How does God judge the people of the world when they have different places of domicile and therefore have different access to “divine knowledge and wisdom?”

1. Those people living in mountains, remote islands, and other places without contact to modern civilization.

2. Those people who do not accept the Holy Bible as the inspired words of God.

3. Those people who believe and accept the Holy Bible, but they have different perceptions of God’s intended message thereto.

For the first class of people, by looking at nature, they can see things that Somebody must have created all the things they see, such as: the sun, moon, stars, and everything in their surroundings.

They formulate their own code of conduct for morality, which to them is goodness, or righteousness. Unexplainable occurrences in their life caused by “spirits” such sickness and healing, they invent deity or deities to venerate and idolize. To them therefore, they are judged according to this code of morals, for they also believe in life after death.

Morality

“Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") has three principal meanings.

In its first descriptive usage, morality means a code of conduct or belief concerning matters of what is right or wrong based on common sense, reason, or good judgment.

In its second normative and universal sense, morality refers to an ideal code of conduct or belief which would be preferred by the sane "moral" person, under specified conditions. In this "definitive" sense, claims are made such as "Killing is immoral." While descriptive morality would not necessarily disagree that killing is immoral, it would prefer to say, "Many believe that killing is immoral." A refined adherence to this latter position is known as moral skepticism, in which the unchanging existence of a rigid, universal, objective moral "truth" is rejected.

In its third usage, 'morality' is synonymous with ethics. Ethics is the systematic philosophical study of the moral domain. Ethics seeks to address questions such as how a moral outcome can be achieved in a specific situation (applied ethics), how moral values should be determined (normative ethics), what morals people actually abide by (descriptive ethics), what the fundamental nature of ethics or morality is, including whether it has any objective justification (meta-ethics), and how moral capacity or moral agency develops and what its nature is (moral psychology).

Morality therefore is interpersonal relations among people designed for the benefit and general welfare for all concerned.

Religiosity

Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.

People away from modern civilization such as those in the mountains, isolated islands and places, develop their own crude form of religion with peculiar deity or deities. Aware of and encountering with “spirits” lurking in their surroundings, they also believe in life after death.

Religiosity makes people obsessed with a kind of life full of happiness, bliss, and peace after death known as paradise or nirvana. And because all religions advocate morality, we usually hear people say, “All religions are good.”

Examples of established religions are: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Baha'ism, Shintoism, and Jainism. Each religion has its own set code of conduct called doctrines or dogma. In the case of CHRISTIANITY, it is based on the Holy Bible also called “Sacred Scriptures” believed to contain the inspired words of God.

The Christian Religion

Christianity is a major religion the followers of which derive their belief in God from the New and Old Testament books of the Holy Bible. Hence, the core of the doctrines is the intended message of JESUS CHRIST, founder of this religion. The following facts appear to have been overlooked by many Christian leaders.

The “tongue of God”

God uses the respective language or dialects of people with which the Holy Bible is written. Example, God is speaking English to the Americans and British, Spanish to the Spaniards, Tagalog to the Filipinos, and so forth; while the “tongue of God” is expressed in parables.

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:

It is the general belief that, with the human intelligence endowed by God, people can comprehend the intended message from the Sacred Scriptures. Hence, the following prohibitions are completely ignored:

God does not allow “to lean unto personal understanding” of the intended message since it is He who endows spiritual comprehension thereof:

Prov 3:5   Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

It is a curse to trust another person on 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.

The deception of feeling or emotion from the aforementioned prohibitions should be fully observed:

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

What is difficult to accept is that, only God through His written words is the authority to expound on the real message. Jesus demonstrated this when He told His listeners:

Joh 2:19   Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Revealing the two classes of listeners:

1. Those who “lean unto their own understanding” became antagonist to the truth:

Joh 2:20   Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

Matt 27:40   And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

2. Those that followed God’s directive regarding His words, that is, by simply waiting realized the intended message through demonstration. It is they who believed the Scripures.

Joh 2:21   But he spake of the temple of his body.

Joh 2:22   When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Division of Christianity into sects

Non-observance of the foregoing directives of God caused the division of the Christian religion into sects and denominations. Leaders of every group professed authority to interpret the word of God, thereby respectively claiming the truth. Basic to its division is the diverse identification of Jesus Christ. While all preached He is the Savior, right after the death of the original apostles, a “major crack” on this religion became manifest with following different identification of Jesus Christ:

Arianism – Preaching that “Jesus Christ is only a man and not God.” Following is excerpts from Wikipedia:

“Arianism is the theological teaching of Arius (ca. AD 250–336), a Church priest, who was first ruled a heretic at the First Council of Niceaof 325, later exonerated in 335 at the First Synod of Tyre, and then pronounced a heretic again after his death at the First Council of Constantinople of 381. The Roman Emperors Constantius II (337-361) and Valens (364-378) were Arians or Semi-Arians.
Arius lived and taught in Alexandria, Egypt. The most controversial of his teachings dealt with the relationship between God the Father and the person of Jesus, saying that Jesus was not of one substance with the Father and that there had been a time before Jesus existed. He denied the divinity of Jesus and claimed that Jesus was one of God the Father's greatest creations. This teaching of Arius conflicts with other christological positions held by Church theologians (and subsequently maintained by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Protestant Churches).
The term "Arianism" is also used to refer to other nontrinitariantheological systems of the 4th century, which regarded the Son of God, the Logos, as a created being (as in Arianism proper and Anomoeanism) or as neither uncreated nor created in the sense other beings are created (as in "Semi-Arianism").”

