Paul’s Grace Message

 OTHER FINE BOOKLETS IN THIS HELPFUL SERIES!

CHECK ON THE ONE YOU WANT TO READ.

THE CHURCH - HOW TO JOIN IT- Paul Hume

THE CHURCH - WHAT IS IT? Timothy Conklin

THE CHURCH - ITS CREATION - Vernon A. Schutz

THE CHURCH - ITS COMMISSION - James Boeck

A DATE WITH DESTINY! Roger G. Anderson

THE CHURCH-HOW IS IT DIFFERENT? Kenneth Parker

THE CHURCH-WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? R. B. Shiflet

Posted By – Cecil and Connie Spivey

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

The Big Picture of why we believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture: I Cor 9:17; Eph 1:10; Eph 3:2; Col 1:25   Read Book 72  

Posted By – Cecil and Connie Spivey

Believing CHRIST died, that’s HISTORY.

Believing CHRIST for YOU and ROSE again that’s SALVATION.

Read 1. Corinthians  15:1 – 4

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 LesFeldick.Org

Okay, let’s go back to I John chapter 1 verse 9:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

As I said in the last program, for years and years I (and I imagine most of Christendom still do) used this as a verse for believers who’ve sinned. But, when you really analyze it, this is a salvation verse for the Kingdom Jewish believers to whom John is writing.

Now never lose sight of that fact as we’ve been repeating and repeating that James and Peter and John are all writing to Jews. Now Galatians chapter 2, because I know this flies in the face of a lot of Christendom. They say, “Now where do you get that this is all to the Jew?” Well, I’m going to base it on the character of these men. Galatians chapter 2, and this is Paul rehearsing what had happened at the Jerusalem counsel of Acts chapter 15. And for those of you who may not be aware, the Jerusalem counsel was held about 51 AD, which is about 21-22 years after Pentecost or after the cross.

The problem that has arisen is that the Jewish Law-keeping Kingdom believers were still trying to convince Paul’s Gentile believers, under his Gospel of Grace, that they had to practice circumcision and the keeping of the Law and the Commandments. (Acts 15:1-5) I know this is hidden from the average congregation by most denominations, but it’s in the Book! And of course, finally it came to a point of such controversy that the Lord was in it – that Paul and Barnabas, who were ministering to the Gentiles, should go up to Jerusalem and deal with this problem with the Twelve and the Jerusalem leadership. And you all know, if you’ve heard me teach very long that, at this Jerusalem counsel, it was finally agreed that Paul and Barnabas would be apostles of the Gentiles and that the disciples would confine their ministry to Israel.

Now here’s the verse that shows that. I’ll just come down to where Paul was able to get through to these men that he was not on the same page as they were. They were the apostles of Israel and he was the apostle for the Gentile and the twain can never be brought together. They were preaching two different messages. One of Law– believing in His name, repentance and baptism; and the other of Grace – just faith in the fact that Jesus died for your sins, was buried and rose again.

Now come back to Galatians 2 verse 7, and remember the setting. Paul has now been out amongst the Gentiles, establishing these little congregations of Gentiles on his Gospel (the Gospel of Grace, the preaching of the cross). But these Jews out of the Kingdom economy in Jerusalem are still under the Law. (Acts 15:5) The Temple is still operating, and hasn’t been destroyed yet. And so these Jews are still practicing Temple worship and Paul, of course, has now gotten his Gentile believers separated from all that – and so here’s the agreement.

Galatians 2:7

“But contrariwise, (Paul writes) when they (the Twelve) saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (that’s Gentiles) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision (Israel) was (committed) unto Peter;” Now that’s plain language. Two totally different concepts. The Gospel of salvation for the Gentile had been committed unto the Apostle Paul. The Gospel of salvation for the Jews had been committed to Peter and the Eleven. All right now then, verse 8.

Galatians 2:8

“(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, (Israel) the same (that is the same Christ, the same God) was mighty in me toward (what people?) the Gentiles:)” Now that’s as different as daylight and dark. There’s no amalgamating them. Peter’s the apostle to Israel. Paul’s the apostle to the Gentiles.

Galatians 2:9a

“And when James, Cephas, (Peter) and John,.… ” The same three writers that we’re studying at the end of our New Testament in that order. Not Peter, James and John; it’s James, and Peter, and John.

Galatians 2:9b

“…who seemed to be pillars, (that is, of the Kingdom economy up there at Jerusalem) perceived (or understood) the grace that was given unto me,.…” When they understood, yes, Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles; we’re the apostles of Israel.

Galatians 2:9c

“…they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; (all three of them shook on it. And here is that gentleman’s agreement) that we should go unto the heathen, (Gentiles) and they unto the circumcision.” (Israel, the Jew) That was a gentleman’s agreement. No more subterfuge; no more undermining Paul’s ministry. We’re going to leave you to the Gentiles and now look what it is. They agreed with the right hands of fellowship that Paul and Barnabas should go to the heathen, the Gentiles; and they, James, and Peter, and John, and the rest of the Jerusalem leadership (the Kingdom economy), they would stay with the circumcision, with Israel. Now I’m going to take a minute and let that soak in. In 51 AD, this was the gentleman’s agreement, that Paul would be the apostle to the Gentiles with Barnabas’ help, of course. And that the Twelve would confine their ministry to Israel.

Now, had the Holy Spirit inspired James and Peter and John back here in our New Testament to start mingling their message to the Gentiles, what would that have done to that agreement in Jerusalem? That would have blown it out of the water. Somebody would have been less than honest. But it was an honest agreement and they all held to it.

Now I can show you in Acts chapter 8, because tradition is a tough thing to overcome. But Acts chapter 8 – and this is about seven years after Pentecost, and they have just stoned Stephen – and Saul of Tarsus is heading up the persecution. And it’s intense. And the Jerusalem Jewish church is under such pressure that they’re starting to scatter like a flock of quail.

Acts 8:1

“And Saul (the persecutor, that Orthodox Jew, Pharisee of the Pharisees, before his salvation) was consenting unto his (Stephen’s) death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church (the Jewish Kingdom church) which was at Jerusalem; and they (these Jewish Kingdom believers, the ones that James and Peter and John are addressing in their little epistles) were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, (what are the last three words?) except the apostles.”

Why? Well they weren’t about to leave their home base. They weren’t about to leave Jerusalem because, after all, once Israel should repent and come to a knowledge of Jesus as their Messiah, to what place on the globe would the Messiah return? Jerusalem. He’s going to come to the Mount of Olives when He returns. And they weren’t about to leave because they still had high hopes that somehow or other, in spite of all this persecution, that the Jews would be able to convert the whole nation and that the Messiah could yet come. That’s their whole premise.

But you have to understand that when these three men are writing these epistles at the end of our New Testament, they were under that agreement of Galatians chapter 2, and they could not have gone against that. It wouldn’t have been gentlemanly. It wouldn’t have been Christian. And so I maintain they did not. And they kept their ministry on the Kingdom ground to Israel.

Acts 11:19

“Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.” Do you see that? They preached to none but the Jews! And they’re letting Paul fulfill his ministry then among the Gentiles.

All right, now let’s pick up some of Paul’s statements to show that he was totally removed from anything concerning the Kingdom economy and the Twelve in Jerusalem. Let’s see, I believe you’re still in Galatians 2, so go to Galatians 1 and verse 11 for just a moment. Now remember, Paul is writing to Gentiles. And he’s writing to Gentiles who were succumbing to the false teaching of these Jerusalem people that they had to keep the Law. Do you see how all this ties together? And so the whole book of Galatians is written on that basis. Paul had to keep telling his Gentile believers, “You’re not under the Law. You don’t have to keep kosher food. You don’t have to keep the Commandments as such and you don’t have to do all the things that the Law required because you’re under Grace.”

Galatians 1:11-12

“But I certify you brethren, that the gospel (of salvation) which was preached of me is not after man. (Why?) 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, (by other men) but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Now, what’s he telling us? And I always put it this way – under normal circumstances, here someone comes to a knowledge of Who Jesus was, like Saul of Tarsus. Years after the fact, wouldn’t it have been normal for him to go right back to Jerusalem, find Peter, James and John and say, “Well now look, I now recognize that I was wrong. I now know that the Jesus that you preach was the Messiah. Tell me everything you know.” Wouldn’t that have been logical? Of course it would have because old Saul knew that these men had been with Jesus for three years. He knew they’d been preaching the Messiahship and the Kingship of Christ for these intervening six/seven years. They would have been the logical place to go. But the Spirit forbade him.

The Spirit, instead of letting him go southwest to Jerusalem (I’ve done this on the board, on the program) sends him southeast into Arabia. Opposite direction basically. Why? He didn’t want Paul’s teaching to be muddled with anything that the Twelve had to offer. He had to have a total revelation of things completely different. Oh, based on the same Christ, of course. The same God. But it’s going to be a whole new revelation. So what’s that revelation?

Now back to Romans chapter 16 verse 25. You know, I’ve asked in my seminars around the country, “Have you ever heard a Sunday morning sermon with the text Romans 16 verse 25?” Well, finally last fall up at our Concordia seminar in Minneapolis we had two or three hands. That’s the first time. I’ve never had anybody admit that they had a Sunday morning sermon with the text Romans 16 verse 25. Preachers avoid it like a plague. Look what it says.

Romans 16:25a

“Now to him (the Christ) that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel,.…” What’s Paul’s Gospel? “By believing in your heart that Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose from the dead.”

Romans 16:25b

“…and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, (A revealing of something that’s been mooted before. Something totally different. And what is it?) which was kept secret since the world began.” Now what was kept secret? That when Jesus of Nazareth was rejected as the Messiah of Israel, God in His eternal purposes brought about the work of the cross, and the work of the cross – His death, burial and resurrection and His shedding of blood – was now going to open up salvation, not just to Israel, but to whom? The whole world.

