The Bible tells the story of man’s journey from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to the Tree of Life. It is also the story of the pilgrimage from man’s city to God’s city, from Babylon to New Jerusalem. God’s prophets tell and re-tell this story in a myriad of ways. For example, most people believe that Eve’s eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil surprised God and/or that he did not intend that she eat of it. Paul tells us that Eve was deceived by the serpent. Why did God allow the serpent into the garden? Why did he allow the serpent access to Eve, especially when she was alone? Why did God create Eve so “imperfectly” that she could be so easily deceived? Why would God allow his new creation to be utterly destroyed by the very first persons he created? The answer to all these questions is that God planned it this way. Even though he commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of that tree, he intended that they do so. And why? So that they would ultimately become even as he is, knowing both good and evil and choosing only the good. Second, Adam was not deceived by the serpent. He ate the deadly fruit knowingly and on purpose. Why? Because he laid down his life for his friend, his wife Eve. Adam, therefore, was a type of Christ who laid down his life for all of creation, his bride.

Some people liken the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to the Law of the Old Testament and I believe that this would be a correct analogy. The problem with most people’s theology, though, is that they then use this analogy to disparage the Law and to call the Law itself evil. Consider, for example, the following passage from “Prophet” Rick Joyner’s popular book called “There Were Two Trees in the Garden.”

The Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life are symbolic of two spiritual lineages or “family trees.” The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is a history of two lineages. Understanding these lineages can help us to understand the most common errors besetting the entire human race, including those that have continually misled the Church.

Satan did not tempt Eve with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge just because of the Lord’s prohibition. He tempted her with it because the source of his power was rooted in that tree. Furthermore, the Lord did not implement this restriction just to test Adam and Eve; He prohibited the eating of its fruit because He knew it was poison. When He instructed Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, He did not say “If you eat from that tree I’m going to kill you” but “On the day that you eat from it you will die.” It was not just man’s disobedience that brought death to the world; it was the fruit from this tree.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is a powerful Biblical model of the Law. As the Apostle Paul declared: “The power of sin is the law” (I Corinthians 15:56). This is because it is through the Law that we that derive our knowledge of good and evil. We may wonder how this knowledge brings death until we see the fruit. The knowledge of good and evil kills us by distracting us from the One who is the source of life: the Tree of Life—Jesus. The Tree of Knowledge causes us to focus our attention upon ourselves. Sin is empowered by the law; not just because the evil is revealed but the good as well. It drives us either to corruption or self-righteousness, both of which lead to death. (Rick Joyner, There Were Two Trees in the Garden, pp 17-18, Whitaker House, 1993)

Mr. Joyner utterly and totally contradicts the Apostle Paul by making such absurd statements as those above. Paul said,

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7)

 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. (Rm 7:12)

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. (Rm 7:14)

 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being. (Rm 7:22)

Mr. Joyner belongs to the Church of Thyatira, the church that I came out of many years ago. This is the church that follows the Jezebel spirit. The Jezebel spirit is the spirit that pretends to be the Spirit of God, but leads God’s people astray into idolatry and sin. Today we usually call churches of this type “charismatic” or “spirit-filled” churches. I did a series on the Church of Thyatira that you can find by searching this web site. It is also a separate page with a link to it at the left of this page. Many writings on this blog expose and correct the major false doctrines of that particular church. Doctrine like that espoused by Joyner above has been a major reason for the slide into lawlessness we now see everywhere. They have called good “evil” and evil “good” and have thus been subjected to a strong delusion.

On the other hand, I do not teach a dead legalism and a bondage to the Law either. As Paul says, the purpose of the Law was to teach us the difference between good and evil. But, he very carefully teaches us not to become entangled in all of its do’s and don’t's which were required of Israel. The reason is because many of those laws prophesied of Christ and he fulfilled them. We no longer have to slaughter bulls, sheep, and goats to atone for our sin. Neither do we have to wear the Law on our hands or foreheads to illustrate our obedience to it. Today we allow the Holy Spirit to write his law upon our hearts. Therefore our mind conforms to his law and our hands do the good things the law demands. We do this by being led of the Spirit and we shun the leading of our flesh. Please see my recent series on the Law linked under the page entitled “Lawlessness” at the left for a further treatment of these ideas.

Rather than teaching that the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is intrinsically evil both Old and New Testaments teach that God commends the man who desires to learn the difference between good and evil and also desires to do the good. When God appeared to Solomon and told him to ask of him whatever he would, Solomon said, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9) Then the Scripture records,

10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments,as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (1 King 3:10-14 ESV)

The writer of Hebrews follows up on this theme with the teaching about righteousness. In his great book he says,

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:7-14)

Now coming back to the topic of God’s fruit, this series has shown that throughout Scripture God likens men to trees. Some trees remain faithful to God and produce good fruit; others fill themselves with all sorts of evil practices and produce bad fruit. The Scripture also teaches that God looks not only to our physical deeds, but also to the motives of our hearts. Therefore he judges the hypocrite who says one thing and publicly does acts of righteousness, but secretly works wickedness. All Scripture teaches the principle that good deeds will be rewarded and evil works will be punished. God prunes the good trees making them more fruitful and God burns the bad trees in the Lake of Fire.

