libertyMESSENGER.org: Recent Episodes
Jim Spoerl Pastor / Teacher
Our Outline Today: “God Has A Future For Israel - The Day of the Lord, Part 1”
- The Mystery of Israel's Blindness: Salvation for Gentiles
- The Mystery of Israel's Blindness: ‘All’ Israel Shall Be Saved
- The Mystery of Israel's Blindness: Its Necessity
- The Mystery of Israel's Blindness: The Basis for A Song of Praise
Our Outline Today: How God Used the Jealousy of Jews To Fulfill His Will Through Paul
- God Used Jewish Jealousy Through Paul’s Miraculous Gentile Ministry
- God Used Jewish Jealousy Through Spiritual Gifts In the Body of Christ
Our Outline In This Study and In the Next: God Can Even Use Jealousy To Accomplish His Mighty Purposes
- God Used Jealousy Through Gentile Gifts, Both Spiritual and Physical
- God’s Prophetic Revelations Have Often Come With Previews First
- God Even Used Jealousy Through Gentile Spiritual Gifts — For Jews
Next Time:
- God Used Jealousy Through Gentile Spiritual Gifts — For Gentiles Too
- God Can Still Use Jealousy Through Gentile Testimony of Grace
Our Outline Today: The Olive Tree and Its Consequences Dispensationally
The Olive Tree Analogy:
- Its Dispensational Significance by Divine Election Explained
- A Somber Exhortation Is Given for All Believers Under Grace
Our Outline Today: “‘All Israel Shall Be Saved’ - God Fulfills His Promises - Part 3"
The Olive Tree Analogy:
- An Overview of God’s Dispensational Plan According to Prophecy
- A Summary of the Meaning of the Olive Tree Analogy
Next Time:
The Olive Tree Analogy:
- Its Dispensational Significance by Divine Election
- A Somber Exhortation for All Believers Under Grace
Our Outline Today: The Foundation of Our Understanding: The “Election” of Almighty God
- The Foundation: Divine Election is Established by the Promises Given to the Fathers (Romans 9)
- The Foundation: Election is Established by the Faith Requirement (Romans 10)
- The Foundation: Election Explains Israel’s Setting Aside (Romans 11)
Our Outline Today: The Rapture of the Church Is Both An End and a Beginning
- The Day of the Lord Cannot Come Until the Church Is Raptured
- The Focus Then and Now Is On the Man of Sin and His Workings
- His Workings Are Evil In Every Way Both Then and Now
- As Believers Under Grace We Shall Be Delivered. Rejoice!
Our Outline for Today: The Normal Christian Life, From the Mountain Tops of Liberty
- Our Liberty In Christ Is Founded Upon God’s Abundant Grace
- Our Position In Christ Jesus By God’s Grace In Christ Is Foundational
- Paul’s Dispensational Teaching Is Of Critical Importance For Us Today
Our Outline Today: The Normal Christian Life, From the Mountain Tops of Liberty
- Introduction
- Paul’s Two Teachings Explain the “Way”, and the “How”, of Grace Living
- Some Final Conclusions
Our Outline Today -- "Good Works Encourage Both Our Looking Back and Forward, the One Is A Needed Preparation, the Other Our Heavenly Prospect"
- The Details of Our Living Under Grace Are Clear
- The Saved and the Lost Are So Different, Whether In Life Or Judgment
- The Glories of Grace Are Undeniable and So Encouraging
Our Outline Today: In Christ Jesus, We Are All Created Unto Good Works, Part 2
- Good Works in the Lives of Elders (Overseers)
- Good Works in the Lives of Believing Women
- Good Works in the Lives of Believing Men (Wealthy)
- Good Works in the Lives of Paul’s Co-Ministers (Timothy)
- Good Works in the Lives of All (and with a Special Focus, On Titus Too)
Today’s Outline: In Christ Jesus, We Are All Created Unto Good Works
- Good Works in the Lives of Us Saints in General
Next Time: In Christ Jesus, We Are All Created Unto Good Works, Part 2
- Good Works in the Lives of Elders (Overseers)
- Good Works in the Lives of Believing Women
- Good Works in the Lives of Believing Men (Wealthy)
- Good Works in the Lives of Paul’s Co-Ministers (Timothy)
- Good Works in the Lives of All (and Titus)
Our Outline Today: "The Normal Christian Life — HOW Then Should We Live?"
- Only the Fruit of the Spirit Can Satisfy the Law’s Demand
- The Dynamic of the Normal Christian Life Is Far Above the Law
- Carnality Is A Red Flag On Our Lives As Believers
- The Fruit of the Spirit Reveals God’s Work Within Us
- The Walk of the Believer Under Grace Is Moment By Moment
Today’s Outline: What Have We Learned About True Liberty Under Grace?
- What Have We Learned About True Liberty Under Grace?
- What Do the Works of the Flesh Reveal About Our Walk?
- What Does the Fruit of the Spirit Reveal About Our Walk?
- What Have We Learned About Living Under Grace?
Our Outline Today: “The Walk of the Believer Under Grace Is A High Road Indeed”
- Our Gracious Walk Is Far Above Anything the Law Could Ever Offer
- The Full Dynamic of the Normal Christian Life Has Now Been Revealed
Next Time:
- The Works of the Flesh Or the Fruit of the Spirit Reveal Our Condition
Our Outline Today: “Hope Through the Indwelling Spirit Abides In Christ Jesus”
- We Have Liberty through Christ’s Gracious Free Gift
- But Bondage Continues Even for Believers Today
- What Are the Impediments to This New Life?
- Paul Defines the Way For Our Walking with Him
Our Outline Today: “The Normal Christian Life — How Then Should We Live?”
- The Normal Christian Life According to Paul’s Letter to the Romans
- The Normal Christian Life According to Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
Our Outline Today: “Co-Operating With Christ in His Resurrection from the Dead”
- If Jesus Were Not Raised From the Dead, We Could Have No Hope
- If Jesus Were Not Raised From the Dead, We Could Have No Peace
- If Jesus Were Not Raised From the Dead, We Could Have No Freedom
- If Jesus Were Not Raised From the Dead, We Could Have No Joy!
Our Outline: “Our Cries in the Midst of Our Sufferings Are All Part of His Glory”
- Prayer Is at the Heart of All that God Is Doing, Not Ours But His
- Our Ignorance Regarding Prayer Is Only A Part of Our Weaknesses
- The Normal Christian Life Can Only Be Lived By Sharing In His Working
Our Outline: “From Rags to Riches, The True Story of Our Promotion into Glory through Our Lord Jesus Christ"
- The Divine Logic Behind Our Sufferings Reveals His Glory and Grace
- Our Sufferings Together With Christ Demonstrate God’s Perfect Love
Our Outline Today: “How the Lord Knows Suffering in the Life of the Believer, Part 3”
- All Things Work Together For Good, and That Is Changing Everything!
- Our Response to Four Questions Reveals the Needs of Our Hearts
- In All These Things We Are More Than Conquerors. Amen.
Our Outline Today: “How the Lord Knows Suffering in the Life of the Believer, Part 2”
- Does Paul’s Testimony Regarding Our Suffering with Christ Still Speak?
- The Depths of Paul’s Testimony of Suffering with Christ Are Great Indeed
- The Logic of Paul’s Teaching Regarding His Suffering Explains Our Own
Our Outline Today: “How the Lord Knows Suffering in the Life of the Believer”
- Our Privilege As Sons Is to Suffer and to be Glorified Together With Christ
- Our Sufferings Today Are Nothing Compared with the Coming Glory!
Our Outline Today: Our Opportunity Today Under Grace Is to Live After the Spirit
- We Are No Longer Debtors to the Flesh but to the Spirit
- As the Sons of God, We Have a Godly Leading Always, So Rejoice!
- Now We Are Free Indeed to Walk in the Spirit Rather Than the Flesh
Our Outline Today: “The Greatest Blessing of All Is Ours, Christ In Us, the Hope of Glory”
- Our Constant Hope and Comfort Is That We Shall Never Be Condemned
- The Greatest Blessing of All Is Ours, Christ In Us, the Hope of Glory
Next Time:
- Our Opportunity Today Under Grace Is to Live After the Spirit
Our Outline: “Paul Learns Liberty From His Bondage to the Flesh Through Its Dominion”
- The Law Is Good, But It Provokes A Deep-Seated Task Master Within, Sin
- The Facts of Our Struggle Prove the Bondage of the Will
- This Conflict Between the Flesh and the Spirit Has No Human Solution
- Oh, Blessed Grace: Christ Himself Is Our Deliverer from This Enslavement!
Our Outline Today: “Paul’s Testimony Still Speaks”
- An Analogy with the Mosaic Law Teaches Truth About the Law Today
- Our Nature of Sin Is Encouraged by Law, And the Knowledge of Sin Results
- Paul’s Full Knowledge of the Power of Sin Should Still Be Teaching Us!
Our Outline Today: “The Reckoning That Counts Will Always Accomplish God’s Purpose”
- The Reckoning That Counts — In Christ, We Died and Were Risen Again
- The Reckoning That Counts — An Exhortation to Liberty Abides Always
- The Reckoning That Counts — Living as Alive from the Dead is Our Privilege
- The Reckoning That Counts — Grace Frees Us From the Bondage to Sin
Our Outline for This Introduction to “The Normal Christian Life — Grace Makes the Difference, An Introduction”
- Dead to Sin But Alive to God — Hallelujah, He Is Risen and We with Him!
- The Reckoning That Counts Will Always Accomplish God’s Purpose
TODAY’S OUTLINE: “Truth Hidden, or, the Blindness of the Human Heart, Part 9, Every Benefit of Grace, Fully Provided"
- The Blessed Truth Summarized: Every Spiritual Blessing In Christ Jesus is Ours!
- The Foundational Truth Proclaimed: Our Justification, the “Imputation” of Christ’s Own Righteousness to Us
- The Glory of It All — Our Reality: The Full and Completed Forgiveness of Sins
- The Glorious Truth Defended: The Word Was Given and Must Be Proclaimed!…
- And then the rest — last time the Blessed Hope, Our Catching up into Heavenly Glory.
Our Outline Today: The Rapture of the Church Must Be Before the Tribulation! Part 2
- It is Our Calling To Be Glorified with Him in the Heavenlies
- By God’s Power We Expectantly Await the Blessed Hope
Our Outline Today: The Rapture of the Church Must Be Before the Tribulation!
- The Dead Will Be Raised and Blessed First At Christ’s Upward Calling!
- Our Expectation of Our Heavenly Calling Is Sure, Even Appointed
- The Prophetic Judgment Promised the Jews Ensures Our Prior Deliverance
Next Time:
- It is Our Calling To Be Glorified with Him in the Heavenlies
- By God’s Power We Expectantly Await the Blessed Hope
Our Outline Today: The Blessed Hope & Expectation — Assured by Almighty God
- The Privilege of Grace — The Blessed Hope Teaching Was Previously Kept Secret (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)
- The Prospect of Grace — The Blessed Hope Is the Source of Our Comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
Next Times:
- The Blessed Hope & Expectation — Assured by Almighty God, Part 2
- A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement
(2 Thessalonians 2:6-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-4 - The Capstone: Every Benefit of Christ’s Work on Calvary, Fully Provided (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 8:28-30)
Our Outline Today:
- An Abundant Life, Offered Freely! (Romans 5:17, Colossians 3:1-4)
Next Times:
- The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God (Titus 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 5:9-11; 2:1-3; 2:13-17)
- A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-4
- The Capstone: Every Benefit of Christ’s Work on Calvary, Fully Provided (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 8:28-30)
Our Outline Today: Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Blindness Regarding Paul’s Mystery, Part 2
- A New Dispensation, Our Current Reality (Ephesians 3:1-9)
- A Better Gospel, Given for the Faith of Sinners (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
- The Church Which Is One Body, Given for Our Blessing (Ephesians 4:4; 5:32)
Next Time (and the Time After):
- An Abundant Life, Offered Freely! (Romans 5:17)
- The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God (Titus 2:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; 5:9-11; 2:1-3; 2:13-17)
- A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-4
- The Capstone: Every Benefit of Christ’s Work on Calvary, Fully Provided (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 8:28-30)
Our Outline Today: “Truth Hidden, or, the Blindness of the Human Heart, Part 3”
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Our Blindness as Gentiles Affects Us All
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Blindness Regarding Paul’s Mystery, Part 1
Next Time:
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Blindness Regarding Paul’s Mystery, Part 2
Our Outline Today: “Truth Hidden, or, the Blindness of the Human Heart, Part 2"
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Israel’s and the Jews’ Blindness Is Special
Next Time:
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Our Blindness as Gentiles Affects Us All
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Blindness Regarding Paul’s Mystery
Our Outline Today: “Truth Hidden, or, the Blindness of the Human Heart”
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — What Does the Scripture Say?
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — What Is Its Nature and Its Sources?
Next Time:
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Israel’s and the Jews’ Blindness Is Special
- Blindness, Theirs and Ours — Our Blindness as Gentiles Affects Us All
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — The Glory of God Through Eternal Life Has Been Manifested”
- This Eternal Life Was Prophesied (In Both Old and New Testaments)
- This Eternal Life Has Been Manifested Gloriously in Christ’s Resurrection
- This Eternal Life Has Been Manifested Boldly Through the Apostle Paul
- This Eternal Life Is Being Manifested Today Through His Saints
Our Outline: "This Eternal Life — God’s Strength In Our Weakness Revealed in Prayer"
- Prayer Ought to be a Significant Part of the Believer’s Life
- However, Our Prayers Can Never Match Those of the Holy Spirit
- Paul’s Prayer Life Is Clearly Set Forth As Our Example In Word and Deed
- The Knowledge of God’s Gracious Workings Should Change Our Prayers
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — Gripping Onto Eternity By Faith”
- Gripping onto Eternity By Faith with Paul As Our Example
- Gripping onto Eternity as We Ourselves Shall Live
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — Redeeming the Time for the Days are Evil”
- Redeeming the Time: The Exhortation and Its Alternative are Revealed
- Redeeming the Time: What a Difference This Eternal Life Makes!
- Making a List of All the Ways We Can Redeem the Time Is Essential
Our Outline Today: “Knowing How to Abound, Whatever Comes”
- Knowing How to Reign in Life When All Does Not Go Well Is Glorious
- Knowing How to Reign in Life When All Does Go Well Is More Glorious!
- Being Delivered Unto the Working of His Grace Is Blessedness Indeed
- Learning that It Is Christ Who Always Gives Us Strength Is For His Glory!
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — Its Glory, Part 2”
- What Had Paul Learned in The Greatest Trial of His Life?
- What Was the Dynamic of God’s Working In and Through Paul
- Paul’s Sufferings Were Ordained by Christ for Our Sake and Also for His!
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — Its Glory”
- The Glory of God’s Working Today is Christ in Us — We Have This Life NOW!
- The Glory of God’s Working Today is Christ in Us — And It Makes ALL the Difference
- This Eternal Life HAS BEEN “GLORIOUSLY” manifested though His Body
Our Outline Today: “This Eternal Life — Its Development, Part 2”
- The Reality Concerning This New Life Is Established
- The Preaching of This New Life Is Essential
Our Outline: “This Eternal Life — Its Development”
- Growth in This Eternal Life, Its Possibility and Reality
- Growth in This Eternal Life, Its Process of Development
- Growth in This Eternal Life, Its Unconquerable Energy
Our Outline: “This Eternal Life — Its Foundation”
- What Is a Dispensation?
- The Biblical Context of Eternal Life
- The Past Tense of Eternal Life
- The Present Tense of Eternal Life
- The Future Tense of Eternal Life
- Conclusions / Application
Our Outline Today: What Have We Learned about Israel’s Hope?
- Paul Reveals the Mystery, the Deep Things of God
- How Israel Will Receive Its Inheritance Is Through a Great Equation
- The Glory of God Shall be Displayed Forever in Perfection
- Let God Be True and Every Man a Liar
Our Outline Today: The Dispensational Plan of God — Revealed to Paul for Our Blessing
- What Is the Bible and Why Is It So Important to Almighty God?
- What Is a Dispensation And Why Are They Critical for Our Understanding?
- What Are the Most Significant Dispensational Distinctions?
- What Dispensations Are Revealed in Scripture?
Next Time: “The Conclusion of Israel's Hope”
Our Outline Today: The Dispensational Plan of God — Revealed to Paul for Our Blessing
- What Is the Bible and Why Is It So Important to Almighty God?
- What Is a Dispensation And Why Are They Critical for Our Understanding?
- What Are the Most Significant Dispensational Distinctions?
- What Dispensations Are Revealed in Scripture?
Next Time: “The Conclusion of Israel's Hope”
“The Culmination of God’s Plan of Blessing and Glorious Redemption”, Part 3
Our Outline Today: Our Better Things — Our Uniquenesses in Christ Jesus
- Our Better Things: A New Dispensation — Our Current Reality
- Our Better Things: A Better Gospel — Given for the Faith of Sinners
- Our Better Things: Every Benefit of Christ’s Work on Calvary — Fully Provided
- Our Better Things: An Abundant Life — Offered Freely!
- Our Better Things: The Church Which Is One Body — Given for Our Enjoyment
- Our Better Things: The Blessed Hope & Expectation — Assured by Almighty God
- Our Better Things: A Heavenly Warfare — Demanding Our Constant Engagement
Our Outline Today: The New Heavens and the New Earth, So Glorious Indeed!
- The Principle of Near and Far Fulfillment Gives Us a Foundation for Our Understanding
- Dispensational Interpretation Reveals the Divine Purpose in the Millennial Kingdom and Afterwards
- The Lord God Brings Completion to the Biblical Revelation In His Perfect Timing
Our Outline for Today: The Third Sphere of Blessing: The Heavenlies for the Body Church
- Some Better Thing Indeed
- Every Spiritual Blessing Already Freely Given, Positionally
Next Time (Lord Willing):
- Every Spiritual Blessing Already Freely Given, For Our Enjoyment
- Blessings Upon Blessings Have Been Promised For Us Forever
“The Saints of God in Future Dispensations Are Promised God’s Blessings Indeed, Part 3"
Our Outline Today: “The Three Spheres of Eternal Blessing”
- The First Sphere of Blessing: The New Earth for Israel and the Nations
- The Second Sphere of Blessing: The New Heavens for Abraham’s “Seed”
NEXT TIME:
- The Third Sphere of Blessing: The Heavenlies for the Body Church
Our Outline Today: “The Saints of God in Future Dispensations Are Promised God’s Blessings Indeed, Part 2"
- The City of God and the Temple Prophecies Have Both Near and Far Fulfillments
- The Lord God Does Indeed Have Both an Earthly and a Heavenly People
Our Outline: “The Saints of God in Future Dispensations Are Promised God’s Blessings Indeed”
- The Lord God Encourages His Saints During Coming Hard Times
- The Tribulation Saints Shall Be Victorious Enduring Their Coming Trials
- God Promises Blessings Indeed For Those Who Will Be Overcomers!
Next Time:
- The City of God and the Temple Prophecies Have Both Near and Far Fulfillments
- The Lord God Does Indeed Have Both an Earthly and a Heavenly People
Our Outline Today: “Does Israel Have a Place Reserved for Her in Heaven?”
- The Lord God Has Made Promises and He Shall Keep Them
- Prophecies Regarding the City of God, the “New” Jerusalem Have Both a Near and a Far Fulfillment
Next Time:
- Prophecies Regarding the Millennial Temple Have Both a Near and a Far Fulfillment
- The Lord God Does Indeed Have Both an Earthly and a Heavenly People
Our Outline: "Israel’s Election and Hope Are Founded in God’s Promises, Part 2"
- The Olive Tree: An Overview [of God’s Dispensational Plan According to Prophecy] - vv. 11-14
- The Olive Tree: A Summary of Its Meaning - vv. 15-18
- The Olive Tree: Its Dispensational Significance by Divine Election - vv. 19-24
- The Olive Tree: An Exhortation (all verses)
Our Outline Today: Israel’s Election and Hope Are Founded in God’s Promises
- The Foundation: Divine Election is Established by the Promises Given to the Fathers (Romans 9)
- The Foundation: Election is Established by a Faith, not Works, Requirement (Romans 10)
- The Foundation: Election Explains Israel’s Setting Aside (Romans 11)
- The Fulfillment: Election Applies to Us and to the Elect Nation of Israel
Our Outline Today: “How to Enjoy the Bible — A Far More Exceeding Weight of Glory, Part 2 — Final”
- God’s Working Today is According to His Word, the Pauline Truth of Grace
- Our Evidence of God’s glory Requires Pauline Doctrine and Discernment
- What Fundamentals of doctrine must we therefore stand upon always?
- Enjoying the Bible properly demands our constant walk of faith
Our Outline Today: “A Far More Exceeding Weight of Glory”
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, In All Simplicity
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, Always!!
Our Outline Today: “From Glory to Glory”
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, Paul’s Example
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, In Our Hearts
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, Without Limitation
Next Time: “From Glory to Glory, Part 2”
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, In All Simplicity
- The Glory of God Is Revealed, From Glory to Glory, Always!!
Our Outline Today: “To God be the glory, great things he hath done”
- What is the glory of God?
- The glory of God is itself dispensational
- God alone deserves All the glory
Next Time: “To God be the glory, great things he hath done, Part 2”
- God alone has the glory
- God alone will receive the glory
Our Outline Today: “The Gospel is the Good News about God's Grace Through Christ and It Is the Power of God for Salvation”
- The priority of Paul’s Gospel is determined
- The Content of Paul’s Gospel is defined
- The uniqueness of Paul’s Gospel is declared
Our Outline Today: “Loving the Truth Concerning God’s Unlimited and Free Grace, Part 2”
- Our current circumstances — hopeless apart from god’s word of truth and grace
- Refusing the love of the truth during the great tribulation period — Our example
- god’s response to their refusals — His judgment will fall on those rejecting his truth and loving instead satan’s lies
- Receiving the love of the truth — today god’s blessing is promised to those who have received the truth
Our Outline for Today: “How to Enjoy the Bible — Loving the Truth Concerning God’s Unlimited and Free Grace, Part 1”
- God and His Truth Must Never Be Separated for they are inseparable
- The apostle Paul dedicated his life to this truth of god’s grace!
- This truth, the Mystery, includes the gospel as a critical component
- This was so essential that even the twelve apostles needed correction
- Paul’s goal was to lay the foundation of Grace Truth for Our building Up
- Paul had some very sad warnings However for so many
Our Outline Today: Sola Gratia — Abraham Is Our Example
- For Abraham, Works and Grace were Opposing Principles
- Our Full and Complete Salvation Demands a Faith Like Abraham’s
- Sovereign Grace, as Seen in Abraham’s Faith, Saves Absolutely
“How to Enjoy the Bible - Resurrection Sunday 2025 - Justification Is The Heart of the Resurrection Truth of Christ!"
Our Outline Today: “He Is Risen Indeed!”
- The Sacred History
- The Witnesses
- The Message of Paul
- The Preaching
- The Blessings
Our Outline Today: “It Is All about the Love of God, Dearly Beloved!”
- Our Salvation Under Grace Has Unlocked A Fountain of Blessings From God
- Our Hope and Expectation Is for Even More Blessings Through Grace
- Three Questions Underscore the Sufficiency of God’s Abundant Grace!
Our Outline Today: “How to Enjoy the Bible — Part 4 — Justification: A Word We Simply Cannot Live Without!”
- Justification Was a Theological Truth of Great Importance to Paul — Why?
- But Though Justification Is Central to Our Faith, It Is Rarely Taught!
- Our Salvation Is All About New Life in Christ — Legal Works Are Our Enemy
- Our Outline Today: “The Bible: Comparing (and Contrasting) Scripture with Scripture and Interpreting It Literally is the Key to Understanding — And Our Enjoyment”
- We Have No Alternative But to Interpret the Law of Moses Literally
- We Have No Alternative But to Interpret Christ’s Teaching Literally
- We Have No Alternative But to Interpret the Pauline Letters Literally
- The Basis of Our Living Directly Affects Our Enjoyment of the Bible
Our Outline Today: "The Bible: Its Meaning is Objective, Not Subjective, and That Makes All the Difference”
- The Scripture Has An Objective Meaning and It Is Available to Us Today
- The Scripture, Literally Interpreted, with the Help of the Spirit, is the Key to Our Understanding — and our Enjoyment
Our Outline: The Bible: Written, God-breathed, Profitable for Every Believer”
- What Is the Bible?
- Several Keys to Enjoying the Bible
- We Must Know What God Has Said!
- What Is the Foundation of Our Enjoyment of the Bible?
Our Outline Today: Paul’s Gospel Is the Only True Gospel for Today!
- The Gospel Is the Power of God unto Salvation to Him Who Believes
- The Gospel of the Grace of God Is Ours Today In All Its Simplicity?
- Paul’s Gospel Is the Only Gospel for Today and There Are No Others
- Paul’s Gospel and God’s Grace Must Be Our Battle Cry Until He Comes!
Our Outline Today: The Key Question for Today Is This: How Pauline Are We?
- Paul is Our Apostle and His Gospel is Ours For This Dispensation of Grace
- For Us, Therefore, Paul Stands Before Moses, the Twelve, and Even Christ:
- Our Walk Must Therefore Be Pauline Today For He Is Our Example
- Many Thanksgivings for His Abundant Grace, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
Our Outline Today: From Suffering Into Glory, Is Our Constant Calling Under Grace
- Paul Proclaims Both Christ’s Sufferings and Glory For Our Sakes:
- During This Dispensation, Our Living Must Be Dominated By His Grace!
