We said yesterday that, it just wasn’t
meant to be, that Israel was to understand or accept this Gospel of Grace for many in the western churches have followed in Israel's footsteps, in unbelief. So now let’s look at what Paul says in Galatians 1 beginning with verse 15.
Galatians
1:15
"But
when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and
called me by his grace,"
We took the Strong’s concordance, and we counted all the times that
Grace was used between Matthew 1:1 and Acts chapter 9. How
many times do you suppose it was? Sixteen! Yes, sixteen times. And then it wasn’t
even used as a doctrinal term, but rather as the word Grace. But from
Acts chapter 9 until the end of Paul’s letters we counted
eighty-four times Paul had used that word. Six times more, is the word
Grace referred to in Paul’s Epistles than everything that went
before his writing. Now that’s shocking? And yet it
shouldn’t be, because this is the Apostle of Grace. We have a book
at home, we think the title is "The Apostle Soul Set
Free". It was a biography of the Apostle Paul. We
didn’t like the book all that much, but we sure did like the title.
Now that says it all doesn’t it? Moving on to verse 16.
Galatians
1:16a
"To
reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen
(Gentiles, nations);..."
That’s Paul
specific calling, to take this Gospel of Grace to the Gentile world.
And that’s why we put it this way, that as the Law was given to
Moses on Mt. Sinai for Israel, Paul goes out to Mt. Sinai, and God
gave him the doctrines of Grace for us. Now that’s beyond feeble
human comprehension. Especially for those caught in religion and remember that religion compartmentalizes the scriptures to fit their rendition of what they believe it says. Now finishing the verse.
Galatians
1:16b-17a
"...immediately
I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem
to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia
(that would be Mt. Sinai)..."
Then Paul goes on
to say that this whole mystery of this Gospel was revealed to him,
and that is why we're stressing Paul’s Apostleship, and spend most of
our time in his letters.
Ephesians
3:9a
"And
to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
(secrets) which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
in God (Genesis 3:15, 21),..."
See, that goes
right back to where God has the ability to hide things because
He’s Sovereign. (Deuteronomy 29:29) As we share, we try
to be Biblical, it isn’t just a good idea and practice, or some
denomination’s idea, but what does the Word of God really say? So
these things have been hidden in the mind of God ever since the very
onset of human history, but now are revealed particularly through
this apostle. Always remember when we speak of the apostle
Paul as having the revelations there were other men, before him and some after that walked in the same footsteps. We know that Barnabas started out with his ministry,
and then came Silas, and then you have Apollos who comes into the
picture. Then of course Timothy and Titus, and then there are many others, but from Barnabas on they were all working in Paul’s footsteps, and
each were proclaiming Paul’s Gospel of Grace. The same called by Jesus as the kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of God both meant the samething but Paul makes it so
plain in his second letter to Timothy. But before we get there turn
to Revelation chapter 5 and starting at verse 5:
Revelation
5:5-12
“ And one
of the elders said unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals (not
the same seals which seal the judgments) thereof".
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits
of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the book
out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. And when He
had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell
down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden
vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a
new song, saying, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the
seals thereof (Christ
has the right to open and this He does because of what Hebrews
chapter 1 says and by the testimony of Paul and this word): for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." And
I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne
and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten
thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with
a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and
blessing.”
Now turn the the
Epistle of Hebrews chapter 1 and looking at verse 7:
Starting with:
Hebrews
1:5-7
“For to which of the angels said he at any time, 'Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee'? And again,' I will be to him a Father, and
he shall be to me a Son'? And again, when he brings in the
first-begotten into the world, he saith, 'And let all the angels of God
worship him'. And of the angels he saith, 'Who make his angels
spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire'.”
Paul
as the chief, is the first of the Lords “ministers a flame of fire”
as Paul was lead by the Lord, the Spirit, throughout his ministry just
as Jesus was in His ministry. And all who follow Paul's and the Lords
pattern become the same. This is what he means when he said, "to walk
as he walks and then to follow his pattern or example." Moving on;
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