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People of The Living God |
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August 2019
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
COUNTERFEIT REVIVAL
Harry R. Miller
Only a few decades ago, there was the feeling that a religious awakening was taking place in America as many churches were experiencing the phenomenon of speaking in unknown tongues, receiving prophesies, having visions, and other supernatural manifestations. Many young ‘hippies’ were becoming religious as the movement took on the name, “Charismatic.” What entered the church at that time has changed the landscape of Christianity in America. However, the question still exists as to whether this move was (and is) a true move of the Spirit of God. The prophecy of Joel, found in Joel 2 and quoted by the Apostle Peter in Acts 2, has been used to support the authenticity of the Charismatic movement, for Joel’s prophecy revealed that the Holy Spirit would be poured out and recognized by supernatural manifestation, such as was seen on the day of Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts.
No one can deny the fact that there was a great religious movement beginning in the late fifties and early sixties, but it certainly appears to fall very far short of what Joel prophesied would come. It clearly does not come even close to that which took place in Jerusalem on that great day when there came the sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind which filled the house, and the cloven tongues which sat upon each of those early disciples gathered in the upper room. So, while on the surface and at the time, it appeared to be encouraging, in reality, it has not produced the results which were expected.
By counterfeiting true revival, Satan is able to hinder believers from praying for the real, supernatural, spontaneous outbreaking of the Spirit of God.
Satan is busy dishing out, today, in the Name of the Lord, a potpourri evangelism.
Many of us have waited for someone to sound the alarm in God’s Holy Mountain; but the time has come when we can no longer keep silent, for “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (I Cor. 14:8)
As one of the Puritans quaintly expressed it, “The face of error is highly painted and powdered so as to render it attractive to the unwary.” Satan comes as a roaring lion, to persecute; or as an angel of light, to patronize (I Peter 5:8; II Cor. 11:14). Satan as an angel of light is more to be feared than Satan as a roaring lion. A patronizing enemy is far more dangerous than a persecuting enemy.
We must beware of the flattery of the world and its patronage. We must be more afraid of flattery from the camp of the enemy than of persecution. Read the pages of Church History. Persecution never did the Church of God harm, but compromise with the world has always robbed it of its purity.
“Potpourri Evangelism” consists of two features: mixed evangelistic campaigns and “mixed Christianity.”
“Mixed evangelistic campaigns” feature the alliance of modernistic and evangelical churches together in an evangelistic effort. The devil is very religious: the world-system which he controls has its own worldly religion.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matt. 6:24). Christ did not say that it is difficult, but that it is impossible to serve two masters (Matt. 9:16,17; II Cor. 6:14-17; I Peter 2:9).
As someone has aptly remarked, “When human religion gets up a revival, it must have from five to twenty churches of heterogeneous creeds and sectarian bodies go into a great union effort; it must have a mammoth choir and many preachers and multiplied committees, and each committee headed by some banker, judge, mayor, or millionaire’s wife.
“It signs cards as a substitute for the broken-hearted cry of scriptural repentance. It must count its converts by the hundreds in a few days’ meeting. It must apologize for natural depravity. It curls up its lips at the coming of Jesus, thinks the world is growing beautifully better, and is forever forming itself into fresh organizations of ‘leagues,’ ‘endeavors’ and ‘brigades.’
“It denies holiness, ignores the omnipotent personal agency of the Holy Ghost, steers clear of all divine manifestations, is terrified at the supernatural in grace. It discounts personal testimony, is afraid of weeping, frightened at a ‘hallelujah,’ and thinks that the sobs of a penitent should be stifled.
“Its prayers bring down no huge answers. It works no miracles, calls forth no criticism from the world. It is a poor sickly thing, born of the union of the heart of the world with the head of Christian theology…a mongrel thing with a backslidden church for its mother and the world for its father.”
Never forget, however, that this unnatural monster will be destroyed at the coming again of our blessed Lord Jesus. The above described human religion is the “mixed multitude” with which evangelical fundamental churches sometimes find themselves allied in an evangelistic campaign.
In our Christian world today, Satan has successfully created a mixed Christianity by destroying the meaning of our evangelical terms and the great fundamental words of the gospel. He has also succeeded in removing the line of demarcation between the world and the redeemed. By defective preaching of the gospel and subtle usage of evangelical phrases, we have bastards and sons mixed together in evangelical circles (Heb. 12:8).
By robbing the cross of its stigma, and failing to demand a supernatural experience in the “new birth,” many preachers have reduced the message of the cross to a meaningless evangel.
No, it cannot be denied that there is a “religious” revival in America today: the modernist churches are, in many cases, full to capacity.
False sects are mushrooming everywhere. Along with this religious revival there has come a wave of popularity for so-called evangelical Christianity. On the surface this seems to us flattering and encouraging but, in reality, it is dangerous and deadly.
Almost everybody is religious. It is fashionable, today, to be a church member, and even to talk about being saved. Of course, the phrase, “supernaturally born again,” is not very popular, because that demands a new creation in Christ Jesus as the result of a new birth. But a story with a religious slant will always hit the front page; a religious “jazzy” song will invariably be among the ten top tunes in the Hit Parade; and the religious book is sure to be among the best sellers. Our evangelical Christians seem to be flattered when some outstanding ungodly figure of the world condescends to say something nice about the gospel.
We have reached such a low state of spirituality that we are excited when a prominent personality professes conversion and speaks our evangelical vocabulary, even though his life shows no evidence of any revolutionary change wrought by the Gospel of Christ. We have so lost the vision of the beauty and dignity of our blessed Lord that we think it very wonderful when one of these unregenerated leaders condescends to “help God out” in his great program of world evangelization.
In this mixed, corrupt Christianity we see Satan’s masterstroke exhibited. Genesis 3:15 describes the Conflict of the Ages, between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, and this battle will continue on until Satan is finally cast into the Lake of Fire. We must not be ignorant of his “stratagems.”
Satan sought to destroy the seed royal in an effort to hinder the promise of God from being fulfilled (II Kings 11:1-3). The devil’s business now is trying to hinder the completion of the Body of Christ through the spread of the pure gospel. Both Paul and Peter warn us of the stratagems of Satan in these last perilous days: “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (II Tim. 3:8).
Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses by virtually duplicating the work of God through satanic power (Ex. 7:10-12).
This is exactly one of Satan’s stratagems today. R.B. Jones has left on record the following warning: “Satan is not the enemy of revival in itself. It would not be difficult to show historically that at times Satan, somehow aware of God’s purpose in this respect, has managed to spur a counterfeit revival which then thwarts the genuine. Thus, by counterfeiting, Satan hinders the believers from praying for the real, supernatural, spontaneous outbreaking of the Spirit of God.”
Satan hates the cross, because the cross is the symbol of his defeat. “And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests, when by the cross He triumphed over them” (Col. 2:15, Weymouth’s Translation). In “Potpourri Evangelism” the cross is no longer considered the church’s symbol of stigma and reproach (Gal. 5:11; 6:14).
General William Booth, with great prophetic insight, stated over a century ago: “They will offer a cross without reproach, a gospel without repentance, and a heaven without a hell.” What would this man of God say to our day and generation!
Consider the way in which Paul bore the stigma of his message! “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day” (I Cor. 4:9-13).
“Potpourri Evangelism” puts very little emphasis on separation from this present evil age.
In order to counteract this “Potpourri Evangelism” we must emphasize three definite phases of the gospel message:
FIRST: Regeneration is the supernatural work of the Holy Ghost which man himself cannot accomplish.
SECOND: We are saved from a life of sin and introduced into a life of holiness. The gospel is not just the “good news” that Christ died to save us from the penalty of sin (John 3:16); that is only a part of the gospel message.
What saith the Scriptures?
“Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it” (Eph. 5:25). Why? That He might save it from the future punishment of sin alone? No! “That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). Salvation is more than a passport to heaven; it is deliverance from the dominion of sin in this life (Titus 2:11,12).
THIRD: Receiving Christ as Saviour means repentance from sin and acknowledging Christ as Lord (Acts 16:31; Luke 13:3; Acts 11:18; Acts 17:30).
Evangelical repentance is a breaking away from the dominion of sin. True repentance is always accompanied by a heart longing after holiness. It is a false gospel that divorces Christ the Saviour from Christ the Lord. The sinner is a rebel who must repent and lay down his arms of rebellion before the King of Kings. “Christ will save none but those who are brought to resign themselves sincerely to the obedience of His royal authority and laws” (Walter Marshall, 1692). “God…now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.” The gospel is not “believe on Jesus, and thou shalt be saved,” but “believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Rom. 10:9, R.V.).
Let us pray for true evangelism in the old-fashioned way. Let us preach a full-orbed gospel, setting forth all of the implications of repentance and forgiveness. And “let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb. 13:13).
BECOMING A SON OF GOD
Harold Scullin
“To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God” (John 1:12).
The secret of a real walk with the Lord is in man submitting himself to the condition which every human being must meet if he is to become a “son of God.” Every godly man in the days of old met this condition and yielded himself to the demands of his Creator.
The “condition” is to be found in the words, “To receive Him.”
Not many people want to receive Christ today – that is, not in His entirety. Multitudes in present day evangelism want only to receive Him into their lives to the degree where it will not interfere with their normal course of life.
To receive Christ in all His fullness demands a price from the individual. The rich young ruler was not able to meet the cost. He had been religious all of his life, but when he counted what it would cost him to receive the Lord Jesus, he was unwilling to suffer the loss of possessions and to present his body a living sacrifice unto God (Matt. 19:16-22).
How different it was in the life of the young man Moses. When it came time for him to make his choice between the riches of this world in the courts of Pharaoh and the riches of Christ, he chose “rather to suffer affliction (to deny himself) with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt” (Heb. 11:25,26).
Moses received the Divine nature without any reservations. He took hold of the Lord. Why could Moses do this? “Because he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” Because Moses cast himself unreservedly upon God, he was able to estimate true values. He knew that the real values were not to be found in things seen, those things which satisfy the ego in man, but in those things that are eternal.
Do those who profess Christ in this day “receive Him” in this degree and manner? How many “forsake all” (Luke 14:33); “lose their own life for the sake of the gospel” (Mark 8:39); “forsake houses and lands, father and mother, brother and sister, son and daughter” (Mark 10:29,30)?
Most people are content with only “a form of godliness.” However, there are a few souls scattered throughout the land who strive and labor to “enter in at the strait (confining) gate” (Matt. 7:13,14).
Those who are willing “to receive Him,” in return are given power by Him. Here is power that has to do with authority and right.
Why should a child of God need authority?
A true Christian is in the midst of a warfare. There is a constant struggle between the Spirit of God and the flesh, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17). To each individual has been given the power of choice. It is within the will to choose for God or for the things that appeal to the natural man. Also, the forces of evil are always trying to take advantage of the weaknesses of the flesh and persuade men to do contrary to the will of God.
In this body of flesh men can honor God by always making their choice in everything for Him. In so doing, they “mortify (put to death) the deeds of the flesh” (Rom. 8:13); “deny themselves” (Mark 8:39); “present their bodies a living sacrifice unto God” (Rom. 12:1); “do not become entangled with the affairs of this life” (II Tim 2:3); “have crucified the flesh” (Gal. 5:24).
In order that men may be able to honor God in this way, God has vested in them divine authority over the forces of evil and the weaknesses of the flesh.
The purpose of this authority is that the believer might be brought to the state where he is a son in deed as well as in word. Such a person manifests his sonship, not by a public display of miracle-working powers, but by a strict life of devotion to the commands of the Lord. Such a son of God reflects the virtues of godliness, cleanness, and purity. He lives, not in the giddy heights of world acclaim, but more often he quietly labors for his Lord, gleaning some forgotten field.
Only comparatively few individuals will submit to the process required for attaining the full stature of a son of God. However, to those few the Lord has promised to cause them to stand in the true likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when He shall appear, they shall be like Him, for they alone shall know and see Him as He really is.
