Change the Meaning of Sin, Change the Gospel, Same Old Devil

Change the Meaning of Sin, Change the Gospel, Same Old Devil

by | Mar 5, 2019 | Bible Doctrine | 0 comments

Satan and his ministers of light (2 Corinthians 11:12-15) over the long haul have successfully blurred God’s definition of sin, evil, and darkness (Light is dark, and dark is light). To the point where many within the Church have completely abandoned the truth of God’s Word and believe the lie. (Romans 1:28; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)

Sin, Evil, Satan, Demons, Immorality, Condemnation, Unrighteousness, Death, ungodly, Hell, the lake of fire, and the curse have all lost their meaning. The devil and his emissaries have brilliantly and methodically blurred God’s truth of God’s Word. Successfully deceiving the masses by first deceiving the shepherds (Pastors).

Blurring the Meaning of God’s Word

Satan and his angels of light don’t come into a Church and say there is no such thing as sin. No way, Satan’s to smart for that. All false teachers will always use the Scripture to draw in and snare. False teachers are always experts at blurring the Word of God by using just enough scripture.

Dictionary result for blurred

/blərd/
adjective
  • unable to see or be seen clearly.
  • not clear or distinct; hazy.

 

If you change the meaning of sin and mankind’s sin nature, to mean anything other than the true Biblical meaning of sin, you have no sin.

What is sin?

Answer.  Breaking God’s law.

‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned— ‘

Romans 5:12

‘Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. ‘

1 John 3:4

 

If you have no sin there is no accountability, punishment, no condemnation, and no eternal separation from God.

 

And because Adam & Eve disobeyed God in the garden ALL mankind is born with a sin nature. And separated from God.

‘For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. ‘

I Corinthians 15:22

 

 

‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— ‘

Romans 5:12

So what’s the next logical item that needs to be changed?

 

How not to be Saved

The gospel has already been changed to accommodate the new meanings given to sin, death, condemnation, the lake of fire, and eternal separation from God.

Below is more or less a popular gospel template in the Church today;

God the Father loves all of us just the way we are, we should follow and live like Jesus did, who loved everyone and excluded no one.

 

This is exactly where most of “Christendom” is at this very moment. Preaching a false gospel and sending so many to a lost eternity.

 

IT’S IN THE CHURCH NOW! NOT ON THE OUTSIDE TRYING TO GET IN. Satan and his ministers of light are in the churches now!

Most Christian colleges, are unrecognizable as anything but a “Christian College”. Most of the seminaries that once stood for the fundamental doctrines of the body of Christ have reversed course on sound doctrine.

 

The deception is real and has planted itself inside the Body and anyone that speaks up is called a troublemaker, divisive, or “unloving”. Twisting and using the Word of God against those who are trying to defend it.

Some Pastors have given up, some remain silent and focus on their congregations, and some fall to compromise. Few stand up for the truth of God’s Word.

False teaching isn’t new and is found throughout Scripture and always starts with the shepherds “the Pastors”.

The apostle Paul warned the Body of Christ about false teachers for three years to the point of tears. (Acts 20:29-31) Peter warned about false teachers providing great detail on how to identify false teachers and describing their motives. (2 Peter 2)

On the flip side, the best defense against the deception of false teachers is always the Word of God. Believers must study the Word of God, we must know sound doctrine before we can identify what’s false!

 

When you don’t know what the Word of God says about sin, you will believe any gospel.

 

Christendom’s Erroneous Narrative that has Divided Christians for 2000 Years

Christendom’s Erroneous Narrative that has Divided Christians for 2000 Years

by | Jan 5, 2019 | Bible Doctrine

“”The Church Which is His Body ‘The Body of Christ’ Did Not Begin Until the Gospel of Grace was Revealed to the Apostle Paul

 

Most in Christendom believe or were taught that Christianity began with John the Baptizer (or somewhere in between John the Baptist and Pentecost) like I was taught at my Baptist High School and Christian College in El Cajon, California.

NO. Christianity did not begin with John the Baptizer or at Pentecost or anywhere in between.

