The Nation of Israel will be saved because the the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. True or False? Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day, http://ping.fm/YcTsl

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-10-2012

Question: No matter what the circumstance, are we, as members of the Body of Christ, to forgive those that hurt us? Yes or No?

Answer: YES! Whoever comes to mind that you are having trouble loving or forgiving, lay this problem at the feet of our LORD and seek His divine help in doing what we all ought to do, and that is...FORGIVE NO MATTER WHAT! Now, out of the 703 responses we received to this question, I am very pleased to see that 100% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at...

Love and Forgiveness

Did you know that there is one book in the New Testament dedicated to the matter of LOVE and FORGIVENESS - it has only one chapter of 25 verses - the Book of PHILEMON. We believe that he was a man of some means as he not only had “slaves” like Onesimus (who is mentioned in the book) but his home was large enough for the church to meet there. His wife’s name was Apphia, and their son was Archippus whom Paul addressed in the last chapter of the Book of Colossians. Here is what you might call the “TWELVE STEPS OF LOVE TO FORGIVENESS” from the 25 verses of the Book of Philemon.

Step 1 - REMEMBER to pray for those involved - Philemon 4-6, “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

Step 2 - REJOICE in how God can use them in spite of the problem you may have with them - Philemon 7, “For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother."

Step 3 - RELATE to others with proper motives - Philemon 8-9, “Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient, Yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ."

Step 4 - RECOGNIZE the changes which God can make in a person’s life - Philemon 10-11, “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me"

Step 5 - RESPOND with compassion - Philemon 12-13, “Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel"

Step 6 - REALIZE the importance of a willing heart to forgive - Philemon 14, “But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly."

Step 7 - REMIND yourself of God’s will and purpose in the difficult circumstances you face - Philemon 15-16, “For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?"

Step 8 - RESOLVE to correct whatever needs to be done - Philemon 17-19, “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides."

Step 9 - REFRESH the hearts of others by forgiving - Philemon 20-21, “Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord. Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say."

Step 10 - REFUSE to separate from the fellowship of another believer - Philemon 22, “But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you."

Step 11 - REFER to others who would be blessed by your forgiveness - Philemon 23-24, “There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus; Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers."

Step 12 - RELY upon the grace of our Lord - Philemon 25, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

The best way to relate to the above 12 steps is by having your Bible in hand as you review these steps. The standard is clear, and can be found in Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Grace gives us what we do NOT deserve, and Mercy holds back from us what we do deserve!

Whoever comes to mind that you are having trouble loving or forgiving, lay this problem at the feet of our Lord and seek His divine help in doing what we all ought to do, and that is - FORGIVE NO MATTER WHAT!

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

The subject that I want to tackle in this message, as a precursor to a new upcoming series of messages, is about recovering a Bible Truth that appears to have been lost. If we, as Children of God are honest with ourselves we will admit that an extremely high percentage of pastors and Bible teachers and most all other Christians are NOT obeying Ephesians 3:9, which states clearly, “make all see what is the Dispensation of the MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world hath been ‘HID IN GOD’, “HID FROM GENERATIONS’ ‘BUT NOW IS ‘MADE MANIFEST TO GOD’S SAINTS’. (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:25-26).

This spectacular truth had been revealed to the Apostle Paul, by direct revelation of the Risen LORD Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul then revealed it to all the saints. THEN, it was lost! It was lost within two generations after the death of the Apostle Paul. Absolutely tragic!

Now, after the truth concerning ‘the Dispensation of the MYSTERY’ was lost, the truth concerning the coming of Christ, before the Great Tribulation to Rapture the Body of Christ was lost, and during the tribulation to save Israel (Romans 11:26), and then to establish God’s prophesied kingdom, was also lost.

In the Apostasy from the Faith that followed the death of the Apostles, church “leaders” ceased to differentiate between the prophesied Kingdom of Heaven, which Christ, declared “is at hand” (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15), and the UNprophesied BODY of Christ which began historically with the FALL of Israel (Romans 11:11).

Then, it was not very long until the church “leaders”, many of them UNsaved religious leaders, substituted tradition for the Word of God (Matthew 15:6), preferred the praise of men to the praise of God (John 12:43), and the fundamental doctrine of ‘justification by Grace through Faith’ was lost, and the world and the church were plunged into centuries of religious darkness. The leaven had done its work. However, it is STILL at work today!

This all continued until Martin Luther was led by the Holy Spirit to believe ‘the just shall live by faith’. As the result of Luther’s conviction, vision, courage, zeal and aggressive evangelism, under God, the all-important Christian doctrine of ‘justification by Faith’ was uncovered or shall we say, RECOVERED. Millions were saved as the result of the mighty reformation! So, we find that the last of the great doctrines of the Body of Christ was the first to be recovered!

