Monthly Archives: December 2013

BIBLE CONTRADICTIONS / CONFUSING VERSES SIMPLIFIED, Can a Christian lose his or her salvation?, Can a Christian lose his or her salvation?, Can Christians lose their salvation?, GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, SOUL SALVATION FROM SINS

Can Christians lose their salvation?

ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED? CAN I LOSE MY SALVATION? HOW CAN I HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Can Christians lose their salvation? Must we do good works to maintain (keep) our salvation? Is salvation instantaneous (once for all) or progressive (throughout your lifetime)? Let us look at the Bible verses people often use to refute and reject the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” (the eternal security of the believer). The confusion would disappear if people would “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Read Galatians 5:4: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Does the expression “fallen from grace” mean that some of the Galatians lost their salvation? Of course not, because Paul calls these Galatians “brethren” nine times (Galatians 1:11, 3:15, 4:12, 4:28, 4:30, 5:11, 5:13, 6:1, 6:18)!

Galatia was being pummeled with false teaching and works-religion (Judaism). Some of these poor believers had been deceived to the point where they were now laboring under the Mosaic Law to receive salvation… salvation they had already received by grace through faith without works (Galatians 3:2,3). “Fallen from grace” simply means that some of the Galatians gave up on the grace system—being rewarded on the basis of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—because they preferred legalism—being rewarded on the basis of their works/performance (cf. Romans 4:1-8; Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Galatians 2:16-21; Titus 3:5).

For those who are unfamiliar with dispensational Bible study (mid-Acts dispensationalism / Pauline dispensationalism), Hebrews 6:4-6 can be quite confusing. Let us look at that passage: “[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

The goal of dispensational Bible study and right division is to determine the audience of the particular Bible passage. In this case, obviously, the writer is addressing Jews—after all, it is the epistle to the Hebrews. The people being addressed in the above passage are the nation Israel.

All of Israel saw Jesus Christ’s miracles. They saw the supernatural events on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. If the miracles, signs, and wonders of Christ’s earthly ministry and Acts chapter 2 were not enough proof to win the Jews to salvation, there was nothing else to convince them. Jesus told Israel, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe” (John 4:48). These Jews saw the power of the Holy Spirit, but they rejected God in unbelief. Consider Hebrews 2:3,4: “[3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; [4] God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Again, the “we” is the nation Israel—it was the Jews, not us. We see the reference to Christ’s miracles and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom during His earthly ministry (“the great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord;” Matthew 4:17). Obviously, the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” is a reference to Pentecost and Acts chapter 2, the power of the Holy Spirit being manifested (see Luke 24:49). Recall that we examined Hebrews 6:4-6, which mentioned “the powers of the world to come.” When Jesus Christ and His apostles performed miracles, they were demonstrating the power that was coming in the kingdom: when Christ will establish His kingdom on the earth, the curse would be lifted from creation and there would be no more sickness or unclean spirits (devils (Isaiah 35:1-10; Zechariah 13:1-2; et al.).

Acts chapter 2, Hebrews chapter 2, and Hebrews chapter 6 have nothing to do with anyone reading this. These passages describe Israel’s program, which is not the program that God is operating today. Period. At this point, we will look a related matter that many people have confused. Do you ever wonder if you are guilty of committing the “unpardonable sin” of Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:10, the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Let me assure you that this has nothing do with us today; this special sin of blaspheming against the Holy Ghost relates to the nation Israel (see our study “Have I blasphemed against the Holy Ghost?”).

Can we be “more saved” one day, and “less saved” another day? Do good works somehow “enhance” our salvation? Philippians 3:12-15 has been wrested and twisted to promote this absurd teaching. First, here is the passage: “[12] Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. [13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, [14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. [15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

This has absolutely nothing to do with us working for our salvation. The Apostle Paul is talking about spiritual maturity/spiritual growth (notice “perfect;” verses 12 and 15). Once we gain a better understanding of God’s Word, we should put forth an effort to seek more sound doctrine, and desire to allow that sound doctrine to mature us in the inner man. Paul admits in verse 13 that he has not yet reached the level of spiritual maturity that he needs to, but that he is putting forth the effort in allowing God’s Word to work effectually in him, as he believes it.

Philippians 2:12 is another one false teachers like to twist, but notice what the verse actually says in the King James Bible: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Again, there is no working for salvation here: the verse does not say “work for your own salvation,” the verse says “work out your own salvation.” This is talking about your lifestyle and testimony—if you claim to be saved, then act like it (do not fall prey to pride, which is the context)! (Another verse often misunderstood in this regard is 1 Corinthians 9:27.)

The next verse (Philippians 2:13) says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” This means that you, as a Christian, should be yielding yourself to the Lord’s will so that He can do His work in you, so that your life will reflect God’s working in you (cf. Galatians 5:1-26). Recall that Paul forbade the Galatians from working for salvation (cf. Romans 4:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9).

You will often hear of “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” That phrase appears in the Bible three times: Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, and Mark 13:13. Do not let someone (mis)quoting these verses make you doubt your salvation. The context of each of these verses is the seven-year Tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week. See for yourself; do not take my word for it. These verses are Israel’s program, and they have no relation to us today in this the Dispensation of Grace. (The Church the Body of Christ will be absent from earth during the Tribulation anyway!) This salvation is actually a physical salvation; “and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

In Old Testament Israel, it can be quite difficult to establish how salvation worked. We do know that it was always by faith in what God said. Still, there was no permanent indwelling Holy Spirit, and He sometimes came to and went from people. In fact, King David writes in Psalm 51:11: “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Another verse people twist today to promote loss of salvation.) In light of 2 Samuel 7:15, we do not know if King Saul was saved or if he went to hellfire. Or, we know all of Israel was delivered out of Egypt, yet some Jews died in unbelief in the wilderness before they reached the Promised Land (Jude 5). But, remember, there was no permanent indwelling Holy Spirit back then. What we do know is that those Old Testament saints in Hebrews chapter 11 were saved.

None of those verses I just mentioned have anything to do with us—this is Israel’s program. We are under a new dispensation (grace) under a new apostleship (Paul), in a new program (mystery), and in a new agency (the Church the Body of Christ). We will discuss this more fully in a moment.

Okay, let us look at one final passage. Read 2 Peter 2:20-21: “[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

The context is false teachers. It relates to what discussed earlier in Hebrews chapters 2 and 6. Peter is referring to those who saw all the miracles of Acts chapters 2, but opposed God’s working and used false teaching to encourage other Jews to rebel against God’s purpose and program for Israel. Let me also say that anyone who fully understands the Gospel of Grace and how to be saved, and they reject it in unbelief, then yes, they are not saved. But they never had salvation to lose, so this is not loss of salvation!

Today, in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, the Bible says that God accepts those who are “in the beloved,” in His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6). How do we get “in Christ?” Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for your sins: see Paul’s Gospel of Grace in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day for our justification.” Salvation from sins and hell and salvation unto justification (right standing before God) is instantaneous, not a lifelong process. If a true believer in Christ ever lost his/her salvation, that would mean God rejected His Son! You would have to throw away all the verses that Paul says confirms the believer’s salvation forever (Romans 5:1,2; Romans 8:29-39; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Ephesians 1:13,14; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12).

The Corinthians were the least spiritual and the most immature believers in Scripture. Yet, the Apostle Paul wrote that God would confirm (preserve) them unto the end so that they would be blameless at the rapture (1 Corinthians 1:7-8). Verse 9 tells us why—“God is faithful.” Believers in Christ make mistakes, but “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Colossians 1:14 says that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

We have been forgiven of all trespasses and sins for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:32). Our salvation is not gained by our efforts, so our salvation cannot be maintained by our efforts (see Romans 11:6; Galatians 3:3; Colossians 2:6,7). How can sinful people go to heaven? When a person believes the Gospel of Grace, the blood of Jesus Christ and His righteousness are imputed (applied) to them (Romans 4:1-5). When a believer in Christ sins today, God does not see the sin, He only sees the blood of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Once we have salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the rapture (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). God does not want you as a believer in Christ doubt your salvation. Our salvation does not depend on our performance or our faithfulness; the salvation we enjoy today as believers is solely dependent upon what Christ did for us already at Calvary!

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SUPPLEMENT

By the way, you should be aware of the heresy in modern English Bibles—NIV, NASB, NKJV, et al. promote progressive salvation!! In 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 2 Corinthians 2:15, does your Bible say “are being saved” rather than the ’s “are saved?” In 1 Peter 2:2, does your Bible say you can you “grow into salvation” rather than the ’s “grow [in maturity]?” Indeed, if you do not have God’s Word, you can promote false teaching. The Bible versions debate is a serious matter, so I suggest you get a King James Bible… it is the only solid ground in regards to God’s Word in English!

