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Chosen before the foundation of the world

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God’s entire redemption plan was determined long before the world was made. God knows the end from the beginning as we read in Isaiah 46:10. However, it is interesting how we can distinguish our grace doctrine from other dispensations based on what was prophesied versus what was kept secret. God revealed relevant parts of the plan systematically and slowly through dispensations. The majority of the plan to restore the earth was revealed through the prophets and unto Israel. Israel will be used to bring earth back in subjection under Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. The rest of the plan was kept secret by God and revealed in the perfect time to our apostle, Paul, who wrote the remaining details of God’s plan to restore the heavens under Christ through the agency of the Body of Christ. As we study the bible and learn God's will for us, we need to recognize these two programs and ensure we adhere to the principles of our doctrine, the mystery program, as written in Paul's 13-epis...
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The Weaker Brother Isn’t Who You Think He Is

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It’s not always obvious. The weaker brother isn’t the one who skips church or struggles with prayer. He’s often the one who looks the most committed. He avoids meat, steers clear of certain days, and holds tight to rules that make him feel holy. He’s sincere. He’s serious. And in his own mind, he’s strong. But Paul says otherwise. The weaker brother is weak in faith—not weak in effort. He’s not rebellious, he’s just unsure. His conscience is sensitive, sometimes misinformed. He’s afraid of dishonouring God, so he builds fences where God gave freedom. He’s shaped by tradition, not truth. And while his heart may be in the right place, his understanding hasn’t caught up. He sees liberty and feels guilt. He sees others walking free and assumes they’re careless. He equates restraint with righteousness. And when someone enjoys a freedom he avoids, he’s offended—not because they’re wrong, but because he’s unsettled. Now here’s the twist: He thinks he’s the strong one. He sees his strictness a...
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What is a Dispensation?

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A "dispensation" is not a period of time, but an administration, or stewardship of time. It's more associated to a way of life than a length of time. The Greek word itself means to manage a household. It describes the role of a steward and a system or a way of doing things. Before Paul's mystery dispensation, Israel lived under the economy of law. God dealt with Israel differently to how He deals with us today. Thus, the mystery dispensation, which started at Paul's conversion, has more to do with God dispensing a new lifestyle of grace to replace Israel's law, than calculating the duration in ages or years on a timeline. A dispensation ends when God declares a new set of rules that changes the pattern or behaviour (1 Tim.1:16) of living from the previous dispensation. In summary, an age deals with time, whereas a dispensation relates to a way of life. So, when studying the Bible rightly divided, the focus should be on the way of living, and not on the duratio...
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