

### THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

### Jack Marshall

### The Unpardonable Sin

Jack Marshall

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2016 Grain of Wheat Publishing

Revised November 2018

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This free ebook may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it

appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it.

To the body of Christ.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Blasphemy

Chapter Two: The Beast of the Sea

Chapter Three: The Spirit of Truth

Chapter Four: Pride

Chapter Five: Desolation

Chapter Six: Scattered

Chapter Seven: Why Do You Call Me Good?

Chapter Eight: Bound or Loosed?

Chapter Nine: Deception

Chapter Ten: Blasphemy Against the Spirit

Chapter Eleven: Unconditional Love

Chapter Twelve: Suicide

Bibliography

Introduction

Of all that I have considered over the years, I have no doubt that this is one of the most important writings I've ever done and perhaps the most important that I will ever do.

Let me speak frankly. What prompted me to write this study was a tragic suicide in my family, and I know that there are many who have been affected by this same event which leaves them feeling deeply saddened and confused.

Many believe that suicide is the unpardonable sin and that the person who has taken their life is delivered to eternal torment because of this one despondent act. Let me say up front that I don't believe this for even one moment. Let me also say that I don't believe in "eternal torment" and haven't for many years now. This study addresses this topic, but I would also encourage you to read my study, "Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell," available through Smashwords and other retailers. All of my studies are free.

There are mistakes in this presentation, not by intention, but out of ignorance. I am still and always will be learning. It has been difficult to put aside what I have inherited in order to see from a fresh perspective.

In His Grace,

Jack Marshall

All Hebrew and Greek definitions are taken from the Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary unless otherwise noted. All Bible passages are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

### Matthew 16:19 (NKJV)  
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

# Chapter One

# BLASPHEMY

What's known as the "unpardonable sin" is called "the _blasphemy_ against the Spirit" in scripture (Matt. 12:31). This word "blasphemy" is defined by the Strong's Concordance as, " _Vilification_ (especially against God)." The definition of "vilify" from Dictionary.com reads, "To speak ill of; defame; slander," however, it's the word origin and history of this word which is revealing. It reads, "Mid-15c., 'to lower in worth or value,' from Late Latin _vilificare_ 'to make cheap or base,' from Latin _vilis_ 'cheap, base (see vile) + root of _facere_ 'to make' (see factitious). Meaning 'to slander, speak evil of' is first recorded in 1590s.'" So, we could say that _blasphemy_ means "to lower in worth or value" or "to make cheap or base."

The word "blasphemy" is taken from the Greek word blasphēmos, which is a derivative of two other words, _blapto_ and _pheme_. This definition means, " _Scurrilous_ , i.e. _calumnious_ (against man), or (special) _impious_ (against God)." Scurrilous is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online as, "Said or done unfairly to make people have a bad opinion of someone." Calumny is given as, "An untrue statement that is made to damage someone's reputation; _also_ : the act of making such statements." Finally, impious means, "Feeling or showing a lack of respect for God: not pious."

As mentioned above, blasphēmos is derived from two words, _blapto_ and _pheme_. The definition for _blapto_ is, "To _hinder_ , i.e. (by implication) to _injure_." _Pheme_ means, "A _saying_ , i.e. _rumor_ ("fame")." So we might say that our two words mean, "To hinder or injure by rumor."

So let's think again about the definition from the Strong's Concordance. It means, "Vilify," and the word origin means, "To lower in worth or value" or "to make cheap or base." Coupled with our other definitions, one might think that blasphemy is merely the act of making sacrilegious remarks. Ah, but most of us don't really believe this. Instead, we have managed to compile various ideas about its meaning, putting undue fear on believers and unbelievers alike.

No doubt, the idea of blasphemy itself is bad enough, but the "blasphemy against the Spirit" is considered far worse. And again, due to our lack of understanding, we have attempted to attach our own ideas of what this particular blasphemy is. Some say murder, others suicide, but I don't believe either is the case. As we continue in this study, I would encourage you to keep an open mind, for once we investigate the context of the passages surrounding the "blasphemy against the Spirit," we might be surprised as to what it appears to mean.

Revelation 2:8-9 (NKJV)  
"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); **and** _I know_ **the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but** _are_ **a synagogue of Satan**.

In the book of Revelation, we have a prophecy to the church in Smyrna. Note where Jesus says to them, "And I know the _blasphemy_ of those _who say they are Jews and are not_ , but are a synagogue of Satan." Strong words wouldn't you say? What did Jesus mean by this?

Romans 2:28-29 (NKJV)  
For he is not a Jew who _is one_ outwardly, nor _is_ circumcision that which _is_ outward in the flesh; but _he is_ **a Jew who** _is one_ **inwardly** ; and **circumcision** _is that_ **of the heart, in the Spirit** , not in the letter; **whose praise** _is_ **not from men but from God**.

According to these passages, Paul shows that a "Jew" is no longer a matter of "circumcision" "which is outward in the flesh" (Gen. 17:1-14). Rather, one is a "Jew who is one _inwardly_ ; and _circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit_ , not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." So when Jesus spoke about "those who say they are Jews and are not," He was referring to people who were not "circumcised" in heart, who had not been drawn by the Father to Christ (John 6:44).

So what constituted blasphemy? Those who were not "Jews" _saying they were_. As we see, Christ denounced them as "a synagogue of Satan." This shows that blasphemy incorporates the idea of professing to be something we're not.

John 10:31-33 (ESV)  
The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you **but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God**."

In these passages, we find the Jews wanting to stone Jesus for blasphemy because He, "being a man," made Himself "God." This agrees with our previous thought.

Mark 14:55-64 (ESV)  
Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.' " Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?" But he remained silent and made no answer. **Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am** , and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." And the high priest tore his garments and said, "What further witnesses do we need? **You have heard his blasphemy**. What is your decision?" And they all condemned him as deserving death.

Again, these passages show that blasphemy is seen as professing to be something we are not, because the Jews did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). Now let's turn this around and consider what Jesus said about the Jewish religious leaders.

Matthew 23:1-5 (NIV)  
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: " **The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach**. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. " **Everything they do is done for men to see**...

It's interesting to see that Jesus told the crowd and His disciples to "obey" and "do everything" that the "teachers of the law and the Pharisees" said, "But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." It was evident that what they did do was "done for men to see." Would this not show that arrogance was a primary component in the lives of the religious leaders? I believe so. And should we doubt this, simply read the 23rd Chapter of Matthew. It is a scathing rebuke from the Lord concerning the Pharisees and the teachers of the law due to their pride and arrogance. Take a look at verse 13 from this chapter.

Matthew 23:13 (ESV)  
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, **hypocrites**! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

Consider Vincent's treatment of the word "hypocrites."

Hypocrites (ὑποκριταί)

From ὑποκρίνω, to separate gradually; so of separating the truth from a mass of falsehood, and thence to subject to inquiry, and, as a result of this, to expound or interpret what is elicited. Then, to reply to inquiry, and so to answer on the stage, to speak in dialogue, to act. From this the transition is easy to assuming, feigning, playing a part. The hypocrite is, therefore, etymologically, an actor.

Do you see it? "The hypocrite is, therefore, etymologically, an _actor_ " ( _etymology_ is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history). Wouldn't this agree perfectly with our understanding of blasphemy?

It's also interesting to note that the English Standard Version of the Bible, along with the New International Version (and others), leave out verse 14 due to questions about its' veracity. If we do this, we find _seven_ "woes" (Matt. 23:13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29). The spiritual meaning of _seven_ is " _to be full_ or _satisfied_ , _have enough of_ " (Bullinger). Bullinger also wrote, "It is _seven_ , therefore, that stamps with _perfection_ and _completeness_ that in connection with which it is used." Seven is best signified by the word "fulfilled," which means _filled to the full_ (Matt. 5:18). So it is that we find the Lord saying the following to the Pharisees after He declares these _seven_ "woes."

Matthew 23:32 (RSV)  
**Fill up** , then, the measure of your **fathers**.

What did Vincent write? "The hypocrite is, therefore, etymologically, an _actor_." This being the case, we could easily say then that " _pretense_ is the very definition of hypocrisy," could we not? It is this which sets up the foundation of the unpardonable sin.

# Chapter Two

# THE BEAST OF THE SEA

Revelation 13:1 (NIV)  
And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and **seven heads** , with ten crowns on his horns, and **on each head a blasphemous name**.

To better understand the idea of blasphemy, let's consider the "beast" which comes up out of the sea in Revelation, Chapter 13.

First of all, the "sea" symbolizes the world at large, the great "sea of humanity" of which all of us are part.

Isaiah 57:20-21 (NIV)  
But **the wicked are like the tossing sea** , which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

1 John 5:19 (ESV)  
We know that we are from God, and **the whole world lies in the power of the evil one**.

Revelation 17:1 (NKJV)  
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot **who sits on many waters**...

Revelation 17:15 (NKJV)  
Then he said to me, "The **waters** which you saw, where the harlot sits, **are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues**.

As our passages confirm, the "sea" or "waters" speaks of "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," all of which lie "in the power of the evil one," that _spirit of disobedience_ which is so prominent and easily recognizable in the world at large (Eph. 2:2).

John goes on to describe "a beast coming out" of this "sea" of people with "ten horns and seven heads." Our word _beast_ means, "A _dangerous animal_." This word is a diminutive of another word which means, "A wild _animal_ , as _game_ ; _hunting_ , i.e. (figurative) _destruction_." Diminutive means, "Extremely or unusually small" (Google). Put all of this together and John sees a _small_ but _wild_ and _dangerous_ animal rising out of the midst of the people of the world. Please consider.

Job 18:3 (AMP)  
**Why are we counted as beasts** [as if we had no sense]? Why are we unclean in your sight?

Psalms 49:12 (NIV)  
But man, despite his riches, does not endure; **he is like the beasts that perish**.

Psalms 104:25 (KJV)  
_So is_ this **great and wide sea** , wherein _are_ things creeping innumerable, **both small and great beasts**.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-19 (ESV)  
Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. **I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts**. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.

In regard to this human form, we are like the animals. We have five senses, all of which are needed to experience this world of form in which we dwell. Like the animals, we spend a great deal of our time on this planet seeking food, shelter, rest, and pleasure. But what is different about the human species is our ability to _reason_ and _create_ , which define both the good and evil of our existence. The same mind that produces the technologies that bring a great number of conveniences into our lives is the same mind which brings great destruction through violence and wars throughout the world. No wonder then that John calls this "beast" _small_ but _wild_ and _dangerous_.

As Revelation 13:1 shows, there are "ten horns and seven heads" on this "beast" and "on each head a _blasphemous_ name." In scripture, a name often denotes a certain characteristic of something or someone. For example, Isaac's son was named _Jacob_ , which means, " _Heel_ -catcher," because his hand took hold of his twin brother's heel at birth (Gen. 25:26). Jacob's name was then changed to _Israel_ after he wrestled with a man (angel) "until the breaking of the day" at Peniel (Gen. 32:24-30). The name Israel means, " _He will rule_ as _God_ ," indicating that Jacob's _nature_ was changed by this divine experience. As we know, it was the children of Jacob or Israel that became the focal point of the Old Testament (the twelve tribes of Israel).

When we understand that a name denotes the _inherent characteristics_ or _nature_ that distinguishes that which is named, then we can view the "seven heads" of the beast in this fashion, for on each head is found "a blasphemous _name_." Please consider.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)  
16 These **six** _things_ the Lord hates, yes, **seven** _are_ an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look (1), a lying tongue (2), hands that shed innocent blood (3), 18 a heart that devises wicked plans (4), feet that are swift in running to evil (5), 19 a false witness _who_ speaks lies (6), and one who sows discord among brethren ( **7** ).

Is it just coincidence that we find _seven_ things which are an "abomination" to our heavenly Father and a "blasphemous name" on each of the _seven_ heads of the beast? Would these seven characteristics in Proverbs coincide with these blasphemous names? I believe they do, for they accurately define the _nature of the beast_ in all of us, those characteristics which make us both "wild" and "dangerous." No wonder Paul wrote, "There is _none_ righteous, no, _not one_ ; There is _none_ who understands; There is _none_ who seeks after God" (Rom. 3:10-11; Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecc. 7:20).

To put it simply, the "beast" which comes up out of the sea symbolizes the _individual_ and _collective_ _nature_ of what Paul called "the carnal mind" (the _mind_ of _form_ ) which exists in everyone. Paul wrote, "For to be _carnally minded_ is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the _carnal mind_ is _enmity_ against God; _for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be_ " (Rom. 8:6-7). In keeping with the idea of "enmity" (hostility), consider that this "beast" in Revelation 13 "was given a mouth to utter _proud words_ and _blasphemies_ and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to _blaspheme_ God, and to _slander_ (vilify) His name and His dwelling place and those who live in heaven" (Rev. 13:5-6; NIV). Doesn't our present reality attest to this very thing? Doesn't this correlate with our understanding of blasphemy?

Remember, _seven_ speaks of "spiritual perfection" or _completeness_ (Bullinger), so when viewing the _seven_ things listed in Proverbs 6, we see the "fullness" of man's carnal mind as "one," _individually_ and _collectively speaking_ , "who _sows discord_ among brethren" (Prov. 6:19).

So what about the "ten horns"? Concerning the spiritual meaning of the number _ten_ Bullinger wrote, "Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number _ten_. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete."

Horns are merely an _extension_ of the head which are used to "push" and "fight" another animal, either in aggression or defense. So again, doesn't our present reality attest to this in the world around us? Are we not surrounded on every side by those who wish to "push" or force their will on us, from the highest places of government to our neighbor across the street? It seems like almost everyone has an agenda of some sort and are seeking to convince us to agree with them, and when we don't, we become an outcast. And it goes without saying that many, if not most, of these agendas are in direct contradiction to the principles of the kingdom of God. With the idea of "seven" heads and "ten" horns in mind, please consider the following.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)  
19 Now **the works of the flesh** are evident, which are: adultery (1), fornication (2), uncleanness (3), lewdness (4), 20 idolatry (5), sorcery (6), hatred (7), contentions (8), jealousies (9), outbursts of wrath (10), selfish ambitions (11), dissensions (12), heresies (13), 21 envy (14), murders (15), drunkenness (16), revelries ( **17** ), and the like ( **18** ); of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told _you_ in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Add _seven_ and _ten_ , we have _seventeen_ , and when Paul wrote the above, he listed _seventeen_ specific things, all of which can be attributed to our characteristics found in Proverbs 6. When we add our phrase "and the like," we then have _eighteen_. This just happens to define _three sixes_ , which would correlate with Revelation 13:18 and the "number of a man: His number is 666."

Which "man" is this referring to? Not an individual as some might suppose, but to the "man of sin" which Paul describes in II Thessalonians 2, verses 3 and 4. This "man of sin" is what Paul also defined as "the first man Adam" (I Cor. 15:45) to which Paul attests, "For as in (just like) Adam, _all die_ " (I Cor. 15:22). What did Paul tell us? "For to be carnally minded _is_ death" (Rom. 8:6).

In summary, the beast with seven heads and ten horns defines the collective nature of the world based in the carnal mind, an unconscious mind, a mind of enmity against God and each other due to the intense pride which motivates and supports its existence. It is a mind of blasphemy because it is a mind of pride for, "The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor" and "the wicked boasts of his heart's desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts" (Psalms 10:2-4). No wonder Paul wrote, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. 'Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty" (II Cor. 6:14-18).

# Chapter Three

# THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

1 John 4:6 (NKJV)  
We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know **the spirit of truth** and the spirit of error.

The spirit behind what we say and do determines the truth in which we stand. It will not be otherwise.

When Jesus was about to depart from this world (John 13:1), He spoke to His disciples about "the Spirit of truth." Ah, but before He did this, He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. _By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another_ " (John 13:34-35).

No doubt the disciples were troubled by the fact that Jesus was declaring His betrayal and death which was soon to come, for we read in John 14:1 that Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled." Philip then asks the Lord, "Show us the Father, and it is enough for us" to which Jesus replied, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that _I am in the Father_ and _the Father is in me_? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but _the Father who dwells in me_ does his works. Believe me that _I am in the Father_ and _the Father is in me_ , or else believe on account of the works themselves" (John 14:8-24; ESV).

Following this, Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:12-14; ESV).

Immediately after this, Jesus said, " _If you love me_ , you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and _He will give you another Helper_ , to be with you forever, even the _Spirit of truth_ , whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for _he dwells with you and will be in you_ " (John 14:15-17; ESV).

What a great and precious promise that Jesus gave His disciples! Knowing fully well that He had to depart this world in accordance with the Father's will, He assured His disciples that they would be given the "Spirit of truth," a Spirit which proceeded from the Father which would not only be with them but "in" them. And this Spirit would not only guide them but give "testimony" or witness of Christ Himself (John 15:26). Would this not indicate that, apart from the Spirit, there can be no true witness?

Luke 24:44-49 (ESV)  
Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. **And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high**."

In confirmation of what Jesus told His disciples concerning the Spirit of truth, He reiterates this promise, stating, "And behold, _I am sending the promise of my Father upon you_. But stay in the city _until you are clothed with power from on high_." As we know, His disciples followed His instructions, waiting in the upper room until "the day of Pentecost arrived" and they received what had been promised (Acts 2:1-4).

So what is the greatest aspect of this divine baptism which the disciples received? Love. It is the quintessential component, is it not? What we say and do apart from the divine love of God is basically fruitless. John, called the "beloved disciple" and one of the twelve who witnessed the life and death of Christ, wrote, "Beloved, let us love one another, _for love is from God_ , and _whoever loves has been born of God and knows God_. Anyone _who does not love_ does not know God, because _God is love_ " (I John 4:7-8).

