You know how badly we have been treated at Philippi just before we came to you, and how much we suffered there. Yet God gave us the courage to boldly repeat the same message to you, even though we were surrounded by enemies. So you can see that we were not preaching with any false motives or evil purposes in mind; we were perfectly straightforward and sincere. For we speak as messengers from God, trusted by God to tell the truth; we change his message not one bit to suit the taste of those who hear it; for we serve God alone, who examines our hearts’ deepest thoughts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you very well know, and God knows we were not just pretending to be your friends so that you would give us money! As for praise, we have never asked for it from you or anyone else, although as Apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to some honour from you. I Thess. 2:2-6 (LB)
1
JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH IN CHRIST AND NOT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW
So the judgment of God lies very heavily upon the Jews, for they are responsible to keep God’s laws instead of doing all these evil things, not one of them has any excuse, in fact all the world stands, hushed and guilty before Almighty God.
2. Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God’s laws the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them, His laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners.
3. BUT NOW GOD HAS SHOWN US A DIFFERENT WAY TO HEAVEN – NOT BY “BEING GOOD ENOUGH AND TRYING TO KEEP HIS LAWS” BUT BY A NEW WAY (though not new, really for the scriptures told about it long ago).
4. NOW GOD SAYS HE WILL ACCEPT AND ACQUIT US – DECLARE US NOT GUILTY- IF WE TRUST JESUS CHRIST TO TAKE WAY OUR SINS.
5. And we all can be saved in this same way by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned, all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.
6. Yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins.
7. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment of our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath.
8. In this way, he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins”. (Rom 3:19-25 LB)
9. “Brothers, listen to this man Jesus, there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who trusts in him is freed from all guilt and declared righteous – something the Jewish laws could never do”. (Acts 13:38-39, LB)
10. “And your further reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. This salvation was something the prophets did not fully understand. Though they wrote about it, they had many questions as to what it all could mean.
11. They wondered what the spirit of Christ within them was talking about, for he told them to write down the events which, since then, have happened to Christ, His suffering and his great glory afterwards. And they wondered when and to whom all this would happen.
12. They were finally told that these things would not occur during their lifetime, but long years later, during yours. And now at last this Good News had been plainly announced to all of us.
13. “It was preached to us in the power of the same heaven – sent Holy Spirit who spoke to them and it is all so strange and wonderful that even the angels in heaven would give a great deal to know, more about it. So now you can look forward soberly and intelligently to more of God’s kindness to you when Jesus Christ returns”. (1 Peter 1:9-13 LB)
14. “Yes, and those who depend on the Jewish laws to save them are under God’s curse, for the scriptures point out very clearly, “cursed is everyone who at any time breaks a single one of these laws, that who at any time breaks a single one of these laws they are written in God’s book of the law”.
15. Consequently, it is clear that no one can ever win God’s favour by trying to keep the Jewish laws, because God has said that the only way we can be right in his sight is by faith.
16. As the prophet Habakkuk says it, the man who finds life will find it through trusting God. How different from this way of faith is the way of law which says that a man is saved by obeying every law of God, without one slip.
17. But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system by taking the curse for our wrong doing upon himself. For it is written in the scripture, “anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed (as Jesus Christ was hung upon a wooden cross)”. (Gal 3:10-13 LB)
18. “What shall we say then, of Abraham the father of our race? What was his experience? If he was put right with God by the things he did, he would have something to boast about – but not in God’s sight.
19. The scripture says, “Abraham believed God, and because of his faith God accepted him as righteous”. Those who work are paid wages but they are not regarded as gift they are something that he has earned.
20. But those who depend on faith, not on deeds and who believe in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is this faith that God takes into account in other to put them right with himself”. (Rom 4:1-5, GNB)
21. “You and I are Jews by birth not mere Gentile sinners and yet we know that we cannot become right with God by obeying our Jewish laws but only by faith in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And so we too, have trusted Jesus Christ that we might be accepted by God because of faith – and not because we have obeyed Jewish laws.FOR NO ONE WILL EVER BE SAVED BY OBEYING THEM.
22. But what if we trust Christ to save us and then find that we are wrong, that we cannot be saved without being circumcised and obeying all the other Jewish laws? Wouldn’t we need to say that faith in Christ has ruined us? God forbid that anyone dared to think such things about the Lord.
23. Rather, we are sinners if we start rebuilding the old systems I have been destroying, of trying to be saved by keeping Jewish laws, for that was through READING THE SCRIPTURES that I come to realize that I could never find God’s favour by trying–and failing-to obey the laws.
24. I came to realize that acceptance with God comes by believing in Christ.
25. I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of the trusting in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
26. I am not one of those who treat Christ’s death as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping Jewish laws, then there was no need for Christ to die”. (Gal 2:15-21, LB)
27. “For there are many who refuse to obey, this is especially true among those who say that all Christians must obey the Jewish laws. But this Is foolish talk, it blinds people to the truth. And it must be stopped.
28. Already whole families have been turned away from the Grace of God such teachers are only after your money. (Titus 1:10-11 LB)
29. “But even if our gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden (only) to those who are perishing and obscured (only) to those who are spiritually dying and veiled (only) to these who are lost. For the god of this world has blinded the unbeliever’s minds (that they should not discern the truth) preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (the messiah) who is the image and likeness of God”. (2 Cor 4:3-4 AMP)
30. “A man who wonders out of the way of understanding shall abide in congregation of the spirits (of the dead)(Pro 21:16. AMP)
31. “In olden times God did not share this plan with his people but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his apostles and prophets. And this is the secret that the Gentiles will have their full share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God’s sons, both are invited to belong to his church and all of God’s promises of mighty blessings through Christ apply to them both when they accept the Good news about Christ and what he has done for them.
32. God has given me the wonderful privilege of telling everyone about this plan of his, and he has given me his power and special ability to do it well”. (Eph 3:5-7 LB)
33. So Christ has made us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get all tied up again in the chains of slavery to Jewish laws and ceremonies.
34. Listen to me for this is serious, if you are counting on circumcision and keeping the Jewish law to make you right with God, then Christ cannot save you. I’ll say it again anyone trying to find favour with God by being circumcised must always obey every other Jewish law or perish.
35. Christ is useless to you, if you are counting on clearing your debt to God by keeping those laws, you are lost from God’s grace”. (Gal 5:1-4 LB)
36. “For the rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue rejoice that you are in him. To keep writing to you (over and over) of the same things is not irksome to me, and it is (a precaution) for your safety.
37. Look out for those dogs (judaizers legalists) look out for those mischief makers look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
38. For we (Christians) are the true circumcised, who worship God in spirit and by the spirit of God and exalt and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ and put no confidence or dependence (on what we are) in the flesh and outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances. Though for myself I have (at least grounds) to rely on the flesh.
39. If any other man considers that he has or seems to have reason to rely on the flesh and his physical and outward advantages I have still more.
40. Circumcised when I was eight days old, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew (and the son) of Hebrews; as to the observance of the law I was of (the party of) the Pharisees.
41. As to my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church and by laws standard of righteousness, (supposed justice uprightness and right standing with God) I was proven to be blameless and no fault was found with me.
42. But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as (one combined) loss for Christ’s sake.
43. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with him (of perceiving and recognizing and understanding him more fully and clearly.
44. For his sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs) in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed one). And that I may (actually) be found and known as in Him, not having any (self achieved) righteousness that can be called my own based on my obedience to the laws demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that (genuine righteousness) which comes through faith in Christ (the anointed one), the (truly) right standing with God, which comes from God by (saving) faith” (Phil 3:1-9 AMP).
45. “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
46. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God”. (Rom 5:1-2 KJV)
47. “But after that the kindness and love of God our saviour toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”. (Titus 3:4-7 KJV)
48. “Whatever happen, dear friends be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and gain.
49. Watch out for these wicked men; dangerous dogs, I call them; who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For it isn’t the cutting of our bodies that makes us children of God.
50. It is worshipping him with our spirits. That is the only true “circumcision” We Christians’ glory in what Christ Jesus has done for us and realise that we are helpless to save ourselves”. (Phil 3:1-3 LB)
51. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption”. (1 Cor 1:30 KJV)
52. “Dear brothers the longing of my heart and my prayer is that the Jewish people might be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for the honour of God, but it is misdirected zeal.
53. For they don’t understand that Christ had died to make them right with God. Instead they are trying to make themselves good enough to gain God’s favour by keeping the Jewish laws and customs but that is not God’s way of salvation. They don’t understand that Christ gives to those who trust in him everything they are trying to get by keeping his laws. He ends all of that (Rom 10:1-4 LB)
54. “Dearly loved friends I have been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth which God gave once for all to his people to keep without changing through the years.
55. I say this because some Godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment.
56. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only master and Lord Jesus Christ”. (Jude 3-4 LB).
57. Moses, for instance, said long ago the Lord God will raise up a Prophet among you who will resemble me, listen carefully to everything he tells you. Anyone who will not listen to him shall be utterly destroyed.
58. Samuel and every prophet since have all spoken about what is going today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in God’s promises to your ancestors to bless the entire world through the Jewish race -That is the promise God gave to Abraham. (Acts 3:22-25 LB)
59. “For the law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto the God”. (Heb 7:19 KJV)
“We have an alter – the cross where Christ was sacrificed – where those who continue to seek salvation by obeying Jewish laws can never be helped”. (Heb 13:10 LB).
2
BY THE DEEDS
OF THE LAW SHALL NOBODY BE JUSTIFIED
I herefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin”. (Romans 3:20 KJV)
2. “But now God has shown us a different way to heaven – not by “being good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the scriptures told about it long ago).
3. Now God says he will accept and acquit us – declare us “not guilty” – if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in the same way, by coming to Christ.
4. No matter who we are or what we have been like; yes, all have sinned: all fall short of God’s glorious ideal. Yet now God declare us “not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sin and to end all God’s anger against us.
5. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath, in this way he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins.
6. And now in these says also he can receive sinners in this same way, because Jesus took away their sins. But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for he does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins”. (Rom 3:21-26 LB)
7. “Now do you see it, no one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more, we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them. His laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners” (Roman, 3:20, LB).
