When l say l am a christian.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
Anon

Dispensationalism

The word dispensation means – Economy or House rule. It refers to the administration of God at various times in which God holds men responsible to the revelation of himself. Sometimes these dispensations are fixed time periods however the emphasis is not on time but responsibility.

The Dispensation of Innocence.
This administration is a short period when Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden and know nothing of sin experimentally. They live according to one law the Revelation of God Adam.

The Dispensation of Conscience.
This administration began at the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden. This administration still continues today in the lives of those who live as outlaws to the rules of society. Rather than obeying law they live only according their own conscience. The Revelation of God is the conscience in all men.

The Dispensation of Government.
After the Flood God ordains that, “If a man sheds blood then by man shall his blood be shed”. This is the start of civilisation and human government. This administration continues today in the lives of those who submit to the laws of society. The Revelation of God is found in the laws of civil authorities raised up by God to administer on his behalf.

The Dispensation of Promise.
This administration is based on the call of Abraham and continued until the Exodus from Egypt. The Revelation of God is to Abraham – Promises of Blessing.

The Dispensation of Law.
This administration was based on the giving of the Law to Israel. Those who are circumscised find that God expects obedience to the Mosaic law. This administration for the Jews ran alongside conscience and human government for Gentiles.

The Dispensation of Grace.
This administration of God is based completely on the Grace of God. It is characterised by Faith in Christs atoning work. God gives his blessing to those who hear the Gospel and trust in Christ. It is not according to works but a gift of Grace. It began after the day of Pentecost and will end at the rapture, when all the Church is caught up to meet Christ in the air.

The Dispensation of Tribulation.
This administration will last for a little less than 7 years. It is effectly the end of the Dispensation of Law and the last week of the times of the Gentiles. It will be a time of Trouble for Israel in which the Anti-Christ opposes Israel. Christ will return at the end to judge the living nations according to law.

The Dispensation of the Millennium Reign of Christ.
This administration is a period of universal blessing, for 1000 years, as Christ sits on the throne of his father David. The Revelation of God is found in the Law that Christ will personally administer from Jerusalem.

Much of the confusion relating to dispensations is the fact that some dispensations fall betwen fixed periods of time, however the period of time is not the crucial point, it is the administration of God which comes to man in various ways that is the focus of attension. The other point is that the responsibility of men is according to the revelation they have recieved. Therefore different men find themselves in various levels of responsibility according to what God has revealed.

If in our reading of scripture we find that God holds men responsible to law and rewards behaviour accordingly then we can bew sure that the administration described is Law. However if we find that the promise of blessing is given as a gift on the basis of faith then we can be sure that the administration being described is Grace.

Steve

The Gospel

The word Gospel was originally the name given of a gift given to someone who brought a good message. In time the word changed in use to mean the good message itself.

In the Nt the word evangellion - 'Gospel' is used in a special sense - as a declaration to men that God has provided salvation in Christ’s atoning death on the cross.

However the word Gospel is also used in a broader sense in the Nt for any message of goodwill to men and so great care must be exercised as to which message of goodwill the writer is referring to.

1. First of all we have what is called the 'Everlasting Gospel' This message of goodwill to men was proclaimed from the beginning, even in Adam's day. The message came directly from God the creator to man on earth. It was the message that God expects men to worship him as creator God. The message included the promise of blessing on the godly and the prospect of judgment on the ungodly. Enoch preached this Gospel. Jude 14-15. Noah preached this too. Heb 11v7 2Peter 2v5. this message will be preached again in a future day. Rev 14v7.
This Gospel looks forward to the cross and brings the sinner a sence of the fear of the Lord and of his need of salvation.

2. The second message of goodwill is the good news of the coming kingdom. This was promised to Abraham and to his seed. Gen 12v1-3. This message of goodwill to Abraham and his seed was gradually expanded and developed but it always came to the Sons of Abraham and latter called 'the children of Israel'.
This glorious message of goodwill to men was proclaimed to the Shepherds on the Judean hillsides.
'Behold l bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord'.
The immediate audience of this message were the children of Israel. It was a message from Jehovah calling upon Israel to return unto him in covenant relationship - in preparation for the coming Messianic kingdom.
in Acts 2v30 Peter explains exactly what Israel had done to Christ and how they stood in relation to him. And for the next 37 years this message went out to all Jews scattered throughout the Roman world.
In a future day this message will be preached again throughout the world during the Tribulation in preparation for the return of Christ in glory and power.
This Gospel looks forward to the Kingdom and brings the lost sheep of the house of Israel back unto fellowship with the Shepherd of their souls.

