This is what this
Apostle is saying, in verse 1,
"that we are to be stewards of these secrets of God that are now
revealed
". But just how many people know or understand these mysteries or secrets? In all my years of church and Sunday school attendance I personal remember no one ever doing a subject study or any other kind of study on them. I might go so far as to say that no one knew about them or they took for granted that the pastor did and left it at that. But as we see here that is wrong. For I myself, when I first saw this had on idea of where to find them or what even to be looking for. So I started just researching the words "mystery" and "secret" in our Strong's Concordance and took it from there to find out everything possible on this subject and found out that it all ready has to do with our learning of Christ and our relationship in Him and to Him. In a union and bound that far surpasses all others. The
other thing that has struck me is this, as we learn of Christ this is
not a static stationary revelation. But as we've said many times it
is progressive and seems to grow with each new understanding of Him. So here we are sharing what we've found out and what He has been revealing to us. Now reading verse 2.
1
Corinthians 4:2
"Moreover
it is required in stewards, (managers, ambassadors,
administrators) that a man be found faithful."
We’re not to be
sloppy, slothful or lazy we’re not to be careless (see the warnings of Paul in
Hebrews chapters and verses 3:10, 12, 6:4-6, 10:38-39, 12:25). We are
to be constantly passing the Word on, and showing folks, what does it
say. Not is a hardness or sternness of attitude but in love and respect for them. And definitely not with an attitude of what we think it says, not what I say, or what some preacher
says. But show them what does the Word actually say. So we’re to be faithful
stewards of the mysteries and above all before we can do this we have to be approved of God. Let’s come on over to another favorite
one, and that of course is 1 Corinthians 15:51. And we’re getting
closer and closer, with each passing minute, to this portion of scripture being fulfilled. We
think it’s a lot closer than most people like to think.
Now that we're aware of it notice the
word “mystery” just seems to jumps off the page at us.
1
Corinthians 15:51-52
"Behold
I shew you a mystery; (Paul is going to tell us something
here that has never even been hinted at anywhere else in the Old Testament, by the prophets and the Temple Priest's. For they knew nothing of it, though the two sects argued and bantered about this very thing.
Jesus never referred to it, although He knew about it. He too kept it
secret, and the mystery is that) We shall not all sleep,
(or die physically) but we shall all be changed. (we
can’t go to glory in this old body of flesh, so we’re going to
have to be changed to the glorified body that man had before he fell.
Now reading verse 52.) In a moment, (a finely split
particle of time. It’s actually less than a second) in the
twinkling of an eye (an
atomic second), at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the (believing) dead
shall be raised incorruptible, (like Christ’s resurrected
body, the glorified body that Adam and woman had before sin and the
curse entered the picture) and we shall be changed."
Those believers
who are alive when this happens will be changed! That’s what the
scriptures say, this isn’t our idea, but rather this is what the
book says. We will be made incorruptible, because you see this
corruptible body can’t go into glory so it has to be changed, and
it will be in that atomic split second. This is all part of what Paul
calls the "mysteries" or secrets. Since we’re in this chapter, let’s go back
to those first four verses and look at another mystery that was
only given to Paul.
We’ve used these verses over and over
because they are so paramount to our being ready for the mystery of
what we just read. This passage is this Gospel of the Grace of God
that all must believe in order to be changed at the departure of the
Church, we just read it. Here it is, this is the Gospel of the
Grace of God, and according to Romans 16:25 it had been kept secret
since the world began before being given to Paul. In fact Paul
says it’s "his Gospel," and the reason he could make such
a statement was it was given to him for mankind by the crucified
risen Lord in glory.
No where,
do we find in the others writings mention of these things, not in Luke, Mark,
Matthew, Peter, James nor John. they don't mention any of these things. Though
the Lord had opened the seals to these mysteries as we've shown
above. Jesus had alluded to the in the keys of the kingdom given to Peter and in other references but He didn't expound on them. They all should have known of them because of what the
prophets have said and as they were revealed though limited in the Old
Testament.