Also see:
» What is lordship salvation? (UPCOMING)
» Are we saved by faith alone, or by faith and works? (UPCOMING)
» What is the sin of presumption? (UPCOMING)

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, Must I tithe 10% of my income?, Must I tithe 10% of my income?, TITHING

Must I tithe 10% of my income?

Are we obligated to tithe 10% of our income? WILL GOD BLESS ME IF I GIVE A LOT? WILL HE CURSE ME IF I GIVE TOO LITTLE, OR NOT AT ALL?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Preachers urge us to tithe regularly in order to gain God’s blessings and favor. Some will even go so far as to say that if we do not tithe, then we are “cursed.” Are we obligated to tithe today as members of the Church the Body of Christ? How much money should we give God? Ten percent of our income? Ninety percent? Will God curse us if we do not give, or if we give too little? Will God bless us if we give a lot? We need to search the Scriptures, and be Bereans, not naïve sheep that believe preachers and church tradition (Acts 17:10,11)!

In order to answer this question about tithing, we need to look at God’s Word rightly divided. According to the Apostle Paul, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This is the way God has designed His Word to be studied—“rightly divided.” What does that mean exactly?

According to God, He has “divided” His Word into two programs: one of these programs is focused on the heaven, and the other program is focused on the earth (Genesis 1:1; Ephesians 1:9,10; Colossians 1:16-20). God’s program focused on the earth is known as the “prophetic program,” or that “which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). The “mystery program,” that “which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest” (Romans 16:25,26a), is God’s program for the heaven.

These two programs have their unique assembly of believers: the prophetic program belongs to the nation Israel, and the mystery program belongs to the Church the Body of Christ. God’s Word gives doctrine for Israel (Law), and gives another set of doctrine for the Body of Christ (Grace). We must never confuse the nation Israel with the Church the Body of Christ. Never should we combine instructions that God gave to Israel with instructions God gives us as members of the Body of Christ. When studying the Bible, it is extremely important to keep these distinctions and differences in mind. With that said, we can now address tithing.

When you ask the average church member about tithing, he or she will explain tithing as his or her denomination/church defines it, but most church members do not have a clear understanding of how God defines tithing. For instance, when I asked a pastor to explain the tithe to me, he described tithing as his denomination defines it—the poor brother could not tell me what the tithe is in the Bible. How sad, and this was supposed to be a church leader who guides Christians!!! How can he guide them into God’s truth when he did not even know what God’s truth was?!?

The first time “tithe” appears in the Bible is in Genesis 14:20, where Abraham gives one-tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek the king of Salem. For the next 500 years or so, the Bible does not mention tithing. Finally, in Leviticus 27:30, with the establishment of the Mosaic Law (God’s set of rules and regulations for Israel’s religious, social, and moral life), the LORD instructs Israel to tithe.

GIVING UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES (TITHE)

  1. THE TITHE WAS A MANDATED OBLIGATION. Because the tithe was part of the Mosaic Law, it was a mandated tithe, and the Jews were forced to give (notice the JEWS were instructed to give the tithe; Amos 4:4,5).
  2. THE TITHE GIVEN TO SUPPORT PRIESTHOOD/GOVERNMENT, NOT LOCAL CHURCH. The tithe was to be given to the Levites, Israel’s priesthood. Aaron’s sons had no inheritance or land because they served as Israel’s government and served in the temple (see Numbers 18:21-32, Nehemiah 10:37,38, Nehemiah 12:44, Nehemiah 13:5, and Hebrews 7:4-9 to find out about Israel’s theocracy). Essentially, the tithe was a tax paid to Israeli government.
  3. THE TITHE DID NOT ALWAYS INVOLVE MONEY. Leviticus 27:30-34 mentions tithing, but says nothing about money. So, what were they tithing? The Jews gave ten percent of seed (grain), fruit of the tree, tithe of the herd, the flock, and so on. If a Jew had ten sheep, he had to give one-tenth of that—one sheep. Or, if he had forty goats, he gave four goats. If he wanted to convert that animal and sell it for money and then bring the money to the temple, he would have to add 20% to the price and give the entire amount to the priest.
  4. THE TITHE WAS BROUGHT TO TABERNACLE/TEMPLE. Malachi 3:8-11 commanded Israel to bring their tithes into the “storehouse,” the warehouse of the Temple. This is where the priests stored the tithed grain and other crops. Israel’s priests would then live off of that storage. The command to bring the tithes to the Tabernacle/Temple can be found in other places such as Deuteronomy 12:6, 11; Deuteronomy 26:12; and 2 Chronicles 31:11,12.
  5. ADDITIONAL TITHES. The “ten percent” was just one type of tithing in Old Testament Israel. Jewish males were required to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem three times a year, for three feasts (or holydays) of Judaism: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:14-19; Deuteronomy 16:16). In order to fund their trip and pay for their accommodations in Jerusalem, God instructed them to set aside an additional ten percent of their net income (after they paid the first tithe; see Deuteronomy 14:22-26): this second tithe was optional. There was a third type of tithe that supported the welfare system in Israel (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Deuteronomy 26:12); it was also voluntary, but was given every three years. So, had a Jew been giving all three tithes annually, it was not just ten percent, but an additional ten percent plus three and two-thirds percent (or an additional 13.33% to the 10%)! It was a total of 23.33% to 25% tithe every year!

That is a simple overview of the Old Testament tithe. Surely, you see that the tithe was a burden for Israel. In this the Dispensation of Grace, we as members of the Church the Body of Christ are separate from God’s covenant people the nation Israel. What God told Israel to do then does not necessarily apply to us today. So, why is tithing unnecessary today? Compare each of the numbers below with the numbered points above.

GIVING IN THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE (NO TITHE)

  1. MOSAIC LAW INAPPLICABLE TO BODY OF CHRIST. We are not under the legalistic economy of Israel in the Old Testament—we are “not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:1,2,14,15). Paul also emphasized that throughout the book of Galatians. The tithe was part of the Mosaic Law, and the Mosaic Law was put to death with Christ (Colossians 2:14)!  The system of tithing is Law, legalism, performing to get God’s blessings. However, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit will not lead us Christians to go back under that performance-based acceptance system. Read what the Holy Spirit through Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:17: “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” And Galatians 5:18: “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Again, the Spirit of God will not place us under law, we are under grace (Romans 6:14). We are not forced to give money today because this would be in complete opposition to the Apostle Paul’s instructions for the Body of Christ: “do not give grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). “Cheerfully” means “giving whole-heartedly.” God wants believers to give willingly, giving excitedly and eagerly. I give money to my local church, not as a mandated tithe, but as a free will offering to further the Church the Body of Christ and the Gospel of the Grace of God! Interestingly, Paul never once uses the word “tithe!” He only uses the term “collection” (1 Corinthians 16:1-3). Also, I give what I want; no specific amount. In fact, the Bible says we should have nothing to do with Christians who are extortioners, and denominational preachers who force people to tithe are in fact extorting money from them! Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:11: “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.”
  2. THERE IS NO PRIESTHOOD IN ISRAEL TODAY! In His Word, God told Israel to give a tithe to their priests; God does not instruct us to give a tithe to our pastor or to our church. When the Temple was destroyed under the Roman invasion of Jerusalem (A.D. 70), the Israeli priesthood disappeared. Technically, in order to give a tithe today, you would have to find a Levite, and give him your tithe—and you would have to give him crops and livestock, not money. Unfortunately, some Jews do not even know to which tribe they belong anyway, so even finding a Levite is unlikely!
  3. MOST CHRISTIANS DO NOT HAVE LIVESTOCK AND GRAIN TO OFFER. Today’s Christians have money, but how many of us have goats, sheep, and other types of livestock that we can give to our local church? We do not all have access to wheat, corn, and other grains like Israel did under her agrarian economy. The only thing we have to give to our local church is money, and this is not Biblical tithing! Thus, giving money to a local church has no relation to Israel’s tithe.
  4. ISRAEL’S TEMPLE HAS BEEN DESTROYED FOR 2,000 YEARS. There is no functioning Temple in Jerusalem today, for it was destroyed in A.D. 70! Where would I bring a tithe? Again, God never tells us to bring a tithe to our local church.

Oftentimes, pastors force their members to give tithes by quoting from Malachi 3:8-11. Actually, that is extortion! “This whole nation” in Malachi 3:9 is NOT America. “This whole nation” is a reference to Israel; Malachi is writing to Israel under the Mosaic Law, not the Body of Christ in grace (Malachi 1:1). Malachi chapter 3 has absolutely nothing to do with you today! Pastors are scared if they tell their members there is no such thing as a mandated tithe today, people will no longer support the local church financially. However, they need to leave that in God’s hands: He is the best fundraiser and His grace motivates us to give “cheerfully!” People need to be set free from the legalistic burdensome tithe today!

