{"id":19250,"date":"2019-05-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sugar-land-bible-church.local\/sermon\/the-coming-kingdom-070\/"},"modified":"2022-02-23T10:44:42","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T16:44:42","slug":"the-coming-kingdom-070","status":"publish","type":"sermon","link":"https:\/\/slbc.org\/es\/sermon\/the-coming-kingdom-070\/","title":{"rendered":"The Coming Kingdom 070"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","book":[96],"series_event":[470],"sermon_service_type":[474],"speaker":[6],"class_list":["post-19250","sermon","type-sermon","status-publish","hentry","book-colossians","series_event-the-coming-kingdom","sermon_service_type-wednesday-evenings","speaker-dr-andy-woods","no-post-thumbnail"],"acf":{"sermon_title":"The Coming Kingdom 070","sermon_date":"20190522","sermon_month":"5","sermon_year":"2019","sermon_notes":6709,"sermon_slides":6710,"sermon_mp3":6745,"sermon_id":"52219237535133","series_or_event":470,"service_type":[474],"speaker":6,"books_of_the_bible":96,"chapter_and_verse":"4:11","sermon_transcript":"Andy Woods\n\nThe Coming Kingdom\n\n5-22-19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Colossians 4:11\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lesson 70\n\nAs you all know we\u2019re continuing our study on the Kingdom; we\u2019ve been teaching the concept of a postponed theocratic kingdom and basically the part of the study that we\u2019re going through here, and this study goes tonight and we\u2019ve got one more lesson next week and then we have a summer hiatus, right?\u00a0 And we pick back up again I think the first Wednesday in September, does that sound right?\u00a0 And I anticipate this study going one more quarter once we reconvene.\u00a0 I already said that a couple of quarters ago [laughs].\u00a0 But that\u2019s my anticipation.\u00a0 What does the proverbs say, not in the Bible but just a good way of living, it says, \u201cBlessed are the flexible, they shall never be broken.\u201d\u00a0 Amen to that!\n\nSo we\u2019ve been looking at passages from Paul which say, allegedly say the kingdom is now in contradiction to the postponed kingdom model we\u2019ve been teaching.\u00a0 So we have completed all of the passages related to Paul except for one there at the very bottom, Colossians 4:11.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you turn over there real quick and we\u2019ll see what we can do with that one tonight and if we get through that one we\u2019ll move into the alleged problem passages in the general letters and Revelation.\n\nColossians 4:11, Colossians is easy to find, it\u2019s right in the Bible, just get past the big books, the Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and then just memorize this: G<\/u>o E<\/u>at P<\/u>op C<\/u>orn, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians Colossians.\u00a0 You say I don\u2019t like popcorn; okay, memorize this: G<\/u>od\u2019s E<\/u>lectric P<\/u>ower C<\/u>ompany, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians.\u00a0 The books of the Bible, actually, once you learn a few tricks like that it\u2019s sort of easy to find.\n\nBut here\u2019s what Paul says at the end of a book, Colossians 4:11, and by the way, you\u2019ll notice that these kingdom now theologians have a way to kind of sniff out a rat, is they build their doctrine from concluding remarks at the end of a book.\u00a0 They do that in Galatians 6:16 concerning the Israel of God.\u00a0 [Galatians 6:16, \u201cAnd those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 And you know something isn\u2019t right there because the end of a book is just kind of a signing off; it was not designed to introduce some massive doctrinal point.\n\nBut what does it say here, \u00a0\u201cColossians 4:11, \u201cand\u00a0also\u00a0Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only\u00a0fellow workers for the kingdom of God<\/u>\u00a0who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.\u201d\u00a0 So you\u2019ll notice there that Paul calls his companions \u201cfellow workers for the kingdom of God. \u201c\u00a0 And you look at that by itself and you can kind of see what\u00a0 kingdom now theologians do with that.\u00a0 They think that means we\u2019re building the kingdom, we\u2019re kingdom builders, we\u2019re bringing in the kingdom, etc.\n\nSo how would we handle this passage in light of a postponed kingdom idea that we believe is future?\u00a0 One of the things that\u2019s very interesting about this passage is there\u2019s no verb in the passage.\u00a0 It\u2019s just the Greek preposition \u201cfor\u201d which is an English translation from eis<\/em>, is the way it sort of reads in the Greek language.\u00a0 So if there\u2019s no verb how do we know if this is past, present or future?\u00a0 Well, it has to be supplied by the translators.\u00a0 It has to be supplied by the readers.\u00a0 So how do you suggest if there\u2019s no verb here and we don\u2019t know whether \u201ckingdom of God\u201d is past, present or future, how do we determine what is in play here?\u00a0 There\u2019s no verb.\n\nWell, what I would suggest is we look at how Paul, the apostle, who wrote Colossians 4:11, uses the word \u201ckingdom\u201d everywhere else.\u00a0 So let\u2019s look at the places where Paul uses the word \u201ckingdom\u201d definitively to figure out what he\u2019s saying here at the conclusion of a letter where he\u2019s using the word \u201ckingdom\u201d in definitively because there\u2019s no verb.\u00a0 Do you follow the method that I\u2019m doing here?\u00a0 And I think we\u2019ve done this already looking at tracing the kingdom through\u00a0 Paul\u2019s letters so I won\u2019t spend a lot of time here.\n\nBut as you know, Paul wrote thirteen letters and there\u2019s an easy way to put those in order.\u00a0 If you just memorize the numbering device, one, two, three, four, two, one.\u00a0 You guys want to do that with me?\u00a0 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 1.\u00a0 So if\u00a0 you know that you can sort of put Paul\u2019s letters in order because your Protestant Bible doesn\u2019t\u00a0 put them in order for you.\u00a0 It organizes them by theme.\u00a0 So we have the big books Paul wrote first, Romans and the Corinthian letters, the little ones later, etc.\n\nSo how do you know what the order is of Paul\u2019s letters?\u00a0 Well, one, two, three, four, two one helps you with that.\u00a0 The first missionary journey one letter, that\u2019s the \u201cone,\u201d Galatians, that\u2019s the first letter he wrote, A.D. 49.\u00a0 The second missionary journey, I\u2019m on two now, how many letters?