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 | Daily Encouragement | 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.

 

Read the Bible Literally and In Context for Sound Interpretation

Read the Bible Literally and In Context for Sound Interpretation

by | Feb 24, 2019 | Bible Study | 0 comments

It shall greatly helpe ye to understande Scripture, If thou mark Not only what is spoken or wrytten, But of whom, And to whom, With what words, At what time, Where, To what intent, With what circumstances, Considering what goeth before And what followeth.

 John Wycliffe (1324-1384)

 

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

II Peter 1:20-21

Rigor, Discipline and Consistency

The biggest issues with interpreting the Bible is the complete disregard for the context of a passage. Many in Christendom maintain a literal translation but take the text out of context to fit their theology or tradition.

When reading the Bible a guiding principle of sound interpretation is to take a verse literally (how the text reads normally) unless strong reasons exist for not doing so.

Without such discipline, interpretation of the text becomes an opportunity to inject and make a passage mean anything you want. The result is erroneous or ridiculous interpretations.

 A key factor for a hermenuetic is that it have rigor, consistency and discipline.

Determine the Setting

Knowing the setting of a verse is crucial to understanding how the passage fits in relation to every other portion of Scripture (Because it all fits). John Wycliffe’s quote above is a good guide to follow when reading and studying the Bible. It forces the reader to maintain a literal, contextual and “in-time” interpretation of any passage.

Below are a set of questions that will help anyone studying the Bible understand the setting of any passage.  Once you determine the setting of a passage, you will know exactly how it fits in the entirety of Scripture. Then, the Bible becomes so fun to read. Yes ,fun to read and you can’t put it down. 

  1. Who is the Author?
  2. Who is the Author writing too.?
  3. What did it mean to the audience?
  4. What were the current circumstances when written?
  5. What happen before and after it was written?
  6. When was it written?
  7. How does the authors other passages compare?

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ‘

Romans 15:4 

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

2 Timothy 2:15

Thank you for reading.

If you have questions don’t hesitate to leave them below.

Mesa Bible Study

 

No You’re Not Reading the Bible Literally

No You’re Not Reading the Bible Literally

by | Feb 18, 2019 | Bible Study

Reading the Bible Literally and In Context will Show God Had No Plan of Salvation to Gentiles Until the Apostle Paul

Most Christians will say “Yeah I read the Bible literally”. But how can that be? When most Christians don’t understand that God had NO plan of salvation until the apostle Paul!

Understanding there was no direct revelation from God to the Gentile world, no message of salvation to Gentiles, no set of instructions directed to Gentiles for how to live their daily lives until the apostle Paul is crucial to truly understand the Bible.

That’s correct! There is no Scripture support for a message of salvation to Gentiles prior to the revelations given to the apostle Paul. By the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11,12) Eleven years after Pentecost around 37- 40 AD.

No matter how hard you look for a message from God to the Gentile world prior to Paul, you will not find it. Even if you did find a verse or two and tried to force it into Gentile-ground you’d be twisting Scripture. (2 Peter 3:16)

 

‘and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ‘

II Peter 3:15

 

‘as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.’

II Peter 3:16

 

Don’t twist the Scriptures and force the gospel of grace and the doctrine for the Body of Christ into anything before it was revealed.

 

YOU CAN’T MIX LAW AND GRACE

 

Peter Warns Not to Twist Scripture

With his very last Holy Spirit inspired words the apostle Peter would pen before his martyrdom. He admonishes his readers to go to Paul’s epistles for the things regarding salvation. Peter also warns that because what was revealed to Paul is sometimes hard to understand they are not to TWIST THE REVELATIONS GIVEN TO HIM. Or face destruction!

 

Peter doesn’t say to go back to what John the Baptist said or the sermon on the Mount. This is 30 years after Pentecost, Peter was the leader of the 12 during Christ earthly ministry. Peter preached his heart out to his kinsman and will be on one of the thrones ruling on earth as Jesus promised him. But at the very end of his amazing ministry and with the last Holy Spirit inspired words that he would write. Peter tells his readers to go to what the risen Lord Jesus revealed to Paul. Let that sink in…

 

*(for anyone that reads into this that we are not to study, know everything about the Sermon on the Mount or anything Christ did during His earthly ministry is delusional. We can’t know what we know now about the gospel of grace without studying every verse, word everything the Lord said because the ENTIRE BIBLE is all about Him, Jesus Christ. So don’t be ignorant.)

 

Paul Alone Was Given the Doctrines of Grace

God made it so clear in Galatians 1:11,12 and Ephesians 3:1-13 that the gospel Paul preached was not given to him by Peter or any of the other apostles. Paul wasn’t taught the gospel of grace by any man. Paul received the gospel of grace and the doctrine for the Church today from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ eleven years after Pentecost!

 

It is so clear if you read the Scriptures literally and in its context, and as they unfold, you can’t miss it!

 

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

II Corinthians 5:16

 

What is Paul saying? Yes, we know the Son of God was here on earth in the flesh. (and we are to study and understand everything Christ did during His earthly ministry)

 

But, we Gentiles and Jews are to know Him no more in the flesh! Why????? Because Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead victorious over Satan, sin, the law, and death itself!

 

Now, because of what Christ did on the cross, salvation is available to ALL mankind, Jew or Gentile apart from the law. By believing in the finished work of the cross by faith alone a person is saved. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 3:21) 

Glory to God.

 

Christ Crucified, Buried, Risen Only!

Everything on this side of the cross is about Christ and His finished work on the cross. That’s it. Christ crucified, buried and risen is what our lives are about! Sound too simple, oh well…

 

This glorious message of grace was not revealed to ANYONE until the risen Lord Jesus revealed it to Paul. The gospel of grace was hidden in God from eternity past. Until the risen Lord Jesus Christ chose Saul who we now know as the apostle Paul, and revealed to him the gospel of grace. (

 

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

 

Acts 20:24

 

But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

Galatians 1:11

 

‘For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:12  

 

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 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: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 3:1-10

 

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 

Ephesians 2:11

 

that at that time you 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.

Ephesians 2:12

 

 

 

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

Romans 3:21

 

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 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 

Romans 16:25-26

 

Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them, God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:25-27 

 

The Bible is a Progressive Revelation

The first 2000 years of human history are described in the first 11 Chapters of the Bible. God dealt directly with all mankind and all mankind spoke one language. After the tower of Babel, the whole world is steeped in pagan worship and had no time for the One True God. So God does something completely different and chooses one man.

The Call of Abraham

From the call of Abraham around 2000 BC until Moses around 1500 BC, God deals directly with Abraham and his son’s Isaac and Jacob (Israel). Everything God revealed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was directed to Abraham and his descendants only. There is no message to the Gentile world at all. The time period between Abraham and Moses and the law is around 500 years and is found in Genesis 12 through Exodus 19.

 

Moses and the Law

From the time God gave Moses the Law on Mt. Sinai around 1500 BC. Where all the people of Israel promised that they would do what God commanded.  

Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord.

Exodus 19:8 

 

THE LAW WAS GIVEN TO “ISRAEL”. NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE IS THERE SUPPORT FOR GOD TELLING MOSES, ARON, DAVID, ISAIAH, DANIEL OR ANY OF THE JEWISH PROFITS TO PREACH THE LAW TO THE GENTILE WORLD! 

WHAT GOD COMMANDED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE “THE JEWS” IN EXODUS TO DO “THE LAW” AND WHAT ISRAEL AS A NATION PROMISED GOD IN EXODUS 19:8 WAS THE ONLY MESSAGE OF SALVATION TO THE WORLD AND IT WAS TO ISRAEL ONLY…

…Until God calls the apostle Paul to be …” a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” In Acts 9:15,16 between 37-40 AD… 

…There was no message of salvation apart from the Mosaic Law! There was no salvation to the Gentile world period. The law faded off the scene when God called Paul in 37 AD and ended in 70 AD. 

The law and Temple worship will continue for short time during the seven years of Jacobs trouble.

The book of Acts clearly delineates the transition from Law to Grace. It is impossible to miss the transition when keeping track of the time element, context and maintaining a literal interpretation.

 

Zacharias Knew “Israel’s King Is Coming”

After 400 years of silence we come to Zacharias and his Holy Spirit inspired words in Luke 1:67-75, he knew what was happening, he knew the prophecy was being fulfilled!

Read the verses below. Study them. It’s the same in your Bible as it is in mine. Zacharias knew nothing of the gospel of the grace of God. It was hidden in God. But what he does know is that God promised Israel a King and He was coming on the scene now!

The Messiah promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was coming! The promises God made to King David were being fulfilled. (2 Samuel 7:12-17; Luke 1:29-33) The promised King that would destroy Israel’s enemies and rule forever sitting on David’s throne in Jerusalem was coming! Zacharias knew and Glorified God.

 

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. ‘

Luke 1:67-75

 

Israel’s Glorious Prospect

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 all 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 Drop the Ball

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; Acts 3:15)

 

But God Had a “μυστήριον”

But God…had hidden within in Him a secret μυστήριον “mystery”.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery (SECRET), lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 

Romans 11:25

 

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 (SECRET) kept secret since the world began.

Romans 16:25

 

Conclusion

If a person truly reads the Bible literally and in its context, you can’t miss it. 

Thank you for reading.

 

If you have any questions or would like to respond to this post please do so below. 

 

Mesa Bible Study

Jamie Pantastico

 

Faith, Sine Qua Non 

 

 

 

When Was Salvation Apart from the Mosaic Law?

When Was Salvation Apart from the Mosaic Law?

by | Jan 21, 2019 | Doctrine

Not Until the Apostle Paul was Salvation Apart from the Law

Salvation has always been by God’s grace through faith. Hebrews 11 makes that clear. But it wasn’t until the apostle Paul is chosen (Acts 9:15) by God to be the “apostle to the Gentiles” that there was a message of salvation for the Gentile world apart from the Mosaic Law and Temple worship.

From Abraham to Moses there was no message of salvation to the Gentile world. Likewise from the time God gave the law to Moses around 1500 BC right up to Paul coming on the scene. There is NO command or revealed message of salvation to Gentiles!

Why Does It Matter?

Really?

Because Gentiles were never under the Mosaic law. Anything and everything pertaining to Temple worship and the Mosaic Law were given to Jews for Jews only.

 

You Can’t Mix Law and Grace

The problem is that Christendom has chosen to mix law and grace in both the salvation message and doctrine for the Church. This mixing of Christ earthly ministry, which was all under the Mosaic Law and Temple worship. With the message of the gospel of grace, that the risen Lord gave to Paul 11 years after the cross has led to a great division, confusion and hundreds of denominations in the Body of Christ.

So the importance of knowing when salvation was apart from the law should be self-evident but unfortunately, it isn’t. Because most in Christendom refuse to believe what Christ revealed to Paul. That we are not under the law but under grace.

We must know what the gospel message is for us today. It is a must that we know doctrine for the Church today! The salvation message and doctrine for the Body of Christ (Gentiles and Jews) was given to the apostle Paul. It is in Paul’s writing alone that contain the gospel of the grace of God and the doctrine for the Church today.

Can you believe something that God never said?

Of course you can’t and God never said one single word to the Gentile world until He chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles.  

The Mosaic Law

God gave the Mosaic Law to Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). The Mosaic Law was God’s moral, ceremonial, and civil law to govern a Jew’s daily life. Before the Mosaic Law, morality was “written on the heart” (Romans 2:14-15) in man’s conscience.

The Ten Commandments or moral law reflects the nature and character of God and is eternal

There is no Scripture record of God commanding Moses, Aron or any other Jewish prophet to preach or teach the Mosaic Law to the whole world! You’d have to be a pretty good liar to make the Word of God say something it doesn’t.  

Prior to God choosing Paul to be the “apostle to the Gentiles” salvation was faith plus keeping the Mosaic law and only for the Jewish people.

What Paul wrote was revealed to him by the risen and glorified Jesus Christ Himself eleven years after Pentecost. Through Paul’s teaching, we learn truth’s never before revealed about the Mosaic Law and salvation in relation to the Gentile world.

  1. The Mosaic Law was given to Israel, not to the Gentile world. (Exodus 20.1-17, 22; Romans 14-15, 3.19, 9.4; 1 Corinthians 9.20-21; Ephesians 2.11-12)
  2. There was no message of salvation to the Gentile world until the risen Lord Jesus Christ revealed the gospel of grace to Paul. (Eph 2:11,12; Matthew 10:5-7)
  3. There was no salvation apart from the law until the risen Lord Jesus revealed to Paul that mankind is no longer under the law but under grace. (Romans 2:14-15; 3:21,28, 6:14; Galatians 2:16)

*being a proselyte isn’t a message of salvation to Gentiles.

The passages below reveal Biblical truth’s not known to Peter and those at the Jerusalem Church. It was Paul that told Peter and all at the Jerusalem Council how it was going to be moving forward. Because he was given new revelations from the resurrected Lord Jesus Himself. Peter, James, and John agreed.

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you 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.

Ephesians 2:11-12

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

Romans 6:14 

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

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

Galatians 1:15-18

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Romans 3:19

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;

I Corinthians 9:19-20

So the logical question is when was salvation available apart from the law?

Was salvation apart from the law when God gave Moses the Law around 1500 BC?

No      Exodus 20:1-17    

Was salvation apart from the law when God made  David Israel’s first King around 1000 BC?

No       2 Samuel:5-8

Was salvation apart from the law when the prophet Isaiah was on the scene around 700 BC?

No     

Was salvation apart from the law when the prophet Malachi was ministering to the remnant of Israel in 400 BC?

No

Was salvation apart from the law when the angel Gabriel came to Mary in the first chapter of Luke?

No       Luke 1:26-33

Was salvation apart from the law when Jesus chose his 12 disciples? No Jesus said not to go to the gentiles but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

No       Matthew 10:5-7

Was salvation apart from the law after the cross?

No       Matthew 27:35-51

Was salvation apart from the law at Pentecost ten days after Christ ascencion?

No       Acts 2

Was salvation apart from the law when Stephen was stoned 7-8 years after Pentecost?

No      Acts 7

Was salvation apart from the law when Peter was commanded by God to go to Cornelius around 38-39 AD?

No      Acts 10

Was salvation apart from the law at the Jerusalem Council around 51 AD?

???    Acts 15

 At the time of the Jerusalem Council around 51 AD, Temple worship and the Mosaic Law are still being practiced by Peter and the Jerusalem Church.

Temple Worship and the Mosaic Law Still in Effect in 51 AD

There is no doubt that Peter and the 11 apostles and all at the Jerusalem Church were still practicing the law and observing Temple worship at the time of the “Jerusalem Council”. (Acts 15:1,5) That’s the whole reason why God told Paul to go up to the Jerusalem Church was to tell that salvation was by faith alone apart from the law!

 

So When was Salvation Apart from the Law?

Salvation apart from the Law came on the scene only after Paul spent three years with the Lord Jesus in the desert of Nabatean Arabia. The apostle Paul spent three years with the risen and glorified Lord being prepared for his ministry to the Gentile world. 

It is during these three years with Jesus that Paul is given the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 15;1-4) and the doctrine for the Church, which is His Body. The apostle Paul and Paul alone received these new revelations directly from the Lord Himself. (Galatians 1:11,12; Romans 2:16; Ephesians 3:3-5; Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3)

It was around 37 AD when the Lord Jesus confronts Paul (who was Saul at the time) on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:3)

After the visit by Ananias, Paul then goes to Arabia and returns to Damascus where he spends 3 years with the risen Lord Jesus. (Galatians 1:17-18 and Acts 9:22-23)

Paul returns to Jerusalem with Barnabas after his 3 years with the Lord, to meet with Peter and James the Lord’s brother in Jerusalem for 15 days (Acts 9:26 and Galatians 1:18-19)

After meeting with Peter and James Paul goes up to Syria and Cilicia the area of his home town of Tarsus. (Galatians 1:21; Acts 9:30)

 

It Is All Grace or Nothing At All

So the approximate date when Paul left the Lord in Arabia with new revelations (Mysteries/Secrets) is 40 AD.

Paul preached the gospel of the grace of God for almost 11 years before the Jerusalem Council. In those 11 years, Paul established multiple Churches preaching the gospel that was given to him by the Lord. That salvation was now available to both Jew and Gentile, APART FROM THE LAW. (Romans 3:21-23)

It is at the Jerusalem council were Paul shares with Peter, James and all of those at the Jerusalem Church the new revelations the risen Lord gave to him. (Galatians 2:2; Acts 15:1-4)

Then Peter makes his grand statement in support of this new message of salvation to both Jew and Gentiles APART FROM THE LAW.

But we (Jews) believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we (Jews) shall be saved in the same manner as they (Gentiles).

Acts 15:11

It is at this time (51 AD) in Biblical history that the salvation message changed from salvation to Jews only through faith plus keeping the law. To the new message of God’s grace that salvation is available to both Jew and Gentile by believing in the finished work of the cross apart from the Mosaic law. (Acts 20:24;1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 3:21)

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:19-20

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 

I hope that this article has helped to clarify what has been so badly distorted. If you have any questions or comments please provide them below.

If you liked this article please consider sharing it.

 

Thank you,

Mesa Bible Study

Jamie Pantastico

“It’s all grace or nothing at all”

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 | 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.

 

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Jamie Pantastico

 

Mesa Bible Study

 

Faith, Sine Qua Non

 

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