Lord, Lord!

 

Preface

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 

Understanding this statement is what motivated the study I engaged in. The study was to try to understand the “will of the Father”. The importance of knowing the will of the Father is vital since the context in which it is mentioned here also contains a warning. Certain people who practiced religion in the name of Jesus, prophesied, cast out demons, and did many miracles in his name, were rejected by him. “I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” 

I do not think it right to simply to suggest that the motivation of those rejected was wrong. Maybe it was, Jesus would be able to determine that, whereas we are not able to. We don’t know if the rejected were deluded, or hypocritical; the frightening thought is that some at least may have believed they were do the right things. The question we must ask ourselves is, “is it possible to be religious, a Church goer, a Christian, and at the end be rejected?” 

In this study I portray institutional religion as an impediment. I believe strongly that one’s relationship with God is personal and individual. I am a child of God. I relate to him as to my heavenly Father. There is only one mediator, and that is Jesus. I believe that the New testament writings were for those living in the last days of physical Israel. The sixty-six books making up the Bible are a library, not a single volume. The “principles” found in scripture from Genesis to Revelation apply to every age, whereas the edicts and specific commands apply to the period specified. 

For clarity I have included a timeline on page 47, followed by a short study on choosing tradition or God’s plan. 

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'[1] 

This short segment is found in the concluding remarks of the “Sermon on the Mount”. The “sermon” which runs from Matt 5:3 to Matt 7:27, is a synopsis of Jesus teaching. It also outlines the pattern of life for people in the kingdom of God. Jesus’ teaching on this occasion is not a list of individual snippets strung loosely together, nor platitudes to be recited as mantra. The sermon is one uniform lesson containing thirty or so individual points. The quotation, and focus of this study, is one part of three final admonitions; recognition of false prophets, the importance of the will of the Father, and acting on Jesus’ word. (Matt 7:15-27). What is meant by – “doing the will of the Father”? This study is a search for what Jesus meant by, “…the will of my Father.” Jesus spent his life doing the will of his Father, and, his teaching focused on his Father’s will. What does the statement mean for us? 

On the mountain as Jesus sat to teach his disciples, his first statement clarified the crux of man’s relationship with God. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[2] This statement is the foundation, the primary principle required for citizenship in the kingdom of God. The word “poor” in the Greek carries the meaning: “the state of being a beggar.” This principle emphasizes that humans have nothing to contribute to a relationship with God. Our approach to God must not be like the rich young ruler, who when Jesus told him to keep the commandments, said he had already done all that. But when told to get rid of his wealth, went away despondent. Jesus called for him to empty himself, to become poor in spirit, to move his focus and security away from riches to become a beggar dependent on God’s grace.  Jesus said to his disciples; a master does not thank his slave for doing the things he was commanded to do, “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done that which we ought to have done.'”[3] Becoming poor in spirit is the beginning. We must empty ourselves to approach God. Paul admonished the Philippians to do as Jesus did when coming to earth, he “emptied Himself”[4], and became a slave. Jesus gave up his heavenly position to take on the form of a man. 

The teaching of Jesus amplified the differences between the earthly Kingdom of Israel and the spiritual Kingdom of God. Jeremiah foretold that under the new covenant, the governing laws would not be engraved on stone, but written on our hearts. Jesus reinforced that concept when he said:

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.[5]

These verses are used today in a general way; however, they are connected to the prayer of thanks Jesus offered to God “…you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants.” Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders were shackled by tradition. Of the scribes and Pharisees Jesus said; “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.”[6] Jesus revealed the new way of the spirit. Paul on that subject wrote:

Now if the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses' face because of the glory of his face, a glory now set aside,  how much more will the ministry of the Spirit come in glory?[7] 

The new covenant prophesied by Jeremiah, and bought into effect by Jesus, was spiritual. The ritual and legal requirements of the law, were superseded by the covenant of grace. “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”[8]  

When teaching his disciples Jesus said them, “You have heard that it was said…, but I say… The law focused on wrongful deeds; Jesus focused on attitudes of the heart. Jeremiah prophesied that; the new covenant would be written on the heart. In response to the criticism of the Pharisees, Jesus addressed what was important, saying:

Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?  But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.  For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.  These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.[9] 

 

The battleground, between the earthly way and the spiritual way, is the heart. The conflict Pharisees had with Jesus delineated the line between ritualistic religion, and, “the will of the Father.” Prophesy, casting out demons, and doing powerful deeds, all in the name of Jesus, seems to me to be remarkably religious. That’s why it appears Jesus’ statement about the “many” he didn’t know appears harsh. It was a statement only he could make, as the Son of God. It is wrong for anyone to assume the role of a judge. None of us should dare to judge another’s motives -that is God’s prerogative. Our responsibility is to reflect on our own situation. We need to make sure that our relationship with God is sound. I am required to look at my own activities; are they ritual based, or heart motivated. I must decide if the religious acts I do, are done to make me feel good, or because they are the will of God. A question we must ask ourselves is, “do the practices that qualify us as religious, meet the standard of, ‘doing the Father’s will?’” I want to be sure that my religious activities are not in the same category as those who were rejected by Jesus. I must ask myself if what I do as religious work, has become more important than, or a substitute for “doing the will of the Father”. 

The day following Jesus’ feeding the five thousand, he admonished the crowd:

‘Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life’ …. Therefore they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’^[10] 

The work of God is to believe in Jesus. The will of the Father comes from the heart –it is to believe in Jesus. James Russell Lowell captured the essence of true service, as a nobleman shares a crust with a beggar who then appears as Jesus:

His words were shed softer than leaves from the pine,

And they fell on Sir Launfal as snows on the brine,

That mingle their softness and quiet in one

With the shaggy unrest they float down upon;

And the voice that was softer than silence said: —

Lo, it is I, be not afraid!

In many climes, without avail,

Thou hast spent thy life for the Holy Grail:

Behold, it is here—this cup which thou

Didst fill at the streamlet for me but now:

This crust is my body broken for thee,

This water His blood that died on the tree:

The Holy Supper is kept indeed

In whatso we share with another's need.

Not what we give, but what we share—

For the gift without the giver is bare;

Who gives himself with his alms feeds three, —

Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.[11]

Lowell captured the emptiness of pursuing a cause, compared to the reward of doing an act of kindness. Greatness, is not from the pursuit of glory, but, from humbly emulating Jesus. 

The last parable recorded in Matthew’s gospel is a summation of a life of “doing the will of the Father.”

Then said the king, ‘Come, you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat;

I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink;

I was a stranger, and you invited me in; 

I was naked, and you clothed me;

I was sick, and you visited me;

I was in prison, and you came to me.

Then they asked, 'Lord, when did we see you…

hungry, and feed you,

thirsty, and give you drink, 

a stranger, and invite you in,

naked, and clothe you, 

sick, or in prison, and come to you?' 

The King will answer, what you did for one of these brothers of mine, you did that to me.'[12]  

For many, religion has become complicated and abstract. The history of religion is besmirched by acts of violence, “defending the faith”, or the exacting legalism of harsh doctrines. For some, it is too academic, for others it’s too vague. The criticism of biblical religion, comes as a result of human error, not from biblical inconsistencies. The requirements of God are obvious to any who want to follow them by faith. The desire of God has been proclaimed in biblical writings. God told his people to look back at key events, “So that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

With what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?[13]

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I want to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “the will of my Father in heaven”. From the context in which the statement is found, it presumably refers to the preceding teaching. In his teaching, Jesus said some would claim that they had done many things in his name, and his response would be, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” The miraculous works itemized by Jesus appear to be religious, especially since they were done in his name. One might think that bad motives were at play; maybe so. It’s difficult to know why people doing religious activities were rejected. For some reason, which we are not told, the people performing miracles failed to meet the criteria, “the will of my Father in heaven”. We must be sure that our religion is, “the will of my Father in heaven”. It is incumbent on each of us to know when we are doing God’s will, and when we are doing what we want to do. There shouldn’t be a difference, however we are humans with a proclivity toward satisfying ourselves. Religious institutions offer rituals as a salve to ease the conscience. Involvement in Church programs is no substitute for living each day as a disciple of Jesus. Contributing to Church functions does not take the place of loving your neighbor as yourself. Each of us must have a relationship with God through Jesus. The letter written by James addressed some of the same issues that face us. We live in an age in which Church and Christianity have fused together to mean the same thing, even though they do not.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.  Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.[14] 

Paul spoke of his relationship with the Lord:

I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.[15] 

Paul lived in a different time, and his introduction to Jesus was different to that of anyone else. Along the road he travelled, Paul was able to dispel doubt and guilt, and have a confident relationship with Jesus. In that time the assemblies of believers were nothing like Churches today; those assemblies were functional not institutional. A question that comes to mind, has to do with the exclusivity of Churches, and that is; why is it more difficult to be a member of a Church, than it is to be a citizen of God’s kingdom? Having been committed to a Church for over fifty years, opting to move away from institutionalism was a difficult decision. I missed the sense of comfort gained from attending services, I missed the feeling of belonging to a group, or tribe. I missed fellowship with other believers. At that time, I decided to make the life and teaching of Jesus my sole focus. I have somewhat succeeded in letting go of “the all-important focus on going to Church”. Today when someone speaks to of their trust or relationship with God, I recognize a kindred spirit. Formerly I would have doubted the validity of the person’s statement, since he or she was not a member of “my Church”. I am happy to be in the company of believers as we live as citizens of God’s kingdom.

