"FOR I WOULD NOT, BRETHREN, THAT YOU SHOULD BE IGNORANT..."
FORWARD
Religionists of any era "love the praise of men more than the praise of God". In our Lord's time, it was the chief rulers of the synagogues who believed on Him but refused to confess Him because they didn't want to lose their jobs. It was as simple as that. This is an ongoing problem. The Lord Jesus forcefully dealt with it when He warned His power-struck disciples not to exult over spiritual gifts but, rather, to rejoice that their names were written in heaven. We can never be reminded enough that Jesus told us that some would do mighty works, even cast out demons, in His name. Yet, He would have to say of them: "I never knew you."
In John 7.24 our Lord both warns and commands: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment". Just as it was not enough for the ancient synagogue rulers to believe on Jesus, yet refuse to confess Him; so, it is not enough for modern Christians to receive the Holy Spirit with His spiritual gifts without the determination to continually yield to Him. Seven times the Spirit speaks to the churches in the book of Revelation so that we may understand what the church consists of and is really all about. Seven times in the Epistles the Holy Ghost inspires the writers to expound upon those foundational topics of which we must not be ignorant. As it was prophesied that the Messiah's presence and preaching would dissipate the gloom and bring brightness to a land and people dwelling in darkness and the shadow of death, so it was promised to the Church that vast areas of ignorance and confusion would be enlightened and clarified by the teaching office of the Holy Ghost, the One sent by Jesus and given by the Father to lead us into all truth. Seven is God's number for perfection and completion. In both the Old and New Testaments, God used units of seven to represent perfect or complete service: the seven years that Jacob labored for Rachel and the seven deacons chosen in Acts. Important life-fulfilling or life-threatening events such as years of fruitfulness and famine, degrees or levels of punishment, formulas for obedience, a spirit of perfect prayer, as well as the perfect completion of Messiah's mission are all described in segments of seven. In the Gospels, forgiveness is related to multiples of seven. We mentioned that Seven Churches are addressed in Revelation. It should also be noted that Paul's Epistles are sent to Seven distinct Churches. The consummation of all things, especially the important topic of judgment is connected with the number seven. Hebrews 6.1 gives perfection itself as the seventh item or goal in a series of doctrines the Holy Ghost wants to teach us: repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment.
Most of us feel fairly confident in handling the problems and situations that life throws at us. We rely instinctively upon our innate ability and our past experience. The challenge of "the Seven Pillars of Wisdom" is to set aside these carnal weapons, repent of our spiritual ignorance, listen attentively to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches, and learn from His quickening Word where the battle really is.
Leroy Gardenier
May 1994
Wisdom hath builded Her House
The church has a perfect and everlasting example of wisdom in everything that our Lord Jesus has ever done or said, and will ever do or say. Jesus and wisdom are one and the same. The Scriptures say that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The marvelously rich treasure house of wisdom and knowledge is revealed throughout the Bible. The booklet, The Seven Pillars of Knowledge, expounds on the seven places in the New Testament where God's Word expressly tells the believer "not to be ignorant". These seven plainformedces, which we have dubbed "pillars of knowledge", are by no means the only areas in the Gospel where God would have us to be instructed and . These are, however, fundamental areas of knowledge so basic to our walk with Jesus that God has warned us to be alert and schooled in them so that they are incorporated into our faith. In Proverbs wisdom is personified and it is said that she "hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars." (Prov. 9.1) Those seven pillars are the seven pillars of knowledge revealed in the Epistles of the New Testament.
We, the living stones (through our faith in Christ), are the building. "Ye also as lively stones, are built up to a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ." The pillars of knowledge are the backbone of our spiritual house upon which our faith and understanding of God's will must securely rest. The seven areas are:
1.) The True Nature of Salvation (1 Cor. 10.1)
2.) The Jews: God's chosen people (Rom. 11.25)
3.) Fellowship: The Sharing of Fruit(Rom. 1.13)
4.) Gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12)
5.) Our part of the cross (2 Cor. 1.8)
6.) Judgment (2 Peter 3.8)
7.) The Rapture of the Bride(2 Thes. 4.13)
These seven exhortations are worth our constant review. They are critical to sound doctrine and a clear understanding of God's plan for the house (we, His church) which He has built for His habitation. Truly they are the seven pillars of knowledge for the Church, which wisdom has hewn out and positioned securely in the framework of our spiritual building.
Peter, on the day of Pentecost, declared, "this is that which the prophet Joel prophesied". The Holy Ghost had fallen on the multitudes and they had spoken in other tongues. The old men dreamed dreams, the young men saw visions, and the young women prophesied. But Pentecost was only the start. Joel spoke of the two rainstorms, the former and latter rains and the restoration of all things. The day of Pentecost was the former rain. Today's revival is the latter rain and now the fruits of God's fertile rain are ripening and bursting forth. Wisdom "hath builded her house" and the knowledge of Christ's principle doctrines has restored many things and made the Church strong again. Wisdom "hath hewn out her seven pillars"!
Consider the pillars if you have not already done so. Review them. Believe God's Word about them. Take serious the announcement made by the Spirit in those seven scriptures where He has said, "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning...". God is asking each member of his household - and remember we are the lively stones built up to a spiritual house - to get their pillars firmly fixed and situated in their active faith so they then can move on to higher ground.
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permit." (Hebrews 6.1-3)
As Jesus declared to the religious leaders, "Wisdom is justified of her children.". We are not only wisdom's children if we follow Christ but we are the house which wisdom built. Be wise. Do not be ignorant. Check out these seven pillars so you can go on to perfection!
1
The True Nature
Of Our Salvation
Growing up in the Episcopal Church I was surrounded by regular church goers, sincere in their belief that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. We were all baptized into church membership; we all shared the liturgy; we all fellowshipped together; we all kissed the bishop's ring upon our confirmation, did good works, and worshipped together. But with us, I now know, "God was not well pleased".
Unfortunately, none of us had a clue about real salvation or what it takes to live a life pleasing to God. The result of our ignorance was gross blindness about God's ways and, as a result, we were perpetual sinners. The fruit of our lives, which is the undeniable proof of faith, was not the fruits of the Spirit, as they must be for those who claim to follow Christ, but instead they were the fruits of the flesh, and they were in evident abundance.
Lyings, stealings, backbitings, hatred, and all sorts of lusts of the flesh, such as adultery and greed were common works. Instead of being Christians in word and deed, our faith was dead. We were Christians in word only. As our Lord's brother, James, said in his epistle, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." And brother, me and my fellow worshippers were dead - dead as doornails. The hypocrisy I saw within those beautiful but dead walls of stone drove me to a cynicism about Christ and eventually to a loss of faith in God altogether. But God, in spite of the confusion and darkness of the religion of my youth, brought me to the light and gave me a saving knowledge of His Son, and to God's glory I have been reaping the benefits of salvation ever since.
It did not take long after I was born again to realize that many Christians (truly born-again Christians) are like the Episcopalians of my youth. They say they are Christians, but they live like the Devil. They think that just because they are Christians by some commitment or experience and because they continue to rub elbows with true Christians, they will be saved by their association with the "Church". We born-again Christians should know better, but do we? It is not enough to be a Christian by label or word only. Simply answering an altar call is not the end-all either. We must put away sin in our life and live in obedience.
Paul, speaking to the body of believers at Corinth, a church which allowed sins to intermingle among their fellowship and worship, warns us all in I Cor. 10 saying, "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall". There is no such thing as eternal security. God will never take away our free will. As Peter says in his second epistle to the faithful believers in Christ, we must do the will of God to make our election sure. A man must repent, accept Jesus and be born again, but he must learn obedience and how to walk humbly in the love of God.
One of the seven pillars of knowledge (all seven are antidotes administered by the Holy Ghost to inoculate us against ignorance) is this:
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
"And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
"And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
"But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." (I Cor. 10.1-5)
God is pointing out to His people that it is not enough to be with Christians, to just be around when His Spirit moves or heals, or even to eat and drink of the same spiritual food and drink. Paul openly says that the things which happened to Israel in the wilderness were written as warnings for us. "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." (verse 6)
Warning Not to
Murmur Against God
Righteousness and faith do not rub off on us just because we associate with Christ's people. Let me say it again, righteousness and faith do not rub off on us just because we associate with God's people. This scriptural pillar of church knowledge from I Corinthians continues on by noting that the faithless Israelites had fallen into four sins, all of which are common seductions to those called to a life of faith.
1.) They had committed idolatry.
2.) They had committed fornication.
3.) Some had tempted God.
4.) They had murmured (complained) against Him.
In other words, they had gone a whoring after other Gods, they had fallen into lusts of the flesh, had accused God of evil intentions against them, and had complained that He didn't know how to take care of them properly. All these and more are the sins which easily beset any Christian or member of the Church. Think about it. How often have we heard these sins, seen these sins, even flirted or committed these sins ourselves?
Paul repeats the earlier warning: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor.10.11-12). This passage, this exhortation to knowledge, this plea to "not be ignorant" is not a threat, and Christians should not take it as a threat from God. Those with a dogmatic view of the Scriptures may argue about God's intent here, but Paul states that this passage is simply a word to the wise when, a few verses later in verse 15, he says, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say".
Joshua's Mountain Pass of Choice
As the things in I Corinthians 10 were written for examples to us, so God had Israel act out the simple choice He gives us concerning hearing His voice and obeying it, or opting to do our own thing instead.
Just after entering the promised land, Joshua (who had been instructed by Moses, who had been instructed by God), had all of Israel walk through the small mountain pass between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. As they funnelled down through the narrow way, God told Joshua to take the leaders of the 12 tribes and split them into two halves. The leaders of six tribes were to stand on the slopes of Mt. Ebal and the leaders of the other six tribes took up their places on the side of Mt. Gerizim. As the people of Israel marched through the narrow mountain pass Joshua read all of the laws and statutes that Moses had written down (Deuteronomy) so that everyone could hear them. The leaders on the side of Mt. Gerizim then read a list of blessings which God promised to give Israel if they would be obedient to His voice and follow everything that was commanded of them that day. The leaders on the other side of the narrow strait, on the side of Mt. Ebal, then pronounced the curses that would befall Israel if they were rebellious and refused to listen to God's voice. (Deut. 27)
What a majestic sight! What a wonderful moment it must have been in the history of Israel to be moving into the Promised Land and have the simplicity of Christ laid so perfectly before them. The way before them was straight and narrow, the blessings for obedience to His voice simple and clear. The penalty for ignoring His voice and loving commands made obvious. What electricity must have been in that ravine! What Holy Ghost goose bumps must have come upon all the people. (Joshua 8) Like those who passed between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim we come to Christ and we are called to walk the straight and narrow path. Jesus told this parable about people who hang around and partake of God's things and never really repent of their rebellion or of doing their own thing.
"Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
"When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
"Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
"But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity"
If we do the works of the flesh we are none of His. We should not kid ourselves about that. People do not prove their love for the Lord by words only, they prove it in word and deed. Just because we come to Christ, it is not a given that we will do His will or flee the world and its sin. In another parable Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of the Father which is in heaven." He concludes the parable by telling people that those who hear His sayings are like those who build their house on solid ground and those who hear and ignore are like those who have no foundation for their house and will someday come to ruin with a great crash.
