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• WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
• A SPIRITUAL HOUSE
• MORE ABOUT WATER BAPTISM
• CHRISTIAN RIP-OFF
• “GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION”
• PREPARATION
• LETTER TO THE EDITOR
• THANKSGIVING: A SPECIAL TIME OF THANKS!

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November 2018

 

 

 

 

 

WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS

AS SOLDIERS, WE ARE EXPECTED TO FIGHT

Wesley Owen

        “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12).

        This verse should be clear to all of us that we are not fighting against man, but we are fighting against beings without physical bodies, the evil rulers of the unseen world, mighty satanic beings and great princes of darkness who rule the darkness of this world.  This fight includes huge numbers of wicked spirits from the spirit world.  “For a spirit hath not flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39).

        If we wish to survive, we have no other choice except to fight.  If you choose not to fight you will be defeated.  In this situation you have only two choices: to fight or not to fight.  It is clear that our opposition is Satan and his forces.  They are out to destroy our souls from the time of our conception.

        This fight is intensified even more at the time of our salvation, and even though we are involved in a fight, it does not lessen the glorious state of our “rebirth.”  At this time, we are totally cleansed of all sins.  It is as if a “stamp of perfection” is placed on our hearts.  We become the temple of the Holy Ghost (I John 1:7 and Eph. 5:26).  Dr Richard Eby, author of the book “Caught Up Into Paradise”, was told in one of his experiences that one thousand demons were assigned to each of our souls at conception.  Their mission is to destroy that soul.

        To what extent, if any, you wish to accept this really doesn’t matter.  It will not add or take away from the fact that vast numbers of wicked spirits are fighting us, that we are involved in a battle.  Either we take our stand and fight, or we succumb to the evil forces about us.  You are obliged to make a choice.  Refusing to think about it or thinking you will wait to take your stand does not stop this fight.  It still comes down to the fact that either you fight or you submit.

        We can look all about us and see the forces of evil at work.  One can see Satan’s activity increasing.  An honest but short review of the past few years will reveal this.  It is easy to see the spirits at work among the children of disobedience, but a cautious look among God’s children will find these spirits tirelessly at work, also.  Descriptions of these spirits are found throughout the Bible.  Let’s review a few: “And unclean spirits, when they saw him (Christ); fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God” (Mark 3:11).  The “unclean spirits” are demons and/or bad angels.  In fact, the Greek word for these beings is found in twenty-three passages of the Gospels, Acts and Revelation (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).  These spirits are dirty, immoral, perverted beings that speak to our minds.  As always, we have a choice to listen and entertain them, or rebuke and compel them to leave us in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

        Christ was accused of having an unclean spirit, which is translated as an “evil spirit,” but this accusation certainly did not make it true (Mark 3:30).

        “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities” (Luke 8:2).  Here we have examples of still another spirit.  What is meant by “evil spirits”?  Dr. Strong defined evil as: “evil in effect or influence.”  He gives this list of synonyms: “culpable (responsible for wrong or error), derelict, facinorous, mischief, malice, guilt, etc.”  It is clear that evil spirits are involved with acts that are morally bad or wrong which cause misfortunes and sufferings.  These spirits, too, will succumb to the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

        Then there is the “spirit of infirmity” (Luke 13:11,12; John 5:5 and 11:4).  These spirits attack our bodies causing poor health.  These, too, can be overcome through our Lord.  We are told if we only had “faith the size of a mustard seed” we could move mountains.  Surely with the Blood of Christ and faith these spirits can be overcome.  But too many of us fail to exercise our faith and the power that Christ has given us.  We still hang on to our infirmities believing God has brought these upon us for some mysterious reason.  God does not dispense infirmities.  They are from the “spirit of infirmity.”  We must strive to learn how to take hold of God’s Truths so we can overcome these gifts from Satan.

        Still another spirit is the “spirit of bondage.”  This spirit has its victims in a condition of slavery.  So very often its victims seem to lack the ability to recover from setbacks.  They also lack trusting in God (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 5:1).  There are certain habits that absolutely control people, and which are inspired by a spirit of bondage.  This spirit so often works in conjunction with other spirits, such as fear.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear” (II Tim. 1:7).  Berry’s interlinear Greek-English New Testament translates this portion of the verse as “a spirit of cowardice.”  A coward lacks the courage to face matters that he might perceive as dangerous.  The unknown becomes a terrible enemy for those poor souls who suffer with the spirit of fear.  So very often the spirit of fear works in conjunction with the spirit of bondage.  Those who are in bondage to the spirit of fear are having a terrifying experience.  The spirit of fear works to destroy their faith and confidence in our God.  Our Lord gives us a spirit of calmness, power through the Name of Jesus, love and a sound mind.  Any other is contrary to what God has given.  Unfortunately, the spirit of fear has been a successful tool used by the enemy against God’s people.  It has been used to keep Christians from doing what God is trying to lead them to do.  It has been used very successfully in keeping God’s people from fellowshipping together.  Yes, we often will not attempt to fellowship with a brother because we are afraid he believes differently from us.  This fear has kept God’s people from binding together in unity and claiming what is rightfully ours.  It has kept the church from functioning the way God has intended.  It certainly has kept most of us from keeping Christ’s great commandment, that of loving one another.  We claim to be willing to do anything – except fellowship with those brethren who believe differently.  Why?  Could it be due to fear?

        The “spirit of whoredoms” (Hosea 4:12) has our society in a complete turmoil.  We see sexual immorality at work today in every area of man’s life.  You cannot pick up a newspaper or turn on T.V. without being bombarded with it.  This sexual involvement is contrary to God.  Those who give over to certain fleshly appetites are indeed in trouble.  “Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body” (I Cor. 6:13).  Paul is telling us that the body is an instrument of righteousness; therefore, it is never to be an instrument of sin.  The Lord wants to fill our bodies with Himself, and because of this, Satan uses the spirit of whoredoms in an effort to defile the body.

        Now, let’s look at still another spirit, the “spirit of the world.”  As I quote two different scriptures, I will give Thayer’s translation of the Greek word for world.  “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world” (the ungodly multitude: the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ.  He that is operative in the world is also of the devil), “ but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (I Cor. 2:12).  “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world” (world affairs: the aggregate, which is the sum or total of things earthly; the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures…are obstacles to the cause of Christ.) “is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

        These verses, as well as others, should make it clear to us the dangers involved with the things of the world, remembering Satan’s sole purpose is to separate us from God and totally destroy us.  That is why the spirit of the world continues to entice us to be involved in the things of the world.  It is so easy to be convinced that we must have certain goods.  We are not “living” until we have them, and then the drive is for more and more until we find ourselves completely involved in things to the point they become our gods.  We can’t live without them; we are in bondage to them.  “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (I Tim. 4:1).

