Book 40

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 3 * BOOK 40

Philippians 3:17 – 4:23

Now let’s go back to the Book of Philippians for just a little bit. We’re going to be jumping around again in this lesson, but we’ll start with verse 21 of chapter 3. Did I spend the whole half hour in verse 20? I didn’t intend to do that, as I thought sure I’d finish the whole Book of Philippians today, and we may yet be able to do that. Now verse 21 is another loaded verse that has so much in it that you have to use so much to enhance what the apostle is talking about. At the end of verse 20 we’re looking for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ to come for us.

Philippians 3:21

“Who shall change our vile body, (this old body of corruption) that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

In other words, He’s going to be able to take this body and make something of it. Now that’s a real hope isn’t it? Now let’s just look at a few verses that enhance that concept, so come back to I Corinthians chapter 15. When I teach the Rapture of the Church I always try to use I Corinthians 15:51-58 along with I Thessalonians 4:13-18, but here we just want you to see what Paul was talking about in Philippians when he says, “That when the Lord comes he will change our vile body, this body of sin and disease into a new body.”

I Corinthians 15:51a

“Behold I shew you a mystery; (a secret that had never been revealed before. This secret had been kept in the mind of God until He reveals it to this apostle.) We shall not all sleep…”

We’re not all going to die. There’s going to be a group of believers living who will not go through death. I think Enoch in the Book of Genesis chapter 5 is probably a pretty good illustration of that in the Old Testament. Enoch walked with God just before the judgment of the flood, but we find that he was translated, and escaped that judgment. So I tie that in with the Rapture of the Church. We’ll be here one moment and be gone in a split second and shortly after that the horrors of the Tribulation will fall. So Paul here is showing us a secret. Something that has never been revealed before. The Lord Jesus never mentions this during His earthly ministry. Peter knew nothing of it, but this is a revelation that was given only to this apostle in this Age of Grace. So we remember we shall not die.

I Corinthians 15:51b

“…but we shall all be changed.”

Regardless whether the believer has died or is alive at the Rapture we’re all going to be changed. We’re going to have a body fashioned after Christ’s resurrected body, and we’ll look at a few of those verses in a moment. Now verse 52. For those of us who are alive and remain this body change won’t take long to accomplish.

I Corinthians 15:52a

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:”

Now trump here is singular and I’ve started to emphasize that because I’ve had several that have tried to drum the trumpets of Revelation down my throat as being the call of the Church. Well there’s no correlation or anything that even comes close to fitting this trumpet of God that Paul speaks of and the trumpets in Revelation. Number one, this is the trumpet of God, it’s singular. Revelation has seven trumpets that are given to seven angels, not to announce His coming and the resurrection, but rather they’re to announce plagues, and the wrath of God. So I can’t see any correlation whatsoever. This is the trumpet of God and it shall sound. Now finishing verse 52.

I Corinthians 15:52b

“…for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead (the dead in Christ. Only for the Church Age. Not the Old Testament believer, as they’ll have their own resurrection, but the Church Age believers) shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

So we’re all going to be raised incorruptible, and have the same kind of body that Christ has. Every Church Age believer, whether we’re weak, carnal, or spiritual, whether we’ve accomplished a lot, little or nothing. We’re all going to be changed. And now verse 53, and here’s the reason.

I Corinthians 15:53-54a

“For this corruptible (this body of flesh) must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54. So when this corruptible, (this body that is prone to go back to the dust of the earth) shall have put on incorruption,…”

Do you know what that means? That body is going to last for eternity! Now I was reading again the other night that astronomers are finding more and more with the explosion of technology, and even though I don’t agree with their timing yet it certainly sets my mind spinning. If, as they say, this universe is billions and billions of years old, then that’s still nothing compared to eternity. We can’t put eternity in billions and billions and billions of years, because that would put an end on eternity. Eternity will never end. That’s enough to almost scare you isn’t it? How are we going to stay interested in staying alive that long? But whatever, it’s just mind boggling, that this new body that we’re going to receive is going to be our abode for eternity. When you think of these things you wonder how lost people can be so careless, because they too are going to an eternity. But it’s going to be an eternity of misery and sorrow and hopelessness. Now let’s get back to the positive.

I Corinthians 15:54

“So when this corruptible (this body of flesh that has been programmed for 70 or 80 years or so) shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Now for sake of time let’s jump down to verse 57.

I Corinthians 15:57

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Now let’s go back to the Book of Luke chapter 24, and get a picture of this new glorious, resurrected body that we’re going to have as believers. This passage is just one instance, there were several others. I’m sure the one you remember the most is when our Lord fell in step with the people on the road to Emmaus. He walked and talked with them, they invited Him in, no doubt, for an evening meal. He went in with them, supped with them, I’m sure, and all of a sudden He’s gone. Then in a split second He’s in the upper room in Jerusalem with the disciples.

Now here in Luke we get a graphic description of that that new resurrected body, and it’s going to be a literal physical, spiritual, and yes spiritual body. Let’s begin with verse 34. See this is what we have to do, we just can’t gloss over a verse and say, “Well I don’t really understand it.” Just search the Scriptures, and if we’re going to have a body that’s fashioned after His glorious body, then it behooves us to go into the Book and see what that body was like. Well here it is. This was His resurrected body that we’re going to read about. In verse 33 we find the disciples had returned to Jerusalem.

Luke 24:34

“Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (remember these disciples knew nothing of resurrection before it happened. Peter and John never believed it until they saw the evidence in John 19.) 35. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.”

Now that’s where I think that on the road to Emmaus when they asked Him into the home, He must have had supper with them, before He left, because they’re now sharing that news. “He sat down and ate with us, He walked with us.” Now verse 36.

Luke 24:36-39

“And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, (He didn’t knock on the door or come through the window, but rather came right through the walls. That’s beautiful isn’t it? I tell you what, that’s going to be fabulous) and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37. But they were terrified (now this is the eleven, they had been with Him for three years.) and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. (we would say a ghost) 38. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39. Behold my hands and my feet that it is I myself: handle me, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

So that’s the make up of our eternal body. It’s going to be a body fashioned after His glorious body. It’s not going to be a body of flesh and blood, it’s going to be a body of flesh and bones. Now the first thing we have to asks is, “If the blood is the life flow of the human body, what is going to maintain life then of our new resurrected body?” Well, the Spirit will. The Spirit of God becomes what the blood is for us today. So we’ll be comprised of flesh and bone, but it was visible, physical, touchable, tangible, see that? This isn’t some either real invisible mist, but rather this is reality. Now verse 40.

Luke 24:40

“And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.”

Now I pointed out I think in our last taping how that Mary didn’t recognize Jesus when He appeared in that pre-dawn light. Remember the last vision she had of Jesus was the horror of His crucifixion. That’s when He had been so total disfigured, as all the sins of the world were placed on Him. Isaiah chapter 52:14 says, “He was more marred than any other man”.And then all of a sudden see a man standing there perfectly whole with all of His fleshly attributes. No wonder she didn’t recognize Him. When we see Him the only thing that will depict His crucifixion will be the nail and footprints and the wound in His side. But the Scripture gives no evidence of Him being disfigured and so forth now. Now verse 41.

Luke 24:41a

“And while they yet believed not…”

Isn’t that amazing? Now we think the world is in dire straits today because they simply can’t believe the Word of God. I bring that out when I ask the question, “What’s the basic problem with America?” We’ve become a nation destitute of faith. We just can’t believe the Word of God anymore as a nation of people. But listen, that’s not all that unusual. Here were these eleven men, who were with Him for 3 years and had seen the evidence. Peter and John had seen it earlier, and had heard how He had walked with the men on the road to Emmaus, and yet their hearts are so stirred, that they really can’t believe that it’s Him. Now finishing the verse.

Luke 24:41

“And while they yet believed not for joy, (in other words they were so ecstatic) and wondered, (the Lord was so patient with them wasn’t He? He could have said, ‘Why can’t you believe when you have seen the evidence,’ so in so many words, He says, ‘well let’s prove something’) he said unto them. Have ye here any meat?” (food)

Now it wasn’t that Jesus was hungry and had to eat, but He’s going to prove something to them, and I love this, because I love to eat. I think we all do, and we’re going to have the opportunity to enjoy food in eternity, I know we are, and here’s one of the evidences of it.

