Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God, the visible manifestation of the Invisible Godhead. In Whom and through Who alone is Salvation realized.

Colossians 2:8a

"Beware lest any man…"

So in the Colossians Church there was somebody who was guilty of this and Paul didn’t name him, but he certainly made the congregation aware of what he was doing. This was also true of John in his Revelation of Christ within the first three chapters which set the stage for what followed from there. The language used by John to express his observations is what has caused many debates and struggles over the years about just what this account means and the LORD'S purpose of having it revealed through John. It stands as a warning against all the stumblingblocks and falsehoods  that would spring up through man in an effort to bring man back under the deceiver after they have been set free form his tyranny, by Redemption and mans acceptance of it. It is the course of the resistance of the revelation of Christ that Paul is here addressing as he does elsewhere in his Epistles, which I feel includes the book of Hebrews, because of what it reveals.

 

 

Colossians 2:8

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

Tieing verse 8 and verse 4 together. This falls under the LORD'S own words as I've shared from Matthew chapter 22 and verse 5 about the making light of Him and the the destruction that followed in 68-70 AD in verse 7. Does history repeat itself? Yes, it does because man does not seem to learn from his own lessons. Even when this is all based on his own actions or enactions as in being a liberal, lukewarm person taking the less offensive middle ground. Today our politicians twist or wrest their words and by so doing do not say what they mean in plan language but twist what is meant, by this method they hide their true intent. Instead for their words being for our clear understanding of purpose, they use the way Satan twisted God's own word to woman in Genesis 3. It is like the card trickester when he shuffles three cards and we are to pick a particular one. He used misdicetion to cause us to loose the cards placement. Thereby deceiving her to take the action that both she and Adam did, this was repeated with Jesus after His fasting stay in the wilderness. This was a period of preperation for Him and the next three years during which time He revealed the Father to the Hebrew world. But He had the benefit of being filled by the Holy Spirit of separation which He acknowledged on His way into the wilderness. Before Satan tried to beguile Him by the voice of mans own flesh as he had woman and Adam through woman.

 

 

Colossians 2:4

"And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words."

Listen, I’ve been telling people for years, that we’re not going to have someone come in behind our pulpit and just flat out and out say, "Now look folks, I’m going to deceive you." You know better than that, nobody would do that, but rather they come up there like wolves in sheep’s clothing and as angels of light, don’t they? Form the very beginning hirelings bluff people into seeing them as a gifted pastor, preacher, teacher or evangelist, when in fact they are not approved of God. Again I got an e-mail where this Church had a guest preacher situation, and it was pitiful what he was proclaiming. Yet the congregation didn’t even realize what he about doing. Well he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We're sure the guy didn’t come into that pulpit and say, "I’m going to fill you up with false teaching today. But instead these false teachers make it sound like they’re the authority and you’d better believe it. Like Paul say, "they come with enticing words." Let’s compare that then with the Apostle himself, and let’s go back to Romans chapter 16. Paul is always showing the opposite side of the coin with his own ministry. That he would never deceive any body, he would never bring anything but the Truth and Who's the Truth? Christ the Life giving and Living Word, the Spirit.

 

 

Romans 16:17-18

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine (teaching) which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; (their own physical, material appetite. Boy doesn’t that ring a bell? My they’ll come into our congregations and just milk them from start to finish, to line their own pockets by fleecing them, or use the less obvious means of causeing decision (heresies) among the people) and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple."

We’re not talking about simple minded people, but rather believers who are not yet rooted and grounded in the Truth. And like a child who is still simple these early believers could be so easily led astray. They're the hundreds and thousands who are still under the tutorial-ship of the Holy Spirit in His training camp. So Paul is warning them to be aware. This was the nature of those addressed in the Corinthian letters. For such people offer nothing but to fill their own physical and material desires. Now let’s go to another one in 1Corinthians chapter 2, and we want verse 4. This is how he came to these congregations as opposite of false teachers.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God, the visible manifestation of the Invisible Godhead. In Whom and through Who alone is Salvation realized. 

Job 38:6-8a

"Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof: When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth,"

One of the verses that I'm really thinking of when I saw this is found in Colossians verse 22 chapter 1. Which of course now in our technology even our little grade school kids know this from fourth and fifth grade science. But back in the ancient times they didn’t have the microscopes and so forth. But look what God says here to Job.

 

 

Job 38:22a

"Hast thou entered into the treasurers of the snow?…"

Well what’s He talking about? That even in a tremendous blizzard there’s no two snow flakes alike. Did Job know that? No. Then come all the way up to verse 31.

Job 38:31

"Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, (or what we call the seven sisters) or loose the bands of Orion?”

Job can you control the stars in their orbit? Can you control the constellations?

 

Job 38:33

"Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?"

Do you get what I'm talking about? And with every question He just puts Job lower and lower, and finally Job has to realize that he doesn’t know anything. Back to Colossians and looking at verse 3 again. It’s this same God that confronted Job and reveals all the knowledge of those two chapters of Job 38 and 39. He is the One -

 

 

Colossians 2:3

“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

In verse 4 we're going to skim over these verses 5, 6, and 7 because verse 4 and verse 8 I'm going to tie together. I'm going to wait till we get to verse 8 before I open verse 4. Because they both teach about deception, about being beguiled so I’ll put them together.

 

 

Colossians 2:4-7

"And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, enjoying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

A verse just comes to mind that we need to look at. A lot of times I don’t intend to start chasing Scriptures, but I trust the Holy Spirit has a reason for prompting me. Come back with me to 2Corinthians chapter 11, because I'm sure this is exactly what’s on the Apostle’s mind as he writes. Remember the Corinthian letters were written several years before the prison Epistles, and here he’s rehearsing his sufferings.

