How can we be Christ like?

Written by Lee Stevenson. Sorry I am a lousy editor. I have broken this down in sections with the following sections proceeding the scriptures.

We are told we are to be Christ like. Jesus perfectly reflected God’s image so by being Christ like can draw closer to God.

The bible tells us we become a new creation if we are in union with Christ. We are told to put on the new personality. We are told to be made new by our dominant mental attitude. This means we would do all we can to be like Christ and to walk as he walked. So how can we be like Christ? We do so by imitating Jesus and obeying his commands. The bible tells us Jesus is the narrow gate and in order to enter we must enter through him. It is God who calls those he chooses to Jesus but we have to enter through Jesus. This means we acknowledge the work he did. We acknowledge he was the ransom sacrifice that freed us from sin and gives us hope. We have to acknowledge that God has sat Jesus down at his right hand on the heavenly throne. The bible tells God draws those who listened to him and has learned that will be called to Jesus. So it is clear we much read God’s word and apply it in our lives in order to enter the narrow gate. We must also do our best to be like Christ once we have been drawn to Jesus by Jehovah God.

(2 Corinthians 5:17, 18) ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; look! new things have come into existence. ¹⁸ But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation,

(Ephesians 4:20-24) ²⁰ But you did not learn the Christ to be like this, ²¹ if, indeed, you heard him and were taught by means of him, just as truth is in Jesus. ²² You were taught to put away the old personality that conforms to your former course of conduct and that is being corrupted according to its deceptive desires. ²³ And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, ²⁴ and should put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.

(1 John 2:1-6) 2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. ² And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s. ³ And by this we realize that we have come to know him, namely, if we continue observing his commandments. ⁴ The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet does not observe his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. ⁵ But whoever does observe his word, in this person the love of God has truly been made perfect. By this we know that we are in union with him. ⁶ The one who says he remains in union with him is himself under obligation to go on walking just as that one walked.

(John 6:43-47) . . .. ⁴⁴ No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him, and I will resurrect him on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned comes to me. ⁴⁶ Not that any man has seen the Father, except the one who is from God; this one has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Most truly I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting life.

(Matthew 7:13, 14) ¹³ “Go in through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; ¹⁴ whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.

We need to discuss the qualities of Christ so we can fully understand what it means to be Christ like. Jesus walked with love. He left it guide all he did. The only jealousy he had was a righteous jealousy when there was wrong doing occurring in God’s temple. Jesus knew he would be handed the throne in the heavenly kingdom but did not let them cause him to get puffed up with pride. Many are aware of Jesus demonstrating the humility we should have by washing the disciples feet which is something a servant would do. Jesus always put the interest of others before his own. There was times he was tired and hungry but seen the need others had so would put their needs before his own. Jesus viewed the people with pity because he knew they were sheep without a Shepard. False teachings were rampant and people were not being treated very kindly by the pharisees. Many had lost their trust in God and did not know where to turn. How sad that is for them to not have any hope. So Jesus told them about God and what he required, he taught them about repentance , and taught them about the mercy of God. He taught them about the power and glory of God. So if we are to be Christ like we need to try and find the other sheep who have no hope and share the truths of God’s word with them , in the way that Jesus taught them. We are in the last days and we were warned false teaching would be rampant and would cause many to have a form of Godly devotion but prove false to it’s power. We have been taught there would even be teachings of demons. Because of this, many would would become disheartened and be sheep without a shepherd. We need to share Gods word with them and make disciples of them just as Jesus had done. If someone had not shared God’s word with us and shared the hope it gives us we would still be sheep without a shepherd.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, ⁵ does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(1 Peter 4:8) Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

(Mark 6:34) ³⁴ Well, on getting out, he saw a large crowd, and he was moved with pity for them, because they were as sheep without a shepherd. And he started to teach them many things.

