A New Heart versus a New Man

A New Heart versus a New Man

Ezekiel 36:25-27 declares: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

This passage belongs to Israel’s prophetic program. It is not addressed to the Body of Christ, but to the nation of Israel under the covenants and promises given to them. To understand it rightly divided, we must place it in its proper context.

Israel’s Prophetic Doctrine 

The promise of sprinkling clean water is covenantal language tied to Israel’s purification. Under the Mosaic law, ceremonial washings were required for uncleanness (Num.19:17-19). Ezekiel’s prophecy points forward to a national cleansing when God will purify Israel from idolatry and prepare them to enter the kingdom.

This promise is directly echoed in the preaching of John the Baptist and Peter. John preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4), and Peter declared at Pentecost: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). In Israel’s program, water baptism was not symbolic but required for forgiveness, in line with Ezekiel’s prophecy of cleansing. It was the outward act of repentance and purification, preparing the nation to enter the promised kingdom.

Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and Justification: Guarding the Line of Truth

Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and Justification: Guarding the Line of Truth

One of the greatest dangers in our day is the subtle fabrication of truth. A teaching may sound sincere, even biblical, yet it stretches beyond Paul’s doctrine and blurs the line between reconciliation, forgiveness, and justification. Our task is to keep our nose in the Book, rightly dividing the Word of truth, so that we can discern between what God has said and what man imagines.

Recently, in an online discussion, several of these skewed views were aired and openly debated. They reveal how easily believers can be swayed into fabricating truth — either through sincere ignorance of their Bible or through blatant negligence toward the truth. In either case, the result is the same: misinterpretation of Scripture or outright rejection of doctrine in favour of something else. Let’s look at these views and compare them to Paul’s grace doctrine, and then debunk them simply by applying Scripture in its correct context.

Fabrication 1: “You don’t need forgiveness.”

They claim that since God is not imputing sin today, forgiveness is unnecessary. They reason that if sin is not charged, then forgiveness is redundant. This view arises from a shallow reading of 2Cor.5:19 and a failure to compare Scripture with Scripture.

Understanding Romans 8:26‑27 and Paul’s Pattern for Prayer Today

Understanding Romans 8:26‑27 and Paul’s Pattern for Prayer Today

Prayer is often misunderstood among believers who rightly divide the Scriptures. Many sense that prayer under grace feels different from the prayer promises given to Israel, yet they struggle to explain why. Romans 8:26‑27 opens the door to this understanding, and Paul’s epistles provide the full framework for how prayer functions in this present dispensation. This study brings the entire picture together—what prayer is, what it is not, what God promises, what He does not promise, and how the Spirit intercedes for us when we “know not what we should pray for as we ought.”

The Spirit’s Intercession: What Romans 8:26‑27 Actually Teaches

Paul begins with an honest admission: “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). This is not a rebuke but a description of the normal Christian experience under grace. Our knowledge is limited, our perspective is partial, and our understanding is often incomplete. Yet God has made provision for this weakness: “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” These groanings are not a prayer language, nor are they sounds we produce. Paul says they “cannot be uttered,” meaning they are silent, internal, and divine. “He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27). This is the foundation of prayer under grace: we pray honestly, and the Spirit silently shapes and aligns our requests with God’s will, not with our limited understanding.

As an example of God working in us, Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” This verse beautifully illustrates how God energizes and directs our desires and actions according to His perfect will.

Why Prayer Under Grace Is Different from Israel’s Kingdom Prayer

How Grace Transforms Faith in Daily Life

How Grace Transforms Faith in Daily Life

Understanding the Foundation of Grace

Faith can only be understood correctly when it is placed upon the foundation of grace, because in this present dispensation God is not relating to humanity through the demands of the law or the measurement of human performance, but through the completed work of Christ. Grace is God’s initiative, His provision, and His finished accomplishment on behalf of the believer. It is the divine groundwork laid before any human response is possible. Scripture affirms this clearly when it says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Grace provides the gift long before faith reaches out to receive it, and this order is essential for understanding how the believer stands, grows, and operates in the Christian life.

Defining Faith as a Response to Truth

Faith, in its biblical sense, is not a force generated by human willpower nor a feeling that fluctuates with emotion. It is the settled persuasion that what God has spoken is true simply because God has spoken it. Scripture teaches that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), showing that faith is born from truth, shaped by truth, and strengthened by truth. Under grace, faith does not attempt to convince God to act, nor does it strive to earn what God has already provided. Instead, faith responds to the truth of what Christ has accomplished, trusting that His finished work is sufficient and complete.

Contrasting Law and Grace to Clarify Faith’s Role

Why Believers Doubt: Assurance, Grace, and the Authority of Paul’s Doctrine

Why Believers Doubt: Assurance, Grace, and the Authority of Paul’s Doctrine

Doubt is one of the most common struggles among sincere believers, and it often appears precisely in those who genuinely trust Christ. When someone says, “I believe Him to be the Lord and Savior of my soul, yet I still doubt my salvation,” the issue is never the finished work of Christ—it is always the battle between the renewed spirit and the unrenewed mind. Under grace, salvation is not measured by feelings, sensations, or visible signs. Paul teaches that we are saved by believing the gospel of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-4), and he never ties assurance to emotional experiences or physical manifestations. Instead, he anchors it entirely in the objective truth of Christ’s finished work. Doubt does not mean a person is unsaved; it simply reveals that the flesh is still active (Gal 5:17) and the mind still needs renewal (Rom 12:2).

Many believers assume that the absence of dramatic transformation means nothing has happened. But Paul teaches that the moment we believe, God performs a spiritual operation that is invisible to the senses: we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13), justified by faith (Rom 5:1), forgiven of all trespasses (Col 2:13), and made complete in Christ (Col 2:10). None of these realities produce physical sensations. The transformation the Holy Spirit works in us is internal and progressive, not outward or instant. The flesh remains unchanged (Rom 7:18), which is why a believer may “feel the same” even though everything has changed spiritually. Growth comes through doctrine, not emotion; through renewing the mind (Rom 12:2), not through waiting for signs; through walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16), not through outward measures.

Who decides what is morally right—God or people

Who decides what is morally right—God or people?

QUESTION:

Who decides what is morally right—God or people (like: Thomas Aquinas)—and why do Christians sometimes disagree about what is moral, especially when reading passages like Judges 11?

ANSWER:

When people ask whether morality is defined by man or by God, they often assume that morality is a universal system that applies the same way in every age, covenant, and dispensation. But Scripture shows something far more precise. God Himself defines what is right, but He does so within the framework of His revealed will for each people and each program. What was moral for Israel under the law is not the same as what governs the Body of Christ under grace. This is why trying to force all morality into one timeless category leads to confusion, disagreement, and contradictions.

The word “moral” simply refers to what is right or wrong according to a standard. The real question is not what the word means, but whose standard applies. Thomas Aquinas and other theologians tried to build universal systems of morality by blending philosophy with Scripture, but the Bible never asks Christians to follow man‑made categories or philosophical ethics. God revealed His will to Israel through the law, and He reveals His will to the Body of Christ through grace. Both come from Him, but they are not the same system, and they are not given to the same people.

How Can You Be Justified with God?

How Can You Be Justified with God?

There is a question that rises above every other question you will ever ask in this brief and fragile life, a question that stands like a mountain above the plains of human curiosity, refusing to be ignored or postponed, because it reaches beyond the boundaries of time and presses into eternity itself. That question is simply this: How can you be justified with God? You may spend your days wondering where you came from, what your purpose is, how the universe works, or what lies beyond the veil of death, but all these inquiries, however noble or fascinating, eventually bend toward this one unavoidable point. If you cannot stand righteous before a holy God, then every other discovery, achievement, or insight becomes nothing more than a temporary distraction from an eternal problem. Job asked it plainly: “How should man be just with God?” (Job 9:2). Bildad echoed it: “How then can man be justified with God?” (Job 25:4). And whether you realize it or not, your own soul whispers the same question in the quiet hours when the noise of life fades and the weight of eternity presses in.

Yet the tragedy—and the irony—is that although this question is the greatest question ever placed before the human heart, you are utterly incapable of answering it by your own intellect, your own religion, or your own tradition. You may pride yourself on your intelligence, your education, your ability to reason and analyze and debate, but the moment you attempt to climb the heights of God’s righteousness with the ladder of your own understanding, you discover that your ladder is far too short, your footing far too weak, and your vision far too dim. God confronted Job with this reality when He asked, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4), reminding him—and reminding you—that the human mind, however brilliant, cannot reach into the counsels of God or grasp the depths of His righteousness. You may understand the mechanics of the world around you, but you cannot, by intellect alone, understand the holiness of the God who made it.

