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People of The Living God |
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July 2018
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
THIS GENERATION SEEKETH A SIGN ALSO
Matt. 12:38-49
Randall Walton
A wicked and adulterous generation in this twenty-first century is little different from the one to which Jesus addressed the above message. Man, by nature, is a seeker of entertainment, whether it is religious-oriented or otherwise. As long as he finds something to occupy his senses, he is contented.
If the entertainment happens to be religious, he demands that it be spectacular – it must be comparable to that which the secular world offers or he considers it a waste of time. There must be some excitement (a most popular word in the religious entertainment field), something to thrill the psyche, to cause cold chills to run up and down the spine, or to produce rivulets of tears running down the cheeks. In fact, the ability to create this type of atmosphere is considered the mark of a bona fide “man of God” in the world of religion today.
It’s doubtful that anyone actually says, “we would see a sign from thee,” but the truth is that the sign bearers are the ones who draw the largest and most demonstrative crowds, and reap the greatest monetary rewards. And it is also true that there exists a great sense of anticipation and expectancy among the spectators as they await the performer’s entrance, for they do want to see a sign! Why?
Why is there such a supercharged air of enthrallment throughout the bleachers as the people await that magic moment when Reverend Big is to appear on the stage? Why the applause, why the hand-clapping, why the fervor and hoopla, and the reverberating crescendo of orchestrated music? Is there a parallel of this organized pandemonium found in the Holy Scriptures? Is this the kind of reception we would expect Jesus to receive if He were the announced guest speaker or evangelist at next week’s crusade?
Hardly! Paul said, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:9-11). The applause seems to be reserved for the religious celebrities who are so adept at mesmerizing the masses!
Don’t construe this to mean we reject supernatural power and miracles. Jesus’ reply to the sign seekers of His day was that the only sign they would be given would be supernatural (After lying in a tomb for three days and nights, He would rise again!), and though we did not personally witness this signal event, we fully believe it. It must be pointed out, however, that the only eyewitness to that unprecedented wonder was a lone “angel of the Lord” (Matt. 28:2), not people. No applause, no hand-clapping, feet stomping, shouting, screaming, jerking, bands playing, etc. Except for a great earthquake, there was very little heralding of this most glorious, death-defying sign – the sign of the prophet, Jonah!
We fully believe that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. We also believe that He has “all power in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18), and He has the keys of both hell and of death (Rev. 1:18), and that He has commissioned His followers to “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 16:17,18).
We also believe that many deceivers are at bay who are preying on innocent, gullible people who are sign-seekers. These counterfeiters are producing “effects” which are regarded as signs that the producer is a legitimate, genuine, God-anointed ambassador of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Jesus boldly declared that many will protest to their validity by claiming they performed numerous “wonderful works” in His name (prophecy, exorcism) (Matt. 7:22). Let it be known by one and all that works of miracles, signs and wonders are no evidence or proof that the miracle worker (or prophet, apostle, pastor, teacher or evangelist) is of God. Nearly every supernatural sign can be counterfeited by the fraudulent! There is no doubt that many will attempt to falsify a resurrection from the dead. And we should not be surprised to see some spurious movement attempting to stage the Second Coming, along with gathering people together in anticipation of ascending into the clouds with the Lord.
We are living in a day of GREAT DECEPTION: read Matthew 24 for substantiation of this statement. If you are seeking signs, that is what you will receive. If you seek God and His kingdom, that will be your reward.
A Valid Yardstick
“He that is of God heareth God’s words” (John 8:47). This yardstick can be applied to any man or woman who claims to be a representative of the Lord. Hearing God’s words is not the mere circumstance of acoustical sounds vibrating the aural organs; hearing God’s words is the positive, active response of a soul who is aware of God’s words and heeds them through obedience. He may not be swayed or moved or influenced by the electrified atmosphere of a carefully arranged and orchestrated religious extravaganza, but he loves God to the extreme and is fanatically devoted to serving Him whom his soul loves. He is not easily moved by emotions, nor persuaded by the power of psychological phenomena, but is dedicated to pleasing his Lord, both in his daily life and his devotion (worship).
Any minister who “heareth God’s words” is a bearer of those words. He is a messenger and a seeker of truth, not fables. His ministry and his personal life are measured by his fruits, not the size of the crowd nor the fervency of the energy expended at a rally. (“Ye shall know them by their fruits” [Matt. 7:16]). It should be remembered that the Holy Spirit is not only a source of power, but also the divine teacher, guide, and disciplinarian, and He will guide into the truth of God’s word. He will not teach error, He will not guide into doctrines which are contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles, and He will glorify Jesus Christ, not man.
Mankind is being brought into a valley of decision. Choices – eternal choices – are being made by all of us. We are faced with some very serious options, and each of us needs to understand and know how and where to place our allegiance in these momentous days. You will find no security in signs; you will not be upheld in the day of trouble by workers of supernatural wonders. Religious excitement will vanish in the hour of persecution, and those who have relied upon the excitement of such activity will surely perish.
“This is life eternal, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Do you know HIM today, or have you only heard about Him from others?
AVAILING PRAYER
Harry Miller
The most sacred work of the sons of God is the ministry of prayer. No higher service in earth or heaven can be rendered by God’s creatures. Even the prayer of supplication is an honor to the Creator. The man who prays may be selfish, and even have a “shady” experience, but the fact that the man recognizes the Lord as being able to help him, and also as being charitable enough to give him help, lends even such a low-grade prayer a certain value in the realm of heaven.
