Growing in Grace and Knowledge Through Obedience to Christ

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Growing In Grace And Knowledge Through Obedience To Christ

Dealing In Obedience With Those Who "Transgress and Abide Not In The Doctrine of Christ"

Today is the day on which our elders have agreed that we must purge those who are teaching the doctrine of God's elect being hurt of the second death from the midst of those who do not accept that doctrine.

Christ made this statement:

Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

Just a few chapters earlier He also told us:

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. [Greek: Judgment]

That is a clear and succinct statement. There are only two resurrections, and "all that are in the graves... shall come forth" unto one of these two resurrections. No one can be in both resurrections. Christ, who is the first of the firstfruits, along with His "firstfruits unto God and the Lamb" (Rev 14:4) will "execute judgment" upon all the rest of mankind who are not "firstfruits unto God and the Lamb".

Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Here is another very clear statement upon which we should all just obediently and peacefully agree, and then in the love and obedience of Christ, go our separate ways and do as the Good Shepherd instructs us all:

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

The holy spirit has inspired the apostle John to give these instructions a sense of urgency. Apparently it is possible to "lose... the things we  have wrought [and not] receive a full reward". It is also possible to lose our "crown of life":

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

"The crown of life" is given only to those who are given tribulations and temptations by "the devil". So this "crown of life" is unique to those who are in the first resurrection, because the devil will be tempting no one while he himself is being tried and purified in the lake of fire.

But there are those with whom we have enjoyed sweet fellowship who do not think that being in the first resurrection makes us special in the Lord's eyes, and they actually teach that belief even though we are so special that we are told:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

These precious brothers still insist on teaching that we endure the lake of fire which is the second death in this age. Here is the title for the talk being given by those brothers today:

They wrote:

For those of us who place obedience to the inspired instructions in 2Jo 1:7-11 above the love they have for their wayward brothers, today is the day we are being obedient to those very sober words. As of today, the body of Christ e-mail list will be removing all those who have told us they want to be taken off our mailing list. As any of you make known through your e-mails, phone calls, skype, etc. that you want to continue with the false teaching that you are now living your "resurrection of judgment, second death, lake of fire, white throne judgment..." and as you reveal to us that you have honestly concluded that our doctrine that we are "not hurt of the second death" and that "the elect [do not] partake of the lake of fire now" is heresy, we will be removing you from the Lord's house, as any "good shepherd" would and should do.

We are being accused of not giving the flock time to weigh these matters, but we all know that is not true and that no one has ever told anyone they must make an immediate decision on these very weighty matters. Certainly none of the seven elders who have remained faithful to the doctrine that the good and wise are resurrected to life, and the evil are resurrected to judgment, which is the second death; none of us are insisting on an immediate decision on this very important matter. The truth is that no one who is simply unsure of where they stand at this time is being excluded from our fellowship. Not one soul! It is only those who have made known that they think we are teaching heresy who are being taken out of the "[our spiritual] house" to be considered by us spiritually "as a heathen man and a publican" (Mat 18:15-17).

We have been told in no uncertain terms by our detractors that our calling does not make us a special people, and that if we think it does, then we are making ourselves better than those who are cast into the lake of fire. The fact of that matter is that everyone in both camps of this divide knows that we have never taken credit for even so much as our sins, much less our becoming an overcomer. But, as regards to being given a very special calling, Oh, yes indeed! We are guilty as charged!! Let it be known to all that if we are blessed to be in that first resurrection, we are indeed a "blessed and holy people" unto the Lord. The Lord, not us, has chosen us to be a special people, not someone who is raised to "the resurrection of judgment", to be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death. If we are given to be in that "resurrection of life", then we are a special people above all people that are upon the face of the earth".

Just how special is the resurrection to life?

