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

333’s 400th: Liberty to Publish God’s Word

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today we commemorate the United States’ 236th anniversary and our 400th devotional.

Just as we Americans celebrate our nation’s birthday and independence today on this Fourth of July, we Christians worldwide reflect on the “liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free [from sin, death, hell, and the condemnation of the Mosaic Law]” (Galatians 5:1).

Moreover, God our Father has entrusted us with the ministry of sharing with the lost world the spiritual freedom we have found exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our role in the Christian ambassadorship is to publish God’s pure (unadulterated) Word, the Holy Bible. Whether preaching and teaching it rightly divided, or translating and literally printing it, “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it” (Psalm 68:11).

God, through His Son’s finished crosswork on Calvary, has freed us from the bondage of the Law and sin. Christ’s blood has “redeemed” us, and it is our responsibility to tell others of that “redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). The lost and dying souls of the world need to hear the words of Jesus Christ, the words that “are spirit and… [that] are life” (John 6:63b). They need to hear about the eternal life found only in Jesus Christ. They need to hear it from us, God’s people!

God’s grace has saved us, not so we could live any way we want (we were doing that before God’s grace saved us!). We should use our liberty in Christ to “by love serve one another” (today’s Scripture). God’s love motivates us to teach Holy Spirit-indwelt (but denominational) Christians Pauline dispensational Bible study, and to preach to the lost world God’s saving grace in Christ (Paul’s Gospel of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Saints, as we reach another milestone, we thank you for your continued prayer for this ministry. And, we thank our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us liberty to publish God’s Word….

Lord willing, on to #500. 🙂

You can also see our 2011 Fourth of July study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

The Children of God #1

Thursday, June 7, 2012

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28 KJV).

Is everyone “God’s child,” as often claimed? Who are “the children of God?” Today’s Scripture explains that… and more.

Who are “the children of God?” “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (today’s Scripture). Obviously, everyone is not God’s child. The only “children of God” are those who have trusted Christ Jesus alone as their personal Saviour.

Once, we were lost hell-bound sinners, children of the devil (John 8:44). We “were dead in our trespasses and sins,” following the evil world system (under Satan’s influence), doing our own thing and offending God’s righteousness (Ephesians 2:1-3).

There came a point in our lives when we (finally) threw up our hands in exhaustion. We (finally) realized that we were no-good wretches: all our “good” works displeased God. There, we (finally) acknowledged that we could never “measure up” to His righteous standards. There, we (finally) quit working for salvation, and trusted in the bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We received God’s salvation as a free gift, something we did not deserve (Ephesians 2:4-9)!

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Saints, we have total access to and peace with God through Christ Jesus our Lord. We are no longer separated from God because of sin. God’s righteous wrath against our sin and sins was poured out on His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, at Calvary’s cross. “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of [God’s] grace” (Ephesians 1:7; cf. Colossians 1:14; Colossians 2:13).

Now, God, not Satan, is our Father (Romans 1:7 et al.). Now and forever, we are “the children of God!”

Our Kinsmen According to the Flesh

Sunday, June 3, 2012

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” (Romans 9:1-3 KJV).

Sharing Jesus Christ with lost (unsaved) strangers is difficult. We need to tell them of their impending eternal doom and of the salvation in Christ, but we sometimes keep quiet, fearing ridicule and rejection. However, telling our own family about Christ is tougher….

In today’s Scripture, our Apostle Paul begins three chapters—Romans chapters 9-11—that discuss Israel’s past, present, and future statuses. Israel once had a special position before God (Romans 9:4,5). When Paul wrote today’s Scripture, God had already begun to set Israel and her program aside: Israel’s “diminishing” occurred between Acts chapters 7 and 28. Today, in this the Dispensation of Grace, Israel is temporarily spiritually “blinded” and “fallen” (Romans 11:11,12,25).

