GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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The Need of Man
By Charles Wages

Almost without an exception when we think of our needs we refer to things that are material: food, shelter, clothing and a myriad of "things" that satisfy our earthly pleasures or egos. Also, many never denote the difference between "wants" and "needs." God promises to provide our needs, but never to satisfy our never ending wants. He knows that many of the things we want are not really needed, and that we would always be wanting more! We are often somewhat like the little girl to whom her mother said, "Lillian, there were two pieces of cake in the pantry this morning, and now there is only one. How does this happen?" "I don't know," replied Lillian, regretfully, "It must have been so dark I didn't see the other piece."

The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19: "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." No doubt, the primary and prevailing emphasis in the verse is on the "spiritual" needs of man. Also, it is directed principally to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are man's spiritual needs? Well, first of all, he needs to be saved from sin—regenerated to a new life. After that, his spiritual needs are manifold. They are too many to mention, but we can always enumerate a few that are important to us all. As examples, a person needs

Companionship

This great need is noted in nature. Animals, birds, and insects all exhibit the necessity of being together. This could be called a "social instinct," but really it goes far beyond that. Bees who are "cast out" of the swarm soon die. Even animals don't desire to be "a loner." But all of this, as interesting as it may be, only points up the far higher need of man to have companionship. A beautiful passage in Psalms 55:14 reads,

"We took sweet counsel together, and walked into the house of God in company."

It is enlightening to note that they "counseled together" before "walking" and before going into the house of God "in company." Someone has aptly noted that one blessing to come out of the energy shortage is people doing things together more, such as car pooling. We must always keep in mind though that companionship desires and demands:

The right kind of company. This becomes a major problem in society, especially the Christian society. Many of the heartaches and complications that surround every segment of society could be avoided if people were more discriminate in their associations. People have become overly reactive to discrimination because of the evils and mistakes that have been made in regard to human relationships. However, there is a difference between being discriminate and practicing discrimination for questionable reasons. Christians need to be discriminate in marriage, business, and church affiliation among many areas of life.

The right kind of Christian company. The Psalmist said, "I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts" (Psalms 119:63). In Proverbs 13:20, it is stated, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."The philosophy of thinking that it makes no difference what church you attend, as long as you attend, does not fit into God's desires for his children. Surely we should be desirous to be with those who love God's Word, rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15), and that honor the name of our blessed Saviour.

Yes, companionship is so needed by all, whether it is a natural, human relation or in the realm of worship and study of the Word. It is wonderful to see people together in love and fellowship. Another vital need to the child of God is,

Comfort

If it were possible to characterize this world, it would be appropriate to say it is full of sorrow, pain, tragedy, corruption, and misery. Everyone is aware of "news" we receive daily through the media. Death and destruction are always in the headlines. Every family is affected at sometime or another. We need comfort, but from where does it come? Surely, the world offers no comfort to its victims. Only God can supply this need!

The Lord Jesus said in John 14, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Previous to that He had said, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." How we all need this comfort! We need someone to come alongside and help, someone to speak kindly, someone to support us.

We have great comfort in His Word. Romans 15:4 says,

"And whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

In Romans 15:5, God is spoken of as "the God of patience and consolation." He is also spoken of as "the God of hope" (vs. 13) and the "God of peace" (vs. 33). We are never told that we will not experience sorrow, but He does inform us in 1 Thessalonians 4 "to sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." And then, in verse 18, He says, "wherefore comfort one another with these words." May we consider this portion of God's Word carefully which says,

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort: Who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

Another compelling need of the child of God is

Communion

This great need goes beyond physical companionship but involves the deeper issues of soul and spirit. It also involves more than just an "ordinance" or remembrance ritual. For example, this beautiful word the scriptures uses for communion is translated some 12 times in the New Testament as "fellowship." The benediction used by Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:14 speaks of the communion of the Holy Ghost.

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen"

Grace, love, and communion are so needed by us all, and God so wonderfully supplies these needs!

Again, it must be emphasized that communion goes so much deeper than the concept most think of when the word is mentioned. The Apostle Paul was so thankful to the saints at Philippi "for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now" (Phil. 1:5). A great need of every believer is to have sweet communion with other believers in the proclamation and service of the gospel of God's grace. So many are perverting the gospel, so many are preaching "another gospel," that it gives a deep felt need for fellowship with those of like precious faith.

The Apostle Paul also expressed a great need to know the Lord "in the fellowship of his sufferings" (Phil. 3:10). Communion involves more than just enjoying our salvation or sharing it with others. It concerns a willingness to commune with the Lord in His sufferings. This really gets down to the "heart" of the matter. This is real "fellowship" of spirit. This enables us to better share in other believers' sufferings and results in real, deep, meaningful communion that meets a genuine need in our lives.

In the presentation concerning God's great plan for this dispensation, the apostle Paul desired to:

"Make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." (Eph. 3:9)

The way Paul expressed this showed a burning desire on his part to have others involved in declaring this sacred secret. The "fellowship of the mystery" concerns God's church for this age, the body of Christ. It also involves all the "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" that is the inheritance of all saints today. There is a real need for this message to be proclaimed today, and equally there is an accompanying need to have "communion" in this matter. This need is woefully being neglected today in "religion" and by "religious" leaders.

Our spiritual needs were all satisfied at Calvary! God is perfectly able and perfectly willing to meet our every need. We need to remember the Scripture which says,

"But my God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

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LEGALLY DEAD
By Miles Stanford


"Seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us" (Rom. 7:6a, Wey.).