JESUS – MAN OF DESTINY
E. L. Saunders
It has been said that more books have been written about Jesus of Nazareth than about any other person that ever lived. I believe this is not an overstatement. And rightfully so, for He certainly deserves first and foremost places in the annals and chronicles of all time.
This being so, it would seem redundant for another publication to be produced. However, since this author has written on many other subjects, he feels indebted to devote at least a few pages to the One Who has meant more than anyone else in his life – Jesus Christ – Man of Destiny!
As it has always been with men and women of great influence, so Jesus was a polemic figure evoking countless controversial disputations, not only among His contemporaries, but in all succeeding generations. We, therefore, deem it important and mandatory to only say those things about Him that have been preserved for us in God’s Word, the Bible. We are not suggesting that we should not read what men have said about Him, but we do say we can only accept that which is clearly supported by the Word of God.
The name “Jesus” was a common name that was used in His day in identifying male species and is still used considerably in some modern culture. We, of course, speak of Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judah and raised in the city of Nazareth.
Very few of Jesus’ contemporaries wrote of Him. Historically and otherwise, our basic knowledge of Him is to be found in the four Gospels.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, though writing considerably about the events concerning the Jewish nation in Jesus’ day, says very little about Jesus. We would like to quote the one short paragraph he devoted to Jesus:
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was (the) Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct this day.” (Antiquities, p. 535)
The historian, Tactus, and the Roman man of letters, Pliny, the Younger, make mention of Jesus in discussing the treatment of the early Christians. It appears that the major purpose served by these non Christian references to Jesus was to stress how provincial and limited a role He played in His own life time. But yet these references to Jesus do prove one thing – it proves that Jesus was not just a myth about a God who appeared on earth for a while in human form as was advanced by some critics in the end of the 19th century.
Of course, to those who accept the authenticity of the Holy Scriptures, there is no need for extra-Biblical support for the historical Jesus.
Though very little is known of His childhood and adolescent years (up to age 30), all four Gospel writers give us much detail regarding His life and public ministry thereafter.
When Was Jesus Born And Crucified?
There is much conflict today regarding the chronological data of the birth and death of Jesus. Nominal Christianity accepts the custom of Christmas which marks December 25 as the birthday of Jesus and Friday as the day of His crucifixion. Both of these dates are incorrect. The Bible does not give us the exact date of Jesus’ birth. However, we can arrive at an approximate time by observing the details of the birth of John the Baptist. In Luke 1:5-31 we discover that John the Baptist was conceived at the time that his father, Zechariah, of the priestly course of Abijah, executed the priest’s office before God “In the order of his course.” The expressions, “in the order of his course,” is the clue by which we can determine when John was conceived, and since Jesus was born six months after John (Luke 1:26 and 36) we can tell fairly close the time when Jesus was born.
“Of The Course Of Abijah”
The Scriptures tell us that the priestly course of Abijah was the eighth in order in the Jewish religious year of twelve months. And since there were 24 orders in each year, Abijah’s course to serve as priest would have been in the latter half of the fourth month of the Jewish year (See I Chron. 24:1-19). Now the first month in the Jewish calendar corresponds to the latter part of March and the first part of April. So then, Zechariah was serving as priest about the first of July when his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. Nine months later John was born, which would have been in April. Six months later Jesus was born which would be in October.
December 25, therefore, is not Christ’s birthday. How then did the “Christian” church appoint this day as the birthday of Jesus? Well, any reliable encyclopedia will tell you that December 25 was the birthday of the pagan sun god. It was when paganism merged with Christianity that the birthday of the sun god became the birthday of Jesus. And for the same reason, Friday, the day set aside in commemoration of the god of sexual worship, was incorporated into the “Christian” calendar to be observed as the day of Christ’s crucifixion. Thus, the pagans did not have to give up their festival days, only they were “Christianized.” What blasphemy!
This is an example of how church tradition is accepted as fact and, consequently, confusion and error result. This is not to say that the truth cannot be ascertained, for honest students of the Bible have discovered the truth, and it is being declared today. Praise God!
The Bible Is Sufficient
The very nature of Christ, His life, His pre-existence, His deity, His humanity, His place in the Godhead, give ample room for human speculation for those who glory in the wisdom of the world. However, we refuse to give any credence to human conjecture and philosophical assumptions. In this article we refuse to speculate on any facet of His life or His ministry. Our objective is to discover what the Bible only has to say about Jesus. We believe there is ample information within the scope of Biblical canon to provide all the necessary knowledge we need about Jesus. Therefore, we will be quoting much Scripture in support of our views, and our intent is to be honest and objective in the use of Scripture and in the comments we make
Pre-Existence Of Christ
Firstly, we believe in the pre-existence of Jesus of Nazareth; that is, He existed in some form before His conception and birth of the virgin, Mary. It might be well at this point to define the term “pre-existence” as it applies to Jesus. It simply means that Jesus “existed” or was present; had His being in some form or substance, before He was born.
In fact, if we are to believe in the “incarnation” of Christ, and this author surely does, then, of necessity, we must believe that He existed before He took upon Himself human form. The “form” or “Substance” that Jesus had before His incarnation will be dealt with later. First, we wish to produce the Biblical evidence of His pre-existence.
Jesus’ Own Testimony
Here are His own words:
“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5).
These words of Jesus were uttered in prayer just before His death, resurrection and glorification at the exalted position at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Please note that Jesus said He had this “glory” with the Father “BEFORE THE WORLD WAS.”
Again, in John 8:58, while controverting with the Jewish Rabbis and lawyers, He declared, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
The Scripture says the Rabbis (the theologians) responded by taking up stones to stone Him but, “going through the midst of them, He went out of the temple and hid himself.”
Much of modern theology holds the same position; it refuses to accept the supernatural element of Jesus’ pre-existence.
Let us notice further testimony from Jesus. In John 16:28, we find these words, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
Again, we read in John 6:38-48 and verse 62:
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father’s will that hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whole father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, murmur not among yourselves.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I am the bread of life.
What and if ye shall see the son of man ascend up where he was before?”
Note the expressions, “I came down from heaven” “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father” “What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before.”
This is clear and plain testimony that Jesus existed before He came to earth as our Saviour.
Now let us look at John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
From this passage we learn that the “word,” (logos), the distinct and superfinite Personality, Deity, Creative Power vested in His pre-existed form, “was God;” the same was in the beginning “with God,” and “all things were made by him.”
This passage is perhaps the strongest testimony supporting our position of Christ’s pre-existence as “God,” not inferior or subordinate to, but “equal with” God, the Father.
Jesus, The Creator
From this passage we learn that Jesus, in His pre-existent form as “God,” was the agency through which all creation came into being. Thus, when we read, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake and it was done, he commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6,9), we understand that the “Lord” who spake the creative “Word” was none else but the incarnate Jesus, now the exalted and glorified One at the right hand of the Father.
Further substantiation of the pre-existence of Christ as the Creator is found in Paul’s letter to the Colossians in chapter 1, verses 15 through 17. “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” NOTE: The expression, “the first-born of every creature” in verse 15 does not refer to His pre-existence. The Scriptures say He was the “first-born from the dead;” that is, Jesus Christ was the first One to come forth from the dead with an immortal body such as all the resurrected saints will have. This interpretation is supported by Paul’s statement in I Cor. 15:22,23, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But everyman in his own order, Christ the first fruits; afterwards they that are Christ’s at His coming.”
Jesus, Man of destiny, was never “created.” He was the “Creator.” He was “with the Father from the beginning.” He was “with God” and He “was God.” In Revelation 1:8, He declares Himself to be the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY.”
Now, if He is the Almighty, tell me, who is mightier than He? He was, and He now is, co-equal with God, the Father. Erroneous exegesis uses scriptures that refer to His earthly existence as proof of His inferiority to the Father. Of course, while veiled in flesh, Jesus was inferior to His Father. But to use scriptures which had reference to His sojourn on earth and apply them to His pre-existence or to His present exaltation in heaven is “Handling the Word of God deceitfully” (II Cor. 4:2) to support a false theology.
There are numerous other passages in the Bible that could be used to substantiate the point in question. Space will only permit us to use one more, the one in Philippians 2:6,7, “Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God (Possessing the fullness of the attributes which made God God), did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained; But stripped Himself (of all privileges and rightful dignity) so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.” (Amplified Version)
We have quoted from the Amplified Version because it makes the passage much clearer and easier to understand. The point is that, before He became a man (the incarnation), He existed with God, was in the “form of God” and possessed all the attributes which made Him God, the Almighty.
The Incarnation
Webster’s Dictionary defines “incarnation” thus: “Invested with flesh or bodily nature and form, embodied in human form.”
To correctly understand the incarnation of Jesus Christ, we must first understand His pre-existence as Almighty God, the Eternal One. He was not, as some suppose, created by God, but existed as God and with God from eternity. He was that part of the plural Godhead that created all things.
The incarnation, therefore, was not an elevation or exaltation from a previous existence, but, as the Scripture indicates, a lowering, a debasement, a divesting of His Deity. Let us look at some scriptures that shed light on this point. We look again at the passage in Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Please notice the scripture says He “took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” The Amplified Version renders verse 8 like this, “and after He had appeared in human form He abased and humbled Himself (still further) and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of (the) cross!”
The incarnation, therefore, was Almighty God appearing in human form, being “touched with the feelings of our infirmities” or, as the Amplified Version puts it, “For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a fellow feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.”
Hebrews 2:17,18 states further, “Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.”
John 1:14 states, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Hebrews 2:14 says, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
So we see, the Bible says that Jesus became partaker of flesh and blood even as children inherit the same from their fleshly parents. There is one difference, however. Jesus did not have an earthly father to procreate his conception. Joseph, the husband of Mary, did indeed accept the responsibility of fatherhood for his step-son, Jesus, but Jesus was not of the seed of Joseph.
The Birth Of Jesus
The Biblical record informs us of Jesus’ birth in these words, “Now the birth of Jesus was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US.”
Supernatural Conception
The conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary, therefore, was a supernatural act of God by the seed of the Holy Spirit being placed therein. This is the meaning of the scripture passage in I Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”
“God manifest in the flesh” does not refer to Omnipotence, Omniscience, Deity, Immutability, Infinity, Divinity or Sovereignty. These are the Divine characteristics that God, the Word, the pre-existent Almighty One, laid aside when He became man.
You see, this had to be so in order that a substitutionary death could be provided for the guilty sinner, for God, the Eternal, the Almighty One, could not die. Divine attributes were divested that propitiation be provided in the vicarious death of Jesus of Nazareth.
God Manifest In The Flesh
What does the scripture “God manifest in the flesh” mean if it does not refer to Divinity? We believe this has reference to the Godly virtues manifested in the earthly life of Jesus. Foremost among these was the love of Jesus for lost humanity. That love motivated His total life and ministry. It was “agape” love, the kind that proceeds from God only. Jesus demonstrated God’s love; He was God manifested to the world in His supreme love for the sinner.
One the other hand, He was God manifested in the flesh in His total abhorrence and renouncement of sin in all its forms (“thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Heb. 1:9).
And yet He demonstrated compassion, empathy and forgiveness for the worst of sinners. Jesus was the embodiment of those characteristics of Almighty God which we read of in Exodus 34:6,7, “And the Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and the fourth generation.”
David expressed the same thought in Psalm 86:15; “But thou, O Lord art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
Thus we see the fulfillment of the prophetic pronouncement of Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince f Peace.”
And Matthew 1:23, “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
This was fulfilled in the earthly life of Jesus.
We want to add two more scriptures that are relevant at this juncture. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, Made of a woman, made under the law” (Gal. 4:4).
The Incarnation of Christ, therefore, is a basic, fundamental, Bible truth, without which the gospel message would be devoid of saving grace. It is mandatory that man believe and accept the ramifications of the glorious truth of Christ’s incarnation and humiliation in His vicarious death on Calvary!