Our Outline Today: Blessings Untold Are Delivered to Us Under Grace
- The Gospel of God’s Grace Is Itself Paul’s First and Dominant Theme
- The Preaching of Christ According to the Mystery Brings Untold Blessings
- The Dispensation of the Mystery — What Is That?
- Paul’s “Mystery” Has Many Dimensions and Each Is Fundamental
- The Letter to the Romans Contains the Full Revelation of God’s Grace
Our Outline Today: Paul’s Ministry Was Distinct from and Independent of Peter’s - The Dispensational Consequences of This Are Many
- What Is Written Is for Our Learning and Patience, Not For Our Obedience
- Jesus Christ Was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God
- Paul Was Sent Forth as Minister For the Gentiles with the Word of Grace
- Gentiles Have Been Made Obedient By Paul Through Miraculous Signs
- But in the Transition Period, Jewish Blessing Was a Also a Pauline Priority
- In Christ’s Name, Paul Beseeches Regarding Their Prayers to God For Him
- In Christ’s Name, Paul Blesses the Brethren
Our Outline Today: The Apostle Warns of Threats to Grace Abounding In Us
- The Training Ground for Grace Abounding Is Here In His Body Church
- True Christian Love Satisfies Even the Righteous Demands of Law
- Conscience Is Important But Should Not Dominate All of Christian Living
Our Outline Today: Israel Has Been Set Aside For Our Glorious Redemption!
- Not by Works But By God’s Sovereign Choice, Israel Shall Also Be Blessed
- Faith Has Always Been the Only Way to God, Even for Jews!
- The Purpose of God Is Now Fully Revealed: Israel’s Blindness Brings Glory
Our Outline Today: “Paul's Letter to the Romans, Dispensationally Considered — The Letter As A Whole, Part 3”
- The Apostle’s Warnings Concerning Legalism Continue
- Paul’s Soliloquy of Grace Reaches a Crescendo Like No Other
Our Outline Today: “The Letter as a Whole, Part 2”
- The Pauline Understanding of Christ’s Resurrection Changes Everything
- Christ’s Resurrection Brings a Total Change in God’s Working Under Grace
Our Outline Today: “Paul's Letter to the Romans, Dispensationally Considered - The Letter As A Whole”
- The Gospel of God’s Grace Is Itself Paul’s First and Dominant Theme
- The Relevance of the Law for Us Living Under Grace Is an Ongoing Theme
- Justification by Faith Alone Is Also Taught in the Old Testament Scriptures
- Christ’s Resurrection Is at the Center of the Pauline Grace Message
- The Pauline Understanding of Christ’s Resurrection Changes Everything
Next Times:
- Paul Applies Christ’s Resurrection Doctrine to Our Faith As a Whole
- The Problem of Israel’s Blindness to Paul’s Grace Message Is Explained
- The Application of Pauline Grace to Our Living Is Given Step by Step
- True Christian Love Satisfies Even the Righteous Demands of Law
- Conscience Is Important But Should Not Dominate All of Christian Living
- God’s Mercy for Gentiles Was Prophesied and Is Now Undeniably Revealed
- The Letter to the Romans Contains the Full Revelation of God’s Grace
Our Outline Today: “The Sacred Secret Is Now Delivered to the Saints”
- Paul’s “Mystery” Was the Special Revelation Christ Gave to Paul for Us
- Paul’s “Mystery” Has Many Dimensions and Each Is of His Precious Grace
- Paul’s “Mystery” Reveals the Capstone of God’s Workings Under Grace
Our Outline Today: “God’s Word Speaks of ‘His Acceptable Time’ — What Is It?”
- For the Jews, Is There An Acceptable Time? If So, What Is It?
- For the Gentiles, Is There An Acceptable Time? If So, What Is It?
- For Us, the Church, Is There An Acceptable Time? If So, What Is It?
Our Outline Today: Paul's Letter to the Romans, “The Final Revelation of the Mystery”
- The Ending of the Letter to the Romans May Not In Fact Be a True Ending!
- But The Message Given to Paul Has Been Now Fully Made Manifes
Our Outline: “Paul’s Letter to the Romans, What's In a Name?”
- Paul’s Confident Expectations Are Revealed As He Ends the Letter
- Paul’s Personal Knowledge of the Saints Was Reflected in Their Naming
- This Letter’s Closings Contain the Power to Transform Us All
Our Outline Today: Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Spiritual Gifts in the Churches, Part 3"
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Final Culmination
- The Church, the Body of Christ — Inheritors of the Riches of the Glory of His Grace
Our Outline Today: “Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Spiritual Gifts in the Churches, Part 2”
In the Transition, Paul Reveals:
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Structure and Order
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Proper Use
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Duration
Our Outline Today: “Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Spiritual Gifts in the Churches”
In the Transition, Paul Reveals:
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Unity In Their Diversity
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Number
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Singularity
Next Time:
In the Transition, Paul Reveals:
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Structure and Order
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Proper Use
- The Teaching Concerning Miraculous Gifts — Their Duration
Our Outline Today: "Paul, in the Transition, Administrated Miracles Everywhere”
- Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Miracles For the Sake of Jews
- Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Miracles For the Sake of Gentiles
Next Time: Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Spiritual Gifts in the Churches
- Paul, In the Transition, Administrated Spiritual Gifts in the Churches
- Paul, During the Dispensation of Grace, Reveals the Essence of Grace
Our Outline Today: “Paul Glorified God’s Gracious Work — Through Gifts Physical and Spiritual”
- Gifts Were Brought, Both Physical and Spiritual, Glorifying God’s Grace
- Gifts Were Brought Demonstrating the Difference Between Law and Grace
Our Outline Today: Paul Glorified God’s Gracious Work — Through Gifts and Offerings
- Gifts Were Brought to Jerusalem Because of Paul’s Promise
- Gifts Were Brought to Jerusalem to Testify of God’s Great Blessing
- Gifts Were Brought to Jerusalem to Make Jews Jealous
Today’s Outline: Paul Was Minister of Christ for the Gentiles! Do We Know What This Means?
- Paul — Minister of Christ During the Transition to a Gentile Dispensation
- Paul — Minister of Christ for the Gentiles, Through a New Word of Grace
Next Time:
- Paul — Minister of Christ for the Gentiles, In Distinctive Signs and Wonders
- Paul — Minister of Christ for the Gentiles, In Needed Gifts and Offerings
- Paul — Minister of Christ for the Gentiles, In Word and Governmental Blessing
Our Outline Today: Christ and Paul, Ministers Under Different Dispensations
- We That Are Strong Ought to Bear the Infirmities of the Weak
- For Even Christ Pleased Not Himself But Gave Himself for Us All
- Now Christ Was a Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God
Next Time:
- But Paul Was a Minister of Christ for the Gentiles
Our Outline Today:
- Christ Is Lord of All So All Is for Him
- The Lord Is the Judge So We Should Refrain from Judging Brethren
- Knowledge Is Essential But Its Application Should Be in Love
- Demonstrate Therefore What Encourages Peace and Not Confusion
Our Outline Today: The Conscience Must Be Trained For It Is Critical For New Life
- Under the Fullness of Grace, Paul’s Jewish Ministry Was Set Aside
- Only the Conscience That Is Trained Is Able To Discern Good from Evil
- We Are In a New Realm Under Grace Today, for Grace Reigns, Not Law
Our Outline: “Just How Important Is the Conscience?”
- Divisions Over Matters of Food and Drink Should Be Avoided
- Divisions Over the Days to Gather Should Be Avoided
- The Fundamental Principle of Unity Should Always Be Honored
“Love Is Everything, Satisfying Even the Demands of the Law!”
- Love Is the Fulfilling of the Law — Whether in Details or Utmost Simplicity
- Love Is the Fulfilling of the Law — Whether By Analogy or Truth
- Love Is the Fulfilling of the Law — The Reckoning Makes All the Difference
Our Outline Today: “Of Self Defense — What Is the Biblical Perspective?”
- Governmental Authorities Are Instituted By God Through Noah
- But Human Conscience Rules Even Above Governmental Power
- Many Examples from Sacred History Firmly Establish the Teaching
Our Outline Today: "Of War and Peace — Grace Living During the Present Evil Age”
- The Personal Retribution of Punishments Is Limited to God Almighty
- The Authority of God Over Man Is Reflected in Human Government
- Subjection to Governmental Authority Is Governed by Subjection to God
Our Outline Today: “Pauline Body Life Displayed and Glorious To Behold”
- Body Life Examined - As Revealed by Apostolic Authority
- Body Life Examined - As Gifted by the Graces of the Spirit
- Body Life Examined - As Lived Out Through Love Manifested in the Body
- Body Life Examined - As Ministered through Diverse Spiritual Enablings
- Body Life Examined - As Encouraged Since Challenging Times May Come
Our Outline Today: How Then Shall We Live?
- By Approving the Will of Almighty God
- By Fully Receiving the Grace of God
- By Recognizing the Body of Christ
- By Respecting the Gifts of the Spirit
Our Outline Today: How Then Shall We Live?
- Offer Up Yourselves Unto God, for His Work, Once and For All!
- Cease Being Conformed to This World But Continue Being Transformed
- The Power of Abundant Grace Enables Pauline Imitation In All of Life!
Today’s Outline: “I Beseech You Therefore By the Mercies of God — Part 2”
- By the Mercies of God I Beseech You — The Great “Therefore” Required
- By the Mercies of God I Beseech You — The Great “Therefore” Realized
Our Outline Today: “I Beseech You Therefore By the Mercies of God”
- The Lord God Still Works Today — But Do We Know What He Is Doing?
- His Final Word Under the Fullness of Grace Stands — What Is That?
- The Great “Therefore”: By the Mercies of God I Beseech You!
Our Outline Today: Our Mark and Our Model
- Our Suffering’s Explanation — Our True Witness Is “For His Sake”
- Our Suffering’s Explanation — Our True Witness Is with Paul as Our Model
Today’s Outline:
- Let Us Boldly Go Forth, Bearing His Mark — What Is Its Consequence?
- The Lord God Still Works Today — But Do We Know What He Is Doing?
- His Final Word Under the Fullness of Grace Stands — What Is That?
Our Outline Today: “Six Sobering Questions for Us All Today and His Final Word — Part I”
- The Lord God Has Set Aside His Nation and Covenant, Israel — Why?
- We Are Not Under Law But Are Under Grace — Do We Know Its Meaning?
- The Blessings of True Liberty Are Worth Everything — What Has It Cost?
Next Time: [Finishing Chapters 9-11 and Introducing Chapter 12]
- Let Us Boldly Go Forth, Bearing His Mark — What Is Its Consequence?
- The Lord God Still Works Today — But Do We Know What He Is Doing?
- His Final Word Under the Fullness of Grace Stands — What Is That?
Our Outline Today: “The Depth of the Riches Both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God”
- Two Great Exchanges Are Seen in the Dispensational Plan of God
- Mercy Beyond the Demands of Law Shall Bring Israel’s Blessing
- We Now Can Know the Riches Both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God!
Our Outline Today: “Why Hath God Cast Away His People?”
- The Olive Tree Blessings Are Not Unconditional But Dependent On Faith
- All Dispensational Plans, Even Ours, Will Be Judged As Having Failed
- Israel’s Position in the Olive Tree Has Been Interrupted For Our Sakes
- Our Blessed Position In the Olive Tree Will End In God’s Good Timing
- How Is God Working Today Under Grace and What Will Follow for Israel?
Our Outline Today: “Hath God Cast Away His People?”
- From Abraham Onwards Divine Election Operated Even Under the Law
- While Election Always Operated, Today An Election of Grace Operates
- The Principle of Divine Election Requires Blindness for Many of His Own
- Israel’s Fall Has Ushered In Reconciliation for the World — Praise God!
Our Outline Today: “Israel Has Not Believed But God Has Always Been Faithful!”
- God’s Chosen People Rejected the Word Incarnate and His Word of Truth!
- But Many in the World Have Received His Word and Him As Well
- So Blessings Designated for Israel Were Given Rather to the World
- Even Those That Did Not Seek God’s Blessings Have Now Received Them
- God’s Chosen People Remain Steadfast in Their Rebellion
Our Outline Today: "My Heart's Desire for Israel Is That They Be Saved, Part 2"
- Christ Is the End of the Law for Righteousness Sake to All That Believe
- The Word of Faith and His Righteousness Are All About Christ Risen
- Our Salvation Is Therefore All About Faith Alone Without Works of Law
- Saving Faith Must Attach to an Object and That is the Gospel Preached
Next Time:
- But Israel Has Not Believed and Is Being Humbled By Gentiles
Our Outline Today: "My Heart's Desire for Israel Is That They Be Saved"
- The Gentiles Have Attained to Righteousness by Faith Apart from the Law
- Israel Has Not Attained to Righteousness Through the Works of the Law
- Christ Is the End of the Law for Righteousness Sake
- The Righteousnesses of the Law and of Faith Are So Very Different!
- The Simplicity of Our Salvation Under Grace Should Be Clear to All
Our Outline Today: "Even of the Same Lump, Praise God"
- God’s Power Can Even Make Vessels of Glory Out of Sinners Like Us!
- God’s Sovereignty Over Sinners Is Displayed Clearly in Isaiah’s Prophecies
- God’s Grace Demonstrates True Righteousness By Faith Not Works
Our Outline Today: “Sinners Rejoice, His Eternal Glory Is Ours!
- God’s Power Can Even Make Vessels of Glory Out of Sinners Like Us!
- God’s Sovereignty Over Sinners Is Displayed Clearly in Hosea’s Prophecies
- God’s Grace Demonstrates True Righteousness By Faith Not Works
Our Outline: Under Grace, God’s Sovereignty Over All Sinners Stills Reigns Supreme:
- For Israel, God Worked Mercifully through Moses and the Prophets:
- For the Gentiles, God Worked Mercifully through Pharaoh and the Nations
- God’s Power Can Even Make Vessels of Glory Out of Sinners Like Us! [Preview]
Our Outline: "Almighty God Answers Even the Deepest Concerns of the Heart"
- Paul, Apostle of Gentiles, Has An Extreme Desire For Jewish Salvation
- But God’s Final Sovereignty Over His People Stands Proven In Scripture
- These Truths Demand Our Personal Application
Our Outline Today: Why Do All Things Work Together For Good? Part 2
- All Things Work Together For Good, For The Love of Christ Demands It
- All Things Work Together For Good, For Such It Has Always Been So
- All Things Work Together For Good, For Christ Was Sent And Died For That
- All Things Work Together For Good, For The Love of God Requires It
Our Outline Today: “Why Do All Things Work Together For Good?"
- All Things Work Together For Good Because the Lord Has Ordained It
- All Things Work Together For Good And That Has Changed So Very Much
- All Things Work Together For Good, But Now We See the Rest of the Story
Our Outline Today:
- What They Knew (or, Should Have Known) — According to Prophecy (Review)
- What They Could Never Have Known — According to the Mystery
Our Outline Today: Prophecy and the Mystery, From Before and From After the Foundation of the World Revealed
- Prophecy: What They Could Have Known, But Did Not, For They Were Blinded
And then next time, Lord willing:
- The Mystery: What They Could Not Have Known, For It Had Not Yet Been Revealed
Our Outline Today: “How the Lord Knows Suffering in the Life of the Believer - Part 2"
- We Hope For That We See Not And With Patience Wait For It
- We Pray Not As We Ought But the Spirit Itself Maketh Intercession For Us
- We Know That All Things Work Together For Good to Them That Love God
Our Outline Today: “How the Lord Knows Suffering in the Life of the Believer”
- Our Privilege As Sons Is to Suffer and to be Glorified Together With Christ
- But Our Sufferings Today Are Nothing Compared with the Coming Glory!
Our Outline Today: “The Greatest Blessing of All Is Ours, Christ In Us, the Hope of Glory”
- Our Constant Hope and Comfort Is That We Shall Never Be Condemned
- The Greatest Blessing of All Is Ours, Christ In Us, the Hope of Glory
- Our Opportunity Today Under Grace Is to Live After the Spirit
Our Outline: “Paul Learns Liberty From His Bondage to the Flesh Through Its Dominion”
- The Law Is Good But It Provokes A Deep Seated Task Master Within, Sin
- The Facts of Our Struggle Prove the Bondage of the Will
- This Conflict Between the Flesh and the Spirit Has No Human Solution
- Oh Blessed Grace: Christ Himself Is Our Deliverer from This Enslavement!
Our Outline Today: “Paul’s Testimony As A Law-Keeper Is Still An Example For Us All”
- An Analogy with the Mosaic Law Teaches Truth About the Law Today
- Our Nature of Sin Is Encouraged by Law But the Knowledge of Sin Results
- Paul’s Full Knowledge of the Power of Sin Should Still Be Teaching Us!
Our Outline Today: “Will We Be Slaves to Sin and Death or to Obedience and Righteousness?”
- The Logic of Grace Is Foundational In Practical Living As Well As Salvation
- Though We Are Blessed By Grace, the Weakness of the Flesh Remains
- Freedom From Righteousness Was Once Our Constant Condition
- Freedom From Sin Is Now Our Constant Blessing!
Our Outline: “The Reckoning That Counts”
- The Reckoning That Counts — In Christ, We Died and Were Risen Again
- The Reckoning That Counts — An Exhortation to Liberty Abides Always
- The Reckoning That Counts — Living as Alive from the Dead, Our Privilege
- The Reckoning That Counts — Grace Frees Us From the Bondage to Sin
Our Outline: “Dead to Sin But Alive to God — Hallelujah!”
- The Logic of Grace — God’s Work Can Never Lead Us to Evil
- The Substance of Grace — Grace Through Justification Motivates Us
- The Benefits of Grace — We Have Liberty Now From Our Enemy, the Flesh
- The Promise of Grace — Our Free Gift Under Grace Is Life With Christ
Our Outline Today: “Two Men, Adam and Christ, Changed Everything, Part 2”
- Through Adam Came Sin and Death, for Now and Forever
- Through Jesus Christ Came Justification of Life, for Now and Forever
- Two Reignings — By Adam’s Fall, Death, Through the Grace of Christ, Life
- Two Heritages — By One Came Condemnation, By the Other, Justification
- Sin Abounded in Death, But Much More, Grace Abounded in Eternal Life
Our Outline Today: Two Men, Adam and Christ, Have Changed Everything
- Through Adam Came Sin and Death, for Now and Forever
- Through Jesus Christ Came Justification of Life, for Now and Forever
- Two Reignings — By Adam’s Fall, Death, Through the Grace of Christ, Life
Next Time:
- Two Heritages — By One Came Condemnation, By the Other, Justification
- Sin Abounded in Death, But Much More, Grace Abounded in Eternal Life
Our Outline Today: “Peace With God, Available by Faith Through Jesus Christ”
- Peace With God Transforms Us Through Our Faith-Based Justification
- God’s Grace Through Faith Shall Surely Build Our Faith Step by Step
- Our Firm Foundation Is Always Christ’s Sacrificial and Completed Work
- Much More, We Are Saved By Christ’s Life, Now and Forever — Rejoice!
Our Outline Today: “Wise Men Still Seek Him — The Gospel in the Stars, Part 2
- The Gospel in the Stars — The Message Concerning His Coming
- The Gospel in the Stars — The Message Concerning His Suffering and Its Fruit
- The Gospel in the Stars — The Message Concerning His Victory
Our Outline Today: “Wise Men Still Seek Him — The Gospel in the Stars”
- God’s Witness is Declared Even “From the Beginning”
- What Has Been Revealed From Heaven From The Beginning? The Witness of God In the Stars with All Its Splendor and Truth
Next Times (Lord Willing):
- The Word to the Enemy Is Clear — The Seed Has Come and Mystery Babylon Shall Fall!
Our Outline Today:“Wise Men Still Seek Him”
- The Greatest Story Ever Told — The End of That Story
- The Greatest Story Ever Told — The Beginning of That Story
Next Time (Part 2)
- The Witness of God In the Stars with All Its Splendor and Truth
Our Outline Today: “The Simplicity of the Message Makes All The Difference!”
- For Abraham, the Wording of the Good News Made All the Difference
- For Us, Under Grace, the Word of Grace Is the Power of God for Salvation
- Today, for Jew or Gentile, Salvation is by Faith Alone, Through the Gospel
- How Glorious Is Our Salvation? Christ’s Sacrifice Is All Sufficient!
Our Outline Today: “The Capstone of Our Faith, Christ Jesus Raised for Our Justification”
- Abraham, Our Father of Faith, Believed God’s Promise Against Hope
- Abraham Staggered Not at the Promise of God Through Unbelief
- Abraham Was Declared Righteous by Believing God’s Gracious News
Our Outline Today: By Faith Alone the Blessedness of God Is Ours! Part 2
- Today, Gentiles By Faith, Not Law, Are Blessed by A Holy, Righteous God
- Today, Gentiles, By Grace Through Faith Alone, Are Also Abraham’s Seed
Our Outline Today: "By Faith Alone the Blessedness of God Is Ours!”
- David Gave Testimony of Imputed Righteousness Without Works!!
- Abraham Was Reckoned Righteous By God While Still Uncircumcised!
- For Abraham, Circumcision Was a Sign of His Faith While Uncircumcised
- By Faith Gentiles By Grace And Faith Alone Are Also the Seed
Our Outline Today: “The Lord God Made a Promise to Abraham that Changed History Forever”
- Paul Transitions from Law and Works to Promises and Faith (Verses 1-2)
- The Truth Is So Simple — Faith Alone Can Bridge the Gap (Verse 3)
- The Gulf Between Legal Works and Faith Alone Is Beyond Human Efforts (Verses 4 & 5)
- What Difference Does It Make and What Is the Dispensational Issue Here?
Our Outline Today: Justification By Faith Removes Fleshly Boasting Forever!
- The Law of Faith Has Rendered Works Irrelevant! (Vv. 27-28)
- But What About Jews Who Have Had the Law As Their Guide? (Vv. 29-30)
- All Legal Principles Have Indeed Ended Having Now Been Replaced! (V. 31)
Our Outline Today: “The Essence of Our Redemption Under Grace Explained”
- Our Redemption — Boldly Stated (v. 24)
- God’s Promised Future Mercy Seat Stands Revealed (v. 25a)
- His Righteousness — Available Now (v. 25b-26)
Our Outline for Today: "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?"
- So What About the Jews, Where Do They Stand Before Almighty God?
- Both Jews and Gentiles Are All Under Sin
- By the Law is the Knowledge of Sin, But the Righteousness of God is By Faith of Jesus Christ
Our Outline Today: "Who Art Thou O Man That Judges, Part 3?"
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law Demanded More Than Anyone Could Deliver
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law — What Did the Law Actually Say?
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law — What Does This Mean for Jews?
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law — What Does This Mean for Gentiles?
Our Outline Today:Who Art Thou O Man That Judges, Part 2?”
- Gentiles and Jews Must Be Distinguished, At Least Dispensationally
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law Was Firstly a Matter of the Heart
- To Prevent Hypocrisy, Truth Demands A Proper Application to Oneself
- The True Judaism Under Moses Law Demanded More Than Anyone Could Deliver
Our Outline Today: “Romans, Dispensationally Considered — Who Art Thou O Man That Judges?”
- Once All Knew God and His Glory But Now That Knowledge Has Been Lost
- What Has Been the Effect of The Dispensational Change Through Paul?
- The Bottom Line — All Stand Under Judgment By Their Creator, Always
- The Revelation of the Dispensation of Conscience Continues In the Romans
Our Outline for Today: “Romans, Dispensationally Considered — The Gospel in the Stars, Part 2”
- What are the Signs and What Do They Signify?
- What is the Apostle Paul’s Purpose in Referring to the Signs?
- Are the Signs Still Speaking?
Our Outline for Today: “The Gospel in the Stars, Part 1”
- The Context of Gospel Preaching is Aways of a Fallen, Sinful Humanity
- The Witness of the Stars Is of A Fallen Humanity and Coming Redeemer
- That Witness in the Heavens Continued (With Limitations)
Our Outline Today:
- Law Is the Problem and Faith is the Answer!
- Proof of Dispensational Change Is Easily Found
Our Outline Today:
- Paul’s Focus on the Gospel is Dispensational — A Change Had Occurred
- Paul’s Focus on the Gospel is Dispensational — Romans One Reveals It
Our Outline Today:
- The First Verse Identifies the Central Theme of This Letter
- But Exactly Who Was and Is This Jesus Christ That Made All the Difference to Paul?
