What Is the Actual Purpose of the Church?

Matthew 24:14 — The Mission That Defines the Church

After seeing the pattern of the early Church in Acts of the Apostles 2:42–47, a deeper question rises:

Why does the Church exist at all?

Is it:

• To gather believers?
• To create community?
• To worship together?

Yes… but those are not the ultimate purpose.

To understand the true purpose, we must listen to the words of

Jesus Christ Himself.

The Defining Statement

In Gospel of Matthew 24:14, Jesus makes a powerful declaration:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

This is not just a prophecy.

It is a mission statement.

A Purpose Bigger Than Gathering

Notice what Jesus did not say:

• He did not say, “When churches are built…”
• He did not say, “When believers gather every week…”
• He did not say, “When sermons are preached in buildings…”

He said:

“This gospel will be preached… to all nations.”

The focus is not inward.

It is radically outward.

Understanding “All Nations”

The word “nations” here is not about political countries.

It refers to ethne—people groups, tribes, cultures.

This means:

• Every language
• Every tribe
• Every unreached community

must hear the Gospel.

This aligns perfectly with the command in

Gospel of Matthew 28:18–20:

“Go and make disciples of all nations…”

The Church Exists for a Mission

This changes everything.

The Church is not an end in itself.

It is a means to an end.

It exists to:

• Proclaim the Gospel
• Make disciples
• Multiply into every people group

If we misunderstand this purpose, we risk:

• Building systems that maintain believers
• instead of
• Movements that multiply disciples

A Sobering Reflection

If Jesus tied His return to this mission:

“…and then the end will come”

Then we must ask:

• How much of our time is spent on this mission?
• How much of our resources are invested in reaching the unreached?
• How many disciples are we actually making?

Not just converts.

Not just attendees.

But disciple-makers.

Where Does Most Church Energy Go Today?

In many cases:

• Time is spent organizing services
• Money is spent maintaining structures
• Energy is spent running programs

None of these are inherently wrong.

But the real question is:

Do they serve the mission—or replace it?

The Early Church Alignment

In the book of Acts of the Apostles, we see something powerful:

• Believers were scattered—and the Gospel spread
• Ordinary people preached—not just leaders
• Churches multiplied rapidly—not centrally

They understood something critical:

The Church does not exist to gather people into one place…

but to send people into every place.

House Church and the Mission

This is where the house church becomes significant.

Why?

Because it naturally:

• Multiplies easily (no heavy structure required)
• Releases every believer (not just leaders)
• Penetrates communities (homes are everywhere)

It aligns with the mission of reaching:

• Neighborhoods
• Villages
• Cities
• Nations

A Necessary Shift

We must move from:

• Church as a destination
• to
• Church as a movement

From:

• Come and see
• to
• Go and tell

From:

• Addition
• to
• Multiplication

A Confronting Question

If your current model of church cannot realistically reach all nations…

Is it aligned with the mission Jesus gave?

The Core Truth

The purpose of the Church is not primarily:

• Comfort
• Routine
• Tradition

It is:

To ensure that every people group hears the Gospel of the Kingdom.

The Unfinished Task — A Global Reality Check

If the mission of the Church is to take the Gospel to all nations (ethne), then we must ask:

How close are we to finishing the assignment?

The answer is both sobering and urgent.

The Scale of the Unreached World

Today, the global reality is staggering:

• Over 3.3–3.5 billion people live in unreached people groups ()
• That is about 42% of the world’s population ()
• There are more than 7,000 unreached people groups worldwide ()

These are not just people who haven’t believed the Gospel…

These are people who have little to no access to it.

Many:

• Have never met a Christian
• Have no Bible in their language
• Have no church among them

In fact:

• 86% of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists do not personally know a Christian ()

Where Is the Greatest Need?

Most unreached people live in a region known as the 10/40 Window—

stretching from West Africa to East Asia.

This region contains:

• The highest concentration of unreached people
• The greatest spiritual darkness
• The least access to the Gospel

Over 95% of unreached people groups are located there ()

The Great Imbalance

Now comes the most confronting part.

While nearly half the world is unreached…

• Only 3% of missionaries are working among them ()
• About 98% of missionaries serve already reached areas ()
• Less than 1% of Christian giving goes to the unreached ()

Let that sink in.

The vast majority of resources are spent where the Gospel is already known…

while billions remain without access.

A Sobering Picture

In practical terms:

• There is roughly 1 missionary for every 216,000 unreached people ()
• Thousands of people groups still have no Scripture at all ()
• Entire generations are being born, living, and dying
• without ever hearing the name of Jesus Christ

What This Means for the Church

This reveals something deeply important:

The issue is not lack of resources…

It is misalignment of focus.

The Church is active.

The Church is gathering.

The Church is spending.

But the question is:

Is the Church aligned with the mission of Jesus Christ?

A Necessary Awakening

If nearly half the world is still unreached…

Then the Church cannot afford to be:

• Comfortable
• Inward-focused
• Program-centered

We must become:

• Mission-driven
• Disciple-multiplying
• Globally conscious

Why This Matters for House Church

This is where the house church becomes not just a model…

but a strategy for finishing the mission.

Because:

• It multiplies rapidly
• It requires fewer resources
• It empowers every believer
• It can penetrate unreached communities easily

The traditional model often adds.

But the early Church—and house churches—multiply.

A Final Question

If:

• Billions are still unreached
• Resources are mostly spent elsewhere

Then we must ask:

Are we truly doing church in a way that can finish the mission?

Transition

Now that we have seen:

• The pattern (Acts 2)
• The purpose (Matthew 24:14)
• The urgency (global unreached reality)

The next question becomes unavoidable:

Why do we do what we do in church today?

And the answer may take us into history…

where we begin to uncover how the Church shifted from a movement

into a system. PART 3

Summary: Elohim has a plan to make humanity in His own likeness and image. For this purpose, He placed humans in the Garden of Eden to be processed through two trees: the Tree of Life, which symbolizes the Life of Christ, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which symbolizes the kind of “death” life ruled by the devil. Through a long process, humanity will ultimately become like Elohim in His likeness and image.

Call to Action: As believers, let us live the Life of Christ day by day so that we may grow to become like Him in His likeness and image.

Many Christians assume that when God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, they were already in His likeness and image. Then, when Adam and Eve fell into sin by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the tree of knowledge, God acted to save humanity by designing the redemption of Jesus on the cross. This view has been widely accepted in the Christian world for centuries.

The reasoning behind this view is that although God created Adam and Eve in His likeness and image, He gave them free will, allowing them to choose between the tree of life and the tree of knowledge. Free will has become the basis for why this perspective is so popular and accepted as truth among Christians.

This concept of free will also forms the basis of the doctrine of the fall of the devil, who is said to have originally been a good angel, Lucifer (the morning star). Because of his free will, he rebelled against God and became the evil devil. There is even a belief that he persuaded a third of the angels in heaven to join him in rebellion against God.

I will not immediately refute this view. Instead, by explaining the plan of Elohim from the beginning to the end, we may begin to see how unusual this perspective actually is.

Let us begin by looking at Genesis 1:26–28: “Then Elohim said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So Elohim created man in His image; in the image of Elohim He created him; male and female He created them. Then Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion…’” (ILT).

There are several points that show that Genesis 1:26–28 is still a plan—namely, the Father’s plan to make humanity in His image and likeness and to give them dominion over all things—and that Adam and Eve were not yet in that full likeness.

First, verse 27 uses the Hebrew word ‘bara’ (create), which is not in the past tense (completed action), but carries a present progressive sense — ‘is creating’, an ongoing process.

Second, Adam and Eve were still in a state of innocence (neither sinful nor holy). They had not eaten from the tree of life, which symbolizes the divine life (the holy character of Elohim), yet they had also not sinned by eating from the tree of knowledge. Thus, they were in a neutral condition—neither holy nor sinful.

Third, Adam and Eve did not yet know good and evil, so they were not yet like Him. Only after eating from the tree of knowledge was it said that they became “like one of Us” (Gen. 3:22).

Fourth, Genesis 1:26–28 is still a plan because the Father intended humanity to multiply and subdue the earth, while Adam and Eve in Eden were still in process.

Therefore, Genesis 1:26–28 represents Elohim’s plan: to create humanity in His image and likeness, to fill the earth, and to exercise dominion over all things.

We now understand that this plan applies to all humanity. Elohim’s intention is that all people become like Him and exercise dominion. Even from Genesis 1:26 alone, when Elohim says, “Let Us make man…,” it implies all humanity—not just a portion. However, let us consider further points.

First, the Bible teaches the concept of ‘headship’. This means that when one man is designated as the head, all his descendants are included in him. If the head is righteous, all are counted as righteous; if the head is sinful, all are counted as sinful. This principle is seen in Romans 5:18–19. Just as Adam, the first man, came from the dust, so all his descendants are from the dust. Scripture says that through one trespass all men were condemned, so through one act of righteousness all men receive justification of life (Romans 5:18). Thus, based on this principle, all will ultimately receive justification. All people will become citizens of heaven, just as Jesus, the head of the second humanity, is from heaven. Therefore, it is reasonable to understand ‘man’ in Genesis 1:26–28 as all humanity.

Second, consider Hebrews 2:6–9. Verses 6–8 describe how Elohim crowned man with glory and honor, placing him over the works of His hands and subjecting all things under his feet. The passage clearly refers to all humanity. Yet we do not yet see all things subjected to humanity. However, verse 9 says: “But we see Jesus… crowned with glory and honor… that He might taste death for everyone” (ILT). The Greek word translated ‘everyone’ is ‘pas’, meaning all, the whole, every kind—referring to all races and nations. These verses affirm that Jesus died for all humanity, so that all will ultimately be crowned with glory and honor. Elohim fulfills His plan through a process: first the firstfruits, then all humanity. Thus, Elohim’s plan is for all humanity to become like Him and to have dominion over all things.

We have seen that Genesis 1:26–28 is a plan and that it applies to all humanity. Next, we must understand that Elohim is a God of process. God does not work instantly. His plans are fulfilled through a process, as stated in Isaiah 55:11: ‘His word will accomplish what He desires’.

So what process did God use with Adam and Eve? He placed them in the Garden of Eden to undergo that process. God Himself placed the two trees in the garden and commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge. He also placed the serpent there as an instrument to test humanity.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed, was this outside God’s plan? According to Romans 8:20, creation was subjected to futility not by its own will, but by the will of Him who subjected it. This shows that Adam’s fall was not outside God’s plan. God designed it so that creation would experience futility. He had already prepared the sacrifice of the cross before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

Nothing took God by surprise. He did not react suddenly to Adam’s fall. Everything happens according to His will—even a sparrow does not fall apart from the Father (Matthew 10:29). “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things…” (Romans 11:36).

Many Christians struggle to accept that Adam’s fall is part of God’s process. Why? Because of the belief in free will. They believe humans—and even the devil—have independent free will. I conclude this section by stating: if any creature truly has absolute free will, then God’s sovereignty would be limited. God cannot create a being whose will is beyond His control, for that would mean He ceases to be fully sovereign.

Previously we saw that Adam’s fall is part of God’s process. Now, let us examine the serpent in Eden. Genesis 3:1 states: “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field…” The serpent spoke and tempted Eve. After being cursed, it was said to eat dust all its life. Clearly, this is not an ordinary physical snake.

This serpent is the same as the “dragon” in Revelation 12:9 and 20:2. The book of Revelation uses symbolic language. The dragon is called the “ancient serpent” (archaios), meaning original or from the beginning. Thus, this dragon is the same serpent in Genesis—and this serpent or dragon is the devil, or Satan.

Then, Genesis 3:1 affirms that the serpent was MADE BY GOD, meaning that God Himself created the devil. Therefore, the serpent or the devil was not a being who was originally good and then, by his own free will, made himself evil. Both John 8:44 and 1 John 3:8 affirm that the devil has been sinning, a liar, and a murderer from the beginning—not that he was once good and later became evil by his own free will.

Theologians often quote Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 to prove that the devil was originally a good angel named Lucifer, who then became proud, fell, and turned into the devil. This interpretation is a serious violation of the principle of context, because the context of Isaiah 14 is the king of Babylon, while the context of Ezekiel 28 is the king of Tyre. On what authority do these theologians take verses out of context and apply them to the devil? If we arbitrarily pick verses out of context, perhaps I too could create a story about the devil that is even more dramatic than those of these great theologians…

However, I understand that the motive behind these “theologians’ tales” is an attempt to absolve God of responsibility for the existence of evil, sin, disease, calamity, and disasters in this world. They believe that God, who is love, could not possibly create suffering and catastrophe in the universe. We need not concern ourselves with what these theologians say—whoever they are—because Amos 3:6 says, “…Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has done it?” Likewise, Isaiah 45:6–7 says, “…I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.”

Have we seen this important principle—that all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him? If we grasp this principle, then we can easily understand the process God uses to make humans in His image and likeness.

Before continuing, let us briefly review what we have discussed. First, Genesis 1:26–28 is still the Father’s plan to make humanity in His image and likeness and to give them dominion over all things. Second, this plan includes all humanity. Third, the Father began this process by placing humans in the Garden of Eden, providing two trees, and also the serpent to test them. In the previous writing, we discussed that the serpent is the devil created by God as His instrument in the process of shaping humans into His likeness. Now, we will discuss a bit more about the serpent or the devil, because many Christians wonder how a loving Father could create such a cruel and wicked being.

I will attempt to explain this by looking at nature, because Jesus often used nature to explain His teachings. For example, He said, “consider the birds of the air,” and “consider the lilies.” Paul also said that nature itself teaches that it is disgraceful for a man to have long hair. Thus, the physical universe was not created carelessly or randomly. It was designed in such a way that it can illustrate spiritual realities.

Let us consider the experiment conducted by Isaac Newton (1642–1727). Using a prism, Newton demonstrated that sunlight can be broken down into a spectrum of colors, from red to violet. If we apply this natural phenomenon to the idea of a loving Father who created the devil, the analogy would be something like this: the Father, who is love, is like sunlight. Yet this light of love is refracted into forgiveness, provision, goodness, and so on. But it does not stop there—there is also discipline, correction, even wrath, and so on. The devil was created as an instrument to carry out this wrath. Throughout the Bible, there are examples of how God uses the devil to execute discipline or judgment upon individuals. Saul, David, and Job are good examples, though we will not explore them further here.

Thus, the serpent or the devil was created as God’s instrument in the process of shaping humanity into His image and likeness. I must again address the concept of free will, which many believe to be true, even though the Bible does not support it. This concept greatly disturbs people’s understanding and even their knowledge of God Himself. Let us look at Acts 17:28: “For in Him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’” Paul said this to unbelievers in Athens while preaching the gospel. Yet he clearly stated that ‘we live, move, and exist’ IN HIM. He is the One who causes us to live, move, and exist. Once again, ‘we’ here refers not only to believers, but to ALL HUMANITY. And Paul says that every human being is God’s offspring (Greek: ‘genos’, meaning generation or origin). Not only humans come from Him—even the devil comes from Him and was created with a purpose.

Therefore, there is no free will. People live, move, and make decisions entirely under God’s control. Nothing exists outside His control—even the devil can only act if God permits it. This should be clear, and in the next writing we will discuss the two trees placed in the Garden of Eden as part of God’s process.

There is still one more matter to address before discussing the two trees: creation itself. If someone believes in the doctrine of ‘creatio ex nihilo’, it will be difficult to understand this theme. Unfortunately, this doctrine has been widely accepted and taught in theological schools and is believed by almost all Christians as truth. According to L. Berkhof (author of Systematic Theology, widely used in seminaries, especially among Evangelicals), Augustine (354–430), recognized as a Church Father, strongly supported this doctrine.

This doctrine asserts that creation comes from nothing into something. Let us examine Romans 4:17: “…calls into existence the things that do not exist.” The Greek word translated ‘calls’ is ‘kaleo’, which appears 148 times in the New Testament and is never translated as ‘create’. It means to call, name, invite, or summon. Therefore, Romans 4:17 does not support ‘creatio ex nihilo’. In fact, it speaks about Abraham’s faith in a living God who can call or move things—even mountains—from one place to another.

However, Hebrews 11:3 does speak about creation: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was made from what is not visible.” The word ‘formed’ comes from the Greek ‘katartizo’, meaning to create, prepare, or arrange. Thus, creation is making something visible from something invisible. What is visible is the universe; what is invisible is God. Therefore, creation is the visible coming from the invisible God. Romans 11:36 affirms: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things…”.

Creation does not come from ‘nothing’, but from the invisible God. It is as if God Himself is the “substance,” and everything originates from Him. This is not pantheism, which fails to distinguish between Creator and creation. Rather, creation EXISTS IN HIM. God does not dwell in the universe; the universe dwells in Him. Everything exists in Him. That is why the Bible says not a single bird falls outside the Father’s will. Everything is within His will and under His control. Therefore, THERE IS NO FREE WILL. The concept of free will comes from philosophers who nearly deny God as Creator.

What, then, is the connection between God’s plan and creation? Because everything exists in Him, moves because of Him, and lives because of Him, His plan must succeed. It is impossible for God to cast away His creation into eternal hell. The doctrine of eternal hell also comes from Augustine…

If I make a chair, that chair exists OUTSIDE of me. If I no longer like it, I can throw it away. But God’s creation is not like that. The heavenly Father loves His creation deeply because it exists within Him. It is impossible that God would create humans and then, because of their rebellion through so-called free will, cast them into eternal hell. That is a foolish tale of theologians—yet sadly believed by most Christians.

Let us stop here for now… may we discard the concept of ‘creatio ex nihilo’ so that we can more easily receive the truth of God’s plan.

Now we turn to the two trees in the Garden of Eden as God’s method of shaping humanity. The Bible often likens humans to trees, especially in the Psalms. For example, Psalm 1:1–3 describes a person who delights in the law of the Lord as a tree planted by streams of water. Likewise, Psalm 148:9 calls fruit trees and cedars to praise the Lord—clearly referring to people.

In the Garden of Eden there were two trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. Genesis 2:17 says, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat… for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The Hebrew phrase for ‘surely die’ is ‘mut tamut’. This cannot be translated simply as ‘die’. It implies a double sense: ‘dying, you shall die’. This means that the moment Adam ate the fruit, he immediately entered into a state of death—a kind of life that leads to physical death. ‘The wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). Many Christians think this refers only to physical death, but it does not. Death here refers to a kind of life dominated by the devil (Hebrews 2:14), which eventually results in physical death. Thus, Adam’s sin brought a life dominated by death, which ultimately led to physical death—930 years later.

Therefore, the tree of knowledge represents a life of death under the control of the devil. Adam and Eve became like that tree—living according to their knowledge of good and evil.

What, then, does the tree of life represent? Jesus said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven… whoever eats of this bread will live forever.” The word ‘life’ here is ‘zoe’, the kind of life that God Himself has. Thus, the tree of life represents the life of God—‘zoe’. Whoever partakes of this tree becomes a ‘zoe-human’, living out this divine life daily. And through this ‘zoe’ life, one can truly know God (John 17:3).

If that is the case, did Adam need to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to become in His likeness and image? The answer is yes—Adam needed to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, because by eating it he became like “…one of Us…” (Genesis 3:22). This expression, “one of Us,” indicates that Adam also needed to eat the fruit of the tree of life in order to become in His likeness and image. When Jesus came, He gave ‘zoe’ life to those who believe (John 10:10). Therefore, Adam needed to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge and also the fruit of the tree of life in order to become in His likeness and image.

This is the process the Father carries out in humanity so that they may become in His likeness and image—by eating from both trees in the Garden of Eden. The next writing will explain why humanity must eat from the tree of knowledge and the tree of life.

Now we will discuss why humanity needs to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to be processed into the likeness and image of Elohim. First, because this is the will of the Father. Romans 8:20 affirms that “…the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope” (ILT). If so, why did God forbid Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge, while He Himself designed Adam’s fall? The Father’s purpose in all this is that Adam and all his descendants might experience the kind of life of death symbolized by the tree of knowledge. This kind of life of death stands in contrast to the life that Jesus would give to every believer (John 10:10). This life of death is under the dominion of the devil (Hebrews 2:14). Adam and all his descendants needed to experience the bitterness of living a life of death under the dominion of the devil in order to know the sweetness of the life (zoe) given by Jesus, which is symbolized by the tree of life.

A person cannot know sweetness without first knowing bitterness. One cannot understand happiness without experiencing suffering. In fact, happiness cannot truly be called happiness without its opposite—suffering. That is why God created something as the counterpart to Life (the tree of life), namely the tree of knowledge. Therefore, the Father’s purpose in designing Adam’s fall was so that Adam and all his descendants, through that fall, might come to know Life, and in turn become in His likeness and image.

Second, humanity that is in His likeness and image is humanity that possesses authority and is able to subdue all things, as God commanded (Genesis 1:28). The Hebrew term translated ‘subdue’ is ‘kabash’, meaning ‘to tread down’. This implies that there is an enemy to be trampled. Romans 16:20 states, “…crush Satan under your feet…”. How can humanity subdue and trample the devil if they do not know and experience the life of death in which the devil has authority? Humanity must first live under the life of death ruled by the devil, and then overcome it (trample it) through the authority of the life of Christ. Thus the Word of God is fulfilled: Life swallows up death, and light dispels darkness.

Third, humanity in His likeness and image is humanity that understands and experiences the freedom of the glory of the sons of Elohim (Romans 8:21). Indeed, this is the Father’s plan: to place humanity under futility and under the bondage of the devil. Humanity eats from the tree of knowledge and becomes enslaved to the devil, but then Jesus comes to set humanity free, so that humanity may become in the likeness and image of Elohim.

This is the process humanity must go through by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge in order to become in the likeness and image of Elohim. We have also emphasized that humanity must eat from both trees in the Garden of Eden. The next writing will explain how humanity can eat the fruit of the tree of life.

We have discussed why humanity needs to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to be processed into the likeness and image of Elohim. Now we will explain why humanity must also eat the fruit of the tree of life to be processed into His likeness and image. But first, we will briefly discuss the meaning of being in His likeness and image.

Genesis 1:26 states, “…Let Us make man in Our image (TSELEM) and according to Our likeness (DEMUTH)…”. The Hebrew term TSELEM, translated ‘image’, means ‘representative figure’, that is, ‘to represent’. Humanity as the image of Elohim means that humanity represents God on this earth. Meanwhile, DEMUTH, translated ‘likeness’, refers to the resemblance between two things. When paired with TSELEM, DEMUTH carries an important theological meaning: humanity (male and female), as DEMUTH, shares with Elohim in ruling over creation and in multiplication. Just as Elohim creates, so humanity can also “create” in the sense of multiplying or producing offspring. This is what it means to be in His likeness and image: to represent God on earth and to multiply.

We have understood that the two trees in the Garden of Eden symbolize two kinds of life. The tree of knowledge represents the life of death under the dominion of the devil, while the tree of life represents the life of ‘zoe’. This ‘zoe’ is in His Son; whoever has the Son has life. Jesus clearly said, “I am the Life (zoe)…”. For humanity to become in His likeness and image, they must possess the same kind of life that Elohim has—‘zoe’. In fact, humanity cannot truly know Him unless they live the same kind of life as He does. John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life (zoe), that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (ILT). Therefore, humanity must eat the fruit of the tree of life in order to know Him and become in His likeness and image.

What we must always remember is that Jesus Himself is the ‘zoe’ (Life), and He is the One symbolized by the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. However, this life could not be given by Jesus unless He died. Jesus said, “…unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24). The death of Jesus was planned by the Father even before the foundation of the world—“…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Young’s Literal). Jesus came into the world to give Life (John 10:10).

How can all humanity eat the fruit of the tree of life? This is what we will now discuss. We know that the tree of life in the Garden of Eden symbolizes Jesus Christ, the Son of Elohim, in whom is ‘zoe’. We also know that Jesus had to die, rise again, and sit at the right hand of the Father in order to give His Life. I Corinthians 15:45 says, “…the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit” (ILT). John 10:10 also affirms, “…I have come that they may have life (zoe), and have it abundantly.” “Having it abundantly” does not speak of material abundance at all, but of the growth of ‘zoe’. The life given by Jesus to believers is initially a “seed” that must grow to maturity. That is why Jesus, as the life-giving Spirit, continually imparts His Life so that it may grow within believers and reach its fullness. This is what it means to “have life (zoe) abundantly.”

This life enables believers to know Elohim and to become in His likeness and image. Jesus as the Son of Man is the perfect human in His likeness and image. As a man, Jesus died and tasted death for all humanity (Hebrews 2:9). As the One in His likeness and image, He experienced death and overcame it through His resurrection. But we, as His chosen people, are still undergoing the process of becoming in His likeness and image. We are being shaped so that His Life overcomes “death” within us. We are still in the process of overcoming death. Even our physical bodies will surely die (Romans 8:10). But in due time, we will overcome death, receive a new body like Jesus, and be revealed to all creation. This is the moment when the sons of Elohim are manifested (Romans 8:19).

For what purpose will the sons of Elohim—those who are already in His likeness and image—be revealed to all creation? Romans 8:19–21 answers: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim… because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT). This clearly affirms that the revealed sons of Elohim will liberate all creation from the bondage of corruption. Those who have first become in His likeness and image will bring freedom to all humanity, so that all may become in His likeness and image. Thus the plan of Elohim is fulfilled: “…Let Us make man (all humanity) in Our image and likeness…” (Genesis 1:26).

In the end, all humanity will eat the fruit of the tree of life. Jesus said that whoever eats Him will have Life within (John 6:53–54). He also said in John 12:32, “I will draw all people to Myself.” However, in this present age, Jesus does not draw everyone yet. In this age, He draws only His chosen people who will be revealed to all creation, as written in Romans 8:19–21. But ultimately, all people will come to Jesus and eat the fruit of the tree of life, becoming in His likeness and image. Hallelujah.

What Do You Do at Church?

Before we define what a house church is… before we defend it… before we even describe it—

let’s slow down and ask some honest, uncomfortable, and deeply revealing questions.

Not to criticize.

Not to condemn.

But to awaken.

Because sometimes the greatest barrier to truth is not ignorance…

it is assumption.

Thought-Provoking Questions

Take a moment. Don’t rush. Reflect deeply.

1. What do you actually do when you go to church? Is it participation… or observation?
2. What is the true purpose of the Church? Is it gathering… or going?
3. Why do you do what you do when you go to church? Is it Scripture-based… or tradition-shaped?
4. What do you expect to happen as a result of attending church? Information… or transformation?
5. What percentage of your church is fully engaged in serving the Lord? Is it a body… or an audience?
6. Who does most of the work in your church? The many… or the few?
7. How do you attract people to your church? Programs… or power?
8. What is your vision for your church? Growth in numbers… or multiplication of disciples?
9. How do you train leaders—and what happens after they are trained? Do they sit… or are they sent?
10. How is leadership structured in your church? Is it hierarchical… or servant-based?
11. If someone fully funded a new church for you, what would you need? A building? Equipment? Staff? Or something else?

A Different Kind of Learning

These questions are not meant to be answered quickly.

They are meant to unsettle you—in the best way possible.

The early Church did not begin with buildings, budgets, or branding.

It began with people who encountered Jesus and were transformed.

In Acts of the Apostles, we see something radically different from what many experience today:

• People were devoted, not just present
• They were participating, not spectating
• They were sharing life, not attending events
• They were multiplying, not maintaining

And perhaps the most challenging truth of all:

They did not need most of what we think is essential today.

Why Start with Questions?

Because questions expose foundations.

When you ask:

• Why do we do this?
• Where did this come from?
• Is this in Scripture?

You begin to uncover whether your understanding of church is built on:

• Biblical revelation, or
• Cultural adaptation

This is exactly how Jesus taught.

Jesus Christ often asked questions that forced people to think deeply, examine their hearts, and confront truth for themselves.

The Journey Ahead

In the sections that follow, we will not rush to conclusions.

Instead, we will:

1. Return to Scripture
2. Examine each question carefully
3. Compare our current practices with biblical patterns
4. Rediscover God’s original design for His Church

We will explore passages like:

• Acts 2:42–47
• Matthew 24:14
• Matthew 28:18–20
• Ephesians 4:11–13
• 1 Corinthians 12

Not to gather information…

but to recover transformation.

A Gentle but Honest Warning

If you walk this journey sincerely, you may discover that:

• Some things you assumed were essential… are not
• Some things you overlooked… are central
• Some practices you defend… are not found in Scripture

And that can feel uncomfortable.

But it is also liberating.

Because truth does not destroy the Church—

it restores it.

Transition

So before we define house church,

before we defend its structure or model…

Let’s answer the most important question first:

What does God say His Church is supposed to be?

Let begin with the early believers in Acts—and carefully examine what they actually did.

Acts 2:42–47 — The Blueprint of the Early Church

In Acts of the Apostles 2:42–47, we encounter the purest expression of the Church after the coming of the Holy Spirit.

*“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

All the believers were together and had everything in common.

They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad

Before we build anything new…

we must return to what was original.

Not the modern church model.

Not denominational systems.

Not inherited traditions.

But the first expression of the Church—fresh, pure, Spirit-birthed.

The Foundational Text

In Acts of the Apostles 2:42–47, we are not given a theory…

we are given a living picture.

A Church not organized around a building—

but around Jesus Christ.

A Living Snapshot of the Early Church

This passage describes ordinary people…

living an extraordinary life together.

Let’s walk through it slowly.

1. “They Devoted Themselves…” — A Life of Total Commitment

The passage begins with a powerful phrase:

“They devoted themselves…”

This was not casual Christianity.

This was not occasional attendance.

This was intentional, continuous, wholehearted pursuit.

They were not consumers of spiritual content.

They were participants in a shared life.

What Were They Devoted To?

Four pillars define the early Church:

• The Apostles’ Teaching
• Fellowship
• Breaking of Bread
• Prayer

Let’s examine each one deeply.

2. The Apostles’ Teaching — More Than Listening

Today, teaching is often reduced to sermon listening.

But in the early Church, teaching meant:

• Impartation of life
• Obedience-based learning
• Transformation, not information

When Jesus Christ taught His disciples, He did not say, “Listen and take notes.”

He said, “Follow Me.”

The apostles continued this model.

👉 Teaching was:

• Discussed
• Practiced
• Reproduced

Question to reflect:

Are believers trained to obey, or just to know?

3. Fellowship — Shared Life, Not Social Time

The word “fellowship” (koinonia) means deep partnership in life.

This goes far beyond:

• Greeting each other on Sunday
• Casual conversations after service

It means:

• Walking through struggles together
• Sharing burdens
• Living in spiritual and practical unity

In many settings today, fellowship is an event.

In Acts, fellowship was a lifestyle.

4. Breaking of Bread — More Than a Ritual

This included:

• Regular meals in homes
• The Lord’s Supper
• Celebrations of Christ’s finished work

It was not:

• A monthly ritual
• A symbolic act detached from daily life

It was:

• Relational
• Frequent
• Integrated into everyday living

Meals became moments of:

• Teaching
• Healing
• Unity

The table was central—not the stage.

5. Prayer — A Culture, Not a Program

Prayer was not scheduled once a week.

It was:

• Constant
• Corporate
• Expectant

Because of this, something powerful happened:

“Everyone was filled with awe…”

God’s presence was not theoretical.

It was tangible.

6. Power and Presence — The Natural Outcome

The text says:

“Many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”

This was not manufactured.

There were:

• No marketing strategies
• No event promotions

Just a people:

• Devoted to God
• Yielded to the Spirit

And God moved.

7. Radical Generosity — A Different Economy

One of the most challenging aspects:

“They had everything in common…

They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”

This was not forced socialism.

It was love-driven generosity.

Their mindset was:

• “What is mine is yours”
• Not:
• “Protect what is mine”

Why?

Because their identity had shifted from ownership… to stewardship.

8. Daily Life Together — Not Weekly Gatherings

“Every day they continued to meet together…”

Church was not:

• Once a week
• One location
• One event

It was:

• Daily
• Relational
• Decentralized

They met:

• In homes
• In public spaces

Life and faith were integrated.

9. Joy and Simplicity — The Atmosphere of the Church

“They ate together with glad and sincere hearts…”

There was:

• Joy
• Authenticity
• Simplicity

No performance.

No pressure to impress.

Just real people living real faith.

10. Evangelism — A Natural Overflow

“And the Lord added to their number daily…”

Growth was not:

• Engineered
• Forced
• Program-driven

It was:

• Organic
• Spirit-led

People were drawn not by:

• Advertising
• But by:
• Authentic transformed lives

A Powerful Contrast

The house church is not a new idea.

It is a return.

A return to:

• Simplicity
• Participation
• Multiplication
• Spirit-led living

It removes unnecessary structures…

and restores biblical function.

A Confronting Question

If we removed:

• Buildings
• Budgets
• Programs

Would what remains still look like the Church in Acts?

Transition

Now that we have seen the pattern…

the next question becomes unavoidable:

What is the actual purpose of the Church?

In the next section, we will explore:

👉 Matthew 24:14 — The Mission That Defines the Church

And you may discover that the Church is not primarily about gathering…

but about finishing a global assignment. Part 2

Summary: The fall of humanity caused the glory of Elohim to diminish or be lost.

Call to action: As believers, let us do everything for His glory.Our theme at this time is the glory of Elohim.

This is an important theme found throughout the entire Bible, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation. The Hebrew term ‘kabod’, meaning ‘glory’, appears about 200 times in the Old Testament. The translators of the Old Testament (Hebrew) into the New Testament (Greek) chose the term ‘doxa’ to translate ‘kabod’.

In Greek culture, the term ‘doxa’ originally referred to the ‘opinion’ others held regarding a person’s actions and achievements. A high opinion or high regard would elevate someone above others, and this became the goal of many Greeks—to be glorified and praised by others. However, the meaning of ‘doxa’ changed when it was used to translate ‘kabod’. It no longer referred merely to human opinion but came to signify glory related to the personal revelation of Elohim. The term ‘doxa’ appears 166 times in the New Testament.

Let us begin by exploring the meaning of ‘kabod’ in the Old Testament. We will use the ‘first mention principle’, which holds that the first occurrence of a concept in the Bible carries a foundational meaning that remains consistent throughout Scripture. Although the term ‘kabod’ first appears in Genesis 31:1, its ‘demonstration’ appears much earlier.

Consider Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory (‘doxa’) of Elohim” (ILT). Therefore, to understand ‘kabod’, we must examine the ‘demonstration’ of humanity’s first fall in the Garden of Eden. By understanding this, we will grasp the meaning of ‘kabod’. According to the first mention principle, this meaning becomes the foundational meaning, while later occurrences only expand or complete it.

Now let us look at Genesis 2:25: “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” Meanwhile, Philippians 1:20 states: “My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed in anything, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” In this verse, Paul connects ‘shame’ with the matter of Christ being glorified through his bodily suffering. Through Paul’s suffering, Christ is magnified and glorified. Because Christ is glorified through both his life and death, Paul is not ashamed.

However, Adam and Eve, who were not ashamed of their nakedness before, became ashamed after they fell into sin. From this, we conclude that their shame resulted from sin and from falling short of the glory of Elohim. Nakedness itself was not a problem as long as the glory of Elohim ‘covered’ them. But after they sinned and lost that glory, they experienced shame.

From this ‘demonstration’ of the fall, we understand that when a person is filled with the glory (kabod) of Elohim, they will not feel or experience shame. Therefore, the basic meaning of ‘kabod’ (of Elohim) is a ‘quality’ or ‘presence’ of Elohim that causes a person to be free from shame.

Let us continue examining the fall in Eden. Genesis 3:7 says: “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Before the fall, humans had no awareness of their naked condition. The knowledge they gained from eating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil gave them an awareness of themselves—what we call ‘conscience’. The function of conscience is to inform humans about good and evil.

Paul speaks about a pure, clean, and renewed conscience (1 Timothy 1:5; 1:18–19; 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3). But he also warns about a conscience that has been “seared with a hot iron,” becoming insensitive and impure because it pays attention to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons (1 Timothy 4:1–2).

We see that Adam and Eve’s conscience, after being deceived by Satan, caused them to no longer look at the glory of God but instead focus on themselves. This opened the way for Satan to accuse them regarding their naked condition. In reality, their nakedness was not a problem as long as they beheld the glory of God.

Next, Adam and Eve acted on their own to cover their shame and nakedness by making coverings from fig leaves. God was not pleased with this action. Therefore, Elohim made garments of animal skin to cover them (Genesis 3:21). Here we see that an animal was sacrificed, which many scholars believe symbolizes Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

We know that the glory of Elohim is seen in the face of Christ, and that Christ is the image of Elohim (2 Corinthians 4:4,6). Thus, when Elohim clothed Adam and Eve with animal skins, it was an act of covering their shame and nakedness with the glory of Elohim.

What, then, do the fig leaves represent? Clearly, they symbolize human glory. They also represent religion—human effort to cover nakedness. Religion is knowledge of good and evil, originating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve used religion as a ‘covering’ to replace the lost glory of Elohim.

Now let us consider: did Jesus come to establish the Christian religion? Jesus said He came so that humanity might have life (‘zoe’), symbolized by the tree of life (John 10:10). He did not come to teach knowledge of good and evil (religion), because only Elohim is truly good. He came to give His life. In other words, Jesus came as the ‘garment of skin’ to cover the loss of Elohim’s glory caused by sin. The solution to humanity’s fall is the ‘garment’ of Elohim’s glory.

As we conclude this section, let us reflect: has Christianity become a religion? Those who observe carefully will recognize that it has. Human glory produced by false teachings—Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans—has become a kind of ‘covering’ that hides spiritual nakedness.

We have seen that the result of the fall is the loss of Elohim’s glory. We have also seen Adam and Eve’s attempt to cover their shame with fig leaves, representing human glory, in contrast to the garments of skin, which symbolize Christ’s sacrifice and glory. Fig leaves represent religion—human effort to cover nakedness. Religion, born from the knowledge of good and evil, is essentially human glory covering human shame.

Now let us consider Christianity. If Jesus did not come to bring a religion, where did the Christian religion come from? Revelation chapters 2 and 3 help explain this. The churches addressed by the apostle John had already changed in ‘nature’ from the early church of Peter and Paul. In the time of Peter and Paul, although the church faced many challenges, there was no call to ‘the one who overcomes’ as found in Revelation 2–3. This indicates that the earlier church had not yet fallen from its original nature. It was still an organism led directly by the Holy Spirit. That is why the Book of Acts contains around 70 expressions such as ‘led by the Spirit’, ‘the Spirit said’, ‘the Spirit forbade’, and ‘filled with the Spirit’.

However, the churches in Revelation 2–3 had changed in nature due to three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Briefly:

* The teaching of Jezebel justifies the usurpation of the Spirit’s authority by leaders.

* The teaching of the Nicolaitans justifies leaders dominating God’s people, dividing the church into ‘laity’ and ‘clergy’.

* The teaching of Balaam justifies leaders exploiting and profiting from the people of God.

These teachings transformed the church from a Spirit-led organism into thousands of denominations led by human leaders. This shift marks the transformation of Christianity from a life of fully following Christ into a system where people follow leaders, movements, or denominations. This is why Christianity can be called a religion today.

Religious leaders naturally receive human glory—at least from their followers—and this glory is outward. This contrasts with the inward glory described by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.

Let us continue examining this contrast. The first appearance of ‘kabod’ in Genesis 31:1 refers to Jacob’s material wealth. Thus, ‘kabod’ can refer either to the glory of Elohim or to human glory—such as wealth, splendor, or outward appearance.

Now we will discuss “human glory” as obtained by religious (Christian) leaders, and the inward glory explained by Paul in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians. Paul explains about himself and his ministry because there were some false teachers who preached another Jesus (II Corinthians 11:4).

Paul uses several terms/expressions to describe his ministry, which he received based on the mercy of Elohim (II Corinthians 3:6–9). We will look at some of them. First, the ministry of the New Covenant. Paul explains the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. It is emphasized that the New Covenant does not consist of written law, but of the Spirit. The written law kills, but the Spirit gives life. This ministry of the New Covenant is an “inward ministry,” because it is not focused on outward and external things. This ministry is focused on how a person’s inner being is renewed day by day through the work of the life-giving Spirit.

Second, Paul uses the term ‘ministry of the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:8). This ministry of the Spirit is contrasted with the ministry of the Old Covenant that leads to death. This ministry that leads to death was accompanied by the ‘glory of Elohim’, which was reflected on the face of its servant, Moses, so that the Israelites could not endure looking at it. Paul affirms that if the ministry that leads to death was accompanied by such glory of Elohim, how much more the glory of Elohim that accompanies the ministry of the Spirit. However, the glory of the ministry of the Spirit is an inward glory, ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’.

Therefore, the ‘glory of Elohim’ that accompanies the ministry of the Spirit is not reflected on Paul’s face in such a way that the Corinthian believers could not bear to look at him. Why was the glory of Elohim reflected on Moses’ face so that the Israelites could not endure looking at him? This is because the ministry of the Spirit is an “inward ministry”, whereas the ministry of Moses was an “outward ministry.” The glory of Elohim that accompanies the ministry of the Spirit resides within the inner being of its servant. Of course, there were those who could see the glory of Elohim radiating from within Paul. But those who could see it were surely those who also had the glory of Elohim within them.

Now, let us look at the glory of man that radiates within Christianity. We will take the example of the church in Laodicea to explain human glory within fallen churches. Revelation 3:17 states, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,’ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Why did the church in Laodicea not realize that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked? This is because they saw the glory of man that they possessed. However, the Lord saw the glory of Elohim within their inner being.

The seven churches in Asia Minor (Revelation 2–3) represent churches throughout the ages, where the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted. His chosen people can certainly discern the difference between the glory of Elohim and the glory of man within a Christianity that has become merely a religion.

We have discussed the demonstration of the glory of Elohim in the case of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From this demonstration, we understand that if a person is filled with the glory (kabod) of Elohim, then they will not feel or experience shame. Therefore, the basic meaning of kabod (Elohim) is a ‘quality’ or ‘being’ of Elohim that causes a person not to feel shame. In fact, the root meaning of the term ‘kabod’ is ‘heaviness’, ‘weight’, or ‘worthiness’. This root meaning is figurative language referring to a person’s value or worth.

Let us continue by looking at the demonstration of the glory of Elohim in the case of Moses. We will not cover all occurrences of ‘kabod’ in Moses’ story, but we will consider three aspects related to the glory of Elohim.

First, in the event of the golden calf. Exodus 33:18–23 states, “Please show me Your glory… you cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live… you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” From this we learn that humans cannot see the glory of Elohim in the full manifestation of His presence. Even Moses could only see “His back.” That is why Paul says that He dwells in unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16).

Second, in worship. Leviticus 9:6 states, “…this is the thing which the LORD commanded you to do, and the glory of the LORD will appear to you.” Here Moses instructed Aaron and his sons to minister in the tent of meeting according to the commands of the Lord. The manifestation of God’s glory often appeared as a consuming fire (Exodus 24:17). When Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire, which He had not commanded, they died before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1). From this we learn that worship must be according to His command so that His glory does not consume His servants.

Third, concerning the Tabernacle. Exodus 40:34 states, “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Likewise, Leviticus 16:2 says that Aaron must not enter the Most Holy Place at just any time… “for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.” The cloud of Elohim’s glory was above the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place. Therefore, the glory of Elohim was in the Most Holy Place. Aaron, as High Priest, could only enter once a year on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 30:10).

Let us apply this. When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, He found people trading in the temple courts (Matthew 21:12). The Jewish leaders conducted trade in the outer courts, not in the Most Holy Place. That is why Revelation 11:2 says the outer court is given to the nations to be trampled.

In the context of Christianity, where the teaching of Balaam (commercialization in the church) has become widespread, we understand that such practices cannot occur in the Most Holy Place, where the glory of Elohim dwells. If by God’s grace we move from the outer court into the Most Holy Place, following our High Priest Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek, then we will not engage in such practices in our ministry.

Now let us consider the demonstration of the glory of Elohim in the salvation of Israel as a nation. Exodus 14:4 says, “I will gain honor over Pharaoh… and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.” Here we see the connection between Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and the glory of the Lord. God revealed His glory through mighty acts.

After Israel’s rebellion in the incident of the twelve spies, Numbers 14:22–23 declares that those who had seen His glory and miracles but tested Him repeatedly would not enter the promised land. Again, we see that Israel’s salvation is closely tied to the glory of the Lord.

Isaiah 60:1–2 declares that although darkness covers the earth, the glory of the Lord rises upon His people. Not only Israel, but also the nations are brought to God through His glory (Zechariah 2:5–11). Thus, salvation is closely connected to the glory of the Lord. This aligns with the earlier discussion of Adam and Eve—Christ, as the radiance of Elohim’s glory (Hebrews 1:3), covers human shame.

Applying this to the church, Israel symbolizes the church. Just as Israel’s salvation is tied to the glory of Elohim, so is the church’s salvation. Paul explains salvation in Romans: justification by faith (chapters 1–5:11), sanctification by faith (5:12–7), and glorification by faith (chapter 8).

In Christianity today, ‘glorification by faith’ is rarely preached, though it is the climax of salvation. If salvation is preached only as justification, it is incomplete. True salvation culminates when we are glorified with Christ at His coming, and creation itself is set free into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim (Romans 8:19–21).

Finally, let us consider the case of the Ark being captured by the Philistines and the departure of God’s glory in Ezekiel. In 1 Samuel 4, Israel brought the Ark into battle, but instead suffered defeat; 30,000 soldiers died, and the Ark was captured. Eli died upon hearing the news, and Phinehas’ wife named her son Ichabod, saying, ‘The glory has departed from Israel’. This teaches us that humans cannot force the presence and glory of Elohim according to their own will. His servants must follow His ways for His glory to be present.

In Ezekiel, after idolatry filled the temple, the glory of the Lord gradually departed (Ezekiel 10:18; 11:23). This shows that idolatry will surely cause the glory of the Lord to leave His dwelling place.

Let us apply the two cases above concerning the ‘glory of Elohim’ to the context of the seven churches described in Revelation 2–3. Consider Revelation 2:14, regarding the false teaching of Balaam: “…there are some who hold to the teaching of Balaam…so that they eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.” Likewise, concerning the teaching of Jezebel: “…you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and deceives My servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20). Note that the false teachings of Balaam and Jezebel have caused ‘idol offerings’ to enter the church. In such a condition, it is not surprising that the ‘glory of the Lord’ departs from the churches described in Revelation 2–3.

Many Christians, including Bible teachers, do not pay attention to the false teachings of Jezebel and Balaam, even though these teachings are precisely what have allowed idol offerings to enter the church. It is no wonder that the glory of Elohim has been replaced by human glory within Christianity, as mentioned earlier.

Now we will discuss the ‘manifestation’ of the glory of Elohim in the prophecy of the prophet Haggai concerning the glory of the Temple. Haggai 2:4, 8 states: “Is there anyone among you who saw this house in its former glory (‘kabod’ = glory)?… I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory (‘kabod’ = glory), says the LORD of hosts.”

This prophecy of Haggai was delivered to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as to the remnant of Israel who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and were rebuilding the Temple on its original site. This prophecy was given

so that the returning Israelites would be strengthened and continue rebuilding the Temple, which had been delayed for about 14 years.

We need to understand some historical background to properly grasp Haggai’s prophecy. When the Israelites returned from Babylon to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel’s leadership to rebuild the Temple, their number was very small (only about 50,000) compared to the Israelites who remained in Babylon, Assyria, and surrounding regions. Scholars estimate that there were about 2–3 million Jews scattered throughout Babylon, Assyria, and nearby areas during the time of Esther, which coincided with Nehemiah and Ezra. Most Jews were unwilling to return to Jerusalem because the journey was risky. Moreover, they had already established synagogues where they gathered and studied the Law. Only a small number, moved by God, returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:5).

Under such circumstances, the Temple built by Zerubbabel could not compare in glory with the Temple built by King Solomon, which had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore, the Jews rebuilding the Temple became discouraged because its glory seemed insignificant. It is in this context that Haggai prophesied: “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former…” (Haggai 2:9).

When was this prophecy fulfilled? It was not fulfilled in the Temple renovated by King Herod. Rather, its fulfillment occurred when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again…,” but He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21). Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies; therefore, Haggai’s prophecy that the latter glory would surpass the former refers to the glory of the body of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Through His death, resurrection, and ascension, the physical body of Jesus was “expanded” into the Body of Christ, which is the church. Thus, whereas the glory of Elohim was manifested in the Temple building (Old Testament), now it is manifested in and through His people (New Testament).

In the New Testament context, the glory of Elohim is manifested in and through the individuals who follow Christ. Colossians 1:27 states: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Therefore, the glory of Elohim dwells within the inner being of His people.

Some denominational leaders within Christianity teach that the fulfillment of Haggai’s prophecy occurs when the wealth of nations flows into church buildings (Haggai 2:8–9). Such teaching arises from a misunderstanding of the glory of Elohim. In Christianity in general, the glory of Elohim that dwells within believers has often been replaced by human glory in its leaders.

Now we turn to the manifestation of the glory of Elohim in the person of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:3 states: “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” The meaning of ‘radiance’ here is like the shining of the sun. Jesus Christ, the Son of Elohim, is the radiance of the Father’s glory—the expression of who the Father is.

Let us consider Philippians 2:7 and John 2:11. Philippians 2:7 states: “…but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” Many have discussed the Greek term ‘kenoo’ (emptied). Marvin R. Vincent, in Word Studies of the New Testament, vol. 3, p. 433, writes: “His personality remained the same. His self-emptying did not involve the cessation of His person, nor did His divine nature change into merely human existence.” In relation to our discussion, the glory of Jesus Christ as the Son of Elohim remained inherent in Him, but as the Son of Man, His glory could not be seen by unbelievers.

John 2:11 says: “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” The miracle at Cana was a manifestation of His glory before His disciples, leading them to believe. However, when Jesus raised Lazarus before the Jews, some reported it to the Pharisees (John 11:46). Truly, to see the glory of Elohim, one must believe (John 11:40). The Pharisees and teachers of the Law did not see the glory of Elohim in Jesus; instead, they regarded Him as a deceiver and put Him to death. Yet Jesus prayed for His disciples: “…that they may behold My glory which You have given Me…” (John 17:24).

The glory of Elohim cannot be seen by just anyone. In the Old Testament, the glory of Elohim was often visible to the physical eye. Exodus 24:17 states: “The appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the Israelites.” Anyone among Israel could see it. But in the New Testament, the glory of Elohim can only be seen by those who believe.

John 1:14 declares: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory…” When Jesus, the Logos, became flesh, His disciples saw His glory. Yet as the Son of Man, He likely had little outward human glory. The prophecy of Isaiah 53 states: “…He has no form or majesty that we should look at Him…” (v. 2). Nevertheless, His disciples could still see the glory of Elohim in Him.

We conclude with the manifestation of the glory of Elohim in and through the church. Hebrews 2:9–10 states: “…Jesus…was crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death…bringing many sons to glory.” To understand this, we must grasp the overall context of Hebrews.

The writer of Hebrews addresses Jewish Christians who were inclined to return to Judaism. He emphasizes that “we have a High Priest, Jesus” (Hebrews 8:1). From chapters 1–10, he compares the New Testament priesthood (order of Melchizedek) with the Old Testament priesthood (order of Aaron), concluding that the New Covenant is ‘better’. Because they were slow to hear (Hebrews 5:11), chapter 11 explains faith, and chapters 12–13 provide practical exhortations.

Returning to Hebrews 2:9–10, Jesus was crowned with glory through suffering and, as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, brings many sons to glory (doxa). This glory is the culmination of salvation, described in Romans 8 as glorification by faith. As the forerunner (Hebrews 6:20), Jesus leads many into the Most Holy Place where the glory of Elohim dwells—something the Aaronic priesthood could not accomplish.

Thus, the manifestation of the glory of Elohim in the church occurs when the children of Elohim experience full freedom and complete salvation in His glory. This glorification is described in Romans 8:19–21, where all creation longs for the revealing of the sons of Elohim.

Applying this to Christianity today, many—including leaders—fail to realize the severe damage caused by the false teachings of Jezebel and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3), especially to the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). Many believers follow leaders, movements, or denominations instead of following the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). In such a condition, how can Jesus bring all believers into the glory of Elohim?

Indeed, many are called but few are chosen. By His grace and sovereignty, the Father has been pleased to give the kingdom to a “little flock” (Luke 12:32). While most believers hope to leave the earth for a distant heaven, His chosen people will be glorified on this earth to bring liberation to creation from its bondage to decay. Amen.

Summary: The seven feasts of Israel are only a shadow, and their fulfillment takes place within the inner being of believers in the context of the New Testament. In Revelation 2–3, there is a reward for the overcomers in the church in the form of a spiritual experience with Christ. Indeed, this spiritual experience is the fulfillment of the seven feasts of Israel.

Call to Action: The Lord calls His overcomers in every age of the church. May we hear the Lord’s call to rise up and experience a spiritual life together with Christ.

Today we will discuss the feasts of Israel and their fulfillment. There are seven feasts of Israel, three of which are commonly called the major feasts. Three times a year the Israelites had to come to Jerusalem to celebrate them. Deuteronomy 16:16 affirms: “Three times a year every male among you shall appear before YAHWEH your Elohim in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Sukkot…” (ILT).

Let us look directly at these feasts. First, the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:4–5). Second, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6–8). Third, the Feast of the Sheaf of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–14). Fourth, the Feast of Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15–22). Fifth, the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25). Sixth, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26–32). Seventh, the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33–44). The Feast of Passover occurs in the first month, the Feast of Pentecost in the third month, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month.

Thus, briefly, these are the feasts of Israel. Before we proceed, we must first establish the interpretive principle we will use to understand the fulfillment of these feasts. Some interpreters understand the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel as an ‘external event’ that the church will experience. For example, based on this principle of interpretation, the church will experience the “rapture” at the fulfillment of a certain feast. Likewise, the fulfillment of certain feasts is associated with the concept of the “second coming of Jesus,” and so on.

However, we will understand the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel as an ‘inner spiritual experience’ of believers (the church). In general, the fulfillment of these feasts corresponds to Romans 8:19–21 and Galatians 2:20. We will not quote these verses here, but they speak about the experience of believers in which “Christ within, who is our life,” grows and is manifested.

Certainly we are not referring to spiritual experiences such as shaking, falling, convulsing, or jumping, and immediately interpreting them as experiences of the ‘fullness of the Holy Spirit’. True spiritual experience must have its foundation in Scripture. We know that all the furnishings in the Tabernacle of Moses or the Temple are symbols of the spiritual experiences of believers. Therefore, we should not interpret every ‘supernatural’ experience as a true spiritual experience.

But we must also avoid the other extreme, where all ‘supernatural’ experiences are rejected on the grounds that what matters is only the understanding of Scripture. Let us consider Jesus’ words to the Sadducees in Matthew 22:29: “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of Elohim.” (ILT) Thus, a person is in error if he does not understand the Scriptures ‘and’ does not have genuine spiritual experience with the power of Elohim.

Every true spiritual experience will cause a person to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and His plan, to grow in love for the Lord, and to grow in ‘Christ within’. Therefore, our interpretive principle concerning the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is ‘inward in nature’.

We have affirmed that the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is an inward experience of believers (the church). In general, this fulfillment corresponds to Romans 8:19–21 and Galatians 2:20. This means that ‘Christ within, who is our life, grows and is manifested’ The church will experience an ‘inner experience in Christ’ as the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel.

However, as we know, the church has fallen and has been divided into thousands of denominations. This fall of the church has been revealed in the books of the New Testament, especially in Paul’s words in Acts 20:28–30, and also in the revelation received by the apostle John on the island of Patmos concerning the fall of the church (Revelation 2–3). Fierce wolves have attacked the leaders of the church so that these leaders draw followers after themselves with false teachings and establish their own kingdoms. In Revelation 2–3, a trilogy of false teachings is described: the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, which have resulted in the condition of the church as we see today.

In this fallen condition of the church, the Word of God calls ‘the overcomers’ in every type or age of the church (Revelation 2–3). In the seven churches of Asia Minor, which represent the church throughout the ages, there is the call: “To him who overcomes…” Then, after this call, it is followed by the portion or reward for the overcomers. This portion or reward is an ‘inner experience with Christ’ and represents the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel.

