QUESTION:
If we look at the bible through the “three-fold division”
of Ephesians 2, the Old Testament is the time past. However, I’m not sure if
all the Gospels <Matthew, Mark, Luke and John> also fall under this time
past. Can you please clarify?
ANSWER:
To answer this statement, one must bear in mind that when
Paul wrote the passage, he used the words, “But now”, to indicate his current
time. This means that everything before his writing “but now”, is in times
past. Since Paul wrote his epistles long after Jesus had ascended to heaven, it
effectively means that “time past” includes the content of gospels of Matthew
to John, since their contents is all about Jesus’ earthly ministry.
To take this further, the “but now” is currently still in
operation. Why? Well, Paul’s writings introduce the mystery doctrine which is
applicable for us as the grace believers in the Body of Christ. All of Paul’s
writings is still valid today and will remain valid until we are caught up to
heaven at the rapture, which brings a close to the dispensation of grace.
The ages to come will come into effect from the tribulation
onwards because the tribulation is the resumption of prophecy and is applicable
to Israel again. Everything that Paul revealed as grace doctrine is not found
in prophecy. Likewise, everything that the prophets foretold in scripture is
for Israel and does not contain anything remotely connected to our mystery
program.
Thus, in summary, “ages past” is from the beginning of the
world to the revealing of Paul’s mystery doctrine. “But now” is from Paul’s
epistles in his day until the rapture. “Ages to come” is from the rapture to
the end of the Millennial kingdom.
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