The creation was a team project of the three persons of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
In Gen 2:26 we read:
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (KJV)
The Apostle Paul revealed in Colossians that Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God and the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Col 1:15, Col 2:9). Therefore, man was created in the image of Jesus Christ. Paul also revealed that it was the Lord Jesus who was the active participant in the events of creation.
Col 1:16-17
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (KJV)
This was confirmed by the Apostle John.
John 1:1-3
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.(KJV)
The Old Testament prophets proclaimed that Jehovah was the creator of heaven and earth.
Isa 45:18
18 For thus saith the LORD (Jehovah) that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD (Jehovah); and there is none else. (KJV)
The scriptures conclude that Jesus Christ is Jehovah. Jehovah accepted a body of flesh and was born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world that those who believe could have eternal life. In the day of judgement, every person will someday stand before Jesus Christ to face the obvious truth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, Jehovah.
Phil 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Friday, February 27, 2004
Thursday, February 26, 2004
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). Truly, we serve an awesome God. He created all things out of nothing. As the creator, God has full authority over the creation and has the right to require whatever He wants from His creation. Some wonder how there could be a God when there is so much evil in the world. C.S. Lewis rightly pointed out that if there were no God, there would be no standard by which to judge good and evil. God, Himself, is the standard. The presence of good and evil actually confirms the reality of God.
God gave the Bible to reveal Himself to the humans He had created. As we read the account of creation in Genesis, we find that God refers to Himself as Elohim and as Jehovah.
Elohim created heaven and earth.
Gen 1:1
1 In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth. (KJV)
Jehovah created the earth and the heavens.
Gen 2:4
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God (Jehovah) made the earth and the heavens, (KJV)
Elohim created man.
Gen 1:26-27
26 And God (Elohim) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God (Elohim) created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (KJV)
Jehovah formed man.
Gen 2:7
7 And the LORD God (Jehovah) formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (KJV)
This illustrates that there is no name which can fully declare the glory of God. God is infinite and there is no word which can fully ascribe to Him the appropriate attributes.
God spoke to Moses from the burning bush when He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver the children of Israel. Moses asked Who he should say had sent him.
Exod 3:13-14
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (KJV)
God’s glory is beyond our human comprehension. All that we know of God is what we see in Jesus Christ, and Paul said that it pleased the Father that all of the fullness of God should dwell in Christ. There is nothing about God that is not totally and absolutely true about Jesus Christ.
John 14:8-9
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; . . . (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
God gave the Bible to reveal Himself to the humans He had created. As we read the account of creation in Genesis, we find that God refers to Himself as Elohim and as Jehovah.
Elohim created heaven and earth.
Gen 1:1
1 In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heaven and the earth. (KJV)
Jehovah created the earth and the heavens.
Gen 2:4
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God (Jehovah) made the earth and the heavens, (KJV)
Elohim created man.
Gen 1:26-27
26 And God (Elohim) said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God (Elohim) created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (KJV)
Jehovah formed man.
Gen 2:7
7 And the LORD God (Jehovah) formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (KJV)
This illustrates that there is no name which can fully declare the glory of God. God is infinite and there is no word which can fully ascribe to Him the appropriate attributes.
God spoke to Moses from the burning bush when He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver the children of Israel. Moses asked Who he should say had sent him.
Exod 3:13-14
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (KJV)
God’s glory is beyond our human comprehension. All that we know of God is what we see in Jesus Christ, and Paul said that it pleased the Father that all of the fullness of God should dwell in Christ. There is nothing about God that is not totally and absolutely true about Jesus Christ.
John 14:8-9
8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us."
9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; . . . (NKJ)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
In Gen 12:1-3 we read:
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
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. (KJV)
The blessing which God pronounced upon Abraham and his descendants was passed down to Isaac but not Ishmael, and it was passed down to Jacob but not Esau. It was passed down only to those who had faith like that of Abraham.
After Israel's Exodus from Egypt, most of the nation refused to enter the promised land. As a result, God announced that they would be banished in the wilderness for forty years. The people became terrified at that prospect and some of the Jews decided they would enter the land after all. Moses warned them not to try it because the power of God would not be with them. They entered the land and were slaughtered by the Canaanites. Only after forty years in the wilderness did the nation of Israel enter the promised land and receive the Old Covenant Kingdom.
