was their long-promised Messiah—willing to evict their Gentile enemies and introduce Israel’s earthly kingdom. Yet, Israel largely disregarded Him. Precious few Jews, those who wisely hearkened to that divine counsel, trusted Him as Christ.

Chiefly, Israel’s works-religion—their striving to be accepted of God—was “right in [their] own eyes.” They refused to hear about their sin; they rejected the counsel Jesus Christ was providing through His sermons and miraculous demonstrations. The Lord Jesus spoke to unbelieving Jews in John 5:39,40: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Contrary to “irresistible grace,” one of the tenets of Calvinism, God never forces Himself on anyone who rejects Him. He gives them over to what they prefer. Jesus continued, “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” (verse 43). They did not want Jesus as Christ, so God will one day give Israel a false Messiah, the satanic Antichrist, one who will deceive them and they will gladly have him!

May we wisely come to Jesus Christ as He is presented in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. Otherwise, we are just as wayward as Israel was in time past.

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Friday, October 31, 2014

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?”