Defining and Defending the Church (Audio & Outline)

Defining and Defending the Church
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                  Defining and Defending the Church

“…and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church:”

                   -Colossians 1:24

1.) Defining the Church

· What is the church? 

· Colossians 1:24- We see that the church today is defined as “His (Christ’s) Body.”

· Ephesians 5:28-32- This section of scripture is often confined to “just” marriage between man and woman, but marriage is a God designed picture of the communion between man and God, via the Body of Christ. (Flesh of His Flesh)

· Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:20- Many Members in this One Body.

· 1 Timothy 3:15- House of God, God’s Church, Pillar & Ground of Truth

· Seeing that the church is literally a spiritual establishment of God, we should find ourselves diligently defending and serving in Christ’s Body.

2.) Function of the Church

· Why do we meet? What is the hopeful outcome?

· Ephesians 4:12-14- Perfecting(Maturing) of the Saints, Ministry Work, Edifying(Building and Strengthening) of the Body of Christ

· Colossians 1:9-11- Filled with Knowledge of God’s Will, Wisdom, Spiritual Understanding(1 Cor. 3:1), Walk Worthy  of the Lord (Pleasing Romans 12:1-2), Fruitful in Every Good Work(Eph. 2:10), Increasing in Knowledge (Col. 1:28), Strengthened with all Might (Eph. 6:10), Patience-Longseffering-Joyfulness (Philippians 4:13)

3.) Doctrine of the Church

· What sets us apart from other “churches?” 

· Location-Col. 4:15, 1 Cor. 3:16, Eph. 2:21-23 Church is not a building. We are the temple; we are the Church. We understand who we are; our identity.

· Pillar and Ground of Truth- Salvation and Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4, Romans 4:25, Eph. 1:13), Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth(2 Tim. 2:15-16), Fellowship of the Mystery (Eph. 3:9), Mature in Right Doctrine (Eph. 4:12-14), Baptized into Christ; into One Body (Rom. 6:3-4, 1 Cor. 12:12-13), Rooted in Christ over Worldly Tradition(Col. 2:6-8) Pillars and the ground are SOLID. 

· No Other Doctrine- This is where defense comes in. 

1 Timothy 1:3-7- “charge some that they teach no other doctrine”

2 Timothy 1:13- “Hold fast to the form of sound words”

2 Timothy 2:2- “Commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

· Paul uses the word “Doctrine” at least 23 times in his 13 epistles; an estimated 56 times in all of scripture. How important is doctrine in the dispensation of grace?

Water Baptism is not the ONLY BAPTISM, nor is it the One Baptism of Eph. 4:5

Baptism does not necessarily imply "WATER" baptism.

As stated earlier, the word "baptism" does not always refer to "water" baptism, or even to the "Holy Ghost baptism" that the apostles experienced in Acts chapter 2 (when they spoke with other tongues). If we fail to understand this, we may read "water" into passages in which water baptism is not even implied. For example, some time after His baptism by John in the Jordan river, the Lord Jesus mentioned a still future baptism that He was to endure, in Luke12:50 -

But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Water clearly played no part in this upcoming baptism of the Lord, since He had already been baptized with water in the Jordan river (Luke 3:21). Instead, He was referring here to His impending baptism into death upon the cross. Today, Christians are likewise baptized into Christ's death when they believe (Ro.6:3-5), with water being unnecessary for this to occur.

Far too many people, however, read "water" into many baptismal passages that actually have no connection with water. As a result, the doctrine ofwater baptism has actually created numerous divisions among Christians today. Different denominations, in fact, even require different methods of water baptism, for many different reasons. Some churches insist that only believers who are baptized by their particular denomination can be saved, while others contend that water baptism in any church is necessary. Still others maintain that water baptism is only required for membership in their specific denomination, but is not necessary for salvation. Even this last opinion, though, motivates these churches to deny membership to Christians who are admittedly saved. In turn, such attitudes imply that noChristian is "good enough" to join these churches, without first submitting to water baptism by one oftheir ordained ministers.

