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People of The Living God |
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October 2025
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
APOSTASY RUNS RAMPANT
J. Grant Swank, Jr.
What is “apostasy”?
The dictionary states it to be “an abandoning of what one has believed in, as a faith, cause, principles, etc.”
That is what is taking place in too many places within the global church.
There was once held the biblical principles, the scriptural teachings, the basic beliefs of Christendom. These were what tied together the various segments of the worldwide Christian Church.
If one were truly Christian, one could count on a reliable biblical foundation behind the testimony of others. There might be shades of doctrinal differences between various denominational groupings, but the basic moorings would still be there.
Today, the scriptural foundation is giving way. The walls of biblical doctrine are crumbling. The time-honored postulates once died for by martyrs are now treated with cavalier disregard. In some instances, they are dispensed with flares of public disdain.
One of the major inroads for blasphemy in today’s global church is the “gay agenda.” It has threatened every major mainline denomination – on all levels. With the world consumed with sex, the church cannot escape. With many professed Christians compromising themselves sexually in the heterosexual definition, it is no wonder that homosexual thrusts are keeping pace.
I recall walking into an Episcopal cathedral several years ago. I was welcomed by one of the leading laymen. As we chatted, he informed me that his congregation was now “inclusive.” That, of course, was the buzzword to define his church as pro-gay, that is, supporting same-sex unions and whatever else one wanted to tie to “the cause.” Two years later, I walked into that same cathedral to find the verbal now printed. What was told to me is now in brochure form in the tract rack in the entrance to the sanctuary. In other words, the “gay agenda” has become baptized as legitimate, bureaucratically condoned, professionally acceptable – indeed “Christian.”
I walked past a Baptist Church in our inner city. There, embossed on the large church sign was, beneath the naming of the church, the wording “An Inclusive Community.” The pastor who saw through that agenda lived through some static from traditional believers within the congregation; then he left and another pastor was named. In time, the traditional believers either left or were worn to a frazzle as the new pastor took up the cause with a more cautious but still determined mind. The sign’s wording still stands proudly there in public view.
As I read of the annual conclave of the Presbyterian Church of America, I learned of the same inroad. Now the newly elected head of this segment goes back to his regions to try to convince the grassroots to say “Yes” to the general convention’s apostasy. I read in FRIENDS JOURNAL recently that a Quaker writer of a lead article gives thanks to the “Holy Spirit” for the increase of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders swelling the Friends’ memberships throughout the continent. This is a “moving of the Spirit” for which Quakers are to raise their voices in praise to heaven. I read the same in a leading Mennonite publication.
Where is it going to stop? It won’t. Why? Because we are living in the “End Times.” It won’t stop. It will increase. The Spirit of the age will be taken over by unholy spirits of hell. That is pointed language, but it is truth. And more times than not, bald truth with biblical backing is not easy to phrase in indirect terms. With these End Times, there is an increase of sin, just as Jesus prophesied. And that sin is taking all sorts of awful images. It is also taking up housing in all kinds of corners, particularly so-called “religious” corners.
Therefore, what is the righteous remnant to do?
*Check to make certain that you are indeed a part of that remnant. Or are you yourself compromising biblical convictions for your own comforts and safety? It can happen. It is happening. Rationalization is an easy trick to play. That is one of the reasons for the soft underbelly today in the global church.
*Learn from Jesus what stance to take in these turbulent, anti-Christian days. He said “…the time is near. Let the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:1-13).
*Share this comfort/warning with your believing friends. Band together in intercessory prayer for the global church – its genuine witness and its apostasy. Pray that the genuine witness will be strengthened in biblical resolve and that the apostasy will repent of its sin.
*Be bold. Do not hesitate to speak the biblical truth, live the biblical truth, and pray in the spirit of the biblical truth.
*Do not continue “life as usual.” From here on out until Jesus returns, nothing will be “as usual.” The world is turning upside down, including the global church. Face reality. Therefore, these days of pre-tribulation events call for astounding courage in the Holy Ghost.
*Do not be afraid of loneliness in the Spirit of God. Comradeship, which is real, will diminish because the righteous remnant is not that numerous. But of course, only a few are ever on the straight and narrow. Yet that straight and narrow will continue to become even more straight and narrow. Stay on it, even if walking it alone at times.
*Do not salve your wounds by amassing things, hoping that tangibles will bring comfort to your weary soul. Society is overcome with grabbing items – storing them away, stashing them in bins, stuffing garages, and barns and basements. For what? For nothing much. Do not succumb to that lunacy. Keep your lifestyle simple and unadorned except for the heavenly graces.
*Keep sane in the Spirit. Unholy spirits are attacking human spirits and minds. Many are held prey to confusion, bewilderment, and fears of all sorts. Marriages of good people are in trouble. Children from Christian homes are turning prodigal. There is an unhappiness “out there” that is putting heads in vices and squeezing hearts dry. Determine to realize this; then will to think increasingly the “mind of Christ.”
