THE WORD "WRITTEN"

By B.A. Livingstone

Below this article is a scan of  page 1194 out of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance where we find the word

"WRITTEN". We have chosen this page to show just one more of the many proofs about Paul's Epistles

written after Acts 28.

This website is dedicated to showing forth the Mystery of Ephesians and the UN-SEARCHABLE riches

of Christ. We  believe Paul reveals in Ephesians for the FIRST TIME  a Body of believers that has been

chosen "BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN" or before aionion times. It is in Paul's prison epistles we find

a NEW HOPE and INHERITANCE which is located in a sphere FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS in

GLORY.   This sphere of blessing can be found NOWHERE else in scripture, thus, the un-searchable

riches of Christ.        

 It was given unto Paul exclusively to usher in this new dispensation which CAN NOT be found in the O. T 

Scriptures. This new dispensation, revealed after Israel was divorced as a nation and became LO-AMMI,

or not my people, took place around 64 A.D. when Titus and the Roman army sacked Jerusalem, destroyed

the Temple and left the city desolate.

Up till Acts 28, Paul stated that he had said, "NONE OTHER THINGS" than that which Moses and the

prophets did say should come. Paul was teaching and proving what he said  by the very words found

WRITTEN in the O. T. scriptures. This was his manner and method of teaching which can be seen

throughout the Acts epistles when speaking in the synagogues,

"As it is written",

"For it is written"

"It is written",

"According as it is written,"

"All things which were written"

"In the Law it is written," etc. etc.

 This is why the Berean's were more noble than those of Thessalonica, for they "Searched the scriptures daily"

 to see whether those things Paul said were true. Acts 17:11. Up until Acts 28, this was what Paul preached,

 the Kingdom of God and Christ out of the O.T. scriptures. But Paul was told that he would be given a

 SECOND ministry by the risen Christ in Acts 26:16,

"But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a

 witness BOTH of these things which thou hast seen, AND of those things in the WHICH I WILL APPEAR

 UNTO THEE."

It is this second ministry that Paul reveals the dispensation of the mystery and the un-searchable riches of Christ.

 Paul is in a tough spot. He is in prison and is told by Christ that he must now minister this new hope, a hope that

will have believers in this truth ascend FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS in Glory itself.

"And  hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in HEAVENLY PLACES (en tois epouraniois) in

Christ." Eph. 2:6

 This is a bit of a problem, for the O. T. Scriptures NEVER say anything about a believer having this hope. As

 odd as it might sound, you can not find any scripture anywhere other than Paul's prison epistles that say the

 believer will go to abide and live far above the heavens in Glory. Search and see for yourself. (see note at

bottom of page)  The only hope ever offered had been the EARTH or NEW Jerusalem which DESCENDS

 out of heaven at the beginning of the New heaven and  New earth.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the EARTH." Mt. 5:5

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God OUT OF HEAVEN prepared as a

bride adorned for her husband." Rev 21:2

Both of these promises of the Earth and New Jerusalem are promises made to Abraham FROM the foundation

of the world and have to do with earthly things.

This new dispensation that Paul was given after Acts 28 is peculiar to all others that came before. It's members

 were chosen BEFORE the foundation of the world ( Eph. 1:4) and has a hope and inheritance in a sphere and

 locality never before promised to man, The Holiest of Holies, or Glory itself, (Col. 3:4). The Berean expositor,

Volume 20, page 111 explains this well, it reads,

"The only calling or revelation that has pierced the present contemporary heaven and touched that which can be

spoken of as eternal, is that dispensation of the grace of God which has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in

the super-heavenlies far above all. This shows the unique character of the church of the One Body. It is connected

both by time and place with that which begins before the present heavens were made, and goes on when the present

heavens shall be no more. The church of the Mystery is the only link during this age between the time before sin

entered and the time when sin shall be no more. All other purposes are `under the heavens'. This one alone places

those who are blessed under its terms `above the heavens'. If these things are so, it would be very surprising if the

doctrine and practice of this peculiar people were not different from all others."

 Now how is Paul going to prove and teach all those believers that he had been ministering before  this new revelation?

 There were all "the churches of Asia," 1 Cor. 16:19. The many believers throughout Jerusalem, Rome, etc.  But how

 would he prove this new revealed truth?  He could no longer say, It is written", for it never had been written!

So Paul begins to send out letters from prison to explain this new truth. He tells us that he gets on his hands and knees

and prays that the believers at Ephesus would see this truth. Eph. 1:16-19. Now we know something has changed,

because a few years earlier the Ephesians wept sore on his neck that they would see him no more, Acts 20:37-38.

This after he had told the Ephesians that he failed not "to declare unto them ALL the counsel of God," Acts 20:27.

  Yet here in Ephesians he is praying that they might SEE what is the hope of their calling. He is praying this because

 their hope had changed. Now, unlike before during the Acts period when Israel was still in the ascendancy, he could

ell them that they could ascend FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS in heavenly Places.  Eph. 2:6. But again, how could

he PROVE it. He could not use scripture, he could not say, "hey, this new truth can be found in the prophets, for as it

is written..." because this truth had never before been revealed, so he earnestly prays that they might be enlightened

into this new knowledge . 

Can you just hear the Ephesians?

Like Festus in  Act 26:24......

" And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make

thee mad.

we can hear them saying.....

"Paul,  have you gone mad in prison!?" You have NO PROOF, NO SCRIPTURE to support this NEW TRUTH? 

"You actually want us to believe that God has given man a hope to live in Glory? Far above all?  We love you

 Paul, we really do, but this is too much.  

God has never said that this was possible! We are the children of Abraham by faith! And blessed with Abraham!

We are looking for that Holy City, the mother of us all, the Land that has been promised from the river Nile to

the Euphrates to establish heavens rule on earth with Christ sitting on the throne of His father David in Jerusalem!

 This is what the scriptures say and this is what you have taught us! And NOW, because Israel as a nation is blinded,

 you say it has all changed? That God has a calling  with a new hope, inheritance, adoption and family that will live

 FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS IN GLORY and was chosen before a star was ever created?  Paul you quite obviously

have gone insane having cracked under the strain of prison after all these years."

What could the Berean do? What scripture could he look up?

This is why, when Paul began to teach this truth from Prison, that he tells Timothy to

" HOLD FAST the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good

thing ( the good deposit) which was committed unto thee KEEP by the  Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. This thou knowest,

that ALL OF THEY WHICH ARE IN ASIA BE TURNED AWAY FROM ME," 2 Tim. 1:13-15.

All of Asia is a pretty large group of believers! Have you ever really looked at that verse and wondered WHY did they leave

Paul? Did all of then fall away because of sin? Or was it unbelief in a new and higher truth that Paul revealed after Acts 28

that he could not prove, other than to say , "trust me,  the ascended Christ gave me this new revelation of a mystery which

has been hid in God until now while I was in prison Eph 3:9-10. You can here his followers and the Bereans saying,

  "Show us Paul. Show us in the O.T. Scriptures, for until you do, we will not believe!"

With this in mind, take a look at the scan below and take note of the word "Written" and how many times Paul employs its

 use during the Acts epistles to prove what he is saying is true. Then notice how many times he uses it to prove what he is

 teaching in the prison epistles. Not one time does he use it, not once!

With this we must conclude that either something had changed, or Paul decided midstream to radically change his method

of teaching. We must remember, that these Words are the Words of God. So this change is not only Paul's, But God's,

and things change for a reason. It is our hope that you will seek to find that reason with an honest heart, with faith and

diligence to the Word, RIGHTLY DIVIDED .

See also the Chart, "The Dispensational Keystone"

Paul wrote 14 Epistles,                         

7 before acts 28                                 7 after Acts 28

1. 1 Corinthians                                   1. Ephesians    

2. 2 Corinthians                                  2. Philippians

3. Galatians                                        3. Colossians

4. 1 Thessalonians                             4. 1 Timothy

5. 2 Thessalonians                             5. 2 Timothy

6. Romans                                         6. Titus

7. Hebrews                                        7. Philemon

*Many attempt to prove that Christ told believers that they would live in heaven by producing the following verse from

 Mat. 6:19-20 which reads,

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through

 and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures IN HEAVEN, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves

 do not break through nor steal."

The question then is, where and when is this treasure distributed. This answer can be found in the last chapter of

Revelation, 22:12 which read,

"Behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

 This is the second coming of Christ when he shall DESCEND FROM HEAVEN and come to sit upon the throne of

His fathers David in Jerusalem to rule and reign over the 70 nations with a rod of Iron with the restored nation of Israel,

a kingdom of priests. Israel will again be in the ascendancy and God's channel of blessing to the nations to show forth

the ways of God.

There is nothing in any Scripture prior to Acts 28 that states the believer will be resurrected to live FAR ABOVE ALL

 HEAVENS. If you feel  that you can find such a verse, please post it on the message board for all to see so we can look

together to see Gods truth on this most important hope. and inheritance,