I'm glad you asked...

Monday, July 25, 2011

God's Lie

Regarding the passages that say God will send a delusion to those who reject the truth, is this referring to the people of the dispensation of grace who don't receive grace and make it through the rapture being blinded and go into the period of tribulation? Or, is it referring to people in the tribulation period (before the Antichrist comes on the scene) that reject the message given by the 144,000 and the Little Flock?

The answer to your questions is yes and no. It refers to both!

God hates to have to send delusion, but when you reject his truth, he must do it, as it is a spiritual law! It is the natural result/consequence of rejecting his truth!

Galatians 6:7-8

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

However, today God's will is that all men be saved and come unto a knowledge of the truth...

1 Timothy 2:4

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Today, God is doing ALL that he can for people to believe!

But once this dispensation of Grace is done, although God will still share truth with people (through the Jews), he will not be so gracious, but rather he will put people back under the Law--a PERFORMANCE-based acceptance system--where they need to PERFORM to be accepted by him! But if you keep rejecting it today, the spiritual law of sowing and reaping applies and you harden your own heart!

In Second Thessalonians, Paul is not dealing with our present dispensation of Grace, but he is reminding the saints there of what he already taught them both when he was with them in person (Acts 17) and in his first letter to them, about what will happen in the future Day of the Lord's Wrath, that is, the Time of JACOB'S trouble, or Tribulation period!

He had already taught those saints what will happen in the future, that after we are gone to heaven in the rapture, God starts once again his prophetic clock and dealings with Israel!

So Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica (and, in so doing, to us saints today) to give understanding. As today, there was much confusion because the Thessalonians would not rightly divide God's word as Paul commanded, and therefore people got the timing of events all confused.

So the context and purpose of Second Thessalonians is to give saints in the Dispensation of Grace understanding of what will happen in the future "Day of the Lord's Wrath/Tribulation Period/Time of Jacob's trouble/Daniel's 70th week."

Here is what Paul says will happen...

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The immediate context is not talking about people who live in this present dispensation of the grace of God! Today, God is not trying to delude people into unbelief during this dispensation—although, again, he will do so once those people living in this dispensation go into the next one! No longer will he be so gracious. And even when he sends his word out to people in that day, if they reject it, he will make sure that they die in their sins, and he will do it by allowing super-natural manifestation by Satan to seal their damnation (perdition)!

So no, this passage from Second Thessalonians is not in reference for today in the dispensation of grace per se; it refers to the time to come after our dispensation—but with the one footnote that anybody who was exposed to a clear gospel of grace today, but did not believe, will have their fate sealed in the next!

So although the direct/ immediate context of the passage is the Tribulation period, it can also be applied to those today who reject the gospel of grace and are left behind at the rapture!

You see, if a person rejects Christ's shed blood for their sins today, God will not give them a "another chance" to trust him then in that future day!

Paul says that now is the accepted time! Paul says that now is the day of salvation!

2 Corinthians 6:2

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Plus, if you don't trust Christ as a gentile living in California or Minnesota (or anywhere else) in the dispensation of grace, where it is easy and simple for you—i.e., no works, how in the world will you do it in the tribulation period where works of the Jewish Law will be required, and going to Jerusalem, etc.? It will be impossible and God will make it so!

So the immediate/direct context of the passage is the future Prophetic time, but the "spiritual application" can and will be done to those who live today in the present dispensation of grace but have rejected the gospel of God's grace and are left behind at the Rapture, and go through that prophetic time in the future!

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Hopefully this helps!

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Our 'Go-Between'

I have heard preachers preach that Christ is our High Priest. But it does not appear that Christ is our high priest, for the Christian needs no high priest. Is this true?

Great question about the subject of the High Priest. And yes, you are right.

I am sure that the concept of Christ being our High Priest (for believers in the church today) stems first and foremost from a failure to rightly divide the Word of truth as our Apostle commands us in 2 Timothy 2:15. When one does not understand Paul's doctrine, and mixes it with the doctrine for the Hebrew people of time past and the ages to come, one will be thoroughly confused about this subject (and all other subjects as well)!

