patrick jane Posted April 7, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 Man Always Saved by God’s Grace By Justin Johnson - http://graceambassadors.com/index?filter=posts It is a serious mistake to think that there are different ways men are saved in the Bible. The most common form of the mistake is in the false idea that Israel was saved by works, but the church is saved by grace. In other words, there are two ways of salvation in the Bible. There is always ever only one way men are saved: by God, by grace, by faith. Man can only be saved by God’s grace no matter what dispensation they lived under, whether male or female, Jew or Gentile, young or old. This mistake is easy to make when people first hear about rightly dividing the dispensation of grace from the dispensation of the law, or prophecy from mystery. Truly, there are different gospels in the Bible. Truly, Israel and the Church, the mystery body, are not the same. Truly, works were required under the law, but are not required under grace. Truly, the mystery of Christ and salvation was hidden from ages and generations past until revealed to the apostle Paul. But there was never a time when salvation from sin could be given to anyone apart from God’s grace, to men who did not have faith, and without Christ’s death, blood, burial, and resurrection being accomplished (even if it was yet future). – God is the only one who can save. – The only way he can save is by his grace. – His grace is always merited by Christ and his work by the cross. – Salvation is always available to all, but only given to those that believe. What God has told men to believe and do has changed, but the way God saves sinners has not. This understanding of salvation is manifested in Paul’s epistles, and is witnessed by (but hidden from) the law and the prophets (Rom 3:21). Getting this right will guard you against many errors, including the one that says men can be saved by works at one time and by grace at another time. This is simply not true. Works Could Not Ever Save Anyone All the righteous works of human history put together could not save a single man from a single sin. Even under the law, when works were required of covenant Israel, the law was never intended to bring salvation, but condemnation. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” – Romans 3:20 It is wrong to think that Israel was saved by works, but the church is saved by grace. Israel was required to do works because their covenant demanded it, but the law was supposed to send Israel begging God for his mercy and grace. Men of faith did just that (Hab 2:4; PSa 51:1). “Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” – Hosea 14:2 The law requirements made men guilty, not righteous (Rom 3:19). Salvation is only ever by God’s grace. Conclusion Dispensational Bible study rightly divides the revelations and dispensations of God. It does not divide the one way of salvation which is through the gracious work of Christ to all men. How God saves is the same. There is only one means: the cross of Jesus Christ. The message God gives for men to believe is what differs. A gospel is a message; it is an offer, not the means. In this dispensation of grace the gospel is also the means. No one before the revelation of the mystery of Christ understood how God could save all men. Now we know, by God’s grace alone in Christ alone by faith alone, he can. Even when God had not yet revealed how that was possible, the only means of salvation is by God’s grace. Top of the Page Article Index Published: January 17, 2015 Last Modified: January 18, 2015 Related posts: -Works Never Saved Anyone -By Faith and Through Faith -When Can Works Justify -Are There Many Ways To Salvation? -The Grace Reason to Do Good -Dispen-say-what? -Can We Lose Our Salvation By Grace? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 8, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 No Other Doctrine 3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. 5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 8, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 Paul is Proof of Christ’s Resurrection By Justin Johnson According to the Biblical record, Paul was the only apostle ordained by Christ after his resurrection (1 Tim 2:7, Acts 9:15). The twelve apostles (including Matthias) were all disciples of the Lord while he was yet on the earth before his death (Acts 1:21-23). Paul (then called Saul) did nothing but oppose the Lord’s ministry before and after his crucifixion until Christ appeared to him in resurrected glory. Without Christ’s resurrection, there would be no Paul, only Saul. This makes Paul the apostle of the resurrected Christ. The Resurrection Message of Paul The resurrection of Christ is central to Paul’s gospel and message. It is not a secondary issue or an afterthought. “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” – 1 Cor 15:13-14 When Paul’s special apostleship is rejected it is tacit denial of the Lord’s resurrected ministry through the church. It was the Lord from glory that first explained the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the church. All of which are only found in the writings of the apostle of the resurrected Lord. The resurrection of Christ was not necessary for the law-keeping, kingdom building, and faith plus works preaching of the twelve. The twelve apostles of Israel’s kingdom ministry were able