It is evident from our own studies and from talking to others about the scriptures, that the evangel of God, the one taught exclusively by the apostle Paul has little perception or even acknowledgement in our churches, religious institutions and seats of higher ecclesiastical learning.

We have, by the spirit of God that has come into our lives, been taught a totally different understanding of salvation from that which is held by most nominal believers. Salvation cannot be earned, it requires no forgiveness or physical repentance, other than a perceived change of mind into belief, which is what most have never understood. This is borne out by Christianity's continual worries about sin, forgiveness constantly asked for and repeated by prayer to God to be merciful.

I would like to take you through some of the sections of Paul's epistles, showing what and how the glorious expectation we have and is presented in Paul's perfection epistles, especially Ephesians, is the very antithesis of today's teaching in Christendom, and leads one to the supernal heights of blessings to the body of Christ that are not only for us to revel in today, but guarantee a future in a celestial destiny that has been concealed and denied by deliberate mistranslation and preaching a gospel that was, and never will be ours!

Very early after Paul's meeting with the risen Lord, the holy spirit severed Barnabas and Paul for the work that the Lord had called them to. They leave Jerusalem and from Seleucia sail to Cyprus and then on to Asia Minor in Turkey ending up at Perga where John Mark leaves them. From there they travel overland to Antioch in Pisidia. In 2002 I travelled there with Geoff and Iris Bowlzer, and from the map of the city now derelict, saw the detailed remains of a Jewish synagogue. As this was the only one mapped, it is very likely that it was the one that Paul first preached a major difference in his teaching. In Acts13v38 Paul first mentions that "everyone that is believing is being justified"! Here we have the great first intimation of a radical change from Moses and the law, to a pardon of sins. This was the first indication of God's dealings with humanity apart from law. Here justification is mentioned in comparison with law, and after further discussion causes intense jealousy amongst the attending Jews.

As Paul's teaching progresses, we find that far from pardon being the basis of justification, he will gradually build on this to show that apart from the law of Moses, he is stating that by his teaching of justification there now is a complete acquittal, in fact a not guilty is on all who now believe, because under law pardon and forgiveness can be withdrawn. This is the first time that a contrast between Moses and Christ had ever been broached! No wonder the spiritually blind Jews were enraged!

I want to take you now into the book of Romans, for indeed that is where all who are of the Body of Christ today have the basis and foundation of the standing that is granted to all who believe in and accept the risen Christ, and appreciate what the cross of Christ and His sufferings mean for the whole of creation.

In Romans 5 Paul first informs us that having been justified by faith we have access by this faith that we may be "by this grace in which we stand glorying in expectation of the glory of God"! Now, in order to clarify what justification entails, we need to revert to Romans 3 verse 20 where Paul is adamant that through the just verdict of God "by works of law no flesh at all shall be justified." "Apart from law" he states, "a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, on all who are believing, for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God!" Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus, verse 26 toward the display of His, God's righteousness in the current era, for Him, God, to be just and a Justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus! Twice it mentions Christ's faith not ours. That is why it cannot fail, for it does not depend on our varying degree of faith, but on His, and His, as His Father states was perfect. We are asked to believe it!

In verse 15 of Romans 5 it reads, "but not as the offence, thus also the grace. For if, by the offence of the one (Adam), the many died, much rather the grace of God and the gratuity in grace, which is of the One Man, Jesus Christ, to the many super abounds" ! What is this grace? It is an administration that most of us had never heard of until we became aware of the evangel, and do not these verses proclaim that it must eventually accrue onto all humanity, for the context is from Adam right down to each of us!

I now want to take you to one of the most maligned and incorrectly translated portions of scripture that has ever been read, and the cause of our unawareness of the development that God has made to this evangel, which has been in most of our possessions since Paul narrated Romans to Tertius, who was his scribe.