For men to pray is for men to show faith. And this faith in God is pleasing to Him and is “counted for righteousness” to these men. Too many folks fail to exercise this right before the throne of God, and then they wonder why their lives are so barren of spiritual blessings.
You may think that the prayer ministry is carried on in a haphazard way from heaven’s side, but nothing else in the realm of the ethereal or material worlds is so well governed as this great service. The laws of God in the realm of the Spirit are very exacting, and this priest-service of man is so governed by these exacting laws that we can actually say that prayer is an exact science.
Sometimes you have prayed and received no answer. You felt that you were ardent in your prayer, yet received no help. You were tempted to wonder if heaven had not become brass. What was wrong? You missed it somewhere. You know that the Lord did not fail you: then why did you not get an answer?
There is always a definite reason for an unanswered prayer. EVERY PRAYER accomplished something in the unseen realm (By unseen realm we mean within the individual, or in the heavenly realm).
As in the case of Proverbs 28:9, where the prayer is an abomination, such a prayer actually does harm to the man who prays. It would be far better for him if he had not uttered those words. Such a man not only dishonors his Maker, but he has “lost face” in the eyes of heavenly creatures – those holy beings who are “ministering spirits.” He also has entrenched himself in Phariseeism by trying to carry on in a holy service, while despising the law of the Lord.
Jesus told the Pharisees: “in vain ye do worship me” (Matt. 15:9). These elders of Israel were often guilty of empty service to God. Their lives were such that when they came before the Lord they had no platform of approach. Religious blindness had made their service in the spirit of none effect.
Such people pray pagan prayers. They resort to “vain repetitions” and prayers of pretence. Any prayer made in a theatrical sounding voice is artificial, and can easily be discerned as being false. Many public prayers are of this stripe. Such things are a dishonor, even to the temple of the Holy Ghost.
Now consider the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man” which “availeth much” (James 5:16). Here is a prayer to pattern after. This one definitely sets a form of approach, cause, and effect. “A righteous man.” This man’s heart did not condemn him. He had confidence toward God. This man knew that his cause was just. The need called for attention, all he must do was present it before his God.
The fact that he was “fervent” in his prayer shows the earnestness and sincerity of purpose.
The publican who prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” was earnest and sincere. His approach to the “throne of Grace” was in the spirit, and in truth. There was nothing put on or assumed. He recognized the benevolent Creator; he confessed his own shortcomings; he asked for help. Such a prayer works. It moves things. Jesus said, “This man went back to his house justified.”
If the prayer of a sinner is effectual, how much more so is the prayer of a saint.
The prayer of a righteous man becomes truly “effectual” when that man becomes “fervent.” The heart and soul must be thrown into the effort. Such prayer enlists every faculty of man.
Prayer that moves things is a work, not child’s play. It is very easy to let down and drop off to sleep even as the eleven did on the night of the betrayal.
“They that sleep, sleep in the night.” This is the drugged sleep of spiritual conscience. Many people are overcome with the “cares of this life,” and they are asleep to the things of God.
Friends, the great things of the Lord are within our reach. Prayer is a key to the kingdom. If your life is acceptable to God then you are in good standing before His throne, and there are few limitations to what any true child of God can receive by fervent prayer.
GIFTS, LOVE, AND DECEPTION
Mary Woodard
We praise God for the beautiful prophetic message of Joel 2:28,29 regarding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for its fulfillment on the day of Pentecost as recorded in the book of Acts, and for the present outpouring of which WE can be a part. How wonderful! How good God is!
Deception:
In the light of this present outpouring of the Holy Spirit, there is yet another message which runs throughout the Bible to which we need to take heed. “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived” (Deut. 11:16). “Deceive not yourselves” (Jer. 37:9). “Be not deceived” (I Cor. 6:9; 15:33). “Be not deceived” (Gal. 6:7). “To deceive” means “to mislead by falsehood, to lead into error, delude.” God has given us these many warnings because He knows that the devil would like to lead us into deception.He cannot stop this mighty move of the Holy Spirit, but he is trying to counteract it as much as possible and there are many ways he attempts to do so. He will offer counterfeits, he will attempt to lead into error, he will try to cause us to settle for something less high and holy that that which God has for us.
Gifts:
But let me get into the specific burdens that are on my heart for this particular article. There are two areas that I would like to cover which the devil is using in an attempt to deceive the people of God. The first is in the area of the supernatural. We know that something which is “supernatural” is something which occurs outside the realm of the natural, something which is miraculous, something which is caused by the exercise of divine power. I am sure that most of you reading this would acknowledge that the Gifts of the Spirit as listed in the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians are “supernatural” gifts from God which are 1) given by the Holy Spirit, 2) for the edification of the body of Christ, and 3) for the purpose of glorifying our risen Lord. We would agree that they are 1) given through a special anointing, 2) at a given time, and 3) for a given need.In view of all of these facts, we must draw the conclusion that we cannot “practice” the gifts with the intent of “learning” how to use them because we cannot PRACTICE and we cannot LEARN that which is supernatural! This “practice” with the intent of “learning” how to use the gifts is being attempted in some Christian gatherings today, and it is deception from the enemy. As a result, many are hearing and accepting that which comes forth from the natural mind rather than that which comes forth from THE MIND OF GOD. How tragic!
Any Spirit-filled Christian can be used of God to edify the body of Christ if he or she will, 1) come into an assembly or gathering of believers with a commitment to that group to be used according to the will of God, 2) will remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and 3) wait for the anointing for the moving of God’s Spirit through that individual.
“Desire spiritual gifts” according to I Cor. 14:1, but do not be satisfied with a substitute, a deception of the enemy, which allows you to “practice” them or to disregard instruction which the Bible gives us concerning the use of them. It is a high and holy calling to be used of God, and not to be taken lightly or frivolously. Beware of that which leads to spiritual pride, as a true move of the Spirit of God through these earthen vessels is truly a humbling process.
Love:
We are all aware that there are different kinds of love and that love is expressed in various ways. We also know that God’s love – which is Agape love – is the highest form of love. The Bible tells us that “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 5:5), so Spirit-filled Christians are filled with God’s love. Did you know that Satan would attempt to take this God-kind of love and cheapen it, to bring it down to the human level. This is another deception that has crept into the body.Into some of the assemblies has come “a time of loving one another.” This is being done in a physical sense of hugging each other – male and female, or members of the opposite sex hug each other through greetings or praying for one another. In many cases speakers, pastors and their wives, or others in places of authority are setting the wrong example for the flock. Allow me to borrow an expression from James: “My brethren (and sisters), these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).
We would accept the fact that these actions are generally taken in a spirit of Christian love, fellowship, and concern. We are also aware of the fact that the Bible tells us that “unto the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15). However, let us look at another side of this situation.
1) For some, it becomes a means of gratification of the old fleshly nature. A recent case of this was the married man who stood at the door of the meeting and greeted so that “he could hug all the ladies.” This type of action can, and sometimes does, lead into sin: “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15).
2) To a weaker brother or sister, it can become a stumbling block. We are aware of a Christian, young in the Lord, who is desperately seeking to receive more from God. He confesses that his stumbling block is his fleshly desire which gets in the way when the women hug him, or when this bodily contact is made. Now, common sense tells us that this temptation could easily be removed by the women abstaining from hugging him. Believe it or not, there are still groups where men pray for the men and women pray for the women. Could we not agree that this is showing discretion, or good judgment?
Satan knows the weaknesses of the flesh and is quick to take advantage of them. The Word tells us that we should not do “any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak” (Rom. 14:21).
3) Another person to consider is that unbeliever who is watching your actions – sometimes an unsaved husband or wife. Will they understand your hugging another man or woman, even in the name of Christian fellowship?
4) Are you who have taken part in this form of “love” aware of the countless men and women of God who have slipped and fallen through such a seemingly innocent “act of love”?
The love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost will have an outward manifestation, but it will be a manifestation that will be high and holy. It will be a form that will glorify God and leave no question of motivation, nor will it bring reproach to our Lord. “Neither give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” (I John 2:6).
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth…inordinate affection” (Col. 3:5). This warning is to those who have been “risen with Christ!” (Col. 3:1) in a world which has been made aware of the rise of lesbianism and homosexuality, perhaps we should be aware of our conduct before others in the area of our relationships with others of the same sex as well as of the opposite sex.
Is it not possible that we can show Christian love while at the same time being able to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (I Thess. 5:22), “give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (I Tim. 5:14), or to avoid putting a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall” (Rom. 14:13) in our brother’s or sister’s way.
I am afraid that many in this present move of the Holy Spirit have cast aside standards of conduct for fear of becoming “legalistic.” We do not have to be ignorant of Satan’s devices. With the Word and the Holy Spirit, we can know how we ought to walk and to please God (I Thess. 4:1), and how we can walk worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10).
May God use this message for your edification and for His glory. Amen.
“LET EVERY THING THAT HATH BREATH PRAISE THE LORD”
Psalm 150:6
Maxine Coleman
The name of the Lord is to be praised “from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same;” but who among us does this? (Psalm 113:3)
In Psalms 34:1, King David declares: “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth;” yet we see that even he, “a man after God’s own heart,” found time to sin against Him. If he had praised God at all times, he would have been continually in His presence, and there would have been no “room” for the carnal mind to work.
This has been the history of man down through the ages; and we, today, are no exception. The children of Israel failed God because they did not serve Him with gladness. “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2).
There are countless reasons why we should praise the Lord: to begin with, He is worthy of praise. “Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power” (Rev. 4:11). The next line of this same verse tells us why He is worthy: “For thou hast created all things.” He is our Creator! Is there a better reason for praising Him than this? This brings us to His reason for Creation. In the last line we read: “and for thy pleasure, they are and were created.” We were created for His pleasure, not ours! We please Him when we praise Him.
God is our Creator, and we were created to glorify Him. We glorify Him when we praise Him. “Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me” (Psalm 50:23). Even the little cricket chirps to the glory of God!
The Psalms are full of the admonition to “praise the Lord.” “Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men” (Psalm 107:8). His goodness is all around us. We see it in the sunshine, the rain, the “harvests’ golden grain,” just to mention a few of His benefits. His wonderful works are also all around us. We see them in the mountains, the streams, the valleys, the trees; we see them in every part of nature. His infinite love, His manifold wisdom, His eternal greatness, all speak to us through His creation! Let us, here, proclaim: “My God, how great thou art.”
God inhabits the praises of His people! “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). In II Chronicles 20, we read a miraculous account of how God intervened for Judah against the enemy because they obeyed the commandment to “praise Him.” “And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (II Chron. 20:22). Notice that God set the ambushments against them! Praise His Holy Name!
So, we see there is power in praise! Another good illustration of the power of God exhibited through praise is the account of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25); and as a result of their praying and singing praises to God: “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:26). Praise His Holy Name!
There is also victory and deliverance for us through praise today! Why? “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds” (II Cor. 10:4). Praise is a weapon! All of us have strongholds in our natures; all of us have high things to subdue. “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (II Cor. 10:5). We have victory through the weapons that God has given us in His Word! The word of God is a sword and a weapon in the hands of them who know Him. Let us use the sword and walk victoriously! Let us praise Him!
Since it is a commandment to praise Him, shouldn’t all of us who know Him obey this commandment? He is our Creator! “Know ye that the Lord, He is God; it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves” (Psalm 100:3). Give glory to His Name! Praise Him! Praise Him!
“By Him therefore (Jesus), let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name” (Heb. 13:15).
A BETTER RESURRECTION
Dennis Davis
All Christians believe in the resurrection from the dead. However, the question is: “Are there varying degrees of status once that happens?” The New Testament preaching and teaching of Jesus and the Apostles is primarily concerned with the “Gospel of the Kingdom” a kingdom which is present and future. Today, the highly popular concept of the “Gospel of Salvation” is stressed more than the kingdom and yet is not found as a title in the entire Bible and the teaching of the kingdom of God is taught that it is for the future only.
What happens in us on earth determines what will happen to us for eternity. Are there two Gospels?
Let’s first examine the commonly taught “Gospel of salvation.” Supposedly, by repeating a script someone tells you or by coming forward in a meeting and saying you believe in Jesus, you are saved, born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, chosen to be God’s very special possession, assured to be a part of the future Kingdom of God.
Nothing else is required because you are told that grace covers everything, and you need to avoid anything that sounds like a behavior changing law – things like the Commandments of Jesus or the Ten Commandments.
Next, let’s examine the requirements for “the Gospel of the Kingdom” – a title that is found in the Word of God.
The first and foremost requirement is to be born again of the Spirit. This exciting experience will be similar to that had by apostle Peter when the Father revealed to him that Jesus was the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). A person having this born again joy will be very excited about their wonderful new knowledge and will remember fondly the time and place that it occurred. Afterward, baptism in water as a public confession is then in order.
Next, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which could happen simultaneously with the born again experience, although that’s not the usual case. In Ephesians (Eph. 1:13), the correct meaning is explained that “after” you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. “After” varies as the individual may or may not be qualified for this sought out step. See I Cor. 6:9,10 for a partial list of problems or sins that people need repentance of and forgiveness for before the Holy Spirit will take residence in them.
In complete contrast to the complacent “Antinomian” Christian stance, the list of requirements for entrance into the Kingdom is replete with action verbs and statements.
Some of these are: make your calling and election sure, give diligence, watch, be led, observe, study, live by word of God, do the Commandments of Jesus, ask, seek, press, run, strive, contend, have works, love God and neighbor, forgive, work out your own salvation (soul placement) in fear and trembling, etc.– all are wonderful to do if one is truly saved and filled with the Holy Spirit!
The Testimony of Truth has, over the years, published many proofs that the Kingdom of God is in you, and that there will not be some secret rapture or an earthly Kingdom.
The Kingdom began with Jesus, it is not observable with the physical eye, for Jesus said that it does not come with observation (Luke 17:20). Another additional proof of this truth is that Jesus told the disciples He would not drink new wine with them until He did so in the Kingdom (Matt. 26:29). At some time during the forty days after His resurrection, it appears He did that very thing (Acts 10:41)!*
If a person is accepted into the Kingdom by the criteria of the Father, he or she is vaulted to an unimaginably high position. That position (Matt. 11:11) is greater than that of John the Baptist and all the Old Testament heroes (except Melchisedec). Maybe this is what is meant by the last shall be first and the first shall be last (Matt. 20:16).
We know positions will be in place because of the Words of God about reward, crowns, jewels, etc. Doing the will of God – the Lord’s Commandments and having works are important.
The key to entering the Kingdom now and forever is being filled with the Person of the Holy Spirit – not smeared or anointed with. No one knows if they have reached the high calling in Christ as the Father in His wisdom keeps us striving for this success. Paul said, “not that I have yet attained” (Phil. 3:12).
The great promise will be known at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and when He delivers up the Kingdom to the Father (I Cor. 15:24; Luke 19:12).
God’s purpose has always been to have a special people for himself – few chosen from many or one grape of the cluster (1611 KJV Apocrypha).
Please continue to strive to be one of the big winners – remember, this is for eternity!
*Comment from the Editor:
There are several differing opinions on the time in which Jesus did, or will in the future, drink again of the fruit of the vine with His disciples. People of the Living God lean toward the idea that Jesus was speaking more of a spiritual partaking of the vine, although we don’t rule out the physical aspect of it either. However, we feel that when the day of Pentecost fully came, along with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that this is more likely what Jesus had in mind. It was a fellowship with Jesus which was a drinking of the vine or the infilling of the Holy Spirit, all of which issued in the Kingdom of God in power and glory. This is what the kingdom of God is all about, not merely attending church two or three times a week and labeling oneself a Christian. Unfortunately, the true power and glory of the Kingdom has been lost over the centuries, and there are very few, and they limited, expressions and manifestations of the Kingdom which Jesus set up, seen today. Because of this lack, dispensationalists have taught that the kingdom of God has been postponed to another time. This is completely unscriptural. It seems that men have a serious lack of faith and push the kingdom into the future so they can control people and keep things as they are. Like the Pharisees and religious leaders of Christ’s day, they don’t want to change for they are contented with their carnal, semi-Christian religion, which gives them peace of mind and conscience while they postpone any serious walk with God.
LETTER FROM A READER IN NIGERIA
I have been studying the Bible, especially the New Testament. I discovered that Jesus Christ based most of his teachings on what the prophets before said. In Matthew 4:4, Christ said that man can only live (and survive) by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In Matthew 5:17-19, Jesus Christ taught that those who break any of the least of the commandments and also teach men to break them shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. I have discovered that different Christian denominations do choose what commandments to obey and what commandments not to obey. In my country, Nigeria, some Christians keep the feast of tabernacles and disregard the feasts of Passover and Pentecost. Many others keep the feasts of Passover and disregard the others. Some also keep the feast of Passover only, while a few keep all the three feasts. So, my question is this; Can a man or a church select what suits it to keep or can a man be saved by choosing what part of the Bible or commandment to obey? I ask this questions in reference to Matthew 4:4 and Matthew 5:19.
I trust that God will use you, as always, to give sound answers and clarity.
I want you to know that your booklet has been a blessing to me and the entire great congregation of United Believers Mission all over Nigeria. God bless you.
Pastor A.H O.
Dear Pastor A.H.O.
It’s good to hear from you again, and I am very happy that you are studying the scriptures in order to come to a knowledge of the truth. Having questions is good because it causes us to study more in search for answers. The issue of whether we are to observe the commands of scripture is one that has been around for centuries and debated by many learned men. To put it as briefly as possible; Obedience to the law of God cannot, in itself, save us. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and that salvation comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. If obedience could save mankind, then Jesus would not have needed to come and pay the price for man’s transgressions through His death. However, once a person is saved, he is obligated to obey God’s commands. The next question then becomes: Which commands are to be observed and which are done away and no longer required?
To begin with, let me give you a list of scriptures to consider and compare.
Law is of no value Law good and necessary
1. Heb. 7:16-19, 9:10 Law is carnal. Rom. 7:14 Law is spiritual
2. Gal. 5:1-5 Law is yoke of bondage James 2:12 It’s a law of liberty
3. Heb. 7:18 Law is weak & unprofitable Rom. 7:12 Law is holy, just and good
4. Col. 2:14 Law nailed to the cross James 1:23,25 Law blessed doer
5. Gal. 3:12,23 Law is not of faith Rom. 3:31 We establish law through faith
6. Heb. 7:19 Law made nothing perfect Matt. 19:16-26 Keep the law
7. Gal. 2:26, 5:4 Yoke unable to bear Rom. 7:22 Delight in the law
8. Gal. 3:19 Added because of transgression I John 3:4 Sin is transgression of law
9. Rom. 3:21 Righteousness w/o law Rom. 8:4 Righteousness of the law
10. Heb. 8:7-8 Faulty & done away Jam. 1:25, 2:12 Perfect law of liberty
11. Rom. 6:14 Not under the law I Cor. 9:21 Under the law to Christ
12. II Cor. 3:7 Ten Com. done away II Cor. 2:16 Ministration of life
From the scriptures listed above, we are forced to come to one of two conclusions. 1) We can conclude scripture contradicts itself (That’s not an option). 2) We can conclude that scripture is referring to two sets of commandments or two sets of laws. It seems very clear to me that two sets of commandments are being considered, and we must determine which set we are to observe and which are done away, are weak, of no value. The law of Moses has been done away. To offer animal sacrifice is to discredit the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. Jesus is our atoning sacrifice. All the other laws relative to the tabernacle, temple, priesthood, etc. are no longer required. We are under a New Covenant.
The laws which Christians are required to observe are those given by God directly to men and not through a mediator. The Ten Commandments were given by God on Mt. Sinai. All Israel stood around the mount and God spoke His Ten Commands and the people heard His voice (This includes the seventh day Sabbath.). He also wrote them with His own finger on tables of stone. All the other commandments given under the Old Covenant are done away, for they were given through a mediator. All other commands given to man by God are those given by Jesus Christ. In the great commission, Jesus said to His disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,…Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Jesus is God and His commands are to be observed under the New Covenant. This is straight from God’s mouth.
While observance to the law cannot save us, for salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, we will not be saved in the end if we don’t obey God’s word. True faith is not some sentimental feeling or a positive mindset, for genuine faith produces good deeds and obedience to God’s commands. Christians are to strive to enter in at the strait gate. They are to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. They are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. They are to strive to be like Jesus. Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). He also said that we would know those that are His by their fruits, or by their deeds. One’s good deeds are obedience to God’s law.
Questions concerning the feasts need to be asked and answers sought: Are the feasts required for New Covenant believers? Are they a part of the New Covenant or the Old, (or are they of both)? Were they given directly to man by God or by a mediator (Moses)? What do the feasts signify? Are they a shadow of something that was or is to come? The feast of Passover signified what? It was to remind Israel of their deliverance from Egypt. What did Pentecost foreshadow? It was a first-fruits offering and that was very obviously fulfilled on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2. What did the Feast of Tabernacles portray? They were to remember their travel through the wilderness, living in tents for 40 years before they entered the promised land. All these feasts are a part of the Old Covenant. So, why would Christians observe them while they are under the New Covenant?
I personally do not believe we are obligated to observe these feasts, for I believe they were for those under the Old Covenant. However, People of the Living God does observe the Passover. You probably wonder why. Because years ago, when People of the Living God church began, the ministers at that time felt the Lord wanted them to observe the Passover, although they also said that they could not find it required by scripture. It became a tradition that our church observed. However, we do not believe it is a salvation issue. Personally, I enjoy the time to give special praise and thanks to God for my salvation, which is what the Passover is to me. It points back to the time when Jesus saved my poor soul from the slavery of sin and the eternal hell that awaited me. Death passed from me when Jesus came into my life and He gave me eternal life with Him after I pass from this life. So, I observe it from that perspective.
The real question and concern in observance of any of the feasts is: Are we in any way discrediting the work of Jesus Christ by observance of the Feasts? The blood of the lamb, which was put on the two door posts and the lintel of the Israelites’ houses in Egypt, caused the death angel to pass over their houses. Today, the blood of Jesus Christ has been put on the door of our hearts and that blood saves us and death is passed from us. We experience our Passover when we are cleansed and delivered through the blood of Christ. Obedience, then, keeps us under that saving, cleansing blood, for if we cease to strive to obey every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, the blood of Christ will cease to cleanse us. I John 1:7: “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” As we strive to be obedient, we are daily cleansed, but if we begin to disregard His laws, we fall away and we can, in time, lose our salvation.
I’m sorry that I can’t explain this better, but it is a very deep subject and one that takes time to explain in a way that it is fully understood. For while we are not saved by our good works, we are not saved without them either. A good rule of thumb to me is that if we love God, we will want to please Him, just as a good child desires to please his father that he loves.
Please, if this is confusing, write again and ask more questions. I don’t feel this short letter can fully explain everything but, if you are familiar with scripture and the verses I have referred to in this letter, then you will at least understand somewhat. I pray God will bless you and lead you into His wonderful truths.
Your brother in Christ Jesus,
The Editor
ARMINIANISM OR CALVINISM
Part 5
Warren Berry
We have now arrived at the fourth point of Calvinism and following our acronym T.U.L.I.P. “Irresistible Grace” is up for discussion. Irresistible Grace is the teaching that “in addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected, it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man's will, nor is He dependent upon man's cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God's grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.”
The previous two points of Calvinism brings one to the automatic conclusion that God’s Unconditional Election and His Limited Atonement requires Irresistible Grace. Nothing a person can do can cause God’s free grace to be given him, for God has already chosen whom He will save and nothing can change that. God’s Limited Atonement has restricted the number of those who will be saved through His divine sovereignty and the rest will be lost. Therefore, it is of necessity that Irresistible Grace be incorporated into this line of thought.
The Arminian opposing view is that the Holy Spirit Can be Effectually Resisted. “The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation; He does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation. But inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit's call. The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man's contribution) precedes and makes possible the new birth. Thus, man's free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christ's saving work. The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God's grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man.”
What we see in the definition of Irresistible Grace is merely hearing the Gospel preached or hearing about Christ’s atoning sacrifice cannot save one, it must be accompanied by a work of the Holy Spirit drawing the sinner to the cross. Man being “totally depraved” cannot, of himself, come to the saving faith of Jesus Christ, so he must have an intervention of grace, that power given freely that enables the sinner to believe and be saved. An example of this is found in Acts 16:13-14: “And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” It is obvious from this scripture that God’s grace manifested itself in Lydia’s heart. The question is: why did the others there not respond as Lydia did? Was it because God’s grace was not available to them and they were unable to respond, or was it because they rejected the words spoken? (There is a third option: Maybe the word was like a seed sown and later brought forth fruit unto salvation.) According to Reformed Theology, they could not respond, for they were not God’s elect. They heard with the outward ear, but they did not hear what the Spirit was saying to the heart.
To use the account of Lydia to support the doctrine of Irresistible Grace is very weak to say the least. It is certainly clear from scripture that no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him. This must be believed by all those who preach the Gospel of Salvation. Just because a great orator can preach very convincingly the Gospel and though he be a true man of God, unless the Holy Spirit touches the heart of the hearers, there will be no salvation. Many may go forward, kneel at an altar, have a councelor speak to him and he may repeat the sinner’s prayer (whatever that is), yet he will not be saved unless the Holy Spirit supernaturally works in his heart. It is in this way that the Father draws sinners to Himself. The modern evangelistic revivals where thousands are supposedly saved because they repeated a superficial prayer (even in sincerity) does not save them unless the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. This point I definitely concur with in Calvinist teaching. However, to say God’s grace is irresistible is another matter altogether. It seems too obvious to me that some have rejected the Spirit’s moving in their hearts.
Consider Acts 7:51 where Stephen is brought before the council for preaching Christ. After his lengthy sermon he says to them, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” They resisted the Holy Spirit. Was it only outwardly that they resisted? No, it was inwardly in their hearts. Was the Gospel being preached to them? Yes. Was it anointed by the Holy Spirit? Yes, for in chapter six and verse 10, it reads, “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.” The anointing and power of the Holy Spirit were upon Stephen but the hearers didn’t like what was being preached, consequently they resisted that Spirit which was speaking and which could have brought them salvation. They resisted the Gospel although anointed by the Holy Spirit. It was not God who made them unable to respond, for God was drawing them through this anointed message. They had opportunity to be saved but they rejected it.
When the Holy Spirit draws a person, He may use various means or a series of events to bring the person to God’s saving grace. God brings about events in one’s life that causes him to sense his need of a Savior, his own insufficiencies and his sinful condition. These things cause him to reflect upon God and he has choice. He can respond to the Holy Spirit’s drawing or he can reject it, forget it and go his own way searching for peace in worldly activities. Many times those who come to this place where God is drawing them, they reject it because they begin to look at the cost. Even we who are saved have times when the Holy Spirit is calling us to draw closer to Him, to come up to a higher and more lofty plane but we draw back because of the cost involved. It may require that I give up some of my personal hobbies or entertainments that I relish. It may be that I will have to give up football or some other sports that I enjoy and I must spend that time in drawing closer to God. Who makes the choice when we are called to spend more time with God and less time in worldly activities? Does God sovereignly control our desires and we find no serious difficulty in giving up those things we enjoy? No, God leaves that to each individual. God calls us to take up our cross and follow Him. He tells us that we must deny ourselves, crucify the affections and lusts, and we decide whether we will obey these instructions or whether we will reject them.
Scripture declares that the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament reveals His handiwork. In Romans one and verses 20 and 21, Paul wrote, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” There are several questions these verses present. Why do these verses even need to be written if they, to whom they were written, were not sovereignly elected? The fact that the universe declares God’s existence, power and glory does not have any saving or condemning affect upon the sinner. He is not chosen. What advantage or disadvantage then do these verses offer him? He is not chosen and nothing he can do can change that. He is not offered “free grace” because of “God’s limited atonement.”
Consider the great Apostle to the Gentiles, the one who preached most fervently on the grace of God. In I Tim. 1:12-16, Paul speaks of why God saved him and, notice, he never mentions anything about God’s sovereignty or God’s irresistible grace or unconditional election, nor that Paul was included in God’s limited atonement. Read carefully what Paul says, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
What was it that God saw in Paul? It was Paul’s fervor in serving the Jewish religion, which he ignorantly thought was God’s will. God saw Paul’s heart and, tucked away in there, was an honest heart seeking for truth. Paul was involved in religion, not because it was something to ease his conscience, but because he desired to please the God Whom his ancestors served. He was following the law as he was taught and understood it. The second reason Paul gives for his salvation was that God would use this fervent and determined spirit to show how great things men of God can suffer for the kingdom of God and that he would be an example to those who follow after. God had to knock Paul down and lay him helplessly blind to shake him from the traditions of his fathers. But after three days of fasting and reflection of those Old Testament scriptures that foretold of this wonderful Messiah Who would come, He was finally awakened to the fact that this promised One was truly Jesus Christ Whom he was persecuting. Scripture records that the scales that blinded Paul fell from his eyes and, while this was physical, there also fell from his spiritual eyes scales that had blinded him to spiritual truths. This great Apostle suffered many things for the cause of the Gospel and he is a tremendous example to those of us who follow after him.
Also, consider Cornelius in Acts 10. The angel appeared to this Gentile, Roman soldier and spoke to him saying, “Cornelius…Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” From this account, it appears that Cornelius was a man who desired to please God. This desire came, of course, through God’s grace, but take special note that his prayers and alms affected God. It seems from this text that it moved God’s hand to send an angel to speak to him and directed him to send for Peter. Peter preached the Gospel and Cornelius and his whole family believed and were filled with the Holy Spirit. God’s grace reaches out to all men and, when it does, that grace gives man the ability to respond to the Gospel. Man can respond positively or negatively but the ability is there to make the proper response. However, don’t forget that the carnal nature is there also to reject God’s salvation. There is no difference in the way Calvinists teach it except in teaching that it cannot be rejected. It can be rejected as is shown in the next account, that of King Agrippa.
In Acts 26, we read the account of Paul before King Agrippa. After Paul spoke to the king about Christ’s sufferings and saving grace, King Agrippa replies, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Paul recognized the choice the king had made. Agrippa knew what Paul said was true, but he chose to wait till another more convenient time. The Holy Spirit obviously was working in this man’s heart, but he rejected that opportunity. Was it God’s fault that King Agrippa rejected this invitation or was it King Agrippa’s?
The Necessity of Free Will
The doctrine of Free Will is so little understood, even by those who defend free will, and those who promote the idea that man does not possess the ability to choose God’s grace or reject it have even less understanding of its importance and necessity. Free will is understood better if we take into account sin’s origin. Some tend to think that sin began in the Garden of Eden when Adam partook of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but this is not the case. Sin’s origin began in heaven. You can read about it in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Lucifer was created by God as a wonderful being. He was created with great beauty, wisdom, and light. Lucifer means “Morning Star.” It appears from Ezekiel’s account that Lucifer had pipes created within, which gives the idea that he may have been involved in music in heaven. Job refers to the time, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Truthfully, though, we know very little of this being, but from what we find in scripture, Lucifer decided (free will) to lift himself above God and to set his throne above God’s. Lucifer was so beautiful and had such a high place in God’s heaven that he was successful in deceiving one third of the angels and, together, they attempted to set Lucifer above God. Lucifer had free will, for God did not make him sin, although God knew he would. God’s knowledge does not force anyone, it only makes God omniscient. God knows what you and I will do in life, but He does not force us or predetermine our ways. In the case of Pharaoh, God used Pharaoh because God knew what choices he would make.
What we see in this is that Lucifer was he who, by his own free will, brought sin into existence. God cast Lucifer out of heaven and he is better known today as Satan or the devil. He is a deceiver, a liar, a hater of God and God’s people. Satan tempted Adam in the garden and he still tempts men today. Because of Lucifer’s expulsion from heaven, God determined to bring forth a people who have never seen God but choose, through their own free wills, to serve Him. They come to the knowledge of God through various means. Through His creation, through their sense of need, realizing that man has not the ability to order his own life, he needs help. This is especially true when crisis comes into his life and he has nowhere to turn. He comes face to face with impossibilities and then he calls out to God. It is true that most men who come to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus come through hearing the Gospel. But no matter what brings them to the cross, they make the choice to accept or to reject that good news. While God does know what their decision will be, He does not predetermine or force their decision. It is the free will of a man who chooses to respond positively to the grace of God which God offers freely. The Holy Spirit draws the sinner to Christ and he chooses to accept of God’s saving grace. It is true that, at that moment, God’s grace provides the necessary faith to believe and receive. It is not in man’s power apart from that God-given faith and grace, yet man does have the power to accept or reject God’s gift. It is the proper choice of man that brings glory and honor to God, not because God has forced or predestined him. Predestination cannot bring honor or glory to God but free will does.
What is extremely important here is that Lucifer, who dwelt in the very presence of God, chose to lift himself up in pride and attempt to overthrow God. God will have a people who will become like God’s Son, Jesus Christ and, although they will never be greater than God, they will be greater than Lucifer was. For this reason, Lucifer (Satan) resists this divine purpose. God will have a people who are conformed to the likeness of His dear Son. Satan possesses all the attributes and characteristics of evil, pride, hatred, jealousy, envy, strife, resentment, etc., all of which were created in his rebellion against God, and those passions motivate him to hate God’s people, for they (God’s redeemed) will become greater than he was and they will attain that position through the very freedom which he abused, free will. These will freely, by their own decisions and choices, obtain a glorious state which cannot begin to be comprehended in this life, for it is far too glorious for words to tell.
Who can describe the wonderful, matchless, and merciful grace of God? No tongue can tell nor pen describe its wonder, its beauty, its effectiveness, its power, its loveliness, its exceeding greatness, for it is indescribable and undefinable. A pastor once asked the question, “Who can describe the fragrance of a rose?” You may say it’s sweet, or like perfume, or pleasant but to describe it so one understands what the fragrance is, is not possible. The fragrance of a rose can only be understood when you smell the rose. Likewise, grace must be experienced, otherwise you have a very, very limited understanding, and the reality of grace is completely missed. So in our discussion of grace, whether it be in considering grace as “limited” or “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men” (Titus 2:11), let us not in any way diminish, detract or minimize it, for it is only through God’s marvelous grace that any man can come to God and find eternal life. Rather, let its beauty and power forever lie before us as we, by that very grace, “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
(to be continued)
COMMON SENSE ON EQUALITY
Alfred King
A statement from gaymarriage.procon.org: “Gay marriage is protected by the U.S. Constitution’s commitment to liberty and equality”. Christians have found that the greatest liberty a man or woman can know is the freedom a sinner finds when he is born again. He then realizes how greatly enslaved he was. But to maintain that liberty, he must walk in obedience to God’s law. Freedom is found in obedience to God’s law and likewise freedom in America is by obeying the laws of the land. A man has the freedom to drive anywhere in this country as long as he obtains a driver’s license, obeys all traffic laws, doesn’t steal gasoline for trip, etc. His obedience gives him great freedom. If he begins to break our traffic laws, he can easily lose his liberty and find himself unable to legally drive.
If equality is a right without responsibility or obligation upon the individual, all laws then can be obliterated and abolished for equality then means I should have the same wealth as others, the same income, the same size home, a new car every year, whether I work for it or not.
If this is what equality means, then men should have the freedom to steal if they need to in order to be “equal” to the more prosperous. The poor should have the liberty to burn down a wealthy man’s business so they will equally poor. Equality in America’s constitution means that every citizen has the same opportunities to pursue whatever they desire in life.
Equality carries the connotation that everything should be fair. That might be in a perfect world but we don’t live in a perfect world, rather we live in a very imperfect one. Life is not fair. Some people are born in a prosperous nation while others are destined to live in tremendous poverty. Some are born with an extremely high IQ while others have mental disabilities. Some are athletic while other struggle to walk a straight line. Some are born in free countries and others face a life of tyranny from ruling tyrants. Life is not intended to be fair, rather life is intended to give every man an opportunity to find salvation in Jesus Christ and to find peace in his heart by the Holy Spirit. God will have souls from every nation, tribe and race who will find that it was not fair that Jesus should bear their sins, but they will be grateful that He did. God will have a people who have not followed the evil mindset of the world but will have heard God’s divine command to “come out of her” (the worldly systems built by men of corrupt minds) “my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues”. These will truly have found liberty and equality for all for it is found in Jesus Christ.