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I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
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I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
God became flesh. Flesh means, it is just a mere man. He was Jesus of Nazareth. He lived a holy life that was pleasing to God the Father and was declared as his begotten son at his resurrection. He has achieved all of it, by just being a man, filled with grace, truth, and Spirit. We also can follow his life and please God the Father, since the same grace, spirit, and power of God are made available to us also. So, Jesus Christ Calls us to follow his steps, so that we may become joint-heirs with him in his kingdom.
"John 4:24 God is a Spirit: ... Numbers 23:19 God is not a man ..." So, God is not a man; but he is a Spirit with Omni-powers. Since God has Souls, he is a Person; even though God is not a man. "John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God." From even before the eternal beginning, until God became a man, 'the Word' was God with all his divine Omni-powers; and he was with God the Father. "John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us …" So, God became flesh. He was called flesh, in order to emphasize the fact that he was just a mere man; and he was Jesus of Nazareth. He lived among people as an ordinary man. "Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." When he became a man, he ceased to be God. Christians think that he has maintained the status of God, and so he was God and man; it is just sentimental, but it is not true. God says that he did not keep any power or status of God. As a man, Jesus obeyed God the Father until the end.
As a man, Jesus of Nazareth, went to the temple of God. "Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." He says, that the house of God must be the house of prayer, but they made it a market place. He accused the temple merchants as thieves and reviled at them. Looking at the life of the Scribes and Pharisees, he pronounced woe to them. He was very much displeased with the activities in the temple. As a man, he has set the pattern of a true servant of God. He rebuked those who served in the temple, which may very well fit those who serve in our churches. It is in Matthew 23:13-38. It is a long passage, so please read it for yourself. You will find the true picture of those, who even control our churches.
1 Peter 2:21 says, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" So, let us see a few steps that we must follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus lived a perfect and holy life as an example so that his people may follow his steps. If Jesus was God and man at the same time and lived without sin, it was not a big deal because God cannot commit sin. That was why he became flesh; and as a mere man, he did not commit sin; so that we can also live without sin. 1 Peter 2:24 says, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:" Preachers say that he bore our sins; so that, we do not have to be punished for our sins. We are used to such preaching, but it is not true by the word of God. The verse says that he bore our sins so that we must die to our sins and live unto righteousness. So, we must live a holy life.
"John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." The very purpose that he became a man, was to do the will of God the Father. "John 8:29 -- he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Since Jesus pleased the Father, the presence of the Father was always with him. So, it is the will of God, that we must also please the Father, so that the presence of God may be with us. "John 15:10 --- I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." He obeyed the commandments of God the Father and the love of the Father was abiding with him. So, we must also obey the commandments of God, and then God will love us. Matthew 3:13-16 says that Jesus came to John the Baptist and took water baptism, even though John forbade him. "13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." God the Father was pleased in the water baptism. So, we must also take water baptism to please God the Father. So, follow his steps.
"Matthew 4:23 -- Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." Jesus did not preach how to receive healing and miracles, but he healed the sick, cast out demons, and did miracles. Jesus did not advertise his healings, but he told the healed not to tell anyone. Jesus did not teach techniques to do miracles, but he gave power to do them. He preached his gospel for us to obey, and to inherit eternal life. But he did not say that he will die to take us to heaven. "Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Jesus Christ added one more point to the gospel in Matthew 28:20: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:" Jesus Christ has divided the gospel into two portions. First part is to preach repentance and baptize those who believe. This is almost a ceremonial part and it to be saved. Second part is, to teach them his commandments for them to observe; it is to do or to obey. So, the disciples obeyed them; and they preached believers to obey his commandments. This part will lead people into salvation. So, we must also do the same and be saved.