Let us examine further who these overcomers are so that we do not misunderstand them and assume that they are “great and famous people” in the Christian world. Luke 12:32 declares: “Do not fear, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” The context of this verse is Jesus’ words to His disciples not to worry about food and drink. Jesus commanded them to seek the Kingdom of Heaven first (verse 31). Then Jesus revealed the Father’s decision that He was pleased to give them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here, the disciples of Jesus—to whom the Father was pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven—are called a “little flock”. The Greek word ‘mikros’, translated ‘little’, does not only mean small in number or quantity but also small in ‘dignity’ (glory and honor). This is very meaningful because in the Christian world, where the church has split into thousands of denominations, many are called, but few are chosen. Those few who are chosen are often the “simple” people in the Christian world.

We must be clear about this before we discuss the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel. The overcomers, or this “little flock,” receive the Kingdom of Heaven solely by the decision and sovereignty of the Father. Not because they are great, famous, possess many spiritual gifts, or are “mightily used by God.” Rather, this “little flock” receives grace and the Kingdom of Heaven freely from the Father in heaven.

The Kingdom of Heaven has been given by the Father to the “little flock” now, at this moment, here on this earth. “The Kingdom of God is within you.” The little flock has already tasted and experienced the Kingdom of Heaven now on this earth, although the Kingdom has not yet been fully manifested. While the “large flock” in the Christian world waits for “heaven far away somewhere,” a pleasant place supposedly received after death, the “little flock,” by the Father’s grace, has already received and enjoyed it now—though not yet fully manifested on earth.

We know that the “little flock” receives grace and the Kingdom of Heaven freely from the Father in heaven, purely by His sovereign decision. Yet although it is given freely, the Father forms and processes the “little flock” so that they may function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek. This is because the Kingdom of Heaven described in the Bible is very different from the concept of heaven commonly believed by most Christians.

The concept of heaven often preached from Sunday pulpits is usually described as a pleasant place far away where people simply sing forever. In such a concept of heaven, no preparation is required at all. Spiritual babies—or anyone—could enter such a heaven. However, the heaven revealed in the Bible is ‘a kingdom that will be established on earth’, where there are responsibilities and great tasks to be fulfilled (Revelation 4–5).

In the book of Revelation we see how the Kingdom of Heaven is established on earth, leading the earth toward the New Heaven and New Earth, where there will be no more death, which is the wage of sin. The “little flock,” to whom the Father has been pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven, must therefore be formed and processed so that they may function properly. Consider Revelation 5:10: “And You have made us kings and priests to our Elohim, and we shall reign on the earth.” (ILT)

The “little flock,” symbolized in Revelation 4–5 by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, must undergo a process so that they may become priests and kings who will reign on the earth. There is a great task written in the book sealed with seven seals, and only the Lamb is worthy to open that book. We know that this great task is to restore all things so that the Father’s original will may be fulfilled.

Therefore, the “little flock” must experience the Father’s special formation—a process not experienced by the “large flock” in the Christian world. The “little flock” undergoes a process that, in principle, is the same as that of the Lamb: ‘learning obedience through suffering’ (Hebrews 5:8). The Father in heaven uses suffering—sometimes in unusual ways—so that the “little flock” becomes obedient, without complaint, and able to follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).

Following the Lamb wherever He goes cannot be done within the systems of the Christian world, because those within such systems are no longer free. The “little flock” is formed by the Father to become free people, yet also captives of the Spirit. Thus the “little flock” can hear the voice of Jesus, the true Shepherd, and follow Him wherever He goes (John 10).

The Father’s process of formation causes the “little flock” to walk a path different from that usually taken by Christians. Jesus spoke about the ‘narrow gate and the narrow way’ when He preached on the mountain to His disciples (Matthew 7:13–14). The “little flock” is formed by the Father so that they are able to pass through the narrow gate and walk the narrow path, because wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

Thus, once again, although the “little flock” is given the Kingdom of Heaven freely by the Father, they must still pass through a process of suffering in order to be prepared for a great responsibility in the future.

We will look a little further at the process that the “little flock” must go through. We will consider the case of Gideon as an illustration of the process—or more precisely, the filtering—of this “little flock.” The account of Gideon is recorded in Judges 6–8.

The story of Gideon took place when Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Midianites for seven years. Gideon was chosen to deliver Israel from the hand of Midian, so he called the Israelites to battle. Gideon gathered 32,000 Israelites to fight. But the Lord said to Gideon that the people with him were too many. Then the Lord told Gideon to proclaim to the people: “Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return home…” (Judges 7:3). As a result, 22,000 people returned, leaving 10,000. But the Lord said that there were still too many.

Then the Lord filtered the remaining people by having them drink water from the river. Those who drank by lapping like dogs numbered 9,700, while those who drank by bringing water to their mouths with their hands numbered only 300. The Lord said that with these 300 men He would begin the deliverance of Israel.

From Gideon’s story we learn the principle that many are called, but few are chosen. Thirty-two thousand Israelites were called to battle, but only three hundred were chosen. In Gideon’s case, the process was indeed a kind of filtering. These 300 were chosen because they were not afraid and because they had self-control, so that they did not drink like dogs lapping water.

In reality, these 300 chosen men were not selected because they were better than the others. When we consider the whole Bible, especially the teaching of God’s election, we know that God’s choice of a person is always based solely on His decision and grace. Even regarding God’s choice of Israel, Deuteronomy 7:7 says: “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples—for you were the fewest of all peoples.”

Therefore, the 300 who accompanied Gideon had actually already been appointed and chosen by God beforehand. The filtering process we discussed above was simply God’s way of identifying those 300 men. They had already been prepared by God beforehand so that they were not afraid and had the self-control we observed.

Let us return again to the “little flock” whom the Father has appointed to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Once again, we emphasize that the “little flock” is not chosen because they are better than the “large flock” in the Christian world. However, through the Father’s process of formation, the “little flock” does indeed become different from the “large flock.”

The Christian world will also experience a “filtering” process in the future, similar to what we saw in Gideon’s story. The parables about the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew explain this filtering process. The parable of the weeds among the wheat, the parable of the net, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, and the parable of the talents—all these parables about the Kingdom of Heaven speak about filtering.

In the Kingdom of Heaven many are called, but then a filtering process takes place and only a few are chosen. Those chosen by the Lord are those who receive grace to be processed in such a way that they become different from others and are enabled to participate in the spiritual warfare with the Lamb of Elohim in His Kingdom.

Now we come to the first feast of Israel, the Feast of Passover. Let us look at Exodus 12:1–14 to understand this feast. We will quote only several portions: “…this month shall be the beginning of months for you… a lamb for each household… some of its blood shall be taken and put on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it… you shall not leave any of it until morning… your waist shall be girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste.”

There are several things we must note here.

First, the month in which Passover was celebrated became the first month for Israel. This marked the beginning of God’s salvation for Israel. Salvation is a journey, a journey toward an inheritance in the Promised Land.

Second, the Passover lamb was for each household, therefore salvation begins in each household. Third, the blood of the lamb had to be applied to the “doorposts” of each house. This blood was primarily for Elohim. When Elohim saw the blood on the “doorposts” of each house, that house would be saved from the angel of death who would kill the firstborn. Fourth, the flesh of the Passover lamb had to be completely eaten by that household. Fifth, the flesh of the lamb had to be eaten in haste, because Israel would soon depart and leave Egypt.

How do we apply the Feast of Passover to our spiritual life? Our Passover Lamb is clearly Jesus Christ. When we believe in His sacrifice on the cross, that is the ‘beginning’ of our spiritual journey. Believing in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is only the beginning. Believers must “continue walking” toward their inheritance in the “Promised Land.” Furthermore, the flesh of the Passover lamb had to be eaten completely. Jesus said, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life…” (John 6:54). The term ‘life’ here is translated from the Greek word ‘zoe’, which means the kind of life that Elohim lives. Salvation occurs when believers begin to eat this ‘zoe’ through the Spirit and faith. Believers must consume the “flesh of Christ” completely so that they are prepared for the next stage of the journey of salvation.

Next, believers must be ready to leave “Egypt,” or the world, in order to obtain their inheritance. Let us speak briefly about “leaving Egypt.” Why did the first generation of Israel that came out of Egypt fail to obtain their inheritance, except for the families of Joshua and Caleb? Joshua 5:9 gives the answer: “…Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you…”. It turns out that the first generation carried the “reproach of Egypt,” so they tended to want to return to Egypt whenever difficulties arose during the journey. The first generation had left Egypt, but Egypt had not left them. This fact is something we must carefully reflect upon.

Christianity has also become a world (kosmos = system). It is no wonder that Revelation 18:4 says, “…Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins…”. What this verse means is that His chosen people must come out of the “worldly” church symbolized by the harlot (Revelation 17:1). The harlot here refers to the “worldly” church that not only receives the seed of God’s word but also the seeds of the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans—just as a prostitute receives the “seed” of many men.

The “little flock,” to whom the Father gives the inheritance of salvation—namely, the kingdom of heaven within—has been processed in such a way that there is no longer any “reproach of Egypt” within them. Therefore, the “little flock” does not partake in the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, which have indeed been widely accepted in the world of Christianity. We will not discuss here the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

We continue our discussion about the first feast of Israel, the Feast of Passover. We have emphasized that the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is related to our ‘inward’ experience as His chosen people. Now we will look at the ‘reward’ or the ‘inward’ experience of the overcomers in the church age, which is the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel. There are seven churches in Revelation chapters 2–3, and each corresponds to the fulfillment of the seven feasts of Israel.

The ‘inward’ experience of the overcomers in the first church (the church in Ephesus) corresponds to the fulfillment of the first feast of Israel, namely Passover. Revelation 2:7 affirms, “…To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of Elohim” (ILT). The Tree of Life is a symbol of Jesus Christ as our life (‘zoe’). That is why Jesus said, “…Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life (zoe) in you.” Thus, to the overcomers, the Father gives His grace so that we may “eat the life of Christ” within our inner being.

Eating the life of Christ every day will fulfill all our spiritual needs. That is why the apostle John affirms, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you…” (1 John 2:27). The apostle John said this because there were people trying to deceive God’s chosen ones (verse 26). In the world of Christianity, where the church has split into thousands of denominations, there are many false teachers, false prophets, deceitful instructors, and false shepherds who attempt to mislead and take advantage of God’s people. But Jesus affirms that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). Where is the voice of Jesus heard? Within the inner being of His chosen people, because they “eat the life of Christ” every day.

The sheep of Jesus do not follow this or that leader to fulfill their spiritual needs. All our spiritual needs are fulfilled solely because we “eat the life of Christ” within our inner being every day. The apostle John firmly said, “…you do not need that anyone teach you.” This does not mean that we should not learn from others, because the apostle John himself wrote his letters so that God’s chosen people could learn something from him. Rather, it means that His chosen people ultimately hear and follow Jesus alone, and cannot be “stolen” by any leader (John 10:28).

The overcomers in the first church (Ephesus) do not partake in “…the deeds of the Nicolaitans…” (Revelation 2:6). The word ‘Nicolaitans’ comes from two Latin terms: ‘niko’, meaning ‘to conquer’, and ‘laos’, meaning ‘the people’ or ‘laity’. Thus, ‘Nicolaitans’ means ‘to conquer the laity’. In the world of Christianity, the church has been divided into two groups because leaders have conquered the laity. In Catholicism, priests “conquer” the people, and in Protestantism, pastors “conquer” the congregation. What is damaged by this Nicolaitan behavior is the priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:9). But His chosen people, because they eat the life of Christ, can learn to become priests according to the order of Melchizedek in their daily lives, and do not follow any “priest” or “pastor.” Thus, when the Israelites ate the Passover lamb, we eat the true “Passover Lamb,” namely Jesus Christ, and enjoy fellowship with Him every day.

Now we enter the second feast of Israel, the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6–8). This feast lasted for seven days after the Passover. During these seven days the Israelites had to eat unleavened bread. Exodus 12:15 affirms, “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.” Thus, when celebrating Passover and preparing to leave Egypt, the Israelites had to eat unleavened bread and bring out dough without leaven and eat it for seven days.

Why did Israel have to eat unleavened bread when leaving Egypt? What does “leaven” symbolize in the context of the New Testament, namely the church? Paul clearly explains it in 1 Corinthians 5:6–8: “…a little leaven leavens the whole lump… therefore purge out the old leaven, that you (THE CHURCH) may be a new lump… you (THE CHURCH) truly are unleavened… therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the LEAVEN OF MALICE and WICKEDNESS, but with the unleavened bread of SINCERITY and TRUTH.” It is clear that leaven symbolizes something evil and wicked. The church should be unleavened.

Then, in more detail, Jesus explains what leaven is. Matthew 16:6,12 explains: “…Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees… the TEACHING of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Thus, leaven symbolizes the ‘false teaching of leaders’, which in the context of Jesus refers to the Pharisees and Sadducees. Throughout the New Testament, leaven always symbolizes something evil and corrupt.

Let us pay attention to the parables about the kingdom of heaven in the book of Matthew. Matthew 13:33 says, “…The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Who is the “woman” in this parable? The Bible consistently affirms that a woman symbolizes the church—from Eve (Genesis) to the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation). Thus, the woman in this parable is the church, and particularly its leaders. Church leaders have inserted “leaven” into the dough. In Revelation 2–3, three false teachings are explained: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. The early church eventually split into tens of thousands of denominations and became the world of Christianity as we know it today because of the “leaven” inserted by its leaders.

That is why in the book of Matthew there are many parables about the kingdom of heaven whose essence is “separation” or “filtering”: the parable of the weeds among the wheat, the net, the wedding feast, the faithful and evil servant, the wise and foolish virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats. Why does this filtering occur? The explanation is this: the church is something visible, because the church consists of people who believe. But the kingdom of heaven is something within the inner being of believers. ‘The Kingdom of God is within you’. Not everyone in the church will later be accepted into the kingdom of heaven, because the church has fallen into the world of Christianity as it exists today due to the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

The kingdom of heaven is given by the Father in heaven to the “little flock” from this large world of Christianity (Luke 12:32). We know that leaven causes the dough to “expand greatly,” and thus it becomes easy to consume. We must be careful of teachings from leaders that make things “easy” for the masses to accept and digest. Teachings that are “leavened” will surely be welcomed by many in the world of Christianity.

But because of His choice and grace, the Father forms a “little flock” to become an “unleavened dough.” The inner being of this “little flock” is processed by the Father so that it becomes pure without mixture.

We have seen that there are seven churches in Revelation 2–3, each corresponding to the fulfillment of the seven feasts of Israel. We have now come to the second feast of Israel, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, whose fulfillment is the process by which the Father in heaven forms the “little flock” so that their inner being becomes “unleavened dough,” that is, pure.

Let us speak a little more about this ‘purity’ before continuing to the reward of the overcomers in the second church, the church in Smyrna. Because of the Father’s process, the “little flock” becomes pure in its devotion and service to Elohim. Pure does not mean perfect, but “not mixed.” After being processed by the Father, the motivation of the “little flock” in serving becomes pure, and they do not seek personal gain in their ministry.

In the world of Christianity where “leavened teachings”—namely the teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam—have become widespread and accepted as “truth,” leaders generally find it easier to seek profit from their ministry. Leaders in the world of Christianity are now justified and facilitated in obtaining money, position, and human glory—things that were never obtained by Peter, Paul, John, and other leaders in the early church. Indeed, it is the “leavened” teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam that have caused the church to split into tens of thousands of denominations and have made it easier for leaders to profit from ministry.

Purity has become a rare commodity in the world of Christianity. Leaders not only equip the disciples of the Lord (Ephesians 4:11–12), but they also draw disciples to themselves, to their movement, or to their denomination (Acts 20:28–30). Not only the disciples are drawn, but also their money is drawn through various “leavened” teachings such as tithing, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, and others. Such behavior by leaders was never practiced by Peter, Paul, John, or other leaders of the early church.

We have also seen, through several parables about the kingdom of heaven, that not all “people in the church” will be accepted into the kingdom of heaven. In the world of Christianity it is commonly proclaimed that “believe in Jesus, go to heaven.” But if we carefully examine all the books of the New Testament, there is not a single verse that supports such a concept. The correct concept is “believe in Jesus, receive the seed of the life of Christ (zoe),” and this concept is repeatedly stated especially in the Gospel of John. The seed of the life of Christ (zoe) within the inner being of believers must grow. It is the growth of this “seed of Christ” that will ultimately determine whether a person is accepted into the kingdom of heaven or not.

Let us once again consider the parables about the kingdom of heaven in the book of Matthew, where the teaching about the kingdom of heaven is the main theme. The parables of the weeds among the wheat, the net, the wedding feast, the faithful and evil servant, the wise and foolish virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats all speak about the disciples of the Lord.

For example, if we interpret the wise virgins as the Lord’s disciples, then the foolish virgins must also be the Lord’s disciples, because both groups are equally called “virgins.” One is not a virgin while the other is, for example, a widow. The difference is that one is wise and the other is foolish. Likewise with the weeds and the wheat—both are disciples of the Lord, because they are all in the Lord’s field (Matthew 13:24). Only over time will it become clear which is wheat and which is weeds. Similarly, the “servants” in the parable of the talents and the “fish” in the parable of the net—all the fish and all the servants are disciples of the Lord and have already been called.

In the parable of the sower we also see that some seeds grow and bear fruit, but others do not. We should not quickly assume that the “famous people” in the world of Christianity are the ones who bear fruit. For Matthew 7:21–23 affirms that on the last day Jesus will openly declare who does the will of the Father and who does not. Those who do not do the will of the Father are often the “famous people,” because they have performed many miracles, prophesied in the Lord’s name, and cast out demons in their ministry.

Once again, the “little flock” within the world of Christianity receives the kingdom of heaven solely because of the Father’s choice (Luke 12:32). The “little flock” is not only called but also chosen by His sovereignty and grace. However, the Father prepares and forms the “little flock” so that they become worthy to serve in the kingdom of heaven in the future. The Father processes the “little flock” so that they become pure and do not become involved in the “leavened” teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

Now we will discuss the Lord’s promise (reward) to the overcomers in the church of Smyrna, which corresponds to the fulfillment of the second feast of Israel, the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Let us look at Revelation 2:11: “…He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” This verse does not say that the overcomers will not experience the “second death,” but that they will not be harmed by the “second death.”

Let us understand what the “second death” mentioned in the book of Revelation means so that we do not interpret it according to our own understanding. We know that the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ given to the apostle John, and it is conveyed through symbolic language (Revelation 1:1; ‘signified’ comes from the Greek word ‘semaino’, meaning ‘symbol’ or ‘sign’).

The meaning of the “second death” is written in Revelation 20:14 as follows: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.” This verse clearly defines the second death as the lake of fire, into which death and Hades are thrown. Death is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). When Adam fell into sin and received the consequence of death, all of his descendants also experienced death.

Notice Romans 5:18: “Therefore, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.” Thus, when the first Adam committed transgression, all people received the wages of death (the first death), and through the ‘second death’ borne by the second Adam—Jesus Christ, who carried sin—all people receive justification for life.

Let us return to the meaning of the ‘second death’ above. The ‘second death’ is the lake of fire, into which death and its realm (the first death) are thrown. In other words, the ‘first death’ (death) is thrown into the ‘second death’ (the lake of fire). Why do the overcomers suffer no harm from the ‘second death’? It is not because the overcomers do not experience the second death, but because the ‘second death’ of the overcomers HAS BEEN REPRESENTED AND CARRIED OUT BY JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS.

Now we come to the meaning of the ‘lake of fire’, which is the ‘second death’. Many people interpret the ‘lake of fire’ as eternal hell forever. Thus, according to many, ‘death and Hades’ are eternal hell, and then this eternal hell is thrown into the lake of fire, which they also consider eternal hell. In other words, eternal hell is thrown into eternal hell, and the result is eternal hell again. This is the doctrine of eternal hell as understood by the majority within the Christian world. Bible teachers who preach this are making a “private interpretation” and violating the hermeneutical principle that “Scripture must interpret Scripture.” All meanings of the ‘first death’, the ‘second death’, and the ‘lake of fire’ must be interpreted by the Bible itself.

Now let us enter into the meaning of the ‘lake of fire’. Remember that the book of Revelation uses symbolic language. The meaning of the ‘lake of fire’ is not a literal physical lake of fire like what we know in this world. The ‘lake of fire’ is a symbol.

The teaching about the ‘lake of fire’ appears only in the book of Revelation, namely in Revelation 14:10–11; 19:20; 20:10; 20:13–15; and 21:8. Let us quote Charles Pridgeon regarding the meaning of fire and brimstone found in Revelation 14:10–11: “…the Greek term THEION, translated as brimstone, is the same word that means ‘divine’… The verb derived from THEION is THEIOO, which means to purify or to make divine… thus the lake of fire and brimstone means a lake of divine purification… Divine purification and divine sanctification are the clear meanings in ancient Greek….” Therefore, if we understand the ‘lake of fire’ as a symbol, its meaning is divine purification.

Based on this understanding, we can see why the overcomers do not suffer anything from the second death, which is the lake of fire. Because by the choice and grace of the Father, the overcomers or the “little flock” have already been purified through a process in their daily lives. Indeed, this process of divine purification is painful, but in the end the “little flock” becomes pure like “unleavened dough.”

Now we will enter the third feast of Israel, namely the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–14). Verses 10–11 state, “…you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest… The priest shall wave it on the day after the Sabbath.” The Feast of Firstfruits occurs on the day after the Sabbath, and this corresponds with the resurrection of Jesus, which occurred after the Sabbath. Thus, the death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Firstfruits.

I Corinthians 15:22–23 states, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Him.” This passage explains the ‘firstfruits of the resurrection’. Jesus Christ is the ‘firstfruits of the resurrection’, because He was the first to rise from the dead. Then, at His coming, ‘those who belong to Him’ will also be raised and receive resurrection bodies. But the resurrection continues until the last enemy is destroyed, namely death (1 Corinthians 15:26), which is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). When there is no longer any enemy in His creation, then the Father will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28).

Let us apply the matter of ‘firstfruits’ to the church. James 1:18 states, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (ILT). James declares that we become the ‘firstfruits’ of His creation. In relation to the firstfruits of resurrection, Jesus is the firstfruits. But in relation to the church, ‘we’ are appointed by the Father to become the firstfruits.

Every farmer in Palestine knows that the firstfruits are a harvest that ripens earlier, with the later harvests following afterward. But we know that because of the attacks of fierce wolves, the church has been divided into thousands of denominations, where some of the Lord’s disciples

follow one leader and others follow another. And in the seven types/ages of the church in Revelation 2–3, there is a call to the overcomers, which clearly shows that only some are victorious. Therefore, the understanding of ‘firstfruits’ in James 1:18 does not refer to all of the Lord’s disciples or all members of the church throughout the ages.

The matter of ‘firstfruits’ in the church becomes clearer if we look at Revelation 14:4: “These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” (ILT). Those who are the firstfruits here are those who do not defile themselves with women and who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

We must always remember the symbolic nature of the book of Revelation. The “women” here are not literal women, but the women mentioned in Revelation 17:5—namely the harlot churches. The firstfruits do not defile themselves with these “harlot women,” meaning churches that receive the seed of Christ but also accept the seeds of the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. The firstfruits follow only the Lamb wherever He goes, and not human leaders as commonly seen in the Christian world.

Once again we emphasize that becoming overcomers or the firstfruits of the church is not because the firstfruits are better than other church members. Rather, it is because of the decision of the Father in heaven that we are appointed to become the firstfruits. The heavenly Father processes us in such a way that we do not follow this leader or that leader, nor defile ourselves with the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, or the Nicolaitans, but instead hear the voice of the True Shepherd and follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

We have discussed the third feast of Israel, the Feast of Firstfruits. We have also seen the ‘firstfruits’ of the resurrection—Jesus Christ—and the ‘firstfruits’ within the church, namely those who receive grace before the Father to become ‘the first harvested’ or the overcomers in each church age. In the Christian world many are called, but few are chosen. Likewise, in the Christian world there is a “little flock” to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the Christian world has not yet been fully harvested as the ‘firstfruits’ of creation.

We have already learned that the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is the ‘inner spiritual experience’ of the overcomers in every church age. Now we will look at the overcomers of the third church (the church in Pergamum) as the fulfillment of the third feast of Israel (the sheaf of firstfruits). Revelation 2:17 states, “…To the one who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”

In general, within the Christian world, preachers teach that one day we will enter heaven after our physical death. But for the “little flock,” even now they are already in the kingdom of heaven, because the kingdom of heaven is within us, though we have not yet experienced it fully since the kingdom has not yet been fully manifested on earth.

Thus, all the ‘rewards or portions’ for the overcomers in the verse above can already be experienced now as an inner spiritual experience. Let us consider the first one: receiving the ‘hidden manna’. This hidden manna is not the manna eaten by the first generation of Israel in the wilderness. They all failed to receive their inheritance, the Promised Land, except the families of Joshua and Caleb. This hidden manna was kept inside the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place of Moses’ Tabernacle. These overcomers are processed by the Father in such a way that they can enjoy this ‘hidden manna’ day by day. This hidden manna is none other than the life of Christ within the inner being.

We eat this manna daily so that all our spiritual needs are fulfilled. Thus the words of John are fulfilled: “…you do not need anyone to teach you” (1 John 2:27). Of course we learn from everyone, but we will not become followers of any leader or belong to any denomination for our spiritual growth, nor will we build a denomination. This is the main characteristic of those who eat the ‘hidden manna’ every day.

Next, we are given a ‘white stone with a new name written on it’. Basically, we are “clay” that easily breaks, complains, becomes disappointed, and loses hope. But the Father makes us like “stone,” which though struck down is not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:9). The Father in heaven will even allow us to experience blows, hardships, and conflicts to prove that we are “stone.” The white color shows the Father’s approval.

We are also given a ‘new name’. A name represents a person’s character, work, and reputation. Because of the Father’s work in shaping us, the name of Elohim is sealed within our inner being, which no one else knows, for this is the personal work of the Father in each of us. We will not seek to preserve our own reputation, because we have a “new name” forged by the Father within us. Thus the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits has already taken place within us as an inner experience today.

Now we move to the fourth feast of Israel, the Feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:9–14). Several other names are also used for the Feast of Pentecost, such as the Feast of Harvest (Exodus 23:16), the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22), and the Feast of Firstfruits of the wheat harvest.

Thus, in church history, the fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost occurred when the harvest of firstfruits took place—the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when the apostles and believers gathered together in one place, about 120 people (Acts 1:15). However, this ‘harvest of firstfruits’ did not stop there, because at the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles there will be a gathering of the harvest, as written in Exodus 34:22. We are not discussing the Feast of Tabernacles now, but what we need to understand is that both Pentecost and Tabernacles are times of ‘harvesting the firstfruits’.

Let us look at the experience of the disciples when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost. In fact, the disciples had already received the Holy Spirit when, after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to them, breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Nevertheless, after forty days of repeatedly appearing to them, Jesus firmly commanded the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, namely, “…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). From these two cases we can see that the disciples experienced two experiences with the Holy Spirit—first after Jesus’ resurrection, and second on the day of Pentecost.

From this case, some streams within Christianity state that there are two experiences with the Holy Spirit: first, when someone believes in Jesus and is born again (receiving the seed of the life of Christ); second, when someone receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Some Pentecostal denominations even say that the sign of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. We are not discussing the outward signs of this experience here, because we have firmly stated that the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is ‘inner’, a spiritual experience with the Holy Spirit within us.

What must be emphasized is that the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is indeed a real inner experience, meaning a believer certainly understands that he or she has experienced it. Whether someone who is baptized in the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues or not, or whether a person’s tongues are genuine or false, we will not discuss that in this short writing.

However, perhaps we can take one example of an outward sign after someone receives and is filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us read Acts 4:31: “…they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness” (ILT). Here we see one outward sign when someone receives the Holy Spirit—boldness in proclaiming the word of God. The context here is not preaching from a pulpit, but boldly declaring God’s word in daily life, because this was the lifestyle of the early church.

We continue our discussion of the Feast of Pentecost. The meaning of the term “Pentecost” is actually ‘fiftieth’. Let us observe what happened to Israel on this day. Israel left Egypt during the Feast of Passover in the first month (Abib or Nisan). After traveling for fifty days, they arrived at Mount Sinai in the third month (Sivan) and celebrated Pentecost (Exodus 19–20).

At Mount Sinai they were given the two tablets of stone (the Ten Commandments), the regulations of the Tabernacle, the Aaronic priesthood system, and all the sacrificial laws. Here Israel was established as the “assembly in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). When Yahweh descended on Mount Sinai on the third day (Exodus 19:16–20), Israel celebrated it as the ‘Feast of the Giving of the Law’ or the ‘Birth of Judaism’, because on this “fiftieth day” Yahweh wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger on two tablets of stone.

Let us apply this event of the giving of the Law to Israel in our own context. The difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is clearly written in Jeremiah 31:31–34: “…I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah… I will put My law within them and write it on their hearts…”.

In the Old Testament (OT), the Law was written on two tablets of stone, but in the context of the New Testament (NT), the Law is written within the inner being. The writer of Hebrews also explains this (Hebrews 8).

The writing of the Law into the inner being of believers can be seen in the case where Jesus was confronted with the woman caught in adultery (John 8). The scribes and the Pharisees said that according to the Law, this woman must be stoned, because that is what Moses commanded. But Jesus did not answer them and only wrote with His finger on the ground. The Bible does not explain what Jesus wrote, because it is indeed not important. What is important is understanding the meaning of Jesus’ action of writing on the ground. Jesus’ act of writing on the ground clearly shows that the Law (especially the law of stoning) would be written by Jesus into the inner being (“the ground”) of believers.

And when He was pressed for an answer, Jesus gave the meaning of what it would be if the law of stoning were written in the inner being of believers. First, whoever is without sin should be the first to throw a stone at this woman. Second, Jesus, who was without sin, forgave the woman’s wrongdoing and did not condemn her. Third, Jesus warned the woman not to sin anymore. This is the meaning of the law of stoning written in the inner being.

However, it must be remembered that Jesus did not come to abolish the Law. The coming of Jesus was to fulfill the Law. That is why on the cross Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. His primary meaning was that everything written in the Law had been fulfilled. Therefore, when Jesus confirmed the New Covenant with His disciples on the last night, He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another…” (John 13:34). Thus, in the OT the law was the Law of Moses, and in the NT the law is love.

Within the Christian world, generally the leaders of denominations say: you must give tithes, you must give firstfruits, you must give faith pledges, you must come to a certain building on a certain day, you must do this and that so that you may grow and be blessed by God. In reality, this reflects the principle of the Law written on stone tablets, namely: you must… you must… you must… so that… so that… so that…. But the principle of the Law written in the inner being is the principle of love. Everything must be done in love and led by the Spirit within the inner being. There is no coercion that says you must do this or that.

We have known that the fulfillment of the feasts of Israel is the ‘inner spiritual experience’ of the overcomers in every church age. Now we will see the overcomers of the fourth church (the church in Thyatira), as the fulfillment of the fourth feast of Israel, namely the Feast of Pentecost.

Let us consider the word to the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2:26–27: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron…”

To the overcomers of the church in Thyatira, corresponding to the fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost, a power over the nations is given. The word ‘power’, or the Greek term ‘exousia’, means an ability (spiritual authority) or the right to govern the nations. However, we should not think that this authority will be exercised by the overcomers with an ‘iron rod’ in the sense of forceful, harsh, authoritarian rule, or for personal gain. This ‘rod of authority’ is exercised by the overcomers to serve as servants in the true sense (cf. 1 Peter 5:3).

We have always emphasized that the overcomers in every church age are not those who are “great and famous,” but rather simple people who do not participate in the decline or sin of the church in their time. In the time of the church in Thyatira, there were people who claimed to be prophetesses and taught the teaching of Jezebel that misled God’s servants (Revelation 2:20).

What is the teaching of Jezebel? Jezebel here is certainly symbolic, because such is the language of Revelation (1:1). Historically, Jezebel was someone who seized the authority of her husband Ahab in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. Even though Jezebel intended to support her husband’s desire, she nevertheless usurped authority by “writing letters in Ahab’s name and sealing them with the king’s seal” (1 Kings 21:8). Therefore, the teaching of Jezebel is a teaching that justifies the seizure of the authority of the “husband of the church,” namely the authority of Jesus.

Jesus firmly told His disciples in Matthew 23:1–12, in the context of the ‘seat of Moses’, that they should not be called leaders, rabbis, or spiritual fathers. According to the context, Jesus meant that the disciples should not seize authority (“the rod of Moses”) within the church.

In fact, the seizure of church authority by its leaders was already stated by Paul in Acts 20:28–30. Some church leaders, through false teachings (especially the teaching of Jezebel), ‘draw disciples after themselves’. This is the seizure of Jesus’ authority over the church carried out by leaders. Previously, the disciples were on the right path, meaning they heard the voice of Jesus, followed the leading of the Spirit within their inner being, and submitted to the authority of Life over the Body of Christ. But now some disciples follow this leader, while others follow another leader.

However, in the Christian world this situation has been justified. Denominations are groups where some disciples follow one leader while others follow another. Today, these denominations are called churches, even though in reality they are the result of the seizure of Jesus’ authority by leaders. The teaching of the ‘visible and invisible church’, initiated by Martin Luther, is essentially the teaching of Jezebel, namely a teaching that justifies the seizure of Jesus’ authority over the church.

But the overcomers, or the little flock, in the Christian world do not take part in this seizure of Jesus’ authority over the church. The little flock today exercises Jesus’ authority to govern their own inner being. The authority of Jesus is exercised by the little flock to regulate their own thoughts, feelings, and desires. They do not seize Jesus’ authority over His church by drawing disciples after themselves or by building denominations.

In due time, when Jesus reveals Himself openly, He will give His authority over the nations to some disciples and reject others who practice lawlessness (‘anomia’, illegality), namely those who currently exercise ‘illegal authority’ over the church (Matthew 7:21–23).

Now we come to the fifth feast of Israel, the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25). We will immediately see the need for the sounding of trumpets for Israel. Numbers 10:2 states: “Make two trumpets of silver. Of hammered silver you shall make them, that you may use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps.”

In the following verses we see the importance of Israel hearing the trumpet sound properly, because each specific trumpet sound had a specific meaning.

First, the verse above emphasizes that the purpose of the trumpet blast is to call the people of Israel.

Second, verses 3–6 declare a call to gather before the Tent of Meeting. The trumpet sounds differed according to their purpose: a call for the leaders only, a call for the camps on the east, a call for those on the south, and a call for the whole congregation.

Third, verse 9 emphasizes a call to war, so that Yahweh would remember and save Israel from their enemies.

Fourth, verse 10 speaks of a call to celebrate the feasts so that Israel would be remembered before the Lord.

Thus, the essence of the trumpet blast is to call the people of Israel. Israel had to learn to hear and understand the different trumpet sounds.

Now let us apply this to the church. The meaning of the trumpet blast for the church is hearing the voice of the Lord and understanding His commands. These commands differ for each member of the Body of Christ, just as in Israel.

First, this trumpet sound must come from one source. If there are trumpet sounds from many sources, confusion will arise because the church will not know which voice to follow.

Second, because the trumpet sound must not come from various sources, it means that only one person should blow the trumpet. Who should blow the trumpet for the church? Certainly we all agree that Jesus Christ, as the head of the church, must blow it.

Let us look at the current condition of the Christian world. Are there not many “trumpet blowers” today, corresponding to the tens of thousands of denominations? And the number continues to grow along with the increasing divisions in Christianity. Some disciples hear the “trumpet blast” from one leader, while others hear it from another. Of course each “trumpet blower” believes his own sound is the most biblical. But the problem is that these “trumpet blowers” draw disciples after themselves (Acts 20:28–30) and build groups where the disciples eventually can only hear and follow their trumpet alone. They even debate to prove that their trumpet sound is the most correct.

Nevertheless, saying this does not mean leaders should not “blow the trumpet.” Paul clearly said: preach the word in season and out of season. Every leader must proclaim the word, but they must not draw disciples to themselves, let alone exploit them financially through various teachings.

So how should leaders function in the Body of Christ? Colossians 2:19 teaches that leaders should function like “ligaments and joints” in the Body, allowing the authority of Life (one trumpet sound) to direct the movement of the Body. Trumpet blowers are only permitted to equip the church (Ephesians 4:11–12). In this way the church grows in Christ, who is the Life of the church.

But by His grace, the little flock is processed by the Father in heaven so that they can hear the voice of Jesus within their inner being, and follow the Lamb wherever He goes (John 10:27; Revelation 14:4).

We are still discussing the fifth feast of Israel, the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23–25). Numbers 10:2 states that the trumpets must be made of silver. In the Bible, silver symbolizes redemption. The number two speaks of witness. It also speaks of Christ in union with His people as the new man created in Him.

Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit…”

Romans 9:1 also states, “…my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.”

Therefore, the sounding of two silver trumpets speaks of the perfection of Christ’s redemption proclaimed by His chosen people in the power of the Holy Spirit. Within the inner being of His chosen people there is a witness that Christ’s redemption for them is complete.

Now let us compare this inner experience with the overcomers of the fifth church (Sardis), corresponding to the Feast of Trumpets. Revelation 3:5 says: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

Jesus promised the overcomers white garments, that their names would not be erased from the Book of Life, and that He would confess their names before the Father.

In the Christian world, some teachers mistakenly emphasize faith as the determining factor of salvation or Christ’s redemption. This concept leads many people to say, ‘It depends on your faith’ or ‘It depends on your response’, as if humans were the final determinant of salvation. But who actually creates faith and brings it to perfection if not Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)?

In reality, salvation is a matter of ‘the authority of Jesus’. After His resurrection Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. That is why Jesus said His sheep hear His voice, follow Him, and no one can snatch them from His hand (John 10:27–28). These verses clearly speak about the authority of Jesus.

Likewise Luke 12:32 says, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Whether someone receives the kingdom depends entirely on the will of the Father. The Father gives the kingdom to the little flock. Many are called, but few are chosen.

The church has fallen and split into tens of thousands of denominations. Therefore, among those who are called, the Father chooses a small number, the little flock, who will be processed to become faithful. Thus Revelation 17:14 is fulfilled: the overcomers are those who are called, chosen, and faithful.

The little flock becomes overcomers solely by the decision of the Father and the authority of Jesus that guarantees their salvation. Therefore they are given white garments, which are the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:8). In the context of the seven churches in Revelation 2–3, the works of the little flock are not defiled by three false teachings: Balaam, Jezebel, and the Nicolaitans.

All these portions of the overcomers in the church of Sardis have already been experienced within the inner being of the little flock today. Within them there is a testimony confirmed by the Holy Spirit that their names will not be erased from the Book of Life and that Jesus will confess them before the Father.

Now we come to the sixth feast of Israel, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26–32). On this feast, celebrated once a year in the seventh month, the High Priest offered burnt offerings and entered the Most Holy Place to sprinkle the blood of atonement upon the mercy seat (Leviticus 16). This was done to make atonement for himself, his household, and all the congregation of Israel.

Jesus fulfilled the Day of Atonement through His sacrifice on the cross. Hebrews chapters 8–10 explain in detail how Jesus, as the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, entered heaven itself to appear before God on our behalf. He did not enter repeatedly as the high priests under the order of Aaron did, because those priests were only symbols or shadows (Hebrews 10:24–26). Jesus offered His blood once for all, then sat down at the right hand of God and became a forerunner for us (Hebrews 6:20).

Let us look at the Greek term for ‘forerunner’, which is ‘prodromos’. It appears only once in the New Testament and means ‘one who runs ahead’. In the book Word Studies in the New Testament (Vol. IV, p. 453), Marvin Vincent explains the meaning of this term as Very good. He explains that this term expresses a new idea, completely outside the understanding of the Aaronic priestly system. The High Priest of the order of Aaron did not enter the Most Holy Place as a ‘forerunner’, and therefore the people of Israel were not allowed to follow the High Priest into the Most Holy Place. But Jesus entered the Most Holy Place as a ‘forerunner’, meaning that all members of the church must follow in His footsteps. For the entire church consists of priests according to the order of Melchizedek, and they must follow Jesus’ footsteps to enter the ‘Most Holy Place’.

What does it mean to enter the Most Holy Place, as Jesus did? This does not mean that we must also offer our own blood to make “atonement” before Elohim. For atonement or redemption has already been perfectly accomplished by Jesus alone. Rather, entering the Most Holy Place, as Jesus did, means experiencing ‘fellowship’ with Elohim at a ‘different level’ from being in the ‘outer court of the Temple’ or in the ‘Holy Place of the Temple’.

Let us take an example from the Old Testament to explain this, namely the case of Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14). Why were Caleb and Joshua able to inherit the Promised Land? Verse 24 explains: “…Caleb, because he has a different spirit (soul/inner being) in him and has followed Me fully….” The inner being of Caleb and Joshua was different from that of the Israelites as a whole. Outwardly, Israel had indeed left Egypt, but inwardly Egypt had not left Israel. That is why, in the wilderness, the Israelites constantly grumbled, did not believe, and rebelled against the Lord, and tended to want to return to Egypt.

Now let us apply this matter to the Christian world. In general, Christianity has divided the church into two parts according to the ‘teaching of the Nicolaitans’ (Niko = to conquer, Laos = the laity). In Catholicism a distinction is made between “priests” and “the people,” while in Protestantism a distinction is made between “pastors,” or “full-time ministers,” or whatever they may be called, and “the congregation.” Thus, in general, the Christian world cannot follow the footsteps of Jesus as the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek to enter the ‘Most Holy Place’.

However, the little flock, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, will be formed in such a way that they follow Jesus wherever He goes, including following Him into the “Most Holy Place” (Revelation 14:4). Because of the Father’s formation, the inner being of the little flock is different from the inner being of the majority of the Christian world.

We have discussed the sixth feast of Israel, the Day of Atonement, which Jesus fulfilled by entering heaven to appear before Elohim as a forerunner for us. We have also seen that the little flock, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, will experience a “level of fellowship” in the Most Holy Place. All of this can happen to the little flock because Jesus has made us “…kings and priests to Elohim and His Father…” (Revelation 1:6). Certainly the priests referred to here are priests according to the order of Melchizedek, since Jesus is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

To better understand the inner experience of this little flock, let us look at the sixth church in the Book of Revelation (Philadelphia), which corresponds to the sixth feast of Israel, the Day of Atonement. Revelation 3:12 states, “The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My Elohim, and he shall never go out again, and I will write upon him the Name of My Elohim, and the name of the city of My Elohim, the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from My Elohim, and My new Name” (ILT).

There are two things we need to discuss from this verse. First, Jesus forms us in such a way that we become a “pillar” in the Temple. This is a process that occurs within our inner being. We who were once “clay” are formed into “pillars” of the Temple. And not only that, but it is emphasized that we will never go out again. This means there is an ‘inner certainty’ that we are already in the kingdom of heaven, and that the kingdom of heaven is already within our inner being. This inner certainty is different from the assurance of entering heaven that we often hear in the Christian world, namely, “believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven.” What is meant by “entering heaven” is something that happens after we die physically, when we enter a “pleasant place,” where, it is even said, there may still be dogs.

If we carefully examine the books of the New Testament, there is not a single verse that speaks of the “concept of entering heaven” as it is commonly preached in the Christian world. What the Bible proclaims is ‘believe in Jesus and you will receive eternal life’ (receive the life of Christ—zoe). And this ‘zoe’ is the kind of life lived by Elohim, given to believers as a SEED. It requires growth, just as all seeds require growth. That is why in the Gospel of Matthew, whose main theme is the kingdom of heaven, there are many parables, such as the parable of the sower, the “tares among the wheat,” the “dragnet,” the “faithful servant and the evil servant,” the “wise and foolish virgins,” and the “talents.” All these parables speak about believers who have received the seed of ‘life—zoe’. But not all grow, because in the Christian world many are called but few are chosen. Thus, to the little flock is given an ‘inner certainty’ now and at this very moment, without needing to die physically first. For to the little flock is given the grace to be both ‘called and chosen’.

Second, Jesus will write the Name of Elohim, the Name of the City of Elohim, and the new Name of Jesus. The ‘Name’ written in our inner being is not a name consisting of certain letters, because the “Name” here means the character, reputation, and work of Elohim Himself. Jesus writing the name of Elohim within us is the same as what Hebrews 8:10 means when it describes the New Covenant. As a result of the “writing of the Name of Elohim” within us, we experience a true knowledge of Elohim. By His grace, the little flock experiences this inner writing process so that they may know the plans, ways, works, and character of Elohim.

Now we come to the seventh and final feast of Israel, the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33–44). The Feast of Tabernacles is also called the feast of the ‘ingathering’ (Exodus 23:16). It is also called the feast of the ‘seventh month’, where the number seven speaks of ‘fullness or perfection’ (Nehemiah 8:14). If we observe the three main feasts of Israel—Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—these major feasts are related to the “harvest.” In Passover we have only the ‘sheaf of firstfruits’. In Pentecost we find the ‘harvest of firstfruits’ In Tabernacles we receive the ‘harvest of firstfruits in its fullness’.

We have discussed that in church history the fulfillment of the feast of Pentecost occurred when the “harvest of firstfruits” took place, namely the outpouring of the Holy Spirit when the apostles and believers gathered in one place, numbering about 120 people (Acts 1:15). But because the Holy Spirit continues to work throughout the church age, Elohim actually has “firstfruits” of the church throughout the ages. Thus, the Feast of Tabernacles is essentially the feast of gathering the “firstfruits” throughout the church age.

How is the Feast of Tabernacles fulfilled in the church? We know that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 disciples was a “partial” outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a pledge or guarantee. Ephesians 1:14 states, “…you who believed were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance… (ARRABON = pledge, guarantee, or down payment)” (ILT). Therefore, in the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, the “firstfruits” of the church will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in its fullness. And because the Feast of Tabernacles is called the feast of the ‘ingathering’, all the “firstfruits” of the church in every age will be gathered and experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This event of the “full outpouring of the Holy Spirit” is not the same as what is generally understood in the Christian world as a “great harvest of souls,” as is often preached about an end-time revival. For this event of the “full outpouring of the Holy Spirit” is the harvest of the church’s “firstfruits” throughout the ages. Thus, not all members of the church throughout the ages will experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The “firstfruits of the church” are those members of the church who have “matured earlier,” according to the meaning of “firstfruits.” James 1:18 states, “…that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creation…” (ILT). This verse also emphasizes that becoming “firstfruits” is the decision and determination of the Father.

The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is what Paul calls ‘glorification by faith’ (Romans 8). In the book of Romans, Paul explains salvation with three expressions: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Glorification by faith is something eagerly awaited by all creation (Romans 8:19–21). When the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurs, the “firstfruits” of the church will be revealed (manifested) to all creation. Romans 8:19–21 states that the purpose of revealing the “firstfruits” of the church is to liberate creation. It is no coincidence that James uses the expression “firstfruits of creation,” because what will be liberated by the “firstfruits” of the church is ALL CREATION.

We will continue our discussion of the seventh feast of Israel, the Feast of Tabernacles. We have seen that the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles is the gathering of the church’s “firstfruits.” And this gathering of the “firstfruits” occurs when the “full” outpouring of the Holy Spirit arrives. Indeed, at present the “full” outpouring of the Holy Spirit has not yet been experienced by the “firstfruits” of the church, but the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles has already been experienced “inwardly” by the “firstfruits” of the church. In fact, the “firstfruits” of the church are the little flock to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32).

We will discuss the overcomers of the seventh church (Laodicea), which corresponds to the fulfillment of the seventh feast of Israel, Tabernacles. Revelation 3:21 states, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” In fact, the little flock, as the “firstfruits” of the church, has already experienced inwardly the experience of being seated together with the Lord Jesus on His throne.

We will explain this inner experience through the letter to the Ephesians. Watchman Nee, in his book ‘Sit, Walk, Stand’, clearly explains this experience. Ephesians 2:6 states, “and He raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (ILT). The Greek term ‘epouranios’, translated ‘heavenly realms’ in this verse, actually means ‘in the heavenly sphere’, that is, a DIMENSION where Elohim establishes His throne. Heaven is not a pleasant PLACE “far away out there” in the universe, as it is often understood in the Christian world. Heaven is a ‘heavenly dimension’ where the throne/kingdom of heaven exists. And in fact, this “heavenly dimension” is within our inner being.

Jesus told the Pharisees that ‘the kingdom of heaven is within you’ (Luke 17:21; the Greek word ‘entos’ here should be translated ‘within’). Thus, the kingdom of heaven exists in our ‘inner’ dimension. But for the Pharisees, they would not experience the kingdom of heaven, nor would they enter it, because they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. But for the little flock who receive grace before the Father, the kingdom of heaven is a present reality. The little flock is already in the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of heaven is already being experienced now.

The inward experience of being seated together with Jesus on His throne is indeed the experience of the overcomers in the church of Laodicea. In the Christian world, generally, the concept of “entering heaven” is thought to occur when a person dies physically. In reality, if Christians do not experience the inward reality of sitting together with Jesus in heaven now, then even when they die physically they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Physical death adds nothing to a person’s inward condition. Physical death actually reveals the true inward condition of a person. Therefore, if someone does not enter heaven now, they will not enter heaven after death either.

We will continue and conclude this short writing by continuing our discussion about the ‘inner experience’ of the little flock as the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. We have seen that at present the little flock, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, has experienced inwardly being “seated” together with Christ on His throne. Inwardly, the little flock has entered the kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of heaven already exists within them. We will see the next experience of the little flock in the book of Ephesians, namely the experience of “walking.”

Ephesians 4:1 says, “…that you should live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” The Greek term ‘peripateo’, translated ‘live’, actually means ‘walk’ (a verb). The meaning of the verse above is that your ‘walk of life’ should correspond to your calling. The walk of life referred to here means one’s daily way of living, whether in family life, business, or anything else. This verse does not refer to a particular ritual, religious method, or form of worship.

The lives of Jesus and John the Baptist illustrate the meaning of this “walk.” Both Jesus and John the Baptist did not “walk” within the religious world that existed at that time (Judaism). They lived their daily lives outside Judaism. This was not because Jesus and John the Baptist were not from the tribe of Levi, but because there was a certain truth explaining why they did not “walk” within Judaism.

In fact, there was “new wine” (new revelation) that could not be contained in “old wineskins” (old structures). In other words, Jesus and John the Baptist brought a new revelation about the kingdom of heaven that could not be accepted by Judaism. That is why both Jesus and John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Why must they repent? Because Judaism needed to change its thinking about the kingdom of heaven.

Likewise, the little flock cannot walk within the existing religious world. The little flock walks in daily life outside the structures of the Christian world. They walk in daily life according to the values and guidance of the kingdom of heaven within their inner being. The Christian world has become full of religious rules—“you must do this, you must do that”—in order to enter heaven. But the little flock, to whom the Father has been pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, is learning and continuing to learn to express the kingdom of heaven on earth in their daily lives.

The next experience of the little flock is to “stand.” Ephesians 6:11 says, “…that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” The Greek word ‘histemi’, translated “stand,” actually means ‘to stand’ or ‘to remain’. This means we do not seize something, but only maintain it against the attacks of the devil. We simply maintain and remain in the victory of Christ. We are already in the kingdom of heaven, and we only need to stand and maintain it against the deceptions of the devil. The little flock does not to ‘do this and that in order to enter heaven’, but rather ‘to preserve the kingdom of heaven that has already been given by the Father in heaven’.

In conclusion to our theme, the seven feasts of Israel have been fulfilled by Jesus, and they have also been fulfilled inwardly for the little flock. What remains is the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, in the sense of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the kingdom of heaven within us may be manifested on this earth, and we may serve on this earth in a glorified body. Amen.

Summary: Church history shows that every new movement from Elohim eventually becomes dry and rigid, so Elohim begins a new movement again. And this new movement is like “new wine that cannot be received by old wineskins.” That is why the new and fresh movement of Elohim is always found “outside the camp” of the old movement.

Call to action: May we receive His grace to serve Him within the new and fresh movement of Elohim.

Our theme this time is ministry outside the camp. Many Christians, including those who are called “full-time” ministers within the Christian world, do not realize that there is a ministry outside the Christian religious system in this age. There is “new wine” that cannot be contained in “old wineskins.” There is new revelation that cannot be received by the Christian religious world. This happens in every age, because God continually moves and works to give new revelation. This does not mean that God is not working and pouring out His blessings into the “old wineskins.” It is hoped that through the principles and examples found in the Bible, we will understand this theme. In fact, from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation, the Bible speaks about ministry outside the camp. We will discuss this through this brief writing.

Let us begin with the ministry of the Lord Jesus and also the ministry of John the Baptist. In the time of Jesus, there was already a ministry in the Temple in Jerusalem. The ministry in the Jerusalem Temple was not a random ministry without clear regulations, because it was based on the covenant of Moses. Likewise, the ministry in the Temple had its own magnificence. Here the scribes and the Pharisees established a religious court called the Sanhedrin, whose high priest at that time was Caiaphas, with seventy members. Within the Sanhedrin were people such as Gamaliel, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and other figures who were respected by the people. They also had their own rabbinical schools. The Temple in Jerusalem was also very magnificent because it had been renovated by King Herod for 46 years, not to mention the synagogues spread throughout Israel. The Sanhedrin also had authority not only in religious matters but also in the social life of the Jewish nation. We can already imagine how magnificent and solid the ministry of the Temple in Jerusalem was. That is why the scribes and Pharisees proudly said to the man who had been healed by Jesus, “…You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; but as for this Man, we do not know where He is from” (John 9:28–29).

Even though the ministry in the Temple of Jerusalem was so magnificent, both Jesus and John the Baptist ministered ‘outside the camp’ of the Jerusalem Temple. Neither Jesus nor John the Baptist had position, human glory, or even money within the ministry of the Jerusalem Temple, which was obtained not only through tithes and other offerings, but also through the “trade” carried out by the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus and John the Baptist ministered outside the camp of the Jewish religion (Judaism).

Why did Jesus and John the Baptist not “take part” in the ministry of the Jerusalem Temple? The main reason was not because Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, but because Jesus and John the Baptist brought a revelation that could not be accepted by Judaism. The revelation of Jesus and John the Baptist was the kingdom of heaven. It was emphasized that both Jesus and John the Baptist preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17).

Judaism had to repent before it could receive the revelation of the kingdom of heaven. Once again it was proven that “old wineskins” cannot contain “new wine.” Jesus and John the Baptist, who ministered outside the camp of Judaism, were eventually rejected. From the example above, we can see that there is a ministry outside the camp of the established religious world.

We have seen the example of the ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist as ministries outside the camp. We have also understood that these two categories of ministry cannot be reconciled, because the revelation contained in the ministry outside the camp cannot be received by those who minister inside the camp. For the Bible says that “new wine” cannot be put into “old wineskins.”

Matthew 9:14–17 speaks about the revelation or regulation of fasting among the disciples of the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist. Since John was the forerunner of Jesus’ ministry, in this case John belongs to the category of ‘ministry inside the camp’, even though as a forerunner he brought a new revelation about the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ answer to John’s disciples proves that the revelation of fasting in the ministry inside the camp cannot be applied to the ministry outside the camp. The ministry outside the camp has its own revelation and its own regulations. That is why “…new wine is not put into old wineskins…” (Matthew 9:17).

Let us look at the book of Hebrews, regarding the case of those who had believed in Jesus but came from a Jewish background. Hebrews 13:9–13 states: “Do not be carried away by various and strange teachings. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people with His own blood. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”

Let us consider the entire context of the book of Hebrews so that we may understand the exhortation of the writer who says, “let us go to Him outside the camp and bear His reproach.” The book of Hebrews is an exhortation to believers of Jewish background not to return to the teachings of Judaism brought by false teachers. The writer emphasizes that God has spoken through Jesus, and this is better than before. That is why, from chapters 1 to 10, Jesus is compared with angels, with Moses (as an apostle), and with Aaron (as the High Priest), and it is shown that the New Covenant is better than the Old Covenant. Of course we will not discuss these comparisons here, but the problem was that these Hebrews were slow to hear (Hebrews 5:11). Therefore, in chapter 11 the writer gives examples of heroes of faith, because they heard the voice of God, and faith comes from hearing. Then in chapters 12–13 the writer gives practical exhortations. We should understand the context of Hebrews before entering the exhortation in Hebrews 13:9–13.

The writer of Hebrews firmly says that we have an ALTAR. This altar is not the altar in the tabernacle of Moses, which was only a symbol. This altar is the fulfillment of Moses’ altar, because Jesus came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. This altar is the altar of burnt offering, namely the cross of Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. But because Jesus fulfilled the Law, and since the Old Testament regulation required that the bodies of sacrificial animals be burned outside the camp, therefore Jesus was also crucified outside the camp. The ministry of Jesus was a ministry outside the camp, even though it involved reproach. Then comes this extraordinary exhortation that we should go to Him outside the camp and bear His reproach.

