DARK LIGHT SERIES

ELEVEN

FAITH VS. KNOWING

THE CRUCIAL DIFFERENCE THAT KILLS

We have now described the narrow way, which appears to be at odds with the modern concept of faith. We have bluntly said the narrow way is NOT A WORK OF ANY KIND. We have said that the NARROW WAY IS THE WORK OF TRUE FAITH. James said that faith without works is a dead faith, an unworthy faith. True faith has a work, and it will produce a work, otherwise that faith is a vain faith, a faith of no effect.

There is a difference between a faith IN Christ, and having the faith OF Christ. Faith in Christ has Christ as the object, while the faith OF Christ has an objective: walking the narrow way unto REGENERATION, THE BESTOWMENT OF AGAPE LOVE, AND LATER PURGING FOR BETTER and PERFECT WORKS. It has been overly stated that faith IN Christ does not save you by itself, but that when combined with the faith OF Christ, AN OBEDIENT FAITH IS DEVELOPED THAT WILL SAVE THE SOUL. The faith of Christ is an OBEDIENT FAITH, A FAITH UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. Jesus told us to FOLLOW HIM. He commanded that we pick up OUR CROSS. No where did Christ tell us to PICK UP HIS CROSS. No where does it say we merely APPROPRIATE HIS CROSS BY AN ACT OF FAITH. You won’t find it.

We then find that faith in God, or faith in Christ is a static form of faith, the ability to simply believe IN Christ. It could be called our ‘armchair faith’. The faith of Christ was the obedient form of faith, that is, a faith with works that actually accomplishes something, that actually DOES SOMETHING. There are many facets to faith, some active, some passive. It is a tragic mistake to simply lump faith into one all inclusive definition.

“But WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM:

for he that COMETH TO GOD

MUST (FIRST) BELIEVE THAT HE IS (FAITH IN GOD, OR CHRIST),

AND THAT HE (GOD) IS A REWARDER OF THEM

THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM (FAITH OF CHRIST).”

(Hebrews 11:6)

This verse shows us the two concepts side by side. Faith and belief are for all practical purposes, the same thing. That will become clear as we proceed. The first step is to be convinced that GOD IS, OR THAT CHRIST IS. In other words, you WILL NOT COME TO GOD UNTIL YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT GOD REALLY IS THERE. You must BELIEVE THAT HE IS. The first step is to convince man that GOD REALLY DOES EXIST. He is there; He is real. Christianity has a stepping stone of faith. The first step is that there is A GOD. The second step is to figure out what kind of a God that God is, PERSONAL OR IMPERSONAL. Obviously if you arrive at the conclusion that God is an impersonal IT, you will seek no further, because you cannot know an impersonal IT. You cannot go out and communicate or interrelate with a STONE. It has no ability to communicate. It has nothing to say whatever. IT MERELY IS. Many people believe in this sort of God, they call it a COSMIC GOD, A COSMIC IT, A FORCE, A POWER.

If on the other hand, you are convinced that God IS PERSONAL, then the next problem is to figure out what kind of a PERSONALITY DOES GOD HAVE? What are His traits? What is His character? Is He good only, love only, or is He good and evil, like man? If we arrive at the conclusion that He is good and evil, we need not proceed any further, because He could turn upon us at any time, and destroy us for whatever whim He felt like. This type of God would be like a raving lunatic at times, and at others calm and collected. He would be a CHANGEABLE GOD, AND WE COULD NEVER KNOW FROM ONE INSTANT TO THE NEXT WHAT HE WOULD DO. He might decide to DISSOLVE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AND BEGIN OVER. How could you worship a God like that? You would live in constant fear and constant turmoil, trying to second guess a God who changes from hour to hour.

We then in our search for answers usually stumble across the concept of a GOD OF ABSOLUTE GOODNESS, ABSOLUTE LOVE, ABSOLUTE ORDER. If we examine nature, the universe, the laws that operate it, and we dig deep enough, we will discover that the universe is run with total mathematical precision. The laws of physics seem to always act the same way in a specific environment. We call it CAUSE AND EFFECT. If we dig deeper, we will soon discover a certain APPARENT RANDOMNESS. Things do not always appear to react the same way. A fire or an explosion is an example of apparent randomness or chaos. The problem is that there are billions of causes, and billions of effects all occurring in a very short period of time. IT IS APPARENT CHAOS, BUT IN REALITY IT IS PERFECT ORDER IN A HIGH SPEED SITUATION. The deeper we probe, we find out the universe is run BY CONSTANT, PERFECT AND UNCHANGING LAW. It is contained by BILLIONS OF LAWS. We call them laws of physics; laws of nature, laws of this, laws of that.

An example of this is the LAWS OF MAN. We have laws to attempt to BRING ORDER OUT OF CHAOS. The opposite of law is anarchy. The purpose of law is to bring an ORDERLY STRUCTURE TO SOCIETY, TO BRING PEACE. The purpose of God’s laws is to KEEP THE UNIVERSE UNDER CONTROL. The laws keep a chair a chair, and a bed a bed. Imagine what it would be like if your chair could randomly change its shape at will? All matter is nothing but atoms. All atoms are bound by their own laws. All the laws of matter interact and intertwine. Steel remains steel, and wood remains wood, and flesh remains flesh, and so on. NO MATTER WHERE WE LOOK, WE FIND LAWS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT.

The Bible says only a fool will say there is no God. It also says that everyone born dies without any excuse, for the UNIVERSE ITSELF TESTIFIES TO THE FACT THAT GOD IS, AND FURTHER, WHAT KIND OF A GOD HE IS. If you have laws that hold the universe together, and they form harmonious patterns, then we can begin to draw conclusions about the LAW GIVER. You see, if there is LAW, then there has to be a force behind the law to UPHOLD THE LAW. Law by itself is meaningless.

There is a POWER BEHIND THE LAW. GOD DOES NOT FALL ASLEEP. He is TOTALLY AWARE, TOTALLY AWAKE, TOTALLY IN CONTROL AT ALL TIMES. Nothing happens that He is not aware of, and that there is not a law or power to control it. The explosion of a star appears to us as random, chaotic, but it is not. Every billionth of a second, every action and every reaction are under the laws of cause and effect. EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONSTANT CONTROL. This then is a reflection of the lawgiver. The reflection given to us in the universe is that of a GOD OF ORDER, A PERFECT GOD, AN UNCHANGING GOD, A GOD OF LAW, OF ORDER, OF GOODNESS, OF RIGHT.

If we move to the realm of the spirit, man knows that GOOD IS PREFERRED OVER EVIL, THAT RIGHT IS PREFERRED OVER WRONG, THAT LOVE IS PREFERRED OVER HATE. We watch THESE LAWS OF THE SPIRIT in the actions between people and nations. Anyone can observe these things, if they will but stop and look, and figure it out. THEREFORE MAN DIES WITHOUT ANY EXCUSE. He can observe there MUST BE A GOD OF PERFECT LAW. HE MUST BE A GOD OF LOVE, RIGHT, AND GOOD. Love, right and good, UPHOLD ORDER and BRING PEACE AND HARMONY. Chaos or anarchy in human affairs is EVIL, WRONG, HATE, and they bring VIOLENCE AND DISCORD. We then arrive at the LOGICAL conclusion that GOD IS A PERFECT, PERSONAL BEING OF LOVE, RIGHT AND GOOD, WHO UPHOLDS EVERYTHING BY LAW AND ORDER.

We can observe certain laws in nature, one being the law of homogenesis. It has never been disproved whatever, and there have never been any recorded exceptions to it. IT IS AN INVIOLATE LAW OF NATURE, and it says that only like can beget like. It means people produce only people, and carrot plants only produce carrot plants. EACH AFTER ITS KIND. Mankind is a PERSONAL BEING. HE HAS A MIND, HE HAS A SPIRIT, HE HAS A SOUL. Where then did man come from? If like can only beget like, then MAN MUST HAVE BEEN CREATED, AND COULD NOT HAVE “EVOLVED” FROM MATTER. It is not possible. THEREFORE MAN DIES WITHOUT EXCUSE. He has proof that GOD IS THE CREATOR, AND HE HAS PROOF OF WHAT TYPE OF GOD HE IS. Only the fool says there is NO GOD.

If all of this is true, and the Bible says it is, then what on earth happened to man? We have now arrived at the point where we HAVE FAITH THAT GOD IS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS. We have concluded He is a God of personality, a good God, a God of love. How does all of this relate to what we see daily? If God is so good, why does He not stop all of the evil? Why do good people suffer so terribly? Why is there a hell? Why does God punish man, who is born in to this world never asking to be born in the first place? Why do little babies die? Mother weep, father mourns silently for their lost ones. Why? Why? The cries and tears of man would fill the oceans of the world many times over. WHY, GOD, WHY? Anger fills our hearts as we watch little ones suffer, and the innocent perish for no apparent reason.