Luke 24:42-43

“And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43. And he took it, and did eat before them.”

He didn’t pretend to eat it, but rather He ate it in that resurrected body. Now verse 44.

Luke 24:44

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, (back in that 3 years of ministry) that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”

You know I’ve always said that the Old Testament was full of everything concerning His first coming. So why didn’t they know? Because it was hidden from them, God didn’t intend for them to know. Remember that’s God prerogative. He keeps things hidden until it’s time to reveal it. In fact, my favorite verse to point that out is right here in Luke. Just back up a few pages to chapter 18, and let’s look at these verses again. In this passage this is back when His earthly ministry is coming to an end. They’re up there in northern Israel, at the headwaters of the Jordan River, and they’ll soon be heading up to Jerusalem. And notice just how plain this is. My there’s not gobbledygook, there’s no deep theology here, it’s just plain English.

Luke 18:31-34

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. (What’s He telling them? All the things written in the Old Testament are coming to a head, they’re about to be fulfilled. And He tells them in the following verses how it’s going to be.) 32. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, (the Romans) and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, (they did just about everything to Him) and spitted on: 33. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. (He’s got it all right there in one package, but look at the next verse.) 34. And they (the twelve who had been with Him for 3 years) understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”

Now this is not the only time He tells them straight out, but God had hidden all of this from them. God didn’t want them to know and they didn’t know until the right time. See this is why Paul can honestly say that, “To him were revealed mysteries that had never been revealed to mankind before.” Oh they may be back there in some kind of Latin language, but boy you’d have to be a better scholar than I am to dig it out, because God kept it secret. It’s the same way here. These twelve men had no idea of what He was talking about. In that same light keep your hand here in Luke, and come on over to John’s gospel chapter 20. A dear old Sunday school teachers years ago told me that when he was teaching these verses out of his quarterly one Easter Sunday morning, that they skipped right over these verses, because the author of that Sunday school quarterly didn’t want the people to see this verse. It’s that amazing? But we try not to skip anything. Now look at what it says.

John 20:8

“Then went in also that other disciple, (John) which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. (They saw the evidence) 9. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.”

When Peter and John saw the evidence of the empty sepulchre they believed. This is Peter and John we’re talking about. So why didn’t they know? God hid it from them. You know I’m always using Deuteronomy 29:29.

Deuteronomy 29:29a

“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed, belong unto us…”

But they don’t belong to us until it’s revealed, and that always brings me right back to the apostle Paul’s use then of the word mystery. No body was supposed to understand it until the Lord revealed it to that apostle here in the Church Age. Now coming back to Luke chapter 24 again. So here we have these men who have been with Him for three years whose minds had been providentially closed so that they did not understand, but now they’ve got the proof standing right there in front of them in His resurrected body. Now back to verse 42.

Luke 24:42-43

“And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43. And he took it, and did eat before them.”

To show them His physical make up. Well you have the same thing in Acts chapter 1, when He ascended and the eleven stood there and watched Him go. Did they see some kind of an enigma? They saw the risen resurrected Lord as He is now showing them that He can eat. Now verse 44 again.

Luke 24:44-45

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me. (Now verse 45. What did it take for those eleven men to finally put it all together?) 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,”

Isn’t that mind-boggling? But you see it’s no different today, as I can teach until I’m blue in the face. I teach five nights a week now, but I could teach every night, and it wouldn’t make any difference unless the Lord opens the heart. It has to be that way, but on the other hand we have to fulfill our requirement of getting the message out there, so when the Lord does open their heart, it’s ready to take root. So always understand that these things were kept hidden from these men until God was ready to reveal it. Now for a moment let’s go on to verse 46.

Luke 24:46

“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it beloved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.”

That was what the whole scope of Scripture was leaning on, His coming to suffer, to die and to be raised from the dead, and then to show Himself openly that He was alive and showing us the kind of a body that we will one day enjoy. We’ve got one minute left so let’s go quickly to Matthew chapter 17, and here we have another glimpse of that glorious body that we’re going to have ourselves one day.

Matthew 17:1

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2. And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light,”

One day that’s the way we as believers are going to be like that.

 

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 2 * BOOK 40

Paul – Our Example – Part 2

Now we’re going to begin this lesson in Philippians verse 20, and my, what a verse. You know too many times we read these things casually and say, “There’s nothing in there.” Oh no? It’s a loaded verse if you start really picking it apart. Remember in verse 19 the last thing Paul said was that these false teachers who have adulterated and perverted the truth are only concerned about earthly things. But for the believer it’s a different story.

Philippians 3:20a

“For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven;…”

Well where your citizenship is, what also should be there? Well, your heart. And so all of Paul’s teachings then are centered in our position in the heavenlies. In fact it just comes to mind, I hadn’t planned on using this, but in Ephesians chapter 1 and drop down to verse 3, and this just says everything that I said last program.

Ephesians 1:3

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

Now the King James says, “heavenly places” but I prefer the heavenlies. Now that’s where we’re positioned, that’s where our citizenship is, that’s where all of our blessings rest and come from. I ended that with a preposition didn’t I. You’re not supposed to do that are you? But anyway that’s where everything is centered for us as believers. So now coming back to Philippians for a second.

Philippians 3:20a

“For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven;…”

Let’s establish that first by turning to Colossians chapter 1 – so we realize, “How did I become a citizen of heaven? How did I end up in that position?” Well here it is in verse 12. This is the closing part of the apostle’s prayer on behalf of the Colossi believers.

Colossians 1:12

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (or prepared us) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”

What light? Well the Light of Christ Himself. Who John’s gospel says, “That Light that has lighted every man that cometh into the world.” So we are an inheritance of that Light. Now in verse 13 Paul is referring again to the Father.

Colossians 1:13

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and (at the same moment) hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

Well where is the Son’s kingdom? It’s in heaven. Now one day, and we think soon, it’s going to be on the earth, but tonight He is in heaven, so everything concerning His kingdom is heavenly, and so that’s where we are, that’s where our citizenship is. So we have been translated into the kingdom of his dear Son. You know I’m always using the word that Christianity is so practical. So come back with for a moment to II Corinthians chapter 5, and don’t lose sight now of where our citizenship is. Well if our citizenship is in heaven, then what are we so far as the world is concerned? Aliens. Not from outer space, but from the earth itself, because our citizenship is in heaven. Well, now Paul uses a terminology in II Corinthians chapter 5 that fits so perfectly even in our present day political system.

II Corinthians 5:20a

“Now then we (as believers whose citizenship is in heaven) are ambassadors for Christ,…” See that’s a perfect terminology, because we still use ambassadors today. When our government sends an ambassador to Tokyo, he’s not a citizen of Japan, but rather he’s an alien, because his citizenship is back here in America, but he’s living in Japan. So what’s he doing over there? Well he’s being a representative of his home government. Isn’t that a beautiful picture?

That’s where we are. We’re on this earth as aliens, but we’re not just here being parasites. We’re not here just living off everybody else, We are here as direct associates of the glorious kingdom of heaven itself, and we’re here to show forth, to reflect our place of abode. That’s what we’re here for, and we are to literally reflect our heavenly position day in and day out. And that’s why I personally feel that is our great commission. This really fits, this is what you and I can do everyday of our lives. Everyday we can reflect the place of our citizenship, reflect the One who is the head of the Body, and we are ambassadors, we are constantly representing the Lord Jesus Christ and in verse 18 he tells us “we then are ministers of reconciliation.” In other words, all we have to do is let lost people know that God has already reconciled them, it’s all been done, but God can’t appropriate it until they believe it.

We make it so hard for unbelievers. I can look back in my own experience – I’ve made it hard for people. I know better now, it’s so simple. Just recognize your lostness, recognize that you’re without hope, but everything has been done for you, it’s a free gift, and all we have to do to appropriate it is to believe it in our heart. (Romans 10:9-10) The moment we believe it, God translates us into the kingdom of His dear Son, He makes us a citizen of heaven, but at the very same moment he designates us an ambassadors for Him.