Let us apply this exhortation to our present situation. For those who can see, we know that the Christian world is full of regulations, both those taken from Old Testament rules (tithes, firstfruits, etc.) and those from the organizational rules of each denomination. But notice the exhortation above: “For it is good that the heart be established by GRACE and not with various foods which have not profited those who are occupied with such RULES.” If we want to live under grace, then we must go to Him outside the camp, even though there is reproach, because the ministry inside the camp is full of regulations.

We have discussed the ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist as ministries outside the camp. So far we have seen that the ministry outside the camp and the ministry inside the camp do not simply “coexist peacefully.” From the example of Jesus and John the Baptist, their message to those ministering inside the camp (the Pharisees and scribes) was: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In reality, those ministering inside the camp not only did not repent but also rejected the ministry outside the camp—and in the case of Jesus, they even killed Him. Why? Because there is a principle that “new wine cannot be put into old wineskins.” New revelation cannot be received by old structures. It is also written: “And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better’” (Luke 5:39).

This means that the Pharisees and scribes who had drunk the “old wine”—those who had enjoyed money, position, and the applause of the crowds (human glory)—would certainly not accept the revelation of the “new wine.” If they accepted the “new wine,” they would have to give up everything they had been enjoying. That is why Hebrews 13:13 says, “Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear His reproach.”

We will continue our discussion about ministry outside the camp by looking at examples and principles, starting from the ministry of Cain and Abel to the symbolic woman (the church) in the book of Revelation.

Let us begin with the ministries of Cain and Abel. Each of them built an altar. They both offered sacrifices, and they were brothers. But Cain’s offering was rejected by God, while Abel’s offering was accepted. Cain’s offering was rejected not because he offered the fruit of the ground (since he was a farmer) while Abel offered livestock. God rejected Cain’s offering because Cain did not have faith. Hebrews 11:4 calls Abel a hero of faith. Besides lacking faith, Cain’s deeds were evil (1 John 3:12). And Cain killed his brother Abel.

From the example of Cain’s offering (ministry) that was rejected by God, we should not quickly conclude that Cain was not blessed by God. God blessed Cain, because he built a city and named it Enoch after his son. Cain’s descendants also built human civilization, because from his lineage came the world of livestock (Jabal), the world of music (Jubal), and the world of industry (Tubal-Cain) (Genesis 4:17–22). The works of Cain and his descendants were very meaningful for humanity.

If we compare this with the works of Seth’s descendants (as the replacement for Abel), we find that their works are not recorded at all (Genesis 5:6–32). The descendants of Seth are only recorded by their ages, and Enoch is mentioned as one who walked with God, and Noah is said to have found grace. What is interesting here is that none of Cain’s descendants have their ages mentioned. Age in the context before the New Testament was very meaningful. Abraham’s journey from Ur of the Chaldeans to Haran is not recorded in terms of duration, because Abraham was not fully obedient to God’s command to leave his father’s house (Terah). Therefore, the ages of Cain’s descendants were not recorded because their lives were not valuable before God, even though they built human civilization. On the other hand, the detailed ages of Seth’s descendants prove that their lives were valuable before God, even though their works were not as great as those of Cain’s descendants. For those who can see, we can understand that Cain’s ministry represents ministry inside the camp, while Abel’s ministry represents ministry outside the camp.

Now we will discuss the ministry of Noah as a ministry outside the camp. Noah was a man who found grace (Genesis 6:8). Because Noah found grace in God’s eyes, the next verse says: “…Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).

There is something in verse 9 that we must pay attention to carefully. The Bible says that Noah was blameless among the people of his time. Why is this stated? If we look at the previous verses, the context becomes clear: in Noah’s time there was intermarriage between the sons of God and the daughters of men, and God considered this a great evil (Genesis 6:5).

Who are the sons of God and the daughters of men? Some think the sons of God were angels, because Job 1:6 says, “the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.” However, if we interpret the sons of God as angels, several difficulties arise. First, are angels male, or do they have male bodies and sexual desires like human men? Second, how do we reconcile this with what Jesus said, that angels in heaven do not marry? (Matthew 22:30). Third, the passage itself does not speak about angels at all, and after the intermarriage God Himself said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever…” (Genesis 6:3). Therefore we can understand that the sons of God in this passage are humans.

But which humans are these sons of God? In the earlier chapters the Bible records two human lineages: the descendants of Cain who went away from God, and the descendants of Seth who walked with God. The descendants of Cain are called the daughters of men, while the descendants of Seth are called the sons of God. Then in Noah’s time there was intermarriage, where the sons of God took the daughters of men as wives—any they chose (Genesis 6:2). God regarded this as evil. Noah did not take a wife from Cain’s lineage; that is why it says Noah was

blameless among the people of his generation (the descendants of Seth who took wives from Cain’s lineage).

Noah, who found grace in God’s eyes, had the ministry of building the ark. Noah’s ministry judged the earth at that time, because the earth had been corrupted by this intermarriage. However, the concept of judgment should not be understood only in the sense of punishment. The Bible says that when God judges the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). Therefore Noah’s ministry, which judged the earth—especially the “mixed generation”—also means a ministry of restoration, so that they might learn what is right.

With this explanation of Noah’s ark ministry, we should not quickly assume that there was no ministry among the “mixed generation.” Since the mixed generation also came partly from the descendants of Seth, and Cain himself offered sacrifices, it is certain that the mixed generation also had ministries, or at least some of them did. It is easy to understand that the ministry of the mixed generation represents ‘ministry inside the camp’, while Noah’s ministry, which judged the earth, represents ‘ministry outside the camp’.

As a closing of this discussion, we can understand that the ministry outside the camp is very much a minority—only eight people were saved. We may also assume that those who like to shout “do not judge” are those who minister inside the camp.

Next, we will discuss the ministry of Abraham as a ministry outside the camp. To understand Abraham’s ministry as a ministry outside the camp, we must look at the context of Abraham’s calling. If we do not understand why Abraham was called out of his country, from his relatives, and from his father’s house, then we cannot see that Abraham’s calling was a calling to build a ministry outside the camp.

Let us read Genesis 12:1–3: “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation… and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

There are three things we must carefully observe about Abraham’s calling in relation to our theme. First, Abraham was promised a land. Second, Abraham would become a great nation. Third, Abraham had to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house. Why did Abraham have to go out? To answer this, we must clearly see the context of Abraham’s calling.

We know that Noah’s ministry judged the earth through the flood, at a time when the earth had become corrupt because of the “intermarriage” between the descendants of Seth and the descendants of Cain (Genesis 6:11–12). When Noah came out of the ark, there were only eight people: Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their wives. After Elohim made a covenant with Noah, his three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—had children, and from them the whole earth was populated (Genesis 9:19).

However, Noah later became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent, and Ham saw his father’s nakedness. In the end, Noah cursed Ham, as recorded in Genesis 9:25–27. Noah’s curse upon his son Ham was actually a failure, because a father should bless his son.

Next, we know that Ham begot Cush, and Cush begot Nimrod. Concerning Nimrod it is written that he was the first mighty ruler on the earth, and that he was a mighty hunter before the Lord (Genesis 10:8–9). Many people think that Nimrod served and lived before the Lord. However, Strong’s Concordance reveals that the Hebrew term PANIM, translated as ‘before’ (verse 9), has a wide range of meanings. In Genesis 10:9, as in Numbers 16:2, the Hebrew term PANIM, translated ‘before’, can also literally mean ‘to rebel’. In the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means ‘the one who made all people rebel against God’. The Indonesian Literal Translation (ILT) Bible gives a footnote for the word ‘before’, translating it as ‘boldly against’. From this we can conclude that Nimrod was a rebel who stood defiantly against God. Nimrod established his own kingdom, one of which was Babel.

In building his kingdom, Nimrod influenced and led not only the descendants of Ham but also those of Shem and Japheth, so that the whole earth rebelled against God. In such a situation, God confused the language of the whole earth (which had previously been one language) and broke apart the kingdom built by Nimrod, so that each nation descended from Noah had its own language, its own kings, and even its own gods.

It was in this context that God called Abraham to leave his father’s house (Terah), his people, and the land where he lived. The land where Abraham lived, beyond the Euphrates River, was one of the fragments of Nimrod’s kingdom, which certainly had its own king, its own language, and its own god. Terah worshiped the god of the land beyond the Euphrates (Joshua 24:2).

Yet God chose Abraham to build a kingdom—the kingdom of Israel (physical)—as a symbol of the kingdom of the Messiah (spiritual). That is why Abraham had to leave his people, including his father Terah. In reality, Abraham’s calling was a calling to build a kingdom that would become a blessing to all the families of the earth.

After understanding the context of Abraham’s calling, we can see that Abraham’s calling (ministry) was indeed a ministry outside the camp. Meanwhile, the ministry inside the camp refers to the descendants of Noah who had declined because of Nimrod’s rebellion in building his own kingdom.

As we close this section, we can understand that a ministry inside the camp is not a “random ministry,” but a ministry that originally came from God (from the Spirit), which later declined because of human lust (the flesh). In the case of Noah’s descendants (“Noah’s camp”), the decline occurred because of Nimrod’s ambition to build his own kingdom.

Now we will discuss Joseph’s ministry in Egypt as a ministry outside the camp. The story of Joseph begins when Jacob and his twelve sons had settled in the land of Canaan, a land promised to Abraham as his possession and the possession of his descendants. Specifically, God also promised Jacob that the land of Canaan would belong to him and his descendants when Jacob had his dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:13–14).

Jacob and his twelve sons lived in Canaan while waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled, though it would certainly take a long time for Jacob to have descendants numerous enough to become a nation that would inherit the land of Canaan. While waiting for God’s promise, when Joseph was seventeen years old, he brought a bad report to his father about his brothers. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons, and this caused Joseph’s brothers to hate him.

In this situation, God gave Joseph a dream about sheaves of grain, in which his brothers’ sheaves bowed down to his sheaf (Genesis 37:5–8). Joseph also told another dream about the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. Although these dreams made his brothers jealous, they were actually the beginning of Joseph’s ministry, which we call a ministry outside the camp.

Joseph was hated and rejected by his brothers, and we know the story of how he was sold into Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph was prepared and shaped by God so that he could carry out his ministry outside “Jacob’s camp.” Meanwhile, in the Promised Land (Canaan), Jacob continued to multiply according to God’s promise to make him into a nation. Yet God was doing another work in Egypt through Joseph. In short, Joseph became the second ruler under Pharaoh.

Then, by God’s arrangement, a famine occurred in the land of Canaan, while Egypt had an abundance of food. Because Joseph was second under Pharaoh, he was entrusted with managing and distributing food not only to the people of Egypt but also to other nations who came to Egypt to obtain food. Joseph’s brothers also came to Egypt for food, and eventually Joseph brought his father Jacob and all his descendants to Egypt, numbering seventy persons at that time.

Joseph sustained Jacob and all his descendants in Egypt with abundant food. Joseph summarized his ministry in Genesis 50:20: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but Elohim meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to preserve the lives of a great people” (ILT). Thus, Joseph’s ministry, as a ministry outside the camp, ultimately served to feed his brothers who were inside “Jacob’s camp.”

So far, our discussion shows that ministry inside the camp often declines for various reasons. In the case of Seth’s descendants, the decline occurred because of intermarriage. In the case of Noah and his descendants, the decline occurred because of Nimrod’s rebellion. In the case of Jacob and his descendants in Canaan, the decline occurred because of the wickedness of Joseph’s brothers. In these situations of declining ministry inside the camp, God chose certain people to begin a ministry outside the camp.

This decline of ministry inside the camp results in a “famine of the word,” as prophesied in the book of Amos: “…I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11).

Let us apply this to our situation today. The Christian world has also experienced decline, as prophesied by Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1–9. As a result, the Christian world has begun to hunger for a fresh word from God, a hunger for new revelation from Him. And we know that in Revelation 2–3, the Lord chooses His overcomers to carry out a ministry outside the camp.

Ultimately, the purpose of the ministry outside the camp is to feed the brothers inside the camp who have begun to hunger for the word, because outside the camp there is abundant food. In God’s time, His overcomers will be manifested and will become a blessing not only to the Christian world but also to all people (Romans 8:19–21).

Now we will discuss the Tabernacle of Moses, which was set up outside the camp of Israel. As we know, only the tribe of Levi was allowed to minister in the Tabernacle of Moses. Therefore, the ministry of the tribe of Levi in the Tabernacle was actually a ministry outside the camp.

Let us read Exodus 33:7: “Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of Meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD went out to the Tabernacle of Meeting which was outside the camp.”

The background of why Moses set up the tent outside the camp of Israel was that the people of Israel had fallen into the worship of the golden calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1). Simply because Moses delayed coming down from Mount Sinai, the people asked Aaron to make a golden calf. Aaron followed their request, made the golden calf, built an altar before it, and even proclaimed a feast day for the calf they worshiped as their god. Israel had fallen into idolatry, even shortly after Yahweh made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai.

However, at God’s command, Moses came down from the mountain and stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side—come to me!” Then all the sons of Levi gathered themselves to him (Exodus 32:26). Moses stood outside the camp of Israel, which had fallen into idolatry, and challenged the people to stand with the Lord. As our verse says, only the tribe of Levi came out of the camp and came to Moses. Moses then commanded the Levites to consecrate themselves from that day forward (verse 29).

We know the rest of the story: eventually the Lord appointed only the tribe of Levi to serve as priests and minister in the Tabernacle of Meeting (the Holy Tent) outside the camp of Israel. In fact, God had originally intended for all Israel to become kings and priests, as it is written: “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…” (Exodus 19:6).

Israel was meant to be a separated (holy) nation and serve as priests to other nations—bringing Yahweh to the nations and bringing the nations to Yahweh. However, this covenant was conditional: if Israel obeyed the Lord, then all Israel would become priests to other nations (Exodus 19:5). But in reality, only the tribe of Levi stood with the Lord (Exodus 32:26).

Many Christians think that God chose the tribe of Levi purely by His sovereignty. Indeed, God’s choice is sovereign, but within that sovereignty God moved the tribe of Levi to come to Moses at the entrance of the camp, as in the story above. Therefore, the ministry of the tribe of Levi in the Tabernacle of Meeting was a ministry outside the camp.

Does this mean that the other tribes of Israel did not serve the Lord? Of course they did. The other tribes served the Lord in relation to the Tabernacle of Meeting. They gathered offerings for its construction. They brought their sacrifices to the Tabernacle. And when fighting to conquer the Promised Land, all the tribes of Israel went to battle together. The whole nation of Israel still served Yahweh, but the ministry inside the Tabernacle was specifically assigned to the tribe of Levi. Therefore, in conclusion, the ministry of the tribe of Levi was a ministry outside the camp. The other tribes continued to serve Yahweh, but they served within the camp of Israel.

We will continue our discussion of ministry outside the camp by comparing the ministries of David and Saul. Specifically, we will examine the attitude of Jonathan, Saul’s son, when he learned that the kingdom of Israel would pass into David’s hands.

The background of Saul being chosen as the first king of Israel was the declining condition of Israel during the time when the Judges ruled. Later, Samuel was called and served as a judge all his life (1 Samuel 7:15). When Samuel became old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. However, his sons did not walk in Samuel’s ways, because they pursued dishonest gain, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.

In this situation, the elders of Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king. Saul was then anointed as the first king of Israel. The Bible records that Saul reigned for two years (1 Samuel 13:1), but in Acts it is stated that Saul reigned for forty years (Acts 13:21). This indicates that Saul’s rule functioned properly only during the first two years. Saul initially did great things, delivering Israel from their enemies. But when the Philistines attacked, Saul did not follow the command of the Lord delivered through Samuel. Therefore Samuel said: “The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever… but now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart…” (1 Samuel 13:13–14).

Although the Lord had declared that Saul’s kingdom would not continue, Saul remained on the throne of Israel for forty years, even after God had chosen David as his successor.

At first Saul liked David, because David succeeded in every battle wherever Saul sent him. But later, when the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,” Saul became jealous of David because he feared that the throne would pass to him (1 Samuel 18:7–9). Saul even attempted to kill David, forcing David to flee from him. Yet the Lord did not deliver David into Saul’s hand.

At that time, Israel seemed to have two kings. Saul still occupied the throne of Israel until his death, but the ‘divine choice and anointing’ had already shifted from Saul to David. This was known by Jonathan, Saul’s son. Jonathan said, “Do not be afraid, for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you” (1 Samuel 23:17).

Up to this point we can conclude that David’s ministry was a ministry outside the camp, while Saul’s ministry was a ministry inside the camp. As we have discussed, a ministry inside the camp is a ministry that at the beginning runs well, but because of one thing or another it declines. Then God begins a new movement, and this new movement is usually opposed by those who serve within the camp.

But there is something interesting here concerning Jonathan. Jonathan was Saul’s son who, in fact, would automatically become king after his father Saul died. Yet Jonathan knew that the divine choice and anointing had shifted into the hands of David. Jonathan even strengthened David’s confidence when David felt afraid because Saul had gone out to kill him. Ideally, Jonathan should have followed David even though he would have had to be pursued by Saul’s soldiers. But Jonathan was not with David when David was being chased by Saul’s troops. The Bible says, “…David remained at Horesh, but Jonathan went home” (1 Samuel 23:18). When the time came for Saul’s reign to end and Saul died at the hands of the Philistines, Jonathan also died together with his father… inside the camp. This is truly a valuable lesson for those who have already known the truth about the ministry outside the camp, yet for one reason or another still continue to serve inside the camp.

Let us continue our discussion about the ministry outside the camp. Now we will compare the ministry of the true prophets with the false prophets in the days of King Ahab. Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years. King Ahab took Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, as his wife, so that he worshiped Baal and Asherah, which provoked the God of Israel to anger (1 Kings 16:29–33).

We know that the kingdom of Israel was divided into the northern kingdom consisting of ten tribes (usually called the kingdom of Israel) and the southern kingdom consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (called the kingdom of Judah). The Northern Kingdom (Israel) never had a good king. In the days of King Ahab, idolatry became extremely widespread because Jezebel was deeply devoted to Baal and Asherah. We must mention the deeds of Jezebel so that we can see the “ministry” of these false prophets and also the condition of the true prophets at that time.

First, because of her commitment to Baal and Asherah, Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord and supported the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty in number, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, feeding them at the table of her palace (1 Kings 18:19). If Obadiah, a God-fearing man who served as the palace administrator, had not hidden one hundred of the Lord’s prophets and supplied them with food, there might have been no prophet of the Lord left in Israel except Elijah.

Second, Jezebel had a very dominant character, so that she was able to persuade her husband Ahab to become a devoted idol worshiper as well (1 Kings 21:25). Ahab’s palace had become a place where false prophets were maintained.

Third, Jezebel seized the authority of King Ahab in the case of Naboth’s vineyard, where she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with the king’s seal, even though her purpose was to fulfill Ahab’s desire (1 Kings 21:8).

Under such conditions in Israel, it can be said that the ministry of the true prophets was very restricted and hardly influenced the people at all. Meanwhile, the false prophets were numerous and were supported in the palace of King Ahab. In reality, the ministry of the true prophets—who were a very small minority—was a ministry outside the camp. Meanwhile, the “ministry” of the false prophets, which flourished because it was supported by the facilities and power of the king, we may call a ministry inside the camp.

It was in such circumstances that God raised up the prophet Elijah to challenge the false prophets with a demonstration: whoever answered with fire, He would be the true God (1 Kings 18:20–40). And we know that in the end God answered with fire, and the idols were proven false. As a result of Elijah’s appearance in this demonstration on Mount Carmel, the many false prophets were destroyed. It is written, “When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God’” (1 Kings 18:39).

There are several lessons we can learn from the ministry of the true prophets and the “ministry” of the false prophets, especially in the days of King Ahab.

First, those who serve in the context of a ministry outside the camp are generally a minority. Indeed, in almost every age, whether in the time of the kingdom of Israel or in the age of the church, false prophets and false teachers have always been the majority.

Second, the “ministry” of false prophets and teachers is usually supported by the power of the king, and they receive support and food from “Jezebel’s table.” Meanwhile, the ministry of true prophets such as Elijah was sustained and fed directly by God, whether through the widow of Zarephath or through ravens.

But there comes a time when, through the appearance of an “Elijah,” God proves which ministry is acceptable to Him—the ministry outside the camp or the ministry inside the camp.

Now we will continue the discussion concerning the “famine of the word” that occurs in the ministry inside the camp by looking at an example in the case of the ministry of the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 6:24 – 7:19. As we already know, the famine of the word was prophesied in the book of Amos: “Behold, the days are coming… when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). This has been fulfilled in every age of ministry inside the camp. Why can we be certain that ministry inside the camp experiences a famine of the word? The explanation is as follows.

The ministry outside the camp begins precisely because there has been a decline in the ministry inside the camp, as we have discussed so far. In the case of the ministry of the descendants of Seth, decline occurred because of intermarriage. In the case of Noah and his descendants, decline occurred because of the rebellion of Nimrod. In the case of Jacob and his descendants in the land of Canaan, decline occurred because of the wickedness of Joseph’s brothers. In such conditions of decline within the ministry inside the camp, a famine of the word arises.

The famine of the word referred to here is a famine of fresh and new revelation—a revelation that God unveils to His servants, a new movement because the old movement has become hardened, rigid, and no longer able to contain new revelation. Just as old wineskins cannot receive new wine, so the old structure (the old movement) cannot receive fresh and new revelation of the word (Luke 5:36–39).

Now let us see that there was abundant food outside the camp in the example of the ministry of the prophet Elisha. At that time there was a famine in Samaria because Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, besieged Samaria (2 Kings 6:24–25). We know that the kingdom of Israel was divided into two because King Solomon fell into idolatry. The northern kingdom (ten tribes) with its capital in Samaria never had a good king. All the kings in the northern kingdom worshiped idols. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom (two tribes) with its capital in Jerusalem was led by the dynasty of David. In the condition of the northern kingdom, which had greatly declined, the siege by the army of Aram (King Ben-Hadad) took place. Yet God still sent His prophets to the northern kingdom.

Then the prophet Elisha prophesied concerning the city of Samaria, declaring that there would be an extraordinary deliverance from God so that Samaria would be spared and would receive food. But what is interesting here is that God used four lepers who were outside the camp of the city of Samaria. According to the Law of Moses, those who had leprosy were not allowed to enter the camp and had to cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!” (Leviticus 13:45). By God’s arrangement, these four lepers were used by God to announce that there was abundant food outside the city of Samaria. Thus Samaria was saved.

What lessons can we learn from the case of these four lepers?

First, there is indeed abundant food outside the camp, while there is famine inside the camp because of decline.

Second, God wants to use His servants who minister outside the camp to feed those who are inside the camp—but according to God’s own time and way.

Third, the servants whom God used in the case of the famine in Samaria were four lepers. Lepers, as we know, were people who were cast out and marginalized outside the camp. Likewise, those whom God uses to feed the people inside the camp will often be those who are rejected and marginalized. For those of us who serve outside the camp, we certainly realize how abundant the food is outside the camp. Fresh and new words are always available to us.

At present we will compare the ministry of the people of Israel during their exile in Babylon with the ministry of the people of Israel who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. From this comparison, we can understand which ministry can be categorized as a ministry outside the camp and which is called a ministry inside the camp.

We know that the return of the people of Israel from Babylon to Jerusalem occurred in three groups. The first group was led by Zerubbabel with the ministry of rebuilding the Temple. The second group was led by Ezra with the ministry of restoring Israel’s love for the Law. The third group was led by Nehemiah with the ministry of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

Perhaps many of us do not realize that while the people of Israel were in exile, they actually began to serve Yahweh, their Elohim, and no longer worshiped idols as had been their habit in the land of Israel before the exile. The emergence of synagogues (places of gathering) began during the time of exile. In exile, Jewish families formed synagogues (usually for about ten Jewish families), where they studied the Law of the Lord under the leadership of rabbis (teachers). Indeed, in the synagogues they did not perform sacrificial rituals, because according to the command of the Law, sacrificial rituals had to be carried out in the Temple in Jerusalem, the place where Yahweh had placed His name.

Even in exile, Yahweh still preserved His people. In the time of Esther, Yahweh’s preservation of His people can be clearly seen. The events in the time of Esther occurred between the return of the first group led by Zerubbabel and the second group led by Ezra. As we know from the book of Esther, Yahweh miraculously preserved the lives of the Jewish people from the mass killing planned by Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Also in exile there were people like Mordecai who possessed strong faith, and of course Esther as well. So, even in exile, the people of Israel could still be said to be serving Yahweh. However, in the book of Esther, the name of God is never mentioned. Why is this so? Because even though Yahweh continued to preserve His people in exile, He had placed His name in the place He had chosen, namely Jerusalem.

Now let us look at the ministry of those who returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5 affirms: “Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, even everyone whose spirit Elohim had stirred, arose to go up to build the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem.” Here we see that those who were willing to return to Jerusalem for the ministry of rebuilding the Temple were people whose spirits were stirred by Elohim. Why was this so? Because, besides the long journey and the many risks involved, God’s people in exile had already begun to live settled lives. They had built houses, owned gardens and fields, and also had their ministries in the synagogues. That is why those who were willing to serve in Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple had to be people whose spirits were stirred by Elohim. And only a small number returned from exile to Jerusalem. The group of Zerubbabel alone numbered only about 50,000 people. The groups of Ezra and Nehemiah consisted of only a small number as well. Meanwhile, the Jews scattered throughout the Persian Empire at that time were estimated to number between two and three million people.

From the facts above, let us summarize several points.

First, the number of Jews serving in Jerusalem was very small compared to those scattered in Babylon and the surrounding regions.

Second, although they were few in number, the Jews who served in Jerusalem were carrying out the original will of Yahweh, in which He had chosen Jerusalem as the place where His Temple would be established and His name placed.

Third, the ministry of the Jews in Jerusalem would bring forth the Messiah to establish His kingdom, because the Messiah would not come to Babylon to establish His kingdom.

If we remember the characteristics of a ministry outside the camp, we can conclude that the ministry of the Jews in Jerusalem was a ministry outside the camp—a new and fresh ministry in which the Jews who were stirred by Elohim began to rebuild the Temple in its original place. Meanwhile, although Yahweh continued to preserve and work for His people in Babylon, Babylon was not the place for His people. Israel was in Babylon because of the decline and idolatry they had practiced in Jerusalem previously. Therefore, their ministry in Babylon can be categorized as a ministry inside the camp.

Now we will discuss the ministry outside the camp of the Christian world. In order to understand the ministry outside the camp of the Christian world, we must truly understand what the Christian world is. If someone considers the Christian world to be the natural development of the early church, then he will not understand what the ministry outside the camp of the Christian world is. For, as we have discussed previously, the existence of a ministry outside the camp occurs because a decline has taken place within the camp. That is why we must first describe the decline that occurred, so that the early church described in the book of Acts has become the Christian world as we see it today.

Let us see what happened to this early church. Paul said in Acts 20:29–30: “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

Here Paul clearly says that fierce wolves will come and attack the church leaders, especially the elders of the church in Ephesus, to whom Paul was speaking. These fierce wolves would cause church leaders to teach false doctrines in order to draw the disciples away from the true path. Previously, the disciples followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but because they were drawn by the leaders, the disciples then followed the leaders. Some disciples followed this leader, while others followed that leader.

This resulted in divisions within the church. This is what has actually happened in the Christian world. Some of the Lord’s disciples follow this leader, while others follow that leader. The denominations that exist in the Christian world are groups of disciples who are following their respective leaders. There are even denominations that are named after their leaders. For example: Lutheran, Calvinist, Wesleyan, Mennonite, and so on. Others are named based on doctrine, such as Reformed, Pentecostal, and so forth. Others again are named according to their form of human governance, such as Presbyterian, Episcopal, and so on.

The Christian world that we see today is not a natural development of the early church, but a continuous division that has occurred because the leaders in every age of the church have drawn disciples after themselves. In a condition where the church continues to be torn apart by “savage wolves,” what is the action of the Lord Jesus as the Head of the church?

The action of the Lord Jesus is to call His overcomers in every age of the church (Revelation 2–3). In each of the “seven church ages,” the Lord calls His overcomers with the appeal, ‘He who overcomes…’. These overcomers are not great and famous people in the Christian world, but rather simple people who receive God’s grace so that they do not take part in the decline of the Christian world. From Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we know that there are three false teachings that have already been widely accepted in the Christian world, yet these teachings are precisely what cause the fall of the church. These false teachings are the teaching of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. We will not elaborate on them now. What we emphasize here is that the ministry of His overcomers in every church age is a ministry outside the camp of the declining Christian world.

Let us continue our discussion concerning ministry outside the camp of the Christian world. We have explained that the ministry of His overcomers in every age is a ministry outside the camp of the Christian world. Why is this so? Because we know that ministry outside the camp arises due to decline within the camp. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3 it is clearly stated that there are three false teachings that caused the church to decline and develop into the Christian world that we know today. These three false teachings are the teaching of Jezebel, the teaching of the Nicolaitans, and the teaching of Balaam.

Perhaps we need to review a little about these three false teachings, especially the teaching of Jezebel. Of course, we will not explain all the teachings of Jezebel that have been justified in the Christian world, but we will briefly discuss her action of seizing authority from her husband Ahab in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. The Lord Jesus clearly said to His disciples, “Nor are you to be called leaders…” (Matthew 23:10). Does this mean there are no leaders in the church? Of course there are, but there is no “seat of Moses,” such as the one held by the Jewish religious leaders in His time. In the context of the Old Testament, there indeed was a “seat of Moses,” meaning an authority of Yahweh delegated to the leaders. In the context of the New Testament, however, the Lord Jesus did not delegate His authority to leaders. The authority of the church is the authority of the ‘Life of Christ’. That is why, in the church, “…you are all brothers” (Matthew 23:8). Yet church leaders have seized the authority of Jesus by drawing disciples to follow themselves (Acts 20:30).

This is what has happened with the tens of thousands of denominations that exist today. The leaders of these denominations draw disciples to their own denominations, so that the disciples become divided. This is what is called the seizure of the authority of Jesus. The disciples in the early church truly followed the leading of the Spirit of Christ, but after being drawn by leaders, they proudly feel that their group is the most correct. Yet these denominational groups are now considered normal in the Christian world. Why? Because “Jezebel” has become a ‘teaching’ in the Christian world, not merely a practice. One form of the teaching of Jezebel that has been widely accepted in the Christian world is the doctrine of the “visible and invisible church.” Through this teaching, the church has been equated with denominations. The actions of denominational leaders who seize the authority of Jesus have been justified and even taught.

The other two false teachings support this teaching of Jezebel. The Nicolaitans represent the actions of leaders who not only draw disciples but also ‘subdue’ them (Niko = to conquer; Laos = the people, the laity). The manifestation of the teaching of the Nicolaitans appears in various teachings about false submission. Balaam, of course, represents ‘merchandising’, serving for wages. These three teachings are not only practiced by denominations but have also been taught and regarded as correct.

In a Christian world that has been dominated by these three false teachings, the Lord Jesus, in every age, raises up His overcomers to minister outside the camp. What does the ministry of these overcomers look like? Or what is the ministry outside the camp like? We will take one example from the churches in Revelation 2–3 to explain the ministry of these overcomers. Let us look at the church in Laodicea, where the Lord Jesus stands ‘outside the camp’ of the Laodicean church (Revelation 3:20). What Jesus offers to the church in Laodicea is “to eat,” meaning to fellowship with Him. From this example it is clear that ministry outside the camp, or the ministry of the overcomers, is focused on “eating,” that is, fellowship with the Lord Jesus. The Laodicean church was focused on works (Revelation 3:15)—in modern terms, programs, rituals, buildings, and all kinds of activities that made them feel rich and lacking nothing. Thus, the ministry of the overcomers, or ministry outside the camp, is not focused on works but on fellowship.

We will conclude this brief discussion about ministry outside the camp by examining the symbol of the woman in Revelation chapters 12 and 17. Just as Adam is a symbol or type of Christ Jesus (Romans 5:14), so the woman is a symbol or type of His bride, namely the church. We will look at the characteristics of these two women in the book of Revelation. But we must remember that the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ—and therefore also of His church—using symbolic language (Revelation 1:1; the Greek word ‘semaino’ comes from ‘sema’, meaning symbol). We will describe the characteristics of these two women only in relation to our theme, namely ministry outside the camp. By observing these characteristics, we will know which represents ministry outside the camp and which represents ministry within the camp.

We begin with the symbol of the woman in Revelation 12:1, which says: “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Let us observe several characteristics of this woman.

First, she is clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet. The sun and the moon here are symbols: the sun represents Christ as our true Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), while the moon only has reflected light. The worship of this woman is worship in spirit and truth (New Testament), not worship that is a mixture of the New Testament and the Old Testament, as we commonly see in the Christian world.

Second, this woman is led by the twelve stars. Twelve is the number of divine government, and stars in the book of Revelation represent the sons of God. These sons of God (plural) form a crown, which signifies divine authority. The divine authority in the church is the authority of ‘Life’, therefore this woman is led by the authority of Life.

Third, this church is in heaven, meaning it exists in a heavenly dimension and cannot be seen physically. The Christian world that we can see physically—its buildings, rituals, and forms of worship—is not the woman described here.

Next, let us look at the characteristics of the woman in Revelation chapter 17.

First, this woman ‘sits on a beast’ (verse 3). In the book of Revelation, the beast is a symbol of human government, not divine government as in the woman of Revelation 12. The name (characteristic) of this woman is ‘Babylon’ (verse 5), a city of human kingdom originally built by Nimrod. The church supported by systems of human government is represented by the denominations we know in the Christian world.

Second, this woman is called a ‘harlot’ (verse 1). A harlot here means a woman who receives the “seed” not only from her husband but also from other men. The Christian world receives the word of God but also the “seeds” of the teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam, as we have described earlier.

Third, this woman ‘sits upon many waters’ (verse 1). The waters here represent “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (verse 15). Thus this woman represents the majority. Ministry outside the camp, of course, is a minority compared to ministry inside the camp.

Therefore, it is clear that the woman in Revelation 12 represents God’s people who minister outside the camp, while the woman in Revelation 17 represents God’s people who minister inside the camp.

We will close this brief writing by looking at the final outcome of these two women. The woman in Revelation chapter 12 will, in due time, give birth to the sons of God who will shepherd all nations (verse 5), while the woman in Revelation 17 will, in due time, be judged by the Lord.

Let us remind God’s chosen people who are still within the camp: “Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins” (Revelation 18:4). Amen.

Summary: The most important thing in proclaiming the Good News and in understanding the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is recognizing the natural–spiritual principle. By understanding this principle, we can understand the stories in the Bible in their proper context.

Call to action: By His grace, we can come to know this natural–spiritual principle and proclaim the Gospel correctly.

The Natural–Spiritual Principle is a very important principle, because it is not only a gospel principle but also a principle for understanding both the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). Let us read 1 Corinthians 15:46: “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.” This means that what comes first is the natural (physical or fleshly), and only afterward comes the spiritual. Let us consider the context of this verse.

First Corinthians is easier to understand in its structure than Second Corinthians, because First Corinthians discusses issues one by one in sequence. Our verse above is part of the issue discussed in chapter 15, namely the issue concerning the gospel (verse 1). Specifically, there are two issues addressed here. First, some among the Corinthians said that there is no resurrection of the dead (verse 12). In response to this issue, Paul answers from verse 13 through verse 32. Second, some asked, “With what kind of body will they come?” (verse 35). Here Paul explains that there is a heavenly body (a spiritual body), and there is also an earthly body (a natural body). It is in this section that our verse appears, namely that what comes first is the natural body, and afterward the spiritual body.

The Natural–Spiritual Principle is very general and broad in nature. For example, in the creation of humanity, the first man was from the dust of the earth, while the second Man is from heaven. In terms of covenants, the first covenant (OT) is physical in nature, whereas the second covenant (NT) is spiritual in nature, as we will see later. When we elaborate on this matter of covenants, we find that the sanctuary (OT) is physical in nature, while the sanctuary (NT) is spiritual in nature. And the same applies to worship, blessings, law, enemies, inheritance, warfare, weapons, and so on. Everything related to the OT is physical in nature, whereas the NT is spiritual. And what comes first is the physical, the natural (OT), and only afterward the spiritual (NT). Such is the Natural–Spiritual Principle.

This Natural–Spiritual Principle is a gospel principle, as we see in the chapter above (1 Corinthians 15, especially verse 1). If a preacher of the gospel does not understand this principle, then he will preach a “mixed gospel,” namely a mixture of the OT (physical) and the NT (spiritual). Meanwhile, we see that “…flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Elohim…” (1 Corinthians 15:50, ILT), and that “For the kingdom of Elohim is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, ILT). Does this mean that the gospel does not include the restoration of physical matters? Does God not care about our physical needs? We will answer this question by looking at the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, recorded in John 6:1–58.

In John 6 it is clear that Jesus greatly cared about the physical needs of the multitude who followed Him. Notice verse 5, which says, “…Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” The crowd did not ask Jesus for bread, yet Jesus thought about and acted to meet their needs. In fact, in other parts of the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ disciples tried to avoid the responsibility of meeting these physical needs. Does this not clearly prove that Jesus cared about the physical needs of the people? Not only the need for bread, but also healing from sickness, deliverance from demon possession, and even death—all were met by Jesus.

Nevertheless, Jesus rebuked the people who sought Him because of the matter of “eating bread and being filled.” Jesus said that they should work for the food that endures to eternal life (verse 27). Jesus desired the people to believe in Him and to RECEIVE THE BREAD OF LIFE. Thus, although Jesus would certainly meet the physical needs of the people, they must still follow Jesus BECAUSE OF THE BREAD OF LIFE. Why is this so? Because Jesus, as the second Man, offers the bread of life to the people. This is in accordance with the gospel principle, or the Natural–Spiritual Principle: first comes the physical, and second comes the spiritual. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Now we will apply the Natural–Spiritual Principle to our understanding of the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). As we have seen, what comes first is the natural, and afterward the spiritual. Therefore, when this principle is applied to the OT and NT, the OT is natural in nature, and the NT is spiritual in nature. Let us look at several examples in the OT and NT that prove that the OT is natural and the NT is spiritual.

First, the Temple or the house of God, the place of His dwelling. The OT Temple was clearly a physical building, whether the tabernacle (the tabernacle of Moses and the tabernacle of David) or the Temple building constructed by King Solomon and Zerubbabel. Meanwhile, in the NT, the Temple—the dwelling place of the Spirit of Elohim—is the church, that is, the people who believe (1 Corinthians 3:16–17). The house of God or the Father’s house is us (Hebrews 3:6).

Second, concerning worship. In the OT, worship was regulated by the Law of Moses and centered in the Temple. Regulations concerning sacrifices, the priesthood, and other ordinances were written and could not be violated if one wanted one’s worship to be acceptable to Yahweh. But worship in the NT is spiritual, namely in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). This does not mean that worship in the NT context is careless or arbitrary, but that it is governed by the law of the Spirit of life. This means that the daily life of God’s chosen people in the NT context is governed by the law of the Spirit of life within them. That is their worship. In short, being led by the Spirit in daily life is worship in the NT context.

Third, concerning blessings. In the OT, Yahweh’s blessings to Israel were primarily physical, material, and related to outward matters. If we observe Deuteronomy chapter 28, we can understand that Israel’s blessings were physical in nature. But blessings in the NT are spiritual. We read in Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ” (ILT). Again, this does not mean that God does not care about our daily physical needs. We have already seen how Jesus blessed and fed bread to the five thousand, even though the people did not ask Him for bread.

Fourth, concerning inheritance. Israel’s inheritance was the promised land (the land of Palestine), according to God’s promise to Abraham. But our inheritance is the Holy Spirit, in His fullness. This is affirmed in Galatians 3:14: “Jesus Christ did this so that in Him the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations, so that by faith we might receive the promised Spirit.” And we know that the Spirit given to us at the time we believed is still a pledge, a down payment, as written in Ephesians 1:14: “Who is the guarantee (ARRABON = down payment, pledge) of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it…” Thus, our inheritance is the fullness of the Spirit or the fullness of Christ.

Fifth, the way to obtain the inheritance. For Israel, physical warfare against the seven nations in the land of Canaan was the way to obtain their inheritance. But our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Our warfare to obtain the inheritance is spiritual warfare, against the devil and his evil spirits. Our weapons are not worldly weapons, but spiritual weapons empowered by the power of Elohim (Ephesians 6:13–18).

Sixth, concerning glory. Israel’s glory was clearly outward glory, or human glory, because the blessings they received were physical. But the glory of God’s chosen people is inward. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” The glory of God’s chosen people is within. Nevertheless, our inward glory will be manifested when Christ reveals Himself, as written in Colossians 3:4: “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” In His time, we will be revealed together with Him in the glory of Elohim.

From the examples above, it can be concluded that the OT is physical (Natural), and the NT is spiritual (Spiritual).

Now we will apply the Natural–Spiritual Principle specifically to our understanding of the kingdom, which we believe to be the main theme of both the OT and the NT. As we have seen, what comes first is the natural, and afterward the spiritual. Therefore, when this principle is applied to the kingdom, what comes first is the kingdom of Israel (a physical, natural kingdom), and afterward the kingdom of heaven (a kingdom in the heavenly dimension).

The leaders of Judaism—the scribes and the Pharisees—did not understand this Natural–Spiritual Principle at all. They, even to this day, still expect the coming of the Messiah (Christ) who will establish a physical kingdom of Israel, in which this awaited Messiah will build a physical Temple, defeat Israel’s physical enemies (the surrounding nations that were enemies of Israel), and bring peace to the world, in the sense that Israel will be the head and the other nations the tail, according to Yahweh’s promise in the Torah. They only understood that the Messiah is the son of David; therefore, just as the kingdom of David was a physical kingdom, so the Messiah’s kingdom must also be a physical kingdom, like David’s.

Jesus tried to change the understanding of these Pharisees and scribes when He asked, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?” (Matthew 22:42). The scribes and Pharisees only knew that the Messiah is the son of David, as though the Messiah were lower than David and His kingdom merely a physical one like David’s. When Jesus asked, quoting Psalm 110:1, why David calls the Messiah his Lord, the scribes and Pharisees could not answer Him. What Jesus meant by this was that the Messiah is greater than David, and that the Messiah’s kingdom exists

on a higher dimension than David’s kingdom. The Messiah’s kingdom is spiritual and exists in a higher dimension than the kingdom of David. That dimension is the heavenly dimension.

When Pilate asked Jesus whether He was a king, Jesus answered that He was a king, but that His kingdom was not of this world. His kingdom is the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that exists in the heavenly dimension. That is why it is written, “For the kingdom of Elohim is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, ILT). And we have also discussed how Jesus rebuked those who sought Him because of eating bread and being filled (John 6:26–27).

It is hoped that through this brief explanation concerning the kingdom, we can begin to understand the Natural–Spiritual Principle. Next, we will discuss whether the Christian world understands this Natural–Spiritual Principle.

We have discussed how the leaders of Judaism (scribes and Pharisees) understood the Messiah—that the Messiah must establish a physical kingdom of Israel, build a physical Temple, and maintain world peace with Israel as the head and the nations as the tail. This understanding of a “physical” Messiah arose because they only understood that the Messiah is the son of David. Now we will discuss whether the Christian world, in general, also has a “physical” understanding like the leaders of Judaism, or not.

Let us begin with the understanding of denominational leaders, in general, regarding church authority. In Matthew 23:1–12 it is written: “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you, but do not do according to their works… But you, do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Nor be called leaders; for One is your Leader, the Messiah…’”

The context of Matthew 23 is Jesus’ rebuke of the Jewish religious leaders before He ended His ministry to the Jewish nation. Beginning in Matthew 24, Jesus spoke only to His disciples until He was finally crucified. Thus, Matthew 23 contains Jesus’ final words to the Jewish leaders and also to the crowds.

In Matthew 23, Jesus spoke to the crowds and also to His disciples. To the crowds, Jesus said that they should obey and do whatever the scribes and Pharisees taught, because they sat on “Moses’ seat.” What Jesus meant by “Moses’ seat” is the authority of the scribes and Pharisees over the people. This authority was God’s authority delegated to the Jewish leaders, similar to the “rod of Moses” given by God when Moses was sent to bring Israel out of Egypt. The rod of Moses was a symbol of God’s authority delegated to Moses.

The authority of “Moses’ seat,” or the authority of the “rod of Moses,” is not the same as the authority that applies to Jesus’ disciples. That is why, in verse 8, Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not be called Rabbi; you are all brothers.” Are there no teachers (rabbis) in the church? Of course there are, but teachers do not have “Moses’ seat,” and Jesus never delegated His authority over the church to teachers. Are there no spiritual fathers in the church? Of course there are, but Jesus never delegated His authority to spiritual fathers in the church. Are there no leaders in the church? Of course there are, but again, Jesus never delegated His authority to church leaders. In the church, ALL ARE BROTHERS. That is why the church is an organism, in which the authority that operates is the authority of Life. Jesus said, “I am the Life.” Jesus governs His church directly through His Life. Jesus never delegated His authority to church leaders, as happened in the OT context (the authority of “Moses’ seat”).

Now what about denominations? What authority operates within a denomination? We all know what an organizational structure is. Have you seen chains of command within an organizational structure? Those chains of command are the authority that operates within an organization. Who is responsible to whom, who governs whom, is determined by that chain of command. Everything is arranged accordingly, and everyone within those “organizational boxes” is governed by an authority of ‘chain of command’. Now, this ‘chain of command’ authority is not the authority of Life. It is authority created by leaders (read: managers), because one of the tasks of managers is organizing (creating organizational structures).

Perhaps some may object that organization is merely a tool. True—organization is a tool, but it is a tool in the hands of leaders, not a tool in the hands of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus does not need an organization as a tool. Jesus governs His church directly through His Life, or the Spirit who gives life, just as the early church was directly governed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus never delegated the authority of His Life to leaders to govern His church. In fact, the authority of Life cannot be delegated. Life is in Jesus. Christians can only ‘have Jesus’ and submit to the authority of Life to govern the course of his life. The same thing happened to the Apostle Paul. Paul was a prisoner of the Spirit, or a prisoner of Life. Paul had no authority whatsoever over the church. Paul was a servant, or a slave (doulos) of the church. Such a thing is impossible within an organizational context.

This kind of “chain-of-command” authority, or organizational authority, I call “human” authority, or “fleshly” authority. The Christian world does not understand the Natural–Spiritual principle, because the authority that operates within denominations is “fleshly” or Natural authority. In some denominations, perhaps, the authority in force is a mixed authority—both Natural and Spiritual. This is the “fleshly” understanding within the Christian world concerning church authority.

We have discussed how the Jewish religious leaders had a “fleshly” or Natural understanding of the Messiah. The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah because they could not accept that Jesus was “greater” than David. David established a “fleshly” kingdom; Jesus established the “kingdom of heaven” on earth. David defeated Israel’s “fleshly” enemies; Jesus defeated the devil who has power over death. David built a Temple that was a fleshly tent; Jesus built a Temple that is His church (people who receive His Life). The Jewish leaders continued to hold the concept that the Messiah must be like David—fleshly. Why? Because they did not understand the Natural–Spiritual principle: what comes first is the Natural, and afterward comes the Spiritual. David was indeed ‘natural’, but Jesus, who came later as the Son of David, is ‘spiritual’.

We have also discussed that denominational leaders have a “fleshly” concept of church authority. They do not understand what is written in Matthew 23, which we have discussed. They do not understand the difference between authority in the Old Testament context (the authority of “Moses’ seat”) and authority in the New Testament context (the authority of Life). The authority of Moses’ seat is fleshly, natural, and delegated authority. Meanwhile, the authority of Life is spiritual authority and is not delegated.

If these denominational leaders understood the difference between Old Testament and New Testament authority, they certainly would not introduce ‘chain-of-command’ authority, which is clearly visible in the organizations they build. Each denomination has its own ‘chain-of-command’ authority. Unconsciously, they have shifted the authority of Life, which is Spiritual, and replaced it with ‘chain-of-command’ authority, which is natural, human, and fleshly. They do not understand the Natural–Spiritual principle: what comes first is the Natural (authority in the Old Testament context), and afterward comes the Spiritual (authority in the New Testament context).

Is this lack of understanding among denominational leaders a small and trivial matter? No, my brother… This is a serious matter. This issue is the usurpation of Jesus’ authority over His church. The authority of Jesus over the members of His church has been taken away by denominational leaders. These leaders draw disciples to themselves, so that the disciples follow them (Acts 20:30). By placing disciples into the “organizational boxes” of their denominations, the disciples can no longer follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). Added to this are false teachings about submission, spiritual covering, and the like, whereby disciples are required to submit to the leaders and become “confined” within the walls of their denominations. In such a condition, how is it possible for disciples to hear the voice of Jesus? Instead, disciples are trained to hear the voices of their leaders. They are trained to learn the theology of their denomination. Unconsciously, these disciples no longer follow Jesus, but the denominational stream of their leaders.

What these denominational leaders do corresponds to what Jezebel did in the case of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21). Jezebel usurped the authority of King Ahab, her husband (verse 8). Indeed, Jezebel acted in order to support the intentions and purposes of King Ahab. Nevertheless, what Jezebel did was an act of usurpation of authority. The same is true of denominational leaders. They usurp Jesus’ authority over His disciples, even though their goals may resemble Jesus’ goals. Certainly, every denomination has goals, missions, and visions derived from the teachings of Jesus. But the issue is not the goal. The issue is not whether they support Jesus’ purposes or not. The issue is whether Jesus’ authority over His church is upheld or usurped.

Jezebel’s act of usurping her husband’s authority is given meaning in Revelation 2:20. The meaning is that a church in which its leaders usurp the authority of Jesus is called THE WOMAN JEZEBEL. The woman symbolizes the church. Jezebel symbolizes the usurpation of authority. Therefore, a denomination is the Woman Jezebel, or the Jezebel church.

We have briefly explained how denominational leaders shift the authority of Jesus (the authority of Life) and replace it with ‘chain-of-command’ authority (organizational authority), which is in fact their own authority. They do this because they do not understand that church authority is spiritual authority, namely the authority of Life, which is the authority of Jesus Himself (I am the Life). This authority of Jesus has never been, and will never be, delegated to any church member, whoever that person may be. Jesus said that whoever is the lowest and becomes a servant to others is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

If so, what then is the role and function of church leaders (as an organism) who must act as servants (doulos = slaves) in the true sense—not servants who become managers in a church organization, with the right to dismiss others, even their own deputies? Let us consider Colossians 2:19, ILT version: “And not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, through joints and ligaments, being supported and knit together, grows with the growth of God.”

The joints and ligaments here are the church leaders, who are part of the body of Christ. Notice that their function is to support and knit the body together so that the body grows with the growth that comes from Elohim. Observe carefully the function of these leaders of the body of Christ (the ligaments and joints). They do not govern the body or have authority over the body; rather, they are part of the body, fellow members with all other members. They submit to the authority of Life that governs all members of the body.

Under such conditions, the body of Christ “grows with the growth that comes from Elohim.” The Greek expression is AUXANO HO AUXESIS HO THEOS, which should be translated, ‘to grow the growth of Elohim’. This means that if the ligaments and joints support and bind the body in such a way, the body will experience the growth of Elohim, which is the growth of Life, because Elohim is Life. This is the role and function of leaders within the body of Christ as an organism. Here, the authority of Life is upheld—the authority of Life that governs the movement of the body, as happens in every organism.

Therefore, the actions of denominational leaders who draw disciples to themselves (Acts 20:30), causing the church as an organism to be torn apart into thousands of organizations, are actions that damage the authority of Life. As a result, the body does not grow with the growth of Elohim. Each church member does not increasingly know Elohim. Church members may indeed know their leaders, know their leaders’ theology, know their denominational streams, and know their organizational rules, BUT THEY DO NOT GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF ELOHIM. Why? Because the authority of Life, which is the key to the growth of the body, has been damaged by the introduction of ‘chain-of-command’ authority, organizational authority, or the authority of those leaders.

That is why the strength of Christianity today has declined far below the strength of the early church. In just 200 years, the early church conquered the known world of that time—without church buildings, without evangelistic committees, without fundraising, whether tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, or anything else; without man-made programs, without organizations—indeed, the term ‘organization’ does not even exist in the New Testament. Again, why? Because the authority of Life was upheld. The authority of Jesus was exercised.

If only church leaders understood the Natural–Spiritual principle, understood authority in the Old Testament context and authority in the New Testament context, understood delegated Natural authority and non-delegated Spiritual authority, then the church would long ago have won the world for the glory of the Lord Jesus.

We have discussed the general understanding of Christianity regarding church authority. Now we will discuss whether Christianity in general also has a “fleshly” understanding, like the leaders of Judaism, regarding the kingdom. Let us examine and question several things that commonly exist within denominations.

First, the authority that operates within denominations. We have already discussed that church authority is the authority of Life, spiritual in nature, not delegated to leaders, and that all church members are brothers and sisters (Matthew 23:8) in the true sense. When Jesus said, “I will build My church,” this means that only Jesus has the authority to govern His church (there is no delegated authority as in the Old Testament context), only Jesus is able to build His church, and only Jesus can cause the church to grow by His Life. Jesus DIRECTLY GOVERNS His church, and there must be no managers in His church who plan, organize, regulate, and control as managers generally do. No church leader should feel that Jesus has given him authority to perform managerial tasks. All are brothers, all are ‘doulos’ (slaves of the church = servants of the church), all are prisoners of the Spirit who gives Life (like Paul). ALL HAVE NO AUTHORITY WHATSOEVER OVER THE CHURCH THAT BELONGS TO JESUS. But what happens in denominations? Who holds authority within denominations? We already know the answer, but let us continue our discussion.

Second, are denominations the same as fleshly kingdoms, like the fleshly kingdom of Israel? To answer this, we must understand the difference between church and kingdom. The church is clearly people—something tangible, visible to the physical eye. A kingdom, however, consists of a KING and a DOMAIN (kingdom in English). Do denominations have a physical king, in the sense of a supreme leader? Of course they do. You can easily find this when you visit a denominational building. In fact, denominations are often named after their king. And the authority of that king is clearly not the authority of Life, but the organizational authority of that denomination. Perhaps even all the ‘worship facilities’ belong to the king. He has a clearly defined domain. Some denominations have kings with small domains; others have large ones.

Third, let us briefly discuss the church that belongs to Jesus—as an organism in which the authority of Life operates—and also the kingdom of heaven, which is spiritual, where Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” We need to discuss this in order to compare it with denominations.

The New Testament says that the kingdom of heaven is within you. I have previously discussed the Greek term ENTOS, which appears only twice in the New Testament, namely in Matthew 23:26 and Luke 17:21. The golden rule in understanding the meaning of a term is to see how it is used in a sentence. The use of ENTOS in Matthew 23 must clearly be translated as ‘inside’ the cup. However, in Luke 17, ENTOS is translated as ‘among’ in both the Indonesian Bible (LAI) and the ILT version. This is a translation error. In several literal English translations, Luke 17 is translated as ‘within’. Thus, the correct translation is: “The kingdom of God is within you.”

This does not mean that the kingdom of heaven is near our physical heart or kidneys, because the kingdom of heaven is not of this world, as Jesus said. Rather, the kingdom of heaven exists ‘within the heavenly dimension’. Why is the kingdom of heaven said to be within us? Because God’s principle of working or governing is from the inside out, whereas Satan works from the outside in. This means that the kingdom of heaven governs the church (as an organism) from within the inner being of each of His chosen people.

That is why worship in the church as an organism must be in spirit and in truth. The glory of the church as an organism is inward glory (Christ in you, the hope of glory). Members of the church as an organism need not be taught by anyone (1 John 2:20, 27). Members of the church as an organism hear the voice of Jesus and follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). Jesus does not delegate His authority to any leader of the church as an organism. The church as an organism has its own leaders, symbolized by the “stars” in Revelation 12:1; we will not discuss this further.

If we are chosen by God—not merely called, for in Christianity many are called but few are chosen—if we are granted the grace to be CHOSEN BY GOD, then we understand what has been explained above. We are able to compare and conclude that DENOMINATIONS ARE FLESHLY KINGDOMS. Thus, in general, denominational leaders are the same as the leaders of Judaism (who killed Jesus): they have a FLESHLY UNDERSTANDING. What they build is not the church, but their own kingdoms. He who has ears, let him hear…

We have discussed the ‘fleshly’ understanding of Christianity in general regarding church authority. Now we will discuss Christianity’s general understanding of God’s blessings. In almost all denominations, especially in charismatic circles, there is a view that if a person truly follows God, his life will be blessed—meaning prosperity, wealth, and success in marriage, business, or any other aspect of human life. Of course, there are various forms of prosperity teaching. But at its core, the blessings of God received by believers are expected to be physical in nature, in addition to spiritual blessings, without emphasizing or focusing on the spiritual (Ephesians 1:3).