        “Seducing spirits” are spirits that are impostors or misleaders.  They are out to deceive or seduce the child of God.  They, in conjunction with other spirits, attempt to give God’s children instructions or teachings that are full of lies that will lead us away from God.  “Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error” (I John 4:6).

        Plainly, we are told to recognize the spirit of truth from the spirit of fraudulence.  This spirit of error’s mission is to deceive or delude.  This spirit strives to lead us into wrong opinions relative to morals and/or religious beliefs (a great tool in keeping God’s people separated).  These spirits will use a sprinkling of truths to disguise the lies of Satan, or any other techniques that can cause man to stray from God’s truths.

        All these spirits are at work throughout this world.  They work especially hard against Christians.  They cause a great deal of suffering to those that listen.  We must be well trained soldiers ready to fight the enemy any second he makes himself known, not allowing him one particle of freedom in our lives.

        “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

 

 

 

 

A SPIRITUAL HOUSE

Armando Montes

 

        Before the foundation of the world the Almighty God gave a holy call in heaven (II Tim. 1:9; Heb. 3:1).  Our Heavenly Father, desiring to share the characteristics of His Mighty Being, invited mankind to be partakers of His divine nature.  God has called man to a glorious position in the kingdom of heaven.  He desires that each one of His children will be filled with His fulness (Eph. 3:19).  God wants man to be like Him, the Great Creator (I John 3:21).  A plan was laid out and provision was made to answer and enter into the fulness of “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).

        Since the beginning of creation, the Lord has been working with man to build a spiritual house.  The ecclesiastical institutions have missed the call of God.  The world is filled with religion, but there is little spirituality in the land today.  People are religious by nature, but that doesn't mean that they are spiritual.  The Christian world has become satisfied and has accepted a form of religion void of true spirituality.

        The foundation for the Christian religion should be the solid rock of Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  The Early Church was a spiritual assembly as long as they walked in obedience to the Word of the Living God.  They were filled with the Spirit and a change took place in the life of every believer.  The change was so great that it revolutionized their way of life.  They were filled with the love of God in such a way that “the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul” (Acts 4:32).

        There is a tremendous need among God's people to AWAKEN and realize the terrible times in which we are living.  “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Eph. 5:14).  As a general rule, the people of God are unconcerned about the great things of the Lord.  Apathy has taken over, apathy, lethargy and spiritual sleepiness have prevented man from answering the divine invitation.  The day of the awakening is at hand.  There is going to be a great taking hold of the things of the Lord.  His call will rest upon His people and the zeal of the Lord will finish the building of God's spiritual house.

        “The household of God” has not met all the requirements to become a spiritual house.  There are conditions that show that God's family on earth has not reached this state.  Spiritual people are completely consecrated to the Lord and His work in body, soul and spirit.  Spiritual people walk in the Spirit.  They are filled with the Spirit.  The Lord has recorded in His Good Book the standards that can be used to measure His people.  The Church of Jesus Christ has not met all these standards.

        True Christianity is much more than a mere profession; it is a WAY OF LIFE.  Every individual claiming to be a Christian should be a walking temple of the Living God.  The Lord dwells in him (John 14:16,17; II Cor. 6:16).  His life should show that a great change has been made and IS BEING MADE by the mighty power of “the author and finisher of our faith.”  A person filled with the Spirit yields his will, his whole being to the influence of the Spirit of God.  He denies himself and gives his control to God.

        “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).  Many people today claim to be filled with the Spirit because they can speak in tongues and can make all kinds of noise and racket.  Praising aloud and shouting are part of their Spirit experience.  They use the so-called infilling of the Spirit to have a “big time” in the Spirit.  They work up their own emotions and give themselves over to all kinds of so-called Spirit activities.  These folks don't realize that our bodies are the temple of God.  The Spirit of God is holy and awesome.  His very presence demands respect and “the fear of the Lord.”

        These people are willingly ignorant and don't want to see that the Lord has a purpose in everything that He does.  There is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Some things can only be accomplished by the Spirit of God.  “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).  The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, Teacher, and our Guide.  A definite work of the Holy Ghost is to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 6:7-11).

        Being filled with the spirit is much more than an experience.  It is not something momentary.  A person filled with the Spirit should show a complete change in his whole life.  If anybody yields to wine or to liquor, he yields his will to the strong drink.  That person under such an influence is not the same individual at all. His walk, talk, and thoughts are completely changed.  A person filled with the Spirit of God should yield his whole will to the sweet influence of the Spirit of God.  His walk, talk, and thoughts should be in the Spirit.  His life is to be permeated by the things of the Spirit of God.  He is to “set his affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).

        Mankind has not entered into the fulness of the “heavenly calling” because they have refused to follow the Lord and His Word.  Obedience to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the means provided by the Spirit of God to accomplish the necessary changes in the human heart.  God is interested in the heart, the inner man, the spiritual being that dwells in each person.

        “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14).  The natural man, cut off from the presence of God, is lost in sin and needs a change to get in tune with the Spirit of God.  After his conversion, man still has his carnal nature to contend with.  Salvation doesn't do away with the earthly human nature.  This carnal nature is opposed to God (Rom. 8:7) and prone to sin.

        “Wherefore the law is holy…and spiritual” (Rom. 7:12,14). Yielding to the Word of God (His Law) can change the carnal nature into a spiritual nature.  “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed (ARE BEING CHANGED according to the Greek text) into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor. 3:18).  The Greek verb translated here as CHANGE is METAMORPHOO and means “to CHANGE into another form”.  When a person surrenders his will to the Lord and obeys His Word, then a spiritual change is brought in his inner being.  He puts on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 13:14).  He is transformed into the same image of the Son of God.  He shows His virtues in his life and he becomes more spiritual.

        Most Christians have rejected the words of the Living God.  They say that the words of our Lord Jesus Christ are not applicable today and they have postponed them for another era.  Our Lord Jesus Christ has “the words of eternal life,” and they are spirit and they are life.  He is “the living bread which came from heaven” (John 6:51).  If any man practices obedience to His Word, he gains divine stature and his inner man becomes “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58).

        “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).  Here is part of the problem of the religious world.  Man has become satisfied playing “church” with his forms and ceremonies.  Here is a great sin, the sin of indifference.  Apathy, lethargy, sleepiness have taken hold of the Church of Jesus Christ.  Consequently, there is no “hunger” nor “thirst” for the great things of the Spirit of God.

