Bread of Life

BREAD
OF
LIFE
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Part I – Knowledge and Understanding 4
Part II – Wisdom and Mystery 45
Part III – The Bread of Life 67
Part IV – The Law 100
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
Introduction
'The Bread of Life' is the first chapter in this book but the last to be written. 'Dwellers in Tents'
examines many topics within the Scriptures, but so that these studies are not thought to be just
an academic exercise by an over-zealous Bible student, it is important that they be prefaced by
what the Bible teaches concerning gaining knowledge and insight on the Scriptures. This first
chapter serves this purpose and also serves to lay some foundations which are developed upon in
later chapters. Each chapter provides a foundation for subsequent chapters and therefore,
beginning with 'The Bread of Life', each chapter (and the sections within the chapter) should be
read consecutively.
I am currently editing the book and am releasing sections and chapters on the website as they are
edited. I hope to have all five chapters on the website by March 2012. Please note that I would
greatly appreciate being notified of any errors found, including where the same Scriptures are
transcribed differently in different places and where Scriptures are incorrectly referenced.
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
Part I - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
‘And this is eternal life, that they may know YOU, the Only True GOD, and He whom
YOU sent, Jesus Christ.’ (John 17:3)
Jesus testifies that the way to eternal life is in coming to know G OD and the One whom GOD sent
into this earth, HIS only-begotten SON. Eternal life is GOD's gift to us which begins with our
Spiritual re-birth right here on this earth, we who are: “... born again not from perishable
but from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of G OD.” (1Peter
1:23). Knowing GOD and HIS SON is the Spiritual reality into which we are born again through the
word of GOD. It is in coming to know the awe-inspiring Truth of the Way GOD has made for us in
Christ Jesus our Lord – when blind eyes are opened to see the Truth, so that we walk in the
Truth, when we step out of darkness into the Light – that we enter into (eternal) Life.
‘Grace and peace to you – may they be multiplied by the precise and correct
Knowledge of GOD and of Jesus our Lord. As all things for Life and Godliness have
been given to us by HIS divine Power through the precise and correct Knowledge of
the ONE having called us to H IS own Glory and Virtue, through which H E has given to
us the precious and great promises, that through these you may become sharers of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world by lust.’ (2Peter 1:2-4)
Peter said: ‘… all things for Life and Godliness have been given to us by (G OD's)
divine power through the precise and correct knowledge of the O NE having called us
to HIS own Glory and Virtue.’ This is as Jesus taught: eternal life is in knowing GOD. Peter,
however, expands on this: 'all things for Life and Godliness' are given in 'the precise and
correct knowledge' of GOD. ‘Life and Godliness’ – these are characteristics of the divine
nature of the GOD who has called us to 'become sharers of the divine nature'. ‘HE has
given to us the precious and great promises, that through these you may become
sharers of the divine nature’, the (only) Way into this sharing being in the true knowledge
of GOD and of HIS promises to us, all fulfilled in He whom GOD sent into this earth, Christ Jesus
our Lord:
‘For as many as are the promises of G OD, in Him (Jesus Christ) is the “Yes”;
wherefore also through Him the “Amen/(It is so)” through us, unto the Glory of
GOD.’ (2Corinthians 1:20)
‘What then will we say to these things? If GOD is for us, who is against us? Who
indeed HIS own SON did not spare, but gave Him up on our behalf; how will HE not
also freely give to us all things with Him.’ (Romans 8:32).
Before we pursue these things, let us first examine the words translated as ‘know/knowledge’ in
our Bibles. Strong’s Concordance1 lists seven Greek words which are all generally translated in
our Bibles as the one word, ‘knowledge’. We are primarily concerned with four of these Greek
words: ginosko which means ‘to learn to know, to come to know’; epiginosko – ‘to come to
1
The New Strong’s Exhaustive concordance of the Bible, James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.
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know thoroughly, to know accurately’; gnosis – ‘knowledge, general knowledge’; and epignosis
– ‘precise and correct knowledge’. In the scriptures quoted, I have used the expanded meaning
of ‘know/knowledge’, where applicable, based on the actual word used in the Greek Text.
Because only in knowing precisely and correctly what the scriptures teach can we obtain the ‘ …
the precise and correct knowledge1 of the ONE having called us to H IS own Glory and
Virtue’.
(Note that the word ‘know’, ginosko, as in ‘knowing’ GOD and HIS SON, is a different experience
from gnosis/epignosis, gaining (precise and correct) knowledge/information of, for example,
GOD’s promises to us. ‘Knowing’ GOD is a Spiritual experience which transcends knowledge, but
which begins in true knowledge.)
The finished work of GOD's salvation, (Jesus, hanging on the tree/'cross', said “It is finished”
and died for the salvation of the world (John 19:30)), is obtained through our Knowledge of G OD
and of HIS grace to us in HIS SON. All have been accomplished for us by GOD, in Christ, but it is
the precise and correct knowledge and belief of the Truth of our salvation which allows GOD’s
Power to work in us: the awesome 'Power of GOD unto salvation'. ‘For it (the Good
News2/'Gospel' of Christ) is the Power of GOD unto salvation to every one
believing ...’ (Romans 1:16). ‘For the word of GOD is living and powerful ...’ (Hebrews
4:12).
Peter tells of: '… obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.’
(1Peter 1:9). Salvation is by faith and '… faith comes from hearing … the word of Christ. '
(Romans 10:17). This is 'the Power of GOD unto salvation' inherent in the word of GOD to all
who believe: ‘... receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls.’ (James
1:21). But this Power resides only in the purity and truth of GOD's word. The 'implanted word'
(from which we are born again to eternal life) is the 'imperishable seed, through the living
and remaining word of GOD.' Anything else is perishing (with the world, not 'living and
remaining'), cannot be truly (divinely) 'implanted' in our hearts and is without 'the Power of
GOD unto salvation'.
There is 'divine power' in the word of GOD: Power unto Knowing GOD; Power unto eternal life;
Power to escape 'the corruption in the world '; Power to be 'born again'; Power unto 'Grace
and peace'; Power to 'become sharers of the divine nature'; Power unto 'HIS (GOD's)
own Glory and Virtue'; Power unto 'all things for Life and Godliness'. ‘… all things for
Life and Godliness have been given to us by H IS divine Power through the precise
and correct knowledge of the ONE having called us to HIS own Glory and Virtue ...’
And so our Bibles are a mighty testimony of GOD and of HIS grace to us and of HIS 'precious
and great promises' so that we may know the Truth of our salvation and so that we may
receive/believe this 'living and remaining', 'living and powerful' word of GOD.
‘Paul, a slave of GOD and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of the
chosen ones of GOD and precise and correct knowledge3 of Truth according to
Godliness, based on a hope of Life eternal, which the Truthful G OD promised before
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1922 – epignosis – precise and correct knowledge.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #2098 – glad tidings, good news as in Luke 2:10.
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the ages of time.’ (Titus 1:1,2)
Jesus, John and Peter taught of these things, as did the apostle Paul. Paul (in his letter to Titus)
speaks of 'the faith of the chosen ones of GOD' and says that the ‘precise and correct
knowledge of Truth’ – which is in accord with Godliness – is ‘based on a hope of life
eternal’. Here again is ‘Life and Godliness’, the Spiritual package, (the free gift!), which
‘the Truthful GOD promised before the ages of time’. For ‘Life and Godliness’ are
'precious and great promises' from GOD which are received by us in our belief in the Truth.
GOD calls us to HIMSELF – calling us into the Truth, calling us to be conformed to the Truth – in
the ‘precise and correct knowledge of Truth’. And how do we answer this call but in our
acceptance of/belief in GOD's word.
“For just as the rain comes down, and the snow from the heavens, and return not
there without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my
mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will
achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10,11)
GOD's mighty promise to us concerning HIS word is: “... my word that goes out from my
mouth … will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will
achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ” This is the (unfailing) Power of the word of GOD
which He sent to us here in this earth. Paul tells us of our ‘... putting on the new man, the
one being renewed, in precise and correct knowledge1, in accordance with the
image of the ONE having created him.’ (Colossians 3:10). According to the ‘precise and
correct knowledge of Truth’ and according to our Faith in this Truth, GOD empowers us, in
Christ – born again, a 'new man' – to be conformed to HIS very image and likeness, as HE
created us to be (Genesis 1:26), sharers of HIS divine nature. Here is GOD's word accomplishing
HIS desire and achieving the purpose for which it was sent. ‘ HE has given to us the precious
and great promises, that through these you may become sharers of the divine
nature.’
‘... GOD, the ONE having saved us and having called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to HIS own purpose and grace given to us in
Christ Jesus before the ages began, but now made manifest through the appearing
of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who abolished/destroyed/nullified death, bringing Life
and incorruptibility2 to light through the Good News/'Gospel'.’ (2Timothy 1:9,10)
GOD, 'the ONE having called us to HIS own Glory and Virtue', is 'the ONE having saved
us ... with a holy calling'. For salvation is in knowing the unadulterated Truth of our 'holy
calling … given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began'. By the grace of GOD – and
'according to HIS own purpose' – 'all things' are given to us in the gift of of GOD's SON. (‘If
GOD is for us, who is against us? Who indeed HIS own SON did not spare, but gave
Him up on our behalf; how will HE not also freely give to us all things with Him.’)
'Christ Jesus our Saviour, who abolished/destroyed/ nullified death, bringing Life and
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2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 861 - incorruptibility. Note: KJV translates this as
immortality, but the Greek word for immortality (#110) indicates deathlessness. Paul was not speaking here of
Life and immortality/deathlessness - Life and Life - but of Life and incorruptibility, as in Life and Godliness.
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incorruptibility to light through the Good News'. Christ Jesus our Lord through whom is
the promise of our 'Glory and Virtue'/‘Life and Godliness’/‘Life and Incorruptibility’. For
GOD gives eternal life '… to those seeking glory and honour and incorruptibility 1 ...'
(Romans 2:7).
(Peter told us: '(GOD) has given to us the precious and great promises, that through
these you may become sharers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
in the world ...' Note, however, that Paul does not speak in his letter to Timothy of 'eternal life
and incorruption'. Delivered out of sin and death, in Christ, 'having escaped the corruption
in the world' through the Power of GOD's word, we are given Life and ‘Incorruptibility’; that
is, the inability to be corrupted. It is with this word that we are called to be sharers of the divine
nature; and this is the divine power of the Good News of Christ.)
Paul writes of two roles of 'Christ Jesus our Saviour': who 'nullified death' and who brought
'Life and Incorruptibility to light through the Good News'. 'Jesus came … preaching
the Good News of GOD ...' (Mark 1:14); this Good News '... now made manifest through
the appearing of Christ Jesus our Saviour'. Jesus testifies, “For this I was born and for
this I have come into the world, that I might testify to the Truth. ” (John 18:37). The
importance of GOD's word is such that Jesus, the Lamb of GOD, is designated the very Word of
GOD (John 1:14), Jesus Himself bringing the Truth of the mighty salvation obtained for us by
Him into this world. This is 'the Good News of Christ', which is 'the power of GOD to
salvation to everyone believing'. And Jesus sent out this 'Good News' to the nations
through His apostles (who, knowing the Power of the Truth, teach of the ‘precise and correct
knowledge of Truth’).
Our GOD is ‘the Truthful GOD’, (Titus 1:2); ‘Yahweh/‘the LORD’2 GOD of Truth’, (Psalm
31:5). The Greek adjective translated as 'Truthful' in Titus 1:2 is, literally, ‘unlying’ – a word
surpassing the world’s understanding of truth, a word depicting divine truth – the complete and
direct opposite to any lie. ‘... it is impossible for GOD to lie ...’ (Hebrews 6:18), for ‘... no
lie is of the Truth’ (1John 2:21). ‘GOD is not a man that HE lies, nor a son of man that
HE changes HIS mind. HE HIMSELF speaks and HE does not do? Or HE promises and HE
does not fulfill?’ (Numbers 23:19). No. Our GOD is the ‘GOD of Truth’, ‘… the ONE who
works all things according to the counsel of H IS will.’ (Ephesians 1:11). GOD HIMSELF
proclaims: “I am watching over my word to fulfill it.” (Jeremiah 1:12). Here is the divine
power in the word of GOD. And because ‘Mighty is HE who executes HIS word.’ (Joel 2:11).
Throughout the Scriptures GOD is described as ‘True’ – ‘the True GOD’ (1Thessalonians 1:9);
‘GOD is True’ (John 3:33); ‘the Only True GOD’ (John 17:3). The Greek word translated as
‘True’ (as in John 17:3), is also the direct opposite of another word, it is, literally,
‘Unhidden/Unconcealed’. The Hebrew equivalent (as in Jeremiah 10:10) means sure, certain,
trustworthy, faithful. ‘GOD is True’ is like saying ‘GOD is Love’. It describes a characteristic
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 861 - incorruptibility.
2
Some translators of the Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament have used ‘the L ORD’ to represent the Hebrew
name Yahweh, (sometimes rendered Jehovah, or Yehovah, or Yahoveh). It is thought that this was originally
based either on interpretation of certain laws, or following tradition which regarded G OD’s name as being so holy
that it should not be pronounced. In this discussion of 'precise and correct knowledge', and throughout this book,
Yahweh is used whenever this name is written in the Hebrew text.
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Quality of GOD – Truth – a part of HIS divine nature, Unlying, Unhidden, Unconcealed,
Trustworthy, Sure, Faithful.
Consequently, in entering into the precise and correct knowledge of the Truth we enter into the
very nature of GOD. The true knowledge of the Father and of H IS SON opens the door to Truth
and so to the ‘GOD of Truth’ HIMSELF. Our belief in/acceptance of the Truth of GOD's word
becomes our accord with the Truth – our coming into harmony with GOD’s divine nature – our
sharing in GOD’s divine nature. And so GOD gave us the Bible, and apostles and prophets and
preachers and teachers, and HIS own SON, Jesus Christ, (the very Word of GOD (John 1:14)), and
HIS Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13), to provide us with the knowledge of HIS
Unconcealed Truth; so that, by the divine power of (the precise and correct knowledge of) the
word of GOD we may be conformed to the Truth.
'And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace queen of the

Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to
worship and was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. And
the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and join this chariot." And running up, Philip heard
him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, "Do you understand what you are
reading?" And he said, "Indeed, how am I able (to do so), unless someone guides
me?"' (Acts 8:27-31)
Therefore Jesus promised: “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all
Truth.” (John 16:13). This is GOD's gift to us in the gift of HIS Holy Spirit. “… the Holy Spirit
… will teach you all things.” (John 14:26). For ‘... all things for Life and Godliness
have been given to us by H IS divine Power through the precise and correct
Knowledge of the ONE having called us to HIS own Glory and Virtue ...’ – nothing
concealed, nothing left out. ‘And the anointing which you received from HIM remains in
you and you have no need that anyone should teach you … the same anointing
teaches you concerning all things/everything, and is True and is not a lie ... ’ (1John
2:27). For ‘... no lie is of the Truth.’ (1John 2:21).
‘He (Jesus) said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter
answered and said, “You are the Christ, the SON of the Living GOD.” And Jesus
answered him saying, “Blessed are you Simon bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood did not
reveal this to you, but my Father, the ONE in the heavens.”’ (Matthew 16:15-17). So
does the ‘GOD of Truth’ bless us with the revelation of HIS SON, the Christ, revealing 'all
things', guiding us into 'all Truth' – the ‘precise and correct knowledge of Truth’ –
teaching us 'everything'.
In comparison, Jesus tells us that Satan – the opposer of G OD – is a liar and the father of the lie
(John 8:44). It is Satan who blinds the eyes/minds of men to keep them from the Truth. G OD
created the heavens and the earth according to HIS plan and purpose and according to the power
of HIS word: ‘By the word of Yahweh/'the LORD' the heavens were made and by the
breath of HIS mouth all of their host. ... For HE HIMSELF spoke and it came to be, HE
HIMSELF commanded and it stood firm.’ (Psalm 33:6,9). This is the Way of GOD's creation.
There is immeasurable Power in the word of the ONE who proclaimed, “Let there be light!”
and there was light. Indeed, ‘Mighty is HE who executes HIS word.’ Satan, the father of the
lie, has also ‘created’ his own pseudo/counterfeit world, based on his word, his lies: a
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delusionary place of half-truths, of corruption, of contentiousness, of lack, of ungodliness,
designed to keep mankind imprisoned in the dark, away from the precise and correct knowledge
of Truth and so away from GOD.
‘... the great dragon, the ancient serpent, the one called devil and Satan, the one
deceiving the whole inhabited earth ...’ (Revelation 12:9)
Two of Satan’s most widespread deceptions concern Godliness and Truth. Many Christians
believe that Godliness is not to be aspired to on this earth. ‘But Godliness with contentment
is great gain’, (1Timothy 6:6), because in this there is eternal life. ('Life and Godliness' are
inseparable, ungodliness being incompatible with eternal life.) Many Christians also believe that
we cannot (that we are not even meant to) understand GOD’s Truth. These lies are the opposite of
what the Bible teaches and are designed to stop the Body of the Church from being freed into
Truth and so into Life and Godliness.
There is GOD’s truth and then there is the twisted misrepresentation of the Truth: the lie. From
the inception of the lie in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s mode of operation has been to pervert
GOD’s word so as to deny mankind the Power of the Truth. The serpent said to Eve, “Indeed,
did GOD really say ...?” (Genesis 3:1) and defiled the Truth, inciting unbelief, leading man
astray. But who can turn aside GOD’s will? Who can avert GOD’s purpose? If GOD is for us, who
can be against us? GOD HIMSELF provides the Way for us to grow in the precise and correct
knowledge of HIM, the Unconcealed GOD, and of HIS SON, so that we may be saved.
‘... GOD our SAVIOR, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a precise and
correct knowledge1 of the Truth.’ (1Timothy 2:3,4).
(Our Creator is '… not willing that any should perish ... ' (2Peter 3: 9). ‘.... GOD our SAVIOR
… wants all men to be saved and to come to a precise and correct knowledge of the
Truth’, these two things being but one and the same, because salvation comes only in knowing
the Truth: ‘... receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls ’; ‘My son,
attend to my words, listen closely to my sayings … for they are Life …’ (Proverbs
4:20-22). '… the Good News of Christ ... is the power of G OD to salvation to everyone
who believes.' (Romans 1:16).)
GOD want us all to know the Truth. Therefore, as Jesus Himself affirms: “It has been written
in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by GOD.’” (John 6:45). What a wonderful
promise to us – another of GOD's ‘... precious and great promises, that through these
you may become sharers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the
world’ – those of us who 'attend to my (GOD's) words' and 'listen closely to my (GOD's)
sayings' and who believe; (knowing ‘Mighty is HE who executes HIS word.’) Jesus
continued: “Everyone having heard from the Father, and having learned, comes to
me.” (John 6:45). Here is the promise of our relationship with the SON of GOD: in hearing and
learning what is taught to us all by GOD in the word of GOD, the ‘precise and correct
knowledge of Truth’.
Mankind has developed through several ‘ages’, for example, the 'Stone Age', the 'Iron Age', the
'Industrial Age'. Now we live in the ‘Information Age’. The messenger spoke to Daniel of ‘ the
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time of the end’ when: “... many will go to and fro and knowledge will be
increased/become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4). The knowledge which now abounds in this
world is that which the world knows and disseminates. But as Paul tells us: ‘ ... not first is the
Spiritual, but the natural. Afterward, the Spiritual.’ (1Corinthians 15:46). Most assuredly
is the true knowledge of GOD and of HIS SON – Spiritual, divine, revelatory knowledge, the ‘…
precise and correct knowledge of Truth' – to become abundant in this ‘Information Age’,
‘... preached in all the world ... ’ (Matthew 24:14). GOD’s mighty promise to us is: ‘... the
earth will be full of the Knowledge of Yahweh/'the L ORD’ as the waters cover the
sea.’ (Isaiah 11:9). Assuredly this promise is being fulfilled in the earth. We are GOD-ordained
to be full of the revelatory knowledge of the ‘GOD of Truth’ – 'full of the Knowledge of
Yahweh/'the LORD’'.
'And answering, Jesus said to them, “You go astray/err, not knowing 1 the Scriptures
or the power of GOD.”' (Matthew 22:29)
How can we know – experientially – the Power of GOD unto escaping deception, corruption,
unto deliverance, unto salvation, unto Life and Godliness, without truly knowing what is taught
to us in the word of GOD? Through the mouth of HIS prophet Hosea GOD says: “My people
perish/are cut off for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6). Paul speaks of ‘... being
alienated from the Life of GOD because of the ignorance existing ... ’ (Ephesians 4:18).
But “Yahweh/'the LORD’ is a GOD of Knowledge”, (1Samuel 2:3), this is HIS Divine Nature.
And the ‘GOD of Knowledge’ calls us to share in HIS Divine Nature – giving us (precise and
correct) knowledge of HIS word so that we are not 'alienated from the Life of GOD', so that
we perceive and believe and receive GOD's Power for salvation. “... through knowledge shall
the righteous/just be rescued.” (Proverbs 11:9). GOD gathers HIS people to HIMSELF, to
eternal life, to glory, in the true knowledge of HIMSELF and of HIS glory, all given to us in HIS
only-begotten SON:
‘GOD, the ONE saying, “Let light shine out of darkness”, is H E who shone in our
hearts the light of the knowledge of the Glory of G OD in the face of Christ. ’
(2Corinthians 4:6)
‘And we know2 that the SON of GOD has come and has given us understanding that
we may know3 the True ONE, and we are in the True ONE, in HIS SON Jesus Christ.’
(1John 5:20)
Jesus spoke to His disciples, “No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not
know what his lord does, but I have called you friends, because all things which I
have heard from my Father I made known to you. ” (John 15:15). And '... the SON of
GOD has come and has given us understanding ... ' – understanding of the word that He
has brought to us, of 'all things' that He has made known to us; showing us, His disciples (those
who follow Him), 'the light of the knowledge of the Glory of G OD'. (This, as 'Life and
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1492 - eido - to see/to perceive the force and meaning of
something which has a definite meaning (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).
2
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1097 - Ginosko - ‘to learn to know, to come to know’
1
Incorruptibility', '... now made manifest through the appearing of Christ Jesus our
Saviour'.)
The psalmist exults: 'The opening1/unfolding of Your words gives light, it gives
understanding to the simple/open2.' (Psalm 119:130). (This verse illustrates the play upon
words which is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament. The psalmist states: The
opening up of GOD's words gives understanding to those who are open to receive understanding
(that is, those who are not wise in their own eyes.)) Here again we see the divine power of the
word of GOD which: '... gives light, it gives understanding …' No other word, from any
other source, comes with this Power of the Truth. GOD, the ONE saying, “Let there be light!”
and there was light, 'the ONE saying, “Let light shine out of darkness”, is HE who shone
in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the Glory of G OD in the face of Christ'.
And only HE (who created the light of day) can do so. For this Light is of G OD, from GOD; this
Light is according to our Creator's own plan and purpose and grace; this Light concerns GOD's
mighty salvation of HIS people. And so Jesus Himself 'made manifest' this Light which is the
knowledge and understanding of GOD's word, of GOD's will, of GOD's ways, of GOD's glory.
Jesus promises us: “I am the Light of the world; the one following me will never3 (no,
never) walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of Life.” (John 8:12). The psalmist
proclaims, 'Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path' (Psalm 119:105) and
where does Jesus give this Light but where the Power of the Truth is most needed, right here in
this earth: 'I am the Light of the world '. We do not go to heaven to learn the Truth. We learn
it here in this world, through the Good News, so that we are not 'alienated from the Life of
GOD', so that we escape corruption, so that we are reborn out of sin and death into eternal life.
‘And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we gazed upon His
glory, glory as of the Fathers only-begotten, full of Grace and Truth.’ (John 1:14).
Jesus is the very manifestation of GOD's Grace, of GOD's Truth, of GOD's Glory. ‘In Him was
Life, and the Life was the Light of men .’ (John 1:4). Jesus’ Life is the Light (the testimony
of the Truth) that GOD gives us to see – the Light of ‘the Life of GOD’ to which all men are
called – the Light of the Love of GOD, of HIS Mercy, HIS Goodness, HIS Power – ‘the Light of
the knowledge of the Glory of G OD in the face of Christ’. (‘... GOD, the ONE having
saved us and having called us with a holy calling … according to HIS own purpose
and grace … now made manifest through the appearing of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who abolished/ destroyed/nullified death, bringing Life and incorruptibility to light
through the Good News.’ (2Timothy 1:9,10).)
‘… all things for Life and Godliness have been given to us by (GOD's) divine power
through the precise and correct knowledge of the ONE having called us to H IS own
Glory and Virtue’, GOD freely showing us this Light, in Christ, so that we do not succumb to
ignorance, or to deception, but for us to walk – here in this earth – in the Light of Life: “I am
the Light of the world; the one following me will ... have the Light of Life. ” Jesus
proclaimed: “For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, that I might
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #6608 – opening, i.e. disclosure. From #6605 – to open wide.
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #6612 – simple, foolish. From #6601 – to be open.
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #3364 – no never. #3364 is in fact two words, double negatives
– 'ou' and 'me' – (both meaning 'not') and so means 'not at all/by no means/never ever'.
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testify to the Truth.” (John 18:37); and “I came that they may have Life and that they
may have it superabundantly1.” (John 10:10). Jesus came to testify to the Truth that,
beginning right here in this earth, born again of the Truth, walking in the Light of Life, we walk
in the divine superabundance of eternal life.
‘And (Jesus) said to them, “Surely the lamp is not brought out in order that it may
be placed under the measuring bucket, or under the couch, and not be placed upon
the lampstand. For there is nothing hidden except that it may be revealed, nor has
it become hidden but that it may come into the open. If anyone has ears to hear let
him hear.” And He said to them, “Consider what you hear.”’ (Mark 4:21-24).
Surely, GOD's holy scriptures do not bring us the Truth without giving us True knowledge and
understanding of the Good News of GOD. Therefore Jesus tells us: “Consider what you hear.”
Paul teaches, 'Consider what I say. For the Lord will give you understanding in all
things.' (2Timothy 2:7). (‘... those who seek Yahweh/‘the L ORD’ understand all
(things).’ (Proverbs 28:5).) Jesus is ‘the Light of the world’ – ‘… the true Light which
enlightens every man ...’ (John 1:9). (For ‘... GOD our SAVIOR ... wants all men to be
saved and to come to a precise and correct knowledge of the Truth.’ (1Timothy
2:3,4).)
‘And the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend2 it.’
(John 1:5)
The Greek word translated as 'comprehend' here means, 'to take/seize/lay hold of/apprehend/
perceive, to attain/obtain, to comprehend' (see its usage in Ephesians 3:18) and is very
enlightening concerning 'the darkness'. It serves to illustrate that the term 'darkness' refers to
those who do not perceive the Light. The darkness does not comprehend the Light. Those in the
dark do not walk in 'the Light of Life'. They have no (True) perception of our Creator, of GOD's
majesty, of HIS glory, of HIS trueness, HIS grace, HIS goodness, HIS mercies, HIS blessings, HIS
favour, HIS faithfulness, HIS power, HIS love. They have no (True) comprehension of HIS mighty
provision for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. They do not know and understand the glorious Good
News of GOD's mighty salvation; not appreciating that the message brought to us by the S ON of
GOD Himself is 'Good News of great joy'.
The angels of the LORD proclaimed to the shepherds in the field: “Behold, I bring you Good
News of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. ” (Luke 2:10,11). The gift of GOD's SON,
our Saviour, means 'great joy ... for all the people'. But those in the dark do not rejoice.
They have not grasped the Truth that Jesus has paid the penalty for our salvation; that there is
nothing left undone; that the job is complete. “It is finished.” (John 19:30). ‘Behold! Now is
the day of salvation.’ (2Corinthians 6:2); now is the time of GOD's favour. But those shrouded
in the 'realities' of the world – those encompassed in the lie – have not beheld their salvation.
They do not comprehend that they are already saved, so that they may believe. But there is a
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4053 - perissos – superabundant, exceeding abundantly
above. (Not 'more abundant'. 'More' would be with reference to what currently exists and our earthly life is by no
means a base measurement for eternal life.)
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 2638 – katalambano – From kata (#2596) and lambano (#
2983) – to take/seize/lay hold of/apprehend, to attain/obtain, to comprehend.
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Way out of this darkness. For GOD has placed a Lamp upon a lampstand for all to see: ‘the true
Light which enlightens every man’.
‘... the Dawn from on High will visit us, to give light/shine upon the ones sitting in
darkness and in the shadow of death ...’ (Luke 1:78,79)
'Therefore, it is required of us to pay superabundant 1 attention to what we have

heard …' (Hebrews 2:1). 'If anyone has ears to hear let him hear.' ‘My son, attend to
my words, listen closely to my sayings …’ (Proverbs 4:20). 'Consider what you hear.'
For ‘… how shall we escape having neglected so great a salvation which was first
spoken through the Lord, (and) confirmed to us by those who heard, GOD bearing
witness with both signs and wonders and various powerful deeds and distributions
of the Holy Spirit according to HIS will.’ (Hebrews 2:2-4). Consider what Paul is saying
here. He is trying to convey that something miraculous has been made apparent to us in GOD's
word. How then can we not know and understand the testimony of Him who says: “I am the
Way and the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6). How do we escape deception and corruption
if we neglect the Truth? How do we escape sin and death? What then do we truly have if we do
not have True knowledge and understanding of GOD?
‘This is what Yahweh/‘the LORD’ says, “Let the wise man not boast of his wisdom, or
let the strong man not boast of his strength. Let the rich man not boast of his
richness. But rather, let the one boasting boast about this – (that he) Understands
and Knows Me, that I am Yahweh/'the LORD', the ONE exercising kindness and justice
and righteousness on this earth, for in these I delight,” declares Yahweh/'the L ORD'.’
(Jeremiah 9:23,24). (And because, as Jesus said: ‘This is eternal life, that they may know
YOU, the Only True GOD, and He whom YOU sent, Jesus Christ.’ (John 17:3).)
Knowledge and Understanding? ‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is my SHEPHERD, I shall lack nothing

