The BIG Picture (Shorts)

 QUESTION: How do we know that the “grace dispensation” doesn’t coincide with the “everlasting gospel” and that both have been present since the foundation of the world? ANSWER: The present dispensation is called “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Ephesians 3:2). This message was a mystery hidden from ages and generations (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26), not revealed since the foundation of the world but made known through Paul after Christ’s ascension. Paul affirms that his gospel came “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). Its content is the finished work of Christ: “how that Christ died for our sins… and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Salvation today is by grace through faith, “not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Since this gospel was kept secret until revealed (Romans 16:25), it cannot have been present from the foundation of the world. By contrast, the “everlasting gospel” appears in Revelation 14:6-7, whe...

Rightly dividing is the key to proper contextual and accurate interpretation of Scripture. Without it, the Word is mixed together, blended across programs, and ultimately skewed. Passages meant for Israel under the law are wrongly applied to the Body of Christ under grace, and promises given to a nation are confused with instructions for the church. The result is spiritual instability, because truth has not been handled in its proper context. Yet notice this: rightly dividing is not the starting point, it is the outcome of study. Paul says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). When we truly labour in the Word, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we begin to see the distinctions God Himself has made. We see the difference between prophecy and mystery, between law and grace, between Israel’s earthly kingdom hope and the church’s heavenly calling. One will never truly grasp the importance ...

FACT NO. 3 —That the gospel we are to preach is called the Gospel of the grace of God. “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD” (Acts 20:24). This is God’s only message for the lost in this present age. We are to follow Paul as he followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). In his writings ALONE do we find the doctrine, position, walk, and destiny of the Christian. Some other important aspects of grace are: 1. We are saved by GRACE—Eph. 2:8,9. 2. We are justified freely by His GRACE—Rom. 3:24; Titus 3:7. 3. His GRACE is sufficient for us—II Cor. 12:9. 4. We are not under Law but under GRACE—Rom. 6:14,15. 5. This age is the age of GRACE —Eph. 3:2. 6. We are to approach the throne of GRACE in prayer—Heb. 4:16. More FACTS to follow... See this article for even more rightly dividing differences By Robert C. Brock Source:...

FACT NO. 2 —That the DISTINCTIVENESS of Pauline truth is a most important doctrine of the Bible. The risen Lord Jesus Christ revealed His heart and His mind to the Apostle Paul: “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST” (Gal. 1:11,12). “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward; how that BY REVELATION He made known unto me the MYSTERY…” (Eph. 3:2,3). This proves conclusively that Paul did not preach what the 12 Apostles preached. Rather he went up to Jerusalem to TELL THEM of the special gospel of grace that Christ gave to him (Gal. 2:2). He preached Jesus Christ according to the REVELATION OF THE MYSTERY which was kept secret, hid in God (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:9). He was the Apostle to the Gentiles and magnified his office (Rom. 11:13). More FACTS to follow... See this article for even more rightly d...

FACT NO. 1—That the Bible MUST be rightly divided in order for it to make sense. Notice what it says: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). This is one of the cardinal rules for interpreting the whole Bible. Neglect of this rule or a faulty use of it will lead to only one result, CONFUSION, since our God is not the author of confusion. The reason for a right division of the Bible is because of God’s two distinct purposes: (1) His purpose concerning Israel and the world according to PROPHECY, and (2) His purpose concerning the Gentiles in this present age according to the MYSTERY revealed to Paul. God doesn’t want us to confuse the teaching of these two purposes. He has very graciously given us the key for a proper understanding of this. More FACTS to follow... See this article for even more rightly dividing differences By Robert C. Brock Source:  https://bereanbiblesociety.org/se...

Sadly, most modern churches today do not rightly divide the word of truth between the mystery doctrine for the Body of Christ and the prophetic scriptures for Israel. If one does not keep these doctrines apart, one corrupts its contents and skews the doctrines. Using your analogy, they are mixing old and new wines together, creating a blended version that is distasteful. All scripture is God’s inspired words that we can learn from and grow to understand God’s great redemption plan for all of creation, but we have to study the scriptures correctly and apply it in the right context. What is the doctrine we apply? It is not prophecy, nor is it the Kingdom doctrine. It is that which our apostle Paul has written to us concerning the cross work of Christ and the spiritual ‘new’ man that God is creating, the Body of Christ. Unless the church recognizes this, they will continue to mix old wine in new wineskins. ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel to receive these quick Bible lessons on you...

I’ll fervently teach the Bible rightly divided till the Lord comes. It is an inevitable result of studying the Word according to Paul, 2Tim.2:15. When one studies the Bible, line by line and precept upon precept, one comes to this inevitable conclusion that one must rightly divide prophecy from mystery, law from grace, and Israel from the Body of Christ. Consider this. How can one mix prophecy , which is something spoken since the world began, with mystery , which is something kept secret since the world began? The two are mutually exclusive. Blending them creates a false doctrine because one must twist scriptures to make them fit a different narrative that is imagined in the mind of man. For many years I tried to make sense of the Bible, until I decided to actually study the Bible — and came to the conclusion by my own discernment — that one must rightly divide. When I did, the Bible truly opened up to me for the first time. I’ll never go back to the blended confusions of the past. ...