        “If any man (1) thirst, let him (2) come unto me, and (3) drink.”  These are the plain words of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Here He laid down three steps to be taken by anybody who wants to drink and keep drinking from the source of Living Water.  Spiritual life is contingent and conditional.  Man must remain drinking of the Lord and His Word to maintain his spiritual life and enjoy the blessings of a fruitful Christian life.

        “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness and CARES OF THIS LIFE, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:34).  Here is a sound warning of our Lord Jesus Christ to His Church in this end time.  The Christian church is so wrapped up with the cares of this life that she doesn't have time for the spiritual things of God.  Man is carnally minded and “does mind the things of the flesh” (Rom. 8:5,6).  Man “was made subject to vanity…in hope” (Rom. 8:20).

        The things of the world have taken hold of the Church of Jesus Christ.  A person cannot play with the world and be filled with the Spirit.  A Christian cannot be worldly minded and spiritual at the same time.  It doesn't work.  The things of God and the things of the world don't mix together.  The Scriptures show that the people of God have been called to come out and be separated from the world and worldly things: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:16), as our Lord Jesus Christ said.

        The so-called Christian Church is so worldly minded that they don't have time “to offer up SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (I Peter 2:5).  Their thoughts and actions are on the things of the world.  No wonder there is a tremendous lack of spirituality among God's people today.  Christians have been accepted by the world because they have lowered God's standards.  They have compromised and have introduced into the church worldly music, worldly business and the worldly media of propaganda.  Our Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples and the Early Church lived a life of such a dedication to the will of God that they didn't have time for the things of the world.  God's Word has not changed.  We can't play with the world and keep our garments unspotted.  It's time for the Church of Jesus Christ to forsake the world and let the call of God rest upon their souls.

        “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35).  God's Word will be fulfilled to the very “jot.”  He will have a people that will love Him “with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind, and with ALL thy strength” (Mark 12:30).  He will have a spiritual house.  It will take hold of the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ to overcome the enemy, the flesh and the things of the world.  It will enter into the fulness of “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” these people will be living temples of the Living God, and out of their bellies for ever and ever “shall flow rivers of living water” (John 1:38).

 

 

 

 

MORE ABOUT WATER BAPTISM

Randall Walton

        Over the years, “The Testimony of Truth” has received questions concerning water baptism.  The most frequent and outstanding of these was our assertion that water baptism is meant for people who are already saved (born again), not for the sinners and ungodly.  The main scripture which was referred to by these people was Acts 2:38 which states: “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.”

        It is claimed that this verse teaches that a person is not saved (his sins are not remitted) until he has been baptized.  We agree that this verse seems to indicate that such is the case, but we hasten to add that all of the gospel is not limited to this one verse, and that this view does not harmonize with the rest of the New Testament message.

        Actually, there is no single act which a person may perform, which will guarantee his salvation.  Mankind has always been prone to accept ritualistic practices as a means of procuring his salvation, but the Scriptures attest to the fact that salvation is a gift of God which is not predicated on the basis of our fulfilling any one particular deed; we do not earn it as a result of our being buried in water.  If it were possible for us to be saved by the mere act of immersion, then our Lord went to Calvary needlessly.

        “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).  We believe that the thief who died on a cross adjacent to the Saviour’s was certainly saved, but he just as certainly did not have opportunity to be baptized.  This example, however, is not meant to obviate the necessity of water baptism as one of the ordinances of the New Testament Order, but only to demonstrate that baptism is not the “saving element” that many people are claiming it is.

        The Word tells us plainly that there are many ingredients which combine to provide the glorious gift of salvation to the believers.  We are therefore saved:

          1. By Grace (Eph. 2:8,9)
          2. By the Blood of Jesus (I Peter 1:18,19)
          3. By Mercy (Titus 3:5)
          4. By the Gospel (Rom. 1:16)
          5. By His Life (Rom. 5:10)
          6. By Him (Rom. 5:9; I Thess. 5:9)
          7. By His Name (Acts 4:12)
          8. By His Word (James 1:21)
          9. By Hope (Rom. 8:24)
        10. By Faith (I Peter 1:5)
        11. By Endurance (Mark 13:13)
        12. By Belief (Acts 16:31)
        13. By Confession (Rom. 10:8,9,10)
        14. By Sanctification (II Thess. 2:13)

        Furthermore, Paul made the astonishing declaration that “Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (I Cor. 1:17).  Now, if baptism were the means of obtaining salvation, wasn’t Paul wasting his time by preaching and not baptizing?  In fact, his whole manner of ministry was contradictory if salvation could only become a fact upon one’s being immersed in water.

        Jesus stated that “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).  In Ephesians 5:26, Paul makes a comparison of water and the word of God (“with the washing of water by the word”).  And in Romans 10:17 he says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

        Since faith is necessary for salvation (“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 faith is produced as a result of the hearing of the word, and the word is likened unto water, then we conclude that to “be born of water and of the spirit” is the result of the word of the Lord and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit combining to draw a person to surrender his heart to the transforming, begetting power of the Living God.

        The Spirit of the Lord anoints the word of God so that it falls like mighty hammer blows upon the hard heart of a rebellious sinner.  The anointed word shows the man his terrible state and points to his need for help.  When the man yields himself to the word and the Spirit of God, a glorious change takes place, then and there.  He is a new creature in Jesus Christ.  He has passed from death unto life, where the old life has died and a new life has begun (II Cor. 5:17; John 5:24, I John 3:24; I John 4:13).

        He is then a candidate for water baptism, not as a means of obtaining salvation, but “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15) or to obey the word of the Lord.  Unless there has been a transformation in the life and heart of a person prior to his immersion, about all you can say for this poor soul is that he comes up out of the water dripping wet!

        Baptism certainly has its place in the life of a true Christian, but it should never be placed above other important practices of the Christian faith.  Paul declared to his audience in Athens that “God…now commandeth all men everywhere to REPENT” (Acts 17:30).  Not one word was mentioned about baptism!

        Peter’s ministry to the Gentile Cornelius (Acts 10) is another example of the order by which the Holy Spirit moves among mankind to bring salvation.  Speaking of Jesus (verse 42), Peter said, “he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead.  To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

        “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.

        “Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:42-48).

        Notice the sequence of the events which took place here:
        1.  They heard the word of the Lord.
        2.  The Holy Ghost fell on them (The gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon them).
        3.  They were baptized in water.

