In the construction world where the product is designed and expected to last indefinitely we find an unchanging rule–a structure is only as good and will last only as long as its foundation. A secondary rule states that the bigger the structure, the bigger will be the resulting mess if it falls.

The foundation-quality-longivity rule also holds true in the spiritual world. An often overlooked statement relative to one’s spiritual foundation is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul told the believers in the church that through Him they had access to God the Father, that they were no longer spiritual strangers and foreigners to Him, but were now fellow citizens in His family. He went on to tell them that as Sons of God, they were “built upon the foundation of (the teachings of) the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.” The Lord, through Paul, reminded church members that the entire church must fit together (believe and obey God’s Truths) in order to be God’s holy temple in which He could live (Eph. 2:18-22). Nothing has changed. God’s rules of engagement have applied to professing Christendom from the church’s foundation unto this day. However, possessing, reading, quoting and preaching God’s Rule Book and believing and obeying it are not the same. The difference in the two acts is the difference between life and death as Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13-27. In this passage He distinguishes between true saints who believe and obey His Words and false saints who disbelieve and disobey them. He also explains how both true saints and false saints came to be what they are and what will be the future of those in each group. Let us diligently and prayerfully study this very important passage in order to hear the Lord’s “voice” as he speaks to us from His Scriptures. Then let us believe and obey what we “hear.”

What each religious person is told to do by his/her chosen organization is done for one reason only–to receive eternal life. The Words found in the Matthew 7 passage tell the salvation seeker what God says concerning that goal. Any continued deviation from His Words will disqualify the seeker from entering the Kingdom of God at the return of Jesus Christ. We will begin with verse 13 and carefully examine each statement of Truth as we come to it. In this way we will obey God’s study instructions as stated in Isaiah 28:9,10,13: “Whom shall He (God) teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand (His) doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breast–spiritual babes. For precept (statement) must be upon (follow) precept, precept upon precept, line (of Scripture) upon line, line upon line, here a little (information) there a little.” Then He repeats the statement verbatim. The Lord’s study method could not be more clear. He demands that study of His Word be deliberate, thorough and exact. Like a puzzle, each part must fit into all other parts in order to get a clear picture. Every Scriptural statement (precept and line) relative to a subject must be diligently studied in order to come to the Truth concerning that subject. When we study a precept or line concerning a subject we learn A TRUTH about that subject. When we combine all relevant Truths we learn THE TRUTH about that subject. In order to “Study to show yourself approved by God,” as we are commanded to do in 2 Timothy 2:15, one must study the Scriptures in the manner outlined in the Isaiah 28 passage.

Another important aspect of the Isaiah 28 passage concerns spiritual age. Notice that in order for the salvation seeker to learn God’s Truth he/she must be “mature in Him.” Paul made this clear in his letter to some Israelites in the church whom he could not teach because they were “dull of hearing.” “For when … you ought to be teachers (of God’s Word) you have need that one teach you again … the first principles of the oracles (Words) of God and … are in need of milk and not strong meat (mature teaching). For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are of full (spiritual) age …. Therefore, leaving the (elementary) principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works (sin and religiosity) and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment” (Heb. 5:11-14). You will notice that the subjects Paul told the Hebrews to STOP preaching about (“milk”–repentance, faith, baptism, resurrection, etc.) are the very subjects your ministers teach and preach about every Satan’s Sabbath (Sunday–see The Mark of the Beast). THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH HAS NEVER HEARD GOD’S TRUTH–HAS NEVER BEEN FED STRONG MEAT–HAS NEVER BEEN WEANED FROM THE BREAST. Just as a person will die physically if he/she consumes only physical milk, a church member will die spiritually if he/she remains on spiritual milk. To be continued. L.J.