App
Fred R. Coulter—December 20, 2008
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How is it that nominal Christianity in the world accepts that the only thing—and this is becoming the predominate Protestant message—is 'by grace you are saved' and Paul brought 'a superior gospel'? A special revelation to him! How was the groundwork set up for that for people to believe it? It was set up, first of all, on the Jewish side by Judaism claiming that everyone from Adam, including Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the twelve tribes of Israel, were Jews. In other words, any religious practice in the Old Testament was Jewish. Therefore, when Christ came with the New Covenant 'We don't have to keep any of the commandments from the Old Testament.' The question you really need to ask people like this is:
- Do you believe that we live in a society in the United States of America that is supposed to be run by the rule of law? Yes!
- Do you believe people should obey the law? Yes!
- What does obeying the law bring to the community? the nation? the city? wherever you're living? It brings peace and lack of crime!
- Why would you insist that Jesus was only a minister to the circumcision?
- Therefore, not only do we have to avoid the Old Testament because it's either been fulfilled or it's under the Old Covenant, and we don't have to have anything to do with it at all?
What you're really suggesting is, in a comparable thing in the world, is that we don't need any laws in the city. So, you have complete lawlessness and you break down into a lawless society, as exemplified today.
When Protestants come along, and they have not only done away with the Old Testament, now they have done away with the Gospels: 'We don't have to because what Jesus taught was only for the Jews.' Now they've done away with the General Epistles because they were written by Jewish apostles, and 'Paul was given a special revelation and he has a superior gospel.' This is how Protestantism is being taken down and destroyed.
We can read some things in the Old Testament and New Testament, but let's look at couple of Scriptures that they use. As I asked Deborah when I was on a radio program, 'Where did you get this kind of thing?' She says, 'From the Bible.' I said, 'You're going through a 'well worn' path while you're neglecting most of the Scriptures. What you're doing is, you're creating your own form of the Gospel.'
One of the greatest errors that is done is that people do not read in context. What they do is pick out a verse that they like, and because they have been so programmed by such irresponsible preachers on Sunday that they say, 'My text for today is…' They read one Scripture! Then they give whatever their sermon will be on based on that Scripture. When it's all over and done, it's not really based on that Scripture. It's what they want to preach in the first place.
What I might suggest is that you review the Fourteen Rules for Bible Study, Appendix A, found in The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version. One of the Fourteen Rules of Bible Study is understand the context.
Romans 15:1: "Now, we who are strong in the faith are obligated to support the ones who are weak, and not to please ourselves…. [the teachings of Jesus] …Accordingly, let each one of us please his neighbor for good, unto edification; for even Christ did not please Himself…" (vs 1-3). We're talking about Christ, here. Did Paul have a different gospel?
"…rather, as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who are reproaching You have fallen upon Me.' For all the things that were written before were written for our instruction…" (vs 3-4). That quote is taken from the Old Testament (Psa. 69).
- Why would we want to have that Scripture if the Old Testament is all fulfilled and we don't need it?
'Oh, but Christ fulfilled it.'
- Did He stop fulfilling it?
or:
- Is it continuously being fulfilled?
"…so that through patient endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures…" (v 4). What were the Scriptures at the time when Paul was writing? The Old Testament! Of course, it did include those that were already counted as Scriptures from the New Testament.
"…we might have hope. Now may the God of patience and encouragement grant you to be likeminded toward one another according to Christ Jesus" (vs 4-5),
- How are you going to know what Christ Jesus taught unless you read the Gospels?
If the Gospels were only for the Jews and Paul mitigated all the teachings of the Gospels by his new revelation and gospel:
- Why would he write "…according to Christ Jesus?"
Verse 6: "So that with one accord and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, receive one another, according as Christ has also received us, to the glory of God" (vs 6-7). How are you going to know how Christ received us unless you study the Gospels?
Verse 8: "Now I tell you…" Here is the Scripture that they use to do away with the Gospels, because 'everything that was taught in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John was only for the Jews.'
"…that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the Truth of God, so that He might confirm the promises given to the fathers" (v 8). 'There! Only to the circumcision, you got it right there in Scriptures.'
Verse 9: "And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, exactly as it is written… [Where? In the Old Testament!] …'For this cause I will confess You among the Gentiles, and I will praise Your name…. [Psa. 18:49] …And again it says, 'Rejoice, all you Gentiles, with His people'… [including] …And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; and praise Him, all you peoples.' And again, Isaiah says, 'There shall be a root of Jesse, and He that arises shall rule the Gentiles: in Him shall all the Gentiles hope.'" (vs 9-12).
That is only a beginning fulfillment with the conversion of the Jews into the Church during this time, but that will not be fulfilled until the completion of everything, including the Millennium and the second resurrection.
When all else fails, read the context and you will also understand where they get off base. Here's the 'the 'progressive revelation' that Paul had the 'finality of the gospel, and the finality of the gospel that we find in the book of Galatians is the doing away of the Law.'