Strangely, those who uphold the tithe today refuse to adhere to stoning people because when they break the Sabbath: why? According to the Old Testament, a Jew was put to death if he or she worked on the Sabbath—it was Saturday, not Sunday, by the way! The Mosaic Law commanded Sabbath day observance (the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:8-11). The penalty for gathering a few sticks for firewood on the Sabbath was DEATH BY STONING—and God commanded Israel to stone one particular Jew who infringed the Sabbath Day law (Numbers 15:32-36)! Why do people hang on to the tithe of the Old Testament, but avoid upholding capital punishment as a penalty for the breaking the Sabbath? Why do some uphold the Sabbath Day, but refuse to do Temple worship, or adhere to kosher food laws but deny the physical circumcision. Beats me… I will never know…. Religion never makes sense anyway.

No, tithing is not for us. Paul addressed giving in our dispensation in 2 Corinthians chapters 8, 9, and 10. Thus, God’s grace is not against giving; it is against tithing.

Will God curse us if we give too little or not at all? Will God bless us if we give a lot? God does not deal with us on the basis of performance-based acceptance. We are not Israel. God told Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 28 that if they wanted His blessings that they had to obey all of His laws; they would receive curses if they disobeyed Him. We are under no such system today. We are under grace, not law (Romans 6:14).

God has already given us everything He can give us, in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” We have received those blessings based on what Jesus Christ did, not because of anything we did or because of what we do! Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:32: “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?” Now that God has done so much for us, God wants to prove just how much we love Him! Are we going to give of our resources to further His ministry? That is what grace giving is all about!

Also see:
» How do I give under grace?
» Must I observe the Sabbath day?
» Must I be water baptized?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, Do we “make too much of Paul?”

Do we “make too much of Paul?”

Do we “make too much of Paul?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

Once, while talking to a discouraged Christian minister, I told him about Paul’s apostleship and how the Pauline epistles contained good words of encouragement for him to read and cheer up. His reply was, “Yeah, but there is more to the Bible than just Paul!” I responded, “Absolutely, but the Pauline epistles are God’s Word to you as a Gentile living in the Dispensation of the Grace of God.” The dear man had such a daze on his look; he had never heard this plain and yet profound truth of the Bible! If you want to know what God has to say to you, you must read the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon. Everything else in the Bible is God’s Word to Israel, and you are not Israel!

You are forced to separate Paul from the rest of the Bible. Even though your church and pastor may not do this, you have a choice—obey God, or obey mankind. But what makes Paul so unique? In the Four Gospels, we have the Lord Jesus Christ giving His twelve apostles the clear commandment (Matthew 10:5,6): “[5] Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And Jesus continued in verse 40, “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”

The Lord Jesus Christ sent Peter and the eleven to minister to the nation Israel (unfortunately, most church members have never been taught that simple fact). Jesus told them that if no one wanted to receive them, that person was simply rejecting Him (Jesus Christ), and thereby rejecting God the Father who sent Him. The question is: “Whom did Jesus Christ send to us?” It was certainly not Peter and the eleven because they had a ministry amongst the Jews, the nation Israel. Galatians 2:9 says that Peter, James, and John are Israel’s apostles (cf. Matthew 19:27,28).

Go with me to Romans 11:13, where the Apostle Paul writes: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” Who is God’s apostle of the Gentiles? PAUL! The ascended Lord Jesus Christ, post-resurrection, selected Paul to be the apostle of the Gentiles.

In Acts 9:15, the Lord Jesus told Ananias: “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [Saul of Tarsus, Paul the Apostle] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Paul wrote in Romans 15:16: “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” And Galatians 1:16: “To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” Finally, 2 Timothy 1:11: “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

The Apostle Paul is our apostle; he is the one God sent to us. Paul is God’s spokesman to us today. Accordingly, if we ignore Paul—like most professing Christians do today—we are actually ignoring God and His Word to us Gentiles in this dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace!

Now, look at 2 Peter 3:15-16, one of the last statements the Apostle Peter wrote: “[15] And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; [16] As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Did you notice what Peter wrote? He emphasized Paul’s epistles! Here is Peter, one of the chief apostles of Israel, encouraging you to read Paul’s epistles. Will people ever say “Peter made too much of Paul?” No, never. In that case, they have no right to say that you “make too much of Paul,” either. These are simply false accusations concocted by our critics, caught up in legalism and denominationalism, who hope to discredit our position so they can hold to their church tradition.

We are not making Paul to be a god; Paul is not God, but God has sent him to us so we had better listen to the message Paul was given by God. We recognize the Pauline epistles as God’s Word to us. We study all 66 books of the Bible, but the non-Pauline books are for basic learning, and are not written to us or about us. The non-Pauline epistles in the Bible cannot always apply to us. Paul was a man just like us. However, he did not write his own thoughts or opinions. As the Spirit of God moved him, he penned the doctrines of grace written to the Church the Body of Christ. He is the only Bible author addressing non-Israelites who are living outside of God’s purpose and program for Israel (Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3:1-9). God’s current dealings with man are only found in Paul’s epistles. We are emphasizing the office of the apostle of the Gentiles, not the man Paul. Just like the Jews depended on Moses to give them God’s revelations, so we depend on the Pauline epistles to receive God’s revelations to us.

In reality, mid-Acts (Pauline) dispensationalists are not “making too much of Paul”—God the Holy Spirit in the Bible makes “too much” of Paul. So much so that nearly half of the New Testament is attributed to Paul! The Apostle Peter wrote two books, the Apostle John wrote five books; Luke wrote two books, and James, Matthew, Mark and Jude each wrote one book. The Apostle Paul wrote 13 Bible books, Romans through Philemon (contrary to what some suppose, I do not believe Paul wrote the book of Hebrews). Paul’s epistles alone contain half (13/27) of the “New Testament” and one-fifth (13/66) of the entire Bible! Are you going to say that “God made too much of Paul in His Word?” I think not, friend.

Finally, we see in 1 Corinthians 3:9-12 that Paul is the “wise masterbuilder” that laid the foundation and that foundation is Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen again. This is Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of the Grace of God (see Acts 20:24). Peter, James, and John were not the wise masterbuilders! They had no ministry to us Gentiles and the Church the Body of Christ (cf. Galatians 2:9).

Again, we emphasize Paul, not the man, but the doctrine revealed exclusively to him, the gospel given exclusively to him, and the ministry entrusted exclusively to him. Contrary to the teachings of traditional Bible interpretation, we recognize the unique ministry that the ascended Lord Jesus Christ gave to Paul. The Lord specifically revealed the “revelation of the mystery” exclusively to Paul (Romans 16:25,26; Ephesians 3:2). God’s plan for salvation today is only found in Paul’s epistles. After all, the Bible says, “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my [PAUL’S] gospel” (Romans 2:16; cf. Romans 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8).

If you do not have your faith resting in a firm understanding of Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of the Grace of God, it is the plain and simple truth that you are on your way to hell. Someone who loves you enough needs to tell you that before it is too late. You need to trust in Christ Jesus alone as your personal Saviour today. Jesus loved you and died for your sins, He was buried, and He was raised again for your justification (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Trust in Jesus Christ alone, and God will save you forever.

Paul is your apostle and my apostle, and we are submitting to God’s design when we spend most of our Bible study in Paul’s epistles. END OF STORY!

For those who think that we Pauline (Mid-Acts) dispensationalists “make too much of Paul,” perhaps they will think differently in light of our closing remarks:

  1. Can you completely explain God’s plan of salvation (the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for sins), without making even a single reference to any of the verses found between the books of Romans through Philemon? (You cannot, for you need Paul’s epistles to explain the Gospel of the Grace of God—the gospel for this dispensation (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)—is only found in Paul’s epistles!)
  2. Without using Romans through Philemon, can you sufficiently explain the Church the Body of Christ and the rapture? How are we to live as believers in Christ in this dispensation? Are we under law or grace? What is the purpose and destiny of the Church the Body of Christ? You cannot answer these questions outside of Paul’s epistles.
  3. Could you tell me about church order (qualities of bishops, deacons, et cetera) without using the books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus?
  4. Can you explain where is the nation Israel today? Are we spiritual Israel? Will God return to dealing with Israel in the future? You can only answer these questions using Paul’s epistles.

Of course not. Without Paul’s epistles, you could not do any of the above. I guess you “make too much of Paul” too!

