What does the word “church” mean?  Is it a word that has changed meaning over the years?   The word church means a calling out of people such as an assembly or group for a specific cause.  Now this cause could be for religious purposes, but it could also be for any purpose that anyone might call, such as a town or committee meeting.  The word “church” is often associated with a building where religious people assemble for worship.  This use of the word church is used in the Bible for the building at Ephesus, Galatia, Thessalonica, Jerusalem and the ones mentioned in Revelation. 

The church is actually the group of people that are referred to as Christians today, ones who are reborn by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12:13-28.  This is a body of people that are selected during the time (dispensation) after the law was completed (“it is finished” Jn. 19:30), until the rapture occurs (the resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:14-17).  The church is referred to under many names, as the “body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 12:13; Col. 1:18), the “bride of Christ” (Rom. 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2) and also as those in the “dispensation of grace”.  The seal (proof) of a member of the church is the “indwelling” Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) within the Christian.

The Old Testament has not one prophesy mentioning the “Church Age”.  But one must remember that while studying the Bible one must read what it says and also “read” what it does not say.  There is no mention of the word church until Mt. 16:18 and this word is the Greek word ekklesia which is a verb meaning to call out.  This word is used to depict an assembly or gathering of people together for a specific purpose.

The Old Testament goes from talking about Christ’s first coming (first advent) straight into the second.  This is why the Apostles felt that they were in the “last days” and they were very soon to go into tribulation and then the Kingdom.  Examples of these scriptures are found:

Joel 2:28 and 29, they take us up to Pentecost, but verse 30 goes straight into the tribulation.

Ps. 2:1-4 talks about how the nations together crucify Christ and then in verse 5 talks about the tribulation.

Ps. 118:22 talks about the refusal of Christ and straight into the Kingdom.

Isa. 9:6 from His birth straight to His government.

Isa. 61:1-2 from preaching the good tidings to tribulation to millennium.

Dan. 9:24 from making a payment for sin to Kingdom.

Zech.  9:9-10; Lk. 1:31-32; Acts 2: 7, 12, 17-21; Acts 15: 15-16, etc.

The mystery of the church age, the taking out of the world a body for Christ, the time from when the Holy Spirit started “indwelling” up to the time of the rapture was not revealed to just anyone, it was revealed to Paul (Rom. 16:25; Gal 1:16:  Eph. 3:3).   Paul brought his gospel (good news) to the Gentiles after the Jews rejected his message just the same as they did Christ’s good news of the kingdom.  For this reason the Jews as a nation are spiritually “blinded” (2 Cor. 3:14) as well as the lost are blinded (2 Cor. 4:4).

As Paul says in 1 Cor. Chapter one, when we are sanctified by being called by Jesus Christ who is going to faithfully keep us to the end (rapture) so we can be presented that day blameless (bema seat).  What a beautiful time (church age) we are so fortunate to live so we can have such an opportunity that has never been offered before, nor will ever be offered again.  How long will this opportunity continue?   Paul writing to Christians said in 1 Thess 5:4, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.”  Remember this is to Christians and this scripture is not in conflict with Mt. 16:1-3.  Who was Jesus talking to?  Hypocrites, not Christians, these are among the lost and as mentioned before in 2 Cor. 4:4 the lost are blinded by the god of this world (Satan) who does not want the light (word of God) to shine and light up the “Truth” to their understanding.

Other biblical persons who thought they were saved, but were not. References Acts 16:14, where Lydia worshiped God, but had not received the Holy Spirit, was she saved? No. Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue in Acts18:8, did he feel as though he was saved? Certainly, but was he saved? No. The 12 men of Acts 19:1-7, where Paul asked these men if they had received the Holy Spirit, since they believed? No.

Why were these people not saved? They had no indwelling Holy Spirit. After the time of Pentecost the Holy Spirit became an indwelling Spirit. Before this the Holy Spirit was what we might refer to as a clothing Spirit. That is, He would come upon an individual and be around that individual for a period of time and then would leave and perhaps come back later or perhaps not. Before Pentecost the Holy Spirit did not stay with the individuals, nor was He indwelling. After Pentecost the Holy Spirit is indwelling. Today we are in a dispensation that we call the Age of Grace or the Gospel of Grace. This is the time period between Pentecost and the Rapture. The former way of salvation was though the Gospel of the Kingdom, which was started with John the Baptist. The Gospel of the Kingdom has been put on hold starting at 70 AD with the destruction of the Temple and will resume with the start of the tribulation.

