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)!

PURPOSE OF GOD'S TRUE CHURCH

The true Church of Jesus Christ bears the name of  'The Church of God' - which is mentioned twelve times in the New Testament (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2, 10:32, 11:16, 11:22, 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:13; 1 Tim 3:5, 3:15; 1 Thess 2:14; 2 Thess 1:4). Jesus Christ Himself promised that he will build His church and it could never be destroyed (Matt 16:18). It is worthy to note that He did not say 'churches' - meaning to say that there is only one true church, and by definition, to the exclusion of all others who are outside the rule and government of God. The word 'churches' is used only to identify one from another within the same body with the same doctrine and purpose - not those of differing denominations and doctrinal persuasions, often conflicting ones!

According to the Bible and authenticated through church history, there are seven church eras, namely Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodiceans (Rev chapters 2 & 3) in that order of time. These seven cities were located on a mail route in Asia Minor, now western Turkey. They reflect the time of the founding of the Church by Christ in AD 31 to His Second Coming. Apart from the eras of Smyrna and Philadelphia, all the other five eras have their unique set of doctrinal and spiritual problems that eventually led to their downfall. However, each time when that happened, God has raised up a leader for the Church to enter the subsequent era. We are now in the final era of the Laodiceans - the lukewarm Church which will be spitted out of the mouth of Christ to face the Great Tribulation!

Due to apostasy, division and egoistic leaders, the Church has failed to proclaim the Gospel according to Jesus Christ for some nineteen centuries since about AD 50 to AD 1953, until God raised up Herbert W. Armstrong to proclaim the true Gospel of the kingdom of God. What has been preached all along is the Gospel about the person of Christ, and most churches wrongly assumed it is the same as the kingdom of God. The Gospel of the kingdom has been preached by the prophets in the Old Testament and by Christ even before His crucifixion. As the Apostle Paul rightly expected before it happened, 'But even if our gospel is veiled (hidden), it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.' (2 Cor 4:3-4)

The purpose of the Church is NOT to convert all unbelievers into Christianity in this age. While Christ was on earth, there was no attempt by Him to invite people to believe in Him. He simply drafted twelve men to be His disciples - all called by God the Father (John 6:44). If the Church is the instrument of God to save the world, then all humanity outside of Israel before the time of Christ were doomed! The word ekklesia in the New Testament Greek means the called-out ones - an assembly, a congregation, a gathering or a group. In the Old Testament Church, it was a 'congregation of Israel'. However, the true Church has the sanctity of the name Church of God - used twelve times in the New Testament. Simply put, when Christ said in Matthew 16:18 - I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it - He was saying that He will call out of Satan's world disciples, to grow into an altogether new and different world, which will be God's kingdom. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph 5:23).

The Church was created for the divine purpose of saving the whole of humanity, but in accordance to God's Master Plan and time order.Those who are called out of this world and into His church now are being called for a specific purpose and for a specific work (1 Cor 12:18). The specific purpose and work is to be trained in the government of God to prepare for the time when all of humanity will be converted to God's way of righteousness. The time will come for the salvation of mankind when Satan is removed from his throne (Rev 20:1-3) and Christ installed as King and the born again saints made immortal as kings to rule and reign on earth (Rev 11:15). Christ will be the King of kings and Lord of lords - Rev 19:16 - (kings - those who are called to form the true Church in this age and lords - those who will be converted in the Millennial age to come).

Jesus did not come to save Satan's world while Satan is still on his throne (2 Cor 4:4). The time for the salvation of all humanity is yet ahead. So why did Jesus Christ come some two thousand years ago to earth. He came for the following reasons:

1. To qualify to rule where the first Adam failed, and to replace Satan on the throne at His Second Coming.
2. To proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God - the future establishment of God's government on earth to be ruled by His divine Family.
3. To die for the sins of mankind so that we all can have eternal life with God in eternity through His resurrection.
4. To establish the Church of God to be trained to rule and reign under Christ.

Satan's world is filled with deception, strife and violence, envy and coveteousness, vanity and self-centredness - all contrary to the righteous laws of God's government. Since then, mankind has been on collision course with God. Despite all the mounting problems and disasters mankind is facing, man is unrepentant and like a Titanic heading toward the coming Great Tribulation (the wrath of Satan) and the Day of the Lord (God's wrath). The Good News is after all that, there will be a new world dawning with God intervening in the affairs of man, with Christ and His immortal saints ruling and reigning on earth. The true Church (firstfruits) is the Bride who will eventually marry the Lord Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev 19:7-9) to become His 'help meet' (Genesis 2:18). God the Father, God the Son and His Bride will form the divine Family that will rule the universe for all eternity. The Apostle Paul put it succinctly in Romans 8:19, 'For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God'.

PREDESTINATION AND FREE WILL

Most professing Christians and preachers believe that all those who had died accepting Christ as their personal Saviour will end up in 'heaven enjoying eternal life of bliss'. Conversely, they also believe that all those who had failed to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour in this life-time will die 'burning in eternal hell fire'. But all these beliefs are false as they are not supported by Scriptures. Some even believe that only a small elite group of people are called to salvation and most people are predestined to be eternally lost forever. They are projecting God to be in the business of condemnation as an unfair Judge without giving them an opportunity to know the whole truth!

Such wrong belief stems largely from a misunderstood verse, ' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold,now is the day of salvation - 2 Cor 6:2' The Apostle Paul was quoting Isaiah 48:9 which states, 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you'. The King James translators wrongly translated it as 'the' when it ought to be 'a'. If as it is claimed, then the only acceptable time for salvation would be during the time of Apostle Paul in the first century, and we are all doomed! Clearly, the true meaning is when God revealed to you the truth, that is the time He is calling you as He had predestined you to be a son in His divine Family in the kingdom of God. But the offer is good only if you obey His laws and commandments to pursue Christ-likeness, that is, seeking His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Sadly, many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - for they failed in their obligation to obey and abide in Christ.

God has given all mankind free will to choose their course of actions. They have to learn that there is a cause or causes for every effect, and they need to seek Godly wisdom to choose wisely. However, in this present age, God is calling only a small group of people to understand and obey His truth, in preparation for them to become rulers and priests in His coming kingdom of God (Rev 20:6). These men and women were predestined and chosen by God long before even they were born, ' He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will - Ephesians 1:4-5'. Hence, predestination is not about God determining who should be saved and who should be lost - for those who are not called in this age to be sons of God are neither saved nor lost, for their time of salvation has yet to come - but is all about God calling a small group of true believers to be the firstfruits (James 1:18) that will form the true Church of God for the fulfillment of His divine plan.

Many may wonder why God is favouring some whom He has called, in this present age, to be His sons and not others. The reason is that God knows each of us best even when we were in our mother's womb. He knows the make-up of every individual human being even before birth and who would best fit the task cut out for each of His sons in the kingdom of God. Do not forget that those who are called in this age has to undergo trials and tribulations - to overcome selfish ambition and desire, the temptation and deception of Satan and the riches and glamour of society. All humans who have ever lived but were not called in this life-time will be resurrected as reconstituted human beings (Ezekiel 37) to be told the whole truth, repentance and offer of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). They will have an easier opportunity for salvation as Satan will be bound, and the world would be a paradise at the close of the millennium age, after the restoration of all things by Christ and His saints ruling the world (Acts 3:21).

The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:29-30 puts it succinctly, 'For whom He (God the Father) foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He (Christ) might be the firstborn among many brethren. Morever whom He (God the Father) predestined, these he also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified'. These two short verses summarise God's Plan for His true church of God who will become joint heirs with Christ as brethren in the coming kingdom of God. Those who are being called, God's Holy Spirit is leading and guilding them to conform to the image of Christ (JUSTIFIED). When Christ return, they will be in the first resurrection (Rev 20:6), glorified as immortal spirit God Beings (1 John 3:9) to rule with Him in the kingdom of God (Rev 11:15).

Take heart, all who died without Christ are just 'sleeping in the grave'. Nowhere in Scriptures is it mention that God is trying to convert the whole world in this present church age. The verse in Matthew 24:14 states that the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be preached in all the world as a witness to the nations - not converting all of them! Come judgment day (Matt 11: 21-24), they will see the errors of their way and be given the truth and opportunity for salvation. God is preparing those whom He has called (and chosen) for the latter harvest yet to come in the millennial age. Then the saints shall be as gods (born again sons in the divine Family) leading many to salvation (Micah 4:5) in the kingdom of God.

Just as in the times of the Old Testament, God has chosen a special group of people as His special treasure (Exodus 19:5-6; Deut 7:6; Psalms 135:4). In these last days, God has also called a special group of people to be His special treasure - the true church of God - for His special purpose.  God has revealed special knowledge (Matt 13:11) with special reward (Rev 2:17) for a special group of people (special treasure) who truly love Him (1 Cor 2:9). If you are predestined and called, will you heed to accept the offer since you have found the 'one pearl of great price - Matt 13:46'?