T0: 34,019 subscribers to ‘Original Church of God teaching.’ God’s 8^th Mo, Tishrei 23, 5,782, 9/29/21.

    The Holy Scriptures from Genesis through Revelations are written to God’s chosen people only, NOT to this world’s populations at large. There are many proofs, it is the reason Jesus spoke in parables for example. (See Matt 13:10-17; Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You (disciples) 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 (non-believers) 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. (The reason?)

    For the heart (Seat of understanding) 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 (You disciples) eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear. (Understanding gifted) 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.) (See Isaiah 6:9-10)

    All Jesus’ apostles’ letters likewise are written to the Churches of God, NOT to the Pharisees, Sadducees, or any people who aren’t converted to be followers of Jesus’ way. Each of their letters start basically the same, let’s zero in on 2Peter.

     (2Pet 1-15; From Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ: to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, have been granted a faith just as precious as ours. May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!

Confirm Your Calling and Election

    I can pray this because His divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the One who called us by His own glory and excellence. (Attributes followers of Jesus grow to, follow.)

    Through these things He has bestowed on us His precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.

    For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.

    But concerning the one who lacks such things — he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.

    For, thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.

    Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have. Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,  since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me. Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.)

     It’s obvious to each called individual that they’re being addressed in Peter’s letter. (Now, Peter shares His, John and James’ experience with Jesus, Moses and Elijah’s transformation. See Luke 9:28-36.)

    (2Pet 1:16-21; For we (Apostles) did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of His grandeur. For He (Jesus) received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to Him by the Majestic Glory: “This is My dear Son, in whom I am delighted.” When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with Him on the holy mountain. Moreover, we (Apostles) possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.) (Peter’s next two chapters are about false prophets and more about the call to live righteously.)

        Now John introduces the necessary mind set for prayer ‘according to God’s will.’ All believers need to consider and meditate on.

    (1John 5:13-21; I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.  And this is the confidence that we have before Him: that whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

    And if we know that He hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from Him. (We need not ask for things that aren’t according to God pre-known will, remember He knows before we ask, so let’s consider an example of Peter and John’s asking according to God’s will.)

    (Acts 3:1-7; Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time for prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day so he could beg for money from those going into the temple courts.

    When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, he asked them for money. Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!” Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.) (Peter knew at that moment what he was gifted with, “thus, what I do have I give you.”

   John continues the same ‘how and what to pray for theme’ in chapter 5, regarding eternal death, the believer and the whole world’s condition.

    (1John 5:16-21; If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that.

    All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death. We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one He has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This One is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.)

Pharisee mentality about healing on the Sabbath

    (John 5:1-29; After this there was a Jewish feast, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool called Bethzatha in Aramaic, which has five covered walkways. A great number of sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed people were lying in these walkways. Now a man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and when He realized that the man had been disabled a long time already, He said to Him, “Do you want to become well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, someone else goes down there before me.”

     Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and started walking. (Now that day was a Sabbath.) So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.” But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?”

    But the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped out, since there was a crowd in that place. After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.” The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the One who had made him well.

    Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting Him. So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”

Jesus Is Equal with God

   For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was also calling God His own Father, thus making Himself equal with God.

The Authority of the Son

     So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on His own initiative, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He does, and will show Him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever He wishes.  Furthermore, the Father does not judge anyone, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

    “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears My message and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.

    I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming — and is now here — when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, thus He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and He has granted the Son authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

    “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come out — the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.)

Review Jesus’ witnesses, and the Baptist being light At John 5:30-47 from a previous study.

To: 34,001 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8^th Mo. Tishei 21, 5,782, 9/27/21

    King James Translation uses of the word, ‘carnal’ meaning fleshly mind, identifying people opposed to God’s truth. Fleshly as inherited from Adam, opposes spirit gifted truth and faith as Jesus revealed through Moses, other prophets, and apostles. These naturally look for reasons not to have total belief in God’s Word, ‘rather they’re more subject to believe the likes of; ‘mankind can fix global warming, alien’s, zodiac-angelic worship, and the pseudo science of carbon dating etc.’ All these when trusted, dilute genuine believing in faith.  

