Making the Bride Ready: From the Hands of the Beast – Turning the Battle to the Gates
March 5, 2018
By: Prophet Elmore Richmond Jr.
At Matthew 16:18, Jesus said: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Daniel Chapter 7:21 says: "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; 22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Revelation 13 also covers how this beast blasphemed the name of God and made war with the saints and overcame them. It is important to understand that this has already happened; however judgement is now sitting. Today, the tasks that are before us are to make the Bride Ready; therefore we must turn the battle to the gate. Isaiah 28:5-6 says: “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people. And for a spirit of judgement to him that sitteth in judgement, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.”
Daniel 11:33-35 says, “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. (34) Now when they fall, they shall be helped with a little help: but many shall cleave to them flatteries. (35) And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them and to purge, and to make them white; even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”
Daniel 12:3 says, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:10 says, “Many shall be purified, and made white; and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
Saints of God, we must be watchful; God does not want us to be caught naked. Therefore, God has put this work at our hands to (1) help bring forth understanding (2) to provide much needed revelation to help make the Bride of Christ ready (3) to provide strength to turn the battle to the gate to make the Bride ready. The Body of Christ is in trouble today because there are many who profess to be Christians who are still holding to some of doctrines and traditions from the period when these Saints of God were in the hand of the beast. Today it is important to understand that we must turn the battle to the gate. Surely, Martin Luther knew that it was time for reformation; however there were some things that were even hidden from him at that time because the beast had been very effective in integrating the doctrines of men into the Word of God. Today it is being reported that there are over 41 thousand denominations around the world. This is far too many winds of doctrine; according to Ephesians 4:12-13 the saints of God will continue to be tossed by every wind of doctrine until the Body of Christ come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul surely had the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man and the understanding of the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. They both knew the importance of the Name: JESUS. However, today there are many within the Church who will not even baptize in the name of JESUS as Apostle Peter proclaimed in Acts 2:38 and as Apostle Paul demonstrated in Acts 19, at Ephesus when Paul found these disciples who had not received the Holy Ghost since they believed. Apostle Paul asked them, “Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, unto John’s baptism.” Apostle Paul took action. He told them the Truth – Baptized them in the name of Jesus – Then Apostle Paul went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God – then Apostle Paul was confronted with the divers which were hardened and believed not and spoke evil about being baptized in the Name of JESUS (That Way!) - Apostle Paul departed from the divers and separated the disciples, and disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus for two years – so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks – Moreover God wrought special miracles by the hands of Apostle Paul – The name of JESUS was magnified and so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
A lot has happened since Apostle Paul’s actions at Ephesus. In fact when you study scriptures and the history of the Church you will understand that the beast made war with the Saints of God and overcame them until the Ancient of days came. The scriptures and history show that when the beast prevailed against the saints of God, the name of JESUS was not magnified; in fact the Saints of God were no longer allowed to be baptized in the name of JESUS. “That Way” that Apostle Paul promoted at Ephesus did not prevail in Rome; in fact in AD 325, at the Council of Nicaea, it was decided that the only way that the Church would baptize was by using the formula “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” The Saints were no longer allowed to baptize in the name of JESUS for the remission of sin. After this happened Constantine regarded himself as head of the Church; we know that the Church has only one Head and that is Christ Jesus. Today, you will find there are many who profess to be Christian who are holding on to doctrines from the era when the Saints of the living God were in the hands of the beast.
The reformation was really about turning the battle to the gates. According to Isaiah 28:6, the Lord of hosts is the spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. Today, there are far too many who still are holding onto false doctrines and many do not have the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Sometimes we lean to our own misunderstanding and we make mistakes. It is a mistake when it is not purposely done. Some mistakes can be very costly, especially when we do things contrary to the word of God. Here is a quote from one of Martin Luther’s sermons’ on the Catechism. (Martin Luther, by John Dillenberger, pp. 208) Read this very carefully.
“Now we shall take up the second part. In the former times you heard preaching on twelve articles of the Creed. If anybody wants to divide it up, he could find even more. You, however, should divide the Creed into the main parts indicated by the fact that there are three persons: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; since I believe in God the Father, I believe in God the Son, and I believe in God the Holy Spirit, who are one God. Thus you can divide each separate article into its parts. The first article teaches creation, the second redemption, the third sanctification. The first, how we are created together with all creatures; the second, how we are redeemed; the third, how we are to become holy and pure and live and continue to be pure. The children and uneducated people should learn this in the simplest fashion: The Creed has three articles, the first concerning the Father, the second concerning the Son, and the third concerning the Holy Spirit. What do you believe about the Father? Answer: He is the creator. About the Son? He is the redeemer. About the Holy Spirit? He is the sanctifier. For the educated people one could divide the articles into as many parts as there are words in it. But now I want to teach the uneducated and the children.”
Surely Martin Luther did not understand the effects of this teaching because God is always the Father. Surely, Martin Luther knew that it was the Father within the Son that did the work! However, it is a mistake to say God the Son – this is not supported by scriptures and surely Mary was not the mother of God. It is important that the Saints receive the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man; the thought God the Son does not provide this revelation. Moreover, it is important to receive revelation knowledge that reveals the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This work accomplishes these tasks and provides revelation knowledge to help all to understand the full mystery of God’s will and the revelation regarding the Word of God; why Apostle John made the affirmation: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The revelation of this affirmation is also revealed in this work.
The rest of this article is primarily taken from chapter two of the book, titled: “Edifying the Body of Christ: Unbinding the Strong Man.” This work is key to bringing forth understanding as to how and when the beast prevailed against the Saints of God, the mistakes that many Christians made, the state of the Church today and what we must do today to turn the battle to the gate and make the Bride ready. Listen carefully; there is not any quick fixes; therefore you will find herein teachable text instead of short commentaries. In this article we will cover the following subjects:
- Unifying the Body of Christ – Unbinding the Strong Man
- Knowing the Strong Man in the Church
- Affects of Binding the Strong Man
- Bringing Life to the Words in Daniel Chapter Seven and Revelation Chapter 13
- The Beast and the Image of the Beast
- The Affects of the Great Sword of the Second Seal in Revelation
- The Beast Prevails Against the Saints of God
- Preparation for the Task – A Man from Slidell
- Taking Dominion from Satan – Knowing your Master
(10) Following the Commands of God
(11) Danger of Remaining In Your Own Steadfastness
(12) The Great Mystery of God’s Will
(13) The Vision of the White Snake - The Jehovah’s Witness
(14) The Revelation of the Word of God
I pray in the name of JESUS that you will take time out and read this work and receive this blessing.
Knowing the Strong Man in the Church
In Mark 3:27, Jesus says, “No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” The words of God show us how we can cast out Satan and bind him in our personal lives and the church through the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, Satan has applied the same principles to bind the strong man in the church so he can divide and destroy. Matthew 11:12 says, “and from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and violent take it by force.” In order for this to occur, first the strong man must be bound.
In the church, who is the strong man? Is it the pastor? No, it is not the pastor. If it is not the pastor, then who is the strong man? The strong man is the Holy Spirit. (Of course the Holy Spirit is not really a man, nor is Satan.)
The Holy Spirit does the teaching, according to 1 John 2:27. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes onto you. (Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit teaches you and brings all things to your remembrance. (John 14:26) The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truths. (John 16:13)
Affects of Binding the Strong Man
Satan knows that before he can enter in the House of God and spoil the goods, first he must bind the Holy Spirit. Although Satan cannot bind the Holy Spirit himself, Satan knows that the saints of God’s actions or inaction can bind the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Satan has deceived and is deceiving many through doctrines and practices of the church, practices without scriptural foundation.
Consequently, Satan was able to wear out the saints of God. God’s saints were given over to him until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25) “But judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” (Daniel 7:26 - 27) This sounds great and this is the truth and it will come to past. Great! What did it really say? This is not literature; God’s word is alive. Therefore it must come alive to us. Now let us bring life to these words. Let us read the complete text.
Daniel 7:25-27, “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (26) But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. (27) And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
Bringing Life to the Words in Daniel Chapter Seven and Revelation
I know that some of you want to refer to your bible and read the complete text. To facilitate the process you will find the complete text below; we will use good wine, the King James Version. We must bring life to verse 7:26.
Daniel 7:26 is the interpretation for 7:22. However, to bring life into 7:26, we must refer back to 7:22. Let us read 7:21-27.
(21) I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (Ref. Revelation 13:7)
(22) Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Ref. Revelation 13:5 and Revelation 17:14) Daniel 7:9 says, I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. This is our heavenly Father.
It is important to note at Daniel 7:13, Daniel records: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. (14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel did not understand the visions. However, today we know based on scriptures that our Heavenly Father gave power to the Son of man, Christ and then the Son of man went back to the Father. (The will of the Father is recorded at Ephesians 1:9-10)
(23) Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
(24) And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
(25) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Ref. Revelation 13:5-8) Though this is not the crux of this discussion, let us address the “time and times and the dividing of time”. This is 1260 years; or 459,600 days. Ref: Revelation 12:14, 12:6, 13:5, and Ezekiel 4:6. Since this is not the crux of our immediate discussion, I pray that you will have patience and check those scriptural references.
(26) But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. Malachi Chapter 3:2-5 describes this occurrence when judgement is brought near unto us and then judgment sits.
Before we discuss the saints of God taking away the beast’s dominion, it is very important to understand what happened when judgment sits. This describes how Christ is bringing forth judgment to the land. A judgment was made, however, judgment sits. We must remember God loves judgment (Isaiah 61:8); Isaiah 26:9 says, “…for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” Isaiah 3:13 says, “the Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. According John 5:26-27: Jesus said: “For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man.” Malachi 3:5-7 says the Lord of host would come near to us to judgment. However, judgment was not immediately awarded. However, before the judgment is awarded, more time must pass and then the time will come that the saints will possess the kingdom. We must also note the Ancient of days as period of time; the period of time is defined at Daniel 7:25 as a time and times and the dividing of time; this period of time has a direct relationship when the Ancient of days (The Father) came at Daniel 7:22.
Note: An Ancient of days came (Judgment is in the Land – the end of the 42 months – the time and times and the dividing of time – 1260 years or 459,600 days) Then judgment sits because He sits as a refiner’s fire and like fullers, soap. Our Father is looking for an offering in righteousness. There is still work that must be done before the Lamb and the called, chosen, and faithful takes away dominion from Satan; however the Saints of God had to be made ready. It is also very important to understand this because failure to understand this fact has caused some to error in their teaching. The book of Daniel does not cover all the details that happened during this period when the Ancient of days sits. However, the book of Revelation covers more of the details. Let us continue to read Daniel at Chapter 7:27.