Hebrews discloses that Moses spoke of these things but
they were hidden from the understanding of the Hebrews because of an
evil heart within them, a heart of unbelief. To this day it remains
the same even to those who profess to have received the Holy Spirit.
For they still remain in the dark concerning these things, and my
question is,Why? My only answer can be that they have not the Holy
Spirit but rather another spirit, a spirit of deception given them by
the spirit of the world, especially those who say they've got
goosebumps all over or a warm fussy tickley feeling. For the Holy Spirit
comes not come in in such a fashion because, we're to walk by faith
not by sight (not dependent of warm fuzzies or tickley feelings of the flesh, for this is the exact realm where the evil one works).
1Corinthians 15:1-3
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;"
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 7
All the way
though the Old Testament we have two parallel lines of thoughts,
they’re just like two railroad tracks, especially from Genesis chapter 12 where we find. "One of
them is the coming of a suffering Savior, and the other one is the
coming of a ruling King."Then scattered throughout the Old
Testament there are verses that allude either to the first one or the
second of these two phrases or most variation of them. I remember reading many many years ago where some of the
ancient Rabbi’s were all hung up on the situation around Rachel and
the birth of Benjamin. And those of you who know your Old Testament
know that as Rachel was dying she named Benjamin.
Genesis 35:18
"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."
Benoni was "the son of my suffering." But Benjamin was "the son of my strength." Well the Rabbi’s could deduct that this was either the name of a suffering Savior, which would be Benoni. Or Benjamin the son of my strength which depicted a ruling King, so for centuries they were hung up about this. How could this be unless they would have two Messiahs. That was also in their thoughts, "Maybe there are two Messiahs instead of one." So when the Messiah came He had to be first the suffering Savior, we know that. He couldn’t be the King until He’d redeemed the Nation of Israel. This is just simple nationism and who could fault them for that school of thought I mean after all come on. So for most Jewish people then and now, bless their hearts, they still can’t reconcile the fact that He has already fulfilled the "Benoni" part. So they're waiting for the soon return of His Second Coming, NO! For them He has never come the first time to be the ruling King, “Benjamin”. They don't see, It’s the same Person, but fulfilling both roles for almost 2000 years now. This is exactly what Peter is talking about, read it again.
1Peter 1:11
"Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them (as they wrote by inspiration) did signify, when it (He the Spirit or even the scripture) testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, (the Benoni) and the glory that should follow (which is the Benjamin Kingdom Age, where He will rule and reign as King)."
But did they ever figure it out? No! Was it their fault? No! Because they weren’t supposed to, because it was hid, all kept secret in the mind and heart of God. We need to keep in mind that God had given them a spirit of confusion and slumber because of their iniquity, unbelief. They're stopping of the ear and the murdering of His prophets. Not to mention they're selling out to the nations around about them with the mixing of false gods and open idolatry. Then there's the priest's who perpetrated a crime against God by establishing the Saturday only Sabbath which still hangs around the necks. Oh, and yes there's the 613 added rules or Laws of even more of sins weight that no one could carry. It's no wonder that both John the Baptist and Jesus were hostile toward the priesthood of the times. Sadly they haven't changed all that much still. This is why in Romans 11:25, Paul says that it took only a partial blindness to happen.
Now after reading Romans 16:25 a earlier where Paul says "it’s the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mysteries," let’s go to 1 Corinthians chapter 4, and look at another one. Remember Paul writes here to the Gentiles at Corinth so in effect he’s writing more or less to us.
1 Corinthians 4:1
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."
A while back we said that a part of the administration of the Grace of God, or a part of the dispensation of God was that there had to be an administrator. Abraham spoke of it way back when he was promised a son, and said, "Lord all I have is this Eliezer of Damascus who is the steward of my property." Eliezer was the administrator, so that’s a perfect analogy. Now let’s come back to what we used earlier.
