God’s Master Plan Revealed

The following is the revealing of the mystery of the veil that is covering the eyes of the unbelieving world though many profess to be followers and believers of Jesus Christ the Son of God.


But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe. (2Corinthians 4:3-4)

In this servants-of-grace ministry God has given us, He wants to use us to reach people. These people are in a desperate spiritual condition. Those we hope to reach are perishing, spiritually blind, and unbelieving.

Those who do not know the grace of God in Jesus Christ are "perishing." They are spiritually dead (just as we once were). "And you . . . were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1). Even worse, they are heading toward an everlasting death. "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev 20:13-15). These who are dead (and facing everlasting death) are lost. They are wandering about the earth separated from God, taking a path of self-service. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isa 53:6). They need a shepherd to seek after them. "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it . . . for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 15:4; 19:10).

These perishing ones are also "blinded." This is why they cannot "see" the truth we share with them. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded." The false god of this world (Satan) is blinding people to the truth by feeding them with lies and deceptions. He is constantly offering counterfeit philosophical and religious messages to keep men from embracing the truth.

Ultimately, the problem with blind and perishing people is they "do not believe." Consequently, they already stand guilty. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18). However, a loving God has provided the remedy. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). By God's grace, we can proclaim this great message.

2Corimthians 4:5-12, 15 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.


But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

New covenant servants (sons in Jesus Christ) are "earthen vessels" (ordinary clay pots). Yet, in the container of their redeemed humanity dwells "this treasure" (the Son of God Himself). This arrangement calls for the treasure (Jesus), not the vessels (you and me) to be the object of all trust and the recipient of all glory: "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." Appropriately, the Lord has also arranged a process that magnifies the treasure. (Matthew 13:46)

This process involves the every day pressures of life, which come from all sides. "We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed." Clay pots cannot withstand much pressure, but the treasure within us (Christ) is able to keep is from being smashed. "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2Tim 2:1)

The process that draws attention to the treasure also involves many perplexities. "We are perplexed, but not in despair." We face difficult decisions and impossible issues, but our Wonderful Counselor protects us from hopelessness: "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Christ is the mystery and the answer to the mystery. Col 2:2-3).

Persecutions are included in the process: "persecuted, but not forsaken." People accuse us, misunderstand us, or lie about us. Still, we know we are not abandoned by our Lord who lives within us. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you' " (Heb 13:5, Paul is here referring to the promises given to men of Israel to whom this is said, the principle still stands even for us, who are of faith).

Even catastrophes are a part of the process that magnifies the treasure who indwells us: "struck down, but not destroyed." Circumstantial upheavals and overwhelming heartaches occur, but the Lord stabilizes our souls, so we don't "tip over" under the weight of circumstances. "They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support" (Psalms 18:18).

Thus, life comes at us like an overpowering military tank, ready to flatten us. There is no natural hope, because clay pots can't handle tanks. Yet, as the dust clears, the flower pot of our lives can remain intact (if we are trusting in the able and faithful one who lives in our hearts). There is no attacking tank (of the enemy) that can overcome the Lord Jesus Christ. “As for you, dear children, you are God's children, and have successfully resisted them; "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1John 4:4).

Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (2Corinthians 4:10)

As earthen vessels, we are to live by trusting in the treasure (the Lord Jesus Christ) who dwells within us: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels." (2Cor. 4:7) Also, we are to give Him all honor and glory as He sustains us day by day through the trials of life: "that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." In addition, to help us magnify the treasure who lives in us, there is to be an attitude (an outlook) carried about (embraced) by the earthen vessels (our daily confession in the face of over whelming odds).

The particular attitude that results in magnifying the treasure is the perspective we hold concerning the death of Christ: "Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." This is about dying in order to live. Jesus taught this. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (Luke 9:24). Those who hold on to the life they received from Adam lose what they are trying to guard and develop. They never find true life. However, all who renounce their sinful natural life and trust in Jesus find a new life from Him. This is the attitude that heirs of Christ are to carry with them. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). Day by day, our perspective is to include a rejection of any life that we could produce on our own ("deny himself"). We are to agree with God that the self-life always deserves the cross of Christ ("take up his cross daily"). This leaves us with only one option: pursue after Jesus for the life that He alone can provide ("and follow Me"). This pursuit is to yield our desires and will into His hands and our surrendering of self-will to the obedience of death learned ONLY by the cross. Jesus Christ paved the way for our entry through the veil of His flesh and the shedding of His blood.

Such confessions are in harmony with what actually happened to us at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism [that is, through identification] into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in an eternally newness of life" (Romans 6:4). When we placed our trust in the Lord, His death and resurrection became our death and resurrection! This is to be our confidence continually. "Likewise you also, must reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:11).

When we carry about this attitude, we are actually trusting the Lord Jesus (the treasure who dwells within us) to live in and through our "earthen vessels," our humanity: "that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." Christ becomes to us the pearl of great price that we carry in our earthen vessels in all wisdom and knowledge which is His will.

For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (2Cor 4:11)

The treasure who lives within us (Jesus) is to get glory and honor as we trust Him to live in, and be manifested through, the vessels of our humanity. "But we have this treasure (the seed of Christ’s image that man had at the beginning) in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power (the light that gives life to this seed, this light separated the darkness) may be of God and not of us" (2Cor 4:7). Our previous meditation reminded us that we are to embrace an attitude of "death to self" that facilitates this plan: "Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (2Cor 4:10). In addition, there is an action carried out toward earthen vessels that also advances this great purpose of God’s plan. This matter is also about dying in order to live. (John 12:24 Except a seed fall into the earth and die it bears no fruit. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them and said to them, with man this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.)

This action is taken toward earthen vessels: "we who live." We who have found new life in Christ are the ones who are "delivered to death." Our God places us into (or allows us to be put in) situations that are far more than we can handle. Even the Apostle Paul had to undergo this action taken toward him. "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves" (2Cor 1:8-9). This was not an isolated incident. Paul was frequently in such impossibilities. "From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep" (2Cor 11:24-25).

Since we are earthen vessels, this is the way life unfolds. Clay pots are characteristically inadequate and vulnerable. Consequently, the situations that our all-loving and all-wise God leads us into are consistently like being "delivered to death." However, this action toward us is "for Jesus' sake" as with Paul so with us for the perfecting of the mystical Body of Christ, which we are now become a portion of. In our continual impossibilities, Jesus has repeated opportunities to manifest Himself. Our heavenly Father places us in circumstances we cannot handle by our own resources. We cry out to the Lord, putting our hope and trust in Him. He faithfully goes to work in us. The result is "that the life of Jesus [is] manifested in our mortal flesh."

We as the seed carriers, carry about the seed within us planted by God in man before or at the time of mans fall from the Divine life we had in the first Adam before he fell from grace. Changed into the bestial nature of natural man as we know man this day, a seed carrier that awaits the light of God to open this seed to release and produce Christ in man again.

The following is Paul’s rendering of his Jewishness under the yoke of the Law but we as gentiles were not subjected to it in any way. We like Israel were however under commandment, and this is found in Genesis 2:16-17 and the restraint of the Holy Spirit with government as our guide through this Age of God’s Grace as a stewardship for us.

For God has not created us for ourselves only, but to be Instruments of His Wonders, by which He desires to manifest His Wonders. The resigned Will trusts God, and expects all Good from Him alone; but Self-Will rules itself, for it is broken off from God. All that Self-Will does is Sin and is against God; for it is gone out of that Order wherein He created it, into Disobedience, and desires to be its own Lord and Master.

When a Man's own Will dies from itself, then it is free from Sin, for it desires nothing but that which God desires of his Creature; it desires only to do that for which God has created it and that which God will do by it; and though it is and must be the Doing, yet it is but the Instrument of the Doing, by which God does what He will.

Romans 7:6-15 But seeing that we have died to that which once held us in bondage, the Law has now no hold over us (Israel or the Jews only), so that we render a service which, instead of being old and formal, is new and spiritual. What follows? Is the Law itself a sinful thing? No, indeed; on the contrary, unless I had been taught by the Law, I should have known nothing of sin as sin. For instance, I should not have known what covetousness is, if the Law had not repeatedly said, "THOU SHALT NOT COVET." Sin took advantage of this, and by means of the Commandment (God’s moral code of conduct, which we have adopted) stirred up within me every kind of coveting; for apart from Law sin would be dead. Once, apart from Law, I was alive, but when the Commandment came, sin sprang into life, and I died; and, as it turned out, the very Commandment which was to bring me life, brought me death. For sin seized the advantage, and by means of the Commandment it completely deceived me, and also put me to death. So that the Law itself is holy, and the Commandment is holy, just and good. Did then a thing which is good become death to me? No, indeed, but sin did; so that through its bringing about death by means of what was good, it might be seen in its true light as sin, in order that by means of the Commandment the unspeakable sinfulness of sin might be plainly shown. For we know that the Law is a spiritual thing; but I am unspiritual--the slave, bought and sold, of sin. For what I do, I do not recognize as my own action. What I desire to do is not what I do, but what I am averse to is what I do.

(Now remember that this is Paul talking, a former Hebrew or Jew a Pharisee who was under the Law of
Moses. Whereas we gentiles were never under that Law nor the Ten Commandments that where given to
Israel only as a guide or tutor until Christ. These were to Israel a means of teaching by God to them and for them only in preparation for their becoming a Priesthood to the gentiles or the Nations. Remember also that there was no room for forgiveness under the Law, only death for anyone breaking it.)

Rom 7:16-8:14 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law (the law of sin and death found in Genesis 2:16-17), that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man (the Spiritual law of love and operating in God’s Grace.) : But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God (the law of liberty that is in Christ Jesus); but with the flesh the law of sin.

Rom 8:1-14 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.


For this is the true Faith in Man, namely to die from himself; that is, from his own Desire; and in all his Undertakings and Designs to bring his Desire into the Will of God, and arrogate the doing of nothing to himself, but esteem himself in all his Doings to be a Servant or Minister of God, and to think that all he does, and undertakes, is for God. For in such a Disposition the Spirit of God leads him into true Uprightness and Faithfulness towards his Neighbor. For he thinks thus within himself, I do my Work not for myself, but for God, who has called and appointed me to do it; I am but a Servant in his Vineyard. He listens continually after the Voice of his Master, who within him commands him what he shall do. The Lord speaks in him, and bids him do what He would have to be done by him.

So then death is working in us, but life in you . . . For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. (2Corinthians 4:12 & 15)

We who live under the new covenant of grace are earthen vessels. We have no true spiritual life in ourselves. "You have no life in you" (John 6:53). The treasure who lives within us (Jesus) is our daily source of spiritual life: "Christ who is our life" (Col 3:4). Consequently, we must always be dying in order to live. We must be embracing the cross of Christ so that our bankrupt self-life will not be our resource for living. We must look to the Lord for our sufficiency.

The Lord helps us in this process by putting us into impossible situations that necessitate our dependence upon Him. He faithfully responds to our trust and manifests Himself through us. "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2Cor 4:11). Others observing this receive encouragement to look to the Lord for the life they need. Thus, Paul could write to the Corinthians (who were aware of this process in his life): "So then death is working in us, but life in you."

Every difficulty that God brings into our lives not only has significancy for us, but it can also have an impact on those to whom we are ministering. "For all things are for your sakes." How important it is to have a perspective on life that includes God working in us that He might touch others. Paul certainly viewed life and ministry in this manner. "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you . . . Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all . . . Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory" (Col 1:24; Phi 2:17; Eph 3:13).

