Our Final Authority (KJB) says that, today, we are not under the "law", but we are under "grace" Rom 6:14 KJB For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace..
We find this "sound" doctrine in Paul's epistles (Romans thru Philemon KJB). Today, Paul is our apostle. God "chose" Paul (Saul of Tarsus) to preach the Gospel of the Grace of God: the "preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery". (1 Cor 15:1-4 KJB, Acts 9 KJB, Rom 16:25-26 KJB, Eph 3:1-10 KJB, Col 1:24-28 KJB).
In "time past" (Prophecy) Jesus, Peter and the 11 apostles preached the Gospel of the Kingdom: a literal, physical, earthly kingdom. "Paul preached the Gospel of the Grace of God; a 'heavenly kingdom', and today, that is still what we preach. Today, it's all about the "mystery" (Eph 3:1-10, Col 1:24-28 KJB, Rom 16:25-26 KJB).
As you can read, clearly in Rom 6:14 KJB, "law" and "grace" don't mix. God has more than one program ("dispensation") in His Holy Book (KJB). Things that differ are NOT the same. Prophecy and Mystery can never be mixed.

1. JUST WHAT IS THE NEW COVENANT?

Have you ever wondered just what is the New Covenant and who it belongs to? You don't have to wonder as God made it clear in Prophecy to Israel/Judah, stating:

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Commentary is not necessary if the Word above is read and is rightly divided. Let’s take a closer look.

• The New Covenant is promised to the House of Israel and the House of Judah.

• Currently, Israel/Judah is concluded in unbelief “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25) at the close of the current Dispensation of the Grace of God. But “the days come” just as God promised in this prophecy.

• And when Israel/Judah’s Messiah/King shall come (the White Horse coming after 7 years of tribulation) their Covenants (Palestinian Land Covenant, Davidic Kingdom Covenant, and New Covenant), the above prophecies of the New Covenant will have their fulfillment.

• And, in case you need further proof that the New Covenant pertains to Israel/Judah, and not you as a member of the Body of Christ, the Scripture quote continues “After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

• Some Believers think the New Covenant somehow applies to them, but these Prophetic Scriptures (and there are others including Ezekiel 36:24-28) clearly demonstrate that such is not the case!

Hopefully this will send you to your Bible to study and understand the things that differ between Israel/Judah’s earthly prophetic covenant program and the Mystery which Christ revealed through the Apostle Paul for the Body of Christ.

Believer, study the Bible and know the things that differ between prophecy and mystery!

We were created unto good works. And for those who say we cannot possibly work ourselves into heaven, and as long as we are saved, all else doesn’t matter and that we’re being self-righteous – the truth is, we are his workmanship, already created in Him, so we should do the good works he intended for us.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

What has always astounded me about mainline Christianity is that its opinions, which amount to nothing other than the traditions of men, exist to demonstrate its leaders' good character, its church's social conscience and its congregants' moral correctness, which they see as love at the end of the day, which is a shallow concept of the love true Believers are to demonstrate.

Let's take a look at the age old Christian tradition of virtue signalling which is done to dumb down not only debates, but also Biblical-dispensational truth.

Doesn't anyone else notice how virtue signalling always references one's perceived lack of love when the debate isn't going according to plan?

And the proof-text that is used is usually this one when debating with unbelievers ⬇️

Matthew 5:44
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

And this one when debating with believers ⬇️

Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

BUT what does it actually mean to have love for someone - both believer and unbeliever alike?

1. It means telling them the truth ✔️

2. It means rebuking and reproving Believers when they are wrong and by doing so, saving them from deception ✔️

3. It means forgiving them when they have repented (changed their minds) of their error ✔️

4. Which in turn means ⬆️ not holding a grudge - ever ✔️

5. It means preaching the gospel to those who are lost because you care enough not to see their souls in hell for eternity ✔️

6. It means marking and avoiding some in order to protect Pauline truth, and in so doing, demonstrating one's love for God's words rightly divided ✔️

7. It means feeling about them the way Paul felt about unbelieving Israel ✔️ ⬇️

Romans 9:2-3
That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

Forbidden Words Under Grace - Part 1
https://youtube.com/watch?v=lYEsu_Wi0ko&si=Yio8Hcl1-FyNlaVV

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Forbidden Words Under Grace - Part 1

When people learn about salvation by grace, they are very exited about their new freedom and peace with God. However, in their Bible studying, they find cert...

Subject: Teaching

When an individual refuses to have a teachable spirit, he identifies himself as a fool. Every person has much to learn. Be teachable! It is easy to tell others what to do and how to do it, but very unwise to fail to follow one’s own instructions and teachings.

Which Brings Me to the Following

WHY do Mohammedans clearly see the differences between Paul’s epistles and the synoptic gospels (albeit for all the wrong reasons), BUT mainline Christian denominationalism fails to see this.

The obvious answer is because they (Muslims) read the Bible (even though it is only done to find and then use the contradictions to prove the Bible has errors), while generally speaking, denominationalists warm the pews and choose rather to listen to an ignorant, unsaved man standing behind a pulpit who more than likely is only there for filthy lucre’s sake and hates the people he professes to love (without natural affection – 2 Timothy 3:3).

