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     We intend to get back to John’s good news about Jesus’ coming kingdom of God on earth, but let’s detour and consider where spiritual Israelites came from. How did we Christians come to be? We need to start with Abraham and conclude with his heirs. The Lord God chose to differentiate between Esau and Jacob while in Rebekah’s womb. (Gen 25:21-26; Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife became pregnant. The children struggled inside her and she said, “If it’s going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” So she asked the Lord and the Lord said to her:

    “Two nations are in your womb and two peoples will be separated from within you. “One people will be stronger than the other and the older will serve the younger.” When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, there were twins in her womb. The first came out reddish all over, like a hairy garment, so they named him Esau. When his brother came out with his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.)

    Descendents of Esau and Jacob still struggle within their various religious beliefs, both “believe there is a God.” Only a few Jews (Israelites) are called to believe IN the God of Abraham. Those who do are followers of Jesus and spiritual Israelites. It was revealed to Paul. (Galatians 3:19; And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.) Today’s spiritual Israelites are believers IN Jesus: “gifted with faith in His shed blood being for ‘remission of sin.’”

    (Gal 3:23-29; Now before (Jesus’) faith came to us; we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the (His) coming faith would be revealed. Thus the law had become our guardian until, (belief IN) Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by (His) faith. But now that (Jesus) faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized (immersed) into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.)

    400 plus years after Jacob’s birth, Jesus delivered Jacob’s descendent from Egyptian bondage through Moses to the lands promised Abraham. (These were perpetual promises, yet to be fulfilled entirety.) After Moses was Joshua and the Lord God Jesus then ruled through the judges: “the last being Samuel.” Stubborn Israelites wanted a king like the gentile nations. After Saul Jesus called and gave Israel “king David.” Though very much fleshly, David became a man after God’s own heart, “ruling Israel lovingly.”

    When Jesus returns Jacob’s descendents and many more will become spiritual Israelites and sing the praises of king David.

   (1Chron 16:12-18; They brought the ark of God and put it in the middle of the tent David had pitched for it. That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord: (Give thanks to the Lord! Call on His name! Make known His accomplishments among the nations! Sing to Him! Make music to Him! Tell about all His miraculous deeds! Boast about His holy name! Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and the strength He gives! Seek His presence continually! Recall the miraculous deeds He performed, His mighty acts and the judgments He decreed,

   “O children of Israel, God’s servant, you descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen ones!” He is the Lord our God; He carries out judgment throughout the earth. Remember continually His covenantal decree, the promise He made to a thousand generations – the promise He made to Abraham, the promise He made by oath to Isaac! He gave it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as a lasting promise, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion of your inheritance.”

   (19-36; When they were few in number, just a very few and foreign residents within it, they wandered from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another. He let no one oppress them; He disciplined kings for their sake, saying; “Don’t touch my anointed ones! Don’t harm My prophets!”

    Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Announce every day how He delivers! Tell the nations about His splendor, tell all the nations about His miraculous deeds! For the Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise, He is more awesome than all gods. For, all the gods of the nations are worthless, ‘but the Lord made the heavens.’ Majestic splendor emanates from Him, He is the source of strength and joy. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations, ascribe to the Lord, splendor and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the splendor He deserves! Bring an offering and enter His presence! Worship the Lord in holy attire!

    Tremble before Him, all the earth! The world is established, it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the nations say, ‘The Lord reigns!’ Let the sea and everything in it shout! Let the fields and everything in them celebrate! Then let the trees of the forest shout with joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His loyal love endures. Say this prayer:

   “Deliver us, O God who delivers us! Gather us! Rescue us from the nations! Then we will give thanks to Your holy name, and boast about Your praiseworthy deeds.” May the Lord God of Israel be praised, in the future and forevermore. Then all the people said, “We agree! Praise the Lord!”)

     Miraculous deliverances of Israel are yet to come. Nations are going to deliver them back to the promised lands. (Upheavals are prophesied; unless God our Father chooses to shorten time ‘for the Elect’s sake’ suffering is on the horizon. However believers IN Jesus, led by His indwelling spirit are looking forward to ruling with Jesus.  

    (John 8:11-17; Moreover if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the One who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through His Spirit who lives in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we (Believers IN) are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. For, you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”

    The Spirit its self bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with Him so we may also be glorified with Him.)

    Again; how are we made spiritual children of God? Jesus said; “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:7-8)  (Review John 3:22-30)

     Spiritual humility and understanding Jesus’ purpose was gifted to John the Baptist. He understood that, Jesus lived before him, thus He was from above. (Review John 3:21-35, and consider verse 35; The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under His authority. The one who believes IN the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.)

    NOTICE, that the Baptist is saying the very same things that Jesus had Paul and the Hebrews writer say about His deity. Jesus said of John; “no greater man has ever been born of woman.” 

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(The Samaritan woman.)  (John 4:1-23; Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was winning and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and set out once more for Galilee. But He had to pass through Samaria. Now he came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. (Remember Joseph was number 11 of Jacob’s 12 sons, the most blessed and whose sons, Manassas and Ephraim received major blessings.) (See Gen 41:52-50:23)

   Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since He was tired from the journey, sat right down beside the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me some water to drink.” (For his disciples had gone off into the town to buy supplies.)

    So the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How can you: a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you had known the gift of God and who it is who said to you, ‘Give Me some water to drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

   “Sir,” the woman said to Him, “You have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water? Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.”

    Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”

    The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” He said to her, “Go call your husband and come back here.” The woman replied, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “Right you are when you said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the man you are living with now is not your husband. This you said truthfully!”

    The woman said to Him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you people say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming — and now is here — when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers.) (Now Jesus says, ‘I am the Messiah, and people coming to Me must worship in spirit and truth.)

    (Joh 4:24-30; God is spirit, and the people who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (the one called Christ); “whenever He comes, He will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I, the One speaking to you, am He.” (This is the first person Jesus said to, ‘I am the Messiah.”)

    Now at that very moment His disciples came back. They were shocked because He was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, “What do You want?” or “Why are You speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Surely He can’t be the Messiah, can he?” So they left the town and began coming to Him.

    (John 4:31-38; Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did they?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and to complete His work. Don’t you say, ‘There are four more months and then comes the harvest?’ I tell you, look up and see that the fields are already white for harvest! The one who reaps receives pay and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps can rejoice together. For in this instance the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

    (The laborers are those who have been called, and obeyed God’s will in previous generations. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and many others. Jesus His apostles and many others were persecuted for bringing this good news regarding God’s Kingdom on earth. We’ve entered their labor. (It’s a good time to be reminded of Jesus’ parable regarding the rich man, and preverbal Lazarus: the rich man ask Abraham to sent one from the grave so his brothers would repent and avoid the preverbal hell ‘Gahanna.’ Abraham’s answer was; ‘if they won’t hear Moses neither will they hear, even if one rises from the dead.”)