As the Lord works His grace into and through our lives, grace can be spreading to many other lives: "that grace, having spread through the many." When God's grace is at work in people's hearts, thanksgiving is so often the beautiful fruit that results. Such thanksgiving brings much glory and honor to God: "may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God." Of such dose God require praise and worship for they only can worship who worship in spirit and in truth, having passed through the veil from death into newness of life. We become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, a spiritual person and joint heir with Christ as His promised heir for the things that He accomplished through the cross.

No Work done without the Will of God can reach the Kingdom of God; it is all but an unprofitable Imagery, or self-wrought Work, in this great Agitation of Mankind. For nothing is pleasing to God, but what He Himself does by the resigned Will, as His Instrument. For there is but one only God in the Essence of all Essences, and all that which works with Him in that Essence, is one Spirit with Him; but that which works in itself only, in its own Will, is in itself only, and not in His Dominion. It is indeed under that universal Dominion of Nature, whereby He holds subject to Him every Life, evil and good, but not under that special Divine Government in Himself, which comprehends the good only. Nothing is Divine which walks and works not in the Will of God.

Christ said, Every Plant which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted out and burned in the Fire. All the Works of Man, which he has wrought without the Will of God, shall be burnt up in the last Fire and given to the Wrath of God, namely to the Pit of Darkness to recreate itself withal. For Christ said, He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters. Whosoever works, and does it not in a resigned Will with Confidence in God, does but make desolate and scatter; it is not acceptable to God. For nothing is pleasing to Him but that which He wills with His Spirit, and does by His own Instrument.

Therefore, whatsoever is done by the Conclusions of human Self in Matters of Religion is a mere Fiction. It is Babel, and but a Work of the Stars, and of the outward World, and not acknowledged by God to be His Work. It is only the Play of the wrestling Wheel of Nature, wherein Good and Evil wrestle one with the other; what the one builds, the other destroys. And this is the great Misery of the vain Turmoilings of Men, the Issue whereof must be left to the Judgment of God.

Whosoever therefore stirrers or labors much in such Turmoilings, works but for the Judgment of God; for no whit of it is perfect and permanent. It must all be separated in the Putrefaction. For that which is wrought in the Anger of God will be received thereby, and kept in the Mystery of its Desire to the Day of God's Judgment, when Evil and Good shall be severed.

But if a Man turn and go forth from himself, and enter into the Will of God, then also that Good which has been wrought in and by him, shall be freed from the Evil which he has wrought. As Isaiah said, Though your Sins be as red as Scarlet, yet if you turn and repent, they shall become as Wool, yes, as white as Snow. For Evil shall be swallowed up in the Wrath of God in Death, and the Good shall spring forth as a Sprout out of the wild Earth.

Whosoever therefore that intends to do any good and perfect Work, wherein he hopes eternally to rejoice, let him depart from himself, namely from his own Desire, and enter into Resignation, into the Will of God, and work with God. And then though the earthly Desire of Self in Flesh and Blood cleaves to him, yet if the Will of the Soul does not receive that Desire into it, Self cannot perform any Work. For the resigned Will continually destroys the Substance of Self again, so that the Anger of God cannot reach it. And if it should happen to reach it sometimes, as may be the Case, yet the resigned Will prevails with its superior Power, and then it bears the Figure of a victorious Work in the Wonders, and may inherit the Filiation or Childship. Therefore it is not good to speak or do any Thing, when Reason is kindled in and by the Desire of Self. Because that Desire springs from, and works in, the Anger of God; by which a Man will suffer Loss. For his Work is brought into that Anger, and kept there to the great Day of God's Judgment.

Every evil or false Desire, whereby a Man devises how to gather to himself by Craft much worldly Gain from his Neighbor to his Neighbor’s Hurt, is taken into the Anger of God, and belongs to the Judgment. Wherein all Things shall be made manifest and every Power and Essence, every Cause and Effect, both in Good and Evil, shall be presented to every one in the Mystery of the Revelation.

All evil Works, done purposely, belong to the Judgment of God. But he that turns from the Will goes out from the Power of them, and those his Works belong to the Fire. All Things shall and must be made manifest in the End. For therefore God brought His working Power into Essence or Substance, that His Love and Anger might be made manifest, and become a Representation of His Deeds of Wonder, to His Glory.

And every Creature ought to know that it should continue in that Condition wherein it was created; otherwise it runs on in Contrariety and Enmity to the Will of God, and brings itself into Pain. For every intelligent Creature that has lost its Place or State wherein God first created it, is in Disorder and Misery, till it recovers the same. A Creature which is created out of Darkness has no Pain in the Darkness; as a venomous Serpent has no Pain from its Venom. The Venom is its Life; but if it should lose its Venom, and have some good Thing instead thereof brought into it, and be made manifest in its Essence, that would be Pain and Death to it. Thus Good is Torment to a Being whose Nature is evil, and Evil is in like Manner Pain and Death to the Good.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. (2Cor 4:16)

Those who learn to live by the grace of God are increasingly protected from discouragement. "Therefore we do not lose heart." This truth was touched upon in an earlier verse from this fourth chapter of 2 Corinthians. "Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart" (2Cor 4:1). The protection from discouragement there involved mercy and grace. Since we serve the Lord by mercy and grace (and not by our merit or by our resources), we have a built-in supply of heavenly encouragement available to us daily.

In our present verse, encouragement comes from the contrast between what is happening to the "outward man" and to the "inward man." The "outward man" is the physical person, which can be observed by human sight. This is generally the object of attention among the unredeemed (as well as among believers who are walking according to the flesh). This man is "perishing" because sin has impacted all of us. "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). Man began from dust. "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground" (Genesis 2:7). Due to sin, the outer, physical man is headed back toward that initial starting point. "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return" (Gen. 3:19). For those who do not know the Lord, this is a discouraging fact. They often strive desperately to prevent this inevitable process.

On the other hand, servants of new covenant grace are not discouraged by this fact. "Therefore we do not lose heart." It is true that our outer man is also perishing. Yet, we see a bigger picture than that. "Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." As our outer man is deteriorating, we are still encouraged, because our inner man can be in the process of renewal: "And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Col_3:10). As we are humbly seeking the Lord in His word, we are being changed, brought more and more into the newness of Christ: "Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2Cor 3:18).

Now when Sin is wrought in the Flesh, then the Wrath sports itself therewith, and catches at the resigned Will; and then the resigned Will cries to God for Deliverance from the Evil veil, and prays that God would remove the Guilt away from it, and bring Sin into the Center, namely into Death, that it might die.

Paul said further, Now, there is no Condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who are called according to the Purpose of God; that is, those who in that Purpose of God in which he first called Man, are again called in the same Calling, to stand again in that Purpose of God, wherein He originally created Man to be His Image and Likeness.

So long as Man's own Will stands in Self, vanity, so long it is not in the Purpose and Calling of God; it is not called, for it is gone forth from its original right Place; but when the Mind turns itself back again into the Calling, namely into Resignation, then the Will is in the Calling of God, that is, in the Place for and in which God created it, and then it has Power to become the Child of God again; as it is written, He has given us Power to become the Children of God.

The Power which He has given us is His Purpose, for and in which He created Man in His Image. This God has brought again into the human Nature, and has given Power to that Power to break the Head of Sin in the Flesh, namely, the Will and Desire of the Serpent; that is, the resigned Will in Christ treads upon the Head of the Desire of the sinful Will of the Serpent, and kills again the Sins which were committed. This Power that is given becomes a Death to sin and Death, and the Power of Life to Life.

Therefore no Man can make any Excuse, as if he could not will. Indeed, while he sticks fast in himself, in his own Desire, and serves only the Law of Sin in the Flesh, he cannot. For he is kept back, as being a Servant of Sin; but when he turns the Center of his Mind away, and directs it into the Will and Obedience of God, then he can.

Now the Center of the Mind is come out of Eternity, out of God's Omnipotence; it can bring itself into what it will, and whither it will. For that which is out of the Eternal, has no Law. But the Will has a Law to obey God, and is born out of the Mind, and must not rend itself away from that out of which God created it.

Now God created the Will of the Mind for and in Paradise, to be a Companion, with Him in the Kingdom of Divine Joy. It ought not to have removed itself from there; but since it has removed itself from there, God has brought His Will again into the Flesh, and in His new-brought-in Will, has given us Power to bring our Wills into it, and to kindle a new Light therein, and so to become His Children again.

God hardens no Man; but Man's own Will, which goes on in the fleshly Life of Sin, hardens his own Heart. The Will of Self brings the Vanity of this World into the Mind, which is thereby shut up, and continues so.

God, so far as He is called God, and is God, cannot will any Evil; for there is but one only Will in God, and that is Eternal Love, a Desire of that which is His Like, namely Power, Beauty, and Virtue found in His Grace.

God desires nothing but what is like His own Desire: His Desire receives nothing but what itself is.

God receives no Sinner into His Power and Virtue, unless the Sinner goes forth from his Sins, and enters with the Desire into God. And then, He will not cast out those that so come unto Him. He has given to the Will an open Gate in Christ, saying, Come to Me all you that are heavy laden with Sins, and I will refresh you; take My Yoke upon you, that is, the Cross of the Enmity in the Flesh. This was the Yoke of Christ, which he had to bear for the Sins of all Men. This Cross or Yoke the resigned Will must also take upon itself in the evil earthly sinful Flesh, and bear it after Christ in Patience and Hope of Deliverance. It must also continually break the Head of the Serpent, in and through Christ's Will and Spirit, and kill and destroy the earthly Will in God's Anger, not letting it rest on the soft Bed when Sin is committed, and thinking to forgiveness one Time or other.

No, no, the earthly Will grows strong, fat, and wanton upon this soft Bed, but as soon as the Light of God shines in the your soul, and shows Sin to you, the Will of your Soul must sink itself down into the Passion and Death of Christ, and wrap itself up close therein. It must take the Passion of Christ into its Possession, and be a Lord over the Death of Sin by the Death of Christ, and kill and destroy it in the Death of Christ.

The Will of Sin must die, though it is never so unwilling. Be at Enmity therefore with the voluptuous earthly Flesh; give it not what it would have; let it fast and suffer Hunger till its tickling ceases. Account the Will of the Flesh your Enemy, and do not do what the Desire in the Flesh wills, and then you shall bring a Death upon the deathful Property in the Flesh.

Regard not any Scorn of the World, as considering that it does but scorn thine Enemy, and that is become a Fool to it. Nay, do you thyself account it a Fool, which Adam caused you to possess, and made to be your false Heir. Cast out of the House the Son of the Bond-Woman, that strange Child which God did not give to be in the House of Life in Adam at the Beginning; for the Son of the Bond-Woman can not inherit with the Son of the Free-Woman.

The earthly Will is but the Son of the Bond-Woman. The Four Elements should have been Man's Servants, but Adam has brought them into the Sonship, or adopted them into himself. Therefore God said to Abraham, when he had opened the Covenant of the Promise in him, Cast out the Son of the Bond-Woman, for he shall not inherit with the Son of the Free. This Son of the Free is Christ, which God of His Grace has brought again into the Flesh for us, namely, a new or renewed Mind and spirit (that was dead as a seed), wherein the Will, namely the Eternal Will of the Soul, may draw and drink the Water of Life, of which Christ spoke, saying, Whosoever shall drink of this Water that I will give him, it shall spring up in him, and be a Fountain of eternal Life. This Fountain is the Renovation (regeneration) of the Mind or Will of the Soul, mans spirit.

Therefore I say that all Fictions and Devices to come to God by, let them have what Name so ever they will, which Men contrive and invent for Ways to God, are but lost Labor and vain Endeavors, without a new Mind. There is no other Way to God, but a new Mind, which turns from Wickedness, and enters into Repentance and God’s Grace. For the Sins it has committed which go forth from its Iniquity and enmity and wills it no more; but wraps its Will up in the Death of Christ, and with all Earnestness dies from the Sin of the Soul in the Death of Christ, so that it wills Sin no more.

And though all the Devils should press hard upon it, and enter with their Desire into the fleshly Mind, yet the Will of the Soul must stand still and hide itself in the Death of Christ, willing and desiring nothing but the Mercy of God and Grace of God.

No hypocritical Flattery or outward comforting ourselves avails at all; as when Men will cover Sin and Iniquity in the Flesh with the Satisfaction of Christ, while they remain in Self still. Christ said, except you turn and become as Children, you shall not see the Kingdom of God. The Mind must become as wholly new, as in a Child that knows nothing of Sin. Christ said also, you must be born anew, or else you shall not see the Kingdom of God. There must arise a Will wholly new in the Death of Christ and from that death to self-will or self love. It must be brought forth out of Christ's Incarnation or Entering into the Humanity, and rise in Christ's Resurrection.

Now before this can be done, the Will of the Soul must die in the Death of Christ; for in Adam it received the Son of the Bond-Woman that is Sin into it. This the Will must cast off in death, and the poor captive Soul must wrap itself up in the Death of Christ earnestly with all the Power it has, so that the Son of the Bond-Woman, namely the Sin that is in it may die in the Death of Christ.

In very deed Sin must die in the Will of the Soul, or else there can be no Vision of God. For the earthly Will, in Sin and the wrathful Nature, shall not see God. It is the regenerated Nature only that is capable of the Divine Vision or Enjoyment. The Soul must put on the Spirit and Flesh of Christ; it cannot inherit the Kingdom of God in this earthly Tabernacle. For the Kingdom of Sin hangs to it outwardly, this must putrefy in the Earth, and rise again in Christ by the new Power of God.

Hypocrisy, Flattery, and verbal Forgiveness, avail nothing. We must be Children, not by outward Imputation, but by being born of God from within, in the new Man, which is resigned in and to God.

All such Flattery of ourselves by saying, Christ has paid the Ransom, and made satisfaction for Sin, and that He died for our Sins, if we also do not die from Sin in Him, and put on His Merit in new Obedience, and live therein, is a false and vain Comfort.

He that is a bitter Enemy and Hater of Sin can and may comfort himself with the Sufferings of Christ. He that does not willingly see, hear, or taste Sin, but is at Enmity with it, and would willingly always do that which is well and right, if he knew but what he ought to do; such a one has indeed put on the Spirit and Will of Christ, and is His true Disciple and co-heir.

But the outward Flattery of being accounted a Child of God by Imputation or external Application is false and vain. The Work done in, or by, the outward Flesh only, does not make the Child of God; but the working of Christ in the Spirit makes, and indeed is, the Child of God. Which inward Working is so powerful that it shines forth as a new Light in the outward Life; and proves itself to be the Child of God by its external Conduct and Actions.

For if the Eye of the Soul is Light, then the whole Body is Light in all its Members. Now if any boast himself to be a Child of God, and yet suffers the Body to burn in Sins, he is no true Child, nor capable of the Inheritance; but lies bound by the Chains of Satan in gross Darkness. And if he does not find in himself an earnest and sincere Desire of Well-doing in Love, then his Pretence to the Childship is but an Invention of Reason proceeding from Self. He cannot see God, unless he is born a-new, and show forth by His Power and Life, that he is His true Child. For there is no Fire but has Light in it; and if the Divine Fire be in the Soul or spirit, it will shine forth, and the Mind will do that which God will have to be done.

But perhaps you will say, I have a Will indeed to do so; I would willingly do it, but I am so hindered that I cannot.

Nay, you vile Man, God draws you to be His Child, but you will not; the soft Cushion in Evil is dearer to you than to be so readily parted with. You prefer the Joy of Wickedness to the Joy of God. You are wholly swallowed up in Self still, and live according to the Law of Sin, and that hinders you. You are unwilling to die from the Pleasure of the Flesh, and therefore you are not in the Filiation. God draws you to it, but you yourself will not.

O how fine a Thing would Adam think it, if he might be taken into Heaven with this Will of the voluptuous Flesh about him, and have the Child of Wickedness, that is full of Deceit, set upon the Throne of God. Satan also would fain have had it so, but he was spewed out.

It is a troublesome Thing to mortify the evil Will; none are willing to do it. We would all gladly be the Children of God, if we might be so with this rough Garment of fallen Nature about us. But that cannot be. This World passes away, and the outward Life must die; what Good can the Adoption in the mortal Body of Flesh and Blood only do me?

If we would inherit the Filiation, we must also put on the new Man which alone can inherit it, as being like the Deity. God will have no Sinners in Heaven, but only such as are born a-new and become Children, and to have put on Heaven.

Therefore it is not so easy a Matter to become a Child of God, as Men imagine. Indeed, it is not a troublesome Thing to him that has put on the Filiation, whose Light shines; for it is Joy to such a one. But to turn the Mind and destroy Self, there is a strong and continued Earnestness requisite, and such a stout and steady Purpose, that if the Body and Soul should part asunder by it, yet the Will would persevere constantly, and not enter again into Self.

A Man must wrestle till the dark Center that is shut up tight, break open, and the Spark lying hid therein kindle and from thence the noble Lily-Branch sprouts, as from the divine Grain of Mustard-Seed as Christ said. A Man must pray earnestly, with great Humility, and for a while become a Fool in his own Reason, and see himself void of Understanding therein, until Christ be formed in this new Incarnation.

Then when Christ is born, Herod is ready to kill the Child, which he seeks to do outwardly by Persecutions, and inwardly by Temptations, to try whether this Lily-Branch will be strong enough to destroy the Kingdom of the Devil, which is manifested in the Flesh.

Then this Destroyer of the Serpent is brought into the Wilderness, after he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, and tempted and tried whether or not he will continue in Resignation to the Will of God. In which Temptation he must stand fast, that if Need require, he would leave all earthly Things, and even the outward Life, to be a Child of God.

No temporal Honor must be preferred before Filiation. But he must with his Will leave and forsake it all, and not account it his own, but esteem himself as a Servant only in it, who is to obey his Master. He must leave all worldly Propriety. We do not mean that he may not have or possess any Thing; but his Heart must forsake it, and not bring his Will into it, nor count it his own. For if he sets his Heart upon it, he has no Power to serve them that stand in Need with it.

Self is but a Slave to its temporal Possessions, but Resignation rules over all that it has. Self must do what Satan will have it do in fleshly Voluptuousness and Pride of Life; but Resignation treads it all under with the Feet of the Mind. Self despises that which is lowly and simple; but Resignation sits down with the lowly in the Dust. It said, I will be simple in myself, and understand nothing, lest my Understanding should exalt itself and sin. I will lie down in the Courts of my God at his Feet, that I may serve my Lord in that which he commands me. I will know nothing of myself, that the Will and Power of my Lord may lead and guide me, and that I may only do what God does through me, and will have done by me. I will sleep in myself until the Lord awakens me with His Spirit; and if He will not, then will I look up to Him in Silence, and wait His Commands.

Beloved, Men at this Time boast much of Faith; but where is it to be found? The modern Faith is but the History. Where is that Child which believes that Jesus is born? If that Child were in Being, and did believe that Jesus is born, it would also draw near to the sweet Child Jesus, and receive him and nurse him.

Alas! the Faith of this Day is but historical, a mere Assent to the matter of Fact that Jesus Christ lived and died; that the Jews killed Him; that He left this World, and is not King on Earth in the outward Man; but that Men may do what they list, and need not die from Sin, and their evil Lusts. All this the wicked Child Self rejoices in, that it may fatten Satan by living deliciously.

This shows plainly that true Faith was never weaker since Christ's Time, than it is now. When nevertheless the World cries aloud, and said, We have got the true Faith; and contend about a Child, with a Contention, than which there was never worse, since Men were on Earth.

If you are truly Zion, and have that new born Child which was lost and is found again, then let it be seen in Power and Virtue found only in God’s Grace. Let us all openly see the sweet Child Jesus brought forth by you, and that you are His Nurse. If not, then the Children in Christ will say, you have found nothing but the Cradle of the Child, that is, the History.

Where have you the sweet Child Jesus, you that are so exalted with the History, and with your false and seeming Faith? O how will the Child Jesus visit you one Day in the Father's Property, the Property of Anger, in your own flesh which you have fattened! It calls you now in Love, but you will not hear, for thine Ears are stopped with Covetousness and Voluptuousness. Therefore the Sound of the Trumpet shall one Day alarm you with the hard Thunder-clap of your flesh, and rouse you up, if haply you will then seek and find the sweet Child Jesus.

Beloved, this is a Time of seeking, of seeking and finding. It is a Time of Earnestness; whom it touches, it touches home. He that watches shall hear and see it; but he that sleeps in Sin, and said in the fat Days of his Belly, All is peace and quiet; we hear no Sound from the Lord, shall be blind. But the Voice of the Lord has sounded in all the Ends of the Earth, and a Smoke rises, and in the Midst of the Smoke there is a great Brightness and Splendor.

Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. (2Corinthians 4:4-5)

The enemy of men's souls wants to keep perishing people in spiritual blindness. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe." 2Corinthians 4:3-4. This counterfeit god is working on all unbelievers (even as he formerly did with us). "In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" Ephesians 2:2. His influence is so extensive. He works through every system (political, economic, educational, religion .. etc.) within the unbelieving world. "The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" 1John 5:19. The primary purpose of Satan's blinding activities is to keep those in darkness from seeing God's light: "Lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."

Into this dark and blinded world, we come with the message of light: "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Only the light of Jesus can overcome dead men, for all seed is dead until it is planted, watered and lights heat is applied. Our Lord proclaimed this wondrous remedy. "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness (spiritually dead man), but have the light of life" John 8:12. When the light of Jesus shines into man's darkness, it brings liberating life from God. Paul was sent out with this great gospel: "To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God" Acts 26:18.

We are also sent out as vessels of light. "You are the light of the world" Matthew 5:14. We are light, because Jesus (the true light and life) lives in, and can shine through, each of us. "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" Ephesians 5:8. We can show forth our Lord in deed and in word. As we allow Jesus, His glorious light shines through us. As we speak of Jesus, we declare His glorious majesty.

Remember, the light of the gospel is about the glory of Jesus: "The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ." Our message is not about us. "For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." We are but His servants. He is our message. He is the Lord over all. Thus, He is able to save from all that blinds and binds.

The following teachings are taken from writings found in the public domain with the following contributors the Holy Spirit, Pastor Bob Hoekstra, William Law and a few unknowns. All scriptures are taken from the King James Version, American Standard, and the Weymouth New Testament with limited editing.

Dispensational Teaching

    Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles, kings and Israel. But see, our Apostle of the Gentiles admonishes us to study all of the Scripture, not just Romans through Philemon. That’s the approach we have to take. The Apostle of the Gentiles writes: Rom 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.” Now, what’s the difference between learning and doctrine? Well, all the difference in the world. Learning is background. Learning is to get an understanding of how, did all this come about? How did it happen that Christ was crucified? How did it happen that He ascended back to Glory? How did it happen that He sent the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles? This is all background. But doctrine, what does that tell you? It tells us how to be saved, how to live the Christ like life, what to look for at the end of this time, so far as we are concerned. That’s in Paul’s letters. But all of Scripture is for our learning. Always remember that.


