Address—Steve Stewart
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The meeting this afternoon by singing hymn #9999.
On Christ salvation.
Lords help. I'd like to take up two questions this afternoon.
Yeah, Ron, the Lord changed things.
Like to take up two questions this afternoon. One is.
Did the church exist in the Old Testament?
Or is it just in the new? And two, was the church prophesied of in the Old Testament spoken of in the Old Testament scriptures?
I know there have been many challenges and questions have arisen in these things. Is Reformed theology has made a comeback in recent years and perhaps are those here who have been challenged by those questions. I know I was at one time in my life and so hopefully with the Lord's help to take those up in a way that would come across clearly from the Word of God.
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That your faith might rest.
And the divine inspired pages of this book.
1St place I'd like to look at is in Exodus.
Chapter 12.
There we have the account instructions for the Passover. This was the time of the birth of the nation of Israel.
And God was about to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
And this company of individuals was going to be formed into one nation.
And in the instruction with a Passover in verse six of Exodus 12.
And he shall keep it up until the 14th day of the month of the same month, and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
Then we're going to turn to Exodus Chapter 7.
Excuse me? Not Exodus 7X7, sorry about that.
Acts Chapter 7.
The word that we're looking at is assembly.
We saw it there in Exodus, and now let's look at Acts Chapter 7.
Again referring to that same time back in Exodus.
Act 7, verse 37 This is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel a prophet, shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me him he shall hear. This is he that is Moses that was in the church in the wilderness, with the Angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai.
That word church should be assembly, and everywhere in the New Testament you find the word church.
With one exception that I am aware of, it should really be translated assembly.
The word, I don't know Greek, but it's ecclesia, and it means called out once. The exception is in the uproar in emphasis later in the book of Acts. And the town clerk comes out and appeases the people, and he tells them that the apostles were not robbers of their churches. Well, it really should be temple robbers.
The original word for assembly in Greek isn't even there.
But for some reason they translated it robbers of your churches. It should be just temple robbers. Every other place it should be assembly. Now actually in that very same chapter, interestingly enough, we get the word assembly translated that way. I guess we should just turn to it.
Acts 19.
And.
The verse that it first referred to as 37 for E of brought hit her. These men, which are neither robbers of churches really should be temple robbers, or yet blasphemers of your goddess. But when he comes out.
And speaks to them.
In verse, well verse 32 I think is where I want it. Some therefore cried one thing and some another, for the assembly was confused. Same word ecclesia called out once here is properly translated assembly and it has nothing to do with what we call the church. And so really context is what determines what this word assembly means.
Here it's just the assembled individuals that were out raising a ruckus over the gospel in the.
City of Ephesus.
What's the point? God had an assembly in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel. It was the assembly of the congregation.
They were called the assembly of the congregation nationally in their national birth.
That the church, as we would think of it, just that thought assembly there they were collectively looked at as an assembly.
Now let's turn to Matthew chapter 16.
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Matthew is the Gospel as it is presented to the Jew brings out the rejection of their own Messiah, and consequently the setting aside of Israel and the introduction of something altogether new. And in Matthew 16.
When the Lord asked the disciples the end of verse 13, Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? They said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist. Some Elias and other Jeremias are one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed.
Unto thee but my father, which is in heaven. And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, And upon this rock I will build my church or my assembly, and the gates of hell are shall not prevail against it. Now note just a side note, verse 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven.
What's the side note? Notice that the Kingdom is distinguished from the assembly here.
Let's keep them distinguished as we go through the New Testament scriptures.
Upon this rock I will build my assembly. What rock is that? Well, not as a Catholic Church takes it that it was Peter back. There's two different words he tells Peter. Thou art Peter. The Lord had given him that name when he first met him. Now Peter is finding out a new understanding of the meaning of that new name he got and that name Peter.
Is.
Petros.
It means a stone petros. When the Lord says upon this rock, it's Petra, the rock. He's the rock.
He is the foundation of the church. He is the one upon whom He will build his church, not Peter.
Peter wonderfully learned this truth later on and ministers it in his first epistle that we as living stones are built up a spiritual house, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone, that stone that was rejected by the builders, but chosen of God and precious.