Now go to II Corinthians chapter 5, and see this is just a whole different concept than what Peter, James and John understood. They were preaching to Israel on the basis of the Old Testament covenant promises. They had no concept that God was now going to save the whole human race. They were stuck with the idea of Israel. But look what Paul writes in II Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14. I know it takes a little bit to see it but once people see it, oh, it is so plain – it just lights this Book up like a three-hundred watt bulb.

II Corinthians 5:14a

“For the love of Christ.…” See, now sometimes people will write and say, “Les you make too much of Paul.” No I don’t make too much of Paul. Paul was merely the one who points us to the Christ. And that’s what he’s always saying. He preaches “Christ crucified, and risen again.” Paul is that eminent apostle of the Gentiles to whom was revealed this tremendous Gospel of Grace that’s beyond human understanding. We just simply take it by faith.

II Corinthians 5:14

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; (drives us) because we thus judge, (or conclude, now watch this) that if one died for all, then were all dead:” Now, you know there is teaching about there being limited atonement – that Christ only died for the believer. Don’t you believe it! He died for ALL! He died for the whole human race. All right, and if He did die for all, then it’s a natural conclusion then that all were dead, spiritually, like we saw in the last program. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Now verse 15.

II Corinthians 5:15

“And that he died for all, that they which live (spiritually and get eternal life) should not henceforth (from the time of their salvation, when they’ve been justified and they’ve been granted eternal life, that from that point on) live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and (what?) rose again.” See that? Paul never shuns the resurrection, it’s everywhere. But, you see, the Jewish writers don’t mention it because that wasn’t part and parcel of the Kingdom Gospel. The Kingdom Gospel was to believe Who Jesus was, followed by repentance and water baptism. The Grace Gospel is to believe that not only did Christ die for our sins, but He rose from the dead. I know many people try to make them all the same, but you see the Bible says they’re different, and that’s why Paul says, we should be “Rightly Dividing the Word of God.”

II Corinthians 5:16

“Wherefore (because of the death, burial and resurrection) henceforth know we no man after the flesh: Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, (according to His earthly ministry and before He was crucified.) yet now henceforth know we him no more.” And Paul is saying he lived contemporary with Christ. He was already that fanatical Jew and was probably burning at the fringes when he saw the crowds following Jesus of Nazareth. He knew His ministry. He knew what He was doing. He knew about those three years of Christ in the flesh.

But, it was the crucified, buried, risen and ascended Lord that confronted Saul on the road to Damascus, not Jesus of Nazareth in those three years. See the difference? Oh, what a difference! Jesus chose the Twelve in His ministry of the flesh inside the borders of Israel. This man He confronted, after His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, outside the borders of Israel on Gentile ground. And that just separates them.

And that’s why they had to come to the conclusion; yes, they would maintain their ministry with Israel up until finally it all fell apart, but this man would go to the Gentiles. And now, even archaeology supports that, by the end of the first century, that element of Jewish believers, of what I call the Kingdom believers, disappeared. They just disappeared. You don’t see any evidence of them anymore in archaeology or history, or anywhere else. But for those seventy years from the time of the cross until about the end of the century there were these little Jewish congregation scattered throughout the Roman Empire. But they never entered into this Gospel of Grace. All right, one more verse in II Corinthians 5. And, oh, what a verse!

II Corinthians 5:17a

“Therefore (and what’s that ‘therefore?’ Because of the death, burial and resurrection) if any man be in Christ,…” See, now that’s another terminology that is uniquely Paul. The Jewish Kingdom believer had no concept of being “in Christ.” That’s the body element, and it is a Grace Age doctrine; that, the moment we become a believer, we are placed into the Body of Christ, we’re in Christ. In fact I think Paul uses that term 93 times in the Book of Ephesians alone.

I had a gentleman say, “Les I hear all the time about being ‘in Christ,’ but nobody ever tells anybody how to get there.” And I said, “You know, you’re right.” So how do we get “in Christ?” By believing Paul’s Gospel of salvation. Because as soon as we become a believer of Paul’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ. And we become members one of another, as fingers and toes and eyes and ears are members of this body, every believer is a member of the Body of Christ. That’s a Pauline concept. It was never revealed before. And this is all part of the revelation of the mysteries.

II Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” We’re a whole new creation. God has worked a work within us that makes us different.

II Corinthians 5:18

“And all things are of God, who hath (already) reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” We are to tell others to be reconciled. Oh, this is all Pauline truths and you don’t pick this up in the Kingdom economy. Well, let’s look at a couple of verses in Ephesians in the short time we have left.

Ephesians 1:3a

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,.…” Rarely does Paul us the term “Jesus” alone. One or two places he does, but as a rule, he puts the full title and I think it’s appropriate even for us, we refer to Him as our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:3b

“…who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings (not here on earth. Not name it and claim it. But where?) in heavenly places in Christ.” That’s where our riches are, in the heavenlies. We may go through this life poor as paupers. Most Christians down through the centuries have. It’s only been in the last few years where Christians have enjoyed the wealth. For most of Church history, they were the poverty stricken element and that’s, of course, as Paul teaches. We are not promised earthly blessings because we’re a believer. Ours are heavenly. Ours are waiting for us. We’re laying them up in Glory. All right, so He’s already “blessed us in the heavenlies, in Christ.”

Ephesians 1:4

“According as he hath (already) chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” In other words, before anything was ever created, God already knew we’d be believers today.

Ephesians 1:5

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” But let’s go down to verse 13. Ephesians 1 verse 13. My, all these verse are so wonderful!

Ephesians 1:13a

“In whom (he says) ye also trusted, (believed) after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye (What?) Repented and were baptized? No, that’s not what it says. After you what?) believed,.…” That’s the whole crux of Paul’s message – that we believe that everything that needed to be done was done in that work of the cross.

Posted By- Cecil and Connie Spivey

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 We, today, live in “the dispensation of the grace of God” to us Gentiles. This dispensation, or program, which God is now conducting is a new program and it is different from His program with the nation of Israel. In this present dispensation, God’s program with Israel is set aside and remains temporarily in abeyance, and the “time past” status of Israel being “nigh” to God and the Gentiles being “far off”, no longer exists. (Romans 11:11 25; Ephesians 2:11 22) According to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:1 6, the revelation of this present dispensation, or program, was something God first made known and committed unto him.

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you ward: how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”

This present dispensation is something which was a “mystery” before. God kept it secret unto Himself in ages and generations past, and it wasn’t known about before or anticipated. Not until God raised up the apostle Paul and revealed unto him the “mystery of Christ”, was this new dispensation of Gentile grace ushered in.

It is extremely important that we understand the “mystery” character of this present dispensation of the grace of God, and that we don’t make unwarranted assumptions with the testimony of the word of God. Unfortunately, two assumptions are commonly made by many Christians as they handle the Scriptures, which are at variance with what God teaches us through the apostle Paul.

On the one hand, often times it is assumed that the present dispensation is the program which God has always had in effect. On the other hand, the assumption is often made that even though the apostle Paul says what he does about God committing to him the revelation of this new program, it actually began before God raised up Paul. These are two common assumptions, but they are actually misconceptions which conflict with the testimony of Scripture and only lead to confusion and error. That this present dispensation of Gentile grace has not always been in effect, is evident from what the apostle Paul declares in Ephesians 2:11 12.

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world”

Obviously, Jew and Gentile have not always been on the same level in God’s dealings. But rather, in “time past”, before God ushered in this dispensation of His grace, we Gentiles were “far off”, “without Christ”, and “without God in the world”. It is erroneous, therefore, to assume that this dispensation of grace has always been in effect. In “time past”, it wasn’t.

But it is just as erroneous to assume that this change in programs was ushered in by God before He says it was. It is just taken for granted by many that this dispensation of grace was in effect before God raised up the apostle Paul, even though God has the apostle Paul repeatedly declare how that God revealed it and committed it unto him. (Eph. 3:1 12; Col. 1:25 27; Gal. 2:1 10;eg) The assumption is made that the “time past” situation of Eph. 2:11 12 ended when the Lord was here upon the earth, as recorded in the Gospel accounts. Or, at least, once He had died upon the cross. But this, we suggest, is also a misunderstanding, and it needs to be corrected.

THE RECORD OF THE GOSPELS

The testimony of the Gospel accounts is that the “time past” situation of Eph. 2:11 12 WAS in effect when the Lord was here. And if that is the case, then it is evident that God did not have this dispensation of His grace in effect during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s exclusive program with Israel was not only still in effect when Christ was here, it was coming to its climax. Christ had come to be Israel’s redeemer, and to provide for them to have their kingdom and so be the blessing to the world God covenanted for them to be. Israel’s exclusive “covenants of promise” were what everything focused upon. We Gentiles were still “far off” at this time. God’s program was not the dispensing of His grace to us Gentiles as it is today, but rather it was His continued dealings with His people Israel. Consider, for example, the following…

Luke 1:67-79 - This is a prophetic declaration made by John the Baptist’s father at the time of John’s birth. Notice in verses 68 75 that he “blesses” God for what He was doing at this time. It is plain to see from what Zacharias says that God was still dealing with Israel in His special covenant relationship to them. Israel was preparing at this time for the fulfillment of all the things God’s holy prophets had been speaking about. They were preparing for God to “perform the mercy promised unto the fathers” and “to remember His holy covenant which He made with Abraham”. It is obvious from this that God at this time was not bringing in a new dispensation of His grace for us Gentiles, which was a “mystery”. Also, it is obvious, that Israel was not set aside at this time.

Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; Mark 1:14 15 - In these passages it is stated that the gospel being preached at this time was “the gospel of the kingdom”. This was the good news about the time being “fulfilled” and the “kingdom of heaven being at hand”. That kingdom was what Israel was waiting for in fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. (Luke 1:26 33; Isa. 9:6 7; Dan. 2:44)

It was what the prophets foretold would be established by the coming of the Messiah, the son of David. It was the literal kingdom of the Messiah brought down from heaven to be established in the land of Israel. The prophet Daniel had prophesied the time at which it would come, as recorded back in Dan. 2:44, and 9:24ff. Because the time which Daniel had spoke of was just about completed, the kingdom of heaven was being preached as being “at hand”. Again, it is obvious from this that God’s special program and dealings with Israel were still in effect at this time, and the “mystery” of the dispensation of Gentile grace was not the issue.

Matthew 10:1-7; 15:21-28; Mark 7:24 30 - Here are some passages which show us that the Lord’s ministry at this time was pointedly limited to the people of Israel, and that the Gentiles were not to be dealt with. Notice that the Lord’s commissioning of the 12 apostles involved giving them the power to perform signs which testified to the reality of Israel’s kingdom actually being “at hand”. But especially notice that the Lord instructed the 12 not to preach to the Gentiles, or even to the Samaritans, but they were to “go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. This was so because it was Israel’s kingdom which was “at hand”, and the program of God with them involved them receiving their kingdom and glory first, and then for them to be the blessing to the rest of the world in their kingdom. Just as the Lord told the Gentile woman, He was sent “only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, and “the children” were to be filled “first”. We Gentiles were still “dogs” and “far off” at this time. Again, it is evident the dispensation of Gentile grace was not in effect at this time.

THE RECORD OF THE BOOK OF ACTS

Sometimes it is assumed that when the Lord Jesus was rejected and crucified, that at this time God set Israel aside and ushered in this present dispensation of His grace to us Gentiles. But it should be equally obvious from the testimony of God’s word that this also is not correct. The book of Acts, which records the things which took place following Christ’s resurrection and ascension back to heaven, clearly shows in the opening chapters that God continued to deal with Israel in His special relationship to them. Israel’s kingdom program was still the program God was administering. Consider, for example, the following…

Acts 1:6 - The question of the apostles at this time was a natural one. The restoring again of the kingdom to Israel was what the program was all about at this time. They had just spent some forty days being instructed by the Lord following His resurrection, in “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God”. What they had begun with the Lord was continuing on. They didn’t expect things to change. They didn’t ask about a new dispensation being brought in. And the Lord didn’t correct them, which He would have done had they misunderstood what God was doing.

Acts 2:1 40 - The miraculous wonder producing events of the day of Pentecost are not explained by Peter to be the bringing in of a new dispensation of God’s grace to the Gentiles. But rather, he explained them to be the initial fulfillment of the things the prophet Joel had spoken about. Joel prophesied about the things that would take place in Israel’s “last days” leading up to the establishment of the kingdom. Joel didn’t prophesy about a new dispensation, or the birthday of the church, the body of Christ. He foretold the various signs and wonders that would be taking place as Israel’s time schedule for her kingdom entered its “last days”. “This is that” which was taking place on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 3:12-26 - It is easy to see in view of what Peter says to the people of Israel here, that their kingdom program is still in effect and that God had not set them aside yet. Notice in verses 19 26, that Peter urges them to respond positively to God’s extension of mercy unto them, seeing they crucified their Christ in ignorance. But notice especially that Peter tells them that they lived in the time which all the prophets have looked forward to and foretold of. Peter doesn’t preach about a new dispensation of Gentile grace. He doesn’t set forth “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since before the world began”, as was committed by God to Paul later on. But rather, he offers the prophesied kingdom to these “men of Israel”, who were “the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers”. Obviously, Israel was not yet set aside by God, and His program and dealings were still with them at this time.

THE NEW APOSTLE PAUL

There is a need to recognize the significance of the Lord’s unexpected returning from heaven to raise up a new apostle, as the 9th chapter of the book of Acts tells us about. Though various reasons for this have been taught by men, including laxity on the part of the 12 and the like; the reason God Himself gives through the testimony of the apostle Paul is entirely different.

This new apostle Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” in accordance with the ushering in of the new “dispensation of the grace of God” to us Gentiles, just as is taught in Ephesians 3:1 12. Israel, and her program, have been temporarily set aside, as Paul teaches in Romans 11:1 25. God has now, according to the revelation of “the mystery of Christ” given to Paul, turned to us Gentiles and is accomplishing a purpose He has with us, which He kept secret “in ages and generations past.”

As Christians, we need to understand the distinctiveness of this new dispensation, along with Paul’s apostleship. For it is in the epistles of Paul, the “apostle of the Gentiles”, that we have the doctrine and instructions from God which are expressly TO us and ABOUT us today.

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

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 “MARANATHA” is an un translated Syriac word found in I Corinthians 16:22. It means; “The Lord Cometh.” It was a word of greeting in the early church. When believers met they said “Maranatha.” It was a constant reminder of the fact of the Lord’s return.

The time has come to revive the use of this word among believers. It should be our word of greeting when we meet and when we part. It should be used in writing letters to fellow believers. Use it at the beginning or at the end of a letter. When you are asked for your autograph write “Maranatha” before your name. A revival of the use of this word will bring awakening and blessing to many.

The use of the word “Maranatha” is an expression of faith in the promises of our Lord regarding His return and in all the more than three hundred references to the second coming of Christ found in the New Testament. All the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. He is looking for our faith and rejoices when He finds faith in our hearts. Let us dare to believe the promises of God regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and to declare that faith to all that we meet.

The use of the word “Maranatha” is an expression of hope. Titus 2:13–”Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” The return of the Lord is the blessed hope of the Church. We believers are not admonished to look for death. Death is not the “blessed hope.” Death is a foe even though it be a defeated foe, as far as the believer is concerned. We may die, it is true, but we are Not ‘looking forward to death. W are looking for the Lord. A whole generation of believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and consequently will not go through the process called death. Enoch is a type of the believers who are to be translated. When we use the word “Maranatha” we are reminding ourselves and others that we have a hope that is indeed “that blessed hope.” When our loved ones are taken from us “we sorrow not as others who have no hope.”

The use of the word “Maranatha is an expression of love. The Lord desires not only our faith, but our love. When Peter was restored to fellowship, our Lord asked him, three times, “Lovest thou Me?” He wanted above everything else, Peter’s love. If you love the Lord you will of necessity love His appearing. The bride longs for the coming of the Bridegroom. In II Timothy 4:8 we read: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.” There is a special crown for those who love His appearing. You don’t want to miss that crown, do you?

The use of the word “Maranatha” is an expression of joy. It is your privilege and your duty to rejoice. Philippians 4:4- “Rejoice in the Lord always , and again I say, rejoice.” This is an apostolic command. If you rejoice in the Lord you will rejoice in His return. You are looking to the day when you will see Him as He is. You have never seen Him with your mortal eyes. I Peter l:8-”Whom having not seen, ye love.” What a day it will be when with rapture you behold Him! Then you will also have the joy of being like Him. There will be no more failures and no more disappointments. You will have the joy of receiving a new body of flesh and bone, “like unto His glorious body.” You will never suffer pain again. You will also have the joy of receiving your reward at the judgment seat of Christ. Every service you have rendered, because of your love for Him, it matters not how humble and insignificant it may be, is recorded in the books of heaven and will be rewarded when the Lord comes! Rejoice, oh faithful follower of the Lord, in what is in store for you when Christ returns!

The use of the word “Maranatha” is an expression of your concern for others. When you use that word you are reminding them of the imminent return of Christ and the importance of being ready to meet Him. It is an admonition to watch and pray and to win souls and live for eternity. To the unsaved, it is a message of warning. You don’t want your loved ones to be left behind when He comes.

So let this word “Maranatha” be burned into your consciousness and use it to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

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“THOUSANDS Disappear!” “Driverless Cars Crash!” “Strange Event Shrouded in Mystery!” Such will be the headlines of to morrow. God does intervene in the affairs of men. In the beginning of our calendar time, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay for the sins of mankind upon the cross. Now, the time is drawing near when God’s Son will return to judge this world and rule over it. Here is the order of the coming events:

THE RAPTURE

This will be the greatest evacuation of all time. Our English word, “Rapture,” means “to be caught up.” Here is the statement from the Bible:

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; “Then we (believers) who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

“In a moment!” All living people who have received Christ as their Saviour and Lord will be “caught up” in the air to meet Him. There will be no time to receive Him then. God’s Word says, “Behold NOW is the accepted time” (II Corinthians 6:2).

THE TRIBULATION

According to the prophecies of God’s Word, there will be an unprecedented rejection of God, a world wide revolution against God after the Rapture. Three times the Bible tells us that there never has been, nor ever will be again, such a period in human history–of war, violence and terror upon earth!

“For then shall be Great Tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). See also Mark 13:19 and Daniel 12:1. It will be a time of violence and terror, death and destruction, nuclear wars, earthquakes, famines. It will last about seven years. Peace will be removed from the earth, “that they should kill one another” (Revelation 6:4-8, 9: 15).

A world dictator, the Antichrist, will come into power. The Bible calls him “the man of sin,” Satan’s man (II Thessalonians 2:3-4). This awful period of time will culminate in the great and terrible “Battle of Armageddon” (Revelation14:20 and 16:13-16). This will be in the Valley of Megiddo, near Jerusalem. World events today are hastening mankind toward that awful day!

