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"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says the LORD." Isa 65:25
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I have written many times about the Christian religion being corrupt and in apostasy because I do believe we need to get back to the true doctrine Jesus brought from the Holy Father and the reason is because of the greatest message Jesus brought and that message was not only that He became our eternal sacrifice but because of the reason He gave His life for us. Satan has deceived many people into believing we will go to heaven after death because he does not want us knowing about the true fantastic message Jesus brought. Notice that the teaching of going to heaven after death is void of what we will be doing for eternity? But the coming Kingdom of God and our part in the kingdom is what Jesus taught! Be sure to read the discription of the Kingdom of God at the end of this study under the sub-title "What will the Kingdom of God will be like"
Jesus preached the Kingdom of God which was the precise message that God the Father sent Him to preach. It is important to note that Jesus started His ministry with this very important statement; recorded in Mark 1:14-15. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." (You might want to hear the sermon titled "The New Covenant" as taught from the book of Hebrews.) Although this message was preached by the prophets of old such as Isaiah. Jesus revealed that we can not only be a part of it, but how we can be a part of the Kingdom of God! Many ministers teach that we go to heaven at death but is that what Jesus taught? Jesus taught that we must be saved from our sins so we can enter the coming Kingdom, which Jesus is now busy preparing for us and will bring back to this earth with Him at His second coming and is a very important part of the Gospel message, as you will see. ( See our study titled "What happens after death.") The preaching of the coming Kingdom of God is very complex and as disciples of the Messiah we need to be able to correctly teach this very important subject along with the teaching that we are saved by our reliance on the blood sacrifice of the Messiah. Yes, Jesus is the way (The door) by the blood He shed on the stake of suffering, but, the way to what? A New life? Yes, but a new life where?
The word disciple in the Greek means "a learner, or pupil" We should never think we will spend years, and years just going to church listing to a preacher on subjects of his choosing and never thinking we too must teach these truths to others. How much more would we be attentive to the minister if we knew we would be accountable for teaching others also? This does not necessarily mean we all should become ministers standing up in front of a group of brethren preaching. All do not have the same gifts, or the same areas of responsibility as we see pointed out in Rom 12:4-5. "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." (NKJ throughout) The point is that we should know why we believe what we do and be able to give an answer to others that may ask.
The truth is under a great attack today in ways like never before and those
that hate the truth of God are hard at work to destroy it. Many are greedy
for wealth and power, and they know that as long as the truth of God in all
it's teaching of righteousness and ethical conduct stands, then they can't
do what they want. Many in Government and business want Satan's ways so they
can please all their lust, and corrupt all the earth without feeling guilt.
You see, they know deep within that judgment is coming, but they want
to deny it to themselves so they MUST change the truth of God and discredit
those that will defend it. Jesus gave us as true Christians a great responsibility
to uphold the preaching of the coming
Jesus set this open door before us and He expects us to continue to KEEP His word and not deny His Name until the end. He expects us to continue in the truth He delivered from the Holy Father without adding ones own interpretation to it. Let's not be of the church of the Laodiceans that have put Jesus out of the church where He must stand out side and knock. If we have found ourselves there, but hear Him knocking then let's be honest with ourselves and repent, and open to Him and sup with Him. If we have found that we have not brought oil for our lamps, then let's do so now, and take our calling to heart asking God what He wants us to do. Jesus came with a message that could only be delivered by someone so great that the message could never be destroyed by the powers of darkness in high places. This message is a living on going message because it was delivered by a blood sacrifice from God Himself, and as God swearing on Himself, there can be no greater or complete eternal promise to those that will believe. This is the very reason NO MAN should ever change the true gospel or the doctrine of Jesus, lest he be cursed. Let's take heed to what we preach as the word of God. Let's not mix what we THINK is truth, or what someone else teaches as truth, but let's study to find "the truth" so we can preach by "the authority" of the very Son that sits on the throne in heaven and be named among the faithful servants of God.
