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People of The Living God |
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April 2023
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
Charles Woodard
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).
Love for Jesus is proven by obedience to His words.
Love and obedience elicit the love of God.
Love plus obedience for Jesus and God brings their presence to us.
Jesus and God live within the Believer.
Spiritual life grows from the new birth. Maturity comes as the Christian loves and obeys the Word.
Obedience to Christ and His Word is love; “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments…” (II John 6a)
A man or a woman who is unfaithful in marriage does not really love the spouse. They may think they do, but obedience to the marriage vow is proof of true love.
The same is true in the spiritual. A person will keep His words if that person really loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is for this reason that we cannot pronounce a person saved. Time and obedience are required for salvation. Salvation is a combination of Redemption, Justification, Sanctification and Perseverance (II John 6a above).
Jesus must become dominant in a believer’s life in order for true spiritual love to take place: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37).
Love with all the heart, soul and mind is total submission. A complete yielding to Christ, His will and His authority is the standard of discipleship: “Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee” (Mark 10:28).
True Christianity requires the believer to forsake all and follow Christ Jesus! His will must become our will: “...Ye are not your own” (I Cor. 6:19b).
Spiritual love demands broken self-will and a desire to live devoted to Christ alone. Many have made Him first on Sunday and Wednesday nights, with Grace before meals as their only prayer.
The love Jesus spoke of in John 14:23 (opening verse) is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year devotion. This love is not something we add to our life, but must become our life!
God’s sovereignty is found in our love. Our love is found in God’s sovereignty.
CATASTROPHE BRINGS TEMPORAL UNITY
HOLY SPIRIT MINISTRY BRINGS LASTING UNITY
Warren Berry
It is a fact that when some national catastrophe threatens a nation, its citizens seem to lay aside most of the strife and divisions which may exist before the threat appears. This was clearly the case in 2001 when the two Trade Centers were destroyed by two hijacked airliners and a third which struck the Pentagon. Then there was the fourth plane which was unsuccessful in hitting its planned target because the brave passengers took control of the situation and downed the plane in a field in Pennsylvania. It was truly amazing how the whole nation laid aside their petty differences at the realization of the audacity of some terrorist group to commit such a devilish evil. Not only was there a sudden unity for revenge but there was also a great fear that fell upon many Americans, so much so that church attendance grew tremendously over the next few weeks. People were afraid and suddenly realized their need of God; things were out of their control. Unfortunately, this fear only lasted a short time for, as soon as the president announced that this attack upon America would not go unpunished and that America would rebuild and boldly, proudly, and bravely avenge herself, America’s government and military took the place of God for many.
There was another war fought in America that both united and divided at the same time; it was the war between the North and South, referred to as the Civil War. History reveals that citizens in both north and south were more than willing to leave their farms and businesses in order to join the ranks of their fellow citizens and engage in one of the saddest wars in America’s history. Brother against brother, father against son, and friend against friend. Both sides felt their cause was worth fighting for but very few knew how long this war would last and the cost in lives on both sides. However, the post war situation in America failed to bring any form of unity. Years later, many were still fighting in their minds and attitudes, the Civil War. (The strife began to subside considerably a hundred years later after Martin Luther began his Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. It was truly amazing how much progress was made and minds and lives changed over the next 40 years. Yet it seems in the last decade or two, much of what was accomplished unfortunately has been reversed.)
Not only were the events of 9/11 and the Civil War uniting events, there have been world events that have brought not only citizens of one nation together but nations have united to deal with evil governments and nations which have evil intentions for the world. Those of course were the axis of evil which united in the late thirties to bring Europe, Asia, the Middle East and even northern Africa under their control. At the same time, Japan decided it needed some of Russia’s natural resources and determined to steal it from its neighbors. These threats brought together most of the nations of Europe along with Russia and the United States in a unity, not necessarily desired but essential for the safety and security of all.
So we can see how a tragedy or peril of some sort will bring about a certain degree of unity. When considering the division which exists within the church, I wonder what it will take to bring about unity. In His prayer in John 17 Jesus vividly expressed His desire for His people to come into oneness. In fact, His heart’s cry was that His people would be so closely united that they would be as He and His Father are united. That’s truly far beyond our comprehension. Yet Jesus came and paid the price that His people would become united in Him. How the enemy has fought this unity! The desire for unity is present in many believer’s hearts but how to come into it is something that seems to elude all of us to some degree. It is a dilemma that only God can solve.
