LLM Question for 3-22-2012, and, The Grace of God, part 3 of 9

First the Question: The Gospel, which the Apostle Paul called MY GOSPEL, Romans 2:16, is called the Gospel of Glory. True or False?

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

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 3-20-2012

Question: There is no lack of Grace and no lack of spiritual blessings, the lack is on the part of the believer. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Of Course!! There is no lack of Grace and no lack of spiritual blessings. The lack is on the part of the believer; and that is the lack of appropriating the Faith; and a lack of a real desire and willingness to CLAIM the Grace and blessings. Now, of course, and which is the case most of the time, there might be a lack of spiritual know how. Now, out of the 701 responses we received to this question, 94.4% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

The Grace of God, part 3 of 9

THE ABOUNDING GRACE OF GOD:

FOR ABOUNDING SIN AND FOR ABOUNDING WORKS

Surely every rational, thinking person knows that sin is abounding. To be always conscious of this truth, God would have every member of the human race to think of Romans 5:20, and measure the faults and failures of the children of Adam by the commands of God in the ten commandments, knowing that sin is the transgression of the law. The law was given at Sinai, that the sin that entered by Adam in Eden might abound. “By the law is the knowledge of sin” and all the world is guilty before God. (Romans 3:19-20).

But again hear the good news in the last part of Romans 5:20, “Where sin abounded, Grace did ‘MUCH MORE’ ‘OVERABOUND’.” The guiltiest, vilest sinner can find God’s saving, redeeming, abounding Grace altogether sufficient to save him, to justify him and to keep him. The moral, upright, sincere, religious unsaved “church‑member” needs this same Grace.

While the redeemed, justified sinner is being kept by the Grace and power of God, he should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8), he should always abound in the work of the LORD, by the Grace of God. “God is able to make all Grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency, in all things, may abound to every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8).

As the best works of the most moral, religious, conscientious, sincere ‘Christ-rejecting’ person are not acceptable to God, even so with most of these respectable unbelievers God’s Divine Grace is not acceptable. Like Israel in Romans 10:1-4, they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, go about trying to establish their own righteousness, refusing to submit themselves unto the righteousness of God which is by the Faith in Christ Jesus.

As we again ask the question concerning the ‘all Grace’ of 2 Cor. 9:8, which God is able to make abound, so that believers saved by that all sufficient Grace, might abound in good works, “how much Grace is all Grace,” let us try earnestly to comprehend the full meaning of Ephesians 1:3, that believers are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies.

There is no lack of Grace and no lack of spiritual blessings. The lack is on the believer’s part; lack of appropriating faith; lack of a real desire and willingness to claim the Grace and blessings. Of course, and which is the case most of the time, there might be a lack of spiritual ‘know-how’.

And then who can measure or calculate or even estimate the mighty power that God wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and placed Him far above all principality and power in the Heavenlies? We are told in Ephesians 1:19-23 that this same mighty Divine power is available for all believers who have been ‘Graced’ in Christ and have received redemption and forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God’s Grace. (Ephesians 1:6-7). Who can measure or calculate or estimate ‘the riches of God’s Grace’? Read Ephesians 2:7 before you attempt to answer this question. While we are measuring and calculating and estimating, we might ask, “what about Ephesians 3:20?”, where we read, “now unto Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us”

Thus we have learned that almighty God has made available for those who are His children, by the Faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, His unlimited power and His unlimited Grace, and that He has blessed them with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies.

Surely God, Who will have all men to be saved by faith in His Son Who gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:4-6), will have all of His saved children to take full advantage of His unlimited Grace, His unlimited power and His unlimited spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies. Moreover He would not have them, for one moment, forget the requirement of Colossians 3:17, “whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him.”

SO NOW, THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE FOR GENTILES

As we think of Romans 5:20, studied with Ephesians 3:1-3, very special Grace for Gentiles, let us prayerfully and carefully consider some other Scriptures describing the awful spiritual condition, the terrible, sinful state of the Gentiles from the time that the Apostle Paul said, in Acts 13:46, “lo, we turn to the Gentiles,” until he wrote in his farewell message concerning God’s eternal ‘GRACE’ purpose, and then added, “whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” (2 Timothy 1:9-11). In this study and consideration, we shall certainly learn why those ruined Gentiles needed the ‘all sufficient’ Grace, the ‘over‑abounding’ Grace, the ‘much more’, ‘over‑abounding’ Grace of the God of all Grace. This is likewise the greatest need of every member of the human race in this year 2009 A.D.

Look again at Romans 5:20, “where sin abounded Grace did much more over‑abound.” Now Ephesians 3:1-3. “I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles; if ye have heard of the ‘DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD’, which is given me to you­ward…by revelation.” Now look at Galatians 1:11-12, that the ‘GRACE’ Gospel was given to the Apostle Paul by the direct revelation of the RISEN LORD Jesus Christ; NOT in the great commissions of Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:14-16.

“FOR YOU GENTILES.” According to 1 Corinthians 12:2, “ye were Gentiles carried away unto dumb idols, even as ye were led.” According to 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “how ye turned to God from idols.” According to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, covetous, drunkards, extortioners”: “such were some of you; but ye are washed, sanctified and justified in the Name of the LORD Jesus.” According to Ephesians 2:1-6, Ephesians 2:11-12, and Ephesians 4:18, the Gentiles had been “dead in sins; by nature the children of wrath; atheists, without hope, afar off, alienated from the life of God.” According to Colossians 1:21 and Colossians 2:13, “alienated and enemies by wicked works”…“now reconciled.” “Dead in your sins, hath He made alive.”

