LLM Question for 8-31-2012, and, Are You Spiritually Ignorant?

First the Question: The Body of Christ is not served by the angels but serves the angels, whether good or evil, WITH the manifold wisdom of God. Ephesians 3:10. True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-29-2012

Question: Because of the prayer of Christ on the cross (Luke 23:34), God was willing to forgive the murder of Christ by Israel (Acts 7:51-54) on the ground of ignorance. (Acts 3:12-17). True or False?

Answer: TRUE! And, we look at this further in the message below, so please continue reading. Now, out of the 769 responses we received to this question, AMAZINGLY 100% of everyone that responded got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look in depth at…

Are You Spiritually Ignorant?

Please read Romans 10:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16; Romans 11:25-26

Because of the prayer of Christ on the cross (Luke 23:34), and because Christ’s death had to be AS it was, and WHEN it was, by God’s eternal decree and purpose, (Acts 3:18; Acts 4:25-28; Acts 2:22; 1 Peter 1:18-20), God was willing to forgive Israel’s murder of Christ (Acts 7:51-54) on the ground of ignorance. (Acts 3:12-17). Some of the Israelites did repent. But the rulers and the nation as a whole would not.

Later, from the Nation Israel, God had a remnant according to the election of grace, and “The rest were blinded.” (Romans 11:5-12). Israel stumbled over the Stumbling stone. (Romans 9:32-33). “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the END OF THE LAW for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 10:3-4).

Israelites, with the exception of a few Hebrew Christians, are still blind and still ignorant of God’s righteousness. But a very large percentage of the Gentiles, including millions who are church-members, are just as ignorant as were, and are, the blind Jews. They prefer to endeavor to establish their own righteousness with God, which is impossible, rather than have the righteousness of God established by Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21). This righteousness by the Faith is available for any Gentile or Jew.

Because the rulers of this world were ignorant, they crucified Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). The natural man, even though cultured and exceedingly religious, is ignorant of spiritual things. They are foolishness unto him. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14; John 3:1-13).

Spiritual things are not revealed to the wordly wise, “the wise and the prudent”; but “unto babes and sucklings.” This is God’s way, (Luke 10:21, 1 Corinthians 1:27-31).

The Divine truth of Romans 11:25-33 is so important for Christians to believe. Read very carefully Romans 11:25-26, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.”

When religious Christians are wise in their own conceits, the Holy Spirit cannot teach them this wonderful truth, which must be understood, if we are to know what God is now doing and what He will do in another age.

Why does the Holy Spirit say in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “I would not have you ignorant”? Because He knew that religious sectarians would have their own creeds and programs, and that the truth of God concerning the Glorious Rapture of the Church would or could have no place in them.

Just ask yourself, Why do the majority of the most spiritual Christians NOT 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”? Because they have more or less of Judaism in their programs, which they cherish more than an obedience to Ephesians 3:9, most Christians will not obey Ephesians 3:9 and Ephesians 1:16-18. Now you know!

Only as we understand the first mystery of Romans 11:25-33 can we begin to understand the Mystery of Christ in Ephesians and Colossians. We must know the truth of Romans 11:30, that Gentiles received God’s mercy because of Israel’s unbelief. Salvation was sent to Gentiles, when and because of the fall of Israel. (Romans 11:11). Israel had not fallen, or been set-aside at the time Peter preached to Cornelius.

If they are not ignorant of the prayers of Ephesians 1:16-18; Ephesians 3:14-19; Ephesians 6:19-20 and Colossians 4:3-4, then they are willfully shutting out the light which comes with receiving the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for this special Glorious Truth!

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

        

LLM Question for 8-29-2012, and, The Church, the Body of Christ, and YOUR Denomination

First the Question: Because of the prayer of Christ on the cross (Luke 23:34), God was willing to forgive the murder of Christ by Israel (Acts 7:51-54) on the ground of ignorance. (Acts 3:12-17). True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-26-2012

Question: No man can baptize his fellow man into the Body of Christ. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says, “For as the body is ONE and hath many members, and all the members of that ONE body, being many, are one body; SO ALSO IS CHRIST: For by ONE Spirit are we all baptized into ONE BODY.” No man can baptize his fellow man into the Body of Christ. This can be done only by almighty God. Now, out of the 741 responses we received to this question, 66.7% of you got it right! Again, we have work to do I see! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look in depth at…

The Church, the Body of Christ, and YOUR Denomination

There are many church buildings and church organizations on this earth. Many of the people, who are members of the different church organizations, are also members of God’s Church. About 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul instructed the spiritual leaders of Ephesus, “Feed the CHURCH OF GOD, WHICH HE HATH PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.” (Acts 20:28). Very interesting is this statement concerning God’s Church. Since the day that Paul spoke to those elders many members of God’s Church have departed to be with Christ. (Philippians 1:23).

Concerning the Apostles Peter and John, we read in Acts 4:23, “And being let go they went to their own company.” This word “company” suggests their own private group. In 1 Corinthians 14:23 we read of the church coming together. In Hebrews 10:25 we read, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” So every member of God’s Church should be identified with other such members of like precious faith and should have a regular meeting-place or assembly. But every member of God’s Church, in the matter of “church membership” should faithfully obey 2 Cor. 6:14, “be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” And every member of God’s Church should faithfully obey Ephesians 6:18, and pray with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Church officers may receive from the members of some particular local assembly the right to induct others into that membership. But only God Himself can receive a person into His Church, that is, cause a believer to be joined to the Body of Christ by being joined to Christ. “So we, being many, are One Body in Christ, and everyone members, one of another.” (Romans 12:5). This means, of course, that ALL SAVED Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Baptists and Congregationalists are members one of another. But it certainly does NOT mean that all of the members of these DENOMINATIONS are members one of another.

No intelligent student of the Bible believes that a person is a member of God’s Church because that person has joined some denominational organization. But every such student knows that God’s way of joining God’s Church is told in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, “For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; SO ALSO IS CHRIST: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into ONE BODY.”

No man can baptize his fellow man into the Body of Christ. This can be done only by almighty God. However, it is true that the Faith cometh by hearing the Word of God and sinners cannot believe unless they hear and they cannot hear unless God’s saints go to them with the saving Gospel, to plant and water, so that God will give the increase, and add such as are being saved. (Romans 10:12-15, Acts 2:47). “And believers were the more added to the LORD.” (Acts 5:14).

In Hebrews 10:10 and Hebrews 13:12 we are told how sinners became saints, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.” AND, “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might SANCTIFY the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.” Then note 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, how God makes living saints out of dead sinners, how God justifies and sanctifies believing murderers, drunkards, thieves, adulterers, which is the very same in the case of the believing self-righteous, moral, religious person. “Such were some of you; but ye are washed; but ye are SANCTIFIED; but ye are justified in the Name of the LORD Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” In Titus 3:5-8 this is called “by the washing of regeneration,” which God bestows.