In addition, as mentioned earlier, there are also those who teach that water baptism is the "seal", or the "token", of the new covenant, replacing circumcision as the "token" of the old covenant. Such a teaching, though, is not even a scriptural teaching, in the first place. There is absolutely no scriptural basis for such a claim. Although circumcision was indeed "a token of the covenant" between Abraham and God (Gen.17:11), baptism was never a "token" or a "seal" of anything.

Moreover, there is even much disagreement over which method of water baptism should be used today, as well. Should the church merely sprinkle with water, or totally immerse; should it baptize only once "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost", or baptize three separate times? Some, indeed, even teach that none of these questions really matter at all, as long as the believer is baptized in water "as a public profession of faith" (which is yet another unscriptural claim). As a result, confusion and controversy reign supreme today over the doctrine of water baptism.

By contrast, Paul instructs us to be unifiedconcerning baptism, as in Ephesians 4:3-6 -

3: Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

While few Christians disagree concerning the "one body" or the "one Spirit" of verse 4, there is much disagreement over which type of baptism is referred to in verse 5. Some dispensationalists believe that the "one baptism" mentioned here iswater baptism by an ordained minister, while others (this writer included) assert that this is a reference to the Holy Spirit baptizing all believers into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13; see below). This is because there is one baptism for today, according to Eph.4:5, and not two baptisms (water baptism and Spirit baptism). 

If we truly wish to strive for unity, then, as Paul instructs us to do in this passage, we must first identify exactly which baptism he is referring to in Eph.4:5. If water baptism is truly the one baptism for today, then we should indeed promote water baptism among all churches and denominations today. Yet in view of the many divisions it has caused, it should be obvious to even the most tradition-minded Christian that the issue of water baptism has actually separated far more Christians than it has unified. It would therefore be highly unlikely that the "one baptism" of Eph.4:5 could be water baptism, for the simple reason that Christians today cannot even decide among themselves as to the purpose or method of water baptism.

There is, however, another passage almost identical to Eph.4:3-6, in which Paul again addresses the doctrine of baptism along with the unity of the body of Christ. Today, we are all baptized by the Spirit if God into the body of Christ, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 -

12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14: For the body is not one member, but many.

Notice especially Paul's statement in verse 13 that the Spirit baptizes all believers into one body (the body of Christ). This baptism occurs the instant we are saved, and does not depend upon water in any form or fashion. The moment we believe, the Spirit of God then baptizes us into the body of Christ. By comparing the above passage with Eph.4:5, we can readily see that the context is exactly the same: The unity of the body of Christ is the key issue in both passages. We should therefore expect the context to remain the same concerning the issue of baptism, as well. 

Comparing both of the above passages side-by-side, then, it should become evident that the baptism by the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:13) is exactly the same as the one baptism of Eph.4:5 -

1 Cor. 12: 12 - 14Eph 4: 3 - 612: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14: For the body is not one member, but many.3: Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5: One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.


Since Paul states in 1 Cor.12:13 that the Spirit of God baptizes us all into one body, and he states in Eph.4:5 that there is onebaptism, then the "one baptism" of Eph.4:5 must be the same baptism by the Spirit that he mentions in 1Cor.12:13. Neither passage, then, can be a reference to waterbaptism, unless there really is more than one baptism in effect for today. Indeed, ifthe baptism of 1Cor.12:13 (by one Spirit into one body) was a reference to water baptism, then in view of Eph.4:5, there would be no margin for the Holy Spirit to baptize us into the body of Christ.

So the baptism by the Spirit into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13) must be the same as theone baptism of Eph.4:5, and neither baptism requires water. Otherwise, there would indeed be more than one baptism. Of course, some believers try to read water into the one baptism of Eph.4:5 anyway, by interpreting the passage to mean that there is only one "physical" baptism, which (they claim) is water baptism. The problem with such an interpretation, though, is the simple fact that there is nothing else physical in this passage. Consequently, why should baptism be the one physical exception? Paul writes that there is one body (aspiritual body, which is the body of Christ), one Spirit (obviously not physical), one hope(not physical; see Ro.8:24-25), one Lord(Who is no longer physical; see 1Cor.15:42-50), one faith (faith is not physical), and oneGod (God is a Spirit; John 4:24). Accordingly, why would Paul "really mean" there is only one "physical" baptism in Eph.4:3-6, when everything else in the passage is non-physical?

