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The verses set before us today are the focus of much teaching in the churches, much of it sadly erroneous.  Those that want to impose legal restrictions on believers require works-keeping and often use verses 12 & 13 here to support that error.   Salvation by faith PLUS works and not faith alone as the apostle clearly teaches is not what we find here.  Rather, the apostle writes here about the “wo...

We finish today our study of Paul’s foundational exhortation of this letter, his reference to Christ’s mind-set in heaven just before the event of the incarnation.  While the plan of redemption had been established in eternity past at that great council of the members of the Trinity, that plan had not involved the pre-incarnate son of God except in some “theophanies” or manifestations as reco...

In our study today the apostle reaches one of the most exalted places in all of the New Testament, chapter 2 of this letter where he exhorts two women in the assembly to take Christ’s “mind” as their own.  The exhortation provided touches on the central theme of the letter directly, that of the “mind” and its critical position in Paul’s teachings regarding the new life that we have in Christ under...

Paul continues here in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 1, and then also in chapter 2, to set forth his own example of personal concern, sacrifice, and service on behalf of the Philippian believers.  There are two main thrusts to the apostle’s statement here, one that will lead directly to that great section in chapter 2 on Christ own example of concern and self sacrifice displayed for...

The glory of what Paul has written here is so evident and clear.  To live and to die, all for his eternal glory, yes, but also for our gain!   This is simplicity indeed, but the details of it are unquestionably challenging.  We all can fill in the blanks from our own life experience since we became Christians.  The challenges of this life have been many  . . . and we know they will continue to be...

Today our main focus will be on Paul’s expressions that are so full of meaning for us saints: “the bowels [or innermost feelings] of Jesus Christ”, Phil. 1:8, and “the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ”, Phil. 1:19.  Paul is introducing by these words his main subject by these statements that have much to do with his ministry to the Philippians as their “example” to follow.  Perviousl...

The overall theme of Paul’s letter to the Philippians as we have seen is joy though the circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.  The key word of the letter is “mind” and four examples of such exalted “thinking” are given in the letter beginning with Christ’s own and ending with the apostle Paul’s.  The introductory verses (1-8) will be our focus today.  There Paul is highlight...

Paul’s letter to the Philippians was probably his first so-called “prison” epistle.  It was written during his first Roman imprisonment around the year 61-62 A.D.  Paul had appealed to Caesar and according to Roman law as a Roman city-state citizen (Tarsus) he had the right to be judged in Rome.  So he was brought to Rome and after the shipwreck we read about in the book of Acts, he...

As our final teaching on “The Long War Against God”, our studies now reaching past the 2 1/2 year point, we provide the capstone, as it were, of the entire Biblical revelation.  We began at the beginning, in the early chapters of Genesis.  We reached the end of the book of Revelation in our last studies here.  In this study today we will summarize it all from the perspective of the...

We are there, finally quite literally at the end, of the revelation of God to man.  We are at the end of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  We have seen how the final chapter in the dispensational plan of God is the coming 1000 year Kingdom. In that Kingdom Christ will rule on a throne in the New Jerusalem with a rod of iron and satan and his servants will be bound in the botto...

Today we will consider the prophecies regarding the New Heavens and the New Earth and see so clearly revealed that these prophecies like many others have both a near and a far fulfillment.  The prophecies regarding the New Jerusalem and the new Temple found within it are important in that they more clearly than anything else show both of these.  There are New Jerusalem prophecies that sp...

We are there!  Our focus today is on the Land Promises and fulfillment in God’s good timing, as in our last study, but today we will see how the Patriarchs by faith “saw” a fulfillment on this earth so clearly.  In fact, they were so committed to honoring those promises that on their death beds they would make mention of them (see Gen. 50:24-25, for example, referenced in Heb. 11:22).&nb...

We now come near the end of our series of studies on “The Long War Against God” where we have been examining closely the Lord God’s working  to carry out his plan of redemption for sinners.  In opposition to that has been satan’s work each step of the way.  Today we enter a two part series on the place that the Land Promises have in Israel’s history and their interpretation.  W...

As we have already seen here in our studies on “the Long War against God”, the many promises given to God’s people regarding the coming Kingdom must be interpreted literally.  The language used in those promises, from Gen. 49:10 to Num. 24:17 & 19 to 1 Sam. 2:10, etc., make that so clear.  Furthermore, as we have also seen, the Seed of the Woman promises beginning in Gen. 3:15 must h...

Today we move ahead to consider what scripture teaches about the coming 1000 year Kingdom.  There are many misunderstandings about that Kingdom because Biblical interpreters have often mixed law and grace in their teachings.  When we look carefully at what the Bible says about that Kingdom and seek to interpret scripture by scripture, we see the details of that Kingdom in a new light.&nb...

As Galatians 3:17 & 18 state so clearly and powerfully, the Abrahamic Covenant was established entirely on the basis of Abraham’s personal faith through the Seed of the Woman promise given by Almighty God to him.  There were no required works and no law in place at that time.  All was of the promise concerning the Seed singular and plural (Gal. 3:16).  When the Law was given 400...

We continue our the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.  Today and in our next study we will look further into the clear revelation that in the Kingdom (and also, even earlier, in the Tribulation period) there will be a reestablishment of a sacrificial system in Israel.  The meaning and intent of these continuing blood sacrifices...

We have reached our studies on the Day of the Lord and will introduce the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.  Our focus will initially be limited today and in our next studies on one overall theme of the coming Kingdom, the Three Offices of Israel’s Messiah during that 1000 year dispensational period.  During that period Christ...

We have reached our studies on the Day of the Lord and will introduce the Biblical teaching on the third phase of the Day of the Lord, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.  Our focus will initially be limited today and in our next studies on one overall theme of the coming Kingdom, the Three Offices of Israel’s Messiah during that 1000 year dispensational period as Prophet, Priest and, of course...

We finish up our studies today on the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The profound differences between Paul's teachings concerning the Rapture of the Body of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ to this earth to set up the earthly kingdom are many.  We have covered them now in detail.  Today we will look at the additional revelation provided by Peter and by the apostle Jo...

The teaching today continues with laying a proper foundation for understanding of the differences between the Tribulation and the dispensation of the grace of God.  The two are quite distinctive in so many ways because the working of God during those two periods are so different.  Last time we looked at Matt. 24 & 25.  Today we will examine Paul’s teaching in 1 & 2 Thessalon...

The Day of the Lord has three phases, the 7 Year Tribulation Period, the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ in his Kingdom.  This second phase is usually called the "second coming" of Christ since our Lord had already come to this earth in his incarnation that led ultimately to his  preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews, and finally, to...

Today we complete our study on the on the first phase of the Day of the Lord.  The details of this Biblical teaching are profound and reveal God’s plan for his people Israel and through their national salvation, Gentiles (even nations) as well.  When this time, called “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble” in Jer. 30:7, has come to its appointed end, “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:25-26) wh...

Our focus today will be on the first phase of the Day of the Lord, a time frame revealed in detail in Prophecy.  There are three phases of this “day” revealed in scripture, firstly, the seven year tribulation or “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jer. 30:9), secondly, the Return of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and thirdly, the 1000 year Millennial Kingdom or Christ’s rule from Jerusalem upon this earth...

Our subject today is taken from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15.  After outlining the gospel in the first verses, he uses the classic logical theme of reductio ad absurdum to explain the depth of error that had crept into the church in Corinth.  Some in the assembly had already departed from the truth Paul had preached to them and wherein they had been saved.  Spe...