Which Is Today's Model?

Which passage describes today's model?

This...

Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah  and Meshullam on his left hand. ... Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. ... They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. ... All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. Nehemiah 8:2-4, 6, 8, 12

Or this...

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 1 Corinthians 14:26

Ezra and the other leaders stood on a high wooden platform (v. 4), lead the people in worship (v. 6), read from God's Word (v. 3), explained the meaning (v. 8), and then dismissed the crowd around midday (v. 12) so everyone could go eat. The New Testament says the believers broke bread "from house to house." It was open and participatory for all members. Biblical elders watched over the meetings to ensure heresies did not creep in, that the unity of peace in the Spirit was not disrupted, that fellowship was not diminished, and that all was done orderly (not chaotic) for the edification of all present. Biblical elders were not authorities over anyone and did not lord it over the people; they were servants who served the Body. When they did wrong, they were to be rebuked before the entire Congregation (1 Tim. 5:20). Does that sound like today's model in the least? Today's model is based on Command and Control.

The Church Dropped the Ball!!!

The Church has dropped the ball these past 2+ years. When people were being threatened with termination for refusing a bio-weapon injection that violates their human autonomy and freedom of choice, the Church should have stood up and said, "We will support you. We will meet your basic needs." Instead, the government told them to shut their doors to their organized religious institutions and they willfully complied. Men and women who worked hard to get where they were willingly gave up their careers, but the Church could not be bothered to perform its basic function: to look after the widows, orphans, poor, sick, and imprisoned. The Church could not step up and look after those who were hurting and suffering. Instead, their CEO (the "pastor") and Board Members (their "elders") took part in causing hurt and suffering by dividing their own bodies according to government sanctioned dictates.

Consider the following...

A pagan actor became a Christian, but he realized he had to change his employment because most plays encouraged immorality and were steeped in pagan idolatry. Furthermore, the theater sometimes purposefully turned boys into homosexuals so they could better play the roles of women on stage. Since this newly-converted actor had no other job skills, he considered establishing an acting school to teach drama to non-Christian students. However, he first submitted his idea to his congregation for their counsel.

The congregation told him that if acting was an immoral profession then it would be wrong to train others in it. Nevertheless, since this was a rather novel question, they wrote to Cyprian in Carthage for his thoughts. Cyprian agreed that a profession unfit for a Christian to practice was also unfit for him to teach, even if this was his sole means of support.

How many of us would be so concerned about righteousness that we would submit our employment decisions to our congregation? How many congregations today would be so concerned about offending God that they would take such an uncompromising position?

But that isn't the end of the story. Cyprian also told this neighbouring congregation that they should be willing to support the actor if he had no other means of earning a living— just as they supported orphans, widows, and other needy persons. Going further, he wrote, "If your congregation is financially unable to support him, he may move over to us and here receive whatever he needs for food and clothing." Cyprian and his congregation didn't even know this actor, yet they were willing to support him because he was a fellow believer. As one Christian told the Romans, "We love one another with a mutual love because we do not know how to hate." If Christians today made such a statement to the world, would the world believe it?

How far Christianity has fallen... 

The Kingdom Was Left Out of the Historic Creeds

by E. Stanley Jones

We saw yesterday that the total life was to be totally redeemed by the coming of the Kingdom. What happened with this breathtaking program and conception? Jesus stayed with the disciples for forty days after the Resurrection and talked about what? "Appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). His last emphasis was on the Kingdom. "Get this straight," he was saying," for if you get this straight, all the ages will go straight with you." Did they? Alas, this conception was too big for their small hearts, for they said to him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). They reduced this universal Kingdom to a nationalism—Do we get back our self-government? They didn't reject it—they reduced it. That is what we have been doing ever since.

