The LORD Jesus revealed nothing of the Dispensation of the Mystery, Ephesians 3:9, nothing of the Dispensation of the Grace of God, Ephesians 3:1-8, and nothing of the program of Romans 11:30-31 to His Apostles, while on earth in the flesh. True or False? Please take a moment to respond at

http://ping.fm/YcTsl

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 1-26-2012

Question: The Apostle Paul went to the Gentiles under the same commission given the Twelve Apostles and with their same message. True or False?

Answer: FALSE! Two of the greatest blunders that believers make, in an endeavor to rightly divide the word of truth is; FIRST, to fail to note the difference between the relation of uncircumcised believing Gentiles to Abram and circumcised believers to Abraham; and, the SECOND blunder is to teach that the Apostle Paul went to the Gentiles under the same commission given the Twelve and with their same message. Now, out of the 732 responses we received to this question, a little better this time, 72% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

THE LLM STUDY OF THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS, CHAPTER 6, PART 3 of 3

Now let us again read Galatians 2:9, “And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the Grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”

Two of the greatest blunders that believers make, in an endeavor to rightly divide the word of truth is; first, to fail to note the difference between the relation of uncircumcised believing Gentiles to Abram and circumcised believers to Abraham; and, second; to teach that the Apostle Paul went to the Gentiles under the same commission given the Twelve and with their same message.

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our LORD Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Gala­tians 6:14.

With this verse we should study the following verses:

“I have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6.

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24.

“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.” Ro­mans 6:3-4.

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances.” Colossians 2:20.

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together, with Christ (by Grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:5-6.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3.

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Cor. 5:14-15.

The believer is crucified to the world. He is crucified to the law. His old man, having been crucified, the believer is dead to sin. They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affec­tions and lusts. The believer is dead with Christ, having been baptized into the death of Christ. The one Divine baptism of Ephesians 4:5 and Colossians 2:12 is the Divine baptism of Romans 6:3.

The BELIEVER is identified with CHRIST. Christ was crucified. Christ died. Christ was buried. Christ has been raised. Christ ascended into the heavenlies. Christ is seated in the heavenlies. Members of Christ’s Body have been crucified. They have died. They have been buried by baptism. They have been raised to walk in newness of life. They are seated in the heavenlies in Christ.

While there are higher and deeper truths revealed in Ephesians than in Romans, believers in Romans belong to the same Body that is mentioned in Ephesians. The Body of Romans 12:4-5 is the Body of Ephesians 1:19-22 and Ephesians 4:4. The members of the Body of Ephesians were no more risen with Christ than were the believers of Romans 6:3-20. There is no more water in the baptism of Romans 6:3-4 than there is in the baptism of Ephesians 4:5.

I was present in a meeting where a (what I believe was a Baptist) preacher first emphasized the fact that baptism was a needless ceremony so far as membership in the Body of Christ was concerned; but closed by emphasizing the great importance of being water baptized. He declared himself as being just a member of the Body of Christ. But the hearers were given to understand in his closing remarks that no believer would be welcome in his assembly UNLESS that believer had been water baptized. He was REALLY a member of two churches; one, the Bible Church, the Body of Christ, requiring NO water for membership, and the other, his unscriptural denomination, requiring immersion for membership. The two churches were therefore different.

If there is water in Romans 6:3-6, then water is meritorious and efficacious as a factor in the new creation of the believer. The baptism and burial of Romans 6:3-4 so changes the sinner as to cause him to walk in newness of life. Man’s work cannot produce such a result. Water baptism is man’s work.

Every TRULY saved Lutheran, Presbyterian, or Methodist, has been as truly baptized into the death of Christ and buried with Christ by baptism, as has the most devout and zealous believer who is an immersionist (Baptist et.al.). NOTHING has done more to bring discord and division in Christ’s ONE Body, the true Bible Church of the Dispensation of Grace, than has water baptism. Divine unity is on the basis of the Divine baptism of Ephesians 4:5. Water baptism separates.

