The BIG Picture (Q&A)

QUESTION: Do you teach that the Jews of the Old Testament were saved by works of a combination of faith and works, and if so, do you argue that from James 2? ANSWER: I’m glad that you say Old Testament Jew and distinguish their salvation as different from today. It is important to clarify that in this grace dispensation today, under the grace gospel, there is no Jew or Gentile, Gal.3:28. We are all the same and people of all nations have access to God and salvation though the gospel of Christ. Now, concerning Old Testament, from Moses to Jesus, I can answer your question by referring to this verse: Rom.3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision BY faith, and uncircumcision THROUGH faith. As the verse identifies, today, Gentiles obtain righteousness THROUGH having trusting in what Christ has done for them, or in other words, NOT BY THEIR OWN FAITH but through the faith of Jesus Christ, Gal.2:16; Phil.3:9. It is the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to Gentiles...

The following is someone's response to this article which dealt with aspects concerning the Kingdom and Grace gospels and the fact that they have different content and are addressed to different audiences. I'm posting this to point out that if one does not rightly divide the Word and recognize the fact that there are TWO programs and TWO people groups in God's redemption plan, one will get terribly mixed up and confused, skewing doctrine and getting tangled up in confusing discrepancies when right division clears all things up so easily.  These comments below clearly indicate the struggle to make sense of the Word, trying to join things that are meant to be separate and distinct. The arguments made result in unusual interpretations and indicate a juvenile understanding of the Word. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  (16)  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will ...

In times past (before the cross), God was forming Israel to be the light and salvation to the Gentiles. God was going to use Israel to reach the Gentiles with His presence and His Word. This is why they are called a royal priesthood and holy nation in Exodus 19:5-6. The verse in Eph 2:12 is speaking of this time (before the cross) where Israel was still the center of God’s focus. God was not showing Himself to any Gentile nations as this would be the role of Israel after their Messiah came. This is why Paul says the following, Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Verse 13 however tells of a radical change in events. Due to Israel’s unbelief, God suspended His dealings with them (temporarily), and converted Paul and sent him with a new gospel an...

The following is an informal writing, or a heart cry. It is not intended to be a lesson or Biblical discourse. Denominations teach their members that they are spiritual Israel. Christians want to pick up their cross and follow Jesus. Non-Jewish believers start to speak and write using the Hebrew terminology and the names of God, believing that it makes their speech and writing more holy. Certain churches practice Jewish ordinances and adopt Jewish customs, and many denominational churches believe in baptisms and communion, and place themselves under various laws and gospel orientated traditions. It is sad to see how many Christians try to make themselves more Jewish, for the sake of the Jewish scriptures and for religious appearance? Why do I say this? Well, when one weighs up the doctrine of Israel, who are under law and works, with the doctrine of the Body of Christ, who are free from both law and works, who are under the absolute and wonderous grace of God because of the cross of Ch...

The following statement is a reply written by someone who was commenting on a post in which I described the framework of scripture; the dividing of the redemption plan of God into the dispensations. This comment argues that Gentiles are Europeans and do not constitute all people who are not Jews. In the rest of the post, I provide my understanding of who Gentiles are based on a rightly divided view of scripture. Comment made: Gentiles are not all nations outside of Israel. Gentiles are the sons of Japheth: Genesis 10:1–5. Trace Japheth's sons as they overspread the earth and you will find that they are merely Europeans, or what the world knows as white people. Remember Ham was also a son of Noah, but not Gentiles. Shem is the lineage which the nation of Israel comes through.  In Romans 11, Paul, being the apostle of the Gentiles, was speaking to Rome, who are Gentiles warning them not to try to take the church from Israel. Rome, even unto this day says that they are the mother ...