We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #2

Thursday, July 26, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

God’s Word proceeds to describe mankind, exposing him as the bestial creature that he naturally is….

In verses 10-12 Paul quotes Psalm 14:1-3 (Psalm 53:1-3). From verses 13-18, he continues to quote the Old Testament to describe mankind as wicked:

  • Romans 3:13: “Their throat is an open sepulchre [tomb]; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [snakes, vipers] is under their lips:” (Psalm 5:9: “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.” Psalm 140:3: “They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.”) Mankind is a liar!
  • Romans 3:14: “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:” (Psalm 10:7: “[The wicked, verse 2] His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.”) Mankind is a sly blasphemer who is angry with God!
  • Romans 3:15: “Their feet are swift to shed blood:” (Proverbs 1:16: “For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.” Isaiah 59:7a: “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood:…”) Mankind is a murderer!
  • Romans 3:16: “Destruction and misery are in their ways:” (Isaiah 59:7bc: “…their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.”) Mankind destroys everything he touches and produces misery!
  • Romans 3:17: “And the way of peace have they not known:” (Isaiah 59:8: “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.”) Sinful mankind enjoys fighting (James 4:1)!
  • Romans 3:18: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Psalm 36:1: “The transgression of the wicked saith within his heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes.”) Mankind is haughty and irreverent!

Frankly, we humans are troublemakers!

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #1

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

Watch your local news, surf the internet, browse the bookstore, and stroll down the street, and you will conclude that mankind, other than Satan, is God’s most troublesome creature.

A Christian brother once told me, “God should have had nothing to do with us. He should have just gotten rid of us all.” Amen to that! Originally, God placed mankind on the earth to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26,28). The human race has certainly multiplied…and because of that, so have the world’s problems! Rather than ruling earth for God’s glory, mankind has governed earth for himself.

Let us notice the verses following today’s Scripture: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10-12).

The Apostle Paul is quoting the Old Testament. Read Psalm 14:1-3: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Psalm 53:1-3 reads very similar).

Today’s Scripture is actually part of a large passage of God’s Word (Romans 1:17–3:20) that indicts and condemns man as the foolish, selfish, sinful brute that he is. Frankly, in God’s mind, there are no “good” sinners or “bad” sinners, only sinners. There are no “good” troublemakers or “bad” troublemakers, only troublemakers.

No More Sacrifice for Sins?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,…” (Hebrews 10:26 KJV).

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (verse 25) is often quoted as applicable today, but many stumble over the next verse (today’s Scripture). Exactly what does today’s Scripture mean?

We are eternally secure in Jesus Christ if we have trusted Him alone as our personal Saviour (Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 1:12). Yet, critics of our “once saved, always saved” position usually quote today’s Scripture to contend that we can lose our salvation. Is this a “Bible contradiction?”

Failing to approach the Bible dispensationally only causes doctrinal chaos. This is especially true of the book of Hebrews. The title—Hebrews—indicates the nation Israel is the audience, not us Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace. Also, Hebrews addresses the time period after our dispensation (that is, the seven-year Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ).

The verses following today’s Scripture explain: “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:27-29).

Previous verses (1-24) discuss how Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on Calvary’s cross has abolished Israel’s Old Testament animal sacrifices commanded in “Moses’ law.” If a Jew living in the seven-year Tribulation will “sin wilfully”—that is, will return to offering those animal sacrifices (which ceremonies the antichrist will re-establish and then abolish during that time [Daniel 9:27])—this Jew cannot be saved because he has blasphemously rejected Jesus Christ’s blood and he will literally be participating in Satan worship (the antichrist’s religion). Only God’s “judgment,” “fiery indignation” (fire at the Second Coming of Christ, and eternal hellfire), awaits those wicked Jews, God’s “adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27,30,31; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

Today’s Scripture does not involve us.

The Mind That Ought Not Be Wasted

Monday, July 23, 2012

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV).

A mind is a terrible thing to waste, especially if it is the mind of the Lord!

Mankind is inherently spiritually dead, unable to communicate with God and completely oblivious to God’s Word. Our world wallows in deep ignorance regarding the things of God, and all too often this (unfortunately) applies even to Christians. What makes this most pitiful? It does not have to be that way!! God has already intervened in human history and He has revealed Himself and His plan for the heaven and earth by means of a Book, His Book, the Holy Bible, a Book that He preserved down through the ages. Today, we can hold in our hands and study for ourselves the preserved Word of God, the Authorized King James Bible.

