Beloved saints everywhere,
Grace, peace and revelation to you!!
Although I strongly encourage everyone to actually get Marvin Byers' book The Mystery: A Lost Key, I fully understand most people just want the main points. So, I will try to provide them by sharing highlights from each chapter in this post.
If you think any of the following arguments are thin, please get the book. It covers much, much more than I can possibly include here.
1. What a Seminar! What a Question!
The "seminar" is the 40 days Jesus spent with his apostles after his resurrection and before his ascension into heaven, mentioned at the beginning of the Book of Acts. The question was:
“Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b, NKJV)Jesus responded:
“It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8 NKJV)This exchange implies the kingdom will eventually be restored to Israel. There is no hint of the Jews being rejected. They were all Jews, after all! And they only refer to one kingdom.
2. Who Is Israel?
There are more than 700 names for Jesus in the Bible, according to Elmer L. Towns. Byers postulates "Israel" is one of those names, and it may be the name He loves the most.
Hosea prophesied:
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. (Hosea 11:1 NKJV)Matthew explains this prophetic word was fulfilled when the child Jesus returned to Canaan from Egypt:
When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Matthew 2:14-15 NKJV)God's people are called by His name, and it is the name all the peoples of the earth will fear:
Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. (Deuteronomy 28:10 NKJV)
3. Who Were the First Israelites?
Abram and Sarai were Gentiles who came from Ur. God chose to have a relationship with Abram, and changed their names to Abraham and Sarah. The entire world was "Gentile" before then.
4. God Chose to Save Only One Family.
God chose to save one family from the ancient world -- Noah's. Later, God chose Abraham, and it would be his family He would save. Ishmael and Esau were undesirable elements, so they were removed. Rahab and Ruth were desirable, so they were included. Everyone has the opportunity to join God's family, but there is only one family to join.
For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16 NKJV)
5. Salvation Is From the Jews.
Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well:
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. (John 4:22 NKJV)The early Church was all Jewish until Peter was sent to the Gentile Cornelius and Saul (Paul) was sent to the Gentiles, in general. Jesus and Peter and Paul were Jews, and so were all of the initial disciples. Salvation came from Jesus, and from the Jewish disciples. It came from the Jews, and it still does.
6. The Jews Did Not Know They Had Been Rejected!
Quoting from Byers' book (page 37):
Within two to three hundred years after the cross, most of the Gentile world under Rome had embraced Christianity, at least in name. By then, a concept that had emerged in seed form during the first century began to gain strength among the Gentile world. This new Gentile "revelation" declared that because the Jews had rejected God, God had rejected them and had chosen the Gentile Church to take their place in order to fulfill His plans in the earth. This new idea permeated large sectors of the "Christian" world of that day. It is now referred to by theologians as the doctrine of "Replacement Theology." Amazingly, it is still embraced by much of the evangelical Church to this day, even though it is totally unbiblical, unreasonable, and unhistorical. Let's begin our consideration of "Replacement Theology" by listening in to a hypothetical conversation between Peter and John, the apostles, regarding this doctrine. When and where this imaginary conversation took place is not really important, but it might help to reveal how unreasonable this doctrine is and how Peter and John might have reacted the first time they heard of it. Afterward, we will see that it is unbiblical and unhistorical as well.The hypothetical conversation between Peter and John is very good and needs to be read in full, but you will need to acquire the book for that.
The prophet Jeremiah was another Jew who did not "get the memo:"
Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night... “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the Lord: “If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 31:35-37 NKJV)In other words, when the time comes where there is no longer a day and night cycle, then the Gentile Church might be able to start thinking they might have replaced Israel, but not until then! God speaks through Jeremiah again about this, and against those who say God has rejected His people:
“Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families [Judah and Israel, which together were Israel in those days] which the Lord has chosen, He has also cast them off’? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them. Thus says the Lord: ‘If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.’” (Jeremiah 33:24-26 NKJV)The issue is mercy. God is showing mercy to His people who were scattered. Byers concludes the chapter with this (page 46):
Since the State of Israel was restored in 1948, many Christians have realized that God has not rejected Israel. There is an awareness that God still has a plan for the chosen people. Many are not quite sure how God's plan for Israel fits into the last days, or how the Gentile Church and Israel fit together in the end and throughout eternity. Others are very sure that they understand this very well, and maybe they do. However, I believe that we can never go very far astray if we limit ourselves to what the Bible itself clearly declares regarding any doctrine. But if we choose, instead, to adhere to what Peter calls "private interpretations" (II Pet. 1:20), we run a great risk of being deceived. Before we can understand how Israel and the Gentile Church fit together, we must first understand the Bible's explanation of who belongs to Israel today. We will allow the Scripture to tell us in the next chapter.
7. Who Are Israelites Today?
There are many advantages of being Jewish...
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew ... ? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (Romans 3:1-2 NIV)If we are not Jewish, this should not make us jealous. Paul describes a true, biblical Israelite in a very concise way...
For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed. For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” (Romans 9:6b-9 NKJV)People who are simply "children of the flesh" are not the children of God. Not all who are physically born into Israel are Israelites. The only Israelites God recognizes are "children of the promise."
Paul wrote this well after the cross, so he was not simply talking about people in the Old Testament. It applies to Abraham and it applies to us today.
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (Galatians 3:7 NKJV)Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and that is who He sent His disciples to (Matthew 15:24; Matthew 10:6). But He sent Peter to the house of Cornelius the Gentile, so did He change His mind? No. Cornelius and his family were lost sheep of the house of Israel, too. So are all of the Gentiles that Paul converted. We were lost sheep of the house of Israel, until we became disciples of Jesus, whether we are of Jewish descent or not.
Some people are like Esau who hated God. We are not sent to them because they will never change. They do not want to change.
8. Are You a Citizen of the Right Nation?
From pages 59-61...
Throughout the 1,500 years between the Exodus from Egypt and the cross of Christ, the God of Israel had a message for both Israel and the Gentile world. His message was that He was the only true God, and that his plan of redemption was the only way for anyone to be saved from hell. The details of His path to redemption were given to Moses at Mount Sinai and recorded in a book to be forever remembered and obeyed. The children of Israel were chosen to be the first to receive God's message for humanity, and they became the stewards of that message. As we have seen, the same occurred at the beginning of the New Testament age. The Jews were the first to hear the Lord's message of New Testament redemption, and they became the stewards of that message also. Paul recognized that this was part of the blessing upon the Jews:It was not new that Gentiles could become Jews. The only thing Paul was saying that was new was how to become a Jew. Paul declared to the Gentiles that they are now citizens of Israel, not through circumcision and observance of the law, but through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
"What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew ... ? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God." (Rom. 3:1-2 NIV)However, before the cross, both Jews and Gentiles understood that the words of God that had been entrusted to the nation of Israel contained a very difficult message. It was not difficult to understand, but rather, difficult to obey. Actually, the message to every Gentile was very easy to understand -- become part of the chosen people, keep God's law, and you will be saved from eternal damnation, otherwise you will be lost. When a Gentile became a Jewish proselyte he was considered to be a new member of the family of Israel. He was then required to obey all the law, just as any other Jew. For a Gentile, obedience to the law was a very high price to pay, and so was the reproach of becoming a Jew. Over the centuries, relatively few Gentiles paid that price. As a result, Israel became increasingly convinced that they were a very exclusive and privileged nation, the only one on which the favor of the God of the universe was showered!
Then, suddenly, the whole status quo was challenged by a man who was considered by the Jews to be a traitor to the nation. He began to proclaim far and wide a message that was a threat to the extremely elite status that citizenship in Israel represented for the Jewish race. This man's message, in itself, really would not have caused any major upheaval to the higher echelons of Jewish religion, society, or culture except for one thing -- the power! Wherever this man spoke throughout the known world, such power and authority accompanied his message that incredible miracles occurred. Not only were the sick instantly healed, but even the dead were raised. A message that is accompanied by this sort of power is hard to ignore, and harder still to silence once lives have been transformed by it. What was the message that this man, Paul, preached throughout the Gentile world? We will allow him to tell us:
"Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called 'uncircumcised' by those who call themselves 'the circumcision' (that done in the body by the hands of men) -- remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." (Eph. 2:11-22 NIV)To some, this divine declaration through Paul may seem to be a secondary issue in the gospel message. However, we will see that Paul explained in his epistles that his ultimate goal in preaching and teaching was to make this message known to the entire world. We will also learn from Paul why this particular message is so vital to every believer.
Paul was metaphorically offering "free passports" into Israel for the Gentiles, and this greatly upset the Jews, especially those who enjoyed their perceived elite status. This is what landed Paul in prison.
Recognizing a believer's link with Israel is far more important than many Christians realize. Certain spiritual blessings come with being citizens of Israel, just like certain natural blessings come to those who are natural-born children of Abraham. This does not have anything to do with the modern State of Israel, or having an actual passport to that country (which Byers did actually have). It has to do with a spiritual position based on faith, identification, confession and attitude of heart. This is what is important in God's eyes. The nation we are talking about was founded by God; its life comes from the God of Abraham; and the name of that God is Israel.
9. Total Identification; Total Assimilation.
Ruth and Rahab were two Gentiles who identified with, and assimilated into, Israel. When they did so, they inherited everything that a true Israelite would inherit: Israel's God and Israel's land. They were so assimilated that both got to be part of the Messianic line (Matthew 1:5).
The Greek word "huiothesia" is typically translated as "adoption" in English Bibles, but it really has nothing to do with adoption as we know it. "Huiothesia" is formed from two Greek words: "huios" and "tithemi." The first refers to mature sons and the second is a verb meaning "to place." It would be more accurate to replace "adoption" with "inheritance" in the following passage in Romans...
"... we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption [inheritance] as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Rom. 8:23b NIV 1984)After the cross, a transformed Gentile actually becomes a citizen of Israel through birth -- the new birth experience; they are born again! Nobody is an orphan that is adopted. We are born into the family!
