2nd Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Someone posted the following heretical YouTube video on my Facebook page, which I quickly removed, because it is full of junk theology. Kindly said, the video's author Gian Marco falsely states concerning the epistle of James:
“James is addressing post rapture, Tribulational Jews, who are living in the time of Daniel's 70th week, and the doctrines found in his epistle are directly toward them. Christians need to stop stealing what belongs to Israel. And not just the book of James for that matter; but rather, all of Hebrews to Revelation is being addressed to Israel and Israel only.” [emphasis added]
SOURCE: Rightly Dividing Ministries - What is the FIRST STEP to understand Right Division?
Say what? Folks, that is prosperous! Gian says the nine books of Hebrews to Revelation were all written only for the Jews. Not only for Jews, but future Jews who will be alive during the Tribulation period. That is ridiculous! The Rapture obviously hasn't happened yet. Marco is teaching that the epistle of James is not applicable today. That is a blatant lie of the Devil. The author absurdly claims that NINE books of the New Testament—from Hebrews to Revelation—were only written to Israel, and not to Gentiles. Marco also says the book of Acts starts off addressing the Jews, but then switches to the Gentiles. He says that there are at least three different gospels taught in the Bible. Oh boy! So according to Marco, we should not consider the nine books from Hebrews to Revelation as being written to every believer. I don't like refuting people, but I love contending for the Christian faith (Jude 1:3).
God knows that I have nothing against Gian, truly. But I have a problem with anyone—including Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, Robert Breaker, Chett Hensley, Dr. William P. Grady and Bryan Denlinger—who teach that people were saved by faith plus works in the Old Testament. That conflicts with umpteen Scripture passages which proclaim salvation by grace alone.
Folks, that is WRONG!!! All of the Holy Bible was written to every human being. Matthew 4:4, “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” If I am to live by “EVERY WORD” of God, then I need EVERY WORD of God in the Bible! The unsaved person cannot understand spiritual things (1st Corinthians 2:14-16), so if they reject the passages about getting saved (i.e., the Gospel of John), then they won't be able to accurately understand the rest. The indwelling Holy Spirit teaches God's child the Bible (John 16:13). Since it is God's desire for all men to repent and be saved (2nd Peter 3:9), we know that it is God's sincere hope and desire for all humanity to embrace the Scriptures. Beware of YouTube theologians! Marco does admit in his videos that he is new at theology and still learning. However, he is dangerous in my humble opinion. Anyone who says that God didn't write all the Bible to every believer is corrupt in his theological mindset and cannot be relied upon.
The Bible teaches that ALL of the Old Testament was written for OUR learning. Romans 15:4, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” “Our” means you dear reader! John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” “Them” refers to every believer. The Word of God sanctifies (makes us more like Jesus) every believer. We are justified through faith in the Word of God. As God's child we are sanctified by the Word of God. And someday in Heaven we will be glorified with the Living Word of God, Which is Christ Himself (John 1:1-3, 14; Revelation 19:13; Romans 8:17).
Also, I don't believe in Replacement Theology (the teaching that the Church replaces Israel). Marco doesn't believe this either, which is fine. However, unlike Marco, I don't believe there was ever a time when God's promises applied to secular Israel. From the very beginning God's promises always followed a line of faith. Exodus 19:5-6, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” No unsaved Jew will ever enter into Heaven. Jesus told Nicodemus (a Jew) that except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:1-7). God will keep all His future promises to Israel, but the Bible says both Jews and Gentiles are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29). So I don't believe in Replacement Theology, because there was never anything to replace. Unbelieving Jews have always gone to Hell (Hebrews 4:2).
The Rightly Dividing Ministries YouTube channel also promotes the false knowledge that THE EARTH IS FLAT. Dear friend, if you think the earth is flat you need serious help! It is really sad that the author of this YouTube channel drags down the 1611 King James Bible by promoting such blatant false ideas. He also claims that there are no literal planets in our solar system! Just like the lie that dinosaurs were alive on earth 5,000 years ago, when someone claims that the earth is flat, and the planets don't really exist, they compel thinking people to avoid the truth of the Gospel, thinking something is wrong with them. Tell one lie and all your truths become suspect!
Kindly said, Marco is a dangerous false teacher! He teaches that people had to do works in the Old Testament to go to Heaven. He claims that not all the Bible is written to every Christian. Jesus commanded us in John 5:39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Every book of the Bible interconnects and harmonizes with each other. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. One relies upon the other to make sense! Marco says the Bible cannot merely be divided between Old and New Testaments, but he is wrong! God Himself made these two great divisions of LAW and CHRIST (Galatians 3:24-26). The law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ to be saved by grace through faith. Please read the following key passage of Scripture, which negates Marco's teachings. This passage is so beautiful, and finally lays to rest the heretical idea that people were saved differently under the law of Moses, than was Abraham...
Galatians 3:16-29, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
There are several things that I want you to learn from the preceding passage of Scripture:
- The “seed” is singular, which refers to Jesus Christ and not the Jews. The Bible plainly states this in verse 16. The Jews are God's tool, the blessing is Christ Himself.
