Words of Jesus Part 21
I don't want to add anything to what the Lord is saying here but my feeling is that He was telling us that we are not to look to temples, buildings and outward organizations for salvation. This temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD. Jesus came to fulfill the law and usher in salvation by faith in His power to save. We who believe in Jesus become temples of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will abide in all who become "born again" by that same spirit and yield to the Holy Spirit from then on. When Jesus said in John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up", He was no doubt speaking about His own body. Salvation was not in the building although a building dedicated to the worship of God should be a sacred place to worship in, it is the the building but Jesus who brings salvation. All who are filled with the Holy Spirit become a temple of the Holy Spirit. While its okay to have buildings to worship in, the building itself has no power to save. It's not the place, the organization or even the minister, pope, priest, preacher, prophet but the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves the soul of mankind. I will say here that repenting of sin is a very necessary part of true salvation. When we are willing to turn from sin and turn to Christ for salvation, we become "born again" by the Holy Spirit. There is a change. Something happens that is invisible to the eye but very real. We are not getting just religion but are becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus. Faith that saves comes by hearing the word. If we begin to neglect the teaching and preaching of the word, then we are not going to have any saving faith, we will have just another religion. This is why the old temple had to come down. Religion, out. Christ, in. One day the actual temple will be rebuilt but Christ will reign supreme. We don't have to wait until the time, now we are the temple of God if the Holy Spirit is within us. We are to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Take heed that no man deceive you. We are fast forgetting this in the name of unity, touch not my anointed, and out of fear of being an accuser of the brethren. Please, let us not forget the warnings of Jesus as we attempt to be of the same mind and one accord with other believers. I think it is wonderful that we do not demonize fellow brothers and sisters of other denominations that disagree with us on trivial issues. In saying that however, we must not join ourselves with false teachers and doctrines that are not the gospel of Jesus Christ or that twist scriptures to deceive. If we doubt something, wait before jumping into it. It doesn't hurt to wait. God doesn't want us to be of the same mind and one accord with lies and false doctrine. Some go so far as to abandon all doctrine to avoid division. If we throw out the word of God, what are we going to base any truth on? We don't have to have a large one global church to preach the gospel. There is nothing wrong with The Church of God preaching the gospel in one part of the city and the Baptists in another. The main thing is the gospel is preached. We don't have to demonize each other either if both preach the gospel and do not preach any false doctrine that takes away from the true way of salvation through Jesus Christ. On the other hand, we don't have to join any group that want to have a one world church either.
Some surely will claim to be Christ. I've even heard of some recently claiming to be Christ. I wonder if this also could include those who come in the name of Christ but preach false teachings. We could say, I am of Christ or I represent Christ and teach falsely.
This is already happening.
If the Lord is speaking to the Jewish people here then they surely have been hated and killed for centuries. They still are hated. If this includes believers in Jesus Christ then it is being done also in many countries. This will increase as the days of the Second coming approaches. If we become part of any group that persecutes and kills another group for what they believe, than we will be on the wrong side. Better to be on the side that is persecuted than to be part of a religious body that persecutes someone for their faith. I read where one teacher says the the ones persecuted the most will be Jews and true believers in Jesus Christ. The bible says that the godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Never lift up a hand against any Jew or true bible believer follower of Jesus Christ or you may be part of this false religion or antichrist spirit of the latter days.
This goes along with my previous comments. Offenses will occur but we must make sure we do not hurt, kill or persecute anyone for their faith. This doesn't mean that we don't expose error by the light of the word of God. We must do this but we must not be part of killing, persecuting or hurting any person. I emphasis these things because of what the so-called church has done in past history. We who are true to the word of God must never allow ourselves to be part of any religious system that tortures, kills or forces any belief system upon any other person. It is a waste of time. True salvation by faith cannot be forced on anyone. No one can be saved by forced conversion. It can't be done. If the heart remains unchanged, the conversion is not real. This is why the church must stay separate from the state government. The only one qualified to run a church and state type of government would be Jesus Christ Himself. Not any one claiming to represent Him. We cannot set up His kingdom for Him. We are to preach the gospel only. We are not to take over governments. Some have tried that in the past and it had horrible consequences. No. No. No. We must not be tempted to take over governments with any religion no matter how good we think it is. I know we are tired of the many organizations that succeeded in ruining our schools by removing prayer and bible reading. I know those kids need the Lord and His word. I'm tired too of the abortions, the lack of moral restraints and the evil of Hollywood. Yes, I'm tired of it all. But we can't be tempted to set up the kingdom of Jesus Christ ahead of time by getting rich, big and strong then taking over the governments of the world. Only Jesus Christ can do that properly. If we try, we will make a mess of it just like the church in the Middle Ages did.
Losing love and compassion is the first sign of false religion. Increased iniquity is another sign. Teaching moral purity but living differently in our private lives is another sign of just having an outward religion. True religion overcomes sin and seeks the righteousness of Jesus which takes the "Want to sin" out of our lives. We become new creatures who desire to please the one who saved us from sin. Sin will not longer have dominion over us if we continue to yield to the Holy Spirit that is given to all who obey the Lord.
Obedience is very important in our walk with the Lord. How can we say we love God and do not do as He instructs us to do?
Notice that He says the gospel is to be preached to all in every nation before the end comes. We are not to force it upon people by taking over any governments. That was a mistake that happened in the days of Constantine of the Roman Empire. He forced baptism on all in his empire and then joined the church with the paganism of Rome to unite his kingdom. We see from history what a mess that became.
A false leader is coming who will kill and destroy false religion, the Jewish people, true believers who may still be on the earth and anyone that opposes him. He will claim to be God. The Holy place may be the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. There have been forerunners of this antichrist who did similar things.
This passage in Daniel mostly concerns Israel and those that live in that area.
These days are yet to come and have not yet happened. It couldn't have happened before this time as some teach because Jesus mentions many coming claiming to be Christ. There have always been false religions claiming to be the only way to God. We will see this increase. There will be some claiming to be the Messiah some Jews are still waiting for. There will some that will claim to be the Messiah we believe in, Jesus Christ.
That is why our faith cannot stand in signs and wonders. That does not mean that the all signs and wonders that we hear of are false. We should however, not base doctrine or judge people's spiritual lives by the signs and wonders. When someone is healed, we should praise the Lord for it but we are not to accept the person of the one claiming to be the one God uses to heal if he or she does not teach the truth of the word of God or live according to the standards of God's word. Our faith and doctrine should be judged by the word of God, not by any person doing miracles, no matter how great they may be. We are not to follow the signs. The bible says that signs follow the believers. They are to point people to Jesus and edify the church, They are not to put on an show, draw followers after a person or be a tool to draw lots of financial gain. Yet signs should be following us as the gospel is preached.
Christ already came the first time humbly as a babe in the manger. He will not come that way a second time. He will not come as a natural man that is to be born or is already alive somewhere on the earth. He will come from the heavens and every eye will see Him. When He comes there will be no doubt of who He is.
This is the only time the good, the believers and the holy will take over any governments. I repeat, we are not to do this ahead of time.
All these signs and wonders, tribulation etc. will happen in one generation.
Date setting has proven pointless and embarrassing. We must avoid it.
As people were going about their daily lives ignorant of the work of God so it will be when Jesus returns. As soon as we think He isn't coming, He will come.
It will be sudden and without warning. That is why we must live every day, like He is coming today.
Whether this means that one will be taken in the rapture and the other left or whether it means one will be taken in judgment and the other left is really not worth arguing about. We need to be ready no matter which is true of this statement Jesus makes. Be ready for His coming. Have our sins under the blood of Jesus and our lives in tune with Him by walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Be spiritually awake and not asleep.
Be busy being obedient to the word of God and the work that God calls one to do for Him.
This is what happens in a backslidden church. We begin to allow sin to enter, become cruel to those who disagree with us, lord over people, take over governments, commit sexual immorality etc. We either become too harsh and add to the commandments or we become too lenient and allow any sin just as long as people keep coming, giving their offerings and please the leaders. Either one is just as bad. A faithful church teaches truth, stands up for truth, is compassionate for those who have not yet learned the truth and desires to see people find the Lord as savior and get victory over the sin that destroys them. Their thoughts are more on what they can do to serve, give and help others rather than what they can fleece from the innocent followers.
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