Unleavened Bread Recipes
Recipe 1 - Suitable for Passover:
This is the recipe we use here in Wales for the Passover Bread:
Ingredients: 1 pound (450 gms) of plain wholewheat flour 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt 4 tablespoons (60 ml) virgin olive oil Water
Directions:
1) Mix flour and salt
2) Add oil and sufficient water to make a stiff dough
3) Divide dough into small, manageable pieces
4) Roll each one out onto a thinly-floured board - and prick all over with a fork
5) Bake on a lightly-oiled baking sheet in hot oven (about 10 mins) until pale brown and crisp
If you prick the dough with a fork, it helps to get rid of more of the air bubbles
If you wish, you can lightly "score" the rolled out dough, so that it breaks into more uniform sizes for Passover
(You can add 2 egg yolks if you wish, but do not do this for the Passover bread.)
Remember - if you are making bread for Passover:
The kitchen should be unleavened beforehand.
It is custom to leave the bread intact - not broken - until Passover evening. (Ex 12:46, John 9:36)
Recipe 2 - Suitable for Unleavened Bread but NOT Passover:
This recipe came from the March 1979 issue of the Good News. NOTE: This should NOT be used for the Passover - as sugar etc. is used (Lev 2:11)
Ingredients: 1/3 cup hot water 1/2 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 cup oatmeal flour 2-4 tablespoon brown sugar sesame seeds (optional)
Directions:
1) Mix hot water and butter
2) Add remaining ingredients
3) Form into a ball and chill about 3 hours
4) Roll out very thin and cut with cookie cutters (or score into squares)
5) Bake at 350 to 375 degrees until light brown - about 12 minutes
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
John 6
Question:
What is John 6 as a whole talking about? And why did Mr Armstrong include John 6:53-54 in the Passover introduction?
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54)
Answer:
Almost as soon as Mr Armstrong died, two small verses found within the Passover service were used to undermine some of the most fundamental doctrines God placed in His Church and in so doing, laid the Church open to further apostasy.
In the instructions for the Passover service Mr Armstrong said the following: "Next read John 6:53-54, noticing this ordinance is commanded as necessary for all Christians." That was all he said.
But as soon as Mr Armstrong died, these two verses were then expanded in the ceremony to include much more from John 6. Mr Tkach (or the spirit behind him) then used the expanded section to attack and destroy the meaning within the very Passover emblems themselves. Mr Tkach and those with him claimed that because John 6:53 said unless you both eat and drink you have no life in you, the idea of the bread being for physical sin and healing in a separate way from the wine was wrong. Both emblems (they said) should be merged and had to apply to spiritual sin -- as only that would give us life. In this way they attempted to utterly destroy the understanding we had been given, of the bread being for our healing.
A fairly detailed examination of the progressive stages of Passover and how each properly fits within the subject matter of John 6 is given in the audio of the bible study: "Discerning The Stages of Passover" (10.2Mb) , given on 5th April 2003 in the UK.
However, let me also give the essence of the subject briefly below.
Off-Track in more than Healing:
To understand this subject properly, we must keep in mind that those who attempted to destroy the understanding we had previously of both John 6 and the Passover, were off-Track in many other areas as well:
1. They refused to acknowledge the specific grace (to place foundational teaching within God's Church) given uniquely to an apostle -- and instead attempted to take this privilege to themselves. Having rejected the Government of God of the spiritual heritage that was over them, they thus made themselves "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 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." (2Cor 11:13-15)
2. They failed to recognise the uniqueness of our calling -- thinking all "christians" in the world are also being dealt with by God at this time. Doing this caused them to misread much of John 6 that deals with the fact that "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44)
3. They eventually rejected the Holy Days -- treating the Passover in isolation much as the world approaches "holy communion" -- and so failed to see the Passover's proper position as the very start of God's plan. They therefore attached to the Passover emblems aspects that can only come after the sacrifice of Christ has first reconciled us to God the Father.
4. They eventually even rejected the need to keep the Commandments of God -- thereby failing to grasp the true enormity of sin in God's eyes, and utterly missed the main point, that the Passover emblems were given to us by God specifically for the forgiveness of sin -- of all kinds; both physical and spiritual.
What is the Main Topic of John 6?
In the first year bible class at AC Bricket Wood in 1967, the Passover was not presented as the main topic of John 6 at all. The main personal note against the passage I have in the bible I used at the time was simply, "If we partake of Christ - feeding our minds with the words he left by reading, we become spiritually like him. We are what we eat -- and what we read. That is why many of our minds are shallow". I have no idea if Mr Armstrong was teaching the class when I made that note, though he could have been. However, it was more likely to have been Mr Hunting or Mr Mc Nair. But whoever was teaching, they clearly identified the living bread as being God's Words to us - not one of the emblems of the Passover.
This teaching lies at the heart and core of John 6, and is certainly the primary meaning of the bread found there. Christ was answering a specific question from John 6:31 regarding manna, and manna was given to daily sustain ancient Israel. It was also given by the God of the Old Testament (who was Christ Himself before His birth) to show that we "do not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Deut 8:3). This reference to manna is returned to a number of times through the passage in verses 49 and 58.
John begins his entire gospel talking about Christ as "The Word". In fact Christ explains exactly what He is talking about within John 6 regarding His flesh giving life when He says to his disciples in John 6:63, "the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life." This verse shows clearly that the bread primarily talked of in John 6 is not the physical Passover bread, nor is it the literal flesh of Christ's person, it is the living Word of God. The Word of God, living within us through the indwelling of The Holy Spirit. As it says in James, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)" The bread of John 6 is the very sperm of God's Understanding via His Spirit -- when His Word lives and grows within us -- that begets us as the very Sons of God.
The Secondary Theme of John 6:
But there is also a secondary theme that is woven within this latter section of John 6. This secondary theme is summed up within the verse that says, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44) This secondary theme was continually referred to by Mr Armstrong, who constantly quoted the above verse to show the uniqueness of our calling. The apostle John also goes back to this theme repeatedly within John 6 as he shows that the group of people Christ is talking about, who have access to the "living bread", are only those called by the Father.
John finally ends the section, showing this huge divide between those who are being called by the Father, and those who are not, when Christ says, "But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:64-66)
Immediately after the above, He asks the twelve apostles, "Will ye also go away?", and Simon Peter replies, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68) This reply shows clearly that the Father was in the process of calling Peter -- putting him into this special group of the Church (lit: "called out ones"). To some degree Peter could see the meaning of "the bread of life" that Christ was talking about. It was Christ's "words of eternal life" that only the select group would eventually have living within them. This is what Peter -- having been called by God -- now wanted to hold on to.
Why Mr Armstrong included John 6:53-54:
Although Mr Armstrong recognised both the above themes within the latter part of John 6, he also included verses 53-56 within the introductory statements of the Passover. But he did this without changing the meaning of the bread whatsoever. It is very clear therefore, that these particular verses are different from the surrounding themes, and are uniquely Passover related. What we must notice, is that these verses are not dealing with the meaning of the Passover emblems at all. They are dealing with the act of eating and drinking. "Except ye eat the flesh ... and drink his blood....Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54) It is the correct act of taking the Passover, that identifies this unique group of people being dealt with within the passage. Only those who correctly take the Passover are the "ecclesia" -- the Church -- or "called out ones". Just as the act of taking the Passover of old was essential to be part of Israel of old, it is just as essential today for those of us who wish to remain part of Spiritual Israel.
This is why Mr Armstrong makes no reference to the meaning of the emblems when he says, "Next read John 6:53-54, noticing this ordinance is commanded as necessary for all Christians." What is vital is the act of taking the Passover if we are indeed a Christian -- part of the very "called out ones". It is this group -- that correctly takes the Passover -- that are able to then go on to ingest the very body of Christ -- his flesh -- His Living Words -- on a daily basis, as the living manna that descends from God -- living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut 8:3). But this symbolism can only come after the emblems of the Passover are taken, as both emblems deal with the forgiveness of sin -- physical and spiritual -- and are not to be mixed with Christ in us, as was erroneously foisted on the Church in the past.
Christ explains this link between those who take the Passover and the primary themes of John 6 in verses 56-57. He explains that these people who correctly take the Passover will subsequently "dwell in me and I in them" (through the Holy Spirit given through contact with the Father) and "he that eats me, even he shall live by me" -- going back to the original topic of manna and God's Living Word again.
This "act of eating and drinking" that is referred to in John 6:53-54, highlights two other aspects of the Passover ceremony, that have nothing whatever to do with the meaning of the emblems. The emblems remain entirely for the forgiveness of sin -- physical and spiritual -- by the broken body and the shed blood. Passover remains a memorial of Christ's death -- not His life in us. Confusing this aspect remains the JWT heresy that undermined healing and faith. But the act of taking the bread does have a parallel in the Old Testament with the act of eating the body of the Passover lamb -- that placed someone within the body of Israel. This parallel is brought out by Paul in 1Cor 10:17 without in any way changing the meaning of the bread.
Likewise, the wine is described as the "new testament in my blood". Taking the Passover wine symbolically causes the terms of the new testament (or covenant) to apply. But again, it is not the meaning of the wine, merely an aspect that applies when we take it.
These two aspects -- that we are made part of Spiritual Israel, and partake of the new Covenant relationship with the Father -- are the aspects that John 6:56-57 is highlighting by saying unless we partake in this, we have no life in us. The process leading to the Living Word being active within us through the Spirit of God can not continue unless we are both part of the Church, and also have a relationship with the Father -- symbolised by the act of eating and drinking. This is undoubtedly why Mr Armstrong included John 6:53-54 within the introduction to the ceremony itself, without changing the meaning of the bread in any way. The bread of Passover remains solely as an emblem of the broken body of Christ - beaten for the forgiveness of physical sin - within God's True Church.
Jon Bowles (Pastor)
What is John 6 as a whole talking about? And why did Mr Armstrong include John 6:53-54 in the Passover introduction?
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54)
Answer:
Almost as soon as Mr Armstrong died, two small verses found within the Passover service were used to undermine some of the most fundamental doctrines God placed in His Church and in so doing, laid the Church open to further apostasy.
In the instructions for the Passover service Mr Armstrong said the following: "Next read John 6:53-54, noticing this ordinance is commanded as necessary for all Christians." That was all he said.
But as soon as Mr Armstrong died, these two verses were then expanded in the ceremony to include much more from John 6. Mr Tkach (or the spirit behind him) then used the expanded section to attack and destroy the meaning within the very Passover emblems themselves. Mr Tkach and those with him claimed that because John 6:53 said unless you both eat and drink you have no life in you, the idea of the bread being for physical sin and healing in a separate way from the wine was wrong. Both emblems (they said) should be merged and had to apply to spiritual sin -- as only that would give us life. In this way they attempted to utterly destroy the understanding we had been given, of the bread being for our healing.
A fairly detailed examination of the progressive stages of Passover and how each properly fits within the subject matter of John 6 is given in the audio of the bible study: "Discerning The Stages of Passover" (10.2Mb) , given on 5th April 2003 in the UK.
However, let me also give the essence of the subject briefly below.
Off-Track in more than Healing:
To understand this subject properly, we must keep in mind that those who attempted to destroy the understanding we had previously of both John 6 and the Passover, were off-Track in many other areas as well:
1. They refused to acknowledge the specific grace (to place foundational teaching within God's Church) given uniquely to an apostle -- and instead attempted to take this privilege to themselves. Having rejected the Government of God of the spiritual heritage that was over them, they thus made themselves "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 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." (2Cor 11:13-15)
2. They failed to recognise the uniqueness of our calling -- thinking all "christians" in the world are also being dealt with by God at this time. Doing this caused them to misread much of John 6 that deals with the fact that "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44)
3. They eventually rejected the Holy Days -- treating the Passover in isolation much as the world approaches "holy communion" -- and so failed to see the Passover's proper position as the very start of God's plan. They therefore attached to the Passover emblems aspects that can only come after the sacrifice of Christ has first reconciled us to God the Father.
4. They eventually even rejected the need to keep the Commandments of God -- thereby failing to grasp the true enormity of sin in God's eyes, and utterly missed the main point, that the Passover emblems were given to us by God specifically for the forgiveness of sin -- of all kinds; both physical and spiritual.
What is the Main Topic of John 6?
In the first year bible class at AC Bricket Wood in 1967, the Passover was not presented as the main topic of John 6 at all. The main personal note against the passage I have in the bible I used at the time was simply, "If we partake of Christ - feeding our minds with the words he left by reading, we become spiritually like him. We are what we eat -- and what we read. That is why many of our minds are shallow". I have no idea if Mr Armstrong was teaching the class when I made that note, though he could have been. However, it was more likely to have been Mr Hunting or Mr Mc Nair. But whoever was teaching, they clearly identified the living bread as being God's Words to us - not one of the emblems of the Passover.
This teaching lies at the heart and core of John 6, and is certainly the primary meaning of the bread found there. Christ was answering a specific question from John 6:31 regarding manna, and manna was given to daily sustain ancient Israel. It was also given by the God of the Old Testament (who was Christ Himself before His birth) to show that we "do not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Deut 8:3). This reference to manna is returned to a number of times through the passage in verses 49 and 58.
John begins his entire gospel talking about Christ as "The Word". In fact Christ explains exactly what He is talking about within John 6 regarding His flesh giving life when He says to his disciples in John 6:63, "the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life." This verse shows clearly that the bread primarily talked of in John 6 is not the physical Passover bread, nor is it the literal flesh of Christ's person, it is the living Word of God. The Word of God, living within us through the indwelling of The Holy Spirit. As it says in James, "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)" The bread of John 6 is the very sperm of God's Understanding via His Spirit -- when His Word lives and grows within us -- that begets us as the very Sons of God.
The Secondary Theme of John 6:
But there is also a secondary theme that is woven within this latter section of John 6. This secondary theme is summed up within the verse that says, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44) This secondary theme was continually referred to by Mr Armstrong, who constantly quoted the above verse to show the uniqueness of our calling. The apostle John also goes back to this theme repeatedly within John 6 as he shows that the group of people Christ is talking about, who have access to the "living bread", are only those called by the Father.
John finally ends the section, showing this huge divide between those who are being called by the Father, and those who are not, when Christ says, "But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. 66 From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:64-66)
Immediately after the above, He asks the twelve apostles, "Will ye also go away?", and Simon Peter replies, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John 6:67-68) This reply shows clearly that the Father was in the process of calling Peter -- putting him into this special group of the Church (lit: "called out ones"). To some degree Peter could see the meaning of "the bread of life" that Christ was talking about. It was Christ's "words of eternal life" that only the select group would eventually have living within them. This is what Peter -- having been called by God -- now wanted to hold on to.
Why Mr Armstrong included John 6:53-54:
Although Mr Armstrong recognised both the above themes within the latter part of John 6, he also included verses 53-56 within the introductory statements of the Passover. But he did this without changing the meaning of the bread whatsoever. It is very clear therefore, that these particular verses are different from the surrounding themes, and are uniquely Passover related. What we must notice, is that these verses are not dealing with the meaning of the Passover emblems at all. They are dealing with the act of eating and drinking. "Except ye eat the flesh ... and drink his blood....Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54) It is the correct act of taking the Passover, that identifies this unique group of people being dealt with within the passage. Only those who correctly take the Passover are the "ecclesia" -- the Church -- or "called out ones". Just as the act of taking the Passover of old was essential to be part of Israel of old, it is just as essential today for those of us who wish to remain part of Spiritual Israel.
This is why Mr Armstrong makes no reference to the meaning of the emblems when he says, "Next read John 6:53-54, noticing this ordinance is commanded as necessary for all Christians." What is vital is the act of taking the Passover if we are indeed a Christian -- part of the very "called out ones". It is this group -- that correctly takes the Passover -- that are able to then go on to ingest the very body of Christ -- his flesh -- His Living Words -- on a daily basis, as the living manna that descends from God -- living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deut 8:3). But this symbolism can only come after the emblems of the Passover are taken, as both emblems deal with the forgiveness of sin -- physical and spiritual -- and are not to be mixed with Christ in us, as was erroneously foisted on the Church in the past.
Christ explains this link between those who take the Passover and the primary themes of John 6 in verses 56-57. He explains that these people who correctly take the Passover will subsequently "dwell in me and I in them" (through the Holy Spirit given through contact with the Father) and "he that eats me, even he shall live by me" -- going back to the original topic of manna and God's Living Word again.
This "act of eating and drinking" that is referred to in John 6:53-54, highlights two other aspects of the Passover ceremony, that have nothing whatever to do with the meaning of the emblems. The emblems remain entirely for the forgiveness of sin -- physical and spiritual -- by the broken body and the shed blood. Passover remains a memorial of Christ's death -- not His life in us. Confusing this aspect remains the JWT heresy that undermined healing and faith. But the act of taking the bread does have a parallel in the Old Testament with the act of eating the body of the Passover lamb -- that placed someone within the body of Israel. This parallel is brought out by Paul in 1Cor 10:17 without in any way changing the meaning of the bread.
Likewise, the wine is described as the "new testament in my blood". Taking the Passover wine symbolically causes the terms of the new testament (or covenant) to apply. But again, it is not the meaning of the wine, merely an aspect that applies when we take it.
These two aspects -- that we are made part of Spiritual Israel, and partake of the new Covenant relationship with the Father -- are the aspects that John 6:56-57 is highlighting by saying unless we partake in this, we have no life in us. The process leading to the Living Word being active within us through the Spirit of God can not continue unless we are both part of the Church, and also have a relationship with the Father -- symbolised by the act of eating and drinking. This is undoubtedly why Mr Armstrong included John 6:53-54 within the introduction to the ceremony itself, without changing the meaning of the bread in any way. The bread of Passover remains solely as an emblem of the broken body of Christ - beaten for the forgiveness of physical sin - within God's True Church.
Jon Bowles (Pastor)
That Way
"That Way" (Acts 19:23)
In the early 1970’s, I remember sitting in a bible-study that Mr Armstrong was taking at the campus in Bricket Wood. It was about the World Tomorrow and he pounded the table in front of him and almost in exasperation told us, “Most of you here simply do not understand what I am saying – you just don’t get it – you simply can not see!” And he was talking to faculty members, ministers, long time brethren, students and graduates – not the world.
The following Sunday morning after the bible-study, a friend of mine was talking to him, and asked him “what exactly did you mean on Friday night when you said that we simply did not get it Mr Armstrong?” And Mr Armstrong began to explain to him that there is simply nothing within this world that is going to remain as it is today when the World Tomorrow comes. Absolutely everything is going to have to change. So often we have a view that the World Tomorrow is going to be much like today – but just with more of everything. This concept, according to both scripture and the apostle sent to us, is utterly false.
The World Tomorrow is going to be a world that will need to be physically rebuilt from the bottom up. At the time of its inception, today’s society will lie in utter ruin. It says in Rev 6:12-14 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake … and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” This is the first of two enormous earthquakes described in Revelation. The second is described in Rev 16:17-20 “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air…and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great…..And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”
This last earthquake seems to actually level the very topology of the earth – probably giving the basis of hugely productive, verdant growing and living areas for the future. But the cities that now stand will be utterly destroyed by these cataclysmic events. And within these cities, the manufacturing base, the government buildings, the educational infrastructure, the transportation systems, the fuel extraction and purification plants, the distribution channels, the medical establishments, the agricultural industry, all communications, all electrical supply, and every place and means of entertainment –completely wiped away. And the new systems that will replace them will be totally, utterly different from absolutely everything that went before.
But this destruction is not only going to be physical. Every philosophy and religion, every creed and denomination, every form of education, every form of government, all charities and welfare programmes, even the very languages used to describe all that we know and hold dear in today’s societies are to be removed and replaced with a new, living, different Way. Based on an entirely different approach. A total about-face for the entire world. And that’s where we come in. What kind of vision do we have in our minds? How do we see the World Tomorrow? Is it just the same as today’s world – but more of it? Is it truly God’s vision we hold? Or is it merely a slightly modified version of our own?
Over the past few years virtually all that was physically owned by the Church has been taken from us. The buildings, printing-presses, campuses, recording studios, libraries, computer systems, ornate gardens, farms – all have gone. Except one thing: the Truth itself. Is God trying to teach us something? Could it be that when Mr Armstrong said, “You just do not get it – you can not see what I am talking about”, that the only way God could really show us was to strip everything away from us, to lay us organisationally bare, and get us to focus on the one element that really is important to Him. To make us concentrate on The Truth we had.
The World Tomorrow is going to be the way it is, not because of buildings or architecture. It is not some clever management method that is required. It is not even a list of do’s and don’ts that men may glean from scripture. It will be brought about by a radical change of thinking, from one way of life to a totally different Way of life. This is why Mr Armstrong continually talked about the two trees – yet we all became bored, because we thought we had heard it all before. But we did not really understand what he said. Subsequent events have proved this. The true scope of that simple change, from a way of get to the Way of Give eluded us. From the top to the bottom of the organisation, we were unable to truly grasp the vision placed before us. We remained spiritually blind and had to stumble into a time of apostasy before beginning to wake up. And even today, too many of us during this Laodicean time remain asleep in varying degrees.
This foundational rock (Matt 7:24) of the living Word of God is the most precious thing we have. This living Word is not merely the raw words of scripture – interpreted by men. It is the spirit of the law, the trunk of the tree -- the thing Mr Armstrong went back to almost every time he spoke, the very mindset that must under gird all we do for eternity. This "Way" had to be revealed -- Mr Armstrong did not learn it himself – and all of us who build on the foundation Christ laid within the Church previously must be very careful indeed that we do not decide to change this spiritual foundation -- or we will be out of line and off track as per 1Cor 3:10-11.
It is not a legal dossier. It is not a Talmud. It involves an approach that God gave us and expects us to follow faithfully and clearly. It comes from the identical Spirit that moved men to write the scriptures in the first place and was therefore the reason Mr Armstrong was able to confidently and repeatedly say "don't believe me, believe your bible" as the two are utterly compatible. (cf. 2Pet 1:19-2:1).
To follow within it requires a submission to what was left to us rather than arrogantly assuming that we know better. If adjustments need to be made to what we formerly understood, such adjustments are still to be made in submission to this Way -- to strengthen this Way -- and support rather than destroy the heritage we received. It is our spiritual legacy. And though the words of Mr Armstrong are certainly subservient to scripture, this spiritual legacy remains over us all because it came directly as revealed leadership to our specific church era from the very Spirit of God.
This Way is part of the true “new covenant” that is to be implemented on this earth when Jesus Christ marries His Bride – The Church – resurrected to immortality. This true new covenant is not the counterfeit that those who tried to lead us into apostasy accepted – accepting a form of license to disobey God. We are made administrators of this new covenant – of the spirit, and not of the letter (2Cor 3:6). In this passage it is the administration that is being addressed, not the Law. This Way, this administration, allows us to see what God has actually placed in the Old Testament Law for the first time, as until this new administration came, all who read the Old Testament remained completely blind to what was actually there (2Cor 3: 14-16). It is the future administration that we within the Church are currently training to be part of, which God will use to utterly transform this world in every facet of its existence during the World Tomorrow. The very plan of God itself is waiting for us all to be capable of judging according to it. To administer the very Laws of God according to This Way, so we can indeed function as the kings and priests that will rule and teach in the future.
This Way (Acts 9:2, 18:26, 22:4, 24:14) is not merely Judaism with a belief in Christ tacked on. Christ specifically tells us “except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:20). To understand this verse, we must view it in its context: Just before saying this, Christ explains “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Grk: fill to the brim) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Grk: come to pass). (Matt 5:17-18). So the written law of the Old Testament remains exactly the same as it always has – in every detail. What changes is the approach we must take to the words previously written. Christ then begins to describe this approach, a Way of looking at the Law of God that is totally different from the Jewish oral traditions of the time – a more excellent Way (1Cor 12:31) – based on the mind and Spirit of God (Matt 5:48), the Way of Give (1Cor 13:1-13), the Tree of Life – identical to The Way we were also taught during the Philadelphian era of God’s Church, by the apostle sent specifically to us, through whom that identical Way was also revealed.