The Church, even the true Church of believers in Christ, is undoubtedly more extensive now than ever before. However, it is weak and sick, confused, and divided. Many attribute the Church's low spiritual state to factors such as not breaking from worldly living, a deficiency in prayer, and apathy towards the unsaved. However, these are merely symptoms. The true cause is the Church's deviation from the divine message and plan for our times, as disclosed in Paul's mystery doctrine. This is the fundamental issue, yet it remains largely unrecognized or admitted. In Israel's case, trouble arose from straying from the Law of Moses; similarly, our issues stem from deviating from the truths taught by Paul. Just as the dispensation of the Law was entrusted to Moses, the dispensation of Grace was entrusted to Paul (Eph. 3:1-3). Those who have fallen away since Paul's time have done so not by abandoning God's Word as a whole, but specifically by veering from 'the faith...

Israel is under prophecy and law whereas the Body of Christ is under Paul’s mystery doctrine and grace. That is the divide in scripture. But, as grace believers, we do not ignore prophecy just because it is not our doctrine; all scripture is inspired and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness, 2Ti.3:16. Thus, we can learn of prophecy and gain understanding in it, because it helps us to better understand God’s purpose for mystery. Prophecy provides context to mystery and vice versa. We need knowledge of both to fully understand God's redemption plan. Thus, we STUDY all of scripture, but when it comes to PRACTICE, or APPLICATION of scripture, then we specifically focus on Paul’s mystery doctrine, and any trans-dispensational passages that agree with, or compliment Paul's mystery doctrine. See Rom.16:25-26, (1) "according to the revelation of the mystery", ... (2) "and by the scriptures of the prophets ..." . ______________ ...

The mystery doctrine revealed to Paul completed the Word of God. It ended the need for further revelation. When a person claims to prophecy God's will or interprets tongues, they are 'claiming' that God is speaking through them (Acts 2:4). This is a blanket denial of the complete and final authority of the written Word of God. We simply cannot believe that God's Word is complete while claiming that He continues to give further revelation of His will through extra-Biblical revelations. This is exactly the meaning of prophecy and interpretations. In the Jewish church in Acts, these giftings were still valid as they were used to communicate revelation from God, since the completed scriptures were not yet available.  Today, the Bible is the full revelation of God. The scripture is complete. God has finished His Word. It is through the Word of truth written in a book, studied as rightly divided, that God speaks today --and through which we grow up in Christ and become workme...

According to the Revelation of the Mystery, Rom.16:25 To preach, and live Jesus Christ, according to the mystery, means that we learn to align our faith, our actions, and our message to that which we learn from Paul about the risen and glorified Christ. This means that we do not know Christ according to the flesh (2Cor 5:16), we do not follow after the law-based teachings and principles taught by Jesus in his earthly ministry (while in the flesh), which was under law and directed to the Jews alone. We now preach of Christ as the Head of His body, we preach His cross-work for the salvation of all men, Jews and Gentiles alike. We now learn to walk by a new doctrine, one of grace, one that teaches of liberty under the constraints of love, one of personal convictions of righteousness (see Rom 14), and one of being led by the life-giving Spirit of Christ through knowledge of His Word within us. ______________ Join my WhatsApp channel to receive these quick Bible lessons on your phone: https...

Prophecy and mystery are two parts of the full redemption plan of God, but they are mutually exclusive. How can something prophesied and made know at the same time be a mystery and kept secret?  Paul clearly tells us that the mysteries that make up his doctrine were kept secret in the heart of God and only revealed after Paul was saved. No prophet of the Old Testament or in the Gospels ever knew or spoke of the things that Paul revealed. Act 3:20-21 And he shall send Jesus Christ, ... (21) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Rom 16:25-26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, (26) But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, ... Today, our doctrine is that of mystery. ______________ Join my W...

  REMARK: Mark also taught a secret that was hidden. Therefore, the mystery doctrine of Paul and the mysteries of the Kingdom are not different but the same. You're picking and choosing your own verses to promote your views. REPLY: In Mark 4:11, the word ‘mystery’ is not the same as Paul’s mystery. Why? Paul’s mystery doctrine was different because it was never entered into the prophetic scriptures.  It was unsearchable in the scriptures, Eph 3:8.  It was hidden in God and kept secret from humanity and even from Satan, 1Cor 2:8. It pertains to the overall redemption plan of God to save Gentiles outside of prophecy for a heavenly program, 2Tim 4:18.  This is very different to the meaning of the secrets of the Kingdom that Jesus hid in parables. This information was always in the scriptures, having been prophesied and made known to Israel. The information was revealed in prophecy but unknown to Jews because their priesthood failed to interpret the scriptures. Thus, ev...

  Just like Zechariah's prophecy in the image, there are dozens of other Old Testament prophecies that combine Christ’s two comings without any gap between them for our dispensation. Prophecy foretells two great events, (1) the meek and lowly advent of the Messiah as the Son of man, and (2) the defeat of Israel's enemies and the Millennial kingdom on the earth in which Israel would be preeminent. The Old Testament prophets didn't know of two additional comings of Christ to divide the two prophesied comings —one coming to start our grace dispensation (saving Saul) and one to end it (the rapture). These are the two comings according to mystery, that “which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom 16:25-26). Nothing in the Old Testament indicated God would delay the prophetic program for 2,000 years, but God delayed His judgment and extended His grace so Jews and Gentiles can be saved by faith alone in believing Paul's gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This is grace! ____...

  In 2 Cor.5:16, Paul says an incredible statement! "Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" . You might think that Paul is blaspheming! How could Paul say this? Well, it's not that we forget Christ. Never! Paul means that we do not know him in his earthly ministry, which was under prophecy and to the Jews only (Gal.4:4; Matt.10:6; Matt.15:24). Today, we recognize Jesus "according to the revelation of the mystery", Rom.16:25. Jesus' earthly ministry, teachings, and signs, were for the Jews, to prove His identity and prepare them for their earthly inheritance. We can read the 4-gospels today and receive nuggets of truth, but none of it is directed to us. Our instructions are written in Paul's 13-epistles, and these are the commands addressed and directed to us today. Paul's epistles help us to know Jesus according to the revelation of the mysteries. We must study the Bible dividing prophecy and mys...

Paul's Credibility #1 Paul made some incredible claims in his writings. In 1 Cor.3:10, Paul mentions that he, as a wise master builder, has laid the foundation. He claims this after Jesus had already laid the groundwork of the Kingdom program in Matt.16:18.  Are these claims valid? YES! Paul could stand by these claims because he was separated to be 'the' apostle to the Gentiles, Rom.11:13, by the risen and glorified Jesus Christ, Act 9:15; Gal 1:1. The reason why Paul had to lay a new foundation is because the Kingdom program belonged to the Jews and it was a different body of doctrine under a different dispensation. Paul was sent to the Gentiles, and he received a completely different doctrine for the Gentiles, Rom.16:25-26. This mystery doctrine under grace required a new foundation, and no other foundation apart from this one would be valid, —even the gospel, Gal.1:8-9.

There are many CONTRADICTIONS between the prophecy and mystery doctrines. Take for example: Are we under prophecy or mystery? – Act 3:21, Rom 16:25-26. Is Christ’s blood shed for many or for all? – Mat 20:28, 1 Tim 2:6 Are sins imputed against us? – Act 5:1-10, Rom 4:8 Works for righteousness? – Jam 2:24, Tit 3:5 Is forgiveness conditional or not? – Mat 6:14-15, Eph 4:32 Does the gospel include water baptism? – Mk 1:4, 1Co 15:1-4 Are we under the law or not? – Mat 5:19, Rom 6:14 Gentiles blessed through Israel’s rise or fall? – Act 3:25, Rom 11:11 etc… These contradictions are right there in the Bible, and plain to see. They ARE NOT ERRORS, just 2 different programs in God’s redemption plan. If you merge them, you get contradictions, but kept apart, they are distinct doctrines, one for Israel (prophecy), the other for the Body of Christ (mystery). In 2Tim.2:15, Paul tells us to study the Word. The result of careful study leads to understanding the need to rightly divide the Word of tru...

COMMENT: Matt 25:41-61 clearly says that if we don’t do any good works, God will send us to hell. REPLY: The verse mentioned is referring to the ‘Sheep and Goats’ judgement at the end of a 7-year tribulation period. During this horrendous time, believers are required to support Israel in order to gain salvation. However, this passage, and its resulting judgment, is not applicable to the current dispensation of grace, where salvation is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ alone, without the need for good works. It is important to interpret scripture according to the correct times. One cannot take scripture from one dispensation and apply it to another; else you create confusion and false doctrine. Our ‘Mystery’ dispensation ends at the catching up of the Body of Christ to heaven. The scripture you quote is about 7-years later and is part of the ‘Prophecy’ dispensation which does not apply today.

Just like the 12 disciples of Jesus are the apostles for Israel, Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles (or the Body of Christ, Rom 11:13). Whereas most of the Bible is about the prophetic program for Israel, which was suspended by Israel’s unbelief, Paul established the mystery program and doctrine that is applicable for us today. The 13-epistles of Paul provide all the information that we need in order to know how God is working with humanity today in the grace program.  See the image for a list for just a few mysteries revealed in Paul's letters.