Faith now enters into its second phase. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. The Word of God is the Bible. It is God’s attempt to answer man’s innermost questions. It is God’s attempt to prove that He is personal, that He does care, that He does love man. The Bible, even though you may not believe it, is a supernatural book, a book written by the finger of God, who jumped the silent gulf that separates us. In that book, the most loved and hated of all books ever written, ARE THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF THE QUESTIONS OF MANKIND. The answers are not pleasant answers. They are harsh, and they point a finger to an unseen power, a powerful, supernatural being with cunning and craftiness, called SATAN.

SATAN is the cause of all the problems that mankind has. SATAN is the secret and silent instigator behind the scenes. He goes by many names, but HE TOOK LITERAL CONTROL AND DOMINION OVER THE HUMAN RACE AT THE FALL OF MAN. It was real; it was literal. The Bible is a story that makes STAR WARS PALE into NOTHINGNESS. If the collective talent of the movie industry would gather themselves and would put on screen the LITERAL AND REAL STORY OF THE BIBLE, WITHOUT PERVERTING IT, OR CHANGING IT, no one would ever walk out of a movie theater the same as when they came in.

Rather than face the reality of Satan, demons, evil, hatred, strife and variance, and the REALITY OF MAN’S POSITION BEFORE GOD, mankind denies all of it. The secret evil nature of the fallen inner heart of man ERECTS AN INVISIBLE AND UNKNOWN BARRIER SO INTENSE, SO GREAT, SO HOSTILE TO GOD, that Jesus said FEW WOULD RECOGNIZE IT AND BE ABLE TO PENETRATE IT. It is not that they could not; it is that THEY WOULD NOT. Jesus Christ is the ONLY RELIGIOUS LEADER IN THE WORLD THAT TOLD YOU TO CHECK OUT HIS DOCTRINE. He said that if you would do the WILL OF GOD, YOU WOULD KNOW EXPERIENTIALLY AND ABSOLUTELY THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD, AND THE UNIVERSE.

“It is written in the prophets, AND THEY SHALL BE ALL TAUGHT OF GOD.

Every man therefore that HATH HEARD,

AND HATH LEARNED OF THE FATHER,

COMETH UNTO ME.

Not that any man HATH SEEN THE FATHER,

SAVE HE

WHICH IS OF GOD,

HE HATH SEEN THE FATHER.”

(John 6:45-46)

This verse is filled with deep meaning for us. When a person, who observed life and the universe around them, begins to question, God begins to move. The deeper you will search, the deeper you probe, the more God reveals to you. He loves inquisitive people. He loves those that pound on heaven’s door. KNOCK ON HEAVEN’S DOOR, AND EVENTUALLY GOD WILL ANSWER YOU. You begin the journey of faith by FIRST BELIEVING THAT GOD IS. God will then, if you will CONTINUE THE SEARCH, LEAD YOU DIRECTLY TO HIS WORD. If you will, with an HONEST HEART, begin to PROBE THE WORD OF GOD, here a little, and there a little, line by line, precept by precept, GOD WILL LEAD YOU DIRECTLY TO HIS SON, JESUS CHIRST. That is HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS SUPPOSED TO WORK, if man would ALLOW IT TO WORK.

Mankind, however, because of the secret and hidden INVISIBLE BARRIER OF HATRED in his INNER HEART TOWARDS GOD, usually cannot approach the Bible from an UNBIASED VIEWPOINT. He cannot approach God honestly, with an OPEN HEART, with a HEART THAT WANTS TO LEARN. Man wants to TEACH GOD a few things, and thus, when man opens the Bible, with his preconceived biases, prejudices and hidden hostility, he simply cannot UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE AT ALL. Thus he picks out verses here and there and builds up a million theologies OF THE FLESH. GOD WILL MIRROR BACK WHATEVER VIEWPOINT YOU WISH TO HOLD, AND WILL, IT SEEMS, PROVE IT TO THE FROWARD THAT GOD IS FROWARD. It is an INCREDIBLE BOOK.

It is the job of a real teacher, not to give you the answers, BUT TO SHOW YOU HOW TO FIND THE ANSWERS FOR YOURSELF. It is the job of the real teacher, NOT TO CONVINCE YOU THAT HE IS TRUE, BUT THAT THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE, AND CAN BE TRUSTED. It is the job of the real teacher to BUILD UP YOUR FAITH, TO EDIFY AND TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY. It is GOD’S job to REVEAL TO YOU PERSONALLY WHAT IT ALL MEANS. The more you KNOW ABOUT GOD, THE MORE YOU KNOW ABOUT THE FAITH OF THE BIBLE, the more FAITH YOU HAVE THAT THE BIBLE IS TRUE. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God.

“So then, FAITH COMETH BY HEARING,

AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.”

(Romans 10:17)

It is a stepping stone process. Here a little and there a little, line by line, precept upon precept. We are to be BUILT UP IN OUR FAITH BY REAL KNOWLEDGE OF DOCTRINE. We are not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine, but ARE TO KNOW why we believe what we believe. The average Christian has no idea why he/she believes what they believe. If faith comes by hearing and understanding the Word, and by patience and diligent study, then we have proven as well that if you do not read, study, listen or apply the Scripture you really do not have even the BEGINNINGS OF BIBLICAL FAITH. You have instead a faith in faith, a belief in belief. Faith is built up over time, and this type of faith is a CONSCIOUS FAITH, A CONSCIOUS KNOWLEDGE, OF THE SENSE MAN, SOUL MAN. It is an earthly faith. It is to start small, but it will grow into a solid, complete and total knowledge of what God means.

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE TO A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED,

WHICH A MAN TOOK, AND SOWED IN HIS FIELD:

Which INDEED IS THE LEAST OF ALL THE SEEDS:

BUT WHEN IT IS GROWN,

IT IS THE GREATEST AMONG HERBS,

AND BECOMETH A TREE,

SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR COME

AND LODGE IN THE BRANCHES THEREOF.”

(Matthew 13:31-32)

From the smallest of the seeds, OVER TIME, COMES A GREAT TREE. Jesus referred to Christians as like trees, and so did John the Baptist. Just before this verse, Jesus said: “IF (THE CONDITIONAL IF) YE HAVE FAITH AS A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED.” A mustard seed takes a long time to grow into a tree. Notice how Jesus words it: “BUT WHEN IT IS GROWN.” Faith takes time to grow. The parable of the sower is about TRUE FAITH, AND HOW IT RELATES TO SALVATION. The one who HEARS THE WORDS, that is, the one who studies it diligently, AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THE WORDS, WITH PATIENCE BRINGS FORTH FRUIT. The concept of faith today is to just “believe” something INSTANTLY OR IMMEDIATELY. That is not FAITH, THAT IS NOT BIBLICAL BELIEF.

It should also be pointed out that one can read the word, memorize the word, understand the word, and still not become regenerated, (the many evangelists, preachers and teachers) because they MISINTERPRET the Word and REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE COMMANDS OF THE WORD. You must be OBEDIENT TO THE WORD. You must do what it tells you to do. It is active, and true faith is also active, not passive, not an armchair belief system.

Notice what Hebrews said. It said that WE MUST FIRST BELIEVE THAT GOD IS. That is our first step of faith. WE PUT FAITH IN GOD. Then it says that GOD REWARDS THOSE THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. This is a different type of faith. We become convinced that GOD IS, and then we take that faith, and we BECOME OBEDIENT TO HIS COMMAND TO SEEK HIM OUT. We begin to STIR OURSELVES UP TO THE CHALLENGE GOD HAS MADE TO US. If we WILL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE, then God will reveal more and more to us, and we will come to the point where we KNOW FOR A FACT IN OUR CONSCIOUS MINDS AND HEARTS THAT CHRIST IS REALLY MESSIAH. GOD WILL PROVE IT TO BE TRUE. There will be no question whatever that Christ was exactly who He said He was, and that He came to do EXACTLY what He said He did.

This type of faith and knowing is different than just BELIEVING SOMETHING. The vast majority of Christians today just “believe” that Christ is the Messiah, but if you pressed them to prove it, they could not do it, they could not answer. This type of faith or belief is not Scriptural. It is in reality UNBELIEF. It is FAITHLESS. Real faith has facts to substantiate the claims, and the believer has reasoned it out, has searched it out with diligence. That TRUE believer KNOWS WHY HE BELIEVES.

As we probe even deeper, after becoming convinced that God IS, and we have placed our FAITH IN GOD, He leads us to Christ, the historical Christ. Then we begin to discern that is not enough, that there is more, something deeper, something missing, something is NOT QUITE RIGHT. This yearning, this deeper need is the REVELATION TO US THAT WE DO NOT YET KNOW THE ‘TRUTH’. It is God’s method of telling you THERE IS A VACANCY SIGN IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS. It reads “AGAPE LOVE HAS GONE TO LUNCH, WILL NOT BE BACK”. Jesus said that if we WOULD CONTINUE IN HIS DOCTRINE, we would ultimately find THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND THE TRUTH OF CHRIST and it was THIS TRUTH that set us free. The truth Christ was speaking of was of course AGAPE LOVE.

The narrow way IS THE SEARCH FOR CHRIST, FOR AGAPE LOVE. It is a search that IS WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH. That is your response to the challenge of God. DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. It does not mean you memorize Scripture. It does not mean that you simply analyze the Bible. IT MEANS THAT YOU SEARCH FOR THE PERSONAL MEANING BEHIND ALL OF IT. WHAT IS THE MYSTERY BEHIND ALL OF LIFE, BEHIND ALL OF THE UNIVERSE? If you will SEARCH FOR MYSTERY BEHIND EVERYTHING YOU READ AND STUDY, AND SEARCH WITH DILIGENCE, YOU WILL FIND CHRIST. That is all the narrow way is FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. There is nothing else you need to do. It is not a way of guilt trips, confessions of a multitude of sins, or anything else. IT IS AN INTENSE, PERSONAL SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH BEHIND ALL OF LIFE. God does all the rest. You search, GOD CONVICTS. You continue, GOD BRINGS YOU DOWN. You keep on keeping on, GOD EXPOSES TO YOU WHO YOU ARE. He will bring you down to death. You will walk around and KNOW you are dead within. You will KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY WRONG WITHIN YOU.

The search for truth is the equivalent of the FAITH OF CHRIST. Christ had a mission. It was to FINISH THE WORK OF THE FATHER. Your work is to diligently seek God out. Jesus came to FINISH HIS WORK. He set His face as flint, did not budge, did not compromise, did not allow anything to get in His way, and when He was on the cross, dying for you and I, He then said “It IS finished”. Jesus said we are to FOLLOW HIM. We are to set our faces like flint, and we are to ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVE OF THE FAITH OF CHRIST. We are to be able to say, with Christ ‘IT IS FINISHED’. There are two aspects to the Christian walk. We are only dealing with the first aspect. It also has a FINISH. If you WILL CONTINUE, ABIDE, REMAIN AND BE DILIGENT, YOU WILL FIND AGAPE LOVE, THE MYSTERY OF GOD.

God’s work is to bring you into the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT, TO JUDGE YOU BY AGAPE LOVE, TO SHOW YOU, TO PROVE YOU DON’T LOVE AS GOD COMMANDS. You will know something is terribly wrong, but you will not know what it is. You may know all ABOUT agape love, but you do not KNOW WHAT AGAPE LOVE REALLY IS. It is not part of your nature; it is not part of your make-up. Agape love cannot be learned. Agape love is beyond all learning, all knowledge. All one could do was to learn about agape love, and then go out and mimic it, but you still would NOT HAVE IT WITHIN YOU.

Remember when Christ said you could search the Scriptures daily, thinking that in them you would find eternal life? That we would think that in the pages of the Bible we could find it? But then He added we would not come to Him to obtain it? The Scriptures ARE ONLY A TESTIMONY. The verses of Scripture DO NOT IN THEMSELVES CONTAIN ETERNAL LIFE. They are only the PROMISES OF ETERNAL LIFE FOR THOSE WHO WILL WALK THE NARROW WAY TO MEET THE LIVING CHRIST. Putting your faith IN THE PROMISES of the Bible will not save you. They are the ‘ANON WITH GREAT JOY CROWD’. They receive the WORD OF GOD, THE PROMISES OF THE BIBLE WITH INSTANT FAITH AND IMMEDIATE BELIEF. Jesus said they had no root. You see, the AX OF GOD, THE SWORD OF GOD, IS TO GO TO THE ROOT, TO THE INNER HEART.

Your outer heart, mind and will are of the sense man, soul man. They take in SENSE KNOWLEDGE, SOUL KNOWLEDGE. Sense knowledge is THE WORD OF GOD. The Holy Spirit guides you and ILLUMINATES YOUR MIND as to what the WORDS MEAN IN THE SENSE REALM. You can learn all about the MYSTERIES OF GOD, ISRAEL, THE CHURCH. You can learn all about the DOCTRINES, AND HAVE ALL KNOWLEDGE. This gives you great depth of SENSE KNOWLEDGE, SOUL KNOWLEDGE. From this input of KNOWLEDGE, YOUR SENSE FAITH, YOUR SOUL FAITH GROWS. Modern Christianity has a GREAT SENSE KNOWLEDGE, SOUL KNOWLEDGE OF THE THINGS OF GOD. It is an INTELLECTUAL FAITH ONLY.

You must probe deeper, beyond the Word, to find the INNER MEANING OF IT ALL. You must probe to find out what Christ meant by His many STRANGE SAYINGS. In short, you are not to be satisfied with KNOWING THE FACTS ABOUT CHRIST. We have many “experts” who know ALL ABOUT CHRIST. The sad thing is, they HAVE NEVER MET CHRIST, HAVE NEVER ENTERED INTO UNION, AND DO NOT KNOW WHO CHRIST IS. The journey of the narrow way is to FIND THE LIVING CHRIST, MEET HIM, AND ENTER INTO UNION WITH HIM. It is, in short, the search for AGAPE LOVE PERSONIFIED, CHRIST HIMSELF, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF ALL LORDS. The narrow way LEADETH UNTO LIFE, AND LIFE IS IN THE SON. Therefore Christ is waiting for you AT THE END OF THE NARROW WAY. You walk the narrow way BY THE FAITH OF CHRIST, BECAUSE YOU HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST.

You are to take your knowledge, and then PICK UP YOUR OWN CROSS, AND WALK THE NARROW WAY TO DEATH. Knowing about something is NOT THE SAME AS DOING IT. The Bible is your schoolbook of instructions. The real search for God begins when you decide that you MUST find Him irrespective of all cost to you. That is where the FIELD TRAINING BEGINS.

Faith is active, if it is real. Faith has a work. The first work of real faith is the WALK OF THE NARROW WAY. It is a doing, not a talking about doing. It is ACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE. Hebrews Chapter 11 is the faith chapter. It tells us a lot about faith we need to know to unmask the deception of the modern faith movement. We will begin where the Bible begins:

“Now FAITH is the SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR,

THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN.”

(Hebrews 11:1)

The word “faith” is ‘pistis’ which means PERSUASION, CONVICTION, CREDENCE OR BELIEF. The word for “substance” is ‘hupostasis’ which means A SETTING UNDER, A SUPPORT, A SUBSTANCE THAT HOLD SOMETHING UP. The word “evidence” is ‘elegchos’ which means PROOF, CONVICTION. The word “seen” is ‘blepo’ which means TO LOOK UPON, TO BEHOLD, TO PERCEIVE, TO REGARD, TO SEE. In other words, FAITH IS REQUIRED, AND FAITH IS THE CONVICTION THAT THE INVISIBLE THINGS ARE REAL. God is not visible to the SENSE MAN, SOUL MAN. You cannot see God. We can find EVIDENCE that God exists, and that He is a God of intelligence by the THINGS MADE, THE THINGS WE SEE.

We look at a flower, a bumblebee, a ladybug, a bird, a tree and we come away IN AWE IF WE IN FACT SEE THE BEAUTY AND INTELLIGENCE BEHIND EACH THING. Man in all of his intelligence is unable to PRODUCE FROM NOTHING, SOMETHING. Man always starts with something, and can produce from that something. But he cannot out of nothing CALL INTO BEING. He cannot design a bumblebee. In fact, science cannot fathom why a bumblebee can fly. It defies all known laws of science. His wings are not big enough to support his body. Take the common housefly, and examine closely his wings. Marvel at the INTRICATE DESIGN. Look at a butterfly, and marvel at the wonderful colors and design. ALL DONE BY AN INTELLIGENCE. The butterfly is much more intricate than the most intricate of machines. THAT IS WHY MAN DIES WITHOUT EXCUSE. The universe around him TELLS HIM A GOD OF INTELLIGENCE CREATED IT.

God Himself is INVISIBLE, NOT SEEN. Therefore we deduce from REASON AND LOGIC ALONE THAT GOD IS. The more we examine, the more we look, the STRONGER OUR CONVICTION THAT GOD IS. That is the beginning of faith. FAITH GROWS AS OUR SEARCH GROWS WIDER. Faith is based upon LOGIC and REASON. It is not a leap of blind faith. It is based upon certain observable laws. For example there is the law of HOMOGENESIS. It is a well-known law, and we have never uncovered any proof or evidence that it is not ABSOLUTE. The law of homogenesis is laid down in GENESIS. “Each after its kind”. Science has never found an exception to the rule.

