When the first believers came to the faith in Jesus Christ, they were all taught from the Scriptures that are known as the Old Testament. The New Testament writings were collected and passed along from one gathering of believers to another as they were hand copied from the words of those who knew Jesus personally and taught about Him over a period of around seventy years ending with the last apostle, John.
The entire Bible is to be considered the complete words of God to man, and as such may be seen as a whole book with each individual book being a chapter in essence. So, when the warning is given in the last letter or book known as Revelation not to add or subtract from this book, that warning neeeds to be taken very seriously by anyone professing the faith in Christ and the Bible as a whole. But needless to say, that is exactly what people do today. And the bandwagon of confusion rolls heartily onward as believers frolick amongst themselves, choosing and discarding at will the words of God. There is coming a day of great consternation and dismay among those who so haphazardly handle the word of life to their destruction. The children of the kingdom will be cast out to make room for those who did believe and trust in the Lord and not in worthless opinions.
My words may come as a shock but I refuse to recant or to compromise with a body of believers whose claim to the faith is based on traditions, misinterpretations, personal opinions, and world views. I believe every word which proceeds from the mouth of God as written in His word and spoken by His Son. The entire Bible is as relevant now as then and was never meant to be divided as it is today. Never place a book written by man above the Word of God. Never allow a mans’ interpretation to obscure the Lord’s words, and do not discard the Law and commandments as Old Testament relics of the which I most solemnly testify that they are very much in force to this very hour. As I have repeatedly stated, the Holy Spirit of God will never lead a man into sin by annulling the very commandments which will give him life. And I stand firmly upon this conviction without hesitation. And you should also do the same.
The Bible is not difficult to read, though very many are seemingly intimidated by its books, but they need not be. Like any book on a shelf, begin at page one. There are millions who claim that you only need the new testament but that is a dangerous statement and once again underscores a rebellious and unbelieving heart. You cannot sidestep and disregard any portion of the Scriptures we know today as the Bible, it is to be seen as a whole book. King Solomon once stated that there is nothing new under the sun, and that includes mans’ attempts to discredit the words of God as did the evil one when tempting the Lord Jesus by trying to use the scriptures against him. Millions of those professing Jesus will nonetheless misapply the scriptures to justify their sins and rebellious ways. I have heard men make incredible statements that border on incompetence and downright blasphemy as they twist the scriptures to make it line up with their interpretations or those of their teachers! Incredible to watch as wicked lies weave themselves in and around the foolish listeners, and tickle their itching ears.
The Lord Jesus told us quite emphatically that we are to live by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God, but millions will not listen. Jesus told us not to even think that He came to abolish the Law and the prophets, but they do anyway. Jesus warned us that many who profess His name will not be recognized by Him because they practiced lawlessness, and they brush aside His words. He told them that when they ignore His words, they are like the stupid man who built a house on the sand. And there are millions of very stupid builders constructing homes destined for destruction. For such builders, that ignorance is bliss most aptly fits.
It reminds me of the rock “gods” of the seventies who are now in their late seventies still strutting on stages, hammering on strings and gyrating with somewhat stiffened movements, knowing full well that they should have stopped several decades earlier, simply refusing to acknowledge their mortality until they collapse and die as all must one day. They died in their sins with all hope lost, and for what, a little bit of vain glory. And so it is with believers who in a similar vein do much the same, they practice lawlessness and rebellion, and though their consciences urging them to trust in the words of Jesus, they cling foolishly to their traditional beliefs until it is too late to repent. And the stupid builder perishes with the house they placed their trust in instead of the words of the Lord Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is given to believers to guide them into all righteousness, but somehow that light is steering them into fog banks and slippery roads until they are thoroughly lost, confused, and all sense of direction has been replaced by blind application of spiritual deceptions. The Holy Spirit is not there to be abused by foolish men, and when they insist upon walking as blind men do then it will leave them to their devices after a predetermined period of time. And the blindness becomes permanent. Recall that the fruits of the Holy Spirit will accompany true and faithful believers with the key being obedience. For without it there can be no witness. What good will it do to claim all spiritual authority, all gifts of healing, of prophecy, and yet walk in direct disobedience to his commands? For if we walk as he walked then we will obey his commands, and when we don’t, it makes us out to be liars! Is God Love? Yes, he is, but that does not mean that He accepts you as you are. He will meet you where you are and call you to follow Him to the cross where your old man will be crucified and you will receive a new robe of righteousness where you are commanded to pick up your cross and FOLLOW HIM! To follow logically means to obey the law and His commands, and not your vain imaginations!
When you read the writings contained in the latter portion of the scriptures concerning the Christ, then it becomes evident that Jesus became the sacrificial lamb of God for the sins of the entire world. And sin means the breaking of the Law. Jesus came to destroy the power of sin which is death, and He did by his resurrection from the grave. Jesus became the firstborn from the dead which means that He was born again, hence the true meaning and not what passes for it today when one boasts of being born again, using it as a popular cliche. When someone becomes baptized, they become renewed in the spirit of their mind, and the Holy Spirit is given as a tiny seed that will in time, if faithfulness is duly practiced, fill their hearts and minds, so that when the Lord appears, then they shall indeed rise from the grave, death having no power to keep them. Then they are truly born again in the spirit, just as Jesus taught Nicodemus, and not as they so erroneously believe today.
There is an incredible amount of deceptive practices and beliefs which have caused many to go after false teachers and doctrines of devils, and it is very hard to convince one of blindness when they claim to have sight.
The keys are love, faith and obedience. The first two are widely acknowledged and accepted, the third being largely ignored, and that should not be, but sadly it is to their open shame and dishonor. You simply cannot have faith without obedience to the Law and His commandments, and when you teach and practice lawlessness to others then you will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, and you will not be allowed to enter into the Holy City! What is so hard to understand here? If you love Jesus than keep the commandments! And when you won’t then you are liar and a deceiver and you will find yourself cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Why take that risk when there is no need? Just do as Jesus commands you and walk as he walked and keep the commandments, and you will make it if you remain faithful to Him and His words.
I remain a brother in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Edward L Ordway