When Did the Church the Body of Christ Begin?

July 29, 2014

by Shawn Brasseaux

Was it Acts 2? Acts 9? Acts 13? Acts 18? Acts 28? Or later? In this Bible study, we hope to clear up the confusion surrounding this issue.

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Nearly everyone in Christendom is convinced that Acts chapter 2 is “the birthday of the Church the Body of Christ” (here is a link to our study specially dedicated to refuting the “Acts 2” position, which is beyond the scope of this discussion). While there seems to be an anti-Acts-2 consensus within the so-called “grace movement,” there is often little clarity as to when the Church the Body of Christ did begin; that is, among grace believers, there is an overwhelming agreement that the Body of Christ did not begin in Acts chapter 2, but very few of these Christians can actually state with certainty when it did begin. Hence, the general term “mid-Acts dispensationalism” is applied, for some hold an “Acts 9” view, others believe in an “Acts 13” view, and still others an “Acts 18” view. There are even some who hold to “Acts 28” view, or something beyond Acts 28. It is very sad that many grace Christians seem to be guilty of being just as fragmented as the denominationalists they often deride. “When did the Church the Body of Christ begin?” is such a simple question with a simple answer, but it seems like very few are aware that God already settled the matter almost 2,000 years ago. Beloved, we grace believers must not allow denominationalism to divide us, lest we discredit ourselves and the message we so fervently claim to believe!

It is of utmost importance to our discussion to remember that the term “the Church the Body of Christ” is never found outside of Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. James, Peter, and John never mentioned it in their epistles. In fact, Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry (recorded in Matthew through John) never mentioned it (the overwhelming Scriptural testimony is that Matthew 16:18 is not the Body of Christ). In his epistles, the Apostle Paul made over 20 references to “the Church the Body of Christ” by name (Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 12:4,5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13,14,15,27; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 2:16; Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 4:4,12,16; Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 5:23,30; Colossians 1:18,24; Colossians 2:19; Colossians 3:15). Save Paul, no other Bible writer uses the term “the Church the Body of Christ.” Since only Paul uses that term, he seems to know more about it than anyone else in Scripture, so should we not allow Paul to tell us when it began? Rather than blindly agreeing with a grace preacher or a grace church’s doctrinal statement, we need to believe what the Holy Spirit through Paul taught and believed concerning the beginning of the Church the Body of Christ.

1. PAUL’S SALVATION IS OUR “PATTERN”

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15-16: “[15] This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. [16] Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

Notice the four very important words in the passage quoted above:

  • “chief” — The word “chief” means “first, primary” (such as in Acts 14:12). For any “Greekophile,” the Greek word translated “chief” in 1 Timothy 1:16 is protos, meaning “beginning or foremost.” It does not mean “worst” as commonly thought.
  • “first” — Means just what it says; it is the “earliest.”
  • “pattern” — A “pattern” is “an example for others to follow.”
  • “hereafter” — “Hereafter” is an adverb meaning, “from now on.”

These four terms are four different ways of saying the same thing—something new began with Paul. Paul was the “chief,” the “first,” the “pattern to them which should hereafter [that is, after Paul] believe on him [Jesus Christ] to life everlasting.” When Paul wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief,” he was not saying that he was the worst of all sinners. In the context (look again at the four key terms highlighted above), what he meant was that he was the first of all sinners Jesus Christ saved. Yet, how could that be? What about the 12 apostles? Were they not sinners saved by God years prior to Paul? Yes, they were, but the manner by which Paul was saved, and the purpose to which Paul was saved, were different than those before him. Jesus Christ saved Paul and those after him with a special plan in mind.

The Scriptures could not be plainer that something new began with Paul’s salvation in Acts 9. Paul was the “first.” The first of what? The only sensible answer is the first member of the Church the Body of Christ (the only other group of believers God has in His Word is the redeemed nation Israel, and Israel is fallen at this point; the Church the Body of Christ had to be created in order to save Saul of Tarsus and make him Paul the Apostle). Paul was the first individual to be saved apart from Israel’s program. There had to have been a new program in Acts 9, otherwise Paul could not be saved unto eternal life (more on this later). The Holy Spirit said that Paul’s salvation is our “pattern.” Are we members of the nation Israel? No. Do we belong to Israel’s program? No. According to the Holy Spirit, and according to Paul himself, Paul was saved the same way we are—apart from Israel (1 Corinthians 15:8; Galatians 1:15) and apart from her program (1 Timothy 1:13-16 cf. Matthew 12:31-32; Romans 11:11-13; 1 Corinthians 1:17 cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:14-15 cf. Matthew 5:17-19; et cetera).

2. PAUL COULD NOT BE SAVED IN ISRAEL’S PROGRAM

In Galatians 1:15-16, Paul writes, “[15] But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, [16] To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:…” In 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul wrote, “And last of all he [the resurrected Jesus Christ] was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” Paul was not a part of Israel or her program. God “killed” Israel, as one would take the life of a pregnant woman, and He delivered her unborn child, in this case, Saul of Tarsus (Paul). (Look at the “stillborn” birth Job longed for in Job 3:16, “Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been….”).

The Lord Jesus said to the nation Israel in Matthew 12:31-32: “[31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

Saul/Paul encouraged the murder of Stephen, and he was guilty of blaspheming against the Holy Ghost. After all, Jewish Saul was leading the world’s rebellion against Jesus Christ (see Acts 7:57-60; Acts 8:1-4; Acts 9:1-5; Acts 22:3-7; Acts 26:9-11; et cetera). Paul wrote that he was a “blasphemer” in 1 Timothy 1:13. Paul was saved, but he blasphemed against the Holy Spirit! So, how was Paul saved, and yet, how could it not break Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:31-32? Paul could not be saved in Israel’s program, for it would contradict Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:31-32; nevertheless, God opened our Dispensation of Grace, a program separate from Israel’s program, in Acts 9, and saved Saul/Paul. Saul/the Apostle Paul could only be saved if God interrupted Israel’s program with a new program, and if he was placed into a new group of believers. Paul was saved in our dispensation, not in Israel’s program; he was saved in the Church the Body of Christ, not in the nation Israel. Certainly, a new dispensation was in effect in Acts 9.

3. NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE IN PAUL’S MINISTRY, WHETHER DURING ACTS OR POST-ACTS

When understanding the beginning of the Church the Body of Christ, we need to determine what the Church the Body of Christ is. From Paul’s epistles, we learn that it is a spiritual, invisible body of believers in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, who have trusted exclusively in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for their sins (Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Consider the following verses found in Paul’s epistles:

  • Romans 3:22: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Written during Acts.)
  • 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” (Written during Acts.)
  • Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Written during Acts.)
  • Galatians 6:15: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” (Written during Acts.)
  • Ephesians 2:11-17: “[11] Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; [12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: [13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: [17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off [Gentiles], and to them that were nigh [Jews].” (Written after Acts.)
  • Colossians 3:10-11: “[10] And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: [11] Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Written after Acts.)

The distinction between Jew and Gentile (“Greek” delineated the prominent Gentile nationality of that day, as in the Graeco-Roman Empire) was abolished with Paul’s ministry: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:22). Paul was “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13)—Paul wrote Romans during the Acts period. Israel had fallen back in Acts chapter 7 and was now “diminishing” (see Romans 11:11-12), so any lost Jews were technically Gentiles. In Acts chapter 15, Paul agreed to minister to the “heathen” (Galatians 2:9)—this would be anyone who was not a member of Israel’s little flock, her believing remnant. A Jew who had not trusted Jesus as Messiah was still just as much a “heathen”—a child of the Devil, and an enemy of the God of the Bible—as a lost non-Jew (Gentile) (see John 8:44, Acts 13:10, and Ephesians 2:1-3).