Please read with me Romans 7 verse 24. "A wretched man am I! What will rescue me out of this body of death? Grace!" Now, you notice that there is a question mark after death. It requires an answer. You have probably read that verse many times, and wondered why the Concordant version has a word after it, that as far as I am aware, is not in any other version. The only one I have ever seen place a comment after it is the Moffat version that says "God will!" In fact that is incorrect, for God already has!

In the Codex Siniaticus which Mr Knoch and his assistants used as their basis for its study, the first scribe that wrote Romans 7 placed a word in the margin and initialled it. That word was Xapic. Xap is the root of joy which is confirmed by another greek word Charis. Any word that is used in scripture is always understood by the context it is used in. In the very next verse 25 most versions have "thanks or thanking God through Jesus Christ!" That is not an answer to the question that was asked in verse 24, It is only a further confirmation of its foundation! The greek word for thanks is XAPIC, and one can readily see how having penned Xapic once, it was easily done to avoid repeating the same word.

You can go to the website of the British Museum and pin in Sinaiticus and then Romans and you will find the facsimile exactly as it was in the original writings, with Xapic in the margin. Amazingly, and yet expectantly, the translation alongside it in English done by the Museum leaves the word Xapic unmentioned in verse 24, and only at the start of verse 25.

If you take Unsearchable Riches, in the last number of 2014 is an editorial and article by Dean Hough that discusses these verses. He made a thorough study of them, and came to the realisation that the translation work done by Mr Knock and his assistants some 95 year ago are absolutely correct and the word Grace should be inserted after death with an exclamation mark. So much for the modern textual criticism that overlooks it, despite all of the modern aids at their disposal!

You can be absolutely assured that the holy spirit ensured this was not overlooked, and in fact it is confirmed by both the Vaticanus and Alexandrian codexes. It is also confirmed by no less than 6 other editors that initialled their editorship after each check, and saw absolutely no reason to remove the added word by the first editor. There were many other adjustments by these 6, which actually gives it more authority, but left Romans 7 verse 24 as it had the word added in the margin.

The 5th and 6th chapters of Romans are a further amplification of the justification by faith, giving a believer the standing above and outside of all law, "having peace toward God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also we have had the access, in faith, into this grace in which we stand, and we may be glorying in expectation of the glory of God," Romans 5 verse 2. Surely the glory of God that is being revealed here is that God has deemed us unworthy, offence ridden human beings of attaining His righteousness, for as it states in Romans 3 verse 24 "being justified gratuitously (that means without any prior cause or necessity) by HIS GRACE,through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus, (not in you or me), VERSE 26, toward the display of His righteousness in the current era, for Him to be just and a Justifier of th one who is of the faith of Jesus!" You notice how Jesus, Jesus Christ and Christ Jesus are used in order to demonstrate to newly found believers both from the uncircumcision and gentiles, Christ's various positions as in humility in suffering and in glory!

As if to make it emphatically clear what he means, in verse 27 of this chapter he states "Where then is boasting? It is debarred! Through what law? Of works? No! but through faith's law. For we are reckoning mankind to be justified by faith apart from works of law." Not without law as it states in the AV, for all human laws still stand, but we are engaged in the laws of God.

To doubly emphasize what Grace and Justification has accomplished let us read Romans 5 verse 15 "But not as the offence, thus also the grace.For if by the offence of the one (Adam) the many died,much rather the grace of God and the gratuity in grace, which is of the one Man Jesus Christ, to the many super abounds. And not as through one sinning, is the gratuity. For indeed, the judgment is out of one into condemnation, yet the grace is out of many offences into a just award. For if, by the offence of the one, death reigns through the one (Adam), much rather,those obtaining the superabundance of grace and the gratuity of righteousness shall be reigning in life through the One, Jesus Christ." When we read these scriptures in the context of the standing that God places each of us in, how it behooves us to carry out the act of grace by being joyful, thankful and full of gratitude to our Father and His obedient Son for the future that awaits us, and within which we can glory in expectation now!