John the Baptist was the prophesied herald that came on the scene to announce to the nation of Israel (not the Gentiles) that Israel’s PROMISED King and the promised kingdom was coming! (Malachi 3:1)

John the Baptist did not come to herald “the Body of Christ”! The Body of Christ and the plan of salvation for Gentiles would not be revealed for another 14-15 years.

 

The Four Gospels are just a continuation of the Old Testament

 

The Erroneous Narrative

 

Christendom’s “traditional narrative” is that John the Baptist comes on the scene to announce to the world the King and kingdom are coming. Jesus Christ chooses 12 disciples and they perform many miracles, preach the gospel and baptize many building the Church. Jesus makes Peter the leader of the apostles and spokesman for the Church.

The Jewish leadership rejects Jesus claims and along with the Romans they crucify Jesus. Jesus Christ is raised from the dead three days later and the Lord commands the apostles to preach the gospel of grace to everyone Jews and Gentile all over the world.

At the same time, this is happening one of the Lord’s greatest enemies Saul, while on the road to Damascus is confronted and converted by Christ Himself.

Saul who is now Paul joins the other apostles and together start the great commission. Preaching the gospel of grace, baptizing, performing miracles and growing the Church.

 

Wrong!

 

The popular narrative is erroneous for one clear reason; there is ABSOUTELY NO Scripture support for it. The narrative is loaded with true statements but the underlying message is erroneous and has led to division, confusion and false teaching.

 

Use Timeline Below as Reference

The bible is a progressive revelation

 

Multiple Errors

  • First and foremost. The gospel of grace and the doctrine for the Body of Christ was revealed to the apostle Paul 11 years after Pentecost. How could Christ be preaching death, burial and resurrection when He was still alive? Furthermore, Peter and the other apostles HAD NO CLUE THAT CHRIST WAS GOING TO DIE ON THE CROSS, BE BURIED IN A TOMB THAN BE RESURRECTED THREE DAYS LATER (Luke 18:31-34).
  • Peter and the 11 knew nothing about the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4) or the Body of Christ because it wasn’t revealed yet. How can anyone say that Peter was preaching the gospel of grace when God Himself says I revealed it only to the apostle Paul?
  • John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet, not a “Christian”. John lived under the Mosaic law and believed that Jesus was the Christ (“Israel’s Messiah”). He would have fulfilled the role of “Elijah” as prophesied in Malachi 4:5,6. If the nation of Israel accepted his message.
  • There is NO Scripture record of Paul joining Peter and the other apostles preaching the gospel of grace. The record is the exact opposite! God makes it clear that He chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles. The resurrected Lord Jesus said it Himself that I revealed the gospel of the grace of God to Paul. Paul didn’t learn what he knew nor was he taught it by men but by the risen Lord Jesus Himself. (Galatians 1:11,12) (Ephesians 3:3-5) Most in Christendom seem to think Paul was taught by Peter and the other apostles. Ridiculous!
  • It was God the Son who told the apostle Paul to go up to the Jerusalem Church and set the record straight. At the Jerusalem Council, it was Paul who stood his ground and told them “who seemed to be something” how it was going to be moving forward. (Galatians 2:2) (Galatians 2:6)
  • At the Jerusalem Council “those who seemed to be something” Peter, John and James shared NOTHING of value to the apostle Paul. (Galatians 2:6,7,8,9) (Acts 15:11) It was the apostle Paul who shared with them what the risen Lord Jesus revealed to him.
  • The apostle Peter at the Jerusalem Council makes his grand statement that most DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT PETER REALLY SAID. ‘But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”’ Acts 15:11 Not the other way around! Paul didn’t go back to his congregations and say sorry guys but now you have to be baptized, circumcised and keep all 613 laws.
  •  There is no Scripture support for Peter or any of the other apostles leaving Jerusalem to spread the gospel all over the world. They never left Jerusalem. (Acts 8:1; 7 years after Pentecost)
  • The word Christian wasn’t used until Acts 11:26, in Antioch, not Jerusalem. Well after Paul’s conversion. Those who believed that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God were called followers of “the way”.