Paul says of himself, what a shame it would be if he brought so many to salvation but he himself became a castaway. Why would he say this unless it were a possibility, no matter how remote? If he, the model in New Testament scripture for us, can say this, then we should also monitor our own hearts as he did his own. The truth of salvation is that those who do the will of the Father are saved and not those who simply say "Lord, Lord".
The apostle John put it this way in his first epistle:
"But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." Brothers and sisters in Christ, all equal before God, let us take heed how we walk and thereby make our election sure.
The Jews:
God's Chosen People
"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
"For this is my covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins.
"As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the election, they are the beloved for the fathers' sakes." (Romans 11.25)
God has clearly warned the Church not to think of herself more than she should, that blindness came to the Jews so there could be a time of salvation for the whole world. This "suspension" of time for the Gentile's sakes has a prescribed end. In due course the Jews will be saved. Yet in its dark ignorance the Church has often forgotten this truth and ignored the promise to the Jews who are the seed of Abraham. Over the last thousand years the Church has belittled, accused, persecuted, and even killed the Jews. Christianity as a whole has condoned their hatred of the Jews by believing that it was the Jews who killed Jesus and that because of that God has cast them adrift forever. The Church has used this rationale to feed its self-righteous attitude and to excuse persecution of the Jews. But no matter how or why this attitude and spirit has prevailed it has been one of deep ignorance and is scripturally wrong.
The Jews were no more responsible for the death of Christ than the Gentile world, and the Gentiles were no less responsible than the Jews. Let this truth be established in your heart and mind, as Jesus said;
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." (John 10.17-18).
Jesus surrendered his life for our (Jew and Gentile) sakes. Those involved in making the trap for Jesus are still guilty, however. Remember, it was not only the Jews (with their trumped up charges) that bear the blame, but ROME (representing us Gentiles) approved the execution and it was the Gentile soldiers who mocked and scourged Jesus, placed the crown of thorns on His head, made Him carry the cross up Golgotha, and pierced Him in His side. Yes, we all bear responsibility for hating and crucifying God. It was a conspiracy of all mankind.
That the Jews shoulder sole responsibility for the death of Jesus is the first great misconception the Church has carried against the nation Israel and it inevitably leads to a very serious mistake. Wherever this ignorance persists it is believed that the Jews have been cast off forever by God. Romans chapter 9, 10 and 11 should be studied carefully by every Christian and taken to heart. It establishes who we are and who the Jews are in the face of God's plan of redemption.
"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
"Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? ...
"For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
"And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
"Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root but the root thee.
"Thou wilt say then, The Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
"Well; because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:
"For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee." (Rom. 11.11-12, 16-21).
As the prophecy says, all Israel shall be saved. The time of the Gentiles shall come to an end just as God has declared. The Church had forgotten these basic promises and God's sure word of prophecy. Becoming wise in her own conceits and puffed up in the spiritual pride of the blessings which God had bestowed upon her she became ignorant and injurious.
But, glory to God, the Holy Ghost has lifted this condition. The knowledge about the nation of Israel and its election has been restored to the Church in our lifetime. In every denomination and group the truth about the chosen nation has come to light. The establishment of a Jewish state in Israel in 1948 and the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the denominations during the sixties and seventies has forced the Christian believer to look at the Jews with greater compassion. Churches everywhere have decided to support the Jewish cause and to sing the praises of God's chosen nation. The Holy Ghost has confronted us with this marvelous truth and it is up to each individual believer to receive it in his or her heart.
Yet, to indiscriminately support the Jews in everything they do may have peculiar dangers lurking within it, too. We must use keen discernment. The day is shortly coming when the Jews and lukewarm Christians will again be in league against God. The two will conspire with the antichrist to set him up in the temple in Jerusalem as God Himself. To the Jews and Christians involved in that work we owe no loyalty. God will not require that His people support apostate Jews working for humanism even if they are of the chosen nation. We cannot give all Jewish causes and action carte blanche support.
"(God) will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.
"But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile:
"But glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
"For there is no respect of persons with God." (Rom. 2.8-11).
How then should we support the Jews?
What then should we do? God wants us to acknowledge and help Israel doesn't he? Yes, we should defend the Jews and respect the fact that they are heirs to the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We should rejoice in the fulfilling of prophecy and aid them in their spiritual fight against the antichrist spirit of the world; and we should promote the re-establishment of Israel in today's world because it is God's plan being manifested. We should be careful not to be influenced by the humanistic arguments that ever rage against the Jews in today's atmosphere of international power politics regardless of how logical or compelling they seem. Yet, in another sense, all that is happening in Israel is none of the Church's business. If we are not to be deceived by events shortly to come to pass we must be wise as serpents but gentle as doves. Much of what we are witnessing in Israel today is a sort of family squabble. What is happening in the Middle East, with the violence, intrigue and jockeying for peace, is the fulfillment of end-time prophecy.
God's workings with the Jews, even to the Church, remains a mystery and a paradox: like a father chastising his son. Through the prophet, Micah, God announced that He has a controversy with his child.
"Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel." (Mic. 6.2)
But through his prophet, Zechariah, God has also established Israel as his dear child, saying,
"Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you; for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye." (Zech. 2.7-8)
He loves the child but there is a breech between them, one that only the parties involved can resolve. The Church has as much insight into this controversy as a stranger, who passing by, sees a father chastening his child and has no perfect understanding what is really happening. I look forward with great anticipation to the day when the controversy that God has with the "apple of his eye" comes to its saving conclusion. What a day that will be, I am sure. As the scripture says,
"For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" (Rom. 11).
