The kingdom of God

In the beginning God was alone.

Neh 9:6  Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein…

Isa 44:24  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself.

Therefore there was no kingdom to talk about since the Sovereign has no subjects. Hence God created man, Adam and Eve, in launching it. He told them to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth” (Gen 1:28).

As everybody knows, Satan stood on the way to this plan of God when he tempted Eve. The plan was stalled, but God restored it with His testament of salvation.  In the spiritual history of mankind, perhaps our time is already toward the latter part of God’s plan. In the end, God will realize the plan of establishing His eternal kingdom.

Deliverance from slavery

The chosen people of God became slaves in Egypt. Through Moses He delivered and finally settled them in Canaan. This is not just a simple story. Its spiritual significance knows no end until the plan of God is fulfilled. As it is written, the word of God is expressed in parables (Ezek 20:49) or “dark sayings of old” (Psa 78:2) . When our Lord Jesus told the Jews about liberty, two groups of people showed their distinct understanding.

1. Those who believed Jesus, they took the message to be spiritual:

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

2. Those who rejected Jesus, they took the literal meaning of His word:

Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

We still remember when Jesus told His listeners, “Destroy this temple and in there days I will raise it up.” His Disciples waited for Him demonstrate it. The skeptics took it literally that they mocked Him when He was hanging on the cross. Today, these two groups of people are clearly discernible.

In Egypt

In Egypt, the people of God to whom He entrusted His words were not free to serve and worship Him. To Moses therefore did God reveal His purpose of liberating them from that “land.”

Exo 9:13  And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Before Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron expressed this intent of God:

Exo 10:3  And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

God poured down on Egypt different plagues to liberate His people. Not until God caused the death of all firstborn in Egypt did Pharaoh buckle down from his hard stand of keeping the Israelites in Egypt (Exo 12:12).

Exo 10:7  And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Exo 10:8  And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God…

In Canaan

From Egypt God passed around His people in the “wilderness for 40 years” (Num 32:13) before finally settling them in Canaan. With Joshua (Jos 1:1-2), at last they were free to serve and worship the God of their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, always reminding them:

Lev 25:38  I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

In Canaan, the Israelites encountered many adversities from their enemies. God sent them Othniel (Judg 3:9), Gideon (Judg 6-8), Samson (Judg 13-16), and others whom He called Judges to delivery His people from their enemies. Later, God raised a prophet He named Samuel (Sam 1-2).

Jdg 18:1  In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

God’s people wanted a king

Let us look very carefully if this is not Satan’s temptation as he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden.

1 Sam 8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

The elders of Israel gathered together and talked among themselves expressing their sentiment, and made this proposal to Samuel:

1 Sam 8:4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

The “elders”

1. In religious matters “the elders” are perceived to be “wise and prudent.” They are respected (Jam 2:9) and looked up. But God hides divine knowledge from them:

1 Cor 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

2. All along the elders thought it was Samuel that was leading them. Now his sons would succeed him with their undesirable traits. They overlooked it was God Himself who was actually leading them and He uses His chosen vessels only to represent Him.

Lev 25:38  I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

3. Because of spiritual blindness the elders wanted to have a “king like all the nations” to lead them.

We could just imagine how God took the folly of these people putting their trust on people instead on Him. Many people also cannot see this. Thus, our Lord’s sharp rebuke:

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

Samuel relayed this thought of the elders “to have a king like all the nations” to God.

1 Sam 8:6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

1 Sam 8:7  And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

The frame of mind of the elders during the time of Samuel was clearly reflected with the spiritual disposition of the religious leaders during the time of Christ. The elders, supposed to be wise, influenced the Jews in their thought that it was Moses who was leading them. Jesus told them:

Joh 5:45  … there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

In spiritual matters, human nature of “looking up at people” instead on God was felt with great consternation.

1 Sam 8:7  And the LORD said unto Samuel…they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

In like manner our Lord Jesus must have been greatly saddened by how the Jews looked up at their religious leaders:

Joh 9:28  Then they reviled him, and said…we are Moses' disciples.

The king and the spiritual leader

To the Natural Man (1 Cor 2:14), a king refers to a political leader. No wonder, many people look up at King Solomon and King David as such. If so, then the message of God in His words is pooled into a political-spiritual dimension. In that case, this attitude would contradict our Lord’s endorsement of political authority distinct from the spiritual. Jesus Christ told His Disciples:

Mat 22:21  … Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

It is from this edict of our Lord that Peter wrote about the distinction between SPIRITUAL and secular or worldly affairs. And from this is derived the “principle of separation of church and state” embodied in the Constitution of most countries.