Christ The Only Mediator
“Jesus is the One and Only Mediator between the one God and the one human race. He is the only Saviour, the all-sufficient Sacrifice, the perfect and eternal High Priest. He alone is qualified to serve as Mediator. He is the only one required. He excludes all others. No other person could every have occupied His position or performed His mediatorial work. No angel, no animal, no sinner could have served as mediator. Jesus stands alone in His ability to fulfill the requirements of a mediator between God and man.
Christianity is not merely one religion among many. It is the only one true religion. Jesus is the only Saviour. All other religious roads are dead end streets. Leaders of heathen religions may have been “saintly men,” but they are lost sinners apart from Christ. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).
Peter declared, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Paul wrote, “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5).
“Jesus is the only redemptive link between heaven and earth. He is the only bridge between Creator and creature. He is the only door between God and man. If man shuts that door, there is no other opportunity for salvation” (“Systematic Theology” P. 237).
THE NARROW WAY TO GLORY
Dennis Davis
Finding the narrow way is the mystery of all time (Matt. 7:14). We read that those that did not have oil in their lambs (Matt. 25:4), or did not have on a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11), or were too rich to let go of their earthly treasure (Mark 10:25), would find an undesirable end. How do we understand this great mystery of being chosen by God to be His very own possession?
An encouragement for solving this mystery is given back in Proverb 25:2: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” Well, those that have the title of kings, exist today (I Peter 2:9; I Cor. 4:8; Rev. 1:6). Also, we can be workmen rightly dividing the word of truth (II Tim. 2:15). Therefore, the meaning of the narrow way is searchable.
The majority of Christians think they have solved the mystery by merely accepting Jesus as their Savior. The common saying is “We are saved by grace,” not understanding what grace is, nor adding the important word – “faith” (Eph. 2:8). Grace is a favor (unmerited in this case) given by God. The grace for salvation was provided by the physical sacrifice and blood of Jesus. Before Jesus, the grace was granted by the blood of animals. It is important to know the physical comes before the spiritual (I Cor. 15:46,50) and belief in the physical sacrifice of Jesus is the first step on the pathway to glory, but there is a much deeper experience, a more consecrated walk than initial salvation. The spiritual must also be walked out. Ask what we are saved from? We are saved from an eternal hell. All men have sinned and sin is the cause that all men are destined for hell. Jesus died for the sins of the world, and those who throw themselves upon Christ and His atoning sacrifice have their sins forgiven and are saved from hell. Christ’s sacrifice pays the penalty for our sins and cleanses the temple (body) making entrance of the Holy Spirit possible. As long as one walks in the light given him by the Holy Spirit, he has daily cleansing. However, if he turns away from the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit, he falls away.
Jesus is not recorded as saying “saved by grace.” In fact, He is only recorded as using the word “grace” one time, and that was relative to the Apostle Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” (II Cor. 12:9).
No! Saying a few words about your faith at the altar or on a street corner or in front of a television set is not put one on the narrow way. The spiritual aspect of the way must be satisfied, because Jesus was both physical (Mary) and spiritual (the Holy Ghost) (Matt. 1:20).
The Word of God is described as the Sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). The tip of the sword is able to search deeply into the spirit for answers.
The two relevant mysteries of the spiritual portion of the narrow way are centered around the Kingdom of God and having Christ in us. The words of Jesus were predominantly about the Kingdom of God – what it was like and those that would or would not be allowed to enter. At the end of His physical life, He promised the baptism with the Holy Spirit just as His forerunner, John the Baptist, had foretold.
From the time of Jesus to the present time, there are those that would not enter into the Kingdom of God themselves, nor allow others to do so (Matt. 23:13). In relatively recent times, we have had people like John Calvin that teach the characteristics and power of the Kingdom, healing, miracles, tongues, etc., were for “those days only.” And then there are those that follow the erroneous teachings of reference Bibles, such as produced by Scofield or Dake. These purportedly “good sources” state for a fact that the Kingdom of God has been delayed until sometime in the future and will have Jesus as a physical earthly king – just as the Jewish religion expects.
So, in relation to the kingdom of God, where does a believer in Christ find himself today? Either the Kingdom is long past or will only be in the future. Thank God for the Sword of the Spirit, as we know from Col. 1:13 for example, that the Kingdom is in us as we have been translated into it by the Father – NOW!
Anyone accepting the false teaching of “only for those days,” or a future only Kingdom, would not be able to find their way to the narrow path, let alone walk on the path! The best advice given is found in II Timothy 3:5, and that is to turn away from those people.
When Jesus came, His life, death, and resurrection unveiled the mystery, making it not so difficult to solve. The Word of God has revealed every aspect of the kingdom and the part every believer has in that kingdom. One major part of the mystery that has been kept secret from the beginning is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:26,27). This is the same as saying the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit in you (John 14:17; I Cor. 3:16). Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Paul explains the direct connection between the Kingdom and being baptized with the Holy Ghost. Here is the unassailable proof: “The Kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17).
So, how is all this germane to finding the narrow way to glory? Paul describes believers on this path as if they have no idea what is going on (just like today)! Here it is from I Cor. 6:19: Don’t you know that you are the temple of the Holy Ghost/Kingdom of God and you are not your own! At last – the spiritual answer.
Not your own: this is the heart and crux of the matter and means total submission to the Lord Jesus who is in you. Once you have been baptized with the Holy Ghost, you are on the narrow path. As you walk that path, following the leading of the Holy Spirit, which abides now within, you have oil in your vessel (Matt. 25:4) and the wedding garments, which according to Revelation 19:8 are the righteousness of the saints!
To be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14), to do His will, and to worship the Father in the spirit and truth (John 4:24), produces sons and daughters of God.
If a Christian is able to finish this life as approved and included in the Kingdom of God, there are unimaginable benefits – see Matt. 11:11 for starters. However, be prepared in this life for tribulations (Acts 14:22) and the need for severe humility (Mark 10:15).
How does this all-important baptism with the Holy Ghost happen? At times, those of a humble life (like in the third world countries) receive this Spirit baptism at conversion. *The most common way is for hands to be laid on believers by those that are, themselves, filled – possibly at an old-fashioned prayer meeting. Simply asking for the Spirit baptism can be successful, because it is the Father’s good pleasure to give it (Luke 12:32).
The laying on of hands from the days of the Apostles until now is an effective method. Look at Acts 8:14,19) when Peter and John laid hands on people. The bystanders observed the results – probably “tongues.” Note this baptism is not with the physical water and is not for a person that is too proud to believe something they think is beneath them or ridiculous.
This is a Spirit baptism by Jesus for the hope of glory. Many are called for this most important experience, but only a few succeed because of their ardent and diligent searching.
Does anyone remember instant Sanka Coffee? Just for crude illustrative purposes: a person could relate Sanka Coffee to the conversion experience and fresh-ground brewed real coffee to the Holy Ghost experience. What a difference!
Are you willing to take an eternal chance that by merely accepting Jesus as your Savior you will have the best resurrection available? And, by the way, eternity will last for quite a while!
* Editor’s note:
Obtaining the baptism of the Holy Spirit by laying on hands by the Apostles is clearly evident in the book of Acts. However, we do caution people that laying on of hands can also be dangerous in some cases. Jesus warns that there are many false christs and false prophets and these promote laying on of hands. Understanding what laying on of hands does in communication is very important because the Holy Spirit can be transmitted by a spiritual man of God to those on whom he would lay his hands. We are told in scripture that if there is any sick among us that we should call for the elders of the church and they would anoint with oil and lay their hands upon them, praying for healing. Healing power can flow through those men and minister healing. However, just as the Spirit of God is transmitted by the laying on of hands, false prophets who are influenced by evil spirits can also transmit their evil to any who might have hands laid upon them. When we have hands laid upon us, we need to be certain that those who are laying their hands on us are genuine men of God.
There are three things that can happen when someone lays hands on us. 1) The man is a man of God and God ministers through him to the person. 2) The man may be a Christian but does not possess the power to transmit any of God’s power to the individual, so nothing is actually accomplished. 3) The man is influenced, possessed, or moved upon by evil spirits and, therefore, he transmits evil to the person upon whom he lays his hands. This is not intended to discourage anyone from desiring the baptism of the Holy Spirit and seeking for it; it is only a word of caution to be sure that those we allow to lay hands on us are genuine men of God. May God give each discernment as we strive to become more like Jesus Christ.
RELIGION vs SPIRITUALITY
Harry R. Miller
At no other time in the history of the world has Christianity been so popular as it is today. Less than fifty years ago it was popularly considered a sign of weakness to be known as a religious man. But today the Christian faith is almost the topic of the hour. Radio and TV have blasted down the last remaining citadels of unbelief until today “Gospel” songs are heard in bars and saloons all over the country.
The United States army and navy recruiting service signs picture both men and women serving their God in the church and on the battlefield. Signs of “Jesus Saves,” and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” are posted along many miles of the highways of our nation.
Bible printing has reached such colossal proportions until it is known to the printing trade as “big business.” Secular magazines now quite frequently print “Christian” articles or articles of a religious nature, and the “New Bible” has been lauded to the skies. To many it looks as though the right has conquered and a utopian millennium is at hand.
But stop and analyze this current revival of Christianity in our land. Is our nation becoming spiritual, or only intensely religious? True Christianity must be spiritual. The first test for any religious devotion to the true God is this: Is it Biblical? The beliefs and examples of men are no criterion for the Christian faith. Our foundation for our religion is built, not upon dogma, but upon the solid rock of the Word of God, which we call the Bible.
I beg you to carefully consider the pillars of the true Christian faith. What is implied when a man says that he is a Christian? Does that mean that he accepts the “faith” set forth in the Word, and becomes a believer? Is that all that the faith of Christ requires of men – merely that they “believe” in the existence of such a faith? Many of us believe in the facts of science and chemistry, but we are not scientists or chemists. Nor does mere belief in Christianity make Christians.
The Christian faith was not an accident in the universe; it was most meticulously designed by the Great Creator Himself. “The faith,” as we call it, is a process for the bringing forth of a certain product desired by the Almighty. Bear in mind that God purposed this world “after the counsel of His own will” (Eph. 1:11), and designed all the mechanics of both physical and spiritual things. In His plan an acorn is planted and brings forth an oak tree, but in the planting of that one acorn, thousands of other acorns never grow to bear fruit, but fall only to fertilize the ground. So, also, in the economy of God “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14).
“Ye are a chosen generation…that ye should shew forth the praises (virtues) of him who hath called you” (I Peter 2:9). Here is an objective of Christianity. Here we have a reason for the existence of this great faith. But, one may ask, what is meant by the “praises,” or virtues, of Christ?
To be a mere imitator of the physical and social life of Christ might lead one to believe he was making a great show of the piety of Jesus, yet within he could be the basest of hypocrites. Thousands of “holy men” of India make a daily show of their life of self-effacement, privation, and complete devotion to their faith, yet the Hindu religion makes no claim of Christianity.
To be merely an imitator of good works is to provoke the indignation of heaven, for true Christianity demands that the very nature of its advocates must be recreated, or changed. Jesus said a man “must be born again” (John 3:7).
Saul of Tarsus was a zealous churchman. He was a strict keeper of the law, yet as an unsaved enemy of God he wrought havoc among the children of the Lord. Many Pharisees were hypocrites at heart. They attended church, paid their dues, and made great claims of being religious, but all for selfish ends. They loved the world – the religious world. They were satisfied churchmen. Not so, Saul of Tarsus. Even though his understanding had been befogged by man-made doctrine, he had an honest heart. God, in mercy, knocked him down. It was then he saw “the light,” and was changed into another man.
Saul, who after his new birth became Paul, was now called to be a “partaker of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4). He was initiated into the company of the saints who believed that a man should “purify himself even as he is pure” (I John 3:3). Paul plainly taught that every believer was as obligated as he to make complete sacrifice and devotion to his Lord. To the Corinthians he said, “I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (I Cor. 4:16,17).
Paul soon learned that the Lord has set us all an example of death to self; and as we believers follow the leading of His Spirit we will, step by step, be led to die to self. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24). Again, he said we are “being made conformable unto His death” (Phil. 3:10).