Scripture also refers to us as a “branch.” Jesus said,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers;and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:1-10)

Isaiah prophesies about the good branches several times. In his first reference he says,

2 In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3 And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4 when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. 5 Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. 6 There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:2-6)

What is “the branch of the LORD?” According to John 15 it is every branch in Jesus which bears good fruit. And, as we saw in Ezekiel 47 these are the branches which become trees on both sides of the River of Life which bear fruit each month and which bring healing to the nations. These are the same trees which we see at the very end of the Bible in Revelation 22:

Then the angel[a] showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life[b] with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)

And now John calls these trees “the tree of life!” This is the final destination of the sons of God, the overcomers of God, the Bride of Christ. And where do these trees reside? On either side of the river which flows through the middle of the city, through New Jerusalem. So, not only do overcomers become precious stones which make up the walls and construction of New Jerusalem, they also become the tree of life which surrounds the water of life. In other words, at this time our identification with Jesus Christ is complete… we have become one with him. Now we are fully conformed to his image and like him in every way. Like a true prince we will then be fit to rule in the same way as our King Father is fit. And this is why the Book ends like this:

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19)

Do you see it? You and I will one day share both in the tree of life and in the holy city! How glorious is that?

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:16-17)

I have known since I wrote the last post on the New Covenant that the theme of this post would be based upon Romans 10:17, the truth that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But it was not until this morning that it occurred to me that I really ought to examine the verse that Paul quotes from Isaiah before I wrote about it. So today I read Isaiah 53:1, the source of this Scripture. I did not just read that verse though. I began at Isaiah 52:13 and read through Isaiah 55:13. And once again I saw an amazing thing… how the Book of Isaiah so often sheds light upon truths revealed in the New Testament.

First, this passage from Isaiah prophesies and predicts the centuries later suffering and crucifixion of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is here where we first learn that God will send a particular servant who will be cruelly despised and tortured by men, a servant who will offer himself up as a living sacrifice and offering for the sins of all mankind. Yes, here resides the wonderful verse which reveals that all men have gone astray from their Creator, but that God laid mankind’s iniquity upon Jesus instead of the sinners themselves.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

And it is just before this where Isaiah says, “Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” the verse which Paul quotes in Romans 10. Now consider what Paul says next.  ”So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Interestingly, Isaiah talks about this very thing within the passage of Scripture from 52:13 to 55:13. Before considering the particular verses remember that in the Book of John Jesus calls him “the water of life” in chapter 4 and “the Bread of Life” in chapter 6. Also recall from many previous teachings on this site that the Biblical definition of “food” is God’s Word, or true doctrine. The following verses make this abundantly clear:

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods which have not benefited those devoted to them.¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. (Hebrews 13:8-10)

Amazingly, then, later in this passage under consideration in Isaiah, the prophet speaks directly about food. He says,

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
³ Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant (the NEW COVENANT!),
    my steadfast, sure love for David. (Isaiah 55:1-3)

And now we have come full circle.  Isaiah has given us the secret for obtaining faith from God. We have to come to Christ for food and water, that is, come to him for the truth of His Word. Then we have to “buy” that food (truth) from him.  But, we don’t buy it with the money of men like we do “for that which is not bread.” We spend our dollars, our silver, and our gold for the natural foods, wants, and pleasures our flesh desires. But that is not true bread, says Isaiah. Instead we need to buy Christ’s water, bread, wine, and milk. But, these are spiritual things and we “buy” them “without money and without price!” How?

We buy Christ’s food, Christ’s truth, by “listening diligently.” Do you really care about the things of God? Or do you pretend you are a “good Christian” because you regularly attend church, say your prayers, and retain friendships with a few other “Christians?” Paul says that “faith comes by hearing.” You can only hear, says Isaiah, if you come to Christ, incline your ear to him, listen diligently for what he has to say to you, and then eat (take to heart) that which he says. THIS IS what it means when Paul says that “hearing comes by the Word of God.”

And this is why Paul begins his statement concerning faith by referring us to Isaiah 53:1. To have faith means that we become obedient to that “word of faith” each of us individually receives. “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” No, we Christians have not all obeyed the gospel, nor have we obeyed the individual words of instruction God has given us. Instead, many of us have turned the doctrine of faith into a gospel of “grace to sin.” Others of us turned the true gospel of grace into a set of laws that bar many from salvation. This is why Paul says that whatever we do which does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23) and is also why he says not to quarrel over many doctrinal opinions (Romans 14). As we diligently listen to Christ, then he will lead us into all truth, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

The reason why it is important to understand that Passover relates to the firstborn instead of all people (at the present time) is because the entire Scripture was written for the chosen overcomers, not for the whole world. Jesus spoke in parables for this reason… to hide the truth from the general masses of humanity, not to explain it to them. Matthew says,

¹⁰ Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10-17 ESV)

Later in this same chapter Matthew said,

³⁴ All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. ³⁵ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:^[e]

The question we face now is, “Why does God make this so hard?” We have to turn back to Isaiah chapter 6, the chapter Jesus quoted above, in order to understand. Following is that chapter in its entirety.

6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train^[a] of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said:

⁴ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

⁸ And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” ⁹ And he said, “Go, and say to this people:

This chapter begins with God revealing himself to the prophet Isaiah. Immediately upon receiving that revelation Isaiah “mourns” over his sinful condition and realizes he is “poor in spirit,” so poor in fact that he even calls his lips unclean. By responding in this way Isaiah shows that he, initially at least, qualifies to begin walking as an overcomer. In response to his heart’s cry “without guile” God sends a seraphim to touch his lips with a live, hot coal. This represents (is a type of) the baptism of fire (roasting the lamb) that every overcomer must go through. At this point Isaiah qualifies for the ministry of the word of God. God asks who will go to preach for Elohim and Isaiah volunteers. Then God gives him his marching orders. Isaiah will indeed preach the word of God (it is sweet in his mouth), but its outworking will be bitter (eating bitter herbs) because no one will understand him.

Then Isaiah wonders, how long will this go on? How long will it be until people will finally begin to understand your Word? God answers that this will not occur until judgments come and until the holy seed (firstborn, firstfruits, overcomers) are a mere stump in the land, all that is left of that huge tree today which sees itself as the Kingdom of God on earth, the Church. The overcomers will have been the only ones:

1. Who applied the blood of the Passover lamb to the doors and lintel of their lives (souls),
2. Who ate the lamb with unleavened bread (representing a soul without guile and hyprocrisy which has embraced the true doctrine of Christ, or as Paul says, “not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
3. Who ate the lamb with bitter herbs (they submitted to a life of travail and bitterness of soul as they worked out their soul’s salvation in fear and trembling)
4. Who ate the lamb roasted in the fire, not boiled in water or eaten raw (the overcomers submitted to the baptism of fire allowing God’s word to burn the dross, the sin, out of their souls)
5. Who roasted and ate the lamb whole, with its head, legs, and inner parts (they did not pick and choose the words of God they would apply to their lives; to them the Word of God is as a seamless garment which conveys one truth, God’s truth, and one law, and all of it is to be eaten)
6. Who ate the lamb without breaking its bones (Of course the people of Israel did not pick up the whole lamp and pass it around for each person to take a bite of it; they cut the joints and marrow with a sharp knife. This represents the truth of Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Overcomers learn to discern the word of God and submit to the Spirit’s work in them. They understand that the Word seeks to convert their souls, not just bring their spirits a one-time salvation that does not affect their earthly lives)
7. Who ate all the lamb in one night (who consumed Christ’s flesh and blood during their one life time, that is, who assimilated his word into their very souls and made it part of them during their earthly life, thus becoming one flesh with Christ; since they attempted to eat all of Christ what remains of him that was not eaten (not understood or assimilated during their lives) will be “burned in the fire;” it will be imputed to them by faith at their judgment just before their glorification)
8. Who ate the Passover lamb (Christ) with their loins girded (according to Ephesians 6:10-18 they learned of and submitted to Christ having their most vulnerable body parts protected with the belt of truth)
9. Who ate the Lamb with their feet shod with the Gospel of peace (again according to Ephesians 6)
10. Who ate the Lamb with his staff in his hand (the staff or rod represents the blossoming almond tree rod of Jeremiah 1:11; this speaks of new life, resurrected life, which will first be displayed in each overcomer, each firstborn manchild, the firstfruits of God)
11. Who ate the Lamb in haste (in some mystery I don’t understand the obedience of the overcomers hastens the coming of the Day of the LORD according to Peter,
    

    ⁸ But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,^[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies^[b] will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.^[c]

    ¹¹ Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹² waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:8-13)

12. Who became circumcised by faith in Christ before they ate of him, their Lamb (“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:9-15)
13. Who came out of Babylon and refused to eat the Passover Lamb with uncircumcised foreigners (overcomers did not fellowship in Christ with those who refused to acknowledge, accept, and consume Christ in faith also)
14. Who ate the Lamb in One House, God’s House, as a firstborn son of God (“Therefore, holy brothers,^[a] you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s^[b] house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” (Hebrews 3:1-6, ESV)

Yes, many are called, but few, very few are chosen. For the vast majority of those called the word of God spoken to Isaiah and quoted by Christ has proved true:

“‘Keep on hearing,^[c] but do not understand;
keep on seeing,^[d] but do not perceive.’
¹⁰ Make the heart of this people dull,^[e]
    and their ears heavy,
    and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
    and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
    and turn and be healed.”