Byers ends the chapter with this (page 74):
Could it be that Ruth, the Gentile, still has a message for Gentiles living in the New Testament age, or is this message no longer of any importance? Among a list of 40 men found in the first chapter of the New Testament, only four women are included. Is it doctrinally inconsequential that two of those four are Gentiles who became totally identified with Israel and who became totally assimilated into Israel? It seems highly probable that the Holy Spirit began the New Testament this way, in part, as a written expression of what the angel of God would later express vocally on the night Jesus was born -- "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Lk. 2:10). This includes Jews and Gentiles. Both peoples were privileged to be part of His Old Testament genealogy, and now both are called to be part of His New Testament body, the Church.
10. Mutiny in the Body!
Byers starts this chapter with another hypothetical conversation between Peter and John. They lament divisions in the Church.
When questions arise, it is always best to go back to the beginning. The all-Jewish early Church continued in the apostles' doctrine, and we should do the same today.
In Ephesians 2:11-22 (NKJV this time), Paul declares that believing Gentiles are citizens of Israel through Christ, and that together Christ has made them both into one people (v. 14); created in Himself one new man (v. 15). He says Christ died to reconcile them both to God in one body (v. 16), having just explained that the "body" is the Church in Ephesians 1:22-23. After that, he announces to the believing Gentiles that they are now "fellow citizens" of Israel (v. 19), and that they are members of the household of God (v. 19). Finally, he explains that the household of God is a holy temple in the Lord (v. 21).
Some Gentiles today have no problems with this at all, and they say that if a Jew wants to be part of the Church, all they need to do is start attending a local Gentile church and be assimilated into the Gentile believers' world. But that is not what Paul is saying. He says the Gentiles are the ones that have become citizens of Israel, not that the Israelites have become Gentiles.
The olive tree is a symbol of Israel in the Bible (Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:6; Romans 11:17). In Romans, Paul calls the Gentiles a "wild olive tree," and that they are "grafted into" the holy tree, so they can partake of the "sap" from the holy "root." That holy root is Jesus, the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10).
The Church existed before the Gentiles were ever a part of it. According to Stephen, Moses presided over the Church ("ekklesia" in the Greek) in the wilderness, 1500 years before the cross (Acts 7:37-38). The Church began with Israel.
It is quite amazing. In Paul's time, the leaders of the Church could not conceive of the Gentiles being part of the Church. Today, the "Gentile Church" cannot conceive that the Jews have anything to do with them! The Gentiles don't even see themselves as grafted into the olive tree of Israel, and some even think they are a separate olive tree.
The Word of God was written by Jews, about Jews; first for the Jews and then for the Gentiles, but many in the Church today see Christianity as a "Gentile thing," and pay little attention to what is going on with the Jews. But, in God's eyes, it has always been about Israel.
11. From the Prisoner Comes the Emancipation Proclamation.
Men put Paul in prison because they did not like his message. But God wanted him in prison for other reasons.
First, Paul could be alone with God in prison. Being with God as a friend and a lover was much more precious than anything he might accomplish for Him. Abraham never really accomplished anything, except being the friend of God and successfully raising one son. In prison, God had Paul exactly where He wanted him -- in a place where they could be alone together without distraction. It is likely Paul was where he wanted to be, too.
Second, Paul wrote some of his letters while in prison, which we have today.
Third, as a prisoner, Paul gained perspective about being a slave and about being set free. He was in prison for the Gentiles, in a similar way that Jesus died for His bride. Paul learned about the "Mystery" while in prison. The mystery he preached was the message of Gentile emancipation, and it came through an imprisoned Jew.
12. The Prisoner Reveals the Key to Victory.
This is the chapter where Marvin Byers talks about authority and power. I already discussed that in my previous post, where I described how God confirmed the importance of Paul's "Mystery." Here are some more thoughts...
I first noticed the "Mystery" when I was reading about the "armor of God" in Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Taking all of the modern verse numbers and paragraph breaks out of it, here is what that portion of Paul's letter looks like...
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:10-20 NIV)Paul's letter to the Ephesians is about the "Mystery." So is his letter to the Colossians. At the end of each, he makes a request for prayer about sharing knowledge of the "Mystery." In the letter to the Ephesians, he includes exhortations about fighting spiritual warfare and prayer right before he makes his personal request for prayer concerning the "Mystery." The letter to the Colossians is shorter, and Paul skips the spiritual warfare details and goes right to his "Mystery" prayer request. Byers asks some questions (page 97)...
Could it be that he [Paul] goes directly to this specific request for prayer in Colossians because making the mystery known is the greatest single issue required for victory in spiritual warfare? By skipping over all the details regarding the armor in Colossians, and by going directly to the issue of the mystery, are we to assume that Paul did not give the Colossians the keys to victory as he did to the Ephesians? Or was Paul simply following his pattern of giving only the essential issues in Colossians? If so, this strongly indicates that the most important key to victory is the mystery. Regardless of the answers, one thing is certain: of all the prayer requests that Paul could have made to the Ephesians and Colossians, his one request was that they would pray that the mystery for which he went to prison would be made known. How is it possible, then, that this mystery is almost totally ignored in the gospel that is preached today? Could this be one reason the Church is so weak in the midst of a crooked and perverse world that is controlled by satanic powers?