For the believer, the dominion of Law is just as devastating as the dominion of Sin. At Calvary, death freed us from both.

"Theological teaching since the Reformation has not set forth clearly our utter end in death with the Lord Jesus on the Cross. The fatal result of this error is to leave the law claimant over those in the Lord Jesus, for 'the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth' (Rom. 7:1). Unless you are able to believe in your very heart that you died with Him, and that you were buried, and that your history before the Father in Adam the first came to an utter end at Calvary, you will never get free from the claims of the law upon your conscience." -W.R.N.

"The principle of the new life is faith. Faith, hope, and love are its characteristics. All these require, not self-occupation, but occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ. If you take up the law to help you, it tells you just what you must be and do, but it gives no power for it. Power is in the Spirit; thus grace, not law, is the way of growth. That the law cannot justify is comparatively simple; but that it hinders fruit-bearing is hard to realize. 'Sin shall not have dominion over you, because ye are not under law, but under grace.' "-F.W.G.

"Those who put the believer under law destroy the authority of the law, or put the Christian under the curse, for in many things we offend all. They fancy they establish the law, but they destroy its authority. They only establish the full, immutable authority of the law, who declare that the believer is under grace, and therefore cannot be cursed by its just and holy curse." -J.N.D.

"So that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual" (Rom. 7:6b, Wey.).

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Walking by Faith, Not by Sight


We walk by faith, not by sight . . . while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  (2 Cor. 5:7 and  2 Cor. 4:18.)

The Christian life is a walk. It is comprised of day by day steps from where we are to where the Lord wants us to go (both spiritually and geographically). This walk is undertaken by faith, not by sight. "We walk by faith, not by sight."

Walking by sight is the natural manner by which human beings walk. This is true both for literal walking, as well as for taking the proverbial journey through life. When engaged in physical walking, people rely upon visual data (along with input from other human senses: like sound, smell, and touch). Likewise, as the unredeemed are engaged in their trek through life, they set their course and proceed by that which their natural abilities provide. We who know the Lord Jesus Christ cannot walk in this manner in His kingdom. We must walk by faith, by depending upon our Lord, His word, and the work of grace by His Holy Spirit. Spiritual progress is made "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."

So often, things are not as they appear to be in the natural. Consider Joseph being sold to slave traders by his jealous and deceitful brothers. It did not look like Joseph was being groomed to be Prime Minister in Egypt. Think of Pharoah and his army closing in on Israel, as they were trapped beside the Red Sea. It did not look like Israel would be delivered, while the Egyptian army would be destroyed. Remember young David standing before gigantic Goliath. It did not look like the giant would be defeated, while David would enjoy a thorough victory. Only eyes of faith could really appreciate what was actually happening.

The cross of our Lord Jesus is undoubtedly the greatest example of things not always being what they appear to be. As Jesus hung upon the cross, it appeared that godless men had defeated the most godly man that ever lived. "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst . . . Him . . . you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Act. 2:22-23). Yet, in fact, God was at work, preparing a resurrection victory over sin and death for all who would believe. "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it" (Act  2:24).

Heavenly Father, I want to walk with You by faith. I desire to respond to the circumstances of life by what You have said in Your word and by what You are able to do. Too many times, I have set my course by sight, relying upon the appearance of things. Teach me to trust in You more and more, in Jesus name, Amen.
-----Hoekstra

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COLUMBUS THE BELIEVER
by C. R. Stam



Everybody knows that Columbus discovered America, but few people know Columbus the sincere believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, who braved the dangers of the ocean vastness mainly because it was his deep desire to bring the gospel to the Indies. His perseverance in the face of almost insurmountable odds should be a lesson to God's people. Centuries before Columbus, Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers:

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15:58.).

This stirring appeal of Paul to Christians everywhere (I Cor. 1:2), implies that there is a tendency to abandon the work of the Lord through discouragement or carelessness, for he pleads with us to be "steadfast," and "unmovable" -- not easily shaken, reminding us that our "labor is not in vain for the Lord."

How we need the exhortation!

We do not soon abandon our businesses or our homes. We work on in spite of difficulties and obstacles, and when the outlook is darkest we often toil the hardest. Sometimes our bodies suffer for it, but we do not immediately give up.

If this is so where our own affairs are concerned, how much more should it be so where the things of God and the needy multitudes about us are concerned! If it is so where temporal matters are concerned, how much more should it be so where eternity is involved!

Christians, let us awake! Let us "buy up the time!" Life is too short to fritter away the precious moments. Let us rather neglect our own affairs than to neglect the work of the Lord and the perishing souls about us.

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The Pauline Authority Of The Local Church
by Pastor Ricky Kurth

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19).


By the time the Lord spoke these words to Peter, He knew from the reaction of the religious leaders in Israel that they were not going to accept Him as their Messiah, but were rather going to kill Him. Hence we see Him here preparing for His death by giving Peter the power and authority to act in an official capacity in His absence. This power was then expanded to include a quorum of two of the twelve apostles (Matt. 18:18,19). We see the apostles exercising this authority in the early chapters of the Book of Acts.

However, the authority the Lord gave the twelve apostles had to do with authority in the “kingdom” church (Matt. 16:19), and we know that God interrupted the kingdom program after the stoning of Stephen. The Apostle Paul was then given the “authority” to act in an official capacity in the Lord’s absence during the dispensation of grace(II Cor. 10:8.). This authority was then passed on through Paul’s epistles to the local church. Note Paul’s words in I Corinthians 5:

“For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit,have judged already, as though I were present…”

“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together,and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor.5:3,4).

Here the Corinthians are assured that when they broke fellowship with the man living in open and unabashed sin (v. 1,2,13), they would be doing so in the “spirit” of the Apostle Paul. That is, they could be sure that the decision of their local church would carry with it his apostolic authority and “the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We see this principle again in II Corinthians 2:10:

“To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also; for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ.”

Here we find Paul claiming to be acting “in the person of Christ,” i.e., with His power and authority. And we also see him telling the Corinthians that when they acted, they acted in his authority, and in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All of this is especially significant when we remember that Paul says these words to the Corinthians, the most carnal church to whom he wrote. Thus we know that the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ today resides in the humblest local church that recognizes the authority of the Apostle Paul in the present dispensation.

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TRUE THANKSGIVING
by C. R. Stam


Many people entertain only vague notions about thanksgiving, just as they do about faith.

They confuse faith with optimism, will power, presumption, imagination, and all sorts of other things. A doctor tells his patient that but for his faith, he never would have come through his illness. Somehow the patient was "just sure" he would recover. A smiling mother encourages her married daughter to "have faith, that everything will turn out all right." But faith in God is believing God; believing what He has said. True faith is based on the written Word of God (See Rom. 10:17).

But unregenerate men have vague ideas about thanksgiving. A man escapes some great harm and thanks his "lucky stars." Another says: "I'm grateful for a healthy body," but to whom is he grateful? He doesn't say. In many cases it doesn't even occur to him to ask. He's "just thankful"!

How refreshing, then, it is to open our Bibles, especially to the Epistles of Paul, the chief of sinners, saved by grace, and to see him giving thanks for specific blessings, and to a specific Person -- God!

"Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet [fit] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:12,13).

"Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift!" (II Cor. 9:15).

"Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory!" (I Cor. 15:57).

"Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph!" (II Cor. 2:14).

 It is our prayer for all our readers that you may be especially thankful for "the gift of God [which] is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).

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Grace, And How This Affects Us
by Pastor C. R. Stam




      Ask the average believer what the Bible word “grace”means, and he will doubtless reply, “unmerited favor”.

Actually, however, grace is much more than this.

Subjectively, it is that loving attitude, or disposition, on God’s part, from which all His kindness toward us flows.

Objectively, it is all the kindness that flows from His love toward us.

Thus we read in Ephesians 2:2-6 that we were “the children of disobedience” and therefore “by nature the children of wrath, even as others”.


“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”



Note: This passage begins with those who were“children of disobedience” and “children of wrath”and, saving them “by grace,” gives them a position in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus!
God’s grace to us as sinners was great indeed, for:

“In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS [God's]GRACE.”

But now, having given us a position in His beloved Son, God’sgrace goes out to us in still greater measure.
Ephesians 1:6 declares that God has “made us accepted [Lit.,‘engraced us'] in the Beloved”.
Beholding us in Christ, God loves us and delights in us more than any father ever delighted in his son, or any grandfather in that precious grandchild.
Thus, while in Ephesians 1:7 we read that we have“redemption… the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”, in Ephesians 2:7 we see these riches of grace increased to us “exceedingly”, now that we occupy a position “in the Beloved”:

“That in the ages to come He might show THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE…”

How?

“…in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”!

What a prospect! Through the ages of eternity God will lavish His loving kindness upon us to demonstrate to all the universe “Will riches of His grace”!


“What a prospect, child of glory,
Doth the future hold in store!
By the wildest flights of fancy
Thou couldst never ask for more.
Heir of God; joint heir forever
With His own beloved Son
God could not to you have promised
More of bliss than He has done!”
-Author Unknown

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God Is Central
by Pastor C. R. Stam


       Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is the foundation book of Christian  theology. It brings us face to face with facts we ought to know and  must know to be saved.

 In the 16th and 17th verses of the first chapter, the apostle declares that he is proud of the gospel because therein the  "righteousness”, or  rightness of God is revealed.

 God had to deal righteously with sin before He could offer salvation to sinners. Sin is not merely an affliction; it is moral wrong and kindles the wrath of a just and holy God.

 The wrath of God is too little discussed by modern evangelists and preachers. They like to talk about the love and mercy of God, as  though He were a Grand Old Man with a tolerant attitude toward sin.  But they never fully appreciate His love and mercy because they do not  understand His infinite wrath against sin.

 Much evangelism today has become sort of a “try God”gimmick. The  pleasures of the world don’t satisfy? Try God. You can’t shake  off some terrible bondage? Try God. When all else fails, Try  God!

 But this humanistic approach is foreign to Scripture. God, His holiness, His wrath against sin and His love in providing  salvation— these are central in Scripture, not man and his  condition and his needs.

 We are not to look upon God as our servant, who will help us in time of need, but as the Holy One whose justice we have offended but who,  in infinite grace, paid for our sins Himself so that we might be redeemed. This is why the Epistle to the Romans begins its mighty  argument with almost three chapters on the subject of sin. Then  follows the Good News of God’s grace in settling the sin question so  that we might be“justified freely by His grace, through the  redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).

 And thus the same inspired writer declares in Ephesians 2:2-4 that we were “the children of disobedience” and therefore “the children of  wrath”, but then goes on to show “God, who is rich in mercy” and  “great” in “love”, saves believers by grace, giving them  eternal life in Christ, who died for our sins.

