A Brief Summary of the Plan of God

Below is Don Samdahl’s excellent article which I have divided into five parts, adding ‘emphases’ only.

I’ve also added ‘Part 6’ for further explanation of what we as grace-age believers will be doing after our Rapture to dwell “eternal in the heavens” with Christ.

Arthur J. Licursi

Summary of the Plan of God

by Don Samdahl

https://doctrine.org/summary-of-the-plan-of-god

Updated Thursday, July 21, 2016

Part 1 - Introduction

Part 2 - God’s Dealings with Mankind and then Israel

Part 3 - God’s Creation of the (Gentile) Church (The Body of Christ)

Part 4 - Israel Redux (Brought Back):

Part 5 - A New Beginning

Part 6 – Supplement - by Arthur Licursi

This website is dedicated to

• The proclamation of the riches of God’s abundant, exceeding grace toward mankind (Rom. 5:20; 11:6; Eph. 1:7)

• The affirmation of God’s purpose in saving all mankind through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:3, 4; 4:10; Titus 2:11)

• The “preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25) ... until it was revealed to Paul as "the Apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom. 11:13) for His heaven-bound Gentile Church members of "the body of Christ" (Col. 3:4, Eph. 1:3).

• True freedom and liberty apart from the burden of Israel's law (Gal. 5:1)

• The 'organic' nature of “the church, the body of Christ” (I Cor. 12:13, Eph. 1:22-b-23a) as a living Body.

• The distinct ministry of Paul, as “THE apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13)

• The importance of receiving all people whom Christ has received (Rom. 14-15)

• The recovery of rich Biblical truth that has too long remained hidden under the veils of religious traditionalism, prejudice, misunderstanding, and fear (Mark 7:7, 13).

• The completeness of the believer “in Christ” (Colossians 2:10), with ...

- the believer’s total forgiveness of all sins; past, present, and future (Col. 1:14)

- the believer’s new identity in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6)

- the believer’s adult position of sonship… “in Christ” (Gal. 4)

I do not claim infallibility for this website’s contents. Our readers are asked to be as “the Bereans” who “search the Scriptures daily" for themselves (Acts 17:10-11; I Thes. 5:21).

This website is not connected with any "person," “church,” “denomination,” “movement,” “organization,” “mission,” “creed,” “meeting,” “school,” “conference” or “fellowship.

Best of

Paul’s Two Ministries

Key Points Drawn from the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council Meeting

The Church of the Dispensation of “the Mystery”

The Jeremiah 4:23 Katabole

Comparing ‘Two Different Gospels’

The Mature Christian’s Worldview

Why Christians Fail in the Christian Life

Forgiveness, Conditional versus UnConditional

God's Turn from Israel to the Gentiles

Part 4 - What Exactly Does the Unfulfilled “Spirit of Man” Desire?

God Interrupted Israel’s Prophetic Program

Christ Liveth in Me

The Mystery of Our Union with Christ

Our New Nature

Free at Last

About Me

As you read through the various Articles and Study Series I've posted in this website, you will note that the topic of my writing always concerns Christ and our living relationship with Him. I thought some may want to know who I am and my point of view.

Every Christian is the product of their life experiences and God's intervention in their lives. I'm just like you if you too are a believer who has received the regenerating "Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." We thus are recipients of God the Father's grace, love and His literal life, received in the person His Son, Jesus Christ, as "the Spirit of life" (Rom 8:2a, cf., 2Cor 3:17, 1John 4:13). Christ literally indwells our spirit (cf., John 3:6, 1Cor 6:17, Rom 8:16) as our new and eternal life (Col 3:4, Gal 2:20). See more.

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What TO DO TODAY

In the light of Bible prophecy, we as grace-age believers naturally wonder how long the present course of things will continue before God ultimately intervenes in human affairs.

There are the two ‘time indicators,’ and the challenge below to consider.

1. The Gentile and the Jew.

In this Biblical age the Gentile is on the top, so to speak, while the Jew is on the bottom. In the O.T., especially in the book of Deuteronomy, the nation of Israel was warned that if they disobeyed the Lord they would be scattered among the nations and be few in numbers; they would be the tail and not the head.

Acts 28 records the announcement of this sad plight, and the greatest LO-AMMI time-period began for Israel. (Lo-ammi means ‘Israel is NOT MY PEOPLE and I am not their God,’ Hosea 1:9).

As result of Paul’s Acts 28:28 declaration, the Gentiles have had about 2,000 years of opportunity since the setting aside of Israel.

“Be it known therefore unto you [Israel], that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” Acts 28:28 (KJV)

Likewise in time past, Israel was also on the scene for close to the same amount of time. Before Abraham the nations (Gentiles) had close to 2,000 years of opportunity before getting set aside.

So according to the 6,000 years of human history teaching, man's day is close to its end, and the Sabbatical year, called the Millennium, may be just around the corner.

The other time indicator is what the Prophetic teachers call it:

2. The Prophetic Clock.

The Prophetic Clock stopped running when Israel was set aside in Acts 28:28. Since that time all prophecy with regard to Israel and the nations has also STOPPED, even though a secular nation called Israel has been established in the Holy Land. The clock is still stopped, but it seems the world stage is being set and the end times are very close.

As we anticipate the development of the end-times we naturally wonder what our response should now be. I find that response in it this third topic:

3. The Challenge.

We are to make the best possible use of time. In Eph. 5:16 and Col. 4:5 we are told to REDEEM THE TIME, and WALK IN WISDOM TOWARD THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.

Even though Eph. 3:9 “fellowship of the mystery” should be our first concern, yet our wise and well-timed remarks can be made to the unsaved about the essential truths of John 3:16 offering of eternal life if we pray for such occasions.

There are yet hungry soul’s waiting to be saved by God’s grace. Let us pray for their salvation and let us speak when the situation allows.