In this issue:
For Sinners Only
David Clayton
On a recent visit to the USA I was speaking on the reality of Christ living in us and I was startled when somebody informed me that a prominent person in the godhead movement had stated that such a teaching was essentially the teaching of spiritualism. This person declares that Christ’s spirit does not actually live in us, in a literal way, but that it is only the words of Christ which “dwell” in us as we read and absorb them. He teaches that those of us who believe that Christ lives in us in a literal way are actually promoting the principles of spiritualism.
This idea is not something new to me, but of course, the charge that we are teaching spiritualism is a very serious one. Spiritualism is, by definition, the key element in Satan’s great efforts to deceive and to destroy humanity. Those who are involved in spiritualism are among the most dangerous people on the planet. It is not a small matter to be accused of teaching spiritualism. But is this charge correct?
I am really not surprised at this accusation. There are two great philosophies which exist in the religious world and all our religious ideas basically stem from where we stand in relation to these two philosophies. One branch leads to legalism, a dependence on human effort and self-righteousness. The other branch leads to dependence on Christ, the birth of a new creature and true righteousness.
If we stand on one side, then logically, all the elements which belong on that side will fall into place in our teaching and our lives, if we stand on the other the converse is true. Therefore it is critically important that we take the correct position at the beginning if we are to be safeguarded against the development of destructive beliefs and practices in our lives.
The same old question
This issue is really related to the same old, vexing question of what is sin? If we do not diagnose the problem properly we will always seek for the wrong remedy.
The Scribes and Pharisees in the time of Christ believed that the problem was the behaviour of people, they thought that sin was essentially the way people behaved and they set out to solve this problem by educating the people and compelling them to conform to multitudinous rules and regulations. We know what the results were. Hard, cold, merciless, self-righteous religion developed with a form of godliness which was most deceptive. Those who were most righteous according to the accepted standards were really the most hard-hearted and cruel. This is always the fruit of religion which is centered on human efforts and capabilities. But this kind of religion always develops when we believe that sin has only to do with the way that people behave.
It is evident that if man’s behaviour is the only issue, then the solution must be to give him better education and stricter rules. However, what if the problem is really man’s nature? What if the problem is really something so fundamental, so integrated into man’s being that no effort, no education, no discipline is able to remove it? What then?
If sin is really related to man’s nature and not his behaviour, then the only solution to the problem must be the impartation of a new nature. Attempting to educate and discipline the old nature will never produce any meaningful change. This is why it is so vital that we understand the true nature of sin. When we misunderstand it, we always apply all these superficial remedies such as better education, more strict discipline, while we ignore or downplay the greatest and only essential factor, the life of Christ in the soul of the believer which alone can give us a new nature.
I did a little research in seeking to discover what was the fundamental difference between Christianity and all other religions. I had an idea of the answer before I started, but still, what I found made me take a deep breath and left me amazed. Actually, it wasn’t much of a research, all I did was go to the internet and look up the beliefs of the most popular religions on the planet as it relates to the issue of sin. I have reprinted what I found below. I encourage every sincere Christian who reads this to consider the implications carefully.
Other religions and sin
Judaism
Jews believe that one is born into the world with original purity, not with original sin. We know human beings can choose to do evil, but Judaism does not dwell on that fact. Rather, we rejoice, as we believe God rejoices, when human beings choose to do good.
http://whatjewsbelieve.org/explanation5.html
Islam
Muslims believe that all people are born into a naturally pure and sin-free state. No person inherits original sin, nor is anyone held accountable for the sins of others.
Islamic doctrine teaches that all people are born fundamentally good with a natural inclination to worship one God (Allah). This innocent, sin-free state of birth is called fitrah. An upbringing in a religion other than Islam can deviate a person from this natural state.
Although born without original sin, a person is vulnerable to committing sins and becomes accountable for them after the age of reason.
http://suite101.com/article/original-sin-in-islam-a75982
Hinduism
Hinduism does not believe that human beings suffer from any original sin or inherent fault in their nature, which must be corrected by an external influence or special grace. On the contrary, Sanatana Dharma teaches that our original nature is pure goodness, Being-Consciousness-Bliss, and that we are all inherently one with God. The Hindu concept of sin is one of uncleanliness, the accumulation of something extraneous that must be removed for us to return to our inherent purity. For example, the body naturally gets dirty everyday and one has to clean it. Such dirt is not a sin, though it is impure, if not sinful, not to keep oneself clean. There are similar emotional and mental impurities that we must cleanse ourselves from.
http://www.hindubooks.org/david_frawley/hinduism/hinduism_and_religions/page5.htm
Bahai
Man is born a blank tabula rosa with no original sin. A person is born again by becoming a Baha’i and recognizing God’s Mouthpiece for this Era and then living the life of a Baha’i, which is holy.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Baha%27i_vs_Christianity
Buddhism
Buddhists do not regard man as sinful by nature or ‘in rebellion against god’. Every human being is a person of great worth who has within himself a vast store of good as well as evil habits. The good in a person is always waiting for a suitable opportunity to flower and to ripen. Remember the saying, ‘There is so much that is good in the worst of us and so much that is bad in the best of us.’