Surely we see that those first century Gentiles needed the ‘much more’ ‘overabounding’ Grace of the God of all Grace. How about you? I needed it as much as they did! My testimony is Ephesians 1:6-7 and Galatians 6:14.

***

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 3-20-2012, and, The Grace of God, part 2 of 9

First the Question: There is no lack of Grace and no lack of spiritual blessings, the lack is on the part of the believer. True or False?

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

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 3-18-2012

Question: There is NO difference between being moral and religious, AND, being righteous and spiritual. True or False?

Answer: FALSE! There IS a GREAT difference between being moral and religious, and being righteous and spiritual. Apart from God’s Grace and Christ’s work on the cross...there is none righteous, not one...and NO child of Adam is alive from the dead. The self righteous, moral, conscientious religious, church going, Christ rejecting, unbeliever, abounding in good works, is just as dead in God’s sight as is the wicked unbeliever who abounds in evil works. Now, out of the 746 responses we received to this question, 90% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

The Grace of God, part 2 of 9

“The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, the righteousness which is of faith.” “Israel did not attain; because they sought it not by faith.” “They stumbled.” (Romans 9:29-33).

Then Paul added, about 60 A. D., “There is a remnant according to the election of Grace. If it is by Grace, it is no more of works.” (Romans 11:5-6).

THEREFORE NOW, ACCEPTING GOD’S GRACE BY FAITH

The God of all Grace will most gladly bestow His infinite, saving Grace upon any child of Adam who is willing to receive that Grace from God. It is abounding Grace, all sufficient Grace. But it is Grace that no human can earn by good works or religious deeds. The very best news that all of Adam’s race can hear is recorded in Romans 4:1-8. One of these verses reads, “happy is the man to whom the LORD imputeth righteousness without works.”

For about fifteen centuries God kept His religious nation under the LAW, shut up unto The Faith that should afterward be revealed. (Galatians 3:23). At Sinai Israel received a yoke which no Israelite was able to bear. (Acts 15:10). They could not endure that which was spoken when God said, “Thou shalt, and thou shalt not.” (Hebrews 12:20).

We are told in Psalm 14:2-3 that, during the reign of LAW, God looked down from heaven to see if there was on earth a just man who did not sin. (Ecclesiastes 7:20). He found not one. Some years later He looked down from heaven upon His holy, sinless, Son, saying, “this is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 17:5). This Beloved Son truly said, “I do always the things which please My Father.” (John 8:29). “Which one of you convinceth Me of sin?” (John 8:46).

This Son, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. (Hebrews 7:26). On the cross of Calvary this sinless Son was made sin, that believing sinners might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21).

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST

What does an unrighteous sinner have to do to be ‘in Christ’ and receive the righteousness of God? Here’s the answer: Receive Christ and God’s righteousness and eternal life by faith.

Salvation, righteousness, and eternal life are all the gifts of God, “not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, and Romans 5:17-21). Only the ‘righteousness of God’ will admit a human into heaven. Any and every human may have the ‘righteousness of God’, by Grace through faith in the LORD Jesus Christ and His perfect work of redemption.

Let us prayerfully and seriously consider Romans 4:4-5, and then Romans 3:24-28 and Ephesians 1:6-7,

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

“Being justified freely (without a cause) by God’s Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare God’s righteousness for the remission of sins that are past…that God might be just and the ‘JUSTIFIER’ of him which believeth in Jesus.” And “Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

“To the praise of the glory of God’s Grace, wherein He hath ‘GRACED’ us in the ‘BELOVED’, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God’s Grace.”

As we consider and prayerfully analyze these wonderful statements, let us consider with them Romans 5:17,

“For if by one man’s sin death reigned by one, ‘much more’ they which receive ‘abundance of Grace’ and ‘the gift of righteousness’ shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ.”

In these ‘Grace’ and ‘justification’ (‘righteousness’) Scriptures, which we have quoted, the Holy Spirit has presented the most wonderful truth that has ever been proclaimed to condemned, ruined, lost sinners, all of whom are absolutely helpless and hopeless without justification by Grace through the Faith in God’s beloved Son and His perfect redemptive work.

GOD DESIRES, ACCEPTS, SANCTIONS, AND REWARDS THE GOOD WORKS OF JUSTIFIED BELIEVERS

God kept His religious Nation (Israel) shut up under the law for about fifteen centuries to teach them and the rest of the human race that the Law was added that sin might abound (Romans 5:20); that the Law was Israel’s schoolmaster to bring Israel to Christ that they might be justified by the Faith in Christ (Galatians 3:24); that Christ died on the cross to deliver Israel from the curse of the Law. (Galatians 3:13).

It behooves every person, who really desires to please God, to reach the conclusion recorded in Romans 3:28, “therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

In Romans 4:4 we have learned that no person, however religious or conscientious and sincere, can work his way into God’s Grace or attain unto righteousness by good works.

We are told in Romans 10:10, “with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.”, “It is God that justifieth”, “It is Christ that died, yea that is risen again.” (Romans 8:33-34) We read in Romans 4:6 of the blessedness (happiness) of the man to whom the LORD imputeth righteousness without works.

“To him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5). In Romans 5:6-9 we read that Christ died for the ungodly; that the ungodly, who believe, are justified by Christ’s blood.

In Ephesians 1:6-7 we learned that the ungodly, who believe are ‘Graced’ “in Christ, in Whom they have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of God’s Grace”. In Romans 3:24-28 we learned that believers are justified freely by God’s Grace through the Faith in the redemptive work of the LORD Jesus, Who, on the cross, became the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2).