This is one of the reasons why men are without excuse: God gave mankind a book, so men are expected to READ it, but generally speaking, and as we well know, they don’t. Then there’s also the issue of Bible (per)versions which ARE mostly read, but these have either omitted or dumbed down right division – so it’s basically 6 of 1 and a half a dozen of the other.

The devil has men tied up in sin and unbelief due to their very own self-imposed ignorance.

Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

In this scenario, ignorance isn’t an excuse, but rather a one-way ticket to hell.

Romans 3:3
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

Does the world’s unbelief make Pauline doctrine, whereby men are saved today, without effect?

Romans 3:4-5
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

What Exactly Does This Mean ?

2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

It basically means Paul did not give up or go down any rabbit holes during the tenure of his ministry.

When a person believes and propagates unsound doctrine and refuses to correct the fact that they proof-text scripture (isolate single verses and build an entire foreign theology around them), are in unbelief, fail to rightly divide truth meant for today from truth meant for times past and times to come, or are doctrinally unsound due to the fact they are men pleasers instead of God pleasers, it amounts to nothing other than not keeping the faith.

The only reason why a person would love His (Christ’s) appearing can be due to one thing: being sound in all aspects of the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

1 Timothy 6:20-21
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Profane and vain babblings references the Judaizers and Legalists who want to put people under the law, who, as we know are a dime a dozen these days, but keeping the law for righteousness today is vain (Acts 13:39), and historically speaking, Gnosticism is the false science referred to here, because it invents new things (Acts 17:21) which are in direct opposition to the doctrine revealed to Paul by the ascended and glorified Christ.

More often than not people choose to add to Paul’s epistles (the law and new things) simply due to their unbelief, as they don’t believe God’s grace is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 4:1-2
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Not Forsaking the Assembling of Ourselves Together? #8

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25 KJV).

Does today’s Scripture render church attendance obligatory?

Friend, mark it well how God used the Gospel of the Kingdom to call the Jewish people to repentance (a change in mind)—whether it was during John the Baptist’s preaching, through the Lord Jesus Christ’s preaching, or during the 12 Apostles’ preaching.

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1,2). “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand… And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:17,23). “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:5-7).

However, only some in Israel—a Jewish believing remnant—responded in faith to this preaching of “the kingdom of heaven is at hand [near].” This was the “little flock” of saints, a small portion being extracted from the nation: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The majority held fast to, or persisted in, their unbelief. Observe: “And all the people that heard him [John the Baptist], and the publicans [tax collectors], justified God [declared God right, fair, just], being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him” (Luke 7:29,30).

A Jewish group was assembling around sound Bible doctrine by faith, whereas the rest were forsaking (abandoning, neglecting, failing) to do so (see today’s Scripture). This was true in both the Four Gospel Records and the early Acts period….

Faithfulness to Our Commission

In Paul’s day, his “preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery” encountered opposition on every hand. For faithfully proclaiming the glorious message which had been committed to his trust, he was constantly made to bear affliction and reproach. In one of his earlier epistles we already find a long list of the perils and persecutions he had by then been called upon to endure (II Cor. 11:23-33) and this opposition, bitter and relentless, continued throughout his ministry. In his last letter, written from prison in Rome, he calls attention to the distinctive character of his message, and adds:

“Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds…” (II Tim. 2:7-9).

The almost constant suffering to which the apostle of grace was subjected naturally had its effect upon timid souls. Some, who saw the truth and the glory of his message, lacked the courage to stand with him in making it known. Others, who had started with him were tempted to — and some did — turn back. Of his first appearance before Nero, the Apostle had to say:

“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: pray God that it may not be laid to their charge” (II Tim. 4:16).

In the light of all this it is not strange that Paul should write to Timothy:

“FOR GOD HATH NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.

“BE NOT THOU THEREFORE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY OF OUR LORD, NOR OF ME HIS PRISONER; BUT BE THOU PARTAKER OF THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE POWER OF GOD” (II Tim. 1:7,8).

Nor is it strange that in II Timothy 2:1-3 the apostle should urge his son in the faith to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” and to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ,” especially in the light of the fact that he himself needed constant help in this regard. The average Christian would find it hard to imagine Paul ever needing prayer for courage, yet he closes his Ephesian epistle with the request:

“And [pray] for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

“For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph. 6:19,20).

Oh, that all who have come to see the glory of the gospel of the grace of God would pray this prayer for boldness!

Some may suppose that it would require little boldness today to proclaim grace in all its purity. Who is ever persecuted now, at least in free, enlightened lands, for preaching God’s grace? Ah, but do not be deceived. Satan was no less active in his opposition to the truth when Constantine exalted the professing Church to prominence than when his predecessors persecuted the Church and sent its members to death by fire and sword. Indeed, the devil was doubtless more successful in Constantine’s day than he had been when persecution raged. And does any believer in the Word of God suppose that Satan has relented in his opposition to the truth today, just because men, at least in this land, are not burned at the stake or thrown to the lions? Do not be misled. Satan’s enmity against God and against His Word continues undiminished. His hatred of “the gospel of the grace of God,” is as bitter, and his opposition to it as determined, as it ever was. But well does he know that the constant discouragements connected with being in the minority often succeed in silencing those who would stand against physical persecution.

Let us, who know and love the truth, determine by God’s grace that nothing shall make us unfaithful to our glorious commission; that, whatever the cost, we shall faithfully and boldly proclaim to others the unadulterated gospel of the grace of God, “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery.”