to preach their message of the king and the kingdom come before Christ died and resurrected. Even after the resurrection, the earthly apostles stayed in Jersualem and were eventually tolerated as another law abiding sect with a preferred Messiah (Acts 21:20). The apostle of the resurrection claimed to receive instructions that could only be revealed by the resurrected Lord himself. “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel” – 2 Tim 2:8 “…and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began…” – Rom 16:25 Paul Questioned because of Resurrection Paul’s conversion and message depends on Christ’s resurrection. “Men and brethren… of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.” – Acts 23:6 The Jerusalem saints were accepted because of their zeal for the law. Neither Paul’s apostleship nor his message could be accepted, because accepting Paul’s testimony would be accepting revelation from a resurrected Christ. “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” – Acts 26:8 Paul’s testimony requires the resurrection of Christ, otherwise his conversion and ministry is the greatest lie in Christianity. Paul was not an apostle among the twelve chosen by the Lord in his earthly ministry. If Paul is an apostle of Christ, then Jesus Christ rose from the dead. “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)… Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.” – Gal 1:1; Gal 1:20 Paul is proof of Christ’s resurrection. Following Paul is following Christ in his resurrection ministry from heaven. Without the resurrection of Christ, Paul has no message, no ministry, and no salvation, and neither do we. Top of the Page Article Index Published: August 23, 2014 Last Modified: August 23, 2014 Related posts: -Why Jesus Needed to Resurrect -So We Preach… -Do You Believe in Resurrection? -Paul, an Apostle -Paul Last of All -Verse List: The Twelve Did Not Preach the Cross -The Gospel According to Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 10, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 Paul Last of All By Justin Johnson It is significant that Jesus was seen of Paul last of all. Unlike the twelve who had promised positions in the coming kingdom Paul, known then as Saul, was a blasphemer and chief persecutor of the followers of Christ. John 1:11 says that Jesus came to his own, but his own did not receive him. Israel rejected their Messiah. Instead a faithful remnant, a little flock, believed that he was the Son of God. Jesus taught that the kingdom would not be given to all of Israel, but only the faithful few. “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ” – Luke 12:32 Paul would later explain that the future reestablishment of the kingdom to the faithful remnant of Israel was according to the prophets (Rom 9:6). Yet Saul was not numbered among this faithful remnant which was called a ‘sect of the Nazarenes’. He would not be following them into the promised kingdom. After his resurrection Jesus appeared to his faithful, beginning with his apostles. “He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once;” – 1 Corinthians 15:6-7 He was their Messiah and the promises were to be fulfilled in them. Yet, Saul was a not among this little flock at Pentecost who were witnesses of his resurrection. Instead when Stephen declared Christ the Messiah, Saul was ‘consenting unto his death’ (Acts 8:1). Israel joined the Gentiles in their rejection of the God and his Messiah by persecuting and slaughtering those who named Christ’s name. It was then that Jesus appeared to his enemies. On the road to Damascus the Lord saved and commissioned Saul to send the message of reconcilation to God’s enemies. “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ” – 1 Corinthians 15:8 This message is not a about a kingdom and was not given to the faithful remnant. This message of grace is sent to sinners in need of a saviour. When Jesus appeared at his birth it was to Israel, God’s chosen nation. When he appeared after his resurrection it was to the faithful remnant that would enter the kingdom. When he appeared to Paul he appeared to an enemy of God out of his grace. Top of the Page Article IndexPublished: November 25, 2008 Last Modified: September 10, 2016 Related posts: -Not All Israel -Paul is Proof of Christ’s Resurrection -Paul, an Apostle -So We Preach… -Rightly Dividing Paul’s Epistles -Handling Gospel Transition -The Gospel According to Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 13, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 13, 2018 The First to Preach the Gospel By Justin Johnson The duty of the church is to preach the gospel. This ministry responsibility is unanimously affirmed by Bible believing Christians. However, there is no small disagreement about our pattern for gospel preaching. Different churches pattern their ministry after who they believe preached the gospel first. The first to preach the gospel sets the pattern for those that follow. The Gospel First, we must define the plain and simple gospel. Surely, we must all agree with the clear gospel of the cross found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. “I declare unto you the gospel… By which also ye are saved… how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” – 1 Cor 15:1-4 The gospel is Christ and his finished work on our behalf for salvation. Through faith in the cross of Christ we have God’s grace, atonement for sins, and eternal life. By the gospel we glory in the cross of Christ (Gal 6:14). Now, we already know this gospel was clearly preached by Paul in 1 Corinthians, but Paul also says he was the last to see Christ(1 Cor 15:8). For this reason, we can place Paul at the end of our list of potential first preachers of the gospel. It requires more investigation to see who could possibly have preached the gospel first before him. John the Baptist Mark 1:1 starts with “the beginning of the gospel”, and it is here that the Baptist churches plant their pattern for ministry. “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” – Mark 1:4 The gospel of John the baptist included water baptism, and repentance for the remission of sins. Unfortunately, John did not know who Jesus was for much of his ministry (Matt 11:2-3). “And I knew him not…” – John 1:33 This would make it obvious that John could not have been first to preach the gospel of Christ and his cross. The future death of Christ was totally absent from John’s preaching. Jesus’ Ministry to Israel Jesus is the Son of God, and began his ministry shortly after John. For this reason, Evangelical churches think the pattern of gospel ministry should come from Jesus’ ministry to Israel. However, when we read what Jesus preached when he began his ministry we find that it was not his death for sins and resurrection, but a kingdom that was prophesied to Israel (Matt 15:24). “Now after that John was put into prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” – Mark 1:14 Clearly, Jesus ministered to the circumcision about the promises made to the fathers(Rom 15:8). Jesus showed himself to be the King and the Son of God, but was silent about his future death until later in his ministry. Peter and the Twelve The Roman Catholics find their pattern of ministry in the hands of Peter, who was given the keys of the kingdom in Matthew 16:19. In this same chapter Jesus began to tell his disciples that he must suffer, die, and be raised (Matt 16:21). This sounds promising, since Christ’s death and resurrection are events so essential for the gospel of salvation, but at this time Peter did not know this was a gospel. “Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” – Matt 16:22 Obviously, Peter was not here preaching the gospel of the cross, since he tried to prevent the cross the first time he heard about it. Hardly the pattern of church ministry. We should remember that the twelve disciples were sent by the Lord to preach the gospel of the kingdom, not the gospel of the cross: “And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God…” – Luke 9:2 When Christ began to tell them privately of his future death, they did not understand. “And they understood none of these things…” – Luke 18:34 This could only mean that the gospel that the twelve preached did not include the cross. If their preaching did not include the cross, surely their gospel was not the gospel of the cross. Peter at Pentecost It is at this point we move forward to the time when Pentecostals think the gospel began. After all, it was after his resurrection that Christ gave his disciples a commission to preach the gospel. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” – (Mark 16:15). Which gospel was preached at Pentecost? Was Peter the first to preach the gospel when he was filled with the Holy Ghost? “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.” – Acts 2:38 What is clear from Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost to Israel was that he repeated John’s preaching of baptism, and Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom, but where is the cross? “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just… and killed the Prince of life.” – Acts 3:14-15 While he preaches the death of Christ, Peter condemns Israel for killing Christ and does not preach the cross as their glory (Acts 5:28, Acts 10:39). Killing their own Messiah on the cross was their shame. This is not preaching the cross as good news. Paul’s Pattern Having investigated every minister and ministry before him, we are left with Paul’s gospel in 1 Corinthians 15. Looking closer at Paul’s ministry we find something very interesting about who preached the gospel first. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins…” – 1 Cor 15:3 Though Paul was the last to see the Lord, apparently, he was also the first to preach the gospel of salvation as the glory of the cross (Gal 6:14, 1 Cor 1:18). A dispensation of the gospel was committed to Paul (1 Cor 9:17), and he wrote very early in his ministry a certification of his unique apostleship: “I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.” – Gal 1:11-12 Since Paul was the first to preach the gospel, it follows that the church must find its pattern for preaching the gospel of Christ from Paul. “…that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe…” – 1 Tim 1:16 Top of the Page Article Index Published: November 23, 2013 Last Modified: March 15, 2018 Related posts: -The Twelve Did Not Preach the Cross -The Baptism Gospel -Did Jesus Preach the Cross for Salvation? -A Gospel Without the Cross -Verse List: The Twelve Did Not Preach the Cross -The Gospel Missing in John -When Did the Church Begin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 15, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 A Gospel Without the Cross By Justin Johnson Let’s start with a cliché: the word gospel means good news (something we don’t hear much of these days). Meanwhile, there are multiple times in the Bible that God’s messengers bear good news (‘good tidings’ is the Biblical phrase). The news is not always the same. The news is not always good for everyone. Not every gospel in the Bible is yours. John the Baptist and Jesus, in his earthly ministry, taught the gospel of the kingdom. The good news was that the long promised kingdom to Israel was finally “at hand”, it was “nigh”. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” – Mark 1:14-15 Without the Cross Salvation according to the gospel of the kingdom meant deliverance from the unrighteous rulers all over the world. God’s people, and the faithful nations, would be ruled by God’s Messiah in obedient Israel. What is certain is that the gospel of the kingdom did not require knowledge of the cross of Christ, not to mention understanding what it meant. In Luke 9:1-2 Jesus gave power to his disciples and sent them to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God. Nine chapters later, Jesus tells the same disciples that he must die, and they were clueless about it. “And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” – Luke 18:34 The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom is without the preaching of the cross. The Gospel of the Cross However, Paul’s gospel does include the cross, moreover, it is the preaching of the cross. “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you…By which also ye are saved,… how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” – 1 Cor 15:1-4 The disciples in the red letters were ignorant of the gospel of the cross. Yet the preaching of the cross is the power of God unto salvation for the church today (1 Cor 1:18). Rightly Dividing the Gospels As a result, a fundamental thesis of mid-Acts Pauline right division is established. The gospel taught by Peter and the Lord in his earthly ministry was without the cross. Nobody could be saved in Matthew-John by the gospel of the cross, which is the only gospel that brings salvation to all men today. Today, preaching the gospel without the cross is vain (1 Cor 1:17-18). There are other gospels in the Bible given to Israel that are without the cross. They would not be vain according to God’s promises to Israel, but they need to be rightly divided from the gospel that saves into the church. God is not bringing in his kingdom to Israel today, but he is ministering the good news of Christ crucified and resurrected for the sins of all men. A gospel without the cross is no gospel to lost sinners. The only gospel that saves today requires the cross of Christ. Top of the Page Article Index Published: July 6, 2013 Last Modified: March 7, 2018 Related posts: -The Gospel Missing in John -The Twelve Did Not Preach the Cross -The Baptism Gospel -The First to Preach the Gospel -Did Jesus Preach the Cross for Salvation? -The Cross as Bad News -The Cross According to Prophecy and Mystery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 15, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 I'm glad Sojourner414 is reading many of my posts and reacting positively. Maybe we can share and learn together. He seems to really like my posts. I think they're pretty good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 15, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 15, 2018 I smile and I pray for people that show themselves and need help. It's the least I can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 16, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 16, 2018 Differences Between the Old Covenant, New Covenant, and the Fellowship of the Mystery By Justin Johnson The old covenant, new covenant, and the fellowship of the mystery all describe different ways in which people receive God’s blessings. Ignoring the differences causes people to claim blessings or curses belonging to someone else, miss blessings belonging to them, and resort to sundry religious behaviors they think invoke God’s blessing. What are the differences between the old covenant, new covenant, and the fellowship of the mystery? Old Covenant The easiest place to start is with the old covenant, or the Law of Moses. This law was intended to be a blessing to the world through Israel’s separation and obedience. The law was declared to be their righteousness if Israel performed all that God instructed. It would also be a curse if they disobeyed, and it was this latter lesson that Israel would learn. They could not keep the law, and required a multitude of sacrifices to cover their sin. Israel as a channel of God’s blessing was not done away by their failure to keep the law. God had made promises to the fathers of Israel to make Israel the nation through which the world would be blessed. The promises of God cannot be revoked because Israel did not fulfill them by their own power. Old Covenant Israel is a nation separate from the Gentiles The law given to obey Covenant to make Israel the channel of blessing to the world New Covenant Israel was given promises from God to be the nation through which the world would be blessed. The old and new covenants were both intended to fulfill this promise. This is why both the old and new covenants are made with the house of Israel and Judah (Jer 31:31; Heb 8:10-11). Both the old covenant and the new covenant include