I want you to read in The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version, Appendix R: What Is Meant by "the Works of the Law"?
When you go to the book of Galatians, Gal. 2 had absolutely nothing to do with a Law of God! It had to do with the laws of justification by Judaism, that you separate from keeping company with Gentiles. That was never in the Bible—the Old Testament or New Testament—anywhere.
Eph. 3 is where they get the doctrine that Paul had a 'progressive revelation' and that now the only thing that we need to do is live by the Scriptures that talk about the grace of God. 'Once you're under the grace of God, you don't need law,' say preachers of lawlessness.
Deborah (on the radio program) accused me of saying that I believe in teaching salvation by works, rather than by grace. No! That's not true! If you don't understand about it, we have a whole series on grace (truthofgod.org):
- Grace of God
- Grace Upon Grace
- God's Grace and Commandment-Keeping
I'll read in just a little bit, what we have here under Appendix M: Beliefs and Doctrines of the New Testament Church, found in The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version. As you understand how the Bible is laid out, in addition to the original order and the seven divisions and all of the things that that brings to light, I also have in the in the Commentaries and in the Appendices all the things necessary to combat all of this Protestant nonsense that is taking Christianity down.
I just might say that not only are those the subversive agents of Satan that are doing it, but I also think that if you carefully read Appendix N: Rome's Challenge to the Protestants. You will see that Cardinal Gibbons said to the Protestants, 'Because you don't keep the Sabbath and you follow the Catholic edict of Sunday that the Roman Catholic Church will rise in all of it's arrogance against you in a time and way that you least suspect.'
- Could it be that some of these doctrines emanate from the subversion being constantly carried out by the Catholics against the Protestants?
- Why would you think of that?
- Why would I not?
- Why should you not?
- What is the doctrine of Baalim? Get people to sin by doing things that appear to be good!
The best way to get to get people disconnected from anything to do with the true reality of the Bible is to let them have their glorious 'lovey-lovey, gracie-gracie, nicey-nicey' lawless religion, and God will have to curse them.
- Has there been subversion in the past? Yes!
- Didn't Peter say that false teachers will come in 'stealthily and bring damnable heresies'? Yes, indeed!
Ephesians 3:1: "For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the ministry of the grace of God that was given to me for you" (vs 1-2).
A special revelation from God to Paul because Paul was taught by Christ in the Arabian mountain regions of the wilderness. However, please understand that the whole climate and ecosystem at that time, was entirely different than today. So, it's not out in the middle of the sand. It was probably in a mountainous region that had grass and things like that. Paul was taught for three years directly by Christ. 'He got this special teaching.'
- Who were the 12 apostles taught by? Jesus Christ!
- What does it say about Jesus in Heb. 13? He's the same yesterday, today and forever!
- How is it that Christ taught one gospel to the Jews, and gave Paul another gospel for the Gentiles?
I also have in Appendix H: How Did Jesus Fulfill the Law and the Prophets? I have these appendices for these very specific reasons of these kinds of nonsense that come around.
Verse 3: "How He made known to me by revelation the mystery… [a special revelation] …(even as I wrote briefly before… [that sounds very credible] …so that when you read this, you will be able to comprehend my understanding in the mystery of Christ)" (vs 3-4)—a new dispensation?
By the way, Scofield was the one who came out with dispensations. He was really a Catholic plant. Most people don't know that. If you have a Scofield Bible, be very careful of the interpretations that are there.
Verse 5: "Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets…" The whole Church—Jewish and Gentile—had this revelation. It wasn't only to Paul.
"…by the Spirit; that the Gentiles might be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel" (vs 5-6). What does joint heirs mean? A joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel! The Gentiles joined with whom? When all else fails, read the context before and after and also during.
Ephesians 2:11: "Therefore, remember that you were once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by those who are called circumcision in the flesh made by hands; and that you were without Christ at that time, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise…" (vs 11-12). Not just the New Covenant, because the New Covenant is based upon the covenant given to Abraham.
"…having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus… [not by Paul's revelation] …you who were once far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, Who has made both one… [Who? Jews and Gentiles!] …and has broken down the middle wall of partition, having annulled in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in the decrees of men…" (vs 12-15). That is the correct translation.
Those Protestants, what we might say 'la-la land Protestants' who believe in endless grace with no law and obedience, they read this as saying that Jesus did away with the commandments of God. That's not what the Greek says.
- What did Jesus say about the decrees and traditions of men? Read Mark 7 and Matthew 15!
- What did He tell the Jews? That, 'full well you reject the commandments of God so that you can keep your own traditions' or they make null the commandments of God so that they can enforce their own ways!
This is what Christ broke down!
I will tell you again: If you have not read Code of Jewish Law by Solomon Ganzfried and Hyman E. Goldin you do not have a clue in understanding what Orthodox Judaism is. They claim that today, Orthodox Judaism is the same as Pharisaism during the days of Christ. If you've never read it, you do not understand the problems concerning law from the prospective of Judaism.
