The BIG Picture (Q&A)

QUESTION on Social Media: Why does Jesus Christ claim to be "the truth and the life" (John 14:6) and then, "sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)? My ANSWER: When Jesus declares in John 14:6 that He is “the way, the truth, and the life,” He is revealing Himself as the exclusive source of salvation, the full revelation of God, and the only path to the Father. This statement belongs to the present age of grace, where God openly invites all people to come to Him through Christ. It reflects God’s heart that none should perish but that all should come to repentance, and it shows that the gospel is a genuine, universal offer of truth and life to anyone who will receive it. In contrast, the “powerful delusion” described in 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 does not apply to believers today, nor to those who are sincerely seeking truth. Paul is speaking propheticall...

QUESTION: “Christ was the end of the first program and has become the only way to the Father. But I'm not sure about your telling about the going back to prophecy/law. Please can you explain and provide some scriptures.” MY REPLY: The Seventy Weeks (of Years) Prophecy The most thorough way to prove that the prophecy/law program reactivates is to look at prophecy itself, using one of the most powerful prophecies in the Bible: Daniel’s 70-weeks prophecy, found in Daniel 9:24-27. This prophecy outlines a timeline of God’s plan for Israel. The prophecy is divided into three parts: 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week, totaling 70 weeks of years (490 years). Interruption by Paul’s Mystery and Grace Dispensation The prophetic program for Israel was interrupted after the 69th week (7+62 sevens = 483 years) with the arrival of Jesus Christ, who was “cut off” (crucified) as prophesied in Dan.9:26. This interruption is often referred to as the “gap” or “parenthesis” in the prophecy. During this gap...

QUESTION: Why can’t I take the words of Jesus and ignore those of Paul? I’m on my way back to Jesus after a long separation and Paul is the main barrier. ANSWER: The Lord Himself chose and separated Paul for a special ministry. Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles. Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: The 13 epistles that he wrote contains information that is relevant for the Body of Christ today. This is important to realize as the contents of the Bible, outside of Paul’s epistles are written to Israel and is doctrine for the Jews under Law. Even Jesus ministry was towards the Jews. This is why Jesus Himself said, Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. and… Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law [as a Jew], 5 to redeem those who were under the law [Jews], When Jesus appea...

QUESTION: What do you make about tattoos? Should a Christian have it since it was condemned in the Old Testament but not in the New Testament? ANSWER: Entertaining thoughts like this is a consequence of not rightly dividing the Word of truth. These confusions come into the mind when people are taught that they are spiritual Israel, or when people are ignorant of the two separate and distinct programs that occupy the written Word. Let me briefly clarify what I mean. We have TWO programs in the Bible. The prophetic program and the mystery program. The prophetic program concerns Israel who were the people of God, a special nation, set apart by God, via the law, in order to be a light to the world, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. On the other hand, there is the mystery program, that concerns the Body of Christ, who are under grace. Where Israel is a physical people who would inherit the physical earth, the Body of Christ is a spiritual creature [body] which will inherit the heaven...

QUESTION: In Eph.2:7-13, Paul uses phrases like 'Time Past', 'But Now', and 'Ages to Come'. What I don't understand is time past. How could anyone say The Gospels are time past when most people are saying the Old Testament is time past. What I've been taught for years is that the Old Testament is for learning, the New Testament was the history of our One and true God, because of what He did on the cross, and through this I have hope. The only thing I'm waiting for is to be comforted in His arms when he returns. If I'm wrong please enlighten me. We all are here to learn. ANSWER: Thank you for your comment. I like the way you ended your paragraph above. I agree that we are all here to learn. When I publish these posts of mine, I trust that they will trigger the interest of some readers to ask questions and learn something new, but I also am open to learn from their comments. The Word says that we all know in part. I honestly believe that our edific...

QUESTION: “Rightly dividing the Word” doesn’t mean to divide the word against itself, accepting some things, and rejecting others, (I guess because scripture is faulty). In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul is instructing Timothy to rightly divide the word of God. Scholars defines ‘right division’ as to handle correctly, to set forth truthfully. So, we are not to divide it up, but unite it together bringing it all in context. The correct understanding is that they must agree.   To do so, some people desperately need the Holy Spirit’s guidance as to how to do this, not throwing away Paul for Jesus, or the other way around. Both need to be united together to be produce correct doctrine. ANSWER: Dear reader, if scripture is faulty then it is in the faulty interpretations of the mind of man! Let God be true and every man a liar. I agree that dividing the word is not accepting some things and rejecting others. The whole Word is the full counsel of God and the whole Word provides us the full co...

QUESTION: Dispensational models have a tendency to falls apart. There is no agreement on the number of dispensations. What is the full set of proposed dispensations with the triggers for their start and end points? ANSWER: I can agree that there are arguments on dispensational models; some say this, and others say that, but that doesn't mean that there aren’t dispensations. I too disagree with some over-the-top models where too much is read into scripture and things are twisted to fit man’s imagination, but again, even though some of these models are out these, it does not disqualify the fact that the bible does clearly mention dispensations, (as per the verses below). When God judged humanity and set up a covenant with Abraham, a new dispensation began. In other words, God would reveal Himself through a nation that He would raise up through Abraham. When God called Paul to go to the Gentiles, a new dispensation began where God would save Gentiles without the means of Israe...