*Study the Bible. Saturate your soul in it. Read it in the morning. Read it at noon. Read it in the evening. Take it with you in your pocket. You cannot get enough of it. Then put it into daily practice.
*Pray for the discerning of the spirits. There are holy spirits about you. There are also unholy spirits about you. Know which is which. When confused, ask God to assist you until your soul becomes clear.
TRUTH: THINK ABOUT IT
Curtis Dickinson
“Whatsoever things are true…think on these things” – Phil. 4:8
That the Lord Jehovah intended to have fellowship with man through the understanding of truth in the mind is clearly seen in the second commandment: “Thou shalt make unto thee no graven image” (Ex. 20:4).
The command says that we should not fix our eyes or thoughts on an image, but that we should focus our minds on God Himself, and exercise, not our eyes, but our brains in a mind-to-mind fellowship with Him. Jesus said that we are to worship “in spirit and truth” (John 4:23).
On trial before Pilate, Jesus said, “I came to bear witness to the truth.” Pilate asked, “What is truth?” His question was not meant to evoke an answer. Rather, it was meant to be a statement: Don’t tell us that you know the truth. There is no truth; all is relative. (John 18:37,38).
Pilate would be politically correct for our generation, which fits the description Isaiah gave for his own nation: “Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street” (Is. 59:14). Conventional standards that hadn’t changed in centuries are vanishing into oblivion. That which was unthinkable a generation ago has become commonplace. The rejection of truth now permeates all of society – the schools, the arts, the media, the government, and even the church. Where once the church stood as the “pillar and ground of the truth,” it now stands for tolerance, and love is looked upon as the whole of Christianity. It says, “Don’t give us a prophet in the pulpit. Don’t disturb us with truth, just make us feel good.” Faith is not based on fact, but on emotion. The modern preacher is judged by his audience on the basis of how well he performs before them, but before God, he is judged as to how well he tells the truth.
Truth is the means by which we know God, His purpose, and His plan for us. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The truth of which He came to bear witness reveals the way to have fellowship with God, and ultimately, the way to have life. All who love God have a corresponding love of the truth. The reverse is equally true: those who despise God have a hatred for truth. Truth has always been unwelcome to evil.
For this reason Paul writes that those who are deceived by Satan will “perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (II Thess. 2:10). These are sobering words and explain why there is such division and confusion in the churches today, as Paul goes on to say, “For this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be judged who believed not the truth…” (vs. 11,12).
Here, the apostle pinpoints the factor that divides the lost and the saved: the lover of truth may believe and be saved; those who have no love of truth will believe lies and be lost. He concludes “that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (v. 12). Our blessed Lord explained the connection between sin and unbelief when He said, “Everyone that does evil hates the light” (John 3:20). There is a direct connection between the raging immorality now extant and the rejection of truth. The generation that rejected Christ was “an evil and adulterous generation similar to ours (Matt. 12:39; 16:4).
“On this, then, the scriptures are clear, that one of the greatest causes, perhaps one of the most important of all causes for unbelief, is the determination of men to continue in sin.” (Wilbur Smith, in Therefore Stand, pg. 166)
The love of truth is a mark of commitment to Christ. Paul wrote that love “rejoices in the truth” (I Cor. 13:6). His desire for the Christians at Ephesus was that they not be subject to the “wiles of error,” but that they might grow up in Christ, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:14,15).
` The basic difference between the Christian faith and the religions of the world is that the Christian faith has been given through realities of history, while world religions have been invented by men, based upon their own subjective experiences. The death and resurrection of Jesus were events witnessed by people who had no thought of inventing a religion. They simply reported the truth as they witnessed it, not how they felt about it. No one can reexperience these things; they are history. They are true.
The great tragedy in our day is that churches have shifted from objective truth to subjective feelings. The question is no longer, “What do you think about this?” but “How do you feel about it?” Feeling is substituted for thinking. Hymns that contain great statements of truth have been abandoned and in their place are “praise choruses” that can be repeated over and over with little thought. The worship format, including the sermon, is designed to excite emotions, not to stimulate the mind. Preaching is valued on the charisma of the preacher, not on the truth he proclaims. Churches offer excitement through physical activities and ignore the exercise of the mind through searching for truth. People are carried away by prophetic signs, which have no basis in truth. They forget what was said of John the Baptist. “John indeed did no signs; but all things whatsoever John spake of (Jesus) were true.” (John 10:41). It is truth, believed and acted upon, that brings man into fellowship with his Creator.
