(XXIII.) THE ONE NEW MAN WAS ELECTED OR CHOSEN BEFORE THE
FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
In Eph.1:4 Paul said "According as he hath CHOSEN US IN HIM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION
OF THE WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."
This is a tremendous verse of Scripture for many reasons and one of the main reasons is
because this is only said about the One New Man in the prison epistles. He is the only
Body or Church that God chose or elected BEFORE the Foundation of the World. All other
bodies or churches were chosen after, since, or from the foundation or beginning of the
world, including the Acts Body.
In II Thess. 2:13 Paul said concerning the Acts Body "But we are bound to give
thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because GOD HATH
"FROM" THE BEGINNING CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth:"
How could anything be any clearer than this? The Acts Body was elected FROM the
beginning of the world, whereas, the One New Man elected BEFORE the Foundation of the
World.
CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD |
THE EARTH
GEN.1:1 |
CHOSEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD |
THE ONE NEW
MAN
EPH.1:4 |
THE
FOUNDATION |
THE ACTS
BODY
2 THESS. 2:13 |
If they were elected at two different times, how could
they possibly be the same Body? If they were the same Body they would both be elected
before Gen. l:l, or both elected after Gen. l:l. But they are not, which again leads me to
the conclusion that they are not the same Body. For anyone to say they are the same body,
when it is so apparent that they are not, to me is wrongly dividing the Word of Truth.
Those who RIGHTLY divide the Word of Truth do not make things that are different the same.
In conclusion, I'm reminded of an event that took place in Israel's past history that
typifies what I'd like to say here at the end of this article.
In times past God brought Israel out of Egypt, across the Red Sea to a place called
Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran, which was located at the edge of the Land of Caanan. In
Num.13 God instructed Moses to send 12 men to "spy out" the Land of Caanan and
to bring back word of what they saw. When they returned, two of the "spies",
Joshua and Caleb brought back with them figs, pomegranates, and a huge cluster of grapes
that took two men to carry upon a staff, to show Israel the fruits of the land. They also
gave a "good report" of the land calling it a land "flowing with milk and
honey". And in Num.13:30 Caleb stood before Moses and Israel and said "Let us go
up at once, and possess it; (the land) for we are well able to overcome it." But the
other ten spies gave an "evil report" of the land, they said the land had giants
in it, and the people that possessed it were strong and lived in walled cities and they
said they were as "grasshoppers" in their sight. The story goes on to say that
Israel believed the evil report of the 10 spies and rejected the good report that Joshua
and Caleb gave. And instead of Israel going in to enjoy the fruits of the land flowing
with milk and honey, God caused them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years till that
whole generation died and was wasted in the wilderness (Num.14:33). The only ones who went
in were Joshua and Caleb because they believed God and gave a good report of the land.
In this story I see analogy that is related to the subject of this article. In this
Dispensation of Grace God has delivered us out of bondage (type of Egypt) baptised us into
Christ (type of Red Sea) and set before us a "land flowing with Grace and
Truth". That land is the prison epistles of Paul, which are flowing with the
"Unsearchable Riches of Christ" and "All Spiritual blessings in Heavenly
Places."
In that "Land" you will find the One New Man, the Body over which Christ is
the Head that God created when He broke down the middle wall of partition after the close
of the Acts period. In that "Land" God has planted the grandest blessings,
inheritance, hope, promises, riches, position, salvation, destination, etc...in all of the
entire Bible. And as there was only a small minority of men who gave a good report of the
Land of Caanan (2 out of 12), there is only a very small minority of men who give a
"good report" of the "Land" of Paul's Prison Epistles.
And as the majority were turned away by the evil report of the 10 spies in times past,
the majority are turned away by the evil report that most preachers give concerning Paul's
Prison Epistles today. They call them "hogwash and baloney" and label those that
that claim the Prison Epistles as their "Land" as "stupid",
"Nincompoops", Hyper-Dispensationalists" or "Bullingerites".
My prayer is that you won't be turned away by the evil report that men give today
concerning Paul's Prison Epistles. Look at what happened to the men who gave the evil
report in times past (Num.14:37), and look what happened to those that believed them
(Num.14:33).
I would encourage you as Caleb encouraged Israel; "Go up at once to possess the
riches and blessings of Paul's Prison Epistles, which are the books written exclusively
to, for, and about the One New Man. Don't stay in the bondage of Matt.- John, don't wander
in the wilderness of the Acts period, go on up and possess the Prison Epistles, the Land
flowing with Grace, Truth, and Freedom.
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