Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

 CORRECTLY HANDLE THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT

Hebrews 4:12,

“For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword.  It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17,

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Ephesians 6:17,

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

2 Timothy 2:15,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.”

Correctly handled, the Sword of the Spirit/Word of God/Word of Truth can lead a person to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and correct and encourage those who belong to Christ.  Mishandling the Sword of the Spirit can result in preaching a false gospel (i.e. By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, plus water baptism, plus Law, plus turning away from sin [turning away from being a law breaker to being a law keeper]) that won’t save a person from the wrath of God, and can strike fear and terror into the hearts of those who belong to Christ when that should not be done.  It’s important that we have the Sword of the Spirit.  It’s also important for us to learn to handle the Sword of the Spirit correctly, to rightly divide the word of truth, so that we don’t unduly injure or mislead someone else or ourselves.

I’ve been a believer in Jesus Christ since December of 1981.  Over the years I’ve done extensive traveling, and as a result I’ve attended many different churches and denominations.  Learning what I’ve been learning for the past couple of years about right division (rightly dividing the Word of Truth and correctly handling the Sword of the Spirit), when I look back over the  previous thirty eight years, I don’t remember ever hearing a pastor or teacher giving a message that wasn’t a mixed message, that is, mixing the teachings and instructions of the Kingdom Gospel meant for Israel with the teachings and instructions of the Grace Gospel revealed to the Apostle Paul after the Jews rejected their King and as a result the earthly Kingdom promised to the Jewish patriarchs was put into a state of postponement.  In other words, not rightly dividing the word of truth.  I know that some will balk at the idea that there are two Gospels, but I would encourage you to read on, and if necessary, do more research.

Galatians 2:7-9 Greek,

“But on the contrary, having seen that I (Paul) have been entrusted with the Gospel of the uncircumcision, just as Peter {with that} of the circumcision the {One} for having worked in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision did also in me toward the Gentiles-- and having known the grace having been given to me, James and Cephas and John, those esteemed pillars to be, {the} right hands gave to me and Barnabas of fellowship, that we {should go} to the Gentiles; they however to the circumcision.”

The Gospel/message of the Uncircumcision to the Gentiles, and the Gospel/message of the Circumcision to the Jews.  Two Gospels.

The reason I’m writing this is because through the years I’ve experienced confusion, distress, torment and even terror as the result of mixed teachings.  Being told on one hand that I was secure in Christ (the Gospel of the Grace of God) and on the other hand that I wasn’t (the Kingdom Gospel), and different Scriptures being used to back up each position.  I’m assuming some of you that will be reading this have, to some degree, experienced some of this yourselves.  I would like to encourage you that rightly dividing the word of truth will put these negative responses to rest.

First, I’m going to show through Scriptures how the theocratic earthly Kingdom that God promised to the Jewish Patriarchs is not here, but in a state of postponement as the result of the Jews rejecting their Messiah/King, and will be established when Jesus returns and sits on the Throne of David to rule and reign over the whole earth. The reason for doing this is because if someone can convince you the earthly Kingdom is here now, in spiritual form, they can then convince you that you are under the instructions of the Kingdom Gospel.  Second, I would like to show through the Scriptures that there are two Gospels, that we’re not under the instructions of both, that the two should not be mixed, and that not being under both, you will come to understand you are secure in Christ.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

When you read about the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, what you don’t read is a definition of what those terms mean.  There’s a reason for that.  Two thousand years ago the Jews would have understood what those terms meant.  They didn’t need a definition.  They had the Old Testament definition.  The Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven would be the fulfillment of covenants and promises God gave to the Jewish fathers concerning a literal earthly Kingdom that God would establish on literal real estate in the Middle East and a King of His choosing would sit on the Throne of David and rule and reign over the whole earth.  But there have been many who have made the decision to make up their own definition of those terms and convince others that God spiritualized all of it and that the earthly Kingdom of God is here now in spiritual form.  They’re wrong.  It’s important to let Scripture interpret Scripture and not read into Scripture something that isn’t there.

If the theocratic earthly Kingdom God promised to the Jewish Patriarchs was here, then the following associated with the Kingdom would also be in place:

The Jews would possess all of the land promised to Abram in Genesis 15:18-21,

“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

The Israelites have yet to possess all of this land.

There should be a Temple in Jerusalem as described in Ezekiel 40-47.  That Temple is not there.

There should be a river flowing out from under the Temple into the Dead Sea, a river too wide to swim across, flowing into the Dead Sea and turning the salt water into fresh water, with a great number of trees on either side of the river with leaves and fruit that don’t fail for food and healing.  Ezekiel 47:1-12,

“The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east).  The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.  He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south side.  As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle deep.  He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep.  He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist.  He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross.  He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’ Then he led me back to the bank of the river.  When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.  He said to me, ‘This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down in the Arabah, where it enters the Sea (Dead Sea).  When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh.  Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows.  There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.  Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets.  The fish will be many kinds—like the fish of the Great Sea.  But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.  Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.  Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.  Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.  Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

The temple, river, fish, trees, leaves, fruit and fresh water are not there.

Jesus should be sitting on the Throne of David as told in Psalm 2:6-9,

“I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill.”  I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, “You are My Son; today I have become you Father.  Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.  You will rule them with an iron scepter; You will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

and in Isaiah 9:7,

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

and in Luke 1:31-33,

“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

At this time Jesus isn’t sitting on the throne of David, but as we read in Acts 7:56,

“Look,” he said, “I (Stephen) see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

and in Romans 8:34,

“Who is he that condemns:  Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

and in Ephesians 1:20,

“…which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…”

and in Colossians 3:1,

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”

and in Hebrews 1:13,

To which of the angels did God ever say, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

At this time Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, not on David’s Throne.

There should be peace in Israel as written in Ezekiel 34:25,

“I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety.”

There is no peace in Israel today.

There should be peace in the world as written in Isaiah 2:4,

“He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.  They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.  Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

There is no peace in the world today.

There should be peace in the animal kingdom as were told in Isaiah 65:25,

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food.  They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

At this time there is no peace in the animal kingdom.

There should be peace between humans and animals.  Isaiah 11:8,

“The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest.”

Today, there is no peace between animals and people.

The Israelites don’t possess all the land promised to Abraham.  There is no Temple in Jerusalem.  Jesus isn’t sitting on the Throne of David at this time.  The Dead Sea is still salt water.  There isn’t peace in Israel.  There isn’t peace in the world.  There isn’t peace in the animal kingdom.  There isn’t peace between people and animals.

Everything associated with the theocratic earthly kingdom God promised to the Jewish Patriarchs is not here.  Therefore, the earthly Kingdom is not here.

Some would use Luke 17:21 to make the argument that the Kingdom of God is here in spiritual form where in some translations we read that Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you.  However, in some translations it is translated that the Kingdom of God is in your midst or among you.  I would argue against “within you” and choose “in your midst” or “among you” because of what we read in Acts 1:6-7 after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and just prior to His ascension,

So when they met together, they (the disciples) asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.”

We see in these two verses that Jesus had not spiritualized the Kingdom of God on earth as some translations might imply in Luke 17:21, that the Kingdom had not been restored to Israel at the time of Jesus’ ascension, and that the promised earthly Kingdom was postponed and is still future and will be established when Jesus returns.

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

We find in Romans 15:8 that Jesus was sent to confirm the promises made to the Jewish Patriarchs,

“For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs…”

Jesus Himself said in Matthew 15:24,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

and in John 20:21 Jesus says to the Apostles in Jerusalem,

“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”

When Jesus sent out the Twelve in Matthew 10:5-6 to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom He said to them,

“Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

We see that the message that Jesus and the Twelve preached concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom was a message for the Jews, the lost sheep of Israel.  And even after Jesus’ ascension the Apostles in Jerusalem continued to preach the Kingdom message only to the Jews:

In Peter’s first famous sermon in Acts chapter 2,

In verse 14,

“Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem…”

and in verse 22.