8. “But the fact of the matter is this when we try to gain God’s blessing and salvation by keeping his laws, we always end up under his anger for we always fail to keep them, the only way we can keep from breaking laws is not to have any to break”. (Rom, 4:15 LB)
9. “The ten commandments were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s law. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God’s kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Roman, 5:20-21, LB)
10. “For they don’t understand that Christ has died to make them right with God. Instead they are trying to make themselves good enough to gain God’s favour by keeping the Jewish laws and customs but that is not God’s way of salvation. They don’t understand that Christ gives to those who trust in him everything they are trying to get by keeping his laws he ends all of that”. (Rom 10:3-4 LB)
11. “But we did not listen to them for a single moment. For we did not want to confuse you into thinking that salvation can be earned by being circumcised and by obeying Jewish laws”. (Gal 2:5 LB)
12. “Brother; listen, in this man Jesus, there is forgiveness for your sins, everyone who trust in him is freed from all guilt and declared righteous- something the Jewish law could never do”. (Act 13:38-39, LB)
13. “Well then, why were the law given? They were added after the promise was given, to show men how guilty they are of braking God’s laws.
14. But this system of law was to last only until the coming of Christ. The child to whom God’s promise was made (And there is this further difference. God gave his laws to angels, to give to Moses, who then gave his promise to Abraham.
15. He did it by himself alone, without angels or Moses as go-between). Well then, are God’s laws and God’s promises against each other? Of course not, if we could be saved by his laws, then God would not have had to give us a different way to get out of the grip of sin – for the scriptures insist we are all its prisoners.
16. The only way out is through faith in Jesus Christ, the way of escape is open to all who believe him”. (Gal 3:19-22, LB)
17. “Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ as they are called. Yet we know that a person is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ, never by doing what the law requires.
18. We too have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put right with God through our faith in Christ and not by doing what the law requires. For no one is put right with God by doing what the law requires” (Gal. 2:15-16 GNB).
19. “You can see from this that the real children of Abraham are all the men of faith who truly trust in God. What’s more, the scriptures looked forward to this time when God would save the Gentiles also, through their faith; God told Abraham about this long ago when he said, “I will bless those in every nation who trust in me as you do”.
20. And so it is; all who trust in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received.
21. Yes, and those who depend on the Jewish laws to save them are under God’s curse,for the scriptures point out very clearly, “cursed is everyone who at anytime breaks a single one of these laws that are written in God’s book of the law” consequently, it is clear that no one can ever win God’s favour by trying to keep the Jewish laws, because God has said that the only way we can be right in his sight is by faith.
22. As the prophet Habakkuk says it, “the man who finds life will find it through trusting God”. How different from this way of faith is the way of law, which says that a man is saved by obeying every law of God, without one slip.
23. But Christ has bought us out from under the doom of that impossible system of taking the curse for our wrongdoing upon himself; for it is written in the scripture “anyone who is hanged on a tree is cursed” (as Jesus was hung upon a wooden cross) (Gal. 3:7-13 LB)
24. “But when the right time came, the time God decided on. He sent his son born of a woman, born as a Jew to buy freedom for us, who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own sons. And because we are his sons God has sent the spirit of His son into our hearts so now we can rightly speak of God as our dear father”. (Gal, 4:4-6 LB)
25. “Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called god’s that did not even exist. And now that you have found God (or I should say, now that God has found you) how can it be that you want to go back again and become slaves once more to another poor, weak, useless religion of trying to get to heaven by obeying God’s laws. (Gal 4:8-9 LB)
26. So Christ has made us free. Now make sure that you are free and don’t get all tied up again in the chains of slavery of Jewish laws and ceremonies. Listen to me, for this is serious. If you are counting on circumcision and keeping the Jewish laws to make you right with God, then Christ cannot save you.
27. I’ll say it again, anyone trying to find favour with God by being circumcised must always obey every other law or perish. Christ is useless to you if you are counting on clearing your debt to God by keeping those laws; you are lost from God’s grace”. (Gal, 5:1-4, LB)
28. “Because of his kindness you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves it too is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it”. (Eph 2:8-9, LB).
3
SALVATION IS BY GRACE NOT BY WORKS
For the GRACE OF GOD that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
2. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:11 -15, KJV)
3. “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; other hated us and we hated them.
4. But when the kindness and love of God our saviour was revealed. He saved us, it was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own MERCY that he save us, through the Holy Spirit who gives us new birth and new life by washing us.
5. God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our saviour, so that by his GRACE we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for”. (Titus 3:3-7, GNB)
6. “Now that we have been put right with God through FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s GRACE, in which we now live, and we boast of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory”. (Rom 5:1’2, GNB)
7. “For no one is put right in God’s sight by doing what the law requires, what the law does is to make man know that he has sinned. But now God’s way of putting people right with himself has been revealed IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH LAW, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. GOD PUTS PEOPLE RIGHT through their FAITH in Jesus Christ, God does this TO ALL who believe in Christ because there is no difference at all.
8. Everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of GOD’S GRACE all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free.
9. God offered him, so that by his blood he should become the means by which people’s sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous.
10. In the past he was patient and overlook people’s sins but in the present time he deals with their sins in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.
11. What then can we boost about? Nothing and what is the reason for this? Is it that we obey the law? No but that we believe for we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith and not by doing what the law commands”. (Romans 3:20-28, GNB)
12. “For the scriptures tell us Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and that is why God cancelled his sin and declared him NOT GUILTY” but didn’t he earn his right to heaven by all the good things he did?
13. No, for being saved is a gift; if a person could earn it by being good, then it wouldn’t be free-but it is, it is given to those who do not work for it. For God declares sinners to be good in his sight if they have faith in Christ to save them from God’s wrath”. (Rom 4:3-5, LB)
14. “It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not because Abraham obeyed God’s laws, but because he trusted God to keep his promise.
15. So if you still claim that God’s blessings go to those who are “good Enough” then you are saying that God’s promises to those who have faith are meaningless, and faith is foolish.
16. But the fact of the matter is this; when we try to gain God’s blessing and salvation by keeping his laws we always end up under his anger, for we always fail to keep them, the only way we can keep from breaking laws is not to have any to break”. (Rom 4:13-15, LB)
17. “And now that we are Christ we are the true descendants of Abraham, and all of God’s promise him belong to us”. (Gal 3:29 LB)
18. “Know and understand that it is (really) the people (who live) by faith who are (the true) sons of Abraham. And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify (declare righteous; put in right standing with himself) the Gentiles in consequence of faith, proclaimed the gospel (foretelling the glad tidings of a saviour long before hand) to Abraham in the promise saying in you shall all the nation (of the earth) be blessed.
19. So then, those who are people of faith are blessed and made happy and favoured by God (as partners in fellowship) with the believing and trusting Abraham”. (Gal 3:7-9, AMP)
20. Because of his kindness you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourself, it too is a gift from God.
21. SALVATION is not a reward for the good we have done, so NONE of us can take any credit for it”. (Eph 2:8-9, LB)
22. “But Noah found GRACE in the eyes of the Lord”. (Gen 6:8 KJV)
23. “And Abram believed God; then God considered him righteous on account of his faith”. (Gen 15:6, LB).
24. “Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found GRACE in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find GRACE in thy sight and consider that this nation is thy people” (Exo 33:13 KJV).
25. “Thus says the Lord, the people who survived the sword found favour in wilderness (place of exile) – when Israel sought to find rest. (Jer 31:2 AMP).
26. “For from the very beginning God decided that those who come to him and all along he knew who would – should become like his son, so that his son would be the first with many brothers.
27. And having chosen us, He called us to come to him, and when we came, He declared us not guilty filled us with Christ goodness gave us right standing with Himself, and promised us his glory.
28. What can we ever say to such wonderful things as these? If God is on our side, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even His own son for us but gave Him up for us all. Won’t he also surely give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God?
29. No he is the one who has forgiven us and given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ? No, for he is the one who died for us and came to life again for us and is sitting at the place of highest honour next to God pleading for us there in heaven”. (Rom 8:29-34, LB)
30. “Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us, he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault – we who stand before him covered with his love.
31. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And he did this because he wanted to”. (Eph 1:4 – 5 LB)
32. “For God had said to Moses, if I want to be kind to someone, I will and I will take pity on anyone I want to.
33. And so God’s blessings are not given just because someone decides to have them or works hard to get them. They are given because God takes pity on those he wants to.
34. Pharaoh, king of Egypt was an example of this fact. For God told him he had given him the kingdom of Egypt for the very purpose of displaying the awesome power of God against him, so that all the world would hear about God’s glorious name.
35. So you see God is kind to some just because he wanted to be and he makes some refuse to listen”. (Roman 9:15-18 LB)
36. “He is the one who has helped us tell others about his NEW AGREEMENT TO SAVE THEM, we do not tell them that they MUST OBEY EVERY LAW OF GOD” or die, but we tell them there is life for them from the Holy Spirit.
37. The old way, trying to be saved by keeping the TEN COMMANDMENTS, ends in death; in the NEW WAY the Holy Spirit gives them life.
38. Yet that old system of law that led to death began with such glory that people could not bear to look at Moses face. For as he gave them God’s law to obey, his face shone out with the very glory of God though the brightness was fading away already.
39. Shall we not expect far greater glory in these days when the Holy Spirit is giving life?
40. If the plan that leads to doom was glorious, much more glorious is the plan that makes men right with God. In fact, that first glory as it shone from Moses face is worth nothing at all in comparison with the overwhelming glory of the new agreement.
41. So if the old system that faded into nothing was full of heavenly glory the glory of God’s new plan for our salvation is certainly far greater, for it is eternal.
42. Since we know that this new glory will never go away, we can preach with great boldness and not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not see the glory fade away. Not only Moses’ face was veiled but his people’s minds and understanding were veiled and blinded too.
43. Even now when the scripture is read it seems as though the Jewish hearts and minds are covered by a thick veil, because they cannot see and understand the real meaning of the scriptures.
44. For this veil of misunderstanding can be removed only by believing in Christ.
45. Yes even today when they read Moses writings their hearts are blind and they think that obeying the TEN COMMANDMENTS is the way to be saved.
46. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord from his sins, then the veil is taken away. The Lord is the spirit who gives them life, and where he is there is freedom (from trying to be saved by keeping the laws of God)”. (2 Cor 3:6-17, LB)
47. “(We know that it was Adam’s sin that caused this) because although, of course, people were sinning from the time of Adam until Moses, God did not in those days judge them, guilty of death for breaking his laws – because he had not yet given this laws to them nor told them what he wanted them to do so when their bodies died it was not for their own sins. Since they themselves had never disobeyed God’s special law against eating the forbidden fruits as Adam had.