        The only requirement Peter mentioned for remission of sins was believing in Jesus Christ.  We can safely assume from verse 2 that Cornelius and his household knew something of repentance, for it states, “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.”  But they apparently needed the message concerning Jesus, and when they heard it, they received the gift of the Holy Ghost!  And they had not yet been baptized in water!

        Are we to assume that they were not saved, or that their sins were not forgiven when the Holy Ghost fell upon them?  Nonsense!  God knew their hearts, and He could never have sent the promise of the Father upon them if they were still unforgiven of their sins.

        In Acts 11, where Peter gives an account of this happening to the brethren at Jerusalem, he refers to this manifestation of the Holy Spirit as the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

        Listen to these words: “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (Acts 11:15-17)

        So, then, Peter is saying that Cornelius and his household were baptized with the Holy Ghost when the Spirit was poured out upon them.  And in chapter 10 where the account is given, it states, “on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (vv. 45,46).

        Evidently, the baptism with the Holy Ghost was made known by the speaking in tongues of the receiver of this gift from God.  How else can one reconcile these testimonies of the Apostle Peter?

        Now, we have the record of two baptisms at work in the early church: water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism.  In Ephesians 4:5, Paul said there is but one baptism!  It seems appropriate at this time to ask the question – to which baptism was Paul referring, or which is greater, water baptism or Spirit baptism?

        Since mere man administers the rites of water baptism, and the Holy Ghost baptism is the ministry of Jesus Christ, the greater of these two is unquestionably the baptism in the Spirit, and it also must be the baptism which Paul referred to as ONE BAPTISM.

        And, since true water baptism is by immersion, or a burial into the water, it is logical to conclude that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is by immersion, or a burial into the Holy Spirit.  This gift of the Holy Ghost was not given for the early Christians alone, but, as Peter declared, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39).

        From the foregoing evidence, it seems very plain that in the giving of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, i.e., the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that the Lord has complete charge of the matter.  If He chooses to pour out the Spirit on anyone before they have been baptized in water, that is His business.  It is enough for us to receive the wonderful gift without our attempting to categorize, or systematize, the works of the Lord into a religious pattern to suit the ideas of men.

        In summary, we must reaffirm that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, not repentance, not belief, not water baptism, not church membership, not Holy Spirit baptism, not any other single thing, act, or deed.  “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).  And He, Jesus, shed His blood, and “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).

 

 

 

 

CHRISTIAN RIP-OFF

Denny Davis

(All References from King James Version Bible)

        The recent popularity of “The Secret Rapture” (Christ's multiple returns) and “The Delayed Kingdom” (1000-year earthly reign of Jesus Christ at some future time) is enough to raise the blood pressure of an honest Bible-reader to dangerous heights.  These false doctrines would be laughable if they weren't so insidious.  Concepts such as these fall directly into the category of “fables, doctrines of devils, and strong delusion,” but distinguished preachers with “Doctor” in front of their names and authoritative voices have large numbers of church members pulled way off track.

        The subject of the Kingdom of God/Christ/Heaven – all interchangeable – is so very important that the Lord states that finding this Kingdom must be our first priority (see Matt. 6:33).  The Gospel of the Kingdom – which is the Gospel – was the main concern of Jesus and the Apostles.  “The Kingdom” is mentioned more than three times as often as “salvation” in the New Testament.

        The beliefs of church-goers on the subject of the Kingdom fit into distinct categories.  Some haven't heard of the Kingdom; some couldn't care less; some think you need to die a physical death in order to go there; others have been duped into believing there will be an earthly physical reign of Jesus; and a small minority know that the Kingdom of God resides within the true Believer (see Luke 17:21).  If more people don't come to the knowledge of the truth, it will be some time before The Kingdom is preached in all the world (see Matt. 24:14).

        Actually, this wholesale belief in false doctrines should not come as a surprise, for the time has come that church members find teachers to tell them what they would like to hear (see II Tim. 4:3,4).  If the love of the truth is missing, an environment for twisting the Scriptures becomes fertile.  Those who acknowledge the present Kingdom of Jesus Christ give “Satan” the credit for the delusions such as “the Secret Rapture” and “The 1000-year Earthly Physical Reign of Christ,” when the real cause can be traced to man’s failure to love truth.  It seems that many who hold to these false doctrines long for the day when they will rejoice over another’s calamity – such as being left behind to suffer tribulation – or the opportunity to “lord it over” others for – say – a thousand years!  Maybe God Himself should be given credit, for He sends “strong delusion” to those who love not the truth, thereby permitting people to be willing participants in doctrines of devils.  Isaiah 45:7 says, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these.”  Most don't realize or accept the fact that the more severe the tribulation, the more growth and testing is provided through God's wisdom.  (The reader might note that God's wrath [anger] is not the same as tribulation [learning process] – and yes, Revelation 20; Zechariah 14; the 70 weeks of Daniel, etc., have been considered.)

        The truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom had been described and anticipated long before it became available.  It is so wonderful and mysterious as to escape words (the pearl of great price, etc.).  The fact is the Kingdom of God can be in you now!  It is spiritual and not of this world (see John 18:36).  Any attempt to deny or delay Christ's present reign as King should be held as spiritually criminal and an act of treason against Christ and our Father (See Acts 1:9 together with Dan. 7:13,14; also Matt. 28:18).

        The plain truth is that the Father Himself has performed His good pleasure, and delivered us from the power of Satan and moved us into a position to receive Christ's reign and rule as present King – in us.  We are a royal priesthood (see I Peter 2:9) led by the Spirit of God, with the ultimate privilege of being sons of God.

        During the time of the actual Kingdom, from the time of Jesus until the present, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit has been available to all, not to special prophets only, as before the spiritual Kingdom.

        Religious people – from Nicodemus and the Pharisees of ancient times, to more recent leaders and scholars, such as Scofield and Dake, with their “special” Bibles – have not understood the spiritual infilling of the Holy Spirit.  Being born again, or resurrected from the spiritually dead, and having the life of power with God that follows – yes, healing, miracles, speaking in tongues, prophesy, etc. – is beyond their comprehension.

        These “religious” people need something visible – which is the opposite of faith – such as a being sitting on a physical throne.  But if we look we'll see that it was in His wrath that God gave Israel a king (see Hos. 13:11).

        Many intelligent souls have been led away from the Kingdom truth by false assumptions, such as “we will not be on earth for the Great Tribulation” and “the Kingdom of Christ will be physical and located in Israel.”

