I long waited answer for "4hisglory"

I was looking through my blog and the comments that "4hisglory" posted. He asked me some questions that I believe I never answered. I apologize, I must have missed them. When you commented your main point was this,

"The problem with your post is that you never answered either of my questions (at least I didnt see that you did). I'll repost the main question I would like you to address.

Lastly, if you believe that James and Romans are seperate messages to seperate audiencs then how might you interpret Romans 2:13, seeing that the context is clearly referring to Gentiles (notice the "for" in vs.14, which connects vs13 to vs14)?"

First off I do believe that James and Romans are separate messages to separate audeinces. I don't believe this because just for the heck of it, I believe this because God's Word says so. James 1:1 specifically and I mean specifically says,

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the TWELVE TRIBES WHICH ARE SCATTERED ABROAD, greeting."

Now in order for the book of James to be to you, you would have to be a Jew apart of the 12 tribes of Israel wouldn't you? Unless you believed that you were Israel, or spiritual Israel, or reformed Israel, or something like that. I however because God's Word never says this, do not believe this. In fact, God in time past made a distinction between the nation Israel and the Gentile nations. Israel was His special nation to carry out His plans and purposes for the earth. They were the Friends of God, us Gentiles were the enemies of God unless of course under the Abrahamic covenant we blessed Israel such as Rahab. Anyways, so yes I believe that James is written to the twelve tribes scattered abroad and not to us, and yes I believe that Romans was not only written to the Romans, but as they were apart of the Gentile nations it is also written to us Gentiles today.

It is therefore that I would interpret Romans 2:13-14 thus. Paul in Romans 1 and 2 proves that Gentiles represented by Greeks (the wise) and the Barbarians (the unwise) ch.1 v.14 and the Jews in ch. 2 v. 17 are guilty before God ch. 3 v. 19 and concludes his argument of this in ch. 3. In ch. 3 v. 9 Paul says, "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;" The reason Paul does this is to show them that everyone is fallen short of the glory of God and to proceed to give them the gospel. Romans is a great book to show someone they are lost and to give them the word that faith may come and by hearing the word of God and the gospel of their salvation they may become saved. Anyways, how does Paul prove that Jews and Gentiles are all under sin? He doesn't just simply point to their sinful nature, but what their sinful nature does? He gives the account of what happened to us Gentiles in Genesis when God gave us up and over. He explains to those who never heard of God that His invisible attributes even His power and Godhead are made known to them by His creation in ch. 1 v. 20. Chapter 2 he explains those who think highly of themselves and judge others when they do the same things, they are without excuse. In verse 17 he starts dealing with the Jew and proves that they haven't kept the law therefore they are guilty before God.

As for chapter 2 verses 13 and 14, it is interesting that you pointed out the parenthetical statement by Paul. Read the flow without verses 13-15. "For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." A few things to note.

1. Verse 12, Paul simply states that those who have sinned without law (Gentiles) shall also perish without law, meaning they are still sinners, however they are without excuse, because of what Paul said in the preceding chapter and verses.

2. However those who have sinned in the law (Jews) shall be judged by the law. The Jews have the law written, they have the knowledge of sin (ch. 3 v. 20).

3. The Jews will be judged by that law this will happen when God shall judge the secrets of men by Christ according to Paul's gospel.

4. Although the Gentiles don't have the law they are still without excuse because they glorify God not as God, but worship the creature rather than the Creator and what Paul says in ch. 1.

Lets look at the verses you now talk about:

"(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)" Romans 2:13-15 (i included verse 15)

Paul simply states twice that "Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves" Gentiles do not have the law, however, they do the things contained in the law. It is because they do the things that are contained in the law, having not the law, that they are a law unto themselves. I am trying to interpret something that doesn't need interpreting.

Now in verse 15 Paul says "which shows the work of the law written in their hearts," now the law isn't written in their hearts, but the work of the law. What is the work of the law? Romans 4:15, "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." God's wrath is written on their hearts because they know between good and evil and continue to do evil. Paul is simply arguing that all people Jew and Gentile's that we are all guilty before God whether we are under the law or not.