Truth is essential to success in all facets of life. Where truth is suppressed, freedom and prosperity will soon die. To build on false conceptions is to build on sand. Yet, in our present society there is a determined effort to deny or at least hide the truth. Government agendas are kept secret. School textbooks are filled with misinformation, and the unscientific theory of evolution is enforced while any study of creation is denied. History is grossly distorted in TV programs, and the news is either biased or falsely reported by failing to tell the whole truth.
What we are witnessing today is a universal denial of God. There is hardly any person of national, political, or social prestige today who dares to affirm what Jesus claimed: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6, Luke 10:16). Instead, there is almost unanimous consent that all religions must be acknowledged as “equal.”
With this, the accepted view, there must be a denial of truth, for if truth exists, there can be no equality between the tenets of religions that diametrically oppose each other. If Judaism is true, then Christ is wrong; and if Christ is true, then Judaism is false. Man denies this logical fact by denying the existence of absolute truth.
Nowhere is truth more vital than in the area of faith. In a hospital waiting room a woman once said to me, “It doesn’t matter what you have faith in, but you must have faith in something.” This inane view is now championed in the name of plurality and tolerance, which says all religions are equal, and that those who hold to Christ as the only way of salvation are bigoted and narrow-minded.
When Jesus commanded, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand,” He was demanding a complete conversion of both mind and life, based upon certain truths that He revealed. Before Peter told his Pentecost audience to repent, he first explained basic truths regarding Jesus, His death and resurrection, and the fact that He is now both Lord and Messiah. The same process is recorded throughout the book of Acts: truth was pronounced, and then the believer was commanded to act upon it. Nothing was done to create an emotional setting, not even an invitational hymn. Emotions were stirred as the result of the great truths heard and believed.
On the night before His death, Jesus prayed for His disciples, saying, “Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Such sanctification can come only as one becomes familiar with the word of God, which Jesus said is the truth. Sanctification also requires that one act upon the truth. Jesus said that not only are we to hear His words, but we are to do them – obey them (Matt. 7:24). The apostle John addressed the Christians as those who “walk in truth,” and who are “fellow workers in truth” (III John 1:8).
Truth is to be embraced by the mind, with each facet in its proper place to be understood. This requires a certain amount of concentration, a focusing on each thought in order that the whole can be made to fit together in a rational and logical way.
Such concentration is rare in today’s society, where sports and entertainment fill almost every minute not devoted to essential work. If we are to get back to the place where truth is known, some things of the world will have to be abandoned. Truth is still available to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who search the scriptures with a mind to learn. Then we must dare to challenge the errors and lies that abound, knowing that when we stand for truth and right, we have God on our side.
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
DEHUMANIZATION
Alfred King
Charlie Kirk, who was recently assassinated in Utah, began a movement just after he graduated from high school called, “Turning Point USA.” He began his adventure from a garage in Illinois in 2012. His mission was to speak to young adults at college campuses and other venues where he could address young people. He promoted American patriotism, conservatism, and Christian values, almost always including one’s need to know Christ and follow His teachings.
It was his videos taken at his debates on college campuses that spread on the internet, which brought him to the public stage where he was heard not only in America but around the world.
He was disturbed by the direction America has been heading for the past few decades, and his desire was to turn the ship from the collision course he felt it was on. He also knew the liberal ideology that is taking America down a slippery slope has come from liberal colleges and their liberal professors. To combat the destructive deluge of liberal philosophy, Charlie knew it had to begin with America’s youth. Charlie had a gift that resonated with college students, and “Turning Point USA” became a very popular avenue to reach young people, and his open forum debates resonated with the older population as well.
While conservatives laud Charlie, opponents hate him and his policies. Some universities refused Charlie and “Turning Point” to speak at their campuses feeling he promoted hate with some of his strong conservative language. He often received death threats, but this did not deter Charlie from setting up his tent, under which he sat in open, speaking to all who came. His last rally in Utah is claimed to have had over three thousand attendants.
Sadly, the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk at the Utah Valley University is another all too common warning that violence, rather than debate, is becoming, to many, the response for disagreements. Violence continues to escalate across America and around the world. Kirk’s murder was not an “off the cuff” response to a sudden surge of anger but a planned and calculated action to silence a dialogue with which the assassin opposed. Political views have become a dividing point in America today that is escalating and producing hatred where disagreeing dialogue can no longer be tolerated. One must silence the opposition. Even churches, those who are to be the beacons of truth, are becoming divided over political issues.
What we see in today’s world, with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, along with the ever-increasing mass murders across America, is that murder seems to be the answer to pent-up anger. In politics it is the dehumanization of one’s political opponents. In school shootings, it is the dehumanization of teachers and fellow students. In the workplace, it is the dehumanization of fellow workers. In Charlie Kirk’s case, one holding different political viewpoints is no longer a fellow human being but a monster who must be destroyed. Every time one such as Charlie Kirk speaks, the anger and hatred eats away at one’s heart and grows until it reaches the point of murder. Let me quote from an article from “Stand For Freedom.” “Let me be clear about what transforms a respectful young neighbor into a political assassin—it’s not guns or mental illness like the left claims. The answer lies in the slow poison of dehumanization. When we stop seeing those who disagree with us as people worthy of debate and start seeing them as embodiments of evil, we create Tyler Robinsons. When family dinners become echo chambers of hatred rather than places of thoughtful discussion, we plant seeds that grow in darkness. Robinson called Kirk “full of hate” while planning his murder—a projection so profound it should chill every American who’s ever dismissed an opponent as irredeemable.”
That last question asked of Charlie before the shot rang out was asked by Hunter Kozak. Kozak disagreed with Kirk’s political stand on almost everything. He planned his questions earlier with much thought and preparation. “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last ten years?” Charlie’s reply was short, “Too many.” Kozak was positioned to show that the left was a peaceful movement, desiring freedom and peace in America. Kozak pressed Charlie with more statistics, to which Charlie’s last words were, “Counting or not counting gang violence?”
Kozak later respectfully and gracefully responded in an Instagram Video: “I’m on record for how much I disagree with Charlie Kirk, but he is still a human being – have we forgotten that? Are we crazy? I stand by so little of everything that he said, but one of the things that he stood by was conversation.”
It seems that in our world today, violence is the answer for every disagreement. This attitude is not only detrimental to us personally but to our very existence and our American way of life. It is a threat to democracy and, above all, it is an affront to God who created man in His image.
As I think of the wars that are currently ongoing, I am appalled at the thousands of soldiers who are wounded, mutilated, and die in battles that should be resolved through dialogue and possibly some compromise, if necessary. Yet more and more, it seems reasonable discussions are cast aside and more lives are lost and families destroyed. According to Wikipedia, up to one million lives have been taken in the war with Ukraine as of September 2024. Many more have been lost in the last year. In the war between Israel and Hamas, casualties are estimated to be over sixty-six thousand, and these are estimates; the actual number is thought to be higher.
Hatred is taught in some religions of the world today, and grievously, even in some “Christian” groups, hatred is included in their teaching. Scripture declares that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …” God loves every human being He created and desires that all would come to repentance and come to know Him and His grace. He desires they be with Him throughout eternity, and yet most will not believe nor accept God’s love and grace. Jesus taught against hate. He instructs His disciples to love their enemies, do good to them that hate you and those that despitefully use you, and He taught His followers to return good for evil. Jesus taught good over evil, forgiveness over revenge, love over hate, and that hatred is a destructive force that forms in one’s heart. True Christianity is a religion of changed lives, transformed motives, and renewed hearts. Hearts changed from evil to good, from hatred to love, iniquity to holiness, and from sinfulness to obedience.
As the world continues on its path of hate, evil, revenge, unforgiveness, and war, millions more will die before Jesus returns. Jesus stated in Matthew 24 that iniquity will continue to increase until the day He returns. The Apostle Paul stated that evil men will increase more and more (II Tim. 3:13). And while we can be certain that this will happen, we also are instructed by Jesus Himself to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, baptize them and teach them to observe everything He taught His disciples. It is in following this Great Commission that we see that every human has value even if they see things differently than we. It is through the Gospel alone that evil can be overcome and that through Jesus Christ.
THE QUIET COUP
Randall Walton
The word kingdom is used in the New Testament over 150 times, but nowhere is the following statement found: “Jesus is going to return to set up his kingdom in Jerusalem and reign there for one thousand years.” I repeat: nowhere is the above statement found in either the Old or the New Testament. You can find said statement in Bible commentaries, tracts, books, and booklets, but not in the book we call the Holy Bible.
Yet, millions of sincere people believe that this is so and that the Bible declares it. The Bible, nevertheless, is quite plain in its teaching regarding the kingdom of God, and especially in the New Testament.
At no time did Jesus suggest any interest in overthrowing the then-existing political regime and replacing it with another. At no time did He promote a search for David’s wooden throne so that He could use it for His own. Yes, He came conquering and to conquer, but not in the manner many supposed He should and would. Quietly and without fanfare, He overcame and destroyed the citadels of sickness, disease, and even death – He never attended a funeral – instead, He restored the dead to life. He overpowered the dominion of Satan and his demons. He ordered devils to vacate the bodies of those they possessed.
He told those who were healed not to advertise the fact; He wanted no publicity. Every disease known to man was overcome by His omnipotence. Even the storms at sea were brought under His control. There seemed to be no force nor element of which He was not the Master.
He thoroughly demonstrated and manifested the power, authority, and majesty of the kingdom of God; He showed that He feared no earthly entity nor enemy, for they were all subject to His command. It was a coup all right, but a quiet one. It was thorough and absolute, yet without marching armies or the accompaniment of drums and trumpeters. There was no force of enmity that withstood the withering blasts of His Word. He raised no flags nor banners proclaiming His royalty, yet even the ecclesiastical powers shook and trembled at the force of His truth.
When at last He revealed Himself in His glorious majesty as the King of Glory (the transfiguration), the revelation was limited to but three of His most loyal followers. Nine other apostles were absent; no multitudes of people were there to witness this awesome demonstration. The one unseen Witness to this heavenly event was none other than the Heavenly Father Himself, whose voice was heard declaring, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.”! But only three men besides Jesus heard the voice.
Jesus The King
Jesus was anything but a typical warrior or insurrectionist. He could never be accused of attempting to subvert or undermine a powerful, secular government. Untrained in the arts of martial combat, He was a builder by trade, the carpenter’s son. The word carpenter was a generic term that included many skills of construction, e.g., woodwork, masonry, metalwork, etc. Such skills did not readily lend themselves useful in militarism, a point which confused, if not embroiled, His antagonists who looked for a replica of Saul or David to fulfill their dreams of a Messiah to break the cruel yoke of the Roman conquerors. But such He was not.
“I am meek and lowly of heart,” He confessed, to the consternation of His beholders. “Come unto me and I will give you rest,” He counseled, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” What a disappointment was this man who seemed to be able to do magical stunts and heal the tormented bodies of the diseased. Their view of a redeemer was a man of great physical stature, a skilled swordsman, a unique and charismatic horseman who would fearlessly unite the restless Jewish masses and drive the pagans into the sea.
John the Baptist preceded the ministry of Jesus with a new message, one which at once revealed the false expectations of the religious elite and branded them as hypocrites and descendants of snakes, while proclaiming the coming Deliverer as One whose shoe laces he was unworthy to untie.
He also declared that the “Kingdom of God is at hand,” an announcement which, while it was “good news,” was both misunderstood and disbelieved by the crowds who heard it.
But then, after John was imprisoned by Herod, after he was castigated by this uncouth man, Jesus Himself “came into Galilee preaching the GOSPEL of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and BELIEVE the gospel” (Mark 1:14,15).
These explosive words fell upon plugged ears. This radical message went over their heads: not only could they not believe it, they did not comprehend it. When this declaration was followed by several miracles, there were those who intended to “come and take him by force, to make him a king” (John 6:15). His response was to depart from their midst and go alone to a distant mountain.
Centuries of false teachings take their toll on any people. We can easily detect this in this present hour, as well as with the Israelites of old. Observe, for example, the pagan traditions which are now such an integral part of Christian practices: the supposed celebration of Jesus’ birthday, the supposed celebration of His resurrection from the dead! Multitudes never question the lack of legitimacy of these two pagan holidays. The majority of professing Christians never stop to think that they break the Fourth Commandment on a consistent basis every week! The slimy tentacles of errors’ grasp have succeeded in blinding people to the truths of God’s holy word.
In much the same way, Judah and Israel were led to believe that Israel’s sinful kingdom would be restored to its former height of glory, and that they, as God’s chosen people, would light the way for the rest of the world to follow. Their vision of the kingdom was of material wealth and acclaim, of bountiful fields and orchards, cool, clear springs of running, babbling water, and the total defeat of their neighboring enemies. That idea has somehow been foisted off on this present generation of “believers” who have accepted as fact the restoration of the ancient kingdom of Israel with Jesus Christ sitting on David’s little wooden throne and ruling the nations from Jerusalem, the unholy city, with a literal rod of iron. This, in spite of the plain words of Jesus and the apostles concerning the everlasting kingdom of the living God.
The Real Kingdom Of God
John, thrown in prison for telling the truth, was highly disturbed about his misfortune. He sent two of his men to Jesus to find out if he was correct in declaring that the kingdom of God was at hand. They said to Jesus, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Jesus’ answer was plain and to the point: “Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Matt. 11:2-6).
These miracles were signs, evidences, of the presence and reality of the kingdom. The revelation of truth was that the kingdom was not of the nature that John and others looked for. It was not to be political: Jesus did not intend to overthrow Herod, Pilate, nor Caesar. As far as power is concerned, He demonstrated power which was supernatural! You never read of Herod healing the sick or raising the dead!
The kingdom was not to be a material, physical entity, even though its authority extended beyond the boundaries of the material, physical plane: Jesus calmed the storms, the wind and sea; He fed over 4,000 people with a boy’s lunch; He caused a fig tree to wither and die; He directed the catching of a huge draught of fish where moments before there had been none. Through this quiet manifestation of super-power, Jesus demonstrated His divine authority and kingship as well as the omnipresence of the kingdom of God.
Jesus sent His 12 apostles on a missionary journey with the following orders: “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:7,8).
Later, He sent 70 other disciples with a similar mission and message: “And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9).
In their fierce jealousy of Jesus, the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils in the name of Satan (Beelzebub). After having dealt with the inconsistency of such an accusation (if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself), Jesus totally dumbfounded His accusers: “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else 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. 12:28,29). Is Jesus here saying that He had bound the strong man, Satan? What else can we truthfully infer from this statement? Certainly, casting out devils would amount to spoiling his house.
If this be true, we may well ask, “when?” When do the Scriptures record such an incident? First, let’s look at this word bind. Greek scholars agree that this indicates a restraint, such as to “be in bonds,” or under the control of another. James Strong states that it is used in various applications, literally or figuratively. Bear in mind that Satan is/was a spirit being: no kind of physical restraint could ever bind him. The only force or restraint that would be effective against that archenemy would be either law or a specific decree which would limit his activities. What does the word say about this?
In Matthew 4:1-11, before Jesus began His ministry, we have the account of Jesus being led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (or tested) of the devil. The Scriptures record but three of these tests which were flung at the Savior. In each case, Jesus met the challenge with a verse of Scripture. With the last and final attack, Jesus issued a stern decree: “Get thee hence; Satan.” (Luke records it thus: “Get thee behind me, Satan.”) Thus, the devil was restrained by the word of God which proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord Himself. Satan had no choice but to leave Him (verse 11), and his house was then vulnerable to the same divine authority of Jesus Christ.
This, of course, was not the end of Satan nor of his demons. Satan and his crowd were restricted as to their bounds and limits. In fact, greater limitations were placed upon Satan when Jesus went to the cross (Heb. 2:14,15), but that is a topic for further discussion later on.
Jesus’ casting out of devils was proof that He had bound, or limited, the activities of the devil. And He further testified that His liberating works were evidence of the presence of the kingdom of God (verse 28).
This restraining order placed upon Satan by Jesus before He began His 3½ year ministry characterized His ministry wherever He went. He was in charge of every situation. Hundreds of demons fled at His command, coming out of a man named Legion and going into a herd of pigs. The religious experts (scribes and lawyers) became silent and impotent before Him. He was not only a bearer of truth, He was the truth. He wisely informed Pilate that he had no power over Himself except that which was permitted by God. He was truly in charge, in control. Even before His death and resurrection He had the ability, or power, to disappear at will (Luke 4:30; John 8:59; 10:39).
The Kingdom At Work
One wonders how anyone can read the 13th chapter of Matthew and still claim that the kingdom of God is some time in the future. Jesus taught most plainly that the “word of the kingdom” and the “work of the kingdom” are an ongoing, present, and continual manifestation of God’s dealings with mankind upon this earth.
“The field,” He declared, “is the world,” upon which are two distinct kinds or classes of growth: the good seed (or wheat) are the children of the kingdom; the bad seed (or tares) are the children of the wicked one (13:37-39).
He also informs us of the future of both classes of seed, or people: the tares are gathered together first and are cast into a furnace of fire; the children of the kingdom will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (vs. 40-43). The kingdom of the Father is most certainly not this earth; “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” (I Cor. 15:50). It is necessary, then, in order for the “children of the kingdom” to shine forth in the kingdom of their Father, for a complete transformation to take place. This is described in I Cor. 15:51,52.
The work of the kingdom is the working of the Holy Spirit to bring out of the chaos of the world the children of the kingdom, to separate them from the children of the wicked one, and to gather them into the Father’s “barn.” At the time of the harvest (the end of this world, or age), the angels will gather the tares together and bind them in bundles to be consumed.
This is in accordance with the eternal plan and purpose of the living God, which was formulated before the world began (II Tim. 1:9). The work of this eternal, everlasting kingdom has been going on since creation (Psalm 145:11-13). It will continue until God’s plan is fulfilled.
Those who are “born again” (or born from above) are spiritually absorbed, or translated, into the kingdom (Col. 1:13). While they remain here on this old earth, their citizenship is in heaven, or the kingdom (Phil. 3:20). They are now “strangers and pilgrims” upon earth (I Peter 2:11), having “no certain dwellingplace” (I Cor. 4:11), but they “now desire a better country, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 12:16).
Yes, the quiet coup is complete and Jesus is now King; the Father said of Him: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”(Hebrews 1:8).
LAW
Randall Walton
We have received some complaints lately regarding our frequent mention of law and, in particular, the seventh-day Sabbath. Our reply includes David’s instruction in Psalm 119:165: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Much of the confusion that surrounds the subject of law comes from the letters of Paul, of which Peter stated, “are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (II Peter 3:16).
Paul made some very controversial statements which have to be considered in the light of the context in which he made them, as well as to compare with other scriptures by other writers. It seems that people who are naturally opposed to all law and restraint have no trouble “wresting” Paul’s words to fit their preconceived notions and ideas. It is necessary, therefore, to view said writings in conjunction with other voices on the same subject.
By way of example, consider Paul’s statement in Romans 6:14: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.” When this verse is isolated from every other verse on this topic, it gives license to do anything and everything we choose to do, no questions asked, and no recriminations, for GRACE covers it all. But we are compelled to ask, “Did Paul really believe such dogma as this?” NO, NO, he did not mean to imply that we have license or approbation to do as we please and still have God’s blessing on our lives. The very next verse does away with that idea: “What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”
He then explains the relationship which exists between law, and sin, and grace: “Know ye not, that to whom ye YIELD YOURSELVES TO OBEY, HIS SERVANTS YE ARE TO WHOM YE OBEY; whether of SIN UNTO DEATH, or of OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” What does he mean by obedience: obedience to what? The subject in question is LAW, plain and simple. This is further backed up in verse 12 where he says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should OBEY IT in the lusts thereof.”
Sin is the result of breaking a law of God (I John 3:4). If there are no more laws, there is no more sin! So why should Brother Paul even bring up the subject? Why state that we are not under the law if there is no law?
Law-abiding saints are not under the law, that is, the penalty which is meted for breaking it – “SIN UNTO DEATH.” The only escape from this death, then, is to obey or yield to the law, and by so doing, we remain in the blessings of grace. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (verse 23). Furthermore, Paul stated that “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good”! (Rom. 7:12) Why should anyone be opposed to that which is holy, just, and good?
Paul said that the problem with the law was the FLESH, or the carnal nature, in that it rebelled against the law. So God sent Jesus “in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3,4). A person who walks after the Spirit has no trouble with the law! He is thankful for the divine intervention of God’s wonderful blueprint of righteousness, a sure guide to eternal life.
•Paul’s Letter To The Saints In Galatia
In order to benefit from the letter to the Galatians, it is necessary to consider it as a continuous message, in the fashion in which he wrote it, rather than a verse here and a verse there. It is when you read it as a continuous, progressive epistle that you realize that when Paul refers to law, he is not talking about the Ten Commandments, but about the issues of the “JEWS’ RELIGION” (chap. 1:13), those ordinances which pertained mainly to the Levitical priesthood and the service of the Tabernacle/Temple. Among those are circumcision, eating with Gentiles, and those laws known as MOSES’ law, which “was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.” Paul said concerning this that “It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels IN THE HAND OF A MEDIATOR” (chap. 3:19). Moses was that mediator!
Those laws, ordinances, and precepts were temporary or “for the time then present” (Heb. 9:1-10). They ceased to function with the demise of the Levitical priesthood, which ended when Jesus shed His blood at Calvary. That’s why Paul could say, “Christ hath redeemed us from the CURSE of the law,” which, of course, was the flesh with its sinful nature.
Those sacrifices that were made on a daily basis pointed to Jesus. The washings and the rituals pointed to Jesus and the cleansing of His blood for everyone who came to Him. Once He had come and died on the cross, there was no more need for those sacrifices nor the washings, etc. But this in no way affected the validity of the Ten Commandments. They did not point prophetically or symbolically to Jesus and the atonement. They are a declaration of the eternal and irrevocable moral standards of the Living God. To discard or disavow any one of those divine principles would be an insult to the person and nature of God Himself.
In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul lists 18 sins which he calls “the works of the flesh.” He states that those who do such things “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” If Paul intended to obliterate the LAW in the rest of his epistle, he certainly unravels his arguments with this statement! He is actually saying that there exist laws against these detestable sins, and anyone who practices any of these can not be saved!! How much stronger can you be than this?
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (I Cor. 6:9,10), he informs us that “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (NKJV). Why not? Because there exist definite laws against all such unrighteous deeds. Those who practice such things are practicing sinners and can not, will not have part in the kingdom. How much plainer does this need to be in order to be understood?
The New Covenant
Contrary to the antinomian theories of modern theology, the closing out of the Old Covenant did not mean the abolition of the law. While it is true that the Old Covenant died with the death of Jesus, it is just as true it was superseded by the New Covenant, which is dealt with in Hebrews 8, 9 and 10. God said He would make a covenant which would be a better one than the Old (Heb. 8:6). This New Covenant would not be without law. It would, in fact, enliven the law and make it far more personal than that which was written on tablets of stone. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS WILL I WRITE THEM. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:16,17). (He forgets when He forgives.)
Now, conviction over sin, or transgression of the law, begins in the heart and mind and involves the motive and intentions of the heart as well as the actual deed. Or, in the words of Jesus Himself: “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” (Matt. 5:27,28)! Under the Old Covenant, the act was the sin; under the New Covenant, sin begins IN THE HEART. The law was not only not done away, it has been MAGNIFIED (Isa. 42:21).
In reality, the law spells the difference between the saint and the sinner. The saint loves and honors God’s laws by his obedience to them: he takes delight in pleasing his Master. He does not look for ways and means of avoiding God’s law but is ever searching for opportunities to commit himself in a greater way to his Lord and Savior.
As far as the Sabbath is concerned, we need only read Gen. 2:1-3 where God “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which he had made.” If you can change this statement to read something else, then you can possibly change the Sabbath commandment. God’s blessing and sanctification of the seventh day is inextricably connected to His resting from His creation work. Can you change that? Can it be altered to mean something else? Is there any reason why we should assume that God has removed His blessing and sanctification from the seventh day to another day? If so, where is it found? And if not, why does most of professing Christianity desecrate that which God blessed and sanctified?
Let us be explicit concerning this: keeping the Sabbath does not save a person; keeping the Sabbath is not the seal of God (as is taught by the Adventists). Keeping the Sabbath does not make a person more holy. However, not keeping it holy, as God commanded, is SIN. There is absolutely no benefit in Sunday observance, none at all. There is not one command in the Scriptures anywhere for Sunday observance, no not one!! Then why do it? Why do so many disregard what God has commanded them to do, but cling to a tradition which has its roots in paganism and Catholicism? Why, why, why? Why do congregations demand of their pastors the observance of that which is unscriptural?
Perhaps Paul had the answer to this in his second letter to Timothy (4:3,4). “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Friends, we are obligated by our dedication to Jesus Christ and the truth to tell the truth regarding these most important issues. Obedience to the words of God is essential to salvation. To teach otherwise is to engage in deceit and dishonesty: we will not become a party to such. Listen to these words of the apostle Peter: “We are witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that OBEY him” (Acts 5:32). Is obedience important or not?
HALLOWE’EN
Gloria Phillips
Millions of Christians will allow and even encourage their children to pay respect to the devil on October 31.
Churches will fully sanction the event with parties held on the premises that will be decorated with witches, brooms, cats, jack-o-lanterns, and bobbing apples.
What is the harm? How did this originate?
The custom of Halloween is traced to the Roman festival of Druids, which was for the dead.
The Roman Pantheon was built by the Emperor Hadrian in 100 A.D. as a temple to the goddess Cybele and other Roman deities. It became the principal place of worship. Roman pagans prayed for their dead. Then Rome was captured, and the Pantheon fell into disrepair. Emperor Phocase captured Rome and gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who reconsecrated it to the Virgin Mary, and there was a resumption in using the temple to pray for the dead, only now it was “Christianized.”
In 834 A.D. Gregory IV extended the feast for all the church, and it became named All Saints Day.
This celebration of the dead honored the god of the dead, and on this particular night, the Druids believed, the souls of the dead returned to their former homes to be entertained by the living. Bonfires were built atop hills to light the way for the dead. Suitable food and shelter were provided for these spirits or else they would cast spells, cause havoc, steal infants, destroy crops, kill farm animals, and create terror as they haunted the living. These spirits demanded to be placated by giving them a type of worship or offering.
The festival itself included the use of nuts, apples, skeletons, witches, and black cats. Black cats were considered reincarnated beings with the ability to divine the future.
On this occasion supernatural beings terrified the populace. Even today practitioners of witchcraft declare October 31st as the most conducive time to practice their arts.
The Christian church tried to eliminate the Druid celebration by offering All Saints Day as a substitute.
These deistic cults held periodic meetings known as witches’ Sabbaths, the most important one being October 31.
Pranks and mischief began to be played out to represent the mischievous behavior attributed to witches and fairies. The “trick or treat” came from an ancient Irish Druid practice. One of the basic tenets in witchcraft is to force or control others in their behavior to come under control of the one practicing witchcraft.
Traditional Halloween symbols appeared in the U.S. during the late 1800’s. Among these were figures of witches, black cats, death’s head cut from a pumpkin, candles, bobbing apples, masks, parties, and pranks.
In rural areas aggravating and destructive acts were done, as removing gates and placing them atop barns and doing the same with wagons. Outhouses were pushed over and windows were soaped.
Nowhere in scripture are we instructed to pray to or for the dead.
Scripture teaches that to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord if one is a believer (II Corinthians 5:6). The Bible also makes clear that all believers are saints, not only a special few. Scripture also teaches that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment, or no second chance and no reincarnation.
We are told to have no part in the deeds of darkness. Both Christian and Jew are forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10,11 to participate in anything of the occult or witchcraft in any form, as it is an abomination to God.
The reply may be, “But we only do this at Halloween in fun.” One is never to handle the things of Satan “in fun,” as he takes you seriously, and since you are in forbidden territory, you can get hurt.
Halloween is a Satanic celebration of Satanic origin and has no place in the life or church of the Christian.