"Matthew 7:28 -- it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Jesus Christ preached his gospel. Scribes were also preachers of the old testament. But Jesus Christ preached with authority. If we follow Christ, and if we preach the gospel, we must preach it with the authority of the word of God. If we preach the gospel in a polite way, being politically correct, making sure that we should not offend anybody; might as well preach something else other than preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are his disciples, we must preach repentance, give water baptism, and teach his commandments to believers, so that they obey.
"Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. 6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere." Jesus gave his disciples power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases and they healed people everywhere. But now, preachers have learned the techniques to heal and to do miracles, from each other. They have become famous, earn a ton of money; but they are shame to Jesus Christ, and they do gimmicks. If they have power, the devil gave them power; but it is not from Jesus Christ. "Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." True servants of God will preach about the kingdom of God, which is heaven. They have received power from God, they will heal the sick freely, but do not make money, since Jesus tells them that freely ye have received, freely give. His disciples will preach how to please God and to inherit heaven; but not how to be prosperous and famous in this world.
After his resurrection, Jesus meets his disciples and tells them in Acts 1:4&5. "4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. (so, he told them even before) 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." We just saw that when Jesus was a man, he gave power and authority to his disciples, and sent them to do ministry. After his death and ascension, he told his disciples to tarry to be baptized by the Holy Ghost, in order to receive power from God. "8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." This is his final command to his disciples, which was the grand finale in the time of his ministry in the world as a man. He told his disciples that they must wait for the baptism of the Holy Ghost to receive the power of God, and then to start the ministry. Now a days, theological schools and bible colleges replace the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the power of God, to do ministry. They do not have the ordination from God, but they have ordination from the churches of their denomination. So, they are ministers of churches, but not ministers of God. But they have become rich and famous. It is funny, that our Lord Jesus Christ had no room to lay his head and all his apostles were dead poor. But most of our preachers are symbols of luxury.
"2 Timothy 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: Romans 8:13 ... if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." So, if we mortify our sin nature with the power of the holy spirit, we will live with Jesus Christ forever. "John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." Again, if the holy spirit lives in us, we will see the resurrected Jesus Christ through our spirit as in verse 19, and in heaven, we will be in Christ, as in verse 20. "Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." We are body, spirit, and soul. When we die; our flesh bodies will return to dust, since it came from dust. God gave our spirit, and so our spirit will go beck to God. Our souls will go to rest at the place called, Abraham's bosom, as in Luke 16:22. If we are not born of the spirit, our souls will be found naked at our death, and we will be thrown into hell, as in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, and Matthew 22:9-13. This will be our status until the second coming of Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 says, "them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." That is, at his second coming, Jesus Christ will bring our spirits, which went to God when we died. These spirits will be glorified according to how much work we have done; that is, if we have done more works, we will receive higher glory. At the same time, in the twinkling of an eye, our souls will be raised from our rest and will join our respective spirits, which are glorified, as in 1 Corinthians 15:52-55. They will look like God, as souls with their glorified spirits. "1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" These are the souls that are resting at Abraham's bosom and they will join their glorified spirits. "17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Among those who will be living at that time; those who are born of the spirit, will also go through the same process of resurrection in a twinkling of an eye. That is, their flesh body will go to dust; their spirit will be glorified according to how much works they have done; and they will join their souls as their bodies in an instant; and they will be with the Lord forever.
There are four levels in heaven; and Jesus Christ will be in heaven. If we go anywhere in heaven, it will be glorious and marvelous. All those who are born of the spirit, will be in one of them. So, we must be born of the spirit, because all those who are not born of the spirit will be thrown into the lake of fire. "John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Jesus Christ said this. So, be born again. If you like to know the details of the four levels in heaven, please click on the links to study.
Note: If any point needs explanation, OR, if you find an
error according to scripture,
Please write to me in the 'Mail Box' below. I will reply
promptly. Thanks.
Links are: Index for topics in heaven: "Video & Transcript". The Four heavens: "Video & Transcript."
Please write to me
in the 'Mail
Box'
below.
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Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his
Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven
. John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
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