        The Old and New Testaments are bathed in mysterious or coded speech, causing some “experts” to confuse the first and second comings of Christ and not realizing that time past, present, and future are sometimes referred to in the same portion of scripture (such as Revelation 20).  Also, in translation, parenthetical statements have at times been injected.  Straight forward words such as “my Kingdom is not of this world” (see John 18:36) are not taken literally, as they should be, but are twisted to take on some other meaning, so that the false assumptions will appear valid.  As an example of what “experts” have done to the Scriptures, Luke 17:20 says, in part, “the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation,” or sight.  The Dake Reference Bible twists this to read, “the Kingdom doesn't come with hostile watching” (emphasis added).  What nonsense!  The Greek word translated “observation,” PARATERESIS, meaning “ocular or visual evidence,” was replaced by Dake, in this instance, with PARATEREO, a related word.

        Very simply and accurately, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (see I Cor. 3:16) which means Christ is in us (see Col. 1:27).  This means the Kingdom of God is in us (see Luke 17:21).  In other words, the Kingdom of God is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (see Rom. 14:17).  NOW!  We are passed from death to life now (Resurrected – see I John 3:14).

        Actually, the concept of grace parallels this.  Strong's concordance defines grace as “the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.”  This divine influence in our hearts is none other than the Spirit of Christ.  He said He was with His people but would be in them (see John 14:17).  Obviously, His being in us is more comforting than His merely being with us.  The spiritual Kingdom is very real indeed!

        But let's backtrack a moment.  What scenario would result if the One Thousand Year Earthly Kingdom assumptions were correct?  By combining Revelation 20 with Zechariah 14 – two favorites of deceived people – we can come up with a reward for being beheaded for the sake of the word of God.  We would sit on a throne; make sure that once a year people flew to Israel and celebrated an obsolete Feast of Tabernacles; worship Jesus (who would be sitting on a throne like Santa Claus); and wash some pots and pans.  If we happened to have a horse we could put bells on it with pleasant sayings.  The penalty for not meeting the requirements would be a drought.  It's no wonder people become lukewarm!

        Anyway, we are told by Christ Himself in Mark 13:21 not to believe it if someone says He is in this or that physical location.

        Revelation 20, in particular, can be understood as past, present, and future.  There are a number of other concepts that make these verses easier to understand.  One thousand, for instance, means many, and not the literal number 1000 (else the Lord would own the cattle on only 1000 hills).  The first resurrection refers to being born again, and Satan already has been bound, or restricted.  Resist him and he must flee!

        The following Scripture says it all.  Col. 1:13 says the Father “hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear son.” (emphasis added)

        As for the Secret Rapture snare, consider John 5:28 & 29.  There, it is plainly stated that both the good and bad are raised at the same hour.  What is more, the bad are actually the first to be removed (see the tares of Matt 13:40 & 43).  There are no Scriptures that refer to an early raising of some special group before the end of the world.

        The spiritual Kingdom is vastly superior to any earthly concept, and when the set time comes, this Kingdom will be delivered up to the Father (see I Cor. 15:24 & 28) to be forever in His hands.  In the meantime, we are to occupy with grace – Christ's Kingdom – in us, so that carnal flesh is pushed aside and love provides for our overcoming of this present evil world.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

“GIVE ME THAT OLD TIME RELIGION”

Alfred King

        When I was a child, a song that was familiar in many churches of the day was entitled, “Give Me That Old Time Religion.”  Being young and not knowing much about religion, I just assumed that whoever wrote the song felt the religion of the past was superior to that of the present.  When this song was composed or created is unknown, but it is said that a man named Charles Davis Tillman passed by a cotton field and heard some of the former slaves singing this chorus.  He was impressed by their sincerity, so he jotted down the words and the melody and in 1873 the song was included in a list of Jubilee songs and was published.  It was the preamble of the genre of what today is called “Southern Gospel.”

        As a young person I wondered what was better about the religion of the past.  As I grew older and have read some on the great revivals of the past and even of the Great Reformation, there seemed to be a greater dedication to in-depth theology, an attempt to discover the true meaning of scripture as well as a genuine and personal relationship with God.  However, with this said, this may be because those who wrote about those things were themselves very learned and dedicated members in the body of Christ and possibly did not reflect the Christian population as a whole.  The Reformation brought about deep discussions regarding the truth of scripture, especially in respect to the teachings and dogmas of the Catholic Church.  At the time it brought freedom from the tyranny of Catholicism, it also placed many new doctrines on the table for discussion.  While much of this was good in that it brought salvation to many, yet it was not void of false teachings, which divided the church then and, for over 500 years, continues to split churches and believers around the world.  It is always amazing to see how our great enemy, the devil, can take that which starts out good and twists it and waters it down until truth is no longer truth.  The truth of scripture has been amalgamated with falsehoods.

        When Jesus came on the scene about 2000 years ago, He came into a world in which His chosen people were divided, confused, discouraged, enslaved, and where truth was cast into the streets.  Jesus looked on the multitudes with compassion because they fainted and were scattered as sheep having no shepherd.  The gradual decay of the Jewish society had left the Jews without hope, and they longed for the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah who would save them from their bondage.  Today, we live in a similar society.  It is not that the Gospel has not been preached to some degree, but it certainly lacks the dedication and commitment of many of those we read about in the past.  The probing, heart-searching, condemning power of God that caused men to fall under its conviction has been diluted into a simple “repeat after me” shallow and ineffective prayer, a prayer that makes a sinner feel good and safe when he has not found God at all.  The necessity of modern entertainment and activities to keep people coming have replaced those years when people came because they hungered to be fed from God’s holy word and thirsted for a drink from the fountain of life.  If Jesus were to walk across America, would He again have compassion on the multitudes because they “fainted and were scattered abroad, having no shepherd”?  The word “fainted” has to do with being distressed, vexed, troubled. (Thayer’s Lexicon)  The questions which plague men’s minds are questions like: Where do we go from here?  Who has the answers?  Where or to whom do we turn?  Or as Pilate, when “The Truth” stood before him, he asked, “What is truth?”

        In a world where truth is defined through the eye of the “science” (so called) of evolution, truth becomes nothing more than one man’s opinion as opposed to another’s.  There is no concrete moral foundation upon which society can be built or can rest.  It leaves man in a state of moral limbo and the sad results are visible all around us.  But, what makes this most tragic is that this moral decadence has made its way into many of our “Christian” churches and has caused an even greater division among those who call themselves “Christian”.

