Did Paul Keep the Law in the Acts Age? He Sure Did. But Not After

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.

-1 Corinthians 9:20-21 (NIV)

to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law [?], that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without aw toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law.

-1 Corinthians 9:20-21 (NKJV)

The NIV and other dynamic equivalency translations from the minority texts have inserted the idea that Paul was not under the law. Well, he was never under the law for justification as to that end, the law can only condemn. A very clear point Paul makes in regard to the doctrine of justification is that justification (resurrection life through his name) is by faith alone. Abraham was declared righteous before he was circumcised (and centuries before anyone heard of the law or Moses or the Sinai Covenant).

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

-Romans 4:9-10 (NKJV, based on the Masoretic Text)

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

-Romans 3:28 (NKJV)

So, back to our opening verses from 1 Corinthians 9, did Paul keep the law even though we have established it was never for justification for resurrection life? We note here the judgments pictured in the parables during the Lord's earthly ministry (to Israel alone, Matthew 15:24, etc.) and in The Revelation which distinguished between "good/bad" or "profitable/unprofitable" "servants" and "wise/unwise" "virgins," etc. 

As with the casting into the outer darkness spoken by Lord first in Matthew 8:10-12, these judgments are for "the sons of the Kingdom." There. the sons are juxtaposed with "Gentiles." In other words, these are judgments that concern Israel and the earthly hope and Kingdom and New Jerusalem blessings. Things that are achieved. The free gift of resurrection life ("life in his name" John 20:31, by grace faith alone) is never achieved. It is granted to all who have been reconciled to God by faith (as he has already been reconciled to men through Christ alone, 2 Cor 5:16-21).

Paul surely did keep the law, however, as did the Jewish believers in the Acts age. Paul still taught circumcision for Jews too. What he didn’t do was put Gentiles under a Law they never had (apart from the laws in Leviticus for gentiles living among the Jews in Israel, Acts 15, Acts 21). That’s why he warned Gentiles not to get circumcised. We do not make these distinctions today. 

Now then, why test God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the [Gentile] disciples, which neither our [Jewish] fathers nor we [Jews] have been able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we [Jews] shall be saved, even as they [Gentiles].”

-Acts 15:10 

Would we teach today that if any believer is circumcised he is obligated to keep the whole law?

 

Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. I testify again to every man who is circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You have been cut off from Christ, whoever of you are justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

-Galatians 5:2-4

We have the clarification from the Apostles that the newly grafted in Gentiles would not be put under the entirety of the Law (which was never given to Gentiles anyway), yet we will see that these believing Gentiles were rather grafted in for the expressed purpose to make real, live, living Israel "jealous" (Romans 10:19; 11:11) that they might be converted.  

Let us look at how the chosen, enlightened, Holy Spirit filled and approved Apostles handled the question of the Law in the Acts.

 

To the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:

Greetings.

Since we have heard that some of us [Jews], whom we did not commission, have gone out and have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law,” it seemed good to us, being assembled in unity, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also speak to you, saying the same things. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put on you [Gentiles] no greater burden than these necessary things: Abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

-Acts 15:23-29


For freedom Christ freed us. Stand fast therefore and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you [Gentiles] become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. I testify again to every man who is circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You have been cut off from Christ, whoever of you are justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we, through the Spirit, by faith, eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith which works through love.

-Galatian 5:1-6


For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves

-Romans 2:14


When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. On the next day Paul went with us to James, and all the elders were present. He greeted them and recounted one by one what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they glorified the Lord. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they [Jews] are all zealous for the law. They have been informed concerning you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to observe the customs. What then shall be done? The assembly will certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who have taken a vow. Take these men and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may have their heads shaved. Then all will know that what they were told concerning you is nothing, but that you yourself live in observance of the law. As for the Gentiles who believe, we have written and concluded [conversely to the instructions for Jewish believers]  that they should observe no such thing, except that they abstain from food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from strangled animals, and from blood.”

-Acts 21:17-25

Paul, in the Acts, kept the Law (but never for redemption or reconciliation with God) and taught Jews to circumcise. He gave no such burden to Gentiles who never had the Law. There was a rumor that Paul “[taught] all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to observe the customs.” This was a lie and James and Paul disputed it. “Then all will know that what they were told concerning you is nothing, but that you yourself live in observance of the law.”

The apostles contrasted the burden of the Law on Jewish believers in the Acts (again, never for justification, but for a position in the Kingdom) with the burden placed on Gentiles (drawn from the Laws for Gentiles living among, but not numbered with, Israel). 

• Gentiles were never given the Law.
• We do not make these distinctions in the current (Post Acts) age.

I hear lots of things about what people think Ultra-dispensationalism teaches, but in the most simple terms in couplets:

• There is a plan for the earth centered around the covenants and promises and Kingdom in Israel

• There is a plan for unsearchable riches in the far above the heavens where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father.

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• The earthly plan was known by Moses and Prophets (which is all Christ taught and all Paul taught in the Acts as he testified) and was revealed since the ages began. Paul being in chains for “the hope of Israel” going always to the Jew first and the 12 waiting for “the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel.” Peter offering the restoration to Israel if she repents.

• The heavenly plan was hidden from before the ages began and revealed only to Paul (unknown to the sons of men before). It has no ordinances, Sabbaths, or dietary restrictions (as both Jews and Gentiles had in the Acts); Paul in chains “for you Gentiles.”

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• The middle wall of separation was up in the Acts (very clearly up in the gospels), Jews and Gentiles with different sets of instructions, the Jew still first, Gentiles only warned they could be “cut off” from the blessings of Israel; Gentiles warned not to boast against Israel.

• Middle wall comes down. The calling changed. No more distinctions.

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• Abraham is prominent in the gospels, Acts, and Acts epistles.

• Abraham disappears post Acts as his blessings have to do with the earth.

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• The “Parousia” is the hope of the gospel and Acts (the presence of the King)

• The “Parousia” disappears post Acts and the hope becomes the bright appearing.

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• Instructions for marriage change in light of the change of expectation. The tribulation and Kingdom were “near” and “at hand” in the gospels and Acts so young women instructed best to NOT marry and NOT bear children. The “time [was] short.”

• Post Acts, young women and widows instructed they should marry and bear children as the expectation changed.

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These couplets are obviously not exhaustive, simply differences for your consideration.

• Why Every True Believer is a Dispensationalist
• Re-introduction to Dispensationalism

• Law-Keepers, the Enemy Within
• The Law, Conscience, Sin, and Salvation
• Why Not Get Circumcised? It's a Bible Law!
• Why Was Timothy Circumcised in Acts 16

Another Look at the Wedding Guests in Matthew 22 and the Earthly Plan

In a previous study we looked at the wedding guests in the Matthew 22 parable (often titled "Parable or the Wedding Feast" and similar). The “wedding” involves Israel. The Bride is connected to Israel and the earth (New Jerusalem, the restoration of the unfaithful wife, the regathering of the Ammi, etc.). Let's revisit and consider a few things in light of the differences between gentile inclusion in an earthly hope context and in a heavenly hope context (as we have in the current age).

