50 of the Most Misunderstood Verses in
the Bible
By Dr. Ken
Matto
All Scripture Quotations are from the King James Bible
Preface
One of the gravest mistakes that Christians make is that
they have neglected to study and research the Bible on many subjects.
I have taken fifty verses of scripture and have researched them and found
their meanings to be totally opposite as to what is taught in many theology
books, prophecy books, and seminaries.
The conclusions are based strictly on what the scriptures teach and not
what “I want them to teach” which is the way many Christians approach the Bible.
Interpreting the Bible by filtering the passages through biased belief
systems will never bring a Christian to truth.
This is why we have so many different schools of thought and so many
different theologies. Put on any
Christian radio station and you will hear a different theological stance every
half hour. If a person is not
rooted and grounded in the scriptures they will become confused by every
preacher who comes on the radio.
There is only one truth and that is Biblical truth not someone’s opinion or what
they think the Bible means or what they want it to say.
These fifty verses are some of the main verses which are
so misunderstood that I wonder if people really study their Bibles when they
come across them or wait for someone to spoon feed them the meanings according
to their bias. The Holy Spirit has
been given to all believers for the purpose of helping us to understand the
Bible since he is the one who inspired it.
We neglect to understand truth when we neglect to seek the Holy Spirit
for guidance on the Scriptures and instead open up a theology book or prophecy
book. Let’s not put the Holy Spirit
out of work because He can’t collect unemployment.
You may disagree with what I have to offer and that would be because you
filter the Bible through a belief system of some church. I have always written
with the intent of understanding the Bible according to the Bible.
Which things also we speak, not in
the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
(1 Corinthians 2:13)
Theology books, prophecy books, and commentaries are not spiritual but are man’s
interpretation and sometimes interpolation.
Christianity would not be so divided if Christians studied the Bible
without these bias based books. So
let us get back to the Bible and study it according to the Bible like it was
meant to be studied. Speculation
and interpolation has no place in Biblical interpretation!
List of Scriptures Covered
Genesis 12:1-3
Genesis 22:8
Deuteronomy
14:26
2 Chronicles
7:14
Psalm 5:5
Isaiah 1:18
Isaiah 14:1
Malachi 3:10
Matthew 5:9
Matthew 7:1
Matthew 16:24
Matthew 24:36
Matthew 27:11
John 1:12-13
John 3:16
John 4:24
John 19:30
Acts 2:38
Acts 12:4
Romans 9:6
Romans 10:17
Romans 11:26
1 Corinthians
14:21-22
Galatians 5:4
Ephesians 2:1 &
5
2 Thessalonians
2:3
2 Timothy 4:2
Hebrews 6:4-6
Hebrews
10:26-27
James 2:24
1 Peter 1:2
1 Peter 1:11
1 Peter 3:18-20
2 Peter 3:9
1 John 2:2
1 John 3:9
Revelation
20:5-6
Revelation
20:7-8
Revelation
22:17
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
{2} And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
{3} And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3)
If you ask any dispensationalist about who Genesis 12:1-3 is speaking about,
without batting an eye or even checking their bibles, they will tell you that
this is pointing to the modern nation of Israel.
This verse has been used by deluded pastors and theologians to promote
their Christian Zionism from the pulpit.
Genesis 12:1-3 is not a political group of verses but they are spiritual
in nature and we will see openly what they are pointing to.
One of the greatest proponents of this view was C.I. Scofield and there
were others who worked with him on his notes.
Two such notables from the dispensationalist movement were A.T. Pierson
and A.C. Gaebelein. It must be
noted that Scofield met with a man named Samuel Untermeyer who later became
chairman of the American Jewish Committee, president of the American League of
Jewish Patriots, and chairman of the Non-sectarian Anti-Nazi League.
Untermeyer was an advocate of the Zionist Liberation movement and was
also active as a member of the Federal Reserve and actually prepared the Federal
Reserve Bank law. Untermeyer
introduced Scofield to many prominent Zionist and Socialist leaders such as
Jacob Schiff and Bernard Baruch. In
1901 Untermeyer helped Scofield join the Lotos club in New York City which
promoted literature and fine arts.
It was here where Scofield came under the tutelage of Untermeyer.
Untermeyer and his cohorts were looking for a way to get churches and
Christians to accept Christian Zionism and they found their way in through
making a study Bible which was geared toward Zionism.
Scofield then went on to author and publish the Scofield Reference Bible
which made its first appearance in 1909.
CI
Scofield
– (8/19/1843-7/24/1921) – Creator of the Scofield Reference Bible of 1909,
revised notes in 1917 and 1967. In
the front of his Bible, he claims the degree of D.D. Doctor of Divinity which
would have been an earned degree back then but there is not one seminary in
America that ever claimed him as a student.
No one knows where he obtained that DD, he just claimed it and that was
it. The fact that in 1892 he began
calling himself Doctor Scofield without producing any Doctorate degree from any
Seminary or University is the least of his devious activities. Even the details
he gave in his story of conversion are proven to be fabricated, including the
time, place and other particularities, thereby placing doubt on the whole story.
Since Scofield was so popular, don’t you think a seminary would use him as a
bragging right?
He
and Untermeyer held memberships in the Lotos Club in New York which was a
literary club.
There can be little doubt that Untermeyer acted as a liaison between Scofield
and the British Zionists at Oxford University, who were far more influential in
promoting Zionist propaganda to the American evangelical movement, which really
fast-tracked after WWII and the founding of the nation-state of Israel.
The
purpose of Samuel Untermeyer and those associated with him, had to find a way to
get Fundamentalist Christians into an international interest in the Zionist
Movement, which was one of Untermeyer’s life-long projects.
The Scofield Bible was the conduit to bring Zionism into the churches
while the average Christian was unsuspecting of the intent these theological
deviates were placing upon them.
Here
is the commentary from the 1967 Scofield Bible on Genesis 12:3:
And
I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee
shall all families of the earth be blessed.
(Genesis 12:3)
“and
curse him that curseth thee” This was a warning literally fulfilled in the
history of Israel’s persecutions.
It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew-well
with those who protected him. For a
nation to commit the sin of anti-Semitism brings inevitable Judgment.
The future will remarkably prove this principle.”
Did
Scofield meet the qualifications for a leader in the church?
His friends and colleagues have tried to hide the fact that he was
married twice, had two daughters with his first wife and was divorced by her
owing to how he treated her and their daughters. Scofield began courting his
future second wife Hettie van Wark before the divorce was finalized and they got
married only three months after the papers were signed in 1883.
Scofield went to jail for six months on a forgery conviction in 1880. He
had stolen his mother-in-law’s last $1,300 one year after his supposed
conversion.
One
of Cyrus’s first suspicious moves involved in producing his Reference Bible was
to take an unnecessary trip to the British Isles for research. He immediately
sought out the controversial scholars Westcott and Hort in London. They guided
him in how to alter the King James Bible so that it would be compatible with the
dispensationalist teachings he was recruited to promote. Scofield preferred the
Revised Version of the Bible, which was largely the product of his mentors
Westcott and Hort and was based on corrupted manuscripts born in Alexandria,
Egypt and espoused by the Vatican. However,
he knew that if he coupled his notes with the RV they wouldn’t sell very well
because the King James Bible far
surpassed the RV in popularity. So he used the King James but in many areas
where the two versions differed doctrinally, especially where his doctrine was
concerned, he placed a footnote giving a supposedly more correct rendering,
which almost always agreed with the RV.
In July 1901, Scofield joined the first of a new series
of annual Bible conferences in Sea Cliff, Long Island, New York. There he met
Arno C. Gaebelein, Bible teacher and editor of Our
Hope magazine. Scofield told Gaebelein about his plans to publish a
reference Bible, and Gaebelein volunteered to help him find financial support.
In 1902, the Dallas church called Scofield back as
pastor. He accepted, thinking he would have more time for his Bible project. But
his attention was divided, so he left the church for Europe in 1904 to work on
the Bible.
While in England, he met the head of Oxford University
Press who became enthusiastic about the project. A year later, Scofield returned
to America, signed a contract with Oxford University Press, and returned to
pastoring his Dallas church.
Several consulting editors helped Scofield with his
reference Bible of 1909. They included Gaebelein; James M. Gray, president of
Moody Bible Institute; William J. Erdman, Presbyterian minister and author;
Arthur T. Pierson, author and editor; William G. Moorehead, President of Xenia
Theological Seminary; Henry G. Weston,
President of Crozer Theological Seminary; and Elmore Harris, President of
Toronto Bible Training School. The Bible was officially published in January
1909 as the Scofield
Reference Bible. Scofield then published a revised version in 1917.
Today Oxford University Press still
publishes the Scofield
Reference Bible.
Scofield was one of the founding members of the Philadelphia College of the
Bible in 1913 which is now Cairn University.
I guess they didn’t want the word “Bible” in it anymore.
If you look at their website you will see the same Mobius in their name
as is on the New King James Version.
It is also found on the new age
book “Aquarian
Conspiracy” by Marilyn Ferguson. It
is on the logo of “The Institute of Trans-Personal Psychology.”
Constance Cumbey, author of The
Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow and a notable authority on the New Age Movement,
said, "The emblem on the cover of the New King James Bible is said to be an
ancient symbol of the Trinity. The old symbol had gnostic origins. It was more
gnostic than Christian.”
Satanic jewelry carries the gnostic Mobius.
It represented 666.
Genesis 12:1
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Terah, Abram’s Father had now died at the age of 205 in Haran. And the days
of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Genesis 11:32 This covenant
points out how God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and commanded him to
go to a land which God would show him. Within this covenant we see promises
which must be examined very closely to determine their meaning.
Abram was now commanded by God to leave Ur and to leave his family and
follow God to the land which He would show to him.
At this point, God did not tell Abram where he was going, instead Abram
followed God by faith. By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive
for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
(Hebrews 11:8)
Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name
great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Here God gives Abram a promise that he will become a great nation. The word
"nation" is the Hebrew word "goy," which may be translated "Gentile, foreign
nation, or heathen." Right at the outset we see that the nation God has in view
will not be limited to a single country. We establish this because within this
nation there are going to exist Gentiles. We may conclude this nation will be
worldwide in scope. Therefore
say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matthew 21:43)
Matthew 21:43 gives us an insight as to
what type of nation will be built through Abraham’s seed.
The nation which will be bringing forth much fruit will be the eternal
church of Christ or the body of believers.
The fruit in view is to make other believers as the Gospel is sent forth
to the world. It must be worldwide
if foreign Gentile nations are to be included. God also promised to make Abram’s
name great, and this has been fulfilled. The nation of Israel proclaims him, the
Arab world proclaims him, and the Christian world proclaims him. God says he
would be a blessing, but a blessing to whom?
I believe the answer to that lies in the end portion of verse 3.
Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in
thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
And I will bless them that bless thee
There is probably no greater example of the blessing of God on a nation than
that of the United States. When we
were founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims, their first desire was to advance the
Christian Faith as they recorded in the Mayflower Compact of November 11,1620.
Our nation was founded on Christianity and the majority of the founding
fathers were Christians. This
nation was blessed as even the unbelievers who lived here had a fear of God and
did not persecute the Christians as is being done today.
The Government was formed according to Christian principles and the
acknowledging that Christianity was the true faith.
This led to the formation and building of a mighty nation under God.
God blessed this nation because it acknowledged Him as the Supreme ruler
over this country and He has protected it through the years.
He blessed this nation as the breadbasket to the world and with great
wealth. People flocked to the
shores to start a new life here.
All of my grandparents came from Hungary around the turn of the twentieth
century.
and curse him that curseth thee
We continue to look at the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abram, we need to
look at countries that have cursed Christianity and even showed desire for it to
leave the shores. In India,
Hinduism has been very physical against Christianity and as a result they are a
very poor nation worshipping cows.
Saudi Arabia where Christianity is illegal, they may have much oil wealth but
their people worship a black box called the Kaaba.
To have no gospel is a greater curse because there is no chance for
salvation. The old Soviet Union
persecuted Christians and in 1990 they dissolved.
North Korea persecutes Christians and their country is just about broke.
Israel hates Christians and the Lord Jesus Christ and they have become a
haven for sodomites and human trafficking which totally negates the ridiculous
moniker of “holy land.”
All one has to do is just look at who persecutes Christians, whether corporately
or individually, and you will see God’s curse upon them.
The greatest curse that one can have is to be the enemy of God by means
of persecuting Christians. Remember
what the Lord Jesus said to the Apostle Paul when he was on his way to Damascus.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? {5} And
he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
(Acts 9:4-5) What these hate mongers fail to understand, that when
you hate Christians, you are in actuality hating the Lord Jesus Christ who will
be their judge on the last day.