Paul, as Saul of Tarsus, had been one of those Christ-rejecting Jews, a heathen just as sinful before God as a Gentile. Paul’s ministry and message were directed toward any Christ-rejecting lost people—Jews or Gentiles. This distinction of Jew and Gentile being done away could only be possible if Israel’s program were fallen; the distinction between Jew and Gentile is always indicative of “time past” (Ephesians 2:11-12). The Church the Body of Christ had to have begun at the very beginning of Paul’s ministry, otherwise those to whom he ministered could not be saved. Yea, Paul himself could not be saved if a new program (the Dispensation of Grace) and a new agency (the Church the Body of Christ) had not begun back in Acts chapter 9.

4. PAUL’S INCLUSION IN THE RAPTURE

Paul considered himself to be a member of the Church the Body of Christ because he mentioned himself in reference to the Rapture. The Rapture of the Church the Body of Christ does not involve Israel or her prophetic program; the Rapture actually prevents our mystery program from overlapping with Israel’s program. Had the Body of Christ began after Paul was saved in Acts chapter 9—such as in Acts chapter 13, Acts chapter 18, or Acts chapter 28 or beyond—it would make no sense for Paul to be including himself in the Rapture. Paul had a hope to be included with the members of the Church the Body of Christ at the Rapture. He says “we” not “you” throughout 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18—Paul included himself in the Rapture, which is exclusively Body-of-Christ doctrine (verses 15 and 17). In fact, remember what Paul wrote, “For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body…” (1 Corinthians 12:13)—Paul did not use the pronoun, “you,” indicating that he included himself in the Church the Body of Christ. Paul mentioned God blessing “us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)—this is the Body of Christ doctrine, and when he wrote that God “blessed us with all spiritual blessings,” he included himself. “For we are members of his body” (Ephesians 5:30)—Paul included himself in the Body of Christ. To have the Body of Christ begin after Paul’s salvation is to ignore the many verses that indicate that Paul was a member of the Body of Christ.

5. THE DANGERS OF STARTING THE BODY OF CHRIST AFTER ACTS 9 (SUCH AS ACTS 13, ACTS 18, ACTS 28, OR BEYOND)

To begin the Church the Body of Christ at some time other than Acts chapter 9 is to ignore the foregoing verses and passages. Furthermore, a non-Acts-9 view of the Body of Christ will introduce increasing confusion into your Christian life and the lives of those around you. You lose Paul’s salvation as your pattern, you make your Christian life less clear, and you make the transitional period of Acts more confusing. Without going into too much detail, we will briefly comment about the “Acts 13,” “Acts 18,” and “Acts 28” positions:

  • ACTS 13. This position is taken because Paul began his apostolic journeys at the beginning of this chapter. Furthermore, Acts 13:46 is used to justify this position: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Some use this verse to contend that Paul will go unto Gentiles from this time on, so the Gentile body of Christ could not begin until Acts chapter 13. Still, we understand that Paul was considered a Gentile because he had rejected Jesus Christ and was a “heathen” (Israel had fallen in Acts 7, see Point #2, “Paul could not be saved in Israel’s program”). Moreover, the Body of Christ had already begun with Paul’s salvation in Acts 9 (see previous comments). Had the Body of Christ begun in Acts chapter 13, Paul could not have been saved unto eternal life. The clear teaching of Acts 13:46 is this—it was Paul’s announcement to unbelieving Israel in Asia (modern-day Turkey) that God had now changed His dealings with mankind, that Israel was now fallen and diminishing. Nothing more.
  • ACTS 18. Acts 18:6 is used to teach that the Gentile Body of Christ began in Acts 18: “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” Yet, by this time, Paul had already gone to Gentiles—he spoke with the pagan Greeks in Athens in Acts chapter 17. In Acts 18:8, Paul was not saying that the Body of Christ was now beginning. He was simply announcing in a new region (Europe) to unbelieving Israel that his ministry was amongst Gentiles. He was speaking to a new Jewish audience to inform them that JEHOVAH God had now changed His dealings with mankind, that Israel was now fallen and diminishing. To begin the Church the Body of Christ in Acts chapter 18 is to divorce ourselves from Paul’s earliest epistles—Thessalonians and Galatians.
  • ACTS 28. Acts 28:28 is used to support the Acts 28 position: “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” This does not say that God’s salvation will go to the Gentiles; by this time, we have seen that it has already gone to the Gentiles and is going to the Gentiles (recall our earlier comments). The Body of Christ had begun long before Paul announced those words in Acts 28:28—some 30 years earlier actually. Acts 28:28 was Paul speaking in Rome, the world’s capital at this time. “Acts 28” is a particularly dangerous position to take because it divorces you from Paul’s Acts epistles (Galatians, Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Romans) and makes you believe they are not to or about you—Paul never divides his epistles between one section of the Body of Christ in Acts and another section of the Body of Christ after Acts. The admonition in 2 Timothy 2:15 refers to all of the Bible, and does not teach “rightly dividing” Paul’s epistles.

Acts 13:46, Acts 18:8, and Acts 28:28 are not the beginning of the Body of Christ and, despite what some “grace” people may tell you, they are not indicative of such. These three verses should be considered one unit, for they comprise a three-fold announcement that the Apostle Paul made to unbelieving Israel in three separate regions. God was now going and had gone to the Gentiles, and Israel’s prophetic program was diminishing. By the time of Acts 28, that transition period was over. How clear, how simple!

CONCLUSION

We so-called “mid-Acts dispensationalists” agree that the Church the Body of Christ did not begin in Acts chapter 2 (as “traditional dispensationalism” teaches). Yet, there is often great confusion and doubt concerning when it did begin (hence the broad term “mid-Acts”). Some say it was Acts chapter 9, others Acts chapter 13, still others Acts chapter 18, and some even say Acts chapter 28 or later. Indeed, it sounds just as bad as denominationalism in Christendom! Mid-Acts dispensationalists often blame traditionalists (denominational people) for holding to the “traditions of men” to advance a particular church’s viewpoint regarding Scripture. Sadly, however, some so-called “mid-Acts dispensationalists” are just as guilty of this error. One glance at the “Acts 9/13/18/28” controversy demonstrates that religious tradition and preconceived notions often deceive, divide, and defeat us “mid-Acts dispensationalists” just as it does denominational Christendom.

Honestly, some years ago, when I first learned of the Acts 9/13/18/28 division within “grace circles,” I grew very discouraged. I had left my religious confusion in a denominational church behind, only to wind up with more confusion parading as “grace doctrine.” I wanted to know when the Church the Body of Christ began so that I could then determine what parts of the Bible on which to focus the most. It took me at least two or three years to finally learn the truth about the matter (during that time, many “grace people” were telling me different things, and they seemed to be just as confused as I was). When I finally studied the Scriptures on my own, I was thrilled to see how clear the Bible was regarding the issue. Acts chapter 9, the Apostle Paul’s salvation, was the beginning of the Church the Body of Christ; to say otherwise is to cause abounding confusion.