    The key to understanding scripture is knowing (understanding, having knowledge of) the distinct dispensations of God’s dealings with Adam, mankind, Israel, mankind (the Body of Christ), Israel again, tribulation period and then the Earthly Kingdom on into eternity. That there are two separate and distinct gospels; the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus preached in His earthly ministry to the nation of Israel only with a few exceptions, known as “the end of time” by the Jews, and which James, Peter, John, Jude and the book of Revelation speak of. That is carried out in their letters to the Jewish believers looking for Jacobs vexation to start at any time and is also known as the tribulation, which would bring to completion of the prophetic promises. Part of which took place in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple and the scattering of the Jews into the nations, it also ended the Priesthood, just as the Lord had foretold. These things happened just after Paul and Peter were both put to death around 68 AD.

    Gods Gospel of Grace and the finished work of the cross as given to Paul, the mysteries revealed to him by the risen Lord, for the Gentiles, kings and the sons of Israel. (Acts 9:15) With the mystical Body of Christ being a part of the mystery revealed to Paul and no one else [is this true?], these not hinted at by the prophets of Israel [or are they?]. Even though they sought the meaning of it, but it was not opened to their understanding during their time [they saw the days of Jesus Christ but weren't allowed to reveal them]. One other point just picked up on is that there are four instances of redemption in scripture they are: Adam lost then redeemed; Israel lost and then redeemed; Mankind lost and then redeemed; earth lost awaiting redemption.


    It is interesting to note that many people will read an article in the newspaper from beginning to end and interpret it on the basis of the normative meanings of the words, within the context, keeping in mind the who, what, why, where and when of it and the rules of logic so as to discover what the writer is actually saying and who he’s saying it to. But give that person a Bible and he will most likely trash this proven method of interpretation and deliberately violate God's intended message, imposing on each passage whatever he compels himself to believe. For upon careful examination of the Bible it is evident that the authors whom God inspired to write every word utilized normative rules of language, context and logic. In the absence of evidence anywhere that God's Word is to be interpreted with a specialized set of rules outside of what man would normatively expect and in view of the evidence that a strict adherence to normative rules of language, context and logic produces an inerrant and absolutely consistent interpretation, we must thereupon follow God's plan of how to interpret His Word which He holds in such high esteem - on a par with His holiness. So if God's truth is to be arrived at, then His sovereignty established method must be used, not one's own. (2 Corinthians 3:3-11) We are required to rightly divide the word to grain all truth and the knowledge and will of God as He has revealed all for our learning. What we'll find is the revelation of Jesus Christ and the meaning hidden in His name, of who He is, and who we are to be according to His plan.



    It takes time and discipline to dig into the text including repeated efforts. Most people read into the text by going elsewhere in the Bible or adding personal thoughts and conclusions that the text at hand just doesn't warrant instead of working hard to limit themselves to only what the text is saying - to what God is saying. That's why we have so many differing points of view about God's Word and so many denominations. Actually God's Word is very clear if you take the time to read it thoroughly one passage at a time - simply "listening" to what the author is saying and not adding your own thoughts to it. For example, if John did not see fit to address a certain point you feel is important, you must put that thought aside and listen to John because he was the one that was inspired by God to pen those words and he hasn't told you or me to go anyplace else in the Bible or outside the Bible to add those thoughts to his. Yes, you might argue that there are other passages that say more about it, but God did not tell you or me to be editors; we are to be honest listeners only. On the other hand, once one has done a thorough job of "listening" to what God is saying in a particular text, then it is of course okay to go to another text and thoroughly listen to it and compare with other passages. But to jump around from one passage to another is like cooking 10 meals at the same time, without ever thoroughly cooking or preparing any one meal completely. This creates indigestion, stomach pain and you miss the point or objective of the meal, the same as you would miss what God is saying in the passage.



    The places to go in order to find out what words in the Bible can mean are dictionaries and books on grammar and logic which set the rules of how words in the translated language may be used. The reason for this is that the Bible, which is a translation / interpretation by others of the original writings, is neither a dictionary, nor a grammar book nor a source of the rules of logic. It does not provide all the available meanings for a word which have been translated, nor rules of grammar and logic so that the reader can decide whether his translation and/or his interpretation of that translation is accurate. If you use the Bible translation as if it were a dictionary / grammar or logic book, you are in effect relying on the translators and/or on your interpretation of their translation which may not be correct. This causes error and false revelation.



*Dispensation: That which is dispensed or bestowed; a system of principles and rites enjoined; including the former, the Levitical law and rites (ordinances); the latter, the scheme of redemption in Christ.



"Dispensational Theology can be defined very simply as a system of theology which attempts to develop the Bible's philosophy of history on the basis of the sovereign rule of God. It represents the whole of Scripture and history as being covered by several dispensations of God's rule."

A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect to his obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. As God has dispensed to man what he needs to know and understand concerning God's word given to him.

Three important concepts are implied in this definition:

(1) a deposit of divine revelation concerning God's will, embodying what God requires of man as to his conduct

(2) man's stewardship of this divine revelation, in which he is responsible to obey it

(3) a time-period, often called an 'age or epoch,' during which this divine revelation is dominant in the testing of man's obedience to God.

    The dispensations are a progressive and connected revelation of God's dealings with man, given sometimes to the whole race and at other times to a particular people, Adam, Noah and Israel for example. These different dispensations are not separate ways of salvation. During each of them man is reconciled to God in only one way, viz, since Christ, by God's grace through faith in the work of Christ that was accomplished on the cross and vindicated in His resurrection. Before the cross, man was saved in prospect of Christ's atoning sacrifice, through believing the revelation thus far given him. Since the cross man has been saved by believing the Lord Jesus Christ in Whom revelation and redemption are consummated.

    On man's part the continuing requirement is obedience to the revelation of God. This obedience is a stewardship of faith. Although the divine revelation unfolds progressively, the deposit of truth in the earlier time-periods is not discarded; rather it is cumulative. Thus conscience (moral responsibility) is an abiding truth in human life (Rom. 2:15; 9:1; 2 Cor 1:12; 4:2), although it does not continue as dispensation. Similarly, the saved of this present dispensation are not under law as a specific test of obedience to divine revelation (Gal. 5:18; Gal. 2:16; 3:11), yet the law remains an integral part of the Holy Scriptures which, are profitable for training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 15:4). As the law of the new covenant is written on mans heart and minds as Jeremiah revealed in chapter 31. The New Covenant is revealed in Galatians and Hebrews as based on better promises with the LORD Jesus Christ is it's author/benefactor and mediator.

    The purpose of each dispensation, then, is to place man under a specific rule of conduct, but such stewardship is not a condition of salvation. In every past dispensation unregenerate man has failed, and he has failed in this present dispensation and will in the future. But salvation has been and will continue to be available to him by God's grace through trusting in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ's faith. As it does not require the workings of man, to work up faith in some mysterious way, but rather simply trusting in Christ Jesus and what He revealed and is revealing to those who by freewill choice become receptive of His grace and truth.

Nine dispensations are distinguished in the Bible dealing with man, as there are also nine epochs of time:

A.) Innocence (Gen 1:28);

B.) Conscience or Moral Responsibility (Gen 3:7);

C.) Human Government (Gen 8:15);

D.) Promise (Gen 12:1);

E.) Law (Ex 19:1) to Israel put into suspension;

F.) Age of Grace or Church Age (Acts 2:1) until the mystical Body of Christ is removed;

G.) God’s dealing again resumes with Israel and mankind during Jacobs vexation or tribulation period (7 years);

H.) Kingdom Age or Millennium reign (Rev 20:4);

I.) Eternity totally free from all sin and death.

    The word which is translated dispensation in the New Testament is oikonomia, from which the English word economy is derived. The New Testament word is a combination of two words - oikos, which means house and nemo, which means to dispense, manage, or hold sway. Thus, the word literally means house dispensing or house managing. From which we get steward and stewardship as these are often interchangeable.

It relates primarily to household administration or stewardship of a household.

    The English word dispensation sometimes refers to the system by which things are administered and 'the divine administration of conduct of the world.’ Theologically it is 'A religious order or system, conceived as divinely instituted, or as a stage in a progressive revelation, expressly adapted to the needs of a particular nation, a person or period of time.

The English word economy in its theological usage refers to the method of the divine government of the world, or of a specific department or portion of that government.

    The word oikonomia appears nine times in the New Testament. In six of these appearances (Luke 16:2-4; 1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2; Col. 1:25) it is translated stewardship or dispensation and refers to a responsible office or ministry entrusted to one's care by a higher authority. In the other three appearances (Eph 1:10; 3:9; 1 Tim. 1:4) it is translated dispensation, fellowship, and edifying in the King James Version and administration in the New American Standard Bible. In these three passages it refers to a particular way of God's administering His rule over the world. Ephesians 1:10 is of special interest, for it appears to refer to the particular way that God will administer His rule in the coming Millennium (the Millennial Dispensation). Ephesian 3:9 and 1Timothy 1:4 refer to the particular way that God administers His rule now (the present dispensation, Church Age).

    In light of the usage of the word for dispensation in the New Testament, the term dispensation as it relates to Dispensational Theology could be defined as a particular way of God's administering His rule over the world as He progressively works out His purpose for world history.

In order for each dispensation to be distinct from all other dispensations, it must have three essential characteristics.

1) IT MUST HAVE A PARTICULAR WAY OF GOD'S ADMINISTERING HIS RULE: Each dispensation is characterized by a unique ruling factor or combination of ruling factors.

2) IT MUST INVOLVE A PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAN: Each dispensation makes man responsible to obey God in accordance with its unique ruling factor or combination of factors.

3) IT MUST BE CHARACTERIZED BY DIVINE REVELATION WHICH HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN BEFORE: In order for man to know God's new way of ruling and his new responsibility, he must have these things revealed to him. Each new dispensation requires new revelation from God.

The fact that each new dispensation involves a newly revealed responsibility for man indicates that each dispensation also has three secondary characteristics.

1) EACH DISPENSATION APPLIES A TEST TO MAN: The nature of the test is whether or not man will perfectly obey God's rule by fulfilling the responsibility which is characteristic of that dispensation.

2) EACH DISPENSATION DEMONSTRATES THE FAILURE OF MAN TO OBEY THE PARTICULAR RULE OF GOD WHICH CHARACTERIZES THAT DISPENSATION.

3) EACH DISPENSATION INVOLVES DIVINE JUDGMENT BECAUSE OF MAN'S FAILURE

In order to understand the approach of Dispensational Theology to the Bible's philosophy of history, several important points of clarification must be taken into consideration.

1) THE DIFFERENT DISPENSATIONS ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF GOD'S ADMINISTERING HIS RULE OVER THE WORLD. THEY ARE NOT DIFFERENT WAYS OF SALVATION. Throughout history God has employed several dispensations but only one way of salvation. Salvation has always been by the grace of God through faith... [Alone, in Christ alone]

2) A DISPENSATION IS NOT AN AGE OF HISTORY, EVEN THOUGH A DISPENSATION MAY COVER THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS AN AGE. A dispensation is a particular way of God's administering His rule, but an age is a particular period of time, an epoch.

3) A DISPENSATION MAY INVOLVE A PARTICULAR WAY OF GOD ADMINISTERING HIS RULE OVER ALL OF MAN KIND, OR OVER ONLY ONE SEGMENT OF MANKIND. For example, the Dispensation of Human Government was over all of mankind, but the Dispensation of the Mosaic Law was over only the nation of Israel.

4) A NEW DISPENSATION MAY CONTINUE OR DISCONTINUE SOME RULING FACTORS OF PREVIOUS DISPENSATIONS, BUT IT WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE NEW RULING FACTOR NEVER INTRODUCED BEFORE. Dispensational Theologians normally name each new dispensation after the new ruling factor or factors. Examples would be:

a.) age of mans innocence

b.) age of mans conscience

c.) age of human government (this is still governing man)

e.) the age of promise

f.) the age of Mosaic Law

g.) the age of Grace or the church age

h.) Jacobs vexation or the tribulation period of seven years

i.) the kingdom age or the millennial age

k.) eternity

5) EACH NEW DISPENSATION DEMANDS NEW REVELATION. GOD MUST REVEAL HIS NEW WAY OF RULING AND MAN'S NEW RESPONSIBILITY NEAR THE BEGINNING OF EACH DISPENSATION. Since Dispensational Theology recognizes several successive dispensations, it has a strong concept of progressive revelation. As the Hebrew name EHYEH may mean … The ever revealing One or the One to be reveals continually, the sacred name removed or hidden from view and not to be spoken. (Exodus 3:14)

The following are the Bible dispensational periods with rules and factors; in each period God’s test of man is to obey His revealed truth in the way He made available for him.

Dispensational Periods:


A.) Age of Innocence Genesis 1:26-3:24:

Man as a divine being held a favorable disposition with God his creator. Gen. 1:28-29, 2:15-17, 24

Governing rules:

a.) be fruitful,

b.) rule over the creation,

c.) plants are for food,

d.) care for the garden,

e.) must not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil,

f.) marital unity

The test is to Obey God

Man failed and lost his divine spiritual condition and standing with God, he died to God in that he became enmity towards God. Gen. 3:15 Thereby placing all of humanity under the law of sin and death.



B.) Age of Conscience Genesis 4-8:18:

Conscience and the Holy Spirit restrain man Gen. 3:5, 2:2; 6:3; Rom. 2:14-15

Governing rules:

a.) man is enmity (due to lawlessness, rebellion, disobedience) toward God Gen. 3:15, 4:7,

b.) woman has pain and trouble in child birth Gen. 3:16,

c.) woman is to desire her husband and he is to rule over her Gen. 3:16, Ehp. 5:22,

d.) the ground is cursed Gen. 3:17,

e.) man’s food is from the cursed earth Gen. 3:18-19,

f.) man is to till the ground in labor Gen. 3:18-19,

g.) man will return to the earth, decay Gen. 3:19

The test is to Obey God

Man fails Gen. 6:5



C.) Age of Human Government Genesis 8:20-11:32:

Conscience, the Holy Spirit to restrain, government a human agency to administer Gen. 9:5-6; Rom. 2:14-15; 2 Thess. 2:7 it is a restraint against lawlessness Gen. 9:1-17; Rom. 13:1-7

Governing rules:

a.) man is to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth Gen. 8:17, 9:1,

b.) no more destruction by flood Gen. 8:21, 9:8-17,

c.) the earth now has fixed cycles, seasons that will not change Gen. 8:22,

d.) all creatures are given fear of man Gen. 9:3,

e.) man can not eat blood of anything Gen. 9:4,

f.) capital punishment is the rule, a life for a life Gen. 9:5-6

The test is to Obey God

Man fails Gen. 11:4



D.) Age of Promise: Genesis 12-Exodus 18: Abram to Moses

Ruling factor: Conscience, the Holy Spirit to restrain, Human government, and a special dealing;

Gal. 3:15-22; Heb. 6:13-15; 11:8-30, Promises to Abram Gen. 12:2-3, 13:14-17, 15, 17:1-2, 22:16-18

Governing personal promises:

a.) to bless Abram/Abraham,

b.) to make his name great,

c.) many physical descendants,

d.) to be the father of a multitude of nations,

e.) promised the lands of Canaan as an ever lasting possession,

f.) God will bless them that bless him and curse those who curse him.

Then to Israel as a nation:

a.) to make its name great,

b.) to give the lands of Canaan to it,

c.) Abrahams covenant is given as an everlasting covenant. Gen 17:13

Then a universal promise:

a.) to bless all nations through Abrahams descendants,

b.) that the redeemer would come through Israel.

Governing rules:

a.) a great nation and other nations Gen. 12:2, 17:5,

b.) blessed by God and a great name Gen. 12:2,

c.) bless those who bless and curse those who curse Gen. 12:3,

d.) all families to be blessed Gen. 12:3,

e.) his descendants to possess the land for ever Gen. 13:15,

f.) Ishmael to cause trouble and have troubles Gen. 16:12,

g.) all males are to be circumcised Gen. 17:10.

The test is to Obey God

Failed and brought divine judgment



E.) Mosaic Law : Moses to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection to ascension: Exodus 19-Acts 1:11:

Ruling factors: Conscience, the Holy Spirit to restrain, Human government, Abrahams promises, the Mosaic Law and ordinances, an external moral restrainer. Gal. 3:23-25 The revelation is given Exodus 20-Deuteronomy.

Governing rule:

a.) a detailed law of God Ex. 19-Deut. 34,

b.) for Israel the nation Ex. 19:5-8,

c.) Obedience equals blessings Ex. 19:5-6; Lev. 26:3; Deut. 28:1-4, 29:9,

d.) Disobedience equals punishment Lev. 26:14-26; Deut. 11:10-17, 28:9,

e.) Israel separated as a holy nation to God as priests Ex. 19:5-6, 34:14,

f.) restoration promised when they return to the Lord and obey Deut. 30:2-9,

g.) Promised a future King and Kingdom Deut. 30:3-9; 1 Samuel 7:12-16,

h.) strict dietary laws Lev. 3:17, 11:2-47:7 a national sign, a Day of Rest Ex. 31:13-17, 35:2-3

The test is to Obey God

They failed Jer. 31:32, Eze. 16; Acts 2:22-24 and many others

Gods Judgment: Israel returned Ezra 9:8, Israel taken again into captivity Dan. 9:2, Jer. 25:11-12; Lev. 25:3-9, Israel restored, Israel scattered into the nations this took place around AD 70 after the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. Lev. 26:34-35; 2 Chr. 36:21 All has been placed in suspension by God until the fullness of the Gentiles come in, this was not revealed before any where. Though the prophets searched for the meaning but were held back from finding it out. Daniel was told to close the book and John is Revelation was told to eat the scroll as this Age was not to be understood by them.



    Jesus fulfilled the requirements of all righteousness, paid the requirement of the law and the Law as an innocence Son of man and Son of God by His Blood, His death is proven by the requirement of three days in the earth, His resurrection in the body without sins decay and to prove to Israel that their King was indeed alive. He ascended to His place in glory to await Israel’s total acceptance of Him as their King, thereby starting the Jacobs vexation of promise a seven year period for disobedience. This Israel is still looking for as well as their King. (1 Cor. 15:25, 27; Heb 9:20, 13:20; John. 17:19)

"Although the grace of God was functioning throughout Old Testament times, it began to function in a new sense as a result of the ministry of Jesus Christ in His first coming. John indicated this when he wrote, "the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" John 1:17. John appeared to be making this new function of grace parallel with the function of the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law never functioned as a way of salvation Gal. 2:16, but it did function as a rule of life, a ruling factor. In light of this, John is saying that grace began to function as a rule of life, a ruling factor, as a result of Christ’s ministry in His first coming...

...Other passages indicate that grace began to function as a ruling factor as a result of Christ’s ministry. Paul wrote to believers in the present (sixth) dispensation, "You are not under the law but under grace" Rom. 6:14. In this passage the function of grace which Paul had in mind is parallel with the function of the Mosaic Law. In other words, grace has now taken over the function which the Mosaic Law had in the previous dispensation. As noted earlier, the Mosaic Law never functioned as a way of salvation, but it did function as a ruling factor. Thus, the function of grace which Paul had in mind in this passage is that of a ruling factor. This is indicated further by the word “under” which implies being under rule or authority, power. Paul was saying that believers in the present dispensation are now under grace rather that the Mosaic Law, as a ruling factor. Thus, while grace continues to function as the way of salvation (salvation's first action is our total redemption, healing) during this present (sixth) dispensation, it has assumed the additional function of a ruling factor as a result of Christ’s ministry in His first coming.

    In Titus 2:11-12 Paul indicates that one of the functions of the Grace of God is that of "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." The word teaching means to "practice discipline, correct, give guidance" there is no room for a different opinion here. Thus, Paul was saying that grace practices discipline over believers for the purpose of prompting them to reject a godless lifestyle and to adopt a godly one (this is all a produce of Grace at work from within the receptive one). Paul stated that the grace of God is functioning as a ruling factor in this present world. The word which is translated world means age. Grace is the ruling factor which uniquely characterizes the dispensation during this present age...

[The sixth dispensation (this time frame that we find ourselves in) extends from the day of Pentecost, Acts chapter 2, to the Departure, 1 Thes 4:13-18; 2 Thes 2:1-12 and includes Mt 27:57; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:50 and John 19:31. Romans through Philemon]

...Israel clearly demonstrated man’s inability to obey God on the basis of the five ruling factors (including the external Mosaic Law) of the fifth dispensation. Thus, God began a sixth dispensation by instituting His grace as a new ruling factor.


F.) Warning, Warning! There is no Mosaic Law functioning during the Age of God’s Grace as there is no means of Salvation contained in it Gal. 2:16. It only functioned as a ruling factor for Israel during its period as a tutor or school master to reveal mans need for salvation by means of redemption, which ended With Christ’s first Advent and ministry to Israel Gal. 3:19, 23-25; Rom. 6:14; 1 Cor. 9:20; Gal. 5:4. It will however be reinstituted when the Body of Christ is removed which triggers Jacob’s vexation or the tribulation and the revealing of the lawless.



Age of Grace: a spiritual stewardship and ministry 1 Peter 4:10; Rom. 12:6; Gal. 2:9

Ruling factors: conscience; Human government; the Holy Spirit; and Grace is the ruling factor for life, with special revelation given by God for this dispensation only. It is completely separated from another dispensation. Grace practices discipline over/in believers for the purpose of rejecting a Godless life style in order to adopt a Godly one, in Christ likeness in this present World or Age, until the departure of the Spiritual mystical Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:45-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Thess. 2:1-12; with Mat. 27:57; Mark. 15:42; Luke. 23:50 and John. 19:31 It is by Faith and Grace with Love alone as its rules of Obedience to God. There is neither: ceremonial, moral or civil law; as the Mosaic Law was to Israel Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 3:3-11; Heb. 8:8-12; the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 6:19-20. Within each grouping or assembly there is a remnant that belongs to the LORD, as a mystical part of His Body called the Church of God or God’s family. Who live in the kingdom rule of God while in the fleshly body while on earth, though their citizenship is in heaven, they are God’s ambassadors with the message of reconciliation. They with the Holy Spirit in them hold the evil one and his minions at bay during this Church Age.

Ruling factors under Grace: human conscience, the restraint of the Holy Spirit, human government, promise, plus Grace, with God’s Law written in the heart of man, Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 3:3-11; Heb. 8:8-12, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, 1 Cor. 6:19-20. Given to all by God’s special revelation for this church age known by God’s Grace and published by the Risen Lord in Paul. It is revealed in the latter part of the book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles. All unsaved Jews and gentiles are able to receive the gift of Grace and righteousness through Faith in the Resurrected Christ.

The Church is to fulfill the Great Commission, to maintain a pure membership, to disciple unruly members, to prevent false teachings from existing within it, and to contend earnestly for the True Faith. It is to reveal all error and false worship and is given charge to maintain a pure sanctified body.

The individual believers are to live sensible, Godly lives, to be associated with a local church, to evangelize and make disciples and to use spiritual gifts properly. They are to be one with the risen LORD, as He fills them with His Spirit, essence, in the person of the Holy Spirit and they begin to take on the character of Jesus Christ as He works in them and through them again.

Secondary Rules governing human behavior:

a.) Acts 1:8 those who obey are given power to witness 1 Cor. 1:17; Gal. 1:6- 9,

b.) Acts 1:8 sealed by and indwelt by God-live a spiritual life 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Gal. 4:6, 5:16-26; Eph.1:13-14, 5:9,

c.) Acts 1:11 Christ to take out the mystical Body/Family of God 1Corinthians 15:45-58; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13,

d.) Mat. 28:19-20 church/family to disciple Gal. 2:4; Eph. 4:11-16; 2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:4,

e.) Acts 15:29 abstain from idolatry Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 12:1- 31; Heb. 10:25,

f.) abstain from fornication 1 Cor. 5 and 7; Eph. 5:3; Heb. 13:4,

g.) sanctity of life 1Thess. 5:23; John 17; Eph. 5.

The test is to Obey God at all costs.

The Churches of organized Christendom have failed; they do not fulfill the Great Commission, as the Hebrews of the followers of Jesus failed in this just after His first Advent. It fails to maintain a pure membership. It fails to discipline unruly members, it does not contend for the True Faith, it does not keep the word pure nor does it operate according to God’s revealed Gospel of Grace. It is corrupt.

The individual believers do not always live sensible, Godly lives, associate with a local church.

Evangelize and make disciples. Nor do they use spiritual gifts properly.

So far man has failed (Israel, Islam, Christendom and the nations of natural humanity) because it is all mans sufficiency at work without obedience to Gods rule of truth revealed. 2 Cor. 3:3-18; Heb. 10:29 This failure brings God’s judgment and chastisement, God chastens and even brings premature physical death because of disobedience. Acts 5:1-6; 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 11:27-32; Heb. 12:5-13; 1 John 5:16 Because the church as we know it is corrupt in that it is guilty of pagan worship by the acceptance of false deities and their worship as it's normal practice and doctrine.



G.) The Mosaic Law resumes after the Age of Grace is closed (Acts 2:19-20) Daniels final week picks up and God starts dealing again with Israel and the surrounding nations to complete prophecy with the continuation from Daniels sixty-ninth week. Then comes Jacob’s vexation or tribulation period of seven years. God has removed His mystical Body of Christ, His Church of which He is the Head as He fills all in all. Jesus Christ pours out the wrath upon Israel, the nations of the world and the earth. Then in the last three and a half years both Jesus Christ the LORD and Satan pour out wrath upon the earth and what is left of mankind. This brings the earth back as it was before the flood and restores it as the seals are opened on the title deed by the Son of God.



H.) The Millennial Kingdom of King Jesus Christ runs for a period of one thousand years, after this time
the King will judge all unbelievers and disobedient from Adam to this time, with their final stop the lake of fire with the anti-Christ, the lawless, wicked and false prophet and Satan.



The following is quoted from Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible page 59 column 1 note on
dispensation says: ‘When these dispensations are understood, then God’s plan for man as a whole becomes clear. Each dispensation has its own particular beginning and ending; each is characterized by distinctive principles of God’s dealings; each has a favorable beginning; a definite test; and each ends in failure and judgment, except the final and eternal one. Nothing but confusion can a rise from reading certain meanings into scripture that do not apply to a particular age. In each, God has a definite and different immediate purpose, all working toward the ultimate purpose of ridding the universe of all rebellion so that all free moral agents will be willingly and eternally subject to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, as originally planned, with God all in all forever.” (1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21-22)


“In one age there may be some part that may apply to another age, but to force the purpose of God to be the same in every age would be to distort scripture and confuse the understanding. One should study the history of each period carefully, and the prophecies given in each that predict some definite change in God’s dealings or plan of God, as revealed in all scripture. Then, the student can see from God’s standpoint the many purposes and plans for free moral agents who prove worthy of eternal trust.” (Eph. 2:7; 3:11)



2Corinthians 3:3-11 For all can see that you are a letter of Christ entrusted to our care, and written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the ever-living God--and not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets. Such is the confidence which we have through Christ in the presence of God; not that of ourselves we are competent to decide anything by our own reasoning’s, but our competency comes from God. It is He also who has made us competent to serve Him in connection (ministers/stewards) with a New Covenant of Grace, which is not a written code but a Spirit; for the written code inflicts death, but the Spirit gives Life. If, however, the service that proclaims death--its code being engraved in writing upon stones--came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily on the face of Moses because of the brightness of his face--a vanishing brightness; will not the service of the Spirit be far more glorious? For if the service which pronounces doom had glory, far more glorious still is the service which tells of righteousness. For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect that it pales before the glory which surpasses it. For if that which was to be abolished (the Law with ordinances and commandment) came with glory, much more is that which is permanent arrayed in glory.

Now we are beginning to see God's plan more clearly, but a word of warning the Bible has become contaminated by man in his efforts to hide or conceal the truth of their hypocrisy, by the changing of the names of God to those used by the pagans. This took place during Israel's captivities in Egypt and then again during their first bondage, captivity in Babylon and the mingling of Paleo-Hebrew or what is called or known as the Aramaic language. This practice has been carried on through by the original Bible translators, so we must of necessity be the more diligent in our research, so we don't continue in the deception.

What Does God Require of Us?

    It was just before dawn when we all got up, and it seems that we all started talking at the same time about the same scriptures, as we all had the same thoughts during the night. So we dug out our notes and Bibles to be armed for action....we gathered around the fire as it was still a bit chilly in the early morning air. We started just before where we had left off and here is what we all came up with during the night:

Here we have the wiles or cunning of the Devil. Here's where they come from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

2Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

2Corinthian 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his

devices.

From here on is what was added during the nights sleep:

Matthew 4:1-11a Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward a hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, if you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, If you be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, it is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord your God. Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him.

Galatians 1:3-10 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

      I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ (this is not found in the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 &2 Peter, 1, 2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation). But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel (the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation) to you than that which we have preached to you (Acts 11 through Philemon), let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (See Revelation 12:9)

     Acts is a letter of transition from the Old Testament of God's dispensational dealings with Israel on their time line into the New dispensation of God’s dealing with Humanity during this Church Age or the Age of God's Grace. The letter to the  Hebrews we found out is a letter of persuasion for the Jews who changed from a works and a separatist theology to a faith plus nothing theology. It exposes the New Covenant of God's grace as found in the face of Jesus Christ the risen LORD and King of Israel. Not to mention their spiritual idolatry or whoredom with the gods of the nations and their economy. 

    Now Peter has some very interesting and powerful things to say in 2 Peter 3:15, which gives us some more understanding though his letter was written to the scattered Jewish believers that were waiting for the Jewish tribulation to start at any time, and he said:  

2Peter 3:15-18 "And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (the letter to the Hebrews) according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, (the letters to the Romans through Philemon) which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
     But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believe. 

   

    These were the scriptures that were running through our thoughts all night, but what to do with them, that was our question. We were hoping that the old guy would be at his work later this morning, maybe he could help us understand these things. As none of us fully understood them as we were taught the Old Covenant was for us and that all that we had to believe was John 3:16 and in that Jesus had died and risen. That this is our salvation and we were told to stay away from Paul's letters as we were not meant to understand them and they would only led us to err and confusion.

    Now we had more questions to ask, such as, what is the gospel of grace, what is the new covenant of grace, how do we receive the promises of God and under what conditions. Boy the guys just through more questions that I could make note of, hope the old guy is back to work, we need help and answers.

What God Requires of Us, cont E

    After a long day with the old man we finally made our way back to the auto. While walking back we decided to pitch our tents and stay the night along the road side where we had parked. Because we had gotten into a good discussion about what the old guy had said and we wanted to possibly find him again on the morrow and maybe find out more. After dinner we gathered around our fire with our Bibles and some other books that we had carried with us, in order to dig a little further into what we had learned from the old guy. Some of us also had flashlights to share. So we began:

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

Jesus said in Mark 13:21-23 "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For THERE WILL RISE UP false Christs and false PROPHETS, DISPLAYING SIGNS AND PRODIGIES with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People, the elect. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.”

Now comes the question of how could He have warned us of this? Let us learn something from 1 Kings 22:22 as the Old Testament after all is meant for our learning and instruction only. To set the stage we need to see who are the ones talking, so look at verse 2

1Kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (Ahab husband of Jezebel, was king of Israel at that time. Why does it say that he, Jehoshaphat, came down, when Israel consisted of the ten northern tribes.).  

1Kings 22:13-14  And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD said to me, that will I speak.       
(All the prophets gave good reports to the kings, but one, Micaiah.)

1Kings 22:15-18 So he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, these have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? 

1Kings 22:19-23 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand (strength) and on his left (iniquity). The LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.  The LORD said to him, wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and has the LORD spoken evil concerning you?

Now this is for our understanding. Who was it that sent the lying spirit? The “LORD” did, why? because of Israel’s backslidden condition. Ahab was and evil man, he stood by while his wife did all manor of evil. Ahab only followed what his priests were already allowing in the temples of God their in the northern kingdom. Let us take a close look at and upright man and a just man….Job.

Job 1:7-12 And the LORD said to Satan, Where are you coming from? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for naught? Have you made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon him put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.  

God, in order for us to get the picture, repeats this in chapter 2 again for our learning and instruction.

Job 2:3-6 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you move me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.

Why do you suppose that these scriptures are written for us?

    For the mystery of lawlessness does already work: only there is one that restrains now, until he (the mystical Body of Christ should be capitalized here “He” or maybe church should be used) is taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one (the anti-Christ or false prophets, all in iniquity, the wicked as these all are storing up wrath unto the day of wrath), whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: ...that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

1Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Corinthians 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); {sight here means any of our five natural senses as they require a sign, wonder or miracle..ie. for the earthy to believe and what do they believe, a lie.}

Now to clear the air we’ll take a scripture from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

2Corinthians 4:1-7 Therefore, being engaged in this service and being mindful of the mercy which has been shown us, we are not cowards. Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God's Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience. If, however, the meaning of our Good News has been veiled, the veil has been on the hearts of those who are on the way to perdition, in whom the god of this present age has blinded their unbelieving minds so as to shut out the sunshine of the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God.  (For we do not proclaim ourselves, but we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord of the resurrection and a live from the dead, and ourselves as your bondservants for the sake of Jesus, who was put to death in mans flesh.) For God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," is He who has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory, which is radiant on the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us.

So what does the word "wiles" mean? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: WILE, n. A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice. v.t. To deceive; to beguile.

Thayer’s says: Thayer's Definition: Strong’s # G3180 wiles

1) cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery

Part of Speech: noun feminine

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G3326 and G3593 [compare “method”]

What is method? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: METH'OD, n. [L. methodus; Gr. with, and way.]

1. A suitable and convenient arrangement of things, proceedings or ideas; the natural or regular disposition of separate things or parts; convenient order for transacting business, or for comprehending any complicated subject. Without method, business of any kind will fall into confusion. To carry on farming to advantage, to keep accounts correctly, method is indispensable.

