Okay, it’s good to see
everybody in again this afternoon, which is a beautiful, beautiful spring day
in Tulsa. It’s a beautiful day to have all these people in from out of state.
We’ve got people from Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. It’s a good time of
the year to show off our beautiful city. I love Tulsa. I have ever since I
went through it the first time when I was in service, and I thought what a
pretty city this is. So, we want to welcome all of you, and, again, we just
have to thank you for your prayers, your support, and your financial help. We
never ask for money, because we never have to. It just keeps coming in, and
all we can do is praise the Lord, and thank every one of you that are so
generous and so supportive of what we’re doing. How it thrills our hearts when
we read these letters. And we’re getting letters from a lot of preachers that
are getting their eyes opened. Unbelievable! And we appreciate that. Okay, we’re going to keep right
on going with our “But God” and “But Now’s.” We didn’t finish the
last “But Now” in the last taping. We only got as far as the
Rapture. So, we’re going to turn back to I Corinthians 15, the great
resurrection chapter. I’m going to do like I did at the beginning – work our
way down to the “But Now” in verse 20. I Corinthians 15:14-15 “And if Christ be not
risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15. Yea, and we
are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He
raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.”
In other words, Paul says we are lying if God indeed did not raise up Christ.
But He did! Now, verse 17: I Corinthians 15:17 “And if Christ be not
raised, your faith is vain; you are yet in your sins.” Now, what does
that tell you? What I’ve been stressing over the years. It’s not enough to
believe that Christ died for you. That’s only half a Gospel. You also have to
believe with all your heart that Christ arose from the dead, victorious over
sin and death and Satan and all the principalities and powers! Otherwise, we
still have nothing, now verse 18. I Corinthians 15:18 “Then they also who are
fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Now, I’d better stop right here
and define the term asleep in Scripture, because we know there are
groups that teach a “soul sleep.” Don’t you ever believe it! I made the
comment when I first started on television years ago, and I’ve repeated it, maybe
not often enough, that when God created Adam and Eve, He created them in His
image. Not in the likeness of a human body, but in His invisible makeup. You remember that I’ve always
pointed out that God Himself, all three persons of the Godhead, have the same
attributes of personality. They all have a mind, they all have will, and they
all have emotion. But they’re all invisible. You know I make a point of it.
You can go into an autopsy, and I used to do quite a few of them when I was in
service, and you can cut that brain every which way possible and you will not
find the will. You will not find the soul. You will not find the seat of
emotions. Why? They’re invisible! But does that mean they’re not real? We
know they’re real! You know you have a mind. You
know you have a will. You know you have a set of emotions. You laugh. You
get angry. But you can’t touch it. All right, that’s God, and He is an
invisible personality. All right, now we were created, then, in that invisible
mode of mind, will, and emotion; and then God merely put that invisible makeup
into this earthly tabernacle. All right, so, that being the
case, if the soul was created in the image of God, can it ever fall away from
activity? Never! So, the soul never sleeps or dies. A soul is always a
living entity. Now, the body will die. And that’s really the King James word
– sleep. The body will die, but on resurrection day, it, too, will be
brought back to life. That’s our glorious hope, that someday that invisible part
of us that’s still in the presence of God as a believer, is going to be
reunited with a new body. And then Thessalonians says it so plain, we’ll be
body, soul, and spirit once again. So, always remember, that when
you see it, especially in the King James Version, the word sleep does
not mean that the soul sleeps. It does not mean that it ever loses its
consciousness, because the soul cannot die. It’s an eternal thing that’s going
to go on into eternity – someplace. The whole teaching of the Word of God is
that you and I in the invisible are going to keep right on living through all
eternity. I’ll never forget, I heard
somebody, and I don’t remember who it was, but we were listening to him preach
in one of our churches or something, and he said, “Our salvation will last as
long as God does.” How long is that? That’s forever! God won’t ever cease.
And that’s how long our salvation is going to last – as long as God lives. But on the other side of the
coin, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that the lost person is going
to cease to exist any sooner. So, we have to maintain, as awful as it is, that
the lost person is going to spend eternity in their lost estate, like we will
enjoy it in our saved estate. It’s a fact of Scripture that that which God
created, even though it was invisible, was created with no end, because He has
no end. Okay, I didn’t intend to do
that. You got that free for nothing! All right, so now let’s go on, verse 19. I Corinthians 15:19 “If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Well, what
does he mean by that? Well, you can just about imagine what a disappointment
it would be to suddenly realize that everything that you’ve been hanging on to
was for nothing. It would just be utter disappointment. We all appreciate
disappointments, because we have too many of them in this life. So here we
have the assurance that we won’t be disappointed, because God is eternal. You know, this series has been
interesting. I’ve enjoyed getting ready for it. The other day, we had the
couple who head up the mission to the Ukraine stop by the house. You’ve been
reading and seeing a little more about in our newsletters. They use our tapes
and our books, and they’re putting it all into Russian in the Ukraine. Well, anyway, the president of that mission and his wife stopped by the other day. We had
no more than sat down to our old kitchen table and he was telling us some of
the things, and he said, “But God!” And I said, “Hallelujah. You’ve been
seeing the last programs!” Oh, he says, “I love them.” All right, “But now,” on
this side of His resurrection. I Corinthians 15:20 “But now is Christ risen
from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” Or
again, that died physically. But they didn’t die in the realm of the soul and
spirit, because that goes right on into the Lord’s presence. All right, now
then, over these last several programs we took from this “But Now,” and we
started looking at the resurrections of the various groups of people. We pick
that up in verse 23. Here’s where we really get the meat of all this. I Corinthians 15:23a “But every man
(Now, the word man here is generic. It means men, women, boys, and girls.) in
his own order:…” Or group. It’s a military term, I think, in the
Greek, which signified various organizations in the chain of command in the
military. Those of you that have been in, you know what I’m talking about.
You’ve got the platoon and the company and the battalion and the regiment and
division and the army. Well, every address to a man in service is directed to
his particular military organization. All right, now Paul is using
that same analogy, by Holy Spirit inspiration, of course, that in the
resurrections, not everybody is going to be resurrected at once. There’s going
to be various groups, and everyone is going to be in their own designated
group. Now, you remember in our last taping, one of these last four or five
programs, we showed that the first ones to be resurrected were the “firstfruits,”
or the sampling, of the harvest field as Israel practiced the harvest. Let’s
see, we put it on the board. I guess it’s been erased since then. But
remember I put it up here as a little square forty acre patch. And according
to Jewish law, when they came in to harvest the field of barley or wheat, first
they would come in and pick up those earliest ripening stems of grain. They’d
bring them together into a sheaf and take it to the Temple and wave offer it
before the priest and so forth. Well, it was called the offering of the
firstfruits, the sampling of the major crop. Okay, after they had taken the
firstfruits out, and the major part of the crop is now ripe, then they would go
in and they would harvest the whole field, but they had to leave gleanings, and
they had to leave the corners. That was Jewish law. All right, so we covered
all that. So, after the firstfruits were
taken out, we went back to Matthew 27 and showed how that was the group of
Jewish believers, no doubt, that came out of the grave after His resurrection.
They went into the city, and then from there they were evidently taken up into
glory. All right, we’ve been waiting 1,900 and some years for the crop itself
to be taken. And we feel that that’s the Rapture of the Church, the Body of
Christ. That’ll be the major resurrection of the greatest number of believers
of all time. Then, we went on to show that
the gleanings and the corners would be resurrected later. We didn’t get time
to cover all that. So, now we’re going to cover, in this first half-hour at
least, or maybe into the next one, who comprised the corners? Who comprised
the gleanings? Now, I guess I should put the orders up here.
First, we had the firstfruits. The firstfruits were those samplings that came
out of the grave after Christ. The second is the Body of Christ, which is by
far the largest number of believers of any time throughout Biblical history.
Now today, we’re going to be looking at these leftovers, or the corners and the
gleanings. Okay let’s go back, first and
foremost, and pick up the resurrection of those who are not in the Body of
Christ. Go back with me to Daniel chapter 12. Now, I know that there are
those who teach only one general resurrection. Everybody is going to be
resurrected at the same time. Well, I beg to differ. And I’m used to that.
I’m used to sort of being out there in the small minority. I don’t claim to be
alone. Don’t ever think for a minute that I’m the only one that teaches the
way I teach. There are many, many, many, but even in the whole, we’re still a
small percentage. All right, Daniel chapter 12.
Now, this is probably the, what shall I call it? The parallel Old Testament
portion of Scripture dealing with resurrection as I Corinthians 15 is in the
New Testament. So, Daniel 12 and we’ll start at verse 1 to keep it simple. Daniel 12:1 “And at that time shall
Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people:”
Now remember, Daniel is a Jew – who are the “thy people?” Well, Israel. God’s chosen people.) and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never
was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
In other words, every believing Jew is finally going to escape the horrors of
the Tribulation at the Second Coming of Christ. Now, I guess I should show you
a few of the references that refer to that. I’m debating which one to look at
first. Should I look at Jeremiah 30? I think that’s the one that speaks of
it. Yeah. Now again, you’ve got to realize, I do some of these things without
planning to, so bear with me - Jeremiah 30. This is what Daniel is being led
to write about. This last seven years of human history, the last half of which
will be beyond our comprehension. Now, Jeremiah describes it. Jeremiah 30:6-7 “Ask ye now, and see
whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his
hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into
paleness? 7. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is
even the time of Jacob’s trouble, (Jacob here is referring to the
Nation of Israel.) but he shall be saved out of it.” Now again,
we have to be careful, knowing Scripture with Scripture, that Paul makes it so
plain that the whole Nation won’t experience this being saved but only a small
remnant. All right, now let’s jump all
the way up to Matthew 24, where Jesus is speaking of the very same identical
time that Daniel is. Now, of course, the first fourteen verses all deal with
the first half of these last seven years, which are going to be bad enough, but
they’re nothing compared to the last half. All right, now Jesus picks it up in
His own words, if you’ve got a red-letter edition, it’s in red, starting in
verse 15. Matthew 24:15 “When ye therefore shall
see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, stand in
the holy place, (That is in the Temple.) (whosoever readeth let
him understand:)” In other words, when they see the anti-Christ come
into the Temple, to the Holy of Holies, in Jerusalem probably, and that’s
speculation, because we’re going back to a Greek Premier or a General or
whatever he was back in about 300 BC. Anyway, he went into the Temple in the time that Greece was ruling Jerusalem, and he hated the Jew. And just to
cause consternation among the Nation of Israel, he offered a hog on the Temple altar, and it infuriated the Jews, of course. So consequently, it was called an
abomination. Well, no doubt the anti-Christ is going to do much the same
thing. All right, so Jesus is putting his stamp of approval on Daniel’s
prophecy. So, “when you see the abomination of desolation”
desecrating the Temple there in Jerusalem, because the Temple will be rebuilt,
remember, all right, when you see that happen: Matthew 24:16-20 “Then let them who are in
Judea (the area of Jerusalem) flee into the mountains: 17. Let
him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:
18. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19.
And woe unto them who are with child, and to those who are nursing in those
days! 20. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the
Sabbath day:” Which, of course, according to Jewish law, would limit
their walk to a half mile or so. That wouldn’t even get them out of Jerusalem today. Matthew 24:21 “For then (this
midpoint of the Tribulation, this time of Jacob’s trouble) shall be great
tribulation, (The first half is going to be bad, but the last half is
going to be great. Beloved, it’s going to be beyond human comprehension, see?) such
as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall
be.” Now, all you have to do is just use a little common sense
reflecting on human history. Look at the horrible, horrible
days that the human race has experienced in the last 6,000 years. There have
been all kinds of horrible times. Hitler’s holocaust was probably the worst, of
course. But, what’s coming is even going to be worse than the holocaust. And people
can’t get a handle on that. It is going to be beyond human comprehension,
because when you get to the end of those seven years, there’s only going to be
just a sampling of human beings left alive. It’s going to take almost the
whole human race in its wake. All right, so those are all
pictures concerning these final days. Now, come back with me to Daniel who
uses almost the same language in verse 1. That’s what made me think about
these other two portions. That there’s going to be a time such as never was
since there was a nation. Now, that’s back in Daniel chapter 12 verse 1. We
just read it a little bit ago. Daniel 12:1b “…and there shall be a
time of trouble, (Jacob’s trouble) such as never was since there
was a nation, even to that same time:…” Now, even back here in Daniel’s
day, way back at about 550 BC, the Holy Spirit directs Daniel to use the same
time frame that Jesus did. That right up until the end of time as we know it,
there’s not going to be a portion of time so horrendous as this last three and
a half years. Do you see that? Daniel 12:1c “…and at that time thy
people shall be delivered,…” Well, it will be the Second Coming of
Christ. All right, let’s look at another one a minute. Go ahead from Daniel,
go towards the front. Go to Zechariah chapter 14 and we’ve got the same kind of
a picture. We’ll start at verse 1. Now, this is prophecy, and it all fits
with what Jesus said in Matthew 24. It fits with what John writes in the
Revelation. So, we know it’s true. This isn’t just some idea that some men
have dreamed up. This is the Word of God. Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the
LORD cometh, (That’s the term of those final seven years leading up to
His Second Coming.) and thy spoil (In other words, everything
that has been left for the victorious enemy.) shall be divided in the
midst of thee.” In other words, the Gentile armies are just going to
come in and help themselves to everything that belonged to the Jewish people.
Verse 2, but this is all part of God’s design, so He says: Zechariah 14:2 “For I (This is
God’s design.) will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and
the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, (In other words,
they’ll just be devastated, looting like you have never seen.) and the
women ravished; (That’s just another term for raped. There’s going to
be more rape taking place in Jerusalem, again over time, like the world has
never seen.) and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, (They’re
going to be overrun by these Gentile armies.) and the residue of the
people shall not be cut off from the city.” They’re going to be
trapped. But now verse 3, here is the promise at the last moment possible. Zechariah 14:3 “Then shall the LORD go
forth, (That’s Christ, now, at His Second Coming. He’s going to leave
Heaven, and He’s going to come to the planet with all of His power.) and
fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.”
Now verse 4, we know this is a literal, physical, visible Second Coming. What
does the next verse say? Zechariah 14:4a “And his feet shall stand
in that day upon the Mount of Olives,…” Now, what does that indicate?
Physical. Visible. You who have been to Jerusalem, no doubt like we do, the
first thing we do is go right from the airport up to the Mount of Olives. It gives
everybody a view of the whole city. Well, it won’t have changed one bit by the
time Christ returns. It’s still going to be there, and that’s why it lists it
in that way. Zechariah 14:4b “…the Mount of Olives,
which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave…”
And so on and so forth. Then, I always like to jump on over to verse 9. This
will introduce the final 1,000 years of the planet’s history, when Christ will
set up His Kingdom. He’s going to set up His throne room in Jerusalem. This is
just as plain as English can make it. Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD (That’s
God the Son, that’s Jesus the Christ.) shall be king over all the earth: (Not
just Israel, but He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over the
whole planet.) in that day there shall be one LORD, and His name one.”
It’s so obvious that this is
the Kingdom that He talked about all the way up through the Old Testament finally
coming into fruition. There is a constant prophetic reference to this glorious
Kingdom over which Christ is going to rule and reign. It’s going to be heaven
on earth. Satan is gone. The curse is lifted. Sin is gone. Death is gone. It’s
going to be a literal heaven on earth, and that’s what we have to understand. All
right, but at the same time, that time as we know it is now going to be
interrupted, and Christ sets up His Kingdom. We have to have the resurrection
of all the believers from day one until that time. Well, now we still haven’t
gotten far enough to get there, but we’ll pick it up in the next half-hour,
where the rest of these believers will be resurrected. Now, let’s go back to our study
of the order of the resurrections. I hope you realize that there were precious
few believers from Adam to Abraham, a period of time covering approximately
2,000 years. In fact, at the time of the flood there were only eight. From
the flood to the Tower of Babel, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that
there was as much as one believer left. Nothing. Then from the Tower of Babel to the call of Abraham is probably another two hundred years. And how many
believers are on the earth at the time of Abraham? None, that I’m aware of, so
you have precious few all the way from Adam to Abraham. All right, now let’s
go from Abraham all the way on up to the first advent of Christ. How many of
the Nation of Israel became believers during that 2,000 year period of time?
Not many. Now, one verse I always like to
use to back that up, keep your hand in Daniel, because we’re going to come
right back. Turn all the way back to Isaiah chapter 1. Of course, Isaiah is one
of the Major Prophets preaching to Israel at about 760-770 BC, just a couple of
hundred years after King David and Solomon reigned. Now, look at the
spiritual state of Israel. And you know the rest of the world had nothing.
So, the only believers that we’re going to have to look for a resurrection day
are these coming out of the Nation of Israel in that 2,000 year period of
time. All right, Isaiah 1 verse 9, and, again, you don’t have to be a
theologian. This is just plain simple English. Isaiah 1:9a “Except (or
unless) the LORD of Hosts (That’s Jehovah, Israel’s God.) had left unto us…” Now, remember, Isaiah is a what? He’s a Jew writing
to the Nation of Israel. So, when he uses the term “us,” who’s he confining it
to? Well, the Nation of Israel. He’s not talking to the whole human race.
He’s talking to Israel. Isaiah 1:9 “Except the LORD of Hosts
had left unto us a very small remnant, we (the Nation of Israel) should
have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” So,
what spared the nation from going the route of Sodom and Gomorrah? That small
remnant of believers! Now, let me show you another
point, Jeremiah 44. We used this years and years ago, I know, but most people
have probably forgotten. Now, Jeremiah writes about a hundred years after
Isaiah, and the Nation of Israel has been prospering. God has been blessing
them. They’re about ready to meet their doom when the Babylonians come in,
but, nevertheless, how patiently God dealt with this nation with only a few
believers. Now, this is typical of the
spiritual climate in Israel. Now, I’m out to prove my point that there were
not that many believers all up through the Old Testament, so I can put them in
the category of “gleanings and corners” on Resurrection Day. There weren’t
that many. Jeremiah 44:15a “Then all the men who
knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods,…” Well, they
knew all about it. What’d they do about it? Nothing! They were no better.
They didn’t put up an argument to the women and say, “Don’t so such things.” Jeremiah 44:15b-17a “…and all the women that
stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of
Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, 16. As for the word that thou hast
spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken (or listen)
unto thee. 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of
our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, (That was one
of the pagan goddesses, remember?) and to pour out drink-offerings unto
her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes,…” That’s the whole nation that
had now gone under abject idolatry, except that little tiny remnant. Then they
go on to say that all the good things that they thought they were gaining were
from their worship of their pagan gods and goddesses. Well, anyway, I hope I’m
making my point that from the time of Adam until we get to the Apostle Paul,
there were precious few believers. So, I can delegate them to the corners and
the gleanings. Okay, now let’s come back to
Daniel chapter 12. We’re going to see the resurrection of all the people that
will be in that gleanings and corners. Daniel chapter 12 and we’ll read verse
1 once again, even though we did it in the last half-hour. Daniel 12:1 “And at that time
(That is at the end of the Tribulation, and we’re ready for the resurrection of
these Old Testament and Tribulation believers.) shall Michael stand up,
the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people: (the
Nation of Israel) and there shall be a time of trouble, (You
remember, I looked last program where Jeremiah called it Jacob’s trouble?) such
as never was since there was a nation (That is of Israel.) even
to that same time: and at that time (That is the end of the
Tribulation.) thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book.” That is the Book of Life. All
right, now verse 2, here comes resurrection. Daniel 12:2 “And many of them that
sleep (or who have died) in the dust of the earth shall awake, (They’re
going to be called forth in resurrection power.) some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” All right, now stop
right there. We’re going to compare Scripture with Scripture. Now, come back up into the New
Testament with me to John’s Gospel chapter 5. Now remember, we’re still dealing
with only the believers of all the ages. We started out with the first fruits
of Matthew 27 and then the main harvest, which is the Rapture of the Body of
Christ, which is still future and contains the greatest number of believers in
human history. Now, we’re looking at the
corners and the gleanings, which consist of the Old Testament believers, believers
from Christ’s earthy ministry, and Peter and the Jerusalem believers in the
early chapters of Acts. In other words, all those that became believers
before Paul comes on the scene and announces what we call the Body of Christ. All right, now Jesus is
speaking in John chapter 5 during His earthly ministry. Drop down to verse
28. Now, remember what we just read in Daniel, that those who have died, some
are going to be resurrected to everlasting life and the rest are going to be
resurrected to eternal condemnation. John 5:28 “Marvel not
(Jesus spoke) at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are
in the graves shall hear his voice,” Now, that doesn’t mean that
everybody’s going to come at the same instant, but there is coming a time when
they are all going to be resurrected, and Paul gives us the clue that we saw in
I Corinthians 15 – “every believer in his own order.” Now, the unbelievers will all
come out at once, because they’re all in the same bucket. But the believers
are going to be raptured first; the first fruits came first, and then will come
the Rapture. Now, we’re talking about the resurrection of the rest. Okay, now
look at it, verse 29. John 5:29 “And they shall come
forth; they who have done good, (And you know I always define that with
“faith,” the people of faith who have taken God at His Word.) unto
the resurrection of life; (just like Daniel said) and they who
have done evil, (Who had no faith, that’s the only way you can fulfill
the true evil in Scripture, is to be destitute of faith.) unto the
resurrection of condemnation.” Now, we’re going to talk about
them in a little bit, but we’re going to stop now and go back to Daniel and
pick up the believing element. Then maybe in the next half-hour, or this one
if we’ve got time, we’ll talk about the unbelievers that are going to be
resurrected. Because after all, what we’re talking about is resurrection, so
that by the time we get to the onset of eternity, we’ve got everybody that has
ever lived resurrected, either to eternal doom or to eternal bliss. Okay,
back to Daniel 12. Daniel 12:2-3 “And many of them that
sleep in the dust of the earth (In other words, they’ve died
physically. Their soul hasn’t. The soul is alive somewhere. But this is
speaking of their body; the physical body is lying in the ground.) shall
awake, (Resurrection power is going to call them out.) some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3. And they that
be wise (almost the same language that Jesus used in John) shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament; (That’s a beautiful picture,
isn’t it?) and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever
and ever.” That’s our hope for eternity. We’re going to be something
intensely unique for all of eternity. All right, reading on in verse 4. Now
God comes back to the man Daniel, and He says: Daniel 12:4a “But thou, O Daniel, shut
up the words, and seal the book, (this book of prophecy) even to
the time of the end:…” Now, you know what that means to me? From the
time that these Old Testament prophets were writing, even through Christ’s
earthly ministry and on up into the Church Age, it wasn’t until about the
middle 1860’s that men began to get a little bit of a grasp of end-time
prophecy. It was just never mentioned. They never taught it. They had no
handle on it. And then all of a sudden, like
I said, about the middle of the 1860’s, but especially at the turn of the
century, men began to envision the return of the Jew from their scattered
estate amongst the nations. That, yes indeed, they would be going back to
their homeland. They would once again become a nation. That was unheard of
until about 1900. Well, that was the way that God
really intended, because it was moot. It wasn’t going to happen that soon
anyway. Even though the Church had the doctrine of imminency, the Second Coming
was never taught that way. The Second Coming had to come as prophecy
unfolded. So, you’ve got the same concept here. All right, Daniel closes up
this book of prophecy, and it really meant nothing until we came close to the
end. All right, now reading on in verse 4: Daniel 12:4b “…many shall run to and
fro, (Well, we certainly know that. Oh, maybe not on their feet, but
they’re going through the air and every other which way; mankind is traveling
now by the millions.) and knowledge shall be increased.” Now,
when I taught this verse by verse someplace in the past, we’re not just talking
only about technical knowledge, although that certainly is involved. My goodness, you buy a computer
today and by the end of the month it is obsolete and it is old fashioned.
