Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Americans Must Always Be Vigilant (by Nolan Guilbeau)

September 22, 2009

by Nolan Guilbeau – Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
℅ Shawn Brasseaux

An 18th century philosopher stated, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good to do nothing.” With these inspiring words in a conflicted world, hopefully my recent writings may motivate readers to investigate the alarming signs of our times.

Disregarding the growing upheaval in society and government is irresponsible. Our citizens can learn valuable lessons from documented historical facts to understand the dangers we’re facing. Bearing respected credentials, J. Edgar Hoover, former director of the FBI, and his investigative organization spent decades compiling vast records of compelling evidence, detailing incredulous criminal, treasonous activities planned against this nation by the evil forces of socialism/communism. Citizens should be attentive to warnings when presented with established ‘FACTS’ exposing hidden dangers. These perils continue multiplying in our midst with telltale signs. Beware, the strategy of these conspirators are laced with lies and deception.

Hoover issued a sobering statement “The Marxists have never forgotten that ‘violence’ is an ‘inevitable’ accompaniment to the collapse of capitalism on its full scale of the birth of a socialistic society.” It’s well known this enemy labors tirelessly, attempting to deny American citizens their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, provided by the Second Amendment, for self-defense and repelling tyrants. Socialists also promote the philosophy of relinquishing the citizen’s individual rights for the common good, while the elitist’s plan is to remain in solitary ‘control’ over the lives of we the people.

Industries were recently nationalized, another socialistic/communistic signature. Other realities may soon follow; businesses liquidated, the police as we know disbanded and replaced by ‘civilian security forces’ to isolate/protect the State from the people. Free press muzzled, free speech forbidden, and radio, television, communications becoming property of the State and used for propaganda. Lawyers abolished, clergy made to accept the Communist party line that God doesn’t exist, etc. That’s totalitarianism!

Are any of America’s leaders seeking God’s wisdom for direction in solving our national problems? Our civic duty calls us to restore this nation and its trampled Constitution to its rightful owners, we the people! “The people who are not governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.”

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

What About Unanswered Prayer?

September 22, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux
Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World

Have you ever prayed to God and it seemed as though your prayer went unanswered? The Bible says that God hears the Christians’ prayers, but why do many Christians feel like God never heard them? In John 14:14, and many other places, Jesus Christ said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” Everyone reading this has prayed for something, but they never got it. However, Christ did not lie, and the Bible is not in error. In order to understand this verse, we need the dispensational approach to Scripture.

Remember “rightly dividing” the Scriptures, separating what was spoken to Israel and what is written to the Body of Christ? So, in the Four Gospels, Christ is preparing the nation Israel for their kingdom. We should interpret the Four Gospels in light of that kingdom. With Christ having His kingdom centered in Jerusalem, everything would be perfect, and no one would be in need: it would literally be heaven on earth.

These “ask what you want and get it” prayers were not promised to us. Our apostle, Paul the apostle of the Gentiles, writes nothing like John 14:4. Contrariwise, though Paul prayed three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh, he never received physical healing (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Why? God has changed the program, inserting our present-day Dispensation of Grace into His plan for the ages. The miracles performed in Christ’s earthly ministry are not happening today. Israel has been temporarily set aside as God forms the Body of Christ. Today, we as Gentiles have not been promised Israel’s kingdom.

So, when God does not heal someone of a sickness after they pray fervently, does this mean that God does not love them? No, Calvary proves God loves us (Romans 5:8). Rather, we live in a fallen world, corrupted with sin and suffering (Romans 8:18-25). When Israel’s kingdom is finally brought in, the curse will be lifted, and earth renovated. Until then, let us remember that as long as we are believers in Christ, God hears our prayers, and no matter what God does in response, we still have His peace and grace to comfort us (Philippians 4:6-7).

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Sin of Presumption?

September 10, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux
Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World

Did you know that there are over 38,000 denominations professing Christianity? In eternity, you will not be judged on the basis of your church membership. In Romans 2:16 KJV, we learn that Jesus Christ will judge us according to Paul’s Gospel. Did we accept 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 as the only means for salvation? Or, did we reject it? It is an exclusivist Gospel, and there is no neutral ground.

In order to be in right standing with God, we do not have to keep the commandments and adhere to the sacraments like religious tradition teaches. God’s Word says “for by grace are ye saved through faith; not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9). Sadly, most people argue with this verse and they refuse to acknowledge that faith in Christ is sufficient for salvation. They want to work for their salvation.

No matter what we do, we will never “measure up” to God’s standard of perfection: the Bible says the Ten Commandments condemn us, not save us (Romans 3:19,20). No water baptism, prayer, or religious authority will ever get us into heaven because none of them have power to take away sin and our sins must be dealt with before we can get into right standing with God. However, God’s Son was obedient, sinless, and righteous—everything that we are not. Jesus Christ “measured up,” and the Bible says that once we have faith in that Gospel of Grace, God “imputes” (applies) Christ’s righteousness to our account.