When this prosperity teaching is related to the Natural–Spiritual principle, it is clear that the two are incompatible. The Natural–Spiritual principle requires that God’s blessings in the Old Testament context are Natural (physical), whereas God’s blessings in the New Testament context are Spiritual. If we do not properly understand this principle, we tend to think that believers who are truly blessed in the New Testament context are those who experience hardship, poverty, sickness, and various physical sufferings. To understand this issue, we need to discuss New Testament teaching regarding the sufferings experienced by Jesus and His saints.

Let us quote several passages of Scripture related to suffering:

Romans 8:17, “…if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

Philippians 1:29, “For to you it has been granted not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake.”

2 Thessalonians 1:5, “…you who are suffering for that kingdom.”

2 Timothy 1:8, “…join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.”

2 Timothy 2:3, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Acts 14:22, “…that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

There are many more New Testament verses that speak about the suffering that followers of Christ will experience. Jesus Himself told His disciples on the final night that in the world (the religious world) they would experience persecution, just as He did.

The understanding of prosperity teaching, which has already become rampant in the Christian world, clearly contradicts the verses above. Those verses actually emphasize that we, as followers of the Lord, will experience persecution. In fact, the New Testament does not place much emphasis on material blessings as prosperity teaching does—especially when such blessings are made the main focus. The central theme of the New Testament is the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of food, drink, or other material things (Romans 14:17). There is one thing I am confident will help us understand what we are discussing here, namely the choice of grace, when we experience suffering in following the Lord.

Peter and his companions rejoiced because they were considered worthy, or were granted grace, to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:40–41). Paul and Silas also sang praises to God in prison, not in order to be set free, but because they rejoiced in receiving grace to suffer for His Name. For when the prison doors were opened, Paul said, “We are all still here” (Acts 16:28). Many saints throughout church history likewise rejoiced because they suffered persecution in following Christ. Let us take just one example: Richard Wurmbrand. This servant of God suffered for fourteen years in a communist prison in Romania, where dozens of his bones were broken—injuries that, according to doctors, should have caused his death. Wurmbrand said, “Suffering is holy… do not discard even its smallest fragments….” Why is this so? Why do God’s chosen people rejoice when they suffer for following the Lord? The answer is because suffering in Christ is grace. God’s chosen people glory in the Lord… they feel ‘honored’ because they are chosen and granted grace to suffer for the Lord. Not all Christians receive this grace…

Those who are chosen and granted grace to suffer for the Lord are the ones who understand the Natural–Spiritual principle. God’s chosen people understand that the blessings of the Old Testament are natural, while the blessings of the New Testament are spiritual. They understand this principle not because they are sickly, poor, or constantly lacking food and drink, but because of the choice of grace.

We have briefly discussed that those who are granted grace to suffer for the Lord Jesus are the ones who can correctly understand the Natural–Spiritual principle. They understand that God’s blessings in the context of the Old Testament are natural and physical, whereas God’s blessings in the context of the New Testament are spiritual. Now we will continue by explaining a little more about the suffering that will be experienced by God’s chosen people.

Before we continue, I want to repeat that there are many people who follow the Lord Jesus because they want to obtain physical bread (John 6:26). In the Christian world there are also many Christians—even the majority—who follow the Lord Jesus in order to receive blessings of health, prosperity, wealth; in short, to receive material, natural blessings. Such Christians will not understand the Natural–Spiritual principle, because they have not been granted the grace to joyfully suffer for the Lord Jesus, as the apostles and the other disciples of the Lord did.

So that we do not misunderstand this matter of suffering—as though we must suffer as martyrs (die as martyrs), or like Richard Wurmbrand who suffered for many years in a communist prison—it must be emphasized here that the suffering of God’s chosen people is unique for each individual. I will give an example of the suffering experienced by Mary, the mother who gave birth to Jesus Christ into this world. When the Holy Spirit said that Mary would conceive and bear a child, can you imagine the suffering and shame Mary experienced at that time? How could she explain to her family that the child she was carrying came from the Holy Spirit? No one would believe that the child Mary was carrying came from the Holy Spirit, because from the time of Adam until now, no woman has ever become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, as Mary’s betrothed, had also decided to divorce her (to break the engagement), had the angel not spoken to him. Moreover, in the Law of Moses it is written that a young woman who committed sexual immorality in her father’s house could be punished by stoning. Mary could not tell her story to anyone, because no one would be able to believe or understand her hardship. This kind of suffering is what God’s chosen people usually experience. They cannot tell anyone, because no one would be able to understand them. The suffering of God’s chosen people can only be endured patiently, but no one truly understands it. We too, as God’s chosen people, will surely experience suffering that no one else can understand. Yet it is precisely through this suffering that we are assured by God that we are His chosen people, and that God has a special plan for us. For us, the Natural–Spiritual principle is very easy to understand. We understand that God’s blessings in the context of the Old Testament are natural, while God’s blessings in the context of the New Testament are spiritual.

There is one kind of suffering experienced by God’s chosen people, such as that experienced by the apostle Paul, namely suffering for the sake of the building up of the Body of Christ, or the church. In Colossians 1:24 it is written, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the church.” Paul did not say that he took part in Christ’s suffering to redeem the sins of humanity. Rather, he said that he experienced suffering for the building up of the church.

As God’s chosen people, the Lord also designs the suffering that we must go through for the building up of the church. God’s chosen people will not trade or seek profit in their ministry of building the Body of Christ. God’s chosen people will not teach prosperity teaching, which often materially benefits the teachers themselves. These are the chosen people of God who build the church, and they are the ones who can understand the Natural–Spiritual principle.

Now we will apply the Natural–Spiritual principle specifically to our understanding of the process of the creation of humanity. Let us return to 1 Corinthians 15:45–49: “So it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul’; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. But the spiritual is not first; the natural comes first, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the dust of the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven… Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

Let us carefully consider the context of 1 Corinthians 15. In this chapter Paul reminds the readers of the gospel he preached, which is focused on Christ’s death for our sins and Christ’s resurrection. But in the Corinthian church there were some who said that there is no resurrection (verse 12). Others asked, “With what kind of body will the dead come?” Here Paul answers by presenting an important principle that we have been discussing thus far, namely the Natural–Spiritual principle.

Now we will apply this Natural–Spiritual principle to the process of the creation of humanity, or perhaps more accurately, to the process of human salvation. Let us look at two important facts in this chapter. The first fact: the first man, Adam, became a living being (a living soul). But we then know that this first man, Adam, fell into sin (the realm of death) and brought ALL HIS DESCENDANTS into the realm of death as well. Then Christ Jesus, as the LAST Adam, settled the ENTIRE debt of sin of Adam’s descendants. Through His death, Christ Jesus paid in full all the debt of sin and all the consequences of Adam’s fall. Then, through His resurrection, Christ Jesus became the last Adam—that is, the life-giving Spirit, or the Spirit who gives Life. The Greek term translated ‘to give life’ is ZOOPOIEO (a verb), which means to give zoe life. Thus, Christ Jesus is the Spirit who gives Life to ALL THE DESCENDANTS of Adam who have fallen, each in their proper order (verses 23–24).

The second fact: the first man is from the dust of the earth, while the second man is from heaven. This speaks of headship. Just as the head of the first humanity fell and brought ALL HIS DESCENDANTS with him, so also the head of the second humanity will bring ALL HUMANITY to become heavenly humanity. The second man is a new creation. Jesus Christ is the head of the second humanity. That is why in the book of Revelation Jesus is called the beginning of God’s creation (Revelation 3:14). This does not mean that Jesus is a created being or was created.

Rather, Jesus is the head of the SECOND HUMANITY, and the second humanity is God’s creation, just as the first humanity was also God’s creation.

So, from these two facts we see how the process of human creation unfolds. First, God created humanity, Adam, and Adam together with all his descendants fell into the realm of death. Then God made a new creation, namely the second humanity. And the head of this second humanity is Jesus Christ, who through His death and resurrection became the life-giving Spirit. And Jesus, as the life-giving Spirit, will give His Life to ALL THE DESCENDANTS of the first humanity, according to their order. Jesus Himself affirmed, “…and I, when I am lifted up from the earth (through His death and resurrection), WILL DRAW ALL PEOPLE TO MYSELF” (John 12:32).

Thus, the Natural–Spiritual principle applies to the process of human creation as we have seen above. For the one who came first was Adam, who was natural and from the dust of the earth, and the One who came afterward is Jesus Christ, who is from heaven (spiritual). Amen.

Summary: God’s arrangement speaks of His sovereignty in determining all things. Although human beings possess will, thoughts, and feelings as persons, they cannot determine the course of their own lives; everything has already been arranged by God for them.

Call to Action: We must use our thoughts, feelings, and will to learn to cooperate with God so that His will may be fulfilled in us.

Our title this time is the ordinance of God. What is meant by ‘ordinance’ is that everything has been arranged beforehand. There is no event that can be called ‘coincidental’. Whether great or important events, or small events that even escape human attention—such as a bird falling to the ground—all of these have been arranged beforehand. The ordinance of God means that everything that happens is arranged by God. Both great and small matters, both important and trivial matters in this universe, are all arranged by God. The Bible says that not a single bird falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father. The Bible even says that the hairs on our heads are all numbered by Him. This proves that God’s ordinance is extraordinary and extremely detailed.

Why is the matter of God’s ordinance important for us to discuss? This is because there is a concept that has generally prevailed in the Christian world, namely the view that bad events do not come from God; bad events come from the Devil. For example, the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, or other bad events that befall the children of God, such as accidents, disasters, being fired from work, and so on. Through this understanding, it is as if there are two forces governing events in the universe. If something evil happens, it comes from the power of the Devil. If something good happens, it comes from the power of God.

This concept or understanding is known as ‘dualism’. According to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (second edition), page 357, dualism means an interpretation or understanding of certain events as a struggle between two opposing forces or two conflicting principles. According to this dictionary, Christian theology generally accepts this understanding of dualism as follows: it acknowledges God as the ultimate source of goodness, and acknowledges Satan as a fallen creature and the source of evil. Of course, there are variations of this dualistic understanding among different denominations. But essentially, Christian theology accepts the existence of two sources of power, acknowledging that the ultimate source of goodness comes from God, while the source of evil comes from the Devil.

In everyday life, the children of God who accept this dualistic understanding, whether consciously or not, will give thanks when good things happen in their lives, because they think God is at work in their lives. But when bad things happen, they find it difficult to give thanks, because they think they are “under attack by the Devil.” Such a believer will then rebuke or drive out the Devil for the bad events that occur in their life.

I will give a real example from a well-known pastor in the Christian world. Since it has been widely circulated on YouTube, I will mention his name, namely Pastor Niko Njotorahardjo. Pastor Niko rebuked or drove out Covid-19 as an attack from the Devil. From his attitude, his understanding of dualism is clearly visible. Because Covid-19 caused worship services in church buildings to be prohibited by the government at that time (as far as I remember, starting in March 2020), and

also caused an economic crisis, then Covid-19 must have come from the Devil. Is it true that Covid-19 came from the Devil? Or did it come from God with certain hidden purposes of God?

Let us continue our discussion of dualism. This dualistic understanding causes Christians to believe that there are two forces fighting in the universe. The good force is God, while the evil force is the Devil. Although all Christians certainly acknowledge God as the only incomparable power, the Devil, as an evil power, is still believed to be able to operate and occasionally attack human life. Why is the Devil given such a place, as if he can carry out his attacks according to his own will? Does the Devil have such ‘free will’ that he can act outside God’s control and occasionally launch his attacks? In Christian theology (the concept of dualism) that we have discussed earlier, it is as if the Devil is a “god” who has his own power apart from Elohim, even though he is certainly not omnipotent.

In my opinion, all these understandings about the Devil as if he were like “God” are caused by the doctrine of the fall of Lucifer, which has been widely accepted in the Christian world. The core of the doctrine of the fall of Lucifer is roughly as follows. Supposedly, there was an angel named Lucifer, meaning son of the morning, and this angel suddenly became proud and wanted to be like Elohim (Ezek. 28:2). Then he fell from heaven (Isa. 14:12), or was cast out of heaven by God and became the Devil, who is exceedingly evil. Furthermore, Lucifer supposedly drew one-third of the angels to rebel against God (Rev. 12:4). Of course, this story of the fall of Lucifer was embellished further, becoming a sensational drama. It is said that Lucifer was an angel of praise, a leader of worship in heaven. Some even say that his entire body was full of heavenly musical instruments…and so on…and so on. Thus goes the tale of Lucifer, which has been believed as truth in the Christian world.

Why do I call it a tale? Quite simply, because it is the fabrication of theologians in order to free God from responsibility for the existence of evil in the universe. These theologians think that Elohim is love; therefore, how could a loving Elohim cause evil to occur in the universe? So, as a solution, a “scapegoat” was sought for the existence of evil in the universe. By plucking verses here and there, the tale of the “fall of Lucifer” was formed and then believed by the majority of people in the Christian world.

Why do I say they pluck verses here and there? Because the verses cited above do not speak about angels at all. The context of Ezekiel 28 is the king of Tyre, a human being. Verse 2 explicitly states, “…though you are a man…”. Verse 13 even says, “You were in Eden, the garden of God…”. If one were to take this verse out of the context of the king of Tyre, it would be more fitting to apply it to Adam, because only Adam was in the Garden of Eden and then fell. But I do not wish to take this verse out of its context regarding the king of Tyre. On what authority do those theologians pluck these verses and apply them to a fabricated story of their own making about the Devil?

The same is true of Isaiah 14:1–23. All these verses speak about the king of Babylon. Why do those theologians dare to violate a very important principle of hermeneutics, namely the principle of context, and violate it in order to support the tale about the Devil that they have created? Likewise with Revelation 12:4, concerning the stars. The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and His church delivered to the apostle John in symbolic language (Rev. 1:1). And the stars are symbols of the sons of Elohim, not angels as heavenly beings. In Revelation 12:1, there is a woman (a symbol of the church) led by twelve stars, namely the sons of Elohim. Thus, in the book of Revelation, stars are symbols of God’s people—His sons.

We have discussed how theologians constructed a story about the “fall of the Devil” and then searched for verses to support the story they had already made. They took verses about the king of Tyre and the king of Babylon and applied them to a story they had previously fabricated. Although their aim in creating the story of the “fall of the Devil” was to remove God’s responsibility for the existence of evil, their actions clearly violate sound hermeneutical principles. What they did is commonly called ‘eisegesis’, that is, inserting their own understanding into the biblical text by plucking verses out of context to justify their own tale. Now we will do the opposite, namely ‘exegesis’, which means drawing out from the biblical texts an understanding of where the Devil comes from.

Let us begin with Genesis 3:1, which says, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which Yahweh, Elohim, had made…” (ILT). It is stated here that the serpent is a creature that was made by Elohim. Who is the serpent in Genesis chapter 3? It is said that it can speak, has offspring (verse 15), and its food is the dust of the ground. We know that a physical serpent cannot speak. A physical serpent also does not eat dust. Therefore, the serpent described in Genesis chapter 3 is not a physical serpent.

Then who is this serpent? There are two passages of Scripture that speak about this serpent. First, Matthew 3:7, where John the Baptist said to the Pharisees and Sadducees, “…You brood of vipers…”. Then Jesus also said to the Pharisees and scribes, “You have the Devil as your father…” (John 8:44). The vipers that John the Baptist referred to are clearly not physical snakes, because physical snakes do not have offspring who are Pharisees and Sadducees. But since Jesus said that the father of the scribes and Pharisees was the Devil, it is clear that the serpent John the Baptist referred to was the Devil.

Second, Revelation 12:9 and Revelation 20:2 clearly state that the dragon (the great serpent or the ancient serpent) is the Devil. So if the serpent is the Devil, and the serpent was made by Elohim, then the conclusion is that Elohim created the Devil, or Elohim created Satan. The Devil was not a good angel who turned himself into an evil Satan. The Devil was evil from the beginning. John 8:44 says, “…he was a murderer from the beginning…”. First John 3:8 says, “…the Devil has been sinning from the beginning…”. Thus, the Devil was not originally good and then became evil due to pride, as in the theologians’ tale. Rather, the Devil was created from the beginning as an evil creature. The Devil has two titles: murderer and liar. When these titles are combined, the Devil murders humans by means of lies. That is why what we must beware of is the Devil’s lies. The Devil has even deceived the Christian world through theologians who teach that he was once a good angel, Lucifer.

Some may ask, how can Elohim, who is love, create a Devil who is so evil? I will try to explain this using Newton’s experiment called the Spectrum. Newton directed white sunlight into a prism, and the white light was dispersed into various colors like a rainbow. I used to remember it as MeJiKuHiBiNiU (red, orange, yellow…to violet). Let us liken the love of Elohim to the white light of the sun. Elohim, who is love (white light), creates / expands Himself / “disperses” Himself into “various colors.” When love is dispersed, it becomes goodness, justice, mercy, but also discipline, chastening, and painful formation. Thus, Elohim created the Devil to be an instrument in His hand to discipline, chastise, and shape His people. This is seen in the case of Job. The Devil did not have free will to attack Job at will. The Devil attacked Job only after God gave him permission. Therefore, the Devil is God’s servant. Here we also see the error of the concept of dualism.

We have explained how Elohim created the Devil with a purpose, namely as His instrument to discipline, chastise, and shape His people. The Devil cannot act at will without God’s command. The case of Job clearly shows that the Devil does not have free will. His will is governed by God according to His will. God is the One who governs everything according to His will.

Because of the concept of dualism we have discussed, many Christians do not want to believe that God is the One who made everything, God is the One who governs everything, God is the One who created everything. All of this is done so that He may be known and glorified by His creation. Romans 11:36 says, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.” There is nothing in this universe that can move, act, or plan anything outside of God’s control and ordinance. “For in Him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are indeed His offspring’” (Acts 17:28). Elohim does not dwell in the universe; rather, the universe dwells in Elohim. That is why the universe moves in Him. He is the cause of all things. He causes everything to happen. He governs everything for His glory.

Isaiah 45:6–7 declares, “…I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity; I am the LORD, who does all these things.” For those who hold a dualistic concept, it is very difficult to accept this word of God. How can a loving God create darkness and create calamity? Even Amos 3:6 says, “…Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it?” This means that God is the One who brings disaster upon a city.

For God’s chosen people, the explanation above should be sufficient to believe that God is the One who governs everything. There is no free will; no one has the power to determine the direction of his own life. Jeremiah 10:23 says, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” Proverbs 21:1 also declares, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wills.” To Moses, God said, “I will harden whom I will harden, and I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.” That is why Paul said, “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16).

Job is a good example of one who acknowledged God’s omnipotence—that God is the One who governs everything, that God is the One who gives and takes away. Many Christians, even denominational leaders, do not acknowledge that God who gives is also the God who takes away. Meanwhile, the Bible clearly states that Job did not sin when he said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away.” Job did not sin with his lips when he said, “…Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 1:10).

We have explained how Elohim created the Devil with a purpose, namely as His instrument to discipline, chastise, and shape His people. We have also seen several verses that explain God’s ordinance and the case of Job, so it can be concluded that in all these things, God is the One who governs, plans, and determines everything. Now we will look at the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Did Adam have free will? Was Adam’s fall due to his own will, or due to God’s will and His ordinance?

Let us look at Romans 8:20–21: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” The context of these verses is glorification by faith. In the previous chapters, Paul has explained justification by faith and sanctification by faith. In the Christian world, many teachers emphasize justification by faith only, and almost never touch on glorification by faith. Yet the climax of salvation is when we, as His chosen people, experience glorification by faith.

Let us look at several extraordinary truths revealed in these verses. First, all creation has been subjected to futility NOT BY ITS OWN WILL, BUT BY THE WILL OF GOD. What is this futility? Futility is a TYPE OF LIFE (DEATH) symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Book of Ecclesiastes explains this futility as something lived by humans “under the sun” or “under heaven.” Everything done by humans “under the sun” is futile. All humans live a futile life because all humans live the TYPE OF LIFE OF DEATH, because Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge.

The question is: did Adam eat the fruit of that tree by his own will, or by God’s will? Pay close attention. Who plunged all humanity into this realm of futility? Look again at the verses above. If we observe them carefully, it becomes clear that THE LORD designed Adam and his descendants (all humanity) to fall into the realm of futility. ADAM DID NOT HAVE FREE WILL IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, BECAUSE HIS FALL WAS THE WILL OF GOD. But God had a purpose. Let us move to the second point from the verses above.

Second, all creation fell into the realm of futility, BUT WITH HOPE. What hope? The hope that in His time, ALL CREATION WILL BE SET FREE FROM THE BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION. Do you see God’s astonishing arrangement here? All creation was subjected to the realm of futility through Satan, as A SERVANT OF GOD, so that all creation might experience the bitterness of the realm of death. Then, in His time, all creation will also experience the sweetness of the LIFE OF CHRIST.

Why did God subject all creation to the realm of futility (the realm of death), which is ruled by Satan (Hebrews 2:14)? Because how can one know sweetness if one has never tasted bitterness? Sweetness cannot be called sweet if there is no bitterness. Something cannot be called something if there is no opposite to it. That is why God designed the fall of Adam and all his descendants so they would experience the bitterness of the type of life of death. Then, when Jesus came and gave the type of life of Christ (ZOE)—symbolized by the tree of Life—humanity could give thanks and glorify God. There is still a third point from the verses above that is no less important.

Third, God uses His chosen people (the firstfruits) to liberate all creation from the realm of futility. In the Christian world, many are called, but few are chosen. Those who receive grace to be called, chosen, and faithful are the ones God will use to liberate all creation into the realm of glory. Have you seen God’s arrangement in all of this?

Let us look at God’s arrangement in the creation of humanity and His plan for mankind. Many Christians believe that Adam and Eve had free will, and they also embrace the doctrine of the fall of Satan, making the story of the Garden of Eden somewhat touching, or perhaps tragic. How could it not be? When God created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness and gave them free will to choose, then Adam and Eve chose to listen to Satan, the creation fell and everything became chaotic. Then, hastily, as an “emergency measure,” God planned the redemption of humanity through the death of Jesus on the cross. And according to the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, God chooses some to be saved, while others are left to eternal hell forever. That is roughly the story believed by the majority in the Christian world.

This story is believed by the majority of Christians because they do not understand God’s arrangement. Let us look at God’s plan and God’s arrangement in the creation of humanity. Genesis 1:26–27 (ILT) says: “And Elohim said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea…’ And Elohim is creating man in His image…” These verses are still only God’s plan for humanity. When Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden, they had not yet fulfilled God’s plan at all, because Adam and Eve were still in an innocent condition (pure), meaning they were not yet holy, because they had not eaten from the tree of Life, and not yet sinful, because they had not eaten from the tree of knowledge. Adam and Eve were truly pure and did not yet know good and evil. Nor had they multiplied to rule over and subdue the entire earth.

Perhaps many Christians assume that when Adam and Eve were created, they were already in His image and likeness, because verse 27 says, “And Elohim created man in His image.” Actually, the Hebrew term translated ‘created’ is in the present progressive form, not the past tense. This means that the creation itself was still in process and not yet completed. In English, ‘created’ in this verse is IS CREATING, not CREATED. Thus, God’s plan to process humanity into His image and likeness was still a long process. And God used two trees in the Garden of Eden to process humanity. Both trees had to be eaten by humans so that humans could become in His image and likeness.

We have already discussed how God Himself designed Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge (Romans 8:20). Then, after Adam and his descendants experienced the bitterness of the realm of death, Jesus came to give the sweetness of the life of Christ. The life of Christ swallowed up death in such a way that ultimately all humanity would become in His image and likeness. Thus the plan of God for humanity is fulfilled.

Pay close attention again: when God said, “Let Us make MAN in Our image and likeness,” this plan CANNOT FAIL. Once God says, “LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS,” it must surely happen. Isaiah 55:11 affirms: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish what I desire, and it shall succeed in what I send it to do.” WHAT I DESIRE and WHAT I SEND IT TO DO—this is God’s arrangement that cannot fail.

We have briefly explained God’s arrangement in the creation of humanity. Once God says, “LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE AND LIKENESS,” it must happen. God did not say, “Let Us make SOME HUMANS in Our image and likeness.” For if we follow Calvinist doctrine, then indeed only some chosen humans will become in His image and likeness, while others perhaps will become in the image and likeness of Satan, the inhabitant of hell.

May we see God’s arrangement in the creation of humanity. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN ARRANGED BEFOREHAND. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PLANNED BEFOREHAND. Even Adam’s fall was arranged, and even the death of the Lamb was prepared beforehand. Young’s Literal Translation states: “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

Let us look further into the issue of human free will, which has been so deeply believed by the majority of Christians. We have discussed Romans 8:20, which affirms that humanity’s fall (Adam’s fall) into the realm of futility was not by his own will, but by the will of Him who subjected it. Thus, even in the Garden of Eden, Adam did not have free will. What about Adam’s will after he fell into the realm of futility? We know that this realm of futility, symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is actually the type of life of death ruled by Satan (Hebrews 2:14). How can we speak of human free will in this realm of futility ruled by Satan? The Bible says that humans are dead in sin. Thus, Satan and evil spirits govern human life, insofar as God allows. Even Satan is not free to do anything to humans unless God commands him to do so.

The conclusion is clear: humans do not have free will. But why must humans be responsible for their actions? The answer is because God established the law of sowing and reaping in this realm of futility. Even though Adam’s fall was not by his own will, what Adam sowed is what he had to reap. That is why Adam could be held accountable and had to reap what he himself sowed.

Then Jesus came and gave His Life (John 10:10), symbolized by the tree of Life. If a person lives by His Life, there is freedom. Jesus said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). This freedom, according to the context, is freedom from the bondage of sin—freedom from the bondage of Satan—not freedom in the sense of having free will. For even in the realm of the Life of Christ, humans (God’s chosen people) do not have free will. But humans (His chosen people) have and experience freedom in carrying out His will.

Consider Isaiah 7:15: “He will eat curds and honey until he knows to refuse the evil and choose the good.” This verse applies to one called Immanuel. It means that this chosen one of God will continually receive grace to enjoy God’s love and goodness, so that he is enabled to refuse evil and choose good. Again, this does not mean that humans (the one called Immanuel) have free will, but by the grace of God, the will of His chosen people, which was once dead and enslaved by Satan, is now enabled to choose or carry out God’s will, in freedom.

Why do we firmly say that humans, whether they live the life of the “tree of knowledge” or the life of the “tree of Life,” still DO NOT HAVE FREE WILL? Because if free will truly existed, then the OMNIPOTENCE OF ELOHIM WOULD CEASE. If Elohim truly gave free will to a creature—whether Satan or humans—and He could no longer arrange or exercise control over that creature, then He would cease to be the omnipotent Elohim. And this is impossible. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ELOHIM TO GIVE FREE WILL TO HIS CREATURES, BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENED, ELOHIM WOULD CEASE TO BE HIMSELF. Therefore, the conclusion again is that THERE IS NO FREE WILL. The idea or concept of “free will” exists only in the minds of philosophers who are one step away from denying the existence of God. Sadly, this concept of free will has been adopted into Christianity.

We will conclude this brief discussion of God’s arrangement by talking about His arrangement for those who are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14). This verse speaks of those who are with the Lord Jesus, waging war and overcoming. They overcome in battle because, in God’s arrangement, they receive grace not only to be called, but also to be chosen and faithful. Because the church has fallen into thousands of denominations, God calls His overcomers (Revelation 2–3).

In Calvinist teaching, summarized in TULIP, we are taught about ‘Unconditional Election’, that some people, by God’s sovereignty (will) and not by their own condition, are chosen to be saved and will be with the Lord Jesus in heaven forever. And those who are not chosen will go to eternal hell forever. Let us see what the Bible says. First, the Bible says that those who will be with the Lord Jesus to wage war and overcome are those who are CALLED, CHOSEN, AND FAITHFUL. In this fallen Christian world, many are called, but few are chosen. Second, the Bible says that this war continues until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. And Jesus also assures that He will DRAW ALL PEOPLE TO HIMSELF (John 12:32). And the last enemy to be destroyed by Jesus and His overcomers is DEATH, as the wages of sin. For the wages of sin is death, not eternal hell, as taught by Augustine, Calvin, and even the majority of Bible teachers today.

We now affirm that those who are called, chosen, and faithful are those who, through God’s arrangement, are ENABLED to live as the called, chosen, and faithful. This is purely God’s DECISION in His arrangement to grant grace to those who are called, chosen, and faithful—not by human effort, not by human response, and not by human FREE WILL.

I will close this exposition by reminding us: “For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:28, ILT). Paul spoke these words when he was evangelizing the Athenians. Thus, whether the Athenians believed or not, Paul affirmed that WE ALL live, move, and exist IN HIM. Elohim does not dwell in the universe; rather, the universe and all humanity dwell, move, and exist IN HIM. This means that it is not HUMAN FREE WILL that determines everything, but God’s arrangement that determines all things. This does not mean that humans do not have will as persons, but that humans do not POSSESS FREE WILL to determine the direction and course of their lives. ALL IS GOD’S ARRANGEMENT. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN ARRANGED BY GOD. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen.

Summary: The essence of this book explains that all members of the early church were fully led directly by the Holy Spirit. There were no religious regulations whatsoever, except being completely guided by the Holy Spirit.

Call to Action: As believers, may we receive His grace to continually learn to be led by the Holy Spirit day by day.

We now enter the Book of Acts and observe how the apostles carried out their works in spreading the gospel of the Kingdom. As we already know, there is only one gospel proclaimed in the books of the New Testament, namely the gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus and John the Baptist cried out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And we will see that the proclamation of the apostles in this book is focused on the kingdom of heaven.

The Book of Acts was written by Luke to Theophilus as a continuation of his Gospel. In his Gospel, Luke recounts all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:51). Before being taken up into heaven, for forty days Jesus repeatedly appeared and spoke to His disciples about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Elohim (Acts 1:3). Jesus spoke of nothing else except the kingdom of heaven, which indeed would later become the main theme or central focus of the apostles’ proclamation.

The Book of Acts consists of 28 chapters, which we can divide into two parts. Chapters 1–12 record the ministry of Peter and his team, primarily to the Jewish people. Then the second part, chapters 13–28, records the ministry of Paul and his team, who brought the gospel to the Gentiles, even as far as Rome, which at that time was the center of the Roman Empire.

Luke mentions that Paul taught about the Lord Jesus and the kingdom of heaven for two years in Rome while under house arrest, and then the book ends abruptly (Acts 28:31). There are many views as to why Luke ended the book so suddenly. However, in our view, there is an important truth hidden in this. Both Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome around AD 67 under Emperor Nero. And there is still one more type of ministry that God desired the church to understand, namely the ministry of the apostle John, which began around AD 90–95. These three ministries (Peter, Paul, John) fulfill the principle of the Trilogy that we have discussed elsewhere. That is why Luke stopped his record abruptly, because there is still a “continuation” of the acts of the apostles that must be understood by the church.

We see from the beginning of this book that it records how Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven before His ascension. And at the end of the book, it is also recorded how Paul taught about the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we can conclude that the Book of Acts proclaims the good news of the kingdom of heaven from beginning to end. This does not mean that the phrase “kingdom of heaven” must appear in every proclamation of the apostles. When someone proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, he is in fact indirectly proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. For the Messiah is the Son of David, and the kingdom of David was only a symbol, whereas the kingdom of the Messiah is the reality that exists in a higher dimension, namely the heavenly dimension. Thus, whatever the emphasis of the sermons recorded in the Book of Acts, the main point is truly the good news of the kingdom of heaven.

In the Book of Acts, those who believe in the proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of heaven are called disciples. We know that a disciple means one who is learning, or a student. Indeed, the kingdom of heaven is not something that believers can receive and immediately understand in its entirety. The kingdom of heaven is to be experienced and learned continuously. Paul even emphasizes that to enter the kingdom of heaven we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). A disciple learns the kingdom of heaven through everything he suffers.

Let us speak briefly about the term ‘disciple’ in this book as used by Luke to refer to those who believe in Jesus. The Greek term for ‘disciple’ is ‘mathetes’, which means a learner or student. What do these believers learn? Certainly matters concerning the kingdom of heaven, because before Jesus was taken up, He repeatedly spoke to His disciples about the kingdom of heaven. Likewise, Paul taught about the kingdom of heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ for two years while he was in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:30–31).

Concerning being a disciple—in the sense of learning about the kingdom of heaven—this is something that is very important for us to emphasize today. Why? Because in the Christian world there are many misleading slogans or jargon related to the kingdom of heaven. Preachers often say, “Believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven,” or “Once saved, always saved.” Regardless of whether a believer’s faith grows or not, as long as he believes in Jesus, he goes to heaven. There is even another concept of heaven believed by the majority in Christianity, namely “a heaven far away,” where the streets are made of gold, there is the Father’s house (like a physical building), and we praise and worship God forever. Meanwhile, those who are not chosen by God will be thrown into eternal hell, in the sense of writhing in the fires of hell forever. All these concepts believed by the majority in Christianity arise because believers do not become disciples and do not properly learn about the kingdom of heaven.

In the Book of Acts, we see that the disciples learned diligently under the guidance of the apostles, who indeed proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and they lived out fellowship (koinonia), where they “sharpened one another,” as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). They were also processed by the Father in heaven through the sufferings and challenges they had to face, for Paul also emphasized that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). And most importantly, they lived their daily lives under the leading of the Holy Spirit. There are about seventy expressions such as ‘the Spirit led’, ‘the Spirit forbade’, ‘the prompting of the Spirit’, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, and so on, in the Book of Acts. Thus, all members learned to live led by the Spirit. They worshiped in Spirit and in truth, as Jesus taught (John 4).

Many Christians do not understand that the expression “believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven” DOES NOT EXIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. The books of the New Testament teach us that believing in Jesus results in eternal life (‘zoe’), and that the ‘zoe’ life we receive is still in seed form and needs to grow. The Gospel of John strongly emphasizes that ‘believing in Jesus results in zoe life’. That is why the New Testament is full of encouragements, exhortations, and teachings to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in daily life so that the ‘zoe’ life within us may grow. The parable of the sower in the Gospel of Matthew explains what things can hinder the growth of the ‘zoe’ life we possess.

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus will come again—commonly called the second coming—to judge His church. Jesus Himself will assess how the ‘zoe’ life of each member of the church has grown, whether it has borne fruit or not. Jesus will also evaluate our works of service, whether they can withstand testing or not. If they endure, then we will serve Him in the next age, namely the Millennial Kingdom, when the kingdom of heaven will be fully established on earth. All these teachings about the kingdom of heaven are clearly stated in the books of the New Testament.

Therefore, the slogans or jargon in Christianity that say “believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven” are truly very misleading. Sadly, this is what the majority of people in Christianity believe. All of this is because many Christians do not become disciples of the Lord.

At this time, we will discuss the meaning of the good news of the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles. The understanding of the kingdom of heaven is not “a heaven far away,” which is commonly preached in Christianity. Generally, Christians hope that after death they will enter a heaven that is unrelated to this earth. There is even a teaching of the “rapture,” being taken up from this earth and going to “a heaven far away.”

Pay attention to Acts 1:6–7: “… ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He answered, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has set by His own authority.’” Here it is clear that Jesus answered that the KINGDOM OF ISRAEL ON EARTH will be restored; only the disciples do not need to know the time determined by the Father.

To understand the above matter, we must see that the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven to earth in Revelation 21:10. Who does this ‘New Jerusalem’ represent? Observe Revelation 21:9–10, where an angel shows the apostle John ‘the Bride, the Lamb’s wife’, and then shows him ‘the holy city, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God’. This means that the Bride of the Lamb IS the New Jerusalem. Thus, the New Jerusalem is the church, and more specifically represents the nation of Israel. The kingdom of Israel will be established on earth in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1).

We must understand that the NEW EARTH is not the first earth being totally destroyed and then the Father creating a completely new earth unrelated to the first one. Revelation 21:5 emphasizes that God is the One who makes all things new. The Greek term translated ‘new’ here is ‘kainos’, not ‘neos’. ‘Neos’ means new in terms of age—fresh, young, newly made. ‘Kainos’ means new in the sense of being very different from the old. ‘Kainos’ also means never used before, but not in the sense of erasing the old and replacing it with something entirely new. Therefore, the earth remains the earth, but undergoes a RADICAL TRANSFORMATION, so that it is called new.

Our question now is: how does the Father bring about this radical transformation of the earth we stand on? The answer: through the ministry of the ‘New Jerusalem’, which is the church, and specifically the kingdom of Israel. There are several aspects of the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) that we will consider.

First, there is the throne of Elohim and the throne of the Lamb in this city (Revelation 22:1). The throne in the Book of Revelation speaks of authority. The throne of Elohim speaks of the authority of Elohim, while the throne of the Lamb speaks of the authority of the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb of Elohim who redeemed humanity. The Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) is humanity that manifests the authority of Elohim and the authority of the Lord Jesus on earth. Through a long process, the Bride of the Lamb comes to manifest God’s authority on this earth. We see that the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) is humanity that brings the kingdom of heaven to earth.

Second, there is the river of the water of life flowing from the throne. The Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) will become a blessing to the nations of the earth by freely giving the water of life (Revelation 22:17). And on either side of the river is the tree of life, whose leaves heal the nations of the earth. Third, the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) will reign as kings forever and ever (Revelation 22:5). Therefore, this new earth comes about through the ministry of the church, and specifically the kingdom of Israel.

Thus, the good news of the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles does not mean sending people to “a heaven far away,” leaving the earth behind. Rather, it means bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth, so that the earth moves toward becoming a new earth, together with a new heaven. This is in accordance with the prayer taught by the Lord Jesus to His disciples: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Let us pay attention to Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” At this time, we will discuss the phrase “to be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”

In writing his Gospel, Luke recorded and arranged it orderly for Theophilus (Luke 1:3). If we read the Gospel of Luke, the phrase ‘arranged it orderly’ here, among other things, means arranging the events of Jesus’ ministry in an orderly way ‘geographically’. That is, Jesus’ ministry is recorded beginning in Galilee (Luke 4:14), then His ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51–19:44), then His ministry in Jerusalem until His ascension (Luke 19:45–Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:1–2).

Likewise, Luke records in an orderly ‘geographical’ manner the ministry of the apostles in the Book of Acts. The ministry of Peter and his companions began in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria (Acts 1–12). Then the ministry of Paul and his companions extended from Antioch to Rome (Acts 13–28). The city of Rome, as the center of the Roman Empire at that time, can be viewed as “the ends of the earth.” Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Luke ended the book “abruptly,” because indeed the apostles had become witnesses of Jesus “to the ends of the earth.”

We already know that the apostles proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of the Messiah. Let us step back for a moment to understand the phrase “to the ends of the earth.” The Father’s plan for humanity is clearly written in Genesis 1:26–28, namely to make humanity in His image and likeness, so that they may subdue ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth. And the Father’s plan cannot fail. However, humanity must first be processed to become in His image and likeness, so that they can subdue ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth. Of course, the meaning of ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth is not only physical animals, but also the devil and his evil spirits who rule on earth. Paul emphasizes that our struggle is against the kingdom of the devil (Ephesians 6:12). Thus, the Father’s plan for humanity is to subdue the kingdom of the devil that rules over the whole earth.

Many Christians think that the fall of Adam was a disaster that thwarted the Father’s plan. These Christians do not realize that Adam’s fall was indeed planned beforehand by the Father as a process so that humanity might become in His image and likeness. Consider Romans 8:19–21: “… for the whole creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope….” Even the death of the Lamb was planned before the foundation of the world: “… the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…” (Revelation 13:8, ILT). Therefore, the Father’s plan did not fail in making humanity in His image and likeness to subdue the kingdom of the devil that “creeps” on the earth.

How can humanity subdue the kingdom of the devil on the face of this earth? Certainly through the kingdom of the Messiah, which will be fully established on earth at the coming of Jesus, commonly called the second coming. This Messianic kingdom will continue to expand without limit until everything is subdued. Consider the prophecy of the Messianic kingdom in Isaiah 9:7: “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David….” Thus, the Messianic kingdom or the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles will subdue everything on this earth.

Therefore, the meaning of the good news of the kingdom of heaven being proclaimed “to the ends of the earth” is that the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of the Messiah has already begun and will continue to subdue everything on this earth.

Let us look at the ministry of Jesus after His resurrection and before His ascension. Acts 1:1–8 states it as follows: “… for forty days appearing to them and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Elohim… for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…” (ILT). The proclamation of Jesus is clearly the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Elohim. Since from the beginning of His ministry in Galilee, Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and until His ministry just before His ascension into heaven, He also spent forty days proclaiming the kingdom of heaven to His disciples.

Therefore, the matter of being ‘baptized in the Holy Spirit’ must be connected to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that He taught. Jesus clearly taught His disciples to pray, saying, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This means praying that the kingdom which exists in the heavenly dimension would descend into the earthly dimension (space and time), so that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. In order for the kingdom of heaven to be manifested on earth and for the Father’s will to be done on earth, His disciples must be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never intended so that His disciples could go to ‘heaven far away there’, or to the so-called ‘Father’s house’, which is imagined as a beautiful place somewhere unknown. Clearly, the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is so that the kingdom of heaven may come down to earth and the Father’s will may be done on earth.

One thing we need to understand is that the Holy Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost was still a “pledge,” a “down payment,” or an “advance,” as a guarantee that the fullness would be given later. Ephesians 1:14 states, “The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it in full….” The term ‘guarantee’ is translated from the Greek word ‘arrabōn’, which means a down payment given as assurance that the full amount will be paid later. Meanwhile, the term ‘inheritance’ is translated from the Greek word ‘klēronomia’, which means inheritance.

Thus, the inheritance of Christ’s disciples is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in FULL, not PARTIALLY as occurred on the day of Pentecost. And the FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also intended so that the kingdom of heaven may be manifested on this earth. Therefore, the inheritance of Jesus’ disciples is not HEAVEN, but THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—meaning receiving the Holy Spirit fully, just as Jesus received Him when He ministered on this earth.

John 3:34 affirms, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit” (Indonesian Bible). When Jesus ministered on earth, He ministered in the unlimited fullness of the Holy Spirit—that is, the Spirit in FULL, not in PART. And because His disciples would receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit just as He did, Jesus promised that “…he will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.” The reason His disciples could do greater works than those Jesus did is because Jesus went to the Father. Jesus went to the Father through His death, His resurrection, and His ascension to sit at the right hand of the Father. This is the basis for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will discuss this later in Peter’s sermon (Acts 2:33).

Thus, Jesus’ ministry during the forty days after His resurrection was related to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that would be established on earth, and also to the fullness of the Holy Spirit—not merely a partial measure, but the full fullness of the Holy Spirit that His disciples would one day receive.

We have seen that Jesus’ ministry after His resurrection was related to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that would be established on earth, and also to the fullness of the Holy Spirit—not merely a partial measure, but the full fullness of the Holy Spirit that His disciples would one day receive. When will the FULL fullness of the Holy Spirit occur for Jesus’ disciples?

It is no coincidence that the PARTIAL fullness of the Holy Spirit occurred on the feast day of Pentecost. Therefore, we will explain when the FULL fullness of the Holy Spirit occurs through the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. We will see that these three major feasts of Israel are related to the matter of the ‘harvest of souls’. It must be remembered that the souls to be harvested are mature souls, because a farmer never harvests crops that are not yet ripe.

Let us briefly look at the three feasts of Israel related to the harvest of souls.

First, Passover. Jesus, as our Passover Lamb who was slain, is the fulfillment of Israel’s Passover celebrated once a year. In John 4:35 it is written, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (ILT). The Greek term translated ‘harvest’ here is ‘therismos’, which means the process and time of harvesting. Thus, Jesus said that the time of harvest had arrived. The Indonesian Bible translates it as ‘ripe for harvest’.

The souls of Jesus’ generation had matured and were ready to be harvested. The ‘harvest of souls’ associated with Israel’s Passover feast occurred in Jesus’ generation. Who were the harvesters? John 4:38 says, “I sent you to reap….” Jesus’ disciples were the harvesters. But the sowers were not Jesus’ disciples. Verse 38 says that “…others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” The ‘others’ Jesus referred to are all the servants of God in the Old Testament era—prophets, priests, kings, and all God’s chosen people throughout the Old Testament—who served Yahweh. Yet Jesus added that both the sower and the reaper rejoice together and receive their reward.

Thus, the Lord’s disciples in Jesus’ generation were the reapers, while the sowers were God’s chosen people throughout the Old Testament era. We see here that when the Jewish Passover feast was fulfilled by Jesus as the Passover Lamb, the ‘harvest of souls’ took place.

Second, Pentecost. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit discussed in Acts chapter two, as the fulfillment of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, was not a ‘harvest of souls’. Why? Because the souls who experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at that time were not yet mature. In fact, at that moment the church was just born like a baby. The church needed to experience growth. God gave apostles, prophets, shepherds, evangelists, and teachers so that the church might grow toward “…full maturity and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

The church, in the process of its growth, was split into tens of thousands of denominations due to the attacks of fierce wolves on certain leaders (Acts 20:28–30). This caused the church not yet to be mature for harvest. And it is precisely here that we see the concept of the church’s “firstfruits”—that is, members of the church throughout the ages who matured earlier and were ready to be harvested. However, the “firstfruits” of the church are not Christians who are better than others. The “firstfruits” of the church were predetermined by the Father’s sovereignty, as written in James 1:18: “…that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (ILT). Thus, throughout church history there have been Christians who matured earlier (the firstfruits) and were ready to be harvested.

The Bible explains that the harvesting of the church’s “firstfruits” occurs at the coming of Jesus, commonly called His second coming. This event is recorded in Romans 8:19–21, where the “firstfruits” of the church will experience the FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is the event in which the kingdom of heaven is FULLY established on earth. And the “firstfruits” of the church will do works greater than those Jesus did, according to His promise (John 14:12). According to Romans 8:19–21, the “firstfruits” of the church will set creation free from its bondage to decay. We are not discussing the feast of Tabernacles at this time.

At present, we will discuss how Jesus ascended into heaven, during which He repeatedly appeared to His disciples, ministered to them for forty days, and spoke about the kingdom of heaven. Consider Acts 1:11: “…this Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Perhaps this verse is used by some Bible teachers to prove that Jesus will come again and be seen by the physical eyes of the disciples. From this verse, the expression of Jesus’ “second coming” is also taught. The teaching that Jesus will come a “second time” and be visible to the physical eye has become very popular and widely believed by the majority of Christians, even though the expression “second coming” never appears in the Bible. This “physical” interpretation continues, so that in general, Christians understand the Lord’s coming as a second physical coming of Jesus, accompanied by preceding events such as the great tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist with the number 666, the rapture of believers, and so on.

In the New Testament, Christ is described as coming “with the clouds,” coming like “lightning,” coming like “a thief,” coming as “the sound of an angel,” coming with “the trumpet of God,” coming as “the bridegroom,” coming as “King,” coming as “the morning star,” coming as “Judge,” coming as “Savior,” coming into “His temple,” coming to “the Mount of Olives,” coming riding a “white horse,” coming as “the good shepherd,” coming in “His kingdom,” coming “in glory,” coming “upon His throne,” coming with “His angels,” coming with “His saints,” coming to “His saints,” coming within “His saints,” and so on and so forth. None of these descriptions point to a second physical coming. Our understanding of His coming becomes very confused if we think He comes only twice—first, His coming 2,000 years ago, and then a “second coming” sometime in the future. In fact, the Bible affirms that the Lord has come, is coming, and will come. He comes continuously, and He progressively reveals Himself until all His plans are fulfilled.

Let us begin with the Greek terms used in the New Testament that are translated as “coming.” There are six Greek terms.

The first is PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the New Testament and comes from the verb ‘pareimi’, meaning ‘to be present’. The noun means ‘presence’. Parousia never refers to the act of coming or arrival, but to the presence of someone who has already come. Its usage in the New Testament is never associated with a physical coming of the Lord. Thus, ‘parousia’ means presence. Where two or three gather in His name, He is there. That is His PRESENCE. That is His COMING.

The second Greek term is APOKALUPSIS, derived from the verb ‘apokaluptō’, meaning ‘to uncover’ or ‘to reveal’, emphasizing revelation—an unveiling of someone who was previously hidden.

The third Greek term is EPIPHANEIA, which appears six times in the New Testament. It comes from a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to make manifest’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. This term is used to express the glory and splendor manifested by the Lord’s coming.

The fourth Greek term is PHANEROŌ, which means to make manifest or to make visible—not necessarily to the physical eye, but as a perception.

The next Greek term is ERCHOMAI, which is used to indicate the actual act of coming. This term is not the same as ‘parousia’, which refers to the presence of someone who has already come. ‘Erchomai’ is used in Revelation 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds…,” and also in Acts 1:11, “…this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The sixth Greek term is HĒKŌ, which emphasizes coming to a particular place. This word is found in Revelation 2:25, “But hold fast what you have until I come.”

Certainly, these six Greek terms do not indicate six different kinds of the Lord’s coming. Rather, the varied usage helps us understand the intended meaning of a text that speaks about His coming. For now, it is sufficient to understand that the Lord’s coming DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PHYSICAL COMING. Thus, Acts 1:11, which explains Jesus’ coming, does not necessarily refer to a physical coming.

We have seen, based on the brief explanation of these six Greek terms translated as “coming,” that the meaning of the Lord’s coming does not have to be physical. Therefore, Acts 1:11, which explains Jesus’ coming, also does not have to refer to a physical coming.

If we look at the context of Acts 1:11—where Jesus repeatedly spoke about the kingdom of heaven to His disciples, and also their question about when the kingdom of Israel would be restored—then we certainly would not interpret Jesus’ coming as His physical return, much less as His coming to rapture His disciples away from the earth to “heaven far away there.” By paying attention to the context, we see that Jesus’ coming is actually the coming of the kingdom of heaven to earth.

In the Christian world, the teaching that the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth is not widely accepted. Generally, preachers teach that after we die, we will go to heaven and praise God there forever. Such teaching, though perhaps pleasant to the ears, is not what Jesus and His apostles taught. Jesus clearly taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom of heaven would come to earth, so that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Therefore, to understand Acts 1:11, we need to step back and look again at Genesis 1:26, which says, “…Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion… over all the earth….” God’s purpose in creating humans in His image and likeness was so that humans would have dominion over the whole earth. The term ‘dominion’ in this verse comes from the Hebrew word ‘radah’, meaning ‘to rule’. This speaks of human governance over the earth. Verse 28 further states not only that humans are to have dominion (rule), but also to ‘subdue’ (the Hebrew term ‘kabash’, meaning ‘to tread down’). This implies that there is an enemy to be subdued on earth—the kingdom of darkness. From Genesis 1:26–28, we find that God’s purpose in creating humans in His image and likeness is for humans to rule and to subdue the earth. There is an enemy to be subdued and trampled. To establish human authority and rule on earth, humans must struggle against the enemy and conquer it.

From this portion of Scripture, we see that the focus of God’s plan for humanity is the earth—how humans can rule, subdue, and trample their enemies on this earth; how humans can establish their governance on this earth. Earth… earth… earth… this is the purpose and focus of God’s plan for humanity. God did not create humans to be evacuated to heaven and sing there endlessly. God will not rapture humans from the earth to take them into heaven, because God’s purpose in creating humans is for them to rule and subdue everything that creeps upon the earth.

Therefore, the meaning of Acts 1:11—which states that Jesus will come again in the same way as His disciples saw Him go into heaven—must be understood as the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. This understanding is consistent with the context of Acts chapter 1, the context of the entire New Testament, and also the context of the whole Bible.

We have emphasized that the meaning of Acts 1:11 must be understood as the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth, and that Jesus will come as King above all kings. At this time we will discuss the coming of the Lord as King. When speaking about the Lord’s coming as King, we must also speak about the kingdom, because a kingdom is the domain or territory of a king’s authority. The word ‘kingdom’ comes from ‘king’ and ‘domain’ (territory of authority), so a kingdom is the territory over which a king rules. Jesus is the King, and the territory of His authority is the heavenly realm. That is why, when Pilate asked, “Are You a king?” Jesus answered that for this purpose He was born, but that His kingdom is not from here (not of this world). This does not mean that Jesus has no authority over the whole earth. Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Rather, it means that the sphere of Jesus’ rule is the heavenly realm.

However, we must understand that the Father’s plan is for the Kingdom of Heaven to be established on this earth. That is why Jesus taught us to pray that the Kingdom of Heaven would come to the earth. It is in this sense that we are speaking about the coming of Jesus as King.

Before we go further, we need to clearly understand where the Kingdom of Heaven is. Let us look at two verses that speak about this. First, Luke 17:21: “…for indeed the Kingdom of God is AMONG (ENTOS) you” (LAI). Second, Matthew 23:26: “…first cleanse the INSIDE (ENTOS) of the cup, so that the outside may also be clean.” The Greek term ENTOS (which appears only twice in the New Testament) is translated as AMONG in Luke and INSIDE in Matthew. It is impossible for both translations to be correct. We know that the golden rule in understanding the meaning of a word (term) is to understand how it is used in a sentence. In Matthew 23:26, the use of ‘entos’ makes it impossible to translate it as AMONG. Therefore, it is clear that ‘entos’ must be translated as INSIDE, so Luke 17:21 should read, “For indeed the Kingdom of God is INSIDE you” (LAI). In fact, the Kingdom of Elohim or the Kingdom of Heaven is INSIDE YOU. Even if we look at the context of Luke 17, the Kingdom of Heaven was ALSO INSIDE THE PHARISEES who opposed Jesus; only the EFFECT or INFLUENCE of that kingdom was not present because they did not believe.

Thus, the Kingdom of Heaven is inside us; therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven HAS COME, IS COMING, and WILL COME. The Kingdom of Heaven HAS come into us, because it is indeed inside us; it IS GROWING inside us, in the sense that Jesus as King increasingly rules and governs every aspect of our lives; and it WILL COME into us, in the sense that we will be revealed (manifested together with Jesus in glory) when the seventh trumpet is sounded, when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of the Lord (JESUS) and of His Anointed (that is, US)—see Revelation 11:15. When the Kingdom of Heaven comes to the earth, we will reign together with the Lord Jesus. This is the meaning of His coming as King.

The event of Jesus’ coming as King, which we are awaiting, is also written in Romans 8:19, Colossians 3:4, Jude 14, and other passages that affirm the coming of the Lord together with His saints to rule this earth. If we understand the coming of the Lord Jesus as King whose Kingdom is inside us, then we will not wait for Jesus to come from a physical heaven with a physical throne, perhaps descending to a physical Jerusalem to rule the earth from there. This physical teaching comes from a fallen Christianity. The Overcomers certainly realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is within them… ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory…’.

Let us continue our discussion into chapter 2, where the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred on the day of Pentecost. Many Bible teachers hold the view that “Jesus comes twice physically,” that is, first 2,000 years ago, and then later at the end of the age Jesus will return physically to this earth.

But now, let us look at what actually happened on the day of Pentecost. We will explain the concept of the Lord’s coming through the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The fulfillment of these three major feasts can explain to us the coming of the Lord, especially His coming in and through His chosen people.

Let us begin with the fulfillment of the Passover feast. The coming of the Lord Jesus in the fulfillment of Passover was when He came as our Passover Lamb and sacrificed Himself on the cross to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2).