I didn’t say it. The LORD said it.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? ²² What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— ²⁴ even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As indeed he says in Hosea,

²⁷ And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel^[c] be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, ²⁸ for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” ²⁹ And as Isaiah predicted,

³⁰ What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness^[d] did not succeed in reaching that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written,

4 For behold, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and arrogant, yes, and all that do wickedly and are lawless, shall be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

² But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy.

³ And you shall tread down the lawless and wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of hosts.

⁴ [Earnestly] remember the law of Moses, My servant, the statutes and the ordinances which I commanded him on [Mount] Horeb [to give] to all Israel.

⁵ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.

⁶ And he shall turn and reconcile the hearts of the [estranged] fathers to the [ungodly] children, and the hearts of the [rebellious] children to [the piety of] their fathers [a reconciliation produced by repentance of the ungodly], lest I come and smite the land with a curse and a ban of utter destruction. (Malachi 4, Amplified Version)

Well, today I read a comment by an old friend who is traveling back to ancient Jerusalem (in the spirit) in order to become Torah observant. He was one whom I thought well on the way to New Jerusalem as an overcomer, but now appears to be bent upon becoming a son of Hagar instead of a son of Sarah. The comment quoted Malachi 4, “Remember the Law of Moses,” and spoke of an “Elijah Spirit” (the Holy Spirit which he now must, to be Torah correct, call ‘the Ruach”) which would turn the hearts of God’s children back to the Mosaic Law. And, in keeping with the many videos I have seen this person recommend over the last month, this would mean teaching God’s people (Christians) to obey the many statutes of the Old Testament contained in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Is this what Malachi 4 prophesies and commands?

Malachi clearly commanded the people of his time to remember the law of Moses in the sense of remembering and obeying every aspect of it, including the bloody sacrifices. Today, as seen in the past teachings in this series and many other articles posted here, remembering the law of Moses speaks of understanding God’s definition of good and evil and knowing exactly what he considers to be sinful behavior. This is so that we can repent of any particular sins we commit (John calls this practicing righteousness) and continue in a right relationship with Christ. But, remembering the law of Moses today does not mean that we now have to submit to all of the various Old Testament laws Malachi and the Israelites of his day had to obey, laws like wearing tassels on our garments, obeying the stringent Sabbath laws, and refusing to eat certain “unclean” foods like pork and shrimp.

If the prophetic word God gave Malachi meant that Christians had to obey all the laws of Moses (the Torah), then Paul would not have written what he did and Jesus would not have said what he said, for Jesus did in fact specifically change certain Mosaic laws. Yet Jesus also said,

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:17-18)

I hope to expound on Matthew 5:17-18 in my next post, but until then let Paul’s word to the Romans suffice regarding the issues raised herein.

Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.² One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.³ Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. ⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master^[a] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵ One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike.Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord bothof the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; ¹¹ for it is written,

¹² So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

¹³ Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. ¹⁴ I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. ¹⁵ For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love.By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. ¹⁹ So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

²⁰ Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. ²¹ It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.^[c] 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.   (Romans 14, ESV)

Notice that it is the person “weak” in faith who eats only vegetables. Vegetables would be considered “clean” foods under the law of Moses. The person who is not weak in faith, i.e. one strong in faith, “believes he may eat anything,” even those foods which Moses forbade. Then in verse 5 Paul discusses believers who esteem certain days versus others who treat every day the same. His point in verses 5 through 9 is that that issue simply doesn’t matter. Each is convinced he is right and is serving the LORD, so don’t make an issue of it! Yet, a new group of believers has come upon the scene who now teach all believers that they need to begin obeying the Torah, if not for their justification or sanctification, then to show God that they esteem his law and love him.

I love God and his ways, but I am not going to submit to 21st century Judaisers who would accompany me back to Old Jerusalem as they teach me the intricacies of Torah commandments and compel me to obey them. I will walk in God’s ways, and I can testify that that way is a narrow path, but it is not the path back to the old city. I have set my face like flint toward New Jerusalem!

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:1-7, ESV)

The message of God’s Word remains the same from beginning to end; it is the story of God creating man in his own image, in his own likeness. He begins the story by recounting his creation of all the plants in the world and announces that each plant bears seed within itself “according to its kind.” He then creates the manifold animals upon earth and says that fish, birds, beasts, and creeping things were created “according to their kinds.” Then Genesis 1:27 proclaims,

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

This tells us that God created man after his, God’s, own kind. In many previous posts I have taught that God did not fully make man in his image in the beginning. He used the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to help accomplish that. This is why after Adam and Eve ate of that tree’s fruit God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” (Genesis 3:22) Even, then, however, man had not been fully conformed to God’s image. For now, having the knowledge of good and evil, man had to learn which things are good and which things are evil and also to choose the good instead of the evil. Thus when Cain began to choose evil things instead of good God told him that he must learn to rule over sin. Cain did not accept God’s rebuke and advice and went on to murder his brother Abel.

Later in history God chose a particular nation, Israel, to whom he further revealed the concepts of good and evil through his Law. Paul said, “if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, `You shall not covet.’” (Romans 7:7) Paul then further explained the purpose of God’s Law saying, “It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.” (Romans 7:13) History, however, proved that men could not obey God’s Law in the power of their flesh. Paul therefore proclaimed,

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:9-20)

The knowledge of sin is the knowledge of good and evil. The Old Covenant proved to us that men cannot be good in the power of their flesh, but that they can want to be good. God established the New Covenant so that goodness, i.e. perfection, could become reality in those who truly desired it. He specifically promised this New Covenant in the Book of Jeremiah and he proclaimed its actual coming through the work of Jesus in the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews says,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds.”  (Hebrews 10:16

The New Covenant takes the external knowledge of good and evil and makes it internal. This is why Jesus declared that the Kingdom of God is within us. This is why Paul proclaims in Romans 8:

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. 5 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 For 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.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8: 1-17 ESV)

We see here that we cannot please God and fully obey his Law by the power of our flesh. Only through the power of the Spirit will we ever have strength to “submit to God’s Law.” So, does this mean that I now have to learn all the Old Testament Law and seek power to submit to every jot and tittle of it? This is the crux of the issue we face today with the Judaizers who seek to place Christians back under Mosaic laws.  But Paul answers this question in the negative repeatedly, especially in the Book of Galatians, and the Book of Hebrews also clearly answers “NO!” when it says,

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10)

The verse in bold above means that Jesus Christ did away with the Mosaic Law in order to establish his will. Christ made a new covenant with us in order to make our will and his will one. This does not happen simply because we make a one-time confession of faith. John says,

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12 KJV)

This “power” mentioned here is the Holy Spirit whom God sends to those who believe. Then, as Paul teaches in Romans above, if we will but “set our minds” upon the things of the Spirit, then God will faithfully see that we live “according to that Spirit.” This, and only this, is how we fulfill God’s command to Cain,  “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7, ESV)

In light of these things I will next interpret my daughter’s dream… (to be continued).

Understanding the Book of Romans

In the Book of Romans Paul says, “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Rom. 3:19) This succinctly describes the purpose of the Law and really conveys the same meaning as Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 1:8-10 where he tells Timothy that the law is good if one uses it lawfully and that the law is for those who disobey sound doctrine. To argue in this way appears to place sinning Christians back under the Law, and yet Paul argues later in Romans that Christians are not “under Law.”

To begin to understand this first notice that Paul only mentions “moral” laws in the section from Timothy. He does not say that the Law is made for anyone who fails to get circumcised or who does not offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem or who does not obey the Sabbath laws each Saturday. In fact, he mentions no “ceremonial” laws at all. The reason for this is that Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is the antitype, the prophetic fulfillment, of all the Old Covenant ceremonial laws. Men have no duty today, therefore, to participate in or obey any of the Old Testament laws dealing with ceremony or sacrifices. Our faith in Jesus Christ accomplishes these laws in us. Neither do we need to seek out the Jewish temple to come into the presence of God. Now we, individually and corporately, comprise the temple of God, and the presence of God dwells within us. (1 Cor. 3:16-17; Eph. 2:21) God chisels and prepares each one of us now, making us individually into precious stones. Ultimately he will place each one us into our proper place within New Jerusalem. Our participation in New Jerusalem fulfills the Scripture “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

It is true that the ceremonial laws still prophesy many truths to us, but the New Testament makes it clear that we must not continue any of those sacrificial or ceremonial law practices in a literal sense in a vain attempt to sanctify ourselves or please God, except the prohibition of eating blood. (Acts 15:29) Paul’s book to the Galatians speaks forcefully about these issues. It is clear that Paul does not put moral law in the same category as the ceremonial because when he finishes his instruction about circumcision he reminds them to be careful to walk according to the moral law. ¹ (Gal. 5:13ff)

We must understand, however, that the attempt to strictly obey God’s moral law in the power of our flesh will also lead to a dead legalism and certain failure. Paul makes it very clear in the first few chapters of Romans that no one can perfectly obey God’s moral law. First he teaches us the purpose for the Law saying, “whatever the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19) But, then he states, “Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20) Then he shows us why the sacrifice of Jesus is so important.

 {21} But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, {22} even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; {23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, {24} being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, {25} whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, {26} to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. {27} Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the Law of faith. {28} Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the Law. (Rom 3:21-28)

We learn two major principles from Paul’s teaching so far in Romans. First, a knowledge of the Law brings with it a knowledge of sin. The Law declares the entire world guilty before God. Second, since we stand guilty, we therefore need a Savior to save us from the wrath of God. That Savior is found in the face of the man Jesus Christ. When God gives us grace and faith to believe in His Son, then we become justified before God. To be justified means to be declared just, or righteous. This comes to us by faith in Christ alone. But, having said this, does he then go on to teach that the law is now null and void, having been “put away” by God?

Was the Law “Put Away?”

If the Law were put away, how then can God still judge sin? If Christ ended, abolished, or fulfilled the Law to the extinction of that Law, then it makes no difference how you or I live. No law would exist to condemn us. Oh yes, we might break one of the State’s laws and be sent to prison, but if God put away His own Law, then He could never hold you or me accountable to it and could never expect us to change our behavior, even if the most repulsive, disgusting, and evil.

But Jesus upheld the Law; He did not put it away. Jesus, as Author of the Law and Creator of the world, could have set us free from the Law’s penalty of death by putting away His Law. This would have legalized sin, but He did not choose this plan. He upheld the Law and paid its price. He died for us. The Law, therefore, remains in effect, but the New Testament teaches us that Christ changed it by fulfilling its ceremonial aspects and by no longer requiring us to do those things. The apostles also teach us that Christ nailed the curses, the penalties, of the Law to his cross so that we would not suffer death by it.

According to the following verses, Paul calls any theory or theology that puts away the Law preposterous:

“Do we then make void the Law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” (Romans 3:31)

 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:1-2)

 “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:15)

 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the Law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the Law had said, `You shall not covet.’” (Romans 7:7)

 “Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.” (Romans 7:13)

Now let’s look at Paul’s views regarding the positive aspects of the Law that leads him to his conclusions.

“because you have in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth–” (Romans 2:20, NIV)

“Therefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7:12)

 “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14)

 “For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man.” (Romans 7:22)

 “I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the Law of sin.” (Romans 7:25)

 “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, 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, nor indeed can be.” (Romans 8:5-7)

Immediately after stating that justification comes by faith alone, apart from the Law, Paul asks, “Do we then make void the Law through faith?” He quickly answers, “Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” (Romans 3:31) “Now wait a minute,” some say. “I thought that `to establish the Law’ meant I was getting into legalism. After all, didn’t Paul say, `You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace?’” (Gal. 5:4) Yes, Paul did say that. How, then, can both be true? Let’s continue reading Romans to find out.

After declaring that Christians must “establish the Law,” Paul uses the examples of Abraham and David to show that God has always declared His people righteous based upon their faith in Him. The purpose of justification by faith is to bring “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1) Justification by faith, therefore, establishes our relationship and potential for fellowship with God. Justification does not and cannot come by the Law. Paul then uses the rest of chapter 5 to declare that “through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.” (vs. 18) We “establish the Law” after we come to faith in Christ, not before. Christians today, for the most part, fail to establish God’s Law and instead partake of the world’s sins. They have become lawless, anomia, and fight against God’s Law. Hence we see pastors who lead flagrantly sinful lives leading God’s people into more and more sin.. These will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Finally, at the beginning of Chapter 6 Paul starts to explain the comment he made all the way back in Romans 3:31. Chapters 6 through 8 clearly show that he does not consider the Law of God to be something that we cast underfoot to the realm of “mere legalism” simply because we believe in Jesus Christ. On the contrary, Paul asserts in Romans 8:5-7 that the spiritual mind, i.e. the mind given to the things of the Spirit, can be and is subject to God’s Law. Paul teaches us that, having come to faith in Jesus, we now have a choice. We either choose to serve God by obeying His laws or we choose to serve sin and the devil by disobeying them.

For an even more thorough examination of these difficult chapters from the Book of Romans please see my book When We Awake by clicking here.

 1Here I used a principle of Biblical interpretation that is very helpful and easy to remember as follows: “The Old Testament laws are maintained in the New Testament era unless they are modified or eliminated by explicit New Testament doctrine.” The New Testament clearly eliminates the Old Testament ceremonial law. It just as clearly continues our obligation to the moral law. There is a contrary hermeneutic (principle of Biblical interpretation) that goes like this: “The Old Testament is repealed unless it is repeated.” This doctrine cuts off almost all relevance of the Old Testament and has given us bizarre doctrines like forbidding the use of musical instruments in church worship. The preceding principle is easily remembered by the phrase, “the Old Testament is maintained unless modified, not repealed unless repeated.”