Oneness or Sabellianism – Preaching that the name of God the Father and the Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ. Following is excerpts from Wikipedia:

“Sabellianism, (also known as modalism, modalistic monarchianism, or modal monarchism) is the nontrinitarian belief that the Heavenly Father, Resurrected Son and Holy Spirit are different modes or aspects of one God, as perceived by the believer, rather than three distinct persons in God Himself. The term Sabellianism comes from Sabellius , a theologian and priest from the third century.
Sabellius (fl. ca. 215) was a third century priest and theologian who most likely taught in Rome, but may have been an African from Libya. Basil and others call him a Libyan from Pentapolis, but this seems to rest on the fact that Pentapolis was a place where the teachings of Sabellius thrived, according to Dionysius of Alexandria, c. 260.”

Trinity doctrine – Preaching that Jesus Christ is both God and man, and He is the second person of the Trinity.

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. It should be noted that the concept of personhood in the Trinity does not match the common Western understanding of "person" as used in the English language—it does not imply an "individual, self-actualized center of free will and conscious activity."

To the ancients, personhood "was in some sense individual, but always in community as well." The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons, or in the Greek hypostases, but one being. Each of the persons is understood as having the one identical essence or nature, not merely similar natures. Since the beginning of the third century. the doctrine of the Trinity has been stated as "the one God exists in three Persons and one substance, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Trinitarianism, belief in the Trinity, is a mark of Oriental and Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism and all the mainstream traditions arising from the Protestant Reformation, such as Anglicanism, Methodism, Lutheranism and Presbyterianism. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church describes the Trinity as "the central dogma of Christian theology".

Jehovah doctrine – Preaching that Jesus Christ is only a Mighty God for there is a supreme or Almighty God. This doctrine is of recent origin initially preached by Charles Taze Russell in 1879.

Gross heedlessness

A warning was given by the original apostles that “another Jesus” would be preached after them:

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.

Remaining “unseen” by Theologians is the identification of JESUS CHRIST that requires divine revelation. Seeing and talking to Jesus is not enough to know Him. This was demonstrated when He went to Caesarea Philippi where the people saw and listen to Him speak. Here is what “is written.”

Matt 16:13   When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

Matt 16:14   And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

Perhaps more obvious than the foregoing is the fact that religious leaders had to pay Judas Iscariot thirty (30) pieces of silver to identify JESUS so they would crucify Him on the cross. Did not the Scribes and Pharisees stalk and argue with Him during His entire ministry?

Simon Peter identified Jesus!

When the people at Caesarea Philippi failed to identify Jesus, He asked His Disciples:

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

Matt 16:16   And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matt 16:17   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.

How Bible readers noticed the following after Simon Peter truly recognized Jesus?

Matt 16:20   Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no manthat he was Jesus the Christ.

What distinguishes Simon Peter’s declaration about Jesus being the “Christ” and the “Son of God” from every professing Christian’s identical declaration? Simon Peter and the other Disciples of Christ must have hurdles the following “test for spirits.”

1 Joh 4:1   Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 Joh 4:2   Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 Joh 4:3   And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Who among professing Christians cited in the four doctrines do not confess “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?” Does that prove they have passed the test? Then, they why can they not agree on the identification of Jesus? Are they already exempted from this sharp of our Lord?

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.

This only proves that, indeed, identifying Jesus Christ requires divine revelation:

Joh 6:44   No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Cor 12:3   Wherefore I give you to understand …that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Nathanael recognized Jesus as Simon Peter did!

Joh 1:48   Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

John 1:49   Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Andrew recognized Jesus as Simon Peter did!

Joh 11:27   She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Worth repeating, how many noticed the directive of Jesus to His Disciples after Simon Peter truly recognized Him?

Matt 16:20   Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.

Why did Jesus forbid His Disciples to introduce Him being the Christ when this is basic to salvation? No one can claim salvation without knowing the Savior. This confirms the truth that identifying JESUS CHRIST needs divine revelation!

Warning of the Apostles regarding the identity of Jesus Christ:

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.

Gospel of the Apostles in relation to Jesus’ identity:

Gal 1:8   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.

Gal 1:9   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.

The Apostles and Disciples of Christ for having identified Him by divine revelation, no longer were they 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.

To scuttle the rebuke, be forewarned of the following pretext:

"The infinite Father God is incapable of clear identification with the finite mind of man. To identify Him, then we will be like God. Let us just believe in the mystery of the Trinity, for to deny it we will lose our soul. Let us believe in One God, love Him, and not to lose our faith in Him."