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FOR Our Inheritance in Christ
By John LaVier

The first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians is a most precious portion of the Word of God. In this chapter the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in all His grace and glory, and here also we learn something of the riches that are ours in Him.

After the apostolic greeting we read in verse 3 that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ. Then some of these blessings are enumerated. In Him we were chosen before the foundation of the world; in Him we have the place of sons; in Him we are accepted of the Father; in Him we have redemption by His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Finally in verse 11 we read, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance." And what an inheritance is this! An eternity of endless, fadeless glory!

"We have obtained an inheritance." Now how did we obtain this inheritance? It was not given as a prize, or as a reward for faithful service, nor because we were deserving in the least. It was all the free gift of God. Israel of old was given an inheritance, and that beautiful land flowing with milk and honey was a picture of our heavenly inheritance. Israel did not receive that inheritance because of any worthiness on their part. God told them that they were a disobedient and stiff-necked people, and warned them against thinking that any merit of theirs was responsible for the grant of the land. He said; "Speak not thou in thine heart, saying, For my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land ... Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go in to possess their land." (Deut. 9:4,5)

God brought Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, the wilderness, and over Jordan, and gave them the inheritance. They did not deserve it, but it was all His gift. So, like Israel's land, our heavenly inheritance is His gift to us, all according to the riches of His grace. We have not deserved it, nor earned it, nor suffered for it. He deserved it, He earned it, He suffered for it, and we have it in Him. To Him be the praise and the glory.

What a position is ours, in Him. What possessions are ours, in Him. We have obtained "the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory " (2 Tim 2:10). Wealth, riches, honor and glory will be ours throughout the oncoming ages. And yet, at very best, how little do we really know of all that is included in this most glorious inheritance. Three facts are known to us, though, but even these are beyond our power to fully comprehend. They are:


What Christ IS in glory, we shall be.
"When He shall appear, we shall be like Him."
"Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son."
What Christ HAS in glory, we shall have.
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."
WHERE Christ is in glory, we shall be.
"And so shall we ever be with the Lord." Child of God, think on these things. As the old world totters on the brink of disaster, as the darkness deepens and collapse approaches, how it should stabilize, strengthen, cheer and encourage us to meditate upon our inheritance in Christ our Lord.

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Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ (Part 1)
By Gregg Bing



"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."

These are the opening words of Paul's epistle to the Ephesians, words that are often taken for granted, but words that are of great importance if we are to understand the Scriptures and properly discern God's plan and purpose for believers in this present dispensation of grace.

Most believers make no distinction between Paul's ministry and that of the Twelve. They lump Paul's writings in with Peter's, John's, and even Jesus' earthly teaching, assuming they all teach basically the same thing and they are all written to us for our obedience. While some might think this would encourage unity among believers, it has resulted, instead, in unanswered questions, confusion, and disunity.

Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ, and while his ministry and apostleship were not the same as that of the Twelve, he was sent out in accordance with "the will of God." Believers who stress the importance of studying the writings and ministry of Paul are often criticized as being "Paulites," sometimes even accused of placing Paul above Christ. What these critics fail to see is: the unique nature of Paul's ministry and apostleship, the special revelation given to Paul by the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ, and the vital importance of Paul's writings for believers today. In order to understand the nature of Paul's apostleship, we will address three key questions: (1) How did Paul come to be an apostle? (2) What was Paul called to do? and (3) What was the nature of Paul's ministry?

Paul's Dramatic Conversion

Paul was originally known as Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:11, 21:39). His father was a Pharisee, one of Israel's religious leaders (Acts 23:6). Saul was, therefore, raised according to the strictest sect of the Jews' religion (Acts 26:5). He was trained in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most respected teachers of the law (Acts 22:3). As a student, Saul advanced in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries, "being exceedingly zealous for the traditions of the fathers" (Gal. 1:14). While Saul had a tremendous "zeal for God" (Acts 22:3), it was misplaced, for what he did, he did "ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Tim. 1:13).

We are introduced to Saul of Tarsus at the stoning of Stephen. Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, was falsely accused by the Jews of speaking against the temple and the law of Moses. Stephen was brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin and given an opportunity to defend himself against the charges. He used the time to witness to these Jewish leaders. At the close of his testimony, Stephen brought an indictment against the Jews, accusing them of resisting the witness of the Holy Spirit. By betraying and murdering the Lord Jesus, they had followed in the footsteps of their fathers, who killed the prophets God sent to them. The Jewish leaders were indignant, stopping up their ears and dragging Stephen outside to be stoned. The witnesses laid their coats down at the feet of the young man, Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58.), who was in complete agreement that Stephen should die (Acts 8:1).

Saul had a zeal for God, but, like the majority of the Jews of his day, it was "not according to knowledge." Saul, in his religious zeal, thought he could "establish his own righteousness" by keeping the traditions of the fathers, but he was "ignorant of God's righteousness" and refused to believe in God's righteous Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:1-4). Thus, Saul became the chief persecutor of the church, that is of all who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was Lord and Christ. Paul later would describe himself this way:

"Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities." (Acts 26:9-11)

It was while on the road to Damascus, where he intended to continue his persecution of Jesus' disciples, that the life of Saul of Tarsus was changed forever. As he neared the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice from heaven saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul answered, "Who are You, Lord?" and the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Saul, trembling and astonished, responded, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" (Acts 9:3-6)

What a tremendous conversion this was—a life completely turned around, and all because of God's marvelous grace. Saul was not seeking to know God through Christ, he was persecuting Him. Yet, when brought face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ, Saul came to see and believe that Jesus of Nazareth was truly Israel's Messiah, the very Lord of glory. Saul later wrote to Timothy and described it this way:

"And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life." (1 Timothy 1:14-16)

Saul's salvation serves as a pattern to all who will believe in the Lord Jesus as Savior. If God's grace could save Saul of Tarsus, after all the terrible sins he committed, it can save anyone, for "where sin abounded, grace abounded much more" (Rom. 5:20). Saul was saved when He heard the word of truth, from the Lord Jesus Himself, and believed it. It was not because of any goodness within him or because of any works of righteousness on his part (Titus 3:5), but by simple faith in God's Son (Eph. 2:8-9, John 3:16).

