"A
Dispensational Study"
By
Bob Trescott
Corrected, Modified
or Updated 11/27/08
Just look at Paul's Galatians,
Paul marveled that they so soon wanted to switch to a different gospel,
the gospel of the kingdom, but the gospel of the kingdom has been set aside. I too marvel that so many so called christians
today insist that the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of
the grace of God, are one and the same. Just think! The gospel of the kingdom is under the law; but the gospel of the grace of God is pure grace.
Don't you know? If Paul's gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost? Read Paul's epistles they are written to you and to me, so don't be afraid! Paul's writings contain the only gospel or good news for today, you will see. How can anyone say Paul's writings are the same as all of the other writings?
2Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The things that Paul writes to us had been hid in the mind of God even before the world began. Take note, the law is missing from Paul's writings, because through the Holy Spirit Paul tells us we are not under the law we are under pure grace. All of the other writers wrote under the law; the law was their theme and well it should be. The kingdom church was under the law! The twelve held fast to the gospel of the Kingdom and they were zealous for the Law.
Acts
21:20 And when they heard
it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto Paul, Thou seest, brother,
how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are
all zealous of the law:
Now read Galatians 5:18. A new dispensation has begun.
Galatians 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
In the time between Acts 9:17 and Acts 28:28 God had two sets of house rules. Jewish rules (for the dispensation of law) and Gentile rules for (the dispensation of the grace of God). But now God has only one set of house rules for all mankind. That is why Paul could tell the Galatians if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. Only the Jews could be under the law, but now the Jews are no longer be under. Note: The law never was given to the Gentiles. God said, the were with out God in this world and they had no hope, until the Lord Jesus Christ saved the apostle Paul and commissioned him to be the apostle of the Gentiles.
The Jews
were so entangled in good works, they were required under the law to show their faith by their works.
James 2:18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
When good works were absent, faith was absent as well. All of the kingdom believers including the twelve apostles, were zealous for the law. Again
see: Acts 21:20, good works belong to the law of Moses. Before
the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to the Father, He did not resend nor repeal the
law. He would later resend or repeal the law and put it on hold through the apostle
Paul.
Paul received the gospel of Jesus Christ plus the blue print for the dispensation of the grace of God. And now the Jews come under this new set of house rules as well. The dispensation of the grace of
God is for all mankind. We all have a leader, in the apostle Paul. The gospel of the grace
of God has but one requirement for salvation. "Believe!"
Believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross, believe that it was sufficient to save us from all our sins. That means believe in His death, burial and resurrection according to the Scriptures. It is sufficient for our Salvation plus absolutely nothing else. Paul's gospel is the gospel of Christ and it is for all mankind. The Lord Jesus Christ
sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession
for us.
In the dispensation of Israel, the law of Moses was all in all. At the time that the Lord Jesus Christ walked on this earth the Jews were required to believe in the name of Jesus, that He was who
He said He was; they had to repent and be baptized for the remission of sin and they had to keep the law.
God's saving grace is a free gift to all mankind, all we need to do is believe it. The law could never give life, it could only
condemn and kill, but God's saving grace is a free gift, it gives
life, it saves and it justifies. No doubt the eleven apostles and
all the kingdom believers were zealous for the law as noted in:
Acts 21:20-21 and they most likely held on to that position until
70 a.d. when the temple was destroyed. At least 11 of the twelve apostles were martyred and the nation was sent into dispersion among all the nations.
Acts 21:20 And when they heard it, they
glorified the Lord. And they said to Paul, "You see, brother,
how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and
they are all zealous for the law;
Acts 21:21 but they have been informed about
you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to
forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise
their children nor to walk according to the customs.
When Luke wrote Acts 21:21
Peter was no longer the leader of the little flock their leader was, James the Lord's half brother. James was the new speaker for the whole
assembly. James took over leadership from Peter; shortly after the apostle James was beheaded. This clearly indicated a change.
James the Lords half
brother even had the final say in: Acts 15, at the Jerusalem council.
Acts 15:13 And after they had held
their peace, James (the Lord's half brother) answered,saying,
men and brethern, harken unto me:
In
Acts 28:28 final judgment was pronounced on the nation of Israel by the apostle Paul; they were set aside by God in unbelief. But never forget, God still blesses a nation that blesses Israel and
He still curses a nation that curses Israel. God forbid that this nation
should ever curse Israel. The promise of blessing and cursing was given to Abraham long
before the nation of Israel was born and I am certain that they are still in effect.
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Acts
28:28 Be it known therefore
unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles,
and that they will hear it.
