“BEHOLD,
THE BRIDEGROOM
COMETH”
by
J. L. WILSON
“BEHOLD,
THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH”
First Printing – April 1990
Revised Edition – May 1990
Revised Online Edition – October 1999
Posted Online – June 2009
All quotes from the Bible are from the King James Edition, unless otherwise noted.
© 1990 Treble Cross Publishing Co.
Comments or questions pertaining to this online version: jjwilson@pcisys.net
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Contents
Chapter Page
1. An American Harlot........................................1
2. Love…………………………………………5
3. Salvation / Believing……………...…………..7
4. Salvation / Repentance……….…………….10
5. Water Baptism……………….….…………..12
6. The Trinity / One God………..….………….17
7. Born Again…………………..……………...26
8. Faith / Healing………………..….………….30
9. The Prophecy…………………….………...37
10. The Warning…………………….…………44
God’s Love…………………………….……...47
INTRODUCTION
A letter to the church in America, Peace be unto you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The
Lord has directed me to write, concerning the condition of the church. I am no prophet, nor
apostle, but merely a servant. What I am about to tell you, many of you will reject, so it is.
Nevertheless, I must lift up my voice, and speak the truth as it came to me.
If the words I speak are false, you be the judge; but if they are true, Christ is the judge. And
yet, as the Apostle said, Prove all things, holding fast that which is good.
IN HIS LOVE,
Jered Wilson
Chapter 1
AN AMERICAN HARLOT
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Matt. 25:1-13)
Most of us will readily admit; that we know the parable refers to the second coming of Christ; and, that ‘the second coming’ is somewhere in the near future. We even realize that Jesus is the bridegroom, and the church is the virgins.
You may ask, “What is the problem?”
No problem, providing that you are one of the wise virgins.
“Sure I am,” you reply, “I’ve been baptized, I attend church, pay tithes, teach in Sunday school, and I work for the church for free.” And besides, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died for my sins, and that is all I need.” you add.
ARE YOU SURE?
You may answer, “Our church has the true revelation of the scriptures. In fact, we are the only ones who teach the true Apostolic doctrines!”
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ARE YOU SURE?
Again you answer, “I have been ‘born again’, and baptized in the Holy Ghost; I pray for the sick and cast out demons!”
BUT, ARE YOU SURE???
And you say, “Sure I’m sure.”
This I say unto you: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12)
Recently while I was in fasting and prayer, I began to read the 24th chapter of Matthew. And as I read, the Lord began to reveal to me the prophecies contained therein. I was in awe of the extent of the revelation. I turned and read the 13th chapter of Mark, the 21st chapter of Luke, and the 11th & 12th chapters of Daniel. The Lord confirming the revelation as I read. I realized that the only prophecy yet to be fulfilled was that Jesus should come again. And I thought, “Lord, the church isn’t ready for you yet.” Then He reminded me of the word I’d read, “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” (Luke 21:35)
As I pondered the weight of what God was saying, I began to read the 25th chapter of Matthew. And the Lord said, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!” And I answered and said, “Oh Lord!” Then the Lord said; “This is midnight, and the call is now going forth: Behold, the Bridegroom cometh. I am even now gathering my elect from the four corners of the earth.” I thought, “Lord, what about the church?” And the words came to me, “It is in slumber and asleep!” But even now the wise are beginning to arise and trim their lamps, so pray that you have oil in yours.
The Lord also spoke to me that the ‘church of America’ (meaning the general religious community), has in itself become a harlot. Yet, God has, and always will have, a remnant that will not bow down unto ‘Baal’. The churches in general, in America, have turned from God’s ways, and are now an abomination unto Him.
“Woe to the Rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:” (Is. 30:1)
“Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me in the ordinaces of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.” (Is. 58:1-4)
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“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” (Is. 58:6, 7)
“That this is a rebellious people, lying chiildren, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:” (Is. 30:9, 10)
“Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.” (Is. 30:12, 13)
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mark 7:6, 7)
“…These things saith the A-men, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Rev. 3:14-22)
As I thought about what God was saying, I wondered wherin was the church playing the harlot? And God opened my understanding, and begin to shew me the wine of her fornication.
Also, I will say this as boldly as I know how; The Roman Catholic Church system was and is the “Mother of Harlots”, mentioned in the scriptures. And the vast majority of her daughters are protestant churches, who have taken her ways unto themselves, and thereby polluting and perverting the Gospel of Christ, they also becoming harlots. The warning of Isaiah, now becomes the warning of today.
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In the past, God dealt with his church about loving one another regardless of denomination pursuing the unity in the Spirit, and that was right.
For, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
Unlike true love which rebukes, corrects, reproves, as well as edifies; the churches simply accepted one another, along with each others sins. Therefore as Solomon sinned in going after the abomination of the Ammonites, so has the churches sinned in partaking of the wine of each others fornications.
“Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” (Matt. 16:6)
“Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."”(Matt. 16:12)
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached….let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:6-8)
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Col. 2:8)
The church today follows the traditions of man more closely than the commandments of God. It celebrates all the pagan holidays, and yet keeps not the Lords supper in the heart. In which commandment did He say to set up trees in the house of God on Christmas? Or to have egg hunts to commemorate his resurrection? Do our hearts so turn from God that we now must be bound by the traditions of the world? When was the last time we broke the bread of His body, or drank the wine of His suffering? Do we profain the gospel by making it a ritual to perform, rather than a life of devotion? Oh church, awake, for the Bridegroom cometh! Arise and trim your lamps, for the redemption draweth nigh!
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts unto you…” (Mal. 1:6)
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Chapter 2
LOVE
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candle-stick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:4,5)
“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)
You might say, I love God and my neighbor, But I ask you this, Do you really? Then compare what you believe to the scriptures.
“Herein is my Father glorified, that he bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:8-14)
“Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deut. 10:!9)
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35)
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” (1 Peter 1:22)
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Rom. 12:9, 10)
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“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal, And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. Any though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Cor. 13:1-7)
The word “Charity”, is translated from the Greek word “Agape”, which was translated LOVE in other of the scriptures.
“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Cor. 13:13)
Some teach that kindness is love, while some say there’s no way to love, like it says in 1 Cor. 13, and some only read about it, and never do it.
I say to you: kindness is not love, howbeit love is kind; and there is no way to love like 1st Corinthians in the flesh. However, all things are possible in Christ. Furthermore, it is required of us also, for we are to be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Again I say we must adhere to the Word. For God is love, and if He really lives in you, His love will abide also.
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Chapter 3
SALVATION / BELIEVING
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting live.” (John 3:16)
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18)
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb. 9:22)
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:22-24)
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:…for if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.” (Rom. 5:12, 15)
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“Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” (Romans 5:18)
“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if tho shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, tho shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:8-10)
Now, I have said all of that to say this:
Many churches and people confess and acknowledge the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he was crucified, and raised from the dead, for the atonement of our sins. But error comes when salvation is taught, as a product of: a confession and acknowledgement, baptism, paying tithes, church membership, a confession of sins, sabbath day worship, or any outward work or appearance; for the work, is a product of the inward work of grace.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8, 9)
The truth is, believe on the Lord Jesus, the Christ, and thou shalt be saved. The key to the truth is in the translation. The word “Believe,” is taken from the Greek word PISTEUO.
