Grace and peace.
This is Kevin from Covington, GA.
I just want to thank everyone at Truth Time Radio for equipping the body of Christ with the true words of reconciliation.
I listen to you guys every day at work.
There's not one day that goes by that I don't.
So, grace and peace and I love you all.
This, is Truth Time Radio.
WTTR your mobile app home for the word of reconciliation and songs of grace.
Want to take a moment and answer a question real quick here from Kevin, a minister of reconciliation himself there in Covington, Georgia, a former Seventh Day Adventist with an outstanding testimony.
We may have an opportunity to speak with Kevin here on WTTR in the future.
So, Kevin writes, Good afternoon to everyone at Truth Time, I would like to ask a question about Romans 16:26.
This verse was brought forth recently in my discussion with a Hebrew Israelite.
He proposes that salvation is only for Israel, and that Paul's mystery was not really a mystery, but it was actually according to prophecy.
Now, of course I know better than that, but I'll be honest to say I really don't know how to reconcile the apostle Paul saying, By the scriptures of the prophets.
I understand that Paul would often reason with the Jews out of the scriptures while visiting their synagogues, however, my question is, what does Paul mean by, The scriptures of the prophets, when referring to the mystery being made manifest?
I would love to know your thoughts on this.
Good question, let's take a look at this.
We'll pick up in verse 25, Romans chapter 16 verse 25, Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began,
(Verse 26) But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
OK, if something is now made manifest, of course that means it was not before.
It was not made manifest beforehand, meaning that it was hidden, a secret, a mystery, not known.
Let's look at the grammar and see if we can help bring some clarity here.
Romans 16:26, But now is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.
Be careful here to notice what this verse does not say.
The verse does not say that the mystery was made manifest in the Old Testament by the prophets.
It says that it is now, it is now made manifest and made known to all nations.
The phrase here after the first comma tells us how the mystery is now made known to all the nations.
It does not say that it was known in time past prophecy.
If it had been known already, then it would not qualify to be a mystery.
So, Paul is telling his audience that he used the scriptures of the prophets.
Remember, all scripture is profitable, 2 Timothy 3:16.
Those things written aforetime were written for our learning, Romans 15:4.
So, here our apostle, our pattern, the scriptures of all the prophets in order to show himself approved to reveal this mystery information, Paul uses what they wrote and to confirm that it was given to him by the commandment of God for obedience of faith for all nations, not just Israel.
So, if like the Hebrew Israelite said, Paul's mystery was not really a mystery, but it was actually according to prophecy, then why is it that neither the law nor prophets or even one of Israel's 12 apostles ever mentioned Jesus Christ according to Paul's revelation of the mystery?
Just because Paul quotes some prophecy doesn't diminish from the fact that he was given the revelation of the mystery which was hid in God, having never been before uttered by anyone.
Paul quoted scripture because he could, and they're very beneficial to us.
Never forget that.
Don't listen to some of these jokers out here saying you got to stay in Paul's epistles.
They don't know what they're talking about.
Some of these truths are timeless principles that transcend all dispensations.
Another thing that you shouldn't get twisted is that there are many Jews here in Paul's audiences. Many.
We would not expect Paul to come along to these Jews who were brought up in the holy scriptures and traditions, traditions of the fathers, the patriarchs, and try to convince them that he was their new apostle with a new message, yet knew nothing or had any respect of what they were already established in.
That would make it very difficult to convince them that God had given him words that were kept secret since the world began.
If he didn't even know the words that had been spoken since the world began, that would most assuredly gender doubt and perhaps hinder his credibility.
His street cred.
This is a problem some have today.
Many know very little about anything outside of Paul's epistles, and frankly some don't know much about that.
But oh boy, they're a teacher now, out here trying to teach grace and know very little about the law. Only a cursory knowledge of Paul's grace message and know even less about what the prophets wrote.
You're doing yourself and those who follow your teaching a great disservice.
Paul's gospel is both to the Jew and Gentile alike, and in first Corinthians 9:20 he said this, To the Jews, I become as a Jew.
Why Paul?
So that I might gain the Jews.
And to those under the law, as under the law.
Why Paul?
That I might gain them that are under the law.
Pretty elementary, is it not?
Think about that again, that's a problem today.
And if you get out there and start meeting people where they are, you'll find that out real quick.
Try witnessing to a Jew that knows his law books.
Try telling him about the apostle Paul and and this grace message you've got for him.
Yet you don't even know how to handle your way around the book of Deuteronomy, Exodus, Leviticus, the Torah, as they say.
Yeah, see how that works for you out there in the public arena.
You know, because you were taught to only read Paul's epistles.
That's not what the Bible says.
That is where your day-to-day marching orders is.
But all scripture is written to profit you.
All scripture was published for your learning.
Those things written aforetime, they're very important, my friend.
So, if you really, if you really want to gain someone like Paul says, you'll get in here, get in this book and learn all of it.
That way, if you come upon someone knowing about the law and the prophets and they know more about the content of that than they do about the apostle Paul, well, you'll be equipped and ready to handle it.
You can take them to the Old Testament scriptures and start comparing them with your apostle Paul and showing them the contrast and blow their mind wide open, and, and that's what you need.
That's what you need if you're going to win some before they'll even consider Christ crucified for sins and raised for justification, their mind needs to be opened first so you can install some Pauline doctrine.
So you can install the gospel of grace and get them saved so they can then understand what you're even saying to them.
Many lose sight that Paul's audience is both Jew and Gentile, which obviously meant that there would be a big need to quote Old Testament scripture.
You're talking about people who did not believe Jesus was the Messiah.
So quoting scriptures was the way to go.
That's a great way for Paul to build credibility.
To the Jews, I became as a Jew, so I might gain the Jews.
Can't convince a Jew without using scripture.
Can't convince a Jew without using the prophets and the law.
Couldn't do it.
Couldn't do it then, and you'll be hard pressed to do it today.
Listen, Paul references the law and the prophets throughout his epistles.
And that by no means lessens the importance of his grace apostleship, but rather strengthens it.
He was chosen to usher in a new administration, made an ambassador for Christ's sake, committed with the word and ministry of reconciliation, and selected to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery.
What a responsibility, and that responsibility, if you're saved, it's been passed on to you.
So, throwing out the law and the prophets and acting like you don't need to know anything about it is a joke.
And on a, on a quick side note before I go, if you come across a joker telling you Paul only went to saved people, rear back and yawn real big and and just keep it moving.
You're in the presence of a sloppy Bible student.
We've been preaching this for many years.
We've given several examples to support this truth nugget, and I just quoted you another one a few seconds ago.
Let's recap first Corinthians 9:20, To the Jews, I became as a Jew, so I might gain the Jews. To those under the law, as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law.
Why would Paul need to gain a Jew if the Jew was already saved?
Why would Paul need to gain a Jew if the Jew was already saved?
Now, that's about as simple of a question as you'll get all day.
He said, To those under the law as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law.
And another one, you need to go search some of these out for yourself.
But here's another one for you.
We recently brought it out in in, in our, in our Roman study, the old man Paul was addressing back there.
He wasn't saved either.
He's gendering up wrath.
Give me a break.
And here's another one someone will try and sell you.
When Paul says be ye reconciled to God in 2nd Corinthians 5:20, hey, hey, Gomer, that's not a message for saved people.
Saved people have no need to be reconciled to God.
His ministry was not just for saved people.
Those assemblies had saved and unsaved people in the congregation, just like they do today.
I tell you something I learned early on shortly after being saved and coming to understand that Paul was my apostle.
When, when someone says something, no matter how good it sounds, say this, Book, chapter, verse.
Just three words book, chapter, verse.
Be a critical thinker, be like the Berean.
Some of you, you, you hear something the preacher said, and sounds good to you and you go around Polly want a cracker repeating it?
Never checked him out, never examined it for yourself.
When all you had to do is say, Book, chapter, verse.
Could have saved you a lot of embarrassment.
But Paul only wrote to and about saved people is just not true.
But Trey, you don't understand, there's a bunch of preachers who say that.
Yeah, and truth doesn't hinge on numbers, does it?
If numbers are the measuring stick we use to find truth, then let's all go be Catholics.
OK, Christ died for all your sins.
God stopped imputing them to your account.
He was buried but defeated the grave and rose on the third day.
Now trust Christ.
Trust him for this free gift of salvation and rest.
Just rest in him.
Just rest.
Grace and peace.
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