Strange Incense

This message is related to my message last week – The Last Move of God.

There were three feast periods mentioned in Leviticus 23. These Feasts were Feast of the Passover, Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of the Tabernacles. These feast periods are still being observed by many Orthodox Jews today. Within these feast periods of one week each there were seven observations. There were three observations in the first feast period – feast of the Passover, the Unleavened Bread and the Firstfruits. There was only one observation in the Feast of Pentecost – new grain offering. The three observations in Feast of the Tabernacles were the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of booths.

Our discussion this week concerns the Feast of the Tabernacles. Since the Church is a type of Israel there are parallel truths concerning the Church and Israel. In other words, the Jewish Feasts give us a picture of the Church in different periods of time. We are looking at the move of God concerning His Church in seasonal aspect. Each feast has its fulfillment in the life of each individual believer and the Church. The First Feast Period speaks of the Martin Luther’s ministry and John Wesley’s ministry of “Justification by faith”. Unleavened bread speaks of holiness – walking in the newness of life. The Second Feast Period speaks of the Pentecostal renewal. The Third Feast Period is the Church today – the “end-time” Church, the Church that will usher in the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are now moving into the time of trumpets, atonement and the Altar of Incense.

The Altar of Incense

This Golden Altar was for the burning of Incense unto the Lord (Exodus 30:1 – 10). As mentioned last week incense always speaks to us of the prayers and intercession of the saints which ascend unto God (Psalms 141:1, 2; Rev. 8:2 – 6). Incense begins on the altar with man, and as it burns, it ascends upward to God. Likewise, our prayers begin in the heart of man and ascend heavenward unto God.

The Altar of Incense was at the very heart of the Tabernacle. It speaks to us that the ministry of intercession, prayer and praise are at the very heart of God. These are the nearest things to the Glory of God. It was positioned at the end of the Holy Place and just next to the Holy of Holies. This is symbolic of the fact that the Church at the end of this age is experiencing the Altar of Incense. The spirit of prayer, supplications, intercession and praise will and must deepen in all believers (Rev. 8:2 – 4).

Strange Fire or Strange Incense

There was to be no strange fire or strange incense on the Altar Incense. The first fire was divinely lit. On the day of the dedication of the Tabernacle divine fire was brought from the Brazen Altar to light the Candlestick and the Altar of Incense. Hence, the fire was a divine fire. Any other fire was “strange fire”. Any incense other than the prescribed incense (Exodus 30:34 – 38) was “strange incense”. Anyone who attempted to offer such an offering on the Altar would be punished by being cut off from the Presence of God.

Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered fire and incense and were smitten by the Lord (Lev. 10:1 – 3). Korah and his company offered strange incense and were plagued (Num. 16).

The strange fire and incense is typical of all false worship. God is not interested in worship that is excited by mere religious ritual. God only accepts that Fire which originates with Himself on the basis of Blood Atonement (Lev. 16:12). God lit the fire in the Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). It is the fire of the Holy Spirit which causes the fragrance to arise and ascend within the veil (Hebrews 12:29).

The Strange Incense of Uzziah

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king of Judah (2 Chronicles 26:3).

“He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper” (2 Chron. 26:5, NKJV).

But later on, because of His pride, he acted corruptly, and became unfaithful to the Lord:

“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense” (Verse 16, emphasis added).

I believe strange incense speaks to us of ministries in the Church and in the life of individual believers not appointed by God.

The job to burn incense on the altar was the priests (Verses 17, 18) and not the job of the king.

Because of envy or jealousy many men or women in the Church covet ministry gifts which have not been raised up by God.

Azariah and other priests withstood Uzziah and said,

“It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priest, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God” (Verse 18, emphasis added).

Pastors of the Local Church should speak out against any Church member who trespasses another person’s ministry!

“Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priest, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar” (Verse 19, emphasis added).

Leprosy was a judgment of God. Leprosy broke out on Uzziah’s forehead because in those days the priest wore a gold plate engraved with the words “Holiness to the Lord” on his turban (Exodus 28:36, 37). Uzziah was coveting another’s ministry and had no respect to the ministry of the priests. He moved into false incense.

Similarly, when a Church member moves into “false incense” and the Pastor speaks to him, “No, this is not your ministry and I have appointed someone else”. This person is likely to react by saying, “If you don’t want me I’ll go somewhere else!”

Rebellion and all Church politics arise because of “false incense”. Many full-time workers left the ministry because of Church politics – Criticism, backbiting and not being able to cope with the rejection they get.

Church politics will bring judgment not only to the person who moves into false incense but to the Local Church as well.

I believe the move of holiness is coming back into the Church. It points us to the Feast of Atonement, few days before the Feast of the Tabernacles. The Feast of Atonement speaks of repentance and holiness of the Church. The Church is going into a time of tremendous cleansing and tremendous holiness. God would not allow “leprosy” in the Church. He is going to put His fingers to the Church to take out all Church politics and “false incense”!

What happened when king Uzziah died?

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:1 – 3, NKJV, emphasis added).

Isaiah, the prophet ministered in the days of Uzziah. The Lord spoke to him and he heard the voice of the Lord. But, he saw the Lord only after king Uzziah died! Strange or false incense and leprosy died with Uzziah.

The Church will not see the Lord unless the sin of false incense is exposed and taken out of the way. God will visit the Church and there will be angelic visitations when the Church is healed of leprosy. Then we will see the Lord, lifted up high – Holy, holy; the whole earth is full of His Glory!

The Last Move of God

The Tabernacle of Moses contains many facets of truth. It can be seen as a picture of the redemption of man; as a picture of Christ and the Church or a picture of the Ages of time relative to the Plan of Redemption.

This message concerns the Ages of time determined by God. From the study of the measurements of the three sections of the Tabernacle we have a picture of the Law Age, the Church Age and the Kingdom (Millennial) Age. The Outer Court speaks of the Law Age; the Holy Place speaks of the Church Age and the Holy of Holies speaks of Kingdom Age. It is beyond the scope of this message to study the entire Tabernacle in any details. We confine our discussion on the Church Age only.

The Church Age

The Holy Place gives a prophetic picture of the Church Age. The Holy Place measured 20 cubits in length, 10 cubits in width, and 10 cubits in height. Thus the cubical volume is 2000. This corresponds to the Church Age of 2000 years. The two entrances of the Tabernacle correspond to the First and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The door was the First entrance and let one into the Holy Place. This corresponds to the First Coming of Christ who opened the Door to the 2000 years of the Church Age. The Second Veil corresponds to the Second Coming of Christ. This Veil opens at the close of the Church Age and lets the true believer into the Holy of Holies.

The Holy Place has three articles of furniture which have significance related to the Church Age:
1. The Golden Candlestick points to the Light of the Church, the only light in the Holy Place. The Light speaks of the anointing, illumination, fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

2. The Golden Table of Shewbread typifies the Lord’s Table, the very communion of Christ and the Church which is to be experienced in the 2000 years by the believer-priests (1 Cor. 11:23, 24).

3. The Golden Altar of Incense emphasizes the ministry of prayer, praise and intercession that is to be the characteristic of the Church as they move in Priestly function and administration before the Lord.

It is interesting to note that these three pieces of furniture typify the practices of the early Church.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42, NKJV).

The order – Apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer has great significance. Without having the same doctrine there is no possibility of fellowship; without fellowship we cannot break bread together; and without having all the first three, there is no harmony in our praying together!

Prophetic Insights of the Golden Altar of Incense

As the Church journeys through time in the Holy Place the last piece of furniture before the second veil is the Altar of Incense. It also corresponds to the last of the three main Jewish feasts – the Feast of the Tabernacle (the In-gathering). The other two main Jewish feasts are the Feast of the Passover and Feast of Pentecost.

