Unbiblical Christianity

This is the time that the true Church of Jesus Christ need to heed what Jesus said about deception in the last days:

Jesus said, “For false chirst and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, NKJV).

Paul warned us about the coming great apostasy before the Second Coming of Jesus:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, …” (2 Thess. 2:3).

Paul wrote to Timothy and instructed him to preach the Word. This is the only way to overcome the deception of the last day:

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:2 – 4, emphasis added).

Paul prophesied that a time will come when Christians will not endure sound doctrine and turn away from hearing the truth. They desire to listen to “itching-ear” messages from teachers whose motive is to deceive them. Paul also knows that Christians will well put up preachers with different spirit who preach a different gospel to them:

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted – you may well put up with it” (2 Cor. 11:3, 4, emphasis added)!

The only True Foundation

Christians are living in the days when Jesus’ Words and Paul’s prophecies are being fulfilled. The Church needs discernment to understand the signs of time. Christians need to starts to move with the Holy Spirit in order to build a firm foundation on the Word of God. Anyone who lays a foundation other than that of Jesus Christ is not a true foundation.

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11).

The Word was God (John 1:1) and Jesus is God. Therefore the only true foundation is the Word of God. The only true foundation is the foundation of Biblical Christianity which is totally Bible based and Christ centred.

New Age Philosophy in the Church

We are living in the days when two theologies are rising up simultaneously. One is the Biblical interpretation of theology according the Word of God. The other is the New Age mentality and technique dressed up as Biblical Christianity.

The fact is the New Age philosophy is far more appealing to Churchgoers. Most of the mega-churches are under the influence of the New Age philosophy. True Christians must learn to discern the differences between biblical Christianity and the deceptive teachings of the New Age and its new spirituality. True Christians must “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph. 5:11, NKJV). We must realize that the philosophy of the New Age movement will become the religious system ushering in the Antichrist in the very near future.

The following are some characteristics of the New Age Church:

1. They believe in salvation through faith. They are teaching true salvation but they are adding on to the foundation with unscriptural materials. We have to take those materials and replace it with genuine materials in the Word of God.


2. They throw out all the messages of the Second Coming of Christ; messages on hell; messages of the cross; messages on repentance; messages on Bible Prophecies which they considered as a distraction against their sugarcoated positive “Christian” messages. Anyone who asks the Pastor about the left-out messages is considered a divisive person. They quote Romans 16:17 out of context by saying “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses”. They purposely and willfully minus the continuing phrase “contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them”!


3. They are teaching love and unity for God’s family at all costs – even at the cost of your own physical family. A renowned senior Pastor of a New Age mega-church wrote in his book (with over 25 million copies sold), “Your spiritual family is even more important than your physical family because it will last forever. Our families on earth are wonderful gifts from God, but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably, death. On the other hand, our spiritual family – our relationship to other believers – will continue throughout eternity. It is much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships”. By saying this, this Pastor was showing genuine Christians that he is utterly ignorant of the concept, nature and functions of the Body of Christ! But, his book is so popular that Local Churches, the world over, are using the contents for their Bible Study material. Some are using it for their 40 days “spiritual journey” promoted by the book.


4. They will tell you, “My people, your are wonderful; you are great; you are people of virtue and you are wining the world for Christ”. But those who think they are going to Christianize the world, to infiltrate politics and religions and to make the world better place for Jesus Christ to come back should read what the Scripture says!


5. The main objective of the New Age Church is not doctrinal purity but the outward growth of the Church. The Pastor claims that doctrinal view is so unimportant that God will not ask about your religious background or how you stand on biblical truth. However the Scripture says, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).


6. The New Age Church is leading the congregation on the broad way of destruction. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13, 14, emphasis added).


7. The New Age movement, influenced by the spirit of humanism, is promoting humanly-determined doctrines which do not reflect the true meaning of the Scripture. This is not acceptable to the Lord but an abomination to Him. Jesus said, “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). We are deeply dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth (John 16:13) as only the truth of God’s Word can set us free from sin and deception (John 8:32).

The New Age Church is a wealthy tithing Church

Jesus, through the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans said, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked – I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Rev. 3:17, 18, emphasis added).