In view of Eph.4:5, then, since the practice of water baptism only adds another baptism to the one baptism by the Spirit into one body, there is little wonder why so many Christians today disagree over the "true purpose" of water baptism. As stated earlier, even though the Lord required believers in Israel to be baptized in water at one time (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38), that baptism was in preparation for their future inheritance as a kingdom of priests (as we shall later see in detail). So unless a passage contains an obvious reference to water (such as a commandment to be baptized), we should never be too quick to read "water" into any passage concerning baptism. Otherwise, as the previous example illustrates, we will end up reading "water" into passages in which waterbaptism is not even implied. This is especially true concerning passages that pertain to our baptism into Christ, such asGalatians 3:26-28 -

26: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

The above passage cannot be a reference to "water" baptism, unless water baptism places us "into Christ". Instead, since we are all one in Christ Jesus (verse 28), Paul is again associating this baptism with unity, just as he did in 1Cor.12:13 and Eph.4:5. 

In fact, if Gal.3:27 above was a reference towater baptism, this would actually make water baptism a requirement for salvation, for one simple reason: According to verse 28, since we are all "in Christ Jesus", we first had to be baptized into Christ. However, if water baptism actually placed us "into Christ", then we could not be "in Christ" unless we were first baptized in water.

Thus, if Gal.2:26-28 is a reference to "water" baptism, the problem becomes obvious: If we must be baptized with water in order to be "in Christ" (and therefore to be saved), which church actually has the God-given authority to perform this baptism? Do we need to be baptized by the Methodists, or by the Baptists, or by the Church of Christ, or by the Mormons, or by the Jehovah's Witnesses? Suddenly, even our church affiliation is no longer a simple matter of personal belief. Instead, if we have been baptized by the wrong denomination, or if our church has mistakenly prescribed the wrong method of water baptism, we can no longer be assured of the fact that we can be saved at all. As a result, Gal.3:26-28, Eph.4:5, and 1Cor.12:13 must all refer to theone baptism by the Spirit into the body of Christ, and cannot refer to water baptism.

In addition, Paul's epistles contain even more passages which show that our baptism into Christ occurs without water, such as Romans 6:3-6 -

3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Once again, water should never be associated with this baptism. Instead, our baptism into Christ (verse 3) agrees with Gal.3:27 (we who have been baptized intoChrist have put on Christ), as well as with 1Cor.12:13 (by one Spirit are we all baptizedinto one body). Again, if the above passage was actually a reference to water baptism, then we could not "walk in newness of life" (verse 4) without first being "buried with him by [water] baptism into death".

Since we are therefore "buried" with Christ by baptism (Ro.6:4 above), we are likewiserisen with Him in this same baptism, as Paul also explains in Colossians 2:10-13 -

10: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Again, according to verse 12 above, we are "buried with" Christ in baptism, just as Paul also states in Ro.6:4 ("we are buried with him by baptism into death"). Since we are also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands (verse 11, above), then our burial with Christ "in baptism" (verse 12) also occurs without water, as well. (after all, if we can be circumcised without hands, then why can't we likewise be baptized without water into the body of Christ?) The above passage, then, which concerns our burial with Christ "in baptism", parallels our burial with Christ "by baptism into death" of Ro.6:4, and neither baptism should be associated with water.

In addition, Paul's above statement that ourcircumcision is made without hands indicates that our flesh has now been cut away. This "circumcision" is evident from other passages, as well. For instance, Paul states that we "were" (past tense) "in the flesh", in Ro.7:5 -

For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

According to this passage, since Paul states that we were "in the flesh", then we must no longer be "in the flesh". This means that our "circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Col.2:11) is the result of the fact that we are no longer "in the flesh", as in the above passage. So, our burial with Christ in baptism (Ro.6:4; Col.2:12) could not occurwithout this "circumcision made without hands", even though it does occur without the presence of water

Finally, concerning our circumcision of Col.2:11 that is "made without hands", Paul again states that we are "not in the flesh" inRo.8:9 -

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Accordingly, since Paul states here in the book of Romans that we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, and we are also baptized by Spirit into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13), then our baptism "into Jesus Christ" (Ro.6:3) must occur in conjunction with the circumcision that is made without hands (Col.2:11). And again, since we are circumcised without hands, we can certainly be baptized into the body of Christ without getting wet, as well.

