Let us return to the Word/Works/Faith/Salvation connection. Man will live with the Lord in the next life only if he lives by faith in this life. Faith is obeying God’s WORD, which is the WORKS He speaks of in His WORD. This principle is so important that He speaks of it repeatedly in the Word Itself. Let us examine more of these Holy Passages in order to gain God’s perspective relative to His Word/Truth. A good place to begin is Psalm 119. When I began to hear God’s call to this ministry decades ago I was supernaturally drawn to this Psalm. I realized immediately (through the Holy Spirit) that God’s lazer-like focus on His Word was deliberate and consequential. I realized that everything revolved around the believer’s relationship to His Word–the only information we have about Him. And in that He does not change (Mal. 3:6/Jam. 1:17), His Word also does not change without His telling us about the change, such as the fact that He now writes His Law on the saint’s heart (not on stone), that our sacrifice is now a contrite heart (not an animal), that our circumcision is of the heart (not the flesh), that His blood (not animal blood) was shed once for all (not annually), etc. At this point we will study a series of Scriptures that bring out the Lord’s attitude toward His Word, which is Himself in written form. While on earth He was the Word in human form. Before, during and after His earthly tenure He was/is/will always be called THE WORD OF GOD (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13). Some of the following Scriptures have been emphasized in past postings.

In Revelation 3:21 Jesus tells us that only those who overcome (Satan) as He overcame him will sit, ruling and reigning with Him on His throne following His return. In 2:26 He tells us how to overcome: “And he who overcomes and KEEPS MY WORKS (obeys His Words) until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.” In the previous verse He tells us to “… hold fast what you have (His Word) until I come (back to earth).” We must know, believe and obey His Word to the end, in spite of the world’s rejection of us and His Word. For (only) he who endures in Word-consuming, persecution-enduring holiness to the end will be saved (Mat. 10:22). Jesus told Peter repeatedly to FEED HIS SHEEP (Jn. 21:15-17. What was Peter to “feed” believers? God’s Word. Jesus explained the Word-food relationship in John 6:27-29: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the FOOD WHICH ENDURES UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE, which the Son of man will give you ….” The disciples, having understood the Word/Works/Food connection, then ask Him how they were to WORK THE WORKS OF GOD. Jesus answered: “This is the WORK OF GOD, that you believe Him (the Word) Whom He sent.” Belief (faith) is in effect only if it is acted on. James tells us that faith without works is dead faith. God says through James that we must be doers of “the Word,” “the Work,” and “the Law,” otherwise we deceive ourselves (1:23,25;4:11). The Counterfeit Church rejects all three of these commands from God. She rejects His Word, refuses to do His Word, and has nailed His Law to the cross. For this reason He commands seekers of Truth to “… come ye out of her and be ye separate … touch not that unclean thing and (then) I will receive you. I will (then) be a Father to you and ye shall (then) be My sons and daughters” (2 Cor. 6:17). Why must God-seekers separate themselves spiritually from the Counterfeit Church? He tells us in verses 14-16. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what accord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said (about His saints-His temple), ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they will be My people.'” The Lord was not warning the church about associating with those outside the church–they already knew that and had come out of the world. He was telling them to separate themselves from false church members who participate in their “love feasts” (Passover, etc.), who are “foaming/raging waves of the sea … wandering stars for whom is reserved blackness forever”  (Jude 1:12,13). These are false Christians who put forth a “perverted gospel” (Gal. 1:6-8) and present “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4). This perfectly describes the modern Institutional (Laodicean) Church on which God will come “… to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them (the church) of all their ungodly deeds” (Jude 1:15). To be continued. L.J.