They had this during Jesus' day, too: If you keep the Law you are justified. They don't even understand what that means. There were laws for justification to make them justified to the temple on earth, then the Jews added many traditions so that they would be justified without going to the temple by keeping this law, that law, or the other law. This has nothing to do with nullifying the commandments of God.
"…so that in Himself He might create both into one new man, making peace" (v 15). That's why Paul says joint heirs, joint body, joint partakers.
Verse 16: "And that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, having slain the enmity by it. Now when He came, He preached the Gospel—…" (vs 16-17). Jesus preached the Gospel to the Jews? No!
"…He preached the Gospel—peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have direct access by one Spirit to the Father. So then, you are no longer aliens and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of the household of God. You are being built up on the foundation of…" (vs 17-20)—Paul's new revelation. NO! It says:
Verse 20: "You are being built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone in Whom all the building, being conjointly fitted together, is increasing into a Holy temple in the Lord; in Whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (vs 20-22). What do we see all the way through here?
- we see references to the Gospel that Jesus taught
- we see references to the Old Testament
- we see references to the problem with the Jews and their laws
- we see that the revelation concerning the sonship of the children of God—to become the very sons and daughters of God—was revealed not just to Paul, but to the Holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit
Let's look at some of the Jewish apostles' writings. You can say that John was a Jewish apostle. He was even more than that. He also had Aaronic blood and we have commentary on that in front of Bible. He was the one who done the final canonization of the New Testament. {Chapter 10: John's Final Canonization of the New Testament} If there was a greater revelation given to all the apostles that we didn't need anything concerning the preachings of Jesus to the Jews, he would have excluded them, don't you think? 1-John 3 shows that all the apostles got it. We know that John did.
1-John 3:1: "Behold! What glorious love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God! For this very reason, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God…" (vs 1-2)—not yet born into the Kingdom of God. Just like the new infant in the womb is a child, we have to grow and develop, and our second birth is going to be at the resurrection.
"…and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be; but we know that when He is manifested, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him exactly as He is" (v 2).
- Is that not the advanced revelation of becoming the son or daughter of God that Paul wrote of?
- Does this not verify that God revealed it to all the apostles and not just the Apostle Paul alone?
This kind of theology falls flat on its face.
2-Peter 1:1: "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained the same precious faith as ours…" He was undoubtedly writing to Gentiles and he's saying that they "…obtained the same precious faith as ours…" Who does 'ours' include? The apostles and the Jews they preached to originally! It would have to be.
"…by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, according as His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him [Christ] Who called us by His own glory and virtue" (vs 1-3). How are you going to know what He taught unless you read the Gospels and realize that they apply to your life?
Verse 4: "Through which He has given to us the greatest and most precious promises, that through these you may become partakers of the Divine nature… [that has to do with the finality of it at the resurrection] …having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Then Peter goes on and gives a step-by-step way to grow and build the character of God.
Let's take a look at other things that are very important. Did Paul advocate the use of the Old Testament? Of course, but let's read it so that we know and understand what's going on here.
2-Timothy 3:9: "But they…" Those false teachers of Jannes and Jambres, those who withstood Moses. By saying that in v 8, he's upholding what Moses did.
"…will proceed no further, because their folly will become clearly evident to everyone, just as theirs also was. But you… [Timothy a minister of God] …have closely followed my doctrine…" (vs 9-10). So, there it is. 'It's Paul's teaching!' No, we'll see where he got his teaching.
"…conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions and sufferings—such as happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. You know what sort of persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me out of them all. And indeed, everyone who desires to live Godly in Christ Jesus shall be persecuted. But wicked men and imposters shall become worse and worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves" (vs 10-13).
That's exactly what has happened to Protestantism, because the leaven of Sunday-keeping sowed their destruction as well described by Cardinal Gibbon in Rome's Challenge to the Protestants. Now they're deceived to the point that all we have to do is follow Paul's writings—not necessarily all of them—but all that have to do with grace and loving God and having salvation. We don't have to keep any commandments.
When I asked Deborah concerning the Sabbath and I told her that 'the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.' She says, 'Well, every day is Holy.' I forgot to ask her: When do you work? Every day is not Holy. That would be mass confusion, which is what they are in. One day is Holy, designated by God, the seventh-day Sabbath.
Verse 14: "But as for you, continue in the things that you did learn and were assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them; and that from a child…" (vs 14-15). That's before Paul came on the scene. Remember, Timothy's mother was a Jew.
"…you have known the Holy Writings… [the Old Testament] …which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus" (v 15).
You can come to understand salvation from the Scriptures in the Old Testament, in particularly the Psalms, "…through faith, which is in Christ Jesus." That means you must have the teachings of Jesus. How can you know what the faith is that Jesus taught unless you follow the teachings of Jesus? You can't get salvation out of the Old Testament without Jesus. That's what the Jews fail to understand.
Today there's such a wide variety of things that Jews believe in, even in spite of the fact that they like to try and make everyone believe that every Jew believes everything the same. They don't! There are:
- ultra-Orthodox
- Orthodox
- conservative
- liberal
- secular
- atheist
- Messianic Jews, Sunday-keeping
- Messianic Jews, Sabbath-keeping
All of those are just talking about the major things that we know that the Jews have. The Jews are not monolithic in their belief. They are not monolithic in anything except that they claim to be Jews.
Verse 16: "All Scripture… [we know today that that includes from Gen. to Rev.] …is God-breathed…" If it is, and the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are God-breathed, are we obligated to follow them? Yes!
You can't take that one Scripture in Romans 15:8 and say, 'Jesus was a minister to the circumcision and Paul was a minister to the Gentiles and we are Gentiles. Therefore, we don't have to follow anything that Jesus taught, including baptism.' What does that do? That excludes real repentance and that excludes baptism, which means that you're not in covenant with God! You have nothing to do with God. You are a fake and a false Christian.
Some people get all upset, 'But I'm so good.' I'm learning one thing about people in the world, which is that if they are not gross overt citizens they are 'good and saved.' God expects everyone, whether called to salvation or not, to be good and upstanding citizens and keep the Ten Commandments in the letter of the Law.
Verse 16: "All Scripture is God-breathed…" Which one's can you exclude? None! 'All' meaning each and every Scripture is God-breathed. What about those boring genealogies that I can hardly pronounce? Yes, they're God-breathed and necessary to give a legal legitimacy from Adam to Christ! That's why they're there.
"…and is profitable for doctrine… [teaching; every teaching of the Bible is a doctrine] …for conviction…" (v 16). Because you know and understand that it is the Word of Truth. As Jesus said, 'The words that I speak to you, they are Spirit and they are Life.'
- Why would you want to exclude them from your brand of Christianity?
- Are you not excluding true spiritual understanding?
- Are you not excluding how to have eternal life through Jesus Christ? Yes!
"…for correction…" (v 16). That's what most people don't want. No one wants to be told they're wrong. If you keep the first day of the week, Sunday, the Bible says that you are wrong. So does Cardinal Gibbons in Rome's Challenge to the Protestants.
"…for instruction in righteousness…" (v 16). You see how this follows along. Just follow these things. These are step-by-step:
"…profitable for doctrine…" or teaching—the true teaching gives you conviction, because you know it is true. When you know it is true, you see that as a sinful individual you need correction. The easiest correction is when you read it in the Bible and you see you're doing wrong, then you repent to God. The toughest correction is what we're witnessing in the world today. When the world is rejecting God, God must judge them and we see trouble, war, famine and pestilence. All this sort of thing in the world is correction.
Which would you rather have? The simple correction by reading and studying the Word of God and you repent and change and God forgives you? OR The heavy hand of God's correction because you reject Him and now He must punish you severely physically in the hope that you repent as you go down the pit of more and more and heavier and heavier destruction?
A lot of people don't like Michael Savage because they think he's a radical, but sometimes he really hits it 'right on.' He says that with this nation, the only thing that we can do to save ourselves is to repent and live by God's way beginning with each one in your homes. I say right on! and shame to the Churches of God that we did not do this when we had the 100s of millions of dollars and the people behind it to do it!
Verse 17: "So that the man of God… [the teacher of God's way, or it can be anyone who belongs to God] …may be complete…" In other words, you can't be complete without knowing and understanding the Old and New Testament:
- Do you want to be deficient?
- Do you want to be partial?
- Do you want to be half a Christian?
It kind of sounds like a little Laodiceanism!
"…fully equipped for every good work" (v 17). There is that dirty, dirty word, 'work.' We're going to see a little later:
- How are we going to be rewarded?
- Because we have good thoughts?
or
- Because we have good works?
2-Tim. 4—what a minister is supposed to do whether people like it or not. Any minister who doesn't do this is political.
2-Timothy 4:1: "I charge you, therefore, in the sight of God…" You can't have any other higher command leveled against you. Everyone who is an elder, minister or teacher, listen up.
"…even the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is ready to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom" (v 1): Which is constantly on-going also today, because Peter wrote that the 'judgment must begin with the house of God.'
Verse 2: "Preach the Word!.…" What is the Word? He described it: The Holy Writings, the Old Testament and all Scripture, which includes the New Testament.
"…Be urgent in season and out of season…" (v 2). Never be dull, boring or wasted out. What does "…in season and out of season…" reflect? Sabbath and Holy Day keeping! 'Well, it's not written in the New Testament like it is in the Old.' It doesn't have to be because it's already in the Old Testament and it's still the Word of God.
"…convict…" (v 2). Help people to see their sins:
- so they can change and repent
- so they can have more faith
- so they can have strength of mind when difficulties come along
"…rebuke… [severe corrections when it's necessary] …encourage… [always because we need encouragement all the time] …with all patience and doctrine' (v 2). That also means that it has to be done repeatedly over a long period of time and as long as you live, teach and preach, that's what you're to do.
