THE DISPENSATION OF GOD THROUGH PAUL

By: Bishop Albert Gran
Colossians 1:23-29

King James Version (KJV)

²³ IF YE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH grounded and settled, and be NOT MOVE AWAY FROM  THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL, which ye have heard, and which was PREACHED TO EVERY CREATURE which is under heaven; whereof I PAUL AM MADE A MINISTER;

²⁴ Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his BODY'S SAKE, which is the CHURCH:

²⁵ Whereof I AM MADE AMINISTER, according to the DISPENSATION OF GOD which is GIVEN TO ME for YOU, to FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD;

²⁶ Even THE MYSTERY which hath been HID from AGES and FROM GENERATIONS, but NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS:

²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the RICHES OF THE GLORY OF THIS MYSTERY AMONG THE GENTILES; which is CHRIST IN YOU, the HOPE OF GLORY:

²⁸ Whom we PREACH, WARNING EVERY MAN, and TEACHING EVERY MAN IN ALL WISDOM; that we may present every man PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS:

²⁹ Whereunto I also LABOUR, striving according to HIS WORKING, which WORKETH IN ME MIGHTILY.

This is a new episode to refresh my memory in view of the Gentiles' glory in this recent dispensation of God which He committed to Paul. In this study presentation, let me emphasized to you several points what mystery I saw, and which you probably have seen too, when you read these precious truths.

Since God revealed these things to us through His Spirit - (from the pen of Paul and upon his handwritings ) there's no reason why we can't gloriously see the light of these precious truths with the GOSPEL exclusively preached by Paul to us in this present Gentile grace. Inclusive in this gospel is the relative hope of Gentiles in this mystery, as hid from generations in the ages past, most especially, it's not known by the prophets who were recipients of God's prophecies concerning His earthly plan made them preach Jesus as an heir of David's throne inheriting Abrahamic land and kingdom (Matthew 1:1).  

PAUL AND THE GOSPEL   

Paul's afflictions and sufferings were in consonance to the recent dealing of God for you my brothers and sisters after God provoked the nation Israel to jealousy because of her hard headedness and penitent heart which treasured up His anger in the day of wrath. During prophetic times, they were those called covenanted ones all the way from Abraham's promise to make him a great nation above all other nations, then to the sending forth of the promised seed ( to be Israel's redeemer) until their rejection in the cutting off of the Messiah account.

God's forbearance and longsuffering which He extended to those not under the law (you and my emphasis as born in the Gentile race) has the set purpose to put Jews and Gentiles without distinction, as both sinners who really need perfect sacrifice for righteousness apart from the righteousness which is of the law. Thus, God concluded all in unbelief and both needs to be justified based on what God propitiates to appease His own righteous standard, which made it reasonable to raise up Paul under heaven and preach a rare and unique message for all sinners around the world or to all seeds of humanity without distinction.

The truth-bearer after the setting aside of the nation Israel falls from the time God called Paul in the road of Damascus where progressive revelation from childhood to perfection (maturity as set forth in the Mid of Acts of Paul's missionary journey) wherein there it indicates threefold pronouncements of Paul to exclaim that "salvation is therefore sent to the Gentiles".

It's crystal clear that his apostleship, as mentioned by Christ to Ananias through the pen of Dr. Luke,  has viewed two groups of people (Jews and Gentiles) to be placed in Christ, in one living body called THE BODY OF CHRIST so they could put on Christ. To be in the body of Christ is significant as compared to the prophetic establishment of obtaining righteousness, with OWN WORKS, as the sole basis and foundation indicating your blessedness but not by faith to the REDEMPTIVE WORK of Christ for completion and glorification. This explanation is an emphasis in regard to God's two-fold blueprint which is between LAW and GRACE.  

HOPE OF THE GOSPEL UNDER HEAVEN: WHO PREACHED ?

 

No wonder through understanding rightly dividing principle, we knew for a fact that "TIMES PAST" ( in view of Israel's rise) was done and we're living in this set of new era called "BUT NOW" wherein the Dispensation of God, called the Dispensation of Grace was committed to an apostle preaching the "gospel" to all creatures around the world.

Logic and sensible truth to adhere the gospel preached by the recent appointee and minister to the Gentiles in order to preach a distinct and more significant gospel not once preached under the times of the prophets and times of the 12 apostles except when it was revealed to the other  kingdom apostles looking forward to the restitution of all things in view of the establishment of the earthly kingdom which the Blood of the New covenant will be declared as a perfect sin-offering instead of the animal sacrifices typified during the Old Covenant.  

THE FAITH

The sure basis of faith which I believed God wanted you to adhere today was found in the gospel preached by Paul, not with ANOTHER GOSPEL which was declared by the apostles before Paul neither by the prophets in the Old prophetic times. Neither the gospel preached by Christ when he was a minister to the circumcision nor what was declared by the 12 disciples where you can achieve the true message for your hope and salvation today.  

"The faith" in my understanding had shown a unique identity of truth only available to the time when God set a new minister and gave a RECENT GOSPEL called the gospel of the Grace of God in view and emphasis of His redemptive work. Kingdom gospel in view of wet cleaning (water baptism by John the Baptist) , Mosaic Law, etc. were not at all our gospel in this recent period of grace. Once a believer will establish and would want to be settled and grounded in the truth, he or she has to adhere to the true and pure message delivered by the minister to the Gentiles as he was our sole apostle, the bearer of truth for your blissful fate and destiny.  

With firm conviction, I do believed there's a hidden truth not declared from the history's past which are available in THE FAITH (the body of truth in the gospel) which Paul from the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to us Gentiles. Therefore, it pays to study the word of God rightly dividing so you would see what GOLD, SILVER, PRECIOUS STONES you are treasuring up in the recent service you've rendered to the Lord.

Yes, we are held accountable in the judgment seat of Christ but one thing made me sure about that when it happens, that in that day the secrets of men shall be judged ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL. There was a reasonable implication to be objective in the principle of preaching the purity of Christ's gospel which is available with Paul.

Everybody has the right to stress out preaching mixed gospels, and combined them together to at least preach Christ. But with rightly dividing principle the Lord would want you not to move away with the hope of the gospel which was preached to every creature through GOD'S MINISTER PAUL.

Did you follow Paul as he followed the Lord Jesus Christ?

Grace and peace!