- The Salutation to the Letter Sets the Stage for What Follows
Today’s Outline: “Romans, Dispensationally Considered --Its Themes Revealed" Part 3
- Spirit (34)
- Flesh (25)
- Grace (24)
- Reckon (20)
- Gospel (14)
- Wrath (12)
My Thematic Outline of Romans, Dispensationally Considered — Its Themes Revealed (Based on Word Usage Alone) Part 2:
- Faith (59)
- Sin and Sins (48)
- Death (46)
- Righteousness (39)
Next Time: Part 3
- Spirit (34)
- Flesh (25)
- Grace (24)
- Reckon (20)
- Gospel (14)
- Wrath (12)
My Thematic Outline of Romans (Based on Word Usage Alone):
- Law (78)
- Justification (65)
- Faith (59)
- Sin and Sins (48)
- Death (46)
- Righteousness (39)
- Spirit (34)
- Flesh (25)
- Grace (24)
- Reckon (20)
- Gospel (14)
- Wrath (12)
Our Outline Today: Introduction to Romans, Dispensationally Considered - “How Free Is Free? Part 2
- How Free Is Free? The Full, Complete, and Eternal Forgiveness of Our Sins — The Pauline Teaching Stated
- How Free Is Free? The Full, Complete, and Eternal Forgiveness of Our Sins —The Contrasts with the Law
Our Outline Today: Introduction to Romans, Dispensationally Considered -- "How Free is Free?"
- How Free Is Free? “Every Spiritual Blessing In Christ Jesus”!
- How Free Is Free? Christ’s Own Righteousness “Imputed” to Us All
Next Time:
- How Free Is Free? The Full and Completed Forgiveness of Our Sins!
Our Outline Today:
- By Grace the Free Blessing of God Is Promised to All Believers
- By Grace Our Pilgrimage Is Foreordained by God for Our Good
- By Grace Our Heavenly Inheritance is Guaranteed
Our Outline Today:
- The Greatest Enemy of Pure Grace Is Legalism!
And Next Time Lord Willing:
- The Free and Sure Promise of Eternal Glory Is Given to Us All
Our Outline Today:Part 4 — The Central Doctrinal Teachings:
- The Central Focus of God’s Work Under Grace Is Our Blessing
- But God’s Working Under Grace Is Through Our Weaknesses
AND NEXT TIME:
- The Greatest Enemy of Pure Grace Is Legalism!
- The Free and Sure Promise of Eternal Glory Is Given to Us All
Our Outline Today: Part 3: The Pauline Apostleship, Under Attack and His Defense:
- Paul’s Predicament: Even His Apostleship Was Under Attack by Evil Ones
- Paul’s Defense: His Words and His Word Made Living Letters in Corinth
- Paul’s Person: His Service with His Suffering Marked His Apostleship
- Paul’s Promise: The Full Power of His Apostleship Always Stood Ready
Our Outline Today: Part 2: Three Critical Issues in Corinth Still Dominate Today:
- Three Critical Issues in Corinth Still Dominate Today — Carnality
- Three Critical Issues in Corinth Still Dominate Today — Compromise
- Three Critical Issues in Corinth Still Dominate Today — Satanic Influence
- Part 1: Some fundamentals were always underlying Paul’s ministry:
- The fundamentals of Ones testimony, and that of the Lord God
- The Testimony of the Apostle (1:1-7; 1:12)
- The Testimony of the Corinthian believers (7:1-15)
- The Testimony of the Lord God (1 Cor. 2:1 and many places in 2 Cor. 3, and following)
- The fundamentals of personal relationships
- Paul’s great confidence in the Corinthian believers and his ongoing love for them all and many very personal statements of the bond between them in Christ:
- The Fundamentals of Paul’s Plan regarding His Soon visit in Corinth
- The apostle must of course connect with those to whom he is writing and to do that he needs to lay a foundation for this letter’s content:
- The issue of the upcoming visit’s timing:
- The specific issue of the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem and the essence of grace giving is also defined in this letter like in no other with his own freely given ministry without regards as their example
- The specific issue of the unrepentant believer and his current repentance accompanied by their forgiveness and acceptance back into their fellowship
Our Outline: “Paul’s Apostleship Was And Will Be Proven By God’s Work in Us!
- The Apostle Is Willing Again To Display God’s Strength Through Weakness
- The Pauline Apostleship Stands Proven By God’s Work in the Corinthians
- Paul’s Final Exhortation to the Corinthians and to Us — “Be Perfect!”
Our Outline Today: “The Essence of God's Working Under Grace is Explained”
- Paul Boasts in Another and Not in Himself — Except in His Weaknesses
- In the Flesh Paul Possessed Only Thorns As His Detractors Saw Him
- Paul Boasts in God’s Work of Grace in Him, His Weaknesses Made Strong
- Paul Is Coming to Corinth and Shall Minister In Corinth As the Lord Wills
Our Outline Today: “Are we really seeing Paul as the Lord Saw Him?”Do we know Paul as Christ knew him? Do we love Paul as Christ loved him? Those are serious questions for us all. Are we really seeing Paul as the Lord Sees Him?
- Seeing Paul Correctly Demands that We Know His Enemies Well
- Paul’s Enemies Are distinguished by their boasting according to the flesh
- Paul is distinguished by his boasting according to the Lord’s Evaluation
- Paul’s Chosen Example of His boasting is His Deliverance from Damascus
Our Outline Today: “For Such Are False Apostles, Hear Ye Not Them!”
- The enemy of our souls is subtle and cunning — beware!
- Satan’s words may even seem to be “spiritual” in one sense of the word
- But Paul’s testimony demonstrated truth that is uniquely Christ’s
- Discernment between true apostles (Paul) and false is therefore needed
Our Outline for Today: “Beware, False Teachers and Evil Workers, The Apostle Paul Is Coming to Town!”
Paul’s Ministry to the Corinthians Was:
- Bold, But Intending To Be Never Carnal And Always Spiritual
- Authoritative, And Powerful, Whether In Letters Or Deed
- Proven By A Fruitfulness That Could Only Have Been of the Lord
Our Outline for Today: The Provision of God Under Grace is Bountiful Indeed
- The Bountiful Supply of the Corinthians Is Encouraged
- The Bountiful Supply of the Lord Is Emphasized Above All Others
- The Bountiful Supply Upon Us Saints Is the Gracious Gift of Almighty God
Our Outline Today: "The Glory of Grace Receiving is Grace Giving”
- Grace Giving Always Glorifies Grace Receiving
- The Foundational Principles Are A Willing Mind and the Lord’s Provision
- In the Body of Christ His Blessings Always Provide A Needed Balance
- The Working of God in Us Is Both to Will and to Do His Good Pleasure
- Past Faithfulness Should Engender A Present Confidence, Before All
Our Outline: It Is Finished, Part 3”
- What They Could Have Known Before the Cross
- What They Came to Know After the Cross
- What Difference Does It Make?
Our Outline Today: “It Is Finished, Part 2”.
- What They Could Have Known Before the Cross
- What They Came to Know After the Cross
- What Difference Does It Make?
Our Outline: "Resurrection Sunday, 2023 — It Is Finished"
- What They Could Have Known Before the Cross
- [NEXT TIME] What They Came to Know After the Cross
- What difference does it make?
Our Outline Today: From Grace to Grace Should Always Be Our Theme!
- The Macedonians Were Beneficiaries of a Special Endowment of Grace
- The Work of Grace in the Macedonians Yielded the Expected Fruit
- The Details of God’s Workings Under Grace Should Always Be Our Focus
- The Testimony of Our Lord Jesus Should Always Be Our Testimony As Well
Our Outline Today:
- Godly Sorrow Brings Benefits to Believers and Glory to God
- The Sorrow of the World Can Never Bring Life But Only Death
- Godly Sorrow Brings True Comfort As the Mark of His Working In Us
Our Outline Today: 2 Cor. 7:1-7 "Godly Sorrow and the Sorrow of the World, Part 1"
- Two Enemies for the Believer Threaten Us All, The Flesh and the Spirit
- But God Is There To Comfort Us In Both Great and Small Ways
Our Outline: "For the Corinthians, and Us All, It Is An Acceptable Time Indeed!” 2 Cor. 6:1-7:2
- The Burden of God’s Grace Was On Paul for the Sake of the Corinthians
- The Burden of God’s Grace Was On the Corinthians for Paul’s Sake
- The Apostle’s Primary Exhortation is Clear, for the Corinthians and for Us
Our Outline Today: "The Love of Christ Constraineth Us"
- Our Great Gift of Salvation Encourages Our Acceptable Response
- Our Response In His Acceptable Time Must Always Reflect His Grace
Our Outline Today: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11
- For Paul and for Us, Our Eternal Prospect of Glory Is Always Transforming
- The Indwelling Spirit, Our Present Reality, Confirms Our Heavenly Glory
- The Context of Our Current Condition Is Our Future Judgment!
Our Outline Today:
- Paul’s Testimony of the Working of the Spirit in Him Should Be Compelling
- The Working of Grace in Paul Is for Our Glory and Demands Our Attention
- For Paul and for Us, Our Eternal Prospect of Glory Is Always Transforming!
Our Outline Today:
- God’s Super-Abundant Grace Is Available Even In the Hardest of Times
- Grace Rules Today and True Forgiveness Reaches Even Lowly Sinners
- We Are Triumphing For It Is God Who Is Working In Spite Of Our Humanity
Our Outline Today: “Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians — Grace Reigns Through It All”
- Paul’s Salutation Says It All in Few Words, Grace Reigns!
- The Apostle Was Comforted That His Sufferings Were for Our Sakes
- His Sacrifices for the Truth Must Therefore Be Made Known to the Church
- The Lord God Still Works Through His Word of Grace Today
- The Ministry of Grace and Truth Rests In the Hands of His Chosen Ones
Our Outline Today: Colossians, The Teaching As a Whole:
- The Exhalted Christ and His Indwelling Are the Focal Point of God’s Work
- The Threat of New Age Judaism and Christianity Continues
- True Spirituality Exhorts Us All to the Reckoning that Counts
- The Transforming Power of God’s Unlimited Grace Has Been Manifested
Our Outline Today:
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living, Even When It Is Hard — It Transforms Our Prayer Lives
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living, Even When It Is Hard — It Transforms Our Public Lives
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living, Even When It Is Hard — It Yields Results Here and In Heaven
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living, Even When It Is Hard — Closing Words
Our Outline Today: The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — Even When It Is Hard!
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — For That is the Heart of True Spirituality
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — What is that Teaching?
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — Even When It Is Hard — It Transforms Our Private Lives
Our Outline Today: The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — Even When It Is Hard!
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — For That is the Heart of True Spirituality
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — What is that Teaching?
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — Even When It Is Hard — It Transforms Our Private Lives
Next Time:
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — It Transforms Our Prayer Lives
- The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living — It Transforms Our Public Lives
Our Outline Today:
- The Crisis of the Time, Its Relevance Exhorts Us: Christ’s “Mind” Should Be Theirs (and Ours).
- The Crisis of the Time, Its Knowledge Enables Us: What Was Christ’s “Mind” as He Exhorts Us Here?
- The Crisis of the Time, Its Consequences Transform Us: Through Christ’s Incarnation & Sacrifice All Enemies Shall Be Defeated!
Our Outline Today:
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Put Off!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Put On!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Dwell!
NEXT TIME: The Reckoning That Counts Makes All the Difference in Living —
Even When It Is Hard!
Our Outline Today:
- The Dangers to Our Faith Are Often Subtle, Real and Powerful — Beware!
- Our Defense Against Threats By New-Age Religions Is Sure — Know!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Mortify!
Our Outline Next Time:
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Put Off!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Put On!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Dwell!
- Only the Reckoning That Counts Makes the Difference in Life — Even When It Gets Tough!
Today’s Outline: “In Christ Are All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge,
Part 2” Heavenly living versus new age legalistic Gnosticism
- Our Identification with Christ Jesus and Its Consequence Is Extolled
- All Religious Schemes Are Contrary to the Working of Christ in Us
- Our Proper Defense Against Spiritual Assaults Therefore Is Active Opposition
Today’s Outline: “In Christ Are All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge”
- Paul’s Great Conflict for the Colossians Is Explained
- The Threat of Deception and Our Defense Is Made Clear
- Strong Warning is Given Against the Enemy’s Spiritual Attacks
Next Time:
- Our Identification with Christ Jesus and Its Consequence Is Extolled
- All Religious Schemes Are Contrary to the Working of Christ in Us
- Our Proper Defense Against Spiritual Assaults Therefore Is Active Opposition
- Our Bulwark Is Sure Against New Threats By New-Age Religious Systems
Today’s Outline: Final Teaching on Spiritual Warfare According to Paul's Revelation of the Mystery
- Additionally, We Have Been Well Prepared Offensively — Eph. 6:17b
- We Should Never Enter Spiritual Conflict Without Prayer — Eph. 6:18-20
Today’s Teaching: Eph. 6:10-20
- We Must Also Protect Our “Feet and Body” — Vv. 15-16
- Finally, We Also Must Protect Our Minds — V. 17a
Next Time:
- Additionally, We Have Been Well Prepared Offensively — V. 17b
- We Should Never Enter Spiritual Conflict Without Prayer — Vv. 18-20
Our Outline for Today: Our Spiritual Warfare, Ephesians 6
- Our Spiritual Warfare is Heavenly In Character, Not Earthly — Vv. 10-12
- First of All, We Must Protect Our “Loins and Heart” — Vv. 13-14
Next time:
- Then We Must Also Protect Our “Feet and Body” — Vv. 15-16
- Finally, We Also Must Protect Our Minds — V. 17a
- Additionally, We Have Been Well Prepared Offensively — V. 17b
- We Should Never Enter Spiritual Conflict Without Prayer — Vv. 18-20
Our Outline Today:
- The Exhortations of Paul in Romans & Galatians are Fundamental
- The Ephesian Exhortations Regarding Spiritual Warfare are Dispensationally Significant
- Dispensational Considerations Make All the Difference for Our Understanding
Our Outline for Today:
- We Have Been Taught by Paul Concerning The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace, Given for Our Understanding — In Galatians and In Romans
- Dispensational Contrasts Are Seen Throughout This Pauline Teaching
- We Stand Exhorted Regarding The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace, Given for Our Understanding
Our Outline Today:
- The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace Given for Our Understanding — According to Galatians, Final
- The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace Given for Our Understanding — According to Romans
- The Key to Christian Living Under Grace Is As Simple as Reckoning
Our Outline Today:
- All Legal Principles are Summited in the Pinnacle of Love
- The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace Given for Our Understanding — According to Galatians
Next Time:
- The Dynamic of the Christian Life, Under Grace Given for Our Understanding — According to Romans
Today’s Outline: The Dynamic of Christian Living Is Above and Beyond Our Works
- Salvation by Grace Through Faith Has Consequences for Our Living Also
- Two Analogies Help Us Understand His Teaching,: The Schoolmaster and the Hagar Temptation
- Legalisms Cut the Life-Giving Root of Grace Living
Our Outline:
- The Gospel of God’s Grace was Revealed to Paul by the Heavenly Christ
- The Gospel of God’s Grace Exhorts Believers to Holy Living, Not License
- Under Grace, Christian Maturity Must Be By Faith and Never by the Flesh
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Under Grace, the Believer Possesses a Foundational, Multi-faceted Liberty
-
[NEXT TIME] The Dynamic of Christian Living Is Above and Beyond Our Works
Today, Part 2 of the Rapture Teaching Regarding Our Blessed Hope:
- The Presence of Grace - The Blessed Hope Delivers Us From Fear
(2 Thess. 2:1-3) - The Power of Grace - The Blessed Hope Protects Us From License
(Tit. 2:11-14)
Our Outline Today: The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God:
- The Privilege of Grace - The Blessed Hope Teaches That Which Was Previously Kept Secret (1 Cor. 15:50-54)
- The Prospect of Grace -The Blessed Hope Is the Source of Our Comfort (1 Thess. 4:15-18, 5:4-11; 2 Thess. 2:3)
NEXT TIME, Part 2 of the Rapture Teaching Regarding Our Blessed Hope:
- The Presence of Grace - The Blessed Hope Delivers Us From Fear (2 Thess. 2:1-3)
- The Power of Grace - The Blessed Hope Protects Us From License (Tit. 2:11-14)
Our Outline for Today (The Mystery or Sacred Secret, Dimensions 4 - 5):
- The Indwelling of the Triune God, Providing Constant Resources in Living (Col. 1:26-27; Rom. 8:8-10)
- The Church Which Is One Body, Given for Our Mutual Blessing (Eph. 4:4; 5:32)
Next Times:
- The Mature Life of the Believer Under Grace, Endowed in Every Way to His Glory (Gal. 5)
- The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God (Tit 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; 5:9-11; 2:1-3; 2:13-17)
- A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement (2 Thess. 2:6-12; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Tim. 4:1-4
Our Outline for Today (The Mystery or Sacred Secret, Dimensions 4 - 5):
- The Indwelling of the Triune God, Providing Constant Resources in Living (Col. 1:26-27; Rom. 8:8-10)
- The Church Which Is One Body, Given for Our Mutual Blessing (Eph. 4:4; 5:32)
Next Times
- The Mature Life of the Believer Under Grace, Endowed in Every Way to His Glory (Gal. 5)
-
The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God (Tit 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; 5:9-11; 2:1-3; 2:13-17)
-
A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement (2 Thess. 2:6-12; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Tim. 4:1-4
Our Outline for Today: “Is Paul’s Mystery Teaching Really That Important?
- Paul’s doctrine fills full or completes the word of God
- Paul’s doctrine is essential for our understanding and Spiritual Growth
- The Seven-Fold Dimensions of the Mystery (Parts 1-3 today)
- The Seven Dimensions, Listed:
- A New Dispensation, Our Current Reality (Eph. 3:1-9)
- A Better Gospel, Given for the Faith of Sinners (1 Cor. 15:1-8)
- Every Benefit of Christ’s Work on Calvary, Fully Provided (Eph. 1:3; Rom. 8:28-30)
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- The Church Which Is One Body, Given for Our Blessing (Eph. 4:4; 5:32)
- An Abundant Life, Offered Freely, Based on Christ’s Righteousness! (Rom. 5:17)
- The Blessed Hope & Expectation. Assured by Almighty God (Tit 2:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thess. 4:15-18; 5:9-11; 2:1-3; 2:13-17)
- A Heavenly Warfare, Demanding Our Constant Engagement (2 Thess. 2:6-12; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Tim. 4:1-4
Our Outline Today: “Paul, Administrator of Grace”
- Paul’s Glorious Message and Ministry to the Body Church Is Revealed
- Paul is Called and instructed by the ascended Christ Jesus
- Paul is installed as administrator of a new dispensation of the grace of god
- The central Doctrine of the Dispensation of Grace is Revealed through Paul Alone
Our Outline Today: Glory, glory, glory, according to the revelation of the mystery through Paul:
- God Wants All to know that he has worked in Us gloriously by his grace
- God desires that we know how glorious his work of grace is
- Christ the creator of All Things is also our glorious savior and head
- We are the eternal focus of christ’s glorious plan of reconciliation
- Paul’s Message and ministry for his church is now revealed for his and our eternal glory
- The Glory and Its Reward:
- Israel’s Glorious But Earthly Inheritance Promised and Confirmed
- Our Glorious But Heavenly Inheritance Promised and Confirmed
Our Outline Today: The Mark and Its Testimony — in Jacob, in Paul, and in Ourselves:
- The Mark and Its Testimony — in Jacob
- The Mark and Its Testimony — in Paul
- The Mark and Its Testimony — in Ourselves
Our Outline Today: The Suffering and the Testimony, in Abraham, in Jacob, in Joseph, and in Paul
Our Outline Today: Federal Headship Doctrine is Founded on the Genesis Account:
- The Federal Headship Doctrine, From the Top
- Our Hope Depends on Justification Which Is Gained through Faith
- Our Justification Depends On Christ’s Shed Blood
- Through His Blood Sacrifice Our Reconciliation Was Accomplished
- Adam’s Legacy is Undeniable by All, for Sin and Death Do Reign
- Christ’s Legacy Is Offered to All that Grace Might Reign
- Grace Through Christ’s Righteousness Reigns Even More than Adam’s Sin
- Paul’s Central Doctrinal Point - By Grace Through Faith, Our Personal Resurrection Is Assured
“The Genesis Themes and Their Consequences for Pauline Doctrine, Part 4, The Calling — The Election*”*
- The Calling — The Election, Abraham Is Our Example
- The Calling — The Election, Isaac Was Also Called
- The Calling — The Election, in Due Time, the Seed Promised Came
- The Calling — The Election, We Gentiles Also Are Called
“The Foundations of Our Faith Revealed, Theme by Theme in Genesis —*The Genesis Themes and Their Consequences for Pauline Doctrine, Part 3”***
- The Seed of the Woman Promise: The Blood is the Focus of It All
- The Means for Reconciliation is Through the Blood
- The Blood of An Innocent Substitute is Foreshadowed
- The Blood of An Innocent Substitute is Provided
- The Blood of A Perfect Substitute is Delivered in Heaven
Last Time:
- The Transgression — The Fault and Its Consequence
- The Promise — God’s Response
Our Outline Today: “The Genesis Themes and Their Consequences for Pauline Doctrine, Part 2”
- The Fire — The Proof
- The Judgment — Sin’s Consequence
What Makes the Difference for You?
Next Times:
- The Blood — The Means for Reconciliation
- The Calling — The Election
- The Suffering — The Process
- The Mark — The Testimony
- The Glory — The Reward
The Transgression, The Promise; The Fire; The Judgment; The Calling; The Suffering; The Mark; The Glory — What Makes the Difference for You?
- The Transgression — The Fault and Its Consequence
- The Promise — God’s Response
Next Times:
- The Fire — The Proof
- The Judgment — Sin’s Consequence
- The Calling — The Election
- The Suffering — The Process
- The Mark — The Testimony
- The Glory — The Reward
Theme Verses:
Rom. 15:4-6
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Outline Today: “The Heart of the Matter, the Provision of a Substitute and the Scarlet Thread of Redemption”
- The Example of Adam — Sin Enters the World But God Offers Hope
- The Example of Abel — An Animal Sacrifice Makes the Difference
- The Example of Seth — Even His Name Foreshadows the Coming Substitute
- The Example of Noah — True Worship Revolves Around the Altar
- The Example of Abraham — From Beginning to End, Only God is Worthy
- The Example of Isaac — A Quiet Life Demonstrates God’s Heart of Blessing
- The Example of Jacob — The Altar Testifies of a Transformed Life
Our Outline Today: “The Working of God Has Always Been Through Personal and Intimate Relationships with Sinners”:
- The End of It All — The Book of Life & The Lamb’s Book of Life, Judgments and Blessings, with Dispensational Realities
- How It Begins — Names are Given — A Personal Relationship with Almighty God is Revealed
- The History of God’s Working in the Lives of God’s Chosen Nation in General Is Recorded — A Personal Relationship with Almighty God is Revealed
- The Designed End of Redemption Is Testified — A Personal Relationship with Almighty God is Revealed
Our Outline Today:
- Jacob’s Final Prophetic Words — Scripture Confirms God’s Choice of Israel as His Nation Among Many (Chapter 49)
- Joseph’s Final Prophetic Words — Scripture Confirms God’s Choice of Israel as His Nation Among Many (Chapter 50)
- The Rest of the Story — Scripture Confirms God’s Choice of Israel as His Nation Among Many
Our Outline for Today: God’s Selective Work Focuses on Joseph: The Lord Reigns Over Israel, His Elect Nation!
The Account of Israel’s Deliverance Through Joseph Continues. Joseph was born in chapter 30, and then in chapter 35 we read about how the full complement of twelve sons was accomplished and we will begin there —
- God Blesses Jacob at Bethel where he is commanded to live by God; Benjamin is Born and Rachel Dies; Isaac dies and is buried by Jacob & Esau; the Twelve Tribes are formally constituted as a family and nation (Chapter 35)
- Joseph is loved above the rest and is sold as a slave in Egypt — the turning point (Chapter 37)
- Joseph is blessed initially in Egypt, But … Potiphar’s Wife … (Chapter 38)
- Through Many Dreams and the Lord’s Working Joseph Is Elevated to Pharaoh’s Vice Regent! (Chapters 39-41)
- The Saga of Joseph and His Brothers (Chapters 42-48)
Our Outline Today: God’s Selective Work Focuses on Isaac’s Son Jacob: The Lord Reigns Over Man!
- Isaac’s Sons are Born But the Younger Shall Serve the Elder — Chapter 25a
- But Due to the Weaknesses of the Flesh, the Elder Barters His Inheritance — Chapter 25b
- Even Esau’s Father’s Blessing Also Goes To Jacob By God’s Choice — Chapter 27
- Jacob Seeks and Finds a Wife in Haran — Chapter 28
- Through Two Marriages, Many Sons, and Trials on every side, A Nation of Twelve Tribes Is Created — Chapters 29-36
- Jacob Comes Face to Face with His Own Doubts and The Lord Blesses with a New Name, Israel
Our Outline: The Divine Principle of Division Proves the Doctrine of Election
- The Lord Promises to Abraham a Vast Land and an Even Greater Nation in Opposition to Egypt’s Dominance — Chapter 15
- The Lord Confirms His Promises to Abraham of A Son in His Perfect Timing — Chapter 17
- The Lord Proves His Faithfulness in the Safe Deliverance of Lot — Chapter 19
-
The Lord Provides the Son of Promise After A Long Barrenness of Sarah — Chapter 21
-
The Lord Divides Isaac from His Other Sons by Blessings — Chapter 25a
- The Lord Provides Isaac A Seed As Well — Chapter 25b
- The Lord Continues the Promised Lineage through Jacob and Against Esau — Chapter 25c
- The Lord Again Blesses Isaac and a Gentile Nation, But Judges Egypt, Immediately After Isaac’s Failure — Chapter 26
Today’s Outline:
Our Theme Continues: Sin, the Announcement of Coming Judgment together with A Promise of Deliverance, and then the Judgment Itself — In All These Working of Almighty God, Divine Election Operates in the Sphere of Divine Judgment.
- A Nation Perverts The Witness in the Stars At Babel and Its Demonic Monument Is Destroyed — Chapters 9-11
- After Babel God Seals That Nation’s Rejection By Calling Out Abraham — Chapter 12
Today’s Outline: The Only Saving Faith (Today) Is A Faith in Our Resurrected Lord:
- The Good News Includes Christ’s Resurrection
- Many Witnesses Testified of Christ’s Resurrection
- Without Christ’s Resurrection Our Faith Is Vain
- Our Election Demands Christ’s Resurrection
- Christ Within Us Is Empowered by Christ’s Resurrection
- Our Song of Victory Will Testify of Christ’s Resurrection
Today’s Outline: New Theme: Divine Election Operates in the Sphere of Divine Judgment
- Sin Came Into the Word and Death Through Sin — But God Provided Hope to His Children, Adam and Eve, Through A Promise
- The Heavens Declared the Glory of God — But Would the Generations After Eden, Cain and Abel, then Seth and Their Offspring Receive the Witness?
- God’s Response to Sin Was the Noahic Flood — But He Did Deliver Eight Souls!
Today’s Outline:
- Jacob — He Makes a Vow to Almighty God, “If God Will Be With Me” (Gen. 28)
- Jacob — The Lord Changes Jacob’s Name to Israel, A Prince with God (Gen. 32)
- Joseph — He Hopes Against Hope for the Blessed Nation by the Visitation of Almighty God (Gen. 50)
- Israel — He Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise (Gen. 50)
- Joseph — He Reaffirms Israel’s National Heritage In His Final Words of Testimony (Gen. 50)
Hebrews 11 provides our outline today. I believe with all my soul that these verses and so many more define the content and meaning of Scripture…. And it all begins in Genesis!
Adam — His Sin Brings the Plan of Redemption to His Fallen Race (Gen. 3 & Rom. 5)
* Abel — God Provides a Path to Fellowship with Sinners though a More Excellent Sacrifice (Gen. 3)
* Noah — He Preaches a Coming Judgment Never Seen Before (Gen. 6-8)
* Abraham — He Is Called to Walk by Faith Where No One Has Walked Before (Gen. 12-15)
* Abraham & Sarah — By Faith Their Weaknesses Are Turned to Strength (see Heb. 11 & Rom. 4)
* Abraham — He Offers up the Son of the Promise Expecting to Receive Him in Resurrection (Gen. 22)
* Isaac — He Blesses His Son Jacob through Weakness of Body but Strength of Spirit (Gen. 28)*
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- Jacob — He Makes a Vow to Almighty God, “If God Will Be With Me” (Gen. 28)
- Jacob — The Lord Changes Jacob’s Name to Israel, A Prince with God (Gen. 32)
- Jacob — He Blesses the Sons of Joseph, of Him Who Was “Separate from His Brethren” (Gen. 49)
- Joseph — He Hopes Against Hope for the Blessed Nation by the Visitation of Almighty God (Gen. 50)
- Israel — He Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise (Gen. 50)
- Joseph — He Reaffirms Israel’s National Heritage In His Final Words of Testimony (Gen. 50)
Today’s Outline: The Lord Sovereignly Provides National Blessings for Israel:
- The Most Amazing Story of All is What Leads from Joseph’s Enslavement to His Final Words
- The Lord God Presents Jacob to Joseph and He Founds the Nation of Israel upon a Resurrection Hope
Today’s Outline:
- Israel Blesses Joseph's Sons and Joseph Himself Prophetically Implying A Future National Heritage
- Israel Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise
- Israel’s National Heritage Reaffirmed in Joseph’s Final Words of Testimony
Today’s Outline: The Lord God Provided A Testimony for Jacob
- The Lord Provides Jacob a Testimony—But Only Through Hard Times
- And the Lord Allows Joseph to Be Sold into Slavery — But with the Blessing of Protection from His Own Brethren!
Our Outline Today: How Jacob is Transformed By the Power of Almighty God, One Small Step at a Time:
- The Lord God Provides Isaac a Seed — Rebekah Delivers Twins
- The Lord God Preserves Jacob from Death — He is Delivered from Esau
- The Lord God Provides Jacob a Seed — Twelve Sons are Given to Him
- The Lord God Preserves Jacob Through Trial — He Renames Him Israel
Our Outline Today: God Sovereignly Blesses Isaac, the Son of Promise — Through Sand, Stars and Many Wells, Even, Wells of Living Water!
- The Gift of a Son, Projected — What about the Sand and the Stars?
- The Well of Hagar and Ishmael, Beerlahairoi — Blessing through Great Trial
- The Second Well of Hagar and Ishmael, BeerSheba — Blessings Multiplied
The Gift of a Son — Challenged, Provided, and Preserved:
- The Gift of a Son, Challenged — The Challenge of Ishmael and Hagar Continues
- The Gift of a Son, Provided — The Son of the Promise is Given in Due Time
- The Gift of a Son, Preserved — Isaac’s Sacrifice is Abraham’s Great Test
Our Outline Today: The Sovereignty of God in Genesis: What Hath God Wrought?
- What Hath God Wrought? Abram and Sarai Fail Regarding the Promise
- What Hath God Wrought? The Promise Renewed and a New Name Is Given
- What Hath God Wrought? the Challenge of Ishmael and Hagar Continues
The Promise of a Son to Abraham, and the Fulfillment of that Promise, Assures All Believers of God’s Absolute and Final Sovereignty Over His Work
- The Gift of a Son, Prophesied — Can Satan or Sin Destroy the Plan of God?
- The Gift of a Son, Promised — And There are Many Challenges
“The Foundations of Our Faith Revealed, Theme by Theme, Genesis and Sin” Sin is Revealed as a Foundational Theme of Our Faith in Genesis * The Sin Offering is Fundamental in Understanding God’s Redemptive Plan * The Conscience of Sin Is Universal, Whether for Believers or Unbelievers * Sin in a More General Sense is Also Common in the Old Testament*
“The Book of Genesis, The Foundations of Our Faith Revealed, Theme by Theme: Genesis and It’s Inspiration According to the Others, James, Jude, and John — Enduring to the End through many Challenges”
- The Testimony of James, the Lord’s Brother — Abraham’s Example of “Faith Plus Works” Reveals True Salvation
- The Testimony of John, the Apostle — As the Overcomer’s Example, The Shed Blood of the Redeemer Continues Testifying
- The Testimony of Jude, the Lord’s — For Kingdom Saints, Cain’s Example of Evil Endures
The Testimony of Peter: Obedience to the Lord God Should Be Our Priority, and Genesis is the witness of that.
- The Lord God Demonstrated His Willingness to Judge Mankind in Genesis
- But the Lord Was Willing to Save Some, Proving That in the Genesis Flood
- The Flood of Noah Was Worldwide and Therefore a Perfect Example of the Judgment to Come
- The Lord God Demonstrated His Judgments Also in Sodom and Gomorrha
- Wives are to Honor their Husbands, as Sarah Did Abraham
- Paul’s View of Genesis — Even the Federal Headship Doctrine is Founded on the Genesis Account:
- Our Hope Depends on Justification Which Is Gained through Faith
- Our Justification Depends On Christ’s Shed Blood
- Through His Blood Sacrifice, Our Reconciliation Was Accomplished
- Adam’s Legacy is Undeniable by All, for Sin and Death Reign
- Christ’s Legacy Is Offered to All that Grace Might Reign
- Grace Reigns Through Christ’s Righteousness More than Adam’s Sin
- Paul’s Central Doctrinal Point - Our Personal Resurrection Is Assured
Paul’s View of Genesis — The Doctrine of the Letter to the Hebrews is Founded on the Genesis Account
- God’s Rest after the Creation is the Model for the Believer’s Rest
- The Promise of God Through Abraham’s Seed Is Foundational Truth
- That Faith, the Substance of Our Hope, Was Established in the Beginning
Genesis and Its Inspiration — According to Paul, Part I
- Paul’s View of Genesis — The Genesis Account is Sacred History
- Paul’s View of Genesis — Even the Federal Headship Doctrine is Founded on the Genesis Account
- Genesis and Its Inspiration: According to Our Lord, Part III —
- God’s Revelation of His Holy & Righteous Judgment Upon All Mankind — The Lord’s Teaching
- God’s Revelation of His Holy & Righteous Judgment Upon All Mankind — The Genesis Confirmation
- God’s Revelation of His Holy & Righteous Judgment Upon Israel & Its Leaders — Who Can Doubt It?
- God’s Revelation of His Holy & Righteous Judgment Upon Israel & Its Leaders — The Lord’s Teaching
- God’s Revelation of His Holy & Righteous Judgment Upon Israel & Its Leaders — Its Genesis Confirmation
“Genesis and Its Inspiration, According to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Part I”:
Our Outline Today:
- Christ Himself is Revealed Throughout the Word of the Living God
- God’s Order and Purpose in the Creation of Mankind Stands Clearly Revealed — Honor, Bow and Worship!
Today we focus on the third and final chapter of Titus, our outline is taken from those final verses: “Adorning the Word of Grace in the Churches”:
Our Outline: “Godly Living is to be Esteemed Above All … “:
* Considering the Goal of Sound Doctrine
* Considering Well the Way We Were
* Considering Our Promised Inheritance
* Considering the Heretics Who Attack Us
* Considering the True Blessings of Brethren
Today we focus on the second chapter of Titus, our outline is taken from those final verses: “Adorning the Word of Grace in the Churches”:
Our Outline: Adorning the Word of Grace in the Churches Through Sound Doctrine:
- Things That Become Sound Doctrine: Elder Men, Be Bold
- Things That Become Sound Doctrine: Elder Women, Be An Example
- Things That Become Sound Doctrine: Younger Men, Shun Hypocrisy
- Things That Become Sound Doctrine: Slaves, Demonstrate Your New Life
- Things That Become Sound Doctrine: May GRACE Have Her Work, Always
Again, as we finish up the first chapter of Titus today, our outline is taken from those final verses: Words of Sound Doctrine Are the Foundation of Sound Faith:
- Sound Doctrine Has the Power to Transform Believers — Receive It
- Sound Doctrine Is Always Opposed by Our Spiritual Foes — Identify It
- False Doctrine Is in Every Way Evil and Supremely Dangerous— Oppose It
As we introduce Paul’s letter to Titus today, we have a very simple outline taken from the first verses in Chapter 1:
- The Author of the Letter: Paul, Apostle of Jesus Christ, God Our Savior
- The Addressee of the Letter: Titus, Beloved Son in the Faith — Listen
- The Subject: Titus, Commanded to Lead All Believers in Crete — Continue!
Central to the essence of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to “Rightly Divide the Word of Truth” is that Paul and not the Twelve is the Apostle of the Gentiles and that therefore believers today must follow or imitate him. This doctrine attracts many opponents, however. So today we summarize our studies in the Great Transition period by considering the question: Why Should We Follow Paul? We present six answers to that question today:
- Why Should We Follow Paul? Christ Spoke with Him from Heaven
- Why Should We Follow Paul? His Words are the Very Words of Christ
- Why Should We Follow Paul? His Doctrine Must Be Our Guide
- Why Should We Follow Paul? His Life Demonstrated Abundant Grace
- Why Should We Follow Paul? His Sufferings Are Our Example
- Why Should We Follow Paul? Because His Last Will Leaves Us No Choice
- That Settles It! We must follow or imitate Paul as he imitates the heavenly Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 11:1). Amen.
- The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace: Mid - Late Acts - Paul Saved and Sent Forth (Primarily to the Gentiles, But to the Jews First)
- The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace: After Acts 28:28 - Paul’s “Prison” Ministry
- The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace: The Transition from Pentecost to the Fullness of Grace — Its Completion
- Paul’s Final (Recorded) Words
After reviewing what was the essence of Paul’s ministry before Acts 28:28 and then after the final casting off of Jewish hopes through his final speech before the leaders of the Jews in Rome, we consider today the question: What was lost of the blessings of God previously poured out on the Gentile believers as the end of the transition was accomplished? What we saw was that the losses were far more than compensated by great gains for members of Christ’s heavenly Body church. We conclude with a quick look at Paul’s final words before his martyrdom. They are personal in a very special way and many names are mentioned, including in the most prominent place of all, at the very end, a woman named Claudia. His final words should never be forgotten: “The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” I doubt that brother Timothy ever forgot them either. I am sure they were written on his soul and spirit as if by a hot branding iron.
It has been about 8 months since we took a digression to examine the Great Transition period under Paul’s administration. We looked first at the record in the inspired history of the Acts and then at Paul’s letters. It was a detailed, and I hope and pray, a profitable study. We now return to Paul’s last written testimony before his martyrdom, chapter 4 of his second letter to Timothy. These are his last words recorded and preserved for our benefit. Our outline was a simple one, firstly reviewing the major subject of signs and wonders given to the churches during the pre-Acts 28 period during which Paul made three missionary journeys. Then we considered his post-Acts 28:28 writings especially those letters written to the saints in Ephesus and Colosse to see the all teaching of manifold grace when Israel was no longer in the picture. We saw how the completion of the revelation concerning current dispensation of grace adds to and changes some of what was revealed before. Right Division really does make a difference! Our outline:
- How Would Paul Answer Questions Regarding the “What” and the “When” of the Great Transition?
- Shame and Condemnation Belong to Those Rejecting Right Division
- Blessing and Glorification Belong to Those Loving Right Division
The event of Acts 28:28-29 signaled a great turning point. Not only is it the final event in Luke’s inspired history of the Great Transition, first from his recording of Israel’s “rising” during the Pentecostal Dispensation. and then “Israel’s fall”. But then, after Paul’s salvation and raising up to be apostle of the Gentiles, of the transition from Paul’s “Jews first” ministry to his casting aside of the nation and its people allowing the full manifestation of grace towards the Gentiles. Many of his teachings continue from this earlier period into the later unchanged, such as salvation by grace through faith alone, apart from any works, or the Pre-Tribulational Rapture. But others are not revealed until later, such as the completion of the word of grace or the Mystery itself with its many dimensions. Our outline is a simple one:
- Paul’s Final Words in Rome — Their Spiritual Context and Significance, Review
- Paul’s Teaching Before Acts 28:28 — The Details of the Great Transition
- Paul’s Teaching After Acts 28:28 — What It All Means for Us Today as We Rightly Divide the Word of Truth
As we reviewed last time, the event of Acts 28:28-29 signaled a fundamental turning point in Paul’s ministry. Having reached Rome and in civil restraint, he called together the leaders of the Jewish synagogue and presented the claims of his risen savior. When they rejected their own Messiah and his preaching that day, he then in strong words formally set aside the ministry to those Jews and in effect all Jews, for this was the final event in the Great Transition period. From now on, he proclaimed, he would go to the Gentiles and they WOULD hear and believe his message. In today’s study, we compare and contrast the teachings before and after this great turning point. Our major subjects are the ministry to “the Jews first” with all that that meant, including the signs and wonders wrought by the apostle and also the sign gifts given during the Transition to the Gentile believers “for the sake both of the Jews and the Gentiles. We look at both the evidences that those gifts and enablements actually did pass away and also Paul’s teaching as to why and in what manner they would do so. We conclude by considering that Paul also was given the revelation concerning the Mystery and the various dimensions of the truth concerning the Dispensation of the Grace of God. When the full revelation of that was delivered to Paul and through Paul to the assemblies in his letters written after the Acts 28:28 event had been accomplished, the believer had all that was needed for spiritual maturity. No longer were there limitations regarding “the Jews” and their law. But the fullness of liberty was the domain of life in Christ Jesus.
- Paul’s Teaching Before Acts 28:28 — The Details of the Great Transition, Final
- Paul’s Teaching After Acts 28:28 — What It All Means for Us Today
- A Short Note on “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth”
Paul headed Rome by a circuitous route due to storms and shipwreck. But the Lord preserved him and brought him to Rome as had been promised. But why Rome? Why was this so important for just one more time of testimony? Remember Acts 9:15: “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”. After three days Paul called for the Jewish leaders to come and they did come. For an entire day, he testified to them out of the Law and the prophets concerning Jesus, for both testified of him so clearly. Some believed — but many did not. Without further discussion, the meeting ended with his final words (and these close the scriptural record concerning the Great Transition period): Is. 6:9-10 “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” And so it ends there that critical day as the apostle of the Gentiles has now formally cast aside his own nation. Now Paul’s final ministry would begin: “… to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) AND to proclaim the Mystery, as the Prison letters make abundantly clear, that all may know the depth of the glories of God’s unlimited grace through our risen savior. Indeed, “the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”
We continue again today in the book of Acts after some time looking at Paul’s final letters, his so-called “prison” letters, since they were written while he was bound by a chain in Rome. The reason for the intermission from our overview of the Transition period as revealed in the Acts was to see how the truth was given to him by the resurrected Lord Jesus after Acts 28 showed much evidence of what Paul calls in Col. 1:25 “the complete word of God”. That fullness (a later letter keyword) had been given and Paul wrote that truth in these last letters. So, although the fundamental truths relating to this dispensation of grace were revealed to Paul earlier, the completion of that teaching remained “hidden” until finally given as he writes in several places including Eph.3 and Col. 1. Today our lesson is focused on chapter 26 where we find Paul’s quite engaging review of his testimony before King Agrippa. It is here that the King utters these words: “almost thou hast persuaded me to be a Christian”. Paul’s response was monumental. Enjoy!
If I were to put a title on today’s lesson, I guess it might be this: “Paul’s Defense (or should I say, Testimony) Against Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem, Acts Chapter 22”. We began with a little review of why we had departed from our studies on the Great Transition to look at Paul’s letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. Our main point was that after the “to the Jews first” outreach of Paul before the end of the Book of the Acts, Paul was taught further by the ascended Christ regarding the fullness of grace poured out on Gentiles independently of his people Israel and apart from the promises given to them. That was the completed teaching which he calls “the Mystery”. Then, after the apostle had formally set Israel and the Jews of the dispersion aside, even as far away as Rome, Paul was not only taught by Christ but also released from the limitations formerly imposed upon him. The prison letters which we looked at included those glorious teachings. But today and next time, Lord willing, we return to the book of Acts and begin in chapter 22 where we find his testimony before the Jews in Jerusalem that sought to take his life with the false charges of idolatry and heresy. He focuses on the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ which all Jews must surely receive if they are to be saved — and that is the unbelieving Jews great stumbling block along with the works requirements of the Mosaic Law.
In our overview of The Great Transition from the Pentecostal Dispensation to the Fullness of Grace revealed after the setting aside of Israel at the end of the Acts, we have considered by necessity the completed revelation give to Paul for the churches. For that, we have looked at the prison letters of Paul. Written after Acts 28, they reflect the Dispensation of Grace after Israel is formally set aside. With Paul's commission to go "to the Jews first" and also to minister even to Gentiles with limitations "because of the Jews", Paul could not reveal the fullness of grace as he could after Acts 28. So here in this letter, written to the saints in Colosse probably at the same time as the Ephesian letter, we see Paul writing about how grace is reigning indeed, in human relationships of every kind and as the fundamental principle of the spiritual life. Then, in his final words in the letter, he mentions a number of saints including one Onesimus, a runaway slave from this very city of Colosse whom he led to Christ in Rome. That name goes down in history as a result of this mention and due to the apostle's letter to Philemon, a saint (and slaveholder) in Colosse who was the master of Onesimus. So Paul's very personal and intimate words regarding that perhaps most difficult of all human relationships, that between slaves and their masters. Grace reigns, he writes, even their!
Grace Reigns, Our Outline:
- Grace Reigns: In Human Relationships (Col. 3:18-25, 4:1)
- Grace Reigns: As the Fundamental Principle of Life (4:2-6)
- Grace Reigns: Even In Paul's Final Words (4:7-18)
Blessings Untold for the Colossians Too Under Grace: The Essence of Grace Doctrine, Colossians, Chapter 3:
- The Exhortation, Its Foundation (Chapter 2, Verses 20-23)
- The Exhortation, Its Foundation — Continued (Chapter 3, Verses 1-4)
- The Exhortation, Three Analogies —The Body of Christ (Verses 5-8)
- The Exhortation, Three Analogies — The Two “Men” (Verses 9-11)
- The Exhortation, Three Analogies — Grace as a Garment (Verses 12-14)
- The Exhortation, Grace Displayed — in Power and Great Glory (Verses 15-17)
Through three analogies the apostle teaches critical truth here regarding the full work of the Lord in this dispensation of his abundant grace. The Body teaching (found only in Paul’s letters and nowhere else), the teaching of the New and Old Man in the believer, and the teaching of the key to Christian living, namely reckoning on the completed work of Christ on our behalf and how that may be enjoyed in this life (using words like “mortify” and “put off/on”) is the heart of the teaching here. But the words at the end of chapter 2 and at the beginning of chapter 3 summarizing the foundational teaching of how we have been identified with Christ in his death and resurrection and showing how his new life in us is at the heart of God’s working today, are so encouraging. We are so blessed to live today under the fullness of God’s grace and truth. Amen.
Blessings Untold for the Colossians Too Under Grace: The Essence of Grace Doctrine, Colossians, Chapter 1:
- Our Privilege: Living Life to the Fullest, Filled with His Joy (Col. 1:1-11)
- Our Position: Having Been Translated into the Kingdom of His Dear Son Who Is the Fullness of God (Col. 1:12-20)
- Our Prospect: Being Found Holy, Unblameable and Unreproveable in His Sight (Col.1:21-23)
Paul here in the introduction to the letter to the Colossians, explains in a very short and powerful way what it means to be a believer today. We are to be filled to overflowing with his joy, no matter what. The rationale of this is also given, namely, that we have been already translated into his heavenly kingdom, the Kingdom of his Dear Son, who is himself the fullness of God made flesh. Know this, our future is mapped out eternally. The issue then is how will we live here. We are empowered to live in the fullness of grace. Will we do that is the question.
Paul’s teaching here in Colossians 1 and beginning in 2 gives us the Word and the Enabling for a Life of Joy:
- Paul’s Teaching is Clear: He Fulfilled the Sufferings of Christ in His Body
- Paul’s Teaching is Complete: The Mystery Was Delivered to Him for Us
- Paul’s Teaching is Powerful: We are Enabled to Suffer as Paul Did
Paul goes on in chapter 1 to finish his introduction with much wisdom and truth. He introduces his apostleship, the precious word of the mystery given to him for us, and emphasizes that his sufferings for us and for Christ’s glory were ordained by God. Since we are all members of his Body and he is the Head, he teaches that we are also called to suffer as he did. For in the Body of Christ all the members suffer together. Praise God.
Blessings Untold for the Colossians Too Under Grace: The Essence of Grace Doctrine, Colossians, Chapter 2:
- Our Privilege: Living Life to the Fullest, Filled with His Joy (Col. 1:1-11)
- Our Position: Having Been Translated into the Kingdom of His Dear Son Who Is the Fullness of God (Col. 1:12-20)
- Our Prospect: Being Found Holy, Unblameable and Unreproveable in His Sight (Col.1:21-23)
Paul here in the introduction to the letter to the Colossians, explains in a very short and powerful way what it means to be a believer today. We are to be filled to overflowing with his joy, no matter what. The rationale of this is also given, namely, that we have been already translated into his heavenly kingdom, the Kingdom of his Dear Son, who is himself the fullness of God made flesh. Know this, our future is mapped out eternally. The issue then is how will we live here. We are empowered to live in the fullness of grace. Will we do that is the question.
Ephesians 5-6 — Walking by the Spirit Is the Key to Godly Living — Part 2:
- Living Grace — Parent - Child Relationships Are Transformed (6:1-4)
- Living Grace — Relationships In the World Outside Are Ennobled (6:5-9)
- Living Grace — Our Warfare Against Satanic Foes Will Continue (6:10-24)
Paul here goes back to Moses’s Law because some principles of God’s administration over his creation are trans-dispensational. One of these is the God given relationship ordained between parents and their children. Another he addresses is that between the believer and those outside the Body of Christ. He picks for the latter from our point of views the rarely found relationship between slaves and their masters. What is true in that extreme case can easily be applied to many human relationships. Satan has always sought to harm and destroy those relationships, whatever the dispensational plan of God. Finally Paul defines the spiritual warfare every believer is part of by necessity. Indeed, our warfare is spiritual and heavenly and not essentially of this earth however may appear.
