JACQUES GAUVIN, RELIGION

---

Action Plan By Steps

From my limited insight into the understanding of Bible readers it seems that there are some, if not many, who think that the apostle Paul preached a different message than Jesus. This is in fact a fallacy. Paul preached what Jesus preached and what Peter preached, that Jesus is central to the plan of salvation of God and that the whole plan revolves around and involves Him. All the apostles were in agreement with Jesus and each other although every single issue had not completely been resolved.

Philippians 2:1 to 11 (NKJV)
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like~minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2 Corinthians 2:12 (NKJV)
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ^s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,

Romans 15:19 (NKJV)
in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Matthew 24:14 (NKJV)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 28:16 to 20 (NIV84)
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ^^All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.^^

A couple of areas contained conflicts. Paul had to straighten Peter out on the subject of circumcision, circumcision was first and foremost of the heart and was not necessary in the flesh any longer as a new covenant had been established and the Levitical priesthood along with some of its rituals had been superseded by Jesus (see Hebrews) and His transforming powers. Circumcision represents the removal of the unnecessary sinful nature of man. It was and is a spiritual issue and not so much a physical issue.

Colossians 2:11 (NIV84)
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

Romans 2:25 to 29 (NIV84)
Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. If those who are not circumcised keep the law^s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man^s praise is not from men, but from God.

John 6:44 (NKJV)
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Philippians 3:20 and 21 (NKJV)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

On another point, Jesus stated that divorce was not to be allowed except when adultery was present in the marriage. Paul however allowed divorce in some other circumstances primarily due to the hardness of the hearts of some married people. Aside from these two examples little else of much significance comes to mind as being conflicting in theology or doctrine.

Matthew 5:32 (NKJV)
But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

1 Corinthians 7:10 and 11 (NKJV)
Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:15 (NKJV)
But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.

However Jesus and Paul fulfilled somewhat different roles in the plan of God. Jesus spoke in parables to the masses so that most would not understand, but He revealed their meanings to His apostles privately. Jesus^ life and death had to be fulfilled exactly according to the timing and the will of God. He had to die in the manor and at the time that had been planned and prophesied. Paul, after the death of Christ, explained the messages of Christ, the significance of Christ and the plan of God in much detail, recorded much of it in letters which came to form a large part of the New Testament. (see epistles of Paul) This New Testament, added to the Original Testament, has since been spread throughout the world far more than any other book in history. Estimates claim that there are more than 5 billion copies of the Bible in print and global literacy is approaching 6 billion.

Romans 16:25 (NKJV)
Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began

Mark 4:34 (NKJV)
But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

Matthew 13:10 to 16 (NKJV)
And the disciples came and said to Him, ^^Why do You speak to them in parables?^^ He answered and said to them, ^^Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ^Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.^ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

Matthew 13:34 and 35 (NKJV)
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ^^I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.^^

John 8:20 (NKJV)
These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

What was kept secret up to the time of Christ, revealed by Christ, further explained by Paul is now common knowledge to anyone who opens his heart to God and reads and studies His holy book, the Bible, and applies its teachings.

Revelation 22:10 (GNB)
And he said to me, ^^Do not keep the prophetic words of this book a secret, because the time is near when all this will happen.

Christianity, the acceptance of the sovereignty of Jesus, is not just a religion of traditions, rituals and favourite ideologies, it is a work in progress, a way of life, an individual ongoing salvation, conversion and transformation of individuals convicted in spirit, committed to surrendering to the power and truth of Jesus Christ to finish the work of perfecting onto eternal life all those who the Father has given Him. Christianity is striving to do the will of God, to believe Him, His Son and His word, the Bible, which is to obey them whole heartedly and wholly without giving up through times of weakness but asking forgiveness for transgressions and maintaining the course of humility and voluntary, loving submission.

Matthew 12:6 to 8 (NKJV)
Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ^I desire mercy and not sacrifice,^ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Acts 10:35 to 43 (NKJV)
But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ ^^He is Lord of all^^ that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

1 Timothy 6:11 to 16 (NKJV)
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ^s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Revelation 19:11 to 16 (NKJV)
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

The vast majority of the world is being deceived by the many deceptions of Satan the devil. Here are some of those deceptions that the world is swallowing with abandon; Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Islamism, Christmas, Easter, government effectiveness, macro evolution, philosophies, self~righteousness, and countless other unfounded beliefs.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NKJV)
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Revelation 12:9 (NKJV)
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Galatians 1:9 (NKJV)
As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Colossians 2:8 (NASB)
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

People love to wallow in ignorance and false security. They are being lost because of lack of knowledge of the truth of God. Fault lies on the perpetuators of the above mentioned deceptions considerably. Also, they lack interest in learning the truth. They refuse to confront and challenge Satan. They seem to love their ignorance, attitudes and selves. In other words Satan uses peoples vanity of trusting in their own intelligence, understanding and skills.

Proverbs 3:5 (NASB)
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding.

Daniel 8:25 (The Living Bible)
He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard as they bask in false security. Without warning he will destroy them. So great will he fancy himself to be that he will even take on the Prince of Princes in battle; but in so doing he will seal his own doom, for he shall be broken by the hand of God, though no human means could overpower him.

Hosea 4:6 (The Living Bible)
My people are destroyed because they don^t know me, and it is all your fault, you priests, for you yourselves refuse to know me; therefore, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten my laws, I will forget to bless your children.

Here are some basic steps for you to become part of the Plan of God: 1) Become aware of the plan, search, research, ask, seek, knock, pray. (try the Bible, UCG, true ministers of God and God himself)
2) Study the plan.
3) Apply the plan.
4) Help others become part of the plan.

2016 Jacques Gauvin

---