Jamie Pantastico - Free Bible Study Classes - Genesis through Revelation

But Now ‘Not Before’ the Apostle Paul was Salvation for Jew and Gentiles Apart from the Mosaic Law

by Jamie Pantastico | Apr 10, 2021 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

‘But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ‘

Romans 3:21

Salvation has always been by faith (believing what God says) but from the time God called Moses and gave him the law (Exodus 19:1-8; 1500 BC) to give to the nation of Israel until we get to God calling out Saul (Acts 9:3-6; 15,16; 37 AD), on the road to Damascus to be the apostle to the Gentiles. Salvation was faith plus keeping the law.

Again, faith has always been the primary ingredient for salvation. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God”… Hebrews 11:6. But it isn’t until we get to the apostle of the Gentiles, the apostle Paul, that salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of the cross. For both Jew and Gentile, APART FROM THE LAW!

Believers are on Resurrection Ground ‘Our Faith Rest On Christ Resurrection from the Dead’

by Jamie Pantastico | Apr 4, 2021 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

‘That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;’

Philippians 3:10

This is the believer’s position right now, we’re on resurrection ground, and we rest on that resurrection power not just for salvation, but for every aspect of our daily lives.

It is resurrection power that gives us the ability to live a victorious life, it’s that resurrection power that breaks the addiction to drugs and overcomes the loss of a loved one, physical pain, heartbreak, or whatever it difficulty we face. It is resurrection power that gives believers ultimate victory over and through the most difficult times of their lives. Ultimately, it’s that resurrection power that gives believers victory over sin, Satan, and death itself.

‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Even believers are prone to forget that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the core of our faith. Everything we believe and put our faith in as “Christians” is based solely on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without Christ’s resurrection, we have nothing.

But Christ is risen from the dead and He is the first fruits of those who have died.

‘But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ‘

I Corinthians 15:20

And because Christ is risen from the dead never to die again so too will we that believe the gospel be raised from the dead. To be with the Lord forever.

‘For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,’

Romans 6:5

‘For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ‘

I Thessalonians 4:14-17

The Kingdom is the Kingdom is the Kingdom “The Millennial Reign of Christ”

by Jamie Pantastico | Mar 5, 2021 | Daily Encouragement, Timeline | 0 comments

Most problems in interpreting Bible passages arise from neglecting a passage’s context. The guiding principle of sound interpretation is to take a passage literally. Not maintaining this discipline, interpreting Scripture becomes made up, man’s idea, fantasy, and the passage can mean almost anything. The result is erroneous and ridiculous interpretations.

Another important principle to sound Bible interpretation is to read the Scripture “in time”. In other words, we have to read and study the Bible as a progressive revelation. Not getting ahead of God’s revelation.

God’s plan of redemption for mankind wasn’t revealed all at once to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, or any of the other Old Testament prophets. Not even Peter and the eleven were given the full counsel of God. The Lord revealed to each of the aforementioned what they needed at their particular time in Biblical history. A hermeneutical method that does not approach Scripture as a progressive revelation leads to erroneous interpretations.

To be a good bible student one must maintain a literal, grammatical, and historical (in-time) hermeneutic. There has been much too much of man’s theology governing Scripture when it is God’s Word alone that reigns over theology.

The Millennial Reign of Christ on Earth

A good example of interpretive confusion is the millennial (1000 years) reign of Christ. Many in Christendom reject it while others maintain we are in the kingdom now and there are others that believe the Church will be the driving force to usher in the kingdom. Horrors upon horrors!

The coming kingdom promised to Israel is first mentioned in Exodus 19:6 and it is a promise God makes to His chosen people, the Jewish people, the nation of Israel. NOT GENTILES.

‘In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”’

Exodus 19:1-6

The “literal or normal reading of Exodus 19:1-6 is that God who just saved His people from the wicked Gentile Egyptians is making the Israelites a promise. If they obey Him they will be a special treasure to God above all the other nations and peoples of the earth. God promised the Jewish people that they would be a “kingdom” of priests and a holy nation.

The context clearly indicates Gentiles or the Church which is His body are not in view (it couldn’t have been because it wasn’t revealed yet). An interpretation that denies this is emphatically erroneous.

Not reading Exodus 19:1-6, or any passage “in-time” makes identifying context impossible. This leads to the alternative of mixing all of Scripture together. Then lifting a handful of verses and twisting them to fit man’s idea. Which makes God a liar and has led to false teachings and erroneous theology. And of course antisemitism.