The above is a warning from Jesus to the New Age Church. Material riches, status and fame from the human view point are not regarded as spiritual virtues by God

The wealth of most of the New Age Local Churches comes from the tithing collected from the members of their congregation who are instructed to tithe accurately and faithfully. They are instructed to tithe according to their gross (pretax) income. Some Pastors of these tithing Churches urge their members to submit copies of their Income Tax Assessment document so to ensure accurate tithing. The New Age Pastors are likely to preach to you that it is a sin for not tithing. They will tell you that the law of tithing is not part of Moses Law but started from Abraham (Gen. 14:20), passed on Jacob (Gen. 28:22) and then included in Moses Law. Yes, what they are saying is 100% correct – but, they are either ignorant or are hiding from you that tithing is only for God’s people in the Old Testament.

If my readers are urged to tithe in the Local Churches I strongly suggest that they ask their Pastors to show them a single verse of Scripture concerning tithing in the New Testament Church from the Book of Acts to Revelation. If they cannot answer you then you should not tithe! Don’t listen to man but search out the truth from your Bible.

I am not in any way implying that all Local Churches are New Age Churches. But I am trying to explain to my readers Biblically that any Local Church which practises tithing is not practising Biblical Christianity.

Biblical truth about tithing

At the time of the Old Testament, before Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was not freely given yet. He only came upon God’s chosen saints to fulfill the office of their callings. In general the Holy Spirit came upon the persons who held the offices of prophet, priest and king. Moses, Samuel, Elijah and king David are some examples. Abraham gave tithe because God spoke to him. Jacob gave tithe because he followed his grandfather. In the days of Moses God’s people (Israel) had no reason to give tithe until Moses put it in the Law.

At the Church Age the scenario is entirely different. The New Testament Church is the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27) and the temple of the Holy Spirit:

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor. 3:16, NKJV, emphasis added)?

Therefore, if the Spirit of God indeed dwells in the Church why must individual Christian needs to follow the Law of tithing instead of seeking the counsel of the Holy Spirit on how to give to the Lord's work in the Local Church?

A serious implication arises. If the Pastor of the Local Church teaches the members to give tithe, he denies the counsel of the Holy Spirit at the same time. When the Holy Spirit is denied (rejected) He would no longer dwell in the Local Church. This is same as the removal of the golden lampstand (or candlestick) (Rev. 1:20 and Rev. 2:5).

Scriptural way of giving to the Local Church

Christians give to the Local Church out of love for the Lord as moved by the Spirit of God (2 Cor. 9:7).

Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the Macedonian Churches, and he told them how the Holy Spirit moved on the Macedonians to be generous in their giving. Then he drew a lesson from that.

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will” (2 Cor. 8:2 – 5, NIV, emphasis added).

Paul said that it is God’s will that Church members must give themselves first to the Lord. Therefore, all Local Churches must ensure all their members give themselves to the Lord first. In other words, the first thing Christians have to give to the Lord is not their money, but themselves. That is how it must begin with each of us if we want to please God and to do His will.

The scriptural way of giving oneself to God and to find God's will is explained in Romans 12:1, 2.

1. Present one’s body on the altar of God as a living sacrifice.

2. Be transformed by the renewing of his mind – conform to the mind of Christ.

3. God’s Will then becomes his will.

Also, he needs to fear God and have an intimate relationship with the Lord. Only then he knows how to give to the Lord.

Standing and Dividing Wrongly

One of the characteristics of the last of the Last Days is confusion and division. People are standing and dividing on the wrong things. It is true in the Church as well as in the world.

Jesus said, the last sign of His coming again is, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come "(Matthew 24:14, NKJV).

What Jesus wanted the Church to do is to preach a united message concerning the gospel of the kingdom. This is the greatest need in the world. It is the only hope for mankind. It is the only hope for the world and, in general, it is the only hope for the Church. If Christians are divided in their stand on the message of the Gospel it will be difficult for the world to believe that God has sent Jesus to be the savior of the world (John 17:20, 21).

Lessons from the Corinthian Church

There are lessons which we urgently need to learn which are to be found in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. There is a close parallel the Corinthian Church presents, to the situation that confronts us in the present day Church.

Paul received letters and spoken messages, as he tells us himself in the first chapter, from the house of Chloe and other people in Corinth, telling him about the troubles and difficulties there. The Corinthians had a defective and faulty view of the nature of the Church. That was their basic trouble. They were converted. They were born again. They were true Christians, they were behind no other Church in their gifts, but they were confused. How did they ever get into this confused condition with regard to the nature of the Church?