48. What a contract between Adam and Christ who was yet to come. And what a difference between man’s sin and God’s forgiveness. For this one man, Adam brought death to many through his sin. But this one man, Jesus Christ, brought forgiveness to many through God’s mercy.
49. Adam’s one sin brought the penalty of death to many, while Christ freely takes away man’s sins and gives glorious life instead.
50. The sin of this one man, Adam caused death to be king over all but all who will take God’s gift of forgiveness and acquittal are kings of life, because of this one man, Jesus Christ.
51. Yes Adam’s sin brought punishment to all, but Christ’s righteousness makes men right with God, so they can live. Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed.
52. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS were given so that all could see the extent of their failure to obey God’s law.
53. But the more we see our sinfulness, the more we see God’s abounding grace forgiving us. Before, sin ruled over all men and brought them to death, but now God’s kindness rules instead giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. (Rom 5:13-21 LB)
54. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ”. (St. John 1:17 KJV)
55. “You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ for he forgave all your sins, and blotted out the charges proved against you the list of his commandments which you have not obeyed.
56. He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ cross. In this way God took away Satan’s power to accuse you of sin and God openly displayed to the whole world Christ’s triumph at the cross where your sins were all taken away”. (Col 2:13-15 LB)
57. “But now you need no longer worry about the Jewish laws and customs because you died while in their captivity and now you can really serve God, not in the old way, mechanically obeying a set of rules but in the new way (with all of your hearts and minds) (Rom 7:6, LB)
58. “But we believe that through the GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS we shall be saved, even as they” (Act 15:11 KJV)
59. “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the GRACE of God”. (Acts 13:43, KJV)
60. “And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of HIS GRACE, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified”. (Acts 20:32 KJV)
61. “So Christ has made us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get all tied up again in the chains of slavery of Jewish laws and ceremonies.
62. Listen to me for this is serious, if you are counting on circumcision and keeping the Jewish law to make you right with God, then Christ cannot save you. I’ll say it again, anyone trying to find favour with God by being circumcised must always obey every other Jewish law or perish.
63. Christ is useless to you if you are counting on clearing your debt to God by keeping those laws; you are lost from God’s grace.But we by the help of the Holy Spirit are counting on Christ’s death to clear away our sins and make us right with God.
64. And we to whom Christ has given eternal life don’t need to worry about whether we have been circumcised or not, or whether we are obeying the Jewish ceremonies or not for all we need is faith working through love”. (Gal 5:1-6 LB)
65. “Be it known unto you. Therefore men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses”. (Act 13:38-39, KJV)
66. “Dear brothers, the longing of my heart and my prayer is that the Jewish people might be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for the honour of God, but it is misdirected zeal.
67. For they don’t understand that Christ has died to make them right with God. Instead they are trying to make themselves good enough to gain God’s favour by keeping the Jewish laws and custom.
68. But that is not God’s way of salvation. They don’t understand that Christ gives to those who trust in him everything they are trying to get by keeping his laws. He ends all of that”. (Rom 10:1-4 LB)
69. For It was through reading the scripture that I came to realise that I could never find God’s favour by trying and failing to obey the laws. I came to realise that acceptance with God comes by believing in Christ, I am not one of those who treats Christ’s death as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping Jewish laws then there was no need for Christ to die. (Gal 2:19, 21, LB)
70. “But we did not listen to them for a single moment for we did not want to confuse you into thinking that salvation can be earned by being circumcised and by obeying Jewish laws. (Gal 2:5, LB).
4
WHY PEOPLE HATE PREACHING SALVATION BY GRACE ALONE
And yet we Jewish Christians know very well that we cannot become right with God by obeying our Jewish laws but only by faith in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.
2. And so we, too, have trusted in Jesus Christ that we might be accepted by God because of faith and not because we have obeyed the Jewish laws. For no one will ever be saved by obeying them.
3. But what if we trust Christ to save us and then find that we are wrong, and that we cannot be saved without being circumcised and obeying all the other Jewish laws. Wouldn’t we need to say that faith in Christ had ruined us? God forbid that anyone should dare to think such things about our Lord.
4. Rather we are sinners if we start rebuilding the old systems I have been destroying of trying to be saved by keeping Jewish laws.
5. For it was through reading the scriptures that I came to realise that I could never find God’s favour by trying-and failing-to obey the laws. I came to realise that acceptance with God comes by believing in Christ”. (Gal 2:16-19 LB)
6. “Those teaches of yours who are trying to convince you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason. So that they can be popular and avoid the persecution they would get if they admitted that the CROSS OF CHRIST ALONE CAN SAVE.
7. And even those teachers who submit to circumcision don’t try to keep the other Jewish laws, but they want you to be circumcised in order that they can boast that you are their disciples”. (Gal 6:12-13 LB)
8. “Some people even say that I myself am preaching that circumcision and Jewish laws are necessary to the plan of salvation. Well, if I preached that, I would be persecuted no more – for that message doesn’t offend anyone.
9. The fact that I am still being persecuted proves that I am still preaching salvation through faith in the cross of Christ alone”. (Gal 5:11 LB)
10. “When his disciples heard this, many of them said, this is a hard and difficult and strange saying (an offensive and unbearable message). Who can stand to hear it? (Who can be expected to listen to such teaching?)
11. After this, many of his disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied him”. (St. John 6:60,66 AMP)
12. Jesus said to the twelve, will you also go away? (And do you too desire to leave me?) Simon Peter answered Lord, to whom shall we go?
13. You have the words (the message) of eternal life. And we have learned to believe and trust, and (more) we have come to know (surely) that you are the Holy one of God the Christ (the anointed one) the son of the Living God”. (St. John 6:67-69, AMP)
14. “For we have found this man a perfect pest (a real plague), an agitator and source of disturbance to all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring leader of the (heretical, division producing) sect of the Nazarenes”. (Acts 24:5, AMP)
15. “Our Jewish Christians here at Jerusalem have been told that you are against the laws of Moses, against our Jewish customs and that you forbid the circumcision of their children”. (Acts 21:21 LB)
16. “But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets”. (Acts 24:14 KJV).
17. “For it was through reading the scripture that I came to realise that I could never find God’s favour by trying – and failing – to obey the laws. I came to realise that acceptance with God comes by believing in Christ”. (Gal 2:19 LB)
18. “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God”. (Acts 20:27 KJV).
19. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of his Majesty”. (2 Peter 1:16, KJV)
20. “They went out from us but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us. But they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us”. (1 John 2:19 KJV)
21. These men belong to this world, so, quite naturally they are concerned about worldly affairs and the world pays attention to them.
22. But we are children of God that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us others won’t. that is another way to know whether a message is really from God, for if it is the world, won’t listen to it. (1 John 4:5–6 LB).
23. Anyone whose father is God listens gladly to the words of God. Since you don’t, it proves you aren’t his children. (St. John 8:47 LB).
5
THE CROSS OF CHRIST CANNOT CEASE ITS OFFENCE
And I, brethren, if I yet preached circumcision, Why do I yet suffer persecution? THEN IS THE OFFENCE OF THE CROSS CEASED”. (Gal 5:11 KJV)
2. “Those teachers of yours who are trying to convince you to be circumcised are doing it for just one reason; so that they can be popular and AVOID THE PERSECUTION they would get if they admitted that the cross of Christ alone can save.
3. And even those teachers who submit to it (to circumcision) don’t try to keep the other Jewish laws; but they want you to be circumcised in order that they can boast that you are their disciples”. (Gal 6:12-13 LB)
4. “To those who are being saved we seem a fearful smell of death and doom while to those who know Christ we are a life giving perfume. But who is adequate for such a task as this?
5. Only those who, like ourselves, are men of integrity send by God, speaking with Christ’s power, with God’s eyes upon us. We are not like those hucksters – and there are many of them – whose idea in getting out the gospel is to make a good living out of it”. (2 Cor 2:16-17 LB)
6. “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, charity, patience, persecution, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra what persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.YEA, AND ALL THAT WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION” (2 Tim 3:12, KJV)
7. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
8. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
9. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
10. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
11. But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”. (1 Cor 1:18-24 KJV)
12. “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the GRACE of God.
13. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blasphemy”. (Acts 13:43-45, KJV)
14. “But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women and the chief men of the city and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts”.(Acts 13:50, KJV)
15. “Even that question wouldn’t have come up except for some so-called “Christians” there – false ones, really – who came to spy on us and see what freedom we enjoyed in Christ Jesus, as to whether we obeyed the Jewish laws or not.
16. They tried to get us all tied up in their rules, like slaves in chains. But we did not listen to them for a single moment, for we did not want to confuse you into thinking that salvation can be earned by being circumcised and by obeying Jewish laws”. (Gal 2:4-5 LB)
17. “At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went together to the synagogue and preached with such power that many – both Jews and Gentiles – believed.
18. But the Jews who spurned God’s message stirred up distrust among the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas saying all sorts of evil things about them.
19. Yet only a few days later some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the crowds into a murderous mob that stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, apparently dead.But as the believers stood around him he got up and went back into the city.
20. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. After preaching the Good News there and making many disciples, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, where they helped the believers to grow in love for God and each other.
21. They encouraged them to continue in the faith inspite of all the persecution, reminding them that they must enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations”. (Acts 14:1-2, 19-22, LB)
22. “This is the truth and everyone should accept it. We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe it, for our hope is in the living God who died for all and particularly for those who have accepted his salvation. Teach these things and make sure everyone learns then well”. (1 Tim 4:9 – 11, LB).
6 CHANGE OF PRIESTHOOD
If the Jewish priests and their laws had been able to save us, why then did God need to send Christ as a priest with the rank of Melchizedek instead of sending someone with the rank of Aaron-the same rank all other priests had?