To conclude this section, then, since we arecomplete in Christ (Col.2:10), there is nothing that can make us any more complete in Christ (not even water baptism). Yet if we had to submit to water baptism in order to be complete in Christ, then water baptism would be necessary for salvation, as well. Otherwise, we could never be "complete" in Christ without first being baptized in water. And again, if this was the case, the question would arise as to which church has the God-given authority to baptize. So because there is one baptism (Eph.4:5), water baptism should never be associated with the above passages. Just as the Lord Jesus Christ was Himself baptized into death upon the cross (Luke 12:50), we are likewise baptized by the Spirit into Christ's death (Ro.6:3; Col.2:12), and therefore into the body of Christ (1Cor.12:13). Since our circumcision and our baptism are accomplished without hands or water, we can understand why water plays no role in any of these baptismal passages. However, if we attempt to read water into the above passages, we are then adding another baptism to the one baptism of Eph.4:5. 

(Not my work... this is the writing of an anonymous author; I do, however, fully agree with the content.)

Should Christians ___________?

One of the mist prevalent questions among younger believers, or even individuals studying out to see if the "Christian Life" is for them is, "Is it okay for a Christian to___________(you fill in the blank with whatever you want)?" Isn't it strange that even in the midst of our new Identity,  we in our flesh desire to see how many things we can still do like our old man (carnal flesh; lost state), while still living in the spirtual position of the new man. I try to steer clear of these type of questions,  mostly because they are a spiritually ignorant question coming from a babe in the faith. It's not really about what we can or cannot do, but more importantly,  why we do what we do.  It is a true statement that we have liberty in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:17 
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

As saved individuals,  we have the liberty to many things that the Mosaic Law would not permit. Our food selections are open for our choosing, where we live,  who we associate with, how we wear our hair, how we dress.... Even certain holidays if we choose. We are not tied to a certain day in which we must worship. We can sing spiritual songs and hymns with or without musical instruments and even own and eat pigs.

We have so much freedom in comparison to those who were tied, by covenant,  to the law of Moses. So how should we exercise these freedoms? I will mention that sin is sin. Let us not confuse freedoms with blatant disregard of listed sins we find all through out the grace dispensation's epistles; there are many parts of the law (The Thou Shalt Not ' s of the 10 Commandments; minus the sabbath day) that we definitely need to abstain from practicing in our flesh and even hearts. So, what is a good way to, not only limit, but bring "our bodies into submission(1 Cor. 9:27)?"
We find a good outline in Galatians 5:

Galatians 5:13 
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Our Christian liberties should be used as a diving board to cannon ball ourselves into the pool of service to one another. In 1 Corinthians 6:20, we find Paul saying, "For ye have been bought with a price," meaning the life we live is not to be done in a way as if we are the owners of ourselves,  but rather we are stewards of this body and life. We are, quite literally,  living in this world on borrowed/gifted time. As James says, we, during the time here are but a vapor. So let's make this clear.

1.) Life is short
2.) We do not own our lives
3.)We are to use our liberty to serve other brethren

This 3 statements alone should dramatically rock the Christian stigma of, "Is it okay for Christians to ______?"

But along with service, comes another key ingredient to this "short/borrowed/serving Christian life." The weaker brethren that is... That may seem insulting to think of some Christians as "weaker," but putting the fleshy pride aside, just think about it. We all were or are weak in our knowledge of right doctrine and sanctification. Hopefully,  we can all say that we were weaker in the faith last month then we are now, because that means we have been growing. Our liberty in Christ should never serve as a "stumblingblock" to weaker brothers or sister. So yes, that means sometimes we are going to have to realize we possess liberty that is not always beneficial.

1 Corinthians 8:9 
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Taking the liberty mindset one step further, our freedom can be neglected and misplaced, causing us to forget who we are in Christ. We must understand that we positionally stand righteous before God, totally because of what Christ has accomplished by his death and resurrection. When we trust the Gospel of God's Grace,  we are supernaturally/spiritually place into the Body of Christ(1 Cor. 12 : 13). But this,so called baptism (no water included), does much more than changes our spiritual position, but also our spiritual identity. Bringing up again the life that we live is not our own (Galatians 2:20), I would also make the point that we live as a "dead" individual.