And Peter learned more and more over time with that new name he'd been given men. But the Lord is the Petra, the rock.
And he says the gates of hell, or really should be Hades, shall not prevail against it. That doesn't mean that all the forces of darkness and Satan and so on, and his evil angels will never prevail against the Church. That's not what he's speaking about. The gates of Hades, that condition in which the spirit and soul are separate from the body.
Is not going to prevail against what he will build. Why?
Because he was going to go down into death, defeat death and being raised from the dead.
No longer in that condition. And that's what the psalmist says. That will not leave my soul in Hades. No, he wasn't left there. He was raised from the dead, defeated death, and upon that foundation of Christ, gone to the cross, died down into death, raised again upon that imperishable foundation, He would build his.
Assembly.
You know, each of the New Testament writers has a different.
Line of things as we say different things that the spirit of God.
Use them for to bring out, but they the truth as a whole and so they intersect in places. I'd like to bring you to the intersection of Peter and Paul, but I want to note one thing first. After the Lord had told him what it was going to take to lay that foundation.
He then brings before him later in the chapter.
That he was going to go to Jerusalem and there he was going to suffer and there he was going to die. It had to take place for that foundation to be laid. And what does Peter do? He says to him. He took him and he rebuked him.
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He rebuked him.
Be it far from the Lord, this shall not be unto thee.
I really think Peter, who had given this wonderful confession and that truth that had been opened up of this new thing that was going to be introduced.
A new assembly he calls my assembly in distinction from that assembly and the congregation in the wilderness. Peter lost the privilege here of being the one who would reveal that truth.
Oh, he wonderfully learned from this, and the Spirit of God used him, but God was going to take up another instrument.
To reveal the truth of what he first introduces here in Matthew 16, it was introduced on the wonderful confession that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Son of the living God. Let's turn to Acts before we see that intersection with Peter and Paul.
Acts Chapter 9, Saul of Tarsus, arrested on the road to Damascus, converted, saved, he's with the disciples in Damascus for a time and then it says in verse 20 of Acts 9 and straightway he preached Christ, or really should read Jesus. They would have no objection to Christ being the Son of God.
But they sure did object to the thought that Jesus was the Son of God.
Straightway he preached Jesus in the synagogues that he is the Son of God. That's where Peter.
Was in Matthew 16, but he interfered with the Lord going on to lay that foundation and so it's given to another to take up the truth of what would be built upon that foundation, but nonetheless there are ministries intersect in Ephesians chapter 2. Let's turn there.
And see where Paul?
And Peter?
Come together in their.
Very distinct ministries.
Ephesians 2 and let's start with verse 11.
Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, the flesh made by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
The Gentiles were in the place without having any claim on Israel's.
Blessings, covenant blessings, and even the promises to Abraham went no further really than this earth. And there were promises about the Gentiles in connection with that, but nothing to the Gentiles.
But now in Christ Jesus, he who sometimes were far off.
Are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for He is our peace, who hath made both one that is Jew and Gentile, and have broken down the middle wall of partition. What was the middle wall of partition? It was the law that maintained that distinction and separation between Jew and Gentile. You remember in John 4.
Where the Lord went to Samaria.
And he said on that well in Sychar, and it says there about that well. It was in the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. And if we were to look back in Genesis 48, we would read of Joseph saying to or Jacob saying to Joseph, One portion of I given to the above thy brethren, it was the first born's portion, that which I've taken out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
And then in chapter 49, when he blesses his sons, he says of Joseph, Joseph is a fruitful branch by a well.
Whose branches run over the wall. And there he was by that well, that fruitful branch, and he was reaching over this wall of partition, and he blessed that woman of Samaria. And there are others too, we know in the Lord's pathway.
As he reached over that wall of partition, but that wall of partition was there.
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Let's keep reading in Ephesians having abolished in his flesh the enmity even.
The law of commandments contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain, 1 Newman.
I stress that this is something new. This is not just something that it was in the Old Testament and now takes on a new character. This is new.
That he might reconcile both unto God. Both Jew and Gentile need to be reconciled to God.
In one body.
By the cross.