And when God sends a new kind of priest, his law must be changed to permit it. As we all know, Christ did not belong to the Priest-tribe of Judah, which had not been chosen for priesthood; Moses had never give them that work. So we can plainly see that God’s method changed, for Christ the new High priest who came with the rank of Melchizedek did not become a priest by meeting the old requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but on the basis of power flowing from a life that cannot end.And the Psalmist points this out when he says of Christ “You are a priest forever, with the rank of Melchizedek”. Yes the old system of priesthood based on family lines was cancelled because it didn’t work, it was weak and useless for saving people.It never made anyone really right with God. But now we have a far better hope, for Christ makes us acceptable to God, and now we may draw near to him”. (Heb 7:11-19 LB)
2. “The old agreement didn’t even work if it had, there would have been no need for another to replace it. But God himself, found fault with the old one, for he said, “the day will come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and the people of Judah.
3. This new agreement will not be like the old one I gave to their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt they did not keep their part in that agreement so I had to cancel it.
4. But this is the new agreement I will make with the people of Israel, says the Lord, I will write my laws in their minds, so that they will know what I want them to do without my even telling them, and these laws will be in their hearts so that will want t o obey them and I will be their God and they shall be my people.
5. And no one then will need to speak to his friend or neighbour or brother, saying “you too, should know the Lord because everyone, great and small, will know me already. And I will be merciful to them in their wrong doing and I will remember their sin no more”. God speaks of these new promises of this new agreement, as taking the place of the old one; for the old one is out of date now and has been put aside forever.” (Heb 8:7-13, LB)
6. “And the Holy Spirit uses all this to point out to us that under the old system the common people could not go into the Holy of Holies as long as the outer room and the entire system it represents were still in use. This has an important lesson for us today.
7. For under old system gifts and sacrifices were offered but these failed to cleanse the hearts of the people who brought them. For the old system dealt only with certain rituals – what foods to eat and drinks, rules for washing themselves and rules about this and that. The people had to keep these rules to tide them over until Christ came with God’s new and better way”. (Heb 9:8-10 LB)
8. “Just think how much more surely the blood of Christ will transform our lives and hearts. His sacrifice frees us from the worry of having to obey the old rules and makes us want to serve the living God.
9. For by the help of the eternal Holy Spirit, Christ willingly gave himself to God to die for our sins – he being perfect without a single sin or fault. Christ came with this new agreement so that all who are invited may come and have forever all the wonders God have promised them. For Christ died to rescue them from the penalty of the sins they had committed while still under that old system”. (Heb 9:14-15, LB)
10. “After Christ said this about not being satisfied with the various sacrifices and offerings required under the old system he then added “here I am, I have come t o give my life” he cancels the first system in favour of a far better one.
11. Under this new plan we have been forgiven and made clean by Christ’s dying for us once and for all”. (Heb 10:8-10 LB).
7
LET NO MAN JUDGE YOU BY WHAT YOU EAT
One day some Jewish religious leaders arrived from Jerusalem to investigate him, and noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the usual Jewish rituals before eating.
2. For the Jews especially the Pharisees, will never eat until they have sprinkled their arms to the elbow as required by their ancient traditions, so when they came home from their market they must always sprinkle themselves in this way before touching any food, this is but one of many examples of laws and regulations they have clung to for centuries and still follow such as their ceremony of cleansing for pots, pans and dishes.
3. So the religious leaders asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age old customs? For they eat without first performing the washing ceremony”.
4. Jesus replied you bunch of hypocrites; Isaiah the prophet described you very well when he said, “These people speak very prettily about the Lord but they have no love for him at all.
5. Their worship is a farce, for they claim that God commands the people to obey their petty rules. How right Isaiah was. For you ignore God’s specific orders and substitute your own traditions, you are simply rejecting God’s laws and trampling them under your feet for the sake of tradition.
6. For instance, Moses gave you this law from God “Honour your father and mother, and he said that anyone who speaks against his father and mother must die, but you say it is perfectly all right for a man to disregard his needy parents telling them “sorry I can’t help you for I have given to God what I could have given to you.
7. And so break the law of God in order to protect your man-made tradition. And this is only one example there are many, many others”. (Mark 7:1-13, LB).
8. “Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear, “All of you listen” he said and try to understand, your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say”. (Mark 7:14-16, LB).
9. “This has an important lesson for us today, for under the old system, gifts and sacrifices were offered, but these failed to cleanse the hearts of the people who brought them”.
10. For the old system dealt only with certain rituals – what foods to eat or drink, rules for washing themselves and rule about this and that, the people had to keep these rules to tide them over until Christ came with God’s new and better way’’(Heb, 9:9-10 LB).
11. “So don’t let anyone criticise you for what you eat or drink, or for celebrating Jewish holidays and feast or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these were only temporary rules that were ended when Christ came.
12. They were only shadows of the real things – of Christ himself. Don’t let anyone declare you lost when you refuse to worship angels as they say you must. They have seen a vision; they say and know you should.
13. These proud men (though they claim to be so humble) have a very clever imagination, but they are not connected to Christ the head to which all of us who are his body are joined; for we are joined together by his strong sinews and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
14. Since you died, as it were with Christ and this has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved – by doing good and obeying various rules – why do you keep right on following them anyway, still bound by such rules as not eating, tasting, or even touching certain foods?
15. Such rules are mere human teachings for food was made to be eaten and use up. These rules may seem good, for rules of this kind require strong devotion and are humiliating and hard on the body but they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires. They only make him proud”. (Col. 2:16-23, LB)
16. “For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.”. (Rom 14:2-3 KJV)
LAW OF LIBERTY
17. “So speak ye, and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty” (James 2:12, KJV).
18. “You will be judged on whether or not you are doing what Christ wants you to. So watch what you do and what you think”. (James 2:12, LB).
8
GOD IS A MANJesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that THOU, BEING A MAN, MAKEST THYSELF GOD.” (St. John 10:32-33 KJV)
2. So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way merely as a HUMAN BEING LIKE MYSELF.
3. How differently I feel now. When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has begun. (2 Cor. 5:16-17 LB)
4. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God head. So they are without excuse”. (Rom 1:19-20 KJV)
5. “Before anything else existed there was Christ with God, he has always been alive and is himself God, but although he made the world, the world didn’t recognize him when he came.
6. Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them.
7. And Christ became a human being and lived here on earth among us and was full of loving, forgiveness and truth. And some of us have seen his glory – the glory of the only son of the heavenly father”. (St. John 1:1, 10-12, 14 LB)
8. “Oh! Israel my people, Oh, my Jewish brothers. How I long for you to come to Christ. My heart is heavy within me and I grieve bitterly day and night because of you. Christ knows and the Holy Spirit knows that it is no mere pretense when I say that I would be willing to be forever demned if that would save you. God had given you so much, but still you will not listen to him.
9. He took you as his own special chosen people and led you along with a bright cloud of glory and told you how very much he wanted to bless you. He gave his rules for daily life so you would know what he wanted you to do. He let you worship him and gave you mighty promises.
10. Great men of God were your fathers and CHRIST HIMSELF WAS ONE OF YOU. A Jew so far as his HUMAN NATURE is concerned. He who now rules over all things, praise God forever”. (Rom 9:1-5 LB)
11. Christ was alive when the world began, yet I myself have see him with my own eyes and listened to him speak. I have touched him with my own hands, he is God’s message of life. (1 John 1:1 LB)
12. “And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of Godliness. HE (GOD) WAS MADE VISIBLE IN HUMAN FLESH justified and vindicated in the (Holy) Spirit was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world (and) taken up in glory” (1 Tim 3:16 AMP)
13. CHRIST HIMSELF is the creator who made everything in heaven and earth the things we can see and the things we can’t. The Spirit world with its kings and kingdoms. Its rulers and authorities. All were made by CHRIST for his own use and glory”. (Col 1:16 LB)
14. “Don’t ever forget the wonderful fact that JESUS CHRIST WAS A MAN, born into king David’s family and that HE WAS GOD as shown by the fact he rose again from the dead, it is because I have preached these GREAT TRUTHS that I am in trouble here and have been put in jail like a criminal, but the word of God is not chained even though I am (2 Tim 2:8-9, LB)
15. “This Good News was promised long ago by God’s prophets in the old testament. It is the Good news about his son, Jesus Christ our Lord who came as a HUMAN BABY, BORN INTO KING DAVID’S ROYAL FAMILY LINE and by being raised from the dead he was proved to be the mighty son of God, with the HOLY NATURE OF GOD HIMSELF” (Rom 1:2-4 LB)
16. “Since we, God’s children are HUMAN BEINGS – MADE OF FLESH AND BLOOD HE BECAME FLESH AND BLOOD too by being BORN IN HUMAN FORM; for only as a HUMAN BEING could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death, we all know he did not come as an Angel but as a HUMAN BEING – yes a JEW” (Heb 2:14, 16 LB)
17. “Let this same attitude and purpose and (humble) mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus; (let him be your example in humility)
18. Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God (possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God, God), did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained. But stripped himself (of all privileges and rightful dignity), so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave) in that He became like MEN and was born a human being. And he had appeared in HUMAN FORM he abased and humbled himself (still further) and carried his obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the Cross”. (Phil 2:5-8, AMP)
19. “Dearly loved friends, don’t always believe everything you hear just because someone says it is a message from God: test it first to see if it really is.
20. For there are many false teachers around, and the way to find out if their message is from the Holy Spirit is to ask: Does it really agree that Jesus Christ, God’s son, actually became MAN with a HUMAN BODY?
21. If so, then the message is from God, if not, the message is not from God but from one who is against Christ” like the “ANTICHRIST” you have heard about who is going to come and his attitude of enmity against Christ is already abroad in the world”. (1 John 4:1-3, LB).
9
GOD DID NOT KILL THE PEOPLE THAT SAW HIM
I will not let you see my face because NO ONE CAN SEE ME AND STAY ALIVE (Ex. 33:20, GNB)
2. “Inside the tent THE LORD SPOKE TO MOSES FACE TO FACE as a MAN speaks to his friend. Afterwards Moses would return to the camp but the young man who assisted him, Joshua (Son of Nun), stayed behind in the tabernacle”. (Exo 33:11, LB)
3. “Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and Seventy of elders of Israel went up into the mountain. AND THEY SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL, under his feet there seemed to be a pavement of brillant Sapphire stones, as clear as the heavens.
