A valuable part of the Kingdom Gospel deals with a particular bit of information that the early disciples and their modern-day counterparts were and are expected to preach. We must understand and apply the Biblically dictated Bible study process in order to learn what God has in store for us and what we must do in order to receive what He desires to provide for His true saints.

First and foremost, we must know that God does not discuss a subject one time only. There is always more to the subject than can be found in one statement. The Prophet Isaiah speaks to this Truth by asking a question, then answering it–twice: “To whom can He (God) teach knowledge? And whom can He make to understand His message? Those who have been weaned from (spiritual) milk and drawn from the breast (spiritually mature people). For precept must be upon (added to) precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little (information), there a little” (28:9-13). He then repeats God’s divine Word study rule.

Having studied God’s Word from childhood and having spent thousands of hours in search of His Truth, I have learned some valuable lessons relative to the study process that God requires of His Very Elect saints. I have found that one can divide God’s Holy Word into two categories which I label “HEADLINES” and “FINE PRINT” respectively. His headlines tell us what He promises He will do; His fine print tells us what we must do in order for Him to fulfill His promises. The best illustrations relative to these two categories of information are found in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. The first 13 and 14 verses of those chapters respectively tell us what He will DO FOR US IF WE OBEY HIS WORDS. The remainder of those chapters tell us what He will DO TO US IF WE FAIL TO OBEY HIS WORDS. The promises are His “HEADLINES;” the conditions constitute His “FINE PRINT.”

Unless the salvation seeker knows, believes and obeys this information, everything he/she does in the religious realm will be a waste of time. Question: what percentage of church people’s prayers are answered? Answer: one percent at most. Why does God not answer church prayers? BECAUSE CHURCH PEOPLE DO NOT STUDY, LEARN, BELIEVE AND OBEY HIS WORDS/LAW/TRUTH/LIGHT/COMMANDMENTS. Isaiah 59:2 explains why church prayers are rarely, if ever answered by the Lord. In that verse the prophet tells us that sin separates us from God. God answers only the prayers He hears. If we are separated from Him we are not living our lives (walking) in agreement with Him (Amos 3:3), therefore He does not hear our prayers. In John 9:31 the apostle tells us that God does not hear the prayers of sinners–those who do not do His will. In Proverbs 15:29 we are told that He hears only the prayers of the righteous. The righteous are those people who know His Word and obey it. Most church people have never heard God’s Truth and, when they do happen to hear or read it, they automatically reject it because “That’s not what I was taught.” They were taught the church-determined “truths” and customs that have been handed down from generation to generation. Most of them were borrowed from heathen religions. Today they are called “church doctrine.”

An excellent, but tragic example of these facts took place recently in a large church during a regular church service. As the large congregation listened to the reading of Psalm 139 a burst of gunfire sent glass flying, wood splintering and bodies slumping to the floor. Twenty-one people were wounded. Two died from their wounds. During the church service prayer played an important part, as well as in the everyday lives of the parishioners.

Immediately, the obvious questions began to be voiced: How could this happen in a church? Why would God allow it? Does God not hear our prayers? The Biblical answer has not been, is not being and will not be accepted by the church. UNANSWERED PRAYERS ARE A WARNING FROM GOD. IF WE SIN AGAINST HIM HE WILL NOT HEAR OUR PRAYERS. Isaiah 59:2 states: “But your iniquities (breaking of the Law) have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear you.” The prophet was addressing God’s chosen people. For those who reject the Old Testament, read the previous posting. “He that says he knows God but does not obey Him is a liar and the Truth is not in Him” (1 Jn.2:4). Titus 1:6 is equally brutal: Those who “profess that they know God, but in works, deny Him are abominable, disobedient and reprobate.” The souls mentioned above, like billions of fellow salvation seekers today, world-wide, had/had “a form of godliness but denied/deny the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). This proves that there is such a thing as false religion and false Christianity. I call it the Catholic/Protestant Religious System. Those within the system call themselves “the church.”

The next subject we will study relative to the Kingdom message involves REPENTANCE. Although we are in the midst of a nation-wide religious revival, three words you will NOT hear coming from the mouths of church leaders are: LAW, OBEDIENCE AND REPENTANCE. Read the series on modern-day revivals using the key word–Revival.

True repentance is one of the most misunderstood and ignored doctrines found in the Laodicean (modern) era church. Read about church eras using the key word–Eras. Even before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist was telling people to “repent.” The first recorded ministerial message of the Messiah involved the word “repent.” Upon the creation of God’s first church, the apostles continued the command for all people to “repent.” Important questions are: What is repentance? Of what must a person repent? Who is he repentant toward? Understanding this subject is vital to one’s spiritual life. No person will inherit eternal life at Christ’s return who has not truly repented then lived in obedience to the Gospel throughout the remainder of his/her life. The Apostle John tells church people that they must not sin. but IF we happen to sin, Christ advocates for us (1 Jn. 2:1.

True repentance is not merely being sorry for something one has done. True repentance involves what a person truly is. True repentance involves what one is and what one has been. It involves his attitude toward God and his life away from God. What moves us away from God? First John 3:4 answers that question–SIN. What is sin? “To transgress (break) the Law is sin; for SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.” We must repent of breaking God’s Law (iniquity). Read Matthew 7:21-23 to determine God’s attitude toward those who practice iniquity (lawlessness), which is the primary characteristic of those in “the church.”

God’s Law is His way of thinking. It is His character put to print. It is His perfect way of life. Anything contrary to that is sin. True repentance is much more than being sorry for having done something against God’s will. True repentance is about changing one’s entire life. It involves a complete about-face and moving in the opposite direction one has been going. It is a move on one’s part to BE LIKE GOD, to be like Jesus of Nazareth. This characterizes one who has been truly converted.

If you want to live according to God’s way, ask Him, in faith, to lead you to true repentance. Humbly and diligently ask for His help. Walk before Him in faith, desiring to learn to think, speak and act as did Jesus. That will lead you to a total separation from your former “walk.” To answer the final question: REPENTANCE IS TOWARD GOD. It is the Lord that we offend when we sin. He made the rules; He sent His Son to forgive us for breaking His rules; it is to Him that we must repent and ask for help in obeying His rules. L.J.