After the Lord Jesus was crucified and the Holy Spirit was given, the New Covenant Kingdom was offered to Israel. This was to be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. Again, the nation of Israel refused to receive the kingdom. As a result, God temporarily set aside His promises to Abraham. In our present age of the Church, Israel has no special purpose among the nations. However, God has not forsaken His promise to Abraham. After the Church is taken up into heaven, God will bring the nation of Israel back to the promised land. They will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and will receive the New Covenant Kingdom.
Today, there are some Jews who want to take the promised land by force, thinking that it is God’s plan for them to do so. They need to be warned that God is not with them in this effort. They will fail miserably. In fact their efforts will result in the ultimate reign of the antichrist who will slaughter those who try to take the land in their own might.
Daniel prophesied in Dan 11:13-14:
13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. (KJV)
It is not wrong for Israel to have a nation today, but it would be wrong for the nation of Israel to think that their nation is somehow the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, He will defeat the antichrist and give the promised land to believing Israel.
Today, it is most important that believers teach the nation of Israel about the truth of Jesus Christ and warn them of the dangers of trying to take the promised land by force. It is still true that God will bless those who bless Israel, but believers need to do some serious thinking about the best way to bless Israel.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
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. (KJV)
The blessing which God pronounced upon Abraham and his descendants was passed down to Isaac but not Ishmael, and it was passed down to Jacob but not Esau. It was passed down only to those who had faith like that of Abraham.
After Israel's Exodus from Egypt, most of the nation refused to enter the promised land. As a result, God announced that they would be banished in the wilderness for forty years. The people became terrified at that prospect and some of the Jews decided they would enter the land after all. Moses warned them not to try it because the power of God would not be with them. They entered the land and were slaughtered by the Canaanites. Only after forty years in the wilderness did the nation of Israel enter the promised land and receive the Old Covenant Kingdom.
After the Lord Jesus was crucified and the Holy Spirit was given, the New Covenant Kingdom was offered to Israel. This was to be the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. Again, the nation of Israel refused to receive the kingdom. As a result, God temporarily set aside His promises to Abraham. In our present age of the Church, Israel has no special purpose among the nations. However, God has not forsaken His promise to Abraham. After the Church is taken up into heaven, God will bring the nation of Israel back to the promised land. They will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and will receive the New Covenant Kingdom.
Today, there are some Jews who want to take the promised land by force, thinking that it is God’s plan for them to do so. They need to be warned that God is not with them in this effort. They will fail miserably. In fact their efforts will result in the ultimate reign of the antichrist who will slaughter those who try to take the land in their own might.
Daniel prophesied in Dan 11:13-14:
13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.
14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. (KJV)
It is not wrong for Israel to have a nation today, but it would be wrong for the nation of Israel to think that their nation is somehow the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, He will defeat the antichrist and give the promised land to believing Israel.
Today, it is most important that believers teach the nation of Israel about the truth of Jesus Christ and warn them of the dangers of trying to take the promised land by force. It is still true that God will bless those who bless Israel, but believers need to do some serious thinking about the best way to bless Israel.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Since believers today have the power of the Holy Spirit within them, why can’t we establish the Kingdom of God on the earth? That is a question which theologians have debated for nearly 2 thousand years. Some say that we can and that we should. Others say that it can not happen until Christ returns to personally rule on the earth. As you may have guessed, I hold the latter view. The reason is this. Today, God has ordained in His perfect wisdom to allow the devil to have great power and authority within the world system. In fact, the Apostle Paul said that the devil is the “god of this world”.
2 Cor 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
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. (KJV)
However, the devil has very little power over the believers of this age as long as they yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Jn 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
To experience the power of the Holy Spirit, the believer must learn to separate himself from the things of this world system.
I Jn 2:15-16
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world-- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-- is not of the Father but is of the world. (NKJ)
The devil has used his power and authority to ensure that success within our present world system depends upon playing the devil’s game. For Christians to rule the world today, they would have to gain power by means of deceit and manipulation. Then to maintain power, they would have to abuse human rights and severely limit individual liberties. I am afraid that the Christian religion has been very successful through the years because it has maintained its power over people by these very means. These methods will never establish a spiritual kingdom.