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed
Now we must look at what God chooses to bless as these blessings are not man
made but divine. Let us pose three questions:
Has God blessed Judaism?
Has God blessed Islam?
Has God blessed Christianity?
The answer to the first two questions is no because both of these systems deny
Christ in His deity. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:
(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. (1 John 2:23)
The answer to the third is yes, because Christianity is not a world
religion with a cultic overtone. True Christianity exalts the person of Christ,
and God promised to bless those who are in Christ.
Now we must realize that the only way all families on the earth can be blessed
is if the gospel is preached to them. There is not a country on earth which is
void of Christians, Christianity, or the knowledge of Christ. Now when Russia
relaxed its strict control on the people in 1990, the cry was to send Bibles,
not other religious books. Wherever
Christianity was permitted, it left an indelible mark on that country.
Many times hospitals were built, schools were built, housing was built,
humanitarian aid was given in Christ’s name, when there is a tsunami or other
disaster, Americans are quick to offer help, whether believers or not.
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, there were many Christian
groups on the scene to help. The
atheists in this country hate Christianity and yet I did not hear of one atheist
group on the scene in New Orleans.
It is common knowledge that whenever mission stations were built in different
countries, they became centers of refuge for people.
They normally helped with their medical and dental needs, education,
clothing, and other necessities.
They were normally built in the poorer sections of a country.
I have been saved for 39 years and have yet to see a humanitarian station
built in foreign countries by either Muslims, Jews, Sodomites, or Atheists.
It is always the Christians who go in and not only help with the physical
but bring the eternal gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ which when indigenous
people become saved, it changes their life eternally and they in turn go out and
preach the gospel to their fellow countrymen, thus fulfilling God’s promise to
Abram that all the families of the world would be blessed.
Summary
Genesis 12:1-3 is in no way speaking of the modern nation of Israel.
When this promise was given to Abram, ancient Israel was 600 years from
being formed as an official nation.
In these verses, God is telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ would come through
the nation of Israel, the line of Judah and once He completed His salvation
program on Calvary and ascended back to Heaven, then would come Pentecost which
would usher in the last days and the sending forth of the Gospel to the entire
world. So God makes the promise to
Abram that it would be through his family line that the Messiah would come and
that is why neither Eliezer his steward or Ishmael could be the child of
promise. It had to be Isaac who
gave birth to Jacob who gave birth to Judah until his line came to the Lord
Jesus Christ. It is unfortunate
that so many Christians believe that the modern nation of Israel is some type of
holy land. As stated before it has
become a haven for sodomy.
Genesis 12:1-3 when interpreted properly yields only one focus and that is the
promise of the Lord Jesus Christ along with worldwide evangelism in His Name.
Those who try and claim that it is speaking of modern Israel are doing
disservice to these passages and will never come into truth on this subject.
This is also why so many churches and Christians have been derailed into
thinking that modern Israel is the place to keep their eyes on for prophecy.
The place to keep their eye on is the church and its persecution and
infiltration by false gospels. No
one is seeking to change Judaism but yet there is a great satanic movement to
change the truth of Christianity.
This is why Satan has come up with counterfeit bibles, counterfeit gospels like
the emergent church with Rob Bell, Tony Campolo, and Rick Warren and other
unsaved deceivers who are vying for the souls of people and seeking to derail
the truth to lead astray the Elect.
When looking
at the covenant in Genesis 12:1-3 and when we understand it to mean the eternal
church, then we will understand much better when God states that He will give
Abraham a land forever. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I
give it, and to thy seed for ever. (Genesis
13:15) What is the only
thing in Scripture which will last forever?
It is the eternal Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and that is what is in
view when we read “forever or everlasting.”
And I will establish my
covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an
everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
{8} And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land
wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God.
(Genesis
17:7-8)
When will we claim that
everlasting possession? It will be
after Judgment day when God remakes this entire world and universe.
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall
remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
(Isaiah 66:22)
Notice the similarity between
Genesis 17:7 and Isaiah 66:22. They
are both speaking of the seed. Who
is that seed? Now to Abraham and
his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as
of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
(Galatians
3:16) It is the Lord Jesus
Christ and all His followers, AKA Christians.
It becomes so clear once we analyze these verses properly.
Please do not get caught up believing false prophecy books and
dispensationalism which only spews more lies and causes more confusion and get
rid of those Scofield notes because they only cause confusion.
Genesis 22:8
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a
lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
This will refer specifically to the Lord Jesus Christ
being the lamb of God who was sacrificed for his people.
The next day John seeth Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world. (John
1:29) Abraham had great spiritual insight that a redeemer would come and die
for the sins of his people.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou
shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
(Matthew 1:21) God provided
himself the lamb as the Son of God.
No one could die for the sins of God’s people unless it was God himself who was
the only one capable of defeating sin on the cross.
Who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word
of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews
1:3) Hebrews 1:3 confirms the truth being taught in Genesis 22:8.
When we read some of the modern versions like the NASV
or the ESV, we read that “God will provide for himself the lamb…”
In the Old Testament sacrificial laws, it was the one who transgressed
the law of God who was required to bring a sin offering to the temple.
Basically, what the modern versions are saying is that God needed a lamb
to sacrifice for himself, in essence, these modern versions are calling God a
sinner in need of redemption. Do
you see how bad these modern versions are?
God never needed a lamb for himself because he is pure and holy and
separated from all sin but according to the modern versions, he did.
Deuteronomy 14:26
And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul
lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for
whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God,
and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
Deuteronomy 14:26 is a verse which has been ripped from its context by
Christians who believe a holy God placed it there as a permission slip to drink.
They think that it is a license to drink wine, mixed drinks, beer, have Super
Bowl parties, etc. The question which they must ask themselves is, “Did Christ
go to the cross so they could drink alcohol?” The answer is no but today’s
Christian looks for any “supposed” loophole where they can enjoy the fleshly
sport of drinking alcohol. We will look at Deuteronomy 14:26 in its proper
context and we will see it is not a pass for the Christian to make a trip to the
liquor store. The money spent on booze could better be spent on missions.
Deuteronomy
14:22
Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth
forth year by year.
In the Old Testament God had given Israel the principle of tithing their
increase. They were to bring a tithe of all that their land produced. It was the
Harvest tithe! But where were they to bring it?
Deuteronomy
14:23
And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose
to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil,
and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to
fear the LORD thy God always.
They were to bring their tithes to the place where the Lord had chosen to place
His name. They were to eat of their bounty in that place. What place was it?
And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In
Jerusalem will I put my name. (2 Kings 21:4)
The place mentioned in Deuteronomy 14:23 where God chose to place His name is
Jerusalem, as we can see that in 2 Kings 21:4. The Scripture specifically states
that God will place His name in Jerusalem. This is also confirmed in 2
Chronicles 6:6. But
I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to
be over my people Israel. (2
Chronicles 6:6) Up to
this point what we have here is the tithe that the farmers must bring to the
city of Jerusalem which also contained the Temple.
Deuteronomy
14:24
And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or
if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set
his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
God now makes concessions for those who live a long distance from Jerusalem. He
realizes that if a farmer has had a great crop or had a major increase in
livestock, then the possibility exists that he will be physically unable to
bring the entire tithe to Jerusalem. They only had horse or ox drawn carts in
those days to carry produce or animals and a large tithe would be impossible to
manage.
Deuteronomy
14:25
Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and
shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
In verse 25, God makes the concession that the farmer may sell the tithe of the
produce or livestock and turn that into money which would be a lot easier to
manage on a long trip than loads of produce or animals. So God is now
instructing those who brought their tithes this way to bring the money to the
same place the other ones brought the produce or the animals. Up to this point,
are we seeing a theme running through these verses and so far it has nothing to
do with drinking alcohol. Now let us get on to verse 26.
Deuteronomy
14:26
And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for
oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul
desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt
rejoice, thou, and thine household,
The English word “bestow” has for its Hebrew word “nãthan” which means “to give,
to put, set something somewhere.” It has other meanings and is used 2016 times
in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is the fifth most widely used word in the Hebrew.
They were then, during the feast, able to buy what they needed to celebrate the
harvest tithe. They would have purchased the things they needed from the
Sanctuary. At this point in Israel’s history, this practice was not yet
corrupted by greed of the leaders but was done properly.
The word “wine” is the word “yayin” and in this usage in this passage it is
referring to “unfermented wine.”
The word “strong drink” has for its Hebrew word “shêkhãr” and can mean “beer or
another type of intoxicating beverage.” Now we must keep in mind that this was a
feast which was held before the LORD and by the Temple. The word “shêkhãr” is
used 23 times in the Old Testament and is a general term which may include
drinking or the eating of solid food. Normally, strong drink was fermented grape
juice and was diluted one part wine to three parts water. The type of
distillation we have today was invented in the 12th century A.D. So up until
that time, fermentation was the way wine became strong drink. There were other
legitimate uses for that type of beverage. It was used for cooking, healing and
pain killing. The command in verse 26 is to buy the strong drink and is not
saying anything about drinking it. The last sentence in verse 26 is also a
command where the people are commanded “to eat before the Lord.” So they would
have used the strong drink for cooking purposes, especially since the drinking
of strong drink is prohibited by God. We must never use verse 26 as some license
to drink alcohol because drinking is not in view since it was a feast at the
Temple before the LORD. Would you have a couple of shots of whiskey or scotch
before you go to church? Pagan festivals encouraged drinking alcohol and God’s
people were in no way to imitate those festivals.
God condemned the use of strong drink among His people and He would not
contradict Himself in Deuteronomy 14:26.
Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go
into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for
ever throughout your generations: {10} And that ye may put difference between
holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; (Leviticus 10:9-10)
Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye
might know that I am the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 29:6)
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is
not wise. (Proverbs 20:1)
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong
drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!
(Isaiah 5:11)
But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the
way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are
swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in
vision, they stumble in judgment. (Isaiah 28:7)
Just looking at these prohibitions and scenarios, how could anyone legitimately
think that God would contradict Himself and allow drinking at a festival by the
Temple? Something else too which is very important. God tells us in plain terms
in both verses 23 and 24, that the place of the feast will be where He has
chosen to place His name. In other words, there is a holy aspect to the feast
since God’s name is associated with it. As a CHRISTian who bears the name of
Christ, do you think it is biblical to buy a keg of beer or drink whiskey or any
type of drink? If Christ saved you, then you are holy and alcohol has no place
because it does not enhance your Christian walk, instead it hinders it and ruins
your testimony. So for those who want to use Deuteronomy 14:26 as their license
to drink, are using the Scriptures to their own destruction. Deuteronomy 14:26
should not ripped out of its context because God did not write the Bible to
condone sin but to condemn it.
2 Chronicles 7:14
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, and will heal their land.
A verse that is used quite extensively to bring Christians back to an obedient
life is 2 Chronicles 7:14 plus it is used in connection with revival.
Does this verse apply to Christians or does it apply to ancient Israel
when they had walked away from the Lord and took up the lifestyle of idolatry?
O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.
(Hosea 13:9)
If one goes through the book of Hosea, it will be seen that God was going
to judge the northern ten tribes otherwise known as Ephraim.
That judgment came to pass in 721 B.C. when the ten northern tribes went
into captivity never again to return to their land.
However, up until that time God had repeatedly told Ephraim that he was
their help and only in him would
they be able to find true peace and life.
In Hosea 14:1 God tells Israel to return to him.
O Israel, return unto the LORD thy
God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
(Hosea 14:1) Then the
LORD promised to heal their backsliding.
I will heal their backsliding, I
will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
(Hosea 14:4) Here we
would see an application for 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if Ephraim turned from their
wicked ways of idolatry, then God would heal their land and their backslidings.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is located in the section of scripture where Solomon had just
finished dedicating the temple. God
had told Solomon that if his people would turn from their wicked ways and seek
him then he would hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.
Notice verse 15.
Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine
ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
(2 Chronicles 7:15) God
was giving specific instructions to Solomon about the people of Israel.
Then in verse 15 God states that he would hear the prayers and his eyes
would be attentive to the prayers made in the temple.
Verse 14 & 15 cannot be separated because they focus on one major theme
and that is obedience to the LORD and prayer in the temple.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is not speaking about the Christian but about ancient
Israel. Solomon started reigning
about 970 B.C and reigned to about 931-30 B.C.
Hosea started to prophesy about 800 B.C and prophesied over a period of
about 70 years. So we can see that
the ten tribe northern kingdom had become fully apostate in only 130 years after
they made an alliance with Tyre and Sidon, both cities which worshipped Baal.
Hosea was sent primarily to the northern kingdom.