Multitudes of the present-day Christian professors know nothing of “the cross” life. They live for self, they pray for self, and they seek to save self wherever they are able. This was not taught by the Lord Jesus. He plainly said that if any man would seek to save his life, he would lose it, and only those who lost their lives for His sake, and the Gospel’s, would be able to save their lives (Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; Matt. 16:24-26).
The true Christian faith plainly shows that the Creator desires men who will surrender ALL to Him and to His will. This includes family, relatives, money, property, ambitions, body, heart, and soul (Luke 12:33; 14:33; Matt. 7:21; 10:38; I John 1:7). Such a person finds a straight gate and a narrow way, but he becomes a walking temple of the Living God. God dwells in him, guides him, directs him, and in the process of time the individual becomes in nature like unto his Lord. This is a son of God. It is such that the Father seeketh to worship Him. These are the people who are called the “precious fruit of the earth” (James 5:7). It is for these “jewels” that the Lord returns the second time. But, as it was in the days of Noah so also shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man, not many men will have accepted the death to self way of true Christianity (Matt. 24:37-39).
LETTER FROM A READER
Dear Sirs,
I ask some of you to explain to me why I should not believe (as I do) words of God.
Zechariah 12-14, says Jesus comes and does set foot on Mt. of Olives 14:4 speaking of last days, terrible times before and at His second coming. Also Revelation 5:10 … we will be as kings and priests and shall reign “on the earth”. (When?) (a thousand years).
Revelation 20:4 … they lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years. Seems clear to me. Jesus come (binds Satan 1000 years) lives. Revelation 5:10 on the earth and His people reign with Him. Of course, no matter our thoughts, His will will be done and His people will submit.
OD
Dear OD,
We very much appreciate your questions. We are familiar with this view concerning Christ’s return and the setting up of His kingdom on the earth, for it is most common among Protestants today. We do agree with your last sentence, “Of course, no matter our thoughts, His will will be done and His people will submit.” Christians, pastors, students, theologians, and apologists are not agreed on the portion of scriptures to which you referred in your letter, yet each, hopefully, are searching for truth and not blinded by tenaciously cleaving to preconceived ideas or teachings. When we are taught doctrines from a specific point of view, those scriptures which support that view are planted in our minds and we find it difficult to view them from any other perspective. To us they simply mean exactly as we perceive them. To consider a different meaning of the same scriptures many times seems foolish, or we may be concerned that it is a deception sent to set us on the wrong path.
As an example of this fact I would like to refer to the doctrines of law and grace. If one has been raised in a very conservative church where the Christian doctrine of law is stressed very strongly and the abuse of grace is emphasized, the believer has been indoctrinated with a strong leaning toward obedience and a “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” mentality. (The fact is that obedience to God’s law is crucial to Christian living, and it’s also true that God’s grace is abused in much of today’s Christian teachings, but this does not mean that one should be embraced at the expense of the other. Grace and law must go hand in hand, for neither can bring the believer to God’s desired end without the other.)
Back to our example: The person raised with a strong emphasis on the law may find it difficult to embrace God’s grace or even understand it. We generally refer to this person as a “legalist.” However, without God’s grace, no man can be saved. In this scenario then, the legalist will feel he is being deceived when someone speaks to him about God’s grace, for he feels it is relieving him of his responsibility to be obedient to God’s law. To reach this person with the balance between law and grace is most difficult, and I personally believe that only God can open this person’s spiritual eyes to see the truth. The same is true with those who have been taught, it’s all grace without the law. To present the law to them is bondage and oppression, which is foreign to their lopsided view of grace.
I write all this to show how difficult it is for one to change a preconceived view of specific scripture or scriptures which he believes to be a true doctrine. This is especially true of one that has been well grounded through many years of study. The doctrine of a future 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth has been around for centuries, possibly millenniums, and is so accepted by most Protestants that any other view is not even considered, much less studied or evaluated. So what I am asking of you is that you temporarily lay aside your preconceived ideas and try to approach this topic with an open and unbiased mind and just try to understand another view of this topic. This does not mean that you forsake what you believe to be truth, but rather to strengthen the truth by studying a different view. If you find this new study is false, your original position becomes stronger, and if you find there are some very good points in this study, you will be brought to a clearer and more in-depth understanding of the topic you are concerned about. I study doctrines that others teach that I don’t agree with and then I understand why they believe as they do and I am more prepared to present to them the truth as I see it.
The fundamental flaw I see in the teaching of a 1000 year reign of Christ on earth is that the whole idea is carnal, or it’s all physical or materialistic. I believe that while God is using the physical, His focus is spiritual. God is Spirit not physical and His purpose in creating a universe and a planet, which we call earth, is not to produce a physical utopia but to bring forth a spiritual people with whom He can have deep fellowship. Scripture speaks of this group of people in various terms. In I John 3:2 John writes, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” “We shall be like Him,” not physical but spiritual.
The Apostle Paul speaks of the family of God in his letter to the Ephesians. “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 3:14-16). Notice the spiritual aspect of Paul’s words; “by his Spirit in the inner man.” Our physical existence is only the means or the process by which God is bringing forth His divine family. Remember when Samuel was examining Jesse’s sons in I Samuel 16, Samuel thought each son that came before him looked kingly, but in verse seven God spoke to Samuel and said, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” God is working in hearts to produce a spiritual quality.
Paul also uses the imagery of marriage in his letter to the Ephesians. In chapter 5:25-27 he writes, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” In the Revelation given to the Apostle John, it was revealed that there will be a marriage between the Lamb (Jesus) and the bride (the church). Notice in Revelation 19:7-8 that the Lamb’s wife has made herself ready and she is clothed with fine linen; she is clothed in righteousness. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for 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.” The church consists of a multitude which no man can number. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Rev 7:9-10). This great multitude is the same as that mentioned in Revelation 19:7-8, they are the bride of Christ.
This marriage is of a spiritual nature, not physical. Likewise, Jesus’ kingdom is also spiritual and not physical. This is the first problem I have with the Millennium teaching, but it is a major problem.
