Why is the Institutional Church the Lord’s primary mission field? Why not the unchurched? Because the unchurched make no pretense to being His people–the world knows them for what they are. Not so with those in the church, who claim to be followers of the Biblical God while loudly and repeatedly asserting their right to defy Him with impunity. Her defiance revolves around her rejection of His Word–the Word by which she will be judged (Jn. 12:48). In John 12:44-48 we find the ultimate statement made by the Lord relative to His attitude toward His Word. Let us view the passage as the life or death utterance He meant it to be. If one can read these Words and still reject even one of His Words one is incapable of accepting Truth.
“He who believes in Me believes not (only) in Me, but (also) Him Who sent Me” (vs 44). We must understand the relationship between the man Jesus and the Father. They were one in character, will, way, etc. Have you ever heard anyone say: “I believe in him/her, but he/she sometimes lies, so I take what he/she says with a grain of salt,” or something to that effect? I didn’t think so. If someone is known to lie, no one will trust him/her. However, the church claims to trust in the Lord while proclaiming to the world that He lies repeatedly. See the introduction to this website for examples. How can this be? Revelation 12:9 explains: “Satan has deceived the whole world.”
“And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me” (45). Jesus was the human representation of the spirit God. Because He emulated the Father perfectly, He qualified to be the Savior of those who obey the Father as He did while on earth as a man. Jesus said that He could do nothing on His own. As a man He was TOTALLY dependent on the Father for ALL things, even the Words He uttered. This is the standard we must emulate if we are to inherit eternal life. When people looked at Jesus they saw God in human form as He overcame Satan. The same must be said of us as we face him on a daily basis (Rev. 3:21). See Jesus Christ–God, Man or Godman.
“I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (vs 46). Darkness is anything that is not light. As long as He was in the world, Jesus was that light (Jn. 8:12). That light was Truth. He was that Truth that revealed the (only) Way to Life (Jn. 14:6). That Truth/light was God’s Word (Jn. 17:17). Today, HIS SAINTS ARE THAT LIGHT (Mat. 5:14). We are commissioned to be that light by living that light/Truth/Word/gospel/way. There is no substitute for obedience to God’s Word. “Darkness” describes the life of anyone who rejects any of God’s Words. The website introduction lists numerous examples of the church’s rejection of His Words. The church is in darkness because she, like her ancient ancestor–the church at Laodicea–listens to Satan’s siren voice proclaiming her supposed oneness with God while rejecting God’s description of her as “… wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” (Rev. 3:14-17).
“And if anyone hears My Words and does not believe/receive My Words has one that judges him–the WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN will judge him on that (judgment) day” (vs 47,48). Notice that Jesus uses the singular “WORD” to identify all things that He spoke–the entire Bible. He views it all as one entity, just as He views the Ten Commandments as one Law. There can be no division that He has not commanded, such as the elimination of the sacrificial law, the spilling of His blood instead of the blood of animals, His eternal priesthood replacing the Levitical priesthood, etc. Jesus makes clear that the Words He spoke were spoken to Him by the Father. THE WORDS OF THE HOLY BIBLE ARE THE WORDS OF ALMIGHTY GOD. When one rejects one of those Words one is rejecting Jesus Christ–the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13) and the Father. That Word is God’s light, Truth, gospel, way and will.
“And I know that His command(ments) is (are–lead to) everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I (Jesus) speak, JUST AS THE FATHER HAS TOLD ME, SO I SPEAK” (vs 50). The process of writing the Bible was as follows: Through His Holy Spirit God spoke His Words to the prophets who spake them to the people. “… holy men of old SPAKE as they were moved by the HOLY SPIRIT” (2 Pt. 1:21). The prophets had scribes who recorded what they said. For example, we know that Jeremiah’s scribe was a man named Baruch. Later, God would speak to Jesus and the apostles in the same manner–through His Spirit. Either they or someone else then recorded what they said. God continues to speak to His messengers using the same Spirit. The key to knowing who is hearing from God and who is not revolves around the Word. If what a messenger says or writes does not line up with God’s Word, that messenger is a false prophet. The problem is that religious people, having heard only what someone has told them, do not know what God says in His Word. Uberreligious people are often shocked when shown God’s Truth. Most reject it outright. Some admit its validity but refuse to obey it. These are goats who pretend to be God’s people while rejecting His Word, thereby rejecting Him. A tiny few will believe, turn and follow Him . Jesus describes them in John 10:27,28: “My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow (obey) Me. And I give (only) them eternal life.” He earlier addressed the goats: “… you do not believe (His Words) because you are not My sheep” (vs 26). In John 8:47 He says the same thing using these words: “He who is of God hears God’s Words; therefore you do not hear because you are not of God.” ONLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND OBEY HIS WORDS ARE HIS PEOPLE. All others are counterfeits. He makes the definitive statement relative to who are and who are not His brethren in Matthew 12:47-50. Here someone has told Him that His mother, brothers and sisters–His brethren–were outside wanting to speak with Him. Hearing this, He turned and pointed toward His disciples and said: “Here are My mother and brethren. For WHOEVER DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN IS MY BROTHER, SISTER AND MOTHER.” God’s will is called the Holy Bible.
Leave a Reply