Having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace unto you, which were far off unto them which are nigh. For through Him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God. And our Here's our intersection and our built.
Upon the foundation of the apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief coroner Stone.
In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, In whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit, the wall remained.
Until the cross.
They could not be reconciled to God in one body until that wall was gone.
The church could not have existed in the Old Testament while that wall were inhabited.
But now we are built upon that same foundation we read about.
In Matthew 16, in No. Peter speaks of Indiana his own way, though he doesn't take up the truth of the church.
He intersects with Paul here.
The apostles and prophets are brought in because they are the instruments that were used of God to reveal and to open up.
The truth of the Church.
Let's turn to acts again.
This time, Chapter 4.
X4.
Verse 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel.
That by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which has become head of the corner. The point I want to make here is He.
Again, it's reinforced he did not become that cornerstone.
That foundation for the church until after they had rejected him and put him on that cross, and he died and rose again, this one who rose from the dead, that they were all witnesses of God, has now made him the head of the corner. It wasn't until that took place.
We're multiplying scriptures here because I want your faith to rest solidly on the Word of God.
Anyone of those scriptures, Matthew 16 should be enough for us. Upon this rock I will build my church. Future should be enough.
Let's look at, let's multiply the scriptures. Let's let our faith rest solidly on the divine inspired Word of God.
Let's go back to.
A little bit further in Acts.
Chapter 2 Well, let's look at a couple verses in chapter one.
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Verse five The Lord speaking to the disciples before he ascended for John, truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days.
Hence.
Just look over now chapter 2. We'll see that event.
Verse one. When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Verse 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man, approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you.
As you yourselves also know him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands of crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holding of it. For David speaketh concerning him. I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand that I should not be moved therefore did.
Rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades. Connect that with John or Matthew 16.
Neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh he would.
Raise up Christ to sit on his throne. That's not raised from the dead, that's raised up from his loins. And there's a coming day when he is going to sit on David's throne because he's the rightful heir of David. This is that raised up is not raised from the dead. And it's an important point. There are those who say the throne of David's in heaven, and this verse is saying he was raised up to heaven to sit on David's throne and he's administering David's.
Right now, and that Kingdom is occurring and you're part of it and he's reigning.
And it's a Davidic Kingdom.
That's not what this verse is saying. Raised up from his loins to sit on his throne. That's a coming day. Let's keep going. He's saying this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell. Neither's flesh did see corruption. That's why he wrote in the Psalm those very things, because he knew that God was going to raise up Christ from his loins of sin of throne, just like Abraham had confidence.
That God had centered the promises in Isaac, He would raise him up.
This Jesus have God raised up, where we are all witnesses, therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father.
The promise of the Holy Ghost He has shed forth this which ye now see in here. For David is not ascended into the heavens, and he never had a throne there.
Never had a throne there.
But he saith himself. The Lord said unto my Lord, saith thou unto my right hand.
Until I make thy foes thy footstool, therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ.
He's sitting on his Father's throne, not David's throne. The Kingdom, the time of the Kingdom on this earth prophesied in the Old Testament, has not taken place yet. When it does, he will sit on the throne of his Father. David called in Chronicles, the throne of Jehovah, called in Matthew 25, the throne of his glory.
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On this earth, when all the nations are brought before him.
But for now he's seated on the Father's throne. He received the Spirit of God once at the river Jordan because of the spotless perfection of his person, descending like a dove, bodily took his residence up in that spotless man. But now he receives the Spirit of God for the second time because of his finished work and the glory that it brought to God. And the Father gives him the Spirit, and then he sheds forth that spirit. He gives it to his own.
And that baptism of the Spirit that he had told them was about to take place did. Let's go to.
First Corinthians chapter 12 Because there's something else that took place in that baptism of the Spirit.
One Corinthians 12.
Verse 12. First, the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, our one body. So also is Christ.
For by 1 Spirit we are 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.
Speaking with a man one time, felt the church existed in the Old Testament, bringing some of these things up with him, he said. Wait a minute.
On what basis are you going to be in heaven?
As kind of a funny question, I said, Well, the merits of the blood of Christ.