Friend, "Love is _from_ God," John said, and without it, we are but "a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (I Cor. 13:1). And how do we know the love of God? Paul tells us.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)  
**Love** is patient and kind; **love** does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. **Love** bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Galatians 5:22-24 (ESV)  
But the fruit of the Spirit is **love** , joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

There is truth, then there is the Spirit of it. And without the Spirit of it, truth is essentially void and of no effect, for we, as humans, are not moved by what people say, _but by the spirit in which it is said_. The effect of spirit is easily seen in society, for people are not drawn to a cause by the words so much as by the spirit behind them. Proof? Consider an angry mob that loots and harms others in the name of a cause propagated by a particular collective. What does looting and harming others have to do with any reasonable objective? Nothing at all, but when a cause turns many into an unruly and unreasonable mob, it reveals the true nature and spirit of what lies behind it. For this reason John wrote, "Beloved, do not believe _every spirit_ , but _test the spirits_ to see whether they are from God, for _many false prophets_ have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). Note that John tells us to "test the spirits" and not so much the words of the "false prophets." What did Jesus say in regard to the Pharisees? They "said" but didn't "do" (Matt. 23:3), their _lack of love_ made obvious in the fact that they constantly contended with and belittled Him and His disciples.

John continues. " _By this_ you know the Spirit of God: _every spirit_ that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and _every spirit_ that does not confess Jesus is not from God. _This is the spirit of the antichrist_ , which you heard was coming and _now is in the world already_. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for _he who is in you_ is greater than _he who is in the world_. They are _from the world;_ therefore _they speak from the world,_ and _the world listens to them_. We are from God. _Whoever knows God listens to us_ ; _whoever is not from God does not listen to us_. _By this_ we know _the Spirit of truth_ and _the spirit of error_ " (I John 4:2-6; ESV).

In keeping with the context, John stays with "spirit," contrasting "the _spirit_ of the antichrist" with the _Spirit_ of Christ, telling us "which you heard was coming _and now is in the world already_." Understand that as Christ is "one body" with "many members," so too "antichrist." Just "as in one body we have _many members_ , and the _members_ do not all have the same function, so we, _though many_ , are _one body in Christ_ , and individually members of one another" (Rom. 12:4-5; ESV).

Is there an antichrist destined to arise in the earth? No, there isn't, for he began rising in the early church as "one body" but "many members." Like the "body of Christ," antichrist is a _collective spiritual force_ , not an individual person. It is many joined together in the same spirit (and mind). It has been running parallel with the body of Christ since the days of Christ and the apostles.

"They," John says, speaking of antichrists, " _are from the world_ ; therefore _they speak from the world_ , and _the world listens to them_." This immediately begs the question, "Why would the world listen to them?" Simple. Because false prophets or antichrists, being "from the world," _are of the same spirit as the world_ , therefore what they say and do _appeals to the world at large_.

John goes on to say, "We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us." And, it's "by this" that "we _know_ the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error." And I must say at this point that it doesn't matter if a person embraces religion or not, for a confession of faith is no proof at all of the Spirit of Christ. Remember, it's not the words we test, but the _spirit_ behind the words.

The word "antichrist" is found only four times in the King James Version of the Bible, and every mention of this word is in the letters written by John, the beloved disciple. The Strong's Concordance gives this definition as, "An _opponent of the Messiah_." It's derived from two words, _anti_ and _Christos_. _Anti_ means, " _Opposite_ , i.e. _instead_ or _because_ of (rarely _in addition_ to). _Christos_ means, " _Anointed_." So we could easily say that antichrist speaks of us professing to be "anointed" by the Spirit of God in what we say and do, yet we are not. "Instead" of truly being moved and led by the Spirit, we have put something else in its place and given it priority over His Spirit, yet all the while professing that it is His Spirit. Would this not constitute blasphemy? Yes it would.

John 6:63 (ESV)  
**It is the Spirit who gives life** ; the flesh is of no avail. The **words** that I have spoken to you **are spirit and life**.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it (either death or life; John 3:19) will eat its fruits." And what is the "power" of the tongue? Again, it is the spirit behind it, which motivates our words and actions, our very being in all that we do. Do we wish to speak life? Then we must have the Spirit of it, for "it is the Spirit," not our words, "who gives life."

John 4:21-24 (ESV)  
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when **the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth** , for **the Father is seeking such people to worship him**. God is spirit, **and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth**."

In these passages, we find Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman although Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans (John 4:9). Note that He tells her, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

What a revealing statement Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman! God seeks people who will worship Him in "spirit" first, then "truth." And Jesus said this twice, giving witness (two is the number of witness) of this understanding and leaving no doubt what is meant by "worship." "Those who worship him must," not maybe, "worship in spirit and truth." You see my friend, it's not our buildings or services or songs we sing that is worship; rather, it is the spirit by which we conduct ourselves on a daily basis. After all, the world is not moved by how large our church building is, how many attend, or how often we congregate; they, like us, can only be moved by the love of God that flows from our being.

No doubt, we have put the "cart before the horse," placing our various versions of "truth" in front of the "spirit" of it, often showing frustration, anger, and even hatred toward those who would disagree with our doctrines. Paul wrote, "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (II Tim. 2:23-26). You see my friend, it is not us at all who brings anyone to their senses if God does not grant.

2 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)  
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some **who commend themselves**. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, **they are not wise**.

Those who walk in truth have no need to convince others they do because they embrace the words of Christ out of their love for Christ. Those who have a love for the truth seek a "clean heart" and "right spirit" within (Psalms 51:10), desiring to lay down their lives for His sake that they might truly come to know eternal life (Matt. 16:25), not for their own sake but for the sake of others. Those who serve the Lord in faith do not compare themselves "with some who commend themselves" or "measure themselves by themselves." To do so is a grievous error.

Matthew 23:13-15 (ESV)  
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! **For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces**. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! **For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves**.

Why is it that we always apply these passages to others and not to ourselves? How is it that we cannot see in these passages that our desire to convert others to our "church," including our "outreach" and "evangelization" efforts are put to question by what Jesus told the Pharisees? Do any of us ever stop to think that the current structure of Christendom could be as corrupt and as much in error as the world system which surrounds us? Do we not understand that the false prophets of which John spoke are "from the world" and therefore, like the Pharisees of Jesus' time, create religions that appear as righteous but are in fact opposed to the nature and essence of the kingdom of God? Many of the major denominations today function just like a business corporation and employ the same methods. Does this structure allow for their converts to truly seek His kingdom or are they simply following the same traditional patterns which have been handed down to them?

Think about it. How much money do our religious organizations spend to reach others and make converts of their particular faith? And of course we justify it by the fact that Jesus said to "go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15). But is it the gospel we are proclaiming or merely our version of it? Does this idea justify our continual and shameful pleading for money as though the work of Christ cannot be done without it? Can you imagine Christ and His disciples asking for money all the time, stressed over the fact that if there wasn't enough that Jesus would be hindered in His ministry? Jesus made it clear. "No one," no exceptions, "can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matt. 6:24). Paul also wrote, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (I Tim. 6:10).

Understand that when our spirit is wrong, we will be drawn to error, for we will agree with that which appeals to our pride and ego (self). For this reason, two of the most damning doctrines of men are the rapture and eternal torment, for they are clearly based in pride and respect of persons (Acts 10:34), propagating the idea that we, as "believers," are somehow better than those who are "sinners."

My friend, the gospel has never been about how much better we are than those who do not know the Lord. That is self-righteousness and an abomination to Christ. The gospel of Christ is about righteousness, yes, but not of ourselves. Righteousness means "right behavior," pleasing to the Lord first and beneficial to all we encounter. And rest assured that we cannot, nor ever will be able to attain this righteousness through any works of our own. There is a divine process in place that is required to strip us of all of our pride and rebellion, to humble us before Him that we might be a true vessel and testimony of His love and grace.

Jesus taught that the Word of God is a "seed" (Luke 8:11), and spoke of the "ground" it is planted in as our heart (Matt. 13:19). So think about this. A seed doesn't jump up overnight and become a great tree with an abundance of fruit. Rather, there is a process which includes time and the other elements (water, warmth, nutrients, light) which are necessary for the seed to germinate and grow until it reaches a place where it can produce fruit. This shows that the moment we are drawn by the Father to Christ is merely the beginning of the process; that what begins as a "seed" will take time to evolve into the fullness of the life within it. Such is the living Word of the kingdom and the working of God.

Finally, consider that Jesus did not tell His disciples that the world would know we were His because our doctrine was right, rather, it would be because we love one another. You see my friend, it is the Spirit of the love of God which must guide us into the true understanding of the scriptures. Without it, we will only fabricate and propagate doctrines and commandments of men which make the Word of God of "no effect" (Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:13).

# Chapter Four

# PRIDE

Matthew 23:1-12 (ESV)  
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell you— but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. **They do all their deeds to be seen by others**. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and **they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others**. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have **one teacher** , and **you are all brothers**. And **call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven**. Neither be called instructors, for you have **one instructor** , the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. **Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted**.

It doesn't take a great spiritual revelation to understand the preceding passages. And in light of all that Christendom does today, it should be apparent to us that we are guilty of these very things.

Oh how we love our titles and our labels, our names and our organizations, so much so that we are quick to condemn those who would oppose them! How quickly we are angered by those who disagree or challenge the tenets of our denomination or organization, our leaders and our way of thinking. Does it matter that much that what we profess to believe clearly stands against the words of Christ? Do we not realize that many of the major religions of our time are quick to embrace certain truths in scripture and just as quick to exclude those they don't wish to agree with?

Do we not realize that there is absolutely no scriptural foundation that supports the idea of a Pope or "father" or rosary beads or the worship of the Virgin Mary? Do we not realize that Christmas is the celebration of a lie and not the birth of Christ, that it is founded upon error, so too the celebration of Easter? Do we not understand that the rigid hierarchy of our denominations and organizations are not guarantees against deception because they quickly reject anything outside of their own faith? Do we not recognize the spirit of the world in our religious titles such as "doctor" and "reverend" and our merchandising of the things of Christ? Have we not lowered in worth or value the precious death and resurrection and words of our Lord by turning it into a means of profit?

Our preceding passages are the words of Christ, the Son of God, and who are we to change them to mean something else? There is but "one teacher" and we "are all brothers." There is but one "Father, who is in heaven," and we are all His children. And there is but "one instructor, the Christ," the Spirit of truth which Jesus plainly declared would guide us into all truth. No wonder John wrote, "But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything—and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you—abide in Him" (I John 2:27). Friend, it is not the denomination, organization, Pope, priest, pastor, deacon, or anyone that "is true and is no lie," it is the "anointing," the Spirit of truth alone which leads us into all truth.

Have we become mindless puppets of our religious organizations? Many have, for we are far too busy with our personal lives to be concerned with these things, let alone question them. And we are far too trusting and comfortable with those we call our leaders, whether secular or religious.

We were designed to think outside the box but cultured to think inside, our focus narrowed by those who would stand in their pride and chide us for thinking differently. Much of what stands today does so, not because it is right, but because it has been believed for hundreds of years. Many of the errors in Christendom were fabricated long ago and stand merely on the fact that we accept them without question.

The Spirit of truth is not given by our seminaries or religious colleges. There are not twelve steps to the truth and the truth itself is not readily apparent in the Bible simply because we embrace a denomination or organization. Truth is the living vitality of the Spirit of Christ which can never be bound or possessed by our arrogant assertions that we have it and others don't. Not for a second do I believe that the Lord anoints any religious institution based on a collective mental assent or a particular label. It is sent by Christ and proceeds from the Father to those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matt. 5:6; John 15:26). It is supernatural in origin, proceeding from the spiritual realm of God and Christ alone.

Jesus, along with His disciples, did not have credentials nor bothered with the religious hierarchy of their time. They simply spoke the truth and the truth opposed the hierarchy because of the pride and hypocrisy that was so obviously a part of it. Could the same be true today?

Matthew 7:28-29 (KJV)  
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For **he taught them as** _one_ **having authority, and not as the scribes**.

Matthew 21:23-27 (ESV)  
And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, " **By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?** " Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet." So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

I cannot help but be amused and amazed by the wisdom of our Lord when the Pharisees questioned His authority. No doubt, His authority was by the dynamic working of the Spirit of God, yet, the Pharisees rejected it because it didn't align with or prop up their present religious standing. How true is that today? How quick are we to label that which is different as a cult, not realizing that many of the earmarks of a cult define much of our own religious gatherings today.

Romans 12:1-3 (ESV)  
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, **to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship**. **Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God** , what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you **not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think** , but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Jesus said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." In agreement Paul wrote, "I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think." And what is it when we think more highly of ourselves than we should? Pride. This was the spirit of the Pharisees and the spirit of the antichrist (see Psalms 31:23; Prov. 8:13; 11:2; 16:18-19). And what did John write? "Test the spirits." No wonder our seven things in Proverbs 6 begins with "a proud look" (KJV), referring to our "spiritual" pride and contempt for those who would disagree.

So think about this. Are we not exalting those who founded our various religions more so than Christ Himself? The Lutherans sprang from Martin Luther in the 1500s. The Baptist church is credited to Roger Williams and John Clarke and began in 1639. The Methodist church began with John and Charles Wesley in the 18th century. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints began with Joseph Smith during the 1820s. The Seventh Day Adventist Church had its roots in the Millerite movement of the 1830s to the 1840s, officially founded in 1863. The Jehovah's Witnesses developed in the United States in the 1870s, founded by Charles Taze Russell. The Pentecostal Movement grew out of the "Holiness Revival" of the second half of the nineteenth century while the Charismatic Movement began around 1960.

So what is my point? It is this. Why do so many embrace a religion founded by someone as though that individual's revelation of Christ and the scriptures could be the only valid one? What makes us think that we owe our allegiance to any one man or woman and their corresponding doctrine as though they had the same authority as Christ and His apostles? I don't believe for a second that if God raised up any of these individuals, that He wanted us to embrace them with such fervor and loyalty as though they could be the only ones who could correctly interpret the Word of God. And remember, it is not our doctrine which sets us apart from the world, rather, it is the spirit in which we conduct ourselves. Finally, what has all of these "founders" produced in Christianity? Mostly "discord among brethren," and isn't that the fullness (7) of those things mentioned in Proverbs, Chapter 6? So I reiterate, we have placed the "cart before the horse," dividing ourselves over doctrines and commandments of men which often have no true scriptural foundation. Ah, but we are filling up the measure of our so-called church "fathers," not realizing that we have placed them as our leaders "instead" of Christ.

So where is the true body of Christ in all of this? My answer? Scattered throughout the world, and yes, many of His people are in the midst of these denominations and organizations as well. After all, didn't Jesus teach that the "wheat" and "tares" would grow together until the harvest? (Matt. 13:24-30). Ah, but understand my friend, you cannot group God's people in any single collective or by any denominational or organizational name, for they are joined together by Spirit and not by man's devising (II Tim. 2:19; I Cor. 1:10; 6:17). You cannot place a name on the work of God's Spirit anymore than you can explain the wind. Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).

Finally consider the word "church" itself. It means, "A calling out." And where are we called out from? The world and its prideful spirit (I Cor. 2:12; I John 2:15-17). And where are we called to? The kingdom of God which "does not consist in talk but in power" (I Cor. 4:20; ESV).

Keep in mind that in Chapter 1, we considered the fact that there are seven woes in Matthew, Chapter 23. This denotes the "fullness" of those things which Jesus denounced concerning the Pharisees. And what was the final result of these woes? Consider.

Matthew 23:37-39 (ESV)  
"O **Jerusalem** , **Jerusalem** , **the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it**! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! **See, your house is left to you desolate**. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "

Jesus told the Pharisees, "See, your house is left to you desolate." Our word "desolate" means, "Lonesome, i.e. (by implication) waste," suggested by the word which means, "Through the idea of empty expanse; room, i.e. a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitant)." "Desolate" speaks of a "lonesome" and "empty expanse," a "space of territory" or "wilderness" which includes its' inhabitants. These definitions help explain the passages in Revelation concerning "the inhabitants of the earth" (Rev. 8:13; 17:2; KJV), also stated as those that "dwell upon the earth." Friend, to be an "inhabitant" or "dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3:10; 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:8) has nothing at all to do with physical location and everything to do with where our spirit and mind are (see Isaiah 14:17; Revelation 13:6; 19:14). So in Revelation we read, "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" (Rev. 17:3; KJV). Our word "wilderness" is the same word as "desolate," found in Matthew, Chapter 23.

So think about this. Before and after the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection, after the Day of Pentecost when the disciples received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and after the church began to take root in the days of the apostles, the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees simply continued along in their hypocrisy and deception after Jesus had told them their "house" had been left to them "desolate." The Lord's work didn't change or end the religious work of the Pharisees, rather, it went forward in spite of it. In the midst of one of the greatest spiritual phenomenons this planet has ever known, the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees continued in their spiritual blindness. And due to their spiritual stupor, they persecuted the apostles in the same manner as they did the Christ. Could the same thing be true in our time? Are we so arrogant to think that it couldn't? Do we not know that Paul wrote, "Therefore God sends them," those who exalt themselves and do not receive a love for the truth (II Thess. 2:3-4, 10), "strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (II Thess. 2:11-12; ESV). Note how Paul equates believing "what is false" with "pleasure in unrighteousness." In other words, those who do not believe the truth will change it to justify their hypocrisy and lawless behavior even as the Pharisees did. We say but do not and then preach "grace" in order to rationalize our disobedient and sinful actions in order to support our religious systems.

John 9:39-41 (NKJV)  
And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, **that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind**." Then _some_ of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?" Jesus said to them, " **If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains**."

