A Summary of the Contents of Each Book of the Bible
Rightly divide God’s Word and know who is being addressed and spoken to. We can’t try to make the Bible fit us if it wasn’t addressed to us. There are three groups in the Bible being addressed, the Jews, Gentiles and Church.
If you are a Jew and are still waiting for the Messiah the Old Testament through the Gospels and Acts is addressed to you.
If you are a Jew or Gentile and believe in Jesus Christ then you are the Church and Acts from Acts 9 through Philemon is addressed to you for if you believe in Jesus Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile.
If you are a Gentile and don’t believe in Jesus Christ then you need to read Revelation to see what happens to you because if you don’t repent and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you will end up in the Lake of Fire with hell, death, the beast (Anti Christ), false prophet, Satan and all the Jews and Gentiles that don’t accept Him and thus not written in the Book of Life.
The Book of Revelation addresses everyone, meaning the Jews, Gentiles and Church.
In reality there are only two types of people in the world, the Believer and the Non Believer. Which category do you fit in?
Old Testament (To the Jews but Inspirational for everyone)
Genesis – Describes the creation; gives the history of the old world, and of the steps taken by God toward the formation of theocracy.
Exodus – The history of Israel’s departure from Egypt; the giving of the law; the tabernacle
Leviticus – The ceremonial law.
Numbers – The census of the people; the story of the wanderings in the wilderness.
Deuteronomy – The law rehearsed; the death of Moses.
Joshua – The story of the conquest and partition of Canaan
Judges – The history of the nation from Joshua to Samson
Ruth – The story of the ancestors of the royal family of Judah
1 Samuel – The story of the nation during the judgeship of Samuel and the reign of Saul
2 Samuel – Story of the reign of David
1st and 2nd Kings – The books of Kings form only one book in the Hebrew MSS. They contain the history of the nation from David’s death and Solomon’s accession to the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the desolation of Jerusalem, with a supplemental notice of the liberation of Jehoiachin from his prison at Babylon, twenty-six years later; they comprehend the whole time of the Israelitish monarchy, exclusive of the reigns of Saul and David
1st and 2nd Chronicles – are so called as being the record made by the appointed historiographers of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel; they are the official histories of those kingdoms
Ezra – The story of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, and of the rebuilding of the temple
Nehemiah – A further account of the rebuilding of the temple and city, and of the obstacles encountered and overcome
Esther – The story of a Jewess who becomes queen of Persia and saves the Jewish people from destruction
Job – The story of the trials and patience of a holy man of Edom
Psalms – A collection of sacred poems intended for use in the worship of Jehovah (Lord), chiefly the productions of David
Proverbs – The wise sayings of Solomon
Ecclesiastes – A poem respecting the vanity of earthly things
Song of Solomon – An allegory relating to the church
Isaiah – Prophecies respecting Christ and his kingdom
Jeremiah – Prophecies announcing the captivity of Judah, its sufferings, and the final overthrow of its enemies
Lamentations – The utterance of Jeremiah’s sorrow upon the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple
Ezekiel – Messages of warning and comfort to the Jews in their captivity
Daniel – A narrative of some of the occurrences of the captivity, and a series of prophecies concerning Christ
Hosea – Prophecies relating to Christ and the latter days
Joel – Prediction of woes upon Judah and of the favor with which God will receive the penitent people
Amos – Prediction that Israel and other neighboring nations will be punished by conquerors from the north, and of the fulfillment of the Messiah’s kingdom
Obadiah – Prediction of the desolation of Edom
Jonah – Prophecies relating to Nineveh
Micah – Predictions relating to the invasions of Shalmaneser and Sennacherib, the Babylonish captivity, the establishment of a theocratic kingdom in Jerusalem, and the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem
Nahum – Prediction of the downfall of Assyria
Habakkuk – A prediction of the doom of the Chaldeans
Zephaniah – A prediction of the overthrow of Judah for its idolatry and wickedness
Haggai – Prophecies concerning the rebuilding of the temple
Zechariah – Prophecies relating to the rebuilding of the temple and the Messiah
Malachi – Prophecies relating to the calling of the Gentiles and the coming of Christ
New Testament (for the Jews, Church and Gentiles)
Jesus came to preach to the Jews (lost sheep of the 12 Tribes ONLY) not the Gentiles and Samaritans. When Jesus sent out the 12 Disciples he sent them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Matthew 10:6 – 42. Jesus answers the Caananite woman in Matthew 15:24 – 28. We see Jesus did come for the Gentiles nor had his Disciples preach to the Gentiles until He converted Paul to preach to the Gentiles.
Gospel of Matthew – A brief history of the life of Christ
Gospel of Mark – A brief history of the life of Christ, supplying some incidents omitted by Matthew
Gospel of Luke – The history of the life of Christ, with special reference to his most important acts and discourses
Gospel of John – The life of Christ, giving important discourses not related by the other evangelists
Acts of the Apostles – The history of the labors of the apostles and of the foundation of the Christian Church (Acts 9 – Paul is converted by the Ascended Jesus Christ and begins preaching the Gospel to Gentiles) (Acts 10 – Peter told by Jesus from heaven to go preach to Cornelius (Gentile) at his house and the Holy Ghost fell on them all)
Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles (He starts ministering in Acts 13:42)
Romans – A treatise by Paul on the doctrine of justification by Christ
1st Corinthians – A letter from Paul to the Corinthians, correcting errors into which they had fallen
2nd Corinthians – Paul confirms his disciples in their faith, and vindicates his own character
Galatians – Paul maintains that we are justified by faith, and not by rites (law)
Ephesians – A treatise by Paul on the power of divine grace
Philippians – Paul sets forth the beauty of Christian kindness
Colossians – Paul warns his disciples against errors, and exhorts to certain duties
1st Thessalonians – Paul exhorts his disciples to continue in the faith and in holy conversation
2nd Thessalonians – Paul corrects an error concerning the speedy coming of Christ the second time
1st Timothy – Paul instructs Timothy in the duty of a pastor, and encourages him in the work of the ministry
2nd Timothy – Paul realizes his end is near and encourages Timothy to continue in his ministry and carry on the work faithfully as a good workman that has no need to be ashamed.
Titus – Paul encourages Titus in the performance of his ministerial duties
Philemon – An appeal to a converted master to receive a converted escaped slave with kindness
Addressed to the Jews but Inspirational for everyone
Hebrews – Paul maintains that Christ is the substance of the ceremonial law (to Jews)
James. A treatise on the efficacy of faith united with good works (for Jews)
1st and 2nd Peter – Exhortations to a Christian life, with various warnings and predictions (for Jews)
1st John – Respecting the person of our Lord, and an exhortation to Christian love and conduct (for Jews)
2nd John – John warns a converted lady against false teachers (amongst the Jews)
3rd John – A letter to Gaius, praising him for his hospitality
Jude – Warnings against deceivers (amongst the Jews)
For the Church, Jews and Non Believers
Revelation – The future of the Jews, Gentiles (non believers), Church, End Times and eternal damnation for those not written in the Book of Life and eternal life with God and Jesus for those written in the Book of Life foretold
Divisions in the Word of Truth
Let’s be honest when it comes to God’s Word, the Word of Truth, even the so called leaders in congregations don’t rightly divide the Word of Truth. They don’t get or teach in the Bible, who was this written to, is this historical, inspirational or what is God saying, meaning and doing. Wrong doctrine is rampart in the churches today. Ministers are teaching their own meanings and not the meanings of the Word of God. This leads to confusion and we all know that God is not the author of confusion. Satan is! Then again, it’s not the responsibility of the ministers to feed us it’s our own responsibility to learn God’s Word.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Why?
2Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.
2Peter 1:19 – 21 We have also a more sure word of prophecy: whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (Jesus Christ)
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (or the prophetic word made more sure)
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Some people, when they refer to 2 Timothy 2:15, mistakenly say to “rightly divide the word of God.” But the verse doesn’t say to divide the word of God. It says to divide the word of truth. Some people mistakenly think that we say that the word of truth is ONLY in Romans thru Philemon. But that’s not what we say at all. As a matter of fact, James in the book of James says “of his own will begat he us with the WORD OF TRUTH. And that would be in one accord with what Peter says that “God has BEGOTTEN THEM AGAIN unto a lively hope.” But we have never said that the word of truth is Romans through Philemon or that, only Romans through Philemon IS the word of truth. The bible defines, EXACTLY, what the word of truth is. The entire bible is the word of God, but that is not what is meant by the verse. We know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. Paul says:
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
When we talk about scripture being inspired, it means God-breathed. In other words, all scripture, the verses in the bible, are the words of God. As Peter wrote:
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Now when Peter refers to prophecy, he is referring to God’s prophetic program which pertains to the earth. God’s program concerning the earth is to be fulfilled to and through, the nation of Israel. God’s prophetic program was “spoken since the world began,” as the father of John the Baptist said:
Luke 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
Luke 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
Luke 1:70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
On the other hand, there is ANOTHER message in your bible, a message which was never spoken by any prophet, but which was KEPT SECRET since the world began. For instance, you can clearly see the difference when you compare what Peter said to the Jews in Jerusalem when he spoke about Jesus Christ:
Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
In contrast to that which was “spoken since the world began,” is the gospel, the “good news” which was given to the Apostle Paul:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
So here we see that the “word of truth” in your bible is in TWO FORMS. There is that which was spoken, and that which was kept secret. So when a person misquotes 2 Timothy 2:15 and says “rightly dividing the word of GOD,” it could cause some to be confused about it, and sometimes it even causes others to label you a BIBLE CHOPPER, and other such terms. Take a close look at what Paul does say in the verse:
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
So what Paul is specifically referring to here is the word of truth. He is not saying to throw away parts of the bible, or make a pamphlet out of the bible, as some claim that we say. What he is calling attention to SPECIFICALLY is the WORD OF TRUTH. He even gives you the definition of the phrase. Look at Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
It’s plain then, that what Paul is referring to, what needs to be RIGHTLY DIVIDED is “the gospel,” THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION. Now it becomes plain that God has not ALWAYS said the same things. Sometimes he says different things to different people at different times. People who oppose this bible truth always like to say “God is God and God don’t ever change,” and they like to go to the verse in Hebrews which says:
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
The verse says that Jesus Christ is the same. It doesn’t say that he always talks about the SAME THINGS or even to the SAME PEOPLE. For instance, the book of Hebrews opens with these words:
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hebrews 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
So, in time past, God spoke to his people by the prophets, and the verse says that now, God has spoken to us by his own Son. And the writer of the book of Hebrews goes on to say in the next chapter:
Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Now what you particularly need to notice in that verse is that it says that a message of salvation first began to be spoken by the Lord and then later the same message was confirmed to us, to the Hebrews, BY THEM THAT HEARD HIM. That has to be a reference to the 12 Apostles to Israel, and those 12 Apostles had then confirmed the message to others, including the person who wrote the book of Hebrews. It was “confirmed to us by them.” There is no way that the Apostle Paul could be included in that statement. Paul was not someone who had his message confirmed to him by someone else who had heard the Lord. How do we know that? Because Paul HEARD AND SAW the Lord himself. He didn’t get his message from someone else who heard the Lord he got it from the Lord HIMSELF. Another thing we need to notice is that the message Paul received from the Lord is NOT THE SAME message the Lord had previously taught Peter and the 12:
Galatians 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul never knew or never met Jesus Christ on planet earth. The 12 Apostles to the nation of Israel knew the Lord on earth. As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ CHOSE 12 men for a specific ministry in Matthew chapter 10:
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So when the writer of the book of Hebrews talks about the message being confirmed to him and the others by “those that heard him,” this is what he is talking about. The 12 apostles to Israel only knew the Lord on earth. The last time ANY OF THEM heard the Lord, they were on the Mount of Olives, forty days after the Resurrection, on the day the Lord ascended into Heaven. Those men NEVER AGAIN heard the Lord speak. There were visions, and they saw angels, but the Lord never spoke again about his earthly program.