And he said, well, what about Abraham and Isaac and the Old Testament believers? On what basis are they going to be in heaven? I said, well, same thing. And he said, so you're going to be there because of the blood of Christ, and they're going to be there because of the blood of Christ. Yeah. He said, when you got saved and you came under the shelter of the blood of Christ, did you become part of the church? I said, yeah. He said, so were they?
I don't know what to answer.
This first answers.
It's not the blood of Christ that made you part of the body of Christ.
Not one are in that body that are not under the shelter of the blood. But it's not the blood of Christ that made you part of the body of Christ. It's the baptism of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and then now in time you have been brought in. It's the baptism of the Spirit that brought those believers who were under the blood of Christ into one body and in time you believe. Let's turn to Ephesians chapter one.
And I believe too, thank God.
Ephesians, chapter one.
This is one of my most well worn verses I think.
Verse 13.
And whom he also trusted after they heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
And whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise?
You know, if you threw a rock in that pond, and our brother told us don't do that, if you threw a rock in that pond and it was big enough, it would send a ripple out, wouldn't it? And it would keep going and going and going and going until it reached the edges. And I don't see any out there. They keep a nice neat pump. But let's say there were cattails growing around in that pond. And as that ripple went out.
More and more cattails would become enveloped in that circle, wouldn't they?
For every cattail that came into that circle would you have to throw another stone in No one time. 1 Baptism of the Spirit took place once, and in time you were brought in. When you were saved, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, and it made you part of the body of Christ. And the Spirit of God that indwells you and me dwells. Christ in heaven has united Him, us to him as our head in heaven.
Let's turn to one verse in John Chapter 7.
To connect some of this together.
John, Chapter 7.
I.
Verse 38 Lord speaking, he that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this fake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. Could the church exist in the Old Testament?
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No, the Lord Jesus had not gone into death and been raised and glorified.
The Spirit of God could not be given until He was and form that one body, nor bring you into it when you were saved. It could not exist in the Old Testament.
Visions 1.
We're 17.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, and the knowledge of Him.
And this is my desire, dear ones, that you two would come into the knowledge and good, the eyes of your hearts being enlightened. It's really how it should read, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward, who believe according to the working of His mighty power which he wrought in Christ?
When He raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things. To the Church, which is to the Assembly which is.
His body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all, when did he become head, were united to the Lord, being indwelled by the Spirit of God. We read in first Corinthians 6 our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it says there in that chapter, he that is joined to the Lord is 1 Spirit.
And we're united to him, our head. When did he become the head? When God raised him up far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named.
That is when he made him head. There could be no body before there was a head. It would be a monstrosity, a headless body. There can be no existence of the church in the Old Testament. He was not made head until he was raised and glorified and seated at God's right hand.
Over and over and over in the Scriptures we get the proof that the church is a new thing. It did not exist in the Old Testament.
Was it prophesied of?
Was it spoken about?
Cut my time short.
We're going to look at the truth of the mystery. Hidden, gone.
And there are three passages in scripture which give us that truth and the first one.
We're going to actually not just three that speak of it, but there's three main ones that we want to look at where they're very explicit language. But for one point, first we're going to read in Ephesians one and verse.
9.
And having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation or administration the fullness 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. The dispensation or administration of the fullness of times is when all the times of God have run their course. The testing of man, it's all done, and God is going to bring in a new administration in which Christ is going to be the head over everything both in heaven and earth.
A united system of glory, heavenly glory and earthly glory all.
Headed up in Christ, what is the grand purpose of God?
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I think if you ask many believers, they'd say all His grand purpose was to save my soul. Wonderful. It was to save your soul. But that's not the center upon which everything hangs. The center of everything that God is doing is the fact that He intends to glorify Himself in Christ.
In heaven and on earth, and think of it like a wagon wheel with a hub at the center, and all the spokes go out in a structure and support all the outsider and all the rest of the truth of God hangs upon that center. And Christ is that center. God is going to glorify himself and His well beloved Son.
Both in heaven and in earth.
That's what we might call the heavenly side of the mystery, its future. It's an administration that's yet to come.
But now let's turn to Colossians and see the earthly side.
Because there are two parts of that mystery. It's not only Christ.
