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People of The Living God |
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March 2024
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
NO PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
There is no pre-tribulation rapture.
However, untold thousands believe in the secret rapture of the church prior to the tribulation period. This is because untold thousands don’t want to have to think of suffering through a tribulation time frame.
Theologians, videos, films and preachers bolster up this myth with their enthusiastic preachings and teachings. Yet this is nothing but a myth, accented as much by certain evangelical and fundamentalist Protestant segments similar unto the Roman Catholic underlining of the immaculate conception of Mary.
Nevertheless, if there is no biblical support for a teaching, it is bogus. So, the pre-tribulation rapture teaching is bogus.
It was manufactured in the 1800s in an 18-year-old Plymouth Brethren girl’s dream, told to her Pastor John Darby and then told to C.I. Scofield who bought into the dream as revealed truth. Scofield placed the pre-tribulation rapture notion as a footnote in his popular Bible, hence the spread of the myth.
I have offered for thirty years a check for $10,000 to any person who can point to chapter and verse in Scripture showing a pre-tribulation rapture position. I have yet to write out the check.
Just the opposite is biblical truth. In Matthew 24:29-31, for instance, the rapture (“gathering together”) is placed in the same time frame as the open second coming of Jesus Christ. And all of this is “after the tribulation” (verse 29). That is it in a nutshell.
All other passages in Scripture relating to the “gathering together unto him” must refer back to the literal time line provided by Jesus in Matthew 24. One must not use a symbolic passage in the Book of Revelation or any other symbolic based section of the Bible by which to draw a pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. Instead, the literalism of Matthew 24 must be used as the benchmark for all other “gathering together” themes of Scripture.
One starts with literalism and moves into symbolism when seeking to understand Scripture; it is not the other way around.
During the 1970s and 1980s, and even into the 1990s there was much written and preached about a pre-tribulation rapture. While the hype has diminished somewhat, the teaching has been accepted by most Protestant churches today. One wonders, with world events progressively becoming more and more anti-Christian, why the pre-tribulation rapture persons are not celebrating each dawn as the day when Jesus may return to earth.
Such is not the phenomenon on a large scale. Why? Is it because the next generation has not bought into this notion? And is it also because those trumpeting the pre-tribulation rapture heretofore realize now that it just may not be true?
In any case, it is a myth, a legend of Protestantism’s own conjuring and has no base in the Holy Scriptures. Yet these very Protestants are the ones who ardently point out the myths of Catholicism while holding to some of their own. Both segments of Christendom need to do a housecleaning of manufactured legends and return to the simple Bible truths, otherwise the church suffers from lack of knowledge.
What is so frightening about holding to a pre-tribulation rapture? It is more than mere academic quibbling. Holding to such a notion is weakening the church worldwide.
The church should be preparing for battle against the most evil forces arrayed by hell. Instead, the church is languishing with a false hope. This is all orchestrated by the demonic powers in order to eventuate a limp army of believers. And to see that through in this age of laxity in religion does not take much on the part of the dark powers. The apostate segment of the church is doing its fair share of blackening truth.
There are awesomely wretched days ahead for the righteous remnant. Those who are not strong will drop, fall away. They will be too numerous to contemplate. But for those who are truly into carrying the daily cross there will be nothing which will be able to thwart their zeal for Christ.
Already the remnant is being formed by the Spirit of light. He is gathering His own together in the power of the resurrection and the might of the revealed Word.
Set your vision upon the difficulties yet to be. They are but the trials permitted by the coming Christ. At the close of the tribulation period, then there will be the gathering together of the believers from the four corners of the earth. They will greet Jesus in the clouds as He descends through space, having left the right hand of the Father in heaven.
The gathering together (“rapture”) and the second advent will then be realized as one and the same event yet to be at the end of the tribulation time frame. See again Matthew 24:29-31 for the revealed detail.
THE TRUE MEGACHURCH
Armando Montes
This world has changed so much in the last fifty years. Our present generation has been blessed in so many ways. Living conditions have been made easier because of the technological advances in our society. We enjoy so many conveniences that our grandparents never dreamed of. In spite of all of this, we are not a happy generation.
Our culture works overtime to make us dissatisfied with who we are and what we have. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking how much happier we would be if we were only better looking, richer, more successful, more talented, or — whatever. The world sets the standards for success for our lives.
Our culture also encourages us to build our lives on money and material possessions. We are shown that success is measured by size. We are taught to hit bigger; the biggest is the best. Our culture tries to breed discontent with ourselves and our possessions. We’re constantly urged to chase after something bigger, better. In a world of superlatives we are rarely satisfied.
The church hasn’t been immune to the idea that biggest is the best. Pastors and church boards of directors work fiercely to build larger congregations. They even adopt worldly techniques to accomplish their plans. Henry T. Blakaby wrote, “You do not ‘organize’ the Kingdom of God; you ‘agonize’ the Kingdom of God.” We don’t need organizers, we need agonizers.
As Christians, our lives, beliefs and practices should be grounded in the Word of the Living God. The word megachurch is not found in the Bible. Before going deeper into the characteristics of the true megachurch, let me explain the term “mega.” It’s a Greek adjective and can be translated as big, large, or great. We have some words in English, such as megaphone, megacycle, megalomania, megalopolis, etc. This word “mega” has become part of our daily language. I even read from a lady who said that she saw, as she was driving, a bold flashing sign proudly proclaiming its special breakfast dinner of the day with “Mega muffin tops!”
The word μ?γαs (mega) is used extensively in the New Testament; many times applied to the works of the Holy Spirit through the early disciples. What are the characteristics of the true Megachurch? Here are five defining marks, according to Scripture.
DEFINING MARKS OF THE TRUE MEGACHURCH
THE EARLY CHURCH
1. Power ✓
2. Grace ✓
MEGA 3. Joy ✓
(GREAT) 4. Fear of the Lord ✓
5. Persecution ✓
In Acts 4:32 we read, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.” Great power, great grace. Our brethren after Pentecost had MEGA power, MEGA grace. The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was a focal issue of the Christian message. These men were endued with “dunamis,” δ?ναμιs of the Spirit of God to proclaim the glorious victory of the Lord over death and the powers of hell. “The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power” (I Cor. 4:20).
This power to perform miracles, heal the sick, cast out devils, and raise the dead was available to every believer. “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonder and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8). He was a deacon not an apostle. The preaching of the gospel was confirmed by signs and wonders, as decreed by the will of God. Where is this mighty, divine power today?
“And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 13:52). Joy and the Holy Ghost go together. It’s not manufactured by man or pleasant external circumstances. It is the product of the Spirit of God in a life completely devoted to Him. “And being brought on their way by the church, they (Paul and Barnabas) passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused GREAT JOY unto ALL the brethren” (Acts 15:3, emphasis mine). They had MEGA JOY. True joy is exclusively found in God. Neither pleasures of life nor riches can produce it. Worldly pleasures and material possessions are transitory; His joy is everlasting. It was given to remain in us (John 15:11). It doesn’t fade away before difficult situations. It is the source of divine strength when persecutions, tribulations and trials hit our lives. It relieves pains and sorrows. It is possible to have it in the very midst of turmoil. The early disciples tasted and knew that the joy of the Lord is indeed our strength. They faced persecution and some gave their lives as a testimony for the glory of the Living God.
Let us go deeper in our search for the true megachurch. “And GREAT (MEGA) FEAR came upon ALL THE CHURCH and upon as many as heard those things” (Acts 5:1, emphasis mine). Ananias and his wife Sapphira pretended to give to the church all they had received from the sale of a property, but they had kept back part. They lied to the Holy Ghost in the very presence of Almighty God. God's severe judgment fell upon this couple because of the gross act of disobedience. Our God is holy, pure, and righteous. His very nature demands that we walk softly and circumspectly before Him. This fear has to do with the awe and reverence we should feel in the presence of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). According to Acts 9:31, “the churches? were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”
Before His crucifixion, our faithful Lord warned His disciples with these words, “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Now the Son has gone back to heaven to be with His heavenly Father. The Jewish religious leaders are determined to wipe out every trace of Jesus’ teachings and new way of life. “And at that time there was a GREAT (MEGA) PERSECUTION against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were ALL scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1, emphasis mine). They lived godly lives and were blessed because they suffered persecution for righteousness’ sake (II Tim. 3:12; Matt. 5:10).
The apostolic church exhibited the marks of a TRUE MEGACHURCH: great power, grace, joy, fear of the Lord, and persecution. They were clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). They were all with one accord “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them” (Acts 5:13). They didn’t join themselves to the churches of their choice. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47).