\u00a0 Two, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. And\u00a0 you say these missionary journeys, where do we read about those.\u00a0 Those are in the Book of Acts.\u00a0 The third missionary journey\u2026 what number am I on now?\u00a0 Three, so he wrote how many letters?\u00a0 Three, those are 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians and Romans.\n\nThe fourth missionary journey, I call it a missionary journey because I think he did go to Rome as a prisoner but he played his legal hand pretty well because he kept demanding a trial before who?\u00a0 Caesar, he knew if he kept doing that he could get, as a Roman citizen, his message all the way to Rome.\u00a0 So I call it a\u2026 most people don\u2019t call it a missionary journey because he was in chains but I think he was in chains but was actually controlling the circumstances.\u00a0 He\u2019s a pretty smart guy, Paul was.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u2019re on four, so how many books did he write on the fourth journey?\u00a0 Four, and those are the prison letters, Ephesians, Colossians, \u00a0Philemon, Philippians.\n\nSo we\u2019ve done one, two, three, four, now we\u2019re back to two, so he\u2019s out of prison, there\u2019s a time of about five years, the Book of Acts doesn\u2019t record this, where he\u2019s not in prison any more, and now he starts writing the pastoral letters.\u00a0 And they are 1 Timothy and Titus.\u00a0 Then he\u2019s put back in prison a second time in Rome and now we\u2019re down to one, and he writes how many letters?\u00a0 One, called 2 Timothy.\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that easy, one, two, three, four, two, one.\u00a0 One, first missionary journey, Galatians 2.\u00a0 Second missionary journey 1 and 2 Thessalonians.\u00a0 Three, third missionary journey, the two Corinthians books and Romans.\u00a0 Four, fourth missionary journey, four prison letters, he\u2019s out of prison, we\u2019re back to two, 1 Timothy and Titus.\u00a0 And then he\u2019s thrown back in prison and now he\u2019s back to one and that\u2019s his final letter called 2 Timothy.\u00a0 Does that help at all, these kind of things?\u00a0 It just kind of helps organize the Bible because if no one explains the order of the Bible to you you\u2019ll never get it in your whole life because our own Protestant organization doesn\u2019t organize things chronologically.\u00a0 It organizes things thematically.\n\nAnd by the way, when you go through the prophets, how many prophets do we have? \u00a0\u00a0I think there\u2019s seventeen, is that right, writing prophets.\u00a0 Why is Isaiah the first one in our Old Testament?\u00a0 Because it\u2019s the biggest and he\u2019s the most famous.\u00a0 But he was not the first\u2026 chronologically the first prophet.\u00a0 Anybody know who the first prophet was?\u00a0 A guy named Obadiah.\u00a0 So just like the New Testament puts Romans first even though that\u2019s number six, the prophets mess you up too because they put Isaiah and the major prophets first even though it\u2019s Obadiah that\u2019s the first one. But we\u2019re not talking about prophets tonight so I don\u2019t have to give you the formula for the prophets do I?\u00a0 Because if I did I\u2019d have to go back and study because I don\u2019t remember right off the top of my head.\u00a0 But one, two, three, four, two one, I mean, that stuck with me the rest of my life.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, I was given the microphone on an Israel tour and these people, they give you the microphone and they expect you know what you\u2019re talking about, and so it\u2019s always like \u201cLord, fill Your servant\u2019s mouth with wisdom, I\u2019m about to speak.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 And so with no preparation we were on our way to Greece and I said hey, does anybody want to know how to organize the letters Paul wrote?\u00a0 And they all went yeah!\u00a0 And so we spent forty-five minutes, which I just gave you in about five seconds, one, two, three, four, two, one, and they thought that was the greatest thing they\u2019d ever heard in their lives.\n\nSo some of you are teachers or are going to be teaching and you might called into duty with no prep and there you go.\u00a0 Just put together Paul\u2019s letters in chronological order, most people have never heard that.\n\nAll right, what are we talking about tonight?\u00a0 The kingdom.\u00a0 So how does Paul use the word \u201ckingdom\u201d elsewhere?\u00a0 Well, in Galatians, and I\u2019m starting with Galatians because that was the first letter he wrote, right?\u00a0 Galatians 5:21, \u201cenvying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.\u201d\u00a0 Now when you look at that is the \u201ckingdom\u201d past, present or future?\u00a0 It sure looks like it\u2019s future to me because it talks about people not getting into it one day.\u00a0 This is the same word basileia<\/em> which is the Greek word for kingdom.\n\nNow I\u2019m looking at the two Thessalonian books because those are number two, the two letters he wrote on missionary journey number two and what does he say there?\u00a0 \u201cSo that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.\u201d\u00a0 [1 Thessalonians 2:12]\n\nNow is our glorification past, present or future?\u00a0 Future, and so see how the kingdom is connected to that?\u00a0 So that means the kingdom is what?\u00a0 Future!\n\n2 Thessalonians 1:5 says, \u201cThis is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, which indeed you are now suffering.\u201d\u00a0 So you\u2019re suffering now and\u00a0 you\u2019re going to be made worthy in the kingdom.\u00a0 Is \u201ckingdom\u201d there past, present or future?\u00a0 Future!\n\nNow we move to the third missionary journey, where we get the Corinthians letters and Romans and Paul says, \u201cOr do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? \u00a0Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,\u00a0 [11] nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0[1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ]\u00a0 Is \u201cthe kingdom\u201d there past, present or future?\u00a0 Future because it\u2019s talking about people that aren\u2019t going to get into it or inherit it.\n\nAnd then over in 1 Corinthians 15:24 he says, \u201cthen comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, [when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.\u201d]\u00a0 So is the kingdom there past, present or future?\u00a0 Future because it\u2019s connected with the end.\u00a0 See that?