Jesus’ Ministry

To the earnest and serious observers of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, words about Jesus Christ are focused on His identification. John, often referred to as the beloved apostle, concluded with the following:

1 Joh 5:20   And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

And to emphasize the importance foregoing conclusion, he wrote the following “test for spirits” that, in effect, actually separates the “chosen few” from the “called” or the “sheep” from the “goats.”

1 Joh 4:1   Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 Joh 4:2   Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 Joh 4:3   And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

At first glance, all professing Christians must have passed this simple-appearing test for all “confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.”

Also, Apostle John wrote "Jesus Christ is the “truth” in John 14:6. With the significance of this message,  Jesus Christ separated His true Disciples from the religious people during His time.

Today, this remains God’s instrument of distinguishing “spirituality” from “religiosity” in the Christian religion.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments were written with the finger of God on two tables of stone:

Exo 31:18   And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

The importance of the commandments can be discerned from the way it is written. The numeral “2” may well symbolize the Old and New Testament laws that Jesus said did not destroy but rather to fulfill:

Matt 5:17   Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Who among professing Christians can honestly claim having clearly reconciled some words such as the following. This is before and after the Messiah was revealed without contradicting “truth before is truth today” as Jesus is known in, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today.”

Before:

Exo 21:23   And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

Exo 21:24   Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Exo 21:25   Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Today:

Matt 5:38   Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

Matt 5:39   But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matt 5:43   Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Matt 5:44   But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Is there a change in the temper of God that before He was vindictive but now He is merciful? Before He was fierce like a lion that He is known as the “lion of the tribe of Judah,” and now meek as a lamb as John the Baptist called Him the, “Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.”

From the following verses, God differentiates “spirituality” from “religiosity.”

Matt 5:45   That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

God symbolizes people with grass and Jesus spoke about how to separate the “chosen” from the “called.”

Matt 13:27   So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

Matt 13:28   He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

Matt 13:29   But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Matt 13:30   Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The foregoing is actually the claim of all professing Christians that they benefit and receive graces from our Lord. They profess Jesus Christ is their savior and Lord, but many are 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.

Those subject to the rebuke ignore 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.

Therefore they see the miracles of Jesus in the “letter” of the word only that happened literally from which they base their claim of benefits. They have not seen the purpose of our Lord for His miracles, that of “healing the soul” and not the “body.”

Psa 41:4  I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

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.

Jesus Christ demonstrated this when He “opened the eyes of the man born blind” in John 9. How many realized the significance of this miracle? Let us also take note of His rebuke to the Pharisees:

To the “man born blind” Jesus told him:

Joh 9:37  And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

Joh 9:38  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

To the Pharisees who witnessed the miracle together with other people:

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.

God is now revealing the intended message of the following.

Matt 5:45   That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matt 13:30   Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

While all receive blessings out of the word, however, the kind of benefit separates them into two groups. Those who received material-physical gain benefiting the body “have not seen” the message of the following:

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.

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.

The great revelation of the foregoing was actually demonstrated in the following where great multitudes followed our Lord. In one instance He fed 5,000 and in another 4,000 men excluding women and children with “bread and fishes.” Everybody knows how great the miracle our Lord showed these people. From this however, He would reveal the two groups of His Disciples. Many of Disciples left Him because they could understand what He was saying with His “tongue” expressed in parable . Only a few Disciples remained who composed Simon Peter and those who recognized our Lord by divine revelation.

Here is the simple test that separated the “chosen” from the “called” when Jesus Christ told His Disciples:

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them,  I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

How many noticed the behavior of the following Disciples?

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

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

Today, who are these Disciples who are only after the material-physical benefits from the word of God? This is the result of simply taking the “letter” of the word, or its literal meaning.

This is the “language of man.” When professing Christians cannot accept the literal implication, they try to spiritualize it.

When Jesus saw many of His Disciples left Him, He asked the few remaining:

Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Joh 6:69  And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Religiosity vis-à-vis Spirituality

The Disciples who left Jesus Christ for not understanding His “language or tongue” characterized their relationship with Him as religiosity. Now our Lord reveals the unique relationship of those who remain with Him as spirituality that is rarely heard in the Christian religion.

The remaining Disciples replied to Jesus when asked whether they would also leave Him, “To whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” They were of course referring to His offer for “food.”

Joh 6:55   For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

Joh 6:56   He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

The two roles of Jesus

The recognition of this group of JESUS as the “Christ,” the “Son of the living God” is very emphatic. While the same declaration is heard by professing Christians, however, to the remaining Disciples actually is a revelation of the two role of Jesus:

First role JESUS as the “Christ” - He is actually the Father who made the Testament of Salvation with Abraham:

Gen 17:7   And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Later it was revealed this testament is for all nationalities that belong to Jesus Christ:

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.

Gal 3:29   And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

This testament required the death of the Testator:

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

Therefore Jesus clearly match up to this requirement of the Testament of Salvation!

Matt 1:23   Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

1 Tim 3:16  (KJV)  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Coming from the lips of Father God definitely confirmed this truth:

Isaiah 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.

