THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Incredible as it may seem, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was 'lost' for over nineteen centuries not only to the world but to the entire Christendom as a whole. In its place, the churches of the world preach a Gospel about the Person of Christ. In essence, the Gospel of Christ is the message that Christ was sent by God the Father to preach to the world - the message of the kingdom of God. Some twenty to thirty year after the founding of the New Testament church in AD 31, controversy began to emerge as to what is the true Gospel. After a period of almost one century - known as the lost century of the Christian church - the Gospel centred around the Person of Christ began to gain momentum, in place of the Gospel about the kingdom of God.

Christ first came as a Prophet was prophesied by Moses, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear' - Deut 18:15. Malachi affirmed that Christ will come as a Messenger of the (new) covenant to bring good news from God the Father about the coming kingdom that will dethrone Satan who is presently the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4) who deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9). Jesus Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God.The Gospel of the kingdom is to be preached in conjunction with Christ's role in it, and not preaching about Christ apart from the Gospel. Yet all who claimed to be Christ's disciples are totally ignorant of the very work they are commissioned to do! The world's churches of different persuasion preached a different gospel of grace, salvation, social issues and prosperity which the Apostle Paul warned with a 'double curse' - for perverting the Gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7-9).

Many preachers proclaim that 'the kingdom of God is within you' - presumably in you heart, mind and soul - quoting Luke 17:21. But little did they realise that this is mistranslation - when it should mean 'in the midst of you' - meaning that Christ as the King of the future kingdom of God, was in their midst. As the context was Christ speaking to the Pharisees, obviously Christ was not referring to them having inherited the kingdom of God! Because man has rejected the true Gospel, they have supplanted something else - another gospel ( 2 Cor 11:4) - to replace it. That is why the world - like the Titanic - is heading towards the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord but yet totally oblivious to the cataclysmic events prophesied to unfold!

The writer of Mark 1:1 states, 'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God' - and following down in verse 14-15, he states, 'Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God'  and saying, 'The time is fulfilled and the kingom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'  IT IS NECESSARY TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO BE SAVED! But how can one believe unless he/she understands what the gospel of the kingdom of God is. That is the very Gospel message that God the Father sent Christ to proclaim  (Luke 4:43) and we are commanded to hear Him. For over nineteen centuries, the world was ignorant of the true Gospel as they only understand a gospel about Christ and not the Gospel of Christ. While on earth, Christ sent His twelve disciples to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Matt 10: 5-7; Luke 9:1-2). After His resurrection but before His ascension to heaven, Christ taught His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).

The purpose of the church is to prepare those whom God has called to teach and rule in the kingdom of God. The purpose of king Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:28) was to reveal God's government (2:44) - the quintessence of the kingdom of God. It is referring to a literal kingdom on earth that bear rule on real people over the whole world, as Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount  - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5). Christ was born to be King, and when He returns all the governments of the world will be dissolved (Rev 11:15). In its place will be the kingdom of God ruled by Christ assisted by born again immortal spirit beings who will form the Family of God. The divine Family of God will rule over all mortal humans of the world but they will not be in the kingdom of God, though they will be ruled by it. Then Christ will be King over all the earth (John 18:37) in the world to come (Heb 2:5).

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ stated this categorically in John 8:30-32 thus, 'As He spoke these words, many believed in Him (people believed that Christ was sent from the  Heavenly Father to proclaim the Gospel message of hope for mankind). Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word (the Gospel message of the kingdom of God), you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and truth shall make you free." Christ was telling the Jews that it was not enough just believing in Him that He is the Son of God sent from heaven above (the demons beleive so and tremble), but that they must also believe His word - the message of the kingdom of God - so that they can be set free from sin and death through resurrection (when Christ return) and be born again into immortal life as a spirit being. Sadly, because of unbelief, only a small minority during the church age will get to inherit the kingdom of God ('little flock' - Luke 12:32) as it remains a mystery even to the large majority of church goers the world over. For many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - to become the sons of God in the divine Family who will rule and reign with Christ in the coming kingdom. Make no mistake, only those who are born again as immortals into the Family of God will rule as masters of the universe!

But one of the conditions to earn the reward from Christ is to - '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' (1 John 2:15).This present evil age (Gal 1:4) is Satan's world and the large majority of the people are being deceived to follow the Babylonian system of idolatry rooted in false doctrines and practices. True Christians who are called are warned to 'Come out of her' or else they become partakers in her sins. (Rev 18:4). Those who fail to heed the warning of Christ may not receive a full reward (2 John 8).

PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

Many evangelical Protestant churches believe that the church is to function as a saving lighthouse for 'lost souls'. But if that is the case, then how about all human beings who lived before the birth of the New Testament Church in  31 A.D. They would all be doomed without hope of salvation and that would make God a respecter of persons, which is contrary to His nature and Scripture! In New Testament Greek, the Church is called ekklesia which means the called-out ones - the congregation of people that forms the Church. The name should be called "Church of God" which is used twelve times in the New Testament.

According to Herbert W. Armstrong whom God called to restore many biblical truth lost since the first century, the word church first appears in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus said, 'I will build My church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.' In plain language, it simply means - according to Herbert W Armstrong - "I will call out of Satan's world disciples, to grow into the altogether new and different world, which will be God's kingdom". Jesus Christ is the Founder and the living Head of the Church (Eph 5:23). Notice that Christ came to establish His Church and not churches. So there is only one true Church of God with one set of doctrinal teachings based solely on the Bible and not teaching as doctrines the commandments of men! (Mark7:7).

Jesus Christ did not come to earth in His first advent to save Satan's world while Satan still rules the world (2 Cor4:4). He will save the world in His Second Coming when Satan shall be restrained. Christ came some 2,000 years ago to qualify as the second Adam to replace Satan as King on the throne of the earth, ruling with the Government of God. He also came to proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Luke 4: 43) as a Messenger sent from God the Father (Deut 18:15; Malachi 3:1c). Christ also died for the sin of all humanity and He established the Church to train all true believers whom the Father had called and chosen (John 6:44; 15:16,19) to be the Bride of Christ and be members of the Family of God.

Water baptism is an initiatory rite to be born of the Spirit of God. The kingdom of God will not be composed of mortal human beings for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 15:50). The first Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit (1 Cor 15:45). God is reproducing Himself in His saints whom He has called and obeyed Him! For God to restore His Government on planet earth (and the whole universe in the age of eternity), He would require a group of trained and qualified God Beings who have rejected Satan's way of life and obeyed the righteous laws of God.. The Church will eventually be His instrument to bring salvation to all of humanity who have ever lived when they are all resurrected toward the end of the millennium age. The Church is the firstfruits (Heb 12:23; James 1:18), a chosen generation and a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9) who will teach the multiple billions of resurrected flesh and blood human beings since Adam the whole truth. All true Christians are drafted (predestined) and there is no volunteer!

That is why Christ spoke in parables often so that only His true disciples will understand and not the masses who were not called (Matt 13:10-11; Mark 4:10-11). God's plan of salvation for mankind is working one step at a time, and the time is not yet to reveal the whole truth to the world. This plan of salvation is contained in Leviticus 23 where the seven annual festivals is to be observed forever for all spiritual descendants of Abraham, including the Church. The Passover pictures the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross as payment for the sin of mankind. The seven days of Unleavened Bread pictures the Church coming out of sin just as the ancient Israelites came out of Egypt. The Day of Pentcost - originally called the Feast of Firstfruits - pictures the Church as the first begotten and born as children of God. The Feast of Trumpets pictures the Second Coming of Christ to rule over all nations and governments of the world. The Day of Atonement pictures the putting away of Satan at the beginning of the millennium. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the thousand-year reign of Christ with the spirit born-again saints. The Final Great Day pictures the final judgement of all humans who have ever lived.

When God closed the tree of life after Adam sinned, the Holy Spirit and salvation was cut off from humanity except for a chosen few whom God had called for a specific purpose.  The Church was called not just for salvation and eternal life, but to develop the spiritual character of Christ and be trained to help Christ administer God's Government and redemption for the whole world when Christ returns (Rev 2: 26-27; 3:21). Those who are called are not saved by the blood of Christ but by His life (Rom 5:10)  - by the resurrection - which will happen when Christ returns to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. Since Christ overcame Satan in the wilderness (Matt 4: 3-11) the Church must now overcome in the church age in order to rule with Him (1 Pet 4:17). The Church is required to overcome Satan, the lust of the flesh and the temptations of the world to qualify as kings and priests in the wonderful world to come. However, the rest of humanity will not be required to so overcome to obtain salvation when Satan has been restrained.