\u00a0 1 Corinthians 15:50 says, \u201cNow I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.\u201d\u00a0 Is the \u201ckingdom\u201d there past, present or future?\u00a0 Future because it talks about people needing their bodies changed to get into it.\u00a0 Has your body been changed?\u00a0 Maybe for the bad for some of us, not necessarily for the good.\u00a0 So if\u00a0 your body hasn\u2019t been transformed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, you couldn\u2019t be in the kingdom now, could you?\u00a0\u00a0 So \u201ckingdom\u201d there is clearly future.\n\nAnd now we get into the fourth missionary journey where he writes the prison letters and one of those is Ephesians and he says, \u201cFor this you know with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.\u201d\u00a0 [Ephesians 5:5]\u00a0 Is \u201ckingdom\u201d there past, present or future?\u00a0 It looks like it\u2019s future to me because it talks about people in the future not getting into it.\n\nAnd then we had to skip a few letters because he doesn\u2019t mention the kingdom necessarily in every letter, but what was the last letter Paul wrote?\u00a0 2 Timothy.\u00a0 Where was he when he wrote it?\u00a0 Roman imprisonment.\u00a0 Was it his first imprisonment there or second?\u00a0 It was his second.\u00a0 And here he says, \u201cI solemnly charge you\u201d as he\u2019s writing to Timothy, \u201cin the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.\u201d [2 Timothy 4:1] So he mentions the basileia<\/em> in verse 1 of chapter 4.\u00a0 And then in verse 8 he says, \u201cIn the future\u201d look at that, \u201cthere is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not to me only but to all who have loved His appearing.\u201d\u00a0 [I Timothy 4:8]\n\nSo is His appearing and crown in the future?\u00a0 Yes they are.\u00a0 So therefore the kingdom that he\u2019s talking about must be in the future.\u00a0 So what did we just do? We just took a survey of Paul\u2019s thirteen letters as a way of understanding Colossians 4:11, which mentions the kingdom.\u00a0 And why do we have to do that?\u00a0 Because there\u2019s no verb in verse 11; it has to be supplied. \u00a0So whatever decision you come up with has to be in harmony with how Paul uses the kingdom every other place.\u00a0 Do you follow the method anyway?\u00a0 And since the kingdom is future in all of the verses we looked at how do you think it\u2019s being used there in Colossians 4:11?\u00a0 It\u2019s got to be future as well.\u00a0 If it\u2019s not future then you\u2019ve got some weird occurrence of the kingdom at the conclusion of the letter that\u2019s out of variance with everything that Paul has taught elsewhere.\u00a0 And this is how you can recognize if\u00a0 your interpretation of something is off, it contradicts the rest of the revealed truth.\u00a0 Whatever interpretation you have has to be in harmony with everything God has said.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 Because God can\u2019t lie!\n\nSo how would I interpret Colossians 4:11? I would not interpret that as those folks are bringing in the kingdom or they\u2019re currently in the kingdom. What it\u2019s talking about is their co-laborers for a kingdom still future because when you win someone to Christ you\u2019ve just won a citizen of the what?\u00a0 The coming kingdom, even though the kingdom is future.\u00a0 So in that sense we\u2019re still laboring for the kingdom although the kingdom is not currently a reality.\u00a0 Do you see that?\u00a0 And I\u2019m doing that because there\u2019s no verb here in verse 11, and I\u2019m interpreting \u201ckingdom\u201d by how it\u2019s used everywhere else in Paul\u2019s writings.\n\nDo G.N.H. Peters, I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve ever given you any background to this G.N.H. Peters.\u00a0 Have I done that at all?\u00a0 He wrote a three volume set called The Theocratic Kingdom<\/em> that\u2019s considered a classic.\u00a0 He wrote it, I think, in the late 1800\u2019s, mid to late 1800\u2019s; it\u2019s single spaced, double sided and it reads like this: Proposition number one, sub point one, sub point two, sub point three, each volume is very thick and he does this for three volumes.\u00a0 Now who was this guy?\u00a0 This was a guy that no one even knew who he was until long after he had passed away.\u00a0 He was Lutheran, he was an\u00a0 itinerant<\/em> Lutheran preacher and he wrote a book, a three volume set, called The Theocratic Kingdom.\u00a0 If you can find these at half price bookstores, or whatever, I would buy it if you get a chance.\u00a0 He wrote a three volume set on premillennialism and why the kingdom is future.\n\nThe only problem is his denomination didn\u2019t believe that so what did his denomination do to him?\u00a0 They kicked him out of the denomination.\u00a0 And the guy was so\u00a0 poor as an itinerant preacher he could hardly afford the paper that he wrote on.\u00a0 And he did all this, if you read the preface to the book by Wilbur Smith, Wilbur Smith says it\u2019s a miracle that this guy was able to do this, number one, in a \u201ckingdom now\u201d denomination, and how did he do it with no money?\u00a0 How did he do it with just writing on scraps of paper?\u00a0 How did he do it before the age of the internet?\u00a0 How did he do it before the age of computers.\u00a0 And yet some way, somehow, he compiled and it\u2019s kind of a mystery exactly how he did it, he compiled all of these church fathers, all of these resources going back 2,000 years demonstrating that the kingdom is a future reality.\u00a0 And his reward for it was he was kicked out of his denomination, he died in poverty, he died in anonymity and obscurity and no one even really got it in terms of what he had accomplished until they found his work long after he was dead and it was published.\n\nSo I don\u2019t know, that\u2019s kind of an interesting story, isn\u2019t it.\u00a0 So G.N.H. Peters wrote the greatest treatment that has ever been written in the history of the church on what we\u2019re studying, the futurity (that\u2019s a word) of the coming kingdom.\u00a0 And so sometimes I\u2019ll quote from these people and not explain to you exactly who they are and we kind of get cheated because we don\u2019t really realize that we\u2019re holding in our hands all of these tremendous gems.\u00a0 A lot of people want their reward now, they want to get famous now, and I think\u00a0 Peters is going to get his reward in the kingdom.\u00a0 He got no reward here on the earth, he died in poverty and was mistreated by his own Christian denomin\u00adation.