My personal opinion outside the Scriptures, this is a perfect example of Christians today who are not under the law, but put themselves under and all it does is works wrath and death and insecurity. I am not saying that a Christian that puts themselves under the law today aren't saved, but that they are confused and think they can do something that they can't. Most Christians can't even list the 10 commandments and most Christians don't even know that the law isn't just the 10 commandments, but 613 commandments. It is ignorance and to think we are under the new covenant therefore having the Spirit to obey the commandments, no the new covenant says that God will give to the house of Israel and the house of Judah the Spirit that will cause them to keep the commandments. CAUSE THEM!!!!! They will be perfect!!! NO ONE IS PERFECT TODAY!!!!! We have the Spirit today, but it is to walk under grace not the law, it is to show us how to walk in liberty. Paul says in Gal. 5:13, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." In verse 18 of the same chapter he says, "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." The Spirit today reveals to us that we are not under the law, the Spirit with Israel in the future will cause them to keep the law, Israel will be under the law, the law won't change however the spirit will, it will be God's Spirit that changes and will cause them to walk under the law perfectly, it is then they will be a royal priesthood.

To conclude Paul is talking to Jew and Gentile (God sees everyone as Gentiles today though), but giving them a different message then James who is only talking to the twelve tribes scattered abroad giving them good sound doctrine for the tribulation period, but tells them that "faith without works is dead" which it will be in the future with Israel.

James says in chapter 2 v. 24, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

Paul says in Romans chapter 4 v. 4-5, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Rom. 3:28, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."

Rom. 3:20, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast."

From Paul to James they say the complete opposite things and you cannot reconcile and if you try to you will end up in utter confusion. Leave them in their context where God desires them.

Paul is speaking to all men in Romans, James is speaking to the Twelve Tribes of Israel scattered abroad, Paul is writing under grace, James is writing under the law under the heavenly taste of the Holy Spirit that they received in Acts 2, that gives them the power to keep the commandments of Moses and of Christ. Two different people, two different audiences, two different messages all truth just written for different specific times. One last verse to us in the dispensation of the grace of God from our apostle Paul 1 Tim. 1:6-7, "From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm."

If anyone has anymore questions please ask away.

Quote from Keith Blades

"We, today, live in the dispensation of the grace of God for us Gentiles. As the apostle Paul teaches in his epistles, God ushered in this present dispensation when He raised him up to be a brand new apostle, as is historically recorded in Acts 9. Until that time God's program and dealings were with the nation of Israel. This issue of God suspending His program with Israel and bringing in a new dispensation with the raising up of Paul, (along with the purpose and significance behind it), will be the subject matter of the next chapter. However, it is referred to at this time because of the prevailing tendency among Christians to view the record of the Gospel accounts and the opening of the book of Acts as if they described God's dealings with us today. Though it out to be obvious from the testimony of the Scriptures themselves that this is not the case, unfortunately the record of our Lord's ministry on this earth, along with the ministry of the 12 apostles, is looked upon by many Christians as the Lord's ministry to us today.
To many Christians, for example, the Lord's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are looked upon as God's instructions regarding how He wants us to live today. The so-called 'Lord's prayer' of Matt. 6:9-13 is memorized and recited, with Christians thinking this is how God wants us to pray today. The Lord's miracles and sign ministry along with that of the 12 apostles and others at that time, are thought of as something that should be going on today. The day of Pentecost, and the events of that day recorded in Acts 2, are set forth as the norm for the church today. Accordingly, cries of 'Back to Pentecost' are often in effect at that time. Appeals are made to any number of the practices, promises, instructions, and messages contained in the Gospels and early Acts, in order to support the myriad of diverse and conflicting things done by Christians today in the name of following Christ. Just about every ism and schism today under the umbrella of Christianity can and does point to the Bible to support what it says and does. And just about every one of them has as the keystone to its existence some cardinal practice, injunction, or instruction that comes from the record of our Lord's earthly ministry, or that of his 12 apostles following His return to heaven. What is so unfortunate about all of this is the abundant testimony of the Scriptures themselves, which plainly declare that the record of the Gospels and the opening of the book of Acts pertains to God's program and dealings with the nation of Israel, and not to what He is doing with us today. Therefore, following God's instructions and practices that He gave at that time, along with claiming the promises that He also made at that time, is not what God wants us doing today. Following God's program with Israel is not God's will for us today. It is not until we come to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ unexpectedly re-appeared from heaven and raised up the apostle Paul-- that new and other apostle-- that this dispensation of Gentile grace in which we live today was brought in and the revelation of the "mystery of Christ" about God's purpose with us was made known.
Though these comments on this matter will be expanded upon in the following chapters, it is necessary to make them at this time so that we look at the testimony of the Lord's earthly ministry properly. Since the Gospel accounts begin what we call the New Testament Scriptures, all too often the assumption is made that they are describing the details of God' new program with us Gentiles. But that is not the case at all. In fact, the failure to understand and appreciate this is detrimental to a Christian. It causes not only a misunderstanding about what God is doing today. but also produces confusion and disobedience to the Lord, as one tries to serve the Lord in things He Himself is not doing, nor wants us doing.
It is in the epistles of the apostle Paul that God has set forth the details of His program for us today. In Paul's epistles are found God's doctrines, instructions, injunctions, promises, and provisions for the members of His "new creation," the church the body of Christ, and that pertain to His program with us today. However, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the opening of the book of Acts pertain to God's program with His nation Israel. They record the details about how God's program with them was climaxing at that time with the coming of the Messiah to deliver Israel from their 'lawful captivity' to Satan, to cast Satan out as the "prince of the world," and to establish the covenanted kingdom of heaven on this earth in Zion."