1 Pet 2:13  Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14  Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

Paul also wrote:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers… the powers that be are ordained of God. 2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Secular or earthly authority has the purpose of instilling order for physical life. This ends at the death of the body. While on the spiritual aspect of life, it is focused to the soul for life after death. Thus,

2 Cor 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Misconception for a “king”

Therefore the “king” that the elders were yearning to have was actually a spiritual leader! They wanted to emulate “all the nations.” “Nations” here refer to the Gentiles who have religious leaders in worshiping their gods and goddesses. Since God’s purpose for His chosen is to have them in His eternal kingdom, He expressed this sentiment:

1 Sam 8:8  According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods…

1 Sam 8:9  Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

For the Natural Man, the warning of God is perceived to refer to political power and control:

1 Sam 8:10  And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties… and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

1 Sam 8:13  And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

1 Sam 8:15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

1 Sam 8:18  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

But the people did not listen to Samuel and insisted on having a king:

1 Sam 8:19  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

God clearly distinguishes SPIRITUALITY from RELIGIOSITY. In SPIRITUALITY, it is God who leads in establishing His eternal kingdom by gathering all souls worthy to comprise it. In RELIGIOSITY “the elders” thought of having a leader that would lead them to eternal life. We could imagine how God felt their rejection.

1 Sam 8:21  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22  And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

“Go ye every man unto his city” clearly points to man’s diverse personal preferences and predilection in religious matters. Jesus Christ saw this attitude of the people in the two sects of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Today, there are 1001 divergent groups composing Christianity supposedly leading people to the truth in the word of God.

The “king” and the religious leaders

In general, the people of God are those to whom He has entrusted His words. During the time of Moses, they were called Israelites. In Christ’s time they were the Jews. Today, they are the people who embrace the religion of Christianity and believing the Holy Bible is the inspired word of God. More specifically however, the people of God are those who clearly recognize Jesus Christ “by the revelation of the Father.”

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

It is not by nationality or any ethnic group, but by the way people recognize Jesus “by the revelation of the Father.”

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free… 29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Eventually however, the real chosen of God is a conglomeration that would compose the eternal kingdom He calls His elect (Mat 24:22, 24):

Mar 13:27  And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

These are the ultimate over comers:

Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; 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.

“The elders” and their followers therefore wanting to imitate “all the nations having a king” also have the word of God. But because they like the ways of the Gentiles, these could never be “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

From the foregoing revelations, we can discern the truth in the word of God all the time. To God, the “king” represents the religious leaders He calls “shepherds tending His flock of sheep.” During the time of Christ these are the doctors of the law, the priests, the elders, the Scribes and Pharisees.

According to God these “shepherds” have not been feeding His people with the truth in the word. The message was not only true during the time of Christ, but in our time where each of the 1001 Christian sects and denominations professes to lead the people to eternal life. Let us listen to God:

Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

Can we see the correlation between the foregoing and the following discerning the message that it is true all the time? Let us remember “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” and He is the truth in the word.

Mat 23:14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In religious matters, the Jews during the time of our Lord were followers of either the Sadducees or Pharisees. It needed our Lord Jesus to heal some of them of their diseases, such as, “blindness, lameness, deafness, leprosy, and Lazarus raising him from the dead” in order to realize He is the promised Messiah or Savior.

The Natural Man sees all these benefiting the body as it is literally written. However Jesus said, “the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you they are spirit, and they are life” (Joh 6:63). He confirmed this to Paul in 2 Cor 4:18 about the importance of the “things unseen” over the “things seen,” or the benefit of the soul over the body from His words. Some of the Pharisees themselves realized this!

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Lazarus was raised to life again is actually the message for “born again” (Joh 3:3, 5) where “death” means to be “out of the way of understanding.”

Prov 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

The lost sheep

God gave His words to the Israelites, later known as the Jews. Today, everybody knows the Holy Bible containing the inspired word of God is entrusted to Christianity. From among these people therefore does God search for His lost sheep. Jesus Christ only preached in Israel where He found the people with the word of God. Paul is known to have been sent to preach to the Gentiles. To take the “letter” of the word, the Gentiles are those who don’t have the word of God. Spiritually speaking however, the Gentiles are found among the people who also have the word of God, but do not belong to Christ because they are subject to His rebuke in:

Joh 8:19  …Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Therefore what difference is there from the Scribes and Pharisees who were rebuked by Jesus for not knowing the Father also?

Joh 8:54  Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55  Yet ye have not known him…

Hence only those belonging to Christ are the real spiritual Jews, called the “seeds of Abraham.”

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Accordingly,

Rom 9:6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

In effect, Paul followed the footsteps of our Lord Jesus in evangelism. He preached to the people having the word of God, for from among them are found the “lost sheep” that our Lord is searching for.

Luk 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Mat 15:24  But he … said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

In general, how could people belonging to other religions embrace the inspired words of God in the Holy Bible? So the search is narrowed down to Christian sects and denominations as our Lord expounded the truth to the sect of the Pharisees and Sadducees who had the word of God.

God’s search for His lost sheep knows no bounds in time and places where He finds His words among the people but not being fed with the truth. We find this in the ministry of Jesus.

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

God searches for His lost sheep until the last soul He knows meets His criterion for spiritual humility. Let us remember the literal world would not end until God completes His eternal kingdom out of the souls that would compose it. This is our Lord’s criterion for salvation:

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Once this is met follows the endowment of “divine knowledge and wisdom.”

Isa 28:9 (KJV) Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

2 Tim 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Christ’s Apostles, Simon Peter, James, John, Paul, and the rest of His Disciples all were “converted and became as little children” that they had avoided the following taboos:

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

From Abel God started His search for His lost sheep and continues until the last soul He knows would embrace the virtue of true spiritual humility. These are the people that will ultimately compose His eternal kingdom.

