Should members of the Body of Christ preach the Kingdom Gospel and perform the Kingdom signs today during this Dispensation of Grace? Yes or No? Please take a moment to respond at

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And now the answer to the LLM Question of 6-26-2011

Question: The Old Covenant religious Church program of the Nation Israel is not the program of God for the Church which is the Body of Christ. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Now on this question, with 569 responses, a whopping 96% got it RIGHT! Therefore,

Today let us consider, The One True Church of God in the Dispensation of Grace, part 1 of 3

There are more than three hundred different denominations, each sustaining a religious program in the name of Christ and the Bible. They are referred to as different “churches”. If each denomination claims to be a Bible church with a Bible program, either they are making false claims or there are many different church programs in the Bible.

Is it possible that by the unanimous positive declaration of all of these differing denominations the Holy Spirit is Divine and infallible, and that as the infallible Author of the infallible Bible He has given to us a Book that is so filled with misunderstandings, mistakes, contradictions and vague and uncertain statement's that this disorderly Book is responsible for the confusion and divisions and sectarianism among Christians? We must decide that the pitiful and deplorable sectarianism among God's people is either due to the Author of the Bible, in failing to give clear and specific instructions for the order and program of the true Bible Church, or to the Christians' inability or unwillingness to give the proper interpretation to those clear and specific instructions. Perhaps we are unanimous in our decision that the mistake is with the fallible interpreters and not with the infallible Author.

But we are also unanimous in our decision that much of God's program for His people from Moses to John the Baptist CANNOT be included, with God's sanction, in His program for His Church during those years FROM John the Baptist to the death of the Apostle Paul.

This leads us to these two questions, "how much of the God-given program of John the Baptist is to be included in the Church program that God gave to the Apostle Paul?" AND, “How much of the program given by Christ to the Twelve Apostles is to be included in the Church program that God gave to the Apostle Paul?”

That John the Baptist and all of the Apostles were true messengers of the same LORD, that all of them spoke with the same Divine authority, but that they proclaimed different messages and presented different programs for different people, no careful reader of the Bible will deny.

If it were possible for us to have an interview with the church leaders and preachers of all of the three hundred, or more, denominational churches in this country, we would learn that all of them would acknowledge that they have eliminated from their church programs many of the religious ceremonies observed, with Divine authority, from John the Baptist to the final revelation of the risen Christ to the Apostle Paul. They neither proclaim to their church‑members many of the God‑given messages of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts, nor include in their church creeds and programs all of the religious programs, the signs, gifts and order of these Books.

In the light of Ephesians 4:3-6, all Christians should readily admit that since the time that the Epistle to the Ephesians was written, there has been only ONE true Church of Christ; that Church which is His Body. Ephesians 1:19-21. "One Body." Ephesians 4:4-5. So with no uncertain dogmatism we can agree and assert, on the authority of the Word of God, that there is but ONE true Bible Church. But we must qualify that statement, and say, "there is but one true Bible Church program for this particular age in which we are living." We may disagree as to when this particular Church, which is His Body, began; but as we search the Scriptures we should not find it so difficult to learn when, in the Bible, the Church program, intended for Christians of today, began.

THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS

In Acts 7:38 we read of “the Church in the Wilderness.” That Church was made up of the people whom the LORD had called out of Egypt to go to Canaan. They had a religious program of "meats and drinks, and carnal ordinances and divers washings (baptisms)." Hebrews 9:10. That religious program was given to them by God. That was imposed upon them UNTIL the time of reformation. God has not given to the Church of the Age of Grace, which is Christ's Body, that program. Colossians 2:12-15.

To the members of that Old Covenant Church a seventh day Sabbath was given, and several annual feasts, with burnt offerings, peace offerings, meat offerings and sin offerings. But in Hebrews 10:9 we are told that “He taketh away the first that He may establish the second.” In 2 Corinthians 3:7-17, we are plainly told that ALL of that religious, legalistic program was taken out of the way and abolished with the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ.

All intelligent, spiritual students of the Word of God are agreed that Israel's Old Covenant religious "Church" program is not God's program for the Church which is Christ's Body. Moreover where there has been real earnest endeavor to determine just what should be the program, mission, message and ministry of mem­bers of the Body of Christ, the problem for the individual student of the Word and the principal cause for the lack of unity among students and "churches" has been because of the failure, inability or unwill­ingness to agree as to when and how that Old Covenant program ceased to be God's program for His children; and how much, if any, of that Old Covenant program should be included with the new program for the Body of Christ given to the members of that Body by the RISEN Christ through His Apostle Paul.

