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People of The Living God |
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April 2026
WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
Curtis Dickinson
“When the son of man comes, will he find the faith on the earth?” – Jesus (Luke 18:8).
It is reported that when Prince Charles became king of England, his intentions were to change the oath he would take from “Defender of the faith” to “Defender of faith.” Those who were in favor of this change claimed it befitted England’s multicultural society and that Muslims, and Buddhists, and anyone else all worship the same God as Christians.
This concept now dominates Western society and is the mindset revealed in the popular phrase, “unity in diversity.”
Advocates of diversity and pluralism do not care if you call yourself a Christian, go to church, and pray in the name of Jesus. All of this is acceptable to “diversity” as long as you also recognize the validity of all other religions. What they will not tolerate is for you to confess that Jesus is Lord, and that, as He claimed, He is the only means of salvation.
The Roman Emperors never objected to the citizens confessing their faith in Christ or believing that He worked miracles, or even that He was raised from the dead, as long as they also confessed that Caesar was god and pledged their allegiance to him. This is where Christians were in trouble. They believed in only one God and that He had made Jesus Lord over all. When Christians rejected the popular theme of diversity, they became a threat to all the pagan religions throughout the empire; therefore, they were seen as common enemies of the people and of the government, and were cruelly persecuted.
Modern advocates of diversity have the same attitude. While loudly screaming for “tolerance,” they are the first to condemn all who do not hold to their pluralistic views. They demand that everyone endorse and support whatever opinion and lifestyle they espouse. The media, while praising diversity, is quick to ridicule everyone who fails to condone or embrace the pluralistic movement.
What the enemies of Christ have succeeded in doing is to create a climate of hate for everyone who takes a stand for the God of the Bible, and for His son Jesus, the only mediator between God and man. They have made it impossible for a Christian to give voice to his faith without being branded and condemned as a bigot.
Proponents of pluralism and diversity treat the Christian faith as though it had no shape or form and no absolute distinction. They do not recognize the fact that the very basis of the Christian faith is historical fact that cannot be altered, refined or redefined to blend in with man-made religions.
If Jesus was born of a virgin, then there is a supernatural origin of the whole Christian system. If Jesus arose from the dead, then His claim to all authority in heaven and earth cannot be challenged. This means that the Christian faith cannot be synchronized with or placed on the same level with other religions.
There is, indeed, a uniting principle among all the world religions, outside of Christianity, and that is in their desire and purpose to eliminate the Christian faith. Three of the main religions involved in the diversity movement are Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism, and they are openly hostile to the Christian faith. The Talmud, which is the principal textbook used in Jewish synagogues, labels Jesus as a bastard and Mary as a harlot. In countries that are predominantly Muslim, the Christian faith is outlawed, and in many cases, it is a crime punishable by death for a Muslim to become a Christian. In the East, where Hinduism is the dominant religion, there have been numerous cases where people have been killed for no other reason than the fact that they were Christians.
Many may think that the movement for unity in diversity is the mistaken zeal of sentimental people who simply want to see everyone loving one another. Wrong. At the root of this movement are the long-range plans of a group of organizations that are well funded by tax-exempt foundations in the U.S., and are highly organized and connected closely to the powerful United Nations. A few years ago, in a speech, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that the UN need not abide by the separation of Church and State found in the United States. He said, “I would ask you to think differently…The United Nations is a tapestry, not only of suits and saris, but of clerics’ collars, nuns’ habits, and lamas’ robes – of mitres, skullcaps, and yarmulkes.” By this he warns that UN jurisdiction is worldwide, including all churches and religions everywhere.*
The first Parliament Of The World’s Religions was held in 1893, and since then, there have been a number of international meetings aimed at creating a universal religion. The Chicago Parliament Of The World’s Religions was held in 1993, after which local meetings were held across the nation, mostly on college campuses, where students were encouraged to think that all religions are equally valid. I attended one such conference at Texas Tech, where there were speakers for Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and the Bha’i faith. A Protestant preacher spoke, but he failed to represent the Christian faith. The resurrection from the dead, and the final judgment and destruction of sinners are two basic Christian teachings that are denied by most world Religions.
A study of the Global New Age Religion shows that secret societies have played a large part in the movement. For example, an article published in 1950 by The Supreme Council 33 degree, A&A Scottish Rite of Freemasonry titled THE NEW AGE, GOD’S PLAN IN AMERICA by C. William Smith, states: “God’s plan is dedication to the unification of all races, religions, and creeds. This plan, dedicated to the new order of things, is to make all things new – a new nation, a new race, a new civilization, and a new religion, that has already been recognized and called the religion of ‘The Great Light.’”