“PISTEUO, to believe, also to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence…” (VINE’S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF NEW TESTAMENT, Vol. 1, pg. 116)
“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trust in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (John 3:16, THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE)
“For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord (invoking Him as Lord) will be saved.” (Romans 10:13, Amplified)
To “believe on Him”, means to; cling to Him, and to trust Him as Lord and Master of your life, adhering to all of His teachings, and relying on Him to be and do what He said. Many churches place much emphasis on the “initial” confession, and little or no emphasis on continuing in, and adhering to His teachings. But I am convinced by the scriptures, that, your
salvation is guaranteed only in that, you continue in faith, believing, and following after Christ. For some mislead in teaching a theory of “Once saved, always saved.”
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“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31, 32)
“…to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;…” (Col. 1:22, 23)
“Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Rom. 11:22)
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;” (Heb. 3:14)
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Chapter 4
SALVATION / REPENTANCE
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4:17)
Some teach that because you have believed, you are saved, and that’s all there is to it. But, the scriptures take it much further than that. I’ve heard it said that: John preached repentance, but Jesus preached grace. Not so!
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Cor. 7:10)
“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21)
“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: But, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-3)
Now, without faith (believing), repentance is nothing; and without repentance, faith is nothing. For repentance is a work of faith, if by faith repentance is made, unto salvation, and the turning away from sin. But to attempt repentance without faith, is a work of flesh, which, in the sight of God, is as filthy rags.
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“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; What doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20)
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 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. 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.” (2 Peter 2:20-22)
This I tell you also; that this walk is a lot deeper, and the way a lot narrower than we were led to believe. This Americanized Gospel-made-easy (3 quick steps to salvation attitude), will not stand on the day of judgment. And ministers will give an account for the gospel they preach. For if the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly and the unjust appear.
“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Matt. 3:8-10)
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Chapter 5
WATER BAPTISM
Many churches have down-played baptism to avoid controversy. Some have nearly done away with it entirely, as unnecessary. Others, teach it as the means of salvation. You may not agree with me on this; but truth is truth. You can reject truth if you want to, but you will give an account for what you do with the truth.
Some say it does not matter how you are baptized. My friend, if it did not matter, then God would not have included it in the word.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:36-38)
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matt. 28:19)
These scriptures bring up two interesting questions in regards to “popular” christian teachings:
1. Why did Peter preach baptism in Jesus’ name, instead of; the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as in Matthew 28:19?
2. How much importance does baptism really have on our salvation, if any?
Let us look to the scriptures for the true answers, comparing other historical accounts as well. Aside from the fact that the book of Matthew wasn’t written at that time, in that Matthew wrote his book in approximately 70 AD, well after the day of Pentecost. However, Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, writes:
“Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first,…” (Luke 1:1-3)\
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Bear in mind that Luke wrote Luke & Acts in a two-volume book after the fact. Also consider that, in the;
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA…Vol 3, page 369, is a reference to several early writers who doubted that Matthew 28:19 is the exact words of Jesus that mentions more than a score of citations where early writers quoted Matthew 28:19 as reading, “In My Name” instead of “in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost.” (Student’s Handbook In Church History, by S.C. McClain pg. 22)
Even so, we will take the word as it is. Now consider that Peter was just “filled with the Holy Ghost”, and was under His direction; also that Peter had just finished approximately 3 ½ years under the personal direction of Jesus himself. Considering that the Holy Ghost directed the writing of the scriptures, it is a “blind” excuse to suggest that Peter made a mistake in baptizing, as some may say. Remember that the disciples had experience baptizing, this was no new thing. Let’s look at other scriptures also, not forgetting that this is the word of God.
“When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)” (John 4:1,2)
“(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus.)" ”Acts 8:16)
The disciples were consistent in baptizing in the name of Jesus, as there is no record of them baptizing in any other. And knowing that the word of God is true in Matthew and Acts; And if the word be true it shall agree, so we must dig deeper in the word, for the Apostles knew something we didn’t. For Jesus to command baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and then for the disciples to baptize in the name of Jesus, would leave two alternatives:
1. The Bible is not true, for “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16). And not only did the disciples baptize in Jesus name, also they commanded the same. [In which case, we’d just as well hang it up]. Or;
2. To baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is to baptize in the name of Jesus. In which case, we need understanding.
JESUS (IESOUS) is a transliteration of the Hebrew ‘Joshua’, ‘Jehovah is salvation’ i.e. ‘is the
Saviour’, (VINES DICT, Vol .2 Pg. 274)
“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye received me not:” (John 5:43)
“…fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt. 1:20)
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“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9:6)
I declare to you who read this, that Jesus is the name of the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost. Which brings us to the importance of baptism. Baptism also is a work of faith, if by faith we follow into baptism, but a dead work if not of faith.
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,” (Eph. 4:4,5)
Paul tells us, there is but “one baptism”, now consider another reason why baptism in Jesus name is that one.
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:” (Romans 6:3-8)
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Gal. 3:26, 27)
“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Col. 2:12)
“Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 3:20, 21)
Whereas there is only one baptism, and one Lord, who’s name is Jesus Christ; we are therefore baptized in the name of Jesus.
“This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11, 12)
“…but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,…” (1 Cor. 6:11)
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“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” (Eph. 1:20,21)
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11)
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Col. 3:17)
Understanding that the disciples knew what Jesus meant by what he said, and proceeded on in the same, another question arises; Why not use the formula of “Father, Son, & Holy Ghost?
“baptizing them into the Name, would indicate that the baptized person was closely bound to, or became the property of, the one into whose Name he was baptized.” (VINES, Vol. 1, pg. 97)
In effect “baptizing into the Name” of Jesus would also mean; baptizing into his teachings as well, and into whatever he stood for. Meaning this: To be baptized into someone’s name, would also be to openly declare that you:
1. Submit to that person and belong to him.
2. Submit to his teachings, as a disciple.
3. That you now stand for, whatever he stood for.
4. In the case of Jesus, are buried with him in baptism, so that you live for him and not for yourself.
To baptize in another name, or formula, would be to adhere to the teachings; of whoever’s name, or, he that taught that formula, thereby; partaking of, and submitting to, and , being bound to that one.
Now, what did Jesus really teach?
“…In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2 Cor. 13:1)
The formula of “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”, was noted one time; Matthew 28:19 [Note: that even here is said: “in the Name”, singular and not, “in the names”, meaning only one name.]. But we find that the Gospels do correspond in meaning, though not word-for-word.
Matthew: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
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Mark: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name…they shall speak with new tongues;…”
Luke: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
John has no record.
On the day of Pentecost (fiftieth day), Peter preached: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” So then having received the instructions from the Lord, all the disciples began to preach the gospel baptizing in the name of Jesus.
“The original form of words were into the Name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus. Baptism into the Trinity was a later development.” (DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE by Scribners, Vol.1, pg. 241)
“The early church always baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus until the development of the Trinity, afterward they were baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” (CANNEY ENCYCLOPEDIA pg. 53)
“The Trinitarian Baptism formula was not in use till the close of the first century and the beginning of the second.” (HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH by Williston Walker pgs. 23,24,58,59, & 95)
“The triune and trinity formula was not uniformly used from the beginning, and , up until the third century, baptism in the Name of Christ only was so widespread that Pope Stephen, in opposition to St. Cyprian, said that baptism in the Name of Christ was valid. But the Catholic missionaries, by omitting one or more persons of the Trinity when they were baptized, were anathematized [banned or cursed] by the Roman Church. Now the formula of Rome is “I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the son and the Holy Ghost.” (BRITTANICA Ency. Vol. 3, ph. 365, 366)
Whereas baptism in the formula of ‘the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” is in effect baptism into the doctrine of the Trinity, and in essence makes one a partaker of the same. So then the consequences or results of the baptism, rest in the validity, or source, of the doctrine of the Trinity.