Saul, whom we will call Paul from this point on, was saved by God for a purpose, but his calling was distinct from that of those who were apostles before him. Next month, we will continue this study, looking at "Paul's Distinct Calling."

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Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ (Part 2)
By Gregg Bing

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."

Last time we began a brief study of the distinctive ministry and apostleship of Paul; a ministry that was clearly not the same as that of the twelve who were apostles before him. We looked at Paul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, where he was transformed by God's grace from the chief persecutor of the church to an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul was saved by God for a special purpose, but his calling was distinct from that of the Twelve.

Paul's Distinct Calling

In the first chapter of the book of Acts, the apostle Peter directed the apostles to select a replacement for Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus. They narrowed the candidates to two and then cast lots to select Matthias. There are some Bible teachers who believe Peter and the other apostles were wrong for doing this. They insist that Paul was God's choice to take Judas' place. Those who hold to this idea fail to see that Paul was called by God for a different purpose than that of the Twelve. Peter understood the number of these apostles must be raised back up to twelve because their ministry was to the twelve tribes of Israel. They began this ministry by going to the Jews in the homeland, starting in Jerusalem and Judea, the capital city and central region of the nation.

Paul was not called by God to take part in the ministry of the Twelve. While he certainly was called to testify before the children of Israel (Acts 9:15), his primary ministry was to be "a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles" (2 Tim. 1:11). At the time he was saved, this was something new, for up to this point the ministry both of the Lord Jesus and of His apostles had been limited to the Jews only. The only way a Gentile could come to God was as a proselyte, one who had adopted the Jews' religion through circumcision (Acts 2:10). Paul was separated by God for the express purpose of preaching Christ among the Gentiles (Gal. 1:15-16).

Since Paul's apostleship was something new, the message he was to preach did not originate with men. Paul wrote to the Galatians:

"But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Gal. 1:11-12)

After Paul was saved, he "did not immediately confer with flesh and blood" nor did he "go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles" before him. Instead, he went to Arabia and later returned to Damascus (Gal. 1:17). While Paul was in Arabia, God began to reveal His plan and purpose for Paul's ministry. God did not reveal everything to Paul at this time, for we know Paul received an abundance of revelations throughout his lifetime (2 Cor. 12:1-7). What is important to see is that Paul did not receive his calling and instructions from men, specifically not from the Twelve, but by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. I believe it is significant that the twelve apostles, who were sent to God's earthly people, Israel, received their calling and commission from the Lord Jesus while He was still here on earth. Whereas, Paul received his calling and commission from the Lord Jesus after He had already ascended back into heaven.

Paul did not visit Jerusalem until three years after he was saved. He met with Peter, but only remained with him for fifteen days. During this time, the only other apostle he saw was James, the Lord's brother (Gal. 1:18-19). While in Jerusalem, the Lord spoke to Paul as he was praying in the temple one day and told him, "Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me. ... Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles" (Acts 22:18,21). While the Twelve remained in Jerusalem, even after the persecution and scattering of the Jerusalem church that occurred after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1), the Lord sent Paul away from Jerusalem to minister, instead, to the Gentiles.

Paul spent the next ten years in the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and was "unknown by face" to the believing Jews in Judea. All they knew of Paul was that "he who formerly persecuted them, now preached the faith which he once tried to destroy," and for this, they glorified God (Gal. 1:21-24).

Paul and Barnabas, were then led to go to Antioch in Syria, which became their new home. After a year of ministry in Antioch, these two apostles were sent out by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word in Asia Minor (Acts 13). In each city they visited, they preached the Word first to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. Paul's ministry to the Gentiles was difficult for the Jews to understand and accept; not just for the unbelieving Jews, but for the believing Jews as well. When Paul and Barnabas returned from this first journey, certain Jews from Judea came to Antioch and insisted the Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the law in order to be saved, something that Paul and Barnabas strongly disputed (Acts 15:1-2). It was determined that Paul and Barnabas should go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to settle the issue. Luke's account in Acts chapter 15 seems to indicate that the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Acts 15:2-3), but when Paul related this same event to the Galatians, he said, "I went up by revelation." This statement indicates the Lord Jesus revealed to Paul that he was to go to Jerusalem. In this same passage, Paul gave the reason why the Lord sent him to Jerusalem:

"And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain." (Gal. 2:2)

This is another clear indication that Paul's ministry and apostleship, even the gospel he preached, were distinct from that of the Twelve. Many people have trouble accepting the idea that Paul was preaching a different gospel than the Twelve were preaching, but why would Paul need to communicate to them the gospel he preached among the Gentiles if it was the same one being preached by the Twelve to the Jews? The fact is, it was not the same gospel. Paul goes on to say:

"But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised." (Gal. 2:6-9)