 

2Corinthians 11:27-28

"In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (and I even skipped the verses about his beatings and stoning, and shipwrecks, and being robbed so often) Beside those things (the physical sufferings) that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the Churches."

I mean the man was just constantly burdened, wondering how that Church in Philippi was doing? How are those folks over in the Colossi Church? How are the members over at the Ephesus Church? See, all of this was on his mind constantly, and it was a daily concern for him and prayer for them all. This is to be our standard of prayer also. Coming back to Colossians chapter 2. I can’t help but feel that those Churches were on his mind as he wrote verses 5, 6, and 7. I'm going to come into verse 8, and tie it up to verse 4. And what’s the first word of verse 8? Beware! Look out, because there’s danger ahead. And what’s the danger? False teachings. In the doctrines of men and devils is the phrases used as a means of stern warning.

 

I’ve often said, I know with God, He’s Sovereign and He saw to it that the Church survived. But have you ever stopped to realize what a miracle it is that Christianity ever survived? I mean it’s a miracle. Here we have little groups of believers that have just come out of paganism, they had Paul and one of his helpers for a few weeks, and then they moved on to another place where they would build other congregations. They had no printed Book to leave with them, and no trained pastor to leave with them. Then the moment they moved on to a new congregation the false teachers, the Judaizers, and Herodians would come right in behind them and Paul and tell those people that you can’t be saved by faith and faith alone. You have to keep the Levitical Law of Moses, you have to be circumcised, you have to calibrate the Sabbaths and this and that act is also required, in other words they required actions of some sort of works. And it’s almost that bad today with false teachings, and the passing on of mans traditions. I'm amazed that it all survived. But of course God is Sovereign and He watches over His Church, we know that. Remember my remark, the rock that causes offense is mans own propensity to over rule God in his actions and words. Well here it comes again.  

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God, the visible manifestation of the Invisible Godhead. In Whom and through Who alone is Salvation realized.

1Corinthians 15:51

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." Another mystery was that the Gentiles would come into the Body of Christ on equal basis with the Hebrews. Looking at verse 23 which states this: “every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.” This is a qualifying passage for that which flows.

 

 

Romans 3:22

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:"

We're counted righteous (be we Hebrew or Gentile) through Christ's Faith in God (Elohim) to raise Him (as the son of man, Jesus) from among the dead (the departed souls of man awaiting His coming as promised them). For as the Son of man, Jesus said, “that I am the resurrection and the Life” as the fulfillment of the Prophets prophesies. Hey, that had never been revealed before, so it was a mystery. Here in Colossians we’re going to see that this particular mystery is a revelation from the Godhead in a way that the Old Testament never explained it (for to the many it remains concealed or veiled even now). This is an explanation of the Godhead the likes of which Peter and the apostles couldn’t even preach or comprehend.

 

But now it’s revealed to this Apostle, that this Godhead, and that’s the term Paul will use a little later in this chapter. It’s that composition of the Three Persons (Elohim, a puralized name having three parts) and yet One. See, this throws a curve at so many people. There are many a person hung up on this very same thing. They could and often cannot believe that Jesus was God! And the term that throws so many people is the "Son of God." Which means that God procreated Him. It’s absolutely unreal what people are being taught. But you see they can’t conceive of the fact that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all three co-equal and housed within Jesus, let alone man. There is not One of them that is above the other, they operate as One in total unity. We can understand it, I can describe it, and we must believe it, because it’s in the Bible, its His Word.

 

 

Colossians 2:2-3

"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, (and what is God? Well at least in most of the translations, the mystery of God is this composite of all the persons of the Godhead, Elohim, LORD) and of the Father, and of Christ; (that in this Godhead of the Father, the Son and the Spirit) in whom are hid all the treasurers of wisdom and knowledge."

We’re in a technology explosion today aren’t we? We were just reading a article that stated in the next 5 years we’re going to see more technology exploding around us then we’ve seen in the last 50 years. Now goodness sake we’ve had a lot of technology in the last 50 years. I remember when one of our neighbors got the first TV on our block, I was in the first grade I believe. It was one of those with the halo around the picture tube and it was controlled by manual knobs in the front under the screen. Then the author of the article went on to explain that the fiber optics, for example, had just sort of been laying dormant. But the Lucent Company has just suddenly brought in such technology for the fiber optic system that it just blows us away. But you know what? Every time they discover or invent a new technology God smiles and says, "Hey I created it." Well if He created it, then He knows the deepest secrets of every electrical formula, and all the steps of physics, He created it, so He has the knowledge of these things before they’re ever discovered. Man is just catching up to what God has released into the atmosphere for our reception and in some cases this could also be a misdirection of evil depending on its outcome.

 

When God speaks of His wisdom and knowledge, I have to think of Job. And when I say, poor Job, I'm not referring to him that way because he lost all of his daughters, and livestock, but rather Job lost his pride. The very thing that we to must destroy within our own selves. Oh, the Lord must have made Job feel, as we would say today, not worth two cents. Let’s go to Job 38, and everyone won’t agree with me, but I think Job’s basic problem was pretty much like today. He was proud. Proud of his what? His humility. He was proud of the fact that he was blessed of God, that He was a righteous man, he loved God, and I don’t take any of that away from him. But when you come through the whole book of Job and then come to chapter 38, and I feel sorry for the poor old fellow. My, when the Lord got through speaking to him, he must have felt like crawling into a rat hole as a miserable worm. Just look at what God says.

 

 

Job 38:1-2

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, (now I wish I had time to read all of chapters 38 and 39, but I’m not going to, so don’t worry. But you do that in your spare time, and then you’ll get the drift of what I’m talking about. Now look what the Lord says) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"

Well the casual reader is going to say, "Well God is referring to Job’s three friends. No. God is talking to Job, and He says –

 

Job 38:2-3

"Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me."

Job is put on the spot isn’t he? Oh he’s on the spot. Look at what the Lord says next.

 

Job 38:4

"Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare; if thou hast understanding." What did Job say? Nothing. I mean, he’s helpless, he is without words, he doesn’t get a word in edgewise.

Job 38:5

"Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?"

Do you get what I'm driving at? What is God imparting here? That Job thought he knew it all. In so many words God says, "Okay Job if you are so smart – and this is exactly what God could do with our scientists today. This is what He could also do to those who proclaim a false gospel message. Oh, He could take the greatest brain from the Silicon Valley and put him in front of Him and say, "Okay where were you-If you’re so smart tell me." God could bring things into their thinking that they have not even yet considered as He’s doing here with Job.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God, the visible manifestation of the Invisible Godhead. In Whom and through Who alone is Salvation realized.

Romans 16:25a

"Now to him that is of power (that’s another one of Paul’s favorite phrases. The power of God, The power of His resurrection, The power of His Spirit) to stablish (to root, establish) you according to my gospel, (Jesus’ kingdom gospel that He and the twelve preached, Paul’s gospel that had been given to him goes even deeper spiritually through the proclaiming) and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,…"

Not the preaching of Jesus Christ according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but the proclaiming of Christ Jesus according to the revelation of the mystery, these secrets. If  I remember correctly, we went all the way back to Deuteronomy chapter 29 verse29 and found that "the secret things belong unto the Lord our God." What does that tell us? In His Sovereignty, God doesn’t tell us everything all at once, and He doesn’t have to. But He says, "Those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever."

 

So we always have to look at this whole concept of the revelation, that Paul talks about. Are those secret things that God did not allow the Old Testament writers to reveal to Israel, or to Peter and the eleven, but rather He waited until Saul of Tarsus was converted. Then He sent him down to Mount Sinai and revealed at least a good portion of the revelation of the mysteries to him alone. As he allowed them to grow within himself and then shared them he was given more as his spiritual food and drink just as we're to experience also. This is the progressive revelation meaning of one of the Lord's titles, Yehovah-El Shaddai or Covenant-Supplier found in Genesis 2:7 and 17:1 mean and the “I AM that I AM” of Exodus. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, Who alone reveals these truths to each of us only  after we have fully surrender our old dead nature to Him. In our church history there have men and women who stood out among the crowd as great speakers of the revelation of Christ, but at what personal cost? This has been my question for many many years. I have had many of the books written about these people but have never found one actually written in their own hand as an autobiography of just how it was that God alloud them to speak in His behalf. This has been my quest because I know that there was a secret hidden but do not ask me how I knew it, I just did. This was the purpose and reason that Jesus stated that we are to become as little children and seek first God and His kingdom rule for ourselves because when we do we become His righteousness. This is what caused all the OT men of God's wisdom and knowledge who they were, approved of God. This requires a very deep soul searching on our part and open truthfulness as well. Not to mention many scrisises of life expierence before we are accepted as Paul illustrates in Galatians. Part of this secret is also scene in Romans 12:1-3 where we are told to surrender our bodies as living sacrifices onto God which is our reasonable service.

One more thing, I do not seek God for worldly wealth, riches, fame, or divine health. I seek God for God and allow all others things to take their rightfull place through His own power not mine.

 

Romans 16:25b

"…which was kept secret since the world began."

God kept this whole package of Truths secret, and never gave anybody an inclination of what was coming until it was revealed to this Apostle. Now a verse that we’ve looked at many times in Peter's little letters. And let’s look at it again, because Peter didn’t have any concept of what Paul was going to have revealed to him, these things that are called the mysteries.

 

There are two things in particular. First, Peter is recognizing that the Gospel for this period of time came from the Epistles of Paul. The second point was Peter puts Paul’s writings as Scripture, which means that Paul letters have just as much authority as Moses, Isaiah, Matthew, John or Peter, or any one else's, because His Words are Scripture for Christ Jesus is known as what? The WORD. The Living WORD, which is able to divide soul from the marrow of the bone of man and is sharper than a two edged sword. It is like the magnified light used to do surgery and used to cartalyze an open wound to stop the flow of blood. Before we read I want to remind people of when these things were written. Peter is writing this shortly before he’s martyred, at the end of his life. He’s not writing this way back there 20-30 years before. This is at the end of his life, and probably in the late 60’s shortly before the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed as Daniel saw and foretold it.

 

 

2Peter 3:15

"And account (understand) that the longsuffering (the patience) of our Lord is salvation; (that’s the whole purpose of this whole Book. Whether it’s Old or New Testament, it’s to bring mankind into a knowledge of salvation, through redemption whether it was under Law [God's Will and Word not the Levitical Law or the commandments] or the Kingdom economy, or now under Grace. God’s heart is for the salvation of all lost mankind.) even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom (spiritual understanding) given unto him hath written unto you;"

Now we’ve got to remember, what group of people is Peter addressing? Hebrews of the dispersion, and he tells us that in 1Peter chapter1and verse 1. So even to his own Jewish people he is admonishing them to go to the letters of Paul. By this time Paul’s earliest Epistles had only been out there 7 or 8 years and his later Epistles had only been out there probably a year or two. But Peter is admonishing his fellow Hebrews to go through those letters of Paul's for instructions. If Peter felt this strongly about what had been given Paul how should we accept them?