The justified believer is “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:10). “Whom God called, them He also justified And whom He justified them He also glorified.” (Romans 8:30). The justified believer, who is justified by God’s Grace and by the Faith in the shed blood of the LORD Jesus Christ, God’s workmanship, is created in Christ Jesus ‘UNTO GOOD WORKS’. (Ephesians 2:10).

We are told in 1 Corinthian 3:13-14, “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is, If any man’s work abide, which he hath built thereupon (Christ the foundation), he shall receive a reward.” But keep in mind Galatians 2:21: “if righteousness come by the law, Christ has died in vain.”

We are told in Titus 2:11, “the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” By the Grace of God the LORD Jesus tasted death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9). When the LORD Jesus, on the cross, gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:4-6), He was made sin that believing sinners might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21). Think about this…“The righteousness of God in Christ.”

The believer’s faith is counted for righteousness. The righteousness of God is imputed to the believing sinner who meets God at Calvary and by the Faith receives Christ as his Savior and his righteousness. Christ is the believer’s righteousness. (1 Corinthians 1:30). The sinner, who does not receive the righteousness of God before he leaves this world, will not be rewarded for his good deeds, but will be eternally lost because of his evil deeds and his unbelief. (Ezekiel 33:13, Revelation 20:13-15, John 3:36, John 3:16-19, Romans 2:3-11). Then read Revelation 21:8.

AND NOW, JUSTIFIED BELIEVERS ARE ALIVE FROM THE DEAD

In Romans 5, the alienated, unrighteous, dead children of Adam, are told that they can be reconciled and justified by God’s Grace, and receive life, “they which receive abundance of Grace and the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by Jesus Christ.”

Justified, reconciled believers are instructed, in Romans 6:13, “yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

“Sin hath reigned unto death.”, “Even so Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our LORD.” (Romans 5:21).

God does not approve or reward the good works of any person who is not alive from the dead.

The self‑righteous, moral, conscientious religious, church going, Christ‑rejecting, unbeliever, abounding in good works, is just as dead in God’s sight as is the wicked unbeliever who abounds in evil works.

There is a great difference between being moral and religious, and being righteous and spiritual. Apart from God’s Grace and Christ’s work on the cross, “there is none righteous; not one” and no child of Adam is alive from the dead.

***

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 3-18-2012, and, The Grace of God, part 1 of 9

First the Question: There is NO difference between being moral and religious, AND, being righteous and spiritual. True or False?

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

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 3-16-2012

Question: God divided Israel, in the days of the Apostle Paul, into two groups. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! The LORD directed the Apostle Paul to write concerning the ‘elect’ and the ‘rest’ of the religious self‑righteous law‑keepers. The ‘elect’ found the righteousness they sought; but the rest were blinded. Thus God divided Israel in Paul’s day into two groups. Romans 9:29-33, and, Romans 11:5-6. Now, out of the 701 responses we received to this question, ONLY 52.6% of you got it right! Today begins a brand new message series. Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

The Grace of God, part 1 of 9

The Apostle Paul, who was directed by the Holy Spirit to say so much about the Grace of the God of all Grace, said something that no living saint will say at this time, “The GRACE which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

According to 1 Peter 5:10, the God of the Bible is called “THE GOD OF ALL GRACE.” According to 2 Cor. 9:8, “God is able to make ‘ALL GRACE’ abound toward you (saints), that ye always having ‘ALL SUFFICIENCY’ in all things, may abound to every good work.” God’s saints are expected to do good works, to be steadfast, unmovable, ‘ALWAYS ABOUNDING’ in the work of the LORD. (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Well might we ask, “how much Grace is all Grace?” God is the God of ALL Grace; and all Grace is available for each and every saint. Every person, who is a saint, is a saint by God’s Grace. This means that every saved person on this earth is “saved by Grace through faith, and that not of yourselves; the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

No unsaved person is required by God to work for His Grace or for eternal salvation during this present age and dispensation of Grace. “The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” (Titus 2:11).

Note when the eternal omniscient God of all Grace purposed this universal Grace (but NOT uni­versal salvation), and just how it appeared, “God, Who hath saved us and called us with a Holy Calling, NOT according to our works, but according to His own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began; but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10).

INCREASING SIN, INCREASING GRACE

Concerning LAW and GRACE, we read in John 1:17 and Romans 5:20-21, “The LAW was given by Moses; GRACE and truth came by Jesus Christ”. “Moreover the LAW entered (which naturally means it must exit) that sin might abound: But where sin abounded GRACE did ‘much more’ ‘over abound’; that as sin hath reigned unto death, so might ‘GRACE’ reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our LORD.” With John 1:17 we should read also John 1:16: “Of His (Christ’s) fullness have all we received and ‘GRACE UPON GRACE’.” Grace upon Grace is Grace a plenty!

If you were given supernatural power for a short period of time to behold and perceive all of the wicked thoughts, words and deeds of the more than two billion people living now in so called Christendom and in all the heathen countries, you would know more of the meaning of abounding sin. But where sin abounded Grace did, and doth, much more over abound.

This means that the vilest of the vile, the most wicked person on this earth, and all other members of the human race, ranging from the most moral, benevolent, sincere, conscientious, zealous, religious person to the most wicked, can find God’s saving Grace altogether sufficient to transform either the self‑righteous, respectable sinner or the wicked unrighteous criminal into a saint, without any good works or religious doings on the part of any of them. Salvation is the gift of God. “The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.” (Romans 6:23). Righteousness is the gift of God’s Grace.