Eze 34:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12  As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13  And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed themupon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold…. 15  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

It is God’s obsession to feed His flock with the truth of His words. The prophets of God showed how they take pleasure “eating the great revelation of His words.”

David:

Psa 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psa 19:8  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 10  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Solomon:

Prov 16:24  Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Jeremiah:

Jer 15:16  Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Apostle John:

Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

To the chosen of God, sweet and wonderful is the truth in the word, but becoming bitter as it chastens them. To them it is God’s miracle revealing the spiritual message of the “letter” of the word to know the  truth:

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

God chooses His servants only to serve as His spokesperson or mouthpiece. He has the food, or the great revelations of His words, and His pastors simply serve it to the flock. Thus,

Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

The way we see it in Christianity today, professing servants of God of every sect claim this. How could they not agree if indeed the “truth” they are preaching came from God? Now we can understand why God is searching for His lost sheep so as to bring them to a good pasture.

Birth of the Pastoral system

The desire of “the elders” wanting to have “a king like all the nations” unwittingly gave birth to the Pastoral System. Here the “shepherds” take the authority of God “feeding His flock.” Jesus Christ found this in the “doctors and teachers of the law, the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees” during His time. Only a few among the people followed His Way.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Today everybody is saying this, but who is the true Christ to them?

• Some say, “Jesus is only a man and not God”
• Others say, “Jesus is only a mighty God for there is a supreme or Almighty God”
• Still others say, “Jesus Christ is the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit”
• Many say, “Jesus is both God and man, and He is the second person of the Trinity”

The following warning is being ignored:

2 Cor 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

To know who the True Christ is, click:

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CROSS THE ETERNAL SYMBOL FOR TRUTH

• Who are not contented with the current knowledge about God?
• All religions have this notion that we hear supplications and praises to God.
• This is also the state of mind in all Christian sects and denominations.

Jesus’ search for His lost sheep

Jesus Christ personally demonstrated His search for His lost sheep when He went to Bethsaida and found Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. Take note of Zebedee who was with his sons but did no go with them.

Mat 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22  And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

In another instance, Jesus demonstrated His search in His invisible form by introducing Himself personally. Saul of Tarsus, a student of Gamaliel and a Pharisee, was persecuting the followers of Christ in the belief that he was serving God. The truth is Saul did not even know the God he was worshipping. One day, Jesus introduced Himself to him. Here is Paul’s testimony:

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

Today, we don’t expect our Lord Jesus to repeat His search He did to Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Saul of Tarsus. God gave us His words in the Holy Bible through the prophets and apostles. It is His “personal letter” to us, no difference from a letter we receive from a relative, “talking personally” as we read it.

From these “inspired words of God” (2 Pet 1:21, 2 Tim 3:16-17) , it is enough to discern His concern and love. And listening and accepting His rebuke for misconceptions is what repentance really means to Him. That is His way of leading His chosen to the path of eternal life. Paul, a.k.a. Saul of Tarsus, realized this that is why he said:

1 Cor 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

From thereon, Christ would reveal everything as He told His disciples:

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

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"SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD”

• What and where is the kingdom of God?
• What is God’s righteousness?
• What things do we expect from God after a successful search?
• Today, how do we “seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness?

In the Old Testament God sought His “lost sheep” from among the people:

Abraham:

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Moses:

Exo 3:2  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Today, God is constantly calling the people through His words. Spiritual humility (Mat 18:3) makes a lost sheep distinguish the truth from deceptions. The dictate of the intellect and the “heart” or feeling are the cause of spiritual blindness. Carefully consider the following taboos in spiritual matters:

• Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
• Prov 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
• Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

God knows how miserable His lost sheep are in the care or custody of false prophets and apostles. He calls them “shepherds of Israel.” His sheep are “hungry of the truth” and “spiritually sick.” They are victims of abuse and exploitation. Shackled by emotion with the use of psychology, they remain prisoners of deceptions. Our Lord is just too anxious to deliver them from this miserable state. He accuses the “shepherds.”

Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat … but ye feed not the flock.

Jesus saw this in His time:

Mat 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Jesus’ second coming

Jesus continues searching for His lost sheep using His chosen already in the fold as instruments. He told this to those having His words, but only His chosen believe and realized it.

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

He told His Disciples after His resurrection:

Mat 28:20 (KJV)  …lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Questions being ignored by many people:

• Did Jesus come back the second time as promised in John 14:18?
• Did Jesus leave His chosen after His “ascension into heaven” concomitant to His promise in John 14:18?
• Did the Disciples lack comforting after the “ascension of Jesus into heaven?”
• Therefore who is the Comforter? How did Jesus fulfill His promise of “being alway/s with His Disciples unto the end of the world?”
• How many people noticed the following warning of our Lord to the skeptics who may be “spiritually blind?”