“Men of Israel…”

and in verse 36,

“Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this…”

In Peter’s second famous sermon in Acts 3,

In verse 12,

“Men of Israel…”

and in verse 13,

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Fathers…”

and in verse 25,

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers.”

The believing Jews who were scattered as the result of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 8:1,

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”

took the message only to the Jews.  Acts 11:19-20,

“Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.  Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also (Grecian Jews, or Jews who had assimilated into Greek culture), telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.”

And we see in James 1:1 that James wrote his letter to the Jews,

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.”

In 1 Peter 1:1 we see the Apostle Peter writing to the Jews,

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered (Acts 8:1) throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…”

and in 1 Peter 2:9,

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…”  This is a covenant God made with the people of Israel in Exodus 19:5-6,

“Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession.  Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

and in 1 Peter 2:12,

“Live such good lives among the Gentiles…” Peter’s audience are the Jews living among the Gentiles.

and in 1 Peter 4:3,

“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what Gentiles choose to do…”

And in 2 Peter 3:1  we find Peter writing to the same Jewish audience,

“Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you.”  Same audience.

And we see the Apostle John writing to a Jewish audience.  1 John 2:2,

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (the Jews), and not only for ours (the Jews) but also for the sins of the whole world (the Gentiles).”

And the Book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews/Jews.  Some would say that the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, but Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:17,

“I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters.  This is how I write.”  Paul made sure to identify himself in his letters.  There’s no indication in the Book of Hebrews that Paul identified himself.

Again, the Jews were the audience of the Book of Hebrews.  Hebrews 8:8-12, quoted by the writer from Jeremiah 31:31-34,

“The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God and they will be My people.  No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.  For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  This is a covenant God made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  This is not a covenant God made with the Gentiles.  The audience of the Book of Hebrews are Jews.

Galatians 2:7-9 Greek,

“But on the contrary, having seen that I (Paul) have been entrusted with the Gospel of the uncircumcision, just as Peter {with that} of the circumcision the {One} for having worked in Peter for apostleship of the circumcision did also in me toward the Gentiles-- and having known the grace having been given to me, James and Cephas and John, those esteemed pillars to be, {the} right hands gave to me and Barnabas of fellowship, that we {should go} to the Gentiles; they however to the circumcision.”

The Apostles in Jerusalem continued to take their message to the circumcision, the Jews.

The message/Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus and the Apostles in Jerusalem preached was a message specifically for the Jews, the lost sheep of Israel, concerning the theocratic, earthly Kingdom God promised to the Jewish patriarchs.  This message was not for the Gentiles.  Jesus was sent to confirm the promises God made to the Jewish patriarchs.  Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom.  Jesus sent His disciples to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom only to the lost sheep of Israel, not to the Gentiles.  Later, the disciples/Apostles in Jerusalem wrote their letters only to the lost sheep of Israel.  The message in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Hebrews, 1 and 2 Peter, 1-3 John and Revelation were written to the lost sheep of Israel concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom, the earthly Kingdom God promised to the Jewish patriarchs.

 

THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD

After the Jews had rejected their Messiah/King in Luke 11:14-15,

Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute.  When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.  But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, He is driving out demons.”

and in John 19:15 the chief priests told Pilate,

“We have no king but Ceasar.”

and in Acts 7, Stephen being stoned as the result of testifying of Jesus, the earthly Kingdom promised to the Jewish patriarchs was put into a state of postponement. 

about a year later Jesus appeared to Saul (who would become the Apostle Paul) in Acts 9:5,

“Who are you, Lord?”  Saul asked.  “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

We get more detail of what Jesus said to Paul on the road to Damascus in Acts 26:15-18,

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the Lord replied.  “Now get up and stand on your feet.  I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.  I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.  I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

Jesus revealed a mystery to the Apostle Paul that had previously been kept hidden in God:

Ephesians 3:2-3, “Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.”

Ephesians 3:9, “…and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.”

Colossians 1:26, “…the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations,  but is now disclosed to the saints.”

Romans 16:25, “Now to Him who is able to establish you by my Gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past…”

Today, God establishes a person by the Gospel Jesus entrusted to the Apostle Paul and the proclamation of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery that was revealed to Paul.   So, what is the mystery Jesus revealed to the Apostle Paul?

That we are not brought near to God through Israel or the covenants or the promises made to Israel: the earthly Kingdom program.  We are brought near to God through the blood of Christ.  Ephesians 2:11-13,

“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision’ (that done in the body by the hands of men)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

At the end of this post I’ll paste the link to the post that reveals in detail the Gospel of the Grace of God that the Apostle Paul preached, the Gospel wherein is the power of God today to save a person from the wrath of God.  But now I’d first like to show you some of the the differences in the instructions Jesus gave the Apostles in Jerusalem to teach to the Jews concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom which is a Gospel of faith plus works, and the instructions Jesus gave to the Apostle Paul to teach us concerning the Gospel of the Grace of God which is by grace alone through faith alone in what Christ has done alone.  The instructions are different.  Things that are different are not the same.

BAPTISM

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus instructed the Apostles in Jerusalem to baptize,

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

Under the Kingdom Gospel a person had to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, or the cancelation of their sin debt.  Acts 2:37-38,

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

But in 1 Corinthians 1:17 we find Jesus didn’t instruct the Apostle Paul to baptize,

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”

Since Jesus didn’t send the Apostle Paul to baptize, how do we receive the forgiveness of sins, the cancellation of our sin debt?  What did Jesus instruct the Apostle Paul to teach us concerning this matter? 

Ephesians 1:7-8,

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

We have the cancellation of our sin debt through the blood of Christ, not through water baptism.  We are taught by Jesus through the Apostle Paul that there is only one baptism in Ephesians 4:5,

“…one Lord, one faith, one baptism…”

and what that one baptism is in 1 Corinthians 12:13,

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

Under the Gospel of the Grace of God, water baptism is neither required for salvation, nor required after salvation. 

It’s important to note here that the disciples/Apostles in Jerusalem, when preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom during Jesus’ earthly ministry, did not preach the cross, the blood of Christ: the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Luke wrote the book of Luke for Theophilus.  In Luke 1:3 we find Luke wrote an orderly account,

“Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.”

First Jesus sends the Twelve out to preach the Kingdom of God in Luke 9:1-2,

“When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

And then he sent the seventy-two out in Luke 10:1,

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.”

And then after these two events Jesus tells the Twelve about his death and resurrection in Luke 18:31-33,

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.  He will be handed over to the Gentiles.  They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him.  On the third day he will rise again.”

And then the Holy Spirit tells us in Luke 18:34, in three different ways, that the Twelve didn’t get it,

“The disciples did not understand any of this.  It’s meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.”

And we read is John 20:9, after Jesus’ resurrection,

“They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”

The message of the Cross wasn’t part of the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom.  In fact, if you read the Apostle Peter’s first and second sermons in Acts 2 and 3, you’ll find Peter not preaching the benefits of the Cross, but an indictment against the Jews for killing their Messiah.

Under the Gospel of the Kingdom a person had the cancellation of their sin debt through water baptism.  Under the Gospel of the Grace of God a person has the cancellation of their sin debt through the blood of Christ.

FORGIVENESS

Under the Kingdom Gospel, in Matthew 28:20 Jesus instructed the Apostles in Jerusalem to teach others to obey everything He had commanded them,

“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”  Which would include forgiving in order to be forgiven:

Matthew 6:12,

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven out debtors…”

Matthew 6:15,

“But if you do not forgive men their sins, you Father will not forgive your sins.”

But under the Grace Gospel Jesus instructed the Apostle Paul to teach us that all of our sins have already been forgiven.

Colossians 2:13,

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.  He forgave us all our sins…”

And to forgive because we’ve already been forgiven.

Ephesians 4:32,

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Colossians 3:13,

“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Under the Gospel of the Kingdom a person had to forgive in order to be forgiven.  Under the Gospel of the Grace of God a person forgives because they have already been forgiven of all of their sins.

ENDURE

Again under the Kingdom Gospel in Matthew 28:20 Jesus instructed the Apostles in Jerusalem to instruct others to obey everything He commanded, which would include enduring until the end in order to be saved.

Matthew 10:22,

“All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Matthew 24:13,

“…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

But under the Grace Gospel Jesus instructed the Apostle Paul to teach us that we were sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.  What is the day of redemption?  Romans 8:23,

“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”  The redemption is when we receive our new bodies.

The Holy Spirit is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance with the Lord from the moment we first believed until the redemption.  Ephesians 1:13-14,

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.”

Ephesians 4:30,

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

2 Corinthians 1:21-22,

“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.  He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

2 Corinthians 5:5,

“Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Under the Gospel of the Kingdom a person had to endure until the end in order to be saved.  Under the Gospel of the Grace of God a person is sealed by the Holy Spirit the moment they first believe, and the Holy Spirit is a deposit in that person guaranteeing what is to come.

THE LAW

Again under the Kingdom Gospel in Matthew 28:20 Jesus instructed the Apostles in Jerusalem to teach others to obey everything He had commanded which would include obeying the commandments.

Matthew 19:17,

“Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied.  “There is only One who is good.  If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

Matthew 23:1-3,

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must obey them and do everything they tell you.  But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

But under the Grace Gospel concerning the law Jesus instructed the Apostle Paul to teach us:

Romans 3:20,

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”

1 Corinthians 15:56,

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”

Romans 5:20,

“The law was added so that the trespass might increase.”

Romans 7:5,

“For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.”

Romans 6:14,

“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”

Romans 7:4,

“So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.”

Galatians 5:1,

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (the law).”

Under the Kingdom Gospel a person had to obey the Commandments in order to enter life.  Under the Grace Gospel a person isn’t under law.

CONCLUSION

Under the Gospel of the Kingdom a person received the cancellation of their sin debt through water baptism, had to forgive in order to be forgiven, endure until the end in order to be saved, and obey the commandments in order to enter life.  Under the Gospel of the Grace of God a person has the cancellation of their sin debt through the blood of Christ, forgives because they’ve already been forgiven, is sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, and is not under the law.

Things that are different are not the same.  The Gospel of the Grace of God that Jesus gave to the Apostle Paul to teach us is not the same as the Gospel of the Kingdom intended for the Jews.

We see that the content of the instructions Jesus gave to the Apostles in Jerusalem to teach the Jews concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom is different than the content of the instructions that Jesus gave the Apostle Paul to teach us concerning the Gospel of the Grace of God.  These two Gospels are not the same, and are not to be mixed.  Today God is dealing with man through the Gospel of the Grace of God, not through the Gospel of the Kingdom which is in a state of postponement.  The instructions Jesus gave to the Apostles in Jerusalem concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom for the Jews are not how a person is saved from God’s wrath today.  As the result of the Jews rejecting their King, Jesus revealed a mystery to the Apostle Paul that had been hidden in God.  Today a person is not saved by following the instructions concerning the Gospel of the Kingdom.  A person is not saved today by going through Israel.  A person is not saved through God’s promises to Israel.  A person is not saved through Israel’s covenants.  A person is not saved through obedience to the law.  A person is brought near to God today through the blood of Christ, what Jesus accomplished for you at the cross, by grace alone through faith alone in what Christ has done alone:

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