The next issue is the time element of Jesus’ kingdom. A 1000 year future reign of Christ suggests that Jesus is not King now. It seems to me to refute both John the Baptist’s message as the forerunner of Christ and also Jesus Himself, for both of these clearly stated that His kingdom was “at hand.” Matt. 3:1-3: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Matt. 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Some millennialists will try to separate the kingdom of heaven from the kingdom of God. This is totally foolish, for Mark in recording these same events uses the term, “kingdom of God, while Matthew uses, “The kingdom of heaven”. Mark, Luke, and John never use the words, “kingdom of heaven”, only Matthew uses that terminology. Many of the parables which are parallel in the Gospels, clearly show the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are one and the same.
While the teaching of a 1000 year reign of Christ has been around for centuries, C.I. Scofield is credited in promoting the modern teaching and making it more acceptable and palatable. He made popular the doctrine of “dispensationalism,” a teaching in which man’s existence is divided into seven time frames or dispensations, the seventh one being the Millennium. In his reference edition of the Bible, he makes the claim that, although Jesus came to set up His kingdom, He changed His message after the Jews rejected Him. Following are C.I. Scofield’s notes on Matthew 11:20, 28-29. “The kingdom of heaven announced as ‘at hand’ by John the Baptist, by the King Himself, and by the twelve, and attested by mighty works, has been morally rejected. The places chosen for the testing of the nation, Chorazin, Bethasida, etc., having rejected both John and Jesus, the rejected King now speaks of judgment. The final official rejection is later (Mt. xxvii. 29,37).
“The new message of Jesus. The rejected King now turns from the rejecting nation and offers, not the kingdom, but rest and service to such in the nation as are conscious of need. It is a pivotal point in the ministry of Jesus” (Holy Bible King James Version: Reference Edition, page 1011).
The point that Scofield misses is that Jesus never intended to set up a physical kingdom on earth. His kingdom is of a spiritual nature. Because he missed this very important and crucial point, he missed the whole message of Jesus. To make the statement that Jesus’ incarnation and purpose was derailed because the Jews rejected Him is to say that God’s divine plan was thwarted by men. God is sovereign and man will never thwart His eternal plan, for it was established before the world was ever created. Jesus came for several reasons, and He accomplished every part of God’s divine plan; He left nothing undone, for on the cross as He gave up the ghost, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).
To show that the kingdom was established at that time, I would like to refer to a few scriptures which reveal the nature of this kingdom. Jesus states in Matthew 16:28, “Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27 record these same words. Some of those who heard Jesus speak that day saw His kingdom come in power. The next recorded event in each of the Gospels is the account of Jesus being transfigured before Peter, James, and John. Peter refers to this great event in II Peter 1:17-18, “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2, is another clear revelation of the kingdom of God operating among men. This kingdom was then and is today a spiritual kingdom. Consider a few more words from the lips of our Saviour. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus clearly teaches here that one cannot see His kingdom with the natural eye; rather, this kingdom exists within the heart of every believer. It is the power of God unto salvation. It is the power of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection that brings salvation to mankind. When one is saved, he passes from death unto life (John 5:24). He is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13). He is a new creature (creation) (II Cor. 5:17). The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the “new creation.” The power of the kingdom is experienced through the working of the Holy Spirit within one’s heart. Paul writing to the Romans shows specific aspects of this kingdom. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink (physical); but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (spiritual)” (Rom 14:17). [emphasis mine]
There is so much more that can be said about the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ and how it is manifest in the life of every believer; however, this should be a good start if one is interested in delving into it in more detail.
Returning to the specific portion of scripture in Zechariah and Revelation, the real question here is: Are these chapters or verses speaking of physical things or spiritual? I believe they include both but are written in sign language and cannot be interpreted literally. There are several different interpretations of these portions of scripture. Some believe those in Zechariah refer to the destruction of the temple at the hand of Antiochus Epiphanes while others believe they speak of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Some divide the verses up saying some refer to one event while others indicate different times and events. Most hold to the idea that at least part of this portion of scripture refers to the second coming of Jesus, but then there are some who feel it is speaking of Jesus’ first appearance. The question then becomes: Who is right? What makes you think you are right when many scholars would disagree with you? You might say, “There are some that agree with my understanding,” and you would be right; some do agree, but that agreement does not necessarily make your interpretation correct; it only means that you aren’t alone in that conviction. I realize I can be wrong in my understanding, but I feel that I have given enough plain scriptures to support my convictions. Those presented above do not have to be interpreted or made to say something that seems preposterous. They are plain and simple to understand.
If you will look at Matthew 24, there were three questions the disciples asked Jesus. When would the temple be destroyed? What were the signs of Jesus’ coming? When would the end of the world come? As we read through this chapter, Jesus speaks of three different events, the three already mentioned. We must distinguish from His words which question He is addressing. We cannot assume that all of them refer to the destruction of the temple, nor can we assume that everything He spoke refers to His return or the end of the world. Some may have an application to all three, others may be pertinent to two of the events, while some may speak only of one of the three.
I know this has been a lengthy response to your questions, but this is a very involved topic and cannot be answered in a few paragraphs. Books have been written on these scriptures and these topics from every different position, and we all have to admit that great men of God have disagreed on these things. One thing is certain, and that is that God will be glorified in the end, and whatever He has decreed will come to pass. The most important thing for us is that we are ready when Jesus returns, and whatever He does at that time is okay with me. I just want to be ready. Part of being ready is to love God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. This is accomplished through the working of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. May God bless you as you consider these few thoughts, and I pray we all come to a greater understanding of Who God is and realize His power in our lives.
Your brother in Christ,
The Editor
P.S. One other thing I feel is very important to note. Scripture speaks of two Jerusalems, one physical and one spiritual. The physical Jerusalem is the one that is in Palestine and is, according to Paul in Galatians 4:25-26, in bondage with her children. But the Jerusalem, which is above, is the mother of us all. In Hebrews 11:10 it states that Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Finally, according to God in Revelation 11:8 Jerusalem in Palestine “spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.” God’s not going to be doing much in that place. Just something to think about. God bless.