    (Luke 16:31; But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’ Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’  He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’)

    Jesus spoke in parables so the hostile of mind, ‘fleshly thinking worldly people’ would not understand.’ So it is, Jesus rose from being dead after three nights and three days, came back, witnessed as prophesied and people still won’t realize Moses represented Jesus. His own people rejected Him.

First believers, the Samaritans

    (John 4:39-44; Now, many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the report of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they began asking Him to stay with them. He stayed there two days, and because of His word many more believed. They said to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of your words, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this One really is the Savior of the world.” After the two days he departed from there to Galilee. (For Jesus Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 

    (John 4:45; So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him because they had seen all the things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast (for they themselves had gone to the feast.) (Passover & Feast of Unleavened Bread were kept by Moses and Jesus.)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

    (John 4:46-54; Now He came again to Cana in Galilee where He had made the water wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. When He heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to Him and begged Him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders you will never believe!” “Sir,” the official said to Him, “come down before my child dies.” Jesus told him, “Go home; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and set off for home. While he was on his way down, his slaves met him and told him that his son was going to live. So he asked them the time when his condition began to improve, and they told him, “Yesterday at one o’clock in the afternoon the fever left him.” Then the father realized that it was the very time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he himself believed along with his entire household. Jesus did this as his second miraculous sign when he returned from Judea to Galilee.)

    Remember Jesus came to a locked room where His apostles were in hiding for fear of the Jews, twice. Thomas wasn’t there the first time and stated that He would not believe unless he saw. The second time, Thomas was there, Jesus said to him; (my words) “put your fingers to my side, see My scars.”  Thomas exclaimed, “my Lord and my God.” Jesus said, (my words) “You believe because you’ve seen, blessed are those who believe and have not seen.” (See John 20:10-29, then examine if you’re a “believe in” or perhaps only a “believer that.”

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    Genuine believers love one another as Jesus loves; being Jesus’ friend requires doing as He commands, and that result is revelations of everything Jesus heard from His Father. (To His apostles Jesus said, and John recorded, John 15:12-17; My commandment is this: to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that one lays down his life for his friends.

    You are My friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from My Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. This I command you — to love one another.)

    Only God has the ability to give us the desire and effort to love Him and one another in the manner He prescribes.

    On that Passover before Jesus’ ascension those gathered with Jesus’ apostles had the desire and made every effort to be present at the meeting. The Holy Spirit miraculously sounded, was visibly, (seen likened to tongues of fire) and each recipient of it, (spoke in languages unknown to themselves) but known to the many who’d been exiled to gentile countries. Those returned to celebrate the Passover, heard words in what had become their native tongues, (wonderful words of God.) This is what Jesus had promised He’d send back. Now consider.

    When gentile Cornelius was spiritually called and given the desire to be righteous in God’s view, he reached out to Peter. At that time the Israelites thought God was in the business of revealing Himself, ‘only to Israel.’ Peter may have been the best known among gentile populations; nevertheless Cornelius was spirit led to send for Peter. (See Acts 10: 11: & 12, for the whole account.) The point is; (God called, chose Cornelius, gave him the desire and effort.) Jesus reveals this through Paul.

     (Phil 2:12-18; So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the One bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort — for the sake of His good pleasure — is God.

    Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the Word of Life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you. And in the same way you also should be glad and rejoice together with me.)

     Remember Pentecost is fifty days after the weekly Sabbath falling during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (John 2:13-22; Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. So He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold the doves He said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make My Father’s house a marketplace!”

    His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.” (See Psalms 69:9) So then the Jewish leaders responded, “What sign can you show us, since you are doing these things?” Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.” (Now, Jesus was speaking of His physical body, not buildings.) Then the Jewish leaders said to Him, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and are you going to raise it up in three days?” But Jesus was speaking about the temple of His body. So after He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the scripture and the saying that Jesus had spoken.) (Jesus kept the weekly and annual Sabbaths, and each recipient of the Holy Spirit is also a temple of that spirit.)

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

    (John 2:23-3:2; Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, many people believed in His name because they saw the miraculous signs He was doing. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. He did not need anyone to testify about man, for He knew what was in man. Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that You do unless God is with him.” (Jesus knew He was about to blow Nicodemus’ mind with this mystery to the world.)

    (John 3:3-8; Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?” Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’

    The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (This is what keeping the Feast of Booths, ‘Tabernacles’ was to revel to Israel all those prior years: ‘that their physical bodies were temporary, and a new spiritual, everlasting one was coming.)

   (John 3:9-13; Nicodemus replied, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? I tell you the solemn truth, We speak about what We know and testify about what We have seen, but you people do not accept Our testimony. If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

   No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven — the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

    For God So Loved the World (Still speaking to Nicodemus.)

    (John 3:16-21; For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His One and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned. The one who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. Now this is the basis for judging: that the Light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the Light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.  But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.)

     (The people gathered on that Pentecost before Jesus’ ascension, Cornelius and each called out believer in Jesus today are spiritually gifted with the desire and effort to be righteous in God’s eyes. It’s a God gifted compulsion that leads one to seek His truth.)

John the Baptist Exalts Christ

     (John 3;22-29; After this, Jesus and His disciples came into Judean territory, and there He spent time with them and was baptizing. John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified: see, He is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. (Note the past tense.)

    You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.

     (John 3:30-34; He must become more important while I become less important.” The One who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The One who comes from heaven is superior to all. He testifies about what He has seen and heard, but no one accepts His testimony. The one who has accepted His testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He does not give the Spirit sparingly.

    (John 3:35; The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.)

      We’ve taught the difference in “believing in” opposed to “believing that” many times. ‘Believers that’ like the world at large are prone to believe the condoning fallacy of, ‘we’re all attempting to get to the same place.’ Believers in, ‘like Cornelius’ are spirit led to see THE TRUTH, mindful that there is One God, One Truth and One Church of God. 

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    God revealed Himself to His prophet Amos and inspired him to write. (Amos 4:13; For, here He is! He formed the mountains and created the wind. He reveals His plans to men. He turns the dawn into darkness and marches on the heights of the earth. The Lord, the God who commands armies, is His name!)

   Not only can God transfigure Himself physically, He allows angelic and demonic spirits transfigure themselves. Review John 1:32-34.

   (Luke 1:11-20; An angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him. And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized with fear. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. Joy and gladness will come to you and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for Him.

    Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.) Gabriel transfigured himself and spoke with Zachariah.