…’ (Psalm 23:1). For “... my GOD will fill your every need according to H IS riches in
Glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). Jesus said, “It has been written in the
prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by G OD.’” (John 6:45). Therefore Yahweh-rohi
(Yahweh our SHEPHERD) – 'HE who shone in our hearts the Light of the Knowledge of the
Glory of GOD in the face of Christ ' – promises us: “I will give you Shepherds after My
own heart and they will feed you Knowledge and Understanding. ” (Jeremiah 3:15).
Most certainly does GOD HIMSELF fill our every need, feeding us with food for (the salvation of)
our souls, providing us with Knowledge and Understanding, so that we lack for nothing, so that
we are freed into eternal Life.
“And you will Know the Truth and the Truth will free you.” (John 8:32)
Yahweh-rohi promised, “I will give you Shepherds after My own heart and they will
feed you Knowledge and Understanding” and GOD gave us HIS own SON, 'the Chief
Shepherd' (1Peter 5:4) – 'the Good Shepherd', (John 10:11,14), 'the Great Shepherd of
the Sheep', (Hebrews 13:20) – the One denominated as the very Word of G OD, ('the Word
became flesh and tabernacled among us' (John 1:14)) – the One feeding us with
Knowledge and Understanding. ‘To us there is one GOD, the Father, from whom are all
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4057 – perissos – adverb from #4053 – superabundantly.
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things ... and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things ...’ (1Corinthians
8:6). GOD our Father gives us 'all things', including Knowledge and Understanding, through HIS
SON, 'through whom are all things' – ‘all things for Life and Godliness’.
‘What then will we say to these things? If GOD is for us, who is against us? Who
indeed HIS own SON did not spare, but gave Him up on our behalf; how will HE not
also freely give to us all things with Him.’ (Romans 8:32).
‘And we know that the SON of GOD has come and has given us understanding that
we may know the True ONE, and we are in the True ONE, in HIS SON Jesus Christ.’
(1John 5:20)
'Consider what I say. For the Lord will give you understanding in all things.'
(2Timothy 2:7). This speaks of divine revelatory understanding. Because all things from GOD are
Divine and Spiritual and Powerful and Glorious and Perfect and True. “For My thoughts are
not your thoughts and neither are your ways My ways”, declares Yahweh/‘the L ORD’.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your
ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. ” (Isaiah 55:8,9). Without divine, revelatory
understanding, our ways and thoughts are but based on worldly knowledge and experiences.
Therefore Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (1Kings 4:29-31), instructs us: ‘... lean not
upon your own understanding.’ (Proverbs 3:5). Do not measure what is Divine and Spiritual
and Powerful according to a natural, worldly understanding. Because, as Jesus tells us, “By
what measure you measure, it will be measured to you and it will be added to you.”
‘(Jesus) said to them, “Surely … there is nothing hidden except that it may be
revealed, nor has it become hidden but that it may come into the open. If anyone
has ears to hear let him hear.” And He said to them, “Consider what you hear. By
what measure you measure, it will be measured to you and it will be added to
you.”’ (Mark 4:21-24)
“Therefore listen to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the
Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one (“Satan” (Mark 4:15)) comes and
seizes what is sown in his heart (“lest having believed they might be saved” (Luke
8:12)). This is that (the word) scattered by the wayside.’ (Matthew 13:18,19). But GOD
sent HIS SON to defeat Satan's wiles, to give us Understanding of HIS holy word, of HIS ways, HIS
thoughts, of 'all things' of an entirely different realm from ours – of the Truth of GOD and of
eternal life.
We do not have to settle for a worldly, unspiritual, unfruitful, measure of the word of GOD. ‘…
the Lord will give you understanding in all things.' For ‘... a people without
understanding will be thrown down.’ (Hosea 4:14). But ‘... he who cherishes
understanding will prosper.’ (Proverbs 19:8). ‘Blessed is the man that ... gains
understanding.’ (Proverbs 3:13). These scriptures speak of divine blessings and prosperity,
they speak only of GOD's supernatural superabundance. For GOD cannot operate at any other level
and this is HIS will for us and HIS grace to us. And so GOD HIMSELF feeds us divine, revelatory
knowledge and understanding, giving us to see the Light, giving us to walk in the Light of Life,
promising: “I will give them a heart to Know me, that I am Yahweh/'the L ORD', and
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they will be my people and I, I will be their G OD. For they will return to me with all
their heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7). This is the Way of Salvation for all of GOD's people.
'This is what Yahweh-tsebaoth says: “Behold, I will save my people ... And they will
be my people and I, I will be their GOD, in truth and in righteousness.”' (Zechariah 8:8)
What an awe-inspiring promise! (We will be studying this covenanted promise of GOD in greater
detail.) GOD HIMSELF gives us the capacity to know HIM, to know the Truth of HIS will for us, of
HIS love for us and of HIS grace to us, 'I will give to them a heart to Know me'; and then
GOD gives us true knowledge and understanding of these things so that 'they will return to me
with all their heart'. We who were separated from GOD because of deception, we who were
alienated from the Life of GOD by ignorance, are given to return to GOD in the true knowledge of
HIM.
But first we have to seek the precise and correct knowledge of G OD, (and there is no better place
than the Bible), seeking Understanding of GOD's word, duly considering all things, (‘Consider
what what you hear’), questioning the difficult passages, (not by-passing them),
contemplating the so-called ‘contradictions’, (to come to know that there are no contradictions),
seeking the Light, searching out the meaning of all things; trusting, undoubtedly, that GOD
empowers us to divine knowledge and understanding of 'all things' through Jesus Christ. “For
nothing is hidden which will not be be disclosed, nor anything secret which by no
means will not become known and come to the light. Therefore be careful how you
listen ...” (Luke 8:17,18). ‘Consider what you hear’.
Every word out of the mouth of GOD is True and there are awe-inspiring Truths – mighty,
Spiritual laws – which govern our lives unfailingly. For example, Jesus teaches: “If you forgive
men their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ” (Matthew 6:14); “Do not
judge lest you be judged. For with what judgment you judge you will be judged and
with what measure you measure it will be measured to you. ” (Matthew 7:1,2); “In
everything, do unto others as you would have them do to you. ” (Matthew 7:12); “Give
and it will be given to you. ” (Luke 6:38). Like the natural law of gravity, the Spiritual law
‘The wages of sin is (sic) death’, (Romans 6:23), is true and governs our existence. Like the
natural law of aerodynamics, which supersedes the law of gravity, there is a mighty Spiritual law
which takes precedence over the Law of sin and death: “For the law of the Spirit of Life in
Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:2). But all the
Spiritual, divine things of GOD begin with a simple rule/law/instruction from the mouth of Jesus
Himself:
“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened
to you. For every one asking receives and the ones seeking finds and to the one
knocking it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7,8)
Jesus said, ‘... every one asking receives ...’. This is GOD's promise to us, this is GOD's will
for us and GOD's grace to us, and this is validated in the gift of H IS SON. For if GOD first gave of
the best that HE had to give, giving us HIS beloved, only-begotten SON, most certainly will HE
'also freely give to us all things with Him' (Romans 8:32) – ‘all things for Life and
Godliness’. And our GOD-given right to ‘all things for Life and Godliness’ is accessed by
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but one, simply understood Way taught to us by Jesus Himself: ‘Ask and you will receive.’
(John 16:24).
Consequently, James tell us: ‘You have not because you ask not. ’ (James 4:2). Knowledge
and Understanding, as a heart to Know and Understand GOD – as 'all things' – are freely
available to 'all men' for the asking. Most certainly will the Lord ‘give you understanding in
all things’ if you ask and if you seek for understanding and then, where necessary, if you
'knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us. ' (Luke 13:25). (For 'The
opening1/unfolding of your words gives Light, it gives understanding ... ' (Psalm
119:130).
Jesus, teaching on prayer, said, “Which of you will have a friend and will go to him at
midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves …' And the one within will
answer, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children with me are in
bed. I cannot rise up to give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not rise
up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his insistence he
will rise and give him whatever he needs.' (Luke 11:5-8). In Luke 13:25, Jesus speaks of
the master being risen and the door being shut. These are profound and insightful teachings, but
the relevance here is: 'knock and it will be opened to you'; if you are persistent, most
certainly will the Master give you the Bread of Life (the word of GOD), as all other things that
you need for Life.)
‘Blessed is the man that finds wisdom and gains understanding. For she is more
profitable than silver and her return is more than gold. She is more precious than
rubies and all of your desires cannot compare with her. Long life is in her right hand
and in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and
all of her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to the ones embracing her and those
who lay hold of her are blessed.’ (Proverbs 3:13-18)
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, asked GOD for an ‘understanding heart’ (1Kings
3:9) and he was given a 'wise and understanding heart' (1Kings 3:12). The Hebrew and
Greek words translated as ‘understanding/discerning’ in our Bibles generally mean ‘intelligence,
exercising the mind, reasoning, distinguishing, a mental putting together, a coming into the
meaning of something’. But the word translated as ‘understanding’ when Solomon asked for an
‘understanding heart’ probably best describes the divine understanding which we seek. This
Hebrew word shama2 means to hear intelligently, paying attention, considering – so as to bring
about obedience.
Jesus said: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, is
like a wise man who built his house upon a Rock. " (Matthew 7:24). Because: “Not
everyone saying to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only
the one doing the will of my Father in the heavens." (Matthew 7:21).
Do not be deceived my Brothers, true knowledge, wisdom and understanding are free gifts from
GOD and a Wise and Understanding heart hears the word of GOD and walks in obedience to the
Truth, conformed to the Truth, manifesting the Truth of our salvation. An understanding heart is
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #6608 – opening, i.e. disclosure. From #6605 – to open wide.
2
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #8085
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the fertile ground that GOD gives to us so that HIS word may grow and bear Spiritual fruit. “I will
give to them a heart to Know Me … and they will be my people and I, I will be their
GOD.” This is GOD conforming us to HIS own Ways, HIS own image and likeness, we who are
called to be sharers of HIS divine nature. Those who are hearers but not doers of the word are yet
in the dark (see James 1:17-25). They do not Know and Understand GOD's word. They do not
perceive that GOD gives eternal life '… to those seeking glory and honour and
incorruptibility ...' (Romans 2:7). They do not Know and Understand – so that they may
experience – the Power of the Love of GOD in their lives. Those not growing in Godliness are
without the precise and correct knowledge of the Good News of GOD’s grace to us, in Christ.
But GOD freely gives us to know the Truth, giving us to know H IM, revealing all things to us in
the Spirit of Truth. Therefore ask to know the Truth and then seek for Knowledge, knocking for
Revelation and Understanding so that the Word of GOD may be opened to us. ‘GOD gave to
them Knowledge and Understanding in all writing and learning.’ (Daniel 1:17). So will
HE give you Knowledge and Understanding in 'all things'. Jesus said, “... whatever you ask
the Father in my name, HE will give it to you.” (John 16:23, John 15:16). ‘Who indeed
HIS own SON did not spare, but gave Him up on our behalf; how will H E not also
freely give to us all things with Him.’
‘I ... do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that
the GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory may give to you a Spirit of
Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge 1 of HIM, for you to
know2, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, what is the hope of H IS calling, what
is the wealth of the Glory of H IS inheritance to the saints, and what is the surpassing
greatness of HIS Power to us, the ones believing, according to the working of the
might of HIS strength.’ (Ephesians 1:16-19)
GOD gives us a ‘Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge
of HIM’. Therefore, Daniel exults: “Let the name of GOD be praised forever and forever;
Wisdom and Power are HIS ... HE gives Wisdom to wise men and Knowledge to the
ones knowing discernment. HE reveals deep and hidden things, knowing what lies in
the darkness. And the light dwells with H IM.” (Daniel 2:20-22). Without (Spiritual)
Wisdom and Revelation we cannot truly know 'what is the hope of HIS (GOD's) calling,
what is the wealth of the Glory of HIS inheritance to the saints, and what is the
surpassing greatness of HIS Power to us, the ones believing ... ' (Because this Light is of
GOD, 'the light dwells with HIM'.) Consequently, "Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get Wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding. Esteem her, and
she will exalt you; she will bring you honour/glory if you embrace her. She will set
upon your head a garland of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow upon you."
(Proverbs 4:7-9)
‘(GOD) gives Wisdom to wise men and Knowledge to the ones knowing
discernment’: “… in the heart of everyone wise-hearted I have given Wisdom.”
(Exodus 31:6). Therefore, to ‘get Wisdom’ from GOD (and 'Wisdom is the principal thing;
therefore get Wisdom') we first must be wise! But the Book of Proverbs is very insightful on
what it means to be wise: ‘A wise man will hear and will increase learning’ (Proverbs 1:5);
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2
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‘Listen to my instruction and be wise’ (Proverbs 8:33); ‘The wise in heart accepts
commandments’ (Proverbs 10:8); ‘The wise store up knowledge’ (Proverbs 10:14); ‘…
the one listening to counsel1 is wise’ (Proverbs 12:15); ‘A wise son hears his father’s
instructions’ (Proverbs 13:1); ‘… the ear of the wise seeks knowledge’ (Proverbs 18:15).
'Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age,
let him become a fool that he may become wise.' (1Corinthians 3:8)
The scriptural definition of a wise man is one who seeks, listens to and accepts (Godly)
knowledge, learning, instruction, commandments and counsel – so as to gain Wisdom. ‘Instruct
a wise man and he will be wiser still. ’ (Proverbs 9:9). Consequently, GOD gives us a ‘Spirit
of Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge of H IM’. As 'all
things for Life and Godliness', Wisdom is given to us in the precise and correct knowledge of
GOD's word. And now we see that Wisdom is given to us in the ‘ Spirit of Wisdom and
Revelation’. There is divine power in the word of GOD: ‘Power through HIS (GOD’s) Spirit’
(Ephesians 3:16); Power according to ‘the Power of the Spirit’ (Luke 4:14); Power unto
Wisdom and Revelation according to the ‘Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation’.
GOD gives us a ‘Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge
of HIM’ because GOD wants us all to be ‘enlightened’ as to ‘what is the wealth of the Glory
of HIS inheritance’ to us ‘the saints’, (those sanctified by HIM). For “‘Eyes did not see and
ears did not hear and the heart of man did not conceive the things GOD prepared for
the ones loving HIM’. But GOD has revealed them to us through the Spirit.”
(1Corinthians 2:9,10).
The natural man is not able to conceive of the Spiritual, divine things of G OD. Knowledge and
Understanding and Wisdom and Revelation of 'the things GOD prepared for the ones
loving HIM' – of GOD's will for us – are ' revealed ... to us through the Spirit '. Our five
senses – seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching – bring our inner man knowledge and
understanding of the natural world around us. But there is immeasurably (superabundantly) more
to Life, (as high as the heavens are from the earth), than the natural things of this world which
we know and understand, (and which are but temporary and passing away. ‘For the things
seen are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal.’ (2Corinthians 4:16-
18).)
It is GOD HIMSELF who bridges this gap to bring us into the Knowledge and Understanding and
Wisdom and Revelation and Sharing of the Spiritual, divine things of GOD; of the glorious,
mighty realities of GOD; of ‘all things’ superabundantly beyond our earthly existence; things
which are holy, eternal; like experiencing 'the surpassing greatness of HIS (GOD's) Power'
in our Lives unto our sharing in 'the wealth of the Glory of HIS inheritance to the saints',
(in ‘all things for Life and Godliness’). And this discernment of eternal things – of GOD's
perfect will for us – is given to us in a Way which is far superior to our worldly sensory
perceptions; it is given to us in GOD's Holy Spirit, according to ‘the Power of the Spirit’; in
this Way is the revelation of the Light of Life. And concerning GOD's Holy Spirit, Jesus Himself
enlightens us: “If therefore you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children,
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #6098 – (GOD’s) advice, plan
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how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to the ones asking
HIM.” (Luke 11:13). ‘Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24).
'Now, we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from GOD, that we
may know the things freely given to us by GOD.' (1Corinthians 2:12)
'But a natural man does not receive/accept the things of the Spirit of GOD; for they
are folly to him and he is not able to know them because they are Spiritually
discerned.' (1Corinthians 2:14)
“‘Eyes did not see and ears did not hear and the heart of man did not conceive the
things GOD prepared for the ones loving HIM’. But GOD has revealed them to us
through the Spirit.” Man, buried in the mundanity of our worldly existence, is incapable of
perceiving GOD’s Truth. 'Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of
GOD. How unsearchable are H IS judgments and how inscrutable H IS ways! "For who
has known the mind of the LORD ...?”' (Romans 11:33.34). Who – without being taught by
GOD – could know the mind of GOD? “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. ” But ‘Now
we have received ... the Spirit from G OD so that we may know the things having
been freely given to us by GOD’, GOD-given things 'revealed ... to us through the Spirit',
according to ‘the Power of the Spirit’, (the 'Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation') – 'all
things' – which have already been freely given to us in the gift of GOD's SON. 'Who indeed HIS
own SON did not spare, but gave Him up on our behalf; how will H E not also freely
give to us all things with Him.'
Through Jesus Christ (‘through whom are all things’ (1Corinthians 8:6)), for the asking,
(“Ask and it will be given to you”), we are given the free gift of the out-pouring of GOD’s
own Spirit, receiving this gift of the Spirit by faith; (knowing and believing that, “If therefore
you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the
Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to the ones asking H IM.”) And there is no
mystery to the Spirit of GOD. The Bible reveals the nature of GOD’s Holy Spirit to us. The Spirit
of Yahweh/'the LORD' is the Spirit of Knowledge, (Isaiah 11:2), the Spirit of Truth (John 15:26),
the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:17), the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2,
Revelation 11:11). GOD’s Holy Spirit is the way in which GOD brings us to share in 'all things'
divine, (empowered (according to ‘the Power of the Spirit’) even to the divine
respect/Awe/‘Fear’ of GOD, (Isaiah 11:2)). Therefore, as Paul tells us: “... if anyone does not
have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not of Him.” (Romans 8:9).
Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be
opened to you. For every one asking receives and the ones seeking finds and to the
one knocking it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7,8). And how does GOD respond to us except
through HIS Holy Spirit. GOD does not respond through the flesh: “‘Eyes did not see and ears
did not hear and the heart of man did not conceive the things GOD prepared for the
ones loving HIM’. But GOD has revealed them to us through the Spirit.” Therefore GOD's
word is Spiritual, divine; and not natural, or worldly. GOD's word is given to us according to
‘the Power of the Spirit’: the Power of the Spirit of Knowledge, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit
of Wisdom and Revelation. This is the Power in the word of G OD: ‘Power through HIS (GOD’s)
Spirit’. GOD's word is not '… words taught by human wisdom but (words) taught by the
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Spirit' (1Corinthians 2:13); GOD reaching out to us Spiritually, communicating with us by H IS
Holy Spirit.
‘Now the earth was formless and void/empty and darkness was over the surface of
the deep. And the Spirit of GOD hovered over the surface of the waters. And GOD
said, “Let there be light!” And there was light.’ (Genesis 1:2,3). This is the Way (and the
work) of the Spirit of GOD.
'But a natural man does not receive/accept the things of the Spirit of GOD; for they
are folly to him and he is not able to know them because they are Spiritually
discerned.' (1Corinthians 2:14)
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of GOD.” (John 3:3). “... born again not from perishable but
from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of G OD” (1Peter 1:23)
and so 'born of the Spirit' (John 3:6), according to ‘the Power of the Spirit’ – 'the Spirit of
Life'. GOD’s immeasurable Power for 'all things for Life and Godliness ' is in HIS Holy Spirit,
given as a testimony of our belief in the Good News of HIS Grace to us in the gift of HIS SON. ‘In
whom (Christ) also you, having heard the word of Truth, the Good News of your
salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit.’ (Ephesians 1:13). This is the Way of salvation.
Jesus said, “The words which I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life.” (John 6:63).
Jesus spoke concerning His teachings in John, chapter six, but this statement is True for all of
GOD's word. For in the (precise and correct) knowledge of and belief in ' the word of Truth,
the Good News of your salvation' we are 'sealed with the promised Holy Spirit' – 'the
Spirit of Life'. Here is the inherent Power for 'Spirit and Life' in GOD's word. GOD's Holy
Spirit, as 'all things for Life and Godliness', is given to us in our knowledge and acceptance
of 'the word of Truth'. And this in fulfillment of our Creator's mighty promise to us:
‘I will gather you ... and I will cleanse you ... and I will give to you a new heart and I
will put a new Spirit inside of you ... My Spirit I will put inside of you ... and you will
be My People, and I, I will be your GOD.’” (Ezekiel 36:26-28).
We will see much more on these things; the point here, however, is that through the Living and
Powerful and Remaining word of GOD we are reborn into the Truth and so reborn to a new life,
eternal life – born again through the gift of GOD's Spirit: 'I will put a new Spirit inside of you
... My Spirit I will put inside of you'. And so Paul tells us of ‘... putting on the new man,
the one being renewed, in precise and correct knowledge, in accordance with the
image of the ONE having created him.’ (Colossians 3:10); this according to GOD's own
Spirit within us.
Jesus said, “It is the Spirit that gives Life.” (John 6:63). For ‘Those who are Spiritual
discern all things' (1Corinthians 2:15), 'all things for Life and Godliness'. Eternal life is
given to us in the Knowledge and Understanding and Wisdom and Revelation and Discernment
of the Truth of Life. Through the precise and correct knowledge of Truth, we are reborn into the
Truth – reborn to Life – through the gift of the Spirit of Knowledge, the Spirit of Truth, the
Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Life; reborn to glory even while in this world
2
through the Spirit of Glory. For GOD's Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Glory (1Peter 4:14). In Christ,
through GOD's Spirit, (as we are given to share in Knowledge and Understanding and Truth and
Wisdom and Life), we are given to share in GOD’s glory.
Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge of H IM, for you to
know, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, what is the hope of H IS calling, what
is the wealth of the glory of HIS inheritance to the saints …’ (Ephesians 1:16-18)
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get Wisdom ... She will set upon your head
a garland of grace; a crown of glory will she bestow upon you." (Proverbs 4:7-9)
GOD, ‘the Father of Glory’, wants us to come to Know and to Understand that, in Christ, born
again of HIS Spirit – the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of Life
– HE has freely given to us to share in ‘ HIS own Glory and Virtue’. (‘For as many as are
the promises of GOD, in Him (Jesus Christ) is the “Yes”; wherefore also through Him
the “Amen/(It is so)” through us, unto the Glory of G OD.’ (2Corinthians 1:20).) Our
Father wants us to see the Light, to come into the revelatory understanding, to be Wise to the
Truth of the glory of our salvation: ‘... that even the creation itself will be freed from the
slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the Children of G OD.' (Romans
8:21).
We know: ‘... GOD our SAVIOR … wants all men to be saved and to come to a precise
and correct knowledge of the Truth. ’ Similarly, Romans 8:21 does not speak of a desire for
only 'some' of mankind to 'be freed from the slavery of corruption'. GOD's desire is that the
very 'creation itself will be freed … into … the glory of the Children of G OD'; the use of
the word 'creation' here encompassing all of mankind. We know that salvation has not been,
and will not be, the choice of all. But it is important for us to know and to understand that GOD
has called all of mankind to glory.
The Almighty GOD said, “My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me
empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will achieve the purpose for which I
sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) – for us to 'become sharers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption in the world', ‘... freed from the slavery of corruption into the
freedom of the glory of the Children of G OD.' GOD wants us to Know the Truth of HIS will
for us, of HIS Grace towards us and of HIS Mighty provision for us in Christ Jesus our Lord; and
so that we can abide in HIS Glory. Therefore, ‘... the earth will be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of Yahweh/‘the L ORD’ as the waters cover the sea. ’ (Habakkuk
2:14).
"This Good News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony
to all the nations and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)
“... be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an unexpected hour.” (Matthew 24:44)
There is divine power in the precise and correct knowledge and understanding of Truth. G OD’s
divine Power being ‘... Power through HIS Spirit’ (Ephesians 3:16). Because the Spirit of
2
Knowledge, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Glory, the
Spirit of Life, is also the Spirit of Power (2Timothy 1:7), the Spirit of Counsel and Power
(Isaiah 11:2). This is GOD’s unsurpassed Power to us in HIS Holy Spirit, GOD’s supernatural
Power working in us who believe the Truth of GOD's counsel, empowering us to fulfill the Truth
of GOD’s Holy calling and of GOD’s Mighty will for us, on this earth, as in heaven.
Wisdom and Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge of H IM, for you to
know, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, what is the hope of H IS calling, what
is the wealth of the Glory of H IS inheritance to the saints, and what is the surpassing
greatness of HIS Power to us, the ones believing, according to the working of the
might of HIS strength.’ (Ephesians 1:16-19)
GOD gives us 'a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation' so that we can come to perceive and
believe the Truth of HIS unsurpassed Power in our lives. As Wisdom and Knowledge, and
Wisdom and Glory, Wisdom and Power go hand-in-hand: ‘Christ, GOD’s Power and GOD’s
Wisdom’ (1Corinthians 1:24). ‘A Wise man has great Power, and a man of Knowledge
increasing Strength’, (Proverbs 24:5), because wisdom empowers us to walk in Ways which
are as High 'as the heavens are higher than the earth': ‘Who is wise? He will
understand these things. (Who is) discerning? He will know them. For the ways of
Yahweh/'the LORD' are Right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious
stumble in them.’ (Hosea 14:9). (The rebel who does not choose to, or who will not humble
himself to accept the Truth that we are given to walk in 'the ways of Yahweh/'the LORD''.)
‘Who is Wise and Understanding among you? Let him show, by his Good
walk/conduct, his works in the Meekness of Wisdom.’ (James 3:13)
‘A Wise man has great Power, and a man of Knowledge increasing Strength.’
Through Wisdom and Knowledge there is great Power and Strength – the ‘ surpassing
greatness of HIS (GOD’s) Power to us, the ones believing, according to the working of
the might of HIS Strength’. There is immense Power in our belief in/acceptance of GOD’s
word; Power to be freed from sin and death (“… you will Know the Truth and the Truth
will free you.” (John 8:32)) and to be born again to eternal life, “... born again not from
perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of
GOD.” (1Peter 1:23); Power to be conformed to GOD’s divine nature. ‘… all things for Life
and Godliness have been given to us by H IS (GOD’s) divine power through the
precise and correct Knowledge of the ONE having called us to H IS own Glory and
Virtue’. A Wise man hears and accepts his Father’s calling to 'Glory and Virtue', Knowing and
Understanding GOD’s will and GOD's power for us to be conformed to HIS divine nature, so
empowered to be as GOD created us to be (knowing “I have strength for all things in the
One (Christ) who empowers me.” (Philippians 4:13)), knowing and doing GOD’s will,
abiding in GOD's will.
Because, as Jesus tells us: “Not everyone saying to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one doing the will of my Father in the heavens."
(Matthew 7:21). Jesus also told us, “Many are called but few are chosen.” (Matthew
22:14). GOD's desire is ‘... that even the creation itself will be freed from the slavery of
corruption into the freedom of the glory of the Children of G OD.' But of these many who
2
are called, only those doing the will of GOD 'will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven'. (These
being quantified as a 'few' only by comparison to the 'many' who are called.)
‘…(we) do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the
precise and correct knowledge1 of HIS will, in all wisdom and Spiritual
understanding, to walk worthy of the L ORD in every way pleasing to HIM, bearing fruit
in every good work and growing in the precise and correct Knowledge2 of GOD,
being empowered with Power according to the might of H IS Glory, for all endurance
and patience, with joy.’ (Colossians 1:9-11)
Paul sought for the Church in Colossae no less than that they be ‘filled’ with the true knowledge
of GOD’s will ‘in all wisdom (the Wisdom from above (James 3:17)) and Spiritual
understand-ing’. So that they would Know and Understand and therefore be empowered to do
GOD’s will – to walk worthily of HIM, pleasing HIM in every way, bearing fruit, as those knowing
that they are called to a sharing in GOD’s divine nature, as those growing in the precise and
correct knowledge of HIM – ‘empowered with Power according to the might of HIS
Glory’; the ‘surpassing greatness of HIS Power to us, the ones believing, according to
the working of the might of HIS Strength’; ‘divine Power through the precise and
correct Knowledge of the ONE having called us to H IS own Glory and Virtue’, ‘the
Power of GOD unto salvation to every one believing ...’ This is the divine power in the
word of GOD – Power according to the Spirit of Power.
'The word of the tree/'cross' is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who
are being saved it is the power of GOD.' (1Corinthians 1:18)
Paul writes in Colossians (above) of divine things – of Knowledge, of Wisdom and Revelation,
of Power, of Glory; of Spiritual qualities such as Endurance and Patience and Joy. But this is
GOD’s will for us and GOD’s grace to us as HE delivers us into eternal life as sharers in HIS divine
nature. Our Creator, our Mighty and Glorious Father, has given us the best gift that HE can give
– HE has given us of HIMSELF so that we may be like HIM, giving us of HIS own Spirit, in Christ,
empowering us to be Glorious and Virtuous, True in all that we do, Godly, Incorruptible, of HIS
own divine nature. And so Paul speaks of GOD’s People coming to Know – and to demonstrate,
and to celebrate – GOD’s will for us and GOD’s Power towards us in the Truth in Christ.
‘Who is Wise and Understanding among you? Let him show, by his good conduct,
his works in the Meekness/Gentleness of Wisdom.’ (James 3:13).
We know of Wisdom and Knowledge, and of Wisdom and Glory. We know of Wisdom and
Power: ‘A Wise man has great Power, and a man of Knowledge increasing Strength. ’
(For what is the effect of power without wisdom? Therefore divine strength and power result
from Knowledge and Wisdom.) But James also teaches of 'the Meekness of Wisdom'. For
what would be the effect of Wisdom (or Power) without Gentleness? Can anyone lead without
meekness/gentleness/humility? ('Moses was very meek, more than all the men on the
face of the earth.' (Numbers 12:3). (It was Joshua, however, who led the children of Israel
into the promised land. Moses, overcome by anger and frustration, did not meekly and wisely
1
2
2
obey GOD's word in the wilderness of Zin (Numbers 20:1-13) and so he also becomes to us the
example of one without the meekness of wisdom.))
Our Bibles teach of 'the Meekness of Wisdom' because the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation,
the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of Power, is also the Spirit of Meekness/Gentleness (1Corinthians
4:21, Galatians 6:1, 1Peter 3:4). We are born again, in Christ, to 'the Meekness of Wisdom'.
Knowledge and Understanding and Wisdom are proven in our Good conduct, in our Meekness,
our Gentleness; in our 'being empowered with Power according to the might of H IS
(GOD's) Glory, for all endurance and patience, with joy'; in our manifestation of the
divine nature given to us in GOD's Spirit, that is, in our manifestation of the Truth.
The Only Wise GOD (Romans 16:27), shares HIS Wisdom and Understanding with those who
ask: ‘… if anyone of you is lacking Wisdom, let him ask from GOD, the ONE giving to
all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in
Faith, nothing doubting ... ’ (James 1:5,6). “... everything which you pray and ask,
believe that you received, and it will be so for you. ” (Mark 11:24). “Let it be to you,
according to your Faith.” (Matthew 9:29). True knowledge and wisdom and understanding,
as 'all things', are from the ONE who gives superabundantly, ‘without reproach’, ‘to all’, and
so that, if we believe that we receive, we are ‘empowered with Power according to the
might of HIS Glory’ to be conformed to HIS will for us – freed from the lies which imprisoned
us; freed from oppression, from persecution, from corruption; freed from sin and death. Our
salvation is in Knowing and Understanding and demonstrating the Truth that there is another
Way – very different from the limited, sinful existence which we have known – available to us
in GOD’s holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. (‘... Jesus Christ, through whom are all
things ...’ (1Corinthians 8:6).)
‘… the Good News ... is the Power of GOD unto salvation to every one believing ...
For the Righteousness of G OD is revealed in it, from Faith to Faith. ’ (Romans 1:16,17).
GOD, ‘the ONE exercising kindness and justice and righteousness on this earth.'
(Jeremiah 9:24). The Good News of GOD’s creation is in the word of ‘ the freedom of the
glory of the Children of GOD’ – ‘freed from the slavery of corruption’ where there is a
need for freedom and where we can yet be freed – while on this earth. ‘The wages of sin is
death.’ Therefore, we have to be saved from our sinful nature, unto Life, before we pay the
price of sinfulness in death.
‘Therefore let us boldly approach the throne of Grace that we may take a hold of 1
mercy and find grace for help in time of need.’ (Hebrews 4:16). (“Ask and it will be
given to you.”)
The concept of a world where GOD’s Children are burdened under the bondage of sin and
sickness and fear, where we lack for anything whatsoever, is a lie promulgated by Satan and
which governs the existence of those so deluded – those not freed into the Truth that: ‘Yahweh/
‘the LORD’ is my SHEPHERD, I shall not want’ (Psalm 23:1); “… those who seek of
Yahweh/‘the LORD’ shall not want for any good thing” (Psalm 34:10); ‘If GOD is for us,
who is against us? Who indeed HIS own SON did not spare, but gave Him up on our
behalf; how will HE not also freely give to us all things with Him’; 'Our sufficiency is
from GOD.' (2Corinthians 3:5).
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 2983
2
A study of the words ‘belief’ and ‘faith’ in the Scriptures is very insightful. In the New
Testament, the Greek word ‘faith’ means conviction of the truth (of anything) and ‘belief’ means
to have faith. In the Hebrew Scriptures, however, the word ‘believe’ means ‘to build up or
support, to render firm, to foster, to be true, to turn to the right (hand)’. The Hebrew word 1
‘faith’ means ‘established/firm/true/secure’ and is derived from the root word2 ‘believe’. In
Hebrew, Faith is as a result of belief. Faith is built upon our belief in the word of GOD – built up
on a firm foundation. For GOD always establishes on a firm foundation.
'If you do not believe then you will not be built up/rendered firm.' (Isaiah 7:9)
We are Spiritually established, in Faith, on our foundation knowledge and understanding and
belief of the word of GOD. That is, Faith comes as a testimony of our belief in the Truth. Faith
comes from hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), (the Good News of Christ (Romans
15:19)), our hearing and believing in the Truth resulting in our anointing in ‘the Spirit of
Faith’. For the Spirit of Knowledge, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Truth,
the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of Meekness, the Spirit of Life is also ‘the
Spirit of Faith’ (2Corinthians 4:13). All things for Life and Godliness have been given to us in
GOD’s divine power in our Knowledge of the Truth, even Faith. True faith is of GOD, divine,
Spiritual, Powerful, and is freely given to us, in Christ, (for the asking), (indeed, ‘… how will
HE not also freely give to us all things with Him’), in the Spirit of Faith.
‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is
the gift of GOD.’ (Ephesians 2:8)
We are not saved by anything which is of ourselves. Salvation is a free gift, by the Grace of
GOD, in our Faith in the Truth. And the Spirit of Faith is the free gift of G OD which comes with
our Knowledge and Understanding and Belief of the Truth of GOD's will for us and of HIS love
for us and HIS grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. And there is an innate place within our souls
which recognizes the Power of the Truth and which believes the Truth. For GOD who gives us a
heart to know HIM has placed a sense of eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
There is divine power in the Truth; Power according to the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Truth;
Power unto the Spirit of Faith. And we grow ‘from faith to faith’ as we grow in the Truth of
the Gospel of Christ. Faith increases as our Knowledge of the Righteousness of GOD increases, as
our Knowledge of GOD’s will for us increases, as we come to Know G OD. Faith is GOD’s
response to that wonderful cry of Mark 9:24, ‘I believe, help my unbelief!’, GOD HIMSELF
giving us the increase (1Corinthians 3:6,7 Psalm 115:14), Spiritually increasing faith to us as we
grow in the Good News of Christ.
‘And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we gazed upon His
glory, glory as of the Fathers only-begotten, full of Grace and Truth.’ (John 1:14). And
‘... from His Fullness, we all received Grace upon Grace. ’ (John 1:16). How do we
receive this Grace? As we receive 'all things for Life and Godliness' – in our knowledge and
1
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #529 (Masc.), 530 (Fem.).
2
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #539
2
belief of the Truth: 'Grace and Peace to you – may they be multiplied by the precise
and correct Knowledge of GOD and Jesus our Lord.’ (2Peter 1:2).
GOD our Father works in supernatural multiples. Grace and Peace are ‘multiplied’ to us in our
knowledge of and belief in the Truth. ‘ For by grace you have been saved through faith ’ –
receiving ‘Grace upon Grace’ as we grow ‘from faith to faith’. We are saved by Grace and
not just by GOD’s Grace to us, but by GOD’s own Grace in us. Because GOD’s Grace poured out
upon us must become GOD’s Grace manifested through us. The precise and correct knowledge of
the Truth empowers us not only to receive of the Grace of GOD, but also to demonstrate the
Grace of GOD, sharers in HIS divine nature, in Christ; the Spirit of Glory – the Spirit of Truth, the
Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Life – also being the Spirit of Grace (Hebrews 10:29, Ephesians
2:7, 4:7). By GOD’s Grace we escape the corruption of sin, entering into salvation in a sharing in
GOD’s own divine nature: Forgiving, Merciful, Patient, Generous, Good and Kind and Gentle,
with the Undeserved Kindness/Grace of GOD; all this according to the Spirit of Grace, the Spirit
of Faith.
‘And GOD is able to cause all Grace to superabound1 to you, that always, having all
that you need in everything, you may superabound2 in every good work.’
(2Corinthians 9:8)
Note that the Greek word perisseuo, often translated as ‘abound’ in 2Corinthians 9:8, actually
means to superabound, to be in excess, to be superfluous. The translators of our Bibles have
been greatly conservative in telling of the divine superabundance of our GOD. But we need to be
able to rightly measure these things; we need to know and to understand and to believe in G OD's
superabundance, ‘from faith to faith’. GOD’s grace to us, ‘Grace upon Grace’, ('GOD is able
to cause all Grace to superabound to you '), is in such excess as to be superfluous. GOD
builds up by the word of HIS Grace (Acts 20:32), (the Good News of the Grace of G OD (Acts
20:24)) unto our ‘having all that you need in everything’; giving us to ‘superabound in
every good work ’. Have we not been called to GOD's own 'Glory and Virtue'? This is the
outcome of GOD's infinite grace and according to the Power of the Spirit of Grace within us.
‘Now we all, with unveiled faces, seeing the Glory of the Lord ... are being
transformed into the same image, from Glory to Glory, even as from the Lord, the
Spirit.’ (2Corinthians 3:18)
In our growing perception of the Truth of 'the Glory of the Lord', we are 'being
transformed into the same image, from Glory to Glory ', conformed to GOD’s divine
nature, GOD's glory multiplied to us through HIS Holy spirit, the Spirit of Glory. Paul writes of
‘an eternal weight of glory from excess to excess. ’ (2Corinthians 4:17). Paul also says:
“... my GOD will fill your every need according to H IS riches in Glory in Christ Jesus. ”
(Philippians 4:19). This is GOD's amazing gift to us in the superabundance of HIS grace: 'HIS
(GOD's) riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.'
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4052 - perisseuo - ‘to superabound, to be in excess, to be
superfluous, over and above’.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4052 - perisseuo
2
We know that GOD gives '… eternal life to those seeking glory and honour and
incorruptibility by endurance in good work.' (Romans 2:7). ‘And GOD is able to cause
all Grace to superabound to you, that always, having all that you need in
everything, you may superabound in every good work’ – unto HIS own 'glory and
honour and incorruptibility'. This is the outcome of the superabundance of GOD's Grace.
Jesus said, “I came that they may have Life and that they may have it
superabundantly.” (John 10:10). And there is nothing ordinary and there is nothing lacking in
our superabundant Life in Christ. But 'If you do not believe then you will not be built
up/rendered firm' (Isaiah 7:9) by GOD's superabounding grace, ‘from faith to faith’ and
‘from Glory to Glory’.
‘Without faith it is impossible to please G OD’ (Hebrews 11:6). For it is in True, Spiritual
faith that we come to know, experientially, that ‘GOD is able to cause all Grace to
superabound to you, that always, having all that you need in everything, you may
superabound in every Good work.’ In faith we know that GOD is able to fill us ‘with the
precise and correct knowledge of HIS will, in all wisdom and Spiritual
understanding’, and so that we may ‘walk worthy of the LORD in every way pleasing to
HIM, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the precise and correct
Knowledge of GOD, being empowered with Power according to the might of H IS Glory
...’ (Colossians 1:9-11).
‘Grace and Peace to you – may they be multiplied by the precise and correct
Knowledge of GOD and Jesus our Lord.’ Peace – not peace as the world knows peace, but the
Peace that surpasses all worldly understanding (Philippians 4:7) – divine peace – as grace, is
multiplied to us in the precise and correct knowledge of GOD and of Jesus our Lord. ('All your
sons will be taught by Yahweh/'the L ORD' and the Peace of your sons will be great. '
(Isaiah 54:13).) As we grow in the True knowledge of GOD, so are we empowered to bear all the
Fruit of the Spirit: ‘…(we) do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be
filled with the precise and correct knowledge of H IS will, in all wisdom and Spiritual
understanding, to walk worthy of the L ORD in every way pleasing to HIM, bearing fruit
in every good work and growing in the precise and correct Knowledge of G OD, being
empowered with Power according to the might of HIS Glory, for all endurance and
patience, with joy.’ (Colossians 1:9-11). As we grow in the precise and correct knowledge of
Truth, ‘all things for Life and Godliness’ are multiplied to us – exponentially, divinely,
powerfully – according to the surpassing greatness of GOD’s Power to us in HIS Holy Spirit.
‘Now to the ONE being able to do all things exceedingly abundantly above which we
ask or think, according to the Power working in us, to HIM be the Glory ...’ (Ephesians
3:20)
As we reach out towards GOD, in accordance with HIS will for us, in our knowledge and
understanding of HIM, seeking HIM, the Almighty responds to us in the only way in which HE
can. HE responds in supernatural multiples of our natural efforts – exceedingly abundantly above
that which we can even think to ask! The returns to us, and in us, are miraculous. Solomon asked
GOD for an understanding heart. 'And GOD gave Solomon wisdom and understanding
beyond measure1, and breadth of heart/mind as the sand on the seashore, and
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #3966 & 7235 – literally, exceeding increase/abundance
2
Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the
wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men.' (1Kings 4:29-31).
‘... the word of Yahweh/'the LORD' came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not
Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord Yahweh,
what will you give to me, since I remain childless ...” ... H E took him outside and
said, “Now look at the heavens and count the stars, if you can count them.” Then
HE said to him, “So shall be your seed/offspring. And he (Abram) believed ...”
(Genesis 15:1,2,5,6). This is GOD's way, and not just for Solomon and Abraham. 'GOD is no
respecter of persons.' (Acts 10:34). 'GOD shows no partiality.' (Romans 2:11). No man
(other than Jesus in the flesh of mankind) has anything with which to commend himself to G OD;
‘For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fallen short ...’ (Romans 3:22,23).
Discrimination and favouritism is not of GOD's Divine Nature because GOD freely gives all
things – 'all things exceedingly abundantly above which we ask or think ' – to all HIS
Children, in Christ. 'Yahweh/'the LORD' is Good to all.' (Psalm 145:9). 'GOD, the ONE giving
to all generously and without reproach …' And this by Grace, according to the
(undeserved) kindness of GOD to those who seek HIS divine generosity and goodness, HIS mighty
blessings and favour. Most certainly is Jesus ‘... Head over all things to the Church which
is His Body, the Fullness of the One filling all with all. ’ (Ephesians 1:22 (we will see
more of this teaching in the chapters to come)). This is the 'very great reward' of those who
believe GOD's word, (as '(Abram) believed)'; of those who open our eyes and hearts and
understanding to “Fear not ... I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Our Creator is indescribably Powerful, HE does nothing according to our natural ways. When
GOD created the heavens and the earth HE created a universe beyond man’s worldly
comprehension. GOD created man – fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14) – beyond
scientific understanding. When we seek GOD, HE – who wants to be found ( 'If you seek HIM,
HE will be found by you. ' (1Chronicles 28:9)) – turns towards us, HIS Face shines upon us.
GOD HIMSELF reaches out HIS Mighty Right Hand to us, HIS Spirit envelops us, and we must
change. In Faith, we yield to GOD’s Holy Spirit, encompassing HIS Spirit; and the Spiritual must
overtake the natural; the extraordinary must surpass the ordinary; the divine must overcome the
worldly; the Light must overcome the darkness; GOD’s Power must overcome our weaknesses;
the Truth must overcome the lie; GOD’s Love must overcome all. GOD raises us up as if on the
wings of eagles, freely, Mightily, bringing us into one accord with H IM, conformed to HIM, of
HIS own divine nature, in Spirit and in Truth, in Faith.
GOD does not fit within our earthly lives. The finite cannot encompass the infinite. When GOD
comes into our lives all things which are not of HIM must be obliterated before HIM. The
struggles and problems of this world are not of GOD, they are of Satan (as he opposes GOD’s plan
and purpose for us) and they conflict with GOD’s will for us. But when El Shaddai (GOD
Almighty, our all-sufficiency) steps in, when El Elyon (the Most High GOD who prevails in the
lives of HIS people) is present, then we must experience that which is according to GOD’s will,
GOD’s power, GOD’s grace, GOD’s love. When GOD comes into our situation, (when HE is invited
in, when HE is allowed in), our lives are now according to HIM who is holy and divine and
perfect. And this takes place as our faith is built up in the precise and correct knowledge of the
trueness and righteousness and faithfulness and grace of GOD and of the Power of the love of
2
GOD in our lives. In Faith, we give up the struggles of this world to receive of GOD’s saving
grace, in Christ.
Paul tells us: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away,
behold, they have become new, and all things are of G OD, the ONE reconciling us to
HIMSELF through Christ ... ” (2Corinthians 5:17,18). This is an awe-inspiring scripture that we
will study in more detail but the point here is that, in Christ, 'all things are of GOD'. But we
have to come to know and believe this. We have to raise up our conscious minds to GOD’s more
than superabundant Grace to us in our Faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have to know and
understand that GOD's Goodness and Generosity overcomes all want, filling our every need
exceedingly abundantly above that which we can even think to ask. This is what Paul is telling
us when he says: 'Our sufficiency is from GOD.' (2Corinthians 3:5). Indeed, “I am your
shield, your very great reward.”
‘Trust in Yahweh/'the LORD’ with all your heart and lean not upon your own
understanding.’ (Proverbs 3:5).
To Know GOD we have to get beyond man's mundane, natural dimensions to be Spiritually freed
into the extraordinary, the supernatural, the divine, the Godly reality which our Father wants us
to Know and to Understand and which HE freely and superabundantly shares with us in HIS Holy
Spirit through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit of GOD brings us the Knowledge and Understanding
of GOD which opens up our minds and hearts and spirits to the manifold Grace of G OD, to the
'very great reward' of those who seek HIM, to all of GOD's Spiritual superabundance, freeing us
from the limitations of the lying corruption of the world, born again, in the Truth, unto the
superlative things of GOD. It is our True knowledge of the word of GOD which becomes our
launching pad into the divine reality of GOD, into relationship with HIM, reconciled to GOD, in
Christ.
Jesus testified, “All things are possible for the one believing.” (Mark 9:23). ‘GOD is able’
(2Corinthians 9:8). HE who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them is ‘ ... the
ONE being able to do all things exceedingly abundantly above which we ask or think,
according to the Power working in us’. ‘GOD, the ONE providing us richly with all
things for our enjoyment, to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous,
willing to share, treasuring up for themselves a good foundation for the future, that
they may lay a hold of the real Life.’ (1Timothy 6:17-19). For it is here and now, in this
earth, according to our demonstration of the Truth, that GOD lays HIS foundation for our eternal
life. 'GOD is able', but even more than this, HE is willing and faithful and true.
'And now I commend you to GOD, and to the word of HIS grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. ' (Acts
20:32)
GOD’s Grace reigns supreme in our Life through Christ – ‘the real Life’ into which we are born
again in our Knowledge of the Truth and in which we superabound in all the divine things of our
GOD. But we have to know and believe this, coming to know and to believe in ' the word of HIS
(GOD's) grace'. We have to renew our minds according to the knowledge of GOD’s will for us in
Christ, coming to Know and to Understand and so to make manifest G OD’s divine Power unto
righteousness, unto holiness, unto Life.
2
As we consider GOD's Holy Spirit and grace and superabundance and ‘the real Life’, and in
knowing that GOD's Spirit is the Spirit of Life, it is essential for us to know and understand and
believe that: '... the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness. ' (Romans 8:10). According to
the Law of Sin and Death: ‘The wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). But “… the Law of
the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death. ”
(Romans 8:2). Because '... the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness'.
Paul teaches: ‘... where sin increased, Grace more than superabounded1' (Romans
5:20). The Greek word2 used with reference to sin in Romans 5:20 is pleonazo – to increase. But
the word used with reference to GOD’s Grace is huper-perisseuo, with perisseuo as we have seen
before meaning to superabound, exceeding abundantly above, so as to be superfluous. Now
added to this is the prefix ‘huper’ meaning ‘over/above/beyond/superior/more than’. ‘Grace
more than superabounded.' This is the divine increase in GOD's grace to us that counters all
sin with righteousness.
Paul spoke of GOD's more than superabounding grace: “... I received mercy, because, being
ignorant, I did it in unbelief. And the Grace of our L ORD superabounded with Faith
and Love in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the word, and worthy of all acceptance, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1Timothy 1:13-15). Paul again relates
sin to ignorance and unbelief. But sin is brought to nothing, rather, sinfulness is transformed to
Righteousness, to Virtue, to Godliness, to Incorruptibility, by the more than superabounding
grace of our Merciful and Faithful and True GOD who empowers us to superabound with Faith
and Love in Christ Jesus our Lord. (To superabound in Faith that 'the Spirit is Life because
of Righteousness'. ‘As all things for Life and Godliness have been given to us by HIS
divine Power ...’)
‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is
the gift of GOD.’ (Ephesians 2:8). Even as sin has increased, (as man has grown further from
the Truth of GOD, as Satan fights to retain his hold in these last days), GOD’s Grace more than
superabounds unto unto our being gloriously triumphant over all evil, in Christ. ‘... that even
the creation itself will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of
the glory of the Children of GOD’ (Romans 8:21). “Faithful is the word, and worthy of
all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
Seeing the corruption of the world, it can be said that Satan has done a good job with deception
unto sin. But this is purely by a natural, earthly measure. Beyond this there is a measure which is
divine, supernatural, according to the Mightiness of the Almighty GOD HIMSELF, according to the
measure of the heavenly realms. GOD has a response to deception and to sin, to anger, to hate, to
sickness and disease and to all the things of this world which is divine, phenomenal,
immeasurable greater than any measure of evil. GOD has a response to sin which is our
Righteousness, Godliness, ‘HIS own Glory and Virtue’, as we manifest HIS own divine nature;
but we have to Know these things. To escape sin and death we must Know: ‘... where sin
increased, Grace more than superabounded’.
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 5248 - huper-perisseuo
2
3
‘And the anointing which you received from HIM remains in you, and you have no
need that anyone should teach you. But as the same anointing teaches you
concerning everything, and is True and is not a lie, and as He taught you, abide in
Him. ... If you know that HE is righteous, you know that everyone doing
righteousness has been born of HIM.’ (1John 2:27,29). As also “You shall be Holy, for I
Yahweh/'the LORD' your GOD am Holy.” (Leviticus 19:2).
“But, in accordance with the Holy ONE who called you, also become Holy in all your
conduct. For it has been written: ‘Holy you will be, because I am Holy.’”(1Peter 1:15-
16)
Here is another awe-inspiring promise of GOD. HE who has called us to Righteousness, to Life
and Godliness, to Glory and Virtue, to Incorruptibility, has also called us to H IS own Holiness –
the 'Holiness without which no one will see the Lord.’ (Hebrews 12:14). For our anointing
in GOD’s Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Knowledge, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and
Understanding, the Spirit of Faith, the Spirit of Meekness, the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of
Power, the Spirit of Grace, (the Spirit of Grace and Supplications (Zechariah 12:10)), the Spirit
of Life – is, most certainly, an anointing in ‘the Spirit of Holiness’ (Romans 1:4). Therefore,
'become Holy in all your conduct'.
‘GOD did not call us to impurity but in Holiness1. Therefore the one rejecting this
rejects not man but GOD, the ONE also giving HIS Holy2 Spirit to us.’ (1Thessalonians
4:8)
The awesome Power of GOD’s Holy Spirit within us must bring forth GOD’s Holiness through us
- “... the temple/sanctuary of GOD is Holy, which (temple) you are.” (1Corinthians
3:17). We must be Holy, for GOD’s Holy Spirit cannot dwell within a body which is not dead to
sin. Life cannot fit within death, Purity cannot fit within corruption. GOD gives '… eternal life
to those seeking glory and honour and incorruptibility ... ' (Romans 2:7). ‘... the Spirit
is Life because of Righteousness’ – ‘righteousness unto sanctification/holiness’
(Romans 6:19). Righteousness is unto Life because righteousness is unto holiness through the
Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of Life. And where else do we manifest this Holiness but right here,
on this earth. ‘Pursue Peace with everyone, and Holiness, without which no one will
see the Lord.’ (Hebrews 12:14). GOD’s People are called, in Spirit and in Truth, in Faith, to be
righteous, holy, incorruptible, extraordinary, superabounding in the Grace of GOD in Christ Jesus
our Lord.
'And now I commend you to GOD, and to the word of HIS grace, which is able to build
you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are made
holy/sanctified3.' (Acts 20:32). The Greek word translated into English as 'sanctify' means,
literally, 'to make holy'. Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen.” (Matthew
22:14). The chosen ones being sanctified – made holy – according to the power of the Spirit of
Holiness; this is GOD's grace. Paul prayed that '... the GOD of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of Glory may give to you a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the precise
and correct Knowledge of HIM, for you to know, with the eyes of your heart
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 38 – hagiasmos – holiness.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 40– hagios – holy.
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 37 – hagiazo – to make holy.
3
enlightened, what is the hope of HIS calling, what is the wealth of the Glory of HIS
inheritance to the saints …' – to those made Holy by GOD. “For it has been written:
‘Holy you will be, because I am Holy.’”
“... the temple/sanctuary of GOD is Holy, which (temple) you are.” In the Book of
Exodus, GOD told Moses to make a sanctuary so that HE could dwell among the children of
Israel. GOD asked for an offering of the materials to be used and GOD gave Moses detailed
instructions as to the Temple and everything in it. Then GOD chose a man about whom HE spoke
unto Moses saying, “I have filled him with the Spirit of GOD in Wisdom and
Understanding and Knowledge in all manner of workmanship ... ” (Exodus 31:3, 35:31).
“... and HE (GOD) has put it into his heart that he should teach.” (Exodus 35:34). “...
and in the hearts of everyone wise I (G OD) have put Wisdom, that they may make
everything I have commanded you.” (Exodus 31:6).
‘Do you not know that your body is the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit in you. ’
(1Corinthians 6:19). Do you not know that your body is your offering to GOD for the building of
HIS Temple – ‘... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, Holy, well-pleasing to
GOD ....’ (Romans 12:1). (‘... present/proffer yourselves to GOD as those alive from the
dead ... as instruments of righteousness to G OD.’ (Romans 6:13)). Do you not know that
you have been chosen and are anointed with the Spirit of GOD in all Wisdom and Understanding
and Knowledge and Power to build up this temple of GOD, as GOD has commanded you to do. Do
you not know that you are Holy with the Holiness of G OD, so set apart unto GOD, for the Glory of
GOD. Do you know that unless the Holiness of GOD is made manifest through you, according to
the Spirit of Holiness, ‘no one will see the Lord’.
‘By Wisdom is a House built, and through Understanding it is established. And

through Knowledge all of the rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure. ’
(Proverbs 24:3)
After Moses ‘finished the work’ of the building of the tabernacle, something extraordinary
and wonderful happened – ‘the Glory of Yahweh/'the LORD' filled the tabernacle’ (Exodus
40:34). This was the purpose of building this sanctified, holy place – a place built for the
Almighty GOD to come and dwell with HIS people, in all HIS Glory. More than five hundred
years later, after Solomon built the magnificent house of GOD the exact thing happened – ‘the
Glory of Yahweh/ 'the LORD' filled the house of Yahweh’ (1Kings 8:11). For this reason
also Jesus builds us up – the Temple of the Holy Spirit of G OD, the Church of GOD. For we are
created for a sharing in the Glory of GOD in Christ Jesus. ‘... the GOD of all Grace, the ONE
having called you into HIS eternal Glory in Christ Jesus ...’ (1Peter 5:9). We are
preordained for GOD’s Glory – for GOD to commune with us, to be present with us, in Glory – for
us to be Glorified in HIM through Jesus Christ.
'“Yet once more, in a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the
sea and the dry land. And I will shake all the nations and the Delight/Desire of all of
the nations shall come and I will fill this House with glory,” says Yahweh-
tsebaoth/'the LORD of Hosts/Armies'. “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,”
declares Yahweh-tsebaoth. “The latter glory of this House shall be greater than the
former,” says Yahweh-tsebaoth. “And in this place I will give peace,” declares
Yahweh-tsebaoth.' (Haggai 2:6-9)
3
‘So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens of the
saints and members of the Household of GOD, having been built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
Cornerstone, in whom all the building, being fitly joined together, grows into a holy
sanctuary in the Lord, in whom also you are being built together into a dwelling
place of GOD, in Spirit.’ (Ephesians 2:19-22)
‘By Wisdom is a house built, and through Understanding it is established. And

through Knowledge all of the rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure. ’ The
Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament defines itself as a Book for attaining Wisdom and
Discipline and Understanding. It advocates Knowledge and Obedience and the Fear/Awe of
GOD. It repeatedly warns against being lured from the Truth by the deception of lies, (the
whoredom of apostasy. (Satan always wars against the Light with darkness – seeking to ensnare
in the bonds of deception.)) Satan deceived man in the Garden of Eden and man disobeyed GOD,
separating himself from GOD with sin. But GOD gave us Jesus, the Wisdom and the Power of
GOD, teaching us the Truth so that we may be free from Satan, leading us back along the
Highway which is called ‘the Way of Holiness’ (Isaiah 35:8), (and there is only one Way),
bringing us into harmony with HIMSELF, reconciling us to HIM, bringing us into a sharing in HIS
divine nature.
We – the Members of the Household of GOD, the Holy Sanctuary for GOD’s Spirit – are of the
Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth and Knowledge and the Fear of G OD, the Spirit of Wisdom
and Understanding/Revelation, the Spirit of Prophecy (Revelation 19:10), the Spirit of Life, the
Spirit of Holiness, the Spirit of Sonship (Romans 8:15), the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of Faith,
the Spirit of Grace, the Spirit of Justice (Isaiah 28:6), the Spirit of Meekness, the Spirit of Power
and Love and a Sound-mind/Self-control (2Timothy 1:7), the Spirit of Counsel and Power. It’s
an all-inclusive, Spiritual package (for GOD does not give the Spirit by measure (John 3:34)) and
HIS Holy Spirit is a free gift to us in our belief in the Truth. (The Bible's teaching on the Spirit of
Sonship and the Spirit of Christ is studied in chapter two of this book.)
‘And this I pray, that your Love may increase more and yet more, in precise and
correct knowledge1 and all discernment, for you to approve the superior things, that
you may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ.’ (Philippians 1:9,10)
The Knowledge of GOD’s Truth opens up our Spiritual understanding of divine things – birthing
within us the appreciation for 'the superior things' of GOD. The worldly mind does not
appreciate the Superior things of GOD; the mind of the flesh does not appreciate the things of the
Spirit. From a natural understanding we cannot enter into the Spiritual experience of Truth, or of
Love. But through divine knowledge and understanding we enter into Truth, into the divine
nature of GOD, into Love. GOD is Love (1John 4:8). And, in a sharing of HIS divine Nature, we
manifest HIS Love. Born again of HIM, who is Righteous, we are Righteous. Born of HIM, who is
Holy, we are Holy. Born of HIM, who is Love, we also are the manifestation of Love. There is
divine power in the word of GOD: Power according to the Spirit of Power; Power unto the Love
of GOD. ‘Because the love of GOD has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy
Spirit having been given to us.’ (Romans 5:5). In the true knowledge and understanding and
1
3
belief of the word of GOD we receive of GOD's Spirit. This is our entry way into all the Spiritual,
divine things of GOD, into all things for Life and Godliness, into Holiness, into Glory, into Love.
Paul tells us that, in the precise and correct knowledge of GOD’s Truth, with 'all discernment',
we are filled with Love – Spiritual, divine love, increasing more and yet more as our Knowledge
and Understanding increases – multiplied to us. The more we grow in the true knowledge and
understanding of the Truth, the more Love we come to know and demonstrate, and according to
GOD’s more than superabounding Grace to us in Christ Jesus: ‘ ... the Grace of our LORD
superabounded with Faith and Love in Christ Jesus. ’ (1Timothy 1:14). And this is so
because, in Love, in Faith, we are given to be ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ’.
‘Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ONE having blessed us
with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, even as H E chose us in Him,
before the foundation of the world, for us to be Holy and Blameless in H IS sight, in
Love.’ (Ephesians 1:3,4)
‘And may the Lord cause you to increase and superabound1 in Love to one another
and to all, even as we also do to you, so as to establish your hearts blameless, in
holiness, before our GOD and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all of His
saints. Amen.’ (1Thessalonians 13:12,13)
‘... the Grace of our LORD superabounded with Faith and Love in Christ Jesus.’ Paul
teaches of 'Faith and Love' throughout his epistles. For Faith without Love is meaningless: “If I
have all the Faith so as to remove mountains, but I do not have Love, I am nothing.”
(1Corinthians 13:2). If “I do not have Love, I have gained nothing.” (1Corinthians 13:3).
Because without Love we cannot be holy and blameless, and we must be ‘ pure and blameless
in the day of Christ’; ‘blameless, in holiness, before our GOD and Father at the
coming of our Lord Jesus’. In the power of the Spirit of Faith (the Spirit of Power, the Spirit
of Truth) we manifest the love of GOD, manifesting the Truth of GOD's will for us and GOD's
grace to us, in Christ, righteous and holy and blameless.
GOD gives us a heart to Know HIM, (Jeremiah 24:7), and then the Lord establishes our hearts, to
be ‘blameless, in holiness’. We become ‘holy and blameless in HIS sight, in Love’, as
our Love increases ‘more and yet more’ with Knowledge and Understanding, with Faith; the
Lord giving us ‘to increase and superabound in love to one another and to all ’. 'As all
things for Life and Godliness have been given to us by H IS divine Power through the
precise and correct Knowledge of the ONE having called us to H IS own Glory and
Virtue', so also has the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 'blessed us with every
Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ … for us to be Holy and Blameless in
HIS sight, in Love'. This is the Truth of our salvation and we must Know and Understand and
have Faith in these things.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:16 that the Body (of the Church of which Jesus is the Head) is built-
up in Love. Paul tells us that as our Love increases more and more, we become Pure and
Blameless – in readiness for the day of Christ. For there is a day coming when we, the Body of
the Church, will have to be found without spot or blemish and it is in our precise and correct
Knowledge of GOD, in our understanding of the Superior things of GOD, in GOD’s superabundant
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4052 - perisseuo - ‘to superabound, to be in excess, to be
superfluous, over and above’.
3
Power working in us who believe, in Love, that we become Spiritually ready for that day. We do
not go to heaven to attain the divine nature of GOD. We attain the divine nature of GOD so that we
may go to heaven, freed from sin and death, unto Righteousness and Life, Holy and Blameless.
This is GOD’s Grace towards us, received in Faith. “... be ready ...” (Matthew 24:44).
Jesus said, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the
scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. ”
(Matthew 5:20). And then Jesus proceeded to show, for the remainder of Matthew chapter five,
how much more is required of us than the simply understood things to which the scribes and
Pharisees adhered. They lived according to the letter of the Law – the Law given through Moses.
But such righteousness means nothing without the Spiritual blessing, in Christ, of Love. Only in
Love is our righteousness unto Holiness, unto Blamelessness, unto Perfection. ('… love is the
fulfillment of the Law.’ (Romans 13:10). We will see more of this.) Jesus ended His teaching
with, “Therefore be Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect.” (Matthew 5:48).
(Jesus said, “Woe to you lawyers! Because you have taken away the key of
Knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves and you hindered the ones entering in. ”
(Luke 11:52). Do not leave your Knowledge and Understanding of GOD and of the things of GOD
in the hands of scribes and Pharisees who are selective in what they teach, basing their teaching
on the naturally understood things of the Scriptures but not entering into the divine, Glorious,
superabundant promises to us in the word of GOD. Such teachers keep GOD’s people from the
Knowledge and Understanding of the Truth. Jesus calls them lawyers, for they expound – with
the wisdom of men – what the world has taught them. They themselves have not entered into the
Truth, having disregarded ‘the key’ for entering in, ‘the key of Knowledge’.
The ways, teachings, knowledge of this world – which are as different from the Truth as the
heavens are higher than the earth – are against the Knowledge of GOD. But GOD HIMSELF – in HIS
gift to us of the Spirit of Knowledge/the Spirit of Truth/the Spirit of Wisdom and
Understanding/ the Spirit of Faith/the Spirit of Power – gives us to protect ourselves against
those who come against the Truth, giving us to wield ‘the sword of the Spirit which is the
word of GOD.’ (Ephesians 6:17). The 'sword of the Spirit' is a powerful weapon against
entrenched teachings which deny us the Knowledge of GOD. ‘... the word of GOD is living
and powerful ...’ (Hebrews 4:12). We will study these things in greater detail, but as we
consider ‘the key of Knowledge’, we need to Know and Understand that we are empowered
to overcome misrepresentations of the Truth with the living and powerful word of GOD.
'Stand therefore, girding your loins with Truth and putting on the breastplate of
Righteousness and having your feet shod in the readiness of the Good News of
Peace; in all, taking up the shield of Faith by which you will be able to quench all
the fiery darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of
the Spirit which is the word of GOD; praying at all times in Spirit, by means of all
prayer and petition ...' (Ephesians 6:14-18))
Jesus said, “Be Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect.” GOD is Perfect, and the things
of GOD are Perfect and are increased in us, ‘more and yet more’, multiplied according to our
faith in the Truth of GOD’s more than superabounding Grace to us: the Truth of our being made
Perfect/Complete, Holy and Blameless, in Christ. All things for Life and Godliness, (‘ every
Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ ’), is freely given to us as a testimony of
GOD’s more than superabounding Grace to us. As Christians (of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ)
3
Love must be increasing in us. GOD's Love within us is a testimony of GOD’s own Love for us:
“We Love because HE (GOD) first Loved us.” (1John 4:19). And in manifesting the Love of
GOD, increasingly, as our Knowledge and Understanding increases, we become Perfect, as our
heavenly Father is Perfect – becoming sharers in HIS divine Nature. This is GOD’s will for us and
this is the Way GOD has made for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. GOD did not send HIS SON to suffer
and die for anything less than this. '(GOD) chose us in Him (Christ), before the foundation
of the world, for us to be Holy and Blameless in HIS sight, in Love.' Most certainly does
the Power of the Love of GOD brings this to pass unfailingly in our lives.
“Love never fails. But whether prophecies, they will be abolished; or tongues, they
will cease; or general knowledge1, it will be abolished. For we know in part and we
prophesy in part. But when the perfect/complete thing comes, the thing in part will
be abolished.” (1Corinthians 13:8-10). Love is the Superior, Perfect, Complete, divine, eternal
thing which never fails and which abolishes all that is imperfect/incomplete. General knowledge
and prophesy and tongues are partial/incomplete, imperfect and all such things will be abolished.
“But now abides/remains Faith, Hope, Love – these three; and the greatest of these
is Love.” (1Corinthians 13:13).
“Now may the GOD of Peace HIMSELF sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is the ONE calling you, who also will do it.” (1Thessalonians 5:23)
The GOD of Peace, Yahweh-shalom, sanctifies us ‘wholly’ – ‘your whole spirit and soul and
body’, so that we are ‘preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’.
And HE does this by HIS divine Power towards us in the Truth in Christ Jesus. Jesus said:
“These things I have told you while abiding with you. But the Advocate/ Encourager,
the Holy Spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that One will teach you all
things and will remind you of all things which I told you. Peace I leave to you, my
Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be
troubled.” (John 14:25-27).
Peace, like Love and Joy and all other Fruit of the Spirit are not of this world. They are not
worldly emotions and are not given to us as the world gives. (They do not arise from (or decline)
according to worldly events.) ‘… the love of GOD has been poured out in our hearts
through the Holy Spirit having been given to us.’ (Romans 5:5). Real emotions are not
sensory (of/through the senses) but are Spiritual. They are Spiritual blessings which surpass all
worldly, sensual emotions. And so Paul tells us of ‘... the Peace of GOD which surpasses all
understanding ...’ (Philippians 4:7), (all human, natural understanding).
‘But according to HIS promise, we await new heavens and a new earth in which
Righteousness dwells. Wherefore beloved, awaiting these things, be eager to be
found at Peace, spotless and unblemished with Him (our Lord).’ (2Peter 3:13,14)
Paul wrote: '(GOD) chose us in Him (Christ), before the foundation of the world, for us
to be Holy and Blameless in HIS sight, in Love.' Peter teaches of being 'at Peace,
spotless and unblemished with Him (our Lord)'. It is therefore the Fruit of the Spirit – the
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1108 - Gnosis - general knowledge (of things pertaining to
GOD).
3
Real emotions resulting from the gift of GOD's Spirit within us, (the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of
Faith, the Spirit of power, the Spirit of Glory) – which is the testimony of our holiness and
blamelessness. It is the Fruit of the Spirit – GOD’s love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23) – which is the testimony of our
rebirth to glory. Because in manifesting the fruit of the Spirit we manifest the Truth of our
sharing in GOD's divine nature.
The New Testament, although written in Greek, was written by Jews who spoke Hebrew and
who studied the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament. When Paul and Peter wrote of ‘peace’
and ‘wholeness’ and being ‘unblemished/blameless’, they were speaking according to their
Hebraic, scriptural understanding of these words. The Hebrew word shalom – peace – has a far
Superior meaning to our natural understanding of peace. It means superabounding in tranquillity,
rest, prosperity, security, wholeness, soundness, health. Jesus said to the woman who touched
His garment in the crowd: “Daughter, your faith has saved1 you; go in Peace and be
whole2 from your scourge3.” (Mark 5:34). Isaiah said: ‘... the chastisement for our
Peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. ’ (Isaiah 53:5) – made whole,
given Peace. Peace means to be whole, complete, perfect: '… may the GOD of Peace Himself
sanctify you wholly … your whole spirit and soul and body … preserved blameless
…'; '… be eager to be found at Peace, spotless and unblemished … '. Similarly, the
Hebrew word tamiym – unblemished (as in the sacrificial Lamb), blameless – means undefiled,
whole, sound, with truth and integrity. It is related to the thummim of the high priest – the
emblem of complete Truth.
Both ‘Peace’ and being ‘unblemished/blemishless/blameless’ signify wholeness, soundness,

health. Both ‘Peace’ and being ‘blameless’ relate to Truth. Peace is multiplied to us in our
knowledge of the Truth (‘Grace and Peace to you – may they be multiplied by the
precise and correct Knowledge of GOD and Jesus our Lord’) and Blemishless means
being with integrity and Truth. Therefore, Peter tells us of being ‘at Peace, spotless and
unblemished’; that is, of being in GOD’s rest, healed, whole, secure, prospering – being in
accord with Truth, with eternal life. (In the same way, Solomon teaches: ‘Blessed is the man
that finds wisdom … all of her paths are Peace. She is a tree of life to the ones
embracing her and those who lay hold of her are blessed.’ (Proverbs 3:13-18).)
‘Thus says Yahweh/'the LORD' who made the earth, Yahweh who formed it, to
establish it – Yahweh/'the LORD' is HIS name, “Call to me and I will answer you, and I
will tell you great and unsearchable things which you do not know.” ... “Behold, I
will bring health and healing. And I will heal them and I will reveal an abundance of
Peace and Truth.”' (Jeremiah 33:2,3,6).
Here again we see GOD's word and 'health and healing' and 'Peace and Truth' all together.
And we are again told the key to all of this, ‘ Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24): 'Call to
me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and unsearchable things which
you do not know.' ‘My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #4982 – sozo – from saos, 'safe' – to save, i.e. deliver, protect.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #5199 – healthy, fig. true: sound, whole. From #837 – to grow/
increase. (Note #5200 – wet (with rain), sappy, fresh, green.)
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #3148 – a whip (for flagellation of criminals), scourging. (As
Jesus was scourged.)
3
within you, to turn your ear to Wisdom, to apply your heart to Understanding, if you
call out for insight and raise up your voice for Understanding, if you look for her as
for silver and you search for her as for hidden treasure, then you will Understand
the Fear of Yahweh/'the LORD' and you will find Knowledge of GOD. For Yahweh/'the
LORD' gives Wisdom and from HIS mouth Knowledge and Understanding. And HE
holds in store victory for the Upright. H E is a shield to the ones walking Blamelessly,
to guard the course of the Just, and HE protects the way of HIS faithful ones. Then
you will Understand what is Right and Just and Fair and every Good Way. For
Wisdom will enter into your heart and Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Discretion will protect you, Understanding will guard you.’ (Proverbs 2:1-11).
GOD teaches us all things according to HIS divine Power in HIS Holy Spirit, ‘great and
unsearchable things’, releasing healing and an abundance – Spiritual superabundance – of
Peace and Truth into our Lives. GOD teaches us all things, instructing us to ‘Trust in
Yahweh/'the LORD' with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding. ’
(Proverbs 3:5). Jesus said, “Peace I leave to you, my Peace I give to you ... ” – ‘... the
Peace of GOD which surpasses all understanding ...’ – “Let not your heart be
troubled.” ‘... the Dawn from on High will visit us, to give Light/to shine upon the
ones sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the Way of
Peace.’ (Luke 1:78-80). In giving us to Know and Understand the Truth of HIS love for us and
HIS more than superabounding Grace to us in Christ Jesus, G OD frees us gloriously from the
entrapment of the (lying) limitations of the world into healing and renewal and restoration, into
holiness and blamelessness. In Faith is our Peace and Love and Joy and all the Fruit of G OD's
Spirit. In Faith is our completeness. “Therefore be Perfect as your heavenly Father is
Perfect.” (Matthew 5:48).
“Ask and it will be given to you ... For every one asking receives ...” (Matthew 7:7,8)
with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, even as H E chose us in Him,
before the foundation of the world, for us to be Holy and Blameless in H IS sight, in
Love.’ (Ephesians 1:3,4) – for us to be complete, lacking in nothing. “… my GOD will fill your
every need according to HIS riches in Glory in Christ Jesus. ” (Philippians 4:19).
“Faithful is the ONE calling you, who also will do it.” This is a far different picture from
the earthly life which has been mis-represented to us – of our subjection to sickness and strife
and lack and fear and sorrow and sin. Whose report do you believe?
‘Although He (Jesus) had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in
Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our
report, and to whom has the Arm of Yahweh/'the LORD’ been revealed?” Therefore
they could not believe, because Isaiah also said: “He has blinded their eyes and
hardened their heart so that they might not see with their eyes and understand
with their heart and turn – and I will heal them.” These things Isaiah spoke because
he saw His glory and he spoke about Him.’ (John 12:37-41)
Do not leave your Knowledge and Understanding of GOD and the things of GOD in the hands of
those who have not seen the glory of our Lord. Such teachers are fearful of teaching the word of
GOD’s awe-inspiring grace and power to us in Christ Jesus, not being built up in the Truth of
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Christ, not being established in Faith in these things. They do not teach of holiness and
blamelessness and perfection. Such teachers hinder you from entering-in where they fear to
tread, avoiding what they themselves do not understand or believe; explaining away what they
do not know with powerless philosophies which find no support in the word of GOD. Our Bibles
teach that we are sanctified ‘wholly’, cleansed in the Fullness of the washing of the word of
GOD, for us to be built up, established in Truth, in Love, a glorious Church, holy and
blemishless:
‘Husbands, love your wives, as also Christ loved the Church and gave Himself on
her behalf, that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water by
the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot
or wrinkle or any such things, but that she may be holy and blemishless. ’ (Ephesians
5:25-27). This is the Bride, the Body, for whom Christ, our Bridegroom, our Head, returns.
Jesus, praying to His Father, interceding for all believers, said: “Sanctify them in the Truth.
Your word is Truth.” (John 17:17). This is GOD’s will for us and GOD's grace to us in Christ
Jesus our Lord. In Jesus’ Love for us He sanctifies us – making us holy/sacred/as a saint –
cleansing us from the corruption of the world to be at Peace – untainted, blemishless, in Love, in
Truth – ‘by the washing of the water by the word ’. Jesus said to His disciples: “You are
even now1 clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ” (John 15:3). This is
the divine power of the word of GOD. Many Christians know the beauty of this washing by
Christ Jesus who is, Himself, the very manifestation of the Word of GOD. The ‘washing of the
water by the word’, is the glorious, gracious, Loving bath of life-changing, Life-bringing
water by the word of GOD which cleanses, soothes, heals, restores; bringing us into the Grace and
Favour of GOD, bringing Truth and Wisdom and Love and Peace; bringing Forgiveness, bringing
Righteousness and Holiness, bringing Strength, bringing Trust in GOD; by which “... the old
things (have) passed away, behold, they have become new, and all things are of
GOD, the ONE reconciling us to HIMSELF through Christ ...” (2Corinthians 5:17,18). And the
beauty of this washing is that it is a washing from the inside out. We change outwardly because
we are cleansed from within.
This is not the ceremonial cleansing of the scribes and Pharisees of Matthew 23:23-28 who
cleansed only the outside. This is not a superficial cleansing resulting in a mere outward display
of righteous behaviour. This is our being conformed to the Truth, in Christ, manifesting the
Spirit of GOD within us. This is unto our being sanctified ‘ wholly’, ‘your whole spirit and
soul and body’. This ‘washing of the water by the word’ is the reason why Jesus sent
prophets and sages and scribes (Matthew 23:34) and why Jesus Himself came – for us to become
the glorious, holy, blemishless Church of GOD. And so the word of GOD inside of us – heard,
understood, believed upon – multiplies superabundantly into Spiritual, Living Water (John
4:10), ‘rivers of Living Water’, flowing from the inside of us (John 7:38) out into the world.
We are ‘sanctified/made holy through the word of GOD.’ (1Timothy 4:5). ('... the word
of HIS (GOD's) grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance
among all those who are sanctified.' (Acts 20:32).) This is our salvation: ‘salvation by
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth’ (2Thessalonians 2:13). Jesus, praying
to His Father, said: “And for them I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #2235 – ede – even now, already, by this time.
3
Truth.” (John 17:19). Jesus sanctified Himself in Truth, so that we also may be sanctified in
Truth – conformed to the Truth in Him according to the Power of the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit
of Holiness, the Spirit of Power.
Sanctified in Truth we are immeasurably beyond being mere white-washed graves of sin and
death (Matthew 23:27) – those 'having a form of Godliness but denying its Power. '
(2Timothy 3:5). Rather, we make manifest the Truth of the Power of GOD’s word. Jesus said,
“You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my
witnesses ....” (Acts 1:8). GOD’s Holy Spirit within us brings the Power of GOD’s Love to us,
so that we bear witness to the blood of Jesus Christ, testifying of G OD’s Grace to us in Him,
Living witnesses of the Truth in Christ Jesus our Lord.
“.... not going about with cunning nor falsifying the word of GOD, but by
manifestation of the Truth, presenting ourselves to every man’s conscience in the
sight of GOD.” (2Corinthians 4:2)
Inside of us, the word of GOD becomes a seed planted which grows; the drink of water which
becomes a Fountain out of our innermost parts; the water which turns to wine; the word which
becomes Life; replacing darkness with Light. The word of GOD conceives in us something new
(not something existing but dormant, something totally new) – a new creation, a new person,
extraordinary, divine, with the capacity for Holiness and Peace and Love and empowered to
Holiness and Peace and Love, a 'manifestation of the Truth'. For in this new creation the
Spirit of GOD dwells, remaining, abiding, unrestricted by the natural – inferior – things of this
world.
Both Isaiah and Amos prophesied of times (before the coming of Christ) when G OD’s word was
not available to HIS people: ‘Therefore my people will be exiled for lack of Knowledge,
men of rank will hunger and their masses parched with thirst. ’ (Isaiah 5:13). ‘“See,
the days are coming”, declares Lord Yahweh, “when I will send famine through the
land. Not famine for food, nor thirst for water, but rather to hear the words of GOD”'
(Amos 8:11). These were times of thirsting for GOD, hunger and thirsting for the word of GOD.
(There were four hundred 'silent years' between Old Testament book of Malachi and the New
Testament.) But then there came Jesus, the very Word of GOD.
Jesus promised, “Whoever drinks of the water which I will give to him will never thirst
into the age, but the water which I will give him, will become in him a fountain of
water springing up into eternal Life.” (John 4:14). Jesus, the Word of Life (1John 1:1),
gives us the drink of water by which we are filled to overflowing with the Spirit of GOD, never
again thirsting for the word of GOD. Through our belief in the word of GOD, the Spirit of GOD is
‘poured out’ unto us – an effervescent, exhilarating, superabundant Spring of Spiritual, Living
Water which is GOD HIMSELF in us, in Spirit: the Fountain of Truth through which we Know G OD;
through which we share in the divine nature of GOD; through which we receive Life; through
which we share in the Truth of Life.
Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and Spirit, he
is not able to enter the Kingdom of G OD.” (John 3:5). Being ‘born of water and Spirit’ is
being born of the drink of water which becomes ‘ a fountain of water springing up into
eternal Life’ within us, the drink of water preparing/(priming) us for the divine out-flow from
4
HIM who is our SOURCE. The drink of water is a partaking in the word of GOD which leads to our
own in-filling and over-flowing in the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the
Spirit of Life. We drink of the water which Jesus gives to us, so that we are washed, from inside
out, in the resulting fountain of Living Water – born of the ‘ water by the word’, born again
‘through the Living and remaining word of GOD’ (1Peter 1:23), ‘born of water and
Spirit’, born of GOD.
This ‘fountain of water springing up into eternal Life’, is the ‘river of water of Life,
bright as crystal’ proceeding ‘out of the throne of GOD and of the Lamb’, feeding the
‘tree of Life’, ‘for the healing of the nations’, (Revelation 22:1-5). It is the ‘sea of glass,
like crystal’, which is before the throne in Revelation 4:6; it is the train of G OD which fills the
Temple in Isaiah 6:1; it is the water of healing which issues out from the House of GOD in
Ezekiel 47. The House of GOD is the Church of the Living GOD, the Pillar and the Foundation of
the Truth (1Timothy 3:15), and so the Fountain of water inside of us is not just for our
cleansing. It flows out from the House to bring healing to the world and to bring Life.
The ‘fountain of Water’ inside of us is our baptism, our renewal, our Spiritual rebirth, our
healing. We are immersed – from the inside out. Water baptism is symbolic of this cleansing by
the ‘washing of the water by the word’, bringing repentance – a changing of the mind/heart.
‘... repentance1 unto the precise and correct knowledge2 of the Truth.’ (2Timothy
2:25). GOD said of Job, “Who is this obscuring counsel without knowledge? Now gird up
your loins like a man and I will question you, and you answer me. Where were you
when I founded the earth? Tell me if you know understanding!” (Job 38:1-4). And after
GOD questioned Job as to whether he truly had knowledge and understanding of HIS greatness,
(for four chapters of the word spoken from the mouth of GOD HIMSELF!), Job answered and said,
“Surely I spoke, but I understood not, of things too wonderful for me, which I knew
not. ... I have heard of You with my ears, but now my eyes have seen You. For this I
despise myself and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3-6).
Like Job, we all need to repent of our natural measure of the word of G OD. Like Job we all have
heard with our ears things which were too Wonderful to be comprehended by our natural minds.
We all have spoken of the things of GOD, without Knowledge, without Understanding, obscuring
counsel as we did so. But when we are washed in the water of the word of Truth, (by GOD
HIMSELF, in Spirit, as GOD HIMSELF washed Job), then our eyes are opened to see the Glory of
GOD.
‘There came a man, having been sent from GOD, named John. This one came for
testimony, that he might testify about the Light, so that all may believe through
him. He was not the Light, but he came that he might testify about the Light. ’ (John
1:6-8)
John the Baptist came ‘preaching’ (Matthew 3:1); his was the prophesied ‘voice’, ‘crying out
in the wilderness’ (Matthew 3:3). John the Baptist came ‘for testimony’, to ‘testify about
the Light’, ‘so that all may believe’. This was John’s commission – ‘the washing of the
water by the word’. Water baptism is symbolic of coming into the Truth of the word of GOD
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #3341 – repentance. Noun from #3340 – to repent, being from
#3326 – meta, (as in metamorphosis); and #3539 – noieo, to exercise the mind. Therefore, to think differently, to
change how you think.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1922 – Epignosis – precise and correct knowledge
4
and of our salvation in Christ Jesus, of hearing, seeing/believing/accepting our sinfulness, of
Knowing that by the blood of Jesus Christ we are gloriously and Mightily cleansed from all sin
(1John 1:7).
‘Therefore repent and turn (to GOD) so that your sins may be wiped away. ’ (Acts
3:19)
‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just/righteous to forgive us the sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ (1John 1:9)
Paul spoke of John the Baptist: '... GOD, according to the promise, brought to Israel, a
Saviour, Jesus; John previously proclaiming, (before His coming), a baptism of
repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John completed the (his) course, he
said, “Who you suppose me to be I am not. But behold He comes after me of whom
I am not worthy to untie the sandal of His feet.” Men, brothers, sons of the family of
Abraham, and those among you who fear GOD, to you has been sent the word of this
salvation/ deliverance.' (Acts 13:23-26).
Zechariah, prophesying about his son John the Baptist, said: ‘And you also child will be
called a prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord, to prepare His
ways, to give to His people knowledge of salvation by a forgiveness of their sins,
through the tender mercies of our GOD, by which the Dawn from on High will visit
us, to appear to the ones sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct
our feet in the way of Peace.’ (Luke 1:76-80).
John said of himself, “... I came baptizing in water that He (Jesus) might be made
manifest/revealed to Israel”, (John 1:31) – 'to prepare His ways, to give to His people
knowledge of salvation by a forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercies of
our GOD'. John the Baptist washed in the water of the word to bring repentance: “I baptize you
with water unto repentance” (Matthew 3:11) – repentance of our natural measure of the
word of GOD – ‘repentance unto the precise and correct knowledge of the Truth’.
'... repent and believe the Good News.' (Mark 1:15); the Good News of GOD's Great Love
for us and of HIS Power and Grace and Faithfulness to us; the Good News of our Salvation, our
Sanctification; the Good News that GOD will unfailingly 'direct our feet in the way of
Peace'. ‘Turn at my reproof and Behold! I will cause my Spirit to gush forth unto
you, I will make my words known to you. ’ (Proverbs 1:23). John the Baptist washed in the
water of the word, giving the drink of water which becomes ‘a fountain of water springing
up into eternal Life’ – preparing the way for us to be ‘ born of water and Spirit’; John
baptized in water, preparing the way for Jesus’ baptism in the Holy Spirit.
John said, “I am the voice crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the Way of the
Lord’, as Isaiah the prophet said.” (John 1:23). John the Baptist baptized in the knowledge
of salvation through Christ Jesus, preparing the way for Jesus, who also came washing in the
‘water by the word’, but who came for the superabundance of our baptism in the River of
Life. ‘... not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to HIS (GOD’s)
mercy, HE saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
which HE poured out abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour.’ (Titus
3:5,6).
4
‘... but you were washed, but you were sanctified/made holy, but you were justified/
made righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our G OD.’
(1Corinthians 6:11).
Jesus, the Lamb of GOD, came and revealed the Light of the Glory of GOD, manifesting the Spirit
of GOD, buying forgiveness for our sins with His own blood. Jesus came ‘to appear to the
ones sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death ’. These words are not indicative of a
baptism in the water of the word, this is the actual Spiritual revelation of Jesus Christ – the Life
which is our Light (John 1:4), the Light which is our Life (John 8:12). And this is the Spiritual
revelation/ manifestation through which we also become the Light of the world (Matthew 5:14),
as Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12). For when we come to see – to Know and to
Understand – the Truth, the Light, then this Light of GOD within us emanates through us, from
the inside out. For what can contain GOD’s Spirit within us.
“For the Fruit of the Light is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth, proving
what is well-pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather, expose them.” (Ephesians 5:9-11)
‘For all of you are sons of Light and sons of the Day, we are not of night or of
darkness.’ (1Thessalonians 5:5)
‘For though walking in flesh, we war not according to flesh, for the weapons of our
warfare are nor fleshly but are Powerful, through G OD, to the overthrow of
strongholds, overthrowing reasonings and every high thing rising up against the
Knowledge of GOD, and leading every thought captive into the obedience of Christ,
and having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, whenever is fulfilled your
obedience.’ (2Corinthians 10:3-6)
‘Because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
evil in the heavenlies.’ (Ephesians 6:12).
The weapons of our warfare are Powerful to overthrow the strongholds of Satan. For the Spirit
of Knowledge and Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Faith, overthrows
reasonings and every thing rising up against the Knowledge of GOD; releasing us to be obedient
to the Truth, to manifest GOD’s righteousness. These are our Powerful weapons and this is the
war that we wage against ‘the unfruitful works of darkness’, against Satan and his
deception, against these ‘world powers’ which pale to insignificance before the Power of
GOD’s Spirit; the ‘world powers of this darkness’ which are no match against the Power of
the Light, of the Truth. And the ‘Truth is in Jesus’ (Ephesians 4:21). Jesus testified, “If you
remain in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the Truth and the
Truth will free you.” And ‘If the SON frees you, you will be free indeed.’ (John 8:36).
This ‘being freed by the word of GOD, the Truth’ is not the casting out of a lying demon leaving
an empty space for him to bring seven more evil than himself (Matthew 12:43-45). Such
‘deliverance’ is not of the Spirit of GOD. Jesus says, “If by the Spirit of GOD I cast out
demons, then has arrived upon you the Kingdom of G OD’ (Matthew 12:28). Being freed
4
by the Spirit of Truth is our being conformed to Jesus, conformed to the Truth in Him. This is a
replacing of the darkness with Light. In this is ‘the overthrow of strongholds’.
“... the yoke will be broken/destroyed because of the anointing. ” (Isaiah 10:27). “...
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ” (2Corinthians 3:17). ‘... having
escaped the defilements of the world by a precise and correct knowledge1 of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ ...’ (2Peter 2:20). Jesus – the Truth, the Light, the Word of
GOD, Righteous, Holy, Blameless, Pure – was baptized in the River Jordan, the Spirit of GOD
descending like a dove upon Him. The Hebrew word Yarden – Jordan – is from a root word
meaning ‘to descend’. Jordan – the Spiritual river of Truth descending from GOD, bright as
crystal, washing us who hear the word and who believe, transforming us into a new creation,
holy and blameless.
Elisha the prophet sent a message to Naaman to wash himself seven times in the Jordan so that
he could be cleansed of his sickness (2Kings 5:10). Naaman was angry that the Prophet had not
come to him and healed him through some mighty miracle. But when he obediently washed in
the river, he was healed. The seemingly simple request was indeed a mighty word from the
prophet of GOD: “Wash and be clean.” (2Kings 5:10). This command resulted in a mighty
move of GOD. So also must we humbly wash ourselves in the water of the word for us to be
cleansed and healed and made holy and righteous in GOD's Spirit. ‘Let us approach GOD with
a True heart, with full confidence of Faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and having the body washed with pure water.’ (Hebrews 10:22). (‘... but
you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified/made righteous in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our GOD.’)
Of the Spirit, we are Righteous and Holy, reconciled to GOD, re-born unto Completeness and
Perfection, unto walking worthily before GOD, unto pleasing GOD. But we have to come to
believe this to be so empowered to live in obedience to the Truth. Life in GOD’s Truth is death to
deception, death to man’s interpretation of divine order, death to the deceitful ‘form of
Godliness’ which denies GOD’s awesome Power towards us and in us. And this is essential, for
unless we are Obedient to the Truth, in Christ, Jesus will say: “ I never knew2 you” (Matthew
7:23). We have to be of Christ, of the Spirit of Christ – “The one joining himself to the Lord
is one Spirit.” (1Corinthians 6:17) – walking in the Truth, in Christ – ‘walking in the Truth
as we have been commanded by the Father.’ (2John 1:4).
At His coming, Jesus will present to Himself a Glorious Church – Holy and Blemishless –
sanctified in Spirit, in Truth. And so we need to ask, to seek, to knock, to consider, to discern, to
be washed, justified, sanctified, to know. In our Faith in the True knowledge of G OD our Father
and of HIS SON Jesus Christ, we become the Glorious Church of GOD, the Bride made ready for
the Bridegroom – ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ.’
Jesus told us, “For as in the days of Noah, thus will be the coming/presence of the Son
of Man.” (Matthew 24:37). Paul teaches us: ‘... not first is the Spiritual, but the natural.
Afterward, the Spiritual’ (1Corinthians 15:46). And so in these last days, 'as in the days of
Noah', we are expecting a mighty, Spiritual flood of the water of the word of G OD. ‘... for the
1
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1097 - Ginosko - ‘to learn to know, to come to know’.
4
earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh/'the L ORD’ as the waters cover the
sea.’ (Isaiah 11:9). The earth is being made full of the divine, revelatory knowledge of our GOD
and of HIS SON. The water is rising. This is the sign that the end is near. And so make ready the
ark – ‘… the ark in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water .’ (1Peter
3:20). (Eight, the number of salvation.) Make ready your heart and your mind to receive the
outpouring of the True knowledge of GOD. ‘... GOD, the ONE having saved us ... bringing
Life and incorruptibility to light through the Good News.’ (2Timothy 1:10)
‘As concerning your former manner of life, put off the old man, the one being
corrupted according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed by the Spirit of your mind,
and put on the new man, the one having been created according to G OD in
Righteousness and sanctity of the Truth.’ (Ephesians 4:22-24)
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
Part II - WISDOM AND MYSTERY
Jesus, praying to His Father, said: ‘This is eternal Life, that they may know You, the
Only True GOD, and He whom You sent, Jesus Christ. ’ (John 17:3). Jesus also said: “This
is the will of my Father, that everyone seeing the SON and believing in Him may
have eternal Life.” (John 6:40). For in seeing the S ON we come to Know the Father who sent
Him, so coming to know GOD through HIS only-begotten SON, and so that we may have Life.
‘Seeing’ the SON is the Spiritual revelation of Jesus Christ, the Word of GOD made manifest in
the flesh, who was sent by His Father to reveal to us the Truth of G OD. Because the ‘Truth is in
Jesus.’ (Ephesians 4:21). Jesus told us: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” (John
14:6).
‘And the Word became flesh and tabernacled/dwelt among us. And we gazed
upon/beheld His Glory, Glory as of a Father’s only begotten, full of Grace and
Truth.’ (John 1:14)
Jesus said, “You both know me and you know where I am from. I have not come of
myself. But HE is True, the ONE who sent me, whom you do not know1. I know HIM
because I am from HIM and HE sent me.” (John 7:28,29). “All things were given to me
by my Father, and no one accurately and thoroughly knows2 the SON except the
Father, nor does anyone accurately and thoroughly know the Father except the SON
and those to whom the SON wishes to reveal HIM.” (Matthew 11:27).
‘And we know3 that the SON of GOD has come and has given us Understanding that
we may know4 the True ONE, and we are in the True ONE, in HIS SON Jesus Christ. This
ONE is the True GOD and Eternal Life.’ (1John 5:20)
For the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal to us 'the True ONE', ‘the Only True GOD’ who sent Him,
we first have to come to know this SON of GOD. And Jesus – Saviour, Redeemer, Lord, Christ,
Head, Bridegroom, High Priest, Judge, Mediator, the Seed, the Word, the Light, the Way, the
Truth, the Life, the only-begotten SON of GOD – requires True (Spiritual) knowledge and
understanding and revelation. There is nothing ordinary about coming to Know Jesus. As we
have seen, this is a Spiritual experience which propels us into the will of G OD for us and into
extraordinary, divine realms. In coming to Know Jesus Christ we are conformed, in Faith, to the
Truth in Him – in Righteousness, in Holiness, in Glory, in Life.
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1492 - eido - 'to see/to perceive the force and meaning of
some-thing which has a definite meaning' (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). This is the ‘know’ used in verses 28
& 29.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1921 - Epiginosko - from ginosko, as to ‘know’ (God). The
prefix here indicates ‘knowing’ thoroughly and accurately and its use in Matthew 11 illustrates the depth of the
meaning of the word. This word is not used frequently, but it is note worthy that it is also used in Matthew
7:16,20.
3
4
4
As it is written, no one knows the Father except the SON: “I know HIM because I am from HIM
and HE sent me.” And we know that the Father is revealed to us in the SON: for “... no one
accurately and thoroughly knows ... the Father except the SON and those to whom
the SON wishes to reveal HIM.” For 'To us there is one GOD, the Father, from whom
are all things ... and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things ...’
(1Corinthians 8:6) – through whom is the revelation of the Father. We know: ‘GOD who said,
“Light will shine out of darkness”, is H E who shone in our hearts to give the Light of
the Knowledge of the Glory of GOD in the face of Christ. ’ (2Corinthians 4:6). But how do
we come to know the SON of GOD?
Jesus Himself teaches: “... no one is able to come to me unless it is granted by the
Father.” (John 6:65). “No one is able to come to me unless the Father who sent me
should draw him, and I will resurrect him in the last day. It has been written in the
prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by G OD.’ Everyone having heard from the
Father, and having learned, comes to me.” (John 6:44,45).
No one comes to Jesus unless it is ‘ granted’ by the Father, ('from whom are all things').
Note that granted indicates something which has to be asked for: “Ask and it will be given to
you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you. For every one asking
receives and the ones seeking finds and to the one knocking it will be opened.”
(Matthew 7:7,8). We have to ask GOD to grant us the privilege of coming to Know HIS SON. And
who does the Father draw to HIS SON? Jesus teaches that everyone having been taught by GOD,
every one ‘having heard … and having learned’, comes to the SON. 'And they shall all be
taught by GOD'; for this is the Way of salvation. But only those who listen to the word of G OD,
to learn the ways of GOD, are drawn to the SON.
In hearing (unto obedience), in learning to abide in His word, we are drawn to the S ON, coming
to Know Him and to love Him and to manifest our love for Him. In this we are mightily blessed
with the love and the revelation of Jesus Christ: “The one having my commandments and
keeping them, that one is the one loving me, and I (Jesus) will love him and reveal
myself to him.” (John 14:21). And it is these – the ones drawn to Him and to whom the S ON of
GOD reveals Himself, so revealing His Father – who are resurrected unto eternal life, Holy and
Blemishless, full of Love, having been established in the Truth of GOD and of HIS SON.
Therefore, Paul writes of those he has not taught face to face (Colossians 2:1): ‘... that their
hearts may be encouraged/comforted, being united together in Love and in all
riches/wealth of the full assurance of Understanding in the precise and correct
knowledge1 of the mystery of GOD, Christ2, in whom are hidden all the treasures of
Wisdom and Knowledge. This I say so that no one may delude you with persuasive
speech.’ (Colossians 2:2-4).
Jesus Christ, the SON of GOD, is encompassed in a mystery; but a mystery of which we are all
called to gain precise and correct knowledge and full understanding, because this is where we
find Truth. The ‘Truth is in Jesus.’ Paul teaches that ‘all wealth’ lies in ‘the full assurance
1
2
Note that the KJV of the Bible translates ‘Christ’ as ‘and of the Father, and of Christ’. I have not seen this
translation in any other translation of the Bible, or in any Greek Text.
4
of Understanding’ which comes with the True Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, which is
Christ. For “This is the will of my Father, that everyone seeing the SON and believing
in Him may have eternal Life” – and ‘all wealth’ pertaining to Life and inherent in the
Truth. (“I am … your very great reward.” (Genesis 15:1).) Christ is a mystery in whose
revelation we gain ‘all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge’, 'and we know that
the SON of GOD has come and has given us Understanding' – the Wisdom and
Knowledge and Understanding of GOD required for the Church not to be deluded by lies – ' This I
say so that no one may delude you with persuasive speech ' – but to be 'united
together in Love'; Jesus Himself, the Word of GOD, revealing this mystery to those ‘having
heard from the Father, and having learned’. Because it is these who are now ready to be
established in the Truth of Christ.
‘And He (Jesus) said to them, “Surely the lamp is not brought out in order that it
may be placed under the measuring bucket, or under the couch, and not be placed
upon the lampstand. For there is not anything hidden except that it may be
has ears to hear let him hear.” And He said to them, “Consider what you hear. By
what measure you measure, it will be measured to you and it will be added to you.
For whoever has, it will be given to him. And who ever does not have, even what he
has will be taken away from him.”' (Mark 4:21-25)
Our GOD is the ‘GOD of Truth’ (Psalm 31:5), the “GOD of Knowledge” (1Samuel 2:3), and the
GOD who freely gives us to share in HIS divine nature. (Therefore, ‘... the earth will be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh/‘the LORD’ as the waters cover the sea.’
(Habakkuk 2:14).) Assuredly, '… there is not anything hidden except that it may be
revealed, nor has it become hidden but that it may come into the open. ' But Jesus
taught us something else essential in the passage above. Jesus said: “If anyone has ears to
hear let him hear.” “Consider what you hear. By what measure you measure, it will
be measured to you and it will be added to you. For whoever has, it will be given to
him.”
As we have seen, “(GOD) gives Wisdom to wise men” (Daniel 2:21). And we grow ‘from
faith to faith’, and ‘from Glory to Glory’, as GOD’s grace (and peace (2Peter 1:2)) is
multiplied to us (who accept it) ‘Grace upon Grace’. 'For whoever has, it will be given to
him.' In this same Way, Jesus reveals Himself to those ‘ having heard from the Father, and
having learned’: “The one having my commandments and keeping them, that one is
the one loving me, and I will love him and reveal myself to him. ” (John 14:21). GOD
gives revelation to those with a foundation belief in HIS word. For faith is built upon our belief
in the word of GOD, ‘from faith to faith’. And 'If you do not believe then you will not be
built up/rendered firm.' (Isaiah 7:9). Because GOD establishes us, ‘from faith to faith’, on a
(firm) foundation of existing faith. Consequently, the revelation of Jesus Christ is given to those
who have learned obedience through the word of GOD.
‘By Wisdom is a House built, and through Understanding it is established. And

through Knowledge all of the rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure. ’
(Proverbs 24:3)
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GOD gives us Wisdom and Knowledge and Understanding because the Household of GOD is built
and established and filled to all fullness in the Wisdom and Knowledge and Understanding of
GOD. Therefore, ‘Thus says Yahweh/'the LORD' who made the earth, Yahweh who
formed it, to establish it – Yahweh/'the LORD' is HIS name, “Call to me and I will
answer you, and I will tell you great and unsearchable things which you do not
know.”' (Jeremiah 33:2,3). ‘Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24).
‘Now, to the ONE being able to establish you according to my Good News and the
proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret
for long ages but now manifested through prophetic scriptures, according to the
command of the Eternal GOD being made known1 to all the Gentiles/nations to bring
about the obedience of Faith, to the Only Wise GOD, to Whom be the Glory forever,
through Jesus Christ. Amen.’ (Romans 16: 25-27)
It is often preached that the mystery of GOD in Christ is unfathomable. But Paul tells us of 'all
knowledge of the mystery of G OD, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of
Wisdom and Knowledge'. He also writes of our being established by GOD: 'the ONE being
able to establish you according to my Good News and the proclamation of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but now
manifested through prophetic scriptures'. For ‘... there is a GOD in heaven who
reveals mysteries.’ (Daniel 2:28). (And “There is not anything hidden except that it
may be revealed, nor has it become hidden but that it may come into the open.”)
“Let the name of GOD be praised forever and forever; Wisdom and Power are HIS ...
HE gives Wisdom to wise men and Knowledge to the ones knowing discernment. H E
reveals deep and hidden things, knowing what lies in the darkness. And the light
dwells with HIM.” (Daniel 2:20-22).
Jesus told His disciples, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries/secrets of the
Kingdom of GOD.” (Luke 8:10). “Surely Lord Yahweh does nothing without revealing
HIS plan to HIS servants, the prophets. The LION has roared, who will not fear. Lord
Yahweh has spoken, who can but prophesy!” (Amos 3:7,8). (Therefore “the testimony
of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10). For, having heard the Good News of
Christ – in Knowing and Understanding – who can contain the Power of the Truth within
themselves, who can but declare the Truth of GOD's word.)
Paul writes of '… being united together in Love and in all riches/wealth of the full
assurance of Understanding in the precise and correct knowledge of the mystery of
GOD, Christ.' For, like Love, the mystery of Christ is one of the Superior things of G OD to which
we have been called; a mystery hidden so that it may be revealed to those who measure the word
of GOD according to its True worth, as something valuable to be sought after, as Treasure ('all
the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge') from the storehouses of GOD, ‘… the ONE
giving to all generously and without reproach ...’ (James 1:5). ‘And HE (Yahweh/'the
LORD’) will be the establishing/stability 2 of your times, a wealth/rich store of
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 1107 – Gnorozo – a derivative of ginosko – 'to make known'.
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #530 - emunah - ‘established/firm/true/secure’; otherwise translated as
'faith'. From #539 – aman – to build up or support, to foster, to render firm. Otherwise translated as 'believe'.
4
salvations, of wisdom and knowledge, the fear/(awe) of Yahweh, which is HIS
treasure.’ (Isaiah 33:6).
Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables: '… and without a parable He spoke nothing to
them, so fulfilling that which was spoken through the Prophet, saying, “I will open
my mouth in parables. I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. ”'
(Matthew 13:34,35). Jesus spoke wisdom and knowledge 'hidden from the foundation of
the world', speaking to the crowds in parables but explaining these things privately to those
who sought understanding (Matthew 13:34,35). Because the Truth of the Kingdom of G OD is for
those who recognise the value of the word of GOD brought to us by the SON of GOD. The Truth of
the Kingdom of GOD is given to those with an awareness of its holiness, its preciousness. (“Do
not give what is holy to dogs, neither cast your pearls befor e swine.” (Matthew 7:6)).
The Truth is for those who seek to be established in the Truth; those who (truly ) seek GOD. And
'If you seek HIM, HE will be found by you.' (1Chronicles 28:9). For HE will share 'all the
treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge' with you so that you may come to know HIM; and so
that we may be healed, renewed, restored, made whole.
“I speak to them in parables, because (although) seeing they do not see and
hearing, they do not hear, nor understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of
Isaiah that says: 'In hearing you will hear but never1 (no, never) understand, and
seeing you will see but never (no, never) perceive. For the heart of this people has
become calloused and with their ears they can barely hear and their eyes they have
closed, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with
their heart and turn back (to me), and I would heal them.' But blessed are your
eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. ” (Matthew 13:13-16).
(Blessed are the eyes of those who see and hear because: “I will give them a heart to Know
me, that I am Yahweh/'the LORD', and they will be my people and I, I will be their
GOD. For they will return to me with all their heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7).)
And He (Jesus) said to them, “Surely the lamp is not brought out in order that it
may be placed under the measuring bucket, or under the couch, and not be placed
upon the lampstand. For there is not anything hidden except that it may be
has ears to hear let him hear.” And He said to them, “Consider what you hear.”'
(Mark 4:21-24). ('Therefore, it is required of us to pay superabundant attention to
what we have heard …' (Hebrews 2:1).)
Jesus said, “There is not anything hidden except that it may be revealed, nor has it
become hidden but that it may come into the open ” and so, by the grace of GOD, the
entire New Testament is the proclamation of the mystery of Christ; 'the revelation of the
mystery kept secret for long ages but now manifested through prophetic scriptures '.
The Apostles all explained this mystery but it was Paul, primarily, who was commissioned to
bring us understanding in his letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Galatians etc. Paul
wrote to the Ephesians: ‘Surely you heard of the stewardship of the grace of G OD,
having been given to me for you, that according to revelation the mystery was
made known to me, as I wrote before in brief, in the reading of which you are able
1
5
to understand my insight in the mystery of Christ. Which (mystery) was not made
known to the sons of men in other generations, as it is now revealed to His Holy
Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit.’ (Ephesians 3:2-5).
‘To me, less than the least of all saints, was given this Grace: to announce 1 the
Good News to the Gentiles/nations of the unsearchable wealth/riches of Christ, and
to enlighten all men as to what is the stewardship of the mystery hidden from the
ages in GOD, the ONE creating all things. That through the Church, the many faceted
Wisdom of GOD might now be made known2 to the rulers and authorities in the
heavenly places, according to the plan of the ages which H E made in Christ Jesus,
our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through Faith in
Him.’ (Ephesians 3:8-12)
Paul preached the Good News of ‘the unsearchable wealth/riches of Christ’; such
‘unsearchable’ things being revealed only by GOD HIMSELF, in Christ. ‘Thus says
Yahweh/'the LORD’ who made the earth, Yahweh who formed it to establish it,
Yahweh is HIS name, “Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and
unsearchable things which you do not know ... ”' – 'things hidden from the
foundation of the world', 'the mystery hidden from the ages in G OD'. (And “Behold, I
will bring health and healing. And I will heal them and I will reveal an abundance of
Peace and Truth.” (Jeremiah 33:2,3,6).) Paul preached ‘the unsearchable wealth/ riches
of Christ’, ‘to enlighten all men as to what is the stewardship of the mystery ’ of
Christ.
For not only is Christ the mystery in which we find full Spiritual understanding and all the
treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and in which we are established in the Truth, but there is
also a Stewardship attached to this mystery, and this Stewardship belongs to the Church: ‘That
through the Church, the many faceted Wisdom of G OD might now be made known to
the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places’. Through the Church, the Wisdom of
GOD must be made manifest to the world powers of darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenlies, overthrowing strongholds of deception, overcoming the darkness by this Light –
‘the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of G OD in the face of Christ’, the One
revealing Himself to us in the word of GOD through His Holy apostles and prophets. (Prophets –
those with the testimony of Christ. For “the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of
Prophecy.” ) And this is ‘according to the plan of the ages which HE (GOD) made in
Christ Jesus, our Lord’.
'So then let a man account us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries
of GOD.' (1Corinthians 4:1)
GOD has an age old plan for the Church and this is for us to make HIS Wisdom known to the
usurpers of GOD’s property; ('The LION has roared, who will not fear'!) 'Lord Yahweh has
spoken, who can but prophesy.' Therefore, 'all men' of the Church are to be accounted as
'ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of GOD', to bring Light to the darkness.
In Genesis 1:2, the earth was void and waste and darkness was over the face of the deep and the
Spirit of GOD hovered over the face of the waters. ‘And GOD said, “Let there be Light”. And
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 2097 – euaggelizo – to announce good news (“evangelize”).
2
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there was Light’. And GOD divided the Light from the darkness and HE called the Light Day
and HE called the darkness night. And GOD gave man Knowledge of the Light, and GOD gave us
free will to choose the Light, and G OD gave us Jesus Christ, ‘the Dawn from on High’ (Luke
1:78), the One through whom our sins are taken away, through whom we are cleansed, justified,
sanctified, glorified; the One through whom we are empowered to escape the entrapment of the
darkness, to come into the Light of the Day.
‘For all of you are sons of Light and sons of the Day, we are not of night or of
darkness.’ (1Thessalonians 5:5). GOD did not abolish the darkness, HE ordained that it would be
overcome by the Light of HIS Glorious Church. GOD ordained that the very ones born into
rebellion, corruption and deception, would be the ones to be the Conquerors over all evil. For
GOD’s victory in Christ Jesus (our Head) is made manifest in this world through the Body of H IS
Church. (GOD’s victory in Christ Jesus is made manifest in this world through through the glory
of HIS Church!) This is the Stewardship of the Church. “Thanks be to GOD, the ONE always
leading us in triumph in Christ and through us manifesting the fragrance of HIS
Knowledge in every place.” (2Corinthians 2:14)
Every man of the Body of Christ must have the full assurance of Spiritual understanding which
comes with the True knowledge of Christ. Every man must know the Truth and the Wisdom of
GOD so that we can do as Jesus did – make GOD’s Wisdom and Power known in this world to
defeat the power of the lie. After His baptism, Jesus, ‘full of the Holy Spirit’ (Luke 4:1), ‘was
led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan ’ (Matthew 4:1). (Satan
has but one method of attack – to tempt us to disobedience by misrepresenting the Truth.) But
this was not a repeat of the serpent in the Garden with Eve; this was a totally new confrontation.
This was Satan versus the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15) – the righteous S ON of GOD, full of
Grace and Truth, devoid of the innocence of the Garden – in the harshness of the wilderness.
In the wilderness we learn that the ‘realities’ and ‘truths’ of this world are lies. This in itself is
our ‘wilderness experience’ (the ‘be-wilder(ed)ness' experience) of many Christians as the
illusions of this world crumble around us. But in this we come to Know the Truth of G OD. For,
by the grace of GOD, there is no shortage of water in the wilderness: ‘And they thirsted not
when HE led them through the deserts. H E made waters flow for them from the
Rock. HE split the Rock and the waters gushed out.’ (Isaiah 48:21). In the wilderness we
learn to listen, to consider what we hear and to trust GOD’s Truth; so being equipped to dismiss
the lie with the Truth, ‘having heard from the Father and having learned’, being
conformed to the Truth in the Power of the Truth. The Spirit of G OD leads us to speak the Truth
to the lie, to quench the darkness with the Light, to exercise the Power of Faith, to manifest the
Truth, even while in this desolate place. Because this is our (only) Way out.
‘Therefore we do not lose heart. But if indeed our outward man is wasting away, yet
our inward man is being renewed day by day. For the lightness of our present
affliction works out for us an eternal weight of glory from excess to excess. While
we look not at the things seen, but the things not being seen. For the things seen
are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal.’ (2Corinthians 4:16-18)
In the wilderness, our Lord Jesus Christ responded to every lie by showing His Knowledge and
Understanding of, and Faith in, the word of GOD. ‘For He whom GOD sent speaks the word
of GOD, for HE gives not the Spirit by measure.’ (John 3:34). GOD sent Jesus Christ, the
5
Life which is our Light, to defeat the lie; Jesus who is our ‘Pattern’ (John 13:15) that we may
do as He did, and the ‘Example’ (1Peter 2:21) for us to follow. Through Him we, His disciples,
also defeat the lie by speaking the Truth. For through Him, in our faith in Him, we also receive
the Spirit of GOD. “And having the same Spirit of Faith according to the thing having
been written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke’, both we believe and therefore we
speak.” (2Corinthians 4:13).
GOD has given us but one weapon for warfare: ‘the sword of the Spirit which is the word of
GOD’ (Ephesians 6:17). We are armoured in Truth, Righteousness, the Good News of Peace,
Faith and Salvation. Through prayer we are succoured by Yahweh-tsebaoth – Yahweh of
Hosts/Armies – the GOD of the battle-lines of Israel (1Samuel 17:45), by Yahweh-nissi –
Yahweh our Banner (Exodus 17:15); and we wield in the Righteousness of our hands, right and
left, (2Corinthians 6:7), (double-fisted), the Powerful sword of the word of GOD. ‘For the word
of GOD is living and powerful and sharper than any double edged sword. ’ (Hebrews
4:12).
‘For though walking in flesh, we war not according to flesh, for the weapons of our
warfare are nor fleshly but are Powerful, through G OD, to the overthrow of
strongholds, overthrowing reasonings and every high thing rising up against the
Knowledge of GOD, and leading every thought captive into the obedience of Christ,
and having a readiness to avenge all disobedience, whenever is fulfilled your
obedience.’ (2Corinthians 10:3-6)
In the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Faith, Satan cannot lay a hold on us. The
word of GOD defeats Satan’s strongholds of ‘reasonings and every high thing rising up
against the Knowledge of G OD’, bringing even our every thought into obedience to the Truth
of Christ. Satan, who is the antithesis of everything Godly, fights with his sword of deception,
speaking out against the Knowledge of GOD. But the lies which he wields are no match against
the Power of the word of GOD which we wield in righteousness: ‘... the word of GOD
abides/remains in you and you have overcome the evil one.’ (1John 2:14). ‘And they
overcame him because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their
testimony.’ (Revelation 12:11). This is the Stewardship of the mystery of Christ. ‘ That
through the Church, the many faceted Wisdom of G OD might now be made known to
the rulers and authorities in heavenly places.’
This is the end to deception by the Power of the Wisdom of GOD. And what is the Wisdom of
GOD except ‘Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge’;
‘Christ, GOD’s Power and GOD’s Wisdom’ (1Corinthians 1:24). And so every man of the
Body of Christ, 'ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of G OD', must have
‘the full assurance of Understanding in the precise and correct Knowledge of the
mystery of GOD, Christ’.
‘Of which (Christ’s Body, the Church) I became a minister according to the
stewardship of GOD, given to me for you, to fulfill the word of GOD, the mystery
hidden from the ages and from the generations, but now made manifest to H IS
saints, to whom GOD wanted to make known1 what is the wealth of the Glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles/nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.
1
5
Christ whom we announce, warning every man and teaching every man in all
Wisdom, that we may present every man Mature/Perfect in Christ. For which also I
labour, striving according to the working of H IM, working in me with Power. ’
(Colossians 1:25-29)
Paul was ‘a minister according to the stewardship of G OD’ – the stewardship of the
mystery of Christ given to him for the Church. And this was ‘ to fulfill the word of GOD’, that
is, for GOD’s plan – ‘the plan of the ages which H E (GOD) made in Christ Jesus, our
Lord’ – to be fulfilled in the Church. ('So then let a man account us as ministers of
Christ and stewards of the mysteries of GOD.') But this stewardship of the Church extends
beyond making known 'the many faceted Wisdom of GOD … to the rulers and
authorities in heavenly places.' 'GOD wanted to make known what is the wealth of
the Glory of this mystery ' – ‘the mystery hidden from the ages and from the
generations, now made manifest to HIS saints’ – ‘which is Christ in you, the hope of
Glory’, '... an eternal weight of glory from excess to excess'. This all concerns man's call
to glory, in Christ. 'Christ whom we announce, warning every man and teaching
every man in all Wisdom, that we may present every man Mature/Perfect in Christ.'
‘In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of HIS (GOD’s) grace, which HE lavished upon us, in all
wisdom and understanding/ insight, making known to us the mystery of H IS will,
according to HIS good pleasure, which HE planned/purposed in Him (Christ) as a
stewardship for the fullness of time, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the
heavens and things on earth. In Him we were also chosen as His inheritance, being
predestined according to the purpose of the ONE who works all things according to
the counsel of HIS will, so that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be to
the praise of HIS glory.’ (Ephesians 1:7-10)
GOD's grace is 'lavished upon us, in all wisdom and understanding/insight', 'making
known to us the mystery of HIS will, according to HIS good pleasure'. (For GOD delights
in the Body of the Church knowing HIS grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord and Head.) And this
is GOD's will for us ('the ONE who works all things according to the counsel of H IS will',
‘… the ONE being able to do all things exceedingly abundantly above which we ask
or think, according to the Power working in us ... ’ (Ephesians 3:20)): GOD
'planned/purposed in Him (Christ), as a stewardship for the fullness of time, to head
up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and things on earth '; Christ who is
‘... Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, the Fullness of the One
filling all with all.’ (Ephesians 1:22). Here-in is 'the wealth of the Glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles/nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory.'
‘Which (mystery) was not made known to the sons of men in other generations, as
it is now revealed to His Holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit, that the
Gentiles/nations are to be joint-heirs and a joint-body and joint-partakers of the
Promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News. Of which I became a minister
according to the gift of the Grace of G OD given to me according to the working of H IS
Power.’ (Ephesians 3:5-7)
These are mighty teachings and we will study these things in the coming chapters; but through
5
this study of the word of GOD, we already know of our joint-sharing, Jews and 'Gentiles' – ' all
men' – in the Fullness of 'all things', in Christ, through the Good News of Christ. And so the
apostles’ commissions, their preaching and teaching and writings, were to ‘ announce the
Good News’ of Christ to the Church: 'Christ whom we announce, warning every man
and teaching every man in all Wisdom, that we may present every man
Mature/Perfect in Christ'. And this commission is still given to the ministers of the Church
today. Because we, the individual members of the Church, 'every man', must be
'mature/perfect in Christ'. And every one needs to be warned of this. The Greek word
translated as ‘mature/perfect’ here is teleios1 – meaning of full age, complete, perfect. Every man
must be warned and be taught, in all Wisdom, so that every man, established in Truth, may be
presented Perfect in Christ: the Body of the Church conformed to Christ, our Head, Godly, Holy,
Glorious, Spotless and Blameless.
We have seen the Scriptures concerning these things: “May the GOD of Peace HIMSELF
sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is the O NE calling you, who
also will do it.” (1Thessalonians 5:23). ‘And may the Lord cause you to increase and
superabound in Love to one another and to all ... so as to establish your hearts
blameless, in holiness, before our GOD and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus
with all of His saints. Amen.’ (1Thessalonians 13:12,13). ‘And this I pray, that your Love
may increase more and yet more, in precise and correct knowledge and all
discernment, for you to approve the superior things, that you may be pure and
blameless in the day of Christ.’ (Philippians 1:9,10). Now Paul tells us that 'every man'
must be presented (to GOD, in the day of Christ, 'at the coming of our Lord Jesus'),
'mature/perfect in Christ'.
GOD is not a GOD of imperfection. Yahweh-shalom is 'the GOD of Peace': the GOD of
completeness, wholeness, soundness; the GOD who sanctifies us 'wholly' for our 'whole spirit
and soul and body' to be 'be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ'. 'Faithful is the ONE calling you, who also will do it.' ‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is my
SHEPHERD, I will lack nothing ... ’ (Psalm 23:1); for “My GOD will fill your every need
according to HIS riches in Glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). Imperfection and
limitations are man's imperfect and limited way of thinking, not GOD's. “For My thoughts are
not your thoughts and neither are your ways My ways”, declares Yahweh/‘the L ORD’.
ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. ” (Isaiah 55:8,9). But GOD gives us – everyone
who seeks the Truth – to know the Truth, bringing even our very way of thinking into obedience
to the Truth of Christ. (There are amazing, Spiritual realms of Truth available to us outside of
our normal way of thinking. Therefore, do not baulk at the Truth.) This is GOD's Way and GOD's
will for us and GOD's grace to us: For every man to be 'mature/perfect in Christ'. This speaks
of our being established to 'readiness' 'at the coming of our Lord Jesus'.
“... be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an unexpected hour.” (Matthew 24:44)
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through Jesus Christ. Amen.’ (Romans 16: 25-27)
Every man must be 'Mature/Perfect in Christ' and so we are established by GOD according to
the 'the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept
secret for long ages but now manifested through prophetic scriptures '. The revelation
of this mystery 'being made known to all the Gentiles/nations to bring about the
obedience of Faith'. That is, to 'present every man Mature/Perfect in Christ' – all who
believe.
Paul asked the Ephesians to pray '… that words may be given to me in the opening of
my mouth to make known, with boldness, the mystery of the Good News ... that I
may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. ' (Ephesians 6:19,20). And in his teachings Paul
has used some magnificently bold words: ‘... the unsearchable wealth/riches of Christ’;
‘... Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge’; ‘... the
wealth of the Glory of this mystery’; '... the riches of HIS (GOD’s) grace, which HE
lavished upon us, in all wisdom and understanding/insight, making known to us the
mystery of HIS will'. We need to consider what it is that Paul is trying to express to us.
(‘Consider what I say. For the Lord will give you Understanding in all things’
(2Timothy 2:7).) Paul is raising our natural, worldly awareness to the fact that something divine
and extraordinary and wonderful is being revealed to us (freely, by the will and the pleasure and
the grace of GOD) which is the Mystery of Christ: ‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory’. This is
taught, in all wisdom, to those who believe that we are called to GOD's Glory, to those who know
that we are called to be kings: ‘It is the Glory of GOD to conceal a word2, and the Glory of
kings to search out the word.’ (Proverbs 25:2).
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars which
You set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him and son of man3 that You
care for him? You made him a little lower than angels and You crowned him with
Honour and Glory. You made him ruler over the works of Your hands and You put
everything under his feet.’ (Psalms 8:4-7)
What is man that GOD so loves us, calling us to a sharing in HIS Glory, in Christ. What is this
awesome relationship with the Almighty GOD, our Creator, which is our Christianity! Jesus is to
‘present to Himself, a Glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such
things ... Holy and Blemishless’. A Church magnificently Beautified with the Glory of GOD,
crowned with Honour and Glory. GOD has called us to unimaginable Glory in Christ Jesus –
‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory ’ – 'an eternal weight of glory from excess to
excess'.
Jesus, praying to His Father, said, “Sanctify them in the Truth; your word is Truth. As
You sent me into the world, so also I sent them into the world. And for them I
sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in Truth. However, not concerning
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2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 1697 - a word, by implication, a matter (as spoken of).
3
The use of the Hebrew term ‘son of man’ here is with reference to mankind. Note that in the Hebrew Scriptures
there is no ‘the’ used before ‘son of man’.
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these only do I ask, but also concerning the ones believing in me because of their
word, that all may be one – as You, Father, are in me and I in You – that also they
maybe in us, that the world may believe that You sent me. And the Glory which You
have given me, I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one, I in
them and You in me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know
that You sent me and loved them just as You loved me.” (John 17:17-23).
Jesus – the ‘... Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, the Fullness of
the One filling all with all’, the One saying 'the Glory which You have given me, I have
given them' – asks for those believing in Him to be ' perfected into one', 'as we are one, I
in them and You in me, that they may be perfected into one'. This is GOD's Glory to us
in Christ Jesus, those of us established in the Truth of Christ, 'Mature/Perfect in Christ'. Jesus
asks for us to be '... sanctified in Truth ... that all may be one … perfected into one ... '
– ‘... being united together in Love and in all wealth of the full assurance of
Understanding in the precise and correct Knowledge of the mystery of G OD,
Christ ...’ This is the unity of the Body of the Church in Christ Jesus our Head.
The Bible speaks repeatedly of babes/infants, and of Mature/Perfect Christians who understand
the deep things of GOD: ‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/understanding; be
infants to malice, but become mature/perfect in your Understanding.’ (1Corinthians
14:20). ‘This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, no longer are you to walk as the
Gentiles/nations walk – in the futility of their minds, darkened in their
understanding, alienated from the Life of GOD because of the ignorance existing in
them, because of the hardness of their hearts. ’ (Ephesians 4:17,18). And so, like Paul,
the current ministers of the Church are empowered, in Christ, to present their congregation
Mature/Perfect, Holy and Blameless: ‘For which also I labour, striving according to the
working of HIM, working in me with Power.’ (Colossians 1:29). For the ministers of the
Church act only on behalf of, and in accordance with, Christ Jesus their Lord, who is to
‘present to Himself, a Glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such
things ... Holy and Blemishless’.
The Church of GOD must be gathered together as one glorious Body in Christ, ' perfected into
one', united in Love, in Faith, Mature and Perfect, Whole and Complete; ‘... built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the
Cornerstone, in whom all the building, being fitly joined together, grows into a Holy
sanctuary in the Lord ... a dwelling place of G OD, in Spirit.’ (Ephesians 2:19-22). And so
Jesus reveals Himself to us by the gifts of the Spirit which He gives to those who minister to His
Body:
‘And He gave some as apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and
some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints to the work of the
ministry, to the building up of the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity of
the faith and at the precise and correct knowledge1 of the SON of GOD, at a man of
complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the Fullness of
Christ, that we should no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried around by
every wind of teaching ... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all
things into Him who is the Head, Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:12-15)
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Through the True Knowledge of the SON of GOD, every man of the Body of Christ is built up, so
that we all arrive at ‘the unity of the faith’, at ‘complete maturity/perfection’, ‘at the
measure of the stature of the Fullness of Christ ’. This is GOD’s response to sinfulness, this
is the word of HIS more than superabounding Grace to us ('… the word of HIS grace, which is
able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified.' (Acts 20:32)), and this is our Glory, in Christ. GOD does not give the Spirit by
measure (John 3:34). For GOD does not call us to a lesser measure than Christ.
GOD 'planned/purposed in Him (Christ), as a stewardship for the fullness of time, to

head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and things on earth'. ‘And HE
(GOD the Father) subordinated all things under His (Jesus’) feet, and gave Him as
Head over all things to the Church which is His Body, the Fullness of the One filling
all with all.’ (Ephesians 1:22). In this we, the Body, 'grow up in all things into Him who is
the Head, Christ', built up to ‘complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the
stature of the Fullness of Christ’. And of this every man of the Body of the Church must be
warned and be taught, in all Wisdom, so that every man may be presented Perfect in Christ.
GOD builds us up to ‘complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of

the Fullness of Christ’, 'Mature/Perfect in Christ'. (“Therefore be Perfect as your
heavenly Father is Perfect.” (Matthew 5:48).) We are called to GOD’s Glory in Christ Jesus
whose glory is: ‘Glory as of a Father’s only begotten, full of Grace and Truth’. We are
called to 'grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ '. Therefore, we are called
to the Fullness of Christ’s Glory and Grace and Truth; called to be conformed to the SON of GOD.
‘Because whom HE (GOD) foreknew HE also predestined to be conformed to the
image of HIS SON, for Him to be the Firstborn of many Brothers. And whom H E
predestined, these also HE called; and whom HE called, these also HE Justified/made
Righteous; and whom HE Justified, these also HE Glorified.’ (Romans 8:29,30).
‘Now we all, with unveiled faces, seeing the Glory of the Lord ... are being
transformed into the same image, from Glory to Glory, even as from the Lord, the
Spirit.’ (2Corinthians 3:18)
We are predestined to be conformed to the S ON of GOD, to be cleansed/purified and justified and

sanctified and glorified, in Christ. How else are we built up to ‘complete
maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ ’ but in the
Fullness of the Spirit that is given without measure, the Fullness of the Spirit of Truth, Wisdom,
Power, Glory, Grace, Faith. Paul tells us in Ephesians, ‘But to each one of us was given
Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ’ (Ephesians 4:7). Therefore, each
one of us is given Grace according to the Fullness of Christ. Paul told us that ‘...GOD
apportioned a measure of Faith’ to each of us, (Romans 12:3). We know that our Faith
grows – multiplied from ‘faith to faith’ – in our Knowledge and Understanding of the Truth.
For GOD is building up our Faith to the measure of the Fullness of the Spirit of Faith.
(Jesus said, “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from there!’ and it will be moved. And nothing will be impossible for you.”
(Matthew 17:20). Jesus said this to show the awe-inspiring Power of Faith, not to show a
mustard seed as being of sufficient measure. Jesus said that with Faith to the extent of this tiny
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measure, “nothing will be impossible for you”. Mustard seed Faith? GOD is building up our
Faith, from Faith to Faith, in the Fullness of the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and
Revelation, to the measure of the Fullness of Faith. This is what we ask for and seek after and
which is opened to us, in Christ.)
Let us consider ‘the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’. In Ezekiel 47,
Ezekiel was brought along the River, measure by measure. After the first one thousand cubits,
the waters of the River, issuing from the House, were up to his ankles. And after another one
thousand cubits, the waters were up to his knees. And after another one thousand cubits, the
waters were up to his loins. After another one thousand cubits, the waters were ‘ ... a River that
could not be passed over.’ (Ezekiel 47:3-5). This serves to illustrate water deep enough for
submersion.
The word ‘baptism’ means submersion. It is a word used not only for the (Spiritual) purposes of
the Scriptures. A piece of cloth being dyed was ‘baptized’ (submerged in the dye bath) and was
changed because of this baptism. A person who drowned died by ‘baptism’, submersion in
water. We are not meant to swim in the River of Life, for we cannot make our own way, or take
our own direction. Immersed in the Truth, we die a natural death and are raised up, conformed to
Christ, unto Life. We are brought, measure by measure, deeper and deeper into the Truth, unto
‘complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the Fullness of
Christ’.
Jesus, discussing the ‘Parable of the Sower’, speaking of the word of GOD (‘The seed is the
word of GOD’ (Luke 8:11), (we are) “... born again not from perishable but from
imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of G OD” (1Peter 1:23)) said,
“Consider what you hear. By what measure you measure, it will be measured to you
and it will be added to you. For whoever has, it will be given to him; and whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ” (Mark 4:24-25). “To you (Jesus’
disciples) it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of the
heavens. But to those it has not been granted. For whoever has, more will be given
to him and he will have a superabundance 1. But whoever does not have, even what
he has will be taken away from him. ” (Matthew 13:11,12). For the measure of hearing and
consideration which we give to the word of GOD determines whether the word is lost, or
Spiritually, superabundantly multiplied to us.
'Therefore, it is required of us to pay superabundant 2 attention to what we have

heard lest ever we let (them) slip.' (Hebrews 2:1)
Knowledge and Wisdom and Fruitfulness, as all things for Life and Godliness, are multiplied to
us as we immerse ourselves in the depths of GOD's word. We are cleansed 'by the washing of
the water by the word' (Ephesians 5:26). According to the word of GOD we grow ‘...
bearing fruit in every Good work and growing in the precise and correct Knowledge
of GOD, being empowered with Power according to the might of HIS Glory ...’
(Colossians 1:10,11). ‘... you yourselves are Full of Goodness, having been Filled with
all Knowledge ...’ (Romans 15:14). We receive the promised Holy Spirit in hearing and
1
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #4052 - to superabound.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4057 – perissos – adverb from #4053 – superabundantly.
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believing 'the word of Truth, the Good News of your salvation' in Christ, (Ephesians
1:13). We are ‘sanctified through the word of GOD’ (1Timothy 4:5), 'sanctified in Truth”
(John 17:19). The word of GOD is the measuring line along which we are brought into the depths
of the River of Life, unto the Fullness of harmony and accord with GOD HIMSELF, conformed to
HIS divine nature, in Christ.
“And these (seeds) are the ones sown upon the good soil: who hear the word and
receive it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and one hundred fold.” (Mark 4:20). “On its
own, the soil bears fruit, first the stalk, then a head of grain, then full wheat in the
head.” (Mark 4:28). “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:23).
In Isaiah we see ‘precept upon precept, precept upon precept, measuring line1 upon
measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line, a little here, a little there. ’
These same words are used in two different sentences, with opposite meanings. For the word of
GOD has to be heard and considered, being built up, measure added to measure, measure upon
measure, or it will become to us just repetitive bits and pieces of information – empty
words/commandments/precepts – which do not free, which do not stop from ensnarement.
‘Who does HE teach Knowledge and to whom does HE explain HIS message? To the
ones weaned from milk, the ones taken from the breast. For precept upon precept,
precept upon precept, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon
measuring line, a little here, a little there. So then with stammering lips and strange
tongues HE will speak to this people, to whom HE said, “This is the resting place, for
the weary, rest. And this is the place of refreshing.” But they were not willing to
listen. So the word of Yahweh/'the LORD' will become to them precept upon precept,
precept upon precept, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon
measuring line, a little here, a little there. So that they will go and they will fall
backward and they will be injured and they will be snared and they will be
captured. Therefore hear the word of Yahweh you scoffers who rule the people in
Jerusalem.’ (Isaiah 28:9-14)
GOD teaches Knowledge and gives Understanding not to the infants who are still at the breast,
but to the mature, to ‘the ones weaned from milk’. Paul teaches us that the infants in Christ
are not Spiritual but are like carnal men – not able to receive Spiritual food, still walking
according to human standards, (see 1Corinthians 3:1-3). But the Mature in Christ are built up in
the word of GOD – word upon word, measure by measure. The word of GOD is self-explanatory
and bears witness to itself if we but take the time to follow through what is being taught. The
Holy Spirit, in teaching us, reminds us of what we have already been taught (John 14:26).
Because we must consider what we hear in the Scriptures in relation to other things taught,
measure added to measure, measure upon measure. It is a process of building up. “Consider
what you hear. By what measure you measure, it will be measured to you and it will
be added to you.”
(There is great Spiritual order in GOD’s word. One of the many translations of the Bible gives the
creation story with the omission of most of the conjunctions ‘and’ which are written in the
Hebrew text. Look at any usual translation of the creation story and see how it would read if the
‘and’s were taken out. All the ‘and’s serve to show a measured progression, a building up by
1
This is sometimes translated as ‘rule’. But the use of ‘rule’ is to indicate a line for measuring.
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measured, considered intent, a moving from one step to another. This is how the word of GOD
works. This is how GOD builds us up to maturity. This is GOD’s order.)
In the Knowledge of GOD’s truth comes the Refreshing in the depths of the Water of Life. “This
is the resting place, for the weary, rest. And this is the place of refreshing. ” Built up
in Knowledge and Understanding, we are perfected towards our return to the place of rest – the
place from which man fell because of succumbing to the lie – the Spiritual place of GOD’s peace
and GOD’s order. Without the precise and correct knowledge of GOD’s truth we speak in
imperfect tongues – ‘stammering lips’ – the Truth and Wisdom that our natural minds have
not yet come to Know and to Understand. Tongues in which GOD’s Truth and GOD’s Wisdom
bubbles out of us – because it has to – but not in a manner fruitful to the mind or edifying to the
Body of the Church (see Paul’s teachings in 1Corinthians chapter fourteen), for this is the
babbling of infants. The immature, untaught mind has not yet come to know and to discern the
things of the Spirit.
But we have been called to a more superior measure than imperfect tongues and imperfect
knowledge (1Corinthians 13:8-10) and unfruitful/unproductive minds (1Corinthians 14:14). We
have been called to the measure of the ‘mind of Christ’ (1Corinthians 2:16). Paul said, ‘When
I was a child, I used to speak like a child, I used to think like a child, I used to
reason like a child; when I became a man, I abolished the things of the child. ’
(1Corinthians 13:11). Paul also said, “In Church, I would rather speak five words with my
mind, that I may also instruct others, than speak ten thousand words in a tongue.”
(1Corinthians 14:19). For Paul was commissioned to build up the Body of the Church to the
Fullness of Spiritual maturity in the Knowledge of Christ, as all the ministers of Jesus' Church
are GOD-equipped to do, ‘warning every man and teaching every man in all Wisdom,
that we may present every man mature/perfect in Christ’ and '… ministers of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of GOD.' (1Corinthians 4:1).
‘Behold! A King will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. And each
(man) will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams
of water in the desert, like the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the
eyes of those who see will no longer be closed and the ears of those who hear will
listen. And the heart/mind of the rash will know and understand and the tongue of
stammerers will be ready to speak clearly.’ (Isaiah 32:3,4)
‘But we speak Wisdom among the mature/perfect, yet not a wisdom of this age,
neither of the rulers of this age, the ones being brought to nothing, but we speak
GOD’s Wisdom in a mystery having been hidden, which GOD predestined before the
ages for our Glory. Which (Wisdom) not one of the rulers of this age has known 1, for
if they knew, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But even as it has
been written: ‘Eye did not see and ear did not hear and the heart of man did not
conceive, the things GOD prepared for the ones loving H IM.’ But GOD revealed them
through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of G OD.’
(1Corinthians 2:6-10)
“Let the name of GOD be praised forever and forever; Wisdom and Power are HIS ...
HE gives Wisdom to wise men and Knowledge to the ones knowing discernment. H E
reveals deep and hidden things, knowing what lies in the darkness. And the light
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dwells with HIM.” (Daniel 2:20-22)
The Spirit of GOD leads us to search out 'all things', 'for the Spirit searches all things, even
the deep things of GOD' – seeking Knowledge and Wisdom and Revelation of the Truth;
seeking to Know (experientially) the things which GOD has prepared for the ones loving HIM.
Jesus said: “When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all Truth” (John
16:13); “… the Holy Spirit … will teach you all things” (John 14:26). Therefore, ‘Those
who are Spiritual discern all things’ (1Corinthians 2:15) – 'all things for Life and
Godliness'. GOD predestined Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, for our salvation, our
sanctification, our maturity, our glory, even before time began. If we are Spirit-filled Christians
then we are growing in our Knowledge and Understanding of Christ, growing in the deep things
of GOD, plunging into what some deem to be unfathomable. I encourage you, by the word of
GOD, to launch out into the deep and allow yourself to be astonished at the catch you will find:
‘And when He (Jesus) stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep
(water) and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered and said,
“Master, throughout the whole night we laboured and caught nothing. But on
account of your word I will let down the nets.” And having done this they enclosed a
great multitude of fish ...’ (Luke 5:4-6 (See also verses 7-11))
“For everyone partaking of milk is unacquainted with the word of Righteousness.

For he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature/perfect ones. The ones having
their faculties of perception trained for distinguishing both good and evil. Therefore,
leaving the elemental teaching about Christ, let us move on toward Maturity, not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of Faith toward
GOD ...” (Hebrews 5:13,14, Hebrews 6:1)
Hebrews chapter six speaks of enlightenment, of ‘both having tasted the heavenly gift and
becoming partners of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted the good word of GOD and
the Powers of the coming age.’ (Hebrews 6:4,5). It speaks of ‘better things, things that
belong to/ accompany salvation.’ (Hebrews 6:9). We need to move beyond Spiritual
infancy to the solid food of mature Christians, to the Deeper/Superior things which accompany
our salvation – like Righteousness, Holiness, Love. We have drunk of the water which Jesus has
given us, we have tasted the heavenly gift of the good word of GOD, we have tasted partnership
with the Spirit, with the Powers of the coming age. We have tasted and seen that Yahweh/‘the
LORD’ is Good (Psalm 34:8). But Jesus Christ is the solid food, the catch in deep waters, that
must be sought after beyond the elementary teachings, for Maturity and Perfection to be found.
‘Having put away, therefore, all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and
all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it
you may grow into salvation, if you tasted that the Lord is Good.’ (1Peter 2:1-3)
“But you, remain in what things you learned and were convinced of, knowing from
whom you learned, and that from infancy you knew the Holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you Wise to salvation, through Faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is
GOD-breathed and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
righteousness, so that the man of G OD may be complete/completely
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qualified/perfect, having been thoroughly furnished/equipped for every good work. ”
(2Timothy 3:14-17)
As Spiritual newborns, we needed to feed on the pure milk of the word of G OD so that we would
‘grow into salvation’. We grow into salvation. We have to grow/increase in Knowledge, in
Understanding, in Wisdom, in Faith, in Grace, in Love, into salvation. We start our Spiritual
infancy by learning to let go of the things of this world which we acquired – things which as
infants in the flesh, we had not yet adopted – malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, resentment,
guilt, evil talk. (‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/ understanding; be infants to
malice, but become mature/perfect in your Understanding.’ (1Corinthians 14:20).) As
we grow beyond our infancy, as we mature, in Christ, we progress beyond the elementary (but
Pure, Truthful!) milk to solid food. We grow beyond merely putting away the things of the
world to being trained and equipped for the Superior things of the Spirit, ‘ better things,
things that belong to/accompany salvation’ – like Wisdom, like Righteousness.
Infants do not know about Wisdom, or Righteousness. But we have to be ‘ Wise to salvation,
through Faith in Christ Jesus’. We are born into slavery, we are re-born to Freedom, and then
we increase, more and yet more, (grace upon grace, faith to faith, glory to glory, righteousness
unto sanctification) – established to Maturity, to Completeness, to Perfection, unto the Fullness
of Christ. There are things which accompany our salvation: Growth/Increase, Maturity, Wisdom,
Faith in the Truth of Jesus Christ. ‘All Scripture is GOD-breathed’ and trains to Maturity in
the Knowledge of Jesus Christ, building up ‘the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at the
unity of the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD, at a
man of complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ’.
And so the ministers of the Church have been commissioned to teach the mystery of Christ, in
all Wisdom, so ‘... that we should no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried
around by every wind of teaching ... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up
in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ ’. But every man must be Mature/Perfect in
Christ, every man must have the mind of Christ, and so the mystery of Christ is made manifest
to all in the Scriptures; GOD HIMSELF giving eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand
to all who ask and seek and knock. GOD HIMSELF establishes us in the Truth of the Lord Jesus
Christ, through the Scriptures, through HIS Holy Spirit, if we but truly seek to know HIM.
through Jesus Christ. Amen.’ (Romans 16:25-27)
GOD HIMSELF – the Truthful GOD, the Only True GOD, the Only Wise GOD – is the ONE who
establishes us to the ‘mind of Christ’, to ‘the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ’, according to the scriptures which proclaim and explain Christ. The G OD who created us
is also the GOD who establishes us – the GOD who formed us to establish us. “HE HIMSELF, (the
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GOD of Grace) will adjust/restore/perfect/frame, confirm, strengthen, establish
(you).” (1Peter 5:10). HE who births us in the Truth establishes us to Maturity/Perfection in the
Truth. “My word that goes out from my mouth will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and will achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah
55:11). HE HIMSELF will heal, making us complete, whole, Holy, incorruptible, building us to
perfection/maturity, in Truth, in Faith.
We are ‘sanctified through the word of GOD’ (1Timothy 4:5); “… sanctified in Truth”
(John 17:19). This is our salvation: ‘... salvation by sanctification of the Spirit and belief
of the Truth.’ (2Thessalonians 2:13). Jesus spoke to Paul of '… those who are sanctified by
faith in me.' (Acts 26:18). We are sanctified – made holy – by GOD’s Power at work in each of
us according to our Knowledge and Understanding of the Truth and according to our Faith in the
Truth. In this, in our Faith in the Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are conformed to Christ,
GOD HIMSELF establishing each of us in the revelation of Christ ‘to bring about the obedience
of Faith’.
“By Faith we understand the worlds to have been

adjusted/restored/perfected/framed by the word of G OD, so that the things seen
have not come to be from visible things.” (Hebrews 11:3)
By Faith we understand that, like the earth, GOD establishes us, adjusting/restoring/perfecting us
by the Spiritual Power of HIS holy word. ‘GOD is able’. “HE HIMSELF, (the GOD of Grace) will
adjust/restore/perfect/frame, confirm, strengthen, establish (you).” ‘And
Yahweh/'the LORD' will establish you as a holy people for HIMSELF, just as HE promised
you, if you keep the commands of Yahweh/'the LORD' your GOD and walk in H IS
ways.’ (Deuteronomy 28:9). By Faith we Know that it is GOD HIMSELF who establishes us to
righteousness, to holiness, making us obedient to HIS commands, giving us to walk in HIS ways,
conforming us to the Truth, in Christ.
Jesus said, “Peace I leave to you, my Peace I give to you. ... Let not your heart be
troubled.” (John 14:27). Divine Peace – Health, Wholeness, Fullness, Security, Prosperity, Rest
– superabundantly multiplied to us in the Truth – is the absence of confusion, of disorder. ‘For
HE is not the GOD of confusion/disorder, but of Peace.’ (1Corinthians 14:33). There is no
confusion associated with GOD, Yahweh-shalom 'is not the GOD of confusion/disorder'.
There is no confusion in the word of GOD. Yahweh-shalom is the GOD of Peace, the GOD of
divine order; and HIS perfect will for us and HIS unfailing plan for us and HIS more than
superabounding grace to us, in Christ, is to establish us to divine order in HIS divinely ordered,
confusion-free word. Therefore, if there is something in the Scriptures which seems to be
confusing, which we do not understand, this is what we need to search out. Because this is where
Truth and Faith needs to be established, this is where Light needs to replace darkness, this is
where we need to grow in revelatory knowledge and understanding. Jesus said: Peace I leave to
you, not confusion.
Concealment, darkness, like the lie, is of Satan who is the god of confusion and disorder. But the
GOD of Peace who teaches ‘unity of the Faith’ and ‘the precise and correct Knowledge of
the SON of GOD’ is the REVEALER of Truth; and therefore, there is no confusion in the Church of
GOD. GOD's will for us and GOD's grace to us is for each of us to be of the one Body of Christ,
unified in Faith. When Jesus' disciples called upon Him in the midst of the great storm, saying,
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“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:39), our Teacher rebuked the
wind and the sea commanding, “Silence! Be still/muzzled1!” (Mark 4:39). And then Jesus
said, “Why are you so afraid? How do you not have faith?” (Mark 4:40). “Let not your
heart be troubled.” Is faith not the port found in the storm by which ' infants' are ‘... tossed
by waves and carried around by every wind of teaching ... ’ (That is, the teaching of
those who blaspheme '… all that they do not know … wild/raging waves of the sea
foaming up their own shame.' (Jude 1:10,13).) Is the end to all confusion (arising from our
many churches and doctrine) not in each one of us seeking out what is taught to us in the
Scriptures and believing this word? Are we not all called to be stewards of the Mysteries of GOD.
‘I give thanks to my G OD always concerning you, for the Grace of G OD which has
been given to you in Christ Jesus; that you were enriched in everything in Him, in all
words/speech and all Knowledge, even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in
you; so that you are not lacking in any gift, (while) awaiting the coming/appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who also will confirm/strengthen you to the end, blameless
in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is G OD through whom you were called
into (the) fellowship of HIS Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.’ (1Corinthians 1:4-9)
What mighty words of encouragement from Paul. By the grace of GOD we are 'enriched in
everything in Him (Jesus Christ) … so that you are not lacking in any gift, (while)
awaiting the coming/appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who also will
confirm/strengthen you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. '
This is all by GOD's grace, freely available to all through HIS word. '… the word of HIS grace,
which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those who
are sanctified.' (Acts 20:32).“All Scripture is GOD-breathed and useful for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of G OD may be
complete/completely qualified/perfect.” GOD did not leave our salvation in the hands of
any man. “Let not your heart be troubled.” Jesus left us Peace. Peace which is
superabundantly multiplied to us in the Truth.
Our church ministers, 'ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of GOD', have
been commissioned to teach the mystery of Christ so ‘... that we should no longer be
infants, tossed by waves and carried around by every wind of teaching ... but
speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all things into Him who is the Head,
Christ’. But Paul, himself a minister of Christ, praying for the Ephesians, asked ‘that the GOD
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory may give to you a Spirit of Wisdom and
Revelation in a full Knowledge of HIM.' (Ephesians 1:17). For each one of us is established
only by GOD HIMSELF, in Christ. And so you should pray this for yourself and for your family,
and for the ministers and teachers and shepherds and evangelists, and for the entire Body of the
Church. ‘... pray for one another so that you may be healed. ’ (James 5:16). We are our
brothers' keeper; our concern is not merely for ourselves but must be for the entire Body of
Christ. (It is insightful that Job was only released from his troubles when he prayed for his
friends who had tried (unwittingly) to mislead him in his time of trouble; they who had not
spoken the Truth and who had so incurred GOD's wrath (Job 42:7-10).)
It is essential that we come to know the Truth of Christ. ‘For it (the Good News of Christ) is
the Power of GOD unto salvation to every one believing ... ’ (Romans 1:16). Peter writes
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #5392 – to muzzle.
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of: '… obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ’ (1Peter 1:9).
Salvation is by faith; and '… faith comes from hearing … the word of Christ. ' (Romans
10:17). Salvation for all is in knowing ‘the mystery of GOD, Christ, in whom are hidden
all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge’; and so that we are 'enriched in everything
in Him', 'who also will confirm/strengthen you to the end, blameless in the day of
our Lord Jesus Christ'.
‘For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only-begotten SON, that everyone
believing in Him may not perish, but have eternal Life. For G OD did not send the SON
into the world that He might judge/condemn the world, but that the world might be
saved through Him. The one believing in Him is not judged/condemned, but the one
not believing has already been judged/ condemned, because he has not believed in
the name of the only-begotten SON of GOD.’ (John 3:16-18)
There is much that is taught concerning Judgment. Jesus, however, explained it very simply:
“The one believing in Him (the SON) is not judged/condemned, but the one not
believing has already been judged/condemned, because he has not believed in the
name of the only-begotten SON of GOD.” Salvation is by faith in the SON of GOD. Therefore,
Jesus Himself also told us: “... blessed is he that takes no cause for stumbling in me.”
(Matthew 11:6). Jesus is the ‘Stone of Stumbling’ (Romans 9:33, 1Peter 2:7,8) and not only
for the Jews, but also for Christians. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is revealed for the Glory of the
Church, but only to those who truly seek to know GOD, those who search the deep things of GOD,
those immersed in the water of the Word. Jesus, GOD’s High Priest, began His ministry after His
water baptism. This was done as an example for all of us. From the inception of the Priesthood,
Priests were consecrated unto GOD in the washing of the water (Exodus 29:4) – a baptism, an
immersion, a plunging into the deep things of GOD. At age twelve, Jesus amazed the teachers in
the temple with His understanding of the Scriptures. They were astonished at His answers (Luke
2:46,47). Jesus said, “Did you not know that it is necessary for me to be about my
Father’s business/affairs.” (Luke 2:48).
So also must we – who are all called to be Priests – be faithfully about our Father’s business;
being established in the Truth ‘as ministers/servants of Christ and stewards of the
mysteries of GOD’; growing superabundantly in our Knowledge and Understanding, as Jesus
Himself grew. ‘And Jesus was increasing/growing in Wisdom and stature and in favor
with GOD and man.’ (Luke 2:52). There are extraordinary things revealed to us in the Mystery
of Christ. Revelations which bring us all to maturity, by which we are all established in Christ,
in which we come to Know Christ, in which we come to Know GOD our Father, in which we are
mightily blessed, in which we are freed from the coming Judgment, freed into eternal life.
Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream: '… you are the head of gold. And after
you shall arise another kingdom, more inferior to you; and another third kingdom of
bronze that will rule over all the earth. And a fourth kingdom, strong as iron … And
as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potters clay and partly of iron, it shall be a
divided kingdom … partly strong and partly brittle. … And in the days of those
kings, the GOD of heaven will set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed … It
shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end and it shall stand
forever.' (Daniel 2:38-44). For 'As you looked, a stone was cut out, not by hands, and
it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the
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iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold, were all broken in pieces and
became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors and the wind carried them
away so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the
image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.' (Daniel 2:34,35).
'… a stone was cut out, not by hands …', that is, not by human hands. Hundreds of years
before Daniel, Jacob spoke to his sons of: '… the hands of the Mighty ONE of Jacob, from
thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, by the G OD of your father who helps you
and the Almighty who blesses you ...' (Genesis 49:24,25). Most certainly '… the GOD of
heaven will set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed …' This is the Way made
for us in HIS SON, the very Word of GOD (John 1:14), 'the Cornerstone' (Ephesians 2:20) of the
House of GOD, 'the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel' through whom is GOD's Kingdom in this
earth; the true Kingdom that overcomes all others.
Jesus our Lord said, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword ” (Matthew 10:34):
‘the sword of the Spirit which is the word of GOD’ (Ephesians 6:17); the Sword of the
Spirit which is the weapon against all that comes against the Truth and through which we are
given Peace. (Jesus did not bring us Peace, He brought us the unchallengeable weapon of the
Sword of the Spirit by which He leaves us Peace.) In Genesis 3:24, G OD placed on the east side
of the Garden of Eden: ‘a flaming sword, flashing every way, to guard the way of the
tree of Life.’ This ‘flaming sword’ is the word of GOD which is the Truth of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The Truth which we must come to Know and to speak; the Truth which is the same from
every which way; the Truth in which we are fired, refined, cleansed – made Spotless and
Blemishless. There is no lie in the Truth. It is essential that we hold to the Truth – Knowing and
Understanding the Truth of Christ as proclaimed and revealed to us in the scriptures – so that we
may have Life.
‘... for nothing has been veiled/concealed which will not be revealed, and (nothing)
hidden which will not be made known 1. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in
the light, and what you hear in your ear, preach on the house tops, and do not be
afraid of the ones killing the body but not being able to kill the soul.’ (Matthew 10:26-
28)
‘Therefore everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before
my Father, the ONE in the heavens. And whoever will deny me before men, I will
also deny him before my Father, the ONE in the heavens. Do not think that I came to
bring peace on the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came
to divide ...’ (Matthew 10:32-35)
In this book I am ‘speaking in the light’, ‘preaching on the house top’ what I have been taught
by GOD through the scriptures – things shown to me in the darkness to bring me out into the
Light; Waters given in the wilderness; the revelation of the Mystery of Christ given in Paul's
epistles and throughout the New Testament. I am confessing the Lord Jesus Christ before all
who read this book – in His roles as Saviour, SON, Lord, Christ, Head, Mediator, High Priest,
Apostle, Judge – as He is revealed to us in the word of GOD. Our understanding of Jesus, in each
of these roles, is integral to our growth into salvation. For the House of G OD is built on the
1
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Foundation of Jesus Christ. Christ, GOD’s Power, GOD’s Wisdom. But before this, as we continue
our study of the value of GOD's word, Jesus is the Word of GOD which is the Bread of Life: our
Food unto eternal life.
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
Part III - THE BREAD OF LIFE
‘Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, Truly I say to you, you are not seeking me
because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were satisfied. Do
not work for the food which perishes, but for the Food remaining to eternal Life,
which the Son of Man will give you. For on this (One) G OD the Father has set H IS
seal.”' (John 6:26, 27)
In HIS Wisdom, GOD parallels the Spiritual with the natural so that we have a basis for
Understanding that which we cannot see. We have seen the teachings on the word of GOD as
being ‘milk’, ‘solid food’, of ‘tasting the word’, of the ‘drink of water’. For the word of GOD is
equated in the Scriptures to food which nurture and sustain earthly life. The word of GOD is
Spiritual food which is consumed for our Spiritual sustenance and growth, as natural food
nourishes our body. Jesus taught: “It has been written, ‘Man will not Live by bread alone,
but by every word proceeding through the mouth of G OD.'” (Matthew 4:4). The word of
GOD being ‘the Food remaining to eternal Life’ which is given to us in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
In the previous section, we looked at the ‘... riches of the full assurance of Understanding
in the precise and correct Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge.’ (Colossians 2:2,3). Christ is the
'mystery of GOD' of which we are given 'precise and correct Knowledge' and 'the full
assurance of Understanding' because, although the Mystery of Christ is seemingly a rare and
exotic delicacy by comparison to the word on which we usually feed, this is the required staple
for Life.
Jesus tells us, “I am the Bread of Life.” (John 6:35). “I am the Living Bread that came
down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever.” (John 6:51).
“Truly, truly, I say to you ... my Father gives you the True Bread out of heaven. For
the Bread of GOD is the One coming down out of heaven and giving Life to the
world.” (John 6:32,33)
Jesus, 'the Bread of GOD', 'the True Bread out of heaven', is the (Spiritual) Food which is
the staple for Life. Many of us know the expression ‘Bread is the staff of life’. Ezekiel makes
reference to the term ‘the staff of bread’1 and the meaning of the Hebrew word translated as
‘staff’ gives us a clearer understanding of Bread, the ‘Staff’ of Life. The Hebrew word matteh or
mattah2 means a branch (as extending), a means of support for walking, a support for life. This
brings our understanding of the word of GOD as being a Branch extended to us; a Staff by which
we can walk (Blamelessly) before GOD, ‘being in the Truth, walking in the Truth’ (3John
1:3). The Good News of Jesus Christ – the 'Living Bread' – accurate, precise, true – is the only
Food which profits our Spiritual walk, unto Life. And how else do we introduce what is divine
1
Ezekiel 4:16, Ezekiel 5:16, Ezekiel 14:13
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #4294
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and Life-bringing into our hearts, our minds, our souls, except in consuming this ' Living Bread'
of the Truth?
Jesus said, “Truly, Truly I say to you, you are not seeking me because you saw signs,
but because you ate of the loaves and were satisfied.” As all who study the Word of
GOD know, as food is satisfying to the body, more so is Spiritual food satisfying to our souls; as
food can be delectable to the palate, more so is the word of G OD sweet to our minds/hearts. ‘And
he said to me. “Son of man eat what you find; eat this scroll then go speak to the
House of Israel.” So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he
said to me, “Son of man, make your belly eat and fill your stomach with this scroll
that I give to you.” So I ate, and in my mouth it was as honey in sweetness. Then he
said to me, “Son of man, walk! Go to the House of Israel and speak my words to
them!”' (Ezekiel 3:1-4).
As we eat of the scroll (of the Scriptures, no longer a scroll but now a book) it gets sweeter in
our mouths/hearts: ‘Your words were found and I ate them and your word was as joy
to me and as the delight/rejoicing of my heart. ’ (Jeremiah 15:16). David extols: “The
Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of Yahweh are
trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of Yahweh are right, giving joy
to the heart. The commands of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The
fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of Yahweh are sure, they are
altogether righteous, more precious than gold, more (precious) than much pure
gold; sweeter than honey from the honey-combs.” (Psalms 19:10). But we do not eat of
this Spiritual food just for the sweetness.
'Son of man, walk! Go to the House of Israel and speak my words to them! ' We
joyfully fill our inner-most parts with the word of GOD so that we not only grow in GOD’s Truth,
to walk in the Truth, but that we are also equipped to speak out G OD’s Truth. There is a
Stewardship attached to our knowing the word of GOD: ‘That through the Church, the many
faceted Wisdom of GOD might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in
the heavenly places, according to the plan of the ages which H E made in Christ
Jesus, our Lord ...’ (Ephesians 3:10,11). Additionally, 'the Bread of Life' is to be shared
(rightly divided (2Timothy 2:15)) for the building up of the Household of GOD, for all the Body
of the Church to ‘become mature/perfect in … Understanding’, (1Corinthians 14:20),
built up to 'maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the Fullness of
Christ' (Ephesians 4:13), ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ’ (Philippians 1:10).
This is the Power of 'the Bread of GOD'.
And so “... the Living GOD, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all
things in them ... filling with Food/Nourishment and with Joy/Gladness your hearts ”
(Acts 14:15,17), the GOD who promised, “And I will give you Shepherds after My own
heart and they will feed you Knowledge and Understanding”, (Jeremiah 3:15), gave us
the One after HIS own heart, 'the Great Shepherd of the Sheep', (Hebrews 13:20), our Lord
Jesus Christ. ‘... the Head, from whom all the Body, being fully supplied and united
together, through the joints and the ligaments, Grows with the Growth of GOD.’
(Colossians 2:19).
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Paul wrote to the Colossians of 'the joints and the ligaments', illustrative of the connection
between all the members of the Body of GOD's Church and Christ Jesus our Head. And what are
these 'joints' and 'ligaments' – through which we are 'fully supplied and united together' –
but the meeting place of 'Knowledge and Understanding': ‘... united together in Love
and in all riches/wealth of the full assurance of Understanding in the precise and
correct Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ, in whom are hidden all the
treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge.’ Jesus, the Chief Shepherd (1Peter 5:4), the Founder
of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), the Founder and the Perfecter of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2), 'the
Living Bread that came down from heaven', is the Word of GOD, the Head of the Body, in
whose revelation we, His Body, are “perfected into one” (John 17:19, 23). This is the Power
in 'the Bread of Life'. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd”, (John 10:11), and spoke of
His Body: “... my voice they will hear and they will become one Flock, (with) one
Shepherd.” (John 10:16).
“... for so it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you Bethlehem, in the land
of Judah, by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will
come forth a Ruler, who will shepherd my People Israel.’” (Matthew 2:5,6)
The Hebrew name Bethlehem1 means 'House of Bread'. Jesus, the Living Bread, the Bread of
GOD, was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1), the House of Bread, and was even first presented to
the world in a manger, (a container for fodder). Bethlehem is not Jerusalem, the City of
Righteousness and Peace and Truth, but it is by no means insignificant. For Bethlehem, the
House of Bread, is the birth-place of kings. Bethlehem is the City of David (Luke 2:4), the great
psalmist, the shepherd boy who feeds us with Knowledge and Understanding. It was in
Bethlehem that David fed his father’s sheep (1Samuel 17:15). It was to Bethlehem that GOD sent
Samuel, seeking the one chosen to be GOD’s anointed, the shepherd to be made king over all of
Israel (1Samuel 16:1,4 John 7:42). It was to Bethlehem, at harvest time, that Naomi returned,
full of bitterness, (Ruth 1:20-22); but here, eating of the Food of the Land freely given to her by
her redeemer, her bitterness became joy.
'… out of you (Bethlehem) will come forth a Ruler, who will shepherd my People
Israel.' Jesus our Shepherd nurtures Life – feeding, watering, protecting, leading those who hear
His voice (John 10:3), who know His voice (John 10:4), leading us back to the place of GOD's
blessings and favour; to where we Know GOD, to Know GOD’s will for us, to manifest the Truth
of GOD’s will, reconciled to HIM, in Christ. Jesus (the very word of GOD made manifest in the
flesh (John 1:14)) in guiding our steps and in nurturing our growth, feeds us with Knowledge
and Understanding, gathering us together to Him, in Righteousness and Peace and Truth.
The Good Shepherd leads His Sheep, the ‘one Flock’, (‘my voice they will hear and they
will become one Flock, (with) one Shepherd’), to lie in green pastures. “Truly, truly I say
to you that I am the Door of the Sheep ... I am the Door. If any one enters through
me he will be saved and will go in and will go out and will find pasture. ” (John 10:7,
9). This is the place of tender young sprouts2 where we feed on the word of GOD, growing 'with
the Growth of GOD', and where there is rest and refreshing beside still waters: “This is the
resting place, for the weary, rest. And this is the place of refreshing. ” (Isaiah 28:12);
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #1035
2
The Hebrew word translated as ‘green’ in Psalm 23 means ‘tender sprouts’. ‘Green’ pastures – pastures of tender
young sprouts.
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the place where our hearts are filled 'with Food/ Nourishment and with Joy/Gladness'. (For
the Good News brings 'great joy ... for all the people.' (Luke 2:10).) This is the place where
we lack for nothing, receiving ‘all things for Life and Godliness’, ‘every Spiritual
blessing in the heavenlies in Christ ’, (Ephesians 1:3); where we are “sanctified in Truth”
(John 17:19).
Shepherding nurtures to Glory: ‘And when the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, is revealed/made
manifest, you will receive the unfading crown of Glory.’ (1Peter 5:4). This is the Power
of the 'Living Bread'. ‘Now the GOD of Peace, the ONE having brought up from the
dead the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the blood of the
eternal covenant, may HE equip you with every good thing in order to do HIS will,
doing in us the thing well-pleasing before HIM through Jesus Christ, to whom be the
Glory into the ages of the ages. Amen.’ (Hebrews 13:20,21).
‘My son, pay attention to my Wisdom, give your ear to my Insight, that you may
maintain1 Prudence2 and that your lips may preserve Knowledge. For the lips of an
adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is
bitter as gall, sharp as a double edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps
they lead to Sheol.’ (Proverbs 5:1-5)
There is Spiritual food which remains to eternal Life and there is other food, seemingly good
also, but which is unto death. One is Real and one is a deceptive replica of what is Real; one
equips us to do GOD’s will and one sets out to lead us away from GOD’s will; one is the word of
GOD and everything else is but a (perishing) lie. Jesus said, “Do not work for the food which
perishes, but for the Food remaining to eternal Life, which the Son of Man will give
you.” (John 6:27). Therefore, we must have Wisdom and Insight concerning these two things, to
guard against the lie, so that our 'lips may preserve Knowledge' (sharing 'the Bread of Life'
for the building up of the Body of Christ) and so that we may have Life.
The Truth is unto eternal life, but '… the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her
speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double
edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps they lead to Sheol 3.'' We must be
wise to the clear dangers of the subtle lie which is the corrupted word of GOD. For where else is
this deceptive replica of the Truth most prevalent but in our churches. Where is Satan most
active but amongst those seeking salvation in Christ Jesus. Who does the Bible warn repeatedly
about such things but GOD's people.
Consequently Solomon teaches: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get Wisdom:
and with all thy getting get understanding. " (Proverbs 4:7). ‘Blessed is the man that
finds wisdom and gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and
her return is more than gold ... Long life is in her right hand and in her left hand are
riches and honour ... She is a tree of life to the ones embracing her and those who
lay hold of her are blessed.’ (Proverbs 3:13-18). (And we know Paul's petitioning: ‘I ... do
not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the G OD
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #8104 – shamar – to hedge about (with thorns), to guard/protect.
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #4209 – a plan, a thought, discretion (decision/action based on one's own
judgement), prudence.
3
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary #7585 – the grave.
7
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory may give to you a Spirit of Wisdom and
Revelation in the precise and correct Knowledge of HIM ...’ (Ephesians 1:16,17).)
Solomon speaks of 'the lips of an adulteress' – of one who is supposedly faithful to one
person, but who has an intimate relationship with another. '… the lips of an adulteress drip
honey ...' But the Law/Instruction of GOD is 'sweeter than honey from the honey-combs'
(Psalms 19:10). It is far above (as high as the heavens from the earth) anything naturally
occurring. 'My son, pay attention to my Wisdom, give your ear to my Insight ... ' Do not
work to extract honey from honey-combs; (honey – the regurgitated, dehydrated product of
many different bees which changes but slowly over time). 'Do not work for the food which
perishes, but for the Food remaining to eternal Life, which the Son of Man will give
you’, freely. ‘Ho, all who are thirsty, come to the waters. He who has no money
come, buy, eat. Come and buy wine and milk with no money, at no cost. Why spend
money on what is not Bread and labour on what does not satisfy. Listen, listen to
me and eat what is Good and your soul will delight in the richness. Give ear and
come to me. Hear, that your soul may live ...’ (Isaiah 55:1-3).
The 'Bread of GOD' – the precise and correct knowledge of the Truth (' the precise and
correct Knowledge of GOD and Jesus our Lord') – is Food for our souls which is freely
given to all who seek Life by GOD HIMSELF, in HIS Holy Scriptures. It is the Spiritual food which
nourishes our souls to eternal life; nothing else has this Power for Life. Therefore Jesus said,
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad the way leading to
destruction, and many are the ones entering through it. (But) how narrow is the
gate and constricted the Way leading to Life, and few are the ones finding it.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but are inwardly
ravenous wolves. From their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:13-16).
There are myriads of teachings, of doctrines, that which is ' not Bread and … does not
satisfy'. There are innumerable paths that do not lead to eternal life: '… wide is the gate and
broad the way leading to destruction.' In considering the ‘one Flock’ and the ‘one
Shepherd’ and 'precise and correct Knowledge' and 'the Bread of Life' we must consider
these things. Where in this cacophony of religious thought do we find Truth? The Almighty GOD
says: 'Listen, listen to Me and eat what is Good and your soul will delight in the
richness. Give ear and come to Me. Hear, that your soul may live ...' Eat of the scroll
of the word of GOD; (believing what GOD says, expecting to be delighted and satisfied by GOD's
word, expecting to find rest and renewal in this place of refreshing. It is in the resulting peace
and joy of our souls that we know that we partake of the Truth.)
We must discern 'the narrow gate' of 'the Way leading to Life'. And what is this 'narrow
gate' but ‘... the precise and correct Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ, in
whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge.’ (Colossians 2:2,3). The
‘Truth is in Jesus.’ (Ephesians 4:21). Jesus, the 'True Bread out of heaven', 'the One
coming down out of heaven and giving Life to the world ', says, “I am the Way and
the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6). “Truly, truly I say to you that I am the Door of
the Sheep ... I am the Door. If any one enters through me he will be saved ... ” Jesus
is the Door through which is Life, the Shepherd by whom we are lead into the precise and
correct knowledge of GOD’s Truth. Jesus said, “I came that they may have Life and have it
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superabundantly.” (John 10:10); the Good Shepherd giving us to eat of ‘what is Good’,
divinely, Spiritually good, that which sustains Life.
'Listen, listen to Me and eat what is Good and your soul will delight in the richness.
Give ear and come to Me. Hear, that your soul may live …' Jesus’ Sheep heed this call.
Jesus’ Sheep do not listen to, or follow a stranger’s voice (John 10:5). Because the stranger is a
thief and a robber (John 10:8) and ‘The thief does not come except in order that he may
steal, kill and destroy.’ (John 10:10). In Christ ('the Great Shepherd of the Sheep', 'the
Chief Shepherd, Jesus'), there are those who shepherd unto Life: ‘He (Jesus) gave some as
apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints to the work of the ministry, to the building
up of the Body of Christ ...’ (Ephesians 4:11,12). But there is one who is not a part of these
things, an outsider, a thief who comes but to scatter the sheep.
Jesus taught: 'When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand
it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which was sown in his heart.'
(Matthew 13:19). And there are those who serve the purposes of this evil one, those without
Knowledge and Understanding who themselves take away the seed of Knowledge and
Understanding. Jesus said, “Woe to you lawyers! Because you have taken away the key
of Knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves and you hindered the ones entering
in.” (Luke 11:52). Peter wrote concerning Paul's Epistles – '… in which are some things,
hard to understand, which the unlearned and irresolute/vacillating twist, as (they
do) the other scriptures, to their own destruction. Knowing this, therefore, beloved,
be on your guard lest, being led away by the error of the lawless (those without GOD's
Laws/Instructions/Word), you fall from your own resoluteness. But (instead) grow in
the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' (2Peter 3:16-18).
Peter also wrote: '… there will be false teachers among you, who will surreptitiously
bring in destructive heresies … bringing on themselves swift destruction. And many
will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the Way of Truth will be
blasphemed. And by covetousness they will exploit you with fabricated words. '
(2Peter 2:1-3). Note that Peter did not say: 'There may be false teachers among you'. He said: ' …
there will be false teachers among you'.
'Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith
by giving heed to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, of liars who speak in
hypocrisy, whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and (require)
abstinence from foods that GOD created to be received with thanksgiving by those
who believe and fully know1 the truth. For everything created by GOD is good and
nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the
word of GOD and prayer. In putting these things before the brothers, you will be a
good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished in the words of the faith and of the
good teaching that you have followed.' (1Timothy 4:1-6)
The thief who steals the word of GOD – the adulteress who has departed from GOD, departing
from the Truth, the false teacher who 'surreptitiously bring in destructive heresies' –
scatters the sheep away from the 'one Shepherd' and from the 'one Flock', seducing them with
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1921 – epiginosko – to come to know thoroughly, accurately.
7
‘the food which perishes’, food which guides along 'the way leading to destruction';
food intended to deceitfully take the place of ‘the Living and remaining/abiding word of
GOD'; food that does not satisfy the soul; food without the Power to make manifest the Truth of
GOD's grace; food by which we do not become a new man, with a new heart and a new Spirit,
born again to a new life – Real Life. We are “... born again not from perishable but from
imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of G OD.” (1Peter 1:23). And
so the adulteress leads the sheep astray, enticing those immature and unwise, those not knowing
the Shepherd’s voice, those working to acquire that which GOD has given to us freely and
copiously.
Jesus said, '... wide is the gate and broad the way leading to destruction, and many
are the ones entering through it.' Therefore, 'When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
consider diligently what is before you … Do not desire his dainties, for that is
deceitful/lying food.' (Proverbs 23:1,3). There are many 'leaders' who lead astray. Consider
diligently whatever food is placed before you and do not desire the 'nuggets of wisdom' of men.
Desire the 'Living Bread' of the word of GOD. Go to the Creator HIMSELF. “And my GOD will fill
your every need according to HIS riches in Glory in Christ Jesus”, (Philippians 4:19);
‘the One filling all with all’ (Ephesians 1:22). Ask of HIM and GOD will give you wisdom and
knowledge and understanding and revelation and insight. Seek out the Truth and GOD will give
you Shepherds after HIS own heart, who speak HIS words, and who will feed you with
Knowledge and Understanding. And do not forget Jesus' Mighty words: “Behold, I stand at
the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will indeed
come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. ... The one having an ear
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:20,22).
‘But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts
should be led astray from the simplicity and the purity in Christ.’ (2Corinthians 11:3)
There is leavened – corrupted – bread and then there is ‘the unleavened (Bread) of Purity
and Truth’ (1Corinthians 5:8). Only that which is Pure and Holy and Perfect remains to eternal
life and Jesus, 'the Bread of Life' is ‘the Food remaining to eternal Life’. The 'precise
and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD' is the Pure, True, untainted Bread upon which
we must feed. ‘The decrees of Yahweh/'the LORD' are … more precious than gold,
more (precious) than much pure gold’; the value of 'the Bread of GOD' being in its Purity.
And unlike leavened bread, 'the Bread of Life' is Pure and Simple – 'the simplicity and the
purity in Christ' – devoid of any difficulty or confusion. ‘For HE (GOD) is not the GOD of
confusion’, (1Corinthians 14:33). HE is the 'GOD of Truth', ‘the True GOD’, ‘the Only True
GOD’, Unlying, Unconcealed, Trustworthy, Sure, Faithful, HIS Truth available to all, in Christ.
(GOD teaches mighty Spiritual things in simple words to which we can readily relate: bread,
water, honey, seed, fruit, shepherds, rain, rivers, pure gold, lamp, light, darkness, blindness,
vision, sand on the seashore, stars in the sky, a house built on rock. We need to recognize the
immense Spiritual value in this. It is when man steps away from these simple concepts,
'rationalizing' them with abstract philosophies and intangible words that the corruption comes.)
According to the more than superabounding Grace of GOD, the ‘Bread of Life’ is so that: ‘we
all arrive at the unity of the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the
SON of GOD, at a man of complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature
7
of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be infants, tossed by waves and
carried around by every wind of teaching ... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us
grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:12-15).
‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Do not be carried away
by various and strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by
Grace, not with foods by which the ones walking were not profited.’ (Hebrews 13:8,9)
The New Testament makes many references to foods which do not nurture to Life – which do
not strengthen the heart and mind and soul – which cannot profit our Spiritual walk. ‘Foods for
the stomach and the stomach for foods, but G OD will destroy both this and these.
The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord. And the Lord for the body. ’
(1Corinthians 6:13). The ‘food which perishes’, (which will be destroyed by GOD), are the
‘various and strange teachings’ which lead ‘astray from the simplicity and the purity
in Christ’. Such foods are the cunning deceits of the one promulgating deception, the one who
comes to ‘steal, kill and destroy’. For the serpent who 'deceived Eve by his cunning' has
but one (futile) intent – the destruction of GOD's creation through his lies.
“... that one was a manslayer from the beginning and has not stood in the Truth,
because the Truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie he speaks of his own
(things), because he is a liar.” (John 8:44)
‘... the great dragon, the ancient serpent, the one called devil and Satan, the one
deceiving the whole inhabited earth ...’ (Revelation 12:9)
“Now the serpent was more cunning than every beast of the field that Yahweh/'the
LORD' GOD had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, did GOD really say, 'You
shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). From the beginning our Creator
has given us choices. GOD does not force man to do HIS will. GOD gives man free will but urges
us to follow HIS commands and to trust that HE leads us in the Way of Life: “Behold, I set
before you today Life and Good, death and destruction.” (Deuteronomy 30:15); “I call
the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today, that I set before you
Life and death, Blessing and curse. Now choose Life so that you may live, you and
your offspring ...” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
‘And the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die. For G OD knows that when
you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like GOD, knowing good and
evil.”' (Genesis 3:4,5). In succumbing to the lie, man has indeed come to know evil, but man
has also lost sight of the Truth. Eve's eyes were not opened by following the serpent's advice but
were closed so that she could not discern between Good and evil. Eve 'saw' that 'the tree was
good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and that the tree was desirable
to make one wise and she took of its fruit and ate. ' (Genesis 3:6); but she had lost sight
of GOD's will for her. Eve had stopped resting and trusting in the Purity and Simplicity of G OD's
word.
Enticed by the evil one, Eve ate what GOD said should not be eaten. She did what she thought
was beneficial to her, appeasing her self-will, but Eve had only done Satan's will. And Satan is
still limited to this one modus operandi – to mislead us, according to our own (prideful) self-
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seeking, along 'the way leading to destruction'. The Almighty GOD reiterates: 'Listen,
listen to Me and eat what is Good and your soul will delight in the richness. Give
ear and come to Me. Hear, that your soul may live ...' “Son of man eat what you
find; eat this scroll then go speak to the House of Israel. ” Son of man, eat what you can
readily find from the scroll of the word of GOD. Do not go seeking after something else. Choose
Life; eat that which GOD has provided for us as Food for our souls. This is the Way of Wisdom.
“Indeed, did GOD really say, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Yes HE
did. 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Do not be carried
away by various and strange teachings.'
It is Satan, the father of the lie, who sets a trap for the sheep: ‘... a snare before the sons of
Israel to eat things offered to idols and to commit fornication. ’ (Revelation 2:14). In
the Bible, the terms adultery and fornication, as idolatry, are used with regard to man's departure
from GOD and from the Truth of GOD. Therefore, we see idolatrous Israel described as
'adulterous', and we see the mixed metaphors such as: 'Foods for the stomach and the
stomach for foods, but GOD will destroy both this and these. The body is not for
fornication, but for the Lord'; and 'a snare … to eat things offered to idols and to
commit fornication.’ 'Food' and 'adultery', (as the word of GOD as a 'seed' which grows), are
natural, tangible representations of Spiritual things so that these Spiritual things can be
understood. But even more than this, they illustrate that Spiritual things are not intangibles.
Health and healing are not intangible things. Being a new creation is not an intangible thing.
Righteousness is not intangible. Spiritual idolatry and adultery are very real things which we
must guard against.
('Do not be carried away by various and strange teachings. ' Paul is even more explicit:
‘... we should no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried around by every
wind of teaching ...’ Because there is a turbulent sea of 'various and strange teachings'
by which 'infants' (those without the Knowledge and Wisdom that comes with maturity) are
carried away. Note that the word 'sea' in the Bible is used to represent salty – adulterated – water
in the same way as the Bible speaks of leavened – corrupted – bread. 'Does the fountain out
of the same opening send forth sweet and bitter? My brothers, can a fig tree yield
olives, or a vine figs? Neither salt water yields sweet. ' (James 3:11,12). And so Jesus
gives us to drink only of Living Water (John 4:10), (Spiritually) flowing ‘rivers of Living
Water’ (John 7:38); as also our bodies can only be cleansed with 'pure water' (Hebrews
10:22). The 'sea' is but a large accumulation of impure water and refers to idolatry. But we know
GOD's mighty promise: ‘... the earth will be full of the Knowledge of Yahweh/'the LORD’
as the waters cover the sea. ’ (Isaiah 11:9). In Genesis chapter one GOD separated the Light
from the darkness and the dry land from the sea. Most certainly does HE separate us from the
idolatry of this world.)
Idolatry is serving someone other than the Only True GOD; as Eve served Satan's will. And
idolatrous food – ‘things offered to idols’ which are eaten as the Bread of GOD – is an
offering that supports and encourages that which is not of GOD, that which does not foster Life.
Idolatrous food serves the will of the adversary of GOD, serving but to scatter the sheep from the
fold. It is honey from 'the lips of an adulteress', not real (Spiritual) Food. Idolatrous food
is leavened bread, worldly, corrupted, powerless, (not 'the Bread of Life'). Idolatrous food
gratifies, but only for a short time, for it feeds the natural appetites. It is ' foods for the
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stomach', it serves no purpose with regard to “… reviving the soul … making wise the
simple … giving joy to the heart … giving light to the eyes …” (Psalms 19:10).
Idolatrous food does not endure forever, for both these appetites and the food itself will not
remain beyond this world. Because they are of this world and, as all worldly things, they are
perishing. In this way, from the beginning, Satan set out to entrap GOD's people in sin and death.
But – although Eve did not 'choose Life', although she did not choose to heed GOD's word,
although she did not choose GOD's word over the lie – this option remains available to each one
of us as GOD graciously and faithfully gives us, in Christ, to discern between ‘ the Bread of
Life’ and its many replicas. ‘Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24).
'Yahweh/'the LORD' appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and and G OD said,

“Ask. What shall I give you?” (1Kings 3:5). Solomon asked GOD for ‘... an understanding
heart, to judge your people, to discern between good and evil ... ’ (1Kings 3:9). 'And
GOD said to him, “Because you have asked this and have not asked for long life for
yourself, nor for riches for yourself, nor for the life of your enemies, but have asked
for yourself understanding to discern what is Right, behold, I do according to your
words. Behold I give you a wise and understanding heart …”' (1Kings 3:12).
We already know of GOD's gift of wisdom and understanding to Solomon. (And because
Solomon asked for ‘an understanding heart ... to discern between good and evil ’, he
also received 'both riches and honour': For ‘Blessed is the man that finds wisdom and
gains understanding. For she is more profitable than silver and her return is more
than gold ... Long life is in her right hand and in her left hand are riches and honour.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all of her paths are peace. She is a tree of
life to the ones embracing her and those who lay hold of her are blessed. ’ (Proverbs
3:13-18).) Solomon asked GOD for the wisdom 'to discern between good and evil'. In GOD's
own words, Solomon 'asked for … understanding to discern what is Right'. What a wise
request! Only in this are we equipped to discern between ‘the Bread of Life’ and ‘things
offered to idols’, so as not to be led astray, so as to choose Life.
(I have heard it taught that GOD told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted because Solomon
sacrificed 'a thousand burnt offerings' to GOD, (1Kings 3:5). But “Yahweh/'the LORD' your
GOD is the GOD of Gods and the LORD of Lords, the Great GOD, Mighty and Awe-
inspiring who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes ... ” (Deuteronomy 10:17).
'Solomon loved Yahweh, (so as) to walk in the statutes of David, his father. ' (1Kings
3:3). (‘For this is the Love of GOD, that we keep HIS commandments.’ (1John 5:3).) And
we know: ‘… whatever we ask we receive from HIM, because we keep HIS commands
and we do what is pleasing to HIM.’ (1John 3:22). This is GOD's grace towards those
knowing HIM and loving HIM, so as to trust HIM to lead us in the Paths of Righteousness into
Life, into Glory. This is the Way of the Father with HIS Children, those choosing to be in
harmony with HIM, choosing HIS Way, choosing Life, choosing to be conformed to HIS divine
nature.
This is the Way of the Lord with those who have faith. As Jesus left Jericho, followed by a great
crowd, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, sitting on the roadside, heard that Jesus was passing by. He
could not see Him, but he started crying out, '“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
And many rebuked him, (saying) that he should be silent. But he cried out all the
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more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped/stood still and said,
“Call him.”' (Mark 10:46-49). 'Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?” And
the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni1, that I may see again.” And Jesus said to him,
“Go, your faith has made you whole.” And immediately he recovered his sight and
followed Him in the way.' (Mark 10:51,52). GOD's will is for the blind to see, for all to be able
'to discern between good and evil', for all to come to know HIM and to know HIS Ways, so
that we may follow in HIS Ways. And so GOD gave us HIS only-begotten SON to show the Way
and to be the Way.
“But if indeed our Good News has been hidden, it has been hidden among the ones
perishing. In whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers so as not to shine forth the light of the Good News of the Glory of
Christ, who is the image of GOD.’ (2Corinthians 4:3,4))
“What then am I saying? That an offering to idols is anything? Or that an idol is

anything? No, but that the things which they offer they offer to demons and not to
GOD. I do not want you to become sharers of the demons. You cannot drink of the
cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord’s Table and
the table of demons. Or do we make the Lord jealous? Surely we are not stronger
than He?” (1Corinthians 10:19-22)
Partaking of idolatrous food is listening to the voice which misleads, which ‘teaches and
deceives my servants to commit fornication and to eat things offered to idols. ’
(Revelation 2:20). Idolatry, in itself, is nothing. What is an idol, or an idolatrous offering, in
comparison to 'the Only True GOD’ and the divine things of GOD? Nothing whatsoever. These
things are lies – mere misrepresentations of the Truth – to keep us from the Truth, to stop us
from being 'sanctified in Truth'. (It is important for us to recognize the true worth of the lie.
All things that transpire as a result of the lie are of no account, because they are not True. They
are not of GOD, they do not have the Power of the Truth, they are not lasting and remaining.
Therefore the lie cannot continue to influence in our lives, if we know the Truth: “And you will
Know the Truth and the Truth will free you.” (John 8:32).)
'Concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in
the world and that there is no GOD but one.' (1Corinthians 8:4)
Since 'an idol is nothing', then the 'things offered to idols' are also nothing, the significance
of idolatrous food being: ‘the things which they offer they offer to demons and not to
GOD’. Therefore, the one partaking in this falsehood shares in the activities of Satan and his
cohorts. And ‘I do not want you to become sharers of the demons. ’ For ‘The B/body is
not for fornication, but for the Lord. And the Lord for the B/body ’. (The individual's
body (redeemed in the Blood of the Lamb of GOD) is only for the Lord, as is the entire Body of
the Church of GOD.) Our entry way to intimacy with GOD is through the Truth. ‘All things for
Life and Godliness have been given to us by H IS divine Power through the precise
and correct Knowledge of the ONE having called us to HIS own Glory and Virtue,
through which HE has given to us the precious and great promises, that through
these you may become sharers of the divine nature ...’ (2Peter 1:3,4). Similarly,
partaking in Satan's deceptions also fosters intimacy with him and a sharing in his ungodly
1
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #4462 – Greatest/Highest Teacher/Master
7
nature. Paul says, 'I do not want you to become sharers of the demons.’ This constitutes
fornication for the uncommitted of GOD's creation and adultery for those committed to the
Creator. For we were created only for relationship with GOD.
“Her priests (the priests of the land - verse 23) do violence to my Law and profane my
holy things. They do not distinguish between holy and common/profane; and
between the clean and the unclean they have not made known; and they hid their
eyes from my Sabbaths; so I am profaned/made common among them. ” (Ezekiel
22:26)
Where do the things of this world become 'idolatry' except in our churches, amongst GOD's
people. It is here that GOD is most often profaned, and by priests, shepherds, leaders, who
sacrifice impure offerings on the altar of GOD, who 'do not distinguish between holy and
common' and who do not make known the difference between 'the clean and the unclean'
between the Bread of GOD and everything else. Can anything else taught from a pulpit – other
than the precise and correct Truth of the holy word of GOD – result in our becoming 'sharers of
the divine nature'?
‘But I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts
should be led astray from the simplicity and the purity in Christ.’ (2Corinthians 11:3)
Idolatry and idolatrous food, in themselves, are nothing, but Paul tells us: ‘You cannot drink
of the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord’s
Table and the table of demons. ’ (For ‘the things which they offer they offer to
demons and not to GOD’.) This desecrates the word of GOD which is divine and Spiritual. Or
are we just trying to make our Lord jealous when we make no differentiation between that which
is Pure and Holy and that which is impure and unholy; when we are gratified/satisfied/comforted
by what is common, unspiritual, corrupt, idolatrous?
‘Therefore, my Beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible/understanding

men, judge for yourselves what I say ... Because (there is) one Bread, we the many
are one Body, for we all partake of the one Loaf.” (1Corinthians 10:14,15,17).
We, 'the many', are ‘one Flock’, (“... my voice they will hear and they will become
one Flock, (with) one Shepherd”, the ‘one Body’ of the Church, in Christ), because we
partake of the 'one Bread': ‘the one Loaf’ of ‘the Bread of Life’; ‘the unleavened
(Bread) of Purity and Truth’. There is no room here for anything else. Our Bibles teach of
our being 'perfected into one', of our unity with GOD. “And they will be My People and I,
I will be their GOD. And I will give to them one heart and one way ... ” (Jeremiah
32:38,39). “The one joining himself to the Lord is one Spirit. ” (1Corinthians 6:17). For
there is but ‘... one Body and one Spirit, as also of your calling, you were called in one
hope, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one GOD and Father of all. The ONE over all
and through all and in all.’ (Ephesians 4:4-6).
We have seen the Scriptures regarding our being 'united together', (‘... united together in
Love and in all riches/wealth of the full assurance of Understanding in the precise
and correct Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ, in whom are hidden all the
treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge. This I say so that no one may delude you with
8
persuasive speech.’ (Colossians 2:2-4)). We know of the ‘unity of the Faith’, (‘… the
building up of the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and at
the precise and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD, at a man of complete
maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the Fullness of Christ, that we
should no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried around by every wind of
teaching ... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all things into Him
who is the Head, Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:12-15)).
Our Bibles teach of our being conformed to the Truth, unto Life, and of the adultery of those
who depart from the Truth, unto death. (Religious tolerance is not a tenet of Christianity.) As
armour against the adulteress we are taught to ‘gird your loins with Truth’ (Ephesians 6:14).
Because Truth is the (chastity) belt which keeps us from fornication and idolatry and which so
frees us from death. This should be the message of the leaders of the church. But “Her priests
do violence“… my GOD will fill your every need according to H IS riches in Glory in
Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). to my Law and profane my holy things. They do not
distinguish between holy and common/profane; and between the clean and the
unclean they have not made known; and they hid their eyes from my Sabbaths; so I
am profaned/made common among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26)
‘Now concerning the idolatrous sacrifices/the things offered to idols, we know that
we all have general knowledge1. General knowledge puffs up, but Love builds up. If
anyone thinks to have known2 (perceived) anything, he has not yet learnt to know3
as it is necessary to learn to know 4. But if anyone Loves GOD, HE it is who is known 5
of him.’ (1Corinthians 8:1-3)
'Love builds up': ‘... speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all things into Him
who is the Head, Christ, from whom all the Body, being fitly joined together and
united … builds itself up in Love.’ (Ephesians 4:15,16). Love is divine, it is of GOD, it is of
the Spirit of GOD. ‘And this I pray, that your Love may increase more and yet more, in
precise and correct Knowledge and all discernment, for you to approve the Superior
things, that you may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ.’ (Philippians 1:9,10).
To be 'pure and blameless', our eyes must be opened to 'the Superior things'. We must be
able to 'distinguish between holy and common' and 'between the clean and the
unclean', 'to discern between Good and evil', 'to discern what is Right', 'to approve
the superior things', to distinguish between 'the Bread of Life' and that which is 'not
Bread'. There is nothing common or mundane or 'practical' (the term 'Practical Christianity' is
an oxymoron) about GOD, or HIS word, or our relationship with HIM. The things of GOD are
'superior things', as high as the heavens are from the earth: Spiritual, wonderful, extraordinary,
powerful, divine; and how else does Jesus open our eyes and ears to these things but according
to our true measure of the holy, GOD-breathed Scriptures. Therefore, Paul teaches that 'Love
builds up' but 'General knowledge puffs up'. The difference between gnosis, 'general
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1108 - Gnosis - general knowledge.
2
some-thing which has a definite meaning (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon).
3
4
5
8
knowledge' and epignosis, 'precise and correct knowledge' is one of the basic things that has to
be discerned for us to understand the Truth of GOD.
'Now concerning the idolatrous sacrifices/the things offered to idols, we know that
we all have general knowledge.' But general knowledge does not serve to build up the Body
of Christ. 'General knowledge puffs up', being nothing but a deceptive replica of the Real
thing. General knowledge is not one of 'the Superior things', it is 'common'. Many people
have some 'common' knowledge of the things of GOD. But such knowledge is not the Truth that
astounds, that shatters misconceptions, that delivers out of sin and death. General knowledge is
but leavened bread (rising through a building up of hot air) and which, in turn, creates an empty
illusion of Spiritual growth. '... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all
things into Him who is the Head, Christ. ' ‘... the Head, from whom all the Body,
being fully supplied and united together, through the joints and the ligaments,
Grows with the Growth of GOD.’ (Colossians 2:19).
‘Beware lest there be any one of you being taken captive through philosophy and
empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary
principles of the world, and not according to Christ.’ (Colossians 2:8)
General knowledge does not bring all the 'wealth of the full assurance of Understanding
in the precise and correct Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ', it does not include
'all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge', and disseminating general knowledge is not
the Stewardship of the ministers of Christ. General knowledge is not the Food of the Shepherds
after GOD’s own heart; it is not Spiritual, it is the regurgitated honey of the adulteress, the food
of the shepherds who do not venture into the deep things of G OD, who 'perceive' that they know
but who 'has not yet learnt to know as it is necessary to learn to know', who so profane
GOD, and who are so (unwittingly) in accord with the one who is the liar and the father of the lie.
General knowledge is incomplete, imperfect, idolatrous – sacrificed to the demons of the partial,
the hidden, the impure; to the god of confusion and disorder. It is food which satisfies the natural
mind and gratifies the fleshly, worldly appetites. General knowledge puffs up, puffing up the
mind of the flesh, (Colossians 2:18), not building to the ‘mind of Christ’ (1Corinthians 2:16).
General knowledge does not have divine power. Therefore, we are not renewed/refreshed
through general knowledge. It does not delight and satisfy the soul. Grace and Peace are not
multiplied to us in general knowledge. We do not walk worthy of the Lord in every way
pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, according to general knowledge. Our love
does not increase more and yet more in general knowledge. We do not receive G OD's Holy Spirit
according to general knowledge. General knowledge is but a cunning trap designed by the thief
who comes to steal the word of GOD. It is the leavened bread of 'empty deceit' which is
'according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the
world, and not according to Christ'. 'Therefore, my Beloved, flee from idolatry.'
Many Christians despair of their impotence, of their lack of righteousness, of their lack of
healing, of their lack of Grace and Peace and Love, of their lack of Faith. But the promise of
GOD – in the words of David, the shepherd-boy after G OD's own heart (Act 13:22), 'the sweet
psalmist of Israel' who spoke as an oracle of GOD (2Samuel 23:1) – is, ‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is
my SHEPHERD, I will lack nothing ... ’ (Psalm 23:1). We must grow in faith that Yahweh-rohi
8
HIMSELF gives us to be built up in the precise and correct knowledge of the Truth, in Christ – in
the word of the Power of HIS unfailing Love – unto our Holiness, Godliness, Perfection and Life.
There is leavened bread, and there is unleavened Bread. There are natural – tainted, corrupted –
things and there are Pure, Holy, Spiritual things. It is essential that we do not, in natural-
mindedness, mistake the natural for the Spiritual. There is worldly, imperfect, natural love and
joy and peace and grace and righteousness, but these are not Real. They are counterfeit,
deceitfully serving to puff up the mind of the flesh. Spiritual peace surpasses all natural
understanding. Spiritual love bears all things, forgives all things, works no evil, never fails.
Spiritual joy is not overcome by the events of the world. Spiritual grace superabounds to us and
through us, for us to superabound in all Good works, always. As Christians our realms are the
superabundant, the Spiritual, the Powerful, the divine; our Lives must be superabounding in the
miraculous Power of GOD. And if they are not, this is because our expectations are ensnared in
the unspiritual, the ordinary, the reasonable, the comfortable – ensnared by what is powerless.
(Jesus said, “The one loving a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.
And the one loving a son or a daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
(Matthew 10:37). The love with which one loves a father/mother/son/daughter more than one
loves Jesus, is not Spiritual love. Such love is imperfect, unrighteous; it is conditional,
subjective, and worldly. In coming to Know Jesus, and in coming to understand His Love for us,
and our Father’s Love demonstrated in Him, we enter into the Spiritual reality of divine love.
And all our relationships are perfected as an extension of the Spiritual love of Christ.)
“Love never fails. But whether prophecies, they will be abolished; or tongues, they
will cease; or general knowledge, it will be abolished. For we know1 in part and we
prophesy in part. But when the perfect/complete thing comes, the thing in part will
be abolished.” (1Corinthains 13:8-10)
'… general knowledge, it will be abolished.' It is ‘the food which perishes’. ‘Foods for
the stomach and the stomach for foods, but G OD will destroy both this and these’.
The 'GOD of Knowledge' – the GOD of Divine Knowledge, HE who gave us 'the Bread of
Life' – will abolish general knowledge. Because it has no place in Life. Common, natural,
unholy things will not pass beyond this world. They cannot, they are not Pure and Perfect, they
are but the elementary things of this world and, as such, are temporary and passing away. ‘… we
know in part and we prophesy in part’. And whoever thinks that he knows, does not learn
to know as it is necessary for him to know. “Thus will the last be first and the first last. ”
(Matthew 20:16). (See Jesus' teaching from Matthew 19:13 to Matthew 20:16). In the last days,
when the Knowledge of GOD floods the earth, it is those without a pre-supposition of the things
of GOD who will be first into the Kingdom of GOD. And many who 'know' will be the last; for
they will have to unlearn all that they have been taught 'according to the tradition of men,
according to the elementary principles of the world and not according to Christ'.
'And behold, one who approached Him said, “Teacher, what good thing may I do
that I may have eternal life?”' (Matthew 19:16). Jesus said, '“... if you wish to enter into
Life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “You shall
not murder, you shall not …” The young man said to Him, “All these I have kept.
What do I still Lack?” Jesus said, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you
1
Ginosko - learn to know
8
possess … and come, follow me.”' (Matthew 19:17-21). The young man recognized that he
was Spiritually lacking. But rich with 'many possessions', (Matthew 19:22), he was unwilling
to give up what he had – what he thought made him rich – unspiritual, unholy, common things –
which were not unto Perfection, which were not unto Life. Only from the base of first having
and knowing nothing can we be a (true) disciple of Christ.
'If anyone thinks to have known anything, he has not yet learnt to know as it is
necessary to learn to know.' But whoever is seeking out the Truth of GOD, whoever is
learning to Know, is aware of the rivers of Living water which flow unabatingly to those who
follow Christ. Growing in the Knowledge of GOD is a Glorious Spiritual experience which
delights the soul, which constantly upbuilds, and which teaches us to speak, precisely and
correctly, with 'one voice', (Romans 15:6), only as our Shepherd, the Word of GOD, speaks.
‘If anyone speaks, (speak) as oracles of GOD.’ (1Peter 4:11)

‘Be diligent/make earnest effort to present yourself approved to GOD, a workman
unashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth. But shun profane, empty utterances,
for they will advance to more ungodliness and their word will spread like gangrene. ’
(2Timothy 2:15)
General knowledge is like manna from heaven. It is as bread compared to 'the Bread of Life', it
too is GOD-given, but the Israelites ate the manna and yet they died: “Truly, truly, I say to
you, the one believing has life eternal. I am the Bread of Life. Your fathers ate
manna in the wilderness and died. This is the (true) Bread coming down out of
heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the Living Bread, the One
having come down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live into the
age ...” (John 6:47-51).
GOD gave the children of Israel manna in the wilderness. Manna was food necessary for basic
survival in the wilderness, but manna was not the food of the Promised Land. Like Samuel,
before we can (truly) enter into service before GOD, we have to be weaned (1Samuel 1:22,28
2:18,21). Before we can leave the wilderness and enter into the Promised Land of the Kingdom
of GOD we have to be mature enough to eat of ‘ Living Bread’, ‘the Bread of Life’; the
Promised Land being the place of Wisdom, of Righteousness, of our Maturity, in Christ.
“For although, because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you have need again
for some-one to teach you the fundamental beginnings of the oracles of GOD and
you are in need of milk and not solid food. ... But solid food is for the mature/perfect
ones. The ones having their faculties of perception trained for distinguishing both
good and evil. Therefore, leaving the elemental teaching about Christ, let us move
on toward Maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,
and of Faith toward GOD ...” (Hebrews 5:12-14, Hebrews 6:1)
Manna was given to the Israelites who complained that GOD had taken them from Egypt where
they had all that they wanted to eat (Exodus 16:2,3). They had been enslaved in Egypt and GOD
had delivered them with a mighty Hand, but in the wilderness they lost sight of their
enslavement, (and the Mightiness of GOD), desiring but for their natural appetites to be satisfied.
The Israelites grumbled that they would rather have died in slavery than have to go without the
8
fleshly comfort of the food to which they were accustomed. So GOD gave them just enough to
satisfy their natural fleshly desires.
Manna was by measure, enough for each person for each day. Manna did not last from one day
to another (except for the Sabbath), it was not meant to remain. Manna, pleasant to the taste, (it
tasted like honey (Exodus 16:31)), did no more than appease the natural appetites, a substitute
for what they had before in Egypt. The Israelites could not see beyond this, they did not aspire to
greater things than the satisfaction of their immediate needs, the gratification of their natural
desires, the replacement for the fleshly comforts of Egypt. And very often this is the role which
Christianity and the church plays in the lives of Christians – those who are not being established
in the Truth of the Grace of GOD in Christ Jesus; those who ‘do not distinguish between
holy and common’; those who profane GOD. The church merely serves to fill a natural need,
replacing the powerless life of Egypt with something equally unholy and unspiritual. But this is
not the role of GOD’s Church; just as milk and manna are not a substitute for the Powerful,
Spiritual food – the Solid Food – of the Bread of Life. ' … solid food is for the
mature/perfect ones. The ones having their faculties of perception trained for
distinguishing both good and evil.'
‘Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it has been written, “The people sat
down to eat and to drink and stood up to play.” We must not commit fornication as
some of them committed fornication, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.’
(1Corinthians 10:7). When Moses ascended Mount Sinai, while waiting for his return, the sons
of Israel sought to comfort and appease their religious/spiritual desires by creating a god (an
arbitrary god of their own making) to lead them. While awaiting the receiving of G OD's
law/instruction/word they entered into idolatry. These were the ones who wandered in the
wilderness for forty years, and who died in the wilderness, never entering the Promised Land.
Idolatry, in itself, is nothing, but this means that it has no power for Life.
Paul tells us: ‘... not first is the Spiritual, but the natural. Afterward, the Spiritual’
(1Corinthians 15:46). The Israelites in the wilderness is a natural illustration of the Spiritual
reality to which we have been called. (Our Spiritual walk is always out of enslavement in Egypt
(redeemed in the Blood of the Lamb of GOD), across the Red Sea, the wilderness, and the Jordan,
around the walls of Jericho and on into the Promised Land, in Christ.) But many of us have
followed the same circuitous path as the children of Israel, misled along the natural route
through the wilderness. Many of us, like the children of Israel, have not looked beyond our
immediate circumstances to see the Grace and Faithfulness and Love of the ONE who is with us
in the wilderness, our DELIVERER, a Mighty Tower of Strength. Many of us have not lifted up our
eyes to see the Glory and Holiness and Godliness and Perfection to which we have been called in
the Promised Land. Many of us have tried to satisfy ourselves with that which 'is not Bread',
labouring 'on what does not satisfy'. Many of us have not discerned that the way to our
miracle is, like Naaman, simply in being obedient and washing in the water of the word.
The Israelites spent forty years in the wilderness, rebellious, self-serving, eating manna. Many of
us would emerge far quicker from the wilderness experience if we would humble ourselves, trust
in GOD, seek HIS wisdom and eat of the True Bread, so as to abide in H IS word, (and so as to
receive of all that comes with the gift of wisdom). In lustfully seeking after something
comfortable, we are merely trying to replace the natural with the natural. That which is Spiritual
cannot be found in the natural and manna is but food for a prolonged stay in the wilderness.
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Jesus Himself spent forty days in the wilderness, hungry for the things of the flesh with the
natural hunger of the flesh, but not focused on the worldly sustenance required to satisfy His
natural appetites. (This was He who told His disciples: 'I have food to eat that you do not
know about.' And, “My Food is that I may do the will of the ONE having sent me ...”
(John 4:32, 34).)
After His baptism, like the children of Israel, “Jesus was lead by the Spirit into the
wilderness.” (Matthew 4:1). After the fullness of forty days of natural deprivation, Jesus,
developed in the Spirit, abiding in the word of GOD, overcame the temptations of Satan with the
Power of the Truth. (In Christ, our Head, the Body of the Church has a stewardship to do the
same: ‘That through the Church, the many faceted Wisdom of GOD might now be
made known1 to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, according to the
plan of the ages which HE made in Christ Jesus, our Lord ... ’ (Ephesians 3:10,11).) Satan
tempted Jesus saying, satisfy yourself, make bread from what you have around you, from the
stones on the ground. Jesus responded: “It has been written, ‘Man will not Live by bread
alone, but by every word proceeding through the mouth of GOD.'” (Matthew 4:4). This
is what is needed in the wilderness: '… every word proceeding through the mouth of
GOD'. (Not just the New Testament, not just the Old Testament.) Jesus denied Satan's every
temptation with the Truth of the word of GOD (quoting the Old Testament) and went out from
the wilderness, the Head of the Body of the Church, to begin His ministry of preaching and
teaching and healing.
When the new generation of the Israelites (those born (again) in the wilderness, those fed-up
with manna) came out of the wilderness and crossed the Jordan, when they came into the land of
Canaan and ate of the Food of the Land, then the manna ceased (Joshua 5:12). The Hebrew word
translated ‘Canaan’ is from a root word meaning ‘to bend the knee’; hence ‘to bring into
subjection, to humble, to subdue’. And so we need to humble ourselves and eat of the True
Bread of Life, the Food of the Land, to the exclusion of the counterfeit, powerless, idolatrous
food which provides no Spiritual sustenance for GOD’s People. It is only in eating of the Truth in
Jesus Christ, leaving idolatry and fornication behind, that we come to see that we have already
crossed over from death to Life and have already been freed into the Kingdom of GOD, in Christ.
General knowledge is like the leaven (leavened bread) of the Pharisees and the Sadducees which
Jesus told His disciples to watch out for (Matthew 16:6,11). ‘ Then they understood that He
did not say to beware of the leaven of the loaves, but of the teaching of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ (Matthew 16:12). These men dealt in the elementary
legalities of the Law of Moses, satisfying themselves by making their own bread, fabricating and
bandying words, limiting knowledge and understanding. Jesus said: “Woe to you lawyers!
Because you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in
yourselves and you hindered the ones entering in”; and “I say to you that unless
your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never
enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 5:20). Therefore, beware of the leaven
of the wisdom of men, those not teaching the Wisdom and Power of GOD. How do you know
them? “From their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16).
1
Gnorozo - a derivative of ginosko - to make known.
8
Paul said, “My speech and my proclamation was not in persuasive words of wisdom
but in a demonstration of the Spirit and Power, that your Faith may not be in the
wisdom of men, but in the Power of GOD.” (1Corinthians 2:4,5). Paul teaches of Wisdom
and Power, of speaking the Wisdom of GOD by which our faith is built up 'in the Power of
GOD'. ‘... the surpassing greatness of HIS Power to us, the ones believing, according
to the working of the might of HIS strength’ (Ephesians 1:19), by which we are built up to
'maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the Fullness of Christ '
(Ephesians 4:13), ‘pure and blameless in the day of Christ’ (Philippians 1:10).
The seductive, puffed up speech of the mind of flesh does not teach the Truth of GOD's Wisdom
and Power. It does not build Faith in the Truth of GOD’s Power in us unto Righteousness, unto
Godliness. These ‘foods for the stomach’ just pass through and out of the Body and are not
unto divine increase, not unto sanctification. ‘… the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and
her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a
double edged sword’, a double-sided (two-faced) sword which separates from the Truth. But
‘... the word of GOD is living and powerful and sharper than every double-edged
sword ...’ (Hebrews 4:12). And we can always tell the Real Sword, ‘the sword of the Spirit
which is the word of GOD’ (Ephesians 6:17), by its Power. Power to build-up the Body of
Christ as our Faith is built up in the Truth of ‘ the Power of GOD’ at work in our lives. The
word of Truth is a Powerful weapon which separates us from the idolatrous things of this world,
destroying these things in our lives, so that we Grow with the Growth of GOD unto Life.
(‘… for the instruments/weapons1 of our warfare are not fleshly but are Powerful,
through GOD, to the overthrow of strongholds, overthrowing reasonings and every
high thing rising up against the Knowledge of GOD ...’ (2Corinthians 10:4,5))
‘But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the speech of
the ones being puffed up, but the Power. For the Kingdom of GOD is not in speech,
but in Power. What do you want? Should I come to you with a rod, or in Love and a
Spirit of Meekness?’ (1Corinthians 4:20)
The ‘speech of the ones being puffed up’ are the empty words of those who come not ‘in a
demonstration of the Spirit and Power’, not 'in Love and a Spirit of Meekness', but
who ‘come to you with a rod’. Such speech tries to imitate Power but is a lie – delivering
oppression and not empowerment. This is not ‘the unleavened (Bread) of purity and truth’
which builds faith ‘in the Power of GOD’, because such speech is not itself of the Power of
GOD. Paul speaks of: ‘... warning every man and teaching every man in all Wisdom,
that we may present every man Mature/Perfect in Christ. For which also I labour,
striving according to the working of HIM, working in me with Power.’ (Colossians
1:28,29). ‘... the Kingdom of GOD is not in speech, but in Power’. The Power of GOD
which – in Love and with Meekness – builds Faith in the Truth in Christ unto repentance and
restoration:
‘And a slave of the Lord ought not to fight but ought to be gentle to all, skilled in
teaching, patient, in Meekness instructing the ones opposing ... so that G OD may
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 3696 - implement of war, armour. From this is derived the
‘whole armour’ of Ephesians 6:11,13 (# 3833).
8
perhaps grant them repentance in the precise and correct knowledge2 of the Truth,
and they may come to their senses out of the trap of the devil, having been
captured by him for his will.’ (2Timothy 2:24-26)
‘Brothers, if indeed a man is overtaken in some transgression, you, the Spiritual

ones, should restore such a one in a Spirit of Meekness.’ (Galatians 6:1)
Those who are Spiritual speak 'not in persuasive words of wisdom (the wisdom of men)
but in a demonstration of the Spirit and Power'; teaching the Truth – according to the
Spirit of Truth – in the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of Power and Love and a Sound-mind/Self-
control, (2Timothy 1:7), the Spirit of Meekness. (‘Who is Wise and Understanding among
you? Let him show, by his good conduct, his works in the Meekness/Gentleness of
Wisdom.’ (James 3:13).) Only in 'the Meekness/Gentleness of Wisdom', with Love, can a
person be brought to ‘repentance in acknowledgment of the Truth’ – the Truth of GOD’s
Mercy, GOD's Grace, GOD’s Love, GOD’s Righteousness and Faithfulness, GOD’s Power. Only
True, Spiritual food brings about ‘the obedience of Faith’ – GOD’s Power unto Holiness,
Perfection and Life.
In ‘growing in the precise and correct Knowledge of GOD’, we are ‘empowered with
Power according to the might of H IS (GOD’s) Glory’ (Colossians 1:11). This is ‘the
surpassing greatness of HIS (GOD’s) Power to us, the ones believing, according to
the working of the might of H IS strength’ and this is the Way of the Kingdom of G OD. The
‘Kingdom of GOD is ... in Power’. Our GOD is the Source of Power who “sustains all things
by the word of HIS Power” (Hebrews 1:3). HE is ‘the ONE being able to do all things
superabundantly above which we ask or think, according to the Power working in
us’. ‘Power through HIS (GOD’s) Spirit’ (Ephesians 3:16). Jesus said: “You will receive
Power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses ... ” (Acts
1:8); the Body of the Church testifying – in Spirit and in Truth – to the Truth of G OD's Grace to
us in Jesus our Lord, manifesting the Truth of HIS Power through us, in Christ.
'For we cannot not speak of the things which we saw and heard.' (Acts 4:20)
‘And the word of Yahweh/'the LORD' came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy
against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the shepherds: 'This H E
says, the Lord Yahweh, “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves.
Should the shepherds not feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourself with
the wool; the plump/fed animal you slaughter, the flock you do not feed. The weak
ones you have not strengthened, nor the sick ones have you healed, neither have
you bound up the broken ones. And the one straying you have not brought back;
neither have you searched for the lost.”' (Ezekiel 34:1-4)
The English word ‘pastor’ is related to the term ‘pastoral’, that is, of shepherds and flocks and
pasturing/feeding. A pastor is a shepherd and GOD-given shepherds are ordained and empowered
to build up in Love and in a Spirit of Meekness, building Faith in the Power of G OD. These are
the shepherds after GOD’s own heart who feed the sheep with Food demonstrating the Spirit and
Power of the Truth. True shepherds do not mislead the sheep, to keep their flock on a unspiritual
level, satisfied in their minds (stomachs) with imperfect, unholy things. These do not teach 'the
2
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wisdom of men'; they are not 'false teachers' who 'bring in destructive heresies'
(doctrine which is unto destruction), who cause the Truth to be blasphemed and who sermonize
with 'fabricated words' (2Peter 2:1-3). They do not profane the things of GOD. True shepherds
are: ‘... ministers/servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of G OD.
Furthermore, it is required of stewards that one be found Faithful. ’ (1Corinthians
4:1,2).
‘And He (Jesus) charged them saying, “Take care, beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the leaven of Herod!” And they reasoned with one another, “It is
because we have no bread.” And knowing this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you
discussing that you do not have loaves? Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Have your hearts become hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears,
do you not hear? And do you not remember when the five loaves I broke for the five
thousand. How many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They said to Him,
“Twelve”. “When the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces
did you pick up?” And they said to Him, “Seven”. And He said to them, “Do you not
yet comprehend?”' (Mark 8:15-21)
Faithful stewards of the mysteries of GOD know that there is no shortage of 'the Bread of GOD'.
Like all that is of GOD, ‘the Bread of Life’ is in divine superabundance. The Kingdom of GOD
is built up according to GOD’s exponential multiplication of the word of GOD. ‘And He (Jesus)
said, “Thus is the Kingdom of GOD – as a man might throw seed upon the soil, and
he might sleep and rise, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows up in a way
that he knows not how. On its own, the soil bears fruit, first the stalk, then a head
of grain, then full wheat in the head.” (Mark 4:26-28). The word of GOD grows,
multiplying miraculously, superabundantly, divinely.
The Church of GOD is built up by the Power of GOD; built up by a seed – “The sower sows the
word” (Mark 4:14), “The seed is the word of G OD” (Luke 8:11) – sown in Love and a Spirit
of Meekness and which sprouts and grows and fruits divinely, superabundantly. We are “born
again not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and
remaining word of GOD” (1Peter 1:22,23), born again a Spiritually new generation coming out
of the wilderness; bearing Fruit – the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, ‘the Fruit of the Light’. The word
of GOD multiplies – we know not how – to ‘every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in
Christ ... for us to be Holy and Blameless’, to ‘all things for Life and Godliness’.
‘But (as for) the seed sown upon good soil, this is the one listening to the word and
understanding it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in the one (case) a hundredfold,
in another sixty, in another thirty.’ (Matthew 13:23)
“Now the ONE supplying seed to the sower, will supply both Bread for Food and will
multiply your seed and will increase the fruits of your Righteousness. ” (2Corinthians
9:10)
This is GOD's promise to all of us. And this is GOD's promise to the shepherds after HIS own heart
who feed us with Knowledge and Understanding. While on this earth, Jesus shared bread with
many people, He broke bread with His Disciples, with Pharisees, with tax collectors, with large
crowds. Jesus fed thousands with loaves which were Powerfully multiplied (so as to exceed even
8
what was required, the excess being gathered up by Jesus' disciples. For the the Bread of Life is
not to be discarded.) Jesus Himself divided the Bread of G OD unto us, this Mighty King showing
Himself to be our Friend: “No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not
know what his lord does, but I have called you friends, because all things which I
have heard from my Father I made known to you.” (John 15:15).
Jesus said to Satan, “It has been written, ‘Man will not Live by bread alone, but by
every word proceeding through the mouth of GOD.’” And so GOD sent the Prophet to the
widow in Zarephath, (Zarephath1, from a root word meaning to refine, as in a foundry); for
when the Prophet comes, the Bread does not run out (1Kings 17:8-16, Matthew 4:26). This is the
Bread of the superabounding Grace of GOD – “Give us this day our daily Bread” – fresh and
new every day, remaining, nurturing our hearts, our souls; building us from Faith to Faith, from
Glory to Glory; filling our hearts with Joy, and Love; sustaining Life; even as we are being
refined. Like Ruth, when we go gleaning after whatever little we might find, then we are blessed
by our REDEEMER with an out-pouring beyond our wildest expectations. “Our Father ... Give us
this day our daily Bread ” – not just for our own Spiritual growth, but for it to be blessed and
broken and shared amongst our brothers. Because the Good News of Christ must be spoken, the
Bread must be broken and shared.
‘Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, Truly I say to you, you are not seeking me
because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were satisfied. Do
not work for the food which perishes, but for the Food remaining to eternal Life,
which the Son of Man will give you. For on this (One) G OD the Father has set H IS
seal.”' (John 6:26, 27)
The crowds sought Jesus, not because they saw the bread being miraculously multiplied, but
because He gave the Food which satisfies our innate hunger and thirst for GOD. “I am the
Bread of Life. The one coming to me never hungers, and the one believing in me
will never thirst again.” (John 6:35). ‘And it came about, while He (Jesus) was
reclining at table with them, taking the bread, He blessed it and breaking it, He
gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him and He
became invisible to them. And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts
burning within us as He was speaking to us on the road, as He was opening the
scriptures to us.”' (Luke 24:30-32). So also do we, the disciples of Christ come to know our
Lord, recognizing Him in the breaking of the Bread, in His opening up of the scriptures unto us,
as He is made manifest to us in the dividing of the word. Most certainly do the Sheep recognize
the voice of their Shepherd.
‘I give no praise, because not for the better but for the worse you come together.
For, first indeed, when you come together in an assembly, I hear that divisions exist
among you and I partly believe it. For it is also necessary for there to be sects
among you, that also the approved ones may become manifest among you. Your
coming together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat?’
1Corinthians chapter eleven begins with Paul’s teachings on Headship, Paul saying: “But if
anyone thinks to be contentious, we do not have such a custom, neither do the
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 6886 - ‘refinement’
9
churches of GOD.” (1Corinthians 11:16). Contentiousness – controversy and dispute
concerning the word of GOD – is not of the (one) Body of Christ. Jesus said, “If a kingdom is
divided against itself that kingdom cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24). Sects and divisions are
unspiritual, of the flesh: ‘Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy,
anger, selfishness, divisions, sects, envyings, drunkenness, carousings and things
like these, of which I told you beforehand. As I said before, those practicing such
things will not enter the Kingdom of GOD.' (Galatians 5:19-21).
“Who is Wise and Understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct,
his works, with meekness/humility of Wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and
strife/ contentiousness in your heart, do not boast and lie against the Truth. This is
not the Wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, natural/unspiritual,
demonic. For where jealousy and strife/contentiousness are, there is disorder and
every evil practice.” (James 3:13-16)
Divisions exist amongst those who are eating and drinking of what is worldly, partial, powerless;
of what does not nullify the lie, but rather, of what is of the lie. Divisions exist amongst those
who have not entered 'the narrow gate' of 'the Way leading to Life'. But divisiveness is
necessary to make manifest those who are under the Headship of Christ: those who have come to
Know the voice of the Shepherd, those of the ‘one Flock’, of the ‘one Body’; those born again
of the 'one Spirit', the Spirit of Truth. “If we Live by the Spirit let us also walk by the
Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25). ‘... being in the Truth, walking in the Truth.’ (3John 1:3).
On the western side of the Jordan, at Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho, Joshua looked up
and saw a man in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went up to him and
asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” (Joshua 5:13). And the man replied, “Neither.
But I as a commander of the army of Yahweh/'the L ORD' I now come.” (Joshua 5:14).
So also must we not choose sides, contending with men, arguing doctrine. We come only on
behalf of our Lord and our GOD, in Righteousness and in Truth, in the name of our Lord. Our
drawn sword is not the deceitful double-edged sword which kills, but the Powerful Sword of the
Spirit of Truth: ‘the sword of the Spirit which is the word of GOD’ (Ephesians 6:17), and
which is unto eternal life.
This is the Way of the Assembly of G OD. The Bread of the word of GOD is broken/rightly
divided and shared. Jesus said, “Every word may be established at the mouth of two or
three witnesses.” (Matthew 18:16) and this Law carries over to the word of GOD. The Truth of
every Scripture can be established by two or three affirming Scriptures from different Witnesses/
Apostles/Prophets. (As we have seen in this first chapter, and as we will see throughout this
book, the Bible is so self-corroborative that there is no lack of supporting Scriptures.) Because,
in 'coming together therefore into one place', there must be unity of faith. Each one of us
must understand the necessity for leaving behind the doctrine of men and seeking the word of
GOD, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. And each one of us must know the Stewardship given to
us by GOD to sow this seed of the Word of GOD, to break and share this Bread of Life. For 'Man
will not Live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding through the mouth of
GOD.'
9
‘You are of GOD little children, and you have overcome them; because greater is the
One in you than the one in the world. They are of the world, therefore they speak of
the world and the world hears them. We are of G OD; the one knowing GOD hears us;
he who is not of GOD does not hear us. From this we know the Spirit of Truth and
the spirit of error.’ (1John 4:4-6)
'Your coming together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat?'
The assembly of the Church of GOD is not a place of division. It is a glorious, Spiritual coming
together, one Body, to eat of the Lord’s Supper, eating of the one Bread and drinking of the one
Cup: “I speak as to understanding/wise men, judge for yourselves what I say. The
Cup of Blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing of the Blood of Christ? The Bread
which we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ? Because (there is) one
Bread, we the many are one Body, for we all partake of the one Loaf.” (1Corinthians
10:15-17).
‘For I received from the Lord that which I also passed on to you, that the Lord Jesus
in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and having given thanks, He
broke it and said, “This is my body on your behalf. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In like manner also, the cup after the eating of supper saying, “This cup is the new
covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in remembrance of me.” For
as often as you eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the death of the
Lord until He comes.’ (1Corinthians 11:23-26)
The Lord’s Supper is the celebration and proclamation of GOD’s Provision for us in the 'one
Loaf' of the unleavened Bread of Truth and in the one ‘Cup of Blessing’. Jesus, the Word of
GOD made flesh (John 1:14), speaking of these things, confounded the Jews by saying: “Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you have no Life in you.” (John 6:53). ('After this many of His disciples turned back
and no longer walked with Him. Jesus therefore said to the twelve, “Do you also
wish to go?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to who shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life ...' (John 6:66-68).) But is the Passover Lamb not to be eaten? Are we
not to partake of these things in Knowledge, in Understanding, in Faith, in Christ.
'... the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and having
given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body ...”' Jesus as 'the Living Bread
that came down from heaven' (John 6:51), 'the True Bread out of heaven' (John 6:32),
represents not only the unleavened bread of the Passover meal but also the flesh of the Passover
Lamb which all the children of Israel, family by family, are required to eat, (Exodus 12:1-11);
none of which should be left over. Jesus said: “It has been written, ‘Man will not Live by
bread alone, but by every word proceeding through the mouth of G OD.'” (Matthew
4:4). There is nothing superfluous in the word of GOD and ‘the unleavened (Bread) of Purity
and Truth’ (1Corinthians 5:8) is more than just 'bread'. Man does not live by bread alone. The
'Bread of Life' incorporates Jesus' (crucified) flesh. It is '... solid food … for the mature ...
Therefore, leaving the elemental teaching about Christ, let us move on toward
Maturity …'
9
“I speak as to understanding/wise men, judge for yourselves what I say. The Cup of
Blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing of the Blood of Christ? The Bread which
we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ?” (1Corinthians 10:15,16).
The 'Bread of GOD' – our Passover Lamb – is ‘the One coming down out of heaven and
giving Life to the world’; ‘the Food remaining to eternal Life’; ‘the Bread of Life’. '...
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man … you have no Life in you. ' Because only
through our precise and correct knowledge of Him are we of the ‘one Flock’, of the ‘one
Body’ of Christ: 'The Bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ?'
How else are we of the 'one Body' unless we partake of the 'one Loaf' of the word of Truth
encapsulated in Christ Jesus our Lord? And this Solid, Spiritual Food also comes with a Spiritual
Drink. 'The Cup of Blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing of the Blood of Christ?'
The ‘Cup of Blessing’ is ‘the new covenant in my (Jesus') blood’ – the ‘blood of the
eternal covenant’ – shed by One for all – by which the GOD of Peace1/Shalom/(Wholeness) is
‘doing in us the thing well-pleasing before HIM through Jesus Christ’: ‘Now the GOD
of Peace the ONE having brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the
Sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, by the blood of the eternal covenant may HE equip
you with every good thing in order to do H IS will, doing in us the thing well-pleasing
before HIM through Jesus Christ, to whom be the Glory into the ages of the ages.
Amen.’ (Hebrews 13:20).
Chapter two of this book studies the Bible's teaching on the New Covenant in the Blood of Jesus
Christ, but this concerns our sharing in GOD's Holy Spirit. “The one joining himself to the
Lord is one Spirit.” (1Corinthians 6:17). And the ‘Cup of Blessing’ is our sharing in the
‘one Spirit’: ‘For also in one Spirit we all were Baptized into one Body ... we were all
given to drink of one Spirit.’ (1Corinthians 12:13). ‘For I do not want you to be
ignorant, brothers, that our Fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed
through the sea and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and
all ate of the same Spiritual Food and all drank of the same Spiritual Drink; for they
were drinking from a Spiritual Rock following them, and the Rock was Christ. ’
(1Corinthians 10:1-4).
Jesus, speaking of His flesh and blood, said: “The words which I have spoken to you are
Spirit and Life.” (John 6:63). ‘... we were all given to drink of one Spirit’ – 'the Spirit of
Truth', 'the Spirit of Life'. It is according to this ‘Cup of Blessing’ – according to the Power
of GOD's Holy Spirit – that we were 'Baptized into one Body', the Body of GOD's Church in
Christ Jesus our Head. Jesus who is the ‘... Head over all things to the Church which is
His Body, the Fullness of the One filling all with all. ’ (Ephesians 1:22). Therefore, Jesus
said, 'Apart from me you are not able to do anything.” (John 15:15).
the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD, at a man of
1
Strong’s Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary # 7965 – shalom – safety, health, well-being, wholeness (nothing
broken/ lacking), prosperity, rest, peace. From #7999 – shalam – to be safe (in mind, body, estate), to be made
complete.
9
every wind of teaching ... but speaking the Truth, in Love, let us grow up in all
things into Him who is the Head, Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:12-15)
'Your coming together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat?'
Is it not to partake in the Truth of these things? When we come together is it not to
break/share/rightly divide the Bread which is the precise and correct knowledge of the word of
GOD, so sharing in the ‘Cup of Blessing’ which is the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Faith, the
Spirit of Life. The Lord’s Supper describes our 'coming together ... into one place' in
thanksgiving for GOD’s more than superabounding Grace to us in HIS SON, in whom we – the
'one Body' in Christ Jesus our Head – according to our partaking in 'the same Spiritual
Food and … the same Spiritual Drink' – have been called into the sharing of ‘Spirit and
Life’.
Note that first is the unleavened Bread and then ‘the cup after the eating of supper’. But we
already know this sequence: ‘In whom(Christ) also you, having heard the word of Truth,
the Good News of your salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed
with the promised Holy Spirit.’ (Ephesians 1:13). As “Whoever drinks of the water
which I will give to him will never thirst into the age, but the water which I will give
him, will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal Life. ” (John
4:14). (As also Passover (our redemption in the Blood of the Lamb of GOD), begins the seven-
day Feast of Unleavened Bread, (Jesus Christ, the Firstfruits of Life, being celebrated during the
Feast of Unleavened Bread), and is followed – in the fullness of time (after forty days on the
Mountain with GOD) – by Pentecost.)
Eating of the Lord’s Supper speaks of enlightenment, of ‘both having tasted the heavenly
gift and becoming partners of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted the good word of
GOD and the Powers of the coming age.’ (Hebrews 6:4,5). This is what is being shared,
‘Spirit and Life’. Our belief in the word of Truth makes us ‘partners of the Holy Spirit’.
‘And the Spirit is the One giving testimony. Because the Spirit is the Truth. ’ We
know that we are eating of the Lord's Supper, sharing in the Flesh and the Blood of Christ, by
the witness of GOD's Holy Spirit, the ‘Spirit of Power’ – ‘the surpassing greatness of HIS
Power to us, the ones believing, according to the working of the might of H IS
strength’.
Jesus said, “No one is able to serve two masters. ... You cannot serve GOD and
mammon.” (Matthew 6:24). “You cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the cup of
demons. You cannot partake of the Lord’s Table and the table of demons. Or do we
make the Lord jealous? Surely we are not stronger than He? ” (1Corinthians 10:21,22).
‘Your coming together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat? ’
Is it not to partake of ‘the same Spiritual Food’, the ‘one Bread’, the True Bread from
heaven, ‘the unleavened (Bread) of Purity and Truth’; and ‘the same Spiritual Drink’,
the one Cup of Blessing in the Spirit of Truth. There can be no inclusion of anything else, of any
'mammon' which – in the place where we assemble to 'partake of the Lord’s Table' – can be
categorized only as the 'cup/table of demons'. When we come together in assembly we do so
to share the Glorious Good News of Christ; ‘ Christ, GOD’s Power and GOD’s Wisdom.’
9
The Lord's Supper concerns our: ‘... being united together in Love and in all
Knowledge of the mystery of GOD, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of
Wisdom and Knowledge.’ (Colossians 2:2-4). And so this giving and partaking of the Bread
and the Cup is not just a periodic, ‘holy communion’ ritual of eating wafers and drinking grape
juice included as part of a church service. The 'breaking of the bread' is the ‘meal’ which we
share in remembrance of Jesus, the Passover Lamb of GOD, (“Do this in remembrance of
me”) whenever we assemble; giving thanks for GOD’s Grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;
proclaiming Jesus' death as the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, proclaiming His Life;
proclaiming our death and our Life through Him. “For as often as you eat this Bread and
drink the Cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.” This is the reason
why we assemble, to share – to the Glory of GOD – the Powerful Testimony of GOD's word,
giving and receiving of that which is of GOD’s Spirit, sharing in that which is Pure and Precious
and Holy and True. “Therefore whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all
things to the Glory of GOD.” (1Corinthians 10:31). And if it is not to the glory of G OD, it has
no place in the assembly of GOD.
“... whoever eats the Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty
of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let
him eat of the Bread and let him drink of the Cup. For the one eating and drinking
eats and drinks judgment to himself when not discerning the Body. Because of this
many among you are weak and sick and a number are asleep. But if we were
judging ourselves we would not be judged. But being judged by the Lord we are
being disciplined, that not with the world would we be condemned. ” (1Corinthians
11:27-32).
After Jesus' teaching in Matthew chapter six on the Bread of Life, '… many of His disciples
turned back and no longer walked with Him. ' They did not understand His teaching. There
are those who do not understand but who still desire to partake and who do partake, but without
understanding the consequences of touching what is pure and holy without the proper reverence.
'Going to church to hear the word of GOD' is not a common, unholy, worldly event. This
concerns sanctification. We are ‘sanctified/made holy through the word of GOD.’
(1Timothy 4:5); “sanctified/made holy in Truth.” (John 17:19). And this is our very
salvation: ‘salvation by sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth ’
(2Thessalonians 2:13).
Before we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we first need to examine ourselves to ensure that we eat
and drink worthily of the Bread and of the Cup – measuring it according to its True worth. We
must understand that the word of GOD is the Bread of Life. We must understand that by this
Feeding of the Sheep we become one Flock, one sanctified Body (according to the Spirit of
Holiness) to Christ Jesus our holy Lord and Head. ' For the one eating and drinking eats
and drinks judgment to himself when not discerning the Body.'
Jesus Christ is the Head of the Body: ‘... the Head, out from whom all the Body being
fully supplied and being united together through the joints and ligaments, grows
with the growth of GOD.’ (Colossians 2:19). (Therefore, Jesus said, 'Apart from me you are
not able to do anything.” (John 15:1,5).) This is the ‘sharing of the Body of Christ’ with
9
our Lord and Head – a sharing which is through breaking the Bread of Life (' The Bread which
we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of Christ?') and through which the Body of the
Church Grows divinely, exponentially, ‘with the growth of GOD’, growing into salvation,
growing up ‘in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ’. ‘And HE (GOD the Father)
subordinated all things under His (Jesus’) feet, and gave Him as Head over all
things to the Church which is His Body, the Fullness of the One filling all with all. ’
(Ephesians 1:15-22).
And in 'discerning the Body', we discern the Blood. ‘The Cup of Blessing’ – representing
‘every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ ... for us to be Holy and
Blameless’ – is according to our ‘sharing of the Blood of Christ’. '... the blood of Jesus,
HIS (GOD's) SON,' which 'cleanses us from every sin. ’ (1John 1:7); Jesus, “... the One
loving us and having freed us from our sins by His Blood and (having) made us a
Kingdom, Priests to His GOD and Father ...” (Revelation 1:5,6). And so we have ‘...
boldness/confidence for entering the (Holy of) Holies by the blood of Jesus, a new
and living way which He inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is to say, His
flesh ...’ (Hebrews 10:19,20). For ‘… by one sacrifice, He (Christ) has made perfect
forever those being sanctified.’ (Hebrews 10:14).
‘You know that you were not redeemed from your vain manner of life handed down
from your fathers with perishable things like silver and gold, but with the precious
Blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and spot.’ (1Peter 1:18).
These scriptures speak of our being freed from sin and redeemed from the emptiness of our
natural worldly lives, of being sanctified, made perfect, to be of the Kingdom of GOD; and all
according to blood of Christ. And ‘... by the blood of the eternal covenant may H E (the
GOD of Peace) equip you with every good thing in order to do HIS will, doing in us
the thing well-pleasing before HIM through Jesus Christ, to whom be the Glory into
the ages of the ages. Amen.’ (Hebrews 13:20). Because of the blood of Christ we are
equipped to fulfill GOD's will – for us to be sharers in HIS divine nature. Jesus did not submit
Himself to a torturous death for any less than this. Those who come together to partake in the
Lord’s Supper must discern GOD's gift to us of our sharing in the 'Cup of Blessing' of the ‘one
Spirit’, as also our sharing in all the Fruit of the Spirit: ‘... bearing fruit in every Good work
and growing in the precise and correct Knowledge of G OD, being empowered with
Power according to the might of HIS Glory, for all endurance and patience, with
joy ...’ (Colossians 1:10,11).
‘For the Kingdom of GOD is not eating and drinking but Righteousness and Peace
and Joy in the Holy Spirit.’ (Romans 14:17)
We must have True discernment of these mighty, Spiritual things; for '... whoever eats the
Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord unworthily, will be guilty of the body and of the
blood of the Lord.' That is, whoever partakes of the word of GOD without discerning that they
are Spirit and Life, Life and Godliness, Life and Incorruptibility, Glory and Virtue, then
becomes 'guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord'. For this lack of comprehension
serves to nullify the holy, atoning sacrifice of GOD's only-begotten SON, making his shed blood
purposeless. The one eating and drinking eats and drinks judgment to himself when dis-
9
esteeming the word of GOD’s more than superabundant Grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord, the
Head of the Body of the Church.
‘Anyone despising1/violating the Law of Moses dies without mercy upon two or
three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment do you think will be considered
worthy the one having trampled on the SON of GOD, and having considered the Blood
of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and having insulted
the Spirit of Grace.’ (Hebrews 10:28,29)
Jesus said, ‘For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only-begotten SON, that
everyone believing in Him may not perish, but have eternal Life. For G OD did not
send the SON into the world that He might judge the world, but that the world might
be saved through Him. The one believing in Him is not judged, but the one not
believing has already been judged, because he has not believed in the name of the
only-begotten SON of GOD.' (John 3:16-18).
‘For the one eating and drinking eats and drinks judgment to himself when not
discerning the Body. Because of this many among you are weak and sick and a
number are asleep. But if we were judging ourselves we would not be judged. But
being judged by the Lord we are being disciplined, that not with the world would we
be condemned.’ (1Corinthians 11:29-32)
‘Because the time has come for judgment to begin with the House of G OD. And if
firstly with us, what will be the end of the ones disobeying the Good News of G OD.
And if the Righteous man is saved with difficulty, where will the ungodly and the
sinner appear. Therefore, indeed, the ones suffering according to the will of G OD, let
them commit their souls to a Trustworthy Creator in doing Good.’ (1Peter 4:17-19)
How Gracious is our GOD in this as in all things. We are disciplined when we do wrong: '...
whoever eats the Bread or drinks the Cup of the Lord unworthily ... eats and drinks
judgment to himself ...' And this is so that we may then turn and commit our souls to trusting
in our Creator, humbling ourselves, seeking out and trusting in HIS Good News, becoming
obedient/conformed to the Good News. By this means we are not condemned with the world:
‘You endure for discipline/training2. GOD is dealing with you as sons. For what son is
there who is not disciplined/trained by the Father. If you are without discipline/
training ... then you are illegitimate and not sons.’ (Hebrews 12:7,8). Many of us
wrongly condemn GOD’s discipline as our being set upon by the evil of this world, not
recognizing our Father’s training unto Righteousness. Many of us pray for release when
resolution is in Humility and Obedience. GOD disciplines all HIS Children unto Obedience to the
Good News of GOD and so that we do not come into Judgment.
‘… the one eating and drinking eats and drinks judgment to himself when not
discerning the Body.’ ‘The Bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the Body of
Christ?’ GOD did not sacrifice HIS Only-begotten SON, raising Him from the dead and giving
Him as Head over the Body of the Church, for anything less than for every man of the Body of
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 114 - set aside, violate, reject
2
The Greek word here translated as ‘discipline’ is from a root word meaning education or training or to teach,
instruct, correct.
9
Christ to be built up in Truth, in Faith, unto being Pure and Blameless. It is in recognition of
these things that we assemble to partake of the Lord’s Supper; partaking for the building up of
all the Body unto Righteousness, Holiness, Glory; unto eternal life. This is the purpose for
which those who are Shepherds – those who serve at the table of the Lord's Supper – have been
equipped: for ‘… the building up of the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at the unity
of the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD, at a man of
complete maturity/ perfection, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of
every wind of teaching ...’, contentious and divisive.
“Now the ONE supplying seed to the sower, will supply both Bread for Food and will
multiply your seed and will increase the fruits of your Righteousness. ” (2Corinthians
9:10)
‘And He (Jesus) said, “Thus is the Kingdom of GOD – as a man might throw seed
upon the soil, and he might sleep and rise, night and day, and the seed sprouts and
grows up in a way that he knows not how. On its own, the soil bears fruit, first the
stalk, then a head of grain, then full wheat in the head.”' (Mark 4:26-28). “If anyone
has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:23).
‘The Kingdom of GOD is not eating and drinking but Righteousness and Peace and
Joy in the Holy Spirit.’ We do not partake in the Lord’s Supper for the sake of eating and
drinking, it is not an unspiritual, worldly, sensual (stomach-pleasing) pastime. We eat and drink
for ‘Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit’. Jesus said, “Blessed are the
ones hungering and thirsting for Righteousness, for they will be filled. ” (Matthew 5:6).
Partaking in the Lord's Supper is unto Righteousness: 'Now the ONE supplying seed to the
sower … will increase the fruits of your Righteousness'. That is, eating and drinking is
unto our Obedience to the Good News of GOD. And so partaking in the Lord’s Supper is for
those mature enough to know the word of Righteousness and, therefore, mature enough to drink
more than just milk.
“For everyone partaking of milk is unacquainted with the word of Righteousness.

For he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature/perfect ones. The ones having
their faculties of perception trained for distinguishing both good and evil. Therefore,
leaving the elemental teaching about Christ, let us move on toward Maturity, not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of Faith toward
GOD ...” (Hebrews 5:13,14, Hebrews 6:1)
Solomon asked GOD for ‘... an understanding heart, to judge your people, to discern
between good and evil ... ’ (1Kings 3:9). 'And GOD said to him, “Because you have ...
asked for yourself understanding to discern what is Right, behold, I do according to
your words. Behold I give you a wise and understanding heart …” ' (1Kings 3:12). So
must we 'move on toward Maturity'. 'For everyone partaking of milk ... is an infant …
solid food is for the mature/perfect ones. The ones having their faculties of
perception trained for distinguishing both good and evil.' ‘Who does HE teach
Knowledge and to whom does HE explain HIS message? To the ones weaned from
milk, the ones taken from the breast. ’ (Isaiah 28:9). Partaking in the Lord’s Supper is for
those who have been weaned from 'the elemental teaching about Christ' so as to eat of the
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solid Food of 'the word of Righteousness' and Holiness and Godliness; those mature enough
to go beyond milk of infants to the Wine of 'the Cup of Blessing'. This is the Food of the
assembly.
“So then my brothers, when coming together to eat, wait 1 for one another. If
anyone hungers, let him eat in his home, lest for judgment you come together. ”
(1Corinthians 11:33,34)
‘... I give no praise, because not for the better but for the worse you come together.
For, first indeed, when you come together in an assembly, I hear that divisions exist
among you and I partly believe it. For it is also necessary for there to be sects
among you, that also the approved ones may become manifest among you. Your
coming together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat? For
each one, in eating, takes his own supper first, and one hungers2 and another is
drunk3. What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink? Or do you despise the
Church of GOD and shame the ones not having. What should I say to you? Will I
praise you? In this I do not praise you.’ (1Corinthians 11:17-22)
Before coming together to eat of the Lord’s Supper, examine yourselves, ‘lest for judgment
you come together’. If anyone is lacking, ‘If anyone hungers, let him eat in his home ’.
For ‘Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?’ So partake at home, or in
someone else’s home, or in Bible study at church. That’s why there are evangelists and
shepherds and teachers, to ‘feed you Knowledge and Understanding’. From a basis of
innocence/'knowing nothing', start with the ‘pure milk of the word’ which builds up unto the
sharing of the Solid Food of the assembly, the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing.
‘... each one, in eating, takes his own supper first, and one hungers and one is
drunk.’ Each one, in eating of the Lord's Supper, makes his own preparations first. Some
partake of very little (or none) of the word of GOD and are lacking, and some partake to the point
of 'drunkenness', staggering around, swayed by many strange teachings. For they are not
partaking of the Truth. Therefore, Paul says, ‘I give no praise, because not for the better
but for the worse you come together. For, first indeed, when you come together in
an assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you ... ' Can such a group – those not
knowing and those who have not yet learnt to know as it is necessary to know – assemble in
unity to share in the Powerful Spiritual Food and Drink of Lord's Supper? For ' Your coming
together therefore into one place, is it not the Lord’s Supper you eat?' '… indeed,
when you come together in an assembly ', is it not to partake of the Superior things of the
word of GOD?
‘Brothers, be not children in your understanding; be infants to malice/badness, but

become mature/perfect in your understanding.’ (1Corinthians 14:20)
(Jesus said that the Kingdom of GOD belongs to those who become like little children (Matthew
1
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 3983 – peinao – to hunger/be hungry/suffer want/be needy.
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #3184 – to drink to intoxication. Related to #3178 -
intoxication; and #3177 - (by) interpret (-tion); and #3179 – seduce; and #3180 - travesty (trickery), wile, lie in
wait.
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18:3, 19:14); those with child-like Trust and child-like Faith; those who trust in G OD so as to
believe in the simplicity and purity of the word of GOD, so as to 'become mature/perfect in
… understanding'. Jesus said, “I praise you Father, LORD of heaven and earth, because
you hid these things from the 'wise' and the 'understanding/prudent' and revealed
them to infants. Yes Father, for so it was pleasing before you.” (Matthew 11:25,26). It
is ‘infants’ such as these whom we are to receive (Matthew 18:5,6), (humble, trusting children
of GOD who grow up 'in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ’). Not 'infants,
tossed by waves and carried around by every wind of teaching …'; not those 'infants'
– 'children in your understanding' – who, in the spirit of error, deem themselves 'wise and
understanding' and contend with the word of GOD.
‘For indeed Christ our Passover (Lamb) was sacrificed. So let us keep the feast not
with old leaven, nor with leaven of malice/badness and evil, but with the
unleavened (bread) of Purity and Truth.’ (1Corinthians 5:7,8))
the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the SON of GOD, at a man of
every wind of teaching ...’ (Ephesians 4:12-14)
Therefore, let all be taught in Love and in the Meekness and Gentleness of Wisdom, being
Patiently built-up in the Truth of Christ, in the assured expectation of their being established to
maturity by the ONE who is the Source of all things, the ONE who ‘HIMSELF will restore,
confirm, strengthen and establish’. 'So then my brothers, when coming together to
eat, wait for one another.' The word translated here as ‘wait’ literally translates as ‘to
receive/accept from a source’. (It does not mean that milk should be served in the congregation
instead of breaking the Bread of Life and drinking the wine of the Spirit.) It indicates a staying
in expectation until something is received – until the Body of Christ is built up ' at a man of
Christ'. (Throughout the Scriptures we see: Wait on/for the LORD. This means: keep in
expectation of GOD's power.) When coming together to eat, break the Bread of Life, teach of the
Wisdom and Power of Christ, delve into the deep things of GOD, this is the Food of the
assembly, this is the Way of salvation. And stay in joyful expectation of all the Body being built
up to Maturity. Expect unity within the one Body of Christ, knowing that the Good News of
Christ must be known in all the earth, knowing that no one person can move ahead without the
full complement of the Body of the Church.
Sow the word of GOD in Meekness and await, expectantly, the superabundant growth. For the
Kingdom of GOD is ‘as a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the earth, is smaller
than all of the seeds on the earth; and when it is sown, it grows up and becomes
greater than all of the vegetables and puts forth large branches so that the birds of
heaven nest under its shade.’ (Mark 4:30-32). And so we seek to build up the Kingdom of
GOD in Truth, in Righteousness, through the Living and Powerful word of GOD.
‘I solemnly charge you before GOD and Christ Jesus, the One to Judge the living and
the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom: Preach the word – be ready in
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season, out of season; expose, rebuke, encourage, with all patience and teaching.
For there will be a time when they will not bear healthy teaching but, according to
their lusts, (they) will accumulate teachers tickling the ear, and from the Truth they
will turn away the ear, and will be turned aside to myths. But you, be self-controlled
in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your
ministry.’ (2Timothy 4:1-5)
Paul teaches: ‘When you come together ... Let all things be for edification/building
up.’ (1Corinthians 14:26) – 'the building up of the Body of Christ, until we all arrive at
the unity of the faith and at the precise and correct Knowledge of the S ON of GOD, at
a man of complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of the
Fullness of Christ.' This is unto our being ‘perfected into one’ in Christ Jesus – one with
our Lord: one in Righteousness (‘you know that everyone doing Righteousness has
been born of HIM’); one in Spirit (“The one joining himself to the Lord is one Spirit ”).
The aim is the building up of all the Body, not the tearing down of any of its members. The
Church must be a place of the unity of the ‘one Body’ of Christ.
‘Surely you heard of the stewardship of the grace of G OD, having been given to me
for you, that according to revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote
before in brief, in the reading of which you are able to understand my insight in the
mystery of Christ. Which (mystery) was not made known to the sons of men in
other generations, as it is now revealed to His Holy Apostles and Prophets by the
Spirit, that the Gentiles/nations are to be joint-heirs and a joint-body and joint-
partakers of the Promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News. Of which I became
a minister according to the gift of the Grace of GOD given to me according to the
working of HIS Power.’ (Ephesians 3:2-7)
In chapter two of this book we study ‘the Promise in Christ Jesus’ by which we are ‘joint-
heirs and a joint-body and joint-partakers ’ – joined with our Lord in Spirit, in Life – so
established ‘through the Good News’ of GOD's grace to us in HIS SON. These are awe-
inspiring, Spiritual matters. ‘Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom
and Knowledge.’ ‘Christ, GOD’s Power and GOD’s Wisdom.’ The Gospel of Christ
establishes us, in faith, in the Glorious Truth of being of the one Body of Christ, established in a
joint-sharing with Christ Jesus our Lord and Head.
Jesus spoke to His disciples: “For who is greater, the one reclining at table or the one
serving? Is it not the one reclining at table? But in the midst of you I am as the one
serving. But you are the ones having remained with me in my temptations. And I
decree to you the Kingdom, just as my Father decreed to me, that you may eat and
drink at my table in my Kingdom, and you will sit upon thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel”. (Luke 22:27-30). We have all been called to eat and drink of the Table of the
Kingdom of GOD, but we are not called only to recline at the Table. Like our Lord, our
Shepherd, we are also called to serve at the bounteous table laid before us, breaking the True
Bread of the Purity and Simplicity of the Good News of Christ, giving to drink of the one Cup
of the Spirit of Truth.
The Scriptures do not lie. There is no lie in the Truth (1John 2:21). Jesus said, “Every word
may be established at the mouth of two or three witnesses” (Matthew 18:16). Every
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thing in which we believe must bear the testimony of at least two or three Scriptures. We have to
be careful that we do not accept the lie of non-scriptural teachings, that we do not partake of
what is imperfect, worldly, natural, demonic. For in doing so we desecrate our Lord. Therefore,
again, before we move on, let us briefly consider the Bible's teachings on the Law of GOD.
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THE BREAD OF LIFE
Part IV – THE LAW
David extols: “The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is perfect, reviving the soul. The
statutes1/ testimonies of Yahweh are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The
precepts2/ mandates of Yahweh are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands 3 of
Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring
forever. The decrees4/judgements of Yahweh are sure, they are altogether
righteous, more precious than gold, more (precious) than much pure gold; sweeter
than honey from the honey-combs. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in
keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11).
In our Bibles we see the terms statutes, precepts, decrees, testimonies, rules, ordinances, charge,
edicts and judgements, with some of these used interchangeably from translation to translation.
Together with the more generally translated 'laws' and 'commands/commandments', these
describe the word of GOD – HIS teachings/instructions/commandments/exhortations/admonitions/
counsel – and are, collectively, 'the Law' of GOD. David tells us: 'The Law of Yahweh/'the
LORD' is perfect'. The writer of Psalm 119 extols: '… Your Law is Truth.' (Psalm 119:142); '…
Your commands are Truth.' (Psalm 119:151); 'The sum of Your word is Truth, and every
one of Your righteous decrees/judgments endures forever.' (Psalm 119:160). Psalm 119
is a celebration of GOD's laws/statutes/decrees/commands and teaches that the entirety of GOD's
word is Truth. This is as Jesus, praying to His Father, also affirmed: “Your word is Truth.”
(John 17:17). And by being True, GOD's every word endures forever: it is the 'imperishable
seed' of '... the living and remaining word of GOD.' (1Peter 1:23).
'Forever, O Yahweh/'LORD' your word stands firm in the heavens.' (Psalm 119:89)
‘The counsel5 of Yahweh/'the LORD' stands firm forever, the intentions of HIS heart
from generation to generation.’ (Psalm 33:11).
‘The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’
(1Peter 1:24).
'Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.'
(Psalm 119:144)
The use of the term 'the Law' is often thought to mean 'the Ten Words6/'Commandments''
(Exodus 34:28) and the other more than six hundred laws of the pentateuch (the first five books
of the Bible) given to Moses. But GOD spoke to Isaac: “In your seed all the nations of the
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 5715 – eduwth - testimony, witness, statute.
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 6490 – piqquwd – mandate/charge, precept.
3
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 4687 – mitsvah - command.
4
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 4941 – mishpat – formal decree, judgment
5
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 3289 - to advise, counsel, admonish.
6
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 1697 – dabar – a word.
1
earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My
commandments, My ordinances and My laws.' (Genesis 26:4,5). Here we see the words
'charge', 'commandments', 'ordinances' and 'laws' used hundreds of years before GOD gave
'the Law' to Moses on Mount Sinai. 'Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My
commandments, My ordinances and My laws' – this refers to GOD's words spoken
specifically to Abraham and not '... the ordinances and the judgments and the laws that
Yahweh/'the LORD' gave between HIM and the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai, by the
hand of Moses.' (Leviticus 26:46).
In Daniel we see: '… we have rebelled against HIM and have not obeyed the voice of
Yahweh/'the LORD' our GOD to walk in HIS laws that HE set before us by the hand of
HIS servants the prophets. And all Israel transgressed Your law and turned aside so
as not to obey Your voice.' (Daniel 9:9-11). Daniel speaks of 'HIS (GOD's) laws, that HE
set before us by the hand of HIS servants the Prophets', that is, not only 'by the hand
of Moses'. And here again – as in 'Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My
commandments, My ordinances and My laws' – we see GOD's Laws equated with the voice
of GOD: 'all Israel transgressed Your law and turned aside so as not to obey Your
voice'.
The 'Law' is also equated with the voice of GOD in Isaiah: 'Hear the word of Yahweh/'the
LORD' ... give ear to the Law of our GOD.' (Isaiah 1:10). Here, both 'the word of
Yahweh/'the LORD'' and 'the Law of our GOD' are associated ('Hear/give ear') with the voice
of GOD. This is because the collective term 'the Law', as its constituent terms, describe the
word of GOD spoken to Abraham, to Moses, to David, to Daniel and to any Prophet G OD has
given to voice HIS words.
'Yahweh-tsebaoth/'the LORD of Hosts', the GOD of Israel, says: "… this word I
commanded them (your fathers), saying: 'Hear 1 (so as to obey) My voice and I will
be your GOD and you shall be My people. And walk in all the way that I command
you, that it may be well with you.' But they did not hear (so as to obey), or incline
their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil heart,
and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of
the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all My servants the prophets
to them, day after day. Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear.” ' (Jeremiah
7:21, 23-26)
‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/understanding; be infants to malice, but

become mature/perfect in your Understanding. In the Law it has been written that:
“In other tongues and with (the) lips of others I will speak to this people and even
so they will not hear me', says the LORD.’ (1Corinthians 14:20-21). Paul says, 'In the Law
it has been written', and then quotes from Isaiah 28:11. ‘Jesus answered them, “Has it
not been written in your Law, ‘I said: You are gods'?”’ (John 10:34). Jesus quotes here
from Psalm 82:6. Jesus also said, “... the word written in their Law must be fulfilled,
'They hated me without cause.'” (John 15:25), quoting from Psalm 35:19 and Psalm 69:4.
'The crowd answered Him (Jesus), “We have heard from the Law that the Christ
1
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible - #8085 - to hear intelligently, paying attention,
considering – so as to bring about obedience.
1
abides/remains forever. How do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?” '
(John 12:34). The crowd spoke to Jesus of Isaiah 9:7.
In these examples, 'the Law' is GOD's words/instructions revealed to us in the Books of Moses,
in the Prophets and in the songs of the Psalms, as it is through-out the Old Testament. The 'Law'
is not just 'the Law of Moses' (1Corinthians 9:9) and 'the Law' is not just an Old Testament
term. In the New Testament we see: 'the Law of Faith', (Romans 3:27); 'the Law of
Marriage', (Romans 7:2); 'the Law of sin', (Romans 7:25); 'the Law of the Spirit of Life in
Christ Jesus', ‘the Law of sin and of death’, (Romans 8:2); 'the Law of Christ', (Galatians
6:2); 'the Law of Commandments', (Ephesians 2:15); 'the Law of Freedom', (James 2:12);
with the use of 'the Law of …' in all these places meaning GOD's word/teaching/instructions
concerning these things. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts and neither are your
ways My ways”, declares Yahweh/‘the L ORD’. “For as the heavens are higher than
the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your
thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9). Therefore GOD has to instruct us concerning HIS Spiritual, divine
ways and thoughts and does so through-out the entire Bible.
'For, as many things as were written before, were written for our instruction.'
(Romans 15:4)
The Hebrew word translated as 'law' is torah1, which means 'teachings', 'instructions'. All of
GOD's word, 'as many things as were written before', 'were written for our instruction'.
The word torah does not mean 'law' in the limited, worldly, 'legalistic' sense often ascribed to it;
'the Law' does not describe an obsolete list of rules. We have to renew our minds to the Truth of
these things so that we do not misunderstand what the word of GOD is saying to us and so that we
do not, in error, reject any references to 'the Law'. The word torah is from the Hebrew word
yarah2 which means 'to cast (as an arrow)', 'to shoot (towards a mark)', 'to point (out)', 'to
indicate/show', 'to teach', 'to instruct'. Yarah is used in the Scriptures to mean all these things, as
well as 'to lay a foundation' and 'to water/sprinkle with water/rain'. The essence of yarah,
however, is 'to hit the mark' and this meaning carries over to the word torah.
The opposite of torah is chata, 'sin'. '… sin is lawlessness' (1John 3:4). This Hebrew word
chata3 means 'to miss the mark': ‘For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and
fallen short ...’ (Romans 3:22,23). '... all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of
GOD', (Romans 3:23), missing the mark. The aim of GOD's law/word/teaching/instructions so
being 'the Glory of GOD' – ‘... the glory of the Children of GOD' (Romans 8:21) – '... the
ONE having called us to HIS own Glory and Virtue.' (2Peter 1:3). We are called to be ‘… a
glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things ... holy and
blemishless.’ (Ephesians 5:27); the House of GOD being built-up in the
word/teachings/instructions of GOD, in Christ, to be filled with the glory of GOD.
‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory.’ (Colossians 1:27)
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 8451 – Teaching – law, precept, statute, the Decalogue, the Pentateuch
2
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 3384 – to cast (an arrow), to point (indicate), to shoot (towards a
mark), to found (lay foundation), to water/sprinkle with water/rain, to teach.
3
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 2398 – To miss the mark/way, be off target, fall short of the goal, sin.
1
‘… as many as are the promises of GOD, in Him (Jesus Christ) is the “Yes”; wherefore
also through Him the “Amen” through us, unto the Glory of GOD.’ (2Corinthians 1:20).
Through lawlessness (for '… sin is lawlessness' ) we fail 'to hit the mark' of the Glory of GOD.
Therefore, the term 'the Law' does not describe some outdated, empty principle. Jesus said,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe the mint and the dill
and the cumin, and have left the weightier things of the law: justice and mercy and
faith. But these you were required to do and those not to leave undone.” (Matthew
23:23). Jesus said that there are “weightier things of the Law”, such as “justice and mercy
and faith”; “weightier things” which those tithing had not done, having not discerned the
principles taught by the Law of tithing. Concerning the Law of Moses, Paul says, ' Who serves
as a soldier at his own expense at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not
eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and eats not of the milk of the flock? Do I say
these things as a man? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written
in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it
for oxen that GOD is concerned?' (1Corinthians 9:7-9 (Deuteronomy 25:4)). There are much
“weightier things” (than oxen) with which this Law is concerned. 'The Law being a
shadow of the good things to come, not in itself being the very image/likeness of
the things.' (Hebrews 10:1).
Jesus' words, “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35), and “I am the Living Bread that came
down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51), and
“... my Father gives you the True Bread out of heaven” (John 6:32), are but 'a shadow
of ... good things', not 'the very image/likeness of the things'. Mighty, Spiritual concepts
are taught to us in the Scriptures in a manner that is designed to bring them close to us. But,
having understood the base concept, we must look beyond this to the Superior, Spiritual things
being taught. Paul quotes the Law of Moses and then says: 'Do I say these things as a man?
Or does not the Law also say these things?' That is, if the Law of GOD says these things,
then there is more given to us here than if a mere man had spoken these words. Therefore, do not
take these words at face value. Look beyond the natural interpretation for the deeper things
taught to us in the Law.
All of Paul's words, try as he might, are often but a shadow of the mighty, Spiritual things which
he is trying to express to us. Man seemingly does not have the vocabulary to describe these
things; but is this really true? The Bible teaches of GOD's 'greatness'. Is there a divine word which
we will learn in heaven that better describes this 'greatness'? Maybe, but is the problem with the
word 'greatness', or with the world's understanding of 'greatness'? Our worldly existence is
seemingly a poor measure of comparison by which to describe the things of G OD. Man seems to
have nothing in this world on which to base these divine things. But is this really so? GOD's
creation tells of HIS Greatness – if we but lift up our eyes to see the Truth.
'The heavens declare the glory of GOD and the skies proclaim the work of HIS hand.
Day after day pours forth speech and night after night reveals knowledge. There is
no speech or language (where) their voice is not heard. Their (melodic) sound/voice
goes out into all the earth and their utterances to the end of the world.' (Psalm 19:1-
4)
1
Even the simple things of this world shout out GOD's greatness. For example, a man's thirst
which is quenched by water to so hydrate and cleanse the body. It is all miraculous. Did GOD
have to make man to be born of a woman, to be part of a family, eating, growing, marrying? In
GOD's great wisdom these things are all ordained to illustrate mighty, Spiritual Truths. They too
are 'a shadow of the good things to come', although not being 'the very image/likeness
of the things.' Man, however, so reduces his everyday existence to the mundane that he does
not gain an appreciation of GOD from earthly life. And so the Spiritual lessons of 'You shall not
muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain' is easily lost.
David tells us: 'The heavens declare the glory of GOD and the skies proclaim the work
of HIS hand. Day after day pours forth speech and night after night reveals
knowledge …' David then continues, “The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is perfect, reviving
the soul. The statutes/testimonies of Yahweh are trustworthy, making wise the
simple. The precepts of Yahweh are right, giving joy to the heart ... ” (Psalms 19:7-11).
Here in Psalm 19 David says that all that is of GOD – HIS handiwork and HIS word – speaks of
the divine things of GOD.
In Psalm 8 David says: ‘When I consider Your heavens, the works of Your fingers, the
moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that You are mindful
of him ...?” (Psalm 8:3,4). David is not saying: What is pitiful man in comparison to the
greatness of these things? David did not think that anything of GOD was paltry. (And he knew
that he was 'fearfully and wonderfully made' (Psalm 139:14).) David was saying: What are
we, whom You love, if the inanimate moon and stars are so awe-inspiring? What are we whom
You have given dominion over the works of Your hands?
There are no lesser works of GOD. Therefore, there are “weightier things of the Law” –
divine, Spiritual things – beyond that which is simply, literally understood. In Hebrews Paul
teaches: '… it is necessary that the patterns of the heavenly things be purified with
these things (purified by blood according to the Law), but the heavenly things (be
purified) with better sacrifices than these.’ (Hebrews 9:22,23). This is part of Paul's
glorious teaching on the blood of Jesus Christ (which we study in chapter three), but the relevant
point here is that there are things which are 'the patterns of the heavenly things' – that is,
there are natural representations of Spiritual things, these 'being a shadow of the good
things ... not in itself being the very image/likeness of the (heavenly) things' – and
then there are the Real things, 'heavenly things', of which we need to know and understand.
(And these require Superior (Spiritual) sacrifices, (not works of the Law).)
All the Law – all of GOD's seemingly simple (or incomprehensible) Instructions – concern
divine, Spiritual things (like “justice and mercy and faith”, like how not to miss the mark of
the Glory of GOD), including 'the Law of Commandments (expressed) in
decrees/ordinances/rules' (Ephesians 2:15) given to Moses for the sons of Israel – 'the Law
of Moses'. 'For as many things as were written before, were written for our
instruction' – including 'the Law of Moses'. Jesus said, 'Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe the mint and the dill and the cumin, and have
left the weightier things of the Law. ' These men were concerned only with the letter of the
Law, doing and promoting only the naturally understood things the of Law, without
consideration or understanding of 'the heavenly things' dealt with in the Law. So too the
priests of Israel: “Her priests (the priests of the land (verse 23)) do violence to My Law and
1
profane My holy things. They do not distinguish between holy and
common/profane ... so I am profaned/made common among them.” (Ezekiel 22:26).
These men dealt only in the elementary things of the Law, so profaning the holy, Spiritual things
of the Law. And to their own detriment.
Jesus said: “Woe to you lawyers! Because you have taken away the key of
knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves and you hindered the ones entering in ”;
and “I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the
Pharisees, you will never enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 5:20). Not
missing the mark of Glory requires (Spiritual) Wisdom and Discernment. For unless our
righteousness exceeds the commonly understood practices of the Law, we will not enter into the
Kingdom of GOD. ('... because by works of Law no flesh will be justified/made
righteous ...' (Romans 3:20).)
Jesus said that there are “weightier things of the Law”. And this is most certainly so because,
as Paul tells us: ‘the Law is Spiritual’, the ‘Law is Holy’, (Romans 7:14,12). David said:
‘The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is Perfect.’ What law? All of GOD's law. GOD's law must be
Spiritual and Holy and Perfect. For all of GOD's works are Perfect: 'Ascribe greatness to our
GOD. The ROCK, perfect are HIS works. For all HIS ways are just, a GOD of Truth and
without wrong/iniquity. Righteous and upright is HE.” (Deuteronomy 32:3,4). 'Ascribe
greatness to our GOD'; do not 'do violence to My (GOD's) Law and profane My (GOD's)
holy things'. It is but man, deeming himself wise, (but without understanding), who belittles
GOD's Holy and Perfect word/law/instructions. Immature, untaught minds (those not discerning
the things of the Spirit) 'do not distinguish between holy and common'. And '... so I am
profaned/made common among them.'
One of the biggest controversies in the New Testament church concerned circumcision. But is it
for foreskins that GOD is concerned? As Paul tells us: ‘... circumcision is of the heart, in
Spirit, not of the letter (of the Law) ’ (Romans 2:29). This is the 'weightier' Spiritual
teaching behind the Law of Circumcision but which is more easily understood because we
understand circumcision. This Law of Circumcision also serves to illustrate the mighty Law: ‘...
not first is the Spiritual, but the natural. Afterward, the Spiritual.’ (1Corinthians 15:46).
The Law is but 'a shadow of the good things to come …' and so tithing 'the mint and the
dill and the cumin', as 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain', as
circumcision, (as all of GOD's laws), are representative of divinely higher, Spiritual things.
Things that are fulfilled only through Jesus Christ: 'These are a shadow of the things to
come, but the substance is of Christ. ' (Colossians 2:17). (That is, the substance is Spiritual
and is through Christ.)
‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/understanding; be infants to malice, but

become mature/perfect in your Understanding. In the Law it has been written that:
“In other tongues and with (the) lips of others I will speak to this people and even
so they will not hear me', says the LORD.’ (1Corinthians 14:20-21).
Paul refers to GOD's word by the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah: ‘Who does HE teach
Knowledge and to whom does HE explain HIS message? To the ones weaned from
milk, the ones taken from the breast. For precept upon precept, precept upon
precept, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line,
a little here, a little there. So then with stammering lips and strange tongues H E will
1
speak to this people, to whom HE said, “This is the resting place, for the weary –
rest. And this is the place of refreshing.” But they were not willing to listen. So the
word of Yahweh will become to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line, a little
here, a little there. So that they will go and they will fall backward and they will be
injured and they will be snared and they will be captured. Therefore hear the word
of Yahweh you scoffers who rule the people in Jerusalem.’ (Isaiah 28:9-14).
The Law/Teachings of GOD have to be carefully considered and we have to be mature in our
understanding, or the term 'the Law' will become to us just a list of empty principles –
'precept upon precept, precept upon precept, measuring line/(rule) upon measuring
line/(rule), rule upon rule' – which ensnare. But “All Scripture is GOD-breathed and
useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that
the man of GOD may be complete/completely qualified/perfect, having been
thoroughly furnished/equipped for every good work” (2Timothy 3:16,17) – including '...
the statutes and the judgments and the laws that Yahweh/'the L ORD' gave between
HIM and the sons of Israel on Mount Sinai, by the hand of Moses'. “Man will not Live
by bread alone, but by every word proceeding through the mouth of GOD.” (Matthew
4:4). 'For, as many things as were written before, were written for our instruction,
that through the continuance and the exhortation of the Writings/Scriptures, we
might have the hope.' (Romans 15:4).
‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory.’ (Colossians 1:27).
Whatever the term used, (law, ordinance, testimony, statute, judgment), whatever the words
convey, “All Scripture is GOD-breathed and useful for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness ...” And, as Jesus tells us, “By what measure
you measure, it will be measured to you and it will be added to you. ” (Mark 4:24). Do
not settle for a worldly, natural measure of 'the Law' of GOD. The writer of Psalm 119 prays:
“Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your Law. ” (Psalm 119:18).
'Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.'
(Psalm 119:144). We must ask and then seek for Understanding of GOD's word, knocking for
Revelation so that the word of GOD may be opened to us; knowing that all that is of G OD is
divine and perfect and powerful and glorious.
ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9).
'Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days and nothing leavened shall be
seen among you, and no leaven shall be seen among you within all your border.
And you shall tell your son on that day, saying, '(This is) because of what
Yahweh/'the LORD' did for me when I came out of Egypt.' And it shall be to you as a
sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Law of
Yahweh/'the LORD' may be in your mouth. For with a mighty hand Yahweh has
brought you out of Egypt. So you must keep this statute at its appointed time from
year to year.' (Exodus 13:7-10). These were the words of Moses to the children of Israel on
the day they came out of Egypt, (before they crossed the Red Sea, before he received the
commandments of GOD on Mount Sinai).
1
Moses speaks here of 'the Law of Yahweh/'the LORD'', this being GOD's instructions
concerning the Festival of Unleavened Bread which begins on the Festival of Passover. These
festivals, originally 'a shadow of the good things to come', commemorate our deliverance
from enslavement in 'Egypt/sin' in the Blood of the unblemished Lamb of G OD. For ‘... not first
is the Spiritual, but the natural. Afterward, the Spiritual.’ Concerning GOD's Law to
'keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year', the Bible tells us that there is
but 'one Law' – 'for the native-born (Jew) and for the stranger who sojourns/remains
in your midst.' (Exodus 12:49, Numbers 15:15,16). For have we not all – Jews and 'Gentiles' –
been delivered out of sin and death in the Blood of GOD's only-begotten SON? ‘For there is no
distinction. For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of GOD, being
justified/made righteous freely by HIS Grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus.’
(Romans 3:22-24). Therefore do not despise 'the Law'; instead, seek after the 'weightier
things' of GOD's word.
And what is the greatest lesson taught to us in the Law but Love. Jesus taught us, “Therefore,
everything that you wish that men do for you, so also you do for them. For this is
the (summary of the) Law and the Prophets. ” (Matthew 7:12). ‘For the entire Law has
been summed up in one word – in “Love your neighbour as yourself.” ' (Galatians
5:14). ‘... for the one loving the other has fulfilled the Law. For, “You shall not
commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet”, and
any other commandment, is summed up in this word: “You shall love your
neighbour as yourself.” Love does not work evil to the neighbour. Therefore Love is
the fulfillment of the Law.’ (Romans 13:8-10).
'The end/aim of the charge/message is love out of a pure heart and a good
conscience and sincere faith.' (1Timothy 1:5).
There is but 'one Law', which is summed up in 'one word' ('the entire Law has been
summed up in one word'), because all the instructions/teachings of GOD have but one intent.
And the intent of the 'Law and the Prophets', 'the entire Law', 'You shall not commit
adultery … and any other commandment', 'the charge/message', 'as many things as
were written before', 'every word proceeding through the mouth of GOD', 'all
Scripture' – is 'love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith'.
'Love is the fulfillment of the Law.'
'And this is Love, that we walk according to HIS commandments.' (2John 1:6)
‘For this is the Love of GOD, that we keep HIS commandments. And HIS
commandments are not burdensome, because all who have been born of G OD
overcomes the world. And this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith.’
(1John 5:3,4).
'… in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but
(only) faith working through love.' (Galatians 5:6)
Paul taught: ‘“You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not
steal, you shall not covet” and any other commandment, is summed up in this
1
word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”’ Paul was quoting from the teachings
of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “‘You shall love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the first
commandment. And the second like it is, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ On
these two commandments hang the entire Law and the Prophets. ” (Matthew 22:37-
40). Jesus was quoting from the Law of Moses: “Hear, O Israel, Yahweh/'the LORD' our
GOD, Yahweh is one. And you must love Yahweh your G OD with all of your heart and
with all of your soul and with all of your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5); and '… you
shall love your neighbour as yourself.' (Leviticus 19:18). Jesus took the only
commandments referring to Love in the Pentateuch and said that they were the greatest
commandments. For 'Love is the fulfillment of the Law.' This is 'the intentions of HIS
(GOD's) heart from generation to generation'.
(‘The counsel of Yahweh/'the LORD' stands firm forever, the intentions of HIS heart
from generation to generation.’ (Psalm 33:11). (‘… all Your commandments are Truth.
Long have I known from your testimonies that You have founded them forever. ’
(Psalm 119:151,152)).)
We know ‘... there is a GOD in heaven who reveals mysteries’ (Daniel 2:28). ‘For there
is not anything hidden except that it may be revealed ... ' (Mark 4:22). Therefore we
could diligently study the Law of Moses, praying for insight and revelation of the 'weightier
things' taught to us in these seemingly obscure laws, but this is not necessary. For the intent of
all of GOD's word/ teaching/instructions is for us to learn to walk by Love. Love is the entire
message – the 'one word' – of the Law of GOD. '... for the one loving the other has
fulfilled the Law.'
‘Love is patient, Love is kind, Love is not jealous, does not brag/boast, is not puffed
up/ arrogant, does not behave disgracefully/is not rude, does not seek the things of
itself/its own way, is not provoked, does not keep record of wrongs. (Love) does not
rejoice in wrong-doing, but rejoices with the Truth. (Love) bears 1 all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures2 all things.’ (1Corinthians 13:4-7)
correct Knowledge and all discernment, for you to approve 3 the superior things,
that you may be Pure and Blameless in the day of Christ.’ (Philippians 1:9,10)
with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, even as H E chose us in
Him, before the foundation of the world, for us to be Holy and Blameless in HIS
sight, in Love.’ (Ephesians 1:3,4)
'Love is the fulfillment of the Law.' For by Love we are 'Pure and Blameless', 'Holy and
Blameless', conformed to GOD's will for us, conformed to GOD's divine nature. “GOD is Love”
(1John 4:8) and, in Christ, we have been called to become sharers in HIS divine nature, called to
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4722 – to roof over, cover (with silence).
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 5278 – stay under, have fortitude, persevere.
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 1381 – to prove/test/try; (by impl.), to approve. From #1384 –
approved/tried/acceptable.
1
Love, called to Life. GOD has 'blessed us with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavenlies
in Christ' – giving us also to share in HIS own Love: ‘... because the Love of GOD has been
poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.’ (Romans 5:5).
‘... according to HIS (GOD’s) mercy, HE saved us through the washing of rebirth and
renewal of the Holy Spirit, which HE poured out abundantly on us through Jesus
Christ our Saviour.’ (Titus 3:5,6)
‘As all things for Life and Godliness have been given to us by HIS divine Power
through the precise and correct Knowledge of the ONE having called us to HIS own
Glory and Virtue, through which H E has given to us the precious and great
promises, that through these you may become sharers of the divine nature, having
escaped the corruption in the world by lust.’ (2Peter 1:2-4).
“Beloved, let us Love one another, because Love is of G OD and everyone Loving has
been born of GOD and knows GOD. The one not Loving does not know GOD, because
GOD is Love.” (1John 4:7,8)
There are “weightier things of the Law ”, 'superior things', such as 'justice and mercy
and faith' and Hope and Love. '… and the greatest of these is Love. ' (1Corinthians 13:13).
correct Knowledge and all discernment, for you to approve/accept the superior
things, that you may be Pure and Blameless in the day of Christ. ’ For Justice and
Mercy and Faithfulness, as all the 'superior', Spiritual things of the Law, can only be fulfilled
through Love. And as we grow in the precise and correct knowledge of GOD's
Law/Instruction/word we increase in Love. These are mighty Spiritual things that GOD wants us
to know and approve/accept, and so that we may be obedient to that most simple of Laws: “Ask
and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to
you.” (Matthew 7:7). (“For every one asking receives and the ones seeking finds and
to the one knocking it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8)).)
‘And may the Lord cause you to increase and superabound in love to one another
and to all, even as we also do to you, so as to establish your hearts blameless, in
holiness, before our GOD and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all of His
saints. Amen.’ (1Thessalonians 3:12,13)
‘... work out your own salvation with Fear and trembling. For GOD is the ONE working
in you both to will and to work according to H IS Good Pleasure. Do all things without
grumbling and argument/dispute, that you may be blameless and pure, Children of
GOD without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among
whom you shine as lights1 in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of Life
...’ (Philippians 2:12-16). GOD gives us to 'work out your own salvation', as HE gives us, in
Christ, 'to increase and superabound in love to one another and to all ', even as we find
ourselves 'in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation'. Therefore, love one
another, 'Do all things without grumbling and argument/ dispute '. 'Bear one another's
burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.' (Galatians 6:2).
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 5458 – light. In classical Greek, a 'window', (the door being
Jesus Himself, the only Way of entry into the Kingdom of God).
1
‘Love is patient, Love is kind, Love is not jealous, does not brag/boast, is not puffed
up/ arrogant, does not behave disgracefully/is not rude, does not seek the things of
itself/its own way, is not provoked, does not keep record of wrongs. (Love) does not
rejoice in wrong-doing, but rejoices with the Truth. (Love) bears 1 all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures2 all things.’ (1Corinthians 13:4-7)
All the words/laws/commandments/exhortations/teachings of GOD can be distilled to one word,

Love. Therefore, Jesus said: Let me simplify the Law for you; “A new command I give to
you, that you Love one another, that as I Loved you, you also Love one another. By
this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have Love among one
another.” (John 13:34,35). 'Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of
Christ.' Be patient and kind. Do not be jealous, boastful, arrogant, rude, selfish, nor resentful.
Do not take offense. Forgive all things, bear all things, believe and hope all things, be strong,
persevere in all things. By this we will know that we are delivered out of sin and death and born
again to Life: “We know that we have passed out of death, into Life, because we
Love the brothers. The one not Loving remains/abides in death.” (1John 3:14).
“Having purified your souls by obedience to the Truth in unhypocritical brotherly

Love, Love one another fervently from a pure heart, having been born again not
from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word
of GOD.” (1Peter 1:22,23)
Jesus, speaking of the time of the end, said, '… many will fall away ... And many false
prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be
increased, the love of many will grow cold. ' (Matthew 24:10-12). 'Love is the fulfillment
of the Law' and so lawlessness is evident in a lack of love. As the disregard for G OD's law/word
increases in the end days, so does Love decrease. And 'The one not Loving remains/abides
in death.' But ‘He (our Saviour Jesus Christ) gave Himself for us to redeem us from
all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a People of His own.’ (Titus 2:14). So that we
can “... Love one another fervently from a pure heart, having been born again not
from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word
of GOD”. Jesus redeems us from lawlessness 'to purify for Himself a People of His own ' – a
people born again of the Truth who walk 'by obedience to the Truth', 'Having purified
your souls by obedience to the Truth in unhypocritical brotherly Love. ' This is the
Power of the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, the Spirit of Faith, the Spirit
of Life, the Spirit of Power.
'Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, as sin is lawlessness. And you know that
that One (the SON of GOD) was manifested to take sins away, and in Him there is no
sin. Whoever abides/ remains in Him does not sin. Whoever is sinning has neither
seen Him nor known Him. Little Children, let no one deceive you, the one doing
righteousness is righteous, even as that One (the SON of GOD) is righteous; the one
doing sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this was
the SON of GOD manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 4722 – to roof over, cover (with silence).
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 5278 – stay under, have fortitude, persevere.
1
has been begotten/born of GOD does not sin, because H IS Seed abides/remains in
him and he cannot sin, because he has been begotten/born of GOD.” (1John 3:4-9)
Sin is lawlessness. Therefore, wherever the word 'sin' is used we can use the word 'lawlessness'.
If we do so, this is how the passage above reads: '… sin is lawlessness. And you know that
that One (the SON of GOD) was manifested to take sins/lawlessness away, and in Him
there is no sin/lawlessness. Whoever abides/remains in Him does not sin/is not
lawless. Whoever is sinning/lawless has neither seen Him nor known Him. ' This gives
a new viewpoint on being without the Law of GOD.
The Law of GOD is the word/teachings/instructions of GOD. Therefore, 'Whoever is sinning/

lawless has neither seen Him nor known Him ' – 'the One … manifested to take
sins/lawlessness away' – Christ Jesus our Lord, the One who ' gave Himself for us to
redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a People of His own.'
'Whoever is sinning/lawless has neither seen Him nor known Him ', because 'in Him
there is no sin/lawlessness '; as also 'The one not Loving does not know G OD, because
GOD is Love.' And whoever is without the law/word/ instructions of GOD, not knowing the Truth
of GOD, not knowing GOD, abides in death. For ‘This is eternal life, that they may know
YOU, the Only True GOD, and He whom YOU sent, Jesus Christ.’ (John 17:3).
‘… the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). As '… sin is lawlessness', the wages of
lawlessness is death. But Jesus, the Light of Life, was made manifest '… to take
sins/lawlessness away'. 'Whoever abides in Him' – the SON of GOD who is the Truth1 (the
very manifestation of the Word of GOD) – 'does not sin/is not lawless.' For 'Whoever
abides in Him' knows that Jesus, whom we disciple, fulfilled the Law. Jesus said: “Do not
think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to
abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17). '... in Him there is no sin/lawlessness' and never
was. ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Do not be carried
away by various and strange teachings.’ (Hebrews 13:8,9).
‘In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins/ (lawlessness), according to the riches of HIS (GOD’s) grace, which HE lavished
upon us, in all wisdom and understanding/insight, making known to us the mystery
of HIS will, according to HIS good pleasure ...’ (Ephesians 1:7-9)
'Let the redeemed of Yahweh/'the LORD' say so.' (Psalm 107:2). As Christians we celebrate
our redemption in the blood of Jesus Christ, confessing our faith in these things. But as we do so
we must recognize that this means: Jesus 'gave Himself for us to redeem us from all
lawlessness and to purify for Himself a People of His own'. ‘For all have sinned and
fallen short of the Glory of GOD, being justified/made righteous freely by HIS Grace
through the redemption in Christ Jesus. ’ (Romans 3:23,24). By the more than
superabounding grace of GOD, this is the redemption in the blood of Jesus Christ that we declare
and celebrate: being redeemed from lawlessness. This is GOD's will for us. We are redeemed out
from sin and death unto Purity, unto Life.
1
The ‘Truth is in Jesus’ (Ephesians 4:21). Jesus said: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” (John
14:6).
1
Paul writes: '... to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify …' Love is the fulfillment
of the Law and so, in being delivered out of lawlessness, (unto fulfilling the Law, in Christ, in
Love (‘... because the Love of G OD has been poured out in our hearts through the
Holy Spirit given to us’)), we are 'Pure and Blameless'. Lawlessness is sin but
obedience/conformity to the Law/word of GOD is purity of heart and soul: “Having purified
your souls by obedience to the Truth in unhypocritical brotherly Love, Love one
another fervently from a pure heart …” In Christ, we are redeemed out of lawlessness unto
'obedience to the Truth'. Like our Lord, we make manifest the Truth of GOD's word. And
through 'redemption in Christ Jesus' – redeemed from all lawlessness – we are delivered from
'missing the mark'/falling short of the Glory of GOD. Of what do we speak here but of '(GOD's)
own Glory and Virtue' to which we have been called. 'Glory and Virtue', through Love, is
the aim (and the tenet) of 'the Law'.
'Little Children, let no one deceive you … the one doing sin/(the lawless one) is of
the devil, for the devil has sinned/(been lawless) from the beginning.' (1John 3:7.8)
'Yahweh/'the LORD' GOD commanded the man/Adam, saying: “… from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you must not eat, for … you will surely die.” ' (Genesis
2:16,17). This was the Law of GOD which governed eating from the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil and now, with this Law, came the opportunity for breaking the Law. 'He (the
serpent) said to the woman, “Indeed, did GOD really say, 'You shall not eat of any
tree in the garden?'”' (Genesis 3:1). The woman confirmed this. ‘And the serpent said to
the woman, “You will surely not die. For GOD knows that when you eat of it your
eyes will be opened and you will be like G OD, knowing good and evil.” ' (Genesis 3:4,5).
This was the advent of lawlessness/sin, the beginning of man's departure from the Truth.
Satan is opposed to God's word/laws/instructions. GOD says 'you shall not …' and there are
consequences attached to breaking the Law: ‘The wages of sin/lawlessness is death’,
(Romans 6:23). But Satan – the liar (John 8:44) and thief (John 10:8), the one who scatters the
sheep, who comes to ‘steal, kill and destroy’ (John 10:10) – says that in breaking GOD's Law,
“You will surely not die”; and this has been his lie 'from the beginning'. Satan has but one
method of attack: to instigate lawlessness. And the relegation of 'the Law' in our churches as
something profane – as unspiritual, unholy, imperfect, obsolete – is but Satan's continued
promulgation of lawlessness.
Do we want to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Do we want to eat of the clean
and the unclean, of the holy and the defiled, of the Truth and the lie? Can we do so and live?
'Yahweh/'the LORD' GOD commanded the man/Adam, saying: “… from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you must not eat, for … you will surely die.” ' This, as all
of GOD's laws, endures forever. GOD has given us free will to choose, or to refrain from choosing,
HIS divine will. But HE instructs us not to go against HIS will. Satan incites to lawlessness,
inveigling mankind to go against GOD, against the intent of HIS Pure heart. But 'For this was
the SON of GOD manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever
has been begotten/born of GOD does not sin/is not lawless, because H IS Seed
abides/remains in him and he cannot sin/be lawless, because he has been
begotten/born of GOD.' (1John 3:8,9). “... born again not from perishable but from
imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of G OD”; birthed by the word
of Truth; born again of the Imperishable Seed which GOD HIMSELF planted in this earth – the very
1
Word of GOD made manifest in the flesh – Christ Jesus our Lord (whose response to Satan was:
“It has been written, ‘Man will not Live by bread alone, but by every word
proceeding through the mouth of GOD.'” (Matthew 4:4).)
‘Do not be deceived my beloved Brothers, every good endowment and every
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there
is no variation or shadow of turning. Having willed it, HE gave birth to us by the
word of Truth ... receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls. ’
(James 1:16-18, 21)
That which is True remains the same from place to place – from Egypt, through the wilderness,
to the Promised Land; from person to person – for the Jews and the 'Gentiles'; from time to time
– for generation after generation; from circumstance to circumstance – whether you are blind or
can see. GOD is True, HE does not change – with HIM '… there is no variation or shadow of
turning'. And GOD's every word is True – a bountiful, perfect and enduring gift to us in which is
all things for Life and Godliness, in which is 'Righteousness unto eternal life':
‘... where sin increased, Grace more than superabounded! That just as sin reigned
in death, so also grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Romans 5:20,21)
GOD's grace to us is awe-inspiring. '... where sin/lawlessness increased, Grace more than
superabounded!' And by GOD's more than superabounding grace, in Christ, is our
'Righteousness unto eternal life'. ‘And the anointing which you received from H IM
remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as the
same anointing teaches you concerning everything, and is True and is not a lie, and
as He taught you, abide in Him ... If you know that H E is righteous, you know that
everyone doing righteousness has been born of H IM.’ (1John 2:27,29). 'Whoever
abides in Him does not sin/is not lawless' but is righteous, as He is righteous.
‘Who is wise? He will understand these things. (Who is) discerning? He will know
them. For the ways of Yahweh/'the LORD' are Right, and the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.’ (Hosea 14:9)
Paul tells us:... where sin/lawlessness increased, Grace more than superabounded!
That just as sin/lawlessness reigned in death, so also grace may reign through
Righteousness/Lawfulness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' ('... sin is
lawlessness'; and 'unrighteousness is sin' (1John 5:17); therefore Righteousness is
Lawfulness.) Paul tells us something very important here: according to the more than
superabounding grace of GOD is our 'Righteousness/Lawfulness unto eternal life'. But we
already know this: '... the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness/ Lawfulness. ' (Romans
8:10) – ‘Righteousness/Lawfulness unto Sanctification/Holiness’ (Romans 6:19).
Therefore, we need to give due consideration to 'the Law'.
Moses spoke to the children of Israel: 'HE declared to you HIS covenant, which HE
commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments; and H E wrote them on two
tablets of stone. And Yahweh/'the LORD' commanded me at that time to teach you
1
statutes and judgments, that you might do them in the Land that you are going
over to possess.' (Deuteronomy 4:13,14)
The Old Testament – the Old Covenant – takes its name 1 from the covenant which GOD made
with Moses and the Jewish people at Mount Sinai: 'HIS (GOD's) covenant, which HE
commanded you to perform, the Ten Commandments '. GOD said to Moses, “Say to the
house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves saw what I did to Egypt
and how I carried you on wings of eagles and brought you to myself. And now, if
you obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My special possession
from all of the nations. Although all of the earth is mine, you yourselves will be for
Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.’ These are the words that you are to
speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:3-6).
‘And Moses came and called for the elders of the people and set before them all
these words which Yahweh/'the LORD' had commanded him. And all the people
answered together and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken, we will do.”' (Exodus
19:7,8).
Under HIS covenant with the children of Israel, the Almighty GOD who so powerfully delivered
HIS people out of Egypt, promises that HE HIMSELF will make Israel HIS 'special possession
from all of the nations ... a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation ' – ‘if you obey My
voice and keep My Covenant’. But although this covenant is integral to Israel’s relationship
with GOD, we know that the children of Israel did not satisfy the criteria of obedience. Man, in
the weakness of his flesh, could not keep the commandments of G OD. But our Gracious and
Merciful GOD had already made provision for this in another covenant: a covenant which would
ultimately, freely, enable the Children of GOD to fulfill the requirements of HIS Covenant with
Israel; a covenant of righteousness through the power of GOD's Spirit, fulfilled in GOD’s own
SON.
‘For what was impossible for the Law, in that it was weakened by the flesh, G OD did
by having sent HIS own SON in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, He
condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirements of the Law may be
fulfilled in us, the ones not walking according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit.’ (Romans 8:3-4)
‘Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of G OD ... But
you were washed, but you were made holy/sanctified, but you were made
righteous/justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our G OD.’
(1Corinthians 6:9,11)
‘… the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of GOD’, but through GOD's SON we all
are given to take possession of this mighty inheritance. Because through Jesus Christ,
'according to the Spirit' – '... washed … made holy … made righteous/lawful in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our G OD' – the Children of GOD are
given to fulfill what Paul tells us are 'the righteous requirements' of the Law. We must not
profane GOD's Law. “The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is perfect” (Psalm 19:7), the ‘Law is
Holy’, ‘the Law is Spiritual’ (Romans 7:12,14), the requirements of the Law are 'Righteous'.
1
In 2Corinthians 3:7-15 Paul refers to the commandments given to Moses as the 'Old Covenant'.
1
And according to the Power of the Spirit, the Children of GOD are given to fulfill 'the
righteous requirements of the Law', (to satisfy the obedience required under the terms of
GOD's covenant with Israel), in so doing, allowing GOD to fulfill HIS covenanted promise of our
being a ‘special possession ... a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation’.
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of GOD.” (John 3:3). We are “... born again not from
perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and remaining word of
GOD”; so 'born of the Spirit' (John 3:6), 'the Spirit of Truth'. GOD’s Power for
Righteousness/Lawfulness, (for 'all things for Life and Godliness'), is in HIS Holy Spirit,
given to us as a testimony of our belief in HIS more than superabounding grace to us in HIS SON.
‘In whom (Christ) also you, having heard the word of Truth, the Good News of your
salvation, in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit’ (Ephesians 1:13), 'the Spirit of Life'. And “If we Live by the Spirit let us also walk
by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25). ‘... walking in the Truth as we have been commanded
by the Father.’ (2John 1:4). ‘... being in the Truth, walking in the Truth.’ (3John 1:3).
‘Yahweh/'the LORD' will establish you as a holy people for HIMSELF, just as HE
promised you, if you keep the commands of Yahweh your GOD and walk in HIS
ways.’ (Deuteronomy 28:9).
Jesus is “... the One loving us and having freed us from our sins by His Blood and
(having) made us a Kingdom, Priests to His G OD and Father ...” (Revelation 1:5,6). ‘...
you (the Lamb of GOD) were slain and purchased/redeemed (ones) for G OD, with
your blood, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And made them a
Kingdom, and Priests for our GOD.' (Revelation 5:9,10). In these scriptures, John attests to
the fulfillment of GOD's covenant with Israel in Christ Jesus our Lord, the spotless and blameless
Lamb of GOD, the One fulfilling 'the righteous requirements of the Law' on behalf of all
mankind. (John also shows here that GOD's people are 'from every tribe and tongue and
people and nation'. ‘For not all the ones of Israel are Israel’ (Romans 9:6). The name
Israel is used to denominate GOD's people: those of the Kingdom of GOD; those born again of the
Truth (to walk in the Truth); those who fulfill the terms of GOD's covenant – '... if you obey My
voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My special possession from all of the
nations. Although all of the earth is mine, you yourselves will be for Me a Kingdom
of Priests and a Holy Nation.' (And this is GOD's awe-inspiring promise to those of the House
of Israel: 'All your sons will be taught by Yahweh/'the L ORD' and the Peace of your
sons will be great.' (Isaiah 54:13).))
Jesus, walking this earth, proclaimed: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law
and the Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until
heaven and earth pass away, in no way may one letter or one stroke pass from the
Law, until all is accomplished. Therefore ... whoever does and teaches (these
commandments) will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19).
Here, in the fullness of the appointed time, was one of 'the sons of Israel' – the very SON of
GOD, in the flesh of mankind, a gift to us from GOD, the ‘one Mediator between GOD and
men’(1Timothy 2:5) – to walk in covenant with GOD, walking according to 'the righteous
requirements of the Law', keeping and teaching GOD's commandments and ordinances and
1
statutes. And so that, through Him, we too ('from every tribe and tongue and people and
nation') may fulfill 'the righteous requirements of the Law ... according to the Spirit'.
'Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh/(sinful nature).'
(Galatians 5:16)
GOD's word cannot be annulled. It is an 'imperishable seed', the 'living and remaining' word
of GOD (1Peter 1:23). We know: ‘The counsel1 of Yahweh stands firm forever, the
intentions of HIS heart from generation to generation’ (Psalm 33:11); and 'The sum of
Your word is Truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever '
(Psalm 119:160). GOD made a covenant with the sons of Israel and no people can be a 'special
possession from all of the nations ... a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation ' outside
of the terms of GOD's covenant. And so GOD has made a Way for us to fulfill HIS covenant with
Israel in HIS only-begotten SON: ‘HE (GOD) made the One not knowing sin (to be) sin, on
our behalf, so that in Him (Jesus) we may become the righteousness of G OD.'
‘For as many as are the promises of GOD, in Him (Jesus Christ) is the “Yes”;
wherefore also through Him the “Amen/(So be it)” through us, unto the Glory of
GOD.’ (2Corinthians 1:20)
In Christ – 'freed … from our sins/lawlessness by His Blood', (‘He (our Saviour Jesus
Christ) gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for
Himself a People of His own’), walking 'according to the Spirit' – we satisfy 'the
righteous requirements of the Law'. Therefore we read Peter's mighty announcement: “...
you are a Chosen Race, a Kingly Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a People for (GOD’s)
possession, so that you may proclaim the Virtues of the ONE who called you out of
darkness into HIS marvelous Light. You, who were not a People but are now a People
of GOD ...” (1Peter 2:9,10). Like John in Revelation 1:5,6 (above), Peter testifies of GOD's
fulfillment of the Covenant of Law which HE made with Israel at Mount Sinai ('... you will be
My special possession from all of the nations ... a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy
Nation'), this promise fulfilled to us in HIS Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.
‘For the SON of GOD, Jesus Christ .... was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. But in Him it has always
been ‘Yes’. For as many as are the promises of G OD, in Him is the ‘yes’; wherefore
also through Him the ‘Amen’ through us, unto the Glory of GOD. But the ONE
establishing us with you in Christ, and anointing us, is G OD – the ONE also having
sealed us and having given us the earnest/ installment of the Spirit in our hearts. ’
In Christ, according to 'the Spirit in our hearts', we fulfill 'the righteous requirements of
the Law' – the Law/Torah which is GOD's instructions/teachings. ‘Moses came and called
for the elders of the people and set before them all these words which Yahweh/'the
LORD' had commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, “All that
Yahweh/'the LORD' has spoken, we will do.” ' (Exodus 19:7,8). For which of GOD's
words/laws/teachings/instructions is to be disregarded? As Jesus taught us, “Man will not Live
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 3289 - to advise, counsel, admonish.
1
by bread alone, but by every word proceeding through the mouth of GOD.” (Matthew
4:4).
Solomon proclaimed: “Blessed be Yahweh/'the LORD' who has given rest to HIS People
Israel, according to all that H E promised. Not one word has failed of all H IS good
word which HE promised by the hand of Moses HIS servant.” (1Kings 8:56). Most
certainly GOD's words through Moses, (or through any other of HIS Prophets), do not fail; they
are 'living and remaining', they do not pass away. GOD's word by Moses still stands today: '...
if you obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My special possession
from all of the nations. Although all of the earth is mine, you yourselves will be for
Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.'
We have seen: “... you are a Chosen Race, a Kingly Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a
People for (GOD’s) possession ... You, who were not a People but are now a People of
GOD ...”; and 'Yahweh/'the LORD' … has given rest to HIS People Israel'. The reality of
these things is by Faith in the unfailing word of G OD. Who does not enter into GOD's rest but '…
those who did not believe1? … they were not able to enter because of unbelief.'
(Hebrews 3:18,19). 'We, the ones believing, enter that rest.' (Hebrews 4:3). 'Not one
word has failed of all HIS (GOD's) good word ...' And so Paul speaks of 'the
continuance ... of the Writings/Scriptures': 'For, as many things as were written
before, were written for our instruction, that through the continuance and the
exhortation of the Writings/Scriptures, we might have the hope. ' (Romans 15:4). (And
our Hope is in the continued trustworthiness of all the Scriptures.)
By the mouth of HIS Prophet Ezekiel GOD promised: ‘I will gather you ... and I will sprinkle
clean water on you ... and I will cleanse you ... and I will give to you a new heart
and I will put a new Spirit inside of you. ... My Spirit I will put inside of you and I will
move you to walk in My decrees and you will be careful to keep My judgments ...
and you will be My People, and I, I will be your G OD.’” (Ezekiel 36:26-28). “I
Yahweh/'the LORD' have spoken and I will do (it).” (Ezekiel 36:36). And in Christ Jesus
our Lord this is done: '… you were washed … you were made holy ... you were made
righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our G OD.' “It is
finished.” Our Righteousness/Lawfulness is by the Power of the Spirit of GOD, because of our
sharing in HIS Holy Spirit; in all things for Life and Godliness; in HIS Glory and Virtue. This is
GOD's more than superabounding grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord, we who have partaken in
the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing, we who are now Children of G OD, sharers in HIS
divine nature.
“In this are the Children of GOD and the children of the devil made manifest:
Everyone not doing righteousness is not of GOD.” (1John 3:10)
‘He Himself (Jesus Christ) bore our sins in His body onto the tree, so that, dying to
sins, we might live to righteousness’ (1Peter 2:24); ‘… while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Having now been justified/made righteous/(lawful) by His blood,
how much more will we be saved through Him ’ (Romans 5:8,9); we who choose to be a
part of these things through Jesus' mediation, believing in our salvation in the SON of GOD –
believing that we are redeemed (out of sin (and so death)) with the ‘precious blood of Christ,
1
Strong’s Hebrew & Chaldee Dictionary # 544 – to disbelieve (wilfully and perversely). From #545 -
unpersuadable.
1
as of a lamb without blemish and spot’ (1Peter 1:18); believing '… the blood of Jesus,
HIS (GOD's) SON, cleanses us from every sin’ (1John 1:7); believing in our
Righteousness/Lawfulness in Him. We who now choose to be a 'special possession from all
of the nations ... a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation ', choosing to enter into the
terms of GOD's covenant, in Christ, to be Purified, Righteous, 'HIS (GOD's) People Israel'; we
'who were not a People but are now a People of GOD.'
‘He (our Saviour Jesus Christ) gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness
and to purify for Himself a People of His own.’ (Titus 2:14)
'... He whom GOD raised did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore
men, brothers, that through this Man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and
from all things from which you could not be made righteous/justified by the Law of
Moses, by this Man, everyone believing is made righteous/justified.' (Acts 13:37-39).
‘The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is Perfect’, (Psalm 19:7). '… Your Law is Truth', (Psalm
119:142). The Law is Holy, Spiritual, and the requirements of the Law are 'righteous' and must
be fulfilled: '… in no way may one letter or one stroke pass from the Law, until all is
accomplished.' Therefore Paul wrote: 'Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is
nothing, but (what counts is) the keeping of the commandments of G OD.'
(1Corinthians 7:19). That is, whether circumcised/(Jewish), or uncircumcised/(non-Jewish),
what counts in GOD's eyes is keeping HIS commandments. But keeping the commandments of
GOD is only possible by faith in GOD's grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord: 'through this Man
forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all things from which you could
not be made righteous/justified by the Law of Moses, by this Man, everyone
believing is made righteous'. We must be 'wise to salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus', discerning that we are made Righteous/Lawful in the word of our Righteousness/
Lawfulness, in Christ; this being the divine power of GOD's word.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: '... I became as a Jew to the Jews, that I might gain Jews;
to those under the Law as (being) under the Law, that I might gain those under the
Law; to those without Law 1 as without Law (not being without the Law of G OD, but
within2 the Law by Christ) that I might gain those without Law. ' (1Corinthians 9:20,21).
Paul said that he was not 'without the Law of GOD, but within the Law by Christ', in Spirit,
as we ourselves are freely given to be. We fulfill 'the righteous requirements of the Law ...
according to the Spirit'. Therefore, it is impossible for us to be 'made righteous/justified
by the Law of Moses', that is, by practicing the Law, but this was never the intent of the
Covenant of the Law.
“Why then the Law? For the sake of transgressions it was added ... ” (Galatians 3:19).
For, “... before the Law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is
no law.' (Romans 5:13). Paul gave an example of this: 'I did not know sin except through
the Law. For I did not know (the sin of) coveting, except the Law said: “You shall
not covet.”' (Romans 7:7). Therefore, '... through the Law is the precise and correct
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #459 – anomos – lawless. From #1, a, the negative particle and
#3551, nomos, law. Therefore, 'without the Law'.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #1772 – ennomos – within the Law. From #1722, en, a
preposition denoting (fixed) position, in/within, and #3551, nomos, law.
1
knowledge3 of sin' (Romans 3:20): '… sin is lawlessness' (1John 3:4). The Law – 'the Law
of sin and of death' (Romans 8:2), 'the Ministry of Condemnation', 'the Ministry of
Death', (2Corinthians 3:9,7) – identifies that which is sinful and results in death; that which, led
by the Spirit of GOD, we do not do. Without Law there is no sin; that is, sin is imputed by the
Law. Therefore it is the Law that ascribes the power of sin: ' Sin is the sting of death and
the Law is the power of sin. But thanks be to GOD, the ONE giving us the victory
(over sin) through our Lord Jesus Christ.' (1Corinthians 15:56,57)
“The Law of Yahweh/'the LORD' is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes/testimonies
of Yahweh are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts/mandates of
Yahweh are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of Yahweh are radiant,
giving light to the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. The
decrees/judgements of Yahweh are sure, they are altogether righteous, more
precious than gold, more (precious) than much pure gold; sweeter than honey from
the honey-combs. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them
there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
Paul writes of 'a new covenant, not of letter, but of Spirit. For the letter kills, but the
Spirit gives Life.’ (2Corinthians 3:6). (“And … the Spirit is Life because of
Righteousness.” (Romans 8:10).) We will study more on the 'new covenant' in chapter two,
but note here that the 'letter (of the Law) kills' – the Law of sin and death identifies sin and
ascribes the penalty for sin: ‘… the wages of sin is death’. 'The decrees/judgements of
Yahweh/'the LORD' are sure, they are altogether righteous ... Moreover, by them is
your servant warned.' Therefore, '… the Law is not laid down for the righteous but for
the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and
profane … and whatever else is contrary to sound instruction/teaching .' (1Timothy
1:9,10). And so trying to conform to the letter of the Law cannot bring righteousness: '… no
man is made righteous/(Lawful) by the Law …' (Galatians 3:11); '... by works of Law
no flesh will be made righteous ...' (Romans 3:20). This is not GOD's Way for righteousness.
We are 'made righteous/(Lawful) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
Spirit of our GOD'.
'If righteousness/(Lawfulness) was through the Law, then Christ died in vain.'
(Galatians 2:21)
The Law is Perfect, the ‘Law is Holy’, ‘the Law is Spiritual’, the requirements of the Law are
'Righteous' and by no works of the flesh can that which is Perfect and Righteous and Holy and
Spiritual be attained. Nothing Spiritual comes from the flesh. This is why Jesus said: “What is
born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I
said to you that it is necessary for you to be born again.” (John 3:6,7); and “Truly,
truly I say to you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of
GOD.” (John 3:3).
'… with the flesh (I serve) the Law of sin.' (Romans 7:25); this is the way of the flesh. ‘...
for it (the flesh) is not subject to the Law of G OD, neither can it be, and those in the
flesh are not able to please GOD.’ (Romans 8:7,8). What is born of the flesh is worldly,
temporal, unrighteous; therefore ‘... flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of G OD.’
3
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 1922 – epignosis – precise and correct knowledge
1
(1Corinthians 15:50). ‘... the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of GOD.’ ‘But,
you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. ’
(Romans 8:9). This is the Way of Righteousness, in faith, in Christ. ‘What was impossible
for the Law, in that it was weakened by the flesh, GOD did by having sent HIS own
SON in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, He condemned sin in the
flesh, that the righteous requirements of the Law may be fulfilled in us, the ones
not walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ’ (Romans 8:3-4).
Therefore, “… if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not of Him.”
(Romans 8:9)
Righteousness is a free gift – ‘the gift of Righteousness’ (Romans 5:17) – by the Power of
GOD's Spirit received by us in our faith in GOD's SON. ‘In whom (Christ) also you, having
heard the word of Truth, the Good News of your salvation, in whom also having
believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.’ '... by this Man, everyone
believing is made righteous.' Everyone believing that, in Christ, we are 'washed ... made
holy ... made righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our
GOD' and so are 'within the Law by Christ'.
‘For this is the Love of GOD, that we keep HIS commandments. And HIS
commandments are not burdensome, because all who have been born of GOD
overcomes the world. And this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith.
Who is the one overcoming the world except the one believing that Jesus is the SON
of GOD.’ (1John 5:3-5).
Paul asked the Galatians, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of Law or by hearing
with Faith?’ (Galatians 3:2). '... by works of Law no flesh will be made righteous ...', for
we receive the Spirit only by faith in GOD's SON: '... a man is not made righteous by works
of Law but through faith in Jesus Christ ' (Galatians 2:16); '… not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the
Righteousness of GOD which is by faith' (Philippians 3:9). We must come to Know our
Lord Jesus Christ, because Faith in the Truth of the SON of GOD, not works, is GOD's Way for
righteousness: ‘But now, apart from Law, a Righteousness of G OD has been
manifested, being attested to by the Law and the prophets; a Righteousness of G OD
through Faith in Jesus Christ, to all the ones believing. For there is no distinction.
For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of GOD, being freely justified/made
righteous by HIS Grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus; whom G OD put forth
as a propitiation/atoning sacrifice through Faith in His Blood … justifying/making
righteous the one who has Faith in Jesus.… justified/made righteous by Faith, apart
from works ...’ (Romans 3:21-26,28).
'Let it be known to you therefore men, brothers, that through Him (Jesus)
forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all things from which you could
not be made righteous by the Law of Moses, by this Man, everyone believing is
made righteous.' (Acts 13:38,39)
1
‘Before faith came, we were guarded1 under Law, being shut up together until the
revelation of faith. So the Law has been our tutor (to lead us) to Christ, so that we
may be made righteous/ justified by Faith. But Faith having come, we are no longer
under a tutor.’ (Galatians 3:24). Now, by the more than superabounding grace of G OD, we
walk in Righteousness according to the Spirit of G OD. 'The Law being a shadow of the good
things to come, not in itself being the very image/likeness of the things .' (Hebrews
10:1). (The keeping of the Law being but a very dim shadow of the ' the righteousness of
God which is by faith.') Paul wrote of Israel '… they have a zeal for G OD, but not
according to precise and correct knowledge2. For, not knowing the righteousness of
GOD, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to the righteousness of
GOD. For Christ is the end/culmination/ fulfillment of the Law for righteousness to
everyone who believes.' (Romans 10:2-4).
It is sometimes taught that Romans 10:4 says that 'Christ is the end/termination/cancellation of
the Law' but there is no termination or cancellation of GOD's holy word. ‘The grass withers
and the flower falls, but the word of the L ORD endures forever.’ GOD's word endures
forever and does not contradict or cancel itself. The word 'end' can be translated as aim, goal,
completion, fulfillment, accomplishment, execution, culmination, or termination. It is the
context which decides the meaning of the word, as well as the import of corresponding
Scriptures. Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the
Prophets. I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. ” In one place Paul says: '(Jesus)
condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirements of the Law may be
fulfilled in us, the ones not walking according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit.' In another place he says: '... the Law has been our tutor (to lead us) to Christ, so
that we may be made righteous by Faith.' Therefore, 'Christ is the end/ culmination/
fulfillment of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.'
‘Do we therefore annul the Law through Faith. By no means. Rather, we establish
the Law.’ (Romans 3:31)
By faith in GOD's Grace to us in Christ Jesus our Lord we establish the Law, believing in – so as
to 'submit to the righteousness of GOD' – so as to make manifest our Righteousness, in
Christ; 'overcoming the world', overcoming sin and death. Righteousness is by faith.
Consequently, without faith we break the Law: 'all that is not of faith is sin/(lawlessness)'
(Romans 14:23) and is unto death. All of man's fleshly endeavors – all his ‘good deeds' – are
sin, (all his 'righteous acts’ are like ‘filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6)). They are not of the Spirit of G OD
and so do not fulfill the righteous requirements of GOD's Law (which are fulfilled only
'according to the Spirit'). We are '… made Righteous by Faith, apart from works …',
those of us having been born again of the Spirit of GOD, in Christ, unto Righteousness and Life.
For ‘In the Way of Righteousness there is Life’ (Proverbs 12:28, 11:19); ‘...
Righteousness delivers from death’ (Proverbs 10:2, 11:4). ‘… the wages of sin/
(lawlessness) is death’, (Romans 6:23). ‘The soul that sins will itself die’, (Ezekiel 18:4).
But ‘... sin will not be your master, for you are not under Law, but under grace. ’
(Romans 6:14). And this is GOD's amazing grace to us: ‘HE (GOD) made the One not
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #5432 – to mount guard as a sentinel; fig. to hem in, protect;
keep.
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 1922 – epignosis – precise and correct knowledge
1
knowing sin (to be) sin, on our behalf, so that in Him we may become the
righteousness of GOD.' (2Corinthians 5:21). ‘That just as sin reigned in death, so also
grace may reign through Righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our
Lord.’ (Romans 5:21)
“And if Christ is in you, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin, on the
other, the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness.” (Romans 8:10)
'… if Christ is in you … the body is dead because of sin' – our sinful flesh nailed to the
tree/ 'cross' in Christ; the Law of sin and death governing the sinful flesh so also nailed to the
tree/'cross' in Christ, (Colossians 2:14). 'And if Christ is in you … the Spirit is Life because
of Righteousness' – we raised up to righteousness and Life with Christ. ‘... now we are
released from the Law (of sin and death), having died (to that (the flesh)) in which
we were held fast, so as to serve in the newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of
the letter/(of the written Law).’ (Romans 7:6) – so as to fulfill 'the righteous
requirements of the Law ... according to the Spirit'. For “If we Live by the Spirit let
us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25); walking in ‘the Way of Righteousness’,
‘the Way of Holiness’ (Isaiah 35:8), the Way of Life.
(Jesus said to the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, '“Go, your faith has made you whole.” And
immediately he recovered his sight and followed Him in the way. ' (Mark 10:52). The
Greek word akaloutheo1 translated as 'followed' in Mark 10:52 means 'to walk the same path'.
This is the word used when Jesus spoke to the rich young man: “ If you wish to be perfect,
go, sell what you possess … and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21). This is the word
used when Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice … and they follow me.” (John 10:27);
and “I am the Light of the world; the one following me will never2 (no, never) walk in
the darkness, but will have the Light of Life.” (John 8:12). This is the word used in
Matthew 10:38, 16:24, 19:21 and in John 12:26, as in many other places in the New Testament.
Mark wrote, '… followed Him (Jesus) in the way', to highlight the meaning of this word.
For, in Christ, led by the Spirit, with Him, ('Because apart from me you are not able to
do anything” (John 15:1,5)), we walk in ‘the Way of Righteousness’, ‘the Way of
Holiness’; as Enoch, that mighty man of faith, 'walked with GOD' (Genesis 5:22). 'Enoch
walked with GOD and … GOD took him.' (Genesis 5:24). 'By faith Enoch was taken up
so as not to see death and he was not found, because G OD took him. For before he
was taken, he obtained the testimony of having pleased G OD.' (Hebrews 11:5). And this
is the testimony that Enoch pleased GOD: 'Enoch walked with GOD'. In this the entire Body of
Christ does what is pleasing to GOD. In this the entire Body of Christ is 'taken up so as not to
see death'. 'But without Faith it is impossible to please G OD. For it behoves the one
approaching GOD to believe that HE is and that HE becomes a REWARDER of those
seeking HIM.' (Hebrews 11:6). And here is the very great reward of those who seek G OD: “The
one joining himself to the Lord is one Spirit. ” (1Corinthians 6:17) – to walk in the Truth,
in Christ – ‘walking in the Truth as we have been commanded by the Father. ’ (2John
1:4), walking in ‘the Way of Righteousness’, ‘the Way of Holiness’, the Way of Life.)
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #190 – akaloutheo – to walk in the (same) way; to be in the
same way with; to be found in the way. From #1, a, a particle of union and keleuthos, a road.
2
1
Dead to the (sinful) flesh in Christ and raised up to Life with Him, in Spirit, so as to 'walk by
the Spirit' – 'to serve (GOD) in the newness of Spirit' – to follow Jesus in the Way of Life –
we are freed from the Law of sin and of death. ‘For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ
Jesus freed you from the Law of sin and of death. ’ (Romans 8:2). The Law of sin and
death states: ‘… the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). But 'the Law of the Spirit of
Life in Christ Jesus' – in which we are freed out of sin and death – says: 'the Spirit is Life
because of Righteousness'. This is GOD's more than superabounding grace to us in Christ
Jesus our Lord, received by us in our faith in these things.
“By Grace you have been saved ... By Grace you have been saved through faith;
and this not of yourselves. It is GOD’s gift; not of (your own) works.” (Ephesians
2:5,8,9)
‘For, if by the trespass of the one man (Adam) death reigned, through the one man,
much rather will the ones receiving the superabundance of the Grace and of the gift
of Righteousness reign, in Life, through the one man Jesus Christ.’ (Romans 5:17)
'... the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness'. This is 'the Ministry of the Spirit', 'the
Ministry of Righteousness' (2Corinthians 3:8,9) – 'a new covenant, not of letter, but of
Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives Life.’ We are delivered out of lawlessness in
Christ Jesus our Lord and mercifully and graciously given to fulfill 'the righteous
requirements of the Law ... according to the Spirit ': ‘I will gather you ... I will
sprinkle clean water on you ... I will cleanse you ... I will give to you a new heart
and I will put a new Spirit inside of you ... My Spirit I will put inside of you and I will
move you to walk in My decrees and you will be careful to keep My judgments ...
and you will be My People, and I, I will be your GOD.’” (Ezekiel 36:26-28).
‘For this is the covenant which I will covenant with the House of Israel after those
days, says Yahweh/'the LORD', I will put my laws in their mind and I will write them
on their hearts, and I will be their GOD and they will be my People.’ (Hebrews 8:10
Jeremiah 31:33).
Solomon tells us: ‘What was, will be, and what was done, will be done; and there is
nothing new under the sun.’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9); and ‘I know that all that GOD does will
endure forever, nothing can be added and nothing taken (away) … Whatever is, has
already been, and what is to be, has been before; and G OD calls to account what is
past.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:14,15). As the children of Israel were delivered out of slavery by the
blood of the passover lamb to receive of the Covenant of the Law on Mount Sinai, so are we
delivered in the Blood of the Lamb of GOD, ('Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.'
(1Corinthians 5:7)), in faith, to receive of GOD's Holy Spirit, so receiving GOD's Laws in our
minds and in our hearts on GOD's Holy Mountain: the 'habitation of righteousness,
mountain of holiness.' (Jeremiah 31:23); 'HIS Holy Mountain … Mount Zion, (on) its
northern flanks/sides the City of the Great King.' (Psalm 48:2).
'It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the House of
Yahweh/'the LORD' shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be
lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall
come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh/'the L ORD', to the
1
house of the GOD of Jacob, that HE may teach us HIS ways and that we may walk in
HIS paths." For out of Zion shall go the Law and the word of Yahweh/'the L ORD' from
Jerusalem.' (Isaiah 2:2,3 Micah 4:1,2)
Paul tells us, ‘... not first is the Spiritual, but the natural. Afterward, the Spiritual ’
(1Corinthians 15:46) and these are mighty, Spiritual things that we need to Know and
Understand. 'It shall come to pass in the latter days that the 'mountain' of the House
of Yahweh/'the LORD' shall be established as the highest of the 'mountains' ... ' This
does not speak of a natural, geographical mountain but of 'HIS (GOD's) Holy Mountain' – a
Spiritual place – which is 'the House of Yahweh/ 'the LORD''. And this is not a natural
building but the Spiritual Household of the Sons of GOD, built-up in righteousness by the Hand
of GOD our Father HIMSELF, through Christ Jesus our Lord. (It was Noah ('a preacher of
righteousness' (2Peter 2:5)), in faith (Hebrews 11:7), in obedience to the word of G OD,
through whom GOD first effected salvation for a natural household out from amongst an evil
world (Genesis 6:5-8). Now, through 'Jesus Christ the Righteous' (1John 2:1), is the
salvation of the Spiritual Household of GOD out from an unrighteous world.) GOD parallels
Spiritual things with natural, tangible things – graciously giving us a natural representation ('not
first is the Spiritual, but the natural') of the workings of HIS Spirit.
Therefore, ‘You are being manifested a letter of Christ ... not being written with ink,
but with the Spirit of a Living GOD, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets of hearts of
flesh.’ (2Corinthians 3:3). As the children of Israel received the Covenant of the Law on Mount
Sinai so, by GOD's Holy Spirit, do we also receive of GOD's Laws. GOD promised: 'I will put my
laws in their mind and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their GOD and
they will be my People.' (Jeremiah 31:33). Now we see that we are ‘manifested a letter of
Christ’ – a living testimony of GOD’s Law; we now are the 'living stones' bearing GOD's Law;
GOD's Laws '... written … with the Spirit of a Living G OD, not in tablets of stone, but in
tablets of hearts of flesh'. (And so '... that the righteous requirements of the Law
may be fulfilled in us, the ones not walking according to the flesh, but according to
the Spirit.') And ‘Yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up, a Spiritual
House, a Holy Priesthood ...’ (1Peter 2:5).
“Say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves saw what I
did to Egypt and how I carried you on wings of eagles and brought you to myself.
And now, if you obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My special
possession from all of the nations. Although all of the earth is mine, you yourselves
will be for me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.’ These are the words that
you are to speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:3-6)
In faith we recognize GOD's mighty deliverance of us in HIS SON. For GOD so loved the world that
HE gave us HIS only-begotten SON, through whom all of mankind are redeemed out of sin and
death unto righteousness and Life. By faith – redeemed, saved, delivered – we are carried as if
on the wings of eagles up to Mount Zion, the Abode of Righteousness, Holiness, to receive of
GOD's Spirit. To ‘… receive the Promise of the Spirit by faith.’ (Galatians 3:14).
‘“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit ”, says Yahweh-tsebaoth/the LORD of

Hosts/ Armies.’ (Zechariah 4:6)
1
‘By Grace you have been saved, through Faith, and this not of yourselves, it is
GOD’s gift; not of (your own) works, lest anyone should boast. For we are HIS
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which GOD previously prepared,
that in them we should walk.’ (Ephesians 2:8-10). The Greek word translated as
'workmanship' here is poiema1, meaning 'that which is made' and 'poem'. GOD promised: 'I will
put my laws in their mind and I will write them on their hearts …' Paul affirms: ‘You
are being manifested a letter of Christ ... not being written with ink, but with the
Spirit of a Living GOD, not in tablets of stone, but in tablets of hearts of flesh. ’ And so
we are GOD's poem in this earth, the tablet of HIS word, in Christ, 'a letter of Christ', (as Jesus
our Lord was Himself the word of GOD in the flesh), manifesting the word of GOD. We are 'HIS
(GOD’s) workmanship' – ‘... the ONE always leading us in triumph in Christ, and
manifesting through us, in every place, the fragrance of the Knowledge of HIM.
Because we are to GOD the sweet odour of Christ among those being saved ... ’
(2Corinthians 2:14,15). The True knowledge of GOD is a lyrical poem written by GOD HIMSELF,
sweet, fragrant words, the breath of HIS mouth, the breath of Life, by which we ourselves
receive Life and make manifest the Truth of Life.
There is great beauty in the word of GOD. And this is because the word of GOD is the ketubah –
the marriage document – given to us by Jesus Christ, our Bridegroom. In the time of Jesus, a
Jewish marriage had two stages – a betrothal, kiddushin, followed about a year later by the bride
going to reside with her husband. At the time of the kiddushin, a document of marriage, the
ketubah, beautifully written, (often a work of art), was offered by the bridegroom to the bride.
This was a binding contract of marriage setting out the husband's responsibilities to his wife and
which, if accepted, meant that the man and the woman were now legally married. This marriage
could now be set aside only by divorce. (Joseph, betrothed to Mary but not yet living with her,
thought to divorce her when he founded out that she was pregnant, but was instructed by the
angel not to do so (Matthew 1:18-20).) The contract of marriage given to the woman also served
to set out the terms governing a divorce, providing for her protection and support.
At the time of the kiddushin, a 'bride-price' was sometimes paid to the family of the bride and, in
addition to the ketubah, a valuable, personal gift (jewelery, a ring) was also given to the bride.
Having entered into the marriage contract with the bride, the groom then went to prepare a place
on family land for his bride. (Several generations of one Jewish family often lived together,
sometimes even in one house, where a room (or maybe rooms) would be added to accommodate
a bride for a son of the household.) In the intervening time, the bride prepared herself to start a
new life in the place that her husband was preparing for her. And when all was ready, the
bridegroom came with fanfare and a crowd of celebrants to take his bride unto himself, taking
her to the place he had prepared for her. The bride, although not knowing when this would take
place, was required to be ready.
These traditional Jewish things are a representation of the Reality of our union with GOD. The
mighty SON of GOD has brought the ketubah of the Truth of the word of GOD to us and if we have
accepted this word, in faith, (and we cannot Truly accept it without knowing what it says,) there
now exists a binding contract of marriage between us and our 'Bridegroom'. Jesus stood with us
in the chuppah (marriage tent) of our flesh and made an unfailing commitment to us, a covenant
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #4161 – poiema – that which is made. From #4160 – to make,
or do and from which is also derived #4163 – a performer, a poet.
1
of marriage which does not set out any terms for divorce but which says instead: I will never
leave you, or forsake you. For we are irrevocably His, Jesus having paid a very costly 'Bride-
price' for us, purchasing us out from the world, out of sin and death, setting us apart, in His own
Blood. And our Bridegroom has given each of us a very precious wedding gift as we await His
return. A ring? No, the Body of Christ is by no means a worldly, naïve 'blushing bride'.
Jesus gave us a sword – the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of GOD – saying also: “Peace
I leave to you, my Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let
not your heart be troubled nor fearful.” (John 14:27). Our marriage covenant is a Covenant
of Peace (Isaiah 54:10, (Isaiah chapter fifty-four speaks wonderfully of GOD's covenant of
marriage, the Covenant of Peace.)) “... a Covenant of Peace … an everlasting covenant
…' (Ezekiel 37:26). Shalom – rest, tranquillity, prosperity, security, health, renewal, restoration,
restitution, soundness, wholeness, completeness, fullness, perfection, oneness. This is what our
Head has given to us, His Bride, His Body, in the divine power of the ketubah of the word of
GOD, as we await His return. In this is our victory in the earth over all evil. In this is our
readiness.
‘... the Dawn from on High will visit us, to give Light/to shine upon the ones sitting
in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the Way of Peace. ’
(Luke 1:78-80)
Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in G OD, believe also in me. In
my Father’s House there are many resting places1 ... I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you
to myself, that where I am, you also may be. And where I go you know the Way ... I
am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.” (John 14:2-4,6). Here is the Way into the House of our Father in H IS only-begotten SON;
each one of us having a special place reserved for us by Jesus our Lord, in our Father's House.
“... be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an unexpected hour.” (Matthew 24:44).
'… and His Bride has made herself ready. And it was granted to her that she should
be arrayed with fine linen, radiant2 and pure; (for the fine linen is the righteous
deed of the saints.)' (Revelation 19:7,8). It has been granted to her to fulfill '... the
righteous requirements of the Law … according to the Spirit. ' ‘For we are HIS
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which GOD previously prepared,
that in them we should walk.’ (Ephesians 2:10)
‘Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24)
‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is my SHEPHERD, I shall lack nothing. HE makes me lie down in

green pastures, HE leads me beside still waters, HE restores my soul. HE leads me in
the paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake. Even though I walk in the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You (Yahweh-rohi) are with me. Your Rod
and Your Staff, they Comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of
1
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament # 3438 - mone (from # 3306 - meno) – a staying – a place to
stay: ‘My People will dwell in a Peaceful abode and in sure/secure tents and in undisturbed
resting places.’ (Isaiah 32:18)
2
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament #2986 – lampros – radiant. From #2989 – lampo – to beam
(radiate) brilliancy, to shine.
1
my enemies, You anointed my head with oil, my cup runs over/overflows . Surely
Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my Life and I will dwell in the
House of Yahweh/'the LORD' forever.’ (Psalm 23:1-6)

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Bread of Life

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BREAD

Part I – Knowledge and Understanding 4

Part II – Wisdom and Mystery 45

Part III – The Bread of Life 67

Part IV – The Law 100

Part I - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

'And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace queen of the

'Therefore, it is required of us to pay superabundant 1 attention to what we have

Knowledge and Understanding? ‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is my SHEPHERD, I shall lack nothing

‘By Wisdom is a House built, and through Understanding it is established. And

‘By Wisdom is a house built, and through Understanding it is established. And

Both ‘Peace’ and being ‘unblemished/blemishless/blameless’ signify wholeness, soundness,

Part II - WISDOM AND MYSTERY

‘By Wisdom is a House built, and through Understanding it is established. And

GOD 'planned/purposed in Him (Christ), as a stewardship for the fullness of time, to

GOD builds us up to ‘complete maturity/perfection, at the measure of the stature of

We are predestined to be conformed to the S ON of GOD, to be cleansed/purified and justified and

'Therefore, it is required of us to pay superabundant 2 attention to what we have

“For everyone partaking of milk is unacquainted with the word of Righteousness.

“By Faith we understand the worlds to have been

Part III - THE BREAD OF LIFE

'Yahweh/'the LORD' appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and and G OD said,

“What then am I saying? That an offering to idols is anything? Or that an idol is

‘Therefore, my Beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible/understanding

‘If anyone speaks, (speak) as oracles of GOD.’ (1Peter 4:11)

‘Brothers, if indeed a man is overtaken in some transgression, you, the Spiritual

“For everyone partaking of milk is unacquainted with the word of Righteousness.

‘Brothers, be not children in your understanding; be infants to malice/badness, but

Part IV – THE LAW

‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/understanding; be infants to malice, but

‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory.’ (Colossians 1:27)

‘Brothers, be not children in your minds/understanding; be infants to malice, but

‘Christ in you, the hope of Glory.’ (Colossians 1:27).

All the words/laws/commandments/exhortations/teachings of GOD can be distilled to one word,

“Having purified your souls by obedience to the Truth in unhypocritical brotherly

The Law of GOD is the word/teachings/instructions of GOD. Therefore, 'Whoever is sinning/

‘“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit ”, says Yahweh-tsebaoth/the LORD of

‘Ask and you will receive.’ (John 16:24)

‘Yahweh/'the LORD' is my SHEPHERD, I shall lack nothing. HE makes me lie down in

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