(27) “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” (Ref. Revelation 17:14) It is important to understand how this happened. This happened after the beast had prevailed against the saints of God and the saints of God were given to the beast for a time and times and a division of time (1260 years), judgment sat; thus the Ancient of days sits; here we can see judgement is on earth. Then the time came when war was made with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, King of kings: and they that are with him are called, chosen, and faithful. It is important to understand what happened before the Ancient of days came and sat; and what happened after the period of the Ancient days sitting. Revelation 17:11-17 gives a detailed explanation, however, the words of God must be lined up precepts on precepts, precepts on precepts, line on line, line on line, here a little and there a little to understand this truth.
The Beast and the Image of the Beast
The beast with ten horns in Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 13:1-8 is not the actual beast with ten horns in Revelation 17: 3-17. However, the beast in Revelation 17:3-17 is the image of the beast. Revelation 13:11-15 gives the foundation for making the image of the beast. In the book of Revelation, verse 17:8, more light is given regarding the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. Let us take a close look at the scriptures.
We will first read the foundation for making the image of the beast as recorded in Revelation 13:11-15. “(11) And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. (12) And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (13) And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. (14) And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
Daniel gives the following explanation for the ten horns on the beast he saw. Daniel 7:24 explains that the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise. On the other hand, Revelation 17:12 is referring to the image of the beast; let us read the explanation for the ten horns in Revelation 17:12. “The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Revelation 17:16 further explains, the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” Note, in Revelation 17:14, these will make war with the Lamb. These include the kings that have one mind and give power and strength to the beast. (Revelation 17:13 and Revelation 19:19)
Today it is imperative that the body of Christ understands the books of Daniel and Revelation. Let us bring life to these words that are under discussion. Satan used a nation here on earth. Ancient Rome and the Roman Empire waged war, and prevailed against the saints of God. The saints of God were under Rome’s dominion and Papal Rome’s dominion for 1,260 years. Rome was under the control of Satan; this conclusion is based on the following information and the history of Rome.
“During the second and first centuries B. C., Roman faith in the old state religion weakened. As the wealth of Rome’s empire poured into the city, many turned from the old virtues to lives of pleasure-seeking. The number of slaves and other non-citizens increased greatly, and these people turned to the religions of the East. They worshiped Isis, the Great Mother of Egypt; or the terrible god Baal of Syria; or Mithras, the Persian Son of Light. These religions made no distinction between classes, gave hope to a glorious life after death, and practiced exotic, often mysterious, rituals. Men of culture studied Greek philosophy, which discouraged fear of the gods, and many leaders of Rome became Stoics or Epicureans.”[1]
The Affects of the Great Sword of the Second Seal In Revelation
Surely, the above quotation describes a nation that was under the control of Satan. The Roman Empire took peace from the earth; power was given them to effect the Second Seal as described in Revelation 6:3-4: “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given a great sword.” The church was under the control of Rome and the Roman Empire from A.D. 325 when Emperor Constantine issued a general exhortation to all his subjects, to embrace Christianity until the last input that was made in the Roman martyrology in 1586.
Let us examine the effects of this great sword on the church. Below is a summation of persecutions of Christians as recorded in Halley’s Bible Handbook.
The first Imperial Persecution that took place was Nero, A. D. 64-67. Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom during this persecution. There was a great fire in Rome that occurred in A. D. 64 when Nero himself burned the city. However, Nero accused the Christians of burning Rome and ordered their punishment. In and around Rome multitudes of Christians were arrested and put to death in the cruelest ways. Some were crucified, tied in skins of animals and thrown into the arena to be worried to death by dogs, for entertainment, tied to the stake and burned, etc.
Under Emperor Domiation in A. D. 95 was the second Imperial Persecution where over 40,000 Christians were tortured and slain.
Under Emperor Trajan in A. D. 98- 117 was the third Imperial Persecution in the attempt to blot Christian faith. Emperor Trajan felt he should uphold the laws for the Empire; and Christianity was regarded as an illegal religion, because Christians refused to take in Emperor-worship, and the church was regarded as a secret society, which was forbidden. (Halley’s Bible Handbook 4th Edition, pages 683 and 686)
In A. D. 117-138, Under Emperor Hadrian – Christians were persecuted but in moderation.
In A. D. 138 – 161, Under Emperor Antonius Pius – Pius favored Christians, however he upheld the law. Consequently, there were many martyrs, among them Polycarp.
In A. D. 161 – 180, Under emperor Marcus Aurelius, persecutions of Christians were encouraged. Many thousands were beheaded or thrown to wild beasts, among them Justin Martyr.
In A. D. 193 – 211, Under Emperor Septimius Severus, this persecution was very severe, but not in general. Egypt and North Africa suffered the most persecution.
In A. D. 235 – 238, Under Emperor Maximin many prominent Christian leaders were put to death.
In A. D. 249 –251, Under Emperor Decius, the emperor was determined to exterminate Christianity. His persecution was coextensive with the Empire and very violent; multitudes perished under the cruelest tortures, in Rome, North Africa, Egypt, and Asia Minor.
In A.D. 253 – 260, Under Emperor Valerian, more severe than Decius; his aim was for the utter destruction of Christianity. Many leaders were executed, among them Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage.
In A. D. 284 – 305, Under Emperor Diocletian, this was the last Imperial persecution, and most severe; coextensive with the Empire. Christians were hunted in caves and forest; they were burned, thrown to wild beasts, put to death by every torture cruelty could devise. It was a resolute, determined, systematic effort to abolish the Christian name.
In the century between A. D. 200 and A. D. 300, over fifty different pretenders claimed the Throne of the Roman Empire. They fought among themselves as to who should be Emperor. They had wars after wars and a hundred years of civil war, followed by prolonged wars, famine, pestilence and death. The Roman Empire in that century lost more than half its population; this was the start of its road to ruin.[2]
Now before you read this paragraph, pray to our Heavenly Father for peace within your spirit. A martyr in the Christian Church is a person who suffers death rather than renounces his faith. “In the Roman Catholic Church, martyrdom is a form of baptism for an un-baptized person, because a martyr, by dying for Christ, shows his belief in him. Martyrdom in this sense is known as “the baptism of blood.” (New Standard Encyclopedia, pp. M167) From the time of Saint Augustin of Hippo, until 1586, on the Roman martyrology, “the Roman Catholic church put sixty-eight million Protestants to death.” (Branham) Besides Branham, Jack Chick in the “Shadow of Rome” quotes sixty-eight million were executed through all the inquisitions combined. Although the exact number is uncertain, history bears records that Rome wore out the saints of God for holding fast to the doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Rome had a great sword that took peace from the earth.
In A. D. 323 the Roman Emperor, Constantine professed to accept Christianity. Up until A. D. 323, Roman emperors had severely persecuted the church. They attempted to completely crush all Christians. However, the Christian community continued to grow. By the end of the Imperial Persecution in A. D. 313, Christians were about one-half of the population of the Roman Empire.[3] We do not plan to cover the Seven Seals in this Book; however it will be covered in a future work. But, it was necessary to bring this to light because most Christians are not familiar with this aspect of the history of the Church.
The Beast Prevails Against the Saints of God
After Emperor Constantine professed to accept Christianity, the Church was under the control of the Roman Empire. He encouraged and helped in building churches. Christianity was made Religion of his Court. Constantine moved his Capitol to Byzantium, and called it Constantinople, “New Rome,” Capital of the New Christian Empire.[4] The Church immediately became an institution of vast importance in World Politics; Constantine regarded himself as Head of the Church.[5] (Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.)
“Constantine sought to maintain a unified Christian church in support of his rule. He called together important churchmen at the Council of Nicaea (A. D. 325) in hopes of ending the Arian controversy. Out of this meeting came the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith that defined clearly the doctrine of the Trinity. With the approval of the emperor, Christianity spread rapidly; in gratitude, Christians called Constantine “the Great.”[6]
In effect, Christians accepted another doctrine that was not taught by Jesus or the Apostles of Christ; this doctrine enacted practices that worked to bind the Holy Spirit, the strong man in the Church. The doctrine of the Trinity invalidated the works of the apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as recorded in the book of Acts. The doctrine of the Trinity prohibited baptizing Christians in the name of Jesus for remission of sin. Many were deceived as Jesus said that they would be in Matthew 24:4-5. When Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
Other Emperors that followed Constantine took the same stance. For example: (1) Innocent I, in A. D. 402-417 called himself, “Ruler of the Church of God.” (2) Emperor Theodosius in A. D. 378 – 398 made Christianity the State Religion of the Roman Empire, made Church Membership Compulsory. The Church took on a military spirit. Conversions brought about changes of Pagan practice from the Groths, Vandals and Huns. There were conflicts with heathen philosophies. “Even as every generation seeks to interpret Christ in terms of its own thinking, so, no sooner had Christianity made its appearance than it began its process of amalgamation with Greek and Oriental Philosophies; and there arose many Sects: Gnosticism, Manichaeism, Montanism, Monarchianism, Arianism, Appolinarianism, Nestorianism, Eutychianism, Monophysites. From the 2nd to the 6th centuries, the Church was rent with controversies over these and similar Isms.”[7]
Now let us examine what happened in Rome and the affect on the Church. The Roman Empire waged war against the saints of God. Daniel 7:24 says, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that should arise…” Ten kings had major roles in the persecution of Christians before Constantine. They are as follows (1) Nero (2) Domiation (3) Trajan (4) Hadrian (5) Aurelius (6) Severus (7) Maximin (8) Decius (9) Valerian (10) Diocletian.
Let us continue to read Daniel 7:24, “…and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. Constantine arose after them. He was diverse from the first; Constantine said that he was head of the Church – on the other hand the first Imperial Persecution that took place was under Nero. Constantine did subdue three kings. “He caused Maximian to be killed in 310, and defeated Maximian’s son Maxentius, the emperor in Italy, at the Battle of Milvian Bridge outside of Rome in 312… In 324 Constantine overthrew Licinius and united the empire under his own rule.”[8]
The saints of God were under the dominion of the Roman Empire and Papal Rome from the time Emperor Constantine issued a general exhortation to all his subjects to embrace Christianity in A. D. 325, through part of the period of the Reformation of the Church until 1586, when the apparent end of the record of Roman martyrology. This is 1260 years, a “time and times and the dividing of time”. Ref: Revelation 12:14, 12:6, 13:5, and Ezekiel 4:6. This revelation is not given from the view of the Idealism’s, Preterism’s, Historicism’s, Futurism’s perspective, but this truth is from the Holy Spirit.
War will be waged against the Lamb and the called, the chosen, and the faithful as outlined in Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 19:19-21; this is a future event. Many are writing about this future war and many Christians can see how it is unfolding; however, many are still in the wilderness. The Holy Spirit is leading me to bring clarity and food to help make the bride of Christ (the Church) ready for the marriage. In Revelation 19:7, it is recorded that the wife of the Lamb made herself ready for the marriage. According to the nineteenth chapter of Revelation, the marriage of the Lamb will take place before the war is waged against the Lamb and the called, the chosen, and the faithful.
In Revelation 19:8 John writes, “And to her (the wife of the Lamb) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” Revelation 19:14 says, “And the armies which were in heaven followed Him (the Lamb) upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” Listen carefully, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ will be with Him (the Lamb) in Heaven before this war. Then they will follow the Lamb back to the earth for war. Revelation 19:19 says, “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”
Our task is to make the Church ready for the marriage of the Lamb and prepare to fight this spiritual war.
Preparation for the Task – A Man from Slidell
In the process of preparing me to see the difficult task that is before us on December 1, 2005, about 12:30 P. M., after running several errands, I returned home in Jackson, Tennessee and drove my car onto the driveway. After I exited my car, a man approached me and asked me if I was a minister. I told him yes. He told me he was from Slidell, Louisiana. He showed me his pictured I.D. that appeared to be a driver’s license from Louisiana. (Slidell is about thirty miles from New Orleans.) He told me he had paid a woman in advance for a place to stay; he had paid the woman $200.00 in cash. He told me where the woman said she was employed; I told him I would take him there. While en-route, he explained that he had just given two guys a one-hundred dollar bill out of the hundred dollars, he had planned to give them $20.00. However, they took the one-hundred dollar bill and did not take him where he wanted to go. I expressed my concerns; but the man told me it was all right because they did not take the money from him, he gave them the money.
The man asked me how old was I; I told him that I was fifty-five years old. Then I asked him how old he was; he told me that he was “four” “two”. Then he said he did not know how old he was because he could not read; but he said he thought he was “four” “two”. He said that he lived on a farm in Slidell and he is paid forty dollars a week. The owner of the farm takes care of everything and pays him forty dollars. I said to him so you live on a plantation; he corrected me and said he lives on a farm. We continued our discussion.
The man from Slidell then told me that his father died and left him some money. The owner of the farm gave him seventy-five thousand dollars. The man said the owner of the farm went into the bank and came back and gave him seventy-five thousand dollars in cash money. The man explained to me that the owner of the farm told him he could not take him in the bank to open a savings account because it takes two white men to take a black man into the bank to open a savings account. I explained to him that this was not true; it did not take two white men to go with you to open a savings account. When I parked the car in the parking lot of the store, the man from Slidell gave me a letter to read to him from the insurance company. I read the letter to him.
In summary, the letter said the man was the sole beneficiary of an insurance policy. His father had a seventy-five thousand dollar insurance policy with double indemnity in case of accidental death. The death was ruled as accidental; the total amount that was due him at that time was one hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars. After reading this letter aloud, I explained it to the man and told him again that it does not take two white men to go to the bank with him to open a savings account. The man became adamant, as if what I was telling him was not the true.
Then a black man came out of the store and as he approached my car, I motioned him over. The man from Slidell asked him if he knew how to get to the place that was on the card the woman had given him. The man said that he was not familiar with the address and the woman did not work in the store. (He identified himself as an employee at the store.)
Then I explained to the store’s employee that this man is from Slidell, Louisiana and he has been told that it takes two white men to go with him to the bank to open a savings account. The store employee assured the man that this was not the case. Then the man from Slidell became even more adamant and said it takes two white men to go with him into the bank to open a savings account. Then he took out of a black plastic bag, a roll of one-hundred dollar bills about the size of a brick. Immediately, the store employee and I told him to put the money away and not to show it to anyone else, like that. Then we told him with urgency to take the money to the bank and we would go in with him to set up a savings account. We were not able to convince the man. The man from Slidell left our presence saying, I need to get away from around you guys. It takes two white men. If black men go into the bank, they would call the police and beat them and take them to jail. We brought truth to the man from Slidell, but, he was from the wilderness, and he believed his master. I have informed the FBI of this incident.
I shared this story with you because some Christians who are reading this book have not studied to show themselves approved unto God. Like the man from Slidell, they are in the wilderness. Some Christians will not be able to receive the Truth that is written in this book. I pray they will receive this Truth. Like the earthly father of the man from Slidell who left him blessings and benefits, our Heavenly Father has left us blessings and benefits. If we cannot receive the Spirit of Truth, we cannot receive all of our blessings and benefits, as the man from Slidell cannot receive the full benefit his earthly father left him.
Listen to what one of the seven angels which had seven vials told John in Revelation 17:1-3. “Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me (John) away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
It is important to understand who this woman is that was in the wilderness. But, it is more important to understand that you are in the wilderness when you have not received the Spirit of Truth. The message is simple; like the master, the owner of the farm in Slidell, there are other “masters” that work to keep the truth from Christians. Christians must understand that Jesus said in Matthew 23:8-10. “But be not called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. The man from Slidell did not use the term master, but, surely, the owner of the farm was his master. Do you truly know who your Master is?
Taking Dominion from Satan – Knowing your Master
To take dominion from Satan, Christians must know who their Master is. Listen carefully, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4) How will Christians take away dominion from this nation that was being used by Satan? Did they have to fight for it? Yes, the kingdom will be given to the Saints. However, Satan just did not give up dominion without a fight. Take heed, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10)
As a servant of God, one of His prophets, by the grace of God, we bring light to God’s word for you. Judgment shall sit. Malachi 3:5 says, “…the Lord of hosts will come near to us to judgment.” Isaiah 26:9 says, “…for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” In Isaiah 51:4, God says, “…I will make my judgment to rest for a light to the people.” God sent his Holy Spirit to sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver. (Malachi 3:3)
Listen, before the Judgment is awarded the saints of God must make themselves ready for the marriage, when this occurs they will be perfect in one, ready for the marriage of the Lamb, and prepared for war. These lukewarm soldiers, who really love the Lord, must adhere to the word of God in Revelation 3:19. They, the called, the chosen, and faithful, must repent, and get hot for the Lord. These saints of God must unify and edify one another in love. First they must work together to see where they have gone wrong. They, the called, the chosen, and faithful, must return to the first work, and get rid of all commandments of men, and traditions that are contrary to the word of God which have bound the Holy Ghost. Then the Holy Ghost will be set free on earth.
Here is one of the keys to heaven. Jesus said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)
You must receive this key! After we, the called, chosen, and the faithful, unbind (loose) the Holy Spirit on earth, then God will pour out his Spirit upon His Saints. Acts 2:17-18 says, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:” We must receive power and prepare ourselves for this spiritual battle; we are in the midst of the battle today.
The Holy Ghost gives His gifts as He wills. With this power, the Saints of God, filled with the Holy Ghost, will receive the reward from this judgment. However, today, the doctrines developed while the Church was under the control of the Roman Empire still influence the Church. When we the Church become perfect in one, we will get rid of all of these doctrines of men, receive the glory of Jesus; then judgment will be awarded.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, the bottom-line purpose of this work is to help facilitate the process of unbinding the Holy Spirit and edifying the saints of God. Through this process, the Bride of Christ will make herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb. The marriage will take place in heaven. Then the Lamb and saints of God, the called, chosen, and faithful, will come back to earth for the war against the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies. Therefore, it is imperative that we unbind the Holy Spirit on earth by getting rid of doctrines and practices that are contrary to the word of God and hearken to the word of God.
Have you received the gift of the Holy Spirit since you believed? How do you know if you have received it? Have you been baptized? In what name were you baptized? Were you baptized as Peter described in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins in accordance with Acts 2:38? Were you baptized in another way? Satan would like you to close this book now. Do not read any further Satan is crying out to you. But, there is another voice saying, “Read on my child. Through this work I bring light to a world that has grown darker. Let this light come in with power to increase your light and then let this increased power shine in your life to show others the way.” Thank you Holy Spirit for these words!
Today some people have good intentions, but many have been deceived. Satan knows that if he can prevent people from receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he would have sure victory. So over the years Satan has done a number of things to deceive people and cause them to err. All these things are of utmost importance for Satan to destroy you and cause others to fall. To address this problem, the members of the body of Christ who have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, must work together in love to ensure that the entire body of Christ is edified. Every Christian must discover how Satan’s deceits have kept Christians from receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and serving God in a more perfect way.
We must stop creating a greater divide by creating more denominations. For this cessation to occur, we must address the aforementioned problem first, then work together and ensure the proper teaching of first principles of the oracles of Christ.
Although many have been deceived, Jesus instructed us how to avoid this trap. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He told Satan, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Matthew 4:7 says, “… It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Matthew 4:8-9 says, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Jesus gave us four lessons here. (1) Man should live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (2) You should not tempt the Lord thy God. (3) You should worship the Lord thy God and Him only should you serve. And the fourth lesson is, (4) “Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
Following the Commands of God
Now let us examine the first lesson. Man should live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. How can a man live by every word that proceed out of the mouth of God without studying the word of God, the gospel being preached, and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach, bringing things to his remembrance, and leading him in all truth. Let us look at a command that Jesus gave, “Call no man on earth your father.” (Matthew 23:9)
Jesus gave a command that you should call no man on earth your father. However, millions have ignored this command because of their church doctrines. There is a consequence for this disobedience. Consequently, this disobedience has caused millions of Christians to claim priests and the pope as their father instead of God, the creator. God does not share His position of our Spiritual Father with anyone. When we are born of the Spirit, we become children of God. There is no other spiritual Father; today we can clearly see men who many had lifted up as their spiritual fathers that have fallen short of the mark of meeting this standard.
(1) Matthew 23:9 states, “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” Jesus made this statement. This is a command. However, some have ignored it. Jesus made this comment while he was addressing the multitude and his disciples. (Matthew 23:1) However, the Roman Catholic doctrines teach that this was only addressed to the disciples.[9] However, Jesus made this comment for all to set things in order. You are encouraged to read Matthew chapter 23 then reflect on what is going on in the Catholic Church today. This command not to call any man on earth your father is as significant as the command when God told Adam to not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden.
Besides the use of the term father, Jesus said be not called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. (Matthew 23:8) This too is a command. Did Jesus really mean this? Or was Jesus just joking? Surely, Jesus meant every word that He spoke. Jesus knew the negative affects of men esteeming other men as their fathers and masters. Every command that Jesus spoke was the command of God. Nevertheless, some people continue to hold fast to traditions and fail to adhere to the word of God. Below is a note regarding Matthew 23:9 from the One Volume Bible Commentary.
“9. Father (Aramaic abba) and masters (v.10) are also titles of the scribes, the former being chiefly used as a prefix to the name, e.g. Abba Shaul. Some Christians take these prohibitions literally, and say that it is antichristian to use such titles of respect as ‘Reverend,’ ‘Father in God’ ‘Venerable,’ and the like, which correspond to the titles of the scribes. But what Jesus condemned was not the title themselves, so much as the presumptuous claims which the titles implied, The rabbis really did put themselves in the place of God, and almost on an equality with Him. Their traditions were more binding than the Law, and were regarded as in a sense binding upon God. One rabbi went the length of being buried in white garments to show that he was worthy to appear before his Maker. Another is said to have been summoned to heaven by God to settle a point of the law of ceremonial purification: …”[10]
Let us examine the scriptures regarding the term “reverend.” The word reverend is used once in the Holy Bible. Psalm 111:9. “He sent redemption unto his people: He hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.” This clearly says God’s name is holy and reverend. Jesus said that there is none good but one, that is God. (Matthew 19:17) The scriptures does not support that man’s name should be called reverend or holy. Today, we can see many examples of why we should not reverend any person’s name or call any man on earth holy father. The negative affects of calling men Holy Fathers in the Catholic Church can be clearly seen today, thousands of people’s lives have been negatively impacted over the years; this is not a new problem for the Catholic Church. This is part of the judgment of God; the earth is slowly being turned upside down.
However, there are names given to God’s servants. Here are some of the titles: (1) Ministers (2 Corinthians 3:6) (2) Elders (1 Timothy 5:17), (3) Apostles, (4) Prophets, (5) Evangelists, (6) Pastors, and (7) Teachers (Ephesians 4:11) (8) Bishops and (9) Deacons.
Now let us see what the Catholic Study Bible says.
“23, 8-12: These verses warning against the use of various titles, are addressed to the disciples alone. While only the title ‘Rabbi’ has been said to be used in addressing the scribes and Pharisees (7), the implication is that Father and ‘Master’ also were. The prohibition of these titles to the disciples suggests that their use was present in Matthew’s church. The Matthean Jesus forbids not only the titles but the spirit of superiority and pride that is shown by their acceptance. Whoever exalts … will be exalted: cf Lk 14, 11”[11]
You have just read truth mixed with justification to continue traditions that disregard the word of God. Jesus actually provided truth that was given to set things in order. Jesus addressed the multitude and his disciples and gave them warnings about exalting themselves. Jesus sought to bring understanding to the people. Therefore the command not to call any man on earth your father was not mentioned only for the twelve disciples, but it is a command for all who believe. Jesus explained what God commanded them to do and not to do.
One source stated that, “Some Christians take these prohibitions literally.” Are the ones who follow these commands wrong? God forbid. Nevertheless, instead of adhering to the commands of Jesus, the Jews continue to be called Rabbi. The Catholics adopted the title “Father”, and some have adopted the title “Reverend.” Consequently, today many have elected to hold on to traditions instead of adhering to the word of God. Traditions make the commandments of God of none effect. (Matthew 15:6, Mark 7:13) Brothers and sisters in Christ, you do not have to hold on to traditions. Today, we are under a new covenant; the old covenant has vanished away. Jesus gave us instructions for a more excellent ministry, a better covenant that was established upon better promises. (Hebrews 8:6) Therefore, we should align our doctrines with the truth and continue in the truth and it will make us free.
Now, many refer to the pope and priests as their fathers. Jesus knew that this would occur, so in Matthew chapter 6:9, He states, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven…” When you call men on earth your fathers, you disobey an important command that Jesus gave us. The problem is compounded when you pray and if you fail to say, our Father which art in heaven. When this occurs, what father are you praying to?
Satan has been quite effective in deceiving many through the Roman Catholic Church and Canon Law. (Canon Law is the body of laws and rules of doctrine and discipline enacted by a Christian Church, especially the Roman Catholic Church.) Now millions look on a man on earth as their Holy Father, yet Jesus said call no man on earth your father. This is not a small matter, but this is a very serious infraction of spiritual balance of power. Remember, “Man should live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. Through God’s word the world was created. There is power in the word of God - when there is a disregard for the word of God, there are always consequences.
Consequently, this error has subjected many to the power of Satan. In effect, Satan is now their father until they repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Consequently, now instead of worshipping God, the creator, millions are worshipping Satan, the great deceiver. Yet, they may say to Jesus, Lord, Lord. However, as recorded in Luke 6:46, Jesus is saying to them today, “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Jesus explains in Luke 6:49, “that they are like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
Jesus brought truth. Remember, Jesus was the word of God made flesh! Nevertheless, Jesus knew that we would continue to encounter practices that go contrary to His word. This is the reason in Matthew 16:6, Jesus said to His disciples to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Let us take a close look at the Pharisees and Sadducees so we can clearly understand this warning from Jesus. First let us look at the Pharisees.
“The sect of Pharisees is thought to have originated in the 3rd century B. C., in the days preceding the Maccabean wars, when under Greek Domination and the Greek effort to Hellenize the Jews, there was a strong tendency among the Jews to accept Greek culture with its pagan religious custom. The rise of the Pharisees was a reaction and protest against this tendency among their fellow-countrymen. Their aim was to preserve the national integrity and strict conformity to Mosaic Law. The Pharisees were the most numerous and influential of the religious sects of Jesus’ day. They were strict legalists. They stood for the rigid observances of the letter and forms of the Law, and also for the Traditions. There were some good men among them. But in the main they were known for their covetousness, self-righteousness and hypocrisy.” (Haley’s Bible Handbook, 24th Edition, page 411 and 445)
Now we will take a look at the Sadducees. “The Sadducees as a sect are thought to have originated about the same time as the Pharisees. Being guided by secular considerations, they were in favor of adopting Greek customs. They took no part in the Maccabean struggle for their nation’s liberty. They were a priestly clique, and though they were the religious officials of their nation, they were avowedly irreligious. They were not numerous, but they were wealthy and influential. To a great extent they controlled the Sanhedrin, even though they were rationalistic and worldly-minded.” (Haley’s Bible Handbook, 24th Edition, pp 411) “The Sanhedrin was the recognized headship of the Jewish people in the days of Christ. … It was composed of 70 members, mostly priests and Sadducean nobles, some Pharisees, scribes, and elders (tribal or family heads), presided over by the high priest.” (Haley’s Bible Handbook, 4th Edition, p. 410)
The above text should have shed some light; however, this will give even more light. The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. (Acts 23:8) Therefore, the Sadducees clearly did not believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, however, they had the greatest influence over the Sanhedrin, the recognized headship of the Jewish people. On the other hand, the Pharisees were hypocrites.
Jesus explains how the scribes and Pharisees work to shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: and they would not go in and would not allow others to go in. Let’s review the entire text.
Matthew 23:13-15 says, “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (14) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (15) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Jesus knew the danger of their teaching and practices. In Matthew 23:33, Jesus says to the scribes, and Pharisees, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
Jesus knew their doctrines would grow and hide the truth, and would cause others to fall after they converted them. However, Jesus knew that the word of God could keep in check these doctrines if Christians would adhere to His warning. We will examine how this failure occurred.
Jesus did not fall down and worship Satan? No, Jesus never fell down and worshipped Satan. However, some religious leaders did and today because of their actions, millions have been deceived and are worshiping God in vain, by following the doctrines of man. (Mark 7:7) The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church played a major role in this, deceiving millions.
Here is further support for this statement. The word of God does not make mention of a Vicar of Christ, however, the Pope claims to be the Vicar of Christ, the Holy Father; millions fall down before him and kiss his hand and worship the Pope. Many are being deceived today. However, the Church is quiet because it is in the Laodicean Church Age, whereby many believers are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. In Revelation 3:16, God said that He would spew this Church out of his mouth. The word of God is true; therefore, today Christians must receive the Holy Spirit and become hot in God’s sight. In Revelation 3:19, Jesus says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Martin Luther was hot and he took a stand on the word of God to reveal this great deceiver. Here is a quote from his work, “In the first place, it is painful and shocking to see that the head of Christendom, proclaiming himself the Vicar of Christ and the successor of St. Peter, lives in such a worldly and ostentatious style that no king or emperor can reach and rival him. He claims the titles of the “Most Holy” and “Most Spiritual”, but there is more worldliness in him than in the world itself. He wears a triple crown, whereas the mightiest kings wear only one. If that is like the lowly Christ or St. Peter, it is to me a new sort of likeness. … No matter how his inclinations may lead him, such pomp is evil; and for the sake of his soul’s salvation, the pope ought to lay it aside, if only because St. Paul says, “abstain from all demeanour which is evil.” (1 Thess. 5:22), and again, “We ought to bring forth what is good, not only in God’s sight, but also before all men. (Roman 12:17). … The Romanists declare he is the Lord of the earth. That is false; for Christ, whose vicegerent and steward he boasts of being, said before Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). No vicegerent can have a rulership greater than his lord. Nor is the pope vicegerent on behalf of the Risen Christ, but of the Crucified Christ, for Paul says, “For I determined not to know anything among you save Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2); and, “You ought so to think of yourselves as you see in Christ, who emptied himself, and took on the mind of a servant” (Phil. 2:5-7), and again, “We preach Christ, the crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23), But now they create the pope the vice-gerent of the Risen Christ in heaven; and some popes have let the devil rule in them so fully that they have claimed that the pope is above the angels in heaven and has them at his command; which surely is the work of Antichrist himself.” (Martin Luther: Selections from his writings, By John Dillenberger, pages 418-419).
Who made the pope the vice-gerent of Jesus Christ? 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Jesus says that we can ask Our Heavenly Father directly ourselves in his name. (John 16:23-28) The word of God does not support the pope as the vice-gerent of Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus said, “Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.” (Mathew 23:9)
Before we continue, let us turn our attention back to the Romanists declaring the Pope as Lord of the earth as described by Martin Luther. In 2 Corinthians, Chapter 4, the words of God mentioned the god of this world. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4.)
Today, the Roman Catholic Church practices calling the pope the High Priest and the Holy Father. It is written that Jesus is the High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17) Who gave the Pope this authority? Hebrews 7:28 says, For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Since millions have disobeyed Jesus’ command and have called others on earth their fathers, it has rendered this statement of non-effect for them, “In the Name of The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.” The question is what father are they talking about if the pope is their Holy Father. If the pope is the Holy Father, then who is the Son? Moreover, if the pope is the Holy Father, then who is their Holy Ghost of; one of the popes, who has died? God forbid. Well this may sound foolish to you; however, let us look at a few other known facts. From the time of Saint Augustine of Hippo, until 1586, on the Roman Martyrology, some sources say the Roman Catholic Church put sixty-eight million human beings put to death. During the dark ages, there were millions fed to lions, slaughtered in every way, because they stood on the name of Jesus and would not bow down to the Roman Catholic Church. There is much discussion on the number of people killed by the Roman Catholic Church; below are two postings from the University Study: Estimates of the Number Killed by the Papacy in the Middle Ages and later
David A. Plaisted
“Alexander Campbell, well known religions leader of the nineteenth century, stated in debate with John B. Purcell, Bishop of Cincinnati, in 1837 that the records of historians and martyrologists show that it may be reasonable to estimate that from fifty to sixty-eight millions of human beings died, suffered torture, lost their possessions, or were otherwise devoured by the Roman Catholic Church during the awful years of the Inquisition. Bishop Purcell made little effort to refute these figures. (Citing A Debate on the Roman Catholic Religion, Christian Publishing Co., 1837, p. 327.)”
