PROGRESSIVE TO FULL REVELATION

THE REVELATION OF GOD

From Progressive To Full Revelation

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

God is the God of Revelation

 Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

First, he spoke "in time past" by the PROPHETS

which are MOSES, the writer of the “LAW”

JOSHUA and the PROPHETS   - the writers of Prophetic History and the Prophetic books.

Second, he spoke "in the last days" by HIS SON.  

The accounts about THE SON are called “The four GOSPELS”

Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Third, God spoke through those that heard him, the APOSTLES.  And God confirmed their word by signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost.

This section is called in our Bibles as “THE ACTS” of the apostles or more accurately “of the Holy Ghost”.

2 Peter 3: 1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

 2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

Part of this third “revelation” set are the writings of the “commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour” as Peter says.   These are the “General epistles”   such as James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude.

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Part of these writings of God’s words spoken to the apostles was the book of REVELATION (apokalypsis) by John the apostle. 

There we have these books:

PROPHETS

Law, History, Wisdom Books, Prophets

PROPHET JOHN

Revelation

SON

Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

APOSTLES

Acts and General Epistles

Do we have the complete list? Not yet.

Galatians 1:11 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.

 13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

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

 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

This is what Paul the apostle said to the Galatians. The Lord Jesus gave him “revelation”. The gospel that he preached is not after man. He didn’t receive it from man. It was not taught to him by man or by the apostles Peter and John.  But he received this gospel from God himself, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ reveled it to him.

Acts 24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

So Paul the apostle wrote the first set of his epistles, as we can read  - Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians and Hebrews. The first “seven”.

In these epistles, he wrote from the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is the “preaching of Jesus Christ” according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, BUT NOW is MADE MANIFEST, and BY THE SCRIPTURES OF THE PROPHETS.

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,

 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

In the first “sevens” of Apostle Paul’s epistles he preached the GOSPEL of GOD out of the law and out of the prophets.

Ephesians 3:1 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,

 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

 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:

Then after the Acts period, after the Jews rejected the kingdom of God preached by Paul “out of the law and the prophets”, Paul said to them

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” (Acts 28:28)

The Jews were blinded.

Romans 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

2 Corinthians 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

And they rejected the kingdom of God.

And God was finished with them and just gave them enough time until the day of God’s wrath. 

The Jews were “Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” (1 Thes. 2:16)

After that event, God continued to reveal to Paul and he gave him “the REVELATION” of “THE MYSTERY”. It is called “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY”.

Ephesians 3: 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,

 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

 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:

And the Lord Jesus Christ gave him that revelation so that he wrote the next set of his epistles – another seven.  So all in all his epistles are “fourteen” – two times perfect.

Paul’s last 7 epistles are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

Paul is the “LAST APOSTLE and PROPHET” and the “LAST WRITER” of Scriptures.

Colossians 1: 25 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;

 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

 27 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:

 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul the apostle was appointed by God as apostle, preacher and teacher of the Gentiles.

1 Timothy 2:7 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.

2 Timothy 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

To him was given “THE DISPENSATION OF GOD” and that is “TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD”.   To fulfill means “to COMPLETE”.  So Paul’s job was to “make COMPLETE the WORD OF GOD” by writing the seven last epistles for the BODY OF CHRIST.

When Paul wrote his last epistle, Colossians “the word of God” was “FULFILLED” and “COMPLETED” and there we have the “COMPLETE REVELATION” or the “FULL REVELATION” of JESUS CHRIST in the Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

There we have now the “COMPLETE LIST” of books of God’s revelation.

See the number 14?  14 epistles of Paul. Seven (7) is the number of “Fulness”.  Plus another “seven”, and that is fourteen (14), double-fulness. Exceeding fulness or “exceeding riches”.

Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

This is the PROGRESSIVE REVELATION.

God spoke through the Prophets (Old testament)

In the Old testament times, the norm was God was speaking to his people Israel through his appointed prophets:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

That was the Old Testament setting.   It cannot have a double fulfillment. That was finished. Today God doesn’t speak through prophets.

The last Old Testament prophet was John the Baptist.

Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Now after “THE PROPHET” JOHN, who comes next?

John 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John was only the “preparer of the way of the Lord” none other than Jesus Christ himself.

Being a PROPHET himself, John wrote down the book of “REVELATION” or “APOKALYPSIS”. (Continued by his disciples after his death).

So after John “the LAST prophet” of the Old Testament, comes JESUS “THE SON”.

God spoke THROUGH and in THE SON.

Now that God was already the one speaking “IN THE SON”, does he need “prophets” in order to speak his words? NO NEED. The SON is the “FULLNESS” of God’s REVELATION. He is the embodiment of God’s word. In HIM dwelleth ALL the FULNESS of the GODHEAD bodily.

After the SON’s ascension, through whom did God speak his words of revelation?

God spoke through his New Testament apostles and prophets and scribes.

Matthew 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

The Lord Jesus Christ sent his apostles to preach the gospel to all the world (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-20).

And when the Lord ascended up on high, he gave GIFTS into MEN:

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

 9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

 10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Through these GIFTS and GIFTED MEN the Lord spoke to his people.

The apostles and the prophets wrote down these revelations of God Jesus into paper and we have the “New Testament” books now.

Through the revelation gifts, Paul the apostle wrote down his 14 epistles, “THE PROGRESSIVE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST”.

Now these gifts were to stop operating until their fulfilment.

Paul the apostle said that his ministry was the dispensation of God and that is to “FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD”.  Now that he wrote as “THE LAST APOSTLE” and “THE LAST PROPHET” for THE BODY OF CHRIST, there is no more need for “GIFTS” so there would never be a need for “APOSTLES and PROPHETS” during this present dispensation.

When Paul finished writing his LAST EPISTLE, Colossians, ALL THE GIFTS given in the Acts period ceased.

The gift of apostles ceased.

The gift of prophets ceased.

The gift of evangelists ceased.

The gift of pastors and teachers ceased.

 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

He gave the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for:

- for the perfecting of the saints
- for the work of the ministry

- for the edifying of the body of Christ

TILL:

- we all come in THE UNITY OF THE FAITH and of THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD.

The gifts were given to fulfill those purposes UNTIL “THE FAITH” and “THE KNOWLEDGE” of the Son of God becomes UNIFIED. And that was fulfilled. “THE FAITH” and “THE KNOWLEDGE” are now unified in the completed revelation of God which is called the HOLY SCRIPTURES.

God is speaking today through his Holy Scriptures.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The gifts of the Acts period were given:

for the perfecting of the saints.

Question: Today, what does God use to “perfect the saints”?

Answer: Today, God uses All Scripture that “the man of God may be perfect”.

The gifts of the Acts period were given:

for the work of the ministry.

Question: Today, what does God use to equip the saints for the work of the ministry?

Answer: Today, God uses All Scripture that “the man of God” may be “thoroughly furnished unto ALL GOOD WORKS (of the ministry)”.

The gifts of the Acts period were given:

for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Question: Today, what does God use to edify the body of Christ?

Answer: Today, God uses All Scripture “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Is “THE BODY OF CHRIST” the same as the MAN OF GOD?

Yes! When the child of God became the man of God (PERFECT MAN).

Ephesians 4: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The gifts were given to the body of Christ that until it comes in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God

UNTO A “PERFECT MAN”.

UNTO THE MEASURE OF THE “FULNESS OF CHRIST”.

The Body of Christ passed from the stage of being a “CHILD” and now is in “FULL AGE”.

Hebrews 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The body of Christ from being a CHILD became a MAN of GOD by the completion of the REVELATION OF GOD through its apostle PAUL.

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Paul said:

1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

(PARTIAL KNOWLEDGE, PARTIAL PROPHECY)

 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

(PERFECT KNOWLEDGE and PERFECT PROPHECY)

 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: (CHILD’S TALK, UNDERSTANDING and THINKING)

but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

(NOW A MAN, WITH MAN’S TALK, UNDERSTANDING and THINKING)

As a MAN, i.e. of FULL AGE, FULL GROWN, PERFECT, MAN OF GOD, put away CHILDISH THINGS!

The gifts of the Acts period as stated in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12 and Ephesians 4 are part of the “CHILDISH THINGS”.

What are the “MAN OF GOD THINGS”?

THE COMPLETED REVELATION OF GOD: THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

Scriptures were given as the SOLE BASIS of OUR FAITH, DOCTRINE and LIVING.


1 Corinthians 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us NOT TO THINK OF MEN ABOVE THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

John 10:35 THE SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN;

We have now the COMPLETED REVELATION OF GOD, the HOLY BIBLE in 66 books.

Progressive Revelation:

In TIME PAST, God spoke through the PROPHETS.

And he spoke through HIS APPOINTED PROPHET for THE CHURCH, John the prophet (revelator) who was the last Old Testament prophet.

In THE LAST DAYS, God spoke through the SON.
confirmed by his APOSTLES that heard him.

And he spoke through HIS APPOINTED APOSTLE for the BODY OF CHRIST, Paul the apostle who completed the revelation of God.

In THE WORLD WITHOUT END, after the completion of Scriptures, God speaks through HIS COMPLETED HOLY SCRIPTURES.

The progressive revelation became FULL REVELATION.

He does no more speak through the prophets and apostles or any gifted man.

Now, anybody that claims he is a prophet or apostle after that completion of Scriptures is either telling a lie or making God a liar.

Romans 3:4  LET GOD BE TRUE, BUT EVERY MAN A LIAR.

God put an end in the giving of gifts. He doesn’t give any such gift.   We have now the “PERFECT GIFT” his words. 

Some may say, that there is no power in the “LETTER” quoting Apostle Paul’s words out of context: “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2 Cor. 3:6).

What is the letter that Paul was taking about? About his letters? No! He was talking about the OLD TESTAMENT. The Old Testament according to him was “the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones” (v. 7).

Paul was not even talking about “the letter” of God’s Scriptures.

God says that “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Proverbs 30:5).

EVERY WORD is PURE. How do we construct words? BY LETTERS.  So every WORD written in LETTERS is PURE.

And Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16

ALL SCRIPTURE is GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD.

What does the word “Scripture” mean? It means “that which is written”

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were WRITTEN aforetime were WRITTEN for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the SCRIPTURES might have hope.

Jesus said that the Scriptures (the writings) are THE POWER OF GOD.

Mark 12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

Jesus said that in the Scriptures (writings) are ETERNAL LIFE.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Jesus said that the Scriptures (the writings) are THE WORD OF GOD.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

The Characteristics of The Words of God.

If the Scriptures (Writings) are THE WORDS OF GOD, then what are their nature and characteristics?

The word of God is TRIED.

Psalms 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

The word of God is PURE.

Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

The word of God is the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The word of God is EFFECTUALLY WORKING in the believers.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 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.

The word of God SANCTIFIES.

1 Timothy 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

The word of God is QUICK and POWERFUL.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God is INCORRUPTIBLE and ABIDETH FOR EVER.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The word of God STRENGTHENS.

1 John 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

The word of God is MIGHTILY PREVAILING and NOT BOUND.

Acts 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

2 Timothy 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

And many more.

Full revelation IN the Scriptures and the Continuous revelation FROM the Scriptures.

What I’m trying to say is that we now have a “COMPLETE BIBLE” and this Bible is the “COMPLETE REVELATION” of God to man.

That is the revelation of God given to man progressively until it is fully revealed.

God first revealed to his Old Testament Prophets. Then he revealed to his Apostles particularly Peter and John.  Finally he revealed to his Apostle for the Body of Christ, Paul.  And after that the revelation was completed. 

Everything that God wants to tell you and me is in his Book:

Isaiah 34:16 SEEK YE OUT OF THE BOOK OF THE LORD, AND READ: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

We have now the completed revelation of God’s words and they are found only in one place – the Holy Bible. Everything is there.  God doesn’t give us visions and prophetic revelations through the gifts. They are done.

But God is still giving us “enlightenment” and “understanding” and “revelations” from his words.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers is this:

Ephesians 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM:

 18 The eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Paul prayed for the Ephesians that God may give them the spirit of WISDOM and REVELATION, IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, that the eyes of their UNDERSTANDING be ENLIGHTENED.

Paul prayed for the Colossians that they may have FULL ASSURANCE OF UNDERSTANDING, TO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE MYSTERY OF GOD, OF THE FATHER AND OF CHRIST – IN WHOM ARE HIDDEN “ALL TREASURES” OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE.

Colossians 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In Jesus Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge:
It means that God is still giving “insights”, “wisdom” and “revelations” and “knowledge of witty inventions” from his written words.

Now that we have the “COMPLETE REVELATION” of God from A to Z, from Alpha to Omega. from Alap to Tu, does it mean that God stops revealing and that he is no more speaking to man and that he will no more appear to men? NO!

God does no more “reveal” to men through the gifts of prophecy and dreams and visions.  God is no more giving the gift of prophecy or any kind of that charismatic gifts of the first century!  All the purposes of those REVELATION GIFTS were already fulfilled.  

But God still does and can talk to you and me THROUGH HIS WRITTEN WORDS, and NOT OUTSIDE OF HIS WORDS!

It means that everything is in HIS WORDS. And all the truths are in his words. They are not outside the words of God. They are all in the Holy Scriptures. But not truths are being discovered. They must be discovered by diligently studying the words of God.

If all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are HIDDEN IN JESUS CHRIST and THE BIBLE is THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, then ALL THE TREASURES of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE are IN THE BIBLE! Therefore we have to dig deeper and deeper. We must not just simply accept the teachings handed down to us by Orthodox Christianity. We have to discover the truths of God by ourselves through the study of God’s Word.

And by continuous diligent study, more insights and more witty inventions will come out.

Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

By continuous and diligent study of the word, “God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Philippians 3:15)

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

We must “meditate upon these things” and give ourselves wholly to them. (1 Timothy 4:15)

We just need to go “treasure hunting” in the Scriptures and we will get to understand things we didn’t understand before.

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

There are still many things we will learn, new things we haven’t heard before and they are from God’s words, from the plain words written in the King James Bible. No Greek or Hebrew needed in order to know these truths.

Just study the word of God rightly divided.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Mati Usaladya

Full Revelation Bible 

The Church of God and The Fellowship of the Mystery

1 Corinthians 1:

1 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:

Apostle.

Paul the apostle was called by God to be an apostle. Apostle means “one sent forth”. Paul was writing to the “church of God” which is at Corinth. And they are described as “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints”.  The church of God was also “in every place” and composed of “all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ”.

Church of God

What is “church”?  The word church means “of the Lord” or “Lord’s” as used in the “Lord’s supper” and “Lord’s day”. In Greek “Lord’s” is kyriakon.  So it describes to whom the church belonged to. The english word church is a translation of the Greek word “Ekklesia”. This word means “called out ones” from Greek words “klesis” (calling) from “kaleo” (to call) and “ek” (out). It is also from the Hebrew word “qahal” which means “to call to be assembled”. That is why this word “church” means “the called out assembly”. And if we add “of God”, it is “the assembly called out by God”.

Called out from darkness.

If the church of God was the called out assembly of God, from where did God call them out? Go out from where?

First Peter can help us be enlightened about this:

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Peter the apostle told those people that God “CALLED” them “OUT” from “DARKNESS” into his marvelous “LIGHT”.  Therefore God called out of darkness to assemble into the light. What is that darkness then?

Acts 26: 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

 18 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.

To Paul the apostle was given this apostleship to open the eyes of the people and the Gentiles to turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance. The people (Judah) and the Gentiles (nations).

Those people and the Gentiles were in darkness and they must be called out from that darkness into God’s marvellous light and be assembled together as the Church of God.

What is that darkness where they were in?

Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

That darkness where they were in was the darkness of being alienated from the Lord. What happened?

Let us go back to 1st Peter in order to see, to whom Peter was writing his letters.

1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

The Scattered tribes of Israel

Peter was writing to the “STRANGERS SCATTERED” throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Who were these “SCATTERED” people?

James 1: 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

These scattered people were the “TWELVE TRIBES” scattered abroad in different nations. These were “ISRAELITES”. Why were they scattered abroad as strangers?

Hosea 8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.

Why did Israel became Gentiles and among the Gentiles as vessel wherein is no pleasure?

Hosea 1: 9 Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

Israel was called “Lo-ammi”  (not my people) and became no more God’s people because of adultery. Why adultery? That’s idolatry. Israel was turned from being GOD”S PEOPLE into being NOT GOD’S PEOPLE. Israel was “NOT RECKONED AMONG THE NATIONS” (Numbers 23:9) but because of her idolatry she was stripped of her right and became NOT GOD’S PEOPLE, therefore were GENTILES.