 

 

2Peter 3:16a

"As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; (that is salvation as we now understand is by faith alone through Grace which is of God's doing) in which are some things hard to be understood,…"

Most people read right over that, and don’t even realize what the man is saying. But here Peter is admitting that this revelation given to the Apostle Paul was hard for a good Hebrew to comprehend. Why? Because it was totally, totally different and foreign to him. It was completely removed from Temple worship, it was completely removed from the covenant promises of Israel, on the surface and here is the offer of salvation to these pagan idolatrous Gentiles and Hebrews that if they would just simply realize their lost estate, and believe this Gospel of 1Corinthians 11:23-32 and 15:1-4 and Romans 10:9-11, God will bring them into Himself. Hey, that’s hard for a good Hebrew to comprehend because his heart is calloused (hardened by unbelief) which is his sin nature. 

 

 

2Peter 3:16b

"…which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, (twist) as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

So what’s Peter doing with Paul’s Epistles? He’s lumping them in with the rest of the Bible. They are Scripture! They’re the inspired Word of God! Isn’t it amazing that men just ignore this, and almost refuse to go into Paul’s writings? I don’t know why, but I can see it over and over that they just almost ignore them purposely. "Willingly ignorant," as Peter says concerning the flood in his little Epistles. Man makes light of these things not knowing that by so doing they are making light of Christ, in mockery of this Gospel. Well anyway, this is all part and parcel of this revelation of what Paul calls his Gospel, and that is God in Grace, Who is Christ. Of course as we’re going to see a little further on in Colossians that the mysteries are in several different categories. We’ve got, for example, the mystery of what we call the departure or the catching away of the Church. It’s a mystery we find in 1Corinthians 15 and repeated in 1Thessalonians 4.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God, the visible manifestation of the Invisible Godhead. In Who alone is Salvation realized.


I have been endeavoring to remove the rock that causes offense (mans own propensity to over rule God in his actions and words) as it was revealed through Paul and hidden within the context of the Revelation of Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself said this rock would spring up from time to time, look at Mattew 11:6 where we find this statement where Jesus is speaking: “Blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me.” From here we can move on to chapter 15 and verses 12-14. This comes just after Jesus upbraided the Preist's for their false traditions which are imposed on the unlearned Hebrews. Where Jesus also states: “His disciples came to Him, and said, Know You that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? To this He answered and said, Every plant, which My heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” In Matthew 18 beginning at verse 2 through 7 we find this also: “Jesus called a little child to Him, and He set Himself in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say to you, Except you be converted (to change our course of direction, to turn the back on something), and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever shall receive one such little child in My name receives Me. But whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believes Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes!” From here Paul states this in Romans 9 beginning at verse 31-33: “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whoever believes Him shall not be ashamed.” In Christ Jesus we will soon see that the hidden things of God's secrets (of Deuteronomy 29:29) will be found and received by those who place their total trust in Him, they as a little child believe Him.

Remember in Paul’s Epistle of Colossians, which was written to possibly a home congregation east and south of Ephesus. Then, almost due north of Colossi was the other little city in Asia Minor or western Turkey called Laodicea. So when Paul makes mention that the Colossians should pass this letter on to the Laodicean people, it was just that they were a neighborhood congregation. And as I've mentioned, Paul himself had nothing to do with starting the Colosi or Laodicean churches. They were probably begun by some of his converts from the Ephesus Church. He makes mention that he’s never met them face to face, but he has such concern for them because false teachings, ravenous woves, which followed the disciple's everywhere they went, and consequently it disturbed him. Remember also that the Apostle John in his book called “the Revelation of Christ” (and His continued dealings with Israel and the world) reveals that these same churches which are listed in the first three chapters have been over thrown by the anti-Christ because some of them are located where the seat of Satan is. To day this area is known as Iran, Iraq and Turkey and even spreads down through the Muslim and Islamic world. But I cannot limit to them only because of the discription of the man of evil, revealed by John in Revelation chapters 16 and 19. We have to also take into account the discription of the mystery Babylon, the great Religious harlot. She is like the woman of mythology who had hair like snakes, these snakes are all false denominations and the worlds deception religions of Satan's design through unwitting men. The number assigned to man is 6 and all of mans own governements, economy and religions carry this 6 on each of them. Form this standpoint we have 666 the number of this world figure who personifies Satan like the Persian king Lucifier did. This man will be raised from among those who live in this region of Asia Minor. It is from this perspective that we should now look at what Paul speaks from here on.

 

 

Colossians 2:1a

"For I would that ye knew what great conflict (struggle) I have for you,…"

He was struggling with the fact that these people were left with no written Word. Never forget they didn’t have a New Testament until Paul’s letters started coming, which was about the late 50’s early 60’s and he’s already been out establishing churches for 15 to 20 years, so you can see his concern. He says, I just want you to know what a great struggle I have for you. Remember his prayer that we have just covered, Paul here alluding to it here. James in chapter 5 of his letter reveals how we are to pray without let up for all men. When we answer the call we will also carry within us the same burden for both the lost and spiritually unknowing, as many of us were when we like Saul first saw the Light, that is Christ Jesus. This may not be with a physical revelation but rather a spiritual one which has its roots deep within our being. It is from here that we are to pray at all times for all mankind.

 

 

Colossians 2:1b

"…and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh:"

They had never seen the Apostle Paul personally. So he didn’t have a direct part of establishing these two little congregations. This by the way also includes us as well. 

Colossians 2:2a

"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding…"

This is why I teach in the manner I do. So many Christians have made a profession of faith, they joined the Church, they get active in its social aspect, with its many activities but they know nothing of the Scriptures, I'm sure you’re all aware of that. But you see Paul’s hearts desire was that even those people in his day, who had come out of idolatry and paganism and knew nothing of even the Old Testament, or its teachings could maintain their Christian experience with no more background than they had. So his concern was that they had a full understanding and working knowledge of the Spiritual Christ. This tells me that he went even deeper in the depth of the revelation of Christ Jesus, then his many Epistles reveal to us. This reminds of what I told the LORD the evening that I said the sinners prayer that is writen in the back of my servicemans Bible which I dated back on September 16^th 1966 when I said this, LORD I do not understand what the Bible is saying and teaching me. Try as I did it remains a secret to me. Then in 1985, in the spring of that year, He told me and those sitting with me at my kitchen table that He would train us within our own four walls. To this He has been faithful to this very day, and suspect that He will until we are taken from this earth.