 

So much confusion, division, and infighting among the Body of Christ because of the Erroneous Narrative. 

 

The Truth

 

John the Baptist comes on the scene to announce to “Israel” and Israel only that their promised King is coming to usher in the kingdom. 

Jesus Christ performed many miracles then chose 12 disciples and commanded them not (to repeat the command for the Lord Jesus was that the twelve disciples were NOT) to go to the Gentiles or into Samaria but go ONLY to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Peter and the eleven preached the gospel of the kingdom to Jews only with two exceptions, baptizing and adding to the Jerusalem Church. Jesus makes Peter the leader of the disciples and spokesman for the Jewish Church.

The Jewish leadership rejects Jesus claims that He is their Messiah and along with the Romans crucify Jesus. Jesus is raised from the dead and spends 40 days talking to the 11 about things concerning the kingdom they were to rule over sitting on twelve thrones, as promised by the Lord Himself before His crucifixion (Matthew 19:28). The Lord also commands His disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom throughout the world beginning first in Jerusalem.

After Jesus ascension, the disciples continued to preach the gospel of the kingdom (that Jesus was the Christ) to Jews only continuing to practice the Mosaic Law. Peter preaches his heart out to his kinsman that even though they (the Jewish Leadership and the nation as a whole) along with the Gentiles killed the Prince of Life if they (the nation) would just repent God would still send their Messiah and usher in the kingdom. 

 

Around the same time Saul a much feared persecutor of those Jews who claimed that Jesus was the Christ. While on the road to Damascus to arrest his kinsman who believed that Jesus was the Son of God and Israel’s promised Messiah. The ascended and glorified Lord confronts Saul, who would become the apostle Paul, choosing him to be the apostle to the Gentile world.

Paul does not join up with Peter and the other apostles (only met with Peter for 15 days, no record of conversation) and did not preach the gospel of the kingdom. Instead, God sends Paul to Arabia for three years where the ascended Lord Jesus reveals to Paul and Paul alone the gospel of grace; that now salvation is available to ALL mankind Jew or Gentile apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship by simply believing by faith alone the gospel. That Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead three day later.  

In 51 AD, after Paul has been preaching grace for 11 years God instructs him to go up to the Jerusalem Church to tell Peter, James and John about the new revelations given to him by the risen and glorified Lord. Peter stands up and declares that from this point forward we (the Jews) shall be saved in the same way as Paul’s converts (the Gentiles).

 

Up until this point in Biblical history (22 years after Christ earthly ministry, 14 years after the cross) Peter and all Jews of the Jerusalem Church were still practicing the Mosaic Law and the temple is in full operation.

Peter only knew of the gospel of the Kingdom because that’s all that was revealed to him. It’s was Paul who told Peter the new revelations that now salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of the cross for both Jew and Gentile apart from the Mosaic Law. Which was absolutely unheard of for the previous 1,500 or so years. 

 

The apostle Paul continued to preach the gospel of the grace of God for 24 years spreading the message of Christ crucified, buried and resurrected three days later all over the world.

This is the truth and is 100% accurate and fully supported by Scripture.

 

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

 

It’s hard to understand Scripture if you don’t separate Israel (or if you remove Israel all together) and the body of Christ and understand that we are no longer under law but under grace.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

If you liked this post please consider sharing it.

 

Jamie Pantastico

 

Mesa Bible Study

 

Faith, Sine Qua Non

 

Sin is the Reason for the Season “Christmas”

Sin is the Reason for the Season “Christmas”

by | Dec 30, 2018 | Bible Doctrine

The Christmas Story was written before time began. It is the greatest story ever told. A true story that was planned in time-past and will live on into eternity.