We receive forgiveness and undeserved favor (grace) through Christ. The only way to get right with God is to be “in Christ.” Trusting in the shed blood, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is how to get “in Christ.” My friends, the Bible never says anything about “the sin of presumption.” I have assurance of going to heaven because Christ was “good enough.” I boast not in my own righteousness, but in the righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory forever!

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Resurrection: All That Are in the Graves

August 28, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

Once, I watched a secular program on television that documented an exploration of the ruins of Titanic. It was on her maiden voyage 97 years ago that 1,500 of Titanic’s 2,200 passengers froze to death in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. It was to be Captain John Smith’s last voyage before retirement; it is highly like that he perished with his ship.

The luxury ocean liner crashed into an iceberg, which caused water to fill the ship. There was a shortage of lifeboats, and since many lifeboats left the ship not filled to capacity, a large portion of the ship’s passengers drowned. Today, the wreckage of the Titanic sits below 2.5 miles of ocean water. At age 97, Ms. Elizabeth Gladys “Millvina” Dean was the sole living survivor of that horrible tragedy (she was two months old at the time of Titanic’s sinking)—she died this past May.

Throughout the program, my mind constantly flashed back to the words of Jesus Christ in John 5:28,29 KJV: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good [that is, the people of faith], unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil [the lost world], unto the resurrection of damnation.”

All of those corpses still aboard the Titanic will one day be resurrected. The Lord will call up their bodies, and they will literally and physically rise up. That is, those passengers who were members of the Church the Body of Christ will be called up bodily at the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); everyone else in the wreckage will be resurrected with the other lost unbelievers, over 1000 years later to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). They will be given new bodies, bodies designed to last for all eternity (this applies to both believers and unbelievers).

Resurrection is something that sets Christianity apart from the world’s religions: reincarnation is something completely different from resurrection. Down through the ages, believers’ bodies have been burned, mutilated, buried, and even disintegrated to hardly anything. However, because God needs a speck of DNA to resurrect a body, there must be something left of everyone’s body.

One day, you will also be bodily resurrected: either at the rapture (if you are a believer, a member of the Church the Body of Christ), or at the Great White Throne Judgment (if you have never trusted Christ Jesus as your personal Saviour). The Christians who are alive at the time of the rapture will not experience death, but will instantly get the resurrected body!

Indeed, there is life after death.

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

The God of gods

August 26, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

People of the world religions find it appalling that Christians can be so “arrogant.” What makes the God of the Christian Bible so supreme? We will let God Himself answer that question in Psalm 96:4-6 KJV: “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.” The JEHOVAH of the Bible is not some idol of wood or stone. He does not dwell on the mantel of our fireplaces and He cannot be found in any manmade structure. He cannot be contained in a communion wafer. He is not an imaginary old man sitting in the clouds. He is the Almighty God, the Creator, the Redeemer of Israel and the world. He ALONE is God.

He is the “eternal God” (Deuteronomy 33:26). “Thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee” (2 Samuel 7:22 KJV). Revelation 4:11 KJV, “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.” The Bible says the LORD (God the Son) has created everything for His own pleasure; no god of any of the world religions can make this claim.

Isaiah 46:9,10 KJV explains: “…for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:” The Lord of the Bible does not need to get permission from anyone; He does what He wants, when He wants to, and gives account to no one. He is sovereign, and His decisions will stand firm. He allows man to do as he pleases, but there will come a day when God will force His enemies (unbelieving mankind and its pagan idols) to be His footstool (Psalm 110:1).

“Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might” (Jeremiah 10:6 KJV). The Lord clearly demonstrated His power over the Philistine god Dagon in 1 Samuel chapter 5. Prior to the mass exodus of the Israelites, He proved that He was superior to the gods of Egypt. King Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel chapter 4, had to admit that Daniel’s God was “the most High.” Psalm 145:3 KJV: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” The Bible says that we cannot even begin to fathom the greatness of the Lord—He is so far beyond our minds!

But, the most fascinating thing about the JEHOVAH of the Bible is that He “made Himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7 KJV). The man Jesus Christ of Nazareth was really the JEHOVAH from Old Testament Israel! No god of any religion anywhere has ever humbled himself to become a man. No pagan god died for the sins of man. No world religion teaches resurrection, justification, sanctification, forgiveness, and eternal life through the Almighty Creator God becoming flesh! Every religion is false, imagined by man. The Lord God, Jesus Christ, is just as real as you and I. The Triune Godhead, He is God! He is the God of gods. The God of gods.

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The REAL “Bible Butchers”

August 26, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

People often snidely refer to Pauline dispensationalists as “Bible butchers.” No, no, they have it all wrong. Dispensationalists are simply studying God’s Word as He instructs us: “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). We are doing just what God said to do: we separate Israel’s prophetic program under law from our mystery program under grace. We recognize the distinct Gentile ministry the Lord gave to the Apostle Paul.

The true “Bible butchers,” on the other hand, have done a number of shameful things to the Holy Scriptures, deliberately and defiantly going against God. Using polluted manuscripts and corrupt theories, these “scholars” chop up the Bible text with mistranslations and/or remove verses they find “offensive” or “harsh.” Consequently, heresy is creeping into our churches!

