Unpacking the Bible: Understanding Which Promises Are Meant for Believers Today

I used to read the Bible and feel puzzled about why some promises didn’t seem to click for me. Then I discovered a straightforward truth that changed it all: not every verse in the Bible is meant directly for me, even though every verse is there to teach me something. Once I figured out which promises are meant for believers today, my spiritual life became way more powerful and clear.

It's really important that I read what's written to me. Let's look at Romans chapter 15, verse 4: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."

All the scripture written before Pentecost - from Genesis to Malachi and even the Gospels - gives us incredible wisdom and understanding. These books are absolutely valuable and teach us so much about God and His ways. However, they weren't directly addressed to believers living today. They were written for our learning.

The Books Specifically for Us

God gave us seven special letters that speak directly to you and me in this current time - the church epistles. These letters contain specific instructions for our lives right now, and when we follow them, amazing things happen! Don't get me wrong - every single book in the Bible is inspired by God and has tremendous value. But these seven books are the ones actually addressed to us.

The seven church epistles are:

• Romans

• 1 and 2 Corinthians

• Galatians

• Ephesians

• Philippians

• Colossians

• 1 and 2 Thessalonians

These are our letters - written specifically for believers today!

How God's Plan Unfolds Through Time

To understand why these seven church epistles belong to us, we need to look at how God has worked throughout history. God's plan unfolds in seven distinct time periods, which we call administrations:

1. Paradise - Adam and Eve's perfect beginning

2. The Patriarchs - When God worked through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

3. The Law - Beginning with Moses receiving the Ten Commandments

4. Christ's Ministry - Jesus' time walking the earth

5. The Age of Grace - Our current time period!

6. Christ's Return - What's coming next

7. Paradise Restored - God's perfect ending

   
   

God relates to people differently in each period. Think about it - Adam and Eve had one set of instructions, Abraham had another, Moses received the law, and David lived under that law. Even Queen Esther followed different guidelines than we do today. Each group received exactly what they needed from God to thrive in their specific time period. His love never changes, but He works with people differently in different times.

Jesus Promised Something Amazing Was Coming

In John 16, right before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus gave his disciples an incredible promise. He explained that a new time period was about to begin, when the holy spirit would guide believers into all truth.

Listen to what he said in John 16, verses 12 and 13: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Jesus was talking about the great mystery - truths so special that God kept them hidden until exactly the right moment. God's timing had to be perfect. First, Mary had to believe and give birth to Jesus. Then Jesus had to complete everything God sent him to do. Only then could these new truths be revealed. Jesus was preparing his disciples for something completely different - a new way God would work with His people, filled with fresh spiritual realities. This new period, called the grace administration, began on Pentecost.

Who Delivered These New Truths to Us?

By Pentecost, Jesus had already ascended and taken his place at God's right hand. So how would believers learn about these new spiritual truths? God selected Paul as His messenger, just as He had chosen Moses to deliver the law and sent Jesus to teach during his earthly ministry.

Look at Ephesians 3:1-3: "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation [administration] of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery..."

Paul's basically telling us, "God entrusted me with this incredible information about the grace administration to pass along to you." Through holy spirit, God showed Paul everything - all the truths believers would need to live powerfully in this new period. Paul faithfully recorded these revelations in seven letters, and today we hold those same truths in our hands!

The Secret Finally Unveiled

Verse 5 tells us: "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit."

This mystery was completely hidden throughout history. Not one detail was spoken or written before Pentecost. God kept this secret so well that even Jesus didn't know about it during his earthly ministry! The full revelation waited until God unveiled it to Paul.

Want to know what this incredible mystery is? Colossians 1:27 reveals it: "...which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Here's what this means: every single born-again believer has Christ living inside them and can do the same powerful works Jesus did. Let that sink in for a moment - you and I have the ability to do what Jesus did! Have you ever really considered what that means? Talk about a confidence booster!

How This Changes Everything for Us

The seven church epistles - Romans through Thessalonians - give us the blueprint for living out this amazing mystery. These letters deserve our focused attention because they show us exactly:

• The right way to believe

• How to get back on track when we stumble

• Why Jesus' accomplishments matter so much

• That we have the same spiritual power Jesus had

• How to use the nine manifestations of holy spirit

• That we're more than conquerors no matter what we face (Romans 8:37)

• That we already have every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)

All we need to do is believe these truths and put them into practice!

Living Up to Our Calling

Ephesians 4:1-3 gives us the blueprint: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

This passage reveals the secret to spiritual living - approach life with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. These qualities bind our hearts together and help us flourish spiritually.

Colossians 2:10 adds this powerful truth: "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power."

You're already complete in Christ! Living in this completeness isn't about following a rulebook - it's about walking by God's spirit of life and love in our hearts.

Two Ways to Walk

Think back to Adam and Eve. They enjoyed perfect spiritual fellowship with God in the garden. But Eve got tricked into trusting her physical senses over God's word. Adam went along with her choice, and instantly their spiritual connection with God was severed. When God said they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit, He meant their spiritual connection would die - and it did. For thousands of years afterward, until Pentecost, humanity could only navigate life using their five senses, with no ability to perceive spiritual realities.

But here's the good news - as born-again believers, we've got that spiritual connection back! We can perceive and understand spiritual truths again!

Romans 8:1 declares: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

And verse 6 drives it home: "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

The contrast couldn't be clearer! Relying only on our physical senses leads to spiritual death. But walking by God's spirit brings life and peace. That's an easy choice for me!

Here's What It All Comes Down To

Never before in history have believers had such incredible potential to demonstrate God's power as we do right now in the grace administration. What an amazing privilege to live in such a powerful time!

So let me answer the big question: Are these scriptures written to you? If you find them in the seven church epistles, the answer is absolutely YES! They're written directly to you, to me, and to every believer living today. Romans through Thessalonians contains the complete truth for our time period - everything we need is right there.

Let's commit to faithfully studying these letters written specifically to us. Don't neglect them or push them aside. Instead, let's focus on the "all truth" that Jesus promised would come - the truth Paul faithfully delivered in these seven powerful epistles.

We have the ability to walk in perfect spiritual fellowship with God our Father. As we study and apply these truths written directly to us, we'll experience the fullness of this incredible mystery together.

The Big Idea

Not every part of the Bible is written TO you, but every part is written FOR you to learn from. Only 7 books in the Bible are actually addressed to people living today - and knowing which ones they are will totally change how you read the Bible.

The Eye-Opening Truth:

• The Old Testament (Genesis through Malachi) and the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are like reading someone else's mail - super helpful to read, but not addressed to you

• Only 7 books are your personal letters from God: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians

The Game-Changer

Before Jesus left, He promised something new was coming. After He went to heaven, God gave Paul a special message - a "mystery" that had been kept secret forever. Ready for this? The secret is "God in Christ in you!" That means every believer has Christ living inside them and can do the same amazing things Jesus did.

Two Ways to Live

You can either:

1. Walk by your five senses (what you see, hear, touch, taste, smell) - leads to nowhere good

2. Walk by the spirit - brings life, joy, and peace

Adam and Eve lost their spiritual connection when they chose door #1. But we get that connection back through Christ.

The Bottom Line

We're living in the most spiritually powerful time in history. Those 7 books are your instruction manual for life right now. Don't ignore them - they're literally written to you! When you understand this and start living by what they say, your spiritual life will explode with power and purpose. Pretty cool that out of 66 books in the Bible, God made sure 7 were specifically for you, right?

Amen.