The
American
Wisdom Series
Presents
Pamphlet #5164 KCEphesians4
Some
may ask, "Why is it, that the Bible is
written in such a "divided" fashion that one must go digging for the truth?"
The
answer is, "so that when you go digging
for it, you'll find it!"
We as Christians are instructed to rightly divide the
Word of God, which implies that it requires
dividing at times.
Does that make sense?
So if we don't do our homework and
study and rightly divide, then we will most assuredly fall short
of the complete understanding that our Father intended for us.
God expects us to work.
2 Tim.
2:15
Study to shew
thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
Some may ask, "Why is it, that
the Bible is written in such a "divided" fashion that one must go digging
for the truth?"
The answer is, "so that when
you go digging for it, you'll find it!"
Here in Ephesians 2:1 we have such an opportunity to "rightly
divide".
It reads:
Ephes.
2:1
And you hath
he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Italicized words in the King James are words
that are not found in the original languages, but were added by the translators
for the purpose of clarity.
The 1611 Edition of the King James Bible abounded in the
literary form called (Parentheses).
In subsequent editions many of these parentheses were
discarded and replaced by commas, or just ignored altogether.
We have an example of this literary form beginning in
the middle of verse 19 of chapter 1 and taken up by Ephesians 2:1.
If we observe the parenthesis concerning the fact and
results of Jesus' resurrection (in Eph. 1:19-23) we connect Eph. 2:1 with
1:19, and preserve the truth and teaching of the whole passage, eliminating
the necessity for the all the italics in 2:1.
Ephes.
1:18,19
"That ye may
know... what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe
(...)," [2:1]
"even you who were dead in trespasses and sins."
The proper dividing, therefore, allows us to carry
forth the subject, which is the "called out" ones.
What does it mean to be "dead in trespasses and sins"?
Paul explains:
[2]
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience:
At one time you, in the flesh, followed the evil
ways of this present age (course = aion, meaning
"this world age", i.e. in this flesh age) under the sway, or influence,
of the prince of the power of the air, who is Satan.
It is his spirit, Satan's spirit, that works in the sons
(Gk. huios) of disobedience.
Mainstream Christianity, which rarely does any digging
in the Word, would "spiritualize away" this phrase "children of disobedience"
as meaning any child who is disobedient.
However, this is not the case in this verse.
If you have a Companion Bible, it will document that this
is a "Hebraism: not disobedient children, but sons of Satan in a
special manner, being those in whom he works..."
That's right, Satan has his offspring, his sons (Gk. huios),
through whom he works.
For every positive there is a negative. In verse 19 we
see it is the Holy Spirit that works through God's elect.
It is the evil spirit that works through Satan's elect.
Jesus Christ identified these children of disobedience
in John 8:44 as being Satan's prodigy, beginning with his firstborn, the
first murderer we read of in scripture.
If you don't know who the first murderer was then go back
to Genesis and "dig" it out.
John
8:44
Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth
in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it.
Again, mainstream churchianity would "sluff this
off" and miss entirely the mysteries of Paul and the simplicity of Christ's
teaching.
Consequently they are basically unaware who the enemies
of Christianity are.
In fact, many don't know that there ARE enemies of Christianity.
Today these sons of Cain work overtime to bring to our
nation and to our children, perversions, immorality, and other evil societal
influences through their control of the press, the media, and entertainment,
through their control of the four "hidden" dynasties of politics, education,
religion and the economy.
The following is the most important parable spoken by
Jesus Christ.
He tells us in Luke that if we do not understand this
parable then we will NEVER understand the rest of His parables.
Here is the Parable of the Tares, delivered by Christ
in parable form:
Matthew
13:24-30
Another parable
put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom
of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: [25]
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and
went his way. [26] But
when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the
tares also. [27]
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not
thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? [28]
He
said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt
thou then that we go and gather them up? [29]
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the
wheat with them. [30]
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I
will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them
in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matthew
13:34-43
All these things
spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake
he not unto them: [35]
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will
open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret
from the foundation of the world.