Now back to the topic of the “indwelling” Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17, 26 says “And I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” V. 26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name. . .” 2 Cor. 1:22 “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” Eph. 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by who ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Another example can be found in Acts 15:8.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is the true mark of a Christian today. It does not matter what we say or even what we do if we do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit, then we are lost, unsaved, destined to the lake of fire.

Even Saul/Paul was saved under the Gospel of the Kingdom, trusting and having faith that Christ was the Messiah. Believing this alone did not save Saul and it did not wash away his sins. The steps were 1. Realizing that he was a lost sinner in need of salvation. 2. Have faith that Christ was the Messiah, believing in His Name. 3. Repent. 4. Be baptized. Then you were to: 5. Receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Remember this was after Pentecost). Afterwards he was to 6. Keep the Law of Moses. (Remember this was SAUL, not Paul). The Gospel of Grace, which is Paul’s gospel, had not yet been revealed to Paul. You can read what happened to Paul in Gal. 1:12-19, but specifically verse 17.

Now lets return to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Now remember that under the Gospel of the Kingdom, believing in the Name of Christ, that He was the Messiah did not relieve you of sins. (That did not happen until after the repentance and baptism) without the washing away of sins through baptism your vessel/Temple or heart was still unclean. An “unclean” spirit, a demon, can only inhabit an unclean vessel. The Holy Spirit will not become an indwelling Spirit until the vessel has been cleansed. Under the Gospel of the Kingdom the remission, or cleansing of sins happened after baptism. Now under the Gospel of Grace this occurs at the time of belief and acceptance of Christ as the one who paid the price for our sins thorough His sacrificial death on the cross and this is before baptism.

Are the differences between the order of steps to salvation in the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace splitting hairs? Perhaps, but be assured that believing in Christ’s Name and acknowledging that He is the Messiah will not get you to heaven today. Nor will repenting and being baptized a dozen times get you to heaven. We must rightly divide the word (2 Tim. 2:15) to know which Gospel will save us.

Under the Gospel of the Kingdom, one was saved by recognizing who the Messiah was and following the required steps. Salvation under the Gospel of Grace is believing what Jesus did. So what do we have to believe for salvation today? We have to believe in what is called Paul’s Gospel. Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles and his gospel can be found in 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 10:9-10.

1. One must recognize that they are a sinner, lost and want to be saved. The Philippian jailer Acts 16:30, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”. Did Paul and Silas tell them to believe and repent and also to be baptized in order to be saved? No, just believe and then to follow up after they were baptized. They had salvation before being baptized. They had salvation when the Holy Spirit became and indwelling Spirit. Search out the story of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10 and you will find that Peter and the Jews were amazed, dumfounded because the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit before repentance and baptism. Here Gentiles receives the Holy Spirit after hearing and believing about the death, burial and resurrection, but before repentance and baptism.

2. Realize that the only power that can save comes through Jesus Christ. Jesus was perfect and the only one worthy to pay the price for all sin at the cross (Rev. 5:1-9, the only one worthy to be the redeemer).

3.  Jesus did this because He loved us and if we’ll just accept and believe that He did this for us, trust and follow Him, then He will give us the gift of eternal life. Then the Holy Spirit will become indwelling at this instance of belief. One is now an “heir”, a son of God.

4.  After this, we should make a public notification of our accepting to follow Jesus Christ first by mouth (Rom. 10:9-10) and second by water baptism.

5.  We are also to follow Christ by putting on the “new man” 2 Cor. 5:17 and put away the former ways of sin (repent).

From the time of Pentecost a saved person will have the “indwelling” Holy Spirit and the unsaved will not.

We now come to the chapter of the beasts, one from the sea and another from the land.  Yes, these definitely are two separate beasts or personages.   We can find evidence in Rev. 19:20 where Scripture tells us that “the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet. . .These both were cast alive. . .”   Also in Rev. 13:1 the first beast came from the “sea” and in Rev. 13:11 we find that the second beast came from the “earth”.  They did not come from the same location. 

In the first few verses of chapter thirteen, we have the first beast, the sixth personage of Revelation, having seven heads with names of blasphemy, having ten horns with a crown upon each.  The second beast, the seventh personage, was like a lamb with two horns and v. 12 tells us “he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.”   This evidence should put an end to the discussions of those claiming both beasts are in one personage; these Scriptures plainly describe two separate beings.

This article will concentrate on the first beast.   For some history we need to go back to Daniel and re-read chapter 7:2-7 and keep in mind the order of the beasts.  Remembering this order we can compare John’s version to Daniel’s and see that Daniel is looking forward in time while that John is looking backward, causing the order to be reversed.  Daniel’s first beast was a lion for the Babylonian Empire, the second was the bear for the Medo-Persia, and the third was the leopard or Grecian Empire.  The fourth beast was like no other ever known, but symbolized the Roman Empire.  John’s version mentions the leopard first, next the bear and then the lion, but all these characteristics are on the same beast.  John was living in the time of the Roman Empire.  The Romans were who imprisoned him on the Isle of Patmos.

All of Daniel’s beasts symbolized world empires that were dominated by a person (Dan. 7:12).  The empire was a government headed by a president, or a king, or a ruler of some title (Dan. 7:24).  The anti-christ and beast are not the same, but they are linked, just like Obama and the USA are not the same, but he is the President.  The king and beast are linked together as one is the leader and the other is what he leads.  One can hardly think of one without associating it with the other.  Just like Alexander the Great was to the Grecian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar to the Babylonian Empire, etc.

This leaves the word “beast” symbolic in nature just like the word “beast” in Daniel.  I believe that we have a two fold meaning here, just as when we speak of a major political figure of today, such as Winston Churchill we think of England or with Hitler we will think of Nazi or any other major leader will be associated with his reign.  In the same way the anti-christ and the beast are linked, the man with his empire.  Since Daniel’s fourth beast was the Roman Empire, and portions of the Roman Empire still exists today, then Roman Empire has never completely expired.   It is logical then to think that John’s beast also will be the revised Roman Empire.  Remember that much of our language has Roman roots, as well as our laws, social structure, governing system, etc.

In Rev. 13:1-10 we are talking about the first beast out of the sea, which is the personage of the anti-christ.  What we have here is that the first beast and the anti-christ is synonymous, they are one in the same.  One is the name and the other is the symbol for what he stands, which like Daniel’s will be an empire.

The first beast comes out of the “sea”.  And sea is a term used often in the Bible to stand for nations or world population.  Since this beast comes out of the populous then he has to be in the image of a human.  

When comparing Daniel’s fourth beast and John’s first beast we find many similarities. 

1. Both exist for the same amount of time.  3½ years.
2. Both are to be destroyed at the second coming of Christ.
3. Both occupy the same location.
4. Both behave in evil ways.
5. Both come up out of the sea.
6. Neither is like any other existing beast.
7. Each had ten horns.
8. Horns stand for kings.

Differences:

1.  Daniel’s had one head.                          1.  John’s had seven heads.

2.  A little head among the horns.                     2.  No little horn or little head mentioned.

The heads of the beasts represents seven mountains (Rev. 17:9).  We also know that mountains many times in the Bible are a symbol for kingdoms.  Over these seven heads we can find different interpretations from biblical scholars and I too, have my own.  I believe that the difference between Daniel’s and John’s number of heads is that Daniel talked of empires that were ruled mostly by one ruler or government, such as Nebuchadnezzar, Xerxes or Alexander the Great.   So when he got to the fourth beast, the Roman Empire was still one big military powerful regime just like the former three.  These empires were taken by using the military might of one army.  Now when we get to John’s beast in the tribulation we find that the anti-christ will take over by political power.  He rides a horse with bow, but no arrows (Rev. 6:2).  He will combine kingdoms to form a united governmental rule of huge proportions.  He will put his regime together something similar to that of the EU (compare Rev. 17:12), several countries or kingdoms put together, but with one person as the president.  And the one-hour time means it is of short duration (Rev. 17:10).  This time could be the 3½ years (13:5) or for even the total seven years, it is but a short time compared to most reigns like Saul, David and Solomon each with 40 years and Manasseh who reigned 55 years.

The blasphemy against God is pretty much confined to verbally saying evil things about God.  So in verse six the anti-christ is saying evil things against God, His name, His temple and all those in heaven. 

In verse seven he was given the power to make war against the saints.  Since the anti-christ had been cast out of heaven in Rev. 12:9 the saints cannot be those in heaven.  Neither can it be ones protected by God, the 144,00 sealed ones and those that left Jerusalem Rev. 12:13-17.  This will answer two questions, the saints that the anti-christ wars with are the one that accept the message of the kingdom and are put to death during the Great Tribulation, the latter 3½ years.  This is a universal massacre, it is world wide Jews and Gentiles. 

Of course the anti-christ will continue all the way up to Rev. 19:20, where he and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire, and as Paul Harvey used to say, “This is the rest of the story”.

The anti-christ is the tangible part that we see and the beast is his dominion.  He will take over his regime by political power and rule with seven subordinate kings for a period of 3 1/2 years.  This last 3 1/2 years are known as the tribulation.

Predestination-knowing beforehand.

The word “predestination” occurs four times, foreknowledge two times and foreordained once in the Bible.  In each instance it refers to God’s omniscience knowledge, the knowing of all things from the beginning.  In Acts 26:5 Paul states in his defense to Agrippa that God knew from the beginning who would say what.   Acts 15:18 tells us that God knows all from the beginning of the world.  But with this in mind, I would like to point to some of the Scriptures that deal with predestination in relationship with Christians, the elect or the chosen.

Ephesians 1:4-5 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him, in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”.

Ephesians 1:11 “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,”.

Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love the God, to them who are called according to his purpose.  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.  Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

The Scriptures speaks of God’s predestination of Israel.

Romans 11:2 “God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew.”

Dt. 7:6 “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God; the Lord thy God hath chosen there to be a special people unto himself, above all people who are upon the face of the earth.”

In the Book of Peter he is writing to the dispersed Jew predestination.

1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father”. 

1 Peter 1:15 “But, as he who hath called you is holy”.

1 Peter 1:20 “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”.

1 Peter 5:13  “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you,”.

In each case God chose through His foreknowledge knowing which option man would chose.  God chose Israel or the Jew because He knew there would always be a remnant that would follow His plan to bring man back into a perfect righteous relationship.  God in His foreknowledge knew each person that would choose to become a Christian.  It was our choice because we have “free will”, but God knew what choice we would make and He made the correct plans for those who would chose Him.  Consequently, in His foreknowledge God predestined a purpose for each believer. 

Although God knew what choice Judas would make, it was still Judas’ choice to betray Christ.  Since it was Judas’s choice then he also will reap the reward or consequence for that decision.  We are all responsible for the all important choice that we make about God’s plan for salvation, but then we are also responsible for the choices we make afterward concerning all aspects of our life.

Does God make these choices for us?  No, but He knew what choice we would make even before the earth was created.   Because of God’s foreknowledge of the choices we make, He always knows who will do His will and who is not going to do His will.  When God wants something done to further His plan He always knows who to pick.  Even though maybe many had the choice to do what God wanted, God knows which one will actually do it.  That is how God can keep everything on target and according to His timetable.

Is a Christian predestinated to be a Christian before the foundation of the earth?  If that would be the case then would we not really have “free will”.  God does know which choice you will make and made plans for your purpose before the foundation of the earth.

A person climbs down the ladder from his safe haven above. Why is he climbing down this ladder? Because he has been selected, told to go, it is his time, his duty and his job. He has had some training but this is his first time here. Although he takes assurance in the fact that all the others that went down before have come back to the safe haven. Even though he has been told that sometimes more than one person would emerge, it is still very scary. As he places his foot on that first rung he takes one last glimpse at this bright haven and looks down to where he must go. Down the ladder he goes toward a place that is dark, foul smelling even like a sewer. As he gets to the bottom of this long ladder he finds that it is firmly bolted to a very large and stable flat rock. It is quite difficult to see any further than a couple feet because some sort of a heavy mist-like fog is everywhere. He also knows that he must be very careful here because the mist restricts his vision and also makes the rock very slippery.
Now at the bottom of the ladder he finds a metal box marked “Tools”. He opens it and starts taking out the tools. The first tool is a length rope. This is a good thing he thought. He securely tied one end around his safety belt ring and the other end around the foot of the ladder. Now even if I fall and slip I will still be safe he says aloud hoping that the sound of his own voice would somehow make him more secure. Now is a good time to look at the rest of the tools he thought. He searches in the box and all that is found is a book.
There must be some mistake, he feels. The others who had gone before him must have forgotten to return all the tools. No time to worry about that now, because he has heard someone who sounds like they are struggling in the mist somewhere over to his left. Picking up the book and slipping it into his belt he tugs on the rope one more time to make sure that it is securely fastened and starts toward that pleading voice. After several steps he feels the rope begin to tighten. He knows that he is reaching the end of the rope. As he makes one more step the rope tightens and will not allow him to go any further. But that also has turned out to be a good thing; because of the mist he has not been able to even see his feet. And as he stretched out his foot to feel what was just out of sight, he finds that he had walked within about six inches of the edge. Now he is so glad that the rope had not been any longer.
He hears the voice again and now it is very close, just below him. But the voice is very hoarse from the mist and he definitely cannot see far enough to see the struggling person. But he knows that he must get closer to save him. Tugging on the rope he finds there is no more slack and the rock has been getting slicker the closer he gets to the edge. Now it is like oil under his feet and the only holding him from going over is leaning on the rope. Getting down on his stomach and reaching over the rock as far as he could he still could not see the other person’s hand. So he told the other to wave his hand back and forth so they might be able to grasp each one another’s hand. But no avail the hands never touched. So they both came to the conclusion that there must be too much distance between them. Remembering the book he put it in his hand and told the struggling person to feel for the book. After a while they realized that they still could not reach each other. He realized that there was still some distance between them, but suddenly the idea came to him, to open the book and this will let you reach a little further. So after getting a firm grip on the opened book he yells out to the one struggling below, “reach for the book, keep reaching, have faith, grab onto this book, called The Word, and you can be saved.” After a little while he felt the book stop moving, it got solid and he could tell that weight was being applied at the other end, then in a few seconds he felt a hand grab onto his open hand. The rising up out of the awful mist and looking into each others smiling faces and with one great effort they were both now standing on the solid rock. With eyes that were unashamedly filled with tears and with great joy they hugged each other. What a beautiful sight both thought as they looked at each other. As they followed the rope back to the ladder, and after putting the only tools that had been needed back in the box for the next rescue, they both started climbing that ladder. Reaching the top and stepping out into that safe haven, what a rejoicing there was in from everyone above.
Christians are forever secured by our Savior’s strength. The rope will never break no matter how much weight is put upon it. And by following the direction God gives us in the Book we can have connection to others. Open God’s Word and learn how to please God and become a successful rescuer. Read, study, learn and present 1 Cor. 15:1-4.

Parable for Salvation 

I am going to relate to you a parable.  Now a parable is a short story with a heavenly meaning. 

A blind man and his buddy were out in the woods.  The blind man sat down to rest and his buddy went ahead to scout the trail.  While the blind man was resting on a log, something long and slithery climbed into his lap.  Now blind or not, he took off.   Now after a few seconds of running, he started yelling for his buddy while feeling for a safe place to sit and wait.  His buddy hearing his blind friend and realizing that something was amiss started in the direction of the yelling.  When the buddy arrived close to the sound he saw a sign saying “quicksand ahead” and the yelling was coming from that direction.  When the buddy arrived he was on one side of the quicksand pool and his friend was already up to his shoulders on the other side.  Knowing that there was not time to get around to the other side the friend yelled for him to reach up to his left for there was a limb that he might reach.  Now when the blind man heard his friend, by “blind faith”, he could choose to trust the word and reach for the limb for his salvation, or he could choose not to reach.  It was the blind man’s decision.  

This is faith, if the blind man believed in that which he could not see and trusted in the words he heard.  Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  Romans 10:14, “How, then, shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear with a preacher (proclaimer)?”

Now as all good disciples asked of Jesus after he spoke of a parable,  “What is the meaning of that?” 

I call this a parable of salvation.

Woods represents life or the world. 

The blind man represents what?   (Sinner)

Being blind represents what?  (Sinner does not understand the Word of God) 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:14; 2 Cor. 3: 14 (the Jew); 4:4.

The friend represents whom?  (Friend) 2 Cor. 3:3-4;

Long and Slithery represents what? (Evil)

Running away represents what? (Man’s natural response)

Why did the blind man yell for his buddy?  (Realized he was lost or in trouble)

The quicksand represents what? (Sin)

Why did the blind man fall into the quicksand? (Because a friend was not there to guide)

The sign was what?  (Warning for those that can see)

Telling the whereabouts of the limb represents what?  (Gospel of Salvation)

Reaching out for the limb represents what?  (Accepting Salvation through faith)

The limb represents what?  (Christ)

How could the blind man be saved?  First he had to have faith in the words from his friend and having faith that following the directions would save him.  Faith was his salvation.  The result of his acceptance of salvation was holding onto the limb for his life.  Of course this would represent eternal life.

Read Romans 10:9-21.  Discuss  Romans 10:13-15. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14. How, then, shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?  And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15. And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things!”  continue onto verse 17.  “So, the, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

                                                ——SALVATION——-

            REQUIRED                                         RESULT         

Recognition of Lost condition.            The transforming of ones life. 

Powerless to save yourself.                The new man, Saul to Paul, example 2 Cor.

Faith in the Death, burial and              5:17; Eph 2:15; READ Eph. 4:21-24.

resurrection.  1 Cor. 15:1-4                Repentance                                          

CHANGES EXHIBITED

                                                            Attitudes            READ Col. 3:1-17.

                                                            Humility

                                                            Compassion for others

                                                            Purpose of living

            Goals

ACTIONS ARE CHANGED

God created for six days and He said that it was good, then, it was finished so He rested, Gen 2:2.  Now Christ has finished His work of the cross and now He also has sat down.  Heb. 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our rfaith. who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   These two scriptures let us know that up to this particular time, God’s plan is on schedule and this part is completed.

Now we know that Christ is not walking with His disciples today.  The role of being the prophet, the sacrificial lamb is over.   The requirements for the law has been met.  All the prophecies of the first advent has been fulfilled.  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.”  Now it is time to move on to the dispensation of grace and leave behind the dispensation of law.

Now Christ has finished-

1. The sacrifices.  The atonement for sins. 1 Cor. 3:13.  (A)  Because Christ has now atoned for all sins past, present and future.  (B)  No longer is sin the judging criteria for man.  (C)  At the Bema Judgment Seat what is the evidence that will be pesented for judgment? [Works]  (D)  What evidence will be presented at the Great White Throne Judgment? [Works]
2. Judaism that is Temple worship and sacrifices is of no avail and can now be put away.  The Temple at Jerusalem can now be destroyed like it had been prophesied by Jesus in Matthew.  This event occurred in 70 A.D. (A)  Done away with having to go to a Temple in order to worship God.  (B)  Done away with having to go to a Temple to fulfill rituals, like sacrifices and required attendance at certain feasts.  (C)  Done away with having to go to the Temple to give alms, get forgiveness or to pray.  (D)  Done away with having to go to the Temple to have someone else talk to God for you.  (E)  In this dispensation of grace, you are the Temple.  (F)  Now the Holy Spirit is “indwelling” with a role of guidance and utterance.

The old covenant is now useless and this is where the new begins.  The old covenant was OK, but Paul says the new covenant is better.  This is the whole theme of Hebrews.  The book of Hebrews is telling the Jews to give up Judaism, the old covenant and take up Grace, the new covenant.  Rom. 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace.”

The old covenant, the Mosaic Law. Rom. 10:14 “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”  The old covenant was between God and Israel and was an earthly covenant.  The promised land was here on earth, the priest was here on earth, the kingdom was to be here on earth and the Temple was here on earth.  This system was full of legalism.  One must do it this way and not do these things.  Full of do’s and don’ts, rules, regulations and rituals.  Things of this covenant were physical,earthly, visibile or tangible.  Enforced by punishement or even death for wrong deeds committed.  The Jews were dealing with a God of wrath or anger.