The church is divided over so many things. It is a fact that much of the division we see has to be. Yet there are many things that have divided us which ought not to be. Jesus said He came not to send peace but a sword. He said following Him would bring a rift between father and son and son would be against father, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and one’s enemies would be those of his own household (Matt. 10:34). So there is a very essential cause for division in many cases. I think of Jesus’ warning of false prophets and false christs. The true church must not only separate themselves from these but reject them and expose them. There can be no compromise and, of course, no unity. Finding the line where a required and necessary division is drawn and where love covers a multitude of sin is the real issue. None of us possesses all truth and while we strive to walk in the truth as we understand it and seek to be patient with others whose convictions differ, it is easy to become concerned and even fearful of some teachings. One doctrine that comes to mind is that which separates many mainline denominations who teach apostolic secessionism and opposes the doctrine of continuationism and consequently those who believe that the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit as seen in the book of Acts, will continue till the end.
Continuationism teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit which were given to the apostles and other men of God are still for the church today. This includes the gifts of tongues, interpretation, healing, prophecy, miracles, and other outward manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Secessionism is the belief that those gifts were only for that time and operated through Apostles as signs confirming the Gospel which the apostles preached. They feel those ministries were needed to reveal the reality and truth of the Gospel to an unbelieving world. It was these gifts and ministries that confirmed the Apostles’ message and they did have a tremendous effect upon those who saw and experienced those manifestations and it was a great boost to those through whom they operated.
This is just one area of contention but one which, it seems, there is no common ground. How many other issues are there which cause division? The manner in which a person is baptized; sprinkle or immersion; in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit or in the name of Jesus; which day is the Sabbath, first or seventh? Grace and law really separate Christians as does once saved always saved vs one can lose his salvation. Christians are divided on whether to use wine or grape juice in the Lord’s Supper and whether women can preach or hold an office in the church. It seems as time goes on there are more and more things to be divided over.
There are some things that are entering the American churches that are not even questionable; things like homosexual and lesbian pastors and elders; acceptance of abortion as an alternative birth control. Pastors and elders divorce their wives and marry another and it’s okay; others teach it’s unbiblical. Accepting drag shows in church is a more recent departure from God’s word which has infiltrated many churches and certainly cause for division. Things of this nature do not need to be discussed because they are an abomination and any genuine Christian should exodus the church as soon as these things enter.
So what is it going to take for the church to be united and become one? Can it happen without the gifts and operation of the Holy Spirit? Paul declared that the ministries which ushered in the Gospel will also be necessary to bring God’s people together in Godly harmony. Note carefully the importance and necessity Paul puts on these Holy Spirit gifts and ministries in Ephesians 4:11-16 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (emphasis mine)
The common idea among those who teach that the gifts no longer operate as in the early church is that apostles and prophets are preachers or some other office in the church. But there are a couple of facts that seem to discredit this premise. Jesus made a distinction in disciples and Apostles when He named the twelve disciples apostles. “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles” (Luke 6:13). Jesus appears to have elevated the office of Apostleship above the ordinary preacher or teacher. It appears that Paul noted one distinguishing fact, that an apostle is one that saw the Lord, for he said he was an apostle as one born later. “After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Cor. 15:7-9). It appears here that to be an apostle, one must see the Lord Jesus. Paul saw the Lord on the road to Damascus and again later in his ministry. Two things are revealed here: one is that it is possible for one to see Jesus today even though He no longer walks on this globe, seeing this was the case with Paul: two – apostles can be raised up even in this day if the Lord actually appears to them and call them as He did Paul.
Therefore, it is by the ministries mentioned in Ephesians four that the saints will be made perfect and brought into a unity of love that cannot be divided. Yet it seems as though before this takes place there must come upon the church a great crisis of some sort that will cause us to cast aside many of our petty differences and love one another as Christ does. The fact that a church can be divided and split over the color of the carpet in the sanctuary is a sure sign Christians are childish at best and not really saved at worst. Crisis is one way the tares can be weeded out, but the other way is for the genuine gifts and ministries as seen at Pentecost to return. I tend to think it may be both.
A MEMORIAL
H.R. Miller
Many centuries before the cross of Christ, the Lord spoke to His people who were in bondage down in the land of Egypt. By the obedience of FAITH, believers were to be delivered from their enemies, and that faith was based upon the blood of Jesus Christ, then, just as it is today. Salvation in Moses’s day, Noah’s day, Abel’s day, or any other day, has only been possible through faith in the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God.
Man’s understanding of the work of the Savior was rather primitive, but man’s approach to God has ever been the same; it is through the Lord Jesus. A new year began in Israel when the Lord told Egypt’s slaves, “This day shall be unto you for a memorial” (Exodus 12:1-30; Lev. 23:4-8). Here was a memorial the children of God were told to keep forever. It was to be a sign of faith and obedience to every believer down through the ages.
That night in Egypt, it was not the righteousness of the Hebrews that justified them before the throne of God. In themselves they had no righteousness any more than sinners have today, but through faith in the Word of God they OBEYED the order of the hour, and the blood of lambs marked the doors of believers that night. When the death angel came over, he found that these people were just before the throne of God. Their faith was counted as righteousness.
Had the Hebrews walked “in the light,” and continued in faith and obedience as they started, they could have inherited all the glories the Lord has prepared for them that love Him. They permitted an “evil heart of unbelief” to generate disobedience to the laws and commands of the “Rock that followed them,” and soon they became hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and fell victims to their own lusts and passions. Then it was that God in His wrath cut them off, and they fell in the wilderness under the judgment of the Lord (Hebrews 3).
Now “we are made partakers of Christ IF we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Heb. 3:14). “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (verse 19). “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” (Heb. 4:11).
Failure to “walk in the Light” has caused multitudes of souls to go down to destruction, not only in the days of National Israel, but also in our own “last day.” Many of those who have had an experience with God, and a “taste of the heavenly gift,” have soon become entrenched in tradition and are swallowed up by the “leaven” of our own times. When they have learned the doctrine of Babylon from A to Z, the leading of the Holy Spirit stops. Their light then becomes darkness; and “how great is that darkness”
The spirit of disobedience has swept the whole world. Men want to be a law unto themselves. They despise all commandments and laws. They fear bondage in precepts and statutes. This is not only a condition of the world, but is often a very dominating thing even in the church. Most modern churchmen do not believe in the commandments of God, and do away with them by saying we are not under law, but under grace.
Not only do these pseudo professors of Christ hate law, they also hate every ordinance and custom that the Lord Jesus ever gave unto His people. With a sweep of the hand, he says, concerning customs and ordinances, “they were all for the Jew.”
Did Christ abolish every ordinance? Did He come to destroy the law or the prophets (Matt. 5:17)? “I am not come to destroy.” Did He destroy the Passover? “I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Because He fulfilled all law does not mean that He abolished all law. In Matthew 3:15 we are told that He fulfilled all righteousness, but this does not doaway with all righteousness!
Those who despise law and commandments are ever fearful of putting on a yoke of bondage, and think that in order for the “just to live by faith” they must disregard all precepts and laws. But what saith the scriptures: “do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Rom. 3:31). Moses, “through faith kept the Passover” (Heb. 11:28). Christ, through faith, descended into the water and prefigured His death, and resurrection from the dead, as He rose again
Shall we do away with water baptism because Christ fulfilled all righteousness by being baptized? Certainly not. The commission is: “go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
Every believer is “sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Also, in the 18th verse: “there is no more offering for sin:” and again in I Cor. 5:7: “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”
Because Christ fulfilled all that the Passover signified, shall we, therefore, cease to keep the feast? “Therefore let us keep the feast” (I Cor. 5:8).
On the fourteenth day of the month Abib, “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said take, eat, this is my body” (Matt. 26:26). And as Luke has it in chapter 22 verse 20, “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” Here it is that the bread and the cup take the foremost place in the Passover. “This do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
No more does the blood of an animal speak at our Passover. Now it is the bread and the wine which show the Lord’s death. In I Cor. 11:26 we are told to observe this “until He comes.” The partaking of these emblems is called “the communion of the body and the blood of Christ” (I Cor. 10:16).
The communion is specially called of God for the Passover night, but this is not the only time for the children of God to partake of it. Though the Lamb was slain on the night of the Passover in Israel, it was not the only time that the Lamb of God was typified. They had a daily sacrifice; an evening and a morning oblation. This may account for the many times that the disciples of old “did break bread” in the early days. In Acts 2:42 it speaks of “apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” All these things were a service unto the Lord. This is why Paul said, in I Cor. 11:26, “As OFTEN as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.”
Therefore, every lover of Christ may partake of the communion as often as he wishes throughout the year, but on the Passover night he is called of God to a special observance. The feast of unleavened bread should be an especial joy to the saints of today, for men can now fully understand its true significance. On the fifteenth day of Abib all leaven is to be put away, and for seven days no leaven is to be eaten by the servants of God (Deut. 16:3; Ex. 13:3-10).