After: Acts 28:28 the Jews must switched to the Gospel of the Grace of God
just like the Gentiles. Israel received three warnings the first was in Acts
13:46 the second one was in
Acts
18:6 and
the finally warning came in Acts
28:28. The nation was set aside in unbelief. They no longer hold favored nation status in the
eyes of God.
They are on the same footing as the Gentile nations. And they must believe the same gospel that the Gentiles believe which is:
1-Cor.15:1-4.
1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Before Acts 28:28 the Jews had only to believe that Jesus
was the Christ the son of the living God that he was who He said he was and keep the law. See: Peter's statement
in:
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
This requirement carried through until
Acts 28:28. And now the Jews are saved just like the Gentiles are saved, and that is according to Paul's gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
The
Jews were zealous for the law probably until 70 a.d. when the temple was destroyed. The gospel of the kingdom is now on hold, and
the nation of Israel is set aside. They will be
saved in like manner as we are, one at a time.
Peter indicates this change at the Jerusalem council, Peter rose up and made this statement. Note what
Peter says, the Jews will be saved in like manner as the Gentiles and not the
other way around. The Gentiles are saved without the law and the Jews shall be saved the same way at least for these two thousand years.
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
This verse says the Jews will be saved
in the same manner as the Gentiles, and that is by faith alone
in Christ's finished work on the cross alone. The fact that James the Lord's half
brother took over leadership from Peter; indicated that Peter
knew the kingdom gospel was drawing to a close. This change took place about the time or shortly after that the
apostle James was beheaded in Acts 12. The nation had already sinned against the
Father by killing the prophets they had already sinned against the Son by hanging Him on a Roman cross. Finally they sinned against the Holy Spirit by stoning Steven.
Then Israel rejected her Messiah. In Acts 28:28 God set
the nation of Israel aside in unbelief thereby closing the dispensation of Israel. God no longer deals with Israel as a nation. He only deals with them, individually just as He deals with
the Gentiles. The kingdom Apostles
fade completely from sight. As far as we know they were all martyred,
with the exception of the apostle John.
John was exiled to the
isle of Patmos where he wrote his final book (Revelation). The Revelation of Jesus Christ
is for the future of the nation of Israel.
You will not find the church the Body of Christ in the book of Revelation because it is not there nor will
the body church be included in Israel's judgments during the great tribulation. The church the body of Christ is not
God's earthly people, the Jews are God's earthly people; the church the body
of Christ are citizens of heaven. The church the body of Christ is God's heavenly people. God did not choose the church the body
of Christ for wrath, and we will not see the Great Tribulation, we will be
caught up or raptured before it starts. This is our blessed hope the rapture!
1Thessolonians
4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Thessolonians
4:17 Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air:and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Some folks that do not understand
the gospel of the grace of God have said, you are putting Paul in Jesus' place. But nothing could be farther from
the truth! Every word the apostle Paul spoke or wrote, came directly from the risen and Glorified Lord
Jesus Christ. Therefore, all of Paul's revelations were from God the Holy Spirit, every word was God breathed from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
"Miles
Coverdale Wrote 1488-1568"
(Paraphrased) It will
help you understand Scriptures, if you mark not only what is
said or written, but of whom or to whom, with what words, at what
time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering
what goes before and what follows after. Miles Coverdale, was
the first man to translate the entire Bible into the English language. While
the Bible is the inspired Word of God and is an accurate record
of events and sayings of men, we must remember: All Scripture
is for me. It is not all addressed to me nor is it written about
me.
There is only one way to understand the Scriptures!
We must first belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, then we must know who is speaking and to whom they are speaking. (For example,) James
wrote to the 12 tribes scattered abroad and (these were all Jews), there are no Gentiles in the 12 tribes of Israel. Also he was not writing to the Church the Body of Christ.
If a new born Christian
could only understand! Christ was not sent to the Gentiles, He sent the apostle Paul to to the Gentiles to be our apostle and we
are admonished by the Holy Spirit to follow Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ risen and glorified. Then that new born christian could understand Paul's gospel more fully. Remember, if Paul's gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. We must follow Paul as he followed Christ.
1Corinthians
11:1 Be ye followers of
me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
Then too if we listen to Coverdale the Scriptures will
become so much easier to be understood, especially the things that
differ.
(Right Division) is the one key, whereby we can separate
the Gospel of the kingdom, Prophecy from the Gospel of the Grace of God, Mystery. We must also separate the nation of Israel, from the church the body of Christ. Some folks shun the
word dispensation as well as the word rapture as though they came directly from the devil himself. Here are the two Gospels.
(One), the Gospel for the circumcision
(Jews) (Prophecy).
