Book 45

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 3 * BOOK 45

I Timothy 2:8 – 6:20

Now these are the Pastoral Epistles. In other words, Paul is writing to these two men who will more or less pick up the mantle of keeping the churches in control. The whole purpose here is the function of the local body of believers. You don’t find salvation explicitly explained in these epistles, nor will you find a lot of the other things that you will find in Romans for example – these are merely instructions to keep the local group of believers moving ahead.

As I said in the last lesson, there is nothing in here to indicate the huge denominations that we have seen, and all of their differences or the hierarchy. The Apostolic church was relatively simple. They were under the control of a group of men who were called elders. Then another group of men who, more or less did the servitude work of the church, which were at that time called deacons.

Now in chapter 4, Paul is going to do to Timothy as he did to us as ordinary believers throughout his other epistles, and that is warn against the false teaching that would be coming in. You know, as you look back to the situation in Paul’s day, how much false teaching was always attacking the church. It is a wonder that Christianity survived. It’s a wonder that we have been able to keep the Word of God! But, of course, God is in control and He has kept it. Here we are almost two thousand years later and we are still privileged to partake of this marvelous Grace of God. But, it has been under attack constantly. I don’t believe there was ever a period in the last 2000 years that the Church wasn’t under the attack of false teachings of one sort or another. It is no different today.

I Timothy 4:1a

“Now the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) speaketh expressly, (no doubt about it) that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,…”

We call this apostasy. If ever there has been a time in Church history when we have seen rampant apostasy, it’s today. Where huge blocks of people, denominations and so forth, are rejecting the basic fundamentals, that’s apostasy. So Paul was already warning of it even before he left the scene. So the Spirit expressly says:

I Timothy 4:1b

“…in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (demons)“

That is quite a statement isn’t it? Now, I’m going to take you back to II Corinthians chapter 11 verse 13. Remember that the Corinthian letters were written a few years previous to the letters to Timothy and Titus. But, he says much the same thing, only here he is writing to the individual believer, not just to the Church leadership.

II Corinthians 11:13

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” Men who would usurp even Apostolic authority – they were harbingers of evil. They were false.

II Corinthians 11:14

“And no marvel; (don’t be surprised) for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” Quite a shocking statement isn’t it? In other words, Satan can make his appearance and folk will think that this is God Himself. And, that is what he loves to do. We have to be aware of it especially in this day of such mass confusion. I have never looked in on the internet, even though we have a web page, but from what I hear you must be able to find anything up there that you can think of. The devil is using these final days to literally pull the plug and bring in mass confusion. Well, Paul was already confronted, certainly on a much smaller scale. Now verse 15.

II Corinthians 11:15a

“Therefore (since Satan can transform himself into an angel of light) it is no great thing if his ministers (preachers, denominational leaders, evangelists, etc. who are under Satan’s control, they can) also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;…”

But they are not. They are ministers of evil. But they make the world think that they are it. Oh, they will use Scripture. You know, I am always telling people, especially if they call on the phone and I can be explicit. I say, “Now listen, I have never known a false teacher yet that didn’t use probably 75 or 80% of truth!” That’s what makes it so deceptive. Eighty percent of what they will say, that percentage is just a term, but I won’t disagree with what they are saying, but then comes in 20% – 25% of absolute garbage that destroys the Truth of the Word of God.

This is what we have to discern. This is why we have to know what the Book says. Because they sound so good. Why are some of the cults growing so fast today? They sound good! They are moral and good people but listen, their doctrine is nothing but a can of worms. And oh, they use enough Scripture to make it sound good. So Paul is warning even the Corinthians that it’s no great thing that Satan’s ministers also be transformed as the minister of righteousness. The gullible public swallows it. But:

II Corinthians 11:15b

“…whose end shall be according to their works.” One day they will stand before the Great White Throne and be pronounced their doom. Alright, back to I Timothy chapter 4. So these false teachers will be coming in and they are seducing spirits. They hook people, and they have nothing more than the doctrines of demons. Verse 2:

II Timothy 4:2a

“Speaking lies in hypocrisy;…

Whenever I see the word hypocrisy when it comes to Biblical things, one man in Scripture always comes to my mind. Who was it? Who was the biggest hypocrite that Scripture could ever tell us about? Judas! Judas! What a hypocrite. And he played it to the hilt. For three years he went along with Christ in His earthly ministry. He even carried the money bag, and it came all the way down to the night of the Last Supper and the Lord says that one of you is going to betray me. Did any of those fellows have an idea who it was? Not a one. Why not? He was the perfect hypocrite. He went along with everything but in his heart, he had no time for it. The Lord only knows how much he embezzled out of the bag. The Bible doesn’t tell us but I have my right to ask. I’ll bet he got a bunch of it because he was NOT part and parcel of the Lord’s work. He was a total hypocrite.

Listen the world is full of them tonight. Oh, they look so good on the outside. They sound so good. They can somehow just cause the masses to come under their control. But, it is not the power of the Holy Spirit, it is the power of the evil spirit. It’s Satan’s domain. The more they can bring in under their control, the more I am reminded of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many thereby that go in thereat. But, narrow is the way and few there be that find it. Never forget that!

Only the small percentage will be in Glory. Not the masses. Now, I just read a poll again that said 75% of the people polled, here in America, thought they were going to go to heaven when they die. Bless their hearts, I hope some of them are right. But, I know from Scripture that most of them aren’t, because it’s not going to be that kind of a percentage that is going to have eternal life. It’s the small remnant that God has always had to keep for Himself.

So, here’s the warning, just as plain as Scripture can make it. They’re speaking lies in hypocrisy. This is the first thing that people will ask me if they call, and I say, “Listen, run from that kind of stuff.” “But, Les, they are using the Bible. They are using the Word of God.” But you see it doesn’t bother them, because their own spiritual conscience has been seared to where all they are concerned about is their own welfare. They are not concerned about the multitudes that they are leading to a devil’s hell. Their conscience has been seared with a hot iron.

I Timothy4:2b

“…having their conscience seared with a hot iron;”

In verse 3 we come to a part that on the surface isn’t shown but you get into some Biblical history, and what you are finding in this next verse came out of the Gnostics. Gnosticism.They were a group of people in Paul’s day who were operating in the local churches and the word Gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge. And, those men thought that they had more knowledge. They felt superior to the main run of the believers in the church. So, they came up with the idea that they could dip back into ancient Hebrew practices, mix it with some of Paul and then they could come up with their own concoctions for spirituality. Well, that’s exactly what Paul is referring to. So they came up with idea of forbidding to marry. Commanding to abstain from meats or various foods.

I Timothy 4:3

“Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God (Paul said) hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

Now, they were going back into the Jewish law forbidding to eat the unclean foods and they were mixing it with some of the other things that they had pulled from Paul. They often mixed some of the philosophies from the Greek philosophers. They thought that they had a pretty nice package that they could present to the people. And it was. It just hooked them. Come down to verse 6.

I Timothy 4:6

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, (in other words, how the false teachers are coming in and they are deceptive. They are hypocritical. But, they don’t really care about the end result for their listeners. They are just concerned about their own welfare. So he says, put the fellow believers, and he is talking to Timothy as a Pastor or an Overseer, in remembrance of these things and) thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of (what kind of doctrine?) good doctrine, (that which Timothy had received from the Apostle Paul) whereunto thou hast attained.”

Remember, how long has Paul known young Timothy? Well you see Timothy was one of the first converts that he had in Asia Minor when he first started his missionary work among the Gentiles. Timothy came from the area of central Asia Minor, and was about a man about 17 or 18 years old when he was first saved probably through Paul’s ministry. If Paul was around 40 when he began his ministry and won young Timothy at the age of 18, so in round figures, Timothy is about 20 or 22 years younger than Paul. For ease of remembering, I like to think of Paul as being born probably about the same time as Christ, which was around 4 BC.

By the time we get up here to Timothy in about 60-64 AD, that’s the age of the Apostle Paul. He is in his 60’s – looking at 70. Then here is young Timothy now around 38-40 years of age. So when he speaks of having trained and taught Timothy, indeed he has, for twenty years. He has been his right hand man. So, Timothy became then the logical one to pass these things over to. So that is what he is making reference to in verse 6, that he has been nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. Coming down to verse 7, he is going to again warn young Timothy so that Timothy can warn the people out there in the churches.

I Timothy 4:7

“But refuse profane and old wives fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” Then verse 8, here comes the Gnostics again.

I Timothy 4:8a

“For bodily exercise profiteth little:…”

Well those who were teaching Gnosticism were more or less trying to build an elite group of people that were probably excelled in physical things. They were excelled in the philosophies and so forth and consequently those were the sorts of people who thought that they really had it made. But Paul tells Timothy, bodily exercise profiteth, now the King James says profiteth “little,” but when you look at the Greek what it really means is that bodily exercise only profits for a little while. Now that makes a lot more sense. We know that good bodily exercise profits. It helps us. But, it’s not going to help for eternity. It only helps for a little while in this life. So, that is what he is telling Timothy, don’t follow this Gnosticism bit that exercise is more important than the things that are spiritual. Verse 8 again:

I Timothy 4:8a

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but (flip side) godliness is profitable unto all things,…” Godliness is just going to permeate your lifestyle. Godliness is going to enhance the local community, and it’s going to enhance the nation. As Proverbs says righteousness exalteth a nation. Of course it does. So it comes all the way down to the individual believer. So godliness is profitable:

I Timothy 4:8b

“…having promise of the life that now is, (We are not just living a “pie in the sky,” are we? We are living a life that is profitable in the here and now but it is also profitable) and of that which is to come.”

Which is Eternity! You have to realize the masses of people out here are living only for the three score and ten. Then it’s all over for them, and they have nothing more to look forward to than eternal doom. But for the believer, we have the abundant life here and now, as we have been seeing for the last several programs, we have this approach of prayer. We have the knowledge that God is with us every minute of our life. And the best part is still to come!! My goodness, take the best pleasure that you can think of, and when you get to eternity it is going to multiplied a million times! Maybe more than that! It’s beyond what we can comprehend, what God is preparing for us who believe. But it also enhances our here and now. We get the best of both.

I Timothy 4:9-10

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, (or receive reproach and receive all the fiery darts of the ungodly community around us, simply because we trust in the living God!) because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, (that means everybody is going to go to heaven? No. The next statement qualifies it. Who will?) specially of those that believe.”

Now, do you know what that verse is saying? When Christ died he paid the price of redemption for how many? Everybody! When Christ forgave the sins of the world, how many people did he forgive? Everybody! I really shook somebody up, they called here a while back and said I never thought of it before that even Adolph Hitler could have received eternal life, if he had believed. Adolph Hitler was already forgiven. Adolph Hitler was already reconciled in God’s eyes. But what did he have to do to appropriate it? Believe! And as far as we know he never did.

This is graphic! We can’t comprehend it, that when Christ died He paid the sin debt for every human being who has ever lived or ever will. He forgave that sin that He died for. He has made it possible for reconciliation to every human being. But, what do they have to do to cash in on it? Believe it!

That is not easy believe-ism. That is simply genuine heartfelt, faith prompted, belief, that yes, Christ died for me and rose from the dead! And, I believe it with all my heart (I Corinthians 15:1-4). Of course, then, God moves in and we move on from there. We begin a life of service, we begin a life of good works, if you want to call it that. Paul makes it so plain that Christ is the Savior. He has already done everything that needs to be done, not just for you and I who believe, but for the whole human race. It’s all done! But it isn’t appropriated until man believes it. Isn’t it amazing that they can walk it under foot? How can people just spurn such a prospect? It is just beyond human comprehension. Yet, that is how its always been.

Listen, the way is narrow and few there be that find it, there were probably four or five billion people on the earth at the time of the Flood. How many were saved? Eight! That’s getting awfully narrow. Just eight! Then you go on a little further in Biblical history and you have Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal. And you know that Elijah thought he was the only one but God said, no, you are not the only one. I still have seven thousand and what percentage was 7,000 in Israel? One tenth of one percent! That’s all! One tenth of one percent! The rest had followed Baal. It’s no different today. I will stick my neck out and say that I think it is closer to one tenth of one percent than it is to ten percent. Because the vast majority of humankind has no time for Paul’s Gospel. And of even those who are involved in some kind of Christian activity, how much truth are they getting? I don’t know. But I am just saying God has always had that small percentage who truly believe. Now verse 11:

I Timothy 4:11-12a

“These things command and teach. 12. Let no man despise thy youth;…”

Reminds me that Iris and I got on a plane here in Tulsa one day here awhile back and she couldn’t find her seat number and as we were going down the aisle, I finally saw it. There were two young guys each sitting on the aisle seat. They looked to me about 25 or 30 years old. And, I said, “Honey, there it is right there by those two kids!” The guy smiled and said THANKS! That is the best compliment we have heard in a long time. They were brothers and he said they were 40 years old! Well, you see when you get as old as we are 40 is pretty much like a youth. I imagine that is how Paul felt about Timothy. Boy, at 40, Timothy was still in the prime of life. He was a youth! But, remember when he first met him, he was 18 or 20. But, he said, let no man despise thy youth.

I Timothy 4:12b

“…but be thou an example of the believers, (even Timothy was to be a constant encouragement to those fellow pagans who has come out of it and had now become believers.) in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Again, remember I told you several times. Once when we were back in I Corinthians 13 and again when we started I Timothy, I said, how many times Paul refers to the last three things in I Corinthians 13, now abideth these three: faith, hope and love. Well, now you have two of them again for the second time in the last couple of chapters. So he says, keep it up in love, in spirit and in faith and in purity. He doesn’t mention hope here, but he does in other places.

I Timothy 4:13a

“Till I come,…” Paul has come out of his first prison experience and he is probably going to meet Timothy at Ephesus, I’m thinking. And, as he goes from Rome across the Adriatic Sea and probably across Northern Greece, I think maybe he stopped at Philippi. Then dropped down to Ephesus where he hoped to meet Timothy. From Ephesus he’s going to go on down to the island of Crete, where he will meet up with Titus. Then from Crete he comes on back and finally ends up in Rome and arrested for the second time. So, he says to Timothy, until I come:

I Timothy 4:13b

“…give attendance to reading, (to study) to exhortation,(and to what?) to doctrine.” Don’t ever, ever put down the need for doctrine. In other words, what do you really believe? What does the Word of God teach you? This you are supposed to KNOW beyond the shadow of a doubt.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 2 * BOOK 45

Order in the Local Church – Part 2

I Timothy 2:8 – 6:20

We started in Genesis ten years ago on the television program and we are not anywhere near finished. I always like to remind folks that we are just an informal Bible Study. We are taking it verse by verse. I don’t expect you to always agree with me. There is a lot of room for disagreement without missing eternity. All I try to do is to get folks to see what the Bible says. Not what I say.

Alright now, we are walking into some pretty touchy territory. I have been meditating on this next series of verses for a long time and we want to stay true to the Word, and yet we don’t want to be so dogmatic that people feel that they do not have a role to play.

Paul was never against women, just for the sake of being against women – and anybody that thinks that, I send them into Romans chapter 16. In that chapter he commends more women than men who had helped him in the ministry. So there is a place for women in the Body of Christ. But, there are some stipulations, so it behooves us to look at what the Word of God says. Let’s get right back to where we left off, I Timothy chapter 2 verse 11.

I Timothy 2:11

“Let the women learn in silence with all subjection.” Now don’t take that to the extreme. That doesn’t mean that women are to be walked on and are to be treated as second class citizens, but it all goes back to Eve. In fact let’s chase it back right now before we go any further. Let’s go to Genesis chapter 3. God in His mercy did not lay the blame of the curse upon Eve. You all know that. That was placed on Adam, but you also know who ate first! Eve did. She didn’t come through that scot-free just because Adam was given the fault for the fall and all of that.

Eve also came under one of the judgements of God because of what she had done. Never forget, even though women are on the same level ground with men in the Body of Christ, yet in the overall umbrella of God’s Sovereignty we have to always remember what took place in the beginning. Verse 16 of chapter 3 of Genesis.

Genesis 3:16

“Unto the woman (Eve) he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and they conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; (all the pain and so forth of children and birthing is because of this right here) and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

That is the order of the sexes as God laid it down at the very beginning. Man was to be the head of the woman. Not that she was his slave or somebody to be walked on, as most cultures have made it. I have always said as long as I have been teaching, that if there was anything that set the women free it was Christianity. Until the advent of Paul’s Gospel of Grace, the women of the world had no rights. They were never educated. They couldn’t read. They were just chattel for the men. And, Christianity has never permitted that.

So, as women live in this Age of Grace, count your blessings that you are in a period of God’s timing that, under Grace, you do have these privileges. But God’s Sovereignty has demanded women play the role of being subjected to the men in that order of the sexes.

Come back to I Timothy chapter 2 then, with that in mind. Keep that in mind that this isn’t just Paul. It isn’t just Les Feldick. This is the Sovereign working of God. So now, He causes Paul to write:

I Timothy 2:12

“But I suffer (permit) not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man but to be in silence.” That is the secret in that verse. That they were not to be in a place of putting the men under their authority. The man was to maintain the place of authority but that didn’t mean that women couldn’t function in other roles in the Body of Christ. Now in verse 13 Paul comes up with a reason, which I have just shown you in Genesis, why it is this way.

I Timothy 2:13

“For Adam was first formed, then Eve.”