I ask you this, is not the name of God, JEHOVAH? For He said, I am Jehovah, the Elohim of Abraham thy father. Is not Jesus the name of the Son as well as the Father? For He said, I am come in my Father’s name. JESUS (Jehovah is the Saviour) is the Saviour. For there is salvation in no other. Nevertheless, the Jews would not accept it either.
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Chapter 6
THE TRINITY / ONE GOD
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
Much controversy has risen over the years over the doctrine of the Trinity, and One God. Many churches do not address the subject at all, in an effort to avoid controversy; especially as it pertains to water baptism. But, according to John 17:3, we are told of the importance of knowing God. I will say this again; truth is truth, false is false, and truth abiding by itself is truth, but truth mixed with false is false.
The Israelites were much maligned of their neighbors because they believed in “One God”. Knowing this: that there is only “One God”, is the very foundations of Judaism, and Christianity, and the knowing him and who he is.
Today there are two predominant beliefs of God, among the christian teachings; these are the “Trinity”, and “One God”. Although both claim to “believe in One God”, we will look at the teachings, and let the “Word” be the judge.
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach…unto you than that which we have preached unto, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8)
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Col. 2:8)
“The word “Trinity” is not found in the Scriptures, and is said to have been first used by Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, in the second century. (COLLIER’S New Ency. Vol.10, pg. 3)
“Because Terullian coined the word “Trinity” about the year 200 AD (Rowe’s HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, pg. 94), some have asserted that he began the teaching of the Trinitarian doctrine; but the teaching began earlier, in the second century. Justin Martyr is said to be the first to mention the triune formula, and this occurred in the middle of the second century, (BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, page 392).”
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To quote the doctrine of the Trinity from the scriptures is impossible, as there is no scripture which states the doctrine. So then, we must go to leading Trinitarians for their statement of the “Trinity”.
“The word Trinity as such is not found in the Bible; however, in it’s simplest form trinity means three (1 John 5:7).” (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by Jimmy Swaggart, pg. 199)
“Trinity Doctrine. The Catholic faith is this: We worship one God in Trinity, but there is one person of Father, another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost. The Glory equal the majesty co-eternal. The doctrine is not found in it’s fully developed form in the Scriptures. Modern theology does not seek to find it in the Old Testament. At the time of the Reformation, the Protestant Church took over the doctrine of the Trinity without serious examination.” (NEW INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIA, Vol. 22, pg. 476)
“The Athanasian Creed: Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholic faith. Which faith except everyone do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly, for alike we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord.” (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Vol. 11, pgs. 33, 34)
“So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts; and in this trinity none is afore or after the other, none is less or greater than another, but the whole three persons are co-eternal together and co-equal. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity.” (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Vol. 11, pg. 34, para. 1)
“…I believe there is one God manifested in three persons. I believe that each member of the Godhead has His own personal spirit body. I will explain…The Word teaches there is a divine Trinity, and I believe that in this divine Godhead there are three separate and distinct persons – each one having His own personal spirit body, personal soul, and personal spirit. Yet, there is only one God. There are not three Gods, only one.” (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by Jimmy Swaggart, pg. 199)
“Many people conclude that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all one and the same. Actually, they are not. These people take 1 John 5:7…to mean one in number, when this is not what is meant at all.” (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by Jimmy Swaggart, pg. 199)
It is interesting to note that the word One used in 1 John 5:7, is the Greek word HEIS.
HEIS which is the “first cardinal numeral” (See VINE’S pg. 137, Vol.3)
It is more interesting to note that when dealing with 1 John 5:7, Swaggart says that one is not what is meant by the Greek word for one, instead, what is meant is unity. Then in dealing with Daniel Chapter 7:13,14, he says:
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“I believe God told us the truth in His Word exactly as it is and exactly as He meant for us to believe it.” (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by Jimmy Swaggart, pg. 201) An interesting contradiction at best.
Another interesting statement comes from the Catholic ENCYCLOPEDIA, which as we read, hailed the doctrine of the Trinity as the means to salvation, and then says:
“In the scripture there is, as yet, no single term by which the three divine persons are denoted together.” (CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA,. Vol.15, pg.47, par.3)
“Montanus seems to have been an early advocate of separating the Godhead into three persons (about 156 AD)…Montanus declared that it was the Holy Spirit which revealed to him his message,… It was in this second century that the belief in the Spirit as differentiated from Christ (as a separate person) became the general belief of Christians, and the doctrine of a Trinity became prominent.” (STUDENTS HANDBOOK IN CHURCH HISTORY, by McClain, pg. 20)
The lawyer “Terullian of Carthage, accepted the teaching of Montanum, this doctrine began to spread.”…”it is stated that by the end of the second century, Tertullian brought the word “Trinity” into theological use, and made the personality of the Holy Spirit distinct”. “As a theologian he anticipated the later definitions of the Trinity, and really formulated the content of that doctrine”. (STUDENTS HANDBOOK IN CHURCH HISTORY, by McClain, pg. 21)
“But the doctrine of the three in one is considered to be a mystery for which there is not adequate explanation, The first authoritative statement of belief in Father, Son and Holy Ghost was made by the earliest general council of churches held at Nice in 325 AD which also declared the Son to be of equal substance with the Father.” (WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA, Vol. 16, pg.7270)
The truth is this: the doctrine of the Trinity was never taught in the Word, or by the Prophets and Apostles, but came into existance at a later time. And as: “The historian explained that Tertullian’s purpose introducing this new doctrine was to make it simpler and more easily understood by the Latin-speaking people. It is also explained by a historian that, since idol worshippers believed in many gods and practiced dipping three times in water for cleansing, these evangelists found their message was more readily accepted and understood when brought to them in terms similar to those of their own religion.” (STUDENTS HANDBOOK IN CHURCH HISTORY, by McClain, pg. 21)
So then, the doctrine of the Trinity was introduced by man, as there was no scriptural mandate nor authorization to teach such. There are those who may say: What about Matt. 28:19 and Gen. 1:26, Mark 1:10,11 and 1 John 5:7? In none of them, or anywhere else, did it teach the doctrine of the Trinity.
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The doctrine of the Trinity was based upon logic (assumption, reasoning, rational), and by logic will it crumble and fall. Only that which is built on the Rock will stand. And there is no solid rock (scripture) for it to stand on. But God does not live by man’s logic. The word of God was given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and by the Holy Ghost must be revealed. For man’s wisdom is foolishness to God. And yet He used foolish things to confound the wise, lest they believe of their own intellect, without faith. But without faith it is impossible to please him. Yet we don’t believe because we see, we see because we have believed. Great is the mystery of God, and yet revelation is to them who will believe.
The Nicean council sought to reduce God from the Infinite and omnipotent wisdom of revelation, to a finite form of understanding, in which they could comprehend in the flesh, without the need of revelation. Thereby teaching for doctrine a commandment of man (man inspired).