From a prison cell, the Apostle Paul not only declared war on the principalities and powers in heavenly places, but he also showed us how to obtain true power and authority -- through the knowledge and acceptance of the divine mystery. In our faith, confession, and attitude of heart we must be one with Israel, who is both Christ and His holy nation. We must be a citizen of that holy nation if we expect the divine authority that is behind that nation to be behind us also. Our spiritual enemies are well able to recognize when heaven's authority is behind us and when it is not.
Does our ignorance and/or rejection of citizenship in the Jewish nation somehow keep us from experiencing the fullness of God's power and authority in our lives? Could it be that we are not properly related to God's kingdom and the source of divine power and authority? Because of a weakness, error, or lack of key elements in our faith, could it be that we have not yet become properly identified with God's holy nation as Ruth did?
Our sincerity is not the secret to obtaining the victory. The last 2,000 years of Church history should prove this. Even when we are sincere in our error, the fruit is still death (Prov. 14:12). Victory over the host of wicked powers in heavenly places still awaits the Church. It is tragic that this victory has not yet been gained. The way to victory was revealed almost 2,000 years ago so there really is no excuse for our lack of power and authority. We will now consider other reasons why knowledge of the mystery gives us the power and authority we need to conquer the enemy in this present life.
13. The Victory Has Been Promised to the Jews.
The last enemy to be overcome is death (1 Corinthians 15:26), and that enemy is defeated by resurrection life (1 Corinthians 15:51-55). Paul explains in Romans 11 that resurrection will come when Israel is restored to her place in God. In his discussion about "Israel in the flesh," Paul writes this...
I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:11-15 NKJV)The term "resurrection" means "life from the dead." Israel has something to do with victory over the "last enemy." If Israel is somehow involved in this victory, could it be that Israel is key to other victories, as well? The Lord has invited the entire Gentile world to become part of Israel's victories by becoming part of that spiritual nation. Once again, having "Israel" (Jesus, by the Holy Spirit) living within us and identifying with Israel's people seems to be the issue.
God giving Israel the victory is inherent in the disciples' question to Jesus in Acts 1:6, when they asked if it was time for the kingdom to be restored to Israel. Kingdoms cannot be established or restored without warfare. The Lord will give victory to Israel.
A day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. (Zechariah 14:1-4 NIV)Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24 NIV)Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2 KJV)Some may ask whether the Old Testament Scriptures are still valid. Paul says they are...
... from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15-17 NKJV)The only Scriptures available when Timothy was a child were the Old Testament writings. The New Testament tells us what has changed, but leaves many things still valid.
Judges 1:1-2 says...
Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, “Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?” And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.” (Judges 1:1-2 NKJV)"Jew" refers to someone who is a descendant of Judah. People from all twelve tribes were assimilated into the kingdom of Judah, and today the nation formed by the descendants of the kingdom of Judah is called "Israel."
Can it be that this passage from Judges is valid for today? Well, Paul used the story of Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan to show that those stories are valid examples for God's people.
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10:11 NKJV)The New Testament references the Joshua passage here...
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest ... (Hebrews 4:8-11a NKJV)The "rest" the writer is referring to is a spiritual rest, but we need to remember that the natural realm is a reflection of the spiritual realm (Romans 1:20). Several Old Testament Scriptures compare what God did for Israel when He brought them out of Egypt for the promised land to what He will do in the last days. He is going to gather them into Canaan again...
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”... The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. (Jeremiah 23:7-8, 20 NKJV)Byers ends the chapter with this...
God's promise to give Israel the victory is one reason the world exudes ever greater measures of satanic anti-Semitism. The kingdom of darkness knows who will obtain the victory. Throughout the earth, the news media continually presents Israel as the major obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Of course, Satan's idea of peace in the Middle East was well articulated by Yasser Arafat, who said, "Peace for us is the destruction of Israel." Since this is the case, Arafat and company will never have peace, because God has promised victory to the Jews, not to the PLO or any other people -- not even to a "Gentile Church!"
14. Noah Found Grace In the Eyes of the Lord.
Noah survived the worst judgment the world has ever seen. When he and his family came out of the ark, they were the only human beings on the face of the earth. There was no concern about who owned property because they owned the entire planet. There was no concern about theft, murder or rape because there was nobody else. It was a new and glorious beginning!
Jesus said that when He comes back it will be like in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37). There will again be a time of judgment when no wicked person will be left alive (Matthew 24:38-42; 13:36-43; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). This will usher in a new age of peace, when Jesus will reign on the earth with His saints for 1000 years (Revelation 20:3-6). Each of us needs to ask, "Will I be among the survivors?"
The story of Noah, along with other parts of the Bible, gives us some key insight into being a survivor. When God decided to destroy the earth with a flood, we are told...
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:8 NKJV)Noah was permitted to enter into the period of peace and righteousness because of God's grace. This will also be the privilege of those who survive God's coming judgment on our current generation. Paul also reveals that it is important we receive grace as Noah did...
... those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17b NKJV)Paul also explains what grace does for us through this statement...
By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. (Romans 1:5 KJV)We receive grace so we can be obedient. In other words, grace is the ability God gives us to be able to obey His commandments, to follow Him and to please Him. This is confirmed by Paul's declaration...
But by the grace of God I am what I am ... (1 Corinthians 15:10a NKJV)It is God's grace that keeps us from the depths of sin, and anything worthwhile in us is the result of Him working in us. [That is why I have what I have at the top of my blog.]1
Paul also reveals the extreme importance of grace in another way, by mentioning grace at the beginning and end of every one of his 13 epistles, for a total of 26 references to grace.
If grace is critical for our survival, how do we make sure we find it? The Bible tells us who will receive grace...
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6b NKJV quoting Proverbs 3:34)... through [Jesus] also we have access by faith into this grace ... (Romans 5:2 NKJV)For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God ... (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)These three verses can seem like a circle. If God gives grace to the humble, then how do I become humble? Paul says, above, that I am what I am by the grace of God, so I need grace to be humble. The second verse says I need faith to have access into grace, so how do I receive faith, and how do I know it is the right faith? The third verse says that faith itself is a gift from God, so having the necessary faith depends on the grace of God. Where do we start? It is a bit like the conundrum: Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? If it were not so serious, it would be humorous!
Moses shows us this can actually be a glorious cycle...
Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. (Exodus 33:13a NKJV)Once we are in the cycle, we can find more and more grace. But, how do we get into that cycle?
The very end of Paul's letter to the Romans tells us that the "Mystery" is an initial source of grace...
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith ... (Romans 16:25-26 NKJV)The Greek word translated to "establish" also means "to make stable, to make firm, to fix, to render constant, and to strengthen." Nobody will be established by God for preaching ideas, traditions, or an unbiblical faith invented by men. Paul explains we are established by two things: 1) "according to [Paul's] gospel," and 2) "according... to the preaching of Jesus Christ." But Paul adds a condition to the second point. The preaching of Jesus Christ must be "according to the revelation of the mystery."
Paul's implication here is if we do not preach Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, we have no guarantee of being established!
Is this the same "mystery" that Paul defined in Ephesians 3? Paul links both the "mystery" of Ephesians 3 with that of Romans 16 by showing the same mystery in both letters...
1) The mystery involves revelation (Eph. 3:3 and Rom. 16:25).2) In other ages, the mystery was not known to men (Eph. 3:5 and Rom. 16:25).3) The mystery is now revealed through the prophets (Eph. 3:5 and Rom. 16:26).4) God's plan is for all to know or "see" the mystery (Eph. 3:9 and Rom. 16:26).Byers makes some strong and important statements at this point...
The enormous significance of Paul's declarations here, and how they affect every believer, demands that we all stop and take note. Considering the fact that Paul's mystery is almost unheard of in the Church today, what hope do we have of being established in this hour of shaking? Will God set aside His own requirements for us to be established because, at least, we are sincere in our ignorance? If He does this for one person, He would have to do it for all, even for a sincere Hindu! God enjoins us to search His Word so we will learn His ways. It is not God's fault that His mystery has been purposefully or accidentally eliminated from the "gospel" that is preached today by well-meaning people....If we preach Christ any other way than according to the mystery, we have no guarantee of being established or of receiving grace to survive His judgment as Noah did. We must remember that "Israel" is one of the names of Christ. For whatever reason God may have, He wants the Gentiles to know that when Christ lives within them, they have Israel within, and that they are citizens of His holy nation.Paul shows he followed his own counsel about preaching Jesus Christ according to the mystery...
... I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:25-27 NKJV)In his first reference to the mystery in Ephesians, Paul seems to reveal why he wanted to make the mystery known to all...
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will ... (Ephesians 1:7-9 NKJV)"Prudence" means "understanding or knowledge." The little word "in" can also be translated as "through" or "by means of," as it is translated in Colossians 1:20. (Byers used the NKJV for most of his quotations, but his citation of "by means of" here does not appear in that translation, but it does appear in a few others -- see the link. Perhaps the NKJV used to have that phrase when Byers wrote the book?) Byers explains...
In other words, God's grace abounds toward us "by means of" all wisdom and knowledge. The concept of wisdom, knowledge, and truth being directly linked with grace is very biblical. Consider:"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." (Lk. 2:40)"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Lk. 2:52) The Greek word "favor" here is the same as "grace" throughout the New Testament."And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn. 1:14)The opposite side of this coin is also true. A lack of wisdom and truth is spiritually fatal. As we have seen the Lord warns,"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you..." (Hos. 4:6)In Ephesians 1:7-9, Paul does not indicate that we will receive the abundance of grace simply because we possess wisdom and knowledge in general. Wisdom and knowledge in chemistry will not increase the grace of God in my life. Paul is very specific regarding the area of truth in which we need wisdom and knowledge. He explained that the Lord makes grace abound toward us by means of wisdom and knowledge, "having made known to us the mystery of His will" (v. 9). The knowledge we need is related to the mystery, a mystery that God Himself wants to make known to us! Once again, Paul shows us that grace comes through knowing this mystery.
