"Bible Exposition Fellowship"


News Letter, July 2009

 

Established, Grounded and Settled in Christ Jesus through Faith


 
Dear Brethren in Christ Jesus,
 
have you ever wondered, who are the ones correctly cutting [rightly dividing] the dispensations of the word of "the" truth? [2.Tim.2:15] Who has "all the truth," [for this dispensation of the secret] [John.16:13], promised by Christ? [John.16:12-15]  How can I know with absolute confidence that I have become established, grounded, settled and unmovable, superabounding in the work of the lord always, being aware that the toil is not for naught in the Lord?
 
Well my dear brethren the answer to that question is found in the following scriptures that God commanded Paul to commit to writing the [Gr.graphon propheetikon] "prophetic scriptures," in 62.A.D. at the suspension of the administration of law and the close of the dispensation of the Acts of the apostles, when the secret economy was immediately, officially and publicly made known to all the nations for faith-obedience by Paul's addition of the "postscript" to the epistle to the Romans [Rom.16:25-27] which he had previously written in the spring from Corinth in the year, 58.A.D. 
 
These "prophetic scriptures," contain the two most important revelations given to uphold and support the ecclesia especially in these dark days of apostasy and they were written under the inspiration of the spirit of truth. The first is "the evangel of God" that Paul was severed for. It was promised before through His prophets in holy scriptures. This opens the epistle to the Romans;
 
"...Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, a called apostle, severed for the evangel of God [which He promises before through His prophets in the holy scriptures], concerning His "the" Son ["the" Who comes of the seed of David according to the flesh, "the" Who is designated Son of God with power. according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead], Jesus Christ, our Lord, through Whom we obtained grace and apostleship for faith-obedience among all the nations, for His names sake, among whom are you also, the called of Jesus Christ: to all "the" who are in Rome, beloved by God, called saints..." [Rom.1:1-7]
 
The second is "the secret of the evangel" which closes the epistle and together with the evangel of God, is able to establish us into "all the truth" concerned with the heralding of "Christ Jesus" and the "faith-obedience" sent to all the nations by the commandment of God.
 
"...Now to Him "the" Who is able to establish you in accord with my "the" evangel, and the heralding of Christ Jesus in accord with the revelation of a secret hushed in times eonian, yet manifested now and through prophetic scriptures, according to the injunction of the eonian God being made known to all "the" nations for faith-obedience to the only, and wise God, through Christ Jesus, be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!..." [Rom.16:25-27]
 
We know from a thorough study of the book of Acts that Paul was severed from the other apostles together with Barnabus to a distinct work [Acts.13:1-2] which he also mentions in the epistle to the Galatians where he tells us that after the lapse of fourteen years, he again went up to Jerusalem to submit to them "the evangel" which he was heralding among the nations.
 
"...Now from "the" those reputed to be somewhat what kind they once were is of no consequence to me ["the" God is not taking up the human aspect] for to me "the" those of repute submitted nothing. But on the contrary, perceiving that I have been entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcism, according as Peter of the Circumcism [for He Who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcism operates in me also for the nations], and knowing the grace "the" which is being given to me, James Cephas and John, "the" who are supposed to be pillars, give to me and Barnabus the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet they for the Circumcism only we may be remembering the poor, which same thing I endeavor also to do..." [Gal.2:7-9]
 
Note: The right hand of fellowship was on the basis that, "we" indeed, Paul and his associates are to be for the nations. Yet they, James, Cephas and John for the Circumcism, "...only that we may be remembering the poor,..." They, James, Cephas and John were not interested in Paul's evangel for the nations, which was "justification by faith apart from law." [Rom.3:21-28], only the collection for their poor. This was the agreement which later was broken by the Circumcism party by sending the legalists from James down the Galatians ecclesia and demanding observance of the law as being necessary for salvation. [Gal.2:11-14]
 
Saul, [Paul] was severed for the evangel  of God...concerning His Son {Rom.1:1-3] The twelve apostles heralded the Christ as the Son of David [Acts.2:30] Paul proclaimed Him as, "...designated Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead..."
 
"...Now when it delights "the" God, "the" Who severs me from my mother's womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His "the" Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations, I did not immediately submit it to flesh and blood, neither came I up to Jerusalem to those "the" who were apostles before me, but I came away unto Arabia, and I again return unto Damascus..."
 
Now, brethren it is important that you understand the doctrine connected with this ministry is fully set forth in the first four chapters of the epistle to the Romans. Abraham is the great figure brought forward for our consideration. Justification by faith, through grace apart from works of law is the obligation of Paul's evangel. But we must keep in mind that in the initial stages of Paul's heralding of his revelation evangel, the terrestrial kingdom was still being proclaimed to Israel and the final rejection of both the king and kingdom never occurred until Acts.28:28 [62.A.D.] It was at this occasion that Paul invited the foremost of the people to come to his lodging, to whom he expounded, certifying to the kingdom of "the" God besides persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning until dusk. Now there being disagreement one with another, they were dismissed, Paul making one declaration, that Ideally the holy spirit speaks through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers saying;
 
"...Go to this people and say,
"In hearing, you will be hearing, and may by no means be understanding,
And observing, you will be observing, and may by no means be perceiving,"
For stoutened is the heart of this "the" people,
And with "the" their ears heavily they hear,
And with their "the" eyes squint,
Lest at some time they may be perceiving with "the" their eyes,
And with their "the" ears should be hearing,
And with "the" their heart may be understanding,
And should be turning about,
And I shall be healing them."
 
Let it be known to you, then, that to the nations was dispatched this "the" salvation of "the" God and they will hear,..." [Acts.28:23-28]
 
It is at this time the administration of the law was suspended and the dispensation of the Acts of the apostles closed and Paul was commanded by God to add the postscript to the epistle to the Romans and write the [Gr. graphon propheetikon] "prophetic scriptures," the prison epistles, the first of which was the epistle to the Ephesians which contained the "all the truth" concerning the secret economy during which God is calling believers out of Judah Israel and believers out of the nations and making them a [Gr. sunsomon together-body] or in spirit, a new man, a new creation in Christ Jesus.
 
"...In spirit the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the evangel of which I became the dispenser, in accord with the gratuity of the grace of "the" God which is granted to me in accord with His "the" powerful operation. To me lest than the least of all saints, was granted this "the" grace: to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of "the" Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the ADMINISTRATION OF THE SECRET, "the" which has been concealed from the eons in God, "the" Who creates "the" all, that now [62.A.D.] may be made known to the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials, through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of God, in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in "the" Christ Jesus, our Lord; in Whom we have "the" boldness and "the" access with confidence, through His "the" Faith.." [Eph.3:612]
 
The kingdom of God on the earth is concerned with the throne of David that is to be established on this earth when the seasons of refreshing should be coming from the face of the Lord, and He should dispatch the One fixed upon before for you [Judah Israel] Christ Jesus, Whom heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all which "the" God speaks through the mouth of all His prophets "the"who are from the eon. [Acts.3:17-21]
 
Peter told them [Judah Israel] that God had given him the commission to re-offer the king and kingdom to the nation, which would depend on their repentance and turning about for the erasure of their sins. Peter told them that he was aware that in ignorance that they crucified the Christ, yet it was the fulfillment of what "the" God had announced through the mouth of all His prophets, the suffering of His "the" Christ, He thus fulfills. Repent then and turn about for the erasure of your sins. This never occurred, they stoned Stephen to death, they put James to death and Peter was placed in jail. Paul informs us;
 
"...In weariness more exceedingly, in jails more exceedingly, in blows inordinately, in deaths often. By Jews five times I got forty save one. Thrice I an flogged with rods, once I am stoned..."
 
Yet it was Paul who administered the final invitation to repent and receive the king and kingdom at Rome in 62. A.D. and it is recorded by Luke for our understanding that as the nation both inside the land and outside the land were stubborn and calloused [Rom.11:25] and refused to repent, the administration of the law was suspended and the imminent inauguration of the kingdom with the Son sitting on the throne of His father David was postponed until the unveiling of Christ with His powerful messengers, in flaming fire, dealing vengeance to "the" those who are not acquainted with God and the "the" those who are not obeying the [Paul's my] evangel of our "the" Lord Jesus Christ who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination [Gr.olethros whole-ruiner] from the face of the Lord and the glory of His strength whenever He may be coming to be glorified in His "the" saints and to be marveled at in all "the" who believe [seeing that our "the" testimony to you was believed] in that "the" day.  
 
The secret economy is that period of time from the final and official rejection to "repent" [Acts.28:28] at Rome in 62.A.D.and their acceptance Christ as king. This is a parenthesis, "until" His presence at His eventual arrival to snatch the joint body of Christ to their realm inherent in the heavens, [Phil.3:20-21] just prior to the return to this earth to establish the long awaited kingdom of God with Israel His kingdom people at the commencement of the millennium. Let us not confuse the evangel of James, Cephas and John recorded in Moses and the law and the prophets [Gal.2:7-9] with the secret of the evangel revealed to Paul [Eph.3:1-11] and his associates for all the nations concerning the celestial calling and the allotment made known of our position as the complement of Christ Jesus at the right hand of God on heavens throne. [Eph.1:15-23]
 
Brethren, all we are waiting for is the [Gr.exanastasis] out-up-standing of the dead in Christ Jesus, [Phil.3:9-12] and then we who are surviving to that event, together with them having the bodies of our humiliation transfigured to conform to the body of His glory will be snatched away to our realm inherent in the heavens. [Phil.3:20-21] Paul revealed the celestial allotment to the saints and it is recorded for us in the "prophetic scriptures" written to the nations:
 
"...Therefore, I also, on hearing of "the" this faith of yours  in the Lord Jesus, and "the" that for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of "the" glory, may be giving you a SPIRIT of WISDOM and REVELATION in the realization of Him, the eyes of your "the" heart having been enlightened, for you "the" to perceive what is the EXPECTATION of His "the" calling, [ABOVE] and what the riches of the glory of the enjoyment of His ALLOTMENT among the saints, and what the transcendent greatness of His "the" power for us "the" who are believing, [Paul's revelation] in accord with the operation of the might His strength, which is operative in the Christ, rousing Him from among the dead and seating Him at His right hand among the celestials, up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this eon, but also in that which is impending: and subjects all under His "the" feet, and gives Him, as Head over all, to the ecclesia which is His body, the COMPLEMENT of the One completing the all in all.." [Eph.1:15-23]
 
In closing, may I quote Paul's emphatic statement;
 
"...God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast "the" love with which He loves us [we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts], vivifies us together in "the" Christ [in grace are you saved!] and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His "the" grace [unmerited favor] in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
 
For in "the" grace, through faith,  are YOU saved, and this is not out of YOU: it is God's "the" approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which "the" God makes ready beforehand, that WE should be walking in them..." [Eph.2:4-10]
 
Brethren, learn the definition of FAITHing:
 
"The Greek word in the New Testament, [PISTEUO] is a verb. It's literally to hang the body, "an action" on what the mind agrees to and the heart responds to." The church got off the track when it started to substitute actions of righteousness for the act of faith. The act of faith places you in Christ, Christ's spirit in you. He does the works of righteousness.The difficulty of Christianity is a paradoxical life of tension, God's looking for a truster who grabs hold of His word and acts accordingly. To that person God places him in Christ, puts His spirit in him and low and behold spiritual FRUITION occurs, not spiritual IMITATION, spiritual FRUITION, the outflow of God's spirit within us because we maintain the grip of faith that keeps the connection. [Prof.Scott.]
 
"Action based upon belief sustained by confidence" in God's word for us, the nations. Paul's [Graphon propheetikon] "prophetic scriptures," the evangel of God, [Romans.1:1-7] and the secret of the evangel,  [Rom.16:25-27] the "all the truth," revealed in the epistle to the Ephesians [Eph.3:1-11] for all the nations for "Faith-obedience.
 
"...Become imitators together of me, [Paul] brethren, and be noting "the" those who are walking thus, according as you have us [Paul and his close associates] for a "MODEL" for many are walking, of whom I  often told you, yet am lamenting also as I tell it, "the" who are enemies of the cross of "the" Christ, whose "the" consummation is destruction, [Gr.apoleia, loss] whose god is their bowels [food laws,etc!], and whose "the" glory is in their shame [still holding onto the terrestrial and the physical] who to the terrestrial [kingdom evangel] are disposed  ..." [Phil.3:17-19]
 
Brethren, these are the legalist "brethren," the tens of thousands of Pentecostal believers all inherently zealous for the law, who with the whole city of Jerusalem chased Paul and tried to kill him [Acts.21:20-22. 21:27-32] and silence his "my evangel," the gospel of God [Rom.1:1-7] justification by faith apart from law [Rom.3:21-28]. They are ignorant of the righteousness of God, that the "intent" of the scriptures [or the law] was to lock them all up all under sin, [Gal.3:22] not knowing the true "purpose" of the law was to escort them to Christ [Gal.3:24] to be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ and not the works of the law. [Gal.3:25] These legalist brethren are still at it even today, [2.Cor.3:14] ignorant and are trying to establish their own righteousness through food and drink and festivals, new moons and Sabbath days, which were only a shadow of the things impending and the true rest in Christ which is, justification and peace and the access also by faith into this grace in which we stand, and may be glorying in expectation of the glory of God. [Rom.5:1-2]
 
May God bless you real good.
David and Carol Buckman.
Down-under in the land of OZ.

Email:

 

Home | Links