Mature Christian or Babe in Christ?
I received a revelation the other day through the teaching of another believer that allowed me to see why most of what I say and write falls on deaf ears. It enabled me to understand why I get so few comments on my posts. This revelation comes from Hebrews 5:11 and following. Here the apostle Paul has just been talking about Jesus Christ as a priest after the order of Melchizedek. He says in verse 11:
” Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. NASU These believers who should have been able to understand what Paul was saying about this could not because they were still immature in their walk with God.
They were dull, nothros, of hearing, akoe. Nothros means sluggish or literally lazy; figuratively, stupid. It is translated as slothful, also. Akoe refers to hearing, as in receiving oral instructions.
Paul continues: Heb 5:12
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food (deeper truths).
NASU
If you have been in the Word for any length of time like 3 years or more, it is time to get off the bottle. Babes in the Word, like real babies require their mother’s milk for a couple of years, but after that it is time to move on to some more solid food, to stimulate proper growth. Paul says, you fellows ought to to be teachers by now, but instead you need to have someone teach you basic principles all over again. This is reproof. Laziness leads to being satisfied with milk, less difficult truths.
The problem as I see it is that there are not many in the church teaching this. If there are, not many are receiving what is being taught. This brings me to the elementary principles verse 12 speaks about. Elementary principles are the words arche stoicheion, which mean fundamental, initial or the first things you should have learned as a babe, like the alphabet. NT:4747 any first thing, from which the others belonging to some series or composite whole take their rise; an element, first principle (from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) The basic teachings about Christ, found in the 4 Gospels!
Heb 5:13 For everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant (an immature Christian,) is unskilled in the word of righteousness. NRSV
Unskilled is the word apeiros. It is only used 1 time in the Bible giving it singular importance. It means inexperienced, ignorant. It is not ignorance of just any old thing, but ignorance of the word of righteousness! How long are you willing to remain this way? I hear so many believers who say they are content with sticking to the basics. Were you happy in diapers, with poop in your pants? isn’t it time to grow up?
Righteousness in the 4 Gospels was only possible through good works. The free gift of righteousness, by the grace of God and the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, was not available in the gospels.
Heb 5:14
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (mature), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. KJV
Full age, Mature, teleios, means complete in labor, growth, mental and moral character; lacking nothing necessary to completeness.
Use, hexis, = habit, practice; senses, faculties of perception.
exercised, trained, gumnazoo, to exercise vigorously in body or mind. This is where we get the word for gymnast. Think if the mental and physical training a gymnast puts themselves through to be great. We need to have a similar drive to excel in the deep things of God and His word.
Heb 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to discern both good and evil. AT
If you are not complete, you are incomplete because of contentment and laziness. Remember, it’s Christ in you; his sight behind yours, his sense of smell behind yours, his touch behind yours, etc. Exercise your spiritual 5 senses. Why? To be able to tell the difference between a liar and someone telling you the truth; between an impostor and a pastor; between a true prophet of God and a false prophet!
Solid food or strong meat is not found in the gospels. Here is a little of what The Bible Exposition Commentary* has to say about this:
“Unskillful in using the Word (v. 14). As we grow in the Word, we learn to use it in daily life. As we apply the Word, we exercise our “spiritual senses” and develop spiritual discernment. It is a characteristic of little children that they lack discernment, A baby will put anything into its mouth. An immature believer will listen to any preacher on the radio or television and not be able to identify whether or not he is true to the Scriptures. Just as our physical bodies have senses without which we could not function, so our inner “spiritual man” has “spiritual senses.” For example: “O taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps 34:8). “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear” (Matt 13:16). As we feed on the Word of God and apply it in daily life, our inner “spiritual senses” get their exercise and become strong and keen. Paul called this process exercising ourselves unto godliness (1 Thess 4:7-8).”
The world is full of physical exercising fanatics, who are missing the boat. Most Christians are missing the boat as well from not exercising themselves unto godliness, being like GOD. See the last line of the preceding paragraph? It contains the key to everything I am saying.
More scriptures on exercising ourselves unto godliness:
1 Tim 4:7-9
But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
KJV
Heb 12:11
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
KJV
Moving forward, exercising ourselves unto godliness, is described as grievous chastening. Chastening here means education, training and implies disciplinary correction! Grievous implies a painful process. And it will be if you choose to do it.
Back to Hebrews, Paul continues in the next verse:
Therefore let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: a) repentance from dead works, b) faith toward God, c) instruction about baptisms, d) resurrection of the dead, e) eternal judgment. NRSV
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, NOT laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. NASU
This is where the rubber meets the road for many immature Christians. They say they believe God and His Word, yet when it comes to really doing it, it is quite another thing. Here we are told if we want to be skilled, mature Christian that we have to leave the elementary teaching and principles of the gospels behind, if we are going to move forward to perfection, being all we were called to be. “Be all you can be,” for Christ.
I know these will be some difficult truths form some to swallow, but it is still the Word. If you want to be the best leader you can be for others or the best Christian you can be, you have to move on to exercising yourself unto godliness; anything else is just religion.
Is Your Faith Blind? Give it some Sight (Insight)!
I believe most Christians would say, when asked, if they believed the Bible literally, “Yes., of course I do.” The fact is, it is not completely literal. There are over 212 different kinds of Figures of Speech. Here are some definitions of a figure of speech:
a word or phrase used in a nonliteral sense to add rhetorical force to a spoken or written passage.
a form of expression (as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener
An expression that uses language in a nonliteral way, such as a metaphor or synecdoche, or in a structured or unusual way, such as anaphora or chiasmus, or that employs sounds, such as alliteration or assonance, to achieve a rhetorical effect.
an expression in which words are used in a nonliteral sense, as in metaphor, or in an unusual construction, as in antithesis, or for their sounds, as in onomatopoeia, to suggest vivid images or to heighten effect.
E.W. Bullinger says in his Companion Bible, “Ignorance of Figures of speech has led to the grossest errors, which have been caused either from taking literally what is figurative, or from taking figuratively what is literal.”
In the Gospels, Jesus spoke in many Parables. Parables or Parabola, is one such figure, an extended simile. Look for the message beyond the nonliteral story being told. In Matthew 13:1-52 Jesus tells a lot of parables which cannot be taken literally, like that of The Sower, Tares Among Wheat, The Mustard Seed, The Leaven, Hidden Treasure, A Costly Pearl and The Kingdom of Heaven.
There are 31 usages of the word “parable” and 16 of parable(s) in the Gospels. Luke chapters 12-21 are full of parables. In addition, there are many other figures of speech within the Parables. In look 12:32, Jesus refers to Herod as a fox. This is one of my favorite figures, hypocatastasis, an implied resemblance or representation. This same figure is used in Genesis 3 where Satan is referred to as a serpent; It no more means a snake than it does in Ge. 49:17 where Dan is called the same.
My favorite Parable for the sake of this teaching is The Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19. Taking verses 19-31 literal is one of the grossest errors Bullinger referred to. Lazarus was not carried away by angels to Abraham’s bosom when he died. The rich man was not in Hades being tormented, after he died. He did not see Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom far away. Yet, I have personally been told by many brothers and sisters in Christ that this is proof that Christians go to Heaven immediately after they die and sinners go to Hell. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The point of this parable is given in the final verses:
Luke 16:29-31
“But Abraham said, (he didn’t really say anything, he’s dead)’They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.(like me, Jesus)‘”
NASU
ARE YOU LISTENING?
SALVATION: get it now, while supplies last!
The Biblical Tetragrammaton, the Hebrew Name for God the Father. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus once said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Prior to Christianity, only Jews had the promise of Salvation. Their Salvation (as well as ours) was not only something in the future, beyond the grave, but something here and now as well. The word alone is used three times as much in the Old Testament as it is in the New. To the Jews it meant Deliverance, Victory, Rescue or Safety.
For anyone who has read even a little of the OT one can see how often Israel prayed for deliverance from their enemies and how many times YHWH delivered them. (Might not be a bad idea today as well.) I have read that Salvation in this day and age has relatively no value for one’s current circumstances, but, nothing could be further from the truth. Whatever it meant for Israel it certainly means for us who are born again, as well.
In Moses day, salvation could be seen: “But Moses said to the people, Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord (YHWH) which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord (YHWH) will fight for you while you keep silent.” NASU
The same was true of David: “And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord (YHWH) in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 3 My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence. 4 “I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies. 2 Sa 22:1-4 NASU
WOW! Just look at these verses and realize the relevance of salvation for us today! In those days these words were used to describe everything attributed to God, Yahweh (YHWH). For us, they are also now attributable to Jesus, whom YHWH made both Lord and Christ. (I cannot help but explain something here for those who may not know: LORD in all capital letters in the OT is the proper name of God, YHWH. Some translation say Jehovah, but the most accurate is YHWH. There is a difference between Lord and LORD. Jesus is our Lord. His and our Father is our LORD.)
