TEST
ONE: Carefully
read and compare the following two verses: If
you said different You are correct!
The
bible says, in Romans 3:30 that no flesh can be justified by keeping the
commandments. The law gives us the knowledge of sin (what sin is) and served as
a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Today we are not under the law, but under
grace. Our teacher today is grace. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and to
live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present evil world. TEST
TWO: Carefully read and compare these next two verses: If
you said different You are correct! It
is simply not humanly possible to do both at the same time. You cannot work
righteousness with the expectation of being accepted by God based on your good
works, while at the same time not depend on your own goodness or your own good
works, but simply trust in the work of Christ on the Cross and that alone for
salvation. Working and not working is something you cannot do at the same time.
Today salvation is without any works but by grace alone thru faith alone. TEST
THREE: Now, carefully read and compare these last two verses: If
you said different You are correct! HERE
IS YOUR SCORE:
(Mat 19:17 KJV) And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep
the commandments.
(Gal 5:4 KJV) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of
you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Are the two statements the same or different?
(Acts 10:35 KJV) But in every nation he
that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
(Titus 3:5 KJV) Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Are the two statements the same or different?
(Acts 3:21 KJV) Whom the heaven
must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken
by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
(Rom 16:25 KJV) Now to him that is
of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since
the world began,
Are the two statements the same or different?
When Paul says "according to my gospel," he is not saying "the
gospel," or "our gospel," or even that which Peter preached on a
Jewish Holy Day called Pentecost in Acts chapter two and three. When Paul says
"my gospel," he is referring to the revelations which the Lord from
Heaven gave to him. Peter did not have this information during Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John, nor in the book of Acts. It was only in Acts 16 that Peter
learned that Christ had died for his sins. Not before.
If your answer on all three tests was
"DIFFERENT" then you are "rightly dividing the word of
truth.". All of the bible was written FOR US, but not all was written UNTO
US. The greatest division in your bible is between PROPHECY (that which was
spoken since the world began) and MYSTERY (that which was kept secret since the
world began) until the ascended Lord Jesus Christ revealed it to the Apostle of
the Gentiles, THE APOSTLE PAUL. Knowing which is FOR YOU and which is UNTO YOU
is most important for two essential reasons:
I Timothy 2:4 Who (God) would
have all men to be saved......
1. So that you can have a crystal clear NO
DOUBT about it understanding of the gospel of YOUR salvation, which will be
different than, say Abel's, Noah's, or Peter's, as you could clearly see in the
three "tests" above. You can only be SEALED with the ETERNAL Holy
Spirit after that you have "heard the word of truth, the gospel of YOUR
salvation" and place your trust in the FINISHED WORK of Christ alone for
salvation (as in Ephesians 1:13)
....and come unto the knowledge of the truth.
2. Once you are saved, then you are able to
perceive the things of God. The bible says, "the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him, neither can
he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." (I Corinthians 2:14) As
a saved, bible believer you are established in your faith through the sound
doctrine committed to Paul for the church today. Consider the following:
(Gal 1:11 KJV) But I certify you,
brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
(Gal 1:12 KJV) For I neither received it
of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul's Gospel was KEPT SECRET:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power
to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the
world began,
Paul's Gospel was HIDDEN:
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before
the world unto our glory:
Paul's Gospel for today was NOT
MADE KNOWN:
Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was
not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Paul's Gospel for today was HID
IN GOD:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see
what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world
hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Paul's Gospel for today was A
MYSTERY:
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath
been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Paul's Gospel for today was UNSEARCHABLE:
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than
the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Yes, the Apostle Paul has both a unique
ministry from all the other Apostles....and most certainly a unique
message...different from that of the others. It was not until Jesus Christ
appeared to Paul and gave him this special and unique ministry and message that
we were ever told to "rightly divide the word of truth." BUT NOW it is
an absolute necessity in order to avoid the religious trap of compromise and
confusion which is the lot of most of religion today.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Grace 101 Bible Studies