This light is quite different from the Light we observe in Jesus. He addressed God, His father, as “the only true God,” and Himself as the only means to God. He said that all who seek to approach God through any other means are thieves and robbers (John 17:3; 10:1).
God condemned Israel and Judah for compromising with paganism. Jeremiah repeatedly reminded them of their practice of participating in pagan religions, such as burning incense to their gods, the worship of Baal, sacrificing the children to Moloch, and allowing witchcraft and sorcery (drug use) to flourish in the land.
Many today who profess faith in Christ readily join hands with the leaders of various religions in the name of ecumenicity and unity in diversity. Does not the same condemnation still apply? God is not just one among many options. He is the One to whom we must give an account. All pagan religions are offensive to Him and stand under judgment.
The diversity movement is encouraged by a false concept of love, that love compels us to show respect for all faiths. But it was in love that God forbade idolatry, and it was in love that Jesus denounced the false religion (the traditions) of the Pharisees. One doesn’t demonstrate love when he condones and encourages a person to follow a religion that will lead him to destruction. True agape love will cause one to seek to show a person the truth about God and His purpose. Instead of encouraging people in pagan idolatry, we should be calling them to repent, “inasmuch as (God) has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).
The new world religion is meant to accommodate the beliefs and superstitions of all cultures. However, their writings state that they may have to eliminate those who will not “cooperate,” which will include Christians who hold firmly to the faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God the Father. Christians have faced such hostility from the beginning, and many are being put to the test in some lands even today.
In the body of Christ, there is great freedom and diversity, but only one faith, one Lord and one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, through all and in all (Eph. 4:5-6).
It is God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in mercy forgives our sins. It is He Who makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. It is He who “so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That son is Jesus, and “neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
For all who put their trust in God and become followers of Jesus, there are wonderful blessings now and a glorious future.
“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all” (I Tim. 2:5-6).
To Him be honor and praise and glory forever. Amen.
*For a documented article on “Gods of the New World Order” write to Florida Forum, PO Box 1059, Highland City, FL 33846.
JUST A VOICE
Harry Miller
Nineteen centuries ago, the Hebrew nation was the sole representative of the eternal Living God in the midst of a corrupt pagan world. These descendants of “the church in the wilderness” were the official custodians of divinely ordained ritualism. Their citadel of worship was located on “holy ground,” and its structure was designed by the heavenly architect. There was no necessity for them to place a sign on the lintel over the door of their house of worship stating that this was THE FIRST CHURCH, for their church was THE CHURCH, the only one. They never found it necessary to compete with a big campaign in another part of town.
The priesthood at Jerusalem had a powerful monopoly, and the authority invested in their fathers from ancient times had helped to establish creed and dogma. For over sixteen hundred years one generation after the other had bowed the knee at this shrine, and it was with a deep sense of religious pride that the disciples directed the Saviour’s attention to the beautiful stones of the building (Matt. 24:1).
It is a simple matter to understand why the Hebrews felt that they were the Lord’s “elect.” They could boast that they were “Abraham’s seed.” And were they not the only people who served Jehovah? Were they not the only custodians of the Holy Scriptures? Did they not contend for just standards? To them, it was evident that they were THE CHOSEN PEOPLE, the ONLY “fundamentalists.”
No institution ever had more power over life and death than did the church of Christ’s day. Ecclesiastical machinery had reached the peak of human perfection to combine with the oracles of God, and its stature was of such magnitude that to the multitude, this institution was God?
But a strange thing happened; God caused “a voice” to cry out in the wilderness. “A reed” was made to shake in the wind, and the people trembled.
Standing in the shallows of the muddy river, Jordan stood a swarthy individual dressed in camel skins. From the midst of swamp grasses and swaying reeds, this unique person cried out: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” With what appeared to be brazen impudence, he began to methodically puncture their mythical bubble of religious omnipotence. His manner and his words did not have the polish displayed by “men of the law,” but his message shook the countryside. Conviction gripped the masses, and multitudes were moved to accept his message.
Public opinion has often made those “in high places” tremble. So also was it in John the Baptist’s day. The rulers, the BIG fellows, the general conference men, the general superintendents, the trustees, the elders, the deacons, and even the scribes were swept by the convictions of the multitudes who had listened to the voice at the river’s side.
Numbers of influential men of the church gathered on the banks of Jordan, listening to the impassioned voice from the muddy waters. Many trembled under the impact of the words of truth. The messenger appeared to be rude and uncouth, but the force of his message no man could deny. He not only spoke with authority, but without mercy, he stripped away the vain garments of religious hypocrisy. He dared to identify religious things by their true names; and promising no hope for the ruling institutions, he said: “The axe 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” (Matt. 3:10).
