15 “John testified about Him and cried out, saying, ‘this was He of whom I said, He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me. 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace’ (John 1:15-16NASU).”

[Grace upon grace]

The Apostle John has said in verse 14 that Christ was “full of grace and truth.” Of that “fullness” he now says that all have received; that is, all who believe derive from his abundant truth, mercy and grace to understand the plan of salvation, to live lives of holiness; and thus partake of the numerous blessings, which He came to impart by His teachings and His sacrificial death.  Thus grace and truth are realized through faith in God’s Son Jesus Christ.  For it is by grace through faith that we receive the fullness of Christ and through Him the fullness of God, grace upon grace. 

14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

[Whoever believes in Him]

To believe is more than an acknowledgment or an agreement with a known truth. In the context of verses 15 and 16 it means whoever remains steadfast as in Gen. 15:6 where Abraham had been steadfast in the Lord’s commandments and the Lord “reckoned it to him” as righteousness; for other examples see Ex. 4:1; Num. 14:11; etc.  To believe is also to be persuaded of God's revealed truth; such as in Acts 17:4 after hearing the preaching of the gospel many were persuaded to join Paul and Silas; for other examples see Acts 27:11; 28:24; etc.; and to also adhere to and rely on God's promises; as the centurion did in Matt 8:13 and the synagogue official in Mark 5:35-43; etc.  Thus it must be that being persuaded of God’s truths, adherence and reliance upon these truths, is the evidence of what one believes in the eyes of his Creator. 

Looking deeper we find that believing or faith, in a scriptural sense, represents four principal ideas. (1) The first is personal confidence and deep trust in God; (2) and having a spiritual understanding of the essential body of truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit (Luke 18:8; 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:5; Col 1:23; 2:7; Titus 1:13; Jude 3); (3) and further, having the fruit of the Spirit manifested in the believers life as a witness to others of total trust in God (Gal 5:22-23); (4) and finally, and of most importance is that Christ must be the object of faith (Gal. 3:23-26).

The above being understood, the reader must also understand there can be no believing unto salvation without the anointed preaching of this Gospel: a dispensation of love, mercy and grace from God alone, proclaimed by the Apostle Paul to be “the Gospel of peace; glad tidings of good things (Rom. 10:15).” 

13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

14 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (Rom. 10:14NASU)?”

[How then will they call on Him (Christ) in whom they have not believed?]

The good news of salvation through Jesus must be preached, proclaimed in the world to bring about conviction of sin, repentance and obedience of the faith.

[How will they believe in Him (Christ) whom they have not heard?]

The Apostle answers this question in verse 17, “So faith comes from hearing, (Rom. 10:17f NASU).”  The word of God preached by an anointed preacher quickens the ear of the sinner who is spiritually dead in his sins and causes him to hear.

[How will they hear without a preacher?]

“And hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17ffNASU).” One who anointed of God to preach the gospel must present the gospel to the sinner.

15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things (Rom. 10:14-15NASU)!”

[How will they preach unless they are sent?]

“The word of Christ (Rom. 10:17ffNASU)” meaning: the word of the “anointed one;” such as the preacher that is called, prepared and sent of God. Or if the reader prefers the translation that reads: “the word of God”—as preached by the “sent” (meaning: sent of God) or the anointed preacher of faith.

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, (Rom. 10:8NASU).”

[The word of faith, which we are preaching,]

The gospel message having now been preached is not a far off, having been heard it is now in your mouth and in your heart.

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (Rom. 10:9NASU).”

[Confess with your mouth]

Confess with your mouth that which is now in your innermost being, in your soul through the persuasion of the truth proclaimed to you, you will be saved.

10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

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P. S.

Fruit is what obedience to the word of God (faith) produces in your life. If there is not a change in your life then you have no faith. You have neither heard the word of God, believed and obeyed nor loved God--thus there is no fruit—no righteousness. But if you have heard God, believed and obeyed from a heart of love-- there is fruit.  There has been a change in your life.  You become a vessel of God's word--that is the seed in the fruit of righteousness (Phil. 1:11; Heb. 12:11). Those who partake of the fruit (listen to you and believe) will receive the seed--that is the plan.  Read Gen. 1:11-12 for the rest of the story.

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In the Gospel of Luke is found the record of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing the coming birth of Jesus.  Mary is a virgin woman chosen of God to be the mother of His Son.  Being a virgin speaks much about the pureness of the person and character of this woman chosen of God.  First of all, it tells us that her father and mother were faithful to teach Mary God’s word.  Apparently she was submissive and obedient to her father’s teaching; an act of love and faith.  But the sinless nature of the child to be born of her was not due to the sinless nature of His mother, but is to the credit of the Divine origin of His human nature, the word and the Spirit of God.

As we read the words spoken to her by Gabriel we will learn how the conception and the birth of the Child of God took place.  We will also learn why it was necessary that He be born of virgin woman. 

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David and the virgin’s name was Mary.  And coming in, he said to her, 'Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.  But she was greatly troubled at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.  And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.'  And Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I am a virgin?'  And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.  And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.  For nothing will be impossible with God.'  And Mary said, 'Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done according to your word.' And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).” 

Mary never questioned what her life would be like in the future, she trusted God.  Now God’s word is His seed and as the angel spoke the word of God to Mary she listened intently and believed, His seed had fallen upon fertile ground.  The moment she said, “Behold the bondslave of the Lord; be it done according to your word,” the power of the “Most High,” the Holy Spirit, caused God’s seed to spring forth in her body, or in other words, she conceived.  Mary was blessed more than all women; she was to bear the Savior of the world!!   Mary is an example of God’s blessings upon those who are in His perfect will.            &nb sp;                         &nb sp;           

In the book of Matthew we find the account of God’s revelations to Joseph preparing him for the birth of Jesus. 

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows.  When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.  And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.  But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bear a son; and you shall call His name Jesus (meaning savior), for it is He who will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:18-21).’” 

And again God’s seed had fallen upon fertile ground,

"And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus (Matt. 1:24-25).” 

In the natural the re-generation of mankind is as follows.  The seed of the woman is the egg within her.  The man’s seed is the source of fertility or natural life for the egg or seed of the woman.  Without the fertility or life of the seed of the man there is no offspring.  Without the seed of the woman, likewise, there is no offspring for from the seed of the woman grows the flesh and blood body of the offspring.  Thus the statement,

"---neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman (1 Cor. 11:11).” 

Adam was the beginning of man.  According to God’s perfect order the male was created first and then the female.  Adam was created from the dust of the earth.  Woman was created from man; she is not from the seed of man.  Therefore man is the progenitor of the human race, by God’s choice he is the seed.  In God’s perfect order they are "blessed male and female." 

Why then the virgin Birth?  When Adam sinned He became sin in the flesh; all mankind was in Adam’s loins when he sinned and every descendant born of his seed is born of sin and into sin and is the sin nature of Adam.  Jesus could not be and was not born of the seed of a man because of sin.

Therefore we conclude that Jesus, the Living Word of God, was grafted into the holy root of humanity (Adam, before he sinned) through the “seed” of the woman.  Thus through the woman He is called the "Son of Man.”  He was in the "likeness of sinful flesh" but knew no sin (see Rom. 8:3).  His birth was not of a natural birth, but super-natural.  He was the seed of God brought forth by the power of the “Most High” exactly as God had spoken.  Thus He is also called the “Son of God.”  He is the seed spoken of in Genesis 3:16: and He is the seed God promised Abraham.  He is the seed of God’s righteous glory in the earth.   He is the manifestation of God’s moral beauty, power and honor; He is the expression of God’s greatness and authority; He is the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45).  

Through the apostle John God reveals to us that,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2).” 

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,--- (John 1:14f).” 

Thus we have come to understand that Jesus is the Son of God and the Word of God.  He is born perfect, that is to say He is born without sin.   He is the pureness of God, the image and glory of God.  He is God created in the image or likeness of man and He is man created in the image of God.  The Spirit of Life, God, was in Him; He is the open door to God’s presence and He is man’s new Eden. In the environment of His presence man can once again be a reflection of God’s righteousness, His glory, in the earth.

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Much was made of the anointing oil under the law, and that which it represents is of primary importance under the gospel.  Anointing in the gospel message refers to the anointing with the Holy Spirit by Jesus, which brings understanding to the saints of God.

The Apostle John wrote:

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:20-21NASU).”

And again he wrote:

“As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1 John 2:27NASU).”

This anointing is for everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38) and occurs when one is baptized into Christ. The anointing occurs physically with a substance such as oil, myrrh, or balsam, which is done symbolically of the Holy Spirit (James 5:14) when used. Therefore it is also a spiritual anointing; where-by the Holy Spirit fills a person's heart and mind with the love and truth of God thus healing from within and throughout the entire being of man.

The Holy Spirit also calls and qualifies ministers for their work (Acts 13:1-2), the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” He makes them “overseers over the flock (Acts 20:28).” He “hears,” “speaks,” “teaches,” “guides into all truth,” “glorifies Christ,” “receives of Christ's things,” namely, from the Father and Son, “and shows them,” “brings all Christ's words to His people's remembrance,” “shows things to come,” “knows the things of God,” “searches all things, even the deep things of God,” and “reveals them” to those who have “ears to hear” (1 Cor 2:9-15; Rev. 2:17, 29; 3:13, 22); therefore He is divine.

The Holy Spirit, with whom saints are anointed for holy services, is indispensable to ministers if they are to serve the Lord acceptably.  To enter into the ministry without the anointing of the Spirit would be sins rather than service to God. Whenever ministry from the pulpit is without unction from the Holy Spirit, it is of the intellect of man and serves no good purpose for God!  Further, without His aid the intended worship services are but a noisy religion and a vain oblations, and the inward experience is dead.  The prayers, praise and meditations, and efforts of the congregation are void of any spiritual value.  A holy anointing is the soul and life of reverence and devotion to service, and the absence of this anointing is not only grievous but also disastrous.

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The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, who exercises the power of the Father and the Son in creation and redemption.   He is the power by which believers come to know Christ as Lord and Savior.  He is the teacher of all truth in all heavenly and earthly languages (Acts 2:3-11).  Through the teaching of truth He is the unifier of all the kindred in the body of Christ, the Church.  He is the water that washes by the word; and He is the fire that purifies the soul.  He is the eye of the believer through which the Father and the Son are seen in all their glory.  To know the Holy Spirit is to know the Father and the Son.

Like the eyes of the body through which we see physical things, the Holy Spirit is seldom in focus to be seen directly because He is the one through who all else is seen.  Through the eyes of the Lord Jesus He is brought into focus that we might know of His presence and His work. 

“Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5NASU).”

When the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin, through repentance, he becomes a candidate for baptism by water (Acts 2:38); but the water that is used on the occasion is only symbolic of the work of the Holy Spirit in teaching and guiding the candidate in the ways of righteousness; as “by the washing of water with the word (Eph. 5:26NASU);” without the baptism in the word the “washing of water” means nothing.  The outward act is the fitting symbolic accompaniment of the spiritual regeneration by the Spirit. Here symbolism and spiritual fact move on parallel lines.  The entrance into the kingdom is symbolically effected by means of baptism, just as the “new birth” takes place symbolically by the same means.

Although a person is cleansed of sin through the sacrificial work of Christ the soul is considered as in a state of defilement, because of past sin: now, by the Holy Spirit teaching the word, the soul is to be purified from its defilement, and strengthened to walk in the way of holiness. Our Lord, the Living Word of God, washing the feet of His disciples cleansing them of where they had been walking, typifies this (John 13:1-17).   

When John the Baptist came baptizing with water, he gave the Jews the plainest indication that this would not suffice; that it was only typical of that baptism of the Holy Spirit, under the likeness of being purified by fire, which they must all receive from Jesus Christ (Matt 3:11). Therefore, our Lord asserts that a man must be born of water and the Spirit; as “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:6NASU),” which cleanses, refreshes, and purifies the soul.

[Unless one is born of water and the Spirit]

Our Lord is using the word “water” symbolically as being baptized into the word of God by the Holy Spirit.  This is also typified by water baptism; signifying the believer being baptized into Christ, the Word of God, being buried with Him and also being raised up with Him in the newness of life (Rom. 6:3-11).  This is all the work of the Holy Spirit performing the word of God in the work of regeneration (new birth) of the believer.

We also see the use of the word “water” symbolically as the “word;” as in: one must be born of the word and the Spirit.  This can best be illustrated by the event of the angel Gabriel bringing the word of God to Mary (Luke 1:26-38).  As Gabriel spoke the word of God, Mary heard and believed and submitted to the will of God, and the Holy Spirit brought into being the Christ Child in Mary’s womb (Matt. 1:20); thus the Word of God became flesh (John 1:14).  In the same manner when a person hears the anointed word of God and is convicted of sin (believes), repents and summits to the will of God, by faith he has received the seed (word) of God and a new life of spirit (John 3:6) is conceived in the womb of his/her soul by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63); thus he/she is brought into a new life of love and fellowship with God by the word and the Spirit; as in “born again.”  This new life of spirit in the womb of the soul is likened unto leaven hidden in a lump of dough; by the work of the Holy Spirit the new life soon leavens the whole lump.

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Free will is defined as having the authority and power to do as one pleases (ISBE).

The above definition being true, there is no such thing as a man with a free will; or man as a “free agent.”  A free agent, or one with a free will, would be a person who is able to choose neither serving righteousness nor unrighteousness; but there is no neutral ground, man serves one or the other (2 Pet. 2:19). 

When a person is first born he is born into the flesh of Adam and therefore into the sin of Adam; being found in sinful flesh he is under the law of sin and death; he is bound under the law and he hopelessly serves unrighteousness (Rom. 7:14-23).  A slave does not have a free will; as a slave a man’s authority and power is limited, thus his will is not “free.” 

Man cannot be set free from his enslavement by his own will for he is helpless to do so (Rom. 7:24-25), he is set free only through the will of God, the only agent with free will (John 3:16; Eph. 2:4-5). 

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9NASU).”

If a man, through the conviction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, desires in his heart to be set free from his enslavement to sin he must first choose by his limited will to seek repentance (Acts 2:38).  Once God is satisfied with the nature of mans repentance, God wills his repentance granted (Rom. 2:4), he is forgiven and released from the law of sin and death through faith in Jesus (Rom. 8:1-4); but then he becomes a slave of righteousness; he is not his own he has been purchased, redeemed or bought with a price, that of the life of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

So in essence, mans will is limited to choose which nature he will be conformed to and whether he will be a slave to Christ or to sin.  Those who love Christ only love Him  “because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).”  Salvation takes a definite choice on the part of the sinner: to confess with the mouth and believe with the heart (Rom. 10:8-10), without the confession of and continuing in faith (Rom. 8:4-14), God’s grace cannot save that person from their slavery to the enemy (Eph. 2:8). 

We conclude, because of the warnings in Scripture concerning using his power of choice to become apostate in the faith (Gal. 5:4; 1 Cor. 10:12; Heb. 3:12, 6:4-8, 10:26-27; James 5:19-20; 1 Tim. 6:21; Phil. 2:12), it is also true that men have the power to choose to no longer be a slave to Christ. One of the things the Holy Spirit teaches through Scripture is making the right choices---in obedience---and the only way to do such things is to have a will to either do them or not, otherwise man would not be instructed in the use of his will.      

Now concerning faith:  Perfect faith is hearing God, believing and obeying Him from a heart of love.  Therefore the sum of perfect faith is total surrender of mans will to the will of God (Luke 22:42); such a faith neutralizes the will of man and God’s grace is abundantly poured out upon him.  Now, under the law of faith (Rom. 3:27), all that he does is in the authority and power (will) of God.

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20 “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst’ (Luke 17:20-21NASU).”

The question asked by the Pharisees is, when is the kingdom of God coming?  The answer to them was, the kingdom is in your mist.  Christ is the corner stone of the kingdom of God and those who stood in their mist and heard and believed are the foundation stones that were laid in the kingdom God; thus is the presence of the kingdom of God. 

“And He said to the disciples, ‘The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it’ (Luke 17:22NASU).”

Christ addresses those who heard and believed; “the days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the son of Man.”  While walking the earth in the flesh our Lord performed many signs, and in the beginning of His Church there were many of the same signs performed by His apostles.  But there came a time when these miracles became rare because of unbelief.  Today His children long to see the days of the Son of Man restored, the days of Christ like miracles, such as the healing of the sick, the blind made to see and the lame walking; but He says, “you will not see it.”

23 “They will say to you, 'Look there! Look here!' Do not go away, and do not run after them (Luke 17:23NASU).”

“They” are the religious who do not have an ear to hear.  They are looking at things that are of the flesh, saying, there are big crowds gathering here and much is happening in the name of Jesus, surly He must be here.  Or let us go over there for it seems there are being many miracles performed in His name; Christ warns, “do not run after them.”

24 “For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day (Luke 17:24NASU).”

Judgment of the wicked will come suddenly, just as the eagle swoops down on his prey and devours it, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.

25 “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation (Luke 17:25NASU).”

But first Christ is persecuted, rejected and crucified by His generation.  But also afterwards, His body, the Church must suffer many things; persecution, rejection and martyrdom.  Many of the true Church are persecuted and slain for His names sake.

26 “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  27 they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all (Luke 17:26-27NASU).”

In the “days of Noah,” Noah preached the coming judgment but the people ignored Him and continued to fulfill the lust of their sinful flesh.  When judgment of the world came in the form of a flood only Noah and His family was spared. 

28 “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  30 It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:28-30NASU).”

And so shall it be in the days of the “body of Christ,” the true Church will preach the coming of judgment of the world but they will not listen and on the “the day of the Lord” He will come swiftly as “lightning comes from the east to west” and as “a thief in the night” to execute righteous judgment.

31 “On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back.  32 Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:31-32NASU).”

Here our Lord issues a stern warning for those who believe; “Remember Lot’s wife” who looked back with lust in her heart and a longing for the cities, she brought upon herself the judgment spoken to them by the Lord and she turned to a pillow of salt.   

33 “Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it (Luke 17:33NASU).”

Whoever seeks to save his temporal life in the flesh (refuses martyrdom for Christ name sake) will lose his eternal life in the spirit. 

34 “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.  35 There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.  36 [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left] (Luke 17:34-36NASU).”

Those who are taken, who are they and where will they go?  God’s children are not “destined for wrath.” Noah and his family crossed over from the world of judgment into the new world safely in the ark prepared according to the word of God.  Lot and his family were spared as they left the cities of judgment in obedience to the word of God.  The children of Israel, God’s chosen people, were spared the judgment of Egypt because they obeyed the word of God.  The Hebrew children were spared the kings wrath of the furnace because they were obedient to the word of God.  Daniel was spare from the lions because he was obedient to the word of God.  When judgment of Jerusalem came in 70AD those chosen of God were spared because they were obedient to the word of God.

Who are the ones taken? They are the ones who obey the word of God.  Where will they go?  Christ Jesus is the ark of safety for all who believe; we will be in Christ and wherever He is there we will be also. 

37 “And answering they said to Him, ‘Where, Lord?’ And He said to them, ‘Where the body is, there also the vultures (eagles) will be gathered’ (Luke 17:37NASU).”

In answering His disciples He speaks a mystery that only those who believe may understand.  An eagle is a bird that kills and devours its prey.  When the Spirit of the Lord is removed from a nation or an individual that nation or individual is spiritually dead.  At that time God had removed His Spirit from the Nation Israel because of their sins and the Roman army, as an instrument of God, would come down on the nation as an eagle and execute God’s judgment up them.  Thus we have the type of “where the body is, there also the vultures (eagles) will be gathered.”  When this world has had its fill of sin God will remove His Spirit and judgment will come as an eagle killing and devouring its prey.  

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches (Rev. 2:29NASU).”

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Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools (Ecl. 7:9NASU).

[Do not be eager in your heart to be angry,]

A modern idiom of this would be “do not go about with a chip on your shoulder daring someone to knock it off.”  Or, “do not be quickly or easily offended.” 

[for anger resides in the bosom of fools]

A biblical idiom for anger is “fire.”  A fool harbors anger until it, like a wild fire, burns out of control.  But a wise man, caught with his guard down, may feel offence for a moment, but it cannot burn in him; it is a fire kindled which he immediately extinguishes.

“A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back (controls his anger) (Prov. 29:11NASU).” 

Like laughter and sadness, human anger is a product of the emotion.  In the same manner as laughter and sadness is a result of the emotion being stimulated by something being interpreted as being funny or sad, anger is a result of an interpretation of a statement, deed or circumstance as being negative or an offence.  If left unattended human anger is a bitter root that fosters strife, malice and revenge and produces an attitude of hate; and hate, like a fire, destroys the soul.

”For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife (Prov. 30:33NASU).”

The Apostle Paul saw outburst of anger as a basic element of the sin nature of man (Gal. 5:20); thus he writes,

BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, (Eph. 4:26NASU).

He seems to indicate here that anger can be present but when controlled does not lead to sin.  Yet he shortly admonishes believers to avoid anger, among other vices.

“But now you also, put them all aside ANGER, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him —(Eph. 3:8-10NASU).

And he emphasizes again in the very next chapter,

“Let all bitterness and wrath and ANGER and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Eph. 4:31-32NASU).”

And in another letter he writes,

“But now you also, put them all aside: ANGER, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth (Col. 3:8NASU).”

Then he writes Timothy saying,

Other writers also acknowledge the presence of anger in a believer’s life.  But the common counsel is, anger, like a fire that is kindled, must be quickly extinguished or it will soon burn out of control.

The Apostle James writes concerning anger,

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to ANGER; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls (James 1:19-20NASU).”

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up ANGER (Prov. 15:1NASU).”

Now since it is clear from the Holy Scriptures that human anger does not achieve the righteous life that our God desires and requires of us, how must we control anger? 

Love, like hate, is an attitude; and they are opposites.  Hate is of the flesh or the natural man. The attitude of hate is a result of anger stimulated by something believed to be an offence, inspired by the destroyer of the soul, Satan.  Love is of the spirit, or the supernatural.  The attitude of love in the heart of man is a result of the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23; Rom. 5:5) granting the revelation of the true knowledge of Christ defending the soul from death at Calvary; inspired by a by a Holy Father who desires from His heart of love that all who believe should inherit eternal life (John 3:16).    

This our Lord taught,

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.  Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.  Treat others the same way you want them to treat you (Luke 6:27-31NASU).”

This our Lord did,

When He became angry at the officials of the temple He performed acts of healing (Mark 3:2-6).  Also, knowing that Peter would deny him, served him by washing his feet.  And then there was Judas who would betray Him, He washed his feet also.  When Jesus was unjustifiable carried before mock courts, mistreated, spat upon, cursed, beaten and crowned with a crown of thorns, he could have become very angry---but instead He uttered no threats against them.  While hanging on the cross He could have became very angry and called down the armies of heaven to destroy His persecutors, but instead, from a heart of love, He prayed to His Holy Father to “forgive them for they know not what they do.” Love controlled His emotions and He was not provoked.

Therefore,

“Love-----is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, (1 Cor. 13:5NASU).”

Thus love is the key to controlling anger.   

True believers must overcome anger and not sin—therefore we must put on Christ that we might have His attitude of love within us.

And,

And further, by the power of the Spirit that indwells you “---- prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does (James 1:22-25NASU).  Selah.

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Who is man that he can build for our Lord a church?  Christ is the Master builder of His Church (Matt. 16:18)!  Placing our Lord’s name over the doors of buildings that are replicas of Babylonian temples and establishing a religious order does not constitute His Church.  Men of a religious order tried to build a tower into the heavens, but God came down and confused their language, thus they could not continue and their efforts failed and they became scattered or divided (Gen. 11:1-9).  Men of today who are trying to build a church are as the men who tried to build the tower; their efforts are destined to fail also.  These men are preaching from a different spirit and/or their own intellect many different interpretations of the gospel; as result there are many different beliefs, thus there is many different denominations; much division or scattering.

On the Day of Pentecost, when men stood up to preach, they were filled with the Holy Spirit of God and all were preaching one gospel, one truth in many languages, and this same Spirit gave understanding to men of many tongues or languages, bringing the penitent into a oneness of faith (Rom. 10:17), united as one in the love of Christ. 

Men who have taken to the pulpit of the congregations that have gathered in our Lord’s name must, by the Holy Scriptures, with the Holy Spirit as their guide, examine themselves to see if they are preaching the truth by the Spirit given on day of Pentecost.  If they find that they are speaking by a different spirit or by their own intellect, then they will know their speech is confused and divisive.  Only the pure truth that is taught by the Spirit of Truth and unites men’s hearts in faith and the love of Christ is the acceptable message of the Church of our Lord.

Men’s efforts apart from the direction of the Holy Spirit is poor and miserable and without the power to preach the gospel of Christ.  Any person or group of people that substitutes a mere man for the Teacher that Christ gave to teach and guide His people into all truth will find themselves in gross error and will miss the kingdom of God.  Further, men who establish their own religion and twist the Scriptures to agree with their doctrines will never enter the true Church. 

The heart of the gospel message is---You must be born again (John 3:2 & 5)!!  Being born again is not a matter of choice; it is a must if one is to become a member of the true Church.  One must be called of God by His Holy Spirit and enter His Church with a broken and contrite heart (Acts 2:38) completely emptied of fleshly acts and thoughts and become as a little child (Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17).  Then Christ will feed and nourish His children with His word.  Through the ever abiding presents of the Holy Spirit He will teach and guide His disciples into all truth, thus He is building His Church.

The summary is this---The true Church is the Church that Christ established on the day of Pentecost.  His Church began with great power through the giving of the Holy Spirit;  and by the power and boldness of the same Spirit, men appointed by Christ, preached His truths and three thousand souls were added to His Church that day (Acts. 2).  This same Spirit, working in men appointed of Christ who are preaching His gospel (Rom. 1:16), is the power of His Church in the earth today.  Hence the Church of our Lord is the converted souls of men, converted by the word and Spirit (John 3:5) and not of the intellect of man.

 When one enters the Church of our Lord Jesus he does not become the builder and he is not allowed to take things from or add to, for Christ remains, to this present day, the builder; ---and His Church---the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.

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