(Two), the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) (Mystery).
When James the Lord's
half brother, Peter and John perceived that there were two
gospels, they agreed to stay with the nation of Israel
which they understood (Jews only) while Paul and his helpers stayed with to the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9. And when James, Peter, and John, who seemed
to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they
gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that
we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This was a binding agreement by hand shake,
between Paul, Barnabas, James the Lords half brother, Peter and
John. The other apostles are not mentioned, but their leaders
agreed. The Scriptures do not nullify nor cancel this agreement.
The apostles confined their ministry to Jews only and left
Paul's converts alone. Paul and his helpers went to the Gentiles.
Although, Paul had unfinished business with the Jews at Rome. He had the awful responsibility that of pronouncing final judgment on an
unbelieving nation, see: Acts 28:28.
Galatians 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat,
(whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth
no mans person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference
added nothing to me:
Galatians 2:7
But contrariwise, when they saw that
the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the
gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Galatians 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually
in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was
mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Galatians 2:9 And when James, Peter, and John,
who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto
me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;
that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Acts 28:28. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation
of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Have you ever wondered
what really happened to the twelve. Peter James and John I know for sure, but
the fate of the others I'm not so sure the Scriptures do not say.
Therefore if we must go by secular history and it lists
a lot of things that could have happened I suppose. But, if all the stories
concerning their travels are as bad as the one that makes Peter
the first Pope, then I'll gladly wait for my answer in glory.
We know that the twelve will sit on twelve thrones with Christ judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto
you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when
the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall
sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
After Paul wrote by
inspiration Galatians 3:28: salvation came in the same manner to
all who would believe. Jews, Gentiles, Bond, Free, Male, and Female,
there is no difference, all who believe are baptized into the
Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit and sealed.
Peter,
under the law said," Repent and be Baptized for the remission
of sin. Paul said, under pure grace Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and you will be saved." Different commands, Different dispensations.
"Only Believe".
1-Cor.15:1-4 This is the basic gospel of Christ.
I think that ever so
often we take sub-headings in our Bibles which were written by
men; uninspired and we read them as though they were the inspired Scriptures.
Why is it so hard to see the difference between the Kingdom gospel,
and the gospel of the Grace of God? It really scares me to
think that the teachings that the apostle Paul calls another gospel, is the
ones that are coming from our pulpits today.
I have no doubt that a preacher that says,
we must comply with the Great Commission is preaching a mixture
of law and grace, and that my friend that is another gospel. The great commission
is under the law but, the body of Christ it is not under the law. If the nation of Israel
would have repented and was baptized for the remission of their
sins in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, they could
have won the whole world for Christ.
But, they did not. Therefore the
Gentiles were given a different apostle commissioned out side of Israel. And, now the nation
of Israel has a big problem, it has been set aside, and it no longer functions
as God's chosen people. They are on hold waiting for the Great
Tribulation. And now, the only way a Jew can be saved is
in the same manner as a Gentile 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Inspired by the Holy Spirit Peter made this statement.
Acts 15:11. "But we believe that through
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in
the same manner as they."
Peter is saying that Jews
will be saved by faith in Christ's death burial and resurrection,
apart from the Law just as the Gentiles. Because in reality they are no longer under the law either.
The Holy Spirit tells us through the apostle Paul that both Jews and Gentiles are
under pure grace.
Paul received the gospel that he preached directly
from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ. This Gospel had been hid in
God from before the foundation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ
never eluded to the mystery gospel while He was here on earth. The Lord Jesus Christ was sent
only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Jews Only!) The Lord Jesus Christ had to die before
He could include the Gentiles. That is the reason that, Christ sent Paul to the Gentiles with His heavenly message.
Galatians 1:11 But
I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
by me is not according to man
Galatians 1:12. For I neither received it from man, nor was
I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
From the verses above we would
have to have blinders on not to see that Paul got nothing from
the twelve. In fact, by inspiration he tells us that he got nothing from any man.
No man took Paul aside to update him concerning the kingdom church at
Jerusalem Paul was not concerned with the kingdom gospel because he was responsible for a new gospel and a new set of house rules. All of Paul's
training came directly from the risen and glorified Lord Jesus
Christ.
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was
I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Since Paul's gospel came
direct by revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ. And
Peter and the 11 received their gospel from Christ's earthly ministry,
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel only. We must understand that we had two gospels, a heavenly gospel to the Gentiles and an earthly gospel to the Jews only. This is why:
Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am
not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Isn't that verse perfectly clear? There are no Gentiles in the house of Israel. The Scriptures clearly explain that
God's promises, and covenants were made, with the house of Israel
alone. We are not part of those promises and covenants, when they were made we were with out God in this world and we had no hope.
