Thank you Father God for this time that we can spend in your Holy Word, the King James Bible. Thank you that we can continue today to study the introduction to Romans and learn more about our calling and that believers are saints now, identified with Christ. In Jesus name Amen.
We are continuing our study in Romans chapter 1, specifically we are continuing to study the introduction to Romans. We will be going over verses 6 and 7 today.
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
The called are all believers. God wants for all men (people) to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. He is not picking some people to be saved and then others to go to hell. We have freewill. God does have foreknowledge, but He allows mankind to choose to believe Him or not to. There is no universal salvation either (a false belief that everyone is automatically saved and/or that all people will end up in heaven eventually - those are all false teachings); we have to make the choice to believe or not to. God is forming the church the Body of Christ today in the dispensation of grace. We (believers) are called to live with Him for eternity in the Heavenly places. We remain here on earth only until our bodies physically die or if the rapture happens before then. Our inheritance is Heavenly, not earthly.
7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse is much more than a kind salutation. First, as mentioned in a previous study, Paul is speaking to saints. A Saint is anyone who has ever believed the Gospel of the grace of God. They understand that they are a sinner and cannot save themselves- so they believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again for our justification. They understand this personally, as well as historically. It is a historical fact but it's also personal. Jesus died for YOUR sins and he was buried and he rose again for YOUR justification. He did it all for you so that if you choose to believe that gospel, you can be saved! Once we believe this gospel, without adding any works of any kind, then we are given eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Saints are now God's BELOVED. In Romans 8 it says specifically that we are sons of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. As sons of God we are treated like adult children of God, which is different from how God related to Israel in times past, who were treated more like little children.
We are also hid with Christ in God (see Col 3:3 KJB). We have GRACE and PEACE from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 1:2). Instead of judgment and war, which was the next thing to occur in the prophetic program, God is now dispensing grace. Today we are in the dispensation of grace, also referred to as the mystery program.
God's will is for "all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim 2:4 KJB). He interrupted the prophetic program with Israel (after their fall which officially occured after the stoning of Stephen who was full of the Holy Ghost- see Acts chapter 7 KJB) to inject a secret dispensation of grace which had been "hid in God". God saved and then sent the Apostle Paul with this new gospel. The book of Acts is a transitional book from the gospel of the kingdom to the Gospel of the grace of God. Israel's program is on hold until this dispensation ends - the rapture ends this dispensation.
1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
Romans 11:11 says, "I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall [Israel] salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."
This mystery program or dispensation of grace is what is in operation today until the rapture of the church the Body of Christ.
Col 1: 25-27 KJB "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"
This is important to understand and we will discuss it further in future studies, but it's important to know that God is dispensing grace today, he is not pouring out His wrath. One of the most important things to know now is that we are saved from the wrath to come (the 7 year tribulation) and believers have peace with God and unbelievers today have an opportunity to believe the gospel of the grace of God that they might be saved!
1 Thess 1:10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."
Next week we will go into detail with Paul's prayer for the Saints.
Thank you Father God for this mystery dispensation where anyone who chooses to believe the gospel of the grace of God will be saved - from eternal death in the lake of fire, from the power of darkness and from the wrath to come. In Jesus name, Amen.
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