    Unlike Jesus, John had a human father; but this John the Baptist was filled with God’s spirit while still in Elizabeth’s womb! (By revelation, John knew his mission and purpose.) (Review John 1:35-42, Andrew, and Peter John’s disciples then began following Jesus.)

    Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, ‘What do you want?’ So they said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ Jesus answered, ‘Come and you will see.’ So they came and saw where He was staying and they stayed with Him that day. Now it was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

    Jesus would later tell Peter, “you are a little stone but on this Rock I will build My church.” Jesus is that Rock. (Review John 1:43-51) Philip found Nathanael and told him about Jesus.

   (Nathanael answered Him, (Rabbi, which is to say teacher.) You are the Son of God; You are the king of Israel!” Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.)

   Not ONLY did Jesus know where Nathanael was before Philip found him; Jesus knew all twelve apostles and rebellious Judas before Adam’s creation. (Look at John 1:1-5, Colosians 1:15-20 and Heb 1:1-4 again, to determine that Jesus is all knowing.) Next Jesus is proving Himself to be The Re-Creator and Creator.

    (John 2:1-11; Now on the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there and Jesus and His disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no wine left.” Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to Me? My time has not yet come.” His mother told the servants, “Whatever He tells you, do it.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.” So they filled them up to the very top. Then He told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward, and they did.” When the head steward tasted the water that had been turned to wine, not knowing where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew) he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now!”

    (John 2:11; Jesus did this as the first of His miraculous signs, in Canan of Galilee. In this way He revealed His glory, and His disciples believed IN Him.)

     Mary couldn’t forget how Jesus was fathered, and Jesus knew how He was fathered. (People gifted to follow Jesus, need to remember how they’re fathered.) May we each review in our minds, the awesomeness of our Creator’s fathering. May He be revealed to the minds of each person studying these text teaching.

     Believers in and recipients of God’s Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus are being judged in their physical life time, “before the first resurrection.” (Holy Scriptures defines a Christian as, “a recipient of God’s spirit.”) Each Believer IN Jesus that overcomes to the end will be in the FIRST resurrection. (Study 1Corinthians 15)

    Believers IN Jesus that are alive, ‘at His coming’ will meet Him in the air,’ having instantly been changed to spirit; “they’ll return with Jesus and serve in His kingdom.” (It is a mystery to the world at large.)

    Worldly religions choose to erroneously teach: ‘EVERYONE is facing their final judgment in this age, before the resurrections.’ Not so. The first resurrection is to a SPIRIT life; likened to Jesus’ current life. (Each spirit recipient will see Him as He is.) A SECOND resurrection is physical; “most, perhaps all of Jacob’s (Israel’s) heirs will be resurrected to a physical life.” (See Ezekiel 37) This understanding taught Israel through their keeping the Feast of Booths, ‘Tabernacles’ helps followers of Jesus digest Paul’s letter to the Romans.

   (Romans 2:1-16; Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things. And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you have contempt for the wealth of His kindness, forbearance and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!

    He will reward each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth, but follow unrighteousness.

    There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew (Believer) first, and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew (Believer) first, and also the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

    For, it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.”) 

     Followers of Jesus are spirit led to love the spiritual intent of the law, thus the person not knowing the commandments who love God and neighbor as themselves are keeping the law of God.

     “Eternal life to those who persevere, in good works: who seek the gift of glory honor and immortality.” Those who lovingly live in the spirit of the law, and practice what’s righteous in God’s view, is obviously a Believer IN Jesus’ shed blood for the remission of their sins; they’re heirs with Jesus and Abraham. This Jesus is purposely not revealed to everyone in this age, its the reason He spoke in parables, why there’s a physical resurrection and a second death. (See Revelations 21:8)

    (See Matthew 13:10-17; Then the disciples came to him (privately) and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

    For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.

   For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.‘

    “But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear.  For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.)

To: 33,882, subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrei 5, 5,782, 9/11/2021  

When Jesus’ apostles were taking His gospel ‘good news’ to the world, they shared Israel’s history of His dealing with their ancestors. The four gospels, and letters to the churches include quotes from Moses, David, and the prophets are shared: “particularly about Jesus’ miraculous birth and coming kingdom on earth.” Pharisees, Sadducees and pagan religions couldn’t grasp, ‘that an all knowing God could have planned Satan’s demise, Jesus’ miraculous birth, teaching, resurrection and ascension.’ As Jesus’ apostles took His good news about the kingdom of God to the known world, political types scorned the idea as they still do. However, God the Father preplanned how He’d make Believers IN Jesus ‘at One’ with Himself and Jesus, how Jesus would return as king of kings, bring peace and righteous judgment. Worldly religions still don’t grasp the awesomeness of our Creator, and Savior Jesus.  

      (John 1:24-27; Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. So, they asked John, “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands One whom you do not recognize, who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal!)

      Aside from revelation, suppose John’s parents had told him of Elizabeth’s cousin ‘Mary’s’ visit when she was six months pregnant with Jesus, and how John jumped with joy in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary’s appeared. Perhaps the Baptist grew up knowing of his own supernatural fathering and birth.

      (John 1:28-31; “These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing. On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is the One about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him, but I came baptizing with water so that He could be revealed to Israel.”)

     John was reluctant to elaborate his own role, but enthusiastically give his testimony about Jesus. The apostle John’s emphasis is totally on ‘John the Baptist’s’ witnessing Jesus. No attention is given to the Baptist’s call for national repentance and very little to his baptizing, every focus was on what the Baptist says about Jesus. (So Jesus could be revealed to Israel.) REVEALED, is key. The Israelites then, nor can we now know Jesus as He manifest Himself to be, “unless He’s revealed.” God’s choosing remains a mystery to the world at large, as He chooses and reveals Himself to the predestined.

      We attempted to reveal our Creator’s awesomeness in the last study, “however we aren’t revealors; we attempt to teach the realization while knowing that “only God can open minds to spiritual comprehension.” People who aren’t led to believe IN God, “can’t comprehend that our God Re-Creates and can Create from nothing.” (God isn’t limited by so called science or physical laws of His own making.) Remember Jesus’ miraculous healing? how He instantly healed people with leprosy, making them completely well. Jesus stilled a roaring sea, and It was He that revealed His awesomeness to Job.

     (Job 26:5-14; The dead tremble – those beneath the waters and all that live in them. The underworld (Hebrew - Sheol) is naked before God; the place of destruction lies uncovered. He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth on nothing. He locks the waters in His clouds, and the clouds do not burst with the weight of them. He conceals the face of the full moon, shrouding it with His clouds. He marks out the horizon on the surface of the waters as a boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of the heavens tremble and are amazed at His rebuke. By His power He stills the sea; by His wisdom He cut Rahab the great sea monster to pieces.

    (The mythical sea monster that represents the forces of chaos in ancient Near Eastern literature. In this translation, the words ‘the great sea monster’ have been supplied apositionaly in order to clarify ‘Rahab.’)

       By His breath the skies became fair; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed, these are but the outer fringes of His ways! How faint is the whisper we hear of Him! But who can understand the thunder of His power?”)

      One day God’s chosen will know, even as God is known. Understanding spiritual things are foreign to fleshly minds. (The scripture reveals that Satan and his demons are spirits; their powers can only be controlled and ultimately destroyed by God.) (The holy scriptures teach, “recipients of God’s spirit are able to withstand the demonic spirits through God gifted power.)

     Remember Satan was allowed to tempt Jesus, “Jesus withstood, ‘overcame’ him” through His spirit and by His Word.” We’re taught that God has the power to mold us as a potter does clay.) (He has plans for our spiritual rebirth, thus Believers IN are, “borne again.”) It’s a spiritual fathering, whereby He makes us ‘at one’ with Himself.

     Believing IN Jesus’ resurrection, and that of His Saints at the end of this age; then physical resurrection during Jesus’ millennial rule is scriptural doctrine.

    How awesome His Ways! Consider Paul’s understanding as he taught believing Hebrews and we who’re called.

      (Hebrews 2:5-18; For He (Jesus) did not put the world to come, about which we are speaking, under the control of angels. Instead, someone testified somewhere: “What is man that You think of him or the Son of Man, that you care for Him? You made Him lower than the angels for a little while. You crowned Him with glory and honor. You put all things under His control.”

    For when He put all things under His control, He left nothing outside of His control. At present we do not yet see all things under His control, but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God’s grace He would experience death on behalf of everyone. For it was fitting for Him, (Jesus) for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Pioneer (Jesus) of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

    For indeed He who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, and so He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to My brothers; in the midst of the assembly, I will praise You.”

    Again He (Jesus) says, “I will be confident in Him,” and again, “Here I am, with the children God has given Me.” Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He (Jesus) likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death He could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

     For surely His concern is not for angels, but He is concerned for Abraham’s descendants. Therefore He, (Jesus) had to be made like His brothers and sisters in every respect, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted.”) (Hebrews 2:5-18)

      We’re all tempted and here is revealed understanding, “of the gifted power we Christians have to overcome the devil with.”

      Who are Abraham’s descendants? Jesus’ apostle Paul explained to the Galatians Church of God and all Believers. (“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” Gal 3:27-29) Our Creator is in the process of creating new spiritual lives in this age .

     (John 3:5-8; Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So, it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.)

      Fleshly people are born of water in the womb. A child comes forth when the mother’s water breaks. “Born from above” is God’s spiritual miracle; it’s likened to the wind, in that we don’t understand where it came from nor where it is going. (The imputation of God’s spirit makes individuals His temples of His spirit, “at one with and a child of God.”

    (See 1Cor 3:16, & study (1Cor 6:16-20; Or do you not know that anyone who is united with a prostitute is one body with her? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with Him. 

   Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin a person commits is outside of the body” – but the immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.) 

To: 33,880 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrel 4, 5,782, 9/10/21

     Remember Jesus said “we servants aren’t greater than our master.” (John 13:16-17; “I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”) Each apostle taught the same in principle and we observe now, that fleshly love as inherited from Adam “is truly waxing cold.”

(Mark 13:12; “Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death. You, “followers of Jesus” will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Denomationalist are dividers of societies and adultery has to do with the spiritual and physical. Persons promising obedience, “then going on to live the way that seems right to their fleshly mind, “are committing spiritual adultery.” (To profess a belief IN Jesus and “keep practicing what seems right to the fleshly mind is spiritual adultery.”) Believers IN must turn from what seems right to the fleshly mind “as God reveals His Way and Himself.” Seeking a denomination of choice is idolatry. Jesus revealed the same to His prophets of old.

(Mal 3:6-7; “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on My promises, you, sons of Jacob, “spiritual Israelites - Christians” have not perished. From the days of your ancestors you have ignored My commandments and have not kept them! Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord who rules over all.”)

Sons of Jacob and all people deserve eternal death; “all have sinned.” However, God made promises to Abraham, regarding his heirs. Promising deliverance, righteous rule and peace on earth with Jesus as King of Kings. Just as God called, gave understanding to, showed mercy to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, His apostles and all Believers IN; “He has been calling out and showing mercy to people of each generation, for His name sake.” People led to see the benefit of His commandments are delighted to serve as Jesus’ ambassadors .

A love of God’s Way, ‘above all else’ must be gifted individually, in order to renounce Satan’s way. Remember Jesus’ Words through His apostle Paul.

(2Corinthians 4:3-11; “Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing, among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God. “But we “Believers IN” have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We “Christians” are experiencing trouble on every side, but are not crushed; we are perplexed, but not driven to despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; we are knocked down, but not destroyed, always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body.”)

We put our bodies on line when we stand for Jesus’ Way. As we keep Jesus’ Sabbaths, unbelieving societies are keeping the sixth day, first day and “some even the seventh day erroneously when it is not kept in love.” (Ask people living in Muslim dominated countries, in Protestant, Roman or Orthodox Catholic dominated countries, about their freedom.) Jesus’ apostles were persecuted and most killed because of their obedience to Jesus’ Way. In every age and place, we discover that the disobedient seem to live happy lives. Seem to be just as successful as they gain privileges through deceit. God understands that and is patient.

(Malachi 3:13-18; “You have criticized Me sharply,” says the Lord, “but you ask, ‘How have we criticized you?’ You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all? So now, we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God, escape!’ Then those who respected the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord took notice. A scroll was prepared before Him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the Lord and honored His Name. “They will belong to Me,” says the Lord who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare My own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.”)

     How is it that Satan seems so successful? Disguises himself! Speaking of him unbelievers and false teachers, Jesus’ apostle Paul explains.

(2Corinthians 11:13-15; “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.”)

One day the world will know “people’s unbelief made it possible for Satan to became god of this world.”

John The Baptist.

     (John 1:6-11; “A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the Light, “Jesus” so that everyone might believe through Him. “Jesus.” He himself, “John” was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. The true Light, “Jesus” who gives light, “understanding” to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by Him, “Jesus” but the world did not recognize Him, He came to what was His own, but His own people did not receive Him.”)

Jesus came to the Israelites He loved, but they did not recognize Him because they were deceived to think of the Messiah’s coming; “only as a savior for Israel.” One likened or similar to Moses. Prophecies about the whole world being blessed through Abraham’s Seed, the time of the gentiles and peace on earth were foreign to their thinking.

(John 1:12-13; “But to all who have received Him – those who believe IN His name – He has given the right to become God’s children. Children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.”)

Each follower of Jesus is, “because of God’s decision!” He gives the RIGHT to be “born from above” be. “spiritually begotten” “fathered” NOT as by chance or choice, “likened to a husband’s decision.”

(John 1:14; “Now the Word “Jesus” became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw His glory – the glory of the One and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.”)

The Word, “Jesus” said; “let US make mankind in Our image.” He manifested Himself as the Son of God the Father, the Alpha and Omega and coming King of Kings. Jesus inspired David’s and His apostles’ prophesies telling about His Love for His People.

(John 1:15-18; “John ‘the Baptist’ testified about Him and shouted out, “This One was the One about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because He existed before me.’ For we have all received from His fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only one, Himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known.)

JESUS makes God the Father known to us! Jesus’ characteristics are likened to the Fathers! Grace and truth now comes THROUGH God’s Son; Jesus.

(John 1:19-23; “Now this was John’s “the Baptist” testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” Are you the Prophet? He answered, “No!” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? John said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”)

The Baptist was quoting from Isaiah 40:3. John’s father was a priest and John knew the scriptures. John and Jesus are cousins. People were spirit led to be attentive to John the Baptist and so jealousnes was real among the Pharisees and Sadduces.

To: 33,771 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrei 2, 5,782, 9/8/2021 

   To poll most Christendom groups with the question, ‘how do you view Jesus’ we’d get various views, like; ‘a man doing miraculous healings’ ‘a baby in a manger’ ‘one who walked on water or fed thousands from one basket of food. Jesus’ apostle Paul answered this question as all believers should.

   (2Cor 5:14-21; For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all (believers) have died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised.

    So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know Him in that way any longer. So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come! And all these things are from God who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

    In other words, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and He has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we (believers) are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God.)          

   So, in view of the above text we’re compelled to write about repentance. Followers of Jesus need to know that Godly repentance is; “a turning from our inherited from Adam nature” to, ‘Jesus‘ gifted nature.’ It’s what Passover and the week of Unleavened Bread is about. (Leavening representing that which puffs up, represents sin.) Time to individually examine ourselves in Jesus’ Light; “put away that which isn’t genuine love with God‘s help.” Things, that hinder worshiping in spirit and truth.

    When God calls, opens understanding and reveals Himself, “shortcomings in our inherited nature is also revealed.” Repentance is about dying with Jesus and living in the gifted nature of Jesus. Our inherited from Adam nature must be reborn, as in “born from above - fathered by God.”

    He reveals and calls people individually, “correcting as a fleshly father should his children.” (God reveals that we inherited a nature that’s instinctively, self/serving.) Our inherited nature is such that, ‘we desire others to perceive us (our character) as we would like them to. Thus, we are natural hypocrites in our fleshly nature. Believers in Jesus must work on that inherited flaw. Jesus inspired His apostle Paul to teach it.

    (1Corinthians 6:9-11; Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. Some of you once lived this way. But you, “repentant followers of Jesus’ were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name (nature) of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.)

       When God the Father and God the Son are revealed and we’re gifted with an internal desire to worship in spirit and truth, ‘we’re led to be immersed in Jesus’ Way.’ Led to turn from the way that seemed right to our inherited fleshly nature, to the spiritual nature of Jesus’ outgoing love.

      We think it good to go through one biblical book or letter at a time. The last few weeks and today, we’re teaching in what’s called, ‘sermon format.’ Hopefully this teaching encourages some who’re, ‘merchandise to denominations’ turn and follow Jesus. We do plan to go through the book of John. Remember when two are more are assembled in Jesus’ name, (nature) He is present.

     At the beginning of John’s good news (gospel) he introduces Jesus to unbelievers (people not knowing Jesus’ deity as the Son of God and Deliverer of Israel past and future. Review John 1:1-5)

    Jesus’ apostle John may have been the only apostle not killed for being a follower of Jesus. He was persecuted and exiled to the island called Patmos, ‘because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.’ John, Peter and James witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration that represented His kingdom on earth.

     (Mark 9:1-8; And Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God come with power. Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John and led them alone up a high mountain privately. And He was transfigured before them and his clothes became radiantly white, more so than any launderer in the world could bleach them. Then Moses and Elijah also appeared before them, talking with Jesus. So, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make three shelters – one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My One dear Son, in whom I take great delight. Listen to Him!” When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. But Jesus came and touched them. He said, ‘get up, Do not be afraid.’ When they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.)

     Believers in Jesus are gifted to understand our Creator’s awesomeness to the degree that He chooses to reveal. (We’re taught that God and other spirit beings can transfigure themselves physically and God can create from nothing.) Moses and Elijah were NOT born immortal at this sighting, ‘but when God chooses, He’ll gift them with His spirit (immortality.) Make each literally at one with Himself. Their spirit is with God now, ‘at spiritual Mt. Sanai, (See and study Hebrews 12) they’ll be in the first resurrection. Others to whom Jesus’ kingdom has been revealed, and others who’re being called, will also have their spirits purified at spiritual Mt. Sanai.

    Matthew recorded Jesus saying; ‘For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life?’ Or ‘what can a person give in exchange for his life?’ For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.’ Matt 16:26-28)

    Jesus’ kingdom will be a literal governing authority on earth. Assisting Jesus in positions of His choosing will be His Prophets, Apostles, Saints, Elijah and Moses. John and Paul particularly were spirit led to explain Jesus’ deity and works from the foundation of the world. (See and study Col 1:15-20, and Hebrews 1) These scripture text explain that the solar system, planet earth, and all living beings are created by Jesus. We’re physically created in God the Father and God the Son’s image and likeness; with eternal life gifted to the obedient. Not only is Jesus the Creator; He’s the Architect and knows the unfolding of events to the end. Thus, He revealed future events, ‘including God the Father coming down with New Jerusalem to John.’ Even giving the very dimensions. (See Revelations 21:)

    This Jesus isn’t taught by worldly religions, and He knew how He’d be misrepresented, having Mark record His Words.

    (Mark 13:3-8; So while Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately. (No parable here.) Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that all these things are about to take place?” Jesus began to say to them, “Watch out that no one misleads you. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He’ and they will mislead many. you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines. These are but the beginning of birth pains.”)

    The unfolding upheavals will be painful, “likened to a woman’s birth pains.” World problems are the result of people turning from the Ways of God to lawless practices ‘sin.’ (Practices that honor pagan gods and ignores times holy to our Creator and His followers are “sins against God.”)

      To His apostles particularly, Jesus said. (Mark 13:9; “You must watch out for yourselves. You will be handed over to councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a witness to them.”) That doesn’t mean other followers are exempt.

      We have the records of Believer persecutions, and John told us why he was put on the island of Patmos.

      (Mark 13:10-11; First the gospel must be preached to all nations. When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you, speaking, but the Holy Spirit.)

     It’s prophesied that two witnesses are to tell Jesus’ good news, prophecy, interfere with the weather, and be killed for their testimony. People will rejoice over their death. Through them, Jesus’ good news will go out with power. (Study Revelations 11:)

     Unbelievers are brainwashed, sold on the theory of evolution and global warming etc. Not understanding that Jesus re-created this earth from chaotic conditions less than six thousand years ago, (from its shape, emptiness and darkness) caused by a previous flood. Created plant, animal life and then mankind. Putting in man His and the Father’s likeness, ability to plan, create, procreate and develop moral standards. The Lord God ‘Jesus’ had purpose in commanding them not to eat from the tree of knowledge, good and evil.

    (Gen 2:16-17; Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.)

     Because we’re created in God’s image and for His purpose, we must rely on Him for knowledge regarding what’s right, wrong, good and evil. Doing otherwise is idolatry, which ultimately results in eternal death. Thankfully, Creator Jesus came in the flesh, as the Lamb of God, shed His blood so sin could be remitted to all who believe IN Him.

To: 33,861 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrel 1, 5,782, 9/7/21  

    (John 1:1- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. In Him was life, and the (His) life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.)  

    Jesus’ apostle Peter wrote about Him; (1Pet 1:21-25 Through Him you now trust in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. You (believers)have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 

   For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever . And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.) Peter went on to say, ‘we had known Him in the flesh, but we don’t know Him that way any longer. 

    (John 1:6-18; A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that everyone might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the Light. The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 

   He was in the world, and the world was created by Him, but the world did not recognize Him. He came to what was His own, but His own people did not receive Him. But to all who have received Him – those who believe in His name – He has given the right to become God’s children; children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God. 

   Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. John testified about Him and shouted out, “This One was the One about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because He existed before me.’” For we have all received from His fullness one gracious gift after another. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 

    No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. 

The Testimony of John the Baptist  

  (John 1:19-28; John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No!” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 

  John said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”   (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) So they asked John, “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands One whom you do not recognize, who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal!” These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing. 

Behold, the Lamb of God

    Joh 1:29-34;  On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him, but I came baptizing with water so that He could be revealed to Israel.” Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on Him. And I did not recognize Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The One on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.”) 

     Two things to notice, John referred to the Holy Spirit as, “it” and acknowledges that Jesus was in the beginning.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Joh 1:35-42; Again the next day John was standing there with two of his disciples. Gazing at Jesus as He walked by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Jesus turned around and saw them following and said to them, “What do you want?” So they said to him, “Rabbi” (which is translated Teacher), “where are You staying?” Jesus answered, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. Now it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 

  Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two disciples who heard what John said and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated Christ). Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon, the son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). 

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

Joh 1:43  On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 

   Joh 1:46-51;  Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked Him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!” Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”) 

   Pentecost “the third annual Sabbath” is the birthdate of Jesus’ New Covenant Church. A primary promise to our ancestors was fulfilled the Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension. God’s spirit gifted to people makes each a temple of His spirit, and “one with Jesus. This is still a mystery to the world. Today’s Christendom actions fulfills Jesus’ prophecy, assuming Jesus to be different than the Lord God who communed with Noah and Abraham. (All converted to Jesus’ way became spiritual Israelites.)

     Paul was witnessing to king Agrippa when he said the following. (Acts 26:4-13; “Now all the Jews know the way I lived from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. They know, because they have known me from time past, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, Your Majesty! Why do you people think it is unbelievable that God raises the dead? Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things HOSTILE to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the Saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death. I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities. “While doing this very thing, as I was going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the chief priests, about noon along the road, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around me and those traveling with me.”) As always study the whole.

     Again Paul explains. (Hebrews 5:11-14; “On this topic we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you, (Hebrews) have become sluggish in hearing. For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.”)

       YES, we need training that comes through practices, practices that show respect for what God has to say. (So let’s skip Jesus’ calling apostles and go to chapter 4.)

      (John 4:27-30; Now at that very moment Jesus’ disciples came back. They were shocked because He was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Surely, He can’t be the Messiah, can He?” So, they left the town and began coming to Him.”) Apparently this Samaritan woman was the first non-Israelite to be Jesus’ witness.

      (John 4:31-34; Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did they?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent Me and to complete His work.”)

     We must know Jesus as Creator in order to worship in spirit and truth. (Review John 1:1-5, then see Colossians 1:15-20 and Heb 1:1-4) Jesus’ work is also God the Father’s work. (In this regard, they are One.) In the beginning of Jesus’ ministry His  followers knew nothing about the indwelling holy spirit Jesus was referring to when He said; “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” (Speaking of people harvest Jesus said, (John 4:35-38; ““Don’t you say, ‘There are four more months and then comes the harvest?’ I tell you, look up and see that the fields are already white for harvest! The One who reaps receives pay and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that the One who sows and the One who reaps can rejoice together. For in this instance the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you, (apostles) to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.””)

      Who did the sowing? God the Father through God the Son, the same who called Moses and the prophets. They labored, many were killed and persecuted. Jesus’ apostles had the mission of teaching (believers) about God’s Way and oracles. After believing IN and becoming gifted recipients of God’s spirit, Paul could say the following to the gentile Ephesus church.  

       (Ephesians 2:19-22; “So then you, (non-Israelites) are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you are fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s household, because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Cornerstone. In Him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”)

     Christendom attempt to dismiss the Old Covenant as not being relevant to the new. They’re making their own theology, supporting their own schools and building their own membership. Not understanding that God’s imputed spirit in Believers making them (at one) with Himself. It’s the theological differences in Jesus’ new covenant and His old. Peter explains.

     (1Peter 4:10-11; Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God. Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s Words, (oracles.) Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.)

     (John 4:39-42; Now many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the report of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So, when the Samaritans came to Him, they began asking Him to stay with them. He stayed there two days, and because of His Word many more believed. They said to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of your words, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this One really is the Savior of the world.)

     Many professing Christians claim that Jesus is their personal Savior, but how many know He is the Savior of this world? He is going to return and save this world’s people from their destructive ways, from its demonic divisionary god. (Study Matthew 24:) Jesus is going to bring peace, righteous judgment, knowledge of Himself and God the Father. (Study Isaiah 11) For our purpose here and now let’s consider verse 9, (They will no longer injure or destroy on My entire royal mountain. For there will be universal submission to the Lord’s sovereignty, just as the waters completely cover the sea.)

      As Jesus was about to go to Jerusalem and celebrate His last Passover in the flesh, He spoke the following: (Matthew 20:17-19; “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet on the third day, He will be raised.”)

      Not many years ago, unbelieving gentile churches were accusing the Jews for Jesus’ death, they incited hatred of Jews worldwide. Caused death and persecutions, ‘especially in Germany.’ Jewish experts in the law did make the decision to arrest Jesus and they did hand Him over to the gentile ruling authorities. Jesus knew exactly how things were going to unfold. Jesus inspired Isaiah to write much of the detail. (See Isaiah 52)

     Intelligent people in every age have always known; “Passover, Nisan 14” doesn’t fall on a particular day of the week annually. With demonic help, deceivers planned an agenda 2,000 plus years ago, camouflaging the reality of Passover’s meaning. (Causing division, chaos and persecutions among naïve Christendom in particular.) Pagan zodiac worshipers accepted an imaginary Jesus. Appealing to pagan societies, by naming days of the week after pagan gods, and purposely twisting God’s Word, by teaching that God allowed Paul to change God’s seventh day Sabbath; ‘thus Christendom in general is now pagan.’

To 33,844 subscribers to, Original Church of God teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrei 4, 5,782.  9/4/21

   God’s Original Churches, ‘followers of Jesus’ knew they were called to be spiritual Israelites, ‘heirs with Abraham and Jesus.’ The first gentile convert ‘Cornelius’ sent for Peter; he went, introduced Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, Savior, Son of God, Mediator and coming King of Kings. (See Acts 10: particularly verses 30-48) The whole household believed and became followers of Jesus, ‘Son of God, and prophesied ancestor of David, very much an Israelite of the tribe of Judah, and the One who gave Moses the Oracles of God to live by at Mt. Sanai.

    For about 200 plus years God’s churches stayed true to their calling, though they had to rid some congregations of divisive people with high sounding credentials, claiming to be apostles. Finally, these types organized, using Jesus’ name, devising a pagan calendar honoring pagan gods by naming days of the week after them etc. The organization grew to what’s what was known as ‘the holy Roman empire’, it quickly, particularly after Imperial Constantine’s conversion. The apostate Jude wrote about seeing was then in full bloom and now is worldwide.

    Professing Christians need to know the history of Christendom’s evolution since Jesus’ apostles. How the so-called reformers like Martin Luther nailed his manifesto, calling attention to papal error, authority etc. How the Catholicism divided was over papal celibacy, causing Russia and eastern Europe to become Orthodox, and the west Roman Catholic. During the years before the so-called reformation, Catholic’s forced conversion throughout the world, much like some radical Moslem’s do today. Catholics in those years attempted to be likened to Judaism on steroids.

Jesus set the tone about what real Christianity is about.

    (Matt 22:36-40; A Pharisees ask, Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.)

    When God’s spirit is imputed to the minds; people aren’t in need of the law as a guardian, as before being miraculously ‘born from above.’ Jesus explained How He is to be our metaphorically all in all.

     (John 6:54- The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood resides in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.

   How so? God gives each called repentant Believer, His Spirit, the spirit of a sound mind, and ’the gift of immortality.’ Jesus referred to this ‘God the Father’s fathering’ as, ‘being born from above.’

    The Hebrew writer explains how God’s worshipers, (we Believers) are come before the holy assembly, Jesus and God the Father when we pray.

    (Heb 12:22-24; But you, (followers of Jesus)  have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.)

    Abel was the righteous son of Adam and Eve, whose brother, ‘Cain’ killed him because of jealously and his righteous obedience. Abel’s believing IN and sacrificing was as commanded and pleased God, while Cain’s sacrifice was according to what seemed right to his fleshly mind. Cain thought a sacrifice of his choosing should please God. (That thinking made Cain a little god to himself, as it does to each assuming person.) Such are all people who live according to what seems right to themselves.

Likewise with Jesus’ loving commands.

     A promised resurrection to a spiritual life was foreshadowed by God gifting Israel with His weekly and annual Sabbath observances and calendar. The Passover and feast of Unleavened Bread begins with trusting through gifted faith, a loving relationship with our Creator God. Sins are forgiven and eternal life gifted, only through Creator Jesus’ life blood sacrifice. 

    It was our Creator Jesus who had Moses instruct Israel to put the blood of a sheep or goat on their door facings for Israel’s firstborns saving from the death angel and bondage of the Egyptians. That deliverance looked forward to the parallel of, ‘Jesus’ own blood sacrifice for the remission of sin.’ Likewise, blood sacrifice offerings by Aaronic Priest looked forward to a permanent payment of Jesus’ shed blood for remission of sins committed.

    (Heb 9:22; And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.) (After Jesus shed His life blood for the remission of sin, ‘there’s no more offerings for sin.’ Jesus had the Hebrews writer explain.   (Heb 10:18; Now where remission of these (there is no more) offering for sin.)

   (Heb 9:11-17; But Christ being come a ‘High Priest’ of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption (for us.) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

    And for this cause He is the Mediator of the New Testament, (covenant) that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament (covenant) is, there must also of necessity be the death of the Ttestator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives.)

    The second covenant is patterned after the first, ‘the first always looked forward to the Lamb of God ‘Jesus’ shedding His own blood, giving His own life, so the chosen believers have their sins remitted and be gifted with eternal life.

    (Heb 9:18-28; Whereupon neither was the first covenant was dedicated without blood.  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God has enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. So it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 

    For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entered into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world has He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.) 

    After believing in Jesus’ sacrifice for sins to be remitted, ‘believers are called to immerse and clothe themselves in His teachings, put away the practices of things God considers sin. (The Festival of Unleavened Bread foreshadowed this call to the action change of putting away sins.) The third annual Sabbath, ‘Pentecost’ always looked forward to believers being gifted with the nature changing Holy Spirit and becoming ‘at one’ with God. God’s gifted calendar and all oracles to Israel is of most importance. Jesus had Paul explain.

    (Rom 3:1-9; What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 

   For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.)

   God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God has more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.)

(No individual, not Israel, not gentiles, are righteous while fleshly minded.)

   What then? are we better (than they)? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.) 

We’re tempted by Satan, and our selfish nature inherited through Adam. This was revealed through Jeremiah long before,

    (Jer 17:9-10;; The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.) (James concurs.)

    (James 1:11-18; For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempt He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.)

(God chooses and fathers through His words of truth)

   (Heb 5:7- Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures. Who in the days of his flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.) 

    (Jesus instructs the family of God though Paul, regarding families being ‘at one with God and one another.)

    (1Cor 6:2-6;Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.) 

    Love has waxed cold in these last days as Jesus said; (See Matt 24:12) and the reason it isn’t likely that we’ll have a ‘law and order’ revival in our western nations. A like of Godly love is the reason for people’s hostility toward God, the reason the USA’S supreme court voted to condone things that are an abomination to God, and why it isn’t likely that we’ll have God’s  peace before Jesus’ return

To: 33,831 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8th Mo. Tishrel 2, 5,782, 9/1/21.

     Until people are gifted with spiritual discernment, each view God from their fleshly inherited from Adam nature. Many attempt to believe in Jesus’ miracles and promises, but until called, gifted to believe in ‘His life blood and saved by promised grace message’ they’re conjuring up beliefs from withing their inherited nature. Our fleshly nature must be changed to Jesus’ spiritual nature to discern spiritual truths. We must rely on Jesus’ saving grace, from a gifted desire to love as He loves, believe IN and practice His Way. Believing IN is to know, God can create from nothing, He re-created wine, food and water, demonstrating that power. He can resurrect from ashes, or from when dead only four days as in the case of Lazarus.

     Jesus’ powers were demonstrated when He made aged wine from water, fed thousands from one small basket, got water from a rock, made lepers completely well, caused the earth to shake and temple curtain split before resurrecting deceased Saints from their graves.

     (Matt 27:51; Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart.) The way to the inner sanctuary was opened, showing that each called out person is a priest to God.

     (Matt 27:52-53; And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many Saints who had died were raised. (They came out of the tombs after His resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.)

      These resurrected Saints didn’t die a second physical death, at a point of God’s choosing, after Jesus’ ascension these were taken to heavenly Mount Zion. The second death had no power over them. (See Hebrews 12:22-24 and study the preceding verses.)

      (Matt 27:54-56; Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this One was God’s Son!” Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given Him support were also there, watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.)

     Satan’s concocted to have these many witnesses silenced as he inspired people ‘who were marked out for the prophesied condemnation.’ It seems to be the perfect time to study the short book of Jude. (Jude and James were sons of Mary and Joseph.)

     (Jude 1:1-3; “From Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!” Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you about our common salvation, I now feel compelled instead to write to encourage you to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the Saints.) That gifted faith of believing IN Jesus’ good news was entrusted to those God called.

     (Jude 1:4; For certain men have secretly slipped in among you – men who long ago were marked out for the condemnation I am about to describe – ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil and who deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.)

     Jude, James and Jesus’ apostles didn’t know Him as Lord, God and Creator until after His ascension, appearing in their locked room, showing His wounds, and some perhaps not until after Pentecost. (Some who were not supernaturally called, the apostasy minded, accomplishing their abominations by conjuring up a doctrine of mixed pagan and Judaism.) Yielded to demonic thinking appealed to the fleshly nature in religious unbelieving sects. The same pattern of deceit Satan used on Eve. Satan’s play book will not be done away with until Jesus binds him to that prophesied bottomless pit. (Now Jude reminds us that it was Jesus, the Lord that led Israel from Egyptian bondage.)

      (Jude 1:5; Now I desire to remind you (even though you have been fully informed of these facts once for all) that Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, later destroyed those who did not believe.) Unbelievers, who refuse to believe IN when Jesus is revealed will ultimately be destroyed, Modern Christendom does not teach this Jesus!

      (Jude 1:6; You also know that the angels who did not keep within their proper domain but abandoned their own place of residence, He has kept in eternal chains in utter darkness, locked up for the judgment of the great Day.) Jude writes past tense because this is as good as accomplished. Their demise is certain.

       Jude 1:7; So also Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns, since they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire in a way similar to these angels, (Rebellious angels that became demons, are now displayed as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.)

     Eternity for these was until they didn’t exist anymore. God can and will destroy demonic spirit beings.

      (Jude 1:8-9; Yet these men, (the apostate) as a result of their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and insult the glorious ones. But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses’ body, he, (Michael) did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”)

      Michael’s is our good example; there’s no good purpose in debating with slanderous people nor the denominational minded.

      (Jude 1:10-13; But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend. Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path, and because of greed have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error; hence, they will certainly perish in Korah’s rebellion. These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit – twice dead, uprooted; wild sea waves, spewing out the foam of their shame; wayward stars for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness have been reserved.)

      Apparently it’s already decided; people committing the apostate will die the second judgmental death. Deceived people teach a manufactured Jesus. Apparently, a reserved spot with Satan is their demise. Some of these, like Cain, who was jealous of his brother’s righteousness, persecute Believers IN Jesus. Others like Balaam, exercise a symbolism of truth and can’t repent of their erroneous ways.

     (Jude 1:14-16; Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of His holy Ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These people are grumblers and fault finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain.)

      Enoch was one of the righteous, revealing before the flood that Jesus would make a second coming. (Beware of charismatically talented people, able to give bombastic speeches and whip up crowds with deceiving words.)

      (Jude 1:17-23; But you, dear friends, recall the predictions foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. For they said to you, “In the end time there will come scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.” These people are divisive, worldly, devoid of the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life. And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh.)

      Pagan practices stain and we can’t love both, righteous and pagan practices. People hold to what they love!

       (Jude 1:24-25; Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before His glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.)

       We know whether we’re gifted to believe IN the God of Jude!

Continuing in John’s gospel; Jesus is teaching that the manna He gave the Israelites forty years foreshadowed God’s giving eternal life to Believers. Foreshadowing our spiritually digesting, discerning Him.

      (John 6:51; I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.)

      Jesus gave His fleshly body as a sacrificial lamb. (See Isaiah 52: to discern the degree of that giving!) If we believe IN Jesus as He manifest Himself to be in the holy scriptures, we will be in the first resurrection, so live forever. To believe in our righteous Creator, is to obey and love Him with our whole being.

      (John 6:52-58; Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.”) (The Holy Spirit leads to immerse in and clothe with Jesus.)

      Eternal life is only through our believing IN Jesus. We aren’t born to live forever someplace! Jesus is the Believer’s life.

      (Matt 22:36-40; A Pharisees ask: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”)

      When God’s spirit is imputed to our minds; “we aren’t in need of the law as our guardian.”

       (John 6:54- “The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood resides in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”) How so.? God gives each called Believers IN, His Spirit; which is the gift of immortality. Jesus referred to this fathering as, “being born from above.”

       The Hebrew writer explains that we worshipers; “we Believers IN” are before a holy assembly when we pray to God.

      (Heb 12:22-24; “But you, ’followers of Jesus’  have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.”)

       Abel was the righteous son of Adam and Eve. His brother, “Cain” killed him because of his righteousness and jealously. Abel believed IN and pleased God with his offering. Cain practiced his doing ‘living’ according to what seemed right to himself; “he imagined that a sacrifice of his choosing would please God.” That thinking made Cain a little god to himself. Such as are all people who live according to what seems right to themselves.