Category: Paul’s apostleship

Satan and Dispensationalism #16

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” (Ephesians 3:1,2 KJV).

Satan knows that Dispensational Bible Study is the key to understanding God’s Word. Thus, he denies it and corrupts it every chance he gets!

While Acts is certainly not easy reading, theology has complicated it. Historical rather than doctrinal, “The Acts of the Apostles,” simply documents Israel’s overwhelmingly negative response to God’s Word preached by the Apostles.

In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus spoke a parable. Please read it in your own time. We can only interpret it here. Father God planted a fig tree (Mosaic Law) in His vineyard (Israel’s land). For three years, Christ’s earthly ministry, God sought any righteousness in Israel. But, no spiritual fruit was there! The Law could only identify and condemn sinners—it had no power to make them right before God. Father God was ready to destroy Israel’s religious life. Jesus intervened, “Father, give them one more year before You cut it down.”

Confirming the parable, Israel ignored Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, and demanded His crucifixion. But, Jesus intervened at Calvary, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). So, Father God gave Israel a one-year opportunity to repent, to think differently, and turn from their vain works-religion. That one year was Acts chapters 1-7. The 12 apostles preached their hearts out, desperately trying to convert stubborn Israel. It was useless. Finally, in Acts chapter 7, Stephen, filled with the Holy Ghost, accused Israel of persistent unbelief and rebellion. He was stoned to death! Jesus Christ was arising in the third heaven, to return in wrath and destroy those apostates (Acts 7:55,56; Psalm 110:1)! Israel had blasphemed the Holy Ghost, and could not be forgiven (Matthew 12:31,32). She had nowhere to go now but hell!

Leading Israel’s rebellion against Jesus Christ was Saul of Tarsus, one of Stephen’s challengers. Saul would become the Apostle Paul. The only way to save such a wicked man as Saul was for God to radically depart from Israel’s program and covenants. The Dispensation of Grace came to save Saul first (1 Timothy 1:12-16)!

Satan and Dispensationalism #15

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” (Ephesians 3:1,2 KJV).

Satan knows that Dispensational Bible Study is the key to understanding God’s Word. Thus, he denies it and corrupts it every chance he gets!

Acts is a transitional Bible book. Therein, the most drastic dispensational change in all God’s Word. Where in Acts does God Himself place our dispensational boundary? Is it as 99 percent of Christendom says—Acts chapter 2, Pentecost, the “birthday of the ‘church?’” Certainly not. Our dispensation was given to Paul (today’s Scripture). Saul of Tarsus was still lost in Acts chapter 2. Paul was hellbound until chapter 9!

According to Scripture, our Dispensation of Grace and the Church the Body of Christ began no earlier than Acts chapter 9. But exactly when did they start? The general label “Mid-Acts Dispensationalism” encompasses those who hold to a dispensational change in chapters 9, 13, 15, or 18. The title “Ultradispensationalism” is reserved for an extreme (or late Acts) view, mainly chapter 28 or beyond. Leave it to sinful man and his religious tomfoolery to complicate God’s simple Word! Shame!

The primary truth in the Dispensation of the Grace of God is that national Israel is blinded, fallen before God, and salvation is going to the Gentiles without Israel (Romans 11:11-13). When did salvation go to Gentiles without Israel? When Paul’s apostleship began! Romans 11:11,13: “[11] I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [13] For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.”

Acts 26:17 is Jesus Christ’s words to Paul in Acts chapter 9: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send [Greek, apostello] thee.” Acts chapter 9 is when Paul was divinely “sent” (“apostle” means “sent one”) to Gentiles. If we just believe the simple testimony of Scripture, and do not have a theological system to promote, we concur with God’s Word, the Dispensation of Grace began in Acts chapter 9.

Satan and Dispensationalism #14

Monday, October 19, 2015

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” (Ephesians 3:1,2 KJV).

Satan knows that Dispensational Bible Study is the key to understanding God’s Word. Thus, he denies it and corrupts it every chance he gets!

If there is confusion about any one Bible book, it is definitely Acts. That book has been so pathetically mistreated, so twisted out of shape—it makes one’s spiritual stomach turn and churn. Sadly, within a growing segment of the “Grace Movement,” we find people who have corrupted the book of Acts to promote their agenda just as denominationalists do with their own traditions.

