Ephesians
I Ephesians 1:1-23 There are 2 things in verse 1 of Ephesians that the pulpit concentrate the most on to prove that salvation is not for everyone and only for those who have repented, confessed Jesus and believed. They are: "Only a believer can be called a saint, and faithful in Christ Jesus." This is how most pulpit's interpret (twist) verse 1. However, to preach this verse in light of what I just described only creates a bigger problem for us and for everyone when we read the other letters of Paul. Let me give you just one example out of hundreds: " To the point, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not holding their sins against them." 2 Cor. 5:19. Now, if this Gospel of the saving grace of God is only for those who are called saints, and only for those who we believe are faithful in Christ, then what do we do with verses like 2 Cor. 5:19? How do we reconcile the two? Was not Paul using a figure of speech when he used the words "saints" and "faithful"? Is a "saint" and a "faithful" person someone who never does anything wrong? Are we to believe that a "saint" and a "faithful" person is connected to some sort of good performance on man's part? Aren't there Christians who see themselves as "saints" and "faithful," yet they are the most bias, hateful, and fearful people on the face of the earth? Can we honestly say that when Paul found "Peter, James and John" perverting the Gospel of God's grace, that they were being "saints," and "faithful"? Friends, when we pull passages out of context and give them our own self-righteous twist of witchcraft, we can make any verse sound convincing and true. Besides Paul being a man of truth and one who understood the Gospel, he was also a kind and gentle man. In addressing the Ephesians in verse one, he was just simply being just that, respectful, kind and gentle. Nothing more. The pulpit quite often make more out of something for the sake of either making an impression or proving their all bias doctrine of "Saints" get heaven and "Sinners" get hell. When Jesus died on the cross, how many were made "saints" and how many remained "sinners"? If Jesus died for all sins, and all men, then how many sinners are there yet to die for? We are either ALL saints, or ALL sinners. "For there are none righteous, no not one, for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. As long as people continue to see the Gospel in light of "good and evil," we will always see salvation in light of "saint" gets good, and "sinner" gets bad." "Faithful" gets good, and "unfaithful" gets bad." The fact is that there is no such thing as a "saint" or a "faithful" person. The only one that can be said of ever being a "saint" and "faithful" is none other than the one that God spoke out of heaven in Matthew saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear you Him." God has never said this of any man, or any self-righteous religious person, nor of any human "saint." The reason why God sees the whole world as being "saints' and "faithful" is because of what Jesus has done for us all. To think, or believe that we are "saints, and "faithful because of our performance, and that only a believer can be called a "faithful saint" is witchcraft. Do you hear me "Kenneth Copeland"? Do you hear me "Joyce" and "Dollar"? Do you hear me "Evangelical Church"? Would you say that "Peter, James and John" were "saints" and worthy of being "faithful" after Paul rebuked them for perverting the Gospel of Jesus Christ? No! -- that's more of a reason to believe that we were all saved by grace and if it hadn't been for grace we would all be seen as sinners. "Peter, James and John," like "Copeland, Joyce and Creflo" should be thankful that they too were saved by grace. For we all know that "faithful saints" they're not. If "Copeland, Joyce and Creflo" and the "3 Amigos" were "faithful saints," then this Gospel is most definitely of war, works and disgrace, instead of unconditional love, peace and grace. Friends, when we don't see the Gospel of God as being totally for all and of grace, legalism will lead us and will continue to lead us to preach a doctrine of law, still dividing the "sheep" from the "goats." The "sheep" and the goats" were both reconciled at the cross. There are no sinners, just saints in the eyes of God's grace. Grace N Peace Eddie Narvaez |