Is there a simple biblical key that explains why grace comes through the mystery, or, in other words, through a believer's identification with Israel? The answer is yes. At this point, we understand that the mystery is more than an intellectual position. It involves the faith and confession of Ruth, where we know and believe in the depths of our heart that we are fellow citizens of Israel if we are in Christ. In A.D. 325, during the Council of Nicaea, the Gentile Church chose to no longer identify itself with Israel. It was during that Council that Replacement Theology became the official position of the Gentile Church of that day. They considered themselves to be the new heirs of the promises and the new chosen people. They believed that they had actually taken the place of Israel in God's plans. Were there any consequences? There were many, and they were serious in light of what Paul explains in Romans. He writes that the Gentiles, as branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted into Israel, God's olive tree:Byers ends the chapter with this....
"If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you." (Rom. 11:17-18 NIV)
When the so-called "Gentile Church" withdrew itself from Israel, God's olive tree, they lost just one "small" blessing in their spiritual lives -- the nourishing sap from the olive root (or "olive tree" as most translations render it). The sap is the blood or life of the tree. No wonder the Church died and entered the Dark Ages! No branch can live without sap, and the Gentile branches died when they were separated from Israel and formed their "Gentile club." No wonder there is still a lack of grace, power, and authority in the Church today. The body of Christ will continue to lack these blessings until this error is corrected, both corporately and individually. The Gentiles do not support the root of the olive tree but the root supports them. Throughout the Bible, the root is Christ. He supports, and provides life to the only olive tree that He has planted -- Israel. He does not provide life to an independent group of Gentile branches that have chosen to separate themselves from the olive tree. It is time for all Gentile believers to recognize the place that God has ordained for them and to return to it through the faith and identification with Israel that the New Testament reveals. Every branch that is willing to do so will discover that new life and new grace begin to flow within, the very life and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
15. Every Kingdom But One Will Cease to Exist.
Byers starts the chapter with this...
If we are not established by an act of God, we will surely fall, just as many others already have. The time of the end is characterized by a time of great cleansing in the earth, as in Noah's day. The Bible reveals that many will perish, both spiritually and naturally. According to Hebrews, anything that can be moved in the last days will be moved. Hebrews was written to believers, not to the world or the unsaved.I would modify that last sentence slightly. Hebrews was written to disciples of Jesus Christ who have the Holy Spirit, not to the world.
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Hebrews 12:25-28 NKJV)As we discussed, a key source of the "grace" mentioned in the last sentence is our knowledge of, and belief in, Paul's mystery. This passage also takes us one step further and points us to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Are we part of that kingdom?
Being part of a kingdom requires allegiance. That allegiance comes through our personal faith about, identification with, and confession towards that kingdom.
This passage of Scripture is only talking about one kingdom. The word is singular, not plural.
At the beginning of the Book of Acts, Jesus taught His disciples about the "kingdom of God" (v. 3). They followed this up by asking Him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel (v. 6)? The Bible makes no distinction between the spiritual kingdom of Christ and the literal, earthly kingdom of Israel. David's kingdom of Israel is eternal, and it is that kingdom that Jesus Christ has inherited forever (Luke 1:32-33).
Byers spends some time discussing and providing biblical proofs that there is only one kingdom, Israel.
He then cited something that has haunted me from the day I read it. I am quoting a bit more here than Byers quoted in his book...
“But do not fear, O My servant Jacob,This is what drove me to do what I did at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, when we were in Washington, D.C. This inspired me to identify and commit to spiritual Israel.
And do not be dismayed, O Israel!
For behold, I will save you from afar,
And your offspring from the land of their captivity;
Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease;
No one shall make him afraid.
Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” says the Lord,
“For I am with you;
For I will make a complete end of all the nations
To which I have driven you,
But I will not make a complete end of you.
I will rightly correct you,
For I will not leave you wholly unpunished.” (Jeremiah 46:27-28 NKJV)
Israel is the only nation that cannot be moved. Why? Because Israel is the only nation that was founded on the Rock and by the Rock Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ! It is the only nation He has chosen. It is the only nation He has redeemed. It is the only nation whose life is His life. The children of Abraham, the ones born according to the promise, are the only ones with whom He will live and reign forever.
16. What Is the Answer for Us?
Byers begins this chapter with an interesting personal experience...
I was standing outside the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, Israel, with the tour group that I was guiding gathered round me. I wanted to share a few thoughts with them to prepare their hearts for what they were about to see. After viewing in that museum the graphic displays of the atrocities Hitler's regime perpetrated on the Jewish people, most normal people are never quite the same. I have seen mature adults weeping uncontrollably as they stood before enlarged photographs of the indescribable anguish and suffering of Hitler's Jewish victims.Byers goes on to spend much of this chapter pointing out and rebutting antisemitism in the Church. Holy Spirit is telling me I don't need to spend time going into that because He is perfectly capable of talking to you about it Himself.
I had actually opened my mouth to begin speaking to my group when something happened that changed my life forever. I was about to repeat what I had heard from Christians for almost forty years when they explained the reason for the suffering of the Holocaust. I was going to say, "What you are about to witness is the result of the fathers of Israel crying out almost 2,000 years ago, 'Let His blood be upon us and upon our children.'"
To my amazement, instead of these words, a declaration came out of my mouth that I had never heard before. I said, "What you are about to witness is the highest price ever paid for a homeland by any people on the face of the earth. The price was the blood of six million Jews, and if that price hadn't been paid, the world would still be refusing to give the Jewish people a place to live on this earth. They would still be wandering as strangers in a strange land, persecuted and reviled throughout the nations of the world."