If this is true, then WHERE DID BEINGS OF PERSONALITY COME FROM? Living things with no minds, like carrots and beets and trees never seem to produce LIVING THINGS THAT HAVE MINDS, THAT HAVE ANIMATION. This has grave implications for man. If like beings produce like beings, THEN WHO PRODUCED MAN? The evolutionists would have us believe that we EVOLVED OUT OF THE MUCK AND SLIME OF INANIMATE NATURE. In other words, out of something with no personality sprang a being with personality. The Law of Homogenesis DENIES THAT. We have no known evidence to disprove this SCIENTIFIC LAW. So man is then forced to TAKE THE EVIDENCE, AND DENY IT, PUT IT INTO A BOX, COVER IT UP, AND GET RID OF IT, FOR TO ADMIT IT IS TO THEN FORCE RADICAL CHANGE. THEREFORE HE DIES WITHOUT EXCUSE.

The Word of God declares quite the opposite, for “each after its kind” is the opposite. The evolutionist would tell us we are evolving UPWARDS TOWARDS PERFECTION AND GODHOOD, but Christ says we ARE DEGENERATING DOWNWARDS TO CHAOS AND DEATH. Christ stands in direct opposition to modern science and the doctrine of evolution. Christ does not deny there is an ADAPTATION PROCESS WITHIN SPECIES, OR AN APPARENT EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS WITHIN EACH SPECIES, BUT HE DOES ADAMANTLY DENY THE DIRECTION WHICH IT IS GOING.

Christ tells us that MAN WAS CREATED FROM A BEING OF PERSONALITY. That man was created in the image and likeness of God. HE WAS CREATED PERFECT BY A PERFECT GOD. It was the fall of man that BROUGHT ALL THE TROUBLE. Adam was given dominion. He sold that dominion to Satan, and Satan becomes the owner of man. The entire Bible is devoted to HOW GOD IS REDEEMING MAN BACK TO HIS ORIGINAL STATUS! It is all abstract, and it is all INVISIBLE, SO FAITH IS REQUIRED. You and I were not in the Garden of Eden. We did not see it happen. But we do have evidence all over that it did happen!

So faith is required FOR ALL THINGS NOT SEEN. By faith alone then, WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS, AND THEN BY AN ACTIVE FAITH, THE FAITH OF CHRIST, we begin the diligent search for THE TRUTH. That leads us to the HISTORICAL CHRIST, the Christ of the Bible, the testimony or RECORD. This is where the vast majority of Christians stop. They enter the OUTER COURT RITUAL, THEY BRING THEIR TITHES AND OFFERINGS, THEY WASH THEIR HANDS IN THE LAVER AND CLAIM 1 John 1:9 for their forgiveness of sins. Their faith is a FAITH IN CHRIST. It places all of its value IN THE WORK OF CHRIST, which is an excellent thing to do, but there IT STOPS. There IS MORE TO DO.

Before them stands the STRAIT GATE, AND THE NARROW WAY. It is the inner court, veiled but there. Their claim is that Christ tore the veil, and therefore BY FAITH WE MERELY APPROPRIATE EVERYTHING. BY FAITH WE HAVE UNION, BY FAITH WE MEET CHRIST, BY FAITH WE CLAIM THE PROMISES. We have to examine that closely to find out if it is true or not. Just what is this faith, and just what are we to do with it?

“By faith Noah, BEING WARNED OF GOD OF THINGS

NOT SEEN AS YET,

MOVED WITH FEAR,

PREPARED AN ARK TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE;

BY THE WHICH HE CONDEMNED THE WORLD, AND BECAME HEIR OF THE

RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS BY FAITH.”

(Hebrews 11:7)

Noah had not seen rain, because it did not rain prior to the flood, the ground was watered by DEW. Noah was told that a FLOOD WAS COMING. He had no proof whatsoever that a flood was in the offering. It was UNSEEN. The first step of Noah was to BELIEVE IN GOD. Noah had to be convinced that GOD WAS, AND THAT GOD’S WORD WAS GOOD, AND THAT GOD MEANT EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID. That is faith IN GOD. By placing COMPLETE TRUST IN GOD, AND COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS, NOAH WAS MOVED BY FEAR.

We see here a TRANSFORMATION OF A PASSIVE FAITH IN, TO THE FAITH OF GOD. God was positive a flood was coming. God was not going to be turned back from what He said He would do. God’s problem was to INSTILL HIS OWN FAITH, HIS OWN KNOWLEDGE INTO NOAH, TO MOVE NOAH TO ACTION. It is one thing to sit in your pew and believe that God is, it is quite another to be MOVED WITH FEAR INTO ACTION. The modern faith movement is a passive faith movement, a belief in, but not a belief strong enough to move the people with FEAR TO WALK THE NARROW WAY AND ESCAPE THE COMING JUDGMENT.

Noah needed FAITH because the definition of faith is for things NOT SEEN. So Noah BELIEVED GOD, AND BELIEVED ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY MOVE WITH FEAR. What did Noah do? HE PREPARED AN ARK. He actually DID SOMETHING. He went from passive faith to an active faith. He went from sitting around saying, “I believe, I believe”, to DOING SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT HE BELIEVED! Did Noah sit on the ground and by AN ACT OF FAITH APPROPRIATE HIS ARK? Did Noah pray: “Dear God, O great Lord of heaven, I thank thee for such tremendous knowledge. Thank you, God! Thank you, God. Now Lord, you know that FAITH ALONE does not allow for me to do any works. You know that my definition of faith DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO DO ANY WORKS, FOR THAT WOULD BE LAW KEEPING, LEGALISM, OR A WORK. And you know that WORK is the opposite of faith. ‘Therefore, Lord, I ask you to BUILD ME THE ARK. I will pray here, and I will anoint myself with oil, and I will pray here night and day, until you BUILD ME THE ARK. Thank you, Lord. Thank you! O, what a great God thou art! Thank you, Lord. I know you will do it. My faith is great! Thank you!’

Well, you and I know that Noah would have died in the flood if that was what he did. NOAH DID NOT SIT AROUND WAITING FOR GOD TO BUILD HIM THE ARK. The command of God was rather pointed. God said, “Make thee an ark…” God did not say He would make the ark, He told Noah to make it. Likewise Christ did not say He would enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way FOR YOU, He pointedly told you TO DO IT YOURSELF. Did not Christ say ‘ENTER YE IN’? Noah did not appropriate the ark by an act of faith, and you do not appropriate the narrow way by an act of faith.

Noah SET ABOUT TO DO AS GOD COMMANDED. HE ACTUALLY SPENT 120 YEARS PREPARING AN ARK. He would get up early in the morning and face the jeering crowd and little by little, board by board, line by line, HE BUILT HIS OWN ARK. Each morning Noah got up and WENT TO WORK. HE LABORED, AND HE STROVE, HE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH. How would you like to build a boat FULL TIME for 120 years? That is REAL FAITH IN ACTION. That is REAL BELIEF. You see, Noah BELIEVED GOD, AND NOAH WAS SCARED TO DEATH. Christ came into the world and told us about HELLFIRE. HE TOLD US THAT HELL WAS REAL. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE YOUR FLESH LITERALLY BURNS, WHERE THE WORMS LITERALLY CRAWL IN AND OUT OF YOUR BODY. HE SAID IT WAS A PLACE OF TORMENTS THAT WAS REAL, LITERAL. He said He came here to MAKE A WAY OF ESCAPE, SO YOU COULD ESCAPE THE JUDGMENT OF IT.

Christ spent a lot of time teaching about hell. It was designed to move men WITH FEAR. Nothing moves a person like FEAR. Nothing will get a person off their duff faster than the threat of FOREBODING. Governments know this, and they exploit it to keep control over people. The IRS always makes a big splash about people going to prison for non-payment or cheating on their taxes around TAX TIME. They pick on well-known people if they can. The object is to INSTILL FEAR TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE. Christ did the same thing. OUT OF FEAR THAT GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS DO WE MOVE TO BUILD OUR ARK. It may surprise you to know that FEAR IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, AND FROM FEAR THAT MOVES US TO ACTION, WE DISCOVER TRUE LOVE, AGAPE LOVE.

Modern Christianity knows nothing of the FEAR OF GOD. They focus on the LOVE OF GOD. Their God is all loving. He is all forgiving. He is all compassionate to their every whim. He is full of mercy and goodness, grace and love. If you happen to mention that God has another side to His nature, they get all upset, and accuse you of being NEGATIVE. They say you do not understand God. The real believer UNDERSTANDS GOD ALL TOO WELL. He knows that GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. He knows that the love of God is SEVERE, MORE SEVERE THAN ANYTHING WE CAN IMAGINE. He knows for a fact that the love of God that will save a sinner is the same love that will and does DAMN MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS TO ETERNAL RUIN.

Noah built his ark OUT OF FEAR. He prepared for his family OUT OF FEAR. It does not say that Noah was moved for a LOVE of God, but out of a FEARFUL RESPECT FOR GOD AND HIS WORDS. Likewise we are to HAVE A FEAR AND A TREMBLING FOR CHRIST, AND HIS COMMANDS TO US. Scripture says WE are to WORK OUT our OWN SALVATION with FEAR AND TREMBLING.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have

ALWAYS OBEYED,

not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION

WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING.”