"Those who seemed to be something" refers to those who had long had the reputation of being apostles and elders, the ones who currently held the leadership roles in the Jerusalem church (specifically James, who was the Lord's brother, Cephas or Peter, and John). Paul declared of these men: they "added nothing to me." Paul was not saying they were of no use to him or that he was, in any way, better than they were. He was simply indicating that, in regard to his own ministry, particularly the gospel he preached, these other apostles did not give him any revelation or direction. As Paul shared with these leaders of the Jerusalem church how God was working through him and Barnabas to reach the Gentiles for Christ, they recognized that Paul's ministry was genuinely of God. It became clear to them that the Lord had given Paul this gospel of grace to preach among the uncircumcised Gentiles, just as they had been given the gospel of the kingdom to preach among the Jews. From the testimony of Paul and Barnabas, it was evident that God was working through these new apostles, just as He was working through the Twelve, but clearly according to different callings. So, James, Peter, and John extended to Paul and Barnabas "the right hand of fellowship," agreeing that each should continue in the ministry God had sent them to do.

It is vital that we see and understand what James, Peter, and John came to see at the Jerusalem Council—that Paul was given a ministry and apostleship "by the will of God," but one that was distinct from their own.

We still need to take a closer look at the overall purpose and nature of Paul's ministry. For instance, while Paul was called of God to be the apostle to the Gentiles, he also had a ministry to the children of Israel. During the Acts period, Paul always went to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles. Why did God send Paul to the Jews first? What was the nature of his ministry to the children of Israel?

After the close of the book of Acts, Paul fully unveiled God's plan and purpose for a new body of believers, the Church, the Body of Christ, in which the distinction between Jew and Gentile has been removed. This is another aspect of Paul's apostleship that must be considered. Next month, we will continue this study, looking in more detail at "Paul's Diverse Commission."

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Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ (Part 3)
By Gregg Bing

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."

The last two months we have been looking at the ministry and apostleship of Paul, a ministry that was distinct from that of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus during His earthly ministry. We saw Paul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, and his distinct calling to be God's apostle to the Gentiles. We continue this month with:

Paul's Diverse Commission

What was the purpose and nature of Paul's commission? To answer this question, we must consider two different aspects to his ministry: 1) his ministry during the Acts period, and 2) his ministry after the close of the Acts period.

Paul's Acts Period Ministry The early chapters of the book of Acts record the ministry of Peter and the Twelve to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The majority of the Jews, led by their religious rulers, rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Jesus Christ, "crucifying again for themselves the Son of God, and putting Him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:6).

Things came to a head when Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, was falsely accused of blaspheming the temple and the law. During his defense before the Jewish Sanhedrin, Stephen accused the Jews of lawlessness in crucifying Jesus Christ and now resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51-53). When they heard this, these Jewish leaders were cut to the heart. They stopped their ears, cast Stephen out of the city and stoned him to death (Acts 7:54-60).

Those who stoned Stephen laid their coats down at the feet of Saul of Tarsus, a young man who became the chief persecutor of all who believed in Jesus as the Christ. A few years later, while traveling to Damascus to continue his persecution of "the Way," the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul and saved him by His grace. Saul was commissioned by the Lord for a new ministry: apostle to the Gentiles. The Lord told Ananias, "He (Saul) is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). The next twelve years of Saul's life were spent in preparation for this special apostleship. Then, in Acts 13, we read that Saul (who was also called Paul) and Barnabas were separated by the Holy Spirit for the work to which God had called them. While the first twelve chapters of Acts centers on the ministry of Peter and the Twelve, the remaining chapters are devoted to the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

Though Paul was called to be the apostle to the Gentiles (2 Tim. 1:11), during the Acts period he was sent to the Jew first. The ministry of Peter and the Twelve was limited to the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea; Paul was sent to the Jews of the dispersion who were scattered to "the uttermost parts of the earth." The nature and purpose of Paul's ministry to the Jews during this time is pictured in the first recorded miracle performed by Paul. Paul and Barnabas left Antioch and sailed to the island of Cyprus.

"Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord." (Acts 13:6-12)

Paul encountered a Jew named Bar-Jesus who was a sorcerer and a false prophet. He was with a Gentile named Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who desired to hear the Word of God. When the Jew withstood Paul and Barnabas, and then tried to turn the Gentile away from the faith, Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, pronounced blindness upon the Jew "for a time (season)." After seeing these things, the Gentile believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

These events give us a pattern for Paul's Acts period ministry to the Jew first, then the Gentile. Every time Paul visited a new city, he went to the Jews first, most often ministering to them in their synagogue. When the majority of the Jews of that city rejected and opposed Paul's ministry of the Word, Paul was used of God to pronounce spiritual blindness upon them. As was the case with Bar-Jesus, Israel's blindness was to be temporary, as Paul described it in Romans 11:25:

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in."

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Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ (Part 3) Continued
By Gregg Bing

Paul would then turn from the Jews to preach the Word of God to the Gentiles, who were more eager to receive it. This is why we find the qualification at the end of Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile)."

Though we see this same pattern in each city where Paul preached, there are three significant turning points recorded in the book of Acts. The first of these takes place at Antioch in Pisidia, which is in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). After Paul preached in the synagogue to the Jews, the next Sabbath, the whole city, including Gentiles, came together to hear the Word of God. When the Jews saw the multitudes,

"... they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth. Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:45-48.)