the law, priests, a kingdom, and sacrifices for sin. Both were intended to provide the blessing of the world through Israel. Both are the subject of prophecy, and were not part of God’s mystery kept secret since the world began. The new covenant was made better for Israel in that God would perform all that they could not do on their own. He would be the better priest, he would give the Spirit to cause them to keep the law, and he would send Christ to establish the kingdom. The new covenant is merely the old covenant blessing, the promises to the fathers, made possible through the provision of God (John 1:17). Whereas the old covenant emphasized man’s performance, the new covenant was God performing for Israel what they could not. The old failed to fulfill the promises, but the new would not fail (Heb 8:7-10). More about the new covenant found here. The Fellowship of the Mystery Since the new covenant described God’s performance on behalf of Israel, many are confused by the difference between the new covenant and the fellowship of the mystery thinking they both require God’s grace and so must be talking about the same thing. The difference here is critical. The new covenant is God’s blessing of grace through Israel, their covenants, and their law written in their hearts. The fellowship of the mystery is God’s grace given to all freely without Israel, without their earthly covenants, and without their law written in hearts. Whereas under the old covenant God was the law giver, and under the new covenant God in Christ was the law keeper, under the fellowship of the mystery God in Christ is the law remover (Rom 6:14; Col 2:14). Whereas the old covenant was given to Israel, and the new covenant was given to believing Israel, the fellowship of the mystery is for all that believe the gospel of Christ: Jew or Gentile (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:15; Col 3:11). There is no place in the one body of the mystery for a separation between Israel and Gentile. Whereas the old and new covenants are the subject of prophecy to fulfill God’s promise of blessing through Israel, the fellowship of the mystery was not revealed in any promise from God since the world began (Rom 16:25). The fellowship of the mystery is not the fulfillment of any covenant, prophecy, or promise given to Israel. The dispensation of grace was hid in God until revealed to the apostle Paul for the church today (Eph 3:1-2; Eph 3:9-11). New Covenant Fellowship of the Mystery God’s grace for Israel to perform by the Spirit God’s grace to all without Israel Israel is a nation separate from the Gentiles Israel is fallen; no Jew nor Gentile in the Body of Christ The law written on their hearts to obey Blessing without the law; Not under the law; walk by the Spirit Covenant to make Israel the channel of blessing to the world All spiritual blessings in Christ without covenants for a kingdom, nation, circumcision, or priesthood. A Word about 2 Cor 3:6 Despite the clear differences between the covenants and the mystery, Paul’s statement in 2 Cor 3:6 is often used to place the new creature back under Israel’s new covenant. There is no reason to do so, especially since doing so robs the church of spiritual blessings not found in Israel’s covenants. When Paul says he is an able minister of the new testament, it is because of what the new testament and the fellowship of the mystery have in common, namely, they both concern God’s gracious provision (sufficiency is the word used in context). The old and new covenant are both made to Israel, but in the new covenant God performs where they could not. It makes perfect sense, then, that the apostle of grace would be an able minister of the new covenant, since grace is what sets the new covenant apart from the old, and it is grace which sets the mystery apart from everything (Israel, the law, the covenants – 2 Cor 5:17). More is written about this here, and here, and here. Conclusion Once the differences between the old covenant, new covenant, and the fellowship of the mystery are understood, then the riches of God’s grace according to the revelation of the mystery will be better appreciated. Grace and faith were always necessary to receive blessings from God, but today grace stands alone in the fellowship of the mystery without Israel, the law, or covenants as the way God blesses the world. Grace can stand alone because of the fellowship of the mystery of Christ which is different from the old and new covenants. Top of the Page Article Index Published: February 6, 2016 Last Modified: February 6, 2016 Related posts: -Did Gentiles In the Old Testament Get Salvation? -Without Israel, Without Covenants, Without the Law -Are We Under Any Covenants? -Peter Taught Gentiles. Yawn. -Promise in Christ or in a Covenant -What Is the New Covenant / Testament? -Abraham’s Seed of Promise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick jane Posted April 17, 2018 Group: Senior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 596 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 320 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/16/2018 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/01/1969 Author Share Posted April 17, 2018 2 Timothy Chapter 3 - KJV - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was. 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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