The book of Hebrews lays out the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is Israel's High Priest. His High Priestly role is to the Nation of Israel (typified by Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament). The High Priest was the only one who was ordained to go before God into the Holiest of Holies, or the Holiest All, and approach Him. The High Priest went to offer the blood of the covenant on behalf of the people of Israel. The book of Hebrews (for the Hebrew people) explains how this type/shadow was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our Apostle Paul never refers to our Lord Jesus Christ as our High Priest because that is not the role that he plays for the church the Body of Christ. Christ is our Head, and we are His Body. Therefore, our Lord does not serve that purpose to the believer today! We as gentiles were "strangers" from the covenants of promise, and the covenants belonged to Israel only.

Ephesians 2:11-12

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Psalm 147:19-20

He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.

Romans 9:4

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

So he cannot be operating as our High Priest because we don't have one! God deals with us on the basis of his pure grace!

Lastly, the only verses that I have found in Paul's epistles that would even come close to suggesting anything similar to a priestly role by definition would be...

1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

A mediator is a "go between." And, technically, a priest is a go between God and men. But even if one used this verse to show Christ somehow had a priestly role in our lives today as believers, Paul never uses the word priest, and also this is in reference to the lost, and not to us saved in the context!

Another passage that might be used is from Romans…

Romans 8:34

Who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died , yea rather , that is risen again , who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Again, here Paul says that our Lord makes "intercession" for us believers, and intercession is part of the role of a priest. But again, Paul NEVER refers to him as our priest, and he also mentions earlier in the chapter that the Holy Ghost also makes intercession for us, as well. So if someone uses certain verses to say that our Lord is our High Priest, then the same must be said about God the Holy Ghost, but scripture never says that.

Romans 8:27

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

So, to call our Lord our High Priest is not what the scriptures testifies to, therefore we cannot make that assertion either!

In closing, here's an interesting thought to consider…

If I were to point out a High Priest for the believer, it would not be our Lord, but it would be Paul our Apostle!

Romans 15:16

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Here Paul uses terminology about himself that is also used of the priest in the bible. Words like "ministering," "the offering up" of the gentiles, etc.

Interesting that God uses these words in reference to our Apostle, is it not? Clear indication that he is magnifying Paul's office like he said in Romans.

Romans 11:13

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

But because the issue of a priest is NOT mentioned by Paul in any way in his epistles, then it is not the issue with us today! We lack nothing in Christ.

Colossians 2:10

And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Priests were part of Israel's covenant with God and we have no covenant—we have pure GRACE! We already have access to the Father IN CHRIST! Amen...praise the Lord!

Hopefully this helps!

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Son of Perdition

Because Jesus said "Have not I chosen you 12 and one of you is a devil" and when he [Judas] hung himself he went to "his own place," do you think he is the Antichrist or the king of the Bottomless Pit?

Yes, I DO believe that he (his soul) will be in the Antichrist's body in the second half of the Tribulation period! Judas went to his "own place" per Peter in Acts 1, and he is called by our Lord the "son of perdition" in the book of John.

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.

John 17:12

While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

In the 2nd half of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will also be called, "the son of perdition." So comparing scripture with scripture, and knowing that at the same time, the "man of sin" (the name for the Antichrist as given to us by our apostle, Paul)—as far as the 1st half of the Tribulation period is concerned—will die of a deadly head wound, but then "come back to life," I believe that that will be Judas' soul.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

So the Antichrist, in the 2nd half of the Tribulation period, will be made up of the man of sin's BODY, and Judas' SOUL, and Satan's SPIRIT (as Satan will be kicked out of Heaven by Michael the Arch Angel and his forces in the middle of the Tribulation period).

Revelation 12:7-9

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

So in the 1st half of the Trib, the Antichrist will be a "regular" human being, but in the middle of it, after the "human" dies, he will be a trichotomy—spirit, soul and body (like as in 1 Thessalonians 5:22), made up of Satan's spirit, Judas' soul, and the "Man of Sin's" human body.

Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Dear Reader...

Thank you for stopping by. If you possess an inquiring mind and sincere desire to learn and understand the holy scriptures, you have come to the right place. We encourage you to take advantage of the many questions and answers available in this blog, along with resources offered on the sidebar. Up until this time, posts have been on a daily basis. Now that there is much available to read and consider, postings will be less frequent, giving you opportunity to study out various topics for yourself.