Politicians have to connive and bribe to get an ambassadorial position, but we don’t have to do that because ours is given the moment we become a citizen of heaven. And oh what a responsibility we take on. You know I told my classes here in Oklahoma the other night if everyone of my class people, which is only a few hundred people, could win one every couple of weeks, and then they in turn could go out and win one every couple weeks, do you realize how fast we could make an impact on this nation? But that’s what God expects us to do, we’re ambassadors, and we are to be constantly reflecting the place of our citizenship where Christ is not so much the King of the Body as He is the Head of the Body.

Now along those lines of thinking let’s come back to Romans chapter 8. I just told some folks that I could go an hour on this verse. But some people are getting impatient that I’m taking too long to go through the Bible, and they want to know “How many more books there will be before you finally finish.” Well I can’t answer that question, I think the Lord’s going to come before we get through. Now here in Romans let’s just drop in at verse 14. See, these are all tied together. This is all because of our salvation experience, and the resulting position in the Body of Christ, in the Kingdom, just however you want to picture it.

Romans 8:14-17

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (or children) of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; (we’re not shaking in our boots in fear of an awesome God. No, we are one and part of Him) but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, (which is a positional term again) whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are (that’s our promise from God) the children of God: (now for some more promises, and notice it doesn’t promise me flocks and herds and material wealth, but these are all heavenly promises.) 17. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Then Paul goes on in verse 18, and if there’s any doubt, “Is it worth suffering for?” And suffering scares most of us, but verse 18 sets that to rest.

Romans 8:18

“For I reckon that the suffering of this present time (and all the times according to II Corinthians chapter 11 that this man suffered) are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

That’s our hope. Now the Lord may bless us, and He has according to other parts of the world, as they think we’re all millionaires. But nevertheless that’s not our primarily purpose for being here. Our primary purpose is to lift up our position as representatives of our heavenly abode, and that is as ambassadors. Now back to Philippians chapter 3. We’ve discussed the first half of verse 20, but there’s more. Not only is our citizenship in heaven, not only are we ambassadors as a result of that citizenship, but we live moment by moment looking for the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

“For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Another accompanying verse is found in the Book of Titus chapter 2. This is a verse that I have learned to confront people with who refuse to accept the Deity of Christ, and there are more than one group that do that. They do not believe that Jesus was God. I’ve tried all the other references and they’ve always got an answer for it. They’ll wiggle around it one way or the other every time, but this one shuts them up every time. This one they don’t have an answer for. In fact I just used this one again yesterday. The Scripture here ties in so beautifully with Philippians 3:20b “from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Look what Paul writes to Titus.

Titus 2:13

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

Is there any doubt? They can’t wiggle around this verse, so learn to use it. When people come to your door and you asked them if they believe that Jesus Christ is God, and they say no, and give you all the reasons in their Bible that He isn’t, then you just show them this verse and it will stop them. They can’t get around it.

Titus 2:14

“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar (something of intrinsic value) people, zealous of good works”

But all the while we’re doing our good works, what are we looking for? The appearing of the Great God, and blessed hope. I’ve asked people more than once, “What is your blessed hope?” And it’s amazing how many people will say, “When I die I’ll go to heaven.” Well that’s a good hope, but that’s not the blessed hope. The blessed hope is that maybe before we leave today the Lord will return, and we’ll meet Him in the air, and I think most of us are getting homesick for that event. We just can’t wait, but that’s as it should be, but you don’t sit down on some hillside and wait for it to happen. We’re to keep busy, working, and planting.

I’ve had more than one say, “Well Les I was ready to plant an apple tree, and thought well what’s the use.” But I always say, “Go ahead and plant your apple tree, because we don’t know when He’s coming back, but we think it’s very near.” I’ve got a fence that I know I should replace, and I haven’t done it yet, because I think the same thing, but one of these days I’ve got to get it done. But nevertheless we don’t sit down and say, “Well the Lord’s coming!” No, no, we work and we continue to plan and raise our families and take care of our business as if the Lord won’t come for another 100 years. But way down deep, what do we know? It’s getting close!

We don’t know how soon, but as you see the world just falling apart, and again right here in Oklahoma, how we’ve been shaken to the toenails by another act of violence among our kids. I know it’s hard to comprehend, but the moment I hear of something like that the verse comes to mind of what Paul wrote to Timothy “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” We might as well look at that Scripture for a moment since we’re thinking on those lines. So come back to II Timothy chapter 3 verse 1. And we can expect this kind of thing. It’s not going to get better. The best we can hope for is that we can slow it down. And that we can get enough of the Word out to our people and our young people and our kids that maybe we can slow it. We’re not going to turn it around. We’re not going to see a 180 degree turn. We’re not going to see a great world revival. Forget it! It’s not in the Book. But II Timothy chapter 3 does give us the scenario. Let’s look at verse 1.

II Timothy 3:1-3a

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,(What age level is that? Our kids, the teenagers. The Book is pointing straight at them.) unthankful, unholy. 3. Without natural affection…” What group of people does that address? Whether it’s a wife abuser, a husband abuser, or a child abuser. What’s their problem? They don’t have any natural affection. And we’re going to see more and more of it. It’s something that is disappearing from the human scenario. Nobody cares. Let’s continue on.

II Timothy 3:3b

“…trucebreakers,…”

They can make a deal and 30 minutes later they can break it. Now you know most of us are old enough, we lived in a day when you made a deal and shook hands on it and that was it. You didn’t have to have 4 copies. You didn’t have to have a whole great long page of legal stuff. You made a deal, you shook hands and that was it. You kept your word come what may. But not any more because we’ve become a society of trucebreakers.

II Timothy 3:3b-5

“…false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. 4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. 5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

You know what that tells me? Oh, they’re in church on Sunday morning. They’re filling their pew for that one hour or so on Sunday morning. And then that’s their obligation fulfilled. And then they’ll go right back out and perform all the rest of this and it doesn’t even bother then. Not all do that. Don’t get me wrong. But this is too often the case. And so all of these things are all part and parcel of our end time scenario. Now back to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3:20b

“…from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Now I’ve got to jump from there again to another verse in I Thessalonians chapter 4 where we have the whole thing described in detail. And as you know I make no apology that I believe in the Rapture of the Body of Christ. I believe with all my heart that one day, and I think rather soon, that the trumpet is going to sound. No, not the angelic trumpets of Revelation, but the singular, trumpet of God that Paul speaks of and the voice of the archangel, and then as he says in I Corinthians, “we who are alive and remain shall be changed.”But now in I Thessalonians chapter 4 and let’s begin with verse beginning with verse 13. This is what we’re to coincide with Philippians 3:20. When this happens we’re going to have a body fashioned after His glorious body.

I Thessalonians 4:13

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, (have died physically) that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”

In other words, if we’re believers and our loved ones are believers when they died, we’re going to see them again. We don’t have to weep and wale like we will never see them again. Now verse 14. I always call this the qualifying factor of being in the Rapture.

I Thessalonians 4:14

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, (see, there’s Paul’s Gospel, and if we believe that with all our heart) even so them also which sleep (died) in Jesus will God bring with him.”

In other words, those who were believers who have died are in glory, they’re in Paradise, they’re in the Lord’s presence conscience, but I don’t feel they’re up there walking the golden street. They’re waiting for their resurrection just like we are. So when the trumpet sounds and Christ leaves heaven, these departed souls of the Church Age believers will come with Him to be reunited shortly with their resurrected body. Now verse 15.

I Thessalonians 4:15

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, (the crucified, resurrected, risen, ascended Lord was instructing Paul to write this) that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (died) 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

See, when I teach these things I always like to teach comparisons. This is not the Second Coming. The Second Coming comes with calamities, and disasters, and probably nuclear warfare, earthquakes, and all the rest. That’s the Second Coming. At that time He will come to the Mount of Olives, which is on Jerusalem’s east side. None of that happens here. This Rapture of the Church is just a silent intervention except for the trumpet of God, and He doesn’t come to the Mount of Olives, but rather only to the air. Verse 17.

