TEST ONE: Carefully read and compare the following two verses:
(Mat 19:17 KJV) And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
(Gal 5:4 KJV) Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Are the two statements the same or different?
If you said different You are correct!
The bible says, in Romans 3:30 that no flesh can be justified by keeping the commandments. The law gives us the knowledge of sin (what sin is) and served as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Today we are not under the law, but under grace. Our teacher today is grace. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and to live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present evil world.
TEST TWO: Carefully read and compare these next two verses:
(Acts 10:35 KJV) But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
(Titus 3:5 KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Are the two statements the same or different?
If you said different You are correct!
It is simply not humanly possible to do both at the same time. You cannot work righteousness with the expectation of being accepted by God based on your good works, while at the same time not depend on your own goodness or your own good works, but simply trust in the work of Christ on the Cross and that alone for salvation. Working and not working is something you cannot do at the same time. Today salvation is without any works but by grace alone thru faith alone.
TEST THREE: Now, carefully read and compare these last two verses:
(Acts 3:21 KJV) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
(Rom 16:25 KJV) Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Are the two statements the same or different?
If you said different You are correct!
When Paul says "according to my gospel," he is not saying "the gospel," or "our gospel," or even that which Peter preached on a Jewish Holy Day called Pentecost in Acts chapter two and three. When Paul says "my gospel," he is referring to the revelations which the Lord from Heaven gave to him. Peter did not have this information during Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, nor in the book of Acts. It was only in Acts 16 that Peter learned that Christ had died for his sins. Not before.
HERE IS YOUR SCORE:
If your answer on all three tests was "DIFFERENT" then you are "rightly dividing the word of truth.". All of the bible was written FOR US, but not all was written UNTO US. The greatest division in your bible is between PROPHECY (that which was spoken since the world began) and MYSTERY (that which was kept secret since the world began) until the ascended Lord Jesus Christ revealed it to the Apostle of the Gentiles, THE APOSTLE PAUL. Knowing which is FOR YOU and which is UNTO YOU is most important for two essential reasons:
I Timothy 2:4 Who (God) would have all men to be saved......
1. So that you can have a crystal clear NO DOUBT about it understanding of the gospel of YOUR salvation, which will be different than, say Abel's, Noah's, or Peter's, as you could clearly see in the three "tests" above. You can only be SEALED with the ETERNAL Holy Spirit after that you have "heard the word of truth, the gospel of YOUR salvation" and place your trust in the FINISHED WORK of Christ alone for salvation (as in Ephesians 1:13)
....and come unto the knowledge of the truth.
2. Once you are saved, then you are able to perceive the things of God. The bible says, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." (I Corinthians 2:14) As a saved, bible believer you are established in your faith through the sound doctrine committed to Paul for the church today. Consider the following:
(Gal 1:11 KJV) But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
(Gal 1:12 KJV) For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul's Gospel was KEPT SECRET:
Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Paul's Gospel was HIDDEN:
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Paul's Gospel for today was NOT MADE KNOWN:
Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Paul's Gospel for today was HID IN GOD:
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Paul's Gospel for today was A MYSTERY:
Colossians 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Paul's Gospel for today was UNSEARCHABLE:
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Yes, the Apostle Paul has both a unique ministry from all the other Apostles....and most certainly a unique message...different from that of the others. It was not until Jesus Christ appeared to Paul and gave him this special and unique ministry and message that we were ever told to "rightly divide the word of truth." BUT NOW it is an absolute necessity in order to avoid the religious trap of compromise and confusion which is the lot of most of religion today.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
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