Jesus taught his disciples:

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.[16]

Consider the people to whom Jesus addressed his remarks. They were for the most part ordinary, common people. The simplicity of the parables Jesus taught were based on everyday occurrences. The parable of salt being a necessity would not have been missed, and when Jesus told his disciples that they were the salt of the earth, those hearing it would have come realized he referred to their influence. Jesus said that salt having lost its taste was of no value. The simplest understanding of tasteless salt would be a disciple who has no positive influence. Jesus went on to tell the disciples that they were lights of the world. Jesus pointed out the silliness of someone hiding a lamp under a basket. The disciples were associates of Jesus, they couldn’t hide that, and nor should they try to. The disciples were to let their commitment to Jesus be seen by all. The good works they would do as his disciples were to be done in such a way that those seeing them would glorify God in heaven. The principles of these parables apply to believers today. Every believer must demonstrate God’s love and grace in their attitudes and behaviours. Going to Church is not the same as being a living influence. Believers must be seen and recognized as disciples of Jesus, no matter what Church they go to. 

Jesus telling his disciples that they were the salt of the earth, and light of the world, wasn’t just a casual statement, but an imperative. The statements are orders; the purpose of salt is to season; the purpose of light is to illuminate. Jesus claimed, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”[17] His disciples were charged with the duty of continuing the work of Jesus. They were not to seclude themselves; they were to openly display the light as Jesus did. The mission of the disciples was unique to that time, the principle of being a representative of Jesus falls to each and every believer. Church has nothing to do with the personal imperative to reflect God’s love and grace through our lives. The purpose of gatherings in the beginning was not to convert unbelievers, it was for believers. It was for encouragement, fellowship, and thanksgiving. At the time of Jesus there were factions in the Jewish leadership. Herodians, Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and among others –zealots. The majority of Jesus’ time and teaching was focused on common people. There were occasions of interaction between Jesus and one or more of the sects, but most of his time was spent with ordinary people. It appears that Jesus recognized religion and ritual as part of life. He however, focused on individual needs and requirements. He instructed his disciples to do what they were told to do by the religious leaders, but not to live like them. The authority was in the word, not in the institution. He told people that they must obey the law. Unlike the Pharisees who actively tried to convert people to Judaism, Jesus always pointed to God, that people must obey him. Early believers assemble in small or larger groups not to support an institution, but to gain support to live as disciples of Jesus. It didn’t matter to Jesus what sect a person affiliated with, or even if the person was Jewish, his conversations focused on worshipping and honouring God.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.[18]  

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.[19] 

In the time following the death of Jesus, when Christianity was in its formative years the distracting influence of Judaism pressured believers to conform to the old ways. Paul was adamant that people should not squander grace by returning to the law. His teaching shows the inclusiveness of Christianity. In Christ all people have the same standing. Following the Council of Nicaea, the inclusivity of Christianity began to disintegrate. Neither the Reformation, the Restoration, nor Ecumenism, have done anything to restore the inclusiveness of Christianity. The factions in Christianity are vastly more numerous today than Judaism ever was. I believe the teaching of Jesus is still focused on individuals. I believe the factions of Christianity are a severe hindrance to believers, but Jesus now as always deals with individuals, not with institutions. “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.’” 

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The more I think about “the will of the father”, the more the opposite – “personal will” becomes the failing issue. 

So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.[20] 

When the crowds saw the miracle, ‘they were awestruck, and glorified God’[21]

The work of Jesus was to do the will of God:

Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.’[22]

I can do nothing on my own initiative. … My judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.[23] 

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.[24] 

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life.[25]

The purpose of Jesus was to do the will of his Father. Nothing less will be accepted from those who claim allegiance to Jesus. If one seeks personal affirmation or acclaim in preaching, attending services, involvement in church programs, or missionary efforts, then those activities do not register as doing the will of the Father. In many Churches, genuine fellowship takes place in the foyer as people mingle, they share experiences and encourage one another. That pleasant hubbub is the highlight of the week for some, if not all. That portion of the morning is the real fellowship of assembly. However, the mood is broken by the “call to worship” –the Church service. The mood inside the formal service is stilted, as all are to focus on the prepared program. I wonder about the value of formal proceedings. If the singing is uplifting and good, a service will get a positive rating. I don’t know how to assess the spiritual value of choreographed performances. I’m not if we recolonize the difference between an emotional high, and spiritual encouragement. I am encouraged by singing hymns, and I am also moved by other forms of music. Is listening to, or singing hymns spiritual, and enjoying country songs and opera something else? Is there a difference, and if so, what is it? When preachers use emotionally charged stories to make a point. Is that a ploy suggesting God’s word needs assistance? Jesus spoke to people about the way of God; those people were amazed and gave God the credit. It is good to encourage the person giving the lesson, but it’s more important to thank God for his grace and love.

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching; for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.[26]  

Jesus healed many people in a manner that caused them to see the hand of God at work, “they glorified the God of Israel.”[27] Churches today are nothing like the early Christian gatherings. Today’s Churches are largely centered on converting the lost. Week after week the evangelist performs his duty, on most occasions there are no lost people in attendance. 

‘Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it may yield its water. You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.’ So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’ Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank. But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’^[28] 

The people complained and Moses prayed to the Lord. Moses was told that he and his brother were to (ἐκκλησίασον τὴν συναγωγὴν) –assemble the gathering, and speak to the rock so the people would see the water pour out. Moses accused the people of being rebels, “shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?” Instead of speaking to the rock as instructed, Moses struck it twice. God told Moses that because he and Aaron had not done what they were told to do they would not get to enter the Promised Land. It appears that by making the issue theirs, and placing themselves as the ones who would quench the thirst of Israel, they dishonoured God. On that occasion, Moses very much out of character, inserted himself into God role. That wasn’t the will of the Father. There are other situations in scripture similar in which people have drawn attention to themselves rather than to God. Jesus pointed out the folly of seeking personal glory:

Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.[29] 

And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.[30] 

Jesus demonstrated the attitude and behaviour required for doing his Father will:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.[31] 

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Saul disobeyed God’s command to completely wipe out the Amalekites. Samuel rebuked Saul the king, saying:

Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.[32] 

 

The old covenant period is generally thought of as a time when ritual and law were all that mattered. The importance of obeying laws and ceremonies must not be understated. However, the performance of ritual obligations, without a pious humble spirit, was not acceptable to God even for those under the law. God told Samuel to go to Jesse in Bethlehem and anoint one of his sons as king to replace Saul. Samuel was impressed with the sons of Jesse; more than once thinking that the one who stood before him had the qualities of a king. God intervened saying, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”[33] God still looks at the heart of an individual, not the outward appearance. That principle is reinforced numerous times throughout the period of the first covenant. The psalmist wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”[34] The Hebrew words translated as “broken” and “contrite” convey the idea of being crushed or shattered. Contrite and broken are much the same as Jesus’ saying “poor in spirit”, which means “the state of being a beggar”. 

Regarding the Jewish “Day of Atonement” the Israelites were warned to have the correct attitude, “If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people.”[35] There is a principle that all people approaching God must empty themselves, recognizing they have nothing to offer him. The high priest on the Day of Atonement was to make a sacrifice for his own sins and those of his family. He was to dress in clean clothes before entering the Holiest of Holies to make atonement for the people. Only after special arrangements, and only once a year, did the chief priest entered the Most Holy Place. Jesus in his parables taught about the kingdom of God. In the parable of the wedding banquet, a man was cast out because he wasn’t wearing the appropriate wedding garments. Paul in his letter to the Galatians wrote, “… all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”[36] The only access to God is through Jesus. That was so in the last days of the temple, and it was true after the temple sacrifices were stopped. Jesus is the only path to God, from the end of first covenant sacrifices until today, and on into eternity. Jesus said:

I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.[37]

Jesus clearly stated that he was the way to God, and not just a way, but, the “only way”.  At the appearance of Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus, Peter exclaimed that if Jesus desired, the disciples would build three tabernacles. Right then, a bright cloud covered them as a voice commanded, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”[38] Jesus is superior to the lawgiver, and greater than the prophets. The author of the letter to the Hebrews focused on aspects of Israel’s religion which were very important. He did so, to elevate the better way of Jesus and his teaching: 

Jesus, greater than angels

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.  He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.[39]  

Jesus, greater than Moses

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;  He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.  For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.[40]  

Jesus, greater than the high priests of Israel

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.[41] …having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.[42]  

Jesus, mediator of a better covenant

But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises.[43]  

Jesus, a better sacrifice

For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified,  how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!  For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.[44]  

Jesus, king of a better kingdom

You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest,  and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,  and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 

At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven."  This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe…[45]  

The letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews. In his letter the author referenced key religious beliefs of Israel. First century Judaism was not in full accord with Levitical laws, it had developed its own regulatory standards and traditions. At the time of Jesus, Judaism was fragmented into different sects. The general thought of the day did not include a passive Messiah. The author of Hebrews took the most important beliefs of Judaism and showed them to be inferior to Jesus and his teaching. The purpose of the author was to establish that Jesus and his teaching was superior to everything before.