Man’s sorrow is his own making and is not handed down by a family curse or an original sin of a mythical primeval ancestor.
http://www.budsas.org/ebud/whatbudbeliev/182.htm
You may wish to read these beliefs again carefully and then to ask yourself, “am I a Christian, or do I fit better into one of these religions?” It is not surprising to me that many of our people who have not escaped the law-oriented, behaviour-oriented mindset, are turning to the practices of Judaism as the Galatians were doing in Paul’s day because these religions are totally and unapologetically legalistic. They all build on the premise that man is born without a moral problem and that all men are able to develop into good moral beings, worthy of life. All they need to do is to make diligent effort to do what is good.
A couple of things stand out as we look at what these religions teach:
1. In these religions there is no problem with man’s nature, the only problem is his actions.
2. In these religions there is no need of a saviour from sin, only a need for diligent human effort.
The essential difference with true Christianity is that we need a saviour from our sin nature, because we are born with a problem. There is something wrong with the natures we are born with, and no amount of human effort or human education or discipline can correct that problem.
Guilt is not the problem
Christiandom has confused the issue by emphasizing the Old Testament idea that what we really needed was a saviour from guilt, rather than accepting and emphasizing the New Testament truth that what we really needed was a saviour from ourselves, from our natures.
In the Old Testament God was using illustrations and types. The lessons focused on limited things, temporary solutions. In the New Testament, God introduced the real things, the permanent solutions. So in the Old Testment, the emphasis was the law. When it was disobeyed, a sin was committed. The blood of an animal represented the taking away of the guilt of that sin but it never took away SIN ITSELF! At that time, in the typical system, God focused on actions and on figurative, symbolic, temporary solutions. However, in the reality, when Jesus came, He did not come to merely deal with forgiveness; He did not come to set up a system which would require an offering for sin over and over again. In one single great stroke God dealt with the problem of sin once and for all and forever. In Jesus Christ His Son, God took care of the real problem of sin, He took away the NATURE of sin by allowing Jesus to take it upon Himself and then to put it to death. In this way He made an end of sin forever in humanity. Now He gives this same victorious life which has already abolished sin, to all of us who will receive Him.
…. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Heb. 9:26)
For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Heb. 10:14)
Brothers and sisters, this is why we needed a Saviour. It was not simply a way for God to forgive us, it was not simply a means to allow God to think differently about us. It was a way to set us free from our greatest problem, our greatest enemy, which was ourselves, or our carnal natures. The sin which lives inside of us.
Judaism does not believe we have such a problem, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Bahaiism – none of these believe that we are born with any moral problem. Neither does false, legalistic Christianity!
It amazes unbelievers to think that God finds it impossible to forgive unless blood is shed. It makes no legal sense at all, but this is what the majority of Christians have emphasized. The truth is that Jesus lived and died primarily so that He could provide us with a new life. He came to work out in Himself a new human existence which was united to divine life. In this existence He, the only begotten Son of God conquered sin. Now, having been made a “quickening (life-giving) spirit,” He passes on this same victorious new life to all who believe in Him, and receive Him.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
What a wonderful, wonderful plan! What a glorious salvation! Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! How utterly abominable that Christians should deny the truth that Christ now lives in us in a real way? If this is not true, then we are on the same platform as all other religions. If this is not true then we are left to our own educated efforts and legal behaviour to become righteous. If this is not true then we do not really need a Saviour from sin itself, but only from the guilt of sinful actions which we actually committed, and the same false doctrine of a hard, difficult-to-please God, continues to be promoted as Christianity.
The spirit of Antichrist
This is not a trivial or a small matter. It is an issue worth dying for. It strikes at the very heart of the plan of salvation. One belief denies Christ Himself, it makes His life and death unnecessary and puts us in the same bed as all other religions. The other belief makes us recognize that we cannot live without Him, that we dare not take our eyes off Him for even a moment. One belief is pure paganism disguised under a Christian name, the other is the true gospel which is to set the world alight with the glory of God.
Consider the following verses:
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
I understand the meaning of this passage now, better than I did in the past, especially in light of the accusations that it is spiritualism to believe that Christ literally lives in us. I have always heard Christians – especially among the independent Adventists, interpret this passage to mean that Jesus came with our fallen flesh – that is, that He took human nature in its fallen state. They stated that the antichrist would deny that Jesus was actually a man like one of us.
