God’s Intent is that the Church, Saved and Heaven-bound, will be a trophy of His Grace & Wisdom.
All that was accomplished by the God’s long-held secret and wise plan of Cross will be on display for eternity.
With the creation of man, Adam initially had fellowship with God; “they (Adam and Eve) heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Genesis 3:8a) But after Adam’s sin in rebellion against God’s words… he was driven from the garden and the whole creation was cursed, man, beast, and the fruit of the earth. Consequently, the whole creation yearns to be reconciled to God.
Believers need to know, understand and appreciate that the salvation they enjoy has to do with these Biblical terms that develop in this order.
God created man in His own “image,” as a vessel well suited to receive and be in union with God.
But, Adam & Eve were tempted of the lie of the Devil to “Sin” in disobedience…
In this 12-Part Study Series we will examine the core revelation truth of Paul's thesis that present man's fallen condition and ... mankind's only hope which is to be found as fruit of the His cross. All these blessings of Paul's grace gospel are recieved only by grace though faith alone in the shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If the Bible makes anything clear, it is the fact that the secret of all God’s good news gospel to men is centered in Calvary’s Cross. It was because Christ was to die for sin that God could proclaim good news to sinners down through the ages.
It was not until some time after the crucifixion, however, that “the preaching of the cross” was widely proclaimed as a message by Paul in “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (ICor.1:18; Acts 20:24).
"…I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me" (Ezek.33:7).
God's Prophet Ezekiel was appointed as a "watchman" over the house of Israel. He was held responsible to sound the alarm and warn the wicked of Israel from their way. While God must deal justly with sin, He also declared: "I (the Lord) have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live" (Verse 11).
In his farewell address to the nation Israel, Moses said:
“Ask now of the days that are past… since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?” (Deut. 4:32-33).
Introduction:
This study is based upon what sprang to mind as I later pondered what I heard of a message given by Casey Groeneveld. I also borrowed his title for this series.
This is the first part of a 10-part study based upon the supposition that the Apostle Paul and his writings could be removed from the Bible.