The Last Move of God

The last move of God is to prepare the Church for heaven – The Bride “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). At the Second Coming of Jesus the true Church shall go through the second veil (the “veil” of our flesh) and put on the “clothe” of immortality into the Holy of holies, into the presence of God (Revelation 21). We are moving from the dispensation of Grace into the throne of God.

Exodus 30:1 – 10 describes the Altar of Incense.

“And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations” (Verses 6 – 8, NKJV, emphasis added).

The lamps were to be lighted during the evening sacrifice (6 pm) with incense (perpetual) before the ark of Covenant on the other side of the veil.

The End-time Church is a praying Church

Incense is a picture of prayer in both Old and New Testament Scripture:

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2).

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8, emphasis added).

“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand” (Rev. 8:3, 4, emphasis added).

Therefore, God’s will for the the last move of God is that the Church should emphasize on prayer. In other words, prayer is the number one ministry in the Local Church in the last move of God.

Let us look at what Zacharias, a priest, did when he burnt incense in the temple:

“…. According to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John” (Luke 1:9 – 13, emphasis added).

Here are some observations:

1. Zacharias was a priest. All believers are priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9). We are a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). God will raise up many “Zacharias” in the end-time Church who will burn incense (pray) to the Lord.

2. As the Church prays there will be angelic visitations. Just as there were angelic visitations before the first coming of Jesus we will see angelic visitations and interventions in the lives of believers and the Church just before the second coming of Jesus.

3. There will be tremendous spiritual births of sons and daughters in the last move of God. People, young and old, who we thought would never be saved would come quickly into the Kingdom of God; quickly matured and transformed by the power of God. In other words, there will be a great harvest of souls!

4. There will be tremendous Church growth:

“Before she travailed, she brought for the; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:7, 8, KJV, emphasis added).

The above prophecy will be fulfilled. The word “Zion” speaks of the Church all through Scripture. The word “travail” or “labor” speaks of fervent prayer. As the Church prays many spiritual children (new souls) will be brought forth!

Importance of petition, intercession, prayer, praise and thanksgiving

A Church that embraces the last move of God is a praying Church.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6, 7, emphasis added).

Notice that the above speaks of all kinds of prayers.

Filled with the Holy Spirit

In order to pray effectively you must be led by the Spirit. You cannot be led by the Spirit unless you are filled with the Spirit. You cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit unless you are baptized in the Holy Spirit first. Believers who embrace the last move of God will be filled with the Holy Spirit:

“And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:18, 19, emphasis added).

The spiritual principle is, when you minister to the Lord, the Lord touches you. When God touches you, you are filled with the Spirit. Then you can touch others. Receptivity comes be activity. No input, no output; more input, more output!

It is not true that a Spirit filled believer leaks as claimed by many Bible teachers. A Spirit filled Christian does not leak! The truth is power goes out of him when he ministers to others with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Look at the healing of the woman “having a flow of blood for twelve years” (Luke 8:43). When she touched the border of the garment of Jesus, He said:

“Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me” (Luke 8:46).

The Power of Intercession

A plague broke out when the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron:

“So Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun’. Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plaque was stopped” (Numbers 16:46 – 48, emphasis added).

Aaron was a perfect example of an intercessor – he stood between God's people and God’s wrath and judgment.

The way to stop any “plague” or wrath of God against our nation or our Church is to go into intercession. Intercession breaks the principality and powers over our country and Church.

The Power of the Evening Sacrifice

At Mount Carmel Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:20 – 40). The prophets of Baal would call upon their gods to send fire to consume the prepared sacrifice. Elijah would do the same by calling the name of the Lord. Baal failed in their effort. Elijah then took his turn:

“And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench” (1 Kings 18:36, 38, NKJV, emphasis added).

The reason why Elijah waited until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice to call upon the Lord because he knew God promised to meet with his people at the evening offering!

Beloved, this is now the evening time for the Church! God is waiting for our evening sacrifice!

The Christian Walk

The life of a believer is called a walk. You do not live the Christian life but walk the Christian life because you can live and be static. But you cannot walk and be static at the same time. To walk the Christian life indicates that the believer’s life must be progressive and must be on the move.

Solomon said, “The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto a perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18, NKJV, emphasis added).

The path of the Christian shines brighter and brighter. If you are living in yesterday’s light today, you are in danger of becoming a backslider!

Walking in the steps of Abraham

Abraham had a unique calling. Abraham is the “father of all who believe” (Romans 4:11). Through faith in Jesus Christ, the seed of Abraham, we have become children of Abraham.

Paul said, “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7, NKJV).

We are children of Abraham if we walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham our father (Romans 4:12). Therefore, being a child of Abraham means you walk the way Abraham walked. Therefore, by studying Abraham’s walk of faith we have a good idea how a believer should walk.


A Christian’s Commitment

The progressive commitment of Abraham gives us a clear picture how we should commit ourselves to God in our Christian walk. Our spiritual progress and growth depend on our level of commitment to God. Let us study the steps of faith taken by Abraham from the time God called him until he came to Canaan. Each step was a further commitment to God. Similarly, each step we take in our Christian walk should be a further commitment to God. Commitment to God means relinquishing something human – something from our freshly desire. This means giving up something precious. The point is, if we cease giving up something we also cease in our spiritual progress.

1. Call of Abraham to leave Er, his country

“Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing’” (Gen. 12:1, NKJV, emphasis added).

Stephen addressed the council, “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and came to a land that I will show you.’ Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell” (Acts 7:2 – 4, emphasis added).

God commanded Abraham to leave three things behind him – His country (Er), his family (father included) and his relatives. Notice that Abraham did not disobey God totally, but his obedience was progressive. He did not meet all the conditions immediately. But, his progress only continued as he met the conditions. He left his country but he took his father with him.

Similarly, when God calls us to leave our family and to serve Him in a different locality we are likely to bring our family members along with us and carry other extra “baggage”.

2. Call to leave his father and Haran

As long as his father was alive and with him, Abraham could not go the complete journey to the promised land. He was half way at Haran. When his father died obstacle No. 1 was removed and he left Haran and journeyed on.

Many of us are called by God to serve God in our God-given “promised land”. But if we take our “father” along we might stall half way! Our “father” could be a whole lot of different things from the past – such as certain religious tradition, certain religious association, certain denominational affiliation, business and social affiliation and the love of money and so on.

3. Call to leave Lot, his relative (nephew)

There is another unfulfilled condition before Abraham could inherit the promised land. Lot, who was not part of God’s covenant, was with him. In Old Testament Hebrew the word “lot” means a veil. Therefore when Lot was with Abraham he simply could not see the inheritance God had provided for him. God did not intend Lot to remain with Abraham. So God arranged the circumstances when they had to come to a confrontation and caused them to part (Gen. 13:5 – 17).

Notice the meekness of Abraham. He learned how to bend or yield under pressure and allowed Lot to make the first choice of which part of the land he would like to dwell. I believe Abraham had total confidence in God that He would use Lot’s choice to work God’s will for him! Abraham believed that:

“A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3:17).

It is same with our spiritual life. We need to have the meekness and gentleness of Abraham and willing to bend or yield under pressure. Sometimes we fail to listen to God and make up our mind to do things that God does not want us to do. We are too stubborn to heed God’s counsel. Meekness is not weakness. In fact meekness is a mark of great spiritual strength. Only a strong Christian can be meek.

But, Lot made the wrong choice. His heart was not right. He was looking for the material before the spiritual. As a result he dwelled in an evil and corrupted environment.

The moment Lot was separated from Abraham the veil over his eyes was removed!

“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever” (Gen. 13:14).

Abraham did not have to move; he just had to look. Any direction he look it is going to be his and his descendants!

4. The coming and departure of Ishmael

After 12 years of waiting and there was no sign of the promised heir, Abraham and Sarah decided to help God. If ever Abraham made a disastrous mistake it was Ishmael. Not merely Ishmael turned against the promised heir Isaac but the descendants of Ishmael had stood in the way of the descendants of Isaac for 4000 years – and still do today. Shouldn’t it teach us that Ishmael is very costly?

Someone has said, “The child of expediency is always an Ishmael”. How many Ishmael’s have we brought forth in today’s Churches? Many Church programs and projects are Ishmael. They are children of expediency. The Church does what seems good to the Pastors and leaders.

Abraham made another serious blunder. He abdicated his right and let the initiative passed from him as head of the home and let Sarah made the decision. Sarah said go into her maid – he did! Some years later Sarah said get rid of her maid – he had to because of his first mistake!

Notice that Abraham committed the same blunder that Adam committed. Adam allowed Eve to speak to the serpent who had no right to be in the Garden in the first place!

Do we commit the same blunder in the Church? How many times women Pastors and women Church leaders brought forth Ishmael?

When Ishmael was 13 years old the promised heir Isaac – he came God’s way. He came not by manipulation, not by helping God, but by God’s initiative!

Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom of the Church; the true Church is His Bride. The same relationship applies here. The Bridegroom takes the initiative to make decisions. Therefore Jesus does not want the Church to take any initiative. Jesus is fully prepared to accept the responsibility for taking the initiative. What He wants the Church to do is to respond. But most of the Churches today have little or no concept of letting the Lord to take the initiative.

After Isaac was weaned, Sarah took the initiative to have Hagar and her son Ishmael sent away (Gen. 21:9 – 14). Abraham was troubled but God helped him to handle his mistake. Likewise, all men-of-God should learn how to handle mistakes. God will help them when their hearts are right.

5. Call to let go of Isaac

The final test of Abraham’s faith was the letting go of Isaac, his only promised son (Gen 22:1 – 18).

Notice that whenever God asked Abraham to do anything he got up early in the morning to do it. I believe if he hadn’t got up early but stayed in bed and thought about it he would not have agreed to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. This would have changed the course of history!

Because of Abraham faithfulness and obedience God provided a Ram for the burnt offering in place of Isaac. Ram is a princely animal and in this context signifies Jesus. “Horns” (of the ram) speaks of God’s strength – Jesus’ strength comes from His obedience to the Father.

After Abraham’s faith had been tested and confirmed the Angel of the Lord said, “Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Gen. 22:17, 18, NKJV, emphasis added).

The key to all these blessings is “hearing and obeying God’s voice”.

I believe whatever God gives us one day He will ask for it back. Our faith and commitment will be tested. Our response to God’s demand determines the measure of blessing He will bless us with.

Conclusion

Every one of the above steps of commitment is a renunciation – a letting go and yielding to God’s demand.

An important spiritual principle revealed by studying Abraham’s walk with God is:

Whatever you hold on to dwindles; whatever you yield is multiplied. The things you give is what God multiples. God blesses you but he multiples what you have yielded to him!

True Christians and the Law

According to the apostle Paul every person has a choice – To bear fruit to God or to bear fruit to death.

“Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another – to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our member to bear fruit to death” (Romans 7:4, 5, NKJV, emphasis added).

Here are some observations:

1. Paul was writing to the Christians (called to be saints) in Rome (Romans 1:7). He called them “my brethren”. Yet some of them were still not “dead to the law” and still lived in the flesh – a legalistic “Christian” life. They failed to understand that “a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16).

2. When a person is united (married) to Christ, sharing His life and walking “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) he would bear fruit to God. This is only possible if a person is dead to the law. Every true Christian is dead to the law and so bears fruit to God.

3. When a person is still in the flesh (with a corrupt nature of an unsaved person) he is living the old life of sin. As a result he would bear fruit to death. Therefore he is not a true Christian.

4. There is a close relationship between righteousness and life; sin and death.

Paul put it this way, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

“The righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”

5. To walk according to the flesh is to walk according to the law. Therefore to walk according to the law would bear fruit to death.

6. Sin is aroused by the law and therefore no one could obtain righteousness through the law.

The Ministry and Functions of the Law (Romans 7:7 – 13)

In Paul’s time new converts were asking, “What good is the Law if we don’t need it any more?”

Roman 7:7 – 13 is Paul’s answer. Many other Scripture verses also support Paul’s explanations.

1. The Law reveals sin (Romans 7:7)

“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20, NKJV, emphasis added).

“…. For where there is no law there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15).

The Ten Commandments are part of the Law. The last of the Ten Commandments concerns “covetousness” – “You shall not covet …” (Exodus 20:17) which differs from the other nine Commandments that it is an inward attitude and not an outward action. Covetousness leads to the breaking of the other commandments. It is an insidious sin that most people never recognize in their own lives, but God’s Law reveals it.

A perfect example of the use of the Law to reveal sin and show a man’s need for a savior is the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17 – 22). The young man was morally right outwardly, but he had never faced the sins within. When Jesus told him to sell his goods and give to the pour, the man went away in great sorrow. The Commandment “You shall not covet” had revealed to him what a sinner he really was! Instead of admitting his sin, he rejected Christ and went away unconverted.

2. The Law arouses sin (Romans 7:8, 9)

Paul, a devout Pharisee was seeking righteousness by obeying the Law before his encounter with Jesus.

But, after his conversion he said, “… that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; …” (Philippians 3:8, 9).

Paul also said, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law” (2 Cor. 15:56).

In other words, the law gives strength to sin or the law arouses sin. We are born with a sinful nature and the natural tendency of everyone is to disobey any given law. Something in the fallen human nature wants to rebel whenever a law is given. Here is an illustration:

A mother was telling her little girl not to touch her lipstick when she is away. But the moment the mother was not around the first thing the little girl wanted to do was to mess herself up with her mother’s lipstick! The sinful desire in the little girl was aroused by the law of her mother!

3. The Law kills (Romans 7:10, 11)

The Law kills and cannot give life; it can only show the sinner that he is guilty and condemned:

Paul said, “For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law” (Gal. 3:21).

This explains why legalistic Christians and local Churches do not grow and bear spiritual fruit. Churchgoers are living by their own man-made laws and standard which make them feel guilty and condemned when they break their own laws!

Paul said, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Gal. 5:18).

So, if a Christian finds himself under the law, the Spirit takes no part in his Christian walk!

There are many Pastors and Preachers who preach their sermons based on books of human philosophies and psychology and wisdom of men. The Internet is full of doubtful Christian materials. We have no lack of information, but what the Church lacks is revelation! If we are not careful we will start to follow a human leader or a “great man of God” and accept his teachings as law. This practice is a very subtle form of legalism, and it kills spiritual growth. No human teacher can take the place of Christ; no book can take the place of the Bible. Men can give us information, but only the Spirit of God can give us illumination and help us understand spiritual truths.

4. The Law shows the sinfulness of sin (Romans 7:12, 13)

Unsaved people and the so-called Christians know that there is such a thing as sin; but they do not realize the sinfulness of sin or the true nature of sin. We excuse our sins with words like “mistakes” or “weaknesses”. But God condemns our sins and tries to get us to see that they are “exceedingly sinful” (Verse 13). Until we realize how wicked sin really is, we will never want to oppose it and live in victory.

Paul’s conclusion is the Law is not sinful – it is holy, just, good and spiritual. The problem is not with the Law; the problem is with our sinful nature!

What the Law fails to do (Romans 7:14 – 25)

Having explained what the Law is supposed to do, Paul went on to explain what the Law cannot do.

1. The Law cannot change us (Romans 7:14)

Paul said the Law is “spiritual” because it deals with the inner man, the heart of man or the spiritual part of man.

We must not forget that in the original giving of the Law in Exodus, the emphasis was on the outward actions. But when Moses restated the Law in Deuteronomy, he emphasized the inner quality of the Law as it relates to man’s heart. This spiritual emphasis is stated clearly in Deuteronomy 10:12 – 13 by the use of the word “love”.

Our old nature is fleshly or carnal; but the Law’s nature is spiritual. This explains why the old nature respond as it does to the Law. Someone has said, “The old nature knows no Law, the new nature needs no Law”. The Law cannot transform the old nature; it can only reveal how sinful that old nature is. The believer who tries to live under Law will only activate the old nature; he will not eradicate it.

2. The Law cannot enable us to do good (Romans 7:15 – 21)

Paul repeatedly said that because of sin which dwells in our old nature we are not able to do the good that we want to do; but to do the evil that we do not want to do.

Paul was saying that of himself he could not obey God’s Law; and that even when he did, evil was still present with him. No matter what he did, his deeds were tainted by sin.

The truth is, it impossible for us to obey the Law because we have a sinful nature that rebels against the Law. Even if we think we have done good, we know that evil is present. The Law is good, but by nature, we are bad!

3. The Law cannot set us free (Romans 7:21 – 24)

The believer has an old nature that wants to keep him in the bondage of sin. He tries to overcome his old nature with the Law, but the Law cannot deliver him from the old nature.

The fact is that the inward man may delight in the Law of God:

“Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it” (Psalm 119:35).

But, the old nature delights in breaking the Law of God!

That is the reason why Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24).

What could be more wretched than exerting all our energy and effort to try to live a godly and blameless life, only to discover that the best we can do is still not good enough?

The Way out

Deliverance comes in Roman 8:

“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” (Romans 8:1, NKJV, emphasis added).

Those who are “in Christ Jesus” are true Christians who “walk according to the Spirit”.

“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” (Gal. 5:24, 25).

In other words, those who are still in the flesh do not belong to Christ!

Legalism and a Life of Faith

Paul in his Epistle to the Romans identified two groups of Christians who were living in two opposing extremes. One group said, since they were saved by grace, they were free to live as they please (Romans 6:1, 2, 15). Another group said, even though they were saved by grace they cannot ignore God’s Law. They must live under the Law if they were to please God. Paul answered the first group in Chapter 6; the second group he answered in chapter 7.

This message deals with what Paul said about legalism and a life of faith of individual Christians and the Christian Church.

It is important to note that Christians cannot live a legalistic Christian life and a life of faith in Christ at the some time. It is mutually exclusive; it is one way or the other. Essentially, legalism is the belief that a Christian can become holy and please God by obeying Laws (Old Testament Laws and any man-made laws). It is measuring spirituality by a list of do’s and don’ts. The weakness of legalism is that it sees sins but not the root of sins. It majors on the minor. It judges by outward appearance and not the inward. Furthermore, the legalist fails to understand the real purpose of God’s Law and the relationship between the Law and the Spirit.

In Romans Chapter 7 Paul was contrasting the way of the Law and the way of the Spirit. He used the illustration of the union between a husband and his wife to show that the believer has a new relationship to the Law because of his union with Jesus Christ:

“Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he live? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another – to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Romans 7:1 – 4, NKJV, emphasis added).

Here are some observations:

1. Marriage is a physical union. When a man and a woman marry, they are united for life:

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24, NKJV).

As long as they live, the husband and wife are under the authority of the law of marriage (the Marriage Covenant). If the wife leaves her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery. But if the husband dies, she is free to remarry because she is no longer a wife. It is physical death that has broken the marriage relationship and sets her free.

2. God’s people married to the Law when they were under the Law – in spiritual union, as in the Old Testament. When Christ came we were set free from the bondage of the Law and “married” to the Lord in grace. God’s people were married to the Law only while they were under the Law. The Body of Christ (the Church) is now married to Jesus Christ (the Head of the Christ) and so the Church must not go back to get “married” again to the Law. The Law did not die, because God’s Law still rules over men. We died to the Law (set free from the Law), and it no longer has dominion over us. If we go back to be under the Law again we are like committing spiritual adultery!

Legalism is Spiritual adultery

Paul realized that there was temptation for Christians who were brought into the liberty of the Spirit by faith to soon slip back into the Law – into a legalistic way of living the Christian life. He addressed this important issue in many of his epistles:

“…. a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal. 2:16).

“Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations – do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, ….” (Col. 2:20, 21).

There are many denominational Churches that demand their members to follow the legalistic way Church life – you must not speak in tongue, you must re-baptize, you must not take the Holy Communion in any other Church, you must do this and do that and you must not do this or that. They have the same pattern of worship service every week, in spite of the fact that we are liberated and freed by the Spirit to be led by the Spirit. Paul said we must not to be under the bondage of any legalism.

Legalism will not please God

The trouble is some Churchgoers find great security in their legalistic attitude. They find great safety in all the tradition of their Church life. People are so easily comforted by which is secured and known. So, if you have a written law – this is what you have to do, and this is what you are not to do, you will know what the Church wants you to do. All you need to know are nicely tabulated. Whether you will do it or not is another matter. But at least you know what you are supposed to be doing. A structured type of worship service is a form of legalism. The Holy Spirit is not allowed to have any freedom at all.

A certain amount of form or structure is needed in Church services and living our own daily life in our own home. But the structure is such that it allows liberty and freedom of the Spirit – and not to contain and restrict the move of the Spirit of God.

Paul said, “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17).

Paul points out two major facts about the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit in a congregation. The first is that the Holy Spirit is Lord. The second is that where the lordship of Holy Spirit in the Church is acknowledged, the result in a congregation is “liberty” or “freedom”.

However, Paul is not teaching or proclaiming go-and-do-as-you-like attitude. That is not what freedom means. True freedom is being set free by the Holy Spirit who is the Lord. Paul said, do not let your life becomes structured by legalism. If it is, you will be falling back to the bondage of the old. You cannot please God through a legalistic form of Christianity. You cannot please God by imagining that He sent His Holy Spirit into your life in order that you might now try to please Him! Paul said God sent His Holy Spirit into your life in order that you might follow the way of the Spirit

Why can’t we please God with a legalistic form of worship? Well, simply because the way of the law does not allow faith to operate! You do not need faith to follow a legalistic structure. You do not need to trust the Holy Spirit. You just have to do exactly what the Law (or any man-made law) says!

The writer of Hebrews said, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

Therefore it is not possible for anyone to please God with legalism. Therefore a Church with legalistic structure cannot please God!

God wants us to “walk on water”

If we are to have faith then we need to be liberated from the Old in order to trust in the New. This is what “Renewal of Faith” really means. To say, “Lord, I need more faith” is not the answer. God wants us to show him we have the faith to “walk on water” with our eyes fixed upon Him!

Matthew 14:22 – 33 tells the story concerning the failure of Peter when he attempted to walk on the water.

In the beginning Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water when he heard Jesus said, “come”. He fixed his eyes on the Lord as he began to walk on the water. Then he began to listen to his fear and he became conscious of the waves and the wind. The moment he took his eyes from the Lord he began to sink.

“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (Matt. 14:30, 31)

My comment is that if Peter who took the initiative to walk on water was a person of little faith, what about the faith of the rest of disciples who were on the boat?

God wants us to live by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). To live by faith is to step out from the security of our legalistic Christian life and to begin to walk on water – on that which we do not know to be saved except that it is what the Lord God said. If we put our trust in what He said it will not be on water, but on the Rock!

The Church needs to be liberated from the “security” of traditionalism, from the “security” of her legalistic structure, in order that we might live in the freedom God has already done in delivering us from the Law and bringing us into a walk of faith. If we fail to fixed our eyes upon Jesus who is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) we are going to sink like Peter!

The Righteous Requirement of the Law

The theme of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is righteousness. In this Epistle Paul explained to the Christians in Rome how to achieve righteousness without observing Moses Law.

Paul said, “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 but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3, 4, NKJV, emphasis added).

Here are some observations:

1. Because of the sinful nature of the natural man it is not possible for anyone to achieve righteousness by keeping Moses Law. The Law was given by God and therefore perfect (Rom 7:12). But, the fault was not in the Law; the fault is in us. God has never expected us to achieve righteousness by keeping the Law of Moses.

2. Therefore, God has provided an alternative way through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus gave His life as an atonement for the sins of all those who have broken the Law and also for the sins of those who have not been under the Law.

3. For those who believed and are walking in the Spirit the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled.

The Scripture revealed that even Old Testament saints were concerned about righteousness.

Job asked the question, “Truly I know it is so, but how can a man be righteous before God” (Job 9:2)?

Hundreds of years later God gave the answer in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (Romans 8).

Love is the Righteous Requirement of the Law

The following verses of Scripture confirmed that “LOVE” is the righteous requirement of the Law.

1. A lawyer was testing Jesus by asking Him which was the great commandment in the law.

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets’” (Matthew 22:36 – 40, NKJV, emphasis added).

The Law and the Prophets represent the entire Old Testament Scripture. Jesus indicated that the first two of the ten commandments of loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves fulfilled the Old Testament righteousness.

2. Paul said, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal 5:14, emphasis added).

The one word is “love”.

3. Jesus said, “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” (John 13: 34, 35, emphasis added).

“To love one another” is the only New Testament commandment to fulfill all the ten commandments. By loving one another Christians are showing the world that we are His disciple. This is the testimony Christians will reach the whole world for Christ!

4. Paul wrote to Timothy, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion” (1 Timothy 1:5, 6, NAS, emphasis added).

God is seeking “love” in His people which expresses in three ways – through a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. This is the kind of love that Paul expected Timothy to express through his instructions (teaching and preaching) to Christians believers.

In my opinion if you are a Pastor you must aim at producing love in the people who listen to you. If you are not aiming to producing love everything else is just idle talk or vain discussion and empty words! The goal of all Christian ministry is love. The will of God for Christian living is the consistent expression of divine love.

The Evidence of Being Born Again

Most apostles said the evidence of being born again is “love”.

1. Peter wrote to the Jewish believers who had been born again but were struggling in the midst of persecution:

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:22, 23, NKJV, emphasis added).

It is clear that the primary evidence of being born again is to love one another fervently with a pure heart. Being born again is therefore a total life transformation.

2. John said, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:14, 15, emphasis added).

Clearly, a person who is born again has passed from death to life.

3. Paul wrote to the Church in Thessalonians, “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thess. 4:9, emphasis added).

4. Paul said, “Therefore be imitators of God dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1, 2).

As God’s children if we are imitators of God we will walk in love because “God is love” (1 John 4:16).

In my opinion, in the contemporary Church many people who claim to be born again do not want to undergo any radical life transformation. They just want to be respected as being born again Christians. They only think of themselves as nice people who go to Church and are heading to heaven. To them Christianity becomes a cliche and no more than a passport to heaven. Their relationship with God is not secured but shaky.

The Evidence of Knowing God

The primary evidence of a person who claims to know God is “love”. This is logical, because as God is love (1 John 4:16), a person who does not know God does not know what “love” is!

John said, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows 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” (1 John 4:7 – 9).

Notice that the “love” that John spoke about is “love of the brethren” or “brotherly kindness” referred to in 2 Peter 1:7. This is different from the “natural affection” that Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 3:3 which is the type of natural love shown by both the natural man (unconverted man) and Christian toward his family members.

How God imparts love to His people?

“Love” is not one of nine gifts of the Spirit, but nevertheless it originates from God and it is a gift of God for His people. The Scripture reveals two ways by which God imparts love to us.

1. By the Holy Spirit

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5, emphasis added).

Paul was talking about divine love here. The word for “love” is the Greek word “agape” which is God’s own love. Agape love is not humanly achievable except by the Holy Spirit. We can never produce agape love in our natural man.

After the new birth, in the new nature that is produced by the new birth, the Holy Spirit pours out the totality of God’s love into our heart. There is no limit of this love, but the limit is our receiving it (Read John 7:37 – 39).

2. By His Word

Genesis Chapter One shows that creation took place when God spoke His Word in the presence of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2, 3). Similarly, love being a creation of God, created in us also by His Word and the Holy Spirit.

Divine Love is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit

As mentioned earlier, God poured out His divine love in us without measure by the Holy Spirit. But, most of us are unable to receive the full measure of His love even when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Divine love, like all the rest of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23), takes time to grow. As we grow in the knowledge of Him, His divine power in us causes us to grow in “all thing that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Peter continued to say:

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, the self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love (2 Peter 1:5 – 7, NKJV, emphasis added).

Peter wrote about the progress in the Christian life. There is an up-building of the Christian character; the climax is divine love. It takes six steps to get there. We need to add these steps to our walk of faith in Him.

1. Virtue – or excellence. The first thing you do when you have been saved is to become excellent. When you are a doctor before you are saved then you become an excellent doctor. When you are a slave before you are saved then you become an excellent slave.

2. Knowledge – the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God is revealed through His Word. So, we have to read the Scripture “Till we come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

3. Self-Control. Without self-control you’ll give in to lust, excessive appetite, yield to ungodly emotion and lose your temper. Without self-control you’ll fail to make progress in your Christian life.

4. Perseverance – endurance. In the process of maturing as a Christian you’ll encounter tests, trials and obstacles. Without perseverance you’ll give up. But Jesus said, “He who endures to the end shall be saved” (Mark 13:13).

5. Godliness. A godly person carries the presence of God with him wherever he goes. When he enters the room God enters with him.

6. Brotherly kindness – brotherly love. This is your love for your brethren. It means loving your fellow-believers. We need to admit that not all Christians are easy to love!

7. Love – divine or agape love. This is the climax of the Christian walk. This is the kind of love that helps us to love our enemies; love the people who persecute us, who don’t understand us, who are difficult to reason with.

The Nature of the Lamb

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he said to the Jews:

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water. I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God” (John 1:29 – 34, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice all three persons of the Godhead are mentioned in these few verses of Scripture:

1. God the Father who sent John the Baptist to baptize with water.

2. The Lamb of God who is Jesus Christ the Son of God.

3. The Holy Spirit, like a dove, descended upon Jesus and remained on Him.

The two creatures singled out are the Lamb and the Dove. God gives us a picture of the nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus has the nature of the Lamb and the Holy Spirit has the nature of the Dove. In a certain sense God also gives a picture of what He wants us to be like.

The Lamb’s nature which is the nature of Jesus speaks of purity, meekness and a life laid down in sacrifice. The Dove’s nature which is the nature of the Holy Spirit speaks of purity, gentleness, timidity and holiness. I believe that is how God presented Himself in the Gospel according to John.

The Nature of the Lamb in Jesus

God told John when he saw the dove descending upon Jesus and remaining on Him He is the Messiah. The Messiah came in the likeness of a lamb and not some other fearful creature like a tiger, a lion, wild dog or any other wild beast.

It is important for us to note that the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove remained on Jesus throughout His ministries. Jesus knew that the Holy Spirit has the nature of the dove. Jesus never did anything to scare the dove away.

The Nature of the Lamb in Christians

Christians who desire to be like Jesus must cultivate the nature of the Lamb. We must be baptized in the Holy Spirit to order to receive power to fulfill the Great Commission (Act 1:8). But, the dove nature of the Holy Spirit will never descend upon you because of what you are, who you are and what you do. But, when He sees the nature of the lamb brought out in you through Jesus Christ, He is willing to settle on you. If you want the anointing of the Holy Spirit you need to have the dove remain upon you, as you continue to walk in the nature of the lamb.

Many Christians are praying for supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in their ministries. But power is not the real issue. The issue is the nature of the lamb. Many ministers of the Gospel failed to do God’s will because they do not maintain the nature of the lamb.

The Nature of the Wild Beast

In the Book of Revelation two major animals are mentioned – the Lamb and the Beast. In fact, the Book of Revelation describes the war between these two animals. The Lamb is mentioned 29 times in the New King James Translation and the Beast 38 times. The Beast is the antichrist.

According to Revelation 5 only one person is worthy to open Scroll. This person is the slain Lamb. John heard the voice of many angels around the throne of God saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12)!

According to Revelation 14, the 144,000 with the Father’s name written on their foreheads, follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Rev. 14:4). These are God’s people with the nature of the Lamb and “in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Rev. 14:5). The Beast and the false prophet with the nature of the beast are finally defeated by the Lamb and “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). The New Jerusalem is built for those with the nature of the Lamb:

“Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:14).

There are two natures, and only two natures. If a believer does not have the nature of the Lamb then, he has the nature of the Beast! Christians have to determine which nature will control them. The spirit of the beast is actively at work to take control of humanity. We have never seen so much violence and hatred as we see in the world today. If we do not cultivate the nature of the lamb we will come under the power of the wide beast.

The natural man’s fallen nature is the nature of the wild beast. There is a pressure or natural tendency in the natural man to take control, to rule and to dominate. This natural desire is put in the natural man by the creator. He commanded Adam and Eve to rule and dominate the earth. But through Adam’s sin and fall, the original direction from God has been corrupted. Therefore, now the natural man wants to dominate others. He wants to control and to rule over others. Look at the history of world with one war after another. The motive of each war is to dominate and to control others. The spirit of the wild beast is fully responsible for this.

The spirit of the beast is also at work in the business world. It is common for a large business corporation to take over other smaller corporations. They call this taking over as a “merger”.

Nature of Wild Beast at work in the Church

When the spirit of world comes into the Church, the elders of the Church act the same way of as the people in business organizations. The main aim is to take over. Christians are talking about great ministries, expanding the existing ministries, about power and forming larger Churches. We use our own plans and effort. We manipulate others until we get what we want!

But the Spirit of the Lamb works differently:

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6).

The Spirit of the Lamb is the Spirit of servant-hood:

Jesus, the Lamb of God said, “… whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:26 – 28, NKJV).

Jesus laid down a simple principle in the Body of Christ – the higher up you want to go, the lower down you have to start. If you want to be great you have to be slave first.

This Lamb’s principle is the exact opposite to the principle of the world. The nature of the Lamb the exact opposite to man’s nature.

The Nature of the Lamb in Paul’s ministry

Paul, being a servant of God to the Corinthians said:

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:2, 3, NKJV, emphasis added).

I would like to consider the above two verses of Scripture as Paul’s doctrinal statement. He ministered by the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of the Dove) directly to the human heart.

“On tablets of stone” means “things written by the letters”. “Tablets of flesh” means “The human heart”. The only way to write on the human heart is through the Holy Spirit. What is written in the human heart will not be forgotten. To Paul the result of writing on the heart is much deeper that the emotion and the intellect (the soul realm). Paul’s teaching goes directly into the heart of men and women!

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, …” (Gal 4:19, emphasis added)

In other words, Paul labored in his ministry until the believers have the nature of the Lamb (Christ is formed in you).

Paul’s desire of having the nature of the Lamb formed in the believers he ministered to can be seen by his statement:

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteems others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3, 4).

The “foolishness” of the Cross

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).

For believers who are saved, the Cross is the power of God. But to the natural man, the Cross is the ultimate of weakness and foolishness. In other words, the Lamb of God laid down His life for humanity is the power of God for those who are being saved.

“… but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:24, 25).

Notice the phrase, “To those who are called”. It means those who called by God to follow the Christ. Those who are saved by following Christ must allow the Cross to work in them. Only the Cross will reveal the nature of the Lamb. Then the power of God will rest on those who follow the Lamb. This is exactly how Paul sees it:

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” ( 2 Cor. 12:9, 10, NKJV, emphasis added).

Paul’s strength comes from cultivating the nature of the Lamb. He found strength in infirmities, in reproaches, in distresses for the sake Christ, the Lamb of God!

The Root of Pride

Contrary to what many Christians believed, the first sin committed in the universe was not rebellion but pride. Pride was an inner attitude; but rebellion was the external outworking of pride. Pride leads to rebellion; the inner comes before the outer. Pride is the inner core that is responsible to the outer act of rebellion against God.

The first sin of pride took place in heaven and not on earth. It was committed by an angel and not a human being. Ezekiel’s description of the king of Tyre was that of Lucifer, a created archangel of immense beauty. Because of pride and rebellion against God Lucifer was cast out of the heaven where God dwells (Ezekiel 28:11 – 18).

God spoke through Isaiah concerning Lucifer:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit” (Isaiah 14:12 – 15, emphasis).

Lucifer said “I will” five times. This was a strong indicate of pride. Notice the progression of Lucifer’s pride. Ultimately, he would like to be equal with the Creator. As a result he was brought down by God “to the lowest depths of the Pit”!

The Root of Pride

In this message we take a look at the root of Pride. God always deal with the root. When we focus on the root we will understand that God sees Pride differently. Therefore, there is a need to redefine what Pride is.

God sees pride in His people when they act and walk in independence of Him. The opposite of pride is humility which means dependence on God. A person with spiritual pride is someone who is unwilling to let God act in His own time and in His own way. He takes matters in his own hands without a clear mandate from God. The greatest temptation a Christian faces is to get ahead of God. He might walk in holiness and righteousness, but very often because of the lack of patience and long-suffering, he tends to believe God is acting too slowly. He could be a prayerful, fruitful and productive person, but he fails to wait upon the Lord and allow God to take full control of the situation.

David knows the importance of waiting upon the Lord:

“Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass, cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret – it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:5, 7 – 9, emphasis added).

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14, emphasis added).

A Christian who waits upon the Lord is a humble person. He has the spirit of humility.

The Pride of King Saul

After Saul was anointed as King of Israel Samuel said to him:

“You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do” (1 Samuel 10:8, NKJV, emphasis added).

Samuel’s instruction to Saul was very clear. He should do nothing but to wait for Samuel for seven days until he bring God’s word to him.

But, before Samuel came as promised, the Philistines gathered with 30 thousand chariots and 6 thousand horsemen and multitude of people (1 Sam. 13:5) to fight with Israel. Saul was still in Gilgal and all the people with Saul were trembling with fear and many were scattered from him. Saul could not wait anymore for Samuel and so he said to his people:

“Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me” (1 Sam 13:9).

And he offered the burn offering. As soon as this was done Samuel came and said to Saul:

“You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be a commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you” (Verse 13, 14, NKJV, emphasis added).

Saul failed to keep the commandment of God and took matters in his own hands. He took control of the situation himself and failed to wait upon the Lord. The serious implication was that Saul charged God of deception. To Saul, God sent him out to do his work but let himself figured out how to get it done. He could not sit and watch and let the Philistines destroy Israel! Samuel might not be coming to bring the Word from the Lord anyway!

Consequently, God rejected Saul and David was chosen to replace Saul.

The Humility of David

The Lord has chosen David as king of Israel because of his humility – “a man after His own heart”! The man who is after God’s own heart would be obedient to God and waits upon Him and listens to His commands.

As soon as the Philistines heard that David was anointed as king over Israel, they went up to search for David (2 Sam. 5:17).

“So David inquired of the Lord, saying ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand’” (2 Sam. 5:19, emphasis added).

David did not take matters into his own hands. He humbled himself and “inquired of the Lord”. David was obedient and let the Lord takes full control of the situation. He did not act presumptuously but waited upon the Lord until he heard Him said:

“You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines (2 Sam. 5:23, 24).

The Philistines were defeated because of David’s obedience to the Lord’s command.

“And David did so, as the Lord commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer” (Verse 25).

David knew the benefits of waiting upon the Lord:

“I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense. My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies” (Psalm 59:9, 10).

Humility and Servanthood

Pride repels the concept of servanthood. Most Christians want to be masters and not servants. Christians are sons of God (Galatians 4:5) and no longer slaves (or bondservants). But most of the Epistle writers called themselves bondservants – Paul (Romans 1:1; Gal. 1:10; Titus 1:1), Peter (2 Peter 1:1), James (James 1:1).

Jesus Christ though being in the form of God chose to be a bondservant:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and become obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:5 – 8, NKJV, emphasis added).

Jesus said to the Jews, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19, emphasis added).

Jesus was in total dependence on the Father. He never took matters in His own hands and waited for the Father to show Him what to do.

The Humbled and the Exalted

Jesus used the two Parables to illustrate a Spiritual Law that “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9 – 14)

The Pharisee was self-righteous and trusted only himself. He was proud and despised the Tax Collector. He thought he could impress God by his “righteous” acts – fasted twice a week and gave tithes. He mentioned all these in his prayer. On the other hand, the tax collector not only humbled himself but also repented and asked for God’s mercy in his prayer and supplication.

Jesus said, “I tell you, this man (the tax collector) went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts him will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14, NKJV, emphasis added).

The Parable of the Lowly Place (Luke 14:7 – 11)

A person who is invited to a feast should not sit at the best place but the lowest place to avoid being asked by the host to let someone more honorable than him to take his place. But, if he chose to sit at the lowest place he might be asked by the host to move up to a higher place of honor. In this case, he would receive glory in the in the presence of those who sit at the table with him.

Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

The Only Unshakable Foundation

We are living in the last days – or rather the last of the last days. Bible prophecies are being fulfilled right before our eyes. The great shaking (both physical and spiritual) as prophesied by the Prophets that will happen just before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is happening now! If your faith is being put to the test and shaken because of the much talked-about false “gospels” of “The gospel of Judas” and “The Da Vinci Code” this message is for you. I believe this is the beginning of the “spiritual storm” which is part of the great shaking. This message concerns only spiritual shaking.

The writer of Hebrews said that our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29) and this is what He declared:

“Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven” (Heb. 12:26).

“Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:27, NKJV, emphasis added).

“A kingdom which cannot be shaken” is a spiritual Kingdom where Jesus is the Lord and King. Those who serve God with reverence and godly fear will not be shaken!

A Message for the Church

God is shaking everything so that Jesus is the only unshakable power left on earth. Those who are truly His and live in Jesus Christ and maintain an intimate relationship with Him will not be shaken.

Jesus is warning us, the Church, with the parable of “Building on the Rock” that there will be a flood of iniquity, a flood of apostasy and a flood of demonic activities in the days to come. The false “gospel of Judas” and “The Da Vinci Code” are just the beginning of the flood.

All Christians must take heed of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount found in The Gospel According to Matthew Chapters 5, 6, 7. At the close of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave a warning in the form of a parable in Chapter 7.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matt. 7:24 – 27, emphasis added).

Two Kinds of Christians

Jesus said there are two kinds of Christians who build their house on different foundations. The house they build could be the same. The difference is the foundation. One builds his house on the rock and the other on the sand.

We are here talking about the spiritual life of Christians. We are talking about the spiritual house that Christians built. We are talking about the condition of the heart and our walk with the Lord. Christian life is never static. We are always building something one way or another; on the rock or on the sand. If you are busy in your Church life, you are busy building something!

Building on the Rock

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt. 7:24, emphasis added).

Jesus was talking about obedience here. He was talking about Christians who are walking in total obedience; who are doers of His Word and not hearers only (James 1:22).

There are two kinds of obedience – one, out of the love of God and the other, out of the fear of consequences of the wrath of God. For example when Israel was under the Law, they obeyed (tried to anyway) God’s Law because of the fear of breaking God’s Law which would bring death. Therefore, it is possible to obey God and His Word and still grieve God! This is the kind of obedience that is born out of the wrong motive. This is the kind of obedience that makes God weeps instead of pleasing Him!

It is possible for the Church to have this type of obedience. Churches have man-made religious and denomination laws. Christians obey God legally, according to technicality. True Christians must allow God to show them what He wants them to do without relying on man-made rules and regulations. We must do away with legalism. We should not forget to obey and to please the Head of the Church – Jesus Christ. It is impossible to please God by obeying man-made rules. It is impossible to find the will of God by following legalistic laws.

God is looking for people with whole-hearted obedience to Jesus. Jesus Himself obeys the Father with total commitment and does things that please Him.

Jesus said, “….that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:28, 29, NKJV, emphasis added).

Jesus also said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34, emphasis added).

A Christian who pleases Jesus and does His will is the one who builds his house on the rock. Jesus is the Rock (Exodus 17:6). The Foundational Rock (God the Father) is what Jesus Himself built on – to love the Father and to please Him with all His heart and nothing else matters. We build on the rock because we want to please Jesus and do His will.

We are building on the Rock when we cultivate and maintain an intimate relationship with Him. If we do that we are able to walk through fire, through flood, storm and rain without being shaken. We will not be shaken by false Christs and false gospels.

But, you can’t have an intimate relationship with Jesus unless you are willing to obey Him and do His Will. This is how I define the will of God – His will is His pleasure and His pleasure is His will. We give Him pleasure when we please Him by doing His will.

Enoch was taken by God without seeing death because he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5).

Paul said, “… even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:4).

Building on the sand

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who build on the sand” (Matt. 7:26, emphasis added).

Jesus was talking about disobedience here. Now, who is this foolish man? He is a believer, a so-called Christian, who fails to do the will of God. Jesus talked about such a person a few verses earlier:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in You name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7: 21 – 23, NKJV, emphasis added).

The following is my observation:

1. I do not believe the people who made these claims of working miracles in the Name of Jesus were lying. They had actually done what they claimed. But being able to prophesy, cast out demons and work wonders in the Name of Jesus does not necessarily prove that a person is one of God’s elect.

2. There are many such people in the Church – Pastors, preachers, evangelists, and teachers of Scripture. It is easy to pick them out. They are always busy laying hands on the sick, casting out demons and working miracles. They are busy because Church members seek after them!

3. We need to be reminded that there is Power in the Name of Jesus. The Scripture says, “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:9). This is logical because if these gifts are revocable, they will not be called a gift, but a loan! People got healed and received miracles because God answered their faith and not the “faith” of the one who laid hands on them!

4. These people have the formula. They come to Jesus for deliverance, for power but they do not come to know Him. They are very busy people and very active for Jesus. You see them running all over local Churches. They appear to be full of compassion for human needs. Outwardly, these miracle workers have been serving the Lord, but in their innermost character God had discerned something described as “lawlessness”. This expressed itself in attitudes such as pride, arrogance, self-seeking, covetousness and personal ambition.

5. They don’t know how to wait upon the Lord. The idea of producing Christian character and waiting upon the Lord and to get ready for the coming spiritual storm is foreign to them.

6. They have not given Jesus their heart. They give Him their mind. They have a concept of Jesus; but they have not been broken and yielded to Him completely.

Conclusion

The fearful statement made by Jesus is:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV, emphasis added).

Notice Jesus has given us the condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. The condition is:

Christians must be obedient and do the will of God. The Kingdom of heaven is meant for those who obey God and His Word. Christians who build their house on the Rock will enter the Kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, those who build their house on the sand will not be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven. Not only they are not Christians but they are lost as well. In the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ these people are not saved! They were saved at one time, but failed to remain being saved.

Jesus said, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Matthew 7:23)!

Reliability of Bible Translations

No, I am not questioning the reliability of the Bible which is the Word of God. Neither am I talking about reliability of Bible interpretation or hermeneutics. What concerns me most is the unreliability of some Bible Translations. All Bible-believing and God-fearing Christians must be able to trust the accuracy and reliability of any versions or translations of the original Biblical texts. In other words, all Bible translations must be trustworthy. The question is, are all versions of Bible Translations be trusted?

By careful study of various versions and translations of the Bible it becomes obvious to me that there are serious inconsistencies between them. More importantly, some versions contain more facts and verses than others. And without apparent reason certain verses are removed or added in when compared with others. Certain verses carry entirely different meaning when compared with others.

It is beyond the scope of this message to discuss different Bible versions and translations. You may refer to any good Bible Dictionary. For clarity sake I shall use the King James Bible (KJB) or the New King James Version (NKJV) as reference in comparing with other versions like the New International Version (NIV), New Living Bible (NLB), The New American Standard Bible (NAB), Revised Standard Version (RSV) and the Amplified Bible (AB).

For easy comparison we shall confine our discussion with the above mentioned few popular translations. This is not a comprehensive study; but rather what I have discovered so far.

The Lord’s Prayer

Please read Matthew 6:9 – 13. Let me just quote the last verse of the Lord’s Prayer:

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Verse 13, NKJV, emphasis added).

The highlighted phrase is intact in the KJB, NKJV, NAB and AB, but totally removed from the NIV, RSV and the NLB! This last sentence is “doxology” or ascription of praise connected with the Prayers by the word “For”.

Is it shameful to praise the Lord according to some Bible translators? Or is it good to praise the Lord? My Bible says only the dead do not praise the Lord (Psalm 115:17)!

Is Joseph the paternal father of Jesus?

After Simeon took the Child Jesus in his arms and blessed Him, Luke recorded:

“And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken to Him” (Luke 2:33, NKJV, emphasis added).

Both the KJB and the NKJV say “Joseph and His mother”. The NLB says “Joseph and Mary”. AB says “His (legal) father and (His) mother”. The RSV and NAB say “His father and mother”. But the NIV says “the Child’s father and mother”!

If you believe the virgin birth and that Jesus is the Son of God, then Jesus’ Father is God the Father and not Joseph!

The Blood of Jesus

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13, 14, NKJV, emphasis added).

The phrase “through His blood” has been removed from the NIV, NAB and the RSV! Surprisingly, it is found intact in the NLB.

The writer of Hebrews says, “… without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).

Jesus Christ is the only BEGOTTEN SON

Let us look at the all familiar John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only BEGOTTEN Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV, emphasis added).

The word “BEGOTTEN” has been removed from the NIV, RSV and NLB.

Christians should know that there is a great difference between “His only begotten Son” and “His only son”.

The Scripture makes it clear that some sons of God are created, some are adopted and some are angels.

1. “… the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God” (Luke 3:38, NKJ, emphasis added).

In the above verse Adam is the created son of God. (Read Gen. 5:1, 2).

2. Christians are call “sons of God”

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26, NKJV, emphasis added).
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1, NKJV, emphasis added)

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14, NKJV, emphasis added).

Clearly, Christians are “adopted” sons of God through Jesus Christ. We are the children of God in the New Covenant.

3. In the Book of Job “sons of God” are angels of God:

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them” (Job 1:6, NKJV, emphasis added).

Read also Job 2:1 and Job 38:7 you will realize that these “sons of God” are celestial beings. There are created angels of God.

It is true that what NIV say “the one and only Son” is sufficient to indicate that there is only one Son (capital S). But then the NIV is supposed to be read by Christians young in the faith. The NLB simply says, “his only Son”!

Words removed from the Mouth of Jesus Himself!

1. After Jesus was baptized by John, He was led by the Spirit to into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.

Jesus answered the Devil, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God’” (Luke 4:4, NKJV, emphasis added).

The important phrase “But by every word of God” has been removed from the NIV, NLB, RSV and NAB. As far as I know only the KJB, the AB and the NKJV have this phrase intact.

Notice that Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 8:3;

“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (NKJV, emphasis added).

Amazingly, all the versions mentioned above have the highlighted phrase intact.

2. The Devil desired Jesus to worship him. But Jesus said to him:

“Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Luke 4:8, NKJV, emphasis added).

The phrase, “Get behind Me, Satan!” has been removed from the NIV, NLB, RSV and NAB. Only the KJB, NKJV and the AB have the phrase intact.

3. Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and was reading from the Book of Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me the heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set all liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18, NKJV, emphasis added).

The phrase, “He has sent Me the heal the brokenhearted” has been removed from the NIV, NLB, RSV and NAB. Only the KJB, NKJV and the AB have the phrase intact. Therefore, according the some translators, God did not send Jesus to heal emotion or inner hurt! The healing virtue of Jesus is not complete. Christians should know that Jesus came to heal the whole person – Spirit, soul and body. It is true that “By whose stripes you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

4. Jesus was explaining to His disciples regarding His departure to the Father:

“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father” (John 16:16, NKJV, emphasis added).

Similarly, the phrase, “Because I go to the Father” has been removed from the same versions of the Bible. Why would Jesus withhold this important truth from His disciples? More importantly, without going to the Father implies no resurrection of Jesus. Then our faith is futile and we are still in our sins (Romans 15:13 – 19)!

Actually there are many more verses of the sayings of Jesus have been removed without valid reasons from the same translations of the Bible as I have mentioned above. It is quite a tedious exercise to search out what have been added and removed.

The following verses are also removed!

Matt. 15:8, Matt. 19:9, Matt. 20:7, Matt. 20:16, Matt. 20:22, Matt. 25:13, Matt. 27:35, Mark 6:11, Matt 10:21.

Verses of Scripture removed from the Epistles

I will quote only two important verses:

1. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1, NKJV, emphasis added).

The same translations removed the phrase, “Who do not walk according to the Spirit”.

This phrase is important because it indicates that true Christians (who are in Christ Jesus) do not walk according to the Spirit.

2. “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on you part He is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14, NKJV, emphasis added).

The same translations removed the highlighted phrase. This phrase explains further how a believer is blessed by being reproached for the name of Christ.

The following verses are also removed:

Rom. 13:9; 1 Cor. 6:20; 2 Cor. 10:4; Gal. 3:1; Eph. 5:30; Phil. 3:16; 1 Tim. 6:6; Heb. 7:21; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 4:3; 1 John 5:13.

Verses from the Book of Revelation

The verses removed are: Rev. 1:11; Rev. 5:14; Rev. 14:5 and Rev. 21:24.

Conclusion

From the above study I discover that the most reliable translations of the Bible are The King James, The New King James and The Amplified Bible. As far as I know (based on my present Bible Research) nothing has been taken out of the Original Bible Texts.

The Bible warns against taking away and adding to the Words of God!

“Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6, NKJV).

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deu. 4:2, NKJV).

God’s last warning is, “… If any man shall add unto these things, God shall unto him the plagues … And if any man shall take away from the word of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life ….” (Rev. 22:18, 19, KJB).

Notice that the phrase “the book of this prophecy” means the entire Bible and not just the Book of Revelation. The Bible is a prophetic Book.