The new covenant, that which we are under now, is called grace.  This is a heavenly covenant between God, Christ and Christians.  As the song says, “this land is not our home”, heaven is our home.  Our head (the high priest) is not in this world today.  Neither is our rewards of this world.  We are not God’s “people”, we are His children.  Israel is God’s people.  God’s children are “translated into the kingdom of his dear Son” Col. 1:13.  “They are not of this world even as I am not of the world.” John 17:16, “but ye (the Gentile and Jewish Christians that make up the Church) are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels (heavenly, not earthly). 23.  To the general assembly and Church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, and to God.  The Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. 24.  And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. . .” Heb. 12:22-24a.  These scriptures are referring to the Grace Age and being with Christ.  Things of this covenant are spiritual, heavenly, invisible.  Encouraged by promise of reward hereafter.  The Church is dealing with a God of forgiveness or grace “For God hath not appointed us (the Chruch) to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thess. 5:9.  “Everybody now has access to God, we no longer have to go through a Temple, priest, sacrifices or rituals.

The Gospel of the Kingdom.  This gospel was preached by John the Baptist, Jesus and the twelve. Mt. 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. . .”  This gospel has been set aside till after the Church has been ratured.  This gospel shows that God intends to set up an earthly kingdom that is prefect.  This kingdom will be in fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

The Gospel of Salvation which is also known as Paul’s Gospel.  Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  Also in Heb. 12:2 we find that Jesus is the author and  finisher of our faith.  “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Les Feldick says that “I don’t think any human being can comprehend all that was accomplished when He (Christ) finished the work of the cross.”  He also says that “Faith + (Nothing) = Salvation”.

What can we add to what Christ did at the cross?  What else must we do to be saved?  Eph. 2:8-10. “For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves.  [it is] a gift of God. 9. Not of works lest any man should boast. 10.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”   Romans 4:1-4 tells us that Abraham was given righteousness by his faith, no works involved here.  What other Old Testament saint was saved by just faith alone?

Jesus came.  He was crucified, buried, and then resurrected by the power of God.  This fulfillment was in accordance to the prophecies of the Old Testament.  Today by the gospel that Paul preached, we live under the Age of Grace and our only requirement for salvation in this age is faith.

Why did Christ have to fulfill the law for man?  remember God does not want anyone to perish, 2 Peter 3:9.  But all that the law did was condemn man.  Just as was said earlier in part one Romans 3:20, we find that the “law” could not justify any flesh, all it could do was show that man was a sinner.  The law had no power to help us abstain from sinning.  Romans 8:3-4.  Then how are we justified before God?  Through God’s grace Christ was sent to be the perfect sacrifice.  Romans 3:25 “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.”  Romans 8:3 “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

Christ was the only one worthy to fulfill the law.  Back in part one it showed how Christ was the perfect sacrifice.  God demanded the law be fulfilled before the dispensation of grace could begin.  In Mt. 5:17-18, Christ said in the Sercom on the Mount, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophetes, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.”  So first the law had to be completed.

The “Law” is perfect from God’s viewpoint.  Remember that the Godhead is perfect.  The law is telling us what God is, this is His character.  God is perfect and has no problem at all keeping the law, the law is really just a picture of what God is like.  But man on the other hand,  since the old Adam fell, man is not perfect.  No man has been able to keep the law.  Consequently no man has the ability to be justified or sanctified in the eyes of God.  This is why Christ had to come as a baby Jesus.  This is why Christ had to die for He was the only perfect sacrifice that could be acceptable to God to justify or sanctify man in God’s eyes.  The dispensation of law had to be fulfilled before the dispensation of grace could start.

Now how did Christ fullfill the law?  Now lets take a close look at Romans 3:23-26 and we can see how the new Gospel of Salvation works.  “For all (men) have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (Consequence being death) 24.  being justified (being pardoned of all charges) freely by his (God’s) grace through the redemption (the removing and freeing from bondage) that is in Christ Jesus, 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (the payment of the fine to gain the good will of God) through faith in his blood (which is our part of salvation), to declare his (Christ) righteousness for the remission (payment) of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26. To declare, I say, at the time his (Christ) righteousness, that he (God) might be just (fair), and the justifier (the one who declares freedom) of him (the Christian) who believeth in Jesus.”  Here scripture tells that all men are sinners and deserve death, but God through His grace sent His Son to be the redeemer.  Christ, using His own blood paints the sinner clean and righteous to God”s eyes.  Now all one has to do is accept the gift and believe in what Jesus did at the cross.  This is called the Gospel of Salvation.

Christ is the only one who had no sin in his blood.  Christ had no earthly father, Luke 1:35.  Sin is transmitted through the blood of the father into all his children.   Since the mother has an earthly father she has sin in her blood.  But the mother’s and child’s blood is not mixed in the womb.   This will prohibit the sin that is in the blood be transfered by the mother.  Since Christ’s father had no sin in his blood, then sin was not transmitted to Christ as it is in all other humans.   Because Christ had no sin in His blood then He became the only sacrificial lamb that could be worthy.  He had absolutely no blemish.   Even if a man could go through his entire life without sinning, he would still have sin in blood that had been passed down from his father, which could be traced all the way back to Adam.  Man with an earthly father could never be perfect.   This is why only Christ is worthy. 

What did Christ mean by the statement “It is finished” in John 19:30?  Another term often used for the word finished is “fulfilled”.   Well what was Christ’s purpose for coming to earth as the “Son of man” or as God in the flesh?  When Christ stated that it was finished, He was meaning that His purpose up to that time, had been accomplished.  God’s plan was now completed. Christ finished another critical step that man could not do himself.  Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection has now redeemed man from the bondage of sin.

What was it that man could not do?  Man could not offer an acceptable sacrifice that would permanently cover sin and heal the relationship between man and God.  Without this sacrifice man was doomed by God’s own judgment in Romans 6:23.

God’s ultimate judgment upon man.  God said all are guilty and the sentence is death, Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death. . .” then add Romans 3:23a “For all have sinned. . .” equates, from God’s point of view, all men deserve death.  But this was not God’s purpose for man.  2 Peter 3:9b tells us that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  So God devised a plan to bring man to an acceptable righteous being Romans 5:20b, “but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”  But first the law had to be fulfilled.

God’s plan for man’s redemption began in Gen. 3:15 with the prophecy about woman’s seed.  Over the next 4000 years that one prophecy was followed by over 350 more written concerning the first advent which would bring us up to the time of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  To fulfill the law there had to be a perfect sacrifice.  Jesus did not have an earthly father, therefore the sin of Adam was not present in the blood.  Because Jesus had no sin then He could be the eternal sacrifice without “any” blemish.

How the Mosaic Law affected man can be found in Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that whatever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, (Israel) that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world (the law was given to Israel, but was expanded to every man and condemned the entire world.) may become guilty before God.  20.  Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  also in Gal. 2:16 “for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

The law is by definition God’s character.  To God, the law is just how He is every day.  But for man, who is not perfect, man can never be free of sin on his own.  Remember if one has an earthly father, then he already has the Adam sin nature in his blood.  To man the law is a death sentence.  The law was never a saving tool, it was a judgment tool in that it showed man that no matter how hard he tried, he would still have sin, Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. . .”  Romans 6:23 “For the wages (sentence) of sin is death. . .”.

The law was the “schoolmaster” Gal. 3:24, in that it taught us that we do sin.  Keeping the law has never saved anyone nor will it ever save anyone.  Keeping the law would be saving by works and we know what the Scripture says in Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. 9.  not of works lest any man should boast.”  The action of being good is doing something to earn salvation.  Being good or doing good never saved anyone, Isa. 54:6, “our righteousness are as filthy rags. . .” .  Again in Luke 18:19 Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good?  None is good, save one, that is God.”  Now if Christ was not considered “good” then what chance does man have?  Man does not have the ability to be good and be called righteous by God.  What does Eph. 2:8-9 say?  That we are saved through what? (Faith, not works).  So in conclusion the law just lets us know that we had to have a Savior.

God’s perfect world demanded a perfect sacrifice.  Christ bore all the sins of the world (past, present and future), while on the cross.  He and He alone, could pay the price required by God.  Only Christ is worthy, Rev. 5:4-5, no man could be found that was worthy.   Only the “Lion of the tribe of Judah. . .a lamb as though it has been slain.”   Christ is the only one who had no sin in His blood.  Jesus’ father was the Holy Spirit, Luke 1:35.  Therefore, perfect blood for the perfect sacrifice.  Christ is the only one that would have the qualifications and power to bare every sin in the entire world on His shoulders and He did this at the cross.  “It is finished” meant that the perfect sacrifice had been given.   The Law was now fulfilled.  The prophecies of the first advent were fulfilled.  this part of God’s plan to redeem man was completed.