Dear friends, the fragmentation of grace believers regarding the beginning of the Body of Christ, often aids the Adversary’s cause in keeping God’s truth hidden. Having struggled with this issue myself, I can personally testify to that. Furthermore, this Acts 9/13/18/28 conflict affords our denominational critics another reason to undermine our stand on Paul’s special apostleship/ministry to us Gentiles and our stand in the Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ committed first to his trust. Thus, the question, “When did the Church the Body of Christ begin?,” is one of the most important questions the Bible student will face. He or she must answer it using Bible verses, not religious tradition (even if that church tradition parades under the guise of “grace doctrine!”).

If we are to be a pure church, we too must discard traditions, even if “grace” brethren believe and teach them! No question about it, the Apostle Paul was the first member of the Church the Body of Christ. It is not that difficult to understand unless we refuse to see it for sake of keeping our own traditions.

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Paul’s Apostolic Authority (Verses)

January 3, 2013

Paul’s Apostolic Authority (Verses)

  • Acts 9:15: “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”
  • Acts 20:24: “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
  • Acts 26:16: “a minister and a witness” of God
  • Romans 1:1: “Paul,… called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God”
  • Romans 11:13: “I am the apostle of the Gentiles”
  • Romans 15:16: “I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”
  • Romans 16:25-26: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest,”
  • 1 Corinthians 1:1: “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God”
  • 1 Corinthians 1:17: “Christ sent me… to preach the gospel”
  • 1 Corinthians 3:10: “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.”
  • 1 Corinthians 4:16: “Be ye followers of me.”
  • 1 Corinthians 9:17: “a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me”
  • 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
  • 1 Corinthians 11:23: “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you….”
  • 1 Corinthians 14:37: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:3: “the gospel which I preached unto you”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:4: “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:8: “and last of all he [Christ] was seen of me”
  • 2 Corinthians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God”
  • Galatians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)”
  • Galatians 1:11-12: “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
  • Galatians 1:15-16: “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen…”
  • Galatians 2:2: “I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles…”
  • Galatians 2:6-9: “they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”
  • Ephesians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God”
  • Ephesians 3:1-9: “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 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; 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:”
  • Philippians 3:17: “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”
  • Philippians 4:9: “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
  • Colossians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God”
  • Colossians 1:26-29: “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”
  • 1 Timothy 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ”
  • 1 Timothy 1:11: “The glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust”
  • 1 Timothy 1:16: “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
  • 2 Timothy 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,”
  • 2 Timothy 1:11: “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”
  • 2 Timothy 2:8: “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:”
  • Titus 1:1-3: “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;”

The Apostle Peter testifies to Paul’s apostleship:

  • Acts 15:11-12: “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.”
  • Galatians 2:9: “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”
  • 2 Peter 3:15-16: “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Christmas 2012 – The Word Was Made Flesh

December 24, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

As we reach the climax of the Christmas Season, we reflect on God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, to remember the real miracle of Christmas.

* * *

Long before the pagans hijacked Christmas, long before “Christian” leaders “Christianized” pagan Christmas beliefs and practices, and long before creation even existed, the triune Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost—assembled in a council. The Father had a plan to glorify the Son, the Son would execute the plan to the glory of the Father, and the Holy Ghost would cooperate with the Son to accomplish the Father’s plan, thus bringing glory to the Father and the Son. It was a magnificent plan, an ingenious plan, one that would span thousands of years. Christmastime is very significant in the Bible, for it involves the very linchpin of the whole plan!

By God the Son, the triune Godhead created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Colossians 1:16 KJV says, “…all things were created by him, and for him:” The governments in heaven and earth were to be subject to God the Son, Jesus Christ. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV). Ephesians 1:9,10 KJV: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:” This was why God created angelic beings and mankind—they were to execute God’s will in heaven and on earth, respectively. In the end, it would make God the Son the Head (Ruler) of all creation.

There was a problem, however. When God placed Adam on the earth, he did not want to glorify God, and thus, he sinned against God. Adam sided with God’s adversary, Satan, who did not want God to receive glory either. With mankind corrupted by sin, he was no longer useful to God. But, in foreknowledge, the triune Godhead had already devised a plan of redemption, a way to restore mankind unto Himself. After it fell into sin, God left the human race a promise, that there would come a Man, who would do what Adam failed to do. Instead of cooperating with God’s adversary like Adam had, this “seed of the woman” would “bruise [Satan’s] head” (Genesis 3:15 KJV).

The candidate who could solve man’s sin problem had to meet two requirements. He had to be God, and He had to be man—He had to be a “God-Man.” It had to be God, because God’s righteousness had to be satisfied, but it also had to be man, for it was man who had sinned. The righteousness of God was offended, since “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV). But, it was also a man who had sinned, “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12 KJV). Again, the only solution was a God-Man!

Let us consider John 1:1-3,14 KJV:

“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 thing made that was made….
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

The “Word” is God the Son, Jesus Christ: He is the chief spokesman of the Godhead. Before the Holy Ghost conceived Jesus Christ in Mary’s womb, Christ had already existed as God—Christ’s human birth was not diminished deity, but rather added humanity.

Back in the pre-creation council of the Godhead, they ordained that it would be God the Son, or better known as Jesus Christ, who would take on the form of a man (see John 1:14 above). The Apostle Peter confirms, “[Jesus Christ], being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God…” (Acts 2:23). God had Christ’s coming planned all along, right to the exact moment in time! Galatians 4:4,5 KJV affirms: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Jesus Christ’s birth was not some haphazard event of nature. God the Father had preplanned the exact moment of the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ. Over a period of some 4,000 years, the three members of the Godhead worked to bring about the birth of man’s Redeemer, a plan they had even before man was created! Amazing! Philippians 2:5-11 KJV describes the humility of Jesus Christ as He became a man, as well as why He became a man (“when the fulness of the time was come”):

“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.”

Notice how God the Son, Jesus Christ, although fully God and fully man, willingly played a subservient role to God the Father. Jesus Christ never quit being God and He never stopped being man. When people normally think of Christmastime, they imagine the Baby Jesus in a manger, but they miss the overall plan! It was God Himself in that manger, the Creator of heaven and earth, being born of a virgin so He could one day die for man’s sins! How we hope you see that!

Many often fail to ask, “Why was Jesus Christ even born?” According to verse 8, why did God become a man? Ultimately, it was to be “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!” From 1 Timothy 1:15 KJV, we learn: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” And 1 Timothy 2:5,6 KJV, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” The little Baby Jesus that was born 2,000 years ago of the virgin Mary did not remain an infant. He grew up to become a Man of 33 years of age, only to die for our sins, to suffer the wrath of God gendered by the wicked deeds of an undeserving race of creatures—us!

Romans 5:6-11 KJV gives us the good news of the grace of God:

“6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

As someone once said, “The Lord Jesus Christ—heaven’s best—came to die for earth’s worst!” God loved us so much that He sacrificed His own Son for us! Christ’s precious, sinless blood was poured out to make atonement for our sins. This all happened while were still sinners, or technically, before we were even born. When we were not trying to make ourselves acceptable to God, God already came and did for us what we will never be able to do for ourselves—satisfy His righteous standards.

The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” We can be made spiritually rich through the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ on Calvary. Imagine that—the Lord of glory left that glory behind so that He could to this vile world and save us from our sins!