I Thessalonians 4:17

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Why? Because we’re citizens of that heaven from whence He has come to get us, and He’s going to take us back to that heaven. And so what a glorious blessed hope we are looking forward to. And we really think that one day soon that trumpet is going to sound and we’re going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 1 * BOOK 40

Paul – Our Example

We hope by now that you are so interested in the Word of God that you are studying on your own, as that’s number one priority. So many of our letters tells us that for the first time many of our listeners are studying the Word, and now are understanding what they are reading. After all, the Word of God is Truth, and the Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we can discern it. So this is our prayer and whole purpose for being here.

Now we’ll get right back to where we left off in the last lesson and that will be Philippians chapter 3 and verse 17. And here in this verse Paul makes one of those graphic statements that a lot of people just don’t like to swallow. It just rubs them wrong, and here it is.

Philippians 3:17a

“Brethren, be followers together of me,…”

Do you know what about 99% of so-called Christians say? “Well I don’t follow Paul, but rather I follow Jesus.” Well you know my favorite clique on that is, “Then what do you do when you come to the shores of Galilee and He keeps going?” It’s pretty hard to do isn’t it? So always remember He was God, and we can’t walk in His footsteps, but the apostle Paul is just as human as we are, and we are admonished to follow him as he follows the resurrected Christ. Also remember that I’m always emphasizing that Paul only knows Christ, crucified, buried, and risen from the dead and ascended back to glory. And it was from that position in glory then that the Lord reveals all these precious truths to the apostle Paul. That’s what makes his apostleship so unique, and this is why he can say, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we now as Grace Age believers are to be following him as he follows Christ.

Let’s chase a few of the references down that command us to be followers of Paul. First let’s go back to I Corinthians chapter 4, and we do this just to show folks that you can spend a whole evening chasing down some of these references that tie everything together. In this first reference let’s begin with verse 16, and again remember that every word that Paul writes is inspired by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t just his personal ego coming out, but rather it’s the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and look what He says in verse 16.

I Corinthians 4:16

“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”

Because Paul was the one who was literally now walking in the footsteps of the ascended Lord. Not the earthly Jesus that we see so much in the four gospels, but this is the ascended Lord who has now finished the work of the death, burial and resurrection which of course then becomes our Gospel that we must believe for salvation. Now turn a few pages to chapter 11 for the next one, and he says basically the same thing. I’m always emphasizing, why does the Scripture repeat? Well it’s the same reason we repeat things today. Emphasis! If you want somebody to really get something straight, then you don’t just tell them once, but maybe two or three times, because this is the way you want it done. Well Scripture is the same way. When there is a repetition within a short period of time, it’s there for emphasis. Now look how beautifully this verse also fits.

I Corinthians 11:1

“Be ye followers of me, (now here’s the whole thing) even as I also am of Christ.”

So it isn’t that we are told to follow just the human steps of Paul, but really as he follows Christ in the realm of the Spirit, so also we do. Now keep turning to the right, and come to Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 1. Those of you who have been with me ever since we started in Romans remember that we’re always pointing out that Paul’s earliest letters were pretty much elementary, but when we started those prison epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon we took a jump up, and we get into further revelations that Paul experienced and wrote then shortly before he was martyred. And here’s one even late in his ministry, and he’s still saying the same thing.

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (see?) 2. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”

And then Paul delineates all the things that should no longer be a part of our Christian experience. So always remember that we follow him, even as he follows Christ. The next one I think I’ll take you to is in I Thessalonians chapter 1. Let’s begin with verse 5, and remember where all of these various congregations are. Thessalonica was up there on the Aegean coast of Greece just a little south of Philippi, and of course was one of Paul’s earliest congregation on the European Continent, and look what he says.

I Thessalonians 1:5-7

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were (speaking of himself)among you for your sake. (now verse 6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost; 7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.”

And it’s also our purpose for being here today. We are to be an example now as we follow in the footsteps of the apostle who follows the Lord, and all of this is to bring honor and glory not to ourselves, but to the Lord who has bought us, and paid for us with His shed blood. There is another one in I Timothy chapter 1 where Paul tells us that he’s our pattern, our example, so let’s look at that one also.

I Timothy 1:15

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” Paul says that he was chief. But remember, chiefhere in the Greek means, like head of a state, such as a Governor, he was first.

Paul was not the worst sinner, but rather he was at the head of the line for sinners who would become Grace Age believers, and here it is in verse 16.

I Timothy 1:16

“Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

So Paul became our pattern and our example, and remember when he wrote these things, they were all inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. We know that Paul’s writings are not popular today, and I know some people have even gone so far as to say that they don’t think that any of his writings should even be in the New Testament. But my land, if we didn’t have Paul’s letters, we would have nothing, because here is where all of our basic truths for salvation, for Christian living, and the hope of the Church Age are all written out in Paul’s epistles. If you take that away, then we’d have nothing left. Now back to Philippians chapter 3, and reading on in verse 17. Remember Paul always promoted Grace. My land, last night Iris and I watched television for the first time in ever so long. On public television they had the three Irish tenors, maybe some of you saw it. It was a rather good program, but as soon as they started this one song, Iris said, “I bet this will get them a standing ovation,” and what was the name of the song? Amazing Grace. And I’ll tell you what, when those three men sang that song my goose bumps just jumped. When they had finished I told Iris, “Isn’t it amazing that the world just acclaims that tremendous hymn, and yet I wonder how many really understand what it’s saying.” And it is hard to understand unless you’ve read the account of the author of “Amazing Grace” John Newton.

Just to summarize it, he had been raised in a Christian home in England, he had rebelled, left home and went to sea as a sailor. Over the years in spite of his debilitating life style he became a sea captain of a slave ship, and you know what those slave ships were. They were horrible. They had absolutely no concern for human life. And with it of course, he was an intense alcoholic and very immoral. So anyway his whole life had simply hit the skids, and finally as he was getting old and up in years, he remembered what he had heard at his mother’s knee. So he cried out for salvation, and the Lord saved him miraculously, and shortly after that he wrote this tremendous hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

You know when you analyze the word he says it all. “Once I was lost.” See, that’s what most people do not realize, “That until we’re saved, we’re lost.” So old John Newton, by virtue of his lifestyle, recognized that indeed he was lost, and now he was found. “Blind.” Spiritually blind. I suppose he ridiculed his mother’s face when he was young in his blindness, but the day came, probably an answer to that dear woman’s prayers, when John Newton became a true believer. But most of all he comprehended the Grace of God. Why should God save a man like John Newton, he didn’t deserve it. He deserved nothing, but oh the Grace of God. So every time you hear the hymn, I want you to realize that even though the world may acclaim it, how many of them really understand what John Newton is trying to tell us.

But always remember it’s all of Grace, and that’s what the apostle Paul is known for. “The apostle of Grace.” I read a book some years ago and that was the title of the book. “The apostle of Grace,” it was a biography of the “apostle of Grace,” and I couldn’t put it any better. Now coming back to our text in the book of Philippians chapter 3 and let’s look at verse 17 again.

Philippians 3:17

“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

That we too can be precipitators of people believing by the Grace of God that Christ has done everything that needed to be done. Now verse 18. In this verse we find a warning, and we’re seeing it all around us today. We know that the first thing that Jesus told the disciples when they ask Him, “What are the signs of your coming, what’s the signs of the end of the age?” And the first thing that He told them was what? “Be not deceived.” In other words the warning is the world is going to be deluged with deceptions. And my goodness we’re seeing it all around us. I always have to remind my Oklahoma classes, where I suppose I can be a little more intimate in my statements than I can on television, that you must realize that even the most bizarre, the most far out false teacher will use so much of the language that we’re accustomed to hearing. They’ll use the same terminology, but they’re false from the word go.

A Scripture comes to mind in the Book of Galatians, chapter 1. Oh, they claim too to be walking in the same path that we’re walking, but as Paul delineates it so clearly in Galatians that they’re perverting the truth. And remember that a perversion is that which is good, but it’s had something adulterated added to it. That’s the whole idea, and that hits the nail on the head with so much of what we’re seeing today in the name of Christianity.