Also see:
» When did the Dispensation of Grace begin?
» When did the Church the Body of Christ begin?
» Who is Judas’ replacement—Matthias or Paul?
» Did Peter and Paul preach the same Gospel?

DISPENSATIONAL BIBLE STUDY, Judas’ Replacement—Matthias or Paul?

Judas’ replacement—Matthias or Paul?

Who is Judas’ replacement—Matthias or Paul?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Strangely, there is a debate in Christendom regarding who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle. Were the eleven apostles wrong in selecting Matthias, as some claim? Should Paul have replaced Judas instead of Matthias, as others claim? Who should have been Judas Iscariot’s replacement? Why do we not look at the Scriptures, instead of relying on idle speculation? In this Bible study, we want to show from God’s Word who replaced Judas Iscariot.

1. QUALIFICATIONS FOR JUDAS’ BISHOPRICK

Let us begin by examining Acts chapter 1, where the eleven apostles are seeking Judas’ replacement: “[15] And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) [16] Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.  [17] For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. [18] Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. [19] And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. [20] For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.”

The Old Testament references Peter is quoting in verse 20 are Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, which prophesied Judas’ deeds. According to Psalm 109:8, another man must fill Judas’ “bishoprick” (office of apostleship).

Let us continue reading in Acts chapter 1: “[21] Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [22] Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

In the above verses, we read the qualifications needed to be Judas’ successor. Firstly, this “twelfth apostle” must have been a follower of Jesus Christ from the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry. Secondly, this man must have personally been with Jesus Christ after His resurrection until His ascension. Does Paul fit either of these qualifications? No, he does not. Paul was not saved until Acts chapter 9, a full year after Christ’s ascension. During Christ’s earthly ministry, Paul (then Saul of Tarsus) was an unsaved man headed for hell! Paul does not fit the qualifications needed to become Judas’ replacement.

By the way, were the eleven apostles wrong in choosing Matthias? In fact, the question itself is flawed. Notice again in Acts chapter 1: “[23] And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. [24] And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, [25] That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. [26] And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

Of the 120 brethren there (verse 15), only two men fit the qualifications of verses 21 and 22: Matthias and Joseph (Barsabas) Justus. But, notice verse 24—who actually chose Judas’ replacement? It was not Peter and the eleven apostles. It was the Lord Himself! “Lord, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen.” Are we so bold as to say God was wrong to appoint Matthias instead of Paul? We had better not be so foolish. The apostles were not wrong in choosing Matthias, for they did not choose Matthias—God chose him! So, why did they cast lots? Proverbs 16:33 KJV tells us: “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” The casting of lots was simply to reveal whom the Lord had already chosen. Jesus Christ had already chosen Matthias as Judas’ replacement, and the apostles just drew lots to learn what God already decided.

2. PAUL’S UNIQUE APOSTLESHIP

Here is the second reason why Matthias, not Paul, is the “twelfth apostle.” Asserting that Paul is Judas’ replacement is a blatant denial of Paul’s unique ministry as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13); contrariwise, the twelve were Israel’s apostles (Matthew 10:5-7; Galatians 2:9).

Paul was “one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:8). God saved Saul of Tarsus (Paul) apart from Israel’s program—God saving a Jew apart from Israel’s program had never happened up to that point. “[15] But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, [16] To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen” (Galatians 1:15,16).

Jesus Christ told His twelve apostles to go to Jerusalem first, Judaea next, then Samaria, and finally the rest of the world (Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8). Jesus Christ commissioned Paul to go to Jew and Gentile, all at the same time (Acts 9:15,16). Obviously, Paul cannot be the “twelfth apostle.” Paul even wrote that Jesus Christ was “seen of the twelve…  and last of all he was seen of me also” (1 Corinthians 15:5,8). Paul did not consider himself to be one of the twelve apostles.

Jesus sent His twelve apostles to “baptize [all nations] in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19), yet Paul wrote, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 1:17a). Obviously, Peter and the eleven were not preaching the same message as Paul was. Let us compare that to Galatians 2:7-9: “[7] But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; [8] (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles🙂 [9] And when James, Cephas [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.”

Paul and Barnabas agreed to go to the Gentiles (which includes lost Jews); James, Peter, and John agreed to minister to believing Israel. Surely, Paul had a unique ministry and a unique gospel committed to his trust (verses 7 and 8). Paul cannot be confused with the twelve apostles.

3. PAUL CANNOT ENTER ISRAEL’S KINGDOM

Our third reason for rejecting Paul as Judas’ replacement is due to what Jesus said in Matthew 12:31,32: “[31] Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. [32] And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (cf. Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10).

Israel obviously blasphemed against Jesus (“the Son of man”) by demanding His crucifixion, albeit God forgives them (Luke 23:34) because in Acts chapter 2, God pours out His Holy Spirit on the apostles in order to give Israel a renewed opportunity for repentance. If Israel rejects the apostles’ preaching in early Acts, they will blaspheme against the Holy Spirit (who is working in the apostles). In Acts chapter 7, Israel murders her prophet Stephen (who is filled with the Holy Ghost; verses 51,55).

Now, unbelieving Israel has nowhere to go (they have committed the “unpardonable sin” that Jesus predicted). According to the Old Testament, God’s wrath is nearing (cf. Acts 7:55,56; Psalm 110:1; cf. Psalm 68:1,2). One of those Holy Spirit blasphemers was Paul (Saul of Tarsus) (1 Timothy 1:13): Paul encouraged Stephen’s murder (Acts 7:58–8:3).

As a side note, what is the “world to come” of Matthew 12:32? It certainly is not purgatory, as the Roman Catholic Church claims! According to Hebrews 2:3-5 and Hebrews 6:4,5, the “world to come” is Israel’s coming kingdom (the millennial reign of Christ). The miracles that Christ and His apostles were performing were a preview/foretaste of the healing and deliverance during Israel’s kingdom.

Matthew 12:31,32 says the Apostle Paul cannot be forgiven in Israel’s program (dispensation). In order to save Paul, God postponed His wrath and created a new dispensation, our Dispensation of Grace (2 Peter 3:9,15,16). Jesus said the twelve apostles would rule in Israel’s earthly kingdom: “[27] Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [28] And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:27,28).

Yet, according to Matthew 12:31,32, Paul cannot enter Israel’s kingdom. Matthias, not Paul, will reign over Israel in Judas’ stead in Christ’s millennial kingdom (Matthew 19:27,28). God did not make Paul Judas’ replacement, for Paul served as God’s apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13; Romans 15:16; 2 Timothy 1:11).

CONCLUSION

We dare not deem Paul as Judas Iscariot’s replacement for three reasons. Firstly, Paul does not qualify for Judas’ replacement (Acts 1:21,22). Secondly, asserting that Paul is Judas’ replacement is a blatant denial of Paul’s unique ministry as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13), while Judas’ replacement is an apostle of Israel (Matthew 10:5-7; Galatians 2:9). Thirdly, Paul cannot enter Israel’s millennial kingdom (Matthew 19:27,28 says the twelve apostles will enter that kingdom).

Also see:
» Do we “make too much of Paul?”
» Where did Matthias go after replacing Judas?
» Did Peter and Paul preach the same Gospel?

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, Must I confess my sins?, Must I confess my sins?, PRAYER

Must I confess my sins?

Must I confess my sins to God, a priest, or neither?

by Shawn Brasseaux

In Christendom, there are basically two types of confession: auricular confession to a priest (Roman Catholic) and direct confession to God in prayer (Protestant). Should we confess our sins to a priest to get God’s forgiveness? Should we confess our sins directly to God for forgiveness? Or is neither of these practices necessary?

Religion’s “short account system” of confessing sins is based on 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What is rarely understood is that this verse has nothing to do with us.

Primarily, we do not practice 1 John 1:9 because John is Israel’s apostle (Galatians 2:9). Paul is our apostle, not John (Romans 11:13); Paul is God’s Word to and about us, and Paul never writes anything like 1 John 1:9. The doctrine found in 1 John belongs in Israel’s prophetic program, not our mystery program (the Dispensation of the Grace of God). Confession of sins was Israel’s doctrine under the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 16:21; Leviticus 26:40; Numbers 5:6,7; Ezra 10:1; Nehemiah 9:16-38; Daniel 9:20; et al.). Furthermore, in Matthew 3:6 and Mark 1:5, John the Baptist water baptized Jews who confessed their sins.

Secondly, 1 John 1:9 is not written to saved people; it is directed to lost Jews. We read in 1 John 2:12, “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.” Apparently, there are two groups of people in 1 John: some saved (forgiven), and some lost (not forgiven). In 1 John 1:9, John urges lost Jews to confess their sins in order to be saved. In other words, 1 John 1:9 is a salvation verse for lost Jews—it was not for any believers, believing Jews or us!