Compare today’s Scripture with Romans 10:1-3: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

Oh, how Jewish Paul grieved for lost (hell-bound) Israel, who ignored Christ’s finished crosswork (“the righteousness of God;” Romans 10:3 cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21)! They disregarded Paul’s Gospel of Grace (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). They rejected Christ’s bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection, and emphasized “their own righteousness” (doing religious works, hoping to obtain salvation, but actually heading for eternal damnation). How we grieve for our family members who are equally religious (and equally lost)!!!

Paul preached Jesus Christ “that he might save some of them [Jews, his kinsmen according to the flesh]” (Romans 11:14). Be not discouraged! We will not save all of our family members. Nevertheless, we BOLDLY preach, for “some” “of [our] kinsmen according to the flesh” will trust Christ alone and be saved.

Why Paul?

Thursday, May 31, 2012

“…Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth of Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity” (1 Timothy 2:5c-7 KJV).

One of the greatest blunders of the professing Church is the assumption that Paul’s ministry was an extension of the twelve apostles’ ministry. Many verses, including today’s Scripture, prove Paul’s ministry is separate from the twelve apostles. “Why Paul?” is a simple question, an inquiry which, had Christendom first proposed and then answered using the Bible, would have prevented the Biblical confusion that pervades churches today.

Today’s Scripture—“Christ Jesus… gave himself a ransom for all”—was not always true. In His earthly ministry, Jesus Himself claimed: “Even as the Son of man came… to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Is that a contradiction? NO! In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He was sent to “save his people [Israel] from their sins” (Matthew 1:21; cf. John 1:11; Romans 15:8). Peter and the eleven preached this message in the early Acts period (Acts 2:36-38; Acts 3:19,24-26; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 5:31; et al.).

Why Paul? Carefully re-read today’s Scripture: “…Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto [To which] I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth of Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”

It is not until we come to Paul’s ministry that we learn that Christ died for all (Jew and Gentile). This was the special message (the Gospel of the Grace of God) that the ascended Lord Jesus Christ committed to Paul alone (Galatians 1:11,12; Titus 1:2,3; 2 Timothy 2:8). This is why God made Paul an apostle!

God had a special Gospel He wanted preached to us Gentiles, but He could not use the twelve apostles to preach it (they had to convert Israel first; Matthew 10:5-7). Paul is our apostle, “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Thus, his epistles testify, Christ died for all—including us Gentiles (today’s Scripture).

When Truth is Error #2

Sunday, May 27, 2012

“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:16 KJV).

Being scriptural is not enough. To follow God’s will you must also be dispensational. All of the Bible is for us, but not all of the Bible is to us or about us.

For example, Mosaic Law-keeping is biblical (Exodus 20:1-17). But, to whom are these Scriptures written and spoken? The nation Israel—not us. Additionally, millions of precious souls are basing their salvation on what Jesus said in Matthew 19:17 (cf. James 2:24): “…but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” This is scriptural, but not dispensational: it was true for Israel, but it is error for us.

Friend, if you are basing your salvation on your works, you are going to hell. Following salvation verses that God spoke to someone else is error: God never gave them to you. If you want salvation from your sins and hell, you MUST go to Paul for God’s current plan of salvation. Our doctrine is found only in Paul’s epistles (Romans through Philemon) (Romans 11:13).

We are not under Israel’s works-religion (legalistic) economy. God has replaced Israel’s works-religion acceptance system (our performance) with something better: the grace-based acceptance system, what Jesus Christ did for us at Calvary’s cross. “Ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14b). In our dispensation, salvation is “to him that worketh not” (Romans 4:5).

The Gospel that saves you today is not Acts 2:38 or 1 John 1:9, but 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day.”

James 5:14,15 is error for us to practice, but it is truth in Israel’s program. This includes Revelation 3:20, Hebrews 6:4-6, 1 John 2:27, Matthew 24:13, John 20:22,23, Acts 2:4, Matthew 6:9-13, and Mark 16:15-20—verses that Christendom steals from Israel’s program and (wrongly) practices today.