Galatians 1:6

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ (and where were these Galatian believers slipping to?) unto another gospel:”

Then he comes back in the next verse and says, “It’s not really another gospel, it’s not something totally different so that you can see. It not that these people are preaching something that I’ve not heard before. No, these false doctrines use a portion of the truth, in fact a good portion. They may use 90 percent of truth, but then what do they do. Verse 7.

Galatians 1:7

“Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert (add to) the gospel of Christ.”

And remember to pervert something merely means that you take something which was pure and genuine, and you add something to it, and that makes it a perversion. Remember what Paul’s Gospel was as we’ve seen in I Corinthians 15:1-4 and Romans 10:9-10 and some of his other Scriptures? “That you must believe in your heart that Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose again.” But false teachers were coming in and adding to his pure Gospel that we must believe for salvation.

So this was Paul’s admonition that the true believers there in Galatians were not to be led away with a perverted Gospel. Oh it still had the basis for what he had taught them, but now they had perverted it, and in this instance of demanding that these Galatian believers keep the Law of Moses and be circumcised, which became the perversion of those early congregation.

But we’re seeing the same thing today. These false teachers will use the right language, they use so much of the truth in Paul’s Gospel but then they also demand baptism and all these other requirements, and it becomes nothing more than a perversion. So we’re to be aware what the Word of God really says, and don’t go mixing anything to Paul’s Gospel, less we be led astray with perverting. Now coming back to the Book of Philippians again if you will. I kind of jumped the gun because verse 18 is where I probably should have used Galatians 1.

Philippians 3:18

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, (it was breaking the apostle’s heart that these false teachers had come in. Remember that Paul was in prison when he wrote this. He’s not in a position where he can go out and confront these people, he can only do it by the written Word, and he says) that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:”

Even though they say much of the same thing that Paul said, but it’s by that perverting his Gospel that they have brought that anathema upon themselves and then they have become the enemies of the cross of Christ. Oh they think they’re preaching the Gospel, they think they are getting people on the right track, but the apostle says, “They’re not,” and they’ve caused him to weep. Now look at verse 19, and you’d think this would scare some of them.

Philippians 3:19

“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, (well that’s a King James term, but whatever, it says what it means and it means what it says. It’s their physical appetite, and that’s mostly all they’re concerned about) and whose glory is in their shame, (oh they may have outward glory, but the real fruit of their works is shameful) who mind earthly things.” Now I have to go into the next verse for a moment before I can pursue that thought, so let’s read verse 20.

Philippians 3:20a

“For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven;…”

Now do you remember ever since we first started this whole “Through the Bible” series many years ago on television back in Genesis we made the distinction that every thing concerning the Jews, the nation of Israel, the Law and the Old Testament prophecies were all earthly promises? Whereas all the promises made to the Church Age believers are heavenly promises? Let me show you what I mean. Come back to Genesis chapter 26 and let’s look at verse 12, 13, and 14. Now this isn’t the only place you can find this, but this is a good example. We don’t have time to chase down all these verses that show the material wealth of these Old Testament people, especially the Patriarchs. Now here in this chapter we’re dealing with Isaac who had already been given everything that his father Abraham had. So here in this chapter Isaac has been a good manager of everything that he had inherited and has increased it.

Genesis 26:12-13

“Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him, (Physical, material blessing. We’re not talking about Spiritual blessing here.) 13. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew (financially and materially) until he became very great:”

See God doesn’t condemn wealth. And for Israel it was a reward for their faithfulness, because Israel was an earthly people with earthly promises, material, physical, and this is just an example of it. Now verse 14, just to make sure that you understand that we’re talking about material blessing.

Genesis 26:14

“For he (Isaac) had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants, (and that meant also everything that went with it. Do you remember when Abraham sent the servant up to Syria to get a bride for Isaac? When the servant first approached the family, what did he make sure that they all saw? Those gold rings and bracelets, earrings, which designated the wealth of his master Abraham. Then all that wealth was handed on down to Isaac, and it goes to the place in verse 14) and the Philistines envied him.”

That’s nothing new is it? People haven’t changed even to this day. So any way the point that we want to make here is that all the promises of the Old Testament to the nation of Israel were indeed earthly, and they were material. They respond to the commands of God, and God responded to their obedience with their material blessings. But for us the Church Age believer today that’s not the case. Our blessings and all of our rewards are heavenly, and that doesn’t mean that God can’t bless us here on this earth, and that God can’t bless us with wealth and so forth, but we’re not to expect it. My, some of these preachers have just put it out there that if you do such and such that God is duty bound to make you a millionaire. No He isn’t! That’s not the Gospel of Grace, that’s not Christianity, our promises are heavenly!

Even though we may go through this life with absolutely nothing of this world’s wealth, so what. Remember all the wealth of glory is waiting for us, and one day all believers are going to cash in on it, and that’s why the apostle Paul will say later in this Book of Philippians, “that no matter what his lot in life was, he was content.”

Even though he was wealthy early in his career before he came to know the Lord, he pitched all that as we saw in our last lesson, and counted it but trash for the sake of the Gospel. Why would he do that? Because now the true wealth of the believers are heavenly, and those are heavenly promises. Now coming back to Philippians chapter 3. So for these people who are adulterating, and perverting the Gospel of Christ, they are doing nothing but satisfying their physical appetites, and mind nothing but earthly things. Turn back with me to the little book of Jude and we’re going to see these same kind of people that I think the apostle Paul had on his mind when he said in verse 18 that these enemies of Christ caused him to weep because they were perverting that pure Gospel of the Grace of God. They were adding to it things of the flesh and materials. Now let’s look how Jude describes them.

Jude 1:8

“Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” Down to verse 10 we find.

Jude 1:10a

“But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally…”

The natural man is tied to earthly things. So here it’s saying the same thing. These false teachers are merely concerned with the material, and they try, I suppose, to use verses from the Old Testament to substantiate their thinking, but I’ve got news for them. We’re not living under the Old Testament economy, but rather we’re living under Grace, and under Grace our whole scenario is heavenly.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 3 * BOOK 40

Philippians 3:4-16

Now to continue right on where we just left off in our last lesson and that would be in verse 10. It’s so thrilling to have our visitors from out of state in our class today, and we just trust that you can find your way back down here to Tulsa. In fact Paul has already said that he was coming back again next month, and he lives in Minnesota. We just have a good time in Christian love and fellowship as we open the Word of God, and hopefully we do it in such a way that you can understand it more clearly. Now in the last lesson we ran out of time before I finished my thoughts of verse 10. so we’ll pick back up with that verse.

Philippians 3:10a

“That I may know him,…”

That’s the joy, hope and security of every believer that we can know Him. He’s not just some strange God way out there some place, but rather we know Him. When I read this verse I think of a little antidote that I read years and years ago and I’m sure most of you have also heard it or read it of the young lady who was attending a university, and while there someone gave her a book to read, and she tried several times to get interested in it and never could. She would read the first chapter or two and put it back on the shelf, and finally forgot about the book. But by the time she was a senior at the university she had fallen in love with one of her professors, and it turned out he was the author of this book she could never get interested in. Then all of a sudden she couldn’t devour the book fast enough and her roommate who had been with her all through school said, “Well what in the world? I thought that was the book you could never get interested in?” She said, “it is.” Her room mate said, “well why are you interested in it now?” “Because” the young lady said “I’ve fallen in love with the author!.“

Well you see that’s the secret, when you in fall in love with Christ you cannot exhaust this Book. You’ll just keep seeing new things pop up all the time, and you think, now why didn’t I see this before? Well it’s just like God told Israel when they could have gone into the land of milk and honey. He said, “I won’t drive them all out at once, I’ll drive the Canaanites out just fast enough that you can absorb and you can take over the land. Well that’s the way He does us with the Scriptures. See, He doesn’t unload it all on us at once. Even right now I could go for another 1/2 hour showing you verses that I never saw until maybe the last year or so, and I know there’s going to be more verses coming. So anyway we get to the place where we know Him, He’s personal, He’s close to us, He knows all about us. And of course when we come into that relationship with Christ, we’re also going to suffer with Him.

