Christ Revealed in You

The revealing of the Revelation and the mysteries in the Light of the Gospel of the risen Lord Jesus Christ as given to Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. As contained in the letters of Paul, to the Romans on through Philemon and the letter of persuasion written to the Hebrews. A Bible study and other insights. So we should get off that milk bottle. We have to tell those who find us and begin to read the posts to throw the milk bottle away.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Israel’s Blindness

This mystery is at the end of a parenthetical clause found in Romans chapter 11. This parenthetical clause is composed of chapters 9 through 11 dealing with Israel’s past, presents and future, with chapter 12 picking up the rest of the teaching from the end of chapter 8. Paul starts in chapter ten laying the ground work for the introduction for God's having blinded the eyes and ears of Israel to their Messiah and their none acceptance of Him and the offer of His kingdom. The letter starts with how God sees humanity in various stages and then brings in the explanation of Christ’s finished work of the cross. In chapter sixteen we have what appears to be an additional letter added, this letter also has a mystery mentioned at the end of it, which is able to establish us according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is received by revelation of Christ's resurrection and a greater experiencing of the Spiritual life. It is from this that we'll be drawing from for the rest of our outline of Paul's mysteries revealed.

Paul in his ministry letter to the Romans: in the first five chapters; from chapter one verse eighteen through to verse thirty-two reveals how God sees the immoral man. In chapter two verse one through verse sixteen; God reveals how He sees the moral man, then in verse seventeen through chapter three verse twenty; God reveals how He sees the religious man. From chapter three verse twenty one through chapter five verse five we find God's imputed right-wise-ness to man kind. The rest is teaching in the ways of righteousness through redemption and salvation.

Then Paul changes directions in chapter three in verse nineteen through verse twenty-six where He tells us not to have doubt as Israel did. In these verses He reveals the sanctification, justification, and righteousness that all receive when they put their hope and faith in Christ’s resurrection or the finished work of the cross.

Paul over lapses this action of God from chapter three verse twenty-six on through chapter four verse nine, to strengthen his and our foundation as contained in the finished work of the cross of Christ and our being in Christ in God’s mystical power of grace, the “It is finished” of Jesus’ flesh being put to death and mans sin problem done with forever. The secret of our being identified (conjoined) in Christ in His selfless action of love by allowing man to put Him to death on that tree and the taking of the wrath and punishment due us because of the action of Adam and his putting to death the Christ of God that he (Adam, humanity held at the first) contained in himself as a divine being. Christ as the second Adam, that is the incarnate one in humanities flesh putting sin to death for all who would come to faith in this revelation and carry themselves as dead to the lust of the old man of flesh. He offers redemption in His blood unto regeneration of mans spirit to newness of life or quickened from the dead that the natural man still lives in. Which even the truly born a new person still contains in the flesh or the outward man as the new spiritual man of the heart will learn to keep in subjection. By putting the desires or lusts of the flesh to death daily as they raise their ugly head in his flesh. This is known as crucifying the flesh or taking up the cross of Christ daily.

Then in chapter four verse one through chapter five verse five Paul reveals our righteousness in Christ in God when we by faith acquire or accept the truth of God’s working for us and in us for His good pleasure our total redemption by sanctification. It required our being sanctified from the death and sin nature by our being conjoined to Jesus Christ as at the first when He went to the cross and put the commandment, first given to Adam (found in Genesis 2:16) , this commandment has carried through all generations of human kind. It is something that no man in any works done by the flesh could or would accomplish, for if we could we would have somewhat to boast about before God and this we can not do, because God has done it all for us when we by His Faith receive it. This was a sovereign working of God and was His plan, held in secret from before the foundation of the world, a mystery now revealed to those who are in Christ Jesus as Paul was the chief of this line or group. What is meant is that there was not a hint of this plan in the Old Testament though the prophets searched for the meaning of the secret but were unable to find the key to unlock its meaning. Even John the revelator was told to eat the book, Daniel was told to close the book because it was not for his time and understanding.

Then in chapter five verse six, (this reveals the laws power and Paul’s and our struggle with its hold) is the crucifying of the old Adam nature in our flesh, through to the end of this chapter. Then chapter six through chapter eight Paul opens up our understanding on what he had covered again to strengthen our faith and the work which God accomplished in the flesh of Christ, those men who gain the wisdom of God contained in Christ and revealed in them. Chapter eight reveals in verses fourteen through seventeen what many call “the Romans road to salvation.” However the plan of our salvation can better be seen in 1 Corinthians 15: 1-8.

Then chapters nine, ten, and eleven are dealing with Israel’s past, present, and future. Then in chapter eleven verse twenty-fifth revealing Israel’s blindness or hardness of heart.(*) From the first verse foreword Paul is explaining the error of Israel and why God laid aside the promised glory that Israel is to some day have. The purpose is for the benefit of the gentiles and their entry into God’s Gospel of Grace, because of Israel’s doubting of God which is unbelief and their failure to accept Jesus as the nations promised Messiah and King.

Chapter twelve picks up where Paul left off at the end of chapter eight with more of his teaching on the grace of God which is now available to all, that is to both Jew and Gentile on a level playing field, and is practical living for all.

Chapter sixteen is another letter written to Phoebe which ends in verse twenty-four with what we’d call a P.S. added where Paul adds another mystery, the fact that the gospel of grace revealed here a hidden secret of Christ’s resurrection as it was written in the scriptures and prophets and is now made manifest to all the nations in faith to obedience of faith. This gospel has power to establish all by the preaching of Christ Jesus’ finished works. This mystery will be covered later in another paper, but here we’ll be looking at Israel’s blindness or hardness of heart which started when Moses brought them out of Egypt and has carried all the way up to this vary day. In the process we find a similar blindness mentioned which applies to both Israel and the nations or Gentiles, we’ll look at this in a second paper as this can be a vary long study other wise.

(*) Remember that Israel as a nation was lead by Priests that the Lord called false teachers, wolves, liars and whited sepulcher which appears beautiful outwardly but inwardly are full of dead mans bones and all uncleanness. These men taught lies and sowed doubt which is unbelief by reasoning’s, which are the works of the devil. That is why Paul’s letter to the Hebrews is a letter of persuasion to come out of a works gospel and a works mentality into a faith in God, a changing of the Hebrews thinking pattern and to a love of your neighbor working which is an obedience of faith in both love and grace.

(1) God does not want the Body of Christ ignorant of His plan as Israel was at the Lords first advent. He wants us to know the secrets and have complete knowledge of them, being able to teach others and to edify the Body of Christ with the reality of the truth. To be able to strengthen each other to stand all the wilds of the adversary in his attempts to draw us away from our faith in Christ’s finished works and our being IN Him as one. And with our hope held steadfast in glory and our promise of eternal life with God in Christ.

Paul in the verses before this is showing by the use of illustration the olive tree (Christ is the trunk of this tree) with branches grafted in from a wild olive tree. (this being the gentiles) In chapters seven and eight he deals with the law and the fact that Israel was under the Law of Moses or that which God had given to him. (It made no room for forgiveness or charity.) That the gentiles were under the first commandment given to man in Adam and that all humanity is required to die to this law of sin and death, this law of commandment was first spoken to man in Genesis 2:16-17, they (the gentiles) were not nor had they any part of Israel’s Law. Then in another place he tells us that Jesus took the requirements of both laws to the cross and nailed them there in the sin filled flesh of man, by His being fashioned in mans flesh. Jesus tells us in the synoptic gospels that He was the gate and the door through which it is required to enter the new birth by death to the sin nature. As Jesus acted in His own free will obedience to death we are by our own free will required to yield our hellish wills to the Father and see ourselves on the cross of Christ in death to the evils of the flesh. Thereby willing to do His Will, and breaking the chains of bondage to sin and death, slaves to Satan’s rule held in the flesh of natural man.

