What are some of the teachings of Christ that are found in the Bible?
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Answers to Bible Questions
Scriptures are from the KJV of the Bible
(Q) What are some of the teachings of Christ that are found in the Bible?
(A) The most important book in the world is the Bible. The Bible is centered around the most important Person in the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is important because He is God manifested in the flesh. Christ came to reveal the purposes of God the Father. These purposes are written down in the Bible, thus revealing the mind of God.
The teachings of Christ are related to three different time periods-past, present, and future. He is God’s spokesman to the human race. We must notice the contents of each in order to understand the Bible.
- THE PAST TEACHING OF CHRIST
The Lord Jesus was born under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:4):4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. When He ministered to Israel, and it was exclusively to them, (Matthew 15:24): 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, everything He did and said was according to this Law (Matthew 5:17): 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. The Law of Moses was given to Israel some 1500 years earlier, and it regulated the whole life of the Jew as well as the Nation of Israel.
God’s good news to Israel was called the Gospel of the Kingdom. Various miracles attended its preaching and remission of sins was by water baptism. The feast days, the various commandments, the many sabbaths were all part of the Jew’s religion which is called Judaism.
II. THE PRESENT TEACHING OF CHRIST
The ministry of Christ did not stop with His ascension in the first chapter of the book of Acts. Christians have failed to realize that when Saul is saved in Acts 9, a NEW ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ is begun by God, and this NEW ministry ushers in this present age of grace. Saul’s name is changed to Paul, and he is designated as the Apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13): 13For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: He is given revelations from the risen Christ, and these are the revelations embracing Christianity. Christianity presents:
1. A New Gospel-the Gospel of the grace of God. This gospel is completely separated from water baptism (1 Corinthians 1:17): 17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. This gospel presents faith in Christ as the only requirement for salvation (Romans 4:5: 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Galatians 3:26: 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:8,9): 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2. A New Organism-the Body of Christ, the Church, composed of all believers saved by the grace of God in this present dispensation.
3. A New Body of Divine Truth-known as the Revelation of the Mystery (Romans 16:25): 25Now to him that is of power to stablish 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. It was kept secret, hid in God until revealed to Paul. This is how Christ is to be presented today.
4. A New Period of Time-the Dispensation of the grace of God, also known as the Dispensation of the Mystery (Ephesians 3:2,9): 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: This is the Bible name for today’s age.
5. A New Apostle-Paul. He is our Apostle, not Peter nor John or any other. The authority of Christ for this age has been committed to Paul.
6. New Blessings-spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1:3): 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: This is according to the Mystery.
All of this truth came from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Galatians 1:11,12): 11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and Paul was chosen by Him to write down His revelation TO US in his epistles. This body of truth is complete in itself. There are hundreds of commandments contained in Christianity to guide Christians in their lives. And only in Paul’s writings do we find that the entire Law of Moses, the past teaching for Israel, has been ABOLISHED by Christ on the Cross (Ephesians 2:15: 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Colossians 2:14): 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.
III. THE FUTURE TEACHING OF CHRIST
The Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, is the teaching of Christ concerning the future of Israel and the world. The events in this book will begin AFTER this present age is brought to a close at the Rapture of the Church, the Body of Christ. The bulk of the book contains the judgments of God upon the human race because of unbelief. All the rebels against God will be purged out beginning with Israel and reaching to all the Gentiles. Christ revealed this to the Apostle John (Revelation 1:1,2): The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. The book closes with the new heavens and new earth of Isaiah 66:22: 22For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain, and prophecy will have been fulfilled.
POPULAR ERRORS CONCERNING THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST
Much error has been propagated in respect to the teachings of Christ. This has caused a lack of Bible study and has made the visible church a weak witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of these errors are:
1. The idea of a-Judeo-Christian heritage. Christianity is not an outgrowth of Judaism. Christianity is entirely separate from Judaism.
2. The idea that Christ preached Christianity to Israel. This is utterly false. He preached Judaism to His earthly people.
3. The idea that the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John present Christianity because they deal with the earthly life of Christ.
4. The idea of only one gospel in the Bible. The Bible never states there is only one gospel. The Gospel of the grace of God is far different than the Gospel of the Kingdom. Those that preach the Gospel of the Kingdom are misleading the public, for they are really preaching Judaism rather than Christianity. See Galatians 2:7: 7But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter.
5. The idea of resurrecting the Law of Moses and forcing it on the Gentiles as a way of life.
6. The idea that being Pauline in doctrine and practice is an extreme interpretation. Many times Paul told the early Gentile believers to follow him (1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1: 16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Philippians 3:17): 17Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. Following Paul is following Christ.
7. The idea that we are to follow Christ in His earthly life. Paul plainly stated that we are not to know Him after the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16): 16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. This would be glorying in the flesh (1 Corinthians 1:29): 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.
8. The idea that Law and Grace can be mixed together and make believers strong in the Lord.
9. The idea that the Bible only presents the eternal, changeless principles of God. Some of God’s principles have changed, and this makes all the difference in the world.
10. The idea that Judaism and Christianity are to be harmonized into one religion.
The only way revival can come is to get back to Pauline truth. This happened in the past, Martin Luther being the prime example as he saw the light on Paul’s presentation of justification by faith alone in Christ.
If your pastor is not preaching the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mystery, he is not preaching God’s truth for today.
All the world is going to be judged by Paul’s gospel (Romans 2:16): 16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel, and you better make sure you have been saved by CHRIST ALONE or you will have no hope of spending eternity with Him.
Christian friend, you better believe what God has revealed to the Apostle Paul before you go to be with Him or you will suffer for it at the judgment seat of Christ. If you have to change your mind about some interpretations as being Bible truths, you will profit immensely by it. Don’t let a closed mind and attitude keep you from enjoying the spiritual blessings of Christianity found in Paul’s writings.
In closing, Christ makes it clear in Galatians 1:8-12 that we need to follow Pauls Gospel, because it came to Paul through Christ Himself: 8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
John