CHRIST’S SECOND COMING

In great glory and power the Lord Jesus Christ will then return to earth. “In righteousness He doth judge and make war” (Revelation 19:11). See further details in verses 12 to 16.

“When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, Inflaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thessalonians 1:7-8).

THE KINGDOM AGE

After the destruction of His enemies at Armageddon, the Lord Jesus Christ will reign on earth, as “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” for one thousand years. See Revelation 19:20-21 and 20:1-4. It will be a reign of peace and true righteousness.

The Kingdom age will close with the Great White Throne judgment, when the unsaved of all ages will be raised to stand before the Great Judge (Rev. 20:11-15).”And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire!” The Great Judge will be Jesus Christ, whom they rejected.

He must be your Saviour now, or your Judge in that day!

BUT WHAT OF TODAY?

Yes, What of today? God put enough resources in the earth to last until the Great King comes back to renew all things. Man is now rapidly depleting the earth of all of these resources–oil, minerals, arable land, water and even good air itself. Tensions mount, and war and violence are filling the earth. The Great Tribulation is just ahead!

But God has a wonderful promise to all who will now receive His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Speaking of the coming Tribulation “wrath,” He says: “For God hath not appointed us (believers) to wrath but to obtain salvation (or deliverance) by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” (I Thessalonians 5:9-10). Is He your Saviour? He died on the cross to save you “from the wrath to come” (I Thessalonians 1:10). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

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The Distinctive Messages of the Prison and Pre-prison Epistles

MOST instructed believers today know that present truth-the truth for the church which is the body of Christ-is to be found only in Paul’s epistles, from Romans to Philemon. (Hebrews is a special epistle to the Hebrew believers, and is not addressed as a church epistle). The rest of the Word of God is for us, and is rich in instruction to us, but only in the church epistles do we find the direct doctrines and practices for the present age of grace. Paul plainly states that to him was given this special revelation, “of the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2-3).

But is every statement in Paul’s epistles for us today? Are there some things, even in these epistles, that were Jewish and have passed away? Most believers have not been able to give a very good answer to the first question, and though they believe the second one should be answered in the affirmative, they are hard pressed for Scriptural proof.

For instance, in I Corinthians 12:28-30 there are certain gifts listed, including the gifts of healing, speaking in tongues and “workers of miracles.” In 14:13 Paul writes, “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.” Anyone with a correct understanding of dispensational truth knows that all of these special wonders and miracles were Kingdom signs (Isaiah 35:5-6), and belong with the nation Israel, who always require a sign (I Corinthians 1:22). He knows also that these signs simply do not work today, in spite of all the fantastic claims of modem cults. And further, it is stated in 13:8 that one of these, tongues, shall cease.

Again, in Romans 12:6, as well as in First Corinthians, we find the gift of “prophecy .”This gift also was to cease, as we read in I Corinthians13:8. It apparently was a gift given by the Holy Spirit in the early church for the “edification, exhortation and comfort” of the believers (I Corinthians 14:3), while the Word of God was in the making. After the Word was completed there was no longer any need for the New Testament prophet.

But the fact remains that these passages are in Paul’s epistles, which we insist are present day truth. If they are for us today, then the Pentecostalists are right. If they are NOT for us today, then we have some explaining to do beyond the fact that things changed, and these sign gifts ceased. For then we must answer the question: WHEN did the change of order come in, and WHY did it come in?

The Numerical Structure

Paul wrote thirteen epistles (not counting Hebrews). This number itself is significant, and shows the amazing perfection of God’s Word. Had Paul left out even that small epistle to Philemon, the number would have been twelve, which is the number of Israel throughout the Bible. But the number thirteen goes on beyond Israel to the Gentiles. Paul himself was not one of the twelve apostles. He did not take the place of Judas, as some teach. He was an added apostle, a special apostle, the thirteenth apostle, the apostle to the Gentiles.

Before he went to prison Paul wrote six epistles, and during his imprisonment he wrote seven others. Six is man’s number, the number of weakness. And so it is that in these first six epistles we find the HUMAN SIDE of the church, with all its faults and failures. Romans opens with the wickedness of this poor, fallen race, out of which we have been called. In First Corinthians we find carnality, greed, selfishness and even fornication among those who named the name of Christ. In Galatians we find backsliding and legalism. All human weakness. But seven is the number of perfection and completeness. So in the seven Prison Epistles we find the HEAVENLY SIDE of the church, seated in the heavenlies in Ephesians, looking at her heavenly Head in Colossians, looking for heaven itself and the coming of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Philippians.

The Order of the Epistles

As the New Scofield note states (page 1209), the order in which Paul wrote his epistles is generally believed by competent scholars to be as follows: I and II Thessalonians, Galatians, I Corinthians, Romans, II Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, I Timothy, Titus and II Timothy. The first six of these are the Preprison Epistles, and the last seven are the Prison Epistles.

The Pre-prison Epistles The Pre-prison Epistles and the dates they were written, according to the New Scofield notes, are as follows:

I and II Thessalonians-A.D. 51.
Galations A.D. 49 or 52.
I Corinthians-A.D. 56.
Romans-A.D. 56.
II Corinthians-A.D. 57.

The Prison Epistles

The Prison Epistles began with the Ephesian Epistle written in A.D. 60 or 62. Colossians, Philemon and Philippians were written also in A.D. 60 or 62. I Timothy was written in A.D. 64 or 67; Titus in 65 or 67; II Timothy in 67 or 68. In other words, Paul wrote his last seven Epistles during his two last years in prison at Rome. It may have been the two years mentioned in Acts 28:30, at the close of the Acts period.

The Dividing Line

You will note that there is a three or four year gap between the last of the Pre-prison Epistles and the first of the Prison Epistles. During the gap the nation Israel rejected God’s final offer of His risen Son as their Lord and Messiah, and a tremendous statement was made in Acts 28:28. It reads as follows:

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

This Scripture is the great pillar of demarcation that stands between these two groups of epistles. The Pre-prison Epistles on one side, and the Prison Epistles on the other, with Acts 28:28 between them. Although Luke wrote the Book of Acts in A.D. 65, the setting aside of the nation Israel in Acts 28:28 seems to have taken place a year earlier, sometime in A.D. 64. In God’s mind it was already the beginning of the end of Israel’s occupancy of the land. In a few more years, A.D. 70, He permitted the Romans to completely remove them.

The Pre-prison Epistles, then, were written during the period of time covered by the Book of Acts. Throughout the Book of Acts God was still dealing with the nation Israel. In the Old Testament they had rejected God the Father. In the four Gospels they had rejected God the Son. And in the Book of Acts the rejected the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, even though He displayed before them great power and the Kingdom signs of healing, miracles, etc.

But it is quite evident that God was also bringing in the church, that He was for a little while engaged in a two-fold program. He was offering Israel her Messianic hope, though in His fore-knowledge God knew this offer would be rejected, and He would visit the Gentiles “to take out of them a people for His name” (Acts 15:14).

So in the Pre-prison Epistles we find some things that are Jewish, and must cease when Israel is set aside. This took place in Acts 28:28, and then we have the Prison Epistles, in which we find the full revelation of the mystery. In these nothing is of Jewish character, nothing temporary, nothing to cease, and no signs and miracles.

The Word does not tell us when Paul received all the revelations of the mystery, though there is considerable conjecture about it. It seems most probable that the Spirit gave him these revelations as he went along. We know that he received the gospel by special revelation (Galatians 1:12). Perhaps he received his final and complete revelation of the mystery in prison at Rome, from whence came those high pinnacles of church truth- Ephesians, Collossians and Philippians.

Some may ask, Why did there have to be Jewish truth at all in the early church epistles? One reason is that the early assemblies were composed of both Jews and Gentiles. In fact, much of the work began with meetings in synagogues. But the main reason is that since God was not yet through dealing with Israel, the Holy Spirit was still working through the apostles in signs and miracles. Paul himself healed and did other miracles during his Acts period ministry (see Acts 14:8-10, 19:11-12).It was needful that some of these things be taken up in his early epistles.

The whole picture changed after Acts 28:28. No more sending handkerchiefs to heal; one brother is sick nigh unto death, and Paul had to leave another “at Miletum sick” (II Timothy 4:20). And he could only prescribe a certain tonic for Timothy’s sick stomach (I Timothy 5:23). But only the things that were distinctly church revelations in the Pre-prison Epistles continue on. Heallings, tongues and other miracles, for instance, were not Pauline revelations. Nor was water baptism. All these things began before Paul came on the scene, and they are related to Israel and the coming earthly Kingdom.

On the other hand, the things that are distinct church truths, and not brought in until the Spirit revealed them through Paul, these things all continue on. Take the rapture, that “blessed hope” that is so precious to US today.

Our Lord briefly alluded to it in John 14, but it remained for Paul’s revelations to give us the full truth of it in detail. In I Corinthians 15:51 he calls it “a mystery,” or secret, which he was revealing. But the truth of the rapture goes right on into the Prison Epistles also (Phil. 3:20). All the great doctrines of salvation, faith, separation and church order continue on into the Prison Epistles. But other things did change, and Acts 28:28 was the big turning point.

 Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

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Throu The Bible With Les Feldick

I Peter 2:15 - 3:22

Okay, I Peter chapter 3 and we’re in verse 20. In the last lesson, as we closed, we were talking about Noah’s Flood, and how Christ related to it when He went down into Paradise. And we also covered that the atoning blood had never been shed until Christ died. Before that, animal’s blood could not atone for sin, only cover it up, and so the Old Testament saints could not go into Glory when they died.

Now, of course, some of you have probably been thinking (and I get the question once in a while), what about Enoch and Elijah? Well, you see, Enoch and Elijah, so far as we know, have never died physically, so their day is still coming. How God’s going to do it, I don’t know. The rank and file of believers in the Old Testament were not allowed up to Glory until the atoning blood had been shed. All right now, I guess we’d better read verse 18 to get the flow.

I Peter 3:18-20

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (or alive) by the Spirit: (so He was in the Spirit) 19. By which also he went and preached unto the (Old Testament believers) spirits in prison; 20. Which sometimes were disobedient, (of course, every human being has been in that position.) when once the long-suffering (and patience) of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, (after the years of preparation for the ark. A hundred and twenty years, remember) eight souls were saved by water.”

Now that throws a curve at some people; they think the water saved them when actually it drowned everybody else. Well, it was the water, you see, that was the judgment of God on unbelieving mankind; but the believers escaped the judgment because of the ark floating in the water. And that’s where the water comes in. All right, let’s go in to verse 21 and we can probably clarify.

I Peter 3:21-22

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.”

All right, now then, let’s just take all three of these verses together going back again to verse 20. While Noah was preparing the ark, a hundred and twenty years, every hammer blow, everything that was taking place was a sermon of coming judgment to the people of Noah’s day. They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that something was about to happen. Now, of course, they didn’t know what because they wouldn’t believe a word God said anyway. Well, you see, there again, we’re in the same situation today. I think the world, in general, out there knows that something is about to happen. If they don’t, they’ve got their head in the sand. And as I’ve been stressing once in while on the program, but especially in my classes in Oklahoma, why are we all of a sudden hearing all of this language of Weapons of Mass Destruction? It’s everywhere. Everybody’s got them. We’re not alone. Iraq isn’t alone. They’ve all got them.

Iris and I were talking about it coming up today. I’ve always said, for the last thirty years at least, that I do not expect any nuclear holocaust to begin until we’re in the Tribulation - or they are – we’re not going to be here. But, once the Tribulation starts, then these Weapons of Mass Destruction will be waiting to fulfill everything that Scripture says is going to happen to this world in God’s wrath. So everything is getting ready. But, I do not see it happening until the Tribulation.

There may be a small event, but I do not look for someone to go and ‘nuke’ some big populated area which, in turn, will trigger the enemy to recriminate back. I don’t look for that because that will just start the chain reaction that will bring about the whole planet’s destruction, which will come in the closing days of the Tribulation. So what the world should realize tonight is that everything is getting ready. The stage is being set. And I don’t set dates. I came close one time a few years ago and I was left with egg on my face - I’ll never do that again. But, we are getting close. Whether it’s three years, five years, seven years - I don’t think it will be much longer than that, but who knows? But the world is getting ready. All these Weapons of Mass Destruction are being accumulated everywhere, and once they start using them on one another, who’s going to stop it? And so the world is getting ripe for judgment.

And at the same time, the moral fabric of the world is rotting so fast it scares us to death. But God’s finally going to say, “Enough!” and then His wrath and judgment will fall. All right, now it was the same way, of course, leading up to the flood - they, too, were such a wicked generation. Violence was filling the earth, Genesis said. And God says, “I’m going to destroy them.” But, He still had that little tiny remnant of believers, so He brings about Noah building the ark so that it can be a place of safety for those few believers that were left.

Now remember when we talk about “few,” there must have been almost four or five billion people on the earth in Noah’s day and they all went except eight. Babies. Women. Children. Nobody was spared. Everything went under the horrors of the flood, except the eight who were in the ark of safety. Now the ark of safety was just that because of (now come back with me to Genesis for a moment) the makeup of the ark. And the ark is always just a box. The other word for ark in the Old Testament is a coffin and a coffin is not shaped like a boat. A coffin is rectangular. It’s a box. Well, so was the ark of Noah’s time. It was a big rectangular box. All right, Genesis chapter 6 verse 13 and 14.

Genesis 6:13a

“And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them;…” My does that ring a bell? I just heard again on the radio coming up, they blew up another bus in Haifa, Israel. Killed another what? Fifteen Israelis. See? It’s everywhere. All around the planet. Violence. The taking of human life one way or another. All right, and so God says:

Genesis 6:13b

“…and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Now we also know that when God put the rainbow in the sky, it was a promise that He would never again destroy the earth with water. But Peter is going to tell us, here in a few more programs, that He will destroy it the next time with fire. And so that is still coming, but He will never again destroy it with water. But here He did. Now then, verse 14. God’s instruction to Noah was to:

Genesis 6:14

“Make thee an ark (make a box, make a coffin, a huge one) of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, (and now here comes the kicker) and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.” Now pitch, of course, was tar, or at least that’s what we would call it. It was a tar-like substance that would seal all of the seams between the boards, or the logs or whatever they used. So, the pitch is what really was the thing that made the ark a place of safety. It couldn’t leak because of that tar sealing. Now it’s interesting that the same word translated ‘pitch’ here in this verse is translated ‘atonement’ in other places. So the pitch in Noah’s ark became then in type, the atonement that guaranteed the safety of those in the ark. That’s the whole picture. The ark was a place of safety going through the waters of judgment.

That’s the whole idea of the flood - to teach us that God is going to bring through that segment of believers because of the pitch that sealed out the water of judgment. And that’s why, back when we teach Genesis, we always teach the ark as a picture also of our salvation. That the blood of Christ is what seals out the wrath and the judgment of God that’ll never touch us, no more than the flood water ever touched Noah and their families.

And so, here is the whole picture, that the ark became a place of salvation for these eight people in the midst of horrendous wrath and judgment on the rest of humanity. All right, now then, maybe this will make a little sense when you come back to I Peter.

I Peter 3:20b

“…eight souls were saved by water.” They were saved by or through the water, because the water destroyed all of the wicked generation, and the ark floating in the water was the salvation of these who escaped.

All right, now then, maybe this will help us a little bit - verse 21. Now remember, this is Peter, this isn’t Paul. Peter is coming out of that Jewish mentality of water, water, water. And it began way back when God told Moses that the Children of Israel would be a kingdom of priests. And then you go into Leviticus chapter 8 and you get the picture. What did the priests have to go through to start his service as a priest? Wash, wash, wash in water. All right, you come all the way up through and you get type after type. Naaman, the Syrian general was plagued with leprosy and he bit his pride enough to go and find old Elisha. But then his pride really got stomped in the mud when Elisha didn’t even go out himself - he sent his servant boy who told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan seven times. Well, what a come down.

And I imagine old Naaman thought, “What’s the matter with that Jew, why didn’t he come out and tell me himself?” Well, he was just putting Naaman down where he belonged. See? And so he sends his servant boy out and tells Naaman, “You go dip in the Jordan seven times.” Well, what was the response of this Syrian general? “That filthy Jordan? You know, it’s just a little creek. I’m supposed to get into that when there’s a beautiful freshwater river flowing through Damascus?” Well, it wasn’t the idea of whether the Jordan would take away his leprosy; it was his faith. And he did what Elisha told him to do. He finally did go and dip seven times in the Jordan and his leprosy was cured.

All right, the water didn’t do it; it was his faith. And so all the way up through the Old Testament you have this washing. So then you come all the way up to Christ’s own baptism. Why did He demand baptism? Not because He had sin to be cleansed of. Not because He needed identification with Israel (that was obvious through His genealogy). But what’s He getting ready for? A priesthood - so as a priest He, too, had to signify it with a washing. And so that, as far as I’m concerned, was the reason for Christ’s demanding baptism by John; to prepare Him for His priesthood as the priest after the order of Melchisedec and so forth. Now, when you bring all that in here, Peter is still of the water mentality. He can’t help it, and I’ll show you why.

Come to II Peter, now I’m going to jump ahead a few weeks but you bear with me. We’re going to hit it again when I get there because I love these two verses like you can’t believe. II Peter 3:15. You’ve heard me use them over and over on the program and here in Oklahoma.

II Peter 3:15a

“And account (or understand) that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;…” That’s the whole purpose of this Book - to bring lost humanity to a place of salvation. All right, so Peter is showing it even here.

II Peter 3:15b

“…that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;…” People read and read and they don’t read it. Somebody just told me the other day, they had read a verse many times and they finally saw it for the first time. Well it’s typical. And so I’m sure the same thing happens here. I can read it and most people don’t get what I’m driving at. But Peter says:

II Peter 3:15c

“…even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;” What is Peter admitting? That Paul has a knowledge that he can’t comprehend. And Paul makes it so plain in Galatians chapter 2, “When we compared our notes, they didn’t add anything to me.” Speaking of the Twelve. But, he said, “I added a whole truckload to them.” Because he had so many more revelations. And they couldn’t comprehend it, Peter still can’t. And this is at almost his dying day. I think Peter was martyred just shortly after he finished this II Peter. So he says: “Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him (the revelation of the mysteries) hath written unto you;” (I think referring to the book of Hebrews, but now look at verse 16.)

II Peter 3:16a

“As also in all his epistles, (that’s Romans through Philemon) speaking in them of these things;…” What things? Salvation! See that’s why he’s been saying all that. You won’t find the plan of salvation in these little Jewish epistles. Peter says, “You go to Paul”. All right, so you go to Paul’s epistles, where it’s speaking of these things pertaining to salvation. Now here’s the part I like.

II Peter 3:16b

“…in which (Paul’s epistles) are some things hard to be understood,…” Hey, this is at the end of Peter’s life. This is some 28 years after Paul’s conversion, or more, and still Peter doesn’t get it. Well, he wasn’t supposed to. God didn’t expect him to. Peter is still of that Jewish mentality. Peter is still more tied to the Law than he is to Paul’s Gospel of Grace, and so he could never quite get it all straight.