In the earthly hope, reflected in the churches of the Acts age, you have local bodies of believers spoken of in the picture of "eyes" and "ears," etc. These local bodies were made up of Jews and Gentiles (1 Cor 12:16-17). The ONE Body of the current age as revealed in Ephesians (Post Acts) has Christ alone as its head and is male in character (Eph 4:14-16). 

The middle wall of partition (or "separation," Eph 2:14) between Jew and Gentile is now down (and not before; see Acts 15, 21, Romans, etc.). The prophetic scenario (revealed by “Moses and the Prophets”) concerns God’s plans for the earth. 

Since Adam, the restoration of the earth was the hope; through Abraham the land and the Kingdom (through the Son of David). The current plan and hope is not earthly, it is heavenly.

In short, the guests at the wedding are Gentiles, but not Gentiles of the current age (Matthew did not see that which was revealed to Paul alone, Eph 3). These Gentiles were NOT invited to the wedding, but grafted into blessings “to make Israel jealous” (as Romans clearly states). Those gentiles, invited last, after Israel had been invited, are NOT the Bride, but merely guests.

Even among Israel, there are things to be earned by faith and faithfulness. Not all Israel is the Bride (pictured as the New Jerusalem in the Revelation as a reward). Some of Israel qualified as the Bride (rewarded "the city whose builder and make is God") and some as guests. 

By faith [Abraham] dwelt in the promised land, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise, for he was looking for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

-Hebrews 11:9-10 

We note again, The New Jerusalem (“adorned as a Bride for her Bridegroom”) is a reward that comes down from heaven to earth. The city has the names of the twelve tribes and the twelve Apostles to the Circumcision. Not Paul’s name. 

Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

-Revelation 21:12-14

The Lord brings his reward with him to earth when he returns in the clouds. Those storing up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20) do not necessarily get their reward in heaven.

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work..." 

-Revelation 22:12

As for that very literal return:

“Men of Galilee, why stand looking toward heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 

-Acts 1:11

He did not ascend "spiritually" and his return will be be "spiritual," but very literal.

Matthew is the Gospel of the King, John is the gospel of God. We have compare and contrast those two previously. You can refrence the post on the Parable of the Wedding feast linked above or consider this post. 

The heavenly hope is very limited. ALL believers are part of God’s Kingdom, but there is a specific Kingdom that is earthly, ours is heavenly. The “restoration of the Kingdom in Israel” (Acts 1:6) is a very real, earthly Kingdom, fulfilling many promises and the New Covenant (which is for Israel). 

We are not teaching "two kingdoms" here. Rather, there is the greater Kingdom of God (ruling over even principalities in the heavenly places) and the specific earthly Kingdom established in the promised land. This has been true since David sat on the throne in the united Kingdom. We would not call that period a "two kingdoms" doctrine. God was, is, and ever shall be King, yet he chose the line of David as the Kings in a kingdom within his kingdom.

What did the Lord mean when he spoke of the Kingdom being "within" his listeners?

When the Lord Jesus was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

-Luke 17:20-21

The KJV lets us down here. The idea here is that the Kingdom was in their midst. There are a number of translations that use this language. The New KJV reflects the KJV, but it notes the wording "in your midst" as a proper rendering. Conversely, the NRSVA (quoted below) uses "is among you" while noting it can also be "within you." 

Nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (English Standard Version)


Nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’ (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicized)


People won’t say ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘Look, over there!’ No: God’s kingdom is within your grasp.” (New Testament for Everyone)

The Greek word suggests both. The King was there, he was among them. The Kingdom was offered to Israel in the Lord’s earthly ministry, rejected, then offered again in the Acts (particularly in Acts 3, and cp Romans 9-11, etc.). The idea of the Kingdom being "within you" suggesting the Kingdom is purely spiritual does not hold up against the rest of the witness of scripture. In my opinion, it doesn't hold up in the least. 

The coming of the Son of David, the King, to sit in the throne in an earthly kingdom was prophesied, but it had to all come to fruition. The Kingdom of heaven was indeed at-hand when the Lord walked in Israel.

We note again the commission of the twelve in Matthew 10. When they are sent to preach the Kingdom to Jews only, this is the message:

And as ye go [to Israel only], preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Back in Luke, when the Lord speaks of the budding of the fig tree, he tells them:

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

We could quote other verses along this line, but these will suffice.

The Greek word is used of a number of things including the Passover being “at hand” or “near” in time. Paul says in Romans that “the day” is “at hand” (Romans 13:12). Salvation from sin was near? No, the prophesied “Day” was near. That is "the Day of the Lord" (rendered "the Lord's Day" in the Revelation). 

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

This is why (as previously noted in other studies) Paul instructs young women its better they NOT marry and NOT bear children in that age. Not some local (hence meaningless outside the area) teaching, but because, specifically in 1 Cor 7 (during the Acts) because the age was "passing away":

But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this [age] passes away.

The Lord echoed this back in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24. He speaks of very real people, in very real places, seeing very real prophesied events. These are not "spiritual" places and things and activities. These are not generic conditions since the Lord's first coming. They speak of a literal tribulation coming to Israel. And when that day arrives, "woe to those who are with child." Hence, Paul instructs young women that is better to NOT bear children.

“So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. Let him who is in the field not return to take his clothes. Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse in those days! Pray that your escape will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the [ages] until now, no, nor ever shall be.

Won’t go through all of Matthew 24 & 25, but we have a very real return seen there.

Post Acts (the current age where this no distinction and the time is not “at hand”), Paul gives very different instructions.

Therefore I desire that the younger women marry, bear children, manage the house, and give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

-1 Timothy 5:14

Just a small, but very clear, practical difference.

Paul speaks of the last days in his last epistle (2 Tim). We must compare and contrast those with the last days in the Matthew 24 and the Acts. What I can tell from the warnings there and in Philippians (as seen in the case of Demas who abandoned Paul, 2 Tim 4:10), the religious persecution of the last day’s will come from fellow believers who will abandon Paul's revelation in Ephesians.

having a form of godliness, but denying its power

 

Brothers, become fellow imitators with me and observe those [believers] who walk according to our example. For many [other believers] are walking in such a way that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. I have told you of them often and tell you again, even weeping. Their destination is destruction, their god is their appetite, their glory is in their shame, their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, from where also we await for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our body of humiliation, so that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working of His power even to subdue all things to Himself.

• OK for the Apostles to look for the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel on earth
• Not OK today to look for any kind of earthly blessings or hope or earthly kingdom

Many will depart from Paul’s apostleship to the Gentiles, his teaching of unsearchable riches in the heavenly places (Ephesians), his warnings about earthly ordinances, and they will instead look to the earth for their blessings and hope.

Demas fell in love with this present world and has deserted me

If you then were raised with Christ, desire those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then you also shall appear [phaneróō ] with Him in glory.

phaneróō - the brightness, manifestation of his coming in the epiphenea, not in the parousia of the King to his Kingdom. The Greek parousia of the King disappears as a hope after Acts. It cannot be found in the Post Acts epistles.