They have watered-down the King James Bible text, so the rendition of critical theological statements becomes less authoritative. “Eternal life,” for instance, may read “life that truly is life” in some modern English translations. Sometimes, “Christ” is dropped from “Jesus,” or “Jesus” has replaced “Lord” in other instances. While some would argue of minor changes, we should be concerned—these “minor” omissions are just the “tip of the iceberg.” Some modern bibles omit whole verses and passages too!
Some church members hate Paul so much that they have ripped Paul’s epistles from their Bibles and thrown those epistles away! They find the Pauline epistles to be “misogynic” (anti-woman).
The Catholic Church created 13 apocryphal books in attempt to make the Bible conform to their apostate and pagan doctrines. At the Council of Trent in 1546, they slipped these spurious books into the Bible: the true Christians rejected the text because they knew it was not “God-breathed” and the Jewish Hebrew Bible never accepted the apocrypha in the Old Testament.
We have “gender-inclusive Bibles” that feature political correctness; “brethren” has become “brothers and sisters,” because “brethren” sounds too “sexist!” I wonder what they have done with verses like 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians 14:34?
It is sad that many churches spend more time reading Sunday School material than they do spending time in God’s Word! Sad, and people wonder why our churches are in such spiritual darkness.

These people are the true Bible butchers! If we are going to serve Christ, we need to defend His Word, the King James Bible, from money-hungry preachers who seek to corrupt it! We Christians cannot compromise with the world. Let them scoff or name-call, but they are simply treating us how they treated our Savior 2,000 years ago in His earthly ministry. I will never go back to denominational teaching: I will always “rightly divide” the Bible, and I always use God’s Word, God’s way!

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Should We Follow the “Great Commission?”

August 23, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

For ever so long, I was confused about the Great Commission that Jesus gave His disciples. I could never understand why some Christian denominations would follow Matthew chapter 28 while others claimed to be following some parts of Mark chapter 16 (no one today follows every single verse of this passage). Still others said they were following Luke chapter 24, and one particular group claims to be following the instructions in John 20:22,23. This is typical “hopscotch theology,” where people use verses they like and ignore those they hate. There are so many variations among the so-called “Christian churches.” God “is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33); man is!

My friend, are you also confused? Would you like to read God’s truth, without the traditions of men clouding the clarity of God’s Holy Scriptures? Setting aside my opinion, your opinion, and every other opinion, we let the Word of God speak for itself. I sincerely hope that you get a firm understanding of God’s Word, and see that God’s Word is such a thrill when it makes sense!

The Bible says in Romans 15:8 KJV: “Now then I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:” Clearly, the earthly ministry of Christ was to Jews only—the Gentiles had no covenant promises from God. Whatever Jesus says in the “Great Commission,” He is giving those instructions to Jews (John 4:22; Matthew 15:24). In fact, Jesus Christ is addressing His 12 apostles, whom He had sent exclusively to Israel to preach the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 10:1-10; compare Luke 22:35).

We look at the “Great Commission” as the Lord presents it in installments in each of the Four Gospels. We will examine each of the four installments separately.

MATTHEW 28:18-20 KJV

Let us look first at Matthew 28:18-20 KJV:

“18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Many good, sincere church members claim they are following these words of Jesus, but are they really? Looking very closely at Matthew 28:18-20, we see a number of points that lead us to the conclusion that NO ONE is following these instructions today—NO ONE! For instance, the “ye” in verse 19 is the nation Israel and Israel’s apostles (“ye” refers to a group of people, whereas “thee” refers to an individual). Israel is to evangelize all the world, which is why Israel is told “teach all nations”—Numbers 23:9 says that Israel shall not be reckoned among the nations.

According to Acts 3:18-21, Romans 11:26, and Hebrews 8:9-13, the nation Israel will be saved at Christ’s Second Coming, when the New Covenant is established. Redeemed Israel will then evangelize the Gentiles (non-Jews). When Christ sets up His kingdom on earth, Israel will be saved, and Israel will minister to Gentiles; Jews would not minister to fellow Jews (see Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11). In fact, Jesus Christ even told His apostles that they would only cover Israel by the time He would return at His Second Coming: “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come” (Matthew 10:23). The Lord Jesus Christ knew that these Jews would not reach Gentiles until after His Second Coming, but rather during His earthly kingdom.

If we followed Matthew 28:18-20 today, we could not preach to Jews—we could only minister to Gentiles. Who is doing that today? When Jesus says in verse 20 to “teach them… whatsoever I have commanded you,” He is telling His disciples to teach the Mosaic Law (see Matthew 5:17-19). Paul writes today, in the Dispensation of Grace, we are NOT under the Mosaic Law, but rather under grace (Romans 6:14,15). If you preached Mosaic Law-keeping today, you would be out of God’s will! How can we follow Matthew chapter 28, when Paul our apostle, led by the Holy Spirit, was not even following it? God is doing something different today with us as members of the Church, the Body of Christ. This is why Matthew chapter 28 has nothing to do with us! It belongs in Israel’s program, so leave it there.

MARK 16:15-20 KJV

This passage is one of the most perplexing passages in Christendom. It is so controversial that some modern Bibles question or completely remove Mark 16:9-20 from the Bible text! Let us read the last six verses of the Gospel of Mark as found in the King James Bible:

“15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

Today, Christendom stubs their toes on these verses. Some churches only like verse 15. Others like 15 and 16. Even fewer churches claim 15-18. (No one who drinks the poisons of verse 18 lives today!). We do not have the liberty, however, to just pick and choose verses that we like and ignore the ones that contradict our statement of faith or our religious tradition. This entire passage goes together, and should not be segmented! It is not written to us; it is for the nation Israel to follow during the seven years of Tribulation.

The Old Testament foretold of a coming seven-year Tribulation. It would be a time of great wrath when God would pour our His wrath and judgment on unbelieving man and the nation Israel. There would be diseases, pestilences, and famines. John the Baptist prophesied this seven years as “the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7) and “the fire baptism” (Matthew 3:11). In order for Israel to survive the horrors of the Tribulation, they would need these miracles mentioned in Mark 16:15-18. Clearly, these signs and wonders are absent from the Body of Christ; even Paul lost his apostolic ability to heal the sick and cast out devils (1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20). See, again, God is doing something different today with us, apart from “time past.”

Mark 16:15 has nothing to do with us preaching the Gospel of Grace to the world today because the “gospel” spoken of here is the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 24:14). This will not happen until after our Dispensation of Grace is concluded.

Mark 16:16 says that water baptism is a requirement for salvation (Peter preaches this in Acts 2:38). Paul says that we have no water baptism today (1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:5). Mark 16:17,18 relates to the fact that the Lord God will bind Satan in the bottomless pit during the millennial (1,000-year) reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-3). All devils and evil spirits will be removed from earth after the Tribulation to make way for the kingdom (Zechariah 13:2). The speaking with new tongues relates to Mark 16:15, when Israel will be able to instantly speak the world’s languages to convert the nations in the kingdom (Zechariah 8:20-23).

During the Tribulation, wild animals will attack and devour people, but the believing remnant of Israel will be safe because they can pick up serpents (Mark 16:18; Revelation 6:8). Also during the Tribulation, a celestial body (meteorite?) will fall from heaven and poison one-third of the earth’s waters (Revelation 8:10,11)—this is where the gift of drinking deadly things belongs!

The healing of the sick of Mark 16:18 parallels James 5:14,15, the power that will make earth ready for the kingdom, as there will be no sickness or death on earth during the millennial reign of Christ (Isaiah 33:24; Jeremiah 30:17).

LUKE 24:46-49 KJV & ACTS 1:8 KJV

We seldom hear these verses when someone talks about the so-called “Great Commission.”

“46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

This is clearly a prophetic reference to the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Remember, Luke wrote both his Gospel and the book of Acts, so the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts relate to one another. Peter preached to the nation Israel assembled in Jerusalem: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly,…. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:36-38). Let us compare that to Acts 1:8, which was just before Pentecost. The Lord Jesus tells His apostles: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Jesus said these Jewish apostles had to start in Jerusalem, then go to Judaea, next minister to Samaria, and finally the Gentiles. We cannot follow this Great Commission; we cannot steal instructions that God gave to Israel and her apostles. That would not be the attitude of faith—it would be unbelief to ignore the Bible when it says who it is written to! In order to follow the Great Commission, the Bible says we would have to start in Jerusalem! Are the so-called “Great Commission” followers of today going to Jerusalem? No.

JOHN 20:22-23 KJV

“22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

The Roman Catholic Church justifies its sacrament of confession by using verse 23. However, these are clear instructions given to the eleven’s apostolic authority headed up by Peter (Matthew 16:16-18). We are separate from Israel. According to Romans 11:13, Romans 15:16, 1 Timothy 2:7, and 2 Timothy 1:11, Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles,” and Paul never mentions anything like verse 23 in his epistles. Once the Apostle Paul was saved in Acts chapter 9, Israel’s apostles gave us Gentiles (and the lost Jews) over to Paul’s ministry and Peter and the ten (minus the original James) continued with the little flock of the nation Israel.

The Apostle Paul documents this in Galatians 2:7-9:

“7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9 And when James, Cephas [Peter], and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”

* * *

Clearly, the Great Commission found in the Four Gospels was not given to us. We are not the nation Israel; we are the Church the Body of Christ. We are in a separate dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace (Ephesians 3:2). We are called to witness to the lost world (Romans 10:14-17), but the Great Commission in the Four Gospels is not given to us. Our “Great Commission” as Gentiles in the Body of Christ is found in Paul’s epistles, and to be more specific, it is 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 KJV:

“14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 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.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

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Did the Church the Body of Christ Begin in Acts 2?

August 22, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

Nearly everyone in Christendom is convinced that Acts chapter 2 is “the birthday of the Church the Body of Christ.” Does this overwhelming consensus agree with God’s Word, or is this just a denominational viewpoint courtesy of religious tradition? Let us search the Scriptures to see what Almighty God has to say about this often-confused topic.

Firstly, remember, whenever you see the word “church” in the Bible, it does not necessarily refer to the Church the Body of Christ. “Church” simply means “a called-out assembly.” There are three “churches” in Scripture: the Mosaic Church, the Messianic Church, and the Mystery Church.

The Mosaic Church is mentioned in Acts 7:38, when the Prophet Stephen refers to the nation Israel as “the church in the wilderness.” The LORD had just called out Israel from Egyptian bondage. Certainly, that “church” had nothing to do with the Body of Christ—it was the nation Israel, a separate and distinct entity. This Mosaic Church derives its name from Moses, the man whom God used to lead Israel from Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land.

The Greek word ecclesia (often translated “church”) is correctly translated “assembly” in Acts 19:32. The King James translators did not use the word “church” here because it was not a group of believers, but rather a mob of pagan worshippers who were angry with the Apostle Paul after he spoke against their mythological goddess Diana. Again, “church” does not always mean “a group of believers;” likewise, “church” in the Bible does not always refer to the Church the Body of Christ. The context determines the definition of the term.

Religious tradition has made such a mess of Matthew 16:18. Let us read it as it appears in the King James Bible (Jesus Christ is speaking to Peter): “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This is neither the Roman Catholic Church nor the Church the Body of Christ. Continue reading in verse 19, “I will give unto thee [Peter] the keys of the kingdom of heaven….” The Lord Jesus Christ has just appointed Peter as the head of the “Messianic Church.” The “rock” is the fact that Jesus is Messiah/Christ (Peter’s profession in verse 16). Again, this is not the Body of Christ because the Messianic Church is comprised of those Jews who have trusted Jesus as their Messiah, Christ, the Son of the living God—this includes those believers from John the Baptist’s ministry and Christ’s earthly ministry (see Matthew 16:15-17). According to Luke 12:32, the Messianic Church is also known as the “little flock,” the believing segment of the nation Israel that will inherit the earthly kingdom promised in the Old Testament.

When the book of Acts opens, this Messianic Church still exists. In Acts chapter 2, Peter is the chief speaker (remember, he is the head of the Messianic Church and the keys of Israel’s kingdom have been given to him). Do not be confused when Acts 2:47 says “the church”—it is the mishandling of this verse that contributes to the erroneous idea that this is the Church the Body of Christ. Acts chapter 2 is not a reference to the Body of Christ; remember that this is the Messianic Church, what Jesus Christ promised to build back in Matthew 16:18.

Here are 12 reasons why the “church” in Acts chapter 2 is not the Church the Body of Christ:

1. ACTS 2 INVOLVES JESUS CHRIST’S EARTHLY MINISTRY.

The Bible says in Hebrews 2:3-4: “[3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; [4] God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” According to the Holy Spirit speaking through the writer of the book of Hebrews—it is a Jewish book!—the early Acts period is a continuation of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry (which was also Jewish; Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8). Read Acts 1:4-5: “[4] And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. [5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Jesus Christ was referring to John the Baptist’s words in Matthew 3:11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” In His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ promised to send the Holy Ghost (see John 14:16-18; John 15:26; John 16:7)—this promise was fulfilled to Israel in Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 is linked to Jesus’ earthly ministry, which was confined to Israel (see Acts 2:22).

2. ACTS 2 INVOLVES ISRAEL ONLY.

The chief speaker of Acts chapter 2 is the Apostle Peter, an apostle of Israel (Matthew 10:1-7; Matthew 19:28; Galatians 2:9). Peter was sent to minister to the nation Israel (Matthew 10:5-7). Undoubtedly, Peter’s audience in Acts chapter 2 is Jews only, the nation Israel (Acts 2:5,14,22,29,36). On four occasions, Peter says that he is speaking to, “Ye men of Judaea” (verse 14), “ye men of Israel” (verse 22), “men and brethren” (verse 29), and “the whole house of Israel” (verse 36). The Holy Ghost is leading the Apostle Peter to speak (verse 4), and the Holy Ghost is well aware that He is speaking to the nation Israel. Indeed, Acts chapter 2 is to Israel and about Israel. The Church the Body of Christ is made up of neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:28; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 2:11-18; Colossians 3:11); therefore, the Body of Christ is separate from the nation Israel and not related to Acts chapter 2. It is apparently clear that we are still in Jewish-Gentile distinction of “time past” of Ephesians 2:11-12 here in Acts chapter 2. Some may argue that the term “all that are afar off” in Acts 2:39 refers to Gentiles, but they are incorrect because the context does not allow this definition. Actually, we find this term in Daniel 9:7 and it refers to scattered Jews around the world. It has no reference to Gentiles, either in Daniel 9:7 or Acts 2:39.

3. ACTS 2 INVOLVES PENTECOST, A JEWISH FEAST DAY.

Acts 2:1 says “when the day of Pentecost was fully come.” This is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The Body of Christ is separate from Israel’s prophetic program (see Romans 16:25-26). Also, Pentecost is one of the three major Jewish feasts (Leviticus 23:15-16). We members of the Church the Body of Christ are not bound by the laws and feast days of Judaism (Romans 6:14-15; Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16), so this further proves that the group of believers in Acts chapter 2 is not the Church the Body of Christ. The Spirit of God would never lead a member of the Church the Body of Christ to be under the law (2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:18).

4. ACTS 2 INVOLVES PROPHECY, NOT MYSTERY.

According to what the Holy Ghost through Peter said in Acts 2:16-21, the events of Acts chapter 2 are fulfilled Old Testament prophecy: “[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; [17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: [18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: [19] And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: [20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The Prophet Joel (2:28-32) prophesied the supernatural events of Acts chapter 2 in relation to Israel’s restoration—we do not have these signs, miracles, and wonders in the Body of Christ and the Dispensation of Grace. The strange astronomical phenomena recorded in Joel and Acts chapter 2 will be fulfilled after our dispensation (see Matthew 24:29-30; Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25-28; Revelation 6:12-14). Again, the Body of Christ has no relation to the Old Testament because the “mystery” (our Dispensation of Grace) was “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:5; Colossians 1:26). The risen, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ revealed our mystery dispensation first and only to the Apostle Paul (Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:1-9; Colossians 1:25-29). We do not find ourselves outside of Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon.

5. ACTS 2 INVOLVES “THE LAST DAYS.”

We return to Acts 2:17: “[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; [17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” Notice the expression “in the last days” in verse 17. Acts chapter 2 does not record the first days of anything—there is no “church birthday” here. Acts chapter involves “the last days.” The “last days” of what? Israel’s prophetic program was winding down in Acts chapter 2, but God interrupted that program in Acts chapter 7 to introduce the mystery program (our Dispensation of Grace).

6. ACTS 2 INVOLVES JESUS CHRIST BEING RAISED TO SIT ON DAVID’S THRONE.

When the Apostle Peter preached in Acts chapter 2, notice what the Holy Spirit said through him in verses 29-31: “[29] Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. [30] Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; [31] He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.” We have no relation to David’s throne; we are Gentiles saved apart from the nation Israel (Romans 11:11-12). When the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write to us, he wrote that Jesus Christ was raised “for our justification” (Romans 4:25)—he made no reference to David’s throne like Peter did.

7. ACTS 2 INVOLVES A GOSPEL THAT IS NOT VALID TODAY.

The Apostle Peter preached in Acts 2:38 when his audience asked how to be saved: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” This is certainly a works-religion gospel, and it was valid in Israel’s program—it is problematic when people try to apply it to us because it does not belong in our dispensation. After all, Jesus Christ had said in Mark 16:16 that faith and water baptism were necessary for salvation in Israel’s program. Peter is in perfect accordance with his commission. Israel will not receive forgiveness of sins until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19). Jews must repent (change their mind about who Jesus Christ really was) and be water baptized in order to receive forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. When the Philippian jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved, Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Unlike Peter’s ministry, in Paul’s ministry, there was no reference to water baptism or repentance. We receive the Holy Spirit by trusting the Gospel of the Grace of God—Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 4:24-25)—and God the Father seals us with the Holy Spirit instantly (Ephesians 1:12-14). Romans 4:1-8 makes it abundantly clear that no works save us. Acts chapter 2 does not apply to us because its Gospel message does not apply to us—it is a false gospel for us and we should reject it as such (Galatians 1:6-12).

8. ACTS 2 INVOLVES ISRAEL’S APOSTLES AND ISRAEL’S TEMPLE.

According to some of the closing verses of Acts chapter 2, these believers continued in “the apostles’ doctrine” and were “with one accord in the temple” (verses 42,46). The “apostles” in this case are Peter, James, John, and the other nine apostles from Christ’s earthly ministry—these apostles of Israel were never sent to minister to the Church the Body of Christ (recall Matthew 10:5-7; Galatians 2:9). Furthermore, temple worship has no relation to us the Church the Body of Christ because we are not under the demands of the Mosaic Law (Romans 6:14-15; Galatians 5:1-5). We believers are the Temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16), and God does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24).

9. ACTS 2 INVOLVES A PRE-EXISTING GROUP OF BELIEVERS.

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). The Bible says that there was a pre-existing group of believers in Acts chapter 2. It is not a new Body of Christ; Acts chapter 2 was simply a continuation of the Messianic Church that we discussed earlier. Again, there is no “birthday” of anything in Acts chapter 2.

10. ACTS 2 INVOLVES SIGNS, MIRACLES, AND WONDERS.

Read Acts 2:43: “And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.” Is there “fear” in local churches today because of miraculous demonstrations? “The Jews require a sign” (1 Corinthians 1:22a). Mark 16:15-20 talks about how signs were to follow those that believe in Israel’s program, and Acts chapter 2 is a confirmation (see Hebrews 2:3-4). These miracles belong with Israel, and they do not apply to us. We have something better than miracles—we have the completed Word of God, the Holy Bible (1 Corinthians 13:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

11. ACTS 2 INVOLVES COMMUNAL LIVING.

Did you ever notice the communal living found in Acts 2:44-45? Who does this today, except perhaps the cults? “[44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common; [45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” These Jewish believers sold everything they had and gave the money they received to the twelve apostles for distribution to the poor (in perfect accordance with what Jesus said in Matthew 19:21-24 and Luke 12:31-34)! This was selfless, spontaneous living for the good of their fellow Jewish believers. Do you know of any Christian today who has sold all his or her possessions and given the money to a preacher or a local church? I seriously doubt it, so yet again, the Bible proves that Acts chapter 2 has nothing to do with the Church the Body of Christ.

12. ACTS 2 INVOLVES LEGALISM.

As we stated earlier, the Spirit of God would never lead a member of the Church the Body of Christ to be under the law (2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:18). Yet, legalism abounds in Acts chapter 2—repentance and water baptism for salvation and forgiveness (verse 38) and obeying the apostles’ doctrine in the Temple (verse 42,46). Jesus said that Israel’s 12 apostles were to preach and teach the Law (Matthew 5:17-20). We have no relation to legalism because Paul says that we are under grace, not law (Romans 6:14-15).

CONCLUSION

Despite what the denominationalists and religionists claim, the Church the Body of Christ did not begin in Acts chapter 2. To say that it did is to ignore all of the verses that we briefly outlined in this study. Acts chapter 2 is not our pattern; we must ignore the modern-day cries to “go back to Pentecost to get the Holy Ghost and the fire.” If we want to have God’s power and learn God’s information to us, we must go to Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon. We must leave Acts chapter 2 in Israel’s program where it belongs, or we will confuse everyone and ourselves, and make our Christian lives vain and miserable. So, when did the Church the Body of Christ begin? Please see our study here dedicated to answering that very question!

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Stand Up for American Freedom (by Nolan Guilbeau)

August 21, 2009

by Nolan Guilbeau – Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
℅ Shawn Brasseaux

Troublesome times march throughout America. Turmoil and divisions of almost everything conceivable exist in the society and governments of our nation, further eroding morality and liberties. America is the last bastion of hope for preserving individual freedoms, being relentlessly attacked from the Trojan horse within its borders. In order to have a better understanding of this unfolding dilemma, it may be beneficial for we the people to examine wise statements, the warnings made by honorable men and leaders of former years.

President Abraham Lincoln stated, “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. To stand in silence, when we should be protesting makes cowards of men. A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

America is severely divided and confused over issues due to the influence of unseen evil forces that attempt to further subvert our beloved nation. The wheels of godless ideologies of socialism/communism and other “isms” gather momentum. Where are the pillars in leadership of our generation, brave patriots like Patrick Henry who vociferously proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death?” The line in the sand doesn’t exist. One wonders whether we have become a nation of cowards! Where is mainstream media?

The very freedoms we enjoy are precious and costly. They were initially purchased with human blood on the battlefields by people of valor and integrity and KEPT by the same sacrifices throughout our history. How dare we take pause and permit these enemies to usurp and deny our inalienable rights from God our Creator. Where are the pastors?

Another pillar of our republic, Thomas Jefferson warned, “Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of people alone. We the people themselves are its only safe depositories. Where the people fear government, there is tyranny; where government fears the people, there is liberty. The democracy will CEASE to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Socialism is alive and well. Khrushchev predicted the next stop is COMMUNISM. God forbid!!!

“He who ruleth over men MUST be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord” (II Samuel 23:3).

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Why Does the Bible Have “Contradictions?”

August 19, 2009

by Shawn Brasseaux

The question is often asked, “Why does the Bible have ‘contradictions?’” The problem lies in man, not in God’s Word. Man is too sinful and rebellious to study God’s Word, God’s way. For example, suppose you write one set of instructions to one friend, and then you write a separate set of instructions to another friend. One set of instructions is the complete opposite to the other, but of course, as long each friend follows their own set of instructions (and not the other set), there is no confusion. Now, mix up all of these directions, and not surprisingly, you get a massive to-do list… and a massive headache to boot! This is exactly what man has done with God’s Word—just twisted it all out of shape by combining the directions that God gave to different groups of people in history and pretending all of these directions were spoken to one group of people. No wonder people get so confused about the Bible!

Mankind seeks every excuse he can find to avoid being held accountable to God. He avoids church, he leaves his Bible on the bookshelf to collect dust, and he refuses to hear what any Christian has to say. The truth is that the Bible convicts and these people cannot escape conviction. In great hopes of silencing the Christians, lost mankind says, “The Bible has contradictions!” Do not be intimidated by that same old trick; it is just as a last-minute effort to ditch the conversation. They need to understand that God’s Word must be studied His way or it will not make any sense.

Understand that our “dispensation,” or “economy”—the “Dispensation of the Grace of God” (Ephesians 3:2)—is distinct from God’s dealing with His covenant people Israel in the Dispensation of Law. Unlike Israel, we are under grace, not law (Romans 6:14-15). People fail to realize this basic fact of Scripture, so they glibly believe the idea that the Bible is full of “contradictions” and “errors.” Of course, God told Israel one thing under law, and He tells us another thing under grace: the same Lord God is dealing with two separate peoples in two distinct dispensations. See? There are NO contradictions in the Bible as long as you keep these two sets of instructions separate, keeping Israel’s “mail” separate from our “mail” (recall the analogy with which we opened this discussion).

When Israel fell as a nation after crucifying their Messiah and King Jesus of Nazareth, and refused to repent in the early Acts period (ultimately blaspheming against the Holy Spirit in Acts 7 with the stoning of Stephen; see Matthew 12:31-32), God needed a new instrument to reach lost Gentiles. Thus, God sent the Apostle Paul to the non-Jewish or Gentile world (Acts 9:15-16; Romans 15:16; 2 Timothy 1:11). Paul is “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). God changed the program with Paul, so what God said in the Bible before Paul’s salvation in Acts chapter 9 will not always agree with what God said in the Bible after Paul’s salvation (more on this in a moment).

While God has temporarily set Israel aside today, He is dispensing His directions to us through Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon. These directions are separate and distinct from the instructions He gave Israel. And, no, although it was God’s Word to Israel, not us, we do not throw away the Old Testament. We simply view the entire Bible (all 66 books) from the Pauline perspective: this is called Pauline dispensationalism or mid-Acts dispensationalism. That is, how does everything relate to us today as members of the Church the Body of Christ? How do we receive God’s salvation today? How does God want us to live today? What does God want us to believe today? We must go to Paul for those answers—that information cannot be found anywhere else in the Bible but Paul!

Now, we move on to a related topic. Should we obey Jesus or Paul? The majority of pastors and Bible teachers seem to ignore Paul, and place more emphasis on Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now, there are many good Christians who have simply been misled; however, many are content to keep their religious tradition, and could not care less about proper Bible study. What Jesus Christ said was important, and we will never take away from what Jesus said because He is God. The problem with us “going by what Jesus said” is that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to Jews under the Mosaic Law. The Lord Jesus taught Jews according to the Mosaic Law, in light of the coming kingdom promised to Israel.

God the Father sent Jesus Christ to Israel. Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). The Lord Jesus came “to save his people [Israel] from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus Christ “was a minister of the circumcision [Israel]” (Romans 15:8). Furthermore, Jesus sent the twelve apostles “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-7). “Salvation is of the Jews,” Jesus said in John 4:22. Jesus came “to redeem them that were under the law” (Galatians 4:4)—that is Israel. These Scriptures make it abundantly clear that the Lord Jesus Christ was not sent to us Gentiles in His earthly ministry.

We are Gentiles (non-Jews) living in the Dispensation of the Grace of God, so we cannot follow Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (although religion today tells us to do just that!). Just as God sent Moses to reveal the law program to the nation Israel, God sent Paul to reveal the grace program to the whole world. Jesus promoted Temple worship, Sabbath day keeping, water baptism, and tithing: all of which was given to Jews under the Law. We are not under the Law; we are not Israel. Today, we Christians are members of the Church the Body of Christ. Israel, however, is temporarily fallen, cast away, and spiritually blinded (Romans 11:11,15,25). Israel’s prophetic program is not in operation today; today, God is operating the mystery program (Acts 3:21; cf. Romans 16:25).

The ascended Lord Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to us, so if we are to accept God, we are to accept God’s apostle to us (Matthew 10:40; John 13:20; Acts 9:15-16; Romans 11:13; Romans 15:16; 2 Timothy 1:11). Paul is the only apostle who gives us the instructions about the grace life in Christ because to Paul alone the Lord Jesus Christ revealed our Dispensation of Grace and the Gospel of the Grace of God of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (Romans 2:16; Romans 16:25-26; Galatians 1:11-12; Ephesians 3:1-9; 2 Timothy 2:8).

To ignore the Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon, like most people have done, and replace them man’s ideas / religion (or replace them with Old Testament Law-keeping) is to ignore God’s message to you. Again, what the Lord has to say to us in this Dispensation of Grace was revealed only to Paul. The Holy Spirit caused the Apostle Paul to write, “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 14:37). To follow Paul is to follow Jesus Christ in our dispensation; to follow Jesus in His earthly ministry is not to follow Jesus Christ in our dispensation!

Paul writes that we are not under the law of Moses (Romans 6:14-15), that the Holy Spirit “baptizes” today without water (1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:5), that we are to give willingly and not grudgingly as with the Old Testament tithe (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), that we do not have to observe the kosher food laws of the Old Testament (Colossians 2:16), and that there is no Sabbath day for us to keep today (Colossians 2:16). The signs, miracles, and wonders program of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the early Acts period is also not in effect today because Israel has been temporarily set aside while God deals with us Gentiles (1 Corinthians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20).

As long as we “rightly divide” the Scriptures, we can avoid the spiritual confusion and immaturity that Christendom is experiencing. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). Everything outside of Paul’s epistles is legalistic, associated with the nation Israel, the Mosaic Law, and Judaism. Thus, trying to practice the Mosaic Law will not be following the grace life God has for us in the Dispensation of Grace. Following the prophetic program God has for the nation Israel will only bind you, confuse you, and defeat you. We study all the Holy Scriptures, Genesis through Revelation, but the instructions we need to follow and the doctrine we need to believe is in the Pauline epistles. The Holy Spirit moved Paul to write to us as members of the Church the Body of Christ; if we ignore Paul, we are ignoring the Holy Spirit.

PAUL IS GOD’S SPOKESMAN TO US. PAUL IS OUR APOSTLE.

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)