The period starting with Jesus to the cessation of sacrifice, was a time of transition. As the Hebrew letter states, “When He said, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”[46] Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the behaviour of their ancestors who fled Egypt, not all of it was good. “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”[47] The transition period, or, the last days, preceded the end of the Jewish religion and kingdom. It was also, relatively speaking the time of most rapid growth of the new kingdom. 

Jesus told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, but viewed others with contempt: 

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’  But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, instead, beating his breast, said, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.[48]

The Pharisee was self-righteous with no hint of humility or contrition, the tax collector was empty of self-worth, recognizing that he was a sinner. 

Six time when teaching his disciples on the mountain Jesus said, ...it was said... but I say to you... The topics included: anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and loving enemies. His teaching was a departure from the demands of the Jewish legal system. The topics Jesus chose to address at the time were likely those with the greatest impact in those days. The Pharisees attempted to engage Jesus in an ongoing dispute between the disciples of two great Rabbis, Hillel and Shammai. The argument was over divorce; “Beit Shammai held that a man may only divorce his wife for a serious transgression, but Beit Hillel allowed divorce for even trivial offenses, such as burning a meal.” By saying, “But I say to you...” Jesus was laying the groundwork for life and attitudes in the new kingdom. Jesus asserted that his teaching demanded more from people than the prohibitions of the Law. The principles that Jesus taught his disciples were not limited to the six topics listed in his sermon. His teaching related to spiritual life, and life in the kingdom of God. 

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,  in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.^[49] 

The author of Hebrews pointed to Jewish history, addressing the different ways God spoke to people. Most importantly the author stressed that the ways God communicated with people in the past had been upgraded; God’s communication would not be through prophets, not through visions, and not through heavenly messengers. Any, and all, communications would be through his Son. Not only did God choose his Son as the means of conveying his will, but his Son is the only channel through which people can have a relationship with God the Father. On the occasion of the transfiguration after Peter had suggested building tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, God spoke from the cloud; “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”^[50] Moses represented the Law, and Elijah, the prophets, and from that time onward Jesus was God’s communicator with people. 

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.  (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'")  From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.^[51]  

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” The Greek word -πλήρωμα, plērōma, is translated “fullness”.

The reference in the context is to the incarnate Word. In Him the whole fulness of divine grace has become actively present. For this reason the relation of the believer to Him can be described as a continual receiving from the superabundance in whose historical manifestation Gpd has fully made Himself known as the Saviour.^[52]

The word “fulness” indicates that grace and truth were complete in Jesus, there was no dilution, no contamination, or any space not filled. He was the glory of God, and fully God. 

He is the head of the body, the church ekklēsia; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.^[53] 

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.^[54] 

Jesus the man completely embodied the divine essence of God. Jesus said to Philip, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”^[55] There was nothing lacking or missing, nothing to suggest that God the Father was not complete in Jesus his Son. Jesus was God in every aspect. “The Son was sent to speak and live God's message, and he has been given the full power of God's Spirit.”^[56]  

In Col. 1:19 πλήρωμα is used directly in the abs., but here precisely in the context of a developed terminology …There are similar formulations in the 'Rabb. writings. Here however, because of the emphasis on God's transcendence, the concept of the shekinah is introduced, … 1 K. 8:27: 'Has' it really pleased the Lord to cause his shekinah to dwell among men who live on the earth?" In Col. Christ replaces the Jewish temple. But both formally and materially the statements in Col. go much further than the Jewish statements (cf. Mt. 12:6),42 including those on the eschatological Jewish expectation that God will dwell among His people, which means, acc. to Jub. 1:17, in His sanctuary "in their midst." The word πλήρωμα emphasises the fact that the divine fulness of love and power acts and rules in all its perfection through Christ.^[57] 

Shekinah - From the Hebrew word שׁכִינה (shekhinah) meaning "God's manifested glory" or "God's presence". This word does not appear in the Bible, but later Jewish scholars used it to refer to the dwelling place of God, especially the Temple in Jerusalem. This concept from Jewish history fits very well with what God revealed through the prophet Jeremiah concerning the new covenant; “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”^[58] And, also what Paul wrote, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”^[59] 

Then Jesus cried aloud: "Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me.  And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.  I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.  I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."^[60] 

Seeing Jesus, is seeing the Father. Hearing Jesus, is hearing the Father. Knowing Jesus, is knowing the Father. Believing in Jesus, is believing in the Father. It is important that we realize that God walked on the earth in Jesus. 

The absolute Godliness of Jesus compels people to submit to his message. His life, behaviour, and teaching, were invested in him by the Father. Every doctrine, and every tradition, must be subjected to the magnifying glass the Word; that is the complete Jesus.

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The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian Christians warning them of Judaizing teachers. He claimed that believers were the real kingdom of God, not those who were reverting to Jewish ways. He said that believers should not put confidence in material things, but worshipped in the spirit of God and glory of Christ. By way of emphasis he pointed out that, he himself had more to boast about in terms of being a Jew, than the false teachers. He also spoke about his commitment to Christ.

…whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death;  in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.[61] 

 

Paul as an enemy of believers, pursued and persecuted them. Through an intervention by Jesus, his life and attitudes changed from persecuting believers, to being one of them. Because of his strong Jewish background, he was able to argue effectively that the way of Jesus was the correct way. Paul spoke of his former life as an ardent defender of Judaism, and the change that came about when he committed himself to being a disciple of Jesus. His education under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel, his life as a Pharisee, his impressive credentials; he left behind. In coming to Jesus, he emptied himself, as he stated, “not having a righteousness of my own derived from law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” For a Jew, giving up the material rewards of legalistic rituals would have been extremely difficult. It is equally difficult for people accustomed institutional programs and activities to move to a close personal relationship with God. A relationship with God is expressed in living every moment as one of God’s children. Every day behaviours must be governed by God’s law written in our hearts. It is not ritualistic, or, institutional; it is personal. Having a personal relationship with the Father does not necessitate leaving a Church, but it does mean committing every moment to the relationship with the Father. Our hope and security are in Christ, not the Church. A reward may be immediate when praised for engagement in church programs, but personal acts of kindness in the name of Jesus comes with greater reward. If not careful, attendance at religious services can lead to self-righteousness performed as a duty. Churches need to avoid becoming ritualistic, and overstressing the requirement for compliance to church rules. It is simply too easy to become satisfied with religion, if “spirituality” is confused with ritualistic performance, or emotional comfort.

…by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.[62] 

Paul’s statement is necessary since it represents the hope of mankind. Scriptural teaching stresses that there is nothing one can do to earn God’s acceptance. The only way to access God is through Jesus. It is impossible to have a relationship with the Father, while rejecting the Son. 

The most important example of dogmatic influence in Luther’s version is the famous addition of the word “alone in Rom. 3:28 …. for the sake of clearness”. But he thereby brought Paul into direct conflict with James, who says (James 2:24), by works a man is justified, and not only by faith… It is well known that Luther deemed it impossible to harmonize the two apostles. He characterized the Epistle of James as an "epistle of straw," because it had no evangelical character.[63]

 

Paul’s statement is emphatic in his letter to Roman believers, man was justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”[64] He wrote to the Ephesians, “…by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works.” It may seem that there was a difference of belief between Paul and James. However, that was not the case; Paul’s statement to the Romans and Ephesians are consistent with biblical teaching, as was that of James. Paul’s remarks to the Romans clarifies what he had in mind when he wrote to them. “…man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” Looking at the context “works of the law” was specific to the argument he was making that the Old Law was not consistent with the way of Christ. To the Ephesians he said, one is “…saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works.” Justification and salvation are both gifts from God, they are not based on anything we do. We contribute nothing, and nor do we deserve anything. 

Paul told the Ephesians that they were saved by grace, he pointed out that people are not saved by works – but “created in Christ Jesus for good works”. I do not take what James wrote as a denial of Paul’s assertion. I read it as complimentary to the undeniable fact that salvation is a gift.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.[65] 

The recipients of James’ letter were believers, his instruction was given to citizens of the kingdom of God. The issue he faced according to the context related to the idea, that only faith mattered. He challenged his audience, “…prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”[66] As Jesus taught, by their fruit you will know them. 

God told Abraham to look up at the stars, and told him that his descendants would be as numerous. Paul addressed his remarks to people wanting to go back to the system of law.

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."[67] 

Addressing the issue before him, James taught that it would be wrong to see someone in need, and not to do anything about it.

“Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ”^[68] 

James and Paul faced different situations. Paul contended with teachers espousing the necessity of law, he stressed faith. James instructed people some of whom believed that only faith was required, he stressed works. Both were right in what they taught.

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…let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.  This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.[69] 

Peter and John boldly announced that the only means of approaching God was through Jesus, whom the council had murdered. The term Christianity has evolved to include many religions, some of which minimize the importance of Jesus. The Catholic Pope has assumed importance not given to any man. The Catholic Church believes the Bible is correct only “as interpreted by the Church”. The Mormon Church believes the Bible is the word of God, “if interpreted correctly”. Numerous religions can be traced back to human founders. Most Churches, stated or not, believe that their brand of Christianity to be the best, if not, the only way to access God. Paul wrote to the Galatians concerning false teachers saying;

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.  But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed![70] 

Joseph Smith or the “angel Moroni”, the pope, Ellen G White, or the local preacher, none of these have authority to change anything related to salvation or the gospel.

God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.[71]  

Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for misapplying the law. He acknowledged their meticulous attention to tithing, and accused them of ignoring the most important aspects of service to God. He stated, “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!”[72] The scribes and Pharisees paid close attention to legalities, but neglected, “justice, mercy, and faith.”[73] It seems to me that human nature and religion haven’t changed very much from the time of Jesus until now. Some people might look at the scribes and Pharisees as being atypical; however, I believe they represented a large sector of religious behaviour. I would suggest that the charge of straining out gnats and swallowing camels plays a huge role in the proliferation of religious sects. Among religious institutions there is a pervading attitude of competition. Most religions exert more effort on being right, than on being righteous. One’s energy should be spent on trying to be like Jesus, through practicing justice, mercy, and faith. Paul addressing conflict and division wrote, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose.”[74] The concept that Church provides protection is a fallacy. Jesus didn’t die to save religions or Churches; he came to save sinners.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God.[75] 

Aligning yourself with a religion, or being a member of a Church, will not save you. Believing in Jesus is personal, believing in the name of Jesus is personal, as being a child of God is personal. It makes little difference whether you belong to a religion, are active in a Church – your personal relationship with God is what matters. It doesn’t matter what name is on the billboard outside the Church building. Our lives must reflect reverence for the name of Jesus. 

Peter and John having been ordered not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, were released. Joining their friends, they told then what the council had said. Sometime later, Peter and John were arrested again. The Council debated what should be done to them; Gamaliel warned the Council:

‘I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.’ They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus the Christ.[76] 

 

After being flogged, Peter and John said it was a privilege to suffer for the name of Jesus. Church sponsored programs nay be robbing believers of their right to honour the name of Jesus in their own way. Institutional programs can diminish the right of believers to reflect the light of Jesus in their lives. It is necessary that believers let the love and grace of God be seen in their lives, not as a representative of an institution or Church, but as a disciple of Jesus, and child of God.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.[77] 

Anything we do or say must be done in the name of Jesus. Jesus said to his disciples, “Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”[78] For many the command to do everything in “Jesus’ name”, has been reduced to closing prayers with, “in Jesus’ name, amen.” While it is not wrong to invoke the name of Jesus closing a prayer, that is not the intent or meaning of “in the name of”. “In the name of Jesus” is not an incantation to be repeated mindlessly, it is a reference to the authority, the majesty, the mission, and purpose of Jesus. 

Jesus allowed a man, other than one of his disciples, to cast out demons in “his name”. “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.”[79] However, when the sons of Sceva[80] tried to cast out a demon in the name of Jesus it didn’t work out so well. 

In times past in many cultures, a person’s name meant a lot more that simply a tag to designate one person from another:

There was and is a world-wide belief that the name of an object, man, or higher being is more than a mere label only incidentally associated with the one who bears it. The name is an indispensable part of the personality. One might say that a man is constituted of body, soul, and name. Various rites are used to seek, find, and give a name to a child. If a man has the name of an ancestor, he represents this ancestor in his social group. When a child receives the name of a deceased person, he fills in his clan the gap caused by the death. …. When the name is invoked or pronounced, the one invoked appears or works whether desired or not, or the one who invokes affects the one invoked. …. The name is thus a power which is very closely associated with the bearer and which discloses his nature. Pronouncement or invocation of the name sets in operation the energy potentially contained in him.[81] 

The importance of the full meaning of “name” is vitally important when speaking of Jesus. When a believer acts in the “name of Jesus” it is an act of grace coming from commitment to everything Jesus stood for. An angel told Joseph that the baby was to be named Jesus, “Mary will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”[82] As foretold in prophecy the babe would have an additional name, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.’” Jesus is the Saviour, and he was God on earth. Religion has trivialized the name of Jesus; it has become a repetitive mantra. In some religions the name Jesus shares power with icons. Churches make the claim that they are “Jesus centered”. It’s a sad commentary that any Christian religion has to say that, rather than it being obvious. If a Church or individual has to say they focus on Jesus –they probably don’t. Christians in the first century demonstrated that they had an affiliation with Jesus. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.”[83] Some years later the believers were observed as followers of Jesus. “…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”[84] We don’t know if the name Christian was admiring or disdainful, but we know it was accurate. The example of a disciple is a window through which people can see Jesus.

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Jesus, after arriving in Jerusalem rebuked the religious leaders:

…you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.^[85] 

Jesus instructed his disciples on how to be pleasing to God. Jewish leaders enjoyed praise from people. They sought to be recognized as special, and respected for how pious they were. Jesus taught his disciples to give alms secretly, and to pray in private, saying that the Father sees in secret and would reward them.^[86] 

We may have a distorted view of religion; if, to be acceptable, what we do must be done through a Church. That is contrary to the teaching of Jesus. Church programs are designed to further the purpose of that Church. People pay and the Church decides what to do, and the Church gets credit for what is done. That system negates personal responsibility by institutionalizing what should be individual acts of love. It would seem more in keeping with the teaching of Jesus if assemblies were times of encouragement for believers. When one considers Nicodemus and Joseph, it suggests that you can be a disciple of Jesus without breaking ties with your religious affiliation. It is important to enjoy the fellowship of believers. It’s important live your life for Jesus, not an institution. 

The first Roman Church used the pattern of the temple and empire to structure itself. Every Christian Church that exists has copied the basic structure of the Roman Church, with tweaks to make itself unique. New Testament believers lived in the end of the age. It is abundantly clear that the Law of Moses was still in operation. Judaism continued unhindered until the destruction of the temple, which along with other things ushered in the end of the age. The letters and gospels were written to those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah. For many years that was unique to Christian Jews; it was their belief in Jesus which set them apart from other Jews. When Paul journeyed to Jerusalem he was accepted warmly. The brothers in Jerusalem had a warning for Paul:

You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.  They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs.^[87] 

The Jerusalem believers laid out a plan for Paul to follow:

Join these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself observe and guard the law.^[88]

Paul did what he was told; complying with the instructions. The Jewish Christians agreed that the Gentiles did not have to participate in Jewish rituals. And reminded Paul that a letter had been sent to Gentiles instructing them on appropriate behaviours, and that they were not bound to following the Jewish Law. 

I believe that we have unwittingly been led down the wrong path. The instructions given to believers in the mid-first century was for that period, and not for those who lived after the end of the age. Paul offers principle for believers then and now. He used an allegory of Hagar and Sarah, stating that Hagar represented Mount Sinai, which included the Law, and its requirements. Hagar represented the material Jerusalem, while Sarah represented the heavenly Jerusalem. 

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman. One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married." Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac. But just as at that time the child who was born according to the flesh persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the slave and her child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with the child of the free woman."

So then, friends, we are children, not of the slave but of the free woman.^[89]  

Paul taught that salvation was in Jesus, the Law could not save anyone. Some teach that Christians have nothing to do with the Old Testament, however we must remember that the promise of a new covenant was made to Israel. Peter addressed Jews saying:

…all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."^[90] 

 

Peter told his Jewish audience that they were the recipients of God’s promise:

But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.^[91] 

 

Peter referenced the prophets and the events they foretold, saying that everything had been fulfilled, yet one event had to come to complete prophesy; the “period of restoration of all things…” which took place when Jesus returned in his kingdom. His return initiated the judgement of Israel; the end of Judaism, and the establishment of the heavenly kingdom on earth. Through the period of transition from Jesus to the destruction of the temple, Christianity was is its gestation stage, only coming to full bloom with the return of Jesus, and end of earthly Israel. The spiritual Israel embraced Jews and Gentiles. “…if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.”^[92] 

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…you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!  At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven." This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire.^[93]

This passage addresses two kingdoms, two laws, and two covenants. The spiritual kingdom is superior to the earthly kingdom. The new law is superior to the old law. The new covenant is superior to the old covenant. The entire letter to the Hebrews shouts that Jesus the Christ is superior to anything, and anyone, who came before him. We are looking at the culmination of all that is said in the letter as the author describes the unimaginable joy of the kingdom heaven stretched out to include believers on earth. Paul wrote saying:

…Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman (Sarah) corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother.^[94] 

Authors wrote of the hope of Israel, the promise of a better kingdom, and the blessing of being with God. They wrote that God had fulfilled his promise to Abraham, that the new covenant was in full force, and that hope was reality. Look at what the Hebrew author wrote;

You have arrived at Mount Zion, and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the general assembly, and the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant. There is no place in this picture of the glorious fulfillment of the promise, for any Church. The insertion of the word Church by some translators in this spiritual environment is absolutely sinful. The author spoke about the mountain on which God gave the law, and the fear Israel felt at that time, and wrote that believers had come into the supreme presence of God. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.^[95] 

By elevating Church, the kingdom of God is diminished. Church has a function, but nothing to do with the spiritual promise of God. You will not find the word Church in the original language or even a facsimile of it. Church is a word coined by institutions to designate their religious characteristics. Even using the word Church takes away from the glory of God’s kingdom.

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Jesus was acknowledged as Lord many times. At the supper before his death Jesus spoke to his disciples about service and humility. He said, “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for I am.”[96] Jesus is pictured in the Revelation as, “Lord of lords and King of kings”.[97] He has all power and authority. I want to focus on one specific aspect of Jesus as Lord:

Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.  The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. [98] 

Peter in his sermon on the day of Pentecost claimed that what was occurring was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. The events he spoke of were those predicted by Joel. The timing of those events would be before “the great and terrible day of the Lord.” That day, Jesus said to his disciples was the end of the Jewish age. “The day of the Lord” is not a specific day, but a specific event. The flood came as a result of man’s depravity. The people of the earth were scattered after building a tower and city to make a name for themselves. The ten northern tribes broke away from Judah and Benjamin, setting up idols and temples of their own. Eventually having rejected God, they were destroyed by the Assyrians. Circa 585 BC, the temple of Solomon was destroyed along with the city of Jerusalem because of Judah’s wickedness. The final and utter destruction of Judaism was foretold by the prophets. Jesus spoke to his disciples about the destruction of the temple, which was “the great and terrible day of the Lord. Each of the catastrophic interventions by God are events which can be classified as “the day of the Lord”. The last one mentioned; the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem was special in that it was the end of Judaism. Jerusalem was destroyed, and more importantly; the temple was destroyed, bringing an end to sacrifices. That event was what Joel referred to as “the great and terrible day of the Lord”.

Responding to the Sadducees and Pharisees who asked for a sign from heaven, Jesus said:

When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.[99]

What Jesus meant by “the signs of the times” was not revealed. The miracles Jesus performed could be considered signs. The events around his birth and life foretold in prophecy also could have been signs that demanded attention. The waning respect for God’s laws may have suggested something to more observant Jews. We don’t know what Jesus had in mind, but his rebuke suggests that the leaders should have been aware of those signs. Jesus in his discussion of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple told the disciples to watch for a sign. That talk started with a question, “As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?’”[100] One sign was, “…when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains…”[101] Another sign would be, “Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory.”[102] It has been noted that when the disciples of Jesus living in Jerusalem became aware of the Roman army’s approach, they fled the city. Being forewarned what to look for, disciples left Jerusalem. One other factor the disciples knew was the general timing of Jesus’ return and the end of the age. “Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.”[103] Joel prophesied that God would pour out his spirit, before the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. Jesus outlined those events and the general time that they would occur. Jesus birth, life, and death, were the beginning of the end for Judaism. There has never been, nor will there ever be a more important set of events, than what took place beginning with the birth of Jesus up to and including his triumphal return at the end of the age.

There are few if any prophecies concerning the end of the world in the scriptures. That doesn’t mean we have no warning concerning the end of materiality. The time of the flood, the time Jesus returned, and any future event, will have similar signs. A disregard of God and his ways, an attitude that the sun will rise tomorrow as always, and life continues without regard for anything other than personal gratification. We do not know when or how God will put an end to abuse from humanity, or when he will close this chapter completely. When or how, doesn’t really matter, because none of us have a guaranteed life expectancy. We know by observing the natural processes that anyone of us, at any time, might cross the final threshold. Some think that the pandemic, the increasing number of natural disasters, the decay of morality, are harbingers of the end of the world. Maybe, the signs should at least cause people to consider their relationship with God, no matter what else they might mean.

The mania surrounding “climate change”, is largely the fear of change. That, coupled with human pride, and the idea that man can control nature and his own destiny. It would be so much better if climate fanatics recognized that nature is beyond their control, but like the people building the tower of Babel, they are driven by pride. Hyper-environmentalists need to read the story of King Canute and the tide, he tried to demonstrate –that humans have no power over the elements of nature. I wonder if instead of trying to prevent climate change, we should consider it a sign of the times. I do not make y predictions, I do suggest that climate change, natural disasters, dysfunctional governments, protests, wars, and killings, are in fact signs that should make us turn to Jesus. The disciples got after the women anointing Jesus, saying the ointment could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. Jesus rebuked them, and said, “…you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”[104] I consider causes in the same light, there are innumerable causes, but only one Lord. Don’t be misled into thinking that causes are spiritual, even if they are good. Causes appeal to our sense of responsibility, they may be put forward as essential and urgent, or they may be dressed up as religious responsibilities. When asked about the greatest commandment Jesus answered,

’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.[105]

The devotion demanded of Israel to love God; is the same devotion we must give to Jesus. As I read the scripture, I recognize that total commitment to the Lord involves every aspect of our lives. The same commitment as referred to earlier, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Causes are wrong if they dilute commitment to Jesus, or, if they are substitutes masked as duties to Jesus. For instance; attending Church is not a spiritual work or duty, it is opportunity to gain encouragement. You do not attend Church to please God, you attend for personal benefit.

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For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one. God finds fault with them when he says: "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I had no concern for them, says the Lord. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." In speaking of "a new covenant," he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear. [106]

Jeremiah prophesied some six hundred years before Jesus was on earth. Few if any Jews would have understood the breadth of Jeremiah’s prophesy. Most would have heard a promise of better things to come. The author of the Hebrew letter refers to the prophecy while speaking of Jesus having a better priesthood, and mediator of a better covenant. God speaking through Jeremiah said the new covenant would by very different to the first covenant made with Israel. The fist covenant’s laws were engraved in stone. The second covenant’s laws would be written on human hearts. The apostle Paul alluded to this when speaking to the Corinthian believers:

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.[107] 

One of the features of the new covenant, not found in the first, was absolute forgiveness of sin leading to a relationship with God. “…they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest … For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” The first covenant’s promise came with conditions, “Now then, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession among all the peoples … and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”[108] The second covenant has no caveats, it is a covenant of grace. Paul said that the righteousness he had was not derived from obedience to law, but, “…one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.”[109]  Peter used similar terms to those found in Exodus saying, “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”[110] Sins under the first covenant were, by the sacrifice of animals rolled forward year by year. Those sins could only be removed by the sacrifice of Jesus. Forgiveness of sin in the new covenant is also through the sacrifice of Jesus. John the Baptist seeing Jesus said, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”[111] As Jeremiah prophesied, under the new covenant God “will remember sins no more."  

‘Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’[112]

This represents a second important feature of the new covenant, “I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” The covenant with Israel was to guard God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Israel took possession of the land promised to the patriarchs, and God saw to it that the promise of blessing would be fulfilled through the lineage of Abraham.

For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")[113]

 

Paul outlines the nature of the second covenant. The promise was to Abraham and his descendants, but would include all nations. With the destruction of the temple 70 CE the first covenant and its regulations ended. Without the temple, there could be no sacrifices. Sacrifices, which the writer of Hebrews pointed out were done away with, by the sacrificial blood of Jesus. Paul makes it very clear that the law had nothing to do with the blessing that was given to Abraham, long before the first covenant came into effect. The new covenant is based on faith. Abraham to whom the promise was first given lived by faith, and is the father of the faithful.

Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, ‘Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married.’ Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac.[114] 

Like Abraham we are to live by faith. The new covenant is not like the first, there are no laws or regulations written in stone. As heirs of the promise, God writes upon our hearts. God is spirit and our worship must be in spirit and truth. Consider the conversation between the Samaritan woman and Jesus. Jesus responded to her question saying, “Neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”, He was not only referring to a geographical location, but to the systems of worship. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes:

You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;  in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’[115]

Judaism developed laws and regulations which became more important than scripture; Rabbinical Gezerah which could carry as much weight as the word of God. Since the establishment of the Church under Roman authority, the practice of introducing human rules has expanded. It doesn’t matter what Church you look at, the primary edicts of most will have their foundation in tradition. Even the translation and interpretation of scripture is influenced by traditional beliefs. Unfortunately, the Church has never undertaken a “zero-based” review of itself. The Reformation steered largely by Luther, was an adjustment to Catholic doctrine. Luther never considered that the Catholic regime was fundamentally wrong. The people behind the Restoration movement, claimed to be seeking to reestablish the New testament Church. That was based on faulty assumption. The premise was, that in New Testament times there was a Church, and that Church is the model for the modern Church. A basic fact to keep in mind is, the word Church is never used in the Greek text. The Restoration movement ended up with similar results to Luther. The Church, the Restoration leaders settled on apart from some cosmetic differences was basically the same as the Roman Church. The sects of Judaism that were in place at the time of Jesus represented different ideologies. They represent various human inclinations. It appears from scripture that Jesus didn’t align himself with any sect. Jesus represented truth and God, not any of the opinions of men. Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God being near, that was his mission and his message. The first Christians, being Jews maintained their Jewish practices, including the institution of the synagogue. The difference between Jewish believers and non-believing Jews, was that believers accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus did not establish an institution, nor he didn’t condemn religious institutions of his day. In a synagogue, beside a lake, on a mountainside, Jesus spoke to people demanding a response from each person. Churches provide an institutional response, muting the voices of believers. Churches expect conformity to their rules, and to their doctrines. Jesus rebuked Pharisees for requiring people to follow their rules and regulations. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for neglecting justice, mercy, and faith.

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The modern Church is a business, despite attempts to prove its scriptural authority and design. Churches supply a service. The hierarchy of a Church is much the same as that of a company. The first gatherings or assemblies were egalitarian as indicated in Paul’s writing. Often a Church has a mission statement, a wordy list of objectives and goals, to be carried out in a certain manner. The Church accomplishes its mission through programs. The programs are paid for by the congregation. There nothing in scripture remotely like the modern Church. Modern Churches are landowners, locked into a physical address. In general, Churches invest more money in material holdings than in people. The Church is a human institution, that doesn’t mean it is without value. The synagogue was also a human institution. Believers according to Paul are united in Jesus, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”[116] In another place Paul wrote of Jesus, “He is the head of the body, the ἐκκλησία”[117] That body was what Jesus said he would build. A kingdom spanning the globe, reaching into eternity. As Paul wrote to the Colossians:

…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.[118] 

Where do you read that Jesus’ mission was to establish the Church?

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’[119] 

Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.[120]

And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'[121] 

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.[122]

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to…[123]

…another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like… ‘[124]

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…[125]

Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.[126]

…unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.[127]

The word kingdom shows up thirty-two times in Matthew’s gospel. It is evident from the scriptures above and many others that Jesus was true to his ministry. He taught that the kingdom of heaven was near. Common people accepted what Jesus taught, but how many of them understood that the kingdom he spoke about was that of prophecy, we don’t know. It can be expected that the common people would have the same expectations as their leaders. That expectation was wrong. 

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.[128] 

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.[129]

There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling.[130] 

God … who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.[131]

in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.[132] 

To those who are the called.[133]

I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My ἐκκλησία …[134]

Jesus said, “…upon this rock I will build my church” ἐκκλησία –which means: called out. God “has saved us and called us with a holy calling.” Called – καλέω; calling –κλῆσις; these words are related.

ἐκκλησία: is the assembly of the δήμος (municipality) in Athens and in most Greek πόλεις (cities). The etymology is both simple and significant. The citizens are the ἐκκληtτοι, i.e., those who are summoned and called together by the herald. This teaches us something concerning the biblical and Christian usage, namely, that God in Christ calls men out of the world.

The word ἐκκλησία occurs about 100 times in the LXX, … In the LXX ἐκκλησία is a wholly secular term; it means "assembly," whether in the sense of assembling or of those assembled (for the first, cf. Dt. 9:10; 18:16: 

This leaves us with very little option but the simple rendering "assembly" or "gathering." On this basis we can then differentiate between secular and ecclesiastical assemblies even though we use the same term. This word also enables us the better to understand the obvious conjunction of the singular and the plural. The plural implies assembly in the sense of assembling. The decisive point is not that someone or something assembles; it is who or what assembles. The explicit or implicit addition τού θεού or τού Κυρίου tells us who assembles, or who causes men to assemble.[135]

The word ἐκκλησία in the Greek Old Testament as indicated above refers to “the called out”. The word referred to those were called out of slavery to be God’s people. It referred to Israel, the kingdom of God. Matt 16:18 translates the word ἐκκλησία –wrongly and purposely, as “Church”. Matthew was a Jew writing in Greek, he used ἐκκλησία to indicate that Jesus was going to establish a new assembly of the called out, i.e. a new kingdom. The division of scripture into chapter and verse complicates understanding, by suggesting that the context is broken rather than contiguous. Take away that obstruction, and Jesus in the same breath uttering he would build his ἐκκλησία, said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” It is absolutely wrong to insert the word “church”, when the context and language clearly speaks about the spiritual kingdom, the assembly of those called by God, not an institutional group.

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…we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. ^[136]  

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits.^[137] 

The writer indicates that believers must grow spiritually, not stagnate. A major concern regarding the Church is that it fails in what is its primary function. That function, is supporting and encouraging spiritual growth in believers. Evangelism is not the function of the Church. The roots of the early Christian gathering, was the synagogue. The apostles and first believers didn’t give up being Jews, they were Jews, but with a difference – they believed Jesus was the Messiah. The first converts met together in the temple and homes, “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”[138] They were spoken of as a Jewish sect, “the sect of the Nazarenes”[139]

The process of maturing as a believer leads to the ability to discern good and evil. There is a difference between twenty year’s experience, and one year’s experience repeated twenty times. Disciples of Jesus are expected to grow spiritually. The Hebrew author stressed the need for maturity. The list of topics he puts forward as foundational are a mystery to many believers. The author shows frustration with believers who were still neophytes, when they should have been leaders.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.^[140] 

The last sentence is very important in that it lays out the difference between mature believers and babies. Mature Christians are those whose experiences have honed their senses to be able to distinguish between good and evil. Or it could be said, the determination of good and evil has become second nature to those who are mature. Their familiarity with the teachings of Jesus, and their understanding of life in the spirit, enables them to draw from their experience and knowledge, to see situations for what they are. Out of the wealth of their experiences they can provide direction and instruction. Neophytes require instruction in the very basics of the word. Spiritual infants rely on a sentence or verse of scripture to support, or define what is right. They don’t have the abilities of the mature. Babies are limited to what they can digest, they do not live by the spirit, but by the constraints of written edicts.

…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.^[141] 

Jesus taught his disciples to seek the kingdom of God, that the kingdom should be their priority. That principle was contrasted against what Gentiles sought – which were material things. The term “seek” or search, suggest an ongoing pursuit of life – a way of life. In other words, searching for the kingdom is a lifelong quest. Believers must explore the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship. The point is not to find the gate of the kingdom, walk through it to the first park bench and sit down. As citizens of the kingdom we are to grow in confidence and hope. In some of his parables, Jesus pointed out that people were to develop what they have been given. A servant who hid his master’s money, thereby gaining no interest was punished.

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Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’  And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’[142]

The first part of this paragraph is focused on the disciples. Peter being the impetuous disciple seems to have spoken or acted first on a number of occasions. Peter did not have bad motives in in rebuking Jesus, but obviously his behaviour was inappropriate. Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, maybe they shared the same concern as Peter, maybe they were hoping for a different future than what Jesus offered. We don’t know, but the force of Jesus response indicated the true origin of Peter's rebuke. “Get behind me, Satan!” Did Jesus call Peter Satan, or did he reveal the source behind Peter’s remarks? Satan manipulated Peter’s impetuous nature, and the ignorance of all of the disciples. “Get behind me” was directed at Peter, a statement to tell Peter that he was the disciple and Jesus the master. All of the disciples were guilty of the same human desires. Jesus followed through by speaking to the disciples and the crowd gathered, about what being one his disciple meant. Being a disciple of Jesus was to give up your own interests and follow Jesus wherever that might take you. The disciples were confused and disappointed by talk of Jesus suffering, dying and rising from the dead. They like everyone else believed the Messiah would make Israel a thriving liberated nation once again. Even after the resurrection, the disciples seemed to be bewildered, Peter appears resigned to accepting that what he’d hoped for was lost, saying, “I am going fishing.”[143] Later the disciples would come to realize that Jesus had promised something far greater than an earthly kingdom, “Truly I tell you; there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Jesus’ reprimand of Peter would have been heard by the other disciples “…you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” How often do we have that same mind set? Being human is not an excuse for have a life trajectory set on satisfying personal desires. We have a Saviour who experienced life in all ways, and was tempted in the same ways we are. He didn’t give in to any temptation, and yet knows what we go through. James in his letter states, “…do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, ‘God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’”? “Submit yourselves therefore to God.” And “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”^[144] It is reassuring to me that God yearns for the spirit he put in me. We hear more about the need to measure up, to conform to Church doctrine, than we do about the Spirit of God within us. Paul wrote concerning the Spirit of God within us; “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?[145] 

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I can’t remember the circumstances of an exercise which asked participants to decide on the percentage of a son’s obedience, whose father told him what crop to plant in each of four fields. After inspecting the fields, the son agreed with his father’s order on three of the four fields and planted what he had been told to. In the fourth field the son planted a different crop. He determined his choice was better than his father’s. Most of the participants doing the exercise said the son obeyed his father 75% of the time. However, the real answer was 0%. The son planted what he decided was the best crop in each field. Three times his decision agreed with his father’s. The son planted what he decided was best in the all four fields, he did not do what his father had said he should do. It is very important that each of us recognize when we are doing what God wants us to do, and what we want to do, even if it is the same as what God wants. Under the old Law the doing was important, but Jesus made it clear that what is in the heart is more important.

In our spiritual lives we must do the will of the Father. There is no instance in which it would be right to ignore God’s will. We must be diligent in seeking to do the father’s will. Consider the account of Saul and battle against the Amalekites.

When Samuel came, Saul said to him, ‘May you be blessed by the Lord; I have carried out the command of the Lord.’  But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?’ Saul said, ‘They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.’ Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me… the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites … Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?’ ‘I have obeyed the voice of the Lord … I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But from the spoil the people took sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ And Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is no less a sin than divination, and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.’[146] 

I don’t know if Saul gave any thought to what God had said. I don’t know if he planned on sacrificing the best of the animals. What Saul did was wrong; then he tried to justify his actions. God was not satisfied with Saul’s attitude.

God’s will is the ultimate authority. It is incumbent on each of us to know the will of God, and to do it. People must not leave it up to a Church to inform them of God’s will –it is our personal responsibility to know the Father’s will. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Church is God’s voice on earth, it isn’t. No institution can take the place of God’s authority. Look at the vast number of Churches, each of which believes it is more correct than the next one. There is no way they can all be right, but they can all be wrong. I don’t believe it matters what Christian Church one attends. It is our individual responsibility to shape our relationship with God according to his will. God through the prophet Jeremiah said he would put his law in within us and write it on our hearts.  He did not say he would use an institution to give us his law, or a Church to design programs to live by.  The onus is on the individual to do God’s will. The new covenant is different to the first, the new law is different to that given on Sinai. Christian gatherings can provide an essential component of life; they were never meant to be a place to which non-believers were encouraged to attend so that a preacher could convert them. Our lives, every moment, must be devoted to doing the will of the Father. Fellowship helps to keep us going, it builds us up, and helps us thrive as children of God. The scripture is very clear that serving God is a personal matter. A believer is a child of God, which is a personal relationship. While God is Father to all believers, he is my Father and I am his child.

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Jesus, on several occasions stated that his purpose was to do the will of God. In Samaria when the disciples got back from buying food, Jesus said to them that he had food they didn’t know about. They mused that someone had given him something to eat. To which Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”[147] Another time Jesus said, “I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”[148] Jesus said, he had not come from heaven to do his own will, “but the will of him who sent me.”[149] “…this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him will have eternal life…”[150] Jesus set the example for believers to do the will of the Father. We need to remember that Jesus offered himself to the task of coming to earth. Paul takes up the need to be doing God’s will:

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.[151] 

This short paragraph was Paul’s introduction to the rest of his letter to the Roman believers, in which he spoke to them of life in Christ. Doing the will of God requires a transformation, much of which is outlined in what follows in Paul’s letter.[152] Throughout their history Jews sacrificed animals on special occasions. In his letter Paul says that the appropriate sacrifice for a believer is to offer one’s life. In another letter expressing it this way:

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.[153] 

Jewish Christians understood the requirements of sacrifices. Late in the fifth century BCE the people Israel did not treat the sacrifices to God with honour, which brought God’s reproach upon the people:

“You are presenting defiled food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled You?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.' But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. “But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and my name is feared among the nations.”[154] 

 

Paul stated that godly service was the appropriate sacrifice. That is, living for the Lord; a life of worshipful behaviour, reflecting the love and grace of God. The demands of a living sacrifice are not necessarily a daunting list of trials to go through, but like Abraham it means living by faith. Much of what we can read of Abraham suggests his life was similar others at that time. Abraham’s life was ordinary, apart from leaving his ancestral home and moving to Canaan. Abraham lived before the law; God made a covenant with him which was passed on through his descendants. Abraham’s relationship with God was faith based. There is no mention of any institutionalized religious order to which Abraham belonged. Abraham’s relationship and the covenant with God was based on his faith. This is important because Paul links life under the new covenant to the life of Abraham. 

Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you." For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.[155]

 

The institutional Church is structured more in line with Jewish temple worship, and the Roman political structure. Despite the efforts of the Reformation, or the later Restoration movement, there has been no break with the underlying structure of the Roman Church. The Reformation resulted in a proliferation of look-a-likes. The effort to restore the New Testament Church was misguided. New Testament information relating to Christian activities and assemblies was manipulated to support already existing groups and off-shoots. For some years, the Christian body was exclusively Jewish. The first Christian followed the pattern of the synagogues for their gatherings. James in his letter used the word synagogue in reference to a Christian assembly.[156] Reformers, and Restorers paid no attention to the unique situation in the first century. The temple continued with its rituals and sacrifices, and Jewish Christians participated in Old Law ceremonies and rites. There was no clear-cut separation between the old and the new. Circumstances for Christians were very different in that time. Until the destruction of the temple and city (70 CE) Christianity and Judaism were on parallel lines. Christianity was considered a Jewish sect. Basing a Christian institution on events and circumstances in New Testament times disregards all that the prophets spoke of.

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Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.[157]

The prayer Jesus taught his disciples is likely one of the most recited in Christianity. The first part of the prayer represents what Jesus came to accomplish. The prayer has a three-pronged focus; the first, was to treat the name of God as holy; the second, was the founding of God’s kingdom; the third, was that God’s will be done. The prayer was addressed to the Father in heaven, the three points were to have, the glorification of God’s name on earth; the kingdom of God established on earth; and, God’s will be done on earth. Each, to be on earth as it is in heaven.

 

Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.[158] I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.[159]

 

And he said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.’[160]

The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is inside you.[161]

 

For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  For yet ‘in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay; but my righteous one will live by faith.’[162]

 

Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.[163] 

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“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.”[164] 

To understand this parable, one must look at what came before it. Challenged by the chief priests and elders on his authority Jesus asked them a question, “was John’s baptism from heaven or men?” The leaders wouldn’t answer. Jesus told them that the people they considered sinful and immoral believed John. The people they disdained were going into the kingdom before them.

The Jewish leaders did not believe John was a prophet.

Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance.[165] 

Even the stinging rebuke of Jesus did not penetrate the hardened shell of the leaders. Like the second son in the parable, the leaders gave the impression that they were willing to serve God, they wore the clothes, they prayed, they assumed the authority of leaders in Israel, but they were phony. They were shallow facades of piety; they were as Jesus said, like beautiful tombs full on dead bones – good on the outside and rotten on the inside.

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Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”[166] 

  Doing the will of the Father, does not include lawlessness. Modern day pastors and preachers who violate laws unnecessarily, are not martyrs, they are foolish and inconsiderate.

For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval.[167] 

 

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil.[168] 

 

A woman asked Jesus who worshipped in the correct location, Jews or Samaritans?

Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”[169] 

Church buildings fall into the same category as mountains. Church building, cathedrals and other fixed locations are symbols of fractured Christianity. Churches have damaged the body of Christ. The world sees an image of a bloodied and bruised body, Instead of the glorious body of the risen Lord. The pandemic has forced people to consider alternatives to going to Church. In some cases, the restrictions have brought believers back in touch with reality. I applaud preachers and teachers who are staying in touch with believers, by phone, radio, or video. A person’s relationship with God is personal. Leaders are communicating with believers, encouraging them, and supporting them. That encouragement is personal and spiritual. My hope is that people will listen to what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, and maintain their personal connection with God, after the virus has gone. When again you attend Church, do as a child of the Father, not a Church member.

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People comfortable in their Church are in danger if they don’t challenge the traditional doctrines of that Church. Comfort may be limiting to spiritual growth. If study is to simply prove what the Church teaches is correct – it will be proven correct. We must listen to those who criticize us; sometimes we can learn more from antagonists of the Church, than those satisfied with the status quo. Sceptics may illuminate realities that people in the Church have missed. The two quotes that follow are from men who were atheists. I do not put these men forward as examples of anything, only that they offer insights to a reality which most Churches ignore.  

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.[170]

 

I am concerned with Christ as He appears in the Gospels, taking the Gospel narrative as it stands, and there one does find some things that do not seem to be very wise. For one thing, He certainly thought that His second coming would occur in clouds of glory before the death of all the people who were living at that time. There are a great many texts that prove that. He says, for instance: ‘Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come.’ Then He says: ‘There are some standing here which shall not taste death till the Son of Man comes into His kingdom’; and there are a lot of places where it is quite clear that He believed that His second coming would happen during the lifetime of many then living. That was the belief of His earlier followers, and it was the basis of a good deal of His moral teaching ... The early Christians did really believe it, and they did abstain from such things as planting trees in their gardens, because they did accept from Christ the belief that the second coming was imminent. In that respect clearly, He was not so wise as some other people have been, and he was certainly not superlatively wise.[171]

 

Thomas Paine states his aversion to Christianity clearly, and yet despite what he wrote he seems captivated by scripture. There is not a whole lot for a believer to gain from Paine, but there are a few perceptive comments. “All national institutions of churches … appear to me no other than human inventions.” This is a point people should at least consider. It is a statement too quickly dismissed. A statement that may require attention. It may even be true.

Bertrand Russell wrote that Jesus’ “second coming would occur in clouds of glory before the death of all the people who were living at that time.” Russell derided Christianity for not believing what Jesus said. Most Churches have theories concerning the return of Jesus, but very few of them, if any, actually teach that Jesus did what he said he would do. It seems to me that Russell saw a flaw in traditional doctrines. Russell saw an inconsistency in what people believed. I would suggest that if Jesus didn’t mean what he said, we have a problem. When people say negative things about Christianity, it may be more than belly-aching and criticism. It may be a legitimate observation of what’s going on. It may also show the inconsistencies in the institutional Church.

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While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to him. Someone said to him, ‘Behold, your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to you.’ But Jesus answered the one who was telling him and said, ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Behold my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’[172] 

This episode was connected to what some were saying about Jesus:

And he came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. When his own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of him; for they were saying, ‘He has lost His senses.’[173] 

 

Somewhat of a strange situation is presented here. It was still early in his ministry, and it appears that his family had not accepted Jesus purpose. We learn from John’s gospel that his brothers did not believe in him, even after Jesus had been ministering for a while. With information that Jesus had not been eating, it seemed prudent that his family would want to see to his needs. Especially if people were saying he was out of his mind. The incident presented a teaching opportunity. One lesson that can be gathered from the occasion is that spiritual connections are to be honoured above family ties. Jesus pointed out that his disciples were his family; and, “whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” is family. The inference was; that his disciples, those who followed him, and learned from him, were doing the will of the Father in heaven. This occurrence brought into sharp contrast, Jesus the human, and Jesus the Son of God. It shows the balance Jesus had to maintain between his earthliness and his divinity. To do the will of the Father the children of God must make the same decisions daily; to walk according to the spirit, or to walk according to the flesh? It was important for Jesus, and it is important for believers to choose as Jesus did the spiritual path. He was not throwing his earthly family away; his duty to them and all mankind was to accomplish his task, to offer redemption for all. The love Jesus had for his mother is documented, as from the cross he spoke; “When Jesus then saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.”[174]

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 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.'[175]

[1] Mat 7:21-23

[2] Mat 5:3

[3] Luke 17:10 

[4] Php 2:7 

[5] Mat 11:28-30

[6] Mat 23:4 

[7] 2Co 3:7, 8

[8] Joh 1:17 

[9] Mat 15:17-20

[10] Joh 6:27-20 

[11] The Vision of Sir Launfal, James Russell Lowell (1819–1891)

[12] Mat 25:34-40

[13] Mic 6:5-8

[14] Jas 1:26, 27

[15] 2Ti 1:12 

[16] Mat 5:14-16 

[17] Joh 8:12 

[18] Gal 3:28, 29 

[19] Col 3:9-11

[20] Mat 15:31 

[21] Mat 9:8 

[22] Joh 4:34 

[23] Joh 5:30 

[24] Joh 6:38 

[25] Joh 6:40 

[26] Mat 7:28, 29

[27] Mat 15:31

[28] Num 20:8-12

[29] Mat 6:1 

[30] Mat 6:5 

[31] Php 2:5-8

[32] 1Sa 15:22, 23

[33] 1Sa 16:7 

[34] Psa 51:17 

[35] Lev 23:29 

[36] Gal 3:27 

[37] Joh 14:6 

[38] Mat 17:5

[39] Heb 1:1-4

[40] Heb 3:1-3

[41] Heb 4:14, 15

[42] Heb 5:10 

[43] Heb 8:6 

[44] Heb 9:13-15

[45] Heb 12:18, 19; 22, 23; 26-28.

[46] Heb 8:13 

[47] 1Co 10:11 

[48] Luke 18:9-14 

[49] Heb 1:1-3

[50] Mat 17:5

[51] Joh 1:14-17

[52] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

[53] Col 1:18-20

[54] Col 2:9, 10

[55] Joh 14:9 

[56] Joh 3:34 

[57] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

[58] Jer 31:33

[59] 1Co 3:16 

[60] Joh 12:44-48

[61] Php 3:7-11

[62] Eph 2:8-10

[63] History of the Christian Church, chapter IV, Philip Schaff

[64] Rom 3:28 

[65] Jas 1:17, 18

[66] Jas 1:22 

[67] Rom 4:1-3

[68] Jas 2:21 

[69] Act 4:10-12

[70] Gal 1:6-9

[71] Eph 1:20, 21

[72] Mat 23:24 

[73] ibid

[74] 1Co 1:10 

[75] Joh 3:16-18

[76] Act 5:38-42

[77] Col 3:15-17

[78] Joh 14:13

[79] Mar 9:39

[80] Act 19:14

[81] Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, p.243

[82] Mat 1:21 

[83] Act 4:13 

[84] Acts 11:26

[85] Mat 23:8-12

[86] Mat 6:1-8

[87] Act 21:20, 21

[88] Act 21:24

[89] Gal 4:22-31

[90] Act 3:24-26

[91] Act 3:18-21

[92] Gal 3:29 

[93] Heb 12:22-29

[94] Gal 4:25, 26

[95] Heb 12:28, 29

[96] Joh 13:13 

[97] Rev 17:14 

[98] Joe 2:28-32

[99] Mat 16:2, 3

[100] Mat 24:3 

[101] Mat 24:15, 16

[102] Mat 24:29, 30

[103] Mat 24:34 

[104] Mat 26:11 

[105] Mat 22:37-40

[106] Heb 8:7-13

[107] 2Co 3:1-3

[108] Exo 19:5, 6

[109] Php 3:9 

[110] 1Pe 2:9 

[111] Joh 1:29

[112] Joh 4:20-24

[113] Rom 4:13-17

[114] Gal 4:24-28

[115] Mat 15:7-9

[116] 1Co 12:27 

[117] Col 1:18 

[118] Col 1:12-14

[119] Mat 4:17 

[120] Mat 9:35 

[121] Mat 10:7 

[122] Mat 13:19 

[123] Mat 13:24 

[124] Mat 13:31 

[125] Mat 16:19

[126] Mat 16:28 

[127] Mat 18:3 

[128] 1Co 1:9 

[129] Eph 4:1 

[130] Eph 4:4 

[131] 2Ti 1:9 

[132] 1Pe 2:9

[133] Jud 1:1 

[134] Mat 16:18 

[135] Theological Dictionary of the New Testament

[136] Eph 4:14-16

[137] Heb 6:1-3

[138] Act 5:42 

[139] Act 24:5 

[140] Heb 5:12-14

[141] Mat 6:33 

[142] Mar 8:31-9:1

[143] Joh 21:3

[144] Jas 4:5, 7, 10 

[145] 1Co 3:16 

[146] 1Sa 15:13-23

[147] Joh 4:34 

[148] Joh 5:30 

[149] Joh 6:38

[150] Joh 6:40 

[151] Rom 12:1, 2

[152] Rom12:3-15:13

[153] Gal 2:20 

[154] Mal 1:7, 8, 14

[155] Gal 3:6-9

[156] Jas 2:2

[157] Mat 6:9, 10

[158] Joh 12:28 

[159] Joh 17:4 

[160] Mar 9:1 

[161] Luke 17:20, 21

[162] Heb 10:36-38

[163] Heb 13:20, 21

[164] Mat 21:28-32

[165] Mat 3:5-7 

[166] Mat 4:5-7

[167] 1Pe 2:19, 20

[168] 1Pe 3:17 

[169] Joh 4:21-24

[170] Thomas Paine

[171] Why I Am Not a Christian (1927) By Bertrand Russell

[172] Mat 12:46-50

[173] Mar 3:20, 21 

[174] Joh 19:26, 27

[175] Mat 7:21-23