When a person is called of God and obeyed, he/she becomes a spiritual embryo and the church is to provide the spiritual food as nourishment for growth to maturity (Eph 4:11-13). The Church is the  Jerusalem above, the mother of us all (Gal 4:26). The Church has the dual responsibility to proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God, and Christ is to be preached in conjunction with the Gospel. In addition, it has to shepherd the flock of God (1 Pet 5:2). It behooves, therefore, that God's true ministers should protect and guard the spiritually begotten but yet unborn saints from false doctrine and deception!

IS GOD A TRINITY?

The doctrine of the trinity has never been in the Bible. It is a concoction of men gathered at Nicaea in 325 AD to frame the doctrine for Christianity that will unite dissenting groups of followers of the Christian faith. The group that hinges on heresy and supported by the then popular Roman Emperor Constantine won against those who opposed the doctrine of trinity as it was never taught in Scriptures and certainly not by Jesus Christ and His first Apostles. So where did the doctrine come from? Right even before the time of Christ, the triad deity was already long in existence. The idea was probably first practised by the Babylonians. Semiramis, the mother-wife of Nimrod, believed that Horus was reincarnated from Nimrod and intended to immortalised the three of them to be worshipped. In Egypt, the family was worshipped as Osiris (Nimrod), Isis (Semiramis) and son Horus some three centuries after the great Flood of Noah's time.

In Babylon, the triad deity was known as Ninas, Ishtar and Tammuz. In Rome, it was Jupiter, Fortuna and Mercury. Most ancient pagan religions had their own triad deity, albeit using different names, but basically rooted in philosophy and metaphysics copied from the migrants that came out of the Tower of Babel - another root of idolatry from Mystery Babylon! The Hindu god comes in the form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and so do many Eastern religions. The famous Greek philosopher Plato and early theologians like Philo, Clement of Alexandria and Origen greatly influenced early Christianity that follows Gnosticism and Greek philosophy that deviate from the true teachings of Christ and His chosen Apostles.

Reliable sources of church history tell us that right into the second century AD, heresy had already entered the church just as Christ and His Apostles had warned. The Gnostics had use allegory to explain away the truth and in its place came Greek philosophy and man's concoction of heretical ideas to explain Scriptures instead of letting the Bible interprets the Bible. Most believe that there is one God in personage when Christ clearly states that He and the Father are one in unity and purpose (John 17:11). Hence, the doctrine of the trinity is a mystery that nobody understands. Lest it be misunderstood, Christ and God the Father are two God Beings and the Holy Spirit is the power that exudes out from these two Supreme Beings of the Godhead. Christ said that 'I and My Father are one' - John 10:30, and there is no mention of any other person. The Apostle Paul reinforces this teaching when he wrote, ' yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live' - 1 Cor 8:6. Similarly, for all of Paul's epistles, there is no greetings of the Holy Spirit, but only God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. Even in the Lord's prayer, we are taught to pray to God the Father in the name of the Son Jesus Christ, period. If the Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity, then why is there no mention of his presence?

The prophet Jeremiah had rightly quoted the Lord of hosts thus, ' I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power (referring to the Holy Spirit ) and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me' - Jeremiah 27:5. This verse is rightly collaborated with Acts 5:32 where it states that God will only gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. Besides, if the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, then Jesus Christ should be called ' the Son of the Holy Spirit'  since He was conceived of the Holy Spirit! In the long prayer between the Father and the Son (John 17) there was no mention of the Holy Spirit and neither in the Lord's prayer are Christians commanded to pray to the Holy Spirit. Yet misguided preachers are doing so to showcase their ignorance, or their disobedience!

Note that in Daniel 7:13-14, the prophet Daniel recorded the vision of the inauguration of the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) by the Ancient of Days (God the Father) when the throne of Satan is finally ceded to Christ. There is no record of the presence of the Holy Spirit in such an important event in the whole universe! Similarly, the dialogue between the Father and Son recorded in Hebrew chapter 1 clearly shows two Persons of the Godhead talking over their Master Plan to offer man membership in the Divine Family, to the exclusion of angels - and this makes Satan furious with envy (1:5, 13). Those who overcome will be offered membership in God's Divine Family to rule the world with Christ and even to judge angels (1 Cor 6: 2-3).

