As grace believers, what is our primary objective? (Part 1)

As grace believers, what is our primary objective?

After we get saved by the grace gospel, what is our primary objective as believers? In other words, what is expected of us? Do we just carry on with our lives, hoping that God will work in us and make us better? Do we join a church and abide by its rules of performance? Should we seek after spiritual gifts and ordinances, or start to prophecy and heal the sick? What about becoming a spiritual Jew, believing this will give us some form of added esteem?

No! All these things have an outward appearance of godliness but do little to grow the inner man of a person according to the Bible. So, what then is our primary objective? What does the Bible really say about our obligations after salvation? Well, it is so simple that it is often overlooked. Let’s see what God’s will is for us as grace believers,

1Tim.2:3-4  … in the sight of God our Saviour;  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Learn or Present to Others the Bible Rightly Divided (Video Series)

Hi friends,

This is just a short announcement 📢 to inform you of a new video series I am posting on my YouTube channel. The lesson series is called: "Learn or Present to Others the Bible Rightly Divided".

If you do not know right division of the Word, or if you know it but want to learn how to present it to others, then this video and series of teachings is for you. This series will present you with key verses that can highlight the need to rightly divide the Word, and also provide the supporting verses to confirm this stance.

It would be great to have your support on the channel, to listen to the lessons and provide comments or ask questions in regard to the topic. If you have learned something and believe it can benefit others in your circle, please feel free to send them the link.

Find the video series here: Learn or Present to Others the Bible Rightly Divided

God bless. 🙌

An instrument of reconciliation in the hands of God

An instrument of reconciliation in the hands of God

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; … 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Reading through this passage recently, it just struck me anew at how plain and simple our faith and standing is with God.

All things are of God. God has the supreme authority to choose and declare His will upon mankind. Who are we to resist or challenge it! Who are we, being the clay, to voice out what we think the Potter must do to save us, and how! It is God, who in His administration, chose to reconcile us to Himself, by the sole means of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that the Son alone may be honoured with all glory and power.

Are you building on the correct foundation?

Are you building on the correct foundation?

Heb 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Hebrews is an instructional epistle written to those Jews who would be living during the 7-year Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom. The writer of Hebrews provides the necessary doctrine relevant for these believers during this time. The verse above is of particular interest because the writer informs these believers not to go back to the Old Covenant and relay a foundation that has already been established. He writes that these believers are to press on to perfection by trusting in Jesus, the living and glorified Christ, their Messiah, who has overcome the world, who holds a position in heaven above the angels and has obtained a more excellent name, who is greater than Moses, who ratifies a New Covenant, and who is the perfect sacrifice and the High Priest of their salvation.

If Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, why were the 12-apostles also told to go to all nations?

If Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, why were the 12-apostles also told to go to all nations?

Mat.28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It is true that the Jewish commission was to go to all nations, but a very important point to make is that this was to happen only AFTER the nation of Israel itself had been saved. If one looks at the verses on the commission, there is an order of precedence,

Luk.24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Act.1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

It appears that the Apostle Peter is the first to minister to Gentiles in Acts 10?

QUESTION:

It appears that the Apostle Peter is the first to minister to Gentiles in Acts 10, not Paul. So, how can Peter therefore be identified as an apostle “only” to the circumcision? I’m not convinced that “only” Paul was tasked with that ministry.

ANSWER:

Thanks for this question. We need to understand this scenario in the correct dispensational context. Let me provide some guidance.

The first thing to remember is that the WHOLE book of Acts is a book that documents the transition from Kingdom to Grace, from Jews to Gentiles, and from Prophecy to Mystery. In the beginning of Acts, we are entirely immersed in the Kingdom and prophecy for the Jews. At the end of Acts, we are completely immersed in the Grace and mystery for all nations. The middle sections are how this transition evolved from the one to the other. Consider the value of the book of Acts in another way. Think of the 4-Gospels, Matthew to John. They are all about Jesus and the coming Kingdom. Acts is the book that guides the reader systematically from these four Kingdom orientated gospels to Paul’s doctrine in Romans. We have a smooth transition due to Acts. But now, remove Acts and give a reader the 4-Gospels, followed immediately by Romans. Suddenly you have shifted from the Kingdom and the life of Jesus for the Jews to a Grace program for the Gentiles. How did one get from the one to the other? There appears to be a big gap of missing info. Acts has a very unique role in the bible to help a person transition into Paul’s ministry and doctrine.

My understanding of the gift of tongues based on what the bible says about it.

My understanding of the gift of tongues based on what the bible says about it.

Tongues is a very contentious issue in the modern church today. Some reject it, others defend it, and most simply do not understand this gift and its purpose. I am certainly not a scholar in this regard, but having studied the scriptural references of this topic, and with my understanding of dispensational truth, considering the transitional changes that occur between dispensations, the following is my unbiased and plain interpretation of the scriptural references, letting scripture dictate my understanding, instead of trying to twist it to fit a current denominational narrative.