SWORDS Bible Study: What Is the Grace Doctrine Part 4
by Mari

(Caps are for emphasis ONLY)

We looked last week at how Paul warns us in the word of God against teachers who teach false doctrines, most often by mixing up law and grace. We saw how important it is to compare what we hear from others with the word of God, doing as God instructs us: “Study to shew ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. “

What exactly does rightly dividing the word of truth mean? I hope you see and comprehended as we continue to contrast Peter’s gospel of the kingdom, with Paul’s gospel the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery. (Ro 16:25)

It is important to know that everyone who believes, divides the word of God in some way! For example, no one (I hope!) is following Noah’s instructions to build an ark today…or sacrificing animals under the Law. If you are not attempting to do things like this; you have in these areas rightly divided the word of truth correctly!

To learn to rightly divide we need to look at specific things to know the context of the chapter or verse, such as asking the questions of who is speaking to whom, what is being said to whom, when was it said, where, and why?

THEN we need to know if WE are in this context or not. As the examples above show us. We are not being told to build an ark…nor are we as Gentiles ever told to bring animal sacrifices anywhere!

No one can obey everything in the Bible! Here is a great example why!

God once required that all of His people be circumcised or they will be cut off from God’s covenant.

Gen 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

We find something totally different in Gal 5:6, that circumcision does not avail anything, nor even uncircumcision!

Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

To do or not to do…to circumcise or not to circumcise that is the question! But God now tells us that neither count today! NOW, during the dispensation of grace, only faith which worketh in love is our direction. You must make choices and the right choice will always come from learning to rightly divide the word of truth!

With that said, let us continue for a bit to contrast the message of the Apostle Peter with that of the message of the Apostle Paul. Let us look to see if the gospel of Peter matches or differs from Paul’s gospel. The goal is to see clearly which gospel is to us today: to rightly divide the word of truth!

First, let us understand that Peter and Paul never, ever, ever taught the same gospel!

Peter taught the gospel of the kingdom to the CIRCUMCISION! (Israel/Jews) (Mat_4:23) .

Paul taught the gospel of the grace of God to the UNCIRCUMCISION! (Other nations/Gentiles)

Gal_2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

We can know two things right off the bat here:

1. There are TWO gospels in this verse.

2. One gospel to believing Israel and another gospel to everyone else.

One gospel given to Peter by Christ on earth before His ascension.

One gospel given to Paul by Christ from heaven after His ascension.

Peter taught new covenant blessing and kingdom in Israel. (Lk 24:47, Acts 1:6-8, 3:19 b)

Paul taught the mystery of Christ/new creature to all men. (Act 9:15, Gal 1:16, Rom 15:20)

While Peter and Paul both taught Christ; how they taught Christ is different.

These differences are very important as I hope you are beginning to see, rightly dividing the word of truth. It is in recognizing the differences in God’s instructions, that we understand what God is doing in our world today. It is right to divide what is different.

One more contrast. Who were God’s representatives on earth before the dispensation of grace? (Eph 3:2) Who did God choose to be His witnesses?

The nation of Israel.

Isa 61:6 But ye (Israel) shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

Deu 7:6 For thou (Israel) art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Isa 43:10 Ye (Israel) are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

We know that Israel rejected their Messiah and killed Him on the cross. Israel also denied the Holy Spirit at the stoning of Stephen.

HOWEVER God had a secret, a mystery kept hidden in Himself from the beginning of the world! (Ro 16:25)

We saw the reason why God kept this hid in Himself in part 1 of this study, but here it is as a reminder. 1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

God raised up a NEW Apostle, Saul of Tarsus…who became the Apostle Paul.

Who is God’s representatives on earth today?

The body of Christ, Gentile Ambassadors. Us!

Rom_11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

2Co_5:20 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.

Okay…one more.

Peter taught the foretold, prophesied gospel of the kingdom that was spoken by prophets since the world began.

Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Act 3:24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

Paul gave us the gospel about the mystery of Christ kept hid in God and kept secret since the world began.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Rom 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,

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:

Peter’s gospel was KNOWN, foretold and spoken by the prophets.

Paul’s gospel was kept SECRET, HID in God, until revealed to Paul by the ascended Christ.

Things that are DIFFERENT are NOT the same!

Here is the import. The gospel given to Paul was kept hid in God and secret because:

1Co 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

We are saved today by the gospel given to the Apostle Paul! Romans 16:25; Eph 6:19; 1 Cor 15:1-4

More next week on the Grace Doctrine.

Audio Faith and Works Confusion by Pastor Justin Johnson

Faith and Works Confusion