Knowledge is exploding like never before in human history. But, as I’ve
already mentioned, it would also be an explosion of biblical knowledge. My, we
have an understanding of the Scriptures now that they never even dreamed of
when I was a kid, for a lot of reasons. We’ve got technology around us so that
we can see what the Scriptures were alluding to. We see the Nation of Israel
back in her homeland, so, naturally, we have a better handle on all these
things than they did two or three generations ago when God began to open up the
understanding of the prophetic program. All right, now verse 5 - we’ve got to
keep moving. Daniel 12:5-7a “Then I Daniel looked,
and, behold, there stood two others, the one on this side of the bank of the
river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. 6. And one said to
the man clothed in linen, (That makes me think it was either God the
Son or one of the angels.) who was upon the waters of the river, How long
shall it be to the end of these wonders? (or these miracles?) 7.
And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was upon the waters of the river,
when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him
who liveth forever (That’s, in other words, an allusion to claiming the
very Word of God and this is what he proclaimed.) that it shall be for a
time, (one year, plus) times (or two, for a total of
three) and a half;…” And all of Scripture refers to the seven
years in two, half segments of three and a half and three and a half. Daniel 12:7b “…and when he shall have
accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be
finished.” In other words, brought to an end. Now verse 8 and
remember Daniel is writing clear back there at 500 and some BC, and by
inspiration again, the Spirit leads him to write. Daniel 12:8 “And I heard, but I
understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
All of these prophetic statements - “What shall be the end of these
things?” Now, that makes me feel that it would have to be the Lord that
he was dealing with. Daniel 12:9 “And he said, Go thy way,
Daniel: for the words (In other words, what he’s written in these
twelve chapters.) are closed up and sealed until (What?) the
time of the end.” Now again, we’ve got to be careful how we look at
this. Even though we’re dealing in terms of a hundred years from 1,900 to now,
in the light of the 6,000 years of human history, what’s a hundred? Well, it’s
just nothing. So, yes, I think that God is looking at the very time in which
we now live when he told Daniel that these things would be closed up “until”
our day and time. All right, now look at verse 10. Daniel 12:10a “Many shall be purified,
(In other words, we’re going to see the salvation of probably more people than
almost any time in human history.) and made white, and tried; (or
tested) but the wicked shall do wickedly:…” Is that right on?
Man, I reckon! Otherwise, you’re not reading the same papers that I am. It’s
just getting unreal, and I’m sure that the Star Tribune in Minneapolis and the
Chicago Tribune and all the other big city papers have got just as much of this
as we do in Oklahoma. Child abuse. Sexual immorality of every kind you can
imagine. The papers are full of it. Murder, murder, and more murder. What
are they doing? “Wickedly!” All right, it’s foretold, so we
don’t really have to be too shocked, do we? All right, so: Daniel 12:10b “…the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand;” Well, we’re seeing
that everyday, aren’t we? My, they haven’t got a clue of what all this means,
until they find salvation, and then they write and they call and say, “Les, I
never before saw that all the stuff I’m reading in the newspaper is coming
right out of this Book.” It’s all foretold. It’s all prophesied. But the
unbeliever can’t see that. It’s beyond them. All right, reading on in verse
11. Daniel 12:11a “And from the time that
the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,…” Now, we’ve got to be
careful. Come back to Daniel chapter 9. I’ve got to do this slowly or I’m
going to lose 90% of my audience. Back to Daniel chapter 9 and what I always
call the foundation, or the benchmark, of all end-time prophecy. This is where
Daniel is laying out the time frame of “490 years determined upon thy
people.” We know that 483 of those were fulfilled at the cross. Then
when you come down to verse 27, this is what we are dealing with now in the
end-time. Daniel 9:27a “And he (This
prince that shall come, somewhere from out of the Roman Empire. This prince
that shall come--) shall confirm (I feel, will make--) the
covenant (or a treaty) with many…” In other words, with the
whole Arab world and Israel. Yes, they’re going to finally sign a peace
treaty. But, I’ve said it on the
program many, many times - the UN won’t do it. The White House won’t do it.
Blair House won’t do it. The Republicans won’t do it. The Democrats won’t do
it. It’s going to be a God-thing. And miraculously, this man anti-Christ,
this prince that shall come, will be able to bring the Arab world into a peace
treaty with Israel, which will give Israel the peace they’ve been looking for,
and above everything else that’s most unbelievable, they’re going to permit Israel to rebuild a Temple. Now, it won’t be the big, fancy
gold edifice that Solomon built, but they’re going to have a Temple that’s
going to be functional. They’re going to be able to reinstitute Judaism to the
full, the animal sacrifices, and the whole nine yards. It’s coming. They’re
all ready for it. All right, so this man anti-Christ is: Daniel 9:27b “…going to make a treaty
with many for one week: (seven years) and in the midst of the
week he shall cause (A week is seven years, so at the end of three and
a half years of peace and relative tranquility in Jerusalem and that area, this
man in his wicked role will cause--) the sacrifice and the oblation
(which is part of Jewish sacrificial worship) to cease,…” (Well,
I always stop and ask people, can you stop something that hasn’t started?
Well, of course not. So, we know that Temple worship is going to have to be
reinstituted for that first three and a half years, so that the anti-Christ can
bring it to a stop at the middle. So,--) “in the middle of the week, he
shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,” Daniel 9:27c “…and for the
overspreading of abominations he (the anti-Christ) shall make it
(that refurbished Temple.) desolate, (Or useless. And it will
remain that way.) even until the consummation, (That is to the
end of the three and a half years.) and that (or everything) determined
(or prophesied) shall be poured upon the desolator. (the
man anti-Christ)” In other words, his end is going to be
horrendous. All right, so that is the
promise then that Daniel is standing on. Now, come back to chapter 12 when
Daniel gives us the time of the resurrection of all of the saints that we
haven’t already covered. All the Old Testament believers and everybody, I
think, through the New Testament until we get to Paul will be in this
resurrection. When’s it going to take place? Daniel 12:11 “And from the time that
the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, (the middle of the
Tribulation) and the abomination that maketh desolate is set up, there
shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” Now, three and a
half years is a thousand two hundred and sixty days, so we’ve already picked up
an extra thirty days. But now go to the next verse and we get another
forty-five. Daniel 12:12a “Blessed is he that
waiteth,…” Now, remember who he’s talking to. He’s talking to Daniel’s
company of believers who are going to be resurrected. That’s what he’s talking
about. We’ve got to keep that straight. Daniel 12:12-13 “Blessed is he that
waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. 13.
But (Daniel, He says) go thou thy way until the end be:
(Until this day comes, just don’t…don’t sweat it!) for thou shalt rest,
(waiting for resurrection) and stand in thy (What?) lot at
the end of the days.” And that will bring in the Old Testament saints. Okay, we’re going to keep on
going with our “But Now’s” and “But…” whatever’s.
And you know, as we were in the “But Now” of the previous three, four, or
five programs, we’ve been talking about the resurrection of all the various
groups of believers: the firstfruits in Matthew 27, the Rapture of the Church
in Paul’s epistles, and in the last few programs we’ve been looking at the
resurrection of the Old Testament saints back in Daniel 12 and so forth. All right, now I’m going to
jump in where we left off in Daniel 12 to pick up the fact that we’re also
going to have a resurrection at the end of everything of the lost of all the
ages. They will come out in one humongous resurrection. Whether it’s Cain
back in Genesis chapter 4, or whether it’s the last of the unbelievers at the end
of the Kingdom, all unbelievers will come out in one massive resurrection call. Okay, so come back with me, if
you will, to Daniel chapter 12. In case someone has missed the previous
programs, here’s our basis for teaching a resurrection of the lost. Now, I
think a lot of people think that when lost people die they go to Hell and
that’s it. Not true. They are also going to be resurrected and given a body.
Daniel 12:2 “And many of them that
sleep (or who have died and their bodies are--) in the dust of
the earth shall awake, (They’re going to be resurrected.) some to
everlasting life,…” We’ve already looked at those. They’re in the lot
that Daniel was part of. They’re all going to be resurrected 75 days after the
Kingdom starts. All the Old Testament saints and all the Jewish believers that
are not in the Body of Christ will all be resurrected 75 days after Christ
returns. Now, I think that gives time
for the Kingdom to be completely established. The Twelve Apostles are going to
be in their twelve thrones, ruling from Jerusalem over the twelve tribes. And
then again, I think it’s almost a picture of the wedding feast in the Old
Testament economy. These Old Testament believers will be resurrected to come
into the Kingdom and celebrate all of the blessings of it. But it won’t be
until 75 days after Christ returns. All right, now back to the lost of all the
ages in Daniel 12 verse 2. Daniel 12:2b “…that sleep in the dust
shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting
contempt.” All right, now let’s go back to the verse we saw in one of
our previous programs, John’s Gospel, and if they can’t read or believe the
words of the Lord Jesus Himself, then I can’t help it. But the Lord Himself is
making it so plain in John’s Gospel chapter 5. That’s why I make no apology
for repeating it. I dare say that most church people don’t even know these
verses are in their Bible. It’s something that is always skimmed over for some
reason or another. They don’t appear in Sunday School quarterlies and so
forth. John 5:28-29a “Marvel not at this: for
the hour is coming, (He doesn’t give any hint of when it will be.) in
the which all that are in the graves (every human being who has ever
lived and died) shall hear his voice, 29. And shall come
forth;…” In resurrection, and resurrection cannot be resurrection
unless it includes the body. So, I feel that these lost people are going to be
reunited with soul and a physical body. They’re going to be brought, as we’re
going to see in a minute, to the Great White Throne. They’re going to have a
body fit for the Lake of Fire. It has to be. And God alone knows how He’s
going to do that. John 5:29 “And shall come forth; they
that have done good, (People of faith, they will be resurrected. We’ve already
covered them.) unto the resurrection of life; and they who have done evil,
(The unbelievers of all the ages. The ones who rejected everything and
anything that God tried to do for them.) unto the resurrection of
condemnation.” All right, now where do we pick up their condemnation?
Go all the way back to Revelation chapter 20. In order to pick up the time
scenario, let’s drop in at Revelation 20 verse 4. Revelation 20:4a “And I saw thrones, and
they sat upon them, and judgment (or rule) was given unto them;
and I saw the souls of them who were beheaded (That ring a bell?) for
the witness of Jesus.” Now, this is looking at the final three and a
half years of the Tribulation. These are Tribulation martyrs. Revelation 20:4-5a “…that were beheaded for
the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and who had not worshipped the
beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads,
or in their hand; (Now, they are believers. They’ve been martyred in
the Tribulation, but in resurrection life--) and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years. (Or, what we call the millennium.) 5.
But the rest of the dead (Now we’re talking about the unbelieving
world. These lost of all the ages) lived not again until the thousand
years were finished.” Or at the end of the millennium, which is the
end of time as we know it. It’ll be the onset of eternity, because we get into
chapter 21 and we see “new heavens and new earth,” and we’re now
set for eternity. But for the lost this is looking forward to the end of the
millennial reign of Christ and the thousand years are finished. Now this is
kind of confusing. Those last closing words-- Revelation 20:5b-6a “This is the first
resurrection. (That is referring to the believers. They are in the
first resurrection. So, verse 6 confirms that.) 6. Blessed and holy is
he who has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no
power,…” Albeit this first resurrection is in three or four different
segments or companies. They are all part of the first resurrection, the
resurrection of the just. Now, I always have to stop and
define words. We did this years and years ago. What is the definition for
death of any kind? What’s the word? Separation. Ah, some of you are well taught.
Death separates. Physical death separates the soul and spirit from the flesh.
Right? When we die as a believer the soul and spirit take flight to be present
with the Lord. We put the body in the grave. Separation. That’s death. All right, now for the
unbeliever, not only are they going to be separated in physical death when
their soul and spirit go to their waiting place in Hell, but then they will be
brought back into a resurrected body, and that resurrected body with that lost
person’s soul and spirit all intact is going to come to what we call the second
death, and it’s spiritual. Now, how are they going to
suffer spiritual death? They’re going to be separated from God! That’s
spiritual death. You got that? Physical death is the separation of the soul
and the spirit from the physical body. Separated. Spiritual death is when
that lost person is separated from God. Hey listen, you and I cannot imagine
what that alone will do to an individual. Because even the most rank
unbeliever today - he can be an agnostic, he can be an atheist to the hilt -
what is he still enjoying whether he knows it or not? The presence of God. He
still has a chance to find salvation as long as he’s on this planet. But once
they are separated from God at the second death, there is no hope. All
right, so that’s what this Scripture is teaching, verse 6 again. Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: (The resurrection of the believers
of all the ages) on such (on the believer) the second death
(Or a separation from God will never touch them. Impossible!) hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years.” All right, now then, we
understand that the lost are going to suffer a separation from God. Now, the
only way we can see this scripturally is to jump across to verse 11, still in
chapter 20. The thousand years are finished. Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire and then verse 11, the onset of eternity. Revelation 20:11a “And I saw a great white
throne, and him who sat upon it, (which will be Jesus the Christ, the
Son of God) from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;…” All
right, let’s go back and see how other Scripture defines that. Come back just
a little ways in your New Testament to, I think it’s II Peter chapter 3,
dropping in at verse 10. Here the language again is so
explicit and so plain. My goodness, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist or
a theologian to understand it. You know, I always have to come back, I can’t
help it, some things bear repeating. When old Tyndale back at the time of the
Reformation was trying to get Bibles into England, now you’ve heard me refer to
this time and again, because I think it is so basic. What was his final prayer
before they burned him at the stake? That every plowboy in England could have a copy of the Scriptures. Now think a minute. Back in
the 1500-1600’s how much education did the average farm boy in England have? Probably just enough to read. But is that enough to understand the
Scriptures? You’d better believe it! You see what that means? So, I never
put anybody below the ability to understand the Word of God, if they’ll just
keep it simple. But over and over I’ll have to tell my phone callers, why do
you make it so complicated? It’s so simple that a plowboy can understand it.
All right, now let’s look at these verses right here. II Peter 3:10a “But the day of the Lord
(That is those final seven years.) will come as a thief in the night;
in the which (Now you’ve got to remember that scripturally
speaking, that thousand years of millennial reign is nothing more than a day in
the mind of God. So, we’re going to skip right past those thousand years of
millennial reign, and we’re going to go to the onset of eternity.) the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements….”
Now, all of you have had enough chemistry, I’m sure, to know that everything we
can touch is comprised of the elements of the chemicals of the earth, aren’t
they? That’s what the elements are. You’ve got your atomic table
that shows all the metals that you can think of and their atomic structure.
Well, that’s the elements. Same word here. Everything that the universe is
comprised of, whether it’s copper or iron or cobalt or you name it, they’re all
elements. II Peter 3:10b “…the elements shall melt
with fervent heat,…” Now goodness sakes, the plowboys didn’t know
this, but you do. What great force do we have today that can melt steel down
to nothing? Well, nuclear fusion. Instantly. Everything can just melt to
nothing. Well, when God pulls the
nuclear glue from the atomic structure of everything, we’re going to have a
universe, I think, of nuclear fusion. It’s going to all melt down, and I
personally think God will just pull it back into Himself. I think it will just
all come back into the very power of God from which it once came out. All
right, but reading on: II Peter 3:10c “…the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be
(What?) burned up.” How else would it melt? It’s going to be
melted with fervent heat. The earth and everything in it and I think it’s
going to involve the whole universe. All right, now verse 11. II Peter 3:11a “Seeing then that all these
things shall be dissolved,…” Now again, I don’t think there’s anybody
in this room; I don’t think I’ve got anybody out in my television audience that
doesn’t know that when something is dissolved, what does it lose? Come on
Scott what is it? What does it lose? It loses its character. It loses its
identity. You can no longer see it. If you dissolve something in a bucket of
water, can you look at that water and tell what’s in there? No, because it’s
all diffused through the water. You can’t tell what it was. All right, the
whole universe is going to be dissolved into nothingness. All right, all these
things shall be dissolved. They’re going to lose their identity. Consequently,
Peter says: II Peter 3:11b-12 “…what manner of persons
ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12. Looking
for and hasting (or being in a hurry for) unto the coming of the
day of God, wherein the heavens (See, not just the
planet.) being on fire shall be dissolved, and (again) the
elements shall melt with (What?) fervent heat?” It’s
just going to go up in a puff of smoke and nothingness. Now verse 13, is God
at a loss for what to do? Oh no! He’s in total control. II Peter 3:13 “Nevertheless
(Even though everything is going to burn up and be dissolved and lose its
identity,) we (as believers) according to his
(God’s) promise, (we) look for (What?) new
heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Now, why do
you suppose God’s going to have to destroy everything? Well, who has defiled
everything that God ever created? Well, the devil has. It’s all been defiled
with his filthy fingers. So God will just do him one better. He’ll just make
it all new. All right, now let’s jump back
to Revelation, even before we go back to the Great White Throne, to look at the
lost of the ages. Let’s jump ahead to chapter 21, the setting for eternity, and
in perfect accord with what the Spirit caused Peter to write. This is why I
say this with, however you want to put it, with authority or with confidence.
I don’t have to think that maybe I’m seeing this wrong. It’s so plain. It all
fits. Revelation 21 verse 1, now this is John writing. Revelation 21:1a “And I saw a new heaven
and a new earth; (Why?) for the first heaven and the first earth
were (What?) passed away;…” They disappeared. Again, you remember, I’ve
referred to this over the years. A long time ago I read an article in a science
magazine where this guy was trying to promote his theory of the origin of the
universe. He had everything coming out of a single source of light. All the
things that were created came out of that source of light. And at the end of
his article, with all of his exposition of his scientific formulas and all of
that, this is the conclusion. I’ve shared it on the program before - this is
his conclusion, “Since everything came out from a source of light, I can see
somewhere out into the distant future that it’ll all come back into that same
source of light.” Now the believer that I am, I
was just thrilled with that statement, because I can see it happen. I can just
see God pull the whole thing back into Himself and recreate it brand new! All
right, here we’ve got it. He saw, “A new heaven and a new earth; for the
first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” Do you have to be
a Ph.D. to understand that? No, you don’t. The plowboy can understand that.
That the first passed away and in its place came something brand new. That’s
what it says. Okay, now as we’re winding down
the afternoon, let’s back up to Revelation 20 verse 11 and look at the Great
White Throne for those who are going to be resurrected out of Hell and given a
resurrected body fit for their eternal doom. Here they come. Revelation 20:11 “And I saw a great white
throne, and him that sat on it, (The Lord Jesus. He’s going to be the
Judge.) from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was
found no place for them.” That is the earth and the heavens and the
planets and the stars and so forth. So evidently we’re having this Great White
Throne out in nothingness of nothing. There’s nothing here now. Where God is
going to keep the believers in the interim? Hey, with Him nothing is
impossible. Don’t worry about it. He’s not going to lose a one of us. Revelation 20:12 “And I saw the dead,
(The lost of all the ages starting with Cain and clear on up through to the
end.) small and great, (The emperors and the presidents aren’t
going to be any different than the lowliest of the low.) stand before
God; and the books (plural) were opened: and another book (singular)
was opened, (The singular book here is--) which is the
book of life: (Which contains all the names of the believers of all the
ages.) and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books, (plural again) according to their works.” So
again, you’ve got to read between the lines. Are these people’s names in the
Book of Life? No. So, God can just lay that book aside. It’s of no
importance. But, oh, the books,
plural, which are a record of the life and the experiences of every lost
person. For years this just boggled my mind, but you know, when they can put
the whole King James Bible on the head of a pen, and if man can do that, God
doesn’t have any trouble keeping record of the human race. Don’t ever doubt it
for a minute. He has the wherewithal to keep a record of every lost person’s
every deed. And here they come. Now again,
I always have to remind everybody that when we talk about God dealing with
billions of people, one at a time, don’t ever doubt it for a minute. Because
you see, we’re in eternity and in eternity time isn’t even a factor. So, God
can go through ten billion people one at a time in what we might call ten
minutes. They’re going to come before
Him, because He said in His earthly ministry that in that day they will say,
“But, Lord, didn’t I prophesy in your name? Didn’t I cast out demons?”
So, what does that mean? They’re going to have that opportunity. They’re
going to have a period of time before the Judge. And what’s His answer going
to be? “Depart from me. I never knew you” Okay, so don’t ever let a curve
be thrown at you that this can’t happen because it would take eternity for all
this. No, it won’t. This can happen in a matter of minutes or maybe hours as
we reckon time, because this is eternity. Okay, now let’s move on. One
minute left. Wow, I’ve got to hurry. Revelation 20:12b “…and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their
works.” Every lost person will be judged. That’s his level of
punishment, and it’s going to vary. They’re not all going to suffer the same.
I can take you back to Matthew where Jesus said, “It will be more
tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than it would be for Capernaum.” All
right, so they’re going to be judged according to their works. Here come the
lost of all the ages. Revelation 20:13-14 “And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in
them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14. And death
and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” What
did I say? They will be separated from God for all eternity, and then verse 15
makes it as plain as English can make it. Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Now look,
I hate the thought of it as much as anybody. I wish I wouldn’t ever have to
teach it. But the Book does and we can’t throw it out. My reasoning is that
if we could understand how much Christ suffered for all these multitudes that
are going to the Lake of Fire, then we could see He’s just. He suffered and
died for every last one of them, and if they reject it, then it’s not God’s
fault. My, it’s been a good afternoon
of fellowship and teaching. We just love to teach the Word. Again, I just
want to thank our listening audience for everything. We just can’t believe how
you all support us and how we never have to ask for a dime, and yet we pay the
bills every month. We just give the Lord the glory. Okay, again we’re going to
remind our listening audience of a means of saving me a lot of letter writing.
Instead of asking me to write answers to your questions, you can just buy the
book of eighty-eight typical questions. The answers are taken from the program.
I don’t think we’ve had a complaint from anybody that they didn’t enjoy it.
