The first level of faith involves believing in/on Jesus Christ–who He was, what He accomplished, etc. The second faith level involves what He taught through His prophets and apostles. It is at the second level that the majority of believers become separated from Him while believing that they are in good standing with him and are walking in accordance with His rules of engagement–His message. This problem has a long history. The Old Testament prophets faced the same resistance from God’s Chosen People–Israel–“the church (ekklesia/congregation) in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). But such resistance to God’s message began long before the age of the prophets in Israel. We first hear about this spiritual problem in the Book of Exodus a few days after the Lord (Jesus Christ–1 Cor. 10:1-4,9) had freed Israel from Egyptian slavery. Read Exodus 17:6 and The God of the Old Testament. Key word–Old.

Only days after their miraculous deliverance from slavery following a series of miracles, including the parting of the Red Sea, we find the Israelites and a “mixed multitude” of Gentiles at the foot of Mount Sinai. These Gentiles had become spiritual Israelites by agreeing to obey the God of the Israelites. These people had been enslaved by the Egyptians along with the Israelites and had come out of Egypt with them (Exo. 12:38). In Exodus 19 we find them at the foot of Mount Sinai where they have agreed to obey the God Who had freed them from slavery and would speak His Ten Commandment Law from the top of the mountain. However, things did not go as they expected. Within days they were bowing before a golden calf which they were preparing to FOLLOW BACK INTO EGYPTIAN SLAVERY. What happened? Why did they want another god who would lead them back into slavery?

The problem began when they declared that THEY DID NOT WANT TO HEAR THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD (Exo. 20:19,21)–THE GOD WHO HAD FREED THEM FROM SLAVERY. As history reveals, nothing has changed. Those for whom that same God would later die a terrible death in order to free them from slavery to Satan tell Him daily that they do not want to hear His voice–the Holy Bible. Nor do they want to hear His apostles speak His Biblical Truths. These believers have made their own golden calves (churches, denominations, etc.) whose dictates they follow in creating their own laws, beliefs and customs. By their words and actions they are telling Jesus Christ: “You did your job. You saved us. Now sit down and shut up. We got this.”

In the Gospels we find the God of the Old Testament on earth as Jesus of Nazareth (Jn. 1:1-4,14) where He received the same treatment by the descendants of the same people who had earlier rejected Him at Mount Sinai. Today they are known as “the church” which treats Him in the same way as did their ancient ancestors who loved what He did but nothing else.

In John 3:1,2 we read about a meeting which perfectly describes the modern church’s attitude toward the One they call their Savior, but refuse to embrace Him as their Lord. Here we find that a leading member of the Pharisees has come to talk with Jesus. Listen to what this spiritual leader of the Jews says to Him: “Rabbi (teacher), we (Pharisees) KNOW THAT YOU ARE A TEACHER SENT BY GOD….” The man, named Nicodemus, admitted that the Pharisees KNEW that GOD had sent JESUS to TEACH THEM. So why did they not believe Him; why did they eventually have Him put to death? BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE HIS MESSAGE. In John 8:30,59 we find a large number of Jews, who, having witnessed the miracles Jesus had performed, “believed on Him.” Until, that is, they heard Him speak about Who He was and what God commanded of them. At that point they “picked up stones to throw at Him.” Why? BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE HIS MESSAGE.

Nothing has changed. Like their religious forefathers, church people know that Jesus was “a teacher sent by God.” They “believe on Him.” But that is as far as their faith allows them to go. They embrace what He did but reject His message. Today, those claiming to be disciples of Christ follow in their religious ancestors spiritual footsteps–THEY CANCEL HIS MESSAGE. ONE MESSAGE IN PARTICULAR SETS THEM OFF–MATTHEW 19:17: “IF YOU WOULD HAVE (ETERNAL) LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.” In order to be saved we must do what Jesus told the prostitute and the man at the Bethesda pool to do: “SIN NO MORE.” PERIOD. Question: what is sin? God’s singular, eternal, unchanging definition of sin is found in Second John 3:4: “TO TRANSGRESS (BREAK) THE LAW IS SIN; FOR SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION (BREAKING) OF THE LAW.” PERIOD. When this passage is quoted the speaker experiences what I call the “Stephen Syndrome”–the people spiritually cover their ears, grind their teeth and scream to drown out his voice. Trust me on this issue. I am a veteran of numerous SS episodes.

So why do church people constantly look for religious rocks to throw at Jesus or a religious cross on which to nail him? BECAUSE THEY HATE HIS MESSAGE AND THEREFORE HATE HIM AND HIS FATHER (LK. 10:16/ DEUT. 5:6-9). NOTE IN THE DEUTERONOMY PASSAGE THAT THE LORD SAYS THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE INIQUITY (LAWLESSNESS) HATE HIM. Nothing has changed. Religious people hate the Law and therefore hate the Law Giver. The irony is that church people are adamant about obeying man’s social laws by which man governs man. However, they hate God’s spiritual Law by which He governs man, but not many, as He prophesied in Matthew 7:13,14 and 22:14. Man, it seems, is better than God at making Laws. Man demands to control himself. God demands that man obey Him. God loses that battle 99% of the time,

The fourth level of faith involves persecution and endurance. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10 that the world and its church system will hate us if we choose to obey Him. Only those who do so will be saved upon Christ’s return. Jesus notes in Matthew 10:38 and 16:34 that true disciples will be persecuted for their service to Him. Who will persecute them? The institutional religionists. Why? BECAUSE THEIR FALSE PROPHETS HAVE CONVINCED THEM THAT THEY DO NOT NEED TO OBEY HIM IN ORDER TO BE “SAVED.” JESUS, THEY ARE ASSURED, DIED SO THAT THEY COULD BREAK HIS LAW AND GET AWAY WITH IT. THEY ARE TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN GOOD STEAD WITH GOD THEY NEED ONLY TO REACH FAITH LEVEL ONE AND REMAIN THERE. And Satan smiles. L.J.