Jeremiah 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

Ezekiel 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.

Israel was scattered among the nations and became part of these nations who have no covenant with God. But God planned to bring them back together through the New Covenant.

These people who were scattered abroad among  the nations were the 12 tribes of Israel. Remember that not all the tribes returned to the land after their captivity. Only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah with some of the Levites (Ezra 1:2-6).  The other ten tribes did not return. Where were they? They were in diaspora. Not even everyone in the tribes of Benjamin and Judah returned. So there were those who were scattered among the nations and became Gentiles. That’s why James said “twelve tribes scattered abroad”.

The Israelites who returned to Palestine were called “Jews” (Esther 3:6,10,13; 2 Kings 16:6). But the Israelites who did not return to the land were called “Gentiles” and “Greeks”. They were swallowed up among the Gentiles and forgot their restingplace (Jeremiah 50:6).

The Jews and Gentiles

In the New Testament, these Israelites were the dispersed among the Gentiles and were Gentiles.

John 7:35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

These were also the “Spartans” or “Lacedemonians” in 1 Maccabees 12: 19-21   

 “And this is the copy of the letters which Oniares sent. Areus king of the Lacedemonians to Onias the high priest, greeting: It is found in writing, that the Lacedemonians and Jews are brethren, and that they are of the stock of Abraham:”

The Jews and Spartans were brethren and of the same family of Abraham.

Paul and Peter wrote and ministered to the children of Israel scattered abroad, the Gentiles. These were the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. These were the Romans, the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Thessalonians, the Philippians, the Hebrews.

The Jews were those Israelites in the land. The Gentiles were the Israelites scattered abroad as strangers. They were the two nations that God wanted to gather as one fold under One Shepherd and One King (Ezekiel 37:19-28; John 10:16). And this was fulfilled through the New Covenant of Christ to the house of Israel and house of Judah (Hebrews 8:10-13).

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

In Romans 11, when Paul was talking about Israel, he was talking about Judah (the people).  And when he was talking about Gentiles he was talking about the scattered Israelites.

Blindness in part is happened to Israel (Jewish nation) until the fulness of the Gentiles (the other ten tribes) be come in. And so ALL ISRAEL (those in the land and those scattered) shall be saved. These were fulfilled through the New Covenant when Christ Jesus Israel’s Saviour came.

The Fullness of The Gentiles.

Take note of the “fullness of the Gentiles”. These Gentiles were not “non-Israelites” although there are Gentiles who are non-Israelites.

Genesis 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

This was a prophecy to Ephraim that his seed shall become a MULTITUDE OF NATIONS. These were Gentiles. Look at Revelation. In Revelation 7, the tribe of Ephraim was not included for Ephraim was “multitude of nations”.

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Therefore the Gentiles were those Israelites who were not Jews but were Israelites and Hebrews scattered among the nations. The fullness of the Gentiles came in and they became the Church of God or the New Covenant Church.

Mission Accomplished!

The gospel was preached to the “jew first” and then to the “Greeks” and to “every creature which is under heaven” (Colossians 1:23).

Remember that the apostles were commanded to “Go...into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15). And to “Go...and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19). And they accomplished their mission: “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mark 16:20). They preached the gospel “beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47) to Judea and Samaria and uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).  

The promise was “unto you (Jews), and to your children, and to all that are afar off (Gentiles or scattered Israelites), even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39).

And “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:12,13).

The Israel of God.

There were Isrealites who did not believe the gospel. And there were those who believed. And those who believed were “born again” (John 3:7).  These were the Jews who were not only Jews outwardly but are “inwardly”.  

Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

These were the Gentiles (scattered Israelites) who were not only Israelites by blood but because they were inwardly.

Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

Those Isralites (Jews and Gentiles) who did not believe were damned and they would suffer the “wrath of God to the uttermost” and that happened in 70 A.D. when God made their city and temple burned down by the Romans.

Those Israelites (Jews and Gentiles) who believed were saved and gathered into the Church of God. These were the reconciled people of God as One Body called the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:13 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.