II Peter 3:16c

“…which they that are unlearned and unstable (and I don’t think it necessarily means that they haven’t been to seminary. But they haven’t been enlightened by the Holy Spirit) wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” But they don’t stop with Paul, they twist what? They twist all of them. They twist them all to fit their own doctrines and their own theology. But, what’s going to be their end? “Their own destruction.” The Book says it, I don’t! That’s not a very kind word, I know it isn’t. But that’s what they’re going to get because they have twisted the Scriptures and they have avoided the Truth.

All right, now then let’s go back and hopefully not rile too many people and get them too angry - but here is not what Peter is referring to as our understanding of baptism. But remember that baptism, in its true definition, is placing something “into.” Now again I can use all kinds of references that were not water. When Israel came out of Egypt, they went through the Red Sea. The Scripture tells us that Israel was “baptized into Moses.” They weren’t baptized by the water, they went on dry ground, the dust was around them, not water. And so they were placed into Moses’ leadership and the cloud. They were placed into that.

All right, now then you come along and what’s the next one? Well, Christ Himself was placed, by virtue of that water baptism, into a priesthood. The other one I thought of was Christ at His Passion. As he was approaching Gethsemane, what did He tell the Twelve – or the Eleven – “I have a baptism that you know nothing of.” Can you be baptized with it? And I think Peter glibly said, “Yes we can,” and he didn’t know what he was saying; because Christ was speaking of being placed, inundated, into the sufferings and the Passion, as we call it, of that death of the cross. It was a baptism. No water, but it was a placing “into.” I know the other one I wanted to use, we might as well look at this one, I Corinthians chapter 12.

We have been so programmed (the human race over the last 2,000 years), that baptism automatically means water. No it doesn’t. It merely means when something is placed “into,” whether it was Moses’ leadership, Christ’s priesthood or Christ into His suffering and His Passion. Now we’ll see how Paul uses it as we are placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 12:12

“For as the body (the human body) is one, and hath many members, (hands, feet, eyes, ears) and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Now I’m going to use an analogy. If you were to drop a heavy object on your big toe, how far does it hurt? All the way to your head. Why? Because the toe is a part of the body and it’s going to affect all of it. Now the Body of Christ is the same way. We’re all brought into the Body of Christ and if one of the members hurts, we all hurt. Christ hurts. Now come back to our text, verse 13.

I Corinthians 12:13a

“For by one Spirit (Holy Spirit) are we all (not just a few, every believer is) baptized into one body,…” How? By a work of the Holy Spirit. No water. Not a drop. But the Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ, and it’s called a baptism. And that’s as it should be. We have been placed into the Body of Christ, so that we can function under the headship of Christ.

My, what a position we enjoy! Not the king and His subjects. The Head of the Body and the members of the Body. Okay, so now then, maybe that can qualify that baptism doesn’t automatically mean water. Well, for Peter, of course, the flood and Noah and everything - that included a lot of water - but he’s not putting any salvation on any kind of water baptism; but he’s using it as a figure that even as baptism:

I Peter 3:21

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

Now we won’t take time to go back and look, but when John the Baptist began his ministry, what was his message? “Repent.” That was his message. And how were the Jews of his day to manifest that repentance? With baptism. And the same way all through Christ’s earthly ministry and on into the day of Pentecost - Peter preaches the same thing that John did. And what was it? Repentance and water baptism. Later on, Paul will tell us that John preached a baptism of repentance - totally different than where we are under this Age of Grace. In fact, I just had a conversation and my idea is that, today, repentance is not a prerequisite for salvation; it’s the result of it. It’s the result. Because when we’re saved, we’re going to change directions and that’s what repentance is all about. But see, so many people put the cart out in front of the horse. You’ve got to repent first and then get saved. Hey, that’s the flesh talking. The flesh won’t save anybody. But, when you let the Spirit convict, and you let the Spirit bring us into a place of salvation; then, we’re going to experience a repentance. We’re going to experience a change of lifestyle and all these things. All right, verse 22 and, remember, we ended verse 21 with “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

Now you want to remember, these Jews of Peter’s day are only shortly removed from the crucifixion. Their Messiah was put to death. And they have to be constantly reminded that He’s no longer dead, He’s alive. He’s up in Glory waiting to return in order to bring these people into the Kingdom. That’s what they were waiting for. The King and the Kingdom. So Peter again reminds them that this One Who was crucified and has gone into Heaven now in verse 22:

I Peter 3:22

“Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” What does that mean? Even though He had become man, and even though He had died the horrible death of the cross, God raised Him from the dead and His power is just as supreme, if not more so, than ever before. And that’s what the Scripture says, “Therefore God hath highly exalted Him so that His name is above every name.” The world doesn’t like to buy that today, do they? But it’s true.

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

E-mail this Bible message to all your friends.

What difference does it really make whether I, as a Christian, understand the scriptural teaching about the Church God is building today? I find myself surrounded by churches of every description. I had nothing to do with the divisions that started these various denominations. I can do nothing to bridge the gap between them.

So what difference does it make whether I understand the Biblical doctrine of the Church. Should I not just find a denomination that I can work in, join this church of my choice, and do the best I can?

These questions are asked in all sincerity by many of God’s children who are perplexed in regard to the many divisions in Christendom today. Perhaps we can begin to answer these questions by using Paul’s metaphor or illustration of the Church as a building (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Viewing the Church as a building, we become aware of the fact that as believers we are members of the building, but in another sense we are also the builders.

In every building program God has undertaken, whether it be the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the Temple in Jerusalem, or the Church, the Body of Christ, which God is building today—He has stressed the importance of building according to plan.

Therefore, if we are to please God in His building program today, we must know the building plans.

THE BUILDER’S AIM Understanding What The Will Of The Lord Is

Let us consider our aim as builders, first. We are warned in Ephesians 5:17: “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Only as we know the will of the Lord concerning the Church can we be builders who can be used.

UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF THE LORD
Ephesians 5:17 What God Has Determined

As we study the Word, we learn that the will of God sometimes has to do with what He has determined. God has a definite plan that is being worked out and will continue to be worked out, until His ultimate intended goal is reached. Satan and his demons, evil men and wicked organizations, cannot hinder the will of God in this sense.

A sketch of God’s determinate will for the Church today is found in Ephesians 4:11-13. He has given the Church evangelists and teaching pastors. The evangelists and teaching pastors are given to adjust and to fit the saints for the work of the ministry and for the work of building up the Body of Christ. These functions are to be performed “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. . .” As each of us accomplish our part of the work of the ministry, the Church will grow into the “perfect man” God has determined it to be. Understanding what God’s will for the Church is, will make a difference in the strength of the Church.

What God Has Desired

The term “will of the Lord” is also used of what He has desired. The will of God as thought of in this way is God’s wish. For example, God “… is not willing (does not will or wish) that any should perish . . .” (II Peter 3:9). Yet people are perishing daily.

A clear statement of God’s desire for today is I Timothy 2:3,4. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come u-nto the knowledge of the truth.”

Each of us must spread the gospel so men can believe and be saved. “He that winneth souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30), for he understands what the will of the Lord is.Understanding God’s desire will make a difference in the growth of the Church.

UNDERTAKING THE WILL OF THE LORD Separation

Once we understand the will of God and our role as builders, we must undertake His will in our spiritual life. One is just as important as the other! If we know Bible doctrine—even dispensational truth—to the extent that we understand clearly the will of God, it profits us nothing unless we undertake to do His will. In the same way, if we undertake to do His will without a Biblical and dispensational foundation, we will be completely^ frustrated. There can be no acceptable work apart from an acceptance of the Word.

The context of Ephesians, chapter 5, stresses the importance of a life of separation from things that would hinder us, verses 1-12, and a life of separation unto the God who has called us, verses 18-21. “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

Spirit Control

This life can be lived only in the energy of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). It is the Holy Spirit who baptized us into the Church, the Body of Christ when we believed (I Corinthians 12:13). It is the Holy Spirit who sealed us in the Body of Christ until the day of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13). It is the Holy Spirit who also lives within us (Ephesians 2:22), and desired to fill or control us, making it possible for us to understand and to undertake the will of God in His building program for His Church today.

THE BUILDER’S APTITUDES

In the Old Testament, Jehovah gave the craftsmen building the Tabernacle a special aptitude for their task (Exodus 31:2-6). The Messiah told the builders of the Millennial Church to wait in Jerusalem until they received needed power from on high (Luke 24:49).

Each of us must know our human limitations, “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,” and to appraise our talents and abilities properly, “to think soberly, according to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Nevertheless, we should proceed with the knowledge that “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). This is a worthy Christian attitude of our aptitudes.

THE BUILDER’S WALK Walking Worthy Of The Vocation

This divine ability referred to in Philippians 4:13, provides for our walk, as members of God’s construction crew. It is that power which gives us, who were once without strength, an aptitude for service.

A Walk That Is Worthy

This aptitude makes it possible for us to walk worthy of the high calling that is ours in Christ (Ephesians 4:1).

A Walk That Is Different

It is to be demonstrated in a life that is different from our lives before we became Christian builders. “This I say therefore and testify in in the Lord, that ye walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17).

A Walk That Is In Love

It is to be a walk in love toward our brethren (I John 4:11-21) and toward all men (Romans 13:8-10).

A Walk That Is In Light

It is to be a walk in paths of righteousness as the children of God bearing a family resemblance to Him (Ephesians 5:8,9).

A Walk That Is Diligent

Finally, it is to be a walk in diligence and caution, exercising great wisdom and avoiding the foolish (Ephesians 5:15,16).

THE BUILDER’S WORK Let Every Man Take Heed How He Buildeth

The divine capacity to please God in building His Church includes not only our walk as Christians, but our work. Just as He strengthens us and controls us

by His Spirit in our walk, so He enables us to be accurate in our work as builders for Him.

