What Does God Require of Us?

    It was just before dawn when we all got up, and it seems that we all started talking at the same time about the same scriptures, as we all had the same thoughts during the night. So we dug out our notes and Bibles to be armed for action....we gathered around the fire as it was still a bit chilly in the early morning air. We started just before where we had left off and here is what we all came up with during the night:

Here we have the wiles or cunning of the Devil. Here's where they come from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

2Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.

2Corinthian 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his

devices.

From here on is what was added during the nights sleep:

Matthew 4:1-11a Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward a hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, if you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, If you be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone. Jesus said to him, it is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord your God. Again, the devil takes him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And said to him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus to him, get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. Then the devil left him.

Galatians 1:3-10 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

      I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ (this is not found in the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 &2 Peter, 1, 2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation). But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel (the Old Testament of Genesis through Acts 11 and James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 &3 John, Jude and Revelation) to you than that which we have preached to you (Acts 11 through Philemon), let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (See Revelation 12:9)

     Acts is a letter of transition from the Old Testament of God's dispensational dealings with Israel on their time line into the New dispensation of God’s dealing with Humanity during this Church Age or the Age of God's Grace. The letter to the  Hebrews we found out is a letter of persuasion for the Jews who changed from a works and a separatist theology to a faith plus nothing theology. It exposes the New Covenant of God's grace as found in the face of Jesus Christ the risen LORD and King of Israel. Not to mention their spiritual idolatry or whoredom with the gods of the nations and their economy. 

    Now Peter has some very interesting and powerful things to say in 2 Peter 3:15, which gives us some more understanding though his letter was written to the scattered Jewish believers that were waiting for the Jewish tribulation to start at any time, and he said:  

2Peter 3:15-18 "And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you (the letter to the Hebrews) according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, (the letters to the Romans through Philemon) which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
     But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Romans 10:3-4 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believe. 

   

    These were the scriptures that were running through our thoughts all night, but what to do with them, that was our question. We were hoping that the old guy would be at his work later this morning, maybe he could help us understand these things. As none of us fully understood them as we were taught the Old Covenant was for us and that all that we had to believe was John 3:16 and in that Jesus had died and risen. That this is our salvation and we were told to stay away from Paul's letters as we were not meant to understand them and they would only led us to err and confusion.

    Now we had more questions to ask, such as, what is the gospel of grace, what is the new covenant of grace, how do we receive the promises of God and under what conditions. Boy the guys just through more questions that I could make note of, hope the old guy is back to work, we need help and answers.

What God Requires of Us, cont E

    After a long day with the old man we finally made our way back to the auto. While walking back we decided to pitch our tents and stay the night along the road side where we had parked. Because we had gotten into a good discussion about what the old guy had said and we wanted to possibly find him again on the morrow and maybe find out more. After dinner we gathered around our fire with our Bibles and some other books that we had carried with us, in order to dig a little further into what we had learned from the old guy. Some of us also had flashlights to share. So we began:

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11

Jesus said in Mark 13:21-23 "At that time if any one says to you, 'See, here is the Christ!' or 'See, He is there!' do not believe it. For THERE WILL RISE UP false Christs and false PROPHETS, DISPLAYING SIGNS AND PRODIGIES with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People, the elect. But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.”

Now comes the question of how could He have warned us of this? Let us learn something from 1 Kings 22:22 as the Old Testament after all is meant for our learning and instruction only. To set the stage we need to see who are the ones talking, so look at verse 2

1Kings 22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (Ahab husband of Jezebel, was king of Israel at that time. Why does it say that he, Jehoshaphat, came down, when Israel consisted of the ten northern tribes.).  

1Kings 22:13-14  And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good. Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, what the LORD said to me, that will I speak.       
(All the prophets gave good reports to the kings, but one, Micaiah.)

1Kings 22:15-18 So he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, these have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? 

1Kings 22:19-23 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand (strength) and on his left (iniquity). The LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.  The LORD said to him, wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and has the LORD spoken evil concerning you?

Now this is for our understanding. Who was it that sent the lying spirit? The “LORD” did, why? because of Israel’s backslidden condition. Ahab was and evil man, he stood by while his wife did all manor of evil. Ahab only followed what his priests were already allowing in the temples of God their in the northern kingdom. Let us take a close look at and upright man and a just man….Job.

Job 1:7-12 And the LORD said to Satan, Where are you coming from? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for naught? Have you made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon him put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.  

God, in order for us to get the picture, repeats this in chapter 2 again for our learning and instruction.

Job 2:3-6 And the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and eschews evil? And still he holds fast his integrity, although you move me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face. And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.

Why do you suppose that these scriptures are written for us?

    For the mystery of lawlessness does already work: only there is one that restrains now, until he (the mystical Body of Christ should be capitalized here “He” or maybe church should be used) is taken out of the way. And then shall be revealed the lawless one (the anti-Christ or false prophets, all in iniquity, the wicked as these all are storing up wrath unto the day of wrath), whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to naught by the manifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: ...that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

1Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2Corinthians 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight); {sight here means any of our five natural senses as they require a sign, wonder or miracle..ie. for the earthy to believe and what do they believe, a lie.}

Now to clear the air we’ll take a scripture from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

2Corinthians 4:1-7 Therefore, being engaged in this service and being mindful of the mercy which has been shown us, we are not cowards. Nay, we have renounced the secrecy which marks a feeling of shame. We practice no cunning tricks, nor do we adulterate God's Message. But by a full clear statement of the truth we strive to commend ourselves in the presence of God to every human conscience. If, however, the meaning of our Good News has been veiled, the veil has been on the hearts of those who are on the way to perdition, in whom the god of this present age has blinded their unbelieving minds so as to shut out the sunshine of the Good News of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God.  (For we do not proclaim ourselves, but we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord of the resurrection and a live from the dead, and ourselves as your bondservants for the sake of Jesus, who was put to death in mans flesh.) For God who said, "Out of darkness let light shine," is He who has shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory, which is radiant on the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us.

So what does the word "wiles" mean? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: WILE, n. A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice. v.t. To deceive; to beguile.

Thayer’s says: Thayer's Definition: Strong’s # G3180 wiles

1) cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery

Part of Speech: noun feminine

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from a compound of G3326 and G3593 [compare “method”]

What is method? Webster 1828 Dictionary says: METH'OD, n. [L. methodus; Gr. with, and way.]

