Category: Pauline Dispensationalism / Dispensational Bible Study

Unfathomable Distances, Unsearchable Speeds #2

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21 KJV).

The vastness of space is mindboggling; today’s Scripture is equally mind-blowing….

God will use us, the Body of Christ (who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour), in eternity future to rule the heavens, just as He will use Israel to rule the earth. In order to function in the heavens, we need glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s (today’s Scripture).

On resurrection Sunday around sunrise, Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus’ empty tomb. After seeing two angels, Jesus Himself appears. “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). Jesus must travel to the third heaven to present Himself to the Father, so sinful human hands must not taint Him.

“Then the same day at evening” He reappears, showing Himself to His other disciples (Thomas absent): “after eight days,” He again appears to His disciples, and when Thomas doubts, Jesus instructs Thomas to touch Him (verses 18-29). So, in as little as 12 hours (but no more than eight days), Jesus left earth, crossed a vast portion of the universe and exited it, went to His Father in the third heaven, re-entered and traveled across the universe, and landed right back on earth! We can fathom neither the distance nor the speed Jesus Christ’s resurrected body traveled.

The Apostle Paul described our heavenly glorification in today’s Scripture. At the rapture, we Christians will receive glorified bodies like Jesus Christ’s. We cannot enter heaven with these current, sinful bodies: “for this corruption [deceased Christians’ bodies] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [Christians whose bodies are not yet dead] must put on immorality” (1 Corinthians 15:49-55).

Those new bodies will enable us to travel through outer space….

Unfathomable Distances, Unsearchable Speeds #1

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21 KJV).

The vastness of space is mindboggling; today’s Scripture is equally mind-blowing….

We who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, are members of the Church the Body of Christ. Paul’s epistles are very clear that, in eternity future, God will use us in the heavenly places just as He will use the nation Israel on the earth.

“And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him [Jesus Christ] to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20). Verses 16 and 17 already identified these “things:” “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.” The “things” are offices of government!

Through the blood of Jesus Christ shed at Calvary’s cross, the governments of heaven and earth (currently occupied by Satan and his minions) will one day be restored, and their new occupants—redeemed Israel on earth and us the Church the Body of Christ in the heavenly places—will bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ (after all, they were “created by him and for him”).

Distances in outer space are so enormous that scientists often utilize the astronomical unit (Earth’s distance from the sun, roughly 93 million miles / 150 million kilometers) and the light-year (the distance light travels in one year, about 6 trillion miles / 9.6 trillion kilometers). Actually, some objects in the universe are hundreds of light-years apart! In order to function in the vastness of outer space, we will need glorified bodies capable of doing amazing feats….

In the World, But Not Entangled With It

Sunday, June 2, 2013

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Rather than hiding ourselves in underground bunkers, or hiding our heads in our hands, let us hide this sound Bible doctrine in our hearts.

I recently spoke with a dear Christian brother and ministry coworker. He was so discouraged after having watched depressing newscasts on television for the last three hours. Life’s daily struggles, morose news stories, and false teaching in religion had the poor man so irritated and disheartened. Today’s Scripture is the solution to such negative thinking.

In Ephesians 6:12, the Apostle Paul admonished: “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 places.” There is an invisible battle occurring today—it is the battle of good and evil, the God of creation and Satan are fighting against one another.

The phrase “entangleth himself” (today’s Scripture) carries the idea of being braided with the goings-on of this life. That is, one being so “wrapped up” in the here and now, one so involved with the culture about us, the individual is consumed. The Christian soldier in such a predicament is distracted—he becomes so focused on the world’s problems that he loses sight of the hope, peace, and joy God the Father has given him in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! His mind is distracted, to Satan’s delight, and the Christian forgets the battle in which he is engaged!

Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

Remember, dear fellow-soldiers… think on good things, sound doctrine from God’s Word rightly divided (Philippians 4:8)!

Our Second Anniversary – Perfected Saints

Saturday, June 1, 2013

“[Christ] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Colossians 1:28,29 KJV).

Only by God’s grace, “333 Words of Grace” celebrates its second anniversary today!

Proper Bible study—yea, Bible study at all—is rare. Hence, spiritual ignorance has vexed the Church the Body of Christ for nearly 20 centuries. But, it does not have to be that way. God has given us the written, completed revelation of Him and from Him!

Today’s Scripture summarizes our goal these last two years. To teach the Bible truths that religion denied us for many years. The Holy Bible can be understood and enjoyed—and you do not need a decade of Bible cemetery… I mean, seminary! Simply find a King James Bible, study it dispensationally, and believe what it says where it says it.

For years and years, denominationalism never taught us: (1) that all of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us; (2) that the ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul a special ministry and message; (3) that Israel’s prophetic program for the earth and our mystery program for the heavenly places are separate. We were never taught the Word of God “rightly divided” as 2 Timothy 2:15 declares. Every Bible verse was thoroughly mixed with every other. The Bible became confusing and burdensome, just another weapon Satan used to discourage and defeat us.

Oh, but now Bible study is thrilling! The fetters of religious tradition and spiritual blindness are broken in twain. We now appreciate the Holy Bible like never before! We are maturing spiritually: now we know what God the Father is doing, and we can join Him by faith, declaring to Him in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8a; cf. Hebrews 10:5-9).

Onward, dear readers and saints, in spiritual maturity, for we have several hundred more studies of sound Bible truths to consider and in which to rejoice! 🙂

Note: Please feel free to view our “Original 7” devotionals by clicking here.

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #5

Friday, May 24, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

Once our Dispensation of Grace concludes with the rapture, the “catching up” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) of the Church the Body of Christ into the heavenly places, Israel’s prophetic program will resume exactly where it paused 2,000 years ago. The seven-year Tribulation is the next event on Israel’s prophetic calendar: “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them [those on earth] in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:4,5).

At that point, Satan’s policy of evil, the wicked plan that has been hindering God’s purpose for creation, will crescendo. The antichrist, the literal and physical embodiment of the devil’s original plan to rob the Lord Jesus Christ of His glory, will achieve global dominion. This counterfeit Jesus Christ will bully, and yet finagle, his way into office, and Satan’s chief man will finally head a world government (imitating Jesus Christ’s worldwide kingdom that will be established later).

Notice what this antichrist will do: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High” (Daniel 7:25). That antichrist will claim to be God Himself (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and he will persecute and/or slay the Jewish believers who reject him!

Psalm 10 is actually spoken from the viewpoint of those believing Jews living during the Tribulation: “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor… He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it…. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man… that the man of the earth may no more oppress” (verses 1,2,11,15,18).

The antichrist assumes he is getting away with his evil deeds, but today’s Scripture affirms otherwise….

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #4

Thursday, May 23, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

The Lord has allowed Satan’s evil world system to operate for 6,000 years now, to the intent that mankind has free will, an opportunity to obey Him or follow Satan. Without the satanic policy of evil, man has no alternative to following the God of the Bible. In other words, God’s purpose and plan for creation are delayed partly because of Satan and man’s interference (sin). Nevertheless, this works out for man’s benefit. Actually, in this the Dispensation of Grace, God is graciously allowing more time so additional people can trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour, before His wrath falls on Satan and the people who join him (Satan) in hindering His (God’s) plan (2 Peter 3:9-13).

Unbelievers prosper because their master (Satan) is usurping God’s authority in the earth. God’s will is not being fully accomplished in the earth… yet. Although the God of the Bible is still saving people through Christ Jesus, and while He is still teaching people the truth through His written Word, the Holy Bible, His will is not being accomplished in the sense of righteous judgment. Satan’s policy of evil is why the entire world is so messed up today—the religions, the schools, the politics, the courts, the economics, and so on. Satan is ruling, and God’s authority in the earth needs to be restored (and it will when Jesus Christ returns at His Second Coming to usher in Israel’s earthly kingdom).

Before Jesus Christ returns to earth (His Second Coming) to establish righteousness in the earth for Father God’s glory, the seven-year Tribulation will have to run its awful course. As we will see, the satanic policy of evil—specifically, the righteous (God’s people) suffering and the wicked (unbelievers) prospering—will be greatly manifested during that Tribulation period, even more so than it is today….

Liberated!

Saturday, May 11, 2013

“And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26 KJV).

There is something far worse than physical captivity….

Our nation was shocked to recently discover that, right here in the United States, four individuals were held captive and abused for several years. We will never fully understand the intense, extensive trauma those poor women endured. We need to pray for their soul salvation, that they trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour. The only way they can recover and return to any type of “normal” life is to have the Lord Jesus Christ’s hope and grace.

Just as physical captivity afflicts our bodies of flesh and blood, today’s Scripture speaks of a spiritual captivity whereby the soul is shackled in Satan’s slave market of sin. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

The Apostle Paul, writing about people who have exclusively trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, confirmed: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him [Jesus Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6,7).