Ephesians 5 — Walking by the Spirit Is the Key to Godly Living - An Introduction:
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In our study today we learned what Paul the apostle of the Gentiles reveals in chapter 5 of this great letter to the Ephesians concerning our current circumstances under which we are living today with the fullness of God’s wonderful grace a reality. There are three aspects to our teaching today: Things are not really as they might seem! The “moment” must be gained for Christ for the days are evil. His Spirit and empowering are essential for this and the God-given hierarchy of authority must be honored. The whole structure of our living is to be re-oriented according to God’s ordained hierarchy, whether in marriage, regarding the family, or in our relationships outside the family. Walking by the Spirit with His Fullness is the Key to Godly Living, as we shall see. Marriage and that relationship in Christ is so much more that it might seem to be as we shall see today. It is all part of the sacred secret, Paul writes, and that is all about Christ and the church which is His Body. Our outline is simplicity itself:
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It Is Our Privilege to Redeem the Time for the Days are Evil, Verses 1-16 x
- The Walk of the Believer Is Enabled by the Spirit, Verses 17-20
- Membership in the Church Which Is His Body Promotes Submission, Verses 21-33
Chapter 4 of the Ephesians further reveals Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians with the special focus on experiencing the full redemption we have in Christ Jesus! This is a powerful and liberating message on how God is working today under grace. There are no legalities here and nothing relating to Israel’s privilege as that has temporarily been set aside so that grace might reign towards all, whether Jew or Gentile. Ephesians is post Acts 28:28 and the Great Transition has ended. Our outline is this:
Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians — Chapter 4:
- The Seven Dimensions of the Keeping of the Unity of the Spirit, Verses 3-6
- The Full Measure of Grace Given to Believers through the Resurrected Christ, Verses 7-11
- The Perfecting of the Saints and Its Goal, The Unity of the Faith, Verses 12-16
- The New Man and the Very Practical Difference It Makes, Verses 17-24
Paul continues in chapter 3 of Ephesians to reveal both the eternal purpose of Almighty God and its consequence for us grace believers. God worked it out according to his eternal plan, settled in eternity past. But it is being worked out today in and through us called out ones. And we have a ministry as his children: to know the depth of his love and grace, and then to reveal it to all, even to those spirit beings in the heavenlies. Amen.
- Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians — The Eternal Purpose of God, Its Revelation (chapter 3 verses 8-12)
- Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians — The Eternal Purpose of God, Its Consequence (chapter 3 verses 13-21)
Paul revealed so much more it seems in this letter than what is recorded by Luke in Acts 20. Christ had been teaching him very much during those years while he was constrained by Roman deputies in Israel and then finally in Rome. These doctrines are for our maturing. This is all in his introductory chapter. Enjoy!
- Our positional blessings in Christ Jesus: 1:3ff
- Our election and calling: 1:4
- Predestination: 1:5
- Full acceptance in Christ: 1:6
- Redemption through Christ’s shed blood: 1:7
- The mystery of his will: 1:9
- The dispensation of the fullness of times: 1:10
- The granting of an inheritance to us Gentiles (independently of Israel’s ministry): 1:11, 14 & 18
Paul continued in his letter to the Ephesians to reveal what Christ had been teaching him during those years while he was imprisoned, first by Roman deputies in Israel and then finally in Rome under probably Emperor Claudius initially. These doctrines are so necessary for us to know, and the most central teachings are the main focus here such as the Body of Christ and then the many other dimensions of the Sacred Secret revealed to Paul for us Gentiles. We find these truths taught with clarity and power in chapters 2 & 3 of this marvelous letter:
Chapter 2:
- Satan is presented as the Prince of this world: 2:1
- The depths of sin in our old nature and his pending wrath towards the unsaved: 2:3
- The heavenly blessings of being in Christ Jesus: 2:5-7
- Salvation by grace through faith not of works: 2:8-10
- Access to God and blessing for Gentiles was provided through Christ’s shed blood: 2:13-17
- And, both Jew and Gentile are “one” in Christ in his Body: 2:18-19
Chapter 3:
- The dispensation of the grace of God: 3:1-2
- The dispensation of the mystery the Christ: 3:3-4
- The nature of this sacred secret and its essence for Gentiles in particular: 3:5-6
- Paul, administrator of grace and conveyor of grace truth to the Gentiles: 3:7
- The eternal purpose of God — to make all see the dispensation - 3:8-11
“Blessings Untold for the Ephesians But As Always, Grace Rules”
In Acts 18 & 19, The Second Journey Concludes and the Third Begins:
After Visiting Ephesus, the Second Missionary Journey Ends Triumphantly
Paul Begins His Third Missionary Journey into Asia Confirming the Saints
Miraculous Signs Multiply Also for the Gentiles, “To Make Them Obedient”!
Paul Completes His Third Journey Meeting the Ephesian Elders:
“Blessings Untold for the Ephesians But As Always, Grace Rules — Part 2”
- Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians — Israel’s Spirituals Given to Gentiles
- Paul’s Testimony to the Ephesians — To and Through Elders in Acts 20
Paul left Athens after a time of unimpeded ministry there according to the end of chapter 17 and the first verses of chapter 18. But only a few had been saved and no church was founded. He traveled then to Corinth where he immediately made the acquaintance of a couple, Jewish tentmakers from Rome recently come as immigrants having been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius. As it turned out for them, God’s work though all of that led to their eternal salvation and that of many more through their ongoing ministries. Paul testified then in the synagogue to Jews and Greeks but few seemed interested. However, upon leaving the synagogue and having pronounced judgment upon them, he announced that he was going to the Gentiles. Amazingly, at that point a leading Gentile and also the ruler of the synagogue believed. Later, the new ruler of the synagogue also believed and many other Jews and Gentiles as well. Thus the Corinthian church was established and it was time for Paul to go elsewhere. God’s work in Corinth was a great blessing indeed for so many.
Today we will focus on what Paul preached in Athens and how that was at the heart of his preaching to the Gentiles, whether we look at the record in the Acts or in his letters. Interestingly, his letter to the Romans, both in chapters 1 & 2 and in chapter 10 reflect and build on the fact that the Lord God revealed himself to sinful mankind through his creation, both in the heavenly realm and on earth. In every way it is revealed, Paul affirms, that all are “without excuse” as Romans 1:20 states so boldly. In our lesson for today, we will go back to the foundations of this teaching in the Old Testament, to Genesis 1, to Job, and to the Psalms, especially the great Psalm 19, where Paul also goes as he applies that teaching of the ages to his current day in Rom. 10:18: “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” In the Psalm David poetically describes God’s revelation of his eternal power and glory in 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” So, there is a revelation given and described in terms of human language and knowledge. The bottom line is this: No one has an excuse before God the Creator and Sustainer. His revelation of himself is sufficient to at least render all men accountable and therefore in need of redemption. The gospel of grace is God’s message of Redemption for our current dispensation. But as with all dispensational plans, anyone rejecting that fundamental revelation of God as Creator would normally reject the other as well. For unless one knows he is in need of a Redeemer, he cannot be saved. Amen.
Paul’s speech on Mar’s Hill before the Aeropagus or Greek High Court was brilliantly crafted. It was launched as we saw last time from his observation that there was in Athens a monument “to the unknown god”. Paul in his speech directly addressed that by stating simply and clearly that he would reveal the one true but “knowable” God in contrast. He had an objective in all of this. The reference to Greek poets underscored how even the ancient Greeks knew something about God through his creation and sustenance of all things. So he uses this as the basis of what he considers foundational, that all are without excuse as Romans 1 indicates. For God has established a day for the judgment and the implications of this are astounding. And this is the central point he now wished to make, that our Lord Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead proving that he is that judge indeed. At this point, his presentation was terminated, however, and the session before the high court ended. Though he did not preach the whole gospel here, some however cleaved to him and followed him out became believers. Praise God for always sufficient grace!
Our subtitle today, “Paul in Athens, Pagan Capitol of the Gentiles” was chosen from the content of Acts chapter 17 where we read that the apostle Paul was “delivered” by the Berea believers to this leading ancient city, the capital of the pagan religions of the west. Athens was named after the presumed goddess Athena where the greatest monument to her was located. That monument, one of the greatest architectural and engineering achievments of ancient man, named the Parthenon, was visible to all in the city. In Paul’s day it must have been quite a sight with its grand architecture and artistry. But Athens was also the West’s center of human learning or philosophy. Because the leading philosophers of the day heard of Paul’s preaching in the synagogue, they demanded he explain these presumed “new gods” that he spoke of everywhere he went, named “Jesus” and “Anastasia” (or “Resurrection”, as the word means in the Greek language). The Athenian “Supreme Court” on Mar’s Hill was the location for this formal review by the elite governmental leaders of that land. What is preserved here though is his presentation to those listening regarding Jesus and his glorious resurrection and how his resurrection certifies our Lord Jesus and him alone as the coming judge of all mankind. Needless to say, the response to his words was not too positive with only a few believing his good news and following after him for more teaching. But God’s will for Athens that day was fulfilled nevertheless, of that we can be sure.
Our subtitle today, “A Time of Remembrances”, was chosen in the light of what Paul wrote to the assembly he had founded in Thessalonica. In that letter (his first to this church body) he often reminded the believers of what he had already taught them while with them for only about three or four weeks during his Second Missionary Journey. He had taught them both practically and doctrinally and his teaching was highly dispensational in character. In particular, his teaching had included the doctrine of election, how God’s word is the vehicle for spiritual living and growth under grace, why fellowship among believers is so critically important, why the trials of life, even the loss of loved ones, are opportunities for victory as we hope for God’s final fulfillment of his many wonderful promises. The pre-tribulational rapture of the church which is his body is also a major subject in that letter. So, in summary, Paul’s teaching as simply summarized in Acts 17 by a few verses was in fact foundational and sufficient for their lives though they were to suffer much as Paul himself also did. God’s grace is always sufficient! What a blessing, to have this transforming word of truth and of grace. Amen.
Chapters 16 and 17 are wonderful and revealing chapters about how this new missionary journey would bear fruit. First and foremost was the founding of church at Phillipi although the churches of the Thessalonians and the Bereans were also established afterwards. In Philippi, Paul and Silas were imprisoned after a demonic woman was delivered of her possession. Paul was troubled by her continued announcements and cast out the demon. The local businesses were benefited by her soothsaying though, it seems, and so Paul and Silas were put into the city jail from which they were delivered by an earthquake. The jailer and his household were saved through this miracle and Paul’s preaching. They then left town at the request of the town magistrates when Paul announced that they had been unjustly beaten though Roman citizens. But the church at Philippi was the fruit of it all. They traveled then to Thessalonica and Berea barely escaping imprisonment but their ministry brought forth much fruit as many were saved and taught there. The theme throughout was that through much suffering Paul’s ministry of grace would be used by God to bring many to a glorious salvation.
Chapter 15 opens with this leading statement: “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” Acts 15:1-2. Peter explained how he was convinced of this great work of Almighty God by signs and wonders and that those proved God’s open door to the west to Gentiles by grace WITHOUT requirements such as Jewish circumcision. An agreement was reached to send a letter by Paul and his associates to the Gentile churches outlining a few principles the Gentile converts should practice to maintain order with believing Jews in those cities. After returning to Antioch, and after much discussion, Barnabas departs to Cyprus carrying this letter and Paul and Silas, his new companion, begin the Second Missionary Journey to the cities in Asia Minor where the churches had been established during the First Journey. Grace reigns, independently of Israel’s conversion!
Chapter 14 includes the preaching of Paul and his associates in a number of cities. But unbelieving Jews followed him from city to city and attempted a stoning in one city and accomplished one in another, but nevertheless the ministry bore much fruit. Finally, after retracing their steps they returned by sea to Antioch from which they had been sent forth to the Gentiles by the grace of God. There was much rejoicing in the church there when the news was reported concerning the salvation of the Gentiles. And so the first missionary journey was completed. This provides the opening for chapter 15, the chapter of a developing division within the body of believers in Jerusalem and, potentially in Antioch as well. Praise God that as Paul exclaimed to the believers in a number of cities “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”. For the Lord was opening the door of faith to the Gentiles as he closed other doors to the Jews, and all so that grace might reign through Jesus Christ.
Soon after Paul and Barnabas returned from a quick visit in Jerusalem, they went to Antioch, where, the Holy Spirit spoke commanding them to depart for Gentile lands and so they did. In Crete they spoke in the synagogues leaving behind a blinded Jewish false teacher and an enlightened Gentile. Then they left Crete and arrived by ship in our present day Turkey where considerable Jews had migrated. Paul preached there in Perga and then went on to speak inland at the synagogue in Antioch of Psidia, where he delivered his first recorded message here in the Acts. It was memorable indeed, focusing primarily on the Old Testament prophecies regarding Israel’s coming messiah as found in Psalms 2 & 16, Isaiah 55, and perhaps Psalm 49 as well. Paul did not argue the case but merely quoted from these OT sources allowing the Holy Spirit to write these truths on the hearts of those that heard. Christ had died and was risen — and he was therefore the only source of forgiveness and salvation. But the rulers of the synagogue there rejected his message concerning their Risen Messiah and opposed those Jews and Gentiles that had believed. Paul’s striking condemnation of them finishes the chapter with the new believers rejoicing in their new found faith and its many blessings.
The Jews that had believed in Antioch were the first that had come to know of God’s great mercy and grace as God’s great enemy Saul was gloriously saved. They received him willingly upon hearing the story. But what about the Jewish believers in Jerusalem and Judea? Would they be as willing? Today we have the privilege of seeing how through an abundance of signs and wonders Peter does accept Saul. But then, because others of the church in Jerusalem continued to be fearful of him, and perhaps even more of his actions and preaching, God saves miraculously a Roman centurion named Cornelius with his family. Peter and the others are convinced by the sheer miracle of this that God is unmistakably now saving Gentiles. The historical account in chapter 11 proceeds with missionaries being sent to Gentile lands even though to this point the outreach had only been to the Jews. This leads directly to Barnabas traveling to Tarsus to find Saul who has gone there for his own protection from unbelieving Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. This sets the stage for the refocus on Antioch and not Jerusalem any longer where the next chapter will begin. Next time, Saul and others will be sent forth on their first missionary journey to the Gentile.
If they only had known it, Stephen’s death at the hands of Israel’s religious leaders was a signal to that nation that the advancing “Pentecostal” outreach to God’s people was now failing. Perhaps God would now turn his back on Israel as Stephen had so strongly suggested in his great message in chapter 7 of the Acts. For the one bringing the accusation against Stephen was a young man named Saul. Today, we move ahead to see as chapter 9 records it how this same man Saul was traveling to Damascus with official papers from the high priest and Israel’s elders to continue arresting the believers. But Saul was intercepted on the road by Christ himself who introduced himself with these words: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? … I am Jesus whom thou persecutest”. Saul’s life was transformed by these words. We finished our study by seeing how Saul’s life was radically transformed by the power of God as he in due time became a powerful witness for Jesus as Israel’s long awaited Messiah. Saul also learned, in this case through a disciple named Ananias, how much he would soon begin to suffer for Christ’s sake, what would become the hallmark of his testimony as he then might rightfully proclaim in his letters, how through weakness God’s grace would now be made manifest.
Perhaps the greatest miracle of all in the early chapters of the Acts (before Paul’s salvation, that is) was the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing a singleness of heart to all believers that led to the selling of properties and the proceeds being distributed according to need. However, even with so many spiritual and physical miracles proving that God was working toward the realization of the earthly Kingdom, the religious leaders of Israel still were in rebellion and would not accept Jesus as their risen Messiah. Peter offered the kingdom in Acts 3 and on multiple occasions after that without a positive response by Israel’s religious leaders. Then, finally, when Stephen preached that great message recorded in Acts 7 in which he so powerfully blamed Israel’s leaders for the death of our Lord, they stoned him. In this event, Israel had now in the plan of God nationally rejected the salvation of God. The Lord would consequently turn away from Israel through the salvation of Saul, renamed Paul, and his appointment as apostle of the Gentiles.
One thing we have learned in our studies on the Great Transition is that the preaching of the Kingdom when it is authorized by God is always accompanied by Signs and Wonders. That is so evident in the early chapters of Acts. In chapter 2 Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and the great miracle was that of foreign languages. All those Jews that had gathered in Jerusalem speaking only languages other than Hebrew or Aramaic heard and understood Peter’s message that day. That was convincing and 3000 were converted. Now, in chapter 3 Peter preaches boldly again and this time it is in the Temple with the high priest and other rulers of the Nation of Israel in attendance. A man has been healed and no one can deny it. Peter preaches that those present, Israel’s rulers, are personally responsible for his death and that they will judged when he returns. Israel’s rulers reject that message even though Signs and Wonders have been seen by so many. That message was the first of several offers of the Kingdom to this rebellious nation. Peter’s message that day was an offer of the Kingdom to the nation such that if they would receive it they would be forgiven when the Lord returned. But they clearly did not and plotted against the disciples. The Lord did require a believing and “elect” nation and a people for his name.
Today we reach our next major development in the ongoing post-resurrection ministry of the apostles to God’s chosen people, Israel. Since Pentecost, Signs and Wonders have been manifested as the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached. Thousands have come to repentance and faith in their risen Messiah. Chapter 3 opens with the Lord using Peter to heal a man crippled from birth. He praises God accompanying many into the Temple itself. The healing cannot be denied by Israel’s religious rulers and they confront Peter with the simple question “how did you do it?” His answer concludes with his preaching of the risen and then ascended Christ who is awaiting God the Father’s command to return in judgment of those who had not believed. About 5000 do repent at this offer of the Kingdom but the leaders of Israel refuse that message and seek to cause additional trouble for the apostles. Miraculous signs including a manifestation of true unity of spirit and a communal sharing of personal property with each other sets the stage for chapter 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira.
Last time we learned that the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached as “at hand” and that preaching was accompanied by God-given Signs and Wonders. After Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection the disciples were asked to wait for the giving of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, called by our Lord Jesus “the Promise”. He then ascended to the right hand of God to reside there until, as he said, he would return to judge the world. In preparation for that, the message was to be preached as before regarding the Kingdom which was “at hand” but now with the added component that was so important, that the one Israel had crucified was alive from the dead! Repentance in that national context was required in addition to individual and personal faith in their Resurrected Messiah. Pentecost was the day Peter preached that message. Thousands believed with as the promised signs of Joel’s chapter 2 prophecy of many speaking in foreign languages were given. Those Jews from foreign lands in Jerusalem on pilgrimage understood Peter’s and the other’s preaching and this was a Sign no one present could deny. What would be next considering that Joel’s prophecy was in some measure (but not entirely) being fulfilled? Was the resurrected Lord soon returning to judge his deniers?
We have seen how Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 13 that the miraculous gifts found among believers in Corinth would be passing away. As a result, no one should assume that those gifts would be permanent. God would be giving something far better, namely, the fullness or completion of the Word of God. We saw how that was accomplished through the writings of the apostle Paul. But beginning with today’s study in the Word of God Rightly Divided we start a four part series of studies on what I am calling “The Transition: The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace”. What we will see is how God’s plan regarding the manifestation of his abundant grace was implemented. That plan required the setting aside of the nation of Israel as the centerpiece in God’s working, a working that began with the preaching we consider today, that Israel’s promised Kingdom was “At Hand”. John the baptizer preached that message as did Christ himself and the Twelve. It was that message that led directly to Pentecost once the death and resurrection of our Lord had occurred. Israel’s promised Kingdom WOULD be established, but it would be a work of the Lord in his timing and not the timing of mankind, even the Twelve.
Based on Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 - 13, we have seen how what was true then when he was writing was in the process already of changing. Before long those gifts of the Spirit mentioned in chapter 12 would be gone, whether ceasing of their own accord or being perhaps dramatically terminated. Even the gift of prophecy was included. But we know from other references (such as in chapter 14) that prophecy continued for a time. Paul’s teaching was intended to comfort the believers when they saw that those gifts were passing. They had had such a dominant role in the church in Corinth so their passing would have been troubling indeed. On a final note though, when God removed those gifts as the word of grace became compete, that is, full, there was no longer a need. Full maturity in Christ was then available to all members of Christ’s Body Church as taught there in those final verses in chapter 13. Praise God, to know oneself as known by Christ. What a great gift this truth is, the Word of God Rightly Divided . The signs, wonders, and miracle gifts have no purpose in God’s economy today! Amen.
Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12 & 13 highlight not only the temporary nature of those sign gifts and other miraculous gifts if the Spirit, but also the reason why they were soon to pass away. That reason was that through Paul the completed word of grace would be completed and then there would not longer be a reason for these gifts. Even the gift of apostleship would pass away when the apostle himself was martyred. With that teaching in mind, Paul teaches so powerfully (in Philippians 4, for example) that those that reject the Word of God Rightly Divided will suffer the consequences, whether in this life or in the next. In addition, those that love grace and its fullness — and love his appearing, will be blessed greatly in this life and eternally. Amen.
Today we look carefully at Paul’s primary teaching on the gifts of the Spirit to members of the Body of Christ. Miraculous powers were indeed given to believers under Paul’s ministry. But, he teaches in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 through 14 that these special gifts from the Spirit would be given and useable only for a short time. He teaches that they were appropriate only for that time of “the partial” revelation of God’s word. When “the perfect” or“the completed” revelation was available (through Paul, of course), then those special gifts would no longer be given or even used if given previously. Many have wanted to tie this revelation to the Second Coming of Christ, but that does not make sense in this context. Col. 1:25-29 is about that completed giving through Paul of that special “secret” revelation previously kept hidden but now revealed. Summarizing that, Paul writes there of “the Christ in you [Gentiles], the hope of glory. That is God’s work today with great power as Paul writes in Col. 1:29. This explains the teaching about the “maturity” of that revelation concerning the Dispensation of grace itself found in 1 Cor. 13:11-13. Now “we know even as we are known”. This correlates as well with Paul’s final words to Israel recorded in Acts 28:25-29. With Israel set aside, there was no more need for any miraculous signs, since primarily they were for the Jews. Praise God for his unspeakable gift.
1 Corinthians chapters 12 through 14 provide the teaching on the miraculous gifts of the spirit that were given to believers in the early Church which is His Body. Signs, wonders, and miracles were common during Christ’s earthly ministry and continued during the early Acts period after the death and resurrection of our Lord. They provided authentication of the messenger and the message as the Kingdom Gospel was preached to the Jews (Mk. 16). But when Paul was raised up as apostle of the Gentiles, there was a continuation of signs and wonders and Paul himself exhibited them authenticating his apostleship. But believers saved through Paul’s preaching were given special gifts as well and that is the focus in these three chapters. Paul teaches there that those particular gifts were to be given and used only temporarily. So they would be passing away and the implication is that that would be sooner rather than later. Otherwise the exhortation would be somewhat meaningless. Next time we will get to the detailed teaching as to why these gifts would no longer be exercising the work of God. But in summary, it was so God’s abundant grace might be fully displayed apart from the Kingdom Law and its preaching. For no longer was the coming Earthy Kingdom with its earthly powers in view but rather a heavenly citizenship with a correspondingly great difference in how godly power would be manifested. Now that power was to be exhibited through weakness as the apostle Paul so gloriously demonstrated in his life (2 Cor. 12).
Today our focus is on the gospel of the Kingdom and the signs and wonders that accompanied its preaching. This is so clearly revealed in the gospel accounts we shall examine in today’s Bible study. This working the Lord God was so different than what Paul preached according to the revelation given to him. He exhorts believers today to follow or imitate him as he imitates Christ. So, the conclusion must be that following Christ independently of Paul’s leadership and examples is not only wrong but cannot lead to honorable Christian service. In the gospels and in the Acts history as revealed in the early chapters we see that the preaching of the Kingdom absolutely did authenticate Messiah and his coming Kingdom “with signs following”. That is true whether in the sending forth of the 12, of the 70, at the “great commission”, or after Christ’s resurrection. Paul’s gospel was never of this sort, though there were gifts of miracles, etc. given to believers for some time. For good reason, those did pass away however, as we will see in our next study.
Today we begin what is anticipated to be a three part series on why those who Rightly Divide the Word of Truth should be dedicated to “follow Paul” as he exhorts in his several letters. Our focus this time is on how Paul describes that “following” or “imitating”. He specifically mentions first of all in 2 Tim. 3:10-12 “doctrine” and then adds a number of very practical items relating to our walk. He finishes the list with persecution and sufferings together with Christ. In most of the other references we consider here Paul also teaches either directly or indirectly that doctrine provides the only solid foundation for life and that that doctrine is all about Christ Jesus. On that basis he then adds the practical matter of enduring the burdens of this life that shall come upon all who would desire to live godly in Christ Jesus. These teachings are amplified in 2 Cor. 4 where we spent much of our time in this lesson. The power in these personal statements of the apostle are encouraging for us all, or should be, whatever our circumstances. Amen.
In today’s study our goal is to carefully unpack this key verse in chapter 2 where the exhortation is to be diligent in the “Right Division of the word of truth”! It seems like a strange request perhaps, but in the context it is easily grasped. Paul’s central focus here is on the false teachers arising in even the church at Ephesus. Timothy is to wage warfare against them lest the purity of the message of grace Paul had delivered to them was tarnished irreparably. Right Division (literally, to cut straightly) will bring, he promises, the approval of Almighty God, since Right Division alone can properly reveal “the Truth” and the Dispensational Plan of God. Only Right Division will protect the message of abundant grace. The law in all of its forms has been set aside. That is the clear message in this letter. Timothy also is exhorted to be “never ashamed” of Paul or his gospel, no matter what comes. Even Paul’s martyrdom, and what follows after that, should bring boldness in the faith and never shame or compromise in its bold testimony. Amen!
We continue today in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, chapter 2. With anticipated spiritual war coming, false teachers abounding, and ministry challenges on every side, Paul exhorts Timothy (and all of us too) in what may be his most important challenge, to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. He also commands his son in the faith to raise up others also who will propagate this precious faith to even more who are enabled also to teach. The multiplication principle here surely applies in all times and periods and especially in our current day as the darkness continues. He adds in this chapter that a proper devotion to the ministry requires that one leave behind all worldly associations and desires and that such a separation promises eternal fruit as its reward. For Timothy’s encouragement he adds a teaching in verse 10 about election and then closes the section with our theme verse on the necessity always to “rightly divide the word of truth”. Of course this is a reference to the dispensational aspects of God’s word. We add amen to this challenge!