Let's realize that this is not about us alone, but about many others that need this gospel message for their saving and the saving of those they love. Many misguided preachers are teaching many types of false gospels today that lead people to believe they only need to accept Jesus alone and just set back letting the preachers lead others into the Kingdom or into the gates of heaven. But by doing this they are being lead into the great false system that teaches a false repentance, a false baptism, a false Christ, and a false spirit, thus a false salvation. Many are even teaching the old false teaching that Satan started in the garden that we shall not surly die. Many ministers and leading men in churches teach that all shall be saved and that it does not matter what we believe as truth we will be saved just because we had faith. Many ministers teach that God is love and will not condemn anyone that has faith in their higher power what ever that might be for the believer. Please brethren; don't be deceived, but check to see if you have your oil. You might want to read our study titled "The ten Virgins" which you can find at the end of this study.
We see thousands of churches today brethren fast going into the Apostate
church and teaching contrary to sound doctrine, and even not teaching those
things that were originally delivered by the Messiah. Also on into Matt. 25
around verse 14 we read where Jesus taught about the
I have stated many times that Jesus did not come preaching His own gospel, nor did He change anything He received from the Father. If He had He would have become an unfaithful servant and could not have been the Messiah and our savior. Jesus came introducing the Father for the very first time to the world and taught that we could have the same personal relationship with the Holy Father that Jesus Himself has. This is the very core of the gospel message and the plan of salvation that has been set in motion since the foundation of the world, but many people have never heard of the very important seven parts of the plan of salvation of God even though they are taught throughout the bible. You might want to read our study titled "The Lord's table" at the end.
So what did Jesus preach as the gospel from the Holy Father?
There
will be no cars, plains, trains, because we will not need to travel to find
greener grass over that next hill. We will have our families with all we need
in our own communities and the children will grow up with a much different
set of values that are for the good of all, not because of a law but because
of the very nature being changed. It will be the true balance that God will
give the heavens and earth. It will be this balance of His love for us and
our love for Him to the point we will worship Him in a way that will bring
joy and happiness to the heart in a way we have never thought possible.
I will re-entrant here that the gospel is the wonderful message or good news of God's plan of salvation for all mankind through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, His only begotten Son. The New Testament calls this message the gospel of grace, the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of peace, and the mystery of Christ. The gospel of grace is the good news that Jesus is the Savior of the world and through His blood all who repent and believe on Him may have their sins forgiven and may enter into the Family of God. It's the good news that when Jesus returns to the earth, He will set up the kingdom of God and the government of God and He will rule all nations as King of kings and Lord of lords on this earth, not in heaven. In fact we find in scripture that no one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven. Let's read it for ourselves in John 3:13 it states... "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." But we must understand that just because we use the name of Jesus and declare we are a Christian does not insure we will be in the Kingdom of God. Let's read what Jesus Himself stated recorded in Matt 7:21-23. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" This is a very important statement because if we can't be saved unless we do the will of the Father then we must learn what His will is. Notice that we find in this scripture that some can think they are Christians and still be condemned. Let's continue the study so we can learn more about what Jesus taught and how this information will help us understand the points Jesus considered important.
Jesus' teaching concerning the law:
"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and
saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to
him," 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the first and great commandment. "And
the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "On
these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matt 22:35-40
35 We also find recorded in Matt 5:17-19. "Do not think that I came to destroy
the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. "For assuredly,
I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will
by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. "Whoever therefore breaks
one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called
least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall
be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Editor's Note:
What about this scripture in Matt 5:17-19 where our Lord stated that He
did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill the law? What did He mean by
that? He meant that He would fulfill or satisfy the requirements and obligations
the law required when He dies as the eternal sacrifice. This means that the
death penalty that was placed on mankind in the garden has been removed or
that those that accept the blood sacrifice of the Son of God and depends on
that blood sacrifice shall be justified and as the apostle Paul stated that
if the law could save us from our sins than the Christ is dead in vain. He
stated... "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. "I do
not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law,
then Christ died in vain." Gal 2:20-21
Jesus' teachings on humility:
Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become
as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
"Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one little child like this in
My name receives Me. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe
in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his
neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matt 18:3-6. Also
we read in Luke 18:9-14. "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted
in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went
up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. "The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not
like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector,
standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat
his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus' teachings on worry:
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and mammon. (mam-mo-nas'); of Aramaic origin meaning wealth, or
the love of wealth.) "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will
put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look
at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;
yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
"Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you
worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they
neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass
of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He
not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry,
saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
"For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father
knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its
own things. Sufficient for the day is its own. Matt 6:24-34
Jesus' blessings:
"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He
was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught
them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the
pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed
are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
you falsely for My sake. "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is
your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before
you. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how
shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot by men. Matt 5:1-13.