The moment God saves the believing sinner, at that very moment, that one, becomes a saint and a member of the Church, Which is the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 1:23, Ephesians 4:4-5, Colossians 1:25-26). In 2 Cor. 1:21-22 we read that God establishes the believer and anoints the believer, “God, Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” In Ephesians 4:9-13 we learn how God is building up the Body of Christ, “For the building up of the Body of Christ, Till we all come in the unity (oneness) of The Faith, unto a perfect man.”

Now, PAY ATTENTION, God is VERY jealous concerning His Son and His Son’s Body; so be very careful that YOU are not trying to build up something, such as YOUR denomination IN COMPETITION with God, instead of being laborers together with God in building the ONE BODY of Ephesians 4:4.

The word CHURCH is found more than 100 times from Acts to Revelation; twice in Matthew 18:17. The Greek word is EKKLESIA. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament Scriptures this word EKKLESIA is used quite frequently and is generally translated “congregation,” as it is in Acts 19:32, Acts 19:39-41, where the Greek word is used to describe an angry, lawless mob of heathen.

Where the Greek word EKKLESIA refers to God’s Church, it does not refer to an assembly room or meeting place, but to a company of people; for the word EKKLESIA means CALLED OUT. Therefore, God’s Church, God’s Ekklesia, during this Dispensation of Grace, or the Dispensation of the Mystery, is composed of believers, or saints, whom God by the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Christ has called out of this condemned world to be joined to Christ, as one flesh, to make up the one new man of Ephesians 2:15 and Ephesians 5:31-32.

In Ephesians 5:25-27 we learn that Christ is going to present THE CHURCH unto Himself, a glorious, spotless, blameless, Holy Church. How sad it is to know that many members of church organizations on this earth will not be there. Will you?

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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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LLM Question for 8-26-2012, and, The Son of Man STANDING at the Right Hand of God

First the Question: No man can baptize his fellow man into the Body of Christ. True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-24-2012

Question: Stephen saw Christ standing in Heaven, Acts 7:55-56. Was Christ STANDING because He was ready to come back as The King then, at that moment. Yes or No?

Answer: YES! The Son of man standing in heaven, according to Acts 7, was there in fulfillment of Scriptures. The LORD Jesus Christ, Head of the Church which is His Body, (according to Ephesians 1) is NOT STANDING there in Acts 7 as Head of the Body, as spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets SINCE the world began. No! No! But He IS seated in Ephesians as Head of that Body which was chosen in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 3:9. If Israel HAD repented, Jesus would have come back to Israel on earth to fulfill the prophecies concerning the King and the Kingdom. If Israel would not repent, God would set that Nation aside and make His Son to be the Head of the Church which is His Body. Now, out of the 703 responses we received to this question, ONLY 36.4% of you got it right! We have work to do I see! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look in depth at…

The Son of Man STANDING at the Right Hand of God

In the year 34 A.D., Stephen, who was stoned by his Nation Israel because he rebuked them in the Name of the LORD for their rejection of the Son of Man, their Messiah; said, just before he died, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man STANDING at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:51-56. They resisted the Holy Spirit.

No doubt Stephen had in mind, and the Nation had in mind, the words of the LORD Jesus recorded in Matthew 12:31-32, “Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit. it shall not be forgiven him.” They had sinned against the Son of man; delivered Him to Pilate to be put to death. They had committed an awful sin against Him. But on the cross the Son of man said, “Father forgive them”; and the Father did forgive their sin against the Son of man; or rather, He was willing to forgive that great sin against the Son of man, if they would yield to the Holy Spirit’s witness as to the resurrection and Messiahship of that Son of man.

They did NOT yield; they resisted. Stephen was declaring that they were committing that unpardonable sin, to which the LORD had referred in Matthew 12:31-32.

Now, let us note the contrast between Stephen’s message concerning the Son of man, in the year 34 A.D., and the Apostle Paul’s message concerning the RISEN Christ, in the year 64 A. D.

In the year 64 A.D., Paul addressed an Epistle to the saints in Ephesus, declaring therein that God had raised the LORD Jesus and had SEATED Him at His own right hand in the upper heavenlies, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion; and gave Him to be head over all things unto that Church which is His Body. Ephesians 1:19-22.

At the time Stephen addressed Israel, in the year 34 A.D. and for several years thereafter, the Gentiles were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel. Ephesians 2:11. In the year 64 A.D., when the Apostle Paul addressed his Epistle to the saints at Ephesus, he declared that it was God’s purpose to make of believing Gentiles and believing Jews, in Christ and WITH Christ, One New Man. Ephesians 2:15. He said that was God’s ETERNAL purpose in Christ. Ephesians 3:11, “For this cause”, Paul declared that he, “was the prisoner of the LORD Jesus Christ for Gentiles.” Ephesians 3:1.

Stephen was the martyr for the LORD Jesus Christ for Israel. Stephen spoke to Israel of the LORD Jesus Christ as the Son of man, STANDING in Heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote of the LORD Jesus Christ as the Head of the Body SITTING in the upper-heavenlies. Stephen rehearsed the history of Israel from the call of Abraham to the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, the Son of man. But Paul declared that the “upper heavenly” position of the LORD Jesus Christ, His headship unto the Church, and the membership of redeemed heathen in that Body, had no place in the history of Israel, never having been mentioned nor intimated even once by any one of Israel’s prophets. The Father chose to keep as a secret, hid in Himself, not made known to the sons of men in other ages, FACTS concerning the Headship and membership of Christ’s Body. Ephesians 3:8-9 and Ephesians 3:3.

It was the will of God to keep this a MYSTERY until after He was through with His dealings with Israel, as a nation. He declared the temporary abandonment of His purpose concerning that nation about 60 A.D., in Romans 11:7 and Romans 11:17 and Romans 11:25. God is to again deal with His Nation when He has brought to an end His purpose in this Dispensation of Grace; to make the One New Man; to complete the Body of Christ.

A great majority of Bible students, are agreed on this program of God, but it is difficult, if not altogether impossible, for them to agree as to when God set aside His Nation and when He began historically the making of the ONE New Man.

Perhaps the difference of opinion as to when the Body began can be expressed in the “yes” and “no” to this question, “When Stephen saw Jesus as the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God in heaven, some months after the death and resurrection of the Son of man, was the LORD Jesus then the Head of the Church which is His Body?”

This is by no means an easy question to answer. BUT let our answer NOT be, “I have always been taught that the Body of Christ began historically before Stephen’s death.” But rather, let us search the Scriptures in giving our answer.

Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to study some of the statements made by the LORD Jesus concerning Himself, when He spoke of Himself as the Son of man while He was Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God in Israel’s midst. Acts 2:22. The LORD Jesus is mentioned in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, about 80 times as the Son of man.