This is how the remaining Apostles recognized Jesus that many people reject. Jesus Christ proved this on the cross when He was about to die:

Joh 19:30   When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

From this truth therefore, Jesus is the Savior or Messiah in His role as Father God. Father God speaking validated this in the following:

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

Following “letter” of the word, Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father:

Mar 16:19   So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

But to God, “right hand” means the “power of God” in:

Exo 15:6   Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

More so apostle John in his vision of heaven saw only one throne and one sitting thereon:

Rev 4:2   And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

Second role of Jesus as “Son of God” – Many verses confirms this role of Jesus, among them are the following.

1 Tim 2:5   For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Joh 5:19   Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do…

Luk 18:18   And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19   And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Matt 24:35   Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36   But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Joh 14:28   Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

In this role, Jesus clearly acted as the model to the chosen:

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.

From the foregoing revelations about the true identity of JESUS CHRIST, how many will believe and accept that Jesus in His role as Son of God can never be the Savior? This truth about the role of Jesus now separates the “few chosen” from the “called.” Further, it leads to the distinction between SPIRITUALITY and RELIGIOSITY.

Born Again

Nicodemus a “master of Israel” (Joh 3:10) must have championed the “letter” of the word that he became a famous teacher. But when our Lord spoke, he did not understand Him:

Joh 3:3   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Joh 3:4   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

This confirmed Nicodemus was just a 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.

Unknown to many people, a Natural Man is composed only of PHYSICAL LIFE that is made up of the BODY and the SOUL. As everybody knows the BODY is composed of all faculties visible, while the SOUL is evidenced by the intellect and feeling.

Jesus Christ gave the requirement for salvation:

Matt 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.

It is only after the satisfaction of this condition that a person becomes a Spiritual Man:

1 Cor 2:15   But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16   For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

“Born again” is the miracle of conversion from Natural Man to Spiritual Man, or from a “spiritual goat” to a “spiritual sheep” as Jesus is pictured as “Lamb.”

Joh 1:29   The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Now it is clear that only the Spiritual Men or real “born again” can understand the “spiritual language” of God that is expressed in parables:

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:

This truth was validated by Jesus Christ:

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

Typical of the Scribes and Pharisees, Spiritual Men cannot discern RELIGIOSITY from SPIRITUALITY. They practice the former, while Jesus Christ preached the latter. The former simply “cleanses the cup and platter on the outside,” while the latter the “inside of the cup and platter.” Now the rebuke of our Lord to them is very clear:

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

From the foregoing revelations of God, it is clear that the “spiritual or intended message” from His words relate to SPIRITUALITY, while the “letter” of the word visibly to RELIGIOSITY. Jesus Christ’s rebuke to the Scribes and Pharisees for hypocrisy is clearly for RELIGIOSITY:

Matt 23:1   Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Matt 23:2   Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

Matt 23:4   For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Matthew 23:5   But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Matt 23:6   And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

Matt 23:7   And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Matt 23:8   But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Matt 23:9   And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Matt 23:10   Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Matt 23:13   But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Matt 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.

Matt 23:15   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Matt 23:21   And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

Matt 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.

Matt 23:24   Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Matt 23:25   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

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

Matt 23:27   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Matt 23:28   Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matt 23:33   Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Matt 23:36   Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Typical of RELIGIOSITY is what our Lord saw in the Scribes and Pharisees. They preached and practiced the “letter” of the law with: “Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt tell a lie, thou shalt not commit adultery, and so forth. But they were ignorant of the following:

Jam 2:10   For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Religiosity is all for “cleanliness of the outside of the cup and platter” that our Lord rebuked them:

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

Unknown to them the purpose of God in giving the Law is to convict people of sins. He expects them to ask for mercy for no one can follow all of them:

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.

Religiosity therefore is attractive to people for it is visible that relates to “physical life.” To the discerning, Nicodemus as an example, he went to see Jesus one night and this brought the need to be “born again.”

As earlier expounded, without the Spirit of God the Natural Man has only a “physical life” that consists of the BODY and the SOUL. Without the Spirit of God, there is no way for the Natural Man to understand the “spiritual language” of God which is the intended message from the “letter’ of His words.

Receiving the SPIRIT of God changes the nature of man into a Spiritual Man. This is what Jesus Christ told Nicodemus in order to “enter the kingdom of God.”

Joh 3:5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

“Born of water” where water symbolizes the “letter” of the word is equivalent to the Baptism of John the Baptist. He baptized the people “immersing them in water” now means for the believers to accept the “letter” of the word of God in its entirety, from the book of Genesis to book of Revelation.  

Joh 3:23   And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

Mar 1:5   And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

“Confessing their sins” indicates spiritual conviction for the impossibility of following the “letter” of the word as revealed in:

Jam 2:10   For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Total acceptance of the “letter” of the word is not enough for the believers to deal with spiritual enemies. It needs spiritual strength that can only be provided by the Holy Spirit. Let us listen to the Disciples of John the Baptist when asked about the Holy Spirit:

Act 19:2   He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Act 19:3   And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

Act 19:4   Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

Act 19:5   When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Again, to note baptism with water is but a symbol for the total acceptance of the inspired words of God, which may not even be practiced. “Baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as John the Baptist spoke of in:

Matt 3:11   I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

This “born of the Spirit” that Jesus told Nicodemus after telling him to be “born of water.”