Remember that we said, we have a corporation, and we have a gentlemen at the very top, he’s the chief executive officer. This gentlemen has received his education, he’s probably received his degree or degrees in business administration, then he goes and gets a masters degree from say Harvard, and he works his way up through the ranks, and all of a sudden he’s the chief executive officer of this great corporation. Now he’s worked hard to get to that position, and he’s being paid well for it. What is expected of him? To be a good administrator. That’s his job description. Now that’s exactly what Paul is telling every one of us, that as soon as we get a good grasp on these mysteries, on these Revelations that have been given to the Apostle Paul, what are we to do with it? Pass them on! Administrate them, dispense them, do you see that? We're obligated to God and our fellow man kind to reveal these Truths. It's God who holds us accountable to man and to Him for we then allow Him to work through Christ in us to reveal Christ not only functioning in the world but first and foremost within each individual who be will receive the Truth and allow Him in into their heart of hearts, NOT our brain but hearts.
But oh! Christendom is so very slow to react, and we keep thinking all the time of some of the great Bible teachers of generations gone by who saw the apostasy that was coming. They were almost pleading back then already that the average Christian would get skilled in the Word of God so that when the apostasy would come that we could by person to person pass these things on. So this is what this Apostle is saying, in verse 1, "that we are to be stewards of these secrets of God that are now revealed " Now reading verse 2.
Genesis 35:18
"And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."
Benoni was "the son of my suffering." But Benjamin was "the son of my strength." Well the Rabbi’s could deduct that this was either the name of a suffering Savior, which would be Benoni. Or Benjamin the son of my strength which depicted a ruling King, so for centuries they were hung up about this. How could this be unless they would have two Messiahs. That was also in their thoughts, "Maybe there are two Messiahs instead of one." So when the Messiah came He had to be first the suffering Savior, we know that. He couldn’t be the King until He’d redeemed the Nation of Israel. This is just simple nationism and who could fault them for that school of thought I mean after all come on. So for most Jewish people then and now, bless their hearts, they still can’t reconcile the fact that He has already fulfilled the "Benoni" part. So they're waiting for the soon return of His Second Coming, NO! For them He has never come the first time to be the ruling King, “Benjamin”. They don't see, It’s the same Person, but fulfilling both roles for almost 2000 years now. This is exactly what Peter is talking about, read it again.
1Peter 1:11
"Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them (as they wrote by inspiration) did signify, when it (He the Spirit or even the scripture) testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, (the Benoni) and the glory that should follow (which is the Benjamin Kingdom Age, where He will rule and reign as King)."
But did they ever figure it out? No! Was it their fault? No! Because they weren’t supposed to, because it was hid, all kept secret in the mind and heart of God. We need to keep in mind that God had given them a spirit of confusion and slumber because of their iniquity, unbelief. They're stopping of the ear and the murdering of His prophets. Not to mention they're selling out to the nations around about them with the mixing of false gods and open idolatry. Then there's the priest's who perpetrated a crime against God by establishing the Saturday only Sabbath which still hangs around the necks. Oh, and yes there's the 613 added rules or Laws of even more of sins weight that no one could carry. It's no wonder that both John the Baptist and Jesus were hostile toward the priesthood of the times. Sadly they haven't changed all that much still. This is why in Romans 11:25, Paul says that it took only a partial blindness to happen.
Now after reading Romans 16:25 a earlier where Paul says "it’s the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mysteries," let’s go to 1 Corinthians chapter 4, and look at another one. Remember Paul writes here to the Gentiles at Corinth so in effect he’s writing more or less to us.
1 Corinthians 4:1
"Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God."
A while back we said that a part of the administration of the Grace of God, or a part of the dispensation of God was that there had to be an administrator. Abraham spoke of it way back when he was promised a son, and said, "Lord all I have is this Eliezer of Damascus who is the steward of my property." Eliezer was the administrator, so that’s a perfect analogy. Now let’s come back to what we used earlier.