Aside from the question of the bewildered Israelites, “who is this Son of man,” the title was always used by the LORD Himself. Any student of the Word of God who will carefully read and study the eighty references will be convinced that the title “Son of man”, was the LORD’s title in His relations and dealings with His own Nation Israel. The Apostle Paul never used the title in the LORD’s relationships and ministries to the Body of Christ.

What the Son of man did while He was on earth was in fulfillment of Scriptures; and what He promised to do when He shall come back to earth will be in fulfillment of Scriptures.

All of Israel’s prophets foretold the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ, for two purposes; one purpose was to offer Himself, in suffering, on the tree, and the other was to place Himself, in glory, on the throne of David. The two lines of prophecy were concerning the Sacrifice and Kingdom of Israel’s Messiah. But not one of Israel’s prophets had one word to say about the heavenly position and ministry of the LORD Jesus Christ during this parenthesis. Jesus of Nazareth, in the midst of Israel, referred to His Sacrifice and Kingship over Israel; but NOT to His Headship over His Body and His relationship to the One New Man of Ephesians 2:15.

In Matthew 26:24 we read this statement of the LORD, “The Son of man goeth as it is written of Him.” In Matthew 25:31 we read, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him: then shall He sit on the throne of His glory.” Matthew 25:34 says, “The King says Come, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you FROM the foundation of the world.” Yes, the Son of man goeth and the Son of man cometh. This is the message of the Messiah in the Four Gospels.

When the Son of man went to the cross He was fulfilling Scriptures. On the cross the LORD did that which God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. When the Son of man shall come back to Israel, in power and great glory, and sit as the King on the Throne of His glory, He will be fulfilling Scriptures. He will be the King of that Kingdom, reigning over the house of Israel, as was spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began. Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; Matthew 25:34.

But the Son of man standing in heaven, according to the seventh chapter of Acts, was there in fulfillment of Scriptures. The LORD Jesus Christ, Head of the Church which is His Body, (according to the first chapter of Ephesians) is NOT STANDING there in Acts 7 as Head of the Body, as spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets SINCE the world began. No! No! But He IS seated in Ephesians as Head of that Body which was chosen in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 3:9. The prophets said nothing about the Body of Christ

The message of the King and the Kingdom was the subject of prophecy. The message of the Head and the Body was not the subject of prophecy; but was given by revelation FIRST to the Apostle Paul. Ephesians 3:3; Colossians 1:24-28.

The LORD was the Son of man to Israel in Acts 7:51-56. If Israel HAD repented, Jesus would have come back to Israel on earth to fulfill the prophecies concerning the King and the Kingdom. If Israel would not repent, God would set that Nation aside and make His Son to be the Head of the Church which is His Body.

Now, how long was the opportunity to repent and the Kingdom offered to the Nation? Until some time after Stephen was stoned to death. Several thousand Israelites had repented and were saved before Stephen’s death. Were they in the Body of Christ at the time they were saved or did they become members of that Body later on?

So the question to be asked is, Was God putting saved Israelites in the Body of Christ while He was speaking in mercy to Israel concerning their King and Kingdom? Acts 3:19-26. The Israelites saved during the days of Stephen’s ministry were in the Church of God; that is, in the “called out” of God. Galatians 1:13. Acts 8:1. But, were they in the Body of Christ?

When God spoke by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began, concerning the sufferings and glory of Christ, concerning His Sacrifice and Kingdom, He NEVER revealed the fact that there would be months or years or centuries between the Lamb on the cross and the King on the throne. He never spoke of the time between, except to say that He would not leave His soul in Sheol.

Therefore, we cannot learn from any of Israel’s prophets when the Body of Christ began historically. Neither can we learn it from the oral or written messages of the Twelve. Neither is there any prophecy, stating that God would give to Israel another opportunity to receive the Kingdom during the years between the sacrifice of Christ and the revelation of the Body Mystery. But He did.

So, we ask, when was the secret of Ephesians 3:6 made known to and through the Apostle Paul? The “unsearchable” (untraceable) riches of Christ, revealed in Ephesians, DIFFERED from the “traceable” riches of Christ preached by Peter and the Eleven Apostles. Compare Ephesians 3:8-9 with Acts 2:16; Acts 2:25-30; Acts 3:19-26; Acts 10:47, and Acts 15:14-17.

Therefore, the “traceable” riches of Christ refer to the King and the Kingdom and the “untraceable” riches refer to the Head and the Body of Ephesians 1:19-22.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question for 8-24-2012, and, What Think YE of Christ?

First the Question: Stephen saw Christ standing in Heaven, Acts 7:55-56. Was Christ STANDING because He was ready to come back as The King then, at that moment. Yes or No?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-22-2012

Question: What think YE of Christ? Matthew 22:42. Is the LORD Jesus Christ THE Great God and Saviour proclaimed in Titus 2:13. Yes or no?

Answer: YES! Of Course, YES!! And we look at this in DEPTH in the message below. Now, out of the 801 responses we received to this question, 94.1% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at an in depth look at…

What Think YE of Christ?

Since the day The LORD Jesus Christ asked the question of His own nation, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42, countless millions of many nations in every generation have put the same question to their own hearts and consciences and to their fellow men.

In order to answer such a question intelligently concerning any man, it is necessary to get acquainted with him. There is a certain acquaintance with Christ which can be experienced ONLY by those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. But there is available for any man a written record of the character and achievements of the One who asked the question. Had the question, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42, been asked by any other man concerning himself, it would have suggested the spirit of self‑importance or egotism on the part of the man. But to any one who has made even a hasty superficial study of the written record, the question asked by Christ seems most proper and in order. And really it behooves every individual to give to the question an answer which will be well pleasing to the One Who asked it.

The most sensible decision that any sensible person can reach so far as this Man’s relation to the record is concerned is, that the historical Jesus is the Bible Christ. The record has existed for two thousand years. It has been discussed, criticized, hated and condemned by millions. It has been honored, cherished, and defended, even unto martyrdom by other millions, just as intelligent, courageous, and true as those who have been its bitterest enemies. Never since this history was written has this record been the object of such vicious and insidious assaults as at this present time, when all the forces of Satan are turned loose against it. But multitudes are still submitting the record to the test, “if any man willeth to do His will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself.” John 7:17.

No man has ever been wise enough to produce evidence to invalidate the Bible record of Jesus Christ. Some have persuaded themselves that the record is too unique to be true; and their verdict is, that the narratives were either written by enthusiastic religious men who were deceived, or they discount the record as a willful forgery. No one is more ignorant than the one who declares that the Scriptures are the imaginations or inventions of ignorant men. Moreover it must be admitted, that if the records concerning Christ be forgeries, they are the forgeries of very clever men. If the writers were deceived, were they deceived by Christ? The Pharisees accused Him of deceiving the people. “Are ye also deceived?” John 7:47. Concerning Christ, “some said, He is a good man; others said, Nay; but He deceiveth the people.” 7:12. Christ did not prove His goodness by deception.