-Keith Blades: Satan and His Plan of Evil; A survey of the bible doctrine: Ch. 6, pg. 117-118


I write this quote because to many Christians that I know are confused and some who don't even know they are confused. Many Christians if not most don't have a clue about what Satan is doing today more or less what God is doing, but it is quite obvious with the mass confusion under the umbrella of Christianity. If you don't think so, then your ignorance has blinded you, for look at all the denominations and different "theological systems." Some people say I make too much of the apostle Paul, friends have, I mean close friends, have so called given me up saying what I believe is heresy and that I am not a believer, because "I didn't endure until the end" according to Calvinistic theology, asking for me and my friends to come back to the faith. I ask come back to what?, a theology that is confused and confuses the scriptures wrongly handling God's Word more less then wrongly dividing it. I rather listen to the apostle of the Gentiles a man from God's own Word who was receiving revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who informs me that as a Gentile God will save me by His grace which He did many years ago and now not that I have to endure until the end, but to be sustained by God's grace, to walk in God's grace in my assured position in Christ, being led by the Spirit not under the law, but under grace, making much of Christ's sufficient work of the Cross and boasting only in Him and not in my own endurance, for I could not endure, but only by God's grace through His Son. I quote this because it starts by making divisions in God's Word between Jew and Gentile where God does. It starts by rightly dividing the Word of truth. It is all truth, but it needs to be rightly divided that we may not get confused but be built up unto the full stature of Christ, not being tossed to and fro, not understanding what James and Paul say and thinking they are the same thing, but to notice they are to two different people groups and to be applied correctly to God's different programs between the nation of Israel and the Body of Christ.
Are you confused about the Scriptures? Do you want to be able to read your Bible and for it to make sense? You need to rightly divide God's Word. How you ask? Well 2 Tim. 2:15 tells you to rightly divide, so logically the one who tells you something is probably doing it. Paul wrote 13 books of your Bible, why? Read Romans through Philemon and see where God through Paul rightly divides His Word, make distinctions between Jew and Gentile in time past. Good places to start are Eph. 3. Compare Rom. 16:25 and Acts 3:21. There are many distinctions between law and grace, prophecy and mystery, Jew and Gentile. Understand that baptism, gospel, and church are general terms, therefore let the context tell you the differences for there are differences. Understand the history of the Bible and how God gave up Gentiles to a reprobate mind Romans 1 all the way back in Gen. 11 and since then He dealt with the nation of Israel. Any Gentile that wanted to serve the true God had to bless Israel and follow God's Word to them, this was time past, but now as God saved the apostle Paul He is dealing with Jew and Gentile individually by pure grace. All people today are Gentiles before God, because even the Jews are now the enemies of God, no longer God's friend because of their unbelief in their Messiah. Now God will save anyone by His grace because of Christ and will impute Christ's righteousness to you and you appropriate it through faith. If you have any questions, please comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