    Satan has his fix on the fleshly mind as he did Eve’s, ‘a little twist here and there to cause a lack of trust in God.’ Disbelief in Jesus’ revelations through Moses, regarding the Noah day flood, promises made to Abraham, prophecies, and revelations to the apostles. Jesus explained through Paul that His truth and church foundations is on these. Consider some revelations to believers given by Jesus through His apostle Peter.

    (2Peter 3:1-6; Dear friends, this is already the second letter I have written you, in which I am trying to stir up your pure mind by way of reminder: I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.

    Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges and saying, “Where is His promised return? For ever since our ancestors died, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.”

   For they deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water.

    Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.) (Next Peter’s prophecy jumps to after Jesus’ millennial rule and New Jerusalem’s coming down to this current earth.)

    (2Pet 3:7-13; But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the ‘day of judgment and destruction’ of the ungodly.  Now, dear friends, do not let this one thing escape your notice; that a single day is like a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare. Since all these things are to melt away in this manner, what sort of people must we be, conducting our lives in holiness and godliness, while waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God? Because of this day, the heavens will be burned up and dissolve, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze! But, according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.)

    With Satan’s help unbelieving educators, scientist, politicians and our own fleshly nature, allows many obstacles to blind our belief in God as being Creator, and His promises. No wonder Jesus ask the question, (My words) “will I find faith on earth when I return.” (See Luke 18:8) So, fleshy minded people find reason to doubt God’s word when pseudo science puts out theories. Believers in God, ‘those to whom He’s revealed’ know through Jesus’ gifted faith, find reason to suspect demonic influence when things don’t square or align with His revelations.

    Through Jesus, His prophets and apostles we’re taught that planet earth has been flooded at least twice. Before the Noah day flood there were various dinosaur types, air breathing animals, fish, large under water sea critters etc. We’re also taught that true believers would be few, ‘particularly in this latter age’ they’d be as foreigners in their communities and even among family. Persecutors would likely be one’s own families, and why Jesus ask that we remember the foreigners because ‘our ancestors had been foreigners in Egypt.’

     (Matt 10:34-39; Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.)

    God’s Way hasn’t changed since Noah and Abraham’s day. Jesus’ apostle Paul used the Feast of Unleavened Bread example as a metaphor for getting rid of that which puffs up our fleshly nature, and ‘replacing it with sincerity and truth.’ Through Paul, Jesus spoke to believers.

    (1Cor 5:6-8; Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough – you (followers of Jesus) are in fact without yeast. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. So then, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, (nature) the yeast, of vice and evil, but with the bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.) (Then Jesus had Paul write about how church fellowship should be managed.)

    (1Cor 5:9-13; I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.)

   (These if calling themselves Christian need to be avoided, ‘for their good.’ Consider why God had Abraham and wife leave their families, and why He changed their names.

    (Gen 17:15-15; Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; ‘Sarah will be her name.’ I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!)

     Changing Abram and Sarai’s names, symbolized the past and their new names, “Sarah and Abraham” would remind them to believe IN and trust God.

     Abraham’s understanding is revealed when the trial of trials faced him, knowing God could resurrect, and give or take life according to His will, he told Isaac, God would provide a sacrifice and got no argument from Isaac; ‘they believed IN.’ (See Genesis 22:13-18; Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord provides.” It is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”

    The Lord’s angel called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “‘I solemnly swear by My own name decrees the Lord, ‘that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son” I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. Because you have obeyed Me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.) (That name is Israel.)

    That promised day’s conclusion is yet to come. Jesus tells us through His apostle Paul. (Galatians 3:26-29; For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. 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.) (So, believing in Jesus makes each believing in person a spiritual Israelite.)

     Many have been told these things, but to believe IN them is gifted. The world at large is demonically led to believe false messages about gods of various people’s imaginations. Many are led to worship a different Jesus than the One manifesting Himself in these Holy Scriptures, and so, keep times that are abominations to Him, ‘Abraham’s God.’

      God purposely led Abraham away from his idolatrous family and blessed him with knowing faith. Apparently God calls some in each generation, to separate from this worlds system of things, ‘its practices’ from the nature inherited from Adam. There are records of each apostle contending with people’s inherited nature, how some desired to turn back to the old ways of the world; ‘back to idolatrous living.’