We should remember that chapter divisions were made by men, and often a vital continuation of thought can be overlooked or missed. Let us go back to Romans 8 and start with the 1st verse. God condemns sin by putting our old humanity to death in the death of Christ. That is God's law, not the infractions of what could happen under Mosaic law. And so in verse one he states "Nothing, consequently is now condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. Not according to flesh are they walking, but according to spirit, for the spirit's law of life frees you from the law of sin and death." Is not this a marvellous progression given to us through the spirit, that the law being now discussed is God's law of putting Christ to death to the law, and has set aside human sin of all kinds for its condemnation. In verse 9 of Romans 8 Paul states "Yet you are not in flesh, but in spirit if so be that God's spirit is making its home in you" as we are assured of on believing from Ephesians 1 verse 13. Verse 10 Romans 8, "Now if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness"! And I might repeat God's righteousness given freely!!

I mentioned the new creation earlier, and would now like to progress into 2 Corinthians . Romans and Corinthians were written close together, perhaps Romans a year or so after Corinthians. Corinthians is an epistle to the heart, and reveals a truth almost lost, that of the conciliation. Sin made us enemies of God and consequent estrangement. Through the mediation of Christ, He not only by His actions determines our saving and justification, but removes every barrier for the free outflow of God's love. God now condescends to beseech sinners to be conciliated to Him! What higher gift of graciousness is there than this? God at this time is at war with no one! We have often mentioned 2 Corintians 5 verse 20-21. I have the very first edition of the CV, and it quite clearly mentions that Christ "became sin for our sakes, that we may become God's righteousness in Him!" Our sins and offences, past present and future are no hindrance to God accepting us through Christ, which should lead us to accept His love and confirm our reconciliation which is acceptance on both sides, which the AV has never made clear! Offering is understandable from the sacrifices which became sin! (Azazel )

Corinthians leads us into Galatians, a reconfirmation of justification from first four chapters of Romans. Twice Paul visited this ecclesia in Acts 16 and 18, establishing an ecclesia and disciples. Paul becomes aware that emissaries of the kingdom had reached Galatia from Jerusalem, attempting to encourage those already under justification to make their standing more secure by adding law and circumcision. Paul destroys this attempt by proving his evangel had nothing to do with Peter's evangel, and therefore was exclusively based on grace and faith, never on adding works or law. It is never again raised in Galatia!

We now come to Paul's perfection epistles of primarily Ephesians, plus Philippians and Colossians. Ephesians was penned in Rome where Paul was a prisoner of the Lord, where personal presence was no longer to be part of his ministry, and therefore it was the spiritual depth that came to the fore. Ephesians is by its content the very pinnacle of divine revelation. Paul had understood much of what he was about to reveal prior to its revelation, but the prophecy of Isaiah 6 in conjunction with Acts 28 verse 28 had to first take place, where Israel is finally set aside as explained in Romans 9 to11.

In reading Ephesians 1 verse 1-12, I came across a very interesting thought by brother Knoch in Vol 19 page 270 of the U.R. He mentions that nothing in the first 12 verses is connected directly with the nations. Six times he speaks of us, twice of we, and once of our. It is all in the first person. In contrast, verse 13 begins with an emphatic you, we gentiles! As he was addressing saved Jews under his evangel, it might well be that the two secrets, one of the "mystery of Christ," partially known but now further modified, and the previously totally unknown "secret administration" which had been an absolute secret only known by Paul, required still a delicacy of preference! This may well have been firstly understood from his visit, either in flesh or by vision to the third heaven when stoned in Lystra 2 Cor. 12. Remember that he saw things so amazing, that he was given a "splinter in the flesh" lest he may be lifted up!! Christ's universal headship, and His renewal of this earth and the third earth awaiting to replace this one in 2 Peter 3 verse 12.

There are several mysteries mentioned in the Greek scriptures, actually secrets, that of the evangel, of resurrection, and of marriage amongst others. But Paul has come to the highest and most profound of all the mysteries, and one that is often mistaken for the other.

The "mystery of Christ" concerns the universal headship of Christ. In other eras, including the Hebrew scriptures, other apostles and prophets knew that he Reigned in the heavens, but that His position that affected them was to return to this earth as King of Kings. They were aware that He had returned to the heavens and was seated at His Father's right hand side. But here in Ephesians 1v10 Paul reveals a further development and consolidation of the complete authority given to Christ. Let me read it: "To have an administration of the complement of the eras,to head up all in the Christ,both that in the heavens and that on the earth, in Him in whom our lot was cast, being designated beforehand according to the purpose of the One Who is operating all in accord with th counsel of His will, that we should be for the laud of His glory, who are pre-expectant in the Christ"! How poor the translation is in the AV which has "who first trusted"! That is blatantly incorrect, for many in past eras had trusted before us, but none had had a prior expectation and were pre- expectant in Christ, to meet Him in the air prior to His return to this earth, before the wrath and indignation of God has visited this earth!

The book of Colossians amplifies the position of Christ, due to some who had read Ephesians and considered Christ as the literal head of the body. They should have appreciated what Paul had written in Corinthians, where members can be an eye or an ear or a mouth, which of course is part of the head.

No, Christ now has universal headship as well as being The Head of the Body in position and authority. Let me read Colossians 1 verse 18. "And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all to Him ( making peace through the blood of His cross) , through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens." In the 3rd chapter Paul encourages us that if "We were roused together with Christ, be seeking that which is above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Be disposed to that which is above, not to that on the earth, for you died and your life is hid together with Christ in God"!
How many saints today prefer to attempt to improve this world and its affairs, in effect ignorantly attempting to delay our Lord's return!

Let us return to Ephesians 3 and amplify the modified secret that Paul for the very first time explains in this circular letter. Here is the greatest revelation that had been totally hidden in God, and to which all previous prophets, priests, kings, and saints of other eras were and are completely ignorant of!

Reading Ephesians 3 verse 1 "On this behalf I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations-since you surely hear of the administration of the grace of God that is given to me for you, for by revelation the secret is made known to me (according as I write before in brief, by which those who are reading are able to apprehend my understanding in the secret of the Christ, which in other generations is not made known to the sons of humanity as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets;) in spirit the nations are to be joint enjoyers of an allotment,and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus, through the evangel of which I became the dispenser, in accord with the gratuity of the grace of God. 
Joint means "fellow" or the same standing, or equivalent. This was never before understood!

And in verse 8, "to bring the evangel of the untraceable riches of Christ to the nations, and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the secret, which has been concealed from the eons in God, Who creates all, that now may be made known to the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials, through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of God, in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus our Lord"! Read Colossians 2 verse 9-11 "for in Him..". (If there are Prin, Sov, Auth)

Can we read these verses and realise what Paul is actually telling us? Christ is to head up all, for He is not only the Head of the body, but as we read in Ephesians 1 verse 20-23... which we remembered this morning….. We were created in Him, Christ, we are chosen and called in Him, we will be vivified in Him, for all has its cohesion in Him! Our reward on that day, totally within the confines of Grace and not works, grants to us a wreath of righteousness and a revealing to the celestial world of the body of Christ that will administer God's purpose to millions of celestials that if we met now in our flesh, we would shrivel and die from in their august presence.

Let me read from Colossians 1 verse 26-29 (Romans 5 verse 1-2) this grace, glorying .. Psalm 17 apple of.. In closing, Paul, in Ephesians 1 is the assigned Commissioner and in verse 3 reveals every spiritual blessing for every member of this body, in verse 8 lavishes us with the riches of His grace, to be His administration and His complement completing all, who are joint enjoyers, joint partakers and a joint body in the joint administration, within which every member, Jew and Gentile, is graced with a glory which grants them a place superior to the highest of earthly honours of those in this life, or the ones to follow in the 1000 years or the new earth, to which I am sure we shall be intently interested in, as Christ leads all to that time unknown to most, the Consummation, when God becomes All in All.

Amen.

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