Then, God raised up other men of conviction and courage to clear out Luther’s ‘justification’ message of the religious rites. After that, God raised up the man of God, who perhaps did more to recover the truth concerning the difference between the UNPROPHESIED Body of Christ, (a spiritual ORGANISM rather than a religious organization or sectarian group), and the much PROPHESIED Kingdom, (which with the Fall of Israel was postponed, put on hold, paused, until God completes ‘The One New Man’ of Ephesians 2:15, reconciling Jews and Gentiles in one Body by the cross, Ephesians 2:15-16), than any other man.

Any man of God who is not grateful to God for John Darby and the RECOVERY of truth by him, should be ashamed.

Then, God has seen fit to recover lost Bible truth in what seems like inverted order. However, the Truth of God, for which the Apostle Paul suffered as a criminal (2 Timothy 2:8-9; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:3-4) has not been recovered to the degree that Christian pastors and Bible teachers now obey Ephesians 3:9, as they should be. That task is what The Lion and Lamb Ministry has undertaken, it is why we are here, but we can’t do it alone, we need your help! So join us, in this most glorious endeavor.

So, let’s first take a look and examine Ephesians 3:9 and Romans 11:25-26.

Now, whether Christians plead negligence, disobedience, apathetic indifference, or ignorance; after reading Ephesians 3:9, they know that it is their duty and blessed privilege to “make all Christians see what is the Dispensation of the MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world was ‘HID IN GOD’, ‘HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS’, ‘now made manifest to God’s saints’.” (Colossians 1:24-26).

A Child of God, who does not know the MYSTERY of Romans 11:25, has not seen, or will ever see, what is the Dispensation of the MYSTERY of Ephesians and Colossians, and it behooves every Child of God to pray that the Holy Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation will cause the eyes of his or her understanding to be enlightened (Ephesians 1:15-17), to first understand the meaning of Romans 11:25 and then to continue praying to be enlightened as to how to obey Ephesians 3:9.

Now pay attention here, no Christian leader will be a faithful steward of the MYSTERIES of God until he is taught by the Holy Spirit the dispensational CRISIS recorded in Romans 11. This means, to understand, that God sent blindness upon Israel for a time, and for a cause.

Let us see how this truth is foreshadowed in Acts 13:5-15. In these verses we read of a Jew, with a terrific name, but with a heart filled with guile. His name was ‘BAR-JESUS’, meaning ‘The Child of Jehovah-Savior’. What a wonderful name! What a significant name! Comparing Acts 13:5-13 with some chapters concerning Israel in the Book of Isaiah, from Isaiah 41-47, we will learn that Israel was indeed, ‘BAR-JESUS’, ‘The Child of Jehovah-Savior’. When we read the fearful denunciation by the LORD Jesus Christ, upon Israel in Matthew 23:13-33 and then compare His pronouncement upon Israel with the pronouncement upon Israel recorded in 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, we shall certainly know that ‘ISRAEL’, meaning ‘a prince with God’ (Genesis 32:28), was filled with guile.

Christ, told them that the devil was their father, although they claimed God was. (John 8:41-44). The Apostle Paul called ‘BAR-JESUS’, ‘the child of the devil’. (Acts 13:10). Then note the verse which follows: Acts 13:11, “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind not seeing the sun for a season (kairos).” Then note what immediately a Gentile did when he saw what was done (the blindness of the ISRAELITE), he BELIEVED, being astonished at the doctrine of Christ.

As we read two or three verses in Romans 11, let us see why all Gentiles should be astonished at the doctrine of Christ, and believe and be saved. A blind man cannot see. He must be led by another hand. (Acts 13:11). God sent blindness upon ISRAEL. (Romans 11:8-10). ISRAEL stumbled and had a great FALL. (Romans 11:11). ISRAEL was diminished and was cast away. (Romans 11:12-15).

Now read Romans 11:25 and know that God would not have Christians “ignorant” of ‘THIS MYSTERY’, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Then what? After Israel’s blindness for a time and for a cause, “ISRAEL will be saved”, for another reason. (Romans 11:26-29). And that is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

God sent blindness upon Israel for a time and for a cause. We might ask the difference between the cause of Israel’s blindness and the Divine reason or purpose for their blindness. In Romans 11:21 we read that God spared not the natural branches (Israel). They were cut off because of unbelief. (Romans 11:20-21). And, because of Israel’s unbelief, God offered special mercy to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:30). Concerning Israel’s blindness, “God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.” (Romans 11:8-10).

Then follows what might be considered the most important Dispensational verse of Scripture in the Bible. A truth that marked a great turning-point in God’s dealings with Israel on the one hand and with the other nations on the other hand: “Have they (Israel) stumbled that they should FALL(forever)? God forbid; but rather through their FALL(blindness), salvation is come unto the Gentiles.” (Romans 11:11).

Then, Romans 11:12 states that because Israel was diminished and was caused to FALL, God extended to the Gentiles the opportunity to become RICH. Then Romans 11:15 states that the casting-away of Israel sent RECONCILIATION to Gentiles.

In 2 Cor. 8:9, 1 John 2:2, Romans 5:9-11, and Colossians 1:20-21, we learn that believing Gentiles are RICH, because the RICH Christ, became poor; that they have obtained, (certainly NOT attained), Divine MERCY because of Christ’s death on the cross; that they have been RECONCILED because Christ made peace by His shed blood on the cross. Open your Bible and read these seven verses (2 Cor. 8:9, 1 John 2:2, Romans 5:9-11, and Colossians 1:20-21) with seven verses in Romans 11(Romans 11:21-27) and learn that believing Gentiles are RICH, RECONCILED and enjoy God’s GRACE, SALVATION, AND MERCY, because God SPARED NOT His own Son and because God SPARED NOT His own Nation.

With these fourteen verses read several other verses, in which is found the word NOW, indicating a radical change in God’s dealings with the Gentiles. These verses are Romans 3:21, Romans 8:1, 2 Cor. 5:16, Ephesians 2:13, Ephesians 2:19, Romans 11:30, Colossians 1:21 and Colossians 1:26. Surely these ‘dispensational’ NOWS’ should convince any intelligent, spiritual student of the Scriptures that God offered a new deal to the human race when and because of the FALL of Israel. Therefore, it behooves every member of the Body of Christ to search the Scriptures diligently to learn when that FALL took place.

In the light of the Scriptures we have just mentioned, every Christian should know that Israel’s blindness was for a cause. When we say ‘cause’, we should think of ‘reason’ and ‘purpose’. When we read 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, Romans 9:27-33, Acts 7:51-60, and Acts 13:45, we should know the ‘reason’ for Israel’s stumbling and FALL. When we read Romans 11:25-33, we should learn God’s ‘purpose’ in Israel’s FALL. Why did God say, in Romans 11:25, “I would not have Christians ignorant of THIS MYSTERY?” Perhaps He knew that more than ninety percent of Children of God in every generation would be ignorant. This ignorance is often due to the strong prejudice of some Christians, or to preconceived opinions based upon tradition substituted for the Word of God, rightly divided, and very largely to the apathetic indifference of the great multitude of church members who seem perfectly content to continue as ‘INFANTS’ on a milk diet. (Hebrews 5:11-6:1; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Ephesians 4:14; 1 Corinthians 13:11).

Then, of course, the god of this age, transformed into an angel of light, and as head of spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:11-12; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 2 Cor. 11:1-3; and 2 Cor. 4:3-4), will always do his utmost to keep religious sinners and saved religious people from knowing the glorious Divine Truth, ‘GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE’ in the Dispensation and Age of Grace.

Satan’s principalities and powers are involved. (Ephesians 3:9-10). They realize that a Child of God ignorant of ‘THIS MYSTERY’ in Romans 11:25, will, or can, make other Christians “see what is the Dispensation of the MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world hath been ‘HID IN GOD’,” “HID from ages and generations”, But NOW is made manifest to His saints.” (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:24:26).

The blindness for a time and for a cause is explained in Romans 11:25: “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 fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Then what? “And so all Israel shall be saved, ‘AS IT IS WRITTEN”

As what is written? It is written in many of the Books from Genesis to Malachi, that God’s ‘Kingdom’ Nation, Israel, will be established in a kingdom of righteousness and peace and prosperity on this earth, with Jerusalem as the world capital; that Israel’s Messiah and Prince and King, Yâ-hwéh Yâhuwshúa`, The LORD Jesus Christ, will reign over Israel and the other nations.

HOWEVER, it was NOT written in any of thirty-nine Books from Genesis to Malachi, that the building again of the Tabernacle of David and the planting of Israel in their land (Amos 9:11-15) would be POSTPONED, put on hold, on pause, for more than Twenty centuries; and that while the prophesied Kingdom is in abeyance, Christ, is to remain on His Father’s throne in heaven, as Head of the Church, Which is His Body. Hence, ‘THIS MYSTERY’.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.