Luke 16 (NKJV) In our previous post we considered what the implication would be if we were to have considered these verses as literal statements, now we shall like to see the true meaning of these verses hidden by the Lord from the worldly wise through the use of metaphors and figurative language. VERSE 19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.” In this picture (a figurative portrayal…
In our previous post we took a look at the rich man now let us consider the poor man. There is nothing said about his being a particularly good man a righteous man (there are plenty of poor people who are just as bad if not worse than a lot of rich people), nor is it stated that he prayed a great deal–not a suggestion about his ever praying; in fact nothing is said about his having been a believer…
Our Covenant is: “A Covenant by Sacrifice not the New Covenant” (edited) From our studies thus far as Bible Students we have learned that the New Covenant is to become fully operational by the close of this Gospel Age, when once the Mediator (the Christ, Head and Body) is made complete, and that it is this covenant under which restitution blessings are to come to the world of mankind. This was pointed out to us as the Keturah Covenant–separate and…
Many have difficulty in accepting that this is a parable, in the following study we were attempting to show one of our fellow forum members of a bible study forum we frequent why we believe this to be a parable. Our friend like many professed Christians believing in an actual Hell of fire and brimstone in which they believe is the eternal abode of all the wicked contends that the Parable of the rich man and the beggar proves this,…
Having in our previous posts (which please see) now an understanding of what it means to be “IN Christ Jesus”, the next question naturally would be, How does one get “IN Christ Jesus” in the first place? How do we get into the body of Christ? The Apostle answers that we were baptized into it, and hence are now counted as members of our Lord, members under him as our Head, members of “the Church which is his body.” “But…
Being IN Christ Jesus was also explained by the Apostle in another series of word pictures, in the first of which the consecrated followers of the Lord are likened to members of his Body. In the twelfth chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians he used this metaphor to explain how unity in Christ’s Body permits of great variety in the personal qualities and abilities of its members. “Now hath God set the members every one of them in…
This study comes to us from an article written by Brother L. H. Bunker entitled, “The Source of Our Life, Strength and Joy” “To all the saints IN Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:1) “The Apostle Paul was preeminently the Apostle of “the mystery” — that mystic union of Christ, the Head, and the Church, his spiritual Body. His letters abound in direct and implied references to the oneness of the Christ, a unity which Paul described as the “mystery which hath…
How and what specifically do we sacrifice? Scriptural Usage of the Term “Sacrifice” “The word “sacrifice” may be used from different standpoints. If an animal were killed for some benevolent reason or purpose, it might be spoken of as a sacrifice, particularly if it were something done in harmony with the Divine arrangement. But the mere killing of an animal would not be sacrifice. A dog might be killed without being sacrificed. But if the dog’s life were surrendered for…
Considering what we have thus far discussed in our previous post right about now many are probably thinking to themselves this all seems much too complicated, the Gospel of salvation is not supposed to be this complicated it’s supposed to be simple, viz. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:31). This is true for the most part, but then we are not referring to “our common salvation” (Jude 3), of the salvation which comes…
The first invitation to the feast, recounted in the parable, represents the first years of our Lord’s ministry, which were specially directed toward interesting the scribes and Pharisees and Doctors of the Law, who, as the leading men of that nation, and as our Lord said, occupying Moses’ seat, really represented that nation as a whole; and the rejection of the invitation by these meant the rejection of it by that nation as a whole. Thus our Lord was careful…