 

 

Colossians 2:2b

"…of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ."

Those of you who have been with me, you know I'm always stressing the mysteries that were revealed to the Apostle Paul. In fact many people have said, "I’ve never even heard the word mystery before." Well that doesn’t shock me, because I think as I look back that I probably didn’t either. I mean for over 40 to 46 years we too just glossed over many of these very same things ourselves. Remember Paul was the only one given the mysteries, secret things and since most preachers and teachers do not bother with his writings then most people do not know about the mysteries either. But the heart of Paul’s gospel is this revelation of these secrets and mysteries, of which there are no less than 7 given him. Now let’s look at some of them, because he says that we're to understand and have a knowledge of them so come back to Romans chapter 16:25. Jesus also stated to His disciples that they were to know and through this knowledge understand what had been hidden in Matthew 10:26, Luke 8:17, 12:2-3. To this end Ecclesiastes also speaks in chapter 12 verse 14 where we find this, “God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” God here is revealing that we have the propensity to violate our fellows through our own words and this is substantiated by Jesus, James and others, this is why we are told that we are to learn how to bridel our tongues. One way this can be accomplished is to submit it to the LORD at all times. But here He is also telling us that He has and holds the secret things and will cause us to be able to discern them in the proper time, which is His time.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God the Visible Presense of the Invisible Godhead and our being steadfast in our trust of Him.

2Peter 3:15-16

"And account (understand) that the long-suffering of our Lord is (of course. That’s the main theme of the whole Bible and it over shadows our Redemption through which we have to pass in order to receive) salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him (by the revelation of the secrets, this wisdom we will see again in chapter 2 of Colossians) hath written unto you. As also in all his epistles, (from Romans through Philemon and quite possibly Hebrews) speaking in them of those things (the things that pertain to salvation) in which are some things hard to be understood, (That’s Peter writing by inspiration) which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (twist, make light of and distort them by misquoting and thereby misappling and misguide the unlearned and even mock because they are unlearned and unstable) as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

Do you see what the man is saying? That when Paul reveals these mysteries that had been kept secret it was such revelation, such breaking of new ground, that even good old Peter couldn’t grasp it all. It was beyond him. And we can see why. Because Peter was steeped in Judaism. He was steeped in Judaisms legalism and religiousity. In all the ritualistic customs of the fathers. He was steeped in the Jesus of His earthly ministry as many are today. And so when the Apostle Paul comes along and presents all this to the Jewish and Gentile world, like I've shown you. Who did Peter address in Acts chapter 2 & 3? “Ye men of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers,” and then all of a sudden have this promoted among the Gentile world. I can see why Peter couldn’t comprehend it. And I don’t believe he had a full understanding of it right up until the time he was martyred. It was just something totally beyond him. Why? Because he could not get his head around it, what the LORD Jesus told him and the others that were there with him. They actually were operating in unbelief just as many are now, but there are a few though, this list is very small, who have received the Light. Why? For the same reason that Peter did not come to grips with this revelation hidden in Christ, he was not open to it. Or at least not its fulness.

 

So when Paul speaks of these secrets, mysteries, for goodness sake don’t just shove it off and say you just can’t understand what he’s talking about. He’s merely telling us that he is being used of the same God that Enoch, Elijah and the Prophets walked with and Who called Abram and blessed his trust through fellowship with him and his son Isaac and grandson Jacob. The One Who called the twelve disciples up there in Galilee, that the same God Who is now revealing to this Apostle a whole new concept of things that had never been heard of before. One of which is that we are joint heirs with Christ. This means that we are not subjects to a king but are rather friends who know what He is about doing. A people that He communicates with as He did Abraham and Isaac and even king David. In the same fashion and category of Abram. Another one is that one day the trumpet will sound and we’re going to be gone. Now I know that’s hard for a lot of people to swallow, because it’s not in the rest of the Scriptures, in plan sight, it is only in Paul’s writings. It is part of the revelation of the mysteries, and then it is not hard to comprehend.

 

 

Colossians 1:26

"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages (thousands of years God kept it secret) and from generations, (all the generations of Israel and even the pagan world of the Gentiles) but now is made manifest to his saints:

The world doesn’t know what I'm talking about, and a good percentage of Christendom don’t know what I'm talking about either. Do you know why? Because they avoid Paul’s writings like the plague, they won’t come into Paul’s writings if they can possibly avoid it. I had a gentlemen e-mail the other day and stated, "I’ve been keeping track, every Sunday morning for the last three months, our sermon has been out of the book of Matthew." Why would this be? I have nothing against Matthew, it’s the Word of God, but when you spend 90 to 100% of your time in Matthew, you’re missing the revelations of the mysteries. I hear of many saying the same kind of things from all sections of our friends on Face book and else where. No wonder so many remain as lost as a goose in the wind storm and under the veil which for them is not lifted. They don't seek God about such matters nor do they take advantage of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of all Truth Who they claim to have within them.

 

They’re missing justification by faith alone, they’re missing this whole concept of the Body of Christ, as it’s not in Matthew or the four synoptic gospels. Nor in the Old Testament and its accompanying economy. They’re missing this whole concept of the Grace of God, it’s not in them. They’re missing the whole concept that they’re sins are already forgiven. They’re missing the whole concept about the blessed hope as Paul writes to Titus that one day the Great God, and our Savior Christ Jesus will appear for us in the air. See that’s not in Matthew. And there are just countless others that they’re missing including Paul’s Gospel by which is the only Way we have Eternal Life, NOW. Jesus said that “if” we love Him and Believe Him then we will receive Him Who is Eternal Life. That was only given to Paul. So when they leave Paul’s writing out of they're study, they’re missing out on all the good things that God wants us to have.

I’ll never forget years ago, we hadn’t been in Wisconsin very long and we had our family doctor come by while I was in the hospital. He would sit right in front of me. And oh he would almost sit there like a starved bird and would say every so often, "Bill why haven’t we been taught these things before? Thirty years I’ve been going to Church and now I can see they’ve been cheating me." Well I'm afraid that’s too often the case, and you know why? Because they will not study the mysteries, they don't know Christ as the risen LORD, they only know Him as Jesus the Son of man, and this is where it’s at for us Gentiles. Many only see God and even Jesus as being someplace out in outer space some where, or in the Eternity that is for them out of sight and therefore out of reach. I say this kindly. You have to understand the revelation of the mysteries to understand the wisdom and knowledge of God’s dealing with Gentile world. We have to learn Christ and His present day ministry. Christ in us, our glory and the greatest blessing. Our inner man being healed and restored to Him, through Him.

 

Before moving on let's look at the word “saints,” a saint is a cleansed one, as being restored to innocent, modest and perfect before God. Man only sees the outside and the persons past what ever it maybe of have been. And thereby is a respector of man which we know God is not. He sees Christ Jesus in us when we have become His, this is called Salvation, which distinguises us from the world of ordinary man. This is the richness of Christ that will soon be set before us.

 

 

Colossians 1:27a

"To whom (the saints, the believers of the Church Age Gospel) God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;…"

I'm not leaving the Jewish people out of this, but I'm going to say what the Scriptures says, that this is directed primarily to the Gentiles. I know I have many Jewish believers in the reading audience, I know I do. I have a Jewish Christian couple in Israel, and here in Cleveland, TN. and I can revel in these things. But for the most part the Hebrew can’t except the fact that their Messiah has already come the first time. So this secret in particular that Paul’s talking about here is for the Gentiles with the few Hebrew exceptions. It use to be the other way around didn't it. Now Israel and the Hebrews knew Him only as the distant God, only His Prophets knew Him as the close one, the one Who sticks closer than a natural brother. This is also what keeps the people in Religion chained to Satan's deception and misdirection by what Paul revealed was Israel's sin in Romans 1:18-32, which also applies to those chained to Satan, in mans doctrines. Today when we go to cast our vote for an amendment to our Constitution or a State Constitution we need to have legal help to be able to read and understand what the amendment is actually saying. This is not what our forefathers intended to happen, they wanted things made plain as day, and that is why God has given to us His Holy Spirit when we have received Redemption. He makes the hidden things plain as day to us, this we will soon see and find out as we progress. He wants to break the chain and remove the veil that restrains us. He wants us freed.

 

 

Colossians 1:27b

"…God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, (by the person of the Holy Spirit) the hope of glory:"

That’s what we’re living for. We’re not living for this world. Oh, we all have our ambitions and we're just as ambitious as anyone. We all love our family and friends as every body else does, but hey this isn’t the end. Glory is the end, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy these things in this earthly sojourn. We just value the knowledge of Christ more than the riches of this world. Because they're all temporal, rusting and corroding and passing away but Christ and Eternity are forever, Eternal. The LORD by His vary name and presence within us wants us to be producing fruitfulness through Him. This with the knowledge of Him will bring us joy unspeakable and full of glory. How do we produce fruit by being a living witness of His Grace and Truth and Eternal Life in Light within us. We become a Light to the world through Him. We carry His signature upon our very being as a wife carries her husbands on her, as her seal.

 

 

Colossians 1:28-29

"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect (spiritually mature, a saint) in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."

Paul tells us that all is through the illumination that the Holy Spirit imparts to our re-birthed spirit according to His workings. When we get into chapter 2 we'll be looking at more of the secrets or mysteries that are revealed to and then through Paul. It is these secrets of Christ that He builds His Body, the Church upon, by way of illumination for understanding and knowledge. Not as the world turns but rather As He increases within us again. Now man seek what in his mind is wisdom but this wisdom is based on Israel and mostly Israel only, or worse yet in the literal, practical understanding of scripture. This Paul and the writer of Hebrews warnings is in the wrong direction and will lead us no where. Even James explains that the OT is there for our learning how to suffer through all of lifes pressures, trials and many tribulations. Most of todays “Christendom” does not want to hear that. They see Israel as being prosperous and with earthy blessing which may have been so. But to remain stuck in that mode is misdirection and they then are earthy, carnal and worldly to the max. This is distortion, without clear vision or understanding. So we are not to prosper as the world prospers or even to live in divine health as the world see things. Because it does not realize that when we enter His Salvation we are healed spiritually which is the greater of the two blessings, as they desire only the materal things of this world, we the spiritual and heavenly. They get hung up on the literalism and legalism of the worlds disception.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God the Visible Presense of the Invisible Godhead and our being steadfast in our trust of Him.

 

Since verse 24 of Colossians 1, we have heard and then be looking at how we are to be stable and grounded in our steadfastness in the growing knowledge and understanding of our being in Christ. This comes before our learning that we are to be built up in our trusting in faith and a warning against the gross error which will over come those who do not know and gain the knowledge of this revelation and then allow it to produce the fruit of Christ within and through them. As they become the light of the world as Christ Jesus is the Light of the world. We must keep in mind that as in Genesis 1 and John 1 alone with the synpotic gospels revelation, that Light is apposite to and resisted by darkness. This is the world into which Israel as a nation is corrupted by when in its infancy turned its back toward the LORD God, Who was in effect its ruler.

