Category: The Gospel of the Grace of God / Paul’s Gospel

Ear Service

Thursday, April 24, 2014

“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).

Jesus Christ rebukes apostate Christendom with these same words even today.

Today’s Scripture is particularly important at such a late date in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God. These verses are not only true today, but they have been true ever since this dispensation began with the Apostle Paul nearly 2,000 years ago. Beloved, what a sad commentary. The professing Body of Christ had already abandoned the grace doctrines committed to them through Paul—while the Apostle was still living (1 Corinthians 3:16-20; Galatians 1:6-11; 1 Timothy 1:3-11,18-20; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2 Timothy 2:14-18; et al.)!! How much more today?!

The Holy Bible is a very offensive book. Written to us sinners about us sinners to point us sinners to the Saviour of sinners (Jesus Christ), it is thus hated, rejected, avoided, and ridiculed. Thus, the professing church has largely fallen into the trap of making the Bible, especially the Gospel of the Grace of God, palatable, more “acceptable.”

Consider today’s “social gospel,” “health and wealth gospel,” and “lordship gospel.” For example, “Make Jesus the Lord of your life, and He will bless with you material riches and remove all your sicknesses and problems.” Or, “Jesus came to help you to get to heaven, so you just give your heart to Him, follow Him as best as you can, and He will welcome you into His heaven.” Dear readers, these adages are pleasing to the ear, but they have no saving power whatsoever!!

The “preaching of the cross” is “the power of God” to us who believe and are saved (1 Corinthians 1:18). Jesus Christ’s crosswork to fully pay for our sins—His death to put away our sins, and His literal, physical resurrection to give us sinners new life—is offensive to humanists and macabre to liberals, but what wonderful news to us Christians, whose sin debt is paid in full, whose ears are tuned to God’s truth, and whose hearts believe it!

Christ Liveth in Me

Sunday, April 20, 2014

“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 study can be read here or watched here.

Are You Counted Worthy?

Thursday, April 3, 2014

“Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:” (2 Thessalonians 1:5 KJV).

How much do you value God’s ministry and message to mankind? Enough to suffer for it?

On four occasions, the Apostle Paul discusses Christians “worthy” of various nouns (you are strongly encouraged to read them with their contexts):

  • In today’s Scripture, we read about being “counted worthy of the kingdom of God.”
  • Paul prayed for Christians, “That [they] might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).
  • Paul, Silas, and Timotheus (Timothy) encouraged the believers in Thessalonica, “That [they] would walk worthy of God, who hath called [them] unto his kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12).
  • In his second epistle to these saints, Paul wrote: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power” (1:11).

When we trusted Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone as the fully satisfying payment for our sins, Father God saved us unto eternal life. God will never reject us Christians—He has fully dealt with all of our sins at Calvary (Romans 5:9-11; Romans 8:31,32; Colossians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:13; et al.). What a concept!

God has saved us forever, not simply to keep us out of everlasting hellfire, but to use us as His vessels through which His life should be manifested (2 Corinthians 4:5-11)—here on earth until we die or the rapture occurs (Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21-23), and in the heavens in eternity (Ephesians 2:6,7). But, how much do we value His work, His doctrine, His life?

In Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, alone, we find our doctrine, duty, walk, and destiny as members of the Church the Body of Christ. In our Christian walk, to “be counted worthy of God [or His calling or kingdom]” is not us striving to merit Him or heaven (we are accepted of God in Christ; Ephesians 1:6). It means we “value/esteem—find worth in—God’s doctrine and will.” Saint, does God count you worthy?

Bible Study 102 #14

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

The only verse that tells you to study the Bible also tells you how to understand the Bible!

Throughout Paul’s epistles, we discover “mysteries,” what Scripture calls “the hidden wisdom” (1 Corinthians 2:7), truths that had been “hid in God” (Ephesians 3:9), but which the risen and ascended Lord Jesus revealed directly to Paul, and finally to us via Romans through Philemon (Romans 16:25,26). Unfortunately, this mystery dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace, is still a mystery to most—today, Satan, not God, hides it. God kept Pauline doctrine secret in order to destroy Satan’s work (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Now, Satan keeps Paul’s doctrines secret to hinder God’s work—ironically, Christendom cooperates!! Centuries of church tradition and denominationalism still cause many to view Paul as an “extension,” a “supplement,” to Peter and Israel’s other 11 apostles. Paul is not understood as our apostle (Romans 11:13), a unique apostle, but rather an apostle who did and taught exactly what Peter and the 11 did.

The agency associated with Paul’s ministry (the Church that Body of Christ) is not clearly defined (we are thought to be Israel’s “extension” or “replacement”). The Gospel of the Uncircumcision that Paul preached is not distinguished from the Gospel of the Circumcision that Peter preached. Legalistic doctrine such as repentance and water baptism for salvation, tithing, Sabbath day keeping, and confession of sins that Paul spoke against (because it belongs in Israel’s program rather than ours) is still held by many denominations today. Ignorance about spiritual gifts (which Paul corrected) still severely afflicts Christendom. Confusion involving prophecy and us still abounds (even though Paul exhaustively wrote that we are not related to prophecy).

Indeed, the mystery is still a mystery, and what a shame! This mess is to be expected, for the verse after today’s Scripture warned, “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:16). A “simple” failure to understand the Bible dispensationally has introduced a literal inundation of false teaching. God foresaw Christendom’s current dilemma almost 20 centuries ago, but the solution was (and still is) ignored….

Bible Study 102 #8

Thursday, March 13, 2014

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

The only verse that tells you to study the Bible also tells you how to understand the Bible!

When Scripture says we Christians are “workmen” (today’s Scripture), Ephesians 2:10 (“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”) and 1 Corinthians 3:9 (“For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building”) explain that God has saved us unto eternal life so we could join Him in accomplishing His will (which we could not do when we were lost, headed for eternal hellfire, participants in Satan’s policy of evil).

Recall that God has a two-fold will: save all people from their sins and Satan, and then save all Christians from all false doctrine (1 Timothy 2:4). Satan has a two-fold will that counters God’s: hide the Gospel of Grace from all people, and hide sound Pauline (grace) doctrine from all Christians. Religious tradition—a non-dispensational approach the Scripture—furthers Satan’s policy of evil, for it keeps lost people lost, and it keeps Christians ignorant of God’s will, His Word to them.

Satan, “the god of this world,” “hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,” by causing lost people to ignore Paul’s Gospel and trust in their own religious performance to gain a right standing before God (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). Moreover, Satan misleads Christians to introduce into their lives everything but God’s grace to them in Christ—the wrong “Jesus” (His earthly ministry in Matthew through John, rather than His heavenly ministry as revealed through Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon), the wrong “spirit” (law rather than grace, Romans 6:14 cf. Romans 8:15), and the wrong “gospel” (Israel’s kingdom gospel rather the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:3,4) (2 Corinthians 11:3,4).

We Christians are “workmen” when we “study… rightly dividing the word of truth,” and our faith in those verses causes the Holy Spirit to bring them to life in our lives, thus aligning us with God’s will for us….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should Christians observe Lent?“

Bible Study 102 #6

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

The only verse that tells you to study the Bible also tells you how to understand the Bible!

While Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, et cetera were justified (had a right standing before God), nothing in Scripture indicates they knew of Calvary’s crosswork (thousands of years yet future, and God had not revealed that information yet). God’s good news to Adam and Eve was that He shed animal blood to cover their sins (Genesis 3:21), His good news to Noah was to build an ark to escape His wrath (Genesis chapter 6; Hebrews 11:7), and His good news to Abraham was that He would make of him a great nation in the earth (Genesis 12:1-3; Hebrews 11:8-10). Romans 4:1-8 explains these Old Testament saints simply believed what limited information God revealed to them, and He imputed (credited) Christ’s righteousness and (future) crosswork to them (Romans 3:25).

How can we Gentiles get Christ’s righteousness at Calvary credited to us? We find the answer in the good news God has revealed to us through Paul (Romans 11:13; 1 Timothy 1:8-16; 1 Timothy 2:4-7; Titus 1:1-3)! The Gospel of the Grace of God (two verses worth memorizing): “For I [Paul] delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). This is the Gospel by which we must be saved in this the Dispensation of Grace (dispensational Bible study shows us Matthew 19:17, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:9, et cetera, are Israel’s salvation verses, and have nothing to do with us).

As taught in the mystery program revealed through Paul, we Gentiles can now enjoy God’s salvation, everything that God can do for us through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, without us having to do anything but trust it alone, because we can do nothing for Him anyway….

Bible Study 102 #4

Sunday, March 9, 2014

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

The only verse that tells you to study the Bible also tells you how to understand the Bible!

God’s will for man is two-fold: firstly, the Lord Jesus Christ wants to save man from his sins and Satan’s policy of evil (1 Timothy 2:4a), and, secondly, He wants to educate man about His original plan for him (1 Timothy 2:4b). “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

While a full comprehension of dispensational Bible study is not necessary for salvation from sins, where to find in Scripture God’s current plan of salvation is absolutely critical. For example, we do not find the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork declared in the Old Testament. Calvary’s crosswork was definitely prophesied (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, et cetera), but the benefits Israel received from it were not fully revealed until after it happened (Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 1:19; et al.). Moreover, until Paul’s ministry, God did not reveal what Calvary meant for us Gentiles (1 Timothy 2:5-7; Titus 1:2,3; 1 John 2:2; et al.). Unless we “rightly divide the word of truth” as today’s Scripture instructs, we overlook these doctrinal differences, and we do not recognize where in Scripture we find God’s message of salvation for us Gentiles.

God’s good news to us Gentiles today is that He is offering His grace in Christ to us, without any works on our part. The Gospel of the Grace of God, first committed to the Apostle Paul’s trust, is “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). If we Gentiles are to have a right standing before God (justification unto eternal life, eternity in heaven, et cetera), God expects us to believe and trust that message. Once we trust that Gospel, and that Gospel alone, then we can study the Bible to grow spiritually, to “come to the knowledge of the truth,” to learn why God saved us….

God’s Grace on Parade

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

“…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20 KJV).

Today, especially here in southern Louisiana, the Catholic festival of Mardi Gras takes advantage of God’s grace. God’s grace abounds even when drunkenness, lasciviousness, and gluttony are committed overtly on our streets for religion. Because we live in the Dispensation of the Grace of God, they can flaunt their sin without being consumed by fire from heaven!

“Mardi Gras,” French for “Fat Tuesday,” is a day when religious people—professing “Christians”—lose self-control (excess alcohol, food, and partying). The following day, Ash Wednesday, they promise to live “holy” for the next 40 days (Lent). A priest will then place ashes on their foreheads proving that God forgave them for that riotous living. Blasphemy!

Regardless of all its biblical allusions (illusions!), Mardi Gras is still evil and anti-God. It was never Christian, originating from pagan Roman festivals, Saturnalia and Lupercalia (interestingly known for riots, drunkenness, gluttony, and fornication, and subsequent repentance).

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostles Peter and Paul, was clearly against Mardi Gras reveling and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3). So why do professing Christians engage in the very activities that God the Holy Spirit condemned?! As Christians, we should “deny” the activities of Mardi Gras (Romans 6:11-15; Titus 2:11-15).

If I appear offended, I am. Mardi Gras, despite its godly façade, is offensive to the great God and my Saviour Jesus Christ! God’s grace continues to tolerate such foolishness from mankind. Man parades his sin, and God parades His grace, holding back wrath.

Are you a Mardi Gras reveler? I declare unto you the wonderful Gospel of the Grace of God. God did for you at Calvary what you could never do: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood and died to put away all of your sins, Mardi Gras revelry included.

If you rest in Christ Jesus alone as your Saviour, God will save you forever, make a trophy of His grace, and then YOUR life will be God’s grace on parade!

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

On Your Christian Life

Monday, March 3, 2014

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6,7 KJV).

If you are seeking victorious Christian living today, you can find it today!

Where do we obtain the power for Christian living? Christendom greatly emphasizes “Kingdom building,” terminology obviously derived from the Four Gospels (Matthew 3:2, Mark 10:14,15, Luke 12:31,32, et cetera). We hear it constantly: “Follow Jesus” (the implication is to obey and apply to our lives His Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, or Luke chapter 12, or John chapters 14-16, et cetera). Others tell us to keep the Law of Moses (Ten Commandments) for Christian living. Despite all that performance and effort, very few ever actually realize the life God has for Christians because of the confusion as to what it is and because nearly all of the activities that are presumed to be God’s life for us is everything but it!

Today’s Scripture summarizes both soul salvation unto eternal life and soul salvation unto daily grace living. How did we “receive Christ Jesus the Lord?” By our works? By keeping rules and regulations; performing rites, rituals, and ceremonies; repeating prayers; making God promises to do better; et cetera? NAY! Verse 5 says, “[our] faith in Christ.” Our Christian life operates exactly like our soul salvation from hell was accomplished—by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s performance (Romans 3:22-26; Romans 4:3-8; Ephesians 2:8,9). As we were saved from the penalty of sin (eternal hellfire), so we can be saved from the power of sin (fleshly living, living for ourselves): it is all Jesus Christ’s work!

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). We are accepted in Jesus Christ because of what He did (His grace to us), and our lifestyles are acceptable to God when we allow Jesus Christ to live His life in and through us (the grace doctrines revealed in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, which we study, believe, and apply to life). That is the key to victorious Christian living under grace!

*These past seven devotionals, “Original 7 Expanded Again,” are advanced versions of our “Original 7” devotionals arc and our “Original 7 Expanded” devotionals arc: all 21 build on each other. Onward we go in maturity! 🙂

On Jesus Christ

Thursday, February 27, 2014

“For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 KJV).

If you are seeking soul salvation today, you can find it today!

Whether Christian, Muslim, Jew, agnostic, skeptic, or atheist, we all know that sin exists. We each have a conscience, a system of standards and norms that govern our behavior, values, and beliefs. There are many times when we know to do right (our conscience), and we do not do it—that is what sin is. Some ignore or deny their sin; others attempt to cover it up with “good” deeds, prayers, ceremonies, rites, and rituals; still others suffer self-inflicted punishment to (hopefully) pay for their sins. Despite all that activity, very few ever actually get those sins paid for because of the confusion as to how to get them paid and because nearly all of the ways that are presumed to lead to forgiveness lead to everything but it!

In today’s Scripture, we learn about the only solution to man’s sin problem. What makes Christianity unique is that it alone teaches that God Himself took upon human flesh to pay for man’s sins! Every world religion is weak and beggarly because we sinners can never measure up to God in our own efforts. Thus, God the Son did for us what we could never do: He became one of us to then mediate between God the Father and us. Every instance where man had stumbled in sin, Jesus Christ triumphed. Jesus, being fully God and fully man, can take Father God and mankind and reunite them.

The price to pay for our sins was certainly not cheap: Jesus Christ is the only Man in all of human history who died for mankind’s sins, who offered Himself and His precious, sinless blood as the fully satisfying payment for sins, and who was raised again to give us eternal life. We simply come by faith (trust) in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone, and then enjoy the same righteous standing He has before God the Father!