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

To the chosen here is our Lord’s comforting word:

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

• Jesus can never be remiss of His promise!
• Those who do not know Him make Him a liar for His promise in John 14:18 and Mat 28:20.
• His chosen are distinguished from the rest of the people for they have Him as their Teacher and Comforter.
• The chosen are now waiting for His second appearance.

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

1 Joh 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Impostors may claim the foregoing revelations of God regarding Jesus Christ. They are however exposed by the way they comprehend the word of God with the following warning:

2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killet, but the spirit giveth life.

They do not realize that God is speaking “in tongue” or a “unique language” also called parables (Eze 20:49, Psa 78:2, Mar 4:34) . Therefore they could not wean themselves from the “letter” of the word that concerns “things which are seen” rather than on “things which are not unseen.”

2 Cor 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

True to His words, Jesus came the second time comforting His original Disciples. However these all died, but His promise continues to them that follow the original Disciples’ footsteps “until the end of the world.” Jesus Christ therefore is already with His chosen today as promised, teaching, guiding, and comforting them. For details as to who Jesus Christ really is, click:

www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/God_Identifying_Himself!

GOD IDENTIFYING HIMSELF!
Shall we not listen to Him?

• While many people accept the basic principle of “To KNOW comes before LOVE”
• When applied to LOVE of God, would this not cause a turn off?

And for the end of the world, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/The_End_of_the_World%3F!

THE END OF THE WORLD? (!)

• Ever since, this is one topic of interest to Bible believers
• Speculations on the matter at different times since the early centuries of Christianity have flourished extending almost 2000 years.
• Hence the question, “…Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:4)
• More mystifying is what our Lord said, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Mat 24:34)

Truth does not pass away! In the Old Testament FATHER God made a testament of salvation and promised to be with His chosen people. The testament requires the death of the maker thereof:

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Thereby God manifested Himself in the flesh. We are reminded that there is only One True God (Isa 43:10) .

1 Tim 3:16  KJV And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit…

No other entity but Jesus Christ points to this great mystery!

Phi 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

During the time of Jesus no one recognized Him. The Jews under the leadership of the Scribes and Pharisees saw, talked to, and even argued with Him; but they had to pay Judas Iscariot 30 pieces of silver to identify Him. Even His Disciples did not recognize Him without the revelation of the Father, which is equivalent to “opening the eyes of the blind.”

Jesus asked His Disciples:

Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Like Simon Peter, the rest of the Disciples recognized Jesus in His two roles. So are the real followers of Christ in our time, and unto the end of the literal world. These are His elect who will compose His eternal kingdom.

1. As CHRIST, His chosen see Jesus as the prophesied Messiah (Daniel 9:25) or Savior (Isa 43:11) or Redeemer (Isa 44:24) in His role as FATHER God ready to fulfill His testament on the cross.
2. As SON of God, His chosen see Jesus (Joh 3:16) as their role model (Rom 8:29) showing the way (Joh 14:6) by example (1 Pet 2:21) .

Jesus Christ came, but because of spiritual blindness the Jews did not recognize the coming of the promised Messiah and until know they are still waiting for Him.

As God entrusted His words to the Jews, so also to Christianity in our time. Today, like the Jews, “Christians” are waiting for the second coming Christ. How true is our Lord’s statement to His Disciples!

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The foregoing assurance of God to His chosen people was seen in the life of the early Christians. They simply gathered in their houses as written in the Acts of the Apostles. No chapels or churches were built where religious leaders are looked upon and honored. They solely relied on Jesus Christ in His Holy Spirit form. He was their Shepherd teaching them the truth in the Word. He revealed to James and John the following which they testify:

Jam 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

1 Joh 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

How many professing Christians believe and accept the foregoing truth? Impossible says the Natural Man!

1 Cor 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Loss of trust in God

To illustrate loss of trust in God, even the original apostles erred in their desire to serve our Lord. This happened before Pentecost. They prayed to the Holy Spirit, but without His guidance, unwittingly they acquired this syndrome of “to have a king like all the nations.” With the result of this folly, the Apostles appointed Matthias taking the place of Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:16-26). Today, this spiritual blunder of the original apostles is continued by leaders of religious sects by appointing fellow “apostles of Christ.”

In His invisible form as Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ rebuked Peter and the other apostles when He appointed Paul for the position of Judas Iscariot instead. The Apostles humbly submitted to it and accepted Paul who, before, was their persecutor. Paul testified:

Rom 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In many verses, Paul spoke of the invisible Christ that was leading, teaching, inspiring, and strengthening them to the end. Real Christians need no “king” unlike the people during the time of Samuel. Like them, the Jews in the presence of our Lord said:

Joh 9:29  We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

Joh 9:28  Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

Jesus warned them:

Joh 5:45  Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

Today, we find people having the same attitude as the people at the time of Samuel and of the Jews “wanting to have a king” to trust in spiritual matters, instead of God. They are glad that the honor and title solely belonging God is appropriated by these people they trust. They ignore the warning of our Lord:

Mat 23:8  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9  And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Rabbi means teacher, pastor, or shepherd. Further, religious leaders appropriate the following titles exclusively belonging to God:

Psa 111:9  He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

God’s search for His lost sheep

God expressed to Ezekiel His deep concern for His lost sheep.

Eze 34:16  I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick…

Eze 34:31  And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

At one point God searched for His lost sheep personally as Jesus invited Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John. For Paul a.k.a. Saul of Tarsus, Jesus in His invisible form, now the Holy Spirit, called him personally. After Pentecost, our Lord used His Disciples as Simon Peter identified God and revealed His plan for salvation. He told the people:

Act 2:36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

The promised Messiah:

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiahthe Prince…

FATHER God speaking as the only Savior or Messiah:

Isa 43:11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Jesus in His role as the only begotten Son of God:

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

By divine revelation Peter identified Jesus in His two roles:

• Jesus Christ, in His role as FATHER God who made the covenant of salvation (Gen. 17:7), the promised Messiah (Dan 9:25), fulfilled His testament with death on the cross (Heb 9:16, Joh 19:30).
• Jesus the SON of God as model to the chosen (Rom 8:29, 1 Pet 2:21).

Two classes of people hearing the truth about Jesus:

1. Those who were convicted of their erroneous belief about Jesus wanted to know more about Him, asked Peter and the other Apostles:

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

2. Those who were offended of their erroneous belief about Jesus intensified their persecution of the Christians. Saul of Tarsus may be one among these detractors.

Act 5:33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Saul of Tarsus went from place to place persecuting the followers of Jesus. Unknown to him he was a lost sheep persecuting his God he did not recognize.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest...

However, thereafter Jesus introduced Himself to Paul, and he attested to the following:

Rom 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

After Paul, we don’t expect our Lord to look for His chosen as He did to him. Neither could the original apostles in an uninterrupted way, with their successors, spread the gospel as they did.

God entrusted His words in the Holy Bible to CHRISTIANITY that is sufficient to convict any one of erroneous belief about Jesus Christ. Our Lord in His Holy Spirit form would reveal the intended message of the “letter” of the word. He would reveal to the chosen the greatest or “The first of all the commandments” that is a prerequisite to the two great commandments:

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord.

Sad to state, the foregoing “commandment” is ignored by many professing Christians in following these commandments:

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Further, our Lord distinguishes “neighbor” from “fellowmen.” From the “letter” of the word that are expressed in parables, our Lord would reveal the intended message. And God’s search for His chosen would continue until all the souls that He knows would submit to Him. Then will the world end literally with a bang.

2 Pet 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2 Pet 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Pet 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

We don’t expect the literal world to end in the near future for many people have yet to hear the truth from the word. God has to complete the number of souls that would comprise His eternal kingdom. The “coming of our Lord” at the present time refers to what the original apostles and disciples had at Pentecost. This is revealed to them who are willing to submit to God “like little children” (Mat 18:3, 11:25).

2 Pet 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

The promise of our Lord to His Disciples actually refers to the need to be “born again” in their generation where the “earth or the world” actually refers to them individually. Therefore the Disciples asked Jesus of “His coming.”

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

His “coming” in this case could not have referred to the end of the literal world, but rather of His promise in the following:

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Mat 28:20  … lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is one irrefutable proof that indeed God is speaking in parables. In truth, the “world” refers to the life of His chosen, for how could literal earth hear the word of the Lord? And how could the chosen of God be literal light of the world?

Jer 22:29  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Hence Jesus proved the events enumerated, including those in Matthew 24, really happened in the generation of His Disciples. For details, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/The_End_of_the_World%3F!

THE END OF THE WORLD? (!)

• Ever since, this is one topic of interest to Bible believers
• Speculations on the matter at different times since the early centuries of Christianity have flourished extending almost 2000 years.
• Hence the question, “…Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:4)
• More mystifying is what our Lord said, “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” (Mat 24:34)

Jesus’ coming was fulfilled at Pentecost in His role as Father God (Joh 20:17) . He came and dwelt in them individually in the form of a “dove” as Holy Spirit.  For it is written, Father God promised Himself as the inheritance in His testament of salvation, and this was fulfilled at His death on the cross.

Eze 44:28  And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance…

Psa 16:5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

Jesus assured His Apostles/Disciples about His second coming.

Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34  Verily I say unto you, This generationshall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The “new earth” in the following and in the book of Revelation refers to a person who is “born again” (Joh 3:3,5) and therefore becomes a “new creature.”

• 2 Cor 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
• 2 Pet 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Truly so as promised, our Lord taught, guided, and strengthened His original Disciples. He would continue doing this to all those following them in their “spiritual walk” until the end of the literal world.

2 Cor 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The leaders of religious sects “do not see” this truth about the “coming of our Lord” that they keep on thumping each other on its expected reality. That is why skeptics doubt what “is written” in the Holy Bible.

2 Pet 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

The Shepherd heals the sick

While the Natural Man (1 Cor 2:14) thinks of the ailments of the body, financial and other problems in life, the Lord is concerned of the soul. Thus:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

He feeds His flock with the great revelations of His words. In the aforementioned verse, this is how our Lord through His words expounds on it:

1. “It is the spirit that quickeneth” refers to the Holy Spirit giving “life” to the “dead letter” of the word in the Sacred Scriptures.

• Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.

The “ordinances that was against us” refer to the Laws that were given to convict us of sins so that we will humble ourselves before God:

• Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
• Jam 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Good examples of beneficiaries from the foregoing are the thief at the right hand of Jesus on the cross, Mary Magdalene, Saul of Tarsus, and Simon Peter who denied our Lord three times. Also, this includes those who see themselves unworthy of the love of God are forgiven of their sin no matter how grave and numerous (Isa 1:18) , not because of following the Law, but by submitting fully to the truth in His words (Mat 18:3) .

• 2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
• Rom 7:6  But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were   held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

2.  In “the flesh profiteth nothing” our Lord Jesus tells us we don’t expect to receive miracles from God benefiting the BODY. Taking care of the body is our responsibility to which our Lord reminded His Disciples.

Mat 6:8  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

We were born with human intelligence and physical strength, not given to any creature. These gifts are sufficient to provide everything needed for PHYSICAL LIFE. Miracles of our Lord are for the well-being of the SOUL, like, healing for spiritual blindness, deafness, lameness and all others essential for the salvation of the soul.

Illustrations:

In claiming to know Jesus, we could be healed of spiritual blindness for not being able to identify the One True God. Then we could “see” or recognize FATHER God that no longer are we subject to His rebuke.

Joh 8:19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Jesus refers to His role as FATHER God, aside from His role as Son, who made the testament of salvation and fulfilling it by dying on the cross.

The “deaf” are healed not for hearing the voice of the people around, but of understanding the great message of the word of God.

Mar 4:11  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.

Unlike the “disciples” who were fed with “bread and fishes” then left our Lord for not having “seen” the miracle, we will remain following Him:

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

The “lepers” are cleansed not for rotten skin but of “cleaning the inside of the cup and platter” for spirituality. Thereafter follows “cleaning the outside of cup” for morality.

Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

The “lame” can walk not to stroll on the streets, but to follow the path of Jesus, as model, in His role as Son of God, leading to eternal life.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The “dead rose again like Lazarus” who, before, had no life because he was “out of the way of understanding.” Thereafter, he was seen following our Lord.

Prov 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

It does not mean though that the chosen do not benefit physically-materially from knowing the truth.For with this, by following what is right for the body they realize a wholesome kind of physical life.

3. “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The literal meaning or “letter of the word” does not yet conveythe real message. This is seen in the Scribes and Pharisees who did not understand what our Lord was saying:

Luk 6:39  And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

So also Christ’s Disciples as He rebuked them:

Mat 15:15  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

Let us remember our Lord is the Shepherd who alone is the authority to lead His flock and “feed them” with the truth of His words. If false shepherds (prophets) attract people with “miracles” from the word of God benefiting the BODY, the Shepherd performs MIRACLES solely for the benefit of the SOUL. The so-called “miracles” are actually wonders that cannot come from the One True God.

Superiority of miracles over wonders

God demonstrated a miracle before Pharaoh:

Exo 7:10  And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Satan demonstrated wonder in the presence of Moses and Aaron:

Exo 7:11  Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12  For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Do we still remember a “man born blind” being cast out, healed by our Lord, but the Pharisees did not believe him?

Joh 9:35  Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36  He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

The real message of the miracle was the opening of the spiritual eyes so as “to see” or recognize the real Christ:

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Now this truth distinguishes the real from the counterfeit miracle. By taking the literal or the “letter” of the word (2 Cor 3:6), many professing apostles of Christ capitalize on the following to attract many people:

Mar 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mar 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my nameshall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

However here is the warning and our Lord’s way of revealing who they are. While they profess to know Jesus Christ, they are rebuked for declaring FATHER God is a mystery:

Joh 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

They expose their spiritual blindness by openly declaring the following:

“The infinite FATHER God can never be clearly identified or recognized with the finite mind of man. If we do, then we would be like Jesus. They tell the people, just believe and don’t lose faith in God.”

Then these professing apostles of Christ would be no different from the Scribes and Pharisees that our Lord rebuked for not knowing the GOD they profess to worship:

Joh 8:54  Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55  Yet ye have not known him…

Therefore it is clear to whom Jesus is directing the following:

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

To do the “will of the Father” is to submit to His authority as “The King” and avoid having a “king like all the nations.”

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

These professing apostles of Christ are not hard to detect for they frequently use and praise the name“JESUS CHRIST” in promoting their deceptions. Someday our Lord would tell them for preaching and doing what is contrary to the truth of His words. These people “close their eyes” to our Lord’s rebuke in John 8:19, 6:63, 2 Cor 3:6, 4:18 .

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Our Lord disowning them can only be discerned by His chosen, for many are deceived as it is written:

Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ , or there ; believe it not.

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, [ 2 Cor 11:4] and false prophets [ 2 Cor 11-13], and shall shew great signs and wonders [Joh 6:63, 2 Cor 4:18]; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect [ Col 1:26].

Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.

For a person who values eternal life, life in heaven is certainly more important than life on earth. The body ends in the cemetery, while the soul with a glorified body like that of Jesus after His resurrection really presents a great difference (1 Joh 3:2) . Perhaps now we can ponder on the significance of the following:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

2 Cor 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

God separates His chosen few He calls His “lost sheep” from the rest of the people. They are distinguished by the way they take word of God. To them the “letter” is not enough for they are still waiting for the Shepherd’s exposition of the deeper intended meaning.

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

To the great joy of His chosen, God reveals the great mystery of His words hidden for many years.

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.

This is in glaring contrast with people remaining with the false shepherds

Isa 29:13  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

The Pastoral System

The people ignored the warning of Samuel and the following clearly refers to religious and not to political organizations.

1 Sam 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

1 Sam 8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

The pastoral system gave birth to religious hierarchical organization. The leader/s assumed authority over the laity. Nicolaitanism became a system where religious leaders acquired a mandate to control the members.

Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:15  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Nicolaitanism is idolatry for the soul. The word Nicolaitan comes from the Me., Ofr. Nicolas; Nicolaus; Gr. nicolaos <nike, victory + laos, the people. Thus victory over the people (College Edition  - Webster’s New World of the English Language).

Unwittingly, religious leaders enjoy “victory” over the people in religious matters. With the kind of organizational set up of religious sects, the leaders cannot help but occupy a position of esteem over the laity and command respect from them. How many people accept this?

Jam 2:9  But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

This religious scheme sets a favorable atmosphere of idolizing the leaders that the subjects enjoy as well. Unknowingly, both the subjects and the person/s looked up become victims of the sin of idolatry of even higher order. This time, people are the object of idolatrous worship. God condemned Lucifer, the first to rob Him of this honor and glory.

Spiritual healing from the Lord enables the “lost sheep” to realize the folly of the false shepherds. Religious leaders assign different tasks to members they believed this to be of service to God. Under the guise of TITHES they impose financial burden to them

1 Sam 8:15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

1 Sam 8:14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

Religious leaders take the “letter” of the law on TITHES that caters well with the intellect and feeling, unwittingly propagating erroneous doctrines on the word.

2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Jesus Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” He preached the law on tithes in the four gospels spiritually and not to the “letter” or literal application. Paul preached and followed the law on tithes, not literally but spiritually. He enjoins everybody:

1 Cor 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Paul did not receive financial assistance from the people.

Act 20:33  I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

2 Thes 3:8  Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

2 Thes 3:9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

For details, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Tithes_and_Offering

TITHES AND OFFERING

• How did our Lord Jesus and His apostles follow the Law on Tithes and Offering?
• Related to not robbing God of tithes, what will happen when He opens the windows of heaven?

Preaching made a profession

Who can deny that preaching the gospel of Christ has become a profession? Like medicine, engineering, architecture, law, etc., THEOLOGY was devised by every Christian sect in training their respective “apostles of Christ” to become professional preachers.

Saul of Tarsus, before becoming an apostle, was a classic proponent of this practice by taking pride of studying under Gamaliel, a renowned teacher of the word of God at that time.

Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

When our Lord Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees, most probably Saul was among them and embittered hearing the following:

Joh 8:54  … If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55  Yet ye have not known him…

Joh 8:19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

Never did Paul recognize the God he was worshipping until Jesus Christ introduced Himself on his way to Damascus. Thereafter he realized how futile everything he did for God without endowment of divine knowledge and wisdom. Paul expressed his folly until he received divine knowledge and wisdom from the Lord:

2 Tim 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Chapels, churches, and cathedrals

Looking at the TEMPLE made by Solomon in the Old Testament, professing apostles of Christ also build chapels, churches, and cathedrals. But the truth about this TEMPLE was revealed to Paul.

Act 7:47  But Solomon built him an house.

Act 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

After Pentecost, Peter did not build a chapel or church when 3,000 people heard him speak:

Act 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Clearly the number of 3,000 is just a reminder of the 4,000 (Mat 15:38) and 5,000 (Joh 6:10) men, except women and children, that our Lord fed with some pieces of bread and few fishes. Many of these “disciples” left our Lord Jesus when they could not understand what He was saying about the need to “eat His flesh and drink His blood.”

Joh 6:60  Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

Joh 6:26  … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

The analogy between the 3,000 and the 4,000/5000 is very clear. For a detailed discussion about eating the “flesh and blood of Jesus Christ” click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Eat_My_Flesh%2C_Drink_My_Blood

“EAT MY FLESH, DRINK MY BLOOD”

• “How do we “eat the flesh” of Jesus? Can we really “drink His blood”?
• “Only Christ can reveal the truth to His chosen.
• “As a consequence, they become the Temple of Holy Spirit.

The Apostles did not build chapels and churches to accommodate the people who heard them preached the truth of the gospel. As in the case of Jesus feeding the multitudes with some pieces of “bread and fishes,” only a few who understood the message remained and followed Him.

Joh 6:14  Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

The real Disciples of Christ realized that, indeed, He did not speak except in parables:

Mar 4:34  But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

How many people today represent those who remained with our Lord?

Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

For the divine revelation of the real identity of Jesus, click:

http://www.purechristianity.org/index.php/news/Cross_the_Eternal_Symbol_for_Truth

CROSS THE ETERNAL SYMBOL FOR TRUTH

• Who are not contented with the current knowledge about God?
• All religions have this notion that we hear supplications and praises to God.
• This is also the state of mind in all Christian sects and denominations.

“Spirit from the letter” of the word

Let us see how God reveals the intended spiritual message from what “is written.” Jesus worked as a carpenter building “houses.” (Mar 6:3) This is the equivalent of what He did preaching the gospel, thereby building “temples” of God that represent His Disciples.

1 Cor 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Paul worked as a “tent maker” (Acts 18:3), not permanent homes as Jesus built houses, for he is only a vessel in preaching the truth. Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen, and Jesus made them “fishers of men” to share whatever they received from the Lord. To our Lord the chosen represent the “fishes.”

Hab 1:14  And makest men as the fishes of the sea…that have no ruler over them?

Trees looking for a “king”

Who can refute that God is speaking in parables as it is written in Ezek 20:49, Psa 78:2 and only He can expound on them in Mar 4:34? Let any man stand up using human wisdom if he will reap the fruit of his pride, when God reveals the great message of the following:

Jdg 9:8  The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

Jdg 9:9  But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Jdg 9:10  And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11  But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Jdg 9:12  Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. 13  And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Jdg 9:14  Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15  And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

Very clearly the “trees” here symbolize people who want to have a “king like all the nations” in 1 Samuel 8:4-5.

First, they went to  an “olive tree” that represents the chosen of God:

Psa 52:8  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

As expected, no chosen of God would forfeit his fatness or “oil” that symbolizes the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Can “righteousness, peace and joy” (Rom 14:17) from God swapped with respect, honor, and adulation from people? Therefore the “olive tree” refused to be “king of the trees.”

Thereafter, the “trees” went to a “fig tree” saying, “Come thou, and reign over us.” The fig tree symbolizes a chosen of God.

Hos 9:10  … I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to…

Again, as expected a chosen of God will never “forsake his sweetness, and his good fruit” that symbolize the genuine “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23) which before had only the counterfeit. Could this “sweet fruit” from God be replaced with honor, respect, and adulation from people? Therefore the “fig tree” refused to be “king of the trees.”

Then the trees went to the vine saying, “Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees. ” The vine symbolizes a chosen of God:

Psa 80:8  Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

Of course a chosen of God would not “leave his wine” that symbolizes the “blood of Christ.” It is the blood of Jesus shed on the cross that identifies the true Christ, were His two roles as SON (Mat 27:46) and FATHER God (Joh 19:30) are clearly revealed to him. It is this truth that guides him in his “spiritual walk” toward eternal life.

Thereafter:

Jdg 9:14  Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15  And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

The bramble is a prickly or thorny shrub that grows in the wild or wasteland. Here, the bramble symbolizes people not valuable to God (Luk 6:44) . The bramble accepts the proposal of the “trees” on condition that they trust in his shadow. “Trusting in the shadow” indicates living under the influence or dominion of “the king.” Very clearly this is how the laity or people trust their religious leaders under the Pastoral System.

The bramble warns if the “trees” do not “put their trust in its shadow” then “fire out of the bramble” would “devour the cedars of Lebanon.” Since all these represent people, we hear religious leaders telling the members to suffer “hell fire” if they disobey their counsel, quoting verses in the Holy Bible.

From the foregoing revelations of how the Pastoral System works, it is not hard to see why Christianity is divided into sects and denominations. And it is easy to discern God’s concern for His lost sheep and His rebuke to the “shepherds of Israel.”

Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat…, but ye feed not the flock. 4… with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Eze 34:6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

Eze 34:7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey,and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

Eze 34:9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

The misery of the “flock” was caused by the folly of wanting “to have a king like all the nations.” But God continues His search for His “lost sheep” till the end of the world.

Rev 2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

God searches for His lost sheep and He identifies them by the way they embrace His “unique language.” Thereafter, He leads them on “the way” to spiritual perfection until they become worthy of His eternal kingdom.

Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

God’s love is articulated by rebuke until His flock reached spiritual perfection. We read how our Lord led His Apostles/Disciples.

END

• Eze 20:49  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
• Psa 78:2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
• Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
• 2 Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
• 2 Pet 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
• 2 Tim 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
• Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
• Eze 20:49  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
• Psa 78:2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
• Mar 4:34  But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
• Isa 43:10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
• Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince…
• Isa 43:11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
• Isa 44:24  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
• Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
• Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
• 1 Pet 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
• Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
• Joh 20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father…
• Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
• Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
• 2 Cot 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
• Joh 8:19  Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
• Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
• 2 Cor 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
• 2 Cor 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
  
  “Jesus Christ is the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit.” (Sabellian, Onenes doctrine, or Jesus only doctrine)
  
  “The Son Jesus Christ is the Messiah, Savior, Redeemer.” (Athanasian or Trinity doctrine)
  
  “Jesus the Son of God is only a man and not God.” (Arian doctrine)  
  
  “Jesus is only a mighty God for there is a supreme or Almighty God” (Jehovah doctrine)
• 2 Cor 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
• 2 Cor 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
• 2 Cor 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• 2 Cor 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
• Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.
• 1 Joh 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
• Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
• Luk 6:44  For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.