The BIG Picture (Study)

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 2 --- Clearing up the gospel confusion ) Browse around on the internet and you will find that everyone has a different view on the gospel. It is so sad to say, but there is such confusion regarding the gospel today. The gospel is the message that has the power to save us, but if everyone has their own views and interpretations, WHO IS RIGHT? Some argue if there is one gospel or many. Others cannot agree on what the gospel message is. Still others battle to understand how Paul fits into the picture and if his gospel is different, since he claims it to be, "my gospel" in  Romans 2:16, Romans 16:25 , and 2 Timothy 2:8 . So, how do we get to the truth?  ——which we ALL KNOW is in the Bible; being God's infallible truth and the only valid reference we have!!!   This million dollar question is not difficult to answer! Think of it! There is only one answer! The confusion comes because everyone has their own opinions and theorie

How the Gospels Transitioned through ACTS (Part 1 ---  Introduction ) The transition period of Acts is a very intricate period, and one that can be expounded on in many different ways. One of the ways, to gain deeper insights into the transition period of Acts, is by studying the content of the gospels, and matching their differences up to the audiences who heard and responded to them. This study is going to delve into these topics to hopefully bring some meaningful insights to the transition period of Acts, and provide greater clarity regarding the different gospel messages and the people who were affected by them. Before we get into the details of four gospels, lets focus on what we know about the way of life before, and after, the gospel transition period. This will help us better understand the impact and conditions of the gospels and how they would affect the lives of those who lived during, and after this transition, which also includes you and I to

Understanding and Interpreting the Bible (Part 5B ---  Dividing the PROGRAMS ) In our last post, Part 5A , we took a high level look at the two programs, simply discussing what they are and how they are different. I'd like to wrap up this series of lessons on "Understanding and Interpreting the Bible", by confirming the scriptural proof of the divisions n the programs of Israel and the Body of Christ. As a reminder, the below picture illustrates that we have two main parts to God's overarching redemption plan. The realms of earth and heaven, physical and spiritual. Within each of these realms, we have a people group (or agency). Earth will be inherited to Israel, and heaven will be filled with the Body of Christ. We covered these details in depth in previous posts. To clarify the 'program' portions of the image below, I can describe it as follows. The programs are the actionable components of the two divided parts. They portray the 'modus operandi'

The world is not the same as we knew it before The world is a very different place today, and it all started in January 2020. Looking back at the last year and a half, its almost as if a switch has been flipped ON. Like a dark room being flooded with light, this invisible switch has flooded the world with a sinister agenda. One can clearly see a foreboding shadow being cast upon the earth today as almost every news event has biblically prophetic undertones with a frequency and intensity that is converging, at an increasing rate, towards the dispensation of the Tribulation. From the steady flow of news I get at the sources I frequent, I'd like to highlight three categories and bring these to your attention, Desensitization! Just like the passage of scripture at Rom.1:18-28 , humanity is in a steady downward spiral of deception. Humanity is being reprogrammed to forget about God and to accept lies. Their minds are becoming so utterly foolish and debased that normal

Gospel Transition vs. Gospel Dispensation Handling Gospel Transition Paul and John the Baptist taught two distinct gospels, both given by God: the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the grace of God. John the Baptist taught the good news of a coming Messiah to establish the long-promised kingdom to Israel. Anyone with sin could not enter the kingdom. He water baptized for the remission of sins and the promised priesthood, ( Mark 1:3-4 ). Paul's gospel taught Christ's blood payment for our sins and righteousness without the law.     Jesus, during his earthly ministry, taught the same message as John ( Mark 1:14-15 ). Yet, he added belief in himself as the Messiah. Anyone who did not believe Jesus was the Son of God was unacceptable with God ( John 6:40 ). The disciples of John may not have identified the Messiah. Followers of Jesus were required to.  Transition to Peter's Message  When Jesus died, his followers scatte

Scripture Analysis: (Eph.1:13) A powerful verse, not only in what it says, but in what it does NOT say! As good as reading the Bible is, we miss a LOT of valuable details as our eyes simply pass over the words. To really get into the heart of the verse, it is important to — slow down , to — take note what it says, and to — understand it in the context of rightly dividing the passage in which it resides. ---------------------------- Eph.1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,   There is a lot of information in this verse, but what is of greater interest, as I write this, is n

I can stare at this image for ages. It never ceases to make my imagination run wild! Every time I look at it, I get transported away in that moment and I experience such awe and longing for the reality thereof. To see Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, to hear His voice and see His face, to touch Him and embrace Him, to feel the undiluted waves of His love washing over me in that moment of inevitable and perfect reunion... ...However, let's come back to the 'now' , ...  Sigh! ... I'd like to comment on a few points regarding the 'Bema Seat' and bring some things to your attention while we are still here in the present. ◾ What is this event all about? The Judgement Seat of Christ (aka, the Bema Seat) will take place soon after the Rapture of the Church, the body of Christ. ( 2 Cor.5:10, Rom.14:10 ). The participants in the judgment seat of Christ are members of the Body of Christ, identified as all people who have responded in faith t

Is John 3:16 the gospel? No . This verse depicts the Kingdom gospel and not the Grace gospel. The gospel is absent in this verse and therefore one cannot use this verse as a basis to present the gospel to someone. Why not? This verse lacks the information that one needs to know regarding the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what that purpose is for us. John 3:16 is essentially the Kingdom gospel and had to do with the  identity  of Jesus Christ, and Jews [ at the time of John's writing ] had to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah, (see John 20:31, Luke 12:8, Matthew 16:16, John 11:27 ). The Grace gospel today is not about the identity of Christ, but rather with the cross work of Jesus; not who He is, but  what He has done . For examples of the grace gospel, see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:15.   (Note, these scriptures above reference the cross work of Je

The Power of God unto Salvation Rom.1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  Disregarding all the petty religious squabbles, all the theories and interpretations, all the denominational traditions and observances. Disregarding all the feeble wisdom that we think we have, all the pious egos, self-righteousness, esteem and exaltations that we paste onto our fleeting earthly lives, it really comes down to ONE thing, and one thing ALONE; the fact that we as humanity are utterly lost and utterly powerless to save ourselves, to the point that all we can do, .....literally, the only viable thing left, outside our bag of tried and useless tricks, is acknowledge that only one hope remains, —to believe in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. All the c

How to identify non-dispensational websites A few days ago I had some time on my hands, so I started browsing the web for some interesting reads. I happened upon a new site I've never seen before, and the page I was reading contained some of the authors views on where we go after death. Do we go to be with the Lord? Do we go to heaven or to a waiting room until judgement? Is our soul or consciousness aware of a new environment? Are we in a soul sleep while in the grave? As I read through the authors convictions on this topic I found that I agreed with him as he laid out the scriptures to qualify his understanding and I was genuinely impressed with the article. It was exciting to find a new site that I could relate to. However, as I browsed more I started to find some concepts that were very different to my convictions. The author expounded on some fundamental doctrines that I simply could not agree with. It was interesting to note how on the first