Remember that we said, we have a corporation, and we have a gentlemen at the very top, he’s the chief executive officer. This gentlemen has received his education, he’s probably received his degree or degrees in business administration, then he goes and gets a masters degree from say Harvard, and he works his way up through the ranks, and all of a sudden he’s the chief executive officer of this great corporation. Now he’s worked hard to get to that position, and he’s being paid well for it. What is expected of him? To be a good administrator. That’s his job description. Now that’s exactly what Paul is telling every one of us, that as soon as we get a good grasp on these mysteries, on these Revelations that have been given to the Apostle Paul, what are we to do with it? Pass them on! Administrate them, dispense them, do you see that? We're obligated to God and our fellow man kind to reveal these Truths. It's God who holds us accountable to man and to Him for we then allow Him to work through Christ in us to reveal Christ not only functioning in the world but first and foremost within each individual who be will receive the Truth and allow Him in into their heart of hearts, NOT our brain but hearts.
But oh! Christendom is so very slow to react, and we keep thinking all the time of some of the great Bible teachers of generations gone by who saw the apostasy that was coming. They were almost pleading back then already that the average Christian would get skilled in the Word of God so that when the apostasy would come that we could by person to person pass these things on. So this is what this Apostle is saying, in verse 1, "that we are to be stewards of these secrets of God that are now revealed " Now reading verse 2.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 6
What
is meant by “the glory that should follow”?
To find out we need to first turn to Isaiah 28 and look at what Isaiah says in verse 28 but to get the
flow we'll look ahead and behind this verse, though I'm perplexed just
where to jump in;
“For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act. Now therefore be not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Does the plowman plow all day to sow? does he open and break the clods of his ground? When he has made plain the face thereof, does he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? For his God does instruct him to discretion, and does teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. This also comes forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”
From here we'll turn to what the Lord says in Mark chapter 16 verse 17, but before we do, do you see the analogy of the farmer or do you see what the Lord is saying here?
Mark 16:15-19
“He said to them, 'Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover'. So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, to take His seat on the right hand of God.”
Here Christ has emphatically declared that His church would perform more and greater things than He Himself has done. For the example He said to go to the nations and proclaim His message of spiritual Redemption to all. It becomes obvious that not every believer would proclaim His message and through it be able to perform such miracles, for any number of limiting reasons. It can only mean that throughout the ages such things will occur. It is no more than an extension and continuation of what Jesus started. They, the early followers were no more than imitators and only after the day of Pentecost when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit's infilling them, would He again have vehicles through which to confirm His message. So what makes the difference between them and us today? Allow me to recommend two totally different points of view. The opinion we are about to advance is based on the difference or contrast between two approaches or attitudes to nature. The one can be described as a general lack of awareness that leads to instinctive action. We could call it an attitude of “instinctive unconsciousness.” The other attitude is developed by a conscious studious manipulation of nature. We will refer to it as the “conscious analytical” or some variation of that. In Isaiah 28 above the instruction comes to the farmer from the Lord this is the “instinctive unconsciousness” by which we write. And the “conscious analytical” is received by attendance of some college or university with religious studies and is mans learned methodology of religion. This methodology is hindered as we've been saying by the spirit of religare, the same familiar spirit which was given Israel and try as the church and man may to be a doer, they cannot manipulate God to perform in the fashion of mans understanding, He is not on display. Besides that when we practice in the same fashion as the early Judaism and even today’s Judaism, the practice of ritualistic sacrifices, the idolatrous religious Sacraments, of mans designed religious performance we become guilty of the cross and blood and are in effect crucifying again the Lord. Just the practice that Paul warns the Galatian-Christians and the Christian-Hebrews of doing. By reverting back to paganism though now disguised or veiled by a more evil heart and it had been before.
For this reason if none other the Lord told the Corinthians through Paul, “to come out from among them,” just as He did Noah, Abram and Israel (2Corinthians 6:11-7:1). This was also the bases of Paul's warnings not to return to that which they or we've come out of, be it religion in denominational-ism, nondenominational-ism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Voodooism or what ever. Once we've turned to the Lord and found Him trustworthy we can not return to the old ways of life because there remains no more sacrifice, though the worlds churches practices such. “IF” we claim to take the name or title of “Christian” we are not our own, any longer, but rather belong to Him who has paid the price of our redemption in FULL. If we put to death the Lord monthly, yearly or what ever our churches custom maybe we are building up wrath within ourselves as a storage capacitor or battery hold a charge until discharged. And believe it or not we are guilty of vial idolatry by so doing. To get a deeper understanding read our study on the “A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover” posted elsewhere in this or our other blog.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 5
Paul does make reference to all the things in Romans that he has been disclosing here however in his remarks in chapter 16 we find, this in a verse that we’ll refer to time and time again, because it says so much that most of Christendom hears nothing of. And why preachers and teachers avoid it we don't understand. So those of you out there who are pastors and are reading with us, goodness sake preach a sermon now and then on this verse, because this is what people have to hear.
Romans 16:25
"Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, (we have to proclaim this message) which was kept secret since the world begin."
Did you catch that? Paul, is telling us that what he's proclaiming had been hidden within the text of the Old Testament. In Hebrews we find that Moses had revealed this secret but it had gone unknown or hidden from the hearers. Till Paul and he is now the very first one to preach this Gospel based on Jesus' death for us, that He was buried and rose again. But that was not know by Moses so what was it that he know and told Israel? The message of Genesis 3:15 can and is the only explanation of answer. Because Jesus told Peter that he had given to him the keys to the kingdom but what were the keys to open? Did Peter or any of the other disciples know how they worked or is there any recorded that they had used them, NO! Our churches and religious systems are or appear to be in the dark about these secrets. For the fifty some years that I attended church don't recall ever hearing anything preached on the subject here disclosed. And No one else in Scripture preaches this as a Salvation or Redemption doctrine. This had been kept secret in the mind and heart of God since the world began until revealed to this Apostle, and our churches don't know them, we just can’t get around it. We’ve had people ridiculously try to tell us that Adam was saved by believing this Gospel. Isn’t that ridiculous? The Gospel hadn’t been revealed. But truth is Adam and woman both knew because of first hand knowledge, Adam knew that he did and what was to come from his actions but only after the fact. They understood because of the language that was given them and this is what God hid from literal understanding. Until man received the power of the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth, who was to reveal what? Christ! Not some dead doctrine or mysterion or ancient mysticism NO! nothing but Christ! All Adam and Eve did for salvation was to do what God instructed them to do. Abel did what God instructed him to do, but they certainly didn’t know anything about the death, burial and resurrection and a crucifixion. The answer is in what God had promised and not a religion of nature. This is not received by mans normal since of reasoning through the five senses or common knowledge of wise sounding words of philosophy. Now at Pentecost and for a while thereafter man operated in part of the revelation however it waned away because of false doctrine, the mixing of the spirit of the world within the church until the individual and the church have become indigent in the use of the power which is to be. All because of sin gross sin and err.
But the religion of nature is what came about, this religion is what Enoch and the book of Jasher reveal was afoot back when man was in the age of innocents. For when the angels of darkness were cast out of heaven all hell broke loose on earth and these angels retaliated against God by marring women, teaching them what we can call mystic arts which include among other things chemistry, metallurgy, astrology, cosmology, magic and potions and spells. They did violence to man and nature by committing crimes against God. And against what God told man in Genesis 1:26-29. Mans rule of nature and in did the earth has weakened ever since until today we have no understanding or knowledge of any of these things here in the US of A, but in other countries of the world this is not the case at all they know. And much of what Jesus did was in accord to what Genesis 1:26-29 reveals and He gave to man through His disciples the keys to these things as found in Matthew 16:19.
