As the Day of the LORD (Yahweh, Jehovah) progresses we will see two things happening at once.  One will be the fall of man’s kingdom, which is Mystery Babylon and the beast upon which she rides; the other will be the rising of the Kingdom of God.  God’s overcomers shall be installed over various regions and cities of the world and will rule with a rod of iron.  The rod of iron is God’s Law tempered with perfect justice and mercy, for in the overcomers God has written his Law.  In them justice and mercy have kissed to enable the bringing forth of perfect order.

The Ark of the Covenant, built by Moses at the time of the Exodus, represents, or typifies, the overcomers, the manifested sons of God.  These are those whom God calls elohim in the Old Testament. The Ark was built of quality hard wood and overlaid with pure gold.  Wood represents man for men are as trees walking alludes the Scripture.  Wood, like man, consists of the dust of the earth and only lives by sun (the Son) and water (the Word of Life).  When God glorifies man he becomes as wood, the creation of God, clothed in righteous, that is, covered with gold.  Within him dwells all the contents of the original Ark of Moses, the manna, the rod that budded, and the tablets of the testimony.

The manna represents the bread of life, Jesus Himself.  Jesus is the Word become flesh.  Overcomers, all of them, are men of flesh who consumed the bread of life during their earthly sojourn.  They did not complain as did all Israel in the wilderness, saying, “We’re sick of this worthless bread.”  No, they willingly consumed it, chose it, and made it their being.  The bread became them.  They, in turn, become the bread of life which Jesus, after the parable, will divide and feed the many thousands.

The rod that budded also represents the overcomers, mere men of flesh who, from the death of their carnal nature give birth to glorified life which bears fruits that remains.  Please see the series called The Two Rods in the May 2010 archives of this site for more information on this.

The tablets of the testimony are the stone tablets upon which God wrote his Law, the Ten Commandments. The Law dwells in the midst of the Ark.  This represents the fact that God writes his Law upon the hearts of his overcomers.  The mercy seat sits upon the Ark and covers it.  This represents the unification of mercy and justice, or law.  Mercy and justice perfectly mix and blend within the sons of God.  Thus they become qualified to rule with the rod of iron.

In Revelation 11:19 we see God’s temple in heaven opened.  Within the temple we see the Ark.  This shows the sons of God in God’s presence, now perfected and ready to do their work.  And what is their work?  To bring the wrath of God to the earth.  The wrath of God, justice perfectly tempered with mercy. This is the rule of the Rod of Iron. And what is the goal of their rule? That others will learn to become as they are! That all the earth, as the waters cover the seas, will become sons of God, men created in the full image of God.

THE TWO WITNESSES (5)

The Book of Joshua shows us that Moses’ successor leads and brings God’s people into the promised land. This speaks prophetically of two things. The first “land” the apocalyptic two witnesses take is their own, their glorified bodies. God created man of the dust of the earth. He made man out of the land. God cursed the land just after their sin of eating the forbidden fruit. He also judged the beings he had made from that land by stripping them of their glory and leaving them “naked.” Since then God has taught mankind to retake his personal land by teaching him to recognize and repent of sin. We recently learned that this process is called “practicing rightousness.” God uses this process to make man into His own image. This has always been God’s plan. This shows us that God planned and intended that Adam eat the forbidden fruit.

The overcomers, which include all God’s elect of the first resurrection, will become the first group of people to ever experience the glorification of their bodies, the taking of their land. The Bible calls them the firstfruits of God and the barley harvest. They ripen into God’s image before any others. Some call these the “manifested sons of God.” God gives these ones rods of iron by which they will rule the earth. The peaceful earth they rule becomes the second aspect of “taking the land.” The overcomers, the apocalyptic two witnesses, will lead God’s people into the promised land of God’s Kingdom on earth. Only those who submit to God’s rule as taught by the Law and the Prophet can remain in this kingdom. All others belong to the “dogs” who dwell in the outer darkness beyond the Kingdom walls.

