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I put this song together back in 2012. I used some Led Zep style drums and an overdriven slide guitar.
The lyrics are scriptural and taken from various places. I finally got to use the word 'importunity'
in a song. In case you didn't know it means 'pressing solicitation'. It comes out of Luke chapter 11 and
is a quality found in people like Jacob that God especially loves. Their determination to receive the
inheritance hides a multitude of sins.
The lyric "Please fill me with your Spirit, please" is a plea to be RE-filled with the Spirit.
(I have since realised that scripture never gives an example of someone saying 'please' to God.
'I pray thee' is the nearest I have found. Hopefully God will forgive my ignorance at the time of writing the song.)
I was sealed and experienced being filled with the Holy Spirit of promise for a few weeks after
I was first saved. A series of vicious attacks over the next few years severely diminished my
faith and my sense of the presence of the Spirit. In his commentary on Ephesians 5:18, Charles
Caldwell Ryrie explains that "filling describes an experience that can be repeated". Acts 4:31
and Acts 13:52 describe already saved disciples being (re)filled with the Holy Spirit.
"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight,
and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come
to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble
me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because
of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you,
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a
stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg,
will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
(Luke 11:5-13 AV)
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31 AV)
"And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." (Acts 13:52 AV)
"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord;" (Ephesians 5:18-19 AV)
I needed a prayer to begin the singing at our
little grace fellowship. I'm not good at improvised prayer so I thought I would write one down. Then I
thought if I'm going to take the trouble of writing a scriptural prayer then I may as well turn it into
a song.
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I first wrote, recorded and uploaded this as "The New Religion" early in 2009.
I removed it soon after as I felt uncomfortable with it. I reloaded it after a query
from a brother in the U.S. late in 2011 but dropped it again as I became more
convinced that, for us bible believers, there was only ever one God-given religion -
the Judaism of the Old Testament.
The law of God's religion was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ
(Galatians 3:24-25). CHRISTIANITY IS THE CULMINATION OF RELIGION. Once we are in Christ
WE HAVE NO FURTHER NEED OF RELIGION.
It is my policy that cutting edge bible understanding requires me to occasionally repent
of an incorrect understanding and take on board a better one. I got saved in 2006 when I
repented of my red letter 'Christianity' and woke up to the Lord's revelations to our
apostle Paul. So I have repented of my understanding that Christianity is "The New Religion"
(the original title of this song). Christianity is not God's new religion. The indwelling
Spirit of Christ sets us free from the bondage of the law - the bondage of religion. We are
"no more servants, but sons."
"Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant,
though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed
of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made
of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant,
but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:1-7 AV)
After a short life as "The Cure for Religion" the song is now called "The Hidden Wisdom". I
dumped the former because it is incorrect to imply that OT Judaism was a disease that required
curing. The term "hidden wisdom" occurs in 1 Corinthians in the context of God's need
to keep the power of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection a secret prior to the actual events.
If the princes of this world had known God's plan they would NOT have crucified the Lord of glory,
thereby spoiling God's plan for our redemption. (See 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 below). Therefore the
hidden wisdom is primarily the wisdom of God that is foolishness to men -
the preaching of the cross.
The church of God began in the fulfilment of prophecy (Acts 2:16-18) but because of Israel's
unworthiness it was forced into the unprophesied (but always foreordained) realm of mystery
(Romans 16:25-26). Barnabas was an example of a member of the church of God as a sect of
Judaism (Acts 4:36) who remained a member of the church as it transitioned to Christianity -
with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the revelations to Paul from the risen
and glorified Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12, Ephesians 3:3). Barnabas was among that
mixed bunch of Jews and Gentiles who were "called Christians first" at Antioch.
My apologies for formerly encouraging believers to see Christianity as a religion, even though the
world (and my dictionary) see it as one. My apologies also for my mispronouncing of 'Judaism'
to those who downloaded this song prior to the December 3, 2011 update.
"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:21 AV)
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before
the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2:7-8 AV)
"Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him
unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church,
and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." (Acts 11:25-26 AV))
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I have been keen to incorporate this scripture (Acts 17:6) into a song since around the beginning of 2011.
I have tried about three versions of the song - all quite different but having this scripture as the chorus.
I heard one of these efforts again in June 2011 and liked most of it and so determined to finish it.