Israel when she rejected the kingdom of heaven that had been promised to her by the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapters 6 and 7 and when Stephen said that “he see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing by the right hand of the throne of God” (verse 56). Stephen used the phrase that Jesus used to describe Himself during His ministry on earth, to the nation of Israel primarily. This was the phrase used by the prophets to describe the coming Messiah and is found in Ezekiel primarily. Now we’ll be looking at Israel’s partial hardening or blindness caused by its sin of unbelief. This blindness is to cause Israel to become jealous of the gentiles because of God’s love being shown them and their acceptance as heirs and joint heirs of Christ in the kingdom of God through grace.

Unlike other studies where written outlines are used and this being electronic we’ll dispense with the usual “now turn to page or chapter and verse so and so” for this study and all those to follow.
Now our base scripture of study:

Rom 11:25-32
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery; a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. In this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, and he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy (the gift of God) because of their disobedience (unbelief), so they too have now been disobedient(in unbelief) in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Before we get into our study let me present to you another translation of this same passage of scripture, this is taken from the Weymouth 1912 New Testament:

Rom 11:25-32 For there is a truth, brethren, not revealed hitherto, of which I do not wish to leave you in ignorance, for fear you should attribute superior wisdom to yourselves (speaking of the gentile believers)--the truth, I mean, that partial blindness has fallen upon Israel until the great mass of the Gentiles have come in; and so all Israel will be saved. As is declared in Scripture, "FROM MOUNT ZION A DELIVERER WILL COME: HE WILL REMOVE ALL UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB; AND THIS SHALL BE MY COVENANT WITH THEM; WHEN I HAVE TAKEN AWAY THEIR SINS." (The Jewishness of unbelief and the crucifying of Him) In relation to the Good News, the Jews are God's enemies for your sakes; but in relation to God's choice they are dearly loved for the sake of their forefathers. For God does not repent of His free gifts nor of His call; but just as you were formerly disobedient to Him, but now have received mercy at a time when they are disobedient, so now they also have been disobedient at a time when you are receiving mercy; so that to them too there may now be mercy. For God has locked up all in the prison of unbelief, that upon all alike He may have mercy.

Now to getting to the rest of the story we need to start with the beginning, but first some terms to clear up the meaning of.

wise in your own sight: This in the King James Version and others is translated “I would not have you ignorant of” means the following: “ as if you alone were in all time coming to be the family of God” this is to prevent self-conceit on the part of the Gentiles who have believed. They had no merit in themselves.
Ignorant this is taken from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

IG'NORANT, a. [L. ignorans.] Destitute of knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught; unenlightened. A man may be ignorant of the law, or of any art or science. He may be ignorant of his own rights, or of the rights of others.

1. Unknown; undiscovered; a poetical use; as ignorant concealment.

2. Unacquainted with.

Ignorant of guilt, I fear not shame.

3. Unskillfully made or done. [Not legitimate.]

Poor ignorant baubles.

IG'NORANT, n. A person untaught or uninformed; one unlettered or unskilled.
In the dispensations and epochs of God for it is in these that we learn God’s character and nature.

Did I for this take pains to teach our zealous ignorants to preach?

a partial hardening: Or blindness to the spiritual things of God, as a nation is this blindness spoken of, the individual is still able to receive salvation, until: This is a time word, there remains a day when this blindness will be removed form the nation of Israel that day is known as the Day of the Lord at which time the lawless one will be revealed and Jacobs vexation starts. God picks up where He left off in dealing with Israel’s unbelief and mingling with the nations, this is known as the tribulation period of seven years duration.

the fullness of the Gentiles has come in: The gentiles and any individual Jew, who has taken himself out of his Jewish traditions, will be taken out of here when this fullness is completed, the mystical Body of Christ, the one new man. I say former Hebrew because to be a member of the Body of Christ the individual Hebrew looses or is required to give up his heritage of traditions both of man and the Leviticus Law with its ordinances these are abandoned as Christ nailed them to the cross in His flesh. They were for mans fleshly nature and for Israel only as a tutor until Christ. Christ is the end of what is known as the Old Testament in fact from Matthew through Acts 8 &9 is where God changes His “mod of operation” dispensation of dealing only with Israel.

they are enemies of God: We find that Paul was all the time being flowed by his own country-men or religious zealots who caused trouble for him and his new converts to the Gospel of God’s Grace. This can be found in Galatians chapter 2:4-6; “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in---who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery--- to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. From those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)--those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.” (See also John 8:31-32, 36; Acts 15:1, 24-26; 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 and others) This is Paul’s account of the meeting with his Hebrew counter parts in Jerusalem as found in Acts 15.

Many are ignorant of the common usage of words in the Koine’ Greek from 300 BC to 300 AD the time of our Lord and Paul’s writings. When the usage of a word was determined on its placement and application, with a prefix or suffix consisting of long or short sounds marking placed on certain letters, in the structure of a sentence though they did not have a structured sentence as we have today. We have refined their usage patterns to come up with what we have now, ie they had no punctuation just hard or soft letter (groupings of) sounds. For this reason the Bible’s usage or word applications may be different than what we understand them to be in meaning.

Israel’s Blindness
Rom. 11:25-32

As regards the gospel
Rom 11:1-2 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?

Now a point needs to be made here as Paul uses the terms of argument heard in the Temple among the priests. They would start by saying something like: I’m of the tribe of Levi or Benjamin; just as Paul here is doing to establish their (his) point of view and scriptural interpretation. Remember that all of the Hebrews were a sense ruled people with few exceptions, this simply means that they had to depend on what they thought they could trust namely what they saw, heard, tasted, or felt and smelt. That is why they required signs and wonders or miracles and even then they still remained hardhearted or stubborn.

Rom 11:7-14 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect (the righteous or spiritual man) obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day." David says, "Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.” I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass redemption has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

Rom 11:15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
(Life from the dead is in reference to life now in this present earthy state not only for Israel but all of unredeemed mankind. As we think of ourselves as living but according to the Bible we are not because we in our natural state since the fall of Adam and in the first Adam are dead to God and His influences. We are contrary to common belief under the rule of the prince of the power of the air or put another way under the influence of the spirit of the world as slaves to his whims and by this we are enmity to God. Until we willfully become obedient to the requirements of sin and death, the lusts of the flesh will no longer have sway over us. When we become connate within Christ (by revelation)in His death, burial and resurrection, we then become a new creature and seated within Him at the right hand of God.)