Be honest. How many denominations and organizations today boast of their "truth," telling their congregations weekly as well as the world at large that they preach and teach the doctrine of Christ and the apostles? But I remind you that all of our denominations and organizations have been founded long ago upon the ideology of one or two professing to have a true spiritual revelation that their present leaders believe shouldn't be questioned. And why can't we question it? If it is truth, will it not stand against any and all scrutiny? Is there anything wrong in examining what we believe, especially in light of the fact that our churches have become powerless and turned to so many various forms of manipulation and entertainment in order to attract people?

2 Timothy 3:1-17 (ESV)  
But understand this, that **in the last days there will come times of difficulty**. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, **having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power**. **Avoid such people**. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. **Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived**. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

What is an "impostor" if not an actor? And what is an actor if not a hypocrite? Friend, there is nothing wrong in saying we don't know, but there is great shame in saying we do when we don't. And there is certainly no shame in finding out we're wrong and changing it accordingly. But again, there is great shame when we refuse to admit we're wrong for the sake of our religious positions and organizations and the money it brings.

As Paul makes clear, the "last days" would be filled with people who would be "lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant," and so on, yet they would have "the appearance of godliness" and deny its "power." And what did Paul say? "Avoid such people." Note too that he tells us, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." You see my friend, it's the "godly life" of those seeking the righteousness of the kingdom of God that angers the religious-minded whose primary desire is to sustain their traditional structures at all costs.

# Chapter Five

# DESOLATION

Matthew 12:22-37 (NKJV)  
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" Now when the Pharisees heard _it_ they said, "This _fellow_ does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: " **Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand**. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast _them_ out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. **He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad**. "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the **blasphemy** _against_ **the Spirit** will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the _age_ to come. "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by _its_ fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. **But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned**."

These are the passages pertaining to the "blasphemy against the Spirit," what most of us have heard of as the "unforgivable" or "unpardonable sin." Our first mistake in considering what this means lies in the fact that we fail to consider the context that surrounds it. Note where the Lord stated, "Therefore." This is a sentence connector and links what He says about the blasphemy against the Spirit with what He had previously said. And what was the first thing Jesus mentioned in this context? "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."

The word "kingdom" incorporates the idea of many cities and houses, does it not? So Jesus made sure to begin with the "kingdom," then brought it down to the level of each "city" and "house" within that "kingdom." As a parallel, consider that America consists of the Federal Government which trickles down to the fifty states which contains many cities made up of many houses or homes. So what did Jesus say? "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." When a kingdom stands divided, its' influence reaches down to every collective (city) and every member of that collective (house).

Once again we find our word "desolation." This word is defined as, "To lay waste (literal or figurative)," taken from the same word we looked at in the previous chapter which means "lonesome" or "waste," translated as "wilderness" a total of 32 times in the King James Bible.

Remember, once Jesus pronounced the "house" of the Pharisees "desolate," they continued on in their error, doing what they had always done and standing against the apostles as they did the Lord, their spiritual blindness evident. Were they aware they were blind? Of course not, or they would have repented and forsaken their current religious system to follow the Lord.

Jesus was not speaking of a literal "kingdom" made up of literal cities or houses. Rather, He was speaking of the religious system and mindset of the Pharisees, made up of the teachers of the law (scribes), the elders, the chief priests, the High Priest, and those who were loyal to them (Matt. 16:21; 26:3, 57, 59, 62-65; 27:1; Mark 8:31; 10:33; 11:18).

So is Christianity divided today? If we answer honestly, yes it is; just like the Pharisees of old, our religious systems divided all the way down to our individual "cities" (congregations) and "houses" (members). And what did Jesus say would happen? We would "not stand" and we would be "brought to desolation." Beloved, when pride is the primary component of our collective and not the love of the truth, then God sends a "strong delusion" which will create division (II Thess. 2:9-12). Once divided, desolation is inevitable; it will not be otherwise. At this point, the hard question is, "Will we know it, or will we be like the Pharisees and fail to see it?"

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (ESV)  
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, **that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment**. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that **there is quarreling among you** , my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ." **Is Christ divided?** Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Wikipedia, quoting Christianity Today, states that there are "approximately 38,000" Christian denominations. The World Christian Encyclopedia of 2001 counts 33,830. The World Christian Database carries extensive data on 9,000 Christian denominations while The Hartford Institute for Religion Research lists 217 denominations in their 2006 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.

According to our information, at the very least there are 217 denominations. So which one is right? How do we know? Personally, I find it very confusing to even consider it. And I immediately think of "Babylon" in Revelation which is derived from the word which means "confusion." That being said, if we are truly this divided among ourselves, I must ask again if you think the Lord would leave us "desolate" as He did the Pharisees? Not only do I believe He will, _but He already has_ (Rev. 3:1). And again, what do we mean by "desolate"? It essentially means a "wilderness," a _spiritual wasteland_. This, my friend, is what John the Baptist and Jesus Christ entered, aptly described as the " _wilderness_ of Judea" in Matthew 3:1 and the "wilderness" in Matthew 4:1 (Isaiah 14:17). Literal? I think not. After all, if this "wilderness" were literal, then who would have been there to hear their preaching? Please consider.

Hebrews 3:7-19 (ESV)  
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, **on the day of testing in the wilderness** , where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.' " **Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart,** leading you to fall away **from the living God**. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? **Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness**? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? **So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief**.

These passages from Hebrews speak of the nation of Israel after they had been brought out of Egypt by Moses. And where did the Lord bring them? Into the wilderness. And why did the Lord bring them there? Consider.

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2 **And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you** _and_ **test you, to know what** _was_ **in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.** 3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that **man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every** _word_ **that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord**.

Look at what Paul wrote in regard to Israel. "But with most of them (Israel) God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted" (I Cor. 10:5-6). Also, "Now all these things (I Cor. 10:7-10) happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (I Cor. 10:11).

Despite the fact that the nation of Israel had been in servitude to Egypt for four hundred years (Gen. 5:13), it was still necessary for Moses to lead them into the wilderness in order to be humbled and tested. Is our spiritual journey any different? It is not (Matt. 4:1; Acts 7:38; Rev. 12:6, 14; 17:3). As Hebrews shows and Paul confirms, many failed this test, their bodies falling in the wilderness due to their rebellion. Note how the Lord said that Israel should "remember" why the Lord led them through the wilderness for forty years. Shouldn't we as well?

What is unbelief? Is it simply "not believing?" Or could it also be defined as believing a lie? If what we believe is false, would it not then be "unbelief" since we are placing our faith in something that isn't true? Note the phrase "leading you to fall away." Now consider what Paul said in II Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-6 (NKJV)  
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; **for** _that Day will not come_ **unless the** falling away **comes first** , and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, (4) **who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God**. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.

In these passages, Paul tells us that the day of the Lord will not come "unless the falling away comes first." And where is it we fall away? In our wilderness testing. And why do we fall away? Due to pride and rebellion against the process of the Lord which is necessary to humble and test us (Deut. 8:2). You see my friend, there is a reason why we go through tribulation; there is a purpose for our suffering. And yet, we preach damnable heresies such as the rapture and prosperity in direct contradiction to this fact. Were Paul and Barnabas in error when they went to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to strengthen and exhort the souls of the disciples, telling them that "we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God"? (Acts 14:22; KJV). Was Jesus also in error when He told His disciples, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"? (John 16:33) Was Peter confused when he wrote, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you"? (I Peter 4:12; ESV) Would we charge our Creator with foolishness for leading Israel into the wilderness from Egypt?

Note where Paul speaks of the "man of sin," the "son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." When we understand that we, His people, are the true temple of God (I Cor. 3:16-17) and the "man of sin" refers to the carnal and sinful nature lifted up in pride, then we find in these passages what is truly meant by "blasphemy," for we, being men, have made ourselves "God in the temple of God."

When Jesus told the Pharisees their "house" would be left "desolate," He left them in their spiritual "wilderness" due to their hypocrisy, pride, and rebellion. Yes, they were still God's chosen people. Yes, they were still in the process of God, but like those in Moses' time, they remained in their "wilderness," never experiencing the blessedness of the Spirit of truth and the kingdom of God which Jesus exemplified and taught to His disciples. And what was the result of their desolation? They stood against Christ and His kingdom, and this despite the fact He was righteous, preached righteousness, and "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil" (Acts 10:38; KJV). Imagine that! Despite the many good and precious works of Christ and the apostles, the Pharisees opposed the very thing they claimed to embrace because it didn't align with their current religious system. Is it possible that we have done the same thing? Consider the passages which follow after Deuteronomy 8:3.

Deuteronomy 8:5-20 (NKJV)  
**You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son,** _so_ **the Lord your God chastens you**. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For **the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land** , a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, **in which you will lack nothing** ; a land whose stones _are_ iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. " **Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest--** _when_ **you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell** _in them;_ **and** _when_ **your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;** when your heart is lifted up **, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;** who led you through that great and terrible wilderness **,** _in which were_ **fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end-- then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth**.' And you shall remember the Lord your God, for _it is_ He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as _it is_ this day. **Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish**. As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.

From the "house of bondage" to the "wilderness." Seems unfair, doesn't it? Ah, but our "heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9) When the Lord begins to move us from the bondage and servitude of this worldly system and spirit toward the kingdom of God, it is an absolute necessity for us to pass through our "wilderness," for our pride and resistance to His principles which was second nature to us in the world must be dealt with by the divine working of God's Word and will in our lives. We were brought out of Egypt by His grace, but now Egypt must be eradicated from our heart.

Ah, but it was in the wilderness where "some" became "idolaters" (I Cor. 10:7), rejecting that which God was revealing and instead choosing Egypt's "religion" over that of Moses and God, fashioning a "molded calf" (Exodus, Chapter 32). Would this be indicative of accepting man's carnal and bestial nature over that of God's divine nature?

It was also in the wilderness that "some" committed "sexual immorality" (James 4:4), tempted Christ, and complained (I Cor. 10:9-10). It was in the wilderness that Israel was divided against Moses, against God, and against each other, and because they were divided, they fell in the wilderness. Beloved, if we fail to be humbled in the process of God, we too will fall in the wilderness and our "house" will be left to us "desolate." And like the Pharisees of Jesus' time, we will not even know it, as we continue on in our pride, rebellion, and tradition while rejecting the very essence of the truth we claim to embrace. The Lord's message to the Laodicean church confirms this.

Revelation 3:14-17 (NKJV)  
"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. **So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth**. Because you say, **'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked**...

First of all, note that this prophecy is to the church, not the world. Secondly, consider that it's very severe in the same way as when Jesus denounced the Pharisees. Let me say it again—this is a message to the church, His people, and not the world! So can we just simply overlook this and say that it doesn't apply to us? Not by any means!

Consider the following from J. Preston Eby concerning the word "Laodicea."

It is interesting to note that the name Laodicea is composed of lao and dika, meaning "the people's judgment" or "consensus of opinion as to what is right!" Other variations of rendering are: "power of the laity," "the voice of the people," "the people's rights," or "justice of the peoples." Its name designates it as the democratic church, in which everything is swayed and decided by popular opinion, clamor, and voting, either within the church, or by adapting to the opinions, standards, and pressures of society without.  Hence, Laodicea is a carnal, compromising, pusillanimous, self-righteous, and self-sufficient church!

What an accurate description of many of our religious systems today. Paul confirms this very thing in his letter to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NKJV)  
I charge _you_ therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season _and_ out of season. **Convince** , **rebuke** , **exhort** , with all longsuffering and teaching. **For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires** , _because_ they have itching ears, **they will heap up for themselves teachers** ; and **they will turn** _their_ **ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables**.

"The time will come," Paul said, when we would turn our "ears _away_ from the truth, and be turned aside to _fables_ ," to fairy tales, to doctrines of our own imagination. Strong's Concordance defines our word "fables" as, "A _tale_ , i.e. _fiction_ (" _myth_ ")." Have we reached this time? I believe we reached it long ago, for there are far too many teachings today which demean and cheapen the name of Christ and the kingdom of God, ranging from outright fantasy to restrictive legalism, all of which have no value whatsoever in helping us achieve spiritual growth and unity.

# Chapter Six

# SCATTERED

Matthew 12:30 (NKJV)  
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.

Following His remark about a "kingdom divided," Jesus states, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." Despite the fact that the Pharisees were a large religious segment in Jesus' day with many leaders and followers, they were not gathering but scattering the people of God. How do we know? Because their motivation was pride and their desire was to control the Jewish religious segment of society. They were also willing to do anything to maintain their current religious system and status, even to the point of murder.

John 15:18-27 (NKJV)  
" **If the world hates you** , you know that it hated Me before _it hated_ you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, **therefore the world hates you**. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' **If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you**. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, **because they do not know Him who sent Me**. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. **He who hates Me hates My Father also**. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen **and also hated both Me and My Father**. But _this happened_ that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, _'They hated Me without a cause.'_ "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

As a believer, it should be easy enough to understand that the "world" will hate us, for the principles of the kingdom of God stand firmly against the lawless nature of our carnal mind (Rom. 8:7). And it is evident that the world resists this on a regular basis. Ah, but what did John write concerning false prophets and the antichrist spirit? "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them" (I John 4:5; NKJV).

So, who persecuted Jesus and His disciples? I'm sure there were many in the Roman Empire who scoffed, ridiculed, and rejected His words, but all four gospels show clearly that it was the religious system of the Pharisees that hated Him and persecuted Him the most. Furthermore, it was the leaders of this religious system which worked in league with Judas Iscariot which ended with the Lord's betrayal and crucifixion. Hard to grasp, isn't it? Now, look at what Jesus followed with after our passages above.

John 16:1-3 (NKJV)  
"These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. **They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.** And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

Clearly, "synagogues" or "religious gatherings" are no indication of the true work of Christ in His people and when our "spiritual pride" is so intense that we reject anything that stands against it, could we also be guilty of putting out that which is true?

Understand my friend, you could be wrong. So could I. And being wrong is not a sin until we refuse to acknowledge that it's possible. Then it becomes arrogance, something the Lord hates. Shouldn't we, at all times, be willing to challenge ourselves and the systems we embrace? Of the many things which Jesus warned about in Matthew, Chapter 24, He spoke more often about deception. And if we believe we can't be deceived, we already are.

Let's be frank and honest. How many of us today simply accept the teachings of our denominations and organizations without question? How many of us take time to study and think for ourselves outside the parameters of those things presented to us as truth? Finally, is this "truth" turning us to righteousness? Is this "truth" leading us to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbor as ourselves? (Matt. 24:36-40)

Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)  
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; **but he that doeth the will of my Father** which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, **have we not** prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Consider Vincent's treatment of the phrase "have we not."

Have we not (οὐ)

That form of the negative is used which expects an affirmative answer. It therefore pictures both the self-conceit and the self-deception of these persons. "Surely we have prophesied," etc.

Vincent's explanation helps us to better understand the "spirit" of our passages above, our phrase "have we not" suggesting "self-conceit" and "self-deception." Might this be the general attitude of many today?

Matthew 12:30 (NKJV)  
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me **scatters abroad**.

The phrase "scatters abroad" is quite interesting. This is the word _skorpizō_ and is defined as, "To _dissipate_ , i.e. (figurative) _put to flight_ , _waste_ , _be liberal_." It's taken from _skorpios_ which reads, "A ' _scorpion_ ' (from its _sting_ )." With these definitions in mind, consider the following.

Luke 10:19-20 (KJV)  
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on **serpents** and **scorpions** , and over all **the power of the enemy** : and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the **spirits** are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Not surprisingly, our word "scorpions" in these passages is _skorpios_. Note that the Lord places "serpents" before "scorpions," and speaks of both as "the power of the enemy." Not for a moment do I believe the Lord was being literal. Rather, He was speaking of deception (serpents) and the fact that it can only "scatter" (scorpions; see Revelation 9:1-11) those who are deceived. Didn't Jesus and John the Baptist call the Pharisees serpents (Matt. 3:7; 23:33)? And didn't Paul, in regard to our wilderness testing write, "Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, _and were destroyed by serpents_ "? (I Cor. 10:9) Would this suggest that while we are passing through our wilderness journey that we must be aware of those who wish to deceive? Didn't our Lord make this quite evident in Matthew, Chapter 24?

Finally, consider what Jesus followed with in our passages above. "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the _spirits_ are subject to you." This reveals that "serpents" and "scorpions" refer to the "many antichrists" and same " _spirit_ of antichrist" which John addressed in I John 2:18 and 4:1-3.

Understand, my friend, that collective gatherings do not necessarily mean they are unified. There is but one Spirit that brings us together as one and that is the Spirit of Christ. Any other spirit may appear as unity but is not.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (ESV)  
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, **that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment**. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, " **I follow Paul** ," or " **I follow Apollos** ," or " **I follow Cephas** ," or " **I follow Christ**." **Is Christ divided?** Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you **baptized** in the name of Paul?

Let's be raw and honest here. Why is Christianity divided? Is it because we say, "I follow the Catholic church," "I follow the Baptist church," "I follow the Pentecostal church," and "I believe in water baptism," or "miracles" or "tongues" or... you get the point. But what did Paul write? "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, _that all of you agree_ and that _there be no divisions among you_ , but _that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment_." Friend, this was not a hopeful suggestion but a divine injunction and understanding that the Spirit of Christ brings unity because it proceeds from the "mind of Christ" and not the carnal reasoning and arrogant assumptions that we are better than the church down the street because we believe this or that. Now, consider what Jesus said in our passages surrounding the blasphemy against the Spirit.

Matthew 12:30-32, 36-37 (NKJV)  
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. " **Therefore** I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy _against_ the Spirit will not be forgiven men. **Anyone who speaks a word** against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but **whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit** , it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the _age_ to come... But I say to you that for **every idle word men may speak** , they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For **by your words** you will be justified, and **by your words** you will be condemned."