So, if you are looking for something like that, call the girls and they’ll get
it out to you for $11.00 postage paid. Okay, let’s continue on with a
little different take on our “Buts,” as this one is going to be “But
Christ.” Turn with me to Galatians chapter 2 verse 20. While you’re
looking for that, I want to remind our Canadian listeners that since you’re
having trouble using the 800 number, call our regular number at
1-918-768-3218. Hopefully that will help you. All right, here in Galatians
2:20 we have Paul’s tremendous testimony of saving faith. Galatians 2:20a “I am (What?) crucified
with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me:…” Did you get it? Oh, when we become a believer, our old Adamic
nature is put to death – “But Christ!” The God of Creation. The One who went
to that cross and suffered and died for our salvation. “But Christ
liveth in me.” Now, think for a minute. Have you ever heard such a
concept until you get to Paul? Did any of the Old Testament believers have
that kind of an understanding of their God? No. They didn’t have a concept
that God lived in them. Jesus in His earthly ministry never taught such a
concept. But in this Age of Grace, and
let’s see, I think there’s one in Colossians. Let’s turn ahead a minute. It
just came to mind. Yes, Colossians chapter 1 verse 27. This is what I want
people to understand. This is why I spend so much time in Paul’s epistles. It
isn’t that I’m trying to elevate Paul. That’s not the point. But it’s through
this man that we receive so many things concerning God that you won’t find
anywhere else in Scripture. That’s what makes it so unique. Here he’s talking
about you and me as believers. Colossians 1 verse 27. Now listen – don’t miss
this! Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make
known (complete understanding) what is the riches of the glory of
this mystery (What is the other word for mystery? Secret! And when
was it kept secret? From Adam until Paul! It was never revealed. And here it
is.) among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,…” Not just in
the Apostle. We’ve got that same testimony that he had! That Christ liveth in
me! Now, that’s not something you arrogantly throw at people and say, “Well,
I’m better than you.” No, that’s not the idea. The idea is that we have such a
fabulous salvation. The Grace of God is so beyond human comprehension that you
and I can take this as a promise. We can claim it, without any arrogance,
without any pride. It’s just a fact of God’s Grace that when we believe Paul’s
Gospel, then Christ enters in to dwell within us – in the person of the Holy
Spirit. We’re going to look at that if we have time yet today in one of our “But
Now’s.” If you’ll come back then to
Galatians chapter 2, let’s go back up, because like we’ve been doing, after
showing you the “But…whatever,” then we go back up a few verses and see
what goes before it. To see what caused the Holy Spirit to move Paul to write
the words of this verse. So, let’s go all the way back up to verse 15. Galatians 2:15 “We who are Jews by
nature, (And, of course, Saul of Tarsus was a Jew’s Jew.) and not
sinners of the Gentiles,” Now again, I just have to stop. I’m afraid
too many Church people do not realize this. What were the kinds of people that
Paul brought into knowledge of salvation? Gentiles. But what were Gentiles in
Paul’s day? They were what we would call the scum of society. The riffraff.
Oh, they may have been living elite. But morally? They were scum. They had
no moral principles. None. So, the Jew looked down at those filthy Gentiles,
not only with their physical inability to keep bodily clean, because that was a
Jewish phenomenon. You’ve got to remember that the
vast majority of the world didn’t take a bath every day, like we do. They lived
filthy. And to the Jew it was just anathema that people could live and be so
dirty. But listen, they did. So this is why he used that term that these Jews
looked down at Gentiles as not just sinners, but actually they were almost the
off scouring of humanity in their eyes. All right, now then verse 16. Galatians 2:16a “Knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law,…” Oh, that just flew in the face
of the Jews of Paul’s day. That’s why they hated Paul so. They would put him
to death in a minute, if they could, because he was flying in the face of their
religion. Galatians 2:16b “…but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, (Or in Jesus Christ) even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ,…” Now, I think
to clarify that, I won’t do any injustice to Scripture, but what is really
behind our faith in Christ? His what? His faithfulness! Now, what do I mean by His
faithfulness? Will He ever let us down? Is there any danger that we’ll slip
into eternity and He’ll say, “I’m sorry, but My grace wasn’t sufficient for
you?” You see, there’s always a possibility that you could walk in here some
Wednesday afternoon and some joker has sawed the legs off of one of these
chairs, so that they would break the minute somebody sat on it. Now, that’d be
awful, I know. But it happened. I know. I’ll never forget. I opened up a
lawn chair for somebody a few years ago. I didn’t do it just right, and when
she sat down on it, it collapsed. Well, that’s what you call faithless. That
chair didn’t hold her. Anything that let’s you down, is faithless. Anything that you can rest on,
like these chairs, are faithful. I don’t care what it is. Everything
that you use, you intend it to be faithful. It’s going to do what it’s
supposed to do. That’s Christ! He is faithful! He has done everything
that needs to be done! We don’t have to look for something to garnish it.
We don’t have to look for something to somehow prop it up. He and He alone is
faithful! And when we place our faith in His faithfulness, we’re safe for all
eternity! Nothing can take that from us because of His faithfulness. Now,
reading on in verse 16. Galatians 2:16c “…we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified (made totally cleansed of all
our sin by an act of God) by the faith (or the faithfulness) of
Christ, and not by the works of the law:” And listen, the vast majority
of church people today are depending on the Law - their legalism of one sort or
another. And God won’t have it, because He’s done everything that needs to be
done by Himself. All right, so it’s not by the works of the law. Galatians 2:16d “…for by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified.” Now, we need to turn to Romans
chapter 3. Isn’t it amazing that the Spirit prompted Paul to write almost the
same identical words here that he wrote in Romans? Almost identical! Romans
chapter 3, these are verses that we use quite often. Drop in at verse 19. Romans 3:19a “Now we know (Now
there’s no doubt in that kind of a statement. That is something you can sink
your teeth into.) that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them
who are under the law:…” And who was under the Law? Israel. Nobody else. Israel was under the Law. But the Law didn’t stop at Israel’s borders, it was universal. Still is. The Ten Commandments are just as valid for Indonesia or Japan or China or Russia or any other culture that you can name. Those Ten
Commandments are still God’s guidelines to live by or whatever. Romans 3:19b “…that every mouth may be
stopped, (Not just Jews. Every human being is brought up short by
those Ten Commandments. That’s God’s moral law.) and all the world.
(Not just Israel) may become (Ready for Heaven? That’s what most
people like to think!) may become guilty before God.” Most think
the Ten Commandments are somehow a stairway to Heaven. No, they’re not! They
are God’s means of condemnation! Anybody who cannot keep all ten of those
commandments is forever guilty! Now, verse 20: Romans 3:20a “Therefore by the deeds
of the law (or by the keeping of the Ten Commandments) there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight:…” Nobody! Why? Because
nobody can keep them. The little Book of James says that if you’re guilty of
one, you’re guilty of - how many? All of them!
Boy, now that’s a guilt trip, isn’t it? If you’re guilty of one, you’re guilty
of all. So, we have to get away from this concept that the Ten Commandments
are somehow a means to salvation. No. They’re simply a means of
condemnation. Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds
(or the keeping) of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his
sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Not
life. Sin. And sin’s synonymous word is what? Death! That’s all the Law can
do. Well, then I’ve got another one that I always like to use along with
that. II Corinthians chapter 3 and the reason I like to use it is that so many
times it brings people up short. Because when I say that Paul is talking about
the Ten Commandments in Romans 3, they probably say, well…that’s Les’ idea. I
can’t quite buy that. But, hey, this just puts the frosting on the cake.
There’s no room for argument here. II Corinthians 3:6a “God; (of verse
5) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
(That is this new concept of grace that Christ has finished the work of the
cross.) not of the letter, (That’s Paul’s word for the Law –
the Ten Commandments.) but of the spirit: for the letter (the Ten
Commandments, they do what? They--) killeth,...” Now people
don’t like that. That doesn’t sit with their theology. But that’s what the
Book says. The Ten Commandments kill! How? By condemning! I can’t keep
them. You can’t keep them. Neither can anybody else. So, we’d better quit trying
to make headway, or make points with God, by keeping the Ten Commandments. It
won’t do any good. That’s not what they’re meant for. They’re meant to
convict. All right, read on. II Corinthians 3:6b “…for the letter killeth,
but the spirit (That part we’re going to see when we get back to
Galatians in a minute, the work of the Spirit and the indwelling Christ in the
Spirit’s person.) giveth life.” Eternal life. Now, if you still
doubt that I’m talking about the Ten Commandments, look at the next verse. II Corinthians 3:7a “But if the ministration
of death, written and engraven in stones,…” Do you know of any other
great document in all of human history that was placed in stone? Only the Ten
Commandments. So, these engraven in stone Ten Commandments are nothing but
ministrations of death! They condemn every human being. All right, back to Galatians
chapter 2 verse 17, because I want to get down to our key verse before the
program is over. Galatians 2:17 “But if, while we seek to
be justified by Christ, (That is through our faith in Paul’s Gospel.) we
ourselves also are found sinners, (In other words, we still are prone
to fall.) is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.”
In other words, just because we’re still human and still fail, does that mean
that God promotes sin? Why, heavens no! Galatians 2:18 “For if I build again the
things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.” But that’s
not the name of the game. We’ve been forgiven. We’ve been cleansed. But we
are still human, and we are still going to sin. And the blood of Christ, of
course, is what cleanses us of it. All right, now then verse 19. Galatians 2:19 “For I (Paul
says) through the law, (Because it is a ministration of death.) am
dead to the law, that I might live unto God.” Now think about that for
a minute. There’s only one thing that can set us free from the condemnation of
the Ten Commandments and what is it? Our saving faith. The work of the
cross. That settles it. Now, before we go into Paul’s
testimony in verse 20, come back with me to Romans chapter 7. These are almost
parallel verses. I like to use the whole concept of comparing Scripture with
Scripture, so that we know we’re on solid ground. Romans 7:4a “Wherefore, my brethren,
(See, he’s writing to believers.) ye also are become dead to the law (How?)
by the body of Christ; (the work of the cross) that ye
should be married (or brought into union) to another, even to him
who is raised from the dead,…” We become part and parcel of it. In
other words, let me put it this way. The Christian plan of salvation, when we
become a believer, is not just embracing another religion. It’s just not
another “do good” thing. When we become a believer, we establish a
relationship with God Himself. He is living in us. We are in Him, and it’s a
two-way street. And that’s what makes it so
unique in all the religions of the world. That we are not just a follower of a
religion, we are in a relationship with the God of Creation by virtue of our
faith in the finished work of the cross. All right, read on. Romans 7:4b-5 “…that we should bring
forth fruit unto God. (Just like a marriage relationship is to bring
forth children for the ongoing of the human race.) 5. For when we were in
the flesh, (Lost. Commandment breakers. Condemned by them) the
motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth
fruit unto death.” The same death that we saw in the last program at
the Great White Throne. That’s what he’s talking about. Separation from God
for all eternity. That’s what every lost person is working for. Romans 7:6 “But now (We’ve
come away from that. We’re no longer under that condemnation of the Law.) we
are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; (past
tense) that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness
of the letter.” All right, only got four minutes left, so we’d better
get back to Galatians 2, or I won’t make it. Now, back to Galatians 2 verse
19. Galatians 2:19a “For I through the law am
dead to the law,…” Do you see that? Because of the Law’s condemning
us, when we run to God’s saving grace for salvation, we now become what? Dead
to it! It can’t touch us! The Law can’t condemn you and me anymore, because
we’re dead to it, and it’s dead to us. The Law can only condemn the lost
person, not the believer. The Law does not condemn the believer. Now, we may do the things that
the Law speaks against, but it’s not condemning us as such. We are immediately
under the blood and the forgiveness of Christ. Here’s the reason in verse 20,
Paul’s testimony of saving grace. This should be the testimony of every
believer. Galatians 2:20a “For I am crucified with
Christ:…” What does crucifixion do? Well, it kills. It puts to
death. And the reason I think God used crucifixion for all this was that that
was one death that one human being cannot do to himself. They can fall on the
sword. They can hang themselves. They can shoot themselves. They can do all
kinds of means of putting themselves to death, but they cannot crucify
themselves. It’s impossible. It has to be done by an outside force. All right, so here again, we
can’t crucify ourselves. We can’t do anything to merit salvation, but it put
us at God’s mercy. We recognize that when He died, you died, and I died,
because He died in our place. This is what Paul is saying, “I am
crucified with Christ.” I died when He died. That’s what faith does.
Then he goes on to say: Galatians 2:20b “...nevertheless I
live;…” In other words, he’s not talking about a physical being put to
death. He’s talking about a spiritual thing. All right, now we come back to
the whole concept. When we’re born into the world, we are born with what kind
of a nature? A sin nature. You know, I always give the example, how old does
that newborn have to be before that sin nature flares up? Well, not very old.
The temper shows. Give him a couple of years and he can lie like a rug. Well,
you don’t teach kids to lie. That’s all part of that old nature. Galatians 2:20c “…nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: (Paul isn’t living for himself.
He’s living for the Christ who died for him.) and the life which I now
live in the flesh (day to day, week in and week out) I live by
the faith (Here we have again, I think, the faithfulness.) the
faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me, and (What?) gave
himself for me.” Now what is that all based on? God’s what? God’s
love! Everything concerning Christianity rests on the premise of love. God died for the sins of the
world, because he loved mankind. When we become a believer, at least it
certainly should show forth, we begin to love people that we probably never
thought of loving before. Now, I’m not talking about physical love. I’m
talking about spiritual love. We have a concern for those around us. That’s
what makes the difference between a true child of God and the run-of-the-mill,
everyday person. So, always remember, yes, we’re put to death with Christ, but
we live because He lives in us. It’s good to see everybody back
in again this afternoon on a beautiful spring day. Again, we want to welcome
our television audience, wherever you are, under whatever the circumstances.
Because we realize now our programs are just about going around the world, one
way or another. So, wherever you are, we just want you to be welcome to sit in
with us. Letter after letter comes in that tells us they feel like they’re
sitting right out there at the back row. That just thrills us to pieces.
Again, we always like to thank our listening audience for your support,
prayers, your letters, your financial support, and everything, because without
it we could do nothing. All right, we’re going to
continue yet in these next four programs on the “But God” or “But…whatever.”
Today I found one that I just couldn’t pass up in Galatians chapter 4
verse 4 - “But When.” We’ll read the verse first, and then we’re
going to go back and look at that what goes before. Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of
the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the
law,” Now, just for introductions, if I’m not mistaken, and I could be,
this is the one and only time that Paul refers to Christ’s birth or even His
ministry, except one other verse in II Corinthians 5:16 where he says, “Yea,
I have known Christ in the flesh, yet henceforth we know him no more.” Now, the reason of course is
Holy Spirit inspired. This apostle is kept so completely separated from
everything pertaining to Israel and Israel’s Law. We’ll probably be pointing
it out sometime during the afternoon that, even at the time of His going out
into the desert for His three years of instruction, God didn’t let Paul get
indoctrinated by the Twelve. Because He wanted Paul to be the grace Apostle
for the Gentile world and be completely separated from the Twelve and Israel which were under the Law. So, Paul only preached the salvation message of Christ
crucified and risen again. All of his writing is in that
vein, with only this one exception referring to His birth in Bethlehem. It’s
put in a little different way, in fact, in order to be different. Whenever I
teach over the Christmas period of time, I like to use this verse, because
everybody else uses Matthew and Luke, you know. But what a beautiful way of
putting it that “When the fullness of time was come.” Now, we’re going to back up a
little bit to chapter 4 verse 1, like we’ve done on all these others, and see a
little of the background that leads us up to this particular statement.
Chapter 4 verse 1, still in Galatians: Galatians 4:1 “Now I say, (Paul
writes) that the heir, (Now, he’s speaking of a child in a
family.) as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant,
(or a slave) though he be lord of all;” In other words, he’s an
heir of the father’s business or wealth, whatever the case may be. Galatians 4:2 “But (again
coming back to this child) he is under tutors and governors until
(There’s your time word. Until when?) the time appointed of the father.”
In other words, even in the secular world, the Romans and the Greeks as
well as the Jews, they would hire tutors to teach their kids. They didn’t have public schools
like we do. So, from the time they are old enough to learn how read and write,
the parents didn’t teach them, but they hired tutors. They were to teach those
kids everything concerning manners and discipline and finances, their morals,
everything was under the control of the tutor “until” the day came that the
father had preset when they first started teaching. In other words, they were
working forward to a goal when they could approach the father and say, “Here’s
your son. This is the day that we have set. I am presenting him to you. He
should be ready to come in and be a full heir in the business.” Now, that’s
the word adoption that we usually see in Paul’s letters. All right, so what’s
the purpose? Well, we’re leading up to it now. Galatians 4:3-4a “Even so we,
(Remember, Paul is writing to Gentiles.) when we were children,
(That is spiritually speaking, now.) were in bondage under the elements
of the world:” (Now this is all leading up to this verse.) 4. But
when the fullness of the time was come,…” Do you see what he’s tying
it to? Just like the tutor would bring the kid up to the father when the
fullness of his time of instruction was finished, so also, God has had a time
of preparing the world for the coming of the Son of God. To be, first and
foremost, the promised King of Israel, but so far as the rest of us were
concerned, He was to be the Savior of all mankind. All right, let’s go back and
chase down some of these Old Testament references, because after all, this is
what Paul is alluding to, that God is going to use a period of time to get the
world ready for the coming of the Son of God in the flesh – “the fullness
of time.” All right, go back to Genesis
chapter 3 and this is just after Adam and Eve have eaten of the forbidden
tree. The curse has fallen. We are now entering into the time of every human
being, being born a sinner. But here is the first step in God’s preparing of
the world for the “fullness of the time.” Genesis 3 verse 15,
and of course, God is addressing the deceiver, Satan, the one who prompted the
fall, and He says to Satan: Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (that
is the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy head, (In other words,
the only place where you can really kill a snake is to crush it on the head,
and Christ would bruise his head.) and thou (Satan) shalt
bruise his heel (the heel of Christ).” This, of course,
is a reference to the suffering that He went through. But always remember that
it was the work of the cross that defeated Satan and sin and death. It was
total, total defeat of everything. All right, so that’s one place. Now, let’s jump up a few
chapters to chapter 12 and the call of Abraham. I’m kind of tempted to fill in
the years between here, but I’m going to save that for a later half-hour when
I’m going to be dealing with a portion in Ephesians. But, you’ve got to
remember, now, that from the Garden of Eden until the call of Abraham is, roughly
speaking, 2,000 years. Approximately. I don’t get dogmatic on these years in
the Old Testament, but about 2,000 years. But never forget what the Lord
promised Satan way back there at the Garden. So, 2,000 years later, this is
still appropriate thinking that God is getting ready to do something to make
salvation possible for the whole human race. Genesis 12 verse 1, these are
verses that we’ve used over and over throughout the years, the Abrahamic
Covenant. Genesis 12:1-3a “Now the LORD had said unto
Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s
house, unto a land that I will show thee: (Which we now know was the land of Canaan.) 2. And I will make of thee a great nation, I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them
that bless thee, and curse him (In other words, the opposite of
blessing) that curseth thee:…” Now, here comes the promise that’s
not going to be valid until Christ makes His appearance. That’s the verse we’re
looking at in Galatians – “But when the fullness of time.” All
right, now read on in verse 3. Genesis 12:3b “…and in thee (in
Abraham) shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Well,
now goodness sakes, we know that Abraham didn’t do anything specific for our
salvation. But how is he tied to it? It’s through Abraham that the Nation of
Israel makes its appearance in the human experience, and through Israel we have the appearance, then, of the Messiah, who goes to the cross and becomes the Savior,
not just of Israel, but of the whole human race. All right, now here it comes,
all the way from Genesis 3 that the seed of the woman is going to defeat Satan,
looking forward to the cross. And here comes Abraham. He is going to be
uniquely blessed by being the father, or the progenitor, of this nation of
people, through whom will come the Word of God. Every word in this Book, I
maintain, is written by Jews. Then comes the Messiah and then comes the
Apostle Paul. All Jews. And salvation goes to the whole human race. But all right, we’re still
building. Now, let’s jump up a little ways to Isaiah chapter 42. Again, these
are verses that we have used off and on throughout the years, because they are
so simply put and easy to understand. Now, there are a lot of other verses,
but they’re not quite as clearly put as Isaiah 42 and 59 and 60, which we’re
going to use for a minute. All right, we’ve got our timeline up here. I’m
going to roughly divide it from the time of Adam until we get to the call of
Abraham and the Abrahamic Covenant – 2,000 years. Now, I’m not going to divide
the timeline according to scale, because then I run out of space. But stop and
think. How much, that really pertains to an understanding of all this, took
place in the first 2,000 years? What are the words? Not much! Not much. It
was a 2,000-year period of disaster in my book. Because you see, from the time
that Adam fell, until the whole then known world became so wicked, so ungodly
that God had no alternative but to what? Destroy it. That was the flood,
about 1,500-1,600 years after Adam. It’s a long time, and God does nothing.
He just lets them go and lets them go. Until finally it got so bad that He was
going to have to wipe them all off the face of the earth, BUT! That was one of
first “But’s” when we started. “But Noah (What?) found
grace.” Now stop and think, after 1,500 or 1,600 years of this human
experience, how many were still faithful to God? Eight! Eight out of probably
four or five billion people. Now, I always use that number
when people get a little discouraged and say, “Well, why can’t we bring more
people into the truth?” Hey, they never have. It’s not at all unusual for the
believer to be the very small percentage. We learned years ago that whenever
you see the multitudes flock to something, you can just about bet whatever
you’ve got that they’re not flocking to something of the truth. The human race
never has. It’s always the small. All right, so after 1,500-1,600
years, eight people start all over. Well, then in another 200 years, now I
know that compared to 6,000, we look at 200 years like sort of a month or two,
but no, no. Two hundred years is a long time in any point in history. That’s
a long time. That’s since 1800 until now. My goodness, look what the world
has done since 1800. So, when I speak of since the flood to the Tower of Babel, 200 years, don’t think there was just seven, eight, nine hundred people.
My, they were already up to hundreds of thousands, if not millions. But again,
how many of them at the time of the Tower of Babel hang back and say, “No, I
won’t have any part of that. I’m going to stay true to God?” How many? Now,
that’s a tricky question. How many? None! We don’t have a record of a single
one. The whole then known human race gathers in rebellion under old Nimrod.
They’re ready to jump on whatever Nimrod’s got to offer. And what’s he offer?
False religion. The whole human race, then,
within 200 years of the flood, when we only had eight believers left, has
already come full circle. Again, they’re in total rebellion - 100%. But all
God does this time is what? He scatters them by virtue of the changing of all
the languages. All right, we go another 200
years. It’s still a long time. Now we come to the call of Abraham. So far as
I’m concerned, no believers left. They were all steeped in the idolatry that
began with the Tower of Babel. But here we have one man who was willing to
listen to what God had to say. So, he becomes the man of faith, Abraham. All
right, now then, as Abraham continues on, he has the promised son Isaac. And
Isaac has the twins Jacob and Esau. Jacob, in turn, becomes the man of faith.
I hope we’ll look at him a little later on yet this afternoon. That little
flicker of faith was enough to say, “Hey, I’ll buy that birthright. I’ll give
you a bowl of soup, if I can have it.” So, Esau glibly gave up the birthright,
which was a spiritual thing, because he had no faith. But Jacob had enough,
not real faith yet, but he had enough perception that there was something to be
gained by having that spiritual birthright. All right, so out of Jacob come
the twelve sons. Out of the twelve sons comes the Nation of Israel. The Nation
of Israel, after their years in Egypt, comes out under Moses. They’re brought
back to the Promised Land. Now, I’m doing all this hurriedly. We’re coming up
to about 700 BC. Already 1,300 years beyond Abraham, so I’m moving along
pretty fast, aren’t I? All right, now Isaiah is being
written 700 years before Christ, thirteen hundred years after Abraham. Look
what it says, remembering now the promise to Abraham, “through thee shall
all the families of the earth be blessed.” And yet, coming up through
the five Books of Moses and early history going into the land of Canaan, I think you are all aware, what was God’s instruction to the Nation of Israel with
regard to those pagan people around them? Have nothing to do with them. Don’t
intermarry with them. Don’t have a lot of social intercourse with them,
because if you do, you’re going to fall into their idolatry. You’ll become just
as ungodly as they are. That was God’s premise. I think it holds true today.
