The Gospel of John:
Truth for Today?
The Gospel of John:
Truth for Today?
JAN LILLEBY
John’s Gospel lines nicely up together with Matthew, Mark and Luke as historical writings, and is no foundation for Doctrine of Faith to the Church dispensation. It is not truth for today. It was true during the Acts period 28-62 CE.
We don’t have to search for very long, reading John’s Gospel, and other writings to see that John was never revealed the Mystery found in Ephesians and Colossians.
We can start right there at the end of Revelation 22, where we learn of John’s hope of salvation. It was not the epiouranos heaven up above, - it was the Kingdom of God on earth at the coming of Jesus from heaven, the Acts-period’s hope of salvation,
AMP Bible net version, verses 18-21,
«18I testify and warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book [its predictions, consolations, and admonitions]: if anyone adds [anything] to them, God will add to him the plagues (afflictions, calamities) which are written in this book;
19and if anyone takes away from or distorts the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away [from that one] his share from the tree of life and from the holy city (new Jerusalem), which are written in this book.
20He who testifies and affirms these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Editor’s emphasize)
21The grace of the Lord Jesus (the Christ, the Messiah) be with all [the saints—all believers, those set apart for God]. Amen.»
John was hoping for the soon return of Jesus to come and rule Israel in the prophesied kingdom. His hope is clearly written: “COME, LORD JESUS”.
Just as a ‘Bonus’ thrown in here for you, I quoted also verses 18 and 19, which really spells it out for us: This is no message of the free Grace of God. This is a threat of death and destruction if YOU DON’T ACT AS THE WORD SAY HERE. In other words, it is demanded WORKS from the believers here. The opposite of the free Grace revealed to Paul in Ephesians and Colossians.
Another sign telling us what stature of faith doctrine John sorted under, we find him nicely lined up with the other eleven apostles of Christ for the Kingdom-calling of Acts period, in Rev. 21:10-14, AMP Bible,
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a vast and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy (sanctified) city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
11having God’s glory [filled with His radiant light]. The brilliance of it resembled a rare and very precious jewel, like jasper, shining and clear as crystal.
12It had a massive and high wall, with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [were stationed] twelve angels; and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written.
13On the east side [there were] three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.
14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Christ).” (Editor’s emphasize).
Put another way just for the fun of it: John was NOT LINED UP WITH PAUL.
And Paul was not lined up with the twelve!
Paul established a new dispensation of God, that of the free Gospel of Grace with the heaven up above as the hope of salvation. Paul’s hope (and therefore the hope of the Church) was NOT the New Jerusalem, but the heaven up above (Greek, epiouranos). Eph. 3:1-5 cannot be misunderstood unless you go on deliberately doing so, AMP Bible,
«1For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
2assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit;
3and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief. (Editor’s emphasize)
4By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
5which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;”
I will give you a Gold Medal if you can find the Mystery revealed in any of the four Gospels, or in any of the writings of John otherwise, or in the Old Testament books.
According to Paul, the Mystery was revealed to him exclusively, and not to anyone else. None of the twelve knew anything about this Mystery – and the Law of Moses abolished (Eph. 2:14, 15; Col. 2:14). The twelve would have fainted by the shock of Paul telling them that the Law of Moses was abolished! That is a part of the Mystery revelation. And since the word ‘Revelation’ is mentioned: Did you know that Paul’s revelation is far greater than the Revelation of John at Patmos? The latter was for earthly things, but Paul’s was for heavenly things.
When pastors and Bible teachers try to lead believers astray into pure witless speculations, contradicting the written Word of God, then don’t listen to these. The world is full of heretical ‘evangelists’ and talkative ‘Bible teachers’ trying to impress you by their inventive human ‘wisdom’ as they twist the Word of God into complying with their empty fantasies.
I am sad to learn that such fantasies and theories are propagated even by Acts-28 believers. This only goes to prove that they don’t know a thing, - about what Paul wrote on the Mystery in Ephesians and Colossians.
Finally, let me remind you of the stern historical fact that Paul had already (62-67 CE) distributed (by his co-workers) and taught the free Grace Gospel in the Roman Empire 20 years before anyone could read Matthew’s Gospel story (80-85 CE), for not to mention John’s – published around 92 CE, 30 years after Paul had let the free Grace Gospel, of the Mystery revelation be made known in all of Asia Minor, with its towns Ephesus, Laodicea, Hierapolis, Colossae and others.
Paul said of his ministry in this regard, Col.1:21-23, AMP Bible,
«21And although you were at one time estranged and alienated and hostile-minded [toward Him], participating in evil things,
22yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
23[and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.” (Editor’s emphasize).
Paul’s self-declaration is not to be mistaken: He simply told his believers that it was HE WHO HAD BEEN MADE A MINISTER FOR THE GOSPEL OF THE MYSTERY, and not anyone else.
Again, this excludes all other men in all of the Bible history, and leaves us PAUL ONLY as the one who was entrusted with the free Grace Gospel of the Mystery calling, with the hope of salvation in epiouranos heaven with Christ.
Col. 3:1-4, AMP Bible,
«1Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].
3For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
We cannot ‘read John’s Gospel’ into the epistles of Ephesians and Colossians!
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