In Him,
Josh

"His Grace, His Strength"

I read a quote today and this is what it said,

Sickness has become the Goliath of the Church; People speak the name “Cancer” almost with reverence… (NO MORE)… It’s a devil, its an affliction, it steals, it takes from families, it robs time, it like all other afflictions and diseases steal from households, strength, and energy, it robs faith. 2000 years ago all sickness from the devil and healing was from God but today many people consider sickness from God to help them become more like Jesus… how far have we fallen in 2000 years.

People say, “Well how do we know its Gods will to heal?” Well he already told us. The man came to Jesus and said if your willing you can make me clean and Jesus said I’m Willing!!!! So the will of God is settled. What sickness is to you body, sin is to your soul, what sin is to your soul, sickness is to your body… Jesus wants you well!

How many of you just gave praise to the Lord because a women with MS was healed and was running around which she hasn’t done… how many of you praised God for it? Listen that is praise and Glory that God would have never received without that miracle. When we withheld the miraculous we withhold from God the Glory that is due to His name, we cannot rob God any longer!

I understand that God has healed and that healing was part of His program with the nation of Israel and was a sign to the people to clarify apostleship, but is healing going on today from God? I want to point out some things just from my understanding of Scripture. 1. When Christ healed He healed everyone. Christ was healing people in Israel and those in Jerusalem, because that is God's land promised to Israel. Christ was cleansing it, because "the kingdom of heaven is at hand", this was preached by John the Baptist and then by Christ the King Himself and in the Kingdom all sickness and all that stuff will no longer exist and it will be the Kingdom that God had created long ago with Adam being the king before the fall. 2. Where did the healing program go after Christ specifically with Paul and specifically later on in his ministry? It is gone, has anyone ever wonder why Luke traveled with Paul, just to write for him, or maybe to because he was a physician. Why does Paul tell Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach (1 Tim. 5:23)? Why does Paul leave Trophimus sick in Miletum (2 Tim. 4:20)? According to the quote above, Paul had held back glory from God. Is this the answer, NO!!! What happened? Why is Paul so different in this area of healing compared to the rest of the scriptures? Why 2 Corinthians 12:9?

2 Cor. 12:7-10,
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord THRICE, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I TAKE PLEASURE in infrimities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Paul took pleasure that he had infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses and this was after asking for deliverance three times. Paul knew directly from revelations of Christ that Christ's power rested upon him in all these things when there was no deliverance and no healing. Instead, Christ said, "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE!!!" How far have we fallen sense Paul's day to recognize that sickness and death is natural ever sense the fall of creation and because we live inside these vile bodies these things will happen to anyone. How far have we fallen to recognize that God does not bring about sickness, yet He uses it to show His wisdom is far greater than Satan's that because of Christ grace is sufficient, not to be healed, but not to be healed because our citizenship is in heaven glorified in Christ. How far have we fallen to think that we rob glory from God if one does not plainly and clearly see that God is not healing today, rather than understand the grace of God which is the power and strength of Christ to testify of His glory when sick, and in persecution, reproach, necessities, and distresses!!!!! What privilege we have as those who can go through the suffering of this fallen world and praise and glorify God through His Son Jesus Christ for His grace is sufficient!!!!! How far have we fallen to think that because you got healed that it was from God, that you had more faith than someone else, to think that you are strong, rather to see that God's power, grace, and strength are manifested when we are weak. His power, grace, and strength are not manifested in healing, but as Paul prays in Colossians 1:11, "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, UNTO all PATIENCE and LONGSUFFERING with JOYFULNESS." How far have we fallen, because we go through struggles and infirmities and the sufferings of this world from nature or other people that God is not with us, but to know His Word and to know where His power and grace and strength are manifested in us. What would mark God's power resting in someone, one who can through persecution, reproach, necessities, and distresses be patient, be longsuffering all in joyfulness. That is God given power, how do I know, because everyone is looking to be healed. God can heal no doubt, but He isn't today like He was with the nation of Israel that is cut-off, fallen, diminished, for a season and a reason for the Kingdom on earth. One day Christ will bring the New Heavenly Jerusalem to earth, "His will be done on earth as it is in heaven" along with all OT saints and bring the FIRE of His wrath to cleanse and restore the earth without form or void, which was to happen when Christ told them to pray for it, but no one knew that there was a mystery of God's will to be revealed in due time which was given to the apostle Paul about Christ and His forming of the Body of Christ a heavenly people unlike the Nation of Israel His earthly people.