Below are the first few verses of Joshua where we see God personally instruct him in his new mission:

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, [2] “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. [3] Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. [5] No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. [6] Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. [7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8] This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:1-9 (ESV)

The Jordan represents the river of death. All who pass over must have already died, either physically, or spiritually. When glorified we will rule every place upon which we tread. No man will be able to stand against us. We will have power to “cause this people (God’s people) to inherit the land.” We will be strong, courageous and do all according to God’s Law. The Book of the Law will not depart from our mouths. God will give us success in all things. Such is the promise, the power, and the calling of the two witnesses.

How does one recognize the voice of the Shepherd, the LORD Jesus Christ?  Only by knowing “the Word of the LORD.”  The Word of the LORD is introduced to us all the way back in Genesis 1:3 when the Scripture says, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”  The rest of that first chapter of holy writ proclaims that God spoke time after time as he created the universe that we know.  Here we first meet the Word of God.  John further explains Him and the first chapter of Genesis in his mystical book:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness overcame it not. (John 1:1-5 KJ2000)

Do you believe this?  Do you believe that God created the earth, the plants, the animals, and mankind therein?  Do you believe that “all things” were made by Him?  Or, do you believe the heinous lies of men who tell you that man evolved from slime over time through the fish and the monkey?  What a joke!  Then explain the fluorescent fish in the blackness of the ocean depths, the butterfly, and the firefly!  Explain the defenseless duck.  Surely they evolved that way to give beauty to the darkness and food to the one that cannot see or fight so well!  The mantra of “survival of the fittest” rallies the evolutionists, but they are fools.  Yet, long ago Christians listened to their lies and began to lose their faith.  And they lost their ability to hear the things of the Spirit.

The voice of the Shepherd, the Word of the LORD.  Why is it so important to hear?  Who, really, is this voice?  What does this word convey?  John goes on,

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, that lights every man that comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name: Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, [both] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him. (John 1:6-18 KJ2000)

Jesus IS the WORD of GOD who became flesh.  He brought both grace and truth to mankind, not the truth only.  Moses brought the truth of God through the LAW, but Jesus taught the heart of the Law by showing us grace, the grace that would die for another man’s sins rather than kill the man because he sinned.  This is the WORD of God.  This is Jesus.  Do you know Him?  You say you are saved and that Jesus is your “personal Savior.”  How quaint!  How personal is He to you?  Can you hear His voice or do you rather hear the voice of the world telling you to do this and that thing of which you know God disapproves?

Make no mistake, to “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name: Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  Have you received power to become a child of God?   If so, then you can hear His voice.  Now, do you obey and follow that voice?

Part 4

“This month shall be for you the beginning of months.  It shall be the first month of the year for you.”  Exodus 12:2

God (Jesus who is Jehovah or Yahweh of the Old Testament) implemented a change in the date of the new year just before Israel experienced its first Passover.  If you are not familiar with the account please read all of Exodus 12.  The first Passover was the day upon which the tenth plague, the death of each first born child and livestock, occurred.  The lambs sacrificed on Passover all typified (looked prophetically forward to) Jesus’ death on the cross.  Just as the lamb’s blood caused the death angel to “pass over” the first born of Israel, so does Jesus’ blood cause the death angel to pass over us.  Jesus’ blood brings life to all men.  It was for this reason that God changed the date of the new year.  This month, called Nisan or Abib, would henceforth be Israel’s first month of the year.

I believe that God changed the calendar in order to show the significance of this particular month in future years, at least for a time.  Notice the wording of Exodus 12:2, i.e,  ”shall be for you.”  God did not require the rest of the world to change their reckoning of times and seasons, only Israel.   Passover prophesied the future sacrifice of Jesus, and Israelite, which would bring new life, a “new year” so to speak, to all men.  I believe that God has issued this word once again, this time saying that “this month of Tishrei shall be the first month of the year to you.”  Today is the second day of Tishrei, the second day of Rosh Hashana, the head of the year.  Tishrei 1 was the Feast of Trumpets.  Tishrei 10 is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  Tishrei 15 begins eight days of the Feast of Tabernacles.  These are the unfulfilled feast days of God.  Visit Stephen Jones’ excellent site for many, many articles on the importance of these feast days.

Tishrei this year began with events both world wide and personal which make me believe that we have entered the time when we will see the revelation of the Sons of God, the first resurrection.  The world stands on the precipice of great destruction.  May this be, I pray, the beginning of months for us, the beginning of time when God’s Kingdom fully comes to earth through his overcomers.

The sons of God experience liberty because they make no plans to do wrong,   Once you begin to practice righteousness, you find that your desire to sin decreases.  Why?  Because you know that if you do that “forbidden thing,” you will have to confess and repent.  Are you a hypocrite?  The hypocrite plans his sins and does them.  Then he says he’s sorry when he’s caught or feels a tinge of remorse.  The hypocrite sins without real repentance.  The son of God sins only because he is still in the flesh.  He does not plan to sin.

Oh, consider that!  Planning to sin!  Do you ever plan to sin?  Do you plan that secret tryst, that secret joint, that secret ….?  Do you plan to sin?  Now read and understand:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also bring to life your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, so that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helps our weakness:for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:1-37 KJ2000)

So, do you live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit?

The promise of glorious liberty applies only to those who live according to the Spirit, by grace, in the hope that all God says in His Word is true!

“… a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.   ¹¹Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹²For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”  (Hebrews 5:10-14 ASV)

Does your heart yearn for the deep things of God?  Do you really want to go on with him into all that he has for you?  Do you want to be part of the Order of Melchizedek, even as Jesus was?  Then follow these instructions in Hebrews.  Only those who partake of “solid food” may enter here.  Only those who eat of the body and blood of Jesus may come in.  This is those who assimilate his truth (body = word = doctrine) as they are led by his Spirit (blood).  And, according to Hebrews, we may only do this “because of practice.”  What are we to practice?

John tells us the most clearly as follows:

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.  [29] If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    [3:1] See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  [2] Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  [3] And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    [4] Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.  [5] You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.  [6] No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.  [7] Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.  [8] Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.  [9] No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.  [10] By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.  1 John 2:28-3:10 (ESV) 

We learn throughout Scripture, and especially in Romans, that we have no righteousness of our own and that we cannot obey God or his Law in the power of our own might.  Paul tells us in Romans 8 that our only escape from sin is to set our mind upon the Spirit and to live “according to the Spirit.”  Thus we do not practice righteousness by setting down a new list of do’s and don’ts.  We do it by being led of the Spirit and allowing him to continually wash us with his Word.  When we sin, he convicts us of sin.  Then we repent, get up, and go on with God.  When we see our brother sin, we confess his sins and believe that at some point God will lead him into righteousness as well.  In this way we practice righteousness.

Hebrews 5:14 then promises that we will “have our senses trained to be able to discern between good and evil.”  Who trains us?  The Holy Spirit.  When we begin to agree with God in any small thing, then he will take us to the next step of agreement and obedience.  This is how we mature in righteousness, in the things of God, and this is how we enter the Order of Melchizedek.  It seems so simple.  Why is it, then, that so many continually disagree with God and fail to enter into his holiness?

Revelation 12:5

And she was delivered of a son, a man child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.

12:5

And she (The True Church) gave birth to a son, (Sons of God, Romans 8:14,16) a man (Spiritual authority over ones thinking.)

I Timothy 1:11-14; 11, Let a woman (Mind, will and emotions; the soulish part of man.) learn in silence with all submission. 12, And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13, For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14,And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived and fell into transgression.  

child, (Jesus)  Who is to rule all (Mankind) the nations with a rod of iron: (For the cutting of one’s head, where we think, Psalm 2:7-12;) (Note: Revelation 2:27; 6:8,15; 9:9; 12:5; 19:15.) and her child was caught up to God, and to His throne.

Revelation 12:6

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared of God, that there, they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

12:6

And the woman (The True Church) fled into the wilderness, ( Testing, the place of learning how to choose, the place of choices,

Matthew 4:1-11;

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter (Satan) came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God. 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an  exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, (Jesus) answered and said, It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him

where she has a place prepared by God, that there they (The Two witnesses, the word and the works)

may nourish (Feed the Chosen, Spiritually, by the Latter Day Rain)

her a thousand two hundred and sixty days. (1260 is the gematria, for the Sons of God. 1260 days, is 42 months and also: Time, times and a half of time; which is, 3 ½ years. These are all the same period of time. The Latter Day Rain) (NOTE: Revelation 9:15; 10:4; 11:2,3; 12:14; 16:8.)

This is when the remnant is nourished and fed with Truth, by God, during the Latter Day Rain, which starts at the midst of the week. Daniel 9:27; In the Midst of the week, when we choose to live by faith, not by sight. (The Hebrew word # 720 meaning: week is a series of seven, from the root word # 7650: meaning to swear to confirm with an oath; [Jesus confirmed the covenant with His death, in the midst of the week. Hebrews 9:17;] to take an oath, to pledge allegiance to God. to seven oneself; Spiritually meaning to perfect oneself by practicing righteousness. II Timothy 2:20-26;)

God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe what is false,

The strong delusion, mentioned in, II Thessalonians 2:10,11; is that they should believe, half truths that, do not give the full picture of truth. Satan tried this as a false prophet with Jesus in the wilderness but, Jesus knew the full word so as not to be deceived.

False Prophets Quote right from the Bible, which is, the Word of Truth, but, they only give you half of the truth of the word. Therefore, like Satan, distorting the word, with only part of the word, hence, they are, turning the Truth into a lie.  Most false prophets believe what they are saying, but, isn’t that true of most habitual liars.

Matthew 24:3; 

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, (Anointed) and will deceive many.

II Thessalonians 2:12;

12 that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (Note Revelation 9:7,9; 12:6)

Matthew 24:24; 

For false christs (Anointed) and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

These are fallen from Grace. (Galatians 5:4;)  It is not possible to deceive the elect because, they walk in the light of Truth. (John 16:13;)

II Thessalonians 2:3,4;

:3, Let no man mislead you in any way: for [it will not be,] except the falling away (From Grace) come first, and the man of sin be revealed, (We who refuse to practice righteousness Are the Man of Sin) the son of perdition, (the Son of destruction):4, he that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sits in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. This is our OLD BESTIAL NATURE, (UNGODLY THINKING ON THE THRONE OF OUR LIVES, IN TEMPLE OF OUR BEING, INSTEAD OF JESUS HAVING HIS RIGHTFUL SEAT.)

The Greek word for falling away is apostasia Word, # 646 meaning: something that separates, to stand away from, to divorce, to forsake, a defection from truth. All of these have rendered the word. The word means to stand off from, i.e., not to partake of something. Literally, it means to forsake or defect from truth. The False Church, built with hands, is falling away from the Truth.

The day of the Lord starts out with darkness

Joel 2:2; A day of darkness and gloominess…as all days do in Hebrew custom. This will be the blackest of nights because it will usher in the birth pangs of a new age, the Kingdom Age. It will take seven years (Last week of Daniel, 9:27;) to bring in this baby. It will not be easy. No labor pains are easy. The pains get worse and worse just like evil men and seducers wax worse and worse right on up until the climax of the age. In Matthew 24; Jesus spoke to forewarn His bride when it is getting close to the end of the age, not to get caught up in the deception of the day which has apostatized much of the church from the faith. The true church, Jesus’ bride must concentrate on repentance and making herself ready for our Lord’s return.

Luke 21:36;

We are to watch…and pray always, that we may be accounted worthy to escape a11 these things that shall come to pass..

To understand fully the extent of the warnings given in this, similarly, Paul is saying that at the endtime, the recognized church will have officially departed from truth and apostatized, The antichrist, all those who do not practice righteousness, will be against Christ. (Against The Truth, which is another name for Jesus.) but he also takes his place instead of Christ. (Greek Word #473; an-tee’ meaning: Anti, against, opposite to, before for, instead of, in place of (something) instead of. )

II Thessalonians 2:4;

And he that opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sits in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.

We are the antichrist when we have self on the throne (Instead of Jesus) The prophecy of the “Great Apostasy”, like Jude’s prophetic warning that false teachers (False Prophets) in the church in his day were causing it to apostatize, is cur Lord’s gracious warning to His bride not to be deceived by this current departure from truth.

Truth, is not truth, if it is half truth. Admixture spoils purity. A mixed message is the deception the Bible speaks of!

The following passage succinctly states the mystery of walking in the truth:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  [2] For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,  [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:1-4 (ESV) 

Paul spent the first seven chapters of Romans teaching us about God’s Law.  This teaching is summarized in the last four posts of this series.  The basic points he makes are these: 1) God’s Law is spiritual, holy, and good; 2) the purpose of God’s Law is to define sin and to show all men God’s standards of right and wrong; 3) to convict men of sin because they fail to meet God’s requirements; and 4) to prove that no man can perfectly obey God’s Law even when they try to, not even Paul.  Once we realize these profound facts, what are we to do, he asks.

The solution is, Paul says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ”  Romans 8:1.  But now the question becomes, what does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus?”  Are all people who name the name of Jesus as their Savior “in him?”  The following verses show that the answer is clearly “No.”  The question for us who believe then becomes, “After believing in Jesus, do we then proceed on with Jesus to walk according to the Spirit, or do we merely continue to walk according to the flesh?”  This is a critical question and all too few Christians have even asked it of themselves, much less answered it!  Paul continues,

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  [6] To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  [7] For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  [8] Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.   Romans 8:5-8 (ESV) 

What do you set your mind on?  What do you wake up thinking about?  What do you go to sleep thinking about?  What have you considered and focused on all day?  Were they things of the flesh, the things of this world, or did you set your mind on (think about) the things of the Spirit, the things of God?  Did you take your mind to heavenly places, or did you find yourself stuck all day in the lusts and mires of this world?

If you find that your thoughts are consumed with your job, how to get rich, how to fulfill your sexual lusts, revenge, lies, and so on, then you have “set your mind on the flesh.”  In that case you are living “according to the flesh” and Paul says that your end is “death,” i.e., the “second death” described in the Book of Revelation.  If, on the other hand, you find that you set your mind on the things of the Spirit, then you have entered into “life and peace.”

Further, Paul tells us that the mind that is set on the flesh is actually “hostile to God.”  How does this hostility show itself?  By rebellion to his Law, for the mind set on the flesh does not and cannot “submit to God’s Law.”  Nor can such a man with such a mind ever please God, regardless of the many “good works” he thinks he does for Him.  Contrarily, however, the mind set on the Spirit does and can submit to God’s Law.  Does such a one with his mind set on the Spirit perfectly obey God’s Law?  No, Paul says even he can’t do that, although he sincerely wants to.  What does he do then?  He “practices righteousness.”  He learns God’s ways and requirements by washing himself with the Word, thus cleansing himself.  When he fails to obey God and sins, he repents, gets back up and sets his mind on the Spirit again.  Thus he remains “perfect” before God always.  This is the overcomer of Revelation.  This is the remnant of Isaiah.  This one, says Paul, is the true “son of God.”  This is the one who will see God as He Is when He reveals Himself.  This is elohim, the one made into God’s image.