Paul gives the best and clearest definition of the true Gospel in one verse, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Roman 1:17, NIV) The Jews missed the profundity of the teaching of Christianity because they learned that their righteousness must come through strict obedience to God’s Law revealed to Moses in the Old Testament. He says,

 ³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. ³² Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written:

   “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble 
   and a rock that makes them fall, 
   and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 9:30-33, NIV)

Paul makes this point even more clear when he says to the Colossians,

³For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

⁴Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

⁵Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

⁶Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:3-12, KJV)

The problem is that Christians have stumbled over the same stumbling stone as the Jews! Notice the verses in bold above which says, “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” This is quite a boast! Paul proclaimed that he perfectly obeyed God’s Law. If righteousness could have been obtained through the Law, then, Paul would have qualified through the works of his own flesh! But, he then proclaimed such a great accomplishment, at least in the eyes of many, as dung! This shows us that “the teaching about righteousness” which Hebrews teaches deals not with some ascetic discipline of perfectly obeying God by the power of our flesh and will. And, yet, clearly our will matters in this process which God calls “salvation.” Paul said, “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling.” He spoke not of that which men call their eternal salvation, their ticket, so to speak, of going to heaven. He spoke of the salvation which keeps us from mandatory participation in the Lake of Fire according to Revelation 20:6:

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Only those Christians who effect the salvation of their souls participate in the first resurrection, and as we learned in my recent post entitled “The Three Comings of Christ,” the first resurrection occurs in two stages. First, Christ comes as a thief and secretly carries away and glorifies his firstfruits. Second, these firstfruits return to earth and train the faithful of the remaining church who will three and one half years later become part of the first resurrection. The question I am trying to answer, and it is difficult to answer, is, “How does one effect this salvation of his soul so that he may participate in the first resurrection?”

Clearly, the vast majority of Christendom will not learn this lesson prior to the secret “rapture” because only the firstfruits, a small portion of the full wheat harvest of believers, will participate in that. Until that day, however, my job remains to inform as many as who will hear how to overcome, for “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”^[b]  (Romans 1:16-17, NKJV)

John declared concerning coming to faith in Jesus, “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12) Notice that this verse means that simply coming to a “saving faith” in Jesus, or believing in Jesus for the salvation of one’s sins does not automatically qualify a person for becoming a son of God. Initial faith gives one “the right to become” a son of God, it does not magically turn one into a son. One becomes a son when he has been glorified, when he has been fully made into God’s image.

During most of Paul’s ministry he did not believe that he had qualified for this high calling which he calls the “crown of life.” For example, to the Philippians he said,

^{12 “}Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)

Yet, to Timothy Paul said,

⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

How could Paul say one thing to the Philippians and another to Timothy? Because God showed Paul that he was about to die when he wrote Timothy and he knew he had “finished the race.” How did he know this? Because he had “kept the faith.” Yes, he had kept “the faith” until the time of his departure, his physical death. But, what does keeping “the faith” mean? (to be continued…)

TAU

 ¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before You, O LORD;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
¹⁷⁰ Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
¹⁷¹ My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
¹⁷² My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
¹⁷³ Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

God reveals the secret of the overcomer in the last verse of this marvelous psalm. He understands that he walks not in perfection; he goes astray like a lost sheep. Still, though, he does not forget God’s commandments. When he sins, because he knows the Law, the Law convicts him as a lawbreaker and then leads him back to Christ for forgiveness. The overcomer repents of his sin, gets up from that sin for the seven times seventieth time, and walks on with God. He has learned to practice righteousness according to the Book of John. This is he whom Jesus speaks about when he says,

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:2-4 KJ2000)

Overcomers understand they are poor in spirit. They walk not in great supernatural power, nor walk in perfection without sin. Men in the world and in the world’s churches do not esteem nor acclaim them. In fact, as this psalmist writes in verse 161, “Princes have persecuted me [the overcomer] without a cause.” Overcomers realize their poverty and seek true riches, the Word of God and the glorification of their flesh so that they can actually peform God’s Word. Therefore they mourn presently at their poverty, discomfort, distress, and affliction. They do not cry at every earthly sorrow. This is not how they mourn. They mourn for the poorness of their spirit for they know they have not yet been saved from the defilement of their flesh. But Jesus makes them two sure and certain promises, they shall be comforted and they shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven!

Notice that this last stanza begins with the overcomer crying out to God, mourning for his lack of understanding and poorness of spirit. He prays God will hear him and deliver him from his affliction. Though afflicted he still praises his God and prays that God will continue to reveal his statutes to him. Then he himself will also teach others God’s righteous commands. He asks for and expects God’s help for he has chosen God’s ways, his precepts. Thus he longs for God’s salvation! He knows he not yet saved. He craves salvation because God’s Law is his delight and he wants to walk in it. “Let my soul live!” he begs. Christ died to reconcile his spirit to Himself. He knows God is for him, has died for him even, but he knows his soul, his fleshly soul still dwells in darkness and evil. “Let my soul live!” he cries. “Until I truly live, until I have really been born again, born of water (God’s Word, God’s Law) and born of the Most Holy Spirit, I shall always go astray as a lost sheep. I long for your salvation. Let my soul live!”

Paul said, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:14 KJ2000) The Law is spiritual, but we have made it something carnal and legalistic, something to be feared or shunned. The overcomer, however, has learned somthing entirely different about God’s Law. The Law has become his delight, and he hopes one day to walk in its reality.

He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white clothing; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5 KJ2000)

He that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12 KJ2000)

To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. (Revelation 3:21-22 KJ2000)

Thus has this psalmist by the Holy Spirit described God’s Overcomer.

I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep your statutes. I cried unto you;save me, and I shall keep your testimonies. I rose before the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in your word. My eyes awake before the night watches, that I might meditate in your word. Hear my voice according unto your lovingkindness: O LORD, revive me [ i.e. give me life] according to your judgment. They draw near that follow after evil: they are far from your law. You are near, O LORD; and all your commandments are truth. Concerning your testimonies, I have known of old that you have founded them forever. (Psalms 119:145-152)

With respect to God’s salvation men seem to get it exactly backward. Many Christians teach that you must obey a certain set of or all of God’s Law in order to be saved. Others teach that Christ put away the Law and that Christians do not need to obey nor be concerned about the Law at all. The Bible, which tells a seamless story, says something entirely different. Paul makes it very clear in the book of Romans that no man can keep God’s Law perfectly and condemns Christians who teach people to obey the Law and yet fail to keep the Law themselves. And yet after saying all this he asserts, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law!” (Romans 3:31) Paul “establishes the law” after just seemingly trouncing the Law to smithereens? How can this be?

Paul proceeds in Romans 4 to teach us that men have pleased God always and only by “faith” saying,

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he has something in which to boast; but not before God. For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Romans 4:1-3)

Paul proceeds with this concept throughout this chapter and finally summarizes,

For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect … Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the descendants; not to those only who are of the law, but to those also who are of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all … And therefore it [faith] was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 4:14-5:1)

Yet, remember, Paul teaches that his doctrine of salvation by faith “establishes the Law.” How can this be? Didn’t we always learn that it was Israel’s obedience to the Law which established their standing before God, their salvation? Yes, but we learned wrongly. David was called a man after God’s own heart not because he perfectly obeyed God’s Law, but BECAUSE HE WANTED TO! When he failed and knew he failed then he repented and asked God to forgive and restore him. By faith he believed God heard him and forgave him, and David continued on with God. This is how he and we “practice righteousness” as John teaches us in 1 John.

The person who wrote this wonderful psalm, Psalm 119, understood the same thing. Thus he cries to the LORD. He wants to keep God’s statutes. He cries, “SAVE ME and I shall keep your testimonies.” He knows that God must save him, that God must quicken him, that God must give him new life, eternal life, glorified life before he can perfectly obey him. But, he wants to obey him and he wants to obey him now. He just can’t, just like you and I can’t. But, do we want to? This is the question and this is the condition upon ever entering the Kingdom of Heaven, of ever becoming a perfect jewel set in the foundation of New Jerusalem.

So, which comes first, salvation or obeying the Law perfectly?

Just before Jesus appeared in ministry upon the earth, John the Baptist preached saying, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2 KJ2000) John himself was that prophetic voice which Isaiah foretold when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:3 KJ2000) Then, upon John’s arrest and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He Himself proclaimed, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17 KJ2000)

These two men, John, the greatest man who had lived until the time of Jesus, and Jesus, who is God Himself, both told us how to prepare for the coming Kingdom of God. They said we must repent. These two men preached to Israel, a nation that knew the Law, God’s specific commands for living within his kingdom. They preached to men who thus knew the definition of sin and what to repent of. Paul, on the other hand, wrote to Romans who he called “Gentiles.” These were men of other nations than Israel or the Jews.

As Paul begins his discourse on repentance he starts with a short summary of common sins, acts which God’s Law forbids. He says,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:18-32, KJV)

Before we move on, please notice verse 32. Paul makes it clear that those who practice any of the sins listed before this “commit such things [as] are worthy of death.” Modern day Christianity has white-washed sin by declaring that many of these declared acts simply are not sins. Neither Paul nor any other true prophet of God ever teaches that God’s defined sins are not sins. We only hear such nonsense from leaders of Christian denominations who sold their birthright to Mystery Babylon. Such Christians and those who listen to them fail to repent because they believe they have nothing to repent of. These can never be accounted overcomers with God in this condition. They will not be allowed to enter New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God, until they learn repentance.