3. The third message of goodwill to men is the glad tidings of the cross and resurrection and glory of Christ. It is the Gospel of God. We see in Romans ch 1 that the message of Gods goodwill to both Israel and to the Gentiles goes out through out the world and its subject is the Cross and Resurrection of Christ from the dead. The special feature of this Gospel is the basis upon which it is preached. It is the Gospel of the GRACE of God.
This is a message to both Jew and Gentile that both might be blessed by simple faith in Christ’s atoning work.
This Gospel looks back to the cross and takes a man from being a sinner to being saved.

This Gospel is a proclaimation that God is willing to save men from the guilt and power of sin by faith in Christ and in what Christ has done.

Steve

Can a Christian loose his salvation?

Sin cannot separate the christian from God. When a person is saved they are justified from all things.

Thats not just sins of the past thats ALL sins.

Acts 13v39: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

The Justification of the sinner does not only refer to things that are past. Justification is a state that the sinner in brought into in which he is forever righteous before God.

Do who can bring a new charge against a man that is justified? No-one...

Rom 8v33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?

And the answer is?

It is God that justifieth.

Because God has justified the sinner no charge can ever be brought against his because God has declared him righteous in Christ.

Rom 8v34: Who is he that condemneth?

Who can condemn the christian?

No-one - WHY?

Rom 8v34 It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

That is why Rom 8 started with the phrase - There is therefore now NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

But surely you say something must be able to separate the Christian from God?

Well we have established that it cannot be sin. So Paul goes on to list the things that might do it...

35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Is this the teaching of Christ?

Yes of course it is.

John 5v24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

The word condemnation means to face judgment to be condemned. How Can God condemn a man who he has declared Justified?

Impossible.

Steve

The Seven congregations of Asia

Right at the beginning we have a clue as to who John is addressing his letters. He says ‘unto the angel of the Church’. The word angel means ‘the messenger’. Now NT churches do not have a single minister, let alone ‘an angel’. However the Jewish congregations that accepted Christ as the Messiah had a Chief Rabbi who led each service and he was referred to as the ‘Angelous’ the messenger. He was the presiding Rabbi. He was one of a group of overseers of the Jewish believers, v9. It is to this leader that the letters are addressed. He is representative of the elders and the whole congregation. John’s ministry is still focused on the Jewish congregations of Asia, where his ministry was based.

John writes these letters as the Prophet of God to these Jews.

(The Jews had what is called 'The leadership complex'. What this means is that when God has something to say he says it to the Religious leaders (and political if there are any) and they are expected to respond appropriately on behalf of the people that they lead. We see this in the ministry of John Christ and the Apostles and we see it here. Often when Jews are asked about why they reject Christ they will say if Jesus was the Messiah then why did the Elders reject him in his day. They trust their leaders and always assume that they do right. John addresses himself to the Leaders of each Jewish/Christian congregation. He addresses issues such as their righteous works, Their relation to the synagogue of Satan and the issue of false Jews who say they are Jews but are not. And the call is consistently in the context of The Gospel of the Kingdom i.e. Repentance and a return to the God of their fathers)

His first letter is to the congregation of Ephesus. Christ commends them for their works, labour and patience and for their hatred of the Nicolaitians. However they have left their first love (himself) and therefore he calls on them to repent and return unto the Lord and ‘do the works’ in other words keep the Mosaic law because they are Jews after all. If they do not repent then the Lord will remove the candlestick. This is the token of his presence. The promise Christ gives is ‘The Tree of life’ in the Paradise of God – In the Kingdom.

To the Smyrna congregation Christ says, I know your works, tribulation and poverty (Yet they are rich towards God) He says l know the Blaspheme of those who claim to be Jews but are the synagogue of Satan! He gives specific encouragement in tribulation to those who will be imprisoned for their faith in Christ. And he promises eternal life in the Kingdom.

To the Pergamos congregation he writes that he knows their works and the evil of the place they inhabit. He even calls it Satan’s seat. However there are a few things he holds against them. They allow those who follow Balaam who caused Israel to Sin. And how that they encourage abominations causing the judgment of God to come. He commends them for their hatred of the Nicolaitians. However he tells them to repent of judgment will come. None of these terms could ever be spoken to a NT Church.

To the Thyatira Jewish congregation he writes I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. These he commends, but he warns them of allowing a prophetess Jezebel to teach and draw men into the gross sins of fornication and Idolatry. Christ himself has warned her and yet she has not repented so He will act in severe judgment and destroy her and her offspring. Those who overcome will share with Christ his rule over the Nations in the Kingdom.
All these messages were strongly Jewish in flavour and addressed to the Jewish synagogues of Asia Minor (Turkey).

To the congregation at Sardis. Christ says, I know thy works. He says this every time and is saying I know all that you do which is commendable. He says you have a name that you are alive but you are dead spiritually. He says be careful because the congregation is ready to pass away. As always the call to Israel is a call to repentance and a return to the Lord and righteous living before God. Those who are righteous will escape the judgment of God of death.