Now some argue that Paul was the Lord’s choice to be the replacement for Judas, the one who betrayed him, and that the choice of Matthias in Acts chapter one, was an illegal election. Some say that Paul was simply the replacement for Judas and was a part of the twelve disciples. But the only reason people have for doing that is to support their religious tradition, or else someone has told them that, and they simply accepted it without checking out the facts for themselves. The truth is, Paul was never involved in any way with the ministry of the twelve and was never a part of it. The election of Matthias by the others was “by the book.” Peter actually quoted the prophecy pertaining to Judas and a replacement being named for him
Acts 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Acts 1:17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
It’s important to understand that the very reason for the appointment of the man was that he was to be a WITNESS. In order to be a witness he must have first hand knowledge of “all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.” Now let’s go back for just a minute to the events just after the resurrection of Christ. The Lord had appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaeus. Since the day was almost over, they asked him to stay and eat with them. As he blessed and broke the bread they recognized him and then he disappeared out of their sight. So immediately they went back to Jerusalem and told these things to the others:
Luke 24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Notice the verse says that THE ELEVEN were gathered together. Well, there was ONE who was not there. Who was not there? It was Thomas. Remember DOUBTING THOMAS, or CONFIRMING THOMAS? He wasn’t there. Look at the same account in the book of John:
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
So Thomas was not there at the first when the Lord appeared to them. But the bible says THE ELEVEN WERE GATHERED TOGETHER. If Thomas was missing and eleven were there, then who was the eleventh man? It was Matthias! You can TRUST your King James Bible.
Acts 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
Acts 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Acts 1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Choosing by lot doesn’t mean that they were throwing Roman dice. The choosing by lot was a means of making a choice, of discerning the will of God for a particular thing. It was used in association with the priesthood. It is the operation of the Urim and Thummin, as in the case of the father of John the Baptist:
Luke 1:9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Now we are talking here about “rightly dividing the word of truth,” but it is very important that you understand that Paul was never involved in the ministry of the twelve, THAT is the reason for DIVIDING, for making a clear distinction between the two messages. Once more, notice that Matthias was numbered with the eleven. Eleven plus one makes twelve, the number of the apostles to Israel, the number of the TWELVE tribes of Israel:
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
On the Day of Pentecost, all TWELVE of these men were filled with the Holy Ghost and all TWELVE of them spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
By the way, it is worthy of note that when it says “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,” it is a reference to these TWELVE men. It is not a reference to the 120 men, women and possibly children, mentioned earlier, a week earlier, in Acts chapter one. No women and no children spoke in tongues that day. Twelve Jewish men, 12 Apostles, spoke God’s message to the devout Jews gathered for that Jewish holy day.
Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Acts 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Acts 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And look at verse 13:
Acts 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
It says THESE MEN. 12 Jewish MEN were speaking in foreign languages, other tongues, which they had never learned. The point that I want you to see is that Israel has 12 tribes and 12 Apostles and the complete number of 12 was there from the beginning, the Day of Pentecost. The twelve are also mentioned later, when a dispute arises between the Jews and the Greek-speaking Jews, the Grecians:
Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
We know that ALL TWELVE of those men, including Matthias, were witnesses of the Lord. That would include being a witness to the resurrection.
Much later, at the time of Acts chapter 19, Paul, writes his 1 Corinthian letter! In it he reminds them of the gospel which he preached to them. Remember that we have already read from the book of Galatians that Paul CERTIFIES that the message he preaches was not of man. It was not taught to him. It was by direct revelation from the Lord. It is a DIFFERENT MESSAGE than the one preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost. Peter NEVER SAID in Acts two, three, four, five and so on what Paul says here:
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
So Paul verifies, first of all, that all 12 of the Jewish apostles had seen the Lord. That includes Matthias, because he was there, sitting at meat, when the Lord appeared to them:
1 Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Now when Paul saw the Lord, he saw the risen, ascended and glorified Lord from Heaven. Paul never knew Jesus of Nazareth. He never knew the Lord on earth. Paul’s first encounter with the Lord was on the Road to Damascus in Acts chapter nine, long after the events of Acts two, three, four and five and so on. So Paul states that “the gospel I preach” is not of man, not received of man, but by DIRECT revelation from the Lord. And it is a DIFFERENT MESSAGE than the message preached by Peter and the 12, so Paul says to “rightly divide the word of truth.”
In Galatians chapter one and two, Paul gives an account of his conversion and how he went into Damascus, then went into Arabia and returned to Damascus, only going to Jerusalem three years later to introduce himself to Peter, and then look what he says:
Galatians 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
It’s very plain, from the words in the verse, that Paul’s reason for going to Jerusalem was not to GET information, not to JOIN the twelve, but for an entirely different purpose. He says that the Lord REVEALED to him that he should go and that he should COMMUNICATE to them, he says, “that gospel that I preach.” Now if Paul had the same message the twelve were preaching, no such trip would have been necessary. As a matter of fact, it would have been ridiculous to even suggest such a trip. But Paul says he went by REVELATION from the Lord. Now by the time of this meeting, which took place in Acts chapter fifteen, James the apostle, who wrote the book of James, is dead. He was killed by the sword in Acts chapter 12.
So at this time, James, the Lord’s brother, has emerged as the spokesman for the church at Jerusalem. So Paul, according to this passage, took James, Cephas (that’s Peter) and John (who wrote the gospel of John and the book of Revelation) into a private room and shared, or delivered, or COMMUNICATED unto them the gospel, the WORD OF TRUTH, which he had received by revelation from the Lord. Now look at what scripture says:
Galatians 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Now one thing is for sure. The big bone of contention had been whether or not it was necessary for the believers in Paul’s assemblies to be circumcised and told to keep the Law of Moses, something that most certainly was being done by the Jerusalem church. In other words the circumcision message! But Paul says they ADDED NOTHING to me:
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Now I need to stop here and make a point. THE GOSPEL OF doesn’t mean the same as THE GOSPEL TO. In the same way, the FAITH OF GOD or the FAITH OF CHRIST does not mean the same thing as FAITH IN GOD or FAITH IN CHRIST. Many bibles, in an effort to be aligned with religious thinking, change these little two letter words, and when they do they PERVERT the entire meaning. They change the meaning. For instance, your salvation is not based on your FAITH IN CHRIST but rather it is based on the FAITH OF CHRIST. It is because of HIS FAITH, HIS FAITHFULNESS, of HIS enduring to the end, that there is hope for you in the gospel.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
If it were a matter of YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST, then it would mean that God had left it up to you to perform the work of salvation. But that is TOTALLY not the case. God did not give you a salvation maintenance program, God gave you A GIFT: The completed cross work of Jesus Christ. To James in the book of James, faith without works is dead. But GRACE without works IS NOT DEAD!
Now in this passage, the GOSPEL OF the circumcision, and the GOSPEL OF the uncircumcision carries a totally different meaning than simply the gospel TO someone. Most of religion would have you believe that it simply means that Peter preached TO SOMEONE and that Paul preached TO SOMEONE ELSE. Stay with me and you will find that that is NOT THE CASE. The gospel OF the circumcision is a specific message. The gospel OF the uncircumcision is an entirely different message. It’s important to “rightly divide the word of truth.”
Now James the apostle was not one of the ones who met with Paul on that day in Acts 15. As we said, he had been killed in Acts chapter 12, so he never heard anything that Paul had to say. The book of James is quite contrary to what you read in Paul’s epistles, but yet, it is the WORD OF TRUTH:
James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
So James says that SOMEBODY had been begotten with THE WORD OF TRUTH. Who is James talking about? Well, who is it that James writes to in the book of James?
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
A large segment of religion today wants to get their doctrine from the book of James. James’ book is the PET of many religious organizations. But remember, the man who wrote the book NEVER MET PAUL. He was dead before Paul was sent to communicate. The book of James is filled with the works of the law from beginning to end. It is a Jewish tribulation message, and as a matter of fact, is basically the doctrine of the Sermon on the Mount, of Matthew five, six and seven. Basically the CONSTITUTION, the Magna Charta of the restored kingdom to Israel at the second coming of Christ. Don’t lose sight of the fact that the KINGDOM is what the 12 were looking for, what they were enduring to the end for. They had no clue whatsoever of a heavenly group called the church, the body of Christ. Look at their very last question the day the Lord ascended into Heaven:
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
So James says that God had “begat them with the word of truth.” We will soon see that this “word of truth” will turn out to be the gospel OF THE circumcision, and is DIFFERENT from Paul’s message. Now I want you to notice that just as James writes to the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad, Peter writes to the same group of people:
1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Strangers would be someone who is an “alien.” These people were Jews who had fled the vicinity of Jerusalem because of the persecution which broke out at the time of the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapter 7. Peter says basically the same thing James says:
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Now when he says “hath begotten us again,” it leads you to believe that you could look around somewhere and find where God had BEGOTTEN them before. And you certainly can. Look at:
Exodus 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Exodus 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
So we see then that God refers to Israel as His son, “even my firstborn.” So Peter says He has “begotten us again” to a lively hope, by what? By the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now read on:
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
“Born again” is a very popular phrase in religion today, but did you know that only here in 1 Peter and in just one other place in your bible do you find the term “born again?” When Nicodemus, a “Master of Israel” came to Jesus by night, for fear of the Jews, the Lord uses the same phrase. But when the Lord uses the phrase it is in a totally different context than when Peter used it in 1 Peter. Peter talks about a group of people who were “begotten again” to a lively hope but the Lord is speaking specifically about resurrection.
