Part 3 – A ‘Different Program’ for “The Body of Christ”

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Praying for Those Enduring Natural Catastrophes.

How can God let us go through such troubles without deliverance? Is that not cruel? Why is there no physical working of God to rescue us from our troubles?

Under the Law of Moses, the Old Covenant, God punished the nation Israel with curses when they failed to obey Him (cf. Lev. 26 and Deut. 28). The unbelieving, rebellious Jews suffered sickness, crop failure (drought and famine), infertility, military defeat, political oppression, and so on. God was angry with them. He was chastising them for their disobedience, trying to get them to reform their wayward behavior. Should we conclude this today?

Is God punishing us today with troubles? No!

People who do not “rightly divide the word of truth” do not understand that we are under a different program of God today. We are under ‘Grace’ instead of Israel’s ‘Law’ program (cf. Romans 6:14-15). Rather than concluding that tribulations (troubles) are God’s judgment on us, we understand that those tribulations work for our benefit.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

During difficult circumstances, we rely more fully on the Lord Jesus Christ to supply us inwardly!

Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of (expectation of) the glory of God. 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Earlier, we saw in Eph. 3:2 that we are under “the dispensation of the Grace of God.” God’s attitude toward the world today is “grace and (inward) peace.” Each and every one of Paul’s epistles opens with “grace and peace,” just check the first chapter of every Bible Book, Romans through Philemon. This is God’s present message to the world, the nations, the Gentiles. As stated previously, we only find this total “grace and peace” message in Paul’s 13 epistles.

The rest of the Bible is predominantly legalistic, Law-oriented, Israel-focused. We must be sure to keep these Pauline and non-Pauline sections of the Bible separate, or we run the risk of confusing God’s various instructions to mankind throughout history. If we don’t recognize Paul’s apostleship to us, we likely then will start taking Bible verses that are not written to or about us today.

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us (Paul and company) in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, (so) that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:” (2 Cor. 1:8-10)

So, God is notout to get’ anyone today, but He uses “all things” for the eternal good of learning to live by faith, trusting in the Lord.

He is offering all men “grace and (inner)peace” through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. When we today see trouble during our “dispensation of the Grace of God,” it’s not God pouring out wrath. God’s wrath is planned to appear only after our dispensation ends at the Rapture; there is no divine wrath today. Today God is not counting our sins.

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing (not counting) their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now 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. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (In Christ).” (2 Cor. 5:19-21)