Come and See – Chapter 9 of the Gospel of John – Part vi – Questions

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Will Ye Also Be His Disciples?

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13. Will you also be his disciples? (verse 27)

He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

   Repetition is one of the best teachers; therefore, let’s repeat our question to everyone out there — will ye also be his disciples? This is the thirteenth question in our list. The number thirteen in Scripture almost always relates to darkness, as in Revelation Chapter 13, and the totality of the number six as in 6 – 6 – 6. This repetition of 6 brings out the total darkness of man and of Satan. It is the number that represents this evil trinity of Revelation Chapter 13: the man of sin, or the Beast, the false prophet, and Satan, and I might mention AI which is the image of the beast that speaks with the voice of man. Artificial Intelligence has already invaded our lives. It is a burden to those of the spiritual world in Christ. The world, however, remains blind to the darkness of its evil end: to bind mankind in chains of sin and death.

   Question 13 is in itself a wonderful question — will ye also be his disciples? The man who was born blind (without guile) asked this of the Pharisees. In this new position of sight that he had received from the Person of Christ, he considered himself one of the Lord’s disciples or followers — will ye also be his disciples? although he was still in the grips of Judaism; which was coming to an end and was going to be replaced by grace and truth. The answer he received from the Pharisees was not congenial. It revealed the deep anger of the pharisaical heart. In this, once again, the Spirit of God allows us to see into the depth of the hearts of the Pharisees. Who at this point in time reflected the first murderer: Cain. They had murder in their hearts as we saw in John Chapter 8:44. Things had not changed in John Chapter 9, these Pharisees have the same hands that picked up stones to cast at the Lord of glory in John 8:59.

    This declaration of his discipleship eventually caused this once blind man to be dismissed, or cast out of the temple. These Pharisees were the same Pharisees who kept quiet and did not utter a word when Herod murdered John the Baptist. John, according to John Chapter 1, was sent by God to reveal God’s Christ. He was the forerunner of grace for the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. (John 9:28) These evil Pharisees reviled him. ‘Reviled‘ is a word not used in our common language today. So what is the thought here? And what should we understand? Webster’s New College Dictionary defines this word as, ‘it is to use abusive language,’ or today we would call it ‘hate speech.’ The Pharisees were the masters of hate speech. The response from them was the response of darkness for they were horrified of the Light for their deeds were evil. They had the hatred of Satan in their hearts. By declaring we are Moses’ disciples, they revealed their complete rejection of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. This phrase, but we are Moses’ disciples, is only mentioned one time in the entire Bible, and this is in John 9:28.

   In the gospel according to John, the name of Moses is mentioned thirteen times, however, the first mention and the last mention is very important, and we must understand the mind of the Spirit of Christ in these two citations. The first mention of Moses in the gospel of John is in Chapter 1:17, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Here the law of Moses is not cast off, but in the eternal sense is joined to grace and truth, for grace and truth CAME to COMPLETE the law of Moses in the Person of Jesus Christ. Christ through grace and truth CAME to set us free from the penalty of the law, and to break the chains of sin and death so that we might have perfect liberty in Jesus Christ. The gospel of John, Chapter 1, introduces us to grace and truth in a prior verse.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.(John 1:13)

   This is the introduction to grace and truth, however, the last mention of the name of Moses is in our Chapter 9, verse 29.

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.  (John 9:28)We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.(John 9:29)

   Both verses 28 and 29 combine the name of Moses by the Pharisees in rejecting grace and truth in Jesus Christ. They KNEW that God spoke unto Moses, and yet, their lives and actions proved that they were denying the words of Moses and the law of Moses. This is proven by the Holy Spirit in John 7:19, Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? It was the inherent darkness within their hearts that rejected grace and truth. This could also apply to the world church today, false believers, and religionists attending church with the darkness of the world and the devil in their hearts. God has given to ALL believers, and to the world, the unblemished Word of truth from Genesis to Revelation, and the rebuke to the Pharisees in John 7:19 is as viable today as the rebuke issued to the church in Revelation Chapter 3:14 – 19.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (Revelation 3:15)

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  (Revelation 3:19)

   If only the Laodiceans would listen to the Lord’s appeal, but we see the same pharisaical hearts in the doctrines of men bringing grace and truth under the Law of Moses, and mixing Law and grace as a means to imprison men in their sin with no escape from death. This is widely done in many ways. Some church fathers mingled Law and grace. Paul even rebuked Peter in Galatians Chapter 22 for this error.

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.  (Galatians 2:11)

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  (Galatians 2:12)

And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.  (Galatians 2:13)

But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?(Galatians 2:14)

    From the early days of the apostles, in the infancy of the church, men were hiding grace with the chains of the Law of Moses. This continued through the age of church fathers, into the age of the Nicolaitans, when the clergy was formed. These ministers of evil were more the ministers of death then the ministers of life. They were all crying out in their own name so that they might have the preeminence over the church. The most destructive action today is done under the name of denominationalism. It has divided the body of Christ into many fractured parts, all having evil doctrines, and deceptive practices using the Word of God as their own mystic crystal ball. In these many names they have replaced the name of Jesus. This is intentional for the men of renown which goes all the way back to Genesis 6:4, are more important to them then God’s Christ. It was men (in Adam) who had forsaken God in Genesis Chapter 6. Today, the same men in Adam have rejected God’s Christ, and have perverted the truth by mixing the world and the daughters of men with the Word of God. The first transgression on earth came in by the woman in Genesis Chapter 3. Which is reaffirmed in 1^st Timothy 2:13 – 14. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. (1^st Timothy 2:13) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (1^st Timothy 2:14)

   The apostle Paul reminds us of the weakness that was in Eve, and transmitted through the female race. The corruption of the devil and sin has come in many times through the woman. Genesis Chapter 6 being the most pronounced.The nation of Israel suffered MANY times due to the intrusion of fallen women. In the days of Balaam and Balak, we have this deliberate invasion of Israel through the plan of the Midianites to weaken Israel by sending women into their camp to corrupt them; thus, infiltration and confusion was a battle plan against Israel.

And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Numbers 25:6) And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;(Numbers 25:7)

Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. (Numbers 25:14) And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.  (Numbers 25:15)

   The most notable name, one that is even spoken of today, and used symbolically was Jezebel. Under her husband’s reign Jezebel perverted the nation of Israel through the worship of Baal, and promoted the priesthood of Baal over the nation. Her actions led to the destruction of Israel later in the history of Israel because they never left the worship of Baal. Athaliah, Jezebels’ daughter, destroyed the southern kingdom of Judah for seven years SHE ruled Israel with her baalistic doctrines. Thus, the name and personality of Jezebel have a place in church history in the church of Thyatira.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Revelation 2:20)

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.(Revelation 2:21)

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Revelation 2:22)

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

   In our world today, the history of Jezebel is a reality in the present. This dovetails with the heart of everyone outside of Christ. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?(Jeremiah 17:9) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10)

    Also notice the female qualities of Jezebel in Laodicea in Revelation Chapter 3, Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:(Revelation 3:17) Compare the following verses in the 17^th Chapter with the mother of harlots, Babylon the Great.

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:  (Revelation 17:1)

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.  (Revelation 17:2)

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: (Revelation 17:4)

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.(Revelation 17:6)

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. (Revelation 18:24)

   The last female representative on earth IS BABYLON the GREAT, the MOTHER OF HARLOTS, who is rich, increased with goods, and has need of nothing. This is a world truth today and those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ should understand that we live in the days of darkness, the shadow of evil is all around us, and as the blind man, many who follow Christ have been cast out. We (who have been born of the Spirit of God) admit that we were born blind, however, our eyes have been opened by the Spirit of Christ, who is the Almighty God. Even today, the darkness of mankind cannot stand the light in Jesus Christ. The light travels from Genesis all the way into the book of the Revelation. It is a truth of God that in Him is Light and this Light is the life of men. But the world LOVES darkness, for their deeds are evil, and some of the most evil and diabolical acts are done in the realm of churchianity. This is one of the most evil tools of Satan because he and his servants have produced a lukewarm gospel that will not produce salvation, but only confusion in the Word of God. He uses this lukewarm gospel to spread his darkness of sin and death over the children of men.

   The Pharisees were not about to follow, nor to conform to the new doctrines of Christ. They were joined, as today, in their ecumenical counsels, hand in hand with the Sadducees, the Levites, and with the Herodians. This would lead them to desire the release of a murderer (Barabbas) rather then be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we see the evils of Balak in big government, and Balaam in the organized system of religion. The government bribes Balaam with government grant programs. Balaam (who represents corrupt ecclesial power) embraces the government according to its OWN welfare needs, and they unilaterally deny the birth rights of the children of God. They peddle their religion for rewards of gold and silver by luring the masses into their evil sanctuaries. There is no end to their greed, and there is no end to their darkness. They are peddlers of death and not life. The Pharisees declared that they KNEW that God had spoken unto Moses, and yet, they completely denied the evidences that were set forth by the preaching of John the Baptist, and the evidence of God speaking from heaven, and the evidence of the Lord’s miracles.

   The Lord began His miracles by overturning creation. He changed stone pots full of water into wine. This was the beginning of miracles. John 2:11, This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. In Chapter 3 of John, the Lord Jesus declared that He was/is Lord of a new creation of beings born of God in the new birth. He also revealed His omnipresence in John Chapter 3. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:13) Here we see the omnipresent God of heaven and earth. Even David confirmed this in Psalm 139:7 – 10.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?  (Psalm 139:7)

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  (Psalm 139:8)

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; (Psalm 139:9)

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:10)

    The God of heaven was manifested in the flesh in the Person of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He also bore the title of the Son of man. While He was on earth ALL his divine attributes and abilities, were present with Him. He was here to manifest the will of God to mankind in the purpose of the redemption of mankind. He came to bring righteousness and holiness into the world, to fulfill all righteousness, and meet all the judicial claims of the Law. In John Chapter 4, He is the Gift of God sent down from heaven to give eternal life to the children of men with an everlasting water of His Word and life, for as many as believed on Him received the divine nature within and the power of His Word. And many more believed because of his own word; (John 4:41) In John Chapter 5, He reached back to the days of Israel in their wanderings in the wilderness, and He healed an impotent man who had been in this condition for thirty-eight years as this man lay upon his bed unable to get into the healing waters. This reflected on the nation of Israel as not able to go into the land, and not able to cross the Jordan, thus God added thirty-eight more years to their wanderings for their sin of disobedience. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. (John 5:14) This totally related the man to Israel for his condition was because of his own sin.

   Wake up . . . God is able to judge you in THIS life because of your sin. When the Lord Jesus found the impotent man IN the temple, He spoke to the man and to Israel, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. When Israel went over the river Jordan into the land, through the course of time, Israel continued in sin, and because of sin was driven out of the land, as Adam (because of sin) was driven out of Eden, the garden of God. The action of the impotent man reflected his heart. He could not wait, as Judas, to betray the Lord. He engaged the Pharisees by witnessing against the Lord Jesus and agreeing that the Lord Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. Maybe you have never seen this, but this man did not go to Gilgal (as Israel) there was no cutting away of the flesh. I do not want to be vulgar, but there is the most important lesson found in the cutting away of the foreskin. It is the ultimate point of sin in man. The psalmist declared, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5) The major sin of OUR age ALL revolves around sex as in the beginning they BOTH KNEW that they were naked. This was AFTER sin came into the world. And the world put two and two together, and because of sin, came up with three. Cain was born, and carried the evil seed of sin into the new world that was cursed with thorns and thistles.

   The reason that Israel went to Gilgal was also a confession that they were a nation of disobedient men, and they played at being obedient. The cutting away of the flesh should have changed the entire nation . . . well . . . that did not happen. This was because of MAN’s inapt condition as a sinner, and the fact that sin dwelt within them, and could NOT be cut out. This is the hardest thing for mankind to grasp that in his flesh that there is NO good thing. The cutting away of the flesh, and the misery it brought to them should have brought the reality of their flesh and their sin to their heart, soul and spirit. But it did not. Read all about the deceptiveness of the hearts of the men of Israel in the book of Hebrews, Chapter 3, verses 7 thru 19 and the remedy for all of man’s condition in Hebrews Chapter 4, verses 12 and 13.

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (Hebrews 3:7)

Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (Hebrews 3:8)

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.(Hebrews 3:9)

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.  (Hebrews 3:10)

So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)  (Hebrews 3:11)

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.  (Hebrews 3:12)

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;  (Hebrews 3:14)

While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.  (Hebrews 3:15)

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.  (Hebrews 3:16)

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?  (Hebrews 3:17)

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (Hebrews 3:18)

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (Hebrews 4:12)

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)

   Chapter 3 of the book of Hebrews reminds us of sinful flesh, and the spiritual darkness of man’s heart. Hebrews 4 presents to us the power of the Word of God to cut away ALL that opposes God. The two-edged sword is an instrument of death, as the Word of God exposes both sin and death. The Word of God explains to us that we must die in Christ before we can live for Him. I am crucified with Christ, Galatians 2:20, is a dying statement of those who have been born again. The two-edged sword of the Word of God divides the sheep from the goats, the tares from the wheat, and the false believers from the true children of God bought with the blood of Christ.

   Here is another comparison with the man born blind in John Chapter 9 and the impotent man in John Chapter 5: In Chapter 5, the Lord found the impotent man IN the temple, in John 9, the man who was born blind was cast OUT of the temple. Also, there is no mention of worship by the impotent man of Chapter 5, but many overlook this point. The Lord’s exact wording to the impotent man was ‘sin no more, lest a worst thing come upon thee.’ With the blind man, in John Chapter 9, there is no mention by the Lord of past sin. The blind man was cast OUT and the Lord drew him INTO His loving embrace. The everlasting arms reached out with mercy and within those arms sin is no more. For as the impotent man was still bound by Judaism and the Law, the blind man was set free in Christ Jesus our Lord. The heart of a disciple is to learn MORE of the life of his Lord, and to apply the Lord’s life unto his own, and to worship his Lord as the Lord of glory. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.(John 9:38) We see in the man born blind the true priesthood of all believers. He worships NOT IN the temple or in buildings built by hands, but in his heart, which is the true sanctuary for the Spirit of Christ. Paul reminds us that we are the temple of God; therefore, God must dwell within by His Spirit.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  (1^st Corinthians 6:19)

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?(1^st Corinthians 3:16) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1^st Corinthians 3:17)

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.(2^nd Corinthians 6:16)

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  (1st Peter 2:5)

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  (1st Peter 2:2)

   We are new born babes and this links us one and all through the Spirit of Christ, there is no division in the Spirit of Christ. There is no division in those who are born in the Spirit of Christ. Even at birth, the evidence of our birth is that we desire the sincere milk of the word of God. THIS enables us to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Even in the moment of our new birth God’s sanctuary of His Spirit within becomes a realization to our faith in Jesus Christ. As lively stones, with the breath of life breathed into us by Christ Himself, we are built up a spiritual house, and in the heart, we have the sanctuary and our holy priesthood. This enables us to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This is the Man at God’s right hand at this present moment, and He is the High Priest of the sanctuary of God. We should absorb the truth found here that is revealed by the Spirit of God. In verse 9 of this same Chapter 2 of 1^st Peter, we have a genealogy, we are a chosen generation, a ROYAL priesthood, a HOLY nation, and a PECULIAR people, and as the man who was born blind, out of our hearts, we show forth the praise and worship of HE who has called us OUT of darkness and into His marvelous light. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

   In the man born blind (John 9) and the man of John Chapter 5, we have two different hearts, the man born blind has the heart of a sheep for he hears his master’s voice. The man of John Chapter 5, has the heart of a goat and will follow any voice. The man of John 9 although he was born blind asked Will ye also be his disciples? And although I was also born blind in the things pertaining to God, I too ask you this question, Will ye also be his disciples?

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Since the world began was it not heard?

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14. Since the world began (verse 32)

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

Since the world began was it not heardso that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. In the mind of the Holy Spirit, His voice comes to us in this question, Since the world began was it not heard? We experience life and our lives’ makes up a small piece, a speck, of man’s history, yet the Holy Spirit takes us back to the very beginning to the creation of mankind, and relates to us that the miracle that the Lord Jesus performed was never experienced by man through his history. The wonder of this miracle that was performed by the Son of God was its unprecedented nature and totally unknown in the knowledge of mankind. We should see that Christ took two repulsive items: the dust of the earth and spittle. Of course, mankind comes from dust in the relationship of mankind, spittle is a vile fluid, it is vulgar, when something corrupts and is in man’s mouth he attempts to spit it out, however, in this event, the One the Son of God was not vile. There was no guile within Him. His spittle was the healing force that bound the clay and covered the eyes of the man born blind. In the thoughts of man, this would make the blindness permanent, for how could this man now see through the clay? The heart of man would think that a greater darkness had come upon him, and now, the Lord spoke His Word, the Word of God from Jesus Christ is introduced into the mind of the man born blind, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. The sweetness of the water has a scent of its own, and when this man washed his eyes, the clay dissolved. The dust was put aside, and he received his sight. In the new birth, God must put the dust of Adam aside. One must die to live. One must be buried in the water of life which is Jesus Christ. One must be filled (not with Adam’s spirit) but with the Spirit of Christ. The water of Siloam had revealed the world to this man. Physically he had something that he never had before, which was sight. And yet, there was still a mighty work that must be done in his heart. This would be a work of the Spirit of Christ. Christ would introduce Himself as the Son of God, and at belief, the man who was born blind and could now see, worshiped the image that stood before him, which was the manifested image of God. When the Lord Jesus revealed Himself, He was refreshing us in our knowledge of John Chapter 3 . . . that a man MUST be born again. Although a man who was born blind could now see, his heart and soul were still in darkness, and he MUST receive the eyes of the Spirit, and be born again.

   In our minds, we have many thoughts, but without the Spirit of God these are simply man’s thoughts. Once the Spirit of God comes into the heart not only is the heart quickened, but the mind also has a NEW REFRESHING well of water in the Spirit of Christ.

  Man has to be quickened by the Holy Spirit before he can see and understand himself and the knowledge of God. John Chapter 9 is a well of wealth by the Holy Spirit of God. As we pass through the verses, we keep getting the contrast between physical blindness and spiritual blindness. Leading off with the man who was born blind, this is the physical side emphasized; thus, the blind man becomes a symbol of ALL mankind when they are born. I know . . . I have mentioned this many times . . . but repetition is a great teacher. God reminds us that it is through precept upon precept, and line upon line whereby we learn. At birth man is locked into sin, and spiritual blindness. If you would like to test this, just ask a worldling or pseudo church member, if they would like to talk about spiritual life. Let me WARN you, be ready to go on a fantasy trip. For man, in Adam, cannot see the things of God. Their eyes have not been enlightened, and their thoughts have not been changed. Their hearts, souls and spirits have not been quickened, for they have been born blind, and because of blindness they are allowed to creep into and overrun the church. These men of renown have usurped the pulpits, and have become the voice of the Church all over the world. The true Voice of the Church is NOT man. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is His Spirit that is the true Voice of the Church.

   Let’s see a few examples from our age: the modern thought is the fallacy of the sons of God found in Genesis Chapter 6. These ministers of Satan, the corrupt theologians, the Bible scholars, the many radio programs and TV personalities want you to believe the God permitted angels to corrupt mankind. When it was MAN who brought sin into the world, and it was MAN who brought the judgment of death because of sin. In Genesis Chapter 6, (six being the number of MAN) mankind was already corrupt, and this had taken place in Genesis Chapter 3 at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When Cain was called out by God, for Cain was IN God’s presence, he continually made excuses and would not acknowledge his sin.  And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. (Genesis 4:16) He wanted to be pardoned for the death of his brother, and acknowledged to God that he was not his brother’s keeper, in fact, he was his brother’s murderer. Therefore, man did not need angels to corrupt him. In Genesis Chapter 6 God condemned MAN for his thoughts and actions for it is MAN’s imagination, and MAN’s evil heart that is continually wicked. In Genesis Chapter 6, we have the line of the descendants of Seth in the sons of God, which is a phrase and title that the Holy Spirit uses throughout Scripture, however, these sons of God had corrupted themselves with the daughters of Cain, (or the daughters of men).

   In the genealogy from Seth, in the names that are mentioned, we have the election of God. This election is proven by the translation of Enoch (the seventh from Adam). Now, the descendants from this line of election, although they were not part of election, bore the title ‘ sons of God.’ By their corruption it proves to us that ‘all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’ If we fast forward to our age, those who are born of the Spirit of Christ will be conformed to His image are the elect, and in their current state they are called ‘the sons of God.’ God the Father treats them as sons, as children. He corrects and chastens them when they move away from the Word of God. (Hebrews 12)

   Sin came into the world NOT by fallen angels, but by the first man, Adam, so sin has passed upon all men for ALL have sinned. The reason for the false doctrine of angels in Genesis Chapter 6, is to lessen the guilt of man, thereby, denying that the judgment of God was for MAN’s transgressions. Those who believe that Chapter 6 of Genesis portray angels through the word ‘giants‘ really attempt to shift the blame from themselves to angels who are bound in chains, and are reserved and held in these chains until the day of their judgment, and this has not come yet. These are the angels who followed Lucifer (you know . . . the devil, the old serpent). Where does this false doctrine of angels becoming human break down? It is MAN who was under judgment, and it is still MAN (in Adam) at this present time who is in judgment. The judgment of these angels was set BEFORE Adam had sinned. They had transgressed IN heaven, NOT on the earth. God bound them in chains, and put them in a special place and THERE they are reserved, set aside until the day of their judgment. Which was set BEFORE Adam sinned. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;.(2^nd Peter 2:4) Since at the last judgment death and hell are going to give up the unconverted, the sinners without Christ, the damned, it is understandable that this will also be the time of judgment for these angels who are reserved for their own particular judgment.

   I address this to all those outside of Christ: every work that is against the righteousness of God, every sin and abominable act that you commit will be read out against you at the great white throne of judgment. You will stand before God in horror at the punishment that will be delivered to you. It is not a blanket judgment, it will be the judgment for YOUR sin, YOUR transgression, and then since you have rejected the only Redeemer (Jesus Christ) YOU will be cast into the lake of fire and YOUR sin will torment you throughout eternity with no escape. Just as the angels are bound, so mankind without Christ are bound in hell. Remember the rich man in the gospel of Luke, how in this life he enjoyed wealth and luxury while Lazarus, who was a poor beggar, and in his last days suffered from sickness, as his sores were licked by the hounds. Lazarus had nothing, and the rich man made sure that the only thing that Lazarus would receive would be the crumbs from his table. However, at death, things were reversed. The rich man awoke in hell, but Lazarus was carried away by angels into Abraham’s bosom. When Abraham was asked by the rich man for a single drop of water to be sent by Lazarus, the reply was, that Lazarus could not cross over. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:26) The rich man had no chance, and there would be no second chance, to cross that great divide, that great chasm between hell and heaven. This also shows us that when the angels were bound in chains, and reserved, and held for judgment that they were not let loose. This of course, destroys the Roman argument in their doctrine of purgatory. Once the clouds of death roll over man, he is either IN Christ IN heaven, or he is IN the devil and IN hell, and will never be able to pass over. His only passing will be to the lake of fire, under the judgment of his own sin.

   The second argument is the fact that God cast OUT Lucifer AND the angels, and BOUND the angels in chains, and there is NO record in Scripture of the angels of Lucifer going to and fro throughout the whole earth. ONLY Lucifer made this statement in the book of Job in Chapter 1.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.(Job 1:6)

And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (Job 1:7)

 Now there was a day. . . this is the leading statement in Job 1:6. In the creation of God, did He not create day and then divided it from the night? This relationship of day and night was with the earth, and not with heaven. In fact, there is no night there. The realm of heaven is full of God’s light . . . and THERE IS NO DAY AND NO NIGHT in heaven. THERE IS NO TIME in heaven. The meeting of the sons of God that came into God’s presence was the children of God in the days of Job. The DAY denotes that the meeting place was on earth that God in the day of Job had made His presence known IN their midst. They were in God’s presence. You may say that the Old Testament saints couldn’t go into the presence of God (especially in the day of Job). Yet, in Genesis Chapter 4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Notice the word ‘presence.’ Cain was IN God’s presence, and then after judgment was set on him, he went out from God’s presence. And this was where? ON EARTH. For then Cain went into the land of Nod. Now, I know . . . I’m reading your mind . . . what about Satan coming into the presence of God. A good reminder is found in 1^st Peter Chapter 5 in verse 7 . . . We are to cast our care upon the Lord.Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. We can only do that if we go into His presence. Yet, we are on earth, and yet, all true believers are the sons of God. BUT then we have a warning . . . concerning our sojourn on THIS earth in 1^st Peter 5:8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Now . . . to prove that the devil is walking about going to and fro throughout the whole earth, we should read verse 9, Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. We are to resist the works and being of the devil, and in doing this we must do it in faith knowing that we are not the only ones being afflicted, that our brethren throughout the world are suffering the SAME afflictions. One point that Peter does here, he ties us all together (those who are born of the Spirit of Christ). He links us, by the Spirit, to every believer in the world in our present age, and in our own time frame. This also reminds us that we are of ONE Spirit, and of ONE faith which has given us grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Man from heaven is in the world also, His Spirit is in every heart of every believer. No matter where you are, if you belong to the Lord Jesus you are attached to me by the Spirit of Christ, and I am attached to you by that same Spirit. Peter used the dear term used in the true Church, brethren. Therefore, in the book of Job, we see the sons of God meeting on earth with God in their midst, and Satan entering for he was going to and fro throughout the whole earth to raise havoc among the sons of men.

   In Genesis Chapter 6, God saw the wickedness of MAN . . . MAN . . . MAN that it was great throughout the whole earth. This was MAN’s dominion and always has been. IT IS NOT THE DOMINION OF ANGELS. Adam was made the Federal Head over God’s creation . . . and this included Eve. When Adam trespassed and brought sin into the world, he was cast out of the garden into a world of thorns and thistles. All his relationships to the creation including the animals were severed. The relationship between Adam and Eve was broken in the loss of innocency, and mankind was sentenced in this wilderness to bear his OWN sin. Sin would NOW dictate his actions, and his judgment. God saw the wickedness of MAN, and it was great in the earth. MAN had perverted his own imagination; although, one of the very first imaginative thoughts was the words of Satan, ye shall be as gods, and ye shall not die. MAN had been so perverted at this point in Genesis Chapter 6, that he embraced the daughters of men in all the unity of the evil mind of men without God in this world. Evil was now continually at the very center of mankind, or we could use the word ‘perpetually.’ Why were the daughters of men so evil? Let’s return to the root. Who was first tempted? It was the woman Eve. Satan approached (and this is a very important part) the being that was taken and made from man, and NOT the being who was created from dust. Satan saw that there was a weakness, and he thus, tempted the woman instead of the man. Although Adam was blamed in his position as the Federal Head for bringing sin into the world, it was Eve who devoured the lie of Satan and was defeated in his first assault in the war against humanity, and she took the first bite, she then past it onto Adam, and Adam (being the Federal Head) brought sin into the world. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:(Romans 5:12) Eve was in transgression, however, Adam was NOT deceived. He was well aware of the punishment of death. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.(1^st Timothy 2:13) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. (1^st Timothy 2:14) Remember, Eve was bone of Adam’s bone, and flesh of Adam’s flesh. He willingly brought sin into the world. He was not deceived, he voluntarily took sin into his hands and into his being and brought sin and death into the world establishing the LAW . . . LAW . . . LAW of sin and death. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) The reality was ye will not be as gods, and ye shall surely die was the penalty for bringing sin into the world, so death is passed upon all men, for all have sinned.

   After Adam had been driven out of the garden into the land of thorns and thistles, Adam knew Eve, and Eve brought forth her first son, Cain. Cain being the first born became a murderer; consequently, God separated him from the line of Seth who was born after the death of Abel, and after the banishment of Cain. God established TWO lines: Cain was the evil seed, and Seth was the good seed. This was all foretold in Genesis Chapter 3. In the line of Cain, Lamech ends the record of a succession of murderers.  We also see adultery in having two wives, so this established the line of Cain as an evil line, which John the apostle finalized in his first epistle. 

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1^st John 3:8)

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1^st John 3:9)

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1^st John 3:10)

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.(1^st John 3:12)

   In the line of Seth, wives are not mentioned until we get to Noah, and even then the name of the wife of Noah is not mentioned in Scripture. In the line of Seth, men beget sons and daughters, however, there is no mention of wives, wherein the line of Cain, we have women mentioned by name: Zillah and Adah. Why only the names of men in this particular genealogy of Seth, for it is in the line of Seth that men began to call on the name of the Lord. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:26) This verse is overlooked by many. Seth is the return of the seed of the woman that God called as He had called Abel, so therefore now, Seth was the promised seed to defeat the works of the devil, and to bruise the head of the devil. In the line of Seth we have the first formula for election in THAT we have men collectively calling on the name of the Lord. This genealogy goes all the way to Noah who was pure in his generations; meaning that the election of God traveled through each one of these men until we get to Noah. Noah was the LAST of this line of election. However, election was not over. For after a long period of sin (AFTER the flood) God, through election, called Abraham. The line of election began again IN Abraham into this present day, and because these men called on the name of the Lord they received the title of sons of God. Each one of these men in the genealogy of election had sons and daughters, however, these sons and daughters although they were privileged to be called the sons of God corrupted themselves with the daughters of men. Here we see the seed of sin for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Their father (being one of the elect) did not guarantee their eternal sonship for they were sons in name only. Much like the Church today, many use the name of Jesus; yet, they do not know the Jesus of the Bible. They refuse to open the Holy Book and learn of God’s Christ.

   Throughout the genealogy of Seth, the sons and daughters who were begotten corrupted themselves with the children of men. The daughters of men were of the line of Cain, they were of the line of the devil, and this is proven in 1^st John 3:12. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. God, to distinguish the line of Cain from the line of Seth, put a mark upon Cain. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.(Genesis 4:15)

    We should understand the argument of Cain that when anyone found him, they would slay him. Now if God placed a dot in the middle of Cain’s forehead, one would have to be right on top of him to know that this was the murderer Cain, and this would not be very effective. So therefore, God supersized Cain, the same God who gave you new life in Christ is in the miracle business, and who has known the mind of the Lord? By Cain being supersized, when anyone saw him they would stay clear of him, for they could recognize this murderer from a long way off. This is where the giants in the earth came from, and their daughters mingled with the  sons of God, and Seth’s line became corrupted by the daughters of Cain.

   In the genealogy of Seth, and the names that are mentioned, God took one man to prove to us that this list of names (up to Noah) were heavenly men. For in the seventh from Adam, God translated Enoch into heaven as a symbol of the redemption of the sons of God that would come in the fullness of time, and all would be finalized in the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who call on His name and were born of God, are today called the sons of God and whether male or female, Jew or Gentile, bond or free, all will be translated into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Enoch proves the election of God in the genealogy of Seth, just as the translation of the Church will prove to an ungodly world the election of God. In Enoch we have God’s choice in His call, and we have God’s will in Enoch’s election. Each name in the genealogy is to prove God’s call and election. As I have previously mentioned, this went all the way to Noah, who was pure in his generations. There was no mingling of the daughters of men within Noah’s genealogy. However, when the corrupt line of Seth (which was made up of the sons and daughters of the elect) intermingled with the daughters of men, they became known as the men of renown. Their children were the off springs of Cain, who were giants in the earth. This amalgamation has been going on for a long, long time. We also have the ungodly world mixing and mingling in the Church throughout the history of the Church. From the very beginning of the establishment of the Church the ungodly came in and denied the Lord Jesus and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, usurping power and rights away from the righteous; thus, through controlling edicts authenticated their ownership of the Church and became known as men of renown.

   The line of Cain was a line of murderers full of all guile, with daughters who learned to subdue the sons of God, and in time children of the sons of God corrupted the vine, until there was only one righteous man left. This one man found grace in the sight of the Lord, and his name was Noah. Man had corrupted himself to the point of total annihilation. Only a preacher of righteousness stood at the door of hope with the Word of God. The Word of God is a powerful tool in the hands of a righteous man. Noah was proof of that power; although, the whole world had violated themselves with sin, Noah continued with God, and was apart from the whole world. When probably six hundred million voices (more or less) cried out that he was wrong, Noah simply continued preaching the Word of God, and declaring that the judgment of God was going to be upon them. The proof of their blindness and deafness was in their inability to comprehend the reason why Noah not only continued to preach, but why he also continued to build. The ark could not be hidden, and the message of God’s judgment could not be silenced. Yet, they did not repent. Today, the door of hope is the Word of God. It is also known as the key of David.

SIDE NOTE: The Key of David. 

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith  he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth,and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; (Revelation 3:7)

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (Revelation 3:9)

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  (Revelation 3:10)

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.(Revelation 3:11)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.(Revelation 3:13)

In the church of Philadelphia, we have the Lord Jesus opening a door of hope. This door is the Word of God, and it must be proclaimed in the Spirit of God’s righteousness. We cannot mingle it with philosophy, neither with the traditions of men, nor with the mysticism of the church, or with the formality of the systems of the men of renown. The Lord Jesus has opened the door. The Word of God is opened to all. It is the LAST CALL to the individual, and not to the collective. Today, the daughters of men, the daughters of Cain have mingled into ALL the collective meetings. We also have the ambassadors of Satan who have corrupted the whole. They have preached a gospel of leaven, and not a gospel of righteousness. They have filled the whole professing church with the leaven of false doctrines. As the Lord proclaimed with the leaven added by the woman, it leavened the whole lump. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? (Luke 13:20)It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.(Luke 13:21) Yet, these masses of leaven remain blind: they remain blind to Mariolatry, to the Roman doctrine of purgatory, and the exaltation of man over God. The present doctrine of the daughters of men is church membership through generational expansion. (When a young woman marries outside of Romanism, she must present her offspring to Rome. Casting this Roman doctrine upon her own children, she will fight for this pagan creed to have her children given to Rome (not to God) even until her marriage is destroyed.) All the formalities and rituals constructed on emotional and spiritual mysticism around Mary (and another spirit) are all the doctrines of evil men. When studying Scripture it becomes clear that today’s corruption (politically and religiously) goes all the way back to the days of Noah. Notice the message to the faithful in the church of Philadelphia that they will be kept from the hour of temptation, which will come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. We need to link this with the prophecy of the Lord concerning the days of Noah.

But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:37)

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (Matthew 24:38)

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (Matthew 24:39)

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. (Luke 17:26)

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  (Luke 17:27)

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; (Luke 17:28)

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:29)

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.  (Luke 17:30)

    Noah preached the righteousness of God and built on the righteousness of God for many years while also proclaiming the judgment of God to come upon an unrighteous earth without one person repenting. The prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning a future day for being as the days of Noe [were],’ has always been treated by the church, and the world church as a far distant happening. Well THAT day is rapidly approaching and the church and the world have turned deaf ears and blind eyes to the Word of God, and all the signs throughout the world. The wrath within the cup of the Gentiles has risen to the brim, and God’s judgment is eminent soon to be seen and experienced by a godless church and a godless world; however, those in Christ will be kept from the hour of temptation that will come upon THE ENTIRE WORLD. A word of warning to the last church in the book of Revelation, Chapter 3, is to the church of the Laodiceans, not the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This last church of the world has usurped Christ’s authority, and in place of the Church built on Christ has created a corrupt ecclesiastical church system built on Balaamism, Baal, and Babylon. Christ has promised to spue them out of His mouth.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (Revelation 3:15)

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.  (Revelation 3:21)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:22)

   The whole earth (through multiple religious names, through multiple doctrines, and through multiple sins) is FULL of the corruption of the Laodicean ecumenical system. There is no validity in the current collective meeting. No matter how large the system, or the building, or how important the men of renown are, they are NOT giants of faith, they are the corrupt GIANTS in the earth. They are the ambassadors of Satan, and they have sown tares among the wheat. They have preached leaven until the whole lump has been corrupted. And when shall the end be? It will be as the days of Noah. All the sins of the age of Noah are present in this age. Yet, men will not repent, the church will not repent, and men today will be blind from birth till death with no repentance. They will be without faith, they will be lovers of their own selves, this includes the collective meeting of a world church, and all the political systems of the world, those we can see, and those who hid themselves in the dark catacombs of sin and death. These are the children of Cain, who lust in their desire to control the peoples of the earth. As Cain slew Abel, the men of renown of our age also have no regard for life. They are ruled by all the twisted tentacles of the sins of vanity and pride. It is vanity of vanities that rules their hearts. They see themselves as superior to ALL others. The fragments of sin in the crevasses of their minds betray these ungodly men in their self exaltation. If one needs an overview of our world today, Romans Chapter 1 paints an exact portrait of those around us. Beginning at verse 18 of Romans Chapter 1, we have the wrath of God that is going to be revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and against ALL unrighteousness. Read the following verses and hold them in your hearts: this wrath is revealed against MEN who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  (Romans 1:18)

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.(Romans 1:19)

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:(Romans 1:20)

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:22)

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23)

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (Romans 1:24)

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 1:25)

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (Romans 1:26)

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:27)

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28)

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,(Romans 1:29)

Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (Romans 1:30)

Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:(Romans 1:31)

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.(Romans 1:32)

   These are the deceivers of this world preaching an erroneous gospel: a gospel of love without repentance, a gospel of acceptance without sin, and possession of sonship without a birth certificate because they do not understand God’s creative power in a man being born again: not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, or the will of man but of God. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.(John 1:13)

   Read the description of uncontrollable evil in Romans Chapter 1, and then look at the tapestry of sin all around us. The days of Noah are being painted with every divine brush stroke, and the judgment can be seen in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. They are without natural affection, they live in darkness, and evil marks their every step. The darkness of their worlds has no light for they live in many worlds (the world of imagination, the world of make-believe, the world of insanity, the world of self, the world of lies, and the world of sin). The deceivers of this world  hold the truth in unrighteousness keeping the masses blind, and the masses love to have it so. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love [to have it] so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?(Jeremiah 5:31)

    The whole head is sick, and as God spued out the corrupt world in the age of Noah, so also will ALL of Laodicea be spued out of the Lord’s mouth. God still has a way of grace for the individual, but it cost Noah to possess the righteousness of God. It cost Noah a place in society. It cost Noah a place in the great halls of Baal. It cost Noah a share in the mighty power of the political system. Noah stood on the divine mountain of righteousness, and proclaimed the key of David, the Word of God. As in the days of Noah, if any man open the door, the door of hope in Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus will come in and sup with him. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; (Revelation 3:7)I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.(Revelation 3:8)

   Ask anyone if they are going to heaven, and the answer that you will most probably receive is ‘I hope so.’ This is not the hope of biblical truth. The word given to us (in the book of Romans by the Spirit of God) proves as faith, hope is also our tangible possession of Christ Himself. Our hope is a surety, not a doubt. The evidence of our hope is the surety of our salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24)But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].(Romans 8:25)

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.(Romans 15:4)

   In the book of Hosea we have a divine hope given to the nation of Israel in the valley of Achor. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. (Hosea 2:15) That this door that will be opened to Israel in a future date is a certainty of hope. In fact, the word ‘hope’ in Hosea is a confirmation of God’s promise to Israel that God will not forget His promises, and that her hope is in God. He will open a door of hope for Israel in the valley of Achor.

   Let’s return to the book of Romans, our hope in Christ, and the promises of Christ are no different, for He will fulfill all His promises to us. For Christ is our hope, and all His promises are IN Him. In Revelation Chapter 3, it is an open door of hope, and notice that He personally opens the door through a divine action BY His angel, He has opened the door of His truth as no other time in the history of mankind. The Bible is everywhere. The voices of men are carrying the message of the gospel all over the world. The written form of the Word of God, and messages are being sent through the internet all over the world. The true door of hope is opened by the Word of God and the name that is above every name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, since the collective has failed, and cannot recognize its own perversion because of blindness, God is taking the individual and exercising the Word of God as in Hebrews 4:12, 13. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.(Hebrews 4:13)

    In Hebrews 4:12, it is not the external cutting away of the flesh (as when Israel went to Gilgal to cut away the flesh) but it is God dissecting Adam in the totality of his flesh and being. It is a two-edged sword that is used by the Spirit of God to divide man from darkness, from sin, and from death. To understand one’s own frailties: the inner most part of the wickedness of the heart, and the corrupt mind which displays the intent of the heart that even the bone and the sinew cannot stand before a righteous God. It is Christ who wields His two-edged sword through His Word, and it is the Spirit of Christ who surgically removes the evil at the new birth. The natural mind of Adam is cut off from the wisdom of God. The only way that man can find wisdom is IN Christ Jesus, and the only way that man can approach this wisdom is through death in Christ.

    Mankind is fearful of the Word of God. Have you noticed how mankind cannot even stand to LOOK at the 10 commandments? He does not want them displayed on or in public buildings. He does not want his children to know that there is a God in heaven, and that God demands truth from all of Adam’s race. It always amazes me how the rules and laws of man are seemingly endless. We cannot breathe unless a law permits us, we are shackled in absolute slavery by the laws of government and religion. Even religionists will not apply the 10 commandments to themselves. In our present age, the hierarchy of theologians, the pecking order of the presbytery, the Nicolaitans, and the men of renown have concluded that the Word of God needs adjustments, alterations and new versions to promote reading levels and comprehension skills of readers who find the words ‘thou’ and ‘thee’ too difficult to understand. All their changes, however, detract from the truth and from the deity of Christ because as the Pharisees of old could not abide the truth, and the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, neither can those who hold the truth in unrighteousness, and who desire to change the Word of God can neither abide the truth, nor the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. All false doctrine comes from evil hearts that have not been dissected by the two-edged sword of the Word of God. They deny the authority of the Word of God so that they can flee from conviction, after all it is the Word of God that shows Adam what he has done. Since sin is his fault, death is his punishment. All who are born of Adam suffer these very first characteristics of sin and death. The Word of God has been given to convict man of his sin and to show him the path of righteousness in Jesus Christ. The heart of Adam is a stone. It does not have the feelings of the Spirit of God, nor does it have the understanding of salvation and eternal life. Jeremiah declared that the heart is deceitful above all things. Yet, mankind continues on in his sin although every day he sees the evidence of sin, the cost of sin, and the finality of sin in death. The Word of God must first penetrate the heart, then the Word of God must renew the spirit of man, then the Word of God must restore the soul of man. The cutting action of the Word of God cuts away the sin of man. As the Word of God begins to cut, the spirit of Adam fights against divine truth. Adam must protect his fallen nature, his fallen soul, his fallen spirit, and most of all, his fallen heart. Man likes sin. He promotes it every day. He promotes it in his family, in the work place, in the government, and IN the religious realm. Man likes sin so much that he puts it into the movies that he watches, he puts it into television programs, he puts it into his advertisements, but the fearful thing is that man puts in into his religion by denying the power and the glory and the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s amazing how man exalts sin by giving it center stage because of his own wicked heart. However, the Word of God leaves nothing untouched in Adam. Through the history of mankind the Spirit of God has shown us that there is NO GOOD THING IN ANYONE born of Adam. God has used precept upon precept, and line upon line to disclose the intent and evil heart of mankind.

Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (Isaiah 28:9)For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Isaiah 28:10)

But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.  (Isaiah 28:13) Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.  (Isaiah 28:14) Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:  (Isaiah 28:15)

   The Word of God exposes lies and false hoods, what is said, and what is not said. The Word of God exposes guile, even in questions. In the religious arena, man partially uses the Word of God to acquire a following by deceiving the masses with only an unconnected segment, and an isolated single verse from the Word of God. It is not only the saints’ responsibility to listen to what men say, but to also understand what they didn’t say, and what they ignored in the Word of God to acquire their own willful goals in Adam. Man is selective in his ignorance, and in his intelligence. He masks the truth to hide his lies. Wouldn’t it be a remarkable discovery if someone would declare that it is SIN that drives the ignorance of man? It is SIN that drives the intelligence of man. It is SIN in both of these whereby mankind deceives himself, but this does not satisfy mankind because in his desire to justify himself, he craves delusion, striving to deceive others as well. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (2^nd Timothy 3:13)

   A deceiver is marked as an evil person. Have no doubt that if you have been deceived by anyone they have shown an evil heart that is desperately evil and deceitful above all things. This is a fact. This is truth. And there is no argument against this. For we see this more and more each day, just as the Word of God declares, they shall wax worse and worse. H e l l o o o . . . read today’s headlines . . . whether it is in the newspapers, radio, or television . . . you are getting today’s news by deceivers and evil men of reprobate minds who delight deceiving others and themselves. These are the children of Adam under the power of the spirit of antichrist. From early childhood, children are taught to deceive by authorities and even by their own parents. Children are deceived with the satanic myth of Santa Claus, and the worship and admiration for the Christmas tree. This is one of the methods of childhood warfare deception that the devil uses to hide his true goal, to make children more of his children so that they will have no hope of being the children of God. This is the tip of the iceberg along with the Easter bunny, the egg hunt, and countless other games that detract minds and thoughts away from the Almighty God. As they grow older, they face the east (once a year) worshiping the sun with countless other pagan worshipers who proclaim that this is an action of worship of God. (Ezekiel 8:16) As with an iceberg, the majority of its weight is hidden beneath the surface of the water, and yet, it is not what is exposed that does the real damage, but that which is hidden from the sight of mankind that is deadly, as deadly as the hidden schemes of deception by governments, by religious leaders, and by untold mystics who strive day and night to deceive the worlds’ populace with their deception and lies.

    The following example is a very minor instance, it is like learning the A B C’s only these are the A B C’s of sin. The phone rings, the child answers, it is for her mother, but the mother shakes her head, and mouths the words ‘I’m not home.’ As simple as this sounds, the seed is sown, shortly, the child has a test at school, but conveniently that morning, they tell their mother that they are sick and can’t go to school. This is the B of the A B C’s. Now C is the conclusion, it is the lying deceiving priest who learned as a child to lie; it is the lying deceiving politician who learned as a child to lie. It is the government of men who as children learned to lie. They are deceived by their own self perception, and only the two-edged sword of the Word of God can free them from their slavery to sin. The satanic world of Satan never looks in the mirror and evaluates themselves as deceivers and liars. They see an image that they admire, and want to continue to glorify that fallen image of Adam.

   In the Old Testament, in 2^nd Kings 25, Zedekiah was captured by Nebuchadnezzar, and after judgment was passed on Zedekiah, all of his sons were brought before him, and they all were slain one by one with the edge of the sword. After witnessing this horror Zedekiah was bound and his eyes were put out. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.(2^nd Kings 25:7) The last image that Zedekiah witnessed was his children being slaughtered before him, and this image was burnt into his conscience, and mind. This is one of God’s precepts: that the children are part of the father, if the father leads them in a path of sin and corruption, then that sin and corruption will bring forth their deaths. Do not be fooled by the modern evangelists that God is ONLY love . . . but God is also a God of judgment for our God is a consuming fire. What is sown in THIS life will bring forth its fruit, and every sin has a payment. One of the most remarkable things that anyone can meditate on is how Christ could bare the multitude of sins, the multitude of MY sin, and yet, He bore the sin of the whole world so that everyone (whether saved or unsaved) will stand before God without excuse. For the redeemed it will be glory forever and ever, but nevertheless, they were pulled out of the pit. Redemption was a gift of God, and is STILL a gift of God. For the unsaved, they will have no cross to lean on. They will have no Savior to appeal to. They will have no Jesus to free them from the lake of fire. Therefore, you see how important that the keys of David are. These keys are to the door of hope that no man can shut. As God is my witness, I lie not, the collective is endowed with blindness from the devil himself. He was a murderer from the beginning and he is preaching death . . . not life today.

   The rationale of the mind of mankind today is the same as the minds of the men of renown in Genesis 6. But what did Noah know? He was a preacher of righteousness, but could three hundred million (the number can be almost any number) people BE WRONG? Ask Noah. He will tell you that having a form of godliness, will not do. Denying the power of God will not do. Claiming to be the children of God in unbelief will not do. Following another gospel, another Jesus, another spirit will not do. They will all hear the same answer from the Lord Himself, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity for I NEVER knew you. NEVER . . . NEVER . . . NEVER knew you. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?(Matthew 7:22)And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:23)

    In Genesis Chapter 6 God found nothing good in man, yet, the man Noah, found grace in the Lord’s sight. He was not only a preacher of righteousness, but he walked with God. He obeyed God in the building of the ark of refuge. Noah allowed mankind to hear the message of the judgment to come, but man in their sin would not repent, and simply explained repentance away just as it is done today. Do you think that you can have a gospel without repentance, then you are a fool, and you believe the lies of the men of Genesis Chapter 6. The same are the deceivers and self deceivers of our age.

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  (2^nd Peter 2:5)

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  (2^nd Timothy 3:5)

   In Genesis Chapter 6, we have the title men of renown. This title only appears twice in the Scriptures, and both times it is with men who oppose the things of God and who are disobedient to God. It is not the title that God wants us to see, but it is the character of their person. In Genesis 6 we have the description of their character verse 4 and 5.

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.(Genesis 6:4)

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

   The children of Korah in the book of Numbers 16:2 with two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly rebelled against God’s order. These men had become famous among the children of Israel, they were men of renown with the same characteristics of the men of Genesis Chapter 6:4 and 5.And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:(Numbers 16:2) Study Chapter 16 in the book of Numbers and you will learn more of the character of these men of renown, and you will be able to spot them in the New Testament. The easiest to spot are the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Early in the book of Acts, we are able to spot them through their character. When we get to the book of Corinthians, the apostle Paul (through the Spirit of God) tells us that these deceivers are the ambassadors of Satan.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.(2^nd Corinthians 11:13)

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.(2^nd Corinthians 11:14)

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.  (2^nd Corinthians 11:15)

   I want you to notice in 2^nd Corinthians that the ministers of Satan are also transformed. These are the deceivers of 2^nd Timothy Chapter 3. They transform themselves and take on the robes of righteousness to deceive the masses with their evil works transforming themselves even as the apostle of Christ. Once again, we need to understand the spirit of antichrist throughout the Scriptures. When the devil rebelled in heaven, he was the spirit of antichrist. After the fall of Adam, the devil has used his spirit, the spirit of antichrist, in his attempt to overthrow the purpose, will, and plan of God.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1^st John 2:18)

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (1^st John 2:22)

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1^st John 4:3)

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2nd John 1:7)

   The apostle John in his epistles used the word ‘antichrist’ four times. For we know that the devil goes to and fro throughout the whole world seeking who he may overthrow, and to deceive by his spirit, the spirit of antichrist. John gave us an example, a man called Diotrephes. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (3^rd John 1:9) John had written a letter to express his desire to visit with the saints, and minister to them the things of Christ, but Diotrephes refused the apostle’s visit. The character of this man was: he loved to have the preeminence, he loved to have his own way, and he was the one who was in charge of all ministry. The spirit of antichrist was keeping the Word of God from the saints by one of Satan’s ambassadors, a man of renown, named Diotrephes. Diotrephes (Jove-nourished) according to the meaning of his name, had come from the cult of Jupiter worshiping another God. This shows how far the Church had descended in the days of the apostle John.. In verse 10 Therefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. (3^rd John 1:10) Verse 10, is the character of ALL false ministers.

   They cannot stand the truth. And when anyone who holds the truth comes into their presence these false ministers maliciously insult or ridicule those with the truth in the presence of others to drive the truth away because they themselves cannot stand the truth. Consider the spirit of antichrist in Diotrephes. If we dissect the truth of this assembly under the control of Diotrephes or the Church of Diotrephes, those who remained had the same spirit of Diotrephes. When we multiply this through the centuries understand that what we have before us is a collective meeting throughout the world ruled and ministered to by the spirit of Diotrephes, the spirit of antichrist. The Pharisees had the truth, knew the truth, but avoided the truth and stumbled at the truth. It is said of the Pharisees that they liked to openly pray, this gave them a symbolic spirituality with no proof of the Spirit. They loved to show themselves in their priestly robes, the robes being a symbol of their authority. They showed and presented themselves as servants of God without God. The Pharisees not only were envious of the Lord Jesus Christ, but they were envious of the miracles that He performed. They could not lay claim to anything of the divine nature. God had totally rejected them, and yet, in their delusions they still played the part of the pharisaical heart, the pharisaical mind, the pharisaical spirit, and the pharisaical soul. We see the same characteristics today in the church of the Laodiceans. God has warned the true Christian not to fellowship with darkness, neither have fellowship with the ungodly, nor to have fellowship with perverters of His Word.

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.(1^st Corinthians 10:20) Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. (1^st Corinthians 10:21) Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? (1^st Corinthians 10:22)

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?(2^nd Corinthians 6:14) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2^nd Corinthians 6:15) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2^nd Corinthians 6:16) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,(2^nd Corinthians 6:17) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  (2^nd Corinthians 6:18)

   Before we get into the nuts and bolts of these verses from 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians, let us understand the evidence that is set before us IN the judgment of false believers of infidels, and of worldlings who have crept (and continue to creep) into the Church, and NOW DEMANDS superiority over ALL the saints. The reality of Chapter 10 of 1^st Corinthians is the assimilation of the things of the devil among the children of God. By these practices in the early Church, the evil grew and multiplied. The devil is the master shapeshifter, just because you don’t see visible idols in front of you, does not mean that they are not there in the hearts of men. The greatest idol today in the Church is covetousness. This has caused the Church to become the bank and financier of the evils of the devil. The Church building, and the creed of purity through numbers, has become the idol to the worldling who have penetrated into the Church through the centuries and millenniums. (The following reference in the book of Numbers, Chapter 16, verses 2 and 3 is an example of perceived purity through numbers. And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?) The Lord is provoked to jealousy when He considers Laodicea in Revelation Chapter 3, just as in our verse in Corinthians Chapter 10: 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

   This is a warning from the Spirit of God. When we read 2^nd Corinthians we find that the Spirit of God gives us (Christians) a direct order: Wtherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, These are not the words of the apostle Paul, these are the direct words from the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to understand that Christ is NOT pleased with the collective gathering in the world today because of the mass of unbelievers who profess Christ and yet do not possess Christ. Did not the Lord Jesus say, Many would come in His name, many would use the name of Jesus, but they were false and they are false today? When Peter described a new born Christian as a babe, he also declared that this babe in Christ DESIRES the sincere milk of the Word. When anyone is born of the Spirit of God the Spirit of God Himself puts a thirst within that child of God for the Word of God. There are NO EXCEPTIONS. There are NO NOMINAL BELIEVERS. There are NO PARTIAL BELIEVERS. It is ALL or NOTHING. When anyone tells you how much they love the Lord Jesus and yet, they refuse to read the Word of God to learn more about the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have just met the spirit of antichrist.

    In the Old Testament God was very jealous; consequently He raised up a man by the name of Jehu. And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. (2^nd Kings 10:20)And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. (2^nd Kings 10:21) As we well know, Israel was led out of Egypt by the Lord, and given the Law and the commandments to obey Him. In the book of Exodus, Chapter 20, verse 3, we have the first commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. However, through the centuries, Israel cast off the Lord for Baal. During the time of Ahab, Jezebel, and their daughter Athaliah ruled the ten northern tribes THROUGH the worship of Baal. Since God sent Jehu to destroy the worshipers of Baal, Jehu proclaimed a solemn assembly for Baal and called all Baal worshipers to the temple of Baal. Jehu then made sure that there were no servants of God within the house of Baal. As those inside the temple offered sacrifices and burnt offering to Baal, Jehu (outside of the temple of Baal) offered a burnt offering to God. The doors of the temple were barred so that none could escape God’s judgment. 

And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal only.(2^nd Kings 10:23) And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him.  (2^nd Kings 10:24) And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. (2^nd Kings 10:25)

   This judgment was swift and effective. Israel had made God jealous by their perverted worship and God judged them. The coming judgment of Laodicea will be no less for the world. In the day of the Beast, it is the image of jealousy that provokes the Lord in His judgment on the kingdom of the Beast. As Elijah was used to slay the priests of Baal, so Jehu was also used to slay Jezebel, her children, and the worshipers of Baal during a very short time span.

And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. (2^nd Kings 10:18)

Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.  (2^nd Kings 10:19)

And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them.(2^nd Kings 10:26)

And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.(2^nd Kings 10:27)

Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. (2^nd Kings 10:28)

   As Jehu slew the great whore of that day (Jezebel) along with and her priests and prophets, so also we see that same great evil of Jezebels’ reign connected to the church in Thyatira with God’s promise to destroy this same evil that had penetrated into the church in Thyatira.

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; (Revelation 2:18)

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. (Revelation 2:19)

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  (Revelation 2:20)

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (Revelation 2:21)

Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Revelation 2:22)

And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

    Isn’t it amazing how the character of Jezebel appears within the four walls of the church in Thyatira to seduce God’s servants? One of the main weapons that Satan employs to impregnate the cancer of sin in his adversaries is by using the daughters of men. Through Jezebel we see the concept of the daughters of men usurping power and authority from the men who have been called of God to serve Him. In the Jezebel of the Old Testament, there was not one servant of God or priest of God among her priesthood or the priesthood of Baal. ALL had been perverted, and there was none left for God. The blessing we have today is that Christ has come to dwell within the individual believer, and the Lord Jesus proclaims that He walks with each believer.

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (2^nd Corinthians 6:16) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,(2^nd Corinthians 6:17) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.  (2^nd Corinthians 6:18)

    Therefore, as children of God, fear not the collective for Christ is the Savior of the individual. There has never been a ‘mass salvation.’ Every child of God individually has to be born again by the Spirit of God. The collective was only meant to instruct, and to cultivate the life of true believers in the instruction of the Word of God, and in the worship of God. When you take away individual salvation the collective becomes the temple of Baal because it is full of Baalites and not the children of God. These Baalites have no birth right, because they have no Spirit of God, and Scripture PROVES that they are born of the Spirit of Satan.

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.  (John 8:43) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44) And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.(John 8:45)

   It is not difficult to recognize blindness whether it is in the Pharisees or in false professors today. They stumble at the truth, and they introduce their own fantasies into the truth. When the real truth is presented, as it was to the Pharisees, they refuse it. Today, when you take away the golden calf, namely, the collection plate, or the bag, (and I heard of one church that even installed an A.T.M. and would accept credit cards on site) then all would begin to crumble because their golden calf gives them purpose. Aren’t you glad that God does not work on credit. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, and He will be no man’s debtor. For He, in His loving kindness, has paid all our debt and has given us life and immortality in His Beloved Son. Whenever you dispense with the golden calf, the facade of Satan, and the building in all its trappings crumbles into dust and ashes. The very words of the Lord in Revelation 3:17 are not suggestions, but it is what He is going to do, and what He has told Laodicea in ADVANCE of what He is going to do to THEM.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (Revelation 3:15)

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  (Revelation 3:16)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:1 8)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  (Revelation 3:19)

   I would say that this is a BOLD statement from a system that is bankrupt in faith, and grace, and practices. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. Truly, in the worldly sense, they are rich in mammon in the eyes of the world, and in their own eyes they are increased with all the goods of the world. And yes, from their own mouths they have need of nothing. They do not need the Lord’s Word, they do not need the truth of God, they do not need faith, they do not need grace, they do not need salvation. They have decided to believe the lie of the devil, as Adam and Eve, ye shall be as gods. But what does the Lord say about all of this? knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Notice the absence of the knowledge of God, and the absence of the Spirit of God. Their condition is wretched, having no worth within themselves; they are miserable, always in doubt of their salvation, always having a double mind, always having an unruly tongue, always being perplexed with the words of heaven and hell. They are poor because they do not have the eternal riches of Christ. The heavenly riches that are in Jesus Christ outshine, outlast, and outnumber any earthly wealth or possessions. Christ Himself is our Treasure, and out of His treasures we are made rich IN Him. As our subject is blindness in John Chapter 9, Laodicea is also blind. She is blind from birth, and will never see. She has cast off light for darkness, and as the Pharisees, no matter how hard the Lord prods them they will not repent; thus, this leaves them naked before God. There are no royal robes of righteousness, there is no shining white garment of the bride, but they are clothed in the dark garments of Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots. Yet, God in His mercy offers them an opportunity to repent. Open this door of repentance and He will come in, and He will sup with you, and you will sup with Him. He will open your blind eyes, He will enrich you with His robes of righteousness, and He will write upon you a new name. This is the day of salvation. This is your valley of hope. This is your time before the Lord, and He proclaims ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor.’

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Dost Thou Teach Us?

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15. Dost thou teach us? (verse 34)

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

    Out of the mouth of babes, well . . . the Pharisees were not babes. It would have done them well if they had listened to their own words, and listened to the man who was born blind. It is quite evident that the miracle that was performed was of God, and the Spirit of God was using this man who was born blind to persuade and instruct the Pharisees of the great miracle that Jesus had performed. Although this man had not answered the divine question of salvation, the Spirit of God was using him as a witness to the hardness of the hearts of the Pharisees in their opposition to God’s light in the Lord Jesus Christ.

   The man who was born blind was a witness of God’s mercy to the Jews, to the Pharisees, and to the leaders of the Jews. Although the man born blind had not yet answered the divine question, Dost thou believe on the Son of God (verse 35) he was a witness of the light in the miracle that was performed on him. This man who had received sight was now speaking to the spiritually blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? (John 9:40) The ecclesiastical argument for their existence in many ways was contradicted by the very words of John 9:34. The Pharisees acknowledged not the teaching of God, but the teaching of man in their refusal of the words of the man born blind. They exalted themselves as the only worthy teachers of the Word of God although they openly denied the Word of God and that God was the divine Author. They denied the very words of Jesus Christ, and although His words came from heaven to earth, they refused to believe Him and on Him in both word and deed. All through the Old Testament there was neither a prophet, nor anyone who had performed the succession of miracles that the Lord Jesus performed. In every aspect of life He cast out the demons, He healed the lame, He removed leprosy, He opened the eyes of the blind, He raised the dead, and He was the instrument of the greatest miracle of all: the forgiveness of sin by His own death and sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. And to this date, His words have not passed away, they are just as viable as when He first spoke them on His sojourn upon this earth.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  (Matthew 24:35)

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31)

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.(Luke 21:33)

   Notice that in all three gospels the words are exactly the same, there is no variation of these words. The Spirit of God purposely kept all the words exactly alike so that we would further understand that God’s Word can neither change, nor pass away. God’s Word is a permanent fixture in heaven, and is given to us, and is within the Living Word Jesus Christ. Who else could speak the words of spirit and life? Only the Lord Himself, and only the Lord in all of Scripture proclaimed that He speaks the words of spirit and life. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. ( John 6:63)

   Always be suspect whenever anyone diverts from the Word of God, or tries to tell you that there are many interpretations of the Word of God. There is only ONE interpretation of the Word of God, and this interpretation comes from God Himself in the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God has been sent IN this time period to teach us the Word of life in its totality. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.(2^nd Peter 1:20) This verse that was penned by the Spirit of God to Peter was to reveal to mankind that there was only ONE . . . I said ONE . . . interpretation of the Word of God, and the prophecy that has been given to us. The only way that the prophecy was given was by holy men of God who were moved by the Spirit of God to give an exact word of prophecy. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2^nd Peter 1:21) The same Holy Ghost who spoke to Moses also spoke to Elijah, and spoke to David and to Daniel . . . and is the SAME Holy Ghost who proclaims and interprets the Word of God to the believer today. Any other interpretations are only the dark words of man in a dark place. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:(2^nd Peter 1:19) This is our assurance (as the children of God) that God speaks directly to us as individuals by His Spirit within us as He walks with us. The eternal existence of the Word of God is within Jesus Christ, and the place of its record is recorded in heaven. The psalmist in Psalm 119 statedin verse 89, LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.When searching the Scriptures you will find that God reveals His Word as  absolute truth.

   The man who was born blind was not trying to teach the Pharisees, he was revealing the true feelings of his heart, and the greatness of the miracle that he had experienced. However, the Pharisees (because of their darkened hearts) refused ANYTHING that would enlighten them. Their minds had shut out the Word of God. These Pharisees were the men of renown of old. They were usurpers who had stolen the vineyard from the people of Israel. Their delusional act was rooted in swallowing the lie of Satan, ye shall be as gods; thus, they concluded that THEY were the salvation of Israel.

   In this statement, dost thou teach us? we see an unwillingness to learn, resentment of the truth, and the exaltation of their own position. The Pharisees were in the position of control. They were THE masters. They were THE rabbis and THE ONLY sanctioned teachers of men. Then along came a Voice from heaven in the Lord Jesus Christ. He had come to speak to HIS sheep, and to lead HIS sheep out of Judaism into grace and truth. The man born blind was a spiritual example of this. Many times the things of the natural man are used as spiritual examples, but not spiritual facts. For the spiritual fact came later in verse 35 when the Lord Jesus asked the man Dost thou believe on the Son of God?The words ‘Lord, I believe ’ NOW brought light into his heart, and this light brought forth the burning truth of the Son of God. The man became a living child of God possessed by God’s Spirit and able to cry out in worship of the Son of God which the Lord Jesus received with gladness. At this point we’re seeing a prelude to John Chapter 10 when the sheep hear the voice of their Master, as the goats refuse that voice, refuse to follow the Shepherd, and refuse the direction from the Shepherd. The real sheep hear the Master’s voice, and His voice teaches them because the voice of the Shepherd is the voice of His own Spirit.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.  (John 10:3)And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.(John 10:4)

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:14)

    Paul had such unshakeable confidence in the Shepherd of the sheep and in the Spirit of Christ that without faltering he wrote in boldness to the Corinthians instructing them in the ministry of the Spirit of God, and reaffirming to them that the Spirit of God ministers WITHIN every believer because they love the Lord God.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.(1^st Corinthians 2:9)

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  (1^st Corinthians 2:10)

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  (1^st Corinthians 2:11)

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1^st Corinthians 2:12)

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.(1^st Corinthians 2:13)

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1^st Corinthians 2:14)

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  (1^st Corinthians 2:15)

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  (1^st Corinthians 2:16)

   These verses from 1^st Corinthians are extremely important for they show that the Spirit of God WITHIN the child of God is the TRUE teacher of the Word of God. In God’s foreknowledge, and in His knowledge of the history of mankind, He KNEW afore time that in our present age, HIS people, the children of God, would have to have the Spirit of God within them to be their teacher, to be their assurance, and to be their boldness in Christ. As the Pharisees tried to detract from the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, so also, the world today tries to detract the teaching of the Holy Spirit of God to the children of God. In a time of extreme darkness we need not the words of man, but the words of the Holy Ghost teaching us by the Word of God comparing spiritual things (not worldly things) WITH spiritual things. The amount of confusion today is because of the natural mind of man within the Church, for they cannot receive that which is of the Spirit. Those who have the Spirit of God SHOULD JUDGE ALL things in light of the Scriptures and the teaching of the Spirit of God.

   For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 2:16). The mind of the Lord belongs ONLY to the children of God in that we have God’s thoughts, we have God’s instruction, and we have God’s truth WITHIN us in the Spirit of God. But the world and the professing church declares to us, Dost thou teach us? They have tried through centuries to eliminate the Word of God, to eliminate the VOICE of the children of God, and to eliminate the voice of the Spirit of God. Oh . . . they know not the power of God. The Lord Jesus teaches His sheep with His own voice, the voice of the Spirit of Christ within. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9) The assurance of the Spirit of Christ WITHIN that He will lead you into all truth can only be experienced by those who are born again of His Spirit. His voice becomes precious; thus, and you search the Scriptures day by day to learn more of Him, and to listen to the sweetness of His voice. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. (Song of Songs 2:14) As we listen to HIS voice, we know that it is the true voice because it comes from His Spirit within.

    After His resurrection He expounded the Scriptures in a very special way to the two on the Emmaus road. He spoke from the books of Moses that He had given to Moses. He spoke from the book of Psalms which He had put into the heart of the psalmists. He spoke of the prophets in the things that they had written afore time about Him that He had given to them through His own Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:(Luke 24:25)Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?(Luke 24:26)And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. (Luke 24:30)And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Luke 24:31)And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32)

   I would say that was a very intense Bible study. Notice that the lesson was not about them, but about the Lord Himself. The Lord expounded to them things concerning HIMSELF. The result was that their hearts burned within them when He opened the Scriptures. And I would say that today we need His teaching so that hearts would burn within, and men would know that Jesus Christ is God. Go into your closet or into your private room and take the Word of God into your heart and listen for the still small voice, and be instructed, and take in, and see the glories of the Person of Christ. What a wonder for the children of God. Itching ears can never replace a burning heart because itching ears want to hear something new and novel to excite them. Tongues twist the truth to excite imaginations and emotions, but the teaching through the heart calms the spirit, reveals the truth, and gives understanding to the simple. The burning of the heart separates and isolates the false gospel from the truth of the gospel and exalts the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2^nd Timothy 3:1)

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,(2^nd Timothy 3:2)

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (2^nd Timothy 3:3)

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  (2^nd Timothy 3:4)

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2^nd Timothy 3:5)

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,(2^nd Timothy 3:6)

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  (2^nd Timothy 3:7)

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.(2^nd Timothy 3:8)

But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2^nd Timothy 3:9)

   The Pharisees were not ready to listen nor to accept teaching from anyone, thus, we have the question, Dost thou teach us? They were a group of pious, self-righteous hypocrites who were bigoted in all their thoughts and in all their deeds. Throughout the gospel of John, the Pharisees (who claimed to be the disciples of Moses) only had the Sabbath to use against the Lord Jesus Christ. As we see even in John Chapter 9, they were stuck on the Sabbath.

SIDE NOTE: Although we worship or are called to worship on the first day of the week, on what we call Sunday this is not the Sabbath of the Old Testament. Our worship is in grace and truth not under the Law of Moses.

   It is easy to go to church every Sunday, the difficult part is living for the Lord in the six days that follow. Sunday is not the high water mark of our spiritual life. It is what we are (as Christian) and what we do for the Lord that defines who we are and who we belong to. If we belong to the world, it shows in our attitude toward the things of the world. If our minds and hearts are set on heaven then we embrace heavenly things. It is the world and the religious systems that have itching ears, and because their ears can never be scratched enough the truth goes no further. The truth hits the road block of sin when it reaches the mind. However, the burning of the heart reaches the desire of the mind to follow Christ. The burning of the heart cannot be stopped until the heart itself is silenced. When we become new born babes in Christ, we are in a new world just as the man who was born blind and received his sight faced a new world. All things that we are within and without are new, they have been changed by the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been changed to the glory of the Son of God. At the moment of your new birth, you are translated into a NEW realm, you have become a member and a part of the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13) You say that you are still on earth. Well this is certainly true, however, when you are born again the spirit that you once had is CHANGED by the Spirit of God. The depraved and fallen soul that you once had has been quickened by the Lord Himself. He went into the travail of His own soul to restore your soul. (Psalm 23) Your spirit and soul today, now, and forever will have a presence before the Lord as part of the body of Christ. Just as we do not understand the full weight of our past sin, we do not understand the fullness and the exaltation that Christ has accomplished for us in His death upon the cross when He paid our immense debt of sin. Arrogantly prideful itching ears will always have the same ears as the Pharisees, and because of their delusional superiority in knowing all things they ask senseless and unreasonable questions to upset the spiritual life of others. You have to remember that whenever you are speaking to the world or to a religionist you are talking to someone who has never been relieved of their sin. They have never been set free from the shackles and bondage of sin and death. They are still under the curse and their minds drift toward satanic things and not holy things of the Lord.

   Dost thou teach us? In the book of Colossians we have the voice of the Spirit giving us the superiority of the Son of God. Dost thou teach us? Although God is Spirit (John 4) it is the Lord Jesus who is the image of that invisible Spirit. Dost thou teach us? These four words reveal the same attitude that the children of Israel had when they murmured against Moses and Aaron. Dost thou teach us? Even in our present time frame unless you have the approval of men with the authenticity of degrees from other men of degrees, you are seen as not worthy to pen or to speak for the Lord. Dost thou teach us?

   This is why the Word of God should have the preeminence in our thoughts. This is why the Spirit of God should have preeminence in the teaching of the Word of God. This is why Christ should have the preeminence within His own body to magnify His position as the Living Word of God. It was Christ who opened the Scriptures to those on the Emmaus road. It was Christ who opened the Scriptures to the apostle Paul in the third heaven. It is Christ today who opens the Scriptures and gives us that burning heart within that cannot be quenched. We are separated from the world by the Creator of all things. We are separated from the world of spiritual chaos and translated into a kingdom of peace and tranquility of the spirit.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:  (Colossians 1:14)

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:(Colossians 1:15)

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  (Colossians 1:17)

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:19)

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  (Colossians 1:20)

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (Colossians 1:21)

In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: (Colossians 1:22)

   In these verses you have the voice of the Spirit of God, not the voice of Paul. Paul was the penman for the Voice, and God used him in a mighty way. In these verses we see the exaltation of the Son of God. We are given a spiritual look into the divine wonder of Christ Himself. As the garments and the Person of Christ is displayed in Revelation Chapter 1, the inner part of the sanctuary of God’s heart, soul, and spirit is displayed to the redeemed in these few verses of Colossians Chapter 1. We see ourselves intertwined with His glory, separated from the darkness and gloom of the earth, and lifted on high in His Spirit higher than the heavens. The religious masses, who have itching ears, are looking for a better life ON EARTH. They are not looking for eternal life with the Lord. Set you affection on things above doesn’t seem to come into their understanding. To erase the things of the earth does not taste well to their palates. However, the Spirit of God describes the burning heart of the new born babes in Christ and directs it to things above, not to the things of the earth.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  (Colossians 3:4)

   We should embrace the Lord Jesus where He is, at the right hand of God. We should understand that our spirit and soul have been translated into His divine kingdom, and we are only waiting for the redemption of our body. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(Romans 8:23) The omnipresence of the Spirit of Christ has been hidden from the church by the deceivers who fill the pulpits of the world. It is true that Christ sits upon the throne in heaven. (Revelation 4) It is true that the Spirit of Christ dwells in the heart of EVERY believer. It is true that His Spirit has been given to us to lead us into ALL TRUTH. These facts are upheld in the Scriptures. They are undeniable, and yet, we still hear the words of the Pharisees, Dost thou teach us?

   In the Lord’s omnipresence He taught us how to pray. This took place prior to His sufferings in John Chapter 17. The Lord Jesus entered into the divine sanctuary of the Spirit. He addressed the Father as a Son by His Spirit. This was an example of His personal prayer for us to understand, and for us to follow. This prayer in John 17 is presented to us by the Spirit of God as Peter, James, and John slept and did not hear these words. The Lord Jesus spoke only to His Father, and He spoke within the spiritual garden of paradise separated from the world and in the presence of His Father as the Son of God. He had gone within the spiritual chamber of the divine. The holy angels watched in admiration and worship of the Son of God, and ministered to Him as He travailed over the suffering before Him. In the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ was the holiness of God, and the righteousness of God, in body, and in the flesh that was prepared for Him (and by Him) before the foundations of the earth.

 There was no room for variance of His Person. His righteousness could not be altered for He MUST fulfill all righteousness on the cross of Calvary where ONLY the PERFECTION of God and His righteousness could engulf the sin of man, and death by sin.  The divine answer to sin was God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ.

   There are three divine points brought out by the Spirit of God during the time of the Lord’s suffering prior to the cross and while on the cross. The first point is that God had to be satisfied. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11) In the travail of His soul, he shall be satisfied, and by God’s righteous servant His Son humbled Himself and offered His soul for the iniquity of man.

   The second point: the divine court had to receive payment for sin. What makes the divine court? The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) constitute the divine court. The three Persons of the Godhead had to be satisfied with the payment, and this would be in the sacrifice of God’s dear Son. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.(Isaiah 53:12) We should remember that the burden of guilt lies not with God but with all of mankind. All are initially guilty in Adam for that one sin that was passed upon all men, and thus, ALL of mankind is guilty for ALL his transgressions against a holy and righteous God. At birth mankind is guilty. In fact, all are conceived in sin and iniquity.

<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.>> Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (Psalm 51:1)

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  (Psalm 51:2)

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  (Psalm 51:3)

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  (Psalm 51:4)

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.(Psalm 51:5)

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.(Psalm 51:6)

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. (Psalm 51:8)

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  (Psalm 51:9)

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  (Psalm 51:10)

   Let us clarify this, read again verse 5, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Understand that Adam and Eve were driven OUT of the garden as sinners, and guilty before God. Their first son (Cain) was conceived by two sinners, and their inner beings transmitted that sin onto Cain, thus, Cain became a murderer because the root of sin was in both Adam and Eve for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Sin is the root of death, and this root was extracted by the Son of God on the Day of Atonement as He offered up Himself for the sin of Adam and the sin of the whole world. God could justify Himself in His own sacrifice of Himself as the Son of man. He displayed His own righteousness to the fullest in the Son of God for all eternity in the beloved, and in those who are born of the Spirit of God. It was the Son of God (that holy thing) in the body prepared in the divine sanctuary of eternity that was given freely of God for the sin of the whole world.

    The third point: He has quickened. This little phrase, and the word quickened is very important.

SIDE NOTE: The word ‘quickened‘ is mentioned twice in the Old Testament and five times in the New Testament for a total of seven times.

This [is] my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. (Psalm 119:50)

I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. (Psalm 119:93)

[Thou] fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: (1^st Corinthians 15:36)

And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (Colossians 2:13)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1^st Peter 3:18)

   This word quickened has a permanent application. He has quickened us free of guilt to a divine life spent with Him. He has quickened us with a divine life so that we might share this life because of His death. He accomplished this by defeating death in the battle of life and death on the cross.

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13)

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

   In the death of the Lord He destroyed the works of the devil; this goes all the way back to Isaiah Chapter 14, and Lucifer’s transgression in heaven. This also goes back to the emerging of sin upon the earth in Genesis Chapter 3. The conflict between God and Lucifer is an ongoing conflict. Lucifer was the created anointed cherub who rebelled against the Almighty Creator. He sinned against His Creator, and God cast him out. He had caused a rebellion in heaven, and those angels who followed Lucifer were gathered up by God’s omnipotent power and bound in chains and cast into hell waiting for the day of their judgment to come in the future when God will judge the quick and the dead at His great white throne. God will cast all those who have transgressed against Him, and who have not repented of their sin and works into the lake of fire. This will be the second death. The spiritual application for the children of God is that they have been delivered once and for all. They have been set free in Christ: free of sin, free of guilt, free of their inheritance from Adam. They are no longer created beings of the earth, but created beings of the body and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   Again this question, Dost thou teach us? From an early age we are taught by the world. The world teaches us to sin, and we embrace sin because of the inherent sin within us from Adam. The world also teaches us how to sin in various ways. We are taught to sin by our education, through our peers and friends; yet, we do not see them as teachers, however, their headmaster, the devil, has many teachers, and from a child our ears are open to them. But there is one subject that they do not teach us about: it is the subject of death because they fear the very presence of death. They will teach one to murder through films, and video games, and even through government intelligence (spy) agencies, through wars and through judicial punishment. But no one EVER sits down with you to talk about death or to teach you about death and the reason for the curse of death. Well . . . this is my duty and my job. That’s one of the positions that I am in for God wants this taught. You see that I was born with sin and death upon me. I was blind in sin. My eyes were opened, and I could see, in fact, they were wide open as the eyes of Balaam, but I was blind to my own need as a sinner. There was no one on earth to teach me about sin and death, and there was no one to deliver me. There was no one on earth who was going to teach me why death was here on earth. How did it get here? And why must I die? These are questions that mankind cannot answer in himself because the answers had to be revealed by another: a Man who was not under the penalty of death. This Man was/is the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the lesson: why was death here on earth? It began with a cast down angel, the old serpent, the devil, as the first recorded transgressor in the Bible. He sinned against God. (Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28) He was cast out of heaven, but not out of the spiritual realm. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) Although the devil had been cast down, he could still come into the presence of God. (Job 1) Both the spiritual realm and the tangible realm are linked together because of the devil’s sin in heaven and man’s sin upon the earth.

<<A Psalm of David.>> The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1) For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. (Psalm 24:2)

Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: (Job 4:18) How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? (Job 4:19)

What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous? (Job 15:14) Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. (Job 15:15)

Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. (Job 25:5) How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm? (Job 25:6)

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)

That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)

   The great battle began in heaven and continues on the bloody field of earth. When sin came into the world both Satan and mankind were spiritual enemies of God, consequently both the tangible realm and the spiritual realm are linked together through timelessness and time. The world (its people) became the enemies of the Almighty under Satan who is the General and Master of sin. He is the great predator and tempter of sin, who first engaged Eve into this battle. Eve then lured Adam, and Adam (through his actions) brought sin into the tangible world. Remember that sin already existed in the spiritual world in the very person of Satan. The initial sin in heaven was rebellion. The initial sin on earth was rebellion. Satan was cast down, and man was cast out of the garden for his transgression and sin. The temptation of Eve did not stop with Eve for the tempter has been tempting mankind ever since. He is the great tempter in Matthew Chapter 4, and the weapon of all his temptations is sin, and the finality of sin is death. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)

    Did the world teach you about death? Did your kindergarten teacher teach you about death? In the first grade how many lessons did you have about death? How many books were you required to read about death while in high school? When you went to college, how many essays did you have to write about death and the root cause of death? They will teach you how to sin, but never teach you the finality of sin both now and in eternity. How many teachers, or even preachers have told you about the second death? But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

   People love to hear about the prophecies within the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but rarely take time to learn of the great white throne of God’s judgment. This is a prophecy that WILL be fulfilled. It’s one of the greatest prophecies in the Bible. It condemns the damned, and gives confidence to the redeemed for this is where God WILL judge the quick and the dead. Here the books will be opened and all deeds and works will be read out in judgment. There will have no advocate, no one to stop the judgment, and the verdict will be GUILTY for all those whose names are not found written in the book of life (which is the book of eternal life in Jesus Christ). All those who have refused the Christ of God had/have an opportunity in life to repent, and to cast themselves on the mercy of God and to receive grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. These will be cast into the lake of fire, and according to Scripture there are divisions in this huge lake of torment. There is a place for the devil and his angels. There is a place for the man of sin and his false prophet. There is a place for Judas, and there is a place for every transgressor who has not received the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The only book that I know that teaches the truth about death, and the second death is the Bible. And as far as I know, the only true teacher of the Holy Scriptures is the Holy Spirit Himself. He not only will teach you about death, but He will also teach you about life in the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Revelation Chapter 1, it is the Lord Jesus Himself who holds the keys of hell and death.

And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; (Revelation 1:12)

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:13)

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (Revelation 1:14)

And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelation 1:15)

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Revelation 1:17)

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)

   These keys of hell and death unlock the truth of the second death. In Revelation Chapter 3, verse 7, it is the Holy One, the Lord Himself who holds the KEY of David. This is the KEY: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) Jesus is the only key to eternal life. I (Jesus) am the only key to escape death. I (Jesus) am the only key of salvation. And as the psalmist David, we can also say with all grace, What shall I render unto the LORD [for] all his benefits toward me? (Psalm 116:12) I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. (Psalm 116:13) I will take the cup of salvation, the cup of life, the cup of blood that He shed for me, and call upon the name of the Lord.

   In Revelation Chapter 1, it is KEYS (many). In Revelation 3:7, it is one KEY, and this KEY is found in John Chapter 14, verse 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) The Lord Jesus Himself established that HE is the ONLY ONE who can present eternal life to those who call upon His name. The way is what God has established that man must repent and call upon the name of the Lord. The truth is the only way that man can approach God in the sincerity of his own heart (knowing what he is, and knowing what he deserves ), and call out for God’s mercy, The life can only be given by Christ because He is the Author, and the Finisher of ALL life.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:5) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)

   Be well aware where this verse comes in holy Scripture. God once again declares that He is the Almighty in the words Alpha and Omega in the words ‘beginning,’ and ‘the end.’ This Chapter precedes the last Chapter of God’s Holy Word, and in these verses it is the redeemed who come to the mind of the omnipotent God. It is to those who thirst, and who drink of the water of life freely, but the Creator of all things also puts out this call to ALL who thirst that they should drink of the water of life FREELY. This takes us back to Revelation 3:7, And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;. Revelation 3:7, is also for us today. We must lay hold of the truth because God has opened the door and not man. God is ready to teach and not man. GOD is speaking to the Church so that they might know the truth, the way, and the life.

   Can a man born blind teach us? The answer is YES. In these eighteen questions that have been selected from John Chapter 9 we have learned much, and we still have three more questions to go. Remember those who begin a race must finish the race. May the Spirit of Christ open our hearts, spirits, and souls to His teaching. Let us possess the mind of Christ in the Law, in the prophets, and in the psalms. Let us drink of the water of life freely from the gospels, from the acts of the Spirit, from the apostles, and from the epistles of the Spirit by Paul, James, Peter, John and Jude. Remember that the book of Jude with Spirit-filled revelations of the past is the prelude to introduce us to the final revelation of God in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, given to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. Amen.

© Copyright 2021, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the  King James Bible. (KJV)