 

 

Ephesians 3:4-5

"Whereby, when ye read (Paul’s epistles) ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery (the secret) of Christ. Which in other ages (generations, of Israel's past history) was not made known (see how plain this language is when you understand what he is talking about. Don’t forget Deuteronomy 29:29 which says, "The secret things belong to God and our childrens children to the next generation? No, but forever." He is Sovereign. He does not have to reveal it until He’s good and ready. And that was when the Apostle Paul was sent to the Gentiles, just after “the end of days” or the alloted time) to the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by (through) the Spirit."

God (Elohim) in His Soveriegnity has alloted to the world of man certain periods or dispensations under the control of His prerogative. Remember Paul had others that followed in his footsteps. I think Barnabas could be considered one and maybe Timothy and some of the others. Here is the whole concept that was never revealed before and remains hidden to many. This is born out in Psalm 2 when read with this understanding, which can also be carried over into all other scriptures. Because they remain hidden from evil hearted mans perception and understanding of the hidden wisdon and knowledge of the Godhead in man. A mystery.

 

 

Ephesians 3:6

"That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs (not just subjects of Christ’s kingship like Israel will be, but Gentiles and Hebrews during this time are to be brought into this position of being a joint heir of Christ. You can’t find that anywhere else in Scripture except Paul’s Epistles. Psalm 2 Verse 8 states this: “Ask of Me, and I shall give the heathen (the back of the nations their body part, of people, in some applications it means as living body and others a corpse) Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth Your possession.” It’s just not in there to the natural mind, it remains hidden. You can look, but here it is.) and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the (this Gospel) gospel."

Let’s go down to verse 9, which I used a while back.

 

 

Ephesians 3:9

"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery (secret) which from the beginning of the world hath been (what’s the next word?) hid (see how plain that is?) in God, who created all things by (through) Jesus Christ."

All the way through Paul’s Epistles we have this word popping up - "the mysteries or secret things" That it was revealed only to Paul. Now a verse just comes to mind. Peter, bless his heart. And I do not put him down one iota but let’s come back to his second Epistle, chapter 3 and we’re going to start at verse 15. I haven’t used these two verses in a long, long time. But now, remember, Peter didn’t have the mysteries revealed to him. Only Paul did. But as Paul began to preach these mysteries and this Gospel that was Paul’s Gospel and his preparing of this secret Body, the appearing of the Body of Christ, Peter just stood there, from the outside looking in. Why? Because he was a diehard, caught by Hebrewism, and his Jewishness alone with his hardheartness is resistance of change. Let’s read the verses first and then I’ll comment. And remember Peter writes these Epistles about the same time Paul is writing the prison Epistles. I think the two men were probably martyred within a year of each other. And so this is at the end of Peter’s ministry. Shortly before he’s martyred.

 

 

To maintain the flow I will begin at verse 10 to the end of verse 18 where we find this said: “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Since all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. (the next passage begins with a stern warning)

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account the longsuffering of our Lord Salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him has written to you; As in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God the Visible Presense of the Invisible Godhead


1Corinthians 15:52b

"…for the trumpet (a Vibration will) shall sound (a quivering, vibration) and the dead shall be raised (a great falling away) incorruptible, and we shall be changed (to be transformed in the falling away)."
That’s a revelation of a secret. It’s never been revealed before. The Lord never talked like this. The Lord talked of resurrection, but He never talked of a group of people who would be awakened as from sleep or alive at the time being transfromed like He was. Though He alluded to it in John chapter 17. And so here we have a revelation of a mystery. I'm not going to share all of them, but if you’ll come on over with me to Ephesians chapter 3 where this whole period of Grace was unknown to the whole human race. Jesus never referred to it. Peter couldn’t have referred to it. But Paul is the one that God, by Grace, used to reveal these secrets to the whole human race. And what is it?

Allow me to go to 1Corinthians 2:7 beginning at verse 3 through 13 and then to the end of this chapter where we find this revealed:
“I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (the witness of the risen Lord's own Spirit within Paul, as He is also to reside within us): That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God (this is the same witness that we are to bear as fruit, and the power of transformation, a change in our demeanor, makeup). Howbeit I spoke wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But I speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our glory (we'll see this again in Colossians 2:2): Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love Him. God has revealed them to us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searchs all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (Luke 8:17, Romans 16:25). Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with Spiritual.

For the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges (discerns) all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

It is through this that we are empowered to discern (judge) all things be they spiritual or earthy, carnal and worldly. This is the point that I would like to make, all those who may following these postings would come to as well, they are spiritually discerned which means that they are to be judged by us. Are the things spoken correct or in error, this is what we are to discern and make a judgment on.

 

 

Ephesians 3:1-2

"For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. If ye have heard of the dispensation (this present days administration. Just as Eliezer was the administrator of Abraham’s estate. And it was a viable thing, so also is this administration) of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward."

Listen that’s never been held before by the human race. “If you have heard of the dispensation of the Grace of God which is given me to you-ward” and here it comes.

 

Ephesians 3:3

How that by revelation (what’s the other word for revelation? A revealing, divine illumination, understanding, wisdom and knowledge) He made known unto me the mystery (secret)…."

And what’s the secret? This whole body of Pauline truths, how that the Lord's Last Supper the Passover on through the work of the cross and His resurrection and even His ascension completed every thing that the human race needed for entry into His Salvation. We don’t have to do a thing. God has done it all. But you don’t find that until you get to Paul. And the Holy Spirit opens these thing to us. And this is the whole revelation of that which was kept secret. Now reading on in chapter 3 of Ephesians.

