Making All Men See

Mark Twain has been quoted as saying, "It is easier to fool people than it is to convince people that they have been fooled." I agree with him. Religiously speaking, I was one of those "fooled" people for four decades of my life. Satan's "ministers of righteousness" (II Cor. 11:13-15) working inside the church were effective in blinding me to "God's Grace Program" while feeding me a steady diet of law based performance. I began my "recovery" from Satan's trap (II Tim. 2:26) thirteen years ago when I unexpectedly came face to face with the "key to understanding the Bible" (Luke 11:52). My education and edification in God's program of grace has progressively stabilized my life just like God promised it would in Romans 16:25. May this blog be used of God to liberate the world's largest religious denomination---"ignorant brethren". (Rom. 1:13)

Romans Chapter 1


Vs. 1… “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God”
Who is Paul? Acts, "the book between," tells us valuable information abut this man. He is first mentioned in Acts 8:1-3 where he is participating in the stoning of Stephen. That Paul was not God's choice to take  Judas' place is clear from Acts 2:4  and from the fact that Paul could not have qualified to take Judas' place (Matt. 19:28, Luke 22:28-30 and Acts 1:21,22). In order to take Judas’ place you must have consistently "followed," "companied with" and "continued with" Christ all through His earthly ministry.  Paul obviously did not qualify. 

Acts also shows how, when everything was ready for the prophesied judgment of God to fall upon Israel and the Gentile world for their rejection of Christ, God did an unexpected thing: He saved the chief of sinners, the passionate leader of the rebellion against Christ, and sent him forth to all nations to proclaim “the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), based upon the redemptive work of Christ at Calvary. Paul ushered in a new dispensation, "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph.3:2-3). Now, in the light of Acts, we can begin to understand another reason why the book of Romans was placed first. In verses 1-3 we see that Paul was called to proclaim "the gospel of God, concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” He was "separated" to the proclamation of this message. Here is information that God has added new good news to the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul was brought into the family of God through the Gospel of God; Peter and the Twelve preached this gospel after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In verse 16 of chapter one Paul informs the Roman Christians that after his conversion Jesus gave him additional good news which he calls the Gospel of Christ. Paul makes sure the Romans understand that “it” (the Gospel of Christ) is the power of God unto salvation. Those Jews who heard Paul preach this additional good news were not willing to accept it as legitimate and thus were warned by Paul that they were perverting the Gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:7) We will examine this more fully further along our study. 

How many times does God have to tell us who Paul is before we believe that he was a special spokesman for Him? Please keep in mind what Jesus said in John 13:20… Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

  1. “But the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Go thy way: for he (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” (Acts 9:15)
  1. “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:15-18)
  1. “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” (Acts 13:46-47)
  1. “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” (Rom. 11:13)
  1. “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 15:15-16)
  1. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.” (1 Cor. 4:15-16)
  1. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)
  1. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: [7] So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. (I Thess. 1:6-7)
  1. “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”  (Phil. 3:17-19)
  1. “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”  (Col. 1:23)
  1. “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:25-27)
  1. “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to youward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,”  (Eph. 3:1-3)
  1. “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Eph. 3:8-9)
  1. “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.” (1 Tim. 2:7).
  1. “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”  (II Tim. 1:11)
  1. “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed” (Romans 15:18). This verse clearly states the Paul would only speak of those things Christ taught him. He is assuring us that his ministry was exclusively a new revelation from the Lord Himself, apart from men… “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. [12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  (Gal. 1:11-12).
  1. “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”  (II Cor. 10:18)
“a servant of Jesus Christ…”  Christianity today largely consists of kissing up to some man or becoming a part of some authority structure. However, we are clearly warned not to be the servants of men… “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (I Cor. 7:23). That is why Paul defines himself as a servant of Jesus Christ---to emphasize the importance of the Message God had given him to give to the Gentiles. Paul is the messenger of this new Dispensation of Grace; however, the Message is more important than the Messenger. In fact, the Message itself is the power of God unto salvation…For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). It is not about the persuasiveness of the messenger or his “anointing”.  Therefore, for you and me to be a servant of Jesus Christ is to be devoted to understanding and disseminating the message of the revelation of the mystery. Paul therefore becomes important to every Christian because he is the only man in the Bible to proclaim and reduce to writing this unique message from God (Romans through Philemon). It is the message itself that does the work. Paul assures the Galatians that he did not depend upon his own persuasive presentation of the gospel to draw them to Christ; it was his message that persuaded them…“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10)  When a Christian discovers the power of persuasion contained in the message of grace, we will be much more motivated to make sure we give it clearly and rightly divided. That is what it means to be a “servant of Jesus Christ”. Now a great question that needs to be asked and answered at this point is: If the gospel is so powerfully persuasive, why are so few people saved? My answer to that question is---because Christians have “garbled the gospel”. If you substitute the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc. version of the gospel for the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, you have presented a powerless gospel. No wonder nothing happens in the life of the unsaved sinner. God is not going to magically manipulate a person’s heart or mind to make them want to be saved because we have prayed for them or have invited them to church. We are to make much of the Gospel and to study so we can clearly present it. 

Verse 2-3… Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh…These two verses can present a problem to a Christian who believes in dispensations. These verses “appear” to be saying that the same good news (gospel of God) has always been offered to mankind throughout the Old Testament and Paul was simply the next man in line used of God to continue the offer of salvation. So how does a Christian go about coming to the proper interpretation of a verse or verses? II Cor. 2:13-14 gives the answer… Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. [14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. When we compare Scripture with Scripture, we can understand what the Holy Spirit through Paul is saying in Romans 1:2.

 For instance, where in the Old Testament is one verse written by a prophet explaining God's righteousness imputed through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, or of justification without the deeds of the Law or of Jews and Gentiles on the same level before God, or of the believer's baptism into Christ, or of the one joint-body? There isn’t one!!! Yet every one of those gospel truths are taught in the book of Romans. Paul's first recorded sermon at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch was justification by grace through faith in Christ, apart from the Law… Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: [39] And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38-39) Notice that Paul did not say that “if you will repent of your sins”, or “if you will ask God to forgive you of your sins”, or “if you will turn from your sins”, or “if you will ask Jesus into your heart”. Paul preached that their sins had already been forgiven by the work of Christ on the Cross; the only response that God will accept from sinners is “BELIEVE IT”. What is the result? JUSTIFICATION.