4. Yet, even though the ELDERS SAW GOD,he did not DESTROY them and they had a meal together before the Lord”. (Exo 24:9-11, LB)
5. “Gideon then realized that it was the LORD’s Angel HE HAD SEEN, and he said in terror,” Sovereign LORD’ I have SEEN your angel FACE TO FACE”. But the LORD said to him “peace Don’t be afraid YOU WILL NOT DIE”. (Judges 6:22-23, GNB)
6. “We will die”, Manoah cried out to his wife, FOR WE HAVE SEEN GOD” but his wife said, “if the LORD were going to kill us he would not have accepted our burnt offering and wouldn’t have appeared to us and told us this wonderful thing and done these miracles” (Judges 13:22-23 LB)
7. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I SAW THE LORD, He was sitting on his throne high and exalted and his robe filled the whole temple, round him flaming creatures were standing each of which had six wings, each creature covered its face with two wings and its body with two, and used the other two for flying.
8. They were calling out to each other: “Holy, Holy, Holy! THE LORD ALMIGHTY is holy! His glory fills the world. The sound of their voices made the foundation of the temple shake, and the temple itself was filled with smoke.
9. I SAID “there is no hope for me! I am DOOMED because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful. And yet, with my OWN EYES, I HAVE SEEN THE KING, THE LORD ALMIGHTY”.
10. Then one of the creatures flew down to me, carrying a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with the burning coal and said “this has touched your lips, and now your guilt is gone and your sins are forgiven” (Isaiah 6:1-7, GNB).
11. How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the (Holy) Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how he went about doing good and in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by (the power of) the devil for God was with him.
12. And we are (EYE AND EAR) witnesses of everything that he did both in the land of the Jews and Jerusalem. And yet they put him out of the way (murdered him) by hanging him on a tree. But God raised him to life on the third day and caused him to be manifest (to be plainly seen.)
13. Not by all the people but to us who were chosen (designated) beforehand by God as witness, who ATE and DRANK, WITH HIM after, HE ROSE from the dead”. (Acts 10:38-41; AMP)
14. “While the two were telling them this, suddenly the Lord himself stood among them and said to them “peace be with you”. They were terrified, thinking that they were seeing a ghost. But he said to them “why are you alarmed, why are these doubts coming up in your minds?
15. Look at my hands and my feet and see that it is MYSELF. Feel me, and you will know, for a ghost doesn’t have FLESH and BONES, as you can see I have. He said this and showed them his hands and his feet. They still could not believe, they were so full of joy and wonder; so he asked them, HAVE you anything here to EAT? They gave him a piece of COOKED FISH. Which he took and ATE in their presence.” (Lk 24:36-43; GNB)
16. I passed on to you right from the first what had been told to me, that Christ died for our sins just as the scriptures said he would. And that he was buried and that three days afterwards he arose from the grave just as the prophets foretold.
17. He was SEEN by Peter and later by the rest of the TWELVE. After that he was SEEN by more than five hundred Christian brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now. Then James SAW him and later all the apostles. Last of all I SAW him too long after the others as though I had been born almost too late for this. (1 Cor 15:3-8 LB)
18. For we have not been telling you fairy talks when we explained to you the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again.
19. MY OWN EYES have SEEN his splendor and his glory. I was there on the holy mountain when he shone out with honour given him by God his father; I HEARD that glorious majestic voice calling down from heaven saying “this is my much-loved son I am well pleased with him”. (2 Peter 1:16-18, LB).
20. “Soon afterwards he left section of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth his home town.
21. The next Sabbath he went to the synagogue to teach, and the people were astonished at his wisdom and his miracles because HE WAS JUST A LOCAL MAN like themselves.
22. “He is no better than we are”, they said. He is just a carpenter, Mary’s boy and a brother of James and Joseph, Judas and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us” and they were offended”. (Mark 6:1-3, LB)
23. “Watch out for the false leaders – and there are many of them around WHO DON’T BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST CAME to earth as a HUMAN BEING with a body like ours.
24. Such people are against the truth and against Christ. Beware of being like them and losing the prize that you and I have been working so hard to get. See to it that you win your full reward from the Lord. For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will leave God behind, while if you are loyal to Christ’s teaching you will have God too.
25. Then you will have both the father and the son. If anyone came to teach you and he doesn’t believe what Christ taught, don’t even invite him into your home. Don’t encourage him in any way. If you do you will be a partner with him in his wickedness”. (2 John 7-11, LB)
26. “And we know that Christ, God’s son, has come to help us understand and find the true God.
27. And now we are in God because we in Jesus Christ his son, who is the only true God; and he is eternal life”. (1 John 5:20 LB).
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BIBLICAL TRUTH ABOUT PAYMENT OF TITHE
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not yet kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said wherein shall we return?
2. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But yet say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
3. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows in heaven, and pour you out blessing, that there shall not be enough to receive it”. (Malachi 3:7-10 KJV)
ORIGIN OF TITHE
4. “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants , born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
5. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
6. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
7. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
8. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
9. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. AND HE GAVE HIM TITHES OF ALL.
10. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
11. 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
12. 24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.” (Genesis 14:14-24 KJV)
13. “And Melchizedek, the king of Salem (Jerusalem) who was a priest of the God of Highest Heaven, brought him bread and wine, then Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing. The blessing of the supreme God, creator of heaven and earth, be upon you, Abram and blessed be God, who has delivered your enemies over to you. “THEN ABRAM GAVE MELCHIZEDEK A TENTH OF ALL THE LOOT”. (Gen 14:18-20 LB)
ABOUT JACOB AND TITHES
14. What’s more, I am with you and will protect you wherever you go, and will bring you back safely to the land; I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you all I am promising”.
15. Then Jacob woke up, “God lives here” he exclaimed in terror, I’ve stumbled into his home. This is the awesome entrance to heaven?” the next morning he got up very early and set his stone headrest upright as a memorial pillar and poured olive oil over it. He named the place Bethel (“House of God”) though the previous name of the nearest village was Luz.
16. And Jacob vowed this vow to God: if God will help and protect me on this journey and give me food and clothes and will bring me back safely to my father, then I will choose Jehovah as my God. And this memorial pillar shall become a place for worship andI will give you back a TENTH of everything you give me”. (Gen 28:15-22 LB)
WHEN DID PAYMENT OF TITHE BECOME LAW?
17. “A tenth of the produce of the land whether grain or fruit is the Lord’s and is holy. If anyone wants to buy back this fruit or grain, he must add a fifth (20%) to its value. And the Lord owns every tenth animal of the herds and flocks as other domestic animals, as they pass by for counting.
18. The tenth given to the Lord shall not be selected on the basis of whether it is good or bad and there shall be no substitutions; for if there is any change made, then both the original and the substitution shall belong to the Lord and may not be bought back.
19. These are the commandments the Lord give to Moses for the people of Israel on mount Sinai”. (Lev 27:30-34, LB)
WHY SHOULD TITHE BE GIVEN AND TO WHOM?
20. “As for the tribe of Levi your relatives, they shall be paid for their service with the tithes from the entire land of Israelites other than the priests and Levites shall not enter the sanctuary, lest they be judged guilty and die. Only the Levites shall do the work there, and they shall own no property in Israel, for the people’s tithes, offered to the Lord by the gesture of waving before the alter, shall belong to the Levites; these are their inheritance, and so they have no need for property”. (Num 18:21-25, LB)
WHAT WERE THEIR DUTIES IN THE TEMPLE?
21. “And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord for his issue”. (Lev 15:15, KJV)
22. “And the priest shall take one he-lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering in the holy place; for as the sin offering is the priests, so is the trespass offering. it is most holy”. (Lv 4:12-13, KJV)
23. “And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying bring the tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him, and they shall keep charge and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation to do the service of the tabernacle”. (Num 3:5-7, KJV)
24. “However, only Aaron and his sons may carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who presumes to assume this office shall be executed”. (Num 3:10 LB)
25. “You must tithe all of your crops. Every year bring this tithe to eat before the Lord your God at the place he shall choose as his sanctuary; this applies to your tithes of grain, new wine; olive oil, and the first born of your flocks and herds.
26. THE PURPOSE OF TITHING IS TO TEACH YOU ALWAYS TO PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIVES. If the place the Lord chooses for his sanctuary is so far away that it is not convenient to carry your tithes to that place then you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds and take the money to the Lord’s sanctuary when you arrive, use the money to buy an Ox, a sheep, some wine or beer, or some strong drink, to feast there before the Lord your God and to rejoice with your household.
27. Don’t forget to share your income with the Levites in your community, for they have no property or crops as you do. Every third year you are to use your tithe for local welfare programmes.
28. Give to the Levites who have no inheritance among you, or to foreigners, or to widows and orphans within your city so that they can eat and be satisfied; and then Jehovah your God will bless you and your work”. (Deut 14:22-29 LB)
CHANGE IN THE LAW AND IN THE PRIESTHOOD
29. “You see, then, how great he was, Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him a tenth of all he got in the battle. And those descendants of Levi who are priest are commanded by the law to collect a tenth from the people of Israel, that is from their own countrymen, even though their countrymen are also descendants of Abraham.
30. Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God’s promises. There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed.
31. In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. And, so to speak when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collected the tenth) also paid it.
32. For Levi had not yet been born but was so, to speak in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him. It was on the basis of the Levitical priesthood that the law was given to the people of Israel.
33. Now, if the work of the Levitcal priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek not of Aaron.
34. FOR WHEN THE PRIESTHOOD IS CHANGED, THERE ALSO HAS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE LAW. And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe and no member of his tribe ever served as priest.
35. It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses had not mentioned this tribe when he spoke of priests. The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek.
36. He was made a priest not by human rules and regulations but through the power of life which has no end. For the scripture says “you will be a priest forever, in the priestly order Melchizedek”.
37. The old rule then is set aside, BECAUSE IT WAS WEAK AND USELESS FOR THE LAW OF MOSES COULD NOT MAKE ANYTHING PERFECT. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.
38. In addition, there is also God’s vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests.
39. But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him, “the Lord has made a solemn promise and will not take it back. You will be a priest forever”.
40. There is another difference; there were many of those other priests because they died and could not continue their work, but Jesus lives on forever and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else.
41. And so he is able, now and always to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them, Jesus, then is the High priest that meets our needs.
42. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices everyday for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself.