Now let us look at the Trinitarian arguments, logic, and the scriptures.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image.” (Genesis 1:26)
Man’s reasoning says: God is Elohim (a plural noun), and He said, let us, and our image, so that makes three.
Interesting, though nothing is said in any passage of Genesis, anywhere, indicating three persons in unity as God. Somehow trinitarians interpret us as three, but that is not what is said. God said, let us make man in our image, and that is correct. But just because you don’t understand what He meant, you don’t delete or change the word to mean what you believe. You change your belief to line up with what He says.
Some say, couldn’t there be three as one, and couldn’t they be talking to each other? Anything could be possible, if there was no scripture to say different. It is true that Elohim is a plural noun, but there is no singular noun that accurately describes the vastness and multiplicities of God. And consider that man was made in the “image” of God. You were made, one person: body, soul, and spirit. Not three persons in agreement, more accurately to say, three parts of one person.
“…in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matt. 28:19)
There is nothing in Matthew 28:19 that says there are three persons. What is interesting, is the attention applied to us in Genesis as being plural, yet no mention is made of the Name, in Matthew, as being singular. Again, if three persons were intended, then three names would be the appropriate wording.
No place in John 17, is any reference made to 3 persons in agreement as one God, as some claim.
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The only place where any real mention of 3 occurs in the scriptures, is in 1 John 5:7, and here it says, “these three are one.”
Trinitarians read this to say, these three are as one, or one in “unity.” The problem is, that is not what is said here. Of a truth they strain at a nat and swallow a camel. It’s amazing how Jimmy Swaggart said:
“These people take 1 John 5:7 (“Fore there are three that bear record in heaven…and these three are one”) to mean one in number, when this is not what is meant at all. They evidently have not sutdied this in the original Greek language…The word “one” in this passage means one in unity.” (QUESTIONS & ANSWERS by Jimmy Swaggart, pg. 199)
Note: In the 1st two chapters of 1 John, He sued the Greek word “MIA”, which means one, first, agree, for the word “one”. Throughout the rest of 1 John, he uses the Greek word, ALLELON (one, each, mutual, selve) for the word one. But only in 1 John 5:7, 8 does he use the Greek word HEIS (a prime numeral, one, only). The only place in which he uses the word meaning the numeral one. Had John meant something other than the numeral one, then the proper usage would be either MIA, or ALLELON.
For a doctrine to stand, you must have more than mere assumption, reasoning, and rational; the trinity does not, and you must have a clear mandate (command, instruction, word) or revelation from God, and it must agree to the word.
The trinity doctrine only assumes that there are three persons, separate, but in unity, as there is no scripture to say that. Let us now compare the trinity with the witness of the Word, and see what the Word does say.
“…In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2 Cor. 13:1)
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:” (Duet. 6:4)
“And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is One Lord:…” (Mark 12:29)
“Have we not all one father? Hath not one God Created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaining the covenant of our fathers?” (Mal. 2:10)
“See now that I even I, am he, and there is no god with me…” (Duet. 32:39)
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.” (Isa. 43:10, 11)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
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“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20)
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:11)
“But to us there is but one God, the Father, if whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we in him.” (1 Cor 8:6)
“…and that there is none other God but one.’ (1 Cor 8:4)
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all.” (Eph. 4:4-6)
“…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col. 1:27)
“Which he wrought in Christ, …and set him at his own right hand…Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:” (Eph. 1:20,21)
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name:…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…” (Phil. 2:9-11)
“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” (Zech. 14:9)
“Unto thee it was shewed, that Thou mightest know that the Lord he is God, there is none else beside Him.” (Duet. 4:35)
“Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (Isa. 44:6)
“…Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isa. 44:8)
“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not.” (John 5:43)
“And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because tho hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:28, 29)
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“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, hew us the Father?” (John 14:8, 9)
“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)
Notice that again used here is the word HEIS (the prime numeral one) If it sounds like heresy to you, then you’ve got company because it infuriated the Jews.
“Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.” (John 10:31)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:1-8)
“And the Word was make flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:6, 7)
“Jesus saith unto him. I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“God is a spirit…” (John 4:24)
“There is one body, and one Spirit,…” (Eph. 4:4)
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh…” (Joel 2:28)
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:…” (Acts 2:16, 17)
“And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locust and wild honey; and preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me…whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” (Mark 1:6-8)
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“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 2:2)
“For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9)
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,…” (2 Cor. 5:19)
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Tim. 3:16)
“For unto us a child is born,… his name shall be called, …The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father…” (Is. 9:6)
Nowhere in the scriptures pertaining to God, did it refer to, or indicate that God was a “three persons” separate or distinct from each other; Nor did it imply that there were “three persons, each having his own “spirit body, soul, and personal spirit.” Instead the implications were always toward being one; and most places boldly proclaim one. It is truly amazing how the world hangs so tightly to a doctrine which is not set forth in the scripture, and yet rejects the word as it is plainly set forth.
This I say to you; Jesus Christ was not only the Son of God, He is God.
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, … after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Col. 2:8)
The trinity was based upon logic.
Logic says:
The Holy Ghost descended like a dove on Jesus, while the Father spoke from heaven, that means there is three.
The Word says:
that which Mary conceived, was of the Holy Ghost. I came in my Father’s name. He that has seen me, has seen the Father. (In fact the doctrine of logic presents a most interesting controversy).
If God the Father is the father of Jesus, and the Word says: that which Mary conceived is of the Holy Ghost, then actually God the Holy Ghost is in fact the father, so then who is God the Father, the father of?
I have shown you the word, I have shown you the truth; to accept or reject is up to you. You can follow the Word, or you can follow logic.
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“But though we, or an angel from heaven preach…unto you than…which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed .” (Gal. 1:8)
“And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Rev. 17:5)
“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” (Rev. 18:3)
The doctrine of the trinity is the doctrine of the Catholic church, a doctrine of man.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Cor. 6:17, 18)
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Chapter 7
BORN AGAIN
Much of the Christian world has adopted the term “born again” into their vocabulary, professing the same. The scripture has very specific guidelines concerning the subject.
Some say, if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, raised from the dead, you are saved and “born again”. Others ask, How do I know if I’m “born again”?
Let us go to the word, and see what this “born again” experience is all about.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
“Nicodemus saith unth him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:4-6
Let us first establish what is the “Kingdom of God”.
“Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.” (Psa. 145:13)
“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God…” (Mark 4:11)
“…The kingdom of God cometh not with observations: Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20, 21)
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 14:17)
“For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.” (1 Cor. 4:20)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…” (Acts 1:8)
“But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8)
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Now let us look at the covenant upon which our salvation is based.
“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Ro. 11:26, 27)
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Eqypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)
“But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” (Heb. 8:6)
“Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly santuary.” (Heb. 9:1)
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands…” (Heb. 9:11)
“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” (Heb. 9:14-17)
Notice that it was God (Elohiym) who made the covenant (will & testament) in Jeremiah, had Jesus been only the son of God, his death would not have put the testament in force; for it is put into force only by the death of the testator.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, abut after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:27, 28)
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. 10:10)
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“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 10:15-17)
Notice that Paul says here that it was the Holy Ghost who in effect made the covenant, and yet it was Christ who died.
“…for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord…” (Jer. 31:34)
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his…” (2 Tim. 2:19)
“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” (John 10:14)
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13, 14)
“Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (2 Cor. 1:22)
“And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.” (Rev. 9:4)
Do you mean that being born again has something to do with being filled with the Holy Spirit, you ask?
Well let us take a closer look at this “Holy Spirit” of promise.
“O foolish Galations, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:1-3)
“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44)
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1)
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“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:4, 5)
“…That which is born of the flesh is flesh’ and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
“For to be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit of life is because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God…but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God…” (Rom. 8:6-16)
I have said little in this chapter, as I have desired to let the word speak for itself. So let me summarize this now. The born again experience, is a spiritual birth by the Holy Spirit. Believing in the new birth does not make you born again, but having been born of the Spirit does, without which you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. If that Spirit does not dwell in you, who do you think will quicken your mortal body?
The wise virgins had oil in their lamps, Do You??
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Chapter 8
FAITH / HEALING
There are probably as many different teachings on Faith as there are churches, however, God’s word will always remain the same. Many are the churches, who teach that Healing, miracles, prophecies, tongues, and other gifts of the Spirit were for the Apostles, not for today. Still, others teach faith as; positive thinking, turning up the will-power screw, name-it-and-claim-it, prosperity & wealth syndrome, circumstance rules, and other variations.
Please hear me on this; God’s word is true, all of it, it always was and always will be. It is for us to conform our thinking to line up with the word, not changing the word to line up with our thinking.
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Num. 23:19)
“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Mal. 3:6)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” (Acts 10:34)
“For there is no respect of persons with God,” (Rom. 2:11)
Some people ask, why do we ask and God does not answer? And why do we command the Word and nothing happens? When Jesus was asked why could we not do those thing, his answer was, lack of faith, or because of unbelief.
“And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.” (Deut. 32:20)
“Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” (Hab. 2:4)
In Deuteronomy, the word faith, comes from the Hebrew EMUWN (faith, trust, truth). In Habakkuk, the word faith was from the Hebrew EMUWNAH (faith, firmness, security), from the root EMUWN.
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With the exception of Hebrew 10:23, the word used for faith in the New Testament, is the Greek word PISTIS.
“PISTIS: primarily, firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing (akin to PEITHO, to faith in God or Christ, or things spiritual...The main elements in faith in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from faith in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun and the corresponding verb, PISTEUO [believe]; they are:
1. a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgment of God’s revelation or truth…
2. a personal surrender to Him…
3. a conduct inspired by such surrender…
Prominence is given to one or other of these elements according to the context. All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good faith without necessary reference to its proof. The object of Abraham’s faith was not God’s promise (that was the occasion of its exercise); his faith rested in God Himself…” (VINES Exp. Dict. Vol. 2, Ph.71.)
The phrase, of little faith was translated from the Greek, “OLIGOPISTO: incredilous, i.e. lacking confidence (in Christ)”: (STRONGS CONCORDANCE, Pg. 51, of Greek Dict.*3640)
Of little faith – “is used only by the Lord, and as a tender rebuke, for anxiety…” (VINE’S Exp. Dict, Vol. 2, pg.72)
The word unbelief, comes from “APISTIA” Gr. For Faithlessness, i.e. disbelief! Want of Christian faith, or unfaithfulness, (disopedience): unbelief (STRONGS CONCORDANCE. pg.14, Greek Dict. *570)
“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matt. 17:19, 20)
“Jesus said unto him, If tho canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23)
There are those who view Matt. 17:19, 20, and Mark 9:23, as some sort of “magic words”, and that by shear “will power”, they can believe anything they want into existence. Yet others try to use the scriptures to get what “they” want, and upon asking for something and not receiving, become bitter, saying that the word is not true. But God’s word is true, it is for us to line up with it. There can be various reasons why we do not receive, and they are all in the word. So let us look closer at this thing called faith.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7)
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The church in America today does not abide in Christ, nor does He, or his word, abide in it. The church in America abides in self pleasure, via TV, Golf, Sports, Vacations, luxuries, and other self indulgences; How then can His word abide with that. The churches are too busy with building programs, Sunday school programs, Contests, Camp retreats, music programs, and other man conceived ideas to promote growth, that Jesus has effectively been eliminated by programs that were supposed to support him. What the church needs is more of Jesus, not more programs. If Jesus is lifted up, he will draw all men unto him. We must not get our eyes off the giver and onto the gift. Compare your church with the one in the book of Acts, and see the difference.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chr. 7:14)
When God’s people will turn away from their pet sins of self-will and pleasure, and turn unto God with all their hearts, then God will restore the love, joy, peace, power, and faith of their salvation.
Some think that faith simply means: believe hard enough and it will be; but faith and believing in the Bible means much more than just believing (in the English term). Faith has to do with trusting, obeying, and submission to the will of God as well.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)
In other words, faith comes by hearing, and in hearing, perceiving (understanding), what God is saying to you in His word. For if you know that what you ask shall be, then you have no problem believing it. Faith can move mountains, provided it rest upon the truth, or as John said, the will of God.
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14, 15)
How does the church expect to know the will of God and have faith, when they feed upon all the things of the world. The early church never grew in faith by watching soap operas.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)
If you plant in your heart materialism, self pleasure, and carnality, then you will reap all that unto yourself; in which, the end is death. But if you sew spiritual things, such as the word of God, then you’ll reap of that life, and the faith it brings.
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“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Ps. 1:1-3)
The church of America has also fallen in that it has left its first love. God still desires to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, as much as He always has. He in fact has poured out his Spirit upon the church, and yet the church has polluted the Gospel with the flesh, preferring the programs, organizations, rituals, doctrines, buildings, luxuries, and pleasures rather than yielding to the Hold Ghost, and letting God have complete rule in their lives.
But thank God, for He still has a remnant, that has not bowed the knee unto Baal. And He will raise up a people unto himself without spot or blemish, full of the Holy Ghost and power. For He is coming back for a church like he left it; doing the will of God.
As in the case of Abraham, our faith is not so much to be based upon the promises, but upon God himself, trusting, clinging, relying, adhering, and submitting to him.
“And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” (Matt. 8:7-10)
The centurion knew Jesus had authority and power, because he knew how you get authority; by submitting to the higher powers. The centurion knew that if his own servants would disobey him, they would face the power and force of the Roman Empire. He also knew that whatever Jesus said would be done because He (Jesus) was under (submitted to) authority.
And Jesus did not go around at random, doing miracles and healings, just because he could, or because it was the thing to do.
“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath send me.” (John 5:30)
If we bring ourselves in line with the word, He confirms his word with signs, as He wishes.
Now, concerning healing; We must first know the will of God in the matter, or else we are left uncertain, with room for doubt and unbelief. Remember that God is no respecter of persons, He is God, He does not change. His will for man has always been the same concerning healing. However, man has not always followed after God allowing him to have his way with them.
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“…If thou wilt diligently harken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” (Ex. 15:26)
“See now that ‘I even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.” (Deut. 32:39)
“Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” (Psa. 107:17-20)
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases;” (Psa. 103:2,3)
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psa. 147:3)
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” (Mal. 4:2)
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isa. 53:5)
The will of God for his people throughout the ages has always been healing and health. Only because of sin and unbelief has he expressed a non-willingness to heal, even then he says if we would turn unto him, he would forgive us, and heal us.
Some argue that healing, means “spiritual healing”, but the most common word used for healing in the Old Testament, was the Hebrew RAPHAH (cure, heal, repair, physician, thorough, make whole), and was used as both physical and spiritual healing, for God said he would forgive and heal. But the word used in Malachi 4:2, was MARPE (medicine, curative, cure, healing, remedy, sound, wholesome), definitely a physical implication.
Now the will of God was made manifest in the life of Jesus Christ.
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 6:38)
“But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all:” (Matt. 12:15)
“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and healed their sick.” (Matt. 14:14)
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“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of…disease among the people.” (Matt. 4:22)
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” (Matt. 9:35)
“Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with diverse diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.” (Luke 4:40)
People say that was great for back then, but I’ve been prayed for many times and have not been healed, what about now?
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)
God is no respecter of persons. There is no shadow of turning in him. There is nothing that he was willing to do for someone else, that he will not do for you because of who you are. God has his plan, and its up to you to follow it. Too many times we center on the gifts (in this case, healing), instead of the Giver. We must rest our faith in him; the word is a part of God, but our faith should rest in him, as compared to his promise. If we look only to the promise, we tend to overlook his will, for God's ways are not man’s ways. God is not willing that any should perish, but not everyone is willing to live a life of salvation. And in healing, not all are willing to surrender unto him. For believing in God means sometimes you have to change your ways.
“When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Epharim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood…” (Hosea 7:1)
“For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Cor. 11:29)
“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervant prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:14-16)
“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds fee the flocks? Yea eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye fed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.” (Ez. 34:1-4)
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“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed:” (Heb. 12:12,13)
As we have read, it is not only God’s will that we are healed, it is his command also, that we pray for one another, for healing. So I say to you; be led of the Spirit, that you may know the will of God for each occasion; that you do not give place for doubt, and unbelief.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” (John 14:12)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15, 17, 18)
Consider again the word believe; trusting, clinging, relying, adhering, and submitting to the will of God. Again, be let of the Spirit.
“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John 5:19)
“…You do not have, because you do not ask. [Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.” (James 4:2, 3 AMPH,)
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we out: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom. 8:26)
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13)
The word strengtheneth, was translated from Greek word ENDUNNAMOO (to empower). The scriptures were given by the Holy Ghost, and by the Holy Ghost should be directed.
“Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” (Hosea 6:1)
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Chapter 9
THE PROPHECY
As I began to read Matthew 24th chapter, they began to unfold to me. (I immediately began to seek confirmation). While praying and searching the scriptures and history, I was convinced that it is time for Jesus to come, as that all the prophecies heeded to be fulfilled, have been.
Prophecies
1. “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:1, 2 Mark 13:1, 2 and Luke 21:5, 6)
Some think that all the prophecies in these scriptures were to happen at about the same time; somewhere in the future. However, notice that the disciples ask him more than one question.
1. When shall these things be?
2. And what shall be the sign of thy coming?
3. And of the end of the world?
2. “…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matt. 24:4, 5 Mark 13:5, 6 and Luke 21:8)
3. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled:…the end is not yet.” (Matt. 24:6 Mark 13:7 Luke 21:9)
4. “For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:” (Matt. 24:7)
5. “And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. All these are the beginning of Sorrows.” (Matt. 24:7,8 Mark 13:8 Luke 21:11)
6. “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:12 Matt.24:9 Mark 13:9)
7. “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 sake; but he that endures unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Mark 13:12, 13 Matt: 24:10 Luke 21:16, 17)
8. “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation therof is nigh…let them…flee…For these be the days of vengeance…But woe…for there shall be great distress in the land…And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be let away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:20-24)
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“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) Then let them…flee…and woe unto them…in those days…for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” (Matt. 24:15-22 Mark 13:14-20)
9. “Then if any shall say…here is Christ…For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets,
and shall shew great signs and wonders…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect…” (Matt. 24:23, 24 Mark 13:22 Matt. 24:11)
[Iniquity abounds, love waxes cold] (Matt. 24:12)
10. “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke 21:25, 26)
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall
not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be
shaken:” (Matt. 24:29 Mark 13:24,25)
11. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all
nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:13 Mark 13:10)
12. “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And
when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:27, 28)
“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
And then shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” (Mark 13:26, 27 Matt. 24:30, 31)
Fulfillment
The order in which these prophecies are fulfilled, is not exactly the order in which they were given. Each of the gospels have certain keys to the order of fulfillment.
First, Jesus gave a specific prophecy, without a time frame; upon questioning, tells what signs to look for, and other prophecies of the future. For example, after giving a series of prophecies he then says: “But before all these”, then tells of other prophecies. (Luke 21:12)
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As I attempt to show you the fulfillment, I will show them in the order of fulfillment.
1. Prophesy #6, Persecution:
“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
“Then the high priest…laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the prison.”
“…Herod the king…he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” [AD 36]
(Acts 7:59, 5:17, 18, 12:1, 2)
Paul stood before Ananias the high priest, Felix the governor, Festus and king Agripa, and was beheaded.
Thomas was slain with a dart in India.
Peter was crucified upside-down.
Simon, brother of Jude, was crucified, in Egypt.
Simon Zelotes was crucified.
Mark was burned at Bucolus.
Bartholomew was beaten and crucified in Anchaia.
Matthew was killed by a spear.
Philip was stoned and crucified in Phrygia.
James, the brother of Jesus, was pushed off a wall, stoned, and beaten to death.
John was exiled on Patmos Island.
2. Prophesy #7, Hated:
This can be combined with fulfillment #1, as it was the hatred which caused the persecutions.
“And yet, notwithstanding the sharpness of these so many and sundry torments, and also the
like cruelness of the tormentors, such was the number of these constant saints that suffered, or rather such was the power of the Lord in His saints, that, as Jerome saith, There is no day in the whole year unto which the number of five thousand martyrs cannot be ascribed, except only the first day of January.” (FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS PG.12)
In 64 A.D. Nero began a relentless persecution of the saints, using the guise of accusing them of burning Rome (a fire which he had set).
“…the tyrant strove by inflicting tortures on the Christians to turn the suspicion from himself upon them. On the pretence that they were guilty of the atrocious crime, he crucified many; some covered with skins of wild beast, were worried to death by dogs in the theatres; tender girls and grey-haired men were torn by tigers, or hacked with the swords of gladiators.” (THE WORLD’S GREATEST EVENTS, Vol.1, Persecutions of The Christians pg. 474-475)
3. Prophecies #1, and #8, The destruction of the Temple, and the Abomination of desolations:
“…therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the santuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits…yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” (Dan. 11:30-31)
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This fulfillment can, in part, be combined with those afore mentioned, as they interrelate to each other in the same time frame.
“…(in the spring of 70) [AD], fully expecting that he would be able to force the city into submission; for it was almost a reproach to the Romans…But he collected an army of not less than eighty thousand men, who came, bringing with them the largest battering machines that had ever been used in the warefare of that time. Three traitors among the Judeans were most useful to him in his laborious undertakings – King Agrippa, who not only brought a contingent of men, but who also tried to influence the inhabitants of Jerusalem in favor of the Romans; Tiberius Alexander, who signalized his secession from Judiasm by going into battle against his own nation; and Josephus, the constant companion of Titus, who, from being a prisoner, had become a guide in the country which he knew so well…Titus, assembled his huge army from all sides and encamped at Scopus-Zophim, north of Jerusalem…Not only the Zealots, but all who could carry arms, took part in the defense, the women setting splendid examples of heroism to the men…Titus…crucified five hundred of his prisoners in one day, and sent others back into the city after cutting off their hands. He…acknowledged to himself that the seige would be one of long duration. But the horrors of famine were soon to come to his assistance…Houses and streets were filled with unburied corpses, and the pangs of starvation seemed to destroy all feelings of pity…Those who were secretly friendly to Rome shot off on their arrow-heads written accounts concerning the state of the city…It was about this time that the daily sacrifices ceased, on account of the scarcity of the animals…the inhabitants…were suffering cruelly from famine…Money had lost its value, for it could not purchase bread. Men fought…over the most… discusting food, a handfull of straw, a piece of leather…But as if no one line of the old prophecy concerning the doom of Judea should remain unfulfilled, a terrible scene was to be enacted which struck even the enemy with horror. A woman of the name of Miriam…actually killed and devoured her own child…unburied corpses made the suitry summer air pestilential, and the populace fell prey to sickness, famine, and the sword…The Romans were amazed at the unflinching heroism of the Zealots, at their devotion to the sanctuary…Meanwhile, the Romans had begun to batter the outer walls of the courts of the Temple…Titus…ordered his men to set fire to the gates…It was decided to take the Temple, but not to destroy it…The beseiged…they were again defeated, and again driven back…they were closely followed by the Romans, one of whom seizing a burning firebrand…flung his terrible missile through the so-called golden window of the Temple. The fire blazed up; it caught the wooden beams of the sanctuary, and rose in flames heavenward…At this sight the bravest of the Judeans recoiled terror-stricken…Titus, unable to control his legions, and urged by curiosity, penetrated into the Holy of Holies…thousands of men, women, and children…fell but easier pray to the Romans, who slew some six thousand on the spot. The Temple was burned to the ground…the conquering legions raised their standards in the midst of the ruins, sacrificed to their gods in the Holy Place…By a strange coincidence the second Temple had fallen upon the anniversary of the destruction of the first Temple (10th AD, 70) …Once more did Zion sit weeping among the ruins, weeping over her sons fallen in battle, over her daughters sold in slavery or abandoned to the savage soldiery of Rome; but she was more desolate now than in the days of her first captivity, for hushed was the voice of the prophet…” (WORLD’S GREAT EVENTS Vol. 1, “The Siege of Jerusalem”)
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And Jerusalem would remain “trodden down” of the gentiles, until the year 1948.
4. Prophecy #2, also can be combined with #8 false Christs:
After the death of Tiberius Ceaser, Caligula succeeded, who during the course of his reign “commanded himself to be worshipped as God”, and temples erected in his name.
In Palestine, Bar-cocha, an imposter, claimed to be the “Messiah”, causing many christians a cruel death because they refused to follow him, approx. 117 AD.
Constaintine, in 313 AD became emperor of Rome, and made himself the Head of the church, a position occupied only by Christ.
Following that, each succeeding Pope, claimed to be the head of the church.
4. Prophecy’s #’s 6, 7, & 8, The great tribulation:
Including the persecution of Jews by Hitler, and the persecution of the saints by the Catholic church during the “reformation”. Never was there such a fever of rage and hatred over so much of the know world, as there was during the time of the “Great Persecution”, from 64 AD, until about 313 AD. Whether it was dungeons, crucifixion, hooks of steel, red-hot bed, or what ever kind of torture man could devise, this was the most intense persecution ever laid upon man-kind. One is here reminded of Revelations 12:12-17; where the dragon persecuted the woman, who fled into the wilderness; and then went to make war with the remnant of her seed. For in the 4th century, the church went into the wilderness (dark ages) for about 1000 years. Then again war was made on the remnant of the church; during the reformation, from the 14th century through the 16th century.
5. Prophecy #3, Wars:
The siege of Jerusalem 70 AD,
The fall of Zenobia and Palmyra 273 AD,
The invasion of Italy by Attila the Hun 452 AD,
The conquest of Briton 449 AD,
The conquest of Persia 632 AD,
The Arab conquest of Spain 709 AD,
The Battle of Tours 732 AD,
The Norman invasion of France and Italy 800 – 1000 AD,
The Danish conquest of England 962 AD,
The Norman conquest of England 1066 AD,
The Crusades 1096 – 1229 AD,
These are only a few and of the major wars, to say nothing at all about the many local wars. Any yet they are just the beginning of wars.
6. Prophecy #5 & 10 Plagues:
The most memorable example of calamitous plagues is afforded by a great pestilence of the 14th Century, which desolated Asia, Europe, and Africa…It was an Oriental plague, marked by inflammatory boils and tumors of the glands…On account of these inflammatory boils, and from the black spots, indicatory of a putrid decomposition, which appeared upon the skin, it was called…the Black Death. The imperial writer...notices great imposthumes of the thighs and arms
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of those affected…In many cases black spots broke out all over the body, either single, or united and confluent…From China to the Atlantic, the foundations of the earth were shaken, throughout Asia and Europe the atmosphere was in commotion, and endangered, by its baleful influence, both animal and vegetable life…The series of these great events began in the year 1333….they first appeared in China. Here a parching drought, accompanied by famine…This was followed by such violent torrents of rain in and about Kingsai…that…more than 400,000 people perished in the flood. Finally the mountain Tsincheou fell in…In the succeeding year (1334)…Canton was visited by inundations; while in Tche, after an unexampled drought, a plague arose which…carried off 5,000,000 people. A few months afterward an earthquake followed, at and near Kingsai; and subsequent to the falling of the mount Ki-ming-chan…again, thousands found their grave. In Houkouang and Honan, a drought prevailed for fine months; and innumerable swarms of locust destroyed the vegetation; while famine and pestilence, as usual, followed in their train…simultaneously with the drought and renewed floods in China, in 1336, many uncommon atmospheric phenomena, and…frequent thunderstorms were observed in the north of France…1333, an eruption of Etna took place. The signs of terrestrial commotions commenced in Europe in the year 1348…On the island of Cyprus the plague…had already broken out, when an earthquake shook the foundations of the island, and was accompanied by so frightful a hurricane, that the inhabitants…fled in dismay in all directions. The sea overflowed – the ships were dashed to pieces on the rocks….Before poisonous an odor that many, being overpowered by it, fell down suddenly and expired in dreadful agonies. This phenomenon is one of the rarest that have ever been observed…borne by winds, spread from land to land carrying disease over all portions of the earth….From the vary beginning the air partook of the terrestrial concussion, atmospherical waters overflowed the land…or it’s plants and animals perished under scorching head….Of all the estimates…the most probable is that, altogether, a fourth part of the inhabitants were carried off…The mental shock sustained without parallel and beyond description…many fell victim to fear, on the first appearance of the distemper, and the most stout-hearted lost their confidence. Thus, after reliance on the future had died away, the spiritual union which binds man to his family and his fellow creatures was gradually dissolved….all countries were filled with lamentations and woe…the hearts of all the inhabitants were closed to feelings of humanity. They fled from the sick…Amid this…the influence and authority of every law, human and divine, vanished….Thus it was that one citizen fled from another, a neighbor from his neighbors, a relation from his relations; and in the end so completely had terror extinguished every kindliere feeling that brother forsook the brother, that sister the sister, the wife her husband; and at last, even the parent his own offspring. (THE WORLD’S GREAT EVENT Vol. 2, The Black Death)
7. Prophecy #10, Signs in the Sun & Moon:
Some say this has literally happened, which is possible, though I don’t know when.