Some might contend that Rom. 4:6-7 teaches that David taught the doctrine of imputed righteousness apart from works in the case of his sin with Bathsheba; however, these verses only say David’s sin  "describes” the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness apart from works. God had entered into a Covenant with the nation of Israel by implementing the good news of the law program. The law was given to reveal mankind’s sin nature (iniquity), sins (coming short), and transgressions (going further than permitted by God). Just follow the history of Israel in the Bible and you will quickly see the predicament of all mankind. God did not give Israel the law to make them righteous but to show that apart from the mercy and grace of God man is helplessly lost. In that way the law was Israel’s schoolmaster. Unfortunately, Israel concluded that the law itself was their righteousness and they could earn a righteous standing with God by performance. No one has ever been saved by their performance. Salvation has always been a free gift of God when individuals believed the good news God revealed to them. Even though most of the Bible is concerned with the nation of Israel’s failure to understand and respond to God’s good news concerning the law program, the Church the Body of Christ has fared no better. We have failed at the very same point Israel failed---believing that we are capable of earning or working for a right standing before God. For two thousand years now Satan has used his ministers of righteousness to deceive all mankind to this core issue: all men are incapable of measuring up to God’s standard of rightness. Therefore God in His mercy and grace has chosen to decree a gift righteousness to all those who will believe the good news He has revealed to them. Just think about how that applies to us and how it affects us: There are scores of ways the good news of God has been perverted in the dispensation of grace and presented to lost people by Satan’s ministers of righteousness. Just think about some of the popular ones in our day---repent of all your sins, pray the sinner’s prayer, ask Jesus into your heart, do you want a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, etc. What is the one common error contained in each of these “invitations”? Each one obscures the good news of this dispensation (I Cor. 15:1-4; II Cor. 5:17-21) and resorts to “a work” or “deed” of man however minimal to secure a right standing before God. Satan and his ministers exploit man’s self centered bent toward sin by deceiving him into thinking there is something he must do in order to be justified/saved. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”  (II Tim.3:13)

Finally, Paul clearly states that "the dispensation of the grace of God" had been "a mystery" which had been kept secret until it was made known to him "by revelation" (Eph. 3:2-3).

Another passage of Scripture that is worthy of comparing with Romans 1:1-3 is II Timothy 2:7-8…"Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of THE SEED OF DAVID, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.”  In both passages it is clear that Jesus Christ "of the seed of David” was preached by Paul in a new, different, and fuller light than Peter preached to Israel on the Day of Pentecost. Peter proclaimed Christ as raised from the dead TO SIT ON THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID (Acts 2:29-31). While both men preached a resurrected Christ, Paul proclaimed Him as raised from the dead WITH RESPECT TO OUR JUSTIFICATION… “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom. 4:25). Peter is preaching to the nation of Israel regarding the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and Christ’s relationship to that program; Paul is preaching to “whosoever will” regarding the heavenly destiny of the Church the Body of Christ and Christ’s relationship to it. Why is this so? Because 6,000 years ago Satan usurped God’s authority in heaven (among the angelic beings) and on earth (Adam and Eve in the garden). We are told about Satan’s rebellion is Isaiah 14:12-14. In response to Satan’s plan of evil, God instituted a series of programs (good news) He progressively revealed to deal with the rebellion in heaven and earth. 

So in what sense then did Paul mean that “the gospel of God” had been "promised afore” by the prophets in the holy scriptures?  In the sense that God had predicted that He had wonderful good news in store for mankind … “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him”  (Isa. 64:4).  Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah in I Cor. 2:9-10…"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit.”  God did not reveal through the Old Testament prophets the specific content of the gospel that Paul would preach but He did reveal the unshakeable confidence we should have in the gospel of God. God has now revealed to us by His Spirit, in His Word, the full blessings of that gospel.

Let’s examine these “Good News Gospels” progressively revealed by God in Scripture. The teaching that is generally disseminated among Christians is that there is only one gospel in the Bible. I believe I can prove that teaching unreliable.  

1. The good news God gave to Adam and Eve---there would be a God-man (Jesus) who would come from the seed of the very person whom Satan deceived (Eve) for the purpose of bringing sin into the world. God had a “Person” in mind that would defeat and destroy “the one” (Satan) who was responsible for bringing about man’s defect. So what is the gospel here? A child would come from the woman who would ultimately deal with Satan (Gen. 3:16). No death, no burial, no resurrection. There is not even anything here about the nation of Israel. Where is the Cross of Christ?
2. The good news that God gave to Noah---A flood is coming; build a boat, get in it when I tell you to and you will be saved.
3. The good news that God gave to Abraham---I am going to give you more descendants than you can count.
4. The good news God gave to Moses is summarized in Exodus 15:1-18. Verse 18 is particularly instructive in that the focus is on planet Earth---the kingdom of heaven here. They knew nothing of the heavenly realm. Isaiah 9:6 and Micah 4:7 reinforce this idea of God’s reign on the earth. Up to this point it is all about the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The first time the Bible actually uses the term the Kingdom of heaven is in I Chron. 29:11. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God is used only 1 time---Mark 1:14… Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,   The phrase the gospel of the kingdom is used 3 times…Matt. 4:23; Matt. 9:35; Matt. 24:14.

Matt. 3:1-2 & 4:17…Israel was called to repent (change their minds); they needed to change their minds about their earthly kingdom and their ability to earn their righteousness through their performance. Israel knew nothing about the identity of their King; that was not the subject of their good news at that point. God was not ready to proclaim that yet… Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 16:20). 

Let’s start by examining Ephesians 2:8-9. Grace is a gift no one could earn and it (grace) is obtained by faith in God’s good news or in other words taking God at His word. This is further taught in Romans 11:6… And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Has God ever saved anyone in history by works? No!!! Hebrews ll:6 tells us… But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Therefore you access God’s grace by faith. If you continue reading Hebrews 11, it says “by faith” Abel, Abraham, Moses, Noah, etc. did something for God. They did not all do the same thing but they all had the same motivation for doing something for God---FAITH! They got true grace when they had true faith.

The contents of the Kingdom of Heaven Gospel:

You must believe the good news that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand and  remain in the faith. According to Hebrews 11:13 all Old Testament saints named in that passage died “in faith”… These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Jesus taught this doctrine as well… As he spake these words, many believed on him. [31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  (John 8:30-31)

If you don’t “abide” (continue) in Jesus you are burned, not your works or fruit…I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. [6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  (John 15:6-7)

Jesus warned abut the dangers (in the kingdom gospel) of those who believe for a while and then “fall away”… They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.  (Luke 8:13)

Ezekiel warned the nation of Israel about the danger of “dying in your sin”… But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. [25] Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? [26] When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.  (Ezk. 18:24-26)

So the question must be asked, “Did Old Testament saints have eternal security of their salvation? The answer is NO!  Grace believers in this dispensation of the Grace of God have eternal security… Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.  (Rom. 3:24-28) We have a great salvation program through the merits of Christ Jesus.