We have to turn to Strong’s # 3326:  met-ah'

A primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly denoting accompaniment; “amid” (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive case association, or accusative case succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 or G1537 and G1519 or G4314; less intimate than G1722, and less close than G4862): - after (-ward),X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-) on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-) to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.

These definitions above can all be found in Genesis 3:1  Look in The Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary/Concordance. The Hebrew definition here is numbered H6175:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle (H6175) than any beast of the field which Elohim God had made. And he said to the woman, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” 

H6175  

        ערוּם

‛ârûm

aw-room'

Passive participle of H6191; cunning (usually in a bad sense): - crafty, prudent, subtil.

H6191

ערם

‛âram

aw-ram'

A primitive root; properly to be (or make) bare; but used only in the derived sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) bo be cunning (usually in a bad sense): -  X very, beware, take crafty [counsel], be prudent, deal subtly.

Here we have the wiles or cunnings of the Devil. This is where it is coming from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

That sounds like what the old guy told us. Even down to the meaning of the trees and the tombs. Boy, that has really given us something to sleep on. 

What God Requires of Us cont D

    As we were sitting listening to the old mans stories of the false prophets we noticed that there was a number of trees that had been cut down and there was one tree, rather large that looked as if it were dying from what looked like the top down and that there was a smaller tree nearby that was full of life and some taller trees also full of life. When the old fellow paused to take a deep breath we asked him about the trees. He said that the ones that had been cut down were from the Old Testament times and that they were reminders of God's dealings with people in His dispensations and epoches. Naturally we wanted to know more as we had not heard about such things in our college days nor in our classes on theology or philosophy. These were strange words and we did not know their meaning.
    The old guy explained that during the old times God set standards for each people group that He dealt with and that each had basic rules or orders of conduct to follow with its own limits or penalties for not following the rules. This was the meaning of dispensation, he said you see it is like buying an ice cream cone, the man behind the counter dispenses to you what flavor and the amount that you request. He said that we set the standard for the dispensing out in that case, if we did not we could have the whole thing. Now he said that the epoch is a word meaning a set time or a set season, its limited in starting and limited in ending, in other wards it is preset and it will not start before nor end before the limit.
    Now he said as for the trees, there are seven that had been cut down. The first one was for the beginning of man, the next for Israel, then the four kingdoms (Babylon, Persians-Medians, Grecian, Romans), the fifth was for the (Romans now silent or sleeping) time of the gentiles (the Church Age not revealed to any of the old testament saints, though the prophets searched for its meaning.) this one is the one dying from the top down (as it is nearing its end and has been corrupted by the false prophets and teachers since Satan took upon himself the form of an angel of light and has been deceiving even the elect into believing a lie, you see it is actually dead on the inside.), these last two are still growing and are bright green and they stand for the tribulation period, and the millennium (with a great war at its end, between Satan and his forces against the King Jesus Christ) then the judgment and then on into eternity.
    So again who are the false prophets in those tombs? Are they the old or the new? He said they are made up of them both. Now what about that small tree, what is it? He said that it is for the mystical Body of Christ as it belongs to Him because He is its Head and that those who are a part of Him make up its form. He also said that it is so small because there are not a lot of members that form it and make it up, only a few are grafted into Him. He said that he could not reveal why or how or where the ones came from that became a members of the body, it was a mystery to him.
    As the day was getting well spent and we needed to get back to our auto and some food we decided to leave off with our conversation with the old guy, but asked if we could return as we had more questions than we had answers from him. All he said was that today was the day of our salvation and that we were not guaranteed tomorrow, what ever that meant.

What God Requires of Us cont C

    Today it is raining outside and the sound is wonderful, though it means that I'll not get my walk and inspiration for today, or will I?
    Yesterday, the Lord gave me more insight to our travelers and the situations that they'll encounter along the road.
    Seems like our group is made up of six or more individuals from many walks of life and varying backgrounds. It also sounds like their trip is all but non eventful. Seems like they'll met up with many interesting people and situations even before they get turned around and headed in the right direction. My problem is that I'm not sure just who they encounter first maybe that does not really matter, we'll see. (pause to listen)
    Seems like they just pulled over into a turn about along the side of the roadway, maybe having some kind of trouble with the auto. No, someone wants to turn around and head back in the right direction and there seems to be a heated debate going on among them. Remember that there are no warning signs except the one way arrow that they had already passed and a few autos heading in the other direction sometime back. Other than that all looks like a quiet country lane. (pause to listen)
    Someone just spotted someone in the distance painting some boulders along the side of what looks like a bluff. The boulders are round and appear to be leaning against the bluffs side. It seems strange because they are all being painted white. Our party is heading to get a closer look and to see what all this may mean. Here's a path heading towards the bluff, now here's a road bed it does not seem to be used much as the grass is long and uncut. Cresting a small knoll now looking forward down the road bed, we can see a sign it looks like this place is an old graveyard of sorts. There does not appear to be any gravestones or headstones or markers. Just an old man painting the boulders with white wash. He is turning now our way and he sees us for the first time, he's heading this way, what is it he is saying?? "Keep clear...these are graves full of dead mans bones and this is defiled ground, stay away, stay away." He's coming our way maybe we can find out what this is all about. (pause waiting listening)
    The old man is now just feet away from us. What are you doing? What does all this mean? What are those boulders for that you are painting? Why this stone wall? and a hundred more questions start coming from our mouths... He motions for us to stop questioning him....He tells us that this is an unmarked graveyard for false prophets and that the grounds are cursed with a curse because of the unholy words spoken by these prophets. It seems that they carry a heavy weight on their heads and souls because they refused to preach the truth. They did not know the secret of the mysteries that the LORD had given His Apostle to the Nations. It seems that they taught their own message as they desired and that they had lead many to the path way, that goes to the broad-way to destruction. This is their final resting place until the final judgment day when all sinners, unbelievers, liars and the lawless ones will march into the lake of eternal fire where the worm does not die. (pause waiting listening)

What God Require of Us. Cont B

    In our first entry we used the illustration of turning on to a one way street heading in the wrong direction and we carried this theme over into our last entry also. Well here today the Lord has me continuing in this same taught. As in the last our subjects still have a hardheart and stubbornness about them in the form of resentment and anger or rage other wise known as wrath. Now remember the word wrath as it will play a key role down the road. No pun intended here.
    Our people have been on this wrong way now for some distance but they have not encountered many people heading in the other direction, though the few that they did encounter where waving and jestering to them. Our people you see could not see clearly because of the sun glasses that they had on nor could they hear clearly because of the muffs that they were also wearing. So they just continued to travel down this one way not knowing that it would enter into a freeway heading in the other direction as well.
    This freeway was a fast track road way much like the European express way with a large mass of traffic on it. So either the traffic headed towards them had made an exit from the express way or they had made a turn around themselves. Being the hard hearted people that they were they just stayed on the course that they were on as if they had good sense. Then something happen first to one and then another, one lost her glasses, the other lost the muffs. Now one could see clearly and the other could hear plainly, what a difference this little change had made for them. They were able to get their companions to remove their glasses and their muffs, now all could hear and see, but what about the stony hearts and stubbornness, they still had those conditions to be dealt with. And what about those few people that they encountered heading in the other direction, what about them and what about their story? Why? were they waving and shouting at them warnings of some sort? What was it that lay ahead of them?

What does God Require of Us? Cont A

    Yesterday I revealed a hidden condition of man. And that is; that all mankind is hard hearted and stubborn especially when it comes to spiritual things. We some how think that we know it all, where we get that from may be hard for some to understand. But here goes, it started with Adam when he chose to eat of the fruit. Yes, I said "chose to eat of the fruit", after all Elohim had told him not to eat of it and also what would happen "when and 'If'" he did, but he did it any way. We all have been severed from fellowship with our creator from that one action of disobedience and rebellion of grace and faith. You see it required grace and faith in the creator to allow a desire of our own flesh to over ride what was "known" in the face of the spoken "word" of the results of that free-will action. It was this action that caused man kind in Adam to die or put to death the spirit of Christ in man. This rebellion and disobedience brought sin into mankind and it's penalty death.

    Separating the human race from its creator, breaking fellowship with Him and placing all humanity into a state of spiritual darkness and resistance to the truth or light because of death. You see a spiritual divine being does not die, at least not in the sense that humanity knows death, that required sin to enter in. Sin was not in the first equation of mans makeup as he had the some total of the image and likeness of his creators in him (Christ). Yes, I said his creators because the word used in Genesis one means three in one or triune being.

   Many have found solace in some form of religion, as there are many religions in the world and all claim to be right and provide salvation to all that will follow its teachings. However the oldest is not that of Judaism but rather is a feel good worshiping of self. or a "new age" feeling good type of thing. It started back even before the tower of Babel and has been seen in many forms and shapes through out the dawn of history. Today it is very alive and I might add is healthy and thriving taking on the form of what is most commonly called "Christianity", or "New Age" and some other forms, in that there are many non-denominations and denominations of various names and types and all are a self gratification religious form.

    Israel was a shadow and type of the church and all of its history is for our learning and understanding. "IF" we have eyes to see and ears to hear what the SPIRIT is saying. The Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher as He reveals to us and in us Christ as we were a part of Him and He was a part of us in the beginning. How this change in our fallen nature comes about is in God's hands not ours. It is within His plan and He alone administers it to us in His dispensation, as it is of His Grace. We are to cooperate with Him when we hear the truth and receive the light of His revelation into ourselves. Jesus who is Christ and Elohim and the fullness of God, as the second Adam (being clothed in human flesh) brought the living word to mankind through His ministry to Israel but they along with the gentiles rejected Him and His words. The fulfilling the prophecies (Gods spoken word released into the earth by man) that common men spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What Does God Require of Us?

    There are many out there that have mixed and fixed opinions on how one is to acquire eternal life and salvation. There are even some who believe in a replacement theology (what is meant is that they replace Israel or the Jews as they stick to the Law and commandments of Moses), stay in the Old Testament only, some in the teachings of Christ only (what they mean is that they only adhere to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and some of the Old Testament), there are some who would cut Paul's letters completely out because they say that they are hard to understand. There are main line denominations in that group as well as those who would remove all reference to the blood out of the Bible also. Well to all this all I can say is hog wash...Paul's revelations, which he received from the risen Lord are all that we need to get a hold of. Yes, we still need the Old Testament because in it we learn Christ as the revealer to Israel as their Yeh or Adonai, Lord or at times LORD. If we'll take the time to listen to what is said and how it is said in Genesis chapters one through three. We'll learn more about who we are and what we lost and why God places such a high value on man and why Christ came again in the flesh of man, as the son of man.
    When we learn how to come out of our ignorance or untaught condition then we'll begin to have a child like teachable spirit. You know it is like heading down any street in the good ol US of A and finding ourself at a dead end that forms a "T", you know where you could turn either to the right or to the left but you can not go straight ahead. So you choose to turn to the right but after a short distance you find an arrow pointing in the other direction. It is then that you realize that you heading into traffic, your on a one way street and your going the wrong way. Well that is what life is all about for those who do not rightly divide the Word of Truth into its epochs and dispensations an even proper gospels. Many will follow the wrong way no matter what because their to stubbornness, and their to hardhearted to admit that they are wrong. Many spend years in schools of higher learning to get a degree of some sort thinking that it will earn them a place beside God or some sort of honor before Him. Let me tell you that it wont get you anywhere with Him. Why? You ask...because He only wants you naked and dirt poor, bankrupt of attitude and self ....with a broken and contrite heart and as a little child, like the Prodigal son. Who after wasting all his wealth and prestige came to himself and returned to his father.

There are those who cherish the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and up to about the middle of Acts) and take these as their gospel of salvation(primarily John 3:16). For these folks are only “receiving” Jesus the Messiah, who came as the “Son of Man”.

    There are those who cherish the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and up to about the middle of Acts chapter 11) and take these as their gospel of salvation (primarily John 3:16). For these folks are only “receiving” Jesus the Messieh, who came as the “Son of Man”. He would not be LORD until His resurrection (or new life) and ascension. Then and only then were we (originally just Israel) to walk through the gate that He opened which is His flesh that died. He died to the “earthy or natural” as Son of man to become the divine Spiritual Son of God. This is the “Gate” we are to walk through to go from being a son of man (fallen Adam) to a son of God in Christ, the spiritual man. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” If the Spirit of Christ is not found in you , you are not His Romans 8:9. The entire chapter 8 of Romans is speaking of this very thing. If you have not died to the earthy carnal (law of sin and death) then you are not a son of God but still in your sin and death as a son of man.

As long as people are following these synoptic gospels as the “gospel of salvation” they are following another gospel as Paul speaks about in Galatians 1: 8 and 9, 11 and 12 and the book of Hebrews.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
“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.”

We must know what gospel is for our salvation and in what dispensation we’re in, to truly be saved. My question to you is;
Do you seek to belong to the Son of God which is the Risen Christ, or do you seek to belong to the……

Son of Man


Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Matthew 16:13


The Name by Which Jesus Most Frequently Called Himself

There are two names which our Lord was wont to use when He spoke about His person or His work. The one was the Son of God, and the other was the Son of Man. It was not often that He used the former title, if we may judge by the Synoptic Gospels, and when He used it, it was always in some moment of unusual importance and solemnity. But it is different with the latter, "the Son of Man." This was constantly upon the lips of Christ. It seems to have been His most familiar word when He referred to His person or His work. And so deeply engraved is this upon our hearts, and inwrought into the thought of Christendom, that whenever we hear the expression "Son of Man" we at once revert to the figure of our Saviour. Under this name, then, our Lord described Himself. By this He conveyed His thought about Himself. It was a name He loved with deep affection, and which welled to His lips in the most diverse circumstances. Nor should it be forgotten that in the whole New Testament, where the title "Son of Man" occurs so often, only on two occasions is it used by anyone other than the Lord Himself.


Jesus Never Defined or Explained the Meaning of "Son of Man"

Now it is notable that in all His use of it our Lord never pauses to define the name. He does not explain what it conveyed to Him, nor what He meant it should convey to others. When our Lord gave Simon his new name of Peter, He was careful to interpret its significance. "Thou art Peter," He said, so that all could hear, "and on this rock I shall build my church." But when He laid aside His own name Jesus, and began to speak of Himself as Son of Man, He offered no explanation of the name, and never declared the reason of His choice. Equally noticeable too is this, that no one ever asked Him to define it. It seems to have been accepted without comment, and at least in a measure to have been understood. For men were not slow to interrogate the Saviour, and to ask Him what He meant by this or that, but we never find anyone inquiring of Him what was the meaning of this "Son of Man." Could he have been relating to Moses or Adam? as Paul make reference to both in his letters.


Not a New Name

Now the reason for that absence of all questioning will suggest itself to every reader at once. This was no new name, coined at a moment's need, it was a name that was wreathed with old association. There was not a Jew who heard the Master use it but would find it encircled with familiar thoughts. It was a name they had been accustomed to since childhood in their reading or hearing of the ancient Scriptures. And it came to them, not as a word of novelty, nor with the arresting touch of the unknown, but as a word that was a heritage of Israel from the far-off day of prophet and of psalmist. In other words, this was a borrowed name, and it was borrowed from the roll of the Old Testament. It was not a title coined for the occasion; it was fragrant with happy and with holy memories. And what Christ did was to take the hallowed name, and to breathe upon it with the breath of life, so that it glowed into a new significance and expanded into undreamed-of fullness.

Let me just say in passing that that is the real meaning of originality. If only we had just thought upon that matter, I think that we might understand our Savior better. It is not the nature of originality to say what never has been said before. The genius that is most strikingly original is hopelessly in debt to all the past. Originality consists in this—in taking all that the past has got to offer, and then in so passing it through heart and brain that it leaps forth as if a recreation. We speak of the originality of Shakespeare, yet who is more deeply in debt to his predecessors? We speak, and we can do it with all reverence, of the originality of Jesus. Yet do we remember, that that does not mean that Christ owes nothing to the past of Israel. It means that He gathers up that mighty past, and makes it new just because He is new. It should never distress you to find in the Old Testament the rudiments of one of the beatitudes. The past was Christ's, but just because He was Christ the old was all transfigured on His lips. And so with His favorite name "the Son of Man"; it was not new, it was an ancient title; it was drawn out of the storied past of Israel, but Christ has made it different forever.


Why Did Jesus Choose This Name?

Well, that being so, why did this title so appeal to Christ? Why did He love to use it of Himself? Why was it so often on His lips? There were many other names He might have chosen out of the stores of psalmist and of prophet. In Isaiah you will get twenty titles that describe the office and glory of Messieh. And all these were familiar to our Lord, whose mind and heart were steeped in the old Scripture, yet the one He chooses from them all is "Son of Man." Why, then, did this title so appeal to Him? There is only one way to discover that, it is to go back to the Old Testament page, and find the meaning of the words "Son of Man" there. If we discover that, then we discover the thoughts that moved before the mind of Jesus, when in the quiet of Nazareth He made His choice of the name that was to mark His ministry. I do not imagine for one single moment that He used the word in a dogmatic way. There was nothing hard or cold about His use of it—nothing of fixed and stereotyped significance. It was a plastic and suggestive word for Jesus, now shining in one light, now in another, and we must reverently try to trace these lights to that Word which was a lamp unto His feet.


To Indicate His Humiliation—Psalm Eight

First, then, we shall turn to the 8th Psalm for one of the notable uses of the word: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?" The psalmist has been gazing at the heavens and contemplating their majestic grandeur. He stands perhaps upon his palace roof, amid the silent beauty of the night. The moon has arisen, and over the sleeping city there streams the silver pathway of her radiance. And the heaven above him, undimmed by any cloud, is ablaze with the countless glories of the stars. It is one of those eastern nights of perfect beauty when the stars are like the eyes of heavenly watchers looking down with an infinity of calm upon the weary and troubled hearts of men. Now, had the psalmist been a poet only, he might have rested in that outward beauty. But he was more than a poet; he was a spiritual man ever awake to the touch of the divine. And looking upward into that night of beauty what was borne in upon his soul was this—how could a God whose finger made the heavens be mindful of a creature such as man? "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?" You see, then, the thought in David's mind when he uses that expression "son of man." He is thinking of man in all his native lowliness, of man contrasted with the glowing heavens, of man so frail compared with moon and star, yet crowned with a glory akin to that of angels. Man but a breath contrasted with the stars, yet greater than they in fellowship with God; man but the needy creature of a day, yet lifted up above all heaven's magnificence. "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?"

Now, when you turn to the words of Jesus, you find Him using the name in the same way. For Jesus also it carries the significance of man in His lowliness and yet exalted. "Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head." Or again, where He is foretelling His own passion: "The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men." And yet this lowly and suffering Son of man is to be crowned with glory and honor, for "Hereafter," He cries, "ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power." I think there can be no question that that was one charm of this old name for Christ. It blended together His humiliation with the joy of glory that was set before Him. It spoke of Him as a man of sorrows and as One who shared the frailty of our frame, yet it ever suggested the glory that was His, and the honor that was in store for Him from God.


A Prophet Identified with Manhood—Ezekiel

Again, when we turn back to the Old Testament, we light upon the title in Ezekiel. God calls Ezekiel the son of man not less than seventy times. "Son of man, stand upon thy feet"; "Son of man, see what they do?" It is thus that God constantly addresses him. You will understand, then, how the title "son of man" came to be charged with a prophetic import. It became familiar to readers of Ezekiel as the name for the prophet of the living God. And so when one called himself the "son of man," amid a people so intimately acquainted with the Scriptures, it would at once suggest to them his claim to stand in the succession of the prophets. But why did God choose this title for Ezekiel? Was it just to indicate his lowliness? Nay, rather, it was God's reminder to His servant that he was one with the people whom he warned. He was not to speak as one who stood apart, untouched by the sorrow and the tears of Israel; he was the son of man, the sympathetic man who was bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh. Thus you see that in the mind of Israel there clustered these ideas around the title. Familiar with it from Ezekiel's writings, it spoke to them of one who was a prophet; and yet this prophet was not a man aloof and unable to enter into his people's heart. He was a son of man, the man of sympathy, one who was touched with a feeling of their infirmities.

And again, when we turn to the words of Christ, we find Him using the term in the same way. He uses it to claim prophetic power, and yet to reveal His sympathetic heart. "The Son of Man has power (authority) to forgive sin"; "the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day"—that is the voice of One who was a prophet, charged with a message greater than Ezekiel's. And yet, "the Son of man came eating and drinking"; "the Son of man came to seek and save the lost"—that is the voice of One who was a Brother, and who was filled with intensest sympathy for man. That also is one secret of the charm which this ancient title had for Jesus. It revealed a yet half-concealed prophetic claim, and told that His word was the oracle of God; and yet it suggested that He was rich in sympathy and able to be compassionate to the weakest, and fitted to bear the burdens of humanity, and to be the Brother of the tired and weak. Was He the Son of Man?—then He was Brother-Man, and all might find in Him their Friend and Helper. But was He the Son of Man ? — then, like Ezekiel, He was the Prophet of the living God.


Associated with the Nations—Daniel

Then, lastly, and most notably of all, we find this title in the Book of Daniel. Let me recall to you what it implies in Daniel, and in what connection it was introduced. Daniel had had a vision of four empires that came up like four great beasts out of the sea; and then to these bestial and inhuman kingdoms succeeded another and a nobler kingdom. Within it were all nations and all peoples; it was a dominion that was to last forever. And over it, coming with the clouds, Daniel saw one like to the Son of Man. Now that was a vision of Messiah's kingdom, superseding the bestial kingdoms of the world. And who was the Son of Man who reigned within it? He was the expected Messieh of the Jews. And so, as the Jews looked forward to Messieh, and dreamed of the day when He was to appear, they came to think of Him, and came to speak of Him, under that ancient name of "Son of man." Let other kingdoms be typified by beasts, the kingdom of Christ is typified by manhood. It is the perfect Man who is to reign, in the golden age to which the Jew was looking. And yet this Man is something more than man, for He stands in the heavens engirdled by its clouds, and the passing of ages leaves no trace upon Him, and the Ancient of Days receives Him as His fellow. It was such thoughts the Jews associated with the name "Son of man."

It is not a matter of debate if such thoughts were in the mind of Jesus. There can be no question in the matter, for we have the testimony of Christ Himself. On two occasions our Lord recalled this prophecy in words whose reference is unmistakable, and both times He identified Himself with the Son of man of Daniel's vision. In His prophecy over Jerusalem, He predicted that they shall see "the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory." And when standing before Caiaphas He thus addressed His judges, "I say to you, hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Of this, then, there is no doubt, that the name was to Jesus a Messianic name. He would never have used it had He not wished to intimate that He was the promised Messieh of the Jews. And so it tells us that here is Christ indeed; the Man in whom all humanity is centered, yet the Man who knew that He was more than man, the Fellow of the everlasting God.

Quote taken from the "Devotional Sermons" by George H Morrison with limited editing on my part.