Jesus' teachings on His church structure:
"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority
over them. "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become
great among you, let him be your servant. "And whoever desires to be first
among you, let him be your slave "just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matt 20:25-28.
We also find recorded in 1 Pet 5:2-4 this very teaching. Let's read it and
notice the very important point; "nor as being lords over those entrusted
to you," It states..."Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest
gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being
examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive
the crown of glory that does not fade away.
Editor's Note:
According to the scriptures the Church of God should have a ministry patterned
after the instructions of Jesus the Messiah as recorded in the New Testament.
Those who serve in this ministry do not exalt themselves over their brethren
by exercising authority or rank, but strive to serve their brethren in humility
and love. The elders of the Church of God should understand that they have
been called of God to spiritual service to fulfill the needs of their brethren.
An elder may serve as a minister, steward of the word, pastor, evangelist,
or in other needed capacities as God wills and directs. The function that
each elder fulfills varies according to the measure of the gift of Jesus the
Messiah. This calling is not and should never be directed by a man, but by
Jesus.
Also we find Jesus' instruction on the structure in John 15:1-10; "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
We have found in scripture Jesus taught against the Hierarchical type church government so you might want to read our study titled; "Church Government" which you can access at the end of this study.
Jesus' teachings on hate:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not
murder,' and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. "But
I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall
be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' (See
editor's note.) shall be in danger of hell fire. "Therefore if you bring
your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something
against you, "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.
First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. "Agree
with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your
adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer,
and you are thrown into prison. "Assuredly, I say to you, you will by
no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny. Matt: 5: 21-26.
(Editor's Note:) A notable example of an agreement between the Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus texts is that they both omit the phrase "without cause" from Matthew 5:22. The Interlinear shows <9999> as well. The word fool in the Peshitta which is from the Aranaic states "Whoever says to his brother, you are effeminate, is in condemned to hell fire. The Aramaic word "effeminate" which was replaced for "fool" means "brutish, or abnormal which "brutish denotes cruel or like an animal. Also we find the answer from Jesus how we should handle offenses in Matt 18:15-17. "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."
Jesus' teachings on Adultery:
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit
adultery.' "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for
her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. "If your right
eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable
for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast
into hell. "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and
cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members
perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. "Furthermore it
has been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate
of divorce.' "But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any
reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever
marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. Matt: 5: 27-32
Jesus' teachings on swearing falsely:
"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall
not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' "But I
say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne;
"nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it
is the city of the great King. "Nor shall you swear by your head, because
you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.
Matt: 5: 33-37.
Jesus' teachings on revenge:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth.' "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever
slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. "If anyone
wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. "And
whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. "Give to him who
asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. Matt:
5: 38-42.
Jesus' teachings on Loving your neighbor:
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.' "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse
you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use
you and persecute you, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
just and on the unjust. "For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? "And if you greet
your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors
do so? "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven
is perfect. Matt: 5: 43-48.
Jesus' teachings on Charitable deeds:
"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to
be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before
you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may
have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But
when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing, "that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matt: 6: 1-4.
Jesus' teachings on How to pray:
"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your
door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you openly. "And when you pray, do not use
vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard
for their many words. "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father
knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. "In this manner,
therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom
come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not
lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the
kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. "For if you forgive
men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But
if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses. Matt: 6: 5-15.
(Editor's Note:) What about Praying?
Some very important questions are, what did Jesus say about our reasons
for praying, and what did He say we should do while praying in the
scripture above? Here we see that we should not make a show of prayer
and that we need not be too concerned about detail as God knows what we have
need of before we even ask, so if God knows what you need before you ask,
then what is the reason for prayer? The answer is that God wants us to become
partners with Him in our own growth towards perfection. He want's us to walk
through the very changes that must take place after conversion with Him in
prayer. It's like teaching others through a program like spokesman club ,
or a woman's group, where the members are an active part of the process. God
wants us to learn the lessons necessary to grow into mature Christians and
this is why it's very important to place your life in ALL aspects in God's
care. This is truly laying up treasures in heaven. Notice Christ calls
those that blow the trumpet," hypocrites." He states that
we should do our praying and giving of charitable deeds in secret so the Father
will reward us openly. The reason God wants us to pray in secret is because
when the heart is right, and there's no ulterior motive, the act becomes
pure and acceptable before the Father. We see many times where
a business will give to charity, but their business is given great advertisement
on television, and in the news paper. Is their good deed before God as treasures
in heaven? Could be that they have their reward because they blew their trumpet
very loud for the wrong reasons.
Vain Repetition
We also need to look at what is called vain repetition
because as Jesus stated "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions
as the heathen do". Some have been taught they will be heard if they
repeat a sentence over, and over or even if they can get hundreds of people
praying for them. What did Christ say about repeating our prayers over and
over without thought as by rote? Here in this scripture Jesus was addressing
a problem where people used prayer beads, and chanted prayers over and over.
These practices were of pagan origin from many years past and had crept into
the Hebrew religion. He was teaching them that this type of prayer was "Vain"
and God would not hear just because they did so. We should be very diligent
in prayer, and please understand there is a big difference in "vain repetition"
and repetition that is from being diligent as recorded in Luke 18:1-7 concerning
the widow and the judge and with her continual coming she wearied the judge
till he gave her justice.
It is also very important to teach our children to pray so let’s take a look at the subject of how we should teach them to pray. What about this old prayer that many teach their children? "As I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take" Question: Is this an acceptable prayer? And some may reply..."Are you saying that God will not accept the prayer of a little child!" Yes I do believe He will, however, I'm saying the parents have the responsibility to teach the child to pray and worship the way that is acceptable to God as instructed by Christ in the word of God. Remember, your children will grow up and continue in what you, or others teach them. This prayer may be fine and even cute for a child but it teaches vain repetition and will not teach a child how to pray in a way that brings them into a good relationship with God as they grow. The child needs to understand who God is and that to pray to Him is the same as being on a spiritual phone and they can tell God anything and they can always reach God no matter where they are, and if they need help they can always count on God. That He loves them and will always be there for them and God is their friend, but to also remember that He is the almighty, and the most important being there is anywhere. This understanding and more is a very important part in our prayer life, and vain repetition voids what can be a very fine relationship with Jesus and God the Father.
Jesus' teachings on Forgiveness:
Although there are other scriptures that record Jesus' teaching on forgiveness
as we read concerning praying we do find a very good one that covers the subject
very well in Matt 18:21-35. It states..."Then Peter came to Him and said,
"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up
to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven
is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And
when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him
ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded
that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that
payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master,
have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' "Then the master of that
servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him
a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying,
'Pay me what you owe!' "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and
begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he
would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
"So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved,
and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after
he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that
debt because you begged me. 'Should you not also have had compassion on your
fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' "And his master was angry,
and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to
him. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from
his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
Jesus' teachings on salvation Vs. the riches of this world:
"Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good
thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So He said to him, "Why
do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want
to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to Him, "Which
ones?" Jesus said," 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit
adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor
your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth.
What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect,
go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in
heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying,
he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His
disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven. "And again I say to you, it is easier for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of God." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished,
saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said
to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Matt 19:16-26.
Jesus' teachings on the Sabbath and tithing.
"Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath;
and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. And the
Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?"
But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need
and hungry, he and those with him: "how he went into the house of God in the
days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful
to eat, except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with
him?" And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for
the Sabbath. "Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath." Mark
2:23-28. We also find this statement in Matt 23:23. "Woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and
faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Editor's Note:
Question: Who wants us to pay tithes in the first place? Answer: Those
receiving the tithes, right? Question: Where do we send
our tithes: Answer: Depends on who you ask and this is the very heart
of the problem! Those who truly want to obey God from the heart want to do
what God wants them to do, and it does not matter if God wants us to send
it to the ministers, or the poor, or just burn it, but we must know what God
wants. Did Jesus or the apostles receive a tithe from those converted during
their ministry? Brethren there is not one single hint that Jesus or the apostles
received or even asked for the tithes of anyone, but there are scriptures
that reflect just the opposite. One such place is when Jesus told a rich man
that he should sell what he had and give it to the poor, and I submit that
Jesus had a perfect opportunity to say; "Sell what you have and give
it to me to do this great work." But He did not say that, He told
him to give it to the poor. Also when Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about
tithing His attitude was that tithing was not as important as justice, mercy
and faith. Let's read it again, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
and 'have neglected the weightier matters of the law:' which is justice, mercy
and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone."
Many ministers teach that the last part of this verse which states "These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. "Means a command from Jesus to tithe, but is this true? Let's look at this verse from the point of view that Jesus was speaking and remember that He was speaking about them being hypocrites while admitting that they did pay tithes. Did Jesus mean "Without leaving tithing undone" when He stated "without leaving the others undone"? The Greek word for "Others" here is (kakeinos) and can mean "Them" or "likewise that" or "those". Now if we look at these meanings correctly here we will see the intent of the complete statement would be "These you ought to have done, without leaving "them" undone." Them meaning justice, mercy and faith, or "These you ought to have done, without leaving "Those" undone." Because what Jesus was pointing out was that the Pharisees were being hypocrites by paying great tithes but not showing the most important points of the law of love which is justice and mercy. Brethren, if you had $50.00 to give in tithes and you saw a poor woman hungry by no fault of her own, would you please God by giving it to her or by giving it to some minister to decide what it should be spent on? Many ministers will tell you to give the money to them and they will give it to the person in need but that you should not take away from "God's Work". Let's ask another question. Did the apostles ask for or receive tithes from the brethren to do the work that God sent them to do? Or are you robbing God if you give it to someone other than the Church? (You might want to check out our complete study on "Tithing" at the end of this study for the real answers.)
Jesus' teachings concerning the Kingdom through parables:
Remember the parable Jesus told of the sower? This and the other parables
Jesus used concerning the coming Kingdom of God are very important in relation
to being ready for the Kingdom and what it means to take our calling to heart.
Jesus stated; "Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some
seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell
on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately
sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they
were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell
among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on
good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
"He who
has ears to hear, let him hear!" And the disciples came and said
to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
'He answered and said to them,' "Because it has been given to you to
know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not
been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance;
but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore
I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing
they do not hear, nor do they understand. And
in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will
hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; For
the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and
hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
so that I should heal them.' "But blessed are your eyes for they see,
and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets
and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to
hear what you hear, and did not hear it." Matt 13:3-43.
The question we must ask is what did Jesus Himself mean by these parables?
Let's read the answer from Jesus Himself! "Therefore hear the
parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does
not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown
in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received
the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives
it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.
For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately
he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the
word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the
word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received
seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; "but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' "But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, "which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened." All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples
came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the
field." He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good
seed is the Son of Man. "The field is the world, the good seeds are the
sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy
who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers
are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire,
so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels,
and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those
who practice lawlessness, "and will cast them into the furnace of fire.
There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. "Then the righteous will
shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
But what will the Kingdom be like?
Let's read a few scriptures that give a look into what the coming Kingdom
of God will be like. Let's turn to Micah 4:1-7 1 "Now it shall come
to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall
be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the
hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, "Come,
and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of
Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall
judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall
beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall
make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. For all people
walk each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD
our God forever and ever. "In that day," says the LORD, "I will assemble
the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; I will
make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; so the LORD will
reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever.
We are informed through the word of God that God will rule the earth as
King supreme and He will teach His ways, and humans shall beat their swords
into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; and nation shall not
lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. All
living shall walk in His paths which will bring happiness, and peace on earth.
That fact alone means that the Ten Commandments will be kept which means all
crime will vanish. Think of a world where there's no murder, hate, war, theft,
or deceit. There will be no cars, plains, trains, because we will not need
to travel to find greener grass over that next hill. We will have our families
with all we need in our own communities and the children will grow up with
a much different set of values that are for the good of all, not because of
a law but because of the very nature being changed.
I titled it...The whole Creation Groans in Pain and based it of of Romans 8:22-23 which states..."For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."
Below are other studies relating to the true teachings of Jesus.
The Ten
Virgins
The
lord's Table
The New Covenant
(As taught from the book of Hebrews.)
Church
Government
Law vs. grace
The True Gospel
of Jesus the Messiah
"Scriptural
& Historical Order of events from the start of the New Covenant."
"Tithing".
"Seventh
day Sabbath"
Revelation six vs.
Matthew 24
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