The Apostle Paul gets straight to the point of this series in the first three verses of Hebrews chapter one when he describes the true CHURCH OF GOD as those who are “sanctified” (set aside) for holy living and holy use who are “in Christ Jesus” whom He calls “saints” (holy ones) who call upon the name of Jesus Christ, their “Lord” Whom he correctly identifies as “the (one and only) Lord.”  Let us examine these powerful verses.

The word “sanctified” means to be singled out for holy use by the Holy One Himself in order to conduct himself as did the Holy One Himself while He was on earth.  It is from the prefix “sanct” that the word “saint” is derived.  The Word “saint” is used throughout the Holy Bible to identify those whose hearts (minds) are always focused on the Lord and His will for them.  These are those in the Church of God who, unlike others in the church, are indeed holy and who, unlike the others, will be saved at the end of the age (1 Pet. 4:17,18).  The Words “saint” or “saints” are recorded approximately 150 times in God’s Word.  In each case the word refers to those whom the Lord identifies as special, peculiar and holy who.  These are they who comprise the Church of God due to their obedience to His Law–the Holy Bible.  The Ten Commandments offer a summary of the Law.  There is nothing in the Bible–Genesis to Revelation–that is not covered by the Ten Commandments.  In reality, the first two cover the entirety of God’s instructions to mankind for entering the Kingdom of God.  For this reason we are told that upon the first two commandments rest the entirety of the Law.  Actually, the same c0uld be said about the first commandment.

Let us turn to verse one where we find two important Truths: (1) Paul was appointed by God to be an “apostle”–one sent by Him to declare His Truth/Gospel/light/will.  (2) Paul received the Gospel straight from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (Gal. 1:12).  Because of these two factors we can take Paul’s word as God’s Truth.  And recall that he and the other apostles all spoke the same Truth  (Phil. 3:1,16; 4:2).  These truths, along with verse 10, Ephesians 2:20, 2 Peter 1:21 and 1 Corinthians 10:11, tell us that whatever is written in the Holy Bible is God’s Word to all people for all time and that it needs no interpretation by mankind.

To interpret the Bible is to sin (2 Pet. 1:20).  THE BIBLE INTERPRETS ITSELF for those who hunger and thirst for its Truths.  God designed His rules for attaining eternal life in such a way so that Truth-seeking believers must study it “precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isa. 28:9-13) in order to receive its messages.  Only those who study the Word in that manner will learn the many Truths found within it and will be able to apply the Lord’s “fine print” that is necessary in order to bring His “headlines” to fruition.  Diligent Scriptural study is necessary in order for the Word to interpret itself.  Man’s failure to study according to God’s commands has resulted in hundreds of religious cults known as denominations, faiths, etc.  Each cult has its own interpretation of the Gospel (Gal. 1:6-9).  God views all denominations/cults as one huge, false church (gate).  In Matthew 7:13,14 Jesus is talking about entering His strait gate (church) and walking His narrow way (Law).  Notice that the gate and way must be “found.”  His Truths are like precious jewels–they are searched for and found only by those who truly seek them.  Bible skimmers sometimes stumble over those Truths but reject them because they are not looking for God’s Truths which must be searched for and found.  They are looking for Satan’s counterfeit truths which are proclaimed by tens of thousands of churches in thousands of towns and cities throughout the earth.  These one-on-every-corner citadels of sin are much more user-friendly and require little if anything on the part of the seeker.  Good examples of such false teachings are the two false prophets whose instant, t.v. broadcasted salvation formulas I mentioned in recent postings.  According to them, in less than a dozen seconds one can go from being a hell-bound serial killer to a heaven-bound saint.  I shutter to think about how many people have heard their instant salvation pitch, mouthed the words they have been fed by these self-proclaimed “ministers of righteousness,” and have believed that they were saved, born again and rapture-ready.  When those deceived souls hear or read people like me they automatically reject our message, which is understandable.  After all, why work (obey) when you can get paid (receive salvation) to sleep in (only believe)?  And Satan smiles.

An oft-repeated Scriptural Truth is that one must be “in Christ” (vs 2) in order to be a child of God.  In verse two Paul says that true saints are “sanctified in Christ Jesus.”  To be “in Christ” one must be free of sin, for “in Him (God) there is no darkness (sin) at all” (1 Jn. 1:5,6).  Christ and God “are one” and “in” each other spiritually (Jn. 10:30; 14:10,11,20).  In Christ and God there is no darkness/sin (Lawbreaking–1 Jn. 17:17).  If we are “one with” Them and “in” Them then there can be no sin in us.  The Lord commands those who want to be “in” Them and “one with” Them must “Be holy for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44,45/ 1 Pet. 1:15,16).  There is no other way to join Them in the Kingdom of God.  Read The True Trinity.  Key word–True.

I feel the need to explain an important fact about the Church of God: ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.  In 1 Peter 4:17,18 the apostle warns that among those in the church, only the righteous will be saved.  Recall that the Corinthian church harbored an adulterer (1 Cor. 5).  Most of the congregation knew about the sin and felt no need to address it.  Read what Paul said to them.  Recall also Jesus’ words about the Day of Judgment, saying that on that day many will call Him their Lord and remind Him of all the wonderful works they had done in His name, only to hear Him say, “I never knew you, depart from Me you workers of iniquity” (Lawlessness)–Matthew 7:23).  Only church people call Jesus their Lord and do works in His name.  The vast majority are not true gold, but rather fools’ gold, having been fooled by Satan into believing that they are spiritual gold.

Recall that until the Day of Judgment the tares will remain among the wheat and the bad fish will remain among the good fish.  Recall also that both the wise virgins and the foolish virgins were together in the church until the return of the Bridegroom.  Only then did it become apparent who were the true virgins (Christian) and who were false virgins (fakes).  Until Christ returns the tares, bad fish and foolish virgins remain with the wheat, good fish and wise virgins.  NOT ALL DIAMONDS ARE REAL.  SOME OF THEM ARE ZIRCONIUM (FAKE).  Only a professional jeweler can tell the difference.

Notice in verses two, five and six that sainthood (sanctification) is directly related to “utterance” (preaching) and “knowledge” (faith) concerning the “testimony  (teachings) of Christ” which are “confirmed in” (manifested by) the true saint.  In Matthew 24:14 that testimony is identified as “This Gospel of the Kingdom” which would be preached as a “witness” in all nations before Christ returns.  That testimony/witness is now being preached around the world.  As Paul tells us in verses six, seven and eight, and as Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:22, those who believe and obey Christ’s testimony/Gospel/Truth until the end of their lives will be saved (and born again) upon His return.  As Paul tells us in Romans 5:21 and 6:22, the END RESULT of righteousness and holiness is eternal life.  Read Born Again.  Key word–Born.  Paul reminds us that the winner of the race of life does not receive his crown until the end of the race, and then if he ran it according to the rules.  There will be no participation trophy winners in God’s kingdom.

Beginning with this posting I will henceforth include a passage which I encourage the reader to memorize.  I have found that this is a wonderful way to fill one’s mind when it is not being used for daily pursuits.  An empty mind is like a vacuum–it demands to be filled.  If one does not fill it with Godly things, Satan will fill it with ungodly things.  He is, as the Lord tells us, “… like a roaring lion who walks about seeking whom he may devour.”

Memory verse of the day: Ephesians 2:20.  This passage proves that the Old Testament was not nailed to the cross, but is instead a vital part of the Gospel message.  The early apostles used the teachings of the Old Testament prophets when teaching New Testament converts.  The Apostle John codified the New Testament between 90 and 100 A.D.. long after its other writers had been martyred.  L.J.