My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
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"Paul's Grace Message"
http://www.voy.com/21122/
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PART 2 of 3

The Great Blunder Of The Church


The ritualism of Romanism came as a result of that which began in the day of the apostles. Read the issue of the Jerusalem council, in Acts 15, and note the question in Acts 15:10 and decision of that council in Acts 15:24 to 29. We quote the question:
Acts 15:10

"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?"

Then note the words from the Holy Spirit by the pen of Paul: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Galatians 5:9. The ritualism, fanaticism, religious legalism and "salvation by works" movements in Christendom have come as a result of the leaven of Judaism, mixing Israel's program into the "grace" program which the risen Christ gave to Paul.

Paul speaks of himself, in the first person pronoun, about 1,200 times in the Bible. He had a most unique ministry, as he had a unique conversion and very special dispensations. Note these words:
Ephesians 3:1 and 2

"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 youward."

For several centuries Christians have been emerging from the corrupted Christianity of the dark ages and the progress has been very slow. Christians, trying to escape from one religious blunder, have gone into another and denominationalism and tradition have much retarded the recovery of "Body" truth, and hindered in the matter of obeying 2 Timothy 2:15 for the intelligent, Scriptural selection of God's spiritual program for members of the Body of Christ, so that members might walk worthy of the calling wherewith they are called. Ephesians 4:1.

Virtually every group, assembly or organization of Evangelical Christians as incorporated in its Church creeds and instructed its members to practice, something Israelitish; something of religion which the Lord never intended for the period of grace. The selection from the Bible of that which belongs to God's spiritual program and the rejection of that which does not belong is sometimes no easy task. But surely God has some intelligent Scriptural principle, in obedience to 2 Timothy 2:15, by which the Spirit-taught students of the Scriptures may know how to appropriate and apply the Scriptures to walk well pleasing unto the Lord.

Quite frequently the members of one denomination, who have their established denominational program, are ungraciously intolerant with the members of another denomination, whose denominational creed and practices differ in some details, even thought the members of both denominations may agree as to the inspiration of the Scriptures, the eternal Deity of Lord Jesus Christ, salvation by faith in Christ's redemptive work and in other fundamental doctrines.

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
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"Paul's Grace Message"
http://www.voy.com/21122/
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PART 3 of 3

The Great Blunder Of The Church

We shall not have time to go into all these details; but surely our reader will agree with us that, because of traditions and fears of men, nearly every organized group of Christians has arbitrarily, promiscuously, and capriciously selected, from the Four Gospels, the Psalms and the Book of Acts, some of the messages and program of Israel which has no rightful place in the Body of Christ. From the earthly ministry of Christ and His apostles, and from the Church of the "Acts" period, they have selected or rejected such of those religious programs as seemeth good to them without apology, or explanation, or intelligent Scriptural exegesis, and nearly one hundred percent of them have, intentionally, or unintentionally, carried over something that rightly belonged to Israel's God given program, but which has no place in God's spiritual program for the Body of the mystery, "Ephesian 3:9.

The Great Blunder has resulted from many blunders. We name several of them. Men of God have taught that the Old Covenant began with the first chapter of Genesis and that the New Covenant began with the first chapter of Matthew. They have not learned that there is not one statement concerning the Old Covenant in the Book of Genesis, because the Covenant of Sinai, made "Old" by the death of Christ, was not given until Exodus 20. Christian men seem to have forgotten that the Nation Israel had its beginning about 1800 years before Christ and that the people who lived before Jacob's name was changed to Israel, were not Israelites. They have failed to note, and there by governed in their Church creeds, the division God mentions in Romans 5:13 and 14, and Galatians 3:19 "From Adam to Moses when there was no law (no Old Covenant)" and "the law (Old Covenant) was added to the Abrahamic covenant until Abraham's Seed ( Christ ) came."

Christian men apparently have failed to note that both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant were Israelitish. Jeremiah 31:31 to 37.

Many Christian preachers have preached to God's people, under grace, in the body of Christ, the earthly kingdom promises, made to Israel, belonging to an entirely different dispensation. Christians have for centuries been taught that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul all belonged to the same Church. Their preachers and teachers have failed to differentiate between Jesus of Nazareth in the mist of Israel in Palestine, Paul's mystery, "Christ in you the hope of glory." Acts 2:22 and Colossians 1:24 to 27. Many of them have overlooked the fact that Jesus on earth was Israel's minister of the circumcision, sent only to Israel, made under the law to redeem Israel. Romans 15:8, Matthew 15:24; Galatians 4:4 and 5. Many of them have failed to recognize the period of the Book of Acts, the place of Israel in the Book of Acts, and the very important truth of Galatians 2:7 to 9. We quote these verses:

Galatians 2:7 to 9

"But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter:

(For He that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same 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."

[Ambassador4Christ]

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THE FUZZY GOD

by Dr. Carl Wieland

If you ask around, you find that there are not at all many hard-core atheists about. Most people say they believe in "god", but I want to suggest that they are usually not talking about the Creator God of the Bible, but about a false, "fuzzy" god, whom I shall label "fuzzgod" for short.

Unless our concept of God is totally based upon what God has revealed about Him- self, the word "God" has no fixed content, and communicates no objective meaning. As evolution has eroded trust in the reliability of the Bible, many churches have begun contemplating such ideas as whether God could be referred to as "she". Let’s face it--if people are only talking about a god of their own imaginings (which is all that is possible if the revelation of the true God is effectively discarded) they might be conceivably talking about a three-horned cosmic cow.

On the other hand, once revelation is accepted as authoritative, there is no room for argument on the subject of God’s "gender." Having been told that God is spirit, we are plainly told that He wishes believers to address Him as Father, not mother--end of discussion.

Let’s list some features of this popular god of today:

l. "Fuzzgod" is not a god of holiness. Whereas the true God hates sin and has repeatedly acted in judgment in history, fuzzgod wouldn’t do anything like that. Fuzzgod only makes people feel good, not bad. Fuzzgod is convenient to give comfort when you need warm fuzzies, and doesn’t really mind about you cheating on your tax. Fuzzgod is good to send just about everyone to heaven (or maybe arrange reincarnation).

2. Fuzzgod accommodates everyone’s opinions. We’ve all heard people say what they think God would or wouldn’t do, oblivious to the pronouncements of the Bible. They must be talking about fuzzgod, since the true God gas set down what is right and wrong regardless of our opinion.

3. The character of the true God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Many regard that as a little stodgy today--unwilling to change (evolve) with the times. Not like fuzzgod, who is quite flexible, depending on the need--sort of fuzzy around the edges. Fuzzgod’s adherents are similar. I remember asking a hospital chaplain whether he was theologically liberal or conservative. He replied, "Whichever the patient wants me to be."