Byers then discusses on pages 127-128...
... we need to become identified with Israel in our own hearts, and recognize that we are part of that chosen people. To put it into New Testament terminology, we need to ask the Lord to graft us into the olive tree, becoming intimately identified with Israel. Every Gentile needs to find this place in a real way, because from there the life of the sap begins to flow.
It is interesting that two verses before Paul writes about the Gentiles partaking of the sap of the olive tree, he explains that, when Israel is accepted again, their acceptance will bring life from the dead (Rom. 11:15). Obviously, this has end-time implications and must yet be fulfilled. However, maybe we should ask ourselves this question: Is it possible that I can personally experience life from the dead in a new way if there is a personal acceptance, in my own heart, of Israel's place in God's plan? It is God's desire that each of us, as believers, know the power of His resurrection flowing in our lives daily, as Paul desired for his own life (Phil. 3:10).
... Apart from doctrinal considerations, my personal testimony is that new life does, indeed, flow when we repent of our sins and sins of our fathers and accept Israel in our own hearts, allowing our conviction regarding Israel to become our confession of faith. I know of many others who have this same testimony as well.
The issue here is not merely a change in our attitude that results in a restoration of Israel to its rightful place in our own way of thinking. Something far deeper is involved. This is an issue of a restoration of our own spiritual lives back into the olive tree to experience a new flow of its life-giving sap. The principal goal for which this book was written was to lay the doctrinal, moral, and spiritual groundwork for this to happen in the life of the reader. Like any other step in our spiritual life, this step is based on faith and not on sight or tangible facts. There might not be any immediate, outward evidence after we have taken this step, but, in time, we will see the fruit in our lives.
... Until Christ's life, the life of "Israel," flows freely in us, we cannot know the fullness of God's grace. Some may be very certain that Christ's life is already in them, and that may very well be true. Yet, error can bind us in specific areas of our lives even after we become believers. The more error we have in what we believe, the less biblical our "faith" really is, and the less freedom we have in the Lord.
17. Fellowship.
In the first part of this chapter, Byers compares Peter's and Paul's experiences in being sent to the Gentiles. Paul's experience was much more severe, and it apparently gave him a much deeper understanding of the "Mystery" than was given to Peter. Peter continued ministering almost strictly to the Jews, whereas Paul ministered almost strictly to the Gentiles.
A Gentile who is unfamiliar with Judaism cannot comprehend the sacrifice this "Hebrew of Hebrews" was called to make. Under no circumstance would such a Jew enter a Gentile home. But Paul went there!
From pages 131 - 133...
Why did God choose such a devout Jew as Paul to walk this way? Because only a devout Jew could "make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery" (Eph. 3:9). Paul did not only preach the message of fellowship between Jew and Gentile, he lived it. He did for the Gentile world what the Lord did for all mankind. Paul stooped to their level to show them the love and mercy of the One who was calling them to live in His house forever. He taught them that they were sanctified and cleansed by the blood of the Lamb rather than by Jewish ritual. He showed them that God had ordained for Jews and Gentiles to walk in fellowship as part of one body.So, where will we, as Gentile disciples of Jesus, find Christ? In the Jews!
...What did Paul give to the Gentiles as he taught them about the fellowship of the mystery? He gave his very life, strength, and ministry to people he once considered to be unclean, instead of giving himself to the chosen people. By associating with Gentiles, he sacrificed his fame and reputation as an eminently spiritual Jewish leader. He lost his freedom when he was imprisoned for teaching them that they had been elevated to citizenship in Israel. Paul sacrificed all these things for the Gentiles with great joy, as he expressed to the Philippians:
"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." (Phi. 2:17)What did Paul receive from the Gentiles in his fellowship with them? After declaring to the Philippians his joyful willingness to be poured out as an offering for them, he gives a little hint of what he has lost and what he has gained in Philippians 3. There, he gives a brief summary of who he was in Judaism, saying that he had more reason to have confidence in the flesh than any other person (Phil. 3:4). This is an incredible statement. He goes on to explain why it is true:
"... circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." (Phil. 3:5-6)How many Jews in history could have claimed to be blameless regarding the righteousness obtained by strict obedience to the law? All these things he mentions are impressive credentials! He then declared that he had suffered the loss of all this position, glory, fame, and possible gain (Phi. 3:7-8). He already explained how he had suffered this loss -- by being poured out as an offering for the Gentiles. He even considered the things he sacrificed as dung. How could he lose all this and consider it as nothing more than detestable dung? Because what he was gaining was so precious that anything else in life was dung in comparison to it. He was gaining Christ! (Phi. 3:8-9)
In what place was Paul finding Christ? Of course, he had found Him on the road to Damascus, but, later, he was also finding Him somewhere else. He was finding Him through fellowship with the very members of the body of Christ for whom he had poured out his life and lost everything.