However, notice carefully what the passage says: It says that the antichrist denies that Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh, not that Jesus Christ DID COME! The passage is speaking about Jesus presently living in the body of believers, not about Him living in flesh while He was here. At Pentecost, Jesus came to live in His people as He had promised His disciples that He would do. He had told them that He would come again as the Comforter and He said of this Comforter, “He dwelleth with you and shall be in you.” (John 14:17). This promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and every person who afterwards believed in Christ also received this gift of the life of Christ.
Receiving this life of Christ is not just a matter of learning about Jesus. It is not just a matter of choosing to do the will of Christ, no, it is the literal indwelling of the life of Christ Himself in the believer so that we possess a new nature, we think the thoughts of Christ, we possess His power in our own bodies, or as John puts it, “in the flesh.”
When we deny this, we deny the very heart of the good news and place ourselves on the side of the devil. This is why John refers to this denial as being the spirit of antichrist. It is one thing to deny that Jesus Christ is the very Son of God, this is one aspect of the spirit of antichrist. However, equally damning is the denial that Christ lives in us – in our flesh. This is to deny the very essence of what makes us Christians, it is to take away the very thing which sets us apart from all other religions and deals with the problem of sin, therefore, it is the spirit of antichrist. It is the philosophy which is diametrically opposed to Christ and His work, it is anti (against) Christ.
The apostle Paul is very clear; those who do not have Christ living in them are in serious trouble and we all should make sure that we are in this living relationship with Jesus where He dwells in us:
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2Cor. 13:5)
The word “reprobate” is translated from the Greek word, “adokimos.” According to Strong’s Greek dictionary it signifies to be castaway or rejected. Webster’s 1828 dictionary gives it the same meaning, that is, to be, “abandoned in sin; lost to virtue or grace.”
So the apostle tells us that the only way that Christ is not living in us as Christians is if we are rejected by God and lost to virtue and grace! No wonder we are told that this is the spirit of antichrist! It is the antichrist whose doctrines lead people to the place where they are rejected and lost to virtue and grace!
Therefore we throw the charge back on those who are deceiving people with the abominable doctrine that Christ Himself does not live in us and we declare on the basis of the clear word of God that such persons possess the spirit of antichrist and are teaching damnable heresies. Those who embrace these follies will end up in the place of reprobates – rejected and lost! What else could be the consequence?
The essence of the gospel is this:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
This is it brothers and sisters! Wonderfully simple, but complete, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” What but rank legalism and human-oriented religion could lead professing Christians to deny this truth? Men wish to depend on their education, on their efforts to obey moral rules, therefore they reject the gift of God and deceive poor ignorant souls into accepting their dangerous heresy. This is the religion of man, not the religion of God. It is the religion founded on the old fallacy that all that is wrong with us is our behaviour and that all we need in order to fix it, is a knowledge of right and wrong (the law). It is the religion of the Scribes and Pharisees, the basis of all false religion and of all that is anti-Christ.
Christ-in-you is what makes Christianity so unique, this is why there is no other religion which is even remotely similar to Christianity. Other religions have great teachers, great motivators, great founders, even great laws. Only Christianity has a Saviour. Only Christianity teaches that we need a Saviour from sin, and only Christianity provides such a Saviour. If the sin we are concerned with was only related to our actions, then what need is there of a Saviour? All we would need is the law.