4. Fuzzgod is broadminded--offering many different ways to truth and enlightenment, whereas God the Creator says there is only one way to Him, through the death and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.

5. Fuzzgod is only "sort of" the creator of all things. When fuzzgod’s devotees are engaged in sinful actions, it’s convenient to focus on the "impersonal" aspects of the idea that we just evolved from animals- less sense of responsibility that way. But when they want meaning or purpose to existence, the idea of fuzzgod as some sort of vague, impotent guiding force to the evolutionary process helps in a fuzzy sort of way.

The "unfuzzy" miracle- working God of the Bible tells us clearly that He did not stand by while millions of years of death and accidents did the creating. That sort of powerful God, who caused billions of dead things to be buried in rock layers because of judgment on a sinful world, is quite uncomfortable for the unconverted.

A Christian commercial on public TV features children telling us that "God made everything." I suspect it will do little to wake people up to the Gospel because most would respond, "Yeah, I know that God (they mean the fuzzy variety) let everything evolve." A fuzzy god leads to a fuzzy (or non-existent) Gospel.

All of this underscores why it is so important to make it clear that pro- claiming and defending Genesis creation is about more than just "God making things." It is about the authority of the Bible, and the power and nature of (the true) God. It is about the reality of the Fall and the origin of sin. Thus the ultimate concern is about the whole message of salvation--only through the blood of Jesus Christ.

--from Prayer News (Creation Science Foundation Ltd

[Ambassador4Christ]

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You Will Notice This Board Is-
different in an important respect.

In recent times, I have learned a lesson about Paul the Apostle and the Church. Perhaps you have learned the same lesson.

Have you noticed that the majority of the professing Christian world continues to miss the significance of Paul in the Bible?

You will continue to see this board trying to overcome this centuries-old confusion in the Church.

Apparently, because of the "Constantinian Change", i.e., when The Roman Empire decided to take over the Church and run it (I almost wrote "ruin it") in the 4th century A.D.---
the false idea was propagated that it was "founded upon" Peter and the 11 other Apostles, and was an extension of the early Jewish "Eklesia" (Little Flock).

When we carefully read our Bibles; however, we see that the 12 Apostles bound themselves to go to Israel, and agreed that Paul, with a revelation straight from Christ, would go to the Jew and Gentile, apart from Israel and the Law, with his Gospel of Grace revelation.

Though the Apostles clearly came to receive the message Christ gave Paul for themselves, their own commission from Christ was interrupted by the rejection of the Lord by the nation of Israel.

Therefore, the Body of Christ, the "true church" of today goes back to Paul, not the 12.

This point is lost on most of today's "Churchianity."

It brings a lot of confusion into many believer's lives.

Much more on this to come.  


By GODS TROMBONE

[Brother Love]

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PART 1 of 3


The Great Blunder Of The Church

By Pastor J.C O'Hair

In writing of "The Great Blunder Of The Church" we are giving special attention to the great blunder of confusing and mixing the hope, calling and program of the Church, which is designated, "the body of Christ." Many have been taught the great blunder of mixing law and grace, which mixture produces a perverted gospel which subverts the soul. But the great blunder, to which we refer, which includes frustrating the grace of God by bringing into the reign of grace some of Israel's program from under the reign of the law, goes far beyond that. Many spiritual "grace" preachers, who would never intentionally mix law and grace, do mix the "kingdom of heaven" program, in the synoptic gospels and in the book of Acts with the program designated "the dispensation of the grace God." They also failed to rightly divide the word of truth as to the different ministries of Peter and Paul, as stated in Galatians 2:7 to 9.

It must be obvious to any one who gives the matter even a little thoughtful consideration, that plenty of blunders have been made to bring about the present condition in Christendom, with the Christian Church divided into more than two hundred sects and factions, preaching messages that differ in many points, and carrying on many different spiritual programs. In as much as the Lord Jesus Christ was, and is omniscient, He is not surprised at the confusion, rivalry, competition and controversies in His divided Church; but surely it must grieve Him. According to His own words, "a house divided against itself cannot stand. "Matthew 12:25. Therefore, the visible church organizations are doomed to an awful fall. We thank our Heavenly Father that there are on earth, and in heaven, many sinners are saved by grace, who are joined to the Lord Jesus in an eternal inseparable union, members of the one body mentioned in Ephesians 4:4 and described in Paul’s epistles. This the true Church will be salvaged out of the wreck and ruin of Christendom.

Any Christian or Bible reader, does not see in the scripture the fact that there is but one Church of Christ in this particular "grace" period in which we live, and in which men have lived for nearly 1900 years, must be incurably stupid. Hear God's plain statement:" there is one body." Ephesians 4:4.

Romans 12:4 and 5

"For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

Yes, God has but one true Bible Church in this particular age of grace, and the one Head of the one Body is the Lord Jesus Christ, the glorified Son of God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 12:13

"For by one Spirit are we all BAPTIZED into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

Ephesians 2:15

"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."

"One Body ". "One New Man". "Christ and His Church one Flesh." "Ephesians 5:30 and 31.

We repeat that the one and only Head of the one True Body (Church) is the Lord Jesus Christ Who is in the heavens. Ephesians 1:19 to 22. In striving to emerge from the dark ages denominationalism undoubtedly has been unavoidable. In some instance it has safeguarded weak and ignorant Christians. But surely it has been the trick of Satan to cover up the glorious truths in God's Book concerning the hope, calling, program and destiny of the one true Bible Church which is the Body of Christ.

In speaking of the sad spectacle of the Church on earth, so hopelessly divided that nothing but the coming of Christ can ever bring His saints together, we are not referring to the division known as "Roman Catholicism" and "Protestantism." The Romanist claim over two hundred million adherents. They are so completely Judaized that the communicants have to be saved in spite of the perverted doctrines and unscriptual practices included in heir ritualistic religion. There is utterly no hop for them except as the individual Romanist is delivered by the gospel of the grace of God from his mixture of Judaism, Christianity and paganism.

Another wonderful web-site and a great study. Thanks A4C

AMEN!

Brother Love

[ollie]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
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Bible Ambassadors
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Contradictions?

   There are obvious contradictions in the Holy Bible - the written Word of God - that cause much of the confusion in people today because  of a lack of understanding in How To Study The Bible.  We will address some of these issues from time to time in hopes it will help you, or someone you know, grab hold of God's simple truths.  Isn't it amazing how mankind wants to complicate what God made very simple?
   One of the issues causing abundant confusion today is whether or not we must do good works to be saved, or do good works to maintain our salvation.  Look at the following two scriptures:


James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.



