THE WAR IN HEAVEN AND OUR HEAVENLY VOCATION
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the...
Read MoreDOES GOD BLESS THE BELIEVER WITH MATERIAL THINGS TODAY PT.1
I understand the issue of us being ‘blessed’ by God in this present dispensation of His grace to be sort of like the counterpart to the issue of chastening in this dispensation; or the ‘flip side’ of the same sonship coin, so to speak. And so just as I understand that chastening in this present dispensation is of the ‘sonship variety,’ and as such differs from the physical, circumstantial type chastening of childhood common in God’s program with Israel, so also do I understand the same to be the case with God’s blessing. It too differs from the physical, material, and circumstantial type blessings of childhood common in God’s program with Israel. Therefore, we have ‘sonship blessing’ today, if I can put it that way, in contrast to ‘childhood blessing.’ And since...
Read MoreDOES GOD CHASTIZE THE SAINTS TODAY?
First of all in my understanding the issue of chastisement is easy to understand, appreciate, and recognize, when we are in God’s program and dealings with Israel; especially in the “time past” portion of Israel’s program. As passages like Leviticus 26 set forth, God’s chastisement of them was a natural part of the contracted curses and punishments of the Law contract. Since Israel opted to be dealt with by God on the basis of their works, and hence receive from His Justice what their works merited, their failure to produce the righteousness of the Law merited the specific physical and circumstantial punishments of chastisement that are set forth and delineated in the Law. Therefore physical and circumstantial chastisement in God’s program with Israel was a...
Read MoreGODLY PROSPERITY?/DOES GOD BLESS THE BELIEVER WITH MATERIAL THINGS TODAY 2
1Co 16:1 now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 1Co 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. As this world’s economic problems grow worse, there also comes the desire for most to find a divine intervention into their financial woes. Whether the person is Christian or not, there is a belief system that would lead the believers to assume that God will ‘find a way’ to make things financially right in their lives, this type of doctrine is preached with the understanding that God blesses His people financially when they call upon Him in their time of need. This type of blessing is what the...
Read MoreWHY WE ARE CALLED CHRISTIANS
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. The purpose of this study is so that a firm understanding can be achieved concerning why we as members of the body of Christ are called Christians today. Acts chapter 11 verse 26 is where we first come across the word ‘Christians,’ also in chapters 10 and 11 is where God reveals to Israel the issue that He was making a dispensational change in His dealings with all mankind. Act 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning....
Read MoreWHAT IS THE MEANING OF “THE LAW OF CHRIST”?
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Briefly stated, my understanding is that in view of the corrective doctrine that Paul has set forth in the first 4 chapters of Galatians, (which is designed to effectually remedy the corruptive effects of the ‘bewitching’ doctrine that removed them from the truth of “the gospel of Christ” and from the truth of who God has made them to be “in Christ”), beginning in 5:1 and to the end of the epistle Paul now charges these...
Read MoreUNDERSTANDING ROMANS 12 THROUGH 16
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. The doctrine found within Romans chapters 12 through 16 is essential for the son’s growth in ‘getting off on the right foot’ in his sonship education. The apostle Paul as our father...
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