Why the Gospels Aren't for the Church — 2 Corinthians 5

Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. Okay, and away we go with number four. So let's turn quickly to Matthew chapter 25, and I'm going to stay on this theme for just a little bit yet, that everything here in the Gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, yes, even John, is still predominantly, I won't say exclusively, but predominantly directed to the nation of Israel. Because you see, the Church as we know it, the Body of Christ, is kept secret in the mind of God, and that's the word you have to get used to. It was a secret, it's part of the mysteries. Now in order for it to be a secret, it stands to reason that you can't let any part of it slip out, or it's no longer a secret, right? Now then, what I want you to watch for, and for those of you studying now on television, and just check me out, don't take my word for anything, but go back through the Gospel accounts and see if Jesus ever gives any hint of turning to the Gentiles and calling out a Gentile body for Himself. Well, you won't find it. Now I know the closest somebody will come, well, Jesus said, "...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Well, even that statement, I do not think that Jesus was specifically referring to the Church as we know it, because the word Ecclesia, from which the word Church is always translated, the word Ecclesia is used in different manners and ways than just the Church, the Body of Christ. For example, Stephen, in that chapter 7 that we referred to earlier this afternoon, he refers to the children of Israel out in the wilderness around Sinai as the Church in the Wilderness. Well now, good heavens, the Church wasn't back there, was it? No. So what was he really saying? That called out assembly in the wilderness. Now you see, that makes sense, because that's what Israel was. They were called out of Egypt, God assembled them around Mount Sinai, and so they were an Ecclesia, and it's called the Church in the Wilderness. Now that's not the Church, that's not the Body of Christ. Now believe it or not, when we get to the book of Acts, I'm going to show you where a riotous mob in the city of Ephesus was also called an Ecclesia. But the translators didn't call it Church there, fortunately. They called it an assembly. And it was an unlawful assembly, it was a riotous assembly, and it was mob rule, but it was called an Ecclesia in the Greek. And so you always have to be careful that just because it's the word Church, it doesn't automatically follow that it's the Body of Christ, because Paul almost always qualifies our present -day Church as the Body of Christ, which is the Church. Or he'll say the Church, which is his body, and so that makes a big difference. All right, so what I'm going to show you here in just a moment now is that Jesus never, never gave a hint, and He did not reveal a part of that secret. Now here is, I think, the perfect illustration of that in Matthew 25, verse 31. And again He's speaking, and He says, "...when the Son of Man shall come in His glory..." He's speaking of the Second Coming. "...when the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory." Now here's another good example of what I'm always saying. Ask questions. Ask yourself a question. Who is coming with Him? Angels. Now my next question is, where am I? Where am I? He isn't including me. He's just talking about angels. Do you see that? Why? Oh, because He couldn't mention the church here yet. It was still a secret, and so He was meticulous, and He left the church out. Now just to show you that the church indeed is going to come with Him, now turn back to Revelation. We looked at these verses several months ago when we were in the book of Revelation, but now in Revelation 19 we get the clue. Indeed we're going to be with Him. And just because Jesus left it out in Matthew doesn't mean we won't be. It just means He wasn't revealing the secret. Revelation 19, drop down to verse 8, and to her, that is the bride, was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints, the believers. Now pick it up in the same chapter and come all the way over to verse 11. Here is the Second Coming in all of its glory and its power, as He's descending now from heaven. Verse 11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Indeed He will. He's going to destroy the armies of this world. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, and He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. So who is it? It's Christ. Now verse 14, And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Compare that with the other verse. Who are they? The saints. See? So sure we're going to be coming with Him, but He couldn't reveal that back in His earthly ministry. That was part of the secret. And so you'll find that throughout all the Gospel account, there's never a reference to the body of Christ, the saved of the Gentiles. It's all still basic to the covenants made with Israel. And just like I said so often, if people would just read and read and read and read, study these things, and you'll see that what everybody thinks is in there isn't. The Gospels just do not contain it. And I think this is why the Church is in such a dilemma tonight. And I say the Church, I'm not talking about any one denomination. It's because, as my class people have told me over and over, 90-95% of the Church preaching and teaching is coming from the four Gospels. And they're missing the boat. Not that you ignore the Gospels. Oh, heaven forbid! I love to teach them. But you see, our basic doctrine for salvation, oh, now let me show you a verse in Peter. See that? That's the way I teach. I can't help that. Come back to Peter, I Peter, II Peter I mean, II Peter. Just come back from Revelation, just a few pages to the left, and you get II Peter. And here he's writing just shortly before he's martyred. And again, get the chronology. Christ was crucified in about 29 A.D. Stephen was martyred about seven years later, 36. The very next year you have Saul converted, which would be 37. And the next year, 38 A.D., you've got Peter going to the house of Cornelius. And then you come on the way up to about A.D. 60, Paul writes the Book of Romans. And then about 64, 65, he writes the other epistles, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. And then about 67, somewhere in there, just before he's martyred, he writes Timothy and Titus. And so does Peter write his little epistles towards the end of their life. And that will all be just shortly before the temple is destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. So we're coming right up close to that now. And so just shortly before Peter is martyred, and Paul as well, Peter writes. And of course he's writing to Jews, just like James, primarily to the nation of Israel. But look what he says in verse 15 of II Peter 3. "...and account, latch on to it, that the longsuffering," or the patience, "...of our Lord is," what? "...salvation." See, that's the whole purpose of this Book. From cover to cover, the whole purpose of this Book is to bring lost humanity to a knowledge of salvation. God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to a knowledge of salvation. And so Peter again is reiterating that, that the whole scope of God's patience is to bring the man that is lost to a place of salvation. Alright, read on. "...so the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation." And now remember who's writing this? Peter, by inspiration of the same Spirit of course. "...even as our beloved brother Paul." Well, that's kind of hard to comprehend because, you see, the last account we have between Peter and Paul, what was it? It was a confrontation. Galatians chapter 2, Paul says, "...I withstood him to the face." Why? Because he was to be blamed. And what was Peter's problem? He just couldn't recognize that he was no longer under the law and that he was free now to eat with Gentiles, to converse with Gentiles. And it still bothered him, see? And in Galatians chapter 2, it was such a bother to him that even though he was visiting the Gentile church at Antioch and evidently had been going in and eating with those Gentiles, just as soon as some Jews came up from Jerusalem, what did Peter do? He withdrew because he was afraid of what the Jews might say. Hey, this is real. These are normal people. And Peter was not yet that convinced that Paul was on the right track. Now look what he says. "...by inspiration, even as our beloved brother Paul, also according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you." Verse 16, "...as also in all his epistles." Got that? Romans through Hebrews, that's Paul's epistles. "...as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things," salvation, "...in which," Paul's epistles, "...are some things hard to be understood." Now, people have problems with some of the things I teach. I can understand, because I'll tell you what, they're not used to it. And Peter was in the same boat. He said, look, I can't comprehend this, that God is going to save this multitude of Gentiles without us Jews. That was Paul's message, see? And so he says, in Paul's epistles are some things hard to be understood, even at that late date. He just couldn't comprehend it. And then he says, "...in which they that are unlearned and unstable, they rest," or they twist, "...as they do also the other Scriptures," and I'll tell you, people become masters at it. That's where the cults come in. They twist the Scriptures, they're masters at it, and what's going to be their end result? Their destruction. And that's hard language, their own destruction. And so there again is what I think is perfect understanding that you can't mix all these things together and make sense out of it. It all has to be left exactly where it is. Jesus dealing with the Jew, Peter and the eleven are the apostles of the Jew, Paul now comes on the scene as the apostle of the Gentiles. Let's see how much more time have I got left. 2 Corinthians. I thought I was going