SALVATION BY FAITH
Salvation By Faith
Your father moves across the river to the next State and begins to build a mansion. When it is finally completed, he calls to ask you to come to live in his mansion with him.
You get out your trusty map and see that all you have to do is get on Highway 1 and it's a straight journey to the next State. A little over halfway there, you see a sign "DETOUR AHEAD". A little further you see another sign, "WARNING - DETOUR AHEAD". Shortly after that, you encounter a sign with flashing lights and an arrow pointing to the left. Below it says "DETOUR".
You stop the car and get out your map. You don't see a detour on it, so you keep going straight ahead. Eventually you come to a dead end where the road is blocked and a sign "DEAD END - BRIDGE OUT."
Your brother was also called by your father and invited to the mansion. However he took the detour down a back road and came to a ferry. He gets on and the ferryman takes him across the river and goes to your father's mansion.
You won't get to your father's mansion because you didn't heed the signs.
The Apostle Paul gave us the "detour" to Our Father's Mansion, Heaven.
Salvation by faith is a completely different Gospel than the Gospel under The Law of Moses. The Gospel of Grace was revealed only to the Apostle Paul after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel of Grace
Scripture teaches us the Gospel of Grace that God gave to the Apostle Paul to save Gentiles. This is only shown in Scriptures from The Book of Romans to The Book of Philemon. It is nowhere else in the Bible.
Revealed in these books are the "mysteries" given to Paul by Jesus. Paul wrote these books in Greek. The Greek word for "mystery" can also be translated as "secret."
These were kept secret from man since before the creation of Adam and only revealed to Paul. They are now to be shared with everyone...Gentiles, Kings and Jews.
DEUTERONOMY 29:
29. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."
The Gospel of Grace is written all through Paul's Epistles but is never clearer than in
I CORINTHIANS 15
1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
II CORINTHIANS 4:
3. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Satan, the god of this world, doesn't want us saved. He wants us condemned. The first place Satan would look to stop people from being saved is the churches.
If Satan wanted to get rid of someone in your town without them knowing it, he could sneak in to their house one night and poison their water so that the very thing they are taking for sustaining their life is actually killing them, but they wouldn't know it's happening until it's too late.
If he wanted to get rid of the whole town, he couldn't sneak into every house but he could poison the well where they all get their water without anyone being the wiser.
If he wanted to get rid of all of the towns in the valley, he could just as easily poison the spring that feeds all of the wells that supplies all of the houses thereby killing everyone.
Every church has a Priest, a Reverend, a Preacher, Elder, etc. Almost all of these people get their training from Seminaries and books that have been "approved" for them to teach. By corrupting it, the true message in Scripture can be "poisoned."
If you change a teaching at the source, or the "spring", the damage is carried to the churches and then to you. You will believe you are getting something to save your life, when actually you are not.
It's said the greatest trick the devil ever played on the world is to make us think he doesn't exist when he does.
The second greatest trick is making us think we're saved when we're not.
NOT FOR GENTILES
"You can't plant the new seed until you dig up the old ground."
MATTHEW 10:
5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
MATTHEW 15:
22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying," Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil."
23. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, "Send her away; for she crieth after us."
24. But he answered and said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
25. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, help me."
26. But he answered and said, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs."
Jesus stated who He came for, the lost sheep of Israel, not the Gentiles. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, etc. were written to Jews, not to Gentiles. This does not mean these Scriptures have no value. All Scripture is profitable to man.
Scripture is not a buffet. We can't pick and choose what we want from Scripture.
A NEW PLAN
God commanded Peter go to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile and a Roman soldier. He told him and the others of Jesus the Messiah. When he got to His death, burial and resurrection, he witnessed The Holy Spirit in them when they began speaking in tongues without being baptized or circumcised.
ACTS 10:
39. "And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
40. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41. Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
43. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
44. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.
These Gentiles were saved by just believing Jesus died for the remission of their sins, was buried and on the third day rose again. Nothing else was performed...just faith. This showed Peter that God was starting a new plan which would bring Salvation to the Gentiles.
THE APOSTLE PETER'S LAST WRITING
Even the Apostle Peter in his last writing wrote that Paul was given "wisdom" and wrote what God revealed to him in his Epistles.
II PETER 3:
15. "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
Peter also wrote a warning against listening to those that are "unlearned."
Jesus also warned of the same thing when teaching His Disciples about the "End Times." Even though He was speaking of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilence in LUKE 21, when the Disciples asked what to look for, He told them to "not be deceived."
LUKE 21:
7. And they asked him, saying, "Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"
8. And he said, "Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them."
SAVED BY FAITH ALONE
EPHESIANS 2:
8. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
9. it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
ROMANS 4:
5. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."
Faith alone saves us. If we believe Jesus shed His Holy blood to wash away our sins, died and was buried, and was resurrected, we don't need "works" to be forgiven. Always remember we are saved by the "finished work of the cross."
Since Jesus washed away sin with His Holy blood and, like Abraham, the true believer's faith is counted for righteousness, no true believer will be judged for their sins. They will be judged for their rewards, NOT their salvation, to be given for their works they perform AFTER their salvation!
II CORINTHIANS 5:
10. "For we (believers) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;..."
The 'judgment' word here in Greek is Bema. It was the Bema seat. Paul took that from the Olympics. The Bema seat is not to determine heaven or hell. It's not to judge us for our sins, because the believers sins have already been judged at the Cross.
I CORINTHIANS 3:
13. Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a REWARD.
15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer LOSS: but he himself SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire.
Believing you will be judged for your sins after death means you don't believe Jesus already washed away your sins.
THE DISCIPLE'S PRAYER
The Lord's Prayer....
Nowhere in Scripture is the prayer in Matthew 6 ever called "The Lord's Prayer."
If you look at Matthew 6, you will see that it is based on Jewish Law. You have to forgive sinners to be forgiven of your sins.
9. After this manner therefore pray ye: "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11. Give us this day our daily bread.
12. And FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.
13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14. For IF YE FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, your heavenly Father WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU:"
If we truly believe that Jesus washed away our sins, why would we ever ask our Heavenly Father to forgive our sins.
This would be a "work" just like baptism, circumcision or anything else we've been deceived into believing is required for Salvation.
As in GALATIANS 5, if we do any of these for Salvation, CHRIST SHALL PROFIT US NOTHING!
This is one of Satan's plans: To intercept anyone seeking salvation and tripping them up with Scripture that doesn't apply.
We can ask people who haven't stepped into a church for 20 years to finish this statement after only giving them the first 6 words (Our Father who art in heaven) and even they can recite it, like the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Every time you hear thunder, that's God shuffling his feet because we still don't understand."
ADD NOTHING
GALATIANS 5:
1. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE."
2. "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING."
When Paul travelled around to teach The Gospel of Grace, there were Jewish Priests who would come behind him telling Christians that they had to be baptized, circumcised, etc. in order to be saved. This is "works" and goes against The Gospel of Grace. Since salvation depends on simply faith in the completed work of the cross, burial and resurrection, the only sin would be "unbelief" in any of those 3 requirements.
Any group which teaches anything "added" to this is promoting unbelief in the completed work of the cross. Many churches teach some kind of "work" to be saved, be it baptism, church membership, etc.
This is known as "RELIGION."
This issue was addressed when Paul was brought before The Council in Jerusalem around 51 AD. The Council, led by James, Cephas (Peter), and John, decided the issue in favor of Paul when Peter arose and recounted his experience at the house of Cornelius (ACTS 10). This convinced James and the rest of God's plan for Gentiles.
ACTS 15:
5. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, "That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."
6. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, "Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
GALATIANS 2:
7. But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8. (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9. And when James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, THEY GAVE to me and Barnabas THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
CONFLICTING TEACHINGS
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD vs MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ALONE
"Faith without works is dead" is taught in most congregations. This comes from the Book of James.
JAMES 2:
20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
This an example of false teaching since James states in the first verse of his book whom he is talking to.
JAMES 1:
1. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the TWELVE TRIBES which are scattered abroad, greeting.
"Man is justified by faith alone" is a concept taught to us by the Apostle Paul, revealed to him by the ascended Lord Jesus Christ. The difference is clearly stated in Romans.
ROMANS 4:
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.
Studying Scripture
II TIMOTHY 2:
15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the word of truth.
"It shall greatly help you to understand Scripture if you mark not only what is spoken or written, but ask of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goes before and what comes after." ~ Miles Coverdale
In 1535, Miles Coverdale translated the Bible into the first English edition. This was a continuation of the work of William Tynsdale who knew that Scripture was not given to angels or kings, but to the average man. His goal was to get a Bible "into the hands of every plowboy in England."
Equally important as knowing what is in a particular book of Scripture is taking note of things NOT in a particular book or in Scripture at all:
The "Body of Christ" is only in Paul's writings and nowhere else.
God's "begotten son" has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus.
The word "Satan" doesn't appear until I CHRONICLES.
There aren't 3 wise men in scripture, just wise men carrying gifts of gold, frankencense and myrrh. It may have taken 10 men just to carry the gold. (MATTHEW 2:1)
There is no "Good Book" as is often said. The Holy Bible is a collection of books, letters, songs, journals and historical texts. Most all of the Old Testament is written to the Jews alone, saved or not.
Paul writings are to Gentiles and Jews who are already saved through faith. Paul's writings are referenced nowhere else in Scripture as these were 7 secrets in the mind of God revealed only to him.
The Books of James, Peter, John and Jude were written after the Council at Jersalem and appear to mostly about keeping the Jews following the commandments after they heard the Gentiles didn't have to do those works for Salvation.
Once you begin to understand dividing Scriptures, it will open up your understanding.
FYI - There are some "absolutes" in Scripture that carry all the way from GENESIS 1 to REVELATION 22. Here are some:
1. WITHOUT the shedding of BLOOD, there is no remission of sin. (Hebrews 9:22)
2. WITHOUT FAITH, you can not please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
3. First the NATURAL then the SPIRITUAL. (I CORINTHIANS 15)
CHANGES IN DISPENSATIONS
As seen in the above graph from Matthew McGee (http://matthewmcgee.org), God has changed His plans for mankind's Salvation multiple times since the beginning. He comes up with a plan and we fail to follow it.
God made a covenant, or promise to Abraham that He would create a special people out of Abraham's seed, or bloodline. He created the Jews. He also promised He would give them their own Nation. He created Israel. He also promised He would send a Messiah to be their King and rule over them to set up a Kingdom on Earth. But the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah and rejected the covenant.
In the Book of Daniel he prophesied there would be 490 years until The Kingdom would come. However when Israel rejected Jesus as The Messiah and the Romans crucified Him, God "paused" the clock. Only 483 years had passed. This left 7 years and many prophecies unfulfilled.
The Age of Grace began shortly after that as The Law under Judaism faded away until 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews were dispersed. This Age of Grace was a secret in the mind of God and not revealed until Paul went to Mt Sinai in Arabia. Since it was a secret, there is no mention of it in the Old Testament nor the Four Gospels. It doesn't appear until Paul's Epistles.
When the Body of Christ is filled, the believers will be taken away:
II THESSALONIANS 2:
3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a "falling away" first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Paul said that before the Day of the Lord can come, there has to be a "falling away" (also translated as "departure") and the Anti-Christ has to be revealed. Then in Verse 7 he said that before the Anti-Christ can be revealed, the "restrainer" has to be taken out of the way (literally taken from among). This restrainer is widely accepted to be the Holy Spirit resident in the Church. If so, Paul was telling them that the church will have to be gone before the Anti-Christ can be revealed.
If you look at the difference in the Dispensations of Law verses Grace, Grace can not exist under the Law. So for the Law to be brought back, Grace has to be gone.
When the Anti-Christ makes a treaty with Israel for 7 years of peace, this will start the clock again and the Great Tribulation will be begin. The remaining prophecies will then be fulfilled.
