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Articles and Teachings >
"GOD IS ONE
"
(Originally Published on March 12, 1998; Updated July 2007)
First written as an
Audio Study and Assist.
[UPDATE: God said to
give all His children a real incentive to read and PRACTICE the
teachings in this article. God told me many years ago, "My power is
locked in My Love. It is safe there from all who would abuse it,
including satan" Remember God’s love is the self-sacrificing love
Christ displayed towards us when on the cross. This love is not only
to be shown towards God, but also towards our brothers and sisters
in Christ’s one Body. Could it be that this is why we are commanded
in the New Testament to love one another?
[John 13:33-35]
{Jesus said} Where I am going, you cannot come,' so now I say to
you. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all
will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another." NKJV
[John 15:12-15]
This is My {Jesus’} commandment, that you love one another as I
have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do
whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a
servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have
called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I
have made known to you. NKJV
[1 John 3:22-23]
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
And this is His commandment : that we should believe on the name
of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us
commandment. NKJV
[2 John 5-6] And
now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new
commandment to you, but that which we have had from the
beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk
according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as
you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. NKJV]
****
Religious Denominations
In Christ’s One Church/Body...
In the world today we have uncountable religions. Even in the
Christian religion, we have divided ourselves into separate
denominations, and/or religious traditions and beliefs. Much like
the Pharisees and Sadducees who did not teach Moses’ Law, not all
Christian denominations are speaking the original teachings of Jesus
Christ and the Apostles [the Bible]. Christianity, of course, was
founded on the teachings of God our Father, Jesus Christ, the
Apostles and the Prophets; and then were later written in the Bible.
What is religion?
Webster's Dictionary defines it as, "Belief in, and reverence for, a
supernatural
power accepted as
the creator and governor of the universe; a specific unified system
of this expression". God has said the "unified system of this
expression" is His love flowing through us towards all.
All Christians
accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and the fact that CHRISTianity
was founded on CHRIST. Without Christ, Christianity does not exist.
Therefore, if a person says they are a Christian, they are stating
that they have confessed that Jesus Christ is their Savior and the
Son of God.
Because we have one
gospel [Word/Bible/Testament] on which to base our beliefs,
Christians must believe that what is taught in the Bible is the
TRUTH. If we do not accept that the whole Bible as the truth, we
feel free to choose the parts of the Bible we prefer and discard the
parts that don't suit our own belief system. Therefore, we are left
with a choice: we either believe all the Bible, which is the
foundation of Christianity, or we must reject the Bible and
Christianity in it's entirety.
Let us go one step
further. If God is His spoken and written word, as the Bible says,
then we either accept or reject God, and who He says He is, as we
accept or reject what is written in the Bible. If indeed God is His
Word <Jn 1:14; Rev 19:13>, then what He says in His Word, the Bible,
is who He is. If what is written in the Bible is not the truth, then
God has lied about who He is and/or there is no Christian God. In
this case this leaves us with one of two choices: God either doesn't
exist or He is a liar. In either of these cases, we are not be able
to accept His Word about anything, including Himself.
What person amongst
us WILL OPENLY SAY that he believes himself to be better prepared to
tell us who God is, than God Himself? I hope none of us will be that
brazen. But today, more than ever before, that is just what many
people are doing. Without thought, many are giving THEIR OPINION/JUDGEMENT
about who God is, as if it were truer than God's own Word(s)
concerning Himself.
We find numerous
Christian religions/denominations both interpreting who God is and
what He thinks without referencing the Bible. They go forth
misleading God's people, especially His babies. They speak about God
as if they KNOW Him. Test these teachers. Do they include all the
teachings of God, as He taught it in His Word, the Bible. Is their
nature in the image of His: loving, giving, edifying, comforting,
moral, truthful ...? Those who KNOW God personally and intimately
will be of ONE MIND with Him, and with the gospel/Word He wrote
about Himself.
The purpose of this
study is to determine what God has said about our "religions" and
denominations", and Christ’s ONE BODY. The words "denomination" and
"religion" are not found in the Old Testament. The New Testament
translates three words as "religion". The first word is defined by
Strong's Concordance Of The Bible as, "Judaism i.e. the Jewish faith
and usage's" the second as "superstition" and the third as
"ceremonial observance". This word is taken from another Greek word
which is literally translated as, "ceremonious in worship [as
demonstrative], i.e. pious". This word is used only in the following
verses:
This word is used
only in the following verses:
[Remember, Jesus
Christ and the Apostles were not teaching the accepted
religion of their day. They were not teaching "Judaism".
They were teaching a New Covenant, Christ Jesus who is the Word
<Rev 19:13>. They said: "But the hour is coming, and now is,
when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is
Spirit , and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth." [John 4:23-24; NKJV]
Paul said, "For ye
have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' "religion",
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and
wasted it: and profited in the Jews' "religion" above many my
equals in mine own nation {Paul was a Jew/Hebrew, as were all
the Apostles}, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions
of my fathers. [Gal 1:13-14]
James teaches us in
1:26, "If anyone among you thinks he is "religious", and does not
bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's
"religion" is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and
the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble,
and to keep oneself unspotted from the world". [James 1:26]
God Is ONE...
God says the following concerning His Body and (1)communion, and the
improper discerning (seeing with understanding) of His' members:
"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and
drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner
eats and drinks judgment to himself {from God}, not discerning
(seeing with understanding) the Lord's {one} body. For this reason
many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep (or die)." [1 Cor
11:28-30; NKJ]
How Does God
Define "EVIL"?...
In Genesis 2:17, we
read, "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and "evil" you shall
not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
The word
translated as "evil", in this verse, is the only word translated
as "evil" in the Old Testament. This word is defined by Strong's
Concordance of the Bible as: "bad or evil [natural or moral]".
This Hebrew word comes from another word, which gives us better
insight into what kind of "evil" God is discussing. When
literally transcribed, this word is "to spoil [literally, by
breaking to pieces]; ... to make [or be] good for nothing."
In the New
Testament, the word most often translated "evil" is literally
defined as, "hurtful, i.e. evil [properly, in effect or
influence]".
As you can see, the
separation of Jesus Christ's Body members is considered "evil", as
well as hurtful, by God our Father and Christ. The "breaking into
pieces" makes His Body "good for nothing." It has caused God’s
people to forget that they are literally, according to God, family
members with all who have confessed Jesus Christ as their Savior and
Son of God.
Can Christ’s
physical body be split apart on earth? Yes, we see His physical
Body, or Church, being split apart daily, through it’s members lack
of love towards each other, numerous denominations, greed, lies,
false teachings, arrogance, egos, backbiting etc.
Divided
We Fall...
Years ago, God told me to get our telephone book out and look at the
numerous "Christian" denominations listed under "Churches". He had
me write down a list of (any) ten denominations I chose. I was to
pick them at random, and insert the names of the denominations into
(2)1 Corinthians 1:9:
"God is
faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I plead with you, brethren, by
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same
thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be
perfectly joined together {in Christ’s Body} in the same mind
and in the same judgment {God’s}. Now this I say, that every one
of you saith, I am of Paul {insert any religion formed by man};
and I of Apollos {insert any religion formed by man}; and I of
Cephas {insert any religion formed by man}; and I of Christ
{spoken and written Word of God}. Is Christ divided? was Paul
crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" [1
Cor 1:9]
Obviously, our
praise and battle cry should be, "I am a member in Christ’s one
Church and Body, where He is the Head over His own Body. His Church
includes all who embrace Him as their Savior. He is the Shepherd
(pastor), High Priest, Teacher, Apostle, Prophet etc and ‘one’ over
His Church. I am blessed to have His love in my own heart and mind,
His heart and mind in me. Praise God, I have been given the Holy
Spirit that will lead me into God’s teachings and wisdom without
error, and if I do make a mistake He will be quick to correct me."
We are not to become
a denomination or religion. We are to believe the Word as He is
written. We are all one in HIS Body, according to Christ’s Word. His
love allows us to listen to others, with a loving heart and mind,
the mind and heart of Christ in us, without fearing loss of what we
already believe in. It is our ability to share, without wanting to
control.
There is but "one"
Head over Christ’s church, and this is Jesus Christ Himself.
Everyone else is but one member in His "one" Church and Body. All
who believe they have their "own church", therefore, possess
"nothing". Everything and everyone belongs to Christ and God our
Father. On the day of judgement all else will fall away and be seen
in this TRUTH.
Jesus Said
This Regarding His Own Body, His Church...
"Jesus knew
their thoughts and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against
itself will be ruined [desolation], and every city or household
divided against itself will not stand." [Matt 12:25]
Was Jesus including
His own Kingdom in this statement? Yes. He used the words "EVERY
KINGDOM". He meant just what He said, "Every Kingdom divided against
itself will be ruined [desolation], and every city or household
divided against itself will not stand", INCLUDING His own! Praise
God, He will not allow His Kingdom to fall. He has not left His
Kingdom in the hands
Does God Call
The Church His City? Yes!...
[Rev 3:12] "He
who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God
, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of
My God and the name of the city of My God , the New Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from My God." NKJV
[Rev 21:2] "Then
I, John, saw the holy city , New Jerusalem , coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
NKJV
Does God Call
The Church His House? Yes!...
[1 Tim 3:15]
"but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought
to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of
the living God, the pillar and ground of the TRUTH." [NKJ]
Notice in the above scripture, God said His
"house" and "church" are one in the same and that they are the
"pillar and ground of the TRUTH". Some will say, "OK we will all
believe the TRUTH, but what is the TRUTH. The TRUTH for one of us,
is not necessarily the TRUTH for another, thus we have to have
numerous denominations." For the sake of these, we pray in the NAME
OF JESUS CHRIST that He will convince you that this is not the case.
The One Spirit Who Unifies In Love ...
Why MUST WE walk in the ONE SPIRIT of Love? Because
Love is His Spirit, and through this Spirit we are joined to,
and unified with, Jesus Christ, and therefore, have access to
our Father. After Christ’s resurrection, our Father gave us His own
Spirit who is holy <LK 24:49; Acts 1:4, 2:33>. If we do not love one
another, we are not ONE with Jesus Christ, and/or our Father:
[1 Cor 6:17] "But the one who joins
himself to the Lord {Jesus Christ} is one spirit."
[Eph 2:18] "For through him {Jesus Christ}
we both {Jew and Christian} have access to the Father by one
Spirit."
[Phil 1:27] "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner
worthy of the gospel (Word/Bible/Testament) of Christ. Then,
whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence,
I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as
ONE MAN {as Christ’s one Body} for the faith of the
gospel"
Christ’s Spiritual Church Is Not Split!...
Christ’s Spiritual church is not split, nor walking
in evil. How can this be? The answer to this is also the same reason
we are told to walk and worship in the one Spirit while still on
earth. Please notice how very important the SPIRIT of God is in each
one of the following scriptures. Salvation is received by confessing
that Jesus Christ is your Savior, Lord, and the Son of God, but
membership in His Body comes through God's unifying Holy Spirit
after you’ve confessed this. One must be
baptized into the Spirit of God in order to enter
into the BODY of Christ, who His Bride and Church.
[John 4:23-24] "But the hour is
coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in Spirit and TRUTH; for the Father is seeking such
to worship Him. God is Spirit , and those who worship Him MUST
worship in spirit and TRUTH." NKJV
[Phil 3:2-3] "For we {Christians} are
the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice
in Christ Jesus..." NKJV
[Rom 8:1-4] "There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not
walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit .
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made
me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law
could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account
of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous
requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not
walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
NKJV
{Romans 8:1-4, above, teaches us that we
are only righteous if we walk in the Spirit of God.}
[Gal 5:16-18] "I say then: Walk in the
Spirit , and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that
you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are
led by the Spirit, you are not under the law {of sin and death}."
NKJV
[Gal 5:24-25] "And those who are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If
we live in the Spirit , let us also walk in the Spirit."
NKJV
[1 Cor 10:1-4] "Moreover, brethren, I do not
want you to be unaware that all our fathers {Israelites} were
under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized
into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same
spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock
was Christ."
[1 Cor 12:11] "All these {gifts} are
the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them
to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit,
though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are
many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all
baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or
Greeks {Gentiles}, slave or free-- and we were all given
the one Spirit to drink.
One Faith...
"FAITH" is defined in Webster's Dictionary as
follows: "[LATIN - "to trust"] FIDELITY...; complete
confidence; FIRM belief in something for which there is no proof;
a confident belief in the TRUTH, value, or
trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing; belief that does not
rest on logical proof or material evidence; loyalty to a person or
thing; allegiance; belief and trust in God and in the doctrines
expressed in the scriptures...
The Bible says the following about FAITH:
[Eph 4:1-5] "I, therefore, the prisoner of
the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling
with which you have been called, with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in
love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as
also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, ONE
FAITH, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all
and through all and in all."
God, obviously, recognizes ONE FAITH, FAITH in
Himself. He says He is ONE: one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one
Faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and
through all and in all."
One Nation With One King...
[Ezek 37:21] "And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the
heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side,
and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one
nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king
{Jesus Christ} shall be king to them all: and they shall be no
more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms
any more at all".
One Mind Of Christ Is In All...
Christ’s one mind is in all of God’s reborn children
in order to provide unification in Christ’s one Body:
[Phil 2:1-5] Therefore if there is any
consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being
of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look
out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests
of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus."
[Rom 15:5] "Now may the God who gives
perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same
mind {Christ’s} with one another according to Christ
Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, accept one
another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God".
[1 Pet 3:8] Finally, all of you be of one
mind {Christ’s}, having compassion for one another; love
as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous".
The expression "of ONE MIND" teaches that we are
all to be in the one mind and one heart of God. One mind
speaks of Christ’s own "compassion and self sacrificing
unconditional love". Christ healed and fed the hungry with
"compassion". (See: Matt 14:14, Matt 15:32, Matt 20:34, Mark 1:41,
Mark 5:19, Mark 6:34...)
It is only when we are complete, of good Comfort,
of one mind and live in peace, that our God is with us: 2
Corinthians 13:11 verifies this saying, "Finally, brethren,
farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind,
live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."
He Who Lives In Love, Lives
In God...
"God will abide with us" "if we love one
another". If we do not love one another, God does not live in us.
Please notice that God tells us that His love is "perfected among
{within}" us. It is as a member in the Body, the one Body of Christ
Jesus, that we are perfected. Perfection manifests ONLY within
Christ’s unified Body of love, and unification comes only
through God’s Spirit who is Holy.
[I Jn 4:12-21] No one has seen God at any
time. If we love one another, God abides {lives} in us,
and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that
we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His
{ONE} Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father
has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses
that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God
is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in
him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we
may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is,
so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,
because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been
made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a
liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how
can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we
have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother
{all in Christ} also."]
We Are ONE In Him Through Our Word...
We are ALL MADE PERFECT IN the ONE BODY
of Christ Jesus.
[John 17:20-23] "I do not pray for these
alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through
their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me,
and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the
world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave
Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in
one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them as You have loved Me."
If you are not a member in "the one", you will
not be made perfect. This is because Christ is our perfection, and
He is ONE Body of members.
The only reason we receive Christ’s glory is so
that we can become one just as Jesus and His Father are one.
God/Jesus prayed for this, for us, so that we could be made perfect;
and then the world would know that Jesus was sent by His
Father, and that both Jesus and our Father loved/love us.
Is the Bible
the "WORD"? Yes!...
[1Thes 2:13] And for this reason we also
constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of
God's message, you accepted {it} not {as} the word of men
{denominations, tradition, religion, theology etc}, but {for}
what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its
work in you who believe {it is the Word of God}.
[NAS]
[John 1:1-5] "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was
life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [NKJ]
Is the
Word/Bible the TRUTH? Yes!...
[John 17:17] "Sanctify them by Your truth.
Your word is truth." [NKJ]
[Eph 1:13] "In Him you also trusted, after
you heard the word of truth, the gospel [Word/Bible/Testament]
of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." [NKJ]
[Col 1:5] For the hope which is laid up for
you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the
truth of the gospel." [KJV]
Is God/Christ
the Word? Yes!...
[Rev 19:13] "He {Christ Jesus} was clothed
with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word
of God." [NKJ]
[Phil 1:18] What then? Only that in every
way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. [NKJ]
Christ, Himself, and not the doctrine of
Christ, is preached.
Is Christ Both
The WORD and TRUTH? Yes Of Course!...
[John 1:17] For the law was given through
Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [NKJ]
[2 Cor 11:10] As the truth of Christ is in me..." [NKJ]
[I Jn 5:6-7] This is He who came by water and blood-- Jesus
Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is
the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For
there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, THE
WORD {Jesus Christ}, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are
ONE. [NKJ]
Therefore, you have not received Jesus Christ,
who is the Word, unless you believe the Word is the TRUTH. The Word
is alive!
God Gave Us
BIRTH Through The Word Of TRUTH...
[James 1:18] He {our Father} chose to give
us birth through the Word of truth, that we might be a kind
of firstfruits of all he created. [NIV]
To be a child of God [to receive BIRTH into the
Kingdom of God], you MUST BELIEVE the Bible is the WORD OF TRUTH.
Is The Word
THE ONE FAITH? Yes!...
[Rom 10:8] But what does it say? "The word is
near you, in your mouth and in your heart" [that is, the word
of faith which we preach" [and you now read in your Bible]
Is Our FAITH
In Christ? Yes!...
[Rom 10:16] But they have not all obeyed the
gospel; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has
heard from us?" So faith comes from what is heard, and what
is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. [RSV]
Today, the comment that "faith comes from what is
heard", can also include "faith comes from what is READ." When Paul
delivered this message it had not been written down (in the Bible).
Does
God Intend To Unify Us In ONE FAITH, His Son, Who Is The Word?
Yes!...
[Eph 4:10-23] He who descended is also the One
who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all
things. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets,
some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping
of the saints for the work of {Christ’s} ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of
the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man
{ONE SPIRIT, MIND AND BODY/TEMPLE}, to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed
to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
but, speaking the
Truth in love, may grow up in all
things into Him who is the Head-- Christ-- from whom the whole
body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every part does its
share, causes growth of the body {Christ’s one Body}
for the edifying of itself in love.
This I say, therefore, and testify in the
Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles
{non Christians} walk, in the futility of their mind,
having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the
life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them,
because of the hardening of their heart; who, being past
feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work
all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so
learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been
taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put
off, concerning your former conduct, the old man
which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and
be renewed in the spirit of your mind {Christ’s mind in
you}" [NKJ].
Did God
Forewarn Us About ANTI-CHRISTS [False Teachers]? Yes!..
ANTI-CHRIST is defined by the Webster's Dictionary as
"an enemy of Christ; a false Christ". Christ is the Word of TRUTH.
Therefore, a "false teaching" or "false doctrine" qualifies as"
anti-Christ".
The Apostle John said the following:
"Little children, it is the last hour
{all time between Christ’s resurrection and now}; and as you
have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many
antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
They went out from us {the church}, but they were not of us; for
if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but
they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of
them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One,
and you know all things. I have not written to you because
you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that
no lie is of the truth." [1 Jn 2:18-21].
He goes on to say,
"and every spirit that does not confess that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is
the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was
coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God,
little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in
you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the
world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears
them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of
God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth
and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and
knows God. He who does not love does not know God,
for God is love. In this the love of God was
manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through Him {as a member in
Him, His one Body}. In this is love, not that we loved God, but
that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our
sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one
another. [I Jn 4:3-11]
He continues by saying,
"...I am not writing you a new command but
one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one
another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His
commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His
{Jesus Christ’s} command is that you walk in love. [2
John 1:5-6]
Timothy said, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter
times some will depart from THE FAITH, giving heed to
deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in
hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron...
[1 Tim 4:1-2; NKJ]
[2 Tim 3:8-11] Now as Jannes and Jambres
resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of
corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they
will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to
all, as theirs also was. But you have carefully followed my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love,
perseverance, persecutions, afflictions..." [NKJ].
Am I saying that those who attend denominational
churches are "anti-Christ", or that their Pastors, elders, ministers
etc. are? No, absolutely not! Not if they are teaching the
WORD [Bible], who is Jesus Christ, as He is WRITTEN and spoken
through the Apostles.
Jesus fought satan with "IT IS WRITTEN" (Matt.
4:4, 4:7, 4:10 etc). In fact, the term "It is written" is repeatedly
said approximately sixty-six (66) times in the New Testament alone.
Why? Because there is power in the written Word of God. The Word and
God are ONE.
ONE CHURCH of
ONE FAITH in Many Locations...
In 1 Corinthians 1:2 Paul says, "To the church of God
which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name
{and nature} of Jesus Christ our Lord...".
In Paul's time, just as today, the Saints needed
easy access to numerous buildings (called churches) in various towns
and locations. In many cases, they met in people’s homes. We
understand then that Christ’s one church or congregation met
in various locations. However, Paul goes on to say, "that you were
enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you
come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end,
that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
We are called BY OUR FATHER into the fellowship
of His Son, Jesus Christ. This fellowship is with God our Father as
well as Christ, and it is as a member in Christ’s one Body that we
"fellowship" with all our brothers and sisters who have
also been called by our Father. This one spiritual congregation,
the great assembly, is not dependent on any one building or
denomination, but rather Christ, who is the "Head" over all His Body
members. In fact, Christ’s eternal Spiritual Church exists
NOW, and consists of all in heaven and earth who carry the Testimony
of Christ in their hearts. Praise God! Now and forever. We are
"ONE".
****
(1) "Communion":
Suggested Reading:
"The Soul Is In
The Blood" [Communion]
(2) 1 Corinthians
1:9: Suggested Reading: Corinthians 3 (below):
"And I, brethren, (2a)could
not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to
babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid
food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even
now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For
where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you
not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am
of Paul {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man},’ and
another {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man}, ‘I am
of Apollos {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man},’
are you not carnal?
Who then is Paul {insert ANY RELIGION formed
by man}, and who is Apollos {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man},
but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to
each one? I {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} planted, Apollos
{insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} watered, but God gave
the increase. So then neither he {insert ANY RELIGION
formed by man} who plants is anything, nor he {insert ANY
RELIGION formed by man} who waters, but God who gives the
increase. Now he {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} who
plants and he {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} who waters
are one, and each one will receive his own reward
according to his own labor.
For we are God's fellow workers;
you are God's field, you are God's building. According to
the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder
I {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} have laid the
foundation, and another {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man}
builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on
this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will
declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire
will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work
which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If
anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself
will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Do you not know that you are the temple of
God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles
the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God
is holy, which temple you are.
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise
in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For
the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is
written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’; and
again, ‘The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are
futile.’ Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things
are yours: whether Paul {insert ANY RELIGION formed by
man} or Apollos {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man} or
Cephas {insert ANY RELIGION formed by man}, or the world
or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are
yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. NKJV
(2a) "could not speak to you as to
spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ":
Paul separated God’s people into two different groups:
{mature} Spiritual people, and carnal babes. Both are
present in Christ’s physical church. However, it is the
spiritual people, beings, who should be guiding, edifying
and assisting the immature carnal babes into maturity. It
should never be visa versa. Never should the level of
teaching continue, year after year, at the same level. Every
baby must learn to pick up the fork and eat at some point in
time. To keep all children on milk because of a few
stubborn, ignorant and/or lazy ones is criminal to all, and
not at all what God has in mind for His "one" church.
If you would like to print this and share it with
your brothers and sisters in Christ, or the world, please feel free
to do so. However, I ask that you always leave my name on the
messages God writes through me; and never sell them. Thank you so much for your love.
Copyright & Copy Chris Williams Ministry
http://chris-williams-ministry.org
chris-williams@chris-williams-ministry.org
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
E-Mail
If you would like to print this and share it with
your brothers and sisters in Christ, or the world, please feel free
to do so. However, I ask that you always leave my name on the
messages God writes through me; and never sell them. Thank you so much for your love. Copyright & Copy Chris Williams Ministry
http://chris-williams-ministry.org
chris-williams@chris-williams-ministry.org
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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