Leaven signifies that which corrupts; Sin in all of its subtle forms. By the sacrifice of Christ, sin is removed from the temples of the Holy Ghost, and men stand holy before God.
The number seven signified by the number of days of the feast is the number of perfection. Perfection is the thing that Christ obtained for us (Heb. 10:14). Although it may not be seen in many Christians, yet in the eyes of God those who are in perfect fellowship with Him are counted perfect. So, “cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee:” He “who is our Passover.”
WHY DID JESUS DIE?
Randall Walton
Simple logic tells us that there had to be a valid reason to justify the awful beatings and murder that were meted out to Jesus Christ, God's “only begotten Son.” Here was a man who had lived a scrupulously moral life, had ministered to untold thousands of disillusioned people, “who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). True, many others had been crucified, but theirs was done in retribution for a criminal act: murder, thievery, etc. Hanging from a cross until dead was a common means of disposing of the criminal element in those days.
But Jesus was of a different stripe: Pilate testified that he found “no fault in him.” And all of the accusations made by the High Priest and the rest of the Jewish council were false, predicated only on their hatred for One who publicly exposed their hypocrisy, deceit, and mercenary religiosity. He lived the life that He preached, and this fact rankled the daylights out of His enemies, for “they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders: but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matt. 23:4). (If this appears to be indicative of modern clergy, it is purely coincidental.)
Several times God's voice was heard proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and yet God permitted Him to be abused, beaten, cursed, spit upon, His beard to be pulled from His face and finally to hang shamefully from an “old rugged cross.” Why? In the august chambers of justice and mercy, how could the Potentate of the universe allow such a malicious, malevolent act against a perfectly innocent man? Why did He not intervene? Why did He not send twelve legions of angels to deliver Him out of the hands of these wicked and virulent characters? What!? And prevent the only means of salvation for mankind? There was absolutely nothing else that could atone for man's transgressions than the physical suffering and death of One who was completely sinless and selfless.
Thousands upon thousands of sheep and cattle had been slaughtered and offered as a means of covering man's sins, but they were mere symbols, in lieu of the only sacrifice which Almighty God would accept as payment in full for the pardon and forgiveness and remission of man's iniquity. In the annals of divine history, it is declared that He, Jesus was chosen for this ignominious task before the creation of the world!
As terrible as His unwarranted death was, it was also the greatest demonstration of pure LOVE possible, for in this one vicarious act God showed the awesome dimensions of His efforts to salvage mankind from destruction. Only love would demand that a just Person would give His life for the unjust! Men are prone to offer the inferior, or the unfit in place of the better or best, but God's ways are not our ways, neither are his thoughts our thoughts. He gave the very best in order to save the worst! He, Jesus, died “for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).
What Did He Do?
In the ages to come (Eph. 2:7), we will no doubt learn more of the details of His amazing accomplishments on Calvary and we will most surely have a greater ability to comprehend the depths of His matchless love for His creatures. We now see very dimly the magnitude of His death and resurrection, even though the sacred volumes offer a generous glimpse of the meaning of His sacrifice and the resulting atonement. The deeper our experience with Him becomes, the fuller our vision grows and the more we can appreciate His substitutionary offering in death.
#1. Sin Conquered
“… now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26).
“… after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12).
“… reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:11-12).
“He that committeth sin is of the devil” (I John 3:8).
“… these things I write unto you, that ye sin not” (I John 2:1).
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Eph. 1:7).
“God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:26).
These and other Scriptures show that Jesus, through His death, provided the means for believers to live above sin. This provision begins when a person is born again through repentance and dedication to God. All past sins are pardoned (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 10:17), and the person stands totally innocent before God. It is possible (though not probable) that the person could live the rest of his time without sinning. Human experience tells us that most people continue to hang on to certain sins most tenaciously, not because they are helpless to cope with a problem, but because they do not appropriate the help proffered them through the gracious atonement of Jesus' blood, and they find certain sins a source of pleasure.
“… he is the propitiation (atonement) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).
It is true, then, that so long as our motive is to please God, the atonement still works in our favor and we receive forgiveness for sins committed on the basis of our repentance and renewal of our intention to serve God.
But I John 3:8 says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” Commit, here, has to do with practicing or making a habit of sinning with no intention of overcoming or abstaining from it. Jesus Christ dealt with sin once for all when He offered Himself as “the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
While a Christian still possesses the carnal nature (old man, the flesh, self), he is also granted the power to overcome, and to conquer the desires and the wishes of the carnal nature. If this were not true, then the atonement is without credibility and actually grants mankind the right to sin as much and as often as he wants to. This, of course, is ridiculous.