Jesus always put God’s will first and not his own will. In order to learn what God’s will is we need to read his word and meditate on it daily and apply it in our lives and let it guide all we do. Jesus could perfectly imitate God because he told us he did what he had seen the father do when he was in heaven alongside God. Since Jesus was the very first creation of God he would have the most knowledge of God because he had been by God’s side longer then any other creation. He was along side God during the creation of the earth. This is why the bible states in Genesis “let us make man in our image”. So by learning about Jesus and doing our best to imitate him we can better understand what the will of God is. In proverbs 8:30 it refers to Jesus as God’s master worker. So no one would know God’s will better then Jesus.

(John 6:37-40) ³⁷ All those whom the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never drive away the one who comes to me; ³⁸ for I have come down from heaven to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose none out of all those whom he has given me, but that I should resurrect them on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day.”

(Colossians 1:13-18) ¹³ He rescued us from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; ¹⁶ because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist, ¹⁸ and he is the head of the body, the congregation. . . .

(John 12:47-50) . . .. ⁴⁸ Whoever disregards me and does not receive my sayings has one to judge him. The word that I have spoken is what will judge him on the last day. ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken of my own initiative, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment means everlasting life. So whatever I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

(John 17:3-5) ³ This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. ⁴ I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.

(Genesis 1:26) ²⁶ Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every creeping animal that is moving on the earth.”

Those desiring to live in union with Christ will be persecuted. We have to keep in mind the persecution is not always obvious. Satan often times persecuted people by taking things away from them , even their health. Jesus did not attack people back or get angry when persecuted. When people lied about him he did not strike back at them. When he was suffering he did not threaten them. He entrusted himself to God. The bible says the student is no better then the teacher so what they did to him they will also do to his students. Anyone can love those who love them but Jesus even loved those who chose to be his enemies and he prayed for them.

(John 15:20) ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours.

(1 Peter 2:22, 23) ²² He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. ²³ When he was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judges righteously.

(Matthew 5:10) ¹⁰ “Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.

(Matthew 5:43-46) ⁴³ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing?

Jesus was merciful and forgiving. He knew he would be seated on the throne and be given the work of Judging the world. But he also knew it was not yet time for that judging to occur so he did not judge others when he was on earth. We are told in the bible do not judge or we will be judged likewise. We are to forgive others in order to be forgiven. Jesus stated we are to forgive our enemies and continue to be kind to them. By imitating Jesus we could draw some who where our enemies to God by the example of kindness, humility and forgiveness we set.

(Luke 6:37) ³⁷ “Moreover, stop judging, and you will by no means be judged; and stop condemning, and you will by no means be condemned. Keep on forgiving, and you will be forgiven.

(John 8:14-16) . . .. ¹⁵ You judge according to the flesh; I do not judge any man at all. ¹⁶ And yet even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.

(2 Corinthians 5:9, 10) ⁹ So whether at home with him or absent from him, we make it our aim to be acceptable to him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ, so that each one may be repaid according to the things he has practiced while in the body, whether good or bad.

(Luke 6:27-31) ²⁷ “But I say to you who are listening: Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, ²⁸ to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold the inner garment either. ³⁰ Give to everyone asking you, and from the one taking your things away, do not ask them back. ³¹ “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.

Jesus would make people aware of their error so they would know they were sinning and repent. Sin is rampant now, as stated earlier there are many false teachings. If we do not try to make others aware of their sin then God could hold it against us. There is joy in heaven when a sinner repents. If we can get someone to repent isn’t it a good feeling knowing we made God happy? The bible also tells us if we get a sinner to turn back from their error it covers a multitude of sins. God actually requires us to warn others when they are sinning and holds us accountable if we do not. I know it is very difficult to warn others and make them aware of their sin but it would be sadder to see their sin cost them their lives.

(Matthew 18:15-17) ¹⁵ “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go and reveal his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. ¹⁷ If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.

(Luke 15:7) ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous ones who have no need of repentance.

(James 5:19, 20) My brothers, if anyone among you is led astray from the truth and another turns him back, ²⁰ know that whoever turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save him from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

(Ezekiel 3:17-21) . . .. ¹⁸ When I say to someone wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him, and you fail to speak in order to warn the wicked one to turn from his wicked course so that he may stay alive, he will die for his error because he is wicked, but I will ask his blood back from you. ¹⁹ But if you warn someone wicked and he does not turn back from his wickedness and from his wicked course, he will die for his error, but you will certainly save your own life. ²⁰ But when someone righteous abandons his righteousness and does what is wrong, I will put a stumbling block before him and he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die for his sin and his righteous acts will not be remembered, but I will ask his blood back from you. ²¹ But if you have warned the righteous one not to sin, and he does not sin, he will surely keep alive because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life.”

Jesus did not put on a showy display as others did. He told us to practice our righteousness in private. When Jesus prayed he did not put on a show or use many words. He prayed in private and his prayer came from the heart. Often times people have prayers they memorize. This is not how we are supposed to pray. Our prayers are to be personal and from the heart. Jesus did not use many words but he told us to persist in prayer. In doing so we show God how much we desire what we are asking for especially if we are trying to overcome a short coming. We must work towards our prayers by doing so we demonstrate our faith and demonstrate our sincerity.

(Matthew 6:1-4) 6 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. ² So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³ But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

(Luke 11:8-13) . . .. ⁹ So I say to you, keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened. ¹¹ Indeed, which father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he also asks for an egg, will hand him a scorpion? ¹³ Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!”

(Matthew 6:5-8) ⁵ “Also, when you pray, do not act like the hypocrites, for they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. ⁷ When praying, do not say the same things over and over again as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words. ⁸ So do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need even before you ask him.

Jesus did not add extra burdens to people as the pharisees did. The pharisee had traditions that added more work to those who worshiped God. They were commands of men not commands of God. They had traditional celebrations that added more burdens. Often times these extra burdens the pharisees added to people they were not willing to do themselves. Jesus spoke to many about God’s word and he clarified many things in the bible but he was very selective about who he chose to keep close to him. They had their short comings and he had to correct them, but they accepted his correction and continued to grow spiritually. He once had to harshly correct Peter by stating “get behind me Satan”, We know Peter adjusted his behavior because he was eventually given the keys to the kingdom. With those keys Peter opened the way for the people of the nations to become part of the Spiritual nation of Israel. The key is the key of knowledge.

(Luke 11:45, 46) ⁴⁵ In reply one of those versed in the Law said to him: “Teacher, in saying these things, you insult us also.” ⁴⁶ Then he said: “Woe also to you who are versed in the Law, because you load men down with loads hard to carry, but you yourselves do not touch the loads with one of your fingers!

(Matthew 11:28-30) . . .. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves. ³⁰ For my yoke is kindly, and my load is light.”

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) ¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I will reside among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” ¹⁷ “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”; “‘and I will take you in.’” ¹⁸ “‘And I will become a father to you, and you will become sons and daughters to me,’ says Jehovah, the Almighty.”

(Matthew 16:21-23) . . .. ²² At this Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.” ²³ But turning his back, he said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.”

(Matthew 16:19) ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.”

(Acts 10:44-48) ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking about these matters, the holy spirit came upon all those hearing the word. ⁴⁵ And the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also on people of the nations. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in foreign languages and magnifying God. Then Peter responded: ⁴⁷ “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to stay for some days.

(Luke 11:52) ⁵² “Woe to you who are versed in the Law, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not go in, and you hinder those going in!”

Jesus did not focus on the things on earth or fleshly things. As a matter of fact the only clothes he had were the clothes on his back and he had no home to go to. This is why Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven. All the things in they system will be gone soon but the heavenly kingdom will be forever. By keeping our eyes on the things unseen we stay focused on spiritual matters and do not get overtaken by fleshly things of the world that will be gone soon. Jesus is now seated on the throne waiting for God to give him the command to set matters straight. Jesus was not anxious over what he would eat or drink. He had faith God would provide for him. Many people who do not focus on the things above and focus on the things of the world have been overwhelmed by anxiety and fear. By focusing on the things above it keeps it fresh in our minds that the heavenly kingdom will put and end to all the suffering and violence. This protects our minds and our hearts and we do not get consumed by fear and anxiety.

