Paul’s Gospel is the revelation of the MYSTERY

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Paul’s Gospel is the revelation of the MYSTERY
From: (Terral to All) 195.minneapolis-03.mn.dial-access.att.net
Date: Tue Feb 3 08:46:53 PST 1998 (Terral is my husband)


Greetings to All,


How are we justified in the presence of God today? What are you depending on for Eternal Life in Heaven? Are you trusting in baptisms, communions, sacraments, beads, candles, prayer books, graven images, holy water, healings, tongues, miracles, signs and wonders? Are you trying to pray Jesus into your heart? Do you think, as many, that you are heaven bound because you are a good person? The Apostle Paul in Eph. 2:8+9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." Rom. 5:9 says, "... having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."


Brothers and sisters, it is very important that you realise that you are not saved by Jesus the King, Jesus the Man or Jesus the Messiah. You are saved by Jesus as the LAMB OF GOD. The Jesus preached in Acts 2:36-38 is Jesus, the Lord and Christ (Messiah). It is through the Apostle Paul that our Lord and Savior is preached as THE LAMB OF GOD. Acts 13:38-43, Rom. 3:20-26. Paul in 1Cor. 11:4 speaks of another Jesus being preached and a different Gospel than they had accepted.


We are going on a short journey through the Scriptures. Our first stop will take us to the book of Acts. The book of Acts is the story of the REJECTION of the Messianic Kingdom by the Jews and the beginning of the Age of Grace, through the Stewardship of the Apostle Paul. The Kingdom Gospel was the fulfilment of Old Testament PROPHECY. Paul’s Gospel is the revelation of the MYSTERY. Rom. 16:25. The prophecy portion was planned FROM the foundation of the world. Matt. 25:34. The mystery portion of the Ministry of the Holy Spirit was planned BEFORE the foundation of the world. Eph. 1:4.


Each of the 12 apostles were Jews from the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel. Paul, although his parents were Jews, was
a citizen of Rome. Thus he is a type of the Church; THE BODY OF CHRIST, formed in this, the AGE OF GRACE. 1Cor. 12.13. For more information on the Ministries of John the Baptist, Christ and the 12 Apostles and how they are different from Paul's Ministry, please read my letter entitled, PASTORS AND TEACHERS.


Turn in your bible and READ the 27th Chapter of the Book of Acts . . . This chapter concerns itself with the Apostle Paul, as a prisoner, and his journey to Rome. I assure you brother that there is much more in these verses than meets the eye. Allow me to introduce you to a principle in Scripture that you may not be aquainted with. It is called the Selective Principle of Divine Inspiration.


Basicly it means that within the storys of Scripture are Truths that are beyond human understanding. Not to say that we can not understand them, but that by human means we can not come to know them. Pray to God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior; by power of the Holy Spirit, that your eyes may be opened and your ears may be unstopped. You will never come to know the MYSTERIES of God by the reading of words alone, but God's Spirit must reveal them to you. For more information on the (Selective Principle) and (Types and Anti-types) see my reports with those titles.


Chapter 27 of Acts depicts the spiritual voyage of the Church, THE BODY OF CHRIST, through the present (Age of Grace) as it leaves Judaism behind and heads for the heart of the Gentile world. The sea symbolizes the unsaved masses (Isa. 57:20). The contrary wind is the antagonism of Satan (Eph. 2:2). Paul is the outstanding figure aboard ship. This represents his Stewardship through the Age of Grace. Eph.3:1-3. As we consider the verses of this Chapter of Acts, notice what happens when the crew listens to Paul and the results of the crews actions when they do not.


The time had come for Paul to leave the barracks at Caesarea and begin the long trip to Rome. From verse (9) this voyage, which would have such a profound effect on mankind, seems to begin around the end of September or the beginning of October. Notice the (we) in verse (2). The author of Acts is on board. I believe as most, that this person is Luke. So Paul was accompanied by Luke and Aristarchus. Luke and Aristarchus are a type of the Holy Sririt. They are representative of the Divine Healer and Comforter. For other references to these two see Acts 19:29, 20:4, Col. 4:10, Philemon 24, 2Tim. 4:11.


The prisoners that were being sent to Rome were in the custody of Julius, a centurion of Agustus; probably of the Praetorian Guard, who may have been in the vicinity in connection with Festus' installation into office. Julius held Paul in high esteem and treats him with kindly affection, giving Paul liberty to go ashore to his friends and refresh himself. Verse (3). After a two year stay in prison, Paul would hardly possess what he would need for a long sea voyage.


The centurions kindly affection toward Paul was not unique in the apostles experience. Other Roman officers, both civil and military, had shown him similar kindness, as Julius also will again. See Acts 18:14-16; 19:31,37; 24:23, 28:16,31.


At Myra the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy. Myra was known as the area's storehouse for grain and was prabably one of its ports of call, for the ship bore grain and Egypt was then the grainary of the world. In all probability the Alexandrian ship was a sea going vessel, considerably larger than the previous costal vessel. The Egyptian sea freighters are reputed to have been the largest on the great Mediterranean Sea.


Let me now attempt to show you a part of the mystery. For this we must leave Acts and the huge grain ship behind. We must go back to the Old Testament to the 31st Proverb, beginning at verse 10 and down to verse 31. I pray that you will see the meaning.


"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain." Vs. 10, 11. "She is like MERCHANT SHIPS; She brings her food from afar." Vs. 14. "She GIRDS herself with strength, and makes her arms strong." Vs. 17. Back in Acts 27: 17, you will notice the undergirding for strength. These cables run the length of the ship and can be tightened for extra strength. This is what the Word of God does for us by strengthening us from the inside.


Back on board our ship we see Paul and the others having much difficulty. It is after they reach Fair Havens that the trip was becoming dangerous. Notice in verse (9) the mention of the fast. This was for the Day of Atonement, which falls around the first week of October. Paul is seen in verse (10) admonishing the crew. "But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the owner of the ship.


Paul is saying one thing and the pilot and the crew saying something quite different. This is the sitution as it exists today in the Professing Christian World. The captain of the ship is anyone that you are following other than the Steward of the Age of Grace (Paul). If the Centurion would have listened to Paul, he and the crew would not be in this danger. I assure you brothers, if you are listening to pastors with other gospels than PAUL'S GOSPEL (Rom. 2:16, 16:25, 2Tim. 2:7+8), then you are in greater danger than even the least among these 276 souls aboard this ship.


Paul is the Steward of the Age of Grace. He is the one who the Julius the Centurion will finally listen to. Notice that Paul is a prisoner (Eph. 3:1-3, 4:1, 2Tim.1:8, ect.), but enjoys freedom and a place even higher than that of the crew, having his own physician and servant.


In verse (13), we see a moderate south wind come up. This is just what the crew was looking for. Many suppose in life that the Devil fights his battles with stength and violence and has his victory by killing and destroying only. The greatest weapon Satan has, is in his ability to deceive people. By destroying you Satan has a small victory. By deceiving you with his lies, Satan has actually recruited you into his ranks and has added you to his army among the living. Satan has turned YOU into an anti-christ. Satan will then give you the world. All (material) things he will add to you, that his lies may go forward.


In Acts 27:13-20, we see what happened to the crew following the deception of the favorable wind. In verse 14 we see a Euraquilo or Northeaster begin to blow violently. They were caught in the wind and could not face it. The ship ran under the shelter of Clauda. For days they were driven along. As the days go by the crew began to jettison the cargo and even the ships tackle they threw overboard. After not seeing the sun or stars for many days, all hope of being saved was lost.


The Apostle Paul in 2Cor. 4:8-12 says it like this, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.


Those of you familiar with the Mediterranean Sea would understand why you couldn't just be blown south to Africa to the shore and be saved. The northern coast of Africa is a mass of rocks and a graveyard for ships. If possible get a map of the Mediterranean Sea area. Now lay a pencil down on the map, onto the eastern tip of the island of Crete, showing the direction of the wind from the northeast. Now this is the course that the wind would carry the ship unless much skill was used. Remember that the winds are gale force. Allowing the ship to take the natural course would mean sure death for all. How then was the ship able to make the trek 8 degrees to the north to Malta? Common sense might not reveal this to us.


First of all, as the ship was trying to come around Clauda is when the wind changed. The ship and crew were lucky. Had the wind changed a bit sooner, the ship would have been driven into Clauda. Notice in verse 15, they could not turn the ship into the wind. Then while under the protection of the small island, three things had to be done. First, the skiff had to be hauled aboard. This must have been very difficult under the circumstances. Form the (we) in verse 16 it appears that Paul and his two associates helped in this, or at least Luke. Second, the ship had to be frapped. This means that the undergirding cables which run the length of the ship had to be tightened to keep the ship from going to pieces. The greek word used here for undergirding is (Boetheia) and is used in only one other place in Scripture. In Heb. 4:16, ". . . that we may find grace to (help) in time of need. Glory be to God!!


Thirdly, the main sail had to come down, leaving up only a storm sail for stability, then the ship could be turned into the wind. The object was not to make progress, but was to weather the storm and avoid running into Syrtis (Africa). From the course which the ship now followed, it is evident that she was facing as near as possible into the wind (from NE), with her right or starboard, side to the wind, and the storm sail set so that she kept drifting astern, but always forging northward. To manage this, the crew would have had to put out a series of anchors, some from the bow (front) of the ship, and others from the stern quarter of the starboard side (right rear).


So the ship was driven about 8 degrees north of west, at an average speed of about one and a half miles per hour. She was actually facing in the general direction from which she came. As we go through this Age of Grace, do we not keep our eyes on the cross of Christ? I said that the ship faced the general direction, because the nose of the ship was turned slightly to the north. Do we not keep our eyes fixed on the things above? Holding this course would bring the ship to the island of Malta in about 13 days or 14 days from Fair Haven (verse 27.)


It is interesting that the term forteenth night is used. This would correspond to the evening at the end of the second week, or the very end of the two thousand years of the Age of Grace. At midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were coming to shore. This is a type of us today. We can tell that the time is coming nearer and nearer every day. We see wars and rumours of wars, famine, earthquakes, etc, etc. As in verse (29), do some among us not fear that the Body of Christ shall be drawn into the Tribulation. Are we not praying for the dawn of the Millinneal Age to shine upon us.


In verse 30, the crew are trying to escape what looks like certain death. It is Paul who preceived the evil in their hearts. Paul realized that if the ship was to be run aground properly, close to shore, she would need her crew. So the soldiers cut the ropes to drop the ship's boat into the water, by order of the centurion, by a word spoken from the Steward of the Age.


It is truly amazing to me, that of 276 people on board, that the Roman Centurion who controls the destiny of all on board, listens to, our Paul, a prisoner in chains. And because Julius listened, all would be saved. This is a type of The Body of Christ: All that heed Paul's words and enter the Body of Christ, shall be saved.


In verses (33+34), it is Paul who is encouraging everyone to take food. He said that this was for their (preservation). King James says, this is for your (health). A closer look into the Greek will reveal that this word is (soteria). Only this once is it translated as preservation. (42) other times it is translated salvation. The root of the word (soteria) is (soter), each time it is used in Scripture (24), it is translated savior. Glory be to God!!


In verse 35 they break bread together. Out of the 276 people on board, the (he) in that verse is Paul. In verse 36, ALL of the people were cheerful. Remember that they had still not seen any land, but they were taking comfort in the words of Paul. They had not seen the sun or the stars for two weeks and did not even know where they were going, only that it was some land. Does this not express our outlook today in these last days of the Age of Grace? Do these types make any sense to you? We do not know what land we are going to, only that we shall meet Christ in the air. 1Thes. 4:17. We have no other reference or guide, other than the words of our beloved brother Paul. Glory be to God!!


Verses 38-40 show the crew making the ship ready for beaching. In verse 41, notice that the ship strikes the (place) where the two seas meet. This is a type as well. We shall not meet Christ on the earth, nor in heaven, but we shall meet Him in the air. Would this not be the (PLACE) where the two meet?


Also note that the ship which carried them through to this place was stuck fast and immovable, then was broken up. So we are carried through this Present Evil Age (Gal. 1:4), in the Body of Christ, by the power of His Spirit. When we are caught up (Rapture), the Body of Christ as a whole shall be pulled into the air. There, that great envelope which holds us shall be opened and we shall all escape (from the Tribulation) to saftey.


Notice the Sin in verses (42) and (43) and how it was turned into holiness. Notice also the two groups of people, the first group could swim and the second needed help. So one group would arrive ahead of the others. This is also a type of how it is going to be at the rapture. Look in 1Thes. 4:14-17. Do you see the two groups? The dead in Christ are the ones who can already swim. We who remain and are alive at His coming are the ones who will need the help from the Spirit of God. With this help we shall ALL meet together with those who are dead in Christ.


Much confusion is made of the trumpet of God in 1Thes. 4:16. Many suppose that to be the 7th trumpet of Rev. 11:15-18. Notice in the 1Thes. 4:16 however, it does not say anything of a 7th trumpet. In 1Cor. 15: 51-55, Paul is speaking of the Rapture and in verse 52 he says the LAST trumpet. Paul uses this in reference to those who would not see death. Here we also see the two groups. To understand the meaning of these two groups and the trumpets, we must go back to the Old Testament.


First, do you realize that you are a tabernacle of God? Do you, if you are a TRUE Christian, believe that Jesus is living inside you and that the Father is within Him? Remember that the purpose of this Age of Grace is NOT to save the world. The Holy Spirit in this Age is the gathering out of the members (tabernacles) of the Body of Christ, for the purpose of giving Christ His Body. It is after the Millennial Kingdom Age, with Christ as the Steward and King, that the kingdom shall come to the earth as it is in heaven. Rev. 11:15. So let's look in the Old Testament to find the answer to this question of the tabernacles, trumpets and the two gathered groups for Christ.


Go back to Lev. 23:34-36. In these verses we see all the elements we are looking for. The feast mentioned here is the Feast of Tabernacles. It is celebrated on the harvest or (when the grain) is brought in. Notice that two times the trumpets are blown as a calling to the people. On the first day of the feast, the people were called together. There was NO work to be done of any kind. So, even though the dead in Christ shall rise first, no work shall be done. Then for seven days the Children of Israel presented their offering by fire. Then on the 8th day, the Children of Israel would hear the final trumpet. The people would present their offerings before the Lord by fire.


Now turn in your bible to 1Cor. 3:6-15. Notice in verse 13 that our offering shall be tested by fire. Also when we get there it will not be to work. The time for work will then be in the past. Our harvest will have already come. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, we shall not be judged for our sin. That was settled at the Cross. Glory be to God!!


The fire will test the QUALITY of each man's WORK not our works. In other words, as if we were all bricklayers we would not be judged on how many brick we have laid, but on the quality of our workmanship. In 1Cor. 3:16 Paul says, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Paul does not use the word tabernacle or tent (Gr. skene) here. Instead, Paul uses the word temple (Gr. naos).


We were called according to God's purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Rom. 8:29-30.


Look in your bible at Eph.5:22-32. Paul says all this so that he can recite Gen. 2:24. Paul in Eph. 5:31-32 says, "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the Church. As incredible as it sounds, we are to be the body of Christ. Rom. 12:4+5, 1Cor. 12:27, etc.. Before Adam had his bride, he first had his ‘body’; formed from the dust of the ground. Where did the wife of Adam come from? From his side. Where did the blood of Christ come from that was spilled on the ground? Israel is the people that came from out of the Gentiles. Israel is the one who is betrothed to the Lord. Hosea 2:19+20, John 3:29, Matt. 15:24.


Once you can see that we are the Body and Israel is the bride, then it is much easier to rightly divide your New Testament. Paul’s gospel is for you today; the members of Christ’ body. Rom. 3:21-26 (12:4+5). When water baptism was practiced for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4, etc.), then Christ was coming only for Israel (Matt. 10:5-7, 15:24); His bride. John 3:29. Hopefully, this post has assisted someone in the reading of the types in the NT, and also assisted in helping to recogize the bride from the body.


In Christ,


Terral