Now compare Rom. 3:28 with James 2:24… Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.  These two verses are saying two different things. Right division solves the problem; we don’t need a lesson in Greek nor do we need to twist the Scriptures to try to reconcile them. James 1:1 tells us that James was writing to the 12 tribes scattered abroad (Jews). Next, in James 2:17 we are told that dead faith is belief without works… Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Works is not the issue in their salvation under the Kingdom and those who lived prior to the Kingdom; it was an evidence that they had faith. According to Romans 3:30 it is faith that saves under both programs---Kingdom and Mystery. Hebrews 11:6 once again declares that truth…without faith it is impossible to please God.  So it not faith plus some works that saves. Faith is central to all men’s salvation who ever lived. Faith justifies not works. However, under the Kingdom Gospel faith is manifested by works. Think about this: If I were to tell you that the ceiling is going to fall on you in 30 seconds, if you don’t move do you really believe what I said? No. If you believe it, you will do something. That was the requirement under the Kingdom Program…Abel offered, Enoch walked, Noah built a boat. (Heb. 11:4. etc)

Under the Kingdom Program you could do the works but not have faith. That will do you no good. Mark 16:15-16 says… And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  They were to believe and be baptized. Why the work of baptism? The work shows or evidences the faith. The verse also goes on to say that he that believeth not shall be damned. So “belief” is the point on which salvation rises or falls. There are four possibilities contained in this verse but only one combination will bring salvation to a Kingdom saint: 1. You could believe but not be baptized (no salvation). 2. You could be baptized and not believe (no salvation).  3. You could not believe and not be baptized (no salvation). 4. You could believe and be baptized (SALVATION).

If Jews “fall away” it is impossible for them to be restored to salvation under the Kingdom Gospel… For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.   (Hebrews 6:4-6)  I know of no Methodist or Free Will Baptist or Church of God adherent that doesn’t believe that if you lose your salvation, you can get it back again by repenting. These verses say it is impossible.

Peter warned of the fate of those who do not continue in the faith… For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  (II Peter 2:20-21) Why would he say that the latter end will be worse than if they had never believed? Because if a Jew had never heard, he would still have a opportunity to be saved, whereas if he believed the gospel of the kingdom and turned from it and died in his sins, his destiny is the lake of fire.

Jesus taught this “Kingdom Parable”in Matthew 13:3-8 by using 4 types of soil… And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; [4] And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: [5] Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: [6] And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. [7] And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: [8] But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.   Don’t try to read grace doctrine back into this passage. Luke 8:11-15 will help us correctly interpret this parable written to Jews: Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [12] Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. [13] They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. [14] And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. [15] But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 

Fruit (works as evidence of genuine faith) was non-negotiable with the Lord Jesus under the Kingdom Gospel… He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.  Jesus taught Israel for three years and the nation was not fruitful (they did not evidence true faith by specific works He required); He gave them another year after His death, burial and resurrection and then “cut it down” (put the program to Israel on hold).
You had to submit to water baptism. The Pharisees believed Jesus but would not accept water baptism…  And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.  [30] But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. (Luke 7:29-30)

If a Jew did not bring forth required fruit, he was not saved… Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: [9] And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. [10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matt. 3:8-10) Once again Jesus states that “the tree” (a person) not the fruit would be cast into the fire.

The good news contained in the Gospel of God:

The Gospel of God is the issue of Christ’s identity and it came into focus at the trial of Jesus. Mark 14:55; John 18:29-37; John 19:4-15…In verse 7 the Jews change the issue of Jesus’ kingship and express their rejection of His deity. This is the point of Israel’s stumbling---Christ’s Identity---The Gospel of God.   

Not only did Israel reject the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, they had a huge problem with the identity of Jesus. The whole trial and crucifixion of Jesus was over His identity. Mary had been told 2 of the 3 truths of Jesus’ identity by Gabriel (Luke 1:19-26). God also told the shepherds 2/3’s of who Jesus was the night He was born. John the Baptist knew 2/3’s of who Jesus was. King Herod was told by the Wise men that Jesus was a King. The 12 Disciples knew and believed 2/3’s of His identity. Devils knew at least as much as Mary knew about the identity of Jesus (Mark 1:23-25). Jesus commanded the devil to not speak any further. By what authority did Jesus cast these devils out? Mark 1:34… they knew Him. Mark 1:44 Jesus commands the leper He cleansed to tell no man but go present himself to the priest. The priests of Israel were being given plenty of evidence that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand by the miracles that were occurring everywhere Jesus went. The leaders of Israel were in unbelief. The time would come that God would openly proclaim the identity of Jesus Christ through His Twelve Disciples and through the Apostle Paul as well. At the outset of Paul’s ministry he preached the Gospel of God (Jesus identity) which was applicable to both Israel and the Church. The Gospel of God is not the same thing as the Gospel of Christ; however, they do not contradict one another. One builds upon the other. This is why II Timothy 2:15 is so important to grace believer---God’s mighty works throughout time need to be “rightly divided”. Paul never preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven because it was no longer “at hand” when he was saved. In fact, Paul had personally taken it upon himself to silence the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven as a devout religious Jew. After Paul’s conversion, God revealed to himl that Israel’s kingdom program had been put on hold (Romans chapters 9,10,11); the earthly kingdom was no longer “at hand”. 

The Gospel of God was what Paul started preaching and it is about the IDENTITY of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of God is applicable to the program of Israel (prophecy) and the program of the Church (mystery). No one can be saved without knowing and believing who Jesus is. However, that is not all the good news God has revealed to mankind in this dispensation. There is plenty of evidence that Paul began preaching the Gospel of God to both Jew and Gentile; however, Jesus gave him additional good news referred to in Scripture as the Gospel of Christ. 
Romans 1:1… Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Romans 15:16… That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
II Cor. 11:7… Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
I Thess. 2:2… But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Acts 9: 20-22…And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
[21] But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
[22] But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
Acts 17:1-3… Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: [2] And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, [3] Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

1. Jesus is King (of Israel and the church). This is applicable to Israel and the Church. We are placed in the heavenly kingdom of Jesus… Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:  (Col. 1:13) A King is essential to both programs.

2, Jesus is God. Matthew 20:28… Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (not all) (Mark 10:45) Why “many” and not all? At this time the Gentiles were not included independently in the Kingdom good news unless they embraced Judaism. Was it imperative that unsaved people believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Yes! If a person was not willing to acknowledge that truth he would die in his sins. Jesus had no sins of His own; therefore He could die for the sins of others. If Jesus had sins of His own, it would have been impossible for Him to rise from the dead. But listen to Paul talk about the death, burial and resurrection… Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.  [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 Tim. 2:6,7) The further revelation or the additional good news Jesus gave to Paul expanded His purpose and plan to take care of the sins of “all”.

3. Jesus rose from the dead. If He didn’t, Israel would have no King. To the Church He is the first fruits of those risen from the dead… But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. [21] For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  (I Cor. 15:20-22)  Please note that “all shall be made alive”. Does that mean that everyone is going to be saved? No! It means that because Jesus rose from the dead everyone will be raised from the dead. Just as Adam’s sin affected us all; so Christ’s obedience to the work of the Cross will affect us all.

In Matthew 16:13-23 Jesus told His Disciples about His death, burial and resurrection. The first two aspects of His identity could not be openly revealed until the third aspect had been fulfilled. Jesus had told His Disciples about His identity but it was not openly proclaimed at the time of proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. This knowledge of Jesus’ identity as to His Kingship and His deity is confirmed by Peter in Matthew 16 but he rebukes Jesus when He foretells His death, burial and resurrection. Jesus responds to Peter’s rebuke by telling him about the special information He was going to reveal to “some standing there”. Matthew 17:1 tells us how Jesus accomplished this special revelation. Peter talks about this event in II Peter 1:16. This explains how some beheld His glory and majesty at the Mt. of Transfiguration. John confirms this in John 1:14. Jesus reveals His Deity identity to them in a way that exceeds just telling them. He overpowered them with His deity. This is the same thing He had told them about the other two components of His Identity. But note what Jesus tell His Disciples in Matt. 17:9…tell the vision to no man UNTIL THE SON OF MAN BE RISEN AGAIN FROM THE DEAD!!! Jesus didn’t want His identity fully and openly proclaimed until His work on the Cross had been completed.

4. Jesus is the Judge of all the earth.
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (John 5:22)
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. (Acts 10:42)
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Rev. 20:12-13)

The good news contained in the Gospel of Christ:

The content…The word “gospel” means “good news” or “good story”. Therefore, the Gospel of Christ is the good news about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as defined in I Corinthians 15:1-4… “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

This is of eternal importance because this is the good news whereby we are saved. We have a sobering warning from our Apostle in II Thess. 1:8…In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1. The Reality of Reconciliation. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. [18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (II Cor. 5:17-21) “And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things it. earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight” (Col. 1:20-21)

Here is what Satan and his ministers of righteousness blind people to—the fact that the sins of the world have already been forgiven. The subtle substitute that is proclaimed from pulpits for the past 2,000 years is IF YOU WILL HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD AND ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU OF YOUR SINS, HE WILL SAVE YOU. That is the gospel of God, but it is not the gospel of Christ that was revealed to Paul. One is dependent on what you do and the other is dependent on what Jesus has done for you. One is a free gift and the other is an earned reward. One makes sin the issue and the other makes THE SON the issue. There is a beautiful illustration of this truth in Exodus 4:22-23. God judged Egypt based on their response to His Son (Israel); not for their idolatry, adultery, and greed. Isn’t it interesting that what Pharaoh did to God’s son (Israel) four thousand years ago, Israel did to God’s Son (Jesus) two thousand years ago.
Now how has this bait and switch occurred? By preaching the gospel of God to the Church, the Body of Christ. The gospel of God does require a sinner to repent and be water baptized to receive the forgiveness of sins…And were baptized of him in Jordan, CONFESSING THEIR SINS. (Matt. 3:6). This was Israel’s good news by which they could be saved. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. (Matt. 9:6) The Church has brought this over into the Gospel of Christ and thereby “perverted” the Gospel of Christ. The Galatians were the first recorded group of people to fall for this satanic trick… I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:6-7) This is just one of several strategies that Satan employs to lead people astray. Notice the term Paul uses in Galatians 3:1… O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  Confusing the Gospel of Christ is a big deal. It has eternal consequences.

Isn’t the Christian life about keeping your sins forgiven by regularly confessing them to God and getting busy serving the Lord? Isn’t that what Titus 2:14 is telling us… Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  This verse certainly does not tell us that only Christians have been forgiven their sins; nor does it say that God will judge the sins of the lost or the saved. This verse is an explanation of how God thinks about sin after we have been saved. Believers “might” be redeemed from sin in their everyday practical lives; they might not. It is a possibility based on what? Based on the believer studying the Word of truth, rightly divided. Paul tells us this same thing in Rom. 12:1-2. It is not a certainty that we will not be conformed to this world as Christians. However, as we let the Word of God renew our minds to God’s perspective on Christian living, our behavior is transformed in this world. This is the only “worship” that is acceptable to God!!! “Reasonable service” is the Greek word for “worship”. The Word of God will accomplish the work of God in the believer’s life… For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (II Thess. 2:13)  God will not mysteriously transform you if you are not willing to take in, contemplate and digest the Word of God rightly divided. Attending church is not the “worship” God requires in this dispensation; it is renewing the mind through grace truth. The church today wants people to get busy serving the Lord. In other words, religion wants to “Christianize” the flesh. They are zealous of good works because they believe this keeps them in good standing with God. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF WHAT THE BELIEVER DOES OR CAN DO FOR GOD; IT IS WHAT GOD CAN AND WILL DO IN AND THROUGH THE BELIEVER WHO RENDERS THE FLESH WORTHLESS WHEN IT COMES TO PRODUCING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUSTS THE WORD OF GOD TO DO THE WORK OF GOD IN HIS LIFE. Paul makes this clear in Philippians 3:7-9… But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Now if a person does not understand Paul’s gospel and particularly this first component of reconciliation, can he be saved? I say no. Listen to II Cor. 4:3-4…  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Most people would say that if a person doesn’t understand Paul’s gospel they are saved but just need some time to appreciate what happened at Calvary and to grow in the Christian faith. We tend to assume people are saved even though they are ignorant of the reconciling work of Christ on the Cross. We make this assumption based on what the sinner is willing to do about their sins and then we are on the look-out for the “changes” we believe are indicative of a genuine salvation experience. If we see any evidence of human righteousness in a person’s life, we assume they are saved. Attending church, getting baptized, and reading the Bible are key indicators of a genuine salvation experience among Christians today. That kind of thinking may be acceptable to you but it is not to God. He has called the saved to be AMBASSADORS OF RECONCILIATION. We are to beseech people in God’s behalf---be reconciled to God by believing what Christ did for you at Calvary.

I know this contradicts what is spewed forth from the pulpits and seminaries all across America. However, your eternal destiny hangs in the balance based on your belief of this good news. We have tons of so-called "Christians" today who believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ but are clueless about the key component of the Gospel of Christ. Believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ standing alone does not save you; understanding the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and how it applies to you does. That proper understanding and application is rooted in II Cor. 5:17-21.

Why would God tell us that He has not chosen to impute our trespasses unto us in this dispensation? (II Cor. 5:19) The answer is in verse 21… For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him  Our sins have been imputed to Christ!  Therefore the issue today is not sins, it is the Son. You are either standing in your own effort to deal with your sins or you can accept the fact that Christ has dealt with them and they are forgiven. Whether you know it or not or whether you believe it or not, your sins have been imputed to Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. Do you believe it?
Before his conversion, Paul was a very unrighteous man before God. However, in terms of human performance, he was unrivaled… Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: [5] Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; [6] Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Phil. 4:4-6; 9). Human performance has never resulted in a right standing with God in any dispensation. Paul reflected back on the human righteousness he had obtained through the law of Israel and called it “dung”. I’m sure that the Pharisees did not share the same opinion as the Holy Spirit about their strongly held religious beliefs. But it (dung) illustrates how unacceptable human righteousness is to God.

2. The Imputation of Righteousness. Justification isn’t about behavior; it is about a judicial decree from God whereby He declares us righteous, joins us with Christ by the Holy Spirit baptism, and imputes the righteousness of Christ to our account.  II Cor. 5:21… For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  The context of this verse is salvation. It is telling us that reconciliation is a reality already; however, just because your sins are forgiven does not make you a Christian. Reconciliation was a grace gift to the world that it might be possible that anyone could be saved. If you believe what Christ did for you at the Cross, God will then proceed to justify you…declare you righteous. He will give you the free gift of Christ’s righteousness. Notice that there is no “might” when it comes to reconciliation---that is an existing fact that makes righteousification/justification possible. Another way of saying this is…salvation is available to all but only upon all THAT BELIEVE…Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ UNTO ALL and upon ALL them that believe: for there is no difference: (Rom. 3:22)
Now let’s be clear---Christ’s death does not save; it reconciles you (forgives your sins). The resurrection of Jesus from the dead justifies the sinner and makes him a saint at that moment he believes what Jesus did for him… For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life  (Rom. 5:10) Watch how Paul qualifies the second component of the Gospel of Christ in Galatians 3:24… For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Once again this verse qualifies salvation to "as many of you" as have been baptized into Christ. Having your sins forgiven does not save you; you must be baptized into Christ and only the Holy Spirit can do that work when you believe what Christ has done for you… For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (I Cor. 12:13)
Don’t confuse Reconciliation with Righteousness; they are two different doctrines. Just because someone forgives a debt you owe them does not mean they will make a deposit in your bank account. For a person to forgive a debt simply means you are back to zero. That is why even though the world has been reconciled to God, that does not gain anyone or everyone entrance into heaven. The Bible does not teach universal salvation. You need RIGHTEOUSNESS to gain entrance into heaven---PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS. No one has it but God will give it to you as a free gift if you simply take Him at His Word that He has forgiven your sin debt which was charged to Christ's account at Calvary. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Rom. 3:10) I hope that you will not conclude that I am making a big deal over nothing. The common attitude in our day among Christians is "don't sweat the small stuff". I assure you, getting the Gospel of Christ straight is not small stuff. If we fail to get that right, all other Bible doctrines are irrelevant. Paul warns us... In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (II Thess. 1:8). The Gospel is to be obeyed. Just as in Paul's day...there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (Gal. 1:7) While God has already reconciled the world to Himself, He has not "righteousified" the world unto Himself. This second aspect of the Gospel of Christ (justification/righteousification) is a possibility based on the right response from the sinner to the good news of RECONCILIATION. If you will believe what Christ has already done for you, He will at that moment of faith justify you (declare you perfectly righteous). For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (II Cor. 5:21)  Once again, God has already reconciled the world but He has not already "righteousified" the world. That is done when one believes the good news of the reconciliation work of Christ.  

While we can impress people with our morality and discipline, God makes it clear that no one, through his own efforts, possesses the ability to make himself presentable before God. We need righteousness to enter heaven! But it has to be a certain kind of righteousness. The most righteous people of Jesus' day were the Pharisees. They went to the synagogue three times a day and prayed seven times a day. They were respected in the community. But Jesus looked right through their hypocrisy and, in their presence, admonished the crowds that “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20).

Paul warned his Jewish brethren about the difference between Human Righteousness and Divine Righteousness… Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:1-3).
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8,9)
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7).

The sin issue was dealt with once for all in the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. Sin is off the table; so what is on the table? Righteousness. Are you clothed in the righteousness of Christ Jesus?  

Paul put it this way---Are you clothed with the skins of your sacrifice? God provided them for Adam and Eve and He has provided them for whosoever will… For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  (Gal. 3:27)

WE ARE TO BE AMBASSADORS OF RECONCILIATION!!! No wonder Paul says in Rom. 1:16… For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Are you ashamed to proclaim this glorious truth about the forgiveness of sins? Do you know one preacher who proclaims it? This distinguishing truth of the Gospel of Christ is also found in I Cor. 15:3…For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.  The Gospel that saves in this dispensation of grace is UNDERSTANDING what was accomplished at the Cross in our behalf in regard to our sin. It is not a matter of just believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ---millions of people have done that and are doing that. However, the issue of our sins is constantly brought up before us. We are constantly reminded by preachers how important it is to keep God satisfied with our human performance. We must get right and then stay right with God. This is man-made religion. Religion is consumed with making us feel good when we should be educated on how to rightly dividing the word of truth. Preachers are proclaiming a Gospel today that says God will reconcile you “if” you do this or that. It is all prefaced with a big old “IF”. The truth is God has already reconciled the world to Himself in Christ. This is not something God can do or might do---He already has done it. Believing God’s reconciliation program through Christ on the Cross will save you. He then proceeds to justify you by putting you into a union with Christ and gives you all that is Christ’s. God provided for our reconciliation by the death of Christ; He provided for our justification (decree of gift righteousness) by the resurrection of Christ from the dead… But for us also, to whom it (righteousness) shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; [25] Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Rom. 4:24-25) His death accomplished our reconciliation; His resurrection accomplished our justification.
This is also corroborated by Paul talking about sins in the past tense:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Rom. 3:25) This is not talking about God’s willingness to forgive our past sins if we ask Him to and then after we are saved keep asking Him for more forgiveness as we regularly confess our sins to God in order to keep in fellowship with Him. Paul is telling us the ISSSUE OF SINS IS PAST!!! It has been dealt with by God through Jesus Christ. Praise God. And by the way, go tell your Pastor this glorious news. This is no doubt why Paul called this cornerstone of gospel truth glorious…According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. (I Tim. 1:11) Pastors are busy right now preparing another sermon about how to deal with your sins and win God’s approval. 