(Matthew 6:19-22) ¹⁹ “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright.

(Matthew 8:20) ²⁰ But Jesus said to him: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head.”

(Matthew 6:25-32) ²⁵ “On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing? ²⁶ Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? ²⁷ Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span? ²⁸ Also, why are you anxious about clothing? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin; ²⁹ but I tell you that not even Solʹo·mon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. ³⁰ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field that is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? ³¹ So never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’ ³² For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

(Matthew 6:33, 34) ³³ “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. ³⁴ So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.

Jesus did not offer the bible truths to those who where not deserving this is the scoffers. Who refuse to believe God’s word. The bible warns those who try to correct a ridicular will be dishonored and will get hurt.

(Matthew 7:6) ⁶ “Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw your pearls before swine, so that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.

(Proverbs 15:12) ¹² The scoffer does not love the one correcting him. He will not consult the wise.

(Proverbs 9:7) The one who corrects a ridiculer invites dishonor, And whoever reproves someone wicked will get hurt.

(John 3:20) For whoever practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be reproved.

Jesus observed and applied all God’s word in his life and instructed others to.

(John 14:23, 24) ²³ In answer Jesus said to him: “If anyone loves me, he will observe my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not observe my words. The word that you are hearing is not mine, but belongs to the Father who sent me.

(John 7:28) ²⁸ Then as he was teaching in the temple, Jesus called out: “You know me and you know where I am from. And I have not come of my own initiative, but the One who sent me is real, and you do not know him.

(John 8:53-58) . . .” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered: “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, the one who you say is your God. ⁵⁵ Yet you have not known him, but I know him. And if I said I do not know him, I would be like you, a liar. But I do know him and am observing his word. ⁵⁶ Abraham your father rejoiced greatly at the prospect of seeing my day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” ⁵⁷ Then the Jews said to him: “You are not yet 50 years old, and still you have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”

Jesus taught people about the good news of the heavenly kingdom which offered them hope. Jesus also sent the disciples out to teach the good news of the kingdom of God. The preaching of the good news of the kingdom being preached in all the earth is one of the final prophecies. This shows the importance of us learning what the good news of the kingdom is and teaching others about it. The kingdom will bring many wonderful things about that will give hope to many. By learning about the kingdom we can learn to keep our eyes on the things above like Jesus did.

(Matthew 4:23) Then he went throughout the whole of Galʹi·lee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the Kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity among the people.

(Luke 8:1) 8 Shortly afterward he traveled from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the Kingdom of God. And the Twelve were with him,

(Luke 9:2) ² And he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal. . .

(Daniel 2:44) ⁴⁴ “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever,

(Matthew 24:10-14) . . .. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

A new covenant, sealed by Jesus.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Old laws are fleshly, new are spirit. If we live under the old laws and not the new covenant then we will not be covered by the new covenant because the new covenant teaches us to walk by spirit , the heavenly kingdom is a spiritual kingdom with Christ as our king. So if we walk by the old laws we are not covered by the ransom sacrifice of Jesus the that sealed the new covenant. We are no longer slaves to law but we have been freed and are servants of Jehovah. If we believe the physical nation of Israel is God’s people then we are rejecting Jesus and the new covenant. This covenant was promised to Abraham when the old covenant had been fulfilled. In fulfilling the old covenant and forming a new one, a new nation of Israel arose. It is a spiritual nations. This nation is ruled by Jesus who is sitting on the heavenly throne. Those who enter the narrow gate can be a part of the new kingdom. We enter the narrow gate by having faith and being obedient to God. We also believe Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected and is now sitting on the heavenly throne.

Many say God does not change so the old covenant would still be valid. God did not change. A covenant is a contract when the things agreed upon in that contract have been fulfilled then the contract is completed. God prophesied Jesus would fulfill that covenant. So God did not change, it was all in his arrangements. He even stated there would be a new covenant when the old one was fulfilled. To state that the physical nation of Israel is God’s people would be rejecting the new covenant and the one who sealed it Jesus. If we live by the old laws the ransom does not cover us because the new Israel is a spiritual nation and we must live by the spirit.

If we walk by flesh we cannot walk by spirit they will be in conflict. That will still keep us from being under the new covenant. Being a part of the covenant worshiping in spirit is a requirement. Jesus taught us how to worship in spirit so if we do our best to imitate him then we can learn to worship in spirit.

If we live by spirit we will receive its fruits. By those fruits we will show God it reveals who is obeying God and who is not. The most important of the fruits is love. The new covenant makes love a priority, and we must worship in spirit. God blesses us with the spirit but we have to ask for it.

We must imitate Jesus with acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness. There were times the bible said Jesus was exhausted and he still continued to help others. He had no home, one set of clothes but still put spiritual matters first. He never stopped showing empathy and compassion not matter how tired , abused or tortured he was. He was the perfect example to follow to learn how to truly love. Love requires we be patient and forgiving Jesus always was. Love doesn’t put it’s own interest first. Jesus never did. It does not become provoked. Jesus did not get angry and seek revenge. When Jesus was wronged he did not keep account of it and continually throw it in peoples face he put it in prayer to Jehovah and he remembered that we are all imperfect humans. Because of this Jesus was able to bare many peoples sufferings along with his own.

Love fulfills the law thus we would not be under the old laws. If love guides all we do then we are under the new covenant and the ransom that sealed that covenant which was when Jesus gave his life for man. The bible says God is love. Jesus stated he did what he saw his father doing when he was by his side in heaven. Jesus perfectly mirrored God so if we imitate Jesus we can learn to love as he did.

When we live by spirit we must prove it by working towards things that show we are living by spirit and not flesh. We must follow the teachings of Jesus and the new Covenant and exercise faith in him as our appointed king. We must prove our works. All those who learn to live by the spirit will be covered by the ransom. By treating all as Jesus did it works as a protection for us. Not only that but how do you know that you are not in the presence of an angel of Jehovah’s. How would you feel if you knew an angel of Jehovah had come to observe you and you didn’t know it?

It isn’t works of the law but works of faith that proves to Jehovah whether we are righteous or not. There will come a day when we will no longer be able to do works of faith so we need to seize the opportunity now before it is too late.

We exercise to build endurance. If we do not exercise our love and faith towards others how can we build the spiritual endurance and faith we need. How will others learn to do that if you do not set an example for them and follow Jesus example of selflessness and love. He also worked very hard to teach others how to live spiritually. To exercise faith we need to trust God’s word to guide us an not rely on our own understanding or put our faith in the world or things in the world which will be gone soon.

In doing the above mentioned things we keep ourselves in God’s love and become a new creation. This is not a one time thing, it is a daily thing, as we learn God’s word and apply it and let it guide us and obey it and put our faith in him each day we grow spiritually so are a new creation daily.

The old law of convenant was to teach what sin was. It did not give the benefit of the ransom sacrifice that the new covenant has. They were still enslaved by the sin which we know results in death. Those who followed the old covenant knew about the new one and put faith in what would come of the new covenant so they were still covered by the new covenant even though it had not come about yet. The laws also protected Gods people and kept them under God’s care. As long as they followed the laws they would have God’s protection and they would avoid making serious mistakes. So we could benefit from studying them and applying them.

Following Jesus footsteps we will not have to worry about breaking the old laws because he upheld them. Even though we are no longer slaves to the old covenant they still work to protect our relationship with Jehovah and to keep us from smearing his name so it is good to apply the jist of them in our lives. Some of the laws like abstaining from eating certain things was to guarantee that Abraham’s bloodline would not contract disease and it would continue so that the promise messiah would be fulfilled.