The Bible is the love story between God and Israel as “husband and wife”. Israel of old was the wife of the Lord. That wife became unfaithful and serve other gods (idolatry). And because God was her husband (Isaiah 54:5) her idolatry was considered as “adultery” (Jeremiah 3:8). As a consequence, Israel was put away and given a bill of divorce. She lost her right as God’s wife (or covenant people). She was exiled to the nations and became them. After that, God became a man (Christ Jesus) to save his people from their sins. Jesus died for them and he rose again. The New Covenant was established in the blood of Jesus Christ. God called Israelites in the land (Jews) and those Israelites in diaspora (Gentiles) to be gathered as one through the gospel of Jesus Christ. These people from the land and from the nations believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and they were born again into the family of God. They were baptized by the Spirit into One Body and were called the Body of Christ. This Body of Christ was the same as the “Bride of the Lamb”, the “New Creature”, “the Israel of God”, “the New Jerusalem”. 

Not all Israelites became part of the Church of God but only those whom God called and responded through the gospel. These were those whom God has chosen to salvation “from the beginning”through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). These were the “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2).

This people called “the church of God” was “espoused to one husband” as a “chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2) and as a “glorious church, without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27), “a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

This church suffered much tribulation (Acts 14:22) but they were not appointed to wrath, but to obtain “salvation” by our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

Caught Up to Heaven.

This church was “caught up”...to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall they be ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The church of God, the New Jerusalem is already in heaven, married to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb, who is the Lord God Almighty himself (Revelation 1:8,11). None left behind!

What happened to Israel that did not believe?  She was the whore, the adulterous woman. God punished her and poured his wrath on this adulterous woman through the Romans in 70 A.D. Her temple and city was burned down.

Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Israel did not believe the gospel and was punished. But Israel that believed was saved, as a new creature, the Israel of God.

When the church of God was caught up to heaven, the temple of God was no more here but in heaven.

The New Heaven and The New Earth.

Revelation 21: 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

John saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH. Most people when reading the book of Revelation interpret this book as a literal book.  But this book is a book of signs, numbers and allegories.  The New Heaven and the New Earth are not LITERAL heaven and earth. These are symbols. 

There is a literal heaven and there is also a figurative heaven. The book of Revelation talks about both. But in Revelation 21, this heaven is not literal heaven. Heaven is where God dwells and earth symbolizes the people of God, Israel. The earth is the land.

When God says new heaven, it means the new “dwelling place of God” or the temple of God/ tabernacle of God. New earth means the “new people of God”.

The first heaven and the first earth were PASSED AWAY. Yes they were! Why? What happened?

God, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and that is Jesus Christ.  When he was incarnated, the fullness of God was dwelling in his body. Therefore the temple of God or the “tabernacle of God” when God was made flesh was the “BODY OF JESUS CHRIST” (matthew 26:61). Now, after his death and resurrection, the church his body was created. And this body, the church of God became the TEMPLE OF GOD or the TABERNACLE OF GOD.

Remember, there was the temple of God in Jerusalem even before Jesus came. God was there. But since Christ came, the presence of God was no more there even though they still had their sacrifices there. That temple stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Hebrews 10:10). Yes, they would do that until its destruction.  Even before its historical destruction in 70 A.D. by the Romans, Jesus Christ already judged Jerusalem and its temple “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).

During the Acts of the apostles, God’s temple was the church of God and not the temple in Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

God declared that:

Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

God was not dwelling in the temple of Jerusalem because since Christ’s resurrection, God was dwelling in the church of God, his temple.

The new earth means “the new people of God”. Since Israel the adulteress was cast away, God created a new people and that is the church of God, the Israel of God, which according to our study was the assembly of Israelites (Jews and Gentiles) who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Messias.  It is not replacement theology because it was still Israel but the “remnant” (Romans 9:27). This was the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) that was “the nation bringing forth fruits to whom the kingdom was given” (Matthew 21:43).

That new heaven and new earth was the church of God and it was caught up to the third heaven and enjoying God’s everlasting covenant with her  (Hebrews 13:20).

If the church of God is no more here, then does it mean that God is no more here? No!

God was finished with Israel. And as I said before, the Bible is a love story of God and Israel and they lived happily ever after.  Now how about us who are non-Israelites?