Now again as I’ve said so often, we in America know very little of suffering for our faith. Now it could happen yet, we hope it won’t, but it could. Remember though that through about 90% of Christendom’s history, believers suffered for their faith. They were persecuted, they were driven out from valley to valley. Their homes and villages were just utterly uprooted and destroyed simply because they were Christians. Another verse comes to mind on this subject, come back if you will to Romans chapter 8. We were just talking about it at break time. “What’s going to be our lot for eternity?” Well the Bible doesn’t tell us an awful lot about that. About the only super verse that we have on the subject is found in I Corinthians 2:9.

I Corinthians 2:9

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” And that’s about as much as we’ve got. We know there’s a glorious situation that’s coming, but just how we’re going to function, and what we’re going to do is pretty much hidden from us, but this verse gives us a little hint that He’s got good things prepared for us. Now in Romans chapter 8 let’s begin with verse 14

Romans 8:14-17b

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons (or the children) of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; (we don’t live under constant fear that we’re breaking God’s laws) but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (that relationship again, do you see that? We’re in Christ, He’s dear to us and we’re dear to Him.) 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (now here it comes) 17. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;…”

Now that’s as far as we can go with it, but it’s going to be something! Everything that God has prepared or is preparing for eternity that’s His is also going to be ours. That’s what joint-heirship is all about, and in this case beyond human understanding. That’s part again of the unsearchable riches of Christ. Now continuing on in the verse.

Romans 8:17b

“…if so be that we suffer with him, (a lot of people want to take the good stuff, but don’t want the bad. Well you see it all goes in the same program. We may have some suffering to do. But if we suffer with Him) that we may be also glorified together.”

This is our prospect, and the world may think we’re crazy, they may think we’re a bunch of kooks, but I’ve got news for them. It’s just like when the philosophers of Athens thought that Paul was nothing but a babbler. They thought they had all the real stuff, and he was just a babbler, but you see history has proven differently, and when you go to Mars Hill there a huge bronze plaque in memory of the apostle Paul, and not a single philosophers is mentioned. So in reality who were the babblers? And who had the truth? Now back to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3:10b

“and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

Now we don’t like the word death do we? I don’t for sure, we all hate it. A loved one or a pet can die and it just literally tears us up. We just literally despise death, but the bright side of the coin is that out of death, for us as believers, comes life, and that’s the process. There has to be death in order for life to appear. It’s shown in every seed that’s planted, as that seed has to die in order for a new blade of grass to appear. Well it’s the same way here, we have to be made conformable to His death before we can partake of His life. Now again, let’s go back to Romans chapter 6 to follow up on that thought. Let’s just compare Scripture with Scripture when ever possible like you’re supposed to do when you study. See all of these basic doctrines that flow from the pen of this apostle will always dove tail together, as his writing all fit together perfectly.

Romans 6:5

“For if we have been planted…”

And where do you plant things? In the ground. Now I’m going to be right up front with you. I get letter after letter asking me about cremation. Well I can’t quote a Scripture that absolutely forbids it, but I think in language it flies in the face of Scripture. The whole idea for the believer of placing our loved ones in the earth is that that they’re only there waiting for the resurrection day. And here again the concept is a seed planted in the earth, not burned, not reduced to ashes, but rather it’s planted, and as soon as it’s planted the seeds of resurrection begins. So Paul uses that same analogy that if we have been planted, literally put to death.

Romans 6:5b

… together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

Now in Philippians Paul used the word conformable, and here in this verse the word is likeness, but I can’t see a nickel’s worth of difference between the two because it’s still identifying us with His death. And there can be no life until there is death. Now reading on in Romans chapter 6.

Romans 6:6-7

“Knowing this, that our old man (our old Adamic nature. That part of us that came by way of physical birth) is crucified (remember crucifixion kills. We have been put to death by our faith being identified) with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, (or put out of commission) that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

Now we have another analogy right across the page in Romans chapter 7. And this is a Pauline doctrine that death brings new life, but we can’t have new life until we’ve died to the old nature. Here in this portion I guess we’ll just take time to read them all so let’s begin with verse 1.

Romans 7:1-4

“Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law;) how that the law (the civil law) hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? (when he dies that law ends it’s authority) 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law (the civil law) to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. (if a spouse dies, then there is no law to forbid the living partner to remarry. Scripture doesn’t forbid it, because death ends that relationship) 3. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: (because it was not ended by death) but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. (why does Paul put this in here? To show us a doctrinal statement and here it is.) 4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law (that is the Mosaic system) by the body of Christ; (remember the body of Christ died. Death is what broke that strangle hold of legalism on the human being)that ye should be married to another, (not to another man or woman which ever the case may be, but to whom?) even to him (Christ) who is raised from the dead, (and why are we united to Christ in resurrection power?) that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”

Now in a marriage relationship, what is fruit? Children. In this Spiritual relationship what is to be our fruit? Soul winning. We’re to win the lost, that’s why God left us here, we’re to be a testimony to His Grace. Now not everybody can be one like someone else, we’re not robots, we’re not all identical alike. But there should be that desire on the part of every believer to see lost people saved. Because the mind of God has been imparted to us, and the mind of God is that He’s not willing that any should perish. So this should be our driving desire that we might see lost people saved. I’ll never forget when we were in Charlotte, North Carolina this summer a whole black family came to know the Lord, and I just shared this with some black folks the other night. I know we have a tremendous black audience across America. Well in Charlotte this black family comprised of a husband, wife, and two grown sons and their wives, and their kids shared with us that their whole family had been saved through our program. Well I tell you what, that just makes your day, because that’s why we’re here. And when we left from out here, Steve came to the car with tears running down his cheek and said, “Now Les don’t you forget, you have changed this whole world for my whole family.” Well we’re here so that “we should bring forth fruit unto God.” Now back to Philippians chapter 3.

Philippians 3:10b

“being made conformable unto his death;”

In other words we have died with Him, we’ve been crucified with Him, and resurrected with Him in resurrection power. Now remember resurrection power is what gave Him victory over everything thing that could ever oppose Him. Resurrection power gave Christ victory over all the satanic forces, and over all the power of hell and death. Everything that was ever created now comes under His authority by virtue of His resurrection power. Now that’s where we walk, that were we live and breathe, and move is in that resurrection power. Oh I could go on and on about His wonderful and mighty resurrection power, but for sake of time let’s go on into verse 11. Now this next verse is not a verse that makes you think you can work for salvation, but what Paul is driving home is that his whole hearts desire is to attain unto that resurrection body. Let’s read the verse.

Philippians 3:11

“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

Let’s go ahead and drop down to verse 20 and 21 of this same chapter. We may get to it later in the afternoon, but if not we’ll pick it up next month.

Philippians 3:20-21a

“For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; (Even though we’re walking here on the earth our citizenship is already settled in heaven) from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,…” (not his body of humiliation)

I was reading again just the other night, that a lot of people don’t realize that in His earthly ministry the name of Jesus used alone was the name of His humiliation. It was not the name that attached itself to His power and His glory, but the name of humiliation. And as He went in that name of Jesus as a man and suffered the horrors of the cross and the death of it. Then in resurrection power now we know Him more as “The Christ or The Lord Jesus Christ.” So it is not totally appropriate to simply refer to Him now in resurrection terms as simply “Jesus.”

I had made the statement some time ago that never that I knew of did the disciples ever refer to the Lord as Jesus. They called Him Master, they called Him Lord, but never called Him Jesus. Well this gentlemen called and said, “I’ve got you.” I asked him to show me the verse and he read a verse or two, but it was using the term Jesus in the third person each time. So always remember that the Lord, or the Lord Jesus Christ is His appropriate term as a result of that resurrection power. He is no longer the man of Nazareth or the man of Galilee, but rather now He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Now back to our text in verse 21.

Philippians 3:21a

“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,…

His resurrected body which could go right through the wall or ceiling. It could go from here to Pluto in a second or less. And you know what? That’s the kind of body we’re going to have someday. It’s coming and I don’t think it’s that far off. Now finishing the verse.

Philippians 3:21b

“…according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Now let’s see how Paul puts that back in I Corinthians chapter 15. This is almost the same language and just confirms that this is what the apostle was talking about by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

I Corinthians 15:51-52

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; (a secret, something that’s never been revealed before in Scripture.) We shall not sleep, (or die physically, but since we can’t go to glory in this old body,) but we shall all be changed. (this vile body will be made like unto His glorious body) 52. In a moment in the twinkling (or the blink of an eye) of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we (living believers) shall be changed.” We simply can’t and don’t want to go to glory in this old body of corruptible flesh. But when the Lord changes it we can, and He will. Now verse 53.

I Corinthians 15:53-54

“For this corruptible (this body that is prone to corruption)must put on incorruption, (it has to become an eternal body that will never die and never corrupt) and this mortal must put on immortality. (in other words we’re going to live, rule, and reign with Him forever. And then verse 54.) So when this corruptible (body) shall have put on incorruption, (by a sudden change for the living believers) and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

What kind of victory? Resurrection power victory. And we will no longer deal with this old body of flesh, but rather we will be transformed and translated in that split second of time we just read about. Now back to Philippians once more and let’s look at verse 11 again.

Philippians 3:11

“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection (out from among the dead is a better translation then) of the dead.”

And what do you suppose he’s talking about? Well when the believer experiences what I teach as the Rapture. And the living one are the ones we just talked about in I Corinthians chapter 15. And there’s a sister chapter in I Thessalonians chapter 4 that tells us so clearly that the dead in Christ will rise first, and then the next split second we follow them in that resurrection. And here this is what Paul is alluding to. That I might attain unto the resurrection out from among the dead.” I checked several Greek dictionaries and so forth last night and that’s exactly what it says. Not just the resurrection of the dead, but a resurrection from among the dead. In other words, not everyone is going to be resurrected at the same time. Now let’s go back to John chapter 5 so that you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say not everybody will be resurrected at the same time. Here in this passage the Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry is speaking.

John 5:28-29

“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. 29. And shall come forth; (now here we have a separation. They’re not all going to come forth at once, but) they that have done good, (these are those who have become believers, they will be people of faith, and will come forth) unto the resurrection of(eternal) life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

These will be those who have done evil or were destitute of faith. This resurrection will take place a thousand and some years later according to Revelation chapter 20. And then if you remember how I taught I Corinthians chapter 15 back when we had that study, I think even the New Testament saints will also be divided into three groups. The first fruits that has happened in Matthew chapter 27 when Christ came out of the tomb. Then the major resurrection will be the Church Age (that’s us believers) in the Rapture of I Corinthians chapter 15:51-55 and I Thessalonians chapter 4:13-18, and then we have a third group which will be the Tribulation saints in Revelations chapter 20.

So you have those three categories of New Testament believers that will come forth on that last resurrection day. Then after that the lost will be resurrected to go to that Great White Throne Judgment to have their day before Christ before being cast into the Lake of Fire. This judgment will take place at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ, and before we go into eternity.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 2 * BOOK 40

Fellowship In Resurrection Power – Part 2

Now getting back to where we left off in the last lesson and that would be in chapter 3. We’re talking about Paul and how he is writing from this place of adversity in prison right next door to Nero’s palace in Rome. But the little Book of Philippians is filled with the word “rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.” Now he is going to set us up for a tremendous thought, and that is how much did he give up for the sake of the Gospel. Well we’ve already looked at seven of the great things that he had going for him as a religious Jew up there in verse 5 and 6. Now let’s look at verse 7, and what a statement! How many American Christians could say something like this?

Philippians 3:7

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

Now let’s look at one verse first in Galatians and then I’m going to take you back to the Book of Acts, because the name of the game is see how all of Scripture fits so beautifully, and I’m always trying to bring out exactly that. This Old Book is supernatural, it is intricate in how it all fits together. It’s just not a jumble of thoughts and ideas as some would have you believe, but rather it is an intricate whole from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. Now in Galatians chapter 1, let’s start with verse 11, and these are verses that we’ve used quite often over the years, and Paul is again rehearsing how he came into the ministry of being the apostle of this Age of Grace.

Galatians 1:11-14

“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (now here it comes) 13. For ye have heard of my conversation (manner of living) in time past in the Jews’ religion, (that’s what he was talking about in those 7 points we just studied in the last lesson in the Book of Philippians) how that beyond measure I persecuted the church (assembly) of God, (those Jewish believers at Jerusalem) and wasted it. (the guy was heartless. He would throw them in the dungeon, put them to death, anything to get them off the scene so they wouldn’t oppose his religion.) 14. And profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”

Now what kind of a profit do you suppose he’s talking about? Financial. He was a big wheel in Judaism, and as I rehearsed on this program before, you go down into the lower diggings of the city of Jerusalem, and they excavated some of the houses of the High Priests of Israel and they were gorgeous. And no doubt Saul of Tarsus enjoyed the same lifestyle because he was one of the highest paid fellows in the business, because he was the most zealous. And that’s what he said back in verse 14.

Galatians 1:14

“And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”

Now that’s what he had going for him. Now Paul said in the Book of Philippians that he counted all that but loss. Now let’s see what the word loss meant to the apostle because the same word is used in Acts chapter 27:10. Here Paul and the rest of the sailors are at the height of the storm and the ship is about to sink out there on the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Rome.

Acts 27:10a

“And said unto the, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage,…” That’s the same Greek word translated loss in Philippians. Now what happened to the ship and it’s contents don’t you? It was sunk, it was a total loss. It’s used again in verse 21.

Acts 27:21

“But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete and to have gained this harm and loss.”

A complete loss of everything, it was gone, it was down into the depths. This is exactly how Paul treated everything that he had going for him as a religious Jew. And don’t forget that I pointed out that the stock of Israel implied his whole family. Now of course I am convinced in my own mind that Paul had a wife and children, which he would have had to have had if he was a member of the Sanhedrin. And we know he was a member of the Sanhedrin because in Acts chapter 26 we find Paul rehearsing for the third time in the Book of Acts his experience on the road to Damascus. Chapter 9 of course was written by Luke, but in chapter 22 and 26 Paul rehearses the same thing in the first person as he’s doing here. He’s telling how all of this brought him to the place where he was on his road to Damascus. In this Scripture I always have a hard time trying to decide where to start. But we’ll just start with verse 9.

Acts 26:9-10

“I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: (remember how he said in the Book of Galatians how he had wasted that assembly?) and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice (vote) against them.”

In other words he voted to put them to death, and that means he had to be a member of the Sanhedrin or he wouldn’t have been in the position of voting on these people. So as a member of the Sanhedrin he had to have a wife and children, because that was one of the by-laws I guess we would say today. You had to have the experience of raising a family to be a member of the Sanhedrin, and how to handle teenagers for example. Now that makes sense doesn’t it. Now back to Philippians, and let’s do verse 8.

Philippians 3:8a

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss (like that ship that sunk at sea, it’s all gone. His family, his wealth, his home, his prestige as a Pharisee, and his clout among Judaisers. Paul says he counts it all loss) for the excellency (that which is far better) of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:…”

Now how many believers in America stop to put Christ in that comparison? Does He mean more to us than everything we own or possess, or enjoy? Is He number one on our list of priorities? You know my wife is always kidding me that my beautiful black cattle are first with me, but that’s not right. Oh I enjoy them and love them so much. In fact I have a couple of old herd bulls and they just lick me like a dog, and that thrills me, but listen, they are not first in my list of priorities. This Book is first, and you know how I love to teach it. But I still can’t come close to imagining what it was like for this man to have lost everything, including his family for the sake of Christ. No wonder he is constantly affirming his authority as an apostle to us Gentiles. Now you stop and think, the twelve disciples and apostles all died a martyr’s death there’s no doubt about that. But they didn’t suffer constantly, and the only thing that kept driving Paul was his love for the Lord and his Gospel of salvation that the Lord revealed only to him. Now finishing verse 8.

Philippians 3:8b

“…the loss of all things, ( and on top of that he’s not crying about it) and do count them but dung,…”

Rather than dung I like the translation trash better. His life as a zealous Jew of Judaism now had absolutely no value or attraction to him any more. It was down the tube, it was out of his life, and as we’re going to see a little later in this chapter, “forgetting those things which are behind, ” but we’ll talk about that when we get to that verse. 9. So not only did Paul win Christ in verse 8, but look at his position in verse 9.