Then, the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of the Pentecost feast was when He came as the Holy Spirit. Many people assume that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as the fulfillment of Pentecost, was not the coming of the Lord. But let us look at the Lord’s promise to His disciples (the eleven disciples) on that final night. John 14:18 says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:28 also says, “…I am going away, and I am coming back to you….” John 16:16 affirms, “A little while, and you will see Me no more; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” If the coming of the Lord is understood as a “second coming,” then until now the Lord has not come, and His disciples (the eleven) have all died, so Jesus’ promise would not have been fulfilled. Remember, Jesus promised to come again TO HIS DISCIPLES (the eleven, since Judas had gone). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the coming of the Lord as “another Comforter.” The Greek term ALLOS (not HETEROS) translated as ‘another’ means ‘another but the same’. Thus, the “other” Helper (Comforter) that Jesus meant is HIMSELF, but as the person of the HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also the coming of the Lord.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:45: “Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being,’ but the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The phrase ‘life-giving spirit’ comes from the Greek expression ‘pneuma zoopoieo’. ‘Zoopoieo’ is a verb meaning ‘to give life’. That is why Young’s Literal Translation renders the phrase as ‘life-giving spirit’. Thus, the last Adam, who is Jesus, became a Spirit who gives life. This is consistent with what is written in John 10:10, that the purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world was to give Life (‘zoe’), that is, the kind of life lived by Elohim. This ‘zoe’ life enables us to know the Father and to know Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3). THEREFORE, THE EVENT OF THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ACTUALLY THE COMING OF JESUS IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Just as Jesus fulfilled the Passover feast, so also Jesus fulfilled the Pentecost feast. This understanding is necessary for us to comprehend the Kingdom of Heaven. If our understanding is that Jesus comes twice physically, then we will not understand the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, the 120 people who received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit were the PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM. They are called disciples in the book of Acts because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven from the teaching of the apostles.

Let us continue our discussion of the concept of the Lord’s coming through the fulfillment of the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Feast of Booths). We have discussed the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of Passover and Pentecost. Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Again, this is important for us to understand the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us read several passages related to the Feast of Tabernacles. First, it is written in Leviticus 23:33–44. Second, the Feast of Tabernacles is also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16). Third, it is also called the feast of the seventh month, where the number seven speaks of fullness or completeness (Nehemiah 8:14). If we observe the three major feasts of Israel—Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—these feasts are related to the ‘harvest’. In Passover, we have only the ‘sheaf of the firstfruits’; in Pentecost, we find the ‘harvest of the firstfruits’; in Tabernacles, we obtain the ‘harvest of the firstfruits in its fullness’.

How is the Feast of Tabernacles fulfilled in the church? We know that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 disciples was a “partial” outpouring, as a pledge or guarantee. Ephesians 1:14 affirms this: “…having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” (ARRABON = pledge, guarantee, or down payment) (ILT). Therefore, in the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, the “firstfruits” of the church will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fullness. And because the Feast of Tabernacles is called the ‘Feast of Ingathering’, all the “firstfruits” of the church in every age will be gathered and will experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This event of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not the same as what is commonly understood in Christianity as a “great harvest of souls,” as proclaimed to occur in an end-time revival. Rather, this full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the harvest of the “firstfruits” of the church (those who mature earlier) throughout the ages. Thus, not all members of the church throughout the ages will experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The firstfruits of the church are those members who have matured earlier, in accordance with the meaning of “firstfruits.” James 1:18 affirms this: “…that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures…” (ILT). This verse also emphasizes that becoming “firstfruits” is the Father’s decision and determination.

The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is what Paul calls ‘glorification by faith’ (Romans 8). In the book of Romans, Paul explains salvation with three expressions: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Glorification by faith is something that all creation eagerly longs for (Romans 8:19–21). When the ‘full outpouring of the Holy Spirit’ occurs, the firstfruits of the church will be revealed (manifested) to all creation. Romans 8:19–21 affirms that the purpose of revealing the firstfruits of the church is to liberate creation. It is no coincidence that James uses the expression firstfruits of creation, because what will be liberated by the firstfruits of the church is ALL CREATION.

Indeed, the firstfruits of the church are the “little flock” to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 12:32). We are simply waiting for the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), in the sense of the “full” outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the Kingdom of Heaven within us may be revealed (manifested) on this earth, and we may minister on this earth in bodies of glory. Thus, the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles comes to the firstfruits of the church, in the sense of receiving THE FULL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LIBERATE CREATION.

Let us now enter into Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14–36). We will take several important points from this sermon. The first point we will discuss relates to His ascension (2:33–36). It is written: “Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of Elohim, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear… YAHWEH said to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool’… therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that Elohim has made Him both Lord and Messiah—this JESUS whom you crucified” (ILT).

Notice the phrase “exalted to the right hand of Elohim.” This speaks of Jesus’ authority as Lord and Messiah. The term ‘Messiah’ is certainly related to the Kingdom, that is, the Kingdom led by Jesus. And this Messianic Kingdom will make His enemies a footstool for His feet. 1 Corinthians 15:24–28 affirms that this Messianic Kingdom will subdue all enemies, the last enemy being ‘death’, which is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). When all the remnants of sin have been removed and subdued in the universe, then a condition will come that is called ‘the Father being all in all’ (verse 28). This means that the Father can express Himself through and within all creation.

Furthermore, Jesus affirmed that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him; therefore, make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–19). This means that the basis of the command to disciple all nations is that Jesus possesses authority in heaven and on earth. It is clear that salvation, or making all nations disciples of the Lord, depends on the authority of Jesus Christ. Salvation does not depend on human response, because all people are already dead in sin. Dead people cannot give any response. Likewise, Paul affirms that the people of the world cannot believe the gospel because they have been blinded by evil spirits (2 Corinthians 4:4). That is why Jesus said that if He were lifted up, in the sense of dying, rising, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, and obtaining authority in heaven and on earth, then He would and could draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Then, the ascension of Jesus is also the basis for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Notice Acts 2:33: “Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of Elohim, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit, or baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit, because He had been exalted and had sat at the right hand of the Father. Thus, the baptism in the Holy Spirit did not occur because the disciples prayed and waited for ten days until Pentecost arrived. There was nothing the disciples needed to do in order to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The disciples simply BELIEVED in Jesus, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the basis of His ascension.

The fact that Jesus has already sat at the right hand of the Father and possesses authority in heaven and on earth should be a strong encouragement for us to make disciples and to believe that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

The second point we will discuss in Peter’s sermon concerns the resurrection of Jesus. Peter quotes David’s prophecy about the resurrection of the Messiah, as follows: “For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:27).

To understand the resurrection, we need to understand what is meant by ‘Hades’ in the verse above. The phrase ‘the realm of the dead’ is translated from the Greek term ‘hades’. The meaning of hades is actually a dwelling place (a realm) where the spirits of people who have died reside. We do not know exactly what the life of those spirits who have left their bodies is like. What is clear is that ‘the realm of the dead’ is not like a grave where there is no life at all. People who have left their earthly bodies enter into a kind of existence that is referred to as ‘the realm of the dead’ in the verse above.

Let us look at the story of the fall of Adam and Eve so that we may understand this ‘realm of the dead’. Genesis 2:17 states, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The term ‘die’ in this verse is translated from the Hebrew expression ‘mut tamut’. Mut tamut cannot be translated simply as die, because ‘mut’ means ‘to die’, and therefore the expression ‘mut tamut’ carries a specific meaning. Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible renders it accurately as, ‘dying thou dost die’, meaning that at the moment you eat the forbidden fruit, you immediately enter a ‘condition of death’ that progresses toward physical death. Thus, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they did not die physically at once, but they entered a ‘condition of death’ that eventually led to physical death. This is why Adam and Eve were still able to function for hundreds of years before finally dying physically.

The Bible refers to this ‘condition of death’ experienced by Adam and Eve with the term ‘death’, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Therefore, ‘death’ is not a condition without activity like the grave. In reality, ‘death’ is the condition of a sinful person who lives apart from the life of Elohim. A human being who lives apart from the life of Elohim is said to live in the ‘realm of death’, This is the condition of sinners which, in turn, results in physical death.

Let us return to Acts 2:27 above: “for You will not abandon my soul to the realm of the dead….” After His death on the cross, Jesus entered the ‘realm of the dead’ for three days. However, the ‘realm of the dead’ could not hold Jesus there. Jesus was raised because He possessed the kind of life of Elohim (‘zoe’), which overcomes the kind of life called ‘death’. The resurrection of Jesus proves that He has conquered the kind of life called ‘death’. That is why Paul declares, “…death has been swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55).

Such was Peter’s sermon affirming that the resurrection of Jesus had been prophesied by David. The Lord’s disciples in the early church strongly emphasized the resurrection of Jesus, both in their teaching and in their role as witnesses of His resurrection.

We continue Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost concerning the resurrection of the Messiah and compare it with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15. We will see that the resurrection of Jesus has an impact on the resurrection of all the dead. Note 1 Corinthians 15:13: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.” This means that precisely because Christ has been raised, there will be a resurrection of the dead. For Christ has been raised as the “firstfruits” of those who have died (verse 20). We know that the meaning of “firstfruits” implies that there will be subsequent fruits to be harvested.

Let us observe Paul’s line of thought in explaining the resurrection of all the dead as a result of Christ’s resurrection as the “firstfruits.” 1 Corinthians 15:21–23 states: “For since death came through one man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through one man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order….” Here Paul is speaking

about headship. Both Adam and Christ Jesus are heads of humanity. This means that what the head experiences will also be experienced by all its members.

When Adam fell into sin and received the kind of life called ‘death’ as the wages of sin—which in turn leads to physical death—all his members (all human descendants of Adam) also receive the kind of life called ‘death’, which results in physical death. We do not need to do anything to receive this kind of life called ‘death’. When we are born into the world, we immediately receive the kind of life called ‘death’, which leads to physical death, because we are members of Adam as the head of humanity. Likewise, Christ Jesus is the head of humanity. When Christ was raised, all humanity will also be raised, each in his own order.

Observe the order explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:23–28: “…Christ the firstfruits; afterward those who belong to Him at His coming. Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power… The last enemy to be destroyed is death… so that God may be all in all” (Indonesian Bible).

Thus, the order of resurrection is as follows. First, Christ as the firstfruits. Second, at His coming—commonly called the second coming—there will be the resurrection of the bodies of His chosen ones. This event is recorded in Romans 8:19–21, where the sons of Elohim, with glorified bodies, are revealed to all creation in order to free all creation from its bondage to decay. Third, the kingdom of Jesus and His chosen ones will subdue everything until the last enemy, death, is defeated. When death as the wages of sin has been defeated, then all humanity will also be raised in glorified bodies. Thus it is fulfilled that Elohim becomes all in all, meaning that Elohim can express the fullness of His glory in and through all humanity.

Thus, the resurrection of Jesus as the “firstfruits” has an impact on the resurrection of all humanity. At this point, we continue Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost concerning the death of Jesus. Note Acts 2:23: “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of Elohim, you killed by the hands of lawless men, having crucified Him” (ILT).

We have discussed His ascension and His resurrection, as well as their impact on believers and on all humanity. Now we will discuss the death of Jesus, which is certainly central to the proclamation of the apostles.

Let us quote several verses related to the death of Jesus. Matthew 26:28 states, “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke 22:19 says, “And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” 1 Corinthians 11:24–26 states, “…This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me…. This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

There are several things we need to note in the verses above. First, the New Covenant is sealed by the blood of Jesus. Second, the Lord’s Supper is observed by the church as a remembrance of Jesus. Third, by observing the Lord’s Supper, the church proclaims the death of the Lord until He comes.

What does the expression ‘in remembrance of Me’ mean? The Greek term translated as ‘remembrance’ is ‘anamnesis’, which means a reminder. Thus, if translated literally, Jesus said, ‘Do this as a reminder for Me’. This is reinforced by the phrase ‘of Me’, which comes from the Greek term ‘emos’, indicating that the reminder belongs to Jesus. Therefore, the church observes the Lord’s Supper to remind Jesus. Remind Him of what? To remind Jesus of His promise to come again.

This is in harmony with the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples: ‘Your kingdom come’. It is also consistent with Revelation 6:10: “…How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” And 2 Peter 3:12 states, “as you look forward to the day of God and hasten its coming” (Indonesian Bible). Therefore, every time the church observes the Lord’s Supper, the church reminds the Lord Jesus of His promise to come again and establish His kingdom on earth.

By observing the Lord’s Supper, the church also proclaims the death of Jesus. This is very important, because the essence of the gospel is the death of Jesus that takes away the sin of the world. And the early church observed the Lord’s Supper daily.

We continue Peter’s sermon, in which Peter quotes Joel 2:28–32 as he explains the phenomenon that occurred on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:17 states, “And it shall be in the last days, Elohim says, that I will pour out from My Spirit upon all flesh…” (ILT). The Indonesian Bible translates it as, “I will pour out My Spirit upon all people.”

The original text, ‘pas sarx’, indeed means ‘all humanity’. However, we see that the phenomenon of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred only to the 120 people who were together with Peter and the other apostles. The prophecy of Joel that Elohim would pour out His Spirit upon ‘all humanity’ will indeed come to pass. However, what happened on the day of Pentecost was only a partial fulfillment. This means that the prophecy that Elohim will pour out His Spirit upon all humanity will certainly be fulfilled later. How will Elohim fulfill Joel’s prophecy of pouring out His Spirit upon all humanity?

We will explain the process of Elohim fulfilling Joel’s prophecy through His purpose as revealed in Ephesians 1:9–10, where ultimately all things will be united in Christ. Note Ephesians 1:9–10: “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of the times, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.”

There are several things we need to observe from these verses. First, all things will be united in Christ, both in heaven and on earth. In the original text there is no term ‘head’, as found in the Indonesian Bible, although indeed Christ Jesus is the Head. Thus, all things will be united IN CHRIST. The phrase ‘to unite’ is translated from the Greek verb ‘anakephalaioō, derived from the roots ‘ana’ and ‘kephalaioō’. The preposition ‘ana’ means ‘again’. This indicates that all things will return to their original condition where there is no separation. To unite all things in Christ means that all things will RETURN AND BE UNITED IN CHRIST. There will be nothing ‘outside of Christ’ that remains separated.

Adam’s sin caused separation everywhere in Elohim’s creation. But the verse above affirms that there will be a time when nothing is separated anymore, and ALL THINGS ARE UNITED IN CHRIST. The phrase ‘all things’ comes from the Greek term ‘pas’, meaning ‘all’, ‘the whole’, or ‘every kind of’. This refers to everything created by Elohim—not only living beings, but also the entire universe. This is the ‘purpose of Elohim’ declared in the verse above.

Second, the Indonesian Bible translation “the plan for the fullness of the times” comes from the Greek phrase ‘oikonomia ho plērōma ho kairos’, which is accurately translated in Young’s Literal Translation as “the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” As we know, Elohim’s plan or purpose is fulfilled through several dispensations (or ages). The verse above speaks of an age in which all things are united in Christ, namely the dispensation of “the fullness of the times.” We will not now discuss this dispensation or the other ages in which the fulfillment of Elohim’s purpose takes place. What is important for us to understand is that THERE WILL BE A TIME when all things are united in Christ.

The third thing we must observe from the verse above is the expression “the mystery of His will.” The term ‘mystery’ (Greek: ‘mysterion’) does not mean something hidden and impossible to understand. Rather, it requires revelation for the Lord’s disciples to understand “the mystery of His will.” In fact, the revelation of the mystery of His will or ‘the purpose of Elohim’ is clearly stated in Scripture: that all things will be united in Christ. Unfortunately, within Christianity there has spread and been believed by the majority of the Lord’s disciples the idea that Elohim will only choose some people to enter heaven while the rest (perhaps the majority) will be thrown into hell and tortured forever. This results in ELOHIM’S CREATION BEING SEPARATED FOREVER. This doctrine of “eternal hell” is what keeps the mystery of His will a mystery for most of the Lord’s disciples. But His chosen ones will receive revelation concerning the purpose of Elohim, which is clearly declared in Scripture. Thus, in His time, Elohim will unite all things in Christ, and this means that all humanity will receive the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. This is the ‘full fulfillment’ (not partial fulfillment) of Joel’s prophecy that Elohim will pour out His Spirit upon all humanity.

We continue our discussion of the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32, as Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, when only 120 people received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, while in Joel’s prophecy Elohim would pour out His Spirit upon ALL HUMANITY. We have explained this issue by quoting Ephesians 1:9–10, where ultimately all humanity will be united in Christ, and therefore all humanity will ultimately receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in accordance with Joel’s prophecy. Now we will explain the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy by examining the fulfillment of the three major feasts of Israel (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) in the context of the church.

Let us look at these three major feasts of Israel. First, the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:4–5). Second, the Feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15–22). Third, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Leviticus 23:23–25). The Feast of Passover occurs in the first month, the Feast of Pentecost in the third month, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month. That is why Deuteronomy 16:16 states, “Three times a year all your males shall appear before YAHWEH your Elohim in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Sukkot…” (ILT).

The Feast of Passover has been fulfilled by Jesus as our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Feast of Pentecost has also been fulfilled by Jesus when He came in the person of the Holy Spirit as a “down payment” (guarantee, Greek: ‘arrabōn’, Ephesians 1:14). And Jesus will come again—commonly called “the second coming”—as the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, by pouring out the Holy Spirit fully, no longer partially, upon the OVERCOMING CHURCH. Why only upon the overcoming church? This is because the early church, which received a partial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, later fell and fractured into tens of thousands of denominations. And the Lord calls His overcomers in every church age to be representatives of His fallen church (Revelation 2–3).

The event of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in its fullness occurs only to the “little flock” (the overcoming church), to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32). Let us look more closely at these overcomers so that we do not misunderstand them or assume that they are the “great and famous people” in the Christian world. The context of Luke 12:32 is Jesus’ words to His disciples not to worry about food and drink. Jesus then commands them to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven (v. 31). After that, Jesus declares the Father’s decision that He is pleased to give them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here, the disciples of Jesus—to whom the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven—are called a “little flock.” The Greek term ‘mikros’, translated as little, does not only mean small in number or quantity, but also small in dignity (glory and honor). This is very meaningful, because in the Christian world—where the church has been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations—the “great and famous people” within it possess human glory and honor. Meanwhile, the “little flock” does not possess such human glory and honor. Therefore, in the Christian world, “many are called, but few are chosen.” These few who are chosen are the “simple ones,” or the “little flock,” to whom the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven.

We must be clear about this: the overcomers, or the “little ones” in the Christian world, receive the Kingdom of Heaven solely by the decision and sovereignty of the Father. It is not because this “little flock” is great, famous, possesses many spiritual gifts, or is “used extraordinarily by God” in the Christian world that the Father is pleased to give them the Kingdom of Heaven. Not at all. Clearly, this “little flock” receives grace and is given the Kingdom of Heaven freely by the Father in heaven.

What does it mean that the Father gives the Kingdom of Heaven to this “little flock”? Romans 8:19–21 explains that at the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the “little flock” receives the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ‘in fullness’, this “little flock” will minister together with Jesus on earth in glorified bodies to liberate creation from the bondage of corruption. This present earth—the one we stand on today—will move toward the New Earth and the New Heaven through the ministry of the “little flock,” where there will no longer be death, which is the wages of sin (Revelation 21:4; Romans 6:23). In the condition where there is no longer death, the Father can be ALL in ALL, meaning the Father can express His love, His glory, and His character in ALL HUMANITY. This means that ALL HUMANITY, in the end, will receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the prophecy of Joel 2:28–32 is fulfilled.

Now we will discuss the case in which Peter and John healed a man who had been lame from birth at the Temple (Acts 3:1–10). After the healing took place, Peter preached to the crowd who were astonished by what had happened. Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico caused the number of believers to grow to five thousand men (4:4).

We need to discuss briefly the role of miracles in evangelism. Many people assume that without miracles, evangelism will not be successful—in the sense that few or no people will repent. Actually, this view is mistaken, because miracles do not always result in the repentance of souls. Consider the case when Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been in the tomb for four days. Some Jews who witnessed this miracle did not repent; instead, they reported it to the Pharisees. Then the Sanhedrin, upon hearing this report, decided to put Jesus to death (John 11:45–53). Thus, miracles do not always result in repentance, although miracles can indeed confirm the word that is preached.

We need to understand that repentance occurs because a person receives revelation of what the Lord Jesus has already done for him or her. And this is solely the decision of His grace. Consider Acts 13:48: “…and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (NKJV). This means that Elohim first determined a person to receive eternal life, and only then could that person repent and believe.

There is a common error in the Christian world. Many people, including preachers, cry out, “Believe in Jesus, go to heaven.” Meanwhile, the Bible says, “Believe in Jesus, receive eternal life.” Eternal life in the verse above is translated from the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’. We know that ‘zoe’ is the kind of life that Elohim lives. Jesus emphasized, ‘I am the zoe’. And indeed, Jesus came to give His life—‘zoe’ (John 10:10). Meanwhile, the term ‘aionios’ is an adjective whose noun form is ‘aion’, meaning ‘age-long’, or a dimension of time. Thus, eternal life is a kind of Elohim’s life (zoe) that enters the dimension of time. And everything that enters the dimension of time requires a process to grow. Likewise, the life of ‘zoe’ that we receive in our inner being when we believe also needs to grow day by day. Therefore, by believing in Jesus, we receive ‘zoe’ life that must continue to grow.

In the Gospel of John, there are many expressions stating that believing in Jesus results in receiving eternal life. Thus, believing in Jesus does not mean going to heaven, but receiving eternal life (‘zoe’ life), which must continue to grow until we truly know Elohim, because it is this ‘zoe’ life that enables us to know the Father and Jesus whom He has sent (John 17:3).

In the Book of Acts, those who believed in Jesus are called disciples. This is because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven, which is central to the apostles’ teaching. And Paul emphasized that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22).

If we look at the teachings on the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew—especially the parables of the sower, the wise and foolish virgins, the parable of the talents, and the parable of the faithful and evil servants—we know that at the time of Jesus’ coming to establish His Kingdom on earth, not all born-again Christians will be permitted to take part in it. This confirms that believing in Jesus means receiving eternal life (the seed of ‘zoe’ life), not entering heaven or taking part in the Kingdom of Heaven that will be established on earth at His coming.

We return to the role of miracles in evangelism. Christians, including preachers, must realize that miracles do not always produce repentance, nor do they always produce faith, nor do they always cause the seed of ‘zoe’ life to grow in the inner being of Christians. We must place miracles in their proper place—as something that can confirm the word being preached. But we must focus on the word that is preached. We must focus on His grace, which enables people of the world, as well as Christians, to receive the revelation of God’s word that saves (for unbelievers) and that grows the seed of ‘zoe’ life (for believers). This is how we should understand the role of miracles in the proclamation of God’s word.

Let us enter Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico after the miracle of healing the lame man (Acts 3:12–26). Verse 13 states: “The Elohim of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the Elohim of our fathers, has glorified His Servant, JESUS, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him” (ILT). Now we will reflect on the term ‘glorified’ in this verse.

The term ‘glorified’ comes from the Greek verb ‘doxazō’, which means ‘to make glorious’. The fact that Jesus was glorified by the Father does not mean that Jesus did not already possess glory before the Father. John 17:5 states: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Jesus already had glory before the Father, but He ‘emptied Himself’ to carry out the work of redemption.

After Jesus was glorified through death, resurrection, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit came into believers, because before Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given (John 7:39). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Glory who dwells in believers who are reproached for the name of Christ (1 Peter 4:14).

Indeed, the pinnacle of salvation is when we as believers are glorified at the coming of the Lord. The glorification of believers at Christ’s coming is rarely discussed in the Christian world. If believers are not glorified in Christ, then salvation is not yet complete. Romans chapters 1–8 explain this complete salvation.

Generally, in theological schools there is a course called Soteriology, which discusses the salvation provided by the Lord Jesus for us. But usually only justification by faith and sanctification by faith are discussed. If only these are discussed, then salvation is not complete. There is one more, which is actually the pinnacle of Jesus’ work for us: glorification by faith.

Romans chapter 8 explains glorification by faith as the pinnacle of our salvation. Let us quote a few verses. Romans 8:10: “And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17: “…joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23: “…we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is explained as ‘the redemption of our body’—the removal of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorified body like the one Jesus has, since we are joint heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

When and where does this glorification by faith take place? Certainly when the kingdom of heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully manifested on earth at His coming (commonly referred to as the Second Coming of Jesus). How does this glorification by faith occur? When our physical body is replaced with a glorious body like the one Jesus possesses. For God’s elect who have died before Jesus’ coming, they await the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of our being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? To set all creation free from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old Earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth and the New Heaven as well. When Elohim creates the New Heaven and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heaven and earth are totally destroyed and replaced with entirely new ones. In theological terms, this is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. This means that the New Heaven and the New Earth are the first heaven and earth that have undergone a ‘radical transformation’ through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim. Thus, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob not only glorified Jesus Christ, His Son, but will also glorify us together with Him at His coming, when the kingdom of heaven is fully established on earth.

Let us continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico by considering Acts 3:18: “But those things which Elohim foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Messiah would suffer, He has thus fulfilled” (ILT). In the preaching of the apostles, the point that the Messiah must suffer is strongly emphasized (Acts 17:3; 26:23). Why is this so?

For the Jewish people in particular, they were expecting a Messiah exactly like David, because they believed that the Messiah was the son of David. The Messiah awaited by Israel was a warrior leader like David, one who would build a physical Temple—though it was not David but his son Solomon who built it—and who would bring peace to the world, with Israel as the “head” and the other nations as the “tail.” This expectation was not entirely wrong, since the Messiah is indeed the Son of David, a physical descendant of David as prophesied by the prophets. However, what the Jewish leaders did not understand was that the Messiah is not only David’s physical descendant; the kingdom of the Messiah is greater than David’s kingdom, as Psalm 110:1 affirms.

When Jesus asked the Pharisees why David called the Messiah his Lord, if the Messiah was David’s son, they were unable to answer Him (Matthew 22:41–46). Actually, this is easy to understand: the kingdom of the Messiah exists in a “higher dimension” than David’s kingdom. David’s kingdom was earthly in nature, whereas the Messiah’s kingdom is spiritual, existing in the heavenly realm (the kingdom of heaven). That is why David called the Messiah his Lord. Jesus affirmed to Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The Messiah’s kingdom exists in the heavenly dimension but will be fully established at His coming (commonly referred to as the Second Coming).

As those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah, we must also proclaim that the Messiah had to suffer. Why? Philippians 1:29 states, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him.” Paul also exhorted Timothy, “…share in suffering for the gospel…” (2 Timothy 1:8). Romans 8:17 emphasizes, “…co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Hebrews 12:11 declares, “Now no discipline seems joyful at the time, but grievous….” Acts 14:22 affirms, “…through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (NKJV). There are many other verses that speak of suffering as something normal for Christians. Therefore, as believers in Jesus, we must proclaim that the Messiah had to suffer, because we too will experience suffering in following Him.

However, we must not seek suffering, become people who love suffering, or preach that suffering is an additional requirement for salvation. Consider Jesus’ struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. There were two elements in His struggle: the cup of suffering and the will of the Father. Jesus did not choose suffering; He chose the Father’s will. But when the Father’s will required Him to drink the cup of suffering, Jesus chose His Father’s will and drank the cup. So, Jesus did not choose suffering, but the will of His Father.

Likewise, we should not choose suffering. But if, by the Father’s sovereign arrangement, we must experience suffering, we should not avoid it or run away from it when it comes. Suffering is necessary to make us strong and ready to be glorified together with Jesus at His coming.

We continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico by paying attention to Acts 3:21, which says, “whom heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all things, which Elohim has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the age began” (ILT). After, in the previous verses, Peter testified about the death and resurrection of Jesus and exhorted his listeners to repent so that the Lord might bring times of refreshing, he then made a remarkable statement that, “Christ must remain in heaven until the time of the restoration of all things…” (Acts 3:21, NIV/LAI). With this statement, Peter declared that the ‘times of refreshing’ or the ‘times of restoration’ were not intended only for his listeners, but that these times of refreshing or restoration were intended for ALL THINGS.

This is what we will reflect on now, namely, how Christ Jesus can remain in heaven while the work of restoring all things can still take place or continue. Let us consider the words of Jesus to His disciples in John 14:12, which say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.” In this verse, Jesus emphasizes the reason His disciples can do works greater than those He did, namely, because Jesus is going to the Father. This means that Jesus goes to the Father through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, so that the Holy Spirit may come upon His disciples. Thus, it is because of the Holy Spirit that the disciples are able to do greater works than those Jesus did. Certainly, these are not works of redemption—which were accomplished solely by Jesus on the cross and have been perfectly completed—but what Jesus meant are THE WORKS OF THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS AS REFERRED TO IN PETER’S SERMON.

It is the Holy Spirit who enables His disciples to carry out the work of restoring all things. We know that the Holy Spirit who came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost was still in the form of a “down payment” or “deposit,” that is, an advance payment as a guarantee that the full payment will certainly be given (Ephesians 1:14). When will the full payment be received by His disciples? This will take place at the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, as described in Romans 8:19–21, which says, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

The FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit will occur upon the sons of Elohim, namely the overcomers throughout the church age as described in Revelation chapters 2–3. Because the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations, only the overcomers of the church will receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit at His coming (commonly called the second coming of Jesus). When the overcomers of the church receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then the work of restoring all things begins—namely, the restoration of creation from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

The event of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is eagerly awaited by all creation. This is the time when the kingdom of heaven is FULLY established on earth. This is the time for us, with glorified bodies, to do works greater than those Jesus did, according to His promise. Thus, Peter’s sermon is fulfilled, which states that Christ Jesus must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things by the overcoming church, that is, His believing disciples.

Let us continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico concerning the prophecy about the Messiah. The prophecy concerning the Messiah began with Abraham and Moses and was continued by the prophets, starting from Samuel and the other prophets. At this time, we will only discuss the

Messianic prophecy related to His kingdom. Consider Acts 3:25, which says, “You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which Elohim made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

We will see the meaning of Abraham’s calling when he was commanded to come out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Before the calling of Abraham in Genesis 12, the Bible tells of a man named Nimrod who built the kingdom of Babel and others, even building the Tower of Babel, where God confused their languages at that time so that they were scattered, each with their own language, their own gods, and their own kingdoms. The region of Ur of the Chaldeans, the place of origin of Terah, Abraham’s father, had a god called the moon god and was ruled by the kings of ancient Babylon. These ancient Babylonian kingdoms were fragments of Nimrod’s kingdom, for Nimrod was the first man to exercise power and build a kingdom.

Why was Abraham called out of the region of Ur of the Chaldeans, even having to leave the family of Terah, his father? The answer is that God would build a lineage (the nation of Israel) and give the Promised Land in order to build a kingdom that would be a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. The kingdom of David was a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. God could not build a kingdom through the descendants of Abraham in Ur of the Chaldeans, because Ur of the Chaldeans was already dominated by the ancient Babylonian kingdoms, which were fragments of Nimrod’s kingdom. It is impossible to build a kingdom within another kingdom. Thus, in essence, Abraham’s calling out of Ur of the Chaldeans was to build a kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom.

Therefore, through Abraham, the Bible had actually already prophesied the Messianic kingdom, which would become a blessing to all the peoples of the earth, just as God promised to Abraham and his descendants. Furthermore, we all believe that the prophesied Messiah is Jesus Christ, even though to this day, as a nation, Israel has not yet accepted Jesus as their Messiah.

Let us look at the Messianic kingdom in the context of Christianity. Jesus said that He would build His church, and that the Messianic kingdom is a kingdom that exists in the heavenly dimension (the kingdom of heaven). Luke 17:21 emphasizes, “…for indeed, the kingdom of God is among (‘entos’ in Greek) you.” The Greek term ‘entos’ should be translated as ‘within’. Young’s Literal Translation renders it, “…the reign of God is within you.” Thus, within the inner being (spirit) of every member of the church there is the kingdom of heaven.

The church should manifest the kingdom of heaven on this earth. The church is the instrument through which the kingdom of heaven is manifested on earth. Jesus taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom of heaven would come to earth, that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

However, the church has been divided into tens of thousands of denominations. And these denominations are human kingdoms. There are rulers (kings) in each denomination who have the right to regulate everything; even the church buildings they build usually become the property of “the king.” In such a condition, it is impossible for the church to function as an instrument to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. And usually, the main focus of preaching in denominations is not the kingdom of heaven. Yet the central teaching of Peter and the apostles was the kingdom of heaven or the Messianic kingdom.

We continue our discussion into chapter 4, where Peter and John were arrested by the priests, the Sadducees, and the captain of the temple guard, and were brought before the Jewish Council (the Sanhedrin). There are three occasions where the church bore witness before the Jewish Council that had been the mastermind behind Jesus’ crucifixion. First, in chapter 4, where Peter and John testified. Second, in chapter 5, where Peter and the other apostles testified. Third, in chapter 7, where Stephen testified before the Council and at the same time became the first martyr of the church.

After the church testified three times before the Jewish Council and they still did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, then in AD 70 the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army, so that Judaism was practically brought to a halt until today. The synagogues that exist are merely places where Jews gather to study the Torah and pray. All sacrificial festivals, tithing laws, and other observances that had to be carried out at the Jerusalem Temple ceased.

Let us reflect on why the Jewish Council, which represented the Jewish nation, remained unwilling to accept Jesus as the Messiah. Certainly, there is a reason from the perspective of God’s word, namely that God Himself blinded their eyes for His own purposes (John 12:37–40). From the perspective of the rabbis, they were waiting for a Messiah like David who could deliver Israel from its physical enemies (the surrounding nations), rebuild the Temple, and bring peace to the world. Meanwhile, Jesus came to deliver Israel from their sins and to build a spiritual Israelite kingdom (the New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb, Revelation 21). But now we will look at the reason why the Sanhedrin did not accept Jesus as the Messiah from the perspective of the kingdom.

It cannot be denied, in a certain sense, that the Sanhedrin was a human kingdom led by Jewish religious leaders. They had authority over the nation of Israel—not only in religious matters, but also in political and social matters. And the Sanhedrin felt disturbed when Jesus appeared and ministered among the people. They felt jealous and threatened by Jesus’ influence. Pilate understood this when the Jewish religious leaders handed Jesus over to him (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). Thus, there was a hidden reason why the Jewish religious leaders did not want to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah: their “kingdom” felt threatened by the coming of Jesus as King.

If we reflect even more deeply, indeed the kingdom of heaven will be fully established on earth, and the kingdoms of this world will be subdued. Consider Revelation 11:15, which says, “Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” The expression ‘His Anointed’ refers to the overcoming church; therefore it should be written in lowercase, ‘his anointed’. This means that Jesus and the overcoming church will take over all human kingdoms in this world—whether political, social, or religious—and reign on earth until all His enemies are subdued.

This is the hidden reason why the Jewish religious leaders did not want to accept Jesus as King. Their religious kingdom felt threatened by the coming of a new King who would even subdue them. In fact, Satan was behind this religious kingdom of the Sanhedrin, and of course Satan realized this. May we not build our own religious kingdoms like the Sanhedrin, so that unconsciously we reject Jesus as King.

Let us continue our discussion about the kingdom of the Sanhedrin that rejected Jesus as the Messiah (King). Now we will examine whether the denominations that exist in Christianity are also human kingdoms. If it is proven true that these denominations are human kingdoms established by Christian religious leaders, then those denominations cannot accept the message of the Messianic kingdom (the message of the kingdom of heaven), just as the kingdom of the Sanhedrin could not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

Let us begin by looking at the early church in the book of Acts. They were not a human kingdom, because there was not a single leader who had authority over the church. The authority of the early church was clearly the authority of the Holy Spirit, because all church members were directly led by the Holy Spirit. Peter, Paul, John, and the other apostles were all servants of God and of the church. However, in Acts 20:28–30, Paul prophesied that some leaders would arise who, through false teachings, would try to draw the Lord’s disciples after themselves. Through their false teachings, they would seize the authority of the Holy Spirit over the Lord’s disciples and establish their own authority over them. This is where human kingdoms began—when church leaders drew the Lord’s disciples to themselves and established their own authority over them.

Indeed, this is what has happened with denominations in Christianity. Each leader draws the Lord’s disciples to himself, so that the church is divided into tens of thousands of human kingdoms. Initially, all church members were governed directly by the Holy Spirit, but now the Lord’s disciples are governed by their respective leaders, and each builds his own kingdom.

Let us now look at the book of Revelation to prove that denominations are human kingdoms. We know that the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ—and certainly of His church—given to the apostle John in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). In the book of Revelation, there are three women with different characteristics: the woman in Revelation 12, the woman in Revelation 17, and the woman (the Bride of the Lamb) in Revelation 21–22.

Throughout the Bible, a woman is always a symbol of the church, as the Bride of Christ. Adam is a type of Christ; therefore Eve is a type of the church (Romans 5:14). Eve speaks of the aspect of the church that comes from Christ, because Eve was created from Adam’s rib. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, represents the aspect of the church that comes from the world, because Joseph received her in Egypt (a symbol of the world). Abigail represents the aspect of the church as Christ’s warrior, because David was a man of war. And there are many other symbols of women that represent the church in its various aspects.

Let us look at the characteristics of the woman in Revelation 17–18. First, this woman sits on a beast (Revelation 17:3). The beast is a symbol of a human governmental system. Therefore, the woman sitting on a beast represents a church that is supported by a human governmental system. Second, this woman is given the name Babylon (17:5). Babylon was the kingdom built by Nimrod. Therefore, the woman called “Babylon” is none other than the church (a human kingdom) built by “Nimrods.” Third, this woman is the great city that reigns over the kings of the earth (17:18). In the book of Revelation, a city represents a human governmental system, and this church (the great city) has authority over the kings of the earth. Thus, it is clear that the church described in Revelation 17–18 is the denominations, and they are human kingdoms, whether Catholic or Protestant.

Therefore, because denominations are human kingdoms established by their leaders, they cannot accept the message of the Messianic kingdom or the kingdom of heaven. The good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven does not receive its proper place in denominational preaching.

After Peter and John were threatened by the Jewish Council not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus, they gathered with the believers and reported this to them (Acts 4:17, 23). Then, when the believers heard it, they spontaneously prayed, “…Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot vain things… grant to Your servants boldness to speak Your word…Stretch out Your hand to heal, and perform signs and wonders through the name of Jesus, Your holy Servant… They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:25–31).

There are several things we need to note regarding this prayer of the congregation. First, this prayer arose spontaneously, without being arranged or programmed by church leaders. Indeed, the life of the early church functioned spontaneously; it was neither forced nor regulated by its leaders. The congregation evangelized spontaneously, gave spontaneously, prayed spontaneously, and gathered spontaneously as well. Why was this so? Clearly, it was because the One who directed the movement of the church was the Holy Spirit Himself. Every member of the church was directly guided by the Holy Spirit. That is why we say that the early church was an organism (the Body of Christ), whose authority was held directly by Jesus through His Spirit.

This is different from what generally happens in Christianity today. Why? Because leaders have taken (more precisely, “seized”) the authority of the Holy Spirit over each church member and begun to regulate the church themselves. Church leaders have begun to act as “managers” rather than as servants. A manager has authority over subordinates, and generally a manager’s tasks include planning, organizing, leading/motivating, and implementing control systems over the movement of the church. As a result, Christianity today is driven by programs created by leaders, and the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit is no longer present.

Second, we see that the congregation’s prayer was focused on the proclamation of God’s word. They prayed to be given boldness to proclaim the word of God. They prayed for healings, signs, and wonders so that these might serve as confirmation and strengthening of the proclamation of the word (Acts 14:3). The early church was focused on proclaiming the word of God. When the number of disciples increased and the apostles became preoccupied with ‘serving tables’ (diaconal service to widows), the congregation chose seven men to serve in the distribution to widows and the poor, so that the leaders could focus on prayer and the word of God (Acts 6:1–7).

Third, in the passage above we see that the sign of a person being filled with the Holy Spirit is boldness in proclaiming the word of God. Notice the statement above: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God boldly.” Therefore, the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit is not outward signs such as performing miracles, speaking in tongues, or even convulsions and other outward manifestations, as commonly occur in Pentecostal and Charismatic services within Christianity. Rather, the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the courage to proclaim the word of God as it truly is.

We know that after Peter preached at Solomon’s Portico, the number of believers increased to about five thousand. At this point we will discuss how the early church, or the people of the kingdom, managed their finances. There are two passages we will consider: Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:34–35. These two passages explain the finances of the people of the kingdom, as follows: “…all things were held in common. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

There are several points we need to observe in these verses. First, all their possessions were held in common. What does this expression mean? Does it mean that members of the early church were not allowed to have personal property? From Peter’s words in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, we see that owning personal property and managing it according to the owner’s will was not wrong. Notice Peter’s words: “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”

Second, there was no one among them who lacked anything. As a result of the financial management of the people of the kingdom, no one was in need. Clearly, the use of the congregation’s finances was specifically directed toward members who were in need.

Third, the money obtained by the early church came from wealthy people who, moved by the Holy Spirit, sold their houses or lands and handed the money over to the apostles. There is no indication that collections were passed around to extract money from the congregation, let alone teachings on tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, or other doctrines as a means of drawing money from church members. And all the money collected was distributed to each member according to need.

Did the apostles receive a fixed allowance (salary), or anything of that sort, from the congregation? Let us look at some important points in Paul’s teaching regarding church finances. First, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18). These verses do not support a wage system at all, such as that found in Christianity today. The Corinthian church, which Paul himself had founded, criticized Paul regarding the legitimacy of his apostleship. This occurred because there were false teachers/false apostles teaching in the Corinthian congregation. These false teachers certainly expected money from the Corinthian church, since money is often a sure measure of whether someone is a false teacher or not. Therefore, Paul did not want to receive money from the Corinthian church, even though it was indeed his right as a servant of God to be supported occasionally (1 Corinthians 9:12). We must emphasize ‘occasionally’, because Paul never received ‘regular’ financial support from any church, including the churches he had founded. The church in Philippi only helped Paul from time to time.

Furthermore, Paul taught Timothy that elders who lead well and who preach and teach are worthy of double honor, meaning that they deserve financial support from the church. Yet even here we do not see any indication that such support must be given regularly. Rather, true widows were to be supported regularly from church funds (1 Timothy 5:3). Supporting widows on a regular basis was indeed a practice of the early church (Acts 6:1).

Second, giving must be done willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul never taught tithing, firstfruits (money), or faith pledges, which are commonly practiced by teachers within Christianity.

Third, giving to the poor and assistance to churches in need. For Paul, ministry to the poor and to churches in need of help was of great importance (Galatians 2:10). Paul also brought aid to the church in Jerusalem to be given to members who were lacking. The finances of the early church were indeed prioritized for widows and the poor. This differs from Christianity today, where generally the money collected is used for the needs of the ministers and the needs of the ministry itself, including buildings and other expenses.

In fact, Paul’s teaching on church finances is not difficult to understand. Clearly, church funds were primarily given to members who were in need, while church ministers only occasionally received support from church finances. This is the essence of Paul’s teaching regarding church finances. Such was the financial management of the people of the kingdom, or the early church, as we see in the New Testament books.

We now enter chapter 5 and discuss what Ananias and his wife Sapphira did. We have already discussed that the money collected in the early church came from wealthy people who were moved by the Holy Spirit to sell their houses or lands, and whose proceeds were brought to the apostles to be distributed to each church member according to need. Such financial management ensured that no member of the church lacked anything.

Notice Acts 5:1–2: “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. With his wife’s knowledge he kept back part of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” However, Peter said that Ananias and Sapphira had agreed to lie to the Holy Spirit. This was because Ananias and Sapphira acted ‘as if’ they had handed over the entire proceeds of the sale to the apostles. Peter clearly stated that before it was sold, the land remained theirs, and even after it was sold, the money was still under their control.

The question for us is: why did Ananias and Sapphira do this? If we look at the preceding verses, we see a man named Joseph, whom the apostles called ‘the son of encouragement’, who also sold a field he owned and laid ‘all’ the proceeds at the apostles’ feet. We see here that Joseph was appreciated by the apostles, but this does not mean that the apostles only valued members who gave money. Rather, Joseph’s action was indeed commendable because it supported members of the congregation who were in need.

It appears that Ananias and Sapphira wanted to receive recognition from the apostles and other church members for selling their land and bringing the proceeds to the apostles. But their love of money caused them to hold back part of it. On the one hand, they wanted to be honored by people; on the other hand, they also loved their money. They did not realize that their action was not lying to the apostles or the congregation, but lying to the Holy Spirit. In the end, they were disciplined by the Holy Spirit and died.

From this case we see that the early church, or the people who were learning about the kingdom of heaven, were not to seek human honor or human glory. Paul emphasized that if he were trying to please people, he would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Seeking human honor is not a trivial matter for the Lord’s disciples who are learning about the kingdom of heaven. Why is this so?

Consider Colossians 1:27: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” (ILT). Likewise Luke 17:21: “…for behold, the kingdom of God is among (Greek: entos = within) you” (ILT). It should be translated, “for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” For the early church—namely, the Lord’s disciples who were learning about the kingdom of heaven—seeking human honor or human glory was not a trivial matter. The Holy Spirit directly administered discipline in the form of physical death. The Lord’s disciples in the early church possessed an ‘inward’ glory, namely Christ dwelling within the believer; that was their glory. Likewise, the kingdom of heaven that dwells within each believer is the hope of glory.

The people of the kingdom will be glorified together with Christ at His coming (Romans 8). The people of the kingdom must seek and strive for the glory of God alone. When Satan tempted Jesus, he tempted Him by offering worldly glory (Matthew 4:8). Sadly, the early church later fell into what is now Christianity, in which glory has become outward, human, and even worldly. The people of the kingdom can certainly understand this.

We continue our discussion in chapter 5 by paying attention to verse 12: “Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.” In the early church, God performed many signs and wonders through the apostles to confirm the word of God and the testimony of the apostles, especially their testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus.

But now we will discuss the characteristics of the people of the kingdom in terms of their fellowship. It is emphasized in the verse above that they were always together in Solomon’s Portico in close fellowship. What is meant by the expression ‘close fellowship’? The expression ‘close fellowship’ (Greek: ‘homothumadon’ = of one mind) has a meaning closely related to the term fellowship (Greek: ‘koinonia’). Both terms express the existence of unity among believers. Where there is ‘homothumadon’ and ‘koinonia’, division cannot exist. Let us compare these two terms with Johannine theology.

Johannine theology is marked by an emphasis on the proclamation of life (Greek: ‘zoe’ = the kind of life of God) and ‘koinonia’, a fellowship that exists as a result of sharing the same kind of life. Thus, the First Epistle of John is filled with an understanding of ‘life’ and ‘koinonia’. Although John also explains that God is Light and Love, all of this is related to the concept of ‘koinonia’.

The reason the Apostle John so strongly emphasized ‘life’ and ‘koinonia’ in all his writings is that he wrote from the perspective of Patmos. John’s exile on the island of Patmos by the churches that had fallen in Asia Minor was actually a ‘breaking of koinonia’. That is why 1 John 1:3 states: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship (koinonia) with us…” Thus, the Apostle John no longer had ‘koinonia’ with the fallen churches in Asia Minor, which had been corrupted by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. However, he wrote his letter so that some members of those congregations might receive it, and thus have ‘koinonia’ with him.

The Apostle John saw that the fallen churches no longer had true ‘koinonia’ with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, the fallen churches had a kind of ‘koinonia’ or fellowship among their members, but not with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle John emphasized when he said, “…and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Furthermore, the Apostle John strongly emphasized the matter of joy in his letters. In his first letter, he even stated that his purpose in writing was that our joy might be made complete (1:4). The joy John referred to is the joy that results from having true ‘koinonia’ with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and true ‘koinonia’ with fellow believers. Such joy is abiding and does not depend on circumstances outside of us. This is the goal of living in ‘koinonia’.

Let us return to the expression in the verse above: “All the believers were together in Solomon’s Portico in close fellowship.” The people of the kingdom not only gathered regularly, but they also had ‘koinonia’, even to the extent that “…no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

In fact, a community within Christianity may gather together without experiencing ‘koinonia’. We must distinguish between ‘gathering’ and having ‘koinonia’. These two things are very different. But the early church always gathered, and they also had ‘koinonia’.

We are still discussing chapter 5, where the Jewish Sanhedrin began to act against the church. Notice verse 17: “Then the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.” As we read the Gospel accounts, we can understand that the Jewish Sanhedrin held authority over the nation of Israel. At this point we will discuss whether Christianity today, or the existing denominations, have become ‘similar’ to the Jewish Sanhedrin in exercising authority over other church members.

In The New Bible Dictionary, Volume II, page 2, it is written: “The history of the Sanhedrin is obscure. Traditionally it began with the seventy assistants of Moses (Num. 11:16–24). Ezra is thought to have reorganized this institution after the exile.” Both Jesus and Paul acknowledged and submitted before the Jewish Religious Court, since Jesus and Paul were part of the nation of Israel.

When Jesus was tried before the Jewish Religious Court and was accused by many false witnesses, Jesus remained silent (Matthew 26:59–64). However, when the High Priest asked Him under oath by Elohim whether He was the Messiah, Jesus answered firmly. This proves that Jesus acknowledged the authority of the High Priest, and therefore Jesus had to respond to his question. Likewise, when Paul was judged before the Jewish Religious Court and was accused of insulting the High Priest, Paul immediately gave an explanation (Acts 23:1–5).

Let us consider Matthew 23:1–12, which says: “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you, but do not do according to their deeds… But you are not to be called Rabbi… you are all brothers… Nor are you to be called leaders… For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Pay attention to the verses above. Jesus told the crowds that they must obey and do everything taught by the scribes and the Pharisees, because they sat on the ‘seat of Moses.’ The seat of Moses here is certainly symbolic, referring to an authority, just as Moses had authority over the nation of Israel as the one sent by God to bring Israel out of Egypt. Even though the behavior of the scribes and the Pharisees was not right, because of their authority they still had to be obeyed.

However, when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He firmly stated that ‘you are all brothers.’ No one should be called rabbi, father, or leader. Jesus did not mean that there should be no teachers or leaders in the church, but according to the context, there must be no “seat of Moses” in the church. What Jesus meant was that in the church no one has authority over other members. All church members are equal, egalitarian, and no one may have authority over another.

Yet, because some church leaders draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves, today leaders in the Christian world possess human authority over other members (Acts 20:28–30). Hierarchy and human systems of government have entered the church. As a result, church leaders occupy the “seat of Moses,” just like the Pharisees and the scribes.

The Christian world has become similar to the Jewish Religious Court, which had authority over its members. Church leaders who seize the “seat of Moses” have in fact exalted themselves, and the verses above clearly state that whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

We have already discussed that the Jewish Religious Court is “similar” to denominations in the Christian world, in the sense that denominations have authority over their members, including the right to judge, just as the Jewish Religious Court (the Sanhedrin) did.

However, the leaders of the early church, or the leaders of the kingdom people, had no authority over other members, and certainly no authority to judge. When Peter spoke to Ananias and Sapphira, he only spoke what the Holy Spirit whispered or revealed to him. Peter did not know at all what would happen next to Ananias. It was the Holy Spirit who ‘pronounced the verdict’ on Ananias and Sapphira. The Holy Spirit judged them, because the Holy Spirit revealed their wrongdoing and passed judgment on them. Therefore, Peter had absolutely no authority over other members.

In the Christian world we often hear the phrase, ‘do not judge.’ Generally, this is meant to prevent people from pointing out the faults of denominational leaders. Many Christians do not understand what the phrase ‘do not judge’ really means. Therefore, let us discuss this. ‘Do not judge’ is an instruction from Jesus, and it does not need further debate—but have we truly understood what Jesus meant?

Let us examine this from Scripture. Matthew 7:1 states, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” But John 7:24 says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The Greek verb ‘krino’ in both verses actually means ‘to decide, to evaluate, to distinguish, to consider’ something before making a decision. If these two verses are not viewed in context, they appear contradictory. On the one hand, Jesus says ‘do not judge,’ but on the other hand He says it is permissible to judge as long as it is done justly and not according to appearances. So, may we judge or not judge?

Let us look at the context of Matthew 7:1. To whom was Jesus speaking? Matthew 7:1 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus delivered to His disciples. Note Matthew 5:1, which says, “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.” Then Jesus spoke to them (His disciples—verse 2). Jesus was not speaking to the crowds; He was speaking only to His disciples. It was to His disciples that Jesus said, ‘do not judge.’

Now let us consider the context of John 7:24. To whom was Jesus speaking? Jesus was speaking to the Jews, especially the scribes and the Pharisees, who were judging Him unjustly. Thus, the scribes and the Pharisees MAY judge, as long as they do so justly. Our question now is: why were the scribes and Pharisees allowed to judge, as long as it was just, while His disciples were not allowed to judge?

Let us return to the book of Matthew. Matthew 23:1–11 states: “…The scribes and the Pharisees sit on MOSES’ SEAT. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you (THE CROWDS)… But you (HIS DISCIPLES) are not to be called rabbi, for you have one Teacher, and YOU ARE ALL BROTHERS… Nor are you to be called leaders, for you have one Leader, the Messiah. Whoever is greatest among you shall be your servant.” These verses clearly explain why the scribes and the Pharisees COULD JUDGE the Jewish nation, while Jesus’ disciples COULD NOT JUDGE. This was because the scribes and the Pharisees sat on MOSES’ SEAT—an authority that applied only in the CONTEXT OF THE OLD COVENANT. But in the church (the New Covenant), there is no MOSES’ SEAT. Church leaders certainly exist, but there is no authority to judge, because in the New Covenant context, THERE IS NO MOSES’ SEAT. Jesus emphasized to His church that whoever is greatest must become a servant in the truest sense—having no rights, let alone authority, over His church. Jesus never delegated His authority, because the church is an ORGANISM, where the authority that operates is the LIFE OF THE BODY. And that Life is Jesus: I AM THE LIFE.

Now consider the Christian world. The church, which is an ORGANISM, has fallen and fractured into thousands of ORGANIZATIONS through the behavior of “Jezebels” who seized Jesus’ authority over His church, just as Jezebel seized the authority of Ahab, her husband, in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. The leaders of church organizations, those at the top of church organizational hierarchies, are the ones who possess authority to judge the congregation, just like the scribes and the Pharisees. THE AUTHORITY OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS IS ILLEGAL AUTHORITY. Jesus never delegated His authority over the church.

Let us now draw a conclusion. This conclusion is somewhat personal. I am often accused of judging people or judging church organizational leaders. Let us be honest and open. I hold no position in any organization within the Christian world. I have no authority over His church, and indeed it should be so. I CANNOT POSSIBLY JUDGE. I only rebuke leaders, admonish, and point out errors, just as Paul advised Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2), but I cannot make any decisions because I HAVE NO AUTHORITY. I am simply obeying Paul’s exhortation.

Do you know who likes to judge in His church? Those who like to judge are leaders who possess ‘illegal authority’ in the church. They are the ones who evaluate, admonish, rebuke, and make decisions over people in their organizations—perhaps even expelling people from the organizations they lead. They do this, perhaps daily, because that is their task: JUDGING THE CHURCH OF JESUS, just as the Jewish Religious Court judged the nation of Israel.

So, stop accusing me of judging… although I truly do not care about people’s judgments of me… it is the denominational leaders who love to judge. I even suspect that they are the ones who POPULARIZED the phrase ‘do not judge,’ so that congregations follow it blindly without understanding its meaning. Leaders like this do not want to be rebuked or criticized for their actions and teachings…

Now we will discuss Gamaliel’s advice regarding the case in which the apostles were judged by the Jewish Religious Court (Acts 5:26–40). Gamaliel was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish Religious Court, a teacher of the law, and highly respected by all the people of the Jewish nation (verse 34). Gamaliel’s advice was indeed very good.

Let us consider his advice. First, he advised the Religious Court to carefully consider what they were about to do to the apostles (verse 35). Second, he presented facts about Theudas and Judas, who caused disturbances and then died, and whose followers were scattered, leaving no lasting impact (verses 36–37). Third, based on these facts, he concluded that the Religious Court should take no action against the apostles, because, he said, “…if this plan or undertaking is of human origin, it will fail” (verse 38).

We know that this advice was very good, because it was based on common sense and factual data. But we must remember that Saul, who persecuted the church, was a disciple of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Why did a Gamaliel still produce a Saul who persecuted the church? To answer this, we must return to the books of Genesis and Revelation.

We know that the Garden of Eden is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in its initial stage, while the city as a symbol of human government (the New Jerusalem descending to earth) represents the Kingdom of Heaven coming to earth in its fullness. The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9–10). Indeed, the journey from the ‘Garden of Eden’ to the ‘New Jerusalem’ is the journey of humanity to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

However, humanity must eat from the fruit of the ‘Tree of Life’ in order to carry out the Father’s plan in heaven—namely, to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Jesus is symbolized by the Tree of Life, whom humans must eat (John 6:53). But because Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, humanity lives based on its knowledge of good and evil.

Therefore, although Gamaliel gave good advice, because he (and all members of the Religious Court) did not believe in Jesus, his good advice still resulted in persecution and resistance against the church and the Kingdom of Heaven. The two ‘Trees’ in the Garden of Eden are always in conflict. Although the Tree of Knowledge makes people religious, religion can never understand the ways and will of the Father. The Father’s thoughts and will can only be understood by ‘Tree of Life’ people. Conversely, ‘Tree of Knowledge’ people (religious people) do not understand the Father’s will.