We are not called “the church of God”. If there is the church of God, there still exists the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11) for the church was “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20).

There are no more apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers today. If there are people today who call themselves as such they are not real. They are ordained only by men. If men ordained them, who gave the authority to these men?  They get only their license from the human government. They merely want “titles of honour” and to be greeted in the marketplace. 

The so-called “church” today is not the real church of God because the real church is already caught up in heaven. Every activity done in the so-called churches today is not ordained by God. No one today can claim according to the Scriptures that they are the “true” church of God or the “true” flock of God. If somebody does, that is a false claim.

The church is fulfilled. The fullness of the Gentiles came in. And that is enough.The end time was finished. We are now living in a new order. And this order is not Israel first, Gentiles next. For today is the NEW MAN “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”   (Colossians 3:11).

The Fellowship of The Mystery.

We are not in the church of God but in the “FELLOWSHIP OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”. “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Yes, the church is in the fellowship but this fellowship is not only the church but goes beyond.

This fellowship is THE FAMILY OF GOD IN HEAVEN AND EARTH:

Ephesians 3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

As I have said the Bible is the love story between God and his people Israel. To them pertained “the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises” (Romans 9:4).  Jesus Christ came to save them from their sins. He came to restore them and reconcile them to God. We are not included according to prophetic Scriptures.

But there is the Mystery which “from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God” and “in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men” (Ephesians 3:5,9). This mystery was revealed only to Paul (Ephesians 3:3).  The apostles and prophets did not know it.

The mystery is that: the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6).

This mystery is already revealed, therefore it is now called REVELATION. We are now in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY REVEALED (Ephesians 3:9).

Paul declares the mystery: The Gentiles should be fellowheirs.  The Gentiles here has now a different meaning. Because there are no more Israelites today who are Gentiles, the meaning of the Gentiles here is “ALL MEN”. That is explained in Ephesians 3:8,9. In v.8 Paul used “Gentiles”, in v. 9 he used “All men”. It is parralelism. He repeated the phrase using a different term.  The Gentiles (all men) or “people of the nations” are “fellowheirs” with one another. Now at this time in the fellowship of the mystery, non-Israelites can be children of God and heirs of God, not by covenant but by his grace.

The Gentiles should be of the same body. What body? It means the Gentiles (all men) are members of the same body, not the body of Christ, the church which composed only of Israelites, but of a unique body – the fellowship of the mystery. It says “of the same body” not of “Israel church” but that every man of the Gentiles can now be members with one another.  It means “joint-bodies”. All equal and the same.

The Gentiles should be partakers of God’s promise in Christ by the gospel.  The gospel of God, the gospel of Christ, the glorious gospel were the gospels given to Israel and today are also the gospels given to us – all men – and we are partakers of the gospel of Christ. We are saved by believing the gospel. And the difference is that they the Israelites where the “chosen generation” (1 Peter 2:9), chosen FROM the beginning (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:2). But we in the fellowship of the mystery were “chosen in him BEFORE the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) and has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

We today are not required to be “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38) but in Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”. (Ephesians 1:7). We simply have to trust Christ (Ephesians 1:12,13).

We today do not have to conduct church services. The church of God in the first century were to not forsake the assembling together but they have to exhort one another  and so much the more, as THEY SEE THE DAY APPROACHING. (Hebrews 10:25). That day already happened. We are not in that day.

Why we are not the church of God.

I declare it boldly that we are not the church of God. For that church of God was already caught up into heaven. If that is the case, we have to analyze the verses which seem to say that we are the church.

Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Paul in these verses was talking about Jesus Christ’s resurrection and ascension far above all heavens and he put all things under his feet, and he gave him to be the head over all things to the church – his body. There was already the body of Christ church in his resurrection and ascension and he was the head of it. It was not talking about us today.

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Paul was talking about the church during his time, the church that was prepared as a glorious church for Christ’s coming to happen in their generation.

The epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians are so rich in truths about the mystery but remember the original audience and their time and what things must happen in their generation.

For example, Ephesians were “sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of their inheritance” UNTIL “the day of redemption”   (Ephesians 1:13,14; 4:30). We today are not in the same situation.  We are not waiting for the day of redemption, i.e. the redemption of the body at Christ’s coming. That day already happened. So there is no need for us to be sealed with the Spirit.