These words are recorded in Luke 16:16, "the law and the prophets were until John (Baptist); since that time the Kingdom of God is preached." Now, there are Christians, men and women who really love the LORD and His Word, who tell us that the Holy Spirit has taught, in this Scripture, that the Law economy (Dispensation) closed with John's announcement, "repent, for the Kingdom of the Heavens is at hand." Matthew 3:2. The Bible declares that "the law was given by Moses but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17. Then if the Dispensation, or Age, or Economy, of Grace began when John the Baptist introduced Jesus to Israel, and if the Church, which is Christ's Body, began then and there, there is no company of Christians in the world carrying on a Bible Church program. Also, inasmuch as the Scriptures plainly declare that the LORD Jesus Christ was made under the law, that He was circumcised, that His custom was to go to the Jews' synagogue on the Jews' Sabbath, that He observed the feasts that God gave to Israel, that He instructed worshippers to obey the law of Moses and observe the ceremonies of Judaism, we can hardly respect the judgment or opinions of those who would have the Law “out of the way” before the death and resurrection of the Son of God.

But the confusion among Christians, who are students, is largely due to the fact that much of the Old Covenant religious program is found in the Book of Acts. Many Christians who have diligently searched the Scriptures, or followed human leaders, have decided that the Church which is Christ's Body began on the day of Pentecost. They have been required to acknowledge that much of Israel's religious program WAS included in the program of that Church which they have decided began on the day of Pentecost. But is this correct?

DENOMINATIONAL PROGRAMS

For some reason and at some time and place along the line the Christian churches have dropped much of the program, as to the message and practice, authority and power, gifts and credentials, not only of the Apostles, before and after the death of Christ, but of the other first century Church-members who were contemporaries with those Apostles.

Surely every Faithful servant of the LORD wants to obey the Word of the LORD, and no Faithful, obedient servant of the LORD will purposely eliminate from his Christian program any message, gift or ceremony that today Scripturally belongs to the Church which is Christ's Body. But the practices of church fathers before or since the Reformation cannot be accepted as Divine authority for the adoption of a Scriptural Church program.

If there are any church leaders today who have the right to arrange the program for the min­istry, message, and practice of the Bible Church, they surely know that it must be strictly in accordance with the Bible. A Bible Church program should be a Bible program.

So then we come to this question; "where in the Bible is the program for the Bible Church of 2011 to be found?" For some reason, the LORD, made choice, that by the mouth and pen of the Apostle Paul, His truth concerning the Church, which is His Body, should be made known.

This Apostle to the Gentiles died about 67 A. D., shortly after he wrote his last epistle, 2 Timothy. The events of Pentecost, recorded in the second chapter of Acts, occurred about half way between the birth of the LORD Jesus and the death of the Apostle Paul.

Intelligent, spiritual students of the Word, who have sought diligently to know the Scriptures, have been compelled to note some differences between the program of the LORD during the "Book of Acts" period and His program for His Church as stated in the Epistles which the Apostle Paul wrote AFTER the "Book of Acts" period closed; namely, 1 Timothy, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Titus, and 2 Timothy.

In trying to definitely determine just what God does require of the Church, which is Christ's Body, for this day in which we live, so that believers can give forth a sane, spiritual, Scriptural, testimony for the risen LORD and maintain a Scriptural Church order and program that will please the One who is the Head of His own Body….No intelligent, spiritual student of the Word of God would think of placing special "inspiration" emphasis on any special portion of the Holy Scriptures, but instead be obedient to 2 Timothy 2:15 and other such Divine instructions.

This makes it imperative that such students should place special "DISPENSATIONAL" emphasis on special portions of the Scriptures.

There are no "inspirational" differences among true members of the Body of Christ; only "dispensational" differences. All Christians should be willing to admit, without argument, that they are members of the Church which is His Body; and therefore, without argument, should admit, that there are in the last seven Epistles written by the Apostle Paul the specific instructions to and for the members of the Body as to the program for the Dispensation of Grace committed to the Apostle Paul for the Gentiles, to them which were afar off and to them that were nigh. Ephesians 3:1 and Ephesians 2:17.

This, however, is not our problem; for we can see this pure message of Grace and this clearly defined Church program in these last seven Epistles. But we also know that our Church program for today is to include some of the messages of the prophets of the LORD before the advent of Christ, some of the messages of Christ and His Apostles during His earthly ministry, and very much of the program of the Church during the "Book of Acts" period, which includes the messages and ministry of Paul and other saints given forth before Paul became the prisoner at Rome. BUT, HOW to eliminate from the Four Gospels, the Book of Acts, The Epistle of James, the Epistle of Hebrews, the Epistles of Peter, and the Apostle Paul's earlier Epistles, (Thessalonians, Corinthians, Galatians and Romans), that which will NOT fit into the final program outlined for the Church which is Christ’s Body, is our most difficult task!

That the different churches (denominations) have ELIMINATED from these writings parts of the messages, ministries, and ceremonies as they have pleased in preparing their church creeds, and that they have arbitrarily and promiscuously SELECTED parts from the Four Records of the earthly ministry of the LORD Jesus and from the "Book of Acts" period such messages and ministries, such ceremonies, signs, and gifts as they have decided should be included in their established man-made creeds and requirements for church membership and Christian fellowship, no careful observer should dispute.

Now, I need you to PAY ATTENTION, while it is true that sectarianism among truly saved people, who are seeking to be Scripturally orthodox, is due to differences of interpretations or differences of emphasis given to certain Scriptures….It is also true that this deplorable sectarianism is due to "how much" or "how little" of God's program in the Four Gospels and the Book of Acts and the "Book of Acts" period has been incorporated in the various denominational doctrinal platforms and church creeds, with little or no explanation or attempt to apply the "dispensational" principle set forth in 2 Timothy 2:15.

Some of us have, no doubt, dealt with members of a sect of Christians whose slogan might be called "Back to Jesus." They go back to the earthly ministry of the LORD Jesus for their church program….for their marching orders, for their message, and basis of fellowship. Their orders are from Him as declared in His Kingdom program to the Seventy: Luke 10:1-11. Here I want to quote verses: 1, 4, 9 and 11:

"After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come….Carry neither purse, nor script. nor shoes: and salute no man by the way….And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you….Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you."

Now, this sect also accepts the Kingdom program of John the Baptist, and the commissions which Jesus of Nazareth gave to His Twelve Apostles.

The Christians who are identified with this particular sect are conscientious, earnest, devoted people; and they are almost unanimous in their testimony that after years of experiment their program is satisfactory and practical and their ministry has been blessed of the LORD. Who is to contradict them Scripturally? Their program does away with the salaried pastor. Who can say that they have not a Bible program given by Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever? It was a Christ given Bible program. However, is it Christ's program for today? Do not the church programs of orthodox Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, etc., differ altogether from the program of this particular sect? Why do all of these orthodox groups claim that they are carrying on Bible programs and yet their programs vary.

When and why did the disciples of the LORD Jesus Christ cease to include in the program of the Christian Church so many of the commandments and orders, messages and ministries committed by the LORD to His servants, such as: "he that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise", "baptism unto repentance for the remission of sins", "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth", "if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off", "leave there thy gift before the altar", "give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away", "be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect", ,but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses", "strive (work laboriously) to enter in at the straight gate", "shew thyself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded", "sell that ye have, and give alms"?

Certainly no child of God will permit any man, or any group of men, to take away from him one single spiritual blessing or lesson contained in God's Book. But most assuredly he should seek the definite guidance of the Holy Spirit to know whether it is written TO him and about him.

There are three distinct periods set forth in God's Word, even if we pay no attention to the subdivisions of these periods. "From Adam to Moses….until the law." Romans 5:13-14. "The Law was added till the Seed should come." Galatians 3:19. He blotted "out the handwriting of ordinances….took it out of the way; nailing it to His cross." Colossians 2:14-15. "In other ages NOT MADE KNOWN to the sons of men; that the Gentiles should be joint-heirs in a joint-Body." Ephesians 3:5-6.

So the three general divisions of the Bible, the periods that must be recognized, if we would know how to interpret and apply the Word of God, are:

"From Adam to Moses"

"From Moses to Christ's Revelation to Paul"

"From Christ's Revelation to Paul until the LORD shall return for the members of His Body."

Other periods are to follow, but without recognizing these three general divisions from Genesis to 2 Timothy, that is, to the death of the Apostle Paul, we WILL remain in confusion on earth.

Individual saints in every economy (Dispensation) can be, and should be, governed by certain instructions all through the Book given for the purity and righteous conduct of the people of God. But to give to the members of the Body of Christ the truth which God intended only for His people during a DIFFERENT economy is to be unspiritual and unintelligent. Not to mention un-dispensational.

Until part 2. Stay tuned!

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

JESUS AND ISRAEL...When the LORD Jesus commissioned His Twelve, He said emphatically, "Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles." Matthew 10:5. Then He added, "preach, saying, the Kingdom of the heavens is at hand." "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons, provide neither gold nor silver, neither two coats", etc. Matthew 10:7-9. What did they do? “They went through the towns, preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere." Luke 9:6. Then He sent other seventy (Luke 10:1) "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, LORD, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name." Luke 10:17.

We know that the LORD gave these orders to His Apostles and disciples and they were obeyed. Did He later on give to the Twelve Apostles a similar message and program for Gentiles? Should members of the Body of Christ preach the Kingdom Gospel and perform the Kingdom signs today? If not, why not?

IF we believe that the program for the Body of Christ is the Great Commission, (recorded in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-18), then the Kingdom Gospel should be preached and the Kingdom signs should follow, and water baptism should be a factor in salvation. Right?

It is one thing to SAY that the Twelve Apostles were to, and did, start on the day of Pentecost with the Gospel of Grace for Jews and Gentiles and were instructed to carry on a program of divers miracles, signs, imposition of hands, tongues and water baptism, then gradually drop everything except the Gospel of Grace and water baptism; but it is quite a different thing to PROVE it by something more than human traditions, the traditions of men!

The man, or denomination, who separates Kingdom signs and Israelitish ceremonies from water baptism is more of an unscriptural religious juggler than a Scriptural expert or intelligent Bible exegete…moreover, he disobeys 2 Timothy 2:15 in his futile endeavor to reconcile the program of Mark 16:15-17, that Gospel, baptism, signs, etc., with 1 Timothy 1:11 and 1 Timothy 5:23, the Gospel of the Glory of the blessed God, WITHOUT signs. Matthew 10:5-8 and Luke 9:6 agree with the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-17, but they are ENTIRELY different from the message and program of Ephesians, Colossians, and Timothy.

We should be exceedingly careful about mixing Israel's Kingdom program, given by Jesus of Nazareth ON EARTH, with the program which the RISEN Christ later gave to the Apostle Paul for Gentiles. To entirely ignore Christ's earthly program or eliminate it from our church creeds, without Scriptural explanation, is presumption. We admit that the mixture produces confusion, uncertainty, fanaticism and skepticism, because no believer, or group of believers, can perpetuate or duplicate the signs program of the Twelve, the Seventy, or even the members of the Corinthian Assembly. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. And Satan knows this as well! Remember this.

We would need to make no apologies to the critics and adversaries of Christianity if we would only teach them how we apply the principle of rightly dividing the Word of truth for the application of all of the Inspired Word of God intended for other Divine Dispensations but not for the members of the Body of Christ in this period of Gentile favor, while Israel is waiting for “the fullness of the Gentiles." Romans 11:25.

A skeptic has said to me, "if a Christian is one who obeys the Words of Jesus, recorded in the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Chapters of Matthew and does works with which the Apostles are accredited, I have never seen a Christian." And actually, neither have I, AND neither have you. We can do much to close the mouths of these enemies of Christ and perhaps help many poor deluded, fanatical saints to abandon their counterfeit (satanically driven) imitation of the sign program of Christ and His Apostles, if we will intelligently apply 2 Timothy 2:15 and learn from Christ, through our Apostle Paul, what is the LORD's present day Church program.

As members of the Body of Christ we have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Son of God, saved wholly and solely by pure and unadulterated GRACE. We have been brought nigh by His blood. We have been made accepted in the Beloved, and meet to be partakers of Him and all of the blessings of God in Him. We are COMPLETE in Christ. We need NOTHING added to Christ, who is our redemption, our holiness, our righteousness, our peace, our hope and our life.

Surely there must be some sane, God-given principle or system for the interpretation, partitioning and application of the Word of God. The LORD said to His disciples, "when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face." Matthew 6:17. They "anointed with oil many that were sick." Mark 6:13. "Let them pray over him anointing him with oil." James 5:14. "From his (the Apostle Paul's) body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them." Acts 19:12. "Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine oft sicknesses." 1 Timothy 5:23. Is there not some way of knowing if and when we should anoint with oil today; whether or not we should use handkerchiefs and aprons, or when we should take wine or other medicine for sickness, and be sure we are in the will of God?