2 Corinthians 1:24

Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

It is our hope that you will do so often, so as to enjoy and feast upon the Sound Doctrine necessary for the growth and development (edification) of a believer as a member of the Body of Christ.

Titus 2:1; 2 Timothy 4:3

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: For the time will come [and now is] when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers [of the Law, rather than Grace*], having itching ears;

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

1 Timothy 1:4

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

Furthermore, it is our hope that as you read and consider the words of God (presented exclusively from the Authorized Version) given to our apostle, Paul, for gentiles in this present dispensation of the grace of God, that you will receive this Pauline viewpoint and check for yourself to see whether these things are so.

Romans 3:4

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

2 Timothy 2:7

Consider what I [Paul] say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Acts 17:11

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which…

The more you consider—think about—the Words of God with a sincere heart, from a Pauline dispensational perspective, you will find the scriptures open up like never before and His Words will

… effectually worketh also in you that believe.

In closing, our prayer is…

…to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet 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: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: [Colossians 1:9-14]

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In His Service,

HEDIED4UNME, blog master

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* Grace versus Law

The Law says: DO!!!

In order to please God in times past and in the ages to come, the requirement is and will be to believe God’s word AND do the works…as proof of one’s faith.

Grace says: DONE!!!

But now, the requirement is to believe God’s word—period!! ...as proof of one’s faith.

Ephesians 2:13

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

G-R-A-C-E is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

John 19:30

…he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost

1 Corinthians 15:3,4

For I [Paul , the apostle to the nations] delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that 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:

1 Thessalonians 4: 13-15

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren…For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again…For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord…

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Opinionated bibles

I just bought a new study bible and I wanted to get your opinion on something.

I was reading in Acts 15:1...

And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.

Here is what was written regarding that verse:

"During the early decades of the church, some professing Jews who had lived under Judaism disrupted the church by saying that no one could be saved apart from the Law and especially circumcision. These Judaizers came from Jerusalem proclaiming their message. The message of salvation involving works is as old as the need of salvation itself. Jesus and the apostles clearly teach that salvation is by God's grace through faith alone."

When they say "Jesus and the apostles clearly teach that salvation is by God's grace through faith alone," I am not sure whether I should keep this bible.

My opinion is that you do not get rid of that bible—unless you are fully persuaded in your own mind to do so. I say that because as long as it is a KJV bible, the text of it is profitable, even though most of the study notes are not!

That is the problem with study bibles, there are none containing notes from a Pauline dispensational distinction, and therefore most of the notes that are in them are from so-called bible "scholars" who do not rightly divide God's Word. I say “most of the notes” are useless because just like a broken clock is right twice a day, every once in a while those who wrote those notes get something right, although it is few and far between.

So if you do happen to keep it and read their notes, just take them with a grain of salt, and definitely dismiss their arguments as you did in your question, when they go against the rightly divided truth and the Pauline grace message. As you so aptly pointed out, they are actually saying the exact opposite of what the Lord and his apostles told Israel about salvation!

Matthew 19:16,17

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

So in summation, I would say keep the bible because God's words are always profitable and every once in awhile one of the notes might help, but for the most part, ignore what they write and just stick to the rightly divided word. But as long as you have a Pauline understanding of the Word, you are far more knowledgeable than any of those so-called bible "scholars!" That was how you were able to discern their error.

2 Timothy 2:7

Consider what I [Paul] say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

On a personal note, I choose to study and preach out of a bible without some guy's study notes for all the above reasons, as I do not want to be influenced negatively. But, I do still have and, periodically, look at another bible of mine which is a study bible just to get further information regarding certain dates, historical geography, or topography of the bible lands, etc.

Hopefully this helps!

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Law used lawfully

I don't really understand why one would use the Ten Commandments while witnessing. After all, they were not given to all nations, just the nation of Israel. Now that Jesus paid for all the sin of the world when he was on the cross, Sin has been dealt with and is no longer the issue. One is judged by God solely on whether they believe Paul’s gospel [1Corinthians 15:3-4]. Why would a believer want to put on a gentile something that doesn't belong to him in the first place (i.e., the Ten Commandments)?