Before Jesus left the planet, He gave His apostles the power to forgive sins in His absence, for on the day of Pentecost, He would give them the Holy Ghost and they would continue to do what He had done for the last three years. They were to continue with converting Israel. John 20:21-23: “[21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: [23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Israel’s apostles loosed themselves from this commission in Galatians 2:7-9, and gave us Gentiles over to the Apostle Paul. (In order words, the Roman Catholic proof text of John 20:21-23 does not authorize their priests to forgive sins in our program, but Israel’s apostles to forgive Israel’s sins in Israel’s program. According to the context, John 20:21-23 has absolutely nothing to do with us in this, the Dispensation of Grace, and it has nothing to do with what God is doing today.)

Lastly, we do not practice confession of sins because our salvation and fellowship with God are independent of our performance. We are forgiven, apart from anything we have done. In Colossians 2:13, our Apostle Paul tells us that we are “forgiven of all trespasses [in Christ].” Ephesians 4:32 says, “God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” And Colossians 3:13, “even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” We are forgiven (past tense), not because we confess our sins, but because of Christ’s finished cross work on Calvary. In Christ, we have unbroken fellowship with God forever and ever. How many times can we be forgiven of “all unrighteousness?” Only once. In Christ, now and forever, we are forgiven of all sins—past, present, and future!

Also see:
» What should I do when I sin? (UPCOMING)
» Will God punish me when I sin?
» Do priests today have the authority to forgive sins? (UPCOMING)

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, PRAYER, What about hindered prayer and unanswered prayer?, Why are my prayers hindered and unanswered?

What about hindered prayer and unanswered prayer?

WHY ARE MY PRAYERS “HINDERED?” WHY ARE MY PRAYERS UNANSWERED?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Do unconfessed sins prevent God from hearing our prayers? Why do some prayers go unanswered? These are important questions, and we need to be very careful that we look at what the Bible says, and most importantly, where it says it. We have no desire to appeal to church tradition or other speculation.

WHAT ABOUT HINDERED PRAYER?

For instance, in 1 Peter 3:7, the Apostle Peter writes: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” Are our prayers “hindered” today in the Dispensation of Grace as Peter writes? Remember, Peter is writing to Israel in her program, for Peter is an apostle of Israel (Galatians 2:9).

What about Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me?” Does this mean that God will not hear our prayers if we have unconfessed sin? Isaiah 59:1-2 is another confusing passage for people regarding prayer: “[1] Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: [2] But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

We have continual fellowship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Never does our Apostle, Paul, say our prayers are “hindered” because of our performance (or lack thereof). Isaiah 59:1-2 is an instance of how God dealt with the nation Israel under the performance-based acceptance of the Mosaic Law. According to Deuteronomy chapter 28, God blessed Israel is she obeyed all of His laws, and He cursed Israel if she disobeyed.

As believers in Jesus Christ, the so-called “unconfessed sin” that religion teaches is not the issue because our sins have been dealt with at the cross and we are forgiven in Christ. If our prayers being answered depended on whether or not we confessed all of our sins, we would never get one prayer answered, since it is impossible to remember every sin we have ever committed. Again, all of sins were paid for in full at Calvary’s cross, so they no longer separate us from God. Unconfessed sin is not the issue today; Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork is the issue. Our performance is not the issue; Jesus Christ’s performance at Calvary is the issue.

Remember Ephesians 1:7: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” And Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” And Colossians 1:14: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” And, finally, Colossians 2:13: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;”

WHAT ABOUT UNANSWERED PRAYER?

Do we always get everything for which we ask in prayer? Have you prayed for something and never got it? Why did these verses not work for you? Perhaps you have the following verses quoted in church. “Ask, and it shall be given you,” Jesus Christ said (Matthew 7:7). In 1 John 3:22 we read: “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” In John 14:13-14, Jesus Christ says: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

Remember, when we “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we understand that these verses belong in Israel’s program. They were spoken to Israel, not to us (Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8; Galatians 2:9). Our Apostle Paul never writes anything like Matthew 7:7, John 24:13-14, or 1 John 3:22. In fact, God never healed and delivered Paul, although Paul prayed for healing and deliverance three times in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

God hears all of our prayers. Sometimes it seems like He does not answer them. If we are praying outside of God’s will, how do we expect God to answer them? We cannot make God do something He is not doing today. Us praying like Israel did is trying to make God do things He is not doing today. For example, why did Elijah pray that it would not rain for three-and-a-half years (1 Kings 17:1-2; James 5:17-18)? Because, in Deuteronomy 11:16-17, God said He would not cause it to rain as part of His righteous judgment against pagan, idolatrous Israel. Prayer is praying in accordance with what God is doing today, and the Four Gospels and the Old Testament is not what God is doing today. Our prayers will always bear fruit as long as they agree with Paul’s epistles: “the effectual prayer of a righteous man [saint] availeth much” (James 5:16)

Also see:
» To whom should I pray?
» How should I pray?
» Should I pray the rosary?

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, How should I pray?, How should I pray?, PRAYER

How should I pray?

How should I pray? How do I pray in accordance with God’s will?

by Shawn Brasseaux

How should you pray? For what should you pray? The Bible has the answers, so we need to search it for them!

In Luke 11:1, one of Christ’s disciples declared, “Lord, teach us to pray….” The next three verses serve as a model prayer for the Jewish believers of Christ’s earthly ministry. Unfortunately, this “Our Father” Prayer (or its more developed form of Matthew 6:9-13) is so repetitiously uttered by modern-day Christendom, it is quite nauseating.

When considering the issue of prayer, we must remember to apply dispensational Bible study. The Holy Spirit tells us: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We must never confuse ourselves with the nation Israel. We cannot pray the way God taught Israel to pray.

Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry was directed toward the nation Israel. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). The Apostle Paul affirmed, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision [Israel] for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers” (Romans 15:8). Whatever Jesus taught and spoke in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that was God’s message to the nation Israel, not His Word to us. Today, in this the Dispensation of Grace, Israel’s program is temporarily suspended. We are not Jews, and we are not living in Israel’s economy (Dispensation of Law), so we cannot follow Israel’s model prayer (commonly called “the Lord’s Prayer”).

The ascended Lord Jesus Christ saved Saul of Tarsus, and made him Paul, “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Acts 9:15,16; Romans 11:13; Romans 15:16; 2 Timothy 1:11). The ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ sent Paul to us, and Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (John 13:20). Paul is our apostle, and if we reject Paul, we reject Jesus Christ who sent Paul, and we reject God the Father. To reject Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, is to reject God’s message to us today as people living in the Dispensation of Grace.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:37: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” Oftentimes, most church members are never even taught this simple fact of Scripture! The true test of spirituality today is whether or not one agrees with what the Holy Ghost through Paul wrote.

A great error in Christendom today is praying one of two ways: praying vain, repetitious prayers like the pagan heathens did (Matthew 6:7) or praying like Israel was supposed to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). Furthermore, prayer is not repeating memorized prayers, or reciting ditties from prayer books. Religion has led us to believe that prayer is nothing more than, “God gimme ____.” Prayer should not be selfish. It is quite unfortunate that we are all guilty of talking to God when we need something, but giving Him the cold shoulder when everything is going okay for us.

If Paul is our apostle, and he is, then we should take note of how Paul prayed, and then by faith, pray for the same things for which he prayed. The Apostle Paul urges believers to “continue instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12), to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and to “pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18). In fact, one Christian in Colosse, Epaphras, “always laboured fervently [for other believers] in prayer” (Colossians 4:12). In 1 Thessalonians 1:2, the Apostle Paul writes “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;” In another place, Paul writes that he “prayed always for [believers]” (Colossians 1:3).

Surely, prayer was an integral part of Paul’s Christian life, it has always been an integral part of the lives of the saints down through the centuries, and it should be an integral part of our Christian lives today. According to the Scriptures, believers are to always be praying, day in and day out. But for what specific things should we be praying? We will address that question later on in this study. First, we want to answer the question, “Exactly what is prayer?”

Psalm 62:8 says: “Trust in him [God] at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah [Rest].” God is interested in you pouring out your heart before Him. Share with Him your worries and your thoughts. Prayer is you speaking to and fellowshipping with God in light of His Word to you. You do not necessarily have to kneel or close your eyes, for your physical posture is totally irrelevant. There is no need to go to a prayer closet, no need to cross your heart, and no need to pray in an unknown language. Prayer is you speaking to God in an intelligent, understandable manner. Paul wrote, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:15). You do not have to pray out loud either! You can pray quietly in your heart (such as thinking or talking to yourself).