Read again, very carefully, that last verse. Christ
is speaking of things which have been kept "secret" from the beginning.
Now watch what happens next!
The crowd disperses and Jesus and His disciples go into
the house and have a private session.
[36]
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went
into the house: and his disciples came unto Him, saying, Declare unto us
the parable of the tares of the field.
The disciples ask Jesus to
explain to them the Parable of the Tares!
Why?
They didn't get it, will you?
What did Christ then do?
He EXPLAINED it to them.
The following is the explanation
of the Parable of the Tares.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A PARABLE. It is the explanation
of a parable!
Mat.
13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that
soweth the good seed is the Son of man; [38]
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom;
but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
This is not tough!
The field is the world.
The tares are the children (Gk.
huios) of the wicked one.
Their father is the devil, Satan.
(Remember, this is not a parable, but rather the simple
explanation of one by Jesus.)
[39]
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world;
and the reapers are the angels.
The devil sowed his seed in the garden, in the beginning,
and produced his firstborn, Cain.
[40]
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it
be in the end of this world. [41]
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of
his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; [42]
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth. [43] Then
shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Who has ears to hear?
Do you?
Or are you now upset that you heard something different
than you've always believed?
These tares are also referred to in Rev. 2:9 and
Rev. 3:9 where we find that only two of the seven churches teach about
the tares.
The rest have serious problems.
"The
Two Sowers of Seed", both
the Good (Adam's sons)
and the Tares (Satan's
sons) in
one Combined Pamphlet #7000/7007
(Jesus Christ told His disciples (which means you if you are one) that
unless they understood the "Parable of the Sower" they would not be able
to understand any of His parables.) You can't understand "The Parable of
the Tares" until you understand "The Parable of the Sower" and you will
be lost comprehending "The Parable of the Fig Tree" until you know who
both sowers were and their deeds.
You
must understand "The Parable
of the Sower" Click
this link to open Pamphlet
7000
in
order to understand "The Parable of
the Tares" Click
this link to open Pamphlet
7007
in
order to understand "The Parable of
the Fig Tree" Click
this link to open Pamphlet
1031
Jesus
said Learn it! Mark 13:28 Now learn
a parable of the fig tree;...
We return to Ephesians:
[3]
Among
whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others.
"Conversation" is better translated "conduct".
In the past we partook and were influenced by the children
of disobedience.
As flesh men and women, by nature, we can all understand
this verse, and the fulfilling of the desires of the flesh. So we can all
fill in the details of our own sordid pasts, as Paul did.
[4]
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Our Father loves His children very much.
[5]
Even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace ye are saved;)
Even when we were dead to that true spirit, the Holy
Spirit, God still loved us.
We are never alone.
It is by His loving grace that we are saved.
[6]
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus:
We have direct access to the throne of God through
Jesus Christ, who sits at His right hand.
The veil to the Holy of Holies was rent from top to bottom
at Christ's crucifixion, and so we don't need preachers, priests, ministers,
pledges of money, or 1 800 telephone numbers to talk to our Father.
There is only one mediator between God and man, and that
is Jesus Christ.
[7]
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace
in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
[8]
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God:
Through faith in Christ we believe.
And that takes us to God's saving grace whereby He forgives
us, even though we sin.
[9]
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Many people take this verse to say that works are
not important.
Of course, no one can earn salvation through works, no
matter how great a work he or she has done.
We cannot take credit anyway for our works!
God does the work through His gifts which He gives to
us.
[10]
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are supposed to do good works.
The "Grace only doctrine" is a lazy person's excuse not
to do good works.
If we truly believe then we will want to do good works.
Show me your works and then I'll see your faith.
He has liberally given "gifts" to each of us to do good
works.
We can never take credit for His fruit.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits;
to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, you accomplish both.
1 Corinthians
10:11 Now all these things happened unto them {the
ancient Israelites} for
ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come.
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