Making their way into the water, with the intent of being baptized, came numbers of the celebrities of THE church. A lesser man than John might have been flattered by the condescension of these V.I.P.’s, but this rugged man in the leather girdle, dripping with water, was not impressed with importance. His reaction, however, was like the shock from an electric battery. With blazing eyes, he made the very reeds tremble as he thundered: “O, generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
Only a man filled with the spirit of Elijah would have dared to speak in such a manner and make a public stand against these great men of THE CHURCH. Even though the multitudes knew that these long-robed hypocrites were “whited sepulchres,” men seemed instinctively to revolt at the brusque and uncouth methods of the man filled with the Spirit of God.
No matter how true the accusation or how just the cause, any man who raises his voice against the popular religion of the day will always find himself running into great opposition and persecution. Society today will not love the “spirit of Elijah” any more than the apostate Hebrews did in their day.
The voice continued on with shaking clarity there by the sluggish waters of the Jordan: “Think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” What a jolt this must have been to “the elite.” Every Hebrew cherished his genealogy. Pedigree and “blue blood” played an integral part in their religion. They were not merely people of God; they were THE people of God. Where, among all of the nations, could a people be found who had a higher standard of righteousness? In a pagan world, they alone were witnesses of the One and only God. They were the very backbone of stabilized society. Among the nations they were THE just: THE honorable.
People looked aghast at the man who was like “a reed shaken with the wind.” The delegation of very important persons had come to a standstill at the water’s edge. They were shocked, stunned, confounded beyond words. Mutely they stared at the grotesque figure before them. Chagrin and disbelief at what they had heard were written upon every face. But this strange man clothed in skins had not finished. After all, even these hypocrites also had souls to be saved. There was the possibility that they might be awakened to their appalling need. The naked unvarnished truth alone might serve as a “shock treatment” to rouse them from their state of spiritual somnambulism. And so, waving the crowd back with a gesture, “the voice” thundered on. With a sting like liquid fire, his words of command jolted every heart: “Bring forth FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE” (Luke 3:8).
The author of water baptism was setting a precedent: TRUE REPENTANCE must precede baptism. Why baptize these “whited sepulchres”? Water cannot wash away sin! If it could, then Christ died in vain. A wet sinner or a dry sinner is still a sinner in the eyes of heaven. Baptism is not a sign of what IS OCCURRING, but rather of what HAS OCCURRED. Those who truly REPENT are those who have TURNED toward the Lord, and such a life brings forth WORTHY FRUIT.
“If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin” (II Chron. 7:14). The Lord never accepted any man’s mere forms of religion. God has always required the man’s HEART to be in his devotions. The hypocrite is an individual who practices certain religious devotions and ritualism to impress people, thinking that by such things he is justified before God. Such a person is a deceiver. And he is also self-deceived. One of the most difficult things in the world is to awaken the hypocrite. Their religious devotions have given them such self-assurance that it is veritably impossible to convince them of their lost condition before God.
Another difficulty is this: in any false religious service, demon spirits actually assist the “worshiper,” and thus he acquires a certain religious pleasure in his particular practice, which helps to confirm his beliefs.
These Pharisees thought they were right. What religious man doesn’t think that he is right? Name any religion under the sun, and you will find that its advocates believe themselves to be right.
Pentecostal jitterbugs, snake handlers, free-lovers, cultists of every kind, all are SURE THAT THEY ARE RIGHT.
We are now living in the day of great multiplicity of religious organizations. It is an evil time for the “way-faring-man.” Where are the orthodox Christians?
When the spirit of Elijah again thunders, he will not be presented in the popular religious institutions. Once more, he will be heard in the WILDERNESS. And the hypocrites of our day will no more listen to him than those did in the days of John the Baptist. Most ministers, as well as the laity, are self-satisfied and contented with their own brand of religion, and woe be to the man who dares to cry against them. However, there were a few people who did listen to John, and they were prepared for the coming of the Lord. A few will also listen to “the voice” in this latter day, and they, too, will be prepared for our Lord’s return.
FACTS CONCERNING THE LAW
George Scullin
Who gave the law? Why was the law given? Is there law today? The answers to these questions are to be found in the scriptures of the Holy Bible. Let’s start with the first question.