Therefore let no one judge you regarding food, or drink, or in respect of a holy day [feast day] or new moon or sabbath days. These are shadows of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

-Colossians 2:16 

"Things to come" in a future kingdom, in a future age. All the things concerning that earthly hope were revealed to Moses and the Prophets. In the Acts, Paul testified that he preached only what was in Moses and the Prophets (Acts 26:22). He witnessed to Israel only what was in Moses and the Prophets. What was revealed to Paul was not known before.

when you read it, you may understand my knowledge of the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members, and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel. Of this I [Paul] was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the incomprehensible [unsearchable] riches of Christ, and to reveal for all people what is the fellowship [dispensation] of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ.

We are to follow Paul as he follows Christ. Always true for Gentiles (during and after the Acts age), now true for all in the current age.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 

-1 Corinthians 11:1

Quick Trip to Luke and Rightly Dividing the Lord's Promises and Commands (part 2)

The next verse we will consider is not preached as often as the verse in Luke 12 we reviewed in our last post, however, you will hear it preached. In this case, we are dealing with a promise of the Lord given during his earthly ministry. In my experience, this promise has been offered from pulpits across the theological spectrum from the Reformed to the Pentecostal Dispensationalist, from the Cessationist to the Continuist. 

Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

-Luke 21:14-15

 Before we get the greater context of the promise in the passage, let us quickly "compare the things that differ" and look at Paul's admonition for the current age. This will not be our focus in this post, but it permeates this blog and permeates the current age regarding how we handle the Word of Truth.

Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

-2 Timothy 2:15


Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, wisely using the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you should answer everyone.

-Colossians 4:5-6


I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine.

-2 Timothy 4:1-3

The overall sense here is the responsibility to study and rightly divide the Word of Truth, pursue sound doctrine (the correct doctrine for the age in which we live), and be wise concerning the truths of the revelation of Paul towards those outside (unbelievers and those who do not walk in Paul's teachings).

As we contrast that with the promise of Luke 21 (God will provide answers as they are needed), we now look at the greater context of that promise. As we always endeavor to do, we will note those things which, although not directly to us, do contain principles by which we can learn. We stress that ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine (2 Tim 3:16). 

Then He said to them, “Nation [éthnos] will rise against nation [éthnos], and kingdom against kingdom. Great earthquakes will occur in various places, and there will be famines and pestilence. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

-Luke 21:10-11

We will not delve deeply ins this study into the full context of this quotation of Isaiah by the Lord except to say, that this is a reference to the Burden of Egypt in Isaiah 19:1-2. What we will note is that the verses that follow are meant to point to a specific time in response to a very specific question from is disciples, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when this is about to happen?” (Luke 21:7). It is thus not a condition of all time since Christ spoke these words.

“But before all these things, they will seize you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will turn out as a testimony for you. Therefore resolve in your hearts beforehand not to practice your defense. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your opponents will be able to neither refute nor resist.

-Luke 21:12-15

The promise of words given that cannot be refuted in is context of Israel. We see this in part as Paul contested daily in the synagogues. Stephen as well. There was no refutation of the word of Moses and the Prophets (which is all they taught in the Acts Age, Acts 26:22), and there was great persecution and even death. These are not the conditions all Christians have faced in the intervening 2000 years. Yes, many believers have faced death, but not at the hands of Jews in the synagogues and not because of the preaching of Moses and the Prophets to them.

As always, we want to stress that God can provide the words and inspiration in any situation a believer may find himself or herself in, but this is not an expectation or a promise to us in the current age. So many today quote any verse from anywhere in scripture and yet fail to see that it is clearly not consistently evident is his own life and testimony. And it is certainly not evident in the history of Christendom since the revelation to Paul in AD 64. As noted, Paul tells us to "study." 

You will be betrayed by parents and brothers and relatives and friends. And they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all men for My name’s sake, but not a hair of your head shall perish. In your endurance you will gain your souls [psychḗ, "life"].

-Luke 21:16-19

Whereas some believers have surely been betrayed by loved ones (betrayed to whom?), clearly this is not the testimony that can be claimed by every believer over the last 2000 years. We do not even see this in full fruition in the Acts age. This promise is fully connected to the last days. There are glimpses of it in the Acts and there is a hint of God's overruling love, but it's full fruition is in an age yet to come, for a believing Israel.

And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”

-Acts 27:33-34

 

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul [your life]: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul [destroy your life] and body in hell [Greek: Gehenna]. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

-Matthew 10:27-30

 Matthew 10 is part of the teachings of the Lord as he sends out the twelve. And we note that the twelve were to take the teachings of the Kingdom to Israel alone. The words in that chapter draw our minds back to the words we looked at last time in Luke 12 and the promise of provision.

These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

-Matthew 10:5-11

In the latter verses, 27-30. they are told they will be provided for as they are more valuable sparrows. As noted, this takes our minds back to Luke 12 and the passage in full.

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations [gentiles] of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms...

-Luke 21:22-33

When pastors today slice these promises up when preaching on tithes, offerings, and giving, they do not give the full picture. They cannot do that as the congregation will look around and realize that all things do not reflect their everyday conditions nor the everyday conditions of believers around them, throughout the world, or throughout the history of the church.

Quick Trip to Luke and Rightly Dividing the Lord's Promises and Commands (part 1)

Sell your possessions and give alms. Provide yourselves purses that do not grow old, an unfailing treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

-Luke 12:33-34

This is not an exhaustive study of all the Lord's commands and promises in Luke, just a quick look at a couple of verses I heard preached this past weekend.  

I have highlighted above the phrase the Lord uses when addressing his "little flock" in Luke 12. This phrase was pulled out by a local preacher in a message on tithes and offerings. We have briefly covered tithing in previous posts, I'll just refer you HERE if you have interest in some context on that topic.

When we look at the commonly quoted phrase, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," rarely, if ever, do we hear the whole passage. Even in small part here, noting just the previous verse, we see the call to "Sell your possessions and give alms." This is the Modern English Translation (which is from the Received Text), but if you prefer the KJV, it's even more pointed, "Sell that ye have..."

Wycliffe gives us, "Sell ye those things that ye have in possession..." As just one more example, The Worldwide English translation renders it, "Sell what you have and give it to poor people." The sense is clear. A pastor may urge his congregation to give to the local assembly under the promise that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also," but he should also be quick to add the condition in the discourse from the Lord. That is, he should be instructing them to "sell your possessions." 

Do I advocate such action? No. I'm not opposed to the idea, however. If someone can handle it, I would not stand in his way. But there comes no promise or hope in the courage age as laid out by our Lord for Israel (the singularity of his earthly ministry, Matthew 15:24). If a pastor is asking his congregation to give to the local work (which he certainly can do), he may also add that where their money is, there heart will be there.

Am I contradicting myself? No. What we have in that last phrase is a general truth. It is true in all ages (such as "God is Love" or "Love your neighbor"). But if I go to the Lord's earthly ministry and pull out a verse under the assumption the Lord is speaking directly to me in the entire book, I must lay out the verse in its context and demand all of it be observed.

When we use the principles of Right Division (2 Tim 2:15) we mark those things which are general truth and divide them (draw a straight line) from those things which are commands or promises for another people with a different hope. 

Again, however, I say to those who say they embrace the words of the Lord in his earthly ministry to Israel for themselves, to be consistent, you must embrace ALL his words. All the commands that go alone with all the promises.

If you want to invoke Luke 12:34, you must invoke Luke 12:33. In fact, you should be telling your congregation that God will provide everything and give them the "kingdom."

And do not seek what you will eat or what you will drink, nor be of an anxious mind. For the [éthnos: gentiles] of the world seek all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be given to you “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

-Luke 12:29-32

When a pastor does invoke this passage, be sure he will spiritualize it as to render it meaningless in practical terms. When we see Christians (true Christians separated out from Christendom) being persecuted everywhere (even slaughtered in large numbers as we see in Nigeria today), we have no choice but to spiritualize these promise passages in light of all that. When we do so, we are telling the world the Lord does not truly mean what he promises. All of these things must be rightly divided.

Part 2

Also consider:

Are the Gospel Accounts for Today?

Obeying Rulers and Governments in the Current Age (Romans 13 vs 1 Timothy 2)

As we continue to seek to "rightly divide the Word of Truth" (2 Tim 2:15) and to "compare the things that differ," (Phil 1:10) we take up the issue of obedience to government authorities and compare how pare deals with it during the Acts age and then after in his Post Acts epistles.

All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God. 2 So whoever opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged. 3 If you do what is right, you won’t need to be afraid of your rulers. But watch out if you do what is wrong! You don’t want to be afraid of those in authority, do you? Then do what is right, and you will be praised. 4 The one in authority serves God for your good. But if you do wrong, watch out! Rulers don’t carry a sword for no reason at all. They serve God. And God is carrying out his anger through them. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong. 5 You must obey the authorities. Then you will not be punished. You must also obey them because you know it is right. 

Romans 13:1-5

In context of the Acts Age, we see Peter referring to the rulers of the “people.” In context, the people there are a real, live, living Israel.

“Rulers and elders of the people! Are you asking us to explain our actions today?…”

-Acts 4:8b-9a 

Peter in Acts 5 and the Apostles to the Circumcision tell them that they must obey God first.

“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? Yet now you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring on us this Man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers [Israel] raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging on a tree…”

After the grafting in of Gentiles into Israel in Acts 10, Paul is sent to Jews and Gentiles and has to instruct them on how to deal with the rulers in light of the soon coming age. Paul will write in that age that the time is at had, the day is near, the time is short, etc. His Gentile readers were seeing the rulers in Israel and the civil authorities. In the time immediately preceding the expected tribulation and establishment of the Kingdom in Israel (Acts 1:3-7), they were to obey the Jewish and Roman authorities so long as they did not contradict God's instructions for them

We have to compare Romans 13 to the "churches." which was written to believers expecting the Tribulation and Kingdom on earth within their lifetimes, to a Body looking only for blessings in the heavenly places. This is stated in different ways, but here is just one example from Romans 13 itself:

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. 

-Romans 13:5

And here is a similar example from 1 Corinthians:

But this I say, brethren, the time is short…

-1 Corinthians 7:29 

We note here that this is why the instructions for young women and widows in regard to marriage and childbearing differs between 1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Timothy 5. In 1 Corinthians the instructions for marriage reflect the troubles of the age and Paul recommends that no one marry if they can handle that truth. He adds (as Christ does in Matthew 24) that children will be a particular burden when the tribulation arises. Conversely, in 1 Timothy with no tribulation at hand, Paul advises young women not only to marry, but also to bear children. 

• How Do We Live in the Current Age

When we turn to the Post Acts epistles (1 Timothy), as we see with marriage, we see an adjustment to the exhortation about leaders:

First, I want you to pray for all people. Ask God to help and bless them. Give thanks for them. Pray for kings. Pray for everyone who is in authority. Pray that we can live peaceful and quiet lives. And pray that we will be godly and holy. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior.

Since Adam it has always been true that we must obey God rather than men. This was true even under Israel’s evil Kings who called for worship of pagan gods. We see this clearly in Daniel and the three young men who disobeyed the law and faced death for it.

Paul, even late in the Acts, recognized still the leaders in a very real Israel who were still his people.

Paul looked at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” [Paul still observed the feast days, etc.] The high priest Ananias ordered those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit judging me according to the law, yet order me to be struck contrary to the law?” Those who stood by said, “Do you criticize God’s high priest?” Paul said, “Brothers, I did not know that he was the high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people…’

-Acts 23 

Let's consider the difference between the obedience to the rulers spoken of in Romans 13 and Paul’s Post-Acts instructions in 1 Timothy is the times in which they lived and who constituted the “governing authorities” (Rom 13:1).

In 1 Timothy prayer is to be offered for those in power, including Kings and any in authority over us specifically “that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.” That does not mean that we cannot resist any power that infringes on that goal (or obviously any which make us disobey God). Since the time is not "short" nor do we face the events of the Day of the Lord, our approach is different.

I do not look to Romans 13 and force myself to agree that Pol Pot and Mao were somehow God’s servants and that resistance to them constituted resistance to God (as Romans 13 states). Rather, I would say to those believers being threatened by men like Mao that they should pray for him with the goal of leading quiet and peaceful lives.

If the government says to me I must sign up for Digital ID or something else for which there is no specific biblical prohibition, does that mean I must obey as though God ordained it as Romans 13 instructs ("So whoever opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged)? 

I believe the answer to that question is "no." This because the imposition of Digital ID is something government doing that I have determined will not lead to a quiet and peaceful life. On the other had, if the government says I can't drive 95mph through my neighborhood, should I obey? Well, "yes," as that is something intended to create a society based on a quiet and peaceful life.

Driving according to stated laws also fulfills the second part of that admonition, that is, that we can live in godliness and honestly. So, it is both halves that need to be considered. 

• Is obedience meant to be so I can live a quiet and peaceful life?
• Does obedience move me to live in godliness and honesty?

As with other issues in this age of liberty in Christ, we must leave these questions to the individual believer who should take his heart before the Lord for guidance. We must examine our motives. Are we walking in the old carnal nature or are we walking in the new nature in our response to various rulers.

The American Founders wrote the Olive Branch Petition which was sent by the Continental Congress to King George on July 5, 1775. That was an attempt at a peaceful solution. In light of its rejection (despite them pledging allegiance to the Crown) the events that led to July 4, 1776 followed. 

One of the complaints of the colonies was the quartering of soldiers, for example. Such a thing was not for their good and did not move them to a quiet and peaceful life. 

How we respond must also be according to the new nature. The colonists sought a peaceful solution in reverence of the Crown. It was only upon forceful rejection of that approach that they had to determine to what degree they would seek an end that would lead to a quiet and peaceful life.

That may not be the best example, but I use it in part as it exposes the complexity of life in the current age. The great degree of liberty  we have comes with great responsibility. We must act in accordance with the leading of the Spirit in the new nature.

The State of the Soul Upon Death in Light of Resurrection

When addressing the resurrection of the Lord, many teachers fail to mention that the resurrection is an undoing of the curse. That is so foundational, it’s disappointing, but not surprising, that it is often left out. Yet the omission strikes at the very foundation of the faith and reduces what Christ accomplished on our behalf as we hope to show you.

The fact that the Lord did not decay in the grave is mentioned 5 times in the Acts. 

What many will do is run immediately to 2 Cor 5:8 (the most misquoted verse in scripture). We have covered that elsewhere on this blog and briefly in video.

• The Most Misquoted Verse
• Larry Ollison Misquotes Scripture (Among Other Errors) -Video

As Tyndale argued, by putting “souls” directly into heaven, we diminish the resurrection; his and ours. The Reformation from Tyndale to Luther started with this foundational truth, yet it was abandoned by the state churches (see: King James, etc.) and the doctrine of the “immortal soul” was reinstated.

And ye, in putting them [the departed souls] in heaven, hell, and purgatory, destroy the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection. … And again, if the souls be in heaven, tell me why they be not in as good case as the angels be? And then what cause is there of the resurrection?'

The true faith putteth [setteth forth] the resurrection, which we be warned to look for every hour. The heathen philosophers, denying that, did put [set forth] that the souls did ever live. And the pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ and the fleshly doctrine of philosophers together; things so contrary that they cannot agree, no more than the Spirit and the flesh do in a Christian man. And because the fleshly-minded pope consenteth unto heathen doctrine, therefore he corrupteth the Scripture to stablish it.'

-William Tyndale

In sum, we make the resurrection an asterisk when we put bodiless souls anywhere. And by diminishing our own hope of resurrection (the undoing of the curse as laid out in 1 Cor 15), we diminish what Christ did on our behalf by dying in our place. The Lord Jesus took the curse, and then undid it! Others (like Lazarus) were raised from the dead, but Christ alone was resurrected.

So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

-Mark 9:10

Israel (the Pharisees, etc.) understood the hope of resurrection (Acts 23:6, John 11:24, etc.). They knew nothing of anything else. So, when scriptures tells us they were confused when the Lord said he would rise from the dead in resurrection (Mark 9:10), we miss the point in English. The Greek speaks of a resurrection “out from among the rest of the dead.” Ek-anastasis (or ex-anastasis). The Lord said in Mark, “ek nekron anaste.” This is what they did not understand.

Two Greek words are employed in connection with resurrection that must be kept distinct, otherwise gross error will result.  The words are anastasis and its cognate words exanastasis and anistemi, and egeiro and its cognate egersis.

-Charles Welch (An Alphabetical Analysis, excerpt Vol 4)

This helps explain the statement by Paul in Philippians concerning the “attaining” of resurrection.

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Paul is not striving to “attain” the free gift of redemption or “life through his name” (John 20:30-31). Paul had absolute assurance of that (1 Thess 4:14-17, 1 Cor 15:51-56, etc.). He is teaching us to strive for the “exanástasis,” a resurrection “out from among the rest of the dead.” It is a resurrection of reward at the judgment seat.

There is an order and rank in resurrection (1 Cor 15:23). As of today, no one but Christ has been raised into his celestial body. There are only two bodies (1 Cor 15:40), terrestrial (earthly, subject to death & decay) and celestial (resurrection body, free from death & decay).

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

-1 Corinthians 15:39-41

Paul notes in 2 Timothy that he had finished the race given him and he knew there was a crown that awaited him (2 Tim 4:8). He didn’t suddenly realize he was redeemed. Again, free gift versus an attaining of reward. 

Resurrection (free gift), Resurrection out from among the rest of the dead (reward).

Luther reminds us that death is like sleep in that we have no idea of time passing. The dead in Christ will rise as though no time has passed.

Salomon judgeth that the dead are asleep, and feele nothing at all. For the dead lye there accompting neyther dayes nor yeares, but when are awaked, they shall seeme to have slept scarce one minute…

But we Christians, who have been redeemed from all this through the precious blood of God's Son, should train and accustom ourselves in faith to despise death and regard it as a deep, strong, sweet sleep; to consider the coffin as nothing other than our Lord Jesus' bosom or Paradise, the grave as nothing other than a soft couch of ease or rest. As verily, before God, it truly is just this; for he testifies, John 11:11; Lazarus, our friend sleeps; Matthew 9:24: The maiden is not dead, she sleeps. Thus, too, St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, removes from sight all hateful aspects of death as related to our mortal body and brings forward nothing but charming and joyful aspects of the promised life. He says there [vv. 42ff]: It is sown in corruption and will rise in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor (that is, a hateful, shameful form) and will rise in glory; it is sown in weakness and will rise in strength; it is sown in natural body and will rise a spiritual body.' …

Thus after death the soul goes to its bedchamber and to its peace, and while it is sleeping it does not realize its sleep, and God preserves indeed the awakening soul. God is able to awake Elijah, Moses, and others, and so control them, so that they will live. But how can that be? That we do not know; we satisfy ourselves with the example of bodily sleep, and with what God says: it is a sleep, a rest, and a peace. He who sleeps naturally knows nothing of that which happens in his neighbor's house; and nevertheless, he still is living, even though, contrary to the nature of life, he is unconscious in his sleep. Exactly the same will happen also in that life, but in another and a better way

-Martin Luther (excerpts)

The lost do not have life. They remain under the curse by their own choosing. That is, they shall die and return to dust (Gen 2:17; Gen 3:19; 1 Cor 15:21-23). There are a few verses that can be interpreted to mean that some of the dead are “raised from the dead,” but none of the lost will experience “resurrection.” Lazarus was raised from the dead, but he died again. he will experience “resurrection” “at the last day” (John 11:24).

Lazarus was both dead and not dead. This is how we are to understand believers when they die.

These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”  Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

We sleep in death, yet we “never die.” We are “dead,” yet still alive.

The lost do not have life, thus they do truly die.

As an aside, the Pope declared the immortality of the soul and condemned any notion (and any person arguing) that it is not. The Reformers objected to that position noting it is pagan and not biblical.

Quick Take:

Heaven or Hell, Saved or Lost Bad Theology

Quick Take:
The Simplistic Heaven/Hell Theology and Immortal Soul Paganism

Pope Leo, Gates of Hell, Lord's Day,

Weeping and Gnashing on Social Media

The Political and Religious Aftermath of the Charlie Kirk Assassination

 I do not pretend to know a lot about Charlie Kirk. This post is not directly about the man. While I was certainly aware of him and his college interactions, I did not follow him terribly closely. I would say I did admire him, though. After over a quarter of a century in higher education, working at three different schools, I know the lion's den he chose to enter.

So this is not about Charlie Kirk directly. I could also say a few things about his wife, Erika Kirk but after an initial response (video below) I will let things play out for her future at this point. In this entry, what I will refence regarding Erika is simply the doctrines of the church that she claimed for most of her life and how that relates to my concern.

My concern is that in the aftermath of the horrible murder of Charlie Kirk, a political movement has been spawned. To whatever degree Charlie was an Evangelical believer (and it seems like he was a strong believer in the finished work of Christ), political movements cannot be sustained merely in strong Christian beliefs alone.

There are simply not enough committed, Evangelical (Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Bible alone) believers to take over American institutions (governmental, educational, social, etc.). Political movements are made up of coalitions. Political movements need allies. We see this far more clearly in European politics where nations have multiple political parties spanning the ideological landscape and coalitions are formed to gain a majority. Certain differences must be put aside to achieve unity.

If the new movement that some want to build on Charlie's legacy wants to gain strength, it must necessarily compromise foundational Christian beliefs. We have seen this already in the Charlie Kirk memorial event in Arizona. Four of the most prominent speakers (all with large followings), are not Bible-believing Christians.

• President Trump has questionable beliefs about Christianity.
• Vice President J.D. Vance is Catholic
• Social media influencer Jack Posobiec is Catholic
• Tucker Carlson leans Catholic and is openly anti-Israel

Others prominent in the growing movement who will surely capitalize on this moment also have ties to Rome. Then there are those like Ben Shapiro, Michael Savage, and Benji Gershon who are Jewish conservatives.

All of these people have their right to speak freely on the issues of the day. That is not the issue. The issue is the political "movement" rising out of Charlie Kirk's legacy. If it were to remain a purely Evangelical Christian movement, it might be influential, but never powerful. For it to become powerful, it can no longer be Christian.

Political movements need allies, they tend to take whatever allies they can get. Not enough Evangelicals in America for a political surge, so they're adopting "adjacent" allies who "have a form of godliness, but deny its power." (2 Tim 3:5). And as we saw in our last entry, that is one of the signs of the last days.

If the Charlie Kirk movement grows, its Christian message will weaken more and more as more as  more allies are sought and needed to attempt to reach its political goals.

The true faith has always suffered persecution. But that persecution has come from pagans, false religions, and sacramentalist false Christianity. The end times persecution (as I see it forming) will come from professed Evangelicals aligned with the enemies of Christ, all in the name of Christ.  We will be called names and be accused of being "judgmental" or "unloving." All the pejoratives the Left and other enemies of the true faith have used for a century will be adopted by political Christianity.

I can see even the Reformed churches aligning with a political ecumenism. After all, in my experience, some Reformed are more repulsed by dispensationalism than they are by Romanism. The late Reformed theologian R.C. Sproul was a great admirer of the Catholic theologians Aquinas and Augustine. 

An intellectual and political Christianity will arise and those who cling to Christ alone, especially those who seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth, will be cast out and further marginalized, all in the name of Christ.

Perhaps it's not just a coincidence that the man they will use to build their beast is named "Kirk." 

The name "Kirk" is of Scottish and Northern English origin, derived from the Old Norse word "kirkja," meaning "church." (Wikipedia) 

 

The experience of the Apostles will be seen again in an age to come. 

They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

-John 16:2-3

How the Persecution of the Last Days Will be Unique

In Matthew 16, the Lord chastises the Pharisees for not understanding the signs of the times.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came and, testing Him, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and overcast.’ O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” So He left them and departed.

-Matthew 16:1-4

And the Lord also chastises his own for not understanding scripture: 

From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then Peter took Him and began rebuking Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord! This shall not happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things that are of God, but those that are of men.”

-Matthew 16:21-23

As this is Matthew 16, I’m inclined to believe it is a warning to the disciples as the future kings in Israel ruling over the restored Kingdom of Israel (Mt 19:28, Ac 1:6). This is also the chapter in which the Lord tells them he is going to Jerusalem to be put to death. They don’t believe him (BONUS: this is another reason we know “the gospel of the Kingdom” is not the gospel we preach today). They missed the signs of the coming Messiah. They didn’t understand the suffering servant. They didn’t see the death, burial, and resurrection until their understanding was opened after the resurrection (Luke 24).

They were chastised for missing all that.

We are told by Paul to look for the “epiphenea", (the sudden appearing of the Lord. This is not connected directly to the return of the King (the biblical event or the movie). Although, some things might occur simultaneously (the “falling away,” for example, could begin any time in earnest and keep growing). But that’s a matter of opinion… the greater point is that Paul did give us some things to look for:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of godliness [piety] but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith; but they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 

-2 Tim 3:1-9

I like this translation of verse 5:

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives.

-2 Tim 3:5 (Worldwide English) 

So many professed Christians think God is impressed with their acts of piety. Yet God desires faithfulness. Many think God is pleased with their religious activities and fervor merely because they are religious acts. Yet God desires faith.

I believe the distinguishing characteristic of the last days in terms of the spiritual will be the rejection of those who hold to the true faith… and that rejection will come from those who claim they have the true faith.

It’s one thing to be persecuted by pagans or Muslims or communists… it’ll be quite a different thing when the persecution of those who hold to Christ alone will be done by those who claim the name of Christ and who claim to believe the same gospel. I believe we are already seeing this. I believe this is historically new and has never been seen on this scale in history. And it will only get worse.

The Catholic Church slaughtered its thousands (and celebrated those deaths with great pomp). A day is coming when many professed Christians, who claim the gospel of grace alone, will be in league with Rome to persecute and execute the few who will hold onto the gospel of Christ alone.

Dealing With Promise Passages Such as Mark 16

We must remember when reading the gospel accounts that the Lord Jesus' earthly ministry was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel alone (Matthew 15:24). Of course, we always note that the Lord has always been the Lord of the Gentiles. 

Adam, Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, etc. all found redemption from the curse of sin and death while in uncircumcision. Adam looked forward to the restoration of Paradise lost (which will be restored on the new earth).

He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life. 

-Genesis 3:24

Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 

-Genesis 22:1-3

God has plans for the earth which includes a restoration of the Kingdom in Israel (Acts 1:6; Acts 3:21). God promised Abraham and his descendants a land, on the earth (Gen 15:18). He promised the Lord Jesus, as the Son of David, a future kingdom, on the earth (Luke 1:32). The Lord told the 12 they would one day sit on twelve literal thrones jusdging the literal 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

When the twelve go out in the Book of Acts they are obedient to their calling in Matthew 10. That is, they go to Jews only. Even after Gentiles are grafted in (to Israel's promises, not into salvation by grace) in Acts 10, the 12 go to Jews only in Acts 11.

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God... When they heard these things, they were silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life.” Now those who were scattered by the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one except Jews.

-Acts 11:1, 18-19

 

When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, understood the grace that was given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised [Jews].
-Galatians 2:9

We just note here that Peter addressed his epistles to the "Dispersion" and James to "the twelve tribes scattered abroad," this is, also to the Jewish dispersion.

These are all from after the Lord ascended from the earth in the clouds (Acts 1:9). The Lord will return to the earth the same way in the future (Rev 1:7). The Lord sent his disciples to Israel. The idea of preaching the Kingdom to Gentiles was forbidden in Matthew 10 and continued until the grafting in (for the sake of making a real, live, relevant Israel jealous, Rom 10:19; 11:11).

When we back into the gospel of Mark, obviously before the ascension of the Lord, and well before the grafting in of Gentiles in Acts 10, we must understand to whom these things were given.  

Afterward He appeared to the eleven [twelve minus Judas who would be replaced in Acts 1] as they sat at supper, and He reprimanded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

-Mark 16:14-18

We saw the beginnings of all these things in the Acts age. These were earthly promises connected to the hope of an earthly kingdom and an earthly plan. They were a picture of what was to come when the Kingdom is restored in Israel and a believing, redeemed, cleansed Israel comes into her inheritance. We note that Peter preached in Acts 3 of things promised "since the foundation of the ages" (Acts 3:1). Even if you use the traditional translation "since the world began," this is something revealed from Creation and not before.

But as with all promises and commands, we must note the age and hope and purpose at hand. Just as the Lord taught Israel in Matthew 24 that a terrible time was ahead ("For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be." - Matt 24:21), and just as Paul warned the Corinthians of hard days ahead, the full blessings of Mark 16 and other Kingdom passages will not be realized until all be fulfilled which must be fulfilled.

Those in the tribulation who stand against the forces of evil will be slaughtered. They will not be "claiming" Mark 16 or Jeremiah 29:11 or other promises in the Psalms. They can have hope in those passages for the future, but they will face terrible times before they see any fulfillment. Times so awful for Israel, the Lord offers a "woe" for women with child (pregnant or nursing) in that day (Matt 24:19). 

I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

-Revelation 17:6 

Imagine telling those saints that if they only believe hard enough they would be wealthy and all things would work for them. Then chastising them for lack of faith! 

God “can” is very different than God “must,” no matter how much faith we have. A promise of God for one purpose (or to one person, or to one group, or to one nation, etc.) teaches us that God is able to do certain things, but it does not mean the promise can be claimed by any believer in every age. We should pray that God would heal, etc., but not every promise is to us.

In regard to the promises and conditions of Mark 16, I would suggest you don’t drink anything poisonous expecting to not be harmed.

I know this could come off as harsh to some, but we must "rightly divide the Word of Truth." The atheist challenges the believer with this (and with other promise passages such as the healing teaching in James) concerning the sick and asks him why we aren’t visiting children’s hospitals healing sick kids. 

When we read this in James' epistle (addressed to the twelve tribes, 1:1), we must note that this is surely not a promise for the current hour.

Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. 

-James 5:14-15

It’s not that it doesn’t “always” happen, the truth is that it rarely happens (almost never happens). We still pray because God can heal and may choose to heal. But no amount of faith will obligate God to honor every promise in scripture to every believer in any age.

And it not only makes the atheist a mocker, many have lost the faith because they never see these things. They see loved ones sick and dying, they see the righteous struggle as the wicked prosper. We see the Fortune 500 list full of the wicked as poor believers in Nigeria rea rounded up and slaughtered.

In Matthew 10, the Lord promised his disciples they would not only heal the sick but also raise the dead. We can claim none of these promises nor obey any of these commands. The Lord’s earthly ministry was to Israel and he was dealing with an earthly hope and an earthly kingdom. Many things will only come to pass when God establishes that Kingdom in a cleansed and redeemed Israel, in the land, on the earth.

I only ask that we consider the full implications of promises we claim or commands we believe are for us. The unbeliever is watching and he is ready to mock. The weak believer is watching and may walk away when he doesn’t see the promises he was told are for him fulfilled.

What we can look forward to are promises, not "since the foundation," but promises sealed from "before the foundation." These are blessings, not of the earth, but set apart in the far above the heavens where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. Tremendous blessing indeed. So we are not discouraged by the sparse physical blessings in the current age, rather we rejoice that God has even greater things utterly sperate from his plans for the earth.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world [ages], to be holy and blameless before Him in love; He predestined us to adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will... 

-Ephesians 1:3-5

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the incomprehensible riches of Christ, and to reveal for all people what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ

-Ephesians 3:8-9

The vast majority of scripture is about the earth. From the restoration of the garden and access to the Tree of Life to the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel and the throne of David. So much of the Bible is built on that plan. We must rightly divide that which is for us today and follow the Lord according to our own calling.

We have no use for earthly ordinances in this age. We have covered this elsewhere on the blog and also on the video podcast. But suffice to say, we must "rightly divide the Word of Truth" (2 Tim 2:15) as best we can. God knows we are limited creatures, but that does not free us from the obligation to try.

The necessity of rightly dividing the Word of Truth

What it means to lose the inheritance in Ephesians 5

The Children vs The Sons of Israel and the Weakness of the King James Version

Deuteronomy 32:8 in the King James Bible and in the English Standard Version

A "King James Only" YouTube channel has posted a video accusing the English Standard Version of horrific error (its primarily crime, consistent with the channel, is that it's not the KJV). The host goes after its translation of Deuteronomy 32:8 which we will address shortly. Here is a quick blurb about the ESV from BibleStudyTools.com

The ESV is an "essentially literal" translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. It seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.

At issue is the ESV's use of "sons of God" as opposed the KJV's use of "children of Israel." in the verse.

Here is the KJV version of Deuteronomy 32:8

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

It's very important to understand why God inspires the idea of "children" or "child" in some passages and "sons" or "son" in others. As always, we are careful to note context where we are in scripture. If scriptures notes someone had a "son" (a male child) it may not carry the full weight it does in other passages, for example. 

Before we get lost in the weeds, we are talking about similar phrases and certain promises when we look to distinguish "sons" from "children," not merely a male child (e.g. Gen 32:22). That is, "son" referring to simply a male child does not carry the weight or figure "sons" carries when juxtaposed against "children," as we hope to establish.

Let's take a quick look at Deuteronomy 32:8 in other translations. I'm not a huge fan of the ESV (while I acknowledge it does have its good points), but it does list in its notes on this verse that the Textus Receptus (TR) reads "sons of Israel." It translates, then, from a minority text the phrase as "sons of God" and then acknowledges the TR reads "sons of Israel." Both depart from "children of Israel" as  the KJV reads. 

The ESV most likely is quoting the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. There we have "angels of God," which are also referred to a "sons of God" in scripture (e.g. Gen 6:2).

Let's first tun to the Geneva Bible and Wycliffe translation (TR) and NAS and NIV just FYC:

When the most high God divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he appointed the borders of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel. [Geneva]

When the highest parted folks, when he separated the sons of Adam, he ordained the terms of peoples by the number of the sons of Israel. (When the Most High God divided the nations, when he separated the sons of man, he ordained the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.) [Wycliffe]

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel. [NAS]

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel. [NIV]

Again, I don't think the ESV is particularly egregious here. We also note that John Wycliffe, "the morning star of the Reformation," uses "sons of God." This is due to his access only to the Latin texts .

Wycliffe supervised a handful of scholars at Oxford in the translation of the Latin Bible into the English language. This was the very first translation of the entire Bible into the English language. The only source that Wycliffe’s translators had to work with was a Latin hand-written manuscript of a translation made 1000 years previously.  

-ReformationSA.org

But we would never stand in judgment of Wycliffe who was condemned by the Catholic Church (as was his translation), yet unlike Tyndale later, he escaped imprisonment and death.

As a result of these activities and teachings, one pope issued five bulls against John Wycliffe for “heresy.” The Catholic Church tried him three times and two popes summoned him to Rome. However, Wycliffe wisely refused each summons and the political protection of the Duke of Lancaster and Queen Anne kept Wycliffe alive and free. He was never imprisoned. However, his followers were hunted down, expelled from Oxford and mercilessly persecuted.

        -ReformationSA.org 

The irony for the KJV-only people is that the 1611 KJV (or Authorized Version) contains most of the the extra-biblical books known as the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha is the backbone of several Roman Catholic doctrines including Purgatory and praying for the dead and indulgences. These extra books were not removed from the KJV for over two centuries.