The good news about Christmastime is that the humanity of God the Son was conceived within Mary’s womb during this time of year. It was a virgin conception, with no human father involved, and ultimately, it would lead to the vicarious atonement of Calvary’s cross, to glory of God the Father. God sent His only begotten Son so that we lost, hell-bound sinners might have an opportunity to be reconciled with Him forever! But, it could have never been accomplished had the incarnation of Jesus Christ never happened.

All we have to do to appropriate the merits of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross to our account is to simply and completely place our faith in the bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for our sins. There are no works on our part: it is simple faith in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone. Remember, “The Word was made flesh” so we could have an opportunity to be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thank you, heavenly Father, for your “Christmas present” to us—eternal life through your Son, Jesus Christ!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM arC MINISTRIES!

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‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas

December 23, 2012

‘Twas the Sunday Night Before Christmas

‘Twas the Sunday night before Christmas and all through our local church,
Only a few members brought a King James Bible to do a studious verse search.
As the Christmas bells had rung, the community eagerly filed through the door.
Most had not visited the church since Easter Sunday—eight months before!

How they loved the Christmas lights, but paid the Nativity Scene little attention.
After opening prayer and collection, there quickly arose a noisy dissension.
A man exclaimed his neighbor had given too little and had been very greedy.
The neighbor replied: “Hypocrite, you gave even less to the church and needy!”

Eventually, the congregation relaxed and picked up hymnals for singing to start.
Sadly, “worship” was just loud noise, and few sang to God with a faithful heart.
Then, a dear lady became overly emotional and violently collapsed to the floor.
An embarrassing spectacle—especially when others had no self-control anymore.

The pastor began to open God’s Word, but most had already closed their eyes.
All those professing Christians were no longer hiding behind their disguise.
For much of the congregation had just warmly snuggled up in their pews.
They thought they already did their duty… attending and paying monetary dues.

The pastor began, with only a few members with an open Bible in their lap.
(Recall the other “faithful” visitors had just cuddled up for a long hour’s nap.)
Those who stayed awake, but lacked a Bible, had difficulty following the pastor.
He taught God’s Word slowly and carefully, but how they wanted him to go faster!

“Hurry, preacher, we have much to do, save it for next year’s message if you can!”
So, I prayed that God’s grace would strengthen and encourage the poor dear man.
Pastor wanted these “babes in Christ” to learn sound doctrine from God’s Word.
Alas, they wanted something quick and cheerful, a feel-good lesson to be heard.

Sadly, the sound Christmas Bible study he presented was too fervent for them.
So, pastor ended with a salvation invitation and prayer, and we sang one last hymn.
Dear brother, I felt so sorry for him, having had to tolerate much foolishness today.
But what was Jesus Christ’s view of it all? What do you think He would say?

The Lord had glanced inside the hearts of all those members of our congregation.
He had found that most were lost in unbelief, headed for eternal condemnation!
They heard the Christmas message and the Gospel, but how they spurned it all.
If only they would believe the Gospel of Grace, and not miss the trumpet call.

If only they realized silly emotional things that appealed to the flesh did not honor God.
That our local church was open every Sunday; the floors not just for holidays to trod.
That studying God’s precious Word, the King James Bible, should not be taken casually.
That sound, faithful pastors are rare, and they should be encouraged, not treated disrespectfully.

That we are all undeserved sinners, regardless of our social status or financial state.
That it was nobody’s business how much money we gave in the collection plate.
That assembling to fellowship around God’s Word is a privilege, not a legalistic command.
That going to church is not mindless obligation performed in response to a preacher’s demand.

That “faith plus nothing” is really the most important doctrine in the life of us believers.
That salvation is a gift: God is the gracious Giver; and we are the unworthy receivers.
That the riches of God’s precious grace are currently being freely offered to all men.
That simple faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can save us from our sin!

—Shawn Brasseaux, 12/17/2008

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Thanksgiving 2012 – In Every Thing Give Thanks

November 21, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

On this Thanksgiving Eve, we will take a moment to learn a valuable lesson from the Holy Scriptures. We will reflect on sound Bible doctrine, and we will thank God that He has preserved Word so we can read and rejoice in that sound Bible doctrine!

* * *

This life is filled with uncertainty. It is dynamic, constantly changing. In short, it can be likened to a roller coaster. Furthermore, emotions intensify that ride, too! People are worried about their financial stability; their health; their social life; their education; and the wellbeing of their children, grandchildren, and friends. Again, life is uncertain, as material possessions are “uncertain riches” (1 Timothy 6:17). Because of sin, this life abounds with a variety temptations—sickness and disability, grief, poverty, and stress, and, short of the Lord’s coming, physical death. Life can change in only a moment, so we need to rely on something that does not change. Once we identify what that “something” is, we need to thank God daily that we have it.

The Apostle Paul was certainly not exempt from this life’s troubles. Unbelieving Jews followed him wherever he went (as documented throughout the book of Acts). They persecuted him and his Gentile converts (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). Eventually, these wicked Jews convinced the Roman government to imprison—and finally execute—Paul.

Paul’s second epistle to Timothy was the last letter he wrote before his execution. Let us read the following excerpt from that epistle: “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:11,12 KJV).

Undoubtedly, when Paul spoke of his “suffering” for the sake of the Gospel of the Grace of God, he was reflecting on his ministry, the last 35 years of his life. We cannot imagine the horrific suffering of Paul, who endured at least 195 lashes; three beatings with rods; one stoning; three shipwrecks; a night and a day stranded in the sea; food, clothing, and shelter shortages; and numerous other troubling ordeals the Bible only briefly recounts (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).

Above all, while writing this final epistle to Timothy, Paul is in prison again, and he confesses, “Only Luke is with me” (2 Timothy 4:11a). Over three awesome decades of ministry are drawing to a close, but Paul’s circumstances seem grim. He has been forsaken by nearly everyone, and his beheading is near. Regardless, Paul declares, “I am not ashamed.” He knew, no matter what had happened or would happen to his physical body, his spiritual body was secure in Christ. Read his words again: “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12 KJV).

Life is dynamic; life in Christ is not! Paul’s circumstances repeatedly changed, but he knew his soul was still secure in Christ. It took time for him to learn that, and it will take time before we come to grasp that. Paul would eventually lose his physical life, but never his spiritual life. All those spiritual blessings he had in Christ would never be lost (Ephesians 1:3). We can rejoice in that, too. In Christ, we believers will always have redemption, forgiveness, justification, sanctification, and reconciliation, to name just a few.

Paul remembered what the Lord Jesus Christ told him years earlier, when the Apostle pleaded with the Lord as he endured his mysterious “thorn in the flesh:” “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a KJV). Thus, Paul could “glory in [his] infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon [him].” He could “take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when [he was] weak, then [was he] strong” (verse 10). Paul did not enjoy suffering, but rather he recognized the value of that suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Grace. He valued God’s Word to the extent that he willingly suffered for the sake of preaching it! The more he suffered, the more he realized how much God could bring him through anything and everything!

After all, Acts 14:22 KJV says, “[Paul and Barnabas were] Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Christians are not appointed to “some tribulation,” but Scripture says, “much tribulation.” “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 KJV). Furthermore, when we are willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake, we demonstrate that we value God’s Word. Just as the apostles and prophets of old suffered, we are also privileged to suffer for God’s Word.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV). God has equipped us in Jesus Christ to handle all of life’s difficulties. He does this, not by removing the troubles, but by empowering us to “bear [them].” It is for this reason that we can give thanks to God.