Romans 4:5 - But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.


   Now those are both quotes from the inspired, authorized Word of God.  Yet they definitely have different messages .  So then, which one is right?  Which one does God want you  to follow?  And why?

   The key to KNOWING which one of those passages applies to YOU, so that you can "walk in the Spirit" correctly is 2 Timothy 2:15.  A contradiction  is a noticeable difference . There is very obvious or noticeable difference between the passages above.  Do not skirt around those differences by quoting a scripture most use that has nothing to do with the issue.  That is, they attempt to answer (which is not an answer but an evasion) that "Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today and forever.  [Hebrews 13:8]  They do that because they do not KNOW the key to understanding the difference.  It is an attempt to hide their ignorance which means  they do not know.  Ignorance does not equal stupidity; it means lacking in knowledge.  But you CAN KNOW.  God provided a key.  The key - again - is 2 Timothy 2:15 in a King James Bible: (Modern versions change the wording because they also "don't know."  God forbid they would deliberately change the meaning of God's Word.)


Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


   Please note:  We AGREE with Hebrews 13:8.  Jesus Christ IS the same in every way and every day.  That scripture, used as a rebuff, is a "duck blind."  Though Christ never changes - GOD never changes - how he deals with or dealt with mankind has  changed.  If that is not true, then perhaps you better "sell all you have" and follow Christ.  Including your computer and your big screen TV!

   Remember, the subject here is differences between passages addressing the same issue, and how to deal with them.  It has a very simple solution.  Man seems to want complicated solutions, therefor overlook God's very simple solutions - in this case - "rightly divide the Word of Truth."  How do you do that?

   First of all, it helps tremendously to understand  2 Timothy 2:15.  Remember, don't try to complicate it.  It means what it says.  It says, "rightly divide".  In some circles you will hear (or may have been taught) that it means to "correctly handle" (some perverted Bibles version) or to "correctly teach."  That might look good if you stop at the first word there - "rightly."  No problem agreeing that rightly and correctly mean the same.  

   Where the error comes in is that they quit there and try to ignore the other word God gave - "divide."  Actually, that is being kind, because they don't truly ignore it, they change its meaning when they teach the passage.  Now, no matter how hard I try, I can't make divide  mean handle  or teach .  It does mean to separate , to cut  or, interestingly, distribute .  (As in "dispense.")  You do not need now to go to the Greek to learn what has already been translated from Greek to English.  

   So God said to you and me (James was written specifically to Christian Jews scattered abroad who were part of the Little Flock and not the Body of Christ), that WE are to "rightly divide the Word of Truth."  And WE  (the Body of Christ) are to follow our own apostle (Romans 11:13) who told us that we are to " worketh  not, " but are to walk in God's grace.  The WORD of God then can be DIVIDED.

  Divided into what?  Well that is another whole study, but this should excite you enough to want to do that study because it will open up the whole Bible to you in a way you have never seen it, enjoyed it or been excited by it.  But the first clue is that it is full of division, from Genesis to the Revelation.  Beginning with the division in creation between the heaven  and the earth .  Enjoy! Get to the division of Prophecy versus The Mystery!

"Grace & Peace"

God's word should rightly be divided accordingly:

 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.

All are one and the same in Christ, the body of Christ, little flock, brethren, etc. James addresses brethren as does Paul so they must all be one in Christ as the body of Christ and not divided as your post suggests.

Unity is always stressed!

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
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Bible Ambassadors
http://www.bibleambassadors.org/index.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Contradictions?

   There are obvious contradictions in the Holy Bible - the written Word of God - that cause much of the confusion in people today because  of a lack of understanding in How To Study The Bible..............  

God's word should rightly be divided accordingly:

 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.

All are one and the same in Christ, the body of Christ, little flock, brethren, etc. James addresses brethren as does Paul so they must all be one in Christ as the body of Christ and not divided as your post suggests.

Unity is always stressed!

OK Ollie, thanks for your understanding Bro

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
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Ambassadors For Christ
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/4451/page2.html
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The Gospel Of The Uncircumcision (PART 1 of 4)

By Duane Gallentine

Romans 11:13 clearly declares in his Epistle to the Galatians profound truth concerning his apostleship and gospel. Within the first two chapters there is tremendous spiritual light shining forth from God to dissolve the spiritual darkness caused by religions and traditions of men within Christendom concerning the God-given issues of Paul, his Apostleship, his Message and his Ministry. Recorded within the Holy Writ are expressions of surprise, strong warnings, bold pronouncements with new revelations and determined convictions.

The surprise:
Galatians 1:6,7--- "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."
The strong warning:
Galatians 1:8,9--- "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
The bold pronouncement with new revelations:
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."
The determined conviction:
Galatians 2:2a,5-- "And I went up [to Jerusalem] by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,..." "To whom [Kingdom saints with the Apostles' doctrine] we gave place by subjection, no not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel [Paul's Gospel of the Uncircumcised] might continue with you [the members of the One Body of Christ in the regions of Galatia]." [Emphasized for clarity]
Just as it was so critical for the members of the Body of Christ in the regions of Galatia to comprehend that gospel which Paul had preached to them, then recognizing how they had been so soon removed from a grace standing and blessing, and to recover by understanding the distinct and unique position of authority Paul had received from the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father, even so, today it is absolutely necessary for all members of the Body of Christ to grasp these same issues! Please never forget that the Adversary has not diminished his attack upon the body of Truth which Paul received by the revelation of Jesus Christ which is contained in Paul's Epistles; Romans through Philemon.

As we examine the terms The Gospel of the Uncircumcision and The Gospel of the Circumcision we find that both of these descriptive phrases are written by Paul, the Apostle, in Galatians 2:7:

"But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;"
In Galatians 1:7, the Scriptures state that there were some [men] that troubled these Gentile saints under Paul's ministry. These Galatians were the uncircumcised, and Paul had formed Christ in them through the preaching of his Gospel (Galatians 4:19). The men who caused the Body of Christ trouble were of the believing circumcision who ventured from the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:24). These false brethren had carried with them the Apostle's doctrine; doctrine which the Messianic Kingdom, Pentecostal, New Testament, water baptized, and Holy Ghost filled church had been taught and was maintaining (Acts 2:42, 46; 4:31, 32; 15:24; 21:20; 2 Peter 3:11-14).

The point of understanding that we need to grasp is that by adding another gospel, that is, the Gospel of the Circumcision which was committed unto Peter and the Eleven, and preached during the Acts 2 Pentecostal era, to the Body of Truth of the Gospel of the Uncircumcised that Paul preached, there was a subtraction from the Grace Doctrines of Paul's message, making it impossible for the truth of Paul's gospel to reside within the Galatians (Galatians 2:5).

