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Bible Study: Lutz, Florida
Rightly
Dividing the Word of Truth
2
Timothy 2:15
Is there more than
one gospel in effect today?
Part
IX
I
want to extend a hearty welcome to those of you who have decided to join our Bible
study. Even though you’re not physically
here with us on class night, please know we are aware of you. And there are many of you. We give the Holy Spirit the credit and the
praise for the work He is doing in that area.
Thank you for taking the time to study God’s Word with us. We pray you’ll find this home Bible study to
be a blessing and become a regular visitor.
FYI:
archived Bible lessons are located at: HBSGroup.blogspot.com
Before
I begin lesson nine, I think it’s best to review the reason why I chose to teach
on this subject and bring it into the light.
A
few months ago, after one of our Bible studies here in Florida, this question
was brought up before the class.
“Does it really
matter what we believe (pertaining to our salvation) so long as we believe in Jesus?”
My
response was immediate and absolutely, “YES!”
Why, because the
Bible says so.
I believe God, which means a
whole lot more than just believing in God…
You
see, even the devil believes IN God.
The
problem is the devil does NOT believe God.
The
majority of people on this planet have the same problem today.
They
believe in (a) god but they do NOT believe God.
More
to the point they do not believe in what God has said.
Read
your Bible. Man has always experienced
this problem. …Nothing new here.
I believe the Bible
is 100% accurate in its original form.
There
are certain things in Scripture that God has chosen not to reveal to mankind.
That’s
His prerogative. He is God. We humans need to accept this, and trust God.
Those
things which God has chosen to reveal to us (See Deuteronomy 29:29) belong to
us Believers. We need to believe and act
on them accordingly.
Having
said that please know this.
I believe that God
says what He means and means what He says.
There
are no “grey areas,” when
it comes to your SALVATION or mine.
There
are no Bible “mysteries” to be found surrounding this subject material.
The
Lord Jesus Christ has spoken and His message is quite simple and it’s quite clear.
Consequently,
we must follow His plan. It’s as simple
as that.
I’ve
read this book. Nowhere in it does it
give us leeway to freelance. We cannot
change the Lord’s salvation plan to suit us or because we think we have a
better one.
I
find it remarkable that humans have taken this process (salvation) which God
has made so simple a small child can comprehend it and complicated it to such a
degree that almost no one understands it.
In fact, they have people wondering if they are good enough to make it
into God’s heaven.
Here’s
an example. I’m not going to get too
specific. I try not to attack people or
organizations. There’s nothing to be
gained from such behavior. We Believers
should strive to build up the Body of Christ and not diminish it in any
way. Amen.
I
worked with an RN for a number of years.
This individual was very intelligent.
He
was a professional. We had much in
common, which is why we sort of hit it off from the start. We were both raised in the same faith. We both went to the same faith-based
school. We were both altar boys,
etc. I had changed denominations.
He
remained faithful to his. He had been a
member of this faith for over 50
years.
This
man knew I taught a Bible class and yet we never talked about such things.
In
fact, he avoided the topic. I’m not one
to hit people over the head with the Bible.
The
Holy Spirit opens doors. I’m prepared
when that happens.
One
day a patient was at the reception desk, checking out, and we were discussing
life after death. I did not bring the subject
up the patient did. When you work in a
hospital, the subject of life and death come up often. This patient asked me my opinion about life
after death and I gave it freely. At
that exact moment this RN arrived at the front desk to assist this
patient. The patient asked the RN did he
believe in life after death and did he think he was going to heaven. The RN said he believed that there was life
after death. But he wasn’t sure he was
going to heaven. He said, “I hope so.”
“I hope so?” Fifty years a Believer and he isn’t sure he
is going to heaven?
Who
failed this man? It wasn’t the
Scriptures?
I
know I’m going to see my Lord and Savior one day.
I
know this for a fact!
God
said, “For by grace you have (that’s
past tense) been saved (how is that
accomplished these days) through faith;
and that not of yourselves, (there isn’t anything we can do to earn
salvation) it is the gift of God; not as
a result of works (works = anything you think you have to do to earn God’s
favor), so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
You
may want to read those Bible verses again.
They are telling you that salvation is a gift from God to anyone who
believes that Jesus Christ shed His blood on that Roman cross for their sins,
was buried, and rose again on the 3rd day, according to the
Scriptures.
If you believe the Gospel of Grace, the Apostle Paul’s gospel, and this is where you stand, in other words, you have no intention of changing your mind, or waiting for the day when some man or woman approaches you with a better deal, then you are truly saved, and then immediately baptized with the Holy Spirit.
If you believe the Gospel of Grace, the Apostle Paul’s gospel, and this is where you stand, in other words, you have no intention of changing your mind, or waiting for the day when some man or woman approaches you with a better deal, then you are truly saved, and then immediately baptized with the Holy Spirit.
You
do not need to join a particular church group, be baptized with water, tithe a
certain amount “religiously, climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest sea,
walk a thousand miles barefoot, or fast for a thousand days. These things are works!
If
people truly understood the Lord Jesus Christ’s plan of Salvation, believe me,
they would stop trying to EARN
salvation.
The
twelve apostles, chosen by Jesus, were sent out by Jesus to preach only to the
Jews, “that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is in accordance with the Covenant Gospel in keeping with the covenant promises God made to Abram in
the Abrahamic Covenant. (See Genesis
chapters 12; 15).
Jesus
came to fulfill the promises made to the fathers. (See Romans 15:8).
The
nation of Israel rejected this gospel and its Messenger.
Therefore,
God chose a man named Saul to be His apostle to the gentiles and the gospel message
changed as well. Saul became Paul and
Paul preached Jesus Crucified.
God has not forsaken His Covenant people. Remember this.
I
want you to open your Bible, and search the four gospels for anything, even a
hint, that salvation was dependent upon believing that Jesus Christ shed His
blood for their sins. I can save you
some time. It’s not in there.
But
people put it in there…all the time.
It
doesn’t belong in there.
This
is why I keep saying you must learn to, “Rightly
Divide the Word of Truth.”
You
already do that, partially, when you proclaim that you must separate Law from
Grace. I want to know why you stop
there.
The
risen Lord Jesus Christ gave The Gospel of Grace by revelation to the apostle
Paul and commanded him to preach it to the gentiles and the Jews because
NOW there is no DIFFERENCE. Before this
there was a difference.
Our
Grace Age Doctrines come from the Apostle Paul and NO WHERE else. I cannot understand why people choose to
ignore his teachings or his writings.
But they do – TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.
These are the Apostle’s Peter’s words, not mine.
But they do – TO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.
These are the Apostle’s Peter’s words, not mine.
Acts 9
Saul Begins to
Preach Christ
19b: Now for
several days he was with the disciples (these were not the apostles) who were at Damascus.
20:
and immediately he (Saul)
began to proclaim (who) Jesus (where exactly) in the synagogues, (note the plurality)
saying, (read carefully) “He is the Son of God.”
Now
the casual Bible reader will reach verse 20 above and skim right on over it.
There’s
quite a bit going on so we’re going to park here for a minute or two.
You
read that Saul immediately began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues.
You’re
not going to find gentiles in any synagogue.
That’s one.
Another
thing you should understand is this. Saul
preached “Jesus is the Son of God.”
This
is the message of the Covenant Gospel.
What
gives?
Saul
was saved under the Covenant Gospel
program.
How
do we know this to be true? The message of
this gospel was believe in Jesus.
And
who is Jesus? “He is the Son of God.”
Saul
Knew His Old Testament. He’s familiar
with the prophets and the prophecies concerning the Promised One. But this is all the information Saul has to
work with.
God
hasn’t revealed anything else to him yet.
One
more thing about Saul’s conversion you should know.
When
does a Grace Age Believer receive the gift of the Holy Spirit once he or she
becomes a Believer? The answer is
immediately. I Corinthians 12:13.
When
did Saul receive the Holy Spirit?
Remember,
the Lord Jesus Christ sent Ananias to the house of Judas (not that Judas) to lay his hands on
Saul so that would regain his sight. But
that’s not all.
Acts 9
17: So Ananias
departed (as
the Lord commanded him) and entered the
house, and (read carefully) after
laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you
on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your
sight and (what) be filled with
the Holy Spirit.”
Saul
did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit until a disciple of the Lord,
living at Damascus, laid his hands on Saul.
We see this marvel over and over again taking place in the book of
Acts. Phillip in Samaria is one
occasion. Phillip preached Jesus Christ
to these folks but they did not receive the Holy Spirit until Peter and John
left Jerusalem and began to pray that they would receive the Holy Spirit. Until this, after professing their faith, and
believing that Jesus is the Christ, they had simply been baptized.
It wasn't until Peter and John actually laid their hands on them in Samaria that they
received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
(See Acts 8: 13-17)
18: And immediately
there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he (Saul) regained his sight, and he got up and was
baptized (by Ananias);
The
Covenant Gospel is still the law of the land.
Let’s
return to the Bible text.
Acts 9
21: All
those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who
in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name (Jesus), and who had come here for the purpose of
bringing them bound before the chief priests?”
22: But Saul kept
increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by (doing what) proving (that Jesus died on the cross
for their sins? NO! What does the book
say? Saul proved to these Jews that) this Jesus is the Christ.
And consider this no
small feat. Saul had built up a
reputation as a persecutor of anyone who confessed to believe in what he was
now preaching.
23: When many days
had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him,
24: but their plot
became known to Saul. They were also
watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death;
(To
be continued)
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Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
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