First the Question: Jewish vows, religious purifications, baptism, circumcision, Sabbaths, feast days, and laying on of hands, do NOT belong to the Body of Christ. True or False?
Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day
And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-16-2011
Question: The Mystery of the Church AS the Body of Christ was NEVER made known in Old Testament times, nor yet when our LORD was on Earth...it was HID. True or False?
Answer: TRUE! Well PRAISE THE LORD! On this question, with 786 responses, 90.7% of you got it RIGHT! That is wonderful! Therefore,
Today let us consider, Christian Fundamentalists, WAKE UP! Pt. 4 of 4
CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS NEED TO WAKE UP NOW!
The Body of Christ is only one phase of this precious Divine Truth, which is the most blessed and glorious truth for saints in all of God's Word: The Truth of The Mystery, the Eternal Purpose of God in Christ. Many centuries ago the RISEN Yahweh Yahuwshua, The LORD Jesus Christ, revealed this mystery, "His eternal purpose in Christ." Ninety-nine plus per cent of Body of Christ members are as ignorant of this truth as though it were not in the Bible. It is God's answer to the fanaticism, and to all the Israelitish movements with which the joint-Body of Christ is afflicted. It is the Divine curative for every ill and "ism" that is troubling the Body of Christ.
If there is to be a revival before the LORD Jesus comes for His Body, it will be when this glorious truth is brought from under the rubbish heap and ecclesiastical tradition. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LION AND LAMB MINISTRY!
Let’s see why God WANTS this glorious truth known:
"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of The Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a Perfect Man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men. and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
Let us no longer be children! Let us obey the LORD's command!
If there is any reason why the LORD is delaying His coming for His Church, it is not because He is waiting for the revival of the Roman Empire, but because He wants His saints to see and obey Ephesians 3:9-11, "And to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our LORD." And all God’s people said…AMEN!
SO LET US DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
Now let us be gracious and longsuffering and forgiving. Let us obey Ephesians 4:1-6, "I therefore, the prisoner of the LORD, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One LORD, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
But in kindness let me ask you, do you think a man is honest or intelligent when he says he obeys all the LORD's commands?
We do not obey Matthew 10:8 and we cannot, "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils freely ye have received, freely give."
But we can, and should obey Ephesians 3:9, "And to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God."
WE do not, and we should not, wash one another's feet.
WE do not agree with our adversaries quickly, or slowly, in obedience to Matthew 5:25.
WE do not and cannot perform miracles.
But WE CAN, and should obey Ephesians 3:9.
When we obey Ephesians 3:9, we shall see why we cannot speak with tongues, heal the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, have visions, preach political signs to prove that Christ's Second Coming is at hand.
We do not, and should not, preach "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," or "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
But we should obey Ephesians 3:9.
We do not sell our houses and lots and give the money to religious leaders, because “he that provideth not well for his own household denies the faith and is worse than an infidel.”
WHO OBEYS MARK 16:14-18?
Why did not the twelve apostles obey Mark 16:14-18? Why do not Fundamentalists obey Mark 16:14-18 today? Do you know of a single “Grace” Pastor who preaches or practices Mark 16:14-18? Do you know of a single Scripture to prove that the twelve apostles preached the gospel throughout Asia, Africa and Europe?
Now before we begin our comments, carefully read Mark 16:14-18, "Afterward He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but He that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
Surely we have here in very simple and plain language a clear program presented to the eleven apostles by the resurrected Christ; "Go ye into all the world". "Preach the gospel to every creature." "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." "These signs shall follow them that believe."
Now note Matthew 24:14 and compare it to Colossians 1:5-6 and Colossians 1:23:
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Compared to…
"For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the Grace of God in truth"
And…
"If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister"
Note carefully, "Whereof I Paul am made a minister."
Then note 2 Timothy 4:17, "Notwithstanding the LORD stood with me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion."
The Gospel of Grace to be preached in all the world to every creature was under the Apostle Paul's authority. But when he had accomplished this, the end mentioned in Matthew 24:14, did not come. The end of the Apostle Paul's earthly ministry came. But he commissioned Timothy to go right on with the Grace message and program. But the Apostle Paul did not tell Timothy to put hands on the sick. Note carefully 1 Timothy 5:23, "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine oft infirmities."
If you will open your Bible and turn to the Book of Acts, you will read these headings, "Paul's First Missionary Journey.", "Paul's Second Missionary Journey", and "Paul's Third Missionary Journey". But you will NOT read of the Apostle Peter's first, second, or third, missionary journey or of the twelve apostles’. Why? Because they did not take any such journeys, according to the "Acts" record; they remained in Jerusalem. Acts 8:1, and Acts 15:1-3. How then could they have remained in Jerusalem and have preached the gospel to every creature in the world?
Note carefully the LORD's instructions to the Apostle Paul, "And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, LORD, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on Thee: And when the blood of Thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And He said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles."
As we carefully examine the Divine Record telling of the ministry of the twelve Apostles and the Apostle Paul, we learn why Paul said, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles." Romans 11:13. The language in Galatians 2:9 is very plain and any misunderstanding of the statement certainly seems inexcusable. Here is this plain statement, "And when James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the Grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision."
Again the question, how could any student of the Scriptures teach that the twelve apostles even began the task of going into the entire world to preach the Gospel to every creature when they agreed to evangelize the Jews?
The Apostle Paul preached to many Jews in many different places, but he was peculiarly the LORD's special messenger to the Gentiles. Paul emphasized this fact time and again. 1 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:11, and Ephesians 3:8.
Once again, THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST WAS NEVER MADE KNOWN IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES, NOR YET WHEN OUR LORD WAS ON EARTH. IT WAS HID. THE DIVINE METHOD OF MAKING IT KNOWN WAS BY A SPECIAL REVELATION TO THE APOSTLE PAUL, AS HE TELLS US IN EPHESIANS 3, COMMITTED TO HIM TO PASS ON TO THE SAINTS.
If there is to be a revival before the LORD Jesus comes for His Body, it will be when this glorious truth is brought from under the rubbish heap and ecclesiastical tradition.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!
So There You Have it!
Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short
Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.
In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry
Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
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