... We will not find the fullness of Christ outside of the "fellowship of the mystery" (Eph. 3:9). Paul poured out his own life for the Gentiles, only to find in them the very life he longed for. He emphasizes this glorious reality throughout his epistles, as in the following:
"And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:22-23) His body, or Church, is the fullness of Christ. We will never find the fullness of His life without [fellowship] -- giving to, and receiving from, that body."The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. Observe Israel after the flesh: are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? (I Cor. 10:16b-18) The body of Christ is the very bread that we partake of in a spiritual sense. We all form part of the loaf, and we all eat from that one loaf. This is [fellowship] -- giving and receiving. In the temple, the very offering that the priest placed on the altar also became his source of food, just as the sacrifice of Paul's life for the Gentiles became a key source of the Bread of Life for him also!"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you... for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister... to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Col. 1:24-27) The riches of the mystery among the Gentiles was that Christ was found in them. Paul found Him there. He suffered for them, preached the mystery to them, and then found Christ in them!
Paul wrote to the Gentiles...
For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. (Romans 11:30-31 NKJV)The Jews were a source of blessing for the Gentiles, and now the Gentiles will become a source of blessing for the Jews. There will be no "second class" citizens in heaven.
Byers writes (page 134)...
Before he knew the Lord, Paul surely avoided the Gentiles or any association with them, as most Jews did. The customs of the Gentiles were ungodly. Their civil and religious laws were unbiblical. Yet he went and poured himself out for them. Today, many Gentile believers have similar feelings about the Jews. It is true that many of their customs, and even religious laws, are unbiblical and even ungodly. This must be said even at the risk of offending some Messianic Jews (Jews who believe in Jesus and continue in the customs of Judaism). In what way could the Jewish religious service of today be ungodly?The heart of biblical Judaism, as God founded it, is the temple and Levitical priesthood. It is impossible to obey a large portion of the law without offering animal sacrifices in the temple. But the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, and currently there is a mosque on the Temple Mount. Realizing they could no longer live in obedience to biblical Judaism, rabbis developed a new religion to take its place, Rabbinical Judaism. This was not from God, but is traditions of men.
From page 135...
Even in Paul's day, the Jewish religion was filled with traditions that violated true biblical Judaism and the Word of God (Mt. 15:2-6). In spite of this, Paul still became a Jew to win Jews (1 Corinthians 9:20-23). Paul did something else that was even more difficult for him. He became as a Gentile to win Gentiles! He said that he did this to be a "partaker" of the gospel. ... He did this to bring everyone into the fellowship of the mystery. Obviously, in doing so, Paul did not enter into the sin of the Gentiles, much less validate their customs or religion. But he lived like them in every way possible, as long as his actions did not displease the Lord.
Paul was willing to live like a Jew when he was with Jews and to live like a Gentile when he was with Gentiles. But he never promoted the ways of Judaism among the Gentiles, even though the Judaism of his day was far more biblical than it is today. We should not do so either. Nor did Paul promote the ways of the Gentiles among the Jews. We are wrong to do this also. The fellowship that will bring the fullness of Christ's life to us must be based on finding heaven's pattern for our lives. ... We are not called to follow the Jewish pattern nor the Gentile pattern, which are both very far from heaven's pattern. We should all ask the Lord to graciously open our eyes to His pattern, as revealed in the Bible!
A warning for Gentile believers is in order here. If a fervent Jew like Paul could reach out to the Gentiles, in spite of their customs, and win them for Christ, woe to any Gentile believer who cannot reach out to the Jews, in spite of their customs, to win them for Christ. Many Gentile believers are deathly afraid of "Judaizers." For them, this would include any believer who might celebrate the Jewish holidays or do any thing else that has Jewish roots. In light of Paul's mystery, a far more dangerous group of people in the Church today are the "Gentilizers!" If, to our way of thinking, we are part of a "Gentile Church," instead of understanding that all believers are part of Israel (Christ and His people), then we are Gentilizers. Such people are far more dangerous, since, as a result of their unbiblical faith, they are separated from the life-giving sap of the olive tree.
... As Paul found the riches of Christ dwelling in the Gentiles, maybe the day will come when we will find those riches dwelling in Jews who have come to know and love the Lord because of our sacrifice for them!
18. Are You a Monarch?
Marvin Byers concludes his book with a delightful chapter about the monarch butterfly. These butterflies migrate thousands of miles each year to the same tree that their parents came from. There are three generations of monarchs in the north in the summer, but somehow the butterflies know where to go.
Brother Marvin likens this to the desire of the sons of the kingdom for Jerusalem. I feel it. Do you?
Please consider obtaining a copy of this book and reading it. In any event, pray to the Lord and ask Him what He wants you to do with this information.
May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, grace you with wisdom and understanding, and give you words to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which Paul was in chains.
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UPDATE, February 22, 2022...
1This was the heading text at the top of the blog when this post was written:
I do not deserve the mercy nor the grace extended to me...
Repent and believe, be immersed in water in the Name of Jesus for the remission of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!
This is the true Gospel.
If there is anything good in me, it is from Above.
If I have any knowledge or understanding, it is from the Holy Spirit.
If I have any confidence in myself, I am a fool.
Yeshua is my King!
UPDATE, December 23, 2022...
Added the graphics about Grace, Faith, and The Mystery. Also added the two memes about olive trees and the picture of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.