Dispensational Bible study is critical to your soul salvation, as well as to your Christian health. You MUST use God’s Word, God’s way (“rightly dividing the word of truth;” 2 Timothy 2:15), or you will make truth error (today’s Scripture)….

Vengeance Belongeth Unto the Lord #3

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 KJV).

In the biblical words of a bygone preacher, “Payday, someday!”

Today’s Scripture and its context (verses 17-21) explain that whenever God’s righteousness is offended (sinned against), His justice enforces appropriate punishment (His wrath). Thus, we need not retaliate when people mistreat us. Those sins will either be dealt with at Christ’s cross (if these people trust Christ or have trusted Christ), or if they do not trust Christ, they will suffer for those deeds forever in the lake of fire.

According to 2 Thessalonians 1:4-9, the believers in Thessalonica endured persecutions and tribulations (sound familiar?). Notice the comfort the Apostle Paul gave them: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;” (verses 6-9).

To “recompense” means, “to pay back in kind.” When Jesus Christ returns to earth at His Second Coming, He will pay back His (and thus, our) enemies. A literal fire will precede Him, and it will consume them. This is the wrath mentioned in today’s Scripture (cf. Matthew 3:7-12; Luke 3:16,17; Psalm 2:4,5).

But, notice that fire will then give way to “everlasting destruction” (this is when these people die, and go to hell and, ultimately, the lake of fire). The lake of fire is where God’s wrath against sin is eternally poured out on those who chose to reject Christ and remain dead in their sins (“them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”).

For sinners, “Payday someday.” Either at Christ’s cross… or the lake of fire….

I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ #3

Saturday, May 12, 2012

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 KJV).

Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is so powerful that it can save anyone and everyone… from Jews who murdered their Messiah, to pagan Greeks who worshipped idols.

The Gospel of Christ, first preached by the Apostle Paul nearly 2,000 years ago, has saved millions. Paul received that special message directly from the resurrected, ascended Lord Jesus Christ: “But I certify [guarantee] you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11,12).

This Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24) has saved two groups of people: Jews who rejected and murdered their Messiah-King Jesus, and pagan Greeks (Gentiles) who, unlike the Jews, did not even have God’s Word (the Old Testament Scriptures; Romans 3:1,2). It saved Jewish Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul, and it saved us formerly pagan Gentiles.

Although unbelieving Israel could not receive salvation in the prophetic (kingdom) program after Acts chapter 7 (cf. Matthew 12:31,32), they could receive salvation in our Dispensation of Grace, the mystery program, by trusting Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of Grace (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Before our dispensation, salvation was almost limited exclusively to Israel (Matthew 10:5-7; John 4:22; Acts 3:22-26): non-Jews were to receive salvation in Israel’s kingdom (Matthew 25:31-34; Matthew 28:19,20).

When Israel rejected her King, her kingdom was postponed; through Paul’s ministry, salvation went to the Gentiles without redeemed Israel (Romans 11:11-13). Now, Israel’s works-religion (Judaism) is inactive. Today, God is saving Gentiles, not by their conversion to Judaism (as in time past), but by them trusting Christ Jesus as their personal Saviour; God is saving Jews, not by having them keep the Law (as in time past), but by them trusting Christ Jesus as their personal Saviour (today’s Scripture).

I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

Thursday, May 10, 2012

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 KJV).

What is the Gospel of Christ, and why is the Apostle Paul not ashamed of it?

When we study the Bible dispensationally, we understand that the Apostle Paul has a unique ministry, one that is completely separate and distinct from the ministries of men whom God had previously commissioned (including the twelve apostles). One of the special aspects of Paul’s ministry is that the ascended Lord Jesus Christ committed to him a “mystery,” a secret program (our Dispensation of Grace) that God had kept hidden in Himself until He first revealed it to Paul (Ephesians 3:1-11; cf. Romans 16:25,26).

At the heart of this “mystery” ministry God committed to Paul, we find “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). Paul wrote, “the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was to committed to my trust” (1 Timothy 1:11). Paul also called it “my gospel” (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8), and in today’s Scripture, Paul referred to it as “the gospel of Christ” because this “good news” belongs to and originates from the ascended Lord Jesus Christ Himself! What is Paul’s gospel? “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 15:1-4).

Our Apostle Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ in the sense of not being shy or embarrassed. He is not ashamed of it “for [because] it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Paul knows that the Gospel of Christ is so powerful, for it is God Almighty’s power, that it can literally reach into the depths of sin and death and eternally save anyone and everyone who simply believes (trusts, has faith in) it! See, no works are needed for salvation: “to everyone that believeth” (no water baptism, tongues, tithing, et cetera).

How to Lead Someone to the Lord Jesus Christ

Sunday, May 6, 2012

“And brought [Paul and Silas] out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:30,31 KJV).

We dedicate this devotional to sharing the verses that are critical to leading someone to salvation in Christ Jesus.

Christians often have great difficulty in witnessing to the lost. Why? They have not grasped Bible basics; they are unsure of what to say. Many are confused because they have been taught anything and everything but the King James Bible rightly divided. For example, I once asked a Christian if she could show me our Gospel in the Bible. Her answer was swift in coming, “The Gospel of John” (NO!). The poor lady repeated what her church said.

Notice God’s plan of salvation for our Dispensation of Grace:

  1. Someone must first understand his/her need for salvation. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). Without salvation, our sin will cause physical and spiritual death: ultimately, eternal separation from God in hellfire.
  2. Second, the person must understand that he/she can do nothing to save himself/herself. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). You may also show them Romans 3:28, Romans 4:1-8, Galatians 2:16-21, and Titus 3:5-7.
  3. Finally, the person must understand that the Lord Jesus Christ “died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day for our justification.” This is the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: this is the only way we are saved from hell today. “… the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). The person must trust exclusively in Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary as sufficient payment for their sins in order to receive God’s forgiveness and eternal salvation.

Have the person read these Scriptures from your King James Bible. You may also refer them to Ephesians 1:13,14, Romans 3:19-30, Romans 4:25-5:11, and Colossians 1:12-15.

Dispensational Doctrine on Display

Thursday, May 3, 2012

“First, I thank God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8 KJV).

Why does God not immediately take us home to heaven once we receive salvation in Christ? Today’s Scripture gives us a clue.

Firstly, God has temporarily left us Christians on earth because He wants to reach the world’s lost people with the Gospel of Grace (salvation). God reaches lost people (those outside of Christ) by using Christians, those who know His Word (the Bible) and are willing to share it with unsaved, hell-bound people.

For example, God saved the Apostle Paul in order to reach us pagan Gentiles with salvation (Paul did not go to heaven until 35-plus years after salvation). Paul was sent to us Gentiles “to open [our] eyes, and to turn [us] from [spiritual] darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that [we] might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in [Christ]” (Acts 26:18).

Secondly, God has temporarily left us Christians on earth because He wants us to reach other Christians with sound dispensational Bible study. God wants all Christians to experience the grace life, or Christ living in them (Galatians 2:20), and this only happens when we understand and believe God’s Word dispensationally.

For example, in today’s Scripture, Paul commended the Roman believers, whose lives communicated sound doctrine to the whole then-known world! The Romans believed the grace message, and then, by faith, they let God’s Word work in them (1 Thessalonians 2:13) to transform their minds (Romans 12:1,2) and then their lifestyles (Romans 6:1-23). The Thessalonian believers also had lifestyles that encouraged other Christians to pursue sound doctrine and acceptable Christian service (1 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

Lost people (and sadly, even some Christians) will never read the Bible. However, when we apply sound dispensational (Pauline) Bible doctrine to our lives by faith, these individuals will see sound doctrine in practice (see Philippians 4:9; 2 Timothy 3:10). The great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ will be glorified, for lost and saved will see dispensational doctrine on display.