‘Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; ‘

Acts 2:23

The Christmas Story: The Story of God’s Plan of Redemption 

In the heart of the joyous celebration of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem’s humble manger, there lie two profound truths often eclipsed by the festivities. Firstly, Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb (the Redeemer), willingly shed His precious blood to atone for the sins of the entire world. Secondly, this awe-inspiring redemptive design was not a spontaneous occurrence but an intricately designed masterpiece preordained before the very fabric of time itself. The gravity of Christ’s purpose and the divine craftsmanship of the plan of redemption add unparalleled depth to the magnificent narrative of the Christmas Story.

 

The Reason for the Season

Sin! Yes, sin is the reason for the season. “Old Adam” is the reason for Jesus being in a manger. Sin is the reason for Jesus shedding His blood and dying on the cross. (Chiefly, it was God’s love for mankind that put His Son on the cross.) Not very Christmassy, but sin is the reason for the season. In Hebrews 10, God makes it clear why He sent His Son.

Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ” Hebrews 10:5-7

God makes it clear that He sent His Son to be the supreme sacrifice for sin. Read on…

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  Hebrews 10:8-10

God the Father took no pleasure in the sacrifices of bulls and goats. But because of what the Triune God predetermined in time past, Christ declares to the world that He, God the Son in the flesh, is doing the will of God the Father. Read on…

 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

Hebrews 10:11-12 

 

Mind Boggling 

Before time, as we understand it, the Triune God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) agreed on how to deal with the sin (Old Adam) issue. (Yes, God knew before He created anything (because of His foreknowledge) that mankind would fall and sin would separate mankind from their Creator.) And it would be God the Son, Jesus Christ, who would step out and manifest Himself in the flesh to be the sacrifice that would please God the Father for the payment of sin.

 

who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

II Timothy 1:9

‘Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; ‘

Acts 2:23

‘He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you ‘

I Peter 1:20

 

Scripture makes it clear that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit decided that Jesus Christ, the Son, would take on flesh to be the supreme sacrifice for all sin. God’s Word is perfect and precise. At that exact time, God sent His Son, born of a woman.

 

But when the fullness of the time has come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Galatians 4:4

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

‘who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ‘

Hebrews 1:3

 

Because God Loved Us First 

All planned before time as we know it began. That the Son, would take on flesh, shed His blood and die to pay for sin, be buried in the ground, and resurrected three days later. Never to die again. “The Gospel“ Mind-boggling and impossible for any human to fully understand or explain but that’s where faith comes in. God said it, so we believe it. God did it because He loved us first and foremost. God wants us back in a relationship with Him. Stop and think about this, most of the world has no time for God. And God knows it but He still loves ALL mankind in spite of the complete rejection of everything God does for ALL. God’s unexplainable love for us.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

I John 4:10

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:4-7 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Ephesians 2:4-5

Who Will Believe Him?

In Isaiah 53, the “Christmas Story” is laid out clearly and in graphic detail. This amazing prophecy of the coming Christ was written by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before it happened.

Remember the golden rule of Bible study; who’s writing? and who is the writer writing too? Isaiah is the writer and he is writing to Israel.

Isaiah 53:1-2a

1. “Who hath believed our report?  and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 

How will believe Him?

2. For He shall grow up before Him as a tender planet, as a root out of a dry ground:…”

Now, what’s that a reference to Bethlehem.  Who would ever expect a King to be born in a stable situation down in the little, lowly town of Bethlehem?  So it’s just like a little piece of grass coming up out on the desert, insignificant and almost unknown.

Isaiah 53:2b

“…as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; (In other words, He wasn’t born there with a great crown of Jewels around His head and all the aspects of a King. No. He was in a lowly manger born in a stable.) and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” He wasn’t a great, fantastic, handsome individual that they were drawn to because of His physical attributes.

Isaiah 53:3

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; for He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”

What does that mean? God the Son in the flesh knew mankind’s sin dilemma. He knew His chosen people would join together with the Romans (Gentiles) and crucify Him (Psalm 2). He knew most would reject Him. The Jews didn’t know who He was but they should have. Jesus was among His people for three years performing miracles but they were stubborn. In the upper room, there were how many that believed He was the Christ the Son of God? Only one hundred and twenty, out of how many million Jews? Remember Jesus is God He knows everything before it happens and is willing to do all this because He loves not just the Jews but all mankind. Jesus Christ would have went to the cross if there was just one human on earth.

