Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
Jeremy approaches Bible teaching with a passion for getting the basic doctrines explained so that the individual can understand them and then apply them to circumstances in their life. These basic and important lessons are nestled in a framework of history and progression of revelation from the Bible so the whole of Scripture can be applied to your physical and spiritual life.
Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas
NT Framework - First Grace
In this session, Jeremy emphasizes that grace is always first, it always precedes the judgement that God brings. Judgement doesn't happen without warning, it may not happen when we expect, but it never just comes out of nowhere.
More information about Beyond the Walls, including additional resources can be found at www.beyondthewalls-ministry.com
This series included graphics to illustrate what is being taught, if you would like to watch the teachings you can do so on Rumble (https://rumble.com/user/SpokaneBibleChurch) or on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtV_KhFVZ_waBcnuywiRKIyEcDkiujRqP).
Jeremy Thomas is the pastor at Spokane Bible Church in Spokane, Washington and a professor at Chafer Theological Seminary. He has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years, always seeking to present its truths in a clear and understandable manner.
Welcome to Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas and our series on the New Testament Framework. Today a smaller, bite-sized piece from the larger lesson. We hope you enjoy it.
Speaker 2:So we've already seen these first five truths of the flood Grace before judgment At the flood. How many years did God give them before he sent the flood? 120 years, that's 120 years of grace before judgment of the flood. So he didn't just like just flood the world one day there's 120 years. Peter says that noah was a preacher of righteousness in that time, and so he went out and preached and warned about the coming flood, right? And the only people that responded were, you know, his family member, right? So it sounds a lot like today you go out and you're preaching like nobody responds. I was talking to somebody yesterday maybe it was my wife, I can't remember who it was. It's just amazing.
Speaker 2:People don't believe it. I mean, it's like a free gift. I mean like, would you like salvation? I mean the Bible explains the way the world is, who we are. You know, everything around us makes total sense. You know, as long as we understand the Bible, this world makes sense about what's happening, why it's going the way it's going, what people are doing, what people are like. I mean it's no surprise, right? And because it's all like yeah, duh, but then people don't want to believe it. It's all like yeah, duh. But then people don't want to believe it. It's like, why? Why? I mean, it's like a free gift.
Speaker 2:I think the biggest problem for people and I could be wrong, because it's just a guess is that, because there's no merit in anything that's in you, you're having to say, okay, I'm a sinner, I'm done. God's holy. He's just in, condemning me forever to hell and I can't contribute any to this equation. It's Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone, and people don't want to do that because they want to hang on to. Well, I mean, but I did this good thing, or I did that good thing, and this contributes certainly. Isn't God going to just weigh, you know, my good versus my bad? No, no, because God is holy, he's perfect, he never compromises. So right now you're experiencing grace, right, but one day there's going to be judgment. So God's allowing people time and opportunity.
Speaker 2:In the story of the Exodus, as Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh, what's the first thing they usually say to Pharaoh Let my people go. This is an opportunity of grace, right. But if Pharaoh says no, then there's going to be a plague, right, there's going to be judgment. So this is a picture of grace before judgment. They give him an opportunity for grace, he spurns it. There's judgment. So God has a lot of grace. What's going on in the world right now? God is showing a lot of grace to people, but one day it's going to be judgment in the tribulation time. 2 Peter 3, 9,. God does not want any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. He's long-suffering though. So people, they don't take advantage of the grace, just like they didn't take advantage of it before the flood, just like Pharaoh didn't take advantage of it and let the people go. They spurn the grace and eventually what happens is God says okay, well, the day of grace is over and now I'm going to judge, and that's why it's important for people to believe today. We don't know when he's going to be done with the grace and issue the judgment, but he always gives grace before judgment.
Speaker 2:How many ways of salvation are pictured in both the flood and the story of the Exodus plagues? Speaking of the 10th plague in particular, the death of the firstborn, how many ways of salvation were there? Yeah, just one way there was. How many arks? One ark. Your little fishing boat wasn't going to stand up to the terrible floodwaters, okay, so one ark built a certain way that can withstand the floodwaters. One way at the Exodus, you put the blood of a particular lamb right, not just any lamb, certainly not a frog, something like that, but this lamb had to be one year old, unblemished, male, right, and take the blood, put it on this doorpost, put it over the top of the door. Some people have said well, you connect the dots, you go across and you go down. It makes a cross symbol and it points to the cross. I don't know, maybe, but the point was that there was one way of salvation and it involved substitution A lamb, a lamb being substituted for the firstborn son and the firstborn of the flock. So one way of salvation and not multiple ways. Man and nature were involved.
Speaker 2:I always point this one out because a lot of people think salvation is just a psychological phenomenon. They do the same thing with prayer yeah, that works for you. They think it's just all in your head, there's not really a God. I mean, you're just helping yourself by praying, it's just self-therapy or something. But no, salvation and prayer are not just psychological phenomena, self-help things.
Speaker 2:Because when you look at the pictures of salvation and judgment, like, say, the flood, was that psychological? I kind of doubt it. When I look at the fossil record, salvation and judgment, like, say, the flood, was that psychological? I kind of doubt it. When I look at the fossil record in the earth, I'm kind of like, nope, it happened. That's why there's billions and billions of dead things in the rocks, billions and billions of dead things in the rocks. Why is that? Because God judged the world with a flood. I don't think that was psychological. It certainly wasn't for all those animals or the humans that were wiped out because they didn't take advantage of grace before judgment came and enjoy the one way of salvation that God provided.
Speaker 2:So man and nature are involved at the cross. The cross will teach us this again when Jesus was on the cross. He's being judged for the sins of the whole world. At the same time, he's providing salvation. What happened to nature For three hours? What happened? Darkness, see, that's part of nature, isn't it See? So always when God judges and saves, man and nature are involved.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on Beyond the Walls with Jeremy Thomas. If you would like to see the visuals that went along with today's sermon, you can find those on Rumble and on YouTube under Spokane Bible Church. That is where Jeremy is the pastor and teacher. We hope you found today's lesson productive and useful in growing closer to God and walking more obediently with Him. If you found this podcast to be useful and helpful, then please consider rating us in your favorite podcast app, and until next time, we hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.