\u00a0 And yet there it stands, G.N.H. Peters, the greatest treatment on the futureness of the kingdom that\u2019s ever been complied.\u00a0 Did you guys know that about him?\n\nBut he writes this, and he comments on all these verses that we\u2019re commenting on.\u00a0 He says, \u201cThere is only one<\/em> kingdom \u2026\u201d amen!\u00a0 \u201cand believers become \u2018heirs<\/em>\u2019 of it \u2026.\u201d\u00a0 And by the way, if you read the whole three volume set I\u2019ll take you out to dinner [laughter] because I haven\u2019t even read the whole thing, it\u2019s an exhausting read and it\u2019s single spaced and you have to have a lot of discipline to get through it. So if\u00a0 you pull it off, Richard may just do that, he\u2019s already read Chafer\u2019s volume several times over.\u00a0 Richard is back there chomping at the bit and he\u2019s going to take me up on it. My wife and I will take you out for dinner, we\u2019ll take your wife out for dinner too and we\u2019ll buy you dessert.\u00a0 Where\u2019s my wife, is she in here?\u00a0 Yeah, do you agree with that?\u00a0 Thumbs up\u2026 all right.\u00a0 It might even be worth more than one dinner, don\u2019t you think.\u00a0 Do you agree with that?\u00a0 Thumbs up!\u00a0 It might even be worth more than one dinner, don\u2019t you think?\u00a0 Like maybe a trip to Disney World?\u00a0 I say that because he\u2019s going to Disney World and I\u2019ll try to contain my jealousy while he\u2019s gone.\n\nBut anyway, Peter says, \u201cThere is only one kingdom \u2026 and believers become \u2018heirs<\/em> of it \u2026.\u00a0 The apostles represent themselves and co-laborers as working for it still future.\u201d\u00a0 And notice the verses he quotes, Colossians 4:11.\u00a0 In other words, just because you\u2019re working for the kingdom it\u2019s not necessarily a statement that the kingdom is here.\n\nAnd I forgot this quote here from Alva J. McClain. McClain basically took Peter\u2019s work much later, in 1959, and just sort of made it more \u201cuser friendly.\u201d\u00a0 And so my book is drinking heavily out of the well built by Peters and then McClain.\u00a0 All I tried to do in my book is just sort of take their conclusions and update them against the latest round of scholarly attacks against the idea that the kingdom is future.\u00a0 But I\u2019m drinking out of a well that\u2019s already been built by two men, first Peter\u2019s and then McLain.\u00a0 If you get a chance to buy McLain\u2019s book, The Greatness of the Kingdom<\/em>, 1959, you should get that book also.\n\nMcClain comments on Colossians 4:11, \u201cThe Greek preposition here is eis<\/em>, and therefore the passage may be read in harmony with the idea of a future Kingdom, toward which as a glorious goal all the labors of the church are directed.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0[Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom\u201d As inductive Study of the Kingdom of God as Set Forth in the Scriptures. (Grand\u00a0 Rapids: Zondervan, 1959), 436.]\n\nSo McClain and Peters are both saying yes, we\u2019re laboring for the kingdom but that doesn\u2019t mean we are laboring in the kingdom.\u00a0 Laboring FOR the kingdom winning souls for the coming kingdom does not mean we\u2019re bringing in the kingdom.\u00a0 And yet you\u2019ll find Colossians 4:11 misquoted by many kingdom now theologians.\u00a0 And we put it in the future because there\u2019s no verb there so we have to supply the verb and every other reference that Paul has to the basileia<\/em> is future so let\u2019s put it in the future.\u00a0 And beyond that I\u2019m not going to build a whole theology around someone signing off at the end of a letter.\n\nLet\u2019s go over to Hebrews 12:28.\u00a0 Now look at this folks; in my book we\u2019re leaving chapter 19 (can you believe it) and we\u2019re moving into chapter 20.\u00a0 And I just bring that to your attention to let you know that we are actually making progress in this class because I know sometimes it doesn\u2019t feel like it because we get bogged down on some things.\n\nBut let\u2019s go over to Hebrews 12:28 and notice what it says there. Now we\u2019re moving into chapter 20 of my book, where we\u2019re looking at alleged kingdom now passage from the general letters, there\u2019s a\u00a0 handful, and the book of Revelation.\u00a0 So we\u2019ve looked at alleged kingdom now passages from the ministry of Christ, the Book of Acts, passages from Paul\u2019s ministry, and we have shown that no passage anywhere teaches that we\u2019re currently in the kingdom.\u00a0 So now we\u2019re talking about passages from the general letters.\n\nNow why do we call these the general letters?\u00a0 And by the way, what are we talking about when we talk about the \u201cgeneral letters\u201d?\u00a0\u00a0 Paul wrote thirteen letters and as you keep moving right in your New Testament you\u2019re going to run into eight letters. What are those letters?\u00a0 You\u2019ve got Hebrews, James, 1, 2, 3 John, 1 and 2 Peter, Jude, I\u2019m not sure if I left any out but there should be eight of them there.\u00a0 So it\u2019d be Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude.\u00a0 Those are what you call the general letters.\u00a0 So there\u2019s eight of them.\n\nAnd why do we call these the general letters?\u00a0 Now this will get confusing because some of your study Bibles will say the Catholic letters and we say oh no, Catholic, that\u2019s bad!\u00a0 No, it\u2019s not Catholic in the sense that you\u2019re used to using the word.\u00a0 Catholic just means general, so general letters, or Catholic letters are just synonyms to describe the same group.\u00a0 And we call them general letters because they\u2019re different than\u00a0 Paul\u2019s letters.\u00a0 Paul\u2019s letters were all written by who?\u00a0 Paul!\u00a0 The general letters are written by a whole lot of different authors.\u00a0 Hebrews we don\u2019t know exactly who wrote Hebrews; James is the half-brother of Christ,\u00a0 you know who Peter is,\u00a0 you know who Jude is, the other half-brother of Christ, you know who John is.\u00a0 So it\u2019s not just eight letters written by a guy, like we have with Paul\u2019s letters, with thirteen it\u2019s a whole kind of \u00a0potpourri of authors.\n\nAn interesting thing about Paul\u2019s letters is they\u2019re usually targeted to a specific person, like Philemon, or a church, or a group of churches in the same area, like the churches at Galatia, the church at Rome, the church at Ephesus.\u00a0 These letters are kind of different because they\u2019re written to kind for broad based audiences.