In the context of today’s Scripture, the poor Corinthian believers had ignored the doctrine God gave them through the Apostle Paul, preferring rather to piddle about in spiritual ignorance with vain human philosophy (as documented in 1 Corinthians chapters 1-3). Oh, what a pity!! What a pity indeed, but again, this happens all too often in Christendom today! Most discard God’s mind—God’s wisdom, the Holy Bible—and substitute it with religious tradition, their own beliefs, and everything else but sound Bible doctrine. They too literally waste the mind of God.

How does God “instruct [us]?” Today’s Scripture declares that if we want to know God’s instructions regarding life and how to handle its issues, we MUST consult God’s Word (especially Paul’s epistles Romans through Philemon, which God wrote specifically to us Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Beloved, let us not waste the mind of God. Study and believe it rightly divided, and it will work mightily in you for God’s glory (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

A Prophetic, Genetic Record

Sunday, July 22, 2012

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:… And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died” (Genesis 5:3,5 KJV).

Genesis chapter 5, which lists Adam’s ancestors, is called “the Bible’s death chapter.” The phrase “and he died” appears eight times within this chapter (verses 5,8,11,14,17,20,27,31). With the exception of Enoch (verse 24), all the patriarchs from Adam to Lamech die physically. Yet, within this chapter, there is a hint of life… eternal life….

Notice the names of the people listed in Genesis chapter 5: Adam (verse 1), Adam’s son Seth (verse 3), Seth’s son Enos (verse 6), Enos’ son Cainan (verse 9), Cainan’s son Mahalaleel (verse 12), Mahalaleel’s son Jared (verse 15), Jared’s son Enoch (verse 18), Enoch’s son Methuselah (verse 21), Methuselah’s son Lamech (verse 25), and finally Lamech’s son Noah (verse 28,29).

While this may look like an ordinary genealogical record, you will be surprised to learn that Moses was not simply writing a family tree. This seemingly boring information was actually scrupulously prophetic! When we understand the meaning of these 10 names, they form a code to show that Genesis looked forward to Calvary’s cross to reverse this “death chapter”:

  • Adam = “man”
  • Seth = “appointed”
  • Enos = “mortal”
  • Cainan = “sorrow”
  • Mahalaleel = “the Blessed God”
  • Jared = “shall come down”
  • Enoch = “teaching”
  • Methuselah = “his death shall bring”
  • Lamech = “the despairing”
  • Noah = “comfort/rest”

What a surprise! “Man appointed mortal sorrow. The Blessed God shall come down teaching His death shall bring the despairing rest/comfort.” This is one of the profound examples of how the Holy Bible is not an ordinary book. The author of Genesis—God Himself—foretold of the day when He would come down to earth and rescue wretched man from his sin and despair. Moses had no idea when he was writing these names, but this record was actually prophesying the death of Jesus Christ, over 2,000 years beforehand!! The Bible—what a Book!!!! 🙂

The Holiness of the LORD

Saturday, July 21, 2012

“For I am the LORD that bringeth you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy:…” (Leviticus 11:44ab KJV).

Leviticus contains 27 chapters of laws and procedures regarding sacrifices and offerings, civility, planting crops, the kosher diet, hygiene and purification, apparel, real estate, religious ceremonies, the Levitical priesthood, and tithing. Why did God give Israel such meticulous regulations?

“Holy” appears 92 times within Leviticus because God is instructing Israel to be very different from everyone else. He commanded Moses, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2; cf. today’s Scripture). JEHOVAH (the LORD) was separate from the pagan gods, so He wanted His people Israel to daily exhibit His uniqueness. He wanted them to lead “holy” lives to distinguish them from the Gentiles (everyone else).

We members of the Church the Body of Christ are just as separated unto God as Israel was in time past (and will be in the future). Paul wrote: “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).

God has forever sanctified us Christians (we are saints, separated from the world). Let us walk by faith in Pauline (grace) Bible doctrine, and our lives shall exhibit the holiness of the LORD. 🙂

Devoted Epaphroditus

Friday, July 20, 2012

“Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants” (Philippians 2:25 KJV).

Epaphroditus, whose (heathen) name means, “Devoted to [the goddess] Venus,” was actually devoted to the true and living God, the God of the Bible.

Read the context to learn more about Epaphroditus: “For he longed after you all [Philippians], and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:” (verses 26-29).

Paul is writing to Philippi from his prison in Rome, and he is sending the epistle of Philippians to Philippi by a courier and fellow Christian—Epaphroditus. The Apostle explains that Epaphroditus had been sick, but Paul is thankful that he has since recovered: Paul is depressed in prison, and he does not need more “sorrow” (the death of a saint, “fellowsoldier,” and someone who had provided for his needs, would certainly add to Paul’s distress).

Both the Philippians and Paul will be encouraged when Epaphroditus arrives in Philippi: the Philippians will read news from Paul, and Paul will be relieved that God’s Word (his epistle) reached the saints in Philippi. Paul urges the Philippians to “hold such [Epaphroditus] in reputation.” Why? Verse 30 explains: “because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”

Epaphroditus had literally worked in the ministry to the point of near-death! Paul had needs, and the Philippians failed to supply for them, so Epaphroditus risked his life to compensate. What dedication! Epaphroditus was devoted (but not to Venus): may we be as Epaphroditus, who served the Lord Jesus Christ, “not regarding his life.”

Prelude

Thursday, July 19, 2012

“My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass” (Psalm 102:11 KJV).

This earthly life is brief, but it is a prelude of the life to come, so be sure to use your time wisely for God’s glory.

Even from conception, death works in us to end our physical life. As the psalmist wrote in today’s Scripture, “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.” Because of the motion of the light source and/or the illuminated object, a shadow eventually grows smaller and smaller: it “declineth.” Our earthly life ends like grass “withereth” (fades away). James wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (4:14bc). A “vapour” is a gas that can either become a solid or liquid: it ultimately “vanisheth away” (disappears).

Indeed, this earthly life will fade, but our souls will continue to exist. Prepare! What we do in this earthly life with God’s Word will impact our eternity. Lost people can place their faith in Paul’s Gospel—Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and go to heaven, or they can reject it and go to hell. We Christians can study and believe sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine, so we can be equipped to function in the heavenly places for God’s glory, or we can ignore it and be unfit for God’s use.

Paul wrote, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man [physical body] perish [die], yet the inward man [spiritual body] is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

This earthly life is but a prelude of “the ages to come:” by faith, look at the unseen future, and prepare for eternity!

The Meek Pauline Dispensationalist

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

“Put them in mind… to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:1,2 KJV).

An individual recently shared a concern with me, so we offer a humble, friendly reminder to you, our grace brethren in Jesus Christ….

We understand and are saved by God’s grace to us in Christ. Nevertheless, most individuals are lost (dead in their sins). Also, we recognize and believe that Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul the special ministry and doctrine for this the Dispensation of Grace. Sadly, church tradition hides these truths, and most professing Christians are deceived doctrinally.

God’s will is to have “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Our goal in teaching God’s Word rightly divided is so everyone can also have a chance to be liberated from the bondage of sin and the burden of religion. We Pauline dispensationalists are privileged to proclaim these precious Bible truths to both lost people and Christians, thereby bringing our Saviour Jesus Christ glory and honor.

However, grace brethren, please exercise great caution. Do not allow Satan to utilize your flesh (sin nature) to get the advantage. Today’s Scripture instructs us to be “meek”—humble, not prideful—in the ministry. Why? Read the next verse: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). It is easy to grow angry with lost people, non-Pauline Christians, and non-King James users, but remember, we were once where they are. May we, without compromising sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine, gently, lovingly reach out to them on God’s behalf. 🙂

“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #8

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Let us review why Israel’s three prophetic baptisms do not apply to us:

  1. John’s water baptism: God the Father sent John the Baptist to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). John preaches to Israel, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [approaching, near]” (Matthew 3:2). John’s water baptism is to prepare Israel to become a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5,6; cf. 1 Peter 2:5,9), since Israel needs the Old Testament priests’ ceremonial washing. Jews who listen to John’s message and experience his water baptism form “the little flock,” the believing remnant of Israel that will inherit Christ’s earthly kingdom (Luke 12:32).
  2. The baptism with the Holy Ghost: On Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), Jesus Christ baptized that “little flock” (His apostles and disciples) with God’s Holy Spirit. This was to empower them to continue what He (Jesus Christ) had begun during His earthly ministry (that is, lead Israel to faith in Him as their Messiah-King; Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8).
  3. The fire baptism: Jews who refused the two above baptisms would receive the fire baptism, God’s wrath. Unbelieving Jews would never enter Christ’s earthly kingdom. They would perish in the fire baptism (the Tribulation, Christ’s Second Coming, and eventually hellfire), as described in Matthew 24:36-42, Luke 17:26-37, and Revelation 19:11-21.

When we understand that the three “baptisms” in today’s Scripture are unique to Israel’s prophetic kingdom program spoken by the Old Testament prophets (Acts 3:21), and that we Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace live in the mystery (secret) program which God hid from the Old Testament prophets (Romans 16:25), it becomes apparently clear that we are totally isolated from Israel’s baptisms. When we understand that Paul is our apostle (Romans 11:13), we follow his epistles Romans through Philemon, and faith does not lead us to practice Israel’s water baptism, seek Israel’s “Pentecostal power,” or fear Israel’s Tribulation.