43. The laws of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God’s promise made with the vow, which came later than the law, appoints the son, who has been made perfect forever”. (Heb 7:4-28, GNB)
44. “If the Jewish priest and their laws had been able to save us, why then did God need to send Christ as a priest with the rank of Melchizedek instead of sending someone with the rank of Aaron – the same rank all other priests had”. (Heb 7:12 LB)
CHANGE OF THE LAW
45. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy the law but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in the wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
46. Whosoever, therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
47. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”. (Matt 5:17-20, KJV)
48. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” (Rom 10:4 KJV)
49. “But woe to you Pharisees. For though you are careful to tithe even the smallest part of your income, you completely forget about justice and love of God. You should tithe, yes but you should not leave these other things undone. (Luke, 11:42 LB)
50. “But remember this, that if a father dies and leaves great wealth for his little son, that child is not much better off than a slave until he grows up, even though he actually owns everything his father had. He has to do what his guardians and managers tell him to, until he reaches whatever age his father set.
51. And that is the way it was with us before Christ came. We were slaves to Jewish laws and rituals for we thought they could save us.
52. But when the right times came, the times God decided on, he sent his son, born of a woman, born as a Jew, to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law so that he could adopt us as his very own sons.
53. And because we are his sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, so now we can rightly speak of God as our dear father. Now we are no longer slaves, but God’s own sons. And since we are his sons, everything he has belongs to us, for that is the way God planned”. (Gal 4:1-7, LB)
54. “Now in that first agreement between God and his people there were rules for worship and there was a sacred tent down here on earth. Inside this place of worship there were two rooms.
55. The first one contained the golden candlestick and a table with special loaves of holy bread upon it; this part was called the Holy place. Then there was a curtain and behind the curtain was a room called the Holy of Holies. In that room there was a golden incense – alter and the golden chest called the Ark of covenant, completely covered on all sides with pure gold.
56. Inside the ark were the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments written on them, and a golden jar with some manna in it, and Aaron’s wooden cane that budded.
57. Above the golden chest were statuses of angels called the Cherubim – the guardians of God’s glory –their wings stretched out over the ark’s golden cover, called mercy seat. But enough of such of details, well, when all was ready the priests went in and out of the first room whenever they wanted to, doing their work.
58. But only the high priest went into the inner room, and then only once a year, all alone, and always with blood which he sprinkled on the mercy seat as an offering to God to cover his own mistakes and sins and the mistakes and sins of all the people.
59. And the Holy Spirit uses all this to point out to us that under the old system the common people could not go unto the Holy of Holies as long as the outer room and the entire system it represents were still in use. This has an important lesson for us today, for under the old system gifts and sacrifices were offered.
60. BUT THESE FAILED TO CLEANSE THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THEM. For the old system dealt only with certain rituals – what foods to eat and drink, rules for washing themselves, and rules about this and that. The people had to keep these rules to tide them over until CHRIST CAME WITH GOD’S NEW AND BETTER WAY” (Heb 9 9:1-107, LB)
61. “But Christ has already come as the high priest of the good things, that are already here. The tent in which he serves is greater and more perfect, is not a man-made tent, that is, it is not a part of this created world.
62. When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the most Holy place (Holy of Holies), he did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as a sacrifice; rather, he took his blood and obtained eternal salvation for us.
63. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are virtually unclean, and this purifies them by taking away their ritual impurity.
64. Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ; through the eternal spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.
65. For this reason Christ is the one who arranges a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. This can be done because there has been a death which sets people free from the wrongs they did while the first covenant was in force”. (Heb 9:11-15, GNB)
66. “Now if someone dies and leaves a will – a list of things to be given away to certain people when he dies no one gets anything until it is proved that the person who wrote the will is dead”. (Heb 9:16-17 LB)
HOW SHOULD A CHRISTIAN GIVE HIS OFFERING TO GOD?
67. “So if the old system that faded into nothing was full of heavenly glory, the glory of God’s new plan for our salvation is certainly far greater, for it is eternal”. (2Cor 3:11, LB)
68. “The group of believers was one in mind and heart. No one said that any of his belongings was his own, but they all shared with one another everything they had.
69. With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God poured rich blessings on them all, there was no one in the group who was in need.
70. Those who owned fields or houses could sell them bringing the money received from the sale, and hand it over to the apostles, and the money distributed to each one according to his need.
71. And so it was that JOSEPH, a LEVITE born in Cyprus, who the apostles called Barnabas (which, means one who encourages) sold a field he owned, brought the money and handed it over to the apostles”. (Acts 4:32-37, GNB)
72. “Our brothers and sisters, we want you to know what God’s grace has accomplished in the churches in Macedonia.
73. They have been severely tested by the trouble they went through; but their joy was so great that they were extremely generous in their giving even though they are very poor. I can assure you that they gave as much as they could, and even more than they could. Of their own free will they begged us and pleaded for the privilege of having a part in helping God’s people in Judea.
74. It was more than we could have hoped for FIRST THEY GAVE THEMSELVES TO THE LORD; AND THEN, BY GOD’S WILL THEY GAVE THEMSELVES TO US AS WELL”. (2 Cor 8:1-5, GNB)
75. “Now, concerning what you wrote about the money to be raised to help God’s people in Judea. You must do what I told the churches in Galatia to do. Every Sunday each of you must put aside some money in proportion to what he has earned, and save it up so that there will be no need to collect money when I come”. (1 Cor 16:1-2, GNB)
76. “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willing with his heart ye shall take my offering. (Ex 25:1-2, KJV)
77. “And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “this is the thing which the Lord commanded, take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering to the Lord; gold, and silver and brass”. (Exo 35:4-5, KJV)
78. “Gold for the uses of gold, silver for the uses of silver, and for every work to be done by craftsmen. Now who will offer willingly to fill his hand [and consecrate it] today to the Lord [like one consecrating himself to the priesthood]?
79. Then the chiefs of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly
80. And gave for the service of the house of God—of gold 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics, of silver 10,000 talents, of bronze 18,000 talents, and 100,000 talents of iron.
81. And whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord in the care of Jehiel the Gershonite.
82. Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with a whole and blameless heart they had offered freely to the Lord. King David also rejoiced greatly. ”. (1 Chro 29:5-9 AMP)
83. “Now finish the work, so that your eager WILLINGNESS to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.
84. For if the WILLINGNESS is there the GIFT IS ACCEPTABLE ACCORDING TO WHAT ONE HAS, not according to what he does not have.
85. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need. Then there will be equality, as it is written:
86. HE WHO GATHERED MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO GATHERED LITTLE DID NOT HAVE TOO LITTLE”. (2 Cor 8:11-15, NIV)
87. “But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.
88. Every man according as HE PURPOSETH IN HIS HEART, SO LET HIM GIVE, NOT GRUDGINGLY, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.
89. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work; (as it is written, he hath dispersed abroad. He hath given to the poor. His righteousness remaineth forever.
90. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness). Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints but is abundant also by many thanksgiving unto God.
91. Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men”. (2 Cor 9:6-13 KJV)
92. “If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously. Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer”. (Rom 12:8 LB)
93. “Be careful not to do your act of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets (microphones, radio, television e.t.c), as the hypocrites do in the synagogues (cathedrals etc) and on the streets (bazaar grounds, launching arenas etc) to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
94. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”. (Matt 6:1-4 NIV)
OFFERING IS A SACRIFICE
95. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more, when he bringeth it with a WICKED MIND…
96. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but, the prayer of the upright is his delight”. (Prov 21:27, 15:8 KJV)
97. “Now ye Philippines know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound; I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, AN ODOUR OF A SWEET SMELL, A SACRIFICE ACCEPTABLE, WELL PLEASING TO GOD”(Phili 4:15-18 KJV.).
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BIBLICAL TRUTH ON WHETHER A CHILD OF GOD CAN DRINK ALCOHOL OR NOT
Noah who was a farmer was the first man to plant a vine yard, after he drank some of the wine, he became drunk, took off his clothes and lay naked in his tent.” (Gen 9:20-21 GNB)
2. “Set aside a tithe- a tenth of all that your fields produce each year, then go to the one place of where the Lord your God has chosen to be worshipped, and there in his Presence eat the tithes of your corn, wine and olive-oil, and the first-born of your cattle and sheep. Do this so that you may learn to honour the Lord your God always.
3. If the place of worship is far from your home for you to carry there the tithes of the produce that the Lord has blessed you with, then do this; sell your produce and take the money with you to the one place of worship.
4. Spend it on whatever you want—beef, lamb, wine, beer and there in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families are to eat and enjoy yourselves.” (Deut 14:22-26, GNB).
5. “And they gave them DRINK in vessels of gold, (the vessel being diverse one from another) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the kings. And the DRINKING was according to the LAW; NONE DID COMPEL for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that should do according to every man’s pleasure.
6. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in royal house, which belonged the king Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was MERRY WITH WINE he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigthat, and Abagthat, Zethat, and Carcas the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king…” (Esther 1:7-10 KJV)
DRINKING OF WINE WERE FORBIDDEN TO CERTAIN PEOPLE FOR A PURPOSE
7. “At that time there was a man named Manoah from the town of Zorah he was a member of the tribe of Dan. His wife had never been able to have children.
8. The Lord’s Angel appeared to her and said, “you have never been able to have children, but you will soon be pregnant and have a son, take care not to drink any wine or beer or eat any forbidden foods”.
9. And after your son is born you must never cut his hair, because from the day of his birth he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite. He will begin the work of rescuing Israel from the Philistians”. (Jugdes 2-5, GNB)
10. “The Lord’s Angel answered, “Your wife must be sure to do everything that I have told her“.
11. She must not eat anything that comes from the grape vine. She must not drink any wine or beer or eat any forbidden foods, she must do everything that I have told her. (Judges 2:13-14, GNB)
12. “THIS IS THE message the Lord gave Jeremiah when Jehoiakim (son of Josiah) was the king of Judah. Go to the settlement where the families of the Rechabites lives and invite them to the temple.
13. Take them into one of the inner rooms and OFFER THEM A DRINK OF WINE.
14. So I went over to see Ja-azaniah (son of Jeremiah, who was the son of Habazziniah) and brought him and all his brothers and sons – representing all the Rechab families – to the temple into the room assigned for the use of the sons of Hanan the prophet (the son of Igdaliah).
15. This room was located next to the one used by the palace official, directly above the room of Ma-aseiah (son of Shallum) who was the temple doorman.