Verse 3—we're seeing the fullness of this in our time. They saw it back then. The Gnostic Jesus of old has reared its head again in what we have today in this kind of nonsense—'Paul's theology only and only that which pertains to grace will we accept.' You don't believe the Word of God at all and you're no more Christian than a fly flying around in your bedroom.
(go to the next track)
If you read 2-Tim. 3:16, which we've just gone trough and explained, that should end all arguments concerning how much of the Bible you should use. However, when people have a lawless mind—which means that they don't want to keep the commandments of God—that does not in every case mean that they are hateful, evil or practicing adulterers, or murderers, or any of that. It means that they will not accept the Word of God as God has given it; they want to add to it or take away from it. I think if you read Rev. 22, it says that they're going to be excluded from the Kingdom of God.
Today people are not taught how to critically think in a systematic way. Rather, they are taught on how to view things through emotions and how you feel about it. I suppose there are some people right now who are not feeling too good about what I'm saying, if they don't believe in keeping the laws of God or what's in the Bible. Nevertheless, when it comes to the point of not being able to think critically, and there's another subdivision of this that is in there, which is: you only believe what the preacher tells you. This is the whole premise of the Roman Catholic Church, only the pope can tell you. Or you're so critically dependant on someone else that you are afraid to have a personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ so you can stand on your own two feet, regardless of what anyone around you or the world around you does.
Here is how it begins, 2-Timothy 4:3: "For there shall come a time…" This also runs in cycles, which means that there will be times when there are more people thinking this way and at other times, less people thinking this way.
"…when they will not tolerate sound doctrine…" (v 3). The first step toward that is that doctrine divides, love unites—first step to world religion. Even some people in the Church of God believe that. Let me explain it.
Doctrine, indeed, does divide from the world and Satan and puts you on God's side. What did Jesus say of His teachings? Don't think that I have come to bring peace, I have not come to bring peace but a sword; to set a man a variance against his father and the daughter against the mother and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law, etc.; the foes will be those of your own household!'
When that happens, you're confronted with a choice: Will you cave in to that kind of pressure because of feelings and emotions? Will you compromise? Remember that once you start down the road of compromise, ask yourself: Where does it stop?
Look at our political system in the world today. If you think it's bad in America, if you saw the news clip of what happened in the legislature in Mexico, they had a near riot with the legislators fighting and hitting each other. Most of them are 'on the take' and the 'dole.' If you think that we have corruption and if you think that Chicago is notorious for 'pay and play,' look at the other nations of the world.
When you start down the course of compromise, where does it end? This is not to be stubborn and hold to your own ideas. This is to be strong in the faith and strong in the Truth of God! That's what I'm talking about, here.
Verse 3: "For there shall come a time when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts they shall accumulate to themselves a great number of teachers, having ears itching to hear what satisfies their cravings."
What happens when that takes hold? Remember what we learn during the Days of Unleavened Bread: A little leaven leavens the whole lump!
It's just like this: When a person first takes cocaine they justify in his or her mind, 'I'm just going to try it, I won't get hooked. I won't be an addict.' Someone is there saying, 'This is good. This is fine. Try it; it'll make you happy and joyful and all that sort of thing.' So, they cave in and try it. As I've talked to former cocaine addicts, you're hooked with the first snort. You always have to fight the feeling the rest of your life; the same way with heroine. Likewise with the Truth of God! Here's what happens:
Verse 4: "And they shall turn away their own ears from the Truth…" Just let that sink in for a minute.
- I don't like it so hard and harsh, but is it true?
- What does the Truth say?
- Do you believe it?
"…and they shall be turned aside unto myths" (v 4). Something nice and pleasant come along, myths.
A prime example, we're living right in the middle of it today, the so-called Christmas season. Everything about it is portrayed as wonderful, nice, beautiful, family, uplifting and Satan has got lots of wonderful tunes—which by the way are still in your head and mine—that you readily find out when you go shopping to buy some groceries in the store. What do they have? Jingle Bells, Silent Night, all of that sort of thing to make it so good and wonderful! They get the best singers and they get the best music; they have concerts with it. They have big papal displays and ceremonies, this has all got to be so good. 'This is so good that it's got to be right. What's wrong with it? It makes me feel good. It's fun.' It's all based on multiple lies! What you really do is, you believe in lies, not the Truth, because you turn your ear away from the Truth.
Jesus was not born anywhere near Christmas. 'That doesn't make any difference. We'll put Christ back in Christmas anyway. It's such a good time and we do such good things.' Why don't you do them the rest of the year?
People are given over to emotions and stayed thinking what they have been told from the pulpit, "and they shall turn away their own ears from the Truth; and they shall be turned aside unto myths." The thing is that you either believe the Truth or you believe a myth!