I believe all divisions, schism and disunities were due to the fact that believers were standing and dividing on the wrong things. There is a question we can ask ourselves – What is the difference between schism and Biblical separation? In a more practical manner, the question is, “What are the things on which we should not take a stand? And what are the things on which we should take a stand?” In other words, what must we stand on and what must we not stand on; on what grounds we should separate and on what ground we should not separated. All the troubles and confusions in Corinthian Church were due to their failure to make that distinction.

Wrong Divisions in the Church

The first 14 Chapters of 1 Corinthians are devoted to an exposition by the apostle Paul of the way in which the members of the Church at Corinth were taking a stand on things which they should not have done. We can classify these wrong divisions under three headings:

1. They were standing and dividing on carnal matters

In their carnality they were quarrelling, forming factions and were rending the Body of Christ. They were guilty of schism.

They were dividing and taking a stand on their favorite preachers and leaders:

“Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ’” (1 Cor.1:12, NKJV).

Later on Paul said, “… for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Cor. 3:3).

They were not only quarrelling among themselves but taking their quarrels, as Paul told us in Chapter 6, to the public law courts.

“Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge” (1 Cor. 6:3, 4)?

It is not right for Christians to quarrel before the world over matters that have nothing to do with the faith. This is sheer carnality.

They were also guilty of carnality at the communion table, and even at the love feasts and so on. Some people had too much food and some had too little. Some had been drinking too much, and some did not have enough to drink. And that was the cause of a division between the rich and the poor. All these troubles were due to carnality.

2. The problem of “intellectualism”

There is nothing wrong with intellect, but intellectualism is an abomination. People do not have an equal amount of brains and intellect. Some are more knowledgeable than others.

Paul took this up immediately in the First and Second Chapter. He was concerned that the philosophy which some were favoring would make the cross of Christ of none effect. Intellectualism can robe the gospel of its power.

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world” (1 Cor. 1:20)?

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1, 2).

Another area we need to consider is Chapter 8 with regard to the different views taken concerning the matter of meat offered to idols. When the Corinthian Christians were pagans (before their convertion) they took their meat to the temples as offerings to their gods. Having done so, they regarded them as sacred and believed it was wrong to eat them. But, having become Christians, they did not all immediately see the truth in exactly the same way on this matter. The more intelligent people, the more enlightened people could see at a glance that there was nothing wrong in eating the food. They knew that idols do not actually exist and therefore nothing wrong with the food which had been offered to them. But there were other weaker brethren, who still felt it was wrong to eat these meats. Over intellectual understanding the Church was divided.

3. The problem of false spirituality

Chapters 12, 13 and 14 show how the Corinthian Christians were divided because of spiritual gifts. First of all they were ignorant:

“Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Cor.12:1).

They failed to understand that the gifts were given according to the will of God (1 Cor. 12:11). Instead of rejoicing together in the gifts that God had given to them as a Church they had made the gifts themselves into a cause of division and schism. Some were standing on certain gifts, and other on some other gifts. Some believed some gifts are greater than others. Their whole attitude was carnal in nature. Some who believed they had “lesser gifts” were envious and jealous of those people who had the more spectacular gifts.

Things on which the Church must stand

From the very beginning of Chapter 15 Paul told the Corinthian Church what they should be taking their stand on. These are the things that they must regard as essential and over which they must be prepared to separate from the unbelieving world. He made this clear by saying:

“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you – unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1 to 4, NKJV, emphasis added).

The things which they must stand are:

1. The Gospel which Paul preached

Paul said, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:11, 12, emphasis added).

Paul’s Gospel message was not his own nor from man’s teaching. It came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. God’s Mystery of the dispensation of grace for the Gentiles had been revealed to Paul through revelation:

“… if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:2, 3, emphasis added).

In fact Paul did everything by revelation:

“And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain” (Gal. 2:2, emphasis added).

Paul knew that without revelation his preaching would be in vain.

What happens to some of the Local Churches today? New Age teachings are coming to our mega-churches. Why? People “will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables …” (2 Tim. 4:3, 4). This prophecy of Paul is being fulfilled in our days! The messages of the New Age are the most compromising messages – they are itching ears messages! They "promise" love and unity and a good life among believers.

2. The Scripture

The most basic thing that all true Christians must stand on, Paul referred to, is the Scripture:

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3, 4, emphasis added).

Paul mentioned the Scriptures twice so that we understand the importance of the Scriptures. Paul himself received the Scriptures first or he would not be qualified to preach to others. Paul did not become a Christian at the end of a process of reason and of logic. He received the Scriptures by revelation and revelation only for He said:

“All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16).

Because the Scriptures are “revelation” and “inspiration”, they are authoritative. They are ageless, changeless, because they are God’s revealed truth which He enabled men to record.

If we stand firm on the Scripture we will not be deceived by the coming New Age Movement.

True Biblical Christian Unity

Unity among believers is in the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. In John 17 we read about the prayer of Jesus for all believers:

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20, 21, NKJV, emphasis added).

The reason why God wants believers to be united as one Body is because the manifest unity of all believers is the only testimony to Jesus Christ which will reach the whole world. If we are truly concerned in reaching the world for Christ we must be equally concerned about coming into Christian unity. If we merely claim to be interested in the salvation of souls and reaching the lost with the Gospel but we are not concerned about Christian unity, there is something wrong with our motive. We can be active in Missions and Evangelism but many will not be touched by those activities. The visible demonstration of our unity in Christ will cause the world both to believe and to know that He is the One whom God sent to be the Messiah and the Savior of the world.

Unity of Relationship

The unity we are speaking about is not a unity that is brought about by organization; not a unity of denominational or ecclesiastical structure. The key word we use here is “relationship”. It is a unity brought out of relationship – a real relationship in the Holy Spirit among belivers.

The Godhead provides us with the perfect pattern of right relationship. In the Godhead we have three things which are essential – Fatherhood, Headship and fellowship. We cannot have true fellowship in the Biblical sense without the acknowledgement of Fatherhood and Headship.

True Biblical Fellowship

The important ingredient for Christian unity is fellowship. True Biblical Fellowship is not just a group of people getting together to have a good time – chatting, drinking and eating together in a cell-group meeting. It is much deeper than that. It is something which can endure the test of adversity, the pressures and problems that comes upon us. True fellowship enables believers to remain stable and remain unshakable in the face of all these. Fellowship in reality is a deep sharing in an intimate basis of all that we are and all that we have.

The word “fellowship” comes from the Greek word “koinonia” which means having things in common, partnership and sharing things together. This is one of the important key concepts of the New Testament Christianity. The apostle Paul said Christians are called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ:

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor.1:9).

We can say the Gospel is an invitation to the human race to share the eternal fellowship of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. John invites believer to have fellowship with him and the Lord when he wrote:

“That you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Christian Disunity

Consider what happens when Christians continue to live in disunity. Two things can happen:

1. A house divided cannot stand

Spiritually speaking all Christians are in the Kingdom of God. Jesus said to his disciples:

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls” (Luke 11:17).

2. The Gospel message is discredited

Disunity and division amongst believers belie the message that we preached. We preached that the Gospel solves people’s problems by bringing them to the right relationship with God. But we demonstrate the very opposite. The pragmatically minded world is much more disposed to believe what it sees in our life than what it hears in our preaching! The life a believer is a mirror of God’s Word to the unbelieving world!

A Picture of Christian Unity

The Church is a type of Israel, and so when we want to look at ways to picture Christian unity and to apply practically, it always seems natural to go to those areas of human life of the Jewish people which are built on relationship.

Israel was an association of twelve tribes, designated by the names of the ancestors from whom they were descended (Deut. 27:12, 13; Ezek. 48:1). Each tribe has its unique characteristics and emphasis in customs and the way of life. Similarly, the Church consists of Christians of different races with different characteristics, customs and the way of life.

Psalm 122 gives a picture of unity of God’s people. Israel went up to worship God in Jerusalem three times a year for their annual feasts (Read my earlier postings). They went to a place to worship God where God had chosen to put His Name – at the temple of Solomon. Israel did not go up as isolated individuals – each one doing his own things. But they went up by tribes. Each Israelite had to find his place in a tribe.

“Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1, NKJV, emphasis added).

The word “us” indicates a collective decision of the tribes of Israel.

“Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together” (Ps 122:3, emphasis added).

The word “compact” comes from the Hebrew word “chabar” means “joining together in fellowship”. In other words Jerusalem is a place of fellowship and worship for Israel.

Similarly, each believer does not go to the Local Church as isolated individuals – each doing his own things. Believers go to the Church as a family of God to worship God together in unity and harmony. Each believer has to find his place in the Local Church – the Local Body of Christ. The Local Church is a type of Jerusalem where God’s people have their fellowship and worship on a regular basis.

The apostle Paul said, we are a family of God:

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephe. 2:19, emphasis added).

When we are born again we are not outsiders or strangers. We belong to God’s family. Someone has said, you may choose your friends but you don’t choose your family members. Therefore, whether we like one another or not we have to get along.

A practical way to move toward Christian Unity

Psalm 133 shows believers how to cultivate Christian Unity:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garment. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1, 2, 3, NKJV, emphasis added).

Here are some observations:

1. “Dwell together in unity” does not mean coming together in the Local Church for a couple of hours on Sunday morning. It means getting involved in one another’s life – with a sense of belonging in the same family.

2. The psalmist says it is good and pleasant to dwell together … But he does not say it is easy. In my opinion, the problem lies in receiving one another as we are.

Paul said, “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Romans 15:7).

Christ received us as we were and so we must receive one another as we are. If God would require me to change before He would receive me I would never have made it! What changed me was His receiving me. Similarly we have to do the same toward our fellow believers knowing that it is receiving people that changes people.

I believe what people are longing for above all else in the world today is acceptance. They just want to know where they belong. Unfortunately we often base our fellowship with one another of being right. We have the notion that we are Christians because we are right. Consequently if we have to admit that we are wrong we are threatened.

We must understand that we are not Christians because we are right. We are Christians because God received us in Christ – right or wrong! If we are wrong we’ll not be afraid to admit it, because it is not going to change God’s acceptance of us.

3. Unity is like the anointing oil (a type of the Holy Spirit) running down and covered the whole body (of Aaron). It speaks of unity flowing down from the top (Pastors and leaders of the Local Church) to cover the whole body (members of congregation).

In other words, unity always flows downward and never upward. It always starts from the head. We know from experience in our biological family that children cannot unit a family. But if the father and mother are united, that unity will flow down to the children. Therefore the key to unity in the Local Church is leadership coming together and not people.

So, an important spiritual principle is clear – If the Body of Christ is to be united the leaders have to lead the way. The leaders are the shepherds of the sheep. That is the reason why Jesus said:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

A shepherd never drives his sheep, he goes ahead of them. They follow him because they hear his voice. We can never unit sheep unless we unit the shepherds first.

The other aspect of the truth is – only shepherds divide sheep. The disunity of God’s people is due to the disunity of Pastors and leaders.

In my opinion, believers have two options. Either be a shepherd or have one; if you aren’t one then you need one. If you are one, then you need other shepherds!

4. Another picture of the Holy Spirit is dew. But dew does not come down noticeably. He is gentle, imperceptible but continuing.

In Psalm 133, “the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion” speaks of the Holy Spirit coming down on the Church. All through Scripture “Zion” is the Church.

5. As a result of unity, the Lord commanded blessing. The blessing is “Life forevermore”.

It is one thing to seek the blessing of the Lord; it is another thing to have the Lord commands His blessing without even asking!

Repentance and Restoration

My readers should read my previous two postings before they read this. This is an end-time message revealed by careful study of the Tabernacle of Mosses and the Jewish Feasts.

As we have seen earlier, the Church is now at the Golden Altar of Incense, the last article of furniture in the Holy Place, just before Second Veil separating the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. At the same time God’s peoples (Israel and the Church) are entering the last three observations of the Jewish Feasts – The Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Atonement and the Feast of the Tabernacles.

It is interesting to note that all these signs speak of restoration, repentance, intercession, prayer, praise of God’s people. Restoration means putting things back in the right place and in the right condition. Restoration which has been initiated by God from the 20th Century is not completed yet. It is God’s will to put Israel back to their God-given political and geographical inheritance. And at the same time God is putting the Church back to its spiritual inheritance. From my point of view the Church has been far away from its spiritual inheritance, in Christ, as Israel has from its geographical inheritance in the Land. In many ways the process of restoration is parallel. It has its fulfillment at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We need understand that there is no restoration without repentance. And without repentance our prayers will be hindered even we are calling out to God from the Altar of Incense!

The Psalmist said, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).

Isaiah said sins and iniquities have separated God’s people from God:

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you” (Isaiah 59:1, 2, NKJV).

The need of Repentance

This message concerns the need of repentance of the Church at the close of this Age – the Church Age of Grace. The Feast of Atonement speaks of reconciliation and restoration and repentance. It speaks of the dealings of the Church with the Lord. It speaks of the removal of hindrances caused by sin.

John the Baptist prepared the way for the First coming of Jesus Christ. Similarly, God Himself prepares the way for the Second coming of His Son. John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance and the confession sins. Similarly, God Himself “baptizes” His Church with the “baptism” of repentance prior to the Second coming of His Son. He cleanses the Church with the Word of His Power – with the deep desire given to each member of His Body for the confession of sin. There will be tremendous cries for God’s mercy in the days to coming.

God is cleansing and sanctifying His Church so “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5;27, NKJV).

God desires His Church to be holy because without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

It is a time of consecration and repentance. God said, “For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 12:44).

Levels of Repentance

We are the Body of Christ and God calls every member of His Body to repent before He receives us to Himself. Therefore, it is not only important that every one of us must repent but also repent with the right level of repentance consistent to the level of sin committed. There are several levels of repentance according to the degree or level that we sin against God.

1. To bring sin into the light

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, NKJV).

This is the most elementary level of repentance. Sometimes a Christian could be in the state guilt, fear and confusion because he has sinned against God by failing to walk in the light of God’s Word. He is being accused by the devil (who is called the accuser of the brethren – Rev. 12:10) for something he has done. By faith he should bring his sin to the light knowing that the shield of faith will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).

One of the characteristics of sin is that it loves the dark places or dark chambers of our mind. Sin gets power from darkness. Sin hates light because it simply has no power in the light. Therefore a good way to deal with this type of sin is to bring it into the light.

2. General confession of sin

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7, NKJV).

The Bible says “all unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17). Sin of this category includes all unrighteous acts – unclean thoughts and action; unkind to others; hash words exchanged between love ones and other similar acts of unrighteousness. When we confess our sins, He will forgive us and cleanse us with the Blood of Jesus.

3. Problems of inter-personal relationship

There are two types of problems we need to face up with:

1. You fail to forgive someone

A situation could arise that I cannot forgive someone (another Christian or an unbeliever) for what he has done to me.

Jesus said I must forgive him or otherwise He would not forgive me:

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25, 26).

Notice that the only condition in the Lord’s Prayer is:

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

We need to understand that Jesus considered this command so important that He repeated it immediately after He had finished teaching His disciples how to pray (Matt. 6:14, 15)!

2. Your brother cannot forgive you

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23, 24, emphasis added).

Notice that the person who has something against you is another Christian. The word “therefore” indicates the reason why your brother cannot forgive you is given in some verses earlier.

The reason is given in verse 22:

“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be danger of the judgment….” (Emphasis added).

Your brother could not forgive you because you were angry with your brother without a cause!

In other words, Jesus was saying if our brother in Christ could not forgive us because we have sinned against him we must reconciled with him. Otherwise our gift would not be accepted and our prayer would not be heard!

4. Sicknesses due to sin

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:13 – 16, emphasis added).

Not all sicknesses are due to sin, but some are.

An example of sickness due to sin is found in John 5:2 – 15.

A man had an infirmity for 38 years. After he had received healing Jesus said to him, “See, you have been made well, Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (Verse 14).

James gives the following instructions for a sick Christian:

1. Call for the Elders of the Local Church to pray for him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

2. If his sickness is due to sin he would be restored and his sin forgiven by the prayer of faith.

3. Christians should confess one another their offenses, faults and sins, so that those who are sick might be healed and restored.

5. Prayer and fasting

We come now to the highest level of repentance for the most severe sins. If you have sinned deeply for a long period of time, the spirits associated with the sin that you have involved with can come to live within you.

A man came to Jesus and begged Him to heal his son who was suffering severely because of epilepsy. Jesus rebuked the spirit of epilepsy and the child was healed instantly. His disciples tried to cast out the demon earlier, but not successful.

Jesus then said to them, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21).

A good example of this type of evil spirits possession can be found in the life of king Saul (1 Samuel 19:4 – 9).

Saul was very jealous of David’s achievements – killing Goliath and killing thousands of Philistines. The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and a distressing sprit from the Lord troubled him (1 Samuel 16:14).

Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you” (1 Samuel 19:4).

Saul sinned against David because of jealousy and envy. As a result the Spirit of God left him and the spirit of jealousy took over.

I believe at this level of repentance not only you need prayer and fasting for yourself, but also the ministry of the Elders and Pastors. The spirit of jealousy, anger and bitterness could often cause sicknesses.

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.