Jesus Christ was YHWH’s plan for Salvation to Gentiles who would be grafted in to fully share in the promises of God to Israel and their inheritance! This is exactly what it says in the gospel of Luke. This is what Simeon declared when Jesus was brought to the Temple some forty days after his birth: Lk 2:30-32, for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” ESV
All these aspects of salvation are available are available, now, today, to all who positively affirm what Romans 10:9 and 10 says, which is part of Paul the apostles prayer to God for Israel! Salvation is not something currently out of reach; it is readily obtainable. Get it now, while supplies last!
(See Chapter IV, page 19 of my new book at http://www.fredswolfe.com)
The Birth of the World’s Saviour, Jesus Christ
The 4 gospels are not just 4 different people’s accounts of Jesus’ life. They each portray Jesus in a different light. Matthew as a King, Mark as a Servant, Luke as a Man and John as the Son of God. Mark and John have nothing on his birth, but begin when he was 30 yrs. old. The Birth of Jesus Christ chronologically begins in Luke:
Luke 1:26-39 The Prophecy of Gabriel
26 Mary’s cousin Elisabeth 6 months pregnant with John the Baptist
27 Espoused—(Betrothed) contractually obligated Usually 10-12 months
28 The Angel came in to her physically, eiserchomai, not in a vision or a dream. Highly Favored—because of her obedience to God
29 Troubled & began to reason—When an angel appears, he doesn’t have a sign on his forehead saying, “Gabriel, the Angel of the Lord.” And he doesn’t have wings to give him away. Ha!
29 He didn’t tell her who he was—he appeared as any other man. (See Judges 6:17-22 Gideon)
30 Fear Not—favor or graciousness with God 2nd time he said it
31 3 things—conceive in womb, have a son and call his name Jesus.
32 “ “ He shall be Great(Megas), called the Son of the Highest, The throne of David
33 reign forever and no end to his kingdom
34 How? I’ve never had sex.
35–39 She went to see her cousin to confirm everything she had been told,
Matthew 1:18-25 The Conception
18 Now, the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: His mother was espoused to Joseph: legally committed to marry.
Before they had intercourse or consummated the marriage
she was found with child( at this point in time Mary must have told Joseph.)
19 Then, Joseph, when he found out was minded to put her away
Secretly or Divorce her; See De. 22:23
20 Then an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
21 He shall save all people from their sins
22 Fulfilled Is. 7:14,15
23 Joseph took Mary to be his wife
24 But knew her not until after Jesus was born (Knew, had intercourse)
See Mt. 13:55 for his brothers and sisters
Then, we jump to Luke 2:1-17 In vs.12, 16 we have a babe, brephos, a newborn, that the shepherds found. Doesn’t say how many there were.
Now, back to Matthew 2:1-16 Now The Appearance of the Magi
( about 15 months or so after Jesus’ birth)
1 Wise men—Magos—-Oriental scientists thought to be from Persia
2 Where is he born King of the Jews?
See Is. 11:10; Dan. 2:48; 1:19,20
No one else in all Israel was looking for him. The last prophet before this was Malachi in 374 B.C. 400 years earlier. Daniel’s last record was 50 years earlier in 424 B.C.
The Magi had been waiting to see His star about 500 years.
7—Herod enquired of them diligently when the star first appeared
Vs. 8 young child—paidion, an infant around 15 months old, no longer a brephos.
11 They came into a house, oikia not a manger, phatne and worshipped him
12 They went home another way
13 Angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, again
14 Went to Egypt the next morning.
15 + 16 Herod killed all male children 2 yrs. and younger, approximating Jesus’ age from the time the wise men started their journey.
I hope you spend the rest of your Christ-mas holy day truly celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Make him the Lord of your life acc. to Romans 10:9 and search out those less fortunate than you are and help them in their time of need.
See Luke 4:18—–Preach the gospel to the poor, Heal the brokenhearted
Preach deliverance to the captives, restore the sight of the blind, set at liberty them that are bruised.
How Close is a Cashless Society?
RFID chip pulled from new credit card (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As my habit is I pay cash for everything that is not business related and use a credit card for everything that is. My wife does the same. It makes our annual accounting a lot simpler. I go through a lot of Ben Franklin’s and at the end of the day give most of the smaller denominations to my wife. The older I get the less I see anyone else using cash for their transactions.
During my service in the United States Armed Forces from ’67-71 I was stationed in Bayonne, N.J. Whenever a bunch of us took Liberty (time off) we would usually go to Times Square or Greenwich Village. I can remember sitting on the can in a public restroom at the Port Authority reading a torn page from a magazine on the floor which had the Chase Manhattan logo on it. The article was about “The Cashless Society.”
The only thing close to credit card that I had access to then was my father’s telephone credit card number which I would use to call my mother from the Philippines or somewhere in the Mediterranean. (Who would have ever thought that someday I would work for a Merchant Services company processing credit cards!) In 1966, the ancestor of Mastercard was born when a group of banks established Master Charge; it received a significant boost when Citibank merged its proprietary Everything Card (launched in 1967) into Master Charge in 1969. Soon after this thousands of credit cards were mailed to people thought to be of good credit. The blanket mailing of these cards was ended in 1970 after 100 million had been sent out.
There used to be lines at the grocery store for “Cash Only,” but not anymore. It seems that as time went on fewer and fewer people carried any cash. Now, when I pull out my $100 bills I feel like a Dinosaur! The cashier looks at it, holds it up to the light, draws a line on it with a pen with special ink in it and eventually gives me the change. I use to be welcomed in the cash only line yet now am suspect in the regular lines.
Years back when the housing bubble first burst, we thought it would be a good idea to have some cash on hand. When we went to the bank to withdraw a large amount of money we were told that we would have to make an appointment at least a week in advance to make such a withdrawal. We were amazed at the scrutiny were were put through to process the transaction. They wanted to know why and what the intended purpose was. We even had to sign waivers releasing the bank from any liability when we walked out the door with it. I almost felt like a bank robber. Ha!
Someday the need for cash will become completely obsolete. Things that don’t get used are generally replaced by things that are used. How easy would it be in this day and age to be arrested as a suspected counterfeiter in your grocery or department store line? Very few people are using cash and counterfeiters are some of them. During the process of withdrawing money from one bank and putting it back in another a counterfeit $100 bill was discovered. And of course I was once again suspect. Cash used to be King as the saying goes but soon anyone who has it and tries to use it in a commercial application could find themselves in a bind.
Soon, no one will be able to buy or sell anything with cash. Sound far-fetched? Consider this: “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rv 13:17 The mark, charagma, is something engraved, stamped or etched (in or on your body; most likely your hand or a fingertip.) Rv 13:16. This word is akin to grapho, from which the English word graphic comes. Basically this mark could be imprinted, encoded on your right fingertip. How convenient would that be?! You would never need a wallet again; never have to fumble through your purse again looking for your Visa ’cause they won’t accept American Express! What a relief it will be.
Receiving the mark of the beast is going to be subtle and most people are going to be standing in line to get it. It is going to be the newest, most technologically advanced payment and identification system in the world. People will be lined up around the block at the Apple Store and eventually Best Buy. It won’t be called “the mark of the beast,” that’s for sure. Most people will love the False Prophet who precedes the Antichrist by 3.5 years. Neither of them will be known by these names. The former will be known by the signs, miracles and wonders they perform.
See more in Chapter XI of my new book, pages 119-29, at http://www.fredswolfe.com
May God bless you and keep you.
God is Not in the Business of Picking Leaders
I can hardly begin to tell you how tired I am of hearing “God allowed it” as if it is somehow equal to “it” being God’s will. God gives us free will to do whatever we do. He gave us His Word to guide us in making the decisions we make. There is nothing He does not allow, since the Flood.
One could say He allowed Hitler to come to power, who is responsible for killing millions of people. The same can be said for Muhammed, Stalin, Mao, Ho, Kim II Sung and many others. Does that mean that God somehow put them in their positions? Not at all!
God is no more responsible for putting men in positions of power than he is for what men do with that power. Here, in the United States of America, the people decide who will fill the positions of authority according to how our government is set up. The citizens of this great nation just re-elected the previous President. I am sure that each of us who voted were praying for their candidate to win, just as many sports fan may pray for their team to win. But, God has nothing to do with who wins or who loses.