Isaiah 53:4

“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:

He was the sacrifice — not only for the whole Nation of Israel but for the whole human race.   

yet we did esteem him stricken, (beaten and misused by the Romans) 

smitten of God, and afflicted.”  

Of course, that was the work of the cross—where all the sin of the world was laid on that sinless One. 

Isaiah 53:5

“But He was wounded for our transgressions,

Sin. He became the Supreme Sacrifice.  

He was bruised for our iniquities:

He went through it all for the sins first of Israel, of course, but also for the whole human race. “the mystery” Romans 16:25″

the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes (That is the stripes of the Roman whips.) we are healed.”

Now that’s not talking about physical healing. That’s talking about the spiritual.

Isaiah 53:6a “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;…”

In other words, they just couldn’t come together and recognize who this Jesus was, born in Bethlehem, growing up in Nazareth, and now performing miracles for the last three years. They just couldn’t figure out who He was.

Isaiah 53:6b “…and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  Jesus Christ the sinless one took on the sin of the whole world.

Isaiah 53:7

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent so he openeth not His mouth.”

The Son of God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Who created the hill He was crucified on, created the trees for the wood that He hung on, created the men that nailed Him to the cross, but never said a word in protest. Isaiah

53:8 “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for He was cut off (Christ would die on the cross) out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken.” 

In the Old Testament who is referred to as “My People”, Israel. Remember who the writer is? Isaiah. Who is Isaiah writing too? Israel. It wouldn’t until around 40 AD that the risen Lord Jesus would reveal to the apostle Paul the “mystery” or secret of the gospel of the grace of God eleven years after Christ ascension. That now salvation is available to all the whole world apart from the law to Jew or Gentile makes no difference. Up to that point, salvation was to Jew only.

Isaiah 53:9a

“And He made his grave with the wicked,

He was buried among the lost of this world.

and with the rich in His death…”

His tomb was owned by Joseph of Arimathaea who was wealthy.

Isaiah 53:9b

“…because He had done no violence,

He had done nothing to deserve His death.

neither was any deceit in His mouth.”

He never tried to defend Himself. He stayed silent. Keep in mind the reason why God is doing all of this! Because He first loved us.

Isaiah 53:10a

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; he hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin,…

God the Father took no pleasure in any of the sacrifices prior to His Son’s perfect sacrifice on the cross. Why? Because none of those goats and bulls could take care of the sin problem. And until that perfect sacrifice was complete believers could not be in the presence of God. That perfect sacrifice was fulfilled when Christ died on the cross, was buried and was raised from the dead three days later. “It is Finished”. It was only after Christ was raised from the dead that He went into the middle of the earth and took Abraham and the rest of the saints going all the way back to Adam with Him back to heaven. Up until the cross, the saints could not be in the presence of God because full payment for sin wasn’t complete. Today, when a believer dies they go immediately to be with the Lord.  

Isaiah 53:10b

“…when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”

Picture the suffering that Jesus went through on the way to the cross, going all the way back to the early morning hours and as He hung there in agony and shame. Yet, what was the most glorious aspect of all of God’s dealing with the human race? The resurrection! That was primary. How He arose from the dead victorious over all of His opposition. There was nothing that could take from His power and His glory when He arose from the dead. Nothing. As believers, we identify with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection! Nothing can take us from Him. 

Isaiah 53:11a

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:…”

What were the last words Christ said on the cross; “It is Finished” Mankind has been trying to add to what Christ said ever since. By faith alone beloved. Jesus Christ did it all. His shed blood was sufficient for God the father it should be sufficient for mankind.

Isaiah 53:11

“He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:

Because it was finished, there was nothing more that could be done.

by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;…”

Not just Israel but the whole world. It’s important to realize at this time in Biblical history (700 BC) there is no salvation message to the Gentile world. Only after the cross could Jesus be the object of faith to the Gentile world. Christ had to keep the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David. Romans 15:8

Isaiah 53:11

“…for He shall bear their iniquities.

Which Jesus Christ did when He hung on the cross.

Isaiah 53:12

12. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong;

Jesus Christ will reign as King over all the nations of the earth for a 1000 years.

because He hath poured out his soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors;

The two thieves one on either side of Him.

and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” 

Jesus Christ died and paid the price for all the sin since Adam but only a remnant will believe. For the believers, Christ is our advocate before the God the Father.

There it is beloved, the Christmas Story – God’s Plan of Redemption. Written 2,700 years ago by Isaiah, fulfilled 2000 years ago and planned in eternity past by the triune God.

All the Glory to God.

Thank you for reading.

If you liked this article please consider sharing it.

Mesa Bible Study

Faith, Sine Qua Non

Bible Prophecy, Abraham, the Promise, the Cross, the Body, the Kingdom

Bible Prophecy, Abraham, the Promise, the Cross, the Body, the Kingdom

by | Nov 18, 2018 | Israel and Bible Prophecy

First 2000 Years

 

The first eleven chapters of the Bible God deals with ALL mankind, mankind speaks one language, and all mankind knows of God and has access to God. Those first 2000 years of Biblical history detail mankind’s evil heart by completely rebelling against everything God tells them to do.

 

God Chose One Man

 

In Genesis 12, God does something completely different and no longer deals with all mankind. Instead, God chooses one man Abraham (Nehemiah 9:7) to create a new race of people for Himself. (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6,7) God’s sovereign act of choosing one man Abraham, and creating a new race of people, divided humanity by Jew and Gentile. During this 2000 year period, only 7 Gentiles were saved under the provisions of the Abrahamic covenant.

 

Abraham and God’s Promise

 

God dealt with His chosen people through covenants and Jewish prophets. God’s prophetic plan for the next 2000 years begins with one man and a covenant. God promises Abraham a geographical area of land, God will make Abraham a great nation, God will bless Abraham, make Abraham’s name great, Abraham would be a blessing, God would bless those that bless Abraham (Israel) and curse those that curse Israel, THROUGH ABRAHAM WOULD ALL THE NATIONS OF EARTH BE BLESSED. The Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional and everlasting and can not be broken.

 

The Abrahamic Covenant is key to understanding the Bible. This covenant lays the foundation for all of Scripture moving forward.  

 

Use the Timeline to familiarize yourself with where God called Abram out of the mainstream of humanity. From that point in Genesis 12 until God calls another man Paul God deals with His chosen people only. (with 7 Gentile exceptions)

The Best bible study timeline tool

The Prophetic Plan

Through the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic Covenants and Jewish prophets, God revealed His prophetic plan to His chosen people. God promised King David, that one day in Israel’s future their Messiah would come on the scene, born of a woman, under the Law, from the lineage of David. He will crush Israel’s enemies and rule the nations of the world from His father’s throne in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 7:12-16)

He will be King of kings and Lord of lords and all Gentile nations will recognize Israel’s God as the one true God. The Gentiles will seek to worship Israel’s God and they will be blessed. God always had Gentiles in mind but their divine blessing and salvation would have to come through Israel. (Zechariah 8:20-23; Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 60:1-3; Isaiah 49:5,6; Luke 2:29-32)

 

Israel’s Disobedience is the World’s Gain

 

The nation of Israel had such a glorious prospect. But Israel rejected the King and the kingdom. Together with the Romans, they crucified the Prince of Life. (Psalms 2:1-3)

What does God do after His chosen people crucify His Son, Israel’s promised Redeemer, Messiah, their King? Does God destroy the Jew, or cast them away forever for murdering His Son? No! Instead, God does the most amazing thing ever in the history of the universe. God reveals a mystery or secret μυστήριον. That would turn the whole world upside down.

 

‘For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery (or secret), lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ‘

Romans 11:25

The mystery or secret that has been hidden in God until revealed to the apostle Paul is further explained in the verses below. Read on.