The KJV Translation Choices in the New Testament are of a Far Greater Concern  

The KJV, even while relying on the Textus Receptus, makes an egregious error in its translation of the Greek words for "sons" and "children" from the Greek New Testament Textus Receptus texts. I find these far more serious to our understanding of God's plan for the ages and a source of confusion for those who may seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Tim 2:15).

Let's take a quick look at translations and the Greek source in regard to children/sons in the Gospels:

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-Matt 8:12 [KJV]


while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-Matt 8:12 [ESV]

Let's ignore for the moment that many preachers skip the first half of this verse and apply the "weeping and gnashing" to unbelievers in some fiery torture chamber and concentrate on the word translated "children" and "sons" respectively in this verse. The Greek word used is huiós.

In its strictest sense, the word should be translated "sons." The context of this verse is a comparative of uncircumcised and non-law-keeping Gentiles in the future kingdom on earth juxtaposed against the "heirs" of the Kingdom (Israel). "Sons" is better in regard to heirs. All sons are children, but not all children are "sons."

Now let's look at the opposite translation choice of a different word in John 1:1

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name [KJV]

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God [ESV]

Here the Greek word is "téknon" which better rendered "children," which is exactly how the KJV renders it in John 11:52. There, God prophetically gathers "the whole nation" (11:50), all the children. But, again, not all "children" are "sons."

We must separate the earthly program for the Kingdom in Israel with its promises and requirements from the program for the far above the heavens  (as revealed to Paul alone and taught in Ephesians and the seven post-Acts epistles). 

Salvation (redemption from the curse of death and decay) is, and has always been, by grace alone through faith alone. But there are rewards, crowns, a prize, etc. that are earned. There is a house to be built upon the foundation. There is a judgment of service.

For no one can lay another foundation than that which was laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, each one’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 

-1 Cor 3:11-13 (MEV)

The "sons of the kingdom" in Matthew 8 are the Jews who were to inherit the full blessings of Abraham and David by covenant, but failed. So where are they cast? They are cast out of the kingdom. The comparative is to "recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom" in that passage. That is what they lose. These are not tortured by fire. They had an inheritance, but by LACK OF FAITH, they lose that inheritance (not the gift of life) in the earthly Kingdom (and they lose the New Jerusalem).

When Jesus heard it [the faith of a Gentile], He was amazed and said to those who followed, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say to you that many [Gentiles] will come from the east and west and will dine with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [in the land]. But the sons of the kingdom [Israelites] will be thrown out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

-Matthew 8:10-12

All in faith are children of God, but only sons have the inheritance. One becomes a child by faith alone (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 20:30-32; etc), but one can lose an inheritance while still remaining a son. Again, that "inheritance" concerns the promises to and covenants with Israel (Romans 9).

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen by race, who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises, to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom, according to the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God forever blessed. Amen. 

-Romans 9:3-5

I speak to your [BELEIVERS'] shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren [BELIEVERS]? ... Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren [BELIEVERS]. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

-1 Cor 6:5, 8-10 (KJV)

We are running an individual race and we may be disqualified from rewards, crowns, etc.

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

-1 Cor 9:26-27 (KJV)

 

Could Paul "lose his salvation?" as some teach of believers? Absolutely not! Justification is a free gift. But he could find himself "disqualified" from an inheritance (Greek: adókimos = worthless). This is the "going on to PERFECTION (maturity)" spoken of in Hebrews 6:1 versus falling back into PERDITION (waste).

One can lose an inheritance by either wickedness or lack of faith without losing the free gift of reconciliation with God through Christ alone. The reward of the New Jerusalem, possible for inhabitants of the earthly Kingdom, is gained by faith and works. This reward is not speaking of Justification.

By faith [Abraham] sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

-Hebrews 11:10

When James speaks of faith without works (James 2:14), he gives two examples:

• Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
• Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

What works are noted? Abraham's willingness to kill and offer his son upon an altar and Rahab hiding the spies and misleading her own people about their whereabouts. Human sacrifice, treason, lying. Is this what we need to emulate to "maintain" our free gift? God forbid. 

James quotes the same verse Paul quotes in regard to Abraham's gift of life ("Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.") In regard to justification for the free gift, Paul leaves it there. In regard to fulfilling one's purpose unto reward, James states that the sacrifice of Isaac was the mark of faith and obedience. 

Abraham didn't suddenly put God in his debt. His "justification by works" in James 2 was unto his "perfection" (Maturity in the faith). James writes his epistle to the "twelve tribes" (Jas 1:1) who were promised a land and kingdom and awaited "restoration of all things" and "the return of Jesus Christ" to earth, if and when Israel repents and turns to Christ (as Peter offered and promised in Acts 3). 

We move on from the free gift  of justification to perfection and conditional rewards (based on the hope before the believer in the age he lives). Here again is Hebrews 6:1

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection

-Hebrews 6:1

 

ALL the children of Israel came out of Egypt under the blood, but only the faithful were able to step into the blessings of the land. Caleb and Joshua BELIEVED God could give them the land and professed that faith.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

-Numbers 14:26-30

Carcasses is the Hebrew word "peger" which is the same word used of those tossed into the fire which is not quenched, on earth, in a future age, from among the children of Israel and those that have transgressed in a future age (Isaiah 66:24 quoted by the Lord in Matthew).

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

-Isaiah 66:20-24

Related Translation Failures in the King James Bible

So, while the KJV-only crew focus in on the variation in Deuteronomy 32:8, they overlook far more serious translation choices in regard to the sons and children of Israel in the gospels and elsewhere. This is in addition to the failure of the KJV to translate and rightly divide the Hebrew words "katabolḗ" or "kósmos" correctly.  

God has revealed some things from or since "the throwing down and beginning of the ages" and some things from "before the throwing down and beginning of the ages." As we have noted in other studies, 

Young in his literal translation gives us a clearer view than does the KJV when he renders these verses as "age of the ages" and similar. As just one example, 1 Peter 5:11 (an epistles from an apostle to the circumcision preaching the gospel to the circumcision in the Acts age, addressed to the Jewish "dispersion" which is a parallel to James' "twelve tribes scattered abroad").

to Him [is] the glory, and the power -- to the ages and the ages! Amen. [YLT]


To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. [KJV]

The concept of "for ever" in English causes many problems for those who fail to rightly divide. A number of statutes in the Law of Moses are said to be "a statute for ever" [KJV]. yet we know these are not practiced today and if we did practice them we would be in serious error.  This is covered elsewhere, but we note it here to further show how the KJV should be understood as a translation completed by those with preconceived doctrines and understandings which failed to "rightly divide the Word of Truth."

Just one example:

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean...

-Leviticus 10:9-10

You might recognize the last part of this passage as it is sometimes referenced to condemn things like  electric guitars. We will leave that there (as it should be understood as silly on its face) and only note that we do not hear the first part of the passage being screamed from any pulpits today. If the "church" is in fact somehow "Israel," then this statute is "for ever."

If the argument is made that the Law was somehow replaced, then we must include in that the Ten Commandments (which is fine by me, but those who ignore some of the law conveniently choose the parts they don't like, but not all).

Those interested in this topic, especially the Greek usage in the New Testament, might find the following link helpful:

[Uses of] Everlasting, Eternal, and Forever

We also recommend the Far Above All translation