Anybody can change his behaviour outwardly by rigid discipline and self-control. But the real problem of humanity is the sin dwelling within, a problem which all false religions deny, something which apparently the devil does not want people to recognize. No human effort can solve this problem, education and a new environment cannot change it. It is a problem that we are born with and this is why we needed a Saviour. This is really what Jesus came to save us from – from ourselves, from the sin dwelling within, from the true enemy, our carnal natures. The apostle Paul says:
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (Romans 7:19-20)
Of course he was doing what was wrong, he was doing evil when he wanted to do good, but was this the sin which concerned him? No, he says the real problem was “sin that dwelleth in me.” That particular problem, the indwelling of sin was not one which could be solved by human effort. This is why we needed a Saviour, this is why Jesus came, this is what Jesus saves us from today. As Paul concluded:
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord …. (Romans 7:24-25)
Christ is Come in the Flesh
A.T. Jones
What then could show a more universal reign of the form of godliness, not only without the power but denying the power? For this form of godliness will deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, that is the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come–not that he did come, but now is come in my flesh–Christ in you the hope of glory, Christ abiding within, God reigning in the kingdom of God that is within you–that is what this signifies . Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist. And ye have overcome them, little children, because greater is He that is in you, in you, in you, than he that is in the world. {February 13, 1895 ATJ, GCB 132.6}
J.N. Loughborough
We have already learned that all true prophets will speak in harmony with the law of God and the testimony of his word. The apostle John gives another rule describing the teaching of true prophets. He says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
Note carefully the foregoing scripture. It does not say that whosoever confesseth that Jesus Christ “did come in the flesh,” “but is come in the flesh;” that is, that he comes, by his Spirit, and dwells in us, in response to our faith. This, in fact, is the central truth of the gospel, “Christ in you, the hope of glory. ” 9 (J.N. Loughborough – Great second advent movement – 1905)
W.W. Prescott
Let us enter into the experience that God has given Jesus Christ to us to dwell in our sinful flesh, to work out in our sinful flesh what He worked out when He was here. He came and lived here that we might through Him reflect the image of God. This is the very heart of Christianity. Anything contrary to it is not Christianity. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” 1 John 4:1-3. Now that cannot mean simply to acknowledge that Jesus Christ was here and lived in the flesh. The devils made that acknowledgment. They knew that Christ had come in the flesh. The faith that comes by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus Christ is come in my flesh; He dwells in my flesh; I have received Him.” That is the heart and life of Christianity. {January 13, 1896 WW Prescott, BEST 13.1}
E.J. Waggoner
As “written and engraven in stones,” it can never be anything else than “the ministration of death.” He who preaches simply the written law, telling people of their duty to keep it, and inciting them to do the best they can to keep it, is but ministering condemnation. But the same law written in fleshy tablets of the heart, “with the Spirit of the living God” 1 is “life and peace;” and he who preaches that Christ “is come in the flesh,” 2 and that when He dwells in a man to-day He is as obedient to the law as He was eighteen hundred years ago, is a minister of righteousness . {1900 E.J. Waggoner, EVCO 345.4}
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Type versus Antitype
David Clayton
God as described in the Old Testament is difficult to deal with at times. He is represented as the God of the Jews, and while He protects Israel, He mercilessly destroys other nations, wiping out entire cultures with the command to spare neither sex nor age. Some of these massacres are today described as acts of genocide. How can we reconcile this with the picture of the merciful, gentle and loving Jesus whom we find in the New Testament and who insists that God is our Father who loves all men?
This is not the only area of conflict; the commandments of the Old Testament sometimes seem arbitrary and pointless and even more so when we see the terrible penalties imposed on those who failed to obey them. People were to be uncompromisingly put to death for crimes such as cursing one’s father or mother, homosexuals were not to be permitted to live. How can this be reconciled with the mercy and patience revealed in the God of the New Testament?
In other areas such as the interpretation of prophecy, the understanding of law and grace, the nature of Israel today – in all these and other areas, we see massive disagreement and confusion in Christendom. It is evident that there is need of a clear and consistent understanding of the difference between the Old and the New Testament and the reasons for these differences.
The key to harmonizing all these difficulties is to understand that the entire system of the Old Testament was a great model, a teaching tool in which God set up representations of future realities. In other words, the system of the Old Testament was not reality, it was not the truth about God and His operations, it was rather a system of symbols and representations which represented the truth, but was not the truth. We see this fact taught in verses such as the following:
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Heb 10:1)
Some Christians present a very good explanation of the difference between physical and spiritual Israel, or the sacrificial types versus Christ the true antitypical sacrifice, but at the same time, they have a very poor understanding of the law and its purpose in the Old Testament, versus the law and its purpose in the New Testament.
The following is a partial list of some of the types and the antitypical realities which are in the Bible. Most people are very familiar with these types and can easily identify the corresponding antitypes.
• The lamb, vs Christ
• Blood vs Life
• The High priest vs Christ
• Palestine vs The New Earth
• Physical Israel vs the Church
• Levitical priests vs Christians
However, the list of types and antitypes is far more comprehensive than that. In fact, the entire system of the Old Covenant – everything in it – was type. This is a fact which is very poorly understood. The greatest misunderstandings in Christianity are caused by a failure to be consistent and to apply the same principle of type and antitype to the rest of the Old Testament. Many people are still absorbed in practicing the Old Testament types when they should be involved with the New Testament antitypes. Here are some additional examples of these types and antitypes.
• The Sanctuary furniture and services vs the real implements and events of salvation
• Feast days vs Salvation Events.
• Sins vs Sin
• Guilt vs Separation from God
• God’s Commandments vs God’s Character
• The system of law vs the Kingdom of God.
• Behaviour vs Nature
• Doing vs Believing
• The Lamb as substitute vs Christ as enabler.
• God as Judge vs God as Father.
It is not possible to examine all of these types in this article, but we will focus on a few of them. I would encourage all who read to examine the list carefully. Once we begin to think about it with an open mind and honest heart, these things are self-evident because truth is consistent with itself and always follows a logical path.
