Our-Time---Introduction

Auxano Ministry

By the grace of God I am what I am:

1 Cor. 15:10a

Our Time

Introduction

My father taught me at a young age to look a man in the eyes when you are speaking to him. He told me it showed respect for the person you are speaking with and conviction for the words you are speaking. It was a manthano lesson.

It was around 52 A.D., when the Apostle Paul was traveling south in Macedonia, while being pursued by religious zealots from Thessalonica, that he indulged in his favorite passion. Paul stopped to talk with some folks in the synagogue in a little town called Berea.

Now we could break these guys from Berea down into just a few categories. They were either people who believed like the Pharisees, or like the Sadducees, or they were simply average believers in Judaism that loved God, or Gentile proselytes trying to understand Judaism. But in every case, we know this, the doctrine they believed was contrary to the doctrine Paul would have shared with them.

Yet some of these men received what the Apostle Paul spoke with all readiness of mind and then searched the Old Testament scriptures daily, investigating if the words Paul shared were accurate according to the Truth. What you hold as your standard is of the utmost importance in life.

Acts 17:10-11

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Well, I am not the Apostle Paul and for the most part you are not followers of Judaism. But if you will consider that I am looking you in the eyes, I will consider that you are as noble as those men in Berea.

I know and understand there are many who view the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 as the beginning of Our Time in God’s Word. Some view Acts chapter 2 as the beginning of the New Covenant spoken of in Jeremiah. Others, those identified as Dispensationalists, consider Acts 2 to be the beginning of the Church Age. From these two starting points our divisions multiply rapidly. The Body of Christ will never function as dramatically as God intended until we set aside our personal opinions and allow God’s Word to be our standard.

My Prayer

I have a personal prayer for this series as well as a goal, that has objectives on our way to reaching that goal. Let’s start with my prayer for this series. It copies some of the words of the risen Christ in Acts 26, referring to Paul’s introduction to the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Acts 26:18

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

The Goal

This is not a series to provoke to anger but rather to provoke to unity. For some it is to provoke remembrance of things already learned but since forgotten. The overall goal is stated in 1 Timothy chapter 2.

1 Timothy 2:4

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

It is God’s will that all men be saved. By “all” God means exactly what He says, every person who is alive, every person who has ever lived. God has always had the desire and I use desire because it is more than simply wanting something, it is a will that carries some emotion, some passion moving it.

So, it is God’s desire that everyone be saved. This saved is not just a “get out of jail card.” This saved is the Greek word sozo and means completely and totally whole. Snatched from the jaws of death and destruction and living with God eternally. Sadly enough, life has taught us we do not always get want we desire and that is true even for God. For some men will choose, and some have chosen since the Garden, to reject God’s means of wholeness and His offer of eternity with Him.

The first thing to acknowledge is that no one will receive the complete fullness of this wholeness until we get to the end of the book. But thankfully God is faithful to His Word and will perform all that He has declared.

The second thing to acknowledge is that Timothy is addressed to leadership in the Age or Dispensation of Grace. Yes, I would be called a dispensationalist. But I also believe in God’s Covenants, as should you. It is the best of both worlds because it is God’s Word! Even though this epistle is addressed to leaders in the Age of Grace it also has learning and application for every believer in the Age of Grace. This verse would be one of those verses that has application and learning for all.

After accepting God’s gift of sozo wholeness God’s next desire is for everyone to “come unto the knowledge of the truth.” You can see from many of the occurrences of this word “come” that it has an element of action and effort on the part of the one coming.

Matthew 2:2

Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.

This is the first occurrence of the Greek word for “come.” When this verse says, they are come to worship him, they are not coming from east Jerusalem or even the eastern part of the Promised Land, which stretches all the way over to the Euphrates. They are talking east of the Euphrates. They came a long way. They put forth more than a little effort to see and worship this child.

These men are coming from the land that was Babylon, which was conquered by the Persians. So, they can be coming from as far away as Sousa in modern day Iran. This trip would have taken a great deal of time, and resources, and planning. Consider these points about coming to a knowledge of the Truth. It could take you some time, more than an hour or two, and planning your days and weeks around this pursuit, and locating and utilizing some resources.

The Greek word for “unto” in 1 Timothy 2:4 is eis and it is used to mark the point you intend to reach. So eis marks the goal of all that you have put into coming. This goal, or desire on God’s part, is knowledge of the truth. So, God’s desire is for complete physical and spiritual wholeness and for that individual to put forth the effort necessary to reach a knowledge of the truth.

Knowledge is the Greek word epignosis, which is a full and precise knowledge. The prefix epi, which means above, indicates a relationship with God, the One who desires you to have this knowledge. Epi also indicates the point of origin of this knowledge. “Of the truth” is a genitive and thus is more accurately translated, True Knowledge.

So, God’s overall desire in 1 Timothy 2:4 is for all men to have complete wholeness, both physical and spiritual, and for those individuals to put forth an effort to have True Knowledge, which comes from God.

True Knowledge of Our Time is also the goal of this series of teachings.

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Objectives

Some objectives toward reaching this goal are in the following areas.

Administrations: what are they, how do we define them, when is their point of transition…

Covenants: We have all heard of the two main covenants, the Old and the New, but how do these stand with God’s Covenant with Abraham…

Israel: Why are they God’s chosen people, did God leave Israel for another, if so, when did Israel end and if not, when was Israel held in abeyance…

Gentiles: Is this a new concept or addition to God’s plan or has God always accepted Gentiles into His family…

Other things we should discuss:

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The mental preparation of the disciples of Jesus.

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A Feast day of Israel, fully comes, and ends Israel?

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Have all the Feast days fully come?

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Qualifications to replace Judas.

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The Comforter and holy spirit Created within, are they identical?

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The Apostles doctrine of Acts 2.

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The Old Covenant fulfilled.

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Sitting and standing.

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Address to whom.

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The diaspora.

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The great commission.

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First in this Church Age.

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Judging today

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The Church of God

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Conclusion

Manthano teaches us the object of learning is obedience.

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.

Psalm 138:2b

…for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

It is the true and accurate Word of God that all of us desire to hold in our hearts and minds.

Not my opinion, not your opinion but what has God said, what is God breathed.

Then what happens at the end of this series in those areas where we fail to come to an agreement? If there are such areas, we continue to investigate, to study the scriptures seeking more insight and more understanding.

Beyond that, I will act with these two principles in operation:

Love and Respect.

Romans 12:10

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

In this verse you have “kindly affectioned” from the Greek philostorgos and “brotherly love” from the Greek word philadelphia. The prefix philo is the root for brotherly love, while storgos is the Greek word of love between a parent and a child. Then philadelphia is love between siblings or mates also coming from the same root word as philo. This then is the figure of speech polyptoton to emphasize the family love in this verse.

So, these two words give you a vertical love of parents looking down to children or children looking up to parents. As well as a horizontal love between siblings or mates. All angles of family love are put on display from all directions.

Next, in “honor preferring one another” would speak to us of respect for one another. Honor is to esteem or respect, have reverence for another. While “preferring” is the compound Greek word proegeomai. Pro means to go before, to arrive first. While hegeomai means to lead. Together we have led the way in giving respect or honor to one another, do not wait for the other to give it first.

Putting it together Romans 12:10 is telling us to love one another because we are family. However, your family is structured, love one another and be the first to honor or show respect for members of your family, for you are all family.

Of course, verse 10 is rooted and grounded in the love of God, agape love of Romans 12:9.

The two principles I will operate on as we continue to go to God’s Word for clarity and insight is a godly love and respect of my family.

This then begins our series concerning Our Time.

All verses quoted in this teaching are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Our Time