If a godly person marries an ungodly, which direction will that couple usually
go? Down. Once in a while it’ll go the other way, but nine times out of ten,
it’s down. Well, Israel was no different. And God knew that. So he warned
them. Have nothing to do with those nations around you, which we will now call
Gentiles, because they were all pagan. They were all idolatrous. God knew
that they would take Israel right down with them, which they did. We know that
Israel fell into rank idolatry. All right, so that’s what
Isaiah has to deal with early on in the Book of Isaiah. But this is what I
want you to see now: how that through the blessings of Abraham, God was one day
going to come back and reveal Himself to the non-Jewish world. Now, unless
you’ve been with me a long time, you’re probably not aware that everything
throughout the Old Testament is primarily, not exclusively, but it’s primarily
directed to the Nation of Israel. All the promises, all the prophecies,
salvation, the worship, the temple, the priest, were all directed to Israel. Now, there were some
exceptions, and I always point them out. Rahab on the wall of Jericho was an exception. She was a Gentile, and she came into Israel’s blessing. And on
and on, who were some of the others that were exceptions? Jonah went to Nineveh, a Gentile city. That was an exception. But by and large, God was dealing only
with the Nation of Israel. But, now here’s the point I want to make. He
hadn’t forgotten about the rest of the world. Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom
I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my
spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment (Or righteous rule,
benevolent rule. Not dictatorial, not totalitarian, but a benevolent rule.) to
the Gentiles.” The non-Jewish world, drop down to verse 6. Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called thee
in righteousness, (Now, here God is dealing with the Nation. Up in
verses 1 and 2, He’s talking about the Messiah, but now He’s talking about the
Nation.) and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for
a covenant of the people, (In other words, He’s going to have this
agreement between Himself and the Nation of Israel, but for what eternal
purpose?) to be a light of the Gentiles;” Now, never lose sight
of that. Because when the Lord came in, in His earthly ministry, and we’ll be
looking at a verse or two there as well. When He spoke to the Twelve and He
said, “You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth.” That
wasn’t talking to us. He was talking to the Jews, of whom the Twelve, of
course, were representatives. They were to be the light of the world. They
were to be the salt, see? All right, and here it is, read the verse again,
verse 6. Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called
thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and will
give thee for a covenant of the people, (For what purpose?) to be
a light of the Gentiles.” That’s a Jewish promise. So, all the way up through Israel’s history, the preparation is for the coming of their Messiah and King. Now, while
I go to the board I’m going to have you jump on ahead and find Zechariah
chapter 14. I’m going to pursue the timeline a little further. After the call
of Abraham, we go another 2,000 years. Like I’ve just said, it is
predominately Jew only, with a few exceptions. I can’t leave that out or
somebody is going to be calling. Then comes what we’re looking
at in Galatians, leading up to His three years of earthly ministry. But for
these next 2,000 years from Abraham until Christ’s first advent everything is
getting the Nation ready, like we saw those in first three verses in Galatians
chapter 4. He’s getting the Nation ready for this coming opportunity of
having the King and the Kingdom and then to be a light of the Gentiles. That’s
Israel’s prospect. All of this 2,000 year period of time is preparation -
getting them ready. But what was their problem? Boy, they were a tough bunch
to teach! They just didn’t respond! Now, getting ready for some
future programs, I’ve been spending a little time back in Judges and Joshua and
Ruth and so forth. Just like the Lord told them, as soon as they got into the
Promised Land and started defeating all the enemies, they started dipping into
idolatry. Dan, of course, if you know anything about the Tribe of Dan, they
weren’t satisfied with what they were given. So, he leads all of his people
clear up to Northern Israel and sets up their own little conclave of territory,
but what else? An idol. So, All right, here’s the one
that’s about the end of – my, the end of the half-hour too, already! Okay,
here’s Zechariah chapter 14 verse 9, and this sort of encapsulates everything
that’s been prophesied since Abraham. Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD
(God the Son, Jehovah) shall be king over all the earth: in that day
(When He finally sets up His rule there in Jerusalem.) shall there
be one LORD, and his name one.” He’s going to rule and reign, not only
the Nation of Israel, but the whole planet earth. All right, now in the couple or
three minutes we have left, let’s go back to the verse that we kicked off from
in Galatians chapter 4. After all these years, the patience and trying to
teach the Nation, disciplining them with invading armies, blessing them with
material blessings, He finally brings them to the place where “the
fullness of the time” has arrived. Now, it isn’t just the Nation
of Israel that’s getting ready for the fullness of time, but the whole Gentiles
scenario. Everything is now being made ready for the coming of the Messiah.
We’ve come through the Babylonian Empire. We’ve come through the Mede and
Persian Empires. We’ve come through the Greek Empire. Now we’re well into the
Roman Empire, but the language of the Greeks had become pretty much the
language of even the Roman Empire. It’s the Greek language that has made our
Scriptures what it is, because it is so, what shall I call it? It is so
explanatory. You can pick one Greek word and just expound on it. So, even the
appearance of the Greek language was all preparation for the “fullness of
time” – at the right moment. All right, let’s read the verse. Then
we’ll be ready to close. Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of
the time was come, (Planet earth is now ready for one of the greatest
events that as ever happened.) God sent forth his Son, (A day
late? No. A day early? No. In the exact hour that it was right, God sent
for the Son.) made of a woman, (the virgin Mary) made
(Now here’s the key part.) under the law.” Most of Christendom won’t
recognize it even to this day, that Jesus came and was born from the Nation of
Israel, under the Law. His whole ministry was in accordance with the Law. He
never made any hint that we’re not under Law, you’re under Grace. Everything
He said was in accordance with Israel’s Law. When He healed the lepers, what
did He tell them? “Go present yourself to the priest, according to the
law.” And, oh, why can’t people get that understanding? That
everything He said was under and according to the Mosaic Law. Again, we’re glad to have
everybody back. I see you’ve all gotten your coffee, and we’re ready to hit
another “But Now.” This one is in Galatians chapter 4 verse 9. Again, we’re just an informal
Bible study. My only hope is to help people to study the Word on their own.
You don’t have to just sit there and fold your arms and listen to me or listen
to some preacher. Get into the Book, because after all this is where your
spiritual food lies. I had someone call yesterday, and she said, “I’ve been a
believer for 17 years and off and on I’ll try to read my Bible. I didn’t
understand it. I would just lay it aside. But I caught your program a few
weeks ago, and now I’m learning how to study.” Well, that’s the best news I
could ever hear. So, that’s the whole premise for our teaching. It is to show
you how to take the Word and compare Scripture with Scripture, because the
cults build all their false doctrines on isolated verses. But we want to use
the whole Book cover to cover, because it all fits. It all dovetails together. All right, Galatians chapter 4
going on a little further down the page to verse 8 where Paul writes: Galatians 4:8-9a “Howbeit then, when ye
knew not God, ye did service unto them who by nature are no gods.
9. But now,…” All right, what’s the “But Now?” After you’ve
become a believer. Now, I always have to back up
and give the historical backdrop. Before these people became Christians, or
believers, what were they? Pagans. Idolaters. Gentiles. Galatia is up there in Central Turkey. Like all the rest of Paul’s churches and audiences, it was
predominately Gentile. There might have been a sprinkling of Jews, but it’s
mostly Gentile, and they were pagan. They were idolaters. They followed all
the gods and goddesses and all the immoral and stupid ramifications of it. You know, I can’t help but use
the word, because I remember when I was reading the book by Homer, years and
years ago. The whole thing is just saturated with how these sailors, including
Odysseus, were all hung up on the control of the gods and goddesses.
Everything, the winds that blew and the ocean and the enemy of warfare, was all
resting on their gods and goddesses. Well, that’s the kind of people Paul
dealt with. The same thing. They had no moral standard. They had no
understanding of a One True God. They were steeped in all the foolishness of
gods and goddesses, with an idol to that god, an idol to that female god and so
forth. All right, so this is what Paul is saying here in verse 8 - “back
when you knew not the God of Scripture, the God of Israel.” All they
knew were gods and goddesses of mythology. Galatians 4:8a “Howbeit then, when ye
knew not God, ye did service unto them…” My goodness, do you have any
idea how the pagan worshipped? Why, sacrifices after sacrifices if they could
afford it. I think I shared this on the
program several months ago. You know I love history. So, while I was going
through my hip replacement recuperation, I did a lot of sitting and reading. I
read the whole gambit of Alexander the Great. All the way from when he began
to when he finally died at the age of 33. I was just flabbergasted at how
that young man was constantly sacrificing animals to his gods and goddesses. If
he was ready for battle, he would sacrifice 200-300 of them! Unbelievable!
Now, that was the mentality, then, of these people that Paul brought into the
faith of Christ. So, you have to get an
understanding of that. They were slaves to their religion. They were
constantly making offerings and oblations and everything to their idols.
Whether it was on a high hill, or whether it was in a grove, or whether it was
in their house, they were always worshipping some idol. All right, so he says: Galatians 4:8b “…ye did service unto
them which by nature are no gods.” They’re just wood and stone.
They’re figments of somebody’s imagination. A sorry state of affairs, isn’t
it? Yet the world isn’t all that much different even today. Now, I hate to
say it, but it’s the truth. Now then verse 9, that’s the crux of the thing. Galatians 4:9a “But now, (Since
you’ve become a believer. Since you’ve come out of all that false worship
and--) after that ye have known (the one true) God,
(as a result of trusting Paul’s Gospel) or rather are known of God,...”
You know what I like about that? When we become a believer, we not only know
God, but what? God knows us! He knows us in a way
intrinsically different than He knows the rest of the world. In His omniscience,
sure, He’s aware of everybody. But when we become a believer, we are
intrinsically His! He knows all about us. He knows our yesterday. He knows
our today. He knows our tomorrow. All right that’s what Paul is trying to
show these people, that here as believers now, not only do they know the right
and true God, but God knows them. Now then he says: Galatians 4:9b “…how turn ye again to
the weak and beggarly elements,…” Now, that takes some explanation,
doesn’t it? What was the purpose of the Book of Galatians? Well, his Galatian
believers were being hoodwinked by Judaizers from the Jerusalem Church. They were being told that they couldn’t be completely saved with Paul’s Gospel alone -
of believing in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and rose again.
The Judaizers told them they had to practice Judaism. Now, I’ve got to show that from
Scripture, otherwise people just look at it. I always go back to a large
church in North Carolina. Several years ago I taught this in their Sunday morning
Sunday School hour. It was a large class, well over a hundred. When I
finished that morning, they just surrounded me. They said, “Les, I never knew
this was in our Bible.” I’m sure that’s typical of most church people. They
don’t even know this is in their Bible. All right, here it is. Acts
chapter 15 and we’ll start at verse 1. Now, this is what was behind Paul
writing the letter to the Galatians. That’s why he said in the verse we looked
at, that now they’ve come out of paganism, yet they’re turning back to the weak
and beggarly elements which were part of Israel’s law. I’m going to make
further comment on that when we get back, if I’ve got time. But anyway, Acts
chapter 15, this was the crux of the problem Paul’s Gentile congregation was
having, verse 1. Acts 15:1 “And certain men who came
down from Judea (that’s Jerusalem) taught the brethren (Paul’s
Gentile converts) and said, Except (or unless) ye
be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye (What?) cannot be
saved.” My, that’s terrible! That would be just like if I would come
in here and tell people unless you do this and unless you do that you can’t be
saved. That’s what they were doing. They were doing this to Paul’s believers.
And they were falling for it. That’s human nature. All right, read on in
verse 2. Acts 15:2 “When therefore
(Because of what these guys were doing.) Paul and Barnabas had no
small dissension (or argument) and disputation with them,
they (The church people up here at Antioch where this is all taking
place.) determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them,
should go up to (What city?) Jerusalem unto (To
what group of people?) the apostles and elders about this question.”
Because after all, who were the controlling element of the Jerusalem church?
Well, the Twelve. You want to remember, Paul hadn’t yet had the revelation of
the Body of Christ church, so there is no mention of bishops and elders and
deacons in this Jerusalem church. See how obvious it all is? You know, one of my number one
rules of study is be just as aware of what it does not say as what it does
say! Well, there’s nothing in early Acts, nothing concerning some of the
offices that Paul teaches. I’ve already said it, and I’ll say it again. Peter
and the Twelve know nothing of bishops and elders and deacons. Those are
Pauline terms. See how obvious it is? So, who were the leadership? Not
bishops and elders and deacons, but the Twelve apostles. All right, so if you want to
get something done, I’ve said it on the program before, and I’ll say it again,
if you want to get something done even today, where do you go? You go as close
to the top as you can get. You know, I get a kick out of people when they
call and ask the girls out in the office about something and they say, “Well,
we’ll let you talk to Les.” Well, they can’t believe that they can talk to
me. Yes, you can! I can pick up the phone and answer their questions. Well,
they’ve gone to the top, so far as this ministry is concerned. If you’re going
to get something done, that’s the place to go. So, who are the “top”? The
Twelve. So, they’re going to go to the Apostles and elders about this
question. All right, verse 3. Acts 15:3-4a “And being brought on
their way by the church, (The Antioch, Gentile Body of Christ church) they
passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and
they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4. And when they were come to Jerusalem, (Boy, now it’s a different thing.) they were received of the
church,…” Again, I’m going to qualify that. The Jerusalem church is
not a Body of Christ church. It is not a church based on faith in the
death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and that only. It’s a church based on Jewish
believers that had believed that Jesus was the Christ, and again, they are
still under the law. They are still practicing Temple worship. Never forget
this. There’s not a word throughout all of Christ’s earthly ministry, not a
word in these first eight or nine chapters of Acts, which indicate they’re not
under the Law. Not a word. Never is someone told you don’t have to bring
sacrifices anymore. You don’t have to come to the Temple anymore. Never!
They are still law keeping Jews, but they are separated from the mainstream of
Judaism and Israel, and they have formed the Jerusalem Jewish church. All
right, so verse 4 again. Acts 15:4 “And when they were come
to Jerusalem, they were received of the (Jerusalem) church, and
of the apostles and elders, (Now, I said they weren’t elders, not the
way Paul uses it. They were probably men designated just under the Twelve for
whatever role. Now then, Paul and Barnabas and others from the Antioch church--) and they declared all things that God had done with them.” With
regard to what people? Gentiles! Now you want to remember, this is unheard of
in Jewish thinking. The Gentiles never had any part of Israel’s religious life. Maybe an occasional proselyte, but you know I always qualify that. What
did Jesus say about proselytes? He said to the Pharisees, “You
compass land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he’s made, he is three
times more the child of hell than you are.” Boy, now that’s strong
language. Now, you think I’m kidding! I’ve got to go back and show you!
Matthew 23, I’m afraid some people may sometimes think, “Well, he acts like
he’s quoting Scripture, but he isn’t.” Yes, I am! This is what it says.
Matthew 23 verse 15, if you’ve got a red-lettered edition, it’s in red. The
Lord Himself is speaking it. And I repeat. That’s why I don’t put much
emphasis on proselytes. They had no real religious influence in Israel. I want you to see it for yourself. Matthew 23:14-15 “Woe unto you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make
long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15. Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one
proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold (I’m sorry, I said
threefold but--) ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”
Boy, now that’s strong language, isn’t it? I always tell people don’t ever
tell someone they’re going to Hell, but the Lord could. But I never will,
because that’s not my prerogative. I can’t look on anybody’s heart. Only God
knows that. But nevertheless, Jesus could tell these guys that they were
children of Hell, and the proselytes they brought in were just as much so. Well anyway, now that threw me
a curve. I just about forgot where I came from. So, come back to Acts 15.
We’re still dealing with what Paul is writing to the Galatian churches about
the emissaries from the Jerusalem church under the, at least the permission of
the Twelve, if not the direction. Paul knows that the only way to deal with
this thing is go to the top, to the Twelve. It didn’t do any good to try to
tell these men who are coming to his churches – be gone with you, you’re
false. No, that wouldn’t do any good. So, he goes straight to Jerusalem, to the top. Acts 15:5a “But there rose up
certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed,...” In other words,
they had come to the place of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. They were
saved by it. They were cleansed and became members then of the Jewish Church at
Jerusalem. But these Pharisees still had more legalism than the rest of
them, so listen to them. Acts 15:5b “…saying, That it was
needful to circumcise them,…” Now, who are we talking about? Paul’s
converts. Paul’s Gentile believers. Now, it wasn’t just in Galatia. It was probably Antioch, all across Turkey. We have no indication that they got over into
Greece, but it wouldn’t surprise me if their teachings got there one way or
another. We’ve got much the same thing today. Even though it isn’t circumcision,
there are a lot of other things that people are trying to force into Paul’s
Gospel that are not there. All right, reading on in verse 5. Acts 15:5c “That it was needful to
circumcise them, and to command them (Not suggest, they were
commanded.) to keep the law of Moses.” Now listen, what did the
Law of Moses entail? The whole nine-yards! The feast days. The Temple worship. The sacrifices. The food laws. They expected these poor Gentiles to come
under all that. No wonder Paul had a fit. And he did. It just drove him up
the wall that these Jerusalem Judaizers were trying to unload all of their
religion on his grace believers. And that’s what they were. Remember, they
were saved by God’s grace through faith and faith alone in Paul’s Gospel. But
these Judaizers are trying to convince them that they had to also embrace the
Law. Acts 15:6 “And the apostles and
elders (That is of the Jerusalem church now.) came together for to
consider of this matter.” My, as far as I’m concerned, there was nothing
to consider. It should have been a done deal, but it wasn’t. I’ll tell you
what – tradition and religion is a tough nut to crack. Many of you are finding
it out. I am encouraged, because we’re getting more and more letters now from
pastors and preachers who are beginning to see this. I have to think of a
couple in particular who called in one week. Seventy-one years old and
retired. I won’t name what areas or what denomination. But what a thrill to
hear these guys open up everything they had learned. Mostly off of our stuff
on the internet. And I’ll never forget the one gentleman said, “Les, do you
think God will give me a little more time to undo all the damage that I did for
forty years preaching the wrong stuff.” Well, we’ll hope so. But listen, we
are making some headway. We’re encouraged by that. That people will begin to
consider what is not in here and what is. Well, now Paul was all
exercised, because they’re trying to bring some things into the plan of
salvation for his Gentiles that were absolutely inappropriate. All right, now
verse 7, just to show you what’s taking place in Jerusalem. Acts 15:7a “And when there had been
much (What?) disputing,…” What’s the other word?
Arguing! My, I imagine the better part of a day was spent with the Judaizers
trying to pummel Paul and Barnabas that this is what God had always demanded
and God doesn’t change. God is still…sounding familiar? Yes, it does. We hear
the same thing. Well, who are you? Who are you to change? This is what the
church has been doing for 1900 years. And I realize it’s a valid argument.
But look, Satan has kept a lot of good people blind. I stand here without
apology to say that. They have been kept blind. As I mentioned to my class
Monday night, how many millions of good church people are going to end up in
the wrong place because they have ignored Paul’s Gospel? People don’t like
that. On your way back to Galatians,
stop at chapter 2. Before we go back to chapter 4, here’s Paul’s account of
this same meeting up at Jerusalem convincing the Twelve that they had no right
trying to put his Gentile converts under Judaism. All right, I have to do this
rather quickly, the time is just about gone. Galatians 2:2a “And I went up
(That is to Jerusalem.) by revelation, (by God’s direction) and
communicated unto them (That is the leadership at Jerusalem, the Twelve
and some of the other elders, as they’re called in the Book of Acts.) and
I communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but
privately to them who were of reputation,…” Now again, you’ve got to be
able to understand language. If you’re going to talk to some few, who
evidently were more authoritative than others, you probably went into a side
room or something like that. And who were the ones that were the most
authoritative? Well, the Twelve, naturally. All right, so he says, we went
and took them aside. Galatians 2:2b “…lest by any means I
should run, or had run, in vain.” Now for sake of time, I’m going to
bring you on down to verse 5. Galatians 2:5 “To whom (That is
evidently to the Twelve.) we gave place by subjection, (In other
words, we did not give in to their pressure. We didn’t give in to their
arguments.) no, not for an hour; (For what purpose?) that
the truth of the gospel might continue (remain) with you.”
He’s writing to these Galatian churches. He’s writing to Gentile believers.
He’s writing to you and me. What do we have to be aware
of? There are going to be false teachers that are going to bombard us, but you
stand. You don’t give in. Because we are resting on the Gospel that alone can
save. That is, of course, what Paul says in verse 2, “That gospel which I
preached amongst the Gentiles.” All right, now I’m going to bring you,
again, for sake of time, down to verse 8. Just for sake of time. I like to
use all these verses, and I have before, but now look at verse 8. Galatians 2:8-9 “(For he that wrought
effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, (or the
Jews) the same was mighty in me toward (What people?) the
Gentiles:) (See, here we have that separation, now, of Jews from
Gentiles.) 9. And when James, Peter (or Cephas), and John,
who seemed to be pillars, (That is of the church at Jerusalem.) perceived
(or understood) the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me
and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; (They shake hands on the
deal.) that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the
heathen, (the Gentile, the non-Jewish world) and they
(The Twelve would maintain their ministry--) unto the circumcision
(Jew).” How much plainer can English
make it? Here’s their agreement. Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles,
like they’ve been doing, with their Gospel of Grace by faith plus NOTHING,
without Judaism, without all the ramifications of the Law. Peter and the rest
of the Eleven will stay with Israel, and they’ll be headquartered there in the
church at Jerusalem. Plain English. I can never imagine how people can miss
it, but they do, constantly. Now, come over to chapter 4 in our closing
remarks, for the minute or two that’s left. Reading in verse 9, now this is
Holy Spirit inspired. This isn’t Paul with a word of vengeance or a word of
meanness toward these Jewish teachers up in Jerusalem. But by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, look how he refers to the Judaistic Law. Unbelievable! Galatians 4:9-10 “But now, (After
you have known God. You have come into this salvation by trusting the death,
burial, and resurrection of Christ.) after that ye have known God, or
rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (And a result of those
elements is what?) 10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and
years.” Which is all part of what? That was all part of Judaism. Part
of the Law! And what does the Holy Spirit refer to it as? “Weak and
beggarly.” We’ll pick right up where we
left off. I don’t feel that I quite did justice to the end of verse 9, in
Galatians 4. So, you can be turning back to it if you’ve lost it here in the
studio. For those of you out there in
television, again, we’d like to invite you to open your Book and take out your
pen and pad and study with us. My whole premise is, “What does the Book
say? And what doesn’t it say?” And if it doesn’t say it, don’t try to push
it in there, because you get in trouble when you do. Here we go, with a
continuation of our last program in Galatians 4. We were in verse 9. Galatians 4:9a “But now, after that ye
have known God,…” After these pagans had come out of their idolatry, it
becomes not only known of God, but they knew God themselves. They come into a
relationship through their salvation. But, as we were explaining in
the last program, they were being besieged by Judaizers from the Jerusalem church who were still under the Law, primarily. The Temple was still operating.
I think a lot of people forget that. I think they forget that when they read
these things in Paul’s letters, especially. They forget that the Temple is still going. My goodness, the Jews are having animal sacrifices every day. The
mainstream orthodox Jew is still completely under the Law - the dietary laws
and everything. So, the Jerusalem church is still those kinds of Jews. They
had simply embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. And as such
they became believers in that or the believing of the Gospel of the Kingdom.
So, they were separated from the mainstream of Israel. But they were still law
keeping Jews. My, I can prove that so
easily. Let me show you a verse. I always do everything with Scripture. Go
back to Acts. I think it is chapter 22 verse 12. Now, this was a believing
Jew up in Damascus, but he was still on the same page with these Jerusalem believers. This says it all. Acts chapter 22:12a “And one Ananias, a devout
man, according to the law,…” But what was he? He was a believer that
Jesus was the Christ. That’s why he was so fearsome of Paul coming to Damascus. He was one of those that Paul was trying – or Saul – was trying to stamp out of Israel. But what was he? “Devout according to the law.” Another good one
to prove that is Acts 21:20. Let’s look at it. Acts 21:20 “And when they (believing
Jews) heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, (Paul)
Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and
they are all zealous of the law:” Now, this is what we have to
understand. And as soon as Paul’s Gospel becomes evident to the Gentiles, it’s
“not under law.” We’re going to look at that right now. In fact, coming back from Acts,
stop in Romans chapter 6. I just have to repeat it and repeat it and repeat
it, because the vast majority of Christendom is still just about in the same
situation, as these Gentiles were always hearing, “You can’t be saved by just
Paul’s Gospel, you also have to be baptized.” Others say that you’ve got to
join a church. A lot of them now are saying that you can’t be saved unless you
speak in tongues. You can’t be saved unless you give tithes and offerings.
That’s all extraneous. Just like the Judaizers are pulling at Paul and his
Gentile believers, but beloved, we’re not under any of that. Romans chapter 6 verse 14.
This is one of the first verses that you have to show to people. Romans 6:14 “For sin (Or the
old Adam as he’s dealing with it in this chapter.) shall not have
dominion over you: (Why?) for you’re not under the law,
(You’re not under demands for Temple worship and sacrifices. You’re not under
any demands to do something.) but under grace.” And grace is
just what it says – the complete favor of God to us who don’t merit a thing.
I always like to use Saul’s conversion as the perfect example of the grace of
God. Here was this rebel, this guy
who was killing people. Throwing them into prison, just because they’d
embraced Jesus as the Messiah. He was all hung up in the traditions of the
fathers. And as he approaches the city to Damascus, God doesn’t put him
through a whole week or two of conviction. God doesn’t have somebody preaching
at him all the way from Jerusalem, but instantly God stops him, and He says, “Saul,
why are you persecuting me?” Of course, old Saul didn’t know who the
voice was, except that it came from heaven. What was his response? “Who
are you Lord?” Now you see, the Lord prompted all this by grace. He
didn’t have to. But by pure grace, He stops that raging bull, is the best way
I can describe him. Stops him in his tracks and saves him by a simple
question. “Lord, what would you have me to do?” And there it
was. So, he became the epitome of Salvation by grace through faith alone. All
right, here it is. We’re not under the law, we’re under grace. Now again, I think I almost
have to bring you back to Galatians, because this is where he primarily
addresses the problem of people adding to his Gospel. All right, let’s turn
for a moment to Galatians chapter 3. Now, I’m continuing on last program’s
approach of why the weak and beggarly things appealed to these Galatian Gentile
believers. Galatians 3:1a “O foolish Galatians, who
hath bewitched you,...” Well now, we can answer it, can’t we? The
Judaizers from Jerusalem were telling them they had to keep the Law. They had
to practice circumcision. Galatians 3:1b “…who hath bewitched you,
that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been
evidently set forth, crucified among you?” How? By Paul’s Gospel.
And never forget, what’s Paul’s Gospel? “That Christ died for our sins,
that He was buried, and He arose from the dead the third day.” That’s
Paul’s Gospel. We must believe that for salvation!! Why do people hate it? I
can’t understand it, but they do. They fight it tooth and toenail. And so did
the Galatians. Not because they were against the gospel itself, but they
thought that now it wasn’t enough. They had to also do what the Judaizers were
promoting. Galatians 3:2 “This only (Paul
says) would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit (In other
words, the evidence of their salvation. Did you receive the Spirit--) by
the works of the law, (Is that when the Spirit came in? When you were
circumcised, and you ate right, and you did everything that the Law demanded?) or
by the hearing of faith?” Now, that’s a simple question, isn’t it?
Tell me Galatians, tell me you Gentile believers, did you come into this
relationship with the crucified Christ by keeping the Law? No. But wasn’t it
when you heard the Gospel? Yes. Well then, why isn’t it still enough? Why do
you now think you have to add to it? And that’s what we’re seeing all around
us today. They bombard people with you
can’t be saved by faith alone, you have to do something. Well, I’m just like
Paul. What’s the matter with you people? If you were saved by faith alone,
don’t you think God can keep you by faith alone? I hadn’t been on television
here in Tulsa but for just a couple of months. I guess it was within the first
couple of months, way, way back. A guy called, and boy he jumped all over me,
because I was teaching this kind of a salvation. He said, “Les, you can be saved
by that, but you mean to tell that you don’t have to worry about losing it?” I
said, “Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Do you mean to tell me the grace
that saved you wasn’t enough to keep you?” Well, I had him. He couldn’t
answer it. That’s what you have to look at. If the grace of God is sufficient
to save you, don’t you think it’s sufficient to keep you? Well you’d better,
because that’s where it’s all at. If He saves us, He keeps us. That’s a
promise. All right, read on. Galatians 3:3 “Are ye so foolish? having
begun in the Spirit, (That is without the works of the Law.) are
ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Do you come to a full
fruition of saving grace by works of the flesh? Now, what are works of the
flesh? Well, the number one that’s been hoisted and foisted on the human race
for the last 1900 years. What is it? Baptism. Hey, that’s a work of the
flesh. Don’t ever tell me it isn’t, because there isn’t a person alive that
can’t all of a sudden get the desire to want to be baptized. And he can find a
preacher someplace that will gladly do it. Am I right? You know I am. But
what is it? It’s a work of the flesh. And Paul says it won’t fly. It has to
be the work of the Spirit. I can go into the same thing
with speaking in tongues. All right, now you can go to some preacher and say,
hey, listen to me. I can speak in tongues. Are you going to accept me into
your church? Oh, you bet. Come on in. That’s one of our requirements. And
Paul will just fly in the face of that, because it’s by the work of the Spirit,
the Gospel - the cross plus nothing! All right, let’s go to another
one, still in Galatians. Like I said, this is the letter that deals primarily
with extraneous things attached to Paul’s Gospel. Come on over to chapter 5.
Now, he’s made his argument in chapter 4 using an Old Testament allegory, the
picture of Ishmael and Isaac. Well, Ishmael, you see, was born by the works of
the flesh. God didn’t tell Abraham to go have a child by Hagar. That was all
of the flesh. But the son of promise, which came 17-18 years later, was Isaac. All right, now Paul by the Holy
Spirit inspiration in chapter 4 uses those two young men as perfect examples of
Law and Grace. Law is of the flesh. It’s what you can DO. Grace is all the
work of the Spirit. All right, he brings that allegory to a close then, when
he says: Galatians 4:30 “Nevertheless what saith
the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son:…” Who was a picture
of legalism and have no part with it. So, if you cast out the bondwoman, what
are you left with? Grace. Now chapter 5 verse 1. Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in
the liberty (without any demands of the Law or the flesh) wherewith
Christ hath made us free, (Not Paul. Not some church. Not Les
Feldick. I don’t have a thing to do with it. All I can show you is what the
Scripture says. Christ has made us free.) and be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage.” Well, now back up to our verses that we just left
in chapter 4 verse 9, same language. That’s what you have to learn to do. And
when Scripture repeats something, it’s for emphasis. Don’t miss it. Here’s
our verse. Galatians 4:9 “But now, after that ye
have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and
beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Well,
what was the perfect picture of bondage in antiquity? The oxen. And what did the oxen have
around their necks? The yoke. And what was the purpose of the yoke? To hook
up the plow. And what was the plow? A burden! The poor animal tugged on it
all day long. That’s the picture. That’s what people are doing religiously.
They are putting the yoke around their neck. They’re hooking themselves under a
plow of good works. What a waste. All right, now come back to chapter 5
again. He says don’t be wrapped up in a yoke of bondage. Don’t
let somebody hook you up to a works religion. Now verse 2: Galatians 5:2a “Behold, I Paul…”
(Now, why does he put that in there? The Holy Spirit, yes. But why does the
Holy Spirit put Paul’s name in here? Well, come back with me now. I don’t
think we touched on it in the last programs. I wanted to, but I didn’t get
there. Come back to Romans chapter 11. Keep your hand in Galatians, we’ll be
right back. Romans chapter 11 verse 13. The first time Jerry Pool came into my
class some 20 years ago-- Jerry? He’s sitting there smiling. He knows
exactly what I’m going to say. After class he came up, and he said, “Les, I
never saw that verse in Scripture, and I’ve been in church all my life. So use
it and use it and use it.” Well, I do. Here it is, Romans 11:13. Romans 11:13 “For I speak to you
Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the (singular) apostle of the
Gentiles.” Now, that’s not a man writing
from braggadocio. That’s Holy Spirit inspired. Every word that the man writes
is as the Holy Spirit wanted it written. And remember, that makes it
Scripture. Anybody that doubts that Paul is Scripture hasn’t read II Peter
3:16, where Peter says that Paul’s epistles are like all the rest of Scripture.
They are just as much the Word of God as the first five books of Genesis or any
of the prophets or the four Gospels or anybody else. It’s all Scripture. All right, let’s see, I thought
I had another one. Back up a little ways in Romans, chapter 2. My goodness,
when preachers say they won’t have anything to do with Paul, look what they’re
doing with their listeners! Just stop and think of what they’re doing to their
listeners. Romans chapter 2 verse 16. And again, it’s plain English. I like
to make sure that you’ve found it. I want my television audience to see it
with their own eye. Romans 2:16 “In the day when God
shall judge (What day are we talking about? The Great White Throne for
the lost in Revelation 20.) the secrets of men by Jesus Christ
(Who will be the Judge. And what are they going to be judged by?) according
to my gospel.” Paul’s Gospel. Not John’s. Not
Peter’s. Not even Jesus’ Himself in His earthly ministry. They’re going to be
judged according to this gospel that has been revealed to this
apostle. That’s scary isn’t it? Because a lot of people aren’t hearing it.
But they’d better, because this is going to be the criteria. All right, I’ve got one more
and then we’re going to move on to our next “But Now.” Colossians, come
all the way up past Galatians now - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. This
is the Scripture you have to use when people confront you with keeping the
seventh day Sabbath. I had a letter just yesterday that said, “Do I keep the
Passover Feast?” Well, not as they were talking about it. My goodness, we
certainly realize the Passover was that time of the year when Christ was
crucified and buried and rose from the dead, but we certainly don’t practice
the Passover Feast any more. And here’s why. Colossian 2:14a “Blotting out
(What does that mean? You just simply blank it. It’s gone.) the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us,…” Now, what do you suppose I think
that is? I think most of you are going to agree. The six hundred and thirteen
laws and rules and regulations that govern Judaism, all based on the Levitical
commandments - 613 rules! I always get a newsletter from
a Jewish Mission up in St. Louis. A year or so ago, in every month’s
newsletter, he had a series of those 613 laws until he covered all of them.
I’ve always wanted to write and get a complete list of them. It was interesting,
all 613 over a period of months that he put in the newsletter. Well, this is
what he’s talking about blotting out, removing. Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the
handwriting of ordnances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Now, come right back
to the picture that we just used, the yoke. What’s the yoke to the poor oxen?
Well, it’s a burden. It holds him back. He can’t walk freely. He’s got a
plow behind him. Same thing here. These 613 rules were just like a plow
dragging behind you. They were contrary to us. And He took it out of the
way. Who did? Jesus Christ! He took it out of the way and “nailed it
(Where? Oh, I love this verse! I can’t help it!) to his cross.”
Can you get it any plainer than that? That’s why, when Christ finished the
work of the cross, He fulfilled every demand of this Law. Every bit of it.
You and I can’t. So, we back away from the Law, and we say, I’ll trust Him. He
did it for me. Now verse 15: Colossians 2:15a “And having spoiled
(or He defeated) principalities and powers, he made a show of them
openly,…” So that the whole world could know. Well, what’s He talking
about? When I speak of the resurrection power, who was defeated? Satan and
all of the powers of sin and death and Hell - the cross defeated it – openly!
And you and I don’t have to make any apology for it. I don’t have to follow a
works religion. That did it all! All right, read on, so consequently verse
16. Colossians 2:16 “Let no man
(nobody) therefore judge you (Or try to put you on a guilt trip.
Don’t let anybody put you on a guilt trip.) in food, or in drink,
(Here it comes now.) or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or
of the (What?) sabbath days:” Come on you Sabbath keepers
on Saturday, here’s your verse. Pitches you right out the back door, doesn’t
it? The cross settled it all! You don’t keep a seventh day Sabbath anymore.
They all had their place; of course they did – in the past. You know, I love the
illustration, I’ve used it over and over - Verse 17. Colossians 2:17 “Which are a shadow of
things to come; but the body (the real meat of the matter) is of
Christ.” And that work of the cross. Now you remember when I used the
shadow? Oh, I like it. I don’t know, maybe it doesn’t mean much to others,
but it does to me. When that beautiful tree stands there and it casts its
shadow and a guy wants to buy the tree. No, it’s too pretty to sell. It’s a
beautiful shade tree, but I’ll sell you the shadow. Well, how much furniture
can you made with a shadow? Nothing. All right, that’s what the Old Testament
economy was. It was the shadow of the real thing to come. And what was the
real thing to come? Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen from the dead.
Isn’t it glorious? Oh, it’s glorious! We don’t have to try to pick up
a shadow. That’s all done away with anyway. But oh, we can go and embrace the
tree, because it’s the finished work of the cross. Well, anyway, we’ve got a
couple minutes left. I hardly dare go into my next “But Now.” It won’t do it
justice, anyway. So, let’s back up a little bit and work this Law thing a
little bit more. Let’s come back to Romans chapter 3 and finish the half-hour
with it. Because look, I hear it from every end of the country, people think
that by keeping the commandments they’re going to make it. I see heads
nodding. They think they can keep the commandments and do it good enough that
God will let them into His Heaven. Well, they’ve got it all backwards. The
Law is not to help you get to Heaven; it’s to give you the push into Hell.
That’s what it does. All right, here it is. Romans 3:19 “Now we know
(This is from the same apostle. The apostle of Grace) that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: (In other
words, to Israel with their Temple worship and the whole nine-yards.) that
every mouth (Not just Jews. Now it goes to the whole world.) may
be stopped, and all the world (From one end of this planet to the other,
every human being, regardless of their race or nationality or religious
background) may become guilty before God.” That’s what the law
does. Now verse 20: Romans 3:20a “Therefore by the deeds (or
the keeping) of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:…”
Nobody is ever going to make heaven by keeping the commandments. Why? For the
Law only has one purpose. What is it? To convict, convict, convict and that
is all the Law can do. It has no redeeming value. It has no redeeming power.
All the Law can do is condemn the lost person and trigger then the first step
of salvation. Then once the Law has convicted, the lost person can then go to
the Gospel and have total salvation, redemption, and peace with God and all the
things that are attendant to it. But you will never gain Heaven’s portals by
simply keeping the Law. God will not have it, because He finished it with
that work of the cross! Again, we would like to welcome
our television audience. For those of you who may be catching us for the first
time, we’re an informal Bible study. I do not pastor a church, so please don’t
write and address me as pastor or reverend. I’m a layman. I prefer to just
call this a, probably a little different kind of a Sunday School class. But
anyway, that’s what we are. We appreciate your prayers, your financial help,
and the response of all your good letters. My, it’s rare that we get a letter
that is less than exhilarating. So, we praise the Lord for all that. Okay, we’re on another one of
our “But God’s.” We’re going to move now to Ephesians chapter 2 verse
4. Now again, you’ve got to realize that the Ephesian church was a far cry
from the Corinthian or the Galatian. Ephesians was - what should I say -
probably up a few steps in their understanding. It is one of the prison
epistles toward the end of Paul’s ministry, so he deals with things in
Ephesians and Philippians and Colossians that are not so much indicated in
Romans and Corinthians and so forth. He certainly does not have the problem
with the Ephesians that he did with the Galatians. There’s not a single mention of
them following false teachers. So, take all those things into play when you
study the Word. But now Paul is dealing with some of these deeper elements of
Scripture, or on a higher plain, however you prefer to put it. In Ephesians
chapter 2 verse 1, right off the bat, if I may use that expression, you have a
word that indicates something that Paul doesn’t refer to all the time. It’s
the word “quickened.” Ephesians 2:1a “And you hath he
quickened,…” Or made alive, spiritually. Now, what does that mean?
Well, it’s really the same act of God that Jesus spoke of in John’s Gospel
chapter 3 as “born again.” Paul never uses the term, and I don’t
know why. But it’s the same act of God that brings the lost person into
spiritual life. Here he uses it as being quickened or made alive –
spiritually. Now, back up with me to Romans
8 so that we get a little better understanding of how he uses it in the Romans
epistle. Chapter 8 verse 15 and this is what he’s talking about when he tells
the Ephesians, “And you hath he quickened.” Romans 8:15a “For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear;…” Now, what was that word from?
Our last program. We’re not under bondage. We’re not under any of the effects
of the Law. We’ve been set free from all that. All right, but instead of
being under bondage, we have now received: Romans 8:15b “…but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, (That placing as a son, as we saw it in the first
program this afternoon.) whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” That’s
how we can now approach God. We can call Him our father. All right, verse 16
and now the Spirit comes into play. The third person of the Trinity as we many
times refer to Him. Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children (or the born
ones) of God: 17. And if children (born ones of God), then
heirs; (Just like a child is an heir of the father and the mother.) heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; (The same terminology that we
associate with husband and wife. We’re joint-heirs.) if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (That is with
Him.)” All right, back to Ephesians then. We have the concept
throughout all of Paul’s writings of the necessity to be born from above or to
receive spiritual life. We looked at it, I think, in
our last taping. When you have the resurrection of the just as against
the resurrection of the unjust, what’s the basic difference? Well the just
have been made spiritually alive for all eternity, never to have that spiritual
life brought to an end. So, all through Paul’s teachings we have this concept
that the moment we’re saved we have imputed to us eternal life. We’re going to
live for eternity in God’s presence. But the unbeliever has never been
spiritually reborn, so he’s going to spend his eternity separated from God. All right, back to Ephesians
chapter 2. He’s writing to these believing Gentiles, now, way at the western
end of Turkey, at Ephesus. Galatia was up in the central high land. Ephesus is clear out on the Aegean Sea. He says to these Ephesians: Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he
quickened, (made alive) who were (past tense. What?) dead
(How dead? Spiritually) in trespasses and sin:” Just like the
world all around us. It was no different then. All right, now here he
explains it in verse 2. Ephesians 2:2a “Wherein (That
is, in those trespasses and sins.) in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, (You did everything that comes naturally,
just like everybody around you.) according to the prince of the power of
the air,…” Goodness sakes, who’s that? That’s Satan. He is the god
of this world. Satan is the one who can glamorize sin. Satan glamorizes the
evil in this world. He’s the one that makes it look like the bright lights of
the entertainment world. But it’s a false facade. And it leads to nothing but
darkness and doom. All right, reading on. Ephesians 2:2b-3a “…the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience: (the lost world) 3.
Among whom…” The lost of the world, even in Paul’s day. Like I explained in the last
program, what had most of his converts been before he came along? Idolaters.
Pagans. They knew nothing of the God of Israel. They knew nothing of Israel’s laws of cleanliness. I hope you all realize that back in antiquity, Israel was the only people that knew personal hygiene. You know, I’m always reminded, I
just about did it the last taping and I didn’t. But I’m going to this time. I remember reading several
years ago that one of the first breakthroughs in defeating bacterial infection
happened not all that long ago, probably in the 1700’s, in Vienna, Austria. It
was a Jewish doctor. That’s what made it so unique. A Jewish doctor suddenly
realized that all the women on the maternity ward would get an infection from
one end of the ward to the other. In other words, as the doctors and nurses
would examine a lady up here on this end, the next one and the next one and the
next one and the next one would all procedurally get the same infection. He finally determined that they
were passing it from one to the other with their unclean hands. They knew
nothing of antiseptics. (Is that the right word, Iris?) They knew nothing of
antiseptic technology. They knew nothing of using rubber gloves. They knew
nothing of bacterial infection. So, when this Jewish doctor began to promote
his theory that infection was being brought from one person to the other with
their dirty hands, what do you suppose they did with him? They just about ran
him out of Vienna with tar and feathers. But see, the non-Jewish world knew
nothing of hygiene. They knew nothing of cleanliness. That’s what we have to
understand. So, not only were they unclean
physically, they were even more unclean morally, or what we call spiritually.
It was into that world that Paul comes with the Gospel. That is one reason, you
see, that the Christianized world, the Western world, was centuries ahead of
the rest of the world in science and technology. It was because of this Book.
That’s where it really all began, with the advent of Christianity. All right,
so now then, verse 3 again. Ephesians 2:3a “Among whom also
(Paul includes himself with these Gentiles.) we all had our conversation (or
our manner of living) in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind;…” Well, now you know he was
a good psychologist, wasn’t he? Before you can begin to entice lust, what do
you have to do about it? You’ve got to think. It’s in the brain, in the mind,
that all these lustful thoughts are fomented. Then the mind controls the
flesh. Well again, that wasn’t realized until not too awful long ago. But
Scripture anticipated it. All right, so the lost person fulfills the desires
of the flesh and the desires of the mind, which brings them right in parallel
with each other. Now, reading on. Ephesians 2:3b “…and were by nature
(the nature that you’re born with) the children of wrath, even as
others.” Well, what’s the wrath he’s speaking of? The eternal doom
when God will consign the lost to the Lake of Fire. That’s where they’re
headed. All right, now let’s go back to
Galatians where Paul probably identifies these lusts of the flesh better than
almost any other place in Scripture. That’d be in Galatians chapter 5. I think
a lot of times, since we’re in such a permissive society today, that we somehow
think this is all new. We think that the world has always been “Victorian.”
No, they weren’t. The world was quite the opposite. They’ve always been
steeped in gross immorality, and they had none of the biblical influence, so
there was nothing to hold them back. Some of those cities in ancient antiquity
were wicked beyond our comprehension. All right, so Paul, by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, will give us a good picture of what he’s
talking about - those who lived according to the prince of the power of the
air. Galatians 5 verse 19. We’ve looked at these before, they’re fundamental,
they’re basic. But here it is. They are as plain as day. Galatians 5:19 “Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these; (Which comes because of the mind,
and here they are.) Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, (That is
moral uncleanness. We’re not talking about hygienic cleanness here.) lasciviousness.”
Now whenever I teach this, I always stop. All of these words are associated
with what type of sins? Sexual. That’s what it is. It’s the sexual sins that
plague the human race. All right, but now you move into another category. Galatians 5:20a “Idolatry,…” But
what was at the peak of idolatry? Sexuality. Now, we’re approaching the
Easter season. The Passover. Do you ever stop and think why the push for
Easter bunnies and Easter eggs? Where does it all come from? Well, the
fertility rites of the pagan religions. The pagan religions centered on
the winter equinox, the beginning of dormancy. That’s why they worshipped the
evergreen tree. All right, but then you come to the next big pagan festival.
What was it? It was the first day of spring. And that’s where the Passover
was associated. So, the pagan world, through satanic deception, puts all of
their pagan rites of the spring equinox right next to what we call Easter or
Passover. It’s quite a satanic deception. All right, but what was
associated with all the pagan rites of the first day of spring? Fertility. And
how do you get fertility without sex? I don’t care whether it’s in the flower
or in the animal world or the human. It all has to do with reproduction. So
the pagan world jumped on that. The fertility rites are beyond what you and I
can even begin to imagine. Wicked to the “nth” degree. And that was what made
up idolatry. That’s why the world loved it so. It was so wicked. Okay, move
on. Galatians 5:20-21a “Idolatry, witchcraft,
(Well, that’s just a kissing-cousin to idolatry, isn’t it?) hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, (Rising up against the
powers that be.) heresies, 21. Envyings, (This isn’t a pretty
picture, but this is the world of Satan, the prince of the power of the air.) murders,
drunkenness,…” Now, I always have to stop there. Drunkenness is right
beside murder in the Scripture. Boy, they wouldn’t put it in today’s society,
would they? But that’s what it is. Galatians 5:21b “…drunkenness, revellings,
and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Now, somebody else brought up a good point a while back. Does Paul ever refer
to the Lake of Fire? Does Paul ever teach anything about the Lake of Fire? Come on, doesn’t anybody know? No. I can’t find it. Paul never speaks of it
as such, but this is the kind of language he uses. That lost people are not
going to be in God’s realm for eternity. So, we have to use the rest of
Scripture to figure it out. Where are they going? Well, if they’re not with
God, they would be with the satanic forces which will be in the Lake of Fire. But it’s interesting that Paul never directly refers to the Lake of Fire. He’s always speaking in language like this, that they will not be in the Kingdom of God. All right, here in verse 22 then, he flips to the other side of the
coin, the people that are Spirit controlled and not under the forces of the god
of this world. All right, let’s come back to
Ephesians chapter 2. Now, all of mankind that is described in these works of
the flesh, out of that will come some who have been given spiritual life
through faith in the Gospel. That’s what he means by being quickened or made
alive. But, he’s showing what we came from. Now, I’ve got to make a point. When we read all of these works
of the flesh, it doesn’t mean that everybody is guilty of all of them. Maybe a
select few would be. But you only have to be guilty of one or two and you’re
guilty of all, so far as God is concerned. But you don’t have to feel that
unless you are guilty of all the things listed in Galatians 5 that, you know,
you’re still okay. No. Any one of those is enough to indicate that we are not
ready for the Kingdom of God. All right, back to Ephesian 2. He draws that
picture in verse 3 that we are under the desires of the flesh. We’re
fulfilling those desires, we were - Ephesians 2:3b “…by nature the children
of wrath, even as others.” Now remember, who is Paul writing to? Believers!
He’s writing to you and me. So, then the next verse kicks in. Yes, that was
our past. Maybe we didn’t all practice all those things, but we had the
potential for it. There was nothing to keep us from it, because we were under
the old satanic nature. Ephesians 2:4a “But God,…”
That’s what makes the difference between you and me and the people of Galatians
5. God made the difference. God moved in. He opened up the Scriptures to us
and gave us the opportunity to say yes or no. If we’re fortunate enough to
have said yes then look what happens. This is what has followed. This is why Paul is admonishing
these Ephesian believers to realize how blessed they are that God moved into
their life. You know, I still like to use Lydia. When we were in Greece last fall, I had a chance to speak at the very riverside they think she and her
fellow worshippers were meeting. Come back with me, because I still think it’s
so apropos for every believer, even though this is clear back in the beginning
of Paul’s ministry - Acts chapter 16. I haven’t done this on the program in a
long time, have I? We’ve got to show Lydia. Those of you who see our tapes,
you’re going to see I’m speaking down there on the little riverside. It was
quite an experience. Didn’t dream I’d ever get there. Acts 16:14 “And a certain woman
named Lydia, a seller of purple, (a business lady) of the city of
Thyatira, (Which was across the Aegean Sea in Western Turkey. But she
was up there evidently selling her goods in the city of Philippi. But here is
this Lydia.) who worshipped God, (Now that’s typical, a lot of
times, of the people that Paul deals with. She was religious, but lost. Luke
is writing and he says--) she heard us. (Now, here’s the part I
love.) whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul.” Now be careful. She was not forced to
agree with Paul. So, why did she? Of her own volition. Of her own volition she
considered what Paul had been preaching. She decided, with God’s opening up of
her understanding, that this is what she could believe. I maintain that it’s
not all that different today. A person can be convicted of their sin, that the
commandments had been broken, and then we have that opportunity to say yes to the
invitation; to believe or we can say no. God doesn’t force us, but He gives us
that complete opportunity. All right, come back to Ephesians chapter 2 in
the minutes we have left. Ephesians 2:4 “But God, (Just
like in the life of Lydia. God opened her heart so that she listened to what
Paul had to say. For you and me, it’s But God!) who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Now, where was that
love exhibited? Well, at the cross! Love is the whole energizing force of the
cross. God loved the human race. He was willing to send His own Son to suffer
and die, because He loved us, and He’s making a way back to Himself as easy as
He can make it. That’s why it’s so simple.
That’s why this Gospel of Grace is something that I can’t understand why the
world doesn’t just flock after it. But they won’t. But here it is. God in
His mercy has shown His love toward us and then verse 5. Ephesians 2:5 “Even when we were dead
in sins, (Like we saw in Galatians 5. We were steeped in some, if not
all, of those sins. But in that sinful state God opened our understanding.
It’s a God thing! Absolutely it is!) he hath quickened (made us
alive) us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)” And
how have I always put it? When Christ died, we died. When He was buried, we
were buried. When He arose in resurrection power, we arose to a new life!
It’s just that plain. All right, I think I’ve got
time. Come back again to Romans, because after all, Romans is probably the most
doctrinal of all of Paul’s letters, so far as understanding this plan of
salvation. Romans 5 verse 8, because see a lot of people think, well, if I can
just clean up my life. If I can just get better, then I’ll become a
believer. No, that’s not where God wants you. God wants you right where you
are. Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth
his love toward us, in that, while we were
(What?) yet sinners, Christ died for us.” That’s where He loved
us. Not after we’d cleaned up our act and sort of made ourselves approachable.
No. Right where He found us, steeped in our sin, He showed His love for us.
He opened the Plan of Salvation where we could understand it. Then by faith we
entered in, and He did everything that He promised to do. He gave us new
life. He brought in the Holy Spirit who controls our every act and thought and
deed. We become, then, a new person in Christ. All right, back to Ephesians.
We’ve got one minute left. Verse 6 - when He saved us, He positioned us. Now,
this is a Pauline doctrine, won’t find it anywhere else in Scripture. Here it
is. That’s why you should love the Apostle Paul, because my, these are things
you won’t find anywhere else. Ephesians 2:6-8 “And He hath raised us up
together, (in His resurrection power) and made us sit together in
the heavenlies, (Now, that’s something that the world knows nothing
of.) in Christ Jesus: 7. That in the ages to come he might
show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ
Jesus. (It’s all based on what He has done. Then verse 8, everybody
should know this verse.) 8. For by grace are you saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the (What?) gift of God:”
And you never, never, never, work for a gift. All right, we’re just an
informal Bible Study. We’re going to continue on with the theme we’ve had for
the last several programs, picking out some of the unique “But Now’s or But
God or But When.” Our next one is going to be in Ephesians chapter 2.
We’re going to drop in at verse 11. We’re going to look at the “But Now”
in verse 13. Remember our system of study
has been to look at what goes before, what goes after, and what are the
circumstances that prompted these verses. Keep all that in mind as we pick
this apart. Ephesians 2:11-13 “Wherefore remember, that
ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by
that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12. That at
that time ye (That is you Gentiles.) were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Now our key
verse) 13. But now in Christ Jesus ye (now remember who we’re
talking about – Gentiles) who sometimes (at one time) were far
off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” In other words, it’s a
whole different program. All right, we’re going to go
back and see where it really began that God would deal with the Nation of
Israel solely on the basis of the Covenant Promises, and the fact that they
were a favored nation and the rest of the race of humanity would go on without
God. Now, maybe we should recap a
little bit. You want to remember that from Adam until Abraham you had
basically one race of people – the Adamic race. Even though they began to go
into segments with the three sons of Noah, yet basically, so far as Scripture
is concerned, it was one Adamic race until we get to Abraham. Now, I think I brought it out
in my seminar up in Minnesota last week. Do you realize what a disaster that
first 2,000 years was – spiritually speaking? It was a disaster! From the
time of Adam you have a few believers in the line that replaced Abel, in the
line of Seth. They were small in number. Then after 1600 years of human
history, what was it? There were still only a few people left that God could
even use to build the ark. After 1600 years – eight believers. I
always emphasize that we have a doctrine of the remnant from cover to cover,
but that’s the smallest of all, eight people out of probably four or five
billion people on the planet. Then the next great event comes
along after the flood and the sons of Noah. 200 years later you’ve got another
spiritual disaster – the Tower of Babel. Wherein there was not a living soul
that was not involved in the pagan false worship that arose around Nimrod and
the Tower of Babel. Well, then we go another 200 years, and I maintain that
there was not a believing soul left on earth. So, God calls out Abraham and
begins the Nation of Israel. All right, as soon as we start
the Nation of Israel, God lets the rest of humanity go like “Old Man River to
the Sea.” And as we’ve already seen in verse 12, they were without a Messiah,
without the promises, without covenants, without hope, and without God in the
world. Now, don’t ever come down on
God and say you’re not fair. Because remember, those folks from Adam until
Abraham had every opportunity to get right with God if they’d have wanted to.
It wasn’t that God didn’t give them a chance, but that they would not. It’s
just like today. The numbers aren’t much different. But humanity has never
wanted to succumb to God’s will. All right, now beginning with
Abraham and the Nation of Israel, we have to delineate the human race into two
segments. Now we’re going to have the Jew and the Gentile. Of
course we know we’re also going to have saved and lost. But, for our lesson
today, we’re going to look at the two components: Jews on the one side,
Gentiles on the other. All right, now I think we can
go all the way back to Exodus and pick up pretty much the first time that we
see God set Israel aside from the mainstream of humanity. That they are going
to be a chosen nation, a favored nation, and they are going to be above all the
other nations of the world. Exodus chapter 11 and let’s see, I want to drop in
at verse 6. Now remember, we’re getting ready for the Exodus. Israel has been under bondage. Moses has been brought back by an act of God to be their
leader and to take them out. So, we’re preparing for the first Passover. Exodus 11:6 “And there shall be a
great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor
shall be like it any more.” Of course, that was the night when death
hit the firstborn of everything in Egypt. But now look at verse 7. Here we
have the power of God separating the Nation of Israel. Exodus 11:7 “But against any of the
children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that
ye may know how that the LORD doth put a (What’s the word?) difference
(God, starting here, is going to put a difference.) between the Egyptians
and Israel.” Now, never forget that. Here, before they even come out
and are set apart as a Nation of people, God has indicated that there’s going
to be a line of demarcation between the Nation of Israel and the rest of the
Gentile world. That will carry all the way on through even to the time of
Paul, the apostle of Grace. Up until Paul is designated to go to the Gentiles,
everything is going to be primarily to the Nation of Israel. All right, now let’s come over
a few pages, still in Exodus, and let’s come over to chapter 19. Now, these
are all things that we’ve hit before. It’s a lot of review. But my goodness,
I think we get at least one letter a day where it just admonishes us - repeat
and repeat and repeat. Don’t ever stop repeating. So, bear with me for those
of you who have been with me so long that we do, we repeat. I’m aware of
that. I usually tell my Oklahoma classes not to accuse me of senility. I’m not
quite senile yet. I repeat purposely, because that’s what it takes. All right, Exodus 19 and again
we usually like to drop in at verse 3, so that you get the situation. Israel is out of Egypt. They’ve come through the Red Sea. They’re gathered around Mount Sinai by
their tribes, in complete organization, remember. Now, Moses goes up into Mount Sinai to confer with the Lord. Exodus 19:3-5a “And Moses went up unto
God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou
say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; (Now, this
is what God is telling Israel.) 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the
Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you
unto myself. 5. Now therefore, (since God has dealt with them so
intrinsically) if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye (the Nation of Israel.) shall be a peculiar treasure unto
me above all people:…” Now, where does that put the
Jew? It puts them head and shoulders above all the other peoples of the world,
by Divine decree. They can scoff and scorn at this all they want, but this
Book is sure and it’s true, and we can trust it. All right, why could God do
it? He gives us the reason. Next statement. Exodus 19:5b “…for all the earth is
mine:” It’s His! Now, one of my listeners reminded me that I use the
word Sovereign quite often and the word Sovereign isn’t in the Book. I didn’t
realize that. But that doesn’t bother me a bit, because I still use it
correctly. Sovereign just simply means He’s in total control. Well, this says
the same thing: I can do whatever I want to do, because I am Sovereign and the
earth is mine. Fair enough? All right, now in light of
that, as we looked at it not too many programs back, since God has now chosen
this nation to be above all the other nations and tribes in the world, they are
there for a particular role. That comes up in verse 6. Exodus 19:6 “And ye shall be unto me
a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt
speak unto the children of Israel.” Now, there is where we have that
demarcation between Israel and the rest of the Gentile world. Now, by definition never forget
that the Jew is always that nation of people that is connected to and came out
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the Twelve Tribes. That’s the Nation of
Israel. Everybody else – the Arab world out of Ishmael and Esau, all the
others - the Africans, the Orient, the Europeans, whatever their station in
life – they’re Gentiles. So, what’s a Gentile? Someone
who’s not a Jew. Who’s the Jew? Someone that comes from Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. Remember to always keep that distinction. Now, as we saw in Ephesians,
the Jews put another nomenclature on it. They call the Gentile world the
Uncircumcised. They referred to themselves as the Circumcised. Now there
again, keep that distinction clear, because not too long ago I heard a preacher
claiming that the uncircumcision was just simply a reference to the unsaved and
the circumcision a recognition of the saved. Hogwash! That is totally
destroying the definition. The Uncircumcised is the non-Jewish world, because
even the Arab world practices circumcision. I trust you know that. The Muslim
world practices circumcision. But that doesn’t make them a Jew. It doesn’t
take them out of the category of Gentiles. So, always keep those terms
perfectly clear in your mind. All right, now then, since the
Gentiles, all the way up through Israel’s history, were devoid of any of the
spiritual promises given to Israel, it does not mean that God had completely
forgotten about the Gentile world. Come up with me to Isaiah 42,
and we’ll see that God still has a program for the Gentile world. But until
it’s time for Him to turn to the Gentiles, He’s going to deal only with the
Children of Israel. The law was explicit that the Jews were to have nothing to
do with the Gentile world around them. Of course, the main reason being that
the Gentiles, beginning back there 200 years before Abraham, were already
steeped in idolatry and mythology. God knew that if Israel did not maintain
their separation, it wouldn’t be long and they would be embracing all the gods
of the Gentile world. This of course is what happened. But that was His
reason. You stay clear of these Gentiles lest you fall into the trap of their
idols and their idolatry. But, on the other hand, we
always have to realize that God has still got a program out in the future for
these pagan Gentiles. Isaiah 42 and drop in right at verse 1. Now, this is
written about 700 years before Christ. Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom
I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; (So, we’re talking
about a person. Of course, the person is the Messiah, the Christ.) I have
put my spirit upon him: he (Israel’s Messiah) shall bring forth
judgment (or righteous rule) to (What people?) the
Gentiles.” So, God hasn’t forgotten about them. But they cannot come into
the covenant promises. It is utterly against the mind of God. The covenants
were given only to the Nation of Israel. All right, keep your hand in
Isaiah 42. Before we read another verse in Isaiah, I’m going to jump you all
the way up to Acts chapter 11. Just to show you that the Jews never forgot
that this was God’s program for their nation. Here we come to a point in time
about seven years after Pentecost. Keep your hand in Isaiah, we’re going back
there. Acts 11:19, seven or eight years after Pentecost, after where most of
Christendom thinks that Christianity has already begun. Seven years later.
No, it hasn’t. Scripture flies in the face of that concept. Here’s one of my
favorite verses. Acts 11:19a “Now they who were
scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose around Stephen…” Now,
stop and think. Who were they? Well, the Jewish believers up there in
the Jerusalem church who had not left off law keeping. They’re still temple
worshiping. They’re still keeping the Jewish law of Saturday Sabbath and the
food laws, but they had embraced Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah and became
Jewish believers. They had become adherents of the Kingdom Gospel. Then when
Saul of Tarsus came in and began that intense persecution, followed by others,
of course, those Jewish believers had to flee for their life. They’re still
Jews. They’re still tied to the Jewish law, but they had accepted Christ as
Messiah. All right, now these are the Jews that we’re talking about in Acts
11. Acts 11:19 “Now they which were
scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far
as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, (Now watch it.) preaching
the word to none but unto the Jews only.” Oh, people don’t want
to buy that. They don’t want to believe that. But that’s what the Book says!
They would not even approach a Gentile but only Jews. Now remember, there’s no New
Testament. So, what was the Word? The Old Testament. So, on the basis of the
Old Testament Scriptures, they were still trying to convince their fellow Jews
that this Jesus of Nazareth, as Peter preaches in Acts 2, 3, & 4, that this
Jesus whom they crucified was the promised Christ. That was the whole thrust
of their message. All right, since they had no
concept of going to the Gentiles, I’ve got to bring you back to Isaiah to show
that God did. But it was going to be in His own time. God did. All right,
back to Isaiah 42 verse 6. All got it? Isaiah 42:6 “I the LORD have called
thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee,
(Now, who are we talking about? The Nation of Israel. We’re talking about the
Messiah up in verse 1, but now we’re talking about the Nation of Israel.) will
keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people, (For what
purpose?) for a light of the Gentiles;” God hasn’t forgotten
about the Gentile world. But it was going to be in His own time. All right, now we can jump all
the way up into Christ’s earthly ministry, chapter 9 of Matthew. Matthew
chapter 9 and I mentioned to my class Monday night, the best way to understand
the setting and the scenario of the four Gospels is to realize it’s just an
extension of the Old Testament. Nothing has changed except that now the
Messiah is in their midst. This is what all the Old Testament has been talking
about for 2,000 years. That’s all. They’re still going to the Temple. They’re still bringing sacrifices. They’re still going to Saturday synagogue.
Nothing has changed, but the Messiah is now in their midst. And what’s He
proclaiming? That He’s the promised King. See? Matthew 9:35 “And Jesus went about all
the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel
of the Kingdom, (Not the Gospel of Grace. The Gospel of the Kingdom.
And with it--) and healing every sickness and every disease among the
people.” All right, now come across to chapter 10. This is a verse
that I use over and over to make the point that you cannot bring the Gentiles
into God’s economy until we get to that other apostle, because Scripture won’t
allow it. All right here it is. He’s just chosen the Twelve. Now drop down
to verse 5. Matthew 10:5 “These twelve Jesus sent
forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, (Go
NOT.) and into any city of the Samaritans (Who were
half-breeds, they were half Jew and half Syrian.) enter ye not: (Why?)
6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Now, you can’t make it any
plainer in any words of English that I know. They were to have nothing to do
with the Gentile world. Just like coming out of Egypt they were to have
nothing to do with the Egyptians. They were to have nothing to do with the
Canaanites. All the way up through the Old Testament Israel was not to have
any kind of social intercourse with the world around them. They were not to
intermarry. They were not to get involved in their religions, because God
wanted to keep them unto Himself. All right, now let’s see when
all of a sudden something drastically different happens. Now, for sake of
time, we’ll go all the way up to Acts chapter 9. Remember what Jesus just told
the Twelve, “Go not to the Gentiles.” In keeping with all the
Old Testament covenants they were to have nothing to do with a Gentile. Now,
look what God does. Out of the blue! This is what most of Christendom cannot
see. Out of the blue He’s going to
do something totally different. I’m going to take you all the way past Saul’s
conversion experience up to where the Lord is addressing Ananias in the city of
Damascus. Ananias, according to Acts 22, was a devout Jew according to the
Law. He was just like the Jerusalem church. He was a Jew who was a
law-keeping Jew, but he had embraced Jesus of Nazareth as his Messiah. All right, this man, Ananias,
was scared to death when he heard that old Saul of Tarsus was coming to Damascus. We can pick that up all the way back in verse 10 of chapter 9. Acts chapter 9
verse 10, we pick up the flow here. We’ve had Saul confronted on the road to
Damascus up there in verses 4 and 5, but now drop down to verse 10. While Saul
is being stricken on the road outside the city gate, in the city-- Acts 9:10a “And there was a certain
disciple at Damascus, named Ananias;…” Now, whenever I see that word
disciple I always have to stop, because I think the mentality of most
believers, or church people, is that the disciples were one of the Twelve.
Well, we’re not talking about the Twelve. When the word is used in this vein,
it’s simply “a follower.” So, this Ananias was a follower of Jesus of
Nazareth. Acts 9:10b-12 “And there was a certain
disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision,
Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11. And the Lord said unto him,
Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the
house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12.
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand
on him, that he might receive his sight.” Now, watch Ananias’
response. Acts 9:13-15a “Then Ananias answered,
Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy
saints at Jerusalem: 14. And here (That is in Damascus.) he hath
authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name. 15. But
the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he (Saul) is a chosen
vessel unto me, to bear my name before the (What?) Gentiles,…”
Now listen. I’ve emphasized it
before, and I’ll repeat it again. To the Jew of Saul’s day and of Saul’s
caliber, that word Gentile was as foul a word as you could spit off your lips.
Yet it’s to that people that this man is going to be sent, contrary to
everything he had ever heard before. Can you imagine how the man must have
felt? Again, I think I always have to rehearse with people, why were the Jews
so despising of these Gentiles? Well, you’ve got to remember
only the Nation of Israel had been given the laws of personal hygiene. The
Jews knew personal hygiene. The Gentiles knew nothing. The Jews knew the perfect
food laws, cleanliness, and all that went with it. The Jews had a biblical
morality, of course based on the Law, the Ten Commandments. The Gentiles had
none of that. They were pagan. They were idolaters. They were worshiping the
gods and goddesses of mythology. It just flew in the face of a good Jew. Now
do you get the picture? Jesus said, “Go not to a Gentile” to the
Twelve. But to this man He says, “I am sending you far hence to the
Gentile world.” We’re just an informal Bible
study. We don’t try to push the thoughts of men or denominations. We try to
show what the Book says. We find that if people will simply search it out -
don’t have to listen to what I say - if they’ll just simply search it in the
Scriptures, they call back. I’ll never forget one fellow who called from Columbus, Ohio, and all he could say was, “It’s awesome!” I said, “Well, what’s awesome?”
He said, “The way God opened my eyes!” He said, “I’ve never seen this
before.” So, that’s my whole argument. You don’t have to go by what I say,
but take a look at the Book with an open mind. Get off of those denominational
traditions, and maybe you’ll be just as amazed as he was. Okay, let’s go right back to
where we left off in our last program. We’re on the “But Now” in
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 13. But let’s go back and review verse 12, because
that’s basically what we covered in the first half-hour – Why were the
Gentiles left in such spiritual darkness? Well, for 2,000
years the whole race of Adam walked everything underfoot in rebellion and
wickedness. Finally God says I’m going to do something totally different. I’m
going to call out one little nation of people. I’m going to bless them. I’m
going to put them above all the other nations of the world, and I’ll work
through them to bring salvation to the human race. That’s what we showed,
hopefully, in that last program, how that everything was Jew, Jew, Jew until,
finally, on the road to Damascus God struck down Saul of Tarsus. Then as we
closed our program, He went in and told Ananias, “I’m going to send this
man, Saul of Tarsus, far hence to the Gentiles.” Of course, to a Jew
this was anathema to have to deal with those morally pagan and physically
filthy Gentiles. All right, back to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12. Ephesians 2:12 “That at that time
(The time we talked about in those last thirty minutes, while God was dealing
only with the Jew and the Nation of Israel.) ye (Gentiles, I’ve
got to put that in coming out of verse 11.) were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, (In other words, they had no right.) and
strangers from the covenants of promise, (They had nothing to do with
them.) having no hope, and without God in the world:” Someone just shared with me at
break time over our coffee, that he remembers a fellow years back who has now
gone on into eternity, that when somebody read this verse in a Sunday School
class he just blatantly said, “I don’t believe that.” Well, we hear it all the
time from our listening audience. They show some of these things to pastors or
Sunday School teachers and the response is, “I can’t believe that.” But
beloved, it’s the Word of God. If you can’t believe one verse, you might as
well throw the whole thing away, because then it all falls apart. But this is what it says, that
the Gentiles were left destitute of anything spiritual until their day
would come. All right, so they were “without God in the world.”
Now verse 13, that’s one of our key phrases, “But now!” But what does
it mean? This side of the cross! On this side of the death, burial, and
resurrection of Israel’s Messiah it’s a whole new ballgame. All right, read
the verse. Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus
ye (you Gentiles) who sometimes (at one time) were
far off (spiritually) are (What?) made nigh by
(What?) the blood of Christ.” Now, let’s stop and analyze a
minute. What was the message that God laid upon this next apostle to take, not
to Israel so much, but to the Gentile world? All right, go ahead a chapter.
Ephesians chapter 3 and you’ll see Paul is always emphasizing that he is the
Apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). The Twelve were apostles of Israel. And isn’t it amazing that’s what Christendom hangs on today, for the most part?
The Four Gospels, the ministry of Peter and James and John, and I call it a
satanic deception, because that’s not where our Gospel of salvation lies. Our
Gospel lies in Paul’s epistles. Ephesians 3:1 “For this cause
(In other words, what he has just been saying in chapter 2.) I Paul, the
prisoner of Jesus Christ for you (Whom?) Gentiles.” Now,
your Bible says that just as well as mine. His apostleship was directed
primarily, not exclusively, but primarily to the Gentile world. All right, now
verse 2. Ephesians 3:2 “If ye have heard of the
dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me to you-ward:” Now,
there’s not a word in there about the Kingdom. You remember the verse I read
in the last program where Jesus went into the synagogue and He preached the
Gospel of the Kingdom? Paul never does. Why? It’s a whole new program. Paul
is being given the authority and the opportunity to open up the dispensation of
the Grace of God! Now, Jim and I were just
talking the other day, since he’s been out here visiting, about various
definitions of this word “dispensation.” Well, I gave him one that he
hadn’t heard before, and he said, “Les, I like that one the best of all.” I’ve
shared it at one time or another that it’s tied to the word meaning “dispensing
a prescription.” Same root word. A dispensation is a dispensing. All right,
now what does a dispensation dispense? Certain directions or
instructions for a particular period of time. Now, when God gave Moses the
Law, it was a dispensation. God dispensed all the ramifications for that time
that Israel would be under the Law, from 1500 BC until we get to the Apostle
Paul in Acts chapter 9. They had their simple set of directions. All right, now Paul comes along
with a whole new set of directions, and that is what you believe for your
salvation, “That Christ died for you. He shed His blood. And that He was
buried and He rose from the dead the third day and you’ll be saved.”
That’s the directions for this dispensation of Grace. I made the point with Jim. How
would you react if you had a bottle of medicine for, we’ll say, some heart
disease five years ago. Now you have some other malady, whatever it might be,
maybe a muscle or something, and you get a new prescription. Well, what good
would it do you for today’s trouble if you go back and take the pill out of
your heart bottle and follow those directions? Well, you’re in trouble. You
have to follow the directions of the prescription that was given to you for
today. See that? All right, now that’s exactly
what most of Christendom is doing. They’re taking the medications from a past
dispensation and they’re trying to shove it into this one. And I stand
adamantly against that. We are going to follow the instructions that God
dispensed to the Gentile world, not what He gave to Israel. We’re going to
follow the prescription that God gave to the Apostle Paul. All right, that’s
what he’s talking about here. Now verse 3: Ephesians 3:3a “How that by revelation…
(A spontaneous revealing of things totally different - you’re not under Law,
you’re under Grace.) How that by revelation he made known unto me the
mystery;…” Now, that’s a word that Paul uses throughout his epistles.
What’s the other word for mystery? The secret! And it’s God’s prerogative!
He’s Sovereign! You know I’m always referring to Deuteronomy 29:29. We
don’t have to look at it, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God:
but those things which are revealed belong unto us...” So, when do
they belong to us? When God reveals it and not before. All right, now all these things
that are revealed to the Apostle Paul were kept secret. Never can you find it
in the Old Testament. You can’t find one iota of it in the four Gospels and
the first nine chapters, or eight chapters, of Acts. It’s not in there. But
these instructions now come from the pen of this apostle. All right, let’s go
on, verse 4. Ephesians 3:4 “Whereby, when ye read,
(That is these instructions for this dispensation.) ye may understand my
knowledge in the mystery (or the secrets) of Christ.” The
things that God kept secret until He revealed it to this apostle. All right, another verse comes
to mind. Keep your hand in Ephesians and come back to Romans chapter 16 verse
25. I made comment of this one time at one of my large seminars. I think we
had, I don’t know, hundreds of people. I asked the question, “Have you ever
heard this verse in a Sunday morning sermon text?” As we read it, I want you
to ask the same thing. Have I ever heard this used in a Sunday morning
sermon? And you know what, out of those 700-800 people, not one had. Not
one! That’s typical. All right, look what it says. Romans 16:25 “Now to him that is of
power to establish you according to my gospel, (That’s another one of
Paul’s favorite terms - my Gospel.) and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery, (The secret! Not
according to His earthly ministry. Not according to His miracles, but according
to the revelation of things that had been kept secret. And how
long had they been kept secret?) which was kept secret since the world
began.” Now, that’s plain English. But people don’t want to buy it.
No, they’d rather stay back in His earthly ministry. Now, I’ll show you what Paul
says about that. II Corinthians chapter 5 and here’s another instance. A
young man was visiting at taping here one day, not too long ago, and he came up
and shared with me voluntarily that he showed this verse to his pastor. He got
the same result I just mentioned a moment ago. The guy just said, “I’ll never
believe that.” Isn’t that amazing? And you know why they don’t want to
believe it? Because it flies in the face of what they’ve been preaching. But
all right, you got II Corinthians chapter 5? Oh, we almost have to start at
verse 14. Now, Jim knows that none of this was in my preparation. I’m sorry,
but when I get led aside, I just can’t stop. II Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ
constraineth us; because we thus judge, (or come to conclusion)
that if one died for all, then were all dead:” In other words, when
Christ died for every human being, it was because every human being needed His
saving grace. II Corinthians 5:15-16 “And that he died for all,
that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who
died for them, and rose again. (What’s that? Paul’s Gospel! Now
verse 16, this is the verse they don’t like.) 16. Wherefore henceforth
(In other words, from the time of the revelation of these secrets until the end
of the Age of Grace.) we know no man after the flesh: yea, though we have
known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth (from this time
forward) we know him no more.” Now goodness sakes, what’s he
talking about? Christ’s earthly ministry! His earthly ministry, because
you’ve got to remember, Paul is about the same age as Christ. At the time that
Jesus was ministering to Israel with all of His signs and wonders and miracles,
Paul saw the crowds. I can just see this little Pharisaical Jew almost angry
to the point of exploding, standing on the perimeter of all this, and being
irritated by what he heard. Because this was all flying in the face of his
religion. So, that’s what he was
referring to, yeah, I knew Christ in His earthly ministry. Of course he did.
But now? No. We don’t base our salvation on Christ’s earthly ministry. Most
of Christendom does. But we don’t. Paul didn’t. That’s why I keep hammering
away on Paul’s Gospel of salvation, and men and women don’t like it. We’ve had
it evidenced over and over. All right, let’s come back to
Romans, again, if you will. Now that I’m on this track, I might as well carry
on. Romans chapter 2 verse 16 and this is Scripture, Beloved. This is the
Word of God. And if any verse fails to be the Word of God, then it all falls
apart. But look what the Holy Spirit inspired this apostle to write in chapter
2 verse 16 of Romans. Romans 2:16 “In the day
(We’re talking about the Great White Throne Judgment day.) when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (Who will be the judge on the
Great White Throne, and with what are they going to be judged?) according
to my gospel.” Paul’s Gospel. Read it again. “In the day when
God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
And then they’re going to ignore it and let millions of people go to that Great
White Throne Judgment lost for all eternity? That’s what’s coming, because
they refuse to recognize what we call Paul’s Gospel of I Corinthians 15:1-4. All right, I think that’s
sufficient in Romans. Let’s come back a moment to Ephesians chapter 3 where we
just took off, that we settle it forever. That when God turned from Israel and
delegated this man to be the apostle of the Gentiles, that now everything is
not going to be based on Temple Worship and the Mosaic Law and baptism and you
name it. It’s going to be according to Paul’s Gospel, which is the work of the
cross: how that Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of everything, went to that
Roman cross, died, shed His blood, was buried three days and three nights, and
arose from the dead. That’s the Gospel, plus nothing. But, oh, people don’t
want to buy that. They want to work for it. No, you don’t. God won’t have it.
All right, come back to Ephesians chapter 3 verse 5. Ephesians 3:5a “Which in other ages
(or in other generations) was not made known…” See how plain this
makes it? It was never mooted (debatable) that God would one day go to the
cross and bring in salvation for the whole human race. Ephesians 3:5b “…was not made known unto
the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by
the Spirit;” Now you’ve got to remember, Paul had other men that became
prophets and so forth. You had Timothy and Titus and Barnabas and Silas. He’s
not talking about the Old Testament prophets here. He was talking about those
who were in consort with him in this revelation of these things kept secret.
All right, verse 6, here it comes again. Ephesians 3:6 “That the (Who?) Gentiles…”
See the difference? For 2,000 years it was “Behold the Lord
saith to Israel.” But now, it’s all flipped over, but now – it’s
Gentiles, verse 6 again. Ephesians 3:6 “That the Gentiles should
be fellowheirs and of the same body, (the Body of Christ) and partakers
of his promise in Christ (Not by works, not by a baptism, not by a
tongues, but--) by (What?) the gospel.” Well, I
guess that’s the place to stop, isn’t it, Sharon? Go to The Gospel of Salvation
in I Corinthians chapter 15. I’ve said it over and over. I am just amazed. I
can’t understand it, why you hardly ever hear or see people use this definition
of the Gospel. It’s the plainest in all of Scripture. I can read tract after
tract after tract and they don’t use it. I can read church bulletins and on
the back page they’ll say “How to be saved.” They never use it. Why? I
can’t comprehend it, but here it is. I share it every chance I get. When we were in Greece, I was just looking at the travel log last night, and I shared with Jim, I had a
chance to share the Gospel with two of the female guides we had. They were
secular. They had no religious background. The one girl actually started
crying. She said, “Why are you sharing this with me?” I said, “Because I don’t
want you to go to a lost eternity.” That’s all. It isn’t any notches in my
gun that I’ve won a Turkish girl, but I said I want to keep you from an eternal
doom. I shared this Gospel. All right, here it is, I Corinthians 15
starting at verse 1. I Corinthians 15:1 “Moreover, brethren, I
declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, (Now this is
Paul speaking.) which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;”
That’s why he could call them brethren. Now, these were pagan Gentiles not too
far back, but he’s calling them brethren. Why? Because they’re believers of
this Gospel, verse 2. Now, you can’t get it any plainer than this. I Corinthians 15:2 “By which also you are
(What?) saved, (Is that a biblical word? It is all the way
through - salvation, being saved. All right, this Gospel saves.) By
which also you are saved if you keep in memory (or understand) what
I have preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.” You have
to know what you believe. You have to take it by faith. Now, here comes the
Gospel. This is the heart of the matter. I Corinthians 15:3& 4 “For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, (In other words, on the road
to Damascus and then later on in his three years in the desert--) how
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4. And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:” That’s
what we must believe for our salvation. That’s Paul’s Gospel. And then some write once in a
while, “Well, you make too much of Paul.” Why? Because I lift up Paul’s
Gospel? Like Paul said in one place, “I didn’t die for you.” Of
course not! But he lifts up that crucified, buried, and risen Savior, over and
over. You can’t read much of Paul without seeing a reference to Christ’s
death, burial, and resurrection. All right, back to Ephesians
once again. Our hour is just about gone, isn’t it? Back to Ephesians where we
just were, chapter 3. I’m still on the concept that on this side of the cross,
but especially after the revelation of the mysteries to the Apostle Paul, the
Gentile comes full flower into the opportunity for eternal salvation with no
strings attached. And again, when the vast majority of Gentile-dom comes
before the Great White Throne, will they have an excuse? No. God hasn’t
withheld salvation from the Gentile world ever since the Apostle Paul. But are
they rejecting it just as much? Sure they are! It’s no different. My, I made a point of it I
think in my seminar in Minnesota last week. Do you realize that all through
Scripture it’s only a small percentage that God keeps for Himself? In Isaiah
chapter 1, in the midst of Israel, the Covenant People, Isaiah says, “It’s
only a very small remnant of righteous.” And poor old Elijah thought
he was the only one. But God said, “No, Elijah, I’ve got 7,000.”
You’ve heard me say it a hundred times. 7,000 on the surface sounds like a
good bunch of people, but what was it out of seven million? One tenth of one
percent. One out of a thousand, that’s all. Then I put the frosting on the
cake, if I can use that expression, when Jesus came along and He said, “Broad
is the way and wide is the gate that leadeth to (What?)
destruction. And narrow is the way and straight is the gate that leadeth to
life, but few go in thereat.” Listen, that’s a fact of
Scripture. The multitudes are missing it. And it’s not God’s fault, because
this Gospel is so simple. It’s so free. It’s so available. But they’ll do
everything but preach it. Unbelievable! All right, now back to Ephesians
verse 8 again. Ephesians 3:8a “Unto me, who am less
than the least of all saints, is this grace given,…” Now, when they
say Paul is arrogant and puffed up, that’s not what this verse shows. He didn’t
claim to be the greatest, although he was. He claimed to be the least. Ephesians 3:8-9 “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; 9. And to make all men see
(including the Jew) what is the fellowship of the mystery, (Or
the secret. And here it is again. How long has it been kept secret?) which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ:” God never reveled this back in
Genesis or through any of the rest of the Old Testament. It was absolutely
kept secret. That’s why Peter, James, and John didn’t understand it, and if
they did, then John 20 is a lie. Because in John 20 it says that John as yet
understood not that Christ should be buried. Well, if it was all the way back
in the Old Testament, why didn’t he know it? Well, it wasn’t. The whole thing
was kept secret until it was revealed to this apostle. All right, so
again, I guess we’ve only got a few seconds left, verse 10, “To the
intent (or to the final purpose) that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places (not Satan’s principalities and
powers) might be known by the church (Which of course is the Body
of Christ according to Paul. That all these things might be known by the Body
of Christ.) the manifold wisdom of God,” It is good to have everybody
back after your coffee break. Again, we would like to welcome our television
audience and thank you, again, for all your kind letters, your financial help,
your prayers, and everything. I’ve said it over and over how we appreciate
your letters. My goodness, what a compensation it is for the ministry. Before we go any further, I’ve
wanted to do this for a long time. We’ve got two people that are so intrinsic
to our ministry. They do all the transcribing for the closed captioning as
well as for the books. The first one over here is Sharon Martin. She’s the
gal that’s usually got the “red” hair. Everybody comments who’s the lady on
the front row with the red hair? Well, that’s Sharon Martin. Jerry Pool is
the second one. Where is he? Jerry’s back over there. Sharon does the closed
captioning, and then Jerry and his wife Lorna put the little book together out
of it. This is what made me aware of
it. I’ll just share this with all of you in television. I just happened to
be someplace where the program had the closed captioning. I just sat and that’s
all I watched. And it was letter perfect. I was just flabbergasted. Most
closed captioning, you know, makes some goofs here and there, but these two
people have just done a fabulous job. I wanted to give them their due. Okay, now we’re on the same
verse we’ve been on. I thought we’d do that in half of a program, and here
we’re going into the third. But anyway, that’s the way we teach, and I trust
that’s what the Lord has blessed. So, we’re going to come back to Ephesians
chapter 2 once again. We’re on that “But Now” where everything had been
Jew only, and the Gentile world was without Christ, without the covenants and
without hope. “But Now” on this side of the revelation of the
mysteries, verse 13 again. Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus
ye (Gentiles, you and I) who sometimes (at one time)
were far off (because God was dealing only with the covenant people) are
made nigh by the blood of Christ.” This, of course, is another
reference to the work of the cross, and His glorious resurrection. Now, let’s just carry on here
in Ephesians chapter 2 on this side of the “But Now.” Ephesians 2:14a “For he (Christ) is
our peace,…” That is that peace with God. Remember Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore
being justified by faith we have peace with God.” God has no
controversy with the believer. If suddenly the Lord should come this
afternoon, I’ve said it over and over and over again, you’re not going to come
before Him shaking in your boots because of some sin. That’s all been obliterated.
You’ve been forgiven! All right, so we have peace with God. We don’t have to
fear being brought into His presence. Ephesians 2:14 “For he (Christ) is
our peace, who hath made both one, (Well, who are the both? The Jew
and the Gentile, the only two groups of people that Scripture deals with, and
He has brought them into the one body.) and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us;” Now that, of course, was a reference to
the Temple complex where there was a wall that Gentiles did not dare go
beyond. But that’s been broken down. Now both Jew and Gentile have access.
All right, verse 15. Ephesians 2:15 “Having abolished in his
flesh (This is all in reference to the cross.) the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of the
two one new man, so making peace;” Now, we always have to recognize
that Israel was so involved with the Mosaic Law that that in itself kept them
separated from the Gentile world. The Gentile had no concept of living
according to the Law of Moses. But, that Law of Moses was such that--, now
come back with me to Acts chapter 15. Boy, I thought for a minute I wasn’t
going to find it, Acts 15 verse 8. Now, I guess I should go back
to verse 7. This is Peter rehearsing his time at the house of Cornelius. And
again, I always like to point out that Peter didn’t go to the house of
Cornelius until after Saul’s conversion, so it was already opening the door,
now, to the revelation of the mystery to the Gentiles. But the Jewish believers
remember, from Jerusalem, were still undermining Paul’s Gentile congregations
by demanding circumcision and keeping the Law of Moses. So, they had to set up
this big meeting in Jerusalem, which is also covered in Galatians 2 in about 51
AD. That’s about what? Twenty years after Pentecost, twenty-two to be exact.
All right, but now Peter is finally recognizing that Paul was right by claiming
to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Acts 15:7a “And when there had been
much disputing,…” Arguing over the fact. Paul said my converts don’t
have to keep the Law. They don’t have to be circumcised. And Peter and the
Jews at Jerusalem said yes they do. Well, they finally settled it, and Peter
comes around to Paul’s line of thinking. Acts 15:7 “And when there had been
much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know
how that a good while ago (Now, from this point in time, it was 12
years already that Peter hadn’t said a word. He just sort of put it back in
the recesses of his memory.) God made choice among us, (That is
among the Twelve ruling there from Jerusalem.) that the Gentiles
(See, here we come.) by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe.” Acts 15:8-10 “And God, who knoweth the
hearts, (That is of Jews as well as the house of Cornelius.) bare
them witness, giving them (the house of Cornelius) the Holy
Spirit, even as he did unto us;” (Here it comes.) 9. And put no
difference between us and them, (Jew and Gentile) purifying their
hearts (Not by law keeping, but how?) by faith. 10.
Now therefore (Now, this is Peter.) why test ye God, to put a
yoke upon the neck of the disciples, (Or these Gentile believers, now
watch this.) which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Now, what does that tell you?
The Law was a burden for the true believer. They could hardly breathe for the
yoke that was around their neck. So, Peter is recognizing that it’s good
riddance to get rid of that yoke that had been on the neck of the Old Testament
fathers as well as Peter’s generation. So, that’s what he means when he says, “which
neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.” Acts 15:11 “But we believe that
through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”
Well, there’s Peter now addressing the Gentiles with regard to the house of
Cornelius. All right, come back with me
now to Ephesians chapter 2, again, where Paul now is alluding to that same
breaking down of that wall of partition between Israel and the Gentiles. But
the Gentile is not forced into the law-keeping that Israel tried to put upon
them. All right verse 17 of Ephesians 2. The same God in verse 16, or the
same Christ up in verse 13, the same God-- Ephesians 2:17 “And came and preached
peace to you who were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” Well,
that doesn’t need a theological explanation, does it? The Gentiles were the
ones that were way out there without any hope. The Jews had always been next
to the covenant promises. All right, but now this Gospel is going to go to
both Jew and Gentile. Ephesians 2:18 “For through him
(That is through this Christ who finished the work of the cross. Through him
Jew and Gentile--) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
Now verse 19, we’re going to pursue this to the end of the chapter. Ephesians 2:19a “Now therefore you are no
more strangers and foreigners,…” Now remember, what are we referring
to? Go back up to verse 12. It’s been a half-hour, now, since we talked about
it. Let’s go back up there, verse 12. This was the lot of the Gentile before
Paul came along, Ephesians 2:12-13a “That at that time you (Gentiles)
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the
world: 13. But now…” See? On this side of the cross. I constantly ask
people, why do you stay on the front side of the cross? That’s not where it’s
at. You’ve got to come on this side of the cross, after the death, burial,
resurrection, and the shed blood. But, oh, they just insist on staying in His
earthy ministry, which Paul said he no longer has a thing to do with. Oh, it’s just…I can’t
understand it. I can’t comprehend it. Why do they want to stay on the front
side of the cross, when on this side is where all has been supplied. All
right, reading on, back to verse 20. Ephesians 2:20 “And are (you’re)
built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone;” Now, that again isn’t hard to explain.
This whole Book is the inspired Word of God from cover to cover. Does that
mean that just because Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles we don’t use the
rest of it? Of course we do! It’s a progressive revelation, and the more you
can understand of the Old Testament promises, the easier it is to accept Paul’s
revelation. It all unfolds step by step. All right, so we’ve been built on
that of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
cornerstone of everything. Ephesians 2:21 “In whom (in
Christ) all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple
in the Lord: (Now verse 22 and we’re going to chase down some
references.) 22. In whom you also (Now don’t forget, who’s he
writing to? Gentiles. You and I. Who at one time had nothing to do with the Temple at Jerusalem. We had nothing to do with the law-keeping worship of Israel.) In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the
Spirit.” That is the Holy Spirit. All right, come back to I
Corinthians chapter 3. Let’s just see how this all fits so beautifully. Oh,
my goodness, we have to start at verse 10. And again, this is repetition. We
touched on these, I think, not too many programs ago. I Corinthians chapter 3,
now I guess I should use verse 9. I Corinthians 3:9 “For we are laborers
together with God: (Why?) you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s
building.” Now, it’s the word building that we’re going to look
at, because what did Ephesians say? We are the habitation of God. Well, what
does habitation refer to? The place where you live, your dwelling place. All
right, now here it comes, verse 10. I Corinthians 3:10a “According to the grace
of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder,…” Now, what
does that refer to? Building something. A home. An office building.
Whatever the case may be. We’re talking about building something. I Corinthians 3:10b “…as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation,…” This is the basis for
anything that is going to be worthwhile. You can go back to Jesus’
illustration of building on the sand. What good is it? Nothing. The first
time the wind and the water come, away it goes. The foundation is everything.
That’s where we start. I Corinthians 3:10c-11 “I (Paul says) have
laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereupon. But let every man
(that means every one of us) take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11. For
other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Now see, Paul isn’t claiming to be the foundation. He’s the builder who lays
it. Then we’re going to start building on that foundation which is Jesus
Christ, of course crucified and risen from the dead. All right, now verse 12,
here come the building products. I Corinthians 3:12 “Now if any man build
upon this foundation (As a believer, you’ve placed your faith in that
finished work of the cross. Now, you’re given opportunity to work, to build.