AND NOW, GOD’S ANSWER TO JOB’S QUESTION

Inasmuch as the Infallible Word of the Infallible God plainly states that no unrighteous person can enter the kingdom of God or get into heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9), and further states in no uncertain language, “there is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10) , every sane, rational person on this earth should join with Job in not only asking with him the question of Job 25:4, but he should never, never let a day or an hour go by without searching diligently until the question is answered. THEN he should not lose one moment in deciding to receive the cleansing and the justification which concerned Job when he asked this question: “How then can man be justified with God?, or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?”

How can a child of Adam be cleansed of his sins? How can he become a righteous person? The religions of the world, including the RELIGION of “Christianity”, have offered thousands of substitute speculations and false hopes; have been led by Satan, the god of this age, to invent a multitude of futile religious schemes to atone for sin and make the sinner fit for some kind of existence after death.

It is ever and always true, as written in Proverbs 16:25 and in Luke 16:15 (the words of the LORD Jesus), “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death”, “that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Satan delights to corrupt the minds of even the church members in so called Christian lands from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Cor. 11:1-3). Satan, transformed into an angel of light, has thousands upon thousands of deluded religious men and women, to help him succeed in bringing in the damnable heresy, and removing religious church members from the Grace of God. He causes them to trust in another Gospel. (2 Cor. 11:1-3, and 2 Cor. 11:13-15; 2 Peter 2:1-2 and Galatians 1:6-9). We are told in Acts 15:24 that the souls of the victims of the religious messengers, who pervert the Gospel of Grace and frustrate the Grace of God, are subvert

AND THEN, JOB’S QUESTION ANSWERED IN GALATIANS

As we read Galatians 2:11-15 and see how the Apostle Peter was caused by religious brethren to compromise, we should listen attentively to the Apostle Paul’s words to Peter in Galatians 2:16, which is indeed the answer to a part of Job’s question, “How can a man be just with God?” Until we know the truth of Galatians 2:16, we cannot expect to understand the truth about ‘all’ Grace in Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians.

Hear Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not ‘justified’ by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Surely Peter had known this great truth. Had he forgotten it? Did religious brethren put so much pressure on him that he forgot the truth which once he knew? This is wonderful news, good news for the human race. Accept it at full face value. Believe it with all your heart. The foolish Galatians turned against the Apostle Paul when he tried to keep them from falling from Grace. (Galatians 5:1-4). If you proclaim God’s ‘all Grace’ message today, you may get into trouble with religious church members, but you will stand well with the LORD.

The Epistle to the Galatians should have been addressed, “To the FOOLISH GALATIANS.” (Galatians 3:1). ‘TROUBLERS’ had made them ‘foolish’. (Galatians 5:12; Acts 15:24). They troubled them by perverting the Grace message which The Apostle Paul received by direct revelation from the RISEN Christ. (Galatians 1:11-13).

The God of all Grace will most definitely judge every religious messenger who frustrates the Grace of God and perverts the Gospel of Grace by bringing over Israel’s Old Testament sacraments and religious doings (including water baptism) into this present age and dispensation of Grace. Paul was directed to write: “I would that they were even cut off who trouble you.” (Galatians 5:12). Christians are not under the law, but under Grace. (Galatians 3:25; Romans 6:14).

The religious, self‑righteous, law keepers of the Apostle Paul’s day hated him for preaching Acts 13:39, “by Jesus Christ all who believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” When he said, “Lo, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46), and preached to them justification by Grace through the Faith in the perfect redemptive work of the LORD Jesus Christ, the religious law keepers stoned him until they thought he was dead. (Acts 14:19-21). And these same types would do the same today to the Gospel of Grace Preacher if they could.

Several years later the LORD directed the Apostle Paul to write concerning the ‘elect’ and the ‘rest’ of the religious self‑righteous law keepers. The ‘elect’ found the righteousness they sought; but the rest were blinded. Thus God divided Israel in Paul’s day into two groups.

“The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, the righteousness which is of faith.” “Israel did not attain; because they sought it not by faith.” “They stumbled.” (Romans 9:29-33). Then Paul added, about 60 A. D., “There is a remnant according to the election of Grace. If it is by Grace, it is no more of works.” (Romans 11:5-6).

***

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 3-16-2012, and, The Apostle Peter and the KEYS of the Kingdom of Heaven, part 3 of 3

First the Question: God divided Israel, in the days of the Apostle Paul, into two groups. True or False?

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

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 3-11-2012

Question: There is only ONE case of apostolic succession in The Bible. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Only ONE, Matthias succeeded Judas. Acts 1:21-26. Now, certainly the Apostle Peter had no God given authority over the Gentile churches. Therefore, it is not Scriptural to say that the Apostle Paul succeeded Peter in authority. But it IS Scriptural to say that, Paul received from the RISEN Christ in Heaven, a commission, a message, a ministry that superseded the message and ministry committed unto Peter by Christ. Paul received his authority from Heaven WITHOUT conferring with those who were Apostles before him. Galatians 1:12-17. Now, out of the 805 responses we received to this question, 68.8% of you got it right! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

The Apostle Peter and the KEYS of the Kingdom of Heaven, part 3 of 3

The true Church of God at Rome in the first century believed in God’s truth in the Epistle to the Romans, BUT the Roman Catholic Church has drifted FAR AWAY from the Gospel of Grace contained in that Epistle.

Well, what has this to do with Simon Peter? He has been accused of having something to do with the establishment of the present Church of Rome. Their claim is, that the papal authority has been handed down from Peter and that the present pope, Benedict, is on St. Peter’s throne by the process of apostolic succession. The “holy see” is the seat of Peter, the first bishop of Rome.