1. A suitable and convenient arrangement of things, proceedings or ideas; the natural or regular disposition of separate things or parts; convenient order for transacting business, or for comprehending any complicated subject. Without method, business of any kind will fall into confusion. To carry on farming to advantage, to keep accounts correctly, method is indispensable.

We have to turn to Strong’s # 3326:  met-ah'

A primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly denoting accompaniment; “amid” (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive case association, or accusative case succession) with which it is joined; occupying an intermediate position between G575 or G1537 and G1519 or G4314; less intimate than G1722, and less close than G4862): - after (-ward),X that he again, against, among, X and, + follow, hence, hereafter, in, of, (up-) on, + our, X and setting, since, (un-) to, + together, when, with (+ -out). Often used in composition, in substantially the same relations of participation or proximity, and transfer or sequence.

These definitions above can all be found in Genesis 3:1  Look in The Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary/Concordance. The Hebrew definition here is numbered H6175:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle (H6175) than any beast of the field which Elohim God had made. And he said to the woman, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?” 

H6175  

        ערוּם

‛ârûm

aw-room'

Passive participle of H6191; cunning (usually in a bad sense): - crafty, prudent, subtil.

H6191

ערם

‛âram

aw-ram'

A primitive root; properly to be (or make) bare; but used only in the derived sense (through the idea perhaps of smoothness) bo be cunning (usually in a bad sense): -  X very, beware, take crafty [counsel], be prudent, deal subtly.

Here we have the wiles or cunnings of the Devil. This is where it is coming from so listen closely.

2Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for even Satan fashioned himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. 

That sounds like what the old guy told us. Even down to the meaning of the trees and the tombs. Boy, that has really given us something to sleep on. 

What God Requires of Us cont D

    As we were sitting listening to the old mans stories of the false prophets we noticed that there was a number of trees that had been cut down and there was one tree, rather large that looked as if it were dying from what looked like the top down and that there was a smaller tree nearby that was full of life and some taller trees also full of life. When the old fellow paused to take a deep breath we asked him about the trees. He said that the ones that had been cut down were from the Old Testament times and that they were reminders of God's dealings with people in His dispensations and epoches. Naturally we wanted to know more as we had not heard about such things in our college days nor in our classes on theology or philosophy. These were strange words and we did not know their meaning.
    The old guy explained that during the old times God set standards for each people group that He dealt with and that each had basic rules or orders of conduct to follow with its own limits or penalties for not following the rules. This was the meaning of dispensation, he said you see it is like buying an ice cream cone, the man behind the counter dispenses to you what flavor and the amount that you request. He said that we set the standard for the dispensing out in that case, if we did not we could have the whole thing. Now he said that the epoch is a word meaning a set time or a set season, its limited in starting and limited in ending, in other wards it is preset and it will not start before nor end before the limit.
    Now he said as for the trees, there are seven that had been cut down. The first one was for the beginning of man, the next for Israel, then the four kingdoms (Babylon, Persians-Medians, Grecian, Romans), the fifth was for the (Romans now silent or sleeping) time of the gentiles (the Church Age not revealed to any of the old testament saints, though the prophets searched for its meaning.) this one is the one dying from the top down (as it is nearing its end and has been corrupted by the false prophets and teachers since Satan took upon himself the form of an angel of light and has been deceiving even the elect into believing a lie, you see it is actually dead on the inside.), these last two are still growing and are bright green and they stand for the tribulation period, and the millennium (with a great war at its end, between Satan and his forces against the King Jesus Christ) then the judgment and then on into eternity.
    So again who are the false prophets in those tombs? Are they the old or the new? He said they are made up of them both. Now what about that small tree, what is it? He said that it is for the mystical Body of Christ as it belongs to Him because He is its Head and that those who are a part of Him make up its form. He also said that it is so small because there are not a lot of members that form it and make it up, only a few are grafted into Him. He said that he could not reveal why or how or where the ones came from that became a members of the body, it was a mystery to him.
    As the day was getting well spent and we needed to get back to our auto and some food we decided to leave off with our conversation with the old guy, but asked if we could return as we had more questions than we had answers from him. All he said was that today was the day of our salvation and that we were not guaranteed tomorrow, what ever that meant.

What God Requires of Us cont C

    Today it is raining outside and the sound is wonderful, though it means that I'll not get my walk and inspiration for today, or will I?
    Yesterday, the Lord gave me more insight to our travelers and the situations that they'll encounter along the road.
    Seems like our group is made up of six or more individuals from many walks of life and varying backgrounds. It also sounds like their trip is all but non eventful. Seems like they'll met up with many interesting people and situations even before they get turned around and headed in the right direction. My problem is that I'm not sure just who they encounter first maybe that does not really matter, we'll see. (pause to listen)
    Seems like they just pulled over into a turn about along the side of the roadway, maybe having some kind of trouble with the auto. No, someone wants to turn around and head back in the right direction and there seems to be a heated debate going on among them. Remember that there are no warning signs except the one way arrow that they had already passed and a few autos heading in the other direction sometime back. Other than that all looks like a quiet country lane. (pause to listen)
    Someone just spotted someone in the distance painting some boulders along the side of what looks like a bluff. The boulders are round and appear to be leaning against the bluffs side. It seems strange because they are all being painted white. Our party is heading to get a closer look and to see what all this may mean. Here's a path heading towards the bluff, now here's a road bed it does not seem to be used much as the grass is long and uncut. Cresting a small knoll now looking forward down the road bed, we can see a sign it looks like this place is an old graveyard of sorts. There does not appear to be any gravestones or headstones or markers. Just an old man painting the boulders with white wash. He is turning now our way and he sees us for the first time, he's heading this way, what is it he is saying?? "Keep clear...these are graves full of dead mans bones and this is defiled ground, stay away, stay away." He's coming our way maybe we can find out what this is all about. (pause waiting listening)
    The old man is now just feet away from us. What are you doing? What does all this mean? What are those boulders for that you are painting? Why this stone wall? and a hundred more questions start coming from our mouths... He motions for us to stop questioning him....He tells us that this is an unmarked graveyard for false prophets and that the grounds are cursed with a curse because of the unholy words spoken by these prophets. It seems that they carry a heavy weight on their heads and souls because they refused to preach the truth. They did not know the secret of the mysteries that the LORD had given His Apostle to the Nations. It seems that they taught their own message as they desired and that they had lead many to the path way, that goes to the broad-way to destruction. This is their final resting place until the final judgment day when all sinners, unbelievers, liars and the lawless ones will march into the lake of eternal fire where the worm does not die. (pause waiting listening)

What God Require of Us. Cont B

    In our first entry we used the illustration of turning on to a one way street heading in the wrong direction and we carried this theme over into our last entry also. Well here today the Lord has me continuing in this same taught. As in the last our subjects still have a hardheart and stubbornness about them in the form of resentment and anger or rage other wise known as wrath. Now remember the word wrath as it will play a key role down the road. No pun intended here.
    Our people have been on this wrong way now for some distance but they have not encountered many people heading in the other direction, though the few that they did encounter where waving and jestering to them. Our people you see could not see clearly because of the sun glasses that they had on nor could they hear clearly because of the muffs that they were also wearing. So they just continued to travel down this one way not knowing that it would enter into a freeway heading in the other direction as well.
    This freeway was a fast track road way much like the European express way with a large mass of traffic on it. So either the traffic headed towards them had made an exit from the express way or they had made a turn around themselves. Being the hard hearted people that they were they just stayed on the course that they were on as if they had good sense. Then something happen first to one and then another, one lost her glasses, the other lost the muffs. Now one could see clearly and the other could hear plainly, what a difference this little change had made for them. They were able to get their companions to remove their glasses and their muffs, now all could hear and see, but what about the stony hearts and stubbornness, they still had those conditions to be dealt with. And what about those few people that they encountered heading in the other direction, what about them and what about their story? Why? were they waving and shouting at them warnings of some sort? What was it that lay ahead of them?

What does God Require of Us? Cont A

    Yesterday I revealed a hidden condition of man. And that is; that all mankind is hard hearted and stubborn especially when it comes to spiritual things. We some how think that we know it all, where we get that from may be hard for some to understand. But here goes, it started with Adam when he chose to eat of the fruit. Yes, I said "chose to eat of the fruit", after all Elohim had told him not to eat of it and also what would happen "when and 'If'" he did, but he did it any way. We all have been severed from fellowship with our creator from that one action of disobedience and rebellion of grace and faith. You see it required grace and faith in the creator to allow a desire of our own flesh to over ride what was "known" in the face of the spoken "word" of the results of that free-will action. It was this action that caused man kind in Adam to die or put to death the spirit of Christ in man. This rebellion and disobedience brought sin into mankind and it's penalty death.

    Separating the human race from its creator, breaking fellowship with Him and placing all humanity into a state of spiritual darkness and resistance to the truth or light because of death. You see a spiritual divine being does not die, at least not in the sense that humanity knows death, that required sin to enter in. Sin was not in the first equation of mans makeup as he had the some total of the image and likeness of his creators in him (Christ). Yes, I said his creators because the word used in Genesis one means three in one or triune being.

   Many have found solace in some form of religion, as there are many religions in the world and all claim to be right and provide salvation to all that will follow its teachings. However the oldest is not that of Judaism but rather is a feel good worshiping of self. or a "new age" feeling good type of thing. It started back even before the tower of Babel and has been seen in many forms and shapes through out the dawn of history. Today it is very alive and I might add is healthy and thriving taking on the form of what is most commonly called "Christianity", or "New Age" and some other forms, in that there are many non-denominations and denominations of various names and types and all are a self gratification religious form.

    Israel was a shadow and type of the church and all of its history is for our learning and understanding. "IF" we have eyes to see and ears to hear what the SPIRIT is saying. The Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher as He reveals to us and in us Christ as we were a part of Him and He was a part of us in the beginning. How this change in our fallen nature comes about is in God's hands not ours. It is within His plan and He alone administers it to us in His dispensation, as it is of His Grace. We are to cooperate with Him when we hear the truth and receive the light of His revelation into ourselves. Jesus who is Christ and Elohim and the fullness of God, as the second Adam (being clothed in human flesh) brought the living word to mankind through His ministry to Israel but they along with the gentiles rejected Him and His words. The fulfilling the prophecies (Gods spoken word released into the earth by man) that common men spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What Does God Require of Us?

    There are many out there that have mixed and fixed opinions on how one is to acquire eternal life and salvation. There are even some who believe in a replacement theology (what is meant is that they replace Israel or the Jews as they stick to the Law and commandments of Moses), stay in the Old Testament only, some in the teachings of Christ only (what they mean is that they only adhere to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and some of the Old Testament), there are some who would cut Paul's letters completely out because they say that they are hard to understand. There are main line denominations in that group as well as those who would remove all reference to the blood out of the Bible also. Well to all this all I can say is hog wash...Paul's revelations, which he received from the risen Lord are all that we need to get a hold of. Yes, we still need the Old Testament because in it we learn Christ as the revealer to Israel as their Yeh or Adonai, Lord or at times LORD. If we'll take the time to listen to what is said and how it is said in Genesis chapters one through three. We'll learn more about who we are and what we lost and why God places such a high value on man and why Christ came again in the flesh of man, as the son of man.
    When we learn how to come out of our ignorance or untaught condition then we'll begin to have a child like teachable spirit. You know it is like heading down any street in the good ol US of A and finding ourself at a dead end that forms a "T", you know where you could turn either to the right or to the left but you can not go straight ahead. So you choose to turn to the right but after a short distance you find an arrow pointing in the other direction. It is then that you realize that you heading into traffic, your on a one way street and your going the wrong way. Well that is what life is all about for those who do not rightly divide the Word of Truth into its epochs and dispensations an even proper gospels. Many will follow the wrong way no matter what because their to stubbornness, and their to hardhearted to admit that they are wrong. Many spend years in schools of higher learning to get a degree of some sort thinking that it will earn them a place beside God or some sort of honor before Him. Let me tell you that it wont get you anywhere with Him. Why? You ask...because He only wants you naked and dirt poor, bankrupt of attitude and self ....with a broken and contrite heart and as a little child, like the Prodigal son. Who after wasting all his wealth and prestige came to himself and returned to his father.

There are those who cherish the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and up to about the middle of Acts) and take these as their gospel of salvation(primarily John 3:16). For these folks are only “receiving” Jesus the Messiah, who came as the “Son of Man”.

