On what basis does the Christian life operate successfully? The typical church leader or pastor today would reply; “Of course, it’s by you keeping the Ten Commandments – then God will bless you.”

The prophesied work of the Holy Spirit in connection with His people of the Nation of Israel needs to be clearly understood as to its time and place… as compared with how it differs from His work today in connection with the members of “the body of Christ.”

In Joel 2:28-29 God promised to supernaturally cause the believers of Israel to prophesy, etc., but in Ezek. 36:26-27, He also promised to supernaturally cause them to do His will.

Acts 13 tells how Paul and Barnabas had entered a synagogue as strangers and simply sat down to listen. After “the reading of the law and the prophets,” however, the leaders of the service sent someone to ask them: “Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on” (Verses 14 and 15). Somehow Paul and Barnabas had been recognized as men of God.

Enjoy the truth of these verses that apply to us today as we live under “the dispensation of the GRACE of God.” (Eph. 3:2).

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and THE MINISTRY WHICH I (Paul) HAVE RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS, TO TESTIFY THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.”

– The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:24.

Paul wrote that “death reigned from Adam to Moses” (Rom.5:14). That was about 2500 years.

There are three basic misconceptions that most people entertain about the law of God and its Ten Commandments.

1. Most people have a vague notion that the law always was in existence and that it must have been given to the first man, Adam, or soon after.

Actually, God gave the law to Moses for Israel only, about 1,500 B.C. This was after about 2,500 years of human history had elapsed (John 1:17). So mankind lived on earth for about 2,500 years without the law or the Ten Commandments.

Every Christian knows by their own daily experience that the Lord does not take possession of believers and cause them to live lives pleasing to Him. Many would wish God would make them live righteously. The truth is that we have a part in this.

Some preachers say: “There are many things in the Bible which are hard to understand but, thank God, the plan of salvation is as simple as can be.”  I would say yes! The plan of salvation is simple… but only IF we obey Paul’s admonition of 2Timothy 2:15 to “rightly divide the Word of truth.” Otherwise, as you will see, the Bible is a book of seeming contradiction and confusion.

The Power Of The Gospel Of Grace

By Arthur J Licursi

“…the gospel… is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also IN YOU, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:5-6).