At Pentecost, the Lord established His church by the Holy Spirit. And He will perform His work until the day of Jesus Christ by His Spirit. The pattern shown at Pentecost should have remained throughout the history of the Church. Unfortunately, compromise, division, and sin crept into the assemblies and, by the end of the first century, the glory of Pentecost was gone. But Bro. Paul wrote, “That he (Christ, the Head of the Church) might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing; but it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). This is the way that heaven reckons “the precious fruit of the earth,” glorious, holy, and spotless. In spite of the confusion and sin that we have today, God’s words will be fulfilled. Time is coming when sinners “shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5). Men and women will be used by God in a special way as they surrender completely to the mighty leading of the Spirit.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12). Now He “is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1), “crowned with glory and honour” (Heb. 2:9), waiting for His people to fulfill His words. The greater works Jesus spoke about are more than miracles, healings, and wonders. They are greater works of love, compassion and grace. Only God’s “agape” can accomplish the miracle, the greater work of unity among God’s people.
The prophet Haggai has something to say about God’s work in these last days, “And I will shake all nations? I will fill this house with glory? The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former?” (Haggai 2:7-9). Who saith this? The Lord of hosts. The Lord of hosts is used four times in these three verses in Haggai. “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle” (Psalm 24:8). The name “Lord of hosts” occurs many times in the Old Testament. The term “hosts” is a translation of the Hebrew “sabaoth” meaning “armies.” They are the angelic armies of heaven. The Lord of hosts is “God of the armies of heaven.” He is using this heavenly army to finish His work in the last days.
“The eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11) is coming to fruition. But the hosts of hell are fighting God’s people mercilessly to hinder them from reaching the goal set before them. The heavenly headquarters have commissioned the angelic armies to help and protect the servants of our God in this great battle of the ages. “Are they (angels, verse 13) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14)
O Lord, open our eyes that we may see “the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (II Kings 6:17). The Lord is no respecter of persons. He has and always will fight for His people. To have a clear understanding, read the whole account in verses 8-17. The words of Horatius Bonar should be part of our battle cry, “The winds of hell have blown, The world its hate hath shown, Yet it is not overthrown, Hallelujah for the cross.”
In this time of superlatives, let us look for the superlative of mega. Bro. Peter used it by inspiration of the Spirit of God in II Peter 1:4 and it is translated “exceeding great.” The promises of God are exceeding great (μ?γιστος, megistos in Greek) and precious. The latter house is going to be exceedingly great. Let us call her not just THE MEGACHURCH, but THE MEGISTA CHURCH. “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isa. 53:11). All glory will be for our Father in heaven “That no flesh should glory in his presence” (I Cor. 2:29).
I long to see and be part of this exceeding great church. I might not see it, but God’s word will be fulfilled. Lord God hasten that day! Amen.
WASH ONE ANOTHER’S FEET
Alfred King
According to “Statista” as well as other news reports, Super Bowl LVIII had the largest viewership in Super Bowl history. People from all around the world tuned in to watch the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs. The commercials at the Super Bowl have over the years, become almost as interesting to many as the game itself. According to “Adexchanger,” the cost of a thirty-second ad is $6,000,000. At that price the advertising industry is desperate to come out with some new commercial that will attract the viewers and be one that is discussed for days to come and, hopefully, for months and years.
One ad this year paid for by “He Gets Us,” portrayed people washing the feet of others who, in today’s world, are divided and antagonistic one to the other. The ad which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94BqlDQ-Ppo contained slides of one person washing another’s feet. There is music playing in the background as pictures flip from what appears to be a teenager washing his father’s feet, a police officer washing a young black man’s feet, a pro-abortionist having her feet washed by a pro-lifer, a teenage girl washing her drunken mother’s feet, a white American woman washing an immigrant’s feet, another white lady washing a Muslim’s feet, and a Christian washing a lesbian’s feet, etc.
This ad caught the attention of both Christians and non-believers and was criticized unmercifully by unbelievers, while it raised serious questions among believers. With so much attention given to this ad and the fact that I had not heard of the group, “He Gets Us,” I decided to look into it and see what all the commotion was about.
The commercial ended with this: “Jesus Didn’t Teach Hate. He Washed Feet. He Gets us. All of Us. Jesus.” After reading quite a few of the responses to the commercial, these last words didn’t affect most of those who responded positively. Most respondents, who were obviously unbelievers, were filled with hate, hatred of Christianity, hate towards Christians (pointing out Christians’ hypocrisy), and very directly critical of Jesus Christ, the One who came to save them. Some of Jesus’ words came to mind as I read these hate-filled messages: “If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). We can see from these hate-filled responses that the time is getting closer to the days of which Jesus spoke and of His return. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake” (Matt. 24:9). Living in the heart of the Bible Belt, I don’t see this hatred very much and sometimes forget the blessings I have here. But obviously, hatred is growing in our nation and around the world. Yet, the very rejection of Jesus and His words are the reason America is facing unprecedented division, upheaval, strife, hatred and all the other destructive vices that hold men in the devil’s prison and contribute to the chaos that is spread across our land. The Jesus they reject is the Jesus who reconciles. The prophet Isaiah prophesied of these days saying, “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people…” (Isa. 60:2).
After reading why “He Gets Us” decided to pay $12,000,000 for a one minute ad at the Super Bowl, it appears they had noble intent, but it raises the question concerning the message Jesus was presenting when He washed His disciples’ feet. Was Jesus’ act in washing the disciples’ feet teaching His followers that they were to go into all the world and wash everyone’s feet? Of course not; it was a symbolic message, a message of humility and service. If all we gain from this discourse in John 13 is the physical washing of feet, we have missed the message Jesus was conveying.
The act of washing feet in the days of Jesus was very common, as travelers in those days walked almost everywhere they went. When they arrived at a person’s home, someone would take a basin with water and wash the traveler’s feet because they were sweaty, dirty, and sometimes muddy. This was an act of service, welcome and respect to the traveler by the homeowner. In the account recorded in Luke 7:36-50, Jesus was invited to a meal in a Pharisee’s house. A sinful woman came in and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. Jesus, knowing that Simon the Pharisee was thinking evil in his heart rebuked him by pointing out that he had not washed Jesus’ feet when Jesus came to the meal. Simon was inhospitable to the person he invited to his home.
Returning to our account in John 13, Jesus did not wash the disciples’ feet when they came in, when they were dirty, but after the meal was over. The lesson had nothing to do with actual foot-washing but rather the lesson was that of love, humility and service. After the resurrection, just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person. But notice what He added to that: “… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you …”
Literal washing others’ feet is not the message the ad at the Super Bowl was attempting to portray. It is not taking a bowl of water and basically saying, (as is so often seen on church signs) “God loves you just as you are.” But some may ask: “Didn’t God so love the world that He sent His only begotten Son …?” Yes! He did! But the Father didn’t send Him because He loves us the way we are, rather He loves us in spite of the way we are. God sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice to cover our sins and wash us in His precious blood in order that we might be clean, thereby allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within our hearts. The entrance of the Holy Spirit was to teach us, lead us, and guide us into holy living. His presence is to expose the sin that remains in our hearts so that by His anointing and power we can be delivered from sin and the repercussions of sin. God hates sin. It doesn’t matter if it’s homosexuality, murder, fornication, or unbelief, gossip, or evil thoughts. God hates all sin and has come to free men from sin’s bondage.
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, not sinners. If we as believers and disciples of Christ, are to wash the feet of unbelievers, the ungodly, unrepentant, rebellious, and those serving other gods (Muslims, Hindus, etc.), and thereby implying that God accepts them as they are, as the ad seem to imply, we are sadly mistaken. Christians cannot condone the lifestyle of those who are on the way to hell. To do so is not washing their feet, no matter what view one takes concerning foot washing, rather it is turning a blind eye to their sin and allowing their sin to destroy them. Washing a sinner’s feet is to tell them the truth. It is to expose sin. It is to point them to God. It is showing love, but not the mushy, sentimental, and non-productive “love” that is so common today in the halls of many churches.
Jesus told the woman who was taken in the very act of adultery, “Go and sin no more.” That’s the message for all men everywhere. It is a message of repentance and if one convinces another to honestly and fully repent of his sins before a Holy God, he has washed that person’s feet and set him on the path to eternal life. Let us all be those who will truly wash one another’s feet.
GRACE AND LAW
Larry and Melody Ax
These two words have led to much confusion and division in the body of Christ. We feel it is imperative for each of us to study for ourselves. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Our prayer is for everyone to be blessed and stirred to study as you read this article.
Let us begin with some definitions:
*Grace-mercy, blessing, favor, kindness, clemency, unmerited favor, merciful kindness, divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, compassion, gratitude, love.
*Law-All the rules of conduct established by a government and applicable to a people, whether in the form of legislation or custom. A principle-law, regulation.
These two words, Law and Grace, go hand in hand. In Exodus 25:21 & 22 it states: “And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” We see in this scripture that the 10 commandments were put in the Ark and the mercy seat was put above upon the Ark. This shows us a picture of Law and Grace in the physical realm.