There is only ONE case of apostolic succession in the Bible; Matthias succeeded Judas. Acts 1:21-26.

Certainly the Apostle Peter had no God given authority over the Gentile churches. Therefore, it is not Scriptural to say that the Apostle Paul succeeded Peter in authority. But it IS Scriptural to say that, Paul received from the RISEN Christ in Heaven, a commission, a message, a ministry that superseded the message and ministry committed unto Peter by Christ. Paul received his authority from Heaven WITHOUT conferring with those who were Apostles before him. Galatians 1:12-17. Both Peter and Paul had their Christ given authority and ministry. Each of them faithfully performed his duty. Peter is not mentioned in the Book of Acts after Acts 15. Paul, however, is mentioned more than one hundred times. As Kingdom truth wanes and Body of Christ truth is gradually revealed, Peter is withdrawn from the prominent place and Paul becomes the outstanding servant of Christ.

In their clash at Antioch, Paul withstood Peter to the face because Peter was to be blamed. Galatians 2:11.

If we had to depend upon the messages of Peter for Body of Christ truth, our knowledge of that truth would be indeed limited. We may rest assured therefore, if the LORD did not reveal Church truth through Peter, He certainly is not building His Church, His Body, upon Peter. And we may also rest assured that when Peter shall occupy one of the twelve thrones, judging Israel in the coming Kingdom age, The Apostle Paul will NOT be there. Paul was the Church Apostle. Peter was God’s Kingdom messenger to Israel. To Peter were committed the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Mystery of the Body of Christ and the Keys of the Kingdom are by no means the same.

This brings us to consider these questions; just how or when did Peter and the eleven use the keys and what relation did the twelve apostles sustain to or in the Body of Christ?

After His resurrection Christ appeared to His apostles and said “Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” John 20:23. This authority was not given to the Apostle Peter alone but to all of the disciples. They constituted the Church in embryo. Christ is working through His Body today to remit sins and loose on earth. The disciples of Christ plant and water so that God will give the increase. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14.

It doesn’t say “without a priest”. A priest presents man to God. That is the work of the LORD Jesus Christ. A preacher presents God to man. EVERY Christian should preach. And the humblest uneducated untrained babe in Christ can forgive sins just like Peter and Paul did. This is the way Peter did it...ready?...Here we go...

TURN TO ACTS 10:43

“To Him (Jesus) all the prophets witness, that through His Name, whosoever believeth on Him shall receive remission of sins.” See how the Apostle Peter forgave sins? He preached Christ as the sin-bearer. It was Peter who wrote concerning this sin-bearer, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24.

“Whosoever believeth on Him”, said Peter, “shall receive remission of sins.” See how Peter remitted sins? The Apostle Paul did it in the same way. Acts 13:39. A 12 year old Christian boy or girl can do it in the same way. It is the LORD Jesus Christ who is to grant forgiveness of sins. Acts 5:31.

The Apostle Peter declares that Christ is the Stone upon which the Church is built. Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7. To Simon, Christ said, “Thou art Peter and upon this Petra I will build my Church” Matthew 16:17. The Church, the Body of Christ, is NOT built upon Peter; BUT upon CHRIST! Whosoever will make Simon’s confession will immediately become a member of Christ’s Body...Without holy water or any other religious rite. Keep this in mind always...The Church is not the door to Christ and salvation...CHRIST IS THE DOOR! He who has Christ has salvation, and not religion. He is in the true Church, the One Body, of which Christ in Heaven is the One and only Head.

In Acts 1-7, Peter and the eleven are the representatives of the risen LORD with Divine authority. They are using the keys, the “Kingdom of the Heavens” keys. They are preaching concerning David’s throne, and the Messianic Kingdom, TO ISRAEL. They will have authority in connection with Israel when this Kingdom shall be established at the Coming of Christ. Matthew 19:28. Some years later read what Paul had to say about them, “But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference ADDED NOTHING TO ME.” Galatians 2:6

Then the Apostle Paul withstood the Apostle Peter to the face, because he was to be blamed. Galatians 2:11-14.

But like Jacob, the clever, scheming, intensely human, selfish servant of God who finally became the gentle, unselfish, righteous Israel, in his old age...so the Apostle Peter came to the place of real victory, as the calm gentle, lovable, writer of two epistles. His last word was concerning his beloved brother Paul, whose epistles Peter read, 2 Peter 3:15-16. Surely Peter came to understand, as you and I should, in the reading of Paul’s epistles, that Paul was Christ’s apostle to the Body of Christ and FINAL HUMAN AUTHORITY by whom truth concerning the Body of Christ was given. The Apostle Paul never worked under Peter’s keys. Galatians 1:12, and Galatians 1:17-23; Galatians 2:2.

And anyone who will carefully read the New Testament Scriptures will be assured that the Apostle Peter was NEVER a Roman Pope, that he NEVER forgave sins, that he NEVER prayed to Mary, that he NEVER preached Purgatory, that he was NEVER a Christian priest, that he NEVER had a building called a cathedral, that he NEVER wore ecclesiastical garments, that he NEVER claimed that bread and wine could be actually turned into the body and blood of Christ; that he NEVER prayed for the dead, that be NEVER had silver and gold, that he was NEVER called “Reverend Peter”, or “Father Peter”. Do a good thing, read his own words for yourself in 1 Peter 5:1-7.

***

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, and, Romans 8:28-32 Predestination and Free Will in this Age of Grace

First the Question: There is only ONE case of apostolic succession in The Bible. True or False?

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

And Now...

