The BIG Picture (Q&A)

The following discourse is commentary from a social media site based on reactions to one of my posts. The main context of this Q&A is concerning hearing God's voice and walking in righteousness. There are some important lessons to learn regarding how we hear God's voice and how we walk according to the Spirit and not according to our own 'works' or efforts. Questions or comments in the post are bulleted. "John 10 says “My sheep hear my voice and follow me.” Do you hear his voice and obey him?" The only way to 'hear' His voice is through the written word of God. It is the word of God within you, acquired through reading and studying it and gaining understanding in it that embeds God's Spirit within you. Jesus says in Jn6:63, "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." So, to get God's Spirit in you, you need to get into the written Word of God and get it into you. It is through the knowledge and underst...

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: Based on 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philippians 3:17, are we to follow the example of Paul today? TYPICAL REPLY (Non-Dispensational) : Are we to base our faith on a sentence fragment and a scripture verse taken out of context? No. Your use of fragments of scripture is dishonest and misrepresents the meaning of the scriptures you purposely abuse. ANSWER: I cannot disagree more on this statement! Paul was chosen by the risen Christ to be the first into the body of Christ and likewise, to be the pattern and format for all that come to salvation through the grace gospel. 1 Timothy 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 . The two scriptures posted in the question are hardly fragments. It is clear that Paul introduced a new gospel and doctrine specific for the body of Christ. Who better to be that pattern to follow than imitating the ...

WOW! What a question! It deserves a significant answer! In Gen.12, God's covenant promise to Abraham (Israel) was that in (or through) Israel all the nations of earth would be blessed. Through Israel, salvation would come to the world (Acts 1:8, Zachariah 8:23). However, about 5 years after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Jews stoned Stephan, and this triggered the downfall of the Jewish nation. Paul writes about the fall (or blinding) of the Jews in Romans 9-11. So, does this not cause a dilemma? How would the Gentiles be blessed if the source of blessing (Israel) has fallen? *The answer is: Paul! God keeps His word and saves Paul, a Jew (a descendant of Abraham), and equips him with a new gospel and a mystery message and sends him to the Gentiles. Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), Go! For this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. (See also Galatians 1:1) Transliteration of ‘chosen’ : eklogḗ; Definition (Stron...