The LORD said, "ye also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13:14. Some Christians practice this. Others utterly ignore the command without any explanation. Should we, or should we not, wash one another's feet? Some preachers follow the message of Peter and the Eleven, "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Some fail or refuse to preach this, because they say "it is not up to date."

SIGNS-HEALINGS-GIFTS

The Pentecostals report real Scriptural experiences in their tarrying‑meetings telling of the Christians who receive the Holy Spirit in power by their importunate prayers and imposition of hands, manifested by "tongues." They have the experience. They support their experience with Scriptures. The other Christians make light of their fanaticism, but offer no Scriptural corrective. Many of God's people, with the slogan "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever", refuse to use material remedies for sickness, claiming Jesus Christ as their Healer, because the Record is, that He healed all manner of sickness and all that were sick; and so did Peter; and so did Philip. Matthew 8:16, Luke 6:19. Acts 5:15-16. Acts 8:5-12. Is there some Scriptural explanation of their fallacy, or is it that those Christians who disagree with them are in error?

Some church organizations will exclude from their membership Christina's who deny that the gifts of 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 belong to the LORD's program for His Body during this period of Grace, the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, Faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. They are mentioned in the same Epistle, in the very same chapter that instructs the Christian concerning the baptism of Jews and Gentiles into one body. 1 Corinthians 12:13. Some Christians who practice household baptism, prove their position by the Tenth Chapter of 1 Corinthians, and quote 1 Corinthians 11 for their observance of the LORD's Supper; but they would dis-fellowship a believer, and ask him to attend some other assembly, if he should claim the gift of discerning of spirits or the gift of working miracles, or speaking with tongues, on the authority of the Twelfth Chapter of 1 Corinthians. They ignore these gifts generally, but if pressed to answer why they have not included them in their church creeds they refer to experiences instead of to the Word of God, rightly divided.

Such careless handling of the Word of God is tantamount to "handling the Word of God deceitfully." 2 Corinthians 4:2. It is ignorantly, if not deceitfully, handled. To say that the gifts are found once a year, or once every ten years, in the foreign field, or that they would be found here, if members of the Body of Christ had sufficient Faith, is not the manifestation of that sound mind called for in 2 Timothy 1:7.

What bunglers some preachers have been in their attempts to make primary applications of the Kingdom parables of the LORD Jesus Christ in presenting the Gospel of the Grace of God to Gentiles, dead in trespasses and sins. They have simply covered up the message of salvation and spoiled the LORD's wonderful Grace Gospel by either willfully or ignorantly disobeying the specific instructions of the Holy Spirit, "rightly dividing the Word of truth."

Undoubtedly we have observed that the LORD, according to the Synoptic Records (that would be the Gospels), was dealing with His own nation, in presenting the Kingdom Gospel with the Kingdom signs, when he taught His lessons to Pharisees and publicans in His Kingdom parables.

We most assuredly have learned that, in those three Gospels, the Grace message was pretty well buried under religion. Certainly our evangelists and pastors have experienced much difficulty in attempting to reconcile some statements from the pen of the Apostle Paul with the statements given forth by Jesus of Nazareth, the minister of the circumcision. Such statements as Romans 3:24-26 and 2 Timothy 1:9, "being justified without a cause by His Grace", "not according to our works, but according to His Grace and purpose which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began", WITH, "he that endureth unto the end the same shall be saved" and "strive to enter in at the straight gate". Matthew 24:13, Luke 13:24.

And how many times have they left their hearers with their minds full of questions and their hearts full of doubts, because they have NOT brought them to the pure unmixed message of Grace, "the Gospel of your salvation", mentioned in Ephesians 1:13 and Ephesians 2:8-9. They try to clear up their mixed messages with nice stories instead of with the rightly divided Word of truth. These Scriptural incongruities used by these men may be forgivable, but many of them are inexcusable and much of the damage done by them is irreparable. With sectarian teachers the remedy is feared more than the disease, because it means the surrender of some cherished religious ceremony or religious experience and it requires the Grace and humility to say, "I have learned from a careful study of the Word of God that what I have been teaching is un-scriptural, or at least un-dispensational". It may mean the loss of position and religious friends. This might require the further word, "Whether or not this makes me unpopular with men or sects, I shall take my stand without the fear or favor of men." Such servants of the LORD are few and far between.

THE BODY OF CHRIST

Whether or not we believe that the Body of Christ began on the day of Pentecost, we know that the message and program for the Body of Christ in Ephesians, Colossians and Timothy differs in many respects from the program of the Church of God in the first chapters of the Book of Acts. Perhaps we can satisfy our minds by stating that we can see in the Book of Acts the overlapping of the Kingdom message proclaimed while Christ was on earth and therefore the bringing over of that Kingdom program to run concurrently with the Body program for a few years and then wane and pass out. Certainly the words of Acts 2:44-45, Acts 4:32, Acts 3:6, Acts 10:22 and Acts 10:35 seem to indicate that the same kingdom was being proclaimed during the "Acts" period as was being proclaimed in Luke 3:11, Matthew 10:9-12, Luke 12:32-33, Luke 18:22, and Luke 10:1-15.

When the disciples sold their possessions and brought the money to the Apostles, according to Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32, when Peter said, "silver and gold have I none", when Cornelius was acceptable because he gave alms, it all was certainly in agreement with the words of the LORD "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth." Luke 12:32-33. Those who are so particular about breaking bread every Sunday, on the authority of Acts 2:46, have certainly ignored Acts 2:45, for some of the brethren have their property and much more money than other brethren. WHY be SO careful about one part of the Kingdom program and IGNORE the other? AND the answer is: "The tradition of the elders, rather than the Word of God."

Let us now turn to the Apostle Paul. Read that he is the Risen Christ's own choice for us. Acts 22:21, Romans 11:13, Romans 15:16, 1 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:11, Ephesians 3:8, Colossians 1:25-28, Galatians 1:11-18 and Galatians 2:7-9.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1, "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." 1 Corinthians 4:15-16.

Before we follow James, Peter, and John, the pillars of Galatians 2:9, we must see what our Apostle Paul says about it. We must likewise study what Christ said on earth in the light of His later revelations to and through the Apostle Paul. We must obey and follow the Apostle Paul. But in following Paul BEFORE the Holy Spirit gave him to write Ephesians, and his other prison Epistles, we must carefully study his teaching and acts in the light of 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, which we quote…:

"And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I, might by all means, save some."

Certainly there is no way in which we can Scripturally become as one under the Law, as Paul did in Acts 16:3, Acts 18:18, Acts 21:23-28 and Acts 23:5-6. We are NOT to follow him in circumcision, vows, and other things Jewish. Neither can we believe in the light of 2 Cor. 2:14, Acts 20:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, and 1 Corinthians 9:20-23, that Paul was for one moment out of the will of God when he was carrying on his two‑fold ministry and program, while he was an able minister of the New Covenant. 2 Cor. 3:6.

It is quite a simple matter to see that the Apostle Peter and his associates were ministers of the circumcision, and that the Apostle Paul was the chosen vessel of the Risen LORD for the ministry to the Gentiles. He was to preach God's Son to the heathen, to go far hence to the Gentiles, to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ among the Gentiles. The glorious Gospel, or the Gospel of Glory, was committed to Paul's trust. 1 Timothy 1:11. All of this is plain. It is also plainly stated that there was one order for "the Jews which believed" and another order for "the Gentiles which believed", DURING the "Book of Acts" period. Acts 21:24-28. Acts 15:19-29.

But where we, as members of the Body of Christ, must be exceedingly careful is not to carry the divisions so far that we will ignore or disobey any of the LORD's orders to us, whether it is in Corinthians, John's Gospel, Galatians, Ephesians or Timothy. We cannot believe that the Apostle Paul was presumptuous or deluded. He spoke with authority, when he used the first person pronoun about 1100 times. He was chosen by the Risen Christ to fulfill the Word of God, to bring it to perfection. Colossians 1:25. The Apostle Peter's activities dropped from the Record with the Fifteenth Chapter of Acts until he wrote his Epistles. The Apostle Paul is mentioned more than one hundred times in the last half of the Book of Acts. He said little or nothing to Gentiles about the earthly ministry, or Kingdom parables, of the LORD Jesus Christ in his written ministry. 2 Cor. 5:16. Paul specifically declared, "Christ sent me NOT to baptize." 1 Corinthians 1:17. He has told us to follow HIM as HE followed CHRIST. What are we to do about it?

When the Apostle Paul, in Acts 28:25-28, had finished declaring the judgment of God upon the Nation Israel, that Nation was set aside about 62 A.D., then said Paul, "the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles." The salvation of God had already been sent to the Gentiles for over twenty years. It had been sent to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy, because they put it from them. Acts 13:46, Acts 18:6, and Romans 11:11. But AFTER Acts 28:28 it was to be sent to them, INDEPENDENT of Israel, their covenants, ceremonies, or religion; on the basis of GRACE, God's mercy and love; according to God's ETERNAL purpose in Christ. Ephesians 3:11; Ephesians 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:9. "To you and to them.", and no longer "to the Jew first". No longer would the Apostle Paul become a Jew to the Jew and carry on a two‑fold program. "To you which were far off and to them that were nigh." Ephesians 2:17.

No longer would he circumcise a Timothy or say, "I am a Pharisee", or shave his head or take a Jewish vow. Those things now are all dung. Philippians 3:8. What a difference between Paul in Acts 21:24-28, Acts 23:5-6 and the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:5-9.

A Great Change.

The change came with Israel's setting‑aside. If you lose sight of THIS, you will lose the key to the correct Scriptural, spiritual program for members of the Body of Christ. Therefore, we must trace through the "Book of Acts" period, including Paul's Epistles to Galatians, Corinthians, Thessalonians, and Romans, as well as through the Four Gospels, and accept for the Body of Christ every message that will fit into the program for the Body of Christ declared after the Apostle Paul dropped his ministry of confirmation and continued with his ministry of revelation.

By this Holy Spirit Scriptural system, the believer of today will not fail to apply for himself and to himself every word in the Gospels, Book of Acts, Paul's earlier Epistles, and in the writings of the Twelve, all of the Word of God that is compatible with the Body truth of Paul's prison Epistles. This system could never be faulty, although EVERY other system is.

Only by the application of this system can we ever hope for the realization on earth of obedience to Ephesians 4:3, even in a small way. We know that denominational leaders cannot afford to apply this system; for it would mean either their end with the denomination or the end of the denomination. Who will pay the price? In what other way can we ever expect to rid the Body of Christ of the counterfeits, religious entanglements, Satanic delusions, and unscriptural programs, or show all Christians why we have more than three hundred and fifty Bible churches in America? Try this system of interpretation and application for a few weeks, without counting the personal cost, and see how it works, believing with all your heart Ephesians 4:4-8.

By this God‑given principle of interpretation and application of God's own Divine truth we can see how that all of the seeming contradictions in the Book disappear. We can also understand the gradual uncovering of the Grace of God from Matthew to 2 Timothy, and be instructed how to rejoice in the "all‑sufficiency" of the LORD Jesus Christ, WITHOUT religion, WITHOUT any of the covenants or ceremonies given to Israel. And recognizing the ONE Head of the ONE Body, the LORD Jesus who is far above in the highest heavenlies, we can see that we have the most exalted place and the most blessed benefits which God ever bestowed upon any company of believers; for we too are seated with our risen LORD, and are united to Him. We have an inheritance in Him and He has an inheritance in us: we are in Him and He is in us. Quite a contrast between "Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God in the midst of you (Israel) by miracles", and "Christ in the Gentiles the Hope of Glory." Acts 2:22 and Colossians 1:27.

Truly the highest standard of Christian living, the Christ life, is set forth in the Epistles that tell of the believer's position in and with Christ in the highest heavenlies; raised to seek those things which are above where Christ is. Truly the affection of Body‑members will be where the Head is. The believer's citizenship is there; his hope is laid up there; and he is waiting for Christ to appear in glory that he might also appear with Him.

As someone has truly said, the believer will not be ready for the truth of the Apostle Paul's last Epistles until he has given heed to the instructions of Corinthians, Romans, and Galatians. Therefore, we would not emphasize obedience to the Prison Epistles of Paul to the exclusion of the Holy Spirit's warnings, admonitions and instructions in Paul's earlier Epistles, although we must observe in his earlier writings some instructions that are not binding in his prison Epistles. Every word from Genesis to Revelation that will enable the member of the Body of Christ to walk worthy of the vocation set forth in the Epistle to the Ephesians is for the believer's appropriation and application, even to the present time.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short