to get into the arrest and the crucifixion, but no way. We're not going to have time enough for that, so we won't even try. But now come back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Now I always like to start verse 14. I wish I had time to start at verse 1. But verse 14, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and remember now Paul is writing to the Corinthians. What kind of people were the Corinthians? Gentiles. And so he says, "...the love of Christ constraineth us," or drives us, "...because we thus judge," we conclude, "...that if one died for all, then we're all dead." And that's Paul's doctrine. We were dead in our trespasses and sins. And that's where the whole human race is. They're dead until Christ moves in with His life-giving power, which is triggered, of course, by faith in the Gospel. All right, now verse 15. "...and that He died for all, that they who live," in other words, they who believe, "...and now have imparted to them eternal life, that they who live should not henceforth," that is from that time forward, "...live unto themselves, but live unto Him who died for them and rose again." Do you see how Paul is constantly throwing that out in front of you? It's all based now upon his death, his shed blood, his burial, his resurrection, his power. See? Not a word about keeping the Law. Not a word about practicing the commandments or the Law. But, as I've said over and over through the years, grace is not license. Just because we're saved by grace, we're kept by grace, that doesn't give us permissiveness, that doesn't give us license, because what does Paul say in this verse? If we have entered into eternal life, we should live for whom? For the One who died for us. See? And that doesn't give you room for permissive living. That doesn't give you room for loose living. And so, no one can ever accuse me of teaching a loose Christian walk just because we're under grace. Absolutely not. We're to live for Him. Why? Because He died for us. All right, now that's not the verse I wanted. Here's the one I really came for. Verse 16, Wherefore, wherefore, in other words, because of what he has just said, henceforth, that is, from that point on, as he's writing, henceforth, we know no man after the flesh. Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh. So who's he talking about? Jesus! See? And he says, I'm no longer attached to His earthly ministry. I no longer am concerned about what He did in the flesh. Oh, this shakes people up. I know it does. Because, see, they like to spend all their time talking about His earthly ministry, the miracles, and His walking on the water, and I mean, that's interesting, see? But that doesn't get down to the nitty -gritty of the need of the sinner. That's just simply proving that He was who He said He was. But now, you see, now, we aren't to concern ourselves that much with that earthly ministry, but rather with that work of the cross. That's where everything comes to a head, you see. Alright, read on. Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now, since He died for us, yet now, henceforth, we know Him no more. That's hard language, isn't it? And see, this is exactly opposite to what most people in Christendom are doing tonight. They're spending all their time in those four Gospels, in His earthly ministry, and they are falling short of the fact that this Jesus, who performed the miracles, died the death that had to be died. He shed the blood that had to be shed. He rose in power over sin and Satan and everything that was against us. And now He's ready to impart it to us if we'll just simply believe it, see. And people will just constantly say, Yea, but, I've got to do this, or I've got to do that, and God says, No, you don't. There's a verse in Romans chapter 4 that says it so plainly. Who only can He save? The ungodly, see. Only the ungodly. But now let's read on, because we've got a couple minutes left. So keep that verse 16 in mind, that from the time of His death, burial, and resurrection, we are not to hang as much on His earthly ministry as we are on His death, burial, and resurrection. His shed blood. The power of the Gospel. Now then, verse 17. Therefore, see. Therefore, if any man be in Christ. You see that position? In Christ. Oh, now I've got to show you another verse. Keep your hand here in Corinthians. We're going to come back. Go all the way back to the right, to Colossians. Chapter 3. My, I've shared this in my classes over and over. Here's our position. Here's our position. And anybody that's got something less than this, I feel sorry for them. I really do. Because here is where we have the joy of our salvation. Right here. Colossians 3, verse 3. Well, let's read all three of them. Start with verse 1. If you then be risen with Christ. See? You've identified with His death, burial, and resurrection. If that's the case, then seek those things which are above. Let them be your priority. Now, that doesn't mean that we get so heavenly minded we're no earthly good. You've heard that. I know what it means. But it means our priorities are set. Heavenward. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Now, verse 2. Set your affection on things above. Not on things on the earth. See how practical that is? That's practical Christianity. Now, that doesn't mean you have to... What's the word I'm trying to find? That's not the word that you have to be frugal and can't enjoy anything. That doesn't mean you have to live Spartan. That's the word I'm looking for. That doesn't mean you have to live a Spartan experience and go through life with just the very meager requirements. No. But it simply means don't let things take priority. See? It's practical. Verse 3. Here's the verse I wanted. Why should we set our affection on things above? Why should we put material things secondary? Because you are dead. That is to the old Adam and to the things of this world. You are with Christ. Where? In God. Do you see that? We are hid in Christ, in Christ, in God. Now, to make a real homely, simple illustration, I usually like to use the old black walnut. That old black walnut's got that great big outer covering. Inside of that is the hard shell. Inside of that is, in the little crevices, the meat. You see that? That's where we are. Oh, God is all around us. Nothing can touch you or I but that God has to permit it. And then, to make it even better, that hard shell that is so hard to break, that's Christ, and we're in Him. See? I'll tell you what, you can't get it any better than that. You can't get it any better than that. We are hid in God, in Christ. Nothing can touch us unless it goes past God and it goes past Christ. Oh, sure, He can permit it. Absolutely. I've always told believers, don't think for a minute that this book promises you a rose -petaled pathway. We aren't promised riches. We aren't promised everything of this world's good. We may have, but don't expect it. My land, we've got it better today than believers have ever had it. But that isn't necessarily because we are cashing in on the promises. I think it's the worst thing that ever happened to the church that we've got it so good. See, the church grew when it was under pressure. Now, that may come back. Stuff I'm reading lately almost makes me think that maybe we better get kind of shook up. It could happen real quick, where we'll again find ourselves under the same kind of pressure that they did in the early centuries of Christianity. It could happen. Pray that it doesn't. Well, anyway, now let's go back, if you will, to 2 Corinthians 5, because in one of my other half hours I ran out of time as usual, and I really wanted to come to this portion that we're now going to hit in 2 Corinthians 5, speaking about our ambassadorship. And what I really intended to do is when we went into Colossians and I said we are in the Kingdom, we are members of the Kingdom, our citizenship is in Heaven. All right, now what's our position then as citizens in Heaven, but living here on the earth? Well, here it is. Read on. Verse 17, "...therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, and behold, all things are become new, as a result of our salvation experience, as a result of all that God has done on our behalf." Verse 18, "...and all things are of God," see, nothing can touch you but that God permits it, "...who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ," and He didn't just stop there. He reconciled us, and then He turned around and gave us what? The ministry of reconciliation. What are we to tell a lost world? Hey, everything has been done for you to be reconciled. It's all been accomplished, and we're to let the world know that. But that isn't what I wanted yet. Come down to verse 19. "...to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." Now here it is, verse 20. Here is our position as citizens of Heaven, living in a foreign land. But, or now then, we are ambassadors. What's an ambassador? He is a representative of a home government in a foreign country. That's what we are. We're in foreign territory, and you're going to know it more and more. But our citizenship is in Heaven, and we are to carry out the designs, and the hopes, and the aspirations of our homeland. And that is the Christ. We're His ambassadors. We're the extension of Heaven here on earth. And listen, if we don't do it, who will? If we don't, who will? Now, Paul makes it so clear in Thessalonians, the Church, the true Church, the believer, is like a dam in a river of iniquity. And one day He's going to lift us out, and that river of iniquity is going to flood this planet like it's never been before. But until that happens, we are to be that dam in the river. We are to stand in the gap, as Ezekiel said to the Jews. All right. Finish verse 20, and then our time is going to be gone. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God, for He, God, hath made Him to be sin, He who knew no sin. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a weekly Bible study. 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