At the very time the believing sinner is declared righteous without a cause by God’s Grace, he is immediately identified with Christ in death and resurrection. There must necessarily be a burial between death and resurrection. Therefore every believer is buried by baptism with, Christ at the VERY time he is saved.

It is interesting to note that Romans 6, setting forth the believer’s new life in Christ, his death, burial and resurrection with Christ, follows the message of “reconciliation” in Romans 5. The word “atonement” in Romans 5:11 is a mistranslation. The word is “reconciliation.” The word is found in verse 10. Then immediately the story of Adam and Christ is told. The message of reconciliation shows Adam’s relation to Christ and the believer’s relation to both Adam and Christ. Christ, while on earth, did not mention Adam in His ministry to the lost sheep of Israel. He was, while on earth, a minister of the circumcision with a confirmation ministry concerning promises God had made to Israel. Adam is mentioned in Luke 3:38, but only in the genealogical record of Mary’s ancestors. In doctrine, the first mention of Adam is in 1 Corinthians 15:22 and in Romans 5:14, more than twenty five years AFTER the death of Christ.

In Adam, all (unbelievers) are dead. In Christ all (believers) are made alive. The RISEN Christ from heaven gave the Apostle Paul the Ministry of Reconciliation. The Apostle Peter and the Eleven preached repentance and restitution. They are different. Also, keep in mind, always with Reconciliation is linked the New Creation and the doctrine of “identification”. Note 2 Cor. 5:13-21.

The Gospel of the uncircumcision pointed back to the justification of uncircumcised Abram, the Gentile. The Ministry of Reconciliation was the message of the two federal heads and the two creations: the old and the new. Out of Adam into Christ: What a change!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.

Neither the religion of the Jews nor the very best that the Gentiles are able to present can, in any way, help to save any kind of a sinner. Eternal life is God’s free gift to any kind of a believing sinner. Salvation is not by religion, but by Grace. It is as free as the air we breathe. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” Galatians 6:15.

The believer must first be the workmanship of God, without good works, before he becomes God’s workman, doing good works. God’s order is God’s workmanship (not by works) unto good works, “created in Christ Jesus.” He who knows the message of Grace, his hope and calling, and God’s spiritual program, is more blessed than any millionaire, potentate, or genius on the earth. “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” Galatians 6:16.

In the following verses, the believer is told how to walk: Romans 6:4; Romans 8:1; Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 6:16; Ephesians 4:1, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:15; Colossians 1:10, Colossians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:12.

“According to this rule” means to walk uprightly according to the Gospel.” Galatians 2:14. The believer who walks contrary to the rule of Galatians does not walk well pleasing to the LORD.

“And upon the Israel of God.” “The Israel of God.” Note the burden of the Apostle Paul’s heart expressed in Romans 9:3 and Romans 10:1. Israel had not been finally set aside when Paul wrote Galatians. In order to understand “the Israel of God” the reader should study the Epistle to the Hebrews, written to Israelites who had been saved by Grace, and Israelites who had not received Christ and God’s Grace Gospel. Galatians 3:28 is proof that the Holy Spirit, in Galatians 6:16, was not referring to Israelites who were in Christ Jesus and members of Christ’s Body, when He referred to “the Israel of God.”

Israel was still “God’s Israel” when the Apostle Paul wrote Galatians. NOW, note what he later wrote:

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceit’s; that blindness in part happened to Israel, until the fullness 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.”. Romans 11:25-29

“From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the LORD Jesus. Brethren, the Grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.” Galatians 6:17-18.

“If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.” 1 Corinthians 15:32.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the LORD Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are away delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” 2 Cor. 4:10-11. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” 2 Cor. 4:16.

“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

Every true messenger of The LORD Jesus Christ, is a faithful steward of the Mystery of God. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4. Many zealous, sincere, men and women, although they love the LORD, are unskillful in the Word of Righteousness, being babes, giving out the milk of the Word, but NOT the strong meat that belongeth to those who are perfect. Hebrews 5:12-6:2, and Ephesians 4:13-14. Therefore, with this in mind, we will explore and learn the meat of the Word of God contained in the Book of Acts.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” (John 3:14).

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” (Matthew 12:38-41).

We have in these verses the plain statements of the Son of God; that He must be lifted up on the cross of Calvary; that He must remain in Joseph’s tomb for three days and three nights. These were ‘musts.’ The Gospel by which we are saved is stated in 1 Corinthians 15:1-5: “Christ died for our sins, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, He was buried, and He was raised the third day according to the Scriptures.” If our LORD was not raised from the dead, all our preaching and faith and good works are in vain, and we have NO hope. So it was in fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy that Christ was lifted up, and was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the big fish. (Acts 13:29-30). Strange language do we read in John 12:37-41, “though He (Christ) had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him...Therefore, they could not believe.”

The great signs God Performed by Jesus of Nazareth in the midst of Israel before He was lifted up and before He went to Joseph’s tomb (Acts 2:22, John 20:30-31) should have caused Israel to repent at the preaching of Christ as the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, for Christ was greater than Jonah, and the Israelites were God’s chosen people. Refusing to repent before Calvary was a serious matter. But Christ had to die as He died and when He died. (Hebrews 2:9; Acts 4:25-28; Acts 2:23; Acts 3:18; Acts 13:29-30; Matthew 26:24; Luke 24:25-26; Luke 24:46; and. Matthew 21:42). Therefore, Israel’s sin against the Son of man, lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent, could be forgiven (Matthew 12:30-32; Luke 23:34, and Acts 3:18).

But for Israel it was far more serious when they rejected the witness of the 12 Apostles and that of the Holy Spirit AFTER Christ came from the heart of the earth as Jonah came from the belly of the fish. (Acts 5:29-32). Undoubtedly that great miracle of Jonah in the fish for three days and three nights caused the men of Nineveh to repent. The great miracle, or sign of Matthew 12:40, referred to by the Apostle Peter in Acts 3:15 and Acts 5:31-32, should have caused Israel to grasp the meaning of the ‘THEREFORE’ in Acts 3:19, when Peter said, “Repent ‘THEREFORE’.” BUT, what happened? They put Peter in jail, stoned Stephen to death, and continued in their rejection and rebellion until God’s wrath unto the uttermost came upon them. (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).

FACTS TO UNDERSTAND THE BOOK OF ACTS

Every true messenger of Christ is a faithful steward of the Mystery of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1-4). Many zealous, sincere men and women, although they love the LORD, are unskillful in the Word of Righteousness, being babes, giving out the milk of the Word, but NOT the strong meat that belongeth to those who are perfect. (Hebrews 5:12-6:2, and Ephesians 4:13-14). Therefore, with this in mind, we begin this new multipart series of messages, through which we will explore and learn the meat of God's Word contained in the Book of Acts.

Every faithful steward of the Mystery of God knows that ‘ISRAEL’ and ‘CIRCUMCISION’ are two of the keys to the Scriptures.

Now, inasmuch as we find the word ‘ISRAEL’ in the Book of Acts about 20 times and the word ‘JEW’ or ‘JEWS’ about 80 times, and the word ‘CHRISTIAN’ 1 time and ‘CHRISTIANS’ 1 time, and inasmuch as Peter said, ‘TO THE JEWS FIRST’ in Acts 3:26, and Paul, about 12 years later said, ‘TO THE JEWS FIRST’ (Acts 13:46), perhaps we should approach the study of Acts with the words of Christ to the Greek in mind, “let the children (Israel) FIRST be filled.” (Mark 7:27). But of course, if we do not understand the Dispensational place of the Book of Acts, we surely wonder why, some twelve or thirteen years after Christ said to Israel, “your house is left unto you desolate” in Matthew 23:38, the Apostle Paul should warn Israel to ‘BEWARE’ in Acts 13:40, and then say ‘TO THE JEWS FIRST.’ in Acts 13:46. Why some eight years after Christ's unmerciful denunciation of Israel in Matthew 23:31-40, was it NOT lawful for Peter to go to Gentiles seen in Acts 10:28? Why did the Jewish messengers preach to no one but Jews only as seen in Acts 11:19? Why were the Apostles and elders in Judea displeased when Peter had preached to the household of Cornelius? (Acts 11:1-5). When the Apostle Paul, some years later, wrote ‘TO THE JEW FIRST,’ in Romans 1:16, he was not talking of the ‘then’ present, but of the ‘then’ past; for in that same Epistle to the Romans he wrote that there was no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles, as we read in Romans 3:22 and Romans 10:12, and that God had set Israel aside, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. (Romans 11:25). Now, just think of the blunder of those who preach today ‘to the Jew first’ after reading Romans 11:7-11 and Acts 28:25-28!

In Jeremiah 31:35-36 we read that, "when there shall no more be a sun, and stars and the moon, there shall no more be a nation Israel." So when you behold the planets, keep your eyes on Israel. Israel is now the TAIL of Deuteronomy 28:44; but Israel will yet be the HEAD of Deuteronomy 28:13. Spiritually speaking, the Christian Gentiles are rich because Israel, during this parenthetical period, (The Age of of Grace, the Dispensation of the Mystery), is poor. (Romans 11:12, and Romans 11:30).

In Acts 3:12-18, the Apostle Peter plainly told Israel of their ‘PARDONABLE’ sin, their sin against the Son of man, the Prophet like unto Moses. (Acts 3:22). In Acts 7:51-60 Stephen plainly told Israel of their ‘PARDONABLE’ sin, against the Son of man, their ‘UNPARDONABLE’ sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:30-32; Acts 5:30-31), and concerning Christ the Prophet like unto Moses. (Acts 7:37). Then, Israel said, in a sense, to Stephen, concerning the certain Nobleman of Luke 19:14, “we will not have THIS MAN to reign over us.”

In Isaiah 5:7 we read that ‘the VINEYARD OF THE LORD IS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.’ Read the other PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD in Matthew 21:33-46. Now, follow me here, then read with these two Parables in Isaiah and Matthew, Stephen’s great message to Israel in Acts 7, Paul’s great message to Israel in Acts 13:16-46. And with these four messages I want you to read Psalm 78, and Psalm 106. ONCE, you do this, you will have a real knowledge of the general history of Israel, and you will understand better the question Christ put to Israel, in Isaiah 5:4, “what could have been done more to MY VINEYARD (ISRAEL), that I have not done in it?” Then read Romans 9:29-33, and 11:1-11, and answer this most thought provoking, and most important question, “how long was Israel’s ‘ALL-DAY-LONG,’ referred to in Romans 10:21?” God stretched forth His hands to Israel ‘ALL-DAY-LONG.’

Again as we begin to study Acts we should remember the words of the disciples of Christ after His resurrection, “we trusted it had been Christ Which should have redeemed Israel” (Luke 24:21), and the question of his apostles, in Acts 1:6, “wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” And with these quotations remember Matthew 10:23, that Christ’s apostles may not go over the cities of Israel before the Son of man come: and Matthew 19:27-28, that Christ promised the twelve apostles that they would sit on twelve thrones and judge Israel. With these thoughts, keep in mind, that the Gospel of Matthew, we have from the best authorities, was written within six years after the death of the LORD Jesus Christ, before Cornelius, the first Gentile was saved, because at the time it was not lawful for Matthew or any of his fellow apostles to go to Gentiles. (Acts 10:28). Matthew wrote after Saul (Paul) was converted, after Saul went in and out among the apostles in Jerusalem. (Acts 9:27-28). At that time Saul knew no more about Ephesians 3:9 than did Matthew. The Mystery had not yet been revealed! This is a Very Important point!

From these facts, even the babe in Christ should know that the Lord Jesus revealed NOTHING of the Dispensation of the Mystery (Ephesians 3:9), nothing of the Dispensation of the Grace of God (Ephesians 3:1-8), and nothing of the program of Romans 11:30-31 to His apostles, when right before His ascension He spoke of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3). Acts 11:18 should convince even the most skeptical of this fact.

“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