2 Chronicles 7:14 contains the word “wicked.”
The word wicked is used 24 times in the New Testament within 23 verses
and not once is the word ever used in conjunction with the true believer.
The word wickedness is used 9 times in 9 verses and is never used in any
description of the believer or their actions.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
(Romans 1:29)
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled
(Colossians 1:21)
Notice in these two New Testament verses that being wicked is associated with
those who have not become saved.
Wicked or wickedness is never associated with the true Christian but only the
unbeliever.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then
cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This
is he which received seed by the way side.
(Matthew 13:19)
In Matthew 13:19, the term wicked is associated with Satan himself, so if a
Christian is considered to be wicked, then they are not Christians at all but
are still in an unsaved state. The
question remains, can a true Christian commit an act of wickedness?
The answer is yes because we are still in the flesh.
I personally knew a Christian man who committed suicide over a family
matter. Is self-murder wickedness?
It sure is! I knew this man
was a Christian but he allowed himself to be overtaken by the flesh and as a
result he murdered himself.
The next question that remains is, did this man go to heaven?
He sure did because every sin that a Christian ever committed or will
commit is covered by the blood of Christ.
Christians are forgiven people.
When Christ died on the cross, this man’s sins just like mine were all in
the future.
{13} And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath
he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
{14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
(Colossians 2:13-14)
Colossians states plainly that those who are saved have been made alive through
Christ and that he has forgiven all our trespasses.
Murder whether it is of someone else or ourselves, is a sin and that has
been forgiven according to the Scriptures.
As far as the east is from the
west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103:12)
Now let us go back to the word “backsliding.”
It must be understood that the term “backsliding” never refers to the
Christian because whenever the term is used in the Old Testament it is used in
response to the sinning of Israel as a corporate nation.
The term “backsliding” does not occur at all in the New Testament.
It is used a total of 11
times in the books of Jeremiah and Hosea and nowhere else in the Bible.
The Hebrew word behind “backsliding” carries with it the meaning of
“apostasy.” A true born again
Christian will never go into apostasy, that is something only an unbeliever will
do. A born again Christian may
adopt a wrong teaching or may sin but that does not equate to apostasy.
In the New Testament we find the Greek word “apostasia” which translates
“rebellion, backsliding, apostasy, or departure.”
The word is only used twice in the entire New Testament:
And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among
the Gentiles to forsake
Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk
after the customs. (Acts 21:21)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(2 Thessalonians 2:3)
As you can see both uses of the word are not associated with the spiritual lives
of Christians. A true Christian
cannot fall into apostasy because that would mean they have lost their
salvation, something which is impossible for a true Christian.
Even those who hold to the false belief of free will know that Christ is
the only way to heaven. Those
Christians who use the modern versions of the Bible also know that Christ is the
only way to heaven. There is an
interesting verse found in 1 John 2 which tells us the difference between those
who stayed and those who departed, which is one of the meanings of “apostasia.”
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be
made manifest that they were not all of us.
(1 John 2:19)
Those who are unsaved and join in Christianity will soon show their true
commitment by departing from the faith.
They departed simply because they were unsaved and were not true
Christians. John uses the term “us”
5 times meaning there is a difference between the “us” who are the true
Christians and those who departed who were not true Christians.
Summary
2 Chronicles 7:14 has nothing whatsoever to do with the true Christian.
It speaks of the backsliding of Israel into apostasy which was evident by
their rampant idolatry and departure from the true God.
However, we must not discount its warning.
Now all these things happened unto
them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends
of the world are come. (1
Corinthians 10:11) Everything
that happened to ancient Israel is to be used as a warning to us and that
includes their backsliding. While
the true Christian cannot fall into apostasy because we have the Holy Spirit
indwelling us, we can do things in the flesh which are against the teachings of
scripture.
For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to
perform that which is good I find not.
(Romans 7:18) If we
allow the flesh to overtake the spirit, we will commit sin but if we keep
ourselves in check, we will remain on the straight and narrow.
There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
Psalm
5:5
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest
all workers of iniquity.
The word "hatest" means to "hate personally, enemy, or
foe." From one verse we may conclude that God considers all workers of iniquity
as His enemy. The majority of Christians like to proclaim that God loves
everyone including the unbelievers and that is just false teaching because it is
not backed up by Scripture. God bears this fact out that all unbelievers are the
enemy of God. Deuteronomy 7:10; Psalm
7:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 1 Peter 3:12.
And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to
destroy them: he will not be slack to him that
hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
(Deuteronomy 7:10)
God judgeth the
righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
(Psalm 7:11)
{5} Which is a manifest
token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
{6} Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to
them that trouble you; {7} And to
you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels, {8}
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
{9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence
of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
{10} When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired
in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that
day. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)
For the eyes of the Lord
are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face
of the Lord is against them that do evil.
(1 Peter 3:12)
It is also biblically
true that all unbelievers are enemies of Christians too, no matter how nice they
may seem, they are still in the kingdom of Satan.
Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.
Since I became a Christian 39 years ago, I have heard the interpretation of this
verse as follows that if one repents and turns to Christ, then their sins which
were scarlet would be made as white as snow, meaning a person goes from being a
sinner to one who is cleansed. However, in this case that interpretation does
not match up with what the verse states and the context in which it is found.
When we look at the context of Isaiah 1, God is pronouncing a serious woe upon
the nation of Judah. Isaiah 1:1-24 speaks about their impending day of Judgment
by the hand of the Chaldeans. Isaiah 1:25-31 speaks about the restoration of
Judah if she will heed the warnings the Lord gave in the first 24 verses.
Verse 18 sits in the middle of this warning and is not a salvation verse because
the warning of chapter 1 is to an entire nation and not individuals. When we
look at verse 18, it speaks about a nation who has sin in their life and is
going opposite of the commands of the Lord. So the Lord comes to them and says
that their sins are as scarlet but they will be as white as snow and though they
be like crimson, they will be as wool. This verse is not speaking about
redemption but is a further warning that if their sins continue as they are
going, then they will be fully engulfed in sin and God will have no recourse but
to judge that nation.
The reason that I am saying that Isaiah 1:18 is not pointing to salvation by
grace is because that does not fit the context of what is in view plus it does
not harmonize with what is taught in the Scriptures concerning sin and Christ’s
sacrifice. If we look at the following verses, we will see a common thread which
runs through them.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our
transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)
I have blotted out,
as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me;
for I have redeemed thee. (Isaiah 44:22)
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14}
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
(Colossians 2:13-14)
If you will notice the words in these verses, “he removed,” “blotteth out,” “I
have blotted out,” “Blotting out,” “took it out of the way.” These five verses
all have the common thread of the removal of sins from the believer upon
salvation in Christ. The sins which darkened our souls before salvation are
gone. They are no longer attached to the believer because God has annihilated
them.
Let me give a quick illustration. I show up at your home to paint your car with
white paint but the car was towed out to the junkyard two hours before I
arrived. I have the paint and I have the brush, but since the car was removed,
there is nothing to paint. How can I paint a car that is no longer there? In the
same manner, how can one be made white if their sins are no longer there? It is
the soul that is cleansed.
Let us look at two practical examples of this in Scripture.
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto
David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. (2 Sam 12:13)
When David sinned with Bathsheba, he had kept from confessing that sin for about
a year and since God would not let him get away with that sin and the other
accompanying sins such as the murder of Uriah the Hittite, He sent Nathan to
David. Nathan then points out the fact that David was the object of his
narrative and he was the man who sinned against the Lord. Then Nathan tells
David something very interesting, “The Lord has made your sin white.” That is
not what he said, he said, “The
LORD also hath put away thy sin.”
God completely removed the sin from David but, He did not remove the
consequences as you study the life of David from this point, there is nothing
but hardship and rebellion in his family. The key is, that God took away the sin
of David, it is no longer attached to his soul.
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when
the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; (Acts 3:19)
Acts 3:19 is a part of a sermon Peter gave right after the healing of the lame
man at the Gate Beautiful at the Temple. After the man was healed, Peter begins
to speak about salvation. In verse 19, notice what Peter states. He states the
same actions that God spoke about in Isaiah concerning the blotting out of sin.
Notice that Peter did not say, “that your sins be made white as snow.” Peter
states that when a person becomes saved, their sins are blotted out. The Greek
word for “may be blotted out” is the Greek word “exaleiphô ” which carries with
it the meaning of “erase, obliterate, wipe or smear out.” It is the same word
used in Colossians 2:14 for “Blotting out.” There is no question about what
happens to the sins of the believer, they are obliterated.
Now let us take a look at Isaiah 1:18 and see if it harmonizes with the verses
that we just looked at. The words in these verses, “he removed,” “blotteth out,”
“I have blotted out,” “Blotting out,” “took it out of the way” all show a
removal of sin from the believer, that is, a separation of the sin and the
believer. Referencing Isaiah 1:18, I must ask the question, How can sin, that
has been removed, be made white as snow? If it is not there, then something else
is in view in Isaiah 1:18.
What is in view is how God is making a comparison to leprosy and its
representation as an all-consuming sin. Judah would have been familiar with the
Levitical laws concerning leprosy.
{19} And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot,
white, and somewhat reddish, and it be showed to the priest; {20} And if, when
the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair
thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague
of leprosy broken out of the boil. (Leviticus 13:19-20)
In Leviticus 13:19-20, we read about the priest determining as to whether a
person who has leprosy is clean or unclean. Notice in verse 19, it speaks about
a reddish spot on the skin. One of the beginning symptoms of leprosy is the red
skin or patch. Please note in the following citations from these medical
websites with their URL.
From:
http://diseases.emedtv.com/leprosy/leprosy-symptoms.html
Tuberculoid Leprosy Symptoms
Tuberculoid leprosy (also known as paucibacillary leprosy) is the mild form of
leprosy. Early symptoms can include one or more light or slightly red patches of
skin that appear on the trunk or extremities. This may be associated with a
decrease in light-touch sensation in the area of the rash.
From: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/leprosy/page3_em.htm
In general, the signs and symptoms of leprosy may vary with the form of the
disease and include the following: Flat or raised skin lesions or nodules, often
less pigmented than the surrounding skin, though they may reddish or copper
colored
From: http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/infectiousdisease/a/071203.htm
Signs and Symptoms of Leprosy
The earliest sign of leprosy is commonly a spot on the skin that may be slightly
redder, darker, or lighter than the person's normal skin. The spot may lose
feeling and hair. In some people, the only sign is numbness in a finger or toe.
From: http://www.houstontx.gov/health/ComDisease/hansens.html
Hansen’s disease (Leprosy) is a bacterial disease of the skin and nerves. Early
signs or symptoms may include:
1) A rash on the trunk of the body and/or extremities
2) Reddish or pale colored skin patches which do not itch and which may have
lost
some feeling
Now when we look at the early symptoms of leprosy, in all four medical websites,
we see there is a presence of red on the skin. This means that the disease had
not yet spread to the entire body but is beginning to and without medical
treatment it will engulf the whole body. This is what God is telling Judah in
Isaiah 1:18 that if their national sins were to continue, they would eventually
be fully permeated with sin and God would have to bring judgment. Do you see the
progression which God is warning them about? Though their sins be as scarlet and
crimson, in other words, if their sins were cutoff now and they did a national
repentance, then God would not judge them but if they allowed the red and
scarlet sins to continue, then they would become a totally sinful nation as one
who has leprosy in fullest manner and as you know, God did judge them by the
hand of Babylon because of their failure to heed the warnings.
And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became
leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she
was leprous. (Numbers 12:10)
The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for
ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. (2
Kings 5:27)
Do you see the verses above and what is the common thread? Both Gehazi and
Miriam, because of their sin, were both turned as white as snow. Now with that
information concerning the progression of the disease of leprosy and leprosy
representing an unbeliever in sin, now look at Isaiah 1:18, and you will now
have the proper understanding.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)
Isaiah 1:18 is also a warning to every person on this planet. We have all
witnessed this verse in action. A person starts out with one alcoholic drink and
winds up a drunk. A person smokes one marijuana joint and winds up on cocaine or
heroin. A person steals a candy bar when they are young and gets away with it
and winds up a murderer later on. We have all seen and many have experienced the
destructive progression of sin and that is what God was warning Judah about and
He continues the warning today.
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. {12} Wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:11-12)
Isaiah 14:1
For the LORD
will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their
own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave
to the house of Jacob.
The LORD is
going to have mercy on Jacob and we must remember that the Messianic line came
through the lineage of Jacob.
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but
Esau have I hated. (Romans 9:13)
God’s love is qualified in that he loves his children, that is, only
those who are in Christ. This is
why God loved Jacob because it was the believing line which came through the
lineage of Jacob. Then God states
that he is going to choose Israel.