It cannot be denied that Christianity has fallen and become the Christian religion. The early church, which originally consisted of believers all led directly by the ‘Life-giving Spirit of Christ’ (the Holy Spirit), has now fractured into the Christian world, where leaders of the Christian religion govern and manage their members with religious regulations, whether Catholic or Protestant.

For the kingdom people, it is clear that Revelation 17:5–6 describes the Catholic Church (the mother) and the Protestant churches (her daughters), who are drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus throughout the ages. Those who study the history of Christianity certainly understand this. The history of Christianity is indeed filled with “Gamaliels” who, although giving good advice, still persecuted the kingdom people.

Now we move into chapter 6 and discuss how the kingdom people managed their finances. Acts 6:1 states, “Now in those days, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint arose among the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” Before we discuss the problems that occurred in the early church as the number of disciples increased, let us consider the apostles’ teachings, especially Paul’s, related to church finances. Let us begin by examining the following facts from Paul’s teachings.

First, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18). These verses do not support a wage system like the one found in the Christian world at all (the teaching of Balaam). The Corinthian church, which Paul himself founded, criticized Paul regarding the legitimacy of his apostleship. This happened because of false teachers/false apostles teaching in Corinth. These false teachers certainly expected money from the Corinthian congregation, because a sure indicator of whether someone is a false teacher is always related to money. Therefore, Paul did not want to receive money from the Corinthian church, even though it was indeed his right as a servant of God to be supported OCCASIONALLY (1 Corinthians 9:12). We need to emphasize OCCASIONALLY, because Paul never received REGULAR financial support from any church, including the churches he founded. The church in Philippi only helped Paul from time to time.

Next, Paul taught Timothy that elders who lead well and who preach and teach are worthy of double honor, meaning they should receive financial support from the church. Even here, we do not see any indication of regular payment. Instead, true widows were to be supported regularly from the congregation’s funds (1 Timothy 5:3). Supporting widows regularly was indeed a practice of the early church (Acts 6:1).

Second, giving must be done willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul never taught tithes, firstfruits (money), or faith pledges, which are commonly practiced by teachers in the Christian world.

Third, giving to the poor and assistance to churches in need. For Paul, ministry to the poor and helping churches that required assistance were essential …what was important (Galatians 2:10). Paul also brought aid to the church in Jerusalem to be given to church members who were in need. The finances of the early church were indeed prioritized for widows and the poor. This is different from much of Christianity today, where the money collected is generally used for the needs of the ministers and for ministry needs, including buildings and other things.

In fact, Paul’s teaching on church finances is not difficult to understand. It is clear that church funds were primarily given to members who were in need. Meanwhile, church ministers only occasionally received support from church finances. This is the essence of Paul’s teaching regarding church finances.

Let us return to Acts 6:1 above, where the issue arose that the distribution of church funds to Greek-speaking widows was being neglected. Notice the phrase ‘daily distribution’ in that verse. Clearly, giving money to widows was a routine service that had to be carried out every day. Thus, widows were entitled to receive financial assistance from the church every day according to their needs. In fact, the finances of the early church were distributed to all members according to each one’s need (Acts 2:45).

This ministry to widows was so important that the apostles needed to appoint seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to carry out this task, so that the apostles could focus on prayer and the ministry of the word.

At this point we come to the case of Stephen as the first martyr of the church. Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit and was one of the seven chosen to serve in the administration of church finances (Acts 6:5). When Stephen debated with the Jewish community and they were unable to withstand his wisdom, they accused Stephen of blaspheming Moses and Yahweh. Therefore, Stephen was brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin to be judged. This was the third time that the witnesses of Jesus were judged by the Jewish Sanhedrin: first Peter and John, then Peter and the apostles, and the third time was Stephen.

After Stephen was put to death by the Sanhedrin, Luke began to record the movement of the church in evangelizing throughout all Judea and Samaria, and through Paul, to the “ends of the earth,” namely Rome, or in other words, evangelizing the Gentiles. Thus Luke records the “achievement of the church” in evangelizing the entire known world at that time, according to Jesus’ command: “… you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Luke records that the early church (the disciples of the kingdom of heaven) had fulfilled Jesus’ command to be His witnesses.

Now we are not discussing Stephen’s sermon before the Jewish Sanhedrin, but we will give meaning to Stephen’s death after the church bore witness for the third time before the Sanhedrin. In the Bible, the principle of ‘three times’ (trilogy) has significant meaning (Proverbs 22:20; Hebrew term: ‘shalosh’ = three times). Proverbs 22:20 says, “Have I not written to you three times…” (ILT). Thus, since Stephen’s third testimony before the Sanhedrin was still rejected, this means that the opportunity was closed for the Jewish Sanhedrin to accept Jesus as their Messiah. In other words, as a nation represented by its leaders (the Sanhedrin), Israel was declared by Elohim to be a nation that rejected their Messiah. Of course, there have been Jews throughout the church age who accepted Jesus as Messiah, but this is not counted as the acceptance of a nation, only as individuals.

After the Sanhedrin put Stephen to death (around AD 34), in AD 70 the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Roman army led by General Titus. Judaism, as a religion, practically came to a halt and has been unable to carry out sacrificial rituals, tithes, and other rituals prescribed in the Law of Moses to this day. The synagogues that exist are merely places where Jews gather to pray and study the Torah. The death of Stephen was a “closure” for Judaism.

Why do we discuss this? Because the death of Stephen as the “closure” of Judaism, at which point the Gentiles entered the church, has meaning in accordance with what is written in Romans 11:25–26: “… a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…”. How, in the end, will all Israel be saved? Israel will be saved in its entirety when the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the Second Coming).

This is the meaning of Stephen’s death, which will ultimately result in the salvation of all Israel. We will discuss Daniel’s prophecy (70 × 7) in order to better understand the Father’s plan to save and restore all Israel.

Let us continue our discussion of the restoration of Israel according to God’s word in Romans 11:26–27: “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”

There are several things we need to reflect on from the verses above. First, all Israel will be saved. The Greek term translated as ‘all’ is ‘pas’, which means ‘all, the whole, every kind of’. It appears 1,244 times in the New Testament and means ‘all, whole, whatever, whoever, everything’, and it is never translated as ‘some’ in the New Testament. This means that all Israel, in the true sense, will surely be saved.

Second, Israel is saved by the Deliverer who comes from Zion. The Greek expression translated by the Indonesian Bible as ‘Deliverer’ actually means ‘the One who liberates’, and it uses a definite article before it. Thus, the one who liberates Israel is ‘a specific person’ who comes from Zion. We all certainly agree that this specific person who liberates Israel and comes from Zion is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, the problem is that Israel to this day, as a nation, does not accept Jesus as their Messiah. However, the preceding verse (verse 25) gives us the answer: “… Israel has experienced a hardening until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Thus, all Israel will be saved by Jesus Christ ‘after’ the Gentiles have come in. The expression ‘the Gentiles have come in’, according to the context, means that at this present time only a ‘remnant of Israel’ is saved (Romans 11:5), and likewise only a certain number of Gentiles are saved. When that certain number of Gentiles has come in (been saved) in this age, then all Israel will also be saved.

Fourth, the Messiah will save Israel through a covenant. The covenant referred to is certainly not the Old Covenant, in which the removal of sin was only symbolized by the blood of animals. But the verse above (verse 27) firmly states that God removes the sins of Israel. Thus, the Messiah will save all Israel through the New Covenant (New Testament).

We have emphasized that the death of Stephen was a “closure” for the Jewish nation as a whole. That is, through the death of Stephen as the third witness before the Sanhedrin, the opportunity for the Jewish nation “as a whole” (as a nation) to accept the Messiah was closed. And after a number of Gentiles have come in, then Israel will be saved.

The matter of Stephen’s testimony being the “closure” for the nation of Israel to accept their Messiah can be explained through Daniel’s prophecy of 70 × 7 (Daniel 9:24–27). Daniel 9:24 states: “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy.” There are two interpretations of Daniel’s 70 × 7: first, the futurist interpretation, and second, the historicist interpretation.

The futurist interpretation states that one week (7 years) in Daniel’s 70 × 7 has not yet been fulfilled, meaning there is a time gap (interval) of unknown length until the third Jerusalem Temple is built and the Antichrist appears, who will make a covenant with the nation of Israel. Such an interpretation is very strange, because it causes Daniel’s 70 × 7 years to be interrupted by an unknown interval of time and then resumed again after the third Temple is built and the Antichrist comes.

We believe the historicist interpretation is more reasonable, because it allows Daniel’s 70 × 7 to run continuously without being interrupted by an unknown interval of time. The historicist interpretation states as follows: first, 7 × 7 years occurred from 457 BC to 408 BC, namely from the time King Artaxerxes ordered the Jews to restore Jerusalem until its completion. Second, 62 × 7 years (408 BC to AD 27), from the completion of the restoration of Jerusalem until the baptism of Jesus Christ. Third, 1 × 7 years (AD 27 to AD 34), from the baptism of Jesus Christ until the death of Stephen, during which the crucifixion of Jesus occurred (AD 31). Thus, after the death of Stephen, the Jewish nation will be restored by the Messiah in the context of the New Covenant, as written in Romans 11:26–27 above.

Let us continue our discussion of the restoration of Israel. We know that the restoration of Israel will take place through their Messiah (Christ Jesus), after the number of Gentiles who come in has been fulfilled. Those Gentiles who come in certainly include individual Jews, and together they are called the church. But we know that since the time of the apostle John, the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations. Revelation 2–3 explains to us that God is seeking His overcomers to represent the church throughout the ages.

When the Lord Jesus comes (commonly called the Second Coming), He will judge His church and establish His kingdom together with His overcomers on this earth. Revelation 5:10 and Revelation 20:4 affirm that Christ Jesus and His overcomers will reign for 1,000 years on this earth. The ministry of this overcoming church is written in Romans 8:19–21, which essentially concerns restoring creation from its bondage to corruption. This means that the ministry of the overcoming church does not stop with the 1,000-year kingdom, but continues on into the age of the New Heaven and New Earth, and even until the Father becomes all in all.

The question for us now is: when will the kingdom of Israel, or the nation of Israel, be ‘fully’ saved? This is what the disciples asked the Lord Jesus, to which He answered, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority” (Acts 1:7). But to the apostle John it was revealed that Israel will be fully restored when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, as recorded in Revelation 21:9 to 22:17.

We must understand that the New Jerusalem is a symbol that points to the Bride of the Lamb. Notice Revelation 21:9–10, where an angel says he will show the Bride, the wife of the Lamb, to the apostle John, yet he shows him the city of New Jerusalem. Therefore, the New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb. Who, then, is the Bride of the Lamb?

Consider the basic nature of the Old Covenant, which is like a covenant between husband and wife. Jeremiah 31:32 says: “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband” (ILT). The relationship between Yahweh and Israel is like that of husband and wife, whereas the relationship between Elohim and the New Testament church is like that of father and child. Thus, specifically, the New Jerusalem (the Bride of the Lamb) depicts the nation of Israel. And since a city is a symbol of a government, the city of New Jerusalem depicts Israel as a whole, both as a nation and as a kingdom.

Therefore, in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth, Israel will be fully restored as a nation and also as a kingdom. Israel will even offer healing to the nations through the “leaves of the tree of life” (Revelation 22:2). Likewise, Israel will offer the “water of life” freely to whoever is thirsty (Revelation 22:17). Thus Israel will be fully saved and restored.

Now we will discuss the content of Stephen’s sermon before the Jewish Sanhedrin. We know that Stephen’s sermon was the third testimony to the Sanhedrin, and after the Sanhedrin rejected it, the opportunity was closed for the Jewish nation as a whole (as a nation) to accept their Messiah. The Father’s program to restore Israel as a nation will take place after the number of Gentiles has come in, as we have discussed previously.

Stephen’s lengthy testimony explains the history of Israel beginning with Abraham’s call by Elohim until the time Solomon built the Temple. This sermon shows how Israel repeatedly rejected those whom God sent. Stephen’s sermon concludes with the assertion that just as the ancestors of Israel rejected those sent by God, so too the Jewish Sanhedrin had rejected Jesus as the Messiah whom God sent. Acts 7:51–53 is the conclusion of Stephen’s sermon, directly rebuking the Sanhedrin: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you…”

Let us now expound Stephen’s sermon by paying attention to the true meaning of Abraham’s calling. Indeed, Abraham was promised descendants and the land of Canaan (the promised land). But what was Elohim’s purpose in all this? In fact, Abraham’s calling was a calling to build a kingdom (the kingdom of Israel) as a symbol of the coming Messianic kingdom.

Note that Abraham had to leave Ur of the Chaldeans, because at that time Ur of the Chaldeans was part of the fragmented kingdoms built by Nimrod (Genesis 10–11). Abraham also had to leave his father’s household, because they worshiped other gods (Joshua 24:2). Thus, Abraham was called to build a kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. Therefore, Abraham had to leave the fragmented kingdoms of Nimrod and have descendants and land/territory to build a kingdom.

However, the journey to build the kingdom of Israel as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom required a considerable length of time. From Abraham (around 2000 BC) to the kingdom of David (around 1000 BC) took at least 1,000 years. Within this time span, Stephen explained how the ancestors of Israel continually resisted those whom God sent. What Stephen presented was historical fact and could not be refuted by the Sanhedrin. But perhaps what shocked the Sanhedrin was Stephen’s conclusion, which emphasized that just as your ancestors always resisted the Holy Spirit, so do you as well.

We know that after hearing Stephen’s testimony, and even after Stephen declared his vision that the Son of Man was standing at the right hand of Elohim, the Sanhedrin rushed upon Stephen together, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death. Stephen was the first martyr of the church. And after the death of Stephen, the church in Jerusalem experienced severe persecution; yet it was precisely because of this persecution that the gospel spread throughout Judea and Samaria.

Let us continue Stephen’s sermon by looking at the role and ministry of Moses in building the kingdom of Israel as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. Deuteronomy 33:4–5 affirms, “Moses commanded the law to us… He was king in Jeshurun….” Jeshurun is another name for the descendants of Jacob, and Moses became king among the descendants of Jacob.

We know that Moses’ ministry was to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, but they had to pass through the wilderness. In fact, Egypt, the wilderness, and the seven nations in the Promised Land that Israel had to conquer are respectively symbols of the world, the flesh, and the devil with his evil spirits. Moses led the people of Israel toward the Promised Land so that Israel, as a kingdom in the Promised Land, could become a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. In this sense, Israel was a kingdom people undergoing a process of building a kingdom.

Let us observe the condition of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

First, Israel in Egypt. Stephen emphasized in his sermon that a king of Egypt who did not know Joseph arose and oppressed the people of Israel. It was at that time that Moses was born and adopted as a son by Pharaoh’s daughter. Because Moses was educated in all the wisdom of Egypt, he was powerful in word and deed. When Moses tried to resolve a conflict among the Israelites, they rejected him as ruler and judge. Moses needed to be shaped for forty years in the wilderness before he could deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. With the “rod” of Elohim, Moses delivered Israel by performing miracles in Egypt.

Second, Israel in the wilderness. In his sermon, Stephen emphasized that Israel refused to obey Moses’ leadership and wanted to return to the land of Egypt (7:39). Israel even made a golden calf and offered sacrifices to the idol. Therefore, God allowed Israel to worship idols throughout the forty-year journey in the wilderness, as written in verses 42–43: “…Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? No; you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, the images you made to worship….” How tragic it is that during the forty years in the wilderness, the kingdom people worshiped idols, even though the tabernacle of Moses was among them.

Third, Israel in the Promised Land. We know that because of Moses’ carelessness in his words at Meribah, since Israel embittered his spirit, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Psalm 106:32–33). Joshua then led Israel to take possession of the Promised Land from the seven nations. In fact, even in the Promised Land, Israel experienced many failures in taking possession of it. Specifically, when Joshua and all his generation died, another generation arose that did not know the works of Yahweh, so Israel mingled with the surrounding nations and worshiped idols. This was the period of Israel’s decline in the Promised Land, as recorded in the book of Judges.

Thus was the role and ministry of Moses, as king in Jeshurun, in leading the people of Israel toward the Promised Land. Even though Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land, he remained a great leader in Israel.

We have seen that Israel, as a kingdom people under the leadership of Moses and also Joshua, undergoing the process of building a kingdom through the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, constitutes an important part of Stephen’s rather long sermon (Acts 7:15–45). Now we will move into the application of Israel’s journey from Egypt, the wilderness, and the Promised Land.

We know that the Old Testament is a symbol, a shadow, and a prophecy, while the reality, substance, and essence is Christ within the hearts of believers (Colossians 2:17). Let us begin by discussing Israel while they were in Egypt. In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of the world. When Israel was in Egypt, they were enslaved by Pharaoh. Moses was sent by God to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt so that they might worship God (Exodus 4:22–23). Likewise, the church, as a kingdom people, must also be delivered from the bondage of this world in order to worship God.

In the Bible, the world has two meanings: the world in a general sense, and the world in the sense of a religious world. When the devil tempted Jesus, he showed Him the glory of the world in a general sense—that is, the splendor of the kingdoms of this world (Matthew 4:8). Christians are also tempted by the devil through love for the splendor of this world. We will not discuss this now.

What we will focus on specifically is the world in the sense of the ‘religious world’. To understand the world in this sense, we must look at the writings of the apostle John. The Greek term ‘kosmos’ (translated world) appears 186 times in the New Testament, of which 78 times are in the Gospel of John and 24 times in his epistles. Thus, more than half of its occurrences are found in John’s writings. The frequent use of this term in John’s writings certainly has special significance in Johannine theology.

We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. When the term world appears in John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”—we understand that ‘world’ here means all humanity on the face of the earth. But when the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15—“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”—then the meaning of ‘world’ here is certainly not all humanity. The world here is a ‘system’ whose values are contrary to God’s values.

In the dictionary, a system is a group of things that work together according to certain rules or values. Economics, politics, social structures, and even religion have become systems. Before we elaborate further on this system, let us look at several passages from John’s writings that will clarify this system for us.

Let us look at John 15:18–25. In the Indonesian Bible (LAI), this passage is titled ‘The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples’. If we read the entire passage, we can identify who is meant by the world here. Verse 25 says, “But this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” It is clear that ‘the world’ here refers to the Jewish religious system or Judaism—that is, the Jewish religion with their Law. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers. Why did Judaism kill Jesus and hate His followers? Because Judaism did not know the Father in heaven who sent Jesus.

Next, let us look at the entirety of John chapter 17, where the term ‘world’ appears 18 times. Chapter 17 is Jesus’ prayer on the final night, and Jesus says, “…I do not pray for the world” (verse 9). “…the world has hated them” (verse 14). “O righteous Father, the world has not known You…” (verse 25). In this chapter, Jesus firmly states that the world (Judaism—the Jewish religion) does not know the Father who sent Him, and here Jesus does not pray for the world (Judaism). Jesus prays only for His disciples and for those who will believe through their word.

If we consider John 12:31—“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out”—and also Revelation 12:9—“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…”—then we can understand that the devil is the ruler of the world in the sense of the religious system, and the devil is also the one who deceives the religious world.

Has Christianity today become a religious system, or a world? Have false teachings become so widely accepted in Christianity today? Has the church fallen? These questions must be answered honestly by us, especially by God’s chosen people.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, three false teachings that have infiltrated the church are clearly described. The teachings of the Nicolaitans and Jezebel, where hierarchy entered the church and leaders usurped the authority of the Lord Jesus as the Head of the church. This caused the church to be divided into laity and priests (Catholicism), or congregations and pastors (Protestantism). Then there is the teaching of Balaam, where the wage system in serving God and commercialism were justified. Is not the Christian world full of commercialism, just as in the time of Jesus when the Temple was filled with trade? Thus, the church, as a kingdom people, must also be delivered from the bondage of the world (the Christian system) in order to worship God in spirit and truth, as taught by Jesus (John 4).

We have seen how Israel in Egypt, through extraordinary miracles, was eventually led by Moses to walk through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. But we know that the generation of Israel that came out of Egypt failed to reach the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb. We will discuss several factors that caused them to fail to reach what God had originally planned for them.

First, the incident of the golden calf (Exodus 32). This event may seem like a temporary act of idolatry. However, Stephen in his sermon explains that this idolatry lasted for forty years in the wilderness. Consider Acts 7:42–43: “…Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? No, you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images which you made to worship….” Here we see that after the golden calf worship, Elohim turned away from Israel and allowed them to worship idols for forty years (7:42). Thus, even though the tabernacle of Moses was among them in the wilderness, they worshiped idols for forty years (7:44). This is one of the reasons why the first generation that came out of Egypt could not reach the Promised Land.

Second, the case of Israel grumbling and demanding meat (Numbers 11). Notice verse 5: “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.” Here we see that Israel still remembered the pleasures of Egypt, even though they had already left Egypt. This caused them to desire to return to Egypt, as in the case of the twelve spies (Numbers 14:4). It seems that Israel had come out of Egypt, but “Egypt” had not yet come out of Israel.

Third, grumbling and rebellion against the leadership of Moses (Numbers 16). God’s judgment upon their rebellion was terrifying, for the earth opened its mouth and they went down alive into the realm of the dead.

Fourth, the case of the twelve spies (Numbers 13–14). We know that of the twelve spies, only Joshua and Caleb continued to believe God that He was surely able to bring Israel into the Promised Land, even though there were formidable enemies before them.

Let us apply Israel’s failures in the wilderness to the context of the church. We know that Israel’s inheritance was the Promised Land (Canaan), but the church’s inheritance is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was only a “down payment,” a “guarantee,” or a “deposit” (Ephesians 1:14). The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be given to us at the coming of the Lord Jesus.

However, we know that the church has failed and fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations. Therefore, God calls His overcomers throughout the church age to represent this fallen church. And indeed, only His overcomers will receive the inheritance, namely the full gift of the Holy Spirit at the coming of the Lord. This event is written in Romans 8:19–21, where His overcomers are glorified together with Christ to restore all things.

Thus, just as the first generation of Israel failed in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb, so also the church has failed and fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations, and only His overcomers will receive the church’s inheritance and reign with Christ for a thousand years on the earth (Revelation 5:10; 20:4).

Let us continue our discussion of Israel in the Promised Land. We know that the second generation of Israel entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. The seven nations in Canaan have now perished, but we know that Israel never fully possessed the Promised Land that God had promised. Israel even experienced a division of the kingdom after the reign of King Solomon and also experienced exile to Assyria (the northern kingdom) and to Babylon (the kingdom of Judah).

Let us look from Israel’s history at what was required for Israel to possess their inheritance, namely the Promised Land. First, Israel had to fight the seven nations in Canaan and not intermarry or ‘coexist’ (make covenants) with these seven nations. But after the time of Joshua and his generation passed away, another generation arose that did not know the wars of Canaan and that ‘coexisted’ with the remaining nations left by Joshua (Judges 2–3). The people of Israel ‘compromised’ with the remaining nations, and this caused Israel to participate in their idolatry.

Second, Deuteronomy 7:22 states, “And YAHWEH your Elohim will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will not be able to destroy them all at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you” (ILT). This means that according to the growth of the people of Israel (multiplying), God would gradually drive out those nations.

Third, Israel was to be a nation led directly by Yahweh (a theocracy). Of course, Yahweh used elders and prophets as His spokesmen to lead Israel. But in the days of Samuel, Israel rejected Yahweh and asked for a king to lead them, like the surrounding nations. Although there were good kings in Israel, Israel’s history continued to decline during the time of the kings, until Israel eventually went into exile and did not obtain the promised inheritance.

There are certainly other things Israel had to do in order to obtain their inheritance, but the three points mentioned above are sufficient for this brief writing. Let us apply these matters to the case of the church in attaining its inheritance, namely the gift of the Holy Spirit in His fullness.

First, the seven nations in the Promised Land are symbols of the Devil and his evil spirits that must be fought by the church so that the church may obtain its inheritance. James 4:7 affirms, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (NIV). Of course, the Devil uses the world and human flesh to attack us. Here we are challenged not to compromise with the values of this world and must learn to deny our own flesh. By submitting ourselves to the values of Elohim and refusing to compromise, we are resisting the Devil.

However, there is one thing we must be alert to, namely the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). Therefore, we must continue to learn humbly before the Lord and always be ready to

receive new revelation from Him. We should not be overly confident in all our views, but keep learning, so that we may be spared from many of the devil’s deceptions.

Second, the application of Deuteronomy 7:22 above is that we must live day by day being led by Christ inwardly (living the ‘zoe’ life). In this way we grow in the ‘zoe’ life, where this ‘zoe’ life begins to fully govern our minds, emotions, and wills, so that the devil is increasingly “pressed back” and retreats from our soul-life.

Third, every member of the church must be led directly by the Holy Spirit, just as in the early church. Jesus affirmed that “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). The system of church governance must be ‘Theocracy,’ just as Israel was meant to be. If the church is in such a condition, then the devil and his evil spirits are driven back step by step, and the church can receive its inheritance, namely the fullness of Christ.

Thus, the church will receive its inheritance if the three things above are carried out diligently. At His coming, the church will be glorified together with Christ and will receive its inheritance together with Christ (Romans 8:19–21).

We are still discussing Stephen’s sermon, in which he concluded with the story of David who desired to build the Temple, although in the end it was Solomon who built it. Why did Stephen end his sermon with the story of David’s desire to build the Temple as a dwelling place for Elohim? At least two points can be presented here.

First, the kingdom of David is a symbol or shadow of the Messianic kingdom. David received grace and a promise concerning his descendants, that his throne would never end (1 Chronicles 17). The Jewish people were always waiting for the coming of a leader (the Messiah) from the lineage of David, who would establish the kingdom of Israel forever. In the case where the second Temple had been destroyed by the Roman army, they also hoped that the Messiah would rebuild the Temple.

But we know that they rejected Jesus as their King and Messiah. This was because they expected the Messiah to build a ‘physical’ kingdom like the kingdom of David, for that was their understanding of the Messiah as the Son of David. They hoped that the Messiah would free them from ‘physical’ enemies, namely the surrounding nations that fought against Israel. They did not expect a Messiah who would free them from the bondage of sin.

At one time Jesus asked the Pharisees whose son the Messiah was (Matthew 22:41–46). Of course, the Pharisees immediately answered, ‘The Son of David’. But when Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah his ‘Lord’, and asked how it was possible that David called the Messiah his Lord while the Messiah was also his son, the Pharisees were unable to answer Him.

For us, however, this issue is very simple. The kingdom of David was only a symbol or shadow, while the Messianic kingdom is the reality. Jesus once said to Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. The Messianic kingdom exists in a higher dimension, namely the heavenly dimension (the kingdom of heaven). That is why David called the Messiah his ‘Lord’, because the kingdom of David is “lower” than the Messianic kingdom. The kingdom of David exists in the earthly dimension, while the Messianic kingdom exists in a higher dimension, the heavenly dimension.

Second, Stephen emphasized that although David’s intention to build the Temple was good, the Most High does not dwell in ‘physical places’ called the Jerusalem Temple (Acts 7:48–50). The Jerusalem Temple was only a symbol, and when the reality came, it was no longer needed. Indirectly, Stephen was rebuking the ‘physical thinking’ or ‘physical concepts’ of the Pharisees. If they had been able to let go of their ‘physical concepts’ about the Messiah, they would have been more open to receiving Jesus as their Messiah.

After Stephen explained the case of David, he then strongly rebuked the Sanhedrin. Both the kingdom of David and the Temple he longed to build were merely physical symbols. The reality of all these things is ‘spiritual,’ namely the Messianic kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) and the “Temple” built by the Messiah, which is the church (the saints). Sadly, the Pharisees were unable to shed their physical concepts.

These are the two points we need to reflect on as to why Stephen ended his sermon with the case of David and then rebuked the Sanhedrin.

We now enter chapter 8, where the gospel of the kingdom begins to spread to the regions of Judea and Samaria after the severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem. Those who were scattered went throughout the land preaching the gospel. This chapter specifically records the evangelism carried out by Philip, one of the seven chosen to serve tables (Acts 6:5).

There are several things we need to pay attention to in Philip’s evangelism in chapter 8. First, Philip preached the gospel of the kingdom of Elohim or the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and the name of Jesus Christ (verse 12). Philip preached the gospel of the kingdom just as the Lord Jesus preached it. The good news of the kingdom of heaven as written in the New Testament focuses on the coming of the Lord Jesus to establish the kingdom of heaven ‘fully’ on earth. This is the good news—that the kingdom of darkness has been destroyed by the Lord Jesus and is gradually being driven back from this earth.

Second, signs and miracles accompanied Philip’s preaching (verses 6–7). We must remember that the function of signs is only to confirm the word that is preached. This does not mean that without signs or miracles people cannot believe the gospel. Consider the ministry of John the Baptist, who did not perform a single sign, yet many people believed in Jesus because John the Baptist spoke the truth about Jesus (John 10:41–42). Therefore, above all, the word of God must be preached correctly.

Third, the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon the Samaritans (verse 16). This does not mean that when the Samaritans believed in Jesus Christ they did not receive the Holy Spirit who gives Life (‘zoe’) to those who believe. Rather, the Samaritans who believed in Jesus had not yet been ‘connected’ to the church in Jerusalem (the Body of Christ). Peter and John, as representatives

of the Jerusalem church (the Body of Christ), were needed to lay hands on them, and then the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was because Philip was not a ‘representative’ of the Jerusalem church, as the apostles were as leaders of the Jerusalem church.

Fourth, the case of Simon the sorcerer who later believed in Jesus (verse 13). Simon tried to offer money in order to receive the power to impart the Holy Spirit, as Peter and John did. Peter’s response was very firm in rebuking Simon, so that Simon asked to be prayed for that the severe rebuke would not come upon him. Here we see Peter’s attitude of being impossible to ‘bribe’ with money concerning the gift of Elohim. For the apostles, selling the gift of Elohim was a great evil.

We see how Jesus responded when there was trading in the Temple. Jesus drove out all who bought and sold in the Temple courts, overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and said, “You are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:12–13).

In the early church we do not see any ‘buying and selling’. Church funds that were collected were primarily given to the poor and to widows. Christianity that has been filled with ‘buying and selling’ can no longer be called the church, because its basic nature has changed into a “den of robbers.”

We continue with Philip’s evangelism in chapter 8, this time to the Ethiopian eunuch (verses 26–40). There are several things we will discuss in this evangelism.

First, the leadership of the Holy Spirit in Philip’s evangelism is clearly evident. We read in the passage above, “…an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip… Then the Spirit said to Philip… The Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away…”. In the book of Acts, there are about 70 expressions that emphasize that the Holy Spirit fully directed the movement of the church. This is very different from the general movement of Christianity today. In the Christian world, there are many church “managers” who regulate the movement of the church. These “managers” make plans, organize, motivate and lead, and establish control systems over church members. All of this happens because “savage wolves” have attacked some church leaders, so they exalt themselves by drawing the Lord’s disciples after themselves and controlling the Lord’s disciples who have become their followers (Acts 20:28–30). We will discuss this later.

Second, Philip’s evangelism was focused on Jesus. Note verse 35: “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” The passage read by the eunuch was a prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah, that the Messiah would be like ‘a lamb’ led to the slaughter and would not open His mouth, meaning He would not resist those who slaughtered Him.

A gospel that is focused ON JESUS must be emphasized, because today many preachers are focused on HUMAN NEEDS. Indeed, Jesus is very good and will meet our needs. But if our preaching is focused on human needs, especially physical needs, then Christians will seek Jesus in order to obtain physical needs. Jesus rebuked the crowd who sought Him because they had eaten physical bread and were filled (John 6). Jesus emphasized that the physical bread He gave was only a ‘sign.’ Jesus wanted the crowd to understand the ‘sign’ He performed and to come to Him to receive the bread of life, which is Himself. Evangelism must be focused on Jesus, so that people come to Jesus to receive the bread of life.

Let us take just one example of how a preacher who is focused on human needs will certainly misinterpret the Bible. A very popular and often-preached verse is found in John 10:10: “…I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” This verse is understood to mean that Jesus intends to give an abundant life in terms of health, prosperity, wealth, and so on, related to human physical needs.

If the preacher were focused on Jesus, he would not misinterpret it as above. He would understand that Jesus intends to give His Life (Greek: ‘zoe’) so that humans may know the Father and know Jesus whom He sent, for that is the purpose of ‘zoe’ life (John 17:3, eternal life = ‘zoe’ life). And if that ‘zoe’ life grows into abundance, then humans will know the Father and know Jesus truly and fully. There are still many other verses that are “twisted” by preachers who focus on human needs. And what is most tragic is that in the end they will also “twist” verses to meet their need for money. No wonder teachings such as tithes (money), firstfruits (money), faith pledges (money), and so on arise in the Christian world. This is the logical consequence for preachers who prioritize human physical needs. Such preaching does not glorify the name of the Lord Jesus.

Third, spontaneity regarding baptism. When the eunuch saw water, he spontaneously asked to be baptized. Philip immediately baptized him after ensuring that he believed in Jesus. There were no ‘religious regulations’ regarding baptism. Indeed, one of the characteristics of the early church was a spontaneous life led by the Holy Spirit. These are the three things we need to observe regarding Philip’s Spirit-led evangelism.

We now turn to the conversion of Saul, who previously persecuted the church (Acts 9:1–19). Verse 1 states, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest.” We need to realize that Saul was not a criminal or a murderer in the general sense. Saul, a Pharisee, according to his own confession, was “…as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:6). So Saul was a very devoutly religious person. The question now is: why can a devoutly religious person be so cruel in persecuting the church? To understand this, we need to look back and examine the origin of religion and what religion actually is.

Let us look at Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve fell into sin by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they realized/knew that they were naked, and therefore they felt ashamed. They felt or considered nakedness to be something “evil” and shameful. This is the result of eating the fruit of that Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve possessed KNOWLEDGE that they previously did not have.

In fact, ‘nakedness’ is not “evil” and does not have to produce shame, because God Himself placed Adam and Eve naked in the Garden of Eden. But Adam and Eve were placed by God in the Garden of Eden in a condition of NOT KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL (Genesis 3:22). The problem or sickness of Adam and Eve was that they possessed the knowledge of good and evil. As long as they did not have the knowledge of good and evil, their nakedness was not a problem and did not produce shame. The glory of Elohim “covered” them so that they did not feel ashamed. Sin caused them to lose the glory of Elohim and to feel ashamed of their nakedness. For sin causes humanity to fall short of the glory of Elohim (Romans 3:23).

Because of their shame, Adam and Eve made an effort of their own, namely sewing fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. This effort by Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness is the first RELIGIOUS EFFORT made by humanity. Subsequently, all the descendants of Adam and Eve would make religious efforts according to their knowledge of good and evil. THEREFORE, THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF RELIGION IS HUMAN EFFORT TO COVER ONE’S NAKEDNESS BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE GLORY OF ELOHIM DUE TO SIN. Every nation, tribe, or race without exception has this tendency. The tendency to be religious exists because human beings ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Atheism is also a religion—that is, a religion that does not acknowledge God.

Thus, religion is a human effort based on one’s knowledge of good and evil. In fact, the more religious a person is, the more arrogant he tends to become, because he relies on his own knowledge and effort. He will feel that he is the most correct, and will regard those who hold different views as people who are astray. And indeed, according to the Law of Moses, deception must be eradicated completely.

What religious people often fail to realize is that ‘faith’ is very different from ‘religion’. That is why Saul (who became Paul) acknowledged that when he persecuted the church, “…I did it all ignorantly, in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13). Even though Saul was very religious, he was outside of faith, and therefore he persecuted the church.

We will continue the story of Saul, but at this point we will discuss the authority Saul had to persecute the church (Acts 9:1–19). Notice verse 14: “And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” The phrase ‘authority’ is translated from the Greek term ‘exousia’, which means ‘authority’. It was this authority that gave Saul the right to judge, in the sense of declaring someone heretical and passing sentence upon them.

The Jewish religious court indeed had authority to judge the nation of Israel, not only in religious matters, but also to a certain extent in political and social matters. We know that Judaism originated from the covenant between Yahweh and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, with Moses as the mediator. And Jesus acknowledged the existence of ‘authority’ to judge within the Mosaic Covenant.

Let us look at Matthew 23:1–12: “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore do whatever they tell you and observe it… But you are not to be called Rabbi… you are all brothers… and call no man your father… neither be called leaders, for you have one Leader, the Messiah…’”

When Jesus spoke to ‘the crowds’, He commanded them to obey and practice the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, because they possessed “Moses’ seat.” “Moses’ seat” here speaks of ‘authority’. However, authority in the Old Testament was only symbolic. In the New Testament (the church or the people of the Kingdom), there is no “Moses’ seat,” nor any authority of one member over another. That is why, among the people of the Kingdom (the church), there must be no judging of one another. To judge means to declare guilt and to pass sentence. In the church, one may point out wrongdoing, rebuke, and exhort (2 Timothy 4:2), but one must not pass sentence, because in the church there is no authority of “Moses’ seat.” Peter did not judge Ananias and Sapphira. Peter merely pointed out their wrongdoing, and then the Holy Spirit passed judgment on Ananias and Sapphira.

Let us try to apply this truth to the Christian world, since it is common in Christianity to hear the phrase “do not judge,” especially directed toward denominational leaders. Judging and pointing out wrongdoing/rebuking are two very different things. Pointing out wrongdoing and rebuking are actually commanded within the context of the church.

A servant of God who does not have “Moses’ seat” or authority cannot judge. He can only point out wrongdoing and rebuke. But servants of God who possess “Moses’ seat” or authority are the ones who can judge, in the sense of declaring someone’s wrongdoing and passing sentence upon them.

We know that the church has split into tens of thousands of denominations because of fierce wolves who caused certain leaders to exalt themselves and draw disciples after themselves. Therefore, such leaders possess “Moses’ seat” or authority over the disciples they have drawn to themselves or their followers (Acts 20:28–30). These leaders—whether pastors or whatever they are called—have the right to declare the wrongdoing of their members and to pass judgment, even to the point of dismissing their representatives if necessary. They are the ones who have the power to judge. Perhaps the phrase “do not judge” in Christianity has been popularized by such people, so that their own wrongdoing would not be exposed. However, the people of the Kingdom cannot judge, and they entrust judgment over His church to the Lord Jesus at His coming.

We continue the story of Saul, namely his conversion that caused him to be temporarily blind. Acts 9:8 states, “Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing….” Saul’s blindness was physical, but the Bible repeatedly uses physical blindness as a picture of spiritual blindness.

A passage that clearly describes spiritual blindness is found in John 12:40: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” The context of this verse speaks of the leaders of Judaism (the Sanhedrin) who crucified Jesus even though Jesus had performed so many miracles ‘before their very eyes’ (12:37). The Pharisees and scribes had physical eyes and could clearly see the miracles Jesus performed, but they could not believe because Elohim had blinded their spiritual eyes.

Likewise Saul, although he was a Pharisee and blameless in keeping the Law, was spiritually blind—just like his teacher Gamaliel, who was highly respected by the people. The Father’s act of blinding Saul’s eyes after Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” has a deep meaning that we will discuss later.

Let us look at the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:17–18: “For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked… and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” The church in Laodicea consisted of believers who had been born again (saints) and had the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, for that is the New Testament definition of the church. The church is not unbelievers. Yet they had spiritual blindness, so that they said, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” Why is this so?

Let us take the example of Balaam, who could not see the Angel of the LORD with a drawn sword in His hand, ready to kill him, while his donkey had already seen and turned aside from the road (Numbers 22). Why could Balaam no longer see? Certainly because of money, wages, or bribery, which blinded him (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19).

Certainly one of the causes of the Laodicean church’s blindness was money, wages, or bribery. In the New Testament, Balaam is referred to as “the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,” “the error of Balaam for pay,” and “the teaching of Balaam” (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14). Thus, in the New Testament, Balaam represents those who minister yet love wages, and even formulate teachings that support a love of wages in ministry.

The seven churches in Revelation 2–3 portray churches that have deviated because of three false teachings: the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Let us apply these three false teachings to Christianity today, especially the teaching of Balaam. In general, Christianity has accepted the teaching of Balaam. Why? Christianity consists of “ministers” and congregations—priests and laity in Catholicism, pastors and congregations in Protestantism. Church ministers feel entitled to receive wages for ministry, and therefore they draw money from the congregation, whether through offerings, tithing teachings, firstfruits, faith pledges, or other means. Serving God in Christianity has become a profession, so those who minister are entitled to regular salaries and other offerings.

Let us look at the examples of Peter, Paul, John, and the other apostles. Did they draw church money for their personal needs and ministry? Did they teach doctrines to extract church funds through tithes, firstfruits, or faith pledges? The problem is that in Christianity, drawing church money has ‘become doctrine and is no longer questioned’. If it were merely a practice, only a few people would do it; but once it becomes doctrine, it is practiced by many and justified.

Do denominational leaders in Christianity not know the Bible? Not at all. Almost all of them hold theological degrees and are respected by many, especially their followers. The question is whether they ‘see or not’. By His grace, the people of the Kingdom can see what the teaching of Balaam truly is.

We are still discussing Saul, specifically Jesus’ words to him: “…Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4–5). From these verses we clearly see that Jesus does not distinguish Himself from the church. In fact, Saul was not persecuting Jesus; he was merely acting on his belief that the church was a heretical “sect” within Judaism and had to be eradicated. It turns out that Jesus and the church are one. Whoever persecutes the church persecutes Jesus.

To understand why Jesus identifies Himself with the church, we must discuss one important point in Paul’s theology, namely the ‘Body of Christ’. The term Body of Christ is used only by Paul; Peter and John do not use it. To explain the Body of Christ, we must understand the New Testament trilogy—that the communities produced by Peter’s ministry differ from those produced by Paul’s or John’s ministry. Many Bible teachers do not distinguish between the communities resulting from Peter’s ministry, Paul’s ministry, and John’s ministry.

Peter and his team primarily ministered to Jews, while Paul and his team ministered to the Gentiles, as well as Jews who believed through his ministry. Paul emphasized that ‘in Christ’ there is neither Jew nor Gentile. Meanwhile, the apostle John ministered to the seven churches in Asia Minor that had deviated because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam, and he called out the overcomers (Revelation 2–3).

Consider 1 Corinthians 11:16: “But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, ‘we’ have no such practice, nor do the ‘churches of Elohim’” (ILT). Also 1 Corinthians 15:9: “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the ‘church of Elohim’” (ILT). In 1 Corinthians 11:16, Paul clearly distinguishes his community (we) from Peter’s community, which he calls the ‘churches of Elohim’. He then states that he persecuted Peter’s community, the church of Elohim.

What about John’s community? Consider 1 John 1:3: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with ‘us’; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” From John’s statement it is clear that he and his team ‘no longer had fellowship (koinonia)’ with the seven churches in Asia Minor.

The Greek term ‘koinonia’ does not merely mean gathering for worship. It does not merely mean unity of mind; it goes deeper—it means being one spirit with the Holy Spirit. The early church (Peter’s community) ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship (koinonia)’ (Acts 2:42). Their level of ‘koinonia’ was such that “all who believed were together and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44).

Thus, John’s community represents the community of overcomers throughout the church age. The overcomers are not famous or powerful figures in Christianity, but simple people who do not participate in the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

The differences between the communities of Peter, Paul, and John do not mean that there are three different churches in the New Testament. Rather, we must understand these differences to more clearly grasp the truth about the ‘Body of Christ’.

Let us continue our discussion of the Body of Christ. We have emphasized that there are three communities in the New Testament writings: the communities of Peter, Paul, and John. To further understand these three New Testament ministries—Peter, Paul, and John—we must understand the principle of the ‘Trilogy’, which is discussed elsewhere in this ‘Kingdom Theology’ series. For now, we will focus on the meaning of the ‘Body of Christ’ as Paul intended.

What is a ‘Body’ or an ‘Organism’? To understand an organism correctly, we must understand the difference between an organism and an organization. According to the Indonesian dictionary, an organism is a systematic arrangement of various parts of a living body for a particular purpose. As a noun in biology, an organism is a living being. Thus, an organism refers to the interconnectedness of living body parts—such as feet, hands, and other parts—so that a specific purpose of the living being is achieved.

An organization, on the other hand, is defined as a unity or arrangement consisting of parts (people) in an association for a particular purpose. Another definition is a cooperative group of people formed to achieve a common goal. Thus, it is clear that an organization is the relationship between people within a structure, whereas an organism is the relationship between body parts within a living being.

Next, we must understand what kind of authority operates in an organism and what kind of authority operates in an organization. This is crucial, because neither an organism nor an organization can function without some form of governing authority.

Authority in an organizational context is human authority, which within a structure is called a ‘chain of command’. In an organizational structure, the chain of command connects one person to another. This chain determines who leads whom and who is responsible to whom. The person at the top of the organizational structure possesses the highest human authority.

Meanwhile, authority in the context of an organism is called the authority of life, or the life-authority of that being. It is the life of the being that governs the relationship between the feet and the hands. If there is no longer life within that being, then there is no longer any authority regulating the relationship between the hands and the feet; in fact, there is no movement of the hands and feet at all—namely, death.

Next, we must understand what Paul meant by the term ‘Christ’. Let us look at the Epistle to the Colossians, which explains the meaning of this term. Colossians 3:4 states, “… Christ, our life …” (ILT). Colossians 1:27 says, “… Christ in you ….” Paul emphasizes that Christ is our life (‘zoē’), and that Christ dwells within us. This means that Christ is the kind of life belonging to Elohim (zoē) that exists within our inner being. That is why Jesus emphasized, “I came that they may have life (zoē),” and Paul also said, “For to me, to live is Christ” (John 10:10; Galatians 2:20).

Now it is time for us to combine the two terms used by Paul, namely BODY and CHRIST. We must always remember that Paul emphasized that the church IS the Body of Christ. Paul did not say that the church is LIKE the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is an ORGANISM, in which there is a HEAD (Jesus) and MEMBERS OF THE BODY. The Head and the Body are not separated, BECAUSE THEY ARE UNITED BY THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE. Every member of the Body must move by the authority of Life. There must be no other authority within the church. Every member of the church moves by the authority of Life. The early church was an organism; that is why every member of the church was DIRECTLY COMMANDED BY THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT).

Such is the meaning of the BODY OF CHRIST. That is why, when Saul persecuted the church, he was also persecuting Jesus, because Jesus and the church are ONE ORGANISM IN THE TRUE SENSE. Today, the church has been divided into tens of thousands of denominations. The church and denominations are very different. Why? BECAUSE THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH IS THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE, WHEREAS THE AUTHORITY OF DENOMINATIONS IS THE AUTHORITY OF LEADERS (HUMANS).

Let us continue our discussion of the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1–18). Verses 4–5 state, “… Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? Saul answered, Who are You, Lord? ….” Here we see that Saul immediately addressed the voice he heard—Jesus—as LORD. This designation of LORD is very important for Saul’s subsequent spiritual journey.

Let us see what the term ‘Lord’ means in the original text. The Greek term ‘kurios’ actually means ‘the supreme authority’, or ‘the sole ruler’. This means that if someone calls Jesus LORD, he acknowledges that only Jesus determines everything in his life. Not only that, but he will obey every leading of Jesus Christ in his life. Therefore, the confession that Jesus is Lord is not merely verbal. Indeed, it is very possible for someone to confess Jesus with his lips, yet have his life governed by something else. This is precisely what we will discuss next.

Consider Matthew 7:21–23, which says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will declare to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” There are several things we need to observe from these verses.

First, those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will not necessarily enter the kingdom of heaven. This does not mean that one does not need to confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord. Rather, confessing Jesus as Lord is only “half the matter,” because one must confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in the heart in order to be saved (Romans 10:9). If someone truly believes in his heart, that faith will surely bear fruit in concrete actions.

Second, the requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven is doing the will of the Father. This does not mean that salvation depends on works. Salvation clearly depends solely on faith. However, it means that faith without works is dead and does not save (James 2:14–26).

Third, acts or ministries such as prophesying in the name of the Lord, casting out demons in the name of the Lord, and performing many miracles in the name of the Lord do not automatically guarantee that a person will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Fourth, the term ‘lawlessness’ in the above passage is translated from the Greek term ‘anomia’, which means the absence of law. It refers to not obeying the applicable law—in this case, the ‘law of the kingdom of heaven’. The law of the kingdom of heaven speaks of the authority of Jesus Christ as King above all kings.

The matter of AUTHORITY in the context of the kingdom of heaven is extremely important. That is why Jesus is called LORD, because He possesses the HIGHEST AUTHORITY. Jesus affirmed that all authority has been given to Him, and this is the reason why He commanded us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–20).

In his conversion, Saul had already called Jesus LORD, and throughout his spiritual journey, Saul learned how to obey the authority of Jesus without condition. Saul, who became Paul, referred to himself as a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’, meaning that he was completely led by the Holy Spirit. Paul was a free man, and no human authority above him could regulate his movements. In his missionary journey, he followed entirely the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, every member of the early church was directly led by the Holy Spirit. In this way, the early church acknowledged the authority of Jesus as LORD.

We are still discussing Matthew 7:21–23, a passage that is rarely examined in detail within Christianity, especially verse 23, which states: “Then I will declare to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” The term ‘you’ in this verse refers to those who prophesied in the name of the Lord, cast out demons in the name of the Lord, and performed many miracles in the name of the Lord. When Jesus declares this plainly, He rejects them. The moment when Jesus speaks plainly refers to the time of His coming (commonly called the Second Coming) as the righteous Judge. The crucial question from this verse is: who are the ‘you’ who commit ‘lawlessness’ (anomia) referred to here? Are they born-again Christians with remarkable ministries, as seen in the passage, or not?

The Greek term ‘anomia’ is also used in the parable of the ‘weeds among the wheat’ (Matthew 13). We can identify who the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 refers to by comparing the use of the same term (‘anomia’) in that parable. What is clear is that the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 call Jesus LORD, and Jesus does not deny that they performed prophetic ministry, cast out demons, and performed many miracles IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. What Jesus takes issue with is that they practiced ‘anomia’—lawlessness.

Let us look at the parable of the weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13). In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The Lord Jesus is the one who sowed the good seed, and the wheat represents the children of the kingdom. The devil is the one who sowed the evil seed, and the weeds represent the children of the evil one.

We must understand that the devil sowed the evil seed ‘in the field belonging to the Master in heaven’, so that both the weeds and the wheat are IN THE MASTER’S FIELD. At the early stage, weeds and wheat are very similar, making it impossible to distinguish between them. That is why the Master forbade His servants from pulling out the weeds before the time of harvest, lest the wheat also be uprooted.

The meaning of this parable describes what the kingdom of heaven is like, since it is preceded by the phrase, ‘the kingdom of heaven is like’. Initially, only Jesus sowed the good seed—the children of the kingdom. When the church was born on the day of Pentecost, only good seed was sown. But later, the devil sowed evil seed into the church, resulting in the church being divided into thousands of denominations as it is today—what we call the Christian world (Acts 20:28–30; the fierce wolves are the devil). Therefore, we can conclude that originally the church consisted only of “wheat seed,” but later developed into the Christian world in which there are both “weed seed” and “wheat seed.” Within the Christian world, there are “weeds,” namely those who practice ‘lawlessness’ (‘anomia’) (Matthew 13:41), which is the same as the ‘workers of lawlessness’ (anomia) in Matthew 7:23.

Furthermore, verse 41 also states that at the time of harvest, everything that causes stumbling will be gathered. We should note the term ‘stumbling’ (Greek: ‘skandalon’) in verse 41, which is also used in Revelation 2:14: “… among you are some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block (skandalon) before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.” Thus, this matter of causing stumbling refers to false teaching (Balaam) that the devil sowed into the church, leading God’s people to idolatry and immorality. In fact, there are three false teachings sown by the devil into the church, as written in Revelation 2–3: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping the authority of Life in the church), the teaching of the Nicolaitans (subjugating the laity, dividing the church into two classes—Catholic: priest-laity; Protestant: pastor-congregation), and the teaching of Balaam (justifying commerce within the church).

Such is the condition of the kingdom of heaven, in which there are both “weeds” and “wheat.” But at the time of harvest, the weeds and the wheat will be separated, and at that time Jesus will plainly reveal which are “wheat” and which are “weeds.” Jesus will also plainly speak to those who prophesied in the name of the Lord, cast out demons in the name of the Lord, and performed many miracles in the name of the Lord—and reject them.

Thus, the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 ARE the “weeds” in Matthew 13:41. Those who are rejected by Jesus from participating in the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven on earth at His coming are born-again Christians who nevertheless practice lawlessness (‘anomia’ = not following the rules/laws of the kingdom of heaven).

What are the rules or laws in the kingdom of heaven? Since Jesus is **LORD**, the rule in His kingdom is that Jesus Himself must directly govern all members of His church. The early church was an organism, in which every member was directly governed by the authority of Life, which is Jesus (I am the life = zoē). However, within the Christian world today, there are authorities other than the authority of Jesus—namely, the authority of denominational leaders (organizational authority). Those who serve the Lord Jesus but do not submit directly to the authority of Jesus, instead submitting to “other authorities,” are those who tend to be rejected at His coming from participating in the kingdom of heaven fully manifested on earth.

Let us continue the story of Saul’s conversion and now consider what Jesus said concerning Saul’s future life. Acts 9:16 states, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” Saul (Paul) was fully aware that his future involved suffering for the sake of Jesus’ name. In Acts 20:22–23, he declares, “… as a prisoner of the Spirit … I do not know what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.” Yet Paul was determined not to consider his life of any value to himself, as long as he could finish the race and complete the ministry entrusted to him by Jesus. Let us look at several passages related to suffering as taught by Paul.

First, Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him.” Here Paul firmly states that believing in Christ is a gift of grace, and likewise, suffering for Him is also a gift of grace.

Second, 2 Timothy 2:3 says, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” And 2 Timothy 3:12 states, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Paul realized that persecution would surely come if one desired to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Such persecution can come from anywhere, and to strengthen Timothy, Paul urged him to share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ.

Third, Romans 8:17 says, “… we are heirs … provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” By ‘being glorified’, Paul means that at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the Second Coming), we will be glorified together with Christ, in the sense of receiving resurrection bodies (glorified bodies), through which we will reign with Christ to liberate creation from its bondage to decay (Romans 8:19–21). However, Paul emphasizes here that if we are to share in glory with Christ at His coming, then now we must also share in the sufferings of Christ in our service.

Fourth, Acts 14:22 states, “… it is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of Elohim” (ILT). Paul exhorted and strengthened the disciples in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to continue in the faith, because entering the kingdom of heaven requires enduring many hardships.

Paul’s teaching on suffering does not mean that there is an additional requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven—namely, faith plus suffering. Entrance into the kingdom of heaven, or participation in the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth, depends solely on God’s choice and His grace. However, if we are chosen to share in the glory with Christ that will be revealed in the future, then we will automatically also share in the sufferings of Christ. The choice of grace and the suffering that accompanies it cannot be separated. Indeed, the present suffering we experience together with Christ only strengthens our future participation in the glory of His kingdom that will be fully manifested on earth.

We are still discussing the conversion of Saul and how the Holy Spirit reveals His guidance step by step. Let us consider Acts 9:6, which says, “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The Lord Jesus only instructed Saul to get up and go into the city, without explaining what would happen there. Similarly, when Saul testified about his conversion to King Agrippa in Acts 26:16, he said, “But now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen of Me and of what I will yet reveal to you.” Why is it important to discuss the guidance of the Holy Spirit that comes ‘step by step’?

Alright, let us observe the movement of the early church as recorded in the Book of Acts. We know that there are 28 chapters in this book, and there are about 70 expressions such as ‘the Spirit said’, ‘the prompting of the Spirit’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘filled with the Spirit’, and so on. The movement of the early church was clearly and entirely led by the Holy Spirit. One of the characteristics of being led by the Holy Spirit is a ‘spontaneous life’. The early church spontaneously gathered, prayed, evangelized, gave, and so forth. The apostles did not establish ‘religious regulations’, such as having to gather on Sunday, having to give tithes, or having to do this or that, as is commonly found in the world of Christianity.

What causes Christianity, in general, to be very structured in everything—its meeting days, its liturgy, its methods of offerings, and so on? Meanwhile, for those who read the New Testament with a clear mind, they certainly cannot find such ‘religious regulations’ as are commonly present in Christianity. In worship gatherings, Paul gave only one rule, which we may call the ‘mutual rule’, namely ‘mutual edification’, by which each person brings something, such as a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a gift of tongues, and its interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:26).