Friend, learn exactly where all the trouble originates and guard yourself. Dispensationalists often needlessly struggle with Acts chapters 7 through 28. True, therein is much “rapid scene-switching” in the Biblical narrative. Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome. Peter, Paul, Peter, Paul. Israel, Body of Christ, Israel, Body of Christ. Jews, Gentiles, Jews, Gentiles. Strangely, we find Paul engaging in “Jewish” behavior amongst Gentiles. He physically circumcised Timothy, water baptized Gentile converts, raised a dead man, healed the sick, took a Jewish vow, went to the Temple to offer a sacrifice, and so on. What people assume is that our program and our Body of Christ did not operate until Paul ceased those activities. They want to say Paul continued Israel’s covenants and program for a time (Acts). After Acts, they assume our program (dispensation) and our Body of Christ began.

Listen, friends. Let us stop the nonsense. If we are confused about Acts, the best thing to do is stay silent and study instead of babbling about something we know little about. More harm than good has resulted in people prattling about Acts, even some in the Grace Movement. It is quite simple, beloved. Acts is Paul’s provoking ministry to unbelieving Jews! Go read Romans 11:11-14. Paul was not conducting that odd ministry for our benefit. He was doing it for lost Jews to join our program because their prophetic program had been interrupted. Like him, their only hope of eternal life was to join—not Israel—but the Body of Christ.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who are those ‘afar off’ in Acts 2:39?”

Satan and Dispensationalism #11

Thursday, October 15, 2015

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is one of the six key areas that Satan has found to be advantageous regarding confusing God’s people in this Dispensation of Grace, the Church the Body of Christ!

Satan wants ignorant Christians. After all, he can only rule over people who are unaware of what really matters. As one dear brother often says, “Ignorant brethren are the world’s largest denomination!” To add insult to injury, the exact six instances where Paul says not to be ignorant of some doctrine, they are the very doctrines of which Christendom is totally ignorant today! Awful! Shameful! Awful!

The fifth exhortation not to be ignorant is in today’s Scripture. Satan, quite angry with God because of the mystery now revealed, constantly made God’s Apostle Paul suffer and grow discouraged. Today’s Scripture refers to the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41). One of the lowest points in Paul’s life, he was severely depressed (see today’s Scripture). Later, Paul writes how he, throughout his journeys, was often imprisoned, robbed, lashed/scourged at least 195 times, stoned (pummeled with rocks and left for dead), et cetera (2 Corinthians 11:22-33). All for the sake of getting the Gospel of the Grace of God to lost and dying Gentiles! Save the Lord Jesus Christ, no one in the Bible suffered more than Paul.

There is still a satanic agenda today to persecute and discourage grace believers. Friends, let us ever be mindful of it. Paul wanted members of the Body of Christ to appreciate his suffering for their sakes. No fraud or charlatan would endure that much abuse. Religious people will grow angry with us. We preach Paul’s epistles, finding ourselves mistreated by lost and saved alike (2 Timothy 3:12). Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are largely ignored… thus, Christendom is largely ignorant!

Satan and Dispensationalism #9

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is one of the six key areas that Satan has found to be advantageous regarding confusing God’s people in this Dispensation of Grace, the Church the Body of Christ!

Satan wants ignorant Christians. After all, he can only rule over people who are unaware of what really matters. As one dear brother often says, “Ignorant brethren are the world’s largest denomination!” To add insult to injury, the exact six instances where Paul says not to be ignorant of some doctrine, they are the very doctrines of which Christendom is totally ignorant today! Awful! Shameful! Awful!

The third exhortation not to be ignorant is in today’s Scripture. Paul reminded the Corinthians to learn a tragic lesson from Israel’s history. God delivered her from Egyptian bondage (sin, Satan, and the world) to enjoy a new life in a new land, His Promised Land. Paul continued after today’s Scripture: “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them…. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed…. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them did…. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured…. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples….”