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. [Very special]

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. [Very special]

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. [Very special]

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. [Very special]

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. [Very special]

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are [Firstborn: Heb 12:23] written in heaven. [Very special]

Heb 12:18  For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Heb 12:19  And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
Heb 12:20  (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
Heb 12:21  And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, [Very special]
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. [Very special]
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: [Those is the lake of fire do NOT receive a kingdom, and that makes us Very special]
Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

Now I want to share with you an e-mail from a brother in Nairobi, Kenya, which the Lord inspired him to write and which simply states the truth concerning how we are instructed to deal with brothers who "abide not in the doctrine of Christ". Let's read those instructions again:

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Here is that e-mail which was sent to the body e-mail list back on Oct 27th. Some of you have already read this:

Thank you for your inspired input. It has served to remind us that Paul was rejected of all the churches in Asia when he changed His doctrine from agreeing with the elders in Jerusalem to no longer living according to the words of that letter to all the churches telling them that the Gentiles need not keep the law of Moses, but the Jews must  still do so. As you pointed out, Peter and Paul agreed to what the apostles and elders of that time agreed to be the will of the Lord.

That entire story very much parallels what is now taking place in our fellowship. Let's examine closely exactly what was said and contrast what was said by Peter at that conference with what the apostles and elders agreed to. Here is what Peter said:

Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Act 15:12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.

After declaring 'God put no difference between us and them' and after declaring the law of Moses was "a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear", both Peter and Paul and the holy spirit agreed with the apostles and elders that there really is a difference between Jews and Gentiles, that difference being that the Gentiles need not keep the law of Moses, but the Jews absolutely must do so:

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

This letter is addressed to the Gentiles only:

Act 15:23  And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Act 15:24  Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

This Jerusalem conference took place after Paul and Barnabas returned from their first evangelical journey being sponsored by the church in Syrian Antioch. We know this is so because they are still together here at this Jerusalem conference. It was at the beginning of their second journey that they split up over whether to take John Mark with them again.

Paul made two other journeys before coming back to Jerusalem to be apprehended of the Jews. During all those years, he and Peter were living under the law of Moses, as is made clear by the fact that he circumcised Timothy in the very next chapter of Acts:

Act 16:1  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Act 16:2  Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Act 16:3  Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.
Act 16:4  And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.

Here we have the apostle Paul circumcising Timothy because his mother was a Jew, and therefore Timothy was considered to be a Jew also, and as such he must be circumcised according to the law of Moses, which Paul agreed the Jews must keep, even as he was teaching the Gentiles that they need not keep the law of Moses. It had to be a time of conflict in the heavens of both Paul and Peter, who had just told the apostles and elders that the Lord had "put no difference between us and them", and that "neither our fathers nor we" could keep the law of Moses.

Act 15:9  And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Peter did not say, "Why tempt ye God to put a yoke on the neck of the Jewish disciples?" He made it clear that he meant all the Lord's disciples by going on and saying, "which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear."

Lest there be any doubt whether Peter and Paul lived under the law of Moses during the years of Paul's next two missionary journeys, we read this in Acts 21, years later, just before Paul is imprisoned at Jerusalem:

Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 21:25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

That letter to the Gentiles was definitely the "wall of partition" of which Paul later speaks when he changes his doctrine to accord with his now more mature understanding of the curse of the law of Moses:

Gal 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1Ti 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

"The glorious gospel... was committed to [Paul's] trust", and yet for many years he taught the Jews that they had to keep the law of Moses. When his understanding matured, just a couple of years after Acts 21, and he came finally to see that the more mature truth is that the priesthood of Christ was no longer Aaronic but is now "after the order of Melchizedek", he did not, as Nicholas correctly noted, go back to Jerusalem and seek a democratic vote as to whether he should show the churches the truths of Ephesian, Colossians, Timothy, Hebrews, etc. But there is another amazing parallel between what happened to Paul and Peter and John, when John finally wrote his gospel and referred to all the Jewish holy days as 'feast[s] of the Jews' throughout the gospel of John.

What happened to the very apostles of Christ when they changed their doctrine and began teaching the very opposite of what they had previously taught? This is what happened then, and it is happening even today:

To Paul:

Col 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Phm 1:24  Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

2nd Timothy was Paul's last epistle. Colossians and Philemon are both prison epistles. What this tells us is that Demas, Crescens, and even Titus, forsook Paul while Paul was still in prison but after writing Colossians, which has the same message of Ephesians. Paul is letting us all know that now not even the Jews are required to keep the law of Moses.