Today’s Scripture describes lost people, as well as deceived (denominational) Christians: they “oppose themselves,” meaning they live completely opposite to the way the Lord created them to live (2 Timothy 2:25). Satan has them trapped—the lost people (those dead in Adam) are going to an everlasting lake of fire and brimstone (sulfur), and the denominational Christians have shipwrecked spiritual lives!

The Gospel of the Grace of God—that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)—liberates one from the penalty of sin (hellfire). Dispensational Bible study—that Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are God’s Word to us—liberates one from the power of sin (flesh-walking). What spiritual liberation!

To Whom Are We to Pray?

Thursday, May 9, 2013

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV).

The Bible says we should be praying constantly, but to whom are we to pray?

Why not let God through the Holy Bible tell us how to pray?

“Giving thanks unto the Father” (Colossians 1:12). “I thank my God…” (Philippians 1:4). “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). “For through him [Jesus Christ] we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… that he would grant you…” (Ephesians 3:14).

Firstly, whom did the Apostle Paul address? He directly addressed Father God, not Mary or any other deceased saint, in prayer.

Secondly, how did Paul reach Father God? “In whom [Jesus Christ] we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him [Jesus Christ]” (Ephesians 3:12). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

We approach God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. Jesus Christ has a perfect standing before God, and we have His righteousness because we are in Him (if we are members of the Church the Body of Christ). We cannot approach God on our own merits; thus, we must come through Jesus Christ. This is what it means to pray “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). Interestingly, when we pray, we are actually praying with the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells us (Romans 8:26-27). The indwelling Holy Spirit links us to Father God in heaven, and when we pray, we are using the “mediatorship” of Jesus Christ.

So, we address God the Father in prayer, but we are using the merits of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit helps us pray when we are “at a loss for words.”

For additional insight about prayer in the Dispensation of Grace, please study the four model Pauline prayers—Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-12.

You can also see our study “Praying with Paul.”

A Creature of Darkness Not in Darkness

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

“And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:33,34 KJV).

Israel may not recognize her Messiah, but this devil does!

You would think that, after almost 2,000 years, the Church the Body of Christ would know its doctrine, duty, walk, and destiny. Alas, darkness prevails—as if Paul’s epistles were never written! The Body of Christ cannot adequately affect the culture around it for God’s glory because, like the lost world, not even most professing “Christians” know sound Bible doctrine.

Sadly, Satan and his cohorts usually know more about what the Lord Jesus Christ is doing, than His own people. Satan knows God is not dealing with Israel as He did before Paul’s salvation (many Christians still do not understand that). The devil knows that Paul is our apostle (many Christians still do not know that). Satan knows about false “bibles” (many Christians are still oblivious to that). The devil is aware that God is currently administering grace and not law (many Christians still do not understand that). The devil knows we the Church the Body of Christ are not “spiritual Israel” (many Christians do not know that either).

Spiritual ignorance also plagued Israel, as the LORD affirmed: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… thou hast forgotten the law of thy God” (Hosea 4:6). Hundreds of years later, we read in today’s Scripture that while Israel does not recognize Jesus as her Messiah, a fallen angelic spirit of Satan says to Jesus, “I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.” That devil was more aware of God’s program than Israel, God’s earthly people, was!

We who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour are “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). Hence, let us walk in spiritual light: let us walk by faith in sound Pauline Bible doctrine and not be in darkness….

333’s 700th – Receive Ye the Word of God as Such

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV).

Beloved, only by God’s grace, we reach another milestone….

According to today’s Scripture, the Thessalonians received the message of grace they heard from Paul, Silas, and Timothy (1:1) and then they believed it. Notice, they recognized that this message was not of human origin, but the Word of the God of creation. The result? Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10: their changed lifestyles “sounded out [‘echoed’] the word of the Lord” to the whole then-known world!

We do not look at circumstances to see God working: today, He is working “in [our] inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). If we want the God of the Bible to work mightily in our lives, today’s Scripture tells us how He does it in the Dispensation of His Grace. He takes sound Pauline Bible doctrine that we study, receive, and believe, and He uses it to “effectually work in [us].”

Thus, for the last 700 days, we have labored to provide you with as much sound Pauline Bible doctrine that we can possibly cram into these brief studies, to the intent that you will place your faith in that doctrine, enabling God the Holy Spirit to work in and through you.

Daily Bible studies such as these allow God to renew your mind, which He will then use to transform your life for His glory: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2). Receive ye the Word of God as such, and with the eyes of faith, see Him work mightily in you!

Beloved, thank you for praying for us in this endeavor “to make all men see;” how we thank God for you and pray for you upon every remembrance. Onward to #800! 🙂