Should we then blame God if our team or candidate loses? Why didn’t He answer our prayers? If He were truly “in control” as so many people believe wouldn’t He have answered the prayers of the majority? This way of thinking is just plain absurd!
People say that God can do anything He wants to do. If this were true why didn’t He stop any of the previously mentioned leaders from killing so many people? Did He want to intercede? I can’t imagine Him not wanting to, but it should be obvious to anyone that He could not. Why couldn’t He or why didn’t He?
As I have said in many other posts, due to Lucifer‘s rebellion against God Almighty, he was cast out of Heaven and became God’s archenemy, Satan. When Satan successfully deceived Adam and Eve, he received that which Adam had, namely dominion over the world. He essentially became the “god” of the ages. Just as the true God endeavors to persuade us with His words, Satan does the same. And he is obviously pretty good at it.
Once God set everything up, like gravity, He was/is bound by His own rules. What He can do is keep giving us ideas by way of His spirit (inspiration) and His Word to direct our steps. We have the ball; it is up to us to run with it. If anyone is responsible for putting people in power I would have to say that Satan has more ability to do it, since he is bound by nothing but to steal, kill and destroy. After all, he is in control and has no problem overstepping people’s freedom of will.
God bless,
Is Your Faith based on “Another” Gospel?
When Paul spoke about another gospel he was speaking about anything other than his own gospel which he was preaching:
Gal 1:11-12
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. KJV
Paul did not receive the revelation of Matthew, Mark Luke and John. He received the gospel of Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. These epistles are in the exact same order in every Greek Manuscript.
Romans, Ephesians and Thessalonians are Doctrinal
Corinthians and Philippians are Reproof
Galatians and Colossians are Correctional.
The revelation Paul received from our Lord Jesus in these letters supersedes everything else, as these are written directly to the church of God which is the body of Christ. These represent the Sacred Secret that God kept from everyone until Paul.
To confirm that Jesus did not know about this secret, he told his disciples that some of them would not die until they saw him returning in the clouds. Yet, they all died. Jesus and the disciples believed that the Great Tribulation described in the book of Revelation and Daniel would begin immediately after his ascension. They all expected Jesus to return within 7 years.
But, God threw them all a curve ball for the sake of the Gentiles. Thank Him He did! We are now living in that time period, the Age of the Secret, the Administration of Grace. Essentially the book of Revelation has been held in abeyance for about 2,000 yrs now.
See Romans 2:16, 16:25; 2Ti 2:8 concerning Paul’s gospel. See also the word “doctrine” in 1st and 2nd Timothy. God bless!
The Mystery Revealed (a solved mystery is no longer)
A nineteenth century picture of Paul of Tarsus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray (what has become known as the Lord’s Prayer), he prayed for God’s kingdom to come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. THIS PRAYER HAS YET TO BE ANSWERED! When Jesus prayed this prayer he did not know about the Sacred Secret which God kept hidden from everyone from the foundation of the world. This secret was first revealed to the Apostle Paul.
Since then, very few people have taken notice of it, especially The Church. God kept it a secret for over 4,000 years and virtually no one in the church today can tell you what it was, let alone it’s significance. Practically everything being taught today about the Kingdom of God as it relates to the church of the Body of Christ is FALSE, DEVILISH and COUNTERFEIT. And sickening, to everyone who knows and understands the Secret of Romans 16:25,26; Eph 3:1-9 and Col 1:25-29.
The devil has had about 2,000 years to eradicate its knowledge And has done a marvelous job. My son recommended I read Tony Evan’s book, The Kingdom Man. The fact that he wanted me to read it made me spiritually sick to my stomach. No one in the Administration of Grace is a kingdom anything. Look up kingdom of God in the NT and you will see the word “UNTO” used in many of the passages. The Kingdom of God and of Christ is in the FUTURE, not now! Jesus is not now ruling as King of kings! If he is, he is certainly not doing a very good job! Apostle Frederick Price said last Sunday, “if God Almighty is controlling the world, as most Christians think he is, I don’t want to go to Heaven!” If what we see in the world today is a reflection of God’s way of doing things, then what could there possibly be to look forward to? This is not the Kingdom of God! No principles of that kingdom are applicable today!
Christians today are just as thick-headed as Jews were in the wilderness. What is it going to take to wake you up?
One of the greatest mistranslations of most Bible translators has been the Greek word musterion. The problem is it was not translated at all, it was merely transliterated into a similar English word. This word is used throughout the Church Epistles of Paul given by revelation from Jesus himself. These Church Epistles serve as the new doctrine for correct believing for the church today.
The transliteration of musterion into mystery was purely satanic, in that it has lead believers to understand that there are some things concerning God that are just an un-understandable mystery. Nothing could be further from the truth. The actual translation of this word is “secret.” It does not regard a secret that any man kept, but one which God kept from the foundation of the world. You and I both know, that a secret between 2 people is one of the hardest things to keep. Deep down inside we are just dying to tell someone else or in some cases, we forget it is a secret over time, and it inadvertently slips out.
Since this was a secret that God kept, it is a Sacred Secret. No one else, including God’s only Son knew about it. Jesus was not told the secret until he had ascended into Heaven. Soon after he was told this secret, he chose a man named Saul who was a very religious Jew to reveal it to. Saul was so religious he was legally killing followers of Jesus Christ because he believed they were heretics. He was present at the stoning to death of Stephen; he gave the consent for it to be done.
Romans is the first Doctrinal Epistle written directly to believers in Jesus Christ of this Age. In Ro 16:25-26 it says, “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 (the secret) which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; NASU
Here we see that this sacred secret was first revealed to Paul for our obedience of true faith and became known as his gospel. 2of the most important words used in his letters the the Church are the words “according to.” When you read these words pay close attention because our lives are to be patterned accordingly. You will see that Paul’s gospel is actually the true gospel of our Lord Jesus.
I will leave you with further evidence of this secret revealed from the 2nd Doctrinal Epistle of Ephesians:
Eph 3:2-9
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery (secret,) as I wrote before in brief.
4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery (secret) of Christ,
5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the Sacred Secret which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; NASU
We are now living during this administration of God, just as we are living during the Obama administration. One being spiritual in nature and the other physically. There is nothing more important in the Word of God to understand for the believer than that the Epistles of Paul were written according to revelation from Jesus Christ, making them our supreme guide for faith and practice. There are no mysteries in the Bible at all, just misunderstandings. God bless.
See more like this in my new book http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/AdvancedSearch/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=rightly+dividing+the+word+of+truth
E.W. Bullinger, 1837-1913
E. W. Bullinger (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Many of my Christian friends look at my Tweets on Twitter and must think I am out of my mind when it comes the Christian Doctrine. Studying the 4 gospels for doctrine is no different than studying the 5 books of Moses, as they are all a part of the old covenant, to Israel. Yes, we can learn alot from that study, but nothing doctrinally for us.
What I espouse in my book is nothing new even though it sounds foreign to your ears. Romans was the first doctrinal epistle written to the Church of God; Ephesians was the second and Thessalonians was the last since it culminates in the Rapture of that church. Paul’s epistles are as relative today as they were in his day. They are not historical writings; they were given to Paul by our Lord Jesus for the purpose of how Christians are to correctly believe.
Corinthians is the first Reproof epistle, Philippians is the 2nd. Galatians and Colossians are epistles of Correction. As Timothy was instructed by Paul all the Scripture he wrote is either for Doctrine, Reproof and Correction. I know, that just too simple to be believable, but it is the Gospel of God in Christ Jesus, whether you believe it or not.
As Paul said in his Reproof epistle, 1Co 14:38, “if any one be ignorant, let him be ignorant.” Being Ignorant is a choice Chrisians make every day. They laugh at practically everything that comes out of my mind and onto this medium, but one day we will all have to give an account of our stewardship of the secrets of God. It will not be a pleasant day for those of you who choose Ignorance and Pride and Haughtiness instead of the revelation God kept hidden until he revealed to the apostle Paul by way of the ascended Christ.
BUT, DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. Google E.W. Bullinger and just take a look at all the titles he produced in his lifetime. You will discover that he believed practically everything I believe about the Word of God. You can also look at http://www.TruthorTradition.com.
You will discover many significant things, but the purpose of this writing is to address the Holy Spirit, God and His gift to us, called holy spirit. The difference between the 2 is the article “the.” The article presence or absence of the article “the” in the Greek Manuscripts determines which one the apostle Paul is talking about. One is the Giver and the other is His gift. You will see that this is one of Bullinger’s titles.
Yes you can Ignore everything I say hear just like you have ignored everything I have said heretofore, like Jeremiah and all the other Prophets were ignored by Israel. My advice to all you nay and gainsayers is, “Wake up and smell the coffee!”
Happy Trails.
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