Today’s Devotional – March 15th (Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian! Part 2)
By admin On January 14th, 2021.
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Today’s Devotional – March 15th
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Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian!
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Part 2
To read part 1, click here… “March 14th (Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian!)”
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“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly;
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neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
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But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly;
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and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;
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whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
Romans 2:28, 29.
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In yesterday’s devotional (click here), the groundwork was laid for this subject of “Replacement Theology”, a derogatory tag by which the greater portion of Christendom demeans those who now spiritualize Israel.
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In other words, most theologians agree that when the Bible speaks of Israel, it is only referring to the literal nation of Israel, and not to the New Testament Church as so-called, “Replacement Theologians” suppose.
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St Paul Preaching in Athens (Raphael, 1515) – Wikipedia – US public domain
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A SCARLET LETTER
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And furthermore, they use this non-biblical theological term, “Replacement Theology” as a sort of derogatory tag, a type of “scarlet letter”, to hang upon anyone who teaches that the New Testament Church is now “the Israel of God”. Galatians 6:16
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It was also pointed out in yesterday’s devotional (click here) that Paul is by far, the biggest proponent of this so-called “Replacement Theology”.
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Yes, Paul says repeatedly, howbeit in various ways, that the Church is now the “Commonwealth of Israel” (see Ephesians 2:12-15 & Romans 2:28, 29 which were yesterday-devotional’s signature verses).
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And so, let’s continue on, by hearing more of what Paul had to say about the Church.
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Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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ALL PEOPLE NOW ON EQUAL GROUND!
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First, hear what Paul said to the Galatians…
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ’s, THEN ARE YE ABRAHAM’S SEED,
AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE.”
Galatians 3:27-29.
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So Paul is saying that in Christ, there is no difference between Jew and Gentile…“There is neither Jew nor Greek…”
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We are all Abraham’s seed, fellow heirs, according to the promise!
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We are now on totally equal ground with Jewish Believers, as well as everybody else in the world!
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As the Apostle, Peter puts it, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:” Acts 10:34
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Bible-Study-Group – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license
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STORY OF ABRAHAM WAS AN ALLEGORY
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And just a little later in Galatians, Paul makes an even more remarkable revelation, when he says… “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all…Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise…So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” Galatians 4:22-26, 28, 31.
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So God, through Paul, is revealing a giant concept here: that those Old Testament stories, though true historical events, were actually orchestrated by God, to present the Gospel in allegories.
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Yes, these true historical accounts were meant to be prophecies concerning Christ and His Church! And this story of Sarah and Hagar was really about the New Testament Church!
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Now that is such an amazing truth, that it completely rocks the very foundations of our previous understanding!
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Sarah & Hagar – Foster Bible Pictures – Wikipedia – US public domain
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BIBLE A VERY PROPHETIC BOOK!
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Yes, and this giant concept of how the Old Testament really presented allegories concerning Christ and His Church, is further confirmed by this next passage from Revelation… “for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10.
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And of course, the entire Bible is the “testimony of Jesus”. Revelation 19:10
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And so, the entire Bible is the “spirit of prophecy”. And that is why Paul had the license to unravel the true spiritual meaning of this Old Testament story, of how Sarah and Hagar are each a picture of the Church: both the faithful portion, as well as the unfaithful, apostate portion.
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It is just as Jesus said, regarding the Old Testament… “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” John 5:39.
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Yes, the Old Testament was all about Jesus, though He was veiled in types and shadows and various allegorical stories.
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Expulsion of Ishmael and His Mother by G. Dore – Wikipedia – public domain
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WE NEED NOT ANY HUMAN AUTHORITY TO TEACH US
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And not only Paul had the license to unravel these stories, but God gives us the same license, as is written…
“But the Anointing (the Holy Spirit) which ye have received of Him (God) abides in you,
and ye need not that any man teach you:
but as the same Anointing teaches you of all things,
and is truth, and is no lie…”
1st John 2:27
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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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BIBLE IS GOSPEL WRAPPED IN PARABLES
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Listen to the very words of Jesus… “And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them,
Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven,
but to them it is not given…
Therefore speak I to them in parables…
For this people’s heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest at any time they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
and should understand with their heart,
and should be converted, and I should heal them.”
Matthew 13:10, 11, 13, 15
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So, in this above passage, Christ reveals why the Bible has so many parables.
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These parables reveal the deeper truths of God’s Word which are the “hidden manna” revealed only to God’s true worshippers.
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But those who are antichrists among God’s people, cannot progress onward to perfection (Nor do they even want to!)
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THE WAY OF SALVATION REVEALED
Oh yes, the Bible speaks plainly about how a person becomes saved.
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Yes, those basic salvational truths have been made clear as noonday in the Bible, and none need stumble, concerning how one must be saved!
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And should any of those in the apostate portion of the Church decide to truly come to Jesus, then his or her eyes will be opened to see these other many deeper truths, which are all wrapped up in allegorical stories.
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Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.
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“For I could wish that myself were accursed…for…my kinsmen”
Romans 9:3
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Now, should Christians have a yearning in their hearts for “Israel-after-the-flesh”? (1st Corinthians 10:18)
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Of course they should! And even though we know that God will never re-institute His sacrificial system in the nation of Israel over there in so-called, “Palestine” (or any other nation), our prayers and hope is for the Salvation of each and every Jew!
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Paul had a great self-sacrificial love for his fellow kinsmen, “Israel-after-the-flesh”, and so should we!
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Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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So this topic will be finished tomorrow (click here), with a short discussion of just who is, “the Israel of God” spoken of at the end of the Paul’s Epistle to the church of Galatia.
Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law. Help me know Thy Word so well, that I don’t need to depend upon others to instruct me…
Marine Praying – Wikimedia – USMC Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… February 21st (Picture of a Very Grave Man), or you can also read… February 19th (“Man Shall…Live…By Every Word”), or you can also read…September 13 (“Do Replacement Theology Christians Hate Jews?”)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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THE HOLY GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION
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This newest Signs Of Heaven Constellation (Fall, 2013) is by far the faintest of constellations, but is a very incredible and awesome in a number of ways (which this article will explain).
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It is primarily comprised of the Camelopardalis Constellation (head and upper back), plus about 5 stars from the Cassiopeia Constellation (his leg), plus some random stars. It appears as an outline of a rider. Only the back of his head is detailed. And his back and the back of his legs are also detailed. Both sides of his arm are visible, and his hand is gripping the horses mane, and that is detailed by three stars (which are also part of the horse’s mane). The rider is in a position vaguely similar to a race-horse jockey. The two brightest stars in this constellation, are from the Cassiopeia Constellation, and are part of his leg. All the rest of the stars are very faint, and must be viewed on a very starry night.
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Since this constellation has just been revealed, there may be more to this constellation in the coming months. But if you can locate the Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating this Rider Constellation, provided you have excellent star-watching conditions.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “The Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation” or you can also read… “Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
“March 16th (Paul the Ultimate Replacement Theologian! Part 3)”
Paul persecuted by Pharisees & Sadducees – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS STUDY #74 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain