WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC #37
January 21, 2001
Brian Kocourek
ROMANS
1:17 For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall
live by faith.
Now, who are these just ones that
shall live by Faith. I would think the same one who told us that the just shall
live by faith should be the same one to tell us who they are.
ROMANS 8:28 And we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to [his] purpose. 29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now the only
way you could ever conform to the image of His Son is if you have the same
attributes and characteristics. And in order to have that you would have to
have the same seed Life in you as His Son did. Because the Law of reproduction
that God set forth in Genesis 1:11 tells us that every Seed shall bring forth
after it's kind or nature.
Let's read on 30 Moreover whom he
did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.(It's
already a done deal, it is finished). 31
¶ What shall we then say to
these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us? 32 He that spared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. 34 Who [is] he that
condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written,
For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Now, Paul said,
it is God that Justifieth, and who does He justify? Those He foreknew, those
that He foreknew He also did predestinate. We are talking about the Elect Seed
of God. And in ROMANS 1:17 Paul said, the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: from Revelation to Revelation, for The just shall live by faith, by what?
By Revelation. Now, I am going
to show you in a few minutes how important this statement is when it comes to
righteousness, for that is what we are looking at today. Righteousness and
unrighteousness. And this is one of the biggest misunderstandings we have in
this message. Most people are still living in a bondage to their own perceived
idea's of what righteousness is. And they are trying to establish their own
righteousness by what they can produce in themselves.
ROMANS 3:20 Therefore by
the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: we
have already shown you that it is God that justifies, and what Paul is telling
us here is that no deeds can bring forth our justification. by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight: for by the law [is]
the knowledge of sin. (what he is telling us here is that the Law,
the rule book, the moral code, the conduct and order can only point you to what
is sin, or what is unbelief, but it can not make you righteous.
ROMANS 3:21 But now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the
law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith
of Jesus Christ ( and what is Faith? It is a revelation) 22 Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: ( and
who is it that believes? Or might I put it this way, Who is it that can
believe? Here Paul is telling us that True Righteousness comes only from God by
receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ. And the only ones who can believe are
those who have been ordained to believe.
ACTS 13:48 And when the
Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as
many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
ROMANS 4:1 ¶ What shall we say then that Abraham our father,
as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory;
but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed
God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that
worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness.
That is why
Jesus said that, "God is Spirit and they
that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth." You can't separate the Two.
Spirit and Truth, because Jesus also said, "My
Words are Spirit and they are Truth."
And worship outside of the vindicated revealed Word will not
be acceptable to God, it never has been.
Now, I have
shown you over the past few weeks that religion tends to feed the flesh,
because it is sensate, or based on the senses. And any worship that is not
based on Spirit and Truth, will always lean toward the outward 5 senses of the
flesh or the 5 inward senses.
We cannot worship with eyes,
nor with our noses by smelling incense, nor can we worship with our ears by
listening to music; for the flesh profiteth
nothing. And yet we have churches today of all denominations,
even among the Message professors, there are some that have choirs and
orchestra's with more members than there arer sitting in the pews of many a
church today. And the churches with the most music seem to be the largest of
all. If you do not have a music program in your church you will never
attract the people, they say. And yet what are they being attracted to? The
new "Gospel of Song". We are living in a time when the
"flesh" seems to lead the worship and yet is it not in vain?
JOHN 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
If the flesh of itself "profiteth
nothing", then it is clear that we cannot worship God with
any of our five senses (which all
pertain to the flesh). To worship with our eyes profiteth nothing, and yet the
majority of the world religions do just that. They use the eyes to attract
people to worship. They build big monuments of beauty, big cathedrals, big
churches, big altars just for the purpose of worship and yet it profits
nothing. We cannot worship with our eyes, nor our nose, like the Catholic and
the hindu that would burn incense before the altars to create a form of worship
through aroma. The only aroma that is pleasing to God is the prayers of His
saints. We cannot worship with eyes, nor with our noses by smelling incense,
nor can we worship with our ears by listening to music; for the flesh profiteth nothing.
And yet we have churches today
of all denominations, even among the Message professors, there are some that
have choirs and orchestra's with more members than there arer sitting in the
pews of many a church today. And the churches with the most music seem to be
the largest of all. If you do not have a music program in your church you
will never attract the people, they say. And yet what are they being
attracted to? The new "Gospel of Song". We are living in a time when
the "flesh" seems to lead the worship and yet is it not in vain?
Paul said, it "profiteth nothing". And isn't it
interesting that this thirst for music has increased with the same velocity as
the cry for the Charismatic, Pentecostal cry to "Be filled with the Spirit." But they do not
want the Word of Truth, and what Word they do have has been wrongly divided.
They do not take all of the Word, for Jesus said, in JOHN 4:23 the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh
such to worship him. He
never said in spirit only, but in Spirit and Truth. 6
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God
imputeth righteousness without works, 7 [Saying], Blessed [are] they whose
iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed [is] the man
to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9 ¶ [Cometh] this blessedness then
upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith
was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned?
when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in
uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he
might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that
righteousness might be imputed unto them also…
(Now
here's the key right here in this verse, Paul said, that righteousness might be imputed
unto them also… notice this word imputed that Paul uses here. It
is a Greek word logizomai {log-id'-zom-ahee} the root word is logos,
and the suffix o-mai means to consider it, the complete word means to reckon,
or to take into account, or to pass to ones account like money being
transferred into your account. This
word deals with reality. If I "logizomai" or reckon that my bank book
has $25 in it, it has $25 in it. Otherwise I am deceiving myself. This word
refers to facts not suppositions.
And this word
is the opposite of the Greek word, Arne-omai which literally
means to deny or not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered as we
see in MATTHEW 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I
also deny before my Father which is in heaven. You see, to deny
Christ is just the opposite as to accept him. And to accept Him is to say the
same thing about Him as the father has, as Jesus points out in the verse right
before this one. MATTHEW 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Therefore,
Logos-omai means to accept what God says about you via His Word, whereas the
word arne means "not" and combined with omai means to not accept or
to reject the Logos.
VOICE OF GOD
63-0120M 50 Now, we find out that they set the pace. And did you ever
notice, our young boys has become Ricky and Elvis. You got a child named that,
change it right quick, call him number one or two, or something. Don't...
That's a horrible... You say, "What difference does the name mean?"
Why, sure, it means something. Your name characterizes your life. "Now,
Brother Branham, you're on numerology." No, I'm not. I'm on THUS SAITH THE
LORD. Why was it when Jacob, he lived to his name as--as deceiver, supplanter,
Jacob. And when God changed him, He changed his name. God changed Saul to Paul,
Simon to Peter. Certainly, it has something. And Ricky and Elvis, and such
names as that, is the modern American name which throws a child automatically
right into that. See what I mean?
Look at the
name Arnold and what do you immediately think of, benedict Arnold, right? And
Who was he? A man who rejected his country, and became a traitor. He rejected,
and he is known for his rejection. That is what he is famous for, his rejection
of America. Arnold, arne, that's right. Arne-omai! If I had a name like that
I'd change it right quick.
Anyway, we were
looking at what Paul said, that is the key to the righteousness of God. He said, that
righteousness might be imputed unto them also… and we were
looking at this word imputed that Paul used here. And we found that it is a
Greek word logizomai {log-id'-zom-ahee} from the root
word logos, and o-mai means to consider. The complete word means to
reckon, or to take into account, or to pass to ones account like money being
transferred into your account. This word deals with reality. If I
"logizomai" or reckon that my bank book has $25 in it, it has $25 in
it. Otherwise I am deceiving myself. This word refers to facts not
suppositions.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the
world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through
the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no
law is, [there is] no transgression. 16 Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it
might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;
not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of
Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17
¶ (As it is written, I have made
thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many
nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being
not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about
an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered
not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was
able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness.
Why was it imputed
to him, because of his works? NO! because he simply took God at his word. He
said the money is in the bank, therefore it is. He said, I have already been
justified, therefore, I am. Not me making everything right that I ever did
wrong. Not me living a perfectly upright life without offending anyone my
entire life. No, Not that! But to Confess what God has already said about you,
that's it, that's the key. 21 And being fully
persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore
it was imputed to him for righteousness.
ROMANS 5:18 Therefore
as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification
of life.
ROMANS 9:28 For he will
finish the work, and cut [it] short in righteousness: because a short work will
the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as
Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we
had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. 30 ¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles,
which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath
not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because [they
sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they
stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a
stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.
Romans 10:1 ¶ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer
to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record
that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3
For they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not
submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ [is] the end
of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which
is of the law, That the man which doeth
those things shall live by them. 6
But the righteousness which is of
faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into
heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that
is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in
thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9
That if thou shalt confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. 11
For the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
In these first
eleven verses we hear Paul speak of a people who have Zeal, but he says, not according to knowledge. Then he
clarifies whose knowledge their zeal is ignorant of. He goes on to say, Being
Ignorant of God's righteousness, they go
about to establish their own
righteousness. Now the word, righteousness means right-wise-ness and being
that they reject God’s right-wise-ness or God’s way , they have only one thing
left to do and that is to accept their own right-wise-ness as being the correct
way.
355-4, 4 Laodicean
Church Age - "Be zealous
and repent." Now this false church has zeal; make no mistake about that.
Her zeal has literally been that of the Jews, John 2:17, "The zeal of
thine house hath eaten Me up." But it is a wrong zeal. It is for
the house of their own building. It is for their own creeds, dogmas,
organizations, their own righteousness. They have put the Word out for
their own ideas. They deposed the Holy Ghost and made men into leaders. They
have put aside Eternal Life as a Person, and make it good works, or even church
conformity rather than good works. But
God is calling for another zeal. It is the zeal to cry "I AM
WRONG". Now who is going to say that he is wrong? What is it that all
these denominations are based upon?--the claim to originality, and that of
God,--the claim that they are right.
Now they ALL cannot
be right. In fact NOT ONE of them is right. They are whited sepulchres, full of
dead men's bones. They have no life. They have no vindication. God has
never made Himself known in any organization. They say they are right because
they are the ones that are saying it, but saying it does not make it so. They
need the vindicated "Thus saith the Lord" of God, and they don't have
it.
In PROVERBS
14:12 we read, ¶ There is a way which seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. So we see that man, if left to himself will choose the wrong
way every time. That is why God intercedes on the behalf of the Elect.
PSALMS 1:1 ¶
Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2
But his delight [is] in the law
of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also
shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 ¶ The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the
chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor
sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way (That Greek word is
Derek, and means the course of Life) of the
righteous: but the way (the course of Life) of the ungodly shall perish.
Knoweth =
yada' 1b1) to be made known, be/become known, be
revealed to make oneself known: to be
perceived : to be instructed, to cause
to know to make oneself known, reveal oneself… Therefore we see that the Lord actively works in the
Life of the righteous, to make sure that the Righteous understands the True
Revelation and disclosure of God. In other words, God purposes in His heart to
make sure that His kids know Him. Now that sounds like a real dad, doesn’t
it? But with the ungodly it is not so. Notice what is said about the ungodly…
: but the way (the course of Life) of the ungodly shall perish ( 'abad = be lost, strayed to give up (as lost)
So we see that
the Lord actively participates in the course of Life of the Righteous, and what
He does during this course of Life is to make Himself known to the Righteous.
But with the ungodly, they are left to themselves and thus they will most
certainly perish.
Paul said, For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. Notice, these do not submit
themselves to the right-wise-ness of God and so they try to establish their own
thinking as the best avenue, the best way to go and do not realize in doing so
they cut themselves off from the Life of God.
II CORINTHIANS 3:12 ¶
Seeing then that we have such
hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13
And not as Moses, [which] put a veil over his face, that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until
this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old
testament; which [veil] is done away in Christ.
Now before we
go any further, I just want to say that Brother Branham taught us that veil
which Paul is speaking of here is the veil of traditions and creeds,
UNVEILING OF
GOD 062 Now--and one time,
and if a man walked through that veil, it was sudden death. Now, it's death not
to go through it. Amen. If you can't break that veil of tradition, break
through that wall of denomination to see God in His power, it's death. Once
where it was death to go in, now it's death to stay out. The whole mercy seat's
setting in plain view; anybody can see It; the veil's rent. Glory to God. The
whole mercy seat comes into plain view. 118 063
How God could have mercy on foul sinners as us, when He hid Himself, was
a mystery. And now It's in plain view, or in full view, revealed by His Word.
It's always the Word, constantly; that is God. It's the Word that opens it up.
If those people would've known the Word of God that day when Jesus died, they'd
have seen the mercy seat, they would've seen Who He was. "Who was that
then? Why did the veil rent?" Remember, it's death to go into it; nobody
could see it. Moses saw It in a form, It was a whirl... It was a--a man's back.
But here It is, a bleeding back, that same Man. What was It? God wanted to show
them the mercy seat; God wanted to show them Who He was. So the veil in the
temple, from the hand of God above, was rent from top to the bottom and showed
God in plain view. It was Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, the Mercy Seat.
And what was it? The people were too blind to see It. 120 064 Now, it's repeated again. The traditions,
how... Then on the day of Pentecost, the Word came and was--and was in a form
of Son of God. And they begin to organize it at Nicaea, Rome. And the first
thing, it went to Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, and so forth.
It's organized traditions; a man don't know where he stands. But glory to God,
He promised in the last days what He would do: He would show His Word in plain
view, open before us again (See?), open It up. If they'd have only known the
Word, they'd have known Who Jesus was. If a man only known the Word of God,
he'd know the hour we're living and what's going on. They just refuse to listen
to that Word. Their traditions... What caused those Jews to see that? What
caused? Looked like they could've actually seen, because the thing was tore
open. It was tore open for a purpose.
122
065 What's this revival
long for now? How could it prosper? How could it be blessed? I don't care how
many impersonations its got, or anything else, that all... When Moses went out,
there was a mixed multitude went with him. But what's it done for? It's Jehovah
Himself taking the veil off of God to show the difference between right and
wrong, which is, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, or who's right? God's Word
is right. "Let every man's word be a lie, and Mine the Truth." And
God needs no interpreter; He does His Own interpretation. He manifests It and
made--He gives the interpretation. God unveiling Himself (Oh, my.) right in the
midst of us; we see His great hand telling these things, doing these...?... I
got something on that tonight (See?), of how to watch the hand of God, what it
does, how it unfolds itself. See? And people say, "Oh, That's nonsense.
That's fanaticism. There--there's nothing to that. That's nonsense. That's Beelzebub.
That's a devil. That's fortune telling. That's this." See, the same thing
they said about Him...
125 066 Oh church, and if
this tape goes out, can't you see, ministers of the Gospel, where you're
living? Can't you see the hour that we're in? God, showing Himself, setting
aside... Look, He took that temple veil and tore it to pieces that they might
see God in plain view, and they was too blind to see It. And He's done the same
thing today: putting His Word right out in front, what He promised, every
promise in the Word laying right before us, in plain view. You know what the
Gentile church does? The same thing the Jewish church did: too blind to see It.
That's all. It'll be on their hearts just as it was in that day.
127 067 Notice, death to
stay away from It now. You must go into It through this veil or you won't. How
God could have mercy on them... But remember what it was, that God is
manifesting what was behind that veil. Watch what was behind the veil: the
Word. What did it veil? The Word. What was it? It's in the ark. It was the Word
that that veil hid. See? And Jesus was that Word, and He is that Word, and the
veil of His flesh hid It. And today the veil of tradition hides the Word again,
saying, "It's not so." But It is so. God's testifying of It, blasting
Himself right out as bright as the sun before everyone, and they fail to see
It. God, be merciful to us.
129 068 In type, Moses
coming from the Presence of God with the Word of God for that age... Now,
watch, we're now in Exodus 19. Don't miss this now. Exodus 19, Moses is coming
from the Presence of God, or 20 and 21, 19:20 and 21. Moses is coming from the
Presence of God; he has been into the Word. The Word's been wrote, and he in
the Presence of God with the Word, he had the Word for that age. There's a Word
for each age. And Moses coming forth, his face shined so. See? The Word was in
him, ready to be manifested, give out to the people. The true Word, God had
wrote It and It was with Moses. Notice It was with Moses and was ready to be
manifested. He was the Word to them; he was the living Word hid, veiled
himself; Moses had to put a veil over his own face. Why? He was that Word.
Amen. Until that Word was made known, Moses had to veil himself. Amen. Do you
see It? Wherever the Word is, It's veiled.
131 069 Moses had the Word. Now remember, after the
Word was made manifest, Moses was Moses again. See? But while that Word was in
him to be give out, he was God. For he wasn't Moses no more; he had the Word of
the Lord for that age. Nothing could touch him till that was over, had that
Word with him. So therefore, when he come, the people turned their heads; they
couldn't understand. He'd been changed; he was a different fellow. He come with
that Word. And he put a veil, the Bible said, over his face, for he had the
Word. And he was the Word to them.
132 070 Now, look, if
Moses... Oh, brother, here's going to be an insult. But if Moses... As Paul
said here in II Corinthians the 3rd chapter, if Moses had to veil his face with
that type of glory upon him... See, because that was natural glory; that was a
natural law. And if Moses... Knowing that that law had to perish... But the
glory was so great that it blinded the people, so they had to put a veil over
his face, how much more will It be? (Spiritual blinded people... Uh-huh.) That
glory was to fade away, but this glory won't fade away. See? Moses had the
carnal law, the condemnation, no grace, no nothing; it just condemned you. But
this we're speaking about... That had
no pardon; that just told you what you was. This gives you a way out. And when
that Word is unveiled, oh, my, what kind of a face will It be? It'll have to be
veiled. It's got to be veiled. Now, notice, so the Spirit is veiled in a human
temple (See?); he to speak the natural words with a natural veil...
Now, in getting back to 2 Cor 3: 15 Paul continues, But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the
veil is upon their heart. In other words, there is a blindness upon their heart or rather, their understanding has
become darkened as Paul will tell us
shortly.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, (When
what shall turn to the Lord?, notice he is speaking about the heart, which is
the understanding, then what happens?) the veil
shall be taken away.( The blindness shall be taken away… )
That’s Revelations
3:18b anoint
thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. See what? 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if
any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup
with him, and he with me.
380-1 Resume of
The Ages - CA But because they are wrong seed, consequently they have a
wrong spirit motivating them. Religious? Oh my! They
outshine the elect in effort and zeal, but it is Laodicean, not of Christ, for it looks for big crowds, big programs
and startling signs amongst them. They preach the second coming of Christ,
but deny the advent of the prophet-messenger, though in power and signs and
true revelation he eclipses them all. Ah yes, this false spirit that in the last day is so close to the real, can be
distinguished only by its deviation from the Word, and whenever it is
caught in being anti-Word, it falls back on the one argument we have already
shown to be false: "We get results, don't we? We have to be of God."
348-1
LAODICEAN CA - Now God says they are naked as well as blind. I cannot
imagine anything as tragic as a man who is blind and naked and does not know
it. There is only one answer--he is out of his mind. He is already deep in oblivion.
His faculties are gone, spiritual
amnesia has set in. What else can it mean? Can it mean that the Holy Spirit
has taken His leave of this last day church? Can it mean that men have put God
out of their minds to such an extent that it is happening even as stated in Romans 1:28. "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." It surely appears that
something like that has happened. Here is a people who say that they are of God
and know God and have His Holy Spirit, and yet they are naked and blind and
don't know it. They are ALREADY DECEIVED. THEY HAVE THE WRONG SPIRIT. THE
ELECT CANNOT BE DECEIVED, BUT IT IS EVIDENT THAT THESE OTHERS ARE. These
are they who have become blind because they refused the Word of God. These are
they who have stripped themselves naked by leaving God's care and protection
and sought to build their own way of salvation, their own tower of Babel by
organization. Oh, how lovely and beautiful dressed they appear in their own
eyes as they formed their general assembles, and their councils, etc. But now
God is stripping it all away and they are naked, for these organizations have
but led them into the camp of antichrist, into the field of tares, right up to
their binding and burning. Objects of pity indeed they are. Yes, pity them,
warn them, beseech them, and still they go their way headlong to destruction,
wrathfully turning away any and all attempts to save them as brands from the burning.
Miserable indeed they are, yet they know it not. Callused and beyond hope, they
glory in what is actually their shame. Defiant against the Word, yet one day
they shall be judged by it and pay the price of its awful indictments.
2Cor 3: 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the
Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.
18 But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord. 4:1 ¶ Therefore seeing
we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2But have
renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor
handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth
commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.3 But if
our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (there’s
your Psalms 1 again). 4 In whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them. 5 For we preach not
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus'
sake. 6 For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to [give] the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face (prosopon = person or presence ie. Personal presence of Jesus Christ. 7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Therefore, we should be able to see that God has come
with the purpose to shine forth His Light upon the minds of the elect, which He
calls His Righteous, and by shining the Light of His Glorious Presence upon His
Righteous, It causes His Righteous to be changed from Glory to Glory and from
image to image. That’s 2 Cor 3: 18
again… “But we all, with open face (an unveiled face, one which has no
traditions or creeds) beholding as in a glass (the mirror of
the Word) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory
to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In other words,
when we pick up the Word of God, this Bible and look into it, we no longer see
ourselves, but we see Christ, and when we see Him, the longer we look the more
we are changed to be like Him.
I JOHN 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Therefore, by seeing Him as He really is, we are changed to be like Him.
I CORINTHIANS 13: 9 For
we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10
But when that which is perfect is
come, then that which is in part shall be done away. And there is no one
perfect but God… Then this speaks of when He, God comes… 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,(why did I understand like a child?) I
thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12
For now we see through a glass,
darkly; but then face to face, (Face to face? That word is personal
presence. Therefore, there is coming a time when I will see Him Presence to
Presence. ) now I know in part; but then ( When? At that time that He is
personally here,) then shall I know even as also I am known.
Know = epiginosko , to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly;
to know accurately, know well… to
recognize; by sight, hearing, of certain signs, to perceive who a person
is…then will I understand…
Now, in getting
back to Romans 10 we pick up at verse
13 through 17 in closing…
Romans 10:13 For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall
they hear without a preacher (Even
though they say they hear, thy boast in vain, unless they hear true preachers;
for to hear false prophets means as much as not to hear. They hear and they do
not hear; They have ears, but do not hear, nor do they preach the Word of God. ? 15
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of
good things! ? This is directed against
all conceited teachers and arrogant instructors .
If you will
notice in verse 14-15 there are four
statements that Paul makes that of which follow together in such a way that one
leads to the other, but so that the last forms the foundation on which the
others rest. Thus we see from what Paul said, that it is impossible that those
preach who are not sent, It then is impossible for those to hear who are
without a preacher, and it is impossible for them to believe who do not hear,
and thus it would be impossible for them to call upon the name of the Lord who
do not believe. And thus it would be impossible for them who do not call upon
the name of the Lord to be saved.
So then, the entire source and origin of
salvation rests on this, that God sends out someone, ( A true minister of the
Word).
If He does not send out any, then they who
preach, preach falsely, and
their preaching is no preaching at all. In fact, it would be better for them
not to preach.
Then also they who hear, hear error,
and it would be better for them not to hear.
Then also they who believe, would believe
false doctrine, and it would be better for them not to believe.
Then also they who call upon Him would call
falsely (upon a false Lord), and it
would be better for them not to call.
For such preachers do not preach,
such hearers do not hear;
such believers do not believe;
such callers do not call;
they will be damned because they would be saved
by falsehood.
Then we would
see what is spoken of in Proverbs
1:28 which says, “Then shall
they call upon me, But I ill not answer; they shall seek me early, but they
shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of
the Lord.”
16 But they have not all obeyed the
gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17
So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The true,
revealed, and vindicated Word of God.
Then can you
see the importance this morning of receiving a vindicated Ministry? Because if
it is not vindicated, then how do you know what you are hearing is not error?
And if it is error, then you would be believing error, and if you believe
error, then you would be calling out to a wrong God, and if you call out to a
wrong God, then how could you be saved?
Therefore, God has come down to vouch safe His own Presence among us. We
know that we are the elect of God because He said so. It is not just something
we have read in a book, but God Himself has come down and has spoken through the
lips of His Prophet whom He has vindicated and that is what I am standing on
this morning.
II CORINTHIANS 6:14 Be
ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with
darkness?
GALATIANS 2:20 I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
PHILIPPIANS 3:9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
II TIMOTHY 4:1 ¶ I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and
his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out
of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For
the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;4 And
they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be
offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.7 I have fought a good fight,
I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
HEBREWS 5:13 For every
one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a
babe.
HEBREWS 11:7 By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared
an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
I JOHN 2:29 If ye know
that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born
of him.
I JOHN 3:7 Little
children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil;
for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifest 9 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. 10
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.