Paul, His apostle to the Gentiles, has given us the blueprint. He describes himself as the wise “masterbuilder” or architect, and tells us to take heed how we build from that plan (I Corinthians 3:10).

The Materials

The materials involved in this building are sinners saved by the grace of God. Our work as builders not only involves getting them into the building (evangelism); it involves using every provision available for their adjustment to service, (pastoring and teaching).

The Methods

The methods we use must be scriptural. The Bible warns, “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully” (II Timothy 2:5).Schemes and gimmicks may attract more people; organizations and committees may be able to control more; recreation and entertainment may allure more, but our apostle warned young Timothy that even when men would not endure sound doctrine, his responsibility was still to PREACH THE WORD.

We cannot depend on carnal means to do spiritual work. Though hard work and good planning are always important, methods must not take the place of the preaching of the Word.

The Motives

Our motives, too, must be pure. The love of Christ is our compelling force (II Corinthians 5:14). We labor to be accepted of Him (II Corinthians 5:9).

THE BUILDER’S ASPIRATION Pleasing The Lord In All Things

Our aim as workmen is the third great reason for understanding the Church, God’s program for today. Paul, our masterbuilder, shows us what our single desire should be, “proving what is acceptable [well pleasing] unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10).

THE REASONS

Our ambition is to edify or build up the Church. Greatest care should be taken to be sure that our aspiration is always in keeping with sound doctrine. “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and lov& which is in Christ (II Timothy 1:13). False teaching and doctrines of devils will steer many to destruction (I Timothy 4:1-3; II Timothy 2:16-26).

Sound Doctrine

Think again of the instruction to “prove what is acceptable unto the Lord.” The word “prove” means to “put to the test and then approve.” We can test spiritual things only through the searchlight of God’s Word—trying the things that differ (Philippians 1:9-10), and then holding to that which is sound doctrine.

Sane Deportment

When we know what is well pleasing to the Lord, we can “approve” those things by “practicing them” through the controlling power of the Holy Spirit. The result will be sane deportment!

THE RESULTS Finding The Peace Of God

The result of our labors as workmen aspiring to please the Lord in sound doctrine, will be the peace of God keeping our hearts.

Fruitfulness In Service To God

Another outcome will be fruitfulness in the service of the Lord. This fruitful-ness will be found both in our lives (Colossians 1:10); Galatians 5:22-23), and in our service to the Church (Romans 1:13; 16:5).

Furtherance In The Knowledge Of God

Still another effect of aspiring to sound doctrine will be continued growth, a progression, in the knowledge of God and His will.

Bible knowledge of God’s plan, put to practice in Christian service as builders with Him, is somewhat self-perpetuating. The more we study the Word, the
greater our desire to serve the Lord. The more we reap the joys of service, the greater our appetite for studying the Word.

THE BUILDER’S APPRAISAL We Must All Appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ

The purpose of the judgment seat is not to determine our salvation. That, praise God, was settled at Calvary and became ours when we believed. The aim of the judgment seat is to examine our works as believers. Work that meets the building code (standards laid down by Christ through the Apostle Paul) will be rewarded. Work that is not in compliance with the architect’s plan will be condemned.

THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT

The proceedings at the judgment seat are given in detail in I Corinthians 3:9-15.

THE PREPARATION FOR THE JUDGMENT SEAT

The time to prepare for this in spection is NOW. Let every man TAKE HEED how he buildeth.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE

What difference does it make whether or not we understand the Church as revealed by the risen Christ through Paul? What difference can it make as far as our Christian life is concerned?

What difference does it make whether or not the carpenter who is to build your new home understands the blueprint? The difference in both cases is the same.

Recently in a large city, a new multistory motel was under construction. When it was about half finished, something went wrong, and five stories came tumbling down one upon another. Someone did not understand the architect’s plan. It did make a difference.

Today, the majority of builders in Christendom are following the blueprints of Judaism that were given to Peter and the Eleven to offer God’s earthly kingdom to Israel. Others go all the way back to the blueprints of legalism given to Moses for the Dispensation of Law, which was also given to Israel.

Israel failed miserably in the Law Dispensation; she rejected the gospel of the circumcision preached by Peter and his associates (Galatians 2:7-9). The ascended Christ has now given us the plans for His building in the Dispensation of Grace. Let us follow the master-builder and TAKE HEED how we build on the foundation (I Corinthians 3:10-15). It does make a difference!

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey

A woman in California cuts off her right hand according to Matthew 5:30 because it was cause for an offense (she felt it had led to a sin). A group of people in Tennessee meet to handle poisonous snakes as a sign of their faith according to Mark 16:18. Another congregation in Texas watches as a man is baptized for the remission of sins according to Acts 2:38. On and on it goes as we consider the various practices and beliefs of professing Christians.

To the woman who literally obeyed Matthew 5, people shake their heads in unbelief. The authorities of Tennessee seek to arrest those who handle poisonous snakes as part of their religion. Many voices are raised against the doctrine of baptismal regeneration.

What is the cause for such confusion and difference of interpretation of the Word of God? How can it be avoided?

The answer is simply to understand the difference between what God wants for the Body of Christ, His Church today, and what God wants for the nation of Israel, His future millennial Church.

If the confusion exemplified above can be avoided with no more effort than that, why isn’t it?
The principle reason is a lack of care for knowing just what God has said. We have all heard it said at one time or another, of some issue, “I couldn’t care less.” It is this care-less attitude of Christians that results in the failure to realize fundamental distinctions to be made in Scripture.

Many Christians are concerned about the broad issues of Scripture but never get down to the equally important details of God’s Word.

It may be possible to get by with generalities, but if a person is to advance in his understanding of the Word and discover the grand beauty of God’s purpose and work, he must deal with the specific distinctions of Scripture as well.

The cry for world evangelism is often used as an excuse to avoid dealing with specific teachings of the Bible. There are those who take pride in the fact that theydon’t get involved in doctrinal questions. Their calling is evangelism! However, a successful world-wide evangelism program for all people of the earth without national and ethnic privileges depends on recognizing dispensational principles of the Word of God. Didn’t Christ once issue the restrictive order, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles”? (Matthew 10:50?

What authorization then do we have to go to the nations with the gospel of justification by faith? It is only because of the very basic difference between God’s plan for the Church, the Body of Christ, and God’s plan for the Israelitish Church of the Millennial Kingdom.

Another reason for failure to distinguish between the Church and Israel is the desire to reconcile the promises of prophecy with what God is doing today. There is often a desire to borrow and apply for today promises and blessing given to the nation of Israel in prophetic Scriptures. These promises can be more easily appropriated for today by blurring the
distinction between the Body of Christ and Israel.

Three Common Approaches

Three prominent views prevail regarding the relationship between Israel and the Church. Though there are many ramifications of each, these seem to be the basic positions most often held.

The Liberal position (the position taking the loosest view of divine revelation) suggests that the promises and plans of God for Israel have been set aside as illustrated below. This view teaches that the prophecies to Israel are only of historical importance and do not pertain to us today or to any future purpose of God and that the Church has replaced Israel and has a completely different structure. This view does not say that the Church is to be held in contrast to Israel, but that the Church is God’s replacement for Israel.

(1) Liberal Position (Israel) (Church)

The Traditional point of view (the view held by many major denominations) suggests that the Church today is the spiritual fulfillment of Israel. The Church is thought of as “spiritual Israel.” This point of view holds the promises of the prophets to be fulfilled in a spiritual way in the Church, and suggests that God is working in two stages. First, that He worked through the physical nation of Israel and second, that now since the Cross, He is working through “spiritual Israel” in the form of the Church, the Body of Christ.

(2) Traditional Position (Israel )( Church)

The Dispensational view recognizes that God has made definite and specific promises to the literal nation Israel and believes that these promises will all be fulfilled in a literal sense through this same nation. This point of view notes that the Church is neither the replacement for Israel nor the continuation of Israel in a spiritual sense. Instead, the Church, the Body of Christ, is understood to be completely distinct from God’s purpose and plan through Israel. The Dispensational view understands that God’s dealings with Israel were suspended when He took up dealings with the Church, the Body of Christ. See the illustration below. This view also recognizes that the dispensation of the Church will come to a conclusion, at which time God will resume His dealings with national Israel. This third point of view has the abundance of scriptural evidence to support it.

(3) Dispensational Position (Israel) (Church) Israel)

An Evident Distinction

Shortly after the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter invited the people of Israel to repent and be converted. He declared that if they would repent as a nation, the “times of refreshing” and the “times of restitution” would come (Acts 3:19-21). These “times of restitution of all things” had been spoken of “by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

In Romans 16:25 the Apostle Paul talks about “the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”

There is certainly a distinction to be noted between these two portions of Scripture! One speaks of that which had been spoken since the world began and the other speaks of that which had been kept secret since the world began!

This distinction between prophecy and mystery lies at the heart of the difference between Israel and the Church which is the Body of Christ. God’s intention to bring blessing through Israel as a nation was the theme of His prophetic design. On the other hand God’s plan to offer blessing to both Jew and Gentile alike is exclusive to His secret plan, the mystery

A Significant Chapter

God’s once secret plan now revealed is described in Ephesians, chapter three. In verse 2, it is spoken of as “the dispensation of the grace of God.” In verse 9 it is referred to as the “fellowship [or dispensation] of the mystery.”

The Bible calls several specific truths to our attention concerning this dispensation of the mystery. Ephesians 3:2-3 reveals that Paul was chosen by God to be the messenger of this mystery. On numerous occasions the Apostle Paul speaks of “my gospel.” In Romans 11:13, he speaks of himself as “the apostle of the Gentiles” and magnifies his office.

Ephesians 3:5 teaches that the revelation of the mystery was not made known to mankind in other ages. This statement could not be made of God’s prophetic purpose through the nation Israel. In Ephesians 3:8 Paul says it was given unto him to preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” The term “unsearchable” could be translated literally “untraceable.” The truth concerning the Body of Christ cannot be traced out or followed in the writings of the prophets.

Another difference to be noted is found in Ephesians 3:6. The revelation of the mystery shows the Gentiles being made joint heirs of a joint body. A person would look in vain for suggestion of this in the writing of the Old Testament prophets. Prophetic writings do speak of Gentiles being saved and blessed and of them partaking of the good things of God, but only through the blessing and establishment of the nation Israel.

Nowhere do you find mention in the Old Testament of the Gentiles being blessed as equals with the nation Israel. Isaiah, chapter 2, outlines the emphasis of the Old Testament prophets.
“And many people shall go and say. Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. ” (Isaiah 2:3)

Distinctions We Need to Understand
Kingdom Vs. Body

God’s plan through Israel involved the establishing of an organization … a kingdom on earth over which Christ will reign as King.
In II Samuel 7:12-16, God promised David to establish a Kingdom through his family line. The prophets of Israel expand the testimony regarding this kingdom. Israel looked for a literal kingdom and a literal king.

When Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he said, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed…” (Daniel 2:44).
The other kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream were literal, historical kingdoms. The kingdom which God will establish through the descendants of David will also be a literal, historical kingdom.

The Lord will raise up unto David “a righteous Branch” and a King who shall reign and prosper (Jeremiah 23:5). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Righteous Branch and the Prosperous King. As the Messiah of Israel He will surely deliver the people and be established as King. Study Isaiah 9:6-7.

God’s plan for the Church of this dispensation is different. It involves the calling together of a spiritual organism to a heavenly citizenship.

Today, Christ is not ruling on an earthly throne as King. He is now seated 10 at the right hand of the Father in glory as Lord and is bringing together Jew and Gentile into one Body.

Christ is the Head of this- spiritual Body.

“And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head of the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. ” (Eph. 1:22-23) As Head, He directs all believers as members of His Body. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. ” (Colossians 1:18)

We are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh according to Ephesians 5:30!

There is, therefore, a great difference between the visible organization of the Kingdom and the invisible organism of the Church. Christ’s role as King differs from His role as Head of the Body. The Kingdom on earth is different from the Body of Christ which is blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies (Ephesians 1:3).

Prophecy Vs. Mystery

We have already mentioned the difference between Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25. One passage speaks of something spoken by the prophets since the world began and the other speaks of something which was hidden since the world began.

Searching the prophets of Israel will uncover no mention of the Body of Christ. As we have already stated, there was reference to Gentiles being saved, but only through Israel’s blessing. Israel was to mediate salvation to the nations of the world. Today the Gentiles are saved apart from the priesthood of Israel.

Blessed Israel Vs. Fallen Israel

According to prophecy, the Gentiles were to receive salvation through the rise and blessing of Israel. Zechariah 8:22-23 speaks of the people of the nations (Gentiles) seeking the Lord in Jerusalem, through the Jews! Note what the peopleof the nations will say during the Kingdom age.

“… We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

This is different from the truth found in Romans 11:11:

“Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them [Israel] to jealousy. ”

The difference is that under God’s prophetic plan, the nations are to be blessed through Israel’s rise, and under the plan of God in the Church, Gentiles are blessed aside from Israel and as a result of their fall.

Supreme Vs. Same

A promise that a great nation would proceed from his descendants was given to Abraham (Genesis 22:17-18). This “great nation” is the nation of Israel. This place of supremacy is further stated in prophecies, such as Isaiah 2:2:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ”

The mountain of the Lord which will be again exalted refers to the nation of Israel during the Millennial Age.

There is a sharp contrast in Colos-sians 3:11. This passage describes the Body of Christ as a spiritual creation.

“Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free . . . .”

The conclusion is that God’s prophetic plan calls for Israel to be supreme as a “great nation.” God’s secret plan in the Body of Christ places Jew and Gentile on equal ground.

Return Vs. Rapture

“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4).
This Scripture speaks of the second coming of Christ to the earth. The Lord Himself describes His coming to earth in Matthew 24:27.

“As the lightning cometh out of the east and shine th even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. ”

His coming will be a literal return to the earth. It will be evident to all the world.
A difference develops when we read in I Corinthians 15:51-52.

“Behold, I show 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’trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Here we have a resurrection which will take place in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye. This could hardly be the coming seen by all the world.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18 states that Christ will meet the Church in the air as contrasted with His return to the earth. This is an important difference between the prophetic return of Christ to set foot on the earth and the meeting in the air described by the Apostle Paul as “a mystery” in I Corinthians 15:51.

Twelve Vs. One

Another important distinction is the choice of twelve apostles to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom as opposed to the choice of one apostle to make known the message of the mystery.

In Matthew 10:5-7, the twelve are sent to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” to preach that the “Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Later, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter and the eleven continued to witness of the promise to Israel as recorded in Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2:14-16).

The twelve apostles received the promise of reigning with Christ over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). We cannot separate them from the purpose of God in and through the nation of Israel on earth.

In I Corinthians 15:5-10, the Apostle Paul distinguishes himself from the twelve by saying that after the Lord appeared in resurrection to them and others, that “last of all he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time” (I Corinthians 15:8).

Paul does not speak of being commissioned to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Instead, he speaks of having been given the dispensation of God concerning the Gentiles being blessed in Christ (Colossians 1:25-29). In Ephes-ians 3:1-5, we see that to Paul was given the “dispensation of the grace of God.” This was something not made known unto any of the sons of men until that time. In Galatians 1:10-17, Paul speaks of the unique ministry given to him.

“I neither received it of men, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Paul’s special apostleship was not a matter of sharing in the ministry of the twelve apostles on behalf of the Millennial Kingdom.

God called him to be the apostle to the Gentiles and to make known the revelation of the secret concerning the Body of Christ.

How important it is to distinguish between the ministry of the twelve apostles of the Kingdom and the ministry of the one apostle of the Body of Christ.

Sign Gifts Vs. Ministry Gifts

The various gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in such portions as I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, can be divided into at least two types. Sign gifts are those, as the name implies, which serve as signs or demonstrations of God’s working. Ministry gifts are those which relate to the effective ministering of the Word of God and the encouraging of the people of God.

The sign gifts include such gifts as prophecy, supernatural knowledge, tongues, and the gift of healing. In I Corinthians 13:8 we are told that such gifts were only temporary and would one day pass away. In I Corinthians 13:8,9, we see that knowledge and prophecy were “in part.” When the perfect or complete had come, then the partial would be done away or cease. Colossians 1:25 indicates that the fullness of knowledge and prophecy came with the full revelation of the Dispensation of the Grace of God; even as it says, it “fulfilled the Word of God.” The sign gifts ceased when the Word of God was completed with the revelation of the mystery. There was no longer any need for the partial now that the completed had come.

The sign gifts relate to the nation Israel. It is the Jews who required a sign (I Corinthians 1:22). From the very beginning of the ministry of signs and wonders (God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt), such signs pertained to the nation Israel. More than this, in I Corinthians 14:21,22 we are told that the sign gift of tongues pertains not to the believing but to the unbelieving of the nation Israel. Tongues were for a sign to unbelieving Israel.

Though sign gifts were temporary. and pertained to Israel, the ministry gifts are never said to be temporary and are associated with the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-16 makes this clear.

Many sincere Christians are confused by undue stress upon the sign gifts given to Israel, while paying little attention to the ministry gifts for the Body of Christ. This failure is another classic example of how people continue to confuse Israel and the Church.

John the Baptist said, “… but that he should be manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” (John 1:31)

John’s baptism Was of repentence for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4), and pertained to making Christ manifest to Israel. It is this very baptism which Peter preached on the day of Pentecost to that congregation of Jews:

“Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ, FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

Today if one were to preach the necessity of water baptism for the remission of sins and to receive the Holy Spirit, he would be frustrating the Grace of God. He would be teaching contrary to the message of God for this present day. Paul’s letter to Titus in chapter 3, verse 5, makes it very clear that we are saved NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, but BY HIS MERCY. Again, to the Ephesians Paul writes that only by God’s grace through faith and by reason of the shed blood of Christ are we granted salvation and the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7; 2:8,9).

Who then was right—Peter or Paul? The answer is both, for each was speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Peter was’ right in telling Israel that they must receive the baptism of repentence for the remission of sins. They were to do this not for national redemption but for nation restoration. Paul was also right in preaching to the Body of Christ that through faith in Christ and because of the forgiveness of sins through Christ’s blood, Jew and Gentile alike are baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ.

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether Jew or Gentile, whether we be bond or free; all have been made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13).

There is a great difference between a ceremonial water baptism offer to Israel for the remission of sins, and the spiritual baptism of the individual into the Body of Christ because of the remission of sins.

These are but a few of the basic differences between Israel and the Church. Making such distinctions is fundamental to “rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

Knowing Who We Are

Where do you fit in God’s picture? Failure to distinguish between God’s prophetic program and the mystery, between Israel and the Church, causes many Christians to not know their true spiritual identity. They are not aware of their own particular place in God’s eternal purpose and thus, fall short of their calling in Christ (Ephesians 4:1).

Do not be robbed of the blessings and privileges which Christ has purchased for you as a member of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:8). Know them, understand them, claim them by faith!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent [”distinguish between the things which differ” - alternate rendering] , in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10)!

Posted By - Cecil and Connie Spivey