Sanctification is not reforming the flesh. It is renewing the mind.

Sanctification is not reforming the flesh. It is renewing the mind.

A false notion about sanctification is to reform the flesh. Common expectations placed upon new believers are to conform to traditions, prescribed patterns, or programs that the church dictates, and growth is determined by how well they perform and conform in these pious works of the flesh. The fruit of this system is self-glory through achievements and admiration. It grows the outer man, the carnal nature. There is no spiritual knowledge or understanding imparted, and spiritual growth is stunted, producing nothing more than babes and children who can only function under laws. The result of this carnal immaturity is envying, and strife, and divisions.

1Co 3:1-3  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  (2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  (3)  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

DM#17: Who is a minister to whom?

Doctrine of the Mysteries #17

Who is a minister to whom?

Rom 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:

Many people would read this sentence and not even notice the specific audience mentioned to whom Jesus ministered. Detail like this is important and should not be ignored if one desires to understand the Bible in its true context.

Paul tells us that Jesus Christ was a minister to the circumcision. Thus, Jesus ministered specifically to Israel. This statement cannot simply be dismissed as irrelevant as we have confirmation from Jesus himself,

Complicated Christianity is Not Biblical

Complicated Christianity is Not Biblical

2Cor 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 

There are a few things this verse tells us.

First, Satan, through subtlety and craftiness will beguile people by enticing or luring them into a form of godliness, 2Tim 3:5, which appears genuine and sincere, but has slight deviations from the truth, consequently nullifying the grace of God and diluting the doctrine, Gal 5:3-4, like a little leaven that affects the whole lump, Gal 5:9.

Religion is one of the primary lures that deceives many. Religion focuses on an outward form of piety. All the rules, demands, holydays, observances, traditions, rituals, and practices, are all just a performance system that glorifies the flesh, or the outer man. There is such complexity in some of these religious practices that the Bible is utterly lost in all the theology and identity promoted by that institution.

When the Altar Calls, Hang Up

An excellent article written by Justin Johnson.

Altar calls have been a part of cultural Christianity for a long while, but have never been a part of the gospel of the grace of God.

This has not stopped churches that fail to rightly divide from borrowing Israel’s religion and making it part of church tradition.

Usually placed at the end of a revival sermon, an appeal is made by the preacher to “heed the call”, “come down front”, or “walk the sawdust trail.”

What is down front? According to church tradition, an altar. Where does the trail lead? To a religious practice that often confuses the complete and finished work of Christ.

The Progressive Content of Paul's Epistles After Acts 28:28, when Paul turns his focus wholly to the Gentiles, one sees a change in the content of his epistles. With careful study one finds much less references to Old Testament quotes and to Jewish customs and traditions. This post will provide some insights as to why.

Interesting Fact: In Paul's writings from after Acts 28, —that is in his "Prison Epistles - Ephesians to Colossians", —one finds minimal references to Old Testament quotes or any mention of Jewish customs or traditions. Why is this? My answer would be that in Acts 28:28 he mentions that his attention will now turn to the Gentiles as they were receptive to his message. Paul spent years in his early ministry trying to bring the Jews to salvation through the grace gospel, but they would not hear. The fact that there is little in the subsequent prison epistles regarding the Jewish prophetic program and their customs validates for me that his heart was now set solely on a 'pure' grace message alone.

The Simplicity of Grace Living

A short while ago I watched a video of a theological debate featuring 3 prominent speakers who represent 3 different denominations. As a host asked various questions, each of the panelists would respond, and the theology of these participants differed from mild to wild depending on the questions. It was interesting to watch how each defended their particular view of theology, and even though they validated their points with scriptures and good arguments, it was quite sad to see how they made the whole debate complex and divisive based on their differences.

OBS: God's Word is a Progressive Plan (Part.6.2)

This is Part 6 of the Series

Click here for the previous lesson: Part 6.1

The Meaning of 'Not under Law'
in the Grace Dispensation

It is easy to understand what LAW meant in the Old Testament and in the four Gospels. The law in question was the 'Mosaic Law' and there was no dispute that it was active at this time and it was required to obey it and adhere to it as a way of life. The following (taken from 100's of available scriptures) attest to this fact,

Deuteronomy 6:1 "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, ... 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, ...

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

Matthew 19:16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? 17 So He said to him, why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.

So, when we come to the grace dispensation, does adhering to the law change, and if so, does the law change or do we change in respect to the law or does the law completely fall away? Paul writes that we are not under the laws of Israel and that grace no longer owes allegiance to the law,

Two Verses that might Challenge your Doctrine (Part.2)

Two Verses that might Challenge your Doctrine (Part.2)

This is part 2 of the series

Click here to start with Part 1

The two verses I deal with in this article played a HUGE role in helping me to understand the Bible in its proper context. If one does not understand how to divide the Word and bring context to the two verses that are mentioned in this article, they can be pretty hard to interpret correctly. As I mentioned before in part 1, these are the two verses that got me on the path of studying the Word in a dispensational way, (or as Paul puts it, rightly dividing the Word of truth, 2 Tim.2:15). The reason is because these two verses mention some very interesting things, things that will cause you to question if you actually read the verse correctly, things that will certainly make you think twice about what Paul was really saying.

Two Verses that might Challenge your Doctrine (Part.1)

Two Verses that might Challenge your Doctrine (Part.1)

The following two verses referenced below played a HUGE role in helping me to understand the Bible in its proper context. If I never knew at that time what I now know about the Bible, these two verses would have been hard to swallow, hard to digest, hard to agree with! I trust you get my point. :)

In actual fact, it is these very two verses that got me on the path of studying the Word in a dispensational way, (or as Paul puts it, rightly dividing the Word of truth, 2 Tim.2:15). The reason is because these two verses mention some very interesting things, things that will cause you to question if you actually read the verse correctly, things that will certainly make you think twice about what Paul was really saying.