See our word "Therefore"? It connects with the previous statement about gathering with Him or scattering abroad. We've also learned that when building a collective, we can in essence succeed in scattering. How do we do this? _By instilling pride into our converts_. For this reason, Jesus told the Pharisees, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte (convert), and when he is won, _you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves_ " (Matt. 23:15).

So how is it we build a collective? Primarily by what we say (which proceeds from our spirit; Matt. 15:19). So it is that Jesus tells us, "Anyone who _speaks a word_ against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever _speaks against the Holy Spirit_ , it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come." And Jesus leaves no room for doubt, emphasizing that "for _every idle word_ men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For _by your words_ you will be justified, and _by your words_ you will be condemned." Consider Vincent's treatment of the word "idle."

Idle (ἀργὸν)

A good rendering. The word is compounded of ἀ, not, and ἔργον, work. An idle word is a non-working word; an inoperative word. It has no legitimate work, no office, no business, but is morally useless and unprofitable.

Remember what I wrote in Chapter Three? The spirit behind _what we say and do_ determines the truth in which we stand. It will not be otherwise. If we are steeped in religious pride, then we will fabricate doctrines which sustain it. If we are arrogant in our assumptions of the truth, then again, we will devise and propagate doctrines which will sustain our arrogance and assumptions.

"Idle" words are "non-working" words which have "no legitimate work, no office, no business," and are " _morally useless_ and _unprofitable_." Wouldn't this also describe a lie?

Matthew 15:3, 6 (NKJV)  
He answered and said to them, "Why do you also **transgress** the commandment of God because of your **tradition**?... Thus you have made **the commandment of God of no effect** by your **tradition**.

Remember the Laodicean church? It is a church of _self-righteousness_ , where _we_ say, "'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'— _and do not know_ " that _we_ are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). Would this be the result of tradition? "Tradition" simply means, "A handing down or on" (Vine's), and today, it's clearly evident that much of what we believe has been _handed down to us_ by previous generations which most never question or consider as to its relevance to the truth.

Let me speak boldly. Those who teach that salvation means "going to heaven" or receiving "eternal torment" after we die are speaking a lie. As we step into the next chapter, we will consider this further.

# Chapter Seven

# WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD?

Do you believe the Bible? If so, let's consider a few questions.

Are we good? No, we are not. Paul, quoting Psalms 14 and 53 wrote, " _None_ is righteous, no, _not one; no one_ understands; _no one_ seeks for God. _All_ have _turned aside_ ; _together_ they have become _worthless_ ; _no one does good, not even one_ " (Rom. 3:10-12; ESV). In agreement, Ecclesiastes states, "For _there is not a just man on earth who does good_ and does not sin" (Ecc. 7:20). Jesus Himself, when called "Good Master" by the young rich man replied, "Why do you call Me good? _No one is good_ but One, that is, God" (Matt. 19:17). This pretty much levels the playing field, does it not? So how is it that many feel within themselves that they can judge others within the parameters of their belief, so much so that they reject and condemn others to so-called "eternal torment"? What separates those who "go to heaven" from those who are destined for eternal torture? If "no one is good," then nothing does.

Now, consider this. In other studies, I have shared the idea that the story of Adam and Eve is a pictorial presentation of how our Creator forms each and every single soul on this planet; past, present, and future. As most of us know, the story of Adam and Eve shows their obvious deception and disobedience which led to their fall into sin and death. Tradition teaches that this was not supposed to happen, however, have you ever thought that it was intended by our Creator? Did it ever occur to you that our Maker designed us to fall (see Rom. 8:20-21)? Think about it. If God is truly omnipotent and omniscient, would He not know all of this beforehand? Could He not design us to stand as easily as He could have designed us not to? So why would He do this? Could it be that He wanted all of us to be on "equal footing," that He wanted us to understand that none of us are good or worthy or deserving in and of ourselves? And that's the point, isn't it? None of us _are_ righteous, all of us _have turned_ aside, none of us _truly_ understand, and that puts all of us on the same plane, does it not? Yes, it does. Understand too that no matter how much we achieve in this life, it never negates the fact that we remain on equal footing with everyone around us. We did not choose our abilities, talents or intelligence, any more than we chose to enter this world of our own accord. For this reason, the gospel has never been about anyone being more deserving than anyone else, especially in light of our own criterion. So Paul wrote, "For when we were still without strength, in due time _Christ died for the ungodly_. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. _But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us_ " (Rom. 5:6-7; NKJV). You see, my friend, Christ died for us when we were least deserving, and it remains as such throughout our lives. If there is any change in our lives, it is wrought by the Spirit of Grace and not we ourselves.

John 1:29 (ESV)  
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, **who takes away the sin of the world**!

The word "sin" in this passage is a _collective_ noun, incorporating the idea and essence of sin in every person; past, present, and future. Understand that the Lord's death did what John the Baptist stated; _it took away the collective sin of the world, once and for all humankind_.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJV)  
For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: **that if One died for all, then all died** ; and **He died for all** , that **those who live** should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

1 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV)  
10 For to this _end_ we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, **who is** _the_ **Savior of all men, especially of those who believe**.

Jesus came to do the Father's will, understanding fully that He was to be the sacrificial "lamb" of God for humankind. "He died for all" so "that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." So what sets "those who live" apart from those who don't? Would it not be faith? Yet, "He died for all," therefore making God "the Savior of _all_ men." Ah, but "those who live" speaks of God as the Savior "especially of those who _believe_."

John 12:27 (NKJV)  
"Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? **But for this purpose I came to this hour**.

John 18:36-37 (NKJV)  
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say _rightly_ that I am a king. **For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world** , that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

It should be apparent that Christ came to do the will of the Father. In reference to His impending death, He stated, "Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour." This "purpose" and "hour" was His death and resurrection, and there is no doubt that Christ laid down His life willingly in order to be our judgment. Consider what follows John 12:27.

John 12:28-33 (NKJV)  
Father, **glorify Your name**." Then a voice came from heaven, _saying,_ " **I have both glorified** _it_ **and will glorify** _it_ **again**." Therefore the people who stood by and heard _it_ said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. **Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler** (prince; KJV) **of this world will be cast out**. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all _peoples_ to Myself." This He said, **signifying by what death He would die**.

Should there be any doubt, Jesus clarified His purpose stating, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler (prince; KJV) of this world will be cast out." When did this take place? Almost two thousand years ago when Christ died on the cross. Ah, but have you not read that Peter wrote, "He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you"? (I Peter 1:20; see also John 17:24) Friend, do we not realize that our Creator is not bound by time, nor is His purpose restricted to any age? Do we not understand that the scope of all God determined was known before He ever uttered those first words, "Let there be light"? Do we not also read, "For by Him," i.e. Jesus, "all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist" (Col. 1:16-17)? Do these statements not make it clear that God through Christ retains absolute control over all that is or ever will be, whether "visible or invisible," whether "in heaven" or "on earth"?

"Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler (prince; KJV) of this world will be cast out," Jesus said. So who is this "ruler" or "prince"? Our word "prince" means, "A first (in rank or power). It's the present participle of the word which means, "To be first (in political rank or power)." And who was "first" in rank or power? None other than the "first man Adam" (I Cor. 15:45), indicative of the natural and carnal essence in all of us. Understand dear friend that Jesus became our judgment, dying for this "man" in everyone. So Paul wrote, "Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act (the last Adam; Christ; I Cor. 15:45-49) the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life" (Rom. 5:18). What part does "all men" and "free gift" not include? If this is not true then the Father's work was left unfinished and His Son's death for us was in vain.

Understand too that what Jesus did was in perfect obedience to our heavenly Father. It was between Him and the Father alone. We had no part in it whatsoever and our faith in it is not required for that judgment to be applied. When Christ died, He died for all, and even if we don't believe it, it doesn't change the truth of what He did and the fact that our heavenly Father's purpose was fully satisfied by it. You see my friend, that's the very essence of truth. It stands as is regardless of whether we believe it or not.

John 12:44-50 (NKJV)  
Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. **I have come** _as_ **a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness**. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, **I do not judge him** ; for **I did not come to judge the world but to save the world**. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, **has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day**. For I have not spoken on My own _authority;_ but **the Father who sent Me gave Me a command** , what I should say and what I should speak. And **I know that His command is everlasting life**. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

Where do we find the light of good and the darkness of evil? Is it not on this earthly plane? (I John 1:6-7) Do the scriptures not teach that He will render to each of us according to the deeds done in this body? (Psalms 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Rom. 2:6; II Cor. 5:10) And what did the Lord say in regard to our judgment? "And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world." This He did, fully and completely. Ah, but when we reject Him and do not receive His words, we have that which judges us and it is the word of truth which He has spoken.

What did Jesus say? "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life." So all that Jesus spoke concerned "everlasting life." And what is everlasting life? It is not "going to heaven," beloved. Rather, it's the life we discover now, in this present moment, in the Spirit and wisdom of our heavenly Father, which is the same in every age, therefore everlasting or eternal. Because God is eternal, so is His Spirit and wisdom (Job 12:13; 28:28; Psalm 51:6; Prov. 2:6).

Where does truth apply? In every age, therefore the judgment which proceeds because of our resistance to it is also everlasting or eternal, relevant in every age. As crazy as it sounds, much of our suffering is the result of resisting the words of "everlasting life." Think about it! God placed truth into our existence because it is good for our being, but all the evil of this world is due to the fact that we rebel against that which is good!

So take another moment to really think about this. We live in the present moment. We do not live in the past nor in the future, but always in the present moment. This means that eternity is the present moment, for we are, at all times and everywhere, in the present. This being true, then truth always applies to the present moment, so too our resistance to it. No wonder Jesus said that His words would judge us, for that is the essence of truth. It remains the same in every moment, never changing, never needing to change, and that's what makes it eternal. No wonder Jesus said that His words would never pass away (Matt. 24:35).

1 Corinthians 15:22 (KJV)  
For **as in Adam all die** , even so **in Christ shall all be made alive**.

1 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV)  
10 For to this _end_ we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, **who is** _the_ **Savior of all men, especially of those who believe**.

As in Adam, so in Christ. Just as all of us die "in Adam" and we had no part in it in the beginning, so too everyone is made alive in Christ, though too we had no part in it two thousand years ago (Rom. 5:18). Remember, all of us remain on equal footing, and because of His divine love, Christ died for everyone, showing that God is "the Savior of all men, especially of those that believe." So it doesn't matter whether we believe or not, His death judged all and redeemed all. Consider the following from Pastor David R. Baughman.

The doctrine of eternal torment for 95% of mankind is a doctrine of defeat, as well as one which makes much of the scriptures incomprehensible and our Sovereign God of Love a monstrous failure.

Reconciliation of an adversary is true victory. The modern Church has fallen into the same error as the Israelites, and even the disciples. They, too, expected the Christ to impose His kingdom by force upon unwilling but overpowered enemies. God's plan is for reconciliation.

He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven (Col 1:18-20).

If this is true, why haven't we seen it before?

Because the time was not yet. God Himself has concealed much of the truth from His people, because we have walked as little children rather than as Sons of God, and because we have been satisfied with the traditions of men rather than pressing in to learn from the Father!

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1Tim 2:6). He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations (Isaiah 25:7). It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter (Prov 25:2).

As we begin to walk in Sonship, we will be able to say with Jonathan, "my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me?" (1 Sam 20:2)

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 (1 John 3:2).

God is appearing to His people in a way that has never been seen before!

1- GOD'S INTENTION

The scriptures tell us that ALL THINGS will be reconciled to God, that EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess righteousness and strength in the Lord, that God is the Savior of ALL men, that Jesus tasted death for EVERY man, that He is a ransom for ALL, that Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD, that God is not willing that ANY should perish, that He will have ALL men to be saved, that His will WILL be done, that Jesus will draw ALL men to Himself, that ALL we like sheep have gone astray and God has laid on Him the iniquity of us ALL, that God will NOT cast off forever nor be angry forever, that Jesus will defeat and DESTROY DEATH and the works of the devil so that THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH nor sorrow, that we WERE reconciled to God by the death of His Son while we were yet sinners and enemies, that God has bound us ALL in stubbornness that He might have mercy upon ALL, that He is the Lord of both the living AND THE DEAD, that EVERY creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and everything in them will say "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb", and that as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive, THAT GOD MIGHT BE ALL IN ALL!

The gravest mistake we have made as believers is to preach salvation as "going to heaven" after we die and "going to hell" (eternal torment) when we don't believe in Christ. This my friend, is not the gospel of Christ! Think about it! Jesus said, "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matt. 11:27). Also, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44). And again, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (John 6:65). If God alone grants, then who are we to say to those He doesn't that they have chosen wrongly and must suffer for eternity?

Remember, Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God seeks, not we ourselves (John 4:23). There is none that seek God, none whatsoever. It is God who seeks and God alone who draws! It is not our religious efforts that brings anyone to Him or His kingdom. And rest assured my friend that the sacrificial death of Christ was more than enough to carry away the collective sin of the world once and for all. There is no grey area and no conditions. The Lord's death and subsequent judgment for sin applies to every soul!

Oh how we have maligned our Creator's character by preaching "eternal torment"! Understand that God's "Name" is God's nature and He glorified His Name through the loving and precious ministry of His Son and glorified it again through His selfless sacrifice! This, my friend, is the true nature of our Creator, our Maker, our Father in heaven. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear" (Isa. 59:1). "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num. 23:19) Can God, who is ominpotent, not devise a process that saves everyone? Can it be that we have misunderstood this process and therefore placed conditions on that which has none?

Isaiah 45:5-7 (NKJV)  
I _am_ the Lord, and _there is_ no other; _There is_ no God besides Me. I will gird you, **though you have not known Me** , That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that _there is_ none besides Me. I _am_ the Lord, and _there is_ no other; **I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these** _things_ _.'_

Isaiah 45:21-24 (ESV)  
Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? **And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a** Savior **; there is none besides me. "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.** By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: **'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance**.' "Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; **to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him**.

Romans 9:14-17 (ESV)  
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." **So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy**. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

It is God "who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Eph. 1:11). It was by His "determined purpose and foreknowledge" that Christ was sent to this earth and delivered up for our judgment (Acts 2:22-24). It is He who is in control and it is Christ who "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:15-20). What part does "all things" not cover?

Friend, "In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them (the world) and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation" (II Cor. 5:19). Do you see it? God does not count our trespasses (sin) against anyone for they were wiped out before the foundation of the world through the foreknowledge of our Creator (John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; I Peter 1:20). This is the "message of reconciliation" which Paul and all the other apostles preached, that through the blood of Christ, every person has been, not will be, reconciled to God. But many don't understand or believe it because we have placed our own conditions on that which God placed no conditions on. Take a moment to consider Galatians, Chapter 6, verses 7 through 10, and recognize that this principle is God's process for everyone, even those who do not believe. Lack of faith doesn't negate His process, whether we acknowledge it or not. No wonder Paul wrote, "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, than all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh" (II Cor. 5:14-16).

So one must ask, if all of this is true, then why is our world and society so plagued by darkness and evil? We've already considered this in part, but let's do so again with a simple analogy.

Does fire burn? Of course it does. And if your child tries to place their hand in it, what do you do? Do you not stop them and tell them that the fire will hurt them? Sure you do. And haven't you just told your child the truth? Of course. So what happens when your child doesn't believe you and behind your back, puts their hand in the fire? They get burned! Ah, but it is then they discover the truth of what you said. So, do you hate your child after they have disobeyed? Of course not! You may be angry and upset because your child has suffered pain due to their disobedience, but you don't disown your child for it, do you?

Now, let me ask you---what happens if your child sticks their hand in the fire again? Will it burn them a second time? Of course it will! And no matter how many times they do it, they will get burned every single time because the truth is that fire burns! Regardless of how many times or how often your child thinks that the fire won't burn them, it always will and the truth of this will prevail. The child's disbelief will never change this fact. Friend, the same is true concerning the precious death of our Lord. No matter how many disbelieve, it cannot change the fact that God, by His determined purpose and foreknowledge, gave His only begotten Son as the judgment for all creation. And no matter how often we resist this truth, the righteous nature of this act will condemn us every time, for His death was completely selfless with no intention of force of will. The Lord knew then as He does now that His unconditional love will conquer all!

In this same analogy, I must mention too that this reveals to us the truth about the "hell" of scripture. Please consider.

Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)  
"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to **the hell of fire**.

When our children fail to heed our warning not to stick their hand in the fire and they do and get burned, does this make the fire evil? Not at all! And isn't it true that the fire that burns the child is the same fire that gives light and warms the child? Of course, but the difference lies in what we believe in regard to the fire.

In our passages from Matthew above and in the light of the commandment, "You shall not murder," Jesus addresses our anger which often leads to insult and accusation. So first He sets up the understanding that we must not let our anger lead to false assumptions and accusations, especially considering the fact that we don't see as God sees and know their heart. Ah, but when we act in disobedience to this we are "liable to the hell of fire." When we act in the manner which Jesus outlined, calling someone "You fool!" we act against the truth. When we do, we do what the child did. We place our hand in the fire despite the fact that we were told not to! In resisting His truth, we are then "burned" by the righteous nature and essence of the one who placed that truth before us. You see my friend, truth only torments when we disobey out of ignorance or self-will. Goodness only torments us when we act against it. And such is the "hell of fire."

Our word "hell" in this passage is Gehenna. Consider Vincent's treatment (bolding mine).

Rev., more accurately, _the hell of fire._ The word Gehenna _,_ rendered _hell,_ occurs outside of the Gospels only at James 3:6. It is the Greek representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom _,_ or Valley of Hinnom, a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction of the worship of the fire-gods by Ahaz, the idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to Molech. Josiah formally desecrated it, "that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech" (2 Kings 23:10). After this it became the common refuse-place of the city, into which the bodies of criminals, carcasses of animals, and all sorts of filth were cast.

A "refuse-place" in modern terms is a garbage dump. And what does a garbage dump have to do with the "hell of fire"? Consider.

Galatians 6:7-8 (NKJV)  
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For _he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh_ **reap corruption**...

A garbage dump speaks of "corruption," does it not? So in contrast, when we act in accordance with our corruptible nature against the truth of God's righteous and incorruptible nature, we are like our small child who disregards the truth (whether we understand it or not). So it is that we must "reap" the consequences of our unbelief and disobedience. So the "hell" in Matthew 5 refers to our corruptible and unrighteous nature whereas the "fire" refers to God's righteous and incorruptible nature which stands opposed to it. No wonder the writer of Hebrews, quoting Deuteronomy 4:24 stated, "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29; KJV; see also Deut. 33:2). When we act in obedience, He is light and warmth to our being. When we act in disobedience, His truth stands as a light (fire) to remind us of our need for change.

Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)  
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and **Hades**.

Can we confirm and align our understanding of _Gehenna_ with _Hades_? Yes we can. Our word _Hades_ means, "Unseen," not in the sense of physical sight but in the idea of _perception_. It is a compound word derived from _alpha_ and _eidō_. _Eidō_ means, "To _see_ (literal or figurative); by implication (in the perf. only) to _know_." _Eidō_ is used in the following passage.

John 3:3 (NKJV)  
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot **see** (eidō) the kingdom of God."

_Eidō_ is also used in the following, translated as "perceive."

Matthew 13:14 (NKJV)  
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** (eidō)...

Finally, our word _eidō_ is used in the following passage, translated as "knows."

Matthew 6:8 (NKJV)  
Therefore do not be like them. For your Father **knows** (eidō) the things you have need of before you ask Him.

When we fail to perceive the truth, then it cannot make us free (John 8:32). And if we add to or take from it, we turn it into a lie and make it worthless to believe in, for believing a lie can only produce confusion.

Beloved, the kingdom of God is the government of God, and the hierarchy of this government is given us in I Corinthians 11:3. Furthermore, just like our worldly systems, the government of God incorporates laws, however, unlike our man-made laws, all of His laws are righteous, good, and holy when understood apart from man's interventions and carnal assumptions (Psalms 119:18, 142; Rom. 7:12).

So the Lord told John, "I have the keys of death and hades." So was Jesus saying I have the power to eternally torment everyone? Do we really believe this? Would the Son of God who so willingly laid down His life for the world take it up again in order to destroy the greatest segment of humankind? Or can we go with the thought that Jesus possesses the ability (keys) to open our eyes to "see" or know the kingdom of God, to impart to us the understanding of the truth that makes us free (John 8:32; Eph. 1:18)?

Remember our small child. When they placed their hand in the fire, they were burned. And what did this pain do? It opened the eyes of the child to see or understand that what their parent told them was true! And that, my friend, is the true essence of "hell" in scripture. When we act in disobedience to the truth of God out of ignorance or rebellion, we suffer the consequences of our actions (sowing and reaping). Ah, but even in this, the consequences are remedial, revealing to us the folly of acting against that which is righteous and good.

Again, what did Jesus say? "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Matt. 11:27). You see, Jesus does hold the "keys" of "Hades," for it is He alone who opens our eyes to the truth of the Father.

The idea of hell as being a place of eternal torment is birthed out of our desire to think that _we are better and more deserving than others_. This presumption is seriously flawed in light of the scripture, for we have read that in no uncertain terms, "There is _none righteous_ , no, _not one_. There is none who understands; _There is none who seeks after God_ _"_ (Rom. 3:10). Even Christ Himself, when addressed as "Good Master," replied, "Why do you call me good? _No one is good but One_ , that is, God" (Matt. 19:17).

Most do not take the time to consider that sin is a product of the carnal mind and a spirit of error (Rom. 8:6-7; I John 4:6). Regardless of whether it is murder, theft, or just simple gossip, _it is sin_. All sin issues from the same source, described as "the first man Adam" (I Cor. 15:45) who represents all of us in our carnal mind and disobedient spirit. The Bible states that "to be carnally minded _is_ death" (Rom. 8:6), and that death is the result of sin (Rom. 6:23).

If we do a serious study and search through scripture about sin and its consequences, we will find that there is no sin considered worse than other sin. Beloved, it is us who have placed varying "degrees" on sin, but the scripture does not. Consider what James wrote in light of what we have discussed.

James 2:10-11 (NKJV)  
10 For whoever shall **keep the whole law** , and **yet stumble in one** _point_ _,_ he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, _"Do not commit adultery,"_ also said, _"Do not murder."_ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Do you see it? If we "stumble in _one_ point," we are "guilty of _all_." Can we refute this? We cannot. This being true, then the "unpardonable sin" cannot be any particular sin since _there are no degrees of sin_. Furthermore, if Jesus said "it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come" (Matt. 12:32), then He implied _it will be forgiven_ in the age that follows. This being true, then simple logic dictates that there is really no such thing as an "unpardonable sin."

# Chapter Eight

# BOUND OR LOOSED?

Matthew 12:29 (NKJV)  
Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, **unless he first binds the strong man**? And then he will plunder his house.

Within the context of the unpardonable sin, we find the Lord speaking of binding the "strong man." On the surface, the Lord's analogy is completely logical. One cannot enter "a strong man's house and plunder his goods" if he doesn't first bind "the strong man." But there is something deeper here. Who is this "strong man"? Would this refer to our "first man Adam"? (I Cor. 15:45-49) I believe it does.

Our word "bind" is the Greek word _deō_ and means, "To _bind_ (in various applications, literal or figurative)." This same word is used in the following passages. The Weymouth New Testament gives us the best rendering.

Matthew 16:18-19 (WEY)  
18 And I declare to you that you are Peter, and that upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the might of Hades (unseen) shall not triumph over it. 19 I will give you the **keys** of the Kingdom of the Heavens; and whatever you **bind** on earth shall remain bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in Heaven."

Our word "keys" is _kleis_ , defined as, "A _key_ (as _shutting_ a lock)." It's taken from the word _kleiō_ which means, "To _close_ (literal or figurative)." Clearly, these "keys" relate to what is "bound" or "loosed."

What Jesus told Peter was a precious, yet very serious thing we must consider—"the _keys_ of the Kingdom of the Heavens." I cannot help but think of what Jesus said to John in the book of the Revelation, that He had the " _keys_ of Death and Hades" (Rev. 1:18). Are these the same "keys" which Jesus gave Peter? I believe they are, for when our understanding is opened to perceive the things of the "kingdom of the heavens," then "death" can be "swallowed up in victory" (I Cor. 15:54) and "what is mortal" or _corruptible_ (Gehenna) will "be swallowed up by life" (II Cor. 5:4).

"Keys" have but two functions; to lock or unlock or to bind or loose. Not surprisingly, our word "shut" in the following passage is our word _kleiō_.

Matthew 23:13 (ESV)  
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you **shut** the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. **For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in**.

Luke 11:52 (NKJV)  
52 Woe to you lawyers! For **you have taken away the key of knowledge**. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered."

Matthew 23:13 is one of the seven woes which Jesus declared to the Pharisees. Despite the fact that they sat in "Moses' seat" and professed to be the spiritual leaders of the Jewish people, they not only failed to enter the kingdom of heaven but succeeded in shutting it in people's faces. All the while, they believed that they were truly doing the will of God.

So what did Jesus mean by "keys"? No doubt, they speak of the _knowledge_ of the kingdom of God, the _knowledge_ of the truth as seen in Luke 11:52 (see also I Tim. 2:4; II Tim. 3:7; Heb. 10:26; Rev. 3:7). Ah, but remember that truth, apart from the Spirit of it, is rendered useless. In fact, I would reiterate that whenever our spirit is wrong when considering the knowledge of the kingdom, we will misinterpret and corrupt it, descending into spiritual blindness. Such is the power of deception.

Take another look at our rendering from the Weymouth New Testament. "Whatever you bind on earth _shall remain bound in Heaven_ , and whatever you loose on earth _shall remain loosed in Heaven_." If we understand that "keys" are knowledge, then we understand that what we believe and teach will translate as binding or loosing either death or life, will it not? So let's consider once again what Jesus ended with in the context of the blasphemy against the Spirit.

Matthew 12:29-37 (NKJV)  
Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. **He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad**. "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy _against_ the Spirit will not be forgiven men. **Anyone who speaks a word** against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but **whoever speaks against** the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the _age_ to come. "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by _its_ fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, **speak good things**? For **out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks**. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for **every idle word men may speak** , they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For **by your words** you will be justified, and **by your words** you will be condemned."

First, "anyone who _speaks_ a word." Second, "Anyone who _speaks_ against." Third, "How can you, being evil, _speak_ good things?" Fourth, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth _speaks_." Fifth, "Every idle word men may _speak_." And sixth, " _By your words_ you will be justified, and _by your words_ you will be condemned." No wonder it's recorded that "death and life are in the _power_ of the _tongue_ " (Prov. 18:21).

Remember the meaning of our word "idle"? It's a " _non-working_ word; an _inoperative_ word. It has no legitimate work, no office, no business, but is _morally useless_ and _unprofitable_ " (Vincent's Word Studies). Idle words have no foundation in truth. Would this suggest those traditions which make the Word of God of no effect? (Matt. 15:6, 9)

Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)  
**My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge**. **Because you have rejected knowledge** , I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

I am convinced that God's people in this generation are deeply deceived, having been led astray by the doctrines and commandments of men and the traditions which have been handed down for centuries. Not only are we being destroyed for lack of knowledge, we have "rejected knowledge" for the sake of our religious pride and status. Our words of so-called faith and belief have become "non-working" and "inoperative," "morally useless and unprofitable" because _we are simply repeating each other_ , saying what our denominations tell us to say, speaking what our pastors tell us to speak, justifying ourselves by what we speak to each other in the confines of our own collective gatherings, not realizing that we have become mindless puppets of the various religious systems that have no power, no presence, no evidence whatsoever of the Spirit of truth in its midst. How do I know? Because out of the same mouth that speaks of the love and forgiveness of Christ comes the arrogant and unforgiving doctrine (words) of eternal torment when our "conditions" are not met. As James wrote, "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, _these things ought not to be so_ " (James 3:10).

Matthew 13:24-30 (NKJV)  
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." ' "

Friend, we have shut the kingdom of God in people's faces by preaching a gospel of fear and condemnation, all the while contradicting ourselves by saying that God is a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness, yet this same God will eternally torment those we deem unworthy.

The Parable of the Tares aptly describes the Lord's dealings with that which is false, agreeing with the Lord's treatment of the Pharisees. In the same way that He left their "house" to them "desolate," so too the "tares." "At the time of harvest," the Lord "will say to the reapers, 'First _gather together_ the tares and _bind_ them in bundles to _burn them_.'" Would the idea of "gather together" suggest a collective? Would the idea of "bind" suggest a "strong delusion"? And wouldn't the idea of "burn them" agree with the "greater condemnation" of Matthew 23:14 and the "condemnation of hell" in Matthew 23:33? Now, consider the Lord's explanation of this parable.

Matthew 13:37-43 (NKJV)  
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!

We have learned that false prophets operate out of the spirit of antichrist. They "are _from the world_ ; therefore they speak _from the world_ , and _the world listens to them_ " (I John 4:5; ESV). This makes them "sons of the wicked one," the "wicked one" denoting the collective power of those who are "natural" and "carnal" (Rom. 8:6), unable to "receive the things of the _Spirit of God_ , for they are foolishness" to them (I Cor. 2:14). Note that it's the things of the "Spirit" of God that they are unable to receive. Understand that our "natural" and "carnal" man is more than capable of being religious and embracing religious teachings but not within the parameters of the right spirit! The "natural" and "carnal" man is fully able to make a show of religious strength and supposed unity, but again, not through the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father. For this reason, our parable shows that at the "end of this age," the Lord will "gather out," _not in_ , "of His kingdom _all things that offend_ , and _those who practice lawlessness_ , and will cast them into _the furnace of fire_."

Brothers and sisters, it is the spirit of the world that glories in the things of men and propagates the idea that some are better and more deserving than others. It is this same spirit that finds satisfaction in seeing others humiliated, hurt or destroyed when they don't align with our ideologies. And it is this same spirit _in the church_ that is doing both and causing us to exalt ourselves over one another and thus separate us in our faith.

In light of all that we have considered, take a look at the following passages from Revelation, Chapter 9.

Revelation 9:1-11 (NKJV)  
1 Then the **fifth angel** sounded: And I saw a **star** fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the **key** to the bottomless pit. 2 And **he opened the bottomless pit** , and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, **as the scorpions of the earth have power**. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given _authority_ to kill them, but to torment them _for_ five months. **Their torment** _was_ **like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man**. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces _were_ like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' _teeth._ 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings _was_ like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 **They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails**. Their power _was_ to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as **king** over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew _is_ **Abaddon** , but in Greek he has the name **Apollyon**.

First note that this is the " _fifth_ angel" who sounds the _fifth_ trumpet. Five is the number which denotes "sin" (Author) and "grace" (Bullinger). This shows that the casting of the "tares" into "the furnace of fire" is an act of God's grace, for again, the "fire" denotes the righteous nature of our Creator that is exemplified through the power of the Spirit of truth that stands against our "lawlessness" and "hypocrisy."

Note that we see "a star fallen from heaven to the earth," or as the NIV states, "that had fallen." This refers back to the third angel and third trumpet in Revelation 8:10, "a great star" which "fell from heaven, burning like a torch" whose name is "Wormwood."

"Wormwood" speaks of "bitterness" and "calamity" (Strong's) and "injustice" (Vine's). It is "a _plant_ both bitter and deleterious, and growing in _desolate_ places" (Vine's). Our "desolate places" aligns with the spiritual position of the Pharisees. And is it just coincidence that "tares" are also a plant, "a kind of darnel... growing in the grain fields, tall as wheat and barley, and resembling wheat in appearance," yet, "the seeds are poisonous to man and herbivorous animals, producing sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death"? (Vine's) Does the idea of a "plant" relate to the concept of what we sow, nurture, and bring to fruition? Would this agree with "one who _sows_ discord?"

And to whom was given the " _key_ to the bottomless pit"? This "star" called "Wormwood." In agreement with the idea of _unlocking_ or _loosing_ , we see this "star" _opening_ the "bottomless pit." Then a smoke rises out of the pit and we see "locusts" come out of the smoke and "to them was given power, as the _scorpions_ of the earth have power."

Remember, our definition of "scatters abroad" in Matthew 12:30 is transliterated as _skorpizō_ , taken from the word _skorpios_ , meaning, "A _scorpion_ (from its _sting_ )." This is our word in verses 3, 5, and 10 above. So in the opening of the bottomless pit, we see the fulfillment of what Jesus meant when He said, "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me _scatters abroad_."

In agreement with the "fifth angel" and our idea of "grace," we see that these "locusts" have "power" to "hurt men _five_ months." Ah, there is a "hurt," but there is also an end to this "hurt, "is there not? And the fact that it is "five" months again speaks of _grace_ in the purpose of our Creator.

It's more than appropriate that we have both the likeness of "scorpions" as well as "locusts." What are locusts known for? Destroying the "fruitfulness" of crops. Compare this with Exodus, Chapter 10, verses 12 through 14, II Chronicles, Chapter 7, verses 12 through 14, Joel, Chapters 1 and 2. Wouldn't a lack of fruitfulness (especially love) lead to being scattered? Of course.

"And they had as _king_ over them the _angel_ of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is _Abaddon_ , but in Greek he has the name _Apollyon_." Abaddon means, "A _perishing_ " and Apollyon means, "A _destroyer_." With this in mind, consider the following.

Proverbs 16:18 (YLT)  
Before **destruction** _is_ **pride** , and before **stumbling** \-- **a haughty spirit**.

Friend, the "king" or "angel" of the bottomless pit speaks of "a haughty _spirit_ ," a _spirit_ (angel; see Heb. 1:7) and hence a _message_ of pride which brings _destruction_ and _stumbling_. Jesus said, "The lamp of the body is the eye. _If therefore your eye is good_ , your whole body will be full of light. But _if your eye is bad_ , your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt. 6:22) The "eye" speaks of understanding (Eph. 1:18). Doesn't this agree with what Jesus said in regard to the blasphemy against the Spirit? "Either make the tree good and its fruit good (your eye is good), or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad (if your eye is bad); for a tree is known by _its_ fruit. Brood of vipers! _How can you, being evil, speak good things_?" (Matt. 12:33-34).

So how is it that "light" can be darkness? Paul tells us.

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

Remember, the spirit behind what we say and do determines the truth in which we stand. So, when we _exalt ourselves_ by means of the truth we "hold" it "in unrighteousness" (Matt. 23:12). Our word "hold"? It means "to _hold down_ " or " _hold fast_."

When we enter into scripture with a spirit of pride, we will in turn twist them to justify our "spiritual" positions. When we handle the Word of God with even the slightest hint of the idea that we are "good" while others are not, we will again twist them to our own destruction. "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that _they are the enemies of the cross of Christ_ : whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame— _who set their mind on earthly things_ " (Phil. 3:18). No wonder John wrote that false prophets are "from the world." Isn't reputation, money, and control over others "earthly things"?

Friend, the "cross of Christ" is the picture of _ultimate sacrifice_ and _unconditional love_. How can we at any time equate this to eternal torment, especially knowing that God alone draws and Christ alone reveals? My answer? We cannot!

So how is it that we are holding the truth in unrighteousness? It is because we have become "enemies of the cross of Christ" while professing His Name. But friend, we cannot hold to Him without holding to His cross. We cannot profess Him without owning the message of the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:17-21 (NKJV)  
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, **lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect**. For **the message of the cross** is **foolishness** to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved **it is the power of God**. For it is written: _"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,_ _And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."_ Where _is_ the wise? Where _is_ the scribe? Where _is_ the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, **it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached** to save those who believe.

Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (nations; Rom. 11:13), preaching the true gospel, "not with wisdom of words, _lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect_." Paul knew and understood that the foundation of the gospel rested in "the message of the cross," that which is "foolishness to those who are perishing." Foolish, how? Because the message of the cross is to embrace the understanding of _death to self and all that it entails_ (Matt. 10:34-39; 16:21-26). The message of the cross is not the _building up_ of ourselves or our collectives but the _stripping away_ of _all of our identifications with this world of form_ , the eradication of our love of self and those things which perpetuate it. And no greater evidence exists against self-denial and reflects this more than those collectives which have been built on the platform of self-righteousness.

Let me speak frankly and honestly. We have been cultured for generations to embrace inequality while thinking we promote equality. When seen clearly, this world system which most of us take for granted is structured upon the inequality of pride and those things which issue from it. And there can be no doubt that the same spirit behind this system has fully established itself in the church. We will understand this more as we continue.

# Chapter Nine

# DECEPTION

Matthew 12:30-32 (NKJV)  
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. " **Therefore** I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, **but the blasphemy** _against_ **the Spirit will not be forgiven men**. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but **whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the** _age_ **to come**.

Remember, "therefore" is a sentence connector, bringing the current thought back to the previous one. So we find that the blasphemy against the Spirit speaks of those who are "against" the Lord and who do not "gather" with Him but scatter abroad. And remember, like the Pharisees, this scattering or division takes place in the midst of great religious motion.

To whom was the Lord speaking? It was not the world, my friend, _it was the religious leaders of His day_. This shows that the blasphemy against the Spirit is committed by those who profess to have the truth. Confirmation is found in the book of the Revelation and the messages to the seven churches.

The first church, Ephesus:

Revelation 2:2 (NKJV)  
I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. **And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars**...

The second church, Smyrna:

Revelation 2:9 (NKJV)  
I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and _I know_ **the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but** _are_ **a synagogue of Satan**.

The third church, Pergamos:

Revelation 2:13 (NKJV)  
I know your works, **and where you dwell, where Satan's throne** _is_ _._ And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas _was_ My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, **where Satan dwells**.

The fourth church, Thyatira:

Revelation 2:24 (NKJV)  
Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, **who have not known the depths of Satan** , as they say, I will put on you no other burden.

The sixth church, Philadelphia:

Revelation 3:9 (NKJV)  
Indeed **I will make** _those_ **of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie** \--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

Though there are seven messages to seven churches in Revelation, we must keep in mind that there is but _one_ church which is being built upon the "foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" (Eph. 2:20; NKJV).

Seven is our number which denotes "fullness" and "manifestation." A good example of the spiritual meaning of seven is the "fruit" of a tree, for once the fruit becomes _evident_ or _manifest_ , we know what type of tree it is. Jesus brought this out in the context of the blasphemy against the Spirit (Matt. 12:33).

If seven denotes fullness or manifestation, then the church in Laodicea signifies the manifestation _of the one church of Christ at the end of the age_ , a church which is steeped in self-righteousness and deception, for we read, "I know your works (your fruit is evident), that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, _I will vomit you out of My mouth_ " (Rev. 3:15-16). Doesn't this align with what Jesus said about gathering _out_ of His kingdom "all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness"? (Matt. 13:41)

Understand that the conditions found in each of the seven churches reflect an increase of deception _within_ the church, not outside of it. So it is that we find in the first message to the church in Ephesus "those who say they are apostles and are not." Would this not be labeled as blasphemy?

We then find in the message to Smyrna "the _blasphemy_ of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." A synagogue (collective) of Satan? Yes, _in the church!_

When we consider the third message to Pergamos, we find "Satan's throne" in the church, where "Satan dwells." What arose in the first and second churches has now become firmly established.

Finally, in the message to the fourth church of Thyatira, the Lord mentions "the depths of Satan," again _in_ the church, not outside of it.

As a matter of reference, know that all the conditions which cause the church to _fall away_ (Heb. 3:12) are found in the first four churches. So it is in Revelation 3:9 that Jesus reiterates what He said to the second church of Smyrna and promises, "Indeed I will make those of _the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not_ , _but lie_ —indeed I will make them come and _worship before your feet_ , and to know that I have loved you." Would this not show wonderful grace to those who have blasphemed?

So what does all of this say to us as believers in Christ? That deception in its worst of forms would be found _within the body of Christ_. In the same way that the serpent was found in the Garden of Eden in the beginning, so too the serpent is found in the body of Christ at the end. Would this not correlate with the "gates of hell" about which Jesus spoke to Peter? (Matt. 16:18) I believe it does, for what greater deception could there be than for the spirit of the world to be mistaken for the Spirit of Christ? (I Cor. 2:12)

And what is the _fullness_ or _manifestation_ of this deception? We say that we are "rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing." Ah, but the Lord says that we "do not know" that we "are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). Clearly, we are deceived.

What does the Lord follow with? "I counsel you to buy from Me _gold refined in the fire_ , that you may be rich." Would this correlate with the "furnace of fire" in the Parable of the Tares which is described for us in the fifth trumpet? Would this suggest that we must rise above the spirit of antichrist which _scatters_ to find the mind of Christ which brings _unity_? I believe so. Would this suggest that all of us would be cast into this "furnace of fire"? I believe so, for that is how powerful deception has worked within the body of Christ. It is few who understand just how much pride is contained within the ranks of Christendom and how far we have fallen from the New Testament glory of the apostles.

Matthew 12:32-34 (NKJV)  
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but **whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the** _age_ **to come**. "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by _its_ fruit. Brood of vipers! **How can you, being evil, speak good things?** For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

"How can you, being evil, speak good things?" Jesus said to the Pharisees, calling them "serpents" and "vipers" (Matt. 23:33; KJV). This rebuke shows that they were of the _wrong spirit_ , does it not? And when we have the wrong spirit, then the truth of Christ is perverted by it, becoming "damnable heresies" and "many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the _way of truth_ will be _blasphemed"_ (II Peter 2:2). Didn't Paul also say we would _turn our ears away from the truth_ and be turned to _fables_? Yes he did (II Tim. 4:4).

Dear brother and sister, we cannot call the sacrifice of Christ an act of unconditional love and then place conditions on it. We cannot claim that Christ took away the sin of the world and then tell others that if they don't believe us, they are doomed for eternal torment. It should be enough to understand that those who do not believe in Christ or His teachings will not know the peace and freedom it brings _in this age_ and _in this life_. Are not all of us seeking answers _now_ for those things which affect us at this present time? Isn't the Lord's dealings with us in regard to our present earthly struggles and not in regard to what happens after we die? Didn't Jesus teach that we are to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul and our neighbor as ourselves? And where is this manifested if not on this earthly plane? Didn't the Lord Jesus Christ exemplify the kingdom of God _on this earth_ before He ascended? Did He not enter this world to save the world, to become the judgment for our sins that we might truly come to know the power of forgiveness that proceeds from our Father? (Acts 13:38-41)

Salvation has never been about "going to heaven" unless we equate this to our present moment, for what good is it for me to enter His kingdom if it is not for the benefit of others? If the love of God is the essential component, where is that love needed? Here, or in the afterlife?

Now, reconsider this error in regard to the unpardonable sin. How many of us have said that it will never be forgiven? Well, that is not what Christ taught. He said, "Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, _either in this age_ or _in the_ _age_ _to come_." So what did He mean by "this age" and "the age to come?" If my understanding is correct, "this age" referred to the Age of Law in which Jesus stood, for we read in Galatians 4:4, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, _born under the law_ , to _redeem those who were under the law_ , that we might receive the adoption of sons." If this is true, then "the age to come" would speak of our _present age_ , that which followed after His death and resurrection, for His death, in the eyes of our Father, initiated a new age that shifted the course of humankind forever. For the sake of understanding, we might call our present age, the Age of Grace.

To put it plainly then, the unpardonable sin relates only to the Age of Law and the Age of Grace. In the age to come I believe there will be a manifestation of love and grace unlike any other since the days of Christ and the apostles.

# Chapter Ten

# BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE SPIRIT

So what is the blasphemy against the Spirit? Is it murder? Is it suicide? Is it another sin that we are not aware of? Would the Lord, who spoke so seriously about it, not let us know what it is? Would He teach this with no intention of telling us? Of course not! And like so many other truths He taught, _He hid it in plain sight_. Please consider.

Matthew 6:9-15 (NKJV)  
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**."

Here we go, brother and sister. What is the blasphemy against the Spirit, the "unpardonable" or "unforgiveable" sin? It is _lack of forgiveness_ , for if _we do not forgive_ men their trespasses, _our heavenly Father will not forgive ours_. Would this not be what is meant by unpardonable? Please consider.

Matthew 18:21-35 (NKJV)  
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** (77). 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**."

First we find Peter asking the Lord how many times he must forgive his brother. Peter said "seven times" but the Lord came back and said "seventy times seven (77)." Remember the spiritual meaning of seven? "Fullness" or "manifestation," also defined as "spiritual perfection," "completeness" (Bullinger), or _maturity_. And how many sevens do we have? Two, which means "testimony" or "witness" (Bullinger). So in the Lord's reference to 77 times forgiveness, we find that the greatest _testimony_ (2) of the work of the Lord through the Holy Spirit is _forgiveness_ , which would be the essence of _spiritual maturity_ (7).

When we add our two sevens together, we have fourteen, which just happens to be the number which means "salvation" and "deliverance" (Vallowe). In his book, _The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty_ , Stephen E. Jones writes, "Fourteen is the number of deliverance or release." And what greater "release" could there be than forgiveness?

It should also be noted that _seventy_ is the number which denotes "universality" and the restoration of Israel (Vallowe). Universality speaks of "existence or prevalence everywhere," referring to the fact that God is "all in all" (I Cor. 15:28; Col. 1:15-17). Consider Bullinger's explanation of the spiritual meaning of _seventy_.

_Seventy_ is another combination of two of the perfect numbers, _seven_ and _ten_. We have seen something of the significance of their _sum_ under the number _seventeen_ ; their _product_ is no less significant.

As compared with the _sum_ of two numbers, the _product_ exhibits the significance of each in an intensified form.

Hence 7 x 10 signifies _perfect_ spiritual order carried out with all spiritual power and significance. Both _spirit_ and _order_ are greatly emphasized.

The restoration of Israel connects with our understanding of the reconciliation of all things (beginning with His people; I Peter 4:17) and the fact that this restoration will be accomplished through the greatest act of _love_ which is _forgiveness_!

In order to make it clear to Peter, the Lord speaks a parable and once again connects it to what He said to Peter with the word "therefore." And our parable should be simple enough to understand.

First, it is a parable about "the kingdom of heaven." Secondly, we see a "certain king," which would be Christ our Lord. Third, the Lord wished to "settle accounts with His _servants_ ," which would be those who profess His Name.

We then see that "one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents." Vincent's Word Studies tells us that this was "an enormous sum," point being it was far beyond what this servant could pay. The master then orders this servant to "be sold" along with his wife and children and "all that he had" and "payment be made." Does this not show how a _lack of forgiveness_ toward someone affects everyone around them, especially those who are closest to them?

Ah, but the servant "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_." Ah, the master "was moved with compassion" for him and "released him" by _forgiving_ his debt. Look at what Jesus had just said before Peter asked Him about forgiveness.

Matthew 18:18 (ESV)  
Truly, I say to you, **whatever you bind on earth** shall be bound in heaven, and **whatever you loose on earth** shall be loosed in heaven.

Is this not what Jesus also told Peter in Matthew, Chapter 16, about the "keys" to the kingdom of heaven? Yes it is. Let's look at this once more.

Matthew 16:19 (NKJV)  
And I will give you the **keys** of the kingdom of heaven, and **whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven** , and **whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven**."

Jesus told Peter that He was giving him the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" which we now know speaks of the _knowledge_ of the truth. And what would this knowledge do? It would _bind_ in heaven what was _bound_ on earth and it would _loose_ in heaven what was _loosed_ on earth. Didn't Jesus say, "You shall _know_ the truth, and the truth shall make you _free_ "? (John 8:32) And are we not to receive the knowledge of the truth from the Spirit of truth? (John 16:13-15) We are, and Peter's own experience bears this out, for we find that Peter did not receive these "keys" until after the death and resurrection of our Lord (Acts 1:3) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-41). It was not until then that Peter truly possessed what the Lord had promised him. Let's continue with our parable.

Matthew 18:28-35 (NKJV)  
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**."

Vincent's tells us that a "hundred denarii" is "less than a millionth part of his own debt." So this servant finds another "fellow servant" and "laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'" No doubt, this showed a totally _different spirit and mindset_ than that of his master. And when his fellow servant implores him in the same fashion as he did his master, "he would not, but went and _threw him into prison_ till he should pay the debt." Is this not binding someone? Can you see that we can just as easily bind someone with our unforgiving spirit and words as effectively as putting them in a physical prison? Yes! Yes we can!

Friend, it doesn't take a great spiritual revelation to understand what Jesus was teaching in this parable. Note what his master called him after he refused to forgive his fellow servant—"You _wicked_ servant!" And why did he call him wicked? _Because he didn't show compassion and forgive_.

Please think about this carefully. When we tell people that the Lord died for their sins and was raised from the dead for their salvation, is this true or not true? It's true, isn't it? Does it require them to believe it for it to be true? No, it does not. After all, Christ died, and that's a fact. Whether someone believes it or not doesn't make it true or false. The Lord did not die for those who believe it, _He died for the world_ , fully knowing that the world then and our world now is filled with all manner of philosophical and religious supposition, unbelief, confusion, fear, and perplexity. Does the Father, who created all that is, not know this about His own creation?

Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and has forgiven you? If so, then you are that first servant, the one whose debt was too tremendous to pay. And how does anyone's offense against you stack up against what you've been forgiven for? And what is the lesson here? Is it not the fact that we should be willing to forgive others as much as He forgave us? Of course! And do we not see that how ever much we are willing to forgive is proportionate to how much He will forgive us? (see Matt. 7:1-5)

When we tell others that if they don't believe in Jesus Christ our heavenly Father will torment them in hell for eternity, are we not telling them the Father will _never_ forgive them? Ah, beloved, that's not what this parable teaches. What did Jesus say? "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_." Was the second servant in our parable forgiven by the master? Yes! Yes he was, made evident by the master's reaction to the first servant! Ah, but the first servant was delivered to "the _torturers_ until he should pay all that was due to him."

The King James Bible renders "torturers" as "tormentors." This word in the Greek is _basanistēs_ and means, "A _torturer_ ," taken from the word basanizō which means, "To _torture_." This word comes from the root _basanos_ which means, "A _touch-stone_ , i.e. (by analogy) _torture_." What is a touchstone? Google defines it as, "A _standard_ or _criterion_ by which something is _judged_ or _recognized_." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary online defines it as, "A _test_ or _criterion_ for determining the quality or genuineness of a thing." So what is the criterion that determines our "genuineness" in Christ? According to our parable, it is our capacity to _forgive_.

Matthew 18:33-35 (NKJV)  
33 **Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?** ' 34 And his master was angry, and **delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him**. 35 **So My heavenly Father also will do to you** if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

Doesn't verse 33 agree with our understanding that our heavenly Father forgives us _as we_ forgive others? Yes it does! And if we don't? We are "delivered" to the torturers until "we pay all that was due to him." With our word "tormentors" (KJV) in mind, reconsider the following about the "bottomless pit."

Revelation 9:5 (KJV)  
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be **tormented** ( _basanizō_ ) five months: and their **torment** ( _basanismos_ ; from _basanizō_ ) was as the **torment** ( _basanismos_ ) of a **scorpion** , when he striketh a man.

Do you see it? Our description here is not the stuff of a science fiction movie, but a pictorial presentation of the "torment" we must endure _when we fail to forgive_. And again, we must remember that this "torment" is an act of grace and has a duration (five months). "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, _from his heart_ , _does not forgive his brother his trespasses_." Beloved, understand that the symbolism of the "bottomless pit" aligns with our understanding of "desolate," which essentially defines _the spirit of the world_ which we have considered throughout this study. When we take an honest look at the world today, it should be evident to us that forgiveness is not the rule of the day. For further understanding of "desolate," see Matthew 24:45-51 and Luke 12:42-48.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NKJV)  
Now all things _are_ of God, **who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ** , and has given us **the ministry of reconciliation** , that is, **that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,** not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: **we implore** _you_ **on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin** _to be_ **sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him**.

Consider these passages carefully. "Now all things are of God, _who has reconciled us_ ," not will, "to Himself through Jesus Christ." Furthermore, God entrusted Paul and the other apostles with this "ministry of reconciliation." And what is this ministry? "That God was in Christ _reconciling the world to Himself_ , _not imputing their trespasses to them_." You see, God did this, not we ourselves, and God does not impute our trespasses to us. It's us who are holding things against one another, choosing not to forgive and commissioning this lack of forgiveness by using the fear of hell and missing the rapture to provoke obedience to God. Funny thing is, it doesn't work, for it is evident that the world is not moved by our stories of hell and the rapture. No wonder Jesus said, "For the sons of this world _are more shrewd in their generation_ than the sons of light" (Luke 16:8). Even the worldly are skeptical of our "gospel." Can you blame them?

So, one might ask why this world seems to be spinning headlong into insanity? Good question. Let me answer it like this. God "calls those things which do not exist as though they did" (Rom. 4:17). How? How can God do this? Because He _is_ God and His Word _is_ God and what He has purposed _will be_ (John 1:1). He alone sees the deepest depth of everyone's heart, everyone's purpose and place on this earthly plane. Despite how confused and chaotic things may appear to you and me, God's purpose is being reckoned in this earth and we are moving to a time where His eternal love and forgiveness will become evident in a people unlike any other time in the long history of humankind.

Dear brother and sister; if I believed for even one moment that hell was a place of eternal torment, I would give up any and all faith in God. If I believed that any of my family members, friends, brothers or sisters in Christ (deceived or not), in fact anyone, had been condemned to an eternity of unimaginable torment, I could not in good conscience, have any faith in the Lord and in the giving of His Son.

Friend, God _has_ forgiven, not _will_ forgive, but He will not pardon us when _we_ don't forgive, not because He is a cruel taskmaster, but because He is love, _agape_ love, a love that is truly unconditional in its scope. And His punishment for our lack of forgiveness is not a place of eternal torment, but rather the "fire" of His righteous nature and the immutability of His truth which torments us until we have been humbled by our own condemnation (John 5:24), our own lack of forgiveness.

John 3:16-18 (KJV)  
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Without a doubt, John 3:16 is the most popular and well known passage in the Bible. But let's consider the passages which follow as well for a better understanding. Also consider the following translations.

John 3:17-18 (WEY)  
For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who trusts in Him does not come up for judgement. **He who does not trust has already received sentence, because he has not his trust resting on the name of God's only Son**.

John 3:17-18 (YLT)  
For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him; he who is believing in him is not judged, **but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God**.

John 3:17-18 (Darby)  
For God has not sent his Son into the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him. He that believes on him is not judged: **but he that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God**.

Do you see the differences in our various renderings? "God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world." Jesus confirms this, stating, "And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, _I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world_ " (John 12:47). The Lord did not come to judge the world but _to be_ the judgment _for_ the world, "for He (God) made Him who knew no sin _to be sin for us_ , that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (II Cor. 5:12).

We then read, "But he that believes not _has been already judged_ , because he has not believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God." Jesus confirms this stating, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, _has that which judges him_ — _the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day_ " (John 12:48). Wasn't the first servant in our parable from Matthew 18 judged by his own words (and actions)? Yes he was. And why was this? Because _by our words_ we are justified (made innocent) or condemned (pronounced guilty). Believing in false doctrines of eternal torment and the rapture does not condemn the world, _it condemns us_ , revealing that _spirit of pride_ and _self-righteousness_ which leads us to think that we know the mind of the Father. And our judgment is to be left in the self-righteous mindset that perverts the goodness of the truth in all that we do. We then become like the Pharisees, "desolate" but _actively religious_ , not knowing that we have _bound ourselves_ by our unforgiving doctrines.

So let's think about this. "He that believes not has been already judged, because he has not believed." And the Lord states that He doesn't judge the unbeliever but the word He has spoken will. In other words, He leaves it up to truth to judge us when we don't believe. Remember our analogy of the small child placing his hand in the fire? No matter how many times they do it, it will "burn" every time until the small child comes to accept and acknowledge the truth of what we have said. Would this not also be true of those things which Jesus taught? And didn't the Lord Himself say, "That unto Me every knee shall bow"? (Isa. 45:23) Consider the following.

Psalms 86:9 (NKJV)  
**All nations** whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.

Psalms 22:27-29 (NKJV)  
**All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You**. For the kingdom _is_ the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; **all those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive**.

"All nations," "all the ends of the world," "all the families of the nations," "all those who go down to the dust," "shall bow before Him." Who is left out? No one, for God is Spirit and His mercy goes far beyond that of our own. When we don't forgive, He does.

Romans 14:11 (KJV)  
For it is written, _As_ I live, saith the Lord, **every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God**.

Romans 10:9 (KJV)  
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**.

Philippians 2:9-11 (KJV)  
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus **every knee should bow, of** _things_ **in heaven, and** _things_ **in earth, and** _things_ **under the earth** ; And _that_ **every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ** _is_ **Lord** , to the glory of God the Father.

" _Every_ knee shall bow to me, and _every_ tongue shall confess to God," and God has determined that " _every_ knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Again, who is left out?

1 John 4:14 (NKJV)  
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as **Savior of the world**.

John, along with the other apostles fully understood that Jesus is the "Savior of the world," of all humankind, no exceptions, for if there is but one exception, then Jesus fails as Savior.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)  
The Lord is not slack concerning _His_ promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, **not willing that any should perish** but that all should come to repentance.

1 Timothy 2:4-6 (KJV)  
**Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth**. For _there is_ one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself **a ransom for all, to be testified in due time**.

Our Creator's intent is clear. He "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth," and Jesus "gave Himself _a ransom for all_ , to be testified in due time." What part does "all" not cover? And yes, it will "be testified in due time."

# Chapter Eleven

# UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

When we refuse to forgive, we are opposing the very nature of the Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. We are committing _blasphemy against the Spirit_. Remember, "There is _none_ righteous, no, _not one_ ; There is _none_ who understands; There is _none_ who seeks after God" (Rom. 3:10-11; NKJV). Teaching eternal torment is an affront to our Lord, for why would our Creator call all that He made "very good" (Gen. 1:31) only to destroy it in the end?

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, "Father, _forgive them_ , for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34; NKJV). To whom was He referring? Was it not in regard to those who had opposed Him all along and who delivered Him up to Pilate to be crucified? Yet He said, "They do not know what they do." In other words, they were completely deceived and lost, even in the midst of all of their religious posturing. Did not Jesus say that the Pharisees were the blind leading the blind? (Matt. 15:14) And who better than the Lord would understand this?

Consider a blind man who accidentally runs into you. Would you condemn him for such action? No you wouldn't, because you would understand that he couldn't help it because he couldn't see. And such is the plight of all of us at different times. Friend, we do not know what we think we know and we don't understand like we think we do. There is far more behind what is taking place in this world of form than our limited understanding is capable of grasping. There is also far more taking place in the world of spirit than any one of us could perceive. God, who made all things visible, is Spirit, therefore He not only sees and knows all that pertains to this physical realm, He sees and knows all that pertains to the spiritual realm.

John wrote, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, _not that we loved God_ , _but that He loved us and sent His Son_ _to be_ _the propitiation for our sins_. Beloved, if God so loved us, _we also ought to love one another_. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us" (I John 4:8-12). "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and _he who abides in love_ abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because _as He is, so are we in this world_. _There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment_. But _he who fears has not been made perfect in love_. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," _and hates his brother_ , he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also" (I John 4:16-21).

"In this is love, _not that we loved God_ , _but that He loved us and sent His Son_ _to be_ _the propitiation for our sins_. Beloved, if God so loved us, _we also ought to love one another_." Beloved, isn't John telling us that God's love was never more exemplified than by the death of His Son? And wasn't the death of His Son the most gracious act of forgiveness one could consider? So "if God so loved us" by giving His Son, "we also ought to love one another" with this same forgiving love. No wonder Jesus told Peter "77 times." Those who are truly saved and delivered are those who walk in unconditional love and forgiveness.

"There is no fear in love," but there is _much fear_ in the idea of _eternal torment_ which stands so obviously against forgiveness. "Fear involves torment," so when we propagate the idea of anyone suffering unimaginable pain for an eternity, we are in essence placing undue fear on them.

"Perfect love casts out fear." And what is "perfect love?" The definition means, "Complete," so could we say that "perfect love" is _unconditional_ love? Consider the following from Wikipedia (bolding mine).

**Unconditional love** is known as affection without any limitations or **love without conditions**. This term is sometimes associated with other terms such as true altruism, or complete love. Each area of expertise has a certain way of describing unconditional love, **but most will agree that it is that type of love which has no bounds and is unchanging**. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is more frequently used to describe love between lovers. By contrast, unconditional love is frequently used to describe love between family members, comrades in arms and between others in highly committed relationships. **An example of this is a parent's love for their child** ; no matter a test score, a life changing decision, an argument, or a strong belief, the amount of love that remains between this bond is seen as unchanging and unconditional. Unconditional love is garnered and shared by those who love themselves first.

In Christianity, unconditional love is thought to be part of the Four Loves; affection, friendship, eros, and charity. In ethology, or the study of animal behavior, unconditional love would refer to altruism which in turn refers to **the behavior by individuals that increases the** **fitness** **of another while decreasing the fitness of the individual committing the act**. In psychology, **unconditional love refers to a state of mind in which one has the goal of increasing the welfare of another, despite any evidence of benefit for oneself**. The term is also widely used in family and couples counseling manuals. Dogs are often considered to be examples of animals displaying unconditional love.

Is God's love unconditional? Is Christ's love unconditional? I believe it is, especially when I consider that there are approximately seven billion people on this planet with such a wide array of languages and customs and ideologies that it would take several lifetimes to experience the diversity and complexity that is the world at large. And that is just at this present time. How many souls have come and gone since the creation of this world? Ah, but love is a language that all of us understand. It transcends all cultural boundaries and ideologies.

Is there any greater act of love than that of forgiveness? I think not, and the death of our Lord on the cross proves this beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Consider this. The Bible begins with the creation story, including our parable of Adam and Eve. Within just the first few chapters, we find that "sin" enters in, a word that most, if not everyone has heard and at least understands to some degree. This idea of sin sets the foundation of the rest of the Bible as we continue into the story of Cain murdering his brother Abel and quickly moves into the story of Noah where the increasing corruption of the earth leads our Creator to destroy it with a flood (and God did not impute their trespasses to them either; see Romans 4:15). We then move to the tower of Babel and then to Abram, who became Abraham, and to whom the covenant promises were made. And what was the purpose of these covenants? Were they not in regard to our struggle with sin and God's grace in accomplishing His purpose in us?

The point is this. First, sin, secondly, forgiveness, not just from the Lord but from us to each other, for as we have learned, all of us are on equal footing, none is more deserving than the next. And all of us understand this subconsciously if not consciously. All of us are flawed, all of us fail, and all of us give in to this "body of death" and do those things which warrant forgiveness.

The word "forgive" is defined as, "To _send forth_ ," taken from the word which means, "'Off,' i.e. _away_ (from something near)." Vincent's tells us that it literally means "to _send away_ , or _dismiss_." I immediately think of the "scapegoat" in regard to the Day of Atonement which is described for us in Leviticus, Chapter 16 (also see Lev. 23:26-32; 25:9; Numbers 29:7-11).

The Day of Atonement was the most sacred of all the feasts of Israel. First was the Feast of Passover, consisting of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits. Following this was the Feast of Pentecost. Then came the Feast of Tabernacles, consisting of the Day of Trumpets, _the Day of Atonement_ , and Tabernacles proper.

The Day of Atonement was celebrated on the _tenth_ day of the _seventh_ month, our number ten denoting that "nothing is wanting," that "the whole cycle is complete" (Bullinger). And of course, seven denotes "spiritual perfection" or "completeness." Friend, where there is forgiveness, then truly _nothing is wanting_ or lacking, and again, _spiritual perfection_ (maturity) is fully evident.

The definition of our word "atonement" reads, "To _cover_... figurative to _expiate_ or _condone_ , to _placate_ or _cancel_." It is translated throughout scripture as _appease_ , _make an atonement_ , _cleanse_ , _disannul_ , _forgive_ , _be merciful_ , _pacify_ , _pardon_ , _purge_ (away), _put off_ , (make) _reconcile_ (-liation). Don't each of these translations suggest that His death and resurrection was sufficient for the entire world? Of course. Ah, but it must first be experienced within His body, the church, for it is us who are designated as "the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14).

Allow me to share the following with you from George Warnock's book, The Feast of Tabernacles.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT?

Briefly, this is what happened on the great Day of Atonement. The high priest, clothed upon with the holy garments, was designated to make the atonement for himself, as well as for the people. Besides the offerings for himself, two goats were chosen for the

atonement of the people. Lots were cast upon the goats, the one being set apart for

sacrifice, and the other as the scapegoat. "Scapegoat" signifies "the goat that went away." The first goat was slain, and the blood brought within the veil in the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat. Then Aaron as high priest laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat, confessed over it all the iniquities of Israel, and sent it away into the wilderness.

In type the whole ordinance speaks of the Atonement which Christ effected on the Cross. In the fulfillment of a type, of course, we may expect to see a contrast as well as a parallel. In contrast, we are reminded that Christ was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" and therefore needed not "to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's" (Heb. 7:26, 27). Nor did He offer Himself often, as the high priest offered sacrifices year after year; for the sacrifice of Christ is eternally efficacious, and He offered Himself once-for-all.

But as there was a great contrast between the imperfect sacrifice of Israel, and the perfect Atonement of the Cross--so also is there a beautiful parallel. Here we can see what took place potentially at the Cross when Christ made an eternal Atonement for the Church. It cannot be without significance that the Passover occurred in the first month, Pentecost in the third, and the Atonement in the seventh. _It is simply because the Church of Christ as a Body has never been experimentally cleansed from her sins_. We may close our eyes to the age-long sin and corruption of God's people if we wish--but the fact remains, the Church did not go on from early apostolic power and blessing to really appropriate Divine life and holiness as a Body. Thank God, however, that He knew all about it, and planned a great Day of Atonement for the seventh month—this Sabbath of the Church, when she shall be purified and made white and made to cease from her own works. "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you..." (Lev. 16:30, 31).

And so the one goat was slain, and the blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat: for it is the

blood that maketh atonement for the soul, and "without the shedding of blood is no remission." Nor was that all: for upon the head of the scapegoat all the sins of Israel were laid (in type), and it was sent away into the wilderness. Thank God for the Day of Atonement, when God's people shall be made free, and free indeed, from all their

sins.

CHRIST, A MANY-MEMBERED BODY

We believe there is a special significance in the fact that there were "two" goats used on the Day of Atonement. As we have discovered in a previous chapter, "two" would speak of the Head and the Body, Christ in the fullness of His people. For Christ is one, but a many-membered Body. This is a great mystery, as Paul tells us, that the Church should be bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh. Christ the Head, therefore, is not complete without Christ the Body. In the "two" goats, therefore, we have (in type) Christ in the fullness of His Body. That the saints are to become thoroughly identified with Christ in His sufferings and in His Cross, is clearly taught in the Scriptures; but the mystery of it is almost too much for us to comprehend, even in the slightest degree. It is only as we can begin to see the truth of the Body, that we can in any measure comprehend the fact that when He died, we died; and that when He rose again, then we rose again with Him.

To many, of course, this truth of our identification with Christ the Head is nothing less than blasphemy. But this is to be expected. When Jesus called Himself the Son of God they said "Thou blasphemest." And yet now we hail Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Man of very Man, and God of very God. And the ages to come are going to reveal, what is now revealed by the Spirit to those whose understandings have been quickened, that Christ is the Body,--the whole Body, and not just the Head. The Church is said to grow up "into Christ" (Eph. 4:15). Just as a "man" signifies a body with many members, and not just a head; so the name "Christ" also signifies a Body with many members. Paul therefore says, "For as the body is one, and hath many members, ... so also is Christ" (1 Cor. 12:12). Using another illustration, Christ is the Vine, the whole Vine. "I am the vine, ye are the branches" (Jn.15:5). He is the Vine, the root, the stalk, the branches, the leaves, the fruit--the whole vine; and we are part of that Vine. The Lord does not intimate here that He is one thing, and we another. But He is the Vine, and we are part of Him. The Son of Man in Heaven is not complete without the fullness of the Son of Man on earth, even the Body, "The fullness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph.1:23).

Christ is the head and we are the many-membered body of Christ. It follows then that the Lord's atonement for the sin of the world was manifested first through the Lord Himself, which is then to be manifested by His body, His forgiveness exemplified through those who press on to spiritual maturity. This, my friend, is the true meaning of salvation, for salvation is not about "going to heaven" but the process that leads us to the "greater love" that moves us to _lay down our lives for others_ (John 15:13). It is the experience of this unconditional love which I believe is synonymous with entering the kingdom of God.

As mentioned before, the message of the cross is the message of self-denial, for it is the "self" that seeks to be exalted by identifying with collectives, titles, and labels. But Paul wrote, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, _but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant_ , and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, _He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross_ " (Phil. 2:5-8). Allow me to close this chapter with these two excerpts from A.W. Tozer and his book, "That Incredible Christian."

That Incredible Christian

THE CURRENT EFFORT of so many religious leaders to harmonize Christianity with science, philosophy and every natural and reasonable thing is, I believe, the result of failure to understand Christianity and, judging from what I have heard and read, failure to understand science and philosophy as well.

At the heart of the Christian system lies the cross of Christ with its divine paradox. The power of Christianity appears in its antipathy toward, never in its agreement with, the ways of fallen men. The truth of the cross is revealed in its contradictions. The witness of the church is most effective when she declares rather than explains, for the gospel is addressed not to reason but to faith. What can be proved requires no faith to accept. Faith rests upon the character of God, not upon the demonstrations of laboratory or logic.

The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between the message of the cross and man's fallen reason is to try the impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason, a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity.

But let us bring the whole matter down from the uplands of theory and simply observe the true Christian as he puts into practice the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Note the contradictions:

The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth He finds that after his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the very society into which he was born.

The Christian soon learns that if he would be victorious as a son of heaven among men on earth he must not follow the common pattern of mankind, but rather the contrary. That he may be safe he puts himself in jeopardy; he loses his life to save it and is in danger of losing it if he attempts to preserve it. He goes down to get up. If he refuses to go down he is already down, but when he starts down he is on his way up.

He is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is strong. Though poor he has the power to make others rich, but when he becomes rich his ability to enrich others vanishes. He has most after he has given most away and has least when he possesses most.

He may be and often is highest when he feels lowest and most sinless when he is most conscious of sin. He is wisest when he knows that he knows not and knows least when he has acquired the greatest amount of knowledge. He sometimes does most by doing nothing and goes furthest when standing still. In heaviness he manages to rejoice and keeps his heart glad even in sorrow.

The paradoxical character of the Christian is revealed constantly. For instance, he believes that he is saved now, nevertheless he expects to be saved later and looks forward joyfully to future salvation. He fears God but is not afraid of Him. In God's presence he feels overwhelmed and undone, yet there is nowhere he would rather be than in that presence. He knows that he has been cleansed from his sin, yet he is painfully conscious that in his flesh dwells no good thing.

He loves supremely One whom he has never seen, and though himself poor and lowly he talks familiarly with One who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and is aware of no incongruity in so doing. He feels that he is in his own right altogether less than nothing, yet he believes without question that he is the apple of God's eye and that for him the Eternal Son became flesh and died on the cross of shame.

The Christian is a citizen of heaven and to that sacred citizenship he acknowledges first allegiance; yet he may love his earthly country with that intensity of devotion that caused John Knox to pray "O God, give me Scotland or I die."

He cheerfully expects before long to enter that bright world above, but he is in no hurry to leave this world and is quite willing to await the summons of his Heavenly Father. And he is unable to understand why the critical unbeliever should condemn him for this; it all seems so natural and right in the circumstances that he sees nothing inconsistent about it.

The cross-carrying Christian, furthermore, is both a confirmed pessimist and an optimist the like of which is to be found nowhere else on earth.

When he looks at the cross he is a pessimist, for he knows that the same judgment that fell on the Lord of glory condemns in that one act all nature and all the world of men. He rejects every human hope out of Christ because he knows that man's noblest effort is only dust building on dust.

Yet he is calmly, restfully optimistic. if the cross condemns the world the resurrection of Christ guarantees the ultimate triumph of good throughout the universe. Through Christ all will be well at last and the Christian waits the consummation. Incredible Christian!

The Ministry of the Night

If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace you may expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and greater suffering than less favored ones are called upon to endure.

And right here let me anticipate the objection someone is sure to raise, viz., That God has no "specials" among his children. The Holy Scriptures and Christian history agree to show that he has. Star differs from star in glory among the saints on earth as well as among the glorified in heaven. Without question the differences exist; but whether they are by the decree of God or by His foreknowledge of the degree of receptivity He will find among His children I am not prepared to say with certainty, though I would lean strongly to the latter view.

If God sets out to make you an unusual Christian He is not likely to be as gentle as he is usually pictured by the popular teachers. A sculptor does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude, unshapely marble to a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and the chisel are cruel tools, but without them the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful.

To do His supreme work of grace within you He will take from your heart everything you love most. Everything you trust in will go from you. Piles of ashes will lie where your most precious treasures used to be.

This is not to teach the sanctifying power of poverty. If to be poor made men holy every tramp on a park bench would be a saint. But God knows the secret of removing things from our hearts while they still remain to us. What he does is to restrain us from enjoying them. He lets us have them but makes us psychologically unable to let our hearts go out to them. Thus they are useful without being harmful.

All this God will accomplish at the expense of the common pleasures that have up to that time supported your life and made it zestful. Now under the careful treatment of the Holy Spirit your life may become dry, tasteless and to some degree a burden to you. While in this state you will exist by a kind of blind will to live, you will find none of the inward sweetness you had enjoyed before. The smile of God for the time will be withdrawn, or at least hidden from your eyes. Then you will learn what faith is; you will find out the hard way, but the only way open to you, that true faith lies in the will, that the joy unspeakable of which the apostle speaks is not itself faith but a slow-ripening fruit of faith; and you will learn that present spiritual joys may come and go as they will without altering your spiritual status or in any way affecting your position as a true child of the Heavenly Father.

And you will also learn, probably to your astonishment, that it is possible to live in all good conscience before God and men and still feel nothing of the "peace and joy" you hear talked about so much by immature Christians. How long you continue in this night of the soul will depend upon a number of factors, some of which you may be able later to identify; while others will remain with God, completely hidden from you. The words "The day is thine, the night also is thine" will now be interpreted for you by the best of all teachers, the Holy Spirit; and you will know by personal experience what a blessed thing is the ministry of the night.

But there is a limit to man's ability to live without joy. Even Christ could endure the cross only because of the joy set before Him. The strongest steel breaks if kept too long under unrelieved tension. God knows exactly how much pressure each one of us can take. He knows how long we can endure the night, so he gives the soul relief, first by welcome glimpses of the morning star and then by the fuller light that harbingers the morning.

Slowly you will discover God's love in your suffering. Your heart will begin to approve the whole thing. You will learn from yourself what all the schools in the world could not teach you-the healing action of faith without supporting pleasure. You will feel and understand the ministry of the night, its power to purify, to detach, to humble, to destroy the fear of death and, what is more important to you at the moment, the fear of life. And you will learn that sometimes pain can do what even joy cannot, such as exposing the vanity of earth's trifles and filling your heart with longing for the peace of heaven.

What I write here is in no way original. This has been discovered anew by each generation of Christian seekers and is almost a cliché of the deeper life. Yet it needs to be said to this generation of believers often and with emphasis, for the type of Christianity now in vogue does not include anything as serious and as difficult as this. The quest of the modern Christian is likely to be for peace of mind and spiritual joy, with a good degree of material prosperity thrown in as an external proof of the divine favor.

Some will understand this, however, even if the number is relatively small, and they will constitute the hard core of practicing saints so badly needed at this hour if serious New Testament Christianity is to survive to the next generation.

# Chapter Twelve

# SUICIDE

There is but one reason that God doesn't forgive and that's when we don't. For this reason, much of Christendom has been left desolate. And yet, I remind you that it was only during the Age of Law and in this Age of Grace where we are now. In the end, _it will be forgiven_ , for there is no sin which has not been covered, no soul which has been lost to the Lord. All of us go back to the Father, for once we pass from this planet we leave behind the very thing that produced the sin; our human form (Ecc. 8:8; 12:7).

No one will stand in the presence of the Almighty and the Christ and not be changed by their glorious essence. When the Living Truth and Unconditional Love of our Maker becomes so clearly evident, we will have but one recourse; fall down before Him in the utmost of humility and say, "It was as You determined. You alone are God."

I wanted to include the topic of suicide in this study, for no doubt, it is one of the most disturbing things that anyone could encounter. Again, due to foolish and carnal reasoning, some have managed to give suicide the label of "the unpardonable sin." But I don't believe this for even a second. Consider the following from DoSomething.org.

1. Nearly 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year.

2. In the U.S., suicide rates are highest during the spring.

3. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds and 2nd for 24 to 35 year olds.

4. On average, 1 person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes.

5. Each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people.

6. About 2/3 of people who complete suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths. Depression that is untreated, undiagnosed, or ineffectively treated is the number 1 cause of suicide.

7. There is 1 suicide for every 25 attempted suicides.

8. Males make up 79% of all suicides, while women are more prone to having suicidal thoughts.

9. 1 in 65,000 children ages 10 to 14 commit suicide each year.

10. There are 2 times as many deaths due to suicide than HIV/AIDS.

11. Over 50% of all suicides are completed with a firearm.

Has suicide touched my life? Yes it has. In fact, it is the main reason I wrote this study. I find it quite disturbing that "1 in 65,000 children ages 10 to 14 commit suicide each year" and that "suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds and 2nd for 24 to 35 year olds" and "on average, one person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes."

Friend, the "world" is not so much about what is around us, but how we perceive it within. Our "world" is in our mind and heart, consisting of those things we've been taught to believe, both by word and deed. For this reason, it is very difficult to know what is really going on in anyone's thinking. All of us think through the "filter" of our own beliefs, regardless of whether they are right or wrong. Our perception _is_ our reality.

When Paul wrote, "Come out from among them and be separate" (II Cor. 6:17), he was not saying that we must remove ourselves from those around us. Rather, he was addressing our mind and heart, our way of thinking and doing. Paul wrote, "Therefore be _imitators of God_ as dear children. And _walk in love_ , as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma" (Eph. 5:1-2). This is the true essence of the kingdom of God which leads to a change in the way we think and thus, the way we do.

Genesis 2:18 (NIV)  
The LORD God said, " **It is not good for the man to be alone**. I will make a helper suitable for him."

In the beginning, our Creator said, "It is not good for the man to be _alone_." I am sure that there are many reasons why someone would take their life but I must wonder if the root cause is essentially _loneliness_.

There is now approximately seven billion people on this planet, and due to our technology, we are more connected than ever by means of air travel, cell phones, satellite television, internet, and social media. It is astounding. Yet, what we fail to understand is that despite our technological marvels and the increase of our population, many are still very much "alone," not physically, but in their minds and hearts. No doubt this is one reason why we seek collectives of every sort, from secular to religious, from entertainment to philosophy. None of us wish to be isolated. All of us want to be loved and accepted by others. It is not good for us to be alone.

Matthew 24:12 (NKJV)  
And **because lawlessness** will abound, **the love of many will grow cold**.

The most obvious dilemma that has been true from our beginning has to do with our behavior, and it's a given that our behavior is a result of the thinking that has been propagated now for countless generations. As Jesus showed, when "lawlessness" or unrighteous behavior (as defined by God) abounds, _love grows cold_. And our reality even now confirms this.

Most of us don't wish to be around those behaviors that spring from pride, arrogance, anger, hatefulness, and so on, and this despite the fact that all of us are guilty of contributing to it. And just about everyone, especially our children, are in a sense, captive to this endless stream of hate, racism, anger, jealousy, and envy that is clearly portrayed every day in our homes and media. The advent of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media has made it easy for anyone to view whatever they want, good or bad, and there is a constant stream of both readily available. No longer can we protect our children from the arrogance and turmoil that is the mindset of the world.

So the truth is, it is not the wars, famines, or disease that is killing us, but what lies beneath all of it. _It is our lack of love and forgiveness for one another_. And _the love of money_ has truly been revealed as the "root of all evil" (I Tim. 6:10). For the sake of profit, we will do most anything. Evidence? How about the current and chaotic state of healthcare and pharmaceuticals? Or our national debt? Or the rising concerns of abortion, immigration, domestic violence, gangs, and drug related killings?

Matthew 24:21-22 (NKJV)  
**For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be**. And _unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened_.

If we take a close look at the passages in Matthew, Chapter 24, we will find that the "great tribulation" of which Jesus spoke connects with the "'abomination of desolation' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (Matt. 24:15; note the word "Therefore"). I believe the "holy place" speaks of both the place of ministry as well as the mind. The "abomination" which brings "desolation" (Dan. 11:31; 12:11) is defined by the "seven" which are an "abomination" to the Lord in Proverbs, Chapter 6, verses 16 through 19, i.e. "one who _sows discord_ among brethren." Our word "discord" means, "A _contest_ or quarrel," also translated as "strife." And what is the root of strife among us? _Lack of forgiveness_.

When we bring the understanding of the "abomination of desolation" to the "man of sin" which Paul spoke about, we have an obvious parallel. Remember, the "man of sin" "opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he _sits as God_ in the _temple of God_ , showing himself that _he is God_ " (II Thess. 2:4). Note the difference between "standing" in Matthew 24:15 and "sits" in II Thessalonians 2:4. I believe this indicates to us that the carnal and sinful nature of man would eventually reach a place where he is firmly entrenched in Christianity and accepted by the majority. Due to this, "great tribulation" has increased because our love has grown cold. Remember, _it is proportional_ (Matt. 7:2).

Think about it. There are many things that all of us suffer in this path we know as life. But isn't our suffering greatly intensified when there is no one there to help us, to lift us up through our difficult times? Of course.

Luke 21:25-26 (NIV)  
"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, **nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea**. **Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world** , for **the heavenly bodies will be shaken**.

Isaiah 57:20-21 (KJV)  
But **the wicked** _are_ **like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt**. _There is_ no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

In Luke 21, I believe "the roaring and tossing of the sea" speaks of the "wicked" as defined in Isaiah 57. For this reason, " _men will faint from terror_ , apprehensive of what is coming on the world." For those of us who have endured through many years of this perplexity, we must understand that there are those who eventually give up, thus one reason why some take their own lives. Never in the long history of humankind has there been such a need for righteousness and forgiveness, for a people who "know their God," who are "strong, and do exploits" (Dan. 11:32).

I believe the shaking of the "heavenly bodies" speaks of our soul and spirit, the "natural" and "spiritual" "bodies" within (I Cor. 15:44), the intense struggle between our carnal nature and the work of the Holy Spirit in this earth as the living Word works to bring us to a fruitful place in Him.

Suicide is a sad reality in this day in which we live, but it speaks clearly to us of a need for change within ourselves. Our children need parents and our parents need God. And all of us need hope, the true "hope" which "does not disappoint us," which is brought "into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" (Rom. 5:5).

My friend, God _has_ forgiven, not _will_ forgive, but He is waiting for you and me to "loose" it on earth so that He may loose it in heaven. I believe a time is coming when we will beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Nations will no longer lift up swords against each other and neither shall we learn war anymore (Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3).

Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)  
And **be kind to one another** , tenderhearted, **forgiving one another** , just as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)  
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and **forgive** whatever grievances you may have against one another. **Forgive as the Lord forgave you**. And over all these virtues **put on love** , **which binds them all together in perfect unity**. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. **And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him**.

# It is my sincere hope that this study encouraged and enlightened you in your walk with Christ. If so, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer? Thank you!

Jack Marshall

**About the Author** :

I was born in Southgate, California in 1957, but raised in Oklahoma, which is the home of my parents and where my older brother was also born. It is where I live now with my beautiful and precious wife, Sandi.

My introduction to Christianity began at the age of 19, in a small church in Oklahoma City. Because I was a singer and songwriter, it didn't take long for me to become musically involved with this church and the churches which my family and I attended afterward. I was involved for a time with a ministry in central Texas where I was inspired by a brother in Christ who came to our church several times throughout the year to teach the congregation. I was fascinated by his insight and his ability to see things which lay beneath the surface of the scriptures. This led me to study quite frequently. Over the past 38 years, this has been the one constant in my life.

I left Texas many years ago and moved back to my "home" in Oklahoma. Then, as now, I devote a good part of my time to studying the Bible and writing. Thanks to Smashwords, I have been able to publish the writings you see on this website and will continue to write and publish as the Lord allows.

In my writings, you will find that I am not one who holds to the traditional line of thought that prevails in most denominations and organizations. I have always been willing to challenge the status quo and remain open-minded to the idea that we simply do not fully understand or appreciate the depth that is the Word of God.

It is my sincere hope that you will find my writings challenging and thought provoking. Please feel free to visit my sites below and to contact me anytime.

Connect With Me:

**Friend me on Facebook** : <https://www.facebook.com/GrainOfWheatPublishing>

**Grain of Wheat Publishing Website** : http://www.grainofwheatpublishing.org

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Other books by Jack Marshall

The Dream – Through the Eyes of Sowing and Reaping

Times and Seasons – An Alternative View of the Day of the Lord

Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell

The Rapture – Yes or No?

Studies in Revelation – The Beasts of Revelation

The Parables of Christ – The Parable of the Sower

Studies in Revelation – The Second Death

Studies in Revelation – The Beast of the Earth

Eastward in Eden

Deep Sleep

The Serpent – An Alternative View of the Devil

Studies in Revelation – The Fullness of the Times

Studies in Revelation – Babylon the Great

Death, Burial, Resurrection – The Divine Process of God in Humankind

Dead Men's Bones – A Case Against Eternal Torment

Studies in Revelation – The Two Witnesses
**Bibliography**

**Reference** :

E.W. Bullinger (1837-1913), Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, Public Domain, 1921

Biblical Mathematics, Keys to Scripture Numerics, Evangelist Ed F. Vallowe, 1998

The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty, Stephen E. Jones, God's Kingdom Ministries, Copyright 2008

Dr. James Strong (1822-1894), Strong's Concordance, First Published 1890

W.E. Vine (1873-1949), Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, First Published 1940

Marvin R. Vincent (1834-1922), Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, First Published 1887

The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament, Robert K. Brown, Philip W. Comfort, United Bible Societies, 1993

The Feast of Tabernacles, George H. Warnock, 1951

That Incredible Christian, A.W. Tozer, 1897-1963, Christian Publications, December 1986

**Reference (Online)** :

Merriam-Webster Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary

Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com

Google, www.google.com

Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, en.wikipedia.org

World Christian Database, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, www.worldchristiandatabase.org/wcd/

Hartford Institute for Religion Research, http://hirr.hartsem.edu/

World Christian Encyclopedia, Oxford University Press; 2nd Edition, David B. Barrett (Editor), George T. Kurian (Editor), Todd M. Johnson (Editor), January 18, 2001

DoSomething.org, www.dosomething.org/us

Eternal Torment Vs. Reconciliation, Pastor David R. Baughman, Boston Bar, B.C., Canada

Kingdom Bible Studies, Preston and Lorain Eby, www.kingdombiblestudies.org

**Bible Translations Used** :

KJV, King James Version, Public Domain, 1611

NKJV, New King James Version, Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Complete Bible 1982

NIV, New International Version, Biblica, Zondervan and Hodder & Stoughton (UK) (licensed commercial rights), 1973 (NT), 1978 (OT)

AMP, Amplified Bible, Published by The Zondervan Corporation and The Lockman Foundation, First Edition 1965

Weymouth New Testament, Richard Francis Weymouth, Baker and Taylor Company (New York) 1903, James Clarke & Company (London) 1903

ESV, English Standard Version, 2001: Crossway Bibles, a ministry of the Good News Publishers of Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.; Apocrypha 2009 by Oxford University Press

Young's Literal Translation, published 1862, public domain