We can only now guess at the full meaning of this scripture. Until then we ought to have compassion on Israel and aid them in their battle against the antichrist spirit and the spirit of a world always ready to persecute them. I believe time will reveal that the born-again, Spirit-filled Christian walks a tight-rope of faith concerning the Jews and how to react to their plight. Therefore, I will not support those Jews who betray the calling of the nation Israel by compromising with the spirits of the antichrist and humanism. For the day is fast approaching, and has even started, when Jews in power will support and uphold the Antichrist in return for peace with the nations of the Gentiles. Just as this is now happening we can be sure that the days are rapidly approaching when the Jews and the Gentiles will conspire together, just as in the days of Christ's first coming, against the plan of God. This time, instead of trying to kill God, the conspirators will attempt to depose God and usurp His Lordship by worshipping the antichrist as he sits on the throne of God, in God's temple, in God's city. We can be certain this conspiracy will take place because it is written in the books of the prophets, in Daniel, and in Revelation. It will be a time of great evil and holocaust for the Jewish people and for all those who hold fast the testimony of Jesus.
The leaders who guide the world into the conspiracy of the antichrist, I will not follow, we should not follow, nor am I required to follow. Isaiah heard and recorded these words over 2500 years ago but the Spirit now speaks them to the Church today:
"For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
"Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom, this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
"Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
"And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
"And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken". (Isaiah 8.11-15)
When we start to understand the nature of end-time prophecy it becomes apparent that the Christian must stand by and, in many ways, be content to watch the drama unfold, to watch the conspirators swarm together. But we must also be ready to help the afflicted Jews who refuse to be part of the "confederacy" that was prophesied so long ago. In the meantime we should not look down on the Jews or be prejudiced against them, or proclaim the Gentile world as the chosen peoples of God. Instead, I will look for the fulfillment of prophecy, which includes the salvation of Israel, the judgment of the world, the redemption of the Church and, of course, the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds.
Fellowship: The
Sharing Of Fruit
For many people, fellowship means going to church and listening to a sermon. To others it means gathering together around a table, sharing a meal, remembering good times, and looking toward the future with a mix of desperation and hope. To Christians, fellowship ought to be something deeper, however, something more purposeful and fulfilling, a sharing of mutual benefit which will provide nourishment for the soul. The apostle Paul wrote the Romans exhorting them not to be ignorant about fellowship and told them of the great desire he had to exchange spiritual fruit with them.
"For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established;
"That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
"Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that often times I purposed to come to you, (but was let hitherto) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles." (Romans 1.13)
For centuries Christians more often than not came together ignorant of true fellowship and its spiritual purpose. They came together for every reason but to sharpen their personal relationship with Jesus and share the good fruit of God. Many church-goers still believe that any gathering under the Christian banner, for whatever purpose, is fellowship. They believe singing hymns, or receiving communion, or talking over coffee and donuts is fellowship; and in worldly terms that is the sum total of most fellowship.
The common dictionary defines fellowship as camaraderie, but in God's world that definition is far too shallow. A deeper look into the root of the Hebrew word reveals that sharing is synonymous with fellowship. Among the called out ones (the Church), fellowship means sharing the fruits of God. The exchange of the fruits of the Spirit (or fruits of righteousness as it is called in many places in the epistles) encourages us in God's Word and helps to make it a reality in our daily lives.
Sharing and Washing
Are at The Heart Of Fellowship
Any group or place that claims to provide fellowship will make it possible for the individual believer to share the fruits which God has grown in them. Saints will not be required to sit silently like wooden people in a row watching the back of one another's heads while one or two people do all the ministering and sharing.
Further, any true fellowship will make it possible to test the fruits. Believers will be able to have the dust of the world washed from them by the comfort, encouragement and gentle admonitions of fellow saints. True fellowship will allow a saint to grow according to God's time-table. The fruits of patience and longsuffering will be in evidence so new, or less mature, believers can "catch up" with the older, wiser brethren. Immature brethren seeking deliverance and freedom will be allowed to confess their sins and faults openly in an atmosphere of love, thereby having their "feet washed" from the dirt that clings to them through unavoidable contact with the world. In Christ's name sin will be forgiven. In love and faith, unruly and unlearned believers will be taught, and even rebuked when necessary, to the end that they are delivered from their sins. Body ministry, the type spoken of in I Corinthians 12, will be employed and practiced in the spirit.
Paul longed to have fellowship with the Romans. To Paul that meant imparting spiritual gifts to them, encouraging their faith and sharing spiritual fruit with them. Paul, being wise in the Lord, knew that all of his knowledge, all of his freedom and all of the gifts of the Spirit were useless unless they produced fruits for God's use. He also knew full well that where there is no sign of fruit then all of the fellowship, or rather presumed fellowship, in the Church is in vain. If no good fruit is growing in our personal lives we have nothing to share of any value when we come together as believers. Our fellowshipping, no matter how impressive the music and the worship, is, in a manner of speaking, fruitless.
Jesus taught His disciples to beware fancy talk and hypocrisy. He warned them about watching for fruits. He said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. "Ye shall know them by their fruits." Paul gave the Church at Galatia an outline of what God says are good fruits and what are bad fruits.
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which sow such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit let us walk in the Spirit." (Gal.5.19-25)
Everyone who is honest must admit that at some point during their life he or she has been well acquainted with the works of the flesh. The nature of the fruits of the Spirit, on the other hand, is a mystery to the unconverted heart. It is the personal ministry of the Holy Spirit that reveals them to us after we are born again. The list in Galatians is a summary of the fruits, but only a summary. To that list we might add things like honesty, patience, humility, and kindness also.