The church reduced the Kingdom or even eliminated it in the forming of the creeds. In the third century in the making of the creeds, the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian creeds do not mention the Kingdom. The Nicene Creed mentions it once marginally beyond the borders of this life in heaven: "his [Jesus'] kingdom will have no end." But this was after the Resurrection—a heavenly Kingdom. So the three great historic creeds mention once, beyond the borders of this life, in heaven, what Jesus mentioned a hundred times. A note, a very important note, had dropped out of the Christian faith. A crippled Christianity went across Europe with a crippled result. The kingdom of God was pushed into the inner recesses of the heart as mystical experience now and pushed beyond the borders of this life in heaven, as a collective experience. Between this inner mystical experience now and the collective heavenly experience, vast areas were left out unredeemed—the economic, the social, the political. A vacuum was created in the soul of Christendom. Into that vacuum moved human totalitarianisms and took over.

O God, forgive us, forgive us, that we have lost the central emphasis of your gospel, the Kingdom. We deserve the face that has come upon us. Help us to recover by your grace your kingdom again. It is our only hope. Save us. Amen.

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: When I criticize the creeds for leaving out the Kingdom, I criticize my deeds for doing the same.

This Generation

Matthew records that Jesus referred to "this generation" ten times (Matt. 1:17; 11:16; 12:39; 12:41, 42, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36; 24:34). With the final reference, Jesus had said, "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matt. 24:34).

The previous nine references were pointing to the Jews who opposed King Jesus. Are we to believe that with the tenth reference where Jesus described "this generation" that He was pointing to the future? No! The context of Jesus' Olivet Discourse is the desolation of the temple that He had just been in when He rebuked the Jews and said, "Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation" (Matt. 23:36).

All of the things that Jesus described from Matthew 23:36 to Matthew 24:33 were fulfilled by A.D. 70 when the Romans desolated Jerusalem, the temple, and the Jewish nation. The enemy has deceived people concerning the symbolism of the sun, moon, and stars being darkened; Messiah coming in power and glory; and the elect being gathered into the kingdom. But the Bible gives the proper definitions for the symbols.

We need to believe Jesus and take Him at His Word, looking at how the things that He described concerned the Jewish nation, for their punishment of continuing to rebel against the Father, for delivering Jesus up to be killed, and for persecuting His disciples. The Olivet Discourse is directly related to the 70th Week of Daniel 9, which says that the city and temple will be desolated because of the abominations of the Jews. If you insist that the 70th week of Daniel has not been fulfilled, then go read Daniel 9:24-27, and ask yourself these questions:

• During which week of the seventy-week prophecy did Messiah carry out his multiyear ministry?
• In which week did He die for our sins?

If you are honest with the text, you will discover that the only place for those events is in the 70th week.

Regarding the ‘covenant’ of Daniel 9:27, it is the same covenant that Daniel just mentioned in Daniel 9:4, which already existed. It is the everlasting covenant that was made to Abraham, which Jesus came to ‘confirm’ by ransoming us with His blood as the Passover Lamb, and liberating us from sin and the domain of darkness.

Both the Chiastic structure of Daniel 9:24-27 and the Poetic structure absolutely destroy the false interpretation imposed on the text by Dispensationalists. Whether you want to hear it or not, Dispensationalism is a cult much like the Jehovah's Witnesses. They both isolate and rip random verses from their immediate contexts and force them to agree with their own fairy tale interpretations.

Not-For-Profit?

So many Christians are either delusional or deceptive or both. Do they not understand the terms "non-profit" or "not-for-profit"? If your "ministry" or company makes any kind of money, it is not a "non-profit" or "not-for-profit" organization! If you call your organization a "non-profit" or "not-for-profit" and yet it files tax returns, it is not a "non-profit" or "not-for-profit" organization! If the people working at your organization, who are supposed to be volunteers, are getting paid, then your organization is not a "non-profit" or "not-for-profit." Non-profit and not-for-profit means you are not turning any kind of profit!!! 

Organized religious institutions that use tax-exempt forms and bank loans are legally considered organizations—businesses! They are making a profit and are trying to hide it. They are being deceptive, and not at all like Christ Jesus! When you have a "bottom line" and are making a profit (money that should be used for missions or for taking care of the widows, orphans, sick, poor, and imprisoned), you are an organization—a business! If the people working at your organized religious institution, who are supposed to be volunteers serving the people (the "pastor," the "elders," or the staff), are getting paid, then you are an organization—a business!

Non-profit or Not-for-profit means that you are not seeking to or producing a profit (a financial gain); that you are not commercially motivated. Selling books by your "pastor" or other members of your religious institution inside the building is commercial motivation, and is what Jesus drove the Jews out of the temple for. Non-profit or not-for-profit organizations do not earn profits for their owners. All of the money earned by or donated to a non-profit or not-for-profit organization is supposed to be used in pursuing the organization’s objectives and keeping it running; income is not distributed to the group’s members, directors, or officers (i.e., nothing goes to the "pastor" or the "elders" or anyone else). Donations received by a biblical church are to go to help widows, orphans, poor, sick, and imprisoned. It is to help provide basic needs for those struggling.

Oh, if there were not so many deceived and deceptive, lying "Christians" out there sullying the name of Christ Jesus. When you act one way on Sunday and run your business affairs with cheating scales the next six days of the week, you might want to reconsider calling yourself a "Christian"! You may be religious, but you certainly are not an obedient follower of King Jesus!

Essentials of the Faith

It is worth noting that the "essentials" of the faith continued growing throughout the centuries. Paul's simple statement of belief was this:

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

27 words!

Tertullian's simple statement of belief was this:

"To believe in only one God Almighty, the Creator of the universe, and His Son Christ Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, raised again the third day from the dead, received in the heavens, sitting now at the right hand of the Father, destined to come to judge the living and the dead through the resurrection of the flesh."

63 words!

Compare these to the 12,079 words of the Westminster Confession of Faith!!! Saying nothing, of course, of the Heidelberg Confession, the Articles of Faith, the Baptist Confession, etc., etc., etc.

Creeds, Confessions, Constitutions, Statements of Faith, etc., were not of grave importance to the early Christians. The essentials of the faith made in statement were always very brief (less than 100 words). If you want to know what was of grave importance to the early Christians, you can read Paul's declaration concerning sound doctrine. You can also look up everything they said about good deeds in both the New Testament Scriptures as well as the first 300 years of Christianity. The kind of fruit you produced was of the utmost importance compared to the "essentials" that you believed. Yahweh God is far more concerned with your obedience and the fruit you produce than with your particular theological dogma. Remember that.

What is Sound Doctrine?

The words "sound doctrine" are only found in the letters to Timothy and Titus (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1). We are commanded to fight for sound (i.e., healthy) doctrine (teachings) [2 Tim. 4:2-3], but very few of us know what healthy doctrine is. The very last letters Paul wrote were those to Timothy and Titus, who each had 20+ years of congregational community experience. In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul wrote, "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course." These letters were the last teachings Paul left behind. In them, he was careful to explain healthy teaching.

"But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility: to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be slandered.

Likewise urge the younger men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be a model of good works, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in word which is irreproachable, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

Urge slaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be pleasing, not contradicting, not pilfering, but demonstrating all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in everything." Titus 2:1-10

This, fellow believers, is Paul's definition of 'sound doctrine.' It turns out that healthy doctrine is focused on all the same things that Scripture, the new birth, grace, the fellowship of the Congregation, and the atonement are focused on. Good deeds! Take notice of all the 'to be' rather than 'to believe' statements. Sound doctrine is to be "temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance." Sound doctrine is teaching that produces godly living. Sound doctrine leads toward good deeds. Paul emphasizes this in his second letter to Timothy:

"Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to depart from wickedness."" (2:19)

The next time sound doctrine is brought up to you, tell the person that you are consumed with being sound in faith, love, and perseverance. When the other person asks why that came up, read them Titus 2:1-2. It might also be fun to follow up with 1 Timothy 1:3-7:

"As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions." 1 Timothy 1:3-7

Read the context surrounding 1 Timothy 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:3, and Titus 1:9 and 2:1. Sound doctrine produces good deeds. Healthy doctrine has more to do with obedience to Jesus than it does to things we can only speculate over. Observe some sound doctrine below:

• Believe in your heart that Yahweh raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is King (Rom. 10:9-10). Then be baptized for the release/forgiveness of sins and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
• Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to Yahweh in King Jesus (Rom. 6:11).
• Read the Scriptures and use them to teach, reprove, correct, and instruct in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Find like-spirited people who will do the same for you. This is congregational life. Do this in and out of the assembly (Heb. 3:13; 10:24-25).
• Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly. Grace teaches us to do so (Titus 2:11-12), and walking by the Spirit makes it possible (Rom. 8:3-13; Gal. 5:16-25).
• Assemble with other disciples at least one or two, and get to know each other enough that you can provoke each other to love and good deeds and exhort one another (Heb. 10:24-25). [see 1 Thessalonians 5:14 for the best working definition of exhortation.]

Go serve your King!

Do Good to Others

Are you ready to tear down one of Evangelicalism's sacred cows? Let us get to it then.

The Epistle to Diognetus says,

"...having made it manifest that in ourselves we were unable to enter into the Kingdom of God, we might through the power of God be made able."

This is the simple key to understanding faith and works biblically, instead of trying to deny the multitude of passages that speak to works and instead impose the Reformation's Easy Believism as "faith." Evangelicals are falsely taught that works have nothing to do with our faith and that we do not have to even do them. This is choosing your particular theological dogma over and above Yahweh's Scriptures; believing your "Christian" theology rather than believing Jesus. The Bible says quite the opposite. Are you ready to finally hear the truth?

Read these passages carefully:

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me." John 17:20-23

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." Galatians 6:7-10

= = = = = = = = = =

"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48

"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,' says the Lord. 'BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:9-21

If Christians are going to make a difference in this world and turn it upside down as the first three centuries of Christians did, then it is time we started obeying our King's commands and living as He commanded us to live. The only way the world will know that we have been with Jesus and that we are His disciples—Christians—is by the love we have for each other (regardless of our personal theological beliefs) and for our enemies.

The greatest of our good deeds is to love one another, as well as loving our enemies. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. But there are several other good deeds mentioned in Scripture that we are to be rich in.

Yahweh took 14 verses to complain about the disobedience of Israel through Isaiah (1:2-25), but when telling them what to obey, His list was short:

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed / Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the orphan. Plead for the widow. (1:17)

When Jesus described the final judgment, He focused on a narrow category of works: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned (Matt. 25:31-46). The Sermon on the Mount is a great source for good deeds we should be engaged in. James identified pure undefiled religion as consisting of visiting the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, as well as keeping one's self unstained by the world (which covers all the commands we are given). These works are what we will eventually be judged for—not our theological dogmas. You do not believe me?

"[God] WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life." Romans 2:6-7

The formula here is this:

1. Pursue glory, honour, and immortality by persevering in doing good deeds throughout your life.
2. God will repay us for our works.
3. We receive eternal life.

As born again children of God who are no longer slaves to sin, the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and the fellowship of the saints all enable us to do good deeds. The new birth, plus the resources from Heaven, enable us to do good. Whether you want to hear it or not, or are willing to admit it or not, even Christians will be judged by their works, both good and bad (Matt. 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17). You can try to explain this fact away all you want, but you will continue to be haunted by it.

The epistles were written to believers. If Jesus' death eliminated judgment according to works, then why will the bad things we did come up at the judgment (2 Cor. 5:10)? Why will a believer who lives in the flesh reap corruption (Gal. 6:7), die (Rom. 8:12), and be unable to inherit the Kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5)? Why will believers who "escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" be worse off than before they were saved if they "are again entangled in them and are overcome" (2 Pet. 2:20)? Why will only the undefiled members of the congregation in Sardis walk with Jesus in white (Rev. 3:4-5)?

What needed to change? Was it God? Or was it us? Obviously Jesus did not die in order to eliminate or change the judgment; the judgment was already just. God did not need to change; He was already merciful. We needed to change. Jesus died to liberate us from slavery to sin! Please note carefully what Paul says in Romans 5:9-10. We are not saved from God's wrath; we will be saved from God's wrath "by His life." If you do not know what this means, then please go read Galatians 2:20.

Jesus did die to save us from God's wrath, but not in the way Evangelicals typically teach. Jesus did not change God's judgment. God was already merciful, granting forgiveness long before Jesus arrived on the scene. What needed to change was us. If you want to know more about that, read Apart From Works.

"But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:22-23

Verse 22 is clear: God freed us from sin; giving ourselves to His service yielded the fruit of sanctification, and the result of sanctification is eternal life. We often get confused because of the horrible translation of verse 23. In Romans 2:6-7, Paul told us that eternal life is a reward or repayment. The Greek verb used in Romans 2:6 is used "esp. of wages, debts, oaths, etc." In other words, the gift of eternal life in Romans 2:6 is not "free," but a repayment for patiently doing good. In Romans 6:23, there is no word for "free" in the Greek. The word for "gift" is charisma. Any Lexicon will have the words "grace" and "favour" suggested as translations of charisma. Probably because the Greek word for "grace" is charis. The gift is given out of a favourable attitude toward the recipient of the gift. A better translation here would be: "eternal life is a favour bestowed by God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due." Romans 4:4

"But if it is by [favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise [favor] is no longer [favor]. [But if it is of works, it is no longer [favor]; otherwise work is no longer work.]" Romans 11:6

If I hire you at $20 per hour and you work 40 hours in a week, I am not doing you a favour by paying you $800. I am giving you something I owe you. If you receive something as a favour, it was not wages; if you receive wages in return for work, it was not a favour.

According to Romans 2:6-7, God only rewards eternal life to those who patiently continue to do good. While it is called a "repayment," it is not considered a wage (something earned) but a favour (something given). No matter how much good we do, we cannot earn eternal life. It is not something we deserve, but something God gives to those in His favour. Sin earns you death. Good deeds do not earn you eternal life. John Chrysostom once wrote this concerning Romans 6:23:

"After speaking of the wages of sin, in the case of the blessings, he has not kept to the same order: for he does not say, "the wages of good deeds,' but "the gift of God"; to show, that it was not of themselves that they were freed, nor was it a due they received, neither yet a return, nor a recompense of labors, but by grace all these things came about."

All Christians used to understand that being freed from sin and called to holiness was a great gift of favour to be rejoiced over and treasured, even being rewarded with eternal life. Observe Chrysostom's commentary on verse 22:

"For to prevent your saying everything lies in hope [that is, the future], he points out that you have already reaped fruits, first the being freed from wickedness...; second, the being made a servant unto righteousness; a third, the enjoying of holiness; a fourth, the obtaining of life, and life too not for a season, but everlasting."

Eternal life cannot be a wage earned for our good works because our good works are already a gift of grace, a "favour bestowed." The worst fruit that the Reformation has produced is the idea that good deeds are a heavy burden. Chrysostom continued in his commentary on verse 23:

"And so there was a superiority for this cause also, in that He did not free them only, or change their condition for a better, but that He did it without any labor or trouble upon their part: and that He not only freed them, but also gave them much more than before, and that through His Son."

A book called The Shepherd of Hermas consists of three books: one of visions, one of commandments, and one of similes. The book of commandments contains twelve commandments, which at the end Hermas says:

"Sir, these commandments are great, and good, and glorious, and fitted to gladden the heart of the man who can perform them. But I do not know if these commandments can be kept by man, because they are exceeding hard."

An "Angel of Repentance" replies by telling him, "If you lay it down as certain that they can be kept, then you will easily keep them, and they will not be hard." This agrees with Paul's use of the word "reckon." If you lay it down as certain that you have died to sin and are indeed dead to sin, then it will not be hard for you to live a holy life separated from sin. If God created the world for the sake of man, subjected all creation to him, and gave him power to rule over everything under the heavens, then is not man able to be Lord also over his members and resist subjecting them to sin? According to Scripture, the answer here is a resounding, "Yes!"

If you have not grasped it yet, the whole of Scripture, including the first three centuries of Christians, is opposed to the Reformation's, and by extension Evangelicalism's, false teachings concerning good deeds. You can read more about The Biblical View of Works here.

The Firm Foundation of God

What is the Firm Foundation of God? When writing to Timothy, Paul identified the Firm Foundation of God by two sentences:

"Nevertheless, the Firm Foundation of God stands, having this seal:
1.) 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and,
2.) 'Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.'" 2 Timothy 2:19

The first sentence is that "The Lord knows those who are His." King Jesus knows those who are His: "I am the Good Shepherd, and I now My own and My own know Me" (John 10:14); "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (10:27). There are countless millions who identify themselves with Jesus, yet refuse to obey Him. King Jesus knows each and every man, woman, and child who belongs to Himself. Others may fool themselves into thinking they are His, but "The Lord knows those who are His." It matters not if you "know" Jesus, but whether or not He knows you (Matt. 7:21-23).

Jesus even describes the Firm Foundation of God: "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them [in obedience], I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly [in obedience], is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great" (Luke 6:46-69).

The second sentence is that "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness." This is not a suggestion. It is not optional. "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11). "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts. Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Rom. 6:12-13). "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16). "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24). "Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22). "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). "As long as you practice these things [vv. 2-9], you will never stumble" (2 Peter 1:10). "No one who is born of God practices sin [lives a habitual pattern of sin], because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1 John 3:9). "[Jesus] is able to keep you from stumbling" (Jude 1:24).

There are hundreds more verses I could supply, but you get the gist. The entire tenor of Scripture concerning the believer is one of victory—not defeat. The defeatist mentality imposed on believers by wrongfully interpreting Romans 7:14-25 has been one of the gravest errors in Christendom. All of Scripture is opposed to, and contradicts, this false interpretation. It is a matter of ego for the preachers who continue imposing this error upon the Scriptures, refusing to be corrected by those wiser than themselves. They cling to their diplomas and their traditions rather than humbly receiving correction.

The existing structure of the "churches" so called needs to be torn down in order for a biblical foundation to be rebuilt. The cornerstone of that foundation must be that Jesus is King. The rest of the foundation must be obedience to the Lord's words and abstaining from wickedness. The life of a Christian looks a certain way, and if your life does not look that way, then you need to seriously question whether you are truly in the faith or not. All these statements concerning victory were not mentioned in Scripture merely for the sake of hearing one's self speak. The Holy Spirit spoke these things through them, saying what He meant and meaning what He said. Either you believe King Jesus, or you believe something else.

If King Jesus, by means of the Holy Spirit, said these things are very possible, then you need to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:2) so that "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, what ever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise" (Phil. 4:8), you may believe Yahweh by agreeing with what He has said is the case concerning you. "God is not a man, that He should lie" (Num. 23:19). What He has said concerning the believer is absolutely true and you need to believe Him. The same way you consider (reckon) your sins forgiven for all time from the east to the west, you need to consider (reckon) everything else He has said about you to be true, and then live accordingly. You can live a life of holiness filled with righteousness. Jesus did not condemn "even the smallest sin" as deserving eternal punishment; He told the people to "Go and sin no more." Why would He say such a thing if it was not possible in the least? Reformation doctrine is just as wrong and dangerous as that of Catholicism. We need to restore apostolic doctrine and tradition.

If Jesus is your King, and if you truly love Him and desire to be obedient to what He has said, I look forward to seeing/hearing your transformation. Let us turn the world upside down once again and prepare the way for the return of our King. Hallelujah and Amen!