For someone to say that they knew of the crucifixion, No! they couldn't because crucifixion wasn’t invented until the Romans thought it up, sovereignly of course. No one had a concept, according to Paul, of this Gospel as we now know it. In fact let’s go all the way back to Peter’s first little epistle. And this was written at the end of Peter’s ministry, just as 2 Timothy is written at the end of Paul’s ministry, and we think they were both martyred within a year or so of each other. So this scripture was written at about 65 or 66 AD, and Peter writes starting in verse 10 of chapter 1.
1 Peter 1:10-11
"Of which salvation (as we now know in the Age of Grace, and I’m sure he is now alluding to Paul’s Gospel at least somewhat.) the prophets (Old Testament writers) have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (now look at the next verse) Searching (they were looking, and looking for something they couldn’t find, they never did find it, they knew of it but it alluded them, was hidden from them) what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow."
What is meant by "the glory that should follow"?
Romans 16:25
"Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, (we have to proclaim this message) which was kept secret since the world begin."
Did you catch that? Paul, is telling us that what he's proclaiming had been hidden within the text of the Old Testament. In Hebrews we find that Moses had revealed this secret but it had gone unknown or hidden from the hearers. Till Paul and he is now the very first one to preach this Gospel based on Jesus' death for us, that He was buried and rose again. But that was not know by Moses so what was it that he know and told Israel? The message of Genesis 3:15 can and is the only explanation of answer. Because Jesus told Peter that he had given to him the keys to the kingdom but what were the keys to open? Did Peter or any of the other disciples know how they worked or is there any recorded that they had used them, NO! Our churches and religious systems are or appear to be in the dark about these secrets. For the fifty some years that I attended church don't recall ever hearing anything preached on the subject here disclosed. And No one else in Scripture preaches this as a Salvation or Redemption doctrine. This had been kept secret in the mind and heart of God since the world began until revealed to this Apostle, and our churches don't know them, we just can’t get around it. We’ve had people ridiculously try to tell us that Adam was saved by believing this Gospel. Isn’t that ridiculous? The Gospel hadn’t been revealed. But truth is Adam and woman both knew because of first hand knowledge, Adam knew that he did and what was to come from his actions but only after the fact. They understood because of the language that was given them and this is what God hid from literal understanding. Until man received the power of the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth, who was to reveal what? Christ! Not some dead doctrine or mysterion or ancient mysticism NO! nothing but Christ! All Adam and Eve did for salvation was to do what God instructed them to do. Abel did what God instructed him to do, but they certainly didn’t know anything about the death, burial and resurrection and a crucifixion. The answer is in what God had promised and not a religion of nature. This is not received by mans normal since of reasoning through the five senses or common knowledge of wise sounding words of philosophy. Now at Pentecost and for a while thereafter man operated in part of the revelation however it waned away because of false doctrine, the mixing of the spirit of the world within the church until the individual and the church have become indigent in the use of the power which is to be. All because of sin gross sin and err.
But the religion of nature is what came about, this religion is what Enoch and the book of Jasher reveal was afoot back when man was in the age of innocents. For when the angels of darkness were cast out of heaven all hell broke loose on earth and these angels retaliated against God by marring women, teaching them what we can call mystic arts which include among other things chemistry, metallurgy, astrology, cosmology, magic and potions and spells. They did violence to man and nature by committing crimes against God. And against what God told man in Genesis 1:26-29. Mans rule of nature and in did the earth has weakened ever since until today we have no understanding or knowledge of any of these things here in the US of A, but in other countries of the world this is not the case at all they know. And much of what Jesus did was in accord to what Genesis 1:26-29 reveals and He gave to man through His disciples the keys to these things as found in Matthew 16:19.
For someone to say that they knew of the crucifixion, No! they couldn't because crucifixion wasn’t invented until the Romans thought it up, sovereignly of course. No one had a concept, according to Paul, of this Gospel as we now know it. In fact let’s go all the way back to Peter’s first little epistle. And this was written at the end of Peter’s ministry, just as 2 Timothy is written at the end of Paul’s ministry, and we think they were both martyred within a year or so of each other. So this scripture was written at about 65 or 66 AD, and Peter writes starting in verse 10 of chapter 1.
1 Peter 1:10-11
"Of which salvation (as we now know in the Age of Grace, and I’m sure he is now alluding to Paul’s Gospel at least somewhat.) the prophets (Old Testament writers) have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (now look at the next verse) Searching (they were looking, and looking for something they couldn’t find, they never did find it, they knew of it but it alluded them, was hidden from them) what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow."
What is meant by "the glory that should follow"?
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 4
All are to follow Paul's and the Lord's pattern to be restored back to the place that Adam was prior to the fall. This is what Paul means when he said to walk as he walks and then to follow his
pattern or example. To find out more pick up our post which is linked here at whmaynard@blogspost.com/.
2 Timothy 4:1a-2
"I charge thee therefore before God,...Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
I just realized that this is what the Lord had told me to do back in 1971, the light just came on for me. Thank You LORD! And now verse 5 and 6;
2 Timothy 4:5-6
"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
Paul is going to be taken off the scene, but he is charging the young man Timothy to continue with these mysteries you might say, that have been revealed to this unique individual. So now back to verse 3, where Paul tells us about these secrets.
Ephesians 3:3-4
"How that by revelation (by illumination which reveals within the soul or conscious) he (Christ the risen LORD) made known unto me the mystery; (these things that had been kept secret, primarily contained in Genesis 3:15) (as I wrote afore in few words, (in his other letters and chapters 1 and 2) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)"
Now what in the world can he be talking about unless it’s something that had never before been revealed. This is the idea then of the revelations of the mystery. For the prophets of old where told to keep them concealed until the time of the end. This small book can be seen throughout the Old Testament and in each instance it is be with held what it says. Lets just look at one and this is taken just before the Lord pronounces the woes upon a rebellious and unbelieving people:
Isaiah 29:10-14
“For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee": and he saith, “I cannot; for it is sealed”: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee": and he saith, “I am not learned.” Wherefore the Lord said, 'Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid'.”
Here is the beginning of the wisdom which God teaches to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. But if this is the case for Israel then who was worthy one to open the book and two to disclose what was within it. To find out we need to turn again to Revelation chapter 5.
Revelation 5:5-10
"And one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals (these are not the same kind of seals as found on the book of plagues or the books of Life) 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 He 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 are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and have redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
So the Lamb of God has opened the seals of this small book and we know by Paul's words that while he was being ministered in the wilderness of Sinai the LORD revealed these things to him.
All right let’s go back to Romans so we can put some other scripture verses with this. Romans is the foundational book of Paul’s letters so far as doctrine in concerned. And yet Romans does not relay some of these deeper things that we’re already seeing in Ephesians, but he does make one reference to all this in his closing remarks in chapter 16.
2 Timothy 4:1a-2
"I charge thee therefore before God,...Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
I just realized that this is what the Lord had told me to do back in 1971, the light just came on for me. Thank You LORD! And now verse 5 and 6;
2 Timothy 4:5-6
"But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
Paul is going to be taken off the scene, but he is charging the young man Timothy to continue with these mysteries you might say, that have been revealed to this unique individual. So now back to verse 3, where Paul tells us about these secrets.
Ephesians 3:3-4
"How that by revelation (by illumination which reveals within the soul or conscious) he (Christ the risen LORD) made known unto me the mystery; (these things that had been kept secret, primarily contained in Genesis 3:15) (as I wrote afore in few words, (in his other letters and chapters 1 and 2) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)"
Now what in the world can he be talking about unless it’s something that had never before been revealed. This is the idea then of the revelations of the mystery. For the prophets of old where told to keep them concealed until the time of the end. This small book can be seen throughout the Old Testament and in each instance it is be with held what it says. Lets just look at one and this is taken just before the Lord pronounces the woes upon a rebellious and unbelieving people:
Isaiah 29:10-14
“For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee": and he saith, “I cannot; for it is sealed”: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee": and he saith, “I am not learned.” Wherefore the Lord said, 'Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid'.”