Today we will begin a study in Paul’s second letter to Timothy, chapter 1. Here the apostle beings with several “remembrances” and concludes with several “commitments”. The one leads directly to the other, thus our title today, “Fond Remembrances Foreshadow Future Triumph — and Tragedy”. Central to the introduction is Paul’s reminder to Timothy of how he had come to faith in Christ and how he had been “ordained” by Paul into gospel ministry. Paul points out that it was his own faithfulness in the gospel ministry that had brought him great persecution and how hat Timothy should expect the same. But Paul’s persuasion was of the Lord that as verse 12 indicates, “I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Timothy was therefore exhorted to enter fully into this ministry, and, as we know, as he carries Paul’s own torch for Christ at his martyrdom under Emperor Nero, to never be ashamed of Paul, or, of the cross of Christ.
Today we will finish Paul’s first letter to Timothy by summarizing the significant lessons taught there. This is the list. Last time we went chapter by chapter, today theme by theme.
* An Exhortation (1 Tim. 1:4)
* Its Essence (1 Tim. 1:6)
* Its Foundation (1 Tim. 1:15-17; 3:16)
* Its Application (all chapters)
* Amplified (1 Tim. chapters 1,4,6)
- Today we will finish Paul’s first letter to Timothy by summarizing the significant lessons taught there. This is the list:
Some Have Swerved from True Doctrine, Teaching Not Grace But the Law (Chapter 1)
- Saved through Childbearing, the Promise of the Seed Gives Hope Always (Chapter 2)
- Without Controversy, Great is the Mystery of Godliness (Chapter 3)
- In the Latter Times, Some Shall Depart from the Faith (Chapter 4)
- Honour Widows that are Widows Indeed, Desolate, and Trusting in God (Chapter 5)
- The Challenge for All Seasons Is To Lay Hold on Eternal Life (Chapter 6a)
- Timothy’s Final Challenge — To Keep the Faith and the Trust! (Chapter 6b)
The blessings gained though this study have been so transforming for me and hopefully for you as well. Enjoy Him and His unlimited grace, for great is the mystery of godliness and through it we may “lay hold on eternal life”.
- In today’s study we reach the last two verses of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. These are not his last words before his martyrdom, but they are his last words for a while with Timothy and must have struck a powerful note for him and should also for us today. Here, he writes of the sacred trust committed to his son in the faith, and that is as the last verse says, the faith itself. As we have already shared here, “the faith” signifies the body of truth itself committed to Paul and now passed also on to Timothy. It is the pure doctrine of grace as Ephesians chapter 3 explains. To “keep” it until the end is Timothy’s charge. Some had turned aside, he again reminds Timothy, to their own spiritual destruction. Those that turn aside engage in worldly chatter, such a demeaning way to describe their oppositions to Pauline doctrine, and also promote “false knowledge”, or a knowledge not based on the truth. But the truth must be protected and honored always, he writes, no matter what. I can only imagine how often Timothy thought on Paul’s words here as he lived through the challenges of his short life, with his own martyrdom, it seems, not far ahead after his mentor’s.
- Twice in the final chapter of this letter, in both verses 12 & 19, the apostle in this culminating exhortation to his son in the faith, uses a word that needs some explanation. That word is here translated “lay hold on”. It is a good translation. In our English Bibles that term is found predominantly in John’s gospel and his first letter where it is found 34 times. But Paul also uses it 14 times while the other authors of scripture rarely use it. In the gospels it is found only in the rich young ruler teaching. Here though Paul exhorts Timothy and also all believers to “lay hold on” eternal life by living an uncompromised life consistent with the grace of God as he valiantly had proclaimed it. Timothy needed to do the same and to ensure that some in the assemblies would take seriously their eternal and heavenly calling. Here, again, he singles out the rich in this world whose riches could never compare with the glorious blessing of grace available now and forever. Laying hold on eternal life here and now is his subject. For the riches of this world are blessings indeed, but only for a season.
- In the midst of chapter 6 of 1 Timothy, the apostle exhorts his son in the faith to take very seriously the false teachers he will be encountering in his ministry. Their teaching, he warns, entirely misses the point regarding God’s great work in this dispensation. That work has been the subject of Paul’s teaching in chapter 3 where he calls it “the mystery of godliness”. The false teachers were teaching a heresy that contradicted that teaching directly. They were teaching that “gain is godliness”! Oh, what a contrast that is and its danger toward believers should not be underestimated, he writes. One of its most dangerous teachings was concerning “the love of money” which he writes is “the root of all evil”. To to stand apart from all such teachings was critically important. Finally, Paul exclaims that the virtues of the mystery of godliness working within Timothy must be received and brought forth “unto eternal life”. Truly “gain is godliness’, for now and for eternity!
- Paul here emphasizes again how necessary it was for the truths of the mystery and specifically the mystery of godliness to be taught. Those elders that labored in the teaching of that doctrine were to be honored well. But, to underscore this teaching to Timothy, the apostle adds to the gravity of the situation by writing here that there are heavenly observers of Timothy’s oversight of the assembly. Then, perhaps considering that this exhortation might be somewhat overwhelming, he adds here that he should not forget to take care of his own personal physical needs. Finally, concluding his guidance in the selection of elders and “widows indeed”, he adds that since some sins are hidden for a time, it is best not to select someone for those offices until they are well proven in ministry first. Since there was surely going to be opposition to these godly and wise principles, Timothy is told that he must separate publicly from some, as difficult as that might be. Separation is practically difficult but sometimes necessary. Amen.
- In our teaching today, the apostle continues his theme on order in the churches and particularly emphasizes the care of widows by the church. He identifies some widows as “widows indeed” and lists their qualifications. No younger widow is to be allowed into this privileged group, we writes, because they are so much more likely to ignore their ministerial duties as widows in this category, will marry after having been admitted, or will be caught up in worldly matters entirely. This group of women are seen by Paul as a special (and permanent) missionary class, it seems. Although proper respect is to be shown by Timothy for all, whether older or younger, women or men, here in this fifth chapter he shows his special concern for widows, perhaps because of expected (and current) persecution and martyrdom for many.
Living a life of godliness is a major focus of this letter as 1 Tim. 3:16 states says so clearly: "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." In chapter 4 as we have seen already, the apostle continues this theme. Believers, he writes, are to manifest the godliness of the son of God through the "life giving spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45) we have all received. Here though Paul calls on young Timothy to be an example for all he will mentor so that they, as "types" for all believers, may work out the work of God in the midst of the church which is according to 1 Tim. 3:15, "the pillar and ground of the truth". Interestingly, the entire letter has as a major theme the hierarchical order of the creation, whether in the inanimate universe, in the angelic sphere, in the nations, in the churches, in marriages and families. So Timothy is called upon here to be a "type" of other leaders just as Paul has been to him and so many.
- In dark times, where Pauline doctrines clearly taught in his letters concerning the Mystery revealed to him for the church, the bold and true teachings must be continued, whatever the consequences. This, Paul writes here in this letter is most critically important. That those with the responsibility in the churches must never fail to make that teaching known is Paul’s meaning here. The consequences of promoting the truth, Paul, promises here, will be severe, since it will be satan himself energizing that opposition. Such has always been true as we have seen for so very long. Nevertheless, Paul emphasizing the responsibility of Pastors to teach true doctrine, he also said how critical it is for one to first nourish oneself and then others. Therefore one who holds such high offices in the churches must without hypocrisy powerfully and boldly preach and teach the Mystery of Godliness, first applying that teaching to oneself. Praise God!
- In our lesson today, we see that “A Heavenly Service Requires Heavenly Minded Leaders.” And it is a heavenly service to serve in the Church which is His Body. That is because this church is a heavenly organism indeed. Though our feet are on the solid footing of earth itself, spiritually that footing is unstable and always changing as opposed to our heavenly citizenship in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. The Lord God himself has established a structure of both authority and responsibility in the Church and that is the focus in our study in 1 Timothy today. In this lesson the focus is where we find it in 1 Timothy chapter 3, on the offices of bishop (or overseer or elder, all equivalents) and deacon. The pastoral and teaching ministries are not the focus here but will be reserved for later in our studies.
- We are finishing today our series on “Prisoners of Hope” and how women were in the very center of that hope in more ways than one, just as Paul in 1 Tim. 2:15 was highlighting. We have looked carefully at how this was proven down through history in Old Testament times and also in New Testament times before Paul was raised up as apostle of the Gentiles. But what about after that, what about during Paul’s ministry? What does the Bible say about that? In our study today we see that there are 18 women referred to by name in the Acts and in Paul’s letters, about one third of all of those listed by name by Paul. That in itself would not be too remarkable perhaps in itself, but that in nearly all cases the women mentioned are highlighted in the strongest of “positive” terms. Even the last words he wrote in 2 Timothy, his final letter, were about a woman, Claudia. What a fitting way to finish our study of “Prisoners of Hope”, to see Paul so strongly exalting the many women who served with him in ministry!
- Today we continue our short series on “Prisoners of Hope”, in support of Paul’s often maligned statement in 1 Tim. 2:15. He refers there to Gen. 3:15-16 but explains his comment there about women on an encouraging note, namely, that women bearing the judgment given to Eve after her rebellion may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …” This is apparently meant to be taken very positively though many have take it to be a strongly negative teaching against women in general. In today’s study we focus on the women at the open tomb, Mary Magdalene and the others. They proved that they were dedicated to our Lord in his life, yes, but now also in his death. They came early to the tomb to prepare his body for permanent burial. They found the tomb open however and the Lord was no where to be found. But he did appear to them as they returned from the tomb and most graciously demonstrated to them that he was indeed alive and that they together with the disciples would see him alive again shortly. So rather than fear they were to have great joy! Amen.
“Prisoners of Hope”, is our continuing theme today and our focus will be on a great man of God who was also a priest, and his wife, a godly woman, named Elizabeth. Their son, born in their advanced age, would be given in God’s good timing and would be named “John” as the angel Gabriel announced directly to Zachariah. John would go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah according to the last prophecy given to Israel before the 400 year cessation in prophecy begins after Malachi’s prophecy. That prophecy would begin to be fulfilled by John as God sends him forth to “prepare the way of the Lord” and to make “a people for his name”. Elizabeth’s great “song of praise” is central to this chapter and her confidence as “a prisoner of hope” is so telling.
- We continue today in the “Prisoners of Hope” series with our long expected teaching on the Virgin Mary. Mary and her betrothed husband Joseph are the focus of God’s great work to launch the final phases of his completion of the promises given in Genesis 3 regarding “the Seed of the Woman”. God does bring forth his Son and it is accomplished exactly in accord with his eternal plan. Mary’s conception will be miraculous indeed and will be by the Holy Spirit. Gabriel’s announcement of this is a wonder to behold. After visiting her cousin Elizabeth and hearing her inspired words concerning her son John still unborn but even then aware of the work of God in Mary’s womb, her song of praise is perhaps the greatest of those found in the Bible. John, while still unborn and unnamed except by the angel Gabriel, had already begun his ministry of “announcing” the presence of the Son of God! Amen.
- “Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel. Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament. Our focus today is on Esther, a godly woman raised as an orphan by her uncle Mordecai in the nation of Persia. Through an amazing series of events where the Lord God overrules the hearts and intents of many, Esther becomes the wife of the King of Persia and orchestrates the saving of the Jewish nation in bondage there. In addition, all indications are that the son of the King and godly Esther is Cyrus, who will not only deliver the children of Israel from death at the hand of the evil and satanic Human, but also provide directly for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. God directed him to do it and he did. Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” And so be it!
- “Prisoners of Hope”, this is how the prophet Zechariah described the often downtrodden and persecuted people of his select nation of Israel. Today we continue a mini-series on the work of God through believing women in the Old Testament. We have seen and will continue to see today how women were absolutely central to God’s developing plan of redemption. From Sarah to Rahab to Ruth and then finally Jehosheba God worked miracles through these women to deliver ultimately the fulfillment of the Gen. 3:15-16 promises regarding “the seed of the woman”, Israel’s coming Messiah. This all illustrates so well how Paul’s teaching regarding women in 1 Tim. 2:15 would be brought to pass. This is not a dispensational teaching but is true for all times and dispensations. Indeed, as the apostle has written, “she shall be saved in [THE] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” And so be it!
- We will now enter into a multi-part series on the hope Paul expresses in 1 Tim. 2:15. He refers to Gen. 3:15-16 but now adds, as an interpretation and application, that women may be “saved in (lit. “through”) childbearing IF they continue in faith …” There is much discussion among commentators regarding the meaning of this as on the face of it there is a perceived offense against women in general here. Contemporary views would cast these verses that way, but, as we will attempt to show here today and in the next two studies, the Old Testament and the New Testament including Paul in his various letters are quite clear on the many blessings attending to women even in this fallen world. Indeed, as we shall see, God’s perspective on the relationship between men and women emphasizes that marriage is ordained for blessing and not for curses. Today, we introduce this great subject with our introduction to “Prisoners of Hope”, Part 1.
- In chapter two of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul wrote that for the sake of order in the churches, women should not follow the lead of some women in the Ephesian assembly who had taken over the teaching function from the ordained men who had been duly appointed to that function.
In this section he begins the teaching regarding women teaching men by going all the way back to the book of Genesis and what occurred in the Garden of Eden so many years before. Those events revealed what was so relevant the circumstances in Ephesus. We finish that teaching today with an emphasis on verse 15 where it says simply this: “… she shall be saved in [the] childbearing.” The point here is that though childbearing had become a great burden for Eve and would be for all women to follow her, there would also be great blessing for her and all mankind. So, he concludes, in the woman’s God-given nature as distinct from man’s, there would be even “deliverance” in the bearing and then raising up of the next generations. In this way, the burdens brought upon her by God in response to her transgression would be the very source of her “salvation” or “deliverance”. He states it this way: “she shall be saved … if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” All believing women would surely agree with the apostle. But it is the women and not the men that are qualified by Almighty God for this most critical role — and privilege! Amen.
The principles governing the church meetings are addressed with firstly an exhortation to the men regarding prayer: it should be without doubt and wrath controlling. Secondly, the women, instead of using the meetings to show off superficial and worldly adornments should reveal their inner godliness by good works. In addition, there was a serious issue at Ephesus with some women trying to take control of the teaching from the appointed men. Paul goes to Genesis 3 for his main point that the men should be leading in the teaching and the women were not to interfere. He shows how God made the first couple different from each other in essential ways. The man Adam was made as head over the creation and also over Eve when she was formed from his side. The woman, Eve, was made explicitly to complement the first man. So their natures being so different but complementary, their functions must also be different. The man is the “head” as it were and the woman is the “heart”. The hierarchical structure of authority in the created world is necessarily to be reflected also here in the church order. Next time we will finish the teaching by looking more deeply into the subject of how God has used women and uses them today.
- In verse 17 of chapter 1 of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, Paul writes: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” This verse contains the “context” for the rest of the letter. All else will be in the light of God’s glory as exclaimed here to son Timothy. Several times he then expands on this statement, for example in chapter 2 verses 5 & 6: “For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” In the light of this he commands Timothy to fight a good fight against the forces of evil, the false teachers being right in the middle of that battle. That prophecies were given at Timothy’s commissioning sanctions his ministry in a special way: “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.” It was clearly Paul’s hope and expectation that by the power and support of Almighty God Timothy would prove himself well on the battlefield.
- Continuing on today in the first chapter of this wonderful first epistle to Timothy, we see something of great importance. Paul makes a statement in verses 15 and 16 that has significant dispensational importance. He calls himself the chief of sinners and then the first in the line of recipients of God’s grace through Christ’s “longsuffering”. In each case, whether regarding himself as ”chief” or “first” in a series, it is exactly the same Greek word used even though the translation in the KJV is different. But the meaning is clear and it is exceedingly critical for us to understand it. Paul, apostle of the Gentiles, and minister of “the dispensation of God, the one which is in faith” as verse 4 reveals, is first in the long line of those that would believe his precious good news summarized in verse 15 with these words: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” May we take this teaching to heart and follow faithfully in his footsteps as he exhorts Timothy. For indeed, as he writes in verse 17, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
- We introduce our studies today in Paul’s first letter to Timothy by looking at his introduction to the letter, his statement of apostleship and his very personal reference to the recipient of the letter, his very dear and precious Timothy. The special place brother Timothy had for Paul is well summarized by this expression, my “own son in the faith”. Paul had it seemed been the one who led Timothy to saving faith and not his mother or grandmother who are said elsewhere to be believers as well. But the letter is written to encourage Timothy to wage warfare against the false teachers who had been so successful at Ephesus. They were legalists of a sort and so that is his main emphasis in this chapter. The pure and effective teaching would be concerning grace as indeed this is a special dispensation directed to that abundance of grace and the faith that engenders it as verse 4 indicates. The best manuscripts of that verse read “the dispensation of God, the one which is of faith”! I wish the translators of the KJV had had those manuscripts available to them, but it seems they did not.
- Paul’s teaching in his church epistles often present a series of great contrasts. Each chapter of these two letters has the singular focus of just that, the pre-Tribulational Rapture of the Body of Christ. This is Paul’s central focus in each of these chapters and the main teaching of these letters. The exhortations all revolve around the way of life of believers with this heavenly hope. The two letters to the Thessalonians present the contrasts between the hope and expectation (as God sees it) of believers living under the grace rule and those that reject the gospel of the grace of God. For the one there is waiting for them the Rapture with all the blessings of a heavenly inheritance. For those still living when the calling is brought to fulfillment only a transformation in needed. For the others who have died, the glorious resurrection is assured.
We will close our study in the apostle Paul’s letters to the Thessalonian believers with two studies, this one on the overriding theme of the second letter, and the second on an overview of Paul’s pre-Tribulational, Rapture teaching. In the second letter, the apostle reasserts the graphic and eternal difference between our revealed inheritance and that of the unbeliever. But the focus is also on how the Lord will BOTH provide those future and eternal blessings and current blessings in this life. The grace poured out then is pre-figured, as it were, by pouring out blessings in this life, by his grace. In one expression, “Grace Unto Grace, Both Then and Now”, which is the title of that study. We should be encouraged to know through this letter that God’s promised mighty working on our behalf in eternity future will always be matched in our lives now by a mighty working of grace even today. Enjoy!
Today we finish our verse by verse study of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians. In these final verses, the apostle first asks the believers to pray for him, and that is significant. He asks for their respect and honor and then goes on to a long section (10 verses!) where he strongly exhorts all to be self-sufficient like he was himself. He was a tentmaker while on his missionary journeys and that was his “testimony” underscoring this critically important point. They are also to support themselves and to be independent so that they may be able to help others who are in need. Separation from those who are disobedient is “commanded” with those that will not follow his lead being publicly set aside. He concludes the letter with a particularly touching reference to his own salutation in his own hand. That would have been so precious for those in this fellowship as only they would possess that actual autograph. His final words, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all” matches what he closed with in the first letter. Praise God for such grace! Amen.
In this letter especially, the apostle Paul has written that those that were persecuting the Thessalonians would surely be judged by the Lord God in due time. He was specifically writing to them about the Rapture of Christ’s Body Church and then what would occur on this earth during the Tribulation period immediately afterwards. During that period those that had rejected the gospel of the grace of God and then found themselves in the Tribulation would be blinded with a special blindness so that they could not at that time then believe. There would be no “second chances”. He shows great contrasts here at the end of chapter 2 between those unbelievers and the Thessalonians especially highlighting their calling (“chosen from the beginning”), that they should uphold his own example for living (the “traditions”), and finally, that through the grace of God they would have “good hope”. What a precious promise based on such a teaching and this exhortation.
* Today we finish a four part series on one aspect of the rapture of the church that is often either ignored or opposed, that those left behind when the Lord calls us to meet him in the heavens, those that have heard and rejected the gospel of the grace of God, will be lost forever with no second chance during the Tribulation. Popular “evangelicalism” of the “pre-Trib” variety, often holds that those unbelievers will have a second chance to believe and be saved during those seven years. Even popular movies promote this idea dramatically. However, Paul explicitly denies any second chances in the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians. He writes there that “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” They cannot believe during the Tribulation, he writes, because they have been blinded by God himself. So there is no second chance for them at least. Many consider this unfair, perhaps, but could not the same argument be made for anyone who dies having rejected Christ? But clearly there is no second chances for them. “And who is sufficient for these things?” Amen.
Today, in part 3 of a 4 part series on the Rapture of the Church, we will highlight the apostle Paul’s teaching on verses 3 through 10 of 2 Thessalonians. These verses are one of the main teachings on what is often called today the “pre-Tribulational” Rapture of the Church. There Paul teaches that when the Rapture of the Church occurs (called the “falling away” in verse 3, really simply a “departure” or “separation” as the word is usually translated in Paul’s letters), then the man of lawlessness will be free to manifest himself and his evils openly. The great restrainer on his powers today, namely the Church itself, will be taken out of the way as verse 7 indicates. Unfortunately, the translators tend to obscure this precious teaching due to their often anti-dispensational presuppositions. Even the KJV translators try to make this all about “spiritual apostasy” which it is not. The latter has always been with us, even from Paul’s day as he has written so clearly in 2 Timothy, etc.
- Paul gives many details in chapter 2 of second Thessalonians regarding the coming Tribulation and how Satan, called the “man of sin” there, will wreck havoc on this earth and especially for believers. Many will be saved in that time including the elect of Israel. That will be “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) and that nation will be delivered then from their long enemy. But what Paul teaches here is that the church the Body of Christ will have to be removed from this earth (called the “falling away” in verse 3) before Satan will be fully free to work his destruction. The fact as he reveals here is that it is the church that is the restrainer of his full influence. This letter establishes the timing of the Rapture so strongly and so clearly.
- In chapter one of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, we saw that the sufferings of the church the Body of Christ are a “token” or “sure indication” (same Greek root word even) of God’s coming judgments on those that have persecuted us, the same ones he has just described in 1:8 as “… them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”. So there is no question that he is concluding his former teaching here regarding those coming judgments during the Tribulation period. Those judgments therefore are not intended for us today as the false teachers had been teaching. That is, after all, the whole point of this teaching, that we will not suffer the trials of those days because “… [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and [then] that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” Our teaching today is an introduction to those words and to that teaching.
- As we begin Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, the subject remains the return of the Lord although in chapter one the emphasis is not with the timing of his return (that we will come to in chapter 2) but with the contrast between members of Christ’s Body Church and unbelievers as far as their eternal hope or lack of it is concerned. The return of the Lord will secure that destiny for ever for unbelievers. There is a principle taught here that is quite profound: when we suffer at the hands of unbelievers, Paul writes, this is but a token or sure indicator of coming judgment on those persecuting us. They will themselves be judged severely and eternally by Almighty God. Truly, it is our privilege to suffer with him therefore as the apostle writes often. He is our head and we his body - he suffers with us therefore and our privilege is to suffer with him. This is a major theme of the apostle, even here in this early letter. Amen!
- Today we finish Paul’s first letter, his first letter to the Thessalonians. What a blessing it has been to learn so much about our Blessed Hope, the Rapture of the Church which is His Body. Having presented in chapter 4 the teaching that Christ’s Body saints will be regathered into the heavenlies (not into the earthly Millennial Kingdom) when Christ returns, the saints were encouraged regarding the loss of loved ones. In chapter 5 the apostle finishes his early teaching on this subject by explaining why the saints of this current dispensation of grace are entirely different in their heritage from the Jews of the Tribulation period. He writes that the difference between living in this dispensation is like day and night in comparison to them of judgment coming to this earth as the Lord refocuses his work on his chosen nation. The Rapture, we must conclude, is pre-Tribulational therefore.
- Chapter 4 of this letter announces the details of our Blessed Hope, the Rapture of our Lord Jesus Christ. The details given are very important to know and for the Thessalonian believers, some of whom were sorrowing even “as those that have no hope”, this teaching was surely comforting indeed. Then, in chapter 5, the apostle gets to some really important teachings that provide quite literally a “black and white” contrast between the Kingdom hope and our hope. The one is a message of the coming judgment with its focus according to Prophecy on Israel and the Jews though the entire world will be involved. The latter is quite different in so many ways. Salvation (the Rapture and our heavenly inheritance) and not wrath is appointed for we who live under the rule of God’s abundant grace. What a contrast. What an encouragement whatever this life brings our way with its many burdens — and blessings.
- We now will begin to consider this detailed account in chapter 5 of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians believers. Here the apostle contrasts the coming conditions during the prophesied Tribulation period with what is true of believers today living under the Dispensation of the Grace of God. The one teaching they do not need to know about since we will not live during the Tribulation, the Rapture having been already brought to pass before those “times and seasons” begin. The dispensational contexts need to be kept separate, he writes, and the Thessalonians (and we ourselves, by extension) do not need to know the details of the Tribulation when we will never be living in that time. The “they” references in this chapter must be distinguished from the “we” references or confusion results. Seeing these differences will be our primary teaching today. Praise God for his abundant grace, for it is so different from the life of believers during the Tribulation.