Romans 8:28-32 Predestination and Free Will in this Age of Grace

Quite frequently we hear a Child of God quote Romans 8:28, especially when some sorrow or disappointment has been experienced. But it is interesting to note the “FOR” that connects this verse with the three verses that follow. Note Romans 8:28 and the three verses that follow, Romans 8:29-32:

“AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW, HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE, TO BE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, THAT HE MIGHT BE THE FIRSTBORN AMONG MANY BRETHREN. MOREOVER WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE, THEM HE ALSO CALLED: AND WHOM HE CALLED, THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED: AND WHOM HE JUSTIFIED, THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED. WHAT SHALL WE THEN SAY TO THESE THINGS? IF GOD BE FOR US WHO CAN BE AGAINST US” ROMANS 8:28-32.

Here we note that God had, and has, a purpose. Note the words of Acts 15:18: “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” Surely if God is omniscient, He knows all things. God not only knew the end from the beginning, but God had a secret purpose from before the foundation of the world.

Note Ephesians 3:9, Ephesians 3:11, and Ephesians 1:12. “And to make all men see what is the dispensation (fellowship) of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God. According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.”

Then note 2 Timothy 1:9 and Ephesians 1:4-5. “God Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

So, God’s Word tells us very definitely that God purposed in Christ BEFORE the world began that which He has revealed in the Epistle to the Ephesians. Look at Ephesians 1:9: “Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”

God has made known the secret of His will. Then all Children of God should diligently search the Scriptures and learn that revealed Divine secret. The sons of men in other ages and generations did not have this wonderful privilege; for God did not choose to disclose His eternal purpose to them, “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints.” Colossians 1:25-26.

Now go to Ephesians 3:5 and Ephesians 3:8, “Which in other ages was NOT made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; UNTO ME, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ"

God wants all members of The Body of Christ to see this glorious truth NOW and to know the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Ephesians 1:17-18.

Again in Ephesians 1:11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. An inheritance, being predestinated according to God’s purpose."

We should know, and be well studied in, God’s revealed secret, the Mystery of His will, His eternal predestinated purpose. And if we honestly endeavor to walk worthy of our calling, as members of the Body of Christ, and constantly endeavor to make others see the Dispensation of the Mystery, we can know and say positively, that all things work together for good for such Children of God who love God and are the called according to God’s purpose. For....for what? “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29.

Now, look at the questions in Romans 8:31: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” What blessed truth to know. BUT, what appalling ignorance among Children of God concerning God’s purpose and grace given us in Christ before the world began. Most of the Children of God in this age and generation, are as ignorant of this glorious Divine Truth as were the sons of men in other ages and generations to whom it was never revealed.

Perhaps you have observed that Children of God who are opposed to the Doctrine of Eternal Security actually HATE the Doctrine of Predestination, for the two truths are inseparably connected. No Child of God should hate the Word of God. And every Child of God who really knows and believes the truth concerning God’s predestinated purpose believes in the eternal security of the believer.

“All things work together for good.” Note it, “for good.” To whom? To those who are the CALLED according to God’s purpose. And note the good things that God has on deposit for those who are called according to His purpose, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ: According as He hath CHOSEN us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:3-4

We can never appreciate either of these facts until we know both of them, namely, that those who are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ, were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Ephesians 1:5.

When we learn these facts then we will begin to comprehend “with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19.

How many Children of God are filled with all the fullness of God? How many Children of God know what is meant by the fullness of Christ in Ephesians 1:23: “Which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all?”

Note the climax of the wonderful Mystery of God’s will. The magnificent purpose and grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Note Ephesians 4:12-13: “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.”

We shall come to the fullness of Christ in the unity of faith. There is ONE Faith. Ephesians 4:5. God will permit no Child of God to see this glorious profound truth until that Child of God will receive the truth from the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, that there is but ONE Body, even as there is but one Head of the Body, that there is ONE baptism (NOT water), for this age, even as there is but one Spirit for this age. Children of God have been blinded by sectarianism and traditions of men and have made very little earnest effort to keep the unity of the Spirit on the basis of the seven-fold unity of Ephesians 4:3-7. Therefore, they could not obey Ephesians 3:9 even if they wanted to!

The present Divine program concerning the Body of Christ the hope and calling of its members was not prophesied by the men of old. Therefore the Apostle Paul speaks of this distinctive ministry as “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3:8. “Unsearchable” means “untraceable” and has the meaning of “un-prophesied,” NOT made known to other ages and generations.

So the Body of Christ, and the heavenly position and possession of members of this Body, were NOT prophesied; but they were PREDESTINATED, “According as He hath CHOSEN us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having PREDESTINATED us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Ephesians 1:4-5.

“Moreover whom He did PREDESTINATE, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:30.

So, we see that all the way from foreknowledge to glorification, Salvation is of God, and is by His grace from beginning to end, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9

There is also the human responsibility!

Note Romans 10:13-14, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” “How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

And 1 Corinthians 3:8, “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS.” Titus 2:11 and Titus 2:14.

How often have we heard, “How are we to reconcile the ‘predestination’ message, with the ‘whosoever’ message?” Look, they are both the TRUTH of GOD! They are both Bible doctrines. JUST preach them, and teach them, and let the Holy Spirit do the reconciling!

***

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 RULES for BIBLE STUDY Message Series

What we have here is just overflowing with good stuff. First up, we have the ALL of the Illustration Charts for the LLM RULES for BIBLE STUDY Message Series. These charts are outstanding, please check them out. And, THEN we give you the complete LLM RULES Message Series, as well. OK! So let's get started...

LLM RULES Message Series Illustration Charts

The LLM RULES Message Series covered the seven fundamental points that the Child of God and member of the Body of Christ needs to know in order to be a more effective Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:18-20; Ephesians 3:2, Ephesians 3:9). The Illustration Charts presented here convey, in images, important aspects of The LLM RULES Message Series. They partner with the Message Series to bring further depth and clarity.

Here are all SEVEN of the "LLM RULES" Series of Messages

LLM’s FIRST RULE: Test the Things That Differ

This, (the first of seven messages), Study, for Lion and Lamb Ministry (LLM) members and visitors, is going out with the purpose, desire and hope that through it the Holy Spirit may stimulate, encourage, or provoke, real, honest, and diligent Bible study among you all, the Children of God, members of the Body of Christ. The profound ignorance of the Bible among “church” members is appalling, shocking, and to a degree, sickening. Read More...

LLM’s SECOND RULE: Be No Respecter of Persons

"Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." Acts 10:34; "My brethren, have not The Faith of our LORD Jesus Christ, the LORD of Glory, with respect of persons." James 2:1. I beg of you, do not follow any man, or group of men, in the matter of the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Hear spiritual men of God and then search the Scriptures and check up on them. Do not let those of reputation scare you away from the high and holy truths contained in God’s Word. Read More...

LLM’s THIRD RULE: Be Not Thou Therefore Ashamed

Is there the need for this kind of an exhortation? Almighty God, who knows the treachery of the human heart, knows that there IS the need. So, let us ask ourselves: “Am I ashamed? That is, do I fear the consequences for proclaiming the Gospel of Grace of The LORD Jesus Christ, and taking God at His Word?” Well, do you?

LLM’s FOURTH RULE: The Prayer That The Body of Christ Should NOT Pray

Down through the centuries many sincere Children of God have spoken this prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly" but we, at The Lion and Lamb Ministry have not joined them in this, and will not. Find out why.

LLM’s FIFTH RULE: TRY THE SPIRITS

It is the duty of every Christian to obey 1 John 4:1. Read this verse very carefully, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Then, so many times we hear this question, “Why is it that spiritual or religious men, who use the same Bible and claim to be led by the same Holy Spirit, give different interpretations to the same Bible doctrines?” Read More...

The Lion's Forums, We're Waiting For YOU. Come on, Check it out...Let's Go Already...

LLM's SIXTH RULE: This is That

Should the Child of God today preach what Peter and the Eleven preached to Israel on the day of Pentecost, or what Peter preached eight years later to Cornelius? NO! Should the messenger of the Gospel of the Grace of God be preaching, with the approval of God (that's the key), “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins?” NO! Should Christian Pastors, and Preachers, be preaching to individual Gentiles today what Peter preached to the Nation Israel, in Acts 3:19-26? NO!

LLM’s SEVENTH RULE: Know the Enlightening Unifying MYSTERY

When God revealed His great mystery, about two thousand years ago, He made it known, that members of the Body of Christ “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men.” Ephesians 4:14. God never intended this great truth to be the mysterious mystery, but the enlightening unifying Mystery. In the Mystery, the Ekklesia of the Age of Grace is the fullness of Christ, and one flesh with Christ. Ephesians 1:23, and Ephesians 5:30-32. God, during this Age is making ONE NEW MAN. Ephesians 2:15. God is NOT making three hundred sectarian denominations and the Lord will not permit any man to have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to understand the Mystery who contends for or sponsors a sectarian denomination! THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MYSTERY WILL DELIVER MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST FROM THE LAST VESTIGE OF JUDAISM AND RELIGION, AND BRING UNITY!!!

***

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

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LLM Question for 3-11-2012, and, The Apostle Peter and the KEYS of the Kingdom of Heaven, part 2 of 3

First the Question: There is only ONE case of apostolic succession in The Bible. True or False?

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

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 3-9-2012

Question: The joint Body of Christ, was a Mystery UNTIL the revelation was sent down from Heaven by the RISEN Christ to and through the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! The revelation of this program came to the Apostles of Christ on the installment plan. It is true that Christ had said to Simon Peter, “Upon this Rock I will build my Church”. Matthew 16:18. BUT concerning the Body of Christ, into which both Jews and Gentiles were to be baptized by ONE Spirit, Peter was wholly ignorant; not only before he received Holy Spirit baptism, but for some years thereafter. The Church, or Body of Christ, was a Mystery UNTIL the revelation was sent down from Heaven by the RISEN Christ to and through the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul. OK, now, out of the 723 responses we received to this question, a very nice 96% of you got it right! Praise the LORD! Therefore, NOW, let us take a look at,

The Apostle Peter and the KEYS of the Kingdom of Heaven, part 2 of 3

The Apostle Peter was intimately associated with the LORD Jesus Christ during all of His public ministry, and just before the Savior ascended to Heaven, Peter’s last question was, “Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6. Simon Peter had more than a Jewish interest in the restoration of the Kingdom to his nation. He had a selfish interest, or perhaps we should say, a personal interest; for the LORD had plainly told him that in that Kingdom age, he would, be sitting with the other eleven apostles, on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:28.

Most assuredly Simon Peter is still living and is coming back to this earth to share the earthly glory of Israel’s Messiah. He certainly should have been concerned as to when the Messiah was going to occupy David’s throne and establish his reign of righteousness, peace and glory. When Peter asked the question, “Wilt thou at this time the Kingdom to Israel,” he had not the faintest conception of God’s program to postpone the establishment of that Kingdom until He spent twenty+ centuries visiting the nations and electing a company to constitute the Body of Christ.