To the Philadelphian congregation Christ says, I have the key of David. I.e.The total authority of the King. He can open and shut and no man can overcome it. He says, l know thy works etc He commends them for their strength even though it is little and their determination to keep to Christ’s word. Again they are plagued by those who are false Jews. He promises to keep them safe in the time of tribulation which will come upon the whole earth. Those who overcome will be granted a position as a pillar in the temple of the Kingdom. Those who overcome will have the name of God and Jerusalem and the New Name.

To the Laodicean congregation Christ says, He knows their spiritual state. They are not hot or cold. They are self-willed self-sufficient and self-satisfied. They say they are rich, yet they are actually poor. They say they see everything, yet they are blind. If ever there were a description of the LORD’s dealings with Israel it is in these words – ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent’. To those who overcome, he promises to sit with him in the glorious Kingdom ruling with him.

Steve

Why does James say that we should call for and elder of the church if we get sick?

The period from the resurrection to the destruction of Jerusalem was a transitional period.

Firstly the Same message the Gospel of the Kingdom was still being preached from synagogue to synagogue right throughout the Roman world. God had spoken through John and through Christ calling Israel to restoration of their covenantal obligations under the Mosaic Law.

Secondly there slowly developed a second thread. The Gospel of the Grace of God to the Gentiles in which was he would bless them outside the Mosaic Covenant. There was a very big push to bring the new Gentile Believers in Christ into Judaism by Circumcision and Law observance. (This was just one of the battles Paul faced and his most lethal) This came to a head in Acts 15. Where the apostles agreed than Gentile believers were not required to convert to Judaism nor were they bound by the Mosaic law. This was an important event in the life of Christianity. Christianity broke free from Judaism. However, That’s not the whole story yet.

The third aspect of this transitional period is that While some Jews ceased to keep the Mosaic law. And that was ok. And Gentiles were not required to keep the Mosaic Law And that was ok too. What about whole Jewish communities some of whom accepted Christ as the Messiah. Well they were allowed to remain Jewish/Christians. In other words in family life, Social life, religious life and in commerce they stayed faithful to Judaism. However not because Judaism saved them. It didn’t, Faith in Christ has saved them. But remaining outwardly a Jew meant that the Jewish families remained in tact. and Jewish life and commerce continued as normal. So we get for example people who still eat Kosher. Not because this brings Gods favour - it doesn’t. but because to do the contrary would break apart ordinary Jewish life.

Fourthly, The Apostles ministry was directed primarily at the Jewish Nation they were continuing the work that Christ had begun. and for 40 years From the beginning of John's ministry at Jordan right up to 70AD the message that Israel is to repent and return to the Lord still went out to this unfaithful nation. However in AD 69 the Legions moved in and the following year the Temple was destroyed and 1,100,000 Jews are killed in Jerusalem. Israel had had an opportunity to hear the call to repentance for 40 years and they had rejected their Messiah and his apostles.
Now while these apostles were going from synagogue to synagogue they could easily be silenced with on word. 'You are unrighteous'. In other words that do not keep the Mosaic Law. This would silence then in a moment and render their message of no value. Therefore Paul Timothy Silas Barnabas Had to be careful not to break the Mosaic Law. WHY? So that they could be saved? NO they were already saved. Was it because it was their duty as a christian? NO they as christians were not obliged to keep the law. They were free from the law completely. So why did Paul the greatest preacher of freedom from the Law keep it? - So that he might keep open the channels to the Jews to whom he was to preach the gospel of the kingdom. [1]
Have you fallen asleep yet? I hope not.

These Jewish/Christians were in a majority in some places. Now the second half of the NT contains a number of NT letters written to christians who also happened to be Jews too. They were saved good enough yet they still lived within Judaism and therefore they lived under the blessings and curses of the Mosaic Law. These NT letters written to Jewish/christians are... Hebrews, James, 1/2 Peter, 1/2/3 John, Jude, Revelation.

They all address christians - but Jewish christians. They all speak in terms of Law. Their emphasis is 'live righteously'.

So coming back to James.

James writes to Jews some of whom had got sick because God always disciplines Israel with sickness when they sin. And what is the cure? The cure is not with the doctors but with the Rabbis. They come to the sick. Teach them to repent of their sin and anoint them with oil symbol of the restoration of spiritual life and they get well.

This has no parallel in the Church today.

Steve

[1] 1 Corinthians 9: 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

How do l life the Christian life?

John says he writes so that the believers might become overcomers.

How does the Christian overcome the world?

4: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The Christian is saved by Faith in Christ
The Christian lives by Faith
The Christian overcomes the Flesh by Faith
The Christian overcomes the world by Faith
The Christian overcomes Satan by Faith

Steve