16. I SET CUPS AND JUGS OF WINE before them and invited them to have a DRINK but they REFUSED. “No”. they said, “WE DON’T DRINK, FOR JONADAB, our father (son of Rechab) COMMANDED that none of us should ever DRINK, neither we nor our children forever.
17. He also told us not to build houses or plant crops or vineyards and not to own farms. But always to live in tents. And that if we obeyed we would live long, good lives in our own land. And we have obeyed in all these things. We have never had drink of wine since or our daughters either”. (Jere 35:1-8 LB)
18. “An Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar where the incense was burn. When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah: God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, you are to name him John, how glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born. He will be a great man in the Lord’s sight, he must not drink any wine or strong drink from his very birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God”. (Luke 1:11-16, GNB).
SCRIPTURES THAT ARE OFTEN QUOTED AS REASONS WHY A TRUE CHRISTIAN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOL AT ALL
19. “Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It is stupid to get drunk”. (Prov 20:1, GNB)
20. “Listen, Lemuel, kings should not drink wine or have a craving for alcohol. When they drink, they forget the law and ignore the rights of people in need. Alcohol is for people who are dying, for those who are in misery, let them drink and forget their poverty and unhappiness”. (Provb 31:4-7, GNB)
21. “Don’t associate with people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food. Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you do is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags”. (Pro. 23:20-21 GNB)
22. “Show me someone who drinks too much, who has to try out some new drink, and I will show you someone miserable and sorry for himself, always causing trouble and always complaining, his eyes are bloodshot, and he has bruises that could have been avoided.
23. Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, though it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly, the next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly.
24. You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, sea-sick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. “I must have been hit” you will say: “I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it why can’t I wake up’. I need another drink”. (Pro 23:29-30 GNB)
WHAT JESUS CHRIST SAID ON THE MATTER
25. “Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear, ‘All of you listen ‘he said’ and try to understand, your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say.’ Then he went into the house to get away from the crowds and his disciples asked him what he meant by the statement he had just made.
26. “Don’t you understand either” he asked, “can’t you see that what you eat won’t harm your soul? For food doesn’t come in contact with your heart, but only passes through the digestive system (by saying this he showed that every kind of food is kosher).
27. And then he added ‘it is the thought-life that pollutes, for from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, thief, murder, adultery, wanting what belong to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly, all these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God”. (Mark 7:14-23 LB)
ATTITUDE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TOWARDS ALCOHOL
28. All, that is, except the Pharisees and teachers of Moses law, they rejected God’s plan for them and refused John’s baptism. What can I say about such men? Jesus asked, with what shall I compare them?
29. They are like a group of children who complain to their friends, you don’t like it if we play wedding and you don’t like it if we play funerals, John the Baptist used to go without food and never touched a drop of alcohol all his life and you said he must be crazy but I eat my food and drink my wine, and you say what a glutton Jesus is, and he drinks and has the lowest sort of friends”. (Lk 7:30-34 LB)
WINE MAKES GOD AND HUMAN BEINGS HAPPY
30. Then they said to the grapevine, you reign over us! But the grapevine replied, shall I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and man, just to be mightier than all the others trees (Judges 9:12-13 LB)
31. On the seventh day of his banquet the king was drinking and feeling merry, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servant, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zetha and Carkas. (Esther 1:10 GNB)
32. “From the sky you send rain on the hills, and the earth is filled with your blessings. You make grass grow for the cattle and plants for human beings to use, so that they can grow their crops and produce wine to make them happy, olive oil to make them cheerful, and bread to give them strength”. (Psalm 104:13-15, GNB)
33. “What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will bring a wine offering to the Lord, to thank him for saving me in the assembly of all his people I will give him what I have promised”. (Psalm 116:12-14, GNB)
WARNING AGAINST EXCESSIVE DRINKS
34. Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do, remember that Lord is coming soon. (Phil 4:5 LB)
35. Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you instead be filled with the spirit. Eph 5:18 LB.
36. “You have speak enough time in the past doing what heathen like to do. Your lives were spent in indecency, lust, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and the disgusting worship of idols. Now the heathen are surprised when you do not join them in the same wild and reckless living and so they insult you”. (1 Pet 3:4 GNB)
37. “He must not be a drunkard or violent man, but gentle and peaceful. He must not love money”. (1 Tim 3:3 GNB)
WINE CAN SERVE AS MEDICINE
38. “Do not drink water only but take little wine to help your digestion since you are ill so often”. (1 Tim 5:23 GNB)
LET NO ONE JUDGE YOU ON WHAT YOU EAT OR DRINK
39. So let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the New Moon festival or the Sabbath.
40. All such things are only a shadow of things in future; the reality is Christ. Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and worship of angels.
41. For no reason at all, such people are all puffed up by their human way of thinking and have stopped holding on Christ’s control the whole body is nourished and held together by its joints and ligaments and it grows, God want it to grow.
42. You have died with Christ and are set free from the ruling spirits of the universe. Why then, do you live as though you belonged to this world? Why do you obey such rules as ‘don’t handle this,’ don’t taste that,’ don’t touch the other’? all these refer to things, which become useless once they are used; they are only human rules and teachings”. (2 Col. 2:16-22, GNB).
12
WOMEN PREACHING IS A FALSE DOCTRINE
Write down all these things I am going to do, says the Lord and seal it up for the future. Entrust it to some GODLY MAN TO PASS ON DOWN TO GODLY MEN OF FUTURE GENERATION (Isa 8:16, LB)
2. “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to FAITHFUL MEN, who shall be able to teach others also”. (2 Tim 2:2, KJV)
GOD DID NOT ENTRUST THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION IN THE HAND OF WOMEN
3. “NOT LONG AFTERWARDS he began a tour of the cities and villages of Galilee to announce the coming of the kingdom of God, and took his twelve disciples with him.
4. Some women went along, from whom he had cast out demons or whom he had healed among them were Mary Magdalene (Jesus had cast out seven demons from her) Joanna, Chuza’s wife (Chuza was king Herod’s business manager and was in charge of his palace and domestic affairs), Susanna, and many others who were contributing from their private means to the support of Jesus and his disciples”. (Luke 8:1-3 LB)
5. “Teach the older women to be quiet and respectful in everything they do. They must not go around speaking evil of others and must not be heavy drinkers, but they should be teachers of goodness.
6. These older women must train the younger women to live quietly, to love their husbands and their children. And to be sensible and clean minded, spending their time in their own homes, being kind and obedient to their husbands, so that the Christian faith can’t be spoken against by those who know them”. (Titus 2:2-5 LB).
7. “Wives, fit in with your husband’s plans; for then if they refuse to listen when you talk to them about the Lord they will be won by your respectful pure behaviour, your godly lives will speak to them better than any words.
8. Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes, or hair arrangement. Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God.
9. That kind of deep beauty was seen in the saintly women of old, who trusted God and fitted in with their husband’s plans”. (1 Peter 3:1-5, LB)
10. “Women should listen and learn quietly and humbly. I never let women teach men or Lord it over them. Let them be silent in their church meetings.
11. Why? Because God made Adam first, and afterwards he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was fooled by Satan, but Eve, and sin was the result.
12. So God sent pain and suffering to women when their children are born, but he will save their souls if they trust in him, living quiet, good, and loving lives”. (1 Tim 2:11-15, LB).
13. “God is not one who likes things to be disorderly and upset. He likes harmony and he finds it in all the other churches.
14. Women should be silent during the church meetings. They are not to take part in the discussion, for they are subordinate to men as the scriptures also declare. If they have any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to express their opinions in church meetings.
15. You disagree? And do you think that the knowledge of God’s will begins and ends with you Corinthians?
16. Well, you are mistaken, “you who claim to have the gift of prophecy or any other special ability from the Holy Spirit should be the first to realize that what I am saying is a COMMANDMENT FROM THE LORD HIMSELF. But if anyone still disagrees – well, we will leave him in his ignorance. (1 Cor. 14:33-38 LB)
17. “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting”. (1 Tim 2:8 KJV).
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU BELONG TO CHRIST
18. (1 Jn 2:3-6 LB)And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By looking within ourselves: are we really trying to do what he wants us to?
19. Someone may say, “I am a Christian; I am on my way to heaven; I belong to Christ.” But if he doesn’t do what Christ tells him to, he is a liar.
20. But those who do what Christ tells them to will learn to love God more and more. That is the way to know whether or not you are a Christian. Anyone who says he is a Christian should live as Christ did.
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE What God’s elects in this generation have been enjoying was formed in the womb of Mama Catherine Odoemena as she conceived and gave birth to the savior of this generation. It is indisputable that whenever Almighty God wants to take flesh, he takes it through the course of nature using the womb of a woman as incubator which metamorphoses into the birth of a full-fledged human being. A God-Man, supernatural human being- “the more you look, the less you see”.The scripture in the book of Jeremiah 1:4-5 (KJV) said “then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; before thou comest forth out of the WOMB I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations”. This implies that God masterminds the conception and birth of everyone on earth especially the birth of kings, prophets, saviors, and Messiahs. The book of Mark 9:10-13 (KJV) confirms that great beings can reincarnate as many times as they are assigned.The scripture continues “And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning with one another, what the rising from the dead should mean”. And they asked Him, saying, while sayest the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered and told them Elias verily comet first and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the son of man, that He must suffer many things… but I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed as it is written of him”.Elijah came back as John the Baptist. He came with the Spirit and power of Elijah. Through God’s favor, few women are privileged to conceive God in their womb. God reincarnates through natural births. Whenever God wants to reveal himself in a body form, he allows himself to be conceived in a woman’s womb.Hebrews 2:14-15 (KJV) ”For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself (Christ), likewise took part of the same…”1 Tim. 3:16 (KJV) “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory”.Philippians 2:5-8 scripture continues “let this mind be in you, which also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death; even the death of the Cross”.Also, according to I John 4:1-3 anyone who denies and disbelieves that God takes human flesh and becomes a human being is not of God but of the antichrist and false prophet. God is hundred percent man and hundred percent spirit, this makes him GOD-MAN.The scripture in the book of Isaiah 9:6( KJV) confirms this truth, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father; The Prince of Peace”.Considering this scripture, nobody should be in doubt that through a woman God is born as a man. This prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 fulfilled in the Gospel according to Matthew 1:18-23 (KJV) “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as his Mother Mary, was a spouse to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost. Then, Joseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a public example was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought of these things, behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins: now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophets, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with a child and bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us”. God is the same in all generations as the scripture said in Hebrews 13:8 (KJV) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever”. God has been a man right from creation.Mama, whenever the thought of your existence comes into our minds, what comes into our thoughts is that you were molded by God for a special purpose. Your emergence on earth fulfills scriptures for you are the ‘Mary’ of this generation. You were molded, ordained for this divine assignment you fulfilled without knowing until you started witnessing supernatural occurrences around your child. You were the vehicle God used to bring forth the supernatural child who metamorphosed into God, Christ revealed in our day. To confirm this truth, let’s take more references from the scriptures. The book of Luke 2:40-52 (KJV) “and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him”. Verse 50-52 “and they understood not the saying which he spake unto them and He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject unto them but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Any time God becomes a child, a son, he will manifest these peculiar and sterling characteristics. A woman must be privileged to be called his mother. Mama, this generation has a lot to gain from your existence for you did not only make a contact but an impact. We believe the scriptures as they are referred to Mary is a mother of Christ as to be found in the following scriptures. Acts 1:12-14, Mark 6:13, Matt. 12:46-50, Matt. 2:11-21, Luke 1:26-38. Let us consider verses 30-47 of Luke chapter 1, “and the Angel said unto her, fear not, Mary: for thou has found favor with God”. (As Mama Catherine Odoemena found the same favor with God in her life time). And behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto Him, the throne of His father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end”. Mama, so the child you brought forth out of your blessed womb has become today to all the elects of God worldwide. “Then said Mary unto the Angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the Angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also, that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”. Mama, the Holy being was formed in thy womb, called THE SON OF MAN – APOSTLE PETER ODOEMENA. “and, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she had also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her and Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into the city of Judah. And entered into the house of Zacharias. And it came to pass, that, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said ‘BLESSED ARE THOU AMONG WOMEN, AND BLESSED IS THE FRUIT OF THY WOMB.’ And whence is this to me, that the ‘Mother of my Lord’ should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy”. The bride of Christ worldwide, declares affirmatively, that the Mother of Our Lord shall be laid to rest today. She has been a vessel of honor having fulfilled a divine mission. Scripture continues “and blessed is she that believed for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul dot magnify the Lord. And my spirit had rejoiced in God my savior”. Those filled with the Spirit in this generation shall always glorify God on your behalf for the scripture had already blessed all that believed this testimony. God cannot fly down from heaven in His original body. God made man in his own image Genesis 1:26-27. If God is not a man how can man relate with Him? No way! Once God becomes a man, salvation has come and this cannot be possible except through human birth- through ‘a woman’. The scripture affirms that Mary had more children after having Jesus as recorded in Matthew 12:46-50 “while he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood with out, desiring to speak with Him, then one said unto Him, behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But He answered and said unto Him that said unto Him who is my Mother and who are my brethren and he stretched forth his hand towards His disciples and said behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister and my mother”.Mama, glory be to God in the highest that you embraced this faith as was presented to you when missionaries visited your family in 1994. Apostle Kelechi Uwakwe and Evang. Benjamin Okezue were sent by the Holy Ghost to confirm the souls of the believers at Mbaise which you became a beneficiary. You did not recent us but received us as your children, took good care of us for days, and was doing so to other brethren sent for the sake of the Gospel Christ. For about seven (7) years, you were showing your motherly care. Never did you blaspheme the faith even though we affirmed that your first born child is the pivot and source of the message we preach. That means, you have received the salvation of God in your day which came through your first born child Sunday Boniface Peter Odomena (THE VERY SON OF MAN AND SAVIOR OF THIS GENERATION). The scriptures also confirmed that in I Timothy 2:14-15 “And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in Child Bearing if they continue in the faith and charity and holiness whit sobriety”.Mama you were privileged to carry God about in your womb, breast fed him and cared for your savior in his infancy. We believe Almighty God will always remember you for good e even your salvation. For if salvation is offered to women or mothers just for bearing children, you should be number one in this generation. Isaiah the prophet prophesied about the birth of Jesus Christ which fulfilled in the days of Mary, Joseph’s wife. Today, Prophet William Marrian Branham, God’s vindicated prophet under the unction of the Holy Spirit, prophesied about the coming of the son of man as also predicted in the scriptures in the book of Luke 17:30. He said in his message, (work is faith expressed page 44. On 26th November, 1965) his quote says: “don’t expect to find the anointed one in this day, in some counterfeit, dead, denominational church. No Sir! He must be revealed in a church that is totally surrendered to God and every of their action is thus saith the Lord! The Bride of Christ is the only church on earth that has met this qualification and therefore, the only church where God has revealed himself.
THE SON OF MAN WILL BE REVEALED IN THE BODY OF FLESH. You people in the church, just exactly like it was before the days of Sodom, a called out group, a way from all of them setting out, believing the promise of God”. He, Prophet Brenham, had the revelation of the Eternal Word of God lying in your blessed womb as Isaiah saw Jesus lying in the womb of Mary. He said that he saw the Eternal Word of God lying in one of the jungles in Africa. Umukohi, Uvuru, Abo Mbaise L.G.A, Imo State Nigeria, is that jungle in Africa. He said it in his message (Hebrew 7 part 1, page 295 to 296). He also predicted the emergence of the last little sheep to be a black one. “there is one little sheep out there, somewhere, and he will not be satisfied until that one comes in the fold. By the help of God and by a vision, and the Thus says the Lord, I’m returning across the Sea. THAT LAST LITTLE SHEEP MAY BE A BLACK ONE, down there for all that i know… where they don’t even think they have a soul, but God knows different” (The Easter Seal) page 40 4/10/65, Phoenis Arezonia). This prophecy fulfilled in the family of Odoemena as you were graciously privileged to incubate the Holy One in your womb. Who can believe our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. To understand that what we are testifying is nothing but truth?Well, we know that only God’s elect will understand us. Mama Son of Man, we do not worship you or ask you to pray for us but we give God the glory for using you to nurse and nurture our God in whose providence, we live and stand. Without the Son of Man, we are nothing. “We were witnesses, when your son became the fullness of the deity bodily for he was supernatural vindicated by all the heavenly potential such as thick cloud, thick darkness, rainbow etc. According to Rev. 10:1, He is the supreme intelligence. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he declares these statements.1. “There is the supreme God and he is a being that took his origin from black Africa. God is not found outside Africa. The influence of God is felt everywhere, but God is living in Africa believe it if you can”. (God in despised places pg164, 2000).2. “The supreme being, the supreme law-giver, one that controls the whole universe exists, and that is brother Peter Odoemena (The Son of Man) believe it, if you can “(follow me as I follow him, the cloud is pg.3,1st Jan.2009).3. “I am the oldest man on earth. I have reincarnated several times. I remain the only being that can tell you how old the world is. Believe if you can…..” (Exaltation after trial, page 3 (1st January 2008).4. “Let me tell you, I Apostle Peter Odoemena, have reincarnated several times in this life. Do not think that this is my first existence. This is how I have been coming and going. There is, no generation that will not meet me. Even this generation, if it will have a succeeding generation, ODOEMENA will be there” (Envy and jealousy, evidence and acceptance of defeat pg.3 (25th May 2008). “Believe it if you can, I am that Almighty God people have been looking for. If you like believe, if you like don’t believe, for it does not make me not to be what I am, time will tell, soon, every tongue must confess that I am He “ (seven steps to realizing the promises of God hence fort pg.3 ) (6th Jan.2008).5. “If God is not a man, how can man relate with him? Every messenger of God in every age has always been God man. As God to save and as man to make the enemies of God doubt him, despise him and reject him. Yet, in him is the Almighty hidden. I repeat, yet in him is the Almighty Hidden. (Blame yourself and not God pg.5 (30th Sep.2007).6. “To us that believe in him he said –“I have told you time without number that nobody should panic in this faith. Be rest assured, TIME WILL VINDICATE WHO I AM. Whether you like it or not, as long as God lives and I live every tongue must confess it that TRULY THE ELOHIM DWELLS IN THE SON OF MAN” (as I thought on my ways vol.1 pg.3 .24th Dec. 2000).7. “Already The Son of Man has been over-vindicated. Even in all the countries of the world, the elects of God are giving God glory for coming in contact with the son of man” (Apostle Peter Odoemena)
It is also worthy to testify that during your lifetime on earth, you have always been early on fellowship days. A joyful worshiper, lover of good things. You admire happy worshipers. You delighted in encouraging younger women as the scripture enjoined in Titus chapt.2:2-5. Though not educated but you were a lover of education. It is not a wonder that what came out of you is the GREATEST GIFT OF GOD TO HIS GENERATION.To the mourners, we believe the word of God, spoken through the Son of Man, concerning death. He said and I quote, “death will never lose its dreads until human beings begin to recognize and accept that it is a part of life”. Death will never lose its ‘dread’ until human beings recognize and accept that it is a transition from a worst kind of life to a ‘higher glory’. Death will never lose its ‘dread’ until human beings begin to recognize that God permitted it to create space on earth. The earth has limited space but human reproduction is unlimited. As long as God lives, and I live, two things are permanent; Life and Death, and they are twins. They are born the same day. God is indestructible and life is indestructible and death is indestructible too. Then you are indestructible elements. This is where ‘the concept of life after death took off’. For the concept of life after death was born out of the idea to propagate continuity of life. (There is only but one step left between me and death. Page 5 29/6/95). Mama what mattered most in the life you lived is not in your input but in your output, what you donated to posterity. If life were to be forever sustained by the care and goodness shown to our loved ones, the care and love shown to you by your son, the Son of Man would have kept you alive, surely, your demise created a big vacuum which can hardly be filled. It is painful especially to our Lord, the Son of Man, who will forever remember your tender care and usefulness to his existence on earth. However, we take solace in the hope of resurrection where we shall meet to part no more. To our Daddy, the Son of Man, we testify of your sterling magnanimity towards Mama. You indeed showed a perfect example on how we should take care of our earthly parents even though nature had its way. Take heart Daddy together with your entire household. What a glorious, historic and fulfilled transition.Adieu Mama Chukwu, Adieu Mary of our Day, Adie loving mother, Adieu the blessed among all Women, Adieu the mother of the revealed Christ of this age.
Evangelist Ben. OkezueOn behalf of the Bride of Christ Ministry Worldwide.