Pray with intelligence, not ignorance! When the indwelling Holy Spirit takes the sound Biblical doctrine we have learned and believed, He uses it to transform our inner man (1 Thessalonians 2:13). As God’s Word works in us, we see things the way God sees them, and “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). When we understand what God is doing today, then we will pray for what aligns with what God is doing. If we do not rightly divide God’s Word, we do not know what God is doing today, which will render us unable to pray in accordance with God’s Word and God’s will today.

Here are some common areas of confusion in regards to prayer today. This confusion can be cleared up if we simply study God’s Word God’s way, and not force Israel’s doctrine into our program!

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR WEALTH?

Prosperity preachers today often quote Deuteronomy 8:18, “for it is [the LORD] that giveth thee power to get wealth.” Should we pray for material riches? Verses 14-16, which are intentionally overlooked, explain that this is God speaking to Israel, not to us. Israel was God’s earthly people, so obviously, He promised them earthly (material) blessings.

Ephesians 1:3 says that God has blessed us “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” and God has already supplied “all [our] need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19), so we have no reason to ask God for any more blessings. We, the Church the Body of Christ, are God’s heavenly people, so He has given us heavenly blessings. We are “complete in [Christ]” (Colossians 2:10). Read 1 Corinthians 1:30: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” And Romans 8:32: “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?” The moment we trusted and relied on Jesus Christ alone for salvation, God instantly gave us everything He could give us!

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS?

In 1 John 1:9, we read, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Matthew 6:12,14,15 affirms: “[12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: [15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

As a denominational Christian, I was taught in church to pray for forgiveness on a daily basis. Unless I asked for forgiveness, I thought God would not forgive me (as in the verses cited above). This was a failure on my part to rightly divide the word of truth because 1 John 1:9 was not written to me, it was written to Jews—lost, unsaved Jews at that! Matthew 6:9-13 was God’s model for the nation Israel, not for me.

God has forgiven us “all trespasses” because we are in Jesus Christ, and we need not ask for forgiveness. Paul wrote to us in Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” He also wrote in Colossians 1:14: “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

SHOULD WE PRAY FOR HEALING?

James 5:15 says “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul prayed for physical healing three times, and every time God did not heal him. We are not in Israel’s healing program where signs, miracles, and wonders were needed to convince Israel (John 4:48; 1 Corinthians 1:22), so James 5:15 is not for us to follow! It is for Israel. If it was for us, why did Paul not urge Timothy and Trophimus to pray for healing (1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20)? Instead, Timothy was urged to take medication for his often infirmities.

Thankfully, one day, God will heal every member of the Church the Body of Christ, and that will be at the rapture, when we receive glorified, resurrected bodies fashioned like unto Jesus Christ’s resurrected body (Romans 8:18-25; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5; Philippians 3:20,21)! God’s grace is sufficient to help us endure suffering, and no matter what we face in life, we can grow spiritually even as these physical bodies grow sick and eventually die (2 Corinthians 4:16–5:5).

* * *

If you want the best two verses about prayer in this the Dispensation of Grace, they are Philippians 4:6-7: “[6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The cares of this life can be overwhelming at times. Financial problems, illness, death of loved ones, and even the daily annoyances can weigh us down in discouragement and misery. We grow “careful,” becoming worrisome and uneasy. God says, “be careful for nothing!” No matter what you are facing in life, be anxious for nothing.

If you are a member of the Church the Body of Christ, you have the indwelling Holy Spirit to comfort you, and guide you, and strengthen you with the Scriptures you study and believe. God will not deliver us from our problems, but we thank Him in prayer on a daily basis for giving us His wonderful grace and all those other provisions He has given us in Christ so that we can “bear” those “temptations” and problems. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” When we look at life in this light, we have we take comfort in “the peace of God.”

As this point, we have hopefully cleared up some of the confusion that religion has caused concerning prayer. God is not interested in us reciting prayer books. He wants us to pour out our hearts before Him (Psalm 62:8). We should not be praying like God taught Israel to pray in time past. As members of the Church the Body of Christ, we need to pray with intelligence. Recall that praying with intelligence does not mean you need an IQ of 165. It means having an understanding of what God is doing today. When we “rightly divide the word of truth,” like 2 Timothy 2:15 states, we understand what God is doing in this Dispensation of Grace.

We need to “pray with Paul,” our apostle, God’s spokesman to us. When the Bible speaks of “praying in the [Holy] Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20), it means praying in accordance with God’s will, or what God the Holy Spirit is doing today in this the Dispensation of Grace. The Bible says that only Paul’s ministry focuses on what God is doing today. “God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). God’s will today, in this the Dispensation of Grace, is for everyone to trust in His Son Jesus Christ for salvation, and for every Christian to grow to a spiritual maturity. As we now discuss Paul’s prayer life, notice how his prayers align with 1 Timothy 2:3,4.

PAUL’S MODEL PRAYERS

The Apostle Paul urged the believers in Thessalonica to “pray for us [Paul, Silas, Timothy], that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Paul wanted the Thessalonians to pray for him and for all those who labored with him in the ministry. Paul wanted them to pray that God’s Word would transform others’ lives just as it had transformed their lives (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13). This is referring to lost people hearing God’s Word and getting saved and having a place in heaven, and believers allowing God’s grace to change their lifestyles. Pray for the salvation of lost people and the spiritual growth of Christians. Paul wanted them to pray for him to have freedom to preach and teach the sound doctrine the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him, so that sound doctrine could save and mature its hearers.

Notice what Paul also prayed for believers in 2 Thessalonians 1:11,12: “[11] Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: [12] That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Here, notice that Paul understood that God wanted to “perform a good work” in the saints (see Philippians 1:6 and Philippians 2:12,13). God’s Word had transformed these pagans for His glory, and now Paul wanted to continue seeing the Thessalonians’ lives better reflect the grace message! Paul knew what God was doing, and by faith, Paul prayed for that to happen.

There are four large model prayers found in the Pauline epistles that you and I as members of the Church the Body of Christ need to understand. Here, in this study, we will look at three (the fourth one will be examined in the last study). Let us begin with Ephesians 1:16-20:

“[16] [I, Paul] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; [17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: [18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, [19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, [20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”

Notice the specific requests that Paul made while praying to God. He prayed that believers would gain spiritual understanding. That they would grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ: understanding who He is, His graciousness, what He is doing, His power, and so on. Paul prayed for the saints to have spiritual growth. Compare that to what Paul wrote in Romans 1:11,12, when we read that he prayed he could visit the Roman believers in order to “impart unto [them] some spiritual gift”; that is, bring them sound Bible teaching so that they would be “established,” that their understanding of Scripture be firmly fixed (compare Colossians 2:6-7).

Notice what Epaphras prayed for the Colossian believers (4:12): “that [they] may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” In other words, that they would be spiritually mature and that their lives would align with God’s will (with what God is doing today in the Dispensation of Grace). We see that Paul prayed that believers’ lives would bring God glory and praise. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

Let us look at the second large model prayer of Paul’s epistles, as found in Ephesians 3:14-19:

“[14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, [16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

Again, notice what the Apostle Paul prayed. Paul prayed that God’s Holy Spirit would strengthen us with might in our inner man according to the riches of Christ’s glory (verse 16). That is spiritual growth. In verse 17, Paul prayed that the Ephesians would let Christ Jesus live His life in and through them as they placed their faith in God’s Word to them, that they would be “rooted and grounded in love,” that they would “be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of everything that God is doing today, that they would “know the love of Christ,” and that they would be “filled with all the fulness of God” (compare Ephesians 4:13). These are all references to grace living and Christian service: “coming to the knowledge of the truth.”

We will now consider the third of Paul’s large model prayers. Look at the prayer that Paul uttered in Philippians 1:3-11:

“[3] I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, [4] Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, [5] For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; [6] Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: [7] Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. [8] For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. [9] And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; [10] That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. [11] Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Notice in verse 4 that Paul made request “with joy,” so we should do the same. Why was Paul joyful? Verse 5 says that Paul rejoiced in the fact that these formerly pagan Philippians had come to a knowledge of salvation. In prayer, we should be thankful to the Lord for our Christian brethren!

Furthermore, Paul knew that God was using His Word to transform those Gentiles for His glory, and that God would continue molding and guiding those believers until the day of the rapture (verse 6). Notice how Paul’s care for his Christian brethren (verses 7,8) motivated him to pray for them. We too should be motivated to pray for other believers.

Verses 9-11 indicate how Paul once again prayed for the believers, “that [their] love [would] abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that [they] [would] approve things that are excellent [superior]” and “that they be sincere [genuine] and without offence till the day of Christ.” In other words, that they would be allowing Christ to live His life in and though them: “filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” These are more clear references to Christians’ spiritual growth (cf. Galatians 5:22-26)!

So, our prayers should be in accordance with God’s will, or what God is doing today in this the Dispensation of Grace (see 1 Timothy 2:3,4). In Paul’s epistles alone—that is, the books of Romans through Philemon—we discover that God is currently forming the Church the Body of Christ, a spiritual body of every person who has trusted exclusively in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. We also learned that God wants every Christian to have a firm understanding of His Word to them. We will now examine the last remaining large model Pauline prayer, and then look at other issues associated with prayer.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;” (2 Timothy 1:3). Paul wrote to Philemon (1:4): “I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers.” Prayer should be an important part of our lives as members of the Church the Body of Christ. For what did Paul pray? How should we pray as Christian believers?

Are you shy when witnessing to the lost world? Are you always courageous in speaking out the truth of God’s Word? No. Did you know the Apostle Paul asked the Ephesians to pray that he would be bold enough to preach the grace message (Ephesians 6:19,20)? We should always be praying for the Christian brethren, that they share God’s Word with boldness.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:10, we see that Paul, Silas, and Timothy “night and day prayed exceedingly” that they would meet the Thessalonians in order to edify/strengthen them (compare Romans 1:11-12). Compare this to the last of the large Pauline prayer models. Turn to Colossians 1:9-12:

“[9] For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; [10] That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; [12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”

Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would “be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (verse 9). That believers’ lifestyles would fit their new identity in Christ (verse 10)—spiritual understanding, spiritual growth, and the resulting good works. In verse 11, he prayed for the Colossians to be “strengthened with all might, according to [God’s] glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (compare Ephesians 3:16). Verse 12 shows us that Paul gave thanks to God in prayer.

PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY

In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, the Apostle Paul writes:

“[1] I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: [2] For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

God sees it “good and acceptable” when we pray for our governments, military, pastors, teachers, parents, and so on—anyone involved with leadership or authority. What should we pray for about them? In the context, that they would get saved (if they are lost) and, then, as believers in Christ, that they would understand their identity in Jesus Christ, which will help them make wise decisions on our behalf. We should thank God for the governmental and parental powers in place, which do bring (some) order to our land.

THANK GOD FOR FOOD TO EAT

In creation, the Lord Jesus Christ has supplied us with food and drink (Acts 14:17). Today, in this the Dispensation of Grace, we are not bound to observe Israel’s kosher food laws. Notice how Paul writes that we should thank God in prayer for our food. “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4,5). Whatever creatures we choose to eat, may we thank the Lord Jesus Christ for them.

THE HOLY SPIRIT MAKES INTERCESSION FOR US

What should you do if you have no idea about what to pray regarding a particular matter? Scripture tells us that “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26,27). The Bible says we should know for what to pray, but we do not know. Sometimes, we cannot adequately express in words our concerns and our thoughts, so the Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” God the Holy Spirit is constantly interceding on our behalf to God the Father, just as Jesus Christ is interceding for us (Romans 8:34). The Holy Spirit brings the Bible verses that we have studied, to memory, and helps us pray more effectually.

So, we have just studied how our Apostle Paul prayed. Compare the way Paul prayed in Scripture with the “prayer” done in most churches today. Not the same, huh? See, everyone is either praying like the heathen, or praying like Israel. Most of the praying in Christendom is vain, mindless babbling. We as members of the Body of Christ are neither heathens nor Jews. We are members of the Church the Body of Christ, so we should pray like who we claim we are. We should be praying as our Apostle Paul prayed. He is our “pattern,” and in prayer, we follow Paul as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Timothy 1:15-16).

Prayer is communicating with your Heavenly Father regarding the details of your life in light of His Word to you. Pray in accordance with God’s will by placing your faith in what God says He is doing today, and then by faith, pray for those things. Remember, Jesus Christ prayed “nevertheless not my will, but thine [God the Father’s will], be done” (Luke 22:42). We should pray with this same attitude.

Remember we began by saying that prayer is pouring out our hearts before God? If we have studied God’s Word and it resides in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17), our prayers will literally be pouring out God’s Word before Him! We will be praying God’s will back to Him! That is effectual prayer (this is what Elijah did; James 5:16-17).

When we pray for lost people to get saved, and when we pray for believers to be spiritually mature, prayer becomes a cycle. Believers who are spiritually mature can do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Furthermore, their spiritual maturity will allow them to also pray effectively. Prayer becomes a cycle.

One Christian brother said it like this: “Prayerful for everything and thankful in everything.” We give a hearty “Amen” there!

May we always be guilty of “praying with Paul!”

Also see:
» To whom should I pray?
» What about hindered and unanswered prayer?
» Should I recite The “Our Father” (or “Lord’s”) Prayer?

GRACE (CHRISTIAN) LIVING, PRAYER, ROMAN CATHOLICISM, To whom should I pray?, To whom should I pray?, To whom should I pray?

To whom should I pray?

To whom should I pray? Jesus Christ? Mary and the Saints? The Holy Spirit?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The Bible says we should be praying constantly, but to whom are we to pray? Rather than appealing to church tradition, why not let God through the Holy Bible tell us how to pray?

“Giving thanks unto the Father” (Colossians 1:12). “I thank my God…” (Philippians 1:4). “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). “For through him [Jesus Christ] we both [Jew and Gentile] have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… that he would grant you…” (Ephesians 3:14).

Firstly, whom did the Apostle Paul address? He directly addressed Father God, not Mary or any other deceased saint, in prayer.

Secondly, how did Paul reach Father God? “In whom [Jesus Christ] we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him [Jesus Christ]” (Ephesians 3:12). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).

We approach God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. Jesus Christ has a perfect standing before God, and we have His righteousness because we are in Him (if we are members of the Church the Body of Christ). We cannot approach God on our own merits; thus, we must come through Jesus Christ. This is what it means to pray “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

Interestingly, when we pray, we are actually praying with the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells us: the Holy Spirit brings to mind the verses that we studied and believe, and He causes us to pray in line with what God is doing. “[26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). The indwelling Holy Spirit links us to Father God in heaven, and when we pray, we are using the “mediatorship” of Jesus Christ.

So, we address God the Father in prayer, but we are using the merits of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit helps us pray when we are “at a loss for words.”

For additional insight about prayer in the Dispensation of Grace, please study the four model Pauline prayers—Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, and Colossians 1:9-12 (These are discussed in our study “How Should I Pray?” See link below.)

Also see:
» What about unanswered prayer?
» How should I pray?
» Must I confess my sins to God in prayer?

BAPTISM, Why did Paul water baptize?

Why did Paul water baptize?

Why did Paul water baptize?

by Shawn Brasseaux

In 1 Corinthians 1:17, Paul wrote, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel….” Unlike the 12 apostles in Matthew 28:19, Jesus Christ did not send Paul to water baptize. Yet, strangely, Paul did water baptize converts in Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, Acts 18:8 (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:14-16), and Acts 19:5. If Paul was not sent to water baptize, then why did he water baptize at all? A related question is, Why was Paul water baptized if water baptism has no place in our Dispensation of Grace? These are very good questions, and the Bible certainly has the answers. Will we be Berean Bible students and search the Scriptures for ourselves?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:14-16 that Paul water baptized Crispus, Gaius, and Stephanas’ household: “[14] I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; [15] Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. [16] And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.” In Acts 18:1,7-8, which is where Paul first came to Corinth, the Bible says some of the Corinthian believers were Jews. This is what 1 Corinthians 1:14-16 is discussing. “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8).

Why Paul water baptized converts is best answered by considering the following facts in Scripture:

  • The signs, miracles, and wonders of Israel’s program were temporarily carried over into Paul’s ministry (the Acts transitional period). God was thus demonstrating to Israel that her program was falling away, and Paul’s ministry was replacing Peter’s (Romans 11:11-14; 2 Corinthians 12:12).
  • Peter water baptized (Acts 2:38,41; Acts 10:46-48), so Paul also water baptized.
  • Paul spoke with tongues, performed healing miracles, et cetera, just like Peter did: healing (Acts 3:6-8 cf. Acts 14:8-10), raising the dead (Acts 9:36-42 cf. Acts 20:9-11), laying on hands to give the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:14-20 cf. Acts 19:6), and speaking in tongues (Acts 2:1-4 cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1 and 14:18).