    There are those who cherish the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and up to about the middle of Acts chapter 11) and take these as their gospel of salvation (primarily John 3:16). For these folks are only “receiving” Jesus the Messieh, who came as the “Son of Man”. He would not be LORD until His resurrection (or new life) and ascension. Then and only then were we (originally just Israel) to walk through the gate that He opened which is His flesh that died. He died to the “earthy or natural” as Son of man to become the divine Spiritual Son of God. This is the “Gate” we are to walk through to go from being a son of man (fallen Adam) to a son of God in Christ, the spiritual man. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” If the Spirit of Christ is not found in you , you are not His Romans 8:9. The entire chapter 8 of Romans is speaking of this very thing. If you have not died to the earthy carnal (law of sin and death) then you are not a son of God but still in your sin and death as a son of man.

As long as people are following these synoptic gospels as the “gospel of salvation” they are following another gospel as Paul speaks about in Galatians 1: 8 and 9, 11 and 12 and the book of Hebrews.

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
“But I certify you, brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ.”

We must know what gospel is for our salvation and in what dispensation we’re in, to truly be saved. My question to you is;
Do you seek to belong to the Son of God which is the Risen Christ, or do you seek to belong to the……

Son of Man


Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Matthew 16:13


The Name by Which Jesus Most Frequently Called Himself

There are two names which our Lord was wont to use when He spoke about His person or His work. The one was the Son of God, and the other was the Son of Man. It was not often that He used the former title, if we may judge by the Synoptic Gospels, and when He used it, it was always in some moment of unusual importance and solemnity. But it is different with the latter, "the Son of Man." This was constantly upon the lips of Christ. It seems to have been His most familiar word when He referred to His person or His work. And so deeply engraved is this upon our hearts, and inwrought into the thought of Christendom, that whenever we hear the expression "Son of Man" we at once revert to the figure of our Saviour. Under this name, then, our Lord described Himself. By this He conveyed His thought about Himself. It was a name He loved with deep affection, and which welled to His lips in the most diverse circumstances. Nor should it be forgotten that in the whole New Testament, where the title "Son of Man" occurs so often, only on two occasions is it used by anyone other than the Lord Himself.


Jesus Never Defined or Explained the Meaning of "Son of Man"

Now it is notable that in all His use of it our Lord never pauses to define the name. He does not explain what it conveyed to Him, nor what He meant it should convey to others. When our Lord gave Simon his new name of Peter, He was careful to interpret its significance. "Thou art Peter," He said, so that all could hear, "and on this rock I shall build my church." But when He laid aside His own name Jesus, and began to speak of Himself as Son of Man, He offered no explanation of the name, and never declared the reason of His choice. Equally noticeable too is this, that no one ever asked Him to define it. It seems to have been accepted without comment, and at least in a measure to have been understood. For men were not slow to interrogate the Saviour, and to ask Him what He meant by this or that, but we never find anyone inquiring of Him what was the meaning of this "Son of Man." Could he have been relating to Moses or Adam? as Paul make reference to both in his letters.


Not a New Name

Now the reason for that absence of all questioning will suggest itself to every reader at once. This was no new name, coined at a moment's need, it was a name that was wreathed with old association. There was not a Jew who heard the Master use it but would find it encircled with familiar thoughts. It was a name they had been accustomed to since childhood in their reading or hearing of the ancient Scriptures. And it came to them, not as a word of novelty, nor with the arresting touch of the unknown, but as a word that was a heritage of Israel from the far-off day of prophet and of psalmist. In other words, this was a borrowed name, and it was borrowed from the roll of the Old Testament. It was not a title coined for the occasion; it was fragrant with happy and with holy memories. And what Christ did was to take the hallowed name, and to breathe upon it with the breath of life, so that it glowed into a new significance and expanded into undreamed-of fullness.

Let me just say in passing that that is the real meaning of originality. If only we had just thought upon that matter, I think that we might understand our Savior better. It is not the nature of originality to say what never has been said before. The genius that is most strikingly original is hopelessly in debt to all the past. Originality consists in this—in taking all that the past has got to offer, and then in so passing it through heart and brain that it leaps forth as if a recreation. We speak of the originality of Shakespeare, yet who is more deeply in debt to his predecessors? We speak, and we can do it with all reverence, of the originality of Jesus. Yet do we remember, that that does not mean that Christ owes nothing to the past of Israel. It means that He gathers up that mighty past, and makes it new just because He is new. It should never distress you to find in the Old Testament the rudiments of one of the beatitudes. The past was Christ's, but just because He was Christ the old was all transfigured on His lips. And so with His favorite name "the Son of Man"; it was not new, it was an ancient title; it was drawn out of the storied past of Israel, but Christ has made it different forever.


Why Did Jesus Choose This Name?

Well, that being so, why did this title so appeal to Christ? Why did He love to use it of Himself? Why was it so often on His lips? There were many other names He might have chosen out of the stores of psalmist and of prophet. In Isaiah you will get twenty titles that describe the office and glory of Messieh. And all these were familiar to our Lord, whose mind and heart were steeped in the old Scripture, yet the one He chooses from them all is "Son of Man." Why, then, did this title so appeal to Him? There is only one way to discover that, it is to go back to the Old Testament page, and find the meaning of the words "Son of Man" there. If we discover that, then we discover the thoughts that moved before the mind of Jesus, when in the quiet of Nazareth He made His choice of the name that was to mark His ministry. I do not imagine for one single moment that He used the word in a dogmatic way. There was nothing hard or cold about His use of it—nothing of fixed and stereotyped significance. It was a plastic and suggestive word for Jesus, now shining in one light, now in another, and we must reverently try to trace these lights to that Word which was a lamp unto His feet.


To Indicate His Humiliation—Psalm Eight

First, then, we shall turn to the 8th Psalm for one of the notable uses of the word: "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?" The psalmist has been gazing at the heavens and contemplating their majestic grandeur. He stands perhaps upon his palace roof, amid the silent beauty of the night. The moon has arisen, and over the sleeping city there streams the silver pathway of her radiance. And the heaven above him, undimmed by any cloud, is ablaze with the countless glories of the stars. It is one of those eastern nights of perfect beauty when the stars are like the eyes of heavenly watchers looking down with an infinity of calm upon the weary and troubled hearts of men. Now, had the psalmist been a poet only, he might have rested in that outward beauty. But he was more than a poet; he was a spiritual man ever awake to the touch of the divine. And looking upward into that night of beauty what was borne in upon his soul was this—how could a God whose finger made the heavens be mindful of a creature such as man? "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?" You see, then, the thought in David's mind when he uses that expression "son of man." He is thinking of man in all his native lowliness, of man contrasted with the glowing heavens, of man so frail compared with moon and star, yet crowned with a glory akin to that of angels. Man but a breath contrasted with the stars, yet greater than they in fellowship with God; man but the needy creature of a day, yet lifted up above all heaven's magnificence. "What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou visitest him?"

Now, when you turn to the words of Jesus, you find Him using the name in the same way. For Jesus also it carries the significance of man in His lowliness and yet exalted. "Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head." Or again, where He is foretelling His own passion: "The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men." And yet this lowly and suffering Son of man is to be crowned with glory and honor, for "Hereafter," He cries, "ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power." I think there can be no question that that was one charm of this old name for Christ. It blended together His humiliation with the joy of glory that was set before Him. It spoke of Him as a man of sorrows and as One who shared the frailty of our frame, yet it ever suggested the glory that was His, and the honor that was in store for Him from God.


A Prophet Identified with Manhood—Ezekiel

Again, when we turn back to the Old Testament, we light upon the title in Ezekiel. God calls Ezekiel the son of man not less than seventy times. "Son of man, stand upon thy feet"; "Son of man, see what they do?" It is thus that God constantly addresses him. You will understand, then, how the title "son of man" came to be charged with a prophetic import. It became familiar to readers of Ezekiel as the name for the prophet of the living God. And so when one called himself the "son of man," amid a people so intimately acquainted with the Scriptures, it would at once suggest to them his claim to stand in the succession of the prophets. But why did God choose this title for Ezekiel? Was it just to indicate his lowliness? Nay, rather, it was God's reminder to His servant that he was one with the people whom he warned. He was not to speak as one who stood apart, untouched by the sorrow and the tears of Israel; he was the son of man, the sympathetic man who was bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh. Thus you see that in the mind of Israel there clustered these ideas around the title. Familiar with it from Ezekiel's writings, it spoke to them of one who was a prophet; and yet this prophet was not a man aloof and unable to enter into his people's heart. He was a son of man, the man of sympathy, one who was touched with a feeling of their infirmities.

And again, when we turn to the words of Christ, we find Him using the term in the same way. He uses it to claim prophetic power, and yet to reveal His sympathetic heart. "The Son of Man has power (authority) to forgive sin"; "the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day"—that is the voice of One who was a prophet, charged with a message greater than Ezekiel's. And yet, "the Son of man came eating and drinking"; "the Son of man came to seek and save the lost"—that is the voice of One who was a Brother, and who was filled with intensest sympathy for man. That also is one secret of the charm which this ancient title had for Jesus. It revealed a yet half-concealed prophetic claim, and told that His word was the oracle of God; and yet it suggested that He was rich in sympathy and able to be compassionate to the weakest, and fitted to bear the burdens of humanity, and to be the Brother of the tired and weak. Was He the Son of Man?—then He was Brother-Man, and all might find in Him their Friend and Helper. But was He the Son of Man ? — then, like Ezekiel, He was the Prophet of the living God.


Associated with the Nations—Daniel

Then, lastly, and most notably of all, we find this title in the Book of Daniel. Let me recall to you what it implies in Daniel, and in what connection it was introduced. Daniel had had a vision of four empires that came up like four great beasts out of the sea; and then to these bestial and inhuman kingdoms succeeded another and a nobler kingdom. Within it were all nations and all peoples; it was a dominion that was to last forever. And over it, coming with the clouds, Daniel saw one like to the Son of Man. Now that was a vision of Messiah's kingdom, superseding the bestial kingdoms of the world. And who was the Son of Man who reigned within it? He was the expected Messieh of the Jews. And so, as the Jews looked forward to Messieh, and dreamed of the day when He was to appear, they came to think of Him, and came to speak of Him, under that ancient name of "Son of man." Let other kingdoms be typified by beasts, the kingdom of Christ is typified by manhood. It is the perfect Man who is to reign, in the golden age to which the Jew was looking. And yet this Man is something more than man, for He stands in the heavens engirdled by its clouds, and the passing of ages leaves no trace upon Him, and the Ancient of Days receives Him as His fellow. It was such thoughts the Jews associated with the name "Son of man."

It is not a matter of debate if such thoughts were in the mind of Jesus. There can be no question in the matter, for we have the testimony of Christ Himself. On two occasions our Lord recalled this prophecy in words whose reference is unmistakable, and both times He identified Himself with the Son of man of Daniel's vision. In His prophecy over Jerusalem, He predicted that they shall see "the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory." And when standing before Caiaphas He thus addressed His judges, "I say to you, hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Of this, then, there is no doubt, that the name was to Jesus a Messianic name. He would never have used it had He not wished to intimate that He was the promised Messieh of the Jews. And so it tells us that here is Christ indeed; the Man in whom all humanity is centered, yet the Man who knew that He was more than man, the Fellow of the everlasting God.

Quote taken from the "Devotional Sermons" by George H Morrison with limited editing on my part.

Who is this Jesus Christ

Who is Jesus Christ

In the beginning Genesis I:1, God, in the Hebrew picture language is shown a yoked ox for strength (. ( AL) ac: Yoke co: Ox ab: Strength) or the Triune God as being one, from which we get Elohim meaning: God the Father, God the Son and Holy Spirit. Upon further study we get Yeshua or more correctly Jesus.  Yeshua is God the Son’s proper name and is found to be the main person speaking or quoted throughout all the Old Testament. His name 'EHYEH' means  ‘the ever revealing one, “I am” to be revealed and “I am” who is to be more and more revealed’. It was revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14 but not repeated but rather masked by LORD, Lord or Adonai. This name is held in highest place and not to be written or spoken by a Jew.
[ Exodus 3:14  And God said unto Moses, (EHYEH asher EHYEH) I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.The I AM may even be fictitious as the true language and manuscript's are to date no where to be found. However the dead sea scrolls have offered clues to the secret so far hidden because of the blinding of the Pileo-Hebrew writings after Israel's first captivity in Egypt and Babylon.  
Exodus 6:3  And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (Elohim-ADONAI), but by my name 'EHYEH' was I not known to them.] Most all Bibles have this covered because of the fear to write this name in some fashion, such as Adonai or Lord. Some have Jehovah which is not the true name of God. As the "ah" is actually a reference to a pagan god or possibly a series of gods from per Egyptian time that may go as far back as the tower of Babel.