We can praise the Lord that God has used even the evils of the Christian religion to accomplish much for His glory. God used the Christian religion to give us the Bible as we know it today. Even though the Christian religion has little regard for the truth of the Bible, it has spread the word of God along with its many heresies for nearly two thousand years. The ways of God are marvelous and mysterious, and regardless of the method of propagation, the word of God is alive and powerful. It brings people out of the darkness of this world system and into the light of Jesus Christ. Reportedly, D.L. Moody said that our world is a sinking ship. It is not our job to save the ship but to rescue as many people as we can before the ship goes down.
When the Lord Jesus returns to set up the New Covenant Kingdom, the world will experience the personal presence of the Lord Jesus, and human hearts will be filled with the Spirit of God. The devil will be stripped of all of his power, and the curse will be lifted from the earth. In this new world system there will be liberty and justice for all.
Micah 4:3
3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
2 Cor 4:3-4
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
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. (KJV)
However, the devil has very little power over the believers of this age as long as they yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.
I Jn 4:4
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
To experience the power of the Holy Spirit, the believer must learn to separate himself from the things of this world system.
I Jn 2:15-16
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world-- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-- is not of the Father but is of the world. (NKJ)
The devil has used his power and authority to ensure that success within our present world system depends upon playing the devil’s game. For Christians to rule the world today, they would have to gain power by means of deceit and manipulation. Then to maintain power, they would have to abuse human rights and severely limit individual liberties. I am afraid that the Christian religion has been very successful through the years because it has maintained its power over people by these very means. These methods will never establish a spiritual kingdom.
We can praise the Lord that God has used even the evils of the Christian religion to accomplish much for His glory. God used the Christian religion to give us the Bible as we know it today. Even though the Christian religion has little regard for the truth of the Bible, it has spread the word of God along with its many heresies for nearly two thousand years. The ways of God are marvelous and mysterious, and regardless of the method of propagation, the word of God is alive and powerful. It brings people out of the darkness of this world system and into the light of Jesus Christ. Reportedly, D.L. Moody said that our world is a sinking ship. It is not our job to save the ship but to rescue as many people as we can before the ship goes down.
When the Lord Jesus returns to set up the New Covenant Kingdom, the world will experience the personal presence of the Lord Jesus, and human hearts will be filled with the Spirit of God. The devil will be stripped of all of his power, and the curse will be lifted from the earth. In this new world system there will be liberty and justice for all.
Micah 4:3
3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. (NIV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Monday, February 23, 2004
God’s Old Covenant with Israel was characterized by its association with the physical world. In the Old Covenant, Israel had a physical kingdom in which they offered physical tithes by means of physical sacrifices. They observed the physical Sabbath days and numerous feast days. They also had various ceremonial washings with physical water.
During God’s offer of the New Covenant Kingdom in the gospels and the Acts period, we see water baptism as well as many physical miracles, wonders, and signs which God gave to validate the offer of the New Covenant Kingdom. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and will serve as a nation of priests in a physical kingdom. As such, they will receive the tithes, administer the various physical ceremonies and serve as judges for the nations of the world.
However, the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have been spiritually baptized into the Church which is the Body of Christ. We have been spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom and have found our spiritual Sabbath in the Lord Jesus. Our hearts have been miraculously filled with all spiritual blessings, and we find our fulness or completeness in the fulness of Christ.
Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)
The physical realm is a realm of death without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. The physical circumcision of the Old Covenant pictured the spiritual necessity of dying to one’s self. The water baptism of the New Covenant pictured the spiritual reality of death as well as resurrection with Christ. The Church which is the Body of Christ has the opportunity to experience the spiritual fulness that was pictured in these physical shadows.
Col 2:16-17
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. (NKJ)
We, as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20) and should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
During God’s offer of the New Covenant Kingdom in the gospels and the Acts period, we see water baptism as well as many physical miracles, wonders, and signs which God gave to validate the offer of the New Covenant Kingdom. When Jesus Christ returns to establish the New Covenant Kingdom, Israel will be filled with the Holy Spirit of God and will serve as a nation of priests in a physical kingdom. As such, they will receive the tithes, administer the various physical ceremonies and serve as judges for the nations of the world.
However, the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ is characterized by its association with the spiritual realm. We have been spiritually baptized into the Church which is the Body of Christ. We have been spiritually translated into a heavenly kingdom and have found our spiritual Sabbath in the Lord Jesus. Our hearts have been miraculously filled with all spiritual blessings, and we find our fulness or completeness in the fulness of Christ.
Col 2:9-12
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (KJV)
The physical realm is a realm of death without the spiritual reality just as the physical human body is dead without the spirit. The physical circumcision of the Old Covenant pictured the spiritual necessity of dying to one’s self. The water baptism of the New Covenant pictured the spiritual reality of death as well as resurrection with Christ. The Church which is the Body of Christ has the opportunity to experience the spiritual fulness that was pictured in these physical shadows.
Col 2:16-17
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,
17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. (NKJ)
We, as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3: 20) and should set our affections on things above (Col. 3:2).
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Friday, February 20, 2004
The Apostle Paul taught that each believer is in Christ and that the Spirit of Christ is in each believer. He also taught that this union results in believers becoming part of the body of Christ in a spiritual sense. In the pre-prison epistles, Paul spoke of the body of Christ in very general terms. However, in the prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, Paul spoke of the formal institution of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 (God) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (KJV)
Not only does this passage show the Body of Christ as an institution, it shows an institutional structure in which Christ is the Head of the Body. This is emphasized again in Colossians.
Col 1:18
18 And (Christ) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (KJV)
In his pre-prison epistles, Paul was clearly addressing people who, like himself, lived with the daily expectation of Christ’s return to set up His earthly kingdom.
1 Cor 6:1-3
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? (NKJ)
In the prison epistles, Paul made no mention of Israel’s New Covenant hope but said that the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ was given to him as a special dispensation or deposit of truth from God. In Ephesians, he called this revelation the dispensation of the grace of God.
Eph 3:1-2
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, (NKJ)
In Colossians, Paul called it the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Col 1:24-25
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (KJV)
In II Corinthians 3:6, Paul said that he was a minister of Israel’s New Covenant, but in the prison epistles, he wrote simply as a minister of the Church which is the Body of Christ. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he said that the Church which is the Body of Christ was kept secret from all other generations but that God now wanted all men to understand this great mystery.
Eph 3:8-9
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
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: (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Eph 1:22-23
22 (God) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (KJV)
Not only does this passage show the Body of Christ as an institution, it shows an institutional structure in which Christ is the Head of the Body. This is emphasized again in Colossians.
Col 1:18
18 And (Christ) is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (KJV)
In his pre-prison epistles, Paul was clearly addressing people who, like himself, lived with the daily expectation of Christ’s return to set up His earthly kingdom.
1 Cor 6:1-3
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? (NKJ)
In the prison epistles, Paul made no mention of Israel’s New Covenant hope but said that the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ was given to him as a special dispensation or deposit of truth from God. In Ephesians, he called this revelation the dispensation of the grace of God.
Eph 3:1-2
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles--
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, (NKJ)
In Colossians, Paul called it the dispensation of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Col 1:24-25
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; (KJV)
In II Corinthians 3:6, Paul said that he was a minister of Israel’s New Covenant, but in the prison epistles, he wrote simply as a minister of the Church which is the Body of Christ. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he said that the Church which is the Body of Christ was kept secret from all other generations but that God now wanted all men to understand this great mystery.
Eph 3:8-9
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
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: (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Thursday, February 19, 2004
The spiritual union that exists between Christ and the believer is the central concept of all of Paul’s doctrine. Paul teaches that each believer is in Christ, and that Christ is in each believer. In I Corinthians and Romans, Paul introduced the idea that believers are members of Christ’s body.
Rom 12:5
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (NKJ)
1 Cor 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (KJV)
Paul penned Romans and the letters to the Corinthians around 58 A.D., and Paul’s description of believers as the body of Christ in these epistles is very informal. In fact, it appears to be a simple analogy to illustrate the unity of believers. At this point, Paul never called the body of Christ the Church, and he never said that Christ is the Head of the body.
