THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS (Part 3)

MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
August 24

THE RELIGION OF THE BIBLE AND THE FAITH OF JESUS (Part 3)

Per the “more sure word of prophecy” (2 Pet. 1: 19-21, KJV) specifically the prophetically con-joined prophecies of Daniel in the Old Testament and Revelation, the last of the sixty-six books of the Bible–the great controversy between Christ and Satan and their respective agencies and followers on earth, between righteousness and sin, good and evil, truth and error, particularly it’s mesmerizing counterfeits in these last days—was and will be waged through and over religion and it’s main form of expression, worship, OBEDIENCE being the highest form of worship.

It is this arena of human activity, experience, and context that man’s duly informed, conscious and rational ultimate choices, before death, determines and then fixes beyond change, his eternal destiny.

This is why the wiseman Solomon, moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, wither thou goest.” Eccl. 9: 10, KJV. Again, “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in any thing that is done under the sun.” vs 5, 6.

Repeating what God sadly told Adam and Eve after their transgression in Eden (Gen. 3:19), the wiseman wrote: “Remember now Thy CREATOR in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say [too late], I have no pleasure in them.” Eccl. 12: 1. For “Then shall the dust return to the earth as if was: and the spirit [the breathe of life] shall return unto God who gave it.” v 7. He then tells all generations of men since then who have ears to hear and do not harden their hearts: “Let us hear the CONCLUSION of the whole matter: FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: FOR THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. For God shall bring every work info judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl 12: 13, 14, KJV.

This is Bible religion, and certainly central to the faith of Jesus who testified of Himself: “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My Love, EVEN AS I HAVE kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.” John 15: 10. Having set that example of genuine Bible religion and His own faith, verily “the faith of Jesus,” He then bequeaths this love command to His true followers thereafter: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15, KJV.

These commandments are the commandments of God and Jesus, not the counterfeit and Antichristian commandments of “the man of sin” and its “image” of the apostate churches of the last days, as prophesied.

Apostle Paul exhorts all professed believers: “Examine yourselves and prove yourselves whether ye are in the faith. . . “(2 Cor. 13: 5). Now, ask yourself these questions:
Does my present Christian religion teach and uphold these clear fundamental truths of Bible religion? Is the “faith” I currently profess, and even zealously promote to others in harmony with this “faith of Jesus”?

The midnight cry for these last days (first given by Jesus as part of Bible religion and the faith of Jesus) in the prophetic-parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25: 1-13), is echoed by Paul in these words: “And that, knowing the time, that NOW IT IS HIGH TIME TO AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP: for now is our salvation NEARER than when we [first] believed. The NIGHT is far spent, the DAY is at hand: let us therefore cast off the WORKS OF DARKNESS [see Gal. 5: 15-17; Rom. 1: 18-32; 2 Cor. 6: 9. 10, etc.] and let us PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT [see Eph. 6: 10-18, etc.].

Let us walk [“live, move, and have our being”] honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering [partying] and wantonness [self-pleasing indulgences], not in strife and envying. But PUT YE ON JESUS CHRIST, and make not provision for the FLESH, to fulfill the LUSTS thereof.” Rom. 13: 11-14, KJV. Beyond any reasonable doubt, this is Bible religion and the faith of Jesus.

To be continued in next week’s MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.