Some of these misunderstandings have had devastating effects on the religious experience of millions over the centuries and have resulted in major false doctrines and significant misrepresentations of God.
In this article we will examine four of these Old Testament types and look at the New Testament reality. I have selected these from the list and will focus on them because misunderstanding of these in particular has done the greatest harm over the past two thousand years. Here are the four on which we will focus:
• Sins vs Sin
• Guilt vs Separation from God
• God’s Commandments vs God’s Character
• God as Judge vs God as Father.
Sins and Guilt
In the Old Testament, a person became a sinner when he committed an act of law-breaking. At that time he became guilty and he had to bring an animal as a sacrifice. This animal’s life would substitute for his life and its blood would take away the guilt of his sin. In this system the chief issues were:
1. The wrong act which he committed – his actions.
2. The issue was how to remove his guilt. How to obtain forgiveness, how to change God’s mind.
3. The blood of the sacrifice cleansed guilt. Blood changed the mind of God.
We know that the animal was a type which represented Christ. We know that its blood was a type which represented His life. But we have held on to some parts of this picture as being realities when in fact, the entire picture, all of it, was type! What do I mean? I mean that the sin was also type and the guilt was also type! Both of these were also intended to represent greater realities. It was not just the lamb and its blood which was typical, but the problem which they were dealing with was also typical. This is the first great misunderstanding which plagues Christian doctrine today.
Sinful actions were committed every day, and day after day the animals had to be slain to take away guilt. But the real problem, sin itself was never taken away. Guilt was only cancelled until the next time a wrong action was done. The entire picture was intended to teach the lesson that man is out of harmony with God and needs a Saviour to restore him to harmony with God. The blood of the lamb represented the life of Christ in which humanity is reconciled to God. In the book of Hebrews we read:
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. (4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (Heb 10:3-4)
The issue itself was much deeper than simply the actions of sins. This is why forgiveness could not deal with the real issue. Nevertheless in the type, forgiveness was the focus. But the real issue was the carnal nature – sin itself. This is the problem which needed to be dealt with and the sinful actions only served as a type to represent the true issue. We read again in the book of Hebrews:
…. but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Heb 9:26)
…. we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb 10:9-10)
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Heb 10:12)
Jesus came to make an end of sin, not to simply carry out the same function as the animal sacrifices of providing forgiveness. The type represents the antitype, but in no case is the type equal to the antitype, in no case does the type perfectly represent the antitype. There are always aspects and depths to the antitype which are not represented in the type, just as a doll represents a girl, but can never represent the complexity and wonder that is a living person.
So Jesus, the perfect sacrifice for sin, did deal with the root of sin once and for all. He did not come to institute the same system which had existed in the Old Testament type of forgiving sin over and over again. No, He came to destroy the root of sin, the carnal nature and to put it to death decisively, once and for all. In accomplishing this He did not simply cancel the guilt of all sins, but He reconciled mankind to God. In Himself He created a union between the human race and God which can never again be broken by sin. The word of God tells us,
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:18-19)
Sins can never again be an issue between man of God. Our acts of sin are not a problem to God because as the passage tells us, God does not impute the trespasses of the world to them anymore. Jesus took care of all the guilt. But this is not all He did, more wonderfully, He removed the very source of that recurring guilt, which is the carnal nature.
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Rom 8:3)
The only remaining problem is that man will not receive the gift of life which is in Jesus. Men will not accept the reconciled life in which sin has been abolished. This unbelief is what maintains the barrier between man and God and this is why God appeals to us to believe in Jesus Christ as the only criterion for being free from sin and being at one with God.
So to sum up, in the antitype, the issue is not “sins” but sin itself, the carnal nature. The issue is not guilt, but separation from God. These are the real issues which were only illustrated by the limited representations of the type. Today, we deal with the real things and leave the type behind.
Commandments vs Character
The next truth follows naturally from what we have just examined. In the Old Covenant the emphasis was the rules and in particular the Ten Commandments. This was the standard by which sin was defined, it was the means by which a person came to be recognized as either a sinner or a righteous man. Breaking the law was sin, and this sin made the transgressor guilty. The blood of an animal was required to cleanse that guilt.
But we have seen that the issue is not sins, not actions, but the carnal nature which is really the problem. We have seen that the nature of man is the true problem. We have seen that Jesus did not die simply to cancel guilt, but more so to destroy the sin nature and to restore humanity to union with God. So, have we also been too limited in how we have viewed the law of God? Were the Ten Commandments also a representation of something greater? Were they also a type of a larger reality?
The Ten commandments were placed in the ark in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. Every single thing which was in the sanctuary and related to the sanctuary was a type, a representation of some much greater reality.
The first item of furniture connected with the sanctuary service was the brazen altar of sacrifice where the sacrificial animals were killed. This altar represented Calvary, the place where Christ was crucified. Notice that it looked nothing like Calvary, it was not even built in the shape of a cross or a hill, but it represented Calvary, the meaning of it was the death of Christ.
The next item was the brazen laver where the priests washed. This represented the resurrection of Christ when He was born again from the dead.
The next thing was the sanctuary itself and its furniture. This came into play after Christ ascended to heaven and represents His work for humanity in heaven.
In the first apartment the table of showbread represented the ministry of the word of God. The seven-branched candlestick represents the work of the holy spirit. The altar of incense represented the work of prayer in the experience of God’s people.
Inside the second apartment, the most holy place, there was a golden box called the ark of the covenant. This box was covered with a slab of gold called the mercy seat. Hovering above this seat was a supernatural light referred to as the shekinah. The mercy seat represented the throne of God and the shekinah light of course represented the very presence of God. Inside the golden box were the ten commandments.
Now let us consider carefully; every single item of furniture in the sanctuary was a symbol of something greater. Nothing was in itself the real thing, everything was symbolic. How then can the ten commandments be the reality of God’s law? How then can the ten commandments be the true foundation of God’s throne? In keeping with the rest of the sanctuary, these commandments must also be a type, a limited representation of some greater reality! This is a very important point and it cannot be denied if we are honest. It is totally illogical to say that everything in the sanctuary was figurative, but the Ten Commandments were the real deal.
Like everything else in the sanctuary type, the Ten Commandments told the truth, but only in a limited way. It represented the truth in a shadowy form but was far less than the reality to which it pointed. So we can understand that the reality or the antitype of the Ten Commandments is the perfect character of God, something which can never be expressed in a mere ten sentences. Something which exceeds the ten rules as greatly as a living person exceeds a doll.
So when the New Testament tells us that God writes His laws in our hearts and minds, millions of Christians still hold to the misconception that what we have written inside, is the ten rules. The truth is that what we have inscribed on our hearts is the very nature of the living God. It is the character of God imparted to us by the indwelling holy spirit, something far more complete, far superior to a mere ten statements commanding behaviour. It is something which reaches to, the very heart of man’s need and provides a perfect antidote to the problem of sin. It had to be this way, because laws can only demand good behaviour, but it takes a good nature to produce that behaviour.
Judge vs Father
The God of the Old Testament is harsh. Sometimes He seems to be merciless and racially prejudiced. The Bible tells us that this is not the true picture of God, but that if we want to understand what God is really like we must look at His final revelation of Himself, that is, Jesus Christ.
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Heb 1:1-2)
But the question still remains, what is the meaning of the Old Testament picture? Was it false? Are we to believe that the Old Testament Scriptures did not tell the truth? Not at all, but once again, it is explained by understanding that we are still dealing with type and antitype. The God of the Old Testament is truth, represented in type, by representation and illustration. The things recorded there really happened, but as they happened, they do not tell the truth about what God is like.
Consider the lamb that was sacrificed; the lamb really died, the blood was really shed, God really did require the blood of an animal, it did tell the truth, but was it the reality of the truth? No, of course not! It told the truth in forms and illustrations. Unless the illustrations were interpreted and understood, one would end up with a very distorted idea of the plan of salvation. In fact, many people misunderstood the purpose and meaning of these animal sacrifices and oftentimes those who sacrificed thought that the blood of these animals really brought pleasure to God and that this blood appeased His anger.
God wanted people to understand certain lessons and He wanted them to understand how important these things were. The truth is, all association with sin will destroy those who are infected with it. It does not matter if the connection is very small, it will ultimately destroy a person. This is the nature of sin. God wanted humanity to understand this great lesson of the relationship between sin and death and ultimate destruction. Therefore, God set up a type in which He Himself became the agent of consequence, He became the source from which repercussions arose when men connected themselves with sin. Is this how it is in the ultimate reality or the antitype? No, in the reality, it is sin which destroys people. All men suffer the consequences of their connection with sin and in the final analysis, it is sin which destroys.
But if God were to wait on sin and nature to take its course and destroy the sinner, the lessons would not be learned because although sin is a certain destroyer, it is not open in its destructiveness and the vast majority of people on earth do not recognize the terrible danger of associating with sin. This is why God set up this typical system in the Old Testament in which He Himself became the agent of retribution and vengeance, the punisher of sin. All contact with sin was severely and uncompromisingly punished. Those who were represented as being completely joined to sin were mercilessly slaughtered, completely wiped out. Even His own people, those who were close to Him and His best friends were not spared in this typical system. Moses, one of His best friends also had to die, to suffer this vengeance when he slipped up and disobeyed God in striking the rock when God told Him to speak to it.
Did God want to put Moses to death? Did He want to punish him? When Moses pleaded, “oh please let me go over and see this goodly land and Lebanon,” God’s answer was “no.” Why was God so harsh on him? The answer is, it was a type and in this type, God was showing that sin will destroy, there is no getting away from it. God could not have spared Moses without giving a distorted picture of the truth. But remember, it was type, it was illustration, it was a lesson book, but it was not ultimate truth!
What is the ultimate truth? In the real system what really happened? In the real system, God brought Moses back to life as soon as possible and took him to heaven! He gave him something far, far better than what he had longed for. Grace and mercy were poured out upon Moses, but in the type he had to die, for the lesson had to be taught! This explains many of the seemingly merciless killings in the Old Testament: The death of Korah, Dathan and Abiriam with their little children, the death of Uzzah who touched the ark in trying to help and died instantly, the death of the disobedient prophet, the slaughter of the nations of Canaan and many, many more. These were all type and illustration and they do not represent the God of love and grace, they represent instead the law of consequence, the unwavering consequences which follow association with sin.
In Jesus Christ we see the true nature of God, not the justice and mercilessness which is required by the law of consequence. In the Old Testament, God assumed this nature because the lesson had to be taught, but let us not believe that these stories tell it all. It is only in the resurrection that we will know the true destiny of many of those who died in the type, under “justice,” and “judgment.” Ultimately, in the antitype, it is grace and mercy which will triumph and there will be many surprises. This is what John was alluding to when he said,
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
Something is Coming
Pat Kroger
There’s no denying that something big, and rapid, is happening with the sodomite agenda. One explanation for why sodomy is so important to the wicked in their defiance of God is that pure marriage represents the relationship of Christ and His church. We are His bride, He is our Husband. Ezekiel 16:7-8 describes in intimate terms like a love scene how God takes us to be His wife. Of course the devil is going to corrupt it.
I’m starting to see how the big picture may be coming together, globally speaking. We’ve all been watching and learning about the elite and all that goes with them for more than a decade now. We’ve seen what they are doing and how they are doing it. What I hadn’t been able to answer is why , other than greed, or just sin, or the devil made them do it? So really, why are “they” working so feverishly to destroy the free world and establish a one-world government, a.k.a. the New World Order, now called “globalization”? Why are “they” trying to establish a socialist welfare-dependent nation of sheeple? Is it really just to better control the masses? Population reduction?
So according to the Jewish Talmud the only other time in the history of the planet when sodomite marriage was lawful was before the flood – but God stopped it by destroying the earth. Pretty drastic measures. Post-flood, we conclude that Ham sodomized Noah, resulting in the curse on his descendents. In defiance of God, Ham’s descendents (Nimrod) tried to re-establish the pre-flood culture, and preserve it, by building a city and tower at Babel, which was Babylon – but God stopped it again, this time by confusing the language.
Fast forward to the modern world. The Illuminati and elites trace their lineage through 13 bloodlines back to Babylon, and thus to Ham. Sodomy is in their blood and their culture – so that is really what they want to do, to restore their culture as it was at the tower of Babel (hence, the EU motto, posters, and symbols)… Really, at Babel they were trying to restore the pre-flood culture when they had perfected their defiance and fully defaced the image of God via sodomite marriage. That would explain their in-your-face corruption of the rainbow – it’s a reminder of God’s judgment against their sodomite ways.
So they’re repeating history. At Babel, they were defying God’s judgment on them at the flood. Now they’re defying God’s judgment at Babel – it’s taken a little longer this time, but they’ve almost perfected it again. This is why we know it is the end of the world! God’s judgment is coming again – and soon.
And the push for socialism and making everyone welfare-dependent, creates the “abundant idleness” that leads to denial of God. That may have also been a part of the Babylonian culture. Who knows?
But still, I do think this is all starting to pull together, finally. Praise God! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Inflammation (part 2)
Lenworth Frankson
Sleep Quality and Inflammation
Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, found in a study that sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality raised inflammation, which in turn increased the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. The team gathered data on 525 middle-aged volunteers who were asked detailed questions about sleep quality and duration. They tested the participants’ levels of various inflammatory markers, and then tried to see whether they could link them to quality and duration of sleep. The researchers concluded that: “Poor sleep quality, and short sleep durations are associated with higher levels of inflammation.”
Obesity increases risk
There are studies which show that fat men have more inflammatory markers (white blood cells) than men of the same age who are not obese or overweight. Raised white blood cell levels are markers which are linked to a higher risk of developing various illnesses, including coronary heart disease.
In a recent study, a team from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, focused on specific types of white blood cells; neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, and eosinophils. They measured resting levels of the white blood cells in the adult males, as well as their levels of fitness and Body Mass Index (BMI). They found that:
· Unfit men had higher white blood cell levels that fit men
· Men with higher BMIs had raised levels of white blood cells
· The combination of fitness levels and body weights impacted considerably on inflammation
Weight loss and inflammation
Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington found that postmenopausal overweight or obese women who lost 5% or more of their body weight had measurable falls in levels of inflammation markers. Team leader, Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., said “Both obesity and inflammation have been shown to be related to several types of cancer, and this study shows that if you reduce weight, you can reduce inflammation as well .”
Autoimmune disorders
An autoimmune disease is one where the body initiates an immune response to healthy tissues, mistaking them for harmful pathogens or irritants. The immune response triggers an inflammatory response too. There are literally hundreds of autoimmune diseases, and nearly all of them have inflammation as one of the signs. Examples of these include: Rheumatoid arthritis, Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Fibromyalgia, Graves’ Disease, Lupus, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes, Addison’s disease, Vaslculitis, Transplant rejection, Various allergies and Vitamin A deficiency. These are just a few examples of autoimmune disorders which have inflammation as one of their signs.
Anti-inflammatory herbs
Hyssop is mixed with other herbs, such as liqourice for the treatment of some lung conditions, including inflammation. Beware of the essential oils of hyssop, as they can lead to life-threatening convulsions as observed in laboratory animals.
Ginger , also known as ginger root is often used as a medicine or a spice. Jamaican ginger was the traditional medical form of this root, and has been used as a carminative (to treat gas or wind) and a stimulant. It has been used for hundreds of years to treat dyspepsia, constipation, colic, other gastrointestinal problems, as well as rheumatoid arthritis pain. Researchers from Michigan Medical School reported that ginger supplements were found to reduce the markers of colon inflammation. Chronic colon inflammation is associated with a higher risk of developing colon cancer. They added that ginger supplements may help prevent colon cancer.
Turmeric is also a plant of the ginger family. Current research is looking into the possible beneficial effects of turmeric in treating arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and some other inflammatory conditions. Curcumin, a substance found in turmeric, is under investigation for the treatment of several illnesses and disorders, including inflammation.
Garlic, Onions and Horseradish
These three pungent vegetables contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. For maximum efficacy, they should be chopped and eaten raw. To make sure you still get a good amount of anti-inflammatory activity when you cook them, let them sit at least one minute after chopping before introducing heat. This will let the anti-inflammatory compounds completely form.
A Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is well known to promote health and longevity. This is largely due to the high consumption of olives and extra virgin olive oil. These oily fruits are packed with anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to reduce both arthritis and heart disease. However, these important properties are not present in the refined oil therefore use the extra virgin, cold-pressed oil or the whole olives.
Treatments for inflammation
Applying ice – Do not place the ice in direct contact with the skin; wrap it in a cloth or a purpose-made ice bag. Applying ice has been shown to reduce inflammation. Athletes commonly use ice treatment for managing pain and inflammation. Inflammation can go down more rapidly if you rest, apply ice, compression, and elevate the affected area.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid- Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health but the body is unable to make them; we have to get them through food. Scientists from Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science reported on a study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity that the daily consumption of omega-3 reduced both inflammation and anxiety in a group of young healthy people. Foods rich in omega-3 are flax seeds, walnuts, salmon, sardines, soybeans and tofu, with flax seeds being the highest.
Tart cherries Sports scientists found that tart cherries have powerful anti-inflammatory properties which may help millions of people who suffer from joint pain and arthritis. The team, from Oregon Health & Science University went as far as saying that “(tart cherries) have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food” . They believe that tart cherries could help patients with osteoarthritis manage their pain effectively. Twenty females aged from 40 to 70 years drank tart cherry juice twice a day for three weeks; they all suffered from inflammatory osteoarthritis. At the end of the three weeks there were significant falls in levels of key inflammation markers.
Having too much acid in your body can cause serious inflammation. A person is more susceptible to illness, diseases and ailments due to chronic inflammation. While it is important to have some acid in your body, you can get rid of too much acid by eating more alkalizing foods to help neutralize the pH in your body. Keeping your pH around 7.35 and 7.45 keeps you primed for optimum health, and simply changing your diet to include more alkaline foods can help in getting you there. The roaring fire from within can be quenched and we now know and have the tools to do the job. If we consciously make the effort to adjust our diet to a more alkaline one, the results will be rewarding.
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David Clayton: Editor and Publisher
P. O. Box 23 Knockpatrick
Manchester, Jamaica W.I.
Phone: (876) 603-0821 Or (304) 932-4543
email: david@restorationministry.com