Rom 11:16-24 And if the first fruit is holy, so is the lump: and if the root is holy (Yehovah, Christ), so are the branches (individual Hebrews). But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive (the gentiles), were grafted in among them, and did become partaker with them of the root of the fatness of the olive tree (natural Israel); glory not over the branches: but if you glory, it is not you that bear the root, but the root you (Christ Jesus, Yeshua). You will say then, Branches were broken off, and that I might be grafted in. Well; by their unbelief they were broken off (carnal or natural man), and you stand by your faith (righteous or spiritual man). Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward you, God's goodness, if you continue in His goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off. And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree (under Satans rule), and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Rom 15:3-10 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction (in learning), that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (looking towards the promised redemption and it’s salvation promised to the seed-Christ). May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name." And again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."

Thayer’s definition: life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever. Also Thayer's Definition: to live, breathe, be among the living, to enjoy real life, to have true life and worthy of the name, active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God, to live, i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living and acting of mortals or character as living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul, metaphorically to be in full vigor to be fresh, strong, efficient as adjective active, powerful, efficacious.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary:
Consummation: Consummation of marriage, the most intimate of unions, which completes the connubial relation.
Connubial: of or relating to marriage or the relationship between God and man. See also join and yoke and here is a new one to be “connate” and “conjoin” (ed). Matthew 11 my yoke: a link; a bond of connection; as the yoke of marriage, to couple; to join with another, to be conjoined.
Join: To set or bring one thing in contiguity with another. To couple; to connect; to combine; as, to join ideas and to unite in league or marriage. But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1. The mystery and hidden meaning of marriage, to be flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone.
Conjoin: To join together, without any thing intermediate; to unite two or more persons or things in close connection; as, to conjoin friends; to conjoin man and woman in marriage.

2Cor 3:4-18 This is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant,(a new and living way) not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills (mans sufficiency), but the Spirit gives life. (Being born again in the regeneration from mans fallen spiritual darkness into the light of Christ again as at the first.) Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation (the Mosaic Law with its ordinances), the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory (God’s Grace). Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. (The new life found only in Christ by Grace.) For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, how much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, [a more sure foundation, bed rock who is Christ] we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end (Jesus Christ was the end of the Mosaic Law with it’s ordinances, for He fulfilled the requirements of it). But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through (in union with) Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns into the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (liberty) We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit that abides forever. Note Paul is here telling us from whom he learned or received this truth.

2Cor. 4:1-11 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For it is God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in jars of clay, (our flesh) to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
(At this stage of the Corinthians growth they were not showing much growth spiritually so Paul says “in our mortal flesh.” Showing them his being upset with them for their lack of spiritual understanding, discernment or knowledge. We’ll see more on this in the next study on this passage.)

1Cor. 2:4-16 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (this is the resurrection power that all who enter through the gate receive, that enables them to witness Christ crucified and resurrected again in them): that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. We speak wisdom, however, among them that are full-grown: yet wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to naught: but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds to our glory: which none of the rulers of this world had known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. To us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, and the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man, save (except) the spirit of the man, which is in him? (Is the spirit of man a live or yet dead because of sin?) Even so the things of God none knows save (except) the Spirit of God. We received, not the spirit of the world, again, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of (by) God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit teaches; combining spiritual things with spiritual words. Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. (understood, discerned) He that is spiritual judges all things, and he himself is judged of no man. (No earthy man can be judge of a spiritual being.)For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (Only when we have yielded our wills to His will in the required way, death to the fallen flesh of sins nature, do we respond to the word of the Lord spoken to us and heard by us in our spirit, we know it is truth.)

John 3:5-8 Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say to you, except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born anew. The wind blows where it will, and you hear the voice thereof, but know not where it comes from, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
(Those who are born into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ become regenerated in spirit and are become “born anew” have their dead spirit quickened or given new life in Christ. They have passed through the veil of the flesh, the gate and passed from death into life being conjoined to Christ. This is being born of water and the Spirit. It might be noted that an understanding of the name of Moses might be of aid here, this can be found elsewhere in another writing.)

For many this will be a door opener and maybe their redemption which leads to salvation that said please read and take to heart the following simple outline of faith. Then if you agree with it repeat it from the heart in agreement with it by speaking it out thereby taking it as your own, for with the mouth is confession made and possession is taken.

The Simplicity of Redemption
Taken from: “The Way to Divine Knowledge” by William Law (1686-1761)

Take only the gospel (That’s found in Romans through Philemon, for the mysteries of God which is known as the Gospel of God’s Grace opens to us His plan for our redemption which leads to our salvation.) into your hands; deny yourself; renounce the lusts of the flesh; set your affections on things above; call upon God for His Holy Spirit; walk by faith, and not by sight; adore the holy Deity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in whose image and likeness you were at first created; and in whose name and power you have been baptized, to be again the living likeness, and holy habitation, of His life, and light, and Holy Spirit.

Look up to Christ, as your redeemer, your regenerator, your second Adam; look at Him, as truly He is, the wisdom and power of God, sitting at His right hand in heaven, giving gifts to men; governing, sanctifying, teaching, and enlightening with His Holy Spirit, all those that are spiritually-minded; who live in faith, and hope, and prayer, to be redeemed from the nature and power of this evil world. Follow but this simple, plain spirit of the gospel, loving God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself; and then you are Christ's disciple, and have His authority to let the dead bury their dead.

God is a spirit, in whom you live and move and have your being; and He stays not till you are a great scholar, but till you turn from evil, and love goodness, to manifest His holy presence, power, and life, within you. It is the love of goodness, that must do all for you; this is the art of arts; and when this is the ruling spirit of your heart, then Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, will come into you, and make their abode within you, and lead you into all truth. Thank You Father!

Lets take a lesson from one of the minor old testament prophets to see if we can gain some insight into Israel’s blindness, we’ll turn to Hosea chapter 3.

Hosea 3:1-3 Then said the LORD unto me, “Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.” So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
(Instead of just simply claiming a girl for his wife, now he’s going to go back and win the wife that had left him to go back to her lovers. This girl was from the northern tribes of Israel and not some gentile.

Now lets return to Jeremiah 44:19; Now, this again is the response of idolatrous Israel. Now, the better translation for flagons of wine would have been grape cakes. In other words, they actually took a grape-flavored cake and offered it on their altars to this female goddess. So, here’s where we get the comparison of Scripture, “did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-offerings unto her,…” (Note: this is spoken to all 12 tribes of Israel and not just the northern or southern tribes; he said "the children of Israel")
Verse 3 remember, he’s talking to that who had once been his and had been lost, and he’s bringing her back. I think what’s implied here is that Israel was so steeped in idolatry all the way up until the Babylonian captivity. That cured her. I don’t think there’s any evidence that the Jews practiced idolatry after the Babylonian captivity. Now, they had a lot of other wicked acts, but not idolatry. For some reason or other, it cured them of idolatry! Now he’s referring to. That she would come back for a time, and she’s going to completely be removed from idolatry, because that’s her return after she’s been out in that Babylonian captivity of 70 years. Now she comes back and is at least cured of the adulterous, spiritual adultery.)
Now here's a biggy verse 4

Hosea 3:4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

(Listen carefully; "the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:” The casual reader is going to miss all that. What are we talking about? They’re going to be bereft of all their Temple worship. They’re going to be out of the land. They’re going to have no formal ritual to keep them in touch with the God of Abraham. When did that all come about? For the third time: In 70 AD, because what happened in 70 AD? The Romans came in and again they destroyed the Temple, but so much differently than when Nebuchadnezzar did it. When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple, 70 years later the Jews came back and rebuilt the second Temple. And they went on again with their Temple worship, with their Priesthood, and their sacrifices; all the way up until the time of Christ’s first advent.