 Romans 6:1-4
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

That old man is dead... Real liberty is being able to walk in "newness of life." Equally important with the liberty to not sin, is the necessity to not move back to a law mindset. Here are some law mindsets:

1.) Water Baptism
2.) Praying for a flesh desire, rather than with dispensational understanding. (Healing vs. Peace)
3.)  Praying for Forgiveness,  rather than glorying I'm the forgiveness we have.
4.) Praying according to covenants(if my people, which are called by my name.....)

Notice in the next verse how Paul says, "Stand FAST." Consistent and Prepared; Diligent. Don't be "entangled" with things of no profit, according to what God is dispensationally doing today.

Galatians 5:1 
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Christ's redemption, atonement and justification of us is AMAZING! The liberty we have is such a blessing. As a matter of fact, it is one of those "unsearchable riches" that Paul mentions I'm Ephesians 3. Enjoy your liberty today, but don't abuse it. Serve fellow brethren with it. Most of all, we should strive to spread the gospel even more because of our freedom.

Today, I hope you enjoy all of the spiritual blessings you have in Christ Jesus(Eph. 1 : 3).
 I also hope you have trusted Christ's finished work or the cross and ressurection for your salvation.

Alan

So are you saying nothing Jesus taught while here on earth is directed toward us?

So are you saying nothing Jesus taught while here on earth is directed toward us?  And also, what parts of the New Testament are directed to us...and how do you decipher what is and isn't?

I'll give you a few points with some verses to back up the statements.

1.) Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are all old testament,  up until the Point of Jesus' s death.  The old testament could not end, nor could the N.T. begin until His death.

Hebrews 9:16
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.


2.)Jesus' ministry was Solely to the House of Israel. No gentiles at all was his intention. The only gentile occurrences he had was with gentile individuals who took their place as dogs in comparison to Israel and recognized Jesus as the Messiah.

Matthew 15:22-28
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.


3.) Jesus himself said he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He also instructed that his disciples go ONLY to Israel.

Matthew 15:24
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 10:5-6
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:    But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

John 1:11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.(Who was his own? Jesus is a Jew, right?)

4.) What was the substance of the gospel preached in MMLJ?  It could not POSSIBLY be the death and resurrection.

Luke 18:31-34
Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.    For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:    And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.  And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. (They knew none of the things spoken)

Remember when he ressurected. ... why did Thomas doubt... why didn't Peter believe it at first?  Why did they think  someone had stolen his body?

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So if Jesus only came to earth for Israel,  how do we fit into the equation? How did He die for our sins if we are not Israel and He came only for Israel?
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Glad you asked! :-)

You know how I've been throwing that word mystery around a lot?

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yes!
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This is the substance of what it is all about. That very question.


Ok... Read this VERY SLOWLY.


  Ephesians 3:1-12
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,  If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:  Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.  Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;  And 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:  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

DISPENSATION: This means not so much of a time period,  but rather a span of dominion or authoritative rule.  Think like a 4 year term of a president. .. during his 4 year dispensation,  he has authority. 

Also, think like a pez dispenser. It dispenses candy. 

Paul was the "dispenser" of the Gospel of Grace during the "Dispensation of Grace..."

We are still in the Dispensation of grace,  btw. 

He preaches the what? "Known"riches among the gentiles? No! The "unsearchable" riches, meaning no one can go back to prophecy and excavate these truths of Jesus. 

Paul says he wants to "make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery"

Must be pretty important. 

"Which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God"

This is Information that has not always been known. It had been revealed to Apostle Paul. Programs had changed. God was/is no longer dealing with Israel due to their rejection,  in part, of Jesus as Messiah. In part meaning some did believe. (Disciples, those in Acts 2,3,4,5,6,7.... but by acts 8... they kill Stephen... God is shifting gears at that point. This is the purpose of him calling Paul in Acts 9... Paul is not just lucky number 13..... His apostleship means something. He is God's minister of the mystery revelation. 