The revelation of this program came to the Apostles of Christ on the installment plan. It is true that Christ had said to Simon Peter, “Upon this Rock I will build my Church”. Matthew 16:18. BUT concerning the Body of Christ, into which both Jews and Gentiles were to be baptized by ONE Spirit, Peter was wholly ignorant; not only before he received Holy Spirit baptism, but for some years thereafter. The Church, or Body of Christ, was a Mystery UNTIL the revelation was sent down from Heaven by the RISEN Christ to and through the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul.

After the Apostle Peter received the Holy Spirit, who was to guide him into all truth, he preached to the Jews concerning the resurrection of Christ in this language, “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:29. We note two facts concerning this message; the first is, that Peter never proposed to forgive their sins; and the second, he had nothing to offer to the Gentiles. Several years before this the Prince and Savior had said to Peter, “Go NOT into the way of the Gentiles.” Matthew 10:5. Peter was still obeying this command, because the risen LORD was not yet ready to open the door to the Gentiles.

In Acts 3, we have the record of another message of Peter to Israel, the children of the prophets and the covenants, “Unto you first, God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his (your) iniquities.” Acts 3:25-26. This was a message...for a nation: ISRAEL. They were told in this message to repent and bring Christ back from Heaven to establish His Messianic Kingdom. Acts 3:19-21. The Holy Spirit gave this message though a Spirit filled and Spirit led messenger.

This was the message of first importance, a message concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. Already individual Jews had been added to the church. Acts 2:47 And more were to be added to the LORD. Acts 5:14. But the Nation of Israel, itself, was appealed to. There were at that time in Jerusalem devout Jews from every nation under Heaven; and associated with them were the Temple priests and officials of authority. Acts 2:5.

HOWEVER, in all of this, there is still no offer of salvation made to the Gentiles. Someday, in the future, Israel is going to repent and God is going to send the LORD Jesus Christ back to take the throne of David, restore the Kingdom to Israel, and bring about the restitution of all things. Following this national repentance, and the return of Israel’s Messiah to earth, salvation will be sent to the Gentile nations in the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Apostle Peter knew the Old Testament Scriptures as to this program; but he did NOT know that within a few years God would do a new thing and Peter himself would be preaching to a Gentile household; to begin that new thing. It was not lawful for the Apostle Peter to come unto one of another nation, but after his experience with God on the housetop, as recorded in Acts 10, he perceived that God was no longer a respecter of persons, and preached to Cornelius words where by he and his house were to be saved. Acts 10:34, Acts 11:14-15.

At first Peter was condemned by the believing Jews for giving this message to the Gentiles SEVEN years after the resurrection of Christ. Acts 11:1-17. But after his detailed explanation of God’s instructions from Heaven, “They held their peace and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” Acts 11:18. This was certainly something new for Peter and the other Jewish Christians. Here is the beginning of a new program. “Also to the Gentiles” God was now beginning to visit the Gentiles to take out from them a people for His name before He would restore the Kingdom to Israel. Acts 15:14-18.

He was now going to send salvation to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. Romans 11:11.

God knew all this from the beginning of the world. Acts 15:18. It was HID in God. Ephesians 3:9. It was not made known unto the sons of men, in other ages. Ephesians 3:5. It was HID in God from men. The LORD Jesus Christ did not make known to the Apostle Peter the Mystery among the Gentiles. This was the Apostle Paul’s ministry. Peter preached to the first Gentile family. That was his task.

The Apostle Peter was one of the twelve apostles, Paul was not. Peter and the eleven remained at Jerusalem. Acts 8:1.

The Book of Acts covered a period of thirty years from the resurrection of Christ until the Apostle Paul pronounced God’s judgment of blindness upon Israel. Acts 28:25-27. To Paul, the LORD said, “Get thee out of Jerusalem.” Acts 22:18. He kept Peter IN Jerusalem. The RISEN Christ said to Paul, “I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles”. Acts 22:21.

The Gospel of the Circumcision (the Jew) was committed to the Apostle Peter. Galatians 2:9. Peter agreed with Paul that Paul should go to the Gentiles and Peter would go to the Jews. Galatians 2:9. In this early history, the Book of Acts, we have no record that Peter preached to anyone outside of the land of the Jews. We have no record that he preached to any Gentiles other than the household of Cornelius. We DO have the record that he was sent to the Jews. We have no record in Acts that any of the eleven apostles, associated with Peter, preached to a single Gentile. They all remained at Jerusalem until AFTER the “Body” truth was revealed to the Apostle Paul.

When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, there were present some visiting Jews from Rome. Acts 2:10. But Peter never went to Rome. It was the Apostle Paul who wrote to the Romans, and later visited Rome; where he died. Paul, by no means, preached to the Gentiles at Rome what Peter preached twenty five years before at Jerusalem. The believing Gentiles at Rome were justified without a cause. They received what uncircumcised Abram received without the deeds of The Law, which was the Righteousness of God by Faith. Romans 4:3-11.

The true Church of God at Rome in the first century believed in God’s truth in the Epistle to the Romans, BUT, the Roman Catholic Organization has drifted FAR AWAY from the Gospel of Grace contained in that Epistle.

Well, what has this to do with Simon Peter? He has been accused of having something to do with the establishment of the present Church of Rome. Their claim is, that the papal authority has been handed down from Peter and that the present pope, Benedict, is on St. Peter’s throne by the process of apostolic succession. The “holy see” is the seat of Peter, the first bishop of Rome.

PAY ATTENTION: There is only ONE case of apostolic succession in the Bible...Matthias succeeded Judas. Acts 1:21-26. PERIOD!

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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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