        How did we get to this point?  Let’s consider just one thing that has contributed to our current state.  Sin was once a very important topic in the “Old Time Religion.”  It was preached about and declared to be the cause of all of society’s problems.  Men and women were called upon to repent.  Sin was preached with such vivid clarity that the Holy Spirit was able to convict men’s hearts, and they would rush to the altar in genuine repentance.  No one had to give them words to pray, for the gushing of their hearts just poured out before a Holy God.  But what happened to sin?  Where is sin today?  Some modern dictionaries have left the word out.  Does sin not exist anymore that the word is no longer necessary?  In considering this point, I see a certain pattern in which Satan works to eliminate the idea of sin from men’s minds.  In the days of the “Old Time Religion,” sin was clearly defined and men were left with no avenue to escape its truth or its convicting power.  But the time came in which the church was told that they needed to tolerate, at first sinners and later sin.  Sin became no longer “exceeding sinful.”  It was not abhorred and hated but became only mildly sinful.  Gradually, being tolerant became “acceptance.”  We must accept sin as normal, for we will always have it and it’s not that bad.  The church has been told, “God’s grace is sufficient, so rest in God’s grace and don’t worry too much about sin.  Just watch out for the really bad sins and live with the lesser sins.”  But the final nail in the coffin is when the church is told that we must welcome sin and make it a part of our Christianity.

        Follow this path with me as we consider a very obvious sin, homosexuality.  First step: “The Old Time Religion”: Homosexuality is a very gross sin and is an abomination before God.  Second step: Transitional period: We must tolerate homosexuals in order to reach them.  (In other words, “Don’t preach homosexuality as exceedingly sinful, and the need to repent.”)  Third step: Transitional period does not end: We must not only tolerate homosexuals but accept them into our church family.  Fourth step: Satan’s desired end: We must allow them to be members, deacons, pastors, evangelists, etc.  End product: Destroyed church.  (This analogy does not refer to the sin of homosexuality alone, but to all sin.)

        So we see: First, sin is deadly and must be repented of.  Second, sin must be tolerated so we don’t offend sinners.  Third, we must accept sin, for all are sinners, including ourselves.  Fourth and finally: We allow sin with no conviction and Satan wins.

        But lest we get discouraged: When Jesus came the first time, He came to a world which laid in hopelessness and He brought hope, life, spiritual resurrection, salvation, and a New and better Covenant, established upon a foundation which cannot be destroyed.  Those who have heard the joyful sound and continue to walk in God’s revealed truth have a hope that is unfailing and eternal.  We all look for the day when Christ will return and gather His faithful ones together and take them to be with Him eternally.  “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev 21:4).  “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Rev 21:7).  We are not those who have no hope, nor are we as sheep who have no shepherd, for our Shepherd tends His sheep and He will carry them in His bosom.  Jesus is coming soon, and we wait with great expectation for His soon return and rejoice in His great salvation.

 

 

 

 

PREPARATION

Randall Walton

        Preparation is one of the Scriptures’ key words.  Ancient Israel prepared for the Passover; Solomon made preparation for the building of the temple; Noah prepared the ark for the oncoming flood; Kings made special preparations for war; Israel was told to “prepare to meet thy God;” John the Baptist came declaring, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,” and Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.”  These are but a very few of the references to preparation which are mentioned in the Bible, but they are enough to demonstrate that preparation, or “making ready,” is a most important feature in the consideration of any venture or undertaking.

        To illustrate this further, consider the life of Jesus.  At age 12, He astounded His parents as He was “sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46).  His reply to His mother and father when she scolded Him for His absence from them was, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (verse 49)

        However, after this brief encounter, nothing more is mentioned about His “Father’s business” for eighteen years!  (Repeat, eighteen years!)  Not until He was thirty years of age did He emerge from His role as the son of the carpenter, Joseph, and begin His public ministry as the Son of Man!

        By today’s standards, He was nothing but a complete failure.  As far as we can determine, He had no formal training.  He was not educated in the theological schools of His day (since He was not a Levite, He wasn’t eligible for the priesthood), He had no degrees, no ministerial certificate, or credentials, He took no crash courses on how to conduct evangelistic crusades, nor did He attend any seminars to learn how to heal people effectively, or how to raise the dead, or cleanse lepers, etc.; from all appearances He spent 18 years at hard labor, learning the carpenter trade, learning submission (Luke 2:51), learning “obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:8).

        The accepted criteria today for the making of a “minister of the Gospel” is a minimum of four years of religious studies (unless you opt for one of the on-the-spot, $20.00 degrees) at a seminary of your choice, from which there are dozens to choose.  Most of them do not even require the enrollee to produce evidence of having been born again and called by God to the ministry (compare this with John the Baptist’s ministry: Matt. 3:5-8).

        After this very short period of time, a degree is conferred upon the subject, and he is then eligible for a job as a pastor, evangelist, or teacher.  He can apply for on-the-job-training and work his way up the ladder of theology until he achieves his goal as a “Doctor,” a position which, of course, offers greater benefits, both in pay and prestige.

        The question which comes to us now is: was it truly necessary for Jesus to undergo 18 years of intensive, non-theological training in order to fulfill His call to the ministry?  Wasn’t He just as much the Son of God at 21 as He was at 30?  What good could He possibly have gained from the arduous task of handling heavy timbers, pounding spikes, running a plane (a hand-plane, that is), and all of the other mean and menial jobs which were a part of the carpentry of His day?  Why did it please the Father to hold Him back, keep him under such bondage to human activity, when there were souls “out there” who needed Him?

        “It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (note the plurality – ings) (Heb. 2:10).

        Even though He was a Son (or, the Son), He underwent a period of preparation to meet the demands of the responsibilities which the Father laid upon Him during His short, 3½ year ministry.  After 30 years of struggling under the “human condition,” He was ready to face the Devil head-on in a fierce contest of loyalty, strength and endurance, and temptation.  He was ready to speak only what the Father had taught Him, to do only the works that the Father had shown Him, to go to only those places which the Father directed Him.  It was when He had completed His preparation that the Father spoke in an audible voice (as the Holy Spirit came upon Him) and declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:16,17).

        It was then, and only then, that He launched His great and powerful ministry.  Brief as it was, He proved that He was fully ready.  Those years of toiling under the blistering Palestinian sun, filling his hands with torturous splinters, wiping the dust-thickened sweat from His face and forehead, under the tutorship of a hardened craftsman, were years of sufferings.  All the miseries which accompany such labor as this, He knew.  He was well acquainted with the frustrations of nails striking knots, wood which split when nails pierced it, drilling holes with crude tools, fitting joints and tendons in the proper manner.  According to some historians, carpenters in those days were also masons.  Many houses were made of a sort of adobe which was fashioned into bricks.  The task of neatly stacking these bricks in a safe and handsome manner was back-straining labor, in addition to being a dirty, muddy, dusty job.