In Deuteronomy chapter 5, Moses said in verses 2 to 4 that God made a covenant with Israel at Horeb, which is Mt. Sinai, and he made it clear that God did not make this covenant with the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) but with Israel that came out of Egypt with Moses. In verse 4 Moses said that “the Lord talked with you face to face.” Then, from verse 6 through 21, he relates the Ten Commandments that God spoke, and in verse 22, “These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and he added no more.” Then God wrote them in two tables of stone and gave them to Moses. Contrary to popular teaching, Moses had nothing to do with giving the Ten Commandments.
Fact one: God, Himself, not Moses, gave the Ten Commandments.
Although God spoke and wrote the Ten Commandments at Sinai, they were actually in force from the creation onward. God made, rested, blessed and sanctified the Sabbath on the seventh day of creation (Gen. 2:3). Cain was guilty of murder in Genesis 4. He had violated the sixth commandment. In Genesis 39:7-9 Joseph recognized adultery as a sin against God. In the New Testament, Jesus recognized the authority of the Ten Commandments in Matt. 19:16-19. The Ten Commandments are moral precepts that are eternal. They are in force today. They will never pass away.
In Deuteronomy 5, notice the reaction of the people when they heard God speaking. They did not rejoice. They did not like it. They were frightened. They were afraid they would die if God spoke to them anymore, and they wanted Moses to go hear what God said (verse 27) and then come and tell them what to do and they would do it. So said Israel.
God agreed to this arrangement and in verse 31 Moses was made a mediator. A mediator is a go-between. Moses was to receive from God the laws that God would make, and then he (Moses) would teach the Israelites those laws. The Ten Commandments had nothing to do with those laws.
Fact two: Moses was made the MEDIATOR of the COVENANT God made with Israel.
Paul wrote about these things in Gal. 3:16-19 when he wrote of God’s promise to Abraham, and he referred to Genesis 22:17,18 where God promised Abraham that his seed would bless the earth. Paul made clear in Galatians 3:16 that the promised seed was CHRIST. The promised seed was NOT that multitude of Israelites who came out of Egypt with Moses. Neither was it their descendants. THE PROMISED SEED WAS CHRIST.
Fact three: The promised seed was not national Israel; it was JESUS.
In Galatians 3:17, Paul stated that the law, which was given at Sinai 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham, could not change the promise. It did not affect the promise. He was not referring to the Ten Commandments. He makes it clear in verse 19 that he was writing about the laws given through the mediator, Moses.
In Galatians 3:19 Paul asked, “Wherefore then serveth the law?” Why was the law given? “It was given because of transgressions” (to keep Israel separated from those nations round about them so the bloodline of Abraham would not be polluted) “Until the promised Seed should come” AND it was ordained by angels “in the hand of a MEDIATOR,” (Moses).
Fact four: The laws that came through Moses were in force only until Jesus came.
Those laws are found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Those laws are known as ordinances because, as Paul taught, they were only in force until the promised seed came. They were for a time, not for eternity.
In Ephesians 2:15 Paul declared that Jesus “ABOLISHED in His flesh the enmity, even the LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES.” Those laws that separated Israel from the rest of the nations and preserved the bloodline of Abraham were no longer needed, for the promised Seed had come. In Colossians 2:14, we read, “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.” Those laws are gone.
Fact five: All of those laws that came through Moses are no more. They do not apply to God’s people today.
Does that mean there are no laws today except the Ten Commandments? NO!!! The OLD Covenant was abolished, and the NEW Covenant was established, and its MEDIATOR IS JESUS (Heb. 12:24). He gave us laws for the New Covenant and not for ONE nation, but for ALL nations. ALL mankind may now enter into covenant relationship with the Almighty God through the Mediator, Jesus Christ. He gave laws governing the participants of the New Covenant.
Hebrews 1:1,2: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON!” The same God Who gave Israel laws through Moses has given us laws through Jesus, and He expects us to keep them.
In the four Gospels, there are over 150 explicit commands given by Jesus, and most professing Christians ignore them. In our day, men are taught by their blind leaders that ALL law was done away, and they may now serve God as they choose. Today, loving God means paying your tithes (which is an Old Covenant law) and attending the church of your choice. Jesus and the Apostles taught no such nonsense. Take notice of the following: John 14:21 “He that hath My commandments and KEEPETH THEM, he it is that LOVETH ME.” Verse 23: “If a man LOVE ME he will KEEP MY WORDS.” Verse 24: “He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings.” I John 5:3: “This is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.” Revelation 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.”
Fact six: Obedience to Jesus’ commands is a New Covenant requirement.
Failure to comply will cost you your life – eternal life.
WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?
Matthew 16:15
Randall Walton
This question is as valid today as it was when Jesus asked it nearly two thousand years ago. People’s opinions of Him are still as varied as they were then, also.
To people of the world, He is nothing more than a historical figure whose life affected no one in particular. The Biblical account of His life and ministry is considered to be mythical or legendary, thus unimportant.
The Jewish people generally regard Him as a renegade, an impostor who hoped to start a new religion based upon His own teachings. Their hatred of Him and His miracles is based partly on jealousy, but also on envy and fear.
The Muslims admit that He was a good man, but do not concede any divinity or supernatural power in His honor. Their own “prophet” is held in much higher esteem than He. The fact that He was Jewish adds to their disdain of Him.
Even among those who claim His name for their own identity, there is a great divergence of opinion about Him: who He was (is), what His position or place of authority really is, the significance of His death and resurrection, and the extent of His accomplishments through His brief but magnificent ministry.
Was He Divine?
By this we mean, “was He part of the Godhead? Was He truly God?” The correct answer to this is not based upon anyone’s opinion about Him, but upon the Holy Scriptures. It really doesn’t matter what people think about Him; the important issue is the testimony given through the word of the Living God. What saith the Lord?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
This is a profound statement concerning Jesus, the Christ. Proof that this declaration is about Jesus is verse 14 of this same chapter: “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” Let us take a closer look at those first three verses.
1 – Jesus is the Word, or as in the Greek, logos, meaning the very expression or statement of the living God. He was not only the Father’s messenger, He was also the Message; He was God’s will revealed to mankind.
2 – “He was with God.” Here is a revelation of the divine authority of the universe: God and the Word were together – “with.” This was not a mere acquaintance of two entities; theirs was a most intimate fellowship and communion.
We are hereby informed that there exists more than one Being in the Godhead: God (the Father) and the Word (the Son). While the words Father and Son suggest some superiority on the part of the Father, (John 14:28, My Father is greater than I), there is perfect harmony and agreement with them.
3 – “He was God.” The Greek word, theos, is indicative of His power, authority, self-existence, immutability, infinite knowledge, holiness, faithfulness, and creative ability. Jesus was the “image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15), but He was more than an image or likeness; as Hebrews 1:3 states: “who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person.” Though the Father was greater than He, He was just as much God as the Father was. They shared the same glorious character or, as Jesus prayed, “that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me” (John 17:22,23). “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father, and how sayest thou, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me?” (John 14:9,10). See also Hebrews 1:8.
4 – He was the Creator. “All things were made by Him.” Jesus then was the one who brought all things into existence (Col. 1:16). However, He did not do this of His own will nor independently from the Father. Paul said “…God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph. 2:9). Thus, the Father and the Son were joined in their plans for the creation of the universe, but Jesus carried out the plans to their completion.
5 – He was in the beginning. This is another way of stating His eternal existence. He, Himself, spoke of His life with the Father “before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24,5).
Jesus provoked the Pharisees by His claim that “Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:56,58).
This was the same response God made to Moses when he asked Him about His name. “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you (Ex. 3:13,14). (literally: THE BEING)
It is thus plain that the Being who spoke to Moses was Jesus, the Christ. Paul testified that He, Jesus, “was the rock that followed” Israel in the wilderness (I Cor. 10:1-4). John informs us that “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Yet, there are many mentions in the Old Testament of men seeing and conversing with God.
Moses repeatedly talked face-to-face with God (Num. 12:6-8). Moses, Aaron, his two sons and seventy of the elders of Israel “saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink” (Ex. 24:9-11).
We can only conclude that God whom they saw was Jesus Christ, the Son of the heavenly Father!
Jesus In Heaven
Several times during His ministry, Jesus told people that He had left heaven to come down to earth.
“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:33)
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38).
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven” (John 6:51).
“This is that bread which came down from heaven” (John 6:58).
“And he said unto them, ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23).
In His discourse concerning His being the bread from heaven, He asked the disturbing question: “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?” (John 6:62). There is no doubt that before His incarnation, He was in heaven with the Father. There is also no doubt that He has ascended up where He was before, that is, in heaven.
Consider the following: “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19).
“And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51).
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9).
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted…” (Acts 2:33a).
“…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3b)
“We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb. 8:1)
“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting (waiting) till his enemies be made his footstool” (Heb. 10:12,13).
“But unto the Son he saith, THY THRONE, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb. 1:8).
In the light of all the evidence given above, how can we possibly state that Jesus must yet return to this earth to establish His authority and Kingship? He declared that All authority in heaven and earth was already given unto him (Matt. 28:18), and He further stated that He has the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:18).
He has been raised from the dead and the Father has “set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:20-22).
The King Of True Israel
When Jesus was on trial before Pilate, He was asked if He were a king. His reply was affirmative: “Thou sayest that I am a king (Greek: “Thou sayest it, for a king I am”). To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth” (John 18:37). This exchange followed Jesus’ statement that “My kingdom is not of this world” (verse 36). Not of this arrangement or earthly system, or cosmos.
Yes, He was and is King, the ruling monarch, the Supreme Commander, who rules the whole universe as He sits at the right hand of the Highest, most majestic potentate of all, the Heavenly Father. “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” (Psalm 110:1,2).
SAVED TO THE UTTERMOST
Alda Scullin
It may come as a surprise to some that salvation and being born again are not synonymous. As anyone knows, a child’s birth is an event that happens to him once at the beginning of his life. Jesus told Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7). He then explained that He was speaking of a spiritual birth. As with a physical birth, the spiritual birth is also the beginning of life; spiritual life. It is often referred to as being saved, but unlike being born again, to “be saved” is an ongoing, rather than a once only event. In brief, being born again is an event; being saved is a process. I Cor. 1:18 and I Cor. 15:1-2, both use the phrase “which are saved,” and “by which ye are saved.” Berry’s Greek-English Interlinear New Testament translates these same phrases in the progressive tense: “are being saved.” The babe in Christ was forgiven and saved from his sins; from then on he is “being saved,” and as long as he walks uprightly and he “endures to the end,” he SHALL be saved” (Matt. 24:13). The scriptures give no credence to such doctrines as “once saved, always saved.”
There are prerequisites to being born again or saved. Repentance is the first step toward being born of the Spirit. “…godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation” (II Cor. 7:10). Because of Adam’s sin, humans are born with an intrinsic knowledge of good and evil. They are also free moral beings who choose to which of the two (good or evil) they will adhere. Each individual must realize he is a sinner and needs God; otherwise, he will feel no need to repent and confess his sins. It is written that “All have sinned…” (Rom. 3:23). Jesus said that He came to call sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13). Repentance is more than an emotional feeling of sorrow for having done wrong. It is a turning away from evil to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Sorrow and tears without change are meaningless.
In Matt. 4:17, “Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heb. 5:9, speaks of Jesus as “The author of eternal salvation unto all them that OBEY HIM.” Repentance is the first act of obedience to God in a Christian’s life. There is no other way to be born into the family of God and be saved. Other ways are offered by false shepherds and pseudo-evangelists, but “going forward,” making a decision, shaking hands with the preacher, or repeating the sinner’s prayer after someone, will never be able to supplant true repentance.
Peter advises that “…newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2). Thus, infants become children, but adolescents need more nourishment than milk alone provides. “Everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe” (Heb. 5:13). “Therefore, leaving the principles (word of the beginning) of the doctrine of Christ, let us GO ON unto perfection” (Gr. – the finish, or maturity) (Heb. 6:1). “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may GROW UP into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Eph. 4:14,15). The “strong meat (of the word) belongeth unto them that are of full age” (Heb. 5:14).
If a newborn does not receive proper nourishment, he will die in infancy. Sadly, this has happened to many because there are so many false shepherds who do not feed the sheep. Their main purpose is to make church members, not disciples of Christ. It has been decided by modern theologians that the message of Jesus is impossible to live by; therefore, they have formulated an easier way. Their easier way really has no food value at all, and certainly no strong meat for spiritual growth. Jesus said, “The words I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).
To a person just beginning his journey UNTO salvation, it is best to begin reading the plain teachings of Jesus and His apostles, for as Bro. Paul wrote in Rom. 1:16, “The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” “Let the word of Christ dwell in you” (Col. 3:16). The importance of Jesus’ words cannot be overemphasized. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father, but by Me” (John 14:6). There is NO OTHER WAY! Jesus came to redeem men from their fallen state; by his words and life, He pointed the way. It is the way of the cross. “He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). “Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).
He gave many commands which are despised by man’s sinful, carnal nature, but are kept by those who know and love Him. The purpose of obeying them is to crucify the sinful nature and be clothed in His divine nature. It is the process by which His children become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Those who are His are not expected to finish this course all alone and only under their own power. Jesus understands that no man can reach the divine state without divine assistance. “Without me, ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Knowing this, He provided all the help needed; it is man’s responsibility to appropriate it.
Before He ascended to be with the Father, He told His followers, “I will be with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20). “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). “He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways,” and sends them to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation (Psalm 91:11; Heb. 1:14). “Ye are bought with a price; ye are not your own; Ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you” (I Cor. 6:19,20).
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith, and “Is able also to save them to the UTTERMOST that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them…who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation…receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (I Peter 1:5,9).
Those who yield to God’s process will grow to maturity and receive uttermost salvation. Those who do not will receive eternal damnation.
DISCIPLESHIP: THE HEART OF FOLLOWING CHRIST
By Rene’ Rankhorn
Discipleship is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. It encompasses following and obeying Jesus Christ's teachings. It is a transformative journey where believers mature in their relationship with Christ and demonstrate His life and teachings through their own lives. It's not just about acquiring knowledge, but a profound transformation involving the mind, heart, and actions.
True discipleship changes us from the inside out. It reshapes how we think, what we value, and how we live. It's a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus—not just learning about Him, but walking as He walked, loving as He loved, and serving as He served. Jesus' final command to His followers wasn't merely a suggestion—it was a commission that defines our purpose as believers:
Matthew 28:16-20 — "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Notice what Jesus commanded: We are to make disciples, not just converts. We are to teach all nations, bringing the gospel to everyone. We are to baptize them, publicly identifying them with Christ. And we are to teach them to observe all things Jesus commanded—not just know them, but obey them.
This is the heart of discipleship: learning to obey everything Jesus taught and then helping others do the same. It's a continuous cycle of being discipled and discipling others.
And notice Jesus' promise: "I am with you always." We don't make disciples in our own strength. Jesus walks with us, empowers us, and works through us as we fulfill this calling.
Jesus never sugar-coated what it meant to follow Him. He was clear and direct about the cost:
Luke 14:33 — "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
Luke 9:23-25 – "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?"
Luke 14:26 – "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." These are hard words. Jesus isn't literally telling us to hate our families—the word "hate" used here means to love less by comparison. What Jesus is saying is this: Following Him must be our highest priority, above everything and everyone else.
Self-denial — Saying no to our own desires and yes to God's will
Daily cross-bearing — Dying to ourselves every single day, not just once
Total surrender — Forsaking everything that competes with our devotion to Christ
Proper priorities — Loving Jesus more than our closest relationships
This isn't a call to casual Christianity or part-time commitment. It's a call to radical, whole-life devotion.
Are we willing to pay this price? Are we willing to let go of anything that keeps us from fully following Jesus? Am I?
John 8:31 — "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed."
Notice that Jesus didn't say, "If you pray a prayer, you're my disciple." He didn't say, "If you attend church, you're my disciple." He said, "If you continue in my word."
True discipleship is marked by perseverance and obedience. It's not a one-time decision but an ongoing commitment to live according to God's Word. We abide in Scripture—reading it, studying it, meditating on it, obeying it, and letting it transform us.
Many people start well but don't continue. They make commitments but don't follow through. They're enthusiastic at first but grow cold over time. Jesus is saying that the evidence of genuine discipleship is continuation—staying faithful, remaining obedient, pressing on even when it's difficult.
Mark 1:17 — "And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."
Jesus' call to discipleship always includes a mission. He doesn't just call us to follow Him for our own benefit—He calls us to follow Him so that He can make us effective in reaching others.
"Fishers of men" means we're called to be active participants in bringing others to Christ. Discipleship isn't meant to be self-focused or insular. As we grow in Christ, we should naturally overflow into the lives of others, sharing the gospel and helping others become disciples too.
This is the beautiful cycle of discipleship: Jesus disciples us, we disciple others, and they disciple still others. The faith is passed down from generation to generation.
2 Timothy 2:1-2 — "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." Paul is teaching Timothy a crucial principle: What you've learned, teach to others who will teach it to still others. This is generational discipleship. It's not enough for us to grow in our own faith—we must intentionally invest in others who will invest in others. Paul taught Timothy (generation 1), Timothy was to teach faithful men (generation 2), and those men would teach others also (generation 3). This multiplication is God's design for the spread of the gospel and the growth of His church. Every mature believer should be discipling someone, and every disciple should be preparing to disciple others.
Are you investing in anyone's spiritual growth? Are you passing on what you've learned? Are you raising up the next generation of disciples? Am I following the call of Jesus Christ?
Jesus showed relational discipleship in His relationships with His apostles. He didn't just preach to crowds and call it done. He spent valuable time teaching, modeling, and mentoring His disciples in close, personal relationships.
Jesus' discipleship was:
Intentional — He chose specific men and invested deeply in them
Relational — He did life with them, not just lessons
Practical — He modeled what He taught
Patient — He worked with them despite their failures and misunderstandings
Transformational — He didn't just give information; He changed lives
This personal and relational approach ensures that discipleship is both instructional and transformational. Head knowledge alone doesn't change lives—relationship does. Truth combined with love and personal investment creates lasting transformation.
Today, we can foster relational discipleship through:
Small groups — Creating environments where people can share their lives, struggles, and growth
One-on-one mentoring — Pairing mature believers with newer believers for personal guidance
Intentional relationships — Building friendships with the purpose of mutual spiritual growth
Life-on-life ministry — Inviting others into our daily lives so they can see faith lived out authentically
The most effective discipleship doesn't happen in formal classroom settings alone—it happens when mature believers intentionally walk alongside others, sharing their lives and pointing them to Jesus.
Who is walking with you in your faith journey? And who are you walking alongside?
John 13:34-35 — "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Jesus gave His disciples a simple but profound test: The world will know we belong to Him by how we love one another. Not by our theology (though that matters). Not by our programs (though they have value). Not by our buildings or our numbers. But by our love.
Active contribution to others' lives is a crucial part of discipleship. Jesus taught His disciples to love and serve one another, demonstrating this through acts of compassion and humility—washing their feet, feeding them, healing them, teaching them, forgiving them, and ultimately dying for them.
This love isn't just a feeling—it's an action. It's:
Bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Encouraging one another daily (Hebrews 3:13)
Forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Serving one another (Galatians 5:13)
Praying for one another (James 5:16)
Speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
Connecting with and supporting others in their time of need promotes a sense of belonging and purpose. These actions help disciples put their faith into practice, reflecting Christ's love to the world.
When we love as Jesus loved—sacrificially, unconditionally, persistently—we become living proof that we belong to Him. And that kind of love is magnetic. It draws people to Christ because they see something different, something real, something they desperately need.
Is your love for other believers distinguishing you as a disciple of Jesus?
Ephesians 4:11-13 — "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
Constructive biblical teaching and guidance are crucial for effective discipleship. God has given the church specific roles—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—not to do all the ministry themselves, but to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
Notice the purpose: equipping believers so that the body of Christ is built up until we all reach maturity in Christ.
The apostles gave instruction and fellowshipped with others, showing the value of training disciples in:
Sound doctrine — Teaching what the Bible actually says, not cultural Christianity or personal opinions
Practical application — Helping believers understand how biblical principles apply to daily life
Spiritual disciplines — Training in prayer, Bible study, worship, fasting, and other practices that deepen our walk with God
Character formation — Developing the fruit of the Spirit and Christlike character
Ministry skills — Equipping believers to use their gifts to serve others
Disciples need more than motivational speeches or feel-good messages. They need solid, biblical teaching that roots them in truth and prepares them to stand firm in their faith.
Are you being fed solid food from God's Word? Are you growing in your understanding of Scripture? Are you applying what you're learning?
The ultimate goal of discipleship isn't just knowledge, activity, or even service—it's becoming like Christ. Ephesians 4:13 says the goal is "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." We're being shaped and formed into His image. Every lesson learned, every hardship endured, every act of obedience, every relationship invested in—all of it is working together to make us more like Jesus.
Romans 8:29 — "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son."
2 Corinthians 3:18 — "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit in us as we cooperate with Him through obedience, surrender, and faithfulness.
Discipleship is not optional for Christians. Jesus didn't say, "If you'd like to be a disciple..." He said, "If you want to follow me, this is what it requires."
The question for each of us is: Will we pay the price? Will we:
Deny ourselves daily?
Take up our cross and follow Him?
Continue in His Word?
Love others as He loved us?
Invest in making other disciples?
Pursue Christlikeness above all else?
This isn't easy. It will cost us everything. But what we gain is infinitely greater than what we give up. We gain Christ. We gain purpose. We gain transformation. We gain true joy. We gain peace that passes all understanding. We gain eternal impact.
Philippians 3:7-8 — "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."
If you've never truly committed to being a disciple of Jesus Christ—not just a churchgoer or a believer in name only, but a genuine, sold-out follower—today is the day to make that commitment.
If you've been coasting in your faith, going through the motions without real growth or transformation, it's time to re-engage. Get into God's Word. Find a mentor. Join a small group. Start serving others. Take your faith seriously.
If you've been growing as a disciple but haven't invested in discipling others, ask God to show you who He wants you to pour into. Start with one person. Be intentional. Pass on what you've learned.
Discipleship is the heartbeat of the Christian life. It's what Jesus commanded. It's what the early church practiced. It's what transforms lives and changes the world.
Will we answer the call?
Matthew 16:24 — "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
The invitation stands. Jesus is calling. Will we follow?