The Persons of God the Father and God the Son each has different unique names, but the term 'Holy Spirit' is not a name of a person - let alone a God Being. Many references were made of the Holy Spirit in symbolic terms like water, wind, olive oil and dove. These are not normally use to refer to a human being, what more a God Being! Most trinitarians forget that God is a Person and not some nebulous blob of spirit floating around like 'Gasper the Ghost' - popularised through Hollywood movies. God rule from His throne in Heaven, and Christ is now seated on His right hand interceding for His saints. The Holy Spirit is given as a 'deposit' to seal those whom God has called and choose to obey Him (Acts 5:32) for the day of redemption (Eph 1:13-14).

The prophet Joel prophesied that God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:36), and this prophesy is yet of the future - to happen when Christ has returned to establish His kingdom on earth. Since no one can 'pour' one person onto another, the Holy Spirit cannot be a person for this to happen. Some suggests that the pronoun 'He' is used to suggest that the Holy Spirit is a person, but that was not in the original text as it was added by bible translators. The King James Version in Romans 8:16 uses the pronoun 'it' to describe the Holy Spirit - the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit. Remember, only the original Bible manuscripts are inspired - the rest are but translations  carried out by men. Still not convinced? Just consider the prophetic book of Revelation - the first two verses reveal that the book originated from God the Father who gave it to Jesus Christ. Christ then sent it to an angel who hand it to John to narrate it as Scriptures. There is no mention of any third person of the trinity involved.

Then there are others who argue that since the Scriptures mention that one must not blaspheme the Holy Spirit, it has to be a person of some sort. But first know that if the Holy Spirit is a Supreme God Being living inside of us, every time we sin, we will die. Since the Holy Spirit is a source of power that exudes out of God (Act 8:19), any denial of its presence and leading is tatamount to rejecting God - just like rejecting an emissary sent from a King or an Emperor is considered blasphemous and could attract capital punishment in ancient times!

Satan is out to deceive the masses - if more people believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, then they will never get to understand their incredible potential. The trinity is a closed concept devised by Satan to deny humans from being a member of God's Divine Family. God's plan is to expand His Family and government throughout the universe in eternity (Isaiah 9:7) Only those who understand and accept the truth will be granted membership in God's eternal Family - for the truth will make you free (John 8:32) - free from sin and death. Make no mistake, only membership into God's Royal Family  - those called at this time to be a Bride of Christ - will be entitled to enter the kingdom of God (Matt 22:11-13) with rewards to rule and reign with Christ for all of eternity. This is the greatest deal and highest calling ever - but the window of opportunity is fast closing in as Christ's return becomes imminent!

THE COMING UTOPIAN WORLD

This world is facing mounting problems - from natural disasters to human calamities. Hardly a day goes by without bad news being reported in the daily press. The world's financial system is on the verge of collapse. Wars and threats of wars are ongoing in many countries around the globe. Crimes and drugs are ravaging human lives that even many sovereign governments are powerless to handle. Injustice and cruelty to humanity are so pervasive that even the authorities are no longer blameless. The list of bad effects on a world's system that is built upon the wrong foundation has been around for some 6,000 years of man's rulership is soon coming to an end. In its place, God will supernaturally intervene in the affairs of man with the establishment of His government on earth (Rev 11:15) - forcefully at the initial start as the power that be tried to resist (Isaiah 11:4)!

But the coming utopian world will result when Christ returns to rule the world as the King of kings - the kings being the resurrected spirit born members of God's Divine Family (Isaiah 32:1).Wars will be a thing of the past as nations will learn to live in peace and harmony - swords and implements of wars will be turned into useful tools for productive work (Isaiah 2:4). Deserts and wasteland will blossom like a garden, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dumb will speak and the lame will leap like a deer (35:5-7). Man may talk and dream about a one world government, but it is never going to work as the formation of the United Nations has shown that things will only get worse before it gets better - and only upon the return of Jesus Christ setting up a supergovernment on planet earth!

The main thrust of the Gospel message is the coming world government with Jesus Christ reigning on the throne. Shortly after Christ's victory over Satan in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11), He began to proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Matt 4:17). The defeat of Satan entitles Christ to qualify for the throne that will be consummated upon His return. Man may have invented the spaceship that travels into space and high tech gizmos that make life more comfortable, but only the Almighty God has the power and capacity to solve all the problems mankind is facing - from looming diseases, drugs and crimes, to severe pollution and threats of nuclear holocaust. By some estimates, the earth could become inhabitable by 2050 due mainly to shortage of food and fresh water, key natural resources and all kinds of pollutions that threaten life.