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So when Jesus tells the disciples (after his death) to go and teach all nations to observe all that He has commanded them...what does that mean if non of His teachings were for us?

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Look at that verse very carefully. .. "preaching and teaching ALL that I have commanded you."

Do we do everything Jesus commanded, during his earthly ministry,  in this dispensation? 

Let’s outline quickly and simply what all is packed into this "Great Commission" that is supposedly that of the church, the Body of Christ, today.

Teach All Nations- these men in attendance of Jesus’ command was instructed to go to ALL nations. Did this happen? Nope. See Galatians 2:7-9 for more study, but in short, Paul was the one to go to the Gentiles, while Peter and the other Apostles confined themselves to the Jew ONLY. It is noted in Acts 10 that Peter went to a Gentile, but it was clearly against his own will and conscience. It actually took a vision from Christ before he would even talk to Cornelius the Italian.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you- To say that this is our commission today would make us responsible to do exactly this. Teach and preach ALL that Jesus commanded. Would the average preacher today preach all that Jesus commanded? Let’s see:

Matthew 23:1-3-  Then spake Jesus to the multitudes, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do…

When is the last time you heard a protestant preacher commanding that his congregation follow the law of Moses? Paul make clear in Galatians 2:19 that we are “dead to the law.” Big difference… Not a contradiction, just a change in instructions.

He was still only dealing with Israel in that commission. 

Gentiles were to be reached,  but only after all of Israel had taken their position as a Nation of priests. We know that didn't happen though. Instead, they rejected and God shifted gears to begin the dispensation of grace, without the necessity of Israel. But, do not be unwise concerning this mystery....

Romans 11:25-33 

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

so..... without the mystery, what we have today in Christ, would be non-existent. 

Church Signs... What are you telling people???

Seeing verses like these on church signs.... begs the question... what are you trying to tell people? They get out their bible... go to Mark... look all through it... Yet, they will never find the gospel we are saved by in that book! 

Mark 1:15
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.    He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The kingdom gospel, found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John never has and never will contain the "right" information for this dispensation of grace. 

I'm not bashing, I'm just pointing out the fact that we throw around verses carelessly... use your resources wisely. 

Although all 4 of those books contain necessary information to understand Christ's earthly ministry to Israel and even his character, they never contained the cross and ressurection as means of salvation. The kingdom gospel is not what we preach today. We should be preaching Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept SECRET, since the world began,  But now is (what??? Still hiddend??? No!) Made manifest. .   (Romans 16:25). In fact, what does Paul say about individuals that this mystery information is hidden to?

1 Corinthians 1:18 
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

If you don't understand that the gospel preached today is, SOLELY, Christ's death for our sin and ressurection for our justification,  you are "perishing" (bound for hell).

Wake up friends... Hear the gospel today! It's ONLY found in the epistles of Paul! (Not about the man, just his office Romans 11:13).

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I 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...

Ephesians 1:11-14 
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Hear the Gospel (the son of God's death for your sins and resurrection for your justification.)

Believe it and trust it!!! 

Go Ask Your Preacher

I have spent a lot of time in conversation with individuals from all types of backgrounds about the gospel of grace and different sections of scripture. It is usually either a fresh breath of air or a breathtaking smog, depending on where the persons understanding is at that point and willingness to study. I have met only a few who will say, "Give me time to study and we will get back together." Most, and I do mean most, if unsure of their position, will do one of two things. He or she will either just shoot from the hip and the bullets hit where they may, or they will say.... "Let me ask my preacher. "

At first,  that seems to be a pretty fair statement. I mean, think about it. That individual probably sits under the same voice multiple times a week to receive instruction and exegesis from the bible. So, what's the big deal? Well... if that were the case only once or twice, it would be very understandable. But once again, most will use that very response EVERY SINGLE time. One word.

Scary.

It begs the question, "Who is doing your portion of the studying? "

If our position on every topic of the bible comes from either our denomination or our preacher, then how in the world can we be sure what we believe. That's like saying you're a fan of a certain ball team, but you can't even name the starting line up. (Bad example, but you know those people; you may even be one.)

So.... I have a few questions that I hope you'll take time to find answers to... but, if not, go ahead and ask your preacher.