\u00a0 So 1, 2 and 3 John, who\u2019s that written to?\u00a0 It\u2019s probably written to everybody in the Asia Minor area.\u00a0 1 Peter and 2 Peter, as I\u2019ll be showing you, maybe tonight, were written to some churches in a very broad area, north central Turkey, etc.\u00a0\u00a0 James was probably written to the Jews in the Diaspora, and we could go on and on.\u00a0 I\u2019m just trying to explain to you why these are called the general letters written by not just one author but different authors and also written to broader based audiences.\u00a0 So they\u2019re a little bit different than Paul\u2019s letters in that sense. So anyway, that\u2019s where we\u2019re moving into, alleged kingdom now passages in the general letters, and then we\u2019ll throw in the Book of Revelation.\n\nSo what does it mean when it says receiving a kingdom, Hebrews 12:28.\u00a0 [Hebrews 12:28, \u201cTherefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;\u201d]\n\nWhat does it mean when it calls us a kingdom of priests?\u00a0 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 [1 Peter 2:9, \u2018But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;\u201d]\n\nWhat does it mean when it calls us \u201ca kingdom of priests,\u201d Revelation 1:6, [Revelation 1:6, \u201cand He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father-- to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.\u201d ]\n\nWhat does it mean when it tells us that we are fellow partakers in the kingdom, Revelation 5, Revelation 1:9?\u00a0 [Revelation 5:10, \u201c\u201cYou have made them to be<\/em> a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.\u201d \u00a0Revelation 1:9, \u201cI, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus..\u201d]\n\nWhat does it mean when it says Jesus has the key of David.\u00a0 Revelation 3:7?\u00a0 [Revelation 3:7, \u201cAnd to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:\u201d\n\nAnd what does it mean when it says Jesus has already overcome, Revelation 5:6?\u00a0 [Revelation 5:6, \u201cAnd I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.\u201d]\n\nWe\u2019re obviously not going to get through all of that tonight or even next week but that\u2019s the direction we\u2019re moving.\u00a0 Alleged kingdom now passages in these general letters and the Book of Revelation.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s start with Hebrews 12:28.\u00a0 \u201cTherefore, since we receive\u201d the Greek verb there is paralambano<\/em>, \u201cTherefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.\u201d\u00a0 So here it says we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken.\u00a0 By the way, aren\u2019t you glad about that?\u00a0 Because things in this life can get \u201cshaken,\u201d right, right down to your physical health and it\u2019s so great that our destiny is into something that \u201ccannot be shaken.\u201d\u00a0 It reminds me of 1 Peter 1:4 which says we have an inheritance in heaven which does not fade away. \u00a0[1 Peter 1:4, \u201cto obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,\u201d]\u00a0 Everything in this life can fade away, wealth can fade away, health can fade away, relationships can fade away, etc. but we have \u201can inheritance in heaven\u201d which will never fade away.\u00a0 So that gives us hope in the present age.\n\nBut it says, \u201cTherefore, since we receive a kingdom\u201d and the verb there is paralambano<\/em>, and the problem is that\u2019s a present tense verb; it doesn\u2019t say we will receive a kingdom, we\u2019re going to receive a kingdom.\u00a0 It gives you the impression that presently we are receiving a kingdom.\u00a0 So this becomes sort of a favorite verse, if\u00a0 you will, of kingdom\u00a0 now theologians.\u00a0 Aha, there it is they say, we\u2019re in the kingdom now.\n\nNow first of all notice what they\u2019re quoting from?\u00a0 How many chapters are in Hebrews?\u00a0 Thirteen. By the way, if\u00a0 you ladies out there want your husbands to brew the coffee in the morning and you want biblical authority for that, just remind them that it\u2019s the Book of Hebrews , now She-brews.\u00a0 If I didn\u2019t throw these things I\u00a0 you guys would fall asleep on me completely.\u00a0 And two months from now that\u2019ll probably be the only thing you remember from this whole study.\u00a0 I know how it works.\n\n\u201cTherefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken,\u201d so people say we must be in the kingdom now.\u00a0 And the reason I asked\u00a0 you how many chapters are here is because it\u2019s very clear that this is the end of the book.\u00a0 There\u2019s only one chapter to go.\u00a0 So you\u2019ll notice what kingdom now theologians do is they grab some verse right at the end and try to make a doctrine out of it.\u00a0 I just bring that to your attention because that\u2019s your first clue that that\u2019s what somewhat suspicious what they\u2019re doing.\n\nSo how would we handle this?\u00a0 Do you remember the Dejure Defacto<\/em> distinction that we made last time related to Colossians 1:13.\u00a0 Colossians 1:13 says we have \u201ctransferred\u201d present tense, into \u201cthe kingdom of His beloved Son.\u201d\u00a0 [Colossians 1:13, \u201cFor He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,\u201d]\u00a0 We basically said there that that\u2019s talking about something that\u2019s happened legally but not what?\u00a0 Actually or factually, and we went through a long discussion as to why that\u2019s a proper interpretation of that verse.\u00a0 And I suggest we do the exact same thing here.\u00a0 When it says we receive, present tense of kingdom, it\u2019s not a statement of fact or enjoyment, it\u2019s a statement of legality, what legally has happened to us the moment we trust Christ.\n\nIt\u2019s like saying our citizenship is in heaven.\u00a0 Are we in heaven now factually?\u00a0 I sure hope not or I although factually I\u2019m not there yet.\u00a0 That\u2019s exactly what you do with Hebrews 12:28.\u00a0 So this is a \u00a0\u00a0de jure non de facto statement.\u00a0 [Hebrews 12:28, \u201cTherefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;\u201d]\n\nAnd here is Alva J. McLain making that very point in his book, The Greatness of the Kingdom<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0 He says, \u201cIt\u2019s not unusual for Scripture on behalf of all believers to assert ownership regarding certain blessings even before they are possessed in Christian experience.\u00a0 See that? \u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s very common for the Bible to tell us what we own without asserting that we\u2019re presently experiencing what we own.\u00a0 And he makes this statement, compare 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 where all things are said to belong to the believer.\u00a0 [1 Corinthians 3:21-22, \u201cthen let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, [22] whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,\u201d]\n\nSo according to 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 you as a Christian currently possess all things.\u00a0 Yet, among these things are some that are yet to come.\u00a0 Like what?\u00a0 Heaven, for example, the glorified body for example, the ownership is legally certain though the experience of possession may be future.\u00a0 That\u2019s how you handle 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 and I think that\u2019s how you handle Hebrews 12:28.\n