The world today is plagued by lawlessness of all forms - literally from the bedroom to the boardroom. Serious character flaws are no longer a barrier to hold public office and be in positions of power and authority. Christ warns that lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold (Matt 24:12) in the last days preceding His return - But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (24:37). Supporters are quick to brush aside lawlessness and character flaws on people of stature as personal indiscretions. People with severe criminal records are often let loose to commit more crimes, much to the agony of innocent victims and heavy social cost to society. All these injustices will be restituted on the Day of Reckoning and never ever to happen again in the utopian world to come (Heb 2:5).

The Millennium Age will see an explosion of creativity, invention and development that the past six thousand years of human achievements look like kindergarden. Imagine what life will be like when Satan is bound and man is able to develop the right education system that unlock one hundred percent of his potential instead of just a meagre ten percent. The Apostle Paul understood what it means when he quoted Isaiah, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered the heart of man - the things which God has prepared for those who love Him' (I Cor 2:9; Isaiah 64:4). What this verse means is that man has yet to discover many wonderful things even the mightest microscope and telescope have been unable to do so and human ears have yet to hear of music far superior than what is being offered even through Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. What God has offered is a mind patterned like His with unlimited creative potential that is literally out of this world!

Sin has robbed the human race of all the riches that God has planned for us. But all these will change when the spirit of man will be unleashed to experience that which no man has ever seen or experience before in all of human history. Even the animal kingdom will be transformed as prophesied in Isaiah thus, 'The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and the little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain' (Isaiah 11:6-9). For the Word of God shall go forth in all the earth as the waters cover the sea.

God has a plan to destroy all forms of evil and death with Satan restrained, during the times of restoration of all things (Acts 3:21). A new form of government with a new standard of moral law to govern all human behaviour that will be administered by Christ with the assistance of His saints, who will be resurrected to become spirit beings born of God (born again). All peoples and nations that conform to the new order of worship and obedience will be blessed. Although the Millennium Age will be earth's brightest period, the short years preceding it will be the darkest the world will ever know. For darkness will precede dawn with the Great Tribulation looming as Satan unleashed his wrath just before yielding his earthly throne to the Lord Jesus Christ upon His imminent return (Rev 11:15)!

The prophet Isaiah posed the question, 'Who would receive our report?- Isaiah 53:1 - meaning who would believe what was written about the coming utopia (the kingdom of God) in the prophetic book that bears his name. Sadly, the same is true even today. Jeremiah is spot on when he asked, 'can a leopard change its spot?' - Jeremiah 13:23 - the rebellious naysayers simply will not believe God. Only when the spirit of man is changed through the power of Christ and his saints will hope of lasting peace and prosperity engulf the whole world and turn it into a paradise!

DIVINE HEALING

I came from a Baptist church where divine healing is hardly talk about. The pastor and church leaders were sceptical about supernatural healing. But the Bible is unequivocally clear that God's will is for His people to be healed - And by His (Jesus Christ) stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). The Apostle John affirmed this truth in 3 John 2, ' Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.'  In many accounts recorded in the four Gospel, Christ go about healing the sick and diseased- Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people (Matt 9:35). It is worthy to note that the healing is accompanied by the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom of God!

Healing and forgiveness of sins go hand-in-hand, and since no man can forgive sin, no physician can heal any person. What he or she does is only prescribing medicine which often deals with the symptoms rather than getting into the root cause of the sickness or disease. Since only God can forgive sin, God is the One who can truly heals. Most Christians will go see a doctor at the first sign that something is amiss physically. But God should be our first and last line of defense against sickness and diseases. The correct approach is to come before the Heavenly Father for healing the root cause of our sickness and diseases.

However, divine healing in this church age is meant primarily for the true believers who have the faith of Christ (James 5:14-15). While it takes human faith at the outset to believe that Christ came to die for his/her sin to receive salvation, the believer must move from human faith to the faith of Jesus - from faith to faith (Rom 1:17) - in order to appropriate the promises of God. But what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 states that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hence, real faith is something hoped for, and when you hope for something, that thing has yet to be received. The evidence of which is not seen means that there is no physical evidence to substantiate it, unlike in a human court of law. This implies that a true Christian will believe the word of Christ and take the promises of God at face value that it will come to pass. The belief itself is the evidence.