We must learn what the fruits are
Before we can detect them
Learning and detecting the fruits is not something we can treat like Psychology 101. They are much more than a list just to be memorized. Knowing what the fruits are is one thing; knowing what they really mean and how they affect our lives is another. Worldly ideas about such things as love, joy, peace, etc., are quite different from God's truth about them. We may be very happy that we made a dishonest buck, but is that the joy of the Lord? We might find peace by compromising the truth or someone else's interest, but is that spiritual peace? The greatest example is in the greatest fruit of all, love. It has been said, love is never having to say you're sorry. That's garbage. It is not love to allow people to have their own way regardless of their treatment of others, or to simply give them anything they want. That's deadly. Nor is love indiscriminate unity, as ecumenism teaches; look what a unified Germany did in World War II. Nor is love to be confused with reconciling sin to Christ; Christ came to destroy sin. God and sin will never be brought together, never be reconciled. Instead, love is a mixture of truth and mercy, as the pair so often appears side by side in Psalms. God's love never ignores the truth, but rejoices in it, and yet it mixes compassion with truth in a way that works salvation and righteous judgment at the same time. God's love is a miracle; it is beyond our highest thoughts. It is Jesus hanging on the cross, the truth about our condition, and God's wonderful mercy compressed into one enormous act of love. Love is embodied in a person. Love is Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, it is not enough to know the words or throw around Christian platitudes concerning fruit. The Church must know how to detect them if they are to benefit by the sharing of them. We must not settle for a basket of pretty looking plastic fruit. Do not settle for anything but the real thing. If we are to be nourished by the fruits then we must detect the real thing first in our own lives and spirit, and then look for them in those around us. We must not be ignorant about the fruits and that true fellowship is about the sharing of those fruits so everyone can be mutually nourished.
Paul wrote to his friend and fellow soldier in Christ, Timothy, about the realities of fellowship.
"And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (II Timothy 2.19-22).
Fellowshipping among the saints, partaking of the good fruit of God, one with another, is one of the greatest joys of the Church. The God-given purpose for the gifts of the Spirit is to produce fruit for God's use. As the parable of the sower of the seeds shows: some hear God and immediately forget about it; some do God's bidding for a short while but persecution scares them off, some grow but get choked by the cares of the world and never bring fruit to perfection; and some, with patience, slowly, just the same as the fruits of nature grow, bring forth spiritual fruit for other saints to be nourished by and comforted. If we have love (and the other fruits) then we will have something to share when we come together with other saints.
The Gifts:
Given by the Spirit
Few things, during the revival of our times, has stirred more controversy than the rekindling of the spiritual gifts. Citing both real and imagined abuses, some have preached against the gifts of the Spirit; others have dismissed them as emotional superstition; and still others have gone so far as to say they are out and out Satanic. No matter the objections, God desires to give us gifts. First and foremost, will always be the gift of His Son and the work Jesus did on Calvary. But close behind the gift of the ‘cross’ are the gift of the active presence of the Holy Ghost within us and His spiritual gifts given in order to help and mature the body of Christ. Whatever the abuses (and there have been abuses), or whatever the fine religious arguments fashioned to oppose the free-flow of the gifts in the Church, one thing remains sure in God's Word: We are told not to be ignorant of the gifts. The twelfth chapter of I Corinthians is explicit:
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant... Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit.
"And there are differences of the administrations, but the same Lord.
"And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall.
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
"To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
"To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues;
"But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
If we refuse the gifts of the Holy Ghost we will remain ignorant, not only in this crucial area, which is meant to help in our walk, but in other areas of our Christian life as well. Throughout the Age of the Church the Christian world has maligned the Jews for rejecting Christ, the one whom God had sent; and at the same time we have been horribly guilty of rejecting the Holy Spirit, the one whom Jesus sent. What sort of hypocrisy do we engage in when we judge the Jews for rejecting Christ and turn around and reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Ghost is the Comforter, the Teacher, the Judge; He is the one sent of Jesus to lead the Church into all truth. Yet we have preferred to lead ourselves. Regardless, Christ's words are no less true today than they were the moment He first spoke them to his disciples at the Last Supper.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he hears, that shall he speak and he will show you things to come.
"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." (John 16.12-14)
There can be no question: the single greatest factor in the lifting of the apostasy of the Church has been the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on our generation. The gifts are given to help believers enter into the resurrected life. The gift of wisdom is given to the Church to help her in situations that are impossible to cope with by human means. The gift of knowledge is given to enlighten the Church in time of special need; supernatural faith is given to accomplish the impossible; healings are brought forth to aid salvation's work; miracles are performed to witness to the Gospel; discerning of spirits is given to protect and deliver the Church; and prophecies come forth to edify the believer and give praise to the Lord Jesus. These and other gifts are bestowed on the Church as the Spirit wills, in the manner the Spirit wills.
Do Not Let Abuses Stop You
From Receiving Gifts
Some churches have fallen into the mistake of thinking there is a set pattern which the Holy Ghost uses in bringing forth the gifts. There is, however, neither a pattern nor a single way in which the gifts are administered. As the Scriptures plainly say there are differences in the way gifts are administered and a diversity of ways in which they operate (I Cor. 12). But they are not for entertainment either. In some places the gifts have been exploited as entertainment, P.T. Barnum style. Some charismatic groups have wrongly invited people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit never considering whether the person has even been born again. Others, preferring power, have forgotten their first love - Jesus, and sought the gifts above hearing the voice of God and being obedient to it. Do not, dear brethren, let these abuses deter you from receiving the blessings that the gifts of the Holy Ghost provide. If abuses were an excuse for discarding the truth then the whole world would only need to cite the abuses perpetrated by "Christianity" in the name of Christ as an excuse for rejecting Jesus. There are no excuses for rejecting God's gifts and if we do we will remain ignorant.
In preaching to the Corinthian church, a church that had been abusing the gifts, Paul first warned them to do things in order, but still used words like "desire" and "earnestly covet" to teach them to want the gifts. A word to the wise. Often, if not always, the controversy over the gifts settles on the gift of tongues. Relying on their intellect, Christians become embarrassed by the gift of tongues; to them the gift of tongues is absurd, or foolish, or even demonic. Ignorant men say that God gave it to the Church, but doesn't any more, and now only Satan has it and uses it to mock God. If what they say is true then God gave a gift to his Church, took it away, let Satan have control of it, and now allows His Church to be tossed round and round in total confusion. It is clear from the full context of I Corinthians (especially chapters 12 & 14) that Paul and the Holy Ghost agree: tongues is a purposeful and valid gift of the Spirit. Any honest searcher of the Scriptures will come to know that tongues are very closely associated with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is, in its prayer form and not its prophetic form, the confirmation to the believer that he is immersed in the Holy Ghost by faith. Paul ended his teaching on the gifts and speaking in tongues to the Corinthians with this: "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophecy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order." (I Cor. 14)
How Do the Gifts Come Forth?
The gifts will be given to us and administered to us by dream, or vision, or a still small voice, but when and how the gifts come forth is often up to the discretion of the vessel receiving them. "The spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets." (I Cor. 14) This means that the recipient of a gift will have to initiate the operation of the gift. The feeling to bring forth the gift may be so intense that the person feels like they will explode if they do not get it out. Or, it may be just a gentle prodding of the Spirit. People often think they have to be put into some kind of spiritual trance before they can bring forth a gift of the Spirit. Not true. Not all times are proper, but when the time is right I have to act by faith and let the gift flow. "Let all things be done decently and in order."
What then do the various gifts of the Spirit have in common? If it is not the way they are administered, or how they are given, or in their operation, what, then, makes the gifts true gifts from God? The test of the gifts is not in their glamour or even in their miraculous nature. Satan can, and will, perform miracles of his own. The proof of the gifts lies in to whom and to what they testify. The single common thread running through all the gifts of the Spirit is that they edify the Church while they sing the praises of Jesus Christ. If the gifts are not to be abused, then the recipients and the beneficiaries must test them with all diligence. Dreams, visions, prophecies, and all profound words, must be tested. They must conform to the Good News. The operation and administration of the gifts may vary, but the one thing which will never vary is their Gospel truth. The Holy Spirit praises Christ and never lies or blasphemes about God in any way.
To have gifts flowing in our church increases our responsibility as believers, for it means added responsibility in testing their truth, and that means we must be knowledgeable in all areas of the Gospel, especially where the Holy Spirit has told us to beware and to "not be ignorant". We must know God's Word in order to hold the gifts up to the proper scrutiny. We cannot rely on a pastor or leader to know God's Word for us. The gifts mean added responsibility. We must be able to detect which spirit is speaking, whether it is the good Spirit of God or the wandering, fallen spirits of Satan. And for that we need to be of good understanding. We must not be ignorant, brethren.
Taking Up
Our Cross
"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
"But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:"
(2 Corinthians 1.8-9)
Many churches and preachers preach the message of the cross. They preach that Christ left His glory in heaven, shed His blood for us, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again to sit at the Father's right hand, so we, sinful mankind, could be saved. And we, as Paul did, praise God for anyone and everyone who preaches the Good News. But that is only the beginning of the truth about death and life, only the first half of the message of the cross.
Oh! Don't get the wrong impression! Christ did it all on Calvary. There are no other and will be no other sacrifices needed to redeem man out of the deadly grip of sin. Jesus is the once and for all Lamb of God. He is the beginning and the end; the Alpha and Omega; our father, brother, sister, mother. We must pick up our own cross and follow after Him.
Like Paul, we must succumb to the Spirit. We must live in the Spirit and "kill" our flesh. That mystical, but very real, "sentence of death" should be active and working in the life of any true disciple of Christ. Desires and ambitions anchored in this present world should give way to hope in the Gospel and the life that is to come. Hope for a continuing better world built on the sandy delusions of humanism should be shattered to pieces by faith in God's prophetic word. Disciples who are buried with Christ will also be resurrected into new life, a life of love and power that the world cannot know.
The Bible frankly advises the Church "to not be ignorant" concerning the wonderful power of the resurrected life. By dying to self Paul could honestly say, "For when I am weak then am I strong.", and also, "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." The way to this kind of supernatural strength, unknown entirely to the ways of man, is to pick up our own cross and follow Jesus to our very own, personal death.
Everybody wants to go
To Heaven but nobody wants to die
This, however, is not a popular stand to take. Getting people excited about healing and miracles is much easier and more acceptable by far. Insisting on spiritual death is a hard thing, as a gospel song says, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die." Everybody wants the power of Jesus Christ to be active in their life, but very few are willing to give up everything in order to have it be a reality and the prominent force during their entire day. Christians often prefer to wallow in their own excuses for sin while searching for some hidden door that will lead them on some easy, self-gratifying way to spiritual perfection. The fulfilling of sacraments, giving of tithes, going to church, making confession, doing penance, good works, memorization of Scripture, and witnessing can all be neat little ways to think we are appeasing God's will; when in reality we are avoiding the nitty-gritty of the cross.
The flesh cannot obtain to the power of Jesus Christ. Paul told the Galatians (a church fallen into the snare of thinking they could live righteous lives by following rules and laws), "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Paul had crucified his flesh so that the righteous one, Jesus Christ, could live through him.
But what does it mean? How does one die to self? How is one crucified?
It is done through prayer and belief. Dying to self means yielding to the Holy Spirit. It means being obedient not just in word but in action. It means seeking the truth rather than our own selves, even to our own hurt. The prophet Micah asked this question over two millennia ago, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
And God gives Micah the answer...
"He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
If that were the case under the law, how much more does it apply under grace? Infinitely more! But the believer cannot hope to have the fruits of love and justice brought about through a humble walk unless he has died in the spirit. Why else would Jesus have taught things like:
"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."...
And this parable:
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."
Jesus taught about our part of the cross because it is a spiritual necessity for the Christian walk and to ignore it is to walk a fruitless walk. We are told fruitless branches are thrown on the fire because they have no other use. What seems to be a mysterious and frightening path - because no one wants to die - is actually the true garden path. If we believe by faith that the power of the Holy Spirit can bring about our spiritual death whereby the deeds of the flesh can be mortified and we can be resurrected into a life of victory; then it will happen for us.
Many Christians through this Age of Grace have lived the following scripture in such a way that they could testify in truth to its reality. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Only by believing in the power of dying to self does this great passage of the Bible have any substantive meaning:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8.1-14)
There is no other way to attain the righteousness of God than through the crucifixion of our own flesh by the spirit. There is no short cut. If you can hear this message, then by faith pray to God that He gives you the grace to die to your plans and your will, so you can live to His. I assure you God will smile on your prayer and will begin engineering your glorious demise in His own time, in His own merciful and compassionate way.
Fast Approaching:
Judgment Day
The Day of Judgment is coming. Let the mocking movie, the scoffing co-worker, the doubtful religious man, and the ambitious political leader continue to walk in darkness; the day of coming judgment is drawing nearer as we draw each breath. God has promised that His only Son will return with armies of saints from heaven to purge the earth of corruption, injustice, and sin.
We who know and believe the words of the Bible take to heart this passage which Peter wrote telling fellow Christians not to be ignorant.
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us‑ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3.7-10)
The Holy Ghost has taught The Church in these past 40 years and continues to bear witness in our hearts that the judgment of the world is necessary if God's promise of a righteous rule of Christ on earth is to be fulfilled. If heaven and earth are not purged then the new heaven and new earth promised in the last two chapters of the Bible would have no chance to exist. The Scriptures are explicit, the world is going to be burned up in fiery judgment. Revelation tells the story. Peter prophesied in His second epistle:
"... that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
"And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
"Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3.3-7)
The world and its faithful followers believe that their governments, institutions and glorious ideas will all last forever. And though there is no reconciling the Spirit of God with the spirit of the world, many Christians have figured that God wants to save the "world". But James declares: "... know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4.4)
And John exhorted the Church in this fashion.
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (1 John 2.15-17)
We can be sure that if the world is going to pass away then they who love the things of the world will also pass away.
A fiery judgment
Is coming on the Earth
Christ first came in meekness, lowly, riding a colt, not a warhorse, and gave Himself into the hands of the world so that some would receive salvation, but that will not be His mission at His second coming. He will return with fire in His eyes and a sword of judgment in His mouth. An unusual way to express His appearance if it were not so spiritually perfect. Christ will burn everything that cannot stand up to the gaze of God and will cut to ribbons anything that does not measure up to His word. The world will melt and tremble at His presence. According to the prophecies written in Revelation, Christ and His saints (all true and faithful believers) will begin a thousand year reign, ruling with a rod of iron.
As the day of God’s terrible judgment draws closer and closer; God's warnings echo louder and louder. Crime, corruption, sexual perversion, hypocrisy in government and religion, and lusts of all sort are rampant, false prophets are seducing the Church., lying spirits are working every kind of deceit inside and outside the confines of believers. Not even judgment like AIDS, war, or financial ruin can convince people to do the right thing. The cup of iniquity is filling and the signs of the time are shining brighter and brighter in every newspaper headline and on every 7 o'clock news broadcast. As prophesied in I & II Timothy, seducing spirits are selling the doctrines of devils. Sin is said to be good; doing your own thing is righteous - indeed we live in the perilous times of the last days. Everything points to the soon return of Jesus.
Two thousand years, or just two days on the Lord's heavenly calendar, have passed since Jesus departed to be with the Father and it is very, very likely that Jesus will reappear on the dawn of the "third day", just as he reappeared on the dawn of the third day after His crucifixion. To escape the judgment that is coming upon all the earth, members of the Body of Christ must be willing and ready to receive judgment now, in their personal lives and in their hearts, as well.
There is no escape from God's judgment, neither should there be. Sacraments, tithing, good works; none of these can deliver us from our ultimate destiny. We must all face our maker. Either we can submit to His merciful and delivering judgment and let it produce love and freedom in us, or we can stubbornly hold out and fall victim to His terrible judgment. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.", as it says in Hebrews. Instead we are taught by the Bible that, "if we judge ourselves we shall not be judged, but when we are chastened we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be judged with the world." (I Cor. 11.31,32)
Many aspects of our walk involve a process of being delivered from evil into goodness, of being brought from darkness into light; departing and fleeing and being changed into His likeness. If those things are to happen to us we must invite the judgment of the Holy Ghost. His judgment must win out over ours. Without accepting God's judgment in our walk we will remain in the world no matter how godly or pious we appear to be.
"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
"Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." (2 Peter 3.11-14)
This is the only way to be spared the fiery judgment coming on the earth. If we live spotless and blameless lives for Christ, a spiritual perfection before Christ, then we can look forward to the judgment of the world and the second coming. We can hope in the rapture, which will likely come before the great tribulation that is to come on all the world according to Revelation. (Rev. 3.10) To use the words of Peter, we can make our calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1.10) This perfection spoken of is not a carnal or intellectual perfection. It does not mean we will never make a wrong judgment or a mistake. It is a perfection achieved by obedience of faith. It can be detected by the faithful eyes of other disciples of Christ because the fruit of our actions is the evidence of our obedience. Our perfection hinges entirely on hearing the Word of God and doing it. It is important here to realize, however, that God does not want us to fear His judgment; in fact He wants us to invite it. Beautifully, this passage of Peter's which exhorts us to not be ignorant, this pillar of knowledge in the Church, is the only one of the seven pillars which is addressed to the "beloved" instead of simply, the "brethren". Being addressed to the beloved reassures the faithful that God's love is with them always - even in judgment. For it is for our sakes that the world will be judged.
The Rapture
The Bride Waits:
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
"Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
"Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thess. 4.13-18)
Comfort one another with these words. How often are we comforted with the words of the rapture in our fellowship? The resurrection, whether of the dead or living, is the hope of the Church. It is the reward of our labor of faith and without a living faith for the rapture, without the constant nourishment it provides for our souls, we will suffer from spiritual malnutrition. The resurrection is the glorious moment in the battle of our salvation. If the goal - if the end of our discipline and trials - becomes vague and obscure, then our whole walk can become muddled.
Ignorance in these last hours of the Church Age can and will make us a lazy, sleeping, carnal body of misdirected believers. Historically, the Church has been so busy building a kingdom here on earth, or meddling in the politics of the nations that it has had little interest in the "vague and distant fables" about the rapture. But a new day has dawned in the Church. The Holy Ghost has renewed a spirit of faith about the resurrection of the living and given her faith for God's promise that He will lift all faithful believers out of impending world tribulation. The Church has been informed by the Spirit that the time for the rapture looms closer and closer with each tick of the clock.
The revival of the '60's and 70's opened every denomination's eyes to the signs of the time. Now, one fulfilled prophecy is following fast on the heals of another. Prophetic scholars all agree; the signs of the end-time are appearing and flashing like huge neon signs on the horizon of time, changing color and graphics as each prophecy is newly fulfilled.
Signs of Christ’s Return
Jesus told His disciples to behold the fig tree, and all the trees, that when they begin to bud it would be time to look up, for our redemption would be drawing near. The fig tree represents Israel, the other trees represent the nations of the world. It is not a coincidence that just after Israel, once again, budded into a nation in 1948 after more than 2,000 years of lying dormant, that many of the ancient biblical powers also returned as forces on the world scene. Egypt, Iraq (Babylon), Iran (Persia), Syria, Libya and Ethiopia have all, for various reasons, reclaimed important positions in the affairs of the nations of the world, and all within the last two decades. These countries which were all but laughed at in elementary geography books a generation ago, are now forces to be reckoned with, and it is a miracle.
Another beacon blinking on and off almost every day is the warning given by Jesus on the Mount of Olives. Jesus promised that the end would be preceded by wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes in diverse places. Hardly a news day goes by when one of those things cannot be reported. On the day of this writing war was being rumored in Bosnia, and two violent earthquakes, killing hundreds of people, hit along the Pacific rim. Post-colonial Africa has been the scene of millions of murders and deaths with constant tumults and unceasing commotions, rebellions, coupes and genocides.
Along with these signs shine the brilliantly bright prophecies of Daniel serving as a tremendous warning of the nearness of the rapture. Daniel was told that the meaning of his prophecies would be hidden away until the time of the end when travel and knowledge would be vastly increased. Today we can understand Daniel's prophecies in the light of history and current events. Our understanding of Daniel is partly due to the fact that we live in a world that has increased its knowledge a million-fold in this century alone. We live in a "global village" shrunken to miniature size by TV, computers, jets, satellites and automobiles. The Book of Daniel is, in and of itself, a sign of the end-times and the impending rapture. Every Christian who reads and understands the book of Daniel will be blessed by having their faith for Christ's return bolstered.
The New Testament's forewarning of the believer about the spiritual condition of people in the last days is yet another sign. Ask yourself if the following passage of Scripture does not describe an all too familiar world.
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Tim. 3.1-5)
A good and accurate description of the workplace and society in general, don't you think? Other signs of the end include the formation of the European Community (which is headed toward a powerful and unified Europe), the rise of ecumenism in religion, the taking of Jerusalem by the Jews in 1967, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the prophecy of Joel concerning the former and latter day rain.
Exact Hour of Rapture not known
It is clear; Christ is getting ready to receive his bride. The exact hour of the rapture is a secret known only to the Father Himself, but the words of Jesus tell us that we can know the general time and season by discerning the signs of the day. He gave us signs to look for and warned us to be ready and watching, lest that day come on us like a thief.
Ask yourself this. If we could not know the time why else would Christ have scolded the religious leaders of Israel for knowing how to read the signs in the skies so they could determine the coming weather while they ignored the spiritual signs of their day that foretold of Jesus' first coming?
He said, "When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
"And in the morning, It will be foul weather today the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
"A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed."(Matt. 16.2-4)
The sign of Jonah referred to is, of course, the sign of the resurrection. As Jonas had been in the belly of the whale for three days, so Jesus was in the belly of Hell three days before he rose again. The sign of the second coming will also be the resurrection, this time it will be the first-fruits rapture of the Church, those who are dead in Christ and those who remain alive (and have been faithfully watching for and listening for Christ's calling) will be taken out of the "belly" of a coming "Hell". Jesus refused to put on a supernatural circus for the faithless leaders of that day and our day will be no different. Jesus will not send lights flashing in the skies, or comets racing through space spelling out his name to herald the coming of the rapture. The signs of the rapture will be, and have been, prophecy being fulfilled. The sign of His second coming with ten thousands of His saints will be the rapture. The warning is already given. The rapture (itself a sign of the end) will come in a twinkling of an eye and it will proclaim the soon return of Jesus to earth with his faithful saints.
Christ's beloved bride will be faithful while she awaits His call. She will be a spiritual virgin keeping herself clean from idolatry and fornication while making herself pure with the hope of His calling. She is striving for what the apostle Paul called "the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"; a calling so great he counted everything else as dung.
Get ready then, and as Jesus advised, pray that you be accounted worthy that you escape all the evils that are coming on the world so you can be found standing before the Son of Man in glory.