        Submission to the Father’s will was one of the greatest lessons He learned as He submitted His own will to the desire of His tutor or “boss.”  If there had been a better way to accomplish this great design, surely the Heavenly Father would have chosen it, but in His wonderful wisdom, He chose to expose His only begotten Son to the rigors of human life, the machinery of perfection, the grinding, abject humility of submission, surrender, yielding, bending and committal.

        God the Father uses only that clay which is yielded to the working of the potter’s hand.  One evidence that a person is yielded to the Father’s hand is that he is yielded to those “who have the rule over him” in other matters.  The final proof that Jesus was completely yielded was demonstrated in Gethsemane when He uttered the words, “nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”  But, let us not forget that this statement came hard upon the heels of His many years’ training and preparation!  And when this momentous pronouncement was made, He “sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44).

        It is not always easy for us to see any reason for the hardships, sufferings, pain, and frustrations which accompany our existence here in the flesh.  It does not always seem logical for us to do as we are told by our superiors.  It is seldom reasonable to correlate our daily experiences in life to our walk with God, yet it is very evident that God uses every available and possible circumstance within this vale for our good and ultimate benefit.

Preparation Now

        There is a special need among God’s people today for preparation on a scale unprecedented, for the simple reason that we are living in a totally different span of time from any time in recorded history.  This generation, of which we are a part, is about to be faced with the most awesome happenings that have ever come upon any people, anywhere, at any time!  The culmination of the ages of the world is within sight; accompanying this great climax will be the greatest display of power of both the forces of Hell and of Heaven.  Humanity is inexorably heading toward the final conflict of the universe, a global, worldwide conflagration in which all men’s souls will be thoroughly tested, tried, and proved.

        Every institution of man will crumble and fall in that day.  Those who have put their hope and security in a religious organization will have their sandy foundation swept from them; those who have trusted in riches and/or possessions will behold those earthly treasures lose their value; governments will topple; the earth itself will “reel to and fro like a drunkard” (Isa. 24:20); men’s hearts will surely fail them for fear of those things which will come upon them.

        In the midst of all the devastation and terror, God will have a people who will glorify Him and who will honor Him because they love Him.  Great will be the light that will shine in the darkness of that day as the Sons of God take possession of their inheritance through Jesus Christ.

        These Sons will be those who will have made the proper preparation.  They will have applied the word to their lives and will have “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14).

Preparation – How?

        In order to answer this question properly, it is necessary for us to understand the nature of the object for which we must prepare.  Undoubtedly, the most outstanding and prevailing manifestations and disturbances will be those of a spiritual nature.  The physical upsets will be terrible, that’s true (famine, earthquakes, violence, etc.), but these things will be minor in comparison with the spirit activity which will affect all men everywhere.

        Satan and his hosts will make a determined effort to conquer the world and its inhabitants.  He will stage a spectacular display of supernatural power!  The “devil’s revival” (II Thess. 2:2-12) will break forth in a manner which will be so deceptive as to appear to be the genuine move of God (Matt. 7:21-23), and multitudes will be swept along with the current of the river of death because they failed to make preparation for that evil day.  It will not be because they did not have the opportunity, but because they failed to heed the Word of God!

        Jesus repeated again and again a theme of warning: Be ready, be prepared, “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning.”  The awakening message He gave in His parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25) should be sufficient to cause every saint to prepare to meet the Bridegroom!  And yet they sleep on.

        The wedding feast to which He referred in that parable will be a major event which will parallel the devil’s revival.  It will consist of the Bride (the church, the people of God, the Sons of God, etc.) becoming one with the Bridegroom, a glorious, heavenly, spiritual celebration!  Actually, those who will be partakers of that banquet will be a very select group, in that they will be classified as “they that were ready (prepared).”

        Take special note of the extreme importance Jesus placed upon this condition of preparedness.  Those who were ready went in with Him, and those who were not ready remained outside the door where they heard the injunction, “I know ye not.”  Since this is a spiritual phenomenon, it follows that the preparation must also be spiritual.  If we who call ourselves Christians expect to be partakers of that wedding feast, it is obvious that we must make the necessary spiritual preparation, and we must make it before the door is shut.  Whatever is involved in the statement, “they that were ready,” must be accomplished at any cost or any loss; there is no time to be lost.

        Let every soul examine himself, “whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves” (II Cor. 13:5).  It is not enough to know that you are in the church.  There is a divine standard set forth in the Scriptures to which every child of God is obliged to adhere.  These are not the dictates of man nor of a religious institution, but are God’s.

        The Lord describes those who are eligible for the marriage feast in Revelation 19:7 and 8: “the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath MADE HERSELF READY.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF SAINTS.”

        A saint is simply a person who is holy!  Not religious – HOLY.  And to be holy, one must be full of God, the Holy One (“that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” [Eph. 3:19]).  Sainthood is a state of being which is developed over a period of time.  Saintliness is costly and unpopular.  Acquisition of this divine attribute is purchased with toil, sweat, tears, and sufferings.  A complete emptying out of the self life makes room for the filling of the fulness of God.  It seems that there are few who have caught a vision of this high and heavenly calling in Jesus Christ, but since “some must enter into his rest,” we are assured that God will provoke His people to a state of awakening and show them what He has in store for them.

        The righteousness of the holy people (saints) has to do with their righteous deeds or acts, their conduct, actions, behavior, attitudes, their treatment of their fellows, their daily manner of life.  The line of demarcation between many Christians and the people of the world is super thin.  It is difficult by outward appearance to differentiate between them.  The same can be said about the behavior and habits of the same two groups.  This condition cannot continue to be.  God has ordered His people to live and walk in holiness, and this means living and walking in the Spirit, and bearing the fruits thereof.

        God’s call to His people at this present hour is to “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.  Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion” (Isa. 52:1,2).

        “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:12,13).

 

 

 

 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

        Shalom brother am fine in Jesus name.  I would like you to explain a little about this subject of worship in spirit and in truth.  Jesus told the woman at the well that God is looking for those who worship not in the mountain in Samaria nor in Jerusalem but He is seeking for those who worship in spirit and in truth.  Please, explain this to me so I can understand and worship God as He desires.

Thank you, J.G.

Dear J. G. 

