The Mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

John 8:56
King James Version (KJV)

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.


Two things we can suggest from this:

1. Abraham had a knowledge of Christ after his death (as Moses and Elijah did on the Mount of Transfiguration);

2. It is a simple statement that Abraham's faith in the promises of God was cause for Joy.


Abraham knew that God would fulfill His promises, just as we do. Both of these are equally likely.

But, what we can say is that this does not change the fact that Paul teaches that no man had reveled to them the Mystery of the Gospel.

His teachings are either embraced, or rejected.

So far you have only rejected his teachings.


God bless.

 

Life only comes through being indwelt by God. That is how we have eternal life.

That is through belief in Christ's death specifically (John 6 makes this clear), but, it is not the belief that gives us life, it is God, and this through the Eternal Indwelling.


God bless.

 

Okay, this is an issue I will try to explain, because the one thing I want you to understand is that I am not saying that Abraham, and other Old Testament Saints were not saved. They were "saved" by grace through faith alone, which means if we believe that, then we cannot ascribe Abraham's salvation to what he did, we can only ascribe his salvation to what Christ did. This is a little confusing for most, I think, and this is primarily due to the teachings of the Systems of Theology they have adopted.

First, let's understand what it means when Abraham is said to be declared righteous. What we will see is that he was declared righteous based on what he did, not on what Christ did:


Romans 4
King James Version (KJV)

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.


Paul defines how Abraham was justified, which was...according to the flesh, or in other words, the context is temporal, not eternal.

If we keep that in mind, we will not get caught up in the Protestant/Catholic squabble about how men are saved, because in view is not Paul teaching that Abraham was saved on an eternal basis because of his faith and belief (and both placed, not in Christ the Risen Savior, but in the promises of God receive then which we can read about in Genesis). Most debate whether one is justified by faith alone or if one muse have works also because James' teaching seems to be in conflict with what Paul teaches. It is not, and we will see that if we pay attention to the context.

First, let's see the temporal context (which is stated in the first two verses of this chapter in regards to the assembling of the brethren):


James 2:15-17
King James Version (KJV)

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.


We know salvation cannot be obtained through the works of the Law, and James even makes the point that the Law must be kept perfectly, else one comes into condemnation under the Law. Here we see that it is physical activity being described, which is, just like Paul's teachings, according to the flesh.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the eternal efforts of God in salvation. It has to do with men being justified, not only by God, but before other men. So it deals with what we do in the body, which we do not confuse as contributing to salvation in Christ, which is obtained by one means only...faith in Jesus Christ the Risen Savior.

Now, to the usually wrested text:


James 2:20-24
King James Version (KJV)

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.


We can't nullify the teaching of Holy Scripture, so we must embrace this as an inspired statement from God to man.

And that is not a problem, if we understand that Abraham was not eternally redeemed through his faith, works, or belief.

What the text teaches, as does Romans 4, is that Abraham was justified in a temporal and physical sense, meaning, that God declared him righteous from a temporal perspective. Not an eternal perspective.

And this is how the Old Testament Saint was saved, because being justified by God for their faith, belief, and works, they were extended the same grace that even Gentiles received when they performed the works of the Law written on their hearts. They were not reconciled to God because of their temporal response, but, they were regarded by God even as Cornelius was, who also, despite being held in high regard by God for his belief and faith in the God of Israel...still needed to be reconciled to God, born again.

And I will have to continue this in the next post.


Continued...

 

So now we go back to something that I think I already presented, but, perhaps you can see it from the perspective it was presented in a little better. We go to Romans 3, where Paul will distinguish between the justification he will ascribe to Abraham in Romans 4 with being justified through the redemption which is through Christ Jesus:


Romans 3:20-28
King James Version (KJV)

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.


His point is simple, and in no way in conflict with James' statement, because here...the context is eternal, and deals with justification from an eternal perspective, not a temporal: "Despite having the Law, men could not be justified in God's sight (from an eternal perspective), because no man could actually keep the Law."

The proper response to the Law, which could only show men their sin, was not "God I thank thee that I am not like other men," but "...God have mercy on me a sinner."

Now we see the answer to man's impossible problem (that he is a sinner that cannot keep the Law):


21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;


In other words the Gospel we see in the Old Testament testifies to the reality of Christ having come, died, and rising again. And it is His righteousness at this time being manifested, as opposed to the righteousness demanded by the Law.


22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:


This righteousness is obtained, not by deeds of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. It is unto all and upon all...who believe (in Christ).

And this was necessary, because...


23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;


So thus far we have Paul stating that no man could be justified on an eternal basis through the deeds of the Law, and at this time the righteousness of God is imputed to those who believe on Christ.

And again, it is no different than a Saint being justified in the Old Testament Eras...


24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:


...with the exception that Justification is based on what Christ did, and what He did accomplished redemption from an eternal perspective. All Old Testament Saints died still owing their sin debt. The only provision for atonement and remission of sins given in Old Testament Eras was the of vicarious animal death (which died in the stead of the sinner). While this did bring about atonement and remission of sins, it was not on an eternal basis, but...temporal. Physical. Temporary. See Hebrews 10:1-14 which makes this clear (though we will likely cover that in this thread, because we have to understand this point or we will not understand Salvation in Christ).

Now we see another clear statement of remission for sins committed by the Old Testament Saint:


25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.


First, think about Abraham's justification based on what he did, then compare that to the awesome nature of Justification based on what Christ did. Abraham was imputed righteousness, but, we cannot, must not...equate that to the Work of Christ.

And that is precisely what most do.

In v.25 we see Christ's righteousness (synonymous with the righteousness of God, because He is God) atoning for the sins that are past, which is no different than the Writer's statement in Hebrews 9:15, where we see that by His blood (death, sacrifice of Himself) He (Christ) has redeemed the transgressions under the Law (which applies also to the transgressions committed prior to the Law, but, Hebrews has a specific Hebrew audience).

Now, it is important to understand that Paul is setting the stage for his discourse on the justification of Abraham (in this chapter), and it is ironic that most, when they want to defend their confusion on Justification...go to Romans 4.

When it is here that an eternal context of salvation is found.

Abraham's justification is an example to solidify what he is teaching here...not the other way around. So he concludes...


27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.


He will go on to make the point "Abraham was not justified by works, just as men are not justified on an eternal basis by works." Then he goes on to show...

...Abraham was not justified by works.

Now back to the Mystery. Abraham was not "made righteous," righteousness was imputed to his account based on his response to the revelation afforded him in his day. It cannot be equated to the imputed Righteousness of Christ, because one is temporal (according to the flesh) and the other is eternal, and speaks of not just Atonement and remission of sins, but...

...Eternal Redemption.


Hebrews 9:12-15
King James Version (KJV)

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

His death is always the source of salvation, everywhere you look in the New Testament. It is contrasted with the temporal provision (v. 13, where animal sacrifice sanctified and cleansed according to the flesh), under Law, and accomplished Redemption on an eternal basis, from an eternal perspective.

So here is the error I see in the Protestant/Catholic dispute: both improperly ascribe the justification of the Old Testament Saint as having an eternal context, which is partly true, because they were "saved" by grace through faith through their faith, belief, and works. However, when they died, they were still in need of Atonement and Reconciliation with God, which would not be applied to their account until Christ in fact came and died in their stead. That is why we see in Hebrews 12 reference to "just spirits made perfect (complete), which if you are familiar with Hebrews you will know this refers to the contrast the Writer draws between the incomplete sacrifices of the Law (which could not take away sin) and Christ's Sacrifice which makes us complete in regards to remission of sins forever.

Hope that helps, Gup.


God bless.

 

I am short of time this morning so am going to just change the color of my own statements, as I don't have time to properly place them in quotes.

Gup, lol, the "argument" is very much whether God eventually revealed understanding, that is what I am telling you is the case.We will see a few errors in a few of the concepts you address in your response (and again, not intending to be offensive, just pointing out what I see differs from my own views).

Its like having teeth pulled, lol. I rarely do it because it is so limiting.

Not an apt analogy, because you know enough about gravity not to step off a building, so you know how it works. And that is an apt description for most of us when we are saved: we don't understand in an in-depth manner, but we know enough to be saved (i.e., we are sinners, headed for eternal judgment, and that Christ died that we might be saved).

Abraham was not, as was none of the sons of men, privy to the Mystery of the Gospel. Once you have studied these passages and then apply that to the Gospels...the Gospels will make more sense.

It does if you continue to argue that "Abraham believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

We can see the Gospel in the promises of God (i.e., the promised Seed, all families of the earth being blessed (Gentile Inclusion)) of God but for Abraham God's promise was for an heir from his own bowels, not a servant of his household (for example).

And this is why Abraham could rejoice because "he saw the Day of Christ," because God fulfilled that promise (in its application in Abraham's day), and Abraham was glad when his son was born.

Now apply that to another concept we have in regards to salvation, eternal inheritance: we become heirs just as Isaac became the heir...in fulfillment of God's promise. So we see another example of Prophecy and Promise having more than one application: there is an immediate fulfillment often (i.e., Christ's coming, Antichrist, etc.), and a future fulfillment.

That doesn't really answer the question.

And you have just created another gospel, if you maintain that men can be eternally saved apart from Christ.

Don't get offended by that, but think about it.

John is clear when men began to become the sons of God through Regeneration:


John 1:11-13
King James Version (KJV)

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.


It began when Christ came. Prior to His coming Jesus Christ, the Man, had not yet existed (though the Son of God, who took up residence in that flesh...is Eternal God, the Creator).

Regeneration is the result of the Resurrection:


1 Peter 1
King James Version (KJV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,


And this is why understanding the Mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is critical to a proper understanding of our salvation, because most equate our salvation in Christ to that of the Old Testament Saint, and view them as eternally redeemed and born again believers, even though they were not privy to the Mystery of the Gospel.

They were justified because they responded in faith and belief to the revelation afforded them in their day. But they died still in need of Atonement and Reconciliation.


Continued...

 

Who is we?

I do not make the Gospel complicated because I try to teach a better understanding of it.

We now have the revelation of the Mystery:


Romans 16:24-26
King James Version (KJV)

24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:


Kept secret since the world began. The Scripture cannot be broken.

What was a requirement for Abraham, and every man, was to come into obedience to the revealed will of God provided in their day. For example, men prior to the establishment of the Law were not held to the standard of the Law, just as men under law are not held to the higher standard we have today, which is higher because of the revelation provided to us, hence those today who reject God's will (to believe on Jesus Christ) will be punished more severely than those who rejected the Covenant of Law:


Hebrews 10:28-29
King James Version (KJV)

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?


All men were and will be judged according to the revelation provided to them during their lifetimes.


Continued...

 

We know that in light of the revelation provided us, but Abraham did not.

It was sufficient that he believed God would provide a legitimate heir, and that, when asked to sacrifice Isaac, because he believed God, knew God would have to raise him from the dead if he did in fact sacrifice Isaac, because he had faith that God would fulfill His promise.


Hebrews 11:17-19
King James Version (KJV)

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

We know that, but Abraham did not. The promise has an immediate fulfillment in Abraham receiving a son. We can look back and see how it applies to Christ, but Abraham was not privy to what has been revealed to us by the Spirit sent from Heaven, the Comforter.

Excellent.

And we see the distinct contrast drawn between the differing ministries of God in several of these.

Note the last makes it clear it was when Christ was sent that those under the Law were redeemed.

It was then that we received, not the promise, but received the promise as in obtaining it. That is what the Writer states here:


Hebrews 9:12-15
King James Version (KJV)

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.


Continued...

 

I don't think it correct to say Jesus was "sin-filled."

He was the sinless Son of God, and the reason God accepts His offering of Himself is precisely because He was without sin, hence there is a "free accreditation" (so to speak) available to someone else.

I don't view it that way: Jesus could die in the stead of the sinner because there was no sin that could be charged to His account.

Jesus "becoming sin for us" is figurative, it is not literal:


Hebrews 7:25-27
King James Version (KJV)

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.


Continued...

 

Now go back to the first statement of the Gospel, which we understand top be the Gospel, but Adam and Eve did not:


Genesis 3:15
King James Version (KJV)

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The same promise given to Abraham was just a continuance of the promise He had already given...when sin first emerged in the world.

The promises given to Abraham, and in fact every aspect of the Gospel we see in the Hebrew Scriptures...are in perfect harmony and a testimony of the consistency of God in His promise to save all of mankind, for it was Eve's seed that the Seed was first promised to come through.

When we get to Abraham, we see that fuller opening of the Mystery which narrows the Seed down to the People God created for that Era (to be a witness nation of Himself).

IT goes "back up the chain" into Eternity past, because God's Redemptive Plan was settled before the world began, and though it was kept secret, you and I can see the consistency and harmony because we are privy to the Mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Again, that righteousness has a temporal context, and we know this because Abraham was not made perfect (complete) in regards to remission of sins, and awaited Redemption through Jesus Christ, and I will quote the verse you gave:

Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Bingo.

There is a difference, Gup, and the problem is that too few are aware of that difference, and equate Atonement in the Old Testament with The Atonement.

That is the primary reason why we have so many denominations and sects, because people love the doctrines of men more than the Doctrine of Christ.


Hebrews 6
King James Version (KJV)

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3 And this will we do, if God permit.

No, we don't, actually.

Paul very much expounded the Mystery of the Gospel of Christ, which was revealed to him by the Spirit sent.

And that is how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is always conveyed to a lost and dying world...


1 Peter 1:9-12
King James Version (KJV)

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.


This is precisely what Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 2, that the Gospel, the Hidden Wisdom of God, was revealed to us by the Spirit of God, and we know that the Spirit in view is the Comforter, Who was sent to enlighten the minds of men to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


God bless.