John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Now the Kingdom of God is a spiritual realm. It denotes God’s sovereignty over all of His creation, Heaven and Earth, but it is a spiritual, not a physical realm.
Here’s what Paul says about it:
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
The Lord’s statement to Nicodemus was puzzling to him too, in view of what he said:
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Now that seems to be a logical question. Can a man be born the second time?
Look at the Lord’s response to that:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
So when the Lord says “I said unto THEE,” what does it mean? It means that the Lord is addressing Nicodemus personally. It is singular. Thee. In other words, YOU Nicodemus. And then he says ‘YE.’ What does he mean by that? Ye would mean plural, all of you. But who is YE, who is all of you?
This is where most of the religious system gets confused. But there are several facts that need to be considered here: Number one, the Lord’s earthly ministry was to ISRAEL and to ISRAEL ONLY. The bible is very clear that in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is to ISRAEL alone. It is about Israel. It is for Israel. The church, the body of Christ is not in view at that time. At that time the church was still a MYSTERY. It had not been revealed.
Look at what the bible says on the subject:When a Gentile woman came to the Lord and sought healing for her daughter, his answer to her was:
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Well, who are HIS OWN in the passage? The lost sheep of the house of Israel! Remember what the Lord told the twelve when he sent them forth to preach the message of the Kingdom?
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So from this it is clear. The Lord told them where to go, he told them specifically where not to go, and he even told them what to say when they got there.
Read what the bible REALLY says about the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
Remember that we have been talking about the gospel OF the circumcision and the gospel OF the uncircumcision. The Lord’s ministry was TO the circumcision. He was confirming God’s promises made to THE FATHERS, as in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob being the fathers of the nation of Israel. Where did we fit in? We didn’t!
Ephesians 2:11 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;
Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye 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:
So when the Lord says “ye must be born again,” what does he mean? He is talking about the WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. He is not talking at all about the church, the body of Christ. As a matter of fact, you never find the phrase ”born again” anywhere in Romans thru Philemon. The simple truth is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, so there must be a NEW BIRTH. But, for the body of Christ, that happens at the Rapture. Some members of the body of Christ will not even see death. Paul says that our vile bodies will be changed, and he says that will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.
So the Lord says YE, meaning all of Israel must be born again. There is no Rapture for them. Not those involved in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. So THEY must be born again, in order to get into the Kingdom. That is what the Lord meant when he said in Matthew 16 that the “gates of hell would not prevail against” that church. In other words, they could and would die confidently as martyrs, knowing that Christ had made a way for them to be “born again” from the dead and enter the Kingdom. But as for the church, the dead will be raised and WE will be changed. That’s why Paul never uses the phrase “born again.” But, the end result, for both Israel, and the Church, is the same. The new birth!
Now as far as THE NEW BIRTH, here is the example of that:Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Two different gospels, two different messages, are right here in that one verse. There is the gospel OF something, the circumcision, and the gospel OF something else, the uncircumcision. Both messages are related back to Abraham in the book of Genesis. But one, the circumcision refers to Abraham AFTER he was circumcised and the other, the uncircumcision refers to Abraham BEFORE he was circumcised. This one was a mystery. It was a mystery which was revealed to Paul and to Paul only. As he said:But Paul says, in 2 Timothy 2:15 to “rightly divide the word of truth.”
What many today in religion fail to acknowledge is the distinctive ministry and message of Paul! Paul had a message for a DIFFERENT group of people. The 12 had the message of the gospel of the Kingdom, the gospel of the circumcision. They FADED OUT of the picture. By the time of Acts chapter 12, Peter is gone from the scene. He is never mentioned again in the bible other than the one occasion in Acts 15 when he stands up and speaks in support of Paul’s ministry. The only other thing you know about Peter is the two books he wrote to those who had been “scattered abroad.”
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
But we are dealing here with the WORD OF TRUTH. James says they have been begat by the will of God with the WORD OF TRUTH. Now here is where “rightly dividing the word of truth” is essential:
Galatians 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
So let’s take the WORD OF TRUTH and see if you can see HOW it should be rightly divided. James was one of the 12. He only knew the Lord on the earth. His message was learned from the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth, in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and in the forty days in which the Lord appeared to them BEFORE he ascended into Heaven. Here is the WORD OF TRUTH preached by James. It’s easy to see in just five verses:
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
James 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
So James, preaching the WORD OF TRUTH, is preaching salvation by faith PLUS works. His conclusion is basically this:
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
If the Lord had told the body of Christ to do WORKS in order to maintain salvation then WORKS we should do. But the fact is that we were NEVER told any such thing. James was told what James preached. Works of faith to the end would keep them from falling, keep them from recanting. It was THEIR FAITH which was on trial. Now remember, that this message was taught by the Lord, by the Twelve, and later on in the book of Acts by the Kingdom apostles. It was a tribulation message. It was endure to the end to be saved. It was preached consistently by the 12. All the Hebrew epistles, Hebrews through the book of Revelation contain the same works of faith message. It was a message given BEFORE the message of grace was given to the church by the Lord through Paul and it will be the message of salvation AFTER the church is gone, caught up and out of this world before the tribulation and the second coming of Christ. It is a message of repentance, water baptism and good works to the end. It is a CONDITIONAL salvation message. It is a FAITH ON TRIAL message.
Now please compare James’ WORKS OF FAITH message with what Paul said. Paul talks about the same man, Abraham, but Paul is on MYSTERY ground. Paul has revelation truth that goes back BEFORE the circumcision of Abraham. This is something that was just not in view in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Romans 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
So here, Paul is showing that Abraham was justified BEFORE he was circumcised:
Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Romans 4:10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
So there you have TWO DIFFERENT messages. To James, in a tribulation context, faith without works is dead. But in Paul’s message, GRACE without works is NOT DEAD. You have the gospel of the circumcision and the gospel of the uncircumcision. Both are THE WORD OF TRUTH. James says, and Peter says they were begat, or begotten again, with the WORD OF TRUTH.
The message of salvation to the church the body of Christ was given to Paul and to Paul alone. Paul’s message is the message of salvation by grace alone THROUGH faith. Not BY our faith but by the faith OF Christ. He was the one who endured to the end in our behalf. The message is markedly different from the Jewish tribulation message. Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles. Peter never was, never claimed to be, and neither did James or John. As a matter of fact, at the time of the meeting in Acts chapter 15, they agree NOT to go to Gentiles but to go only to the circumcision:
Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
If religion wants to claim doctrine in passages written by the circumcision Apostles to those of the circumcision, then they need to find scriptural authority that supersedes this agreement here. The message of the gospel OF the circumcision was a message of faith and of works of faith. It was a tribulation, and endure to the end message. It was a TIME PAST message and not the message which should be preached today. But consider what Paul said:
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved😉
Ephesians 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Ephesians 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
So it’s clear from what we looked at here that all GOOD NEWS is not the same good news. God never changes. Jesus Christ IS the same yesterday, today and forever. But there is a holy nation, a royal priesthood who expects to inherit the land of Palestine because God PROMISED those things to them. It is crooked to try to take promises God has made to someone else and try to claim them for our self. In the WORD OF TRUTH, there is a two fold purpose, a purpose for each place:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
The earthly hope, the earthly promises, the earthly KINGDOM is for Israel. Peter was given the KEYS to the Kingdom by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 16. There are no KEYS to the body of Christ. The Kingdom is a literal, visible political KINGDOM OF HEAVEN on the earth. It will be set up when the Son of Man comes in all his glory and all his holy angels with him. Sheep and goats will be separated, and judged, based on the treatment of THESE MY BRETHREN the Lord says in Matthew 25. Jesus Christ confirmed those promises to Israel and they will come to pass.
But as for you and me, Paul says:
Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
What it Means to Rightly Divide the Scriptures
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The Apostle Paul tells us to study God’s word with a view to rightly dividing the word of truth. It is interesting that when people talk about how to study the Bible there is all kinds of different methods that people use: historical, literal, allegorical. There are all these different methods people use but you can see right here in the word of God that God’s method, through the pen of the Apostle Paul to Timothy and to us, is to rightly divide the word of truth.
When the Apostle Paul thought about the concept of rightly dividing the word of truth, he thought of God’s Word in terms of its right division, that is, times past, but now and ages to come. (Ephesians 2:7, 11, 13) Very simply, as the Apostle Paul thought about God’s Word, he thought in terms of what God was doing in the past, what God is doing now, and what God is going to be doing in the future.
We should study the Bible from the dispensational perspective, that is, we should want to understand what God says to us living in the time period we are living in. When we approach the Bible we need to understand who we are and where we fit in the Bible. Simply, we are not the nation Israel wandering through the wilderness led by Moses. We all understand that is not who we are. So, we know when the Old Testament that talks about that it has nothing to do with us today in the dispensation of grace. We are not the nation of Israel wandering through the wilderness led by the hand of Moses. But we are somewhere in God’s word.
The basic reason we have to rightly divide the word of truth is to understand where we are in history. Obviously, we live after the cross. But where, after the cross! Christ died sometime in the past. Where are we in relationship to that? Christ has not yet come back to the earth yet. Where are we in relationship to that? Right division gives us the ability, when approaching the Word of God, to understand where we fit are in history, in relationship to God’s eternal purpose, that is, where we fit in the word of God in relationship to what God is doing in time.
It is interesting that every single Bible believer and Bible writer understood that principle. Moses understood that the coming of the Messiah was future from his day. Moses understood that the entrance into the land was future to his day. He taught the word of God and what he wrote was in relationship to where he fit in the word of God.
The prophets all taught the word of God and prophesied about from the standpoint of where they fit in the word of God. It is the same with the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. When John the Baptist showed up, he preached the message in relationship to where he was in the fulfilling of God’s word. For example, he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John could not have said that back here in Moses’ day because the kingdom was not at hand back in that day. John could not have showed up in the day of Isaiah and said, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Because it was not at hand back then in that day! Just like today it would be wrong to go out and preach John’s message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Because it is not at hand today! So, John preached his message in relationship to where he and that nation Israel fit in the overall plan of God.
So too, when we come to the “but now”, the time period in which now live (the dispensation of grace), we have to understand where we are in relationship to the fulfillment of God’s word if we are going to understand what God is doing in our day and time.
When we approach the word of God, it is absolutely necessary and critical that we do it God’s way, that is, to rightly divide it, so we understand where we are in relationship to what God Almighty is doing.