(Romans 8:5) For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those in accord with the spirit on the things of the spirit

(Hebrews 8:7-10) 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second; for he does find fault with the people when he says: “‘Look! There are days coming,’ says Jehovah, ‘and I will conclude with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; 9not according to the covenant that I made with their forefathers in [the] day of my taking hold of their hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, so that I stopped caring for them,’ says Jehovah.” 10“‘For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people.

(Hebrews 7:18-22) 18Certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. 19For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God. 20Also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath, 21(for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the One who said respecting him: “Jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret), ‘You are a priest forever,’”) 22to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.

(Colossians 2:13, 14) 13 Furthermore, though YOU were dead in YOUR trespasses and in the uncircumcised state of YOUR flesh, [God] made YOU alive together with him. He kindly forgave us all our trespasses 14and blotted out the handwritten document against us, which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us; and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake.

(Galatians 5:16-18) 16But I say, Keep walking by spirit and YOU will carry out no fleshly desire at all. 17For the flesh is against the spirit in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that the very things that YOU would like to do YOU do not do. 18Furthermore, if YOU are being led by spirit, YOU are not under law.

(Romans 8:12-16) 12So, then, brothers, we are under obligation, not to the flesh to live in accord with the flesh; 13for if YOU live in accord with the flesh YOU are sure to die; but if YOU put the practices of the body to death by the spirit, YOU will live. 14For all who are led by God’s spirit, these are God’s sons. 15For YOU did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but YOU received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” 16The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children..

(Galatians 5:22-24) 22On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires.

(1 Corinthians 13:13) 13Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) 4Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, 5does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. 6It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(Romans 13:9, 10) .” 10Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor; therefore love is the law’s fulfillment.

(Galatians 6:1-5) 6 Brothers, even though a man takes some false step before he is aware of it, YOU who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness, as you each keep an eye on yourself, for fear you also may be tempted. 2Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and thus fulfill the law of the Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving his own mind. 4But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. 5For each one will carry his own load.

(Galatians 6:9, 10) 9So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out. 10Really, then, as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to [us] in the faith.

(Galatians 5:22-24) 22 On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires..

(Galatians 3:26-29) 26YOU are all, in fact, sons of God through YOUR faith in Christ Jesus. 27For all of YOU who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for YOU are all one [person] in union with Christ Jesus. 29Moreover, if YOU belong to Christ, YOU are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.

(Hebrews 13:1-6) 13 Let YOUR brotherly love continue. 2Do not forget hospitality, for through it some, unknown to themselves, entertained angels.

(Galatians 3:24) Consequently the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith

(Galatians 2:16) knowing as we do that a man is declared righteous, not due to works of law, but only through faith toward Christ Jesus, even we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, that we may be declared righteous due to faith toward Christ, and not due to works of law, because due to works of law no flesh will be declared righteous.

(John 9:4) We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no man can work.

(Hebrews 10:35, 36) 35Do not, therefore, throw away YOUR freeness of speech, which has a great reward to be paid it. 36For YOU have need of endurance, in order that, after YOU have done the will of God, YOU may receive the [fulfillment of the] promise.

(Romans 10:9, 10) 10For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.

(James 2:18-26) 18Nevertheless, a certain one will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. 20But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is inactive? 21Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? 22You behold that [his] faith worked along with his works and by [his] works [his] faith was perfected, 23and the scripture was fulfilled which says: “Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he came to be called “Jehovah’s friend.” 24YOU see that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone. 25In the same manner was not also Ra′hab the harlot declared righteous by works, after she had received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? 26Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

(Jude 17-23) 17As for YOU, beloved ones, call to mind the sayings that have been previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18how they used to say to YOU: “In the last time there will be ridiculers, proceeding according to their own desires for ungodly things.” 19These are the ones that make separations, animalistic [men