Just and the Justifier: How God Solved the Impossible

JUST AND THE JUSTIFIER: HOW GOD SOLVED THE IMPOSSIBLE

There are moments in Scripture where God forces me to stop, breathe, and face reality without the comfort of excuses or the illusion of self‑importance. Romans 1–3 is one of those moments. It is not a gentle introduction to the Christian life; it is a courtroom, a spotlight, and a mirror. It is God taking me by the shoulders and saying, “Look at Me. Look at yourself. Now tell Me how you plan to reconcile the two.” And this is where the true dilemma begins.

THE DILEMMA I CANNOT ESCAPE

God is righteous. I am guilty. I cannot soften either side of that equation. God’s righteousness is not flexible, adjustable, or sentimental. It is absolute. It is the blazing, unchanging standard of His own nature (Deut.32:4). He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim.2:13). He cannot lower His bar. He cannot call evil good or good evil (Isa.5:20). He cannot overlook sin, excuse sin, or pretend sin is something less than what it is.

And then there is me. Not the polished version of me. Not the church‑friendly version of me. Not the version I present to others. The real me — the one God sees (Heb.4:13). Romans 3 does not allow me to hide behind the façade of “I’m not that bad.” It strips me bare and leaves me standing in the full light of divine truth: There is none righteous (Rom.3:10). There is none that doeth good (Rom.3:12). Every mouth is stopped (Rom.3:19). All the world is guilty before God (Rom.3:19).

The Shocking Price of Sin: Adam’s Lesson, Our Reality

This post and its message were inspired by a precious and beloved brother of mine who regularly preaches Christ on the street corners. One of his YouTube videos was the inspiration for this topic and the probable series of posts to come that trace blood, sacrifice, and atonement through Scripture.

Thank you for your faithfulness, Brother Lloyd. 🙏

The Shocking Price of Sin: Adam’s Lesson, Our Reality

Adam was created in perfection. He only knew life. Proof of this is the fact that he named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20). Death was not part of his world. But when sin entered, everything changed. Shame exposed their nakedness, and fig leaves—human effort—could not cover it.

Genesis 3:21 records: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” This was no small act. For the first time, Adam saw death. An innocent animal was slain. Blood was shed. Life was taken so that his guilt could be covered. Imagine the shock, the horror, the weight of guilt pressing down as Adam realized: my sin caused this death.

The fig leaves they had sewn together represented man’s attempt to atone for sin by his own effort. But God rejected this. Nothing we do can cover guilt. Only blood, determined by God, can atone. This was not arbitrary—it was prophetic. It pointed forward to Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood alone would bring true atonement. From the very beginning, God was teaching that forgiveness is not earned by human effort but provided through His appointed sacrifice.

The Revelation of Blood and Forgiveness Across the Dispensations

The Revelation of Blood and Forgiveness Across the Dispensations

Redemption has always been tied to blood, but the way God revealed its meaning changed over time. The cross of Christ is the foundation of salvation in every age, yet the understanding of His blood and death unfolded progressively. To grasp this, we must trace the theme across the Old Testament, the earthly ministry of Christ in the Gospels, the preaching of Peter and the Twelve in early Acts, and finally the mystery revealed to Paul. Only then do we see how the blood of Christ takes on its full, once-for-all meaning in the dispensation of grace, and how Hebrews later confirms this truth for tribulation saints.

Old Testament: Blood as Covering, Not Full Payment

From the beginning, God tied forgiveness to blood. When Adam and Eve sinned, He clothed them with skins (Genesis 3:21), showing that blood had to be shed to cover sin. Abel’s offering of the flock was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice (Genesis 4:4). Under the law, God declared, “It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). Yet Hebrews 10:4 makes clear: “It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”

Animal sacrifices provided temporary covering, but they could not remove sin. Old Testament saints were saved by faith in what God revealed at the time, expressed through obedience to His instructions. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). They did not know the cross, but God looked forward to it. Their salvation rested on His provision, not their knowledge of Christ’s blood.

The Gospels: Messiah Presented, Blood Mentioned but Not Understood

If Paul sinned in ignorance yet he found mercy, how are we without excuse today?

If Paul sinned in ignorance yet he found mercy, how are we without excuse today?

Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy 1:13 begins with a seemingly unforgivable predicament. He openly confesses that before his salvation he was “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” Under the kingdom program, blaspheming the Holy Spirit was an unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31-32), which means that Paul could not have been redeemed in that dispensation. Yet God revealed a brand new program of grace, and Paul became the first convert under this administration. His salvation was not an exception to the rule but a demonstration of it—showing that even the worst offender could be utterly forgiven through the cross of Christ. In this way, Paul’s conversion sets the pattern for all who would follow, proving that ignorance and rebellion are fully covered by the riches of God’s grace.

It is important to see that Paul’s ignorance did not excuse his guilt. Romans 1:20 makes clear that man is “without excuse,” because creation and conscience testify to God’s reality. Ignorance may describe the condition of man, but it never removes accountability before God. Paul still needed mercy, and his salvation was entirely based on the sheer grace of God revealed in Christ. This is why he calls himself the “chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15), not to glorify his past, but to magnify the mercy that reached him. His example teaches us that salvation is not earned by merit or diminished by ignorance, but rests solely on the finished work of Christ.

The age-old claim that Paul’s gospel of grace require baptism and works

The age-old claim that Paul’s gospel of grace require baptism and works

Many have stumbled over the age‑old claim that Paul’s gospel in Ephesians 2:8-9 is incomplete without baptism or the works James describes, as though the two must be blended together to secure salvation. This confusion arises because people fail to rightly divide the Word of truth, mixing Israel’s kingdom doctrine with the mystery revealed to Paul for the Body of Christ. When doctrines are merged, clarity is lost, and the simplicity of the gospel of grace is buried under ritual and performance. The following post sets the record straight by laying out Paul’s teaching in its proper dispensation, showing why we must rightly divide in order to fully grasp the clarity of Scripture and rest in the finished work of Christ.

Claim:

Paul never actually used the word “alone” in Ephesians 2:8-9, yet some argue the reformers inserted it to stress faith without works. Instead, Paul is said to emphasise redemption through baptism, describing it as burial with Christ and rising to new life in Him. James is then understood to qualify Paul’s words by teaching that while we are justified by grace, sanctification requires our response in doing God’s will, so that faith is ultimately justified by good works (James 2:14-26).

Correction:

From Shadows to Substance: Paul’s Mystery Doctrine and the Sabbath

QUESTION:

As a Christian who follows the Messiah rather than the traditions of Christianity, what day did and does the Messiah — our example — continue to esteem (Greek: κρίνω, to judge, to decide, to determine) as the Sabbath (Hebrews 13:8)?

ANSWER:

When we look at the life of the Messiah in the days of His earthly ministry, we see that He honoured the Sabbath as it was given by God from the beginning. Luke 4:16 says that it was His custom to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. This was right in the context of Israel under the Law, for Jesus was “made under the law” (Galatians 4:4) and lived as a Jew among Jews. He did not set aside the Sabbath, but He corrected the false traditions that men had added, showing that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:12). In that time, the seventh day was rightly esteemed, because the Law was still in effect for Israel.

But when we rightly divide the Word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), we see that the Sabbath, along with feast days, ordinances, and observances, does not apply to the body of Christ today. Paul makes this clear in Colossians 2:16–17: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” These things were shadows, pointing forward, but now the reality is Christ Himself. Under grace, they are of no effect, because our standing before God is not in ordinances but in the finished work of Christ.

Paul’s doctrine, the mystery revealed to him, is what governs the body of Christ today. He was given the dispensation of the grace of God (Ephesians 3:2–3), and his epistles are our curriculum, our spiritual doctrine. God’s will in this dispensation is simple and clear: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). That truth is found in Paul’s gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery (Romans 16:25). This is what matters for us today, not the observances of the Law given to Israel.

In summary, Jesus esteemed the Sabbath in His earthly ministry because He lived under the Law as a Jew. But for the body of Christ, the Sabbath and all ordinances are no longer binding. Paul teaches that these things are shadows, and in grace they have no effect. Our focus is on the mystery doctrine revealed to Paul, which is God’s will for us today: salvation and the knowledge of the truth through the gospel of Christ.

The measure of faith and gifts in the Body of Christ

The measure of faith and gifts in the Body of Christ

A good friend of mine asked me the following excellent questions. These questions generate some great material which is too valuable to keep under wraps.

• Questions:

Romans 12:3 speaks about God giving us a “measure of faith.” Can you expound on what this means? Is it addressed only to believers? How does this measure work—do some receive a greater ability than others? In verse 4, Paul explains that the Body of Christ has different gifts according to the grace given to us. Does this mean some receive more than others, and how do we know what our gifts are? The passage also mentions prophecy as a gift, exercised according to the proportion of faith given. How should we understand that today?