As I pondered this prophecy, this began to come to me. You can reject it if you like, but please consider the possibility.
“…shall the Sun of righteousness arise..” (Mal. 4:2)
“In him was…the light of men.” (John 1:4)
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In Rev. 12:1, “the moon under her feet” is suggestive of derived authority, just as being clothed with the sun is suggestive of supreme authority; everything in the symbolism of the sun and moon is suggestive of the supreme authority over the world, and of derived authority. (VINES VOL.3, pg. 81)
In other words, the moon has light only as it is derived from the sun, so the church (moon) has light only as it is derived from the Son (sun). After the persecution of those days (64 – 313 AD), there was a compromise of the church and state (Rome), and the true light was hid, as the church did no longer reflect the light anymore, going into darkness (the Dar Ages), the true church (moon) was turned into blood (Martyrdom). The stars (ministers, angels) of the church fell as well, compromising the teachings of Christ.
“…I saw…the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried…How long…dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?…and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were…” (Rev. 6:9-11)
Persecution again raged, from 1360 – 1560, only this time the persecution came from the so-called church.
8. Prophecy #4, Nation against Nation:
It seems there have always been wars, but through the years these have steadily increased, so that by the 18th century, it was not uncommon to have more than two nations at a time involved in conflict. These “War of Nations”, have increased in frequency as well as in magnitude of destruction; that by the 20th century they occurred every 20 or 30 years.
9. Prophecy #9, False prophets and christs:
The increase in the number of: people claiming to be Christ (the anointed one), and false prophets, has risen until nobody really cares anymore, but some have led many astray: The Catholic Popes, Joseph Smith & Brigham Young, Jim Jones, and etc….
To see that the love has waxed cold, and that iniquity abounds, just look around you: murder & rape is rampant, homosexuality is condoned, abortion is legalized, pornography is encouraged, drugs are second-nature, and excessive self indulgences are advertised continually.
10. Prophecy #11, the Gospel preached:
Until 1989, the missionaries were able to spread the Gospel to all nations and tribes except one; which was located in 1989, after eluding civilization for years, deep in the jungles of South America.
11. Prophecy #12, the coming of Christ:
Whether history will repeat itself or not is to be seen. But if you are waiting for all the promises to happen yet for Christ to come then don’t hold your breath. For the Jews are still waiting for Elijah to come. Be He shall come as a thief in the night, so watch and pray.
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Chapter 10
THE WARNING!
“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev. 2:15, 16)
“The church developed powerful leaders, not like Peter and Paul, who in the power of the Holy Ghost commanded the lame to walk and healed the sick, but who predominated in power and authority over the church and brought their subjects into obedience by fear instead of love and brotherly fellowship. This domineering spirit existed, however, at the time when John wrote the book of Revelation…We here quote Dr. Scofield’s explanatory note – “From nikao, ‘to conquer’, and loose, ‘the people”, or ‘laity.’ There is no ancient authority for a sect of the Nicolaitanes. If the word is symbolic it refers to the earliest form of the notion of a priestly order, or ‘clergy’, which later divided an equal brotherhood.” (STUDENT’S HANDBOOK IN CHURCH HISTORY by S.C. McClain, pg. 29)
“but Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:25-28)
God is not pleased with us making ourselves rulers in his kingdom, don’t you know there is but one Lord, the same is Christ Jesus. If He being Lord, came as a servant, how much more should we who are no lords, be even more the servant? Has not the ministry ruled as lords? Even robbing the poor, setting themselves up in big fancy buildings and homes, driving big fancy automobiles, living off the plunder of the poor? Laying on guilt to those who be weak and poor, those who we were to feed? Don’t you know that Jesus came to the poor, preaching and giving, not taking? But you are the children of your fathers, the Pharisees, who heap burdens upon those who are weak already, while in your own homes you stink with the corruption of the luxuries stole from the poor. Know this also that you are even now being weighed in the balances, and lacking. But I exhort you to read again the account of Christ and the apostles, and take again their spirit of humility, and repent, and love one another even as Christ has loved us.
There has risen much controversy over the issue of ABORTION. In the history of mankind, never has a society turned against it’s unborn like as today. Therefore little is mentioned in the scriptures concerning the subject. But we can still go to the word of God for guidance as to right or wrong in this.
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“Thou shalt not kill.” (Exod. 20:13)
“…Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder…” (Matt. 19:18)
“Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.” (Exod. 23:7)
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” (Lev. 17:11)
“…for the blood is the life…” (Deut. 12:23)
Medical science tells us that life begins at conception, and that a baby’s heart begins beating from 2 to 4 weeks after conception. A baby is complete by the 8th week, and can feel pain, and the blood that it pumps is its own. For a true life form needs only food, oxygen, water, love, care, and time to mature, and embryo, fetus, baby or child does; an egg or sperm does not.
“…The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name.” (Isa. 49:1)
“…as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:44)
“Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways. Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents…” (Jer. 2:33, 34)
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10)
Don’t you know that the cries of the blood of the unborn are heard clear to the throne of God? Those of you who profess to be Christians, and endorse abortions, woe unto you, you hypocrites! It would have been better or you had you not been born. For you had the law and the Word, and yet you walk in darkness professing the light. How think you that the love of God dwells in you.
Oh how America has fallen. Do you really think that God will withhold judgment from you? Surely, judgment will come! America, God have mercy on you!
There are many churches who have tolerated homosexuality, and some have even ordained homosexuals as ministers. To these, I tell you’ the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah will be your judgment also. For by ordaining the corrupt, you have ordained unto yourselves damnation, and judgment. All I can say is repent, and submit yourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless you repent, you will surely perish.
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To all the saints who hold the gospel true; Beware, for they shall persecute you, and you shall be afflicted for the Lord’s sake. Be not moved, but stand in the name of the Lord, and overcome, and your is the crown of life. Do not be surprised when the persecution comes from those who call themselves the church, for so it was in the days of the apostles, and in the reformation, and so shall it be with you. Again I say hold fast, and with patience deliver your souls. Rejoice, for the Lord will restore the church to it’s former glory and power. For He is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle. Lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. Peace be unto you, until we meet in the clouds of glory, ever to be with our Redeemer, and our Lord. Amen.
There are some who would desire to bring us again under bondage of the law; To which I say, it is better to be in bondage of the law, in which cannot save us, or to be in bondage to Rome which surely cannot save us? Yea neither. For what the law could not do, neither also can Rome. Be it known unto you that the Sabbath of the Lord, is not in the day, but in Christ, for the law is fulfilled in him. For He said, Come unto me ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. And again He said, Man was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man. The rest (Sabbath) whereof He spake was in himself, for in no other is there rest but in Him. Wherefore did Paul write:
“Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days; which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Col. 2:16, 17)
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GOD’S LOVE
As I walk alone, this life once more,
My heart so heavy, beaten, torn.
This rocky path, my feet doth find,
The heavy burdens, once more mine.
“Forsake me not,” my lonely cry,
But echoes back, from mountains high,
Like whispering winds thru rustling pines,
A mournful tune, this taunting cry.
A beautiful sunrise, my eyes do see,
This God’s love sent down to me.
So I take heart in a loveless land,
For there is one to take my hand.
Barbara Ellen Wilson
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