Mark Hankins Ministries

September 2017 - Paul's System of Truth!

THE POWER OF TRUTH

The Gospel is multi-faceted and meets every need. The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are a proclamation of the Gospel. The book of Acts is a demonstration of the Gospel. Paul’s letters are an explanation of the Gospel. The four Gospels are like a photograph of redemption. Paul’s epistles are like an X-ray. An X-ray shows things that cannot be seen in a photograph. In a photo you see the external, but an x-ray shows the internal. Both of these pictures are necessary to see the picture of redemption in its entirety.

Paul’s revelation explains the necessity of the crucifixion of Christ and what happened in the spirit realm. The four Gospels show us what man saw. Paul’s epistles tell what God saw. He explains what happened when Jesus ascended into Heaven and secured our redemption with His blood. Paul’s epistles are the words of Jesus, the head of the church, talking to us from the right hand of God. James Stalker said this about Paul’s epistles:

The right way to look at them is to regard them as the continuation of Christ’s own teaching. They contain the thoughts that Christ carried away from the world unuttered....There was one great subject especially that Christ had to leave unexplained — His own death. He could not explain it before it had taken place. This became the leading topic of Paul’s thinking — to show why it was needed and what were its blessed results…. 

A BETTER SYSTEM

The writer of Hebrews explained that the old laws and good works cannot compare to the work of redemption God has done for us in Christ.  

The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but even so they could never save those who lived under their rules...He cancels the first system in favor of a far better one. Under this new plan we have been forgiven and made clean by Christ’s dying for us once and for all. Hebrews 10:1-2,10 (TLB)

The first system had to be replaced by a new and better system which provided righteousness, ordained by God and sealed by the blood of Christ.  This System of Truth is found in Paul's letters and enables believers to understand and grow in the reality of what Jesus has done and is doing for us.

James Stalker said, “Paul’s letters contain the thoughts that Jesus carried away from this world unuttered.” Jesus had much more to tell His disciples than He could while He was on earth (John 16:12-15).  The Holy Spirit, through Paul, explains this powerful, liberating revelation of truth!

Romans 6:17 says, “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” Way’s translation says, “new teaching.” Rotherham’s translation says, “mold of teaching.” My favorite is Weymouth’s translation: “...that system of truth in which you were instructed.” Paul’s “system of truth” can be found throughout his epistles.  Since Satan is a liar, the truth does great damage to him and gives tremendous power to believers. You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32,33).  “Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness,” Romans 6:18.

THE NEW SYSTEM OF TRUTH

One of the simplest illustrations of a system is a chain.  A chain is a group of links that are inter-dependent upon each other for the strength of the whole.  Not any one link can be a chain; all the links are dependent upon the others.  The Apostle Paul’s letters contain an inter-dependent group of revelation realities centering on what God has done for us in Christ.

In Paul’s System of Truth, these eight points are the eight links, which have their center in redemption:

1. Paul’s Pneuma Concept: Spirit, Soul, and Body
2. Identification with Adam
3. Man’s Condition in Adam
4. What Happened to Jesus from the Cross to the Throne
5. Identification with Christ
6. Who we are and What we have Now in Christ
7. What Jesus is Doing for us Now
8. How to Grow Up in Christ

Satan's works can only succeed in the dark, but the light of the Gospel stops anything that only works in the dark.  With an understanding of these principles, you will walk in the freedom God has provided in redemption.

SPECIAL OFFER: PAUL’S SYSTEM OF TRUTH 2.0

This month we would like to offer you our brand new 4 CD series called, Paul’s System of Truth 2.0. These messages will give you further insight on what happened from the cross to the throne and how to live victoriously, empowered by these truths.  We would also like to offer you our book, Paul’s System of Truth.  For your offering of $25 we will send you both of these resources to feed your faith. 

MISSIONS: PAPUA NEW GUINEA

There is a mighty move of the Holy Spirit in Papua New Guinea!  Help us, through partnering in prayer and financial support, to bring in pastors and leaders and to feed them both naturally and spiritually.  The Holy Spirit said, "Bless a pastor, bless a church.  Bless a church, bless a city.  Bless a city, bless a nation!"  Because of your partnership, we declare, "My God shall supply all your need!"  We thank God for YOU! 

In Christ,
Mark and Trina Hankins

June 2017 - Righteousness Revealed!

RIGHTEOUSNESS REVEALED

Understanding you have God’s divine approval on your life sets you free from the sense of rejection, inadequacy or inferiority.  You are confident you have God’s approval.  You are free to receive God’s best blessings and to follow His plan for your life.  This confidence in God sets you free from constantly seeking approval from others.

One of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible is righteousness. The Gospel of Christ is a revelation of the righteousness of God. The center of the Gospel reveals the righteousness of God.  I call righteousness a radical revelation, a revolutionary revelation. It is a reality that is produced for us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto

salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written, the just shall live by faith.  Romans 1:16-17

For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with Himself.  (GNB)

It reveals God’s way of making men as righteous as himself.  (Lovett)

Paul says the Gospel is the power of God and he mentions faith four times. Your faith cannot be any stronger than your revelation of righteousness. Your faith works best when you have a righteousness consciousness.

There are many benefits to righteousness.  The Old Testament talks about it in Proverbs 28:1, “The righteous are as bold as a lion.”  Psalm 112:3 says, “...wealth and riches shall be in the house of the righteous.”  One of my favorites is Psalm 68:3, “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”  James 5:16 says, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  The Amplified says, “makes tremendous power available.”

Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin, or Dad Hagin, as a young Christian, went to a church where he got a “truckload” of unworthiness.  When he went to another church, he got a “double truckload” of unworthiness.  After reading James 5:16, he said, “If I ever get to be righteous, my prayer is going to be powerful!”  In other words, he did not really have a revelation of the righteousness of God yet.    

In his book, I Believe in Visions, Dad Hagin tells of a vision he had of Jesus.  When he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and said, “No one as unworthy as I am should look at your face.”  Jesus told Dad Hagin to stand up on his feet, because He had washed him in His blood and made him worthy.  He received the radical revelation that Jesus had made him worthy.

There are three very important things to remember about righteousness.  1.  Righteousness is a free gift.  You cannot do anything to earn this righteousness—it is a gift from God.  2.  Righteousness is a legal declaration.  You have been declared righteous and are now justified by God.  3.  Righteousness is a spiritual force.

“They who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through one man, Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:17.  Notice it says they who receive. You cannot earn this gift, but you must receive the gift of righteousness.  When you understand what you have received, you will reign like a king in life.   You will not be a victim any longer, but you will be a victor.

Romans 4:25 says, “Jesus was delivered up for our sin and raised for our justification.”  Jesus died because of our sins and was raised because of our justification.  The Fenton translation says Jesus was raised “through our righteousness.”  Jesus could not be and was not raised from the dead until you were declared righteous and the penalty for sin was paid in full.    

One way to understand the word “justified” is to break it down this way: just-as-if-I’d never sinned.  Everything Jesus did was for you and you were declared justified or righteous.

A LEGAL DECLARATION

This gift of righteousness means you have escaped sin consciousness, the dominion of sin, and the dominion of Satan. Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”  You have been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son.

The Jordan translation of Colossians 1:12,13 is descriptive: “It was the Father who sprang us from the jail house of darkness, and turned us loose in the new world of His beloved Son.” This is a really good picture, except for one thing.  When you read “He sprang us from the jail house of darkness,” you may be thinking, “I’ve been saved and made righteous.”  However, you may unconsciously see your righteousness as a jailbreak.

The fact is, Jesus did not break you out of jail.  You were legally justified by the highest court and the highest judge in the land.  Therefore, you are not running from the law.  There is no one chasing you.  You are not going through the swamp and you do not have on the old uniform.  You were legally declared justified and righteous and you legally walked out of the jail house of sin in front of everybody as the righteousness of God in Christ.  You have divine approval.  You do not have to hide from your past because you have been declared justified.  You have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

“The Good News shows how God makes people right with Himself," Romans 1:16 (Deaf).  Thank you, our partners, for helping us publish the Good News in the face of terrorism and fear!  Divine Approval, our new book, is being released and will be translated in Spanish, Vietnamese and Nepalese soon.  Here is an answer to prayer: We are now preaching on satellite television!  Our messages are overdubbed in the Urdu language, which reaches Pakistan and parts of India.  Your continued prayer and financial partnership is helping to print and distribute books, support missionaries and pastors in many nations and be heard on television around the world.  Thank you!  For a gift of $25 or more we will send you our brand new book and our new CD set called Divine Approval.  May you abound in God's grace financially and may every need be supplied, according to God's riches in glory, as you help publish the Good News!

In Christ,
Mark and Trina