‘I say then, have they (Israel) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall (because the nation of Israel rejected and crucified their own Messiah) is riches for the world, and their (Israel) failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! (God is not done with His chosen people, No Way!) For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles (Paul was designated by God to preach this message to the Gentile world), I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their (Temporarily God’s Prophetic Plan for Israel is on Hold) being cast away is the reconciling of the world (This is just Mind-Boggling), what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?’

Romans 11:11-15

 

I hope it’s becoming clear, that God in His immeasurable love for all mankind already (Acts 2:23) had a plan of salvation for the whole world apart from the Mosaic Law. That was hidden until revealed to the apostle Paul. That plan is the gospel of the grace of God.

 

No Gospel of Grace Before the Apostle Paul

Until the apostle Paul comes on the scene there was no gospel of grace (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), no Body of Christ, No being baptized by the Holy Spirit Into the Body of Christ, No Jews and Gentiles being equal, No indwelling Holy Spirit, No Salvation apart from the law. The entire Old Testament, four gospels and early chapters of Acts reveal only prophecies about Israel’s King and the kingdom. 

It’s not possible to find it before Paul or before 40 AD. It wasn’t revealed yet.

 

We Are Not Under Law But Under Grace

 

For 2000 years God has been dealing with His chosen people. The entire Old Testament from Genesis 12 right through the four gospels into the early chapters of Acts is about the King and the kingdom. It is Israel that was given the promises, given the Law which they had been under for 1500 years. Of which the Gentile world around them had nothing to do with or wanted anything to do with. The dietary laws alone made the Gentile world cringe. 

During Christ earthly ministry the Pharisees had adulterated the Mosaic law to point where the Jews accumulated on their own, 613 laws. Temple worship had become meaningless because the Pharisees were hypocrites (Matthew 23) they had no faith. Never the less the Jewish people were steeped in Temple Worship and the Mosaic Law meant everything to the Jew.

 

Paul Versus 1500 Years of the Mosaic Law

 

Then Paul, Pharisee of Pharisees taught by the most famous Rabbi of Paul’s day, Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3-5) Comes on the scene proclaiming to law-keeping Jews that God is now offering salvation to Jews and Gentiles APART FROM THE MOSAIC LAW AND THE 613 LAWS THEY CREATED.

Can you see why after 1500 years of being taught the Mosaic Law it would be hard for any Jew to believe what the apostle Paul was saying.

So Paul’s message was that circumcision and keeping the law was no longer required for salvation. Salvation was based on what Christ already did on the cross for the whole world. (2 Corinthians 5:18,19) That Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again from the dead three days later. (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)

The book of Acts demonstrates how the majority reacted to Paul’s message. They wanted to kill Paul and they tried several times. (Acts 23:11-15) Remember Israel has been under the law for 1500 years. The Temple was the center of Jewish society and life. It’s no wonder they wanted to kill him. It didn’t matter though God had spoken and declared it in the following verses;

 

‘But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ‘

Romans 3:21-22

‘For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.’

Romans 6:14

‘For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.’

Romans 10:4

 

The Gospel of Grace was a Mystery “Secret”

 

The Gospel and doctrines of grace were Hid (“Mystery” μυστήριον a secret) from the patriarchs and Old Testament prophets. (Ephesians 3:3-5, Romans 16:25, Romans 11:25, Colossians 1:24-27)

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself made no mention of these doctrines in His earthly ministry. Just the opposite He commanded the apostles “do not go into the way of the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” – Matthew 10:5,6.

Peter and the eleven knew nothing of these things. It wasn’t that the Lord did not know of course He knew but the King was among His people, in the flesh, under the law, to fulfill the promises He made to the fathers. (Romans 15:8)

The risen and glorified Lord Jesus revealed the gospel of grace and doctrines for the Body of Christ, His Church, to Paul. (Galatians 1:11,12; Ephesians 3:1-10) These new revelations to Paul came on the scene eleven years after Pentecost around 40 A.D.

 

But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:11-12

How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

Ephesians 3:3-5

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began.

