469 - Les Feldick Bible Study - Lesson 1 Part 1 Book 40 - Fellowship In Resurrection Power

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 1 * PART 1 * BOOK 40 Fellowship In Resurrection Power We trust the Lord will just open the Scriptures to everyone’s understanding as we teach. We realize that there’s so much confusion out there today, and people are hungry for the Word. For maybe new listeners I always try to emphasize Paul’s apostleship to the non-Jews. So Philippians is one of Paul’s prison epistles. Paul is dealing primarily now with these letters with "our position in Christ, and what are we in the Body of Christ." Be skilled in the Word of God. Philippians 3:1a "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord...." Now remember the circumstances that Paul is writing in. Now here comes a word of warning. Philippians 3:2 Now of course the concision there that he was making reference to were the Judaisers, and their constant promotion of the circumcision of the flesh, to Paul’s little congregation of Grace Age believers. Now with that in mind let’s read verse 3. "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." So Paul alone deals with that old Adam or as we call it that old sin nature. So Paul says, "Beware of those things, because we’re not concerned about circumcision in the flesh, but rather we’re concerned about the spiritual circumcision which is something only God can do. Now let’s move on into new ground in verse 4. The flesh. So looking at verse 4 again. As a good Jew, remember, and here Paul gives seven reasons again why he could boast in the flesh. Philippians 3:4b-6 Circumcised the eight day, (that’s number one) of the stock of Israel,(that’s number 2) of the tribe of Benjamin, (that’s 3) an Hebrew of the Hebrews; (that’s 4) as touching the law, a Pharisee; (that’s number 5) 6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; (or that assembly of believers up there in Jerusalem. Philippians 3:4 If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: "...of the tribe of Benjamin,..." It’s back in the Book of Genesis chapter 49. Now keep Saul of Tarsus and the kind of a man that he was as a great religious persecutor of Israel. Now look at this verse as Jacob looks down the halls of time. Wasn’t that old Saul of Tarsus? We’ll be continuing on in verse 5. Now let’s look at another verse where he says much the same thing over in II Corinthians chapter 11. Some said, "Well we’re not going to follow that guy Paul, but rather we follow Christ’s earthly ministry teaching only." Now back to Philippians. chapter 3. "...an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, (and remember the law was fleshly. a Pharisee;" Philippians 3:6a "Concerning Zeal, persecuting the church;..." The word church here is so unfortunate, it should be persecuting the assembly. I’ve taught this over and over the last 9 years on television, that the word Church is not always the same group of people. Ecclesia is always translated Church, or in a place in Acts it is translated I think correctly, as an assembly, but see this assembly was a group of Ephesians rioters. They were pagans, so they certainly weren’t Church. So the word Church, "Ecclesia really the true definition is, "a called out assembly." Let’s look at Acts chapter 7 to show you what I’m talking about. Don’t just take the word Church and consider it as the same group. It was God the Son, it was Christ, and here it’s so evident. Look at verse 37 again. Acts 7:37 "This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear." So it’s always the personality of God the Son who is speaking. It’s a called out assembly to be sure, but of what kind of people? Jews. So this assembly that was called out of Egypt is the nation of Israel under Moses’ leadership, and here the word Ecclesia, instead of being translated Church should have been translated a called out assembly, because that’s what Israel was. We can look at another one in Acts chapter 2, and this one also is so often interchanged with what Paul calls "the Church which is His Body". Now here in Acts chapter 2 we have the Jewish feast day of Pentecost, and let’s look at verse 47. Remember these were all Jewish believers. Acts 2:47 "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." It would have been so much better if the translator would have used "a called out assembly" here rather than Church. These Jews were called out from the masses of Jews who had rejected Jesus of Nazareth. Now verse 30) And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples (his followers, certainly not the twelve) suffered him not. It would be no more obnoxious as the called out Jews from Egypt or the called out Jews at Pentecost. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible