Today, I thought it important to start the new year off with a quick refresher of how to study your Bible from the lens of the mystery. Since we are in the dispensation of the grace of God, it is our responsibility to rightly divide truth from truth, making sure we receive proper doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness simply by comparing scripture with scripture making proper application from the position of this formerly hidden dispensation of grace.
It is important, as we looked at the overview this morning, to remember that God extended grace to individuals and nations throughout the previous dispensations, and faith was exercised in response to God's grace. Grace was extended to Adam in innocence when he disobeyed and sent humanity into a fallen state from birth. We are born in Adam's fallen image...He was created in the image of God and the likeness of God. He did not lose the likeness of God, but he did lose the image of God. So, because of Romans 5:12, everyone born into this world is born into Adam's image. Jesus came to restore the image Adam lost. We still look like God, but we act like Adam!
Colossians 3:10: And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David, all through the history recorded in our Bible, God's grace was manifested toward these men and many others recorded in Hebrews 11, and their faith was manifested by their obedience to his grace. We who live in this dispensation of grace have the full compliment of God's grace poured out through the propitious death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The gospel of grace has been dispensed to this world having forgiven our sins at Calvary...It is finished!
The gift of eternal life is offered to all through forgiveness of sins. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ – the gospel of this age (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Acts 16:31) is how we are saved. We become new creatures in Christ when we believe the simplicity of the gospel and understand that our ministry is clearly revealed. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
The events that immediately followed the resurrection, especially Pentecost revealed that the commission the apostles received in Matthew 10 was in full swing. The message of Peter in Acts 2:4, 14-21 and Acts 3:18-21 is clear that the gospel of the kingdom was their focus. It was a gospel that was prophesied in the Old Testament. What Paul preached was given to him by revelation. The dispensation of the grace of God, the mystery of Christ in you the hope of glory was a secret and hidden from the prophets and the apostles until delivered by Paul.
As we study our Bibles this year, may we always...
...apply the STHA – Simple Treasure Historic Application identifying who wrote what we are reading and to what group of people he is writing. Who, What, When, Where, Why
...apply the PTDA – Personal Treasure Devotional / Inspirational Application receiving instruction from the Word that will build our personal walk in Christ, even though it may not be written to us, it is written for us.
...apply the DTDA – Deep Treasure Doctrinal Application that is clearly revealed by the context of the scripture. As the historic application only has one teaching, so does the doctrinal application. There will be one teaching to be learned.
Next Sunday we will continue our journey through the gospels, as Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem and Calvary in particular.