Colossians Study Outline

Jesus Christ the Creator God the Visible Presense of the Invisible Godhead

Alright, we’re still in 1Corinthians, aren’t we? Come on over to chapter 15, and dropping down to verse 51. And here again, I’ve made it very plain, as long as I’ve been on the internet, that we are a proponent of a Pre-tribulation out calling of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Family of God which is the departure. This is most graficaly scene in the story of Noah. Where he and his family of 8 and then the animals were called from within the Ark and after they all had entered in the door was closed by God. And a lot of people are all shook up by it and can’t understand it. Well, it’s because they don’t understand the mysteries that were revealed to Paul. Granted, there is never anything else in Scripture, in the Old Testament or the Gospels, or Acts, or Revelation or any of those others, that even alludes to what we call the departure or rapture as it has been mislabled. Why? Because it’s a Pauline revelation. Now, when I say Pauline, I mean Paul in the other extent. It’s a Pauline revelation and here he calls it what it is. But all the other writers when they speak of the Lord’s return, they’re speaking about His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation and not the departure of the Church just before the Tribulation begins.

 

I want to take a momnent to look at what Genesis reveals about Noah his family, the Ark and then the animals and how Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit could foretell the extracation of a mystery Body, Church, Family of God as beings restored to Him. What was the world like during the time of Noah? It was as it is today, there was marring, male with male, woman with woman, beastiality abounded, thing were in chaos, idolatry, fornication, evil exsisted openly, people were in total lawlessness, the fallen angels cohabitated with women, the secrets of chemistry, science, astrology, witchcraft, metalergy were given to man by the fallen angels before God's timeing. The fallen nature as Paul discribes it was running rampt....but even with goings on there was a few, just a small number of God fearing men in the mix. These men God calls righteous and from the third son of Adam, Seth, they are tracked this included Enoch as a man who walked with God. From who's loins came Noah and from Noah came Shem, then Eber, from Eber comes Abram who will become Abraham through who all the families of the earth will one day be blessed when the act towards God as Abram did, in total trusting of Him. The example of each generation through the line of Seth forward, each in their own generation among the family of man. These will through the Redemption of the cutting of Covenant be given the right or power to become Sons of God again. This will happen only when in their own order they through a scrisis learn the secret of the Passover, letting of blood, through death to the order of the world's systems, expierence the resurrection of Christ own Spirit restored as man in Genesis 2 posed Him within him. These people made up and composed of all the families of the earth who like Abram, honor God as Abram did, WILL NOT see the wrath of God, as poured out on the earth, brought about by mans own actions of refusal to accept God's Gospel of  mans Salvation. Just as Noah, his family and the animals did not see the destruction of the evil world, which came upon those who mocked him and his message. Which he proclaimed for 100 years before starting to build the Ark, the coffin of atonement-Salvation. You see, Redemption's price has been paid in full all we have to do is to accept it and then ask for its blessing, the infilling of His Holy Spirit. Who was given to man after the Lord's returning to His proper place at the Heavenly Fathers righthand. Who is given as a deposit of more good things to come, in other fillings of the Spirit of Truth. Who is to become our teacher, trainer, tutor, and mentor in bring us through the levels of progressive revelations of Christ. In Redemptions school of higher learning and our training to become totally dependent on Him. With each progression we are faced with a new scrisis and our progression depends on how we respond when faced with this scrisis. With porgression we receive more of the revelation of Christ, and more infullings of His Spirit, this Jesus called rooms or mansions in the Father House. We are to become the object of His Home, His indwelling as promised in John 17 and elsewhere in the synoptic gospels and Paul Epistles. Our training and further revelation of Christ then continues while we await our departure time, be it by way of physical death or living extraction. In His Body as the New Ark, the second Adam.

I think that our departure is a triggering mechanism for the tribulation period as we are the ones that restrain the forces of evil, as an assembly of families of the earth. Because to restrain requires supernature strength [in the form of His resurrection power] which the ontological essence of Christ within us exerts through us. Now again these things are veiled from the sight of natural man, who is any one without the Holy Spirit, who are to be under His rule of man, as Jesus and Paul were both examples of. This again is the whole purpose of our being placed within the corral to learn obedience to the Holy Spirit while we remain in Redemptions grip, but we are to progress in our learning of God through Christ in us.

 

 

1Corinthians 15:51

"Behold, I shew you a (what?) mystery: (a secret) We shall not all sleep, (die) but we shall all be changed."

Paul says he’s going to reveal a secret. This is something that’s never been revealed before. Never! And what is it? That there’s coming a day, and Paul thought it was a lot closer than it was, and maybe we think it’s closer than it will be, and I think it’s getting close, but there’s coming a day when all of a sudden there’s going to be a great resurrection of the believers who have died and at the same time we who are alive shall be changed into a new body. Called in scripture as the “day of the Lord”of which there are no less then 26 references to. We’re not going to die if we as believers are alive in Christ and Christ is active within us, when this event happens. For this there are no less then two who were extracted while among the living recorded in scripture.

 

1Corinthians 15:52a

"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:…" Not one of the angelic trumpets in Revelations. This is a singular trumpet in God’s hands, a shout of His voice. Therefore there's NO reference to it in Revelation because its dealing with Israel and the lands around it not the Body of Christ. Because the Body members have already judged themselves and found themselves wanting and come to themselves to cry out as a lost soul in drier need of Redemption. Through which they then find themselves bankrupt of any good thing and thusly faced with a crisis, what to do. And ask what is required of me LORD? The answer is death, God's most perfect Will for all lost souls. But how? To that we're told to take His yoke upon us and then to learn of Him. By taking the old path, but what is the old path and where do we find it? To which the Holy Spirit says follow My, I'll show you. And He begins by opening the scriptures to us. And we begin to see Christ and the wisdom of God in Him revealed.