Adam was on the scene a good while before He took Eve out of Adam. Because remember, Adam even named all the creatures of creation before Eve appeared. So, I don’t know how long it was, but Adam was alone for a certain period of time. And Paul is using this as one of the Sovereign reasons for men to be in the place of authority. Because man was made first and then Eve and then the next one is in verse 14. Adam was not deceived! Eve was. Which points up again, I think, an inherent weakness in the feminine makeup that they probably don’t have the aggressive stability of the man and all of these enter in to God’s instructions to the Christian Church, the Body of Christ and the function of the man and the women in that environment.

I Timothy 2:14

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” In other words, she ate without realizing what she was doing. We have covered all that in previous lessons. Then verse 15.

I Timothy 2:15a

“Notwithstanding…” Just because Eve was in the transgression, she certainly didn’t lose the opportunity for salvation and as we well know, women are saved just as well as men. I think I can clarify verse 15 just a little bit.

I Timothy 2:15b

“…she shall be saved in childbearing,…”

Not by having children. That was never the idea, even in the Greek, but rather she too, like man, is saved by that tremendous act of Grace and that was what? THE childbearing! The coming of Christ in the flesh. So it is by that act of God whereby God himself, in the person of Jesus Christ became flesh so that He could go the way of the cross. That becomes the way of salvation for women as well as for the men. Then:

I Timothy 2:15c

“…if they continue in faith and charity (love) and holiness with (an attitude of sobriety) sobriety.” Sobriety, which is not as good a word as I think self restraint. A shyness of sorts, that they are not abrasive.

Again, I always like to come back to the historical setting of these letters of Paul, way back in probably 63-64 AD. All these believers, with the exception of the Jewish element, had come from what kind of a background? Pagan mythological idolatry. That was the influence that had to be subjected.

Now in that pagan culture, never forget that immorality ran rampant. A good portion of the young women actually plied the trade of prostitution. If fact, I have read, and you all know I love history, when the Roman armies marched as they went on their campaigns all through the then known world, there were just about as many prostitutes following the army as there were soldiers.

You have to realize this was an impact that Paul had to confront. This is why he is constantly warning these women who had come out of that culture and were now in the Body of Christ that they should totally separate themselves from that kind of an impression.

I think that would help us. Because you see, the prostitutes were brazen. They had no shyness. They had no self restraint. They were only concerned as to what they could do to manage their own welfare. So keep all of these things in mind when you look at some of the things that Paul wrote.

Same thing when you go into chapter 3, this was still a paramount reason for Paul writing by the unction of the Holy Spirit, what he writes. Verse 1:

I Timothy 3:1a

“This is a true saying,…” Remember, the whole idea here is how to have that local Church function in the midst of all this pagan idolatry, on the one hand and Judaism on the other. So:

I Timothy 3:1b

“… If a man desire the office of a bishop, (or a Pastor is the word we would use today) he desireth a good work.”

I guess the first thing that I should do is to qualify the three words that Paul uses in Ephesians and here in Timothy and again in Titus, and that is the word “bishop” and “elder” and “deacon.”

Now, an elder and a bishop were basically the same thing, but the bishop was the “office” – the position. The “elder” was the “man.” Then the deacon was the other segment of church officers who were to be just like they were back in Act chapter 6. The deacons in the early church were servants. They were more or less the men in the church who would take care of the needs of the people. Not so much the spiritual as the physical and the material.

So you have two offices, even though we are using three terms. Don’t confuse that. A bishop and an elder were basically the same thing and then you have the deacon. Now, let’s move on. We are going to deal first with the office of the bishop or the elders.

It is interesting to note that they are never used in a singular term. There was never a single elder or pastor in the early Apostolic church. That’s why some denominations even today will not have just a single pastor. They use their elders which are men in the congregation. They are not that far afield because they have broken with tradition.

I Timothy 3:2

“A bishop (or a pastor) then must be blameless, (that is understandable. This is all just plain common sense. It certainly wouldn’t do to have a pastor who had a shady reputation. Why the world would just scoff at that and to often does.) the husband of one wife,…”

Now, I have to stop, don’t I? If I were kind to myself, I would keep going because there is a lot of controversy on this statement right here. What does this mean, the husband of one wife? Some denominations take the strict interpretation that a man who has been married and divorced and remarried has now been “two” wives and consequently he is no longer a valid candidate for the pastorate.

On the other hand, like I have already said, in Paul’s time the people around the Church were in abject paganism and their marriage vows meant almost nothing. So, a lot of these people at the time of Paul may have had four or five or six or seven different wives. Divorce and take another one – divorce, etc. Others may have had three or four at once. They practiced polygamy. We have talked to missionary friends who have gone under those same circumstances in some of the more primitive tribes.

Well, here you have a gentleman who has four or five wives and he gets saved. He comes in and wants to be a part of the local Church. What is he going to do with all the extra wives when we realize now, according to the Christian premises, he should only have one? I’ll tell you what, it is not an easy thing to settle.

In those kind of cultures, if all of a sudden this man just simply drops three of those four wives and keeps the one, what are those three going to do to make a living? There is nothing out there for them. They are uneducated. There is no job market. Well, again, where do they end up? Prostitution.

So there is always this thing to be dealt with that you have to use a lot of common sense. Now, we have come almost full circle. Our society is rapidly becoming just as immoral and just as prone to marry and divorce and remarry and divorce as the pagans were.

But you take all these things into perspective and when I look at it, I just say this. A husband of one wife, yes, that means he cannot be a polygamist. He cannot be a man, I do not think, who has divorced and remarried four or five times. I think that would just automatically put a man out of the capability of being a pastor. Because if he can’t get along with four or five different women, he won’t be able to get along with a congregation. That’s understandable.

On the other hand, I have seen, and I will agree that if a man has been divorced and he has been saved and then he and his wife as believers get married, I have seen them, they become choice servants for the Lord and I see nothing wrong with that. I am just simply going to leave it at this, that every situation has to be judged on it’s own merit. I am in no position to say “This is this and this is that!” But, always remember the circumstances that Paul wrote on the one hand are beset with paganism and immorality and on the other hand realizing that the Church is just getting its start. It is in the embryonic stage. So all these things were set in place predominately for those early days.

The other thing I like to point out when I read what we call the Pastoral Letters; there is nothing, not one word in any of Paul’s instructions that permitted the hierarchies that we see today. You don’t find fifteen, twenty or a hundred denominations in Paul’s writing. Do you? You don’t find a great Church hierarchy in Paul’s instructions. So all of this has come by virtue of men’s idea and not from the instruction of Scripture.

But, as I was getting ready for all of this during the last month, I ran across a verse that I had never really noticed before. That is in II Timothy 2, verse 1. We will be hitting this again when we get to II Timothy, but this is something that just all of a sudden struck me. All through I Timothy and Titus and those are the two that were written pretty much synonymously or contemporaneously. They were written about the same time. Then II Timothy is written a year or two later when Paul is back in prison and will then be martyred.

But here in I Timothy and Titus he is writing all these instructions about how to behave in the local church. How to set up pastors and deacons and so forth, but now in this last pastoral letter, he makes a shocking statement. Maybe it isn’t as shocking to you as it was to me. In chapter 2 verse 2 but I am going to read verse 1 as well.

II Timothy 2:1-2

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2. And the things that thou hast heard of me (that is, Paul’s doctrines of Grace) among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, (not a word about pastors and deacons here. This is to be committed to faithful men. Regardless of their station in the local church, evidently, and these men) who shall be able to teach others also.”

Kind of shocking isn’t it? There is not a word in II Timothy about pastors and deacons and such an organization, but now the truth of Paul is to be committed to faithful “men.” Well, that is just something for you to chew on and to think about. We will come to it again when we get to II Timothy.

Now come back to I Timothy again in chapter 3 dealing with the men who are to head up these little congregations of believers fresh out of paganism. Never lose sight of that. I know I have repeated it and repeated it since we have been in Paul’s letters that all of these believers were idolaters. They were immoral practitioners of the temples of the gods and goddesses. So they had to make a stark distinction between now living under the Christian environment as over what they came out of, and consequently then, it stands to reason, verse 2 again:

I Timothy 3:2

“A bishop then must be blameless, (so these pagans couldn’t say they are no different than we are. They had to show that they were now different. So, consequently he was to be) the husband of one wife, (he was not to be a polygamist nor someone who had married and divorced umpteen times. He was a man who was) vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;” Able to teach the Word. Of course, that was his role. In his every day life he was:

I Timothy 3:3

“Not given to wine, (not a wine bibber) no striker, (someone who would involve himself in a physical brawl) not greedy of filthy lucre; (the term here is filthy lucre. I’m not sure that all of the manuscripts have that term but nevertheless he was not to be greedy for money or material things. But, on the other side of the coin he was to be) but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”

He was not to be wrapped up in the things of this world wanting first this and then that. Quite a condemnation, isn’t it? Then verse 4, right along with what I have always taught as the Jewish prerequisite for being a member of the Sanhedrin, how can you have any control or how can you give good advice to those around you that have family and kids and wives, if you have never been there yourself?

How many times don’t we hear of someone who has lost a child or a spouse and we are so prone to say, “Oh, I know how you feel.” Well unless you have been there, you don’t. And I prefer to use the word, I have empathy for those people but I can’t have true sympathy because I haven’t been there.

We just heard of the loss of the husband of one of the families in one of my classes. Well, I can’t call that wife and say I know how it must feel. No, I can’t! I haven’t been there. I still have my spouse. It is the same way with losing a child, so often we glibly say that we can image what it is like. No, you can’t. You can’t image what it is like until you have actually been there yourself.

So, this is what Paul is a saying here. How can you be a pastor if you have never had the anxiety of raising teenagers or in the husband and wife relationship which is different for someone who has never entered in. This is why he is laying down these prerequisites for a leader in the local church.

I Timothy 3:4

“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection (obedient children. Getting along well with his wife.) with all gravity;” Then the reason is in verse 5.

I Timothy 3:5

“(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)”

Which is the same kind of thing. You have families. You have children. You have teenagers. You have young married couples. How can you deal with all those problems if you have never been there yourself. So it is logical. It is just plain common sense. Alright, verse 6, another good one!

I Timothy 3:6a

“Not a novice,…”

I had a young lad that called from Georgia and he thought he had been called to preach. I said “Forget it. God doesn’t use ten year olds to preach and to be a pastor. Because that is being a novice.” You have to have the experience You have to have the knowledge before God will use someone like that. So here it is again in verse 6 that even the bishop or pastor was not to be a novice. Not a beginner.

I Timothy 3:6b

“…lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” In other words, to be a pastor took maturity. Then verse 7.

I Timothy 3:7

“Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;…”

That’s common sense, isn’t it? How far can a pastor get in his community if he doesn’t have character. How much good can he do in a community if no one speaks well of him. It’s just plain common sense. Now verse 8,

I Timothy 3:8

“Likewise…”

Even though they are in a little different role than the pastor, the deacons are in that same place of responsibility and they are to be that same kind of a testimony as the bishops were. Because the outside world is looking in and if the world looks and sees these church officers living no different than the world, then there is no testimony. They might as well put a lock on the church door. They are using it absolutely for no good whatsoever. Then verse 9.

I Timothy 3:9a

“Holding the mystery of the faith…”

That’s the word that Paul likes to use with that whole body of revealed truth. The revelation of the mysteries and they were to be held:

I Timothy 3:9b-10

“…in a pure conscience. 10. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of deacon, being found blameless.”

In other words, without reproach. And then here again is where the wife comes into the picture. She is just as important in God’s sight as the deacon himself, because she is his helpmeet.

So wives of deacons and pastors are to be the same type of a person. Above reproach. And they are to show that love and that faith that comes with the true child of God. Verse 11 describes the role of the woman who is the wife of a deacon.

I Timothy 3:11a

“Even so must their wives be grave,…” That doesn’t mean that they can’t ever smile or to laugh at a good joke, but they are not to be flippant. They are not to be that which does not demand respect. They are:

I Timothy 3:11b

“…not slanderers, (not gossipers) sober, faithful in all things.”

So all these are just simply common sense requirements for Church leadership. Again remember, that this was back in the midst of a pagan idolatrous culture. And those pagans were watching every move they made.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 2 * PART 1 * BOOK 45

Order in the Local Church

I Timothy 2:8 – 6:20

Let’s start where we left off in the last lesson and that would be I Timothy chapter 2 and verse 8. And in order to pick up the “therefore” in verse 8 I’m going to read verse 7 as an introduction to it.

I Timothy 3:7

“Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”

I want you to remember that all the Old Testament was written primarily to the nation of Israel, and Israel was under the Law. Even when you come into Christ’s earthly ministry, it’s really just an extension of the Old Testament program, as Christ came to fulfill the Abrahamic Covenant, the promises He had made to Abraham.

So when Jesus came on the scene in the New Testament, Israel was still under the Law, and the temple was still in operation, so everything that Jesus said in His earthly ministry was under the Law of Moses. There was not one word uttered to give us any idea that the Age of Grace would be coming to the Gentiles. (non-Jews)

But when Israel continued to reject everything back there in the first 7 chapters of Acts, God finally made a fork in the road, and Israel went into a dispersion that has lasted even to this very day, although she has been coming back to the land for several years now. And then in chapter 9 the Apostle Paul was saved on the road to Damascus, and he was immediately told“that he would be sent far hence to the Gentiles.”

So ever since we began our study in Romans, we have come all the way through most of these epistles of Paul, and this is really where we have to be as Gentile believers in this Age of Grace to understand what God is saying to us.

Now all the rest of Scripture is profitable because it’s all the Word of God. But when you go back into some of the things in the Book of Leviticus for example, that has no bearing on us in this Age of Grace, and I always like to use for an example in Leviticus chapter 5 and the first 5 verses, where if someone touches a dead animal or someone hears someone cursing and if they do not bring the prescribed sacrifice as they are required to do, they’re in trouble. Well we don’t take that for us because we’re not under any form of bringing any sacrifices for something. Even though it’s still the Word of God, it’s was not written for us today in this Age of Grace. Our Lord gave that responsibility to the Apostle Paul. So we always have to keep that in perspective, “To whom is the Scripture written, and what are the circumstances?” If you can recognize that, then the Scriptures will just open up to you.

So again even these little letters of First and Second Timothy and Titus, I almost have to stop periodically and explain that even these, as we call pastoral epistles, are under a whole different circumstances than Paul’s doctrinal Books of Galatians, Romans, I and II Corinthians, and the Thessalonians. And those we just mentioned are in turn different than his prison epistles which are really deeper Church doctrine.

So all these things are categorized, and have their own particular role, And so these pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, who will more or less pick up the mantle when Paul prepares now to leave this earth, and so nothing here in I Timothy and Titus has doctrine as we normally think of it, pertaining to our salvation or to the hope of the end, because Paul doesn’t address that here. All Paul really addresses in these pastoral epistles are probably best put in I Timothy 3:15. And this is really the purpose of these pastoral letters. They’re not written for basic fundamental doctrine of salvation, our hope, and glory, and so forth, but rather here’s what they’re written for.

I Timothy 3:15

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,…” What’s Paul saying? These letters are written to show people how to function in the local church – how they are to be organized, because remember, God is a God of order, and not a God of confusion. Also he gives a warning of what to be aware of, and what to look out for in these short little epistles. Now we’re ready to come back to chapter 2 and verse 7 again.

I Timothy 2:7-8a

“Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where,…”

Now, up until the Age of Grace, and the writings of the Apostle Paul, how was prayer for the most part practiced? Now that may seem like an ambiguous question, but let’s come back to the Book of Acts, chapter 3 and let the Scripture answer for us.

Acts 3:1

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.”

So under the Law of Moses there was designated time to pray. Now we noticed that as we travel to Israel especially if we go on the EL AL, the Israeli airlines at about 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning, all of a sudden some of the orthodox Jewish men will begin getting up in the aisle, and getting everything all ready for their hour of prayer. The Jews were instructed that there was a designated time and place for prayer, and since Peter and the disciples were representatives of Israel they too were under the Law. But you see Paul doesn’t tell the believer in the Church Age, be sure to keep your hour of prayer, be sure to pray three times a day, in such and such a place. But rather the language for us says what?

I Timothy 2:8a

I will therefore that men pray every where…”

What does that mean? Now we can approach the throne of Grace anytime, wherever we are, even while driving down the road you have every option to pray. If you’re at the work place, and come up against something that is mind boggling, you can pray. That’s our privilege under Grace. The throne room is always open, and we’re not under a designated hour of pray like the twelve disciples were.

I Timothy 2:8

I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands, (which of course goes back to the Jewish tradition, there’s not doubt about that) without wrath and doubting.”

What does that tell you? Do you ever get bitter with God? No. I’ve given the account on the program before about a young man who thought that God had given him a raw deal. He developed a real serious health problem, that caused a lot of hospitalization, and as a result of that, I guess his wife got fed up and she left him and filed for divorce, and he got bitter. He said, “I got so bitter that I hated God and cursed Him.” He was one of those who professed salvation as a kid – you know, had walked the isle, and all that, but had never really had any inkling to live a Christian life.

Anyway at the peak of his bitterness and anger with God, he had torn up his Bible page by page and threw them in the fire place. He then said, “I went and turned on my television, and I just happened to catch Through the Bible with Les Feldick, and the first thing I heard you say was, the Grace of God.” He said “I just sat there glued till the program was finished, and when the program was over I dropped down on my knees and I asked God to save me.” He said my whole life has been changed.” Now that’s a young man that’s just 40 years old, but you see that’s what Paul is telling us, “Don’t get to the place that you get bitter or angry with God.”

And the next word in the text is just as pertinent. “doubting.” What good does it do for you to pray if you don’t think God can do it? Now I didn’t say will do, but rather that He can do it. There is a difference. When it comes to prayer I always like to use Philippians chapter 4:6-7, and a lot of our television viewers know that, because that’s the first verse that I refer them to.

Look at verses 6 and 7 for a moment – this is exactly what he’s referring to, where we says, don’t get to the place of wrath and doubting when we pray, but on the other hand appreciate God’s love, appreciate His Grace, and with thanksgiving, knowing that He can do it. That’s why I say, not that He would do it, He’s not duty bound just because we ask, but nevertheless we have that privilege of asking.

Philippians 4:6a

“Be careful for nothing; (or be worried about nothing) but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving…”

Now what are you to be thanking Him for? For what He’s going to do with your request, whether it be yes, no, or maybe later, you still thank Him. You don’t get bitter, you don’t get angry, and say, “Now God why haven’t you answered my prayers?” No, we make our petitions with thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:6

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.”

Now you see what a free open door that is? He doesn’t limit us to Spiritual things, but I think he does limit us to common sense. I don’t think this verse gives me the right to ask for two Cadillacs in my garage. I don’t think this verse gives me the right to ask to be a millionaire. But when it comes to things that are common sense, and things that are necessary and close to our heart, then yes, we have total freedom to ask for what we will. And then verse 7 is the immediate answer to all prayers, and what is it?

Philippians 4:7a

“And the peace of God,…” Regardless of what may come, or what happens, we have that peace of God, and that transcends anything this world can give.

Philippians 4:7b

“…which passeth all understanding (now here comes the promise) shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Now come back to I Timothy again, and I’m sure that was on the apostle’s mind as he wrote. That as we pray, we approach the Lord in Grace and mercy, and with thanksgiving, but knowing that when we leave it in the throne room, it’s in good hands.

Now then we come into verse 9 and as I told Iris driving up here that these are going to be some tough verses for me to address, because we know there’s a lot of controversy lately about the role of women in the church. So I’m just going to teach it for the most part as the Word lays it out, but on the other hand, I’m going to leave a few loopholes. I’m not going to get to hard on the women, but nevertheless, I’m hopefully going to show you that the Apostle Paul was not simply being anti-feminine.

Paul is not a hater of women as he is so often described, but rather he is in total accord with the overall Sovereign working of God, and never forget that. Paul does not write what Paul thinks, but rather Paul writes what God has inspired him to write, and never lose sight of that regardless of how you may feel or how this affects you one way or the other. So in verse 8, men were to pray, and in verse 9:

I Timothy 2:9a

“In like manner also,…”

Now stop and think a minute, what did he just tell the men up there in verse 8 to do? Pray without doubting, and without any anger or wrath, and the women should do the same thing. Women have just as much access to the throne room as men do today. And it’s simple because that in the Body of Christ there is no difference. Now I’ve got to take you back to Galatians chapter 3 to finish that thought. I wasn’t going to use this verse but the Spirit is causing me to do it. Of course this is one of Paul’s basic elementary, fundamental, letters to the Churches.

Galatians 3:26-27

“For ye are all (not just the men) the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as hast been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Now most of you know how I approach that word baptized, as it’s simply the work of the Holy Spirit who baptizes every believer into that invisible Body of Christ, by an invisible act of the Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:13) And Paul tells us that there is only one baptism in the Book of Ephesians. But here’s the verse I want you to see, and I want you to keep this in mind as we deal with Paul’s writing to Timothy.

Galatians 3:28

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all on in Christ Jesus.”

Now can you make it any plainer than that? I can’t! So as members of the Body of Christ, women you see are basically on the same level playing field as the men, but on the other hand we have the overall Sovereignty of God that we also have to recognize, and we’ll look at that in just a moment. Now coming back to I Timothy chapter 2, verse 9:

I Timothy 2:9a

“In like manner also, (with that attitude of believing prayer and peace of God) that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety;…”

I had to go to the Greek and pick that word up, and I think there’s a better word than “shamefacedness,” because we really don’t understand what that is. But when I went into the Greek with my dictionary, and Strong’s, the truer and probably a better translation for that word was a two fold meaning “toward other men the woman want to be shy and reserve, but in her attitude toward God it was to be an attitude of Ah.”

And I like that and thought, my isn’t it funny how sometimes just one word can miss so much. But as the women now come into the workers experience in the local Church they are not to be aggressive, and flamboyant in the presence of the men, but rather they are to be a little more on the shy and reserve side, but their attitude to God is to be just in Ah in all that he is. Now reading on:

I Timothy 2:9b

“…not with braided hair, or gold or pearls, or costly array:”

Now to show that this isn’t just Paul’s idea, we’re going to go to I Peter chapter 3, for a moment. A lot of you already know those verses. Here the Holy Spirit has caused Peter to write almost the same kind of language. So putting these two portions together and you realize that this is God speaking. First through the Apostle Paul who is writing to Timothy, but also through the Apostle Peter in his little epistles.

I Peter 3:1-2

“Likewise, ye wives, be subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, (in other words the husband is an unbeliever) they also may without the word be won by the conversation (or the manner of living) of the wives: 2. (so that this unbelieving husband) while they behold your chaste conversation (in other words your pure manner of living)coupled with fear. (or respect). In verse 3 this is telling how the wife or the women of the Church in Timothy are to dress.

I Peter 3:3

“Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;”

Now Peter doesn’t forbid it. He doesn’t say, “Now ladies don’t fix your hair, or ladies don’t look half way decent,” not at all, but he is saying, “Don’t let that be your primary way of attracting that unsaved husband.”

And Paul is going to use the same type of language, but a lot of people have abused it, and tell their women “That they can’t fix their hair, they can’t wear jewelry, and can’t look nice,” but that’s not what the Book says. It merely says, “Don’t let your primary way of speaking out to people, your testimony be these physical outward appearance.” Then verse four says it all.

I Peter 3:4

“But let it be the hidden man of the heart,…”

Even though it says, man, it’s still a generic term here, but let it be that inward personality that has been transformed by the Grace of God that is without price.

Now I was reading an article the other day about one of our more famous basketball coaches in the college ranks, who used to coach up at Iowa University, and the last few years has coached Arizona University. Just recently he lost his lovely wife to cancer, and there’s been several articles in the paper about what a tremendous lady that coach’s wife was to those basketball players. She was just like a second mother, and even guys who were under her husband’s coaching years back were still relating how they could remember when they were kids fresh out of high school and in a strange place, and she just mothered them like their own mother. Well what a great testimony she had. And I’m sure that Lute Olson and his wife, Bobbi were true Christians because I’ve read accounts of their life before her death.

But you see this is what we’re talking about. It’s not just the physical outward appearance, all though that certainly is appropriate. In fact as I was mulling this over, I couldn’t help but think, you’re all aware of Sara, what kind of lady was she? Was she something that just turned people off? Hardly. Let’s go back and look at that account in Genesis chapter 12. And this is where you use all of Scripture to put your thoughts together, and I think that’s the only way you can understand some of these things. Look at the whole picture. Yes Paul and Peter says: “don’t let it be the fixing of the hair, don’t let it be the wearing of your jewelry, or some pretty dress, but instead let it be the inward man of the heart.” But that still don’t mean that you have to make less your outward appearance.

Genesis 12:10-11

“And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. (of Israel) 11. And it came pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:”

What was Abraham expecting? That Pharaoh’s guards would come out and take Sarai into the Pharaoh’s harem. Abraham knew that was a good possibility. So what kind of woman was Sarai? She was beautiful, but Sarai wasn’t just beautiful on the out side, but she was also beautiful woman of faith.

Now in the moments we have left come back with me to I Timothy. So the point I’m trying to make ladies, is that there is nothing wrong with fixing your hair, nor wearing jewelry, or being attractive, but that’s not the number one priority. The number one priority is, the “hidden women of the heart.” So coming back to I Timothy chapter 2, in verse 9 Paul is using the same language that Peter used, and then in verse 10 he also uses the same language.

I Timothy 2:10

“But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

So just like Bobbi Olson had a tremendous testimony helping her husband in his coaching profession, so it is that all women of faith also have a good testimony of good works.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 4 * BOOK 45

I Timothy 2:3-7 – Part 2

I always like to let it be known that we are just an informal Bible Study. I am not a preacher, I just feel the Lord has given me the ability to teach the Word in a way that even young people can understand. That reminds me that at today’s taping we have a young family that has come all the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be with us and I think they are going to come down and spend the night with us at the ranch. They have three small children and when they walked in today, they knew “Les” because they watch him on television!

As we begin this lesson we’ll still be back in I Timothy chapter 2 for a little bit. I am always running out of time, it seems, so we are going to go right back to verse 7, because I didn’t get quite finished with that verse in the last lesson.

I Timothy 2:7

“Whereunto (Paul says) I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”

In other words, there was no mincing words with the Apostle Paul and he was not a imposter. He was not a purveyor of half truth or untruth. He was strictly God’s vessel in order to take the Word of God to the non-Jewish world.

Now I trust you all realize, that all the way up through the Old Testament beginning with the appearance of Israel in Genesis chapter 12 and the Abrahamic Covenant, God dealt only with the nation of Israel, with an occasional exception. It was Jew only all the way through the 2,000 years after Abraham, and even in Christ’s earthly ministry, it was Jew only with only two exceptions.

In fact, I made reference to a couple of Scriptures in the last lesson and I guess it has been a long time since I pointed this out on the program. Let’s go back to Matthew chapter 10, because I am just amazed at how many people who have been in Church all their life don’t know that some of these verses are in their Bible. Some of them will look at it and say, “Well I’ll be!” Others will look at it and say, “But I don’t believe it!” Well, when they look at the Word of God and say they don’t believe it, do you know my answer? “Then you’ve got a problem. If you can’t believe what the Bible says there’s not much anybody can do for you.”

But, now look at Matthew chapter 10 verse 5, at the very onset of Christ’s earthly ministry, in the first four verses He chooses the twelve disciples then in verse 5 He gives them these instructions:

Matthew 10:5

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded (no ifs, ands or buts about it. He commanded) them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and unto any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

You can’t make it any plainer than that. The twelve were to have nothing to do with anyone who was not a Jew. Now, it is magnified, I think even more when you come still in Matthew, over to chapter 15. This is a perfect example of how Jesus and the twelve had nothing to do with Gentiles or non-Jews. For three years He ministered only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel with a couple of exceptions. This is going to be one of those exceptions. It’s the story of the Canaanite woman, and we find that He finally condescends to her constant begging.

Matthew 15:21-22

“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. (Cities on the Mediterranean Sea coast.) 22. And behold, a woman of Canaan (a non-Jew) came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” A valid request? Well, I guess! But what’s her problem? She’s not a Jew. She’s a Canaanite. Now look what the twelve said.

Matthew 15:23

“But he answered her not a word. And his disciples (The twelve) came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.”

Why didn’t they say, “Lord grant her her request?” They knew better! Because of what He had told them earlier, “Have nothing to do with anybody who is not a Jew.” So they were valid in their request to send her away. She’s a nuisance. She’s a pest. And don’t worry, this is no reflection on the Lord Himself or shows His lack of compassion or any thing like that, because He knew His role. And His role was to present Himself in fulfillment of the Old Testament covenant promises that He would be their King and Messiah and Redeemer of Israel. Then if Israel would have fallen in line, He could have sent the Jews out into the Gentile world, but not until Israel came in first. So now verse 24, and the Lord himself in response to the twelve:

Matthew 15: 24.

“But he answered and said, I am not sent (that is, based on the Old Testament covenants) but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

You know what people will do? They will just say, “I don’t believe that! That’s not the way it was.” But that’s what the Book says! And that’s what we are going to have to line up with. I don’t care what people say. The Lord said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel because of those Covenant promises. Alright, verse 25. Remember I said, this lady kept on insisting! She didn’t give up.

Matthew 15:25-26

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26. But he answered (again in a negative, and what is His answer?) and said, It is not meet (it is not right) to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.”

Who were the “dogs” in Jesus’ day? Gentiles! Who were the “children”? Israel! So what is He saying in plain English? I can’t take that which belongs to Israel and give it to Gentiles. It would be flying in the face of the eternal God. He could not. Because, all of the things coming out of the Old Testament had promised Israel a Messiah and Redeemer and Gentiles were left out in the dark, until after His death, burial and resurrection and that is where Paul’s ministry comes in.

Now reading on here in Matthew chapter 15. My it has been a long time since we have taught this. I guess maybe we are supposed to do this in today’s taping. I hadn’t planned on it, believe me. This is strictly off the cuff, but I can’t help that. Remember Jesus had just told the Canaanite woman, “But, it’s not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.” Now verse 27.

Matthew 15:27

“And she said, Truth, Lord: ( I agree) yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

What’s she saying? Can’t I have just a little of the overflow from Israel? And then, of course, it got to Him, didn’t it?

Matthew 15:28

“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

So He condescended to her. And the only other one he did was the Roman Centurion, who had a like request. His son was sick unto death and He said, “he’s healed as of this moment.”But, other than that, He had nothing to do with Gentiles. I don’t care what people say about Galilee being Gentile, there is not one word in the Scriptural record that Jesus ever ministered to Gentiles other than to these two.

The other one I like to use as a total backup, which shows so clearly that He could not do anything for the Gentiles until He had finished the work of the cross, is in John’s Gospel chapter 12 verse 20. Now don’t lose sight all of this is coming from what we read back to I Timothy chapter 2 verse 6 where Paul says, I am the teacher of the Gentiles. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, and His disciples ministered only to Israel. But, Paul is immediately told to now go to the Gentile world.

Here we are still in Christ’s earthly ministry. It is the last days before the Passover and the crowds of Jews are gathering in the Temple area. In the midst of those crowds of Jews, we find some Gentiles:

John 12:20

“And there were certain Greeks (non-Jews. Gentiles.) among them that came up to worship at the feast:” It doesn’t say they were worshippers. They were just onlookers. They were just aghast at all that was going on. And so, they came “among” them that came up to worship.

John 12:21

“The same (these Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, (one of the twelve) and desired (or asked) him , saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.”

Now again, use some common sense. Everybody knew, even when you get to Acts chapter 10 and you have Cornelius the Roman Centurion, who was pulling his duty in the little land of Israel and remember, when Peter got to his doorstep? What did Peter tell him? “Cornelius you know that it is an unlawful thing for a Jew to come unto one of another nation.” Why did Cornelius know this? Well, he had been living amongst the Jews. There was nothing hid in a corner.

And it was the same way with these Greeks. They had probably seen some of His miracles and at least they had heard about them. They wanted to see this man! Somebody probably pointed out Philip and said, Hey, there is someone who has been with Him all the time. Go ask him. So these Greeks go and corner Philip and they said, we would see Jesus.

Now, verse 22. Philip was no dummy. What could he remember? What Jesus told them back in Matthew 10, have nothing to do with Gentiles. And so, Philip knew that it was not his place to take these Gentiles to speak with Jesus. Philip knew that Jesus had nothing to do with Gentiles. But rather than just take the thing in his own hands and say, No I’m not going to do that, or I will take you. No, he shares the responsibility with Andrew, another one of the twelve.

See how logical this is if you just put it together! So Philip goes over and finds Andrew and says, “Andrew there’s Gentiles out here that want to see Jesus. What are we going to do?” Well now, the text is plain. Andrew evidently says to Philip, “Let’s go ask the Lord.” Now verse 22.

John: 12:22

“Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.”

What do they tell Him? “There’s Greeks out here that want to see you! Gentiles.” Now read the next verse. And Jesus said, “Bring them to me!” No, it doesn’t say that! Your Bible doesn’t say that He went out to them. But your Bible does tell you what Jesus’ answer was.

John 12:23

“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come (remember, we are only a few hours before the crucifixion and His resurrection) that the Son of man should be glorified.(speaking of His resurrection. That’s when He assumed His full glorification.) 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground an die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

What’s the lesson? Every time you plant something and you see it come up and see it reproduce, whether it’s grain or garden products or a flower, the picture is the same. That seed until it goes into the ground can do nothing. But once it is put into the ground and everything takes place, and it reproduces and the new blade comes up, then it can produce.

Alright, Jesus is giving them a lesson. Not until He had been, and I will use the word that Paul uses in Romans chapter 6, He had to be planted. Buried. And as a result of that death and burial, like a new blade of wheat coming up out of the ground, now, He was in a position to reproduce the Gentile world with salvation!

That’s the whole picture. And he said I cannot minister to those Gentiles until I have finished the work of the Cross. Because of that finished work of the cross, now then God can take the Apostle Paul and send him out into the Gentile world.

Consequently, now let’s start looking at what Paul says of his own apostleship. Let’s turn to Romans chapter 11 verse 13. I am so thrilled that we are getting people by the hundreds to realize that Paul is the Apostle for us today!

All of Scripture is for us. He says it himself, in Romans chapter 11, that everything that was written aforetime, which meant the Old Testament, the four gospels, they were written for our learning. Absolutely, we study the Old Testament! Absolutely, we teach it, because it is just the background for everything in which we place our faith.

But our marching orders, if you want to call it that, the instructions for us in the Body of Christ have come from this apostle, and we must receive those orders or we’re going to end up out in left field, it’s just that simple. Now looking at verse 13, and this is just plain English!

Romans 11:13a

“For I speak to you (whom?) Gentiles, (why?) inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,…”

Paul is saying, he’s not one of the twelve, but rather, I am the only one, “I am the apostle of the Gentiles.” The Apostle Paul becomes the only writer of Scripture that pertains to the Church Age. I have stressed it so often. Jesus and the twelve are constantly preaching the “Kingdom of Heaven,” the “Gospel of the Kingdom,” to Israel.

Paul never used the term! But, Paul instead uses the “Body of Christ” and the “Gospel of the Grace of God.” See what a difference that makes? So Paul says, I am the Apostle of the Gentiles.

Romans 12:13b

“…I magnify mine office:” In other words, he was never going to back down from it.

Now, let’s go on over to II Corinthians for a moment. The Corinthian Church was probably a little bit more cantankerous than any other of Paul’s congregations. They would once in a while, let him know that they didn’t think he had the authority that he claimed.

So, when we were teaching Corinthians, I said it over and over, what did Paul have to do? Defend his apostleship. Defend it! Defend it! Defend it! Because, they were always trying to say, Paul you are not it! Some said, we listen to Peter. Some said, we listen to Apollos. Some said, we are going to follow Jesus. And Paul had to come back and say, No, I am your Apostle.

Turn to II Corinthians chapter 2 verse 17, in defense of his apostleship and you can just read between the lines what they were accusing him of.

II Corinthian 2:17

“For we (speaking of himself. He would often do that. I read sometime ago, that this was typical of the writers in antiquity to take away any semblance of egotism. So instead of saying “I” he would use the plural pronoun “we”) are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”

The Greek implies, and we taught this when we were back in Corinthians, that he was not like a huckster selling half grade materials. Or he was not someone who was peddling wine that had been watered down with water.

He said, “I am not that way. I do not corrupt what I speak. It’s all true.” Now, I think we can go on back to Galatians again, where we were in our last lesson. And so after chapter 1 where he explains how he was separated from his mother’s womb for this role of being the Apostle of the Gentiles, now we can come into chapter 2 verse 7.

This is at the counsel at Jerusalem, where he has to convince the leadership of the Jewish economy, that God had indeed ordained him to go to the Gentiles with the Gospel of Grace. The twelve, up until now, just couldn’t quite comprehend it.

Like I said before, I don’t think Peter ever did fully comprehend it. But, nevertheless, they agreed here that, indeed Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. Now Galatians chapter 2 verse 7.

Galatians 2:7

“But contrariwise, when they (that is the twelve, as well as some of the other elders at Jerusalem) saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (or lets just put it like it is. The gospel of the Gentiles) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision (the Jew) was unto Peter;”

Now isn’t that plain? Ah, I have been teaching this for over twenty years. Isn’t it plain! Here we have it laid out so clearly, inspired by the Holy Spirit that the Gospel of the Gentile was committed unto the Apostle Paul. And, the Gospel for the Jew was committed unto Peter.

I have already delineated the two. To Israel it was the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” That Jesus was the Christ and ready to set the Kingdom. But they wouldn’t believe. So God sent Israel into the dispersion that has lasted unto our very day.

And He sent the Apostle Paul out to the Gentile world with the “Gospel of the Grace of God” (I Corinthians 15:1-4) which he calls here the Gospel of the Gentiles. Next verse.

Galatians 2:8

“(For he that wrought effectually in Peter (the same Jesus, who, of course, worked through Peter and the eleven, tremendously) to the apostleship of the circumcision (Jews), the same (Christ) was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)”

See that constant separation? Back in chapter 1 which we looked at earlier, he didn’t go back to Jerusalem to pick up from the twelve everything that they knew. God sent him east instead of west! And as he went east, I think out to Mt. Sinai, there God revealed to this Apostle this whole body of truth, which he calls the revelation of the mysteries. Now verse 9.

Galatians 2:9a

“And when James, Cephas, (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars,…”

I am always stopping at that word. What does that indicate? They weren’t anymore! Israel was falling through the cracks. Israel was rejecting His Messiahship. Israel was rejecting the Gospel of the Kingdom. And Paul is ascending as Israel goes down, Paul and his Gentile congregations are rising. So going on.

Galatians 2:9

“And when James, Cephas, (Peter) perceived (or understood) the grace that was given unto me, (they come to a full gentlemen’s agreement) they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;…” Isn’t that plain? They shook hands. They said, no more argument. They agreed:

Galatians 2:9c

“… that we (Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (the Gentile world), and they (Peter and the eleven would go, where?) unto the circumcision. (to Israel)“

That’s where they remained until they all suffered their martyr’s death. If fact, let me take you back to Acts chapter 10, where Peter has to have his eyes opened in order to bring Paul out into a little bit of freedom there in Jerusalem.

In Acts 10, God sends Peter up to that Gentile house or Cornelius. You all know the story. And after Peter has ministered in the house of Cornelius, and he has seen the manifestation that they had become believers, then you drop down into verse 1 of chapter 11. Remember this is eight years after Pentecost.

Acts 11:1

“And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. (by virtue of Peter) 2. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem,(after his experience with Cornelius) they that were of the circumcision (that is the Jewish Church at Jerusalem) contended with him,”

They didn’t pat him on the back and say, “Hey, Peter, great!! My, must have been a great thing to go up there to the house of Gentiles!” No, they contended with him:

Acts 11:3

“Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, (and you didn’t just go in, you ate with them. Peter, how could you? See?) and didst eat with them.”

I have always put it this way. If Peter suddenly understood that God was going to save Gentiles, why bother to go back to Jerusalem? Why didn’t he head out into northern Galilee where there were Gentiles by the thousands? But he doesn’t.. He goes back to Jerusalem and that’s the way it stayed. Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles, and Peter and the eleven remained as the Apostles of Israel, and I have always said that according to this Book, Peter and the eleven never had a ministry to the Gentiles.

 

Through the Bible with Les Feldick

LESSON 1 * PART 3 * BOOK 45

I Timothy 2:3-7

You’ll notice that I do not promote any one group as I teach, but rather we just simply want to teach the Word and we let the Lord be our supplier. He’s the One that we have to be beholden to and so all we trust is that we can avoid error. But as far as humanly possible, we are going to search the Scriptures and bring out the truth. As we begin this lesson, turn to I Timothy chapter 2 verse 5. This is the verse that we were working on in the last lesson.

I Timothy 2:5

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

We were showing in the last lesson, how God the Son became flesh, became the visible image of the invisible God. And as such, went the way of the cross, purchased our redemption, rose from the dead, and ascended back to the Father’s right hand. In order to give another perspective, we were just ready to look at I John chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 in the last lesson when time ran out. The terminology is slightly different but it’s still the same setting. John writes:

I John 2:1

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if (it’s conditional) any man sin, (we know we will) we have an advocate (like I said that’s a different term than mediator but nevertheless it fulfills the same role.) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

Where is He? At the Father’s right hand interceding for us. Now come back with me to Galatians chapter 3 verse 19, which is the only other place that Paul uses the word mediatorother than in I Timothy. He does use it in the Book of Hebrews, but that’s a little bit different setting than what Paul writes to us in the Church Age.

Galatians 3:19a

“Wherefore then serveth the law?…”

The Law was added because of transgressions, and you have to know your Bible. All the way from Adam at about 4000 BC, up until Moses, there was no written Word of God, there was no Law. At that time right and wrong was based on men’s conscience. So with the Law at 1500 BC and Adam at 4000 BC that tells us that there was 2,500 years that the human race did not have any written Word of God.

That is why Paul uses the term then that the Law was added 2,500 years later. It was added because of the transgressions. In other words, mankind was just going deeper and deeper into sin, and that’s why God had to destroy them at the Flood. But, even after the Flood it came out the same way. They just went deeper and deeper – so that’s when He called out the little nation of Israel through the man Abraham. To the nation of Israel He gave the Law, so there was no doubt about what was right and wrong.

Galatians 3:19b

“It (the Law) was added (because of their sinful lifestyle and it was going to be enforced) because of transgressions, till the seed (speaking of Christ) should come to whom the promise was made; and was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

Now, who was the mediator at that time? Moses was! Moses was the one who stood between Israel and God. So, he was the mediator between those two parties. The picture is that now it isn’t Moses who is our mediator, it’s Christ Himself! The One who satisfied all the demands of the Law, the One Who finished the work of redemption and so now He is fully capable to sit at the Father’s right hand as our mediator.

Isn’t that a comfort? We know that even as John places it in his little letter, if we sin, we have Jesus Christ the Righteous One as our advocate. Or today we would say, He’s our attorney. He’s pleading our case constantly. He is also the mediator between God and man when it comes to this whole idea of prayer. Here again, in Hebrews it tells us:

Hebrews 4:16a

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,…”

This is all on this same scenario of Jesus Christ the Righteous One, Who is our advocate, Who is our mediator and as such then, we can go right into the presence of God! Day or night! Doesn’t matter when or where we are. We don’t have to be in our prayer closet. You can be driving down the road and you can lift your heart in prayer. You can wake up in the middle of the night and flat on your back, you can pray. You don’t have to be in a particular position or anything like that. And, here it is verse 14 of Hebrews 4.