Human faith is unstable and tends to waver when confronted with challenges (Js 1:6-8). But the faith of Jesus is steady and the true disciples who exercise it will develop patience and await the promises of God (Rev 14:12). Many are drawn to believe that all they need to do is to believe that Jesus died for their sins and all is well, quoting Romans 10:9. But that is quoting Scriptures out of context. Further down in the same chapter verse 17, it states But they have not all obeyed the gospel - for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified (Rom 2:13). The promises of God come with conditions - obedience - and if the laws of God are nullified, then there is no longer any sin for sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4a). One who turns away his ear from hearing the law (of God), even his prayer is an abomination - strong words - Proverbs 28:9.

Christ's ministry is dual - preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God and healing the sick (Luke 4:18; 7:22). His disciples are commissioned to do likewise - Matt 10:7-8. But many public healing services are conducted in the name of Christ with people falling backward. Scriptures show that all believers who confront the divine will tend to fall face forward - Gen 17:3,17; 2 Chron 20:18. Those who are demon possessed tend to fall backward - John 18:6. This goes to show that divine healing is meant for disciples who have the faith to believe God for his promises and obey his laws. For there must be repentance of sin and forgiveness from God before healing takes place. When Christ walks the earth and healed the unconverted, human faith was exercised. But in the church age, God expects His church to exercise the faith of Christ.

Sickness and disease come about because of sin and also due to the law of cause and effect. Wrong choice of food and drink, lack of exercise, rest and a poor mental state of mind will result in bad effect - sickness and diseases. But in the world to come (Heb 2:5), the Lord will reign as Judge and Lawgiver to forgive all iniquities - sickness and diseases will be a thing of the past (Isaiah 33: 22-24) when people obey God's law. Modern medicine and drugs as we know it will largely be unnecessary when Christ returns to reign with His saints. What a wonderful world that will be - the hope of mankind!

THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD

The Gospel that Christ preached is the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is the government of God. In fact, the kingdom of God also encompass the Family of God, which will be made up of immortal spirit beings born into the divine Family. The true church of God will be the Bride that marries Christ to join the divine Family at His return, with God the Father as the Head of the Family.The divine Family will form the government of God with its headquarters in Jerusalem. The magnificient temple vision of prophet Ezekiel, given to us in Ezekiel chapters 40-48, is a prophecy for born again saints to hold offices and perform God's work in the millennium reign of Christ. The King of kings and Lord of lords will rule and reign with His saints from God's beautiful headquarters!

The writer of Hebrews (2:5) was unequivocal, 'For He (God the Father) has not put the WORLD TO COME of which we speak, in subjection to angels' . Hebrews 2 goes on to state that man will ultimately rule with Christ, not only during the millennial age (world to come), but throughout eternity when all things (Heb 2:10) will be brought under the dominion of the sons of God crowned with glory and honour. That in essence, is the Gospel that Jesus Christ came to preach (Luke 4:43), and commanded His disciples to do likewise (Matthew 28:20).The full Gospel has to be preached - Jesus Christ is to be preached in conjunction with the Gospel (Acts 8:12; 28:31) - and not Jesus Christ without the Gospel message. That is dishonouring God the Father (Malachi 1:6-7) as the Gospel message of the kingdom of God was commissioned by Him! The churches have defiled the altar, the very centre of God's work commisioned for them to do.

 For only those who abide in His word (the Gospel message of the kingdom of God) are His true disciples (John 8:31), and know the truth that will set them free (from the clutches of Satan and his demons) - (John 8:32). Sadly, many who call Him 'Lord, Lord ' will fail to qualify as the chosen ones in the government of God. Those who overcome, Christ will make him a pillar in the temple of God during the millennium, and in the age of eternity when the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven from God. (Rev 3:12). God the Father will also descend from heaven to dwell in the heavenly temple in the New Jerusalem in the midst of men (Rev 21:3)!