The Israel that God chose is the body of believers and not the physical
descendants. The ones in Israel
that God chose were the saved within the ancient nation of Israel.
And as many as walk according to
this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
(Galatians 6:16) The
Israel of God according to Galatians 6:16 is the body of believers.
The name Israel means “prince with God” and no unbeliever can be a prince
with God. To be a prince or child
of God, one must be saved. It is
salvation by grace and not by race.
When a person becomes saved does God transplant them to the land of Israel?
The answer is no, when a person becomes saved they normally remain in the
country of their birth till their last day. A
person who becomes saved now has dual citizenship.
They are citizens of their earthly country and now citizens of Heaven
which is the land which God gives the true believer for an everlasting covenant.
Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God; (Ephesians 2:19)
{8} He hath
remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand
generations. {9} Which covenant he
made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
{10} And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an
everlasting covenant: {11}
Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
(Psalm 105:8-11)
Notice what is
in view in verse 10. God confirmed
an everlasting covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac.
Then he confirmed the same covenant which he made an irrevocable law and
to Israel for an everlasting covenant.
Which covenant did God make that is everlasting?
It is the covenant of grace which extends into eternity.
The covenant of Sinai which is the covenant of works will extend into
eternity in only one fashion and that is through eternal damnation because no
one would have been able to keep the law perfectly and those who tried to keep
the law have failed meaning they broke the law of God and thus were sentenced to
eternal damnation because they had no Savior, in other words, the penalty
associated with the first covenant will go into eternity. Then it speaks of the
land of Canaan which must be everlasting because the covenant associated with it
is everlasting. The land of Canaan
is a synonym for Heaven.
Blessed is the
nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own
inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)
{3} Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, {4} To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3-4)
Psalm 33:12
states that God chose a people for his own inheritance and the ones he has
chosen are those in Christ.
According as he hath chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4)
What did Jesus say to the rebellious Jews who faced him?
It is found in Matthew 21:43 that the kingdom of God will be taken away
from rebellious Israel and given to another nation that will bring forth fruits.
That nation is the body of believers which is being built until all the
elect in the world are saved. Therefore
say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
(Matthew 21:43) Then
once all the believers in the world are saved which includes both Jews and
Gentiles, then all Israel will be saved.
And so all Israel shall be saved:
as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn
away ungodliness from Jacob:
(Romans 11:26) Remember what
Isaiah 14:1 states that “strangers will be joined to them and they shall cleave
to the house of Jacob.” The
strangers were the Gentiles in the world.
That at that time ye were without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the
covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
(Ephesians 2:12) The
covenants of promise was the everlasting covenant made by God to Abraham.
1 Peter 1:3-4
confirms the teaching of both Psalm 33:12 and Isaiah 14:1.
Remember that Isaiah 14:1 states that the LORD will have mercy on the
house of Jacob. 1 Peter 1:3 speaks
about the abundant mercy on those he saved.
The house of Jacob is a synonym for the body of believers because it was
through Jacob and then Judah and through his descendants that the Lord Jesus
Christ came and those who have become saved are called “spiritual Jews.”
{28} For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
{29} But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of
the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but
of God. (Romans 2:28-29)
Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine
house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it.
Giving funds to a compromised media ministry or
dedicating your life to a church that does nothing is both a waste of the Lord’s
funds and a waste of your life. Personal ministry is basically the heart of
Christianity. I wish to encourage every Christian reading this section that you
have a personal ministry beyond check writing. When churches tout that you
should be tithing to them and they use Malachi 3:10 to enforce it, they are
twisting Scripture to fleece you.
During the time of ancient Israel when the temple was
the central place of worship, the people brought a tithe of everything they
produced from money to spices. This was done so the work of the temple would
continue as it was the central place where God was worshipped and where the
people received their training and studies from the Hebrew Scriptures. Then
comes the cross where everything had changed. No longer is the physical temple
the central point of worship. The temple would be destroyed by General Titus in
70 A.D. and would no longer be in existence. The temple would no longer be a
physical building but would now be the body of believers.
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1
Corinthians 6:19)
As you can plainly see that the temple is no longer a
building but the Scriptures teach that the body of believers is the eternal
temple. Now we see this in the verse in 1 Corinthians 3 that the corporate body
of believers is the temple and in 1 Corinthians 6 we read that the individual
believer is the temple. Since the temple is no longer a building this means
that the concept of the physical church being the continuation of the physical
temple has no biblical backing whatsoever. Since there was only one central
temple in Israel and there are well over 50,000 churches in the United States
alone, then which singular church would be the qualifying temple? The answer is
simple, none of them because the temple is now the body of believers and local
churches are nothing more than meeting places for the body of believers.
Now since the temple has been changed from a physical
building to the body of believers, this also means the storehouse has also been
changed since there is no physical temple to store things. The storehouse is
now the Kingdom of God otherwise known as the body of believers. Whenever you
make money and put aside a portion of that income for ministry and have not yet
disbursed it, it is in the storehouse. Let’s say you have put fifty dollars
aside weekly for ministry. You give twenty five to your church and hold back
twenty five because you want to buy a Bible and keep it on hand to give it away
to someone who needs one. Giving a Bible to someone is just as much ministry as
giving to your church. The next week you want to go hand out tracts downtown in
your city. So you need at least forty dollars to do that so you give ten to
your church and hold back forty dollars and purchase tracts with them. Let’s
say you purchased 500 tracts and then went to the street and handed them all
out. Let us say your church has 100 people in it. Your pastor reached 100
people on Sunday with his sermon but you reached 500 people which was five times
the number your pastor reached. Are you beginning to see how much larger your
personal ministry can be than even your local church?
My personal website receives between two to three
thousand unique visitors every day which means in a seven day period I am
reaching between 14,000 and 21,000 people weekly. In May 2019 I had 283,594
page views which comes out to 9148 page views per day which comes out to 381 per
hour. My website cost $209 per year to keep on line. That is 57¢ per day which
means I am reaching 2-3,000 people per day for less than the price of a cup of
coffee. Do you see the vast reaches of personal ministry? It can be greater
than the largest mega-churches. A great benefit of personal ministry is that
you can control what material you send out or post. When you give to a church
or media ministry, you are hoping the preacher teaches something which is
biblical and not personal or through a biased belief system. When you have your
own personal ministry, you do not have to concern yourself with appeasing
diverse crowds to keep the money flowing in. You can concern yourself with
spreading materials or teachings that are only based in scripture and you do not
have to worry about the media minister pocketing a good portion of donations for
himself. You will be in total control of the finances and only what you see fit
and proper will you then send out to the masses.
One thing about personal ministry is that you may have
to spend a large amount of time performing it but the benefits are worth it. If
you engage in personal ministry, people can contact you personally and you can
be involved in their spiritual growth or just answer questions. Try and
personally meet with any media minister and you will find many buffers between
you and them. The majority of them think they are so profound that they can’t
be bothered with ordinary Christians but their ministry will sure cash your
check and then send a form letter back to you thanking you along with another
envelope. Don’t concern yourself about the fact that you cannot give a tax
deductible receipt because you would be more concerned with getting the truth
out. Many Christians see the IRS as their benefactor and will not give unless
they get that receipt. They forget that the essence of ministry is to get the
truth of Jesus Christ out to the world and not whether they can deduct their
donation from their taxes. You will wind up funding your own ministry and do
not fall for the belief that you are not engaged in ministry because you don’t
support media ministries. If you are getting the truth of the gospel out to the
world, then you are engaging in ministry. There was no media ministry before
radio was invented so all ministry was done on a personal basis. Once media
ministry invaded the airwaves, ministry then became impersonal and focused on
the main speaker not whether truth was getting out. Preachers hid behind
microphones and cameras and ceased to interact with the people just like
today. The only time you see these famous preachers is when they are on stage
in a roundtable as if they all think they have nail prints in their hands.
Personal ministry is just that, personal, and it can be
a great part of your life. You will not have to concern yourself if the
ministry you support compromises because if you are doing personal ministry,
then you control the content of your preaching and teaching. You do not need a
seminary degree to do ministry. In fact, those with seminary degrees are the
ones responsible for the horrendous condition the church and the media
ministries are in. As I said above they are compromised because they need to
tell the people what they want to hear to keep the donations coming in so they
can continue their ivory tower existence. Never criticize the fact that if you
do personal ministry and it does not get big that you are not making an
impact. Every ministry operates on the principle of the ripple effect. If you
throw a stone in a pond, the stone only goes in one time but the effect of that
stone is seen as the ripples go out from the center to the edge of the
pond. That is the same with ministry. No matter how small it is, it will have
an impact and on who it impacts is the Lord’s business.
For who hath despised the day of small things? for they
shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those
seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole
earth. (Zechariah 4:10)
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it
shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and
it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
Two major principles of ministry we find in these
verses. The first one we read in Zechariah 4:10 where the scripture speaks
about despising the day of small things. The words “small things” in the Hebrew
carries with it the meaning of “least in quantity or size.” Never worry about
the fact that your ministry may remain small all your life because any ministry
done in truth will have an impact on someone. My physical ministry has remained
small since it is still relegated to the Internet through a computer but the
website reaches over 150 countries each month. Not bad for one computer tucked
away in a bedroom. Did I ever think my site would have that much outreach? No
I didn’t, even though I know the Internet is worldwide so that brings in the
second principle. The word of God will go out from his mouth which today is
through his written word and it will accomplish what it set out to do. The word
“accomplish” in the Hebrew carries with the meaning of “to do, to make, finish”
and is one of the most widely used words in the Hebrew scriptures. Whomever God
gets his word to, it will accomplish in their lives what God wants it to and
that could mean from salvation to discipline to encouragement to
judgment. Whether God’s word is proclaimed through a large ministry or a small
ministry, it will have an impact on people if it is proclaimed in truth. Your
physical ministry may remain small all your life like mine has. The impact is
unknown to me at this time but occasionally I hear from people from different
countries around the world.
Just recently I received a letter from Nigeria
requesting 48 Bibles to different ministries, pastors, and churches. I placed a
fundraiser on my Facebook page and sent notices to many I know. I needed to
raise $1380 for the project and the money has come in so the Bibles can now be
sent. What ripple effect will that have? I won’t know till I get to glory but
the fact is that the Lord has given me this task and other brothers and sisters
were happy to join in the effort and all without tax deductible receipts being
issued. So if you are open to personal ministry, you never know from day to day
where the Lord will take you in the area of ministry. Will those Bibles have a
ripple effect when they are used to preach the gospel? They sure will! So
don’t compare the size of your ministry to other ministries. Remember the
larger the ministry the most likely it is already compromised. Stay small and
stay true and your ministry will be used of the Lord for his accomplishing
purposes.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the
peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
This beatitude speaks of the fact that those who bring peace will be called the
children of God. Once again the key phrase is, “children of God.” One cannot be
a child of God unless they are truly saved. Now a saved person will try to bring
peace among those involved in strife but the meaning goes much deeper than that.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men.
(Romans 12:18) The truest
meaning of this verse goes much beyond just physical peace among people or
nations. Therefore being
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
(Romans 5:1) Every single unsaved person on earth is at war with God because
of their sin and rebellion, and that includes religious people. The true child
of God, one that is saved, brings the true Gospel to as many people as they can.
If God saves any, then they are no longer at war with God but are now at peace
with Him. The true peacemaker is the child of God who desires to see others
reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. When you hand out tracts,
support missions, or true ministries, you are being a peacemaker because you are
trying to get people reconciled to God through salvation in Christ so the war
would be over. The disciples of Jesus went to many places to bring the true
Gospel and as they did, they were being peacemakers, even though many of them
caused riots by the unbelievers. And the whole city was filled with
confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's
companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. (Acts 19:29)
Ephesus was a good example.
Matthew 7:1
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
(John 7:24) Before we delve into the meaning of 7:1, we must understand
that judging is a necessary part of the Christian life. In John 7:24, we have an
admonition and a principle to judge by. The Pharisees had judged Jesus guilty of
violating the Sabbath by making a man whole but when proper analysis was made of
the accusation, the Jews were guilty of doing the same thing, that is, they were
working on the Sabbath by doing circumcision. This is why quick and biased
judgments are dangerous. The very ones who accused the Lord Jesus Christ of
violating the law were doing it way before He was even born and none of them
were ever stoned to death for that crime.
This verse is not stating that Christians should never judge a situation but
that the judgments must be made righteously with all information. For example, a
man should not accuse another of committing adultery when he, himself, has his
eye on his neighbor when she is sunbathing by the pool. That would be as
hypocritical as the Pharisees working on the Sabbath and then accusing Jesus of
doing the same thing. It would be like the manager of an open Burger King
calling up McDonalds 11 AM Sunday morning and accusing them of being open on
Sunday. Christians must make judgments all the time because we are to test the
Spirits or the teachings we hear. No true Christian would go into a Mormon
Church or a Roman Catholic Church because they know the doctrines are false and
misleading. Judgment is necessary for our own spiritual good but it must be done
properly and not in haste or in a biased manner.
Now back to 7:1. As noted above the Pharisees and Sadducees would always be
judging others, especially if they were poor. If one was sick or crippled, they
would judge them as being under God’s judgment for some type of sin that either
they committed or a family member. Remember in John 9 when Jesus and His
disciples came upon the blind man and the question they asked Jesus? And his
disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that
he was born blind? (John 9:2) They were asking this question because
they were under that type of teaching and they believed that anyone in the
condition was being punished by God for their sins. Jesus quickly refocuses
their mind to the proper answer. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in
him. (John 9:3) In reference to the man’s blindness, it was not
caused by a sin in his life or his family’s. This man was created blind so Jesus
could heal the blindness and the glory would go to God. So here is a great
example of making a judgment without the right information.
In 7:1, Jesus is warning his hearers and us that we are not to make scathing
judgments against anyone. We are never to make condemning judgments against
someone else simply because it is not our place to judge the person since we do
not know the motives and the reasons why a person is doing something. For
example, a man comes to church in old clothes and is unable to put money in the
collection plate because he never seems to have any money. So some people start
saying that he does not have any money because he spends his money on alcohol
and other evil things and that is why he never comes out of his house either.
Then that story starts spreading around the church until everyone actually
believes it because if you tell a story enough times, it gets embellished with
more lies and becomes an established truth. Then someone from the church goes
and visits this young man and he welcomes them into his home. They were going to
speak to him about his drinking and his appearance until they were shocked to
see what they found. In another room is a hospital bed and in that bed was an
elderly man who has terminal cancer. The elderly man was the father of the
younger man and he was taking care of him. The reason the younger man did not
seem to have any money was because he was spending it all on the care of his
father. So the younger man was sacrificing his own life and appearance to care
for his father. They then went back to the pastor and told him what they found
and the whole church was ashamed at what they thought. You see, one person made
an erroneous judgment on another person and it mushroomed until it became the
standard story and then the whole church was ashamed.
This was only a story but it is what happens when we make scathing judgments
about someone without knowing the whole story. God is the only one who has all
the details and can make a proper judgment and that is why we must steer clear
of making railing judgments. The
Greek word for “judge” is the word “krino” which carries with it the meaning of
“decision” and as Christians we must make decisions in our life all the time.
We must decide what church to attend, where to live, who to marry, where
to work, etc. Judging is a
necessary and daily part of the Christian life.
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.
Deny - Utterly deny
Follow - Cleave steadfast to
How many times have we heard someone proclaim “that’s
a cross I have to bear” when they are speaking about a family situation, a
personal situation, or a job situation?
Is that what the verse is pointing to, that every tough situation in this
world means we are bearing a cross?
The meaning of this verse is much more than that.
We must never let the world define our understanding of the Bible.
Jesus explains to his
disciples that to be His disciple, one must take up their own cross and follow
Him. The word “follow” is in the Imperative mood making it a command of Jesus.
What Jesus is telling them is right on the heels of what he told Peter.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get
thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but those that be of men.
(Matthew 16:23) To
follow Jesus is to be dead to self and all the accoutrements of the world. A
follower of Jesus must utterly deny themselves and give themselves fully to the
Gospel and sometimes it may even cost a Christian their life. One only needs to
look at church history to see how many gave their lives in the service of Christ
because they would not come down from their cross. It is not a question of just
going to church or once in a while doing some work but it is a question of being
sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ, always being ready to advance the Kingdom of
Christ. Remember the famous line of D.L. Moody? “The world has yet to see what
God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that
man.” The natural man will try as best as he can to make life easy for himself
but the Lord promises no such easy road. The cross was an instrument of cruelty
but the Christian taking up their cross is an instrument of self-denial, and
that is not just words but a lifestyle.
For hundreds of years the Christians looked back to
the time when the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross to pay for the sins of the
Elect. It was the only time in eternity that the Lord Jesus Christ was separated
from His Father because of all the sins that were placed upon Him as our
substitutionary sacrifice for sin. The Holy Father could not look upon His Son
as He allowed Him to pay for the sins of the Elect. This is why Jesus had cried
out with the question that why did His God forsake Him. It was a time of
suffering, not only physically but spiritually and none of us mortals will ever
be able understand what really took place. This is because the sacrifice of
Christ is still a great mystery, that God the Son had died for the sins of
sinful man. Crucifixion was a painful death yet the Bible tells us that the Lord
Jesus Christ looked beyond the cross to the joy that it would bring.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
This verse is revealing as it teaches us that Christ
endured the agony of the cross for the joy it would later bring. The word
“despising” carries with it the meaning of “setting aside.” The Lord Jesus
Christ did not dwell upon the hardship that He was facing because of the cross,
He knew that what He was doing was going to yield eternal life for millions of
Christians. His final sacrifice was the catalyst for eternal joy for millions.
What a great testimony this leaves for the Christians of today. Many times we
ponder what ministries we want to get involved in and then instead of looking
beyond the hardships of that ministry, we will dwell upon the rejection and
opposition that we will face. This is the time that we need to “set aside” those
hardships and continue on in the work of the Lord and look at the joys which are
set before us. When your faithfulness in ministry yields fruit, that is eternal
fruit, and a few minutes of sacrificed time here on earth is nothing compared to
eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The crucifixion of Christ not only purchased our
salvation but it also yielded some principles for Christian living which is
summarized in the above verse. When we read the phrase inside the verse, “and
take up his cross,” it gives us the essence of the Christian life. I am sure
when the Lord Jesus was walking the roads, He and His disciples probably saw
some criminals be crucified and when the Lord made that statement that if
someone is to be His disciple that they are to take up their cross, it probably
made the disciples think a lot harder about their mission in life and what it
really meant to be a Christian. Living the crucified Christian life has been a
teaching which is now almost absent from any and all preaching. Let me ask you a
question. What are you doing to advance the Kingdom of God in the sphere where
the Lord has placed you? Could it be that your life is fruitless simply because
you are not living the Crucified life? You will never hear the message of living
the crucified life from TV preachers like Benny Hinn, Ken Copeland, T. D. Jakes,
or others. This message is conspicuously absent from churches too. In fact, the
last sermon I heard preached on that subject was many years ago from Dr. Charles
Stanley. What I would like to do is look at some principles of living the
crucified life from the message of the cross and see how we may apply it to our
daily living.
You are
placed there by others and the needs of others
When a person was crucified they never walked happily
and cheerfully to the cross, they were taken in chains and then laid on the
cross and nailed to it. The Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross by
professional executioners but it wasn’t the nails that held Him it was the need
of the Elect who were named before the foundation of the world. Their need was
salvation and God’s salvation plan needed to be completed on the Earth to secure
their salvation. The Lord Jesus went to the cross knowing full well it was for
others He was dying. He saw the needs of the Elect. This is what we must do. We
must see the needs of those who are not yet saved and bring the Gospel to them.
God is the one who brings us into the Kingdom by means of salvation. He saves
those He named before the foundation of the world. As the executioners placed
Jesus on His cross, in essence, God Himself places us on our cross so we too can
look beyond it and see the spiritual needs of others.
You must bear
it alone
There is one thing about the cross and that is that
you must face your cross alone. No one can do it for you. Could God have sent
someone else to replace Jonah when he fled? Of course He could, but God gave
Jonah that assignment and He will not allow us to be rebellious or set the
course of our lives according to our comfort level. If God gives you a ministry,
it is yours alone and no one else can do it. Too many people think that they are
bearing a cross if they have a disease or if a family member is rebellious, or
something to that effect. Taking up the cross of Christ has only to do with
discipleship in the Kingdom of God and has nothing to do with social
circumstances. The cross of every Christian is a personally designed cross.
There will be
suffering
The crucified person will suffer great pain. Many
times God calls on His people to do the same, not always in the physical realm
but in the emotional realm when we will suffer rejection, be hated by many
people, be abandoned by friends, people will make fun of you, even Christians
will forsake other Christians if they try to force them out of their comfort
zone. Probably one of the major sufferings you must endure will be loneliness.
You will be hated by the very people you are trying to save from the pits of
Hell. In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give
them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (2 Timothy 2:25)
You face one
way
The crucified person faces only one way because the
nails are holding them fast to the cross. The true crucified Christian looks
only one way and that is to Christ. They are not deterred from their mission in
this life by anyone. Nehemiah knew this principle. When he was building the
wall, his enemies came to him and tried to get him to stop the work for a while
and come down but his response is as follows.
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I
cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to
you? (Nehemiah
6:3) As Nehemiah knew that the enemy
wanted him to stop the work and have a meeting with them. How many times you
have planned to do something in Kingdom work and then all of a sudden someone
derails you with suggestions of their own. It may not sound bad what they are
proposing, but they are really taking you away from the Lord’s work. For
example, you may want to take a week’s vacation and go on a short term
missionary trip but one of your friends comes along and tries to get you to do
something else. You can’t do both, you can only do one. The Christian who lives
the crucified life will not be diverted from their desire to do the Lord’s work.
God will give you times of rest and that rest will be sweeter than your own
planned rest.
You cannot
remove yourself
The crucified person will be unable to remove
themselves simply because they are nailed to the cross. God will give you a
ministry and will enable you to perform it. You may not like the ministry at
first or you may feel overwhelmed but keep in mind, whatever God gives you He
will enable you to do it.
Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. (Deuteronomy
33:25) There is no way that God will give
you a ministry and then abandon you to your own strength, since the strength of
the flesh is weak. God promises us that He will give us the strength to match
every day’s challenges. We must never adopt the mindset of Jonah and think that
we can run from the ministry that God has given us in hopes that He will replace
us. Keep in mind the principle found in the following verse.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:2) Notice
the phrase within the verse “in me” which means the Lord is speaking of
believers. This means that if a believer refuses to involve themselves in
Kingdom work, God reserves the right to take that believer home or to remove
them from any further Kingdom work which means years of reasonless existence.
How bad that would be for a Christian to live a fruitless life.
You face the
heat of the day
When a person was crucified, it was done in the
morning so they would face the heat of the day. In the Middle East, it got very
hot during the day and that added to the pain of the crucifixion. When we get
into the ministry, we will bear the heat of the day, in other words, we will
bear the heat of ministering to a world that does not want to be ministered to.
That is not our concern, we are to be involved no matter how much heat we take
from the world or even other Christians. Those who hate the most are the
hungriest of all.
The suffering
will end
As in all things in this world, the crucified person
will eventually face the end of their ordeal. However, the ordeal does end in
death. This principle is major in the Christian life. Once we live a crucified
life, we will be dead to ourselves but alive unto the things of the Lord. The
essence of Christian commitment is to be dead to oneself and alive to others.
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans
6:2) Another benefit of living the
crucified life is that you will be dead to the things of the world. You will be
dead to sin and the allurements of it. The Apostle Paul, who definitely lived
the crucified life has given us this principle.
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians
6:14)
The principle in this verse is two-fold:
The crucified Christian is dead to the things of the world and the things of the
world are dead to the Christian. No longer do we live by enticements or sinful
anticipations because the crucified life has removed the overwhelming desires to
sin. Will we still commit sin? Yes, because we are still in a body that lusts
after sinful things and is tied to the natural things of this world. However,
the sin becomes the exception rather than the rule. Once sinful tendencies are
reduced in strength, then you will see how wonderful the ministry of the Lord
is, no matter what He has given you. Sin tends to block the beauty of the
ministry of the Lord and obscures the joy that we could have. Sin always tries
to replace the joy that the Christian has in Christ.
These few principles of crucifixion have barely
scratched the surface of this teaching but they will suffice to convey the truth
that it is necessary for a Christian, who wants to enjoy the fullness of the
Christian life, must live a crucified life, one which is wholly dedicated to the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:36
But of
that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father
only.
God states
emphatically in this verse that no man will ever know the day and hour of the
return of Christ. The term "no man"
is in the cardinal form in the Greek making it a specific number. It is the word
“oudeis." That fact illuminates the reality that not one man on earth will ever
know the day or hour. Cardinal form means a specific number like one or two in
contrast to the ordinal form which would be translated first or second. The word
is only used in the cardinal form in seven inflections and over 100 times in the
New Testament. Its meanings are “none, no one, not one, in no way, nothing,
worthless, no.” Some uses of the word which illustrate this are found in the
following verses:
No
man can serve two
masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew
6:24)
But of
that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels
which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mark 13:32)
And
no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst
the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. (Luke 5:37)
Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
Each of
these four verses uses the same word as used in Matthew 24:36. Notice that the
same word is used in John 14:6 when Jesus states that no man cometh unto the
Father but by Him. This means that not one person in all of creation can come to
the Father except through Christ. This is the essence of the cardinal form when
it speaks of not even one. The word in Matthew 24:36 is also in the Nominative
Case. The Nominative Case is the naming case. It is used to show the subject of
a sentence or a clause. This means that God is emphasizing the fact that NO ONE
will ever know the exact timing of the Lord’s return. The word is also in the
Nominative Case in the other four verses above and we see the emphasis in John
14:6 that NO MAN comes to the Father except through Christ.
So now
when we do a comparison of John 14:6 and Matthew 24:36, we see that the emphasis
is on NO MAN. The logic is like this, if a man can come to the Father without
Christ, then that means one can also know the day and hour of Christ’s return.
God has written it to us very plainly and used the same words to emphasize the
fact that that NO MAN can come to the Father without Christ and that same word
also states unequivocally that no man will ever know the day or hour of Christ’s
return. One more principle concerning the word and its usage. There is
absolutely no time frame connected with this word which means it is in effect
until the last day.
Matthew 27:11
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor
asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou
sayest.
For two millennia the normal
teaching is that Jesus was the king of the Jews. This can be taken from
Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto
thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon
a colt the foal of an ass. (Zechariah 9:9) Of course, this verse deals
strictly with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the
week before Resurrection Day.
{4} All this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the prophet, saying, {5} Tell ye the daughter of Sion,
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the
foal of an ass. (Matthew 21:4-5)
So we see that in both the Old Testament and in the
New Testament that Jesus is referred to as the king of the Jews. However, in
these instances He is not specifically referred to as the King of the “Jews”
just as their King. The term King of the Jews is used 17 times in the four
Gospels and not to be found anywhere else in the New Testament.
Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate,
Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. (John
19:21)
In John 19:21, we read that the Jews wanted the
inscription over Jesus on the cross to be changed from “King of the Jews” to “he
said, I am King of the Jews.” I have found nowhere in Scripture where Jesus ever
claimed to be King of the Jews. He did, however, accept the title of “King of
the Jews” from Pilate.
{2} And they began to accuse him, saying, We found
this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar,
saying that he himself is Christ a King. {3} And Pilate asked him, saying, Art
thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. (Luke
23:2-3)
Notice in Luke 23:2-3. In verse 2 the Jews were
accusing Christ of claiming to be a king but if you will notice in verse 3, it
is Pilate who then adds to their words and calls Jesus “King of the Jews.”
We read the same scenario in John 18:33-34 and ask
Jesus if He was King of the Jews? Then Jesus responds to Pilate by asking him if
he is asking on his own or did others tell you that about me?
{33} Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall
again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? {34}
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it
thee of me? (John 18:33-34)
Then Pilate continues on questioning Jesus concerning
why the chief priests have delivered Jesus to him.
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the
chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? (John 18:35)
Now the next two verses are pivotal verses in
understanding the term “King of the Jews.” The first verse is John 19:15. At the
trial of Christ, Pilate was trying to get Jesus released because Pilate knew
that Jesus was innocent and that He was delivered to him for envy and jealousy.
For he knew that for envy they had
delivered him. (Matthew 27:18) Then in John 19:15, Pilate asks a
straightforward question, “Shall I crucify your King?” Then the response comes
back to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar.” This is very important because it
now shows that Jesus was not king of the physical nation of Israel.
But they cried out, Away with him, away with him,
crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief
priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. (John 19:15)
Then what seals the deal on this subject is the final
verse which deals with the kingdom that Jesus is the King of. We find the answer
to that in John 18:36:
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if
my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not
be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36)
Here Jesus details the fact that His kingdom is not
on this earth because if it was, then His servants would fight to free Him from
two things: Rome who is about to crucify Him and notice what other information
he reveals, “that I should not be delivered to the Jews.” If Jesus came as King
of the physical Jews, then why would He use the term “delivered to the Jews?”
This information is also applicable to the false teaching of a mythical thousand
year reign that the kingdom of Jesus is not on this earth and will not be set up
as such.
Now then, if Jesus is not king of the physical Jews
here on earth and His kingdom is in Heaven, then what do we do with the 17
usages of the term “king of the Jews.” Remember when Jesus said to Peter, Get
thee behind me Satan? Jesus was not calling Peter Satan because Satan has no
chance of ever being saved but Peter was going to be saved. So Jesus looked
beyond the earthly desire of Peter of not wanting Christ to go to the cross and
spoke directly to the spiritual aspect of it, and that is, if Jesus did not go
the cross, then salvation would be non-existent. Now in the Scriptures, using
the same principle of interpretation, we look beyond the earthly meaning of
“King of the Jews” and lo and behold, a beautiful understanding emerges.
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither
is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: {29} But he is a Jew, which
is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not
in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:28-29)
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: (Romans 9:6)
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,
There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob: (Romans 11:26)
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29)
And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be
on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16)
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the
spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
(Philippians 3:3)
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the
name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem,
which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new
name. (Revelation 3:12)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
(Revelation 21:2)
The terms “Jew, Israel, Circumcision, Abraham’s Seed”
all took on new meanings after the cross:
1. Abraham’s seed is the Christian.
2. The true circumcision is the Christian.
3. A biblical Jew is a Christian
4. The Israel of God is the Church.
5. The "all Israel" that God has in view for
salvation is not national Israel but it is the
completion of the body
of Christ at the last day.
Therefore we can safely conclude that Jesus is not
the king of the physical Jews as the pre-tribbers conclude but Jesus is King of
the Jews, that is, King of all the true believers who have become born again.
Jesus reigns over the body of believers.
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the
confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)
Notice that Hebrews 3:6 states that Christ is over His own house, which is the
body of believers, where it reads “whose house we are,” which means He rules
over the Christians worldwide. This is why He told Pilate that His kingdom was
not of this world because it would have been limited to one small nation,
instead Christ is king over the body of believers on a worldwide scale. Today
Christ rules the body of believers from the right hand of God the Father, thus
making Him, “King of the Jews,” that is, spiritual Israel, the Israel of God
that He purchased with His own blood.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the
people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:12)
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
(Revelation 1:5)
Therefore the conclusion is obvious. The physical
Jews have no king but Caesar. The Christian has no king but Jesus! So Jesus is
the King of the Jews, that is, those who are born again!
John
1:12-13
{12} But as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God.
Those of Israel did not receive the Lord Jesus Christ
because they did not know Him. Now here John turns to a different aspect of
receiving Him, In the previous verse, it was speaking of receiving Him as the
Messiah on a national level. He came unto
his own, and his own received him not.
(John 1:11) John is now
making the receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ a personal thing and not something
which is done nationally. He now turns to the real way a person receives the
Lord Jesus Christ and that is for salvation. When a person receives the Lord
Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they are given the authority or the
right, to claim that they are a child of God. It is one of the cardinal tenets
of salvation.
Now I have heard this verse used by many who believe in
free will, that is, they believe that all you have to do is believe on the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Now there is a problem with
espousing such a belief. First of all, believing is a work which means that a
person is doing a work to initiate their salvation and this is not taught in the
Scriptures. Secondly, a person is spiritually dead so it will be impossible for
a spiritually dead person to activate some type of belief.
Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)
The dead can do only one thing and that is remain dead unless they are
resurrected.
There is only one way a person can receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as their savior and that is a qualified response. First of all, a
person becomes saved through grace and they receive it without asking for it.
Secondly, that person is indwelled by the Holy Spirit and are given faith as a
fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, (Galatians 5:22) Now that they have faith, they may believe because
they are now spiritually alive. Faith is the basis of belief and only the saved
person can believe since they are grounded in faith. The spiritually dead do not
have faith since they are not indwelled by the Holy Spirit. This is why many who
claim to be saved are not saved because their faith is sourced only in words and
not in the Holy Spirit.
In verse 13, it continues the thread from verse 12. Here
is a clear statement that a person is not saved by any act of the flesh, which
would be any type of work such as those under the law. Many even believe that a
person can exercise their will to be saved, that is, a free will to be either
accept or reject the Lord Jesus Christ. The unbeliever already rejects the Lord
Jesus Christ because of them being spiritually dead. They are in the same boat
as the Pharisees, they did not receive Him because they did not recognize Him
owing to spiritual deadness. The will of man is only limited to what he can do
in the flesh and even that is severely limited. Have you ever seen anyone cure a
cold by using their will? The will of man cannot cure a cold never mind will
themselves into Heaven. However, this verse ends up stating that those who are
born again, or saved, are saved by the will of God. It is God’s will who
initiates salvation in the life of a believer. If God wills a person to be
saved, then it will happen according to His timetable. I became saved at 27
years old. I wasn’t cognizant of being born again until God saved me. Salvation,
then, is according to God’s will and no matter how many words a person says,
they cannot save themselves. We only respond to what God initiates and in his
timing.
John
3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Whosoever - Everyone, all, or each
Verse 16 opens with a conjunction which means it continues the thread from verse
15. That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life.
(John 3:15)
Those who believe on Jesus will have everlasting life. Jesus now widens the
information concerning Himself and His Father. He states that God so loved the
world, now God takes care of His creation by bringing sun and rain and bringing
the seasons but here God’s love is qualified in that it is not speaking of the
creation of the world and the universe but He is speaking about those Elect whom
Jesus came to save that are in the world. This verse is an intimation that
eventually Jesus would have disciples in every country and that God loves His
children in all the countries in the world. Now since the blood of goats and
bulls could not take away sin, the only one who could remove sin from the
believer is God Himself. So God the Father sent God the Son into the world to
die for His Elect. The term “begotten” means that Jesus had a very unique
relationship with His Father, that He is the Son of God. Many of the modern
versions change “begotten” into “one and only” which is error because God has
many sons but only one begotten son.
Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the
world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
This verse is used as a capstone for those who tout free will but the word
“whosoever” does not mean that anyone at any time according to their will can
become saved. That word “whosever” carries with it the meaning of “everyone or
all.” It means everyone or all those whom God has qualified to hear the Gospel
and saves them by giving them faith to believe in Jesus and this happens to
everyone who God saves. Man is spiritually dead and needs to be raised from the
dead and that can only happen when God makes the first move, and that is
salvation. We receive salvation before we can believe.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22) A fruit
of the Holy Spirit is faith and only those who are saved will receive the Holy
Spirit. When we are saved, we are given faith, and then we have the ability to
believe. So verse 16 is a declaration that those who are the Elect of God will
never perish but have everlasting life. It is not an offer of the Gospel because
there is no such thing in Scripture. God applies salvation to the Elect. I know
because I did not ask for salvation before I was saved. I was the Elect of God
and therefore He applied grace to my life and I became saved.
John
4:24
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth.
Samaria was surrounded by many pagan nations for many
years and those pagan nations all had some type of physical representations of
their false god, of course, which were all idols. Some were Dagon, Milcom, and
Baal. The true God is a spirit and those that worship Him, must do it according
to Spirit. This means that a spiritually dead person, the unsaved, cannot truly
worship God, because they are spiritually dead, and dead is dead! Those who are
born again are indwelled by the Holy Spirit who makes us alive unto God and
teaches us the truth about God and as we come into more and more truth about God
from the Scriptures, we continually worship Him as our understanding of God
grows. We then come to a realization of what He has done for us, to take us from
a hell bound sinner and make us a king and priest in His Kingdom.
And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)
This is why systems like the Mosaic system cannot really be considered
worshipping God because those who are offering the sacrifices of animals are not
really spiritually prepared to be in God’s presence. If the law requires a
certain sacrifice for a certain sin, then even a spiritually dead person can
respond in the flesh accordingly.
Only a true born again Christian indwelt by the Holy Spirit can worship God in
the Spirit because they have a living spirit living in them.
{16} And I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
{17} Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you,
and shall be in you. (John
14:16-17) John 4:24 has nothing to
do with the modern speaking in tongues which is nothing more than satanic
gibberish.
John
19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he
bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
I am writing this three days before Good Friday 2019.
The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and one of the attendants gave Jesus
some vinegar which would only have increased his thirst but as soon as he
received it, he said, “It is Finished.”
This is a very important saying that Jesus made.
First of all, his days of suffering were now over as he gave up the ghost
and physically died.
Before I comment on John 19:30, I want to dispel a belief which is very common
today among churches and Christians yet is nowhere found in the Bible.
It is the belief that after Jesus died, he went to hell
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit: {19} By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
prison; {20} Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God
waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is,
eight souls were saved by water. (1 Peter 3:18-20)
Here we have three verses which have been very misunderstood and really used in
outrageous ways. I have heard these verses misused for many years by those who
insist that after Christ died, He went to Hell to preach to the spirits in
prison, those of the fallen angels and unbelievers. However, this is far from
Biblical truth. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, He committed His spirit
unto His Father and His body went into the grave.
Spirit
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I
commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)
Body
And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that
was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. (Luke 23:53)
There are no contradicting Scriptures which teach that anything else happened.
If there were conscious souls in Hell at that time, there would be no purpose in
bringing them the Gospel, since they would all be under condemnation and could
never be saved.
Christ did not go to Hell but He endured the equivalency of an eternity in Hell
to pay for the sins of the Believers. One thing we must realize that God never
does anything which lacks purpose. The key to understanding this passage is
found in verse 20. There we read about Noah who is called “preacher of
righteousness.” And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world
of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5)
While Noah was preparing the ark, he was also preaching about the coming
judgment. This is why he is called “a preacher.” There is one great principle
found in verse 20 and I have it pasted in my Bible when I clipped it out of
something many years ago, “Noah was faithful to God’s message even though there
were no results.”
This is something that we must keep in mind. Many of us want to see instant
results when we witness to someone. This is not always the case. Sometimes it
does happen but very rarely. We are to remain faithful and vigilant even if
there is no visible fruit. Now what does it mean that Christ preached to the
spirits in prison? Jesus did not walk the earth at that time, so how could He
have preached to the spirits in prison? The answer is simple. The Spirit of
Christ was in Noah!
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
(Romans 8:9)
{10} Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who
prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
{11} Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which
was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that should follow.
(1 Peter 1:10-11)
Let us look at the very end of 1 Peter 3:18, “but quickened by the Spirit:”
Isn’t every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ quickened (made alive) by the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit? We read this in Romans 8:9. The same Spirit
quickened the Old Testament Saints as well as all those on the New Testament
side of the cross. The Lord Jesus is not walking on earth today, yet He is
preaching to the world through His regenerated Saints by the quickening of the
Holy Spirit. Jesus is called the “Word of God” and it is through the Word of God
we bring the Gospel.
Notice 1 Peter 1:10-11 which state that the Spirit of Christ was in the Old
Testament Prophets which preached the grace which would come by Christ.
The idea that the Holy Spirit did not indwell Old Testament Saints is
totally disproven by these verses.
With the Spirit of Christ in them, they could now preach whatever the Lord would
tell them to.
Remember That Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
Grace in the life of a person is what? Salvation! Noah was a saved individual
who preached the word of Christ to his generation. So then what is the prison
that is in view? In Isaiah 14, we read about Satan, that he would not open the
house of his prisoners.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {13} For thou hast said in
thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north: {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the
most High. {15} Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the
pit. {16} They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider
thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake
kingdoms; {17} That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? (Isaiah 14:12-17)
Isaiah 14:12-17 speaks about Satan and his desire to be like God. In verse 17,
the Bible states that he did not open the house of his prisoners. Did Satan have
a physical place where he locked up all his prisoners? The answer, of course, is
no. The prison being spoken of here is the prison of unbelief. Satan will not
allow any of his prisoners to hear and understand the Gospel.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: {4} In whom the god
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Satan’s desire is to keep all those who are unbelievers as unbelievers by
blinding their minds to the truth of the Gospel so salvation will not take
place. While Satan will control many people until the last day, God has
committed to save many and those that God will save will hear the Gospel and
become saved which means they have been removed from the prison house or the
power of Satan.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)
Now let us go back to the time of Noah. What does this translate into? It means
that Noah was preaching to all the unbelievers for the duration of the building
of the ark. We have seen that those in spiritual prison are the unsaved. When a
person becomes saved, they become free.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22)
Section Summary
So the prisoners that Christ was preaching to were all the unbelievers at the
time of Noah, through Him indwelling Noah with the Holy Spirit. They were not in
any special place but were all walking around the earth. How does this apply to
us today? Well, it is the same principle, because all the unbelievers are still
in spiritual prison and the only way a person becomes free from that prison is
by receiving a full “Heavenly Pardon.” Once this takes place, they are
transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God as we read in
Colossians 1:13. When we look at 1 Peter 3:18-20, we see how much deeper they
are than just a “homily in hell.” These verses speak of the beauty of salvation
which we can all thank God for this day. For we were once a prisoner but now we
are set at liberty.
Now let us return to John 19:30.
When the Lord Jesus stated that “it” is finished it marked the end of his
sufferings as we noted before but the major teaching stemming from that verse is
the fact that God’s salvation plan was now complete, in that all that the feasts
were looking forward to, all that the prophets spoke about and the teachings of
Jesus himself. The free will
movement believes that when Christ died, he opened the gates for anyone to walk
through and that salvation was now available to the “whosoever.”
Unfortunately this is another serious error being taught by the free willers
because if you notice what the Lord said, “It is finished.”
He did not say, it is beginning.
So what was finished? The
Lord Jesus Christ came to save his people.
And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins. (Matthew 1:21)
This is where the doctrine of Limited Atonement comes in.
Jesus died for his people and not for the whole world.
When he died, the Elect were now saved and sealed because Christ
fulfilled the demands of God’s righteous law on their behalf.
{21} Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is
God; {22} Who hath also sealed
us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
(2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise,
(Ephesians 1:13)
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day
of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)
These are the ones who were named by God from the foundation of the world to
inherit salvation. Christ came to
specifically die for his Elect and as we previously read there is no way Christ
died for everyone in the world or else everyone will be saved.
This is the error of the free will movement as it is built upon
randomness which if one studies the creation and the Bible will not find any.
Can you imagine the universe existing by random chance?
Don’t they call that the Big Bang which is totally ridiculous?
Can you imagine if the sun was not controlled by God but by randomness?
What would keep the sun from getting closer to the earth and burning it
up? How about the fact that the sun
rises and sets the same way every day, is this according to randomness or
according to God being in control? Why God has saved some and not others is a
mystery. One thing we must keep in
mind and free willers ignore this principle too and that is, that man was the
one who walked away from God in sin, God did not walk away from the human race.
If he did we would all be going to hell.
The great miracle is that God chose to save a great multitude from the
penalty of hell. He didn’t have to
he could have just allowed the human race to die out by attrition.
I have a study on line called “The Last Will and Testament of Christ” and you
will see according to the Scriptures that it will be legally impossible for
anyone who is not named in it to have salvation.
Once Christ died, his last will and testament was now in force and
included only those who were named in it, that is, the Elect of God.
And there shall in no wise enter
into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
(Revelation 21:27) Since
unbelievers cannot regenerate themselves, then they are classified as defilers,
liars, and those who perform abominations.
There is the separation that only those who are written in the Lamb’s
book of life are qualified to go into heaven.
Let us look at three verses which illustrate the reality that a believer’s name
is already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but
rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
(Luke 10:20)
The words “are written” are in the aorist tense.
The aorist tense is a tense which indicates a past action.
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written
in the Lamb's book of life.
(Revelation 21:27)
The words “are written” are in the perfect tense.
The perfect
tense is a primary tense because
it emphasizes the present, or ongoing result of a completed past action.
Remember, Christ was slain in principle from the foundation of the world
and therefore the Lamb’s book of Life was completed before the foundation of the
world.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world: (Matthew 25:34)
The words “prepared for you” are in the perfect tense which is the result of a
past action which was completed.
Keep in mind that in the order of the narratives when Luke 10:20 and Matthew
25:34 were penned, it was still before the time of the cross which means what is
in view is the past action of the believer being named for salvation and a place
being prepared for them in heaven.
When you prepare for a wedding, do you prepare say for 100 guests and then throw
open the doors for the whole town to come?
Of course not, you prepare for those 100 invited guests and that is all
you paid for. Just like Christ who
paid for the sins of his Elect and that was it!
Acts
2:38
Then Peter said
unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost.
Repent - Change one’s mind or be converted
Remission - Deliverance, forgiveness, or suspension of
punishment
Peter responded to them, not in the letter of the law
concerning some kind of offering instead he responds with the Gospel message.
Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men
and brethren, what shall we do?
(Acts 2:37) The first thing he tells them that they must repent. Repentance
is an act whereby your mind is changed about something which leads to a
lifestyle commensurate with that change of mind. The word “repent” in the Greek
is in the Imperative Mood which means it is a command and not an option.
And the times of this ignorance God
winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
(Acts 17:30) Repentance is not something that is done before the
moment of salvation but repentance is simultaneous with salvation. Repentance is
never initiated by man but by God.
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (2 Timothy 2:25) A
person being spiritually dead would be unable to do any type of work for
salvation. We find in 2 Timothy 2:25 that God is the one who gives repentance so
the truth may be acknowledged. Only one that is saved will be able to
acknowledge the truth.
Then Peter states that a person must be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. This is not speaking of water
baptism because there is no way that water baptism can ever remove sins from a
person and initiate salvation. The baptism which is in view is not water baptism
but it contains two elements. Know
ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? (Romans 6:3) The first element is being baptized into the death
of Christ. Now this is not speaking of water baptism but the fact that we are
baptized into Christ through the spiritual rebirth. That baptism into Christ
affects us by giving us a death to the things of the world. We read that we were
baptized into His death. When Christ went to the cross, He died for the sins of
His Elect but He also showed us that He died to the things of the world. This
thought is carried from verse 2 concerning the death of the believer to the
things which oppose true Christianity.
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2) The baptizing that we receive
is a uniting of the believer into Christ and into the death of the magnetism and
performance of sin. Water baptism is just an outward sign of what happens
inwardly when someone becomes saved and has no significance in salvation.
Then Peter goes on to preach that it is to be done in
the name of Jesus. These are not just words which are appended to our prayers
but the name of Jesus carries with it all the authority of Heaven and the power
of Eternal God. For one to be in the name of Jesus, they must be saved by
Christ. This is why Peter states that these things must be done in the name of
Christ because only He has the authority to save someone. For if a person is
granted repentance by God and is baptized into the death of Christ and in the
name of Christ, the second element is they are given the gift of the Holy Spirit
to indwell them eternally. Christians are made alive unto the things of God by
means of the indwelling Holy Spirit but those in worldly religions are
attempting to reach God while remaining dead in their sins.
God is a
Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) This is how we truly worship God. Once we
are saved, we have the Spirit of God indwelling us and that is how we worship
Him in spirit and in truth because the Holy Spirit lead us into all truth.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall
he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13) Once we become a
person who is spiritually alive, then we worship God the biblical way and not
the religious way.
Acts 12:4
And when
he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to
four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him
forth to the people.
One of the
accusations which is leveled at the King James Bible is the translation of the
word “pascha” as “Easter.” The word “pascha” is not a Greek word but is from the
Aramaic “pascha.” The Herod in view here was Herod Agrippa who was a grandson of
Herod the Great and who was Nephew to Herod Antipas who beheaded John the
Baptist. They were Idumaean, which was Edomite. This means that
Herod Agrippa was not a Jew but an Edomite. The Edomites were descendants of
Esau.
And Esau
said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I
am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. (Genesis 25:30)
Now these
are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. (Genesis 36:1)
Therefore
the Herod Dynasty was not in the line of Jacob. It was the king of Edom who did
not allow Israel to pass through their land when they came out of the Land of
Egypt. Thus Edom refused to give Israel
passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him. (Numbers
20:21) Archaeology has dug up
many clay figures in the area known as Edom. The main gods of the Edomites were
the fertility gods of the region. According to Assyrian secular records, it is
known that Edom had one national god named “Qos,” however they were hardly
monotheistic in that they had other gods.
Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the
Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up
to be his gods, and bowed down
himself before them, and burned incense unto them. (2 Chronicles 25:14) If
you notice this verse speaks about gods in the plural. There was also evidence
of Baal worship. The Bible does not mention any specific gods which the Edomites
worshipped. In fact, in the early years they had worshipped Jehovah but after
they refused passage to Israel, they started to descend into idolatry. Since
they had taken up the local gods of the area, Astarte, would have been one of
the gods of the area. Normally wherever Baal was Astarte was also found. Astarte
was a deity of fertility. Astarte was known as Aphrodite to the Greeks. Astarate
was also known as “Ishtar” which was the goddess of fertility.
These
false gods can be found in basically all of these ancient pagan civilizations.
So the region of Edom, which was south of Israel, would not have been a stranger
to them. These false gods even crept into both Israel and Judah.
The children gather wood, and the fathers
kindle the fire, and the women knead
their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. (Jeremiah 7:18)
The queen of Heaven was also known as Ishtar the fertility goddess. In our day,
we are seeing a resurgence of goddess worship.
In Roman Catholicism Ishtar the Queen of Heaven is called Mary.
Now back
to Herod’s declaration about Peter. Herod was going to wait until after Easter
to bring Peter out to the people and no doubt they would have pronounced the
same sentence as the Lord Jesus Christ received. Now, there seems to be a
difficulty because the word “pascha” should be translated “Passover.” Correct?
Absolutely not. We owe a great debt to William Tyndale who translated this verse
correctly.
(1526
Tyndale) And when he had caught him he put him in preson and delyvered him to
.iiii. quaternios of soudiers to be kepte entendynge after ester to brynge him
forth to the people.
The reason
that Tyndale had translated “pascha” as Easter in this verse was a question of
timing.
And in the
fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. {17}
And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall
unleavened bread be eaten. (Numbers 28:16-17)
And the
first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said
unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the
passover? (Mark 14:12)
As we can
see that the Passover came first and was followed by the Feast of Unleavened
Bread. So if we look at Acts 12:3, we see a very important phrase.
And because he saw it pleased the
Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened
bread.) (Acts 12:3)
Notice
very carefully what it says in the last phrase. It states that these were the
days of Unleavened Bread. The Passover was already complete. So therefore, in
verse four, it would not make sense if Herod was going to bring Peter out after
Passover when the Passover was already over but Peter was still in prison. Since
the days of unleavened bread was a feast lasting seven days, we are not told
what day this was. It could have been day 6 where Peter was still in prison.
Now enter
the word “Easter.” Immediately Christians think of the day the Lord Jesus Christ
rose from the dead. However, the word “Easter” is a very pagan name. It is
derived from “Eostra” which is a pagan festival of Spring. The Bible nowhere
commands Christians to celebrate the resurrection or birth of Christ. So when
Christianity was turned into a religion by the third century, these pagan
holidays were incorporated in the church calendar year but with Christian
meanings. For example, Christmas was really the feast of Saturnalia but the
church wanted to cover this pagan festival and therefore instituted Christmas as
Christ’s birth being on December 25.
Herod
being an Edomite and a pagan would not care the least about what festival was
taking place. After all, they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ on the preparation
day for the High Sabbath and Passover. Why would a pagan king concern himself
with the holidays of the Jews? He could have had Peter executed any time he
wanted to and during any holiday in the Jewish calendar.
Since
Herod was a pagan, he would have been celebrating a feast of Ishtar, the
fertility god. This was his “Easter” as he would have been too busy celebrating
Ishtar under the name Easter, that he would wait until after his pagan festival
was over and then he would get back to his duties and have Peter executed.
Easter was a pagan spring festival which occurred simultaneously with Passover
and therefore “Easter” is the proper word for Acts 12:4 and not Passover. So the
“Easter” in Acts 12:4 is not the Christian “Easter” but it is the pagan Easter.
Romans 9:6
Not as though
the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are
of Israel:
Here Paul reveals that there are two Israels. Previously
in Romans 9, Paul was speaking of his kinsman according to the flesh and the
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh. The Bible is now
revealing that there are two different Israels. The name “Israel” means “prince
with God.”
There is Israel according to the flesh and Israel
according to the Spirit. This is a very important verse as Paul begins by
stating that the Word of God was effective in doing what it was supposed to do.
When we look back at the history of the nation of Israel from the time they came
out of Egypt, we will see two distinct populations. One of them was the people
who built the Golden Calf and were the ones who disobeyed God right down through
their entire history. Men such as Korah, King Saul, Baalam, etc. Then you also
have the history of the men who obeyed God during their history. Men such as
Moses, Joshua, David, Nehemiah, etc. What Paul is saying here is that God’s Word
reached His Elect among the ancient nation of Israel, even though it looked more
like it failed in keeping the nation of Israel as a holy people. Nothing could
be further from the truth.
The word of God, made a distinction between the Israel in the flesh which was
disobedient and the Israel of God which was in the Spirit who were the obedient
of God. Thus, we see that Paul speaks of two Israels, one according to the flesh
and one according to the Spirit. Those who are born again are of Spiritual
Israel, which is the eternal Israel. Paul is saying that just because a person
was born in national Israel, does not mean they are part of the eternal Israel.
One enters the eternal Israel through redemption through the Grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ. The true chosen people of God are those chosen for salvation and
that is the only chosen people God has. The idea that the modern Talmudic Jews
are God’s chosen people is nothing more than political heresy which is embraced
by many preachers simply because they will not approach these verses in Romans
in truth, instead they approach them through the eyes and writings of well-paid
false prophecy pundits who receive much money from the Zionists to make sure
Christians keep thinking that the modern Talmudic Jews are God’s chosen people.
Which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now
have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:10) Notice in this verse it states “the
people of God.” The direct article means there is no other people of God.
{28} For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
{29} But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of
the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but
of God. (Romans 2:28-29)
Romans 2:28-29 defines plainly who the real Jews are.
Christ came from the tribe of Judah and the name “Jew” is a shortened
version of “Judah” so therefore those in Christ are the real Jews.
Romans 10:17
{14} How then shall they call on him in whom they have
not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher?
{15} And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things! {16}
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report? {17} So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
(Romans 10:14-17)
Many who advocate free will believe that all you have to
do is just hear the gospel being preached and then based on what you hear you
make a decision to either accept or reject Christ.
The problem is that they do not understand what the word hearing means.
Yes there is a physical hearing of the gospel and if a person is deaf
then they can read the gospel or have it signed to them.
In the Bible there is a word behind the word “hearing or hear” which is
tied specifically to the gospel.
For a person to become saved they must understand the
Scriptures being expounded and we have learned that an unsaved person is
spiritually dead and unable to understand spiritual things, namely the
Scriptures.
But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
(1 Corinthians 2:14)
Since the natural man is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God, then
how can a person accept the Lord if they are divinely deprived in that area?
This is explained very well in the following Scripture.
Then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
(Luke 24:45) This
Scripture is taken from the section where the two disciples were on the road to
Emmaus and met Jesus. They were
traveling to Emmaus which would have been about 7½ miles (12 km) from Jerusalem.
They were discussing the events which took place over that weekend namely
the crucifixion. While they were
discussing these things Jesus had joined them and an interesting thing happened.
But their eyes were holden that
they should not know him. (Luke
24:16)
At this point they did not recognize Jesus because
their spiritual eyes were not yet opened. The word in the Greek text for “were
holden” carries with it the meaning of “were restrained.” Now that word is in
the passive voice which means that their spiritual eyes were intentionally kept
closed by the Lord and not attributed to the ignorance of the disciples. At this
time He did not want them to recognize Him.
Why would the Lord keep their
eyes closed? Those in the free will
movement would not understand this because the initial meeting with the two
disciples was not the time of their understanding.
They must have travelled a long while because they also decided to make
camp for the night and invited Jesus to stay with them.
It wasn’t until we get to verse 45 when we read that the Lord opened
their understanding to the scriptures and at that point they recognized him.
Just like He did to the two disciples from Emmaus, if the Lord Jesus does
not open the Scriptures to us, we will not understand them and always come to a
wrong conclusion. They would now be able to read the Hebrew Scriptures and then
come to a proper conclusion concerning the Messiah when they came to passages
about Him. No longer would the Scriptures be shrouded but by the Holy Spirit,
they will all be open.
{13} Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
{14} And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By
hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and
shall not perceive: {15} For this
people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and
hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them.
{16} But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
(Matthew 13:13-16)
The free willers believe and teach that God wants
everyone to be saved. If that is
the case, then why in the above verses is the Lord disdaining the idea of all of
Israel becoming saved. Notice the term in verse 15 where it says “…lest at any
time…” The free willers throw
around the word “whosoever” as if it means any time and any place.
Here the Lord is rejecting that idea of salvation being initiated by
themselves. Notice in verse 16, the
Lord speaks to the disciples that they are blessed because their spiritual eyes
and spiritual ears are open.
We finally get to the essence of this chapter concerning
the word “hear or hearing” found in Scripture.
In the above verse Matthew 13:16 notice the Lord says to the disciples
that their ears hear. This is not
just speaking about physically hearing the gospel but is speaking about
spiritually hearing the gospel. The
word behind “hear” in Matthew 13:16 is the Greek word “akouw”
which is pronounced “ah-koo-oh” and is used 438 times throughout the New
Testament. It means hearing
with understanding versus just physical hearing.
Remember 1 Corinthians 2:14 at the beginning of this section?
If a person is unsaved, that is, in the flesh they cannot understand the
things of the Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures and
therefore they must be spiritually discerned.
The problem is that unsaved man cannot spiritually discern them because
they are not given understanding.
When a person becomes saved, then the Lord opens the Scriptures to them as he
did to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.
They were with Jesus a while before he opened their understanding.
The key is that a person must become saved first before they can
understand the Scriptures because the Holy Spirit will indwell them and then be
able to give them understanding of the Scriptures.
So it is not just a question of physically hearing the gospel, it is the
fact of hearing with understanding and the only way a person understands is when
salvation takes place first.
The two disciples on the
road to Emmaus were with the Lord Jesus Christ a while before he opened their
understanding. This teaches us that
a person can hear the gospel being preached a number of times before they are
given understanding, that is, before they become saved.
Some may hear hundreds of sermons and never become saved because they
were not predestined to be saved.
Let me give a personal testimony here.
When I was 12 years old I purchased a crystal AM radio receiver. When you
connected the alligator clip to the screw on an electrical outlet, the whole
house then became an antenna.
After I went to bed, I would connect the alligator clip and would then
listen to the stations I could pick up.
At that time I lived 25 miles (40 km) south of New York City where I
picked up WOR 710 AM which was a clear channel powerful station.
Every Sunday night I would listen to them and they had broadcasted the
ministry of blind evangelist Ralph Montanus.
He was preaching the true gospel and at the age of 12 I heard the true
gospel presented for the first time.
However, at that time I did not become saved because it was not my time
of visitation. I became saved at
the age of 27. So I physically
heard the gospel at 12 but did not have the hearing with understanding till I
was 27 which was the predestined time of my salvation.
If a person hears the gospel and does not respond, it does not mean they
are lost for good, it may mean that that particular time was not their time of
visitation.
There is another verse
which the free willers like to toss around and they believe that it shows that
anyone at any time can become saved.
It is Revelation 22:17.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
(Revelation 22:17) If
you recall I wrote the following.
The word “whosoever” does not mean “anytime, anyplace, anywhere, or any
time according to their will can become saved.”
That word “whosever” carries with it the meaning of “everyone or all.”
That rules out the word “whosoever.”
Then we came to another word which we have looked at in detail in this
chapter and that is “heareth” which in this verse also is the Greek word
“akouw.” Notice how Revelation
22:17 is worded. The word “heareth”
is before “come” and “take.” This
means that the prerequisite for those is to hear first which means only those
who are saved will be thirsty to take the water freely.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
(Matthew 5:6)
Matthew 5:6 answers “And him that is athirst” from Revelation 22:17.
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him
a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(John 4:14)
John 4:14 answers “…the water of life freely” from Revelation 22:17.
The fact that it is the
“Spirit and the bride” who are bidding means it is only those who have become
elected to salvation will respond.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still. (Revelation 22:11)
Those who are not elected to salvation will remain in their sinful state
and those who are saved will remain in their righteous state.
This is personal, when I
speak about the doctrine of predestination to someone I tell them I had a hand
in saving both my parents before I was even born.
I was born May 1, 1953. My
father served in World War 2 in the Pacific.
One day he was pinned down by a Japanese sniper until the mud Marines
came in and quickly rectified that situation.
Then in 1947 when my brother Rod was being born, my mother heard the
nurse yell to the doctor that they were losing her as she was fading but she was
revived. Now how did I save both my
parents when I was not yet born. I
look back with 20/20 hindsight and in understanding the doctrine of
predestination knowing I had to be born so God could save me since he named me
before the foundation of the world.
The Lord is not slack concerning his
promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9) 2 Peter
3:9 is erroneously used by the free willers to prove that God wants everyone
saved. The real understanding of 2
Peter 3:9 is that none of the Elect whom God named before the foundation of the
world will perish and I think that has been proven out in my life.
Now I say it jokingly that I saved my parents because it was all of the
Lord, after all how could I do any saving or anything if I was not born yet.
The bottom line is that the biblical doctrine of predestination saved
both my parent’s lives. If either
of them died, I could not have been born, and if I could not be born, then one
of the Elect would perish and that would mean the scripture would be broken.
Isn’t it amazing how the doctrines of the Bible affect our lives and
those around us?
Romans 11:26
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written,
There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob: