Dedication

This volume is dedicated to a group of several hundred saints of God who know the meaning of II Timothy 1:8: “Be thou not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.”

I have been privileged to serve them as pastor for more than seventeen years. They have stood uncompromisingly for the gospel of the grace of God, for the Pauline message, and the Divine truth concerning “the Church of the Mystery.” Inasmuch as they have learned something of Paul’s suffering for “Body” truth, they have counted it a pleasure to suffer with him for their testimony. “My gospel; wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the Word of God is not bound.” II Timothy 2:9.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” II Timothy 3:12.

We also praise the Lord for the many faithful loyal Christian friends who have supported our daily radio ministry for more than fifteen years.

Let us all continue in the prayer of Ephesians 1:17 to 19—“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” Ephesians 1:17 to 19.

And let us continue to rejoice in the truth of Ephesians 1:6 and 7. “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”

J. C. O’HAIR
1011 Wilson Ave. Chicago, Ill.

Foreword

As we send forth these Bible messages we are praying that those who read and study them may be helped in the understanding of the Holy Scriptures, and be influenced to love the Lord Jesus Christ as never before, and to live well pleasing unto Him.

We do not differ with any true Christian as to the plenary inspiration of the Bible. We agree heartily with other Christians who believe in progressive revelation confined to the limits of the Book. “All Scripture is God-breathed.” The inspired messages in the Bible were given on the installment plan. God revealed Divine truth to Moses that He had never made known to Abraham, Noah, Seth, Abel and Adam. God revealed truth to the twelve apostles that He had never made known to Moses or to any of His holy prophets. The Lord Jesus revealed truth to the Apostle Paul that no prophet or apostle had ever known.

But concerning progressive revelation, we say, spiritually speaking, “ANY THING THAT IS TRUE IS NOT NEW”; “ANY THING THAT IS NEW IS NOT TRUE.” Since the day that the last apostle of Christ wrote the last truth revealed from heaven any servant of the Lord who has spoken spiritual Divine truth has spoken nothing new. If it is true, it can be found in the Book. If it is new, it is not true.

All Christians are agreed as to the eternal Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and as to His sinless and perfect life. All “Bible” Christians believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained to be the spotless Lamb of God; that His death on the cross was neither premature nor accidental; that He was not the helpless victim of circumstances when He offered Himself without spot to God at Calvary. They believe just as firmly in His bodily resurrection, and they know that apart from the perfect redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ no member of the human race can be or will be saved.

We agree with every intelligent spiritual Christian as to salvation by grace, the salvation truth of Ephesians 2:8 to 10: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We agree with every intelligent, spiritual student of the Bible that we are today living in the dispensation of the grace of God, and that during this present economy and age God has one and only one Church, and that that Church is the Body of Christ. We agree with every such student that every sinner, who is really trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and relying on His once-for-all sacrifice for sin, becomes a member of that one Body the very moment he is saved by grace through faith. And we heartily agree with every Bible-taught spiritual saint of God that God expects those who and redeemed by grace to walk worthy of the calling wherewith they are called, in a separated life of service, in the name of the risen Christ.

WHEREIN WE DISAGREE

We heartily disagree with other servants of the Lord who teach that the Old Testament began with the first chapter of Genesis; that the New Testament began with the first chapter of Matthew; and that the “dispensation of the grace of God” began with Peter, in the second chapter of Acts.

These false assumptions have led to faulty “dispensationalism” which we are seeking to expose and correct in these lessons, by presenting a consistent “dispensationalism” that will clear up many of the seeming contradictions and discrepancies which are to be found in the dispensational teaching generally accepted and propagated by the majority of “grace” preachers who are Premillenarians.

We submit here several verses of Scripture:

“FOR FINDING FAULT WITH THEM, HE SAITH, BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD, WHEN I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH: NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; BECAUSE THEY CONTINUED NOT IN MY COVENANT, AND I REGARDED THEM NOT, SAITH THE LORD.” “IN THAT HE SAITH, A NEW COVENANT, HE HATH MADE THE FIRST OLD. NOW THAT WHICH DECAYETH AND WAXETH OLD IS READY TO VANISH AWAY.” Hebrews 8:8 and 9 and 13.

“BUT EVEN UNTO THIS DAY, WHEN MOSES IS READ, THE VAIL IS UPON THEIR HEART.” “BUT THEIR MINDS WERE BLINDED; FOR UNTIL THIS DAY REMAINETH THE SAME VAIL UNTAKEN AWAY IN THE READING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHICH IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST.” II Corinthians 3:15 and 14.

“BUT CONTRARIWISE, WHEN THEY SAW THAT THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION WAS COMMITTED UNTO ME, AS THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION WAS UNTO PETER; (FOR HE THAT WROUGHT EFFECTUALLY IN PETER TO THE APOSTLESHIP OF THE CIRCUMCISION, THE SAME WAS MIGHTY IN ME TOWARD THE GENTILES:) AND WHEN JAMES, PETER, AND JOHN, WHO SEEMED TO BE PILLARS, PERCEIVED THE GRACE THAT WAS GIVEN UNTO ME, THEY GAVE TO ME AND BARNABAS THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP; THAT WE SHOULD GO UNTO THE HEATHEN, AND THEY UNTO THE CIRCUMCISION.” Galatians 2:7 to 9.

“FOR THIS CAUSE I PAUL, THE PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST FOR YOU GENTILES, IF YE HAVE HEARD OF THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN ME TO YOU-WARD: HOW THAT BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY; AS I WROTE AFORE IN FEW WORDS.” “AND TO MAKE ALL MEN SEE WHAT IS THE DISPENSATION OF THE MYSTERY, WHICH FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD HATH BEEN HID IN GOD.” Ephesians 3:1 to 3 and Ephesians 3:9.

Here we learn that the Divine Covenant, or Testament, by which Israel was governed from the day God led that nation out of Egypt, was made old after Christ died on the cross.

The Lord Jesus had not died on the cross when the events covered in the first chapter of Matthew took place. When did God lead Israel out of Egypt? When Moses was eighty years old. That was about 2500 years after God put Adam out of Eden. Therefore, from the sin of Adam to the giving of the law at Sinai, there was no Old Testament or Covenant. Therefore, there is not one line of the Old Testament in Genesis.

The Covenant, made old by the death of Christ on the cross, was entered into about 430 years after God made a covenant with Abram. Galatians 3:16 to 19. The Abrahamic Covenant was not made “old” by the death of Christ on the cross. It is still alive and in force.

The gospel of the circumcision was committed to Peter after Christ arose from the dead. Galatians 2:7.

“The dispensation of the grace of God” was not committed to the Twelve by the Lord Jesus on or before the day of Pentecost; but to Paul, by revelation some years later.

Because of the utter confusion, due to the lack of knowledge concerning the difference between the Lord’s program given to Peter and the Eleven, and the program which He gave by special revelation to Paul, few, if any, of the Premillennial “grace” preachers, who teach these errors, are making any effort to obey Ephesians 3:9. “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.” The Lord Jesus wants this order obeyed.

In these lessons we are not only showing why this order is not obeyed; but we are endeavoring to present constructive Bible messages building up from the foundation to the capstone of Divine truth.

“WHEREOF I PAUL AM MADE A MINISTER; WHO NOW REJOICE IN MY SUFFERINGS FOR YOU, AND FILL UP THAT WHICH IS BEHIND OF THE AFFLICTIONS OF CHRIST IN MY FLESH FOR HIS BODY’S SAKE, WHICH IS THE CHURCH; WHEREOF I AM MADE A MINISTER, ACCORDING TO THE DISPENSATION OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU, TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD; EVEN THE MYSTERY WHICH HATH BEEN HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW IS MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS.” Colossians 1:23 to 26.

“WITHAL PRAYING ALSO FOR US, THAT GOD WOULD OPEN UNTO US A DOOR OF UTTERANCE, TO SPEAK THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST, FOR WHICH I AM ALSO IN BONDS: THAT I MAY MAKE IT MANIFEST, AS I OUGHT TO SPEAK.” Colossians 4:3 and 4.

Paul had a new and different ministry. He had to fill up or complete
1—That which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.
2—The Word of God with the Mystery. The capstone of truth.

Paul was in prison for the mystery. He wanted all Christians to pray for open doors where this glorious Divine truth might be presented. This is still the Lord’s will concerning every Christian. These messages are written with the desire, hope, and prayer that you may be led to obey the, Lord in this matter.

Faithfully and sincerely yours,
Together with you in Christ Jesus by the Grace of God

J. C. O’HAIR.

For more articles by Pastor J. C. O'Hair, visit the J. C. O'Hair Online Library.