Faith is understanding, what God’s word says to us and where we fit in God’s plan and purpose. If we think we are Israel, for example, back in Old Testament and claim promises that have nothing to do with us today, that is not faith; it is presumption. Actually, it is unbelief. It is coming back to a portion of scriptures that says nothing to us yet we say, “God says this to us”. However, He never said that to us. So, to go back there in the Old Testament (Genesis – Malachi) and say we are operating by faith by claiming those things, is actually unbelief.
So, too, it is if we go to the books that have to do with the future generation going through the tribulation period (Hebrews – Revelation) and claim those promises for us that also represents unbelief; it is not faith. Rather, when we understand where we are in the word of God, where we fit in the word of God, we understand that we live in a time period the Bible calls the dispensation of grace and that dispensation of grace was committed first to the Apostle Paul and through his writings to us (Romans – Philemon).
In order to approach God in faith today, we approach him by believing the specific instructions we find contained in our Bible in the books Romans through Philemon. We can try to approach God on the basis of the book of Leviticus but God will not accept us today on the basis of Leviticus. The book of Leviticus is the Law and the sacrifices, but God will absolutely never accept any individual today on the basis of Leviticus. Even if we attempt to obey every single verse in Leviticus God will absolutely not accept us on the basis of that book because that is not what God is doing today. Rather, what God is doing today is found specifically to us in the books of Romans through Philemon, the writings of the Apostle Paul, the apostle God sent to us Gentiles in the dispensation of grace.
The word dispensation simply means a set of revealed commands or instructions regulating human affairs. As far as God is concerned, the revealed commands or instructions regulating human affairs for the time period in which we live, was committed to Paul. He calls it the dispensation of grace. The set of instructions that are to regulate human affairs today can be categorized by the word “grace“. That is why salvation is by grace, we live by grace, our security is by grace, we stand in grace and we deal with each other based on grace. It is because that is all God is dispensing today: Grace! But there is a time coming afterwards when God will dispense wrath. Praise God He is not dispensing that today.
Why Is There Confusion Over Doctrine
Look around you and see the great confusion over doctrinal issues? Just look at this forum and others. There are many reasons why we get confused. Some of us are lazy in their Bible Study; little Bible reading, poor church attendance, hearts of unbelief, bad hearts, sin, etc. These are some of the reasons why we just don’t get what God has for us but I’ve narrowed it down to three basics? Without these three there will be areas of doctrinal truths lacking.
1. The person may be lost so he cannot understand spiritual things. No further explanation needed.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2. The person may have conflicting authorities such as multiple versions of the Bible, Greek and Hebrew lexicons, his church, pastor, or priest, or his commentaries, etc. All of the above will disagree so what is he or she to do? I just happen to believe that the final authority is God’s word and that is found in a King James Bible.
3. The person doesn’t know what portions of the scriptures first and foremost apply doctrinally to him. He tries to go to the OT, Gospels, Acts, Paul, Tribulation truths, etc. When the passages contradict he doesn’t know how to straighten them out. He thinks the whole Bible is just lumped together and he is to apply it all to him doctrinally forgetting that all the scriptures were written for him but not all to him. He won’t sacrifice a lamb for he knows some of the law is gone but other than that he just tries to reconcile the whole Bible doctrinally to himself today and gets in a mess. The Lord gave the apostle Paul the latest instructions for us today and when one starts there first then the rest starts to make sense:
2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Now, what happens when #1 applies? There is no hope to have an understanding of doctrinal issues. One may learn and memorize facts and principles but have no real understanding though he will get some understanding of the word of God is quick and powerful. But the first thing he must do is believe that Christ died for his sins, was buried and rose from the dead and get regenerated by the Holy Spirit and then he can start to get understanding.
Psalms 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Now, if he does get saved but #2 applies then he is still in a mess but at least he is saved. Now what does he do, he has multiple translations, lexicons, manuscripts, pastors, priests, churches, commentaries and they all say something different. How can one get sound doctrine on a regular basis if he has so many CONFLICTING AUTHORITIES? Yes, study aids are good and men’s guidance is good but what if they disagree? Confusion reigns. I believe many saved people are experiencing this today? The average saint is confused and doesn’t know which, is the real authority.
Now, if the person is wrestling with #2 and #3 then chaos reigns! Not only does he have conflicting authorities but also now he takes those conflicting authorities and tries to reconcile the whole Bible to himself today forgetting the book is a book of progressive revelation.
Finally, if one is dealing with all three then he is as confused as a termite in a yo-yo! NO hope. If one is saved and gets #2 settled but not sure of #3 then there is hope for at least he has an authority (I believe it is a King James Bible). If you have #1 there is much hope but if you add #2 you are going downhill and if you add to this #3 then it gets even rougher.
A lot of what is going on today is unregenerate church members with conflicting authorities going places in the Bible that don’t doctrinally apply to them and this produces disaster in epic proportions.
I believe a lot of saved people today are wrestling with #2 and #3 and this is why so many saints today are confused over the major doctrines. Remember, Satan is the author of confusion, not God!
Who are We?
Ecclesiastes 7:8, Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Your character is your personality. Your character has many characteristics, which are different qualities, good or bad, that make up the person you are and the combination of those characteristics is what makes each person unique or different from every other person on earth.
We build our character by the choices we make. Let’s take the characteristic kindness. Each time you choose to do something kind, it strengthens that characteristic and you become a kinder person. This makes you even more likely to be kind the next time the choice of whether to be kind or not is presented to you. Remember, Jesus said if we use the talents that He gave us, we would be given even more.
Jesus gave us a New Commandment in the New Testament (Hebrew Root believers mock that saying it’s not a new commandment but one from the Old Testament) which is LOVE, John 13:34 – 35. With that in mind definitely being a loving person is a characteristic you’ll want to develop. When you have love, it’s a lot easier to build all the other good characteristics because God Is Love, and with God in you, nothing is impossible 1John 4:16.
Another characteristic is HONESTY, honesty is sharing TRUTH. Jesus said the truth shall set you free, John 8:32. How does the truth set you free? Think about it, if you tell the truth, you never have to be imprisoned by a lie, having to keep track of things you said or always being on guard to make sure nobody ever finds out about it. You never have to worry about anything. Most times you’ll have to tell another lie to cover the other lie and so on. Remember, the devil is the father of all liars, John 8:44. Being honest is one of the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:16. What is false witness but telling lies about another!
Your ATTITUDE is another very important part of your characteristic. Your attitude is the way you feel about something. Being optimistic is a good attitude to have. Why? Because it chases away fear and fear comes from the devil, Proverbs 29:25. Do you look for the good in people or circumstances or do you usually expect the worst? Remember, what you believe, you receive, so if you expect the best, what is likely to happen? Search for the good qualities in others and not the worst. Point out there good points and compliment them in front of other people. They will be proud that you noticed their good qualities and encourage them to exhibit those characteristics in themselves more often. Remember, the more they use those good gifts the Lord gave them the more good they will receive. By doing this, you’re planting good seeds and God will make them grow. Not only does your attitude affect you but it affects others too. A good attitude is contagious but so is a bad attitude. If you want to be a Christ-lie example to others, a good attitude REPRESENTS Jesus!
Know that a bad attitude can affect others and an example is say someone asks you to do something and you really don’t want to because you want to do something else or just do nothing. That person reminds you of all the things they’ve done for you and so on. You get angry and they are angry so now everyone has a bad attitude. Life isn’t all about what we want to do, when we want to do it, even though we’d like for it to be that way most times, Luke 12:48. God has given you the gift of being called so you are expected to be more responsible than others. That responsibility includes things like sacrifice when you may not feel like giving, kindness when others may not be kind to you, selflessness when others are being selfish, strength when you feel weak, forgiveness when you’ve been insulted or hurt or sinned against, love when you are hated, patience when you feel like you can’t wait for something, kindness when others are unkind to you, enthusiasm when others don’t care, eagerness when others are lazy and love when people are being hateful. As a shepherd, you are extraordinary and you are expected to act like it. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘mind over matter’ before. That’s the ability to control your thoughts about something even when it’s something that would cause the average person to be emotional about it. All these examples just read are about ‘mind over matter’. With a Christ-like mind, no matter what the matter is, you can control your attitude about it and act on it with a Christ-like response. Each and every day of our lives, our character will be tested by the world. We’re also being tested by God, to see if we’re worthy of the everlasting life that He promises to us as a Christian. Everyday is a new day and new and different challenges will come about to see if we handle them with Godly character.
We are not suppose to judge other people (in the flesh 1Corinthians 2:15) but we are suppose to be a good judge of character. This means that we should be able to tell by the way a person talks and acts, if they are someone we want to associate with. We become what we surround ourselves with!
So who are we?
Let Scientist and Evolutionist tell it, there were the Big Bang and Evolution theories! You know, where a fire ball or something exploded creating all planets and galaxies in the universe and something from the water started walking on land and became a monkey and then eventually became humans. Maybe you came from ape or monkey but I certainly didn’t nor any of my family members for that matter. How come Scientist believe, this theory but God doesn’t. How come Evolutionist believe, their theory but God doesn’t. How come there are still monkeys or apes today? What happened, some of the monkeys didn’t know how to evolve into humans or something! It’s pretty ignorant on their part if you ask me. God says it better! Look what Paul told Timothy about science in 1Timothy 6:20 -21. What about what God says in 1Corinthians 3:18 20 or Job 5:13 and again in Psalms 94:11.
There isn’t a book, theory or scientific fact/theory than can explain our existence, our creation, our purpose and who we are, better than the bible does. But without faith in our Creator and His works, the reason for our existence will always escape us and leave us searching for answers. Seems like mankind is always seeking a better reason than God for our existence! The truth is the reason we’re here alive on this earth is to glorify our Creator. We were created by God and we are in the image of God, Genesis 1:26. What are our image and our likeness about? When we look at Who God is then it will be easier to identify who we are. He is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! Let us not allow our unlimited understanding to get in the way and cause doubt as to deny the TRUTH! 1John 5:7, There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost: and THESE THREE ARE ONE. This is called the Holy Trinity. He is one God, in three divine parts. When God said, Let us make man in OUR image, He was talking to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. How then are we made in God’s image and what does that mean? 1John 5:8 says, And there are three that bare witness IN EARTH, the spirit, the water and the blood: and these THREE AGREE IN ONE. So we as humans are made of three parts or depths. Spirit, Water and Blood! The WATER represents the Body. The human body is made up mostly of water. The BLOOD represents the Soul. DNA in blood is used to identify a specific person, Leviticus 17:11. God breathed in man’s nostrils the breath of life (spirit), Genesis 2:7 and Genesis 7:22. Our Body returns to dust, Genesis 3:19, our Spirit, returns to God, Ecclesiastes 12:7 and when the righteous dies, their Soul goes to Abrahams Bosom, Luke 16:22 but the unrighteous Soul goes to Hell, Luke 16:22 – 24. Why did God create us, the answer is TO Glorify Him, Isaiah 43:7 and 1Corinthians 6:19. Notice that we (our Soul) is directed by God to Glorify God with our Body and our Spirit which BELONG TO GOD.