But now,we are part of
the Body of Christ, we did not and can not take Israel's place in God's plan for things.
God will always keep His promises and covenants that He made with the nation
of Israel. Our promise or our blessed hope is that
before Israel's final week we will be caught up to be with the Lord Jesus Christ in the air,
raptured is a better word.
I heard it said,
that this rapture idea has been around for less than a hundred
years. Also, I heard that a little girl working in a corn field
came up with the whole idea. I have no doubt but that the rapture originated with the
Holy Spirit's inspiring the apostle Paul to write of it. But what ever.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
God will
not allow His word to stay hid forever. Let us stay away from fables and stick with God's written word. Darkness is swiftly settling
in, Satan's workers are working so very hard to remove the name of
Jesus Christ from our vocabulary.
Satan's emissaries are working
very hard in this country to remove all symbols of the cross from
our public places and we have so many foolish and ungodly judges that
are being duped into doing Satan's bidding. And we as a country seem to adopt many
of the world's worthless ideas without due consideration. We also
have an over abundance of blind leaders and blind teachers in our educational system
here at home; they have chosen darkness over light, and God will repay.
Let me digress a bit here. To the place where Paul tells us that the
gospel of the grace of God, which he received by revelation from
the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ is the only acceptable
gospel for anyone today, that Paul is our pattern.And the basic Gospel is:
1Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Corinthians 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Corinthians
11:1 Be ye followers of
me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
1Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first
Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern
to them which should hereafter believe on
him to life everlasting.
The kingdom apostles
were zealous for the law until Acts 28:28, and possibly until 70 A.D. Saul was called in Acts 9 to become the apostle of the Gentiles. Look what God told Ananias about Saul.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he
is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles,
and kings, and the children of Israel:
Paul spent three years
in Arabia alone with Christ where He revealed to Paul the mystery gospel, which is the gospel
of the Grace of God the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of the grace of God is the only
gospel for today. We can not be saved through the kingdom gospel. The verses below show the consequences of
following a different gospel such as the kingdom gospel. (or any gospel different from the gospel that Paul preached)
Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him
that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Galatians 1:7
Which is not another; but there be
some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8
But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again,
If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed.
" William R. Newell -1868-1956"
"You can judge
any man's preaching or teaching by this rule Is he Pauline?
Does his doctrine start and finish according to those statements
of Christian doctrine uttered by the Apostle Paul? No matter how
wonderful a man may seem in his gifts and apparent consecration
if his Gospel is not Pauline, it is not the Gospel; and
we might as well get our minds settled at once as to that."
The revelation of the mystery that Paul received,
started this new dispensation, the dispensation
of the Grace of God, in which we are all baptized into the body of
Christ by the Holy Spirit. Paul was saved in Acts nine under the
kingdom dispensation, Paul repented and he was baptized for
the remission of his sins. Then Paul went off to Arabia for three years
where the Lord Jesus revealed to him the gospel of Jesus Christ-according
to the revelation of the mystery.
Paul can truthfully say,
he did not receive his gospel from men. This new Gospel had
been hid in the mind of God from before the foundation of the world. How could
any man have taught it to Paul? Therefore, it can not
be found anywhere in the old testament or anywhere in the four gospels. The heavenly Christ alone taught it to Paul.
For this reason alone, it can not be the same gospel as that of the
twelve. Their gospel had been prophesied throughout the
old testament. Their gospel had been taught during the earthly
ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. After Paul's three year
training session where he received the mystery gospel from our
Lord Jesus Christ; Paul returned to Damascus from Arabia.
And
he went up to Jerusalem and stayed with Peter fifteen days. Paul
did not see any of the other Apostles only James the Lord's half
brother. God would not let Paul stay in Jerusalem, He hurry him away. He stayed
away from Jerusalem for fourteen years, then by revelation went
up again to Jerusalem; to communicate the gospel that he preached among the Gentiles to the eleven. Paul says,
they added nothing to me. Galatians 2:6
Galatians 2:6
But of these who seemed to be somewhat,
(whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth
no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference
added nothing to me:
This strengthens his
earlier statement that he did not received his gospel from
any men. There are several
things that I would like to explain, so that you might understand;
if you mix the Gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace
of God you will become completely confused. You will be attempting to mixing law and grace. Below I have listed several points
of confusion.
Matthew 15:24 But he answered
and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of
Israel.
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Here are my points.
