Lessons

The lesson on April 23, 2023 was part 3 of “The Remnant” study.  We opened up in Romans 11:5 where Paul said “… at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”.  This is a birds eye view of what is going on in the Acts period.  Wayne provided a recap of the two significant types of “election”, one is personal and the other is corporate.  Romans 9:13 KJV was a review of how Israel was corporately elected to be the salt of the earth (Genesis 25:22-25). Romans 9 showed how God was performing a short work in reaching out to the remnant. We reviewed the scriptures covering “to choose”, particularly in Ephesians 1:4.  In the Acts period, there was a New creation personally (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15); Neither Jew nor Greek (Gal. 3:28); Jew First: (Rom. 1:16; 2:9-10); Advantage to Jew: Much everyway (Rom 3:1); a Good Olive/Wild Olive (Rom 11); and a Subordination of gentiles.  Post Mystery we learned of the Both ministry.  Created the both one (Eph. 2:15; 3:6).  We studied “The Body of Christ” in these passages: Rom. 7:4; 8:10; 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:16; 12:12, 27; 2 Cor. 5:10; 12:2; Eph. 3:6; 4:12; 5:23; Col. 2:11, 17; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10.  We learned the analogy of the wife being bound to the law of the husband unless he died.  Now she is free from the law of her husband and is free to marry again.  Similar, Israel being the bride to Jehovah, when Jesus Christ died and raised as a new priest under the order of Melchizedek allows Israel to be married again to Jesus. We compared the Body of Christ in the Acts, to the Body of Christ in the mystery. The lesson ends by reviewing “the powers that be” from Romans 13:1-7 and how that was in context of the remnant and not civil authorities.

The scripture reading was from Romans 13:1-7 KJV “1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”