Fame and Fortune
There are other things that try and influence people to try and change who they are or “find” a different self than the one they’ve been created to be. These worldly deceptions are called SELF and PRIDE. People long to be famous, to be recognized and to be noticed. We admire anyone that we call a celebrity. Anyone that has done what we call ‘made a name for themselves’. Ask yourself as a Christian, how many famous people have chosen their professions to give glory to God through their work? How many times have we looked at them and thought to ourselves what godly men/women they are? But we put them on a pedestal and look up to them and so do our children. The sad thing is these people influence the world. Do you want God to remember you for the worldly fame you did or for the glory that you brought to Him through the gifts that He gave to you? God gives gifts, 1Corinthians 12! Special talents that are meant to glorify Him. Some of us say I follow good but I am nothing and no talents to speak of. This makes you a prime candidate for God service, 1Corinthians 1:26 – 31. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His Apostles and said, John13:12 – 15. With this attitude you move from living in your own will to living the will of God, 1John 5:14 – 15. Remember when God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him what ever he asked for God would give it to him. Solomon asked in, 1Kings 3:9. God was so pleased in Solomon’s unselfish request that would honor the Lord that He not only made Solomon the wisest man to ever live but gave him fame and fortune as well!
Once you realize who you are and what you’re meant to be, there will be times that you will FALL DOWN. That doesn’t mean that you are doomed to hell. The thing is to repent, ask forgiveness and move on in GOD’S GRACE. Who are we? We are the image of God and we should reflect Him…For His Glory! God bless you.
Acknowledgments to Christian Oasis website.
Many Called but Few Chosen
Never forget that it is God that chooses who is called. We can believe we are as unworthy as we want, but He sees within us what we can be, not what we are.
1 Corinthians 1:26 – 28
What if you could change your life and find what your purpose was!
What if you could find and us awesome Spiritual Gifts that are within you!
What if you could use these Spiritual Gifts to change other people’s lives for the better!
Would you like to do that for God? You may be called by God to Represent!
The Bible is clear that God calls many to represent Him! But the Bible also says that few of those called are actually chosen to serve Him, Matthew 22:14. Know why few people are chosen? Because few choose to Represent Him! They get caught up in the worldly things that are going on and choose that instead. God made it clear in the Bible that He would be putting His Spirit in all people and they would be doing great things for Him, Acts 2:17 – 18. God promised that He was going to choose people to Represent Him. It is up to you as to what you will choose to do with your calling! God will pour out His Spirit on people and they will get special powers. These powers are called spiritual gifts.
Are you one of these sons and daughters who God is calling to represent? Most people in the bible whether they were young or old never thought that they would be called. But they were! And they did awesome works by showing God’s glory in their words and works. Remember, with God nothing is impossible in Matthew 19:26. You may be thinking, I’m nobody important what could I possibly do? The prophet Jeremiah was just a child when God chose him to be a prophet, Jeremiah 1:5 – 7. Before we were born God knew who He was going to call.
This world is at war with an invisible enemy called the devil, who, is out to capture as many souls as he possibly can. Just take a look around you and you can see the devil’s work in action. And it’s ONLY GETTING WORSE! This invisible enemy likes to use anger, jealousy, greed, hate, fear, lust, doubt, pride, just all kinds of ugly things that mankind has a real tough time fighting against. He is winning a lot of souls over because few choose to fight. Most just surrender and follow the worldly trends. It’s our duty as a Christian soldier not to surrender. It’s also our job to protect and defend others that are caught up in his web of lies. God is counting on us! It is about truth which builds trust as in Proverbs 27:6. In other words we should always tell the truth, even though it may hurt. Someone telling you what you want to hear may make you feel better but it will hurt worse than the truth did in the end.
We must increase our FAITH! Faith can move mountains, Matthew 17:20! In other words, Jesus is saying that with a little faith, nothing is impossible. So what is FAITH? Faith means to believe something with all your mind, heart and soul. It is also HOPE in the unseen! Whether your BELIEFS are good, bad, happy or sad, they will come to LIFE, with BELIEF! So what you BELIEVE, you RECEIVE, Matthew 21:22. Lots of people need our help out there and we can’t do it alone, Matthew 18:19 – 20. We can do it together.
We have to make the CHOICE! Choice is something God give each of us. Choice is FREE WILL! We are FREE to do whatever we WILL. Our choice to become a Christian is the most important choice we will make in our lives. WE REPRESENT CHRIST! Being a Christian, we bear His Name. We are different because the world is heading in a different direction than we are and they will try over and over to tell us that everybody is doing this and everybody is doing that, so their way must be right and we must be wrong. Well, we’re not everybody else and we’re not wrong. We’re different, we’re special and we’re called. You don’t’ follow all the other sheep to the slaughter. We’re not afraid of the responsibility it takes to lead a righteous life. You have a stronger conscious than most people and you recognize what’s right and wrong much easier than everybody else because you choose to. You want to live the way that Jesus taught, John 14:16.
It’s about building our Christian character. It’s about building your wisdom, knowledge and understanding that will enhance your faith. It’s about strengthening your armour against the enemy, the devil. It’s about living THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE, that is taught to us by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and sharing the light of what you learn with others, who in turn will share it with others. We need to be an army of Christian soldiers for God, to defend the faith and represent in a world that is quickly becoming faithless. It’s about reaching out to other people and making a difference in their lives, for the glory of God. By choosing to represent Jesus Christ, you choose to share Jesus’ life, through you, with others, because you’re one with Him. People see Him in you. In the things you do, the way you act, the way you talk, the way you live. Your words and deeds are a reflection of HIM. Have you ever read the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14 – 30? In this parable we are the servants of the Lord. The talents represent money but Jesus was using it to symbolize the Spiritual gifts given to us by God to represent Him. If we choose to use those gifts to HELP HIS LOST CHILDREN find TRUTH we are blessed with more Spiritual Rewards. But if we choose not to use these gifts as to glorify Him and bring in His sheep, we lose all that He gave us. As you build your faith, your character and your integrity as a Christian, you’re really taking your talents and glorifying the Lord. Others will see the results in your life and as you share your faith with them, you are leading people to the Lord. You’ll find that He will begin putting you in situations where others need you to help them grow in their faith, and then, the one you REPRESENT, will bless you abundantly. You’re also beginning a lifestyle that will lead you through a happy life on earth and life everlasting. These just aren’t pretty words, they’re the truth! Doing nothing is also a choice. Think about that!
Many people don’t believe it’s cool to be a Christian. Many people may be jealous because they don’t have the willpower to REPRESENT. To represent means to be strong. Ask yourself, when people disagree with your choice, do I want to please people or do I want to please God? It’s not the popular thing to do. It’s different. You’re different. They may reject you. Don’t give in. Jesus said, Matthew 5:10 – 12. It’s a shame game. Don’t be ashamed to stand up for your beliefs. Matthew 10:32 – 33, so in other words, the way you represent Christ, is the way He will represent you, before God. Stand up for Him and He will stand up for you.
The times we live in are changing rapidly. Unfortunately, as technology is increasing, so is the wickedness and evil in the world. Who will represent? The answer is YOU! Jesus is counting on us to carry on His light in the world, Philippians 4:13.
Acknowledgements to Christian Oasis.
False Preachers, Teachers and Prophets
Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:5, For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many and again in Matthew 24:11, And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many and in Matthew 24:23 – 22, Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
What are False Prophets and Teachers? Simply put they are individual men and women that mix lies with the truth in their deliverance of God’s Word. When you do this mix leaven (lies, sin) with unleavened (God’s Word/Truths) that leaven, unleavened the whole loaf! You corrupt the Word of God! These people presume to speak a word in God’s Name thereby taking God’s Name in vain by pretending to speak of God with lies. God said in Deuteronomy 19:20, But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. That’s serious don’t you think?
God made clear in Deuteronomy 18: 15 – 19 and confirmed in John 6:14, Acts 3:20 – 24 and Acts 7:37 – 38. If you call yourself a prophet then you’d better past the test as one as Jesus says in Mark 16:15 – 18 and not as in Deuteronomy 18: 20 – 22 or Jeremiah 14:14 – 15. God’s Truth is preeminent and the Word is truth. You can’t rebuke Satan using false words you learn from other bibles by men. False prophets and teachers may provide 95% truth but that 5% unleavened is taking people to hell with them. Human’s rewards are accolades, money and worldly successes. Demonic spirits use humans as their instruments to take as many people to hell with them. Also read Deuteronomy 13:1 – 18 and 2Thessalonians 2:1 – 4. God does test us and it is our responsibility not the minister, preacher, teacher or prophet to get saved. It’s the Holy Spirit that has to draw us and not man. See Hebrews 12:25 – 29, If we hear something and think it came from God but it contradicts the Word of God, then we didn’t hear it from God. God is not the author of confusion. When we embrace false prophets we are denying the Word of God. There are more false prophets, teachers and pastors now than at anytime in history. Psalm 64 will help because most of us have a fear of man and not of God. We want to have warm fuzzy feelings and everything is alright sermons that these people tell us. See Isaiah 5:24, Isaiah 30:8 – 32, Jeremiah 5, Jeremiah 6:16 and Zech 13:1 – 9. God dealt differently with the Jews than with the Gentiles. They required signs of wonder and had no completed Word. The Gentiles seek knowledge (Word) and the KJV is the old path (narrow) while other bibles NIV, Amplified, NKJV and others are the broad path (wide) that leads to destruction. They despise His Word as in Proverbs 13:13 and that’s terrible. You never hear them teach about the things they should teach about because if they did then you’d figure them out. They get you to trust what they say so you won’t study the Word to check out if what they tell you is true. What does 2Timothy 2:15 – 16 say to do? We simply go fill up their Pugh’s and rely on them because they sound so good.
Jesus, Paul, Peter and John told us about them in Matthew 24:11, 24, 2Peter 2:1, 2Corinthians 11:13 – 15, 1Timothy 4:1 – 2 and 1Timothy 1:3 – 4. Do you really think that false prophets are saved? They teach us that it’s not right to judge any one. Look at Romans 15:17 -18 and 1Corinthians 2:15 – 16. Read 1Corinthians 2:12 – 14. Proverbs 11:1 – 4 tells us false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight. Do you think the punishment for false prophets will be great? Again are they saved? Read again the Apostolic Commission in Mark 16:15. Now read Revelation 2:2, 2Corinthians 12:12, Matthew 7:15 -27; 10:26 – 42, Acts 20:28 – 38, John 10:12, 13 and Proverbs 14:15. We have to recognize and find out for ourselves and not leave our destiny in the hands of these people or anyone but Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour. They preach well and we look up to them. Satan puts them in churches and they teach us the easy path and not the hard narrow path.
What are the characteristics of false preachers: 1. Appear sincere; 2. Appear intelligent; 3. They’re popular – look at all the people that attend their services; 4. Charming, attractive, prosperity teaching and good at what they do; 5. Knowledgeable, read John 12:42 – 43, Acts 4:13, so you don’t have to have a degree and come out of the Seminaries or the 501C3 State Ordained Prosperity teaching schools. These false teachers have to do what they do or loose out on money provided to build the huge buildings and if they teach anything else then the hierarchy will punish or expel them. They have big brother watching over them to make sure they don’t teach you salvation and God’s truth. They are all about money period! I’m not saying all of them but most. If Seminary is the basis for their foundation and it’s corrupted how can they teach righteousness? Read Matthew 15:10 – 20 and Matthew 24:24! 6. Reassuring – don’t worry everything is going to be ok, just listen to me, 1Timothy 4:1 – 10; 2Timothy 4:1 – 5; 2Timothy 3:1 – 17. 7. Confident – people follow them, they know it all and you can’t tell them nothing (demon possessed), can’t question them or ask questions. 8. Highly motivated – by money, power, being popular, Satan uses these ministers that have huge followings to take as many to hell as they can. 9. Harmless in appearance – Satan is the most subtle beast in the field so you lower your guard because they are so nice and say what we want to hear in this materialistic Laodecian Church age. All RELIGIONS have a hierarchy and involved in cult (unbiblical), momentary happiness and reassurance. 10. False – not totally true in their delivery, they mix lies with truths. The demon spirits possess these false prophets and their followers all in the name of God.
You can stop being a victim by:
- Don’t be a traditional follower – my parents were in this so I am too; people don’t question what parents are doing so we end up honoring man more than God because most don’t have the Word
- Arm yourself with knowledge – Hosea 4:6, see in Acts 17:10 -12 how they searched the scriptures daily. The fruit is many got saved and believed. You can’t identify false prophets if you don’t have the knowledge.
- Don’t be complacent – just feel up the Pugh and take their word without searching the scriptures.
- Do your spiritual homework – you’re responsible not the false prophet. See Philippians 2:12 – 13 (1Corinthians 11:32), John 12:48:50, we’ll all be judged by His Word. See Ephesians 2:8 – 9.
What about involvement in politics or government. The twist scripture because they know most don’t study or pick up the Word (most have Satan’s word) and study what His Words mean. They use Webster’s Dictionary (Webster a Free Mason) instead of using Strong’s Concordance to see what the meanings are. Take Jude 8 – 9 and most people think God is talking about man made government. WRONG! They think God is talking about foreign dignities. WRONG! The government is Jesus’ Spiritual Government because man wasn’t suppose to have a government it was suppose to be God’s, not man’s. The dignities mean the ‘glorious ones’. Who are the glorious ones? Look at verse 9 and it tells you. Satan the Devil is one and Michael the archangel didn’t do like Satan does in Job and makes accusations to God but simply says, “The Lord rebuke thee.” What did Jesus do in the wilderness when tempted by Satan? He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” But what do we do? We think we can do something to Satan and he likes that because he knows better, but we don’t. Because we don’t have our minds renewed and put on the new man. We don’t have the full armor of God plus His helmet of salvation or knowledge. Satan loves it when we think we can fight him and that’s when he overcomes us. Satan walks the earth looking to see whom he can devour, who is weak meaning without the full armor of God and helmet of salvation or knowledge. He’s a ravenous lion and his ministers, teachers and prophets are wolves in sheep clothing!
Everyone examines things when they go buy a house, car and other items of the world but when it comes to your salvation we don’t check out the minister or prophet we just believe what they say. Most of us only open the bible on Sunday at church. How pathetic is that. Be in the world but not of it, walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. Learn to fear God and ask for humbleness when you do receive His knowledge. Most importantly get out from the false prophets and into God’s Word the KJV Bible.
Ten Signs of False Preachers
- He sells false gospels, thus saves No One: Why false? Only believe in Christ is the True Gospel and salvation is Permanent. Bible is unmistakable on this. So the teacher who adds verbs like baptize, repent, invite, make Christ Lord, say your faith aloud – can’t read bible’s John 3:16 in translation, let alone in the original God breathed Greek. So The Spirit Is Not In Him! A teacher who misrepresents the Gospels is either Not Saved or is an apostate, he can’t read bible anymore. Just quietly leave and don’t denounce him to anyone. God will discipline him to wake him up.
- Teacher calls him/herself anointed or a prophet who gets revelation from The Lord in some vision or other way: Warning: if the person must tell you how good he is – he’s not! Typical ploy uses Christian buzzwords, i.e “anointing, burden on my heart or revealed to me, etc. Notice they invoke God’s Name like a designer label, but no scripture backup. If the message really came from God, then God will testify to you as you hear it. The one sending the message should admit but never Claim God’s authority, trusting God will testify His Confirmation. Notice how Christ never claimed the authority from God even though He is God, but rather referred the hearer to the Content and to Father’s Testimony, in Gospels. All info comes solely through the WORD post-apostles, says Hebrew 1. So anyone claiming to be a prophet or apostle after John is a liar. A. Paul was the last APPOINTED apostle, says 1Cor 15:1 – 8. John was the last living apostle, Rev 1. B. Canon Closes at the end of Revelation, Rev 22: 6 – 21 is a Drama Greek epilogue closing both History and the Book. So anyone claiming to be a prophet, prophetess or apostle AFTER this is a liar. Maybe demon influenced believer, maybe unsaved, but definitely lying, 1John 1:8,10. C. All authority is through pastor-teachers post 96AD when God completed the Canon, Eph 4: 11 – 16; 1 Cor 13. D. Notice how Paul invokes Isa 28: 1 – 12 to show tongues die when the Temple does in 1Cor 14: 21 – 22. So anyone claiming tongues still exist, can’t read Bible either. E. Jer 27: 9; 28:17; Isa 1; 28; Matt 7; 1Cor 3; 2Cor 11; 2Tim 2:26; 3:7; Gal 3; 5; 2Pet 2; 3; 1John 2; 2John 7; 11 also cover teachers falsely claiming authority from God. False teaching is the popular trend of history. Liars will allege they determine what is Canon and when completed (i.e. those Councils at Nicaea, yesterdays mystics, today’s prophets or Mohammed).
- Teacher childishly reads spirituality, stresses body works and/or ritual, miracles: Most Christians want a “rah rah” warm and fuzzy feeling Jesus brand of religion, rituals and works over which they can preen. They want entertainment, miracles, songs – but not God. False teachers CATERS to their sinful desires, 1John, 2Pet 2, Jude 9, 2Tim 2: 26; 3:7. A good teacher tries to RAISE his congregation above that childish view of spirituality, so will teach beyond it. But a bad teacher wants to be regarded well, so will CATER to it, as has happened since 1st century AD. So every foot stomping teacher, every healing teacher, every tongues teacher, every mega-church teacher, every prosperity gospel teacher and every denominational ritual teacher, CATERS!
- Teacher claims you don’t need to name your sins to God: Naming sins to God is vital to post salvation spiritual growth. If you don’t name your sins to God as you remember them (or at least admit you sinned, even if you don’t remember exactly what or when) you will retard spiritually. So the teacher not warning you to name your sins is himself retarded spiritually and carnal. You can’t spiritually grow under him. So too, if the teacher says you must admit your sins to those OTHER THAN God, i.e. Roman Catholicism. 1John 1:9 is to God ALONE.
- Teacher claims God is not TRINITY or that Christ was not God (i.e. was an Angel or wasn’t Divine until after the Cross): Juridical Independence is required for Salvation to be juridical valid: a. so three Gods must be involved, b. each Infinitely Co-Equal, c. Father, Son, Spirit, d. Father judges, e. Son takes on Humanity and in that Humanity pays, f. Spirit Sustains that Humanity, g. Thus Salvation is True payment – NOT moving the money from one pocket to the other. For if God were only one Person, He pays Himself; so He doesn’t really get paid! Payment must come from someone else of the SAME Stature. The teacher who doesn’t understand this, can’t read bible, so can’t read the Thousands of references to Trinity in both Old and New Testaments. Every page in the Bible has verses on Trinity and Christ’s God-man nature. Save time and ask God to help you spot them.
- Teacher claims Rapture invalid or not pre-Trib: This claim is a form of anti-Semitism. God punishes anti-Semitism very severely. God promised Israel 1,000 years under a Son of David and reserved 7 years to antecede that promise. There wasn’t supposed to be a Church. Christ had to invent it to save Time, in Matt 16: 18, ratified in John 17 as a post-mortem New Testament Father would fulfill at His Discretion. Book of Hebrews is on this topic. Else we’d not be here to read it. So the teacher who doesn’t know that unknowingly serves Satan. For Satan wants to denigrate and kill all Jews.
- Teacher claims Church started in Abraham’s tent or that Jewish Covenant replaced BY Church or that the Jews are not the true Israelites: Read Books of Hebrews and Ephesians (especially Hebrews 5; 10; Eph 2) Romans 9; 11. Even in translation you can tell there are Two Separate Kingship Covenants, not just one. Church gets the Pre-Israel Covenant of battleship royalty if Christ won at the cross, per Psalm 110 which Hebrews 5; 10 explain. Thus the promise of the “new covenant” to Israel would still be bridged despite her rejection. Jeremiah 31:31 – 34 explained in Hebrews 8:8; 10:17. Israel’s covenant is unchanged vested in Messiah per Eph 2, Rom 9;11 and Hebrews 11: 39-40. To sell lies three outer falsehoods will be employed which always beguile negative-to-God believers and non believers. Numbers 8 – 10 cover these.
- Teacher claims respectability appeal: This is an appeal to mass approval, vox dei vox populi. If the peers accept the teacher then he/she must be from God is the lie sold. So YOU bypass checking what he/she says versus the Word of God. YOU make excuses to buy what that false teacher sells in the name of so many approving him/her. So YOU are to blame not the false teacher.
- Teacher claims he/she is teaching the one true faith or similar exclusive claim: This arrogation by a teacher or sect (i.e. Catholicism, Calvinism, other sects) is often base on appeal to history, tradition – so a variant of respectability claim. Yeah, history is full of LIARS. So old liars are respected. Notice the bible negates their claims i.e. 1John 2:2 instantly refutes Calvinism, Matt 16:18 in Greek instantly proves Catholic Church Pope claim a lie, via the 77 uses of Petra (Bedrock = Christ) vs. petros (chip = Peter) in the Bible (esp. 2Cor 10:4). Lukewarm (Laodiceans) folks go for traditions, majority rules and ritual as majestic or respectable. So they learn the God of the Bible not at all. What they learn instead is works and being nice to people. So they can’t detect falsehood at all. The Word of God takes SECOND PLACE to works, respectability, being nice, observing special rituals, days and traditions. For people is the god instead of God. So the false teacher CATERS to the lukewarm love of people and past.
- Teacher advocates political activism: Revelation 17 is on the evil of marrying church and state (mystery is a moniker for Church in the NT). So all political activism is satanic i.e. profile, gay marriage – if pushed on civil government. For if you’re busy petitioning Caesar you’re refusing God, 2Chr 7:14; Isa 30: 3 – 7; 31:1, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” “They are not of this world”, give to God what is Gods”. There are many prohibitions in the Bible! False doctrine is urged politically; and there are often many bible verses proving the doctrine false, i.e. blasphemous claim that soul life is in the womb makes God a murderer, sadist, denies salvation since human brain completes just before birth – so Christ could not stay sinless, if the soul in utero! Violate Ex 21:22 and “mi beten” and “me rechem” verses.
Summary of False Teacher Fruit
- He sells false gospels, saves NO One.
- He calls himself a ‘prophet’ who gets ‘revelation from the Lord’.
- He childishly ‘reads’ spirituality as ‘body stuff’ and/or ritual, miracles.
- He claims you don’t need to name your sins to God.
- He claims God is not Trinity or that Christ was not God (i.e. Angel or not God until after the Cross).
- He claims Rapture is invalid or is not pre-trib.
- He claims Church began in Abraham’s tent, Church REPLACED or Jews not true Israelites.
- He claims respectability.
- He claims he’s teaching the one true faith or similar exclusive claim.
- He advocates political activism.
Some False Teachers: TBN, Joel Osteen, Paul Crouch, Jan Crouch, Benny Hinn, his wife, Rick Warren, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, T.D. Jakes, Kim Clement, Paula White, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, and Rodney Howard Browne appeared in a video and taught false doctrine. Beware of these ravenous wolves.
Some False Prophets: Ellen G. White, Joseph Smith, Kim Clement, Mark Charonna, Juanita Bynum, Brigham Young, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Jack Van Impe, John Kilpatrick.
Heretical Books & Movements: New World Translation, Kenneth Copeland Study Bible, Book of Mormon, Brownsville Revival, Azusu Street Revival, Pensacola Outpouring, Holy Laughter, Slain in the Spirit, Gospel in the Stars, Endtime Restorationism, King James Onlyism, Perpetual 5-Fold Ministry, Free Masonry.
Some Problematic Teachers: Pat Robertson, D. James Kennedy, Joel Osteen.
No one takes delight in pointing out people who prostitute the Holy Scriptures. You just have to be committed to standing for the truth and God’s Truths at all costs. These people are taking people to hell. We need to pray for them all and that they will repent and come to God’s Truth! Everyone likes to use these verses to justify why you don’t judge anyone, Matthew 7:1 – 2, Luke 6:37 and the reason God tells us this is because we judge in the flesh John 8:15. We dont’ judge in the flesh but in the spirit as He says in 1Corinthians 2:15.
The Bible says that FALSE, Christs, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, workers, and brethren will come from the churches and to the churches particularly in the end times, Matthew 24:5, 11-12, 23 – 24. God wants the true believers to be aware of them and to reject them. They will come appearing as true and sincere but they are deceptive workers. For example a false pastor will appear as a true pastor, a false prophet will appear as a true prophet, a false teacher will appear as a true teacher, and so on. In short, a false church will appear as a true church. Even though they appear as true, Jesus Christ says that they are wolves in sheep’s clothing & they will deceive many. If possible they will seduce even the very elect with signs and wonders. Etc… So, if you and I do not know the difference between the true and false workers, then we will be deceived. The Word of God teaches how to know a true pastor from false pastors, a true prophet from false prophets, a true teacher from false teachers, a true worker from false workers, a true evangelist from false evangelists, and so on. Read 2Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:11 and 1John 1:6. The word of God cautions us about them, instructs us to identify them and advise us to reject them. With this in mind let us study the word of God our selves with the help of God’s Holy Spirit. God says in 2Timothy 3:16 that, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: Why? 2Timothy 3:17, That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished (meaning equipped) unto all good works. Fellowship with likeminded believers for edification as in 1John 1:7!
Acknowledgement to DefendChrist.org and Dr. Scott Johnson.
Is Religion Spiritual or of God?
A question for the Ages right! Religions of the world each claim to be “the way” to God. They possess their rules, ceremonies, events and things to do to lead you to heaven. In reality they possess all the things that won’t get you into God’s Kingdom. We’ve all pondered at some point as to why there are so many different religions or beliefs that state the claims as “the way”. How can each be different but each be “the way”. They make claims that the others won’t get you there or discredit the others. You have some that don’t believe in the resurrection or Jesus is God in the flesh or the Holy Spirit is also God or believe that you have to develop your mind to have a mind like God, some that you keep reincarnating until you get it right, others that all you have to do is be a good person, you must be baptized and others you have to work your way into heaven. As many times as I’ve read and studied the bible, I have yet to find where following Jesus Christ, is a religion! Most religions make claims of being Christians when in fact that they are just the opposite and not Christians at all. They were first called Christians in Antioch in Acts 11:26. God made the statement His people would be called by another name in Isaiah 65:15. Christian or Christians simply means “a follower of Christ”.
The fact of the matter is, religion is going to send more people to hell than anything! Religion is man made or created and started with Nimrod during the making of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1 – 9. God never intended for man to create their own towns or cities and especially their own religious beliefs. We can believe that Satan has a hand in this process. It is his way of turning mankind away from God’s truths and to confuse them into their own beliefs confusing them into believing their beliefs were God’s beliefs. That’s as wrong as someone with two left feet! God also said he would send them strong delusion to cause them to believe a lie, 2Thessalonians 2:11 – 12. Because they believed not in the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness! Religion is full of “man’s traditions” and has nothing to do with God period. Man’s traditions keep us in bondage to carry out man’s traditions. This has been evident from the beginning with Nimrod to the Pharisees up to the present so called religions. Each keeps some type of carrot dangling in front of their congregation for them to follow to get to heaven. Religions are full of man’s ideas, traditions, false doctrines, false preachers, teachers and prophets feeding its members wrong stuff leading them straight to hell.
Is there such a thing as pure religion? God says there is in James 1:27, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Again in Matthew 25:31 – 36, God says, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep (Believers) on his right hand, but the goats (Non Believers) on the left. Read Matthew 25:36 – 40. This is what God calls “pure religion”. He calls man’s religion, superstition or superstitious. Acts 25:19, But had certain questions against him of their won superstition (religion), and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Again Paul says in Acts 17:22 – 23, Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious (very religious). For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. In essence today with all man’s traditions, false doctrines by false teachers, preachers and prophets they are doing the same thing because they can’t be worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because what they do doesn’t line up with scripture, it lines up with what they want.
All people have a longing for something that is the ultimate reality, the ultimate satisfaction to fill their lives. And they have a sense of wonder at the universe that they see. And so religions sprang up, with people coming up with different ideas about why the world existed, and who was in charge of it, or in charge of their bit of it, and what this being was like.
For instance, Buddhism says, “If you do compassionate acts, live according to the eight-fold path and meditate properly, letting go of everything, and all desire, that holds you to this life, you will find your way to the ultimate – to Nirvana.” Islam says, “If you live according to the five pillars (main rules) of Islam and do good works, if you submit to Allah and pray five times a day, God will accept you to paradise.” And Catholicism, as a world religion, so often gives a similar message. “You can come to Jesus if you say a special prayer, or are splashed with ‘holy water’, or agonies over your sins. God is waiting for you; if you come, you will be welcome, but you must find your own way; find your own faith within yourself; make your own repentance.”
The Good News of Jesus is so very different from this. All these religions are ways for people to try to make their way to God. This is an admirable desire and in many senses shouldn’t be discouraged. But sadly it is a futile attempt, because we can never find our own way to God, and it is entirely unnecessary. Because God himself has made a way, but it is not a way from us up to him, it is a way from him to us. In Jesus we see God coming to us – not just to the respectable people, or the religious people or the earnestly moral people; nor to the rich and comfortable places, to a position where servants would wait on him. But to the lowest places, the unrespectable, the immoral, to those who have reached an end of all hope or faith – yes, especially to them. This is the true route of connection between God and people – from God right to where you are.
What’s wrong with religion is not the desire for connection with God, but that it makes people feel that they have to do something to achieve or earn this. God has already done everything necessary to enable a loving relationship between us and himself; and to save us from doing destructive things and from the utter annihilation which would happen to us and the entire universe if it were not for his gift of Jesus to us. It might be hard to believe, when one way or another you have had to pay or sacrifice for everything you wanted, but it truly is a gift – entirely free: that he will raise us to endless life and fill us with his love.
Some acknowledgements to Ruth Jacob.
How to Study the Bible
Now that we’ve discussed the key to learning the bible our next process should be “How to Study the Bible”! We’ve learned that we don’t just take the Bible as though it is some ordinary book with dead words. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, The Word, is alive. These are living Words not dead words written by man. Remember, the Holy Spirit teaches us God’s Holy Word and if the Holy Spirit doesn’t dwell within you then you will never be taught or understand. The Holy Spirit is only indwells in saved people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and believe He is God incarnate. He manifested in the flesh and sacrificed Himself for us to cleanse us of our sins. You must believe this to have the Holy Spirit in you to guide and teach you all things.
God said in Amos 8:11 – 12, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Romans 10:17, says, So then faith, cometh by hearing, and hearing by the world of God.
The Bible is not difficult to understand but hard to believe without the Holy Spirit being your guide and teacher for we must understand who works against us as in 2Corinthians 11:3 – 4. Remember the Holy Spirit teaches us the Bible, John 14:15 – 17 and John 16:13 – 14.
15 Factors to Study the Bible
- Context Factor: Every word, verse, chapter and book must be in proper context. Man has been taking the Bible out of context from the beginning, 2Peter 3:16 – 17. Know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (WHY) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works, 2Timothy 3:16 -17. Read James 1:22 -27, 1Peter 1:18 – 25.
- People Factor: Jews, Gentiles or the Church of God, 1Corinthians 10:32.
- Time Factor: Divisions, 2Timothy 2:15, rightly dividing the word of truth and dispensation, Ephesians 1:10, God has different ways of dealing with people.
- Application Factor: All scripture has three things: historical, doctrinal – teaching, inspirational – how to apply it to our lives, 1Corinthians 10:1 – 14; Romans 15:1 – 4; Ecclesiastes 1:9 – 11; 3:15 – 16; Proverbs 21:19, 21 and Proverbs 25:19, 21 – 22, 28.
- Individual Word Factor: Pay attention to every word – John 20:29 – 31; 21:24 – 25; Proverbs 30:5 – 6. God measures every word – Revelation 22:18 – 19; Psalms 12:6 – 7; Matthew 5:18; All of Psalms 119 – the cleansing Word of God, God’s Word gives life, commitment to God and His Word, a lamp unto my feet, God’s Word gives light, the Word gives peace. The message is the Word and the Word is the message.
- Creation Factor: The invisible things of God are understood by what He made.
- Comparison Factor: Comparing scripture with scripture. It defines Itself! It is of no private interpretation, 2Peter 1:19 – 21; 1Corinthians 2.
- Consistency Factor: A consistent God, first mention meaning is throughout the bible, example is serpent equals evil, devil; Babel equals Babylon. God’s pattern is established throughout the bible.
- Literal Factor: Take a passage literally, God means what He says and says what He means, Matthew 13; Revelation 1; Ezekiel 20:49.
- Attitude Factor: Always line up what you believe with the bible. The bible is the authority.
- Clarity Factor: Some passages are hard to understand right off, Dan 12:9; 1Corinthians 15:29.
- Question Factor: Never base a doctrine on a question. Questions don’t stand alone, they are not to declare or amplify. See 1Corinthians 15:29 it equals questions; Romans 9:13 – 24; James 2:20 and look at Genesis 15:6 and Genesis 22, there were 30 years between events.
- Confirmation Factor: Don’t base doctrine on a single verse. God always confirms what He does, 2Corinthians 13:1.
- Maturity Factor: When you don’t understand a passage, don’t mess it up because sometimes we aren’t ready for it, John 16:12 – 13.
- Apparent Contradiction Factor: There are no contradictions, only apparent. God makes no mistakes, 1Corinthians 2:13 – 14; 2Kings 8:26 – 27 and 2Chronicles 22:2 – 3; 1Kings 6:1 – 38 and Acts 7:47 – 49; Isaiah 29:9 – 14 and Ezekiel 14:1 – 9.
How to Apply
Similitude: two most important words in the bible are as and like, association is an important form of teaching, Matthew 24:36 – 39; Luke 17:26 – 30; Song of Solomon 3:6; 4:2 – 3 to name a few.
Pictures: Old Testament is a picture book, Genesis 22 – John 5:45 – 47 (Jesus); Exodus 12:3 – 5 – 1Corinthians 5:7 – 8 (our Passover Lamb); Numbers 21:8 – 9 – John 3:14 – 15 (brass always associated with judgment of God.
Typology: Lamb type of Christ; serpent type of Satan, sword type of Word of God – Hebrews 4:12, Ephesians 6:17, Revelation 19:15; Egypt type of world – Isaiah 31:1; 144,000,000 Revelation 7: 1 – 8, 1Corinthians 15:5 – 6 and of course others where leprosy was a type of sin and more.
Creation: Stars symbolize Angels; trees symbolize people; raven and dove symbolize Satan and Jesus; waters symbolize voices of people.
These are just a few and there are many things in the bible that help you to study and learn the bible but the main factor is the Holy Spirit that dwells in you if you are saved, that teaches you His Holy Word. I pray that you believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and that He shed His blood to cleanse us of our sins and died and was resurrected on the third day and then ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God and makes intercessory prayers for those saved every day. God bless you and keep you.
Key to Learning the Bible
First and foremost, the key to learning the Bible is Loving the Bible! Before you open the bible at any time to read and/or study pray for God to bless you with His Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding of His Word. Ask God to open your eyes to see and open your ears to hear. God’s Word is not dead words as ordinary books or other bibles written by men. It is God’s Holy Spirit that teaches and guides you in His Word and provides you the understanding or you won’t understand His Word period. We can’t learn His Word with our own wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We can read passages/verses all day long and if we don’t have the right heart and mindset we will never be shown His mysteries of His Word. We are not as intelligent as God no matter how smart or what school we graduated from. We can only know the mind of God if He gives it to us period! Know that the battlefield is the mind and we must discipline or renew our minds. Romans 12:1 -2 tells us, I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove whatt is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The reason being is Satan attacks our mind by the Word of God. He puts doubts in our mind as he did Eve in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:1 and even tried that with Jesus in Jerusalem on the pinnacle of the temple by saying, Luke 4:10 – 11 when the true saying is Psalm 91:11 – 12. Satan attacks us in three ways, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life in 1John 2:16, the exact same way he fell from grace in Isaiah 14:12 – 14. So we have to put on the Full Armour of God as in Ephesians 6:11 to withstand the wiles of the devil.
Realize the bible is not hard to understand, it is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us the bible and we will never get anything out of It unless God’s Holy Spirit gives it to us! It’s importatnt to get the divisions in the proper places, primarily:
- Who is being addressed in a particular passage, the Jew, the Gentile or the Church.
- Three different applications of scripture are Historical, Doctrinal and Inspirational.
- Realize the best way to learn is by association otherwords by relating things that are similar.
- The two greates words in the bible for learning by association are the words, as and like.
- To understand the things you can’t see, study the things God made, because everything in this universe is some manisfestation of God.
- Certain keys which unlock the pictures and help you see them are the individual words contained in the bible.
- God is a Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, 1John 5:7, 2Corinthians 13:14.
- Man is a three part being also, made in body, soul and spirit, patterned after God.
- Three groups of people addressed in the bible: Jews, Gentiles and Church.
- Old Testament: The Law, The Prophets and The Wisdom Books.
- New Testament: The Gospels, The Acts and The Epistles.
- Everything in the universe breaks down into a system of threes: earths kingdoms – animal, vegetable, mineral; earth’s makeup – land, sea, air; space – height, width, depth; matter elements – protons, neutrons, electrons; time – past, present, future
- Every person on earth comes from three men: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
God gave us the bible exactly the way He wanted us to have It and when someone changes or adds words in the bible, it destroys the Word of God.
Key Phrase Context: (not in every case of the phrase)
- The Day of the Lord – the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
- The Day of Christ – the rapture of the Church
- Those Days – the tribulation period
Did you know that God has a wife, named Israel, Hosea 2:1 -2; Isaiah 54:1 – 5? How about Jesus having a wife, the Church (Believers), Revelation 21:9. Israel has two daughters that committed whoredoms named Aholah, the elder and Aholibah her sister. Aholah is Samaria and Aholibah is Jerusalem and they went whoring after the Assyrians and bore children, Ezekiel 23:4 – 5. Did you know that Clouds in the bible will be connected with the second coming of Jesus Christ, Revelations 1:7. The word Selah will be in context to the Millennium – Selah is a musical expression meanig to pause or rest.
When we see Jesus Christ it is the earthly name given to the Son of God. Christ is His heavenly title, meaning “Anointed”. Whenever His name appears as Jesus Christ, it describes His operation and function as the earthly man, Jesus, Who bled and died for our sins and then rose from the dead (ressurection) and ascended into heaven (Christ).
When we see Christ Jesus it describes His operation and function as the Risen Saviour seated at the right hand of God, Christ, performing His Priestly office, interceding for the saints (believers) before the throne of God, then bringing that function to earth, Jesus, to manifest it in the lives of saved people.
When Holy Ghost/Spirit appears, is in reference to the indwelling Spirit of God that is in saved people.
On the outside He is God, Genesis 6:22 and on the inside He is the Lord, Genesis 7:5.
God interprets His Word for us when you are saved and the Holy Spirit teaches and guides you in His Word. There are Cross Reference techniques by subject, types, events, historical and chapter/verse context.
Subject:
- God manifest in the flesh, 1Timothy 3:16, John 1:1 – 5, 1John 1:1 -2.
- Christ is in saved people, Colossians 1:27.
- Jews and Gentiles become one in the body of Christ, Ephesians 5:32.
- Rstoration of Israel, Romans 11:25.
- Rapture of the Church, 1Corinthians 15:51.
- Mystery of Iniquity (pride), 2Thessalonians 2:7.
- Babylon the Great Myster Religion, Revelation 17:5.
Types:
Types are a major key to the bible. There are major and minor types. There are types of antichrist in the bible such as Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Balak, Sisera, Abimelech, Saul, Goliath, Absalom, Ahab, Sennacerib, Nebachadnezar Herod and Judas to name a few. Joseph, type as the greatest type of the Lord Jesus Christ. The types make the Bible come alive!
Events:
The Second coming of Jesus Christ, two major places are Isaiah 53, in the Old Testament and Revelation 19 in the New Testament. The Millennium are centered in Ezekiel 40 – 48. Matthew 24 lays out the “End Times” and Matthew 27 lays out the Crucifixion. Revelation 4 and 1Thessalonian 4:13 – 18, the Rapture of the Church.
Historical:
The Old Scofield Reference Bible is good for historical references while the Ussher’s chronology is good for dates in history.
Chapter/Verse:
Before you ask what the verse means you should determine what the context is. The bible has a basic doctrinal, historical and inspirational context.
Job, doctrinally, pictures the tribulation period, historically, it is a story of events which actually happend to a man named Job, inspirationally it shows us how to deal with suffering, persecution and trials of our faith.
The Five Wisdom Books in the Old Testament can be categorized as follows:
- Job – presents the sad man.
- Psalms – gives us the happy man.
- Proverbs – details the foolish and wise man.
- Song of Solomon – pictures the heavenly man.
- Ecclesiastes – shows us the wordly man.
In the Book of Proverbs we have portrayed for us two men: a wise man and a foolish man. When you read this book you are one fo these two men. Everyone you deal with in life is one of these two men.
Remember, pray to God through Christ Jesus to be taught and guided in His Holy Word to be blessed with His wisdom, knowledge and understanding in His Word. If you don’t have His Word but have one of man’s word (bibles) then you are in trouble from the start because you want get it.
In conclusion, blessed is the man that puts his trust in the Lord and has the fear of God because that is the beginning of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, Proverbs 9:10 and Psalms 111:10. May God bless and keep you.
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- A Summary of the Contents of Each Book of the Bible
- Divisions in the Word of Truth
- What it Means to Rightly Divide the Scriptures
- Why Is There Confusion Over Doctrine
- Who are We?
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- False Preachers, Teachers and Prophets
- Is Religion Spiritual or of God?
- How to Study the Bible
- Key to Learning the Bible
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