(1.) You will get confused. For example:
You may try to start the Church, which is called the Body of Christ
at Pentecost, that just can not be because it was still hid in the mind of God at Pentecost. The church's foundation had not
been laid yet. Saul later called Paul was not at Pentecost. The body church
was still hid in God. Paul laid the foundation.
1Corinthians 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
(2.) (You may try to follow
the wrong marching orders.)
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature.
This refers to the gospel of the kingdom, not to the Gospel of the grace of God. The gospel of the Kingdom is set aside for now.
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(3.) (You may want to follow
the wrong apostle or apostles)
Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I (Paul) am
the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
(4.) The twelve Apostles are not to nor for the Gentiles. You will find many seeming contradictions.
For Example: (Repent and be baptized for the remission of sin). Gentiles are not called upon to repent nor to be baptized, we are baptized by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(5.)(Keep the commandments);
Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter
into life, keep the commandments.
(6.) (Instead of (BELIEVE
on the Lord Jesus Christ).
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must
I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Many say: (The statements
made by the Lord Jesus Christ and statements made by the Apostle
Paul do not contradict one another, and this is very very true,
but, answers to the same questions have different answers. Look at these two
statements. (One): When the rich young ruler asked the Lord
Jesus what must I do to gain eternal life? Jesus replied,
"Keep the commandments". (Same question)
The Philippian's Jailer asked Paul and Silas,(Two): what must I
do to be saved? Paul and Silas replied, "believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and you will be saved" Paul and Silas did not mentioned keep the commandments.
Are these answers different?... yes they are! Is there a contradiction? No there is not! Then how can this be? There is a complete change in house rules a dispensational change. If you mix law and grace there are huge contradiction. Common since should tells us that the same question would require the same answer, unless the rules have changed. And there was a dispensational change between these two questions and these two answers are different.
The Lord Jesus Christ is, the same, yesterday, today and forever,
but don't be confused! That does not mean that He can not change the way He deals with mankind
from time to time." A dispensation is where Christ makes that change and God deals differently with men. Then dispensation really is not a dirty word! Is it?
God has the right to change the rules
for dealing with mankind. If you should tell your new pastor I am a dispensationalist
your pastors may say, oh! You are one of the folks that throw
away the greater portion of your Bible. And folks I'm here to tell
you that is just not true, we use all of the Bible but we use it rightly divided.
(7.) You will claim promises not made
to you. For Example: " Every Promise in the Book is
mine," that is what an old hymn writer said. But it is not
true, neither are Christ's promises to the twelve, for us! But,
they are written for our learning not for our appropriation.
2Chronicles7:14. "if My people who are called by My name
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face ,and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their
sin and heal their land")
This promise is not ours and
it never was, it belongs to the nation of Israel,
before Acts 28:28.
The church the Body of Christ is not looking for forgiveness and
healing, we are already forgiven at the moment we first
believed. We are looking for that blessed hope, being caught up to be with the Lord in the air.
We must rightly divide the Word of truth. And that is separate the gospel
of the kingdom (prophecy) from the gospel of the grace of God (mystery). Separate the nation of Israel from
the body of Christ 'See Miles Coverdale
(8.) You may be taking on tasks that are not yours, but they are
impossible for you to accomplish in this dispensation of the grace of God.
One of these tasks might be the so called great commission. The
great commission is Jewish in nature and it is under the law,and not for the Body
of Christ. But it will be carried out during the great tribulation and it will be carried out by 144,00
young Jewish missionaries in Israel's final week.
Mark 16:15. And he said unto them, Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
The 'ye' here are Jews,
they are not Gentiles.
Mark 16:16. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:17. And these signs shall follow
them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues;
Mark 16:18. They shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
We cannot do all
these things listed above today, that means that something is very wrong!
That something surely is not our lack of faith. Lets put the blame
where it really belongs. It can only mean that we are trying
to do the wrong job, for this dispensation.
Therefore, it
is not-our job, it belongs to someone else. But,don't worry it
belongs to the Jews and they will do it this time. When the dispensation of
the Kingdom returns during the Great Tribulation in Israel's final week
of judgment. Jews who stand fast till the end will be saved
and go into the millennial reign with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This
is our only Commission: We are Ambassadors for Christ.
Take a look at the these next
four verses and read them very slowly to understand what they are saying:
2Corinthians
5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we
no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any
man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.
(I believe Paul is saying,
if any man be in Christ, old things contained in the (law)
are past away, behold the (gospel of the Grace of God) is completely new.
2Corinthians 5:18 And all things are
of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(Our commission) We
represent the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost world, we are His Ambassadors
in word and deed.
2Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation.
We are His hands, His feet, His voice and we are His Ambassadors.