If we examine the specific examples Christ gives us in Matt 5 of how we must administer the Law of God – both now and in the future – we understand that what He is countering, is not the old testament scriptures, but the Jewish administration of them. Jesus Christ is teaching them that the full meaning involves keeping the spiritual law - the law of love, codified in the Ten Commandments - administering them not according to the strictness of the letter but according to the spirit -- or principal, or obvious intent, of the law (2Cor 3:6). Many Jews emphasized the letter of the law, but through their own traditions (oral teachings), they often stunted the intent of the law - and thereby actually corrupted the law of God.
Judaism, many times perverted the law's intent by replacing the words that God gave with doctrines and commandments of men. (Mark 7:7). Jesus came to counter this. Christ's approach was to magnify the law itself, elevating it away from the traditions that the Jews had added and thereby making the law honorable once more (Is 42:21). He restored the spirit, the intent -- so we can all keep it as God originally intended it to be kept.Try studying the following scriptures, and notice clearly the two different approaches. These show two different administrations – one from Judaism, the other from Christ, one of the letter, the other of the Spirit. Yet the Law of God on which they are based remains identical. It is merely the approach, the Way, the administration, that is utterly different:
Christ’s words in Matthew 5
Law viewed using
Administration of Letter
Additional Scriptures using
Administration of Spirit
Matt 5:21-22
21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall
be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That
whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in
danger of the council: but whosoever
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in
danger of hell fire.
Ex 20:13
Thou shalt not kill.
Numbers 35:12
12 And they shall be unto you
cities for refuge from the avenger;
that the manslayer die not, until he
stand before the congregation in
judgment.
Leviticus 19:16 –18
16 Thou shalt not go up and down
[as] a talebearer among thy people:
neither shalt thou stand against the
blood of thy neighbour: I [am] the
LORD.
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother
in thine heart: thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear
any grudge against the children of
thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I [am] the
LORD.
Matthew 5:23 -24
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift
to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath ought against
thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift.
Leviticus 6:2 -6
2 If a soul sin, and commit a
trespass against the LORD, and lie
unto his neighbour in that which was
delivered him to keep, or in
fellowship, or in a thing taken away
by violence, or hath deceived his
neighbour;
3 Or have found that which was
lost, and lieth concerning it, and
sweareth falsely; in any of all these
that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4 Then it shall be, because he hath
sinned, and is guilty, that he shall
restore that which he took violently
away, or the thing which he hath
deceitfully gotten, or that which was
delivered him to keep, or the lost
thing which he found,
5 Or all that about which he hath
sworn falsely; he shall even restore
it in the principal, and shall add
the fifth part more thereto, [and]
give it unto him to whom it
appertaineth, in the day of his
trespass offering.
6 And he shall bring his trespass
offering unto the LORD, a ram without
blemish out of the flock, with thy
estimation, for a trespass offering,
unto the priest:
Matthew 5:25
25 Agree with thine adversary
quickly, whiles thou art in the way
with him; lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge,
and the judge deliver thee to the
officer, and thou be cast into
prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou
shalt by no means come out thence,
till thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing.
Proverbs 6:1
1 ¶ My son, if thou be surety for
thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken
thy hand with a stranger,
2 Thou art snared with the words of
thy mouth, thou art taken with the
words of thy mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver
thyself, when thou art come into the
hand of thy friend; go, humble
thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor
slumber to thine eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the
hand [of the hunter], and as a bird
from the hand of the fowler.
Matthew 5:27
27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That
whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Ex 20:14
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Le 20:10
And the man that committeth
adultery with [another] man's
wife, [even he] that committeth
adultery with his neighbour's
wife, the adulterer and the
adulteress shall surely be put to
death.
Ex 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbour's wife, nor
his manservant, nor his
maidservant, nor his ox, nor his
ass, nor any thing that [is] thy
neighbour's.
Matthew 5:29
29 And if thy right eye offend
thee, pluck it out, and cast [it]
from thee: for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend
thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from
thee: for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should
perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Proverbs 5:8
8 Remove thy way far from her, and
come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thine honour unto
others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 Lest strangers be filled with
thy wealth; and thy labours [be] in
the house of a stranger;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated
instruction, and my heart despised
reproof;
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 I was almost in all evil in the
midst of the congregation and
assembly.
Matthew 5:31
31 It hath been said, Whosoever
shall put away his wife, let him give
her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife,
saving for the cause of fornication,
causeth her to commit adultery: and
whosoever shall marry her that is
divorced committeth adultery.
Deut 24:1
When a man hath taken a
wife, and married her, and it
come to pass that she find no
favour in his eyes, because he
hath found some uncleanness in
her: then let him write her a
bill of divorcement, and give
[it] in her hand, and send her
out of his house.
Matthew 19:8
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Malachi 2:16
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel,
saith that he hateth putting away:
for [one] covereth violence with his
garment, saith the LORD of hosts:
therefore take heed to your spirit,
that ye deal not treacherously.
Matthew 5:33 -37
33 ¶ Again, ye have heard that it
hath been said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but
shalt perform unto the Lord thine
oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at
all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his
footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for
it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy
head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be,
Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil (or evil one).
Ex 20:7
Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain; for
the LORD will not hold him
guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.
Nu 30:2
If a man vow a vow unto the
LORD, or swear an oath to bind
his soul with a bond; he shall
not break his word, he shall do
according to all that proceedeth
out of his mouth.
Genesis 3:1
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?
4 And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Deuteronomy 32:4
4 …a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
Matthew 5:38
38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been
said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth:
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.
40 And if any man will sue thee at
the law, and take away thy coat, let
him have [thy] cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Exodus 21:22-25
22 ¶ If men strive, and hurt a woman
with child, so that her fruit depart
[from her], and yet no mischief
follow: he shall be surely punished,
according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges [determine].
23 And if [any] mischief follow,
then thou shalt give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for
wound, stripe for stripe.
Exodus 22:5-9
5 If a man shall cause a field or
vineyard to be eaten, and shall put
in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
7 ¶ If a man shall deliver unto his
neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
9 For all manner of trespass,
[whether it be] for ox, for ass, for
sheep, for raiment, [or] for any
manner of lost thing, which [another]
challengeth to be his, the cause of
both parties shall come before the
judges; [and] whom the judges shall
condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour..
Matthew 5:42
42 Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow of
thee turn not thou away.
Deuteronomy 15:7-9
7 If there be among you a poor man
of one of thy brethren within any of
thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8 But thou shalt open thine hand
wide unto him, and shalt surely lend
him sufficient for his need, [in
that] which he wanteth.
9 Beware that there be not a
thought in thy wicked heart, saying,
The seventh year, the year of
release, is at hand; and thine eye be
evil against thy poor brother, and
thou givest him nought; and he cry
unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
Proverbs 3:27-28
27 ¶ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the
power of thine hand to do [it].
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go,
and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Matthew 5:43-47
43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
and hate thine enemy.
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;
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.
46 For if ye love them which love
you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more [than others]?
do not even the publicans so?
Leviticus 19:18
18 …thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I [am] the
LORD.
Exodus 17:16
16 For he said, Because the LORD
hath sworn [that] the LORD [will
have] war with Amalek from generation
to generation.
Exodus 23:4
4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or
his ass going astray, thou shalt
surely bring it back to him again.
5 If thou see the ass of him that
hateth thee lying under his burden,
and wouldest forbear to help him,
thou shalt surely help with him.
Proverbs 25:21
21 ¶ If thine enemy be hungry, give
him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of
fire upon his head, and the LORD
shall reward thee.
Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.
Ex 19:6
And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests, and an
holy nation. These [are] the
words which thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel.
Leviticus 11:44
44 For I [am] the LORD your God:
ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy;
for I [am] holy: neither shall ye
defile yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth.
45 For I [am] the LORD that
bringeth you up out of the land of
Egypt, to be your God: ye shall
therefore be holy, for I [am] holy.
This administration of the Spirit as described and explained by Christ in Matt 5, did not come from the human mind. This Way – the Way of Give – also did not come to us today from a human source either – though it was revealed through a human being, an apostle that God selected and sent for the purpose. Understanding the things of God cannot come from human reasoning or intellectual scholarship. This is why it says, “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.” (Lu 10:21)
Regardless of intellect, education or position in this world, this Way must always be revealed (1Cor 2:9-11) as it comes from the very Spirit of God, and on God’s terms. Of and by ourselves, we would have remained utterly ignorant of the most important aspects of life today (1Cor 2:12). The scriptures that provide our entire hope and destiny would have remained closed, as even though we may have read them, they are not for private interpretation. (2Pet 1:20). We should not therefore glory about what we currently know and understand as if somehow we received this knowledge by ourselves (1Cor 4:7). But always keep on our knees, as the people of God, recognising the true source of our strength. Without such effective, constant contact with the source of our understanding, we will unquestionably once again drift away from that understanding.
This utterly different, living Way of God will govern every aspect of life in the future. As Mr Armstrong said, “In God's kingdom, commands of His, will be obeyed. They'll become the standard for regulating commerce, business, finance, and the entire economic structure of the world. And all will be on the giving basis. Christ said: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). The giving standard will be followed in God's rule on this earth—not the grasping, conniving, striving, deceitful, clandestine, furtive, scurrilous, devious, cheating and lying chicanery that is commonplace in today's business world.” (Mystery of the Ages Page 323)
So for us to be there to teach it, we must first develop this Way ourselves in every aspect of our own lives today. Knowledge of This Way has been given to us specifically that we may grow in the grace and knowledge within the revelation handed to us as a spiritual legacy – not go outside it to elevate our own ideas. It has been given so we shall be ready to teach and judge correctly as kings and priests in the future. A people called by God, who both have and also continually exercise the gift of being able to see spiritually in a dark and lost world – ready and willing to then continue doing so for eternity.
With fondest love to all who currently strive for That Way,
From all of us here in Wales,
Jon Bowles
In the early 1970’s, I remember sitting in a bible-study that Mr Armstrong was taking at the campus in Bricket Wood. It was about the World Tomorrow and he pounded the table in front of him and almost in exasperation told us, “Most of you here simply do not understand what I am saying – you just don’t get it – you simply can not see!” And he was talking to faculty members, ministers, long time brethren, students and graduates – not the world.
The following Sunday morning after the bible-study, a friend of mine was talking to him, and asked him “what exactly did you mean on Friday night when you said that we simply did not get it Mr Armstrong?” And Mr Armstrong began to explain to him that there is simply nothing within this world that is going to remain as it is today when the World Tomorrow comes. Absolutely everything is going to have to change. So often we have a view that the World Tomorrow is going to be much like today – but just with more of everything. This concept, according to both scripture and the apostle sent to us, is utterly false.
The World Tomorrow is going to be a world that will need to be physically rebuilt from the bottom up. At the time of its inception, today’s society will lie in utter ruin. It says in Rev 6:12-14 “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake … and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” This is the first of two enormous earthquakes described in Revelation. The second is described in Rev 16:17-20 “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air…and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great…..And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”
This last earthquake seems to actually level the very topology of the earth – probably giving the basis of hugely productive, verdant growing and living areas for the future. But the cities that now stand will be utterly destroyed by these cataclysmic events. And within these cities, the manufacturing base, the government buildings, the educational infrastructure, the transportation systems, the fuel extraction and purification plants, the distribution channels, the medical establishments, the agricultural industry, all communications, all electrical supply, and every place and means of entertainment –completely wiped away. And the new systems that will replace them will be totally, utterly different from absolutely everything that went before.
But this destruction is not only going to be physical. Every philosophy and religion, every creed and denomination, every form of education, every form of government, all charities and welfare programmes, even the very languages used to describe all that we know and hold dear in today’s societies are to be removed and replaced with a new, living, different Way. Based on an entirely different approach. A total about-face for the entire world. And that’s where we come in. What kind of vision do we have in our minds? How do we see the World Tomorrow? Is it just the same as today’s world – but more of it? Is it truly God’s vision we hold? Or is it merely a slightly modified version of our own?
Over the past few years virtually all that was physically owned by the Church has been taken from us. The buildings, printing-presses, campuses, recording studios, libraries, computer systems, ornate gardens, farms – all have gone. Except one thing: the Truth itself. Is God trying to teach us something? Could it be that when Mr Armstrong said, “You just do not get it – you can not see what I am talking about”, that the only way God could really show us was to strip everything away from us, to lay us organisationally bare, and get us to focus on the one element that really is important to Him. To make us concentrate on The Truth we had.
The World Tomorrow is going to be the way it is, not because of buildings or architecture. It is not some clever management method that is required. It is not even a list of do’s and don’ts that men may glean from scripture. It will be brought about by a radical change of thinking, from one way of life to a totally different Way of life. This is why Mr Armstrong continually talked about the two trees – yet we all became bored, because we thought we had heard it all before. But we did not really understand what he said. Subsequent events have proved this. The true scope of that simple change, from a way of get to the Way of Give eluded us. From the top to the bottom of the organisation, we were unable to truly grasp the vision placed before us. We remained spiritually blind and had to stumble into a time of apostasy before beginning to wake up. And even today, too many of us during this Laodicean time remain asleep in varying degrees.
This foundational rock (Matt 7:24) of the living Word of God is the most precious thing we have. This living Word is not merely the raw words of scripture – interpreted by men. It is the spirit of the law, the trunk of the tree -- the thing Mr Armstrong went back to almost every time he spoke, the very mindset that must under gird all we do for eternity. This "Way" had to be revealed -- Mr Armstrong did not learn it himself – and all of us who build on the foundation Christ laid within the Church previously must be very careful indeed that we do not decide to change this spiritual foundation -- or we will be out of line and off track as per 1Cor 3:10-11.
It is not a legal dossier. It is not a Talmud. It involves an approach that God gave us and expects us to follow faithfully and clearly. It comes from the identical Spirit that moved men to write the scriptures in the first place and was therefore the reason Mr Armstrong was able to confidently and repeatedly say "don't believe me, believe your bible" as the two are utterly compatible. (cf. 2Pet 1:19-2:1).
To follow within it requires a submission to what was left to us rather than arrogantly assuming that we know better. If adjustments need to be made to what we formerly understood, such adjustments are still to be made in submission to this Way -- to strengthen this Way -- and support rather than destroy the heritage we received. It is our spiritual legacy. And though the words of Mr Armstrong are certainly subservient to scripture, this spiritual legacy remains over us all because it came directly as revealed leadership to our specific church era from the very Spirit of God.
This Way is part of the true “new covenant” that is to be implemented on this earth when Jesus Christ marries His Bride – The Church – resurrected to immortality. This true new covenant is not the counterfeit that those who tried to lead us into apostasy accepted – accepting a form of license to disobey God. We are made administrators of this new covenant – of the spirit, and not of the letter (2Cor 3:6). In this passage it is the administration that is being addressed, not the Law. This Way, this administration, allows us to see what God has actually placed in the Old Testament Law for the first time, as until this new administration came, all who read the Old Testament remained completely blind to what was actually there (2Cor 3: 14-16). It is the future administration that we within the Church are currently training to be part of, which God will use to utterly transform this world in every facet of its existence during the World Tomorrow. The very plan of God itself is waiting for us all to be capable of judging according to it. To administer the very Laws of God according to This Way, so we can indeed function as the kings and priests that will rule and teach in the future.
This Way (Acts 9:2, 18:26, 22:4, 24:14) is not merely Judaism with a belief in Christ tacked on. Christ specifically tells us “except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:20). To understand this verse, we must view it in its context: Just before saying this, Christ explains “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Grk: fill to the brim) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Grk: come to pass). (Matt 5:17-18). So the written law of the Old Testament remains exactly the same as it always has – in every detail. What changes is the approach we must take to the words previously written. Christ then begins to describe this approach, a Way of looking at the Law of God that is totally different from the Jewish oral traditions of the time – a more excellent Way (1Cor 12:31) – based on the mind and Spirit of God (Matt 5:48), the Way of Give (1Cor 13:1-13), the Tree of Life – identical to The Way we were also taught during the Philadelphian era of God’s Church, by the apostle sent specifically to us, through whom that identical Way was also revealed.
If we examine the specific examples Christ gives us in Matt 5 of how we must administer the Law of God – both now and in the future – we understand that what He is countering, is not the old testament scriptures, but the Jewish administration of them. Jesus Christ is teaching them that the full meaning involves keeping the spiritual law - the law of love, codified in the Ten Commandments - administering them not according to the strictness of the letter but according to the spirit -- or principal, or obvious intent, of the law (2Cor 3:6). Many Jews emphasized the letter of the law, but through their own traditions (oral teachings), they often stunted the intent of the law - and thereby actually corrupted the law of God.
Judaism, many times perverted the law's intent by replacing the words that God gave with doctrines and commandments of men. (Mark 7:7). Jesus came to counter this. Christ's approach was to magnify the law itself, elevating it away from the traditions that the Jews had added and thereby making the law honorable once more (Is 42:21). He restored the spirit, the intent -- so we can all keep it as God originally intended it to be kept.Try studying the following scriptures, and notice clearly the two different approaches. These show two different administrations – one from Judaism, the other from Christ, one of the letter, the other of the Spirit. Yet the Law of God on which they are based remains identical. It is merely the approach, the Way, the administration, that is utterly different:
Christ’s words in Matthew 5
Law viewed using
Administration of Letter
Additional Scriptures using
Administration of Spirit
Matt 5:21-22
21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt not
kill; and whosoever shall kill shall
be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That
whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of
the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in
danger of the council: but whosoever
shall say, Thou fool, shall be in
danger of hell fire.
Ex 20:13
Thou shalt not kill.
Numbers 35:12
12 And they shall be unto you
cities for refuge from the avenger;
that the manslayer die not, until he
stand before the congregation in
judgment.
Leviticus 19:16 –18
16 Thou shalt not go up and down
[as] a talebearer among thy people:
neither shalt thou stand against the
blood of thy neighbour: I [am] the
LORD.
17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother
in thine heart: thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear
any grudge against the children of
thy people, but thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I [am] the
LORD.
Matthew 5:23 -24
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift
to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath ought against
thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift.
Leviticus 6:2 -6
2 If a soul sin, and commit a
trespass against the LORD, and lie
unto his neighbour in that which was
delivered him to keep, or in
fellowship, or in a thing taken away
by violence, or hath deceived his
neighbour;
3 Or have found that which was
lost, and lieth concerning it, and
sweareth falsely; in any of all these
that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4 Then it shall be, because he hath
sinned, and is guilty, that he shall
restore that which he took violently
away, or the thing which he hath
deceitfully gotten, or that which was
delivered him to keep, or the lost
thing which he found,
5 Or all that about which he hath
sworn falsely; he shall even restore
it in the principal, and shall add
the fifth part more thereto, [and]
give it unto him to whom it
appertaineth, in the day of his
trespass offering.
6 And he shall bring his trespass
offering unto the LORD, a ram without
blemish out of the flock, with thy
estimation, for a trespass offering,
unto the priest:
Matthew 5:25
25 Agree with thine adversary
quickly, whiles thou art in the way
with him; lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge,
and the judge deliver thee to the
officer, and thou be cast into
prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou
shalt by no means come out thence,
till thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing.
Proverbs 6:1
1 ¶ My son, if thou be surety for
thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken
thy hand with a stranger,
2 Thou art snared with the words of
thy mouth, thou art taken with the
words of thy mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver
thyself, when thou art come into the
hand of thy friend; go, humble
thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor
slumber to thine eyelids.
5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the
hand [of the hunter], and as a bird
from the hand of the fowler.
Matthew 5:27
27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said
by them of old time, Thou shalt not
commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That
whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Ex 20:14
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Le 20:10
And the man that committeth
adultery with [another] man's
wife, [even he] that committeth
adultery with his neighbour's
wife, the adulterer and the
adulteress shall surely be put to
death.
Ex 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbour's wife, nor
his manservant, nor his
maidservant, nor his ox, nor his
ass, nor any thing that [is] thy
neighbour's.
Matthew 5:29
29 And if thy right eye offend
thee, pluck it out, and cast [it]
from thee: for it is profitable for
thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend
thee, cut it off, and cast [it] from
thee: for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should
perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Proverbs 5:8
8 Remove thy way far from her, and
come not nigh the door of her house:
9 Lest thou give thine honour unto
others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 Lest strangers be filled with
thy wealth; and thy labours [be] in
the house of a stranger;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 And say, How have I hated
instruction, and my heart despised
reproof;
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 I was almost in all evil in the
midst of the congregation and
assembly.
Matthew 5:31
31 It hath been said, Whosoever
shall put away his wife, let him give
her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife,
saving for the cause of fornication,
causeth her to commit adultery: and
whosoever shall marry her that is
divorced committeth adultery.
Deut 24:1
When a man hath taken a
wife, and married her, and it
come to pass that she find no
favour in his eyes, because he
hath found some uncleanness in
her: then let him write her a
bill of divorcement, and give
[it] in her hand, and send her
out of his house.
Matthew 19:8
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Malachi 2:16
16 For the LORD, the God of Israel,
saith that he hateth putting away:
for [one] covereth violence with his
garment, saith the LORD of hosts:
therefore take heed to your spirit,
that ye deal not treacherously.
Matthew 5:33 -37
33 ¶ Again, ye have heard that it
hath been said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but
shalt perform unto the Lord thine
oaths:
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at
all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his
footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for
it is the city of the great King.
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy
head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37 But let your communication be,
Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil (or evil one).
Ex 20:7
Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain; for
the LORD will not hold him
guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.
Nu 30:2
If a man vow a vow unto the
LORD, or swear an oath to bind
his soul with a bond; he shall
not break his word, he shall do
according to all that proceedeth
out of his mouth.
Genesis 3:1
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?
4 And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Deuteronomy 32:4
4 …a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right [is] he.
Matthew 5:38
38 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been
said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth:
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.
40 And if any man will sue thee at
the law, and take away thy coat, let
him have [thy] cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Exodus 21:22-25
22 ¶ If men strive, and hurt a woman
with child, so that her fruit depart
[from her], and yet no mischief
follow: he shall be surely punished,
according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges [determine].
23 And if [any] mischief follow,
then thou shalt give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth,
hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for
wound, stripe for stripe.
Exodus 22:5-9
5 If a man shall cause a field or
vineyard to be eaten, and shall put
in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
7 ¶ If a man shall deliver unto his
neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
9 For all manner of trespass,
[whether it be] for ox, for ass, for
sheep, for raiment, [or] for any
manner of lost thing, which [another]
challengeth to be his, the cause of
both parties shall come before the
judges; [and] whom the judges shall
condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour..
Matthew 5:42
42 Give to him that asketh thee,
and from him that would borrow of
thee turn not thou away.
Deuteronomy 15:7-9
7 If there be among you a poor man
of one of thy brethren within any of
thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8 But thou shalt open thine hand
wide unto him, and shalt surely lend
him sufficient for his need, [in
that] which he wanteth.
9 Beware that there be not a
thought in thy wicked heart, saying,
The seventh year, the year of
release, is at hand; and thine eye be
evil against thy poor brother, and
thou givest him nought; and he cry
unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
Proverbs 3:27-28
27 ¶ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the
power of thine hand to do [it].
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go,
and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
Matthew 5:43-47
43 ¶ Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
and hate thine enemy.
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;
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.
46 For if ye love them which love
you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more [than others]?
do not even the publicans so?
Leviticus 19:18
18 …thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself: I [am] the
LORD.
Exodus 17:16
16 For he said, Because the LORD
hath sworn [that] the LORD [will
have] war with Amalek from generation
to generation.
Exodus 23:4
4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or
his ass going astray, thou shalt
surely bring it back to him again.
5 If thou see the ass of him that
hateth thee lying under his burden,
and wouldest forbear to help him,
thou shalt surely help with him.
Proverbs 25:21
21 ¶ If thine enemy be hungry, give
him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink:
22 For thou shalt heap coals of
fire upon his head, and the LORD
shall reward thee.
Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as
your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.
Ex 19:6
And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests, and an
holy nation. These [are] the
words which thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel.
Leviticus 11:44
44 For I [am] the LORD your God:
ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy;
for I [am] holy: neither shall ye
defile yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth.
45 For I [am] the LORD that
bringeth you up out of the land of
Egypt, to be your God: ye shall
therefore be holy, for I [am] holy.
This administration of the Spirit as described and explained by Christ in Matt 5, did not come from the human mind. This Way – the Way of Give – also did not come to us today from a human source either – though it was revealed through a human being, an apostle that God selected and sent for the purpose. Understanding the things of God cannot come from human reasoning or intellectual scholarship. This is why it says, “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.” (Lu 10:21)
Regardless of intellect, education or position in this world, this Way must always be revealed (1Cor 2:9-11) as it comes from the very Spirit of God, and on God’s terms. Of and by ourselves, we would have remained utterly ignorant of the most important aspects of life today (1Cor 2:12). The scriptures that provide our entire hope and destiny would have remained closed, as even though we may have read them, they are not for private interpretation. (2Pet 1:20). We should not therefore glory about what we currently know and understand as if somehow we received this knowledge by ourselves (1Cor 4:7). But always keep on our knees, as the people of God, recognising the true source of our strength. Without such effective, constant contact with the source of our understanding, we will unquestionably once again drift away from that understanding.
This utterly different, living Way of God will govern every aspect of life in the future. As Mr Armstrong said, “In God's kingdom, commands of His, will be obeyed. They'll become the standard for regulating commerce, business, finance, and the entire economic structure of the world. And all will be on the giving basis. Christ said: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). The giving standard will be followed in God's rule on this earth—not the grasping, conniving, striving, deceitful, clandestine, furtive, scurrilous, devious, cheating and lying chicanery that is commonplace in today's business world.” (Mystery of the Ages Page 323)
So for us to be there to teach it, we must first develop this Way ourselves in every aspect of our own lives today. Knowledge of This Way has been given to us specifically that we may grow in the grace and knowledge within the revelation handed to us as a spiritual legacy – not go outside it to elevate our own ideas. It has been given so we shall be ready to teach and judge correctly as kings and priests in the future. A people called by God, who both have and also continually exercise the gift of being able to see spiritually in a dark and lost world – ready and willing to then continue doing so for eternity.
With fondest love to all who currently strive for That Way,
From all of us here in Wales,
Jon Bowles
The Firstfruit Covenant
Sermon by Jon Bowles in article form
The Firstfruit Covenant
an article based on a sermon
by Jon Bowles
given Pentecost 2007-05-27
(PLAY FROM START)
As we look at the meaning of this Day of Pentecost let us first remember why it is called "Pentecost."
Leviticus, chapter 23:
Leviticus 23:15-16 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: (16) Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the [Eternal].
Pentecost means to "count fifty." But how do we count fifty? From what point? In Verse 10, notice a ceremony that takes place during the Days of Unleavened Bread:
Leviticus 23:10-11 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf [an omer] of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (11) And he shall wave the sheaf before the [Eternal], to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
The Jews today keep Pentecost on the 6th of Sivan. They look at the starting point of the actual counting as the morrow after the first Holy Day. Therefore, for them, Pentecost always falls on the same day. But it is not the day after the first Holy Day that is to be used to count. Rather, it is the day after a weekly Sabbath that should be used and that day must fall within the Days of Unleavened Bread. So Pentecost is 50 days from and including the day starting sunset Saturday night and going to sunset Sunday night within the days of Unleavened Bread.
Verse 12:
Leviticus 23:12-14 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the [Eternal]. [Both the sheaf and the lamb sacrifice are symbolizing Christ.] (13) And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the [Eternal] for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. (14) And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
So this wave sheaf offering was to be the first grain fruit of the land. They were not allowed to have any other harvest, no other first fruits whatsoever, until this first of the firstfruits was offered during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The way that they harvested this particular omer (according to Jewish tradition) was that on the day of the Passover a group of chosen men would go out into the fields and bind a certain number of barley stalks. (It is interesting to note in comparison, that Christ most probably was bound on the stake.) After the weekly Sabbath, right when sunset occurred, at the exact same time Christ was resurrected, they would return and harvest it. Subsequently, they would take it back to the temple area and prepare it (winnow, grind and sift it) overnight. In the morning it was then offered as the wave offering.
This is why Christ said after he was resurrected Sunday morning, "Don't touch me. I haven't yet ascended to my Father." (John 20:17) Yet very shortly after, His disciples did hold Him by the feet (Matthew 28:9). Showing that by that time He had already gone to the Father, been offered as a wave offering, and come back again.
This offering, this first of the firstfruits, is linked to the Day of Pentecost - the Day of Firstfruits. Continuing in Leviticus:
Leviticus 23:15-17 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, [Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset] from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: (16) Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the [Eternal]. (17) Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the [Eternal].
Just as the firstfruit offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread was a wave offering, so is this offering. The two are tied together, but there is a distinction. The firstfruit offering, which symbolizes Christ, had no leaven. This offering, which symbolizes the Church, is baken with leaven. Why?
Verse 18:
Leviticus 23:18-19 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the [Eternal], with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the [Eternal]. (19) Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
We do not find a sin offering with the firstfruit wave offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread because that offering pictured Christ, who was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). This offering pictures us, who have sins. We need that sin offering and we need to claim that offering for sin.
Yet this Day of the Firstfruits is tied to this other day, when THE Firstfruit was offered. The similarities are there in the way things were done. But the distinction is clear: One is to do with Christ, the other is to do with us, the Church. This Day of the Firstfruits is the Day of the Church, of those called by the Father and given to Christ for training - the disciples or students, who are to learn of a certain way of life, to overcome, to grow in grace and knowledge, until finally they can be used as teachers in the World Tomorrow.
Turn to I Corinthians, chapter 15:
I Corinthians 15:19-24 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. [This word translated here as "firstfruits" is actually singular in the original Greek. Christ is The Firstfruit of them that slept.] (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (15) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits [Again, in the original Greek it is "the firstfruit," singular - picturing Christ during the Days of Unleavened Bread, and fulfilled by Christ when He was resurrected after that Sabbath, and He offered Himself that Sunday morning.]; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. [This is the Church. They are the ones called by the Father at this present age, and are ready when Christ comes. They are the firstfruits - plural - as we will go on to see.] (24) Then cometh the end [Or the "end ones," as some translations have it.], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [Moving from Christ's return, to the age of the Millennium, the Great White Throne Judgment, and then into Eternity.]
Notice in James, chapter 1, where it ties this subject of firstfruits to us, the Church:
James 1:16-18 Do not err, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
This Day of Firstfruits is to do with the Church. Christ told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until a specific day, until the promise came to them from on high. Why? Because that day, the Day of Firstfruits, was to be the day the Church actually started its existence, the day the very Holy Spirit of God came - the day the Church Age began. That is why this day is so incredibly important to all of us.
In light of understanding the meaning of this day, let us look at an important aspect of it - the covenant that we, the Church, enter into - "our Firstfruit Covenant." It is the New Covenant in His blood, as far as Passover is concerned. But this Church Age, beginning on this Day of Pentecost, has different promises, a different emphasis. There is a great deal in scripture about this particular day and how it fits within the Church Age that ties into the Covenant - this agreement we have with Almighty God.
Let us look at 5 specific areas in this regard:
A Future Marriage Covenant - This Firstfruit Covenant is a future marriage. We are engaged now, under the terms of that future marriage, but not married yet.
With Better Promises - This Covenant is with "better promises," and we will look at some of those.
Based on God's Spiritual Law - We will look at how this Covenant is based on God's spiritual Law.
How the Administration Changed - The spiritual Laws are the same, but the administration has changed with this Covenant, and we will go into that.
Other laws and statutes - We will look at some of the other laws and statutes that are found within the Old Covenant and show how they relate to us today.
Future Marriage Covenant
In looking at this Firstfruit Covenant, we need to realize it is a future Marriage Covenant.
Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 31:
Jeremiah 31:31-32 Behold, the days come, saith the [Eternal], that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah [Note that it is with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.]: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the [Eternal]:
Why does God mention here that he was a husband to them? Why does He include it within the context of this passage? Because when we are looking at the New Covenant as it applies to us today who form Spiritual Israel, more than anything else, it is a Marriage Covenant - a marriage between Christ and the Church. The analogy and symbolism are very clear in scripture that the Church is to marry Christ. And, as it says here, in the case of Old Testament Israel, under the Old Covenant, God was a husband to them even then.
Verse 33:
Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the [Eternal], I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [In the New Covenant there is not a change in the Law, but a change in where that Law has got to be - written on the heart.] (34) And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the [Eternal]: for they shall all know me [How are they going to know Him? The Law will be in their hearts and in their minds.], from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the [Eternal]: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [There is a forgiveness of sin of a kind that is way above what has existed prior to this time.]
Turn to Hosea, chapter 1:
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
This is talking about a new agreement, a new relationship between God and His people. It will be said of them, these resurrected individuals, "Ye are the sons of the living God."
Notice this context, in Chapter 2:
Hosea 2:14-23 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (15) And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope [This valley runs from the Allenby Bridge up towards Jerusalem, on the West Bank, between Jerusalem and Jordan, and it is where God said, "You are not my people." Specifically, "neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you," in the matter of Achan. (Joshua 7:13)]: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (16) And it shall be at that day, saith the [Eternal], that thou shalt call me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my Lord]. (17) For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. (18) And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. [This has not happened yet. It is looking into future.] (19) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever [For it to be "forever," it must be a spiritual Israel.]; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (20) I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the [Eternal]. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the [Eternal], I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; (22) And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. (23) And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. [From spiritual Israel it talks about physical Israel, which will be eating the corn and drinking the wine. Though spiritual Israel will as well. Remember what Christ did after His resurrection. He partook of fish and a honeycomb before some of His disciples. (Luke 24:43-43)]
It is a future Marriage Covenant. We do not enter into it now, not in its full sense. So when will it occur?
Revelation, chapter 19:
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
It is after Christ's return that the marriage between Christ and the Church will come.
Notice what Paul said to the Church in Corinth in II Corinthians, chapter 2:
II Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
One thing we need to understand, and it can be difficult in this present 21st century, is that in times past an espousal, an engagement period, was as good as a marriage. Remember what Joseph was going to do when he was engaged to Mary, before Christ was born?
Matthew, chapter 1:
Matthew 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
His thinking was that he was going to have to divorce her, even though they had never had physical relations. Why? Because an espousal - formally saying to someone, "I will marry you." - was from that point a contract. The marriage covenant began with espousal, not with consummation.
Notice in Ephesians, chapter 5, where it talks about marriage in the context of Christ and the Church.
Verse 25:
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [The marriage between Christ and the Church has not been consummated, but the contract of the espousal has begun.] (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
This cleansing is a process that goes on throughout our entire lives. The entire Church is going to be cleansed between the Day of Pentecost, 31 AD, all the way through until Christ returns. And it is the washing of water by the word. As we saw in James, chapter 1:
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Word of truth begets us as far as this relationship is concerned, and it is also something that Christ cleans us up with. He sanctifies us, with the washing of water by the word. It is a process that takes place for the Church at this particular time until the consummation finally occurs. But the agreement, the espousal, has already taken place. This Church is to be married to Jesus Christ.
Back to Ephesians, chapter 5:
Ephesians 5:27-32 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [This is not going to happen until we are made spirit beings. We are washed by the Word, washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, putting away sin. But it is a process that takes place until we are finally "set" as spirit beings.] (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. [In the future there will be one flesh between Christ and the Church. I speculate that this may well have something to do with "knowing", as throughout scripture the term "to know" is used for sexual relations. But what is certain, is that we will have access to knowledge beyond anything that we even dream about today. We will then have the knowledge to do the job, to be the teachers and kings - empowered with the capacity that we need.]
So when we are looking at this Firstfruit Covenant, it is a future Marriage Covenant. But unlike our present culture, there is a much more binding nature to the engagement period. And it is that binding espousal that we are in today, as the Church.
With Better Promises
This Firstfruit Covenant is also being made with better promises.
Notice in Hebrews, chapter 8:
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
The correct translation should be "which receives the law with better promises." (See in chapter 7, verse 11, where this same word translated here as "was established," is translated correctly as "received the law.") So it is the same spiritual Law that has always been there, but the promises, the arrangement, the agreement, is much greater. And why does the spiritual Law remain identical? Because it is the Mind, the very thinking, of Almighty God.
But what are these better promises? Let us look at a few.
Direct Access To God:
Hebrews, chapter 10:
Hebrews 10:16-20 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
One of the better promises that we have in the context of this Firstfruit Covenant, is the fact that we have direct access to the Father. This is a priceless thing - the most priceless possession that we have.
The Holy Spirit:
Another is the Holy Spirit:
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
And in Acts, chapter 2, we see how it was given:
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Divine Nature:
When we consider just what it is we have been offered, what this Covenant is truly all about, it is almost overwhelming. Notice another promise in II Peter, chapter 2:
II Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [these promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
By these better promises we partake of the divine nature - we become God-like. The nature that we have is changed from being human to being God's nature. We are given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it is not just a kind of power given to us, it is so that we have the very character, the very mind, the very nature of God - the divine nature.
We must guard not to take these tremendous promises for granted. We can go through the Holy Days every year, and can easily become blasé. But when we really start to understand what these better promises are, they are truly astounding! We are to have the very nature, the very mindset of Almighty God!
Glorified Children of God:
Notice another promise in II Corinthians, chapter 6:
II Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
This divine nature is not just going to be planted in human beings. These human beings are going to become the very sons and daughters of the Living God, literally part of the born family of God - brothers and sisters with Christ.
What will our bodies be like? Philippians, chapter 3:
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven [Our citizenship is not on this earth. We are not part of the system of this evil age. This is why, for example, we are not involved in politics.]; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ [We look from where He is going to return from.]: (21) Who shall change our vile body [this human body of flesh], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
We can get a glimpse of what this body will look like in Revelation, chapter 1:
Revelation 1:14-15 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace [glowing]; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And remember what Peter, James and John saw, in Matthew, chapter 17:
Matthew 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. [He was glowing, as bright as the sun. We are going to be fashioned like this.]
An Eternal Life of Joy:
And this body - filled with abundant energy - will have a truly abundant life:
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
We will live in an eternity of joy, as well. Isaiah, chapter 11:
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the [Eternal] shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
The better promises of this Firstfruit Covenant are indeed astounding. We are given access to the Father (now and forever). We are given the Holy Spirit (now and forever). We will be born into the Divine Family, having the divine nature, married to Christ (in this Covenant relationship), with a body that will glow like brass that is in a furnace, filled with energy, living in everlasting joy.
To Inherit All Things:
Notice one more promise in Revelation, chapter 21:
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh [There is something to be done: overcoming. But it is overcoming through the power of God's Spirit.] shall inherit all things [All things are subject to this Being. He speaks and it is. His Spirit flutters on the water and the light comes forth, the dry land comes up. Seas and mountains move at his command. This is our inheritance. The comic superheroes that man creates have nothing on a Being like this!]; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son [and my daughter, as we saw in II Corinthians 6:18].
Based On God's Spiritual Law
When we are looking at this Firstfruit Covenant we must understand that there is something that is needed for it.
We are here as firstfruits, tied to the Firstfruit, which pictured Jesus Christ in the Days of Unleavened Bread, who offered Himself as a wave offering to God. We are a wave offering as well, but we have leaven in us. How can God take something like this, this vile flesh, and create a God-being out of it? How can He take this mind, that goes on its own merry way, in tune with Satan so many times, and tune it in with the very Spirit of God? How does He do it?
Notice in Romans, chapter 4, where it talks about Abraham:
Romans 4:17-24 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) [Here was Abraham, pushing 100, and Sarah, 90, when given the instruction that he was to be this father, and she this mother, of many nations. Impossible without God!] before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead [makes the dead alive], and calleth those things which be not as though they were. [Abraham had to understand that he was not dealing with a god like the gods of those nations about him, or with a human being. He was dealing with the Logos who gave the Word to create all things.] (18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken [We have seen some of these scriptures (the Word spoken) that talk about a covenant with better promises and have seen some of the better promises involved for us, the firstfruits - ready to be teachers with this divine nature.], So shall thy seed be. (19) And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb [He did not look at the physical evidence he could see in front of him every single day.]: (20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [This does not come by our power. The Firstfruit Covenant with these better promises does not come through our own power, but the power of the Holy Spirit - the power of God, as He works with us through the trials and difficulties, creating in us His divine nature.] (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed [or counted] to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed [or reckoned] to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed...
In other words, we, like Abraham, also believe God. He gives these promises to "His Church," the people He has called. As it says, "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." (John 6:44) That last day is when the Church is resurrected. It is the resurrection of the firstfruits. These better promises, are all a part of this.
Continuing in verse 24:
Romans 4:24-5:5 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [We also will have this same character. This righteousness, spoken of in verse 22, will be there.], if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead [so that this Living Christ is then refashioned in each of us]; (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (5:1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [We have the forgiveness of sins that are past, but also have the righteousness that will be made, as a divine nature within each of us. It is holding on to that promise, in the same way as Abraham held on to the same kind of promises, given from the same mouth.] (3) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations [trials] also: knowing that tribulation [trials] worketh patience [We glory in trials because we see that God is there with us in them, fashioning that divine nature]; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy [Spirit] which is given unto us.
What is shed abroad in our hearts? The love OF God. What does the New Covenant talk about? It says, "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." It is the same thing. It is the love of God...shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which gives us the kind of character to keep God's spiritual Law. That is the law of God written in our hearts that we need to have. This love of God is the way that God and the Father live now, and He sheds it abroad in our hearts by that same Spirit.
Notice a little earlier on in Romans, chapter 4:
Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
You can not have a transgression unless there is a law, so there has to be some kind of law. Even at the time of the rebellion of Satan and the angelic beings, there had to be a law for them to have sinned. That "law" is the spiritual Law of God.
But how do we sort out what we find in the Book of the Law of Moses? It is filled with all kinds of things to do, and things to be careful of. How do we sort it all out? What exactly is God's spiritual Law? What is the spiritual Law regarding angels and God, for example? Or the spiritual Law between God and the Word? What is the spiritual Law dealing with specifically?
It is a Law of relationships. That is the primary focus. And it is the relationship of many things - between God and man, between man and man, between man and animals, between man and the earth - all reflecting the very Mind and Character of God in the way we deal with everything. It is a Way of doing things.
However, there was something that was not to do with relationships. Jeremiah, chapter 7:
Jeremiah 7:22-23 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: (23) But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
The laws that God was talking to them about initially were the laws of relationship. Then the sacrificial law was added. It was a law of works - the "ergon," the "works of the law," as you find explained in Galatians. These "works of the law," of which sacrifices are a part, then passed. Why? Because THE Sacrifice, that pays the penalty for sin, came.
Notice what God said to Moses in Exodus, chapter 19:
Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up unto God, and the [Eternal] called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; (4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. (5) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt He did not say anything to them about sacrifices. He said, "Obey my voice and then you will be my people." The sacrifices were added because of transgression, as we will go on and see.
Every one of the 10 Commandments has to do with a relationship. The first four are to do with the relationship between God and man. The next six are to do with the relationship between man and man. But someone may ask, "What about the Sabbath?"
Is keeping the Sabbath "works of the law"? Ridiculous! It is not "works" of anything - rather the antithesis of it. It is stopping working! And why do we stop working? So we can get our minds on spiritual things - so that we have time to have a relationship with God. It is very, very clearly a relational Law, as well.
Someone may ask, "What about Exodus 20:24? Here are sacrifices."
Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
How was the Old Covenant ratified? With blood. The same way as all covenants were ratified at that time. The reason why it says here to make the altar in a certain way is because they had to make an altar in order to ratify the Covenant. It had nothing to do with burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
Exodus 24:5-7 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the [Eternal]. [How did they do that? They had to have an altar, and, as we saw, instruction was given for its construction.] (6) And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. (7) And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the [Eternal] hath said will we do, and be obedient.
And what were the judgments within the Old Covenant - starting in Exodus 21 - which they said they would do? They also were relational. Notice a few examples:
Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
Exodus 21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
Exodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
If we go through all these laws, in chapters 21, 22 and 23 of Exodus, we will find only one sacrifice mentioned - that of the Passover (Exodus 23:18). It was a very special sacrifice, specifically representing Christ, and whose emblems He later changed. That is the only one included within the Old Covenant.
But in going through this section we find Laws of relationship after relationship. It is God's Mind, as it applies to a carnal people at that time, in a covenant or an agreement.
It was a spiritual Law of relationship. Even the amplification within this carnal ordinance, from chapters 21 to chapters 23, was to do almost exclusively with relationships - between God and man, and men and men. God did not talk about burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. That was added afterwards, because of transgression.
Notice in Galatians, chapter 3:
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law?...
What law? Go back to verse 2:
Galatians 3:2-3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works [ergon] of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [We saw earlier in Romans about the faith of Abraham - how he believed God and that it was not written for his benefit, but for our benefit now. We, the firstfruits, are to have this divine nature, are to become God-beings. How? We trust the One who made the promise. He will convert us. He will make us into that God-being, the same way as He made a child in the womb of Sarah, through the sperm of Abraham - a miracle in itself - and from that fragment of DNA came this baby. These are the better promises.] (3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Back to verse 19:
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions [He is talking about the works of the law, the ergon, not God's spiritual Law.], till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
What happened to the sacrifices for sin, these "works of the law," when the Seed, Jesus Christ, came? He gave Himself as THE Sacrifice for sin. Therefore, there is no longer a need for sacrifices. He was the seed that came to whom the promise was made. So we now have the reality. Does that mean then, that we get rid of the spiritual Law? Ridiculous! The spiritual Law is the Mind of God, as it applies in different instances. It is to do with relationships - between God and man, between individuals, down to relationships between man and animals, even down to relationships between man and the soil.
What about the various physical works? Many of them were there as reminders of things. For example, in Numbers, chapter 15:
Numbers 15:37-39 And the [Eternal] spake unto Moses, saying, (38) Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: [You can readily see today the Jewish prayer shawls, with fringes on the borders, and a ribbon of blue running through. That is based on this. The Jewish men will actually wear them underneath their clothes.] (39) And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the [Eternal], and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
It was to be a reminder of sin. What do we have in God's Church? We have the Holy Spirit that brings to our remembrance all things, "whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26) That is the replacement of this. This was as a schoolmaster until Christ came. Then it was wiped away.
But notice the context of this chapter in the preceding verses. What was this ribbon of blue reminding these people about as regards the spiritual Law?
Verse 32:
Numbers 15:32-35 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. (33) And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. (34) And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. (35) And the [Eternal] said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
The specific commandment that was broken was the Sabbath. But it was not just simply Sabbath-breaking. If you go back a stage before this, you find it was totally presumptuous Sabbath-breaking. This man was going about essentially saying, "I know about this Sabbath thing. But I am not going to take any notice at all. I am going to go get sticks and carry on with work." This was the attitude of mind and it was presumptuous sin - not one of ignorance, as is distinguished in Numbers 15:29-30.
So the context was the spiritual Law of the Sabbath. And the carnal law, the "works of the law," that was added, was the ribbon of blue and the fringes. It was a certain "work of the law" to remind them of something.
God included even circumcision in this area. The apostles and elders could not make a decision about the matter and that is why there was the Acts 15 conference. It was only when Peter showed that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit, as they were uncircumcised, that it became clear that it was not a requirement. Circumcision was not a relationship issue. But it took God to make the decision mark on that one. He had to "write it down," by actually calling Cornelius. And Peter therefore noted that.
So we see that God's spiritual Laws, on which this Firstfruit Covenant are based, are to do with relationships. The only sacrifice found in those judgment chapters of Exodus 21-23, was the Passover. It continues, but with the emblems changed. Even the Sabbath command, which is to do with stopping work, stopping "ergon," is to do with relationships. It is stopping work, so that we have the time to concentrate on spiritual things. So that we have the time to get our relationship with God back on its keel, after a busy week of work and the concerns of life. We need that time, and we need that time specified.
How The Administration Changed
There is a change however, in how these spiritual Laws that we've been looking at are administered in this Firstfruit Covenant.
Turn to Hebrews, chapter 8:
Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
The fault was with the people themselves. Their carnal minds were hostile to God and His Law as the Law is spiritual. It is not possible for the carnal mind to be truly subject to the Law of God. (Romans 8:7) But with the coming of God's Spirit, notice the change in the administration that takes place. II Corinthians, chapter 2.
II Corinthians 2:17-4:2 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God [We don't take the Word of God and twist it, corrupt it.]: but as of sincerity, but as of God [trying to get to the Mind of God], in the sight of God speak we in Christ. [Paul is saying, we have a responsibility before God. He is watching everything that is taking place. We, who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who are in contact with God, are walking as Christ would walk, and therefore "speak we in Christ."] (3:1) Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? (2) Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered [or administered] by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart [He is clearly here talking of a New Covenant form of administration where God's Laws are actually written in the heart - not merely on stones. So it is not the Spiritual Law of God that has changed, but it is how that Spiritual Law must now be administered.]. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) Who also hath made us able ministers [qualified ministers, or administrators] of the new testament [or covenant]; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Note how this is being said in the context that he is not going to corrupt the Word of God, but use it sincerely, trying to get God's mind. (2:17) It is the administration of the Spirit, not of the letter.
(7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [The glory of his face was not going to glow forever, then. It faded away after he hung the veil across his face for a few days.] (8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
This Firstfruit Covenant or Agreement, this Firstfruit administration within the Church, is one that exceeds in glory. It actually produces true righteousness.
(10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. (11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. [The Old Covenant was glorious in its way, but what we are looking at today is even more so.] (12) Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: (13) And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [In other words, his glory was going to fade.] (14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament [They could not understand these Laws of relationships.]; which veil is done away in Christ. (15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. (16) Nevertheless when it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. [You will be able to look into that same Law and understand the spiritual intent. It is then written in fleshly tables of the heart.] (17) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory [that is Christ] to glory [that you see in that glass, which is us], even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
It is from one glory to another, being the same kind of glory that Christ has. This spiritual change has to be there, because we are eventually also going to made like unto His glorious body - that will need the identical kind of mind. (Philippians 3:21) It is part of the better promises. But be aware that the concept of having the Laws of God written in our heart is not like flicking a switch. It is a process that takes place over the period of a physical lifetime.
(4:1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry [this administration], as we have received mercy, we faint not; (2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
In other words, we must take this book and apply it honestly. Paul is once again re-emphasising what he said earlier:
II Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ [as Christ would].
So the administration is according to the Spirit of the Law. However, people use this as an excuse to wipe away the entire Law. But as we just read, you do not corrupt the Word of God. And, as we saw in chapter 4, verse 2, "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully..," You are going to the core, the meaning, the spiritual intent of the Law, that you find within all of the Word of God. You live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) You are trying to get the same mind that God has. That is the administration that is necessary and that administration has changed, as it goes into in Matthew chapter 5 (which we covered in the article "Higher Education").
God's Laws must be written on the heart. This is why the Eternal said in Deuteronomy 5:29: "O that there were such an heart in them...," but there was not at that time. It is why you find in Ephesians 5:26, that we are washed with the water by the Word. This is what Christ is doing with His Church, so as to present Himself with a glorious Church, without "spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" - washed completely clean; obedient to the Laws of God; administering them in the spiritual intent; doing it through the very Spirit of God.
Other laws and statutes
There are other laws and statutes that you will come across in scripture. How do we apply them?
What about the death penalty? The Church is not a physical nation. There is no physical nation of God on the earth today. Eventually Christ will return and He will wage war on this earth and people will be put to death. But we do not apply the death penalty now.
As Christ said in John, chapter 18:
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. [When the Kingdom of God does arrive, it may well be that we will need to apply the death penalty, but we will be spirit beings at that time - having the ability to correctly discern the heart.]
Principles that we find within the Law however, do apply. Turn to I Corinthians, chapter 9, where we see Paul using one such principle, and applying it to a completely different area.
I Corinthians 9:9-11 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? (10) Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (11) If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal [physical] things?
He is talking about the fact that the ministry needs to have an income from somewhere in order to live. And he takes the principle of not muzzling the ox - which is the way in which God regards, or deals with, oxen - and applies it in this context. Though the situations are totally different, it is still applying the Mind of God.
Something that we need to be very careful of though is that we do not apply "part Laws." A classic example of this involves the Sabbatical year. It is one of the Laws of relationship - in this case between man and the land - and back in the '50's the Church tried to apply it, telling all the farmers to rest their land in that year. This basically allowed the weeds to grow and the result was that the farmers went bankrupt, because they had mortgages on their farms.
The Church at that time did not have a sound concept of what the Sabbatical year was all about. They only applied part of the law. Notice a few scriptures in this regard.
Exodus 23:11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
Leviticus 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the [Eternal]: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
The land is rested in the Sabbatical year, yes, but you are to put animals on it to eat it down, and you are to allow the poor to glean from it what they need.
But notice something else, in Deuteronomy, chapter 15:
Deuteronomy 15:1-2 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. (2) And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the [Eternal's] release.
There is also to be a release of debts in the seventh year. So as regards a farm with debt, you can't apply the resting of the land and not also apply the release of debt. You can't apply "part laws." And we had to learn that in the Church through hard experience.
What about health laws - the laws of relationship between ourselves and our own bodies? Unclean meats would fall into this category. Unclean meats, as far as we can tell, is not a spiritual thing ("The kingdom of God is not meat and drink..." - Romans 14:17), but a physical thing. However, that does not mean we can eat what is unclean with impunity. We need to be careful about what we put in our mouth, and if we eat unclean meats, we will be getting sick. They were not designed as food.
Blood and fat are other things in this category of health to be avoided. We are not to eat, for example, blood sausage, even if it is made from beef. Blood is specifically mentioned within Acts 15 (verse 20) and fat is linked with it in the Old Testament. (Leviticus 3:17)
The principle of quarantine is another Law that we should apply - making sure that when we are sick we try and stay away from others to protect them. It is a relationship issue. Hygiene laws are an area to note as well. And there are others that you will come across in scripture, that certainly, in principle, we should be still applying. Even laws that are not specifically in relationship areas, but provide a principle for us to understand, even these laws still show us the Mind of God. But the spiritual Law of God - the Laws of God that involve our relationships today - these certainly apply.
In looking at this Day of Firstfruits, we are looking at a better Covenant. It is a relationship between ourselves, and God the Father and Jesus Christ. It is based on better promises. We, of the Firstfruits, this Church era that we are in today, have access to the Father in a way that was never given to the people of old. That only began when the Holy Spirit was given, 31 AD, on that Day of Pentecost. We also have the Holy Spirit - that love of God shed abroad in our hearts, that power of God, so that we can keep the Commandments of God, which is to do with that love. We have the faith of Christ that God will give us the divine nature. Through trials and difficulties, we know He will lead us until eventually we will graduate with that divine nature. We will then be born sons and daughters of God, part of the very family of God, with glorified spirit bodies, and life everlasting in everlasting joy - inheriting all things. These are the better promises.
The Day of Pentecost is not just "counting fifty." It is also tied to the firstfruit wave offering of Jesus Christ, during the Days of Unleavened Bread, and this in turn ties to the firstfruits wave offering - baked with leaven - on the Day of Pentecost. Both are tied together, as part of a marriage relationship between Christ and His Church. The Church is now the espoused wife of Christ, not married yet, but in the process of being washed by the Word until the time of Christ's return. The part each of us individually must play in this process, involves an unconditional surrender, so that God is able to create His greatest creation, within us - His firstfruits - in whose heart is His Law, His Mind, His Way in absolutely everything.
transcribed in article form by KA. Edited by JB.
The Firstfruit Covenant
an article based on a sermon
by Jon Bowles
given Pentecost 2007-05-27
(PLAY FROM START)
As we look at the meaning of this Day of Pentecost let us first remember why it is called "Pentecost."
Leviticus, chapter 23:
Leviticus 23:15-16 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: (16) Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the [Eternal].
Pentecost means to "count fifty." But how do we count fifty? From what point? In Verse 10, notice a ceremony that takes place during the Days of Unleavened Bread:
Leviticus 23:10-11 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf [an omer] of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (11) And he shall wave the sheaf before the [Eternal], to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
The Jews today keep Pentecost on the 6th of Sivan. They look at the starting point of the actual counting as the morrow after the first Holy Day. Therefore, for them, Pentecost always falls on the same day. But it is not the day after the first Holy Day that is to be used to count. Rather, it is the day after a weekly Sabbath that should be used and that day must fall within the Days of Unleavened Bread. So Pentecost is 50 days from and including the day starting sunset Saturday night and going to sunset Sunday night within the days of Unleavened Bread.
Verse 12:
Leviticus 23:12-14 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the [Eternal]. [Both the sheaf and the lamb sacrifice are symbolizing Christ.] (13) And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the [Eternal] for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. (14) And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
So this wave sheaf offering was to be the first grain fruit of the land. They were not allowed to have any other harvest, no other first fruits whatsoever, until this first of the firstfruits was offered during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The way that they harvested this particular omer (according to Jewish tradition) was that on the day of the Passover a group of chosen men would go out into the fields and bind a certain number of barley stalks. (It is interesting to note in comparison, that Christ most probably was bound on the stake.) After the weekly Sabbath, right when sunset occurred, at the exact same time Christ was resurrected, they would return and harvest it. Subsequently, they would take it back to the temple area and prepare it (winnow, grind and sift it) overnight. In the morning it was then offered as the wave offering.
This is why Christ said after he was resurrected Sunday morning, "Don't touch me. I haven't yet ascended to my Father." (John 20:17) Yet very shortly after, His disciples did hold Him by the feet (Matthew 28:9). Showing that by that time He had already gone to the Father, been offered as a wave offering, and come back again.
This offering, this first of the firstfruits, is linked to the Day of Pentecost - the Day of Firstfruits. Continuing in Leviticus:
Leviticus 23:15-17 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, [Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset] from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: (16) Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the [Eternal]. (17) Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the [Eternal].
Just as the firstfruit offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread was a wave offering, so is this offering. The two are tied together, but there is a distinction. The firstfruit offering, which symbolizes Christ, had no leaven. This offering, which symbolizes the Church, is baken with leaven. Why?
Verse 18:
Leviticus 23:18-19 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the [Eternal], with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the [Eternal]. (19) Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
We do not find a sin offering with the firstfruit wave offering during the Days of Unleavened Bread because that offering pictured Christ, who was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). This offering pictures us, who have sins. We need that sin offering and we need to claim that offering for sin.
Yet this Day of the Firstfruits is tied to this other day, when THE Firstfruit was offered. The similarities are there in the way things were done. But the distinction is clear: One is to do with Christ, the other is to do with us, the Church. This Day of the Firstfruits is the Day of the Church, of those called by the Father and given to Christ for training - the disciples or students, who are to learn of a certain way of life, to overcome, to grow in grace and knowledge, until finally they can be used as teachers in the World Tomorrow.
Turn to I Corinthians, chapter 15:
I Corinthians 15:19-24 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. [This word translated here as "firstfruits" is actually singular in the original Greek. Christ is The Firstfruit of them that slept.] (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (15) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits [Again, in the original Greek it is "the firstfruit," singular - picturing Christ during the Days of Unleavened Bread, and fulfilled by Christ when He was resurrected after that Sabbath, and He offered Himself that Sunday morning.]; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. [This is the Church. They are the ones called by the Father at this present age, and are ready when Christ comes. They are the firstfruits - plural - as we will go on to see.] (24) Then cometh the end [Or the "end ones," as some translations have it.], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [Moving from Christ's return, to the age of the Millennium, the Great White Throne Judgment, and then into Eternity.]
Notice in James, chapter 1, where it ties this subject of firstfruits to us, the Church:
James 1:16-18 Do not err, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
This Day of Firstfruits is to do with the Church. Christ told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until a specific day, until the promise came to them from on high. Why? Because that day, the Day of Firstfruits, was to be the day the Church actually started its existence, the day the very Holy Spirit of God came - the day the Church Age began. That is why this day is so incredibly important to all of us.
In light of understanding the meaning of this day, let us look at an important aspect of it - the covenant that we, the Church, enter into - "our Firstfruit Covenant." It is the New Covenant in His blood, as far as Passover is concerned. But this Church Age, beginning on this Day of Pentecost, has different promises, a different emphasis. There is a great deal in scripture about this particular day and how it fits within the Church Age that ties into the Covenant - this agreement we have with Almighty God.
Let us look at 5 specific areas in this regard:
A Future Marriage Covenant - This Firstfruit Covenant is a future marriage. We are engaged now, under the terms of that future marriage, but not married yet.
With Better Promises - This Covenant is with "better promises," and we will look at some of those.
Based on God's Spiritual Law - We will look at how this Covenant is based on God's spiritual Law.
How the Administration Changed - The spiritual Laws are the same, but the administration has changed with this Covenant, and we will go into that.
Other laws and statutes - We will look at some of the other laws and statutes that are found within the Old Covenant and show how they relate to us today.
Future Marriage Covenant
In looking at this Firstfruit Covenant, we need to realize it is a future Marriage Covenant.
Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 31:
Jeremiah 31:31-32 Behold, the days come, saith the [Eternal], that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah [Note that it is with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.]: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the [Eternal]:
Why does God mention here that he was a husband to them? Why does He include it within the context of this passage? Because when we are looking at the New Covenant as it applies to us today who form Spiritual Israel, more than anything else, it is a Marriage Covenant - a marriage between Christ and the Church. The analogy and symbolism are very clear in scripture that the Church is to marry Christ. And, as it says here, in the case of Old Testament Israel, under the Old Covenant, God was a husband to them even then.
Verse 33:
Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the [Eternal], I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [In the New Covenant there is not a change in the Law, but a change in where that Law has got to be - written on the heart.] (34) And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the [Eternal]: for they shall all know me [How are they going to know Him? The Law will be in their hearts and in their minds.], from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the [Eternal]: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [There is a forgiveness of sin of a kind that is way above what has existed prior to this time.]
Turn to Hosea, chapter 1:
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
This is talking about a new agreement, a new relationship between God and His people. It will be said of them, these resurrected individuals, "Ye are the sons of the living God."
Notice this context, in Chapter 2:
Hosea 2:14-23 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (15) And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope [This valley runs from the Allenby Bridge up towards Jerusalem, on the West Bank, between Jerusalem and Jordan, and it is where God said, "You are not my people." Specifically, "neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you," in the matter of Achan. (Joshua 7:13)]: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (16) And it shall be at that day, saith the [Eternal], that thou shalt call me Ishi [my husband]; and shalt call me no more Baali [my Lord]. (17) For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. (18) And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. [This has not happened yet. It is looking into future.] (19) And I will betroth thee unto me for ever [For it to be "forever," it must be a spiritual Israel.]; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (20) I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the [Eternal]. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the [Eternal], I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; (22) And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. (23) And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. [From spiritual Israel it talks about physical Israel, which will be eating the corn and drinking the wine. Though spiritual Israel will as well. Remember what Christ did after His resurrection. He partook of fish and a honeycomb before some of His disciples. (Luke 24:43-43)]
It is a future Marriage Covenant. We do not enter into it now, not in its full sense. So when will it occur?
Revelation, chapter 19:
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
It is after Christ's return that the marriage between Christ and the Church will come.
Notice what Paul said to the Church in Corinth in II Corinthians, chapter 2:
II Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
One thing we need to understand, and it can be difficult in this present 21st century, is that in times past an espousal, an engagement period, was as good as a marriage. Remember what Joseph was going to do when he was engaged to Mary, before Christ was born?
Matthew, chapter 1:
Matthew 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
His thinking was that he was going to have to divorce her, even though they had never had physical relations. Why? Because an espousal - formally saying to someone, "I will marry you." - was from that point a contract. The marriage covenant began with espousal, not with consummation.
Notice in Ephesians, chapter 5, where it talks about marriage in the context of Christ and the Church.
Verse 25:
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [The marriage between Christ and the Church has not been consummated, but the contract of the espousal has begun.] (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
This cleansing is a process that goes on throughout our entire lives. The entire Church is going to be cleansed between the Day of Pentecost, 31 AD, all the way through until Christ returns. And it is the washing of water by the word. As we saw in James, chapter 1:
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
The Word of truth begets us as far as this relationship is concerned, and it is also something that Christ cleans us up with. He sanctifies us, with the washing of water by the word. It is a process that takes place for the Church at this particular time until the consummation finally occurs. But the agreement, the espousal, has already taken place. This Church is to be married to Jesus Christ.
Back to Ephesians, chapter 5:
Ephesians 5:27-32 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [This is not going to happen until we are made spirit beings. We are washed by the Word, washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, putting away sin. But it is a process that takes place until we are finally "set" as spirit beings.] (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. [In the future there will be one flesh between Christ and the Church. I speculate that this may well have something to do with "knowing", as throughout scripture the term "to know" is used for sexual relations. But what is certain, is that we will have access to knowledge beyond anything that we even dream about today. We will then have the knowledge to do the job, to be the teachers and kings - empowered with the capacity that we need.]
So when we are looking at this Firstfruit Covenant, it is a future Marriage Covenant. But unlike our present culture, there is a much more binding nature to the engagement period. And it is that binding espousal that we are in today, as the Church.
With Better Promises
This Firstfruit Covenant is also being made with better promises.
Notice in Hebrews, chapter 8:
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
The correct translation should be "which receives the law with better promises." (See in chapter 7, verse 11, where this same word translated here as "was established," is translated correctly as "received the law.") So it is the same spiritual Law that has always been there, but the promises, the arrangement, the agreement, is much greater. And why does the spiritual Law remain identical? Because it is the Mind, the very thinking, of Almighty God.
But what are these better promises? Let us look at a few.
Direct Access To God:
Hebrews, chapter 10:
Hebrews 10:16-20 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
One of the better promises that we have in the context of this Firstfruit Covenant, is the fact that we have direct access to the Father. This is a priceless thing - the most priceless possession that we have.
The Holy Spirit:
Another is the Holy Spirit:
Acts 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
And in Acts, chapter 2, we see how it was given:
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Divine Nature:
When we consider just what it is we have been offered, what this Covenant is truly all about, it is almost overwhelming. Notice another promise in II Peter, chapter 2:
II Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, (3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [these promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
By these better promises we partake of the divine nature - we become God-like. The nature that we have is changed from being human to being God's nature. We are given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it is not just a kind of power given to us, it is so that we have the very character, the very mind, the very nature of God - the divine nature.
We must guard not to take these tremendous promises for granted. We can go through the Holy Days every year, and can easily become blasé. But when we really start to understand what these better promises are, they are truly astounding! We are to have the very nature, the very mindset of Almighty God!
Glorified Children of God:
Notice another promise in II Corinthians, chapter 6:
II Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
This divine nature is not just going to be planted in human beings. These human beings are going to become the very sons and daughters of the Living God, literally part of the born family of God - brothers and sisters with Christ.
What will our bodies be like? Philippians, chapter 3:
Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven [Our citizenship is not on this earth. We are not part of the system of this evil age. This is why, for example, we are not involved in politics.]; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ [We look from where He is going to return from.]: (21) Who shall change our vile body [this human body of flesh], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
We can get a glimpse of what this body will look like in Revelation, chapter 1:
Revelation 1:14-15 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace [glowing]; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And remember what Peter, James and John saw, in Matthew, chapter 17:
Matthew 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. [He was glowing, as bright as the sun. We are going to be fashioned like this.]
An Eternal Life of Joy:
And this body - filled with abundant energy - will have a truly abundant life:
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
We will live in an eternity of joy, as well. Isaiah, chapter 11:
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the [Eternal] shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
The better promises of this Firstfruit Covenant are indeed astounding. We are given access to the Father (now and forever). We are given the Holy Spirit (now and forever). We will be born into the Divine Family, having the divine nature, married to Christ (in this Covenant relationship), with a body that will glow like brass that is in a furnace, filled with energy, living in everlasting joy.
To Inherit All Things:
Notice one more promise in Revelation, chapter 21:
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh [There is something to be done: overcoming. But it is overcoming through the power of God's Spirit.] shall inherit all things [All things are subject to this Being. He speaks and it is. His Spirit flutters on the water and the light comes forth, the dry land comes up. Seas and mountains move at his command. This is our inheritance. The comic superheroes that man creates have nothing on a Being like this!]; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son [and my daughter, as we saw in II Corinthians 6:18].
Based On God's Spiritual Law
When we are looking at this Firstfruit Covenant we must understand that there is something that is needed for it.
We are here as firstfruits, tied to the Firstfruit, which pictured Jesus Christ in the Days of Unleavened Bread, who offered Himself as a wave offering to God. We are a wave offering as well, but we have leaven in us. How can God take something like this, this vile flesh, and create a God-being out of it? How can He take this mind, that goes on its own merry way, in tune with Satan so many times, and tune it in with the very Spirit of God? How does He do it?
Notice in Romans, chapter 4, where it talks about Abraham:
Romans 4:17-24 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) [Here was Abraham, pushing 100, and Sarah, 90, when given the instruction that he was to be this father, and she this mother, of many nations. Impossible without God!] before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead [makes the dead alive], and calleth those things which be not as though they were. [Abraham had to understand that he was not dealing with a god like the gods of those nations about him, or with a human being. He was dealing with the Logos who gave the Word to create all things.] (18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken [We have seen some of these scriptures (the Word spoken) that talk about a covenant with better promises and have seen some of the better promises involved for us, the firstfruits - ready to be teachers with this divine nature.], So shall thy seed be. (19) And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb [He did not look at the physical evidence he could see in front of him every single day.]: (20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [This does not come by our power. The Firstfruit Covenant with these better promises does not come through our own power, but the power of the Holy Spirit - the power of God, as He works with us through the trials and difficulties, creating in us His divine nature.] (21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (22) And therefore it was imputed [or counted] to him for righteousness. (23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed [or reckoned] to him; (24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed...
In other words, we, like Abraham, also believe God. He gives these promises to "His Church," the people He has called. As it says, "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." (John 6:44) That last day is when the Church is resurrected. It is the resurrection of the firstfruits. These better promises, are all a part of this.
Continuing in verse 24:
Romans 4:24-5:5 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [We also will have this same character. This righteousness, spoken of in verse 22, will be there.], if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead [so that this Living Christ is then refashioned in each of us]; (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (5:1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [We have the forgiveness of sins that are past, but also have the righteousness that will be made, as a divine nature within each of us. It is holding on to that promise, in the same way as Abraham held on to the same kind of promises, given from the same mouth.] (3) And not only so, but we glory in tribulations [trials] also: knowing that tribulation [trials] worketh patience [We glory in trials because we see that God is there with us in them, fashioning that divine nature]; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy [Spirit] which is given unto us.
What is shed abroad in our hearts? The love OF God. What does the New Covenant talk about? It says, "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts." It is the same thing. It is the love of God...shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which gives us the kind of character to keep God's spiritual Law. That is the law of God written in our hearts that we need to have. This love of God is the way that God and the Father live now, and He sheds it abroad in our hearts by that same Spirit.
Notice a little earlier on in Romans, chapter 4:
Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
You can not have a transgression unless there is a law, so there has to be some kind of law. Even at the time of the rebellion of Satan and the angelic beings, there had to be a law for them to have sinned. That "law" is the spiritual Law of God.
But how do we sort out what we find in the Book of the Law of Moses? It is filled with all kinds of things to do, and things to be careful of. How do we sort it all out? What exactly is God's spiritual Law? What is the spiritual Law regarding angels and God, for example? Or the spiritual Law between God and the Word? What is the spiritual Law dealing with specifically?
It is a Law of relationships. That is the primary focus. And it is the relationship of many things - between God and man, between man and man, between man and animals, between man and the earth - all reflecting the very Mind and Character of God in the way we deal with everything. It is a Way of doing things.
However, there was something that was not to do with relationships. Jeremiah, chapter 7:
Jeremiah 7:22-23 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: (23) But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
The laws that God was talking to them about initially were the laws of relationship. Then the sacrificial law was added. It was a law of works - the "ergon," the "works of the law," as you find explained in Galatians. These "works of the law," of which sacrifices are a part, then passed. Why? Because THE Sacrifice, that pays the penalty for sin, came.
Notice what God said to Moses in Exodus, chapter 19:
Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up unto God, and the [Eternal] called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; (4) Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. (5) Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (6) And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt He did not say anything to them about sacrifices. He said, "Obey my voice and then you will be my people." The sacrifices were added because of transgression, as we will go on and see.
Every one of the 10 Commandments has to do with a relationship. The first four are to do with the relationship between God and man. The next six are to do with the relationship between man and man. But someone may ask, "What about the Sabbath?"
Is keeping the Sabbath "works of the law"? Ridiculous! It is not "works" of anything - rather the antithesis of it. It is stopping working! And why do we stop working? So we can get our minds on spiritual things - so that we have time to have a relationship with God. It is very, very clearly a relational Law, as well.
Someone may ask, "What about Exodus 20:24? Here are sacrifices."
Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
How was the Old Covenant ratified? With blood. The same way as all covenants were ratified at that time. The reason why it says here to make the altar in a certain way is because they had to make an altar in order to ratify the Covenant. It had nothing to do with burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
Exodus 24:5-7 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the [Eternal]. [How did they do that? They had to have an altar, and, as we saw, instruction was given for its construction.] (6) And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. (7) And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the [Eternal] hath said will we do, and be obedient.
And what were the judgments within the Old Covenant - starting in Exodus 21 - which they said they would do? They also were relational. Notice a few examples:
Exodus 21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
Exodus 21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
Exodus 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exodus 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
If we go through all these laws, in chapters 21, 22 and 23 of Exodus, we will find only one sacrifice mentioned - that of the Passover (Exodus 23:18). It was a very special sacrifice, specifically representing Christ, and whose emblems He later changed. That is the only one included within the Old Covenant.
But in going through this section we find Laws of relationship after relationship. It is God's Mind, as it applies to a carnal people at that time, in a covenant or an agreement.
It was a spiritual Law of relationship. Even the amplification within this carnal ordinance, from chapters 21 to chapters 23, was to do almost exclusively with relationships - between God and man, and men and men. God did not talk about burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. That was added afterwards, because of transgression.
Notice in Galatians, chapter 3:
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law?...
What law? Go back to verse 2:
Galatians 3:2-3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works [ergon] of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [We saw earlier in Romans about the faith of Abraham - how he believed God and that it was not written for his benefit, but for our benefit now. We, the firstfruits, are to have this divine nature, are to become God-beings. How? We trust the One who made the promise. He will convert us. He will make us into that God-being, the same way as He made a child in the womb of Sarah, through the sperm of Abraham - a miracle in itself - and from that fragment of DNA came this baby. These are the better promises.] (3) Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Back to verse 19:
Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions [He is talking about the works of the law, the ergon, not God's spiritual Law.], till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
What happened to the sacrifices for sin, these "works of the law," when the Seed, Jesus Christ, came? He gave Himself as THE Sacrifice for sin. Therefore, there is no longer a need for sacrifices. He was the seed that came to whom the promise was made. So we now have the reality. Does that mean then, that we get rid of the spiritual Law? Ridiculous! The spiritual Law is the Mind of God, as it applies in different instances. It is to do with relationships - between God and man, between individuals, down to relationships between man and animals, even down to relationships between man and the soil.
What about the various physical works? Many of them were there as reminders of things. For example, in Numbers, chapter 15:
Numbers 15:37-39 And the [Eternal] spake unto Moses, saying, (38) Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: [You can readily see today the Jewish prayer shawls, with fringes on the borders, and a ribbon of blue running through. That is based on this. The Jewish men will actually wear them underneath their clothes.] (39) And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the [Eternal], and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
It was to be a reminder of sin. What do we have in God's Church? We have the Holy Spirit that brings to our remembrance all things, "whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26) That is the replacement of this. This was as a schoolmaster until Christ came. Then it was wiped away.
But notice the context of this chapter in the preceding verses. What was this ribbon of blue reminding these people about as regards the spiritual Law?
Verse 32:
Numbers 15:32-35 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. (33) And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. (34) And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. (35) And the [Eternal] said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
The specific commandment that was broken was the Sabbath. But it was not just simply Sabbath-breaking. If you go back a stage before this, you find it was totally presumptuous Sabbath-breaking. This man was going about essentially saying, "I know about this Sabbath thing. But I am not going to take any notice at all. I am going to go get sticks and carry on with work." This was the attitude of mind and it was presumptuous sin - not one of ignorance, as is distinguished in Numbers 15:29-30.
So the context was the spiritual Law of the Sabbath. And the carnal law, the "works of the law," that was added, was the ribbon of blue and the fringes. It was a certain "work of the law" to remind them of something.
God included even circumcision in this area. The apostles and elders could not make a decision about the matter and that is why there was the Acts 15 conference. It was only when Peter showed that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit, as they were uncircumcised, that it became clear that it was not a requirement. Circumcision was not a relationship issue. But it took God to make the decision mark on that one. He had to "write it down," by actually calling Cornelius. And Peter therefore noted that.
So we see that God's spiritual Laws, on which this Firstfruit Covenant are based, are to do with relationships. The only sacrifice found in those judgment chapters of Exodus 21-23, was the Passover. It continues, but with the emblems changed. Even the Sabbath command, which is to do with stopping work, stopping "ergon," is to do with relationships. It is stopping work, so that we have the time to concentrate on spiritual things. So that we have the time to get our relationship with God back on its keel, after a busy week of work and the concerns of life. We need that time, and we need that time specified.
How The Administration Changed
There is a change however, in how these spiritual Laws that we've been looking at are administered in this Firstfruit Covenant.
Turn to Hebrews, chapter 8:
Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
The fault was with the people themselves. Their carnal minds were hostile to God and His Law as the Law is spiritual. It is not possible for the carnal mind to be truly subject to the Law of God. (Romans 8:7) But with the coming of God's Spirit, notice the change in the administration that takes place. II Corinthians, chapter 2.
II Corinthians 2:17-4:2 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God [We don't take the Word of God and twist it, corrupt it.]: but as of sincerity, but as of God [trying to get to the Mind of God], in the sight of God speak we in Christ. [Paul is saying, we have a responsibility before God. He is watching everything that is taking place. We, who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who are in contact with God, are walking as Christ would walk, and therefore "speak we in Christ."] (3:1) Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? (2) Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered [or administered] by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart [He is clearly here talking of a New Covenant form of administration where God's Laws are actually written in the heart - not merely on stones. So it is not the Spiritual Law of God that has changed, but it is how that Spiritual Law must now be administered.]. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) Who also hath made us able ministers [qualified ministers, or administrators] of the new testament [or covenant]; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Note how this is being said in the context that he is not going to corrupt the Word of God, but use it sincerely, trying to get God's mind. (2:17) It is the administration of the Spirit, not of the letter.
(7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [The glory of his face was not going to glow forever, then. It faded away after he hung the veil across his face for a few days.] (8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
This Firstfruit Covenant or Agreement, this Firstfruit administration within the Church, is one that exceeds in glory. It actually produces true righteousness.
(10) For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. (11) For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. [The Old Covenant was glorious in its way, but what we are looking at today is even more so.] (12) Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: (13) And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: [In other words, his glory was going to fade.] (14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament [They could not understand these Laws of relationships.]; which veil is done away in Christ. (15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. (16) Nevertheless when it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. [You will be able to look into that same Law and understand the spiritual intent. It is then written in fleshly tables of the heart.] (17) Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory [that is Christ] to glory [that you see in that glass, which is us], even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
It is from one glory to another, being the same kind of glory that Christ has. This spiritual change has to be there, because we are eventually also going to made like unto His glorious body - that will need the identical kind of mind. (Philippians 3:21) It is part of the better promises. But be aware that the concept of having the Laws of God written in our heart is not like flicking a switch. It is a process that takes place over the period of a physical lifetime.
(4:1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry [this administration], as we have received mercy, we faint not; (2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
In other words, we must take this book and apply it honestly. Paul is once again re-emphasising what he said earlier:
II Corinthians 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ [as Christ would].
So the administration is according to the Spirit of the Law. However, people use this as an excuse to wipe away the entire Law. But as we just read, you do not corrupt the Word of God. And, as we saw in chapter 4, verse 2, "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully..," You are going to the core, the meaning, the spiritual intent of the Law, that you find within all of the Word of God. You live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) You are trying to get the same mind that God has. That is the administration that is necessary and that administration has changed, as it goes into in Matthew chapter 5 (which we covered in the article "Higher Education").
God's Laws must be written on the heart. This is why the Eternal said in Deuteronomy 5:29: "O that there were such an heart in them...," but there was not at that time. It is why you find in Ephesians 5:26, that we are washed with the water by the Word. This is what Christ is doing with His Church, so as to present Himself with a glorious Church, without "spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" - washed completely clean; obedient to the Laws of God; administering them in the spiritual intent; doing it through the very Spirit of God.
Other laws and statutes
There are other laws and statutes that you will come across in scripture. How do we apply them?
What about the death penalty? The Church is not a physical nation. There is no physical nation of God on the earth today. Eventually Christ will return and He will wage war on this earth and people will be put to death. But we do not apply the death penalty now.
As Christ said in John, chapter 18:
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. [When the Kingdom of God does arrive, it may well be that we will need to apply the death penalty, but we will be spirit beings at that time - having the ability to correctly discern the heart.]
Principles that we find within the Law however, do apply. Turn to I Corinthians, chapter 9, where we see Paul using one such principle, and applying it to a completely different area.
I Corinthians 9:9-11 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? (10) Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (11) If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal [physical] things?
He is talking about the fact that the ministry needs to have an income from somewhere in order to live. And he takes the principle of not muzzling the ox - which is the way in which God regards, or deals with, oxen - and applies it in this context. Though the situations are totally different, it is still applying the Mind of God.
Something that we need to be very careful of though is that we do not apply "part Laws." A classic example of this involves the Sabbatical year. It is one of the Laws of relationship - in this case between man and the land - and back in the '50's the Church tried to apply it, telling all the farmers to rest their land in that year. This basically allowed the weeds to grow and the result was that the farmers went bankrupt, because they had mortgages on their farms.
The Church at that time did not have a sound concept of what the Sabbatical year was all about. They only applied part of the law. Notice a few scriptures in this regard.
Exodus 23:11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
Leviticus 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the [Eternal]: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
The land is rested in the Sabbatical year, yes, but you are to put animals on it to eat it down, and you are to allow the poor to glean from it what they need.
But notice something else, in Deuteronomy, chapter 15:
Deuteronomy 15:1-2 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. (2) And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the [Eternal's] release.
There is also to be a release of debts in the seventh year. So as regards a farm with debt, you can't apply the resting of the land and not also apply the release of debt. You can't apply "part laws." And we had to learn that in the Church through hard experience.
What about health laws - the laws of relationship between ourselves and our own bodies? Unclean meats would fall into this category. Unclean meats, as far as we can tell, is not a spiritual thing ("The kingdom of God is not meat and drink..." - Romans 14:17), but a physical thing. However, that does not mean we can eat what is unclean with impunity. We need to be careful about what we put in our mouth, and if we eat unclean meats, we will be getting sick. They were not designed as food.
Blood and fat are other things in this category of health to be avoided. We are not to eat, for example, blood sausage, even if it is made from beef. Blood is specifically mentioned within Acts 15 (verse 20) and fat is linked with it in the Old Testament. (Leviticus 3:17)
The principle of quarantine is another Law that we should apply - making sure that when we are sick we try and stay away from others to protect them. It is a relationship issue. Hygiene laws are an area to note as well. And there are others that you will come across in scripture, that certainly, in principle, we should be still applying. Even laws that are not specifically in relationship areas, but provide a principle for us to understand, even these laws still show us the Mind of God. But the spiritual Law of God - the Laws of God that involve our relationships today - these certainly apply.
In looking at this Day of Firstfruits, we are looking at a better Covenant. It is a relationship between ourselves, and God the Father and Jesus Christ. It is based on better promises. We, of the Firstfruits, this Church era that we are in today, have access to the Father in a way that was never given to the people of old. That only began when the Holy Spirit was given, 31 AD, on that Day of Pentecost. We also have the Holy Spirit - that love of God shed abroad in our hearts, that power of God, so that we can keep the Commandments of God, which is to do with that love. We have the faith of Christ that God will give us the divine nature. Through trials and difficulties, we know He will lead us until eventually we will graduate with that divine nature. We will then be born sons and daughters of God, part of the very family of God, with glorified spirit bodies, and life everlasting in everlasting joy - inheriting all things. These are the better promises.
The Day of Pentecost is not just "counting fifty." It is also tied to the firstfruit wave offering of Jesus Christ, during the Days of Unleavened Bread, and this in turn ties to the firstfruits wave offering - baked with leaven - on the Day of Pentecost. Both are tied together, as part of a marriage relationship between Christ and His Church. The Church is now the espoused wife of Christ, not married yet, but in the process of being washed by the Word until the time of Christ's return. The part each of us individually must play in this process, involves an unconditional surrender, so that God is able to create His greatest creation, within us - His firstfruits - in whose heart is His Law, His Mind, His Way in absolutely everything.
transcribed in article form by KA. Edited by JB.
Why Christ Had to Die - and Not Another Way
Why Christ Had to Die - by Mr Jonathan Bowles - 22 March 2003(NB Headings are not part of original, but are added for clarity)
Why Christ Had to Die - and Not Another Way
By Jon Bowles
Bristol,UK
22 March 2003
(PLAY FROM START)
You know, undoubtedly part of the reason for attacking Iraq now as opposed to a different time of the month is that, if you've noticed up in the sky, there's a nice great big full moon in the last few days. I would imagine it is easier to travel by night with a full moon. I know they've got all the various night-vision goggles. They've got all the satellite-guided weapons and everything else that they have down there. But I still feel it would probably be a lot easier to be able to move under a full moon, or as my father used to call it" the parish lantern" -- which is, if you've ever lived out in the country, it really is a parish lantern because without that you can be completely and totally lost.
But it is interesting that, looking at that, it is now less than a month until the Passover (which was brought out in the sermonette today). It's not very long away. I was talking to Adele, I think it was, this morning; and she was talking about the various things that are happening down there in the Middle East. And it was interesting that she heard a report that France and Germany have been talking about the need for getting an army and a military force together within Europe to counterbalance the American force, because they feel America is too strong. Therefore that is very, very significant. And here we are a month to Passover, and we're watching what's going on down in the Middle East. But, you know, what we need to be looking at -- we need to be looking at ourself. We need to be examining ourselves on this lead up because, quite frankly, that is more important even than what's going down in the Middle East because, it is concerning the Government that is actually going to take over from those governments as they're slugging it out down there at the moment. We're not a member of any of them!
But, in this lead-up to Passover next week, I want to finish off the book of James in the Bible Study. The following week, I want to give a sermon on discerning the body of Christ. I was thinking about doing that this particular service today, but I figured that the subject I've got is more pertinent for us at this time. But "Discerning the Body of Christ" and also "John 6" (which was mentioned in a sermonette slightly. It was just touched on.) But John 6 largely isn't talking about the Passover. It's talking more about the Days of Unleavened Bread if you actually go back and read it and put the various bits together, which I'll bring out in about a fortnight's time. That's two weeks for everybody [laughs] that's on the other side of the water. A fortnight is two weeks. And then the following week -- that's the week before the Passover -- I'm hoping (if I can find it) is a Mr. Armstrong tape.
I actually saw a transcript this morning from a tape that he gave back in '82, just prior to Passover, which I thought was absolutely excellent. And I would like to try and get hold of that tape, if I possibly can, and play it; because it goes into examining ourselves in a way, really, that I am not qualified, or in any way, shape or form been assigned to give you. But Mr. Armstrong certainly was, and is to this day. So if we can get that tape on preparing and examining ourselves for the Passover, I would like to do that just before the Passover (in about three weeks time).
However, today I want to ask a question and, hopefully, answer it. It's a question which is a very interesting one and utterly fundamental to our belief. Utterly, utterly fundamental And yet, I remember sometime ago, listening to an evangelist in the Church that was then (that was before we actually separated), he said on camera, "I have no idea why Christ had to die." He could not understand why God had to have Christ die. Why couldn't He make it another way? Why couldn't He just forgive? And he came up with the conclusion that the idea must be to show that He really loves us. And that was the kind of essence of what he was talking about.
Now, my question is this: If it was 'just to show God loves us' that He actually had Christ die (rather than working it out in some different way, working out His plan in a different way), then it's almost like somebody who comes up to you and says, "I love you a great deal and just to show you," he gets this lighted cigarette and he stubs it out on his hand. And you think, "Well, there's something very, very wrong with that individual!" There's something unbalanced about that individual. And you'd probably run a mile from an individual like that, with due reason. And, in fact, it's somewhat blasphemous to say, "I had no idea why Christ had to die. It purely must be to simply show that He loves us." because it does give God and Christ ... It implies that He is deranged in some way.
So that's what I want to ask today. Why did God choose to have Christ die? Why didn't He have a different plan? Because he could! He was God. He could have said, "I forgive. On repentance, I can forgive." Why not? Why did He have to do it this way? He could have done anything that He wished to, and yet He chose to have this particular part of His plan. And it's a foundational part of His plan. And it is a good question. It's not an arbitrary question. As I said, this particular evangelist ... And the reason why he had no idea was that he lost his bearings. He'd lost the holy days. He hadn't put the Passover into the context of the holy days as to what the holy days were all about, and how the Passover begins the very holy days in the Plan of God.
I have seven points today (a bit different from my normal 4 or 5) and, hopefully, with fewer scriptures on each.
The first thing I want to deal with is why we are human. Why we are human. As I say, this is a foundational sermon, very much a foundational sermon.
Secondly, I want to ask the question: What does God want us to experience as human beings? What is it that He's trying to get us to experience?
Thirdly, I want to talk about man and his destiny; and, in doing so, I'll be talking about God and His Way -- because that's really what man's destiny is.
And then fourthly, I want to talk about Satan and his way. Satan's way, because Satan is a destroyer. That has a great deal to do with this particular subject.
Fifthly, I want to talk about the chaos. That you look back into in history, and you see Satan's way, and how the chaos results from that way.
Linked to that, I want to talk a little bit about the chaos in prophecy because we're looking forward as well at the prophetic chaos that will come about from Satan's way at the close of this age. And that also has a great deal to do with it.
And finally, I want to talk about our part. The part that we have today, and why God chose Christ to die, and didn't use another way -- because we are inexorably linked to this entire process.
WHY HUMAN? (PLAY FROM 8:02)
So, let's ask the question then: Why are we human? Let's turn over to Matthew 13. Why are we human? Christ gives a parable in verse 24.
Matthew 13:24-25 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
So we're looking at the parable of the tares. If you'll notice down in verse 36 ...
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away,
And this entire section of chapter thirteen deals with the subject of why He spoke in parables. He spoke in parables to hide the meaning from the multitudes.
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house [So He's not a vagabond.]: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Matthew 13:40-41 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this [age]. (41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Now whether this is talking about the establishment of the Kingdom of God, or whether it's an overview going right the way through to the end of time as well, regardless, when you're looking at the Kingdom of God, you cannot have anything in there that does iniquity. And the way in which humans are dealt with -- to be excluded from that Kingdom -- is that they are destroyed. They are destroyed. So then, why are we made human? Why were we made flesh? Well, a very good part of it is so that we can be destroyed. So that we can be destroyed. If you'll turn over to Romans 8.
Romans 8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you shall die:
Again, that is part of being human. You and I, from here going back home, could quite easily end in an accident; and that would be our lot, humanly speaking. When you and I go to sleep each night, we close our eyes; and we disappear. I'm sure, I am personally convinced, that's why God has actually implemented sleep is so that it doesn't terrify us about death. Can you imagine facing death (Everybody faces death.) and have never slept? They came to the point of death and suddenly disappeared? But a merciful God gives us sleep so that every night we go to sleep, and we understand that we're going to wake up the next morning. So I am sure that is the reason why that we have sleep each night.
Romans 8:13-14 For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do [put to death] the deeds of the body, you shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
It's those that are led by that Spirit that are going to go on into the future, being the sons of God, resurrected into the very Kingdom of God. And those that will not be led by that Spirit (those that are going to be led by the flesh, by the spirit that is linked up with that flesh, i.e. Satan's mindset and wavelength), they are going to die. That's the purpose of being born human. We are born human so that we might die, so that this attitude of mind does not have to continue.
Whatever the reason ... I mean, if you look at the entire creation. You look outside here. I mean, we see the sky. We see the sunshine. We see the leaves. We see the buds on the trees and the way everything is starting now. And you look at the detail that is there, and you look at the way in which this creation functions. And we're not just looking at, oh, a creation. We're looking even at time and space itself. We're looking at our entire existence. An incredible amount of effort has gone into our existence -- an incredible amount of effort, an incredible amount of detail. It probably did take millions and millions of years to come up with this that we see. And I'm not talking about a blind evolution. I'm talking about the design, the way in which this all came to be. The design process probably did take millions and millions of years to be designed and to be formed. And we're looking at this, and we look at this creation; and, if that creation is to have so much work done to it, whatever the reason for it, has got to be big. It has got to be huge. It has got to be monumental.
And here we find human beings. And we find then that, if we live after the flesh -- after the human way -- then we die. And the indication within Scripture is that that is the purpose. That is the purpose of being human. It's so that we can die.
WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO LEARN AS HUMAN BEINGS? (PLAY FROM 13:36)
So let's go into the second point then. What does God want us to learn? What is it that God wants us to learn? There's an interesting scripture over in Jeremiah 21. It almost lays out what Mr. Armstrong would bring to us on a regular basis. So here is Jeremiah speaking, and he brings them the message from God.
Jeremiah 21:8 And unto this people thou shall say, [This is God speaking to Jeremiah here.]Thus says the [ETERNAL]; Behold, [You look at this!] I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
There are two ways. There is a way of life, and there is a way of death. Now we just read that, if I live after the flesh -- this way of death -- I will die. There are two ways, two different ways of life, in Jeremiah 21:8. If you go back to Matthew 7, you find Christ also mentions exactly the same thing. He elaborates on this. It's the same Eternal who was speaking to Jeremiah. He says, "Now you go; you tell them from Me, "Thus says the Eternal." This individual became Christ.
Matthew 7:13 Enter you in at the strait gate:
The difficult gate. Remember, we are looking at a Way. We're looking at a gate that leads to that Way -- that road.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, [to being destroyed, to dying and dying eternally] and many there be which go in thereat: [Now at the moment there are, they're going to die. Now there's a resurrection as well, and we understand that there's a plan for all of them.] (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way [the path], which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.
So we see two ways -- a way of life, and a way of death. And, at the moment, there are very few going the way of life. The vast majority of this world is going a way which leads to death, which will lead to death. And the reason for that, if you'll go over to chapter 3, the reason God has constructed this, this system that we find ourself in, this world in which we find ourselves (and we do -- all of us find ourselves in this world, this incredible detail we look out at each day of our existence)... Yet, at the end of our existence, there is death. My parents are both in the ground. They're both dead. And that is the end, as far as we are looking forward.
Romans 3:10-11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.
So, you know, we've all gone that way of death. We've all gone down that road. Every single last one of us have gone that way. So what is God wanting us to learn? I mean, obviously, He's wanting us to learn something about that way of death, a great deal about that way of death.
Romans 3:11-12 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way [They've all left the path that God has for them, every single human being.], they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one.
Not a single individual.
Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
He's talking about the people that have chosen this particular way -- which is all of us, at one time or another, have chosen that particular way.
Romans 3:14-17 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways [That path, that direction in which they are going.]: (17) And the way of peace have they not known:
This is the natural human mind, as it said in Romans 8 that we read earlier -- that, if I live after the flesh, then I shall die. You shall die, if you live after the flesh; then you shall die.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
God has designed it this way. It's not happenstance. You know, this Being ... All you have to do is look at the creation and you say, "Look! This Being that made this that I find myself in, has a Mind that, as Einstein used to say, 'if you took the sum total of human consciousness, and compared it to the smallest item, as far as God is concerned, it would be absolutely nothing in comparison.'" And it is! Our entire consciousness, our entire scientific effort, has nothing to match what we are seeing out here in front of our eyes every day.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
So what is it that God is trying to get us to learn? If we've all sinned (all come short, all gone out of the way, all gone away from the way of God), then we have all got to learn about sin. That is what God wants us to learn. That is what God wants us to experience. It is an experience God has built in for us to experience, to learn about. This is not just an arbitrary thing. If we go on a little bit, just over in chapter 6 of Romans, just over a page or two:
Romans 6:15-18 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves [slaves] to obey, his [slaves] you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that you were the [slaves] of sin, [He's talking to the Roman Church -- You were the slaves of sin.] but you have obeyed from the heart that form of [teaching]which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, you became the [slaves] of righteousness.
Now this is part and parcel of the Plan of God, that every single one of us experiences sin; and yet we're to turn from that way, into the way of God. And it's designed that way. It was designed so that we might experience it. So when we're asking the question: Why was Christ crucified? Why wasn't there another plan? Why did God have to put that individual through such an incredibly awful death? It is part and parcel of the very Plan of God. It fits into the very Plan of God.
"Well," you say, "Surely God could have worked it out in a different way? I mean Christ Himself prayed. He said, "Look, if it's possible, take this cup from Me; but not my will, but your will will be done." But you see, it was God's will. It was God's will that that death occurs, because there is a reason for it. There is something that is being impressed on our minds. The very fact is that we are going through a life where sin is inexorably bound up in with that life. We are witnessing it. We. Certainly within. We look out at the world; and we see it continually, daily, a way of life that produces a certain result all the time. We see it in our own lives. We behave a certain way to our wives, or to our children, or to our families or whatever. And we get a certain result as the result of it, and we are learning. Even now, we are repenting and turning continually as we go through this life. And it is that God wants us to learn this lesson. He wants us ... Really, He's rubbing our nose in it to a large degree. But it says that:
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, you became the [slaves] of righteousness.
Romans 7:9 For I was alive [apart from] the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
In other words, I suddenly started to really recognize how off track I was. I think all of us, and I don't know about you ... well I do know about you. If you're here and you're converted, you will have recognized how off track we were as a Church those years ago. We were off track. We were away from the track that God had laid down. We were out of the way.
Romans 7:9-11 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (11) For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
We cannot do this on our own strength; but the key, notice verse 13. If you want to answer the question "What does God want us, in this life, to learn?" -- the answer is in verse 13.
Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
In other words, that God can actually rub our noses in it so that we can actually see it; and there's no shadow of doubt. So that we don't have any false illusion in our mind. We can see. We say, "Now look. I have sinned. I've come short. I've gone off the way."
Romans 7: ... But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good [i.e. the Law].
We can actually see. We can understand that we are off track, because we can see that we have broken the Law. The Law is the knowledge of sin. It gives the knowledge of being off track.
Romans 7:13 ... working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
That verse, Romans 7:13, is a key verse that tells us "What is it that God wants us to learn?" I always remember hearing on the radio about this monkey. They were trying to potty train a monkey. Have you ever potty trained a monkey? So what they did, they got this monkey. And every time it messed on the floor, they'd grab it by the scruff of the neck, smack it's behind, and threw it out the window. And this was potty training a monkey, apparently [laughs]. So, finally, the penny dropped with this monkey. The monkey finally (and this is supposed to be a true story), whenever it messed on the floor, it smacked itself on the behind and jumped out the window. [everyone laughs]
But you see this is really it. If you've ever trained a puppy, that's what you do. You put pepper on the offending article, you go and get the nose, and rub the nose in it; or whatever else you happen to do. But you try and get the point across. That's what it says here.
Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
That I could actually open my eyes, and see myself for what I really am, and see the problem -- the problem with going off track, with missing the mark, because sin is missing the mark,
Romans 7:13 ... working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
We can see that sin carries a penalty. When we miss the mark, there is a penalty there; and we're having our nose, basically, rubbed in it to a large degree. So the actual thing that is being brought across to us, you can see in Romans 6:23, is that the wages of sin is death. That it will work towards death. It will work towards destroying relationships, destroying ourselves that we die. We live with this death hanging over us all the time. But the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. That this gift is something that is then given to us, this freedom from what is naturally going to take place.
MAN'S DESTINY (PLAY FROM 28:27)
So what about man and his destiny? As I said in the beginning, I said, look, whatever it is that God is doing, it is big. Anybody going and looking out into this natural world should be able to see that the Plan of God is no half-baked measure. They should be able to see by the natural things that are made that it is something monumental. Something monumental is going on here. Now if we turn over to Colossians 1, we find this Being who talked to Jeremiah and said, "Look, you go and tell them about the way of life and the way of death." Turn to ... Hum, with Paul it's always difficult to know where to pick up.
Colossians 1:13-16 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him [this is Jesus Christ, now] were all things created,
You see, when we looking at Jesus Christ, this Individual who came down and who died, whom God the Father decided -- right, both God the Father and Jesus Christ decided -- this is the way in which it must be within the Plan. There is no other way of actually doing it. This Being that came down is the Creator.
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
He's going to be over them all, that He may be before all things; and by Him all things consist. His words hold what we have today together. His word -- that He sent out of His mouth when He said "Let there be light." -- that light is still. We're looking out here now. It's still there, and they're all made for Him. And this outgoing, this giving God ... And in Genesis 1 it talks about "and He looked at all that He made, and behold it was very, very good." What He had made was very good. And this was the Eternal God. This was the One that became later Jesus Christ. If you'll go back to Romans again, we find that this Being who was God before His birth, who went through and lived this life and died, and died that excruciating death that we're going to commemorate and have a memorial of on the day of Passover, the One that we're asking, "Well, why did God have to work it out this way? Why couldn't He work it out a different way?
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
Or He planned. He planned. Probably a better word to use for predestinate is planned, because it's not a case that individuals are going to be there. It's a case that some individuals are going to be there. Not necessarily you or me. It's up to us whether we respond to the calling that's been given to us.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [or planned] to be conformed to the image of his Son,
So we are to be like this Being who was the very Creator, Who spoke and it was. That is a phenomenal thought, an absolutely phenomenal thought!
Romans 8:29 ... to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now, this is the very Plan of God. This is the monumental thing that God is doing. This is why you look out your windows each day, and you see the creation, and we see the atoms and molecules and everything else -- the way in which this world is put together; and it is phenomenal. You open your eyes, and if you just stop and think and ponder a little bit about it, it almost blows you away that anything exists here at all. Just look at it. It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing, what we look out of our eyes at, every single day of our life. And yet the One that did this says that we have got to be conformed to His Image. That He is going to be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters. That we are part of that Family. That's what He wants.
Now we've just read, and we've just seen, how God wants us to learn something about sin. How sin causes problems; and He's built it in, in such a way that we cannot get away from it. That when we miss the mark that God gives, then we can see the result. When we see others missing the mark that God gives, and it's all around us, we can see the result. That's all part and parcel of it.
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, [So here is the Father, delivering Christ up for us all. This was part and parcel of the plan.] how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
You see, being conformed to Him. It talks about being the Firstborn among many brethren. All of creation, as He is Creator. We will be Creator. As He speaks and it is, we speak and it is. It will be. That again, this is the monumental thing that has been planned. And it's found within the pages of Scripture. We'll go back there later into I John 3, where it talks there about how we will eventually see Him as He is. At the moment, we can't; but, eventually, we will see Him as He is. Turn over to Philippians 3. I read this scripture in Over Haddon at that time. It is an astounding scripture to me.
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body,
This is the Plan of God. The Plan of God is to change this body, with all its aches and pains that you and I have every morning; this body is to be changed.
Philippians 3:21 that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body
Now conformed to the image of Christ. It is literal, quite literal. Not only is it going to be that we are going to be conformed to His image mentally and spiritually, but spiritually in the sense of His body.
Philippians 3:21 fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
He speaks, and it is. What He says stays where it is. It goes out of His mouth through the very Spirit of God; and it stays in that Spirit, creating the very reality that we see. We, as the sons and daughters of God, will have the same kind of power through the body that is to be given to us. That, again, is a phenomenal thought! A destiny that is beyond all belief, almost, when you look at the aching human frame that we have got; and yet this is what it says. This is what this Word says. This Being -- this God -- who is outgoing, who is giving to such a degree that He designs a Plan whereby He can give to mankind such power and such incredible existence, beyond anything that we could possibly understand or realize. And yet that is what this Word explains very clearly. As we've been reading in James, where James says, you know, this Being -- this God -- remember is without variableness or shadow of turning. He lives a certain Way. His Way is a way of peace. His Way is different from the human way. It is diametrically opposed to the way that Satan has chosen for himself.
But in this scripture here in Philippians 3:21{1}, where it talks about being fashioned to His glorious body, you put that together with scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 13:12{2}, that talks about how we will then know, even as we are known. Not only will this change be of our physical bodies, it will change our minds as well. God knows through His Spirit. He knows us intimately through His Spirit. He seems to almost be able to feel through that Spirit. He can operate things through a distance through His Spirit. And it says we will know as we are known. So, we will know in that same way. This is the destiny that we are looking at.
Let's go over to John as far as this destiny that you and I have in front of us, in the context of why did Christ have to die? Why couldn't it be worked out in a different way?
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, [or the Logos] and the [Logos] was with God, and the [Logos] was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life;[real, true Life] and the life was the light of men.
It lights up the Way in which we are to then walk, the Way we are to go in order to have the same kind of Life.
John 1:5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness [couldn't grasp] it.
The word comprehend is to both grasp hold of and understand, same thing. They just didn't grasp it at all.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
You see, their way was going the way which was natural to a man linked up to the very spirit of Satan. It is a way which is off track. It's missed the mark. And every single one of us have learned about that way.
John 3:20-21 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that does truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
So that there is a Way in which God has given us that allows us to counteract that. There is a Way that we've been illuminated to, through an individual sent to us. Not only Christ, but also a human individual through whom God revealed His Way. And that Way of life, as it says in John 10:10, is a Way of life that is more abundant.
John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Now, that's man and his destiny; and it is inexorably linked up to God. It is inexorably linked up with the way God is. Yes, we have an experience of missing the mark. But the Plan that God has, the destiny that He has designed before us, is one that we become a Creator the same as Jesus Christ is a Creator. And this: Remember it talks in John, it talks about how He is Light.
SATAN'S WAY (PLAY FROM 42:34)
Now when you go on to the other side, and you say, "Well, let's have a look at this next point, about Satan." -- you see, Satan's way is the way of a destroyer, the way of destruction; and this is the heart and core.
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned,
So we in our lives, built into this life that we are part and parcel of, is the fact that we miss the mark; and angels also missed the mark. Angels also sinned
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to [tararoo], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Or a place of restraint. So if they have been restrained, and it then goes in and gives a list, one after another. He lists one after another. He says ...
2 Peter 2:4-9 For if God spared not the angels that sinned ... (5) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah ... (6) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ... (7) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (8) (For that righteous man dwelling among them [couldn't put up] with their unlawful deeds;) (9) The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of [trials], and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
You see, each of these examples that we're given, previous to verse 9, shows us an example of missing the mark -- of sin. It shows one after another. It says, "Look, God knows how to deliver the righteous out of trials and reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment. He is able to sort this mess out." And he starts off with the angels (in verse 4) that sinned.
Now what actually happened? We know that when we sin the penalty is death. We can find that within Scripture. We just read it. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." But what about an angel? What's the wages of sin for an angel? Well, it's to be restrained (according to this). What's the result of sin for an angel? What actually happens? What's the penalty of sin? If an angel sins, or if a human sins, or if anybody sins, what actually happens? What is sin? Sin is transgression of the Law. It's lawlessness. It's going against the Way of God. It's going in a different direction. And the result? Remember, God is the Creator. God is the One who is outgoing, who creates, who gives, who has designed a Plan that you and I are part and parcel of, so that we might share that Life with Him. So what is sin? What actually is the penalty of it? What's going to happen?
Well, it's destroying. It's destruction. And really, when we're thinking of Satan, it's almost like the ripples in a pond. You've all thrown a stone in a pond. You throw it in a pond. And wherever that stone goes in, okay, that might be where the stone lands; but the ripples then spread right out from that point, and it goes into the entire area of the pond. Wherever you happen to be on the area of the pond, depending where you are, it depends on how great the ripple is going to be. But the influence is from that stone that goes in there. It's the same as when somebody misses the mark, when somebody goes against the Way of God. God is the Way of creation, of trying to up build, to try and lift up people, of outgoing. The nature of God is totally different from Satan. But where that is broken, where you've got somebody missing the mark, there are going to be penalties that then ripple out from that point; and you will find it throughout the world today.
The penalties that come out from the war in the Middle East today are in your forecourt. They're in the price you pay for petrol. They are in -- presumably it will be -- in the plastics that you have. They ripple out. They come out from whatever happens. It is not a case that it just happens in isolation. If we sin, it doesn't just happen in isolation. It ripples out from there to all around us as well. And the repercussions for an angel sinning (because an angel is able to sin in a way far, far greater than a human being can) ... You've got the repercussions as far as Noah, as far as Sodom and Gomorrah, as far as you and I. But as far as an angel, the damage that can be done, the destruction that can be meted out, the devastation that will come from the power that is there, is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous! And the ripples that come from that act are also horrendous.
If you get a stone and you throw it in a pond, you get a certain amount of ripples that come out from there. If you get an earthquake that drops halfway down underneath the sea over near Japan somewhere, the ripples that come from that lump of rock that disappeared into the sea are entirely different. You get TSUNAMIS! {} Hundreds of feet high. And it's not exactly getting a pebble and throwing it into a pond, but you just get one great lump of rock that disappears. And the tsunami then, the water goes down and the tsunami then comes across, hundreds of feet high. And in the case of an angel (the power that was there, the repercussions and the ripple that came out) the "tsunami" that rippled out from that was huge -- utterly, utterly huge.
You see, the penalty of sin is destruction. It destroys relationships. It destroys creation. It destroys creation. You see relationships have also got to be created. You have a relationship ... It's like I read last week. I read that the person that you call an idiot is a different person afterwards than he was before, because the relationship before was one way. You then call them an idiot, and the relationship afterwards is a totally different thing. That was from de Bono, and it's true. It is a destruction.
You have sin. You have a missing of the mark and you have a destruction that occurs. And it will destroy relationships, human relationships, yes; but it also destroys physically as well. You miss the mark. We drive too fast, we skid on the road, we hit some bus shelter with people inside -- we sin! And the repercussions are huge, on all sorts (on them, on us). The repercussions are huge! For us taking certain choices, the ripples from that are much, much greater than just yelling at the wife or the wife yelling at you. Depending, [as] that might be the final straw. But whatever, what actually could happen. You go out and you kill somebody, the ripples are going to be much greater.
But whatever it is, the penalty of sin -- of missing the mark -- is destruction. In the case of a spirit being, that destruction is a destruction of the creation because, you see, God is outgoing. Yes, it destroys relationships as well; but God is outgoing. He is up building. He is upgrading things. Whereas Satan, because he is going in a different way, he is pulling down what is being created. Now that is the essence of it. That is the essence of Satan being a destroyer. If we turn over to Revelation 9 ... If you want to put in your notes that Revelation 11:7{4} and Revelation 17:8{5}, you'll find that the Beast's habitation is this area here that we're about to read about. And also, you can read Revelation 20:1-3{6}, where Satan is actually put into the abyss.
Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
If we go over to verse 11, it talks about coming out of this abyss and it says:
Revelation 9:11 And they had a king over them, [Now the king over them was Satan, or is going to be Satan, because he is over the demons.] which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon.
That is to say, if you look over in the margin reference, it is the destroyer. One of the very names of Satan is Apollyon, is Destroyer. That is one of his names because not only does he destroy relationships, which he does, because he's the devil as well (He's the slanderer, which destroys relationships); but that mindset, if it's unchecked, it destroys enormous.
I mean, you've seen on the news last night? In Baghdad, Rageh Omaar in his hotel, looking out, and all the panorama of the cameras looking at all the various bombs going off. Have you seen those palaces that Sadaam Hussein had? They were lavish. They were absolutely palatial. They were palaces after all and they're now lying in absolute, abject, utter ruins. It is total utter abject destruction.
And why? Wouldn't it have been better to have gotten together, and to have talked together, and to have resolved the difference? But they weren't about to. Why? Because there was a certain mindset. I look at Sadaam Hussein and I see Stalin. I think there's a satanic force there. I honestly feel there's a satanic force, within that individual. So why is that mindset there? Because it's coming from the king of them -- whose name is Apollyon, the destroyer. And the penalty of sin is that sin destroys what God creates. Sin destroys what God creates.
God creates this natural world. Sin destroys it. God creates our bodies functioning properly, healthily. Sin destroys it. God creates relationships between individuals. Sin destroys that relationship. And God wants a relationship between Himself and human beings; and sin destroys that relationship, as well. So sin destroys what God creates.
There is more to it than that, because God is a certain type of God. God, as the creator, He is a certain way. He creates in a certain way. You look at the natural world; and I mean, the Orientals have made it into a religion, the Yin and Yang -- that everything is in balance. You've gotta keep the yin and the yang; and you've gotta have all this, that, and the other. And they've made that into a religion. All they're looking at is the way in which God creates, the way in which God is. He is a balanced individual. He says, "Vengeance is mine, says the Eternal. I will repay." And He does repay. He does cause vengeance to balance things out. This is the kind of God He is. This is the kind of Being He is.
He creates things in such a way that things are in balance. If you've done any geography at all, you know you have the evaporation from the sea; and it condenses and goes on the land. It runs down. You have these cycles. There is the nitrogen cycle. It goes into the nitrogen in the air, and the nitrogen fixation bacteria, and the grass is eaten by the animal; and the animal dies, and up it goes back into the air again. You've got these cycles. You've got everything in balance; and, if something gets out of balance, then something else corrects it. And this is the way that God has made so much of this world. It is in balance and in harmony. That's the way He is. He is a God who is organized, and you can see it throughout the creation.
So when we look at this penalty of sin, the fact that sin destroys what God creates, He's made something else. He said, then, "Okay. If you are the one who sinned, and you are the one who goes ahead and drops that stone in the center of the pond, and the ripples go out from you, the primary one affected will be you. Somehow, that primary one affected is going to be you. That's the primary, well, not primary directive. [laughs] It is the way that God tends to work. And when you are looking at sin in a human being, we know that sin causes the destruction of the creation; but we are part of that creation. Sin destroys us! Because we're physical, sin destroys us.
CHAOS (PLAY FROM 58:38)
We look at the chaos that occurred after Lucifer became Satan, became the enemy; and we just see what it talks about in John 8:44{7}. It says about how Satan was a murderer, a destroyer, from the beginning. A murderer is a destroyer. That's his frame of mind. That's how he is. That's his entire modus operandi. But you see, God, as it says in I Corinthians 14:33{8}, it says He is not the author of confusion. He is the antithesis of that. He's an organized Being. He works in a different way. He's an outgoing individual. It talks in Psalms 104:30{9} how he renews the face of the Earth. He up builds. He constructs. He's not a destroyer. He's the antithesis of the destroyer. If it's destruction, it's within a cycle -- within a cycle of life -- so that there might be more life.
You look at the natural world, that's the way it's been designed. Nothing dies of itself in that regard. Isaiah 45:18{10}, it says specifically that God did not create in vain. Now the word "in vain" is the same word you find over in Genesis 1 where it says the Earth was without form, which is tohu in verse 2{11}. And that word in Isaiah 45:18, where it says it was not created in vain, is that same word. And yet it says here that the Earth ("In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.") and the Earth became without form. That's tohu and bohu, without form and void{12}. Desolation. Destroyed. That's really what we're looking at. If we go over to Jude 6, right before Revelation:
Jude 1:6-7 And the angels which kept not their first estate, [that first principality. In other words, they didn't stay where they were put. They weren't doing what they were told. The angels that kept not their first estate ... ] but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to [pornéo], and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of [age-lasting]fire. [from this fire that came down and destroyed them.]
So, we see these angels. Again, you see sin that occurred; and you see the chaos that actually was the result of that. That from this event, they didn't keep their first estate. They left their habitation. They ascended to try and presumably knock God off His throne. And, in so doing, caused destruction on a vast scale of the creation. And we see the creation becoming tohu and bohu -- without form and void. And as I said, we're looking at a destruction that is far greater, as far as an angel is concerned, as far as a spirit being is concerned, than a mere human being. The destruction that can be done to the creation is vast. It obviously was.
If you'll go back a few pages to I John to chapter 3:
1 John 3:1-8 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. (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. [This is our destiny.] (3) And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. [So, we'll become perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect.] (4) Whosoever commits sin [missing the mark -- breaks] the law: for sin is [lawlessness. It is the transgression of the Law. It's not just transgression of the 10 Commandments. It's a state of mind. It's lawlessness]. (5) And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (6) [Whoever lives in Him does not sin, or doesn't practice sin. He's not continually sinning; Whoever is continually sinning ... ] has not seen him, neither known him. (7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (8) He that commits sin is of the [slanderer, the] devil; for the devil sinned [missed the mark]from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, [This is why Christ came.] that he might destroy the works of the devil [of the slanderer].
So we see how the penalty of sin is destruction, how sin destroys what God creates; and we see this attitude of mind that's coming from Satan, from the enemy. And we see that Christ came, so when we're asking ourself, "Why was He crucified? Why not another plan?" We see that this has got to do something about the fact that He's destroying this work of Satan. If we have sin in us as spirit beings, we also would create the chaos and destruction that happened in the case of Satan. We would be exactly the same; and that has got to be utterly, utterly destroyed. So as we approach this Passover and we're examining ourselves, and I'll play the tape by Mr. Armstrong, he's talking there about how repentance is so vital -- about whether we have actually turned, you know, examining ourself. We're not examining ourself as to whether we are perfect or not. It's examining ourself as to whether we have TURNED or not. Have we effectively turned from that way to the Way of God? That's what we're examining ourself all about.
CHAOS IN PROPHECY (PLAY FROM 66:00)
It's interesting, if you do a Bible Study on the word tohu and bohu, something very interesting comes out of the Bible Study. There's about three times the word bohu is mentioned, which is meaning to be empty or void or emptiness. And sixteen times the word tohu is mentioned -- desolation or wilderness, or without form or confusion -- an empty place. But you tend to find that it's a time of war, when these words are being mentioned. And it tends to describe the end-time, the time that we're approaching now. That's the tendency. That's where you tend to find those words. I don't want to ... I don't think I'm going to really go into a great deal on that. Oh, we could. Yes we could.
Turn over to James 3, just a recap. We just read about how, in a Bible Study, how a fountain sent forth form the same place, sweet water and bitter in verse 11.
James 3:14-16 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. (15) This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. [It's coming from Satan. It's from his mind frame.](16) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
James 4:1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. [There's no relationship there between yourself and God.](3) You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon [what you want].
You get on your knees, and you ask; but you only ask for what you want. Your mindset is different. Your mindset is going in a different direction. Notice over in Jeremiah 4. Notice I mentioned about how it's a time of war, and it describes the end time when you find these words being used.
Jeremiah 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the [shofar], the alarm of war.
We're looking at this time of war that is about to come upon us, unfortunately.
Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was [tohu and bohu] without form, and void
Exactly the same as you find at the end of Satan's rebellion. The result of sin is destruction. The result that we are going to see in the years ahead is going to come from missing the mark. And we are going to have our noses, and the world is going to have its nose, rubbed in this so that we fully and totally understand the process -- because, when the power is given to us, we've got to know. Absolutely got to know!
Jeremiah 4:23 and the heavens, and they had no light.
There was no light; and, again, you can look and see the analogies there.
Jeremiah 4:24-26 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. (25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. (26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the [ETERNAL], and by his fierce anger.
He allowed this to happen. It's coming from the results of man's ways, and God is about to step in and cause these problems.
Isaiah 34:1-3 Come near, you nations, to hear; and hearken, you people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. (2) For the indignation of the [ETERNAL] is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he has utterly destroyed them, he has delivered them to the slaughter. (3) Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
In other words, here is the recompense for living a certain way. The world is about to come into the Millennium, but that recompense has got to be put onto the world. God is a God of balance. The balance has got to be there.
Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
The result of that balancing out will eventually flow into the very Kingdom of God itself, but you're looking at utter and total chaos. We'll leave that concept as far as the end of this age.
OUR PART (PLAY FROM 71:46)
Now, what about our part? We still haven't really answered, "Why does Christ have to be crucified? Why isn't there another plan?" Well, basically, sin causes destruction. We know that. We've seen scriptures that indicate that. We can see very clearly that, where we miss the mark, destruction is the result. If a spirit being misses the mark with the power that a spirit being has, it is a monumental destruction. We know that. But also, God tends to focus (just like the pebble in the pool, it focuses that, it rebounds) on the person actually causing that destruction, causing that sin. In our case, because we are human, then it is us that has to be destroyed. It's us that's got to be destroyed. We are part of this creation that is being destroyed by this way of life. Being part of this creation, we will be destroyed with it. We will actually suffer that penalty.
Remember what we stated at the beginning. God's purpose for making man human is so that we can be destroyed. It's so that we can utterly be wiped away. So we don't have to stay. But, you see, if there are some that turn, if there are some that understand a different way -- and we've all gone out of the way, we've all gone aside; but there are some that decide, yes, and their minds are open and they turn. But how can God possibly save them? Rescue them? That's why Christ had to die.
It's the destruction of missing the mark, of going away from that Way of God, that will destroy everything. It's not just human beings that are destroyed. It's not just the penalty of sin is death. The penalty of sin is destruction. It destroys the creation of God. The fact is that God has deliberately made us human, and made us human so that we can be destroyed. So that it does not affect ... The ripples coming out from the sin that will come from us will not be the kind of ripples that came from Satan. That that will never happen again.
But, if we are turned -- if we do, in fact, put ourself under the Government of God, under the way of God -- then something has got to happen. God is a God of balance. He does not change. You look at the creation, and you see this God of balance. There's got to be a penalty paid. A penalty has got to be paid. The destruction has got to take place. Otherwise, he's no longer a consistent God. He has no variableness, no shadow of turning{13}. When He says, it is. And if He says "This is the way it must be." and we go in a different way, destruction will occur; and it will rebound on us. So there's got to be a substitute.
If we look at the balance in nature, if you want to put some of these scriptures down in your notes,
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Again, it illustrates the mind of God.
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. [Whoever takes the sword is going to perish by the sword.]
Revelation 13:10 He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
We will see the destruction that happens in this Earth, but we know that God is this way. He's a God of vengeance. He's a God of balance. He's a God of recompense, and He will cause the recompense. The recompense will take place. Now (when we look at that, and we understand that), this is the faith and the patience of the saints. The saints are going to watch this. They're going to see it within this Earth. "He that leads into captivity must go into captivity." "He that kills with the sword MUST be killed with the sword." There's no compromise. But, you see, you and I sin. You and I go that way. You and I go the way that's got to end up in disaster, in destruction. So there has got to be built into that purpose something that will give us, well, turn over to John 3.
We read in Romans 7:13, we read the scripture that talks about how we must learn that sin becomes exceeding sinful. That we have our nose rubbed in it. We're like little puppy dogs that get our nose rubbed in it to teach us a lesson. It's built into the process. God wants us to understand this lesson. To have it abundantly clear in our mind so that the destruction does not occur in the future.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
That you and I may be rescued from the destruction that would naturally be there, because of sin. We've got to learn it. We've got to learn the lesson. We're living in a world that is absolutely steeped in it. We sin, continually. And we've got to go, in repentance, to God; and God is a God of balance. He insists on that penalty being paid (otherwise His Word is not valid) physically and spiritually. Physically and spiritually. And that's why there's a Passover. That's why Christ died.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
May be rescued from the destruction that would naturally occur if sin was left unchecked. And yet you see this love. It's not a case of getting a cigarette and saying, "Oh, just to show how much He loves you." It's not that. It's not some deranged individual. You look at the creation. This is no deranged individual. This is an Individual that has such high standards, and who absolutely insists on those high standards for anyone who is going to share those high standards with Him. I wasn't going to read this, but let's just do this. Let's turn over to Psalms, the fifth Psalm.
Psalms 5:1-4 Give ear to my words, O [ETERNAL] , consider my meditation. [my thinking about You and Your ways and everything else.] (2) Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. (3) My voice shall thou hear in the morning, O [ETERNAL]; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (4) For thou art not a God that has pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
It's not just that it will be in God. It's that we, as wicked, will not dwell there. I think of the first Psalm.
Psalms 1:1-6 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
God will not allow sin to be present in that coming Kingdom, in His government with His way. This is the reason why God chose to have Christ crucified and not another plan. He's learned from His experience with Lucifer. We know that, if we go against that expression of God's will, sin will always -- but always -- carry a penalty. And that penalty of sin is the destruction of the creation of God -- be that creation a relationship, be that creation physical. For us physically, that destruction is going to, as we are part of that very creation, it's going to mean death; so the creation doesn't get destroyed, so we don't carry on living. But He wants us to learn. He wants us to get absolutely sickened, sick and tired of this system in which we find ourself today; so we completely and totally reject it. Forgiveness isn't enough. It always carries a penalty. God makes it that way and that destruction is got to, therefore, be there.
Christ therefore had to be crucified, had to die, had to be destroyed -- on our behalf. It was His body that was broken for us breaking His Laws that ends in our physical bodies being broken. It was His blood that was shed, so that our blood doesn't have to be shed when we break His spiritual laws, eternally. So, just a couple of scriptures in closing.
At the end of it all, this entire system that has been made, this entire effort that has gone in, the sacrifice that was given, which was a monumental sacrifice, but Revelation 16.
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Now that, you know, on the surface "It's done." No, it's not "It's done." In other words, that phase is over. That phase can be finished. Satan can be put away, and the phase of which people have their noses rubbed in this destruction that comes from missing the mark. The mark that God has set. And, eventually, over in Revelation 21, we find exactly the same thing. We find a new heaven and a new earth in verse one, and the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven.
Revelation 21:4-6 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
That again is the next stage. It's a stage where the whole human experience is finished. But the human experience is to make sure we fully understand that fact that all sin carries a penalty. All sin ends in destruction. Let's make sure that we examine ourselves between now and Passover, and we really do understand that; and that we thoroughly, thoroughly learn that lesson.
Transcribed by JF, March, 2006
{1} Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.,
{2} 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.,
{3} Mr Bowles gets his words confused!: "You get ... What do you call them? Satsumis? That's not it [everyone laughs] but something like that. Satsuma? Yeah, that's right. This tawdry great Satsuma that comes right away across the sea. Great orange thing -- TSUNAMIS! That's what it was. Yes, I knew it was something like that. The tsunamis. But you get these things, what, hundreds of feet high."
{4} Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
{5} Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.,
{6} Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.,
{7} John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father You will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it..
{8} 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.,
{9} Psalm 104:30 You send forth your spirit, they are created: and you renew the face of the earth.
{10} Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the [ETERNAL] that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the [ETERNAL]; and there is none else.,
{11} Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
{12} Genesis 1:2
{13}James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Why Christ Had to Die - and Not Another Way
By Jon Bowles
Bristol,UK
22 March 2003
(PLAY FROM START)
You know, undoubtedly part of the reason for attacking Iraq now as opposed to a different time of the month is that, if you've noticed up in the sky, there's a nice great big full moon in the last few days. I would imagine it is easier to travel by night with a full moon. I know they've got all the various night-vision goggles. They've got all the satellite-guided weapons and everything else that they have down there. But I still feel it would probably be a lot easier to be able to move under a full moon, or as my father used to call it" the parish lantern" -- which is, if you've ever lived out in the country, it really is a parish lantern because without that you can be completely and totally lost.
But it is interesting that, looking at that, it is now less than a month until the Passover (which was brought out in the sermonette today). It's not very long away. I was talking to Adele, I think it was, this morning; and she was talking about the various things that are happening down there in the Middle East. And it was interesting that she heard a report that France and Germany have been talking about the need for getting an army and a military force together within Europe to counterbalance the American force, because they feel America is too strong. Therefore that is very, very significant. And here we are a month to Passover, and we're watching what's going on down in the Middle East. But, you know, what we need to be looking at -- we need to be looking at ourself. We need to be examining ourselves on this lead up because, quite frankly, that is more important even than what's going down in the Middle East because, it is concerning the Government that is actually going to take over from those governments as they're slugging it out down there at the moment. We're not a member of any of them!
But, in this lead-up to Passover next week, I want to finish off the book of James in the Bible Study. The following week, I want to give a sermon on discerning the body of Christ. I was thinking about doing that this particular service today, but I figured that the subject I've got is more pertinent for us at this time. But "Discerning the Body of Christ" and also "John 6" (which was mentioned in a sermonette slightly. It was just touched on.) But John 6 largely isn't talking about the Passover. It's talking more about the Days of Unleavened Bread if you actually go back and read it and put the various bits together, which I'll bring out in about a fortnight's time. That's two weeks for everybody [laughs] that's on the other side of the water. A fortnight is two weeks. And then the following week -- that's the week before the Passover -- I'm hoping (if I can find it) is a Mr. Armstrong tape.
I actually saw a transcript this morning from a tape that he gave back in '82, just prior to Passover, which I thought was absolutely excellent. And I would like to try and get hold of that tape, if I possibly can, and play it; because it goes into examining ourselves in a way, really, that I am not qualified, or in any way, shape or form been assigned to give you. But Mr. Armstrong certainly was, and is to this day. So if we can get that tape on preparing and examining ourselves for the Passover, I would like to do that just before the Passover (in about three weeks time).
However, today I want to ask a question and, hopefully, answer it. It's a question which is a very interesting one and utterly fundamental to our belief. Utterly, utterly fundamental And yet, I remember sometime ago, listening to an evangelist in the Church that was then (that was before we actually separated), he said on camera, "I have no idea why Christ had to die." He could not understand why God had to have Christ die. Why couldn't He make it another way? Why couldn't He just forgive? And he came up with the conclusion that the idea must be to show that He really loves us. And that was the kind of essence of what he was talking about.
Now, my question is this: If it was 'just to show God loves us' that He actually had Christ die (rather than working it out in some different way, working out His plan in a different way), then it's almost like somebody who comes up to you and says, "I love you a great deal and just to show you," he gets this lighted cigarette and he stubs it out on his hand. And you think, "Well, there's something very, very wrong with that individual!" There's something unbalanced about that individual. And you'd probably run a mile from an individual like that, with due reason. And, in fact, it's somewhat blasphemous to say, "I had no idea why Christ had to die. It purely must be to simply show that He loves us." because it does give God and Christ ... It implies that He is deranged in some way.
So that's what I want to ask today. Why did God choose to have Christ die? Why didn't He have a different plan? Because he could! He was God. He could have said, "I forgive. On repentance, I can forgive." Why not? Why did He have to do it this way? He could have done anything that He wished to, and yet He chose to have this particular part of His plan. And it's a foundational part of His plan. And it is a good question. It's not an arbitrary question. As I said, this particular evangelist ... And the reason why he had no idea was that he lost his bearings. He'd lost the holy days. He hadn't put the Passover into the context of the holy days as to what the holy days were all about, and how the Passover begins the very holy days in the Plan of God.
I have seven points today (a bit different from my normal 4 or 5) and, hopefully, with fewer scriptures on each.
The first thing I want to deal with is why we are human. Why we are human. As I say, this is a foundational sermon, very much a foundational sermon.
Secondly, I want to ask the question: What does God want us to experience as human beings? What is it that He's trying to get us to experience?
Thirdly, I want to talk about man and his destiny; and, in doing so, I'll be talking about God and His Way -- because that's really what man's destiny is.
And then fourthly, I want to talk about Satan and his way. Satan's way, because Satan is a destroyer. That has a great deal to do with this particular subject.
Fifthly, I want to talk about the chaos. That you look back into in history, and you see Satan's way, and how the chaos results from that way.
Linked to that, I want to talk a little bit about the chaos in prophecy because we're looking forward as well at the prophetic chaos that will come about from Satan's way at the close of this age. And that also has a great deal to do with it.
And finally, I want to talk about our part. The part that we have today, and why God chose Christ to die, and didn't use another way -- because we are inexorably linked to this entire process.
WHY HUMAN? (PLAY FROM 8:02)
So, let's ask the question then: Why are we human? Let's turn over to Matthew 13. Why are we human? Christ gives a parable in verse 24.
Matthew 13:24-25 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
So we're looking at the parable of the tares. If you'll notice down in verse 36 ...
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away,
And this entire section of chapter thirteen deals with the subject of why He spoke in parables. He spoke in parables to hide the meaning from the multitudes.
Matthew 13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house [So He's not a vagabond.]: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Matthew 13:40-41 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this [age]. (41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Now whether this is talking about the establishment of the Kingdom of God, or whether it's an overview going right the way through to the end of time as well, regardless, when you're looking at the Kingdom of God, you cannot have anything in there that does iniquity. And the way in which humans are dealt with -- to be excluded from that Kingdom -- is that they are destroyed. They are destroyed. So then, why are we made human? Why were we made flesh? Well, a very good part of it is so that we can be destroyed. So that we can be destroyed. If you'll turn over to Romans 8.
Romans 8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you shall die:
Again, that is part of being human. You and I, from here going back home, could quite easily end in an accident; and that would be our lot, humanly speaking. When you and I go to sleep each night, we close our eyes; and we disappear. I'm sure, I am personally convinced, that's why God has actually implemented sleep is so that it doesn't terrify us about death. Can you imagine facing death (Everybody faces death.) and have never slept? They came to the point of death and suddenly disappeared? But a merciful God gives us sleep so that every night we go to sleep, and we understand that we're going to wake up the next morning. So I am sure that is the reason why that we have sleep each night.
Romans 8:13-14 For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do [put to death] the deeds of the body, you shall live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
It's those that are led by that Spirit that are going to go on into the future, being the sons of God, resurrected into the very Kingdom of God. And those that will not be led by that Spirit (those that are going to be led by the flesh, by the spirit that is linked up with that flesh, i.e. Satan's mindset and wavelength), they are going to die. That's the purpose of being born human. We are born human so that we might die, so that this attitude of mind does not have to continue.
Whatever the reason ... I mean, if you look at the entire creation. You look outside here. I mean, we see the sky. We see the sunshine. We see the leaves. We see the buds on the trees and the way everything is starting now. And you look at the detail that is there, and you look at the way in which this creation functions. And we're not just looking at, oh, a creation. We're looking even at time and space itself. We're looking at our entire existence. An incredible amount of effort has gone into our existence -- an incredible amount of effort, an incredible amount of detail. It probably did take millions and millions of years to come up with this that we see. And I'm not talking about a blind evolution. I'm talking about the design, the way in which this all came to be. The design process probably did take millions and millions of years to be designed and to be formed. And we're looking at this, and we look at this creation; and, if that creation is to have so much work done to it, whatever the reason for it, has got to be big. It has got to be huge. It has got to be monumental.
And here we find human beings. And we find then that, if we live after the flesh -- after the human way -- then we die. And the indication within Scripture is that that is the purpose. That is the purpose of being human. It's so that we can die.
WHAT DOES GOD WANT US TO LEARN AS HUMAN BEINGS? (PLAY FROM 13:36)
So let's go into the second point then. What does God want us to learn? What is it that God wants us to learn? There's an interesting scripture over in Jeremiah 21. It almost lays out what Mr. Armstrong would bring to us on a regular basis. So here is Jeremiah speaking, and he brings them the message from God.
Jeremiah 21:8 And unto this people thou shall say, [This is God speaking to Jeremiah here.]Thus says the [ETERNAL]; Behold, [You look at this!] I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
There are two ways. There is a way of life, and there is a way of death. Now we just read that, if I live after the flesh -- this way of death -- I will die. There are two ways, two different ways of life, in Jeremiah 21:8. If you go back to Matthew 7, you find Christ also mentions exactly the same thing. He elaborates on this. It's the same Eternal who was speaking to Jeremiah. He says, "Now you go; you tell them from Me, "Thus says the Eternal." This individual became Christ.
Matthew 7:13 Enter you in at the strait gate:
The difficult gate. Remember, we are looking at a Way. We're looking at a gate that leads to that Way -- that road.
Matthew 7:13-14 Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, [to being destroyed, to dying and dying eternally] and many there be which go in thereat: [Now at the moment there are, they're going to die. Now there's a resurrection as well, and we understand that there's a plan for all of them.] (14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way [the path], which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.
So we see two ways -- a way of life, and a way of death. And, at the moment, there are very few going the way of life. The vast majority of this world is going a way which leads to death, which will lead to death. And the reason for that, if you'll go over to chapter 3, the reason God has constructed this, this system that we find ourself in, this world in which we find ourselves (and we do -- all of us find ourselves in this world, this incredible detail we look out at each day of our existence)... Yet, at the end of our existence, there is death. My parents are both in the ground. They're both dead. And that is the end, as far as we are looking forward.
Romans 3:10-11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.
So, you know, we've all gone that way of death. We've all gone down that road. Every single last one of us have gone that way. So what is God wanting us to learn? I mean, obviously, He's wanting us to learn something about that way of death, a great deal about that way of death.
Romans 3:11-12 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way [They've all left the path that God has for them, every single human being.], they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one.
Not a single individual.
Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
He's talking about the people that have chosen this particular way -- which is all of us, at one time or another, have chosen that particular way.
Romans 3:14-17 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways [That path, that direction in which they are going.]: (17) And the way of peace have they not known:
This is the natural human mind, as it said in Romans 8 that we read earlier -- that, if I live after the flesh, then I shall die. You shall die, if you live after the flesh; then you shall die.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
God has designed it this way. It's not happenstance. You know, this Being ... All you have to do is look at the creation and you say, "Look! This Being that made this that I find myself in, has a Mind that, as Einstein used to say, 'if you took the sum total of human consciousness, and compared it to the smallest item, as far as God is concerned, it would be absolutely nothing in comparison.'" And it is! Our entire consciousness, our entire scientific effort, has nothing to match what we are seeing out here in front of our eyes every day.
Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
So what is it that God is trying to get us to learn? If we've all sinned (all come short, all gone out of the way, all gone away from the way of God), then we have all got to learn about sin. That is what God wants us to learn. That is what God wants us to experience. It is an experience God has built in for us to experience, to learn about. This is not just an arbitrary thing. If we go on a little bit, just over in chapter 6 of Romans, just over a page or two:
Romans 6:15-18 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves [slaves] to obey, his [slaves] you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that you were the [slaves] of sin, [He's talking to the Roman Church -- You were the slaves of sin.] but you have obeyed from the heart that form of [teaching]which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, you became the [slaves] of righteousness.
Now this is part and parcel of the Plan of God, that every single one of us experiences sin; and yet we're to turn from that way, into the way of God. And it's designed that way. It was designed so that we might experience it. So when we're asking the question: Why was Christ crucified? Why wasn't there another plan? Why did God have to put that individual through such an incredibly awful death? It is part and parcel of the very Plan of God. It fits into the very Plan of God.
"Well," you say, "Surely God could have worked it out in a different way? I mean Christ Himself prayed. He said, "Look, if it's possible, take this cup from Me; but not my will, but your will will be done." But you see, it was God's will. It was God's will that that death occurs, because there is a reason for it. There is something that is being impressed on our minds. The very fact is that we are going through a life where sin is inexorably bound up in with that life. We are witnessing it. We. Certainly within. We look out at the world; and we see it continually, daily, a way of life that produces a certain result all the time. We see it in our own lives. We behave a certain way to our wives, or to our children, or to our families or whatever. And we get a certain result as the result of it, and we are learning. Even now, we are repenting and turning continually as we go through this life. And it is that God wants us to learn this lesson. He wants us ... Really, He's rubbing our nose in it to a large degree. But it says that:
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, you became the [slaves] of righteousness.
Romans 7:9 For I was alive [apart from] the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
In other words, I suddenly started to really recognize how off track I was. I think all of us, and I don't know about you ... well I do know about you. If you're here and you're converted, you will have recognized how off track we were as a Church those years ago. We were off track. We were away from the track that God had laid down. We were out of the way.
Romans 7:9-11 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. (10) And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. (11) For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
We cannot do this on our own strength; but the key, notice verse 13. If you want to answer the question "What does God want us, in this life, to learn?" -- the answer is in verse 13.
Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
In other words, that God can actually rub our noses in it so that we can actually see it; and there's no shadow of doubt. So that we don't have any false illusion in our mind. We can see. We say, "Now look. I have sinned. I've come short. I've gone off the way."
Romans 7: ... But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good [i.e. the Law].
We can actually see. We can understand that we are off track, because we can see that we have broken the Law. The Law is the knowledge of sin. It gives the knowledge of being off track.
Romans 7:13 ... working death in me by that which is good that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
That verse, Romans 7:13, is a key verse that tells us "What is it that God wants us to learn?" I always remember hearing on the radio about this monkey. They were trying to potty train a monkey. Have you ever potty trained a monkey? So what they did, they got this monkey. And every time it messed on the floor, they'd grab it by the scruff of the neck, smack it's behind, and threw it out the window. And this was potty training a monkey, apparently [laughs]. So, finally, the penny dropped with this monkey. The monkey finally (and this is supposed to be a true story), whenever it messed on the floor, it smacked itself on the behind and jumped out the window. [everyone laughs]
But you see this is really it. If you've ever trained a puppy, that's what you do. You put pepper on the offending article, you go and get the nose, and rub the nose in it; or whatever else you happen to do. But you try and get the point across. That's what it says here.
Romans 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
That I could actually open my eyes, and see myself for what I really am, and see the problem -- the problem with going off track, with missing the mark, because sin is missing the mark,
Romans 7:13 ... working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
We can see that sin carries a penalty. When we miss the mark, there is a penalty there; and we're having our nose, basically, rubbed in it to a large degree. So the actual thing that is being brought across to us, you can see in Romans 6:23, is that the wages of sin is death. That it will work towards death. It will work towards destroying relationships, destroying ourselves that we die. We live with this death hanging over us all the time. But the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. That this gift is something that is then given to us, this freedom from what is naturally going to take place.
MAN'S DESTINY (PLAY FROM 28:27)
So what about man and his destiny? As I said in the beginning, I said, look, whatever it is that God is doing, it is big. Anybody going and looking out into this natural world should be able to see that the Plan of God is no half-baked measure. They should be able to see by the natural things that are made that it is something monumental. Something monumental is going on here. Now if we turn over to Colossians 1, we find this Being who talked to Jeremiah and said, "Look, you go and tell them about the way of life and the way of death." Turn to ... Hum, with Paul it's always difficult to know where to pick up.
Colossians 1:13-16 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him [this is Jesus Christ, now] were all things created,
You see, when we looking at Jesus Christ, this Individual who came down and who died, whom God the Father decided -- right, both God the Father and Jesus Christ decided -- this is the way in which it must be within the Plan. There is no other way of actually doing it. This Being that came down is the Creator.
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
He's going to be over them all, that He may be before all things; and by Him all things consist. His words hold what we have today together. His word -- that He sent out of His mouth when He said "Let there be light." -- that light is still. We're looking out here now. It's still there, and they're all made for Him. And this outgoing, this giving God ... And in Genesis 1 it talks about "and He looked at all that He made, and behold it was very, very good." What He had made was very good. And this was the Eternal God. This was the One that became later Jesus Christ. If you'll go back to Romans again, we find that this Being who was God before His birth, who went through and lived this life and died, and died that excruciating death that we're going to commemorate and have a memorial of on the day of Passover, the One that we're asking, "Well, why did God have to work it out this way? Why couldn't He work it out a different way?
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
Or He planned. He planned. Probably a better word to use for predestinate is planned, because it's not a case that individuals are going to be there. It's a case that some individuals are going to be there. Not necessarily you or me. It's up to us whether we respond to the calling that's been given to us.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [or planned] to be conformed to the image of his Son,
So we are to be like this Being who was the very Creator, Who spoke and it was. That is a phenomenal thought, an absolutely phenomenal thought!
Romans 8:29 ... to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now, this is the very Plan of God. This is the monumental thing that God is doing. This is why you look out your windows each day, and you see the creation, and we see the atoms and molecules and everything else -- the way in which this world is put together; and it is phenomenal. You open your eyes, and if you just stop and think and ponder a little bit about it, it almost blows you away that anything exists here at all. Just look at it. It's amazing. It's absolutely amazing, what we look out of our eyes at, every single day of our life. And yet the One that did this says that we have got to be conformed to His Image. That He is going to be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters. That we are part of that Family. That's what He wants.
Now we've just read, and we've just seen, how God wants us to learn something about sin. How sin causes problems; and He's built it in, in such a way that we cannot get away from it. That when we miss the mark that God gives, then we can see the result. When we see others missing the mark that God gives, and it's all around us, we can see the result. That's all part and parcel of it.
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, [So here is the Father, delivering Christ up for us all. This was part and parcel of the plan.] how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
You see, being conformed to Him. It talks about being the Firstborn among many brethren. All of creation, as He is Creator. We will be Creator. As He speaks and it is, we speak and it is. It will be. That again, this is the monumental thing that has been planned. And it's found within the pages of Scripture. We'll go back there later into I John 3, where it talks there about how we will eventually see Him as He is. At the moment, we can't; but, eventually, we will see Him as He is. Turn over to Philippians 3. I read this scripture in Over Haddon at that time. It is an astounding scripture to me.
Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body,
This is the Plan of God. The Plan of God is to change this body, with all its aches and pains that you and I have every morning; this body is to be changed.
Philippians 3:21 that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body
Now conformed to the image of Christ. It is literal, quite literal. Not only is it going to be that we are going to be conformed to His image mentally and spiritually, but spiritually in the sense of His body.
Philippians 3:21 fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
He speaks, and it is. What He says stays where it is. It goes out of His mouth through the very Spirit of God; and it stays in that Spirit, creating the very reality that we see. We, as the sons and daughters of God, will have the same kind of power through the body that is to be given to us. That, again, is a phenomenal thought! A destiny that is beyond all belief, almost, when you look at the aching human frame that we have got; and yet this is what it says. This is what this Word says. This Being -- this God -- who is outgoing, who is giving to such a degree that He designs a Plan whereby He can give to mankind such power and such incredible existence, beyond anything that we could possibly understand or realize. And yet that is what this Word explains very clearly. As we've been reading in James, where James says, you know, this Being -- this God -- remember is without variableness or shadow of turning. He lives a certain Way. His Way is a way of peace. His Way is different from the human way. It is diametrically opposed to the way that Satan has chosen for himself.
But in this scripture here in Philippians 3:21{1}, where it talks about being fashioned to His glorious body, you put that together with scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 13:12{2}, that talks about how we will then know, even as we are known. Not only will this change be of our physical bodies, it will change our minds as well. God knows through His Spirit. He knows us intimately through His Spirit. He seems to almost be able to feel through that Spirit. He can operate things through a distance through His Spirit. And it says we will know as we are known. So, we will know in that same way. This is the destiny that we are looking at.
Let's go over to John as far as this destiny that you and I have in front of us, in the context of why did Christ have to die? Why couldn't it be worked out in a different way?
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, [or the Logos] and the [Logos] was with God, and the [Logos] was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life;[real, true Life] and the life was the light of men.
It lights up the Way in which we are to then walk, the Way we are to go in order to have the same kind of Life.
John 1:5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness [couldn't grasp] it.
The word comprehend is to both grasp hold of and understand, same thing. They just didn't grasp it at all.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
You see, their way was going the way which was natural to a man linked up to the very spirit of Satan. It is a way which is off track. It's missed the mark. And every single one of us have learned about that way.
John 3:20-21 For every one that does evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (21) But he that does truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
So that there is a Way in which God has given us that allows us to counteract that. There is a Way that we've been illuminated to, through an individual sent to us. Not only Christ, but also a human individual through whom God revealed His Way. And that Way of life, as it says in John 10:10, is a Way of life that is more abundant.
John 10:10 ... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Now, that's man and his destiny; and it is inexorably linked up to God. It is inexorably linked up with the way God is. Yes, we have an experience of missing the mark. But the Plan that God has, the destiny that He has designed before us, is one that we become a Creator the same as Jesus Christ is a Creator. And this: Remember it talks in John, it talks about how He is Light.
SATAN'S WAY (PLAY FROM 42:34)
Now when you go on to the other side, and you say, "Well, let's have a look at this next point, about Satan." -- you see, Satan's way is the way of a destroyer, the way of destruction; and this is the heart and core.
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned,
So we in our lives, built into this life that we are part and parcel of, is the fact that we miss the mark; and angels also missed the mark. Angels also sinned
2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to [tararoo], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Or a place of restraint. So if they have been restrained, and it then goes in and gives a list, one after another. He lists one after another. He says ...
2 Peter 2:4-9 For if God spared not the angels that sinned ... (5) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah ... (6) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ... (7) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (8) (For that righteous man dwelling among them [couldn't put up] with their unlawful deeds;) (9) The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of [trials], and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
You see, each of these examples that we're given, previous to verse 9, shows us an example of missing the mark -- of sin. It shows one after another. It says, "Look, God knows how to deliver the righteous out of trials and reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment. He is able to sort this mess out." And he starts off with the angels (in verse 4) that sinned.
Now what actually happened? We know that when we sin the penalty is death. We can find that within Scripture. We just read it. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." But what about an angel? What's the wages of sin for an angel? Well, it's to be restrained (according to this). What's the result of sin for an angel? What actually happens? What's the penalty of sin? If an angel sins, or if a human sins, or if anybody sins, what actually happens? What is sin? Sin is transgression of the Law. It's lawlessness. It's going against the Way of God. It's going in a different direction. And the result? Remember, God is the Creator. God is the One who is outgoing, who creates, who gives, who has designed a Plan that you and I are part and parcel of, so that we might share that Life with Him. So what is sin? What actually is the penalty of it? What's going to happen?
Well, it's destroying. It's destruction. And really, when we're thinking of Satan, it's almost like the ripples in a pond. You've all thrown a stone in a pond. You throw it in a pond. And wherever that stone goes in, okay, that might be where the stone lands; but the ripples then spread right out from that point, and it goes into the entire area of the pond. Wherever you happen to be on the area of the pond, depending where you are, it depends on how great the ripple is going to be. But the influence is from that stone that goes in there. It's the same as when somebody misses the mark, when somebody goes against the Way of God. God is the Way of creation, of trying to up build, to try and lift up people, of outgoing. The nature of God is totally different from Satan. But where that is broken, where you've got somebody missing the mark, there are going to be penalties that then ripple out from that point; and you will find it throughout the world today.
The penalties that come out from the war in the Middle East today are in your forecourt. They're in the price you pay for petrol. They are in -- presumably it will be -- in the plastics that you have. They ripple out. They come out from whatever happens. It is not a case that it just happens in isolation. If we sin, it doesn't just happen in isolation. It ripples out from there to all around us as well. And the repercussions for an angel sinning (because an angel is able to sin in a way far, far greater than a human being can) ... You've got the repercussions as far as Noah, as far as Sodom and Gomorrah, as far as you and I. But as far as an angel, the damage that can be done, the destruction that can be meted out, the devastation that will come from the power that is there, is horrendous. Absolutely horrendous! And the ripples that come from that act are also horrendous.
If you get a stone and you throw it in a pond, you get a certain amount of ripples that come out from there. If you get an earthquake that drops halfway down underneath the sea over near Japan somewhere, the ripples that come from that lump of rock that disappeared into the sea are entirely different. You get TSUNAMIS! {} Hundreds of feet high. And it's not exactly getting a pebble and throwing it into a pond, but you just get one great lump of rock that disappears. And the tsunami then, the water goes down and the tsunami then comes across, hundreds of feet high. And in the case of an angel (the power that was there, the repercussions and the ripple that came out) the "tsunami" that rippled out from that was huge -- utterly, utterly huge.
You see, the penalty of sin is destruction. It destroys relationships. It destroys creation. It destroys creation. You see relationships have also got to be created. You have a relationship ... It's like I read last week. I read that the person that you call an idiot is a different person afterwards than he was before, because the relationship before was one way. You then call them an idiot, and the relationship afterwards is a totally different thing. That was from de Bono, and it's true. It is a destruction.
You have sin. You have a missing of the mark and you have a destruction that occurs. And it will destroy relationships, human relationships, yes; but it also destroys physically as well. You miss the mark. We drive too fast, we skid on the road, we hit some bus shelter with people inside -- we sin! And the repercussions are huge, on all sorts (on them, on us). The repercussions are huge! For us taking certain choices, the ripples from that are much, much greater than just yelling at the wife or the wife yelling at you. Depending, [as] that might be the final straw. But whatever, what actually could happen. You go out and you kill somebody, the ripples are going to be much greater.
But whatever it is, the penalty of sin -- of missing the mark -- is destruction. In the case of a spirit being, that destruction is a destruction of the creation because, you see, God is outgoing. Yes, it destroys relationships as well; but God is outgoing. He is up building. He is upgrading things. Whereas Satan, because he is going in a different way, he is pulling down what is being created. Now that is the essence of it. That is the essence of Satan being a destroyer. If we turn over to Revelation 9 ... If you want to put in your notes that Revelation 11:7{4} and Revelation 17:8{5}, you'll find that the Beast's habitation is this area here that we're about to read about. And also, you can read Revelation 20:1-3{6}, where Satan is actually put into the abyss.
Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
If we go over to verse 11, it talks about coming out of this abyss and it says:
Revelation 9:11 And they had a king over them, [Now the king over them was Satan, or is going to be Satan, because he is over the demons.] which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon.
That is to say, if you look over in the margin reference, it is the destroyer. One of the very names of Satan is Apollyon, is Destroyer. That is one of his names because not only does he destroy relationships, which he does, because he's the devil as well (He's the slanderer, which destroys relationships); but that mindset, if it's unchecked, it destroys enormous.
I mean, you've seen on the news last night? In Baghdad, Rageh Omaar in his hotel, looking out, and all the panorama of the cameras looking at all the various bombs going off. Have you seen those palaces that Sadaam Hussein had? They were lavish. They were absolutely palatial. They were palaces after all and they're now lying in absolute, abject, utter ruins. It is total utter abject destruction.
And why? Wouldn't it have been better to have gotten together, and to have talked together, and to have resolved the difference? But they weren't about to. Why? Because there was a certain mindset. I look at Sadaam Hussein and I see Stalin. I think there's a satanic force there. I honestly feel there's a satanic force, within that individual. So why is that mindset there? Because it's coming from the king of them -- whose name is Apollyon, the destroyer. And the penalty of sin is that sin destroys what God creates. Sin destroys what God creates.
God creates this natural world. Sin destroys it. God creates our bodies functioning properly, healthily. Sin destroys it. God creates relationships between individuals. Sin destroys that relationship. And God wants a relationship between Himself and human beings; and sin destroys that relationship, as well. So sin destroys what God creates.
There is more to it than that, because God is a certain type of God. God, as the creator, He is a certain way. He creates in a certain way. You look at the natural world; and I mean, the Orientals have made it into a religion, the Yin and Yang -- that everything is in balance. You've gotta keep the yin and the yang; and you've gotta have all this, that, and the other. And they've made that into a religion. All they're looking at is the way in which God creates, the way in which God is. He is a balanced individual. He says, "Vengeance is mine, says the Eternal. I will repay." And He does repay. He does cause vengeance to balance things out. This is the kind of God He is. This is the kind of Being He is.
He creates things in such a way that things are in balance. If you've done any geography at all, you know you have the evaporation from the sea; and it condenses and goes on the land. It runs down. You have these cycles. There is the nitrogen cycle. It goes into the nitrogen in the air, and the nitrogen fixation bacteria, and the grass is eaten by the animal; and the animal dies, and up it goes back into the air again. You've got these cycles. You've got everything in balance; and, if something gets out of balance, then something else corrects it. And this is the way that God has made so much of this world. It is in balance and in harmony. That's the way He is. He is a God who is organized, and you can see it throughout the creation.
So when we look at this penalty of sin, the fact that sin destroys what God creates, He's made something else. He said, then, "Okay. If you are the one who sinned, and you are the one who goes ahead and drops that stone in the center of the pond, and the ripples go out from you, the primary one affected will be you. Somehow, that primary one affected is going to be you. That's the primary, well, not primary directive. [laughs] It is the way that God tends to work. And when you are looking at sin in a human being, we know that sin causes the destruction of the creation; but we are part of that creation. Sin destroys us! Because we're physical, sin destroys us.
CHAOS (PLAY FROM 58:38)
We look at the chaos that occurred after Lucifer became Satan, became the enemy; and we just see what it talks about in John 8:44{7}. It says about how Satan was a murderer, a destroyer, from the beginning. A murderer is a destroyer. That's his frame of mind. That's how he is. That's his entire modus operandi. But you see, God, as it says in I Corinthians 14:33{8}, it says He is not the author of confusion. He is the antithesis of that. He's an organized Being. He works in a different way. He's an outgoing individual. It talks in Psalms 104:30{9} how he renews the face of the Earth. He up builds. He constructs. He's not a destroyer. He's the antithesis of the destroyer. If it's destruction, it's within a cycle -- within a cycle of life -- so that there might be more life.
You look at the natural world, that's the way it's been designed. Nothing dies of itself in that regard. Isaiah 45:18{10}, it says specifically that God did not create in vain. Now the word "in vain" is the same word you find over in Genesis 1 where it says the Earth was without form, which is tohu in verse 2{11}. And that word in Isaiah 45:18, where it says it was not created in vain, is that same word. And yet it says here that the Earth ("In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.") and the Earth became without form. That's tohu and bohu, without form and void{12}. Desolation. Destroyed. That's really what we're looking at. If we go over to Jude 6, right before Revelation:
Jude 1:6-7 And the angels which kept not their first estate, [that first principality. In other words, they didn't stay where they were put. They weren't doing what they were told. The angels that kept not their first estate ... ] but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to [pornéo], and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of [age-lasting]fire. [from this fire that came down and destroyed them.]
So, we see these angels. Again, you see sin that occurred; and you see the chaos that actually was the result of that. That from this event, they didn't keep their first estate. They left their habitation. They ascended to try and presumably knock God off His throne. And, in so doing, caused destruction on a vast scale of the creation. And we see the creation becoming tohu and bohu -- without form and void. And as I said, we're looking at a destruction that is far greater, as far as an angel is concerned, as far as a spirit being is concerned, than a mere human being. The destruction that can be done to the creation is vast. It obviously was.
If you'll go back a few pages to I John to chapter 3:
1 John 3:1-8 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. (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. [This is our destiny.] (3) And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. [So, we'll become perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect.] (4) Whosoever commits sin [missing the mark -- breaks] the law: for sin is [lawlessness. It is the transgression of the Law. It's not just transgression of the 10 Commandments. It's a state of mind. It's lawlessness]. (5) And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (6) [Whoever lives in Him does not sin, or doesn't practice sin. He's not continually sinning; Whoever is continually sinning ... ] has not seen him, neither known him. (7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (8) He that commits sin is of the [slanderer, the] devil; for the devil sinned [missed the mark]from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, [This is why Christ came.] that he might destroy the works of the devil [of the slanderer].
So we see how the penalty of sin is destruction, how sin destroys what God creates; and we see this attitude of mind that's coming from Satan, from the enemy. And we see that Christ came, so when we're asking ourself, "Why was He crucified? Why not another plan?" We see that this has got to do something about the fact that He's destroying this work of Satan. If we have sin in us as spirit beings, we also would create the chaos and destruction that happened in the case of Satan. We would be exactly the same; and that has got to be utterly, utterly destroyed. So as we approach this Passover and we're examining ourselves, and I'll play the tape by Mr. Armstrong, he's talking there about how repentance is so vital -- about whether we have actually turned, you know, examining ourself. We're not examining ourself as to whether we are perfect or not. It's examining ourself as to whether we have TURNED or not. Have we effectively turned from that way to the Way of God? That's what we're examining ourself all about.
CHAOS IN PROPHECY (PLAY FROM 66:00)
It's interesting, if you do a Bible Study on the word tohu and bohu, something very interesting comes out of the Bible Study. There's about three times the word bohu is mentioned, which is meaning to be empty or void or emptiness. And sixteen times the word tohu is mentioned -- desolation or wilderness, or without form or confusion -- an empty place. But you tend to find that it's a time of war, when these words are being mentioned. And it tends to describe the end-time, the time that we're approaching now. That's the tendency. That's where you tend to find those words. I don't want to ... I don't think I'm going to really go into a great deal on that. Oh, we could. Yes we could.
Turn over to James 3, just a recap. We just read about how, in a Bible Study, how a fountain sent forth form the same place, sweet water and bitter in verse 11.
James 3:14-16 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. (15) This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. [It's coming from Satan. It's from his mind frame.](16) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
James 4:1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. [There's no relationship there between yourself and God.](3) You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon [what you want].
You get on your knees, and you ask; but you only ask for what you want. Your mindset is different. Your mindset is going in a different direction. Notice over in Jeremiah 4. Notice I mentioned about how it's a time of war, and it describes the end time when you find these words being used.
Jeremiah 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the [shofar], the alarm of war.
We're looking at this time of war that is about to come upon us, unfortunately.
Jeremiah 4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was [tohu and bohu] without form, and void
Exactly the same as you find at the end of Satan's rebellion. The result of sin is destruction. The result that we are going to see in the years ahead is going to come from missing the mark. And we are going to have our noses, and the world is going to have its nose, rubbed in this so that we fully and totally understand the process -- because, when the power is given to us, we've got to know. Absolutely got to know!
Jeremiah 4:23 and the heavens, and they had no light.
There was no light; and, again, you can look and see the analogies there.
Jeremiah 4:24-26 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. (25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. (26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the [ETERNAL], and by his fierce anger.
He allowed this to happen. It's coming from the results of man's ways, and God is about to step in and cause these problems.
Isaiah 34:1-3 Come near, you nations, to hear; and hearken, you people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. (2) For the indignation of the [ETERNAL] is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he has utterly destroyed them, he has delivered them to the slaughter. (3) Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
In other words, here is the recompense for living a certain way. The world is about to come into the Millennium, but that recompense has got to be put onto the world. God is a God of balance. The balance has got to be there.
Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
The result of that balancing out will eventually flow into the very Kingdom of God itself, but you're looking at utter and total chaos. We'll leave that concept as far as the end of this age.
OUR PART (PLAY FROM 71:46)
Now, what about our part? We still haven't really answered, "Why does Christ have to be crucified? Why isn't there another plan?" Well, basically, sin causes destruction. We know that. We've seen scriptures that indicate that. We can see very clearly that, where we miss the mark, destruction is the result. If a spirit being misses the mark with the power that a spirit being has, it is a monumental destruction. We know that. But also, God tends to focus (just like the pebble in the pool, it focuses that, it rebounds) on the person actually causing that destruction, causing that sin. In our case, because we are human, then it is us that has to be destroyed. It's us that's got to be destroyed. We are part of this creation that is being destroyed by this way of life. Being part of this creation, we will be destroyed with it. We will actually suffer that penalty.
Remember what we stated at the beginning. God's purpose for making man human is so that we can be destroyed. It's so that we can utterly be wiped away. So we don't have to stay. But, you see, if there are some that turn, if there are some that understand a different way -- and we've all gone out of the way, we've all gone aside; but there are some that decide, yes, and their minds are open and they turn. But how can God possibly save them? Rescue them? That's why Christ had to die.
It's the destruction of missing the mark, of going away from that Way of God, that will destroy everything. It's not just human beings that are destroyed. It's not just the penalty of sin is death. The penalty of sin is destruction. It destroys the creation of God. The fact is that God has deliberately made us human, and made us human so that we can be destroyed. So that it does not affect ... The ripples coming out from the sin that will come from us will not be the kind of ripples that came from Satan. That that will never happen again.
But, if we are turned -- if we do, in fact, put ourself under the Government of God, under the way of God -- then something has got to happen. God is a God of balance. He does not change. You look at the creation, and you see this God of balance. There's got to be a penalty paid. A penalty has got to be paid. The destruction has got to take place. Otherwise, he's no longer a consistent God. He has no variableness, no shadow of turning{13}. When He says, it is. And if He says "This is the way it must be." and we go in a different way, destruction will occur; and it will rebound on us. So there's got to be a substitute.
If we look at the balance in nature, if you want to put some of these scriptures down in your notes,
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Again, it illustrates the mind of God.
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. [Whoever takes the sword is going to perish by the sword.]
Revelation 13:10 He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
We will see the destruction that happens in this Earth, but we know that God is this way. He's a God of vengeance. He's a God of balance. He's a God of recompense, and He will cause the recompense. The recompense will take place. Now (when we look at that, and we understand that), this is the faith and the patience of the saints. The saints are going to watch this. They're going to see it within this Earth. "He that leads into captivity must go into captivity." "He that kills with the sword MUST be killed with the sword." There's no compromise. But, you see, you and I sin. You and I go that way. You and I go the way that's got to end up in disaster, in destruction. So there has got to be built into that purpose something that will give us, well, turn over to John 3.
We read in Romans 7:13, we read the scripture that talks about how we must learn that sin becomes exceeding sinful. That we have our nose rubbed in it. We're like little puppy dogs that get our nose rubbed in it to teach us a lesson. It's built into the process. God wants us to understand this lesson. To have it abundantly clear in our mind so that the destruction does not occur in the future.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
That you and I may be rescued from the destruction that would naturally be there, because of sin. We've got to learn it. We've got to learn the lesson. We're living in a world that is absolutely steeped in it. We sin, continually. And we've got to go, in repentance, to God; and God is a God of balance. He insists on that penalty being paid (otherwise His Word is not valid) physically and spiritually. Physically and spiritually. And that's why there's a Passover. That's why Christ died.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
May be rescued from the destruction that would naturally occur if sin was left unchecked. And yet you see this love. It's not a case of getting a cigarette and saying, "Oh, just to show how much He loves you." It's not that. It's not some deranged individual. You look at the creation. This is no deranged individual. This is an Individual that has such high standards, and who absolutely insists on those high standards for anyone who is going to share those high standards with Him. I wasn't going to read this, but let's just do this. Let's turn over to Psalms, the fifth Psalm.
Psalms 5:1-4
It's not just that it will be in God. It's that we, as wicked, will not dwell there. I think of the first Psalm.
Psalms 1:1-6 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
God will not allow sin to be present in that coming Kingdom, in His government with His way. This is the reason why God chose to have Christ crucified and not another plan. He's learned from His experience with Lucifer. We know that, if we go against that expression of God's will, sin will always -- but always -- carry a penalty. And that penalty of sin is the destruction of the creation of God -- be that creation a relationship, be that creation physical. For us physically, that destruction is going to, as we are part of that very creation, it's going to mean death; so the creation doesn't get destroyed, so we don't carry on living. But He wants us to learn. He wants us to get absolutely sickened, sick and tired of this system in which we find ourself today; so we completely and totally reject it. Forgiveness isn't enough. It always carries a penalty. God makes it that way and that destruction is got to, therefore, be there.
Christ therefore had to be crucified, had to die, had to be destroyed -- on our behalf. It was His body that was broken for us breaking His Laws that ends in our physical bodies being broken. It was His blood that was shed, so that our blood doesn't have to be shed when we break His spiritual laws, eternally. So, just a couple of scriptures in closing.
At the end of it all, this entire system that has been made, this entire effort that has gone in, the sacrifice that was given, which was a monumental sacrifice, but Revelation 16.
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Now that, you know, on the surface "It's done." No, it's not "It's done." In other words, that phase is over. That phase can be finished. Satan can be put away, and the phase of which people have their noses rubbed in this destruction that comes from missing the mark. The mark that God has set. And, eventually, over in Revelation 21, we find exactly the same thing. We find a new heaven and a new earth in verse one, and the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven.
Revelation 21:4-6 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
That again is the next stage. It's a stage where the whole human experience is finished. But the human experience is to make sure we fully understand that fact that all sin carries a penalty. All sin ends in destruction. Let's make sure that we examine ourselves between now and Passover, and we really do understand that; and that we thoroughly, thoroughly learn that lesson.
Transcribed by JF, March, 2006
{1} Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.,
{2} 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.,
{3} Mr Bowles gets his words confused!: "You get ... What do you call them? Satsumis? That's not it [everyone laughs] but something like that. Satsuma? Yeah, that's right. This tawdry great Satsuma that comes right away across the sea. Great orange thing -- TSUNAMIS! That's what it was. Yes, I knew it was something like that. The tsunamis. But you get these things, what, hundreds of feet high."
{4} Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
{5} Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.,
{6} Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. [2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.,
{7} John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father You will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it..
{8} 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.,
{9} Psalm 104:30 You send forth your spirit, they are created: and you renew the face of the earth.
{10} Isaiah 45:18 For thus says the [ETERNAL] that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the [ETERNAL]; and there is none else.,
{11} Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
{12} Genesis 1:2
{13}James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)