When John’s gospel account found in the first chapter is paralleled here we get the picture.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Now then we can turn to Proverbs chapter eight and find:

Pro 8:22-32 "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man. "And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.

This is spoken of as wisdom in most commentaries and rightly so as in Paul’s gospel we find that in Christ is
found all wisdom. Jesus even gives a parable of the pearl of great price, which those who find the gate, door,
unleavened bread of life by the Spirit and in the spirit enters and partakes of.
Now to tie this with where we are under the Gospel of God’s Grace and Paul’s revealing of who Jesus
of Nazareth, Israel’s Messieh or in Greek the anointed one Christ is we’ll turn to Ephesians and
Colossians letters.

Eph 3:8-10 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Col 1:16-18 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

From what we have presented so far we see Jesus Christ found in both the Old and New Testaments.

From here on we’ll be looking at mostly the person of Christ Jesus as Lord and federal head of His
Church. The mystical Body of Christ is revealed in “Paul’s Mystery Revealed.

Christ Messieh

Rom 16:25-27 Now to Him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal,[before Adam was created] but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known to all the nations to obedience of faith: to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever.

[My Gospel is the preaching of the cross and faith in His death, burial for the three days and three nights in the earth, and His resurrection and our being in Christ during His suffering as the Lord’s Table tells us. We share in His cup of affliction and are members of His body. See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 11:23-27 the cup and the bread as found in Matthew 26:26-30, Luke 22:15-20.]

2Pe 3:15-16 Count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you[the letter to the Hebrews] according to the wisdom (knowledge) given him, as he does in all his letters [Romans through Philemon] when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, [the mysteries] which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

[The old testament, Genesis through Acts 13:2, the religious Jew had nothing to do with a Gentile and for God to have turned to the Gentiles with the message of Grace and Faith a lone was totally beyond them and their mind set or comprehension.]

Eph 3:2-7 Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship [dispensation, or administration is given for a period of time] of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations [dispensations of time] as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of His power.

[These are not the Prophets of the Old Testament but rather the followers of Christ’s discipline as Paul was and imitators of Paul as he was of Christ. As Paul had stated and required of his followers in order for them to be a pastor or teacher of the mysteries. This is a study of the “Leader’s Requirements” found in “Paul’s Mystery Revealed”.]

[1Co 14:1 Follow after LOVE; yet desire earnestly spiritual gift, but rather that you may prophesy.
This is the proclaiming of the Gospel of the Grace of God revealed in the mysteries, which only the apostles and prophets of Paul knew and understood, such as Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18 and can be found in “Paul’s Mystery Revealed” in the “Secrets Revealed” study.]

Rom 8:9-13 You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life [quickened or bring to life, alive] because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through His Spirit that dwells in you. So then, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.

[The body is dead or counted as dead when the discipline of the cross has had its perfect work in you. Those who mind the things of the flesh and do these things are not part of the mystical Body of Christ and will not be part of those of the departure. These will see the white throne judgment and the second death the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his comrades. To live by the Spirit this is to follow the Lord through the discipline of the cross, to take up your cross daily and put to death the lusts of the flesh. See our study in ‘Paul’s Mystery Revealed’ in the “Body” section for more insight. ]

Rom 8:14-18 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you received not the spirit of bondage again to fear; [This is the death of the earthy and their judgment.] but you received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, [sons] then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him [the word 'with' is a relationship word denoting union, in Him, may be also glorified, this is the taking out of the Body of Christ a mystery.] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward.

[That is His death, burial and resurrection and for our faith in the revealed understanding of all that was finished on the cross. This is not by works but rather by faith in the finished work of the cross and our being a part of Him on that tree. See the study on “Christ in You” and the out line of “Redemption’ found in ‘Paul’s Mystery Revealed’.]

Rom 15:8-9 I say that Christ has been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm [fulfill, that is of His coming as prophesied] the promises given to the fathers [Israel], and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.

[The confirming of the promises is Christ’s ministry work and assignment before the cross. Peter in 2 Peter 3:15-16 is saying that Paul has a similar authority as shown here that Moses carried in his ministry. Paul says a similar thing in Ephesians 3:8.] Why is Moses' ministry so important? Because his name holds a key that has been shrouded or hidden. Mo or Mu means water and sheh to draw out in Egyptians and sheh means Iesus means Jesus which means salvation (Exodus 3:10), when put together it says through water comes our salvation and Moses was the fore runner of this truth. Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 18: 15 and 18 tells Israel that God is going to raise upon a prophet like himself and this fits Jesus Christ to a tee. Isaiah says that his name will be called Immanuel in chapters 7:14 and 8:8, which is then repeated in Matthew chapter 1:23. We are saved through water and the blood of Christ Jesus.

Eph 3:8-12 To me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the [fellowship of this] dispensation of the mystery which for ages had been hid in God who created all things; to the intent that now to the principalities and the powers in the heaven lies might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in Him.

[The principalities and powers are not the fallen angels that are being held in the bowls of the earth in thickness and darkness waiting for the final judgment. The church here is the Body of Christ that is not in division or denominationalized as we see in the church of the world today. There is no power or presence of God or the working of the Kingdom of God in such institutions. They do not fit the requirements revealed for the Body of Christ. They have nothing to do with the mysteries or the teachings of Paul and because of this as Paul and Peter said they bring destruction on themselves. They follow another gospel and anti-Christ in their practices.]

1Co 4:1-2 Let a man so account of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards [an overseer or an administrator] of the mysteries of God. Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

[This is what each member of the true Body of Christ is to be doing in their daily life; it is their conversation or life style. We are required to have a full working knowledge of these secrets. And the maxims or principles that they generate.]

1Co 4:16 I beseech you therefore, be imitators of me.
[Learn from me, be a carbon copy of me as I am of Christ]

1Co 11:1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.
[Paul in Acts 22:19-21 had direct communications with the risen who was in glory Lord.]

John 1:6-8 There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. [John the Baptist] The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, [John the Baptist] but came that he might bear witness of the light.

[Jesus Christ is the light that passed through the earth in creation as recorded in Genesis the light that gave life to man. See Genesis the Untold Story.]

John 1:9 There was the true light, the light which lights every man, [how many?] coming into the world.

Rom 1:18-21 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; [The spiritual seed deposited in them as found in Genesis] for God manifested it to them. [All of nature bears witness to this fact.] For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasoning’s, and their senseless heart was darkened.

[All ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth here we see the institutions of religious ceremony that fall under the form of the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes of the Jewish religion of Jesus’ day. There’s no room for debate salvation is available to all for God is no respecter of persons all mankind carries this seed in themselves, it is our free will choice to except or reject His Grace.
The whole of humanity from Cain on; all earthy, natural, carnal mankind will experience this wrath with a few exceptions: the spiritual man or woman who have turned from the vain things of the world. Who chose to not partake of the customs of Men and the vile religions or religious holidays of the world’s religious systems.]

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works.

[The works of love, when done as He directs, in love and obedience according to His will as a loving son obeys his father. Will deny all worldly lusts and rebellion of men as directed because he knows what the Father requires of him is for his good. For more detail see the outline on” Redemption” and the study on the removal of the mystical “Body of Christ” in ‘Paul’s Mystery Revealed’.]

Eph 3:3-5 How that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit.

[These prophets are the men that followed Paul’s teachings and that are imitators of him as he was of Christ, i.e. Timothy, Barnabas etc.. These are not of the twelve original disciples or their group, as found after the council in Jerusalem found in Acts 15:1-29, with Paul's version is found in Galatians 2:1-10.]

1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, [writing] to the elect who are sojourners [the scattered Jews] of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
[This dispersion group is of both that which took place 600 years prior to Jesus’ coming and when Saul was hunting down the followers of 'the way' that ran from Jerusalem but before the Romans under Titus destroyed the Temple and carried off and scattered the Jews in 70 AD.]

1Peter 1:9-11 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point to, when He testified beforehand [from Genesis up through Malachi] the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them.
[The Holy Spirit or the angel of the Lord as He was called in the Old Testament is who Peter is addressing here.]

[The sufferings of Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, and the Heaven on earth or the Gospel the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus taught and spoke of in Matthew through Acts 2. The promises that had been given to the fathers starting with Abraham and the things that the prophets saw and spoke of and wrote of by the spirit. Though veiled to Israel and all natural humanity. See Isaiah 53:1-9 is just one example.]

Isa 53:1-9 Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Adonai been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: [this is in reference to Bethlehem] he had neither form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [You do not know that He is a King.] He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, [He was the Supreme SIN sacrifice.] he was bruised for our iniquities; [First for Israel then for the whole human race.] the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [Set at one with God again, redeemed into salvation.] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Adonai has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off [put to death] out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due? They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

[He was despised and rejected, they did not know who He was even after three years of proof they did not know Him. He bore our grief and sorrows He carried the full load not only for Israel but for the whole world, He was the sacrifice for all. Him stricken and smitten the whipping and the betting given Him for all. And afflicted the work of the cross that was required by all He took upon Himself in love for all. With His stripes we are healed this is not dealing with the physical nature of man but rather mans spiritual aspect. We have turned every one to his own way they choose not to except Him because He was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, worked the works of God for three years and they still did not know Him. He was oppressed speaking of the finished work of the cross. Now Israel had no understanding that this was speaking about their Messieh because their eyes were veiled to it. This is what Peter is making reference to, this and other passages.]

1Pe 1:12 To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced to you through them that preach the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.(Hear what he says as found in Acts chapter2 listen closely.)

[Remember to whom Peter is, and to who he is writing, [the believing Jews that are scattered] that he is a religious Jew under the Law. In his second letter he refers to Paul’s writings and tells these Jews that they are to study Paul’s letters to gain the spiritual understanding and full knowledge of God and His will as revealed in Jesus Christ.]

Col 1:12-17 Giving thanks to the Father, who made us meet [prepared us] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image of the invisible God, [Adonai, Yeshua, Immanuel, Jesus] the firstborn of all creation;[Ehyeh-Yeshua] for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and to Him; and He is before all things, [the pre-existent one] and in Him all things consist.

[We are in the Kingdom, if in deed we follow Him in the discipline of His cross.Which is required in order to enter into the finished work of His cross, the narrow way of the regeneration. As Isaiah said by His stripes we are healed, that is to receive redemption leading to salvation. He is the Elohim of creation, the Christ that was in Adam prior to the fall, that Christ whom Adam crucified by his action of rejection or disobedience. Genesis 1-3 see Genesis the untold story.]

Col 1:18-19 He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. It was the good pleasure of the Father [The Godhead Elohim] that in Him [Jesus Christ, Elohim of creation and more.] should all the fullness dwell.

John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning God. [Elohim]

John 1:14 The Word [promised by God, Adonai, as the Immanuel] became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.

Heb 1:1-2 God, [Elohim] having of old time spoken to the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, has at the end of these days spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.

[Christ’s first advent is the last days of Old Testament scripture because His coming was the end of the dispensation or the completion of the promises of His coming given to Israel. The people through whom God had chosen to bring in the redeemer, the seed of woman, who would introduce salvation in His grace and truth.]

To Paul a lone was this revelation given who God the Son is. No one else in human history could have taken
upon himself all that Paul reveals about the Son. When you realize that on Him was laid all Sin and that He was made to be Sin and that all the wrath and chastisement of God [Elohim] was laid upon Him. Had He been any less than who He was He could not have handled it. God [El, Elohim-Adonai] Himself took upon Himself what was ours.

The following is taken from Robertson’s Word Picture commentary:

In the beginning (en archēi). Archē is definite, though anarthrous like our at home, in town, and the similar Hebrew be reshith in Genesis 1:1. But Westcott notes that here John carries our thoughts beyond the beginning of creation in time to eternity. There is no argument here to prove the existence of God any more than in Genesis. It is simply assumed. Either God exists and is the Creator of the universe as scientists like Eddington and Jeans assume or matter is eternal or it has come out of nothing.
Was (ēn). Three times in this sentence John uses this imperfect of eimi to be which conveys no idea of origin for God or for the Logos, simply continuous existence. Quite a different verb (egeneto, became) appears in John 1:14 for the beginning of the Incarnation of the Logos. See the distinction sharply drawn in John 8:58 “before Abraham came (genesthai) I am” YEH (eimi, timeless existence).
The Word (ho logos). Logos is from legō, old word in Homer to lay by, to collect, to put words side by side, to speak, to express an opinion. Logos is common for reason as well as speech. Heraclitus used it for the principle which controls the universe. The Stoics employed it for the soul of the world (anima mundi) and Marcus Aurelius used spermatikos logos for the generative principle in nature. The Hebrew memra was used in the Targums for the manifestation of God like the Angel of Jeh or Yeh and the Wisdom of God in Pro 8:23. Dr. J. Rendel Harris thinks that there was a lost wisdom book that combined phrases in Proverbs and in the Wisdom of Solomon which John used for his Prologue (The Origin of the Prologue to St. John, p. 43) which he has undertaken to reproduce. At any rate John’s standpoint is that of the Old Testament and not that of the Stoics nor even of Philo who uses the term Logos, but not John’s conception of personal pre-existence. The term Logos is applied to Christ only in John 1:1, 14; Rev 19:13; 1John 1:1 “concerning the Word of life” (an incidental argument for identity of authorship as EHYEH or YEH). There is a possible personification of “the Word of God” in Heb 4:12. But the personal pre-existence of Christ is taught by Paul (2Cor 8:9; Phi 2:6.; Col 1:17) and in Heb 1:2. and in John 17:5. This term suits John’s purpose better than sophia (wisdom) and is his answer to the Gnostics who either denied the actual humanity of Christ (Docetic Gnostics) or who separated the aeon Christ from the man Jesus (Cerinthian Gnostics) as Jah or iah. The pre-existent Logos “became flesh” (sarx egeneto, John1:14) and by this phrase John answered both heresies at once.

With God (pros ton theon). Though existing eternally with God the Logos was in perfect fellowship with God. Pros with the accusative presents a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other. In 1John 2:1 we have a like use of pros: “We have a Paraclete with the Father” (paraklēton echomen pros ton patera). See prosōpon pros prosōpon (face to face, 1Cor 13:12), a triple use of pros. There is a papyrus example of pros in this sense to gnōston tēs pros allēlous sunētheias, “the knowledge of our intimacy with one another” (M.&M., Vocabulary) which answers the claim of Rendel Harris, Origin of Prologue, p. 8) that the use of pros here and in Mark 6:3 is a mere Aramaism. It is not a classic idiom, but this is Koiné, not old Attic. In John 17:5 John has para soi the more common idiom.

And the Word was God (kai theos ēn ho logos). By exact and careful language John denied Sabellianism by not saying ho theos ēn ho logos. That would mean that all of God was expressed in ho logos and the terms would be interchangeable, each having the article. The subject is made plain by the article (ho logos) and the predicate without it (theos) just as in John 4:24 pneuma ho theos can only mean “God is spirit,” not “spirit is God.” So in 1John 4:16 ho theos agapē estin can only mean “God is love,” not “love is God” as a so-called Christian scientist would confusedly say. For the article with the predicate see Robertson, Grammar, pp. 767f. So in John 1:14 ho Logos sarx egeneto, “the Word became flesh,” not “the flesh became Word.” Luther argues that here John disposes of Arianism also because the Logos was eternally God, fellowship of Father and Son, what Origen called the Eternal Generation of the Son (each necessary to the other). Thus in the Trinity we see personal fellowship on an equality.

Jamieson,Fausset and Brown Word study:

Word, The
(See JOHN; JESUS.) Christ's title, as the personal Revealer in Himself  [ EHYEH given to Moses at the burning bush. Exodus 3:14]of the Godhead, even before His incarnation, involving personality (not merely the Intelligence of God) and Divinity. In the introduction of John's Gospel and that of his Epistle, and in his Rev 19:13, at once with God and Himself God, by whom God made all things. Philo's Logos ("word") on the contrary excludes personality, and is identical at times with God, at other times with the world. By word man, who is in God's image, makes known his mind; so the Word is the outcome of God's essence (Heb 4:12-13; 1Pet 1:25; Gen 1:3); by the Word He made the universe (Psa 33:6). The Medium of every external act of God (Heb 1:1-3) in the physical and spiritual creations.

    From what we've seen and heard Jesus Christ was and is the very Essence of God in Spirit or known as the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. That He was in man from the very on set of time as found in Genesis 1:1 and continues throughout scripture revealing to the elect who He is both by word and revelation by inspiration from within His receptive ones. This mystery that had been hidden from the lost, consisting of Jew and gentiles/nation but made known to the elect of God. Those who are willing to submit to God's rule and authority freely. For great is the mystery of Godliness.

What Others said about Christ

What Others said about Christ

    Now that we have heard what Jesus Christ said about Himself let us turn our attentions to what eye witnesses said about Him. Remembering that we are taking quotes from His ministry to Israel which is foundational to Gods plan of salvation or the bringing of mankind back to a virginal relational relationship with God and how that is to be accomplished through Christ Jesus. Remember that Israel was to be a holy nation set a part unto God as His special people and they were to be a royal priesthood through whom God would reach the nations. Jesus’ ‘gospel of the kingdom of heaven’ was in fulfillment to the promises, in the psalms and the prophets and was only for the nation of Israel. This kingdom has been put on hold if you will by God because of Israels refusal of His offer of it to them.

    Our view is through the cross and its finished work, for it is on that tree that the mystery of God can be found having its perfect work upon us and in us, if we will but accept it. For us to see the reason or purpose of that tree we must have knowledge or true understanding of what man lost or rather God lost as recorded in the first three chapters of Genesis. This is seen in the study “Genesis the Untold Story” and in “Paul’s Mysteries Revealed”, where this study can be found.
No notes, footnotes or commentaries are here added. We'll let scripture speak for its self, for scripture agrees with scripture and reveals all truth.

Mat 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"

Mat 3:11-12 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (see also Luke 3:16-17; Mat. 3:10-11; Mark 1:7-8; John 1:26, 33; and reference to Moses and Jesus Christ in our study "Who is Christ".)

Mat 3:16-17 When Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Mat 4:13-17 Leaving Nazareth he (Jesus) went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Mar 1:9-11 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. A voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Mark 3:7-12 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." He strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Luke 2:22-35 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. He came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." His father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Luke 4:31-37 He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God." Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!" Reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

John 1:1-13 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:14-16 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
[Paul reveals the Gospel of Grace and the New Covenant of God's Grace as we when born from above are birthed into Christ Jesus and into this New Covenant of Grace.]

John 1:28-34 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."