In Hebrews 8:10, we see God will write His laws in the mind and hearts of believers. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:” In Hebrews 8:12 we see God’s Grace expressed when He states: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Again, we find a combination of Law and Grace! However, now it has become spiritual.
Grace and Truth came by Jesus. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). In I Peter 1:19 & 20, we find that Grace and Truth were before the foundation of the world. “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”
From the scriptures above, we can see that Law and Grace are in the Old and New Testaments and that Grace was even before the foundation of the world.
You will find in scripture that there were laws, as well as statutes and judgments given. The following breaks these down:
God’s covenant with Israel was the Ten Commandments. (Law)
Exodus 19:5: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for the earth is mine:”
Exodus 34:28: “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.”
Deut. 4:13: “And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.”
Statutes and Judgments were given:
Exodus 21,22, etc. 21:1: “Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them…
Deut. 4:14: “And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus said He came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” What does this scripture mean? It is plain to understand that He said He did not come to destroy which means to put an end to (Webster’s Dictionary), but Jesus came to fulfil. Fulfil means to complete, to finish, to bring to realization (Webster’s Dictionary). However, what law was Jesus talking about in this particular scripture? Jesus completed some of the law, and magnified some of the law. He did not destroy the law, He magnified it, and it is still in effect today. However, there are laws that were fulfilled. The following are outlined:
Laws Fulfilled:
Ritual Laws
Colossians 2:14: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross…”
Acts 15:5-11: “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe, 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. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”
Acts 15:24: “Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment…”
Hebrew 10:28: “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. (This is written in the past tense)
(We submit that Moses’ law has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ)
Laws still in effect today and even magnified:
The Ten Commandments and the Words of Jesus.
The Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God! Exodus 31:18: “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”
Matthew 5:21 & 22: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
Matthew 5:27 & 28: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
Mark 10:19: “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”
Words Of Jesus
John 14:21: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
John 14:23: “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 12:48: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
John 15:14: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Rev. 22:14: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
In John 15:13 Jesus states, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is a very strong example of law and grace. We are commanded to love our friends unto death. This is law.
Grace gives us the ability to keep the law. (We submit that the Ten Commandments and the Commands of Jesus are still in effect.)
Hebrews 10:29 tells us “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?”
We must determine in our spirit to accept God’s law and grace with gratitude and joy. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:3).
We cannot be guilty of doing despite to the spirit of Grace. Jesus’s divine grace is shown when He stated, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28,29,30). Jesus is the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:14).
To summarize-We must have law to prevent lawlessness. We must have grace when we fail the law. Grace gives us the ability to keep the law. We keep the law because we love Him. Our Father’s laws are now written in our mind and heart (Heb. 8:10-12, Heb. 10:16 & 17) (Law & Grace). But when we fail (Is. 6:4-6 and Romans 3:23) and when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (grace) to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) Hallelujah!!! If we say we don’t sin-we make him a liar (John 1:10). God forbid! “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
To conclude: “Let us come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
And the very last verse in the Bible-THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL! AMEN! (Rev. 22:21)
*References
Grace:
King James Bible Scripture
Strongs Exhaustive Concordance: Heb 2580, Page 41; Greek 5485, Page 77, Heb 2603, Page 41; Greek 5543, Page 78; Heb 8467, Page 123
Law:
Strongs Exhaustive Concordance Greek 3551, Page 50
Random House Dictionary
WHAT IS YOUR “STATE”?
Harry R. Miller
A near universal tragedy marks the end of this present evil world; this is implied in the words of the Saviour concerning the time of the “end of the world.” He said, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved” (Matt. 24:22). In this passage of Holy Writ, the flesh of the ungodly is not at this time the consideration of the Almighty, for He states that the time is “cut short” for “the elect’s sake;” even these will be few in number.
The prophet Isaiah had much to say concerning the coming “latter-day” destruction. One of his most sobering prophetic statements declares: “The inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left” (Isa. 24:6). Let us bear in mind that these declarations are not warnings of a conditional nature, or things that might be; the prophet has declared that this is what shall be. We cannot help but wonder what is meant by the word “few.” In heaven’s eyes, how many are “few”? But the words of Jesus confirm this idea of but a remnant of humanity’s millions remaining until He returns: “As the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matt. 24:37). Not many people went into the ark before the flood; not many escaped the wrath of God.
Again, we refer to the word of Isaiah, the prophet, in his predictions of the magnitude of the destruction by the Almighty. “A consumption, (is) determined upon the whole earth” (Isa. 28:22). This is not an isolated text, nor a passage taken out of context; it is a detail that describes the universal scope of God’s latter-day judgment.
In view of these texts, we can begin to grasp the idea that the number of those who remain to see the coming of the Lord will not be many. We can now understand three very important adjective phrases of Isaiah 4:2,3, where the prophet speaks of “them that are escaped,” and “he that is left,” and “he that remaineth.” A “consumption,” or decimation, is the import of these terms – the “purge” of all rebellion from the ranks of professing Christians.
“I (The Almighty) will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me” (Ezek. 20:38); and again he said, “With fury poured out, will I rule over you” (Ezek. 20:33). Malachi wrote of the day of the Lord’s return, and he, too, questioned the ability of many believers to endure the fiery purging of the Lord in the day of the consummation: “Who may abide the day of his coming? and who will stand when he appeareth?” (Mal. 3:2).
“The day of the Lord” is certainly a time of the most complete violent purging the church has ever seen. “Measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein,” an angel told the apostle John (Rev. 11:1). When the Lord has anything “measured,” it is with the object in view of bringing that thing up to the proper standard, or removing it completely. The wicked king of Babylon, Belshazzar, was “weighed in the balances, and…found wanting” (Dan. 5:27); the same idea of being measured is here implied. There are times when the powers of heaven demand an accounting, a settling up of things, a purge and a replacement.
The present testimony of the ecklesia (church) is a disgrace to the name of Christ. The life and doctrine taught and practiced by most churchmen are not only degrading to its constituents, but are a mockery propagated in the name of the founder of the apostolic faith.
John the Baptist said of Christ: “The ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire…He that cometh after me is mightier than I…(His) fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff” (Matt. 3:10-12). The day of the “casting into the fire” is at hand; this is the time of the harvest. The church shall be purged of its impostors by the work of the angels: “The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:39-42).
In the book of Luke, we read where the Lord Jesus asked a very searching question related to His second coming: “When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). The translators failed to complete the true meaning of this passage; they left out the article “THE.” In the original Greek we find that He spoke of “THE faith,” not just faith. Many have faith. Those who will call him “Lord, Lord” will have cast out devils and done many wonderful works in His name: they all have faith. Balaam had faith, but he was an enemy of God. Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, Theosophists, all have faith, but they do not practice “THE faith” which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). The mere operation of faith can be attributed to many; it is a powerful force available to all humanity.
“The faith” of which Christ spoke is found only among a very few dedicated saints. The so-called Christian world has accepted a religion that is so far removed from the teachings of Jesus that there is little likeness to “the faith once delivered unto the saints.” The belief and practice of the TEACHINGS of Jesus Christ constitute the true apostolic faith. The apostle John made this very clear: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, HATH NOT GOD” (II John 9). Here is a statement of major importance, for any person who is not putting into practice the teachings of Jesus “HATH NOT GOD!”
Let us clarify this fact: Christianity is NOT a religion of mere religious beliefs. No philosophical abstractions, with Christ as champion, should ever be construed to be “The faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” He definitely taught men a WAY-OF-LIFE, a faith by which to live the “more abundant life.”
The gospel, or good news, of apostolic times declared that followers of Christ could now live a life of perfection. The world, the flesh, and the devil have all been defeated by our Saviour. Legally, every Christian shares the victory of Christ over every force of evil: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness” (Col. 1:13). And the apostle Paul declared, “We are the children of God: and if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:16,17).
Every believer in Christ has an inheritance of a very earthly and practical nature; things we can use and enjoy. “Christ…in whom also we have obtained an inheritance” (Eph. 1:11). Consider this Scripture: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The word “world” (Greek: kosmos) refers to the political, economic, social and religious factors that dominate humanity, the influence civilization holds over men; this is what Christ said He had overcome. And the implication here is that we too can share His victory, for we are told to be of good cheer. The pattern set by the apostolic community is the answer to this problem (Chapters 2 and 4 of Acts).
At this point it would be well to consider the difference between the believer’s STATE and his STANDING. Legally, before heaven, every Christian is an heir of all the things Christ obtained by His life and death. Christ “hath made us kings and priests” (Rev. 1:6); “Ye are complete in Him” (Col. 2:10). “Christ…hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places” (Eph. 2:6); “Partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:12,13). All of these texts refer to the Christian’s legal position; the throne of justice attributes perfection to all who claim to be heirs of Christ. This is what is known as the believer’s STANDING.
In the lives of the greater majority of professing Christians, their standing is at an all-time high only at the time of their conversion. Upon coming to Christ, the intentions of the believer are accepted at face value by the courts of heaven; he is then counted as holy as Christ is holy. Upon the basis of a full and complete surrender to the will of God the repentant sinner is accepted before the throne of grace; his standing is perfect, for he has identified himself with the spotless Saviour. A new spirit is put within him and he then becomes a pupil in the school of the more abundant life. “The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I HAVE SAID unto you” (John 14:26).
Now, the words of Christ are therapeutic, a sanctifying element: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:7). The master prayed, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Conformity to His words cleanses the inner man: “Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit” (I Pet. 1:22). Soul cleansing is an OBLIGATION; as soon as we see a defiled condition within us, we are obligated to use the means God has given us to purify ourselves. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (II Cor. 7:1).
Let us not forget the lesson set forth in the “pattern,” or “shadow,” of the Old Testament laver (Ex. 30:17-21). The priest was required to wash his hands (ministry) and his feet (walk) before he approached unto God. The laver was made of mirrors which reflected his own face; the water signified the Word; the brass stood for the judgment that the priest applied to his own condition; he literally cleansed himself. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (I John 3:3). “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8). “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (II Tim. 2:21).
There are many Scriptures which plainly indicate that the Lord expects every believer to apply himself to the task of soul perfection. God has provided the means for a present holy life; man is obligated to use these provisions for his own sanctification.
Let no man conclude that our standing in Christ is all that is required of the believer. In the eyes of heaven, man’s state is of far more importance than the standing he attributes to himself. The Calvinistic doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” is an example of the perversion of the truths regarding our standing in Christ. Calvinists assume that once a person is inoculated with saving grace, his salvation is sure, for they suppose that his standing is static and ever remains the same before God – this is the rankest error.
The believer’s standing is a legal assumption by the divine powers. Due to man’s ignorance, Providence has attributed perfection to the believer as long as he remains in ignorance. But he cannot willfully remain in ignorance. As he is led of the Holy Spirit to face the realities of his nature, he is obliged to use the divine means for overcoming. As the believer overcomes, he literally purifies himself, and then it is that his state and standing are one. However, if he fails to “hear” the voice of the Spirit, he then becomes guilty before God, and his standing sinks lower, to the level of his state.
The universally neglected command of Christ states that all believers should seek first “the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). Where men comply with this divine order, success is the result; however, very few give these words serious attention.
The failure to obey the words of God’s Son has been the main cause of the birth of a generation of impostors and hypocrites who openly make mockery of the work of the Saviour.
Christ is being crucified again and put to an open shame by the false testimony of these counterfeiters, and heaven is being challenged by the words of these “mockers” (Jude 18). “Raging waves of the sea, (are) foaming out their own shame” (Jude 13).
The Saviour told us that when the “sea and the waves (are) roaring … lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:25,28)
CRAVING SOMETHING GREATER
by Billy Linthicum
A couple of years ago, a very good friend made the following statement in a letter he sent me:
“It is very sad that most men are blind to spiritual things and only see the physical. But what is even more sad is that many Christians have very little sight into the spiritual world. This physical world dominates their senses.”
Wow! Stop and think about that for a minute. Initially, his statement intrigued me, but then, my intrigue turned to extreme grief. Almost two years later, that grief still presses upon me like a great weight.
Christianity, from what I've observed, has become a proliferation of religious ideologies and social constructs, and spirituality has been supplanted with traditions, academia and programs. The Christian life is "played out" on a purely physical level, consequently producing lifeless worship and very shallow Christian lives. It seems as though the "Christian" mantra has become, "As long as I'm saved, what else do you expect from me?"
A. W. Tozer once observed that, "Salvation must include a judicial change of status—but what is overlooked by most teachers is that it also includes a practical change in the life of the individual. And by this we mean more than a surface change; we mean a transformation as deep as the roots of his human life. If it does not go that deep, it does not go deep enough."
It seems that much of the professing Christian community has lost sight of the spiritual, so consequently, it doesn’t expect real "change" through the born-again experience. Our secular religion has become a superficial and superfluous experience, if it is even that. Even the term “born-again” has become more of a description of the moment one determines they were “saved.”
As the Christian faith has lost its power and wonder, it has devolved into an inferior and inadequate institution that provides a false sense that all is well with the universe, but it has actually become as worthless as all the other man-made religions. Reduced to this level, one would have to think that Karl Marx might have been correct when he claimed that all “religion is the opium of the people.”
If you make an objective observation of the Christian culture in America, it’s not difficult to see that there is very little to no real spirituality on display. Most professing Christians have a commitment that is centered in their church organizations, pastors, programs, and religious systems. One writer encapsulated it perfectly when he said, “When the Holy Spirit leaves a disobedient pastor or church, they are so organized they can keep on having church and don’t even know the Spirit has left them!”
I know, it sounds like I’m being harsh. And, perhaps I am, but what I’m witnessing in the Western cultures is not true First-Century Biblical Christianity.
In Mark 3, Jesus entered into a synagogue where He was aware that there was a man present with a withered hand. The stage was set, and Jesus knew the scribes and Pharisees were waiting to pounce at the slightest infraction that He would commit. The amazing thing is that they knew He was capable of healing the man, but they were more concerned about the letter of the law. Their religious concerns were more focused on ritual, form and tradition. Then Mark continues his narration telling us that Jesus “looked around about on them with anger ... grieved at their hardness of heart ...” (vs 5). Why do you suppose Jesus demonstrated such a divine indignation due to their attitudes? It was His response to a people whose hearts had become like stone due to their insistence on religion over reality...that Reality being the incarnate Christ. One commentator explained it this way, “It was the obdurate and willful resistance of the heart to the divine truth. To see it in the hearts of these scribes and Pharisees saddened Jesus. With indignation and sadness in His heart He wrought this miracle, not with joy. He labored to make these men understand; He made the truth...so plain that a child could see it. But it was all in vain.”
So it is with the institutional church of our day. It is governed by preaching that is polluted by false teachings, doctrines of men, and self-directed ideologies. Consequently, we have a church system that lives in denial of and is void of any real power, seeming to believe that programs, scripted services and good works is what it is all about. Not only is this difficult to witness, but it is even more troubling to see the church body not discerning any of what is taking place.
It is troubling to observe and experience a religious system that seems more concerned about business and order, than genuine worship and discipleship. For some time now, I’ve felt in my spirit that there has to be something more than what the average Christian is experiencing in their assemblies. There’s got to be more than the scripted services, theatrical productions, and the weekly rituals. Let’s face it, what is being practiced is not contained within the pages of the Holy Bible.
In recent years, I’ve been feeling like someone has thrown a wet blanket over me, smothering out any remnants of the fire that used to burn within me. Participation in the institutional religious order of things has only dampened my faith, sapped the life from my spirit, and made me sometimes feel like I was just playing a game...along with everyone else. There’s something wrong with that picture!
I can’t deny it; I want to experience the Gospel come alive in me again. I want to see the fruit that comes from standing in the authority of Christ. I want to feel those flames flickering, rekindled in my bosom, burning out of control. I want to feel the power of God flow through me like it once did! I want, desperately, to receive “the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
It is time the Church woke up and began living in the power of Holy Spirit, and experiencing the life and freedom we have in Christ. When it does, it’ll know that “playing church” is no substitute for following a Lord who has power over death, and the grave...a Lord who can call out demons, heal the sick, make the lame walk and cause the sinner to shout, “Hallelujah!” Following Jesus should be the most exciting, life exhilarating experience one will have during their stay on this planet. Why should it be any less? Read the four Gospels, again! They testify that the Jesus we profess with our lips is Lord! If it’s true, and it is, then let Him be that Lord. Doing so will turn your life upside down - in a fantastic way!
Please don’t misunderstand me. We need to be involved in our local assemblies, because active involvement in the Church should help ignite the divine spark that resides within us. If it isn’t, then something’s wrong!
Here’s my challenge. With one mind, let’s determine to seek the Higher Life. Let’s rid ourselves of those things, people and organizations that don’t unite us in our godly pursuit to become one in “the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). Doing so will cause us to be less focused on the religious devotion, and instead, being rightly devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Oswald Chambers informs us that in doing so, “you have reached the sublime height where...the power of God comes through you all the time.
I’m getting pumped. I’m ready for change, and I want to begin seeking God in “spirit and truth,” with all my heart. How about you, will you join me? Let’s tap into that power that indwells us, remembering that God wants to show us “great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jer. 33:3).
PASSOVER NOTICE FOR 2024
People of the Living God will be observing the yearly Passover beginning at sundown on Monday, April 21st. Tuesday, April 22nd is the Passover Sabbath which begins at sundown on Monday. Passover lasts for seven days so will end on Monday, April 29.