- Paul’s revelation in chapter 4 of this first letter to the Thessalonians establishes much regarding the upcoming Rapture of the Church which is His Body. The nature of that event is quite different from what was revealed for the Jewish saints by Christ in his earthly ministry for those awaiting their earthly kingdom inheritance. Christ’s detailed revelation fits into the period of the oft prophesied Tribulation and the details he gives match perfectly with the books of Daniel and Revelation among others. That revelation is very different from what Paul gives here in this letter. Here the focus is on believers who have died being resurrected gloriously concurrently with living believers — and then the much-awaited entry into heavenly glory. There is nothing here about entry into the earthy kingdom because that is not the promised inheritance for us living in the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Chapter 5 will continue this dispensational subject and more precious truth will be found there.
- The last section in Chapter 4 contains the teaching about the Rapture of the Church which is His Body. This teaching is distinctive for the Body Church and its timing is pre-Tribulation. That begins to be clear here but it is the special focus of chapter 5 and the second chapter of the second Thessalonian letter. Here though, Paul instructs believers regarding the resurrection of those saints that had already died and the teaching is clear — their resurrection will immediately precede our own catching up to be with the Lord. In fact, they will return with the Lord and we shall meet them in the air along with the Lord at the appointed time. This teaching is designed to comfort the believers who will read this letter and it surely did. The teaching here is a critical one without which our own faith will surely be influenced.
- Chapter 4 is divided into two parts, the first containing an exhortation to live responsibly awaiting the return of the Lord. The second is about the return of the Lord for us saints living under grace, the Rapture. Today we consider the practical responsibilities of believers who are living under grace and the many challenges that the saints endure. The primary focus here is worldliness and carnality in the church, especially in the area of sexuality and marriage although personal independence in daily living is also mentioned. Marriage is the “norm” for relationships between the sexes and Paul strongly exhorts the Thessalonians believers in that area here. Apart from the marriage union between one man and one woman, no sexual contact between the sexes is acceptable to God and other sexual experiences are indeed carnal and ungodly. Believers should not even publicly need to concern themselves with these worldly matters — if all were well in the churches, but it is not. God’s standard for believers is very high and has not changed since Adam and Eve, it seems.
- Chapter 3 of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians believers will lead us directly into the fourth chapter where the corrected teaching of the Lord’s Pre-Tribulational return for us saints is provided. These believers were dear to the apostle and he had wanted to visit them again, but Satan had prevented that. But he exhorts the believers not to let Satan interfere in their thinking and faith though he may cause issues everywhere nevertheless. He writes how encouraged he is by God’s work in them already and has great expectations for the future. The work of almighty God is for now AND for eternity — that is his message here. At the Lord’s calling into glory that great work will be made clear to all. This is his message of encouragement for all those under trial in this life who have believed and are now awaiting his calling glory and to be reunited with those that have gone before.
- Paul had traveled on his second missionary journey to the city of Philippi. Then, after preaching the risen Christ, he and his companion Silas were treated harshly, beaten, and imprisoned in the local jail. You will remember the salvation of the jailer. Then, due to the miraculous opening of the door of the jail, they were free again. As a consequence of these miracles, the magistrates sent Paul and Silas (and Timothy) away. Their journey then took them to Thessalonica where they ministered a little over three weeks before departing. The Thessalonians received his word gladly as the word of the living God — 1 Thess. 2:13 “… which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” The consequence was an expected persecution which led the apostle to visit them again, “if God would permit.” But he did not and allowed Satan to interfere — verses 18 & 19. But, nevertheless, “For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” The Lord gave the victory nevertheless. And Paul’s hope for future fellowship in glory sustained him with his words here becoming such a great blessing for them and for all of us. Satan’s interference was only the basis for God’s blessings in ways that could never be anticipated.
- We continue in our study of First Thessalonians today. Chapter 2, verses 1-12 will be our focus. The second chapter begins with a simple request: “Just remember how I came unto you!” As Paul knew so well by now, persecution has a way of following the bold proclamation of the gospel of Christ. Verses 2-4 are so very compelling: “We were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention . . . But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” These words are so memorable and so powerful. He continues with the analogies of a mother and child and a father and his children. These words closed our teaching, verses 7 & 8: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” May they grip our souls as well as the apostle intended, even today!
- Today we begin our study of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian believers. In this letter, we find that there was no occasion for Paul to reprimand this church as there was good reason to do that with other assemblies (such as the church in Philippi). This church, therefore, stands as our example. Indeed, this letter provides us with a three-fold illustration of a church that can even rightfully be called “typical” or, to use a more current word in our language, “normal”. For, in chapter one, the apostle boldly declares that we should live as the Thessalonians did faithfully imitating him, rejoicing by his grace, and then, in constant expectation of his blessed return, living in the light of his coming. What a glorious blessing that would be and how different the church would be if we all did just that.
- This is the final teaching on Philippians. We complete our three-part overview of its powerful and so needed teaching with three simple but profound questions: What is the Privilege Behind Paul’s Example? What is the Preeminence of Paul’s Example? What is the Power Behind Paul’s Example? Paul’s suffering was his privilege and it is ours as well he writes here. That gave him his opportunity as our example or type. Finally, the power of his life and testimony was fully demonstrated as the provision of Almighty God for him and for us. We walk a path that may even lead to rewards, prizes, and even crowns — if we run the race set before us with his zeal and for Christ’s eternal glory. May we all long remember these words and be examples for all those around us of God’s abundant grace. Praise God.
- We have now nearly reached the end of our overview of the precious letter to the Philippians. Next time, Lord willing, we will finish our study here with a focus on what it means to “imitate” Paul. Of the Twelve Dimensions of Blessing revealed by Paul in this letter, we have already covered seven of them. Today our focus will be on four more, and then next time, Lord willing, the the last one, imitating Paul as our privilege under grace. Today though we considered our unity in the Body by the spirit, our filling by God and the provisions for reigning in life, our privilege to suffer together with Christ, and finally, our hope of the prize of his high calling, or, as Paul called in in chapter 3 and verse 11, the “out-resurrection”. Now that special blessing (not all will attain unto it) is reserved for those that run the race Paul ran. Oh, may we run that race and gain unto that prize as the apostle was so hopeful he would. Amen.
- At the very beginning of Paul’s letter to the Philippians believers, he writes precious words of introduction, words of thanksgiving that will characterize the entire letter. He finishes the letter with a corresponding section of thanksgiving. The opening statement after the salutation is in verse 3: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you” and reaches a spiritual height that is astounding in verse 6: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” With that introduction, the apostle is well-founded in his transitional statement in verse 7: “ye all are partakers of my grace”. That sets the stage for the rest of the letter. Finally, in chapter 4 he concludes in a similar vein in verse 19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”. May God be praised indeed for his super-abundant grace. This is truly a “A Thank You Note Never to be Forgotten”. Amen.
- Today we reach the final verses in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The apostle has just finished explaining how he has been initiated into trials that involve great losses even to the seeming necessities of life. He had learned to be satisfied however with the Lord’s provision. Now, at the end of his letter he powerfully applies the lessons he has learned to the Philippians with this precious promise in verse 19, “my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. With this ending, there is nothing else to say except to conclude with a remarkable double salutation in verses 20 and 23. That final verse says it all: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.” That even members of Caesar’s “household” (verse 22) testify to the same is most memorable. What an encouragement for us in and through every trial!
- We are nearly at the end of this magnificent letter to the Philippians believers. Now in the final chapter, the apostle exhorts for the final time with a focus on his rejoicing while under house arrest in Rome and suffering great loss there. The major statement here is on his “initiation” into grace and its many out-workings in our lives, even through trials and sufferings. His message is that suffering need is not different from “suffering” abundance therefore with the central verse being verse 12: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” His conclusion is equally important and powerful in verse 13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The indwelling Christ is Paul’s constant source of power! Or, as Col. 1:27 states it: “Christ in us the hope of glory!” He therefore echoes that truth again here as he nears the end of this letter. May it be so for each of us now and forever.
- Having reached the final chapter in this great Pauline letter (a prison letter, by the way), we now find his final exhortations. This section proceeds from Paul exclaiming how the Philippians were “his joy and crown”, to another request (compare with chapter 3, verses 17-21) that they would all “follow” or “imitate” him not only in his doctrine but also in his walk: “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do”. The rest of this final exhortation is a promise to those who would so imitate him: ”the God of peace shall be with you”. What a powerful way to end this final exhortation. The Lord’s blessing will be abundantly upon all those that follow Paul. Will we do that? That is the question. The “peace of God” is promised in verse 7, now the “God of peace” with his full blessing. Amen.
- We continue today reaching one of the most important exhortations in this letter. Continuing from the earlier verses that again have focused on the mind-set that is truly heavenly, Paul now addresses the false teachers and their influence among the believers to whom the apostle is writing. His exhortation is perhaps the strongest in his letters and the language used of these dangerous ones uses the words “enemies of the cross” in reference to them. Their influence in the church was apparently great. Paul minces no words saying also that those persons will suffer the consequence of their errors. That is in contrast to those that run the race set before all of us and for whom the glories of God’s grace yet ahead are our sufficient motivation for today. So following or imitating Paul as he imitates Christ is offered as that powerful example for us all.
- In Philippians 3:11 the apostle reveals his hopeful expectation concerning this coming judgment. This judgment is the judgment for believers, called also in two places the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10 & 2 Cor. 5:10). This is NOT the Great Throne Judgment, of course. Also he writes in the Corinthian letter of how this Judgment will be performed (1 Cor. 3:11-15). So rewards will be given out and every believer will receive praise from God even though all works may be burned having been found to have not been founded truly on Jesus Christ. But what does that really mean? Paul teaches clearly here in Philippians chapter 3 that the issue is always one of motive (Phil. 2:5; 3:16-17) and accordingly one of our works being a response to law of any kind, rather than truly the fruit of faith in our Lord Jesus. Paul is to be our example of this as written here in chapter 3: 13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 3:8 declares how Paul had given up everything for the sake of Christ. He had counted “all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus [his] Lord: for whom [he] had suffered the loss of all things”. Of course, this followed the great exhortation in chapter 2 verse 5 where he exhorted each of us to have that same mind-set that Christ had in leaving heaven’s glory for this sin-cursed earth with eternal redemption for sinners very much in view. Paul’s example of this same mind-set dominated his life. All followed from that he says here. And, for him therefore, to be “found in him” at the Judgment Seat of Christ with nothing else to recommend him but that which is of the “faith of Jesus Christ”, that was his greatest desire. As he then explains, is to leave behind entirely all works of law. Shining forth at that time, in that special resurrection (the “out”-resurrection), with the reward appropriate, would then be his eternal badge of glory. No dead works to be burned, all endures the judgment fire. All lost here for the sake of that reward then. May it be true for us as well. Amen.
- In Philippians 3:8 the apostle Paul restated how he had given up everything for the sake of Christ, and, in slightly other words, counting “all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things”. From this we could conclude simply that for Paul it was worth it all to risk everything for the sake of his Lord Jesus. That is our theme today, Risking Everything for the Sake of Christ and His glory and grace. As we have already seen, that led the apostle to exclaim that being “found in him, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ! Then he said that his choice would always be focused exclusively on that which faith dictated and never on what law dictated, even Moses Law. For, as Romans 7 makes so clear, all law encourages the flesh and short-circuits the working of God’s abundant grace. Far better is to risk it all and to receive the abundance of grace with thanksgiving as Romans 5:17 proclaims so victoriously. Amen.
- Today we will continue with those key verses in Philippians 3, especially verse 10 where the apostle writes that suffering together with Christ would be his life long challenge, even his calling! If that is the case, then as he writes elsewhere in 2 Corinthians in several places and in Colossians 1 where we will focus today, suffering with Christ is even better than deliverance. In fact, if the grace of Christ is sufficient even then, Paul learned that his suffering must, therefore, continue so that God in his great work through him might be glorified. For, as he writes here in Phil. 2:13, it is He who is working all things together according to His glorious will and His good pleasure. We shall also see in these verses that his example is an example that dictates the same for each of us too. For an example has no power or application practically speaking otherwise.
- So, as we have seen, suffering with Christ is both Paul’s calling and his glory. Amen. And that involves and requires that he be conformed unto Christ’s death. This great work of God is given as our example as well so we also can possess day by day the power of his resurrection. Today, to lay the foundation for verse 11, we will see that resurrection was promised to all saints from the beginning but that there would be in God’s redemptive plan different “orders” of resurrection and that ours is different from that of “kingdom” saints. Our inheritance is in the heavenlies, not on this earth. But what Paul reveals here in these words in Phil. 3:11 is a very special kind of resurrection which is not given to every believer under grace but only to those that meet the conditions, only to those, like Paul, who are “found” or discovered to be in Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ, those that have “no righteousness of their own” but only that which is based on the “faith of Christ”. May we be of that number, not “wood, hay or stubble”, but of a special character indeed and rewarded accordingly. Amen.
- In our study today and next time we will look at more of verse 10 of Philippians 3. Our primary focus today is on Paul’s words “the fellowship of his sufferings” while next time we will consider the conformation “unto his death”. Both of these constitute expressions of Paul’s testimony regarding the working of Christ’s resurrection life in him. The first we will examine today by especially taking note of what Paul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapters four and six. His descriptions there of ministry using these words “alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” stand as perhaps the greatest statement of Christ’s working in the apostle of the Gentiles. His life and ministry are set forth here as examples to us of the resurrection power of Christ. How can we not be motivated to follow or imitate Paul while reading these words?
- Today we will examine further Paul’s statement in Philippians 3:10 regarding his threefold blessing in gaining his knowledge of Christ. These three focus initially on the “power of his resurrection”, or, as he writes also in this same verse, “having been made conformable unto his death”. We continue next time with this same focus since the meaning here is so precious and so powerful. But the gist of this powerful teaching is that the living out of resurrection life is dependent upon death to begin with and the apostle states it here exactly that way, “to know him and the power of his resurrection . . . having been made conformable unto his death.” We will look at a number of other scriptures showing in detail what this means, especially from his second letter to the Corinthians where he reveals himself as the witness of the resurrected life of Christ himself as that powerfully operated in him.
- Paul’s own example is now set forth as ours. He had sacrificed so much (he says “all”) for the sake of Christ and his will. Grace was now to be the overriding theme of what God was doing in this dispensation. What did he have to gain as a believer is the great question here? The answer, he writes, is “Christ”. He describes it as “winning” Christ, not having his own righteousness. He adds that this will require great suffering in this life. This suffering that he desired so greatly to share even calls “the sufferings of Christ”. Furthermore, that end, it seemed, was not guaranteed, either, for he uses the word “if” in regard to it. But that is not the end of what he writes here for he calls this high goal, for him, the highest of all, “the resurrection from the dead”. Today we will only introduce this subject for it is worthy of several studies.
- The apostle continues in the verses before us to write concerning his heart’s desire, which is, he writes, to “win Christ”. He describes this is to summarize, not having his own righteousness which would be “of the law” and therefore of the “flesh”. But then he adds that gaining this goal will necessarily require great suffering in this life. The details of this are found in verse 10 and we will consider that today, introducing his emphasis there (unexpectantly, perhaps?) on the sufferings of Christ. Next time we will consider this co-suffering more in detail, but to introduce that, Paul in these verses identifies “knowledge” of Christ with “the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. This is a most profound subject indeed as we shall see.
- We have come in this magnificent letter of the Apostle Paul to the ending in the second chapter. Today we shall consider the fourth “witness” to the mind of Christ as it works itself out in the intricacies of daily living. We have already seen three witnesses revealed in Paul’s letter, Christ the greatest of all, Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, and Timothy, Paul’s close friend and fellow worker. Now, one of the Philippian’s own is mentioned as the chapter closes, Epaphroditus. He had come to Rome to bring a gift for the support of the apostle, imprisoned in Rome and awaiting his trial which he expected to occur quite soon. But there were some issues revealed that Paul now addresses in this letter and which Epaphroditus will deliver back to his home church. Today we will consider those issues and how the apostle with great feeling and compassion addresses them. The witness of Christ and these three additional witnesses are compelling as we shall see.
- Paul’s great exhortation in chapter 2 and verse 5 to set our minds in the right place, even to have the same mindset that Christ himself had in heaven’s glory just before the Incarnation began, remains as his focus in these verses before us today. We already saw how practical that exhortation became as Paul wrote of working out our salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it was God who was working in us for his glory. Now he uses himself and brother Timothy as examples of such a life of sacrifice for the beloved. Their full joy was his desire and his and Timothy’s testimony before them is central to his exhortation now. This focus on mutual self-sacrifice leads him now to pen these truly memorable words in verse 17: “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”
- The verses set before us today are the focus of much teaching in the churches, much of it sadly erroneous. Those that want to impose legal restrictions on believers require works-keeping and often use verses 12 & 13 here to support that error. Salvation by faith PLUS works and not faith alone as the apostle clearly teaches is not what we find here. Rather, the apostle writes here about the “working out” of one’s salvation simply living out that redeemed life that we have received as a gift by God’s abundant grace. He mentions however the gravity of that and emphasizes it so strongly by these memorable words: “fear and trembling”. But, he is saying here, this is most appropriate considering what the exhortation here is, namely, to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”. He had considered well the costs of entering into humanity in the Incarnation, and then having well considered fully, leapt boldly into the world’s stage living that life that could lead only to his death and then glorious resurrection. Should not the realization of the magnitude of God’s abundant grace towards us sinners cause such a reaction in each of us, that with fear and trembling we would live out our salvation here within the realm of his all sufficient grace? Amen.
- We finish today our study of Paul’s foundational exhortation of this letter, his reference to Christ’s mind-set in heaven just before the event of the incarnation. While the plan of redemption had been established in eternity past at that great council of the members of the Trinity, that plan had not involved the pre-incarnate son of God except in some “theophanies” or manifestations as recorded in the Old Testament. Many prophecies regarding “the seed of the woman”, however, so essential to that plan, required the Incarnation of the Son of God. The mind-set of the second person of the Trinity before his Incarnation is the basis for the exhortation found in chapter 2 of this letter, as we have seen. There is found in this chapter a seven-fold enumeration of Christ’s “emptying” as the basis for this great exhortation. That enumeration will be later paralleled in chapter 3 as Paul’s own “emptying” is seen there to be also seven-fold. We will look at that today. In this section of this letter the apostle reaches one of the most powerful statements of Christ’s heavenly will as he in love and perfect submission “leaps” into human history to ultimately become our perfect sacrifice for sin and our glorious resurrected savior.
- In our study today the apostle reaches one of the most exalted places in all of the New Testament, chapter 2 of this letter where he exhorts two women in the assembly to take Christ’s “mind” as their own. The exhortation provided touches on the central theme of the letter directly, that of the “mind” and its critical position in Paul’s teachings regarding the new life that we have in Christ under grace. His teachings here build on but go far beyond what has already been given regarding Paul’s own example for the believers. His “mind” is indeed to be their example. But here he reaches entirely into the heavenly realm, and not only that, but into the very heart of the redemptive plan of God as established in what has been called the “decree” by theologians. For here the apostle sets forth the very “mind” of Christ in heaven’s glory when he considered the necessity of entering into the human race and that for the purpose of the redemption of sinners through his own eventual death and resurrection. The exhortation is powerful indeed: will these two women in the church in Philippi condescend to one another as the Son of God did when he gave up so much in heaven for our sakes? That “mind”, he writes, is intended to be theirs (and ours) as well. That indeed would make all the difference. We might wonder if it in fact did. Amen.
Paul continues here in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 1, and then also in chapter 2, to set forth his own example of personal concern, sacrifice, and service on behalf of the Philippian believers. There are two main thrusts to the apostle’s statement here, one that will lead directly to that great section in chapter 2 on Christ own example of concern and self sacrifice displayed for all in the Incarnation. The first is his strong exhortation to all believers to consider well how our personal faith in Christ should not stand alone without on-going consequence, but rather should bring forth in each believer an attitude of service and self sacrifice. Verse 29: “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Then Paul’s personal example is set forth in verse 30 as the introduction to the letter’s exaltation of Christ’s own example as the most important of all: “Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear [to be] in me.” The apostle’s heart of love for the Philippian believers is thereby intended to powerfully communicate a response in the hearts of these believers to follow Paul in this critically important virtue. All believers, he is saying, should respond as he had to Christ’s sacrifice of love and reflect that in their own lives of life-service and sacrifice. In this way it should be ever so clear to all that we stand with Paul and thereby also with Christ.
- The glory of what Paul has written here is so evident and clear. To live and to die, all for his eternal glory, yes, but also for our gain! This is simplicity indeed, but the details of it are unquestionably challenging. We all can fill in the blanks from our own life experience since we became Christians. The challenges of this life have been many . . . and we know they will continue to be challenging. But triumphing over them all is the theme found here and throughout Paul’s letters. There are so many places where he highlights the dynamic resource found at the very center of his life, even the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. As we have seen, Christ has become “a life giving spirit” and lives his life in each of us who know him. In today’s study we shall see how the apostle’s great desire in life was not only to live well, but also to die well. By well, of course, meaning to bring glory to Almighty God. He mentions “boldness” in living and how even in his body Christ would be magnified. That was his unshakable confidence. It is no wonder then that he would add these words in verse 21: “For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain.” For in the context of the first chapter of Philippians, for him that is the most natural thing of all.
- Today our main focus will be on Paul’s expressions that are so full of meaning for us saints: “the bowels [or innermost feelings] of Jesus Christ”, Phil. 1:8, and “the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ”, Phil. 1:19. Paul is introducing by these words his main subject by these statements that have much to do with his ministry to the Philippians as their “example” to follow. Perviously we considered in some depth the overall theme of the letter and saw that the word “mind” was absolutely central to the apostle’s teaching. Ultimately the mind of Christ is set forth as our example in chapter 2. Then, at the end, Paul’s own example and thinking are offered for our encouragement and blessing as we face the same trials Paul did although in often radically different ways. This letter varies from praise to condemnation as Paul begins with thanksgiving and ends with the condemnation of false teachers. But through it all, he conveys in so many powerful ways his heartfelt concern for these believers with the initial double underscore in chapter one with these highlighted words in verses 8 and 19. Indeed, he writes, Christ’s own heart of love for all the saints has been shared with himself [and by implication, of course, with all of us] by his own spirit of life, now shed abroad in our hearts. What an encouragement indeed!
- The overall theme of Paul’s letter to the Philippians as we have seen is joy though the circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. The key word of the letter is “mind” and four examples of such exalted “thinking” are given in the letter beginning with Christ’s own and ending with the apostle Paul’s. The introductory verses (1-8) will be our focus today. There Paul is highlighted as the author of the letter although Timothy (very well known to the believers in Philippi) is also mentioned as being together with Paul. They are referred to importantly as “bond slaves” of Jesus Christ and the believers are referred to as “saints” or sanctified ones. That sets the stage for the letter. But immediately the apostle notes that these believers are “in Christ Jesus”, key words indeed in his letters and also very personally highlights his concern for them and his constant thanksgiving and prayers on their behalf. This topic gets directly to the central focus of the letter. Although it is surely Christ’s “mind” as he left heavens glory and ultimately offered himself for all sinners that is at the center of this letter of examples of heavenly thinking, Paul in verse 8 focus here at the beginning on his own “heart” using the very revealing terms “the bowels of Jesus Christ”. With these few words he identifies his own heart-felt concerns with that of Christ Jesus. This identification is critical to Paul’s letter and all his letters as he offers himself here as the example for the believers that they should “follow”. This is profound and powerful indeed, that the “man” Paul might be our example of Christ.
- Paul’s letter to the Philippians was probably his first so-called “prison” epistle. It was written during his first Roman imprisonment around the year 61-62 A.D. Paul had appealed to Caesar and according to Roman law as a Roman city-state citizen (Tarsus) he had the right to be judged in Rome. So he was brought to Rome and after the shipwreck we read about in the book of Acts, he eventually reached Rome chained to a soldier. But although he was a prisoner of the Roman state, he was, nevertheless, rejoicing in his bonds as rather a “bond slave of Jesus Christ”. That became a major part of the theme of the letter since the Philippians had sent Epaphriditus to Rome to learn of Paul’s status and wellbeing. This letter comforts that assembly not only regarding how Paul himself was doing but also how their dear friend Epaphraditus was doing. They were both rejoicing in the Lord. All was well, and the trials of imprisonment were not enough to prevent God from his eternal purpose in saving many, even in Caesar’s household. The theme of the letter is on the “mind” in the sense of “thinking” and how believers need to always think correctly whatever their condition in this world. There are four positive role models or examples given in the letter and several negatives. The positives include: Christ himself, first and foremost, Timothy, Epaphraditus, and then, finally the apostle Paul. The most important exhortation there seems to be “let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus”. The letter to the Philippians is a letter of correction regarding the failure to live fully and in accordance with the heavenly teaching of the Ephesian letter somewhat like the Corinthian letters are letters of correction regarding the failure to live fully and completely according to the teaching of the Romans.