[Ambassador4Christ]

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The Gospel Of The Uncircumcision (PART 2 of 4)

By Duane Gallentine

Adding, subtracting, mixing or changing the Words on the page is disastrous to God's Revelation; be it the "Gospel of the Circumcision" duly committed by God to Peter and the Acts 2 church or the "Gospel of the Uncircumcision" duly entrusted by God to Paul. We must not mix Peter and Paul; their Apostleships, Messages or Ministries!! Please grasp with the eyes of spiritual understanding Satan's diabolical plan of evil which today is still focused upon Paul, his Apostleship to the Gentiles, his Message received by revelation of Jesus Christ, and his Ministry without Israel risen in Kingdom glory.

Satan confuses the issue, but it is very clear from the text of the Authorized Version in Galatians 2:7 that while this Epistle was being written there were two separate distinct gospels being preached, by two kinds of Apostles, going to differing people; with all of this activity effectually wrought by God Himself!! Satan's plan of evil is to make it appear that Paul preached Peter's message; that there has only been one gospel; that it really does not matter if little words such as "of the" is changed in most modern Bible versions to read "to the".

We can thank God for His sovereign care given unto His Word. We have the inspired, preserved Greek text from which the phrase "the gospel of the uncircumcision" and "the gospel of the circumcision" appears. Though our native tongue is English, we can gain understanding from the original Greek language. For example, these phrases in the Greek contain the article tes. It is in the genitive case of possession, and is correctly translated of the in the Authorized Version (KJV). Tes being used with the phrase "the gospel of the uncircumcision" manifests "that" gospel which Paul preached to the heathen was not the same as the gospel Peter was preaching (Galatians 1:16; 2:2,18). This genitive case of possession clearly shows that through Peter and Paul, God had two different gospels that belonged to or were of two classes of people; the Circumcised (National Israel) with their Gospel and the uncircumcised (heathen, Gentiles, or nations) with their Gospel. There were two different gospels in two different churches during the Acts period.

In this passage most of the Modern English translations refuse to render "of the" from tes but rather use "to the" in their translations. This false reading is not faithful to the Traditional Greek text and leads to several false conclusions that are with us today:

There is only one gospel;
Paul preached Peter's message;
The Dispensation of Grace started at Pentecost;
The church in Acts 2 is the church, which is His Body as recorded in Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.
Galatians chapters one and two is a bold confrontation of these two gospels meeting head on. The Record is clear and the recorded events make it very clear what is going on in the Passage; and, for men to translate tes into this subversive meaning is dishonest. Why do modern translators continue to mistranslate when both family of manuscripts, the Textus Receptus (Traditional Text) from which only the Authorized Version comes from and the Critical Text, the basic Westcott and Hort Greek text of which all other versions come from, have tes as the Greek definite article? This is illustrated on page 36 of "Translator Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Galatians" by D.C. Arichea, Jr. and E.A. Nida, published by the United Bible Societies, volume XVIII. It states,

"In translating the two phrases gospel to the Gentiles and gospel to the Jews, one must be careful to avoid giving the impression that there are two gospels, one for the Jews and another for the Gentiles.....To avoid this misunderstanding, one should make it clear that both Paul and Peter are entrusted with proclaiming one gospel, except that Paul is to proclaim it to Gentiles and Peter to the Jews..."
Thus even today, there is the scholarly assumption that there has always been one gospel with the supposed difference between Peter and Paul being only the people to whom God sent them. But there is no tampering with the word tes in Galatians 2:7 as found in either family or line of manuscripts. Why then should translators change the meaning? It must be that they all think the Bible contains only one gospel; and in order to prove it, they change the meaning of the Greek article to fit their erroneous doctrinal and denominational traditions. Instead of God's Word being the Authority correcting man's thinking, man's wisdom is used to correct God.

[Ambassador4Christ]

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The Gospel Of The Uncircumcision (PART 3 of 4)

By Duane Gallentine


In order for the Body of Christ to grasp the spiritual significance of the whole Epistle to the Galatians, it is helpful to remember that Galatians was written during the Acts period after the fall of Israel as recorded in Acts 7. This period is Scripturally designated as "the diminishing of them" [Israel]-Romans 11:11-13. When Israel, her provisions, and imperatives were being diminished God had commissioned unto two different kinds of Apostles, two different kinds of Gospels! One Gospel of a different kind (Greek--the heteros Gospel...Galatians 1:6) as the good news of the Circumcision, which was comprised of Bible truth for the circumcised Nation called Israel, and entrusted to Peter and the Eleven, i.e. the provision of the New Testament including circumcision and Law works (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Matthew 26:27-29; 5:17-19). The other kind (Greek--the allos gospel...Galatians 1:7) as the good news of the Uncircumcision committed to Paul's trust, also known as the Gospel of the Grace of God (1 Corinthians 1:17; 9:17; 1 Timothy 1:11; Acts 20:24).

In Genesis 17:1-14, the Lord Almighty God changed the name of Abram, a gentile, unto Abraham and made a contractual agreement (a covenant) with him and his physical descendants. The Lord God made within Abraham's flesh a sign or token of this covenant. The sign was circumcision. Thus, Abram now circumcised and known as Abraham, became the father of the Nation of Israel. When Israel spoke of their fathers it was always Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This Abrahamic covenant was confirmed to Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 17:19, 28:13-15). Circumcision was even incorporated into the Law given to Moses (Leviticus 12:3).

This Abrahamic covenant is comprised of three major points (see Genesis 17):

That the Lord Almighty God would be God to the circumcision of the flesh. Only this Nation has the Lord Almighty God as their God. He is their God. All other nations are without God in the world (Ephesians 2:11,12);
The circumcision of the flesh would be God's people, MY PEOPLE;
The land of Canaan, wherein Abraham was a stranger, would be their everlasting possession (the promise of a land to dwell in forever).
This covenant of promise was the first in a line of other covenants that were added unto this three-fold promise. This covenant was made 430 years before the Mosaic Law was added unto this same people, Israel. The Old Testament given at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 20, did not change the 'good news' of circumcision, but added detailed laws, statutes, judgments, and commandments unto that which already existed. In considering the provisions of the Old Covenant listed below, we see that the three-fold provision of the Abrahamic Covenant of Circumcision was incorporated into the covenant at Sinai.

