NOW

It is believed by many that the number of times a word is used within scriptures helps us to understand it's relevance and importance within them. Well, within the new testament scriptures the word "now' appears some 407 times (212 times within the gospels).

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I have always believed that the primary reason there is so much dissension within the church today, regarding scriptural truth and understanding, is that far to many Christians are inept in rightly dividing the word of truth. 

That is to say that rightly understanding scriptures has ALWAYS depended on keeping them within their proper context!

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Now it seems to me that any scriptures which contain the word "now" within them, with few exceptions, pretty much rule out any question about the context of what is being spoken of.  Whether written in the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or Latin, now means now.  Not tomorrow, not yesterday, but in the present.

For Example: And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life but many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (Mar 10:29-31)

Is there any question as to the time frame of when these will receive the 100 fold blessing of God as well as persecutions?. None whatsoever!

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Why is this so important to understand?

How many times have you heard scriptures, such as Mark 13 for example, taught as being prophetic and intended for those living in this age? Wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom, being delivered to the counsels and brought before rulers, ect, ect, ect.

What do scriptures say?

Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Mar 13:12-13)

Jesus is clearly not speaking prophetically here yet that is how these scriptures are most often preached and taught from Christian pulpits today, that we would go through all of these things within the future when they happened some 2,000 years ago (NOW)!

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Where Is This Leading?

(Gal 3:1)  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

(Gal 3:2)  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

(Gal 3:3)  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

At no time in history has mankind ever been "made perfect" by the works of the flesh yet all you hear from Christian pulpits today is justification through works of the law.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

And this will we do, if God permit!

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame. (Heb 6:1-6)

(2Pe 2:20)  For if after they have escaped the pollution's of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

(2Pe 2:21)  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

(2Pe 2:22)  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb:

The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.