• Answers:

The Measure of Faith Defined

The “measure of faith” in Romans 12:3 is not a feeling and it is not saving faith, for all believers receive the same salvation by believing the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Rather, it is the portion of faith God assigns to each believer for their role in the Body of Christ. Think of it as God’s provision for service: just as the body has many members with different functions (Romans 12:4-5), each believer has a measure of faith that matches their function.

This measure is not primarily a feeling, since feelings can mislead, and it is not simply natural ability, though God may use your abilities. It is a God-given capacity to trust Him in service, exercised in proportion to the gift He has given you. You recognise it as you walk in obedience, renew your mind (Romans 12:2), and serve. Over time, you see where God’s grace works through you effectively. It channels your service into the area God has equipped you for—whether teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, or showing mercy (Romans 12:6-8). You identify it by testing your service against Scripture—does it edify the Body and align with sound doctrine?—and by observing fruit, seeing where your service consistently builds up others in Christ.

Why Compare to the Talents?

Why we pray differently under grace

Why we pray differently under grace

Prayer is not merely a request—it is a reflection of our doctrinal position. To understand why believers today are not instructed to ask for physical provision as Israel once did, we must rightly divide the Word of truth and examine the nature of God’s promises to each group.

Israel’s Covenant Basis for Physical Requests 

Under the law, Israel was given a conditional covenant. God promised tangible blessings—land, health, prosperity, protection—in exchange for obedience to His statutes (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). Their prayers were covenantal appeals: if they obeyed, they could expect physical provision. This was not presumption—it was promise.

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently… the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1). “Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field” (Deuteronomy 28:3).

Their relationship with God was national, visible, and earthly. Their prayers reflected that. They asked for rain, healing, deliverance, and victory—because those were the terms of their covenant.

This is the foundation of kingdom prayer: covenant-based, earthly, and circumstantial.

Grace-Based Prayer: A Spiritual Position, Not a Physical Covenant

I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery

There’s a warning in Romans 11:25 that most believers have either never heard or never taken seriously. And that’s heartbreaking. Because it’s not a gentle nudge—it’s a piercing rebuke. Paul isn’t simply informing the church; he’s confronting a dangerous condition that has crept into the Body of Christ and taken root. He writes, “I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits…”—and you can almost feel the urgency in his voice. He’s not just teaching. He’s pleading.

Our doctrine should not be open for negotiation or compromise. It's not supposed to be treated as a casual curiosity. The mystery Paul refers to isn’t a side topic—it’s the very program we’re living in. It was hidden from the prophets, kept secret since the world began, and revealed only after Christ ascended and chose Paul to unveil it. And yet, despite its weight and wonder, it’s treated like an optional extra. Something for the “deep” Christians. Something we’ll get to later. 

However, if we read further, we'll learn that Paul doesn’t give us that luxury. He says plainly: if you’re ignorant of this mystery, you will be wise in your own conceits. Not might be. Will be. And that’s exactly what we see today. Churches filled with sincere people who are sincerely wrong. Preachers standing in pulpits, crafting doctrine from imagination, blending Israel and the Body, prophecy and mystery, law and grace—until nothing is distinct and everything is confused. They quote scripture, but they quote it out of place, out of context, and out of order. And the result is not spiritual maturity. It’s spiritual conceit. A kind of self-assured wisdom that feels biblical but is built on sand.

When Foundations Are Blended – How Misunderstanding Scripture Breeds Confusion

When Foundations Are Blended – How Misunderstanding Scripture Breeds Confusion

When the Bible is not rightly divided, sincere believers often blend Israel’s kingdom doctrine with the Body of Christ’s grace doctrine. This mixture may seem harmless, even noble, but it produces confusion, contradiction, and ultimately false doctrine. Instead of clarity, we get manmade interpretations that twist Scripture to fit human reasoning. Instead of assurance, we get spiritual instability.

The root issue is foundational: Israel’s prophetic program and the Body of Christ’s mystery program are not the same. They have different audiences, different messages, and different hopes. When these are blended together, even well-meaning believers begin to reinterpret verses, redefine terms, and resist the very apostle Christ sent to reveal the truth for this age.