Something seemed lacking in the lyrics so I wrote an additional verse in July 2011. I also rerecorded the lead
with a cleaner spaghetti western sound. Hope you like it.
" And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city,
crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;" (Acts 17:6 AV)
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The inspiration for this song came when I was pondering my defence of mid-Acts dispensationalism toward
those who say we have it wrong. I realised that the only rock-solid defence for mid-Acts dispensationalism
is in the words of the apostle. Paul said that the dispensation of the grace of God was given him to
us-ward. He received his gospel of the grace of God by revelation. He was saved in Acts 9 so he can't
have received it prior to that. Mid-Acts dispensationalism could only be wrong if Paul was not telling
the truth. I, for one, believe he was.
The lyrics are scriptural and I have sacrificed rhyming in order to keep the original scripture. Although
it doesn't rhyme much I think it flows along nicely and is fun to sing. I hope you like it.
The first verse is from Ephesians 3:1-3. The chorus is from Galatians 1:11-12. The second verse is
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and the third verse is Colossians 1:23.
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This is the first new song I've written since March. It is a song of thankfulness to God. The idea came from a conversation with a mid-Acts veteran during
which we agreed that we were both still unworthy.
The lyrics are scriptural though often I have only expressed the idea or paraphrased the scripture. Some of the lyrics may require explanation: The cross is
referred to as a tree in five places in the New Testament and the word suited the rhyme of the chorus. Preachers feet are referred to as 'beautiful' in
scripture so I don't think it is too much of a stretch to call preachers beautiful. The words 'panic or rile' in the third verse are not found in scripture but
have similar meanings to 'fear' and 'provoke'. My scriptural source for the third verse was mostly 1 Corinthians 13, particularly this section:
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth
not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 AV)
Hopefully I am in accord with how the Lord sees my need. I see my greatest need is to 'believe all things' and by this I am not only referring to believing
all of the word of God. To 'believe all things' means what it says - all things.
"For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God." (Hebrews 3:4 AV)
My great need is to believe all of God's creation. It may sound a bit daft but for most of my life I have walked about in a state of unbelief of what is in
front of my nose; hiding in an intellectual cocoon where I dwelt in fear and worry about the past and the future, and in perpetual denial of what is actually
going on around me. Living in the present, living in the real world and being awestruck by the beauty that remains in God's creation, have been very rare
experiences for me.
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I have re-recorded this song, giving it a similar treatment to my newer songs. I always liked the song but the version with just an acoustic guitar backing was
a bit rough.
This song started out as an attempt to incorporate 1 Corinthians 1:21 into a song. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." I found scripture which suited the theme and had a meter that fitted with the emerging
song. Some of it even rhymes in places. The first verse is 1 Corinthians 1:20-21. The chorus is 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. The second verse is Acts 13:41 (Paul
quoting Habakkuk 1:5) and an extract from Acts 28:26-27 (Paul quoting Isaiah 6:9-10). (December 7th, 2007)
"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1Co 1:20-21 AV)
"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2Co 4:3-4 AV)
"Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto
you." (Ac 13:41 AV)
"Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of
this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." (Ac 28:26-27 AV)
I should mention that the scripture of the second verse was aimed at Jewish unbelievers who were a particularly stubborn bunch and to whom the gospel was a
'stumbling block'. Gentile unbelievers typically seek after wisdom and to them the gospel is 'foolishness' (as it once was to me). The scripture of verse one
and the chorus applies more appropriately to Gentile unbelievers. (December 30th, 2007)
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I found this beautiful phrase 'children of the resurrection' only in the gospel of Luke.
"And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which
shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any
more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." (Luke 20:34-36 AV)
Perhaps I am jumping the gun to suggest that being among saved Christians is to be among the 'children of the resurrection', but we are sure that salvation
cannot be lost and that in God's eternity we are already glorified. So hopefully the lyric will pass inspection. And have not we who have believed, shared in
his death, burial and resurrection by spiritual baptism or supernatural identification? Some of my scriptural inspiration appears below.
The lyric is generalised personal testimony plus scriptural quotes and paraphrasing. A tormented state of mind drove me to visit a Christian fellowship,
perhaps for the last time. At the time I had a lot of red-letter and 12-step program doctrine on board but I am extremely thankful that some grace believing
saints were able to get through to me the importance of the grace message found in the epistles of our apostle Paul. I got it through my stubborn, thick skull
that the power of God unto salvation comes through simply believing and trusting in what Christ has done for us. May it reach the ears of others in a desperate
state of mind who may think there is no alternative to suicide once you have 'blown it' beyond a certain point.
