Compare and Contrast (part 1)

An excellent method in demonstrating the Mid Acts Pauline dispensational distinctive is to compare side by side verses from Paul's gospel of the grace of God, and the other being from Israel's covenant kingdom gospel. Most church going folks who claim to be Bible believing Christians do not know the difference between the two gospels given to two different audiences which have two different marching orders with two different outcomes in two different locations. Sounds simple doesn't it? It is simple when you allow the words to say what they say to whom they say them. So, let's look at a few and break them down, then you can begin to see the importance of 2ND Timothy 2:15 wherein we can "rightly divide" the word of truth and be the unashamed workman approved unto God.

• 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

COMPARE TO:

• 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Does it get anymore obvious then these two verses? One has the unction or anointing of the Holy Ghost teaching you ALL things, the other requires study and work. Have you ever noticed the churches such as the Assemblies of God, the Church of God, all Pentecostal churches for that matter who claim to have the "anointing" also have Sunday School classes? Isn't that slightly on the double minded side? Even my former church which is named after an OT law abiding Jew (Baptist) would always pray before service for the "anointing" in the messages. If you have this anointing whereby you need no instruction, what's the deal with all the Sunday School programing ? Why does these same churches have Wednesday evening teaching services disguised as prayer meetings? So who are these anointed ones that need no teaching because they know all things? They are the audience of Ezekiel 36:24-27, Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:8-10.

• Ezekiel 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
• Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
• Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
• Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

When did God take you (Israel) from among the heathen and gather you (Israel) out of all countries and bring them into their own land? Acts 2:1-12. God even gives the list of countries from which they were gathered. Again in Jeremiah, the same people are told of their NT promise which is implemented by Hebrews 9:15-17, the death of the testator which is Jesus.

• Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
• Jeremiah 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
• Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

That should be obvious now that the audience of 1st John is the same audience of Ezekiel and Jeremiah .

God said behold the days come when I will make a new covenant with the Assemblies of God and the Baptists and the Methodists and the Non denominational emergent church and the Presbyterians and the Cambellites. No No No...it is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. We simply do not fit into that audience. We are the church, the body of Christ. We have no association with the law program in which God writes on their hearts and causes them to walk in His statutes. If you disagree with that statement, begin reciting the 613 points of law from memory and see how far you can get. Remember now, if you still believe Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Hebrews is speaking to and about yourself, you would have the law written in your heart and mind. It is doubtful you will even get through the first ten commandments word perfect or in order. Paul instructs us over and over we are not under the law, but under grace. It is simply not the same.

• Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I hope this demonstrates the error in believing all of the Bible is written TO you. All of the Bible is indeed written for you for your learning, but not for your doctrine. (Romans 15:4) I hope this post demonstrated the need to study rather than believing you have some kind of anointing which requires no need to study. God will not install doctrine in us by osmosis. We are required to do the work, rightly divide the word of truth to be the unashamed workman approved unto God. Until next time, Grace and Peace!