The BIG Picture (Shorts)

Romans 5 is a transitional chapter, moving us out of Romans 1 to 4, concerning justification, and into Romans 6 to 8, which leads us into the beginning of sanctification.  Word statistics in the KJV confirms this fact because if you search for all variants of justification, there are 29 entries total in Paul's epistles. Out of those 29, 25 are in Romans and Galatians, and 4 entries in his other epistles. In Romans, 15 of the 17 matches are in chapters 1 to 5 and 2 in Romans 8. There are 8 in Galatians, because this letter is to do with correcting wayward understanding of salvation: see Gal.3:2-3.  My point is that we are educated in the understanding of justification in Romans, and then corrected in its practice in Galatians. So, barring these two books, Paul never teaches directly about justification again, because a believer, even by the end of Romans 5, should have settled on the truth of justification and moved past this serving of 'milk', into 'meatier' truths ...

Every Pauline epistle opens with “grace and peace” (Rom.1:7; 1Cor.1:3; 2Cor.1:2; Gal.1:3; Eph.1:2; Phil.1:2; Col.1:2; 1Thess.1:1; 2Thess.1:2; 1Tim.1:2; 2Tim.1:2; Tit.1:4; Phm.3). Rather than wrath and judgment, God's attitude towards the whole world—all nations—in the Dispensation of Grace is characterized by grace and peace. This message is unique to Paul's apostleship, as searching through the Scriptures will reveal no similar proclamation before it. The question then arises: how did such a dramatic shift in God's attitude towards the Gentiles occur? The key is the cross of Jesus Christ! In 2Cor.5:19, it states that God does not count the world's trespasses against it. The cross work of Jesus Christ serves as the means for God to extend grace and peace towards this present evil world. Such doctrine was completely unknown in the Bible before the ministry of Paul. It was a unique revelation given directly to Paul by the Lord Jesus Christ, Gal.1:1-4. ______________ Join...

Romans , Paul’s first epistle in the canon of Scripture, describes the Gospel of Grace by which we receive forgiveness, justification, sanctification, and redemption. His next three epistles— 1 and 2 Corinthians plus Galatians —expand on Romans and correct any misconceptions or confusions. Most church members, if they ever (!) grasp Romans through Galatians, never get beyond here. Remember, the Corinthians and Galatians failed to learn and apply Romans truth! Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians are a higher plane of understanding. Very few gain this maturity, “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery” being the second step to establishment as per Romans 16:25,26. Finally, 1 and 2 Thessalonians are the ensample of established believers, operating in faith, love and hope. Paul’s last four epistles— 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon —are handbooks for running the local church efficiently, also rarely mastered. ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel...

“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” Rom 11:13. Upon inquiring the average church member, “Who is your apostle?,” we will receive one of three answers: (1) the 12 apostles, (2) Jesus, or (3) “apostle” so-and-so who leads a local church or ministry. Unfortunately, none of these common replies are correct; yet church tradition perpetuates such ignorance. Paul is God’s apostle (sent one) to us Gentiles (Rom 15:16; 2 Tim 1:11). If we want to learn what God is doing and saying to us today, we go not to Israel’s apostles and prophets, for they speak of what God did in time past and what He will do in the ages to come. Only Paul’s epistles, discuss what God is doing today in the Dispensation of Grace. We study all the Bible, but only Paul’s epistles speak of us. Jesus Christ said if we are to accept Him, we must accept whom He sent to us (Jn 13:20). If we are to honour this, we must accept the Apostle Paul, or we reject Christ (1C...

Paul was indeed a Jew and devout Pharisee, but when God converted him on the Damascus road, God gave him a completely new gospel and doctrine. Have you ever considered why Paul never references anything of Jesus in his epistles? No teachings, no parables, no miracles. This is often a surprise to people! The ONLY thing Paul brings across into his epistles and into the grace gospel is the CROSS, which for the Kingdom gospel was a contentious issue according to Peter. Gal 6:14  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 2Co 5:16-17 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. (17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel for more of these quick Bible lessons: https://w...

An interesting flow in Paul's epistles Some of Paul's epistles flow into each other by ending off with a specific topic, and then continuing that topic in the beginning of the next epistle. Considering that the chronology of Paul's letters is not its Biblical order, this fact adds credibility to the curriculum in the church epistles. At the end of 2 Corinthians, Paul warns against false teachers who preach another gospel (2Cor 11:13-15). Galatians begins with Paul expressing his astonishment that the Galatians have so quickly turned away from the true gospel (Gal 1:6-7). Galatians concludes by emphasizing the concept of the “new creature” (Gal 6:15). Ephesians starts to educate believers on the new creature when Paul writes about their new identity in Christ and the spiritual blessings they have received (Eph 1:3-14).