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:21-22 AV)
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been
planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over
him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto
sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:1-11 AV)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did
predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30 AV)
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3 AV)
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The lyrics address four aspects of what God was doing 'in time past' and state the 'but now' situation for each aspect. They by no means give a complete
picture but I have tried to state some of the main differences between the law dispensation that God put in place with Israel through Moses and the grace
dispensation that God introduced to the world through his and our apostle Paul.
Signs and wonders
I am a non-denominational, rightly-dividing, King James Bible-believer and have found from experience that for those who believe the gospel of Christ, God is
indeed doing precisely what Paul told us he is now doing. I don't believe he is doing much of what Benny Hinn and the like claim that he is. Signs and wonders
were used by God to approve his prophets to his people, Israel, and were only manifested among Gentile believers for as long as the Lord persevered with
provoking Israel to jealousy.
"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."
(1Co 1:22-24 AV)
"But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger
you." (Romans 10:19 AV)
Nevertheless, God is always perfectly capable of miracles and I am exceedingly grateful that he answered the prayer of Christian pastor who prayed on my
behalf for relief from my 'brain pain', in an extraordinary and miraculous manner, long before I was saved.
Righteousness through obeying the law
Righteousness through keeping the commandments was a requirement for eternal life within Israel's law dispensation. Unfortunately now, as then with the
scribes and Pharisees, it often leads to pride, boasting and insufferable self-righteousness.
"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."
(Matthew 19:16-17 AV)
But now Christ's righteousness is imputed to gospel believers by God. Our faith is counted for righteousness. Although faith in the word of God has also
counted for righteousness 'in time past', having faith now in what God said to Noah or Abraham is not likely to save our souls. Faith that Christ accomplished
everything necessary for our soul's salvation on Calvary's cross will do the trick though.
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness
of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" (Romans 3:20-22 AV)
Gentile exclusion/inclusion
We were clearly separated from God in time past unless we proselytized into the Jewish religion. Christ's plan to go to the Gentiles swung into effect with
the saving of Paul in Acts chapter 9 and the sending of Peter to Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. We had already been cleansed and 'made nigh' by Christ's shed
blood at Calvary.
"And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." (Acts
10:15 AV)
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the
flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
(Ephesians 2:11-13 AV)
Works preaching vs grace preaching
Repentance - In its simplest sense repentance means a change of mind or heart. I was saved when I repented of my red-letter 'Christianity', my underestimation
of the Apostle Paul and my ignorance of Christ's revelation to him.
The kingdom of heaven is at hand - Although the disciples thought that the restoration of Israel's Davidic kingdom
was at hand, and enquired if this was so after Calvary (Acts 1:6-7), it became apparent that it was the spiritual
kingdom of God that was at hand. It arrived on the day of Pentecost. Since then the spiritual kingdom of
God is always at hand.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Ro
14:17 AV)
Water baptism, confession of sins and commandment-keeping are not requirements for salvation in the current grace dispensation
but sin confession and "loving our neighbours as ourselves" may well be fruits of salvation.
Water baptism - Gospel believers are supernaturally baptised into Christ's body by the Holy Spirit
upon believing. The presence of the Holy Spirit of promise is actually the presence of the Spirit
of the heavenly Jesus Christ. Because he fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf, including water
baptism (Matthew 3:13-15), and because our righteousness is not our own but that of Christ, then there
is no need for believers who have received the Spirit of Christ to be water baptised. It won't do
any harm unless you start claiming that your righteousness is your own and not that imputed to you by the Lord.
By the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians he had left off water baptising and stresses that the preaching
of the cross is the power of God unto us which are saved;
"I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine
own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For 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. For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:14-18 AV)
As to commandment keeping:
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:10 AV)
As to sin confession: It is not a requirement for obtaining God's forgiveness. All of our sins have been paid for - past, present and future. I find it
helpful to discuss my sin areas with an understanding other and we should always forgive one another in love. I confess my ongoing sin areas to God in an
informal manner and seek guidance from him as to his will for me regarding them. Some sin areas have not been removed from me and perhaps remain as my thorns
in the flesh. His grace is always sufficient for me. If we seriously abuse our standing in Christ we put ourselves in danger of disfellowship by 'the least
esteemed among us' and in extreme cases may be handed over to Satan for cleansing.
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Col 2:13 AV)
"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye
not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them
to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able
to judge between his brethren?" (1Co 6:2-5 AV)
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Eph 4:32 AV)
"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid." (Rom 6:15 AV)
"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor 12:9 AV)
"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinthians 5:5
AV)
"Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy 1:20 AV)
Today we preach Christ's death, burial and resurrection and all who are ordained to eternal life will hear it, believe it and be saved.
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My first effort for 2008. Having been a prolific and versatile sinner I was relieved to find Paul's words to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) in which
he gives a list that just about covers the field for sinners and then follows it with the words "and such were some of you". I have adapted the scripture, made
a small change to the order of the list and repeated certain parts for the sake of the flow of the melody and lyrics.
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 AV)
To any non-Christian listeners I should mention that this scripture was and is addressed to brothers
and sisters within the body of Christ. As 1 Corinthians
5:12-13 makes quite clear, we are not the morality police
for the world. It is not our place to judge those without (i.e. those not within the body of Christ).
"For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that
are without God judgeth......" (1 Corinthians 5:12-13 AV)
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I wrote this song in 2006 but was not comfortable with the lyrics and the style in which I initially
performed it. I rerecorded and uploaded it here in Feb 2007 but I was still not happy with
it and removed it in Jan 2009.
After doing a lot of live performing earlier this year I decided to have another go at it. I have changed
the rhythm of the guitars and my singing is not so 'pitchy' (as they say on American Idol).
The lyrics are lifted from the following scripture.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they
preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." (Rom
10:13-18 AV)
It was my experience that faith came by hearing the word of God from a
mid-Acts preacher on February the 5th, 2006. He had a hard job getting through the stubborn mindset
of an unsaved, red-letter 'Christian' knowitall and I thank God that he persevered.
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This is my first grace gospel song but the third one to be recorded. I've been
waiting for the opportunity to round up some singers to echo each line and sing
harmonies in places. I've recorded a solo version to get the ball rolling but
will probably post one with additional singers later on. The melody is
intentionally simple and singalongable and sounds like many other folk songs.
The lyrics are an attempt to lay out the progressive revelations by God regarding his
hidden purpose behind allowing the murder of his Son.
[My heart was pricked in October 2012
when I heard a prominent grace preacher criticise the use of the word 'murder' with regard to the
death of Jesus. Thankfully I found that I was in good company and need not change the
lyric of the song. For Stephen also called those who killed the Lord 'betrayers and murderers' (Acts 7:52).
If Judas was accountable for BETRAYING the Lord (and he was - Mark 14:21) then the Jews who howled
for the Lord's blood (Matthew 27:22-25) were accountable for his murder. That God brought GOOD
from the Lord's betrayal and murder does not mean that the perpetrators were
not seen by God as betrayers and murderers (Matthew 18:7; Luke 17:1).]
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them
which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the
betrayers and murderers:" (Acts 7:52 AV)
I think that I
used to see the crucifixion of Jesus as just another example of Satan getting his
own way on this planet. Songs like 'Sympathy For The Devil' by the Rolling
Stones seemed to be bragging about Satan's victory too. It was hard for me to
see it as God's victory as Christians claimed.
My own personal 'revelation of the mystery', came when for the first time in my life I understood why 'this saying was hid from them' (Luke 18:34).
"For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And
they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid
from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." (Luke 18:32-34 AV)
It was hid from them because God's plan of salvation required the death, burial and resurrection of his Son. Although Isaiah and other prophets
foretold the coming of Israel's Messiah, and even that his soul would be an 'offering for sin', they had been left in the dark regarding the dual nature of
Calvary. That Christ would be resurrected and become a 'saviour for everyone' (not just a sacrificial lamb for Israel) is 'unsearchable' in scripture prior to
Calvary.
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches of Christ;" (Ephesians 3:8 AV)
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of
this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2:7-8 AV)
Only the apostle Paul was given the 'revelation of the mystery' during visitations to him by the risen, glorified Christ. Christ revealed to Paul, God's
hidden plan which had been kept secret since the world began.
"Now 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, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the
prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:" (Romans 16:25-26 AV)
The revelation of the mystery is the revelation of the unprophesied information that
the resurrected and exalted Lord revealed to Paul during his visitations with him. After a few more
years study I may be able to give a thorough account of all the mystery information but
I can tell you that 'the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery' is also called 'the preaching of the cross'.
By simply believing the gospel of Christ, (that he died for our sins, was
buried and rose again the third day) we are supernaturally identified with Christ's death,
burial and resurrection. Our 'old man' (in the likeness of the first
Adam's sinful flesh) is crucified with him, and our new man is raised in the quickening
spirit of Christ, the last Adam. Christ's righteousness is
supernaturally imputed to our heavenly account balance and we become members of
God's new creature, the body of Christ. Our sanctification is a work in
progress until we die and our glorification will take place when the Lord returns for his own.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16 AV)
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4
AV)
"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
(Colossians 2:12 AV)
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." (1 Corinthians 15:45 AV)
Salvation by 'simply believing' the gospel of Christ is a gift of God by grace not of works, and the 'god of this world' is working overtime to blind the
minds of them that believe not. Simple believism but not easy believism. My own mustard seed of faith kept me 'diligently seeking him' (Luke 11:9, Hebrews
11:6) but it was by the grace of God that my mustard seed suddenly 'waxed a great tree' (Luke 13:19). Thus the current dispensation of God is called the
*dispensation of the grace of God.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 AV)
"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ Jesus before the world began," (2 Timothy 1:9 AV)
"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 AV)
*Dispensation: When God rings the changes in his dealings with the people of earth he uses a human 'dispenser' and the arrangement so dispensed becomes a
dispensation of God. Moses was God's dispenser of the law dispensation to the Jews. Paul was God's dispenser of the grace dispensation to both Jews and
Gentiles.
"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:" (Ephesians 3:2
AV).
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This is my second attempt at writing a grace gospel song. It expresses why I overlooked the grace message and explains some of the things I have learned in
the last month or so (Feb 2006).
The fourth line in the second verse "Living condemned by a doctrine never intended for me" deserves a little explanation. (explanation updated March
2009)
The law of Moses is the "ministration of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9)". The law of Moses was never intended for the Gentiles. So how had I became
condemned by it? Because Christian doctrines were presented to me throughout my life without the correct delineation (right division) of the Lord's earthly
ministry to the Jews and his later heavenly ministry to us Gentiles. I was almost exclusively exposed to 'Judaised' Christianity. I had thought that everything
Jesus said during his earthly ministry applied to me.
For the decades that I tried to follow the sayings of Jesus, say, at the sermon on the mount, I remained unsaved and in condemnation. Jesus had in fact
intensified the law of Moses during his earthly ministry by declaring uncommitted sins of the heart to be as bad as actual committed sins. (eg. Matthew
5:28)
I had had no idea that the risen, glorified Lord introduced new doctrine through the apostle Paul. I had not seen Paul as a receptacle and dispenser of new
doctrine from the Lord himself. Because of that I had completely missed the risen and glorified Lord's ministry from heaven - the saving gospel of grace. I am
not under the law but under grace. (Romans 6:14)
I have since learned that the term 'CV' may not be familiar to you all. I'm not sure where I picked it up - either the UK or New Zealand. It means a
curriculum vitae or resumé - a summary of past employment. I have only accompanied myself with my late niece Sheryl's 12-string kindly loaned to me by her
surviving family.
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This is my third grace gospel song. The two verses express some of the differences in my daily experience since being saved. The two bridges (for want of a
better word) are mostly from scripture. I have tried not to lose the meaning though they may not be exact extracts. They express some of the basic elements of
the mid-Acts dispensational position, including the use of the King James Bible and the primacy of Pauline doctrine. I am in no doubt that it is the 'cutting
edge' true position where all seekers after God's truth should be.
On April 23rd 2006 I uploaded this song with an amendment to the lyrics in the second bridge. I will do this from time to time with my grace gospel songs as
my scriptural knowledge and understanding improves. I now realise it is important to include the more exact nature of Paul's 'me first' pattern. My old lyric
of 'for earthly life' was too general. The new lyric is 'Paul the pattern, for sinners hereafter such as I. He first shewn all longsuffering by Lord
Jesus Christ.'
Hopefully the amended lyric more faithfully reflects the nature of Paul's pattern as he speaks of it in 1 Timothy 1:15-16. The amendment regretfully required
me to leave out the lyric 'the last person to see Jesus Christ'.