Exodus 20:3,4--the Lord God would be Israel's God, and they were to have no other gods before Him. Israel was given the name of God whereby they could call upon Him as His chosen nation; that name was Jehovah (Exodus 6:1-5). Jehovah would be their God;
Deuteronomy 7:6-8/Leviticus 12:3; 20:26--The Old Covenant included as law the command to circumcise the male children. That circumcised people were severed from all other people (the uncircumcised) and given sanctification by Jehovah, saying "ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy". Thus the circumcision would be His people (2 Chronicles 7:14/Ezekiel 34:30);
Deuteronomy 4:1/Exedus 19:5,6; Isaiah 61:6; 1 Peter 2:5--National Israel, the circumcised Nation, were to go in and possess the land promised unto the Fathers by the covenant, serving God as a Nation of priests. They would dwell in the contracted land forever.
This same three-fold provision is also found in the Everlasting Covenant that God will bring to fruition through the Nation of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11, 24-28). When considering this separation evident in the flesh of these people, please remember that prior to calling Abram and changing his name to Abraham, God had given up the nations of the world in Genesis 11 at the Tower of Babel. These nations were in unbelief. God judged them in their willful act of rejecting the knowledge of God which He had revealed to them (Romans 1:20-25). God gave them up to a reprobate mind and over to the desires of the flesh. Out of this judgment, God selected one man Abram, made the Covenant of Circumcision with him and promised unto him and his physical seed that they would be the people that God would use in the earth to show the heathen nations what it will be like for the God of heaven to be Israel's God; for them to be His People; and, for Him to dwell in their midst in the land (Deuteronomy 4:5-8).

The problem was not the provisions of the good news of the Circumcision, nor was it the added Covenants including the Law, for we read in Romans 7 that the Law is holy, just, and good. The fault lies within the Adamic nature of every Israelite. They, like the unbelieving heathen, possess the sin nature since they are also descendants of Adam. The Circumcised needed a gospel that was strictly theirs so they could overcome the problems of the flesh and find their position as God's Holy Nation of priests in that prophesied earthly Kingdom. Historically in Peter's day, and future to our day, there is the Gospel of the Circumcision [Read Galatians 2:7-8 in the A.V. Bible wherein God, working mightily in Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision, committed unto him this body of truth].

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ambassadors For Christ
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/4451/page2.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Gospel Of The Uncircumcision (PART 4 of 4)

By Duane Gallentine

This Gospel of the Circumcision is the cure-all Israel needed in Peter's day as God, through the Twelve Apostles, offered Israel the Kingdom. That Nation had rejected God the Father in allowing John the Baptist to be killed. They had demanded that God the Son be crucified. And during the early chapters of the Book of Acts, the Holy Ghost empowers the Little Flock, with Peter at the helm, to offer unto Israel the Gospel of the Circumcision: "Repent and be baptized..." is its invitation (Acts 2:38). During the first part of the book of Acts repentance, water baptism, and the remission of sins goes to "the children of the prophets, and of the covenants which God made with our fathers,..." (Acts 2:14, 22, 29, 36;3:25; 4:10; 5:31). The three-fold provision of the good news of the Circumcision was once again offered to Israel [Acts 3:17-21] based upon the New Covenant/Testament blood sacrifice of Israel's True High Priest, Jesus Christ.

In Jeremiah 31:31-34 Israel's God announces that He will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This passage lists the identical provision of the Covenant of Circumcision, the Old Covenant/Testament, the Covenant of Peace and the Everlasting Covenant. It is:

Jeremiah 31:33--I, Jehovah, will be Israel's God. The Circumcised will have Jehovah as their God. The Lord will give Israel anew heart to know Him--Jeremiah 24:7. This new heart will not fail;
Jeremiah 31:33--The House of Israel shall be MY PEOPLE, for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart which He gives them;
Jeremiah 31:38-40/Ezekial 36:24--Jehovah will bring redeemed Israel into their own land.
At last, the Circumcised will be found in righteousness and with peace in the Land. The Record of Peter's preaching as found in the book of Acts is based upon these Covenants of promise made with the Fathers, including the Covenant of Circumcision. Peter offered all the house of Israel (Acts 2:36, etc.) the fulfillment of the Covenants of promise. When carefully studied, Acts 3:13-26 reveals the three-fold provision of the Circumcision.

At Pentecost those Israelites responding by faith would obey the revelation given through Peter's preaching and enjoy the blessings within the GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION. Then and only then, Israel would find her remedy for her sin problem. Through this Gospel they would walk in obedience to the Law. Israel would receive the blessings of the New Testament/New Law through Jesus, the Messiah. Faith plus Works done in the Flesh equals blessing in the Land-see James 2. This is a Law, Work, Flesh System of operation.

But the Record of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 shows the Nation of Israel joining the heathen in rejecting God's Anointed. Israel, at this point, was judged by God to be like the nations: IN UNBELIEF. We read of this declaration in Romans 11:30-32. In the Prophetic Scriptures it was revealed that God would unleash His wrath and sore displeasure when Israel joined the heathen in rebelling against the Lord and His Anointed (Psalm 2:1-5). During that judgment, God would send forth His angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come."--Revelations 14:6,7.

But something wonderful and gracious happened!! The minutes of that prophetic hour of judgment did not begin to tick away. This is where the due time testimony [1Tim 2:6-7; Titus 1:3] of the Epistle to the Galatians boldly announces a NEW Apostle, Paul, with that NEW Gospel called "THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION".

"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 1:15,16
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."---Galatians 5:2-3
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."---Galatians 5:6
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."---Galatians 6:15
As Paul preached "THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION" to the Galatians it is very clear that the Gospel which he had taught them was not associated or mingled with the good news of the Circumcision. In fact concerning Paul's gospel of the Grace of Christ, circumcision becomes a curse making Christ profiting the Body of Christ nothing. Grace becomes vain! (Galatians 5:2-4).

These Galatians were the descendants of the heathen that were given up at the tower of Babel. God had made no covenant with them. They were strangers from all those Covenants of promise and were without Christ (Ephesians 2:11, 12). BUT NOW through the gospel Paul preached, these who were afar off from God as He dealt with Israel over the centuries, find GOOD NEWS through Paul's office of Apostleship, Message, and Ministry. They who had no hope, find hope in the Gospel of the Grace of God during this Dispensation of the Grace of God. Israel's rejected Christ/Messiah, even the King of Israel, is NOW the Hope of the uncircumcised being made the Head of the One Body of Christ!! (1Tim 1:1; Eph 1:19-23).

Today in this present Dispensation of Grace, the Gospel of the Circumcision that Peter labored under has temporarily been put into abeyance by God [the diminishing of Israel from Acts 7 to the end of Acts28] so that the present Word of Truth may bring to fullness the working of God amongst the heathen nations or UNCIRCUMCISED via this new Gospel of the Uncircumcision. This is a Grace, Faith, Spirit System of operation. In this new system there is no racial, religious, economical or national benefit with or from God in being circumcised or Law keeping (Eph.1:3).