(Philippians 2:12)

The modern Christian would do well to memorize that verse, understand the meaning of it, and BE MOVED WITH FEAR TO THE NARROW WAY. The word “obeyed” is ‘hupakouo’ which means TO LISTEN ATTENTIVELY, TO HEED, OR TO CONFORM TO THE COMMANDS OF A SUPERIOR. The word “work” is ‘katergazomai’ which means TO WORK FULLY, TO ACCOMPLISH, TO FINISH, TO PERFORM, TO DO IT. The word “salvation” is ‘soteria’ which means RESCUE, SAFETY, SAVING, TO BE SAVED. In other words, you are TO FINISH THE JOB OF SALVATION BY WORKING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE END. The word for “fear” is ‘phobos’ and it means ALARM OF FRIGHT, TO BE AFRAID, TO HAVE EXCEEDING FEAR OR GREAT TERROR. The word “trembling” is ‘tromos’ which means TO QUAKE WITH FEAR, TO TREMBLE OUT OF FEAR.

The modern Christian has NO FEAR OF GOD. Their salvation is instant, joyous, happy and NO FEAR IS PRESENT. “GOD IS LOVE!” THE PASTORS AND PREACHER BOYS COO FROM THEIR PULPITS OF DEATH. They preach a sick, false Gospel of PEACE, PEACE WITH GOD, WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE. Notice who is to work out the salvation: YOU ARE. It does not say CHRIST SAVES YOU, IT SAYS THAT YOU ARE TO WORK OUT YOUR OWN SAVING. That doctrine is wholly lost in modern theology, because of the doctrine of the substitutionary atonement, which is a partial truth, stretched beyond all boundaries of Scripture. It is not only lost, it is denied, and branded SATANIC. What else do you think Satan would do? If God requires FEAR AND TREMBLING, Satan and his agents will come up with a theology that is the direct opposite: A THEOLOGY OF LOVE ALONE, INSTANT FAITH ALONE. It will hide the NEGATIVE SIDE OF TOUGH LOVE. IT WILL DENY IT.

In the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, Christ does everything for us. We need only to APPROPRIATE ALL OF IT BY AN ACT OF FAITH, A SIMPLE DECISION FOR CHRIST. By that decision, Christ instantly comes into the heart, instantly saves, and instantly secures the believer. WHAT IF IT IS NOT TRUE? The “many” were convinced IT WAS TRUE. THEY ARE REJECTED, THEY ARE SENT AWAY INTO ETERNAL RUIN. Something was wrong with their belief, their faith, and their theology. THEIR THEOLOGY REFUSED THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST TO DO IT FOR THEMSELVES. They refused to pick up their cross, and they refused to walk the narrow way. They refused to have a FEAR FOR GOD, AND FOR THE COMMANDS OF GOD.

Somehow Satan was able to deceive them into thinking that ALL OF THESE COMMANDS DID NOT APPLY TO THEM. They were positive that Christ did it all, that they had no need to do it. The multitude of verses to prove they were wrong was denied with great anger and vehemence. They would even scream it was DEGRADING THE WORK OF CHRIST. They would confuse the issue, melt them together, and mold them into a totally false concept.

Noah built his ark; he prepared his ark HIMSELF. Each day he got up and BY FAITH, BY CONVICTION THAT GOD WOULD NOT LIE, BUT WOULD TELL THE TRUTH, Noah picked up HIS CROSS AND BUILT HIS ARK OF RESCUE. Minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, THE FAITH OF NOAH REMAINED AN ACTIVE FAITH. He was moved by FEAR AND TREMBLING AT THE WORD OF GOD. Likewise are you, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, and year by year are TO MOVE WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING DOWN THE NARROW WAY TO PREPARE YOUR OWN ARK, WHICH IS UNION WITH THE LIVING CHRIST. We could then write that verse this way:

“BY FAITH CHRISTIAN,

WARNED OF CHRIST OF THINGS NOT SEEN AS YET

(JUDGMENT, HELLFIRE, DAMNATION)

MOVED WITH FEAR,

PREPARED AND ARK

(ENTERED THE STRAIT GATE AND WALKED

THE NARROW WAY TO UNION AND SAFETY IN CHRIST)

TO THE SAVING OF HIS HOUSE,

BY WHICH HE CONDEMNED THE WORLD,

AND BECAME HEIR OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS (AGAPE LOVE)

WHICH IS BY FAITH (OF DOING).”

That would be our modern verse for us today. If we enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way, we will find CHRIST, who is ALIVE AND WELL. We will find His AGAPE LOVE, and we will then enter into TRUE UNION WITH HIM. He is our ark; He alone is our safety.

And so you see two types of faith: FAITH IN, AND FAITH OF. If Noah only had a faith in God, and did nothing about what God commanded, and refused to build the ark, Noah would have perished with the rest of mankind. But he took his faith in God, and transformed it into the faith of God, AND WENT INTO ACTION, AND SAVED HIS FAMILY. So what type of faith do you have? You say you have faith in Christ? Is your faith enough to PROPEL YOU TO ACTION? WILL YOU BUILD YOUR OWN ARK IN FEAR AND TREMBLING?

Moses is another great example of FAITH IN ACTION, OF THE FAITH OF CHRIST. It is a faith that DOES SOMETHING, THAT HAS A WORK:

“BY FAITH he (Moses) FORSOOK EGYPT,

NOT FEARING the WRATH OF THE KING:

For he ENDURED, AS SEEING HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE.

Through FAITH HE KEPT THE PASSOVER,

AND THE SPRINKLING OF BLOOD,

LEST HE THAT DESTROYED THE FIRSTBORN SHOULD TOUCH THEM.

BY FAITH THEY PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA

AS BY DRY LAND:

WHICH THE EGYPTIANS ASSAYING TO DO WERE DROWNED.”

(Hebrews 11:27-29)

Now Moses is a type of Christ, a leader. Israel was TO FOLLOW AFTER MOSES. He is a type for us to look to find out what FAITH MEANS. By faith alone, HE FORSOOK EGYPT. Egypt is a type of the world. Christ told us to GO SELL ALL THAT YOU HAVE, AND FOLLOW ME. HE TOLD US TO FORSAKE THE WORLD. He was most pointed about it. We do it because WE HAVE FAITH IN GOD, AND IT IS A COMMAND FROM GOD. We therefore PICK UP OUR CROSS. Moses did not fear the wrath of the King. We likewise are not to fear the WRATH OF SATAN, HIS DEMONS, OR OUR FELLOW MAN. They will rise up AGAINST US. We are to NOT FEAR THEM.

Now it says that Moses ENDURED. That word means HE WAS PATIENT; IT TOOK TIME, MUCH TIME, MUCH EFFORT, MUCH COURAGE, MUCH FAITH IN ACTION. You do not forsake the world by simply “believing”. You forsake the world BY A TOTAL REARRANGEMENT OF YOUR PRIORITIES IN LIFE, AND YOU DO SOMETHING. You leave it behind. You leave your business behind; you count them as NAUGHT TO FIND CHRIST. That requires you to DO SOMETHING. IN SHORT, GOD SAYS TO YOU: PUT YOUR ACTIONS WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS. DO IT, DON’T TALK ABOUT IT.

By faith, Moses kept the Passover. The putting of the blood of the Passover Lamb on the doorpost represents to us CONVERSION. By a simple step of FAITH THEY BECAME OBEDIENT AND ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING. They actually did go out and KILL LAMBS, TOOK THE BLOOD AND APPLIED IT TO THEIR DOOR. In other words, THEIR FAITH WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO PROPEL THEM INTO ACTION. They did not simply APPROPRIATE BY FAITH, by an act of faith, the blood on the door. They did not simply pray a prayer, and spiritualize it away. They did not say “Lord, Thank you! Praise be to the Lord. By faith now, we apply the blood of our FAITH LAMB to our FAITH DOOR. Lord I can see the Lamb dying in my mind. I see His blood spilling out, and I reach out BY FAITH and catch this FAITH BLOOD. I am now BY FAITH applying it to my FAITH DOOR. Thank you Lord.” Had they done that, their firstborns would have died. THEY KILLED REAL LAMBS; THEY SPRINKLED REAL BLOOD. It was all REAL ACTION, A DOING, A FAITH IN ACTION. FAITH WITH WORKS. That act was an act of FEAR. They did not want to lose their children to the death angel. FEAR WAS THEIR MOTIVATION THAT PROPELLED THEM TO ACTION.

Do you fear God?

Or do you simply mouth it?

Next it says that BY FAITH THEY PASSED THROUGH THE RED SEA. Does that mean they sat down at the edge of the Red Sea and praised the Lord for the NARROW WAY OF ESCAPE HE MADE FOR THEM? Did they sit there and say. “Thank you, Lord. Thank you. What a marvelous display of your mighty power. Thank you Jesus, thank you Lord. But now, Lord, our definition here of faith does not ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY ENTER IN TO THIS NARROW WAY. You see, that would be A WORK, A FORM OF WORKS, OF LAW KEEPING, OF LEGALISM OF SOME SORT. You see, our definition of faith IS TO APPROPRIATE EVERYTHING BY FAITH ALONE, FOR WE CAN DO NOTHING OF OURSELVES, IT IS ALL TO COME FROM YOU. So you see Lord, we CANNOT ENTER IN. However, we will sit here on the shores of the sea, in the Land of Egypt, and we will anoint ourselves with oil. We will pray and fast, and fast and pray, and well, we know YOU WILL TELEPORT US TO THE OTHER SIDE. We will BY FAITH proclaim ourselves OUT OF EGYPT, and ON THE OTHER SIDE. We will BY FAITH simply APPROPRIATE ALL YOU HAVE FOR US. We will now bow our heads in sincere and heartfelt prayer and await your next work of mighty power, AND WE NOW, BY FAITH, PROCLAIM OURSELVES SAVED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSTANT AND IMMEDIATE SALVATION. WE ARE SO JOYFUL, PRAISE THE LORD.”

Had Moses and Israel done that, they would have been slaughtered without mercy, just as Christ slaughters without mercy the many who PRAYED SUCH A STUPID PRAYER, AND BELIEVED SUCH A STUPID LIE. Moses LED THE WAY DOWN INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH. Yea though they walked through the valley of death, they feared no evil, for the STAFF AND THE ROD OF GOD WAS WITH THEM. Their faith IN GOD, IN MOSES, WHO LED THE WAY, WHO DID IT WITH THEM, TURNED INTO THE FAITH OF GOD, THE FAITH OF MOSES. It turned into an ACTION FAITH, A DOING FAITH. Who actually did the walking?

Who had to actually MOVE, ACT? Each Israelite had to MOVE ON HIS OWN. He/she had to walk literally down into the seabed, had to actually walk, and could see the walls of water probably at least a hundred feet high on each side. They also knew that the same power that held it there could release it upon them, and kill them. YET BY THEIR FAITH THEY BELIEVED GOD, AND THEY BELIEVED MOSES, AND THEY WENT WITH HIM DOWN INTO THE NARROW WAY, IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

How would you like to do that? Do you have the faith to follow CHRIST DOWN INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH, DOWN INTO THE VALLEY OF THE NARROW WAY? Will you walk with Jesus into a place you know not? Will you TRUST HIM, BELIEVE IN HIM, AND DO AS HE COMMANDS? Or are you going to sit in Egypt, and proclaim by an act of faith, that you are a Son of God? You see, THERE IS A DOING FAITH, A FAITH WITH A WORK. The work of Israel was TO MOVE OUT. The work of Israel was TO FOLLOW MOSES. The work of Israel was to PLACE ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER AND MOVE DOWN IN THE VALLEY, AND THROUGH THE VALLEY TO SAFETY ON THE OTHER SIDE. The enemy was in hot pursuit. The enemy, which is Satan and his demons, working through the Egyptians, would have caught up to and killed Israel. God juxtaposed Himself between Israel and Satan. He would not allow SATAN OR HIS AGENTS OF DEATH TO TOUCH EVEN ONE OF HIS PEOPLE. By HIS POWER THEY WERE PROTECTED UNTO THEIR SALVATION.

What would God have done had Israel TURNED BACK? He would have WITHDRAWN HIS POWER, AND LET EGYPT SLAUGHTER THEM. His protection was based upon THEIR CONTINUING TO FORGE AHEAD. As long as they WOULD CONTINUE, AND LABOR, AND STRIVE TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE, HIS PROTECTION WAS TOTAL, COMPLETE. HIS SHIELD WAS NOT PENETRABLE BY THE ENEMY. There was no way Egypt could stop Israel. It was an impossibility. It may have looked bad, but it was not bad. It may have looked close, but it was not close. IT WAS A LESSON IN FAITH. IT WAS FAITH IN ACTION, BACKED BY THE POWER OF THE LIVING GOD.

The Christian is to follow Christ down into the valley of the narrow way. If he does not DRAW BACK TO PERDITION, if he does not LOOK BACK, but keeps his hand on the PLOW, God will protect him all the way unto SALVATION:

“Who (true believers) ARE KEPT

BY THE POWER OF GOD

THROUGH FAITH UNTO SALVATION

READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME.”

(1 Peter 1:5)

The word “kept” is ‘phroureo’ which means TO BE A WATCHER IN ADVANCE, TO MOUNT A GUARD, TO HEM IN, TO PROTECT, TO KEEP WITH A GARRISON. Who does the protecting? Is it not God? Is it not a SUPERNATURAL PROTECTION, A SUPERNATURAL POWER? The word “power” is ‘dunamis’, which means MIRACULOUS POWER, POWER, STRENGTH OR ABILITY. The believer is PROTECTED BY THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF GOD. Nothing can touch him unto salvation. NOTHING WHATEVER. Just as Moses and Israel were protected from Satan and his agents, the demonized Egyptians, so too is the believer WHO IS WALKING THE NARROW WAY FULLY AND TOTALLY PROTECTED BY GOD UNTO THE CONSUMMATION, THE FINDING OF LIFE, THE FINDING OF AGAPE LOVE.

This has to be true because Satan would kill every believer that began to search for God. Satan is in dominion here. He runs it; he owns it for all practical purposes because Christ has not come to claim possession of it. Satan has one goal: TO PREVENT MANKIND FROM COMING TO CHRIST. It is not because Satan wants company in hellfire; it is because he hates Jesus Christ with a passion we cannot believe. He also hates man with a passion you cannot believe. Do you really believe he will let anyone go without a fight? Do you not think he will attempt by whatever means there are to SCARE YOU OFF, BLUFF YOU OFF, DECEIVE YOU, SIDETRACK YOU? Do you not think he will use FRIENDS, FAMILY, LOVED ONES, EVEN THE CHURCH ITSELF TO STOP YOU, TO PREVENT YOU FROM YOUR IDIOTIC SEARCH FOR TRUTH? He would kill you if he were able. You are a THREAT TO HIM, TO HIS WORLD SYSTEM.

The moment a human soul begins to perceive that it is in danger of hellfire, and begins to move to find the truth, INSTANTLY DOES SATAN DISPATCH DEMONS BY GREAT NUMBERS TO STOP THIS SEARCH. It would be successful except for one thing: THE POWER OF GOD PROHIBITS IT. God will not allow that soul to be killed. He will allow SATAN AND HIS DEMONS TO TEST THAT SOUL, TO TRY THAT SOUL. By that testing, which comes in many forms, usually diversions, or long periods of silence on God’s part does Christ test and forge YOUR FAITH. Just as Noah must have gotten up many mornings and looked out and said: “DO I HAVE TO WORK ON THIS BOAT AGAIN? Can’t I have a VACATION? Can’t I do something else?” Noah KNEW THE ANSWER. So he collected himself together and CONTINUED.

God then protects the believer who is walking the narrow way from ALL THE FORCES that will rise up against him or her, to prevent the reaching of the goal. Did Israel look back? Did Moses turn back into the arms of the Egyptians? Not at all. With great faith HE STEPPED OUT, AND THEY MOVED OUT INTO THE NARROW WAY, THROUGH THE RED SEA, TO SAFETY ON THE OTHER SIDE. Once they had reached the LAND OF GOD, and once they had SEEN THEIR DELIVERANCE, God closed the sea and destroyed the enemy. There is a lesson here in that once a believer COMES INTO AGAPE LOVE, THE ENEMY HAS BEEN DESTROYED. Once again we find TWO TYPES OF FAITH: FAITH IN, AND FAITH OF.

“BY FAITH ABRAHAM,

WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO GO OUT INTO A PLACE WHICH HE SHOULD

AFTER

RECEIVE FOR AN INHERITANCE,

OBEYED:

AND HE WENT OUT, NOT KNOWING WHITHER HE

WENT.”

(Hebrews 11:8)

Read this carefully. BY FAITH IN GOD ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS CALLED, OBEYED THE CALL AND WENT OUT. In other words, HE MOVED OUT, HE ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING. He left his family, his friends, his career, his business, and HE WENT OUT AND DID NOT KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING. But he went anyway, because GOD CALLED HIM OUT. He was to go, it says, TO A PLACE WHERE HE WOULD RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE. Notice how it is worded: HE HAD TO TRAVEL THE DISTANCE TO THE PLACE WHERE HE WOULD RECEIVE THE INHERITANCE. He did not receive the inheritance first, and then travel second, HE TRAVELED FIRST, HE OBEYED FIRST, HE WENT OUT FIRST, AND DID WHAT GOD COMMANDED HE DO. After he had done all of this, ABRAHAM RECEIVED HIS INHERITANCE.

Surely you can see the parallel here to the CALLING OF GOD TO ENTER THE STRAIT GATE AND SOJOURN ALONG THE NARROW WAY TO A PLACE YOU KNOW NOT TO RECEIVE YOUR PROMISED INHERITANCE OF AGAPE LOVE, OR REGENERATION. Did not Jesus tell us to GO TO THE LOWEST ROOM, AND THERE WAIT FOR THE ONE WHO CALLED? Abraham did not know where he was going, and you do not either. Your search for God with all of your heart will have many twists and turns in it, and you do not know where it will lead. You do not need to know, you only need to TRUST GOD THAT HE WILL DELIVER THE PROMISE: AGAPE LOVE REVEALED, AGAPE LOVE BESTOWED.

It was all done by FAITH. This type of faith is a DEEP ABIDING, CONTINUING FAITH, A DOING FAITH, THE FAITH OF CHRIST. It begins with FAITH IN GOD. It ends up in an OBEDIENT FAITH, A FAITH THAT DOES WHAT GOD DEMANDS, THE FAITH OF CHRIST, THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. Modern Christians do not have any faith in God. They rationalize everything; they refuse to simply STEP OUT IN BOLD FAITH AND DO WHAT GOD COMMANDS. He says for you to ASK, SEEK, KNOCK, STRIVE, LABOR, GIVE ALL DILIGENCE UNTIL YOU FIND SOMETHING. Unless you found something, you would search forever! You are to FIND SOMETHING, AN EVIDENCE, A SECURITY DEPOSIT, A PROOF.

The modern Christian refuses this type of faith, and is bound by rank unbelief. He does not believe God will support him, he does not believe that God requires him to do anything except BELIEVE AND HAVE FAITH. His faith is a faith WITHOUT WORKS, A DEAD FAITH, A FAITH THAT DAMNS ONE TO ETERNAL RUIN. That is why the many Christians are rejected: THEIR FAITH, ALTHOUGH ENOUGH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS, WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MOVE THEM THROUGH THE NARROW WAY. Their faith was a FAITH IN THE SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST. They had faith enough to move mountains IN CHRIST, but they refused THE FAITH OF CHRIST. We are now going to examine what kind of faith the Bible says SAVES YOU. It puts the lie to all of the modern FAITH GOSPEL. THEY ARE LIARS, SATAN’S FINEST, FOR THEY MOCK GOD, AND THEY MOCK CHRIST.

“And the father of circumcision to them who are not

of the circumcision only,

BUT WHO ALSO WALK IN THE STEPS

OF THAT FAITH

OF

OUR FATHER ABRAHAM,

WHICH HE HAD BEING YET UNCIRCUMCISED.”

(Romans 4:12)

Notice there is a WALKING IN THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. When you see this, it is not referring to the fact that ABRAHAM HAD A FAITH THAT SAVES US ALL. It is not saying that ABRAHAM DID OUR SAVING BY HIS FAITH. It is saying that IF WE HAVE THE SAME FAITH THAT ABRAHAM HAD, AND IF WE, BY THAT FAITH, BY THAT CONVICTION, WALK THE WALK ABRAHAM WALKED, that we too will inherit the promise. The reference to circumcision is a reference to LAW KEEPING, OR LEGALISM. Paul is contrasting FAITH WITH LAW.

You see, Abraham had a faith of OBEDIENCE. HE DID WHAT HE WAS TOLD TO DO. He actually left Ur and went on a long journey. Ur is a type of the world for the Christian. Christ bids him to leave the world, to leave Ur, to walk the narrow way, to leave the ritual of religion in the outer court, and to journey past the veil, through the inner court right into the Holy of Holies. That is why Christ tore the veil, to make THE WAY FOR US. THE WAY IS THE NARROW WAY. The NARROW WAY IS THE WAY OF CIRCUMCISION, FOR GOD IS GOING TO CIRCUMCISE THAT HEART.

“Therefore it is OF FAITH,

THAT IT MIGHT BE BY GRACE;

TO THE END THE PROMISE MIGHT BE SURE TO ALL THE SEED;

NOT TO THAT ONLY WHICH IS OF THE LAW,

BUT TO THAT ALSO WHICH IS

OF THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM; WHO IS THE FATHER OF US ALL.”

(Romans 4:16)

Grace and faith always go together. Grace brought Christ, and Christ showed us THE WAY to enter the New Covenant. It is God’s unmerited favor to mankind that EVEN ALLOWS ENTRANCE TO HEAVEN AT ALL. That alone is grace beyond imagination. How dare we then DEMAND ANOTHER WAY INTO THE SHEEPFOLD, ANOTHER WAY INTO HEAVEN? Christ demanded we come in VIA HIM, AND HIM ALONE. You either enter in by the STRAIT GATE AND WALK THE NARROW WAY TO WHERE CHRIST IS, or you WILL NOT EVER HAVE UNION WITH HIM. Your opinions do not matter to God, HIS WORD STANDS. You either WALK THE WALK, OR YOU PERISH. There are no options.

First of all, Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND HAD FAITH IN GOD. Secondly, his faith in God became the faith OF GOD. God’s will became Abraham’s will. God’s desire became Abraham’s desire. God’s hope became Abraham’s hope. THE TWO WERE IN AGREEMENT. THEY WALKED TOGETHER. THIS WAS THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. The modern Christian claims he has a great faith in Christ, and even do wonder works to prove it. But his faith is vanity; it is sheer vanity, for it will not save him in the end. His faith is always IN CHRIST, and he never does obtain the FAITH OF CHRIST. He never does what Christ commands he do. He never gets under the WILL OF GOD, THE SAYINGS OF JESUS. He never does anything except mouth off about what a great faith he has IN JESUS. He dies in his trespasses and sins.

According to Paul, the FAITH OF ABRAHAM, IF WALKED AS ABRAHAM WALKED IT, MAKES THE PROMISE SURE TO ALL THE SEED. It is not by law, says Paul; it is BY THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. So then, we are to do what Abraham did. We are to leave Ur, we are to travel where we know not, and we are to wait for the promise. If we wait, THE PROMISE WILL BE MADE SURE. The word “sure” is ‘bebaios’ which means STEADFAST, SURE, FIRM, POSITIVE OR FORCE. In other words, the concept that God has in mind has an END TO IT; THAT THE PROMISE OF A NEW HEART WOULD BE MADE POSITIVE, A SURE THING. Not to Israel only, BUT ALSO to all those that EXERCISED THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. It is the “seed”. The word “seed” is ‘sperma’ which means OFFSPRING, ISSUE OR REMNANT.

The promise is not made to those of the law (Israel) ONLY, but to all those who HAVE THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM, that is all those WHO WILL LEAVE UR AND TRAVEL THE JOURNEY OF THE NARROW WAY TO OBTAIN THEIR INHERITANCE. If you refuse it, you will not obtain it, and all of your protests to the contrary will not save you. Either do it, or die.

“Knowing that a man IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE WORKS OF

THE LAW,

but BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST,

even we have believed IN Jesus Christ,

that we MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED

BY THE FAITH OF CHRIST,

and not BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW:

FOR BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED.”

(Galatians 2:16)

Here we have a positive proof of the TWO TYPES OF FAITH. FAITH IN CHRIST, AND THE FAITH OF CHRIST. When you read about the faith of Christ, it is not telling you that JESUS, BY HIS OWN FAITH SAVES YOU, but that THE FAITH THAT JESUS HAD WITHIN HIM, THE FAITH OF OBEDIENCE TO DEATH UPON THE CROSS, IS THE FAITH REQUIRED OF YOU.

Modern Christian theology maintains that IT WAS THE FAITH OF CHRIST THAT ENABLED HIM TO DIE FOR YOU AND I, AND BY HIS DEATH WE ARE JUSTIFIED. It is a HALF-TRUTH, and in the things of God a half-truth is a whole lie. You are to EXERCISE YOUR FAITH, AND WALK THE WALK OF THE NARROW WAY. That is the FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST. Jesus walked His walk. He finished His work. THAT IS ONE HALF OF IT. You are called upon to PICK UP YOUR OWN CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM. That means you are to WALK THE WALK OF JESUS, AND USE HIS EXAMPLE AS THE TYPE OF FAITH IT REQUIRES.

If this were not true, Christ is a liar. It was Christ that demanded that WE PICK UP OUR OWN CROSS. He was very pointed. He did not say anywhere that He would pick ours up if we did not like the idea. He did not say He would enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way if we thought it more than we could bear. HIS COMMANDS ARE BLUNT, DIRECT, AND REAL. The many found out the hard way just how real those commands were! The only way you can be crucified with Christ is to walk the narrow way to the death. Otherwise you will abide ALONE.

We start with a FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. He is the author of our faith. He is the finisher of our faith. He commands that we DO SOMETHING. He commands that WE ASK, BEG, CRAVE, SEEK, SEARCH, STRIVE, LABOR AND GIVE ALL DILIGENCE. We cannot DENY His commands. They are there for all to see, the writers of the Epistles agree, and it is sealed in the Book of Revelation. If your religious bias prevents you from doing as commanded, you will perish. God does not care what rationales you use to DISOBEY. Disobedience brings with it ETERNAL RUIN.

