Understanding and Applying our Curriculum (Intro to a NEW Series)

Understanding and Applying our Curriculum

A blessed and prosperous 2025 to all who read this post. 

On the 5th of January 2025, I uploaded the final post in a series of 16 posts concerning, “Understanding Salvation”. This series exposed salvation as a two-step process dealing with justification, explained in Romans 1 to 5 and then followed by sanctification, explained in the last half of Romans 5 through to Romans 8. Writing this series got me thinking about the full extent of the Christian curriculum which is the definitive process that leads a believer from their regeneration through reception of the grace gospel, all the way to being mature sons of God who are ensamples for all who believe and are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God. Romans is the foundational epistle that sets forth the principles of the faith, and the other epistles, Corinthians to Thessalonians, build upon this foundation through reproof, correction, and instructions in righteousness, to lead a believer into maturity in the faith and into honour, glory and profitability in the ages to come.

Since this is the start of a new year and having been inspired by the latest series about salvation, I plan to venture into a long-lasting series aimed at “understanding and applying our curriculum”. This study would be as much for my edification as yours; the posts would reflect the journey and study of the curriculum as I collect, study, and document information in the order it is presented, from basic to advanced, from babe until son, from milk until meat. It is not only the detailed doctrine that I want to learn and apply, but I also want to document the high-level overview of the curriculum. For example, Romans is the foundation to first establish a believer and then stablish base principles within them. Corinthians and Galatians deal with reproof and correction if one violates or veers off course from the principles in Romans. Ephesians starts to build upon that foundation followed by Philippians to Thessalonians which educates one unto sonship. The full curriculum begins with a work of faith, then leads one into a labour of love while teaching one how to be patient in hope for the Lord’s return, 1Th.1:3. It increasingly forms Christ within a believer by replacing the old man with a new creature, the formation of a new man, a spiritual man who grows up and is perfected in the Body of Christ, explained in Ephesians.

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 12 - Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?)

Start this lesson series here: 
Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 1)

Understanding the Process of Salvation in Romans (Part 12 - Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?)

2Cor.6:11-13  O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.  (12)  Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.  (13)  Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

In the passage above, Paul is urging the Corinthians to be more open and receptive to his message. He expresses his affection and fatherhood towards them, desiring to bless and educate them, but points out that their hearts are closed and restricting them from fully receiving his teachings. Paul emphasizes that the restriction is not from his side but from their own hearts and attitude, and he encourages them to open up and respond to the love and openness he has shown, so that he can speak to them without limitations and have them receive the truth he could provide.

We have come to a point in Romans where this same open heartedness and faith is necessary to fully benefit from what Paul is going to teach us. We are about to step up in spirit. We are about to go into deeper spiritual truth. We are going to start receiving information that requires our obedience and our commitment if we are to advance in our Christian walk and in our faith. Is your heart enlarged? Make sure that in no way are you restricted in your reception of the inspired truth that Paul is about to give.

Abounding grace

We have spent time in Romans 1 to 5 concerning justification, the first part of salvation, and utterly saturated in God’s grace. If it were not for God’s grace, and the work of Christ done through grace, we as believers, would have no chance to be recipients of salvation. All the way through Romans 1 to 5, Paul has mentioned the grace of God in the gospel of His Son and our absolute dependency upon it. As a reminder, here are the verses concerning ‘grace’ in Romans 5,

From Faith to Faith

From Faith to Faith

Imagine yourself in a small boat in the very middle of the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles away from land and people. How will you survive this ordeal? What can save you and what can benefit your salvation? Well, putting your faith in random chance that some ship will cross your path is not going to help. What you need is some form of knowledge that you can trust, that is credible and true and can be actioned out to aid your chances of survival. So, let's say you can draw from this knowledge set. You can navigate by the stars. You can read the nautical charts and understand global coordinates. You can fabricate a rod and hook to catch fish, and you can set up a sail and understand how to use the winds. In this regard, this knowledge can save you and greatly increase the reality of you getting home.

Now let's bring this little analogy into our spiritual lesson. Ignorance is not going to get you far in spiritual matters concerning God and heavenly things. The way to know God, to know His salvation plan, to walk after the Spirit, and to be confident in faith and in the substance of unseen things, is to gain in knowledge of the truth of these matters, to the point of confidence in applying that truth to your life. Having faith in the written Word of God is the only way to get you home in the ages to come.  

Q&A Concerning Rightly Dividing and Jesus versus Paul

Q&A Concerning Rightly Dividing and Jesus versus Paul

QUESTION (on social media):

Why do people say "You don't have to obey Jesus because Paul said we are saved by grace?" Jesus said whoever doesn't obey his words, is building on sand. (Matthew 7:24-27) Paul was for Jesus.

MY REPLY:

ALL the words that Jesus spoke are spirit and life, Jn.6:63, but we must take note to WHOM Jesus spoke. In his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke to the Jews. His entire earthly ministry was directed to his people to save them so that Israel could be a light to the Gentiles, as prophecy describes. Jesus himself says the following,

Mat_15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (See also Matt.10:5–6)