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Eph. 4:32) Once again Paul talks about the issue of sins as a past matter; God has granted you forgiveness of your sins for Christ’s sake, not by you and me trying to confess and forsake them.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;  (Col. 2:13) Here we are told that our trespasses were forgiven “at the cross”; not when we confessed or forsook them. It doesn’t get any better than that.

If preachers today took forgiveness of sins off the table they wouldn’t have much left to preach. They keep sin on the table for the very same reason that God dealt with sin through the work of Christ at the Cross---they want people to do better; they want people to please Christ. However, the way God went about accomplishing this goal is just the opposite of Satan’s “ministers of righteousness”. God is pleased with what Christ did for a world of sinners. Will you believe it? If so, He is willing to put you in Christ and seal your salvation till the day of redemption. That is the only way that you can do better. Preachers deviate from the Gospel of Christ at the crucial juncture of forgiveness of sins. They insist that a guilty sinner deserves the wrath of God but it can be averted IF we repent, confess, pray the sinner’s prayer, ask God to forgive us, etc. After all, isn’t that the least we can do for God to be so gracious to us? The answer to that question is no. If that is the way God chose to save people that would still truly be good news. However, that is not where He starts from. The world’s sins have already been taken care of; will you believe it? Some would contend there is no difference in the two truths. Let me ask you a question: Is there any difference in a boat being in the water and water in the boat? If your answer is no, I would advise you to not take up fishing as a hobby.
3. The Impartation of the Holy Spirit. Israel had the Holy Spirit around, with and at times upon them; however, when a sinner gets saved in this dispensation the Holy Spirit comes to seal the believer… In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Eph. 1:13) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 4:30) We truly have eternal security. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.  (II Cor. 1:22)
4. The New Creation. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Cor. 5:17) In Paul’s day there were two programs co-existing. Because of this, confusion was the norm. The two programs were different; one required obedience to the law program of Israel and the other didn’t. Because of these fundamental differences, jealousy, rivalry, power struggles and division permeated both programs. In the midst of these realities Jesus revealed to Paul this grace truth of Eph. 4:3… There is one body. Both the Kingdom Program and the Church Program have a commonality---they are both “in Christ”. Both programs deserve respect and oneness. They were to receive each other in the Lord. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, [2] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: (I Cor. 1:1-2)

How did God speak to Israel from heaven if Jesus spoke to them on earth as stated in Heb. 12:25… See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:  Obviously through the Apostle Paul. He taught them the One Body truth and they learned it. No wonder he said… And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,

Vs. 4-5… And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: [5] By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:  We are informed that the relationship between the resurrected Christ and the newly saved Apostle Paul, was distinctive in that God decommissioned the “great  commission” given to the nation of Israel to evangelize the Gentile world (Matt. 28:19-20) and gave a new commission to Paul and to the new agency God would use Paul to proclaim---the Church, the Body of Christ (II Cor. 5:17-21). 

Vs. 6… "The called of Jesus Christ... beloved of God, called to be saints.”  Reformed theologians and Calvinists have a field day with the word “called”. They make statements like, “God calls His elect”; and “Only the elect can hear His voice”, etc. But what does the Bible say? Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (II Thess. 2:14) How many men does God call by the gospel? For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  (I Tim. 2:3-4)

“Called” indicates that the believers at Rome had not conferred sainthood to themselves; they were saints by a divine calling, just as Paul had not presumptuously appointed himself an apostle, but had been called to that position by God.  

According to the Roman Catholic Church, no one can be a saint until canonized by the Church, generally hundreds of years after death. Actually, a saint is not one who has attained to anything, but rather one who has been set apart by God as sacred to Himself. Scripture makes this clear… Acts 9:13; 26:10; Rom. 12:13; 15:25,26; 16:2; Eph. 3:8; Phil. 4:22. Christians, with all their failures and sins, are still "the beloved of God," His own sacred possession and He would have us enter into the joy of this truth.  

Vs. 7… "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ”  This.is an official proclamation by the apostle of grace, from the rejected Father and His rejected Son. This is why it is
found among the opening words of every one of Paul's epistles. But why is this proclamation sent by the Father and the Son, but not by the Holy Spirit? Two familiar Old Testament passages provide the answer.
Psalm 2 depicts the nations and the nation of Israel, waging war "against the Lord, and against His Anointed" (against the Father and the Son), and declares that: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure” (vs. 4,5).

In Psalm 110:1 we have a similar passage. Here the Father says to the Son: "... Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool”. Man's declaration of war on God and His Christ was to be and will be visited with severe judgment. At Pentecost Peter declared that the last days had arrived and that as God was "pouring out" His Spirit upon His own, He would pour out judgment upon His enemies (Acts 2:16-20). In grace, however, God interrupted the prophesied program just as the stage was all set for the judgment to fall. The Spirit was poured out, but the wrath was restrained and a new dispensation of grace was initiated when wrath was what was expected and deserved. After this "dispensation of the grace of God" has run its course, God will resume His prophetic program. Recalling His ambassadors (I Thess. 4:16-18), He will wage war on His enemies, pouring out the bowls of His wrath upon the earth (I Thess. 5:1-3).

Vs. 8… First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.  Paul starts with thanksgiving. That is always an appropriate place for the grace believer to start. We who are the recipients of the riches of God’s grace have much to be thankful for. Thankfulness is a heart attitude that reflects our growth in grace truth rightly divided. 

Vs. 10… Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.  From these words we learn that Paul was no “Calvinist”. He did not believe that God has a predetermined will about everything. If you apply the Calvinistic view of God’s will to the 6 o’clock local news you would draw the conclusion that God is a God of chaos. The lead story on a daily basis is…Tom raped Susie; Vincent committed a drive-by shooting; Mary stole money from her boss; and two children were critically injured in a car wreck. The Apostle to the Gentiles in this dispensation of grace explains how a grace believer should think about the current events that confront him each day… “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Gal. 1:4). “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”  (Eph. 2:1-3) That is why Paul tells the Romans that he “might” (or might not) have a prosperous journey to visit them. Paul requested a prosperous journey from the Lord but there was no guarantee. As it turned out, Paul did not have a prosperous journey; he suffered shipwreck at sea and imprisonment in Rome.

Vs. 13… Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. God doesn’t want His people ignorant, especially with respect to His revealed program. Six times in Paul's epistles we find him saying, “I would not have you to be ignorant.”  However, those are the very doctrines of which God's people are most ignorant. To what truth, then, does Paul refer to in this passage when he says, "I would not have you ignorant?”  The fact that God has sent the Gentiles an Apostle; his name is Paul.

Vs. 14-16… I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. [15] So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. [16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Was God obligated to send the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jew first by the mouth of the Apostle Paul? No!  In Acts 3:25-26 Peter declares to the men of Israel…"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. UNTO YOU FIRST God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”  Paul confirmed Peter's declaration some years later when he said to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch:  "... It was necessary that the Word of God should FIRST have been spoken to you” (Acts 13:46). Notice that Paul does not say that “the gospel of Jesus Christ should first have been spoken to you”! So what was the “Word of God” first spoken to Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire? That God had partially blinded Israel, temporarily set aside the agency of the nation of Israel (as salt and light in the world), and God would use Paul to go the Gentiles to build a new agency on earth---the Church, the Body of Christ. God had already declared that the Jews would not hear the gospel of the kingdom even after the resurrection of His Son from the dead; now He uses Paul to announce to non-believing Jews that a new dispensation has begun.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is to no one first. It is as all-inclusive as our Lord's payment for sin. The gospel of Jesus Christ is to be offered to all alike.The church at Rome was composed primarily of Gentiles (Rom. 11:13). Thus the Apostle writes in 1:13… "Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (but was let [hindered] hitherto), that I might have some fruit AMONG YOU also, EVEN AS AMONG OTHER GENTILES.”  Paul did not want the believers at Rome to be ignorant of the fact that his was basically an apostleship to the Gentiles and that he had often made plans to include those at Rome too, but these plans had been hindered. As he magnifies his Gentile apostleship, he continues: "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (vs. 14). He does not even mention the Jews here, but only the "Greeks" and the "Barbarians”. This is not because he did not believe himself a debtor to the Jews. That was fairly obvious because he was a Jew. He is not informing the Gentiles that the Jews were to be first in receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ, but rather he wants to assure the Gentiles that he is an Apostle of and to the Gentiles even though the Jews were not excluded. Here is a good way to think about this verse: In the “prophetic program” Israel was God’s elect agency on earth but God did not exclude the Gentiles from participating in their program; now that God initiated a new program of “mystery” to the Gentiles, He did not exclude Israel from participating in it. When Paul finally arrived at Rome in chains, he wrote from his prison to other Gentile believers as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles”. (Eph. 3:1). Thus he says here, "I am debtor," and goes on to declare that he is prepared to pay his debt, to discharge his obligation. It is in the light of all this that we should read verse 16: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”  The Jew, as a nation, had rejected Christ, but Paul was not ashamed of Him: neither was he ashamed of the good news he proclaimed about Him. This good news, he says, "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

One more point on this verse: If Rom. 1:16 teaches that "the gospel of Jesus Christ" is to go to the Jew first, it is a contradiction of Rom. 10:12,13: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

Vs. 17… For therein is the righteousness of God revealed. The Epistle to the Romans has much to say about the righteousness of God. God does not merely forgive sinners and accept them into His favor because He loves or pities them, for this would not be right; it would not be just. "If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked” (Deut. 25:1). That is how God told Moses to perform his duties as a judge in Israel. "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.” (Prov. 17:15) Job acknowledged this also…"I know it is so of a truth, but how should man be just with God?”  (Job 9:2). How can God, who does only what is right, justify sinners and pronounce them righteous? The Epistle of Romans explains how!

In "the gospel of the grace of God" we find God condemning THE RIGHTEOUS (Jesus) and justifying the wicked (you and me); forsaking a PERFECT MAN and helping evildoers. Listen to the Perfect Lord Jesus Christ on the cross "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”   Wicked men spit in His face, mock Him, scourge Him, crown Him with thorns and nail Him to a tree! And God does nothing to stop them!  

On the other hand God saves Saul of Tarsus, Christ's bitterest enemy, "a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious," while on his way to arrest and put to death Jewish believers in Jesus Christ. To him God shows "grace ...exceeding abundant" and "all longsuffering" (I Tim. 1:13-16). In fact, He sends him forth to proclaim openly to all men that: "To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). How can all this be right? The answer is that the One who died in agony and disgrace at Calvary was God Himself, manifested in the flesh. There, at Calvary, "GOD was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them”. (II Cor. 5:19). It was the Judge Himself, stepping down from the throne to the cross to represent the sinner and pay for him the full penalty of his sins. Some would say this is injustice. It is perfect justice and more. It is grace!

Why is the gospel of Christ "the power of God unto salvation"? Wherein lays its mighty power to save? The answer is---THE CROSS. Here is where God dealt justly with sin. Paul states this very clearly in I Cor. 1:17-18… "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is THE POWER OF GOD”.

"But we preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ THE POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD”. (vs. 23-24). Paul was proud of the gospel he proclaimed because it revealed the righteousness of God.  It reveals God dealing justly with sin.

“from faith to faith”…Here is a wonderful reason to be a dispensationalist. In each dispensation God has required people to place their faith in His faith---that which is to be believed (I Cor. 16:13).   Each successive dispensation contains its own unique gospel (good news/faith) revealing how God is going to deal with them. For instance, the good news God announced to Noah was that a world wide flood was coming; build an ark large enough for anyone who would exercise faith by getting onboard the Ark would be saved. Therefore “from faith” (God’s truth announced) to “faith” (man trusting what God has said).  

In Rom. 3:22, Gal. 2:16, Gal. 3:22 and Phil. 3:9 we find "the faith of Christ" and the believer's faith in Christ mentioned in the same verses, showing the one as complementary to the other. In the gospel which Paul proclaimed "the righteousness of God [is] revealed from faith to faith," i.e., from His faith to our faith. 

Vs. 18…"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” There are two huge examples of God’s wrath being poured out from heaven against ungodliness and unrighteousness of men---at the Cross and the Lake of Fire. These two examples reveal just how serious God is about sin. Now keep in mind that Paul is going to discuss what people were like from the Creation till the Flood. Adam knew God; he didn’t have a period of time in his life when he didn’t know God or His will. Adam went from light to darkness; not the reverse. What was man’s sin? They held the truth in unrighteousness. The details of what that meant and how that happened is found in the next four verses:

Vs. 19-20…Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. So to hold the truth in unrighteousness is to refuse or confuse the information God has revealed. In each successive dispensation, man has demonstrated his sinful nature not just by how he treats his fellowman but by how he responds to God’s “Good News”. Before men had a Bible to learn of God’s truth, God manifested the truth “in them”; He “showed it unto them”. Although it is impossible to comprehend just how God accomplished this “revelation” to mankind in his conscience, it was such that God could say… “They are without excuse”. The rebellion of men was to such a degree that God chose to respond in wrath from heaven. The world wide flood of Genesis 6 is one such example of God revealing His wrath from heaven. 

Man observes the wonders of nature every day and must be willfully blind if he does not conclude that a mighty powerful Creator made all this. Should not these wonders of creation move man to worship the Creator? Even if you do not believe Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world and that you are not a sinner in need of salvation; certainly you are not so foolish as to assert that there is no Creator worthy of worship. God will not excuse the utter folly of a person looking at the universe and concluding it got here by itself. 

Therefore the natural man is guilty of willful stupidity and apart from the redeeming work of Christ, stands under the condemnation of a just and holy God. In other words, you don’t have to be a Christian to believe the Creator of the Universe is worthy our worship.

Vs. 21-22…"Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”  The first 1,000 years of human history was not a bunch of primitive cave men roaming the earth in ignorance. Adam really knew God and was around to tell of Him for 930 years. Noah was a contemporary of Adam and the combined testimony of these two men left the world of men without excuse. The flood wiped away much of their culture and brilliance. They really knew God and talked about His purpose and will but the world of their day turned away from it. Paul points out that when mankind "knew God" he chose to ignore that knowledge and make up his own “gods”. Do you have any desire to glorify God? Do you know why God has put you here on earth? To fail in this crucial question is to fail to glorify God.

Vs. 23…"And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”  It is most interesting to me that the very verse that warns men about God’s wrath for those who “change” the glory of God has been changed. All of the new translations tell us that men “exchanged” the glory of God. “Exchange” is what Eve did to God’s command in the Garden based on deception; “changed” is what Adam intentionally did to God’s command with full knowledge. Paul has just told us that men knew the truth of God. What did they do with it? They "changed" it; they corrupted it. Instead of reverently worshipping the immortal, incorruptible God, they began to make for themselves gold and silver representations of what they considered Him to be. And as they did so, their conception of Him grew more and more degraded. Note that first of all men changed the truth about God and attributed it to “man”. Genesis 4:17 tells us that Cain had a son and named a city after him. This is an example of worshipping the creature. When we put our trust and hope in our children or grandchildren, it robs God of His glory.  


Paul said to the philosophers at Mars' Hill: "Forasmuch, then, as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device” (Acts 17:29). The only true representation of God is Christ (John 1:18; Col. 1:15; 2:9; Heb. 1:3). 

Vs. 24-28…Three times in Romans 1 (vs. 24, 26, 28) we read that God "gave up" the Gentile world. God ended His relationship with the Gentiles at the Tower of Babel with the confusion of tongues and the scattering of the Gentiles over "the face of all the earth" (Gen. 11:6- 9). He then called Abraham and formed a new nation that would be a witness to the Gentile world how a relationship with God could be attained. (Gen. 12:1-4). Some 2,000 years later, however, Israel also was given up "for a season" and likewise scattered over all the earth (Rom. 10:21; 11:15-25; cf. Jas. 1:1; Jer. 31:10). Now, with both Gentiles and Jews given up and scattered there was only a world of poor, lost sinners left, and the foundation laid for God's offer of reconciliation by grace to all men everywhere (Rom. 11:32; cf. II Cor. 5:14-21).

God did not give the Gentiles up because of their sins. Rather He gave them up to their sins because they had rejected Him and His truth.  The Gentile world has not improved since the day when God first "gave them up!" Paul exhorted the believers of his day not to walk as the unregenerate Gentiles: “Who, being post feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness [excess, wantonness], to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:19).

"Even their women”…The sex (women) who is naturally more modest, stooped to lewdness, and helped to drag down the other sex. How important, then, for Christian women to keep morally pure and to be always modest in appearance (I Tim. 2:9). 

"They did not like [desire] to retain God in their knowledge”…And must not God say the same as He "looks down from heaven" upon today's world? What place does He have in politics, education, society, and business – even religion? Do you spend any time studying the word of truth? Could it be said of you that you do not like to retain God in your knowledge?

Now the glorious gospel of Christ that Paul announced in verse 16 is evidence that God did not chose to leave man in his sinful condition, with the wrath of God on him. God has done something about man’s condition. John 3:16-18 announces that until Christ died on the Cross, the wrath of man already was abiding on mankind. Is it “Good News” that you and I can “give our hearts to God and try to overcome the sin in our lives”? No! Men have tried in vain to turn from their sins only to miserably fail. It is “Good News” that Christ has paid a fully satisfying payment for the sins of mankind. He has reconciled us to God if we will believe the good news of His free gift.

Vs. 29-31…

When men do not think correctly about God, they can not relate rightly toward their fellowman. In fact, our actions toward people will become exceedingly sinful. We have here a list of the sins in which men wished to continue without divine interference:
"covetousness" = greed, always wanting more; (Paul said this commandment revealed his lust for things---Rom.7:7); "debate" = strife; "deceit" = craft, guile;  whisperers"=gossips; "backbiters"=slanderers; "despiteful"=insulting; "proud"=arrogant; "without understanding" = without discernment; "implacable" = refusing to be persuaded. These are the sins to which God allowed them to pursue.   

And the whole list closes with the charge: "Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them”.
Reprobates indeed! They know in their hearts that God will judge them. They have seen the present results of wicked living and know that God will not tolerate it. Yet they have sunk to such depths of immorality that they not only practice these sins, but have pleasure in those who join them.





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