But, when Titus came in and destroyed the Temple and destroyed Jerusalem, and the Jews were scattered out into every nation under heaven, it’s been that way now for 1,900 and some years. They’re without a Temple. They’re without priesthood. They’re without a prince. They’re without a sacrifice. They are destitute of any kind of a religious practice that will keep them in touch with the God of Abraham. All right, that’s what that one verse is telling us.)

Now turn to Acts 1:6
Acts 1:6-8 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own power. But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (This has not been completed yet and wont be until the tribulation period and after as the Jews as a nation never accepted Jesus Christ as their lawful King.) Now back to Hosea 3.

Hosea 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
("Afterward" Now turn to Acts 1:6 the Eleven did not have the view of it as we can construct from Scripture. They merely knew that it would be a kingdom likened unto David’s and Solomon’s when Israel was the most glorious kingdom on earth.
" shall the children of Israel return" Look at Deuteronomy 30:1-3 (Now remember, this is Moses 1,500 years before Christ. That’s 3,500 years back from our day.)
"And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee."
This would be when the Jews would find themselves scattered into every nation under heaven, none excepted. Even the Arab world had Jews in their midst. It wasn’t until about the turn of the century that they started getting forced out and back to their homeland.
This was all in God’s providential design that that’s the way it would happen. And now here they are. They’re back in the land.
Now turn to Ezekiel 36:24; 37:1-10 Verse 24 “For I will take you (That’s Israel. That’s why I’m always emphasizing – to whom is this written? Well, it’s written to Israel, not to the Gentile world. So He says to Israel.) “…and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” Now, isn’t that plain?
What brought the Hebrews back from their exile? Persecution WWII, the ovens and gas chambers caused the Jews to desire to return to their desolate home land.
Now turn to 37:1-10 Now remember, this is symbolism. You know, if you drive across West Texas, and you look out over the prairie, you’ll see an old skull of a steer or something laying there. It is chalk white, and you know it’s been out in that old West Texas sun for years and years. The longer it lies there the whiter it gets. Well, that’s the bones in this valley. They’ve been there a long time. Now, in actuality, it has been over 1,900 years. The bones are representative of Israel out in the Gentile world without any of her homeland advantages. Verse 5 "Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones;…” Now remember, they are representative of the Nation of Israel.
Now Ezekiel37:11-12 Israel return home.....
Amos 9:11-12 this is the analogy. It’s going to be restored with the glory that it was in David’s day, only far, far greater.
Lets jump up to Acts 15, here we find Paul before the council because of his teaching to the gentiles he is being confronted by the Judaizers from the Jerusalem Jewish church (the “Christians”) and told that his converts had to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Look at verses 12-14 All right, so they took this all in as the argument is now being kind of put to rest, because they are recognizing that Paul and Barnabas do now have a ministry with the Gentiles that Israel was never permitted to do.
vs 12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
vs 13 "Gentiles, to take out of them…” Now keep your pronouns right. Who are the “them” now? The Gentile world. Paul has been designated to go to the Gentiles.
vs 14 “…to take out of them a people for his name.”

Acts can’t tell us what it is, because it really hasn’t been totally revealed. The Body of Christ is that called-out group of Gentile believers under Christ’s published Gospel of God’s amazing Grace, Paul’s Gospel of Grace that has to be believed for salvation, that Jesus died for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. The Body of Christ is totally insulated from all the promises of Israel and from Moses on and all the action that will take place when this spiritual (mystical) Body of Christ is removed. (A revelation of Moses and his relationship with Israel while in Egypt and their exodus as well as his names meaning will help to see what is taking place now.)

After Christ has ascended and Israel’s rejection, now God is going to do exactly what Amos is referring to. That after a period of time, which would include our Church Age and the Tribulation that will follow, the King and the Kingdom would still come in and bring back the glories of David and Solomon.

vs 15 “And to this (James says) agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,” But you see, they didn’t have a clue what Amos was talking about. They didn’t have a clue that after 1,900 years of being scattered into all the nations of the world, they would come back and reappear as a Nation and yet have the promised Kingdom become a reality. They didn’t know that.

“And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,” Now they can put it together. This is what Amos was talking about. After the calling out of a people for His name up in verse 14, after that long period of dispersion, they would be back in the land, but they would still have to wait for the out-calling of that spiritual Body of Christ, the Gentiles and a few Jews.
vs 16 “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:” Now, get the “after.” After what? The calling out of the spiritual Gentile and Jew Body of Christ.
Hosea is talking in the same language that the Nation would be out there for a long time. Until the “bones were white with age.”
Israel had no understanding that their Messiah would be the same person that is that He would suffer and be crucified and that He would also be the one to restore Israel back as it was under King David and Solomon. They were looking for two Messiahs: one suffering and the other of strength a King.

Receive mercy
Is revealed in Rom. 11:11, 15 above.

