Part 2 – Interacting with the Religionist

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Doctrinal Truth Divides.

Part 2 – Interacting with the Religionist

A ‘religionist’ is one who operates on the basis of what his ‘religion’ tells him he should and needs to ‘do’ in order to find, please, serve God, that is … on the merits of his doing good and religious “works.” He thus thinks he can ‘earn’ his salvation and God’s blessing by his good and religious works. Without realizing it, he is essentially saying he can put God in debt to him... that God owes him favor for what he does. This of course is the diametric opposite of God’s “grace” which is a free gift, not earned by “works”, as seen in Paul’s words here;

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6 (KJV)

Not seeing the truth of God’s grace, many so-called Bible based ‘religionist’ disparage us grace dispensationalists. They say we, by our teaching of “the word of truth” by “rightly dividing” the Bible’s words for Israel from Paul’s words for “the church, the body of Christ” (thus dividing Law from Grace), are just troublemakers whose aim is to split up their churches by proving them wrong, nitpicking over points of doctrine, attacking religions, denominations, disrespecting ecclesiastical traditions, and so on. This of course is not true and not our purpose. Our aim is to share Paul’s Message of Pure Grace with the sole intention of building-up the believers in “the faith,” thus building up the invisible “body of Christ” through a clear understanding of “the word of God.”

Paul says we should “In meekness (be) instructing those that oppose themselves.” Paul told Timothy we should be as patient when dealing with others regarding the Scriptures.

“the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Tim. 2:24-26)

Paul tells Timothy exactly what and who he should teach.

“the things that thou hast heard of me (Paul) among many witnesses, the same commit (present) thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others (2 Tim. 2:2)

We are to “present” the Pauline truth of the “gospel of the grace of God” (Act 20:24) and under no circumstances are we to argue. If others won’t listen and receive the simple truths of the Word of God “rightly divided (meaning to “divide” that which in the Bible which applies to the Nation Israelfrom that which applies “to the church, the body of Christ), then we should leave them to God! We wish these willfully ill-informed individuals all the best.

We need to know that God has “some” who will welcome, hear the truth of God’s grace, and find “rest.” (cf. Heb. 4:1, 6, 10) We need to seek them instead of spending our time with the same few who want to Bible joust, never willing to receive. We need to be able to clearly “present” the Paul’s grace gospel to those to whom He leads us. I believe the Lord has prepared the hearts of some “faithful men (and women) who will readily receive the grace message, which in turn is confirmed to them in Scripture by the Holy Spirit. As soon as they hear the truth of Paul’s “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) it will ring true in their hearts with an heir of hope. These will innately know the grace gospel is true just as much as they know their own names.

God’s word suggests that we and all believers should be like the Bereans who “searched the Scriptures,” as to whether what Paul taught was true.

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea... 11 These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word (that Paul preached) with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11)

“a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose Heart The Lord Opened, that she attended (took heed) unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” (Acts 16:14)