Why do I use the Law (10 commandments...the "moral" part of Moses' law) when dealing with a lost person? Because our Apostle Paul says that that is what we should use it for, and he did it himself!

In 1 Timothy 1, our Apostle tells Timothy that God gave the law, not to be put on the "a righteous man," that is, a believer/saint, but to use it to condenm a sinner!

1 Timothy 1:8-11

But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

Here the Apostle tells Tim to use the law to condemn the lost. Why? So that they may know for sure that they were lost sinners who need a Saviour!

Paul knew that until a person knew that they were lost (i.e., that their "works" were not good enough to earn them heaven), that they would think that they were okay.

Just because you tell someone the gospel from 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, that Christ died for their sins, doesn't mean that they will truly, and fully understand their sinfulness!

You need to explain to them what sin is. You need to define sin to their understanding, and the penalty of it! And the only way to do that is to use the bible, particularly, the law/10 commandments.

So Paul says that the lawful use of the law is to condemn people.

Remember, the reason that Paul calls his message the "Gospel" is because the word gospel means "good news." Why did God call it "good news"? Because there was some "bad news"—man is separated from God because of sin, and when sharing the gospel, you have to define sin to them! That is where the Law comes in. So, in order for you to explain to a person just exactly what sin is, you have to use the Law.

The bible defines "sin" it is defined as breaking the Law of God. Look what John tells the nation of Israel..

1 John 3:4

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Why did I start with Israel? Because they had God's word first! Paul would say to the "Jew first, and also to the Gentile." Just because Israel had God's written word first, did not mean that God did not desire the gentiles to have it as well, and the gentiles did know about God's word because Jews were scattered among them, although the Law was written to Israel. There were all types of gentiles in the synagogues (proselytes), so God's word was all around the then known world, just like it is today...

Acts 15:21

For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

So just like in Paul's day, even heathens around us today know that adultery, murder, lying, etc. is wrong!

Romans 1:32

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Look what Paul says about the Law and why he gave it to Israel first...

Romans 3:19-20

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law [Israel]: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [both Jew and Gentile] may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Paul goes on to say that without the law, we cannot know sin...

Romans 7:7

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

God, thru Israel's scriptures, and now thru Paul's epistles makes his righteousness thru the Law of Moses clear to everyone on earth today!

But what about when Paul says that the gentiles "had not the law?"

He says that although they did not have God's written Law like Israel, God did give it to them in their hearts/inner man! (Remember that all sons and daughters of Adam now have a "knowledge of good and evil" because our father ate of that sinful tree. For example, when a child lies or steals, or cheats on a test, no one has to tell them to hide it or feel ashamed because they feel that way naturally!)...

Romans 2:14-15

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

In fact, there is not an area on earth that does not know of God's standard of righteouesness in their culture! Why? Because God, in and thru his divine Providence wants all men to know! But he won't just use their conscience...he will also send someone to give them His word. He wants their sin to be "exceedingly sinful." He wants them to know for sure!

Romans 7:12-13

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

In Acts 17, our Apostle in sent by God to some ignorant heathens to tell them about their sin problem...

Acts 17:22-31

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

He goes on to talk to more heathen later in chapter 24, and reasons with them of God's righteous standard in the Law...

Acts 24:25

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

So in conclusion, yes, God originally gave his written law to Israel, to show them that they were sinners, and needed a Saviour. But He also got his word out among the gentiles thru Israel. And the past almost 2,000 years us gentiles have had access to God's entire written word (all 66 books) so that we may all be without excuse and know about His righteousness!

Today, in our modern world, with T.V., internet, news, etc., hardly anyone on earth does not have access to God's word. And even that .00001% of heathen that might not, we can trust our righteous, holy, just God to deal with them justly can't we?

Genesis 18:25

…Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

So our job is to get the gospel of Grace out so that people can get saved!

2 Timothy 2:2

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

But to get saved, they must first know that they are lost. That is why Paul says to use the law to condemn them, so that the "good news" can be that much more glorious!

Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!

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