With this the “Spirit of God” indwells in the real believers teaching, guiding, and providing them with spiritual strength to fight the wiles of the “god of this world” and his servants.

2 Cor 4:4   In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

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.

2 Cor 11:13   For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Spirituality contrast with Religiosity

On miracles

Solely relying on the “letter” of the word does not permit discernment of “miracles” from “wonders.” Miracles come from God, while wonders from the enemy of God. Therefore miracles are superior to wonders. This is demonstrated in the following when God performed a miracle in the presence of 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.

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.

Exo 7:12   For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Jesus Christ told the multitudes that followed Him who were called Disciples :

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.

Religiosity:

How many professing Christians do not see the miracle of Jesus literally “opening the eyes” of the man born blind in the following?

Joh 9:1   And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

Joh 9:6   When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

Joh 9:7   And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Joh 9:8   The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

In the presence of the Pharisees:

Joh 9:13   They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

Joh 9:15   Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

Intended benefit from the miracle:

Joh 9:37   And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

Joh 9:38   And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

The miracle “opened the eyes” that the beggar recognized JESUS and therefore worshipped Him. The Pharisees were not literally blind “did not recognize” Jesus that they did not worship Him. Therefore, Jesus told them:

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.

Religiosity is limited to seeing miracles benefiting the BODY, while Spirituality endows discernment of the intended message benefiting the SOUL. Spirituality deals with the “unseen” while religiosity to the “seen” or visible:

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.

From the foregoing, the “able ministers of the New Testament” are revealed:

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.

The “spirit” of the word is the intended message and revealed by divine revelation from the very words of God by “demonstration.” Let us be reminded of our Lord Jesus’ “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

The “spirit” v.s. “letter” of the word

From the “spirit” and “letter” of the word the Spiritual Man and the Natural Man are identified:

1 Cor 2:15   But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16   For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

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.

Disciples of Christ are clearly classified as “Spiritual Men,” while the Scribes and Pharisees are the type of the “Natural Men.” Only the Disciples of Christ can avoid the following taboos, and therefore fully trust God:

To lean on own understanding:

Prov 3:5   Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Trust other people 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.

Deceived by feeling:

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

The Natural Man avoids the foregoing taboos and thus leads him to RELIGIOSITY. It is SPIRITUALITY that Jesus Christ refers to the “trait gate that leadeth unto life.”

Matt 7:13   Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matt 7:14   Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Religiosity as a result exposes the false prophets:

Matt 7:15   Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matt 24:24   For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Religiosity cannot distinguish miracles from wonders. Miracles benefit the SOUL, while wonders the BODY. From this professing apostles of Christ preach, “here is Christ” or “here is the truth” and others say the same thing:

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

False apostles use the name “Jesus Christ” in performing wonders that benefit the BODY. Because they do not truly know the real Christ, Jesus’ rebuke is focused on mutual recognition:

Matt 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?

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

Jesus gives the warning:

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

The basis of the false apostles “authority” is derived from what Jesus told His Disciples before “leaving them physically.”

Mar 16:15   And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

“To preach the gospel” is simply to share what was received as truth from the Lord and never to make people understand, for that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual humility would make this possible .

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…

As previously discussed, the steps to salvation are, first coming to Christ “like a child,” baptized with “water” or acceptance of everything “written in the word of God,” and “baptism of the Holy Spirit” or the indwelling of the Teacher in the life of the chosen.

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

The following signs are endowed to the real believer.

Mar 16:17   And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my nameshall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

As earlier expounded, miracles are for the benefit of the SOUL contrary to many people’s belief who are in quest of healing and benefit for the BODY. The miracles of Jesus which are literally written have for their intended message referring to the “unseen”, that is, for the SOUL and not of the BODY or the “seen” . This alone distinguishes what is of God from that of His enemy.

“Cast out devils”

There are only two protagonists, Christ vs. Satan, represented by Truth vs. falsehood.  “Casting out devils” is purging false doctrines or human precepts out of “spiritually sick” persons such as spiritual blindness, deafness, lameness. “Death” or spiritual sleep in the case of Lazarus and the “people rising from the graves” at the death of Jesus on the cross simply refers to the following:

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

“Speak with new tongues”

This was demonstrated by Jesus Christ when He talked to the Jews who spoke their Hebrew language but could not understand Him.

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

Jesus was speaking the “language of the Lamb” or the “spiritual language” of God. Christ’s Disciples after Pentecost, like Jesus, also spoke this “new tongues.” Example, if to the Natural Man “blindness” means the inability to see the surrounding; with this “new tongue” it refers to the disease of the soul not to see the “light” or the truth of the gospel. And so on with the kind of diseases healed by Jesus, all referring to soul. But the Natural Man cannot comprehend the intended message:

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.

The 7 sons of Sceva

The name “Jesus Christ” may be used by people who have not recognized Jesus by divine revelation. The following incident regarding miracles is a case in point. Let us remember Paul, before recognizing his God was the persecutor of Jesus and His Disciples:  

Act 19:11   And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

Act 19:12   So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Act 19:13   Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Act 19:14   And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

Act 19:15   And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Act 19:16   And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Act 19:17   And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

The truth is, Jesus Christ is after the salvation of the soul that He said:

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.

Therefore from the kind of benefit received, miracles are distinguished from wonders.

Mar 16:18   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.

“Serpents and poisons”

“Serpents” symbolize things of the devils. And if Christ represents the truth, “devils” embody falsehoods and deceptions. Therefore real believers are no longer hurt or deceived by erroneous doctrines.

“Lay hands on the sick”

Sharing the truth on people who are “sick” such as suffering from spiritual blindness, deafness, lameness, death or asleep; they would be able to identify Jesus thus seeing the “light,” love to hear the truth, be able to “walk on the way,” and begin to comprehend the intended message of the word of God.

Miracles are “unseen” benefiting the soul. But many people prefer wonders that benefit the body.

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 who preached SPIRITUALITY was hated by the RELIGIOUS people. These people are happy serving and worshipping the “God” that they do not know. For this Jesus Christ in answer to the query of a humble Scribe gave the first of all the commandments:

Mar 12:28  And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

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

Jesus simply repeated what God commanded His chosen people in the Old Testament:

Deu 6:4  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

He gave the basic principle for God-worshippers relationship, where to know comes before loving the GOD to serve and to praise. After identifying comes love:

Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

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.

The humble Scribe who was different from his fellow religious leaders said:

Mar 12:32  And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

Mar 12:33  And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Mar 12:34  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God…

Religiosity ignores the “first of all the commandments” that refers to the identification of the One True God. It preaches loving a mysterious God, making people believe that description of God is already tantamount to His identification. This is the reason why Jesus Christ emphasized His rebuke to the people using His “name.”

Matt 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?

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

Truly, the Old Serpent is “subtil” or crafty as in tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden . With the name “Jesus Christ” false prophets/apostles who do not even knew Him because they are subject to His rebuke in John 8:19 perform “wonders” mistaken by the people to be “miracles.” Wonders benefit the BODY, while miracles solely the SOUL.

“Ye that work iniquity” refers to all religious beliefs and practices that are not acceptable in spirituality.

“Faith and works”

Faith coupled with good works is the byword of many Bible believers. This is derived from the following verses:

Rom 1:17   For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Jam 2:17   Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

“Faith” according to man

The general notion for “faith” is the person’s sincere belief or conviction regarding God and His words. Christianity is divided into sects, and with this concept, the respective members thereof profess “faith” in God.

“Works “according to man

This refers to good deeds for the fellowmen’s physical or emotional wellbeing. Thus, we find sect members giving alms to the poor, and many sects maintaining hospitals and schools for the destitute, orphanages and home for the aged.

This is RELIGIOSITY as the following commandments are applied:

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.

Mark 12:31   And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Since every Christian sect has the foregoing notion for “faith and works,” therefore truth has become a very cheap word. Overlooked in RELIGIOSITY is trust in God for the intended message from His words. Religious people trust human wisdom for the exposition of the meaning of the “letter” of the word and ignoring the following qualification of the able ministers of the New Testament:

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.

SPIRITUALITY, on the other hand, takes a different view on the “letter” of the word because God has to reveal the intended message thereof. We are to be reminded of Jesus’

• “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
• “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
• “Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood…”
• “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Plus many more, in fact, this is true for the whole Scriptures.

SPIRITUALITY on the commandment on LOVE, the following sequence should be followed:

First step is not just to believe , but the need to know or identify the One True God:

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

Second step is to love God, through His words:

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.

That is why praise to Him is in His words:

Psa 56:10   In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.

The last and final step is to love thy neigbour as distinguished from fellowmen:

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.

“Neighbour” is illustrated by Jesus Christ in His parable of the Good Samaritan when a certain lawyer tempted Him:

Luk 10:30   And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luk 10:31   And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:32   And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

Luke 10:33   But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Luk 10:34   And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luk 10:35   And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Luk 10:36   Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbourunto him that fell among the thieves?

Luk 10:37   And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

From the parable the following are to be noted to distinguish “neighbour” from fellowmen:

From Jerusalem to Jericho

The victim of the thieves is leaving Jerusalem and going to Jericho. While Jerusalem is a place known for “righteousness,” Jesus in His rebuke to the Scribes and Pharisees now became a place for religious hypocrisy . And Jericho a place of “wickedness” Jesus found humble people willing to accept the truth . This is clearly demonstrated when the “child Jesus” was brought to Egypt by Joseph to escape Herod who was from Israel wanting to kill Him.

Now the Priest and the Levite who, in the eyes of the people are closer to God, were the ones who hated our Lord. Expected therefore that they would not care for the victim of the thieves because these are they in the eyes of our Lord:

Joh 10:1   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

The Samaritan, a man from Samaria who in the eyes of the Jews is not of God, was the person who showed compassion, and cared for the victim vividly illustrates “neighbour” to be the chosen of God. This is in contrast with the Priest and Levite who were subject to the rebuke of our Lord .

Taking are of the victim, a man from Jericho, “bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and taking out two pence, and gave them to the host” have spiritual meaning that God alone can reveal the intended message through His words. The kind of “works” is not what the Natural Man understands that refers to the BODY, but rather to the SOUL as our Lord emphasized in all His teachings, as revealed to Paul in:

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.

“Faith in Spirituality”

Faith is not just the honest and sincere belief of a person in religious matters, but it is the result of true spiritual and not mere emotional humility before God. Thus, it is a gift of God.

Eph 2:8   For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

This is the definition of God for “faith.”

Heb 11:1   Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

“Faith” is demonstrated by God with the following Bible characters:

Heb 11:3   Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Heb 11:4   By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Heb 11:7   By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Heb 11:8   By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Heb 11:9   By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Heb 11:10   For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Heb 11:11   Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Heb 11:17   By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Heb 11:18   Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Heb 11:19   Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Heb 11:20   By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

Heb 11:21   By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

Heb 11:22   By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

Heb 11:23   By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

Heb 11:24   By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

Heb 11:25   Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

Heb 11:26   Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Heb 11:27   By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Heb 11:28   Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Heb 11:29   By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Heb 11:30   By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

Heb 11:32   And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Heb 11:33   Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Heb 11:34   Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Heb 11:35   Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

Heb 11:36   And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

Heb 11:37   They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Heb 11:38   (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Heb 11:39   And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:16   But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Heb 11:13   These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

“Works” according to God’s intended message

Very important for the message of God on “works” is the following:

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.

Therefore, while “works” in religiosity is visible and beneficial to the BODY, in SPIRITUALITY it is only God who can see it and this is for His glory. Illustration, what kind of “works” did the thief at the right hand of Jesus on the cross performed? Nothing in the eyes of man, but to God this man satisfied Him with his “faith and works,” that on that day he was with our Lord in paradise:

Luk 23:43   And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

If “faith” comes from God as a gift because of humility, with humility the person is likewise given “strength” to follow His will. God saw in the characters cited in Hebrew 11 both “faith and works” that they attained eternal life:

For Abraham, what kind of “works” did God see but simply to obey His will “leaving his country and relatives he loved and went to another country God chose for him? What kind of “works” did God see Abraham offering his son Isaac, but simply following the “will of God?”

For Abel, what kind of “works” did God see but the offering of a “lamb,” that with “faith” he foresaw Jesus Christ dying on the cross fulfilling His testament of salvation.

For Simon Peter how did he acquire “faith” that made him truly recognized Jesus:

• As the “Christ,” and saw Him as Father God who made the Testament of Salvation?Gen 17:7   And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
• Where the testament requires the “death” of the testator, Heb 9:16   For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator
• That GOD had to manifest Himself in the flesh: 1 Tim 3:16 (Bishops Bible and KJV)  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
• That JESUS in His role as FATHER God is the Creator, Messiah, Savior, or Redeemer: 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;

For Simon Peter how did he acquire “faith” that made him truly recognized Jesus:

• As the Son of God, model to the chosen: 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 brethre
• As Son of God and model showing the Way to the chosen: Joh 14:6   Jesus saith unto him, I am the way… no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
• As Son of God and model showing the example to the chosen: 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:
• As Son of God and model, the only mediator between God and men: 1 Tim 2:5   For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
• As Son of God and model in true spiritual humility: Luk 18:18   And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19   And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
• As Son of God and model fully depended on the Father for knowledge and wisdom: Mat 24:36   But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
• As Son of God and model Jesus is fully depended on the Father for everything: Joh 5:19   Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do…

Therefore, from the foregoing divine revelations of God regarding the identity of JESUS CHRIST, Jesus in His role as SON OF GOD can never be a Savior or Redeemer! He is in His role as FATHER God.

Divine revelation vs human wisdom on “faith and works”

In the following verses regarding “faith and works,” God clearly is speaking “parables or dark sayings of old.”

Jam 2:14   What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Jam 2:15   If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

In RELIGIOSITY, “sister” indicates female gender. In SPIRITUALITY “sister” indicates the “spouse of God” or His chosen, as in:

Song of S 4:12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

Therefore a chosen of God is naked, not of clothes in RELIGIOSITY, but of the “garment of salvation” in SPIRITUALITY.

Isa 61:10   I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

“Destitute of daily food” in RELIGIOSITY is hungry of meals for the sustenance of the body, but “hungry of the truth” in the word of God in SPIRITUALITY. Did not Jesus rebuke Satan in the wilderness when He fasted 40 days and 40 nights?

Matt 4:4   But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Long in the Old Testament did God already spoke of this hunger for the word of God.

Amos 8:11   Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Amos 8:12   And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

In the following, God speaks of the “body” but to take it literally it will contradict 2 Cor 3:6 and4:18. Therefore, by divine revelation it relates to spiritual wellbeing of the chosen.

Jam 2:16   And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Very clearly therefore, with God divine revelation from His words, everything about the arguments regarding “faith and works” are fully settled in the sight of our Lord.

Jam 2:17   Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Trees looking for a king

How can human allegorical or figurative way of interpreting things, give meaning to the following “parable and dark sayings of old?” But God through His very words will reveal the great message that would distinguish SPIRITUALITY from RELIGIOSITY.

Judges 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.

Judges 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?

Judges 9:10   And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

Judges 9:11   But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Judges 9:12   Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

Judges 9:13   And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Judges 9:14   Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

Judges 9:15   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.

Trees

God using the language of man for “trees” actually refer to people in:

Mat 7:15   Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 7:16   Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Mat 7:17   Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Mat 7:18   A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Mat 7:19   Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Mat 7:20   Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Therefore the “trees” looking for a king are people looking for a leader. Since the word of God pertains to life after death, the leader they are looking for is not a political but rather religious leader.

Olive Tree

Look who is talking in the following? Definitely he is 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.

The olive tree in the parable, a chosen of God refused to be “king” or religious leader of the people with the following reason:

Judges 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?

The “olive tree” or a chosen of God has “fatness or oil” that represents the HOY SPIRIT as in:

Psa 89:20   I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

Psa 23:5   Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Mar 6:13   And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

A chosen of God who has already HOLY SPIRIT, that provides peace and joy, can never exchange earthly honor and glory being a religious leader.

Fig Tree

Look, the three kinds of “trees” in the parable are cited in the following, all referring to the chosen of God.

Hos 9:10   I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time…

Hag 2:19   Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

The fig tree like the olive tree representing the chosen of God refused to be “king” or religious leader citing the following reason:

Judges 9:11   But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

The fig tree, or a chosen of God, refused the position of “king” thereby forsaking or discarding the sweetness or the “truth in the word” that tastes like honey:

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

Can we expect a chosen of God exchange  the “sweetness of the truth of the word” with earthly honor and glory?

Vine

The vine, like the olive and fig trees, representing the chosen of God refused to be “king” or religious leader citing the following reason:

Judges 9:13   And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

At the Last Supper, Jesus Christ referred to wine representing His blood that fulfilled the testament of salvation:

Mat 26:26   And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Mat 26:27   And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Mat 26:28   For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Therefore “wine” represents the “blood” of Jesus Christ shed in fulfilling His testament He made in the role as Father God. This paved the way taking the form of HOLY SPIRIT that now resides in His chosen. The reason given by the “vine” in refusing to be “king” or religious leader is to leave or forsake the HOLY SPIRT” in doing so. How could chosen of God exchange “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” with earthly honor and glory?

Rom 14:17   For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The Bramble

Brambles are thorny plants of the genus Rubus, in the rosefamily (Rosaceae). Compared to the olive, fig, and vine the bramble that does not bear edible fruits, but bears attractive flowers. This is how God describes the people representing it. They do not bear “edible fruits” or traits acceptable to God, but they are attractive with their human stature, intelligent and eloquent.

Judges 9:14   Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

Judges 9:15   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 accepted the position of “king” with a condition; for the “trees” or people to put their trust in it or on the leader. Witnessed by all, this is how the laity or members of congregations put their trust on their religious leaders. The warning is explicit, for not to trust the RELIGIOUS leaders, then “fire” or bad things would befall them.

“Lamb having two horns”

Satanic deception is exposed when the recognized Jesus is actually the false Christ. Here is the testimony of John the apostle:

Rev 13:11   And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Jesus is the “lamb of God.” But, here is the beast that looks like the “lamb having two horns.” However he speaks a different language, that of the dragon actually Satan.

Rev 12:9   And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Satan is using the very “letter” of the word of God to deceive. This was demonstrated when Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. He simply saw the literal hunger of Jesus that he told Him to turn the stones into bread:

Mat 4:3   And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Mat 4:4   But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The fasting of Jesus in His role as Son of God, model to the chosen, is to hunger for the truth in the word of God. Thus,

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.

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

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.

Now reading Matthew 23 where Jesus Christ rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees, we find how the “word of God is alive” as we can witness before our eyes everything our Lord is saying.

With the power of the word of God for its intended message, who can deny all of these great revelations? Now who “can see” this truth all the time?

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

If RELIGIOSITY needs “kings” or leaders, SPIRITUALITY has Jesus Christ alone in His Holy Spirit form leading it. To the real Christians, this is their precious possession:

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.

Is there still a need for Bible Schools and Seminaries?

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.

Jam 1:6   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.

Jam 1:7   For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Jam 1:8   A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

So in SPIRITUALITY, praise to God takes an entirely different form:

Psa 56:10   In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.

Psa 56:11   In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Psa 56:12   Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

Psa 56:13   For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?  

- END -

Reference: Wikipedia
Excerpts from Wikipedia

• Revelation 5:5   And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
• John 1:29   The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
• 1 Pet 1:24   For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
• Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and fromJerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
• Mat 14:20  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
• Mat 15:36  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38  And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.
• 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.
• Eph 5:26   That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
• Joh 15:3   Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
• Joh 6:60   Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
• Joh 6:66   From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  
• Matt 11:25   At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
• 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.
• Prov 21:16   The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.Spiritually speaking, the person was uncovered or “naked” of the garment of salvation,” and “wounded” means exposed to be impostors.Think about this rebuke of Jesus to those who worship 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.
• Gen 3:1   Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  
• 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.
• Jam 2:19   Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  
• Matt 23:37   O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
• Matt 20:29   And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
• Mar 10:46   And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
• John 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…