Paul was imprisoned in Rome about 62 A.D. It was there that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. In these epistles, Paul declared that Christ now serves as the Head of a new, heavenly institution called the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 And (God the Father) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (NKJ)
Col 1:24
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (NKJ)
Paul said that this truth regarding the Church which is the Body of Christ was given only to him and that God had kept it a secret from all previous generations.
Col 1:25-26
25 of (the Church which is the Body of Christ) I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (NKJ)
In the prison epistles, there is no hint of those things which were associated with the Old Covenant, such as circumcision, animal sacrifices or the Passover. Neither is there any mention of Israel’s New Covenant or the things which were associated with the New Covenant, such as water baptism, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesying, casting out demons, and healing.
God had taken Israel as His wife in the Old Covenant, and during the period of time covered by the book of Acts, God offered Israel a spiritual reconciliation of that marriage in the New Covenant. Before the cross, Israel was the estranged wife of God, but after the cross she became the Bride of Christ. However, Israel rejected God’s Acts-period marriage proposal by rejecting Christ. At that point, God set aside the program that He had planned for His bride and revealed, through the Apostle Paul, His program for the Church which is the Body of Christ.
With the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ came also the revelation of the fulness of Christ. That Christ is not only the Messiah. That Christ is not only the Savior. But that Christ is God. Jesus Christ is fully God, and believers find their fulness in Him.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Rom 12:5
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (NKJ)
1 Cor 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (KJV)
Paul penned Romans and the letters to the Corinthians around 58 A.D., and Paul’s description of believers as the body of Christ in these epistles is very informal. In fact, it appears to be a simple analogy to illustrate the unity of believers. At this point, Paul never called the body of Christ the Church, and he never said that Christ is the Head of the body.
Paul was imprisoned in Rome about 62 A.D. It was there that Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. In these epistles, Paul declared that Christ now serves as the Head of a new, heavenly institution called the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Eph 1:22-23
22 And (God the Father) put all things under (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (NKJ)
Col 1:24
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, (NKJ)
Paul said that this truth regarding the Church which is the Body of Christ was given only to him and that God had kept it a secret from all previous generations.
Col 1:25-26
25 of (the Church which is the Body of Christ) I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. (NKJ)
In the prison epistles, there is no hint of those things which were associated with the Old Covenant, such as circumcision, animal sacrifices or the Passover. Neither is there any mention of Israel’s New Covenant or the things which were associated with the New Covenant, such as water baptism, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, prophesying, casting out demons, and healing.
God had taken Israel as His wife in the Old Covenant, and during the period of time covered by the book of Acts, God offered Israel a spiritual reconciliation of that marriage in the New Covenant. Before the cross, Israel was the estranged wife of God, but after the cross she became the Bride of Christ. However, Israel rejected God’s Acts-period marriage proposal by rejecting Christ. At that point, God set aside the program that He had planned for His bride and revealed, through the Apostle Paul, His program for the Church which is the Body of Christ.
With the revelation of the Church which is the Body of Christ came also the revelation of the fulness of Christ. That Christ is not only the Messiah. That Christ is not only the Savior. But that Christ is God. Jesus Christ is fully God, and believers find their fulness in Him.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
The Apostle Paul revealed that keeping the Law of Moses could not bring salvation.
Gal 2:16
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (KJV)
Paul revealed that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (KJV)
After Paul spoke of the ineffectiveness of the Law in Galatians 2:16, he said something very mysterious in verse 20.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)
Paul clearly taught that he had experienced a spiritual unity with Christ to the extent that his spirit died with Christ on the cross of Calvary while the Spirit of Christ had come to live within him. In Romans 6, Paul said that this spiritual unity exists between Christ and every believer.
Rom 6:3-4
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (KJV)
The word baptize means to immerse. Therefore, Paul says that those who put their faith in Christ are spiritually immersed into Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. The physical body of each believer, therefore, becomes an instrument of the Spirit of Christ, and the believer is forever changed.
2 Cor 5:17 says:
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Gal 2:16
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (KJV)
Paul revealed that we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (KJV)
After Paul spoke of the ineffectiveness of the Law in Galatians 2:16, he said something very mysterious in verse 20.
Gal 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (KJV)
Paul clearly taught that he had experienced a spiritual unity with Christ to the extent that his spirit died with Christ on the cross of Calvary while the Spirit of Christ had come to live within him. In Romans 6, Paul said that this spiritual unity exists between Christ and every believer.
Rom 6:3-4
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (KJV)
The word baptize means to immerse. Therefore, Paul says that those who put their faith in Christ are spiritually immersed into Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. The physical body of each believer, therefore, becomes an instrument of the Spirit of Christ, and the believer is forever changed.
2 Cor 5:17 says:
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
In Matt 28 we find what is commonly called the “great commission”. It reads:
Matt 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
This passage is often referred to as if the Lord Jesus was telling His disciples to go and teach all people that eternal life is given to those who believe that Christ died for their sins. However, it seems clear that the disciples did not understand His words in that way. The disciples would most certainly have understood Jesus as saying that they should go everywhere and teach people about the fact that Jesus Christ was the promised messiah of the Jewish religion. This message would have been delivered for the most part to the Jews who had been scattered into all nations. This is obvious from the fact that Peter was so reluctant even in Acts 10 to go and talk to Cornelius simply because Cornelius was an uncircumcised Gentile.
Furthermore, when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, as he addressed the “men of Israel”, he spoke to them about the fact that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead and that if they would believe, Christ would return from heaven to set up His kingdom on the earth. This certainly is not the message we preach today.
Today, we preach that when Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, His blood was shed for the sins of the whole world and that those who believe are given eternal life. This concept was not really articulated until Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica. In 1Thes 5:9-10 Paul said,
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (KJV)
Paul was more specific in 1 Cor 15:3 where he said,
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; (KJV)
But Paul really spelled out the details in Rom 3:24-25 where he said,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood . . . (KJV)
Therefore, the truth of the gospel, as we know it today, was kept secret until God revealed it to the Apostle Paul. It was Paul who taught us that all who believe Christ died for their sins will receive eternal life regardless of their race or religious background.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Matt 28:19
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (KJV)
This passage is often referred to as if the Lord Jesus was telling His disciples to go and teach all people that eternal life is given to those who believe that Christ died for their sins. However, it seems clear that the disciples did not understand His words in that way. The disciples would most certainly have understood Jesus as saying that they should go everywhere and teach people about the fact that Jesus Christ was the promised messiah of the Jewish religion. This message would have been delivered for the most part to the Jews who had been scattered into all nations. This is obvious from the fact that Peter was so reluctant even in Acts 10 to go and talk to Cornelius simply because Cornelius was an uncircumcised Gentile.
Furthermore, when Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, as he addressed the “men of Israel”, he spoke to them about the fact that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead and that if they would believe, Christ would return from heaven to set up His kingdom on the earth. This certainly is not the message we preach today.
Today, we preach that when Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, His blood was shed for the sins of the whole world and that those who believe are given eternal life. This concept was not really articulated until Paul wrote to the believers at Thessalonica. In 1Thes 5:9-10 Paul said,
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. (KJV)
Paul was more specific in 1 Cor 15:3 where he said,
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; (KJV)
But Paul really spelled out the details in Rom 3:24-25 where he said,
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood . . . (KJV)
Therefore, the truth of the gospel, as we know it today, was kept secret until God revealed it to the Apostle Paul. It was Paul who taught us that all who believe Christ died for their sins will receive eternal life regardless of their race or religious background.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Monday, February 16, 2004
The Bible has some good news for human beings, but to really understand the good news of the Bible, one needs to have a general understanding of the different ways God has worked with people from the beginning.
In the beginning, God created all things including the first man and the first woman. They lived in innocence until they disobeyed God, but, when they sinned, the curse of death fell upon them and all of mankind.
About 4000 years ago, God chose Abraham out from among all people because Abraham had faith in God. God told Abraham that from him a redeemer would be born who would bless all of the nations of the earth. This promise was passed from Abraham to Isaac and then to Jacob from whom the nation of Israel was born.
God loved the nation of Israel with a special love and took her as His wife. God’s marriage covenant with Israel was the Old Covenant Law, and in that covenant, God promised to provide for Israel and protect her as long as she was faithful and loyal to Him. God also promised that in the final chapters of human history, Israel would rule the world through the spiritual power of the promised Messiah who would be the Son of God.
The marriage between God and Israel was a very rocky marriage from the beginning, for during the wedding ceremony, as Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai, Israel revealed her adulterous heart by worshiping a golden calf. Through the years Israel would repeatedly wander from God only to be punished and brought back to God in repentance.
Jesus Christ came as the promised messiah about 2000 years ago, but Israel, as a whole, refused to believe that this lowly Jesus could possibly be the messiah. As a result, God set aside His marriage with Israel.
Today, God has a special relationship with the people who do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Those who believe are spiritually baptized into Christ to become members of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the Church took Israel’s place as the wife of God. They believe that God has established the New Covenant with the Church even as He established the Old Covenant with Israel. This would imply that God transferred the promise of a worldwide kingdom from the Jews to the Christian Church. Unfortunately, many Christians today are trying to rule the world for God in their own human power and through their own human reasoning.
The Bible teaches that our present age will end with a great apostasy and that the antichrist will rule thereafter. To rule the world today, Christians would have to completely ignore human rights and all basic human freedoms in order to eliminate evil. This is exactly the means by which the antichrist will gain power and force the world into subjugation to the devil.
The book of the Revelation teaches that Jesus Christ will return to the earth to defeat the antichrist and remarry Israel. This new marriage with Israel will be the New Covenant which will bring great blessing to all the world through a great kingdom of righteousness. Jesus Christ will not have to ignore human rights and individual liberty because the Holy Spirit of God and His righteousness will dwell within the hearts of the people.
Today, our goal is not to rule the world. Our goal is to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that those who believe can experience the righteous liberty of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not call us to oppress the wicked but to set at liberty those who are in bondage to sin and death. Those of us who believe in Christ have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
In the beginning, God created all things including the first man and the first woman. They lived in innocence until they disobeyed God, but, when they sinned, the curse of death fell upon them and all of mankind.
About 4000 years ago, God chose Abraham out from among all people because Abraham had faith in God. God told Abraham that from him a redeemer would be born who would bless all of the nations of the earth. This promise was passed from Abraham to Isaac and then to Jacob from whom the nation of Israel was born.
God loved the nation of Israel with a special love and took her as His wife. God’s marriage covenant with Israel was the Old Covenant Law, and in that covenant, God promised to provide for Israel and protect her as long as she was faithful and loyal to Him. God also promised that in the final chapters of human history, Israel would rule the world through the spiritual power of the promised Messiah who would be the Son of God.
The marriage between God and Israel was a very rocky marriage from the beginning, for during the wedding ceremony, as Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai, Israel revealed her adulterous heart by worshiping a golden calf. Through the years Israel would repeatedly wander from God only to be punished and brought back to God in repentance.
Jesus Christ came as the promised messiah about 2000 years ago, but Israel, as a whole, refused to believe that this lowly Jesus could possibly be the messiah. As a result, God set aside His marriage with Israel.
Today, God has a special relationship with the people who do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Those who believe are spiritually baptized into Christ to become members of the Church which is the Body of Christ.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that the Church took Israel’s place as the wife of God. They believe that God has established the New Covenant with the Church even as He established the Old Covenant with Israel. This would imply that God transferred the promise of a worldwide kingdom from the Jews to the Christian Church. Unfortunately, many Christians today are trying to rule the world for God in their own human power and through their own human reasoning.
The Bible teaches that our present age will end with a great apostasy and that the antichrist will rule thereafter. To rule the world today, Christians would have to completely ignore human rights and all basic human freedoms in order to eliminate evil. This is exactly the means by which the antichrist will gain power and force the world into subjugation to the devil.
The book of the Revelation teaches that Jesus Christ will return to the earth to defeat the antichrist and remarry Israel. This new marriage with Israel will be the New Covenant which will bring great blessing to all the world through a great kingdom of righteousness. Jesus Christ will not have to ignore human rights and individual liberty because the Holy Spirit of God and His righteousness will dwell within the hearts of the people.
Today, our goal is not to rule the world. Our goal is to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that those who believe can experience the righteous liberty of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not call us to oppress the wicked but to set at liberty those who are in bondage to sin and death. Those of us who believe in Christ have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
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