If the narratives be forgeries, then what is our conclusion concerning Christ? Was He a fictitious character? Is the Christ of orthodox Christianity unreal? Did such a man as Jesus Christ ever live on earth? If so, was He a good man or a deceiver? Without a trustworthy history to study, who knows? If the Bible narratives of Jesus Christ be the untrustworthy or untrue writings of deluded or dishonest men, to whom shall we turn for reliable information that will enable us to answer intelligently the question, “What think ye of Christ?” Matthew 22:42. Some say, “we do not know what to think.” Why not forget Him altogether and decide that the question was never asked and that the Christ who was supposed to have asked the question never existed? It is impossible for any intelligent person to do this. The LORD Jesus Christ has so found His way into every avenue of human experience that any thinking person must acknowledge that He is an up to date living reality. If unreal, truly He has more influenced human life and thought than all the REAL men of all ages combined. The Jews in His day said. “And destroy Jesus”. It was impossible then. It is impossible today. No one can blot Him out of human history.

However, without the Bible I cannot answer the question, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42

Surely the Jews did their very best to get rid of Jesus Christ. They have tried to forget Him. They have tried to ignore Him. They have tried to explain Him away by every argument. And in spite of their determined efforts, every thinking rabbi, whether associated with an orthodox or a liberal congregation, is now declaring that Jesus of Nazareth was the best man who ever lived on this earth and that He has exercised more influence for good upon the human race than all other men combined. Are they deciding that He was good, because of His good influence, or because they have carefully examined His written biography? Why can they not see their inconsistency in acknowledging the superiority of the most extraordinary Man who ever lived on this earth, while at the same time they are discrediting and condemning the only record that can truly establish His right to their respect and admiration?

There is only one other group of men more inconsistent than the inconsistent Jews, the so called Modernist Christians. They believe virtually what the Jews believe but they go a step further and bear the name of Christ and claim to be His disciples.

These Modernist “christians” bow in His name to worship the true Deity; call Jesus Christ the fairest flower of humanity; exalt and praise Him as the highest expression of the ONE and ONLY God; even claim that they believe in the Son’s revelation of the Father; AND at the same time they declare that the record containing that revelation is either the work of frauds or ignorant men, writings which no intelligent man of this enlightened age can accept to be worth more than fiction.

IF these modernist “christians” have learned that Jesus Christ is the noblest, truest, purest expression of the mind and heart of the true and living God, they have learned that great fact BY reading narratives that they say are false, if not fraudulent, and if their learning and thinking have been based upon that which is false, their opinions are worthless and they know not what they think they know! They are insane!!

Any intelligent and satisfactory answer to the question, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42, must be based upon the Scriptural record of Christ. If on that basis, the LORD Jesus Christ is worthy of admiration, He is likewise worthy of adoration. He should be both respected and worshipped OR neither respected nor worshiped.

He is mentioned by noun and pronoun about 7000 times in the New Testament. The same supernatural story is woven into every part of those Scriptures. After studying these 27 records, we should decide that the Jews of the first century who took up stones to stone Him, “because Thou being a man makest Thyself God”, were far more consistent than are the Modernist Jews and so called Modernist Christians of the twentieth century who join with Judas to betray Christ with a kiss. John 10:30-38.

“What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42. Without the Scriptures I know not what I think. However, BY the Scrip­tures I think that Christ is, “Wonderful”, “Counsellor”, “Mighty God”, “Everlasting Father”, “Prince of Peace”, “Man of Sor­rows”, “Plant of Renown”, “The Lily of the Valley”, “The Rose of Sharon”, “A Righteous Branch”, “The Sun of Righteousness”, “The Bright and Morning Star”, “The King of Israel”, “The King of the Jews”, “Messiah”, “The Lion of the Tribe of Juda”, “The Root and Offspring of David”, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”, “Captain of our Salvation”, “Apostle and High Priest of our Profession”, “The Lord of Glory”, “The Prince of Life”, “The Just One”, “The Holy One of God”, “The Lamb of God”, “The Light of the World”, “The Good Shepherd”, “The True Vine”, “A Prince and a Saviour”, “Son of Man”, “The King of Glory”, “The Christ the Son of the Living God”, “The Bread of Life”, “The Lord’s Christ”, “A Great Prophet”, “The Christ of God”, “Immanuel”, “One Altogether Lovely”, “Chiefest Among Ten Thousand”, “The Lord Our Righteousness”, “The Lord Whom Ye Seek”, “Jesus Who is called Christ”, “The Son of God”, “A Friend of Publicans and Sinners”, “Christ our Passover”, “Our Peace”, “The Son of His Love”, “The King Eternal”, “Merciful and Faithful High Priest”, “Our Forerunner”, “Author of Eternal Salvation”, “Author and Finisher of our Faith”, “The Great Shepherd of the Sheep”, “The Lord that Bought Us”, “An Advocate”, “The Holy One”, “The Word of God”, “The First Begotten of the Dead”, “The Seed of the Woman”, “Shiloh”, “A Root out of Dry Ground”, “Jesus Christ the Son of David”, “The Bride­groom”, “The Stone Which the Builders Rejected”, “The Head of the Corner”, “Son of the Highest”, “The Only Begotten of the Father”, “The Word”, “A Man Approved of God”, “The I AM”, “The Resurrection”, “The Way”, “The Truth”, “The Life”, “He That Cometh from Heaven”, “Abraham’s Seed”, “Melchisedec”.

“BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH BEARETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD.”

“I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING, SAITH THE LORD, WHICH IS AND WHICH WAS AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”

Back to the question, and now we put it to YOU, "What think YE of Christ?" Matthew 22:42.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question for 8-22-2012, and, God Chooses to Forget, and God Forgets Not

First the Question: What think YE of Christ? Matthew 22:42. Is the LORD Jesus Christ THE Great God and Saviour proclaimed in Titus 2:13. Yes or no?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-19-2012

Question: God Chooses to Forget, AND, God Forgets Not. Is this statement True or False?

Answer: TRUE! As God will not remember the sins of the justified sinner, He will not remember the good deeds of the unbelieving sinner. But God will NOT forget the good deeds of the believer, “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. Now, out of the 751 responses we received to this question, 78.9% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at an in depth look at…

God Chooses to Forget, and God Forgets Not!

SINS REMEMBERED NO MORE!! Did you READ that? SINS REMEMBERED NO MORE!! The unbeliever’s good deeds are NOT remembered. The believer’s sins are NOT remembered. God Chooses to Forget, and God Forgets Not!

The God of the Bible is omnipotent. Man looks on the outward appearance; God looks into the heart. According to the estimate of some men, God has looked into the hearts of more than twenty billion individuals. God has an infallible record of all of the thoughts, words and deeds of all who have ever inhabited the earth. These thoughts, words and deeds have either been righteous or unrighteous. There are two kinds of righteousness; “self-righteousness” and God-righteousness”, or “human righteousness” and “Divine righteousness.” In God’s Divine ledger, the righteous acts of the, self-righteous are posted on the debit side; the righteous acts of the “God-righteous” are posted on the credit side. But what about the unrighteous acts? What is it that God forgets not? Let us turn to God’s Word for our answer:

“WHEN I SAY TO THE RIGHTEOUS THAT HE SHALL SURELY LIVE: IF HE TRUST TO HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND COMMIT INIQUITY, ALL HIS RIGHTEOUSNESSES SHALL NOT BE REMEMBERED; BUT FOR HIS INIQUITY THAT HE HATH COMMITTED, HE SHALL DIE FOR IT.” EZEKIEL 33:13.

“AND THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE . . . HAVING THEREFORE BOLDNESS TO ENTER INTO THE HOLIEST BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS. . . LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART, IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH.” HEBREWS 10:17-19.

“FOR GOD IS NOT UNRIGHTEOUS TO FORGET YOUR WORK AND LABOR OF LOVE, WHICH YE HAVE SHOWED TOWARD HIS NAME, IN THAT YE HAVE MINISTERED TO THE SAINTS, AND DO MINISTER. AND WE DESIRE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU DO SHOW THE SAME DILIGENCE TO THE FULL ASSURANCE OF HOPE UNTO THE END.” HEBREWS 6:10-11.

No Divine truth is more clearly taught in the Bible than the fact that “they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:8. “To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt.” Romans 4:3-4. The righteous, or religious, acts of a self-righteous man are not acceptable unto God; such acts are dead works. Christ died to save religious men from dead works. Hebrews 9:14. Humanity is willing to ascribe praise and honor to the philanthropist who endows the hospital for the relief and cure of the sick and helpless, who provides food for the hungry and clothing for the naked, who finances the asylum for the orphans; for all who minister to the physical needs of the unfortunate. Such benevolences are truly praiseworthy. But God says, “if he trust in his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness’s shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” Thus we see that some benefactions that are remembered by men are forgotten by God.

“Man’s ways are not God’s ways.” “There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.” Whether or not we may be dogmatic in the statement that the good deeds of an unsaved man displease God, we may be sure that the unrighteous or self-righteous man never receives credit or reward from God for his acts of righteousness.

How about Cornelius, the just and religious man? To him Peter preached “in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him.” Acts 10:34-37. While it is true that Cornelius had to hear from Peter’s mouth “words whereby he and all his house should be saved”, yet Cornelius was by no means a self-righteous man. Cornelius prayed to God always: he was a just and devout, God-fearing man, who gave much alms to God’s people. Cornelius was not trusting to his own righteousness. From the record, we can say that Cornelius believed the gospel the first time he heard it. He was apparently eager to be saved. He was conscious of his unworthiness and his need of grace.

The “sin” controversy between God and man is of a very serious nature, and must be entirely settled before God can give credit for deeds. Only righteous deeds will be rewarded by God. The doer must be righteous before his deeds are righteous in God’s sight. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Because all have sinned, death has passed upon all men. All men by nature are dead in trespasses and sins. Some dead men are more religious than others. Some dead men do not sink as deep into immoral habits and lustful practices as do others. Some dead men do not possess and manifest the same traits of gentleness, kindness, patience and charity as do others. But with respect to life and salvation, all dead men, religious and irreligious, have the same need.

Regardless of the language used, the theological terms employed or the doctrine presented, the sinner’s need is Christ. “In Him was life and the life was the light of men.” He said, “I am the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” Christ died to abolish death and bring life to humanity in the Gospel. 2 Timothy 1:9. It was Christ who said that believers “have passed out of death into life.” John 5:24. He gave to His servant the Apostle Paul this message, “The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. “You hath He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1-5.

The sinner’s first need is life and righteousness. The LORD Jesus Christ is the believer’s life and righteousness. He is available for all. On the cross of Calvary, with the shedding of His Blood, this sinless Christ was made sin that sinners might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21. He had power to lay down His life and take it up again. John 10:17-18. Christ received the sinner’s wages: death. Christ on the cross received the penalty for sin, when He by the Grace of God tasted death for every man. Hebrews 2:9. Then by His inherent Divine omnipotence He was able to abolish death. Christ put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Hebrews 9:26.

The believing sinner is redeemed by the precious blood of Christ: “in whose Blood (NOT just His death, but His BLOOD!) we have redemption even the forgiveness of sins.” “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” When God forgives the sinner, it is because his sins have been dealt with, have been put away. When the worshipper came to the Lord, under the Old Covenant, his sins were covered by the BLOOD of the sacrifice, (NOT simply the death of the animal), which spoke of the once-for-all sacrifice of the coming Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our sins are not covered; they are put away. We are pardoned, exonerated, freed, forgiven and justified, by the BLOOD of the sinless Son of God. And our God, who has the perfect Divine RIGHT to forgive the sinner who receives Christ as his worthy Substitute, says: “their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17.

SINS REMEMBERED NO MORE!! Did you READ that? SINS REMEMBERED NO MORE!! The unbeliever’s good deeds are NOT remembered. The believer’s sins are NOT remembered.

This is the way God does things. He is just and the justifier of every one that accepts the redemptive work of His well-beloved Son. Romans 3:24-26. God’s Grace is marvelous. God’s Grace is beyond what language can express it to be! We are saved from sin because God is rich in Mercy and great in Love. Ephesians 2:4-5. The believer, the member of the Body of Christ, is IN Christ. God cannot find fault with the helpless sinner who has taken refuge IN Christ. “There is no condemnation to them that are IN Christ.” “He hath made us accepted IN the Beloved.” It is ALL by and of Grace. Believing sinners are the recipients of God’s grace. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves.”

One of our difficulties is that we have no way of measuring the Grace of God, or of putting the true value on the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is sovereign. God is Just and Holy. Christ received the just penalty for sin. He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. By His vicarious work of redemption God can and does forgive and forget and justify the penitent, believing sinner.

Another difficulty with us is that like fools, we inventory our blunders, weaknesses and faults, that we consider our unworthiness, and try to measure God by human standards. Because we cannot forget our own history of sin, our miserable past record, because of our present shortcomings, because we find it so difficult to forgive others, and especially to forget their offenses against us, our minds and hearts are filled with doubts as to the obliteration and obviousness of our sins in God’s sight. But we should believe God; take His Word at full face value, “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Gone forever. Forever put away, by the Grace of God and the work of Christ.

God looked, and still looks, upon His Son, obedient unto death and exalted to His own right hand, where He now appears in Heaven for us; and we should do the same thing; “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith.” When we look at ourselves, or at others, we will be disappointed, dissatisfied and doubtful. But not when we look unto Him who loved us and gave himself for us; unto Him who is our redemption, holiness, righteousness, peace, hope and life. Such a look will make us confident of this very thing; that He that hath begun a good work in us will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. As Christians we should obey Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” We should do this, not to influence or cause God to forgive us our sins, but because, for Christ’s sake, He has already done that.

How blessed it should be to know that God is not dealing with us, under grace, on the terms of the “Our Father” prayer; “if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15. But today, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17

Because of the value of the Blood of Christ, because of the super-abounding, all sufficient Grace of God, the believer is exhorted to draw nigh in full assurance of Faith. If we are trusting in the redemptive work of Christ, if we are depending upon the Grace of God, surely we should be delivered from doubts and fears, from any feeling of insecurity. God WANTS US to have assurance, full assurance.

Now, AGAIN, as God will not remember the sins of the justified sinner, He will not remember the good deeds of the unbelieving sinner. But God will NOT forget the good deeds of the believer. “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58. “Not in vain in the Lord.” Does Job serve God for naught? No. No Christian serves God for naught. “Every man shall be rewarded according to his works.” Matthew 16:26. As there will be rewards for the saved, undoubtedly there will be different degrees of punishment for the unsaved, although, ALL unbelievers are lost.

God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love. “If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:14. “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” No sinner can lay his foundation. No sinner needs to lay a foundation; the foundation has been laid.

The only works that are “good works” in God’s sight are the works that are built on the foundation. Faith in the good work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the believing sinner’s passport to heaven. No other works are necessary to get the believer into heaven. But every good work done by the believer, who is in Christ, will be rewarded by God, if that good work is done in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. God will not forget a single deed done by the redeemed sinner, the member of the Body of Christ, in the Name of His Son. Now this is not to say that there are many out there who PROFESS to be believers, saying they are doing works in Christ’s name. Here is what The LORD Jesus Christ has to say about them, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:21-23

Therefore believers are urged, “That ye be not slothful.” “Show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end.” Hebrews 6:12-13. As the believer should have no doubt that all of his sins have been put away by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, he should have no doubt as to receiving a full reward for every service of love, for every sacrifice, for all suffering in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. “In the world ye shall have tribulation”, “all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.” Let us not weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. “If when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” I Peter 2:20. If we suffer with Christ we shall reign with Him.

We should work for Him, walk for Him, witness for Him, wait for Him. We should constantly be occupied with Christ and for Christ, and we shall not regret when God proves in that day that He shall not forget.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question for 8-19-2012, and, Have Ye Received the Holy Spirit Since Ye Believed?

First the Question: God Chooses to Forget, AND, God Forgets Not. Is this statement True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-17-2012

Question: The anointing, the sealing, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, are received at the moment the sinner believes unto Salvation. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short. Now, out of the 723 responses we received to this question, 88% of you got it right! Good! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at an in depth look at…

Have Ye Received the Holy Spirit Since Ye Believed?

"Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed?" Acts 19:2. This rather loose translation of Acts 19:2 in the Authorized King James Version has been used as a basis for the erroneous teaching that a Christian receives the Holy Spirit as a second blessing or second work of Grace, sometime subsequent to his being saved. The American Standard version actually in this case is more accurate “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?” The actual text uses the present participle of believing, so literally it is: “Did ye receive the Holy Spirit upon believing?” showing that the receiving and the believing had been contemporaneous, (existing or occurring in the same period of time). The same construction is used in Ephesians 1:13; although it is no longer a question, but an attested fact, that when these Ephesians believed in Acts 19, they were AT THAT MOMENT sealed by the Holy Spirit. The same Greek participle of the Greek word, “believe”, is used in Acts 19:2 and Ephesians 1:13.

But if it be true that we receive the Holy Spirit upon believing, why did Paul ask whether these had received when they believed? Does not the fact that they hadn’t yet received give proof that it is possible to believe without receiving the Spirit? This question is plainly answered in the context of Acts 19. These men had not believed the Gospel of the death and resurrection of Christ; they had only heard the message of John the Baptist that One was coming. They didn’t know whether He had come; they had not even heard about the Holy Spirit being given. No doubt Paul met many others who knew only John’s baptism of repentance, a message which had no promise or power in it to give the Holy Spirit. John said that the One coming after him would baptize in the Holy Spirit but these men hadn’t heard about that One. When Paul told them about Jesus Christ, they believed and received the Holy Spirit. The water baptism, laying on of hands, speaking with tongues, etc., which accompanied their believing, was part of God’s temporary dispensational dealings with Israelites. Even if one claimed that all of these “accompaniments” were part of God’s order for today, there is nothing in the passage upon which to base a second blessing idea.

The apostle makes it very plain that “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9), which fact once and for all settles the question of the possibility of a man being saved but not having the Holy Spirit. The Corinthian letter is another great body of evidence that the Holy Spirit does His work of baptism into the Body of Christ upon ALL believers (1 Corinthians 12:13), and that the reception of the Holy Spirit is not dependent upon our state of perfection. These Corinthian saints were living in sin, but the Apostle Paul did not say, “Get rid of sin in order that ye may receive the Holy Spirit”; but he said, “Because you did receive the Holy Spirit when you believed, and because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore get rid of sin.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Many confuse baptism in the Spirit with being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). We may be and should be filled with the Spirit many times, but we can be baptized but once, and that upon believing. We cannot receive part of the Spirit at one time and more later. The Spirit is a person and we either have Him or do not have Him. It is an altogether different question as to how much of us He has. If He has possession of our whole being, we are filled with the Spirit.

Every one, who is a Christian, is a “Christ’s one,” anointed, The anointing abides. 1 John 2:27. The sealing is received when the sinner believes unto salvation. The Holy Spirit is in the believer. 2 Cor. 1:22. The anointing, the sealing, and the baptism with the Spirit is always a past experience with one who has become a Christian. He needs no second blessing, because when he believes he is blessed with ALL Spiritual blessings. Ephesians 1:3.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question for 8-17-2012, and, WILL THE BODY OF CHRIST BE IN THE TRIBULATION?

First the Question: The anointing, the sealing, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, are received at the moment the sinner believes unto Salvation. True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-15-2012

Question: Will the Church, the Body of Christ, be IN the Great Tribulation? Yes or no?

Answer: NO! The very purpose of the Great Tribulation is to punish disobedient unbelievers; NOT members of the Body of Christ. If members of the Body of Christ are to go into the tribulation, then DEATH would certainly be the believer’s Blessed Hope; anything to escape that awful day of wrath. Why should such wrath of God be visited upon those who are without condemnation in Christ? Now, out of the 791 responses we received to this question, 82.8% of you got it right! Praise the LORD! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at an in depth look at…

WILL THE BODY OF CHRIST BE IN THE TRIBULATION?