Since the close of the Book of Acts, God has approved of only one Gospel being proclaimed. It is the Gospel of the Grace of God--Acts 20:24--in this Dispensation of the Grace of God--Ephesians 3:1,2. It has appeared, and will continue to appear, to all without distinction until the fullness of the Gentiles become in--i.e. the Body of Christ be complete (Titus 2:11,12; Romans 11:25). At such time when the Body is complete, God will conclude this Dispensation in the catching away of that One Body (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and bring about the revitalization of Abraham's descendants, National Israel, through THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION.

In closing, to any and all who mix the two Programs of God--Prophecy and Mystery--the different Gospels--the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Gospel of the Circumcision, or the Gospel of the Uncircumcision; Israel and the Body of Christ, or degrades Paul's distinct Message of Grace, God pronounces a strong warning unto them:

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."--Galatians 1:8,9.
Especially, may the Christian worker beware and take heed [1Corinthians 3:10; 1Timothy 4:16] how he buildeth the house of doctrine upon the foundation of our soul salvation by faith alone in,

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures"--see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
The foundation with its super-structure that reaches into the heavenly places has been laid and built by Paul. It consists of the Sound Doctrines that Paul alone received by direct revelation of Jesus Christ according to the Mystery (Galatians 1:11,12; Ephesians 3:1-4). Paul is the Apostle of Jesus Christ to/of the Gentiles, with the Gospel of the Uncircumcision, according to the will and commandment of God (Galatians 1:1; Titus 1:1-3; Romans 1:5). His ministry and 13 Epistles manifest the Gospel of the Grace of God which reveals Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery. By teaching the same Sound Doctrine that Paul taught, we shall be found by Christ to be faithful stewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Timothy 2:2; 3:14; 4:7-8; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Only Paul's Gospel is God's message for the saving of the eternal soul during this present Dispensation!

[Brother Love]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ambassadors For Christ
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/4451/page2.html
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Gospel Of The Uncircumcision (PART 4 of 4)

By Duane Gallentine

This Gospel of the Circumcision is the cure-all Israel needed in Peter's day as God, through the Twelve Apostles, offered Israel the Kingdom. That Nation had rejected God the Father in allowing John the Baptist to be killed. They had demanded that God the Son be crucified. And during the early chapters of the Book of Acts, the Holy Ghost empowers the Little Flock, with Peter at the helm, to offer unto Israel the Gospel of the Circumcision: "Repent and be baptized..." is its invitation (Acts 2:38). During the first part of the book of Acts repentance, water baptism, and the remission of sins goes to "the children of the prophets, and of the covenants which God made with our fathers,..." (Acts 2:14, 22, 29, 36;3:25; 4:10; 5:31). The three-fold provision of the good news of the Circumcision was once again offered to Israel [Acts 3:17-21] based upon the New Covenant/Testament blood sacrifice of Israel's True High Priest, Jesus Christ.

In Jeremiah 31:31-34 Israel's God announces that He will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This passage lists the identical provision of the Covenant of Circumcision, the Old Covenant/Testament, the Covenant of Peace and the Everlasting Covenant. It is:

Jeremiah 31:33--I, Jehovah, will be Israel's God. The Circumcised will have Jehovah as their God. The Lord will give Israel anew heart to know Him--Jeremiah 24:7. This new heart will not fail;
Jeremiah 31:33--The House of Israel shall be MY PEOPLE, for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart which He gives them;
Jeremiah 31:38-40/Ezekial 36:24--Jehovah will bring redeemed Israel into their own land.
At last, the Circumcised will be found in righteousness and with peace in the Land. The Record of Peter's preaching as found in the book of Acts is based upon these Covenants of promise made with the Fathers, including the Covenant of Circumcision. Peter offered all the house of Israel (Acts 2:36, etc.) the fulfillment of the Covenants of promise. When carefully studied, Acts 3:13-26 reveals the three-fold provision of the Circumcision.

At Pentecost those Israelites responding by faith would obey the revelation given through Peter's preaching and enjoy the blessings within the GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION. Then and only then, Israel would find her remedy for her sin problem. Through this Gospel they would walk in obedience to the Law. Israel would receive the blessings of the New Testament/New Law through Jesus, the Messiah. Faith plus Works done in the Flesh equals blessing in the Land-see James 2. This is a Law, Work, Flesh System of operation.

But the Record of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7 shows the Nation of Israel joining the heathen in rejecting God's Anointed. Israel, at this point, was judged by God to be like the nations: IN UNBELIEF. We read of this declaration in Romans 11:30-32. In the Prophetic Scriptures it was revealed that God would unleash His wrath and sore displeasure when Israel joined the heathen in rebelling against the Lord and His Anointed (Psalm 2:1-5). During that judgment, God would send forth His angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come."--Revelations 14:6,7.

But something wonderful and gracious happened!! The minutes of that prophetic hour of judgment did not begin to tick away. This is where the due time testimony [1Tim 2:6-7; Titus 1:3] of the Epistle to the Galatians boldly announces a NEW Apostle, Paul, with that NEW Gospel called "THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION".

"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 1:15,16
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law."---Galatians 5:2-3
"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."---Galatians 5:6
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."---Galatians 6:15
As Paul preached "THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION" to the Galatians it is very clear that the Gospel which he had taught them was not associated or mingled with the good news of the Circumcision. In fact concerning Paul's gospel of the Grace of Christ, circumcision becomes a curse making Christ profiting the Body of Christ nothing. Grace becomes vain! (Galatians 5:2-4).

These Galatians were the descendants of the heathen that were given up at the tower of Babel. God had made no covenant with them. They were strangers from all those Covenants of promise and were without Christ (Ephesians 2:11, 12). BUT NOW through the gospel Paul preached, these who were afar off from God as He dealt with Israel over the centuries, find GOOD NEWS through Paul's office of Apostleship, Message, and Ministry. They who had no hope, find hope in the Gospel of the Grace of God during this Dispensation of the Grace of God. Israel's rejected Christ/Messiah, even the King of Israel, is NOW the Hope of the uncircumcised being made the Head of the One Body of Christ!! (1Tim 1:1; Eph 1:19-23).

Today in this present Dispensation of Grace, the Gospel of the Circumcision that Peter labored under has temporarily been put into abeyance by God [the diminishing of Israel from Acts 7 to the end of Acts28] so that the present Word of Truth may bring to fullness the working of God amongst the heathen nations or UNCIRCUMCISED via this new Gospel of the Uncircumcision. This is a Grace, Faith, Spirit System of operation. In this new system there is no racial, religious, economical or national benefit with or from God in being circumcised or Law keeping (Eph.1:3).

Since the close of the Book of Acts, God has approved of only one Gospel being proclaimed. It is the Gospel of the Grace of God--Acts 20:24--in this Dispensation of the Grace of God--Ephesians 3:1,2. It has appeared, and will continue to appear, to all without distinction until the fullness of the Gentiles become in--i.e. the Body of Christ be complete (Titus 2:11,12; Romans 11:25). At such time when the Body is complete, God will conclude this Dispensation in the catching away of that One Body (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and bring about the revitalization of Abraham's descendants, National Israel, through THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION.

In closing, to any and all who mix the two Programs of God--Prophecy and Mystery--the different Gospels--the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Gospel of the Circumcision, or the Gospel of the Uncircumcision; Israel and the Body of Christ, or degrades Paul's distinct Message of Grace, God pronounces a strong warning unto them:

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."--Galatians 1:8,9.
Especially, may the Christian worker beware and take heed [1Corinthians 3:10; 1Timothy 4:16] how he buildeth the house of doctrine upon the foundation of our soul salvation by faith alone in,

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures"--see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
The foundation with its super-structure that reaches into the heavenly places has been laid and built by Paul. It consists of the Sound Doctrines that Paul alone received by direct revelation of Jesus Christ according to the Mystery (Galatians 1:11,12; Ephesians 3:1-4). Paul is the Apostle of Jesus Christ to/of the Gentiles, with the Gospel of the Uncircumcision, according to the will and commandment of God (Galatians 1:1; Titus 1:1-3; Romans 1:5). His ministry and 13 Epistles manifest the Gospel of the Grace of God which reveals Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery. By teaching the same Sound Doctrine that Paul taught, we shall be found by Christ to be faithful stewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Timothy 2:2; 3:14; 4:7-8; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Only Paul's Gospel is God's message for the saving of the eternal soul during this present Dispensation!

Hey Brother, now thats some good Meat, thanks again.

Amen

Brother Love

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Discerning The Times
http://www.discerningthetimespublishing.com/main.htm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


With a Bible in my hand
by Terence D. McLean

WHAT ABOUT UNANSWERED PRAYER ??

At one end of the field, the visiting football team huddles in the end zone and prays. Just then the home team does the same beneath the opposite goal post.

What does the Lord hear?

In unison, the opposing teams might pray "Lord, we pray that you will give us the victory and let us knock the snot out of those other guys."
Christian Broadcasting Network President Pat Robertson prays that a hurricane would veer away from the CBN's offices in South Carolina and it does, only to hit and kill people in New Jersey.
Even Adolph Hitler said that God was on his side.
In his book OUTRAGE: FIVE REASONS WHY O.J. SIMPSON GOT AWAY WITH MURDER
agnostic lawyer Vincent Bugliosi writes "Saying that 'God answered my prayers' necessarily means two things: that God has the power to answer prayers, and more important, for the 99 percent of the other humans who pray and beg for God's merciful intervention in time of desperate need, God told
them to take a walk, get lost, He couldn't care less."
With the critical and logical mind of a cynical lawyer, Bugliosi continues by asking "Don't you think the Jew at Auschwitz prayed to God to be spared.
Maybe we have been praying to the wrong entity all along. People who believe in prayers could hardly do worse praying to the devil." (pgs 250-251)Should you listen to the so-called Christian radio or television broadcasts, you will undoubtedly hear several people "bind Satan, in the name of Jesus,"
during the course of the broadcast day. The obvious questions are "Why must you bind Satan more than once: how does that rascal keep getting loose?"

There is a bumper sticker out there which asks "If Jesus saves, why can't He ubgone57?" That would be a good question for today's crop of 'faith healers' to answer.
When the tornadoes tore through many cities this spring, people were killed and property damage was considerable. One pastor standing in the rubble that had been his church told the CNN reporter that "God is trying to tell us something."
Attorney Bugliosi would look at the disaster area with its dead bodies and sarcastically ask, "why would anyone feel he (God) is all-good or want to spend eternity with this type of being?" (Ibid. pg 251)
The answers to the questions people have about prayer are actually quite easily found and understood, but learning the answers requires knowledge of the Bible.
And while we would reasonably expect that agnostic authors would not have read the material, it is the sad truth that most Christians are equally unlearned.
Fact is, Adam and Eve didn't need to pray: God walked and talked with them in the garden.
After God kicked the First Family out of the garden and Cain killed his brother, mankind learned it was estranged from its maker and "then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." (Genesis 4:26)
When God gave His covenant to the nation Israel over 2500 years later, prayer became much more sophisticated. Under that covenant "If my people (Israel) which are called by my name (Lord God of Israel), shall humble themselves (by
keeping all the laws and statutes) and pray, and seek my face (which God had hid from them since the sin in the garden) and turn from their wicked ways (by performing the Mosaic law); then will I hear from heaven." (II Chronicles
7:14)
But without keeping all the laws, statutes and their end of the covenant, God promised to "pluck them up by the roots." (lI Chronicles 7:20)
When Jesus Christ, who said "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' (Matthew 15:25) and declared that "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22) instructed how to pray, He broke some new ground.
Matthew 21:22 is plain that "All things, whatsoever ye (Israel) shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  
If that weren't only for Israel, I wouldn't be bald.
Fact is, God set his dealings with Israel aside (Romans 1 i), and with the change, prayer was again altered.
Paul tells the church in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile but a new  creature, "We KNOW NOT what we should pray for as we ought ...we KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:26, 28)
One verse tells us what we know, the other tells us what we don't know. And from those passages we see that God has again intervened to change the mechanics of prayer.
No longer walking in the garden with man, no more with His face turned away, no more operating under the Jewish covenant, no longer the ministry of the Messiah, God tells us today that He is not up in heaven waiting for our prayers to tell Him how to run things.
And because we are on a sin-cursed planet with Satan as the "god of this world" (II Corinthians 4:4), we should be relieved that the ultimate responsibility is God's, not ours.
God has now told us what he wants us to know through His Bible, not through tornadoes.
When Christians under grace, (not Jews under the law), are instructed about prayer they are told to "Let your requests be make known unto God" (Philippians 4:6)
And...
And what, exactly?
And you will get whatever you ask for, as the faith healers say?
And you will get one out of a million, as the agnostic suggests?
And God may say 'No,' as weak-spined theologians postulate?
The answer is 'None of the above."
"And the peace of God, which passeth ail understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
Keeping track of everything "passeth our understanding" and since we are "strangers from the covenants of promise" (Ephesians 2: i2) we are much ahead to accept God's peace rather than to require authority over Him in prayer.
God says to tell Him everything, learn to be thankful for everything, and be anxious about nothing, for God will work whatever happens for the good of them that love Him.
Amen
 