QUESTION: You say that in Jesus earthly ministry he was preparing and saving Israel to inherit the earth. If Jesus was only preparing Jews for an earthly kingdom, why did he talk about the kingdom of heaven in Mat 5:19-20? ANSWER: Your scripture reference reads, Mat 5:19-20 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Although (only) Matthew uses the phrase  “kingdom of heaven” , we can be sure, according to a myriad of additional prophecy in the bible, that this kingdom is the ‘earthly’ inheritance of God’s people when Jesus comes back at His second advent. This  “kingdom of heaven”  can easily be un...

Lesson #1 The absolute MOST valued lesson I have learned is to rightly divide the truth, 2Tim.2:15. After 40 years of reading the Bible as if it was ALL written to me and for my instruction, when I learned about rightly dividing the truth, and recognizing that Paul’s letters are instructions addressed to me, and the rest of the Bible is instructions for Israel, this brought clarity and dismissed all that confusion and contradiction. The Bible became an open book from that point. Things fell into place and my faith became settled and strong. Dividing the Word showed me a clear picture of the whole plan of God to redeem us. It showed me where I fit into God’s plan, and it gave me purpose and insights into what God’s will was for me. I cannot overemphasize the value and importance of applying this command to rightly divide the truth to your bible studies. It has completely changed my understanding of God’s Word for the better. I will never look back again at blending everything into on...

QUESTION: Christians who say they are in the new covenant teaching dispensationalism, can you explain and provide Scriptures with examples to support: No grace under the law, but now under grace there is no law? Are the teachings of Christ for all (Matt 28:20)? ANSWER: I can provide scriptures in Paul’s epistles that will verify that as believers in this dispensation of grace, we are not under the law. Furthermore, I can provide scriptures to confirm that only Israel was, and will again be, under the law. However, these scripture references will not satisfy your underlying need to have a better grounding in the administration of God’s redemption plan, divided into time past, but now, and ages to come. Until you have a clear view of God’s purpose for Israel, and that it is different to God’s purpose for the Body of Christ (grace believers), there will always be confusion and contradiction. I am happy to journey with you in discovering God’s administrations. Scriptures like that which yo...

QUESTION: Personally, I don’t have any faith in Paul whatsoever, a lot of his teachings seem to be in contradiction of those of the Christ, I’m not at all sure that any of his letters or epistles should even be in the bible. ANSWER: The purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry was to save Israel under the law program so that, according to prophecy, they could be the light and salvation of the Gentiles. However, because of Israel’s unbelief, their program was temporarily halted (or blinded as Paul informs in Rom.11).  It is at this point that Paul’s ministry was started and God sent Paul to the Gentiles with a new salvation message (the cross of Christ) and a new doctrine of grace (not law). So herein is the reason why Paul’s ministry and message is so different to Jesus’ message. They in essence taught different people groups and two separate messages, although both were in the plan of God to create two distinct bodies to fill both heaven and earth with the glory of Christ. If you recogn...

QUESTION: Are you advising we follow Paul because he was sent to preach to the gentiles and disregard Jesus because His preaching was for the Jews? Are you saying Jesus' teachings and commands were not written for our doctrines and practice? ANSWER: Jesus’ earthly ministry was ONLY to the Jews. Mat 15:24 But he [Jesus] answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus tells a gentile woman that he is NOT sent to the gentiles but ONLY to the Jews. The earthly ministry of Jesus was to save the Jews first. He was born to bring about the New Covenant for the Jews, so that they in turn could be the salvation for the Gentiles. Another scripture: Rom 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Who is the circumcision? Israel of course. You ask, "Are you saying Jesus' teachings and commands were not written for our doctrines and practice?" I say, ...

DEVIATION OF TRUTH: Paul preached like me and you. He preached Christ crucified. He preached repentance and remission of sins. He pointed people to Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is the pattern to follow not Paul. Paul healed and delivered people using Jesus' name. Christ is the focus. His teachings are what we should follow and apply. Paul clarified Jesus' sacrifice and related it the Old Testament atonement. His teachings can never override Jesus' teachings. If you preach Paul, you have missed it completely by abandoning Jesus to concentrate on Paul. You left the substance and pursued the shadow. I'm not saying Paul teachings are not to be followed but it shouldn't be the central focus. CORRECTION ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE: 1Ti_1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. Paul is the first to be saved into the grace dispensation...

QUESTION: I chose not to listen to Paul. I'm no scholar nor expert but here are a few scriptures from Jesus himself: Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. So, we are to still keep the commandments. Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’ This shows that some people who consider Jesus Lord will be condemned because they were lawless. The answer to “I never knew you” is John 10:27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. For me, Paul is too hard to understand. Peter even mentioned it just after 2 Peter 3:14. ANSWER: God put the writings...

It is the Holy Spirit that teaches, not man!!! It is the Holy Spirit that reveals truth and insights into God’s Word, not man!!! What I can do via posts like these is to sow seeds that you can investigate and allow the Spirit to bring you to a fuller knowledge. We all know in part, so we can learn from each other, not under compulsion or coercion, but rather in love and respect for God’s Word and by the only teacher of it, the Holy Spirit. So, let me drop off a few seeds for you to consider and pray about in regard to dispensations. This is certainly not all the Bible mentions about it, but it is enough to prove a point that there is something here of note that one cannot dismiss. Seed #1: God separated out Israel for a specific purpose and His relationship with Israel is different compared to ALL other nations. Numbers 23:9 …lo, the people [Israel] shall dwell alone, and  shall not be reckoned among the nations . Exo.19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep ...