The Body of Christ is a living, Sprit filled body of believers, who believe in the person of Jesus the Christ anointed of God. In this dispensation of the Grace of God we abide.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Paul was feared by those who followed the way because he had taken many prisoners in the name of God by the Jews. BUT God directed Ananias to open the eyes of Saul (Paul) and Ananias’s obeyed. Sometimes we obey even in fear because we believe in Father who protects us and Holy Spirit who directs us in the way of Jesus.
Romans 11:25 I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Grace, blessed grace, the undeserved and unmerited favor of God to mankind. When this dispensation of time ends then God will resume His dealings with Israel as His chosen people.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Paul after the road to Damascus and his meeting with Jesus was given the mystery of the dispensation of grace of God. He became the chief minister to the Gentiles of the foundation that only comes in Jesus as the chief cornerstone. Jesus the Christ is the head and ALL who believe in Him will be saved. By one Spirit we are baptized into His body.
2 Peter 3:15-18 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Peter was minister to the Jewish believers and Paul as minister to the Gentiles. But both grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, Lord of lords and King of kings. He alone offers salvation to the world.
1 Timothy 1:15-17 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus came to the world to save sinners. There is no one righteous, no not one, only in the righteousness of Jesus Christ are we able to stand before our holy God. Paul was the first sinner saved by grace on the road to Damascus. The long suffering triune Godhead offered salvation to all in the dispensation of His grace.
1 Timothy 2:5-7 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
There is no other way to the Father but Jesus the Christ. In Him exist the whole Godhead and in Him alone we are saved. Carla
One God alludes to the Jewish prayer called the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4). Paul draws on this prayer to highlight God’s universal reign; because there is only one God, He is the God of all people (1 Timothy 2:3–4). The Shema affirms the uniqueness of God over and against other gods—those worshiped by Israel’s neighbors. The false teachers may have used this prayer as an excuse to exclude people from the gospel. God desires all people to be saved, and He is the only one who can save (Acts 4:12). “The Lord is One”. The need for a mediator testifies to the sinfulness of humanity, while the provision of a mediator demonstrates the kindness of God.
Paul refers to Jesus as a “man” here to stress His full identification with humanity. Because He was fully human, Christ was able to mediate on behalf of humanity and offer Himself as a ransom for humanity. Jesus’ role in this passage recalls Paul’s description of Jesus as a second Adam (Romans 5:12–21; 1 Corinthians 15:45–49). Who gave Himself a ransom refers to the sacrificial death of Jesus and echoes Jesus’ words regarding His sacrificial death.
Paul reminds believers that Jesus’ life was the price paid to free people from sin (Mark 10:45 and compare Isaiah 53:12).
Paul did not appoint himself; God appointed him. Therefore, his authority to instruct the church comes from God. While in leadership at Ephesus, Timothy experienced opposition from other believers. Paul asserts his own authority as an apostle in support of Timothy’s leadership to bring correction to wayward believers. Paul also commends Timothy to the Ephesians by reminding him (and them) of the prophecies spoken about him (1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14). The Greek word used here for herald, keryx, refers to a person with authority to preach the gospel message. I am speaking the truth emphasizes the validity of Paul’s statement (Romans 9:1; Galatians 1:20).
Although Paul preached the gospel to all people, his primary calling was to bring the gospel to Gentiles (non-Jews). Faithlife Study Bible
One God is a central truth of the Hebrew Scriptures. The only living God desires all to be saved. He is the only One to whom our prayers should be addressed. Mediator is a concept derived from the ceremonial worship prescribed in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle and later in the temple, the priests meditated between God and the Israelites by offering animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people and by interceding to God for the nation. In their position as mediators, the priests were the only ones eligible to enter the Holy Place, the place where God had made His presence known. The one Mediator is the Man Christ Jesus (Hebrews 9:11-15).
There is one God from whom salvation is available. There is only one way to Him, through the Mediator, Christ Jesus, who has the full nature of God and the full nature of man.
The work of the Mediator is described as giving Himself a ransom for all. The Greek word translated ransom is found only here in the New Testament. It specifically refers to a ransom paid for a slave. In Greek it is formed with a prefix that reinforces the idea of substitution (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
In other words, Christ substituted His life for ours. Our sins had separated us from God. Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to our Father.
Teacher of the Gentiles describes the ministry to which Paul had been commissioned (Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13).
Faith refers to one’s initial salvation (justification); truth relates to the believer’s growth in salvation (sanctification).
Paul was called not only to preach the gospel to the Gentiles but also to guide their growth in the truth. This is why he left Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was to charge the Ephesians not to teach other doctrines, fables, or endless genealogies. The NKJV Study Bible
2 Timothy 1:11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
Galatians 3:19–20 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.
Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
1 Timothy 1:11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust
I received this email from a Sabbath Moment reader,
"I think my inner fire has gone out. I am normally a pretty out going, giving, strong, open minded and kind spirit. Lately I find I just feel tired and weary with people and my own life. Not even sure who to trust. I just feel numb. Has this ever happened to you?"
"Yes," I write her, "it has."
Yesterday we told the story of Mother Teresa visiting a small dirty shack to light a candle. And here’s the deal, she wasn't in that shack just to be kind. She was there to shine. In reading her book (Come Be My Light), you realize that she did so at a time when her own life was racked with doubt and frustration and moments of deep despair. So. Yes, even from darkness, the light still shines. I take extraordinary hope in that. It does my heart good.
Savor moments in your day my friends.
Take delight in small gifts.
And be ready to “open the door” for someone who may need it.
“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” Albert Schweitzer. Sabbath Moments
God would send His own Son to the world as the ultimate sacrifice, allowing Jesus to die on a wooden cross as our substitute, paying the penalty for our sins. Jesus is the greatest fulfillment of God's covenant (2 Corinthians 1:20).
While we're grateful for God's blessings, like family, friends, finances or material things, He is the One we depend on.When we remember that God didn't hold back His only Son on our behalf, we can hold our earthly blessings loosely and trust in His perfect plan and provision. Why did God test Abraham in Genesis 22 if He is sovereign and all-knowing? He understands the depths of the human heart better than we do (1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chronicles 28:9), so He already knew Abraham's heart fully belonged to Him.But Abraham apparently didn't know that yet. After years of God refining his faith, this test revealed the depth of Abraham's faith to Abraham. We also face tests and challenges to our faith, although we probably will never experience quite what Abraham did.These tests allow the Lord to reveal what's in our hearts and produce endurance in us (James 1:3-4). Sometimes we will pass the test, and sometimes we will fail, yet God is merciful to us either way. A passed test offers opportunities for deeper obedience and growth while a failed test reveals the areas of our hearts that must be purified and refined.
Let's be encouraged by the fact that this is all part of God's plan to grow our faith: "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). Even testing ultimately allows us to bring more glory to our Creator. First5
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