There is still a satanic agenda today to distract us from our new life in Christ. Friends, let us ever be mindful of it. Israel abandoned Moses, God’s spokesman to her; Christendom forsook Paul, God’s spokesman to us. Like the Corinthians, they overlook Paul’s apostleship (2 Corinthians chapters 10-13), preferring pagan philosophy (1 Corinthians chapters 1-3) and devil worship (chapters 8-11). Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are largely ignored… thus, Christendom is largely ignorant!

Satan and Dispensationalism #8

Monday, October 12, 2015

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is one of the six key areas that Satan has found to be advantageous regarding confusing God’s people in this Dispensation of Grace, the Church the Body of Christ!

Satan wants ignorant Christians. After all, he can only rule over people who are unaware of what really matters. As one dear brother often says, “Ignorant brethren are the world’s largest denomination!” To add insult to injury, the exact six instances where Paul says not to be ignorant of some doctrine, they are the very doctrines of which Christendom is totally ignorant today! Awful! Shameful! Awful!

The second exhortation not to be ignorant is in today’s Scripture. We find this verse in the last chapter of a three-chapter section where Paul answers the questions, “What happened to Israel in the past?” (chapter 9), “Where is Israel today?” (chapter 10), and “Does Israel have a future?” (chapter 11). Paul explains that the prophetic program that God had been operating since the world began (Acts 3:21) is now delayed because of his conversion in Acts chapter 9 and his ministry thereafter. Today, God is operating the mystery program, a program He had kept secret until He revealed it to Paul (Romans 16:25,26).

There is still a satanic agenda today to deceive Christians and make them think they are Israel and/or that they must behave like Israel to receive God’s blessings. Friends, let us ever be mindful of it. Salvation is come to us Gentiles through Israel’s fall (Romans 11:11,12). We the Body of Christ have not replaced Israel. National Israel is spiritually blinded (lost) today, no spiritual status before God. But, God is not through with Israel. Our Dispensation of Grace is not forever. Israel will rise to kingdom glory! Yet, Christians are ignorant of these dispensational changes. They say we have to bless Israel so God will bless us. They talk about Israel and the 1948 “budding of the fig tree.” Nonsense! Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are largely ignored… thus, Christendom is largely ignorant!

Satan and Dispensationalism #7

Sunday, October 11, 2015

“Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles” (Romans 1:13 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is one of the six key areas that Satan has found to be advantageous regarding confusing God’s people in this Dispensation of Grace, the Church the Body of Christ!

Satan wants ignorant Christians. After all, he can only rule over people who are unaware of what really matters. As one dear brother often says, “Ignorant brethren are the world’s largest denomination!” To add insult to injury, the exact six instances where Paul says not to be ignorant of some doctrine, they are the very doctrines of which Christendom is totally ignorant today! Awful! Shameful! Awful!

The first exhortation not to be ignorant is in today’s Scripture. Satan is physically hindering Paul’s apostleship from impacting Gentile believers in Rome. While details are lacking, consider what Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers, “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us” (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Satan hindered Paul from visiting Thessalonica by using a corrupt local government that legally banned him and Silas from entering the city (Acts 17:1-9). A similar event may have repeatedly impeded Paul from reaching Rome in today’s Scripture. What we do know is Satan used hindrances to restrain the Apostle’s ministry. (Interestingly, Satan’s plan backfired! God had Paul write Rome instead, thus giving us a Bible book to learn from—that epistle to the Romans!!!!)

There is still a satanic agenda today to keep Christians from listening to the Apostle Paul. Friends, let us ever be mindful of it. Paul is not physically here to be physically hindered, but Satan has alternative schemes. There are plenty of ways to hide Jesus Christ’s heavenly ministry through Paul. How? The Devil’s religious system keeps people in the Old Testament, the Four Gospels, early Acts, and Hebrews through Revelation. They are so busy reading mail that is not to or about them, they have no time or energy to read what is written to and about them. Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, are largely ignored… thus, Christendom is largely ignorant!

Satan and Dispensationalism #6

Saturday, October 10, 2015

“And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:24-26 KJV).

Dispensational Bible study is the key to believing a clear Gospel message and understanding the Bible canon, so Satan seeks to hide or corrupt it, that he may keep the masses in his snare!

We commonly hear, “Pastor/Doctor/Father/Brother/Sister disagrees with dispensational Bible study, so I dislike it too. After all, how could someone so educated be wrong?” Well, quite easily, actually. Consider “mighty-in-the-Scriptures” Apollos of today’s Scripture. He was very passionate in preaching… John’s water baptism, an Old Testament message, a message God Himself had replaced 20 years earlier!

Educated Apollos—probably (mis)trained at the heretical seminary (Bible cemetery) in Alexandria, Egypt—was unaware of the advancement of God’s revelation. He had no idea about Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, the 12 apostles, Calvary’s crosswork, Christ’s ascension into heaven, the coming of the Holy Ghost in Acts chapter 2, the delay in Israel’s prophetic program, or Paul’s conversion and ministry and the start of the mystery program. Apollos did not know of the Holy Ghost, indicating Apollos was still lost. He was not even saved in relationship to Israel’s program.

Jewish husband and wife Aquila and Priscilla had spent extended time with Paul in Acts 18:1-3. Paul converted lost Aquila and Priscilla, bringing them up-to-date with his ministry and message. Later in the chapter, Aquila and Priscilla taught that info to lost Apollos. That was “the way of God more perfectly,” the better way to preach God’s Word (rightly divided). Now Apollos knew what current gospel and doctrine to preach.

So many today say, “Oh, we preach Jesus!” Yes, according to His earthly ministry they preach Him. There has been a further revelation. Jesus Christ has a heavenly ministry—Paul’s ministry, Romans through Philemon. Wake up, ye Apolloses!

Satan and Dispensationalism #2

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

“…God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Dispensational Bible study is the key to believing a clear Gospel message and understanding the Bible canon, so Satan seeks to hide or corrupt it, that he may keep the masses in his snare!

Friend, have you ever wondered about God’s will for your life? Now that you have read today’s Scripture, you need not search any longer. It discloses God’s will for non-Christians and Christians. The God of the Bible has done everything needed to save mankind from his sins. Why? He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). The God of the Bible became the God-Man, Jesus Christ, to shed His rich, royal blood to atone for every person’s sins. “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:6). He wants all people to be saved, that they not go to hell! Lost people need to trust Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone, that they go to heaven!

Verse 7 continues, “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” When was the “due time” for Jesus Christ’s crosswork to be “testified” as available to all people? It was Paul’s apostleship, Acts chapter 9 onward! This is the dispensational aspect of God’s will, the “coming unto the knowledge of the truth” that God wants for Christians. He wants them to recognize the special ministry and message the risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ gave Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul. In Paul’s epistles, we find a clear Gospel message and the doctrine needed for a functional Christian life.

Satan obviously does not want God’s will fulfilled. So, his religious system confuses the various Gospel messages and divine instructions given throughout the Bible. This makes it nearly impossible for any lost person to become a Christian, and nearly impossible for a Christian to become a mature believer. Such people under his control are usually very resistant to hearing God’s truth!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How long should I keep witnessing to the same person?”

Mark the Heretics—Mark the Faithful

Friday, September 18, 2015

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4 KJV).

My, oh my, most news items involving “Christianity” today can be summed up thus!

A news article currently circulating on social media involves a 103-year-old woman now banned from the Baptist church that she has attended all of her life. She disagreed with the “new” pastor’s actions and teaching in the local assembly. He would holler and those with him would roll around on the floor. She confronted him, telling him these types of charismatic activities did not belong in their Baptist church. Sometime later, she received a letter in the mail that forbade her from returning to the church building. When she did return, the police were called… but they could not do anything because it was a civil dispute. She plans to keep on going to that church.

Yes, Christendom is still sliding doctrinally. Apostasy—that is, turning away from God’s truth, and embracing error—is evident even in mainline denominations that did not historically support such warped views. Evidently, the local assembly—like tens of thousands of others—did not have enough Scriptural grounding to identify and run off the heretical pastor. He is still there!

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18). Not only are we to “mark” those who are bad, but we are to also “mark” those who are good. “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample” (Philippians 3:17).

We are to follow the Apostle Paul and those who follow him, for they are following Jesus Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 11:1). This is the sure way to avoid the spiritual disaster described in today’s Scripture… and in today’s religious news stories!