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Author
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Topic: THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING
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epouraniois
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posted
The Dispensation of the Mystery was first in God's mind before the overthrow, before sin entered and ruined the first kosmos. And according to the prison epistles, this has to do with heavenly places and those that dwell in them, as well as those who some day will be resurrected and manifested there.
God had revealed that the nations of the earth were to be blest through Abraham and his seed after him, that is, Israel. And from Israel would come the Messiah, the promised Seed, to accomplish all this.
Israel failed, and so there is no channel of blessing to the nations today. They are not being blest through the channel Israel. And this state has been with us for about 1941 years so far. And since the nations cannot and are not now blest, what is going on? Very few people know the answer to this question. It is because they do not know the Scriptures. Only they give the answers.
Even those who know about the Dispensation of the Mystery seem to be confused about when it began. They know about it, but they do not really know it. That is the problem.
When did it begin? It began when Israel were divorced and set aside, when they finally failed to believe and follow their Messiah and take part in the promised kingdom. After all Israel had heard.
Nine of our New Testament books were written after this setting aside of Israel and a new program began. First was the Gospel of John. It was written for the whole world. It was written that folks might believe, so it was written to unbelievers. And the purpose was that they might have life, they might be able to comprehend the gospel of the Dispensation of the Mystery.
The mystery was proclaimed by Paul from his hired house in Rome, even though in chains. It was especially set forth in letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. At this point, Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles to explain how that Israel failed and the nation of Israel set aside. Acts is really in defense of Paul and his special ministry of the mystery or secret.
And so God's first purpose was made known. It is this purpose which completes the word of God.
Now we can understand that in the little hired house in Rome happened one of the greatest and far-reaching events in world history. There was a great gap in the times of the Gentiles beginning at that point. And Israel left the scene as a nation from that day to this. No prophecy for the period since A.D. 70.
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epouraniois
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posted
What is the hope of His calling? Oscar Baker spoke on this once, and said some things we might do well to review.
Before we can tell what the hope is, we will have to settle the question of His calling, what it is and where it is. Then, whatever that may be and wherever it may be, will tell us what the hope of our calling is. For those that are in Christ are identified with Him very closely. In fact, this is their baptism. So now for the context.
The hope of His calling is in connection with a promise made in Him before age times concerning eternal life. This had nothing to do with the promise made to Abraham. It was not mentioned anywhere in connection with the dispensation of promise. The reason; it had to do with all creation, not just the earth. It included the heavenly places. So it was not revealed till Eph. 3:6, 2 Tim. 1:1, and Titus 1:2. It has to do with the church, not the kingdom. There is a difference.
Our question comes from Eph. 1:18. Beginning with verse 20 we read of Christ being raised from the dead, set at the right hand of God in heavenly places, far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name that is named, both in this age and the age to come. All things are put under His feet, and He is Head over all to the church. This church is His body, His fulness.
Please note that there is nothing here about Christ being a high priest in the heavens, that He will take the throne of His father, David, or that He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. He was all of that in the dispensation of the promise and those that were in Him in that dispensation would have a hope in keeping a place on the earth or land which was promised to Abraham, they would look for a great millennial kingdom here on earth, and if they were overcomers, they would look for a ruling position under the great King. They would also look for His coming and the so-called rapture as a part of their hope.
But there is no such context in Eph. 1, and so then these things of another dispensation cannot possibly be a part of His calling, and that being the case, these things cannot be a part of our hope. Our hope then is definitely linked with His session in the heavenly places - made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. If we suffer (endure), we shall also reign with Him - this in connection with principalities and powers in the heavenly places. When we are exhorted to walk worthy of our calling, it is with these things in view.
We do not see Him as yet meeting His hope in its entirety, for He is still sharing His Father's throne. But some day He will be manifested in glory, but not without the church which is His body and of which He is the Head. So again our hope is intimately linked with His hope. So we cannot know what is the hope of our calling till we have first learned what is the hope of His calling.
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