Paul's subsequent travels brought him further west to Corinth, a city of Greece. While there Paul "reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks (Gentiles)." When Silas and Timothy joined him there,

"Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (Acts 18:4-6)

The final turning point occurred in Rome, and is recorded in the final chapter of the book of Acts. Paul, a prisoner confined to house arrest and chained to a Roman soldier, could not go to the synagogue, so he called for the Jewish leaders at Rome to visit him.

"So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, Go to this people and say: Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" (Acts 28:23-28.)

This was clearly a significant turning point. Having preached the Word to the Jews at Rome, Paul had now taken God's message to the Jews in "the uttermost parts of the earth," and everywhere he had gone, a large majority of the Jews had rejected the truth. Paul's quote from Isaiah 6 looms as a final pronouncement of blindness upon the entire nation of Israel. It seems evident that at this point Israel, as a nation, was set aside by God. The promised earthly kingdom was no longer being offered; it was not even "at hand" any more. God's prophesied program for Israel was being postponed, at least "for a time."

Paul's public ministry to the Jews throughout the Acts period was limited to "no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles" (Acts 26:22-23). Even to the Jews in Rome, Paul "explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening" (Acts 28:23).

While God's purpose for Israel was clearly the subject of prophecy, God had another plan and purpose, a purpose which was ordained before the foundation of the world, but which had been kept secret from men of other ages (Eph. 3:9). This purpose was made known to Paul by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:3). There are mentions of this truth in Paul's earlier epistles, written during the Acts period (Rom. 16:25-26, 1 Cor. 2:6-8.), but now, with the setting aside of Israel in Acts 28, it was time to fully unveil this secret purpose of God. Paul, "the prisoner of the Lord," was led by the Holy Spirit to write letters to the saints at Ephesus, Philippi, and Colosse, as well as a letter to his friend, Philemon. In these "prison epistles" Paul made known the truth of the mystery of God's will (Eph. 1:9, 3:5).

Next we will continue this study by looking at "Paul's Post-Acts Ministry."

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Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ (Part 4)
By Gregg Bing

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."

In our last three issues we have studied the ministry and apostleship of Paul. We have looked at his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, his distinct calling to be God's apostle to the Gentiles, and his diverse commission. This commission began with Paul's ministry during the Acts period, which we reviewed last month, but after the close of the Acts period, we see another aspect of Paul's commission from the Lord.

Paul's Post-Acts Ministry

During the Acts period, Paul's ministry was to the Jew first; however, when the Jews rejected the Word of God spoken through Paul, he pronounced blindness upon them and turned to the Gentiles. The book of Acts closes with Paul's final pronouncement of blindness upon the nation of Israel.

"The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, saying, Go to this people and say: Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you will see, and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them. Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!" (Acts 28:25-28.)

This pronouncement marked God's setting aside of Israel as a nation and the postponement of His prophesied plans and purposes for them, particularly the promise of an earthly kingdom. While it is not directly stated in Scripture that Israel was set aside at this time, Paul's writings after this point clearly indicate this was the case.

From his prison house in Rome, Paul wrote letters to three churches: Ephesus, Philippi, and Colosse, as well as a letter to his friend, Philemon. In these "prison epistles" the Apostle Paul unveiled a new plan and purpose of God which was ordained before the foundation of the world, but kept secret from men of other ages. This truth was a mystery; it was hidden in God until it was given to Paul by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul made mention of this mystery in his earlier epistles, written during the Acts period (Rom. 16:25-26, 1 Cor. 2:6-8.), but the full revelation of the "mystery of God's will" is not found until we get to Paul's prison epistles, especially the books of Ephesians and Colossians (Eph. 3:1-9, Col. 1:24-29).

The mystery is that God is now calling out a new body of believers known as the Church, the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). This Church is primarily composed of Gentile believers (Eph. 3:1), because the majority of those in Israel had rejected the Lord Jesus Christ; a rejection that continues in the hearts of most Jews today. However, what is unique about this Church is that the difference between Jew and Gentile is completely done away with in God's eyes.

From the call of Abram in Genesis 12, God made a clear distinction between Israel, His chosen nation, and the rest of the nations (Gentiles). This distinction continued during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus (Matt. 15:21-28.) as well as throughout the Acts period. Even Paul's ministry during this period was "to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Gentile)" (Rom. 1:16). When Israel, as a nation, was set aside at the close of the Acts period, Paul revealed that this distinction between Jew and Gentile has been done away with in the Church, the Body of Christ. Paul described the Gentiles' past condition this way:

"Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." (Eph. 2:11-12)

What a terrible condition Gentiles were in: without Christ, separate from Israel, having no hope, and without God in the world. This was all changed through the cross of Christ!

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity." (Eph. 2:13-16)

Through the shedding of His blood, Christ broke down the middle wall of separation between Jew and Gentile, a wall erected by God and set forth in the Mosaic Law. The enmity that existed between Jew and Gentile was put to death, and Christ Himself became their peace. He brought these two separate groups together and made them one—a new man, created in Christ Jesus—one body of believers reconciled to God through the cross. The preposition used here is "through" the cross, not "at" the cross. The cross made it possible for Jew and Gentile to be brought together in this way, but this truth was not made known at that time. The formation of this new Church is the essence of the mystery revealed to and through the Apostle Paul.

The mystery also revealed that God is dealing with the Church under an entirely new dispensation—"the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph. 3:2). The word "dispensation" comes from the Greek word "oikonomia," which literally means "household law." It refers to the way in which a household is ordered and managed. Throughout history, God's dealings with mankind have consisted of a series of different dispensations; God has dealt with different groups of people (households) under different arrangements (laws).