Being the one in whom all things in heaven and earth are going to be headed up. You know in the Old Testament prophesied about Messiah reigning, but never said anything about all things in heaven. That was a secret in the heart of God. That only is brought out in the New Testament scriptures.
Colossians, Chapter One.
Paul had two ministries. The first one was the gospel. He speaks of that in verse 23, the hope of the gospel and it's preached to all creation or of why Paul and made a minister. He is a minister of the gospel.
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, verse 24, and fill up that which is behind with the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the Church, which is the assembly, whereof I am made a minister. He was a minister of the assembly of the truth of the assembly, as well as the truth of the gospel. He had, if two platform ministry.
Or have I made a minister according to the dispensation, the stewardship that God had given him, responsibility that God had given him, connection with it to fulfill the word of God. What was given to the apostle Paul was going to complete all the revelations of God. The secrets that had been in the heart of God were now all brought up into the open, given to the apostle, and then on to the other apostles and prophets.
Even the mystery.
Which has been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his Saints, 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?
That's the earthly side of the mystery. We thought of the heavenly side, the Lord Jesus exalted.
In the administration of the fullness of times, He'll head up all things in heaven and earth, but here, now, in this present time, His body, the Church, is here on earth, and all the features of Christ as that body goes on collectively and functions are displayed in this world. That is how Christ is displayed in this world.
You have a body.
And you have a spirit, and your spirit pervades your whole body. And you say in your head, I'm going to pick up this bottle and I'm going to open the cap and I'm going to take a drink.
It might not have said it out loud like I just did, but you saw what was in my head when I picked that bottle up.
And as the body functions on this earth, united to our head in heaven by the Spirit of God as it functions, who is displayed?
Christ is displayed, and so it's Christ in you in that sense, collectively displayed as a glory. And it's got the hope of glory because if Christ is displayed here in the church, what is its end going to be in that coming administration of the fullness of times?
We're going to share the place of headship over all things with him. It's the glory that's ahead.
And it's witnessed now in the fact that Christ is displayed in his body. Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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Chapter 2.
For would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them, and Laodicea, in as many as not seeing my face in the flesh. Anybody here ever seen Paul's face in the flesh? And this is for you.
Beth, their heart might be comforted being knit together in love.
And unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement or the full knowledge of the mystery of God. Last part of the verse. So really belong there.
So I'll just read it, dropping that out to the full knowledge of the mystery of God, in whom or really would be better in which?
Is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
In the truth of the mystery.
Christ in the church is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are contained in this word. If you don't have a grasp and understanding of the truth of the mystery, you do not have in your hand the key to understand this book.
And those who don't have it really come with doctrines that are false as to that truth, they don't have the key in their hand. And Paul says, I don't want you to be beguiled with enticing words. And dear brother, dear sister, I don't want you to be beguiled either.
This mystery, it says, was hid from ages and from generations, now is made manifest to His Saints. Let's multiply scriptures again.
Romans, chapter 16.
Verse 25.
Now to Him it is of power to establish 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. We have in Colossians that it was hidden from ages and from generations, now made manifest to His Saints.
Here we read that it was kept secret since the world began, 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. Two things. You're not going to be an established Christian.
In your past down here, unless you know.
The truth of the mystery because the life and energy of the Saint.
Through this world depends upon your understanding of the truth that is proper to you in the dispensation in which you live. And not only that, those truths that are proper to the dispensation in which you live and I live are going to test our faith.
And so it's given for the obedience of faith.
They're going to test our faith. Now I want to point out one thing.
In a textual aspect that needs correction. In this it says now in verse 26 is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets. Better translation is now made manifest by prophetic scriptures. Why is that important?
When we read in the New Testament of the Law and the prophets.
And the Psalms Speaking of the Old Testament scriptures.
If this really was.
By the scriptures of the prophets, it would be Old Testament scriptures.
It's not that word. The definite article is not there in the original. It's just by scriptures which have a prophetic character. New Testament scriptures have a prophetic character. We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone.
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It's their scriptures which have a prophetic character that bring us into the presence of God and teach us the truth we need to know for our walk in this scene. It's by prophetic scriptures.
So let's turn to Ephesians.
Chapter 3.
Verse one.
For this 'cause I, Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles.
If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which has given me to you word how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery and that's the only way it could be made known by revelation as I wrote a four and few words. He's Speaking of chapter 2 where we write about the middle wall of partition being broken down and God making of the twains you and Gentile one new man as I wrote a foreign few words.
Previous chapter, whereby when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Here we go again, 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.
Just jumping down to.
Verse 19 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which hath.
Which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God.
Who created all things by Jesus Christ?
Cautions don't turn, I'm just going to read it. The mystery which has been hid from ages and from generations, but has now made manifest to the Saints Romans.
According to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began.
Ephesians, which in other ages was not made known unto the.
Of man, and then a little further in the chapter, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.
No, the Old Testament Saints don't speak of the truth of the Church, and unless we accept the expressed statements of Scripture, we will get nowhere in our souls as to this truth three times over. It's so clearly and expressly stated that this was not revealed, not made known. Not only that it was.
In God, not hidden in the Old Testament, not like the prophets that Peter spoke of who wrote and didn't understand what they wrote until it was hidden from them. This was hid and gone. Only now may manifest to the New Testament apostles and prophets.
Know the Church of God was number part of any subject of the prophecies.
Of the Old Testament.
Let's look at what the details of that mystery are.
Verse six of chapter 3 of Ephesians that the gentiles are really.
Should read they who are of the nations. They who are of the nations should be fellow heirs. Keep your finger there. I want to look at a verse in Acts 15.
Acts 15.
Paul and Barnabas going back to Jerusalem.
Verse three. And being brought on their way by the assembly, they pass through Fancy and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they cause great joy into all the brethren.
Same thing. Instead of conversion of the Gentiles, that should read conversion of those from among the nations. Why is that important? Turn over to Isaiah 60.
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Isaiah 60.
Speaking of future blessing for Jerusalem.
Verse 3.
Well, let's read verse one. Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
Verse three. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness.
Of thy rising.
Verse 5. Then thou shalt see and flow together. Thine heart shall fear and be enlarged, because the abundance are the forces of the sea. A picture of Gentile nations shall be converted unto thee, and the forces of the wealth of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
Yes, God has promises about the Gentiles in the Old Testament, but none to them. The promises are to Israel and the Gentiles will be blessed, subservient to Israel. There is a day coming in which there will be an end mass conversion of the Gentiles, but that is not what Paul was Speaking of.
In Acts 15 and Barnabas, but a conversion of individuals from among the Gentiles.
Not the conversion of the Gentiles and mass. And that is part of the truth of the mystery that the gentiles, those who are from among the nations, should be fellow heirs, fellow heirs. You know, my mother passed away and all of us siblings, we are, have an equal status in the inheritance. And there are grandchildren that will probably get something too, but they don't share the same status.
Myself and my brothers and sisters.
That's what it means, fellow heirs. It's not equal shares, it's equal in status in the inheritance. The same rights, the same place. The gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews, who we found in chapter 2 been joined into one body, the middle wall of partition broken down.
And of the same body or a joint body and partakers.
Of His promise in Christ by the Gospel, Three things.
Joint heirs.
Joint body and joint partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. What is that promise? That's not the Old Testament promises of Messiah and the blessing he would bring in turn to Titus. And then we're going to have to close.
Titus.
Verse one of chapter one Paul, a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began.
There's one more.
I was thinking it was chapter 2.
Verse seven of chapter 3. Sorry.
Being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope.
Of eternal life.
Joint partakers of the promises in Christ by the gospel, the hope of eternal life. Paul always looks at eternal life, or almost always at the end of the path. John looks at it more to the present possession. But it's that hope of eternal life had no part of Old Testament prophetic scriptures. They looked for a life that lived as long as the millennial Kingdom would last. But we have a promise of hope in Christ.
The hope of eternal life that we share with every member of the body of Christ.
Those three things form the core of the mystery, and none of them, none of them, are part of the Old Testament prophetic scripture. That is the mystery that was hidden, God not revealed. No, the church is not prophesied of in the Old Testament. It's didn't exist there either. Let your faith rest on the expressed statements.
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Of the Word of God.