     (1John 5:13-20; I have written these things to you who believe IN the name (nature) of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have before Him: that whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from Him. If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin NOT resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death.

    There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death. We know that everyone fathered by God does not (practice) sin, but God protects the one He has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight to know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This One is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.)

     The Seed promising Abraham is Jesus, and He came from His father to be the Light for mankind. Jesus said; (John 5:31-40; If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies about Me, and I know the testimony He testifies about Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

   (I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) He (John) was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time in his light. But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned Me to complete – the deeds I am now doing – testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.

    And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You people have never heard His voice nor seen His form at any time, nor do you have His Word residing in you, because you do not believe, the One whom He sent. You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about Me, but you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life.)

     Believing IN the whole Jesus saves. That belief IN cannot be conjured up from denominational thinking, nor can our attempting to be good on the human plane. Modern theologians love the praise of people; but Jesus leads people to understand the nature in man.

     (John 5:41-47; I do not accept praise from people, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not accept Me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God. “Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father.”

    The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe what Moses wrote, how will you believe My Words?)

     Condemnation will come from Moses because Moses wrote about Jesus. (The Pharisee mentality was to do Moses, rather than believe Moses.) The Christendom mentality is (to serve a denomination of choice) rather than believe IN God. Moses’ prophetic writings, and Jesus’ words come from the same spiritual source. Jesus was leading and inspired Moses.

To: 33,965 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8^th Mo. Tishei 19, 5,782, 9/25/21.    The world’s Christendom populations accept traditionalist and denominatonalist in their congregations as long as they profess a belief in Jesus. Seemingly these are in a category like the Samaritan woman Jesus conversed with at Jacob’s well, and those Samaritans He spent two days with afterward: ‘they believed Jesus was the prophesied Christ’, but were not then aware of God’s sending His indwelling spirit to live within them, and change their nature from fleshly to spiritual.

    Or, perhaps Christendom groups are more like Cain, who knew God commanded a particular sacrifice at a designated time, but thought, ‘surely God will be pleased  with a sacrifice worship of my choosing.  (See Heb 11:4 & Gen 4)

     Christians are ‘Christ Like’, God’s churches are a called out people, ‘God family members’, literal children, ‘fellow heirs with Jesus and Abraham.’ (Christians are built on a particular foundation as we read in last study, at Ephesians 2:19-22, ‘they’re made mindful of all God’s oracles, the need to be yielded servants of Jesus, and shun all claiming to be Christian while yielding to pagan practices.

    Christians know others have done the labor, ‘sowed the seed, and they’ve entered their labor.’ (Lets read John 4:35-38 again, where Jesus is saying; ““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.)

    Christendom groups attempt to dismiss the Old Covenant, as not being relevant to the new, make their own theology, support their own schools, and build their own membership. (Not knowing that God’s spirit is gifted to true believers, making each, ‘at one with Himself.) It’s the theological differences in Jesus’ New Covenant, and the old one to physical Israel. Jesus inspired Peter to explain.

     (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.)

     (Review John 4:39-42; ‘Samaritans who first came to Jesus believed in Him because of the woman who testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” Then the Samaritans came to Him asking that He stay with them. He stayed 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.)

     Like these Samaritans, many Christendom groups claim Jesus to be their personal Savior; ‘but how many know He’s the Savior of this world?’ That He’s going to return and save this world’s remaining populations from their destructive ways, influenced by a demonic divisionary Satan. (Study Matthew 24)

    Jesus is going to bring peace, righteous judgment, knowledge of Himself and God the Father. (Study Isaiah 11) For our purpose 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 to celebrate His last Passover in the flesh, He spoke the following as recorded by Matthew at 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 fleshly gentile churches were accusing the Jews, for Jesus’ death, ‘they incited hatred of Jews that is still worldwide.’ Causing death, persecutions, and brought to bear on the world’s populations, ‘a gentile mix of  paganism and Judaism, calling it Christian’, across Europe and more so 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 to murder.) Jesus knew exactly how these things were going to unfold; ‘thus many years before He inspired Isaiah write much of the detail.’ See Isaiah 52.

    Jesus, His prophets and apostles didn’t hesitate to say ‘God’s Word is truth’

 To Timothy, Paul wrote.

     (2Tim 4:1 I-8; I (Paul) solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the message, be ready whether it’s convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and instruction. For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things. And they will turn away from hearing the truth, but on the other hand they will turn aside to myths.

     You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry. For, I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on His appearing.)

    Self righteous Pharisees gave the man Jesus healed a hard time about carrying his bed on the Sabbath. Many self righteous Christendom folk maintain that Jesus’ good news sets them free from the burden of Sabbath keeping:  no need to exercise self control or alter daily activities, no need to work at overcoming the pulls inherited from Adam’s sin nature etc.

    The average Christendom group sees no need to rest on Sabbath days. Most treat their set aside first day likewise, worship on first day morning, those more loyal to their denomination return that night, filling in their afternoon’s by participating in various sports entertainments.

     Christians practice discipline and remember the Sabbaths as Jesus did.

    (By remembering that we’re created in God’s image, likeness, and for His purpose, Christians honor Him with their practices mimicking His. Worshiping God requires that people know Him as He manifest Himself in Holy Scripture, they love and respect His creation and holy Ways. Jesus’ apostle Paul likened the Christian life to a race and Peter taught the perseverance of faith.

    Sabbaths should be esteemed, because the Lord God Jesus gave them for His chosen people’s benefit. To called out believers, Peter wrote; (1Peter 1:5-11; For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self control, to self control perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.

    But concerning the one who lacks such things – he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin.

    For, thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.)

    As self righteous Pharisees were critical of the healed man’s carrying his bed roll on the Sabbath, and Christendom folk in general are critical of people remembering and setting Sabbaths days apart.

    (John 5:14-15; After this Jesus found him (the healed man) at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.” The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the One who had made him well.)

    The indication is; “the ultimate cause of this man’s disability was rooted in sin.” We all inherited a lawless, ‘sin nature’, and it’s the basic cause of all imperfections.

Examples of people’s lawless actions causing problems are many. Let’s consider two.

     (1) God command that crops be rotated, and lands allowed their Sabbath rest, ‘that the land lay idle for one year being good for the land and people’s health.

     (2) God commanded His people to live by His ten commandments, for their good. Not for their salvation, but to be in sync with His righteous laws. Christians know God’s view of ‘sin’ is lawlessness, and His is the only view that matters.

To: 33,951 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8^th Mo. Tishei 18, 5,782, 9/24/21

    Heavenly Father: bless each truth seeking person to understand Your Way and give each the perseverance to stand firm, we pray in Jesus’ holy name. AMEN

    Scriptural examples prove God‘s planning. (Matt 1:17; So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations.) That makes 42 generations from Abraham to Christ and, according to scholars, Abraham was born about 1996 BC, thus 42 generations is about 2,000 years. My best count is that a biblical generation is about 47 years. The point is; God plans.

     God’s set aside times are for the good of His set aside people, His calendar is set to correspond with the growing seasons in the promised lands area, basically His three seasons somewhat parallel with most western nations. First season, Passover in God’s first month is about planting time; second season, Pentecost, “Feast of First Fruits” about 50 days later parallels most early vegetable harvesting; and third season, Feast of Booths “Tabernacles” is fall harvesting for main crops. Jesus made reference to early and late harvesting.

    If we believe IN Jesus’ words, we know this world is totally upside down because Satan is allowed to be its god. We know Satan transforms himself as an angel of light, and uses deceived people to develop his prideful agendas. Thus he deceives naïve populations into thinking fleshly.

     Before Jesus created aged wine from water, He went to Jerusalem to keep the Passover and week of Unleavened Bread. John the Baptist’s followers mentioned to Him that more people were following Jesus than him. John said; “He must increase and I must decrease.” We don’t know of any miracle the Baptist performed.

   (John 4:1-3; Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was doing more baptizing and had more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were) He left Judea and set out once more for Galilee.) (Some translators indicate competition between Jesus and the Baptist, there was no purposeful competition.)

    Review John 4:4-20. Water represents God’s spirit, we can’t live physically without water, NOR can we live in the spirit, except God gifts us with both. It’s what’s meant by, “you must be born by water and the spirit.”

    As with Nicodemus, this Samaritan woman’s thoughts were fleshly. Then and now Arabs, Jews and the whole world are divided by demonically inspired religious views. It’s Satan’s purpose, to manifest himself as an angel of light.

    Let’s take time to rejoice, if we’re followers of Jesus. (Remember translators add words for more precise understanding.) NO ONE is born with a spirit that lives forever someplace. As Jesus said, “the water that I give will become in you a fountain springing up to eternal life.” Eternal life is ONLY gifted by God our Father, through belief IN Jesus. Eternal life isn’t automatic and cannot be earned. Allow Jesus’ apostle Paul’s explanation to Believers in Jesus.

    (Eph 2:4-10; But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (believers) even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! – and He raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ. For by grace are you saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, not our own doing or decisions, so that no one can boast. For we, (Christians) are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.) Rejoice, if this understanding is gifted to your mind. 

    We’re all born as dead because of Adam’s sin, from that we nurtured and our own self serving agenda’s. (When people are recipients of God’s gifted spirit, it’s that, God the Father MADE us alive together with Christ.) It’s by His grace, NOT because of any prior action on our part. To demonstrate His mercy to the coming ages, His grants grace and kindness toward us is in Christ Jesus.

    Jesus knows each of us, as He knew this woman. Now Jesus gives a millennial prophecy.

     (John 4:21-23; 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, (gentiles) worship what you do not know. We, (Jews) 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.)

     All who aren’t called and chosen worship what they assume. (Salvation is from the Jews?) How so? God’s plan for His chosen people’s saving is through Abraham’s SEED (Jesus.)

    Jesus’ apostle Paul was given this understanding and shares with believers.

    (Romans 3:1-4; Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision? Actually, there are many advantages. First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.)

      Oracles can mean the sustaining of God’s Way, a source of knowledge, wise sayings, and God given messages. Particularly, as it pertains to people’s practices. (God preplanned that the Jews maintain His calendar, oracles and holy times.) It was no accident that Jesus’ apostle Paul was inspired to write this bit of text. Jesus continued to teach and reveal Himself to this Samaritan woman.

    (John 5:24-26; 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.”)

     We must worship in spirit and truth. An attempt to worship God without His indwelling spirit and revealed truth is imaginary worship. (That is imagining God according to fleshly views, some person’s or one’s own.) Thus a denomination of one’s choosing. People who aren’t spiritually born from above, yield to the sum total of their fleshly understanding. Christendom denominations are divided, confused, because of Satan and his followers manifesting themselves as angels of light. These assume God allows calling on Jesus’ name while practicing paganism.

    Paul’s ancestors believed God regarding resurrections, the pagan groups were divided, but for the most part believed in mythical gods and immorality at birth. Paul a past Pharisee witnessing to King Agrippa 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 explained to the fleshly minded. (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, people need training that comes through practice, practicing shows God respect for what He says. Thus the word ‘keep’ in regarding His commandments, and ‘believing in’ regarding Jesus’ deity and shedding His blood so sins could be remitted.

    Jesus, ‘the Son of God’ is Creator of all and this must be believed to attain salvation. (See John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:15-20 and Heb 1:1-4) Jesus’ work is also God the Father’s work. (In this regard they are One.) At the time when Jesus was with the Samaritan woman, they nor did His disciples know about His sending back the Holy Spirit He was referring to when He said; “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” They didn’t know about the New Covenant through a resurrected Jesus that would be revealed to believers, making them temples of the Holy Spirit. So, let’s review what Jesus would later teach through His apostle Paul.

    (Ephesians 2:19-22; So then you, (non-Israelites) are no longer foreigners and non-citizens, but you (believers) 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.)

     Through the indwelling of God’s spirit, ‘each called to believe in Jesus person,’ (that is; believe in Him as He’s manifested to be in Holy Scripture) are individual temples of His spirit.

T0: 33,943 subscribers to ‘Original Church of God teaching.’ God’s 8^th Mo, Tishrei 18, 5,782, 9/23/21.

     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.” 

To: 33,938 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8^th Mo. Tishei 16, 5,782, 9/22/21.

(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.”

To: 33,925 subscribers to, Original Church of God Teaching, God’s 8^th Mo. Tishei 12, 5,782, 9/

    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. 

T0: 33,903 subscribers to ‘Original Church of God teaching.’ God’s 8^th Mo, Tishrei 7, 5,782, 9/13/21.

    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.