We need not forget that the signs done to Moses were done out of Moses' unbelief, I think it be that the Church the Body of Christ has fallen in unbelief by not listening to our God given authority in Paul from the Ascended, Glorified, Heavenly Christ and in consequence are confused by following the nation of Israel's program which is not to us nor not us at all, because we don't believe the things that GRACE teaches us, we want the phyiscal instead of the spiritual and have even been confused about what the spiritual is. It is time to renew our inner man, THE INNER MAN!!!

Dispensationalism another Denomination?

This is my first post in a long time, but I recently received a comment to my first post in which I would like to respond to, not that my blog will be an answer time for responses, but in this case I choose to take some time and answer a couple comments that were made by "4hisglory" if you don't mind me using your user name. His or her response can be looked at under comments under my first post. The comments were, "You forgot to mention the latest and most recent of all the divisional doctrines in the church today; Dispensationalism", and "Is your dispensationalism part of that which is confusing for unbelievers?" The other comments and questions brought up within the response will be answered another time.

I thank you for your comment and response. Personally I would not like to be labeled, but just as the world does most of Christendom also labels people and religion in my opinion to dress it up . Many also label themselves for a source of identity. Personally I want my identity to be found solely in Christ as a member of the Body of Christ. For example, Baptists, they believe strongly in baptism if not for salvation, then as an ordinance to be observed after salvation. You take their water baptism away and they will fight you real hard. Also, Pentecostals, they believe strongly in the gifts, you take the gifts away and they struggle with their spirituality or I would say identity in Christ alone. After all this is said, I guess you can call me a Pauline Dispensationalist, BECAUSE it is NOT that I find my identity in Paul at all, but the message of the dispensation of the grace of God is only preached by Paul and in God's grace Paul's gospel is where I found how to be saved today and how I come to the knowledge of my identity solely in Christ.

This leads to your comment that I, "forgot to mention the latest and most recent of all the divisional doctrines in the church today; Dispensationalism." First I want to make a couple statements that will help clear somethings up. I can not speak for all Dispensationalists, because not all are Pauline in their knowledge and thinking, in fact everyone is a dispensationalist one way or another if you want to be or not. However the question is are you Pauline? Many may be thinking what is the big deal with Paul. Many may be thinking I make too much of him. Let me clarify this thinking by asking two questions. 1) Why Paul? Did not Jesus Christ give the 12 disciples the "great commission" as religion calls it to go to ALL the NATIONS? Why would God choose Saul of Taursus the leader of the rebellion against the 12? Were the 12 out of the will of God? Did God choose Paul one man to carry out what the 12 could not do? Or, did something change in God's plan that He had purposed in Himself before the foundation of the world not making it known unto the world keeping it a mystery until a due time? 2) Who is your apostle? Now that was more than two questions, but just somethings to get the brain thinking. Is Peter (Cephas), James, John, Apollos, your apostle or is it Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry that you are to follow and who is to teach you what God is doing NOW and where you fit in? Or is it Paul?