Philippians 3:9a

“And be found him,…” That’s the same phrase that he used 90 sometimes in the Book of Ephesians. In Him, In Whom, these are position terms of where we are as believers in this Age of Grace. We’re not just here on the planet hoping to go to heaven someday, that’s our position already. Now looking at verse 9 again.

Philippians 3:9

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

All right now let’s go to Matthew chapter 10, and maybe this will help us understand how he could look at the loss of family and home, and prestige, but especially family. He could look at the loss of his loved ones and consider it dung, or trash. Well I think I can make a point that in Matthew chapter 10, as we have a statement that a lot of people have gotten confused about, and it throws a curve at them because they don’t understand the basic language. And it is disconcerting if you don’t know how these things are to be applied. And here Jesus is speaking during His earthly ministry.

Matthew 10:37

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” And then in another portion of Scripture, He put it like this.

Luke 14:26

“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Now we know that the Lord God does not expect us to hate our parents and wife, and children as we understand the word hate. But rather it’s a comparative term. Our love for Christ should be so much greater than it is for our family that comparatively speaking, it’s as if we hate them.

Well it’s the same way here in Philippians chapter 3, how could Paul just glibly seemingly cast off all of his family relations and count it as trash that he might win Christ is again a comparative thing. I’m sure that deep in his heart that Paul longed to be reunited with his family, but he knew that it would never happen because of what had transpired between him and Christ, who of course was hated by the Jew on the street, and no doubt his family as well. But always keep those things in mind that it was a comparative thing. Now back to verse 9.

Philippians 3:9a

“And he found in him, not having mine own righteousness,…” Which he was attempting to do in Judaism, wasn’t he? He was keeping the Law, he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, and now he realizes that his own righteousness had nothing to do with it. But all of his relationship with Christ, his position in Christ was based on one word and what is it? Faith! And what was the faith? Believing what God said. Faith is taking God at His word! First for salvation to believe the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) absolutely, but it doesn’t stop there. Faith is something we practice everyday as believers.

Now you’ve got to stop and think, why is America in the horrible wicked state that it’s in? And it is in that state whether we like to admit it or not. What’s our problem? Hey it’s not drunkenness, it’s not drugs, it’s not sexual immorality, but only one thing. America has lost faith in the Word of God. That’s our problem, but if we could get America back to what God has said, then we’d solve all our problems in short order. So for us as believers never forget that we have to practice faith, not just for salvation, but for Christian living.

Let me give you a good example, and the reason this comes to mind, we had this Friday evening in our Tulsa class, and I probably never saw it this distinctly before. You know I learn as I teach whether people know that or not. So come back with me to the Book of Numbers, chapter 20. We’ve got quite a few of our Friday night people here, and you’re going to remember this. Here in this chapter we find the children of Israel still out there in the wilderness, they’re still in their 40 years of wondering. And as it has happened at least once before they’re out of water. Their herds are bellowing, they’re thirsty, the people are getting thirsty, and so Moses goes before the Lord, and the Lord tells him, go get his shepherd rod, but instead of striking the rock this time like he did the first time this happened back in the Book of Exodus he’s to speak to the rock. So now we pick up the account.

Numbers 20:7-11a

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8. Take the rod, and gather thou thy assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. 9. And Moses took the rod, from before the LORD, as he commanded him. 10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice:…” That was just a simple change in what he was supposed to have done, but instead of speaking to that rock he again did like he did back in Exodus, only this time he struck the rock twice. Now finishing the verse.

Numbers 20:11b

“…and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.”

So the Lord condescended anyway and the water came forth abundantly. Now verse 12. I’ve had so many people ask, “Was this the reason that Moses did not get to go into the Promised Land?” No that’s not the reason. Yes he broke the type, he should have spoken instead of smiting, because when Christ died on that cross He died once. Smitten once for the sins of the world. And from then on He was to be spoken to as Lord and Saviour, so Moses did break the typology. But that was not why God lowered the boom on him and said, “Sorry Moses, you’re not going into the Promised Land.” Now don’t you know that must have been a heartache.

We were at Mt. Nebo not too long ago, it wasn’t that clear on the day we were there, but on a clear day you would be able to see clear up beyond the Sea of Galilee. You Should be able to see over Jerusalem, and almost to the Mediterranean Sea. Moses could have seen just about all the way down to Gaza from that high point on Mt. Nebo. I can just imagine the heartache that Moses must have felt, that simply because of one act of disobedience, he lost it. Now he didn’t lose his salvation. Moses is going to be in glory just like we are, but he lost that reward. But it wasn’t just because of his anger, or because he smote the rock, but the key word is in verse 12. And I want to bring this home for us believers today in this Age of Grace.

Numbers 20:12a

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not,…”

God doesn’t say a word about striking the rock. God doesn’t say a word about Moses’ temper, God simply says, ‘you didn’t believe me!” Isn’t that something? That was Moses’ error. He did not take God at His Word.

Now come back to Philippians and as you’re turning just put your mind in high gear. How many times does even the apostle Paul give us commandments that is the Word of God that should have an effect on our everyday life? For example, “husbands love your wife.” What is that? That’s a commandment. And when husbands don’t do it as a believer, what are they failing to do. Exercise faith in God’s Word, because that’s what God has said. In another place Paul says, “flee every appearance of evil.” Not just the evil itself, but even the appearance of evil. Now that’s a commandment, and when we don’t do it, we’re showing a lack of faith. In another place, he says, “pray without ceasing.” And when we fail to pray we are acting in unbelief. And you can go on and on throughout Paul’s letters, and just see these things that the Word of God has instructed us, and telling us how to behave as believers seven days a week. And when we don’t abide by that, we are showing unbelief.

I’ve pointed out before when I teach about the children of Israel, how most that came out of Egypt did not get to go into the Promised Land. Only those that were 20 years and below got to go in. God said, “They do always err in their heart; and have not known my ways” in Hebrews 3:10. Let’s look at the reason they could not go into God’s rest in Hebrews chapter 3 for a moment. For sake of time let’s just look at verse 18 and 19.

Hebrews 3:18-19

“And to whom swear he that they should not enter into his rest, (a reference of going into the land of milk and honey) but to them that believed not? 19. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

It wasn’t because of what the children of Israel had done on their journey to the Promised Land, not because of any thing that they would do, but it was all because of their UNBELIEF.And that’s just simply “no faith.” And even as believers we can still be guilty of being weak in faith when we do not obey the Word of God. Now that goes back to what I just said a moment ago. “What’s America’s problem? That’s it. America no longer believes what this Book says. You may not agree with me, but if you know anything about our society today, then you have to agree with me. America as a nation today does not believe what this Book says. They scoff at it, they ridicule it, they may pay lip service to it for an hour on Sunday morning, but that’s about it. But God expects us to believe what He has said, that the whole idea of faith. Now back to the Book of Philippians for the minute or two we have left. Looking at verse 9 again.

Philippians 3:9

“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness (self or legalism) which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God (as a believer, as we walk day by day) by faith:”

Now let’s go on into verse 10 and we’ll pick that verse up again in the next lesson.. All of this is not only bringing the apostle to this place, but you and I as well, because this is written for our admonition.

Philippians 3:10a

“That I may know him, and the power of the resurrection,…”

Now there again very few Christians today put any emphasis on this word power. It’s the English word “Dynamo.” My, if you ever go down into one of the great hydroelectric dams such as Hoover Dam where these huge generators are you can see that with one turn of that dynamo it sends out humongous amounts of current. Well that’s from where the word comes from. Only God’s power makes a dynamo look like nothing in comparison.

Philippians 3:10a

“That I may know him, and the power (not of His creation which was tremendous, but rather the power) of the resurrection….”

See that’s where we are today, we’re on resurrection ground, and we have to depend on that resurrection power not just for salvation, but for our every day existence. It’s that resurrection power that gives us the ability to live a victorious life, it’s that resurrection power that can bring a drug addict out of his habit. It’s that resurrection power that can break nicotine and alcohol or any other addiction that man may have, but even believers today are prone to forget that that is where it’s centered. It’s the core of our belief.