Romans 16:25

This is the Gospel that Saves Today

 

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.‘

Acts 20:24

 

‘Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

 

God’s Word is Perfect

 

The gospel of the grace of God has been on the scene for almost 2,000 years and will end when that last Gentile is saved “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”. (Romans 11.25) After this, God will take His Church (the Rapture 1 Corinthians 15:51-54) off the scene. When the Body of Christ is off the scene He will go right back to His prophetic plan for Israel. (Romans 11:25-27)

God’s promises and the prophetic plan will climax with the return of the King, the second coming. (Zechariah 14:9) Jesus Christ will destroy Israel’s enemies, cast alive the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire. Satan will be bound and off the scene for 1000 years.

 

The King and the Kingdom

 

It is at this time that the “Abrahamic Covenant” will be fulfilled. The nation of Israel will be in the land God promised Abraham, Israel’s promised King will be ruling the nations from David’s throne in Jerusalem. The Gentile nations will worship Israel’s God because all will know Israel’s God is the ONE TRUE GOD. (Isaiah 2:2-4, 11:10, 42:1-7, 49:5-7, 60:1-3; Isaiah 61:4-7, 62:1-5; Zechariah 8:20-23)

 

Thank you for reading. Please like and share this article.

Mesa Bible Study

Jamie Pantastico 

God Is Sovereign Believe What He Says “Faith”

God Is Sovereign Believe What He Says “Faith”

by | Nov 16, 2018 | Bible Doctrine

To understand the Bible we must come to grips with the fact that God is sovereign. We must allow God to be Who He is and believe by faith that He means what He says. When traditions and man-made theology mix law and grace, Israel and the Body of Christ, the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace, Peter and Paul, you end up with confusion and division.

 

The Bible is a progressive revelation it wasn’t all dealt out at once to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses or the apostle Peter. God is the same and will never change but how He dealt with mankind through Biblical history changed significantly.

 

For the first 2000 years, God dealt with all mankind directly and everyone spoke one language (Genesis 11:1). Then He made a change and chose just one man out of millions to start a new race of people for Himself (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). God has dealt with Jews with only (7 exceptions) for 2000 years. Dividing mankind by Jew and Gentile with the Gentile world without hope and no access to God (Ephesians 2:11,12). Then the sovereign God makes another change by choosing another man, Paul, (Acts 9:15; Acts 20:24; Galatians 1:11,12) with a new message of salvation for Jews and Gentiles apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship.

 

God is the same throughout all generations. But His methods of dealing with mankind through those generations have changed. When God deals with mankind He prescribes exactly what it is we need to do and how to do it and what God has commanded has changed through time.

 

For example, believers today don’t have a Tree of Life to feed on. Nor do we have to buy sheep and fly to Israel for temple worship every time we sin.

 

To gain a true understanding of the word of God one must recognize these changes, and identify what is doctrine and what is for our learning (Romans 15:4). We read and study the entire Bible and make applications where allowed. But as for our gospel today and doctrine for the Body of Christ it can only be found in the writings of God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.

 

Even the apostle Peter at the very end of his great ministry admonishes his readers to go to Paul’s epistles for things regarding salvation. (2 Peter 3:14-18) Why doesn’t Peter just tell his readers to believe what he did for salvation? That “Jesus was the Christ the Son of God” (Matthew 16:16,17). Why doesn’t Peter say remember what Jesus said at the Sermon on the Mount? Why doesn’t Peter say refer to what he said at Pentecost?

 

The answer is simple God made a change and Peter recognized that Paul was given new revelations regarding salvation and doctrine directly from the ascended Lord Himself (Acts 15:11; Galatians 1:11,12). I pray that the Lord opens the eyes of people so that they can see the significance of what Peter is saying in 2 Peter 3:14-18.

 

God is sovereign. He does as He pleases. Dealing solely with Jews and the promise of the King and the kingdom, then dealing with both Jews and Gentiles, revealing the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentiles, while casting aside His chosen people and returning to Israel are His prerogatives. All we have to do is believe it.

 

 

Faith, Sine Qua Non.

Thank you for reading.

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Jamie Pantastico