1.) Why do we say baptism is an outward sign or testimony of our salvation, when there is not one single verse in our Bible that says that?

2.) We say that our Great Commission is in Matthew 28, but why is it that we don't preach the law, because didn't Jesus say we should in Matthew 23? When did that change? They still were in Acts 2, right?

3.) We say that there's only one Gospel in the bible... question! How can it be the same gospel if the disciples in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were ignorant of both Jesus' death and ressurection? How could they possibly be trusting in his death for sins and ressurection for justification?

Like I said... I hope that you take time to study and find these answers. If you'd like... you could even email them to me. Jaynesalan78@gmail.com would love to see what you come up with.

But, if all else fails... ask your preacher.

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew THYSELF approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Enjoy ALL of the spiritual blessings you have in Christ,  today. (Eph. 1:3)

Trust the gospel! Christ died for our sins and resurrected for our justification. Have you trusted that truth?

Alan

Really, What's All the Fuss About?

I have been hearing this question a lot! People want to know why we left our church, why do I keep posting "controversial" topics("heresy"), and why it's such a big deal. Can't we just all get along? Don't I realize that taking a stand for "the D-word," doctrine that is, comes across as unfriendly and un-evangelical?


To be honest, nothing about my approach or character has changed. The only thing that is different is the fact that I am sharing ideas that, to many, are either so new to them that they haven't studied it out or it is so different from the norm they mark it off as "heresy" before he or she even takes time to evaluate their own position before speaking.


Here are some things I do not want to do:
1.) Be Offensive- by offensive, I mean condescending, hurtful, slanderous or deliberately causing division. By offensive, I do not mean being  truthful, blunt, consistent and outspoken.


2.)Misleading- I do not spend every moment of my day attempting to find new ways to be cunning and deceitful. I have spent the last 9 years of my life preaching, teaching, and sharing God's Word. My Goal has ALWAYS been to share the COMPLETE truth of God's Word, without regard. Nothing has changed.


3.)Preach False Doctrine- This is the kicker of them all. I have been regularly accused of preaching false doctrine and heresy. I have received hateful messages and side remarks of condescending distaste, that actually would not have been so bad if they had not been geared towards me as an individual but were an attempt to, at the very least, examine the statements being made by this individual.


4.)Copy an Internet Preacher- I meant that exactly as it is stated. On a consistent basis, I have been accused of just "copying" something I've read or heard online. I would like to be very clear on this one.


I had a local guy, that I have always respected and still do, message me to tell me he loves me but that I needed to "follow the Holy Spirit and not Internet Preacher." I told him I was sorry that he felt that way. I assured him that this was just simply not the case and then asked if he would sit down with me so I could explain myself and my position on certain topics from the bible. His response was, "I'm busy." I realized at that point, him messaging me wasn't for concern over me. It was a drive-by of discouragement.


I had another man, whom likewise I still respect, ask me if I would forgive him for not making sure that I knew how to keep away from false doctrine. In the same manner, I asked him to sit down to study with me, but his response was sarcastically memorable. "No, for now I just as for your forgiveness, because I see that I will be taking the blame for wherever you end up."


Men I've known for years...


There are several ministries that I have not only spent time studying with and learning from, but have also contacted and kept up with weekly conversations. But I would like to offer some information that hardly anyone has asked for...

Are You Just Following Something You Found Off the Internet?

In short, NO!!!

It all started about 2 years ago... While serving as a part time youth minister in a Baptist church, I began to find myself questioning some of the doctrinal statues that were tied to the Baptist faith and message. Two of the main doctrines in question were Salvation & Baptism(Pretty Big Deal). The questions I was asking were similar to this:

Salvation

When is a person "actually" saved? When they "pray the prayer?" We stress repentance so much, but what does that mean if we are also saying that no works are involved? What about the whole confessing bit? If there is confessing involved, is that not synonymous with "doing something?" I have heard my whole life that we are "Spiritual Israel," but why can I not see Paul making that clear in his "no difference between Jew and Greek" talks? If Romans 11 says Israel has fallen, then how in the world are we operating in a fallen body?