We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Notice how this Scripture does not say, “For every thing give thanks”—it says, “In every thing give thanks.” We do not thank God for our troubles; we thank God while we are enduring those troubles. This is tough, I know, but it takes time for us to learn it. It took a long time for even the Apostle Paul. Observe what the Apostle wrote in Philippians 4:11-13 KJV:

“11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

God wants “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). To be “saved” here means you have been rescued from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire), and that you have a home in heaven, because you have trusted the death, shed blood, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for your sins.

To “come unto the knowledge of the truth” is when a person who has trusted Christ, begins to understand why God saved him or her, and how God will use him or her for His glory. Although soul salvation is instantaneous, spiritual maturity is a life-long process. The way we spiritual mature is by studying the Holy Scriptures, and then believing them. In this case, we spiritually mature by learning how to handle problems as Jesus Christ would. Bear them in Christ—rely on Him to strengthen you!

When we consider all of the provisions that God has given to us who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, we can be thankful that these spiritual blessings will never be lost. We can rejoice that, no matter what happens in this life, we can join our Apostle Paul in declaring, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” We can thank God that He is there to comfort us, and to encourage us to continue. God has completely equipped us to make it through this life, no matter how dire it seems at times.

CONCLUSION

It is human nature to avoid difficulties and stress, to flee them, rather than confront them. This self-preservation is advantageous, particularly in “life or death” situations. However, running from troubling circumstances is not the way God has designed our life in Christ to function. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV, “In every thing give thanks,” not “For every thing give thanks.” We do not thank God for our troubles; we thank God while we are enduring those troubles. This is tough, I know, but it takes time for us to learn it. Even the Apostle Paul had to learn, “Be thankful in every thing.

Dear saints, let us remember this sound doctrine when life is difficult. Our circumstances will change; our identity in Christ never will! J God’s grace is sufficient for you, dear saints, in all of life’s circumstances. When you learn this, you are “[coming] unto the knowledge of the truth.” And, for this reason, we can “in every thing give thanks.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM arC MINISTRIES!

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Halloween 2012 – Arrayed in Hypocrisy

October 31, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

Today is Halloween, a time when children dress up and feign themselves to be all sorts of characters. In this Bible study, we will discover the adage—“Looks can be deceiving”—is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom. There are many church leaders today who wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. They appear to be good, but upon close examination, the Bible manifests them as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Beloved, we need to be on guard regarding such individuals, and as the Bible instructs, it would be in our best interest to avoid them and their worthless teaching.

* * *

In Matthew 13:24-30 KJV our Lord Jesus Christ put forth a parable to His disciples:

“24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Let us jump down to verses 36-43 for the explanation:

“36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Tares are weeds, and they closely resemble wheat: it is very difficult to distinguish between the two. In this parable, Jesus is explaining that just as He has planted the nation Israel and believers (wheat) are sprouting, Satan has also sown his own “crops” (tares/weeds). Satan has Jews that appear godly, but they are actually anti-Christ; they reject God and His plan for their lives. It is very hard to discern a believing Jew from an unbelieving Jew. The only time they will be separated is when angels at Christ’s Second Coming gather them.

Who are some of these tares? Take, for example, Judas Iscariot. He appeared godly, just like the other 11 apostles of Christ. Three years passed before Judas was exposed as the very man to betray Christ. For three years Judas played the hypocrite, and even the apostles did not figure him out until it was too late!

Another example of those tares Satan sowed within Israel was her apostate religious leaders. Jesus Christ talked about how they—despite their godly appearance—were wicked. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

But, Satan’s counterfeit believers are not isolated to Israel’s program. In fact, the Apostle Paul warned the church leaders of Ephesus to be vigilant concerning false teachers. Paul admonished them, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:28,29 KJV).

They need to be on guard, for false teachers will come in and spiritually devour these Christian leaders and their local assemblies. Satan’s ministers, denominationalists/religionists/legalists, will devastate the spiritual health of God’s people. They will come in from the outside world, and infiltrate the church with heresy so Christians become ineffective. Just as Israel’s corrupt religious leaders had led Israel astray, church leaders would enter the local assemblies of the Church the Body of Christ, and deceive and seduce them too. Satan’s modus operandi had not changed!

But, Paul continued in the subsequent verse, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (verse 30). Not only will people outside the local church come in and deceive, there will be false teachers within the church (already doing the damage subtly and hypocritically). They claim “Jesus is Lord,” they talk about God’s love and grace, and some will even go so far as to agree with us by teaching the special ministry and gospel committed to the Apostle Paul’s trust. But, when you read the King James Bible for yourself, and compare their teaching to it, you realize that their ministry confirms Paul’s prediction.

“With tears,” Paul warned the Ephesians for three years about false teaching (Acts 20:31). By the end of Paul’s ministry, several years after that warning in Acts chapter 20, Ephesus and the rest of Asia (Turkey) went into apostasy. Paul wrote to Timothy, “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15 KJV). To what teaching did they fall prey? Legalism, Israel’s Law-keeping program of works for salvation (1 Timothy 1:3-11)! They want you to ignore God’s grace to us in Christ by having you perform in religion. This is wickedness, for they have you deny the sufficiency of Christ’s finished crosswork!

The Apostle Paul cautioned us in 1 Timothy 4:1-8,13-16 KJV regarding false teaching:

“1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [clearly], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come….
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

We are to save ourselves from false teaching (verse 16)—we are to continue paying attention to “reading,” “exhortation [urging, encouraging],” and “doctrine.” Doctrine is important, so it does matter where we go to church and what preacher/teacher we sit under. Dear saints, how we would STRONGLY URGE you to be very careful about what preacher, ministry, and/or church you follow. “Many corrupt the word of God” (2 Corinthians 2:17 KJV). God’s Word again reminds us about the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV:

“13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be following them.

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Bread-Picking Sinners and Faithful God

October 15, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

We will search the Holy Scriptures to observe how sinful man is and how faithful God is!

* * *

In Exodus chapter 16, we find the nation Israel about one month after her deliverance from Egyptian bondage (verse 1). For the past few weeks, the Jews have annoyed Moses by “murmuring” (complaining in a low tone) that the LORD has not provided water for them to drink. We read in Exodus 15:22-24 KJV:

“22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?”

How great is Israel’s ungratefulness, but how great is God’s grace. He provides them with potable water:

“25 And he [Moses] cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.”

Notice God is “proving” Israel (verse 25), testing them, seeing whether or not she will believe Him, and whether or not she will obey Him. But, Israel is unthankful once again. Now they complain that they have no food! Exodus 16:1-3 KJV:

“1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

God now proceeds to “prove” (test) them again. Verse 4 says, “Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.”

Besides giving them quail to eat in the evening, God promises to feed Israel by raining down manna (bread) from heaven in the morning. He then gave Israel very clear instructions about gathering that manna. Verses 5-16 say:

“5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?
8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.
10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.
13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna [“What is it?”]: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.”

Firstly, per day, each man was to gather “one omer” of manna for each person in his tent (verse 16). Secondly, on the sixth day, they were to gather two omers per person (verse 5), for there would be no manna given on the seventh (Sabbath) day. Verses 25 and 26: “And Moses said, Eat that to-day; for to-day is a sabbath unto the Lord: to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.”

What do you suppose Israel did with God’s simple instructions about picking that manna? Verse 17 explains: “And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.” Those sneaky rascals—some individuals were picking less than an omer of manna for each person, and some were picking more! Surprised? Do not be: these sons of Abraham were like us in that they were also sons of Adam. They were sinners; they did not listen to God.

God knew what they were doing, and He compensated. Miraculously, “And when they did mete [measure] it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating” (verse 18). Even though they did not listen to God, He still took from those who gathered too much, and gave to those who gathered too little. But, Israel is not done sinning! Verses 19 and 20 affirm: “And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.”

Now, the Jews were not only ignoring God’s instructions; they were also disregarding Moses’ orders… and the camp began to stink because of it. Just imagine the putrid smell of unbelief and sin that filled God’s nostrils! Their sin smelled much worse than that molding bread!

Recall earlier that Moses told Israel, “Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none [no manna]” (verse 26). How did Israel respond? “And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none” (verse 27). How sad, now they began to break the Sabbath day!

Verse 28 says, “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye [Israel] to keep my commandments and my laws?” For the next forty years, Israel ate that manna (verse 35), constantly disobeying God throughout that period. Although Israel failed God’s test again and again, God in His mercy and longsuffering tolerated those bread-picking sinners.

Oh, the abounding mercy of God, that He holds back what we deserve! Oh, the abounding grace of God, that He freely offers what we do not deserve! Thank you LORD, for your grace and mercy!

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The Flesh Straineth, Christ’s Love Constraineth

September 16, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

On what basis does the Christian life operate? The average church replies, “By keeping the Ten Commandments.” While God’s Word explicitly maintains that the Mosaic Law is “holy, and just [right before God], and good” (Romans 7:12), there is a problem—we are incompatible with God’s Law because we are naturally unholy, unjust, and bad! In this Bible study, we want to remind ourselves, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me….”

* * *

We can attempt to obey all Ten Commandments, but ultimately, we fail (sin) at some point. James 2:10 KJV explains: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” If we so much as break one commandment of God, the Bible says that we are guilty of breaking every commandment of God. Does that sound like the life God wants for us Christians? A life of constant failure and complete misery? Then why do so many churches emphasize this type of “Christian” living? It is a failure to appreciate the Word of God dispensationally, negligence to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

There was a time—“time past” (Ephesians 2:11)—when God instructed Israel to keep the Mosaic Law. He promised to bless them if they obeyed all of His laws, but He also swore that He would curse them if they refused to follow His laws (see Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28). This was the religion of Judaism, a strict set of rules that governed every facet of the Jews’ daily behavior.

Religion is analogous to running on a treadmill—you had better keep moving or you will wipeout! There are literally billions of souls burdened, firmly shackled, by religious works. They strain to please God, hoping that He will accept their performance. Their religious system reassures them, “Just follow our instructions, and God will be happy with you and you will reach heaven.” What a devil’s lie, straight from hell!!

Unfortunately, not only are these lost people bound by religion, but many true Christians (those who have trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation) believe they have to live the Christian life, that they must work to “keep fellowship with God.” Christendom abounds with this legalism: “If you want to receive God’s favor and blessings, you must give more, pray more, confess more, come to church more, quit doing ___ and start doing ___.” Again, this flawed theology is derived from a failure to understand the Bible dispensationally.

Yes, God did deal with Israel via the Mosaic Law. He did instruct them to keep His commandments so they could receive His favor and blessings (Leviticus chapter 26; Deuteronomy chapter 28). However, our apostle, Paul, writes, in our Dispensation of Grace, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). Dispensational Bible study (Pauline dispensationalism) enables us to see that God—in the “but now” (Ephesians 2:13)—has abolished Israel’s performance-based acceptance system (religion) and He has replaced it with His Christ-based acceptance system (grace). Our performance is not the issue today—Christ’s performance is. Our performance is not the basis for our Christian life—Christ’s performance is.

God is not dealing with us as He dealt with Israel in time past: we are under grace, not law. Attempting to follow Israel’s Law program will only cause sin to dominate us. God’s grace-based acceptance system involves us placing our faith in Paul’s epistles, letting Christ Jesus live His life in and through us, making our Christian life pleasing to God. We would do well to memorize, meditate on, and believe the following verses, a wonderful encapsulation of the Christian life: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15 KJV).

In Romans chapter 7, the Apostle Paul discussed how he strained to “perform” the Christian life. He struggled to do right, but he would only sin instead:

“15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would [that is, wish to do], that do I not; but what I hate, that do I….
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would [that is, wish to do] I do not: but the evil which I would [that is, wish to do] not, that I do….
21 I find then a law, that when I would [that is, wish to] do good, evil is present with me”

Paul is a saved man, “delighting in the law of God after the inward man” (verse 22). However, he writes:

“23 But I see another law in members [body parts], warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Frankly, it is impossible for us weak, sinful creatures to live the Christian life. Galatians 5:17 KJV reminds us: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (cf. Romans 7:15,18,19,21). Paul finally realized that struggling under the Mosaic Law—his performance—only genders defeat and misery. Only Jesus Christ can live the Christian life: it is His life! We have victory, not in our performance, but in Christ’s performance (verse 25). Romans 8:1-4 KJV, the verses following, explain:

“1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

God the indwelling Holy Spirit fulfills the Law in us Christians! This saved Paul—and saves us—from misery and defeat, our struggling to live the Christian life. We need not keep the burdensome Mosaic Law; the Holy Ghost fulfills it in us as we walk by faith in God’s Word to us!

Galatians 5:13-18 KJV supplements:

“13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”

The Holy Spirit leads us today, and this means we are not under the Law (verse 18). When we “walk in the Spirit,” allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will not sin (that is, we will not “fulfil the lust of the flesh”)

For nearly 1,600 years (Moses to Paul), Israel strained to keep the Mosaic Law. Unlike their heathen (Gentile) neighbors, the Jews had the Law of God, and other advantages (Romans 9:4,5; cf. Ephesians 2:11,12). Despite their privileged position, however, they were just as sinful as the Gentiles (non-Jews). Hence, the Gentiles observed that “God’s” people, Israel, acted just as shamefully as they did (Romans 2:17-29)!

Sinful Israel broke this Old Covenant (Mosaic Law), thus necessitating the institution of the (future) New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7-13). If Israel, sinful sons of Adam that they were, could not keep the Mosaic Law, should we Gentiles fare any better, also being sinful sons of Adam? I trow (think) not (1 Corinthians 10:1-14)!

Actually, when believing, Law-keeping Jews (saved in Israel’s program) demanded that Paul’s Gentile believers (saved in our program) keep the Mosaic Law to be saved (Acts 15:1-5), the Apostle Peter asked (verse 10): “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Law-keeping is a burden, for no sinner can bear it!

The Apostle Paul reaffirms that Mosaic Law-keeping is a “a yoke of bondage:” Law-keeping is impossible for us sinful creatures, and this performance-based acceptance system makes void (cancels) God’s grace-based acceptance system which is in operation today in our Dispensation of Grace. When legalists (Law-keeping Jews) tried to subvert the Galatian believers by telling them to keep the Mosaic Law for salvation, Paul warned them in Galatians 5:1-4 KJV:

“1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

If we attempt to make ourselves acceptable to God by doing “good” works, then we ignore Christ’s perfect, finished crosswork on Calvary (the only means whereby we can be—and ultimately are—made acceptable to God, for only Jesus Christ will ever please God; Matthew 3:17). By struggling to live the Christian life (Law-keeping), we render useless Calvary’s impact on our lives, never allowing Jesus Christ to live His life (because we are too busy trying to live it).

Unlike Judaism, and contrary to popular belief, Christianity is not a system of rules and regulations. The Christian life is not us trying to “measure up” to please God—that is impossible. Once God proved that sinful mankind could never keep His Law perfectly, He introduced through the Apostle Paul’s ministry the wonderful system we now enjoy: His grace-based acceptance system, where He—not ourselves—will make us acceptable in His sight and accepted in His Son, Jesus Christ!

God, Jesus Christ, “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7,8). Jesus Christ was obedient to His heavenly Father, declaring, “…the Father hathnot left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29bc; cf. Isaiah 50:5,6). His Father, God, affirmed: “This is my beloved Son: in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

On Calvary’s cross, the blood of God’s perfect, only begotten Son, was shed for our sins! “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just [Jesus Christ had a right standing before God] for the unjust [we had a sinful standing before God]” (1 Peter 3:18).

We, as people who have trusted in Christ’s finished crosswork—His bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection—alone as sufficient payment for our sins, are made acceptable in God’s sight and are accepted in His Son. Jesus Christ’s performance not only saved us from our sins, but His performance also makes our daily lives acceptable to God our Father.

In Colossians 2:6,7, we read: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” How did we “receive Christ Jesus the Lord?” By our works? NO! By faith in His finished crosswork on Calvary. How does our Christian walk function? By our works? NO! By faith in His finished crosswork on Calvary.

Sinful mankind could never please God, so God did for mankind what he could never do for himself: pay for his sins in full. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure [perhaps] for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8).

This love—the love of God, “the love of Christ,” not our (feeble) love for Christ—forms the basis for our Christian life, and it “constrains” (empowers, motivates) us (2 Corinthians 5:14). Jesus Christ loved us enough to die for our sins, be buried, and be raised again the third day to make us (positionally) accepted before God (justification). “We thus judge [conclude]” that we Christians should allow Christ’s love for us to work in and through us by means of His indwelling Holy Spirit, as we walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of His Word to us (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon), thereby making our lifestyles (practically) acceptable to God (practical sanctification).

As people who have trusted Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection alone as sufficient payment for our sins, Christ’s righteousness—His perfect performance—has been applied to our account (imputation). We have a right standing before God (justification): “we [have been] made the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We Christians need not strain to perform in religion, seeking God’s favor and acceptance. God already accepts us in Christ, because of what He did for us on Calvary’s cross! “God hath made us accepted in the beloved [Jesus Christ]” (Ephesians 1:6).

We are not under the Mosaic Law (Romans 6:14,15), but God still cares how we live. Once we understand and rest in God’s great love for us (His sacrifice of His Son on our behalf), it transforms our thinking (today’s Scripture). Since God loves us so much, we Christians should not selfishly live our lives, doing whatever we want. We should, by faith, offer our lives to Him so He can accomplish His will in and through us. As one Christian brother says, “Jesus Christ gave His life for us, so He could give His life to us when we trust Him alone, so He could live His life through us when we trust Him alone!”

Our Christian service is us studying and believing sound Pauline Bible doctrine, and then us letting the indwelling Holy Spirit use that doctrine to work in us (1 Thessalonians 2:13) to generate “the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the praise and glory of God” (Philippians 1:11). These “fruits of righteousness” are Christ living His live in us, conforming our lifestyles to our position in Him.

“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. I do not frustrate [hinder, disrupt] the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:20,21). We could not achieve righteousness (salvation) by our performance, and we cannot achieve righteousness (godly living) by our performance. If our performance was ever the issue (for salvation or godly living), “Christ is dead in vain [is (present tense) dead for nothing].”

Our Christian lives are really Christ’s life! “Christ liveth in me.” We live by His faithfulness, by His performance working in us. Compare “the Son of God… who loved me, and gave himself for me” with 2 Corinthians 5:14,15 KJV: “the love of Christ constraineth [motivates] us… [Christ] died for all… [Christ] died for all… [Christ] died for them.”

 

 

CONCLUSION

God’s grace—everything that He has done for us on Calvary’s cross—teaches us: “Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly [responsibly], righteously [acceptable to God], and godly [reflecting God’s values]” (Titus 2:11,12 KJV).  We who have trusted Christ are “new creatures in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our lives should reflect this new position/identity. God died to save us from our sins, so why should we return to them? We should let Christ Jesus live His life in and through us, “to prove that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 KJV). We do this by placing our faith in this sound Bible doctrine, which God uses to transform our minds, and then our lives!

“The flesh (always) straineth, Christ’s love (always) constraineth….”

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Lest Satan Should Get an Advantage of Us

August 5, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

We as Pauline dispensationalists need to know who our adversary is, and who our adversary is not. In this Bible study, we will learn how Satan divides us, the grace believers, and how to prevent him from “getting an advantage of us.”

* * *

Even someone with a shallow understanding of the Bible knows that there is a battle between good and evil, between God and Satan. The devil and his fallen angelic cohorts are warring against God and His children, the Christians. Satan has employed perhaps the oldest military strategy—“divide and conquer”—in order to make the Christian army weaker and more susceptible to defeat.

For instance, the Church the Body of Christ can be divided into two groups: the denominationalists comprise the vast majority, while the Pauline dispensationalists constitute only a very small percentage. The denominationalists are segmented into thousands of groups, all of which claim to be “Christian.” Satan has the denominationalists under his influence because they do not understand the Bible dispensationally. They do not know what God is doing today, so they cannot do God’s will for their lives (they do not know what God’s will even is for this, the Dispensation of Grace). Fragmenting the Body of Christ into thousands of denominations, and the resulting confusion, is one of Satan’s ways of conquering God’s people.

With the denominationalists sidetracked by church tradition, we, the Pauline dispensationalists, are of particular interest to the devil’s tactics, for we know how to use God’s Word, the Bible, God’s way, and we serve as a threat to Satan’s agenda. Because we study the Bible and we know how to use it to find the answers that Satan and religion often obscure, the devil is usually unsuccessful in deceiving the local grace church with denominational doctrine. If he cannot infiltrate our local grace church with denominational teaching, then Satan will use our flesh to divide local grace church and thus discredit the message it proclaims and defends.

Let us consider 2 Corinthians 2:10,11 KJV, “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

The Corinthians and the Apostle Paul had forgiven someone. Who was this individual, and why was it necessary for the Christian brethren to forgive him? When Paul wrote the epistle of First Corinthians, he addressed nearly a dozen issues that disrupted Christian fellowship and hindered spiritual growth in Corinth. The problem associated with 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 is described in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 KJV:

“1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

A Christian brother in Corinth was having sexual relations with his father’s wife, an act that not even the pagan Gentiles committed! Unfortunately, the Corinthians were bragging of this sin, making light of it, and Paul’s solution was to temporarily cast out the man from fellowship, which would hopefully bring him to his senses, and cause him to change his lifestyle:

“9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”

Now, in Second Corinthians, a year or so has passed since the penning of First Corinthians. Evidently, the Corinthians had heeded Paul’s instructions by having nothing to do with the fornicator, and Paul now tells them how to go about restoring the brother to fellowship. Read 2 Corinthians 2:6-8,10,11 KJV:

 “6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him….
10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

This brother had now straightened up, so the Corinthians were to forgive him, accept him, and show their love toward him, lest Satan would use bitterness and strife to further divide these Christians. Saints, we must never be ignorant of Satan’s “devices,” tactics he uses to thwart the ministry of the local grace church. May we forgive, and not “give place to the devil” by holding grudges or being bitter. Let us compare that to Ephesians 4:20-32 KJV:

“20 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
21 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour [shouting, demanding, uproar], and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Our sin nature—our “old man”—has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). Grace teaches us to “deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11,12 KJV). Sin does not rule us anymore: Jesus Christ has given us victory to deny sin so that is does not control us. In Christ, we can walk pleasing to the Lord, fulfilling His will.

We are to be “renewed in the spirit of [our] mind” (Ephesians 4:23 KJV). Romans 12:2 KJV affirms, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” And Colossians 3:8-10 KJV:

“8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”

When we study and believe the Pauline Bible doctrine that discusses our identity in Jesus Christ—that is, when we walk by faith in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to us (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon)—then God’s Word will transform our minds for His glory (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Returning to opening Bible passage, which mentioned forgiving a Christian brother, so that Satan would not get an advantage of the Christians (2 Corinthians 2:10,11). In Ephesians 4:26,27 KJV, we read something similar: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.” There is nothing sinful about anger, if this anger is righteous and if this anger does not lead you to commit sin (cf. Matthew 5:22; Mark 3:5). It is when you do not control your anger—that is, you allow it generate bitterness and strife—that Satan will use this to isolate you from the grace saints, and vice versa. Forgiveness is necessary, especially within the confines of the local grace church, or the ministry of the church will be hindered, and it will risk the credibility of the church. This is why we read the Bible’s passages warning against bitterness and strife.

Ephesians chapter 4 concludes with: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour [shouting, demanding, uproar], and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (verses 31,32).

CONCLUSION

Saints, we must never be ignorant of Satan’s “devices,” tactics he uses to thwart the ministry of the local grace church. May we forgive, and not “give place to the devil” by holding grudges or being bitter. Let us understand that God has already forgiven us in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, that forgiveness that we have received from God is our motivation to forgive others (Ephesians 4:32). Satan is our enemy, not our grace brethren.

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Father: A Godly Man

June 17, 2012

by Shawn Brasseaux

Today is Father’s Day, so we dedicate this Bible study to godly men (specifically fathers).

* * *

WHAT KING SOLOMON WROTE ABOUT FATHERS/MEN OF GOD

The book of Proverbs uses the phrase “my son” nearly two-dozen times. This is because Proverbs contains many sayings spoken from a parent’s perspective (either by David, or Solomon, and Solomon’s mother’s comments about the godly wife). Notice a few of these proverbs written by a father:

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:…. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not…. My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:” (Proverbs 1:8,10,15 KJV).

Proverbs 2:1-5 KJV says:

“1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

 

Proverbs 3:1,2,19-23 KJV:

“1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee….
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.”

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many…. My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings” (Proverbs 4:10,20 KJV).

“My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: that thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge” (Proverbs 5:1,2 KJV).

“My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:” (Proverbs 6:20 KJV).

“My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye” (Proverbs 7:1,2 KJV).

Proverbs 23:22,24,25 KJV:

“22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee….
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.”

“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26 KJV).

“A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent” (Proverbs 15:5 KJV).

“The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother” (Proverbs 10:1 KJV).

Just as Proverbs records instructions that fathers give to their children, Proverbs instructs fathers to discipline their children when their children refuse to obey their father’s instructions.

“A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke…. He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes” (Proverbs 13:1,24 KJV).

“Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying” (Proverbs 19:18 KJV).

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell” (Proverbs 23:13,14 KJV).

“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: for whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” (Proverbs 3:11,12 KJV). (God repeats this to Israel in Hebrews 12:5-11).

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul” (Proverbs 29:17 KJV).

 

WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE ABOUT CHRISTIAN FATHERS/MEN

Bishops and deacons were to be model citizens, men of exceptional character and actions. Notice what God through the Apostle Paul had to say about bishops and deacons, especially their fatherhood, as noted in 1 Timothy chapter 3 KJV:

“2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)….
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.”

Compare that to Titus 1:5-9 KJV:

“5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

And finally Titus chapter 2 KJV:

“1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience….
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”

As the above passages teach, bishops and deacons—and all Christian fathers in general—need to discipline their children. Christian husbands-fathers are ordained of God to be spiritual leaders of the household. Ephesians 6:4 agrees with what Solomon wrote earlier: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Compare to Colossians 3:21 KJV: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”

On one hand, the Christian father is to “bring [his children] up in the nurture of the Lord.” “Nurture” is simply defined as “caring for and encouraging their growth or development.” All too often, fathers (sadly) ignore this, usually being too rough, or even, apathetic (unconcerned). On the other hand, the Christian father is to “bring [his children] up in the admonition of the Lord.” “Admonition” is simply defined as “authoritative counsel or warning.” He is to lovingly guide them in life, instructing them from God’s Word rightly divided.

And finally 1 Thessalonians 2:11 KJV: “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,….” Again, a father is to be both a leader of his children and an encouragement to his children: he is neither a tyrannical monster nor an unconcerned parent. He lovingly teaches his children the things of God.

Lastly, the father should also provide for his children and family, fulfilling their physical and material needs: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8 KJV).

 

CONCLUSION

Oftentimes, fathers are either too authoritative (very strict) or too carefree (little to no concern for their children). According to the Bible, fathers must have a balance between setting boundaries and enforcing them, and refraining from being a heartless tyrant. A father is not simply one who procreates. God’s Word makes it very clear that fathers should be more than just “sperm donors.” They should serve a lifelong, active role in their children’s lives. Fathers need to instruct their children in the Word of God rightly divided.

A Christian man, especially a father, should be a godly man in beliefs as well as in deed. He needs to set an example for his children (especially his sons): it is his duty as an older Christian man to set an example for younger men.

He should be a hard worker, he should meditate on the things of God (the Bible), his speech should conform to sound Bible doctrine, he should be hospitable and caring, kind and loving, he should respect and love his wife, he should love his children, and he should be reserved and cautious in his actions.

A Christian man need not try to meet the Bible’s standards of manhood/fatherhood in his own strength, for he cannot meet them in his own strength. In the person of Jesus Christ, God has equipped the Christian man to become a virtuous man, a man who values the things of God, and who places his faith in the Word of God.

When a Christian man and/or Christian father places his faith in this sound Bible doctrine, the indwelling Holy Spirit will then take that doctrine and transform him for God’s glory (1 Thessalonians 2:13). His mind will be renewed by sound Bible doctrine, and that will transform his outward activity (Romans 12:1,2).

Are you a Christian man or Christian father who desires to be the man God intends you to be in Christ Jesus? Place your faith in this sound Bible doctrine, and God will take care of the rest! Then, you will become the godly man described on the pages of Scripture, thus bringing glory and honor to the great God and our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Comments | Father: A Godly Man | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

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