- God made a promise to bless the world through Abraham's seed, which is Christ - This blessing is salvation by faith alone in the Messiah (Acts 10:43).
- God gave the law to Moses 430 years later - Verse 17 plainly teaches that the giving of the law didn't disannul (to cancel; make void) the PROMISE to Abraham and all humanity of salvation through faith alone in Christ.
- The purpose of the law was to show men their sinnership to bring them to Christ - Galatians 3:19, “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.” Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
- The law did not introduce a new plan of salvation - Galatians 3:18, “For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” The law served a purpose, but was not a plan of salvation!
- The law condemns all humanity, pointing us all to Christ for salvation - Galatians 3:21-22, “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” There you have it folks! Moses did not introduce a new plan of salvation. The law facilitates believing the Gospel, but does not supersede it. As we just read in verse 19, the law was added because of transgressions, until the seed (Jesus) came to die on the cross, unto Whom the promise was made. Please don't miss that! The promise wasn't made to Israel, but to Christ.
- Everyone ever saved was saved by faith in the Messiah - Hebrews 11:13, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) The mention of the word "mediator" implies a contract to which there are at least two parties. But where there is a contract there must be also conditions, and if these conditions are not observed the whole falls to the ground. Such was the Law. The Law was not kept, and therefore the blessings annexed to it were forfeited. On the other hand, the promise depends upon God alone. He gave it, and He will assuredly keep it, no matter what man may do. God alone is concerned in it.This passage is a conspicuous instance of the advance which has been made in New Testament exegesis. It is said to have received as many as 250 or 300 (according to another estimate, even 430) interpretations, but at the present moment there is a tendency to acquiesce in that given above, which, it is hoped, will be thought satisfactory.Now a mediator is not a mediator of one.—The very idea of a mediator involves two parties at least. The Law had a mediator, therefore the Law involves two parties. In other words, it is a contract.But God is one.—On the other hand, God, the giver of the promise, stands alone: therefore the promise is not a contract; and, resting on God, it is indefeasible.SOURCE: Bible Hub - Galatians 3:20
Romans 4:1-4, “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”
- Dispensationalism is not taught in the Bible. The word “dispensation” is mentioned four times in the Bible, none of which can legitimately be used to teach dispensationalism. For example: In Ephesians 3:2 Paul simply meant that God had entrusted him to administer (dispense) the Gospel of grace.
- Dispensationalism was contrived in the late 19th century. It was invented as a means of theologically corrupting the churches to support the formation of manmade Israel in 1948 (the Rothschilds were buying up land in Palestine prior to World War II). Pastor Cyrus I. Scofield (1843-1921) was the primary culprit.
- Dispensationalism is the heretical basis for the hoax of Zionism (i.e., the unbiblical recognition of the modern manmade nation of Israel since 1948 as the fulfillment of Bible prophecy). The Bible plainly teaches that Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles until Jesus Christ returns at His Second Coming. Luke 21:24, “And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” This is a very different teaching than Zionism (which falsely dupes churches to give money, prayer and support to reestablish present day Israel). Just as God rejected Ishmael when Abraham and Sarah took matters into their own hands, so also does God reject present-day manmade Israel. Hosea 3:4-5 teaches that true Israel will not be restored until the Jews repent toward God when Christ returns.
- Dispensationalism is the heretical basis for the lie that people were saved by faith plus works in the Old Testament - This is a bizarre teaching! No one has ever been owed salvation by God (Romans 4:4). David was saved by God's imputed righteousness (Romans 4:6). Habakkuk was saved by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). Hebrews 11:13a says: “These all died in faith.” The Bible says “BY FAITH” Noah built an ark. The Bible doesn't say that building an ark completed his faith. By faith I built this blog (Thank you Google!). By faith I love my neighbour as myself. Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” I love that! Noah was saved by faith alone. I fear God, as Noah did, because I have faith. I am not saved because I built a massive Christian website since 2002, but my labors evidence my faith (Hebrews 12:1). Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” There is no mention of works. Please notice that only FAITH pleases God, not works. Works are the evidence of faith in the eyes of men. God sees our heart, which is why He justifies us solely by resting in Christ (Hebrews 4:10-11).
- Dispensationalism makes the emphasis Israel instead of preaching the Gospel - I highly recommend reading a helpful book from 1927 by Dr. Phillip Mauro titled: “The Gospel Of The Kingdom.” This is a wonderful book, which emphasizes that God has already made two great divisions of LAW and CHRIST in the Holy Bible; whereas dispensationalism divides the Bible into 7 or 8 portions, which is ridiculous! Dr. Mauro well refutes the heresy of dispensationalism.
- Dispensationalism confuses the Bible student - Contrary to claims of being a helpful overlay of the Scriptures, dispensational teaching misleads and confuses the Bible student. From all that I have seen, dispensational teaching often misleads students to embrace there heresies of manmade Zionism, lack of zeal to go soul-winning (claiming we're in the Laodicean age), disregarding several entire books of the Bible, teaching salvation by faith plus works in the Old Testament, claiming salvation by works in the future, et cetera.
- Dispensationalism is deeper life junk theology - I reject anything so complicated theologically that the common man cannot understand it. The Bible calls the Gospel “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). You show me the preachers who are dispensationalists and I'll show you someone who attended seminary! Guaranteed! And I'll also guarantee you that the preachers who deny the inspiration of the King James Bible went to Bible college!
“But you see, the attitude of this generation is: If you got a lot of education, Boy we've got it made! I mean that's it; I mean, you're just super-duper! ... Any kind of education that doesn't strengthen your faith in Jesus is an abomination!!! And the average college graduate comes out with less faith and less fire, than he had when he went in. I'm talking about in the Christian schools, in the seminaries, and in the Bible schools across this country; now that ought not be!” —Brother Lester Roloff, a needful quote from the MP3 sermon titled, “'THE LIVING BIBLE' EXPOSED!”
It concerns me that Marco's most recent video has received 500 views in just a couple days! In the heretical video, Marco teaches that Jews have a different plan of salvation than the Gentiles. That is false! Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Here we are plainly taught that ALL THE PROPHETS throughout the Old Testament preached remission of sins (salvation) through FAITH THROUGH CHRIST!!! Marco claims that the epistle of James has only been written to future Jews, during the future Tribulation and Millennial periods, and that they will need to do works to be saved.
Marco also strangely claims that Pastor Steven L. Anderson is a secret Jesuit who promotes a mini-Catholic cult. Goodnight in the morning, I thought I had heard it all! Folks, kindly said, Marco is way off to even say something like that. Pastor Anderson is arguably controversial, but he's a good guy, sincere, and no Jesuit I assure you! I thank God for him. I didn't write this blog article to criticize or attack Gian Marco, but to contend for the faith (Jude 1:3). Salvation has always been by faith alone. Galatians chapter three very clearly teaches that the law was established as a means to an end. That means is to show mankind our sinnership, so that every mouth will be silenced from self-boasting, and we would all become guilty before God (Romans 3:19-20). Christ is the end of the law, to them that believe (Romans 10:3-4). The law was given as a measuring stick, by which when men compare themselves, they fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Thus, they see their need for Jesus Christ as their personal Savior!!!
A good illustration is two different doctors: Dr. Law and Dr. Grace. Dr. Law diagnosis us with the terminal cancer of sin. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin in death! Dr. Law refers us to go see Dr. Grace (whose precious name is Jesus). Dr. Grace has a cure-all remedy for all sin! There is no diseased sinner who is beyond being completely cured by Dr. Grace! Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Oh dear friend, I am telling you THE TRUTH!
If Old Testament sinners were required to validate their faith by works, then so also are we! Abraham was saved in Genesis 15:6 by believing God. Abraham's faith was counted for righteousness (Romans 4:1-5). The Bible says if Abraham were justified by works, then salvation was of debt and not grace. Romans 4:4, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” So how in the world can anyone say that Abraham needed to offer up Isaac, as a work, to be justified (saved)? James 2:21-24, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” Romans 4:4, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” If you're not careful, you could walk away in your ignorance after reading James 2:21-24, thinking that you need partial faith in Christ plus works to be saved. But as I just showed you twice from Romans 4:4, if works play any part in salvation, then God owes that person salvation, and it could not be by grace.
So what is the truth? James 2:16-18, “And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James uses the example of a believer who talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk, of a faithful Christian. James says I WILL SHEW THEE, and you can SHEW ME our faith, by works. James is clearly speaking about being justified in the sight of men, not God.
Remember, a man's faith is counted (imputed) for righteousness. Abraham was saved in Genesis 15:6 by faith, but he didn't offer up Isaac until seven chapters later in Genesis chapter 22. Do you mean to tell me that despite Abraham's faith, God didn't accept him as saved for all those years! Isaac wasn't even conceived yet in Genesis 15:6, but Isaac was finally old enough to talk and walk, and respond to his father, in Genesis 22. So at least several years had passed. It would be silly to teach that a man had to wait several years to prove his faith in the sight of God, by his works! There is much ongoing debate in this matter of salvation by faith versus faith plus works in the Old Testament. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Salvation has always been a free gift.
The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:1-6 teaches that he was given a revelation from Christ of the mystery of the Gospel. Ephesians 3:6, “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” Paul was given the duty and privilege of preaching the Gospel of free grace to the Gentiles, which was new to everyone. The Apostle Peter was sent to the Jews with the Gospel. Paul did not introduce a new plan of salvation, switching from faith plus works, over to faith alone. This is what dispensationalists are falsely claiming—that Paul was given a new Gospel. The Bible plainly says that the Scripture preached the GOOD NEWS of faith through Christ to Abraham. Galatians 3:8, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” Amen and amen! Thank you for reading this. You are loved.
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