Taken from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
Here is the example that the apostle uses to make in his doctrine and teaching concerning the substitution of the Gentiles in the room or place of the Jews in the family of God.
(1.) As a kinsman to the Jews, here is a word of excitement and exhortation to them, to stir them up to receive and embrace the gospel-offer. This God intended in his favor to the Gentiles, to provoke the Jews to jealousy (Rom. 11:11), and Paul endeavors to enforce it accordingly (Rom. 11:14): If by any means I might provoke to emulation those who are my flesh. “Shall the despised Gentiles run away with all the comforts and privileges of the gospel, and shall not we repent of our refusal, and now at last put in for a share? Shall not we believe and obey, and be pardoned and saved, as well as the Gentiles?” See an instance of such an emulation in Esau, Gen. 28:6-9. There is a commendable emulation in the affairs of our souls: why should not we be as holy and happy as any of our neighbors? In this emulation there needs no suspicion, undermining or countermining; for the church has room enough, and the new covenant grace and comfort enough, for us all. The blessings are not lessened by the multitudes of the sharers. - And might save some of them. See what Paul’s business, to save souls; was and yet the utmost he promises himself is but to save some. Though he was such a powerful preacher, spoke and wrote with such evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, yet of the many he dealt with he could but save some. (Of such language does he use in his letter to the Hebrews authored by Paul written by Clements or possibly Luke) Ministers must think their pains well bestowed if they can but be instrumental to save some.
(2.) As an apostle to the Gentiles, here is a word of caution for them: “I speak to you Gentiles. You believing Romans, you hear what riches of salvation are come to you by the fall of the Jews, but take heed lest you do any thing to forfeit it.” Paul takes this, as other occasions, to apply his discourse to the Gentiles, because he was the apostle of the Gentiles, appointed for the service of their faith, to plant and water churches in the Gentile nations. This was the purport of his extraordinary mission, Acts 22:21, I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles; compare Acts 9:15. It was likewise the intention of his ordination, Gal. 2:9. Compare Acts 13:2. It ought to be our great and special care to do good to those that are under our charge: we must particularly mind that which is our own work. It was an instance of God's great love to the Gentiles that he appointed Paul, who in gifts and graces excelled all the apostles, to be the apostle of the Gentiles. The Gentile world was a wider province; and the work to be done in it required a very able, skillful, zealous, courageous workman: such a one was Paul. God calls those to special work whom he either sees or makes fit for it. - I magnify my office. There are those that vilified it and him because of it. It was because he was the apostle of the Gentiles that the Jews were so outrageous against him (Acts 22:21-22), and yet he thought never the worse of it, though it set him up as the butt of all the Jewish rage and malice. It is a sign of true love to Jesus Christ to reckon that service and work for him truly honorable whom the world looks upon with scorn, as mean and contemptible. The office of the ministry is an office to be magnified. Ministers are ambassadors for Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, and for their work's sake are to be esteemed highly in love. - My office; tēn diakonian mou - my ministry, my service, not my lordship and dominion. It was not the dignity and power, but the duty and work, of an apostle, that Paul was so much in love with. In this day and time we are in direr need or straights for men of Paul’s caliber. Now two things he exhorts the Gentiles to, with reference to the rejected Jews: -
[1.] To have a respect for the Jews, notwithstanding, and to desire their conversion. This is intimated in the prospect he gives them of the advantage that would accrue to the church by their conversion, Rom. 11:12, 15. It would be as life from the dead; and therefore they must not insult and triumph over those Jews, but rather pity them, and desire their welfare, and long for the receiving of them in again.
[2.] To take heed to themselves, lest they should stumble and fall, as they Jews had done, Rom. 11:17-22. Here observe,
First, The privilege which the Gentiles had by being taken into the church. They were grafted in (Rom. 11:17), as a branch of a wild olive into a good olive, which is contrary to the way and custom of the husbandman, who grafts the good olive into the bad; but those that God grafts into the church he finds wild and barren, and good for nothing. Men graft to mend the tree; but God grafts to mend the branch.
1. The church of God is an olive-tree, flourishing and fruitful as an olive (Psalms, 52:8; Hosea. 14:6), the fruit useful for the honor both of God and man, Judges. 9:9.
2. Those that are out of the church are as wild olive-trees, not only useless, but what they do produce is sour and unsavory: Wild by nature, Rom. 11:24. This was the state of the Gentiles, that wanted church privileges, and in respect of real sanctification; and it is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. (Mans fallen state)
3. Conversion is the grafting in of wild branches into the good olive. We must be cut off from the old stock, and be brought into union with a new root. (The new root is of course Christ)
4. Those that are grafted into the good olive-tree partake of the root and fatness of the olive. It is applicable to a saving union within Christ; all that are by a lively faith grafted into Christ partake of Him as the branches of the root - receive from His fullness. But it is here spoken of a visible church-membership, from which the Jews were as branches broken off; and so the Gentiles were grafted in, autois - among those that continued, or in the room of those that were broken off. The Gentiles, being grafted into the church, (family) partake of the same privileges that the Jews did, the root and fatness. The olive-tree is the visible church (called so Jer. 11:16); the root of this tree was Abram who became Abraham, not the root of communication (the Law), so Christ only is the root, but the root of administration, he being the first with whom the covenant was so solemnly made (Genesis 17:7). Now the believing Gentiles partake of this root: he also is a son of Abraham (Luke 19:9), the blessing of Abraham comes upon the Gentiles (Genesis 17:5; Gal. 3:14), the same fatness of the olive-tree, the same for substance, special protection, lively oracles, means of salvation, a standing ministry, instituted ordinances; and, among the rest, the visible church-membership of their infant seed, which was part of the fatness of the olive-tree that the Jews had, and cannot be imagined to be denied to the Gentiles.
Secondly, A caution not to abuse these privileges.
1. “Be not proud (Rom. 11:18): Boast not against the branches. Do not therefore trample upon the Jews as a reprobate people, nor insult over those that are broken off, much less over those that do continue.” Grace is given, not to make us proud, but to make us thankful and to humble us. The law of faith excludes all boasting either of ourselves or against others. “Do not say (Rom. 11:19): They were broken off that I might be grafted in; that is, do not think that you did merit more at the hand of God than they, or did stand higher in his favor.” “But remember, you bear not the root, but the root you. Though you are grafted in, you are still but a branch borne by the root; nay, and an engrafted branch, brought into the good olive contrary to nature (Rom. 11:24), not free-born, but by an act of grace enfranchised and naturalized. Abraham, the root of the Jewish church, is not beholden to you; but you are greatly obliged to him, as the trustee of the covenant and the father of many nations. Therefore, if you boast, know (this word must be supplied to clear the sense) you bear not the root but the root you.”
2. “Be not secure (Rom. 11:20): Be not high-minded, but fear. Be not too confident of your own strength or sufficiency and standing.” A holy fear is an excellent preservative against high-mindedness: happy is the man that thus fears always. We need not fear but God will be true to his word; all the danger is lest we be false to ours. Let us therefore fear, Heb. 4:1. The church of Rome now boasts of a patent of perpetual preservation; but the apostle here, in his epistle to that church when it was in its infancy and integrity, enters an express caveat against that boast, and all claims of that kind. - Fear what? “Why fear lest you commit forfeiture as they have done, lest you lose the privileges you now enjoy, as they have lost theirs.” The evils that befall others should be warnings to us. Go (said God to Jerusalem Jer. 7:12), and see what I did to Shiloh; so now, let all the churches of God go and see what he did to Jerusalem, (in 70 ADC) and what is become of the day of their visitation, that we may hear and fear, and take heed of Jerusalem's sin. The patent which churches have of their privileges is not for a certain term, nor entailed upon them and their heirs; but it runs as long as they carry themselves well, and no longer.
Consider, (1.) “How they were broken off. It was not undeservedly, by an act of absolute sovereignty and prerogative, but because of unbelief.” It seems, then, it is possible for churches that have long stood by faith to fall into such a state of infidelity as may be their ruin. Their unbelief did not only provoke God to cut them off, but they did by this cut themselves off; it was not only the meritorious, but the formal cause of their separation. “Now, you are liable to the same infirmity and corruption that they fell by.” Further observe, they were natural branches (Rom. 11:21), not only interested in Abraham's covenant, but descending from Abraham's loins, and so born upon the premises, and thence had a kind of tenant-right: yet, when they sunk into unbelief, God did not spare them. Prescription, long usage, the faithfulness of their ancestors, would not secure them. It was in vain to plead, though they insisted much upon it, that they were Abraham's seed, Mat. 3:9; John 8:33. It is true they were the husbandmen to whom the vineyard was first let out; but, when they forfeited it, it was justly taken from them, Mat. 21:41, 43. This is called here severity, Rom. 11:22. God laid righteousness to the line and judgment to the plummet, and dealt with them according to their sins. Severity is a word that sounds harshly; and I do not remember that it is any where else in scripture ascribed to God; and it is here applied to the unchurching of the Jews. God is most severe towards those that have been in profession nearest to him, if they rebel against him, Amos 3:2. Patience and privileges abused turn to the greatest wrath. Of all judgments, spiritual judgments are the sorest; for of these he is here speaking, Rom. 11:8.
(2.) “How you stand, you that are engrafted in.” He speaks to the Gentile churches in general, though perhaps tacitly reflecting on some particular person, who might have expressed some such pride and triumph in the Jews' rejection.
“Consider then,” [1.] “By what means you stand: By faith, which is a depending on grace, and fetches in strength from heaven. You do not stand in any strength of your own, of which you might be confident: you are no more than the free grace of God makes you, and His Grace is His own, it is His sufficiency, which he gives or withholds at pleasure. That which ruined them was unbelief, and by faith you stand; therefore you have no faster hold than they had, you stand on no firmer foundation than they did.”
[2.] “On what terms (Rom. 11:22): Towards your goodness, if you continue in his goodness, that is, continue in a dependence upon and compliance with the free grace of God, the want of which it was that ruined the Jews - if you be careful to keep up your own interest in the divine favor, by being continually careful to please God and fearful of offending him.” The sum of our duty, the condition of our happiness, is to keep ourselves in the love of God. Fear the Lord and his goodness. Hosea 3:5.
Another thing that qualified this doctrine of the Jews' rejection is that, though for the present they are cast off, yet the rejection is not final; but, when the fullness of time is come, they will be taken in again. They are not cast off for ever, but mercy is remembered in the midst of wrath. Let us observe,
1. How this conversion of the Jews is here described.
(1.) It is said to be their fullness (Rom. 11:12), that is, the addition of them to the church, the filling up again of that place which became vacant by their rejection. This would be the enriching of the world (that is, the church in the world) with a great deal of light and strength and beauty.
(2.) It is called the receiving of them. The conversion of a soul is the receiving of that soul, so the conversion of a nation. They shall be received into God’s Grace, into the church, into the love of Christ, whose arms are stretched out for the receiving of all those that will come to him. This will be as life from the dead - so strange and surprising, and yet withal so welcome and acceptable. The conversion of the Jews will bring great joy to the church, for they will become a spiritual people. See Luke 15:32, He was dead, and is alive; and therefore it was meet we should make merry and be glad.
(3.) It is called the grafting of them in again (Rom. 11:23), into the church, (God’s family) from which they had been broken off. That which is grafted in receives sap and virtue from the root; so does a soul that is truly grafted into the church receive life, and strength, and grace from Christ the quickening root. They shall be grafted into their own olive-tree (Rom. 11:24); that is, into the church of which they had formerly been the most eminent and conspicuous members, to retrieve those privileges of visible church-membership which they had so long enjoyed, but have now sinned away and forfeited by their unbelief.
(4.) It is called the saving of all Israel, Rom. 11:26. True redemption may well be called salvation; it is salvation begun. See Acts 2:47. The adding of them to the church is the saving of them: tous sōzōmenous, in the present tense, are saved. When conversion-work goes on, salvation-work goes on.
2. What it is grounded upon, and what reason we have to look for it.
(1.) Because of the holiness of the first-fruits and the root, Rom. 11:16. Some by the first-fruits understand those of the Jews that were already converted to the faith of Christ and received into the church, who were as the first-fruits dedicated to God, as earnests of a more plentiful and sanctified harvest. (The first having already happened, the main harvest is yet to come, then the gleanings of Boaz, see Ruth.) A good beginning promises a good ending. Why may we not suppose that others may be savingly wrought upon as well as those who are already brought in? Others by the first-fruits understand the same with the root, namely, the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, from whom the Jews descended, and with whom, as the prime trustees, the covenant was deposited: and so they were the root of the Jews, not only as a people, but as a church. Now, if they were holy, which is not meant so much of inherent as of federal holiness - if they were in the church and in the covenant - then we have reason to conclude that God has a kindness for the lump - the body of that people; and for the branches - the particular members of it. The Jews are in a sense a holy nation (Exo. 19:6), being descended from holy parents. Now it cannot be imagined that such a holy nation should be totally and finally cast off. This proves that the seed of believers, as such, are within the pale of the visible church, and within the verge of the covenant, till they do, by their unbelief, throw themselves out; for, if the root be holy, so are the branches. Though real qualifications are not propagated, yet relative privileges are. Though a wise man does not beget a wise man, yet a free man begets a free man. Though grace does not run in the blood, yet external privileges do (till they are forfeited), even to a thousand generations. Look how they will answer it another day that cut off the entail, by turning the seed of the faithful out of the church, and so not allowing the blessing of Abraham to come upon the Gentiles. The Jewish branches are reckoned holy, because the root was so. This is expressed more plainly (Rom. 11:28): They are beloved for the fathers' sakes. In this love to the fathers the first foundation of their church-state was laid (Deu. 4:37): Because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them. And the same love would revive their privileges, for still the ancient loving-kindness is remembered; they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. It is God's usual method of grace. Kindness to the children for the father's sake is therefore called the kindness of God, 2Sam. 9:3, 7. Though, as concerning the gospel (namely, in the present dispensation of it, Romans through Philemon and Hebrews), they are enemies to it for your sakes, that is, for the sake of the Gentiles, against whom they have such an antipathy; yet, when God's time shall come, this will wear off, and God's love to their fathers will be remembered. See a promise that points at this, Lev. 26:42. The iniquity of the fathers is visited but to the third and fourth generation; but there is mercy kept for thousands. Many fare the better for the sake of their godly ancestors. It is upon this account that the church is called their own olive-tree. Long it had been their own peculiar, which is some encouragement to us to hope that there may be room for them in it again, for old acquaintance-sake. That which has been may be again. Though particular persons and generations wear off in unbelief, yet there having been a national church-membership, though for the present suspended, we may expect that it will be revived.