We're talking about a myth. The myth is that Paul had a superior gospel than even that of Christ, which sounds very appealing because now people don't have to be obedient. They can just believe in grace. If you believe in grace and have good thoughts and you're a wonderful person and you believe in Jesus, you're saved! That's a myth! Then if you go to church on Sunday you're really right with the Lord. However, you're there on the wrong day. Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy that he had to do.
Verse 5: "But as for you, be vigilant in all things… [never slack up on the Truth] …endure hardships… [it's not going to be easy] …do the work of an evangelist; fully carry out your ministry." That's something!
Let's carry this a little bit further. Let's come back here and see some things since we're in 2-Tim. There's an awful lot here. The reason that I'm concentrating on 2-Tim. at this particular point is because this is one of the last epistles that Paul wrote. So, we would have the sum of his whole 'special gospel' included here. What did his gospel include? The Old Testament, the New Testament!
You know the old story: When all else fails, read the book or read the instructions. I guarantee you, if you follow along and believe that Paul had a special gospel and you have your nice little penknife where you can cut out all of those Scriptures even in the Apostle Paul's writings that you don't like, you're going to end up with a deficient instruction book and you're going to fail.
Think how many times that you bought something from the hardware store, department store or whatever, you had to assemble it and you thought you knew how to do it without reading the instructions. How did it go? I've done that several times myself. I was assured, reading the first part of the instructions that it only takes 20 minutes to do it. I looked at the pictures and I figured in my own mind, 'I know how to assemble this wagon.' I put it together and an hour and a half later, I realized that I put the sides on backwards. It took me another half hour to undo it. Delores kept coming down and she said, 'Fred. It's only supposed to take 20 minutes.' Finally, after about an hour and a half, she said, 'Did you read the instructions?' No!
Is not Christ going to ask you at the resurrection, 'Did you read the instructions?' We can learn a lot just by reading 2-Tim.
2-Timothy 1:1: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God… [not his own separate apostle] …according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus." What did Jesus say? I am the Way, the Truth and the Life! If you do away with the Gospels, you do away with those Scriptures.
Verse 2: "To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." Paul used Jesus Christ twice in the first verse; God referring to the Father in the first verse; then he refers to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you want a really good study to find out how Paul followed the teachings of Jesus Christ, just go through and look up everywhere it says Jesus, Christ and our Lord, in a concordance, and notice that that will probably include about 25% of the writings of the Apostle Paul, just the Scriptures that has those words in it alone.
Verse 3: "I am grateful to God—Whom I have been serving from the days of my forefathers with a pure conscience—because I never fail to remember you in my supplications night and day. As I recall your tears, I am longing to see you…" (vs 3-4). Remember. He's in bonds in prison when he's writing this so this is quite a letter with a great deal of emotion in it.
"…so that I may be filled with joy; when I remember the unfeigned faith that is in you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice—and I am convinced that it dwells in you also. For this reason, I admonish you to stir up the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands" (vs 4-6). Showing that we all have to continually stir it up. You might ask yourself: Do you need to do a little bit or a lot of stirring in your life? I'll let you think about that.
Verse 7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound-mindedness. Therefore, you should not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord…"
- What is 'the testimony of our Lord?' Matthew, Mark, Luke and John!
- Were they not witnesses to testify of what Jesus said?
- How would you know the testimony of the Lord if you didn't have Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?
'But He gave that to the Jews only. We don't need that.' Oh, really?
"…nor of me His prisoner; but jointly suffer with me for the sake of the Gospel, according to the power of God, Who has saved us and called us with a Holy calling—not according to our works…" (vs 8-9).
We never teach that it's according to works, but works are necessary in order to demonstrate your faith. Good works are necessary in order to walk in the way of God and those ways are defined by the commandments of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles.
"…but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages of time" (v 9). What are you going to do with that? The whole purpose of God was all set out before the "…ages of time…" of this earth. Here's the verse they like.
Verse 10: "But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who has annulled death, and has brought to light eternal life and incorruptibility through the Gospel." There we go! How many times did Paul mention Christ?
2-Timothy 2:1: "Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." What did Paul write about grace?
Let's look at grace. You go back and read it in Appendix M: Beliefs and Doctrines of the New Testament Church. What is the grace of God? The grace of God is His unmerited blessing, favor, promise, which is the first extension of His love! It includes:
- the forgiveness of sin
- the receiving of the Holy Spirit
- walking in the good works of God
The truth is, you cannot keep the commandments of God unless you have faith—faith in believing that you need to do them and God has commanded them. These are the things that are going to keep us walking in the ways of God.
Romans 5:1: "Therefore, having been justified by faith…" That's where they confuse it. Justification is by grace: God's free forgiveness of your sins and putting you in right standing with Him. No work you can do, no commandment-keeping you can do, can make God forgive you your sins! That is an operation of faith through repentance, baptism and the receipt of the Holy Spirit. All of that is the operation of grace. That's how you have been justified by faith.
"…we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Whom we also have access by faith…" (vs 1-2). That faith is living faith—not just a profession, not just a feeling. But active, living, believing faith.
"…into this grace in which we stand…" (v 2). The grace of God is more than an act that God does toward us. It is the status of our relationship with Him on a daily basis. By grace, we can pray to God the Father in heaven above, and by faith know that we have our prayers answered; all of that. By grace, God gives us His Spirit and understanding if we study and do the things that we need to do. Grace and works go hand-in-hand and work together!
"…and we ourselves boast in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also boast in tribulations, realizing that tribulation brings forth endurance, and endurance brings forth character…" (vs 2-4)—because through conviction, faith, hope and all of those things, you stand firm.
"…and character brings forth hope. And the hope of God never makes us ashamed because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us" (vs 4-5). That is a tremendous section of Scripture, brethren.
2-Timothy 2:1, Paul is telling Timothy, "Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." This is not excluding commandment-keeping. For all of those of you who believe in Sunday-keeping:
- Do you believe Jesus enough?
- Do you believe the Bible enough?
- Do you have enough faith and trust in the grace of God?
- Do you have enough faith that you will keep the seventh day weekly Sabbath as God has commanded?
What is sin? Sin is the transgression of the Law! A literal translation means, sin is lawlessness. Lawlessness is defined by the absence of law or by changing the laws of God to suit your own feelings, meaning adding to or taking from.
There are many, many lawless people in the world who do not believe that they are lawless. I submit to you that the reason the United States of America is becoming so lawless now is because fundamentally the deterioration of the teachings of the Protestants, who never, never accepted the weekly Sabbath. Except for those few like Seventh Day Adventists and Churches of God. Today there are approximately 13-million people in the world that keep the Sabbath. When you compare that with the number of people who keep other days or other religions that is a paltry few and agrees with the Scriptures where Jesus said, 'Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leads to life and few there be that find it. But broad is the gate and wide is the way that leads to destruction' and many go in that gate. You need to think about it.
If you think that any place in the Bible justifies Sunday-keeping, you know nothing about your Bible. You know nothing about God. You have information about the Bible. You have knowledge of some of the things of God, but you don't know God.
Verse 8: "Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from among the dead according to my Gospel." He wasn't the first one to preach it. Did not the twelve apostles preach it? Yes, they did! Paul was called in 33A.D.
Verse 9: "For which I am suffering hardship, even to the point of being imprisoned like a criminal; but the Word of God has not been chained. Because of this, I endure all things for the sake of the elect in order that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This is a faithful saying: If we have died together with Him…" (vs 9-11). How do you die together with Christ? In the watery death of baptism!
Yet, a lot of people today say, 'Paul's new revelation is you don't have to be baptized.' Nonsense! There's one Scripture where Paul says, that Christ didn't send him to baptize. 'So baptism isn't required.' That's a false interpretation of it! Christ didn't send him primarily to baptize. He did baptize, but who else were with him? Timothy, Luke, Titus and all of the rest of them! They're the ones who did the baptizing.
Just like it says in John 4 that Jesus baptized more disciples than John, but it was not Jesus Himself Who personally baptized them, it was His disciples. That doesn't mean that He didn't baptize. To die together with Him is in baptism, 'You are baptized into His death' (Rom. 6). That's how you die. 'By faith we have access to this grace' (Rom. 5); meaning:
- we have access to forgiveness
- we have access to God's blessing
- we have access to God hearing our prayers
Not faith to 'stand in the grace' to believe that you don't have to keep the commandments of God. If you don't keep the commandments of God, you are a sinner. Unless you repent of that, God will not hear you!
"…we shall also live together with Him" (v 11). When will that take place? The resurrection! Nobody goes to heaven. If you believe that all good Christians go to heaven, you're not a Christian and you don't have a clue what the Bible says. It doesn't matter what your preacher in your church may say, but you believe a doctrine that's not in the Bible.
Verse 12: "If we endure, we shall also reign together with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us."
Let's read something very important to understand. You've got to believe this in what Jesus said.
Matthew 7:13: "Enter in through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it; for narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it. But beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing… [with lots of flattering words] …for within they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits…" (vs 13-16). What are their fruits? They reject parts of the Bible! They reject the Gospels!
"…They do not gather grapes from thorns…" (v 16). If you read of thorns and thistles you will see that is talking about apostasy and the ways of the world, even including the deceitfulness of riches.
"…or figs from thistles, do they?…. [no, they don't] …In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree produce good fruit" (vs 16-18).
The same way with a car, you buy a 'lemon,' it's still a 'lemon,' even it it's new or used. You still have a bad engine even if they put in crankcase grease in it so the knocks won't be heard.
Verse 20: "Therefore, you shall assuredly know them by their fruits." You have to see what someone does and preaches, and compare that with the Word of God. What are they producing?
Verse 21: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord'…" They don't think that they're denying Him. How do they deny Him?, through evil works! (Titus 1). What are evil works? Sin and transgression, going against the laws of God!
"…shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven" (v 21).
- Did Jesus teach His own Gospel?
- Did He teach what He was supposed to?
- Did He not teach those words that came from God the Father?
- Yes, indeed!
- What do you have here?
- If you don't believe in keeping the Gospels, that they are part of the salvation of God, are you going to be doing the will of the Father in heaven?
- Would you know what it is if you throw away three-quarters of the Bible and say, 'Oh! We have these precious Scriptures on grace and love? Let's do those'?
You're not going to do it unless you're "…doing the will of My Father Who is in heaven." Here are:
- all the well-intentioned people
- all of the Sunday keeping preachers
- all of the do-gooders
- all of those who in religion and using the name of Jesus preaching on Christmas, Easter and every Sunday
If you think that is a wide swath at condemnation and that it's not true, then you better read your Bible.
Verse 22: "Many will say to Me in that day… [at the resurrection] …'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name?… [they use the name of Jesus] …And did we not cast out demons through Your name?…'" That's a lot of power—right? But it wasn't them, it was the name of Jesus and Christ is the One Who did it, not them.
"…And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?…." (vs 22). Whatever you can add to that. Then Jesus said, 'I embrace you, welcome. You did such a good job. You were well-intentioned; you had a good heart.' NO!
Verse 23: "And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you…'"
- What were you doing taking My name in vain?
- What were you doing standing in the pulpit saying that I abolished the law when right in the Bible you were preaching from, it is recorded that I said, 'I did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets'?
Just like with everything else, when you least expect it, the hammer falls.
Just like someone who goes along and says, 'I need to get new tires, I need to get new tires, I need to get new tires.' Then all of a sudden he's on a long trip and all four go flat at once. He says to himself, 'I should have gotten tires.' Now, there you are on the freeway and everybody's passing you by and you have four flat tires. What are you going to do? That's not half as bad, not even a degree as bad as what it's going to be at the resurrection when you're resurrected and you have been a professed teacher of the Word of God, and you've stood in the pulpit on the wrong day of the week proclaiming a Jesus that is a fiction of Protestant theology. You're resurrected and you think, 'I'm in for a good reward.' And Jesus says, 'I never knew you!' How about everyone who comes in every Sunday and sits there and listens to these words:
- you sit there and you take it
- you sit there and you believe it
- you get all the lies from the pulpit
You think, 'I'm a good Christian. God has got to save me. Hey, I'm right on that 'fast shoot' to heaven so when I die it's going to be like coming down that great slide with a hook at the end. It's going to throw me right up into heaven. I'll be welcomed into the bosom of the Father.' It's not going to happen!
Verse 23: "And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness." What are you going to be judged on?
Verse 24: "Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and practices them, I will compare him to a wise man…"
- Are you wise?
or
- Are you foolish?
- Do you practice the Words of Jesus?
How can you practice the Words of Jesus if you have a gospel that has circumcised the New Testament to the point of reducing it to near nothing and you don't even recognize the Words of Christ because these were for the Jews only?
"…who built his house upon the Rock…. [that is Christ] …And the rain came down… [symbolic of troubles, trials and difficulties we go through] …and the floods came … [severe trials] …and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; but it did not fall, for it was founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not practice them…" (vs 24-26)—which includes everyone who excludes the Old Testament, the Gospels, the General Epistles and half the writings of Paul so you can have a nice, wonderful, favorable, just pleasant gospel to live by. But:
"…everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not practice them shall be compared to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand; and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (vs 26-27).
A lot of people figured, 'I build my house above the 100-year flood level.' Fine, maybe in your lifetime you'll avoid it, but what's going to happen because there's also a 500-year flood level that has to be concerned about?
I think that shows that those people who believe that, have no clue as to what the Bible teaches and what they should believe!
All Scripture from The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version
Scriptural References:
- Romans 15:1-12
- Ephesians 3:1-6
- Ephesians 2:11-22
- 1-John 3:1-2
- 2-Peter 1:1-4
- 2-Timothy 3:9-17
- 2-Timothy 4:1-5
- 2-Timothy 1:1-10
- 2-Timothy 2:1
- Romans 5:1-5
- 2-Timothy 2:1, 8-12
- Matthew 7:13-18, 20-27
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Psalm 69; 18:49
- Galatians 2
- Hebrews 13
- Mark 7
- Matthew 15
- Revelation 22
- John 4
- Romans 6
- Titus 1
Also referenced:
Book: Code of Jewish Law by Solomon Ganzfried and Hyman G. Goldin
From The Holy Bible In Its Original Order, A Faithful Version:
- Appendix A: Fourteen Rules for Bible Study
- Appendix R: What is Meant by "the Words of the Law?"
- Appendix M: Beliefs and Doctrines of the New Testament Church
- Appendix N: Rome's Challenge to the Protestants
- Appendix H: How Did Jesus Fulfill the Law and the Prophets?
- Chapter 10: John's Final Canonization of the New Testament
FRC:nfs
Transcribed 11-19-16
Proofed: bo—12/22/16