Paul is very explicit. No man is JUSTIFIED by the works of the law. The narrow way is not a work of any law. It is not a work of righteousness, of good deeds, or anything else. It is a way of JUDGMENT UNTO DEATH. It is not a walk of HOLINESS, BUT A WAY TO PROVE JUST HOW UNHOLY YOU REALLY ARE. Notice what it says:

WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST.

We are NOT justified by faith IN Jesus Christ. Paul says that even we have FAITH IN CHRIST, that we might be JUSTIFIED BY, I REPEAT, JUSTIFIED BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST. Do you understand what Paul is trying to say? We put our faith IN CHRIST, and then we ASK, SEEK, KNOCK, STRIVE, LABOR, WHICH IS THE FAITH OF CHRIST, AND BY THAT TYPE OF FAITH, we WILL become JUSTIFIED. What justifies us before God? AGAPE LOVE. When we journey the narrow way, Christ said sooner or later we would FIND. He said sooner or later the door would be OPENED. He said that sooner or later WE WOULD RECEIVE THE PROMISE. Until we FIND IT, UNTIL IT IS OPENED TO US, WE AE TO CONTINUE. WE ARE NOT TO DRAW BACK, WE ARE NOT TO SURRENDER, WE ARE NOT TO YIELD, WE ARE NOT TO QUIT. We are to fight the fight of faith right up until CHRIST COMES TO SHOW US THE MYSTERY OF AGAPE LOVE.

The faith of Christ was a faith that SENT HIM TO THE CROSS AND BEYOND. We are commanded we do it. The act of crucifixion is not pleasant; it is OFFENSIVE TO THE WORLD. It goes against the grain, against pride, arrogance and the religions of man. Man screams to God we will not have THIS MAN CHRIST RULE OVER US. WE WILL NOT GO TO THE CROSS OURSELVES. We will NOT ENTER IN AS YOU COMMAND, BUT WE WILL PLUNDER HEAVEN BY THE POWER OF HELL, AND WE WILL DRAG YOU AND YOUR SON CHRIST DOWN TO HELL WITH US. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh, and He shall vex them in His SORE DISPLEASURE. They will die and go into a Christ-less, loveless eternity. What a shame that millions will not enter in.

“But if, WHILE WE SEEK TO BE JUSTIFIED

BY CHRIST,

WE OURSELVES ALSO ARE FOUND SINNERS,

IS THEREFORE CHRIST THE MINISTER OF SIN?

GOD FORBID.”

(Galatians 2:17)

If justification is instant and immediate as the modern false prophets claim, then why does Paul say WE ARE TO SEEK BEING JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST? The very words used CONFIRM THE NARROW WAY. We are to SEEK JUSTIFICATION. We are to ASK, BEG, CRAVE, HUNGER, THIRST, LABOR, FIGHT, STRIVE AND SEARCH FOR THE JUSTIFICATION OF CHRIST. How do we obtain it? By finding Christ, by searching Him out, by walking the way to DEATH UPON THE CROSS, to dying only to find the life of AGAPE LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS. We find justification by walking the NARROW WAY UNTO LIFE. In that walk, WE ARE GOING TO BE FOUND SINNERS. We are going to be FOUND OUT. Be sure your sin will find you out, because it WILL FIND YOU OUT. Your sin is your lack of agape love. Christ is the only name under the heavens by which we may find it. DO AS HE COMMANDS AND YOU WILL FIND IT.

If we refuse to pick up our cross, if we refuse the narrow way, then WE FRUSTRATE THE GRACE AND FAITH OF GOD. We cause it to be offered to us in VAIN. The whole concept of Christ dying on the cross was to affect A KINSMAN-REDEEMER PURCHASE. That is the foundation upon which the New Covenant rests. Christ then PURCHASED THE HUMAN RACE. He is then KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS. If He is then the King, do you not think He has the right to ESTABLISH THE PARAMETERS TO ENTER INTO THE NEW COVENANT? If He is indeed the AUTHOR of our SALVATION, do you think He has the right to SET DOWN SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS? Do you think He has the right to issue certain COMMANDS? His commands are quite clear to anyone who wants to find the real truth. Because Christ is the SOVEREIGN, He did not come down to the United Nations and ask the world to ratify and agree with His treaty of AGAPE LOVE. He issued HIS COMMANDS. If you refuse those commands, you MOCK CHRIST, YOU MOCK GOD, AND YOU WILL DIE AND BE REJECTED.

We are found sinners IN THE LIGHT OF AGAPE LOVE. We are to enter into JUDGMENT WITH GOD. He will bring us down, destroy us, and prove us ALL SINNERS. It is very experiential, it is a lengthy process, and it is not done by a simple decision for Christ, but is instead done by a deep, abiding faith in the promises of God. If He said He would deliver, you better count on that as a fact, for He will deliver you to heaven, or to hell, and the choice is yours.

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but LOSS

FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF

THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD:

for whom I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS,

AND DO COUNT THEM BUT DUNG, THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST.

And be found IN HIM,

not having mine OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS,

WHICH IS OF THE LAW,

BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH

THE FAITH OF CHRIST,

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS OF GOD BY FAITH.”

(Philippians 3:8-9)

Again we find the LAW AND FAITH CONTRASTED. Again we find that THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IS FOUND THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST. I repeat: RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FOUND ONLY THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST. Not faith IN Christ, but by the faith OF Christ. The righteousness of God is HIS AGAPE LOVE. We are therefore to strive until we FIND THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS, and once we have found it, TO PERFECT IT, TO PURGE OURSELVES, TO MAKE US FIT AND USEFUL TO THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.

“Even THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

WHICH IS BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST

unto all and upon all them that BELIEVE:

For there is no difference:

FOR ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF

THE GLORY OF GOD.”

(Romans 3:22)

Again we find total confirmation. It is BY THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST THAT WE WILL COME INTO THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, THAT IS AGAPE LOVE BESTOWMENT.

“But the Scripture hath concluded ALL UNDER SIN,

THAT THE PROMISE BY FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST

MIGHT BE GIVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE.”

(Galatians 3:22)

The promise of eternal life, the promise of agape love bestowment only comes to those who ARE OBEDIENT, AND OBEDIENCE IS THE HALLMARK OF THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST. The many were NOT obedient. They refused Christ, they contradicted Christ, they disavowed the commands of Christ, they invented all sorts of rationales and theology to CIRCUMVENT THE CROSS OF CHRIST, FOR IT WAS AN OFFENSE UNTO THEM. They could not STAND THE IDEA THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD TO PICK UP THEIR OWN CROSS, AND WITH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, WITH THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST, WALK THE WAY TO DEATH TO FIND THE LIFE OF AGAPE LOVE.

They substituted the FAITH OF CHRIST with a faith IN CHRIST. They substituted THEIR OWN NATURAL PHILEO LOVE FOR THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD. They insisted that they were the TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD, and plundered the household of God, and took all of the promises BY AN ACT OF FAITH. When they stand before Christ they are shocked beyond anything we can imagine: THEY ARE DISCOVERED TO BE BASTARD SONS AND DAUGHTERS, CAST AWAY FOREVER AND EVER. They did not understand that the FAITH OF CHRIST was something THEY HAD TO DEVELOP, THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE. They thought it meant that the FAITH OF CHRIST HIMSELF WAS WHAT SAVED THEM. They thought the doctrine of substitution DID IT ALL.

We then must decide for ourselves what is meant by the phrase FAITH OF CHRIST. When we accept that the faith OF Christ refers to a TYPE OF FAITH WE MUST HAVE, then it falls into perfect harmony with the narrow way and being crucified by faith. It would take the faith of Christ to stand under the rebuke of God, the reproof of the narrow way. It falls into total harmony with FIGHT, STRIVE, LABOR, BEG, CRAVE, and the other like words. We then find a perfect harmony, a perfect portrait is painted that we cannot misinterpret.

“Here is the PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS:

HERE ARE THEY THAT

KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD,

AND THE FAITH OF JESUS.”

(Revelation 14:12)

Did you read that? Read it again. THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS IS THIS:

1. TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

The word “keep” is ‘tereo’ which means TO PREVENT FROM ESCAPING, TO KEEP, TO GUARD FROM LOSS, OR INJURY. In other words, TO BE OBEDIENT TO, AND TO DO THEM ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. The word “commandments” is ‘entule’ which means INJUNCTIONS, AUTHORITATIVE PRESCRIPTION, OR COMMANDMENTS. It does not refer to the law so much as to THE SAYINGS OF JESUS, AND TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. Jesus said if ANY MAN WOULD KEEP HIS SAYINGS, HE WOULD BUILD HIS HOUSE UPON THE ROCK. The rock is the LIVING CHRIST. It is not the histo