Read the shaded verses below slowly and carefully and then compare the first two verses to the last three. There is a HUGE difference in how Paul describes the believers at Corinth.
1 Cor 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
This question has been asked in the past, and as a spin-off from the content in this video regarding what 'Law' means in the Grace Dispensation, I thought I'd add it to the Q&A section of this site.
In Exodus 20:8-11, the bible defines the Sabbath law, that it was an absolutely required ordinance to keep. As a matter of fact, it carried the death penalty for anyone who broke this law. In Numbers 15:32-36 we encounter someone picking up sticks on the Sabbath and even this simple or mundane task incurred the fateful sentence.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Paul says we are not under law?
In a nutshell, it means to live as Christians today in the liberty of the Spirit without being bogged down by external laws that dictate or hinder our service to God. It does not mean to forego all laws and rebel against the government, our parents or guardians and just do as we please. No! This will not reflect our duty and lifestyle to God and as an example to others. Laws are laws and they are there for a reason. What Paul means by the statement, "we are not under the law...", is that we are not to come under the bondage of 'Man's law', ---that is to fall into the bondage of traditions or rituals or observances and practices. These are things that promote men and really have no part in the design of God for your life and liberty.
...of whom I am chief...
Paul committed the unforgivable sin by blaspheming the Holy Spirit. He committed this sin as a Pharisee when he watched Stephen being stoned to death by his approval. This event of killing Stephen triggered the beginning of the end for the Jewish program of law. From this point onwards, God would start the transition to the Gentiles.
Q-A: What is the Real Meaning of a Dispensation?
It's not a period of time. It's a way of life.
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Back in the day, I can recall praying and asking God to reveal His will to me; to reveal His will in my job, to show me the way to go in my Christian walk and in my ministry. I don't doubt that God led me and guided me in His own way, and I certainly do not doubt where I am today in my relationship with Him and my family, but I have also learned over time that the options in life and the decisions you face is ultimately your will and in your control. God is not going to tell you what job to choose, or if you must marry or not. He is not going to tell you to buy a house or in what stocks to invest. He is not going to reply to those fleeces you put out or use booming billboards to answer your prayers. This is YOUR life and the decisions you make are your own, and the direction you choose is yours to make. God entrusts you with the power to choose your path, but where your path ends up will be by how much of that power you choose to entrust back to God.
In Matt.12:31-32, Jesus says the following,
"Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come."
To clarify this statement of Jesus, it is crucial to understand this passage in a dispensational context, where we ensure to rightly divide the Word as we are instructed to do in 2 Tim.2:15.
The dispensation of grace has less to do with it starting at a specific moment in time, and more to do with the proclamation of a new salvation message from God. It's not so much linked to the event of Pentecost in Acts 2, or the conversion of Paul in Acts 9, or him turning to the Gentiles in Acts 28, and more to do with receiving a message of God's abundant grace without the need of works and endurance. I'm not declining any reasoning that the message of grace started being proclaimed somewhere in the transitional book of ACTS, but I also hold true the point that grace started in each person individually when they hear, and received the good news that God declares them justified through the absolute and completed cross work of His Son, Jesus Christ.
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Prayer in the Grace Dispensation
The Grace Dispensation brought about MANY changes in lifestyle and patterns. Prayer is one of these attributes that radically changed from how the Gospels represent it. Let's have a look at prayer in this grace dispensation.
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Q-A: How to Live by the Liberty*
of Love and Personal Conviction
*(personal actions being directed by love or conviction)
Do you really understand what it means to 'walk in the Spirit'? Is the concept of walking in the Spirit clear and meaningful, or is it vague and elusive? I'd like to write this short article to either confirm or clarify this topic for you. I trust it will bless you.
One can draw from many of Paul's passages to learn about spiritual living, but Romans.14 is one of my favourites, and the chapter that really opened my eyes to what it means to walk in the Spirit. Let's look at some focused verses [with my own added commentary] from this chapter to bring you to a simple, yet clear understanding.
John the Baptist and Jesus preached the "gospel of the kingdom." The good news was to get ready, (to repent and get baptized), as the prophesied Millennial Kingdom was at hand. Why? Because the King of the kingdom had come.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled (Gal 4:4), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel".
Where Would You Go
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Where Would You Go If You Were To Die Right Now?
Heaven or Hell?
What caused you to answer the way you did?
Are you sure you are
correct?
Alex Balingit walks us through just how simple salvation is, what it takes for a person to become a member of Christ's body, and what guarantees that you will enter Heaven once this life is over.