No church, no pastors.

No need for church services. No need for priesthood. No need for church leadership. How can there be church leaders if there is no church. God does not authorize anybody today to build a church. If no one is ordained to do so, then if that church is established it is not a tue church. Then its leaders are not true also.

There are no more apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers today. And also there are no more bishops and deacons today. I have changed my view about that. That’s because of the insights I am receiving from the words of God. I discovered something I did not know before. When I did not know it before, I believed that there were no apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers today because these were gifts that were temporary, only until the completion of God’s revelation.  And I taught that bishops and deacons were the ones that replaced and or the ones remaining after that completion. But something changed my mind. If there is no more church of God here on earth because it is in heaven, then there is no need for “bishops and deacons” because they are connected to the “church of God” (1 Timothy 3:1,2,10,15).  The bishops were the “rulers of the church of God” (1 Timothy 3:5). 

I have believed that the flock was Israel and pastors were to shepherd the Israel flock. So if there is no flock, then there are no shepherds. Now, I say that if there is no church, then there are no bishops.

No need for church leadership because there is no need for the church. Does it mean no need for assembly?  No, not that. If we are going to assemble together today, that is not “church” but “fellowship”. And that fellowship is around the Word of God, the Bible.  What we have to do today is to “study....rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  And we have to preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:1).

Bible Study and Evangelism.

Yes, what we have to do during assembling together is “Bible study”.  And since it is God’s will that ALL MEN be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), we must preach the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (in the gospel of Christ) and “make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery”  (Ephesians 3:8,9).

Since we are no more in that church leadership because that is finished already, everyone – man, woman, child can preach the gospel. Everyone is equal and the same.

Stewards of Sound Doctrine.

If today there can be “BISHOPS”, they are not “rulers of the churches” but “stewards of God”

Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

And that is the only  definition of the bishop in this age if the church does not exist on earth. Bishop means “overseer”, “manager”, “steward”. There are still things that we must  be “stewards” of. Like “sound doctrine”. The bishop in Titus   must be “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:9). It means he must be the “STEWARD OF FAITHFUL WORD”. It is not about a title but a work of ministry.

Thats how I see it. If I am a bishop, it is not because I rule or oversee a church, because there is no church today. I am a bishop because I am a steward of faithful word and sound doctrine. That’s it. A man may be a bishop because he is a steward of some project. No church involved.

How about if we have still assemblies, they are not called “church”?  Yes, they are not church for the church is already in heaven. But they can only be fellowships or simple gatherings, not church. No church today because, if there is, it must apostolic. And no apostles today. 

We are not required to gather together every Sunday or every week. There is no such thing as Sunday or Saturday as the Lord’s day. But every day is the Lord’s day.We gather together only and have fellowship in houses, or wherever. No formal attire, no worship services, no praise and worship, no church program, no water baptisms, no prayer meetings, no Lord’s supper, no church activities, no tithes, no offerings, no church buildings or worship centers. No church planting, no church leadership, no church council, no commitees, no board of demons, no church elections. We  gather together only to study the Bible and to preach the word of God to one another and other people. If we are going to collect money, do it only for the sake of evangelism and Bible teaching.

Complete in Christ.

Because we are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), we already have the “spiritual body”, “the heavenly body” in contrast with our “mortal body” and “corruptible body”. We don’t wait for it. It is already clothing our spirits. We dont have to wait for the second coming of Christ for he did that already and he came for his church in the first century. We are not waiting for the coming but we are looking for the “appearing” of Christ (Colossians 3:4) with us. That happens when we die. Remember, we are already “risen “ and “sitting” together with Christ in the heavenly places far above all heavens. Our resurrection happened already and its when Christ was risen.  Now when we die, we just leave this mortal body and use our “spiritual body” in us in the heavenly places.  Those heavenly places are heavens far above all heavens – far above the third heaven where the New Jerusalem is.  Thats our destination.

As we believe in the gospel of Christ, we have eternal life in Christ and Christ dwells in us as “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). Christ is eternal life and immortality. Therefore we have life and immortality (2 Timothy 1:10) in Christ. After we have done our part here on earth, we will continue living the joy and bliss with Christ and the saints in the heavenly places for ever.

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