To validate Paul’s ministry for the lost Jews’ sake, God temporarily granted Paul the gift of miracle-working. Lest the Jews discredit Paul for not water baptizing, he also water baptized—that is, they could have said, “Paul does not water baptize… we should not follow him.” Paul water baptizing (and performing miracles) provoked the Jews to jealousy or emulation (Romans 11:11,14). Israel’s God was now working amongst the Gentiles with their signs, miracles, and wonders!

In fact, 1 Corinthians is one of the epistles Paul wrote during the Acts transitional period. Water baptism was so trivial in Paul’s ministry that this (1 Corinthians 1:13-17) is the only time he ever writes about it in all of his 13 epistles, Romans through Philemon. By the time you get to Paul’s latter epistles written after Acts (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon), Paul makes no more references to water baptism. Once we reach Acts chapter 28, the transition from Israel’s program had been accomplished, Paul’s provoking ministry had ended. Furthermore, with the transitional period (Acts) concluded, Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:5: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” This is definitely not water baptism, since Paul was not sent to water baptize (1 Corinthians 1:17). The only baptism that matters in this the Dispensation of Grace is 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” It is not water baptism, but the Holy Spirit placing us into the Church the Body of Christ.

As a side-note, Paul was water baptized of Ananias because of Ananias’ benefit, not for Paul’s benefit (Acts 9:18; Acts 22:16). Paul was saved apart from his water baptism. Ananias knew that, up to that point, believers of Jesus Christ had been water baptized (cf. Matthew 3:6; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:4-5; Mark 16:16; Luke 3:3; John 3:22; John 4:1-2; Acts 2:38,41; Acts 8:12,36-39; Acts 13:24). To refuse water baptism was to indicate unbelief (Luke 7:29-30). Therefore, had Paul not been water baptized, it would have been a stumblingblock to those believing Jews who had been water baptized. Paul being water baptized was another instance of his ministry and apostleship replacing Peter’s: Peter had been water baptized, and Paul had been water baptized. Paul being water baptized safeguarded against his critics from claiming that he was not a legitimate apostle for having not been baptized. In fact, since Paul was water baptized, he was able to use this as part of his testimony before lost Israel (Acts 22:16)!

Also see:
» Why was water baptism necessary in Israel’s program?
» Do I need to be water baptized—for a testimony, for salvation, or not at all?
» Why was Jesus water baptized?

BAPTISM, Why was Jesus water baptized?

Why was Jesus water baptized?

Why was Jesus water baptized?

by Shawn Brasseaux

Arguments quickly arise among denominations regarding water baptism because no two groups can agree as to how water baptism should be performed. Who should do it: a priest, a pope, or a pastor? Where should it be done: a river, a lake, a bathtub, a baptismal, or a swimming pool? Who needs it: babies or adults, or both? How should it be done: effusion (pouring), aspersion (sprinkling), or immersion (submerging)? How many times forward? Backward? How long? What type of water? All of this confusion, so little Bible understanding!

Every professing Christian today wants to be water baptized in order to “follow Jesus in ‘believer’s baptism.’” Yet, Jesus was also physically circumcised (Luke 2:21)—what Christian today wants to “follow Jesus in ‘believer’s circumcision?’” Surely, just because Jesus did something does not necessarily mean we must do it too. Jesus was water baptized and He told His disciples to water baptize, but does that we should be water baptized and water baptize others? Do we really need “believer’s baptism” today like most preachers claim? In order to answer this question, we ignore denominational doctrine and church tradition. Let us look to the rightly divided Word of God for the answer, for the Bible alone is the final authority.

Whenever people see the word “baptize” or “baptism” in the Bible, they automatically assume it must be water baptism. Contrariwise, there are several types of “baptism” in the Scriptures—many have nothing to do with water. For instance, read Matthew 3:11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” Undoubtedly, there are three baptisms in this one verse—(1) water baptism, (2) the baptism with fire (the judgment at the Second Coming of Christ, at the end of the seven-year Tribulation), and (3) the baptism with the Holy Spirit (this was the day of Pentecost, Acts chapter 2). Moreover, there is the baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Church the Body of Christ. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13)—“baptized into one body,” not “baptized into water!” As you can see, some “baptisms” in Scripture have absolutely nothing to do with water.

The word “baptize” first appears in the Bible in Matthew chapter 3 when John the Baptist is preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:2). If a Jew had placed his or her faith in Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s Messiah-King, this water baptism was “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” and it was an outward profession of their faith in Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 1:4; John 7:29-30; Acts 13:23-25). However, John the Baptist’s water baptism was nothing new to Israel. In the Old Testament, Israel’s priests would wash with water before entering into the priesthood (Exodus 29:1,4; Leviticus 8:6); they had to wash prior to dressing in the ephod (priestly garments), and had to wash before entering the Tabernacle and Holy of Holies (Exodus 30:17-21).

At this point, we have established two critical points. Firstly, water baptism can be traced back to Old Testament Law. Water baptism is an Old Testament ritual; it is not a “New Testament ordinance” like preachers claim today. Jesus’s earthly ministry and His water baptism are still Old Testament ground, because He had not died yet (Hebrews 9:16,17). Thus, the New Testament cannot begin until after Jesus’s death. In fact, this “New Covenant” with Israel will be brought about at His Second Coming, over 2000 years after His water baptism and death.

Secondly, water baptism was for the Jewish believers of the Gospel of the Kingdom. What is the connection between water baptism and the kingdom that Jesus was going to establish on the earth? In Exodus 19:5-6, God promised to make Israel “a kingdom of priests” (1 Peter 2:9: Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6). If every Jew was to be a priest, who would every Jew need to do? Wash with water, just like in the Old Testament! Turn to Mark 1:4 KJV: “John [the Baptist] did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” These Jewish believers of the Kingdom Gospel were sinners, and as we disucssed earlier earlier, the water baptism was an outward sign of their faith (Luke 7:29-30).

Jesus needed to fulfill the Old Testament priesthood law. Matthew 3:15 KJV: “And Jesus answering said unto him [that is, John the Baptist], Suffer [Allow] it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered [allowed] him.” Jesus Christ needed to fulfill all the righteousness of the Law, the Old Testament. Remember, the priests would wash themselves (see Exodus 29:4; Exodus 30:20; Leviticus chapter 1; Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 16:24; 2 Chronicles 4:6).

The Lord Jesus also needed to identify Himself with His Jewish believers. The small remnant of believers in Israel at the time of Christ’s earthly ministry was called “the little flock” (Luke 12:32). Remember, the analogy here is Jesus Christ being the Shepherd, and these Jewish believers are sheep, like Psalm chapter 23 said. In order to identify Himself with those Jewish believers, Jesus was water baptized; as Isaiah 53:12 said, Christ would be “numbered with the transgressors.” John the Baptist water baptized Jesus Christ in order to manifest Him as Israel’s Messiah (Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-33). Anyone who refused the baptism of John was publicly admitting their unbelief; the fourth reason Jesus was baptized was to separate the Jewish believers from the Jewish unbelievers (Luke 7:29-30).

So, these are the four reasons why Jesus was baptized: (1) to fulfill the Old Testament ceremony of the priesthood washing, (2) to manifest Himself as Israel’s Messiah, (3) to identify Himself with the “little flock,” the remnant of Jewish believers who were also being water baptized, and (4) to thereby sort the believers from the unbelievers.

However, when Israel rejected their Messiah and demanded His crucifixion, and refused to repent and trust Him (Jesus) as Messiah in the early Acts period, the promise of Israel’s kingdom would be postponed. In Acts chapter 7, after the Jews stone the prophet Stephen (who was filled with the Holy Spirit), the Lord set Israel aside nationally for their unbelief. As Romans 11:11-13 says, Israel’s prophetic program has been temporarily stopped while God is dealing with the non-Jews (Gentiles) today through the ministry of the Apostle Paul.

With all that said, we have no reason to be water baptized today for any reason. Israel’s water baptism has nothing to do with us today because we are not the nation Israel. We are the Church the Body of Christ, who have a waterless baptism. We are under the Gospel of the Grace of God, not the Gospel of the Kingdom (as was preached in Israel). We are in the Dispensation of Grace, not the Dispensation of Law.

We have the one baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 4:5. The moment we place our faith in Christ Jesus alone as our personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit “baptizes” us into the one Body of Christ. This is why Paul said Christ did not send him to water baptize in 1 Corinthians 1:17. Contrary to religious tradition, God’s Word tells us that we do not need water baptism for any reason in the Dispensation of Grace. Water baptism is for Israel’s program, so leave it there, where it belongs!

Also see:
» Why did Paul water baptize?
» Why was water baptism necessary in Israel’s program?
» Do I need to be water baptized—for a testimony, for salvation, or not at all?