Jesus sets men free from sin, from the power of sin, from the tendency toward sin. Or, as Paul so plainly put it:
“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18).
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22).
#2. Satan Overcome
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8b).
“… that through death he might destroy (make powerless) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
“… now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31).
“… the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:11).
“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
“… having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15).
“… how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house” (Matt. 12:29).
“I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years” (Rev. 20:1,2).
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15).
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even asI also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Rev. 3:21).
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).
A summary of these Scriptures shows the accomplishments of Jesus over the devil and his kingdom. These are not future events. This is present solid truth. The term “thousand years” in Revelation 20:2 is symbolic, as are most of the other terms in these verses: angel, chain, key, bottomless pit, dragon, and serpent. The time period began with Jesus' triumph over satan at the cross and covers the “day of salvation,” or this era when the “dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live” (John 5:25).
The word “thousand” is used throughout the Scriptures to show the magnitude or vastness of a given situation, and not the exact or precise number.
“I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people” (Psalm 3:6).
“… cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).
“… chariots of God are twenty thousand” (Psalm 68:17).
“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand” (Psalm 91:7).
“One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one” (Isa. 30:17).
“A little one shall become a thousand” (Isa. 60:22).
We, therefore, conclude that Jesus has already bound the “strong man” and “spoiled his goods,” and has given us victory and “power over all the power of the enemy”.
#3 One Body Formed
“But now in Christ Jesus we who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Jesus. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Eph. 2:13-16).
“There is ONE BODY, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Eph. 4:4).
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28).
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many” (I Cor. 12:12-14).
“And he is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18).
“In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:35).
“And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8,9).
“And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God” (Rom. 9:26).
“… for thou wast slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5:9).
These are by no means the only verses which declare that there is but ONE body of Jesus Christ, one church, one faith, one Lord, one Savior. That which stood between Israel and the Gentile world was removed when Jesus was “lifted up from the earth.”
The Old Covenant with its many ordinances which set up the Levitical priesthood, the rituals of the Tabernacle and Temple, including animal sacrifices and washings, etc., all ordered through and by the descendants of Aaron (a family order), was abolished at Calvary. One outstanding ordinance was that of circumcision for all males. This question became the centerpiece for a conference held in Jerusalem by the apostles and elders (Acts 15). Paul went to great lengths to show that that ordinance was a mere symbol of the spiritual act which was performed in the heart by the Holy Spirit (Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11; Gal. 6:15; Gal. 5:6).
The Ten Commandments, by the way, were not a part of “the law of commandments contained in ordinances.” They had been engraved on stone tablets by the finger of God and are now engraved in the hearts of God's people, all ten of them! (Heb. 10:16).
So, there is now but one true church, and it consists of all true believers who are redeemed and washed by the blood of the Lamb of God. They are bound together by God's love, and they love each other even as their Master commanded. They are not governed by creed, tradition, nor doctrinal concepts, but by their Head, who is Jesus Christ the Lord.
Jesus accomplished this miracle by His act of reconciliation upon the cross which was done for the benefit of all mankind. This does not mean that all of mankind will be saved; it means that His salvation would have a universal appeal in that it would be efficacious irrespective of “kindred, tongue, people, and nation.”
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Those who are saved become members of the one body, the body of Christ, the true and only church.
#4 The Kingdom Manifest
One of the greatest tragedies to have befallen the Church was the doctrine of dispensationalism and its futuristic view of an earthly, visible, material kingdom of God. What carnal man has failed to recognize is that the kingdom of God has always been a reality. There has never been one moment when the kingdom of God was not in existence. There are different aspects and manifestations of the kingdom, to be sure, but God's kingdom is as Eternal as He is Eternal. It has always been, it is now, and it will always be.
However, it is not an earthly kingdom; it never has been and never will be! God is a spirit Being and His kingdom would necessarily be of a spiritual nature, not earthly nor carnal. This helps us to understand what Jesus meant when He said that one can neither see nor enter the kingdom unless he is born again, a purely spiritual experience (John 3:3,5,6).
Israel of old wanted an earthly kingdom and a physical man to be their king. God's response to their demand was that they had rejected Him from being their king (I Sam. 8:4-22). How horrible that they would choose man's rule in preference to God's.
The only difference between their demand and that of modern man is that, today, men claim to want Jesus to be the man in charge of their earthly domain. This, of course, is a contradiction of fact: they have His words and commands now written in the Good Book and they refuse to obey them. The glaring truth is that rebellious people would not obey Him if He were here in person.
But, let us consider the ramifications of Jesus' ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension, all of which together made possible the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the first Pentecost after His death. Never before was this possible: here were about 120 people who were baptized with the Spirit, and were filled with the Spirit. This was no ordinary happening. Being baptized with the Holy Ghost was a new phenomenon peculiar only to those on this side of the crucifixion.
Jesus and John the Baptist began their separate ministries with the same message: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Throughout the 3½ years of Jesus' itinerancy, He repeatedly preached the truth of the kingdom and its immanency. He affirmed His own kingship and let people understand the truth about the nature of His glorious kingdom. Consider carefully the following Scriptures:
“… preaching the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23).
“… seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33).
“… preaching the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 9:35).
“… the kingdom of God is come unto you” (Matt. 12:28).
“… give thee the keys of the kingdom” (Matt. 16:19).
“… shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1).
“Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation” (Luke 17:20).
“… the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21)
“My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
Accompanying His teachings were signs, miracles, and wonders: healings, resurrections, food multiplied, power over the elements, etc., etc., all manifestations of the glory and power of both the king and the kingdom. The full enjoyment of that kingdom on a personal basis, however, could only come after Jesus had completed His act of reconciliation, an accomplishment so magnanimous in scope and purpose that we can only touch on it in brevity.
Daniel was given a revelation of an occurrence in the following terminology: “Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” This was a twofold meaning for the people of God, for there is both a heavenly sanctuary and an earthly sanctuary.
The heavenly was that realm which satan inhabited. He had polluted this heavenly realm with his inglorious rebellion against the Most High. When he and his evil spirit beings were cast out, the heavenly sanctuary was cleansed of the iniquitous rebels who had opposed God (We dealt with this under #2). But there was another important aspect that is invaluable to us. “Know ye not that ye are the temple (sanctuary) of God” (I Cor. 3:16).
Thus, the earthly sanctuary consists of God's people who were polluted or corrupted through the rebellion of our parents, Adam and Eve. As we showed in #1, “Sin Overcome,” this earthly sanctuary was cleansed through the awful death of our blessed Savior. “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Rev. 1:5).
#5. The Promise Of The Father
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17).
“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49).
“… know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Cor. 6:19).
Because of the redemptive work of Jesus on behalf of humanity, the Holy Spirit now indwells the heart of the believer. This, actually, constitutes the New Birth. The sanctuary was cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb, thus making it possible for the Holy Ghost to take up residence within this earthly temple of God.
And, along with the Holy Spirit's entrance, the kingdom of God in its spiritual power and purity is ushered into the heart of the believer: its blessings, its peace, its joy, its righteousness, its government with its law and order.
“The kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (I Cor. 4:20).
“The kingdom of God is not meat and drink: but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17).
Now, it can be said that He “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). “… hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6).
But, let us not think that this is the sum total of the vast kingdom of God. This is but the present form of that which is for the followers of Jesus Christ in this time. The kingdom in its fullness is yet to be realized!
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). Pictured here is that great Day of Judgment when all of humanity will be gathered before the throne of the Living God. Rewards and sentences are given forth on the basis of the “deeds done in the body.” The kingdom which is inherited by the faithful is that everlasting kingdom of God as described by David: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19).
But, for now, this heavenly kingdom's blessings are all accessible to the believer because of Jesus' finished work at Calvary:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you” (John 14:27).
“… that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).
“… that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13).
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts” (Eph. 3:17).
“… ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (I Peter 1:8).
“… Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20).
“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Col. 1:11).
“I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation” (II Cor. 7:4).
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13).
“… having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost” (I Thess. 1:6).
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Col. 3:15).
“I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them” (Heb. 10:16).
These glorious promises (and more) are available and applicable now, in this very age, and were ushered in through the crucifixion and resurrection of our blessed Savior. This is the Good News (Gospel) of the kingdom which is at hand, within the reach of anyone who wants it, and it is universal: it can be possessed by anyone, anywhere upon the earth.
Jesus did not die in vain. His death was victorious in every aspect and when He cried, “It is Finished,” He had met all the requirements to bring in reconciliation, salvation, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within every true believer. Bless His holy and wonderful name!
IS MARY CO-REDEEMER?
J.G. Swank, Jr.
Editor’s note: (This article was originally printed in the October 1997 issue of “The Testimony of Truth” and is reprinted here because of the truths which are presented which exposes one of the most unbiblical and erroneous doctrines of the Catholic Church. This truth needs to be presented to every member of the Catholic Church because of the eternal consequences of those who hold to the teaching presented in this article. May God mercifully open the eyes of those who have been blinded by this heresy.)
Newsweek’slead article with cover portrayal is “The Meaning of Mary - A Struggle Over Her Role Grows Within The Church” (August 25, 1997, pp. 48 ff.).
The upshot of this piece is that the pope may pronounce as doctrine that Mary is Co-Redeemer with Jesus Christ. There are 4,340,429 signatures from 157 countries already before the pope urging this to be done. That is an average of 100,000 a month.
First, Catholics differ from Protestants in accepting tradition alongside Scripture for final authority regarding Christian doctrine. Frequently, when Catholic dogma disagrees with Scripture, dogma wins out. This disturbs greatly the Bible-is-sole-critera-for-truth Protestants.
Second, there is much in the Bible to give Mary high regard. For instance, in the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) alone there is the revealings of her spirituality:
She is praised-filled (verse 46)
saved in joy (verse 47)
humble (verse 48)
thankful to God (verse 49)
understanding of God’s mysterious workings (verse 50)
abhorring the haughty (verse 51)
not seeking status (verse 53)
one of God’s simple, common, lowly servants (verse 53)
loyal to her faith (verses 54-55).
Third, Catholicism has gone beyond the biblical data regarding Mary to pronounce the following as dogma; that is, Christian doctrine infallibly stated as such by the pope when speaking ex-cathedra (that is, from St. Peter’s Cathedral Chair in Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome).
Dogma which is not according to the Scriptures includes:
Immaculate Conception: Mary was conceived without sin, immaculately. This is countered by Romans 3:23 which states that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory. The word “all” includes Mary. There is no reason to insert an exception to this simply-stated verse.
Perpetual Virginity: Mary was a virgin throughout her earthly span. This is countered in Matthew 1:25 where it states that Joseph, her husband, had sex relations with her after she gave birth to Jesus. Further, Mark 6:3 provides the names of Mary and Joseph’s sons and mentions their daughters, but not by name. There is no way that the Greek terms for “son” (“adelphos”) and “daughter” (“adelphai”) in this verse can be interpreted as “cousin,” as is interpreted by Catholic teachers.
Assumption of Mary: Mary was assumed bodily into heaven. This is countered in I Corinthians 15:50 where it states that flesh and blood cannot enter heaven. Blood is needed here on earth as a cleansing agent. The heavenly perfect body has no need of a cleansing agent such as blood. Jesus’ resurrected body had flesh and bones (see Luke 24:39) but no mention of blood. Further, there is no biblical detail regarding Mary’s death nor any teaching that she bodily ascended into heaven.
Mediatrix: Mary is our mediator to God. This is countered in I Timothy 2:5 which states that only Christ is our heavenly mediator to the Father. The Holy Spirit serves as our earthly mediator to heaven as stated in Romans 8:27; that is, the entire Godhead enters into our prayers: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But there is no hint whatsoever that Mary plays any role in our petitions.
Now the latest of the ongoing push for Mary:
Co-Redeemer: Mary may be a co-redeemer alongside Jesus. This is the crux of the Newsweek article; that is, that there are scores of signed petitions arriving at the Vatican asking the Pope to pronounce ex-cathedra that Mary is Co-Redeemer. This is countered by Luke 1:46-47 in which Mary herself recognizes God as her personal Savior; therefore, if she needs a Savior, she is not a Savior nor co-Savior. Of course, the reason Mary needed a Redeemer is because she had sinned like all other humans (Rom. 3:23) and thereby, was in need of divine grace.
The idea of Mary being Co-Redeemer has a long history: Pope Pius IX (pope from 1846-78): “God has committed to Mary the treasury of all good things, in order that everyone may know that through her are obtained every hope, every grace, and all salvation. For this is his will, that we obtain everything through Mary.”
Also, Pope Leo XIII, writing near the turn of the 20th century: “As no man goes to the father but by the son, so no one goes to Christ except through his mother.
Cardinal Saint Alfonsus de Liguori, in The Glories of Mary, reproduced in 1931 by the Redemptorist Fathers: Mary is called “the gate of heaven because no one can enter that blessed kingdom without passing through her.” In prayer, Mary is addressed: “All power is given to thee in heaven and on earth.” Hence, “at the command of Mary all obey - even God.”
Pope Pius XII, writing in 1953: “it is the will of God that we should have nothing which is not passed through the hands of Mary.”