Here at the Lion and Lamb ministry, we believe the experience of Lot and the destruction of Sodom will give us light on this question: Will the Church be in the Tribulation?.

“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:29-30.

“Thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed.” “Thus”...“Thus shall it be.” The revelation of the Son of man refers here to His coming in judgment. According to the Word of God the Nation Israel is headed for judgment, the Great Tribulation. Jeremiah 30:5-11. Israel is going to be saved out of that time of sorrow. At the same time the wrath of the LORD will fall in great judgment upon the nations.

Christ is NOT called the “Son of man” in His relation to the Church, which is His Body. However, He IS the "Son of man” to Israel and as judge of the nation. It is as the “Son of man” that He is coming to deliver Israel. It is as the “Son of man” that He is coming to sit, as Judge, on the throne of His glory. Matthew 25:31-46. Inasmuch as the experience of Lot in Sodom is linked up with the coming of the Son of man in judgment, we should carefully study the experience of Lot.

In 2 Peter we have some statements concerning the coming of Christ in judgment, and the escape of Lot from Sodom. Scoffers are to arise and ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?” 2 Peter 3:4. But this Epistle declares that He is coming in judgment. Now as to Lot and Sodom, “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)” 2 Peter 2:6-9. “Delivered just Lot”. Why did God deliver just Lot? From these verses in 2 Peter we would certainly conclude that Lot was a consecrated saint of God; such a true, noble faithful man of God that God could not think of sending judgment upon Sodom until that spiritual saint had been delivered. Well, God did deliver just Lot before His work of destruction.

And, therefore, we must conclude from 2 Peter 2:7 and Luke 17:29-30 that all of the just Lots, every sinner, saved by grace, who is alive at the coming of the LORD, shall be delivered BEFORE God’s judgment falls upon the world.

But now let us read about this man who is called “just Lot”, the man with the righteous soul.

We quote several verses from Genesis...

“And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous.” “And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” “And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake” . . . “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.” “For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it;” “Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither.” “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.” “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.” Genesis 18:20, Genesis 18:23, and Genesis 18:32; Genesis 19:1, Genesis 19:13, Genesis 19:22, Genesis 19:24, and Genesis 19:29.

God remembered Abraham and saved Lot. Later on, God remembered Abraham and saved Israel. Exodus 2:24-25. God again remembered and saved Israel. Deuteronomy 9:27. God will once again remember Abraham and deliver Israel. Romans 11:25-29.

Lot was delivered before Abram became Abraham. Neither Abram nor Lot were Israelites. They were Gentiles. God had preached the Gospel to Abram and Abram believed and was declared righteous. Galatians 3:6-8. Now note Galatians 3:8, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen (Gentiles) through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

The Scripture foresaw our justification by the Faith at the time Abram was declared righteous by faith. “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the LORD knoweth them that are His”, 2 Timothy 2:19.

God’s servants said to Lot, “I cannot do anything until thou be come thither.” Thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed.

Now note the question in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” The Greek calls for the negative answer. Therefore the Son of man will not come until all the people of faith have been delivered. This is verified in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-11. The LORD shall be revealed to take vengeance upon the wicked “when He shall (shall have) come to be glorified in His saints, in that day.” (2 Thessalonians 1:10).

The very purpose of the tribulation is to punish disobedient unbelievers; NOT members of the Body of Christ.

If members of the Body of Christ are to go into the tribulation, then DEATH would certainly be the believer’s blessed hope; anything to escape that awful day of wrath. Why should such wrath of God be visited upon those who are without condemnation in Christ? It won’t!

Lot was anything but a victorious consecrated saint and if God could not and did not destroy Sodom until Lot was free from that awful judgment, (and thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed), surely we have no Scriptural authority to support the teaching that there is to be a partial rapture of God’s saints; that is, that only Spirit-filled saints are to be taken to glory when Christ comes for His Church. Therefore, the parable of the ten virgins does NOT refer to the members of the Body of Christ but to Israel.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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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LLM Question for 8-15-2012, and, CHRISTIANS BELONG TO CHRIST

First the Question: Will the Church, the Body of Christ, be IN the Great Tribulation? Yes or no?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-10-2012

Question: The Christian belongs to Christ; He or she is NOT their own. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! We, as members of the Body of Christ, must grasp and understand the knowledge that the Christian belongs to Christ! The Christian is not his own. The Christian is bought with a price...the precious shed blood of the Eternal Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-23). Now, out of the 723 responses we received to this question, 92% of you got it right! Praise the LORD! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at an in depth look at…

CHRISTIANS BELONG TO CHRIST

Many of you have watched the Lion and Lamb Ministry's video series on the Book of Revelation, and as we compare these glorious truths in The Revelation with the greatest story of the ages, recorded in Philippians 2:5-11, and know that Christ is mentioned 6988 times in the Books from Matthew to Revelation (according to my count), we are not surprised that the Apostle Paul said for himself, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of the LORD Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). Paul was directed by the Holy Spirit to write to fellow Christians, “ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). What a difference it would make in the life and behavior and service of Christians, if they would permit the Holy Spirit to teach them and constantly remind them that the LORD of Glory, Who suffered on the cross of Calvary, the eternal, omnipotent, sinless Christ, was the Creator of the heavens and the earth; and that this world belongs to Christ by right of creation AND by right of redemption. Little wonder then that God, the Father, desires that God, the Son, in all things should have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18).

We should be able to understand the meaning of Philippians 4:19 when we read Romans 8:32. Note these two verses: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”, and, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Surely now we can understand better Colossians 3:23 and Colossians 3:17: “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily (from the soul), as to the LORD, and not unto men.”, and, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the NAME of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks unto God the Father by Him.”

Some saved church members join with the great number of unsaved assembly members in their comment, “this is taking religion too seriously.” The great majority of saved assembly members give little heed to Colossians 3:16, “let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” There it is again, another very important ‘LET’ in Philippians 4:6-7, which it behooves every Christian to obey in these days of uncertainty, unrest, of international political, economic, and religious confusion, “Be careful (anxious, full of worry) for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, ‘LET’ your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth (is greater than, SURpasseth) all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Let us never forget the words of our LORD Jesus Christ, in John 12:26 and John 5:23, and let us, by God’s Grace and power, obey 1 Corinthians 15:58. Note the truth in these verses. Christ said, “if any man serve Me, Him will My Father honor”, “That all men should honor the Son even AS they honor the Father: he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father Who hath sent Him.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always, abounding in the ‘WORK OF THE LORD’, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain ‘IN THE LORD’.”

“Be strong in the LORD, and in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10). “Knowing that of the LORD ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the LORD Christ.” (Colossians 3:25).