This may not seem very important to discuss, but Acts 20:28–30 explains something to us that is almost never discussed by leaders in Christianity, namely the attack of savage wolves (the devil) against church leaders. Because of these attacks by savage wolves, some leaders DRAW AWAY the Lord’s disciples with FALSE TEACHINGS in order to make them THEIR FOLLOWERS. These leaders need RELIGIOUS REGULATIONS in order to BIND their followers.

Religious regulations that are common in Christianity include the requirement to worship on Sunday and the PULLING OF MONEY from followers through various false teachings such as tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, and various other monetary offerings. Leaders who have been attacked by savage wolves will certainly try to justify their false teachings. But one thing is certain: the leaders of the early church never practiced or taught what is now commonly practiced by leaders in Christianity.

Because of the attacks of savage wolves, leaders no longer became SERVANTS, but MANAGERS, who manage the movement of the church, especially its followers. These managers make plans, organize, lead, and establish control systems over the movement of their followers. Once again, Paul and the other apostles were not church MANAGERS; rather, they were SERVANTS of the Lord and of His church. That is why the apostles never made plans or organizational systems like managers do. The division of tasks to distribute money to church members in need was not like the task of managers in Christianity (Acts 6). This division of tasks was merely a way for the apostles to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.

Therefore, if the church is led by the Holy Spirit, no religious regulations are needed at all. The Holy Spirit will DIRECTLY lead each member of the church ‘step by step’, as happened with Saul (Paul). But because of the attacks of savage wolves, church leaders began to act as managers and to regulate the church, and thus they felt the need to create religious regulations. Every denomination in Christianity has its own religious regulations. However, the people of the Kingdom do not draw followers, nor do they become followers of anyone, except as they learn to be led by the Holy Spirit ‘step by step’.

After Saul was baptized and became a disciple, Acts 9:31 states, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” This verse affirms that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria increased in number through the help and comfort of the Holy Spirit. We have mentioned that Peter’s community (church) was different from Paul’s community. Now we will discuss the movement or expansion of the church as recorded in the Book of Acts.

In the Greek text, this book is titled ‘Praxeis’ (Acts), a term commonly used in Greek literature to describe the achievements of a particular figure. It appears that this book is divided into two parts: the achievements of Peter (chapters 1–12) and the achievements of Paul (chapters 13–28). The church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria represents the achievements of Peter and his team, including other peoples such as the Samaritans and also Cornelius (chapter 10). Meanwhile, the movement of the church to the “ends of the earth” (Rome) represents the achievements of Paul and his team. Thus, the witnesses of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, fulfilled Acts 1:8, which states, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

If we look only at this book, it may seem that the movement of the church was carried out only by Peter and his team, and by Paul and his team. This is because many Christians, including Bible teachers, do not see the principle of Trilogy that we will briefly discuss below, namely that God has spoken three times through Peter, Paul, and John. In particular, if we understand the movement of the church through John and his team, we will see that the movement of the early

church cannot be equated with the movement of Christianity. In other words, the movement of Christianity is not a “natural continuation” of the movement of the early church. Something has happened to the church, and we will see it clearly only if we understand the movement of the church through the apostle John and his team. Let us look at this Trilogy principle.

In the dictionary, a trilogy means a group of three plays, novels, operas, etc., to be performed or read in succession, each complete in itself but having a common subject. Thus, a trilogy refers to a group of three works that are presented or read sequentially, each complete, yet sharing a common theme. If we apply this term to our discussion of the ministries of Peter, Paul, and John, then the meaning of trilogy is ‘a group of ministries consisting of three—namely the ministry of Peter, the ministry of Paul, and the ministry of John—where these ministries occur successively, beginning with Peter’s ministry, followed by Paul’s, and finally John’s’. Each of these three ministries is complete in itself, yet they all share a common theme. What is the common theme of their ministries? As we have seen, the theme of all three is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN or the KINGDOM OF ELOHIM, where Jesus Christ is King above all kings, and His chosen people are kings.

Is the concept of a trilogy found in the Bible? Although the term ‘trilogy’ is not written in the Bible, the concept of a trilogy is found extensively in Scripture. Let us first look at Proverbs 22:20, which reads, “Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge?” We will compare the Indonesian translation with the English translations. The King James Version reads, “Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsel and knowledge?” Young’s Literal Translation reads, “Have I not written to thee three times…?” The Jerusalem Bible reads, “Have I not written for you thirty chapters…?” The phrase ‘excellent things’ in Proverbs 22:20 comes from the Hebrew word ‘shalosh’, which according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (#7991, 7969) means a triple, or a triangle, or threefold, or the third rank, or three. Essentially, the root meaning of ‘shalosh’ is three. A slight change in the vowels of this Hebrew word makes it mean thirty, as in The Jerusalem Bible’s translation. However, Young’s Literal Translation is more accurate in accordance with the root meaning of the Hebrew word. And if we combine the translations of Young and the King James Version, it means that speaking three times in counsel and knowledge is something very good (excellent). Thus, the concept of trilogy is directly revealed in Proverbs 22:20.

We are still discussing the movement of the church in the Book of Acts. We know that the movement of the church in Acts records only the movement through Peter and Paul. But by understanding the Trilogy principle we have briefly discussed, we know that the movement of the early church recorded in Acts is explained or continued through the ministry of the apostle John. If someone does not understand John’s writings related to the movement of the church, then he will certainly view Christianity as a “natural continuation” of the movement of the early church. That is why almost all denominational leaders call their denomination the church. They make no distinction at all between denominations and the early church. The teaching of the ‘visible and invisible church’ initiated by Martin Luther supports this error (compare post-Reformation church doctrine in Berkhof’s ‘Systematic Theology’, pp. 560–561).

Therefore, let us begin to discuss the writings of the apostle John to understand that the movement of the early church is not the same as the movement of Christianity, meaning that the movement of Christianity is NOT A NATURAL CONTINUATION of the early church. Consider 1 John 1:3, which states, “That which WE have seen and heard we proclaim also to YOU, so that YOU too may have FELLOWSHIP with US….” The First Epistle of John is a general letter addressed to the seven churches in Asia Minor, which had been contaminated by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. The apostle John and his team no longer had fellowship (‘koinonia’) with them, because these three false teachings led the church into idolatry (Revelation 2–3). Meanwhile, the early church had a strong characteristic, namely fellowship/koinonia (Acts 2:42).

In truth, the church is a gathering of believers with close ‘koinonia’. Without ‘koinonia’, a gathering of believers can no longer be called a church. The church is like a collection of “living stones” arranged neatly into the Temple of Elohim. If those “living stones” are scattered, then it is not a church. Thus, denominations are collections of “living stones” that are scattered, where each group of “living stones” follows its own leader. In other words, the early church has been broken into thousands of denominations. Can we still call denominations the church? Paul already prophesied the division of the church because leaders would be attacked by savage wolves, causing each leader to seek his own followers (Acts 20:28–30).

Notice that the Lord calls the overcomers in each church in Asia Minor (Revelation 2–3). The overcomers are those who receive His grace, so that they do not take part in the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. These overcomers are the ones who continue the movement of the early church. In every age, God has His overcomers. It must be remembered that these overcomers are not the “great people” in Christianity, because generally the great and famous figures in Christianity take part in the three false teachings. Therefore, we now see that the movement of the early church is not directly continued by Christianity, but by His overcomers who represent the early church.

We now enter chapter 10 and discuss how the Jewish people viewed other nations in relation to the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom. Consider verse 28, which says, “And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.’”

The story in chapter 10 speaks of how the gospel of the Kingdom was received and opened to the Gentiles. It seems that the Jewish people misunderstood Yahweh’s choice, thus considering other nations unclean or defiled.

Let us observe how Yahweh established His covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:5–6 states, “…you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….” Here we see three important things related to the Mosaic Covenant. First, Israel would become Yahweh’s treasured possession. Second, Israel would become a kingdom of priests, meaning the entire nation would become kings and priests. What is the function of being a priest? Since Yahweh says, “All the earth is Mine,” Israel was expected to function as priests to the other nations. That is, Israel would stand before Yahweh on behalf of other nations, and Israel would bless other nations on behalf of Yahweh. As mediators, the task of priests is to bring other nations before Yahweh and to bring Yahweh to other nations. That is the task of priests. Third, Israel would become a holy nation, meaning set apart for Yahweh’s own purposes and goals.

Likewise, we see God’s promise to Abraham, the forefather of Israel: “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Specifically, the offspring of Abraham refers to Christ Jesus, who would become a blessing to all the families of the earth. But Abraham’s physical descendants, the nation of Israel, would also become a blessing to the nations, as we see in the Mosaic Covenant above, where Israel was planned to be priests to the other nations. Acts 13:47 also confirms this: “…I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (LAI).

Perhaps Israel’s misunderstanding that they were appointed to be priests and a blessing to other nations was caused by the incident of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. When Israel worshiped idols, Moses cried out, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me,” and we know that only the tribe of Levi came to Moses (Exodus 32:26). Thereafter, we see that God chose only the tribe of Levi to be priests, not for the other nations, but only for the other tribes of Israel. Thus, the failure of the priesthood of the entire nation of Israel occurred at Mount Sinai. Even Peter himself had to receive a special revelation in the form of a vision concerning unclean animals (verses 10–16). But then Peter understood that he should not call any person unclean.

We continue our discussion of the Jewish misunderstanding that regarded other nations as unclean and impure. Now we will see how Peter was given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 16:19: “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Here we see that after Peter received revelation about who Jesus is, Jesus gave Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, meaning that Peter would become the one who opens the way for people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Peter used this “key” for the Jewish people in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand people repented, were baptized, and were called disciples, because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven (Acts 2:41–42). Then Peter also used this key to open the way for the Gentiles to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in the case of Cornelius, which we are currently discussing (Acts 10).

However, we must understand why Peter was entrusted with the keys of the kingdom of heaven by the Lord Jesus. In the tradition of the Catholic Church, Peter is regarded as the first Pope, the direct successor of Jesus in the leadership of the Church. Thus, to this day, the Pope holds the highest authority in the Catholic Church.

Let us consider Matthew 16:18, which serves as the theological basis for the Catholic Church’s belief that Peter is the leader of the Church. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” At first glance, this verse seems to suggest that Jesus would build His church upon the ‘person’ of Peter. However, the Greek term for ‘Peter’ in this verse is ‘petros’, while the Greek term for ‘rock’ is ‘petra’. The meaning of ‘petros’ is ‘a stone’, referring to Peter as an individual, one of the twelve apostles. Meanwhile, ‘petra’ does not refer to Peter as a person, but can be understood either literally (rock) or figuratively, namely as referring to the ‘revelation given to Peter’ that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim (Matthew 16:16). Therefore, Jesus would build His church not on Peter as a person, but on the foundation of the REVELATION CONCERNING THE PERSON OF JESUS.

We have repeatedly emphasized in this series of writings that among the people of the kingdom there is no one who possesses authority except Jesus Himself (Matthew 23:1–12). Indeed, in the Catholic Church the Pope holds the highest authority, and in Protestant churches the senior pastor or shepherd of the congregation holds the highest authority. This represents the fall of the early church into tens of thousands of denominations, including the Catholic denomination. This is the teaching of Jezebel, who usurped the authority of her husband (King Ahab) in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. The Christian world (both Catholic and Protestant) has justified this usurpation of authority, because it has already become a ‘doctrine’, no longer merely a ‘practice’ carried out by a few leaders. Instead, all leaders in the Christian world have accepted and taught this doctrine of Jezebel.

In truth, whoever belongs to the people of God and, by His grace, receives a revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of Elohim—and therefore receives a revelation of the Messianic kingdom (the kingdom of heaven)—to that person the Lord Jesus also gives the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’, to open the way for those who believe in the gospel of the kingdom.

Let us look at the main points of Peter’s sermon to Cornelius and those gathered with him (Acts 10:34–43). First, Elohim shows no partiality (v. 34). Second, Jesus Christ is Lord of all (v. 36). Third, there are witnesses that Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead (vv. 39–40). Fourth, Jesus is appointed as judge of the living and the dead (v. 42). Fifth, whoever believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. Peter’s sermon was interrupted because the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and those with him.

We will not discuss all the points of Peter’s sermon, but will focus specifically on the second and fourth points. It is emphasized that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. What does it mean that Jesus is Lord over all people? Clearly, it means that Jesus has authority over all people. The Greek term ‘kurios’ (Lord) means sole ruler or holder of supreme authority.

Before Jesus gave what is commonly called the Great Commission to disciple ALL NATIONS, He spoke about HIS AUTHORITY over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18–20). There is a conjunction, ‘therefore’ (Greek, ‘oun’), which links Jesus’ authority and the command to disciple all nations

(verses 18 and 19). This means that the basis for Jesus’ command to disciple all nations is that He possesses authority over heaven and earth.

If Jesus did not have authority over heaven and earth, there would be no basis for commanding that all nations be discipled. Do we see here that salvation, or making all nations His disciples, DEPENDS on Jesus’ authority? Salvation does not depend on human response, because all humans are dead in sin, and it is impossible for the dead to respond to anything. Jesus Himself clearly stated that no one can come to Him unless the Father has granted it by grace (John 6:44).

In John 12:32, Jesus declared, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” Being lifted up from the earth means dying, rising again, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, and therefore possessing authority over heaven and earth. Thus, when Jesus commanded His disciples to disciple all nations, He Himself would draw all nations to Him. Jesus did not intend to command the disciples to disciple all nations and then leave the outcome dependent on the response of the nations. If that were the case, His command would have no authority. Jesus commanded that all nations become His disciples, yet in reality many nations have not believed in Jesus. If that were truly the case, it would prove that Jesus does not have authority over heaven and earth (over all things). But that is not so, my brother. The conclusion here is that when Jesus commanded that ALL nations be discipled, ALL nations will come to Jesus and become His disciples.

The next point, the fourth, is that Jesus is appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Generally, Christians—including their teachers in the Christian world—understand judgment merely as evaluating someone and pronouncing a verdict upon them, namely that those who do not believe in Jesus are cast into hell forever. This doctrine of eternal hell contains many errors. First, it changes the wages of sin, which were originally ‘death’ (Romans 6:23), into eternal hell in the sense of endless torment. Second, it fails to understand the authority of Jesus and that salvation depends on Jesus’ authority, not on the response of humans who are dead in sin. Third, it fails to understand the positive meaning of judgment, which is that people may come to know the truth (Isaiah 26:9). There are certainly many other ‘blunders’ in the doctrine of eternal hell, but for now this will suffice.

We have emphasized that Peter was given the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’, in the sense that Peter opened the way for other nations to receive the revelation of the word concerning the kingdom of heaven. Peter used these ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ in the case of Cornelius. However, this caused a dispute when Peter arrived in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1–18). After Peter explained everything, verse 18 states, “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified Elohim, saying, ‘Then Elohim has also granted repentance to the Gentiles leading to life.’” The phrase ‘repentance leading to life’ is translated from the Greek expression ‘metanoia eis zoe’. The preposition ‘eis’ (into) indicates a point to be reached or attained. Thus, repentance enables a person to reach or receive ‘zoe’—the kind of life lived by Elohim.

Peter received the keys of the kingdom of heaven in the sense of ‘opening the way’ so that the Gentiles might receive ‘zoe’. Jesus said in John 14:6, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life (zoe).” This personal revelation of Jesus was proclaimed by Peter (the WAY), by Paul (the LIFE = zoe), and by John (the TRUTH). At this time, we will discuss only the revelation of ‘zoe’ proclaimed by Paul, because Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles. The revelation concerning how the Gentiles are united with the Jews was given especially to Paul. Therefore, we will examine his writings to understand this.

Consider Ephesians 3:3–6: “that by revelation He made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already. By reading this, you may understand my insight into the mystery of Christ… that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body through the gospel.” This is the revelation given to Paul concerning the uniting of Jews and Gentiles in Christ. At least three points must be noted from this passage in order to understand the revelation given to Paul.

First, the mystery of CHRIST. When Paul uses the term CHRIST, he means: Christ is our life (zoe) (Colossians 3:4). Furthermore, Christ within us is the riches of glory for the Gentiles—“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Moreover, Christ is the kingdom of heaven within us—“the kingdom of Christ is within you” (Ephesians 5:5; Luke 17:21, entos = within).

Second, Christ is corporate: there is Christ the HEAD (Jesus Christ), and there is Christ the BODY (all members of the church—believing Jews and believing Gentiles).

Third, the believing Gentiles become fellow heirs together with believing Jews. The inheritance of the Body of Christ is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which will be given at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the second coming). The giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and also in the house of Cornelius, was only a down payment or guarantee (Ephesians 1:14, ‘arrabon’ = a down payment guaranteeing that the full amount will be given later).

Thus, believing Gentiles are joined with believing Jews. Next, we will discuss in more detail the inheritance of the Body of Christ, because in the Christian world it is commonly accepted that by believing in Jesus we go to heaven, which is understood as ‘a beautiful place far away’.

Let us continue our discussion of the inheritance of the Body of Christ. We have emphasized that the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Body of Christ, which began at Pentecost, is still only a down payment (Ephesians 1:14). The Father has promised to give the full payment later, namely the outpouring or giving of the Holy Spirit IN FULL, as Jesus received when He was baptized by John the Baptist. That is why Jesus promised believers that they would do greater works than He did (John 14:12). The reason believers can do greater works is because Jesus goes to the Father. Jesus’ going to the Father means dying, rising again, and sitting at the right hand of the Father. This is the basis for the giving of the Holy Spirit in Peter’s sermon that we have already discussed (Acts 2:33).

When does the giving or outpouring of the Holy Spirit IN FULL occur? This takes place at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the second coming). In Revelation 14:14–16, this full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is described as the HARVEST OF THE END TIMES, when Jesus harvests His church that has already matured (the firstfruits of the church, James 1:18). Not all members of the Body of Christ will be harvested at His coming, because not all members of the Body of Christ have matured. The end-times harvest reaps only those members of the Body of Christ who have matured.

This event of the ‘end-times harvest’ is explained by Paul in Romans chapter 8, where the sons of Elohim are harvested and revealed to all creation in order to free creation from its bondage to corruption (Romans 8:19–21). Romans chapter 8 explains ‘glorification by faith’, which is the climax of our salvation, in which the “firstfruits” of the church are harvested. Let us quote only a few verses to explain this. Romans 8:10 says, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17 says, “… co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23 says, “… we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is described as ‘the redemption of our body’, that is, the putting off of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorious body like that which Jesus has, because we are co-heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we harvested or glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

When and where does this ‘glorification by faith’ occur? Certainly when the kingdom of heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully revealed on earth at His coming (the second coming). How does glorification by faith occur? When our physical bodies are replaced with glorious bodies like that which Jesus possesses. For God’s chosen people who have died before Jesus’ coming, they will wait for the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of our being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? To liberate all creation from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth, and there will also be a New Heaven. When Elohim creates the New Heaven and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heaven and earth are totally destroyed and replaced. In theology, the term is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. That is, the New Heaven and New Earth are the first heaven and earth that have undergone a ‘radical transformation’ through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim. This kind of ministry of the children of Elohim is what Jesus meant when He said, ‘you will do greater works than I have done’. This is the inheritance of the Body of Christ for us who believe.

We will say a little more about the inheritance of the Body of Christ, consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles. We have emphasized that the inheritance of the Body of Christ is the outpouring or giving of the Holy Spirit ‘in full’, which will occur at the coming of Jesus (the second coming). We have explained that not all Christians who have believed in Jesus and been born again will receive this inheritance at His coming. However, it seems necessary to explain this again through the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1–23, to make it clearer why not all members of the Body of Christ will receive their inheritance at His coming.

The parable of the sower speaks about the response of people to whom the “seed” of the word of the kingdom of heaven is sown, or the “seed” of Jesus as Life (zoe). The seed of ‘zoe’ that falls along the path is certainly not born-again Christians, because the devil (“the birds”) devours it completely (Matthew 13:4). But the seed of ‘zoe’ that falls on rocky ground and among thorns represents born-again Christians, because they receive the seed of ‘zoe’, yet do not grow and bear fruit as they should (Matthew 13:5–7). Those sown on good soil are born-again Christians who, in due time, produce mature fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. These are the ones harvested by Jesus and who receive the inheritance of the Body of Christ at His coming. But we must always remember that fruitful Christians are those who receive grace to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11–17).

Let us take a closer look at this parable. There are several lessons we can draw from the parable of the sower. First, Jesus—and certainly His apostles as well—proclaimed the word concerning the kingdom of heaven. Of course, Jesus also spoke about the church, but the focus of all His words was the word of the kingdom of heaven. Second, from this parable it is evident that a person’s response determines whether the word of the kingdom of heaven that is sown will bear fruit or not. But once again, we must not conclude that everything depends on human response, for everything depends on His grace. Thus, in truth, everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven to someone or not (Luke 12:32). As for the human heart that has fallen into sin, it has been severely corrupted, and no one seeks God (Romans 3:11). If someone understands the word of the kingdom of heaven, it is because the Father is at work in that person’s heart.

The third lesson we need to see in this parable concerns ‘fruit’. In the Christian world, we often hear about a Christian’s ‘fruit’, namely the number of souls won, one’s character, or even material blessings obtained through one’s ‘ministry’. None of these is the ‘fruit’ meant by hearing and understanding the word of the kingdom of heaven.

The fruit that is meant is what is referred to in James 1:18, namely becoming part of the “firstfruits” of creation. The firstfruits, in the context of the New Testament, are the chosen ones who therefore mature earlier and are ready to be harvested by the Lord Jesus to join Him in establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth, so that the earth moves toward becoming a new earth. Indeed, through His death and resurrection, Jesus sowed Himself as Life (‘zoe’) into His chosen people; therefore, Jesus will obtain fruit—people who will be with Him to carry out the Father’s will on earth.

Therefore, the ‘full’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the inheritance of the Body of Christ (the Jewish nation and the other nations) will only be received by the ‘firstfruits’ of the church. And all of this is solely the decision of the Father in heaven.

We have discussed how Peter used the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ to open the way for the Gentiles in the case of Cornelius, a man of Italian nationality. Yet even so, the disciples who were scattered because of the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen continued to preach the gospel only to the Jews (Acts 11:19). This proves how strong their understanding was regarding the distinction between Jews and Gentiles.

However, Acts 11:20 emphasizes, “…there were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and began speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news that Jesus is Lord.” The men of Cyprus and Cyrene referred to in this verse were Jews who had been scattered as far as Cyprus and Cyrene due to the persecution that arose after Stephen was martyred.

Luke records that the hand of the Lord was with their preaching, so that a great number of Greeks believed. This confirmed the Lord’s favor upon their evangelism and also declared the will and plan of God for the Gentiles. Subsequently, Barnabas was sent by the apostles in Jerusalem to strengthen the church in Antioch, and he also brought Saul of Tarsus to teach the church in Antioch (Acts 11:22–26). It was in the church at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians, which means followers of Christ.

If we return to Acts 1:8, which states, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth,” then the church in Antioch functioned as a “mission center,” through which, by Paul, the good news of the kingdom of heaven reached the ends of the earth—namely Rome, which at that time could be regarded as “the ends of the earth.” Thus, the early church fulfilled its calling as witnesses of Christ.

It appears that the designation ‘Christian’ in the church at Antioch did not merely mean follower of Christ, but carried a deeper significance. We know that there were differences between the churches established by Peter and his team and those that would later be established by Paul and his team. Consider again 1 Corinthians 11:16: “But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God” (ILT). Thus, Paul clearly distinguishes between the churches pioneered by him (we) and the churches pioneered by Peter and his team (the churches of God).

There is a striking difference between the churches pioneered by Paul and those pioneered by Peter. Consider Acts 21:20–21: “…They said to Paul, ‘Brother, you see how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law. But they have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses…’” The churches pioneered by Peter and his team (Jewish believers in Jesus) did indeed still observe certain regulations of the Law, though certainly not the sacrificial laws that had to be carried out by the Levitical priests in the Temple.

By contrast, Paul, who received the revelation of the unity of Jews and Gentiles into one Body of Christ, no longer practiced the regulations of the Law. Consider Ephesians 2:15: “by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that He might create in Himself the two into one new man, thus making peace.” Here Paul firmly states that through the death of Jesus, the Law—which was the “dividing wall” between Jews and Gentiles—has been abolished, thus creating one new man composed of Jews and Gentiles.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why, by the prompting of the Spirit, the disciples in Tyre advised Paul not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3–4). Because of the differences in task and revelation received, if Paul were to go to Jerusalem, unnecessary conflict could arise between him and the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.

We enter into the story in chapter 12, where James is killed by King Herod. And because Herod knew that this action pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter, intending to bring him before the people. But the church prayed earnestly for him, and the Lord delivered him through the help of an angel.

In this case, the church suffered persecution from the political world (King Herod). But we must remember that Jesus was actually killed by the Jewish Religious Council—the religious world. Pilate, who represented the political world, had actually wanted to release Jesus. But the Jewish Religious Council insisted, and even incited the crowd to choose Barabbas, a murderer, to be released, and Jesus was crucified.

Throughout church history, we can see that persecution of God’s people can come from the political world, but also from within the religious world. Why is the church persecuted by both the political and the religious worlds? Indeed, it is written that all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). But there is one common element between the political and religious worlds that enables them to persecute the church, namely the presence of human power (authority).

The church cannot persecute anyone—not only because the church teaches the love of Christ, but because within the church there is no human authority. The church is an organism, the Body of Christ, in which only one authority operates: the authority of the Life of that organism. Within the church there is only one authority, namely the authority of the Life of Christ (zoe). The apostles, elders, and deacons who became leaders in the early church did not have authority over the members of the church. They were merely “joints and ligaments” that hold the Body together, so that all the members hold fast to the Head and the Body receives its divine growth (Colossians 2:19).

If a church member possesses human authority, then he can judge—in the sense of evaluating someone’s condition—and pass a verdict on that member. Peter did not have authority over Ananias and Sapphira. Peter merely became a “channel” of the Holy Spirit, through whom the Holy Spirit evaluated the condition of Ananias and Sapphira’s hearts and passed judgment upon them. The political world and the religious world possess ‘human authority’; therefore, political or religious leaders who hold such authority can evaluate a person’s condition and pass judgment upon others, in whatever form that judgment may take. All members of the church can only point out wrongdoing, but cannot pass judgment, because they do not possess human authority.

Jesus firmly told His disciples that they are all brothers, meaning that there must be no “seat of Moses” among them (Matthew 23:1–12). No one is to be called leader, father, or rabbi, because there is only one leader of the church—the Messiah—who leads each member of the church directly through His Life (zoe). This does not mean that there are no apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers in the church, but that none of them has authority over the other members. All are brothers. This is the church built by Jesus, and it is profoundly different from the political world and the religious world.

Let us look at the ‘prostitute woman’ mentioned in Revelation 17:5–6, who is drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. This means that this prostitute woman persecutes the saints and the witnesses of Jesus. Who is this prostitute woman? Since Adam is a type of Christ Jesus, Eve is a type of the church as the bride of Adam (Romans 5:14). Because the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ—and therefore of His church—expressed in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1), this prostitute woman is the church, but with certain characteristics.

The characteristic of this prostitute woman is ‘Babylon the Great’. Babylon was a historical city built by Nimrod. Since in the book of Revelation Babylon becomes a symbol, the Babylon attached to the prostitute woman signifies a church in which the authority of “Nimrod” exists. Thus, the Christian world (Catholic and Protestant) constitutes human kingdoms in which the authority of various “Nimrods” operates.

Does the Christian world persecute the saints and the witnesses of Jesus? Those who study Christianity understand that the Christian world (especially Catholicism) has been drunk with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. Of course, not only Catholicism—the Catholic–Protestant wars in Germany alone lasted 30 years and claimed an enormous number of victims, not to mention other events. Indeed, the religious world inevitably persecutes the saints, because it possesses human authority. However, the church built by Jesus does not possess human authority, and therefore there will be no persecution of the saints by fellow members of the church.

We enter into chapter 13 and see how Barnabas and Saul were sent out from the church in Antioch (Acts 13:2). The sending of Barnabas and Saul was not a program devised by the church in Antioch. Barnabas and Saul were commanded solely by the Holy Spirit to carry out a special task. This special task is written in Acts 14:27: “…that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

This special task is commonly called ‘mission’, and those who carry it out are called ‘apostles’; therefore, Paul’s journeys are called ‘missionary journeys’ or ‘apostolic ministry’. The special task carried out by Paul and his team was to ‘open the door of faith to the Gentiles’, in the sense of pioneering churches and appointing elders to shepherd the churches they established. In each city there were elders (plural) who shepherded the church, and each church pioneered by Paul was named according to the city in which it was located—for example, the church in Corinth, the church in Thessalonica, the church in Philippi, and so on. This differs from the churches pioneered by Peter and his team, which were called “the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). Because Peter and his team specifically served the Jews, and Paul and his team were set apart for the Gentiles, the churches pioneered by Peter were bounded by a nation—namely, the Jewish nation—and were called ‘the church of God’. But the churches pioneered by Paul were bounded by a locality (a city) consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, because there was no longer any distinction.

We need to distinguish between apostolic ministry and the general ministry of the church. Generally, in apostolic gatherings only the apostle speaks (one-way), whereas church gatherings are arranged in such a way (usually around a table) that every member of the church can build one another up by offering a psalm, teaching, a revelation from God, a tongue, or an interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Not all church members receive an apostolic calling. We see this in the church at Antioch, where only Barnabas and Saul were given a ‘special task’ (an apostolic task). In his movements, Paul did not make his own plans. Everything he did was according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He even referred to himself as a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’ and did not know what would happen from city to city (Acts 20:22–23).

Once again we see in the early church that both apostolic ministry and general church ministry were directly governed by the Holy Spirit. The authority of the Holy Spirit over every church member is clearly evident. This is the main characteristic of the early church. No one attempted to seize authority over church members.

But when the attack of savage wolves came upon the elders, some elders began to draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves through various false teachings (Acts 20:28–30). The Christian world as we know it has experienced the attack of savage wolves, where the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted. False teaching here implies that there is an original, true teaching. For example, church leaders are only to ‘equip’ the Lord’s disciples, who in turn build up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–12). Meanwhile, false teaching not only ‘equips’ the Lord’s disciples but also ‘draws’ the Lord’s disciples to themselves—in other words, not only winning souls but also seeking ‘followers’. Furthermore, the original teaching on giving is according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the willingness of each member. But false teaching “forces” the Lord’s disciples through false doctrines of tithing, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, and so forth.

In the Christian world, in each locality (denomination) there is generally one person who ‘rules’, whether he is called the senior pastor, senior elder, or by any other title. Generally, the authority of these ‘rulers’ extends not only to directing the movement of the church (read: its followers), but also to owning all church assets collected from the followers’ money. This condition is completely different from that of the early church. Therefore, ministry and church gatherings, as well as apostolic ministry and gatherings, have become almost indistinguishable in the Christian world.

We continue discussing chapter 13 by looking at how Paul and Barnabas confronted a sorcerer and false prophet, Bar-Jesus or Elymas, a Jew (verse 6). When Paul and Barnabas were proclaiming the word of God to the proconsul of the island of Cyprus, Elymas tried to hinder Paul’s preaching. By the wisdom of the Lord, Paul rebuked him, thus, “…you son of the devil, you who are full of all deceit and wickedness, an enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” (13:10).

Elymas, this false prophet and sorcerer, was rebuked by Paul as a “son of the devil.” We do not need to immediately judge that Elymas, a Jew, had no connection at all with the Jewish religion. For Jesus also rebuked the Jewish religious leaders by saying that their father was the devil (John 8:44). Even the designation “false prophet” given to him proves that he was someone connected to the Jewish religion. It was just that he practiced sorcery and deception toward the governor of the island for purposes that clearly benefited himself.

Let us now directly apply this case to the Christian world. For the books of the New Testament also frequently mention false teachers, false prophets, false brothers, false motives, false circumcision, and false miracles. We will not focus too much on what kind of ‘falsehood’ they spread, but rather on their “magical power” by which they are able to deceive many people. Therefore, specifically, it is this ‘magical power’ within the context of Christianity that we will discuss now.

Let us look at Revelation 18:23: “…by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.” Young’s Literal Translation renders the term ‘deceived’ as ‘led astray’. Here, ‘astray’ means ‘to go in the wrong direction’ or ‘to have the wrong result’. Thus, ‘led astray’ means being LED in the wrong direction and also producing the wrong outcome. This verse speaks about LEADERSHIP, but leadership that causes those who are led to walk in a deviating (erroneous) direction.

In this verse it is also emphasized that this deviant leadership is connected with ‘sorcery’. That is, the deviation in leadership is caused by the leader using sorcery, whether consciously or unconsciously. The Greek term for ‘sorcery’ here is PHARMAKEIA, whose other occurrence is found only in Galatians 5:20. The term ‘pharmakeia’ comes from ‘pharmakeus’, which means ‘medication’ (pharmacy). Strong defines it as ‘the use of medicine, drugs, or spells’. One meaning of ‘spells’ here is ‘words that are thought to have magic power’ or ‘a quality that a person has that makes him or her so attractive’. Thus, ‘pharmakeus’, meaning ‘medication’, refers to the use of drugs in such a way that a person is made to “fly,” or is not fully conscious, thereby making the person who speaks to him appear extremely attractive.

The context of Revelation 18:23 is the symbol of the woman (the church, Revelation 17), which we have discussed extensively. The leadership of this woman in Revelation 17 is very ‘attractive’ and causes many people to follow her. It is said that this woman sits on “many waters,” where the waters symbolize many peoples (Revelation 17:15). Thus, through the leadership of the woman (the church) of Revelation 17, many of God’s people are attracted and follow her, as if under a spell or as if they had drunk a drug that makes them not fully conscious.

Why are so many of God’s people attracted and enchanted by the leadership of the woman in Revelation 17? According to the Epistle of Jude, the false teachers “…pervert the grace of our Elohim into sensuality…” (verse 4, ILT). That is, these leaders teach the GRACE OF ELOHIM but direct it toward FLESHLY MATTERS. Even when quoting very spiritual verses, they direct them toward the flesh. For example, a verse they often quote is, “…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). They say that this abundance means abundance in spiritual life, physical life, health, prosperity, freedom from problems, disasters, and so on. Yet this verse speaks about ‘Life’ (zoe), where the abundance of ‘zoe’ life means an abundance of knowing God (John 17:3), an abundance of understanding and obeying His commandments (John 12:50), an abundance of love, joy, peace, patience, and so on—the fruits of the Spirit—because the fruits of the Spirit are contained in ‘Life’. John 10:10 does not speak at all about physical matters. There are many other verses used by these church leaders (Revelation 17), for example regarding tithes, firstfruits (money), wealth through sowing, and so on. All verses are used by the leaders of the church of Revelation 17 to be DIRECTED TOWARD FLESHLY THINGS.

Who would not be attracted when preached to that if you follow God you will be rich, successful, prosperous, free from problems, free from sickness, become the head and not the tail, and so on? Many of God’s people are not aware that they HAVE BEEN ENCHANTED. God’s people are “flying” and no longer fully conscious.

One sign that they have been enchanted by their leader is this: when the Lord Jesus is insulted, they remain calm; but when their pastor is criticized, they immediately attack with verses, especially the verse “DO NOT JUDGE.” God’s people who defend their pastor WITHOUT SOUND REASON are clearly a sign of being “not conscious” and already under a spell. However, these “sorcerers” in the church will later face the judgment of the Lord Jesus at His coming, just as the church (Revelation 17–18) faces God’s judgment.

Let us continue our discussion in chapter 13, and now we will see how Paul delivered his sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (13:16–41). At this time we are not discussing the content of Paul’s sermon, but we will look at the result of his sermon: “…and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (13:48). In order to believe the gospel, a person must first be appointed. And because they believe, they receive eternal life, where the Greek expression for eternal life is ‘zoe aionios’. We know that ‘zoe’ is the kind of life lived by Elohim, and ‘aionios’ is an adjective that explains a noun (aion). Many Bible translations translate the noun ‘aion’ as ‘eternal’, in the sense of everlasting.

Actually, ‘aion’ means ‘time’, which has a beginning and an end. Thus, the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’ means a kind of divine life (zoe) that is placed into the dimension of time, and everything that enters the dimension of time needs to grow. That is why ‘zoe’ life also needs to grow within

our inner being, so that we may know Elohim (John 17:3). The fact that ‘zoe’ must grow is stated by Jesus in John 10:10: “…I came that they may have life (zoe), and have it abundantly (grow to the fullest).” Therefore, believing in Jesus means receiving the kind of life of Elohim, which must grow to the fullest and bear fruit.

In the Christian world we often hear the expression, “believe in Jesus, go to heaven.” Such an expression does not exist in the books of the New Testament. What is correct is ‘believe in Jesus, receive eternal life (zoe)’. In the Gospel of John there are many expressions: believe in Jesus, receive eternal life (zoe). The question is whether the ‘zoe’ life that exists within the inner being of all Christians (the born again) grows to the fullest—in the sense of bearing fruit—or not. That is another matter.

The parable of the sower explains this to us (Matthew 13:1–23). The seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven that falls by the roadside does not represent born-again Christians, because the word is immediately stolen by the devil and does not have time to grow. But the seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven that falls on rocky ground and among thorns represents born-again Christians; yet, for certain reasons, in their growth the seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven is hindered and does not bear fruit. Only what is sown on good soil bears fruit—some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold. Therefore, not all born-again Christians bear fruit for the kingdom of heaven.

That is why the expression “believe in Jesus, go to heaven” is very misleading. What is correct is: believe in Jesus, receive ‘zoe’ life; and whether this ‘zoe’ life grows for the kingdom of heaven or not is another matter. When the Lord Jesus returns (commonly called the second coming) to establish His kingdom on this earth, only those who bear fruit for the kingdom of heaven will appear with Jesus to be glorified before all creation (Romans 8:19–21). And the purpose of His coming is to set creation free from its bondage to decay and bring it into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

Thus, the meaning of the designation ‘disciples’ for those who believe in Jesus in the book of Acts becomes clear. They are called disciples because they are learning the word of the kingdom of heaven, so that they may bear fruit for the glory of the kingdom of heaven.

Now we will discuss Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:16–41). Paul begins with the story of the ancestors of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), how Yahweh made the people of Israel grow in number while they lived in Egypt. Paul recounts the history of Israel by emphasizing the mighty deeds of Yahweh toward His people. In Egypt, Yahweh delivered His people with an uplifted arm. For forty years in the wilderness, Yahweh patiently endured their behavior. Then Yahweh destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and distributed the land to them as their inheritance. Yahweh also gave judges to deliver Israel from their surrounding enemies until the time of the prophet Samuel. When Israel asked for a king, Yahweh gave them Saul to reign, and then David, a man after Yahweh’s own heart, who did all His will.

Then Paul explains about the descendant of David, namely Jesus as the Savior of Israel, and about John the Baptist who preceded Him to proclaim repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. After explaining the death and proving the resurrection of Jesus, Paul states the key point of his sermon: “And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (verse 39).

The key point emphasized by Paul is not only that a person can be justified by faith alone, which justification cannot be obtained through the law of Moses, but Paul also emphasizes complete salvation by faith, namely ‘deliverance from all sins’. This complete salvation is explained in detail by Paul in his letter to the church in Rome. In the Christian world, generally, salvation is explained only as justification by faith and sanctification by faith, while forgetting one important aspect of complete salvation, namely glorification by faith, in which we receive a glorious body like that possessed by Jesus.

If a preacher of salvation speaks only about justification by faith and sanctification by faith, what about our physical bodies? For even though a person has been justified and sanctified by faith, his physical body remains dead because of sin (Romans 8:10). The issue of the death of the physical body is resolved by glorification by faith. Glorification by faith occurs when believers receive glorious bodies and are revealed to all creation to free all creation from its bondage to decay into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim (Romans 8:19–21). This is the time when the children of Elohim are glorified together with Christ Jesus at His return (commonly called the second coming).

However, what is not well understood by most Christians is that this glorification by faith is not automatically received by everyone who has been justified and sanctified by faith. Why is that? There are several things to note here. First, the church has fallen because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, and the Lord calls His overcomers to represent His church (Revelation 2–3). His overcomers are those who receive grace not only to be called, but also chosen and faithful (Revelation 17:14). Second, James 1:18 emphasizes our understanding of the “firstfruits” of creation, where some are appointed to mature earlier (to become firstfruits) of creation, while others will mature later. Third, glorification by faith is our inheritance (Romans 8:17), but if a Christian has not yet reached maturity, that person cannot yet receive his inheritance (Galatians 4:1). Fourth, the parables in Matthew 24–25, related to the coming of the Son of Man, prove that not all Christians will be accepted into the glory of the next age after this age. Thus is the complete salvation preached by Paul: deliverance from all sins, which ultimately results in us being glorified together with Christ at His coming.

Let us continue our discussion in chapter 13. After the service, Paul and Barnabas exhorted those who believed in Paul’s message. Acts 13:43 states: “…they kept urging them to continue in the grace of Elohim” (ILT). After Paul emphasized that only by faith alone can a person be saved—namely complete salvation (justification by faith, sanctification by faith, glorification by faith)—he exhorted the believers to CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF ELOHIM. How do we continue in the grace or favor of Elohim? This is what we will discuss.

The church in Galatia did not continue in grace, because they tried to grow in the Lord by PERFORMING WORKS OF THE FLESH. That is why Paul emphasized, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). Many Christians think that works of the flesh are ONLY evil deeds. They do not realize that religious works—namely, following religious regulations—can also very easily be done in the flesh. The term ‘flesh’ (Greek: ‘sarx’) means the whole human being who has fallen into sin. We must always remember that Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of GOOD and evil. And the first GOOD act according to Adam and Eve was making fig leaves to cover their nakedness. THIS IS THE FIRST RELIGIOUSLY GOOD DEED OF THE FIRST HUMAN BEINGS. Since then, the descendants of Adam and Eve have liked to do good by following RELIGIOUS RULES. Human beings love religion and religious regulations. Saul is an example of a man who loved religion very much (Judaism), and because of his love for Judaism, he persecuted and killed members of the early church.

Are we aware that the transformation from the early church into the Christian world involved the emergence of RELIGIOUS RULES MADE BY CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS? Must attend Sunday services, must follow certain rituals or creeds, must pay tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, and other religious rules. In the early church THERE WERE NO RELIGIOUS RULES AT ALL EXCEPT FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Everything happened spontaneously under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The early church gave, met, prayed, evangelized, and carried out mission work—all according to the Spirit’s leading. When the church was attacked by fierce wolves, and some elders (leaders of the early church) DREW the Lord’s disciples after themselves, this is where they began to create religious rules that, of course, benefited them. Why MUST Sunday services, MUST pay tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, MUST this and MUST that? The answer is simple: all of this benefits Christian religious leaders.

Church members are actually led out of grace, because they are “forced” to carry out all those religious rules outside of faith. Why outside of faith and grace? Because the commands MUST… MUST… MUST cause church members not to act according to the LEADING OF THE SPIRIT. This is what Paul calls: YOU HAVE BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT BUT ARE FINISHING IN THE FLESH. Flesh here means GOOD RELIGIOUS WORKS.

Does this mean that Christians who remain in grace do nothing? Not at all. Rather, Christians who remain in grace do whatever they do ACCORDING TO THEIR FAITH. What, then, is faith? Faith comes from hearing the word of God. But a person who is dead in sin cannot possibly hear the word of God unless the Father in heaven grants grace to hear. If someone receives grace to hear the word of God, then the saving power of Elohim will enter into his inner being (Romans 1:16). This power of Elohim is the energy of Christ that enables a person to believe in God, to do the will of the Father, and to become a witness of Christ who boldly proclaims the word of God.

Living faith is the power of Elohim or the energy of Christ that drives a person to obey God. It is impossible for someone to have living faith and yet have no acts of obedience to God. James says that faith without works is dead faith (James 2:17). Before we continue James’s explanation concerning works, let us read Paul’s explanation of the Gospel in Romans 1:17.

In Romans 1:17 it is written, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (LAI). The phrase ‘from faith to faith’ comes from the Greek expression EK PISTEOS EIS PISTIN. This Greek expression cannot be translated simply as ‘faith’, because there is an important understanding within it that we must pay attention to. Let us quote Marvin Vincent’s commentary in his Word Studies: “the idea is that of progress in faith itself… faith is a progressive principle” (p. 14, Vol. 3). Thus, the important understanding in the Greek expression above is the idea of progress. Faith is something that grows. Faith is not “static,” but continually moves toward its perfection. Faith that does not grow and make progress is dead faith, and this is not the saving faith that Paul refers to.

If so, what makes faith progressive? What makes faith grow? James affirms, “…faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect” (James 2:22). It is emphasized here that faith is made perfect by works. The works referred to here are works that are born of faith, because James says, “…I will show you my faith by my works” (2:18). Therefore, it is not works apart from faith, but works that spring from faith that will perfect faith, so that faith grows toward its perfection. In this way, Paul’s and James’s explanations of faith complement one another.

Indeed, Paul also emphasizes that faith cannot be separated from obedience. Romans 1:5 and Romans 16:26 explain the connection between faith and obedience. In both verses it is said that Paul received the grace of apostleship so that the nations might be led to the ‘obedience of faith’ (ILT version).

Therefore, we can conclude that faith produces obedience, and in turn, obedience perfects faith. Thus, faith grows and progresses. This is biblical faith. This is saving faith. That is why James says that Abraham was justified by his works. This does not at all contradict Paul’s explanation of faith, because the ‘works’ referred to by James are works that are born of faith.

Thus, the exhortation of Paul and Barnabas to remain in grace means to continue to preserve faith, in the sense of ALWAYS ACTING IN FAITH. For we are justified, sanctified, and glorified solely by faith alone. If a Christian always acts in faith, then he always abides in the grace of God. Once again, Christians must not act “blindly” by following religious rules made by Christian religious leaders. Christians must act according to their faith.

We now enter chapter 14 and discuss the miracles that accompanied the early church, especially in Paul’s missionary journeys. Acts 14:3 states, “…And the Lord bore witness to the word of His grace, granting them power to perform signs and wonders.” It is clear from this verse that the role of miracles is to confirm the message of His grace, that is, the message of the Gospel.

What if, in the proclamation of the Gospel, there are no miracles such as those recorded in the book of Acts? Does that mean the preacher of the Gospel has failed in his task? Let us look at several cases where miracles occurred, yet there was no repentance.

First, in Acts 14:8–19, there is the miracle of a lame man being healed while Paul was preaching in Lystra. The people in Lystra misunderstood the miracle, so that they considered Paul and Barnabas to be gods who had come down in human form. The people of Lystra did not understand the word of God that Paul was preaching. In this case, the miracle that should have confirmed the Gospel message instead led them to want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.

Second, the case where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Some of the Jews who witnessed it with their own eyes did not repent and confess Jesus as the Messiah, but instead went to the Pharisees (who later killed Jesus) and reported what Jesus had done (John 11:46).

Third, the case where Jesus performed the miracle of feeding five thousand people with only five loaves and two fish (John 6:1–66). Actually, the miracle of the five loaves and two fish was intended only to strengthen the message that Jesus is the bread of life. This miracle of physical bread was merely a sign pointing to the bread of life, who is Jesus Himself. However, the people did not believe and did not understand this message, and even some of His disciples withdrew after hearing that Jesus is the bread of life who came down from heaven (verse 66).

The three cases above do not mean that miracles have no significance in the proclamation of the word of God. In the case where Paul rebuked Elymas the sorcerer and caused him to become blind, the governor of the island believed in the Lord (Acts 13:12). Certainly, there are many cases where miracles lead people to believe the Gospel. However, we must understand that a person believes the Gospel because of the grace of God that ‘opens the eyes of his heart’, not because he sees a miracle with his physical eyes. Note John 12:37–40: “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him… Therefore they could not believe… He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts….” Thus, everything depends on His grace—whether God chooses to open the eyes of a person’s heart or not. Of course, God has His own purposes for blinding the eyes of the Jewish religious leaders, so that they crucified Jesus.

Therefore, we must place miracles in their proper place in the proclamation of the Gospel. The proclamation of the Gospel without miracles does not mean that it is not accompanied by the “hand of the Lord” or that it has failed. On the contrary, Gospel proclamation with miracles does not necessarily produce true repentance in those who hear it. What is most important is His grace, which opens the eyes of a person’s heart, so that he repents and believes in the Lord Jesus.

We are still discussing chapter 14 and looking at the work of an apostle (missionary work) in proclaiming the word of the kingdom of heaven from city to city. Note Acts 14:23: “In every church they appointed elders for them, and after praying and fasting, they committed them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.” After the apostles established a church in a city, the next task was to appoint elders to shepherd the church in that city. This appointment does not mean that the apostles had ‘authority’ over the church, but that they were merely instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit to do so. That is why Paul said to the elders in Ephesus, “…the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church…” (Acts 20:28). The authority of the early church was the authority of the Holy Spirit, because all members of the church followed the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day.

There are two Greek terms translated as ‘overseer’, ‘elder’, or ‘bishop’, namely ‘presbuteros’ and ‘episkopos’. Presbuteros refers to one who is old and mature, while episkopos comes from two root words: epi, meaning ‘over’, and skopos, meaning ‘to see’. Thus, episkopos means ‘to see from above’, that is, someone who can “see from above” spiritually, so that he can guard the flock from attacks by savage wolves.

These two Greek terms refer to the same person, because they are used interchangeably in Titus 1:5–7. Note Titus 1:5–7: “I left you in Crete for this reason… that you might appoint elders (presbuteros) in every town… for an overseer (episkopos), as God’s steward, must be blameless….” Episkopos and presbuteros are two terms for the same person. Therefore, the leaders of the early church were spiritually mature elders who could “see from above” when the church was attacked by savage wolves. The leaders of the early church were always plural—more than one—and there was no term such as “senior elder” who had human authority over the others.

History records that a man named Ignatius (around AD 117) is regarded as the first to teach a distinction between elders (presbuteros) and bishops (episkopos). Ignatius was a church leader in Antioch (Syria) who died as a martyr under Emperor Trajan. In The History of Christianity – Lion Handbook, p. 83, it is written: “He (Ignatius) argued strongly that there should be one ‘bishop’ in charge of each congregation, in order to prevent splits in the church and to ensure that correct beliefs were preserved.” Although Ignatius was a great leader and died as a martyr, through this teaching the church fell into HUMAN AUTHORITY (HIERARCHY).

Let us look at some of his teachings contained in the letters he wrote while traveling to Rome to die as a martyr. In The Apostolic Fathers (1956) by J. B. Lightfoot, it is written:

Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord himself (p. 65).

Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father (being united with Him), either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and the presbyters (p. 70).

…submitting yourselves to your bishop and presbytery, ye may be sanctified in all things (p. 64).

Be obedient to the bishop… (p. 72).

…he that doeth aught without the bishop and presbytery and deacons, this man is not clean in his conscience (p. 74).

Do ye all follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles (p. 84).

…he that doeth aught without the knowledge of the bishop rendereth service to the devil (p. 84).

Although Ignatius was a great leader, he was attacked by savage wolves, which caused the church to fall into a SYSTEM OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT (Acts 20:28–30). After this teaching was widely accepted, among the bishops in each city there arose one who exalted himself and called himself an Archbishop. Among the Archbishops, competition arose over who had greater authority, giving rise to Cardinals. Among the Cardinals, competition arose again over who had the greatest authority, resulting in the Pope. After this, the church fell into human government, and in history this period is called the Dark Ages, and this is the Catholic Church.

We now enter chapter 15, where the council in Jerusalem is recorded. The background of this council was that some people (especially from the Pharisee party) who had believed in Jesus came to Antioch and taught that “…the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses” (verse 5). This issue was very important because it concerned salvation, which can only be obtained through faith and by His grace alone. Of course, Paul and Barnabas opposed this view, and therefore they came to Jerusalem to discuss it with the apostles and the elders.

Let us first look at the views expressed in this council. First, Peter’s view was very firm that Elohim makes no distinction at all between Jewish believers and believers from other nations, because Elohim gave the same Holy Spirit to both Jewish believers and non-Jewish believers (verses 8–9). The conclusion of Peter’s view is that salvation is obtained solely by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 11).

Second, Paul and Barnabas supported and confirmed Peter’s view by recounting all the miracles that Elohim had done among the Gentiles through their ministry (verse 12). Through all the miracles that Elohim performed among the Gentiles, it was clear that Elohim makes no distinction between Jewish believers and believers from other nations.

Third, it seems that James’s opinion concluded the council, namely that believers from the Gentiles should not be troubled, and therefore he gave four regulations related to food: to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood (verse 20).

Luke records the conclusion of this council as follows: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (15:28). Why did Luke not write simply ‘the decision of the Holy Spirit’? Because in the early church all members were ‘directly led’ by the Holy Spirit. That some members failed to hear the “whisper” of the Holy Spirit is another matter. Even Paul once failed to hear the “whisper” of the Holy Spirit through the disciples in Tyre, who told him not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3–4). Nevertheless, Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Spirit,” meaning that he was led solely by the Holy Spirit in his life (Acts 20:22). It seems that when Luke recorded the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us, this decision represented a “middle way” taken by James.

For in Paul’s later writings, it is evident that Paul did not emphasize food restrictions for believers. Indeed, in their journeys from city to city, Paul and Silas delivered the letter containing “the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us to the churches to be observed” (16:4). Nevertheless, we see that the decision of the Jerusalem Council was a “temporary” decision for the Gentiles concerning the issue at hand.

We have further seen that Paul emphasized the differences between the churches pioneered by Peter and his team and the churches pioneered by himself (1 Corinthians 11:16). Paul also referred to himself as an apostle to the uncircumcised, while Peter and his team were apostles to the circumcised (Galatians 2:9).

We continue our discussion in chapter 15, where James made a “middle-ground” decision for Gentile believers. As for believers from a Jewish background, they indeed continued to keep the Law of Moses, as it is written: “Brothers, you see how many thousands of Jews have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law” (Acts 21:20). However, we must always remember the difference between the Petrine community and the Pauline community.

It appears that the Jews were very closely attached to the Law of Moses. They formulated as many as 613 religious regulations, which they believed were revelations received by Moses on Mount Sinai. But we must understand that Judaism was merely a symbol, a prophecy, and a shadow, whereas the reality, the substance, and the fulfillment have come through Jesus. That is why in John 4, Jesus emphasized that worship is no longer about rules such as “this mountain” or “that mountain.” Since the fulfillment of the Law has taken place, worship must be in spirit and in truth (reality). There is only one rule of worship: to be led by the Holy Spirit. This is how the early church conducted its worship. There were no religious regulations whatsoever, other than living daily life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They gathered, evangelized, gave, prayed spontaneously, and whatever they did was based entirely on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In Colossians 2:17, Paul firmly states that the fulfillment of all the regulations of the Law is Christ within, who must become the guide of the believer’s life. That is why Paul declares that ‘to live is Christ’. Let us look at the Christian world that has become institutional Christianity, filled with so many religious regulations. Each denomination has its own set of religious rules.

The reason there are so many religious regulations in Christianity is because Christian religious leaders draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves. They seek followers, and therefore they need certain religious rules to “bind” their followers. If a leader merely equips the Lord’s disciples according to Ephesians 4, without drawing them to himself, then such a leader has no need to create any rules. He only equips the disciples to grow in faith, so that they may act in faith and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

Because of religious regulations in Christianity, worship has become very outward and external. This actually denies the power of worship in spirit and truth as taught by Jesus. Consider 2 Timothy 3:5: “having a form of godliness but denying its power; and from such people turn away” (ILT). The term ‘godliness’ comes from the Greek word EUSEBEIA, which means ‘worship (devotion)’. The word ‘form’ (Greek: MORPHOSIS) can mean outward appearance. Thus, this verse means merely ‘taking on or wearing the appearance of worship while rejecting its power’.

After the church fragmented into thousands of denominations, Christian leaders began to draw God’s people to buildings, organizational programs, rituals, religious events, and offerings—whether tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, or whatever they may be called—so that God’s people no longer focused on following the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day, but instead focused on leaders who provided many programs and regulations.

Many believers feel that they have worshiped once they attend a certain building on Sunday, perform certain rituals, give certain offerings, and follow certain rules according to their leaders’ directions. Leaders have ‘restricted’ worship to buildings, programs, and religious activities alone. Such actions produce people who only ‘appear’ to worship, while the power of worship brought by the Holy Spirit is rejected. Boldness in proclaiming the Word in daily life is ‘robbed’ by such religious activities. They appear godly outwardly, but the power of the Spirit that energized the early church continues to fade. Paul warns us to avoid this.

How can we avoid this? It is simple: we must be freed from the “bondage” of religious activities and regulations built around leaders. God’s chosen people will surely take this simple step and begin to learn to be led only by the Holy Spirit day by day—learning to hear only the Spirit’s voice, following the Lamb wherever He goes. By taking this simple step, God’s chosen people begin to experience the power of true worship. No longer enslaved by a religious spirit, they are free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. God’s chosen people will experience how the Holy Spirit energizes them, enabling them to boldly proclaim the Word of God in their daily lives.

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, where previously there was a dispute between Paul and Barnabas concerning John called Mark (15:35–41). It appears that the congregation leaned more toward Paul, as they commended Paul and Silas to the grace of the Lord (verse 40). Barnabas and Mark certainly carried out their ministry well on the island of Cyprus, but their ministry is no longer recorded in the book of Acts.

Let us examine the case where Paul instructed Timothy to be circumcised before taking him along on his missionary journey (16:3). Paul did this because of the Jewish-background believers in Timothy’s region (Derbe and Lystra). As we know, for the ‘Pauline community’, being circumcised or not was not an issue. Paul himself stated, “For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation” (Galatians 6:15). However, we see that Paul was “forced” to do this because of pressure and influence from Jewish believers.

For the Jews, there were at least three things that distinguished them from other nations: circumcision, keeping the Sabbath, and dietary laws (Leviticus 11). They considered those who did not observe these things as **“unclean.”** We further see that Jewish religious regulations (the Old Testament dispensation) became an **obstacle** to the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles in the New Testament dispensation. Even during his missionary journeys, Paul was often persecuted or disturbed by Jews (Judaism) and by false brothers—believers of Jewish background who neither understood nor preached the pure Gospel to the Gentiles. After the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Roman army (AD 70), and thus the influence of Judaism over the church diminished, the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles to build the ‘Pauline community’ could proceed as it should.

In fact, the issue we have discussed above is often not merely about the presence or absence of religious regulations (Jewish teachings) in the preaching of the Gospel in the New Testament dispensation. Rather, it goes deeper—it is about ‘trying to please people’. Let us take one example where Paul rebuked Peter regarding this issue. In Galatians 2:11–14, Paul rebuked Peter because he was drawn into the matter of trying to please people, specifically the group associated with James. Previously, Peter ate together with the uncircumcised brothers, but when the group from James arrived, Peter tried to please them by withdrawing from the uncircumcised believers. Even Barnabas was led astray in this matter. We can imagine how even Peter or Barnabas could stumble over the issue of trying to please people.

In a Christian world filled with religious regulations—which, as we have discussed, contradict Jesus’ teaching to worship in spirit and truth—we see that the problem is not merely about religious rules or differences in interpretation. Rather, it goes deeper: the issue of trying to please people. Generally, Bible teachers who try to please people tend to add religious regulations here and there in order to please others—and ultimately themselves. But Paul firmly states, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, which covers Paul’s second missionary journey. Consider Acts 16:6–7: “They passed through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

Here we see that the movement of Paul and his team was entirely led by the Holy Spirit. In this passage, the Holy Spirit forbade them from preaching the Gospel in Asia and instead led them to southeastern Europe, where the city of Philippi became the first city they evangelized.

Cases like these—where the Holy Spirit directly leads missionary movements and church movements—are common and indeed how things should be. In the book of Acts, there are approximately seventy instances where expressions such as ‘the Holy Spirit led’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘the Holy Spirit whispered’, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, and so on appear. When we read Acts, the most striking feature is the authority of the Holy Spirit in governing both the church and mission. There were no religious rules, leaders’ programs, creeds, rituals, or anything man-made. There was no human authority in the early church. Jesus had already forbidden His disciples from acting as hierarchical authorities, meaning there was no “seat of Moses” in the church (Matthew 23:1–12). Leaders functioned as “ligaments and joints” that hold and unite the Body, with each part holding fast to the Head, so that the Body receives its divine growth (Colossians 2:19). Indeed, the church is an organism (the Body of Christ), and the authority that operates within it is the authority of that organism—the authority of the Spirit who gives life in Christ.

Consider these verses related to being led by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are the sons of Elohim” (ILT). Galatians 5:18: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” Galatians 5:25: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” These verses emphasize that the mark of being children of Elohim is being led by the Holy Spirit. If a person’s life is led by the Spirit, then automatically he is not living under religious regulations (the Law). It is impossible to live under religious regulations and at the same time be led by the Holy Spirit. These two are mutually exclusive. A person can live either under religious regulations or be led by the Holy Spirit.

To live by the Spirit means to be led by the Holy Spirit. This is Jesus’ teaching concerning worship (John 4). Worship in spirit and truth is worship led by the Holy Spirit, not regulated or led by religious rules. Why did Jesus emphasize to the Samaritan woman that the time had come when believers would worship in spirit and truth? Because Jesus had fulfilled all the regulations of the Law, and the time had come for believers to be led solely by the Holy Spirit. That is why the apostle John states that you do not need anyone to teach you, because His anointing teaches you all things (1 John 2:20, 27).

Why is the Christian world full of religious regulations? There are rules for every denomination, rules from every Christian leader—whether pastor, senior elder, or whatever title they bear. There are also Old Testament regulations selectively adopted, usually related to money—tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, and so on. Why is this so? The answer is clear: church leaders have been attacked by “fierce wolves”, drawing the Lord’s disciples to themselves through false teachings (Acts 20:28–30). These Christian leaders create rules to bind their followers. But the people of the Kingdom follow only the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).

We have discussed that the movement of Paul and his companions was entirely governed by the Holy Spirit. Let us now look at an example of someone led by the Holy Spirit in ministry, particularly in chapter 16. There are several lessons we need to learn.

First, there was confirmation from the Holy Spirit for Paul and his companions when they were about to cross into southeastern Europe (Macedonia), in Paul’s case through a vision (verse 9). Confirmation from the Holy Spirit does not have to come through a vision alone. The Holy Spirit has many ways to confirm His servant for ministry in a particular place. What matters is that there is direct confirmation from the Holy Spirit upon His servant.

This confirmation is not a series of religious regulations that must be carried out, as is commonly found in Christianity when someone joins an organization (a particular stream or denomination). It may resemble a ‘job description’, complete with salary, office hours, and predefined programs set by superiors (managers). If this is the case, then the person cannot be said to be ‘serving’, but rather ‘working’ like an employee in a business corporation—only that the work is related to Christianity.

Second, what happens to a servant of God may be hospitality and acceptance—as in Paul’s case from Lydia (verse 15)—or persecution and imprisonment (verses 16–24). When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, three thousand people repented; but when Stephen preached, he was struck by “three thousand” stones. Both Peter and Stephen were led by the Holy Spirit when they preached, yet different outcomes occurred. However, in Christianity today, it is generally assumed that a preacher—whether preaching in his own place or invited elsewhere—will receive money, whether called a love offering or a salary. Such practices are common and unquestioned because Christianity has become a ‘system’ (kosmos = system), where everything is arranged by religious leaders. And the Christian ‘kosmos’ cannot function without money, because money is the ‘driving force’ of that system. Such things never existed in the book of Acts.

Third, the singing of Paul and Silas in the Philippian prison appears to be on a different level altogether (verse 25). This is not merely because a great earthquake miracle followed their singing. We can compare this with Israel in captivity in Babylon (Psalm 137:4). They were asked to sing, but they could not sing in a foreign land. In reality, Christianity has also fallen into a “Babylonian” condition. The woman in Revelation 17–18 symbolized as ‘Babylon’ is a very fitting picture of Christianity. We will not discuss this now, but what we want to emphasize is that praise in Christianity today is not on the same level as the praise of the early church. Why? Because the early church was not ‘captivated’ by anything except the Holy Spirit alone. Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Spirit” (Acts 20:22).

For those who understand, it is clear that the Christian world is “held captive” by various religious regulations made by its leaders. In such a condition, even though praises are lifted up in a beautiful building, with complete music arrangements and professional MCs, it is still not on the same level as what took place in the early church.

From all the examples we have seen above, one lesson can be drawn: we must be led directly by the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, and in whatever ministry we carry out. This is the meaning of worship in spirit and in truth as taught by Jesus. The people of the Kingdom are those who are free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever the Holy Spirit desires to lead them.

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, where the Philippian jailer asks how he can be saved. Acts 16:31–32 states: “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.” Notice verse 31, where the unit of salvation is the household. This is confirmed through several examples: the family of Noah (Gen. 7:1), the households that took part in the Passover (Exod. 12:3–4), the family of the prostitute Rahab (Josh. 2:18–19), the household of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:9), the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:14), the household of Lydia (16:15), and the household of Crispus (18:8).

Indeed, the unit of salvation is the household, but in order to obtain eternal life (zoe), a person must personally believe in the Lord Jesus. That is why, in verse 32, Paul proclaimed the word of the Lord to everyone in the jailer’s house. Acts 13:48 affirms: “…all who were appointed for eternal life believed” (LAI). The Bible emphasizes that believing in Jesus personally results in receiving eternal life (zoe aionios). We have already discussed the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’, which refers to the life of Elohim (zoe) that enters into the context of time (aion). This means that the life of Elohim must grow, so that believers may know Elohim and know Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3).

In the first eight chapters of the book of Romans, Paul explains the perfect salvation that believers will receive. Paul uses three terms to describe this perfect salvation: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Many believers already understand the meaning of justification by faith and sanctification by faith, but glorification by faith is rarely discussed—even in theological schools. Yet, ‘glorification by faith’ is the pinnacle of salvation, where believers receive perfect salvation.

Let us briefly revisit glorification by faith, since we have discussed it elsewhere. We will quote only a few verses to explain this. Romans 8:10 states: “And if Christ is in you, the body is indeed dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17 states: “…joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23 states: “…we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is explained as ‘the redemption of our body’, namely the putting off of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorified body like the one Jesus has, because we are joint heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

Glorification by faith occurs when the Kingdom of Heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully revealed on earth at His coming (commonly called the Second Coming of Jesus). What does glorification by faith look like? It is when our physical bodies are replaced with glorified bodies like the one Jesus possesses. For God’s chosen people who have already died before Jesus’ coming, they await the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? It is to liberate all creation from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old Earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth, and likewise the New Heavens. When Elohim creates the New Heavens and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heavens and earth are totally destroyed and replaced with something entirely new. In theological terms, this is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. This means that the New Heavens and the New Earth are the first heavens and earth that have undergone a “radical transformation” through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim.

This is the perfect salvation accomplished by Jesus on the cross. This is also the reason the Father predestined His chosen people. We will not be evacuated to “a heaven far away,” where the only activity is singing forever. Such fairy-tale notions of heaven are not found in the books of the New Testament, even though they are believed by the majority in the Christian world. Rather, His chosen people long for the perfect salvation accomplished by Jesus.

One thing must be emphasized here: glorification by faith is not automatically obtained by all Christians who have experienced justification by faith and sanctification by faith. Glorification by faith is experienced only by the “firstfruits” of the church—those who are not only called, but also chosen and faithful (Rev. 17:14; James 1:14). The “firstfruits” of the church are those who mature earlier and are ready to be harvested at the end of the age. They are presented before all creation to liberate all creation. This is the perfect salvation described by Paul in the book of Romans.

We now enter chapter 17 and observe Paul’s missionary ministry in Thessalonica. Notice verse 3: “He explained and demonstrated that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and said, ‘This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah.’” Paul delivered this sermon in the synagogue (the Jewish house of worship), where their general understanding of the Messiah was that of a leader who would bring Israel to its glory.

The Jewish people hoped that the Messiah would build a kingdom like David’s—a physical kingdom that would free Israel from its physical enemies or surrounding nations that fought against Israel—because they believed the Messiah was the son of David. Indeed, the Messiah is the son of David according to Yahweh’s promise to David (2 Samuel 7). However, they did not understand that the Messiah’s kingdom exists in a higher dimension—the heavenly dimension.

Jesus once questioned the Pharisees about the Messiah in Matthew 22:41–46. When asked whose son the Messiah is, they answered without hesitation, the son of David. Yet Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah ‘my Lord’. Therefore, Jesus emphasized how the Messiah could be David’s son when David himself calls Him Lord. Jesus was not denying that the Messiah is David’s descendant in a physical sense. Rather, He was emphasizing that the Messiah’s kingdom is “higher” than David’s kingdom, which is why David calls the Messiah his Lord. The Messiah’s kingdom exists in the heavenly dimension. It is the Kingdom of Heaven, which is why Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

After His resurrection, Jesus said that all authority had been given to Him (Matt. 28:18). In accordance with Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah had to suffer, rise again, and even sit at the right hand of the Father so that He could establish His kingdom on earth. The proclamation that the Messiah had to suffer, die, rise again, and sit at the right hand of the Father in order to establish His kingdom on earth is the central theme of the apostles’ preaching. The New Testament has one main theme—the Kingdom of Heaven—not in the sense of “a heaven far away” where Jesus will someday take us to sing forever, but the Kingdom that will be fully established on earth. That is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:10). Why must the Kingdom of Heaven come to earth? The answer is clear in the Lord’s Prayer: so that the Father’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

For the Jewish people (Judaism), the concept that the Messiah must suffer is unacceptable. If we look online, the common reason given by Jewish rabbis for why they still cannot accept Jesus as the Messiah is precisely because Jesus was crucified. That is why, to this day, the Jewish people as a nation do not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Yet Paul’s preaching sought to convince the Jews that the Messiah had to suffer, die, and rise again.

We continue our discussion in chapter 17 and look at Paul’s missionary ministry in Berea (Acts 17:10–13). Notice verses 11–12: “Now the Jews in Berea were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed…”

The verses above emphasize that the Jews in Berea were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica for two reasons: first, they received the word with eagerness, and second, they examined the Scriptures to see whether Paul’s teaching aligned with what was written. Because of this attitude of heart, many Jews in Berea came to believe.

Here we see that believing in the word of God is closely related to the condition of one’s heart. This was already emphasized in the parable of the Kingdom of Heaven—the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Let us briefly review it. Jesus, as the sower, and later His disciples, sow the seed of the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it receives different responses depending on the type of soil (the human heart) where the seed falls. There are four categories of soil: the path, the rocky ground, the thorny ground, and the good soil.

The soil on the path represents those who hear the word of the Kingdom of Heaven but do not understand it; the evil one snatches it away, and there is no growth at all (v. 19). The rocky ground represents those who hear the word and initially grow because they receive it with joy, but they have no root (v. 21). When trouble or persecution comes because of the word of the Kingdom, they quickly fall away. The thorny ground represents those who hear the word and initially grow, but do not bear fruit because of the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth (v. 22). The good soil represents those who hear and understand the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, and thus bear fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

Although a person’s response or heart condition determines whether they believe and bear fruit, everything ultimately depends on the grace of the Father in heaven. Notice Matthew 13:11: “Jesus replied, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them.’” Some are given the grace to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, while others are not. In conclusion, everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven to someone or not (Luke 12:32). The human heart, having fallen into sin, is severely corrupted, and no one seeks God (Rom. 3:11). If someone understands the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is because the Father has been at work in that person’s heart.

Thus, the Jews in Berea who believed Paul’s message did not do so merely because of their own heart response to God’s word. Rather, the Father was pleased to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to them, and therefore they received the word eagerly and examined the Scriptures to test everything. The fact that the Jews in Berea had more noble hearts than those in Thessalonica was entirely due to the Father in heaven being pleased to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to them.

We are still discussing chapter 17, and now we will look at Paul’s sermon in Athens, where he proclaimed the good news about Jesus and His resurrection (v. 18). Although in this sermon Paul does not explicitly explain the Kingdom of Heaven, this does not mean that he did not proclaim it. For Jesus, John the Baptist, and the apostles all proclaimed the good news (the Gospel) of the Kingdom of Heaven. As we know, the main theme of the New Testament is the Kingdom of Heaven that will be fully established on earth.

Let us examine some background regarding the Athenians before discussing the points of Paul’s sermon. First, the city of Athens was full of idols (v. 16). The Athenians were even concerned that there might be a god who had not yet been given an altar or worshiped. Therefore, they made an altar to an unknown god, which Paul used as an introduction in his sermon.

Second, the Athenians tended to enjoy philosophical thinking. There were Epicurean philosophers, followers of Epicurus (341–270 BC), whose philosophy was materialistic and denied the Creator and His providence over the world. The Epicureans sought physical pleasure, especially in eating and drinking, and Paul refers to them in Philippians 3:18–19 and 1 Corinthians 15:32. There were also Stoics, followers of Zeno (340–265 BC), whose philosophy was pantheistic, believing that everything was predetermined and that all events were expressions of “divine will.” Therefore, humans should accept and submit to their fate. Paul also refers to them in Philippians 4:11 by using the expression “contentment,” a term commonly used by the Stoics.

Third, there were poems known to the Athenians stating that we are of the offspring of Elohim (v. 28). These poems likely refer to Aratus (around 270 BC) and Cleanthes (around 300 BC), both of whom addressed such words to Zeus or Jupiter, whom they regarded as the highest god. Paul used these poems to support his sermon.

With this background, let us now enter into the points of Paul’s sermon. First, Paul begins with the matter of creation. Paul affirms that there is Elohim who created the heavens and the earth, and He does not dwell in temples made by human hands. Elohim began by creating one man, Adam, so that all nations and humankind might fill the earth. And Elohim desires that human beings seek Him and, hopefully, find Him. Then Paul reveals a truth: that human beings are the offspring of Elohim, and therefore they live in Him, move in Him, and have their being in Him.

Second, Paul emphasizes that all people must repent, especially those who regard the being of Elohim as something like gold, silver, or stone—an image formed by human art and skill.

Third, Elohim will judge the world with justice at the appointed time by a Man whom He has designated, namely Jesus, and He has given proof of this by raising Him from the dead. Through this sermon, some people came to believe.

Here we see that the climax of Paul’s sermon focuses on the authority of Jesus to be the righteous Judge of the whole world. In the Christian world in general, we rarely hear about the righteous judgment of the world by Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus will come (commonly referred to as the second coming) primarily to judge His church first, and afterward, together with His overcomers, Jesus will judge the world.

We now enter chapter 18 and discuss Paul’s ministry in Corinth, especially verses 5–6, which state: “…where he testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed him and blasphemed… ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’” We see that the Jews, as a nation, to this day have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah. They still hope that the Messiah will come and establish a physical kingdom of Israel like the kingdom of David, and of course build a physical Temple (the Third Temple) in Jerusalem. Will the hope of Israel as a nation (to build a physical kingdom and a physical Temple, with a ‘physical’ Messiah like David whom they await) be fulfilled or not?

Before answering this question, we need to understand that all Israel will surely be saved, as written in Romans 11:26–27: “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’”

There are several points we need to reflect on from Romans 11:26–27 above. First, all Israel will be saved. The Greek term translated as ‘all’ is ‘pas’, meaning ‘all, the whole, every kind of’. It appears 1,244 times in the New Testament and carries the meaning ‘all, whole, whatever, whoever, everything’, and it is never translated as ‘part’ in the New Testament. This means that all Israel, in the true sense, will certainly be saved.

Second, Israel is saved by the Deliverer who comes from Zion. The Greek expression translated by LAI as ‘Deliverer’ actually means ‘the One who sets free’ and is preceded by the definite article. Thus, the One who sets Israel free is ‘a specific person’ who comes from Zion. We all certainly agree that this specific One who delivers Israel and comes from Zion is the Messiah, namely the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, although Israel to this day, as a nation, does not accept Jesus as their Messiah, the preceding verse (verse 25) gives us the answer: “…Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Thus, all Israel will be saved by Jesus Christ ‘after’ the Gentiles have come in. According to the context, the expression ‘the Gentiles have come in’ means that in the present time only a ‘remnant of Israel’ is saved (Romans 11:5), and likewise only a certain number from among the Gentiles are saved. When that certain number of Gentiles has come in (been saved) in this present age, then all Israel will also be saved.

Fourth, the Messiah will save Israel through a Covenant. The Covenant referred to is certainly not the Old Covenant, in which the removal of sin was only symbolized by the blood of animals. Rather, our verse above (verse 27) clearly states that the Lord removes Israel’s sins. Thus, the Messiah will save all Israel through a Covenant, namely the New Covenant (NC).

Next, let us consider the ‘New Jerusalem’ in Revelation 20:9–10. The New Jerusalem here is a symbol, consistent with the fundamental nature of the book of Revelation (1:1; Greek ‘semaino’, from the root ‘sema’, meaning symbol). The symbol of a ‘city’ in Revelation represents a system of government. Meanwhile, the symbol of the ‘New Jerusalem’ is the ‘Bride of the Lamb’, because when the angel was about to show the Bride of the Lamb to the apostle John, what was shown to him was the holy city, the New Jerusalem. If so, who is this ‘Bride of the Lamb’? Consider the basic nature of the Covenant between Yahweh and Israel in Jeremiah 31:32: “…although I was a husband to them, declares Yahweh” (ILT). Thus, the basic nature of the Covenant between Yahweh and Israel is like a covenant between husband and wife. Based on the Covenant, Israel is the “wife” of Yahweh. Therefore, the Bride of the Lamb, in a special sense, speaks of the nation of Israel as the “bride” of Yahweh.

That is why the kingdom of Israel will surely be restored, but through the context of the New Covenant—not as a physical kingdom like the kingdom of David with its physical Temple, in the context of the Old Covenant. Through the Messiah, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, the kingdom of Israel will be restored in the dispensation of the ‘New Heavens and New Earth’. There will no longer be a physical Temple in the dispensation of the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21:22).

So, returning to our question above: Will the hope of Israel as a nation (to build a physical kingdom and a physical Temple, with a “physical” Messiah like David whom they await) be fulfilled or not? The answer is clear: it will not be fulfilled. However, Israel will be saved in its entirety, and the ‘spiritual’ kingdom of Israel will be established on this earth in the age of the New Heavens and New Earth.

We are still discussing Paul’s ministry in Corinth (18:1–17). Pay attention to verses 12–13: “…the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, ‘This man persuades people to worship Elohim contrary to the Torah’” (ILT). These Jews certainly misunderstood, because Paul did not persuade people to worship Elohim contrary to the Torah. The real problem was that the Jews misunderstood the purpose for which Yahweh gave the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah given by Yahweh at Mount Sinai was not intended so that the Jewish people might be justified before Yahweh ‘by doing the works of the Law’.

Consider 1 Timothy 1:4: “…which promote controversies rather than the stewardship of Elohim that is in faith” (ILT). The Greek term translated as ‘stewardship’ here is ‘oikonomia’. The term ‘oikonomia’ comes from the root words ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nemo’ (to distribute or provide food or rules/laws). In English, ‘oikonomia’ is translated as management, stewardship, dispensation, and economy. Thus, ‘oikonomia’ means a way in which Elohim manages His household (His people) and distributes or administers His laws within a particular period of time. But what we must always remember is that this management of Elohim ‘is in faith’.

In this writing we will discuss only two periods of time: the period in which Elohim managed the Jewish nation (the Old Covenant), and the period in which Elohim manages His church (the New Covenant). The meaning of Elohim’s management that is in faith is that all saints, whether in the context of the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, are justified by faith. Even from the time of Abel onward, all saints are justified by faith (Hebrews 11).

If so, what is the purpose of Elohim giving His laws in each specific period of time? Elohim’s purpose is clear: the saints in each period of time must express their faith through the law applicable in their time. In the context of Israel, Yahweh determined that the saints of the Old Covenant era must ‘express their faith through the Law of Moses’. The saints in the Old Covenant era were ‘still justified by faith’, but the faith they possessed had to be manifested through obedience to the Law.

Justification by faith is grace (Romans 4:16). A saint cannot “create” faith within himself. Only Jesus can create faith within the saints and bring that faith to its perfection (Hebrews 12:2). Therefore, if someone understands the meaning of ‘oikonomia’ that is in faith, he will understand that the measure of grace in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is the same. Many Christians (including Bible teachers) compare or contrast the Law and Grace. Those who do so fail to understand the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim that is in faith.

Now we enter the context of the church (the New Covenant). All Christians generally understand that we are justified solely by faith. But what law did Elohim give to the church so that the church might express its faith? If we examine the priesthood of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, we can clearly see the difference between the law applicable in the Old Covenant context and that in the New Covenant context (Hebrews 7). The priesthood of the Old Covenant is clearly the ‘Aaronic order’, and the law governing the Old Covenant priesthood is the Torah. But the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek (New Covenant) is governed by the law of Life (‘zoe’) (Hebrews 7:16).

The law applicable in the New Covenant is the law of the Life of Christ (zoe), or the law of love, as Jesus declared on His final night, or the law of the Spirit, in accordance with New Covenant worship—worship in spirit and truth. Those who teach the law of tithing, firstfruits (money), and other religious regulations do not understand at all the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim that is in faith. Indeed, the primary corruption of the Christian world lies in its priestly regulations, because the priestly system in Christianity is neither the order of Aaron nor the order of Melchizedek. Religious leaders in Christianity generally create religious rules according to their own purposes. But the people of the Kingdom express their faith according to the law applicable to the priesthood of Melchizedek.

We are still discussing chapter 18, where after Paul completed his second missionary journey, he immediately departed and traveled throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples (verse 23). What we will now discuss is the matter of ‘strengthening’ the hearts of all the disciples, which is one aspect of Paul’s ministry. The term ‘strengthening’ is translated from the Greek verb ‘episterizo’, which appears only four times in the book of Acts.

There is another Greek term, ‘oikodomeo’ (to build), which is used forty times in the New Testament but often refers to building something physical, especially in the Gospels. However, when this term is used in the book of Acts, its meaning becomes mutual encouragement among the disciples. Furthermore, there is another Greek term with a similar meaning to ‘episterizo’, namely ‘sterizo’, which is used thirteen times in the New Testament, but it is also used to refer to a ‘place’, such as in the parable of the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham (Luke 16:26). Therefore, the term ‘sterizo’ can still have a physical connotation.

However, ‘episterizo’ comes from two root words: ‘epi’, meaning ‘above’, and ‘sterizo’, meaning ‘to build or strengthen’. Thus, the meaning of ‘episterizo’ always refers to strengthening the “above” dimension of a person—that is, strengthening the spiritual dimension of a disciple. Paul did not strengthen the hearts of disciples in the way motivational speakers often do in Christian pulpits, where they encourage congregations to achieve physical things such as success, prosperity, physical healing, and other outward matters.

Consider Paul’s inward-focused proclamation of the gospel as written in Colossians 1:27–28: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom…” (ILT). Paul’s proclamation focused on ‘Christ who dwells within a person’, even though his ministry was accompanied by various outward signs and miracles as confirmations granted to him by Elohim. Once again, Paul never proclaimed physical healing, economic restoration, or other outward matters, as we often see when someone holds a “revival meeting” in the Christian world.

Why did the disciples need to be strengthened in their spirit? Acts 14:22 states: “There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (LAI). Paul strengthened the disciples because ahead of them lay many SUFFERINGS that had to be endured in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (the kingdom in the heavenly dimension). But Christian motivators generally strengthen people because ahead of them lies WORLDLY SUCCESS (physical in nature). This is the difference between Paul, the proclaimer of the kingdom of heaven, and Christian motivators in the Christian world.

Now we will discuss the ministry of Apollos in Ephesus in Acts 18:24–26. Verse 25 states: “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. With great fervor he spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Apollos’s understanding of ‘the way of the Lord’ was not yet complete, because he knew only the baptism of John, even though he also taught about Jesus. Why was it incomplete?

To see the deficiency in Apollos’s message, we need to understand the role of John the Baptist as the one who prepared the way for Jesus (Matthew 3:3). Although John the Baptist proclaimed the same message as the Lord Jesus—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”—John himself clearly stated, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who comes after me is mightier than I… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Let us first look at Luke 16:16 to further understand the role of John the Baptist: “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of Elohim is preached, and everyone presses into it” (ILT). The Law and the Prophets here refer to the Old Covenant. And we know that the Old Covenant consists only of symbols, prophecies, and shadows. From this verse it is clear that John the Baptist represents the “closure” of the ministry of symbols, prophecies, and shadows in the Old Covenant. The reality of the shadows and symbols in the Old Covenant is Jesus. That is why Jesus declared, “I am the Truth” (aletheia = Reality). Likewise, Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament.

We know that all prophecies, types, and symbols in the Old Testament point to the person of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, and certainly also to the Messianic Kingdom (the Kingdom of Heaven). In fact, Jesus Himself is the Kingdom of Heaven manifested on earth (Luke 17:20–24). Verses 22–24 in Luke 17 prove that the Kingdom of Elohim is Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, even though John the Baptist proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven, he himself was NOT INCLUDED IN IT (Matthew 11:11).

John the Baptist proclaimed, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” with the purpose of preparing the way for Jesus, who is the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. If someone from the people of Israel repented, John baptized him merely as a sign of repentance, not as a sign that the person had received Jesus as the Messiah. And those who repented and were baptized by John were not the people of the Kingdom of Heaven. A person must believe in Jesus as the Messiah to become a citizen of the Kingdom, and then he will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for it is Jesus who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Through all the explanations above, it is not surprising that there were disciples whom Paul encountered in Ephesus—where Apollos had ministered—who had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1–6). After the disciples were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, they received the Holy Spirit and became people of the Kingdom.

Now we will discuss Paul’s ministry in Ephesus in chapter 19. Verse 10 states, “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Paul preached the gospel and sought to persuade people about the Kingdom of Elohim (verse 8). Because some were hardened and refused to be persuaded, Paul separated the disciples and taught them daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus for two years.

Although Paul did not determine the movement of his mission from city to city by himself, the Holy Spirit led him to strategic cities such as Ephesus and Corinth. In Corinth, Paul stayed for one and a half years (18:11). Everything was arranged by the Holy Spirit in such a way that even though Paul spoke in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord. Certainly, the Lord confirmed His word in various ways. We will discuss three things that confirmed the word of the Lord preached by Paul during his time in Ephesus.

First, God performed extraordinary miracles in Ephesus, so that people brought handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul and laid them on the sick, and their diseases left them and evil spirits came out (19:11–12).

Second, God “used” some Jewish exorcists who invoked the name of the Lord Jesus to heal those who were demon-possessed. There were seven sons of a Jewish high priest who attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus, but the evil spirits overpowered them. Through this event, the name of the Lord Jesus became widely known (19:17).

Third, there was a riot involving Demetrius and his craftsmen who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis, while Paul firmly declared that what is made by human hands is not a god (19:26). Through this riot, the name of the Lord Jesus became even more widely known. God’s confirmation does not always take the form of healing, casting out demons, or various miracles. God’s confirmation can also take the form of riots, or like Stephen, who was stoned to death. If the true gospel is preached, there will certainly be genuine repentance, OR a riot. Wherever Paul preached the gospel of the Kingdom, something always happened—either repentance or a riot. Acts 17:6 states, “…These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

We see that Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was very successful, because through it all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord. However, it is very unfortunate that in only about thirteen years, at the end of Paul’s ministry, it turned out that “…all who are in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). Phygelus and Hermogenes were certainly church leaders. If we compare this with 2 Timothy 1:8, which says, “…do not be ashamed of me, His prisoner…,” then perhaps Phygelus and Hermogenes were among those who were ashamed of Paul as a prisoner and led others to turn away from him.

Or perhaps it was because of the attack of savage wolves, as Paul had declared to the elders in Ephesus in Acts 20:28–30, where some leaders would draw disciples after themselves in order to make them their followers. Through Paul’s imprisonment, Phygelus and Hermogenes gained the opportunity to draw followers by “removing” Paul.

Whatever the reason, the churches in Asia Minor had deviated from the truth, as also stated in Revelation 2–3, where the church in Ephesus in particular had left its first love. All this was caused by the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

We now enter chapter 20 and discuss Paul’s prophecy or warning to the leaders of the church in Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of Elohim which He acquired through His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (verses 28–30, ILT).

This portion of God’s word is very important for us as the church, especially for leaders. However, if a leader does not understand the basic nature of the church that the Lord Jesus is building, he will not understand this passage. When Jesus spoke to Saul, who was persecuting the church on his way to Damascus, Jesus did not say, “Why are you persecuting the church?” but rather, “…Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). In fact, Saul was not persecuting Jesus; he was persecuting the church, which he considered heretical. Do we realize that Jesus and the church cannot be separated? Jesus and the church are ONE “PERSON,” namely the “PERSON” of Christ. Jesus as Christ is the Head, and the church is the Body of Christ. The Head and the Body are one—ONE ORGANISM.

Leaders in Christianity generally do not understand the difference between an ORGANISM and an ORGANIZATION. They think that an organization is merely a tool to make pastoral care better and more effective. But in fact, the difference between an organism and an organization is like the difference between heaven and earth. The difference lies in AUTHORITY. The authority of an organization is HUMAN—its highest leader, whether called a senior pastor, a senior elder, or anything else. But the authority of an organism is the LIFE of the organism itself. When Jesus said, “I am the Life” (zoe), it means that Jesus as Life directly exercises authority over every member of the Body, just as in any organism (living being). Jesus never delegated His authority. The expression delegated authority exists only in the context of organizations. In an organism, there is no concept of delegated authority. ALL MEMBERS OF AN ORGANISM ARE DIRECTLY GOVERNED BY THE LIFE OF THE ORGANISM ITSELF.

Let us try to compare organism leadership with organizational leadership to better understand what church leadership should be like. We will use one term to compare the two: ‘essence’. Essence, according to the Indonesian Dictionary, means the nature, core, or fundamental thing. What is the nature, core, or fundamental element in organism leadership and organizational leadership?

We will be helped by two Bible verses. First, Acts 20:30, which we mentioned above: “Even from among yourselves some will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Second, Ephesians 4:11–12: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the Body of Christ.” These two verses speak about leadership with two very different outcomes. The first produces division in the Body, while the second builds up the Body of Christ. The essence of the first leadership that tears apart the Body is DRAWING DISCIPLES TO FOLLOW THE LEADER. The essence of the second leadership that builds up the Body of Christ is EQUIPPING. This is the difference in essence.

Leadership that DRAWS DISCIPLES is organizational leadership, whereas leadership that EQUIPS THE SAINTS is organism leadership. This understanding may seem trivial, but in Christianity it is almost not understood. My theology lecturer once said that the church is an organism that needs to be organized. Although he was a synod leader, a senior pastor with thousands of members, a theology lecturer at various seminaries, and held a Doctor of Theology degree, he did not understand what we are discussing here. It seems that such an understanding is common in Christianity. In fact, the basic nature of the church is an organism and does not need to be organized at all.

Let us continue our previous discussion, where we firmly stated that the church is an organism and does not need to be organized, because the life of the organism governs all the members of the body. The church as an organism is described in detail in the book of Acts. There are approximately seventy expressions such as ‘the Spirit whispered’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘the Holy Spirit said’, ‘filled with the Spirit’, and so on, in its 28 chapters. In this book, believers are called ‘disciples’ because they are learning the central theme of the New Testament books—the Kingdom of Heaven—and are also learning to be led solely by the Holy Spirit in daily life.

Paul called himself a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’. In his missionary work, Paul did not make plans, organizational structures, leadership systems (except by example), or control systems, as is typical of leaders (read: managers) in Christianity. Paul simply followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is why the life of the early church moved spontaneously, just as the members of an organism move spontaneously according to the leading of the organism’s life. They spontaneously gathered, gave, prayed, and held ‘revival meetings’, as Peter and his companions did. There were no “human hands” directing the movement of the early church, even though there were leaders in the church. Everything was directed by the Holy Spirit.

Now we will compare the growth of an organism and the growth of an organization to better understand the church as an organism. Consider Colossians 2:19: “…and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the growth that is from God.” The expression “joints and ligaments” in an organism refers to leaders who function to support and hold the Body together. All members of the organism hold fast to the Head. Furthermore, the phrase ‘grows with the growth that is from God’ is translated from the Greek expression ‘auxanō ho auxēsis ho Theos’, which means ‘may increase with the increase of God’. What does ‘the increase of God’ mean here? It means that the life of God (zoe) grows within the church (the organism). The church increasingly knows the true Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent, as the life of zoe grows, because the function of the life of zoe is to know Elohim (John 17:3). This is the true growth of the church—growing in the true knowledge of Elohim.

But organizational growth is very different. When studying the course ‘church growth’, we were required to use a textbook titled Understanding Church Growth written by Donald McGavran, who is regarded as the “father of church growth.” Although McGavran held a Ph.D. from Columbia University, he also did not understand what we are discussing here. Understanding that the church is an organism that does not need to be organized at all is not a matter of impressive academic titles. If someone receives grace from God, he will certainly understand it. McGavran’s book would be more accurately titled Understanding Denomination Growth rather than Understanding Church Growth, because what it actually discusses is the growth of church organizations (denominations), not the growth of the church (organism). Unfortunately, in

Christianity, leaders have become accustomed to calling denominations the church. This is due to the doctrine of the ‘visible and invisible church’ initiated by Martin Luther.

We are still discussing Paul’s prophecy or warning to the leaders of the church in Ephesus. Now we will pay attention to the expression “savage wolves” used by Luke to describe Satan’s attack on church leaders in Ephesus: “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (verses 29–30, ILT).

Let us note several points from these verses. First, the savage wolves (the devil) do not attack the church directly, but its leaders—specifically, the elders (plural). Second, leaders who are attacked by the “savage wolves” will speak misleading things. What is meant by “misleading things” here are false teachings, and this does not mean something completely different from the original teaching. The apostle John identifies these false teachings as the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3).

Third, the purpose of leaders who are attacked by savage wolves in creating false teachings is clear: to draw the Lord’s disciples to become their followers. Disciples who originally followed only the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day then become followers of certain leaders, so that the church is divided into factions, as in the church in Corinth, which said, I follow Paul, I follow Apollos, I follow Cephas, or even I follow Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul rebuked all this firmly, because such behavior causes the church to be torn apart, just as when savage wolves attack their prey.

We have seen above the result of the attack of savage wolves on church leaders, namely that the church is divided into factions, or what we call denominations. But there is one thing that is often overlooked in discussing this attack: the matter of the system (Greek: kosmos). Because of the attack of savage wolves, church leaders build a kosmos (system, also translated as ‘world’) through the three false teachings mentioned above—Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

Let us now examine the writings of the apostle John to understand the meaning of the term ‘kosmos’ (system, world). In fact, the term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the New Testament, 78 times in the Gospel of John and 24 times in his epistles, so that more than half of its occurrences are found in the writings of the Apostle John. The frequent appearance of this term in John’s writings certainly carries a special meaning in Johannine theology.

We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV), we clearly understand that the meaning of ‘world’ here refers to all humanity on the face of the earth. However, if the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15, which says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them,” then the meaning of ‘world’ here is not all people on earth. Here, ‘world’ refers to a ‘system’ whose values contradict God’s values.

In a dictionary, a system is a group of elements that work together according to certain rules or values. Economy, politics, society, and even religion can become systems. Let us look at John 15:18-25. In the ESV, this pericope is titled ‘The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples’. If we read the entire passage, we can understand who is meant by ‘world’ here. Verse 25 says, “But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’” It is clear that ‘world’ here refers to the Jewish religious system or Judaism, specifically the teachings of Judaism and their Torah. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers.

It is clear that the ruler of the ‘cosmos’ is a fierce wolf (Satan). Consider John 12:31: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Also, Revelation 12:9 states, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray—he was hurled to the earth…” Therefore, we can understand that Satan (the fierce wolf) is the ruler of the world in terms of the religious system, and Satan is also the one who deceives the religious world.

Christianity has become a ‘cosmos’ (system) through three false teachings. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, these three heresies that infiltrated the church are clearly outlined. The teachings of Nicolas and Jezebel, in which hierarchy enters the church and leaders usurp the authority of Jesus as the head of the church, split the church into the laity and priests, or congregation and pastors. The teaching of Balaam involved trade. Isn’t the Christian world full of trade, just like in Jesus’ time when the Temple was full of commerce?

Thus, this fierce wolf attacks church leaders so that they teach these three false doctrines to build a ‘system’ of Christianity. Let us take an example of how this Christian system works. Christianity consists of denominations, theological schools, and synods. These three function together as a ‘system.’ It is undeniable that this system is driven by money. Christianity as a system cannot operate without money. This contrasts with the early church, which was ENTIRELY Spirit-led. All members of the early church only needed money to meet daily needs. That is why Paul said, “Food and clothing are sufficient.” However, a leader in the Christian system needs many things, such as building costs, ministry expenses, salaries for workers, and so on, beyond their personal needs. All of this is justified in the Christian world because the three false teachings validate it. Such conditions did not exist in the early church before the attacks of the fierce wolf.

Our conclusion regarding the attack of the ‘fierce wolf’ is that Satan attacks church leaders to teach the three false doctrines so that God’s disciples follow the leaders, and more than that, the leaders build a ‘system’ that enslaves God’s people with many religious rules. Under the Christian system, God’s people can no longer worship in spirit and truth because they can no longer follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever He wills. This is the attack of the ‘fierce wolf’ that tears the church apart and brings God’s people into religious slavery.

We are still discussing chapter 20, where we examine several things in Paul’s words to the elders in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-35). We know that God appointed Paul as an example for believers (1 Timothy 1:16). Specifically, we will see examples of how someone serving God should live. Let us consider several examples given by Paul:

First, Paul emphasized that the elders should observe how he lived among them (verses 18-20). Here Paul gives an example through his life among them—how he humbly served God and never neglected what was beneficial to the believers, even though he faced many trials from the Jews who tried to kill him.

Second, Paul prioritized reaching the finish line, meaning completing the ministry assigned by Jesus, even disregarding his own life (verse 24). Clearly, Paul was not commissioned by humans, any human institution, or anything other than Jesus Christ Himself. In the early church, this could be done by every member because each lived daily under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit. But in the Christian world, one cannot follow the Spirit wherever He leads because Christianity has become a ‘system’ that enslaves God’s people, preventing them from freely following the Spirit.

Third, Paul’s message was clear: the gospel of God’s grace, which is the kingdom of God (verses 24-25). Paul always taught and convinced people about the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ, even in Rome, from morning until evening (Acts 28:23).

Fourth, in his ministry, Paul never sought silver, gold, or clothing from anyone (verse 33). He worked as a ‘tentmaker’ to meet his own needs and those of his companions. Did this mean Paul never received assistance from others or the church? Of course, Paul occasionally received support—from friends, the church in Philippi, and even from Governor Publius when his ship was stranded on Malta. He received help as the Spirit directed, but he never received a regular salary from a specific church or routine support from anyone because he did not work for humans. Paul worked for Jesus, and Jesus alone was responsible for his needs and those of his companions.

This differs from the Christian world as a ‘system.’ If someone “serves” in the Christian world, they simply follow what leaders have arranged. In a ‘system,’ duties, accountability, salary, working hours, etc., are all determined by leaders. This is no longer truly serving Jesus but working like a doctor or any employee. Yet this is the condition of Christianity as a system. There are many other examples in Paul’s life, and we cannot easily follow them. However, through these examples, we can already imagine how one should serve Jesus.

We now move to chapter 21, where Paul intended to go to Jerusalem on his return journey after his third mission. When he reached Tyre and visited the disciples there, “…through the Spirit’s prompting, the disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem” (21:4). Yet Paul ignored this ‘prompting of the Spirit’ and continued toward Jerusalem. Later, we will discuss possible reasons why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. But for now, we emphasize that listening to and obeying the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ was normal in the early church.

As we know, the phrases ‘Spirit’s prompting,’ ‘Holy Spirit forbade,’ ‘full of the Holy Spirit,’ and similar expressions appear about 70 times in Acts. This shows the full authority of the Holy Spirit over the early church. No other authority directed the early church. All members were led directly by the Holy Spirit—Peter, John, Paul, the apostles, and the elders. The early church was purely an organism, where the life authority of the organism, Christ’s life (‘zoe’), directed the church’s movement.

The Holy Spirit could use any member to speak to other members and sometimes directed the early church through angels, visions, dreams, etc. In any case, all members were led directly by the Holy Spirit.

Here we see that Paul failed to hear the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ through the disciples. In a sense, this failure could happen. Every church member is called a disciple, meaning they are learning to hear the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ in daily life. Failure is part of learning and should not be seen as extraordinary. Clearly, no member had authority over another, unlike in the Christian world, where leaders act as “managers/bosses” of the church, making plans, organizing, directing, and controlling the congregation like a company. Since the “church” belonged to them, not as Jesus would establish it, it is natural for leaders to control everything.

Let us examine Paul’s failure again, where the Holy Spirit reminds Paul through the prophet Agabus and disciples in Caesarea not to go to Jerusalem (21:8-14). Yet Paul refused, and the disciples submitted, saying, ‘May the Lord’s will be done.’ One reason Paul may have ignored the advice was his desire to die as a martyr in Jerusalem (21:13). As a Jew, Jerusalem held spiritual significance as the city chosen by Yahweh to place His name. Yet Yahweh did not intend for Paul to die as a martyr there.

Next, we will discuss possible reasons why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. To understand this, we need to look at the Trilogy principle in the New Testament. Without this principle, we might confuse Peter’s ministry with his team, Paul’s ministry with his team, and John’s ministry with his team.

Before continuing, there is an important term appearing only once in the New Testament, the Greek word ‘orthotomeo’ (verb) in 2 Timothy 2:15: “…rightly dividing the word of truth” (KJV). The phrase ‘rightly dividing’ comes from the Greek ‘orthotomeo,’ meaning ‘to cut straight.’ That is, to cut or discern accurately. Therefore, ‘orthotomeo’ means to accurately discern (or “cut”) the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 is Paul’s advice to Timothy, so that as a preacher of the Gospel (word of truth) or servant of God, he can rightly discern the word of truth.

Let us discuss the ‘trilogy’ concept. In English, a trilogy means ‘a group of three plays, novels, operas, etc., to be performed or read in succession, each complete in itself but having a common subject.’ In short, a trilogy is three consecutive stories, each with the same theme. Does this concept exist in the Bible? Although the term ‘trilogy’ is not written in the Bible, the concept is found frequently. Consider Proverbs 22:20: “Have I not written to you excellent things in counsel and knowledge” (ESV). The phrase ‘excellent things’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘shalosh,’ meaning ‘three.’ The Young’s Literal Translation says, “Have I not written to thee three times…” Combining Young’s and KJV translations, speaking three times in counsel and knowledge is highly significant. Thus, the Trilogy Principle is revealed in Proverbs 22:20.

Applying this principle to the New Testament, there are three ministries: Peter and his team, Paul and his team, and John and his team—each complete, sequential, and sharing a common theme: the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.

We continue our discussion of why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem in chapter 21. We have addressed the Trilogy Principle and rightly discerning the word of truth (‘orthotomeo’), but one more term must be discussed: the Greek ‘oikonomia’ in 1 Timothy 1:4: “…the stewardship of God in faith” (KJV). The term ‘stewardship’ comes from Greek ‘oikonomia,’ derived from ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nemo’ (dispense laws or rules). Thus, God’s ‘oikonomia’ is how He manages His people during a specific period by giving His laws. In English translations, ‘oikonomia’ is rendered as ‘dispensation,’ ‘administration,’ ‘management,’ or ‘economy.’

We have emphasized that the New Testament explains Peter and his team’s ministry to the Jews, Paul and his team’s ministry to the Gentiles, and John and his team’s ministry to the churches that had fallen (the seven churches in Asia Minor). How can we “discern correctly” (“ortothomeo”) the ministries of the three? Clearly, the ministry of Peter and his team was directed toward the Jewish people, where God organized Israel by giving the Law of Moses. However, the ministry of Paul and his team, directed toward the Gentiles, was organized by God not through the Law of Moses, but through the Law of Christ, or the Law of the Spirit, or the Law of Life, or the Law of Love.

Indeed, the ministry of Peter and his team offered the New Covenant to the Jews, because the New Covenant ratified by the blood of Jesus was primarily directed toward the Jewish people (Jeremiah 31:31). For Jews who were already bound by the Old Covenant with Yahweh, and who then believed in and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, they did not completely abandon the Law of Moses. Notice Acts 21:20: “… Then they said to Paul: ‘Brother, see, thousands of Jews have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law of Moses.’” Of course, being zealous for the Law of Moses did not mean they served in the Temple, because the Law of Moses established that only the Levites could serve in the Temple. They also no longer observed the laws regarding animal sacrifices, for Jesus had fulfilled them. However, some rituals of the Law of Moses were still practiced, such as the laws of vows, circumcision, and others (21:21-24).

Meanwhile, God revealed to Paul understanding that was different from what Peter and his team received, regarding the Gentiles. In Galatians 5:2, Paul emphasizes, “Behold, I, Paul, say to you, if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Paul meant that anyone who seeks righteousness through the Law of Moses will live outside of grace. One will be separated from Christ if they rely on the Law of Moses for righteousness. Likewise, Ephesians 2:15 states: “For by His death He has abolished the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, making peace.” This means that through Christ’s death, there is no longer a dividing wall between Jew and Gentile; both become one new man in Him. That is why, in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:28).

However, the understandings received by Paul and his team could not be understood or accepted by Peter’s group, whose ministry was directed toward the Jews. If Paul went to Jerusalem, conflict would arise that really need not happen. Perhaps this is why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. This does not mean that the gospel received by Peter’s group contradicted the gospel received by Paul. Rather, each revelation complements the other and progresses according to the principle of the Trilogy.

Before Paul and his companions arrived in Jerusalem, when they were in Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus came and foretold that Paul would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:11). Again, Paul was advised by the brethren there not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul insisted on going, saying he was ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

After Paul arrived in Jerusalem and explained what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry, James’ group raised the issue of whether Paul was teaching Jews in the diaspora to abandon the Law of Moses. Here, Paul faced a dilemma—a difficult and confusing situation. On one hand, Paul, as a Jew, was fully entitled to observe the vow rituals, as he had done in Cenchrea (Acts 18:18), but the revelation he received regarding the mystery of Christ, through which Christ’s death abolished the Law of Moses and made Jews and Gentiles one new man, created a dilemma for him (Ephesians 2:11-22). It was not easy for Paul to explain this, perhaps one reason the Holy Spirit had forbidden him to go to Jerusalem.

Next, James’ group suggested that Paul take part in a vow ritual with several others to demonstrate that he still observed the Law of Moses and did not teach Jews in the diaspora to abandon it (Acts 21:21-24). In reality, according to the revelation he had received regarding the mystery of Christ, Paul did teach that ‘in Christ’ there is no Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:28). Nevertheless, Paul agreed to take part in the vow ritual to purify himself and show that he still observed the Law of Moses and did not teach Jews in the diaspora to abandon it.

However, we know that when this vow ritual was nearly complete, Jews from Asia accused Paul of opposing the Law of Moses, causing a riot in Jerusalem and capturing him. In fact, they planned to kill Paul if the commander had not intervened.

When Paul was allowed by the commander to speak to the crowd, they only heard part of his explanation (Acts 22:22). Naturally, the crowd that did not accept Jesus as the Messiah could not understand Paul’s explanation, even though he recounted his extraordinary conversion. Truly, the Jews who still could not accept Jesus as the Messiah were part of God the Father’s own divine arrangement. Just as the Jewish religious leaders would not accept Jesus as the Messiah, even though He performed many miracles before them (John 12:37-41). All of this was orchestrated by the Father’s wisdom. In the end, when the Gentiles are fully included, all Israel will accept Jesus as the Messiah and be saved (Romans 11:25-27).

The next story is Paul’s testimony before the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (Acts 23:1-10). By God’s wisdom, Paul testified that he was a Pharisee who hoped in the resurrection of the dead. We know that the Sanhedrin members from the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection or angels, so Paul’s words caused a great uproar, forcing the session to be suspended.

Even though Paul’s difficulties in Jerusalem arose because he did not heed the whispers of the Holy Spirit through the disciples, God still strengthened him (Acts 23:11): “… Be courageous, for as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” Indeed, Paul had planned to visit Rome after Jerusalem (Acts 19:21). So, Paul’s plan to visit Rome was fulfilled despite his difficulties in Jerusalem.

However, Paul’s journey to Rome in chains was not smooth. He had to be transferred to Caesarea due to a plot by the Jews to kill him. He also faced trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin under Felix. Two years later, when Festus succeeded Felix, Paul remained in custody. He also faced trial before Festus and had to appeal to the Emperor (Acts 25:11). On the journey to Rome, Paul experienced a shipwreck and was stranded on the island of Malta. Yet through these trials, Paul finally arrived in Rome as ordained by God.

As a conclusion to this section, let us consider Paul’s testimony regarding his conversion before King Agrippa: “Now rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you have seen and of what I will reveal to you” (Acts 26:16). Here we see how God led His servant Paul. God did not reveal His entire will to Paul at once. He guided Paul step by step. When God appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, He only instructed him to go there, promising to reveal further instructions later (Acts 22:10). Even before Paul began his first mission, more than a decade had passed since his conversion.

Yet, by obeying God step by step, Paul could declare at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day…” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Paul received the crown of righteousness from the Lord, the righteous Judge, whose justice is evident in rewarding His obedient servant who followed Him step by step.

Now, let us consider Paul’s conversation with Felix in Acts 24:24-26: “… But when Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” Paul’s conversations with Felix were frequent during the two years of Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea, not because Felix sought the truth, but because he hoped Paul would offer him money for release.

What we should note in this conversation is the matter of ‘self-control’ and the ‘coming judgment’. When Felix heard this, he became afraid. This is understandable because Felix had a Jewish wife named Drusilla, the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, previously married to Azizus of Emesa. Felix, as a Roman governor, persuaded Drusilla to leave Azizus and marry him. Felix (Marcus Antonius) was a greedy man who cared little about justice, so it is understandable that he feared hearing about the ‘coming judgment’.

However, in the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, the ‘coming judgment’ is a critical point that must be proclaimed. Jesus, after teaching about the ‘deceptions’ His followers would face, concluded the Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing judgment (Matthew 7:21-27). 2 Corinthians 5:10 also states: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” We must view God’s judgment in two aspects: punishment (what one sows, one reaps) and restoration, as in Isaiah 26:9: “… When You judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”

Consider the judgment in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day… we prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and did many wonders in Your name… Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Here, judgment depends on whether someone does the Father’s will, not merely on acts of prophecy, exorcism, or miracles in His name. Followers of Jesus who are rejected from reigning with Him when the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested on earth (the Millennium) are those who committed ‘lawlessness’, meaning they did not do the Father’s will.

The Greek term translated as ‘lawlessness’ is ‘anomia’, meaning ‘absence of law’. These followers of Jesus performed ministry in His name but violated the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. The term ‘anomia’ also appears in the parable of the tares among the wheat: “… all evildoers (‘anomia’) in His kingdom” (Matthew 13:41). These followers were already in the kingdom of heaven, yet during their earthly ministry, they did not do the Father’s will and violated the Kingdom’s Law, hence they were rejected from reigning on earth at Christ’s second coming.

Thus, anyone preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, as Paul did, must proclaim the ‘coming judgment’, whether the listener believes in Jesus or not, as with Felix. Even though acceptance of the kingdom is by grace and the Father’s favor (Luke 12:32), sin must still be addressed. The coming judgment reveals the truth.

We conclude with Paul’s conversation with the Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17-29). The Jews in Rome understood the gospel of the kingdom as a ‘sect’ facing opposition everywhere (v. 22). They allowed Paul to explain this ‘sect’, which was actually the gospel of the kingdom, concerning the Messiah’s kingdom promised by Yahweh to the Jews.

Acts 28:23 states: “And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified about the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning until evening” (ILT). The Jewish Scriptures, the Tanakh, consist of the Torah (five books of Moses), Nebiim (the Prophets), and Ketubim (the Writings), which we call the Old Testament. Paul explained the kingdom of heaven from their Scriptures, convincing them that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Even though Paul taught about the Messiah’s kingdom from morning to evening based on their Scriptures, not all were convinced. Some still did not believe. Yet it was prophesied in the OT that the Jewish people as a nation would not accept Jesus as Messiah until a full number of Gentiles came in (John 12:37-41; Romans 11:25-26; Isaiah 6:10). Once the Gentiles were included, all Israel would be saved, meaning they would accept Jesus as their Messiah.

For two years, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ to all who came to his lodging. Around 63 AD, Paul was released, resumed ministry, and wrote 1 Timothy and Titus. Later, he was imprisoned a second time in Rome and wrote 2 Timothy before dying a martyr under Emperor Nero in 67 AD. Amen.