Contemporary Roman Catholic scholar Edward Schillebeeckx: “...Chist is the Mediator between God the Father, and men; and …Mary is the Mediatrix between Christ and us.”
How, then, do Bible-as-sole-criteria-for-Christian-truth Protestants respond to the recent upsurge of interest in Mary being pronounced Co-Redeemer?
First, do not argue with your Catholic friends and acquaintances. Arguing is not Christian. Healthy exchange is profitable only when entered into by persons who regard one another with Christian manners. “Speak the truth in love...” “Let everything be done decently and in order.”
Second, remember that devout Catholics have been taught Catholic dogma, especially regarding Mary, consistently and thoroughly. Therefore, once a mindset has been formed, it is very difficult to challenge that mindset.
Third, pray to God for biblical truth to reign within His church, yet the final move must be made by the Holy Spirit Himself. He is the ultimate defender of His own revelation. Therefore, permit Him His kingly role.
Fourth, recognize that in every age there has been the ongoing contest between fabrication and revealed truth. Our age is experiencing what has been a two thousand year history of pro and con. However, what is unnerving is that this projected papal statement would sideline Jesus Christ as sole Savior; this could be a major sign of The End Times. It would also significantly dislodge the “Christian status” of the Roman Catholic Church by many Protestants.
Fifth, be confident of your own biblical knowledge. Study the Scripture yourselves so that you know what you believe; then live it. It is not enough to debate and argue; you yourself must be firmly grounded in the research of the divine revelation.
Sixth, if the pope pronounces a Christian doctrine that Mary is Co-Redeemer with Jesus Christ, then that will begin to shadow Jesus into the background as more and more focus will be given to Mary. In many Catholic quarters, such already has happened. That would delight demonic powers; they have been working hard during the Christian era to discount Jesus as The Christ in every way possible.
RITA MARIE MCGAREY
(September 23,1932 – March 5,2023)
Sister Rita Marie McGarey, who has been a member of People of the Living God since 1988 passed away on March 5,2023 while in the ICU of St. Thomas River Park Hospital in McMinnville, Tennessee. Sister Rita became very sick and was taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. Along with some other ailments, she was not able to recover and passed away nine days later.
Sister Rita attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Petoskey, MI for over ten years and she sent her children to the Adventist school. Sister Rita was one who loved to read and read the Bible regularly. She obtained a copy of the magazine published by People of the Living God and, after reading several of them over a period of time, she decided she wanted to visit People of the Living God in McMinnville, so she and a lady friend came down for a visit. After a short time here, she felt God was showing her this is where He wanted her. She returned to Michigan and began to settle things there so she could move to Tennessee and become a member of People of the Living God; that was in 1988. She has been a faithful member ever since and has contributed considerably to the work here.
Sister Rita became a caretaker for several of the elderly members in the PLG community and spent many hours, weeks, months and years caring for some who could no longer care for themselves. She was one who served God by serving others.
As Sister Rita aged, she developed some ailments which hindered her from doing some of the things she had always been able to do before. One major problem she had was in her feet and it made it difficult to stand for any length of time. However, even then she would do as much as she could to help. She was a faithful attendant to all the Bible studies and weekly services and loved to talk about the Lord. About a year before she passed, she had an experience with the Lord that had a tremendous effect upon her. It gave her great peace and assurance of God’s love for her, and the change was evident to those who knew her. God graciously assured her that she was truly saved and she knew where she would go when she passed. This was very evident the last week of her life as she lay in the hospital; she had peace and she knew it was time for her to go home. She is already missed but she is at rest in a better place.
PASSOVER 2023
This is a late notice as to the time of Passover this year. I forgot to include it in the March issue of “Testimony of Truth.” People of the Living God will observe the Passover
beginning on Tuesday, April 4th at sundown and will keep it through Tuesday evening, April 11th. I apologize for the late notice, and it is unfortunate this year since Passover is earlier than usual.
People of the Living God has observed the Passover for over 70 years and it has always been a special blessing to us. Each year the Lord blesses our gatherings and the Passover meal. It is a good time for fellowship and speaking about the goodness, grace and love of God, especially a time to give thanks for our salvation which was made possible through the offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, shedding His precious blood as an atoning sacrifice for us. Such love deserves our worship and praise.
We also observe the Communion, or Lord’s Supper, after we have finished our meal, much like it was on the last night Jesus was with His disciples in the upper room. We pray that all those who keep the Passover will receive a great blessing this year as we honor Jesus and remember His death till He come. What an awesome God!