        Good to hear from you again.  Your question is a very good question and there are different opinions concerning what Jesus meant.  To gain a better understanding of this topic, we need to understand a little Old Testament history.  During the reign of Saul, David and Solomon, Israel consisted of 12 tribes.  After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) began to reign.  However, he refused to listen to the council of the older wise men. Consequently, ten of the tribes, under the leadership of Jeroboam, revolted and formed what is commonly called Israel.  Jeroboam became the king of those ten tribes while Rehoboam was left to reign over the other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin.  Judah began to be referred to as the Jews while the other ten tribes were called Israel.  You can read about this in I Kings 12.

        Because Jeroboam was afraid that the people of Israel would return to Jerusalem to worship God as they always had, he decided to build an altar in Samaria so Israel could worship without going to Jerusalem.  He set up his altar and later a temple was built at the foot of Mount Gerizim.  It was for this reason that the woman of Samaria asked Jesus the question as to where they were to worship, in this mountain of Samaria or in Jerusalem. 

        We now come to the question you have.  Jesus said, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.” (John 4:21)  Jesus’ coming was to bring about a change in the place and manner in which men would worship God.  In the next verse He says, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22)  Over the centuries, Israel had begun to worship many gods and idols, this is why Jesus told her that they (Israel, and in this case, the Samaritans) didn’t know what they were worshiping, for while they might have thought they were worshipping God, they actually were not.  His statement that “salvation is of the Jews” informs us that salvation was going to come through Judah, just as Old Testament scriptures had recorded.  Jesus was many times prophesied to be the son of David and was to come through the lineage of Judah.  Jesus is our salvation and this is what Jesus was telling this woman.  But Jesus tells her that the time is come when those who are saved will not be limited to any physical location or specific form, but now men must worship God in spirit and in truth.  The truth is that we can worship God anywhere but we must worship according to God’s word in keeping with truth.  In other words, there are many false doctrines that are contained in some of the songs we sing and we must weed out those songs that promote false teachings.  As ministers we must read the songs we sing to see if they agree with scripture.

        Also, truth is against worshiping to entertain people or to please the flesh for it must be that which will honor God.  The glory must be to God and not to exalt those who worship, such as when we sing or play music in our worship.  It is so easy to get wrapped in the music and ourselves that God is not glorified in it.  Therefore, truth involves everything we do in worship to God and it must be to bring glory to Him and Him alone. 

        To worship in spirit, I believe involves worshipping God from our hearts.  True worship that is acceptable to God is that which comes from our hearts and not merely going through the motions of singing and playing songs with no recognition of Whom we are singing for, about or to.  We are to lift our hearts in praise to God and this is acceptable to God.  If it is just form and ceremony, it is of little value or possibly no value at all.

        It is also very important to remember the way we honor God most is not with our lips but by our actions.  When we obey God’s word because we love Him, this brings the greatest honor and praise to Him.  Many people sing praises but few live to praise God. 

        This is how I understand this portion of scripture.  I don’t claim to know everything about how men today are to worship but I believe that the above things are very important in true worship to God.  I hope this gives you a few things to consider and I encourage you to pray and keep studying God’s word and He will lead you into the truth as He sees you desire it.  God bless you my brother.

The Editor

 

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING: A SPECIAL TIME OF THANKS!

        Another year has passed and the yearly reminder of Thanksgiving is upon us again.  In grammar school, we were taught about the struggles the Pilgrims and Puritans faced as they attempted to settle in the new land.  After many trying and difficult circumstances in England concerning their religious convictions, they decided to leave their homeland and venture out into the unknown New World to start a new life.  They risked everything in hopes of finding the freedom they desired, a life in which they could worship God the way they felt would be honoring to Him.  However, the New World was not too friendly to them as they fought against elements of freezing temperatures, failure of their crops and diseases that plagued the colony.  Many died from various diseases and malnutrition and only half of the original 102 lived to see the first Spring.  Had it not been for Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet Indian tribe, who taught them how to grow corn and adapt to the New World, the whole endeavor would, no doubt, have failed.  Squanto also introduced the new settlers to the Wampanoag Indians, who contributed tremendously to survival of the Pilgrims.  It was with this Indian tribe that the Pilgrims celebrated their first “Thanksgiving.”

        Of course, in elementary school we were never taught what transpired a few years after that first “Thanksgiving,” but the relationship between the Indians and the English settlers became strained, and this was not a pretty picture of America’s beginning.

        It is claimed by some that this was not the first Thanksgiving because there were some in Europe before the settlement in the New World.  Whatever the case, the tradition for those who live in the USA goes back to this historical time when the Pilgrims survived their first year in the New World and began to gain hope.  It was a time when they gave a special thanks to God for His care, provisions and the new friends they had found in the New World.

        Originally, the time of Thanksgiving was not just observed in November but different times throughout the year, for its observance varied from place to place.  It was in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November to be the official day of Thanksgiving.  Since that time, Thanksgiving has been celebrated in November, although there were a few years when it was observed on the third Thursday of November.  Presently, it is the last Thursday of November.  People all over the country gather together with family and friends to celebrate a meal and spend time together.  Many Christians especially use this time to worship God and give thanks to Him for all His gracious blessings, so richly bestowed on this nation and on everyone of us living in freedom and safety.  Most of us in this nation do not realize or appreciate the blessings this nation provides.  While it was never perfect and certainly is not today with all the conflicts and the changes taking place in our world, nevertheless, we still experience blessings that many other nations only dream of.  Most Americans have never visited a third world nation to see firsthand the poverty, the hunger, the shortage of the very necessities of life and, in consequence, most Americans can’t fully appreciate the blessings God has bestowed upon this nation.  It is my personal belief that this nation has been blessed by God because it was founded upon many of the principles and laws of God contained in scripture.  This present generation is still reaping the blessings of our godly forefathers who attempted to build a nation based upon God’s word.  The evils that transpired toward the indigenous people during the settlement of this nation are things we can only ponder in our hearts and wonder, Why?  Nevertheless, we cannot question that God has blessed America, and we are blessed today because God saw fit to establish this nation and, from America, the Gospel has gone throughout the world.

        So again this year, it is a time set aside for a special giving of thanks to God, Who has blessed us so greatly.  It is a time to give thanks, not only for the physical blessings we have, but also for those who are born again and have experienced that life-changing work of the Holy Spirit; it is a time to give unto the Lord the glory due to His holy name.  It is a time to remember His goodness and praise Him that He has kept us through many difficulties.  God has shielded us time after time when Satan would have destroyed us.  God graciously holds us in His mighty hand to keep us from being carried away by the flood from the serpent’s mouth.  Therefore, let us as God’s elect use this special time of the year to give thanks to Him, “For the Lord is good: His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.”