(2.) Because of the power of God (Rom. 11:23): God is able to graft them in again. The conversion of souls is a work of almighty power; and when they seem most hardened, and blinded, and obstinate, our comfort is that God is able to work a change, able to graft those in that have been long cast out and withered. When the house is kept by the strong man armed, with all his force, yet God is stronger than he, and is able to dispossess him. The condition of their restoration is faith: If they abide not still in unbelief. So that nothing is to be done but to remove that unbelief that is the great obstacle; and God is able to take that away, though nothing less than an almighty power will do it, the same power that raised up Christ from the dead, Eph. 1:19-20. Otherwise, can these dry bones live?

(3.) Because of the grace of God manifested to the Gentiles. Those that have themselves experienced the grace of God, preventing, distinguishing grace, may thence take encouragement to hope well concerning others. This is his argument (Rom. 11:24): “If you were grafted into a good olive, that was wild by nature, much more shall these that were the natural branches, and may therefore be presumed somewhat nearer to the divine acceptance.” This is a suggestion very proper to check the insolence of those Gentile believers that looked with disdain and triumph upon the condition of the rejected Jews, (Christians) and trampled upon them; as if he had said, “Their condition, bad as it is, is not so bad as yours was before your conversion; and therefore why may it not be made as good as yours is?” This is his argument (Rom. 11:30-31): As you in times past have not, etc. It is good for those that have found mercy with God to be often thinking what they were in time past, and how they obtained that mercy. This would help to soften our censures of those that still continue in unbelief, and quicken our prayers for them. He argues further from the occasion of the Gentiles' call, that is, the unbelief of the Jews; thence it took rise: “You have obtained mercy through their unbelief; much more shall they obtain mercy through your mercy. If the putting out of their candle was the lighting of yours, by that power of God which brings good out of evil, much more shall the continued light of your candle, when God's time shall come, be a means of lighting theirs again.” “That through your mercy they might obtain mercy, that is, that they may be beholden to you, as you have been to them.” He takes it for granted that the believing Gentiles would do their utmost endeavor to work upon the Jews - that, when God had persuaded Japhet, Japhet would be laboring to persuade Shem. True grace hates monopolies. Those that have found mercy themselves should endeavor that through their mercy others also may obtain mercy.

(4.) Because of the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament, (Genesis through Acts 8) which point at this. He quotes a very remarkable one, Rom. 11:26, from Isa. 59:20-21.
Where we may observe, [1.] The coming of Christ promised: There shall come out of Zion the deliverer. Jesus Christ is the great deliverer, which supposes mankind in a state of misery and danger. In Isaiah it is, the Redeemer shall come to Zion. There He is called the Redeemer; here the deliverer; He delivers in a way of redemption, by a price. There He is said to come to Zion, because when the prophet prophesied he was yet to come into the world, and Zion was his first head-quarters. Thither he came, there he took up his residence: but, when the apostle wrote this, he had come, he had been in Zion; and he is speaking of the fruits of his appearing, which shall come out of Zion; thence, as from the spring, issued forth those streams of living water which in the everlasting gospel watered the nations. Out of Zion went forth the law, Isa. 2:3. Compare Luke 24:47.
[2.] The end and purpose of this coming: He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Christ's errand into the world was to turn away ungodliness, to turn away the guilt by the purchase of pardoning mercy, and to turn away the power by the pouring out of renewing grace, to save his people from their sins (Mat. 1:21), to separate us from our sins, that iniquity might not be our ruin, and that it might not be our ruler. Especially to turn it away from Jacob, which is that for the sake of which he quotes the text, as a proof of the great kindness God intended for the seed of Jacob. What greater kindness could he do them than to turn away ungodliness from them, to take away that which comes between them and all happiness, take away sin, and then make way for all good? This is the blessing that Christ was sent to bestow upon the world, and to tender it to the Jews in the first place (Acts 3:26), to turn people from their iniquities. In Isaiah it is, The Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to those that turn from transgression in Jacob, which shown who in Zion were to have a share in and to reap benefit by the deliverance promised, those and those only that leave their sins and turn to God; to them Christ comes as a Redeemer, but as an avenger to those that persist in impenitence. See Deu. 30:2-3. Those that turn from sin will be owned as the true citizens of Zion (Eph. 2:19), the right Jacob, Psa. 24:4, 6. Putting both these readings together, we learn that none have an interest in Christ but those that turn from their sins, nor can any turn from their sins but by the strength of the grace that is found in Christ. - For this is my covenant with them - this, that the deliverer shall come to them - this, that my Spirit shall not depart from them, as it follows, Isa. 59:21. God's gracious intentions concerning Israel were made the matter of a covenant, which the God that cannot lie can not but be true and faithful to. They were the children of the covenant, Acts 3:25. The apostle adds, When I shall take away their sins, which some think refers to Isa. 27:9, or only to the foregoing words, to turn away ungodliness. Pardon of sin is laid as the foundation of all the blessings of the new (better) covenant (Heb. 8:12): For I will be merciful. Now from all this he infers that certainly God had great mercy in store for that people, something answerable to the extent of these rich promises: and he proves his inference (Rom. 11:29) by this truth: For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. Repentance is sometimes taken for a change of mind, and so God never repents, for he is in one mind and who can turn him? Sometimes for a change of way, and that is here understood, intimating the constancy and unchangeableness of that love of God which is founded in election. Those gifts and callings are immutable; whom he so loves, he loves to the end. We find God repenting that he had given man a being (Gen. 6:6, It repented the Lord that he had made man), and repenting that he had given a man honor and power (1Sam. 15:11, It repents me that I have set up Saul to be king); but we never find God repenting that he had given a man grace, or effectually called him; those gifts and callings are without repentance.
This teaching taken from Matthew Henry is an eye opener though it could be of more in depth or more spiritual. I insert this teaching as an illustration to show that what we’ve said is not all a bunch of garbage or poo. Now for Israel’s blindness of spiritual things let us take a look at an Old Testament example which is meant for our learning only, not for doctrine.

Isaiah 59:10 this is the verse that we want to look at but first let us get some ground work, 10 is in italics:
Isa 59:1-2 Behold, the LORDs hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isa 59:9-17 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: transgressing, and denying the LORD, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words. Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter. Truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. The LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

Now let’s look what Jesus said in Matthew 6; here we want verse 23 it is in italics:
Mat 6:21-24 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
(Do you see the spiritual meaning here or are your eyes in darkness? Many believe that gospel for our finial salvation is found in Matthew through John’s books however it is not. Our Gospel of salvation is based on the risen Lord not on the ministry of Jesus to Israel which led only to their repentance and baptism into the kingdom of heaven that is still to come on earth that was promises to their fathers.)

Just for fun we’ll look at another found in Matthew 15 verse 14 and Matthew 23 verse 19, again in italics;
Mat 15:1-14 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God," he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" He called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person." Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Jesus calls the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees “blind guides”, Paul tells us that we in this age of grace are to have knowledge of God’s hidden things and His will in all things. That as a head of His family group wherever it may be we are to first of all be spiritual and imitators of Paul as he is of Christ, which would make us imitators of Christ and having the mind of Christ in all things. That is to being heavenly minded not earthly minded.

Mat 23:16-23 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? You say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. Whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. Whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Jesus put these men in their place as they ignore that law of the first and that is to Love God, neighbor, and yourself. Jesus uses many parables to bring this spiritual truth to the forefront but many still only seek the gift in the hand and not the one who gives the gift.

Now what does Paul say that we may compare scripture with scripture in the first one we want verse 14, of 2 Corinthians 3 in the second one verse 4 of 2 Corinthians 4, our same standard applies here, italics:
2Cor 3:12-17, 18 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2Cor 4:1-7 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Let us take one more for comparison it is found in Ephesians 4:18:
Eph 4:17-27 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

If you’ve followed this study this far you should have had your eyes opened as we have to the truths of the “New Testament” which is based upon the resurrected Christ and His blood. This changes us from an earthy carnal being dead to God and enmity to Him to one resurrected in Christ Jesus and a live to God a spiritual being again as at the first.

There are many areas contained in scripture that we could look at but I think that we can draw our understanding from what we have here. Why Israel has drawn blindness upon its self as a nation, keep in mind that the individual Hebrew is still able to change his mind and have entry into the Grace of God and His Gospel of Grace also known as the gospel of Christ. This is in the same way that we as Gentiles have of entry as there is only one way to acquire redemption which leads to salvation. Now we’ll move on to the veil that covers all unbelievers found in 2 Corinthians 4.

All scripture is from the KJV, Weymouth New Testament, American Standard and English Standard Versions of the Bible.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Mysteries of God, Paul's Mysteries Revealed continued

This accompanies the main body of Paul’s Mysteries Revealed.

The following is an outline of the scriptures containing the word mystery or secret that had been hidden in God from before creation or the laying of the foundation of the world. Now the in depth study of these scriptures will require that they be broken up in some fashion in order to be downloaded into the web page. With this first trial loading it is becoming obvious that we may have to load from the end forward as there are upwards of 20 or more pages in each study, this being the first example.

The Body Members

Joint Heirs

Eph 3:1-12
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles, if so be that you have heard of the dispensation of that grace* of God which was given me to you-ward; how that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, where of I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the dispensation** of the mystery which for ages has been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church (the mystical Body of Christ) the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith IN Him.

* Grace is the benefit or the nature of the benefactor
** Dispensation is the dispensing of the truths in the change in directions and of the mysteries that set a new set of responsibilities and directions for behavior in lifestyle.

Act 9:1-25
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord (Yehovah that is to say Master)?" And he said, "I am” Jesus, ( I am Yeshua of Nazareth the Messiah) whom you are persecuting. Rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord." And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight." But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem*.

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name (Yeshua of Nazareth the Messiah, King of the Jews)." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel(1).

I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately something like scales (the partial blindness that Israel is under even today) fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." All who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?"

Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

*Notice Ananias is judging Saul based on “hearsay”, we have a tendency to judge what the Word is saying based on what we’ve heard someone else say about it, what they think that it is saying, without checking it out for ourselves and rightly dividing the word with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Gal 1:11-18
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church* of God violently and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace,was pleased to reveal His Son in me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.

* Church: assembly is a better word here. The Jewish believers continued to assemble in the synagogues because they were still under the Law, practicing the traditions and customs of their fathers and they were first called “Christians”, but Paul no where uses this word.

Act 9:26-31
When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus (that He was the Messiah, the King of Israel). So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists*. But they were seeking to kill him. When the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. So the church (the assembly of Jewish believers in a synagogue) throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

• These are Greek speaking Jews a remnant of the 606 BC scattering of Israel and the Jewish believers from Jerusalem.

Luke’s account

Act 15:1-6 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question

(Gal. 2:1-10). So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the Law of Moses." The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

Act 15:7-12 And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will." And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Act 15:13-18 After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.'

Act 15:19-21 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues."

Act 15:22-23 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings.

Act 15:24-26 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 15:27-29 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."

Act 15:30-33 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.

Paul’s account of Acts 15 above

Gal 2:1-10
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem* with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in--who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery-- to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. From those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)--those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel (that Yeshua of Nazareth is the Messiah and King of the Jewish Kingdom of Heaven) to the circumcised (for He who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles)**, and when James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

* This meeting is found in Acts 15 starting in verse 4, the purpose of the meeting in Jerusalem is to get the Jewish believers from Jerusalem to stop from following Paul and Barnabas around and telling the new converts that they had to be circumcised and follow the Law (mix Grace with the Jewish Law), the same problem we have in our churches today. For in Eph. 2:15 says that He abolished the Law of commandments in ordinances; for to make in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace.

** The gospel of Grace, is not the gospel of the Kingdom of God or the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat. 10.5-7)These are three distinctly different gospels, though the gospel of Grace and the Kingdom of Heaven are within the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Israel’s Blindness
Rom 11:25-32
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy (the gift of God) because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

Secret Revealed
Rom 16:25-27
Now to Him* who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages past** but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith-- to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

* Study In Him, In Whom, and In Christ
** The long ages past takes us back before time began in Genesis 1:1 for this was in the heart of God prior to creation.

God’s Plan
For the good of all
1Cor 2:1-13
I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged (received or understood).

Stewardship of the Secret
1Cor 4:1-7
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted*. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

*Acquitted: to be set free of a duty or charge, discharge of duty or obligation.

Faith works through Love
1Cor 13:1-7
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have prophetic powers*, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love** bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

* The ability to speak (teach) by the power of the Holy Spirit, the word of truth.
** Love is the putting of the other persons interests first and is the seeking of the others highest good.

1Cor 14:1-6
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy (to speak the word of truth in love as it is written this to preach or to teach). For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit*. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their up building and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy (to speak the word of truth in love as it is written). . The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

*We are speaking, praying Gods word back to Him--- His word is His will, we are the means through which God has
chosen to implement His will on the earth through the body. Paul is also talking about the mysteries of the pagan
religions to which these Colossians and the Corinthians were will acquainted.

Calling out of the Body
or the Bodies Departure
1Cor 15:50-58
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ .
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord*, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

*Work here is the preparing of one’s self through the studying of the word, praying to be ready to move out when He tells you and not before. For this work it requires one to be spiritual as stated else were.

The Unveiled Gospel
2 Cor. 4:1-18
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not: but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves; pressed on every side, yet not straitened; perplexed, yet not unto despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; smitten down, yet not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you.
But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; knowing that He that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Will of God
Eph 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us IN Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us IN Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through (IN) Jesus Christ, according to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed (accepted) us in the Beloved. IN Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses*, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth IN Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things IN Him, things in heaven and things on earth **. IN Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we who were the first to hope IN Christ might be to the praise of His glory. IN Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed INTO Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.

In Him, the is the mystery of the marriage, when the woman takes the mans name she becomes one with him or can do all things in his name just as if he was doing it himself, they’ve become one flesh and she is identified as being in his name, we have put on Christ. Our being baptized into Christ as Israel was baptized into Moses’ rule on dry ground when passing between the waters of the Red sea.

* Trespasses: past, present, and future deeds
** This is not revealed as one sets weekly in the institutions of religious ceremonies otherwise known as churches.

Heirs with Christ
Eph 3:1-19
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles-- assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church* the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that He has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, so I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

• The Body of Christ, in order to understand these things you have to be a member of the Body, In the Body.

The Mystical Body
Eph 5:18-33
Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery*, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior**. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of His body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband**

* Debauchery: habitual lewdness, excessive indulgence of lust, corruption of fidelity which leads to a seduction from duty or allegiance.
** The husband is the guardian and protector of the wife as long as she is willingly submitted to him as he is to Christ. As the woman is mans completion we are Christ’s completeness filling up the Body of Christ.

Spiritual Battle Day of the Calling Out
Eph 6:10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength* of His might**. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication***. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in chains that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

* Strength or power: dominion the voluntary submission to His rule and authority
** Might: His forcefulness and ability
*** Supplication: worship, fellowship, union, and intimacy which expresses our love for Him to Him.

Christ in You
Col 1:24-29
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church,* of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to His saints.** To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.

* Church: this is not the same as mentioned in Acts, James, Peter, John, Jude or Revelations, this by personal revelation is His Body.
** His called out ones or set apart ones.

Knowledge of the Mystery
Col 2:1-5
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude* you with plausible arguments.** For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order (discipline) and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

* Delude: is to deceive, beguile to turn away from as a wife turns her back on her husband to pursue another
** Arguments: persuasive words

Col 4:2-6
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison-- that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders*, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

* Outsiders: unbelievers seeing your manner of living (conversation).

The Revealing of the Lawless one
2Th 2:1-12
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord* has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only He who now restrains it will do so until He is out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved**. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

* The day of the Lord is the starting of the tribulation period with Gods wrath and judgment on all disobedience, lawlessness, and unbelief.
** Saved: Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for salvation (1 Co. 15.3-6, Ro. 10.9-10, 1 Thes. 4.14)

Leader’s Requirements
1Ti 3:8-16
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted too much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.* Let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

* All servants are to have full knowledge of the mysteries before they can hold office (Jn. 10:11-16), they have to have experienced the way of the cross in their own life before they qualify for any office.

Acts is a transitional book moving from the Old Testament economy to a parenthetical period of Grace and Faith plus nothing (no Law with religious works).
Hebrews is a letter of persuasion for the believing Jews, those who embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah and King of Israel, to move out of the old religious faith by works under the Law and into the Gospel of Grace by faith without works(a strange teaching to the Jews).2 Pet. 3.14-15