- As our final teaching on “The Long War Against God”, our studies now reaching past the 2 1/2 year point, we provide the capstone, as it were, of the entire Biblical revelation. We began at the beginning, in the early chapters of Genesis. We reached the end of the book of Revelation in our last studies here. In this study today we will summarize it all from the perspective of the final disposition, as it were, of sinners redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ. As we shall see, thee Biblical record reveals that there are indeed three redeemed “families”: Elect Israel on this earth, Abraham’s spiritual seed in the New Heavens (Gentiles), and the Church which is His Body (both Jews and Gentiles), residing eternally in “the heavenlies in Christ Jesus”. These three will exist eternally. So even in eternity future there will be a clear distinction between Israel and the Gentiles. Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth yields such wonderful fruit as this. Satan will at the end be eternally vanquished along with all of his subjects, while the glory of God for all eternity will be poured out on his elect in those three abodes. Thus the inscrutable mind and will of Almighty God will be fulfilled in all of its glory as originally outlined in Genesis, chapter 3, our starting point for these studies that began in December 2016. “And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor. 15:28 Amen and amen.
- Today we will consider the prophecies regarding the New Heavens and the New Earth and see so clearly revealed that these prophecies like many others have both a near and a far fulfillment. The prophecies regarding the New Jerusalem and the new Temple found within it are important in that they more clearly than anything else show both of these. There are New Jerusalem prophecies that specifically mention the presence of the Temple while others expressly deny its existence. So there are very strong reasons to believe that there are two different New Jerusalems, both of which will come down to earth from heaven. One is at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom and the other is after the Great Throne Judgment had finished and the New Heavens and the New Earth have been established. Equally clear is that there is a physical temple building in the first New Jerusalem and no building at all in the second where we see that the Lamb himself is the Temple. So the principle of both near and far fulfillment of prophecy is established. That one can conclude the same for the prophecies regarding the New Heavens and the New Earth, of which the New Jerusalem and the Temple are but a part is a reasonable conclusion as well. Such wonders are found in the pages of scripture!
- We are there, finally quite literally at the end, of the revelation of God to man. We are at the end of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We have seen how the final chapter in the dispensational plan of God is the coming 1000 year Kingdom. In that Kingdom Christ will rule on a throne in the New Jerusalem with a rod of iron and satan and his servants will be bound in the bottomless pit. His rule will be righteous and just and he will be the first King to rule on this earth is such a fashion. But not all is well in that Kingdom, we learn from the pages of scripture, even though the streets are paved with gold and the gates of that city are miraculously made of precious stones. Sinful man will still live at that time and though the promises to the Fathers have been quite literally fulfilled on this earth in the time and land appointed, sin will still need to be judged and nations will need to be saved. The imperfections in this kingdom require a dispensational interpretation. That only explains the failure in man demonstrated so clearly during that time period. All dispensations fail their Test, this perhaps being the most dramatic failure of all. Satan’s release at the end of the 1000 years will bring mass rebellion but God’s elect, whether personal or national in scope, will endure until the end. And then a New and Perfect Heavens and Earth will be established and they shall never end. Praise God. Praise God.
- We are there! Our focus today is on the Land Promises and fulfillment in God’s good timing, as in our last study, but today we will see how the Patriarchs by faith “saw” a fulfillment on this earth so clearly. In fact, they were so committed to honoring those promises that on their death beds they would make mention of them (see Gen. 50:24-25, for example, referenced in Heb. 11:22). And, to underscore the importance of Joseph’s commandment to his sons at that final point in his life, the author of the letter to the Hebrews selects that act as the culmination and supreme example of Joseph’s faith. That sets his example of a resurrection faith as the example for all those if the true faith. The promises by God of a future literal and earthly fulfillment of the Land Promises shall be fulfilled exactly as written.
- We now come near the end of our series of studies on “The Long War Against God” where we have been examining closely the Lord God’s working to carry out his plan of redemption for sinners. In opposition to that has been satan’s work each step of the way. Today we enter a two part series on the place that the Land Promises have in Israel’s history and their interpretation. We show how they MUST be interpreted literally or most all of God’s promises to his people Israel open to every interpretation imaginable, even supporting what the Apostle Paul calls “every wind of doctrine.” In this lesson we look at Israel’s Land Promises concerning the Seed of Abraham, the Twelve Tribes in the Land of Promise, and the Davidic Kingdom. Next time we finish this mini-series on the Land Promises in the coming Earthly Kingdom and the resurrection hope of the Patriarchs.
- As we have already seen here in our studies on “the Long War against God”, the many promises given to God’s people regarding the coming Kingdom must be interpreted literally. The language used in those promises, from Gen. 49:10 to Num. 24:17 & 19 to 1 Sam. 2:10, etc., make that so clear. Furthermore, as we have also seen, the Seed of the Woman promises beginning in Gen. 3:15 must have their fulfillment in the same person promised to fulfill much additional prophecy regarding a coming perfect Priest, Prophet and King. Those promises have never been completely fulfilled though there have been “shadows” and very significant partial “fulfillments” in Biblical history, especially in Christ’s first coming to this earth as the God-Man, who was offered up as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. In our study today, we will finish this phase of our studies focusing especially on the many very concrete details scripture provides regarding this coming King and Kingdom and the essential spiritual AND (yes) physical nature of it. Our ultimate focus will be on how the characteristics of that Millennial reign of our Lord Jesus will determine the way of life of believers living at that time. The contrasts with our way of life today under the “fullness of grace” should literally “jump off the page”!
- Today we move ahead to consider what scripture teaches about the coming 1000 year Kingdom. There are many misunderstandings about that Kingdom because Biblical interpreters have often mixed law and grace in their teachings. When we look carefully at what the Bible says about that Kingdom and seek to interpret scripture by scripture, we see the details of that Kingdom in a new light. In this lesson and in the following we consider what the essence of a Kingdom is and how this Kingdom that was prophesied in some ways from the beginning of Genesis has many differences from the Dispensation of the Grace of God which we are enjoying today. We shall consider today the Biblical revelation from the first promises of the Kingdom to the reception of that Kingdom by the elect nation of Israel. This will set the stage for our next study on the dispensational nature of that Kingdom so long awaited by God’s chosen people.
- As Galatians 3:17 & 18 state so clearly and powerfully, the Abrahamic Covenant was established entirely on the basis of Abraham’s personal faith through the Seed of the Woman promise given by Almighty God to him. There were no required works and no law in place at that time. All was of the promise concerning the Seed singular and plural (Gal. 3:16). When the Law was given 400 years later, Paul argued there, the Promise to Abraham was in effect and could not be set aside by the addition of the Mosaic Covenant with its required works. Therefore salvation was available under the law by the terms of the Abrahamic Covenant and by therefore faith alone. Paul points out also that those promises were unconditional on the part of man but dependent on the Seed himself being offered for the sin of Adam and the sins of all mankind. The Priesthood according to Melchisedic is a priesthood founded on that once for all sacrifice and all other sacrifices have their true meaning only as they are types looking forward or remembrances looking backwards to that one perfect sacrifice. Finally, animal sacrifices will be reinstituded during both the Tribulation period and in the Millennial Kingdom -- alongside the promise of the Seed of the Woman. Only faith in that one sacrifice for all will bring salvation of sinners living at that time.
- We continue our the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom. Today and in our next study we will look further into the clear revelation that in the Kingdom (and also, even earlier, in the Tribulation period) there will be a reestablishment of a sacrificial system in Israel. The meaning and intent of these continuing blood sacrifices far after the “one sacrifice” of Christ on the cross of Calvary seems so impossible to us “grace” believers. But that these sacrifices will be a significant part of the Kingdom worship is clear to anyone who who believes in “literal” Biblical interpretation. We shall see even more evidence from the Old Testament supporting this in this lesson. The more difficult issue of their meaning is made more challenging by verses such as Ez. 45:15, 17 & 20 which clearly are referring to the Millennial sacrifices. What we see there is that their purpose is more than a “remembrance” looking back to the work of Christ on Calvary for the word for Levitical “covering” or “atonement” is used there. Most essential for our understanding is that these sacrifices will in some way provide, as the KJV states, both “atonement” and “reconciliation” for those participating in them. Our lesson today will provide a foundation for understanding better what the full significance of these sacrifices will be and our next lesson will finish up this portion of our studies on the Kingdom.
- We have reached our studies on the Day of the Lord and will introduce the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom. Our focus will initially be limited today and in our next studies on one overall theme of the coming Kingdom, the Three Offices of Israel’s Messiah during that 1000 year dispensational period. During that period Christ will be manifested openly as Prophet, Priest and, of course also, King. Today our special focus will be on Christ as the long awaited Priest that Moses had prophesied of in Deut. 18:15 & 18. Today our study will consider a remarkable fact of the promised Millennial Kingdom, that there will be a continuation during that 1000 year period of animal sacrifices. Those are clearly promised in the major prophets as we will point out. Their meaning and intent necessarily will be one of our focal points. What we shall see is that their purpose is far more than as a “remembrance” looking back to the work of Christ on Calvary. Most essential for our understanding is that these sacrifices will in some way provide, as the KJV states, both “atonement” and “reconciliation” for those participating in them. In fact the Law of the Kingdom will command these sacrifices, similarly to what Moses Law also commanded. Obedience was NOT optional.
- The teaching today continues with laying a proper foundation for understanding of the differences between the Tribulation and the dispensation of the grace of God. The two are quite distinctive in so many ways because the working of God during those two periods are so different. Last time we looked at Matt. 24 & 25. Today we will examine Paul’s teaching in 1 & 2 Thessalonians. The one was about the Tribulation working of God; the other is about the working of God during the current dispensation. Our outline is this: Paul’s Dispensational Interpretation: Concerning the Times & the Seasons (1 Thess. 4 & 5); Concerning the Satanic “Apocalypse” (2 Thess. 2). In both cases the apostle of the Gentiles contrasts greatly these two workings of God and in them lays a foundation for the encouragement of believers living under grace as opposed to living under the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. “Comfort” is the word of his encouragement for believers today. That is not the case in our Lord’s teachings of his disciples in Matthew’s gospel where the theme is necessary preparations for the time of great trial ahead and the necessity of absolute obedience.
We finish up our studies today on the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The profound differences between Paul's teachings concerning the Rapture of the Body of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ to this earth to set up the earthly kingdom are many. We have covered them now in detail. Today we will look at the additional revelation provided by Peter and by the apostle John. Again, the very clear differences between the revealed dispensational working of God under grace and God's work during the Tribulation period are so clear. Peter and John add even more to that teaching when seen dispensationally. That the Rapture of the Church which is his Body will occure BEFORE the beginning of the Tribulation is so clearly revealed by the apostle Paul.
- We have reached our studies on the Day of the Lord and will introduce the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom. Our focus will initially be limited today and in our next studies on one overall theme of the coming Kingdom, the Three Offices of Israel’s Messiah during that 1000 year dispensational period as Prophet, Priest and, of course also, King. Today our special focus will be on Christ as Prophet. As always in our studies on the Long War Against God, the key question is simply this: “What is God doing?” The answer to that question largely defines the answer to the corresponding question “what is satan doing?” God’s enemy will always oppose the work of God as he understands it (always imperfectly, of course). So it is therefore most instructive and extremely valuable to see through comparing scripture with scripture what God is doing dispensationally and therefore to understand better what satan is attempting to do. The practical implications of this for our lives should be crystal clear. Living under the fullness of God’s abundant grace as may today is so different in critical ways from living under a law, whether that law is of Moses or of Christ himself. Our studies here have been designed to make that clear each step of the way, from Genesis to Revelation. And, as we have seen, Paul so ofter casts the law negatively for the good reason that law cancels grace in its outworking. The various legal systems were laid down by God for the dispensational workings of God and are not applicable outside the dispensational frameworks for which they were designed. May it be that we might through Right Division learn this most critical lesson.
The Day of the Lord has three phases, the 7 Year Tribulation Period, the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ in his Kingdom. This second phase is usually called the "second coming" of Christ since our Lord had already come to this earth in his incarnation that led ultimately to his preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews, and finally, to his crucifixion, burial, and after three days, to his glorious resurrection. That preaching was dramatically different from what Paul preached to the Gentiles. Specifically, because God was working so differently under the grace administration in which works for salvation were prohibited, under the gospel of the kingdom which Christ preached they were required in addition to faith. Today's lesson focuses on the teaching of our Lord found in Matthew, chapters 24 & 25. There we find a four part teaching for the Tribulation Jews to which his teaching directly applied exhorting them to consider carefully requirements of the time just before the the flood along with three parables concerning the Lord's return to this earth. This was to prepare the elect of Israel "to endure until the end that they might be saved". The teaching today will provide a foundation for our dispensational understanding of the differences between the Tribulation and the dispensation of the grace of God and how distinctive the working of God leading to the Second Coming is from God's working under grace today.
- Today we complete our study on the on the first phase of the Day of the Lord. The details of this Biblical teaching are profound and reveal God’s plan for his people Israel and through their national salvation, Gentiles (even nations) as well. When this time, called “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble” in Jer. 30:7, has come to its appointed end, “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:25-26) when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth. Today we look again at the detailed revelation concerning that seven year period continuing where we left off last week. God’s elective purpose is the salvation of a remnant and through their appointed suffering, Israel will as a nation be saved. They will then be prepared for his coming and the establishing of the 1000 year Kingdom here on this earth in fulfilling the covenants and promises given to them from Abraham’s day onwards. The theme of it all is “first the suffering and then the glory” (Lk. 24:26), and the details of Satan’s work as the power behind the False Prophet and the Beast and the eventual Mark of the Beast required of all, are most profound. Only the elect will withstand the temptation of the Mark and those only whose names are written in the Book of Life will be saved.
- Our focus today will be on the first phase of the Day of the Lord, a time frame revealed in detail in Prophecy. There are three phases of this “day” revealed in scripture, firstly, the seven year tribulation or “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer. 30:9), secondly, the Return of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and thirdly, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom or Christ’s rule from Jerusalem upon this earth after his return. Today we look at the detailed revelation given in prophecy concerning that seven-year period and especially focus on its purpose regarding God’s own people, the Jews. As we see, God’s purpose for Israel as a nation and people will be fulfilled in his appointed time. His elective purpose for a remnant will be accomplished but only through great suffering, even called by this highly descriptive phrase, “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble”. But, as the prophet Jeremiah states so boldly, “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” Jer. 30:7 As it was for our Lord and Israel’s rejected Messiah, first the suffering and then the glory (Lk. 24:26).
- Our subject today is taken from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15. After outlining the gospel in the first verses, he uses the classic logical theme of reductio ad absurdum to explain the depth of error that had crept into the church in Corinth. Some in the assembly had already departed from the truth Paul had preached to them and wherein they had been saved. Specifically, they were now denying even the physical and bodily resurrection. The simple gospel concerning Christ’s finished work had been corrupted it seems by Gnostic teachings regarding the body and its inherent evil and were, therefore, rejecting resurrection in general and even by implication Christ’s own resurrection. We will look today at this section considering the seven asserted or implied questions which he considers in order often using the key phrase: “If Christ Be Not Risen . . . “ The apostle’s treatment of this subject is remarkable indeed and powerful. Surely this was a great encouragement for the believers to embrace again the faith that they had originally received but had now rejected. May the apostle’s words here comfort us as well as we contend for the faith against false teachings, even false gospels, being promoted increasingly on every side. Be encouraged!
- We are finishing our three part series on the teaching in Romans 9 - 11 that culminates with the mystery about the Gentile focus of God today changing dramatically to Jewish in God’s appointed timing. Paul reveals in this section that when the last Gentiles are added to the Body of Christ, then and only then will God’s focus be changed back to his people Israel. His dramatic statement: “All Israel shall be saved” in verse 26 is conditional on the profound statement in the previous verse that “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” So there is what theologians have called a “Judicial” blindness on Israel today that will last until the Gentile elect are saved. This does not mean that no Jew may be saved today, but it does mean that the Jewish nation will not be saved until the full complement of Gentiles (without any Jewish Covenantal distinction, whether of the seed of Jacob or not) has already “come in”. So the issue of divine “election” is also the teaching underlying this section. God determines the times and seasons and determines in advance when this dispensation will end. Paul finishes the section with a song of praise in verse 32, “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all”. In other words, Israel’s setting aside has been required so that even Israel’s disobedience through unbelief cannot not prevent an even greater salvation for the nation after our removal from this earth. Praise God!
Today we are in our second podcast episode focused on “The Long War Against God” and the coming Tribulation period. Our title today is “‘All Israel Shall Be Saved’ - God Fulfills His Promises - Part 2“. We will examine the great teaching of the apostle Paul in Romans 11 regarding the coming period of tribulation on this earth that will follow our Rapture and home going. Paul uses the word “mystery” here as well as this teaching was kept secret until given to Paul. The time of the Rapture of the Church which is his Body is clearly revealed here in its relationship to the Tribulation: The Rapture is “pre-tribulational” and when the specific event mentioned in this chapter occurs, then the Lord God will again begin to fulfill his prophetic program for Israel. Eventually, in God’s good timing and in his way, even “all Israel shall be saved”. That key event that must occur “before” Israel may be saved and established as a nation is the Rapture of the Body of Christ! Paul uses in chapter 11 the “Olive Tree” analogy to powerfully illustrate Israel’s setting aside during the transitional period in Acts (Acts 9-28). During that time Paul goes first to the Jews and then to the Greeks (or Gentiles). His purpose is to preach the risen Christ. When the Jews reject that message, he effectively “cuts off” that branch from the tree of blessing.
Today we are in our first podcast episode focused on “The Long War Against God” and the coming Tribulation period. Our title today is “‘All Israel Shall Be Saved’ - God Fulfills His Promises - Part 1“. We will examine the great teaching of the apostle Paul in Romans 11 regarding the coming period of tribulation on this earth that will follow our Rapture and home going. Paul uses the word “mystery” here as well as this teaching was kept secret until given to Paul. The time of the Rapture of the Church which is his Body is clearly revealed here in its relationship to the Tribulation: The Rapture is “pre-tribulational” and when the specific event mentioned in this chapter occurs, then the Lord God will again begin to fulfill his prophetic program for Israel. Eventually, in God’s good timing and in his way, even “all Israel shall be saved”. That key event that must occur “before” Israel may be saved and established as a nation is the Rapture of the Body of Christ! Amen.
We have extended our teaching on the Rapture or Catching-Up of the Body of Christ but two. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 8: The Rapture (Catching Up) of the Body of Christ - The Summit”. In our teaching today and next time, we will establish the timing of our Rapture as pre-Tribulational by some very strong teaching of the apostle Paul in 2 Thess. 2 & 3. Again, it is the character of the dispensations and their great differences that are the apostle’s main focus and again, it should not be surprising that the apostle uses the word “mystery” in explaining these differences. But the exhortations are also most wonderful and fully in accord with grace as opposed to the exhortations to believers expecting to see the Great Tribulation and the Millennial Kingdom. Rightly Dividing the word of truth is so essential if we would properly understand scripture!
Today we are in our final episode of our teaching the Rapture or Catching-Up of the Body of Christ. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 8: The Rapture (Catching Up) of the Body of Christ - Final”. In this episode we will finish our focus on the Pauline revelation concerning our coming resurrection or transformation / translation. That is called a “mystery” in 1 Cor. 15. That same word is also found in Romans 11 and also in 2 Thess. 2 where we will focus our teaching today. This will compete the Pauline teaching on the essential differences between the Dispensation of the Grace of God and the following rules of God in the Great Tribulation and Kingdom. This teaching establishes the timing of our Rapture as pre-Tribulational.
Today we are in our next to last episode on the Pauline teaching of the Rapture or Catching-Up of the Body of Christ. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 7: The Rapture (Catching Up) of the Body of Christ”. As last time, in this episode we will look specifically at 1 Thess. chapter 5. Here we see specific teaching showing several essential differences between the Dispensation of the Grace of God and the following rules of God in the coming Great Tribulation. This teaching establishes the timing of our Rapture as pre-Tribulational since it is made clear that there can be no overlap between the two workings of God.
The final episodes of our multi-part miniseries on the fullness of God under grace revealed through Paul continues today with the critical teaching the Rapture or Catching-Up of the Body of Christ found in 1 Corinthians 15. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 6: The Rapture (Catching Up) of the Body of Christ (Continued)”. In this episode we will look at the details of Paul’s teaching there concerning the Rapture and its essential Pre-Tribulation timing. That the revelation regarding our coming resurrection or transformation / translation is called a “mystery” in contrast to the earlier verses that focus on the “orders” of the resurrections is most significant as we shall see today. This is important since it establishes the timing of our Rapture as well.
The final piece of our multi-part miniseries on the fullness of God under grace revealed through Paul will now consider an important part of that revelation, namely the Rapture or Catching-Up of the Body of Christ into heaven’s glory. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 5: The Rapture (Catching Up) of the Body of Christ, An Introduction”. In this episode and in the following we will look at Paul’s teaching concerning the Rapture and its essential Pre-Tribulation timing.
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Our three part miniseries on the fullness of God under grace revealed through Paul is concluded with an overview of the entire Pauline teaching on “fullness”, a key word for the apostle. He uses this word 40 times in his letters, 34 of which are specifically about the fullness of God as revealed for the body of Christ. Our title today is “The Dispensation of the Mystery — Part 4: The Capstone: Paul’s Revelation of the ‘Pleroma’ or Fullness of God”. This is the “capstone” of the Pauline revelation and places the church which is his body in the very center. The work of almighty God today is centered in the Body of Christ with Christ Jesus as its head and from whom every blessing of grace flows.
Finishing our three part miniseries on the fullness of God under grace revealed through Paul, today our subject is “The Fullness of Christ’s Supply Given to Us for Our Empowering”. It is appointed for all believers to suffer for his sake - Phil. 1:29. God will arrange the circumstances of this and then we shall have the privilege to enter into those sufferings knowing there are for Christ’s sake and they are for his ultimate glory.
He is intimately connected to us as head of the Body church and suffers when we do. To recognize that we may willingly suffer these trials for his glory is most blessed and encouraging. We are thereby strengthened with his mighty power to endure these sufferings and to do so with great joy.
As we do so the resurrection life of Christ is manifest in our mortal bodies or all to see. We are thereby energized for the endurance needed for such a journey as this. It is a promise of God. Amen.
The apostle Paul is our example not only regarding our salvation by grace but also in regards to our living under grace. In this message, we learn one of the profound consequences of being a member of Christ's Body church, the church of this dispensation of the grace of God. As members of Christ's Body, we are intimately connected to him, meaning we receive much in spiritual blessing including his resurrection quality of life. A key verse to examine is in Col. 1 where it is written that we also have received Christ himself: " . . . the riches of the glory of this mystery, Christ in you the hope of glory." The benefits of this are on many levels, some of which we consider here in this message although others will be reserved for a future time. But the other side of this is in the area of suffering. If we are intimately connected to Christ, then he is also intimately connected to us. So as we suffer in this world, he does as well. That is a major teaching of Pauls and we examine it in this message today.
This is the first part of a three part series. Paul was trained up and then sent forth by the risen and ascended Christ Jesus as apostle of the Gentiles. He was sent out and empowered to communicate the essence of what he was doing during the dispensation of the grace of God. This may be considered from three perspectives:
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- The Fullness of the Word of God Given to Paul for Our Edification
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- The Fullness of Christ’s Suffering Given to Paul for Our Example
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- The Fullness of Christ’s Supply Given to Us for Our Empowering
This message is part one of that series. So to summarize, it is through Paul and through Paul alone that the word of God for us today has been communicated. That does not mean that the rest of the Bible is not important for us. It is. In Rom. 15:4 Paul writes that it is for our encouragement. It is not for our obedience, but is for our faith and encouragement while the Pauline revelation is for both out faith and our obedience. It is there that the walk of the believer is found. We truly are not under the law but are under grace. That is profound.
We continue today to consider what happened when Stephen was stoned and Saul stood nearby as his official accuser. The rulers in Israel (the Sanhedrin) had given Saul this authority and the result was Stephen’s martyrdom after he had preached one of the most powerful sermons ever.
But now the tables for Israel begin to turn. Though many were saved through Stephen’s preaching, his stoning seals their fate for now as God saves his chief enemy on earth, Saul. Saul is saved miraculously while in the height of his rebellion and is then sent forth as the apostle of the Gentiles with a message of completed redemption through the death and glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and simple faith in him apart from works in any sense. He was as he said later “the chief [or first] of sinners” saved by grace through faith. He was set forth for all to see as an archetype of what it means today to be a believer. But the most profound teaching of all is in the area of the new life that this apostle demonstrated before all. That is our main focus today in our fellowship around some truly glorious and exceedingly powerful scriptures, all focusing on Paul’s sufferings and their example for us.
Today we consider again the special working of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost as God continues to foreshadow the coming Kingdom in Israel’s midst. The “final opportunity” for God’s nation is lost as the Jewish leaders fail to repent and believe the gospel that Stephen preaches. Stephen’s stoning seals their fate for now as God will not save his chief enemy on earth, Saul, and send him forth as apostle of the Gentiles.
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We are continuing our studies on The Long War Against God. In these messages we are focused on Satan's failed attempts to thwart the redemptive plan of Almighty God beginning with his heavenly rebellion and ending with the final chapter in the book of Revelation. This Satanic warfare is all about the promise of the Seed of the Woman first written on in Gen. 3:15.
We are continuing our studies on The Long War Against God. In these messages we are focused on Satan's failed attempts to thwart the redemptive plan of Almighty God beginning with his heavenly rebellion and ending with the final chapter in the book of Revelation. This Satanic warfare is all about the promise of the Seed of the Woman first written on in Gen. 3:15.