Hebrews 4:14-16

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, (see how plain this is? Since that is the case) let us hold fast our profession. (our faith.) 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted (or tested) like as we are yet (whereas we fail, He did not. He was) without sin. 16. Let us therefore come (what’s the word? Boldly! We don’t have to shrink. We don’t have to think, Oh, I am coming into the presence of a Holy God. No, we are now on that plane as a redeemed, blood bought individual that we can come) boldly unto the throne of grace, (into Heaven itself) that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

My what a promise!! We don’t have to be worthy. We don’t have to find someone who can plead our case. We have Him! He’s our mediator. He’s our advocate, and He’s ready and He is willing because of His mercy! When it comes to His mercy, we have to go back to Exodus chapter 33. It has been a long time since we have used these verses. I don’t think I have used them since we taught Romans chapter 11.

This is just shortly after Israel had made the golden calf. And, if ever there was a reason for God to destroy the nation of Israel it was then and there. God could have destroyed the Nation in an instant. Why didn’t He? Here’s the reason.

Exodus 33:18-19

And he (Moses) said, I beseech thee, shew me they glory. 19. And he (the Lord) said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and (now here it comes) will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”

How could God say something like that? Because He is sovereign! He doesn’t have to make an excuse for doing anything. He can do whatever He wants. If He determines He wants to pour out Mercy and Grace He can do it! And that’s where we are. It’s because of His sovereign Grace that we can come into the throne room boldly in any time of need.

We don’t have to go through anybody else, because He is there constantly. Another verse I have to use that shows His worthiness is Revelation 5 verse 9, which is a whole different setting. Here we have the Lord, ready to take the scroll, in this case which is the mortgage on the planet. He is ready to pour out the Tribulation wrath of God and all I want you to see is what makes Christ worthy of everything that He does.

Revelation 5:9

“And they sung a new song, (Look what they sang in their singing.) saying, Thou (speaking of Christ) art (what’s the next word? Worthy!) worthy to take the book, and to open the seals (that is to pour out the judgements of the Tribulation that would be coming from it) thereof: (Now here’s why He was worthy) for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation:”

See, it wasn’t that He did it for any one group of people. This is no longer just for Israel. But He went to the cross and shed His blood and rose from the dead to redeem the whole human race! That’s what we have been seeing for the last two or three lessons now, that when He finished the work of the cross, the price of redemption was paid for every human being. None excluded! They can all come in the same way, by faith plus nothing! Yet the vast majority of the world walks it under foot.

Come back to I Timothy chapter 2 and the very next verse is just about as loaded as the last, it’s the same concept. What did Christ accomplish with His death, burial and resurrection? Here verse 6 tells us.. Not only is He the mediator between us and God, not only is He the One Who advocates on our behalf, but now there is another idea. He gave Himself a ransom.

I Timothy 2:6

“Who gave himself a ransom for all, (not for a few, but for all) to be testified in due time.” Think about that for a minute. It has been a long time since we have had a famous kidnapping episode like the Lindbergh’s, which I remember from when I was a little kid. But you all remember the Lindbergh experience and how that a kidnapper will hold a child for ransom. Pay the money and you can have the child.

Well, the Word means the same thing here. Christ paid the ransom! Not just for one child but for every human being that has ever lived. And what was the price? It’s beyond human comprehension. The ransom that Christ paid with His death, burial and resurrection is beyond human understanding. But He paid it with His shed blood. Come on over to the right again to I Peter’s little epistle, chapter 1 and verse 18-19, and here we find the price that He paid.

I Peter 1: 18

“Forasmuch (Peter writes) as ye know that ye were not redeemed (by a ransomed price) with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;” Now Peter is writing primarily to Jewish people. So, he is referring to their heritage as the nation of Israel under the law. Now verse 19. This was the ransomed price.

I Peter 1:19-20a

” But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20. Who verily was foreordained (that should take you back to that verse in Acts chapter 2. That it was foreordained before anything was ever created, that Christ would go to the Cross.) before the foundation of the world.”

So now come back to I Timothy again. Maybe we can make another verse or two before this lesson is over. Christ paid the ransom, not just for the few but for the whole human race. And, if I don’t get anything more across this lesson than that, I will have accomplished something. That He didn’t just pay redemption for a few, but rather He paid it for the whole human race. When you see the mass of humanity walking it under foot, chasing other gods and other religions with no concern whatsoever, what a travesty to think that He has paid for every one of us, and yet they pay no mind.

I Timothy 2:7

“Whereunto (In other words, the fact that Christ had paid the ransom. The fact that Christ is our mediator between God and men.) I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith (truth) and verity.”

I have mentioned this on the program more than once that a lot of people don’t even give Paul the time of day. They will not even look at his letters. They will quote everything from the Old Testament sometimes it’s just sheets of paper with references trying to disagree with me. And all they quote is the Old Testament and the Gospels and the early Acts and Revelation. They absolutely will not touch the letters of Paul. When I see that, if they hear this on the program, I don’t care. They go in the waste basket. Because if they are not going to pay heed to what Paul has written, they are out in left field anyway. Why should I waste my time.

But see, Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. (Romans 11:13) He is the vehicle through which you and I have received these doctrines of Grace! (Ephesians 3:2). Just to make it real plain and simple again, we are going back to the Book of Acts. Chapter 9 verse 15. You want to remember that for the first eight chapters it is all Israel. Peter and the eleven and then finally Stephen appealing to the nation of Israel to repent of the fact that they had crucified their promised Messiah. But, they would not.

I always call the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapter 7 as the epitome or the crescendo of Israel’s rejection. They literally screamed at Stephen as they were stoning him. We will NOT have Jesus of Nazareth over us. Well, then in chapter 8 you find that Peter again is still in the limelight and then when you get to chapter 9, we are introduced to the next character on the stage of history, biblically speaking, Saul of Tarsus.

Saul, as you well remember, was on his way to Damascus to arrest Jewish believers who accepted that Jesus was the Christ. And the Lord struck him down outside the city and while he is picking up the pieces and fumbling in his blindness and coming back into the city of Damascus, God leaps ahead into the city and approaches another Jew by the name of Ananias. The Lord is now speaking to Ananias in the city of Damascus concerning this Saul of Tarsus. Ananias had more or less been arguing with the Lord saying, “Now wait a minute! I don’t want anything to do with this Saul of Tarsus. I’ve heard of all that he has been doing to the believers and that’s why he’s here.” But, now look what the Lord says in verse 15.

Acts 9:15a

“But the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Go thy way; for he (Saul of Tarsus) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the (what?) Gentiles,…” This has never been whispered before that God was going to save Gentiles. Never!

Remember the Lord in His earthly ministry in Matthew 10:5, told the twelve, go NOT into the way of the Gentiles or into the house of Samaritans. But, go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And God could not go to the Gentiles until Israel had full opportunity of bringing Him in as their King. But they would not. So after almost seven years of appealing to the nation of Israel to repent of having crucified their Messiah, and they will not, God now does something totally different. He reaches down outside a Gentile city, not inside the land of Israel but on Gentile ground and he saves this renegade, this religious zealot who was trying to stamp out the name of Jesus from the Jewish nation. To that man now, the Lord is going to turn and He has promised him that he’s going to suffer for His Name’s sake.

Paul makes such a clear definition of all of this in the little Book of Galatians – how that he is to become the apostle and the teacher of the Gentiles, and that’s what we’re trying to show that it wasn’t just a statement of braggadocio. He’s not claiming something that wasn’t true, but indeed, he IS the chosen vessel by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to now go to those hated, wicked, pagan Gentiles. Here Paul lays it out so clearly what took place.

Galatians 1:11-12

“But I certify (guarantee) 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 (where did he get it?) by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

I am always pointing out when I teach Paul’s apostleship, remember that everything in the four gospel accounts was Christ before the Cross. Except, of course, for the account of the crucifixion. But, the whole three years of His earthly ministry are only to the nation of Israel under the Law before His death, burial and resurrection. It’s at least seven years after the cross that this man gets all of his revelations from the ascended Lord, Who is now up there at the right hand of the Father. And so, this is what he says. I got it by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Then in verse 15:

Galatians 1:15-16

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, (unmerited favor) 16. To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him (where? Among the heathen. Among the Gentiles.) among the heathen; (So he said) immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:” What does that tell you? He didn’t run back down to Jerusalem and ask the twelve to fill him in. But, instead he went the other direction into Arabia whereupon we feel he received a goodly portion of these new revelations, that nothing else in Scripture had ever revealed. And, what was it? That when Christ died, shed His blood and rose from the dead, He now could pour out saving Grace. Not just to Israel, but to the whole human race!

When Christ died, He died for ALL. When He rose in resurrection power, He defeated everything that was against us, and He became our mediator. He became our advocate. He became our Lord, our Master. As we have seen just a moment ago, it was all because of what He accomplished in that death, burial and resurrection.