Your comment about Dispensationalism (Pauline) being another divisional doctrine made me think of 1 Corinthians 1-4. I am not going to post all four chapters and trust readers to be Bereans. Paul addresses that there were divisions in the Corinth Church for (1:12) some said, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, and I of Cephas. Don't stop there Paul also mentions Christ that some were saying, "I am of Christ." Isn't that a good thing isn't that what we want, how then could it be causing a division? Paul says those who say they are of Christ are causing division and contention within the church. As Paul continues he speaks about a hidden wisdom about Jesus Christ, that if the princes of the world would have known it they would not have crucified Him (v. 8). In verse 7 Paul's says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." God has a hidden wisdom in a mystery of His Son Jesus Christ and it is this message, gospel, and wisdom that they were to follow, not Jesus' earthly ministry for Paul later mentions in 2 Cor. to no longer Christ in the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16). Paul in Corinthians chapters 1 through 4 speaks about this wisdom and the fellowlaborours or workers of the Lord in teaching this and a student of the Word should compare 1 Cor. 1:12-13 to 4:14-17. See in chapter 1 the division came from people following the man Cephas, Paul, Apollos, and Jesus and in chapter 4 Paul makes the issue his gospel, his message, his apostleship, not himself, but his office. "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, BE YE FOLLOWERS OF ME (v.15-16). Only two people in the Bible use this statement; Jesus and Paul. Also in verse 17, "For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall BRING YOU INTO REMEMBRANCE OF MY WAYS WHICH BE IN CHRIST, AS I TEACH EVERY WHERE IN EVERY CHURCH." Romans 11:13 says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." We are not to follow Cepha's office, Apollo's office, nor Christ's office on earth as a man which is for Israel, but to follow after Paul's office of apostleship which is of Christ as the glorified crucified Savior in the heavenly places far above all principality and power (Eph. 1). Paul is not just our instructor as the Corinthians had 10,000 of those, but our father in the gospel and we are to follow Paul's ways in Christ. Paul is your apostle he is the apostle of and to the Gentiles. Divisions come from mixing doctrine of Christ (Matt. 5-7 "beatitudes") for Israel with sound doctrine Romans-Philemon for and to us given by Christ from heaven to Paul. Division comes when theologians, scholars, and pastors mix Peter's message with Paul's. This is why we need to rightly divide the WORD OF TRUTH (2 Tim. 2:15). All God's word is truth, but not all of God's Word is written to and for you. It needs to be rightly divided. The answer to your comment about dispensationalism being another divisional doctrine is true if it is not Pauline, because as said before everyone is a dispensationalist and divides God's Word, but do you rightly divide by listening to your Apostle Paul? Pauline Dispensationalism is the solution to the divisions within the church today just as it was when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. The Body of Christ needs to be in remembrance of Paul's ways which are in Christ just as Israel needed to be called back to the Law of Moses. Paul is to the Body of Christ as Moses was to Israel. Today the struggle comes with having Pauline authority in our life just as Israel had problems with Moses authority. The authority Moses had was given by God and the authority Paul has is from Christ from heavenly places (Gal. 1:11-12). A final comment I would make is that Pauline doctrine has been under attack ever since his seperation from his mothers womb, Israel (Gal. 1:15) (it is not his real mother, read it in context). Pauline authority, apostleship, ministry, message, and gospel have been under reproach and persecution ever since leaving the Jewish religion to the gospel of the grace of God that was given solely to him as the Law was unto Moses to preach and teach everyone at every church (1 Cor. 4:17). Pauline doctrine speaks of what God's doing today (hence all of Paul's, "BUT NOW" statements), and wants the Body of Christ to walk worthy of their calling. Paul says, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, (what is this vocation and how) with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Eph. 4:1-6). Does the Church (singular) look like this today? No, we have churches (plural).

Paul's Warnings For Not Following Him (Division)

Concluding I defend Paul's apostleship, ministry, and gospel, because he is my apostle and yours and to show that Pauline truth or Pauline Dispensationalism is not another divisional doctrine, BUT the clear response to all the division. Paul's ways which are in Christ (can't stress enough) need to be remembered and his office to be magnified (to enlarge), not because I say so, but because God's Word says so. All scripture is truth, but it needs to be rightly divided by listening to our apostle Paul so that we may have an understanding in all things. So I say with Paul, "if any man think himself to be a prophet, OR SPIRITUAL, let him ACKNOWLEDGE (remember that word) that the things I WRITE UNTO YOU ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant (1 Cor. 14:37-38)." Better yet, he says, "Consider what I say; and THE LORD GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING IN ALL THINGS." The Lord is the one that gives understanding to those who listen to the apostle that He Himself gave an office to in order to teach us about Himself (Christ), the grace of God, and the purpose of God in the heavenly places (Body of Christ) and the earth (Israel).

Who is your apostle?
Why Paul?