By: Bishop Albert Gran
Philippians 3:17-19
King James Version (KJV)
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
It's amazing to contemplate for once into this particular situation wherein our apostle Paul invited anyone to emulate him in matters of a true redefined walk consistent to the life of grace in this dispensation of grace.
The overwhelming account of God’s act upon us for completion, sanctification, and grandeur started from him as a man set with the purpose to be the first among all blessed person, who is a new creature of God, a man saved by grace through the precious blood of Christ. We cannot just simply mark those who were not received His blessings in accordance to the purpose for the election of grace with an acclaim of true justification in line with the preaching of the cross. The remnant of grace in view of the election of grace began with the apostle Paul and he was set by God as our pattern in this present time when God looked after those who were before His enemies, had nothing to hope for, and the most unprivileged individual who were without God (Eph. 2:11-12).
We have to simply acknowledge the most sensible idea why it needs for Paul to invite others to follow him as there were those apostles who were before him whose lives are also noteworthy in view of the gospel and principle of the kingdom which is at hand, a kingdom declared under prophecy as a never ending kingdom which the Lord Jesus Christ shall have to establish on earth, and a kingdom which shall stand against the established earthly kingdoms.
Isaiah 9:6-8
King James Version (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
Daniel 2:44
King James Version (KJV)
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Are you not wondering why it needs for Paul to say follow “me”? What’s the idea of it? Is there anything more sensible to appreciate the goodness of God for us Gentiles through Paul and his apostleship for us? Not by laid to just a simple opinion but in declaration of truth I will declare to anyone who name the name of Christ asking you to consider what gospel is the heart of this dispensation of grace declaring most His wonderful love and goodness for us all seeds of Adam in this present dispensation of grace.
Who are those others whom we need to mark as another example? They are those who walked in accordance to the gospel delivered by Paul to us. We can’t simply say that the gospel delivered by Christ to the “sons of men” in time past under the economy of law and the kingdom is the heart of today’s gospel and that we would consider it as the ultimate basis and a means we obtained access and hope in Christ. With this attempt, the cross of Christ as the heart of the gospel was marred with many salvation contents ending up to cover the finished work of Christ to that something man could do for his salvation in view of his capacity to not just only believe but do something to be saved.
King James Version (KJV)
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, THAT IN ME FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
We have to then consider the sense why it needs for Christ to demonstrate His grace FIRST to Paul while there were already those who were sinners called apostles, the 12 apostles who declared the gospel prior Paul’s calling and election? Why it needs for God to set him as a pattern for the life everlasting when there were those who received the BREAD OF LIFE which come down from heaven in the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ? I believed there’s one simple reason for that. God demonstrated a new everlasting life brought by the gospel of the cross, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ apart from works, laws, ordinances, statutes or commandments as what condition he made manifest in the TIME PAST.
It’s a new everlasting life in THE BUT NOW wherein it’s an operation simply set by God when he opened the door for the Gentiles so they could have the chance to obtain peace with God, with lives even more blessed and whose sins were totally forgiven. It’s even more gladly open to preach the gospel of peace in view of the mystery truth by preaching Jesus Christ in accordance to the revelation of the mystery revealed to us through Paul in his epistles so that when you read you will understand the knowledge of His will.
While many today succumb to many different gospels believing it’s one whole thing and entity without dividing God’s plan, it resulted to mixed up gospels following and marking men who were not patterns for the life everlasting set by God for today’s Gentiles.
Are we not aware that by doing this, those who mixed up the cross of Christ with apparent works of services described by Paul in verse 2 and 3 were called THE ENEMES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST? If there would be any other thing men’s doctrines shall add more to the finished work of Christ especially those who establish there own works, believed for symbolic representations other than simply trusting the finished work of Christ, divulged His relative purpose to be as friend of His cross instead becoming an enemy of the cross of Christ.
Simply believe Christ paid in full the penalty of your sins when he was died, was buried, and was resurrected so you can live a new life in Christ whereby Paul was set as our pattern.
Grace and peace to you all!
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