Ephesians 1:13b
"...the word of truth..."
Not from some TV preacher. No! and not from somebody else, but having HEARD God's Word, Christ! This reminds me of a verse in Romans. We didn't intend to do this, but that's not unusual, as we never know where we're going to go next, because we just depend on the Holy Spirit to lead us in these teachings. Come back to Romans chapter 10 for a moment, and this is in the light of having heard the Word of Truth. Here Paul puts it so explicitly. Drop on down to verse 14, we may have even looked at this a time or to.
Romans 10:14a
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?..."
Do you see the connection? Many teach that we're to use or invoke Jesus' name either before or after we pray but Paul reveals that when we're truly IN Christ that when we pray we're praying according to Jesus or Christ and are therefore praying in or by His name. Now flip back to Ephesians again, because this is real Bible study. Ephesians says-
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye have trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,..."
And how flip back to Romans where it says -
Romans 10:14b
"...and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? shall they hear without a preacher?" (a proclaimer, one who has had the mysteries revealed to him, one who by way of personal experience has passed through the gate or door which are analogies for Christ)
Romans 10:15
"And how shall they preach, (proclaim) except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
Who proclaim This Gospel in the Spirit which ministers Life to the hearer and receiver of This Gospel. Now verse 17 -
Romans 10:17
"So then faith (trust, believing) cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
We made the comment, can we believe something we have never heard? Can we hear something that's never been said? This seems mundane we know, but listen, this is foundational. God did not say everything we need to know back in Genesis nor in any of the rest of the story. We have to realize that as those Old Testament patriarchs were coming up through Scripture, they never heard some of these things that we're hearing, because God hadn't spoken it yet, but rather He had kept it secret as Paul said. Oh He may have given a vision but they didn't understand its full meaning or revelation. Or were told to seal it up for some future time. So always be reminded that we can't believe something that God hasn't said. And when we do hear it, He expects us to believe it. And like we've said earlier God speaks to us through His Son, Christ! This is why we're to have passed through the door or gate because He as the ontological essence known as the Holy Spirit must be in us, for us to hear. Other wise we're no different than any other person of the world order, we're dead separated from God. Believe Him! Now back to Romans for a moment. Looking at verse 17 again we find.
Romans 10:17
"So then faith (our believing by way of receptivity) cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
For Jesus Himself said that we have to receive Him. Or in simpler terms, "When God Speaks It!" Now we know that God speaks through the printed page, through the writers, and in this case, through the Apostle Paul. But first and foremost He spoke and even now speaks to us through His Son. Since Paul is the Apostle to us Gentiles, then he's the one we'd better be listening to. We know we're getting a lot of people that are now able to see that, and there's still a lot that are confused as to why we constantly empathize Paul. Always remember that Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. While we're here in Romans we might as well show you that in chapter 11. So this is the basis of our constantly emphasizing that for us today we have to go by what Paul writes, not what Peter says, not what Jesus said in His earthly ministry to Israel, but what does Paul write. And remember Paul gets this by revelation from the crucified risen Lord in glory. Who alone speaks to us as the Life giving Living Word usually from within our sanctified, circumcised heart.
The synoptic gospels are loaded with proof of this as everywhere Jesus is said to have said that those who would receive a little child were enabled to receive Him as well. Which is to say that we're to live in child like faith which as we've shared is simple trust.
Romans 11:13a
"For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,..."
Now if Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, and Peter and the eleven were the Apostles of Israel, and Israel was under the law, 2 + 2 makes 4, and this makes that, so we'd better understand that we don't go by what Peter, James and John said to Israel under the law, but rather we'd better go by what this man says to us under Grace. Though we can learn from them by the Holy Spirit who reveals to us the Truth of Christ. Can you see that? That's where the difference came in. We are totally under Grace. And Grace is Christ the New Covenant sealed in His divine flesh. Seated in the Heavenliest as the Father of spirits and at the right hand of God. Now Ephesians verse 13 again, Paul says -
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