And here are your materials.) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;”
Now, I always like to stop and make a comparison. You take someone who is out
there looking for gold, silver, and precious stones. He’s out there facing the
elements. He’s probably climbing the mountains. In fact, we were just
rehearsing last night the time we had a lunch with a gold prospector in Colorado. It was a unique experience. He was up there in those rugged mountains all by
himself, because that’s where you have to go if you’re going to get the things
that are worthwhile. Now, the other three materials,
I always make people smile. Sharon knows. I always refer to the little old
grade school story of the three pigs. What did they use, the first two? That
which was easy: sticks and straw. I wonder sometimes, if the guy that wrote
that story didn’t have this in his background. But see, that’s what most
believers are doing. They’re just like the three pigs. They’re out there just
doing what little bit they can, and they think that God’s going to be
satisfied. No. God expects you to get out there into the mountains and grub
out the gold and the silver and the stones, the things that are worthwhile.
All right, read on. I Corinthians 3:13 “Every man’s work shall
be made manifest: (It’s going to be put in the spotlight of His fiery
eyes.) for the day (the Bema Seat day) shall declare it, (Now,
we won’t be at the Great White Throne with all the lost people. We’re going
to be at the Judgment Seat, the Bema Seat. So, the Bema Seat day, if I may put
it that way--) shall declare it, (It’s going to declare what our
rewards are.) because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man’s work of what sort it is.” Now, I guess I’d better show
Scripture. Come back with me to Revelation chapter 19. Keep your hand here
in Corinthians, because you’ve got to compare Scripture with Scripture.
Revelation 19 verse 11, and don’t forget what we’re here for. At the Bema Seat
Judgment the Lord Jesus is going to examine the works of every believer. Now
again, don’t forget that’s in eternity, and in eternity there’s no time. So,
He can examine millions of people in what we would call ten minutes. Because
otherwise, you wonder, well, how can he examine every individual believer and
still have it all done before the Second Coming. Okay, here it is. Revelation 19:11-12a “And I saw heaven opened,
(That’s the Second Coming, remember.) and behold a white horse; and he
that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth
judge and make war. (But here’s what I want you to see.) 12. His
eyes were as a flame of fire,…” Now, come back to Corinthians. With
these fiery eyes He’s going to penetrate the works of every believer. Now,
when those fiery eyes hit wood, hay, and stubble, what’s going to happen to
it? Up in a puff of smoke, figuratively speaking. But, when it hits the gold
and silver and precious stones, what will it do? It will just magnify it,
because heat purifies, if anything. So, the whole name of the game
as a believer is, are you building on your salvation that which amounts to
something? Are you putting in gold, silver, and precious stones? Are you
making an effort to build, or are you just going out like the three little
pigs, or the two, and picking up straw and sticks and thinking it suffices?
Oh, listen! Millions of believers are going to be so disappointed when they
come to this Judgment Seat. They’re going to have remorse, I think, to a
degree. I know it is heaven, but nevertheless, why didn’t I do more? Why
didn’t I do more? So, this is the admonishment. Get out there and get out the
gold and the silver and the precious stones. I Corinthians 3:13-15 “Every man’s work shall
be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by
fire; and the fire shall test every man’s work of what sort it is. 14. If any
man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, (can
survive the fire) he shall receive a reward. 15. If
any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: (Of reward. Not
salvation, but rather loss of reward.) but he himself shall be saved; yet
so as by fire.” All right, now here’s the verse that brought me back
here. Here’s the verse, we’re building a temple, verse 16. I Corinthians 3:16-17a “Know ye not that ye
(Now, he’s talking about individual Gentile believers at Corinth. He’s talking
the same to us.) are the temple (the dwelling place) of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17. If any man
defile the temple of God, (that is this body) him shall God destroy;…” Now listen. Do you wonder what
he’s talking about? You smokers out there. What are you doing? Every time
you inhale, I always say you’re choking the Holy Spirit. He’s indwelling you.
But not only that, you are destroying your temple. I just had a letter
yesterday from a fellow in the last stages of emphysema, having smoked three
packs a day all his life. Well, he asked for it, and he admitted that he did.
We had a fellow out in our Albuquerque seminar who was running around with a little oxygen tank. He said, “Les,
whenever I see kids smoking, I walk up to them unannounced and I say, “Look,
kids, this is where you’re headed.” Carrying that oxygen tank. Well, that’s
what this verse is saying. If you’re going to misuse your physical body,
you’re going to see the consequences. I Corinthians 3:17 “If any man defile
(or does damage to) the temple of God, (which is your body)
him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, (Now watch that
next few words.) which temple ye (What?) are.” Okay. Go over to chapter 6, still in
I Corinthians. Now, these things are repeated for a reason. This is what we
have to be aware of, that we are building on the foundation of the Gospel with
works of gold, silver, and precious stones, because the Spirit of God is
indwelling us. This is His dwelling place today. All right, chapter 6 verse
19. I Corinthians 6:19-20 “What? Know ye not that
your body is the temple (the dwelling place) of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20. For ye are
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which
are God’s. (They both belong to God.)” All right, I think there’s
another one in II Corinthians chapter 6 verse 14. Now this is just as valid
for us today as it was for the Corinthians. II Corinthians 6:14-16a “Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? 15. And what
concord (or what agreement) hath Christ with Belial?
(This is a reference to one of the Old Testament idols.) or what part
hath he that believeth with an infidel? (or an unbeliever) 16. And
what agreement hath the temple of God (Hear that? What’s it a
reference to? Your physical body.) with idols? For ye are the temple of
the living God;…” It’s been a while since you’ve heard that, hasn’t
it? But that’s what you are. If you’re a believer, for you out in television,
if you’re a believer, you are the dwelling place of God Himself, in the person,
of course, of the Holy Spirit. All right, reading on. II Corinthians 6:16b-17a “…as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people. (Now then, verse 17, here’s the admonition. Again, you
don’t hear this much anymore.) 17. Wherefore (since you are the
temple of the Living God) wherefore come out from among them, (Who
are the them? The infidel’s of the world, the unbelievers.) and be ye
separate, saith the Lord,…” And so on and so forth. All right, our time is just
about gone. Let’s come back for our closing seconds to Ephesians, once again to
chapter 3. I’m going to take this right in to where we were a couple of
programs back, because it’s so appropriate. Chapter 3 verse 1 of Ephesians and
then it will be time to quit. Ephesians 3:1a “For this cause…”
What cause? What we’ve just been looking at. That as a member of the Body of
Christ, you’re building on the foundation, which is the work of the cross. And
as a believer, you are to be building up for reward with gold, silver, and
precious stones. You are to be separated from the unbelieving world in your
lifestyle and in your everyday behavior, because you are the dwelling place of
the Holy Spirit today. And you know, I always say,
what’s important is not the past, but today and tomorrow. The past you can’t
do anything about, but be ready to show your colors from hereon if you haven’t
before. Ephesians 3:1 “For this cause I Paul,
the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,” So, the whole afternoon
I’m going to be emphasizing that this is what happened when God turned from
Israel and raised up that other apostle and sent him to the Gentile world. Okay, it is good to see
everybody in. Once again, we’re on program number four. We’ll keep right on
going, and then we can all head out to our various places. But, before we go
any further, I want to again remind folks of all the books available. We’re
finishing up book number 68 and then take note of our webpage - www.lesfeldick.org. It is really easy to
find. For the Canadian folks out there, call our regular phone number if you
can’t get through with the “800” number, 918-768-3218. Again, we want to make
mention of how we appreciate your prayers and your letters and your financial
help. All right, this is a Bible
study. Our primary concern is to help you study on your own. I don’t want
anyone to just sit back and hear what Les has got to say about it. I want
people to study. And we’re getting response aren’t we, Honey? Jim, you
probably even saw a few letters that said the same thing, how that they are
getting into the Word and studying it on their own. Okay, we’re going to move on to
a different “But Now” or “But...whatever.” We’re going to move
on, still in Ephesians, to chapter 4, verse 20. And again, not so much because
it says “But Now” or “But God,” but it is a great turning point from what went
before to what comes after. That’s what we’re trying to stress on all these
series of lessons. All right, Ephesians 4 we’ll read verse 20. Then we’ll go
back and see what went before. Ephesians 4:20 “But ye have not so
learned Christ;” Now, what’s he talking about? Go back up to verse
17. What were we before we became a believer? What were these Ephesians
before they became believers? Ephesians 4:17a “This I say therefore,
and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth…” Paul uses that word over
and over to mark a time of something stopping and something beginning. And
over and over he’ll use that. We used it, I think, a few programs back. Keep
your hand here in Ephesians. We’ve got to go to I Timothy
chapter 1, where Paul identifies himself as the beginning of the
Body of Christ. There couldn’t have been anybody before Paul, because he was
the first one who was a result of the Gospel of Grace. He makes it so plain
here. I Timothy chapter 1 dropping down to verse 15, where before we even read
the verse, I’ve got to define the word chief found in this
verse. It never means the worst, like most preachers make it. It always means
the head man, or the first man, or the leader, or the primary reason. Now,
I’ll give you one verse for example. Romans 3 verses 1 and 2, where Paul asks
the question: Romans 3:1-2 “What advantage then hath
the Jew? or what profit is there in circumcision? (He answers in the
next verse.) 2. Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them
(the Nation of Israel) were committed the oracles (Word) of
God.” Now, what does that mean? Well, the main number one reason that
they were set apart, was that unto them were revealed this Book. So, the word “chiefly”
means first or primarily or whatever. With that in mind, now look at verse 15
in I Timothy chapter 1. I Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful
saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners; of whom I am chief.” He was the first, the leader, the
uppermost. Not worst. And we’ve done this before; wherever the word “chief”
is used, it never refers to someone sinful or wicked. It always refers to
someone who was number one. He gives an example back there
in Acts when he was shipwrecked on Malta. The “chief man” of the
island took them in and was good to them. Well, I asked the question then, and
I’ll say it again, was he the worst on the island? No! He was probably the
governor. He was the head man. So, all the way through the Scriptures that
word “chief” never means worst. It means the first, the leader, the best, and
so forth. All right, now the next verse and this is why I came here, the “hereafter.”
I Timothy 1:16a “Howbeit for this cause
(because he’s the first sinner saved by grace) I obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, (or
patience) for a pattern (That’s what he is. Paul is the
pattern.) to them which should (Now here’s the word.) hereafter…”
Okay, we’ve got a point in time before which people were saved by something
other than the Gospel of Grace and after when they are saved by this Gospel of
Grace. Plain as English can make it. All right, back to Ephesians then. So,
verse 17, now, from our salvation point forward. Ephesians 4:17b “…that ye henceforth walk
not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,” All right,
now Paul is going to give us a just a brief description of the Gentile
unbelieving world. And it’s just as evident today as it was in Paul’s day.
We’re getting closer and closer to the horrible moral depravity of Paul’s day
as we see the things going on in our own world today. All right, now verse 18,
this is the unbelieving world. Ephesians 4:18a “Having the understanding
darkened,…” Wow! Do I have to go any further? What’s this whole
garbage with the DaVinci Code? It’s just simply smattering the understanding
of the masses. A lot of this other stuff would fall into the same category. Ephesians 4:18 “Having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness of their heart:” Well, that’s one way
Paul puts it. Let’s look at another way in II
Corinthians chapter 4. I have to look a minute. I think it’s three and four,
II Corinthians chapter 4: 3 and 4. This is another reason why the masses do
not come to salvation. And you know I’ve said it over and over. Why don’t
they? It’s so simple. It’s so free. It is so life enhancing. But they
won’t. They refuse to. All right, here’s the reason. II Corinthians 4: 3:4a “But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom (the lost of this
world) the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe
not,…” Who’s blinding them? The god of this world. Did you use that
verse, Jim? Jim had – can I share it? He passed one of our books on to
someone, and after they read a little bit, they said, well, they couldn’t quite
agree with me about who the god of this world was. Jim used the illustration
of when Satan offered the kingdoms of this world to Christ. Well, how could he
offer the kingdoms of this world, if he wasn’t the god of this world? Well,
the individual bought that much. But here’s another verse. It’s the god of
this world. And who is it? It’s Satan. II Corinthians 4:4b “..hath blinded the
minds of them who believe not, lest (here it comes now) the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them.” But they don’t want it. They just don’t want it. So, we have
to rely on the working of the Holy Spirit to energize them, to convict them,
and to reprove them as John 16 says. But anyway, back to Ephesians
chapter 4, verse 18 again. Now, after just reading of who blinds them, verse
18 should make a little more sense. Ephesians 4:18 “Having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness of their heart:” And who puts that
blindness in there? Satan does. And the Holy Spirit is the only thing that
can overcome it. Ephesians 4:19 “Who (the
unbelieving Gentile world in particular) being past feeling have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness (Now, this
is moral uncleanness.) with greediness.” But here comes the
breaking point. That’s not where we are. We have come to the verse that
follows. Ephesians 4:20 “But you have not so
learned Christ;” You’ve got a new beginning. Some of you had been on
that side for a long time, now you are on this side. All right, verse 21, how
do you know you’re on this side of this statement? Ephesians 4:21-22 “If so be that ye have
heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (Now,
here comes what becomes part of our salvation experience.) 22. That ye
put off (You lay it aside with no more desire to energize it.) concerning
the former conversation (or manner of living) the old man,
(That old satanic nature that is in control of the lost person. We have put
that aside.) which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;” All right another verse comes
to mind - II Corinthians chapter 5 again, where we’ve been before. II
Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 - I’ve got to wait until you all find it. Then
they all get it out in television. II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be
in Christ, (I could also add, and Christ in you, as we saw in the last
program.) he is a new creation: (It’s a work of God.) old
things are passed away; (See what Paul just said in our Ephesians
letter? They are the things that are of the corrupt mind.) behold, all
things are become (What?) new.” It’s a different life.
Again, I wish you could read our mail. Over and over they say that it’s just
like somebody has taken a sandbag off of my back. It’s just like a big load
has been lifted. All my guilt is gone. I’m at peace with God. That’s what it
is! And then the world shrinks from it? I can’t understand it, but that’s
where it’s at. It’s a new life. “Old things are passed away, all things
become new.” All right, back to Ephesians chapter 4, verse 23. Ephesians 4:23-24 “And be renewed in the
spirit of your mind; (It’s a whole changeover) 24. And that ye
put on the new man, (Now, that’s a Pauline term. You won’t find that
anywhere else in Scripture that you become a new person.) which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Now then, if you’ve
experienced God’s true saving grace, here’s part of the change in your
lifestyle. Ephesians 4:25-26 “Wherefore putting away
lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of
another. (Now he’s speaking, of course, of fellow believers in the
Ephesian church.) 26. Be ye angry, (We can be upset. Paul was.
But don’t let it bring you to a place of anger that becomes dangerous.) and
sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:27-28a “Neither give place to
the devil. (Who is our adversary, remember. These are all just simple
admonitions for the believer.) 28. Let him that stole, steal no more:…”
Now let me ask you. Do you suppose these converts of Paul, coming out of
paganism, think stealing was something strange to them? Are you kidding? That
was their normal lifestyle. I remember a missionary, years
ago, and Iris, remember? They had been down in South America someplace, and in
that particular culture it was not wrong to steal anything less than $300.
That was the limit. If you stole over $300 worth, then you were committing
sin. But see, that’s man’s approach to all these things. But the Bible says
you don’t steal at all! Ephesians 4:28b-29 “but rather let him
labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he have to give to
him that needeth. (Now verse 29, my, if this isn’t appropriate for
movies and television today.) 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed
out of your mouth, but that which is good to use of edifying, that it may
minister grace unto the hearers.” Now verse 30, remember we just
saw in the last program how the Holy Spirit is indwelling. So now the
admonition is: Ephesians 4:30-32 “And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31. Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away
from you, with all malice; 32. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
(Now, I like this one.) forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s
sake hath (Already what?) forgiven you.” If you’re
forgiven, then who are you to say I can’t forgive my neighbor. All right, I think we’ve got
time for our next one which will jump into Philippians chapter 2, verse 27.
And this will wind up the fourth program this afternoon. Philippians chapter
2, verse 27, and we’ll go back again the same way. We’ll go to what went
before and then hopefully, if we have time, we’ll pick up what goes after.
Now, when we come back and read it, we’re talking about Epaphroditus up in
verse 25, but indeed, Paul says-- Philippians 2:27 “For indeed he was sick
nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; (But God! Otherwise
Epaphroditus would have probably passed on.) and not on him only, but on
me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” All right, let’s go
back and see what leads up to this man Epaphroditus being sick nigh unto
death. All right, let’s jump all the way up to verse 17. I want to bring it,
if I have time, into our everyday situation of prayer requests on behalf of
those who are sick or maybe injured or whatever the case may be. Philippians 2:17-18 “Yea, and if I be offered
upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me.” In other
words, it was that fellowship between the Apostle and these Philippian
believers. Philippians 2:19 “But I trust in the Lord
Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort,
when I know your state.” In other words, you’ve got to remember, back
in antiquity, he couldn’t pick up the cell phone and call Philippi could he?
Here he is down in a far off place. It’s a prison letter, of course, so it was
written from prison in Rome. He’s in prison in Rome, and he’s concerned about the fate of all of his little congregations of Gentiles. And
the only way he can find out what’s going on up in Philippi is to have Timothy
go up and report back to him how the believers up there were doing. All right,
now then verse 20. Philippians 2:20 “For I have no man
likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.” See what he’s
concerned about? How are the believers up there in Philippi faring? He’s in
prison. He can’t go and see them, so he sends Timothy. All right, now that’s
the man that he means when he says, who is like minded. Verse 21: Philippians 2:21-24 “For all seek their own,
not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. 22. But ye know the proof of him,
(They knew all about Timothy.) that, as a son with a father, he hath
served me in the gospel. 23. Him (Timothy) therefore I hope to
send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. 24. But I trust
in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.” In other words, he
was hoping to get out of prison and be able to continue his journeys. Now
verse 25: Philippians 2:25 “Yet I supposed it
necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and
fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.”
In other word, Epaphroditus was a member of the Philippian congregation. He
had come down to visit Paul in Rome, and evidently in Rome he had gotten sick
nigh unto death. And when the Philippians heard about it, my, their heart was
just poured out to God on his behalf. Philippians 2:26 “For he longed after you
all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he (was
or) had been sick.” Now see? That’s common everyday experience,
isn’t it? We’ve all had it. We all have someone that we love getting sick.
That’s why we have prayer time before we start the television. We like to be
able to share our needs and corporately bring them into the Throne Room. Well,
this is a good lesson in that. Paul is commending the Philippian church for
remembering one of their fellow people in prayer because of his sickness. Philippians 2:27a “For indeed (Paul
says) he was sick nigh unto death: (Now, here’s the But God.
Why? Because of their prayer, they had prayed for the man and God heard their
prayers.) but God had mercy on him;…” Not only for healing the
man from his sickness, but to spare Paul the grief of losing him. Now, you’ve got to remember the
man’s circle of friends in prison in Rome was not all that large and to have
lost one of his closest workers, it would have been devastating. But oh, “But
God” moves in. You know I’ve had such response to this series of
programs on the “But God’s and But Now’s,” because I think it’s pointing out
that it makes a difference. When God moves in, it’s going to make a
difference. So, this is the whole thing here. All right, now then verse 28. Philippians 2:28 “I sent him therefore the
more carefully, (Now, I think by that he means he had trepidations for
whatever reason. He says, I sent him…carefully.) that, when ye see him
again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.” Because
he is removing himself from Paul’s companionship in Rome in prison. He’s
evidently going back to Philippi. Philippians 2:29 “Receive him therefore in
the Lord with all gladness; and hold him in reputation: 30. Because for the
work of Christ he was nigh unto death, (No, we don’t know what the
situation was.) not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward
me.” All right, now with that I’m
going to end up the program here with chapter 4 verses 6 and 7. I’ve used
them over and over when people call in on the phone or write for prayer for
whatever the need may be: a job, maybe a family member is in trouble with the
courts, or whatever. Oh, you’d be amazed the problems that people have to
endure. It’s unbelievable. All right, well here is a concrete Scripture that
we can share with every one of them and you can. Philippians 4:6a “Be careful (or
worry) for (about) nothing; (Here’s the other
flipside again.) but in every thing (God doesn’t limit you to
what you can bring to the throne room, as long as it isn’t frivolous and silly,
of course. But you can come into the throne room with whatever prayer need you
may have. Whatever it is.) by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving….” Do you know what? That’s the key to the successful
victorious Christian life. Thankfulness. Thank the Lord everyday,
Beloved, for whatever you’ve got: your health, your home, your family, your
fellow believers, your relationship with God, everything. Be daily thankful.
That’s what God expects. And when you have a specific request, you thank Him
ahead of time for what He’s going to do. Okay, reading on: Philippians 4:6b “…by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Well, what does that tell you? You verbalize it. Don’t take the attitude –
well, God knows. Well of course He does. But what does Scripture admonish?
You tell Him. You verbalize it. You communicate with Him. Don’t just go on
your way and think, oh well, God knows all about it. No, we pray. That’s the
whole idea. All right, let it be made known unto God. And then
verse 7 is where we always leave everybody we talk to, whether God answers
specifically, immediately, or whether He says maybe later, or whether He says
no. The answer to every prayer is verse 7. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus.” Could you ask for anything more? My, we can pray. We can
leave it in the throne room. Then we can rest assured it’s in His care. We’ve
verbalized it. We’ve told him our needs. And then we thank Him for what He’s
going to do. And we can go on with the “Peace which passeth all
understanding.”LESSON ONE * PART I
BUT CHRIST – LIVETH IN ME
I Corinthians 15:20 and Galatians 2:20
LESSON ONE * PART II
BUT CHRIST – LIVETH IN ME
I Corinthians 15:20 and Galatians 2:20
LESSON ONE * PART III
BUT CHRIST – LIVETH IN ME
I Corinthians 15:20 and Galatians 2:20
LESSON ONE * PART IV
BUT CHRIST - LIVETH IN ME
I Corinthians 15:20 and Galatians 2:20
LESSON TWO * PART I
BUT WHEN - THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME
Galatians 4:4; Galatians 4:9;
Ephesians 2:4
Dan was the first tribe that really went whole-hog into idolatry! So, God had
a hard time bringing this Nation along. No doubt about it. But He keeps
moving along, moving along with these promises and these prophecies put out in
front of them to encourage them. LESSON TWO * PART II
BUT WHEN - THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME
Galatians 4:4; Galatians 4:9;
Ephesians 2:4
LESSON TWO * PART III
BUT WHEN -THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME
Galatians 4:4; Galatians 4:9;
Ephesians 2:4
LESSON TWO * PART IV
BUT WHEN - THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME
Galatians 4:4; Galatians 4:9;
Ephesians 2:4
LESSON THREE * PART I
BUT NOW - YOU ARE MADE NIGH
Eph. 2:13; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 2:27
LESSON THREE * PART II
BUT NOW - YOU ARE MADE NIGH
Eph. 2:13; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 2:27
LESSON THREE * PART III
BUT NOW - YOU ARE MADE NIGH
Eph. 2:13; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 2:27
LESSON THREE * PART IV
BUT NOW - YOU ARE MADE NIGH
Eph. 2:13; Eph. 4:20; Phil. 2:27
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