Below are twenty real-world claims made by believers who do not rightly divide. Each one is followed by a doctrinal correction using Scripture alone—especially Paul’s epistles, which contain the doctrine for the Body of Christ. These examples are not meant to shame, but to teach. They show how far we can drift when we ignore the dispensational boundaries God has placed in His Word.

🔹 Claim 1: “I believe the Bible teaches there is one foundation; not two.”

Correction: Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the ultimate foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11), but it also reveals that this foundation is applied differently across dispensations.

• Israel’s foundation was laid in prophecy and promises (Isaiah 28:16, Matthew 16:18), connected to the kingdom and covenants.
• The Body of Christ’s foundation was revealed as a mystery after the cross (Romans 16:25, Ephesians 2:20), built on the gospel of grace.

Paul distinguishes between what was spoken by the prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21) and what was kept secret since the world began (Romans 16:25). These are not the same foundation in application, audience, or doctrine.

Contrasting Foundations – Israel’s Kingdom vs Our Foundation in Christ

Contrasting Foundations – Israel’s Kingdom vs Our Foundation in Christ

Scripture reveals two distinct foundations—one for Israel’s prophetic kingdom program, and one for the Body of Christ in this present age of grace. Israel’s foundation is earthly and covenant-based. It was laid through the prophets and confirmed by Christ’s earthly ministry. Jesus said to Peter, “upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18)—a reference to the Messianic assembly built on Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This church was part of Israel’s kingdom hope, not the Body of Christ. Their foundation includes law, signs, and national restoration, and awaits fulfilment when Messiah reigns on David’s throne (Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).

In contrast, our foundation is heavenly and complete, revealed only after the cross through Paul’s gospel. It rests on Christ crucified, buried, and risen (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and is offered freely to all who believe. Hebrews 6:1 warns Jewish believers not to “lay again the foundation” of repentance and dead works—because their foundation had already been laid in Christ. But the Body of Christ was not built on Israel’s foundation. We are built on “Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2), according to the mystery revealed to Paul (Romans 16:25). Our doctrine is grace, not law; spiritual blessings, not earthly inheritance; union with Christ, not national identity.

🧱 Israel’s Foundation – Prophetic and Earthly

To the Saints Who Visit Here—A Thank You

To the Saints Who Visit Here—A Thank You

To each one who has visited this site—thank you. Your presence here is not taken lightly. Whether you came seeking clarity, encouragement, or simply exploring, I’m grateful for the opportunity to walk a few steps with you in the Word. My prayer is that your visits have stirred not only curiosity, but conviction—that you are growing in sound doctrine and in the understanding of God’s Word rightly divided.

But more than doctrinal clarity, I long for you to know Christ.

Not merely as a name in Scripture, but as the living, risen Saviour who gave Himself for you. Without Him, we are eternally separated from God, from life, from peace, and from glory. But because of Him—because of His sacrifice—we can be justified, reconciled, and restored to fellowship with the God who made us.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God, yes—but He is also the express image of God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It was not merely a representative who died for us—it was God Himself, incarnate, who bore our sin and paid our debt. What love is this, that the Creator would become the sacrifice? That the Judge would take the penalty? That the Holy One would make Himself the offering?

This is salvation. And it is offered freely to all who believe.

But salvation is not the end—it is the beginning.

Cornelius and the Confusion: What Really Happened in Acts 10?

Cornelius and the Confusion: What Really Happened in Acts 10?

Many Christians stumble over Acts 10. A Gentile receives the Holy Ghost, is baptized, and added to the church—surely this must be the Body of Christ, right?

Not quite.

To rightly divide this passage, we must step back and ask: Why did God send Peter to Cornelius? What was the message? What was the purpose? And what does this event mean for us today under grace?

Let’s walk through it carefully.

Who Was Cornelius—and Why Did God Send Peter?

Cornelius was a Roman centurion stationed in Caesarea. He was devout, feared God, gave alms to the Jewish people, and prayed always (Acts 10:2). In short, he was a Gentile who blessed Israel—just as Genesis 12:3 promised.

God sent Peter—not Paul—to Cornelius. Why? Because Peter held the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:19), and the gospel he preached was the kingdom gospel, not the mystery of grace. Peter’s message in Acts 10:36-43 focuses on Jesus as the risen Judge, ordained by God, and the fulfilment of prophecy—not the revelation of the Body of Christ.

Cornelius was not seeking salvation through Paul’s gospel. He was a Gentile responding to the light he had, and God honoured that by sending Peter to confirm his inclusion in the kingdom church.