Most of God's dealings with His earthly people Israel were under the dispensation of law. This law was given through Moses, God's steward or administrator at that time. The law specified God's requirements for His earthly people, the nation of Israel; it governed every aspect of their lives: their relationship with God, their worship, their walk, their purpose, and their hope. The dispensation of the grace of God was given to the Apostle Paul, who served as its steward or administrator, much as Moses did for Israel under the law. God's orders for men under the present dispensation of grace are vastly different from those who lived under the law. The law was given that men might know they were sinners and become guilty before God (Rom. 3:19-20). The law was a tutor or schoolmaster to "bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24). All the requirements of the law: its commandments, its judgments, and its ordinances, were merely a shadow of things to come. The substance, the reality of what was only pictured by the law, is found in Christ (Col. 2:14-17). In Christ, we are complete; nothing needs to be added to His finished work. This truth is a key part of the mystery given to Paul, as he states in Colossians 2:9-10:

"For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power."

No physical circumcision is needed today, because we are circumcised in Christ "with the circumcision made without hands," a spiritual circumcision that is of Christ, not of the law (Col. 2:11). No water baptism is needed today, because we are "buried with Him in baptism" and "raised with Him through faith in the working of God," (Col. 2:12) a spiritual baptism performed by God's Holy Spirit, not by some priest or preacher. Physical circumcision and water baptism were part of the law; but they were only a shadow of things to come. Why hold onto the shadow when we now have the reality in Christ?

Why is it so important to see the distinctive nature of Paul's apostleship and ministry? Because he is God's apostle to us today. Because he is God's steward to the Church during the present dispensation of grace. If we truly desire to know God's will for our lives today, we must see it can only be found in the writings of the Apostle Paul. This does not mean that we discard the rest of Scripture. Paul himself told Timothy:

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

Though all Scripture is written "for" us, "for our learning," not all Scripture is written directly "to" us, for our obedience. Paul also told Timothy:

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15)

If we want to find approval in God's eyes, and be workers who need not be ashamed before Him, we must "rightly divide the Word of truth." This means we must take note of the divisions God has placed in His Word; we must see the different dispensations (or dispensings) of God's will throughout the ages. In particular, it is vital that we heed His instructions to us during the present dispensation of God's grace. It is this dispensation that was given specifically to the Apostle Paul by God. That is why his apostleship, his ministry, and his writings are so important.

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WHOSE FAITH?
by Pastor Kerry Kinman


Does the faith which we exercise in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation come from us, or does it come from God? In our unsaved state, upon hearing the gospel, do we generate the faith to believe from within ourselves, or does God give us that faith?

As I recently studied through and taught the Book of Ephesians, the answer to these questions became very clear to me and I want to share it with you.

The correct answer is that God gives us the faith to believe the gospel. One proof for this is in correctly translating and understanding what is being said in Ephesians 2:8. With this in mind let us examine this verse in the light of the Greek text. The following would be a very literal translation of that text. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not out of you: the gift is of God."

The thing we want to look at for a clearer understanding of the verse is the word we have translated this. Let us ask ourselves what is the this that is the gift of God?

It is translated from the Greek word "rovro," which is a nominative or accusative, singular, neuter, demonstrative pronoun. As many have presupposed "rovro" does not have reference to the aspect of salvation alone in this verse, but clearly refers to the entire concept of the grace, the being saved, and the faith, all being the gift of God. We can know this by understanding how Paul uses this word "rovro" throughout all his writings.

He uses it most often to refer back to a grouping of nouns and verbs; i.e., to an entire concept. Occasionally he uses it to refer ahead to what he is going to say, as in the beginning of Ephesians 4:17. He rarely uses it to refer to a single word, but when he does, it will refer to a word of like case, number, and gender (i.e., nominative or accusative, singular, neuter).

In Ephesians 2:8, there is no word of like case, number, and gender. In fact, the noun forms of the three words preceding in the verse are all feminine in gender; namely, the grace, the salvation, and the faith. Is there a problem? No, not when we see "rovro" commonly used in this way throughout the New Testament.

For some examples of its predominate usage let us look at Ephesians 5:17. In verse 16, we are told that we should be "redeeming the time because the days are evil." Then beginning in verse 17, Paul says, "because of this [rovro], do not be unwise ones, but know what the will of the Lord is." Here "rovro" refers to the entire concept of verse 16.

Another instance is in Ephesians 6:1; "Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this [rovro] is right." Again, "rovro" is referring to the entire concept of children obeying their parents.

Lastly, let us examine its usage in Ephesians 6:13. In verse 12, Paul says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against world rulers of this darkness, against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies." Then beginning in verse 13, we read, "Because of this [rovro; i.e., all these things] take up the whole armour of God."

There are many more examples which we could look at, but from those already cited we can see that the word "rovro" is commonly used to refer back to a grouping of things or thoughts being spoken about. This is the way Paul has used it in Ephesians 2:8. In this verse, the grace, the salvation, and the faith, this (rovro) is the gift of God.

As we are told in Ephesians 2:1, we were dead in our trespasses and our sins. Dead persons can do nothing. They can make no responses and no decisions. As those being spiritually dead, God had to reach in to us to give us life. We could not reach out to Him (cf. John 6:44; Eph. 2:5). As those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) our salvation is totally the work of God. Even to the point of giving us the faith to believe (cf. Phil. 1:29). May the understanding of this truth give each of us great joy in our God, thanking Him only for the provisions He has made in effecting our eternal salvation.