Those who obey Christ as their Master has the government of Christ over them. They will receive new revelations and understanding from the word of God. The problem this world is facing today is one of rebellion. Children rebel against parents, citizens rebel against authorities and many wives refuse to submit to their husbands just like churches refuse to submit to the headship of Christ and turn Laodicean and rebellious. The Laodiceans are breaking God's spiritual laws and refused to accept the concept of God's divine Family (Malachi 4:5-6) which Satan hates because he was never offered membership in God's divine Family (Hebrews 1:5, 13). Unless they repent, they are going to be very sorry for eternity. Christ said in John 14:2-3, In my Father's house (temple headquarters in Jerusalem) are many mansions (more correctly should be translated as many offices); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place  (positions in the kingdom of God) for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am (Christ will be on earth after His return) there you may be also.' Today they are begotten of the Father (Hebrews 1:5), but will be born sons when Christ returns (1 John 3:9).

From a spiritual standpoint, the temple in the Old Testament times is the equivalent of the New Testament church. The most holy place in the temple is the holy of holies, located in the inner court of the temple. The ark of the covenant was kept in the holy of holies, it is a symbol of God's presence at His throne - the government of God. Inside the ark are the manna, Aaron's rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant which contain the Ten Commandments. The meaning of all these is that God's people are to feed on His word, the spiritual truth, and be ruled by the law - the Ten Commandments - and Aaron' rod symbolises the government of God. It is all about God ruling man! But mankind in general choose to follow Satan which rebelled against God long before man was created. But in these last days, God is judging His true church (1 Peter 4:17). He is measuring the inner court of His temple and leaving out the outer court (Rev 11:1-2). Those in the inner court are the true disciples of Christ who will be His Bride and share His throne (Rev 3:21).

The two pillars in the temple - Jachin and Boaz (1 Kings 7:21) - represent God the Father and Jesus Christ. This is a symbolism of supreme power behind God's true church and the creation of the divine Family that form the government of God. The Laodicean church has been blinded spiritually by religious deception and has become lukewarm (Rev 3:16) as their lampstand is fast running low on oil (lacking the power of the Holy Spirit). The temple will be the focus of the world when Christ returns as people of all nations will seek the Lord in the house of God (Isaiah 2: 2-3). The prophetic Psalm of David  (Psalm 23:6) put it succinctly, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord (God's temple) forever'.

Before the birth of Jesus Christ, the angel Gabriel told Mary that her Son Jesus will inherit the throne of David (as promised by God to David through the Davidic covenant - 2 Samuel 7:8-16; 1 Chron 17: 10-14), and that His kingdom will never end (Luke 1:31-33). Jesus Christ was born to be  King (John 18:37). Long before Satan's rebellion, God's government was already established upon earth. All the prophets of the Old Testaments and the new Testament Apostles understood that the kingdom will come with power when Christ returns to rule over real people over real nations on earth (Ps 67:4) - not some fluffy sentimental feelings embedded 'in the hearts and minds' of Christians! Enoch prophesied that Christ will return with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment on all the ungodly and their deeds (Jude 14-15). That is why the Old Testament is filled with stories of kings and kingdoms - a reminder of the righteous King and His kingdom to come - a paradigm of the Lord's prayer, 'Thy kingdom come' (Matt 6:10). God's ultimate purpose for man is to restore the Garden of Eden on earth during the millennium age and then extend out to the whole universe for a world without end (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1: 33)!

RELIGIOUS DECEPTION

The level of religious deception in the whole wide world is so pervasive and deep that many prophetic warnings reverberating across Scriptures are exactly spot on for time such as this. God warns through Hosea that My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (ignorance because they are being deceived)- Hosea 4:6 & Isaiah 5:13. The Lord Christ pointed out categorically in the Olivet prophecy to His close disciples (Matt 24:4-5) to 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, "I am the Christ", and will deceive many.'

Throughout the centuries since then, many have misrepresented God in His work and Christ in His teachings and Gospel message carved out for the true church to do. Many leaders have flippantly misuse God's name to do this and that without biblical basis. The book of Jeremiah is filled with prophecies for the end time as we are now undergoing with strong rebuke for the corrupt religious leaders guilty of deceiving the people of God for working out their own agendas by misusing the name of Christ (Jer 5:31). They have simply worshipped the works of their own hands (Jer 1:16) but using the name of Christainity to lend credibility to deceive the masses! Unless they repent before their physical death or the coming Great Tribulation, whichever comes first, such religious leaders will face a bleak eternal future that includes weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt 24:51).

Many are unaware that Rev 6:1-2 reveals a counterfeit Christianity representing a man with a bow sitting on a white horse, going out conquering and to conquer. The true Jesus Christ (reveals in Rev 19:11-15) is One sitting on a white horse wearing many crowns (not just a crown) with a sharp sword out of His mouth (not a bow in his hand)) Who will return to rule (and not just conquering). The true church of Jesus Christ is represented in the Bible as a woman (Rev 12:1). The symbol of a bow has a subtle reference to Nimrod, who was  a great hunter out conquering, and founded the ancient city Babylon and the Babylonian Empire which was the seat of the Babylonian Mystery religion (Rev 17:5). The rider in Revelation 6 and the One in Revelation 19 are two opposing individuals showing two distinct spectrum of time. Revelation 6 shows a false Christ (another Christ) with a false gospel (different gospel)- 2 Cor 11:4 - while Revelation 19 reveals the true Jesus Christ with the true gospel, founded and leading the true church in all its power and glory until He returns.

To be authentic, the false Christ and gospel have to look real, just like a counterfeit US dollar or a Rolex watch to deceive the unwary. In the last days, these false ministers and prophets are so prevalent that they are everywhere as Christ rightly warned in Matthew 24: 24-26, 'For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFOREHAND. Therefore, if they say to you, "Look, He is in the desert!", do not go out, or "Look, He is in the inner rooms!" do not believe it.' Here Christ is warning His people that many false ministers and prophets will attempt to work miracles to lure the gullible - do not fall into their trap. Although the counterfeit Christianity system has been fairly entrenched since the third and fourth century, it will be greater in power and intensity at the close of the church age - as Satan had been cast out of the domain of heaven (Rev 12:9-10) and is upping his ante before relinquishing his throne to the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev 11:15)!

The Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1,13 warns, ' But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come...evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.'  It seems to me that there will be different kinds and levels of deception - that even deceivers themselves are being deceived by higher level of deception that it will be impossible for most to make any sense of what is going on. Church history shows that after the death of all the first Apostles (the last being Apostle John) and men like Polycarp and Polycrates, much of the truth of the Bible were rejected as 'Judaizing' and taken over by false teachers and replaced with man's practices to appease the majority. Hence, the overwhelming majority of the teachings in traditional Christianity today are variations of the Babylonian Mystery Religion adopted by religious leaders throughout the early centuries and formalised as 'biblical truth'! Much of the writings of the early church leaders like Justin Martyr and Jerome were ideas adopted from Simon Magus (Acts 8:18-20), a magician who founded a heretical movement that influenced the doctrine of most false churches today!

The famous Roman general Constantine, who later became the emperor, subsequently convened the ecumenial Council in Nicea in 325 AD also outlaw true Christianity for political and selfish reasons to consolidate his power in the Roman Empire. For purpose of unity and compromise to rally different groups together, the truth of Scriptures were booted out and many false doctrines were introduced. Teachings like Sunday worship to replace the true Sabbath on Saturday (he was an avid sun worshipper) and the preaching of the gospel about the person of Christ, instead of the true gospel of the kingdom of God that He was sent by God the Father to proclaim to mankind, were made mandatory. Pagan holidays were introduced as part of Christian festivities and 'holy days'. The false doctrine of the trinity was also introduced to conceal God's plan of expanding His divine Family forever (Isaiah 9:6-7). Those who refused to conform were forced into exile and many leaders of the true church were captured, tortured and martyred - just as Christ prophesied in Matthew 24:9. As much of prophecy is a duality, what had happened is a typology of events yet to come - in the coming Great Tribulation!

When Martin Luther came onto the scene in the 1500s, he saw the corruption and brutality of the counterfeit church system. The Protestant Reformation was birth then and now the Babylonian Religious system has 'many daughters' born out of that system. Today, there are thousands of denominations and sects calling themselves Protestants churches. But things are coming full circle with the ecumenical movement gaining grounds on the Charismatic platform, moving towards unity and 'coming home' to the mother church. The false religious system is spreading through false conversion and false hope all propagated by men in the name of Christ! The anti-Christ and false prophet will arise from the Beast with 'bow and arrows' to unleash war and bloodshed to fight Christ on His imminent return! Only those who understand and believe the truth will watch and pray... and be counted worthy to escape all these things (Luke 21:36)!