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

2Ti 4:16  At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
2Ti 4:18  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

It had to be a great disappointment for Paul to see the very men he had mentored, Demas, Crescens, and Titus, men whom he had considered "my fellowlaborers", forsake him after he changed his doctrine while in prison in Rome. It had to be very disappointing for Christ to witness all of His own apostles forsake Him, and it had to be very disappointing to Paul when "all they in Asia" forsook him.

Now this is what happened to John when He started speaking of the holy days of God as "a feast of the Jews" distancing himself from the law of Moses:

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn 1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Peter agreed with Paul's new revelation. After all, Paul's new revelation was exactly what Peter had said in Acts 15, so Peter tells us:

2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

That is what happened to the apostles when they were led to change their doctrine after teaching the exact opposite of the new revelation which was actually more in line with the scriptures.

If this is what happened to them, why would you or I expect anything different?

But the apostles, like Christ and Stephen before them, were magnanimous towards all who opposed them, while at the same time remaining faithful and firm in obedience to the Truth:

Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Act 7:60  And he [Stephen] kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

2Ti 4:16  At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me:I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

That is how I feel toward all my brothers and sisters who think that the other six elders and I are teaching heresy. I know this is all of the Lord, and He is still working all things together for good (Rom 8:28).

There have been many e-mails demonstrating how I once taught that the seven last plagues are "our lake of fire". Some seem to think that if they can just find one more additional article where I taught that doctrine that it will prove what a hypocrite I am.

I confess openly once again, that it was wrong for me to agree that our fiery trials in this age are our lake of fire. The lake of fire is the resurrection to judgment, and that is not for any who are aspiring to know the power of the resurrection of Christ, who was not, nor ever will be, raised from the death in "the resurrection of judgment". Christ's flesh, His old man was judged before He ever went to the literal cross. We, too, if we are given to know "the power of His resurrection" will never be raised from the dead unto "the resurrection of judgment", and since there are only two resurrections, all men are in one or the other of these two resurrections:

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life [first resurrection]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. [Greek: judgment, second resurrection, second death]

I have confessed to a lack of understanding when those FAQ's were written, and I confess again to day before you all to that lack of understanding at that time. But to demonstrate how I, just like Peter and Paul, was conflicted at that time, I want to share with you another FAQ which was sent to me by my brother Riquard Vreekamp, who has struggled mightily with this question of us, in this age, living through the very thing we are promised would have no power over us and would never hurt us:

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Here is Riquard's e-mail and that FAQ from the year just before Partakers of The Second Death was written. It is a question from someone whose first initial was 'F':

I hope you have all been edified by this little history of what happened with the apostles Peter and Paul, and I pray you do not consider either the apostles or me or any of our other elders, who taught this immature understanding in the past, as hypocrites. Neither Peter nor Paul were hypocrites. Like me, their understanding was lacking until the Lord "enlighted the eyes of their understanding":

Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, [of the first resurrection, "the resurrection of life".
Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his powerto us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

I am not impugning the character of anyone. When the Lord blinds us, it is not of our own doing. When we sin it is not even of ourselves. This is all of the Lord, and my prayer is that the Lord will not lay to anyone's charge what He has wrought in that person's life (Rom 7:17-25).

That is our study for today. Today is the day that we are purging the Lord's house of the leaven He has placed within it, and we look forward to sweet fellowship with all whom the Lord gives to us. Let Steve Crook or Sandi know where you think you are hearing the voice of the True Shepherd, and we will either add you to our fellowship or purge you from our midst as you let us know. I will wrap this up by repeating again, there is no rush to judgment being exerted just because we are purging the Lord's house. Take all the time you need to determine whether you are raised up to the resurrection of life or to the resurrection of judgment, the second death, the lake of fire, the great white throne judgment to be judged with the whole world:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. [to the second death].

Next week, Lord willing, we will return to the study of our judgment in this age, as we continue our studies in Isaiah.

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