Here is the beginning of the wisdom which God teaches to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying. But if this is the case for Israel then who was worthy one to open the book and two to disclose what was within it. To find out we need to turn again to Revelation chapter 5.
Revelation 5:5-10
"And one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals (these are not the same kind of seals as found on the book of plagues or the books of Life) 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 He 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 are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and have redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
So the Lamb of God has opened the seals of this small book and we know by Paul's words that while he was being ministered in the wilderness of Sinai the LORD revealed these things to him.
All right let’s go back to Romans so we can put some other scripture verses with this. Romans is the foundational book of Paul’s letters so far as doctrine in concerned. And yet Romans does not relay some of these deeper things that we’re already seeing in Ephesians, but he does make one reference to all this in his closing remarks in chapter 16.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 3
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;
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;
Monday, July 1, 2013
Ephesians Lesson 20 of 39 part 2
To review just a tad;
Ephesians
3:2b
"...the
dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:"
And the you-ward
is speaking of Gentiles, the nations. So now let’s look in
Galatians 1.
Galatians
1:11-12
"But
I certify you, brethren, that the (this) gospel which was preached of me is
not after man. (Paul is saying he’s not following in some
other man’s footsteps) For I neither received it of man,
neither was I taught it. But by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Paul
got all of his doctrines of Grace, this includes this Gospel we must
believe for our salvation, from Christ Jesus, Himself. It was a
revealing, a secret that had been kept hidden in the mind and heart
of God according to the verses we looked at elsewhere. So here in
verse 12 that’s what Paul is claiming. That what had been kept
secret and is now revealed to this Apostle, came by revelation of
Jesus Christ. Now when we teach Paul’s Epistles we emphasize that
this revelation was after our Lord’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension and that makes all the difference in the world. How or where did Paul receive this revelation quite possibly in the same way we're to. As Jesus told Peter lets look at it;
Matthew 16:15-20
"He (Jesus) saith to them, 'But whom say ye that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven'. Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He, Jesus was the Christ."
We need to keep in mind that unlike the worlds religious rendition of what this means, Jesus is proclaiming all things spiritual that are shortly coming into practice, through Him, as first spoken to Adam and revealed in Genesis 3:15 and 21. Here it comes are you ready for it?
We need to keep in mind that unlike the worlds religious rendition of what this means, Jesus is proclaiming all things spiritual that are shortly coming into practice, through Him, as first spoken to Adam and revealed in Genesis 3:15 and 21. Here it comes are you ready for it?
Matthew 13:34-35
"All these things spake Jesus to the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not to them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 'I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world'."
Here the prophet is speaking the words of God.
Matthew 13:11-16
Matthew 13:11-16
"He (Jesus) answered and said to them, 'Because it is given to you (the disciples) to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them (those who remain unregenerate) it is not given. For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not (the redeemed, and circumcised heart), from him shall be taken away even that he has. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, "By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." 'But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear'."
So in answer to my question which was in two parts, the first is that we're to receive Him through our redemption as spoken to Adam, and the second is this within our heart of hearts. Is where and when the circumcision takes place, do we see and hear Him by faith's activity in graces receptivity restored to us. In the fullness of the Last Supper, the Marriage Feast revelation and on through the Lord's ascension through which we're circumcised and become son's of God by faiths revealing revelation.
See Jesus
couldn’t even preach His death, burial, resurrection and ascension for
salvation, because it hadn’t even happened yet. He tried to tell
the twelve about it, but they never got it, according to Luke
18:31-34, but it just wasn’t in the economy of that system under
the Law for Israel and the Hebrews to understand this Gospel of
Grace. It just wasn’t meant to be! So now let’s look at what Paul
says in verse 15.
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