The BIG Picture (Q&A)

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." — Zechariah 8:23 (KJV) A Prophecy of Israel’s Future Prominence This verse reveals a profound prophecy concerning Israel’s restoration and role in the future millennial kingdom . It describes a time when people from all nations will seek out Israel , recognising that God’s presence and blessing are uniquely upon them . The image of Gentiles taking hold of the skirt of a Jew is symbolic of their desire to be associated with God's chosen people , acknowledging His divine favour upon Israel. The phrase "In those days" refers to a future period , distinct from the current dispensation. This is not a reference to our present age of grace , but rather to the time when Christ establishes His earthly reign as ...

The following are some responses to the previous post uploaded concerning Paul's "my gospel" and rightly dividing the Word. If one does not rightly divide the Word, it will become confusing, as is evident in this person's comments. The comments are all directly related to mixing up the Kingdom and Grace doctrines. It is not only sad to see such confusion, but it is dangerous to spread such false doctrine because anyone out there who is uninformed about sound doctrine will believe it and get all twisted up in confusion and contradiction too. We are to STUDY the Word for ourselves, not rely on things we have learned from preachers, or books, or YouTube. Our ONLY source of truth in the King James Bible. Read it, cross reference scripture, learn its true context, and be edified by it alone. If you find content outside of the Bible, don't believe it until you have searched the scriptures yourself.  COMMENT: If Paul was really preaching another gospel, then how could h...

Jesus' sacrifice was an act of love and redemption, offering Himself as a ransom for humanity, 1Tim 2:6, and establishing peace between God and those who choose to believe in Jesus Christ. This selfless act is seen as the ultimate expression of love, as stated in John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." There is no more motivation needed than to provide the following scriptures that confirm the fact that Jesus willingly gave his life as a ransom for the redemption of those who believe in Him. Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 1 John 3...

Paul was indeed a Jew and devout Pharisee, but when God converted him on the Damascus road, God gave him a completely new gospel and doctrine. Have you ever considered why Paul never references anything of Jesus in his epistles? No teachings, no parables, no miracles. This is often a surprise to people! The ONLY thing Paul brings across into his epistles and into the grace gospel is the CROSS, which for the Kingdom gospel was a contentious issue according to Peter. Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 2Co 5:16-17 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

How does it work for believers in the Kingdom program? The Kingdom gospel in Jesus’ day was a works-based gospel. In other words, the Jews would believe in Jesus as his Messiah, but then he would have to add works to his faith by repentance, water baptism, Spirit baptism, obeying the commandments, forgiving his brother, selling all his possessions, and enduring to the end. These ‘works’ would prove his faith and commitment to his Messiah and he would qualify for the Kingdom. Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died w...

Let me answer the points in your question with some facts. Sin has separated us from God. The bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom 3:23). We cannot restore that relationship. We never could and we never will be able. You see, sin is in our nature. It’s not our works or efforts that is the issue, it is us ourselves. It is our very nature that is at enmity with God. The bible says,  Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. No good works or efforts that you do, to appease God or try to earn favour with Him, will count for anything! Again, the problem lies inside of us, inside our very nature as humans. So then, what is the answer to your question? If we cannot do anything to find peace with God, how can we be saved? Well, the bible gives us these answers too. God has provided us with grace through Jesus Christ. The answer is to believe in Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus wi...

POINT TO PONDER When we look at the horrific death of Christ, and the fact that the Bible says His death is essential for our salvation, then we can only conclude that our condition is one of extreme and inescapable despair, disability and destitution – to the extent that we ourselves could do nothing to rectify our existing situation. The extreme measure that God took to save us is an indication of our extreme need to be saved.

When you consider the progression of the dispensations and that in each dispensation, God had a different relationship with humans, the answer to this question becomes clear. As a simple example, consider that when Noah lived, there was no Israel nation and Mosaic law. Obviously, Jesus had not come yet and there was no prophesy concerning His life and death. So, how then would Noah be saved? It could not be by Jesus or the cross! When we understand progressive dispensations and we take the text in the Bible for what it is, then the answers start to form in the Word. Noah and his family were saved because Noah obeyed God’s word. What was God’s good news to Noah? Build a boat. So, Noah obeyed God and built a boat and became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is...

The kingdom gospel to the Jews is to believe in and confess Jesus as their Messiah and then to do works to prove their faith in their confession. The works to do are to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sin, so that they can receive the Holy Spirit, Act.2:38-39. That is their gospel. In addition to this they were expected to continue faithfully in the Mosaic law, to sell all their possessions and live in common with each other in the church, and endure to the end until their salvation comes at the return of Christ. The grace gospel to all nations is to hear and believe in the cross work of Jesus Christ; that Jesus, as God’s Son, completely righteous and perfect, died in our place as a willing offering, so that God could impute His righteousness on us and justify us by the price of that sacrifice. There are no works to perform to qualify faith because Jesus did all the work necessary to justify us, and we are not saved by our own faith, but by the faith of Christ Himse...

QUESTION:  I am half and half with my salvation. Deep down I feel like I'm saved, but doubt shoots that down quite often. I do want to be saved. I do feel love for Jesus and have a longing for him and to obey and follow him. I've been told that this longing that I feel is proof that I'm saved and then I've also been told that that's not enough. I'm guessing where you stand on this, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. Is that longing to be with Jesus enough? Or “evidence"? Or something else? ANSWER:  The first thing to mention is that faith is not a feeling. I mention this because 3 times in your comment above you mention this. Can I speak plainly (and bluntly). Forget about feeling anything. Feelings are just going to mess with faith. So, get that off your chest!! The next thing to say is this: Have you heard the gospel of the cross, how that Jesus Christ died for your sins, (so you could be forgiven and redeemed), and how that Jesus was buried and ...

Israel, before the cross Mat 19:16-21  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  17 … but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.  18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?  21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Before the cross, Jews had to show faith and confirming works (to prove their faith) in order to be saved. Their faith was placed in their confession of Jesus as the Messiah. Thereafter, their confirming works were to ob...

1Cor.15:1-4  Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Eph.2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

There are two simple things to be aware of in order to answer this question. First , by what standard, does God judge a person, and second , what are the judgements of God that will ultimately involve everyone born into the human race. Let's have a look at the details. By what standard, does God judge a person The anticipation of a coming Redeemer (and Messiah, for Israel), the subsequent birth and life of Jesus Christ, and (for us in the grace dispensation,), the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the absolute standard and singular salvific event of God's great redemption plan for humanity. The pivotal point in all of time rests on the life and sacrifice of Christ. Ultimately, every individual person will be judged by the faith they place in God's Son, Jesus Christ. Gal.4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, ... What are the judgements of God It is true that everybody will be judged. Hebrews says it as follows, Heb.9:27 And a...

Answer Request: Is God's power to save people limited through the crucifixion of Jesus alone? If that is the case, then how can God be believed to have unlimited power?  First: Let us establish and understand that God is ALL POWERFUL and that there is nothing impossible for Him . The Word is quite clear on this fact, Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Job 42:2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had ...

Without the knowledge of right division between Israel's program of prophecy and law and the Paul's program of grace and mystery, one will find many supposed discrepancies or contradictions in the Bible. These, however, are easily explained when you understand that the two passages below each come from one of the two separate programs, in which life, faith, conditions, and divine instructions were very different. In the same way, the cross was seen as a very different object between the two dispensations. The following scripture is based on Israel's Kingdom program (before the revealing of the Grace program given to Paul by the glorified and risen Jesus Christ). In this passage the apostle Peter is preaching to Jews and mentioned that they killed their Messiah, allowing Him to be nailed to a cross, which was one of the most shameful and cursed positions to be placed in during those days (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:22-23). (See the appendi...