Surely as we meditate upon what we have quoted from God’s Book, the Bible, we must know that the Christian belongs to Christ; that he is not his own; that he is bought with a price, the precious shed blood of the Eternal Christ. (1 Peter 1:18-23). We should know what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “the love of Christ constraineth us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Before Paul wrote this to the Corinthian Christians he wrote, in 1 Corinthians 16:22, “if any man love not the LORD Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha” (“accursed, the LORD coming”). Another apostle, John, wrote; “we love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

Remember that assembly, congregation, denomination members, (whatever you want to call them), however decent, respectable, moral, kind, gentle, religious and zealous, who DENY the eternal DEITY (that means He is GOD) and virgin birth of our LORD Jesus Christ, His perfect, sinless life, His vicarious death, His resurrection and ascension in a body, are called deceivers and antichrist (2 John 7); and they make God a liar, because they believe not the record that God hath given of His Son. (1 John 5:10).

Inasmuch as the LORD Jesus Christ, Who is now in heaven appearing in God’s presence for Christians (Hebrews 9:24 and Hebrews 7:25), is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and wants all Christians to be Faithful Ambassadors, witnesses, and laborers, we do not want it said of us what is being said concerning so many denomination members, “they practice Christianity only when it is convenient and entails no sacrifice, hardship nor suffering.” And SHAME on the "spiritual" leaders...Pastors, Preachers, and Teachers, who have changed conviction for convenience. (John 12:43, Galatians 1:10, and Jude 16).

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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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The Mystery of God, The Eternal Purpose of God in Christ, what is it?

Please first read, Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 6:19-20; Ephesians 3:9-11; Ephesians 3:1-5; Colossians 1:24-27; and Colossians 4:3-4.

In Ephesians 1:9 we read “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.” Then in Ephesians 6:19-20, the Apostle Paul wrote that he was in the Roman jail for “the Mystery of the Gospel.”

As we read the Epistle to the Ephesians, we learn that “the Mystery of God’s will” was “the Mystery of the Gospel.” What was the Mystery mentioned in these verses? The Mystery has been made known and God, the Father, wants all of His children to know it. (Ephesians 3:9). (Ephesians 1:16-23; Ephesians 3:14-19).

Christ, in John 6:39-40, told us something of the will of God, “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” “And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This is still God’s will, “by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10). But God’s ETERNAL purpose is to have a company of redeemed sinners separate and distinct from all other companies.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 we read of the Gospel by which believing sinners are saved. But note in these verses these words, “according to the Scriptures.” Christ’s death and resurrection was that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. (Acts 13:29-30). (Luke 24:44-46). Therefore, when the Apostle Paul preached that saving Gospel, it was NOT “the Mystery of the Gospel,” for that “Mystery” message was NOT made known by, or to, ANY of Israel’s prophets. (Colossians 1:25-26). That is why it is called “the unsearchable riches,” meaning “untraceable” or “unprophesied riches.”

“The Dispensation of the Mystery” is, “according to God’s eternal purpose in Christ.” (Ephesians 3:9-11). This Grace and purpose was given to members of the Body of Christ BEFORE the world began. (2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:4-11; Romans 8:28-29). It was God’s SECRET until AFTER Israel rejected Christ in resurrection. It was revealed to, and through, the Apostle Paul, who was born out of due season; chosen by Christ to be “the Apostle of the Gentiles.” (Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 15:6-10). It was for this reason that Paul (Saul) was the ONLY unbeliever, the ONLY unsaved person on earth, who saw Christ after He was raised from the dead. Then he said by God’s Grace He was the LORD’s master builder, who laid the foundation, and saints must build with him. (1 Corinthians 3:10).

For this distinctive message and ministry, because he was the custodian of this Divine deposit, he suffered as an evil doer in chains, the prisoner of the LORD Jesus Christ for Gentiles. (2 Timothy 2:8-9; Ephesians 3:1-5). And he added that others should be partakers of the same afflictions and suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:12).

And here is The Mystery of God: The Eternal Purpose of God in Christ...

Before Israel was created for God’s glory, before all of the promises concerning Israel’s coming glory and the millennial reign of Christ on earth, even, before Adam had sinned, or was created, God PREDESTINATED that members of the Body of Christ should be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28-29). They would be SEATED in the Heavenlies in Christ. God’s eternal purpose is to have a company of redeemed sinners SEPERATE and DISTINCT from ALL OTHER companies. Dwell on this.

These predestinated and justified believers are to be JOINED to Christ as ONE flesh, to make ONE New Man, the Perfect Man, with HEAVENLY citizenship, to appear with Christ in glory. (Ephesians 2:6; Ephesians 5:31-32; Ephesians 2:5; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 3:1-4).

THIS the Father wants every Christian to make known (Ephesians 3:9). And, of course, Satan hates this message with a vicious hatred.

Thus we see “the Mystery of God’s will,” DIFFERS from the PROPHESIED kingdom. (Acts 3:19-21; Amos 9:11-15). God is NOW, During this Dispensation of the Mystery, building up the Body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:9-13). At the close of this Dispensation of Grace, The LORD will return in the AIR, (1 Thessalonians 4:17) and call home His Body. Then, at the close of the Great Tribulation, The Christ will return to EARTH, (Revelation 19:11-21) after the close of this age and Dispensation of Grace, to build, then, again, the tabernacle of David. (Acts 15:15-18).

Must Read Additional Study…

WHAT IS THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, part 1 of 3

There is in the Bible, the Gospel, or Good News, for the unsaved, and the Gospel for the saved. Confused...Don't be! And, what is the truth for saints in the Bible that transcends all other truth, grand and glorious? It is The Mystery.

WHAT IS THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, part 2 of 3

Members of the Body of Christ, in knowing and making known The Mystery, wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies, against principalities and powers in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:11-20). Read More, click the link

WHAT IS THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL, part 3 of 3

The very moment the believing sinner is saved by the Grace of God, by the Faith in the perfect, finished, work of the perfect Christ, he, then and there becomes a member of the Body of Christ. The baptism in this operation of Faith is a Divine baptism, NOT a water baptism.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question for 8-10-2012, and, Christian Fundamentalists WAKE UP! Part 4 of 4

First the Question: The Christian belongs to Christ; He or she is NOT their own. True or False?

Take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-07-2012

Question: The Gospel of Grace, to be preached in all the world to every creature, was under the authority of the Apostle Paul and NOT the Apostle Peter and the eleven. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! 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." Now, out of the 779 responses we received to this question, again only 58.8% of you got it right! NOW, let us take an in depth look at...

Christian Fundamentalists WAKE UP! Part 4 of 4

CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISTS NEED TO WAKE UP NOW!Christian Fundamentalists WAKE UP! Part 4 of 4

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.

***

In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.

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)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook