There's a station in Illinois "TCT" that has pastors from around the country (USA) where people call in and ask questions, which they use scripture to answer.. etc.

It dawned on me a few months ago that throughout the whole of the USA churches, that these pastors and the people have NO ideal as to how to rightly divide the Word of God.. 

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (orthotomounta-correctly-partitioning) the word of truth.

Let me add a few points as to how the Bible is set up so when you study you can do so without all this non-sense I see, read, and hear all the time.. 

But before I start, I need to let you know that the word "church" is translated from "ekklEsia - out-called".. One needs to understand those "out-called" under the law is different  than those "out-called" under grace.. Here is where lot of confusion comes in, so remember this very important point.

Take the seven churches (out-called) in Revelation.. Those (out-called) churches are of the law keepers, and not of the "body of Christ" under the new dispensation... You must keep the law keepers from the "age of grace" (out-called) separate..

Point 1) From Genesis to Acts chapter 9 there is no speaking anywhere to the church, NOR is there anywhere in the Bible that REVEALS the "Age of Grace" to come, or as some call it, the "Church Age"... Paul states this over and over..

Romans 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

1Cor. 2:7-8
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Point 2) In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, NO WHERE is Jesus ever speaking to the church.. Jesus is always speaking to the Judeans which are under the "Law"... Jesus has  fulfilled every point of the law and then took and nailed them to the cross..

Col. 2:14 Having put an end to the handwriting of the law which was against us, taking it out of the way by nailing it to his cross;
Col. 2:14 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; (BBE Version)

Point 3) No where has Jesus told the diciples to stop keeping the law after his resurrection. They are law keepers and doing exactly what they had done before which was ok under  their economy (law)..

We see this in Acts 15 at the Counsel meeting in Jerusalem where they were going to make the Gentiles obey the Mosaic law and to be circumcised..

Acts 15:1 ¶ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.   Please read the whole chapter if you aren't familair with this story..

Point 4) So many people think that pentacost was the beginning of the church age so this gives them the idea that the "Age of Grace" has started here.. NO, NO, this is still under  the "Law" system..

John states that he baptizes with water, but one coming after him will baptize with fire and Holy Spirit.. This is what happened at Pentacost, but it did NOT start the "Age of Grace"  or the new dispensation yet. The new dispensation or "Age of Grace" will not begin until Jesus gives the Judeans seven years to accept him as the "King", which they refused by  killing the Holy Spirit filled Stephan.. Acts 7.. read this also.

About a year later is where Jesus chose Paul to bring in the "New Dispensation of Grace"....  The book of Acts is a  transitional book of history.. Jesus bringing the Judeans down, then raising up his body (age of grace) for 2000 years...

Here is where the Judean nation starts to crumble, go down hill. The next year is when Jesus chooses Saul/Paul to bring in the "New Dispensation of Grace to the whole world"...  

I hear a lot of people teaching that the disciples were teaching the Gentiles about "grace'... False teaching.. The only time that I remember a disciple teaching a Gentile is Peter to  Cornelius, and that was from God for a purpose to use Peter to back Paul up 14 years later at the Counsel in Jerusalem.. That stopped the law keepers from forcing the Gentiles to obey the Mosaic law.. etc..

Throughout Acts, it states clearly that those Judeans that fled persecution reached out only to the Judeans.. These Disciples mostly stayed in Jerusalem unless like Peter being sent  to check up to see if the Holy Spirit was actually coming to the Gentiles.. 

Acts 8:1 ¶ And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad  throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Ac 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none  but unto the Jews only.


Point 5) Ok, I can't write everything or points here, but this gives you an idea how to study the Bible.. When we get to Paul we see that Jesus chose him to bring in the "New  dispensation of Grace" to all men.. One needs to look at Pentacost verse what happens to us today when we come to Christ and how we came to know him..

Jesus baptized the 120 with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost... Today, it's the Holy Spirit that reveals the need of Christ in our hearts.. If we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Jesus  or the "Body of Christ" ..  See the difference..

It's the Holy Spirit that seals us until the day of redemption. 

Eph. 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

One more point is that Paul was the FIRST sinner saved by grace thru Jesus, who saves sinners..

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (prOtos - the FIRST)
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me FIRST (prOtos) Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Take Pauls books out of the Bible (harpazo,
the caatching up), move Hebrews to the side,, now move all the law keepers,
James, Peter, Johns, Jude and Revelation to Acts 8.. Here is the rest of the
story for the law keepers..

I hear this spoken a lot in services.. You gotta pay tithes because Malachi says, "you're robbing God................etc." Malachi wasn't writing to the "age of grace" body of Christ believers, but rather to the Judeans..

I see and hear so many pastors teaching that we "gotta do" non-sense all the time which is false.. We are saved ONLY by Faith, and NOT by works.. 

Eph. 2:3, But Jesus working thru us can do mighty works.. Understand the difference..

I hope this helps in your Bible studies..

God bless
RJB

Thanks RJB,

Ephesians2:8

8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Thanks Valerie for the correction.. It was getting very late when I wrote this up..

I hope this helps people understand what "Grace" is all about unlike what we hear in churches today..

God bless and looking forward to that glorious "harpazo" day

RJB

I'll bump this up to allow people to read this..

I'll also want to emphasize again that Paul was the first sinner saved by grace by Jesus on the Damascus road.. The very first..

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. KJV

1Ti 1:15 Faithful is the word, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom *I* am the first. Darby Version

The Greek word is "PrOtos" which means foremost or first..

On Pentecost when Jesus baptized the 120 in the upper room with the Holy Spirit, this was still under the old "LAW" system..

Today things are different than that.. It's the Holy Spirit that reveals the need of Jesus in our life.. When we believe and accept Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit then baptize us into Jesus..

We sealed by the Holy Spirit and become the sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father..

God bless

RJB