 

[Ambassador4Christ]

My Favorite Web-Sites And Studies
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bob Hill's Biblical Answers
http://www.biblicalanswers.com/index.htm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Question: Where does the trumpet fit into the rapture?
I have tried to figure out for a long time why a trumpet is associaged with the rapture. I know we have 7 trumpets in the Revelation, But they all have their own uique Place and purpose. Where does a trumpet fit into the Rapture?
In Christ,
Rodney

Answer:
Dear Rodney,
I'm not sure just what it is that you don't understand about the trumpet in the rapture, so I'll tell you what I think. When we consider the trumpet sounding, we must realize that Paul wrote the comforting passages about it blowing to the body of Christ at Thessalonica and Corinth. 1 Th 4:13-18: "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words."
This whole thought was new to the Thessalonians. He had told them about many other things but not about the rapture. Notice, he says, "I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren." Since this was new, then it was not revealed in the Old Testament or Christ's Olivet discourse. Further, they seemed more concerned about the condition of their dead loved ones than a theology of eschatology. He wrote this to comfort them, "lest you sorrow as others who have no hope," so they would have hope in the resurrection of their loved ones. But Paul went further. He showed them an event where they would be united with their loved ones in the air. Notice, this hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, "for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again." In a similar manner, His resurrection is based on our justification. Then he described the rapture. Why does he give them this information? He wanted to comfort them, "Therefore comfort one another with these words."
The other passage about the rapture, 1 Co 15:51-54 is more important, theologically: "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (I think it should be translated: in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, in the last trump), at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound (While this trumpet is sounding, actually during the last note (trump), the dead will be raised and we who remain until the coming of the Lord will be changed.), and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
This passage is more important because the whole event is called a mystery. The secret in 1 Corinthians 15:51,52 is not the concept that some will not see death, for our Lord expresses this idea clearly in John 11:25-26: "he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, but he who lives and believes in Me will never die." The secret is the event itself.
Now, the second coming, including the gathering of the elect, is well prophesied: Mat 24: 29-31: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The event of Mat 24 was no mystery to Paul. Let us recall here the precise definition of 'mystery.' A mustayrion is not an ambiguous or mystical revelation, but an unrevealed truth. The LXX of Dan 2:19 employs mustayrion to render the Persian (Aramaic) raz, 'secret,' in reference to Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Daniel did not receive from Nebuchadnezzar a vague or shadowy revelation of the dream. Rather, until the God of heaven revealed the secret to His prophet, the content of the dream was completely concealed to him. Likewise, the secret of the rapture was not the subject of ambiguous or shadowy revelation before Paul, but was concealed in God. This definition, of course, does not preclude the discussion of the rapture in Paul's earlier epistles to the Thessalonians, for the mustayrion of Ephesians is discussed in Romans. Since the rapture is a mustayrion, the disclosure of the church's hope prior to the revelation of the secret church through Paul is also a mystery.
We can see from the portion of scripture in 1 Thessalonians that Christ is bringing with Him those who died. He will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ will rise first. The rapture is Christ's coming and our going. We "shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." We'll all be changed at the last sound of the trumpet. What an event. But although these two passages describe the rapture, they do not give us the time when it will take place. In considering the time of the rapture in relation to the tribulation, we must remember the nature of the mystery.
Since the nature of the mystery shows us that the body of Christ is never referred to in biblical prophecy prior to Paul's conversion, we can make some conclusions about when it occurs. They are: Prophecy about the people in the tribulation would not refer to the body of Christ. Prophecy about the day of the Lord would not apply to the body of Christ. Prophecy about the people under the wrath of God would not apply to the body of Christ. Therefore, the rapture, since it only applies to the body of Christ, must take place prior to the prophetic program which follows for the next 1,007 years, and the trumpet of the rapture has nothing to do with the trumpets of the tribulation.
In Christ,
Bob

[Ambassador4Christ]

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PAUL OR MATTHIAS - THE 12TH APOSTLE (PART 1 of 4)
By: Joseph E. Gollwitzer



A contention exists as to whether Paul was the new 12th Apostle chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to fill Judas' office, or was it Matthias, from the account of Acts:1.
The purpose of this paper is to lay out the clear meaning of  Scripture in this matter with the hope of  correcting wrong doctrine.
 
 

I.  Peter's Contention To Fill Judas' Office

A key element in understanding the importance of  a "12th" apostle is the fact that God ordained the office of Apostle.  These men were given a unique ministry so that while they were counted as disciples of Christ, they were also distinct as to power, authority and mission above the others.
 

Matthew 10:1  And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickeness and all manner of disease.
Ephesians 2:20   And (you, the Ephesians), are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner .


Some of the elements unique to apostleship shall be explored later.  There is no dispute that the individual with the "rank" of Apostle not only had special training, responsibilities and authority, but also, a fixed position in the ages to come.
 

Matt 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Note:  In Ephesians chapter 2 we find, "times past":  pre-body of Christ, prophesy program.  "But now":   body of Christ, mystery program, dispensation of grace.  "Ages to come":   post "but now", continuation of prophesy program.

Peter's intent then, in Acts 1, was to fill the office given to Judas, and vacated by Judas' death.
 

Acts 1:20  For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein:  and his bishopric let another take.

The importance of this being an existing office, needing to be filled, and not a new position, created for whatever purpose, is this:  Paul never lays claim to Judas' office.

In Paul's 13 letters he often lays claim to the office of Apostle given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ.  At no time does he refer to the "12th" position, vacated by Judas.  This fact does not demean Paul's apostleship.  This fact indicates that Paul's apostleship was different than the 12. (A point to be explored later)

Upon the completion of the casting of lots, (which from the context seems to include the 120, not just the 11), Matthias was now considered the "12th" apostle.
 

Acts 1:26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Why be concerned with an exact number of apostles?  Why not let the remaining apostles carry on with their work?   The answer is in the verse prior to the one we just quoted:
 

Acts 1:25  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

When the Lord Jesus came to this earth it was to establish his kingdom.  John the baptist prepared the way as foretold by scripture.  Thus we find Old Testament believers waiting for the kingdom.  Over and over again in the 4 gospels:  the issue is the kingdom.

In Matthew 10, we find the Lord Jesus is giving the twelve finite instructions of their mission and deportment.
 

Matt 10: 6-7  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The Lord Jesus himself established the 12 offices.  In the ages to come we find that these same men will each be judging the tribes of Israel, and that even their names are eternally inscribed in the physical foundations of the New Jerusalem.
 

Rev 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb.