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The
Gospel of Grace
The Gospel of Salvation
The
Gospel of Jesus Christ
And the final Gospel of Christ's Kingdom
by
Charles Pinkney
"You CAN access
the life of God
without being sidetracked by religious tradition."
Christianity as presented in the present dispensation is a message
of love, acceptance and forgiveness. This is the acceptable spirit
and mission bequeathed by Jesus to his disciples and those who would
follow the same principles and to others after their passing. A church
that acted in judgment against unbelievers is not what Jesus (Jeshua
of Nazareth) taught. He rebuked his disciples when they suggested
that fire from heaven should be brought down of some that did not
walk with them. There is future time of vengeance taught in
the Bible, yes, but for now the "age of grace"
prevails. Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord. The day when
christ returns in his second coming (second advent) is when he will
judge the earth and all the people who dwell on the earth.
The true Gospel must acknowledge 3 provisions: (2Cor.11:1,2)
Provision 1:
The Right Jesus.
Who is this Jesus? Who do you say
he is? (Matthew 16:13) If he is only a righteous man and an inspired
teacher this is not an adequate qualification for the Jesus of the
gospel. He is far greater. Neither is a Jesus any created being,or
an angel such as Lucifer; Jesus is greater than a mere prophet. He
must be the only Begotten Son of God, the Jewish Messiah
who makes two appearances to the earth. The first the suffering servant
who died for the sins of humanity and the second will be at the Second
Advent, when he appears as the Righteous Judge and King.
We look for the future time when the perfect
is come when Jesus will govern the earth from his earthly throne.
In that role He shall be King of Kings and Lord of all, the sovereign
head of the Kingdom of God. The man who was heralded as king of the
Jews on the day he came into Jerusalem in all humility. He was revealed
to Israel as a man riding meekly upon a donkey as the crowds waved
palm branches to honorhim. They shouted and rejoiced, singing praise
and heralding him as "he who comes in the name of the Lord,"
the Messiah. He was asked later that week by the Roman governor, Pontius
Pilate, " ... are you a king?" Jesus told him, "I am
a king, I was born to be a king." But he went on to say, "Now
my kingdom is not of this world." For since that time he has
reigned invisibly from heaven in power, seated at the right hand of
the Father. Jesus will reign will physically upon the earth
in the soon coming kingdom. How strange to consider that a king would
suffer and die as a sacrificial lamb for the all the sins of a fallen
race! But by the actions of this one man, the king, we are made alive!
Provision
2 : The Right Spirit
The "right spirit" must
be expressed in the true Gospel. It is to be a Spirit of meekness,
forgiveness and compassion.
We are invited to come freely to receive its promised blessings. As
we each have received so are we to express compassion and forgiveness
expressing the same love, and forgiveness that was offered to us.
Human lust, anger, rage and unforgiveness are expressions of
Satan's nature. There ought never to be a threat of a sword weapon
to convert the unbeliever. Paul the apostle of grace did not come
with oratory, philosophy, or vane intellectualism to persuade
the unbeliever, but rather the demonstration of the supernatural gifts
of God having the power to convert the heart. It
was not persuasive argument although there was the presentation of
the cross and resurrection at all times. Because it is the cross and
resurrection that allowed for the "gift of God" to work
its supernatural work. The faith provided by the Spirit of the living
God persuades each who believe, that there is a loving God in heaven
who desires that no one should die under condemnation. "God so
loved the world - - ," John 3:16 is the often quoted basic text.
Condemnation never comes from the hand of a believer who is commanded
to walk in the same love and forgiveness that Jesus modeled to all.
As for the right spirit, there are many spirits
being expressed in the world. Some are divine, or sacred, others
are demonic. Vanity, Pride, Self Exaltation, Anger, Murder, Vengeance,
Lust, and Deceit are some names of a few which are the
spirits common to the fallen human race. The prisons are filled with
those who have yielded their will to such expression. The halls of
the rich and powerful are filled with the same spirits. Spirits of
the world are those which we believers are exhorted to dissociate
with. Rulers of darkness and spritual wickedness find their abode
in the atmosphere of the earth, a domain called the second heaven.
See Ephesians 6:12
Nations and
societies have their own "ruling spirits" and have
affected human life for thousands of years. Evil spirits addressed
by disciples and apostles in Jesus' day are still present to seduce,
deceive and steal from the life, liberty and spiritual potential of
all, even a believer.
What
is the spirit of this world? The spirit of the world is a spirit of
self exaltation and pride. Of course modern thought and psychology
discredits spirits as a primitive and obsolete belief system. However,
it is to be noted that Jesus the Messiah came to "destroy the
works of the devil," Satan, the ruler of all fallen beings who
are still under his domination. It is God's purpose to restore the
proper line of earthly rulership under the dominion of Jesus Christ.
In due time nations will recognize him as the Holy One of God, appointed
Lord of all things. Other evil or wrong spirits include, pride, rebellion,
witchcraft, defilement, sensuality, gluttony, drunkeness, etc.
Provision 3:
The Right Gospel
The
right gospel, is the gospel of good news. It is the
gospel of grace that speaks of a gift, freely given and not earned.
Humanity may come to the giver of life and receive eternal life and
forgiveness freely. One has but to sincerely ask to receive the gift.
It does not require the mediation of a priest. It is it a gospel where
your admission to the realm of heaven and the promise of redemption
is not a reward for being good enough or won by good works. Neither
is the gospel a mixture of faith plus works combined. The door
is open to any who call upon the name of the Lord! "Ask and it
shall be given unto you." The Spirit of Christ is omnipresent
to hear your cry. He will allow admittance into his kingdom to any
who believe in the gift he offers and sincerely ask to be made new.
The source of truth and understanding of this gospel is the
Holy Bible.
"One
God equals any other... " seems to be the current thinking among
those outside of the kingdom of God, those who remain unredeemed.
The broad-minded, ecumenical world would like to assert that any god
is essentially at par with any other, or declare they all are expressions
of the same sublime higher One.
I am now a Christian believer, but this was not always so. The time
came when I became disallusioned by religion. I was dismayed, sensing
all of the superficialities, the hypocrisies, and the lack of any
proof in the God of the Bible I went on searching and doubting, and
trusting that I was good enough not to fall into condemnation in the
event that my presumptions were wrong. I had heard the term "Good
News" referring the Gospel of the Messiah Jeshua (Jesus). My
experience in traditional Christianity was mostly valued in a sentimental
way. I remembered events and times in my childhood of the activities
surrounding church house religion. During these days I yearned to
touch and experience more, something that was real, powerful and persuasive.
This, I believe, is exactly where so many seeking people are at today.
Hopeful, but without proof that God is real and reachable. I was not
taught that God was a reality to be experienced and the Gospel is
the Power of God to effect human life in many profound ways outside
of my religious experience.
The Gospel as the power of God, powerfully persuades
us to believe, in a God of love and a God who can impact human lives
in remarkable life-changing ways that exist out of the realm of church
life. This is no shallow tradition ruled religion, rather it is about
knowing God who reveals himself as Saviour and King of the universe.
And even more amazingly, after conversion we are persuaded that the
Bible is entirely believable and consistent in spite of its detractors.
Unbelievers, outside of the kingdom tend to discredit any belief in
its accuracy, consistency or infallibility. Today when I hear of a
God who walked with man in Eden I believe it; when I hear of a God
who did wonders in the days of Moses or the prophets I do not doubt
it for one moment; when I hear the prophecies of the appointed men
of God who spoke declaring the end from the beginning I have no doubt
in the veracity of any of those words. When I hear that a man is born
of a virgin girl who is to be called Redeemer, Immanuel or Most high
God in human form, I fully believe it.
God spoke through prophets with inerrant accuracy to declare the Messiah
and his mission to redeem fallen humanity and all these prophecies
came to pass. Jesus as the lamb of God came to close the divide between
God and humanity. The resurrection of Jeshua, as irrational scientifically
unsound it sounds on the surface, remains the foundation of Christianity.
Resurrection establishes the "Power of the Gospel" and enables
any believer to partake in His divine nature.
Religions
of the world vary in name and beliefs. Establishing worldly kingdoms
as the launching pad for those beliefs is contrary to the Gospel.
Christian religions, including, Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah's
Witnesses, and most of the protestant denominations have distorted
the simplicity of the Gospel greatly, making it formalistic and religious.
Churches (Buildings with congregations) are now what people think
of when we imagine Christian practices. When ceremony and ritual are
the practiced, and where obligations or extraneous demands are taught,
these are contrary to the original Gospel, e.g. the Apostolic epistles.
Understanding
the Gospel of Christ
The Gospel of the Kingdom
At
the end of this dispensation of the Bible Age there will be a kingdom
of Christ's rule on earth. Until that time we are viewing the ongoing
presence of the Church age until her termination and the judgment
of those who have chosen not to believe in the gospel of grace and
the message of salvation. This I believe is contrary to the "Dominionist's"
or the Amillenial view that the church (Ekklesia)
will overcome all adversaries and bring in the rule of Christ on the
earth.
The
Gospel of the Kingdom has many dimensions and is not to be dismissed
casually as a mere religious phrase. The whole nature of the
mission of Jeshua, Jesus, on earth was to manifest the authority of
the Son of God unto the spiritual powers and principalities which
had, up to the birth of Messiah, dominion in the earth. Humanity
lost its dominion in the fall of Adam in Eden's garden. 1
John 3:8:
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of
the devil.
The
spiritual undertone of the Old and New Covenant must be recognized
as the playing out of forces of Good and evil. Though mythic in concept
it is none the less the focus of the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus
began to teach the disciples who walked with him about the nature
of spiritual authority within that kingdom and to demonstrate the
power of God against those who hold humanity captive by the rulers
and principalites of this world. As Jesus sent out the disciples by
twos, first twelve then seventy, he instructed them to anounce to
those they greeted, "The Kingdom
of God is drawn near to you." If they were
met with mockery or derision, the disciples, shook the dust from their
sandles and departed; as a testimony that grace had knocked but was
refused. For those who welcomed them the Kindom was demonstrated in
this way; the sick, blind, and afflicted were healed, demons were
dispelled and peace came into their lives. This action of demonstrating
the Gospel of Kingdom was one of power (dunamis) and authority
(exousia) unleashed.
Later Jesus, instructed the disciples regarding the kingdom of God,
when he addressed the subject prayer (The
Lord's Prayer - - disciple's prayer) Here,
Jesus reveals to the disciples certain amazing and previously unknown
mysterious things; he instructed the disciples to pray, "Our
father, instead of "JHVH Almighty Ha Shem,
or some other impersonal but respectful greeting. This seems to be
an amazing even blasphemous departure from Old Covenant tradition;
a dispensation in which God appeared remote and fearfully hidden
behind clouds and outside of human fellowship. Church goers
continue to pray the prayer routinely today, not realizing that we
are sons or daughters of God, not unredeemed if we are in fact born
from above!
Lucifer acknowledged as the god of this
world
Lucifer,
the fallen angel, aka Satan, confronted Jesus in the wilderness after
Jesus first received the Holy Spirit. There he was tempted by Satan
to become a king and authority over the whole earth by merely serving
him. Lucifer declared that "All
these kingdoms are mine, and I give them to whomever I choose to give
them." Jesus of course, refused to submit to the
temptations to receive authority under Satan's dominion. Jesus would
accept no other than to re-establish the dominion authority upon the
earth according to the form which his Father had ordained. This plan
included the redemption of fallen humanity back to the status of Sons
of God. The redeemed race of fallen man would be re-established as
sons of God, having dominion in the earth and being participants in
the glories of the heavenly.
The price of this redemption is also key to the Gospel of the kingdom.
It required death and resurrection. Death upon a tree, the cross,
accursed by God, in order to carry the sin of mankind upon himself.
After his resurrection, Jesus finally declares, "All power in
heaven and on earth are given to me - - ."before returning to
the right hand of the Father in heaven to share the Glory that was
once His own before the world was. (Jn 17) This same prayer reveals
the plan of God to redeem and glorify those who would believe on his
authority and commission.
The Gospel of the Kingdom remains the same today as it was then: To
demonstrate divine power and authority and judgment against the spiritual
powers of the heavenly. This is clearly described in the writings
of Paul to Ephesus and to other early churches. Yet in institutional
religion because of the constant barrage of spiritual deception, the
enemy has been able to blind the eyes of those who would believe.
Looking at the "Hidden Gospel"
To what degree does
your understanding of Christianity correspond to Biblical Gospel?
It is possible that there are erroneous practices in your denominational
doctrine.
The authentic Christian life that is described in the Scriptures,
must begin with an encounter with God and the experience of being
born again or born from above. This supernatural renewal is a life altering
event not an emotional or mental experience. It is the birth of the
spirit Man/Woman within, not a mere mental assent to a doctrine, belief
or an attitude. Upon this experience our names are written in the heavenly
record book, "the book of life". This triumphal celebratory
moment is shared by the citizens of heaven. All things become new and
life begins under a new operation not flesh or soulishly directed but
by the spirit of man open to communion with the Spirit of God.
The act of baptism (click to read Mystery
of the Cross) exemplifies the end of our old life of mental and
fleshly limits and control by the god of this world. It is a mystery
and a supernatural act which is not understood as a token of our death
and being out of the reach of sin and limitations.
Uncertain
outcomes await the undiscipled child of God
After this encounter
three alternatives face us: 1.We can either begin to grow and mature
into the fullness of the Lord's promise for us, to learn the nature
of the believer in the Kingdom, through the WORD of God; or 2. We can
become sidetracked by the religious traditions and formalities which
abound in one variety or another. or 3. A third possibility is that
we can be seduced back into the world from which we were delivered,
with its deceptions, lusts, and values.
To grow and be nurtured
properly into the life of a child of the king, a citizen of the kingdom,
individuals need to be planted into an environment where there is truth
and sound doctrine, where the Holy Spirit is given pre eminence, and
where one can grow up to serve (minister - - see
who ministers) in the unique giftings that God gives to all of his
hand chosen adopted sons and daughters. Sonship and daughtership give
us amazing authority and opportunity to minister with the same method
and authority that Jesus knew. (John 14) The Father in us doing
the work!! - - 1Pet.4:7) For as many as have received the gift,
minister the same one to another
Discipleship:
The apostolic gospel
is clear, that all believers are disciples who are called to be "saints"
having the calling and the nature of Jesus. We are not to be different
in any way from those early believers who were discipled by Jesus himself
and later to those who believed in the Lord through their witness.
(John 17) There are ministry gifts given to the body for the edification
of all the saints. (Ephes. 14, - 1 Corinthians Chps. 12 and 14.)
These writings speak
to the issue of following in the right path, remaining in the
fellowship (koinonia) of the Truth, with true believers and growing
up into Him who is the "head" over all, The Lord Jesus. Who reigns forever
in Glory. Praise to God through Christ Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
Liberty to the Children of God
A New priesthood, A New Form of Leadership
and Headship
THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT
ONE MAN
Jesus of Nazareth,
The Jesus of the Gospel
It seems that in
the course of living a "religious" life, we tend to lose ight of some
of the most basic essentials of Christianity, essentials which contain
within them foundational truths and indispensable revelation. Among
these essentials truths is the fact that the Christian faith is built
upon a man, one man who is the only begotten son of God..
Who is this man and
what makes him special? Did he come to teach about love? Did he come
to model a moral lifestyle? Did he come to found a religion replete
with ritualistic protocols? Who do men say that I am?, Jesus
asked his disciples. If we do not get the correct answer to that question,
you can not avail yourself of the 'gift of God' which he brings.
There is a simple
African hymn-tune that states:God loved the world and sent a savior,
That we might live with Him forever, If you believe,
if you receive, You can be born again.
Jesus was born a man, he was a man, but he was more than a man. His
name in Hebrew was Y'Shua, or Yeshua (equals Jeshua or Jesus) and it
was only after his ministry, death and resurrection that he became known
as the Christ. Christ was not his last name. Christ (Greek Kristos)
is the equivalent title for the Hebrew Mashiach (Messiah), the Anointed
One, the Son of God.
Jesus name in Hebrew,
YeShua, means Jehovah is Salvation. Angels were sent to announce the
miraculous birth both to Mary and to Joseph, in the gospel accounts.
The angels told them what his name was to be, You shall call His
name Jesus (Y'Shua) for he shall save his people - -(Matthew 1:21;
Luke 1:31).
Prophecy foretold
the Messiah's birth in detail. Prophecy is the testimony or witness
of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 19:10.) It began in the earliest verses
of the Book of Genesis and continues through the books of the law, the
psalms, and the prophetic books of the first covenant, (old testament.)
There is an unbroken line of scriptural promises and scriptural fulfillment
attesting to the birth of Jesus. In addition Jesus Christ was portrayed
metaphorically as a spiritual type throughout all of the Old
Testament. In a sense the whole Bible is a composite picture which,
when constructed shows the fullness of God in one Man, the Son of God,
Jesus Christ.
Prophetic words spoken
and recorded hundred of years in advance, describe the birth, life,
and death of Jesus Christ in perfect detail. His birth was to be at
a certain place, at a certain time, under certain circumstances. At
the birth of Jesus, God affirmed that Word of prophecy with precision.
precisely and in perfect timing. Jesus's life continued on its prophetic
course, as sure as hands on fine clock, from the time of Jesus matured
and was presented to the public, to his being received as the messiah
(by some) rejected, tried, and crucified. All of these events followed
a precise time-line corresponding to the sure words of prophecy.
God's prophets were
afforded no misses in their predictions. A prophet who missed only 10%
of the time was declared a false prophet and subject to death by stoning.
There are many interesting
books and commentaries which biblical scholars have written which detail
the specifics of prophetic scriptures and their fulfillment pertinent
to the life of Jesus. Though the study of prophecy per se goes beyond
the scope of this writing, it is important to note that Messiah was
promised by God.
Jesus
and Salvation Come from and through the Jews
The Jews were the
people that God fashioned to bring forth the Messiah. God chose
a man, (Abraham) made a covenant with him with the singular purpose
of having a people for His own special treasure and pleasure. The same
people whose way was foreknown through Moses and the prophets, through
trials, through captivity and deliverance, a people to nurture and prepare
His man, His seed, His king, His savior.
It was God's Wisdom,
to construct this Way, in such a manner as to make the working
impossible in man's eyes and in man's reasoning, so that He could prove
the excellency of His own power. When God chose and man (Abraham,) he
chose one as good as dead, old in years and whose wife (Sarah)
was far past the age of child-bearing and nurturing.
When He chose a king,
He chose a shepherd boy, (David). When He chose a woman to bear the
Messiah He chose a virgin. When Jesus Christ chose his disciples he
chose unlearned fishermen or workmen. When He chose how to establish
a kingdom he chose a king who would forego an earthly crown and die
the death of sinful man upon a cross.
God chose the
way of faith.
Faith is essentially
a way of being persuaded by believing rather than by observation and
reasoning. God chose to make reason and human smartness a pitfall to
believing His word and His promises.
Jesus
The Jewish Messiah.
The Anointed One,
The prophesied Son of David. This Messiah, destined to sit upon the
throne of an earthly kingdom will yet sit upon the throne of
an earthly kingdom. But that time is still to come. He will at the
end of this age put a total end to all opposition and rebellion
against God's purposes. This end time event is described prophetically
as The Day of Vengeance (Day of Wrath) or the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord is a time promised in scripture, when all unbelief,
unrighteous, and rebellion will be addressed and overcome by God himself.
It will not be accomplished through negotiation or compromise; it will
not be accomplished with reasoning, negotiation, nor with political
bargaining, nor with treaty making. Rather, God will exercise supernatural
power, all of the forces of heaven and earth against all the nations
and peoples who stand in rebellion against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
The Messiah of the
Gospels will return in majestic glory revealed in the skies. He will
not be that charismatic politician winning over the peoples of the earth.
He will rule with the force and authority of the name of God Almighty.
And one more very important attribute, lest you should be deceived;
He is the one who carries the imprint of the nails in His hands!
(Zechariah 13.6.)
Who is Jesus? The
Son of God.
Jesus was conceived
by the Spirit of God. This makes him the only begotten son of
God. He is the seed of the woman who is mentioned in Genesis 3:15. It
is important to understand that the father's blood line of Jesusí
parental inheritance is that of God himself who was and is sinless and
undefiled. Yet within the human seed is the nature of humanity, weaknesses,
want and human emotion.
The life that Jesus
lived was a life lived within the limits of the human condition. Yet
scripture states that He knew no sin, and though he was tempted
in all areas just as we are. He remained undefiled and separate from
the sin nature which is particular to all of the natural born human
race. (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26)
He was a man, but
certainly unlike humanity in a special way. The human race according
to the bible, has an Adamic hereditary line or genealogy, descended
from the line of Adam. Since Adam the human race is under a curse.
The fall and the curse is portrayed in the first chapters of Genesis.
At the moment, you may not believe in Adam or in any kind of curse,
but for the time being, set that argument aside. God can work that issue
out with you at a later time. It is necessary to believe that the Bible
is not a fable or fiction. To argue against the Bible is to lose the
blessing of believing in it, both in small questions and in larger questions.
Jesus
submitted his will to God the Father
The Jesus of the
Gospels demonstrated meekness, submission and servant-hood. He did not
present himself as a worldly leader, nor a member of the religious
establishment.
Jesus did not demonstrate
God-like powers at will from his infancy onward, though some apocryphal
tradition stated this. Scripture indicates he did no miracles until
his baptism in the Jordan river by the prophet who announced and made
the way for Jesus' ministry, John the Baptist. After his baptism at
the age of 30 the Spirit of God came upon him and filled him with the
necessary endowment of miracle-working power. Even with supernatural
spiritual endowments there were times when Jesus himself was not able
to heal or do mighty works, this was owing to the belief or unbelief
of those he ministered to.
While Jesus did not
flaunt God-hood it would be an error to say that he did not know of
his DIVINE nature or of his divine calling. He spoke of being about
his Father's business even as a child. Jesus was filled with grace
and wisdom, both of which are spiritual enablements given by God.
Jesus was the Logos (the Word, the whole counsel of God) made
flesh.
A movie which came
out a few years ago, The Last Temptation of Christ, portrayed
Jesus as mostly human and flawed with the worst of human weaknesses,
dark passions, indecision and unbelief. It is a depiction of a Jesus
with no divine or supernatural inheritance, whose only vision was of
some kind of vague personal sacrifice. Though this is interesting fiction
it does not dignify the person of Jesus Christ as having transcendent
divinity or as having any potential for impacting humanity with eternal
consequences.
Jesus
Christ, The Word Made Flesh
The Son of God, the
Word was made Flesh. He was born into human form but he also had
pre-existence with God. This can not, however, be said of the rest of
the human race. Jesus spoke of His own glory which he had with the Father
before the world was in his prayer recorded in John chapter seventeen.
From this it can be stated with certainty that Jesus of Nazareth, the
Son of God was also God. This becomes one awesome mysteries of the nature
and person of God. I find it beyond my ability to comprehend but I expect
that it will be revealed to my understanding at another time.
Because Christ was
pre-existent some may conclude that we all pre-existed. The question
is appealing in some ways, curious and interesting at least. It is argued
as a reality by those who have received spurious, demonically
inspired revelation. But let it be said by a person who once thoroughly
believed in reincarnation, that I have set that belief aside in favor
of the bibleís teaching. It is appointed unto man to die once,
and after that the judgment.(Hebrews 9:27).
Reincarnation
or Resurrection?
The doctrine of resurrection
which is taught in the Bible excludes the possibility of reincarnation.
One life is promised, one body and eternal judgment for that one life
at some time in eternity. The resurrection of Jesusí own physical
body from the dead, will be replicated for every living human soul,
both the good and the bad, righteous and unrighteous. Jesus was called,
ñthe first fruits of they that sleepÑ1Corinthians
15:20.)
The doctrine of the
resurrection is given so much attention in the New Testament especially
in the epistles that I could quote texts by the dozens, but at this
reading it would be beyond the scope of this writing. Yes, it is unreasonable
to the rational mind, to assert that a body which is dead or has even
returned to dust can be brought forth alive out of the dust. But that
is in fact the teaching of scripture from the prophet Daniel to Jesus,
and restated by the apostle Paul in particular.
The man Jesus, will
be presented as he was already presented to the disciples in Gospel
accounts, alive õ in the flesh, bearing the same nail scars and
the same spear wound in the side. As he left in a physical body ascended
into glory, he will also return in a physical body. As he departed from
the Mount of Olives he will also return in glory to that same spot to
begin his reign.
No
Resurrection, No Gospel!
The doctrine of the
resurrection is the proof and the cornerstone of the Gospel. Jesus had
to rise again, having defeated death, alive with the keys to
hell and the grave. The gospel which the apostle Paul presented stated
this, If Jesus Christ is not risen from the grave, then all of our
preaching, is for nothing and our faith is for nothing; furthermore
our futures would hold only misery. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19 paraphrased)
We could not have
a supernatural Gospel without a supernatural Christ. We could not derive
supernatural spiritual benefits from believing in a Gospel presented
by a mere man, even if he was a great man! If this were the gospel we
followed, the best we could do would be to try to live an honest and
moral life with the limited powers of our own willpower, but we could
not have received total acceptance by God without Jesus Christ's
sacrifice. Because he was the Lamb of God.
Who is Jesus Christ?
The Lamb of God
A sacrifice is made, The price is paid.
I
believe that if Christian religious traditions have shorted us on any
one thing, it is the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ's sacrifice
as the Lamb of God
and the legacy of blessing that His sacrifice brings to change the life
and circumstances of every soul on earth. The sacrificial death of Jesus,
God's only begotten, is the reason that Jesus came. It is the cornerstone
of the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This
same good news is not an option for possible consideration. The Lamb's
gospel is established in the very heavens and every person on the earth
will be held to account for it. For, the
earth is the Lord and everything that is in it.
(Exodus 9:29 Psalm 24:1)
The
sacrifice of the lamb of God is a better sacrifice than any of the First
Covenant, where bulls and goats were killed and the blood of those offerings
was applied to the sin of the nation. These offerings could not touch
the innate sin nature of the people themselves, but were only a temporary
fix, a covering over for the sin of the people. The Book of
Hebrews goes
into detail about the new covenant and the nature of the sacrifice which
Jesus made on our behalf. It compares the First and Second covenant
and the provisions of the new which transcend the original.
The lamb of God was pre-figured in the sacrifice
which Abraham was prepared to make of his own son,
Isaac,
the son of God's promise. Abraham took Isaac to the mountain and as
he prepared to put him to the knife, said to his son, God
himself will provide the lamb. (Genesis
22:8).
The
lamb of God was described prophetically in the Book of Isaiah, chapters
52 and 53. He was led as a lamb to
the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, he did not
open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:3-b).
The
description of the purification of the priests who prepared to bring
offerings into the Holy of Holies is a depiction of Jesus Himself. It
was His blood that would purify and sanctify the mercy seat It was blood
that was sprinkled seven times upon heaven's altar.
Jesus' Blood: Shed
for Us - -
--
Was shed, when He sweat drops blood in the Garden of Gethsemene, gripped
with the terror of separation from his Father, who turn from him, abandoning
to death; and the prospect of being made a Curse separated from God
by the sins of the world.
-
-Was shed, when the servant of the high priest smote him upon the face.
-
- Was shed, when the Roman soldiers ridiculed him, mocked him, stripped
him, buffeted him and torn out His beard.
-
- Was shed, When he was flogged with the Roman flagellum, the deadly
scourging with the lash, Each of the nine strands were tipped with an
object which cut or wounded.
-
- Was shed, when the crown of thorns was plaited upon Jesus' head.
-
- Was shed, when Jesus hands and feet were penetrated by the spikes
which would hold him suspended above the earth upon a Roman cross (the
curse of hanging on a tree.)
-
Was shed, when the Roman officer pierced his side with a spear and blood
and water flowed out upon the ground.
Blood Purchased the Provisions of the Gospel
Discussing the blood
of the lamb may strike you as something primitive, strange or
disgusting but it is the fact that it is the living bloodwhich
makes a sacrifice spiritually effectual. From the writings of Moses
we learn that the Life is in the blood. Blood is the life of
the soul and holds potential for both blessing and for defilement. Innocent
blood is said to cry out from the earth. The blood of victims
of war and of violence cry out with a certain voice from the earth.
Jesus' blood was
blood untainted by sin or by the curse or death. It was/is 100 per cent
imbued with the power of life. This blood has within it perfect eternal
life; it still has, in the present, perfect eternal life. That blood
that sprinkled the earth from the Mount of Olives, to Pilate's hall
of judgment, to the via Dolorosa, to the hill called Golgotha, is still
nurturing the whole earth. As Jesus was dying the death of crucifixion
upon a cross, he declared the sentence which his blood would continue
to enforce, Father forgive them, they do not know what they do. Jesus
blood purchased the price for our sins, sins past, sins present,
and sins future.
Father forgive them,
Among the last words spoken by Jesus upon the cross is the legacy which
any person whose soul is in want can appropriate as his or her own personal
blessing and legacy, eternal life.
Who is Jesus?(Aside
from being the Son of God)
Jesus was A Really Nice Guy
It is written in
the law of Moses that we should make no graven image. Among all of the
ten commandments this one may not lend itself readily to application
although the first references seem to figure in the question of idolatry.
I think, however, it has much more to apply to our present knowledge
or lack of knowledge about God. One of the characteristics of human
nature is to draw inferences and conclusions based upon things we see
with the natural eye.
Throughout the nearly
two thousand years of Christian tradition we become the victims of iconography,
Icons which in some manner or another depict God or the Son of God.
Any of us who have ever been to a major museum have seen depictions
of Jesus Christ created during different historical eras. The characteristics
of portrayal is to make a presumptuous statement about the personality,
the humanity or the divinity of the subject that is being portrayed.
Iconography has colored our interpretation of who Jesus is. Some of
these images are very static with a very narrow portrayal. A sense of
Jesus Christ's humanity was not apparent for centuries. When he was
depicted by the first Christian artists there was not a trace of life
or humanity. For the period from the 4th century until the 14th, he
was no more than an stylized icon, lacking any features which would
make him like us. Later, after the fifteenth century, he was portrayed
as very human in works by Rembrandt, or Caravaggio, Rubens, and others.
The point that I am making is in respect to narrowness and misunderstanding
of who Jesus was. Religious traditions sometimes portray Jesus in such
a narrow light that we can not associate him in all of his attributes,
human and divine.
The human quality
of Jesus needs to be preserved. I think the phrase "Jesus was a nice
guy," may strike a negative chord among some who are religious and formalize
so much of Christian life into liturgy. But I say it for a reason. We
need to de-mystify Jesus and make Jesus accessible to people, especially
in the now of the Gospel rather than the then of religion.
The Lord is not someone who placed himself out of the reach of humanity.
To think of Jesus
as a friendly, loving and kindly person does not interfere with his
divinity nor his sovereignty.
There are other aspects
to Jesus too, as depicted by the the Hebrew names of Jehovah: Nissi,
Tsidkenu, Ropha, Shama, Jireh, Sabaoth, Shalom, and numerous others,
as well as: the 'Righteous Judge', the 'Captain of the Army of God',
or as the 'Ancient of Days', and many other powerful and illuminating
titles. One day, we will all fall before Christ, the Righteous Judge.
But for now Jesus is still bringing gentle compassion, forgiveness,
restoration and blessing to those of us with a need. He is extending
a hand of friendship to those who need a friend.
Jesus' friendly and
compassionate personality is described as a friend to sinners, one who
went out of his way to meet and have fellowship with those that the
religious community had excluded (Matthew 9:10-13.) Jesus was known
to have been in the middle of fun and frolic where there was feasting
and drinking. He said of himself, that he was accused of being a glutton
and a wine bibber, but in spite of this Jesus, declared that wisdom
is known by her offspring. (Matthew 11:19 paraphrase).
Stories are numerous
where men or women who were considered 'the wrong sort,' received mercy
from the Lord's hand of compassion and acceptance:
Bible
stories of people who encountered Jesus
Zaccheus the publican; (described in Luke 19:2-10)The Samaritan
woman at the well of Sychar; (John 4:5-30).The woman taken in adultery
(John 8:4-11).Mary, a former prostitute anointed Jesus feet at the house
of Simon the leper; (Luke 7:37-47).Jesus who came to the grave side
of Lazarus and wept; (John 11).Jesus who consoled the man healed of
blindness afterwards the church council expelled him; (John 9).At a
certain miracle feast Jesus served and fed all those attending, (Luke
12:37).Plus all of the disciples, plus all of the un-named disciples
- - called the 500.Plus the commissioned seventy, Luke 10. Plus the
demoniac who was delivered of a host of demons, Plus all of the multitudes
he healed and taught, Plus the religious authorities who wanted him
silenced, And, me, and a great host like me!
The friendship factor
as it pertains to the person of Jesus is something that must not be
lost. There is a proverb that states, There is a friend that sticks
closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) This is the love and friendship
of Jesus Christ.
There are so many
hurting inside, there are so many who are bruised, and there are so
many needing a friend. The love and power of the Spirit of Christ Jesus
can supply this. It is a kind of supernatural miracle that someone who
needs and asks believing can receive.
LIBERTY
OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is There is Liberty"
Questions pertaining
to liberty tests our individual insights. What is this liberty? How
is this liberty to be expressed in the new testament church? What
is its implication in terms of headship or leadership? 4. When
is it evident that Christian liberty is impeded or has been violated?
God grants and imparts a particular kind of liberty which is
according to His nature, through His Word. What ways is this liberty
expressed? "And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts."
-- Psalms 119:45
God's desire for his
people is freedom from bondage or liberty is announced by His prophets.
"This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that
the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were
at Jerusalem, to proclaim LIBERTY unto them;" -- Jeremiah
34:8 "But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant,
and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at LIBERTY at their pleasure,
to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants
and for handmaids." -- Jeremiah 34:16
Jesus announces God's
desire for his people is freedom from bondage or LIBERTY.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised," -- Luke
4:18
Jesus criticizes the
scribes and Pharisees for their placing burdens upon the shoulders of
the people.
"For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them
on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them - -."
-- Mat 23:4
The Apostle Paul
addresses the matter of LIBERTY, frequently.
"Because the creature
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God." -- Rom 8:21
(Is it only freedom from following religious laws or does it pertain
to the expression in worship and fellowship also?)
"Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty
judged of another man's conscience?" -- 1 Corinthians
10:29 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty." -- 2 Corinthians 3:17
False Brethren began
to place the children of God into bondage again.
(What comprises this sort of bondage?)
"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in
privily to spy out our LIBERTY which we have in Christ Jesus, that they
might bring us into bondage:" -- Gal 2:4 "To whom
we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of
the gospel might continue with you." -- Gal 2:5 "Stand
fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
-- Gal 5:1
Peter addresses liberty
in his epistle, evidently having learned some lessons from Paul.
"As free, and not using your LIBERTY for a cloak of maliciousness, but
as the servants of God." -- 1 Pet 2:16
Burden bearing is ministering to people so that the yoke is made easier.
"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
-- Gal 6:2
Self exaltation is
a spiritual deception which causes certain people to suppress
others.
"For if a man
think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."
-- Gal 6:3 "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he
have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."
-- Gal 6:4
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure
of faith." -- Rom 12:3 "Let us not be desirous
of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."
-- Gal 5:26
"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love;" -- Eph 4:2 "Endeavoring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." --
Eph 4:3
Where does edification
come from in the new testament church?
Is it from the teachings or preaching of a single authority?
The body provides
a variety of gifts in the person of other believers for the mutual gain
and edification of all.
"Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us
to the glory of God." -- Rom 15:7
"For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the
same office:" -- Rom 12:4
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to
us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith;" -- Rom 12:6 "Or ministry, let us wait on our
ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;" --
Rom 12:7 "Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let
him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth
mercy, with cheerfulness." -- Rom 12:8
The body of believers
come together for mutual edification.
"How is it then,
brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath
a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.
Let all things be done unto edifying." -- 1 Corinthians
14:26
"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and
things wherewith one may edify another." -- Rom 14:19
"Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification."
-- Rom 15:2
Apostolic leadership
is focused toward edification and liberty in correct doctrine.
"For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the
Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I
should not be ashamed:" (What is it that brings forth
edification? Love.)
The purpose of the
gifts of ministry described in Ephesians 4:11
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:" -- Eph 4:12
"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying
of itself in love." -- Eph 4:16 (Every part's participation
and every part's increase causes the body to grow.)
Christian Leadership
is not to be like that of the rulers of the gentiles, Scribes or Pharisees
,
What does this mean?
Matthew 20: 25 But
Jesus called them to Himself and
said, “You
know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who
are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it
shall not be so among you; but
whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.27 And
whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just
as the Son
of Man did not come to be served, but
to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for
many.”
"For it seemed
good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things;" -- Acts 15:28 "And when
I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for
that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia
supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome
unto you, and so will I keep myself." -- 2 Corinthians
11:9" - - I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong."
-- 2 Corinthians 12:13 - -"Behold, the third time I am ready to
come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours,
but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the
parents for the children." -- 2 Corinthians 12:14
(Speaking as a spiritual father to provide necessities for the children.)
- -"But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children:"
-- 1 The 2:7
Jesus' Blood: Shed
for Us
-- Was shed, when
He sweat drops blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, gripped with the terror
of separation from his Father, who turn from him, abandoning to death;
and the prospect of being made a Curse separated from God by the sins
of the world.
- -Was shed, when
the servant of the high priest smote him upon the face.
- - Was shed, when
the Roman soldiers ridiculed him, mocked him, stripped him, buffeted
him and torn out His beard.
- - Was shed, When
he was flogged with the Roman flagellum, the deadly scourging with the
lash, Each of the nine strands were tipped with an object which cut
or wounded.
- - Was shed, when
the crown of thorns was plaited upon Jesus' head.
- - Was shed, when
Jesus hands and feet were penetrated by the spikes which would hold
him suspended above the earth upon a Roman cross (the curse of hanging
on a tree.)
- - Was shed, when
the Roman officer pierced his side with a spear and blood and water
flowed out upon the ground.
Blood Purchased the Provisions
of the Gospel
Discussing the blood
of the lamb may strike you as something primitive, strange or
disgusting but it is the fact that it is the living bloodwhich
makes a sacrifice spiritually effectual. From the writings of Moses
we learn that the Life is in the blood. Blood is the life of
the soul and holds potential for both blessing and for defilement. Innocent
blood is said to cry out from the earth. The blood of victims
of war and of violence cry out with a certain voice from the earth.
Jesus' blood was blood
untainted by sin or the curse or death. It is 100 per cent imbued with
the power of life. This blood had within it perfect eternal life; it
still has, in the present, perfect eternal life. That blood that sprinkled
the earth from the Mount of Olives, to Pilate's hall of judgment, to
the via Dolorosa, to the hill called Golgotha, is still nurturing the
whole earth. As Jesus was dying the death of crucifixion upon a cross,
he declared the sentence which his blood would continue to enforce,
Father forgive them, they do not know what they do. Jesus blood
purchased the price for our sins, sins past, sins present, and sins
future.
Father forgive
them, Among the last words spoken by Jesus upon the cross is the
legacy which any person whose soul is in want can appropriate as his
or her own personal blessing and legacy, eternal life.
Who is Jesus? (Aside from being the Son of God) Jesus
was A Really Nice Guy
It is written in the
law of Moses that we should make no graven image. Among all of
the ten commandments this one may not lend itself readily to application
although the first references seem to figure in the question of idolatry.
I think, however, it has much more to apply to our present knowledge
or lack of knowledge about God. One of the characteristics of human
nature is to draw inferences and conclusions based upon things we see
with the natural eye. The life of God draws its strength, faith, through
not relying on the eye to inform or validate our understanding. Portraits
of God or Christ become in a real sense a kind of icon. This icon restricts
our knowledge of God's reality.
Throughout the nearly
two thousand years of Christian tradition we become the victims of iconography,
Icons which in some manner or another depict God or the Son of God.
Any of us who have ever been to a major museum have seen depictions
of Jesus Christ created during different historical eras. The characteristics
of portrayal is to make a presumptuous statement about the personality,
the humanity or the divinity of the subject that is being portrayed.
Iconography has colored our interpretation of who Jesus is. Some of
these images are very static with a very narrow portrayal. A sense of
Jesus Christ's humanity was not apparent for centuries. When he was
depicted by the first Christian artists there was not a trace of life
or humanity. For the period from the 4th century until the 14th, he
was no more than an stylized icon, lacking any features which would
make him like us. Later, after the fifteenth century, he was portrayed
as very human in works by Rembrandt, or Caravaggio, Rubens, and others.
The point that I am making is in respect to narrowness and misunderstanding
of who Jesus was. Religious traditions sometimes portray Jesus in such
a narrow light that we can not associate him in all of his attributes,
human and divine.
The human quality
of Jesus needs to be preserved. I think the phrase "Jesus was a nice
guy," may strike a negative chord among some who are religious and formalize
so much of Christian life into liturgy. But I say it for a reason. We
need to de-mystify Jesus and make Jesus accessible to people, especially
in the now of the Gospel rather than the then of religion.
The Lord is not someone who placed himself out of the reach of humanity.
To think of Jesus
as a friendly, loving and kindly person does not interfere with his
divinity nor his sovereignty.
There are other aspects
to Jesus too, as depicted by the Hebrew names of Jehovah: Nissi, Tsidkenu,
Rapha, Shamah, Jireh, Sabaoth, and numerous others, as well as: the
'Righteous Judge', the 'Captain of the Army of God', or as the 'Ancient
of Days', and many, many other powerful and illuminating titles. One
day, we will all kneel before Christ, the Righteous Judge. But for now
Jesus is still offering gentle compassion, forgiveness, restoration
and blessing to those in need. He is extending a hand of friendship
to those who need a friend.
Jesus' friendly and
compassionate personality is described as a friend to sinners, one who
went out of his way to meet and have fellowship with those that the
religious community had excluded (Matthew 9:10-13.) Jesus was known
to have been in the middle of fun and frolic where there was feasting
and drinking. He said of himself, that he was accused of being a glutton
and a wine bibber, but in spite of this Jesus, declared that wisdom
is known by her offspring. (Matthew 11:19 paraphrase).
ENCOUNTERS
WITH JESUS
Stories are numerous
where men or women who were considered 'the wrong sort,' received mercy
from the Lord's hand of compassion and acceptance:
Zaccheus
the publican; (described in Luke 19:2-10)
The
Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar; (John 4:5-30).
The
woman taken in adultery; (John 8:4-11).
Mary,
a former prostitute anointed Jesus feet at the house of Simon the leper;
(Luke 7:37-47).
Jesus
who came to the grave side of Lazarus and wept; (John 11).
Jesus
who consoled the man healed of blindness after the church council expelled
him; (John 9).
At
a certain future day when Jesus will be the host at a great feast and
serve all of those attending. (Luke 12:37).
The friendship factor
as it pertains to the person of Jesus is something that must not be
lost. There is a proverb that states, There is a friend that sticks
closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) This is the love and friendship
of Jesus Christ.
There are so many
hurting, there are man who are bruised, and there are man needing a
friend. The love and power of the Spirit of Christ Jesus can supply
this. It is a kind of supernatural miracle that someone who needs and
asks believing can receive.
LITMUS TESTS TO TEST
CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
Your Religion May Not Meet these Criteria!
There are some indicators which we can use in testing Christian beliefs
and doctrines. Use these to gauge when in doubt? Perhaps these are a
little like the saying, "trust your gut."
| If
we feel driven rather than led we can be pretty sure in is
not in accordance with the Gospel. It is not God's nature to drive
us. But to lead us and to encourage us in peace. |
If
we feel condemned rather than loved, we can be pretty sure
it is not God for God is merciful and full of compassion. If we
feel fearful rather than peaceful, we can be pretty sure
this is not God, for God has not given us the spirit of fear.
As long as our breath is in our body we may call upon the Lord Jesus
to bring us to salvation and out of the condemnation of Satan's
kingdom.
|
| If
we feel threatened with consequences rather than encouraged,
we can be pretty sure it is not God, for God did not send His son
to condemn the world but to save it. We are saved from our sin and
the life lived in sin and moral degradation terminates. We may be
rebuked or exhorted to leave a decadent life by a caring person,
but it is the spirit within us that determines to direct us in that
new direction |
Since we are promoting
a doctrine which is based upon Jesus the Messiah, Church Doctrine needs
to conform to foundational Biblical standards, and not a system of human
understandings or philosophy, it would be appropriate and good to go
back to the ministry which he himself practiced and defined. What kind
of ministry was it? How was it enacted or exercised? If we need a point
of reference, we need to compare the person to person ministry and relationships
to people that Jesus modeled, for these are the model not only of spiritual
fellowship, but also loving service.
The universal (Universalist) view that God is in every person and only
needs to be actualized, is not Biblical. Man is not a divine race but
a fallen race. All Human lives require the work of redemption through
faith in the Redeemer
False Prophets in the Last
Days
Matt.7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know
them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matt 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive
many.
I think it is time
to tune up our discernment as the final days approach. It has always
been a quirk of human nature to be misled. Charismatic leaders both
Christian and Non Christian rise up and deceive many. The problem with
making judgments is that we have our eyes on Religion, men or ministries
more than our eyes upon Jesus who is the author and finisher of our
faith. 2Cor11:19,20
Paul Addresses the problem of false prophets and apostles "-- For ye
suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. "For ye suffer,
if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take
of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face."
Evangelicals are typically
guarded toward anything that expresses a "spiritual" manifestation,
for fear that it is demonic or out of order. They "resist the Holy Spirit"
as Stephen declared to the Religious leaders who stoned him calling
him an apostate. Their discernment was totally inaccurate!
Charismatics, on the
other hand, may allow Spiritual manifestation but have difficulty discerning
that which is Soulish and that which is Spirit. High emotion or energy
has come to become itself an indicator of Spirituality. However, Spirit
is not of the mind or emotion though it may be viewed as very emotive.
THE
CHARACTER OF JESUS IS THE GAUGE OF AUTHENTICITY
1. Meekness of Character:
Jesus and the True
Apostles must always be the role model and the rule of character. Paul's
letter to Ephesus, in Chapter 4 indicates that we one day grow and mature
into a perfect man in the exact facsimile of Jesus Christ. This is a
key Scripture!. Jesus declares in
Matthew 11:29, 29 " -- Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart:' and " 10:1 Now I Paul myself
beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence
am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:" 2Cor 10:1
2. Denying self and
taking up the cross:
Any person who becomes
a big name or a superstar, a kind of spiritual idol is quickly on the
road of becoming a false prophet or false teacher. Jesus corrected the
early disciples who he sent to minister in "his name" they came back
full of self exaltation, Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice
not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because
your names are written in heaven. Jesus took the focus off themselves.
They had learned their lesson by the time Peter and John met the crippled
man at the Gate: Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered
unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look
ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had
made this man to walk?
3: Selling out to
the world and FAME --The error of Balaam
was a false prophet
who "sold out" to the pagan world system. He was willing sell his gift
for gain and bring a curse to the people of God. NT writings remind
of this danger. Peter, (2Peter 2:15)Jude and the Revelation
Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,
and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished
in the gainsaying of Core. Revelation 2:14 " -- But I have a few
things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine
of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children
of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Gainsaying of Core refers to a leader of Israel who always contended
for Moses' leadership. Moses, was called 'the meekest man on earth'
and Core probably assumed that he was much more dynamic and qualified
for leadership. He contended for authority that was not given to him.
He finally was swallowed up by Hell.
4. False prophets
bring in Doctrines of Demons
Any of the varieties
and flavors of worldly behaviors or motivations which are not governed
by the meekness and gentleness of Christ and Jesus' selfless love. There
is a list of behaviors called the works of the flesh probably* are demonically
inspired. Galatians 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
*James 3:14, 15 (14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in
your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This
wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish -demonic-.)
Looking
at
The Final Move of God
Signs
and Wonders
Shofar Light-Show
During Home Worship
Who's
Your Covering
Rethinking the Wineskin
Frank Viola
1995
- 2023
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