“Walter M. Montano, a former Catholic priest, asserts in his book, Behind the Purple Curtain that it has been estimated that fifty million people died for their faith during the twelve hundred years of the Dark Ages. (Citing Walter M. Montano, Behind the Purple Curtain, Cowman Publications, 1950, page 91.)
-- The Shadow of Rome, by John B. Wilder; Zondervan Publishing Co., 1960, page 87.”
In the words of Martin Luther, “They create the pope as the vice-gerent of the Risen Christ in heaven; and some popes have let the devil rule in them so fully that they have claimed that the pope is above the angels in heaven and has them at his command; which surely is the work of Antichrist himself.” (Martin Luther: Selections from his writings, By John Dillenberger, pages, 418-419). However, Jesus gave the command, “Don’t call any man on earth your father.” Why did Jesus give it? Jesus only did the will of His Father; therefore He said what His Father commanded Him to say. Jesus did not say anything in vain; nevertheless, millions have ignored this command.
Most churches practice repeating the phrase “In the Name of The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost”, that Jesus gave as a command. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” It was not the practice of the disciples to just repeat the command; however they executed the command by baptizing in the name of Jesus.
Nevertheless, the practice of merely repeating the phase “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” was passed down through the years. Although it was passed down, it was not through the word of God, but the doctrines of men. There is no record in the Bible whereby anyone was baptized by repeating the phrase, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Jesus did not mean for anyone to just repeat the command. Jesus said baptize in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. That name is Jesus. Again let us review the scriptures.
The Father made himself an everlasting name. (Isaiah 63:12) Therefore, the Lord’s, the Father’s, our Redeemer’s name is from everlasting. (Isaiah 63:16) At John 5:43 Jesus says, “I am come in my Father’s name …” Jesus was tasked to manifest the name of the Father. (John 17:6) Jesus declared the Father’s name. (John 17:26) Jesus made known the name of the Father to be Jesus, a new name; an everlasting name that the Father made for himself. A name that was not at the beginning, but a name from everlasting until it was declared by Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, Our Lord and Saviour. The god of this world has blinded many from this truth. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
At John 14:26 Jesus says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Jesus gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom of God. Moreover, before Jesus was crucified, Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:31-32) Records bear witness that Peter was converted and he used one of those keys in Acts 2:38. Peter knew that Jesus came in his Father’s name and His Father sent the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus.
Before you read any further, ask the Holy Spirit to prick your heart. This is very important because if the Holy Spirit is not leading you now, you will close this book after you read the next paragraph and miss one of the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
Peter used one of the keys to answer the question, “Man and brethren, what shall we do?” This question was asked after the day of Pentecost had fully come. Peter explained to devout men out of every nation (Acts 2:5) that God had raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32) and Jesus was on the right hand of God exalted and they had received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:33). At Acts 2:36, Peter says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:37 says, “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Next, Peter uses one of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and gave it to them. Acts 2:38, Peter says, “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Yes this is one of the keys that Jesus gave to Peter! Although, this seems to be simple to follow, many years ago many were deceived. The Romanists condemn the use of the words; “I baptize thee in the name of Jesus Christ.” They refused to regard any baptism as valid except: “baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.” In the writing of Martin Luther, he says they argued their point of view in vain. They brought no proofs, but only assert their own fabrications. Why did they refuse to effect the command and baptize in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The answer is simple. They did not know who Jesus is and they had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Moreover, they did not believe in the name of Jesus, and they had already been condemned. Now this is the next key.
Most Christians are familiar with John 3:16. However, many have failed to examine John 3:18. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Believing in the name of Jesus is one of the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Now I ask you if you do not believe in the baptism in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, what is your rationalization? If you are still not convinced, let us search the scriptures to see if we can find any of the disciples or anyone else baptizing by just repeating the phase “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” that was used in the command that Jesus gave. I have completed my search. The answer is ZERO. No not one.
On the other hand, if you search the scriptures, you will find that the only way the apostles baptized was in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. See Acts 2:38, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:16, Acts 8:38, Acts 10:48, and Acts 19:5. The apostles followed the command that was given by Jesus by executing it, baptizing in the name of Jesus Christ; the church of the Living God is built on the foundations of the apostles of Jesus Christ and the prophets.
Do you now understand how Satan used the scribes and Pharisees to crucify Jesus? Now he is using their doctrines to bind the Holy Spirit. Now he is using the scribes and Pharisees doctrine; it is about not magnifying the name of JESUS. In Mark 7:7, Jesus says that a person can worship Him in vain. He explains how this occurs. “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men …”
If you are a pastor and do not baptize in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that you will not rationalize any longer, but repent and be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and pray for the gift of the Holy Ghost. If you continue to follow the traditions of men, you will be one of those people who honor Jesus with their lips, but their heart is far from Him. (Mark 7:6) It is appropriate that this message from Jesus go here. Jesus said, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejected me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:47-48)
Repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus for remission of sin are two of the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Remember what Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) Receive these keys and then ensure that every Christian in your congregation is afforded the same opportunity.
Records show that the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees threatened and commanded the apostles not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4: 17-18) Acts 4:19 says, “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” However, these threats did not stop them from preaching, teaching, and baptizing in the name of Jesus.
Why did these people fear using the name of Jesus? Here is more insight. John 11:45-48 explains, after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, many Jews believed on Jesus. However, some of them went their way and told the Pharisees. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, “What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.”
This explains the reason why the Pharisees were motivated to stop Jesus. They did it for political reasons and personal gain. Here we can see how the love of money is the root of this evil. Because of this love for money, the Pharisees sought to end the teaching, preaching, and healing in the name of Jesus. 1Timothy 6:9-10 says, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
So, what has happened over the years? They killed Stephen, a deacon, Paul, Peter, and other disciples for standing on the name of Jesus. They did not only kill the disciples, but millions have been killed because they used the name of Jesus. Consequently, some have rejected the keys that Jesus gave to Peter and yielded to the threats of man and the love of money. God help us to understand why they did not want believers to speak about Jesus or teach, preach, heal, work miracles, nor baptize in the name of Jesus. This is the spirit of the anti-Christ.
Now there is another important factor that must be considered here. Repent. To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, your heart must be right in the sight of God. Chapter eight of Acts talks about a man called Simon, who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria. Simon offered to give Peter money after he saw the apostles’ lay hands and people received the Holy Ghost. Simon wanted to purchase this power with money. In Acts 8:20- 21, Peter said unto him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou has thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” The bottom line, Simon’s heart was not right in the sight of God. Therefore, we must learn from this example. Our heart must be right in the sight of God to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Now come close and listen for here is another key. In Mark 3:27, Jesus says, “No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” In the church, who is the strong man? Is it the pastor? No, it is not the pastor. If it is not the pastor, then who is the strong man? The strong man is the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit does the teaching, according to I John 2:27. You receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. (Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit teaches you and brings all things to your remembrance. (John 14:26) He will guide you into all truths. (John 16:13) Satan knows that before he can enter into the House of God and spoil God’s goods, first he must bind the Holy Spirit. So Satan has deceived and is deceiving many through doctrines.
Sometimes people take scriptures out of context. Therefore I ask that you read the entire text that covers this matter. Mark 3:23 - 29. “And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? (24) And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. (25) And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (26) And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. (27) No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. (28) Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: (29) But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”
Through the word of God in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Ghost, we are able to bind Satan and cast him out. The word of God cannot be bound. (2 Timothy 2:9) However, Satan knows that through deception he can get the saints of God to bind the Holy Spirit through doctrines and practices that are contrary to the word of God. Here are some of the ways that Satan accomplishes this deception. (1) They hide the truth through doctrines. These doctrines are in the form of philosophies, vain deceit, traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. (2) Doctrines and laws to keep the word of God from being preached in the name of Jesus (3) Doctrines, practices, and laws to keep Christians from being baptized in the Name of Jesus (4) Doctrines and practices that prevent Christians from using their spiritual gifts in the name of Jesus.
The more control that Satan has of these things, the more harm he inflicts on the body of Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, Satan has done this through doctrines and practices without scriptural foundation. Now the Spirit of Truth is here, receive Him and continue in the word of God, then you should know the truth and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)
I love you and I want you to serve the Lord in a more perfect way. The word of God says let every man judge himself. The word of God also says, when the Holy Ghost comes upon you it will give you power. The word further says, these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing; it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:16-18)
Some teach that this power was only given to the apostles that Jesus was speaking to at that time; this teaching is in error. If you are under a teacher that teaches that this power was only given to the apostles, ask the teacher to explain to you the statement that Jesus made to Phillip. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my Father. (John 14:12)
God does not want us to be ignorant regarding our spiritual gifts. I Corinthians chapter twelve covers this matter, if someone teaches something else that does not line up with the word of God, that person is a false teacher or they are ignorant of the word of God. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, these spiritual gifts were not just given to the apostles; but the Holy Ghost is a gift and the Holy Ghost gives gifts to every believer, as he will. Now, I ask you again, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
Now, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Look how Satan has deceived many. First Jesus’ command, “Do not call any man on earth your father” was ignored. They called men on earth their fathers. Then they repeated the phase in the command that Jesus gave them to baptize “in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost,” however, they failed to execute the command by baptizing in the name of Jesus as Peter and other apostles demonstrated. They refused to recognize baptisms in the name of Jesus. However, this was the way Peter and the apostles did it. Peter had the keys. As we search the scriptures we find after Pentecost had fully come, the apostles baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:41 says, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Open your eyes and see what has happened. They called men on earth their fathers and ignored Jesus’ command. Jesus came in His Father’s name, (John 5:43) and the Father sent the Holy Ghost in Jesus’ name, (John 14:26) however, they refused to baptize in the Name of Jesus! God made Jesus, both Lord and Christ, there is only one Lord, that is God and God is our Savior.
Peters writes, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18) Jude 24-25 says, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and ever. Amen.”
Consequently, millions have been and are being deceived and denied the power of the Holy Spirit because of this error. Man cannot box in God! However unbelief and preaching something other than the word of God, will bind the Holy Spirit from operating in the life of a Christian and in the life of the Church.
Acts 10:44 bears record that the Holy Ghost fell on some while the word was being preached and then they were baptized in the name of Lord. Here the word of God was being preached and the people believed. Let us review the word: Acts 10:43-48. “To him give all the prophets’ witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Nevertheless, the Romanists would not recognize the baptism in the name of Jesus. Here is another key, the word of God says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
The Sadducees, scribes, and Pharisees, people that Jesus called hypocrites, helped establish the Law, policies and practices that are still in effect today that affect the church. Today, many Christian leaders have rejected these keys, and are holding fast to the traditions and not the word of God. Consequently, now the blind are leading the blind, using their own doctrines and dogmas. Instead of the Holy Spirit teaching, they have allowed the philosophies of men, vain deceit, traditions, and the rudiments of the world control and are leading people who want to know the Lord further away from the truth. This rebuke is in love, however it is not from me, but it is from the Lord. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19)
Danger of Remaining In Your Own Steadfastness
Come close and listen. Peter warns us that we should fall from our own steadfastness after we have heard the truth. If not we would be led away with the error of the wicked. Many have never realized this warning that is written at 2 Peter 3:17-18; many see it from the view that we should remain steadfast. However, when you examine this text closely you will also see the warning. Let us read the entire text beginning with (2 Peter 3:14) “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. (15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; (16) As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (17) Ye therefore, beloved seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”
When we look closely we can see a strong admonishment from Apostle Peter to the saints because he told them to be diligent that they may be found in peace; without spot, and blameless. Peter points out how God had blessed Apostle Paul with wisdom and how Apostle Paul in his epistles shared things that were hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scripture, unto their own destruction. Here it is important to consider all the teaching of Apostle Paul. At Hebrews 5:11-14, Apostle Paul told them that they were dull of hearing, when they ought to be teachers; they had need that one to teach them again. Now listen to the admonishment from Apostle Peter at 2 Peter 3:17, Peter points out that they knew these things before. Here Apostle Peter is even talking about things that Apostle Paul said when he told them that they were dull to hear, things that were hard to be understood, and things that the unlearned and unstable wrested with. Peter expresses his concern because they knew the things that Apostle Paul had written in his epistles however, Apostle Paul told them that they were dull of hearing and needed someone to teach them again. Next, Apostle Peter admonished them to beware of what? Why did Apostle Paul say that they were dull of hearing and they had need for someone to teach them again? They were dull of hearing truth and receiving spiritual guidance; things that they were already taught; therefore Apostle Peter admonish them: (17) Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also be led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. “But grow in grace, and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” Apostle Peter knew that there were some still dull of hearing and holding on to their own steadfastness of the things that would cause them to be dull of hearing the truth and receiving spiritual guidance and if they would not fall from their own steadfastness in these things they too would be lead away with the error of the wicked.
When Christ is given the glory, we will break our loyalty to organizational dogmas when these doctrines conflict with the word of God. But, when we place the Canon Law, traditions, and organizations’ doctrines ahead of the word of God, then we give glory to the organization instead of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour. Today, we find many who profess to be Christians who are steadfast, however many have been deceived by the wicked one. In order for them to grow and grace and knowledge they must fall from this state of steadfastness.
Millions have given their lives for us to preserve and protect the word of God and to defend the use of the name of Jesus Christ. Today however, many do what is most expedient and will not work to correct past errors even when the truth is known. They look at what is most profitable for their ministry. When this occurs, the work they are doing is no longer that of God’s. It is for self-glory. Jesus says when one does this, ye work iniquity and to depart from him. (Matthew 7:23)
On the surface it appears to be more advantageous to stay in a known institution where there is money, status, and a visible support system, even if the organization’s practices are contrary to the word of God. Many prefer to continue in their own steadfastness falling in error to the wicked one. It is easy to look at all the good things that one does in the name of the Lord, get caught up in it, and fail to see when it is no longer of the Lord. Look at what Jesus says here. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22-23)
For the love of money is the root of all evil! Listen carefully as we shine light on Satan’s plan – a plan that Satan has in effect today. Satan knows in order to truly accomplish his mission; he must prevent Truth from coming forth regarding the false doctrine of the Trinity. Therefore, some scriptures of the bible must be changed to help facilitate this false doctrine. Moreover, you have professors at bible colleges that do not teach from the King James Version of the Bible. Some use the NIV Bible translation; this translation is supposed to make it easier for people to understand the Word of God. We have discovered that the translation is inaccurate and undermines the integrity of the word of God. Moreover, we have discovered that some of the changes foster the doctrine of the Trinity. There is no scripture in the King James Version that support the teaching God the Son. However, the NIV offers several quick fixes to that. We can start by examining Isaiah 9:6.
Isaiah 9:6 King James Version says:
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 New International Version (NIV)
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
It is important to note these two translations do not say the same thing. King James Version says: “and his name shall be called…” However, the NIV says: “he will be called…” With this change in scripture, that undermines the integrity of the Word of God, they have support for their augment because they always can say: “The Bible says he will be called Mighty God.” Bingo: Now you have it God the Son! However, it does not end here.
When you study the scriptures you will discover that one of the tasks given to Jesus was to declare the name of the Father. It is about the Name: JESUS. Now let us compare scriptures when Jesus is praying to the Father.
John 17:26 King James Version (KJV)
26 “And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Now let us examine the New International Version.
John 17:26 New International Version (NIV)
26 “ I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Here you will never know that Jesus declared the name of the Father. This is not the only change that the NIV has made regarding the name. Let us examine another undermining of the integrity of the Word of God.
John 12:28 King James Version (KJV)
28 “Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
John 12:28 New International Version (NIV)
28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
Please note the NIV removed the word “both.” When you read John Chapter 13:31-32, you will discover that the Father glorified the name of both the Father and the Son. As you study you will discover that the Holy Ghost was sent in the name of JESUS.
Now let us compare several other scriptures.
John 17:6 King James Version (KJV)
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
John 17:6 New International Version (NIV)
6 “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.”
The NIV has removed the reference to name.
Here is another change to the scripture to help support the Trinity.
1 John 5:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1 John 5:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 For there are three that testify:
Please note the NIV changed text and left it incomplete. The Trinity identifies these as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. However, the Son was begotten – the record is with the Word of God. For God gave the Word life within himself – the Word came out from God – and the Word return back to God after the Word had competed His assignments on earth.
Revelation 19:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Revelation 19:13 New International Version (NIV)
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Here some may argue this is only a play on words. However, it is important to say his name is called, because his name is JESUS. The name Jesus will be called Word of God, The name Jesus will be called Wonderful, the name Jesus will be called Counsellor, The name Jesus will be called: The mighty God, The name Jesus will be called: The everlasting Father, and the name Jesus will be called: The Prince of Peace. The name Jesus is the name of the Father; the name Jesus is the name of the Son, and the name Jesus is the name of the Holy Ghost.
I just watched a video on you tube; the video is titled: “New World Order Bible Versions HD – NIV ESV NKJV NLT 1 King James Bible.” The video make also make a strong case regarding the corruption of the NIV. As I watched the video, I made note that three of the primary presenters were Baptist ministers. The ministers included: Pastor Steven L. Anderson, Faith Word Baptist Church, Temple, AZ, Pastor Roger Jimenez , Verity Baptist Church, Sacramento, CA, and Pastor Dennis McCain, TH.D, Ph. D, Northside Baptist Church, Modesto CA. Surely, they were able to point out the corruption, the also knew it was the work of Satan, they expressed that the actions were specific and strategic. Why would these Pastors, who believe in the Trinity, oppose a work that supports the Trinity? They were able to point how the NIV deleted text; however they did not explained why. Let take a look at this one for an example.
John 16:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
John 16:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
Please note that the NIV deleted the phrase: “because I go to the Father.” One of the Baptist Ministers expressed deep concerns about this deletion. The writers of the NIV know in order to support the doctrine of the Trinity: It was no way that publish the thought that “God the Son” go back to the Father. Therefore, it was most expedient to delete the text.
Surely, the writers of the NIV are not making mistakes; this is a conspiracy of Satan; Satan has been very effective. For the love of money is the root of all evil. There are many who advocate the Trinity, who are protecting their empire. They have built large ministries and universities around the world based on the Trinity – and will not call on the name of JESUS when they baptize. Moreover, as you study you will find that it is impossible based on scriptures to say God the Son.
God in the name of JESUS is shining light on Satan activities that undermine the integrity of His Holy Word. We must share this information and develop a battle plan to counter this wickedness. This article focused on the NIV, however there are hundred versions of the Bible and some undermines the integrity of the Word of God. The NIV and some of the other versions of the Bible fall under the judgement as outlined in Revelation 22:18-19, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Surely as it is recorded in the scriptures “there are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) However today, the Lord in the name of Jesus is directing us to bring these things to your attention. Many have drunk bad wine straightway – we are bringing forth the good wine. The question today for the ones who advocate the Trinity, are you going to continue to be led away with the error of the wicked or are you going to fall from your own steadfastness after hearing the Truth. God want us to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
To the pastors who have fallen into this trap, please allow the Holy Spirit to lift you up to be more perfect shepherds of the flocks that He has entrusted to you. Jesus said many have fallen into this trap, and Jesus said strait is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14) My fellow servant, oh how I love you, please hear this plea. Let every man examine himself. Take a moment and pray. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.” Now, let us pray. Stop and Pray! Our Father which art in heaven, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.” In the name of Jesus, I pray. (Psalm 139:23 - 24)
How can you receive this truth without the Holy Spirit? If you have not received the Holy Spirit, I pray that as you hear this word that the Holy Spirit will prick your heart so that you will do what is required to receive the Holy Spirit.
What should one do after they discover the truth and then discover that the organization they are loyal to is in error? Do they just leave the institution? Pastors must work to edify the body of Christ by praying for and sharing with the leadership of these institutions in love and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead them in all truth. Remember, I am not the one that chastens or rebukes. The Lord does that because of His love for us. However, here I share in love to edify, so we can become whole and serve the Lord in a more perfect way.
As a minister of God, I am charged to preach the word, being instant in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. (2 Timothy 4:2) Hebrews 3:13 says, we should exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Exhort is defined as: to urge, advise, caution earnestly; admonish urgently, to give urgent advice, recommendations, or warning. This exhortation is done in love. Judgment has been made. Judgment is sitting here on earth; (Daniel 7:26) when judgments are in the land the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:9) The wife of Christ should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. The Lamb and these saints will take dominion from Satan. Judgment will be awarded. The day of the Lord is near. God has plans for his saints in heaven and on planet earth. I recommend that you read Revelation Chapters 19, 20, and 21.
This exhortation is not just for pastors. It is for all Christians who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. If you have not been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, pray to God for the Holy Spirit and pray for your pastor. After much prayer, discuss this matter with your pastor. If your pastor gives you something other than the word of God to justify his or her practices, study the word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Pray for your pastor, because your pastor is in error. Consequently, if your church does not practice this basic practice of baptism in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are a host of other practices within your church that are contrary to the word of God. These practices prevent Christians from using their spiritual gifts within the church. Consequently, Satan comes in and creates division and receives his spoils. Now therefore, I pray that you not resist the Holy Spirit when He leads you to another church that follows the commands of God, instead of traditions of men. According to Mark 7:7, you can worship the Lord in vain by teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men.
How do you share this key to the kingdom of heaven with friends that worship at a church that does not baptize in the Name of Jesus Christ? Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you and ask for the fruits of the spirit; peace, joy, love, patience, tolerance, self-control, gentleness, kindness, and faith. Pray for them and share this work as a supplemental guide from the Holy Spirit. Study the word of God as recorded in the Holy Bible. I admonish you here; beware of various translations of the Bible. Some of the new translations change the intent of the scriptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you when purchasing new Bible translations if you desire to do so. Remember, many have made translating the Bible as a business and their chief concern is about how much money that they can make from the product; pray for them. Moreover, pray for your friend and your friend’s pastor. Encourage your friends to meet with his or her pastors and share this work. Everything must be done in love. Remember, you are only sharing the word of God; the Holy Spirit will prick their heart if they have love for the truth. Your job is to lift up the name of Jesus with the truth and let your light shine.
The deceiver knew that if Christian leaders would not follow the command that Jesus gave them to receive the Holy Spirit, they would not have any power against him. Consequently they would believe almost anything that the antichrist teaches them. Today we have babes in Christ teaching babes. Hebrews 5:11-14 says, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
Today there are millions who have not received the Holy Spirit because their pastors follow the organizations doctrines and disregard the word of God. There are some who have received the Holy Spirit and have received various gifts from the Holy Spirit; however their church doctrines and practices prohibit them from using these gifts.
Many of these pastors do not think it is a big thing if they do not follow Acts 2:38 and baptize in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Oh how they error by following their own understanding and not adhering to the word of God. Remember, Man shall live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. They will say to you, Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” In other words they will just repeat the command; many do not understand that the name is JESUS. In John 5:43, Jesus says, “I come in my Father’s name …” In John 14:26, Jesus says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name …” Moreover, Jesus declared the new name of the Father to be JESUS.”
There is no power in repeating the phase “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” however there is power in the name of JESUS. Are the scriptures the inspired word of God? Then why do so many fail to baptize in accordance with Acts 2:38, in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins? The answers are as follows: (1) they do not know who Jesus is; (2) there is power in the name of Jesus; and (3) the great deceiver does not want Christians to obtain that power. Satan works to bind the strong man, “The Holy Spirit” and this is one of the ways he is doing it. Now we realize that Satan is also undermining the integrity of the Word of God. It is impossible for all these bibles that are being published are the Word of God in the name of JESUS.
Martin Luther was correct when he said the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are one. However, the doctrine regarding the Holy Trinity is a mistake because it focuses on separating the Father from the Son and attempts to make the Son, God without the Father. The Son cannot do anything without the Father and when you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father. Jesus says that the Father dwelleth in him and John 1:18 says, Jesus is in the bosom of the Father. Jesus says if you do what I command you, you will be the love of my Father, and we would come and abode in you. This is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is a mistake to say God the Son because the Father was in the Son when he dwelled on earth. God is Spirit. According to John 6:63, the words of God are spirit. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one. Martin Luther made another mistake trying to simplify to teach the uneducated and children because it is not based on scriptures.
Remember God is Spirit. Jesus made this very clear that he did nothing on his own and the Father was always with him. Jesus never separated the Father from Himself, until he gave up the ghost. Let us review what Jesus says, “Verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: For what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone: for I do always those things that please him.” (John 5:19) “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30)
Let us look at the Son; the Son was the Word made flesh. The Word was with God and the Word was God. The scripture says, all things were made by Him (the Word) and without Him there was not anything made that was made. Is the Son also the creator? Answer: There was not a son of man in the beginning. The Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God and the Word was God and then the Word became flesh. Although, the Word became flesh, God’s words are still spirit according to John 6:63. And the flesh itself profiteth nothing.
In order to understand the Holy Spirit we must see what the Word of God says about him. Jesus says, “…I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7) “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16:13-15)
In John 14:10, Jesus says that the Father dwelleth in him and in John 1:18 it says, Jesus is in the bosom of the Father. Moreover, Jesus says if you do what I command you, you will be the love of my Father, and we would come and abode in you. (John 14:23) How do they come and abode in you? Answer: Through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21) In John 14:23, Jesus says, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” With this understanding, why should we try to separate the Father and Son from the Holy Spirit? Therefore, it is a mistake to say God the Son; however, within the Son dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily. God is Spirit; and according to John 6:63, the Word of God is Spirit. Jesus, the Son of God was the Word of God made flesh. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit. These three are one.
Jesus said the Father and He were one? Did Jesus say, when you see Me, you have seen the Father? Did Jesus also say that if you keep His commandments, the Father and Him would come and abode with you? Galatians 4:6 says, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father.” So are the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit all involved in the sanctification process? Did Jesus say that He would sanctify by the washing of water by the word?
Why should we try to divide one? To separate Father from the Son you must perform spiritual surgery and remove Jesus from the bosom of the Father. Moreover, to separate the Father from Jesus Christ, you had to evict the Father from His temple when he dwelled in the Body of Jesus when Jesus walked this earth. It is important that we understand the mystery of God’s will as outlined in Ephesians 1:9-10. “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him:” After this revelation, only for the love of money the root of all evil would even attempt to separate the Father and the Son (Word of God) from the Holy Spirit.
This problem goes back to the Pharisees and the Sadducees - the problem of unbelief. Philosophy of man and their doubts about Jesus has been one of Satan’s tools to divide and conquer. Let us see what the inspired word of God says about the fullness of Christ in the Godhead.
Colossians 2:9, answers the question about the fullness of Christ in the Godhead. “For in him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Let’s review this text and warning about the philosophy of man. The word of God in Colossians 2:8 - 17 warns us of the philosophy of man. Let us examine the word of God. Listen carefully. Within our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The scriptures do not support the teaching of “God the Father - God the Son - God the Holy Ghost - God in three persons.” The Son says, My Father is greater than I. (John 14:28) Some teach that Mary was the mother of God; this teaching is false and it perverts the gospel.
This is philosophy of men; consequently, the Jews, Muslims, and some Christians have been spoiled because of this teaching. This teaching prevented many from knowing who Jesus is. The “words of God” is spirit. However, the “philosophies of men” are spoilers, Satan’s devices to divide and destroy.
Colossians 2:8 - 17, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (9) For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (11) In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. (13) And you, being dead in your sins and the un-circumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (14) Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; (15) And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
The Great Mystery of Godliness - Revealed
The scriptures cover the mystery of godliness. 1 Timothy 3:16 says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Let us examine what Jesus said regarding the Father.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also, and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” “Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father?” (John 14:6)
Is God really in three persons? Answer: No. Colossians 2:9 says for in him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Jesus said, when you have seen Him, you have seen the Father, for they are one. Listen carefully, and hear what Jesus is saying. If you take the Father from the son you would have a man who could do nothing on his own. Listen, if the Son cannot do anything on his own, how can he be “God the Son?” Remember, it is the Father that dwelleth within Jesus Christ that did the work.
To understand the mystery of Godliness, we must let the word of God speak for itself; For in Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. You are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.” (Colossians 2:9-10) All other explanations are philosophies of men, and vain deceit, traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians warned us to beware of these actions of men. Moreover, Satan looks for opened doors to come in to destroy.
The key is to understand the mystery of Godliness. Paul warned us at Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” I pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Great is the mystery of Godliness. The Holy Spirit will lead us to all truth. What is this great mystery of godliness? Many have failed to understand this great mystery of godliness because of their orientation to the gospel. Their orientation was in error and based on the philosophy of men. Consequently, they did not allow the Holy Spirit to teach them. Now here is the Spirit of Truth - I pray that you will receive Him.
“The first of all the commandments is, “Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:29)
Within our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Jesus, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10) What does this really mean?
John 14:6-7 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known the Father also: and from hence forth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip asked Jesus to “show us the Father.” “Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”
What is the foundation for Jesus to say these things? (1) The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself (2) The Father dwelleth in me (3) The Father doeth the works (4) No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The Foundation - “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1) Let us examine the scripture.
(1) Who would send his messenger? Answer: The Lord of hosts. Who is the Lord of hosts? Answer: The Redeemer, I AM, God Almighty, the God of Bethel, Yahweh, Lord God Jehovah; Our Heavenly Father, who sanctified His name after it was defiled; He tasked Jesus to make His new name known; Jesus declared the name of the Father and said that He will declare it. (Isaiah 44:6, John 17:6, John 17:26, Ezekiel 39:7, Isaiah 62:2, and Revelation 3:12) Then He (Our Heavenly Father) glorified it for Both and He said that He would glorify it again. (John 12:28) God made himself a glorious name (Isaiah 63:14) and this glorious name is for Our LORD who is the Father and the Redeemer; this name is from everlasting (Isaiah 63:16). The glorious new name is JESUS. Praise the Lord for this truth.
(2) Who is messenger? Answer: John the Baptist
(3) Who is the Lord, whom ye seek? Answer: The Redeemer, The Saviour, The Messiah, the Lord of Hosts.
(4) Who is the Saviour? Answer: God.
(5) Shall suddenly come to his temple - what temple? Answer: The Body of Christ.
Who is this temple for? Answer: The Saviour, God? Who is God? Answer: His name is I AM, God Almighty, God El Bethel, Our Heavenly Father, the Lord of Host, the Redeemer, Yahweh, Jehovah, JESUS. (JESUS is His new declared holy and glorified name, a name from everlasting.) Where did God, the Father, the creator of the heavens and the earth dwell? Answer: Within his temple, the body of Christ, Jesus Christ the Word of God made flesh. Where is the evidence that God suddenly came to his temple? Answer: In Matthew 3:16-17, John bears record that after he baptized Jesus, the heavens were opened unto him, and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
(6) What are the evidences that God, our Heavenly Father dwelleth within Jesus? Who did Jesus say did the work? Answer: The Father. Of whom were the words that Jesus spoke? Answer: The Father.
(7) How does one come to God? Answer: You must go by Jesus? Who is Jesus? The door, the way, the temple of God, the word of God made flesh, our Lord and Saviour. Where is Jesus? Answer: In the bosom of the Father (John 1:18) Isaiah 42:6 says: "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. God was given for a covenant. This explains why Jesus said that no man comes to the Father but by him. Within our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Jesus, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10) Why are you complete in Jesus? God made Jesus both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)
(8) What happened to this temple? Answer: This temple of God, the physical body of Christ was destroyed on a cross, and in three days, God raised the temple up again. According to Matthew 28:8, after Jesus was crucified and had risen he appeared before his disciples and others, “And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
(9) Today, how does one come to the Father? Answer: By Jesus Christ. We must eat the flesh of Jesus by believing in Him, obeying His commandments and studying the gospel to show ourselves approved. You must be born again; you must be born of the water and of the Spirit. When your heart is right before God, you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; this is the Spirit of Christ. Therefore, when you receive the Holy Ghost, the Word (the spirit of Christ) and the Father come and abode within you.
This is the reason Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23) We must understand that within the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, we have the Word and the Father. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, The Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 John 5:7)
As Paul counseled the elders, here you are admonished. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw disciples after them.” (Acts 20:28-30)
To understand the great mystery of godliness, the word of God must speak for itself. All other explanations are philosophy of men, and vain deceit, tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Consequently, the teaching on the Holy Trinity has opened the door for Satan to come in. Yes Satan takes advantage of opportunities to come and destroy.
Now here is a Bonus – Here is Revelation Knowledge
The Revelation of the Affirmation of the WORD
“In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word Was With God and the Word was God” Discover what Apostle John based this powerful affirmation on by reading this work.
Most Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ do not understand this revelation. Consequently today, some sources report that there are more than 41,000 denominations worldwide. This is far too many winds of doctrines. Therefore, something radical must take place to effect Ephesians Chapter four – For we must come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. At John 1:1, he makes the following affirmation: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” Do you understand the revelation? Do you understand The Revelation of the Affirmation of the WORD? Do you really understand why it was possible for John to make this powerful affirmation? Listen carefully; this revelation will surely awake you as if you are being awakened out of a deep sleep. Herein is the key to understanding the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
To make the Bride of Christ ready we must know the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Therefore it is important to see the Word of God throughout the Bible. The Word of God - John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Moreover, Johns’ opening sentence in the book of Revelation reads, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him…” “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” - For this is what gave John the right to record in John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Let us see how this was revealed to John.
Supporting scriptures:
Revelation 1:4 “John to the seven churches which are in Asia; Grace be unto you and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before the throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
In Revelation chapter 4, some only focus on this truth there is only one throne and one sits on the throne, however they fail to see the Word of God. If we look closely at Revelation 4:5 , we can see the Word of God. Revelation 4:5 says: “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” It is very important to make note of “Seven lamps of fire burning – seven Spirits of God.” Next let us review Revelation 5:6 : “And I beheld and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
Revelation 4:5 referred to the Seven Spirits of God as Seven lamps of fire burning, however Revelation 5:6 , clearly explain it was the Lamb and the Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes and these are Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Zechariah 4:1-6 explain the seven lamps were the Word of God. (1) “And The angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, (2) And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candle-stick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof. (3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. (4) So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, what are these, my lord? (5) Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (6) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Note the two olive trees according to Zechariah 4:14 are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.)
We must note: the seven lamps of fire burning is the Word of God – the seven spirits of God. WOW! Praise God. This is a powerful revelation! In the beginning was the Seven Spirits of God, and the Spirits of God were God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by the Seven Spirits of God; and without the Seven Spirits of God was not anything made that was made. The Word of God and the Seven Spirits of God are interchangeable. Thus the Seven Spirits of God became flesh.
Today, Christians are the body of Christ – we are charged to go forth into all nations. Praise God for this revelation.
Another search of the Seven Eyes - Zechariah 3:8-9 : “Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. (9) For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day.” Zechariah 4:7-10 “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (8) Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me saying, (9) The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. (10) For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. Here you can see Jesus as the Chief Corner Stone. Praise God for this revelation.
It is also important to note that it was said, “I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hosts.” How and when did this happen? A study of the Word of God shows this happened by a covenant as recorded in Isaiah 59:20-21 . (20) And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. (21) As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD, My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and forever.”
It is important to note that God make a covenant with the Redeemer, Zion, and them that turn from transgression in Jacob. God gave the Son life within himself. Isaiah 61 commences by saying, “The SPIRIT of the Lord is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, …” This explains why Jesus said at Luke 4:18-19 : “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of the sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
In John 5:39 , Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Today, Christians are the body of Christ – we are charged to go forth into all nations.
However, up until now, there are many revelations regarding “The Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man and The Measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ” that are not being taught.
I am a Prophet of God in the name of Jesus. By trade, I am a problem solver; consequently God has blessed me with this resolve to bring to the Church this work as we work together to make the Bride ready. To help facilitate effecting Ephesians Chapter four, God directed me to prepare another book; the book is titled: “Edifying the Body of Christ: Unbinding the Strong Man.” The work serves as seeds for some and fertilizer for others to work God’s plan for the body of Christ. You can obtain a copy by clicking onto this link. After you read this work, you will clearly understand that this is the work of the Holy Ghost. Praise God in the name of JESUS.
Here is a recent incident. The word of God says that the Holy Spirit will show you what is to come. I am a witness of this truth.
The Vision of the White Snake - The Jehovah’s Witness
On May 3, 2004, I had a dream about a white snake. I did not recognize it as a snake at first because the snake was disfigured because it was eating a large object. I did not know what the snake was eating, but I knew I was concerned about the object and then I woke up. I shared this dream with my brother, Pastor Robert Richmond, the pastor of Bible Way Full Gospel Church of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As a prophet of God, I realize that when the Holy Spirit shows me something in a dream or vision it is important. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit shows things that impact me personally, my family, the church, or the world. Within minutes of sharing this dream with my brother and praying for clarification of the dream, my brother introduced me to a man that was a Jehovah’s Witness.
We were in a local Wal Mart in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, when the man came over to speak to my brother. The Jehovah’s Witness and I began to discuss the word of God. One of the first questions that the Jehovah’s Witness asked me was, did I think we should get rid of religions? I told him no, but, we must share in love. (Later I thought about what Jesus said, we must allow the wheat and the tares to grow together and how they would be separated at harvest time.) We continued to share. Then he asked me did I believe Jesus was God. I told him that Jesus was the word of God made flesh, the son of God, however, according to Colossians 2:9, within Jesus dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Then the Jehovah’s Witness told me that there was no mention of the Godhead in the scriptures. Then I admonished him and told him to study the word of God and not be selective in reading and studying the scriptures. I reminded him of what Jesus told Philip about the Father. When he had seen Jesus, he had seen the Father. Then he asked me, could you touch God? I told him that God is spirit and dwelleth within Jesus. Then I touched the Jehovah’s Witness’ clothes. I told him that like I have touched you, I cannot touch the spirit within you. Then I said, I cannot see your spirit, but you have a spirit within you. Then I looked into his eyes. I told him I cannot see your spirit. But, immediately, I uttered, “Oh yes I can. I cannot, but I can!” At that point, I knew that I was talking with the spirit of the antichrist.
Later, I shared this discussion with my brother. He told me that Jehovah’s Witnesses were one of the fastest growing churches in the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The dream was very clear to me regarding the white snake, with something he had just swallowed. Something I was concerned about. It was clear that God had shown me this group does not teach the gospel that was taught by Jesus or his disciples. Listen carefully, “…there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8-9)
It is very clear why the Holy Spirit revealed the white snake eating something that I wanted. Jehovah’s Witnesses pervert the Gospel of Christ. They come on like a snake, like the snake in the Garden of Eden. They claim they come with the truth. (White represents truth.) However, it is perverted and not the gospel of Christ. Then they engulf their prey whole and once the convert is in the body of the beast, the snake restricts the convert’s movements until they are totally consumed. The Jehovah’s Witness controls what the convert reads and where the convert goes and worships. God wants me to let you know that this group, Jehovah’s Witnesses, is not of Him and it has the spirit of the antichrist. If you want the truth this group is not the one that you need to follow.
Nevertheless, there is a problem with the doctrine regarding the Trinity. This teaching is in error and has given the antichrist opportunities to use the vain philosophy of men. Consequently, Jehovah’s Witnesses have pointed out that the word, “Trinity” does not even appear in the Bible; the True God is one Person, separate from Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost is not a person. The Jehovah’s Witness points out scriptures that show the Holy Spirit is Jehovah’s active force, used by the almighty to accomplish his purposes. (Genesis 1:2; Acts 2:1-4, 32, 33; and 2 Peter 1:20-21.)
Scriptures regarding the fallacies of the teaching of the Trinity support these assertions. Christians must admit the word Trinity is not written in the Bible. It is also true that the Father gave Jesus life within himself; John 5:26-27 says, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” But, Jesus also said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also the Son likewise. (John 5:19)
Note to understand doctrine, precept, must be upon precept, and precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; and here a little and there a little (Isaiah 28:10). It is very important to respect this principle. On the next page, you will find two examples that show the correct and incorrect way of aligning the word of God upon precept and line upon line. It is important to remember if a precept of the word of God is placed upon the rudiment or philosophy of man, the rudiment or philosophy of man will not stand.
The following is an example of a foundational precept of the word of God: “Within Jesus dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in him. (Colossians 2:9-10)” This precept will withstand all tests. On the other hand, the statement, “God, the Son” will not stand because it is not a precept of the word of God. However, it is a rudiment of man, which comes from the philosophy of man, the Holy Trinity. This doctrine advocates God in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The thought, “God the Son” is incomplete, thus it is a rudiment and it will not stand the test when precepts of the word of God are placed upon it.
Here is another example how the statement, “God the Son” fails the test. In John 12:44 and John 12:49-50, Jesus cried and said, “He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.” “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent, me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” Let us examine what happens when we follow the instructions in Isaiah 28:9-10, and then compare what happens when we align the precepts of the word of God upon the philosophy of man.
[1] New Standard Encyclopedia, (Standard Education Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, 1982) Volume 11, R. 321
[2] Halley’s Bible Handbook, Twenty-Fourth Edition, Zondervan Publishing House, pp. 712
[3] Ibid. p. 759
[4] Ibid. p. 759
[5] Ibid. p. 769
[6] New Standard Encyclopedia, 1982, Standard Education Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, Volume Three, pp. C-553
[7] Halley’s Bible Handbook, Twenty-Fourth Edition, Zondervan Publishing House pp. 761
[8] New Standard Encyclopedia, 1982, Standard Education Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, Volume Three, pp. C-553
[9] The Roman Catholic Study Bible, 1990, N.T. p. 50
[10] The One Volume Bible Commentary, 1908, p. 700
[11] Roman Catholic Study Bible, 1990, N.T. p. 50