Why is there so much difference between Peter and Paul when discussing salvation? If the four gospels and Pentecost are the same gospel as found from Paul's mouth, then why do I not see the Jews glorying in Christ's death and resurrection, solely, as their victorious salvation? Why do the Jews in Acts boast about keeping the law, while at the same time Paul says to his audience, "you are not under the law"? How are we in  covenant if we are preaching that we can not be stripped away from God, because isn't a covenant based on the foundation of "you keep your part and I'll keep mine?" How is this "saved by Grace, through faith?"

Baptism

Acts 2:38 and Mark 16:16 mean what they mean, so why does everyone try to change it? There is such a direct tie to repentance and water baptism in the ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus and the 12 Apostles, so why do we not make it a bid deal? How can we say that baptism is only a "picture or testimony" when no verse in the whole bible even hints at that? If baptism was necessary in MMLJ and Acts 2, then how is it not necessary now? Why does it seem that baptism was always an immediate response in the salvation accounts of the 12 apostles' ministry in the book of Acts, but we are fine with waiting for days, weeks, months and even years?

I've been baptized, but was it in the right way? I've baptized people, but it wasn't for a biblical reason. Isn't baptism a Jewish thing? If John the Baptist, according to Jesus, the greatest prophet of all, is baptizing, doesn't that mean it was directly tied to the old testament? Should I be re-baptized?

As you can see, there were mountains of questions that were pulverizing my mind on a daily basis. It's sad to say, but I was sincerely looking for these pretty basic conclusions, while at the same time preaching and teaching others. I wasn't in question on purpose, I assure you of that. I asked MANY pastors and seminary professors these kinds of questions, but I soon found that almost ALL of these men were either baffled by the questions also, or offered up a cliché/rehearsed answer that could only come from a Southern Baptist repertoire. So began my journey for some answers.

After almost 8 months of continuous searching, I had to make up my mind on one of two conclusions:

1.) I am going to have to be crossbreed of Church of Christ and Baptist(that's ridiculous).

2.) I am about to have to step out and start doing something that I have never seen or heard of before.

-I was preparing to get married... SCARY!

Outside of my denominational parameters, here are some personal beliefs I had come to through study..

• MMLJ was old testament, therefore I could learn from it, but it did not directly apply to the church today.
• Jesus had no operation with anyone but Israel in MMLJ.
• Peter and Paul went to different audiences with different messages.
• Salvation is by belief and faith, not confession and baptism.
• There is more than one gospel in the right half of the bible.
• Acts 2 is not the beginning of the body of Christ, because it was not something new, but instead prophecy was being fulfilled.
• There is a difference between prophecy and mystery(Acts 3:19-21 vs Romans 16:25)
• WE ARE NOT IN A COVENANT BEAUSE WE ARE NOT ISRAEL.

I am quite sure there were more, but that's a pretty good list to give one the picture. It was at that point I realized things were about to change. Before I did anything, I had 2 main questionS to be answered...


"ARE WE THE ONLY ONES SEEING THIS?" "IS THERE ANYONE ELSE DOING MINISRTY BASED ON THESE CONVICTIONS?"


Google.... Here I come. It was only a few searches later that I began to come across a title I had never seen before.


"Mid Acts Dispensationalism."


I made immediate contact with a ministry from Indiana, who called themselves Grace Ambassadors. I quickly realized the answer was, "No!" We were not the only ones that saw these differences. As a matter of fact, there is a whole movement of assemblies, known as the Grace Movement, that do ministry from rightly dividing God's Word. It was only a few days after we left the church we were serving at that I received a phone call. There was a family in Lexington, AL, the same town where I had been driving to for almost 3 years to be a Baptist youth minister, who had be holding a "Mid Acts Bible Study" in their home for over 25 years. Wow.


So there you have it.... Very short version to say the least. But this is what all the fuss is about. I not only found clarity of Scripture for myself, but it is my personal ambition to help others see "what is the fellowship of the mystery." I'm sorry to offend, but I will not be quiet. I have all my questions answered. With a bible in my hand, I hope to spend the rest of my life "preaching Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery."


Alan


With questions or comments, PLEASE feel free to call me at (256)483-7318 or email me at jaynesalan78@gmail.com