The context of Exodus 19 & 20 is self-evident for anyone who maintains a literal, grammatical, and historical (in-time) hermeneutic.

If it wasn’t for Gentiles then it isn’t for Gentiles Today

Just a cursory read of Exodus 19 leaves no possibility for an interpretation that God is dealing with any other people or nation but Israel, the Jews.

To inject a message of salvation or doctrine for the Gentile world at this moment in time (Exodus 19; 1500 BC) is a grave error. The promise of a King and a kingdom is explicitly for the Jewish people. To say that the Church today was or is the ecclesia in the wilderness is hogwash and a lie from hell. It is a clear attempt to usurp Scripture to get what you want from God.

NOTE: The apostle Paul makes it clear that all Scripture is for our learning (Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16). But Paul also makes it crystal clear that we are to rightly divide the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15; Ephesians 3:1-11, Titus 1:9).

Exodus 19:1-6, like ALL of the Old Testament, are foundational to the Christian faith and building blocks to the revealing of the mystery (secret) of the gospel of grace (Romans 16:25-26).

Examine What Occurred Before & After Exodus 19

One only needs to study what came before and after Exodus 19, to validate with certainty that God is dealing with Jew only. And the promises of a geographical area of land, a King, and a kingdom were made to Israel alone (NOT GENTILES) and God’s promises to Israel can not be broken, changed, or usurped by mankind. No matter how much they twist Scripture. God can not lie. He is faithful. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It shall come to pass…

‘The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 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. 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 2:1-3

In the next post, we will examine what came before Exodus 19:6.

In the meantime here are more passages that explicitly speak of a literal 1000-year earthly kingdom earth.

In Revelation 20:2-7, it is crystal clear that the earthly millennial reign will last 1000 years. The 1000 years is so explicitly clear that the Lord tells us six times that it will last 1000 years. After a thousand years, heaven and earth are destroyed, and the new heaven and earth are created.

Amillennialists attempt to support their belief with 2 Peter 3:10 which says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” They say the earth will be destroyed immediately after the rapture in one day. Horrors! Again, they fail to capture the context of the passage. Just two verses before, Peter said, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). So it is clear that Peter does not contradict Revelation’s description of the thousand-year kingdom or Isaiah’s prophecies.

5 Bible Verses Reminding Believers that We Are a New Creation

by Jamie Pantastico | Jan 4, 2021 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

II Corinthians 5:17

Every believer will have an instant change of appetite, a change of lifestyle, a change in behavior, a change in attitude. Why? Because we are a new person, the “old Adam” or the sin nature (Romans 5:12) we are all born with has passed away. Now that does not make Christians sinless nor will we be walking around with a halo over our heads. But now, as a result of our faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (the gospel). God moved in began a work (Philippians 1:6) in us by transforming us, making us a “new creation”.

1. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2. Colossians 3:10

and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

3. Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

4. Romans 6:11

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5. Colossians 1:21-22

‘And you (believers), who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works (before salvation we were slaves of sin and in the domain of darkness Colossians 1:13), yet now (in spite of our sin God saved us because we believed by faith alone in the finished work of the cross…and) He (God) has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless (God no longer sees our old Adam or sin nature), and above reproach in His sight (God sees only Christ righteousness in us 2 Corinthians 5:21) — ‘

God’s Number One Controversy with Mankind is ‘Unbelief’ – “NOT SIN”

by Jamie Pantastico | Dec 17, 2020 | Daily Encouragement | 0 comments

‘Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ‘

Hebrews 3:12

Unbelief! It’s a horrific word. The only sin that will send people to the lake of fire is unbelief. When they refuse to believe what God has so plainly said for salvation. In Hebrews 3 & 4, we find God’s number one controversy with the human race…‘UNBELIEF’. Let’s read Hebrews 3:12 again:

Hebrews 3:12

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart (of gross immorality? Nope. An evil heart of adultery? No. An evil heart of being addicted to drugs or an evil heart of anything else you can think of? No! But what?) of unbelief (and when there is NO Faith it is easy to do what), in departing from the living God.”

Again, God’s number one controversy with mankind is ‘Unbelief’. The human race hasn’t changed one bit since the fall. Mankind’s problem isn’t drug addiction, immorality, or any other sins of the flesh (or thought). Mankind’s problem is unbelief!

The human race since the fall had a sin dilemma, but sin “old Adam” was dealt with at the cross (Hebrews 1:3), Christ reconciled ALL mankind to God by and through His death, burial, and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:14-21). So what’s the problem? Mankind will not believe it, they can’t take God at His word, no faith. The human race rejects God’s FREE GIFT of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone.

The opposite of unbelief is faith and without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). And so you have it so clearly delineated in Hebrews chapter three and four God’s number one controversy with the human race, UNBELIEF. The hearts of mankind have been hardened because they refuse to believe what God has said regarding His Son, Jesus Christ, the Truth, the gospel, and the free gift of salvation.

To get a better understanding of what Paul is talking about when he says “an evil heart of ‘UNBELIEF'”, we need to back up a few verses to Hebrews 3:7-11.

Hebrews 3:7-11

‘Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice (God expects mankind to believe Him especially when He removes the veil and gives them understanding), Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers (remember Paul is addressing his kinsman, Jews, so he is going back into Israel’s history & the nation coming out of Egypt and gathering around Mt. Sinai in preparation to enter the promised land) tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”

Remember the apostle Paul is writing to Hebrew believers on the fence about Jesus Christ. They’ve come out of Judaism making the hard break from their religion but were having second thoughts. After all, Judaism has been drummed into all Jews from the time they could walk. So they were questioning… is this Jesus of Nazareth really Who He said He was? Is He really the Messiah, the Redeemer of mankind? This is what Paul is dealing with and he is addressing his kinsman by going all the way back into Israel’s history at Kadesh Barnea to make his point.

Kadesh Barnea

Here is a quick summary of events leading up to “Kadesh Barnea”: The nation of Israel is led out of Egypt by Moses, then encamped at Mt. Sinai where God gives Moses the law and instructions to build the tabernacle. Now within a matter of two years, the nation of Israel has the Law of Moses and the tabernacle and now ready to make their way to the promised land.

‘“Then we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the Lord our God had commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea. I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites which the Lord our God is about to give us. See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord , the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ ‘

Deuteronomy 1:19-21

The nation of Israel is encamped at the gates of the Promised Land in Kadesh Barnea. All they have to do is walk in and possess the land. God told them… He would drive their enemies out using hornets just go in and possess the land, there will be no opposition, you don’t have to fear the Canaanites, because they will be gone. You don’t have to worry about food or shelter because you’re going to take over their homes, farms, and vineyards. God allowed the Canaanites to live and work for 400 years preparing the land for Israel, a land of milk and honey. But what Israel does is unimaginable? They tell God we can’t do it, the men there are stronger than us. There are also Giants in the land. They did NOT BELIEVE what God told them, they couldn’t take God at His word.

So what was it that prevented the nation of Israel from entering the promise land? Unbelief…! They had no faith in what God told them.

Now, let’s go back into Israel’s past to see what Paul is talking about in Hebrews 3:12 & 3:7-11. Let’s look at Exodus chapter 23 verse 20-32.

The Setting: the nation of Israel had come out of Egypt and are encamped around Mt. Sinai and the Lord is speaking to Moses. This is shortly before God gives Moses the instructions to build the tabernacle (Exodus 25). God is already telling the Israelites what He will do for them and what’s just around the corner.

Now Exodus 23:20-32

Exodus 23:20-33

20. ‘“Behold, I send an Angel (the Lord, Jesus Christ) before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared (the promised land, the land the Lord promised Abraham in Genesis 12 & 15, Israel).

21. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him.

22. But if (conditional) you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

23. For My Angel (Christ) will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off (Christ Himself will destroy & move out these wicked Gentile nations).

24. You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

25. “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

26. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

27. “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.

28. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you.

29. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.

30. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.

31. And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River (these boundries of the land God gave to Israel, not the tiny strip of land the nationis on now). For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.

32. You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

33. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”’

In Conclusion

God’s Number One Controversy with the Human Race is “Unbelief”

It’s important to note that it was only months prior to the events Kadesh-Barnea that the people of Israel demanded Aaron make a golden calf. And Israel fell into the abyss of moral degradation and yes of course God dealt with it. Yet it is amazing that when they get up to the gateway of the promised land and Israel rejects God’s offer to take the land without lifting a finger. God doesn’t bring up their horrible sins of the flesh or their worshiping of the golden calf or any other sin. The only sin that prevented Israel from entering God’s rest was UNBELIEF.

Unbelief is the world’s greatest problem. Even in our beloved America, we’ve become a nation of unbelief. We’ve lost our faith!

As a nation of people, we no longer have any respect for the word of God and the absolutes contained in the Bible. And we’re suffering the consequences.

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