    \n \t
  1. R. Craven, another writer that\u2019s very good on the doctrine of the kingdom, back in 1874 said, \u201cThe reception of the Basileia\u201d what\u2019s the Greek word for kingdom? \u201cbasileia,\u201d so you don\u2019t need to be scared of these words. \u201cThe reception of the Basileia herein spoken of manifestly may be de jure<\/em>,\u201d de jure <\/em>means what?\u00a0 Legal.\u00a0 \u201cBelievers on earth receive a sure title to their future possession.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0[E. R. Craven.\u00a0 So I think that\u2019s what Hebrews 12:28 is doing and that way I can keep this word \u201ckingdom\u201d which means the future millennial reign of Christ consistent all the way through. So Hebrews 12:28 is really not a problem.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nAnd then we come to the big Kahuna, this is 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t you whip over there real fast.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01 Peter 2:9, this is our second verse in the general letters that people to use to argue that we\u2019re in the kingdom.\u00a0 So notice what 1 Peter 2:9 says, \u201cBut you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God\u2019s<\/em> OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.\u201d\u00a0 Does anybody know where, what part of the Bible, Old Testament, Peter is quoting from?\u00a0\u00a0 Exodus 19:5-6.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0[Exodus 19:5-6, \u201cNow then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; [6] and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u2019 These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.\u201d]\n\nDo you know where they were when Exodus 19:5-6 was given to them by God, the Jews, Israel?\u00a0 They were at the foot of Mount Sinai.\u00a0 They had been in Egyptian bondage, in Goshen, 400 years.\u00a0 You know the story of the Book of Exodus, the ten plagues and how they were brought out of Egyptian bondage, how they passed through the Red Sea, sea closed up on the Egyptians and then there\u2019s about a two month period where they\u2019re complaining against God in the wilderness.\u00a0 So you have a redeemed non-sanctified people.\u00a0 Did you hear what I just said?\u00a0 \u201cA redeemed non-sanctified people.\u201d\n\nAre you saying it\u2019s possible to be redeemed and to live in a non-sanctified way?\u00a0 Just read the Book of Exodus; there\u2019s no doubt in my mind these people were saved because it says at the end of Exodus 14, \u201cThey believed God and God\u2019s servant Moses.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s the same Hebrew construction used to describe Abraham\u2019s saving faith.\u00a0 And everybody believes Abraham was saved in Genesis 15:6, \u201cThey believed in God and God\u2019s servant Moses.\u00a0 [Genesis 15:6, \u201cThen he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.\u201d]\n\nAt the end of Exodus 14, the very end of the chapter you\u2019ll see the same thing.\u00a0 [Exodus 14:31, \u201cWhen Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.\u201d]\u00a0 So clearly they were redeemed, no doubt about it.\u00a0 In fact, these folks are in the hall of faith, right?\u00a0 They passed through the Red Sea.\u00a0 There\u2019s no doubt they\u2019re saved. They sure don\u2019t act very saved though; I mean, every chance they get they rebel against leadership, rebel against God.\u00a0 So God is dealing with these people for two months and you\u2019ll see the figure two months in Exodus 19:1.\u00a0 [Exodus 19:1, \u201cIn the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.\u201d]\n\nHe finally brings them to Mount Sinai, which the traditional view of Sinai is on the tip there of the Sinai Peninsula.\u00a0 And there\u2019s a big debate on where Mount Sinai is, some people think it\u2019s over in Arabia, and that\u2019s a very interesting debate which is not something I want to get into.\u00a0 But wherever you think Sinai was that\u2019s where God brought him to\u2026 how\u2019s that!\n\nAnd if I went to the other\u2026 my wife believes in the other view and my only problem with it is if I believe what she thinks I\u2019ll have to change all my maps, all my circles will have to be changed, and I just can\u2019t handle the discomfort of that.\u00a0 [Laughter] So I really don\u2019t have a solid view of where Mount Sinai was.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t surprise me if it ended up being in Arabia.\n\nBut anyway, according to the traditional view they\u2019re brought to Sinai and God puts them under the Law, the Mosaic Law, right?\u00a0 Now when you see this chronology you start to understand very clearly what the purpose of the Law is.\u00a0 Was the purpose of the Law to redeem Israel?\u00a0 It couldn\u2019t be because they already were redeemed.\u00a0 The Law was never given to redeem a nation but it was given to a redeemed nation. See that?\u00a0 In other words, they\u2019re God\u2019s redeemed people; how are they supposed to interact with God and how are they supposed to interact with each other, and how are they supposed to interact with the world?\n\nThat\u2019s the whole purpose of the Law.\u00a0 It was never given to save them so anybody that puts people under the Law to get justified or saved is not understanding the basic chronology here.\u00a0 And you see, you get into Lordship salvation circles and they\u2019ll never talk about this two month discrepancy that I\u2019m talking about, because they think your submission to Christ is something that\u2019s necessary to get saved on the front end.\u00a0 It\u2019s not at all when you look at this chronology; they were clearly justified but they weren\u2019t living in a very saintly way.\n\nAnd so God put them under the Law to teach them how to inter-act with God, commandments 1-4 are about that, of the Ten Commandments, to teach them how to interact with each other, commandments 5-10 are about that subject.\u00a0 And to teach them how they are to relate to the unsaved world around them, and that\u2019s why God, when He gives them the Mosaic Law calls them a \u201ckingdom of priests.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s their new identity.\u00a0 How we act to the unsaved world around them?\u00a0 You act like a kingdom of priests because that\u2019s what you are to ancient Israel.\n\nSo God says this, Exodus 19:5-6, and this is what the Apostle Peter largely is drawing from in 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 God says to this redeemed nation that\u2019s living unsanctified at the foot of Mount Sinai, \u201cNow then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; [6] and you shall be to Me a\u201d what? \u201ca kingdom of priests and a holy nation.\u2019 These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.\u201d\u00a0 So the Law tells them how to relate to God, how to relate to each other, and how to relate to the unsaved world.\u00a0 Their new identity as a kingdom of priests and they need to know this because they\u2019ve been redeemed but they\u2019re not behaving like it.\n\nSo the Law was never given to redeem a nation, it was given to A<\/u><\/strong> redeemed nation.\u00a0 And it\u2019s the same way in your walk with the Lord.\u00a0 First the Lord brings you to saving faith and then it\u2019s great to be born again but the problem is your old nature keeps tugging at you and\u00a0 you keep going backwards, back to sin.\u00a0 Has that ever happened to anybody?\u00a0 You can put your hand up if that\u2019s happened to you, [laughter]the rest of you are in sin right now, you\u2019re liars.\n\nSo the sin nature is pulling back and wants you to go back into the world so now you have to learn the walk of sanctification, right?\u00a0\u00a0 Learning the walk of sanctification did not get you justified; what got you justified?\u00a0 Faith alone in Christ alone.\u00a0 So why are you learning the walk of sanctification?\u00a0 Because the walk of sanctification is not given to redeem you but it\u2019s given to you because you\u2019re redeemed.\u00a0 How are you supposed to live as God\u2019s child in a pagan world, in a body with a sin nature that always wants to go back to sin?\u00a0 So that\u2019s why God gave us sanctification, the middle tense of our salvation.\u00a0 So in essence that\u2019s what Israel is sort of receiving here as a nation.\n\nThe problem is what you have there in Exodus 19:5-6 is what Peter is largely quoting from in 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 So the \u201ckingdom now\u201d theologians have a field day with this.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 After all, if Israel is a kingdom\u00a0\u00a0 of priests in the Old Testament, and these same verses are applied directly to the church in the New Testament, then the church is also a kingdom of priests.\u00a0 Therefore the church is a present manifest\u00adation of the kingdom of God on the earth.\u00a0 So because Israel is called \u201cthe kingdom of priests\u201d in Exodus 19, and because the apostle Peter quotes a large chunk of this passage to the church in 1 Peter 2:9, will-ah, the church is the kingdom.\u00a0 See what they\u2019re doing.\n\nAnd in the book, chapter 20, I gave you some quotes of some kingdom now theologians that do this.\u00a0 One is named Anthony Hokamah, and you\u2019ll see him\u00a0 using 1 Peter 2:9 to build kingdom now theology or replacement theology which is the idea that the church is now the new Israel.\u00a0 And therefore what\u2019s God going to do with the current Israel?\u00a0 God\u2019s finished with the current Israel because the church has replaced Israel. Replacement theology, sometimes called kingdom now theology, sometimes called supersessionism.\u00a0 Why is it called supersessionism?\u00a0 Because the church has superseded Israel.\n\nRoman Catholicism believes this also, that the church is the present manifestation of the kingdom on the earth.\u00a0 The Pope is the vicar of Christ; vicar means in the place of.\u00a0 The Pope functions in the place of Christ.\u00a0 Kingdom now amillennial replacement theology the church is the new Israel and that\u2019s why the Roman Catholic Church really doesn\u2019t have a lot to say about future Israel because future Israel has been cut off. Because they are now the new Israel. See that?\u00a0 And this is not just picking on Roman Catholicism, this is what Augustine taught all the way back to the fourth century A.D.\u00a0 And when the Protestant Reformation happened with Lutheran and Calvin, do you know what Luther and Calvin dragged with them into their new Reformed churches?\u00a0 This same doctrine.\u00a0 That\u2019s why the Reformed churches today still teach and believe this even though they have adjusted some things theologically in the area of soteriology, they\u2019re still kingdom now theologists.\u00a0 They\u2019re basically, I would call them Protestant in some areas, Roman Catholic in other areas.\u00a0 That\u2019s what\u00a0 you get in the Reformed movement today.\n\nAnd the Reformed movement, I\u2019ll tell you, kingdom now theology they love 1 Peter 2:9.\u00a0 Here is a quote from Paul Octameyer, who says, \u201cThe twofold description of the new community,\u201d and this is from his 1 Peter commentary so he\u2019s quoting 1 Peter 2:5 and 1 Peter 2:9-10, verses we just read where 1 Peter 2:9 is referencing Exodus 19:5-6.\u00a0 \u201cThe twofold description of the new community shows by its language that the church has now taken over the role of Israel.\u201d\u00a0 See that?\u00a0 That\u2019s replacement theology.\u00a0 We, at Sugar Land Bible Church, do not believe that we have taken over Israel\u2019s place.\u00a0 We have become partakers in some of Israel covenants, like the New Covenant, but being a partaker is not the same thing as being a takeher-overer.\u00a0 Is that a word, takeher-overer?\n\nYou say what is our relationship to the New Covenant?\u00a0 Just say we\u2019re partakers of it, that\u2019s why we celebrate communion.\u00a0 But we are not takeher-overers of the whole thing.\u00a0 If we were takeher-overers of the whole thing we would be teaching what replacement theology teachers. See that?\u00a0 So Octameyer is a replacement theologian and look at how he\u2019s using 1 Peter 2:9-10 there.\n\nSo how do we respond to that?\u00a0 Well, the first response, which is the only one I\u2019ll be able to get through tonight, the first response is similarity is not the same thing as equality.\u00a0 Because two things are similar does not mean they\u2019re equal.\u00a0 If someone thinks something similar means its equal that\u2019s a logical fallacy.\u00a0\u00a0 For example, I have two cars in my garage. Why do I have two cars in my garage?\u00a0 Because I\u2019m an American and that\u2019s what we\u2019re supposed to do, and I\u2019m telling you, the cars look a lot alike and they both have four doors, they both have a steering wheel, a steering column, four wheels, they both have a trunk, they both have an engine.\u00a0 But would it be right to say because those two cars look alike they\u2019re the same?\u00a0 That\u2019s a logical fallacy because similarity does not mean equality.\u00a0 A bush and a tree look an awful lot alike, don\u2019t they?\u00a0 I mean they\u2019re both connected to the ground, they both need water, they both have green shrubbery or leaves. But obviously a bush is not a tree and a tree is not a bush.\u00a0 Why is that?\u00a0 Because yeah, you\u2019ve got some similarities but the differences outweigh the similarities.\n\nAnd essentially that\u2019s what I\u2019m seeing here with 1 Peter 2:9. When Peter quotes Exodus 19 in 1 Peter 2:9 he\u2019s just drawing some similarities.\u00a0 The church is similar to Israel in a lot of ways, both are called to be holy in daily life.\u00a0 Both were called by God to reach the world, Israel has that calling, the church has that calling.\u00a0 And that\u2019s the only reason Peter is quoting this; he\u2019s not saying that the church is similar to Israel in some respects, that the church is now Israel.\u00a0 You see that?\u00a0 Because when you look at the church and Israel, and I\u2019m doing a series on it in the Cornerstone, there are twenty-four differences between Israel and the church, at least, there could be more but the series is going on too long as it is so I\u2019ve got to limit it to twenty-four.\u00a0 But the reality of the situation is Israel and the church, I mean those are radically different programs with God, but they\u2019re similar in some respects.\u00a0 All Peter is doing here is pointing out these similarities.\u00a0 Some points of similarities between God\u2019s kingdom program through Israel and the church doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that Israel is the church.\u00a0 And you see, when a scholar, like [can't understand name] in a first year commentary makes this statement he\u2019s committing the most basic of logical fallacies that a first year logic student could see.\n\nIf God wanted to say that the church is the new Israel do you know what God would call the church?\u00a0 Israel!\u00a0 Does God ever call the church Israel?\u00a0 Never, not a single time.\u00a0 In fact, the word \u201cIsrael\u201d is used seventy-three times in the New Testament and guess what it means every single time?\u00a0 Israel!\u00a0 It\u2019s a technical term meaning a term that always means the same thing everywhere it\u2019s used.\u00a0 It refers to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.\n\nSo unless you are a physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob you have no business calling yourself Israel.\u00a0 In fact, in the Book of Acts there\u2019s a transitionary period when the church has been born (in which chapter?\u00a0 Acts 2) Israel is persecuting the church, Israel in unbelief is persecuting the new church, Israel is not going to be a evicted from her land until what date?\u00a0 A.D. 70 by the Romans.\u00a0 So Acts is recording that time period when the church is in existence and Israel hasn\u2019t been thrown out of her land yet.\u00a0 And you go right through the Book of Acts and it says over here the church, over here Israel.\u00a0 In fact, it says Israel twenty times and the church, I think about twenty times as well.\u00a0 So while the two entities are still existing side by side they\u2019re given different names and never is Israel called the church or the church called Israel.\n\nAnd you see, the problem is replacement theologians don\u2019t have the circumstance where the word Israel is ever applied to the church.\u00a0 So what do they have to rely on to make their point?\u00a0 Logical fallacies.\u00a0 The only thing they\u2019re left with is similarities.\u00a0 Are you following me?\u00a0 That\u2019s why they\u2019re using arguments like this.\u00a0 And this one is such a big Kahuna I can\u2019t get into it right now but you\u2019re going to have to come back next week to get validation for this.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to try to show you that\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1 Peter was never written to the whole church.\u00a0 People are groaning already.\u00a0 1 Peter was never written to the church as a whole.\u00a0 Who was it written to?\u00a0 It was written to believing Jews within the church.\n\nIn fact, there are six New Testament books that are like that; they\u2019re written specifically to believing Jews within the church.\u00a0 Does anybody know what those books are? James, written to the twelve tribes.\u00a0 Which gospel do you think was written specifically to the Jews?\u00a0 Matthew.\u00a0 Luke\u2019s genealogy goes back to Adam, tracing Christ to Adam.\u00a0 Matthew\u2019s genealogy traces Christ back to Abraham; it\u2019s all Jewish.\u00a0 Who was the apostle to the Jews?\u00a0 Peter, and he wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter. And by the way, Jude reads a lot like 2 Peter so we\u2019ll throw Jude into the mix.\u00a0 And which one am I forgetting here, it\u2019s an easy one, it\u2019s the one we mentioned for coffee instructions.\u00a0\u00a0 Hebrews, doesn\u2019t that sound kind of Jewish to you?\n\nSo there\u2019s six books in the New Testament that were never written to the church as a whole.\u00a0 Now am\u00a0 I saying you can\u2019t apply them to your life?\u00a0 Of course\u00a0 you can apply them, but when you develop a meaning that the church is the New Israel from a book that was never even written to the church as a whole you\u2019re on very shaky ground.\u00a0\u00a0 So I\u2019ll demonstrate that from 1 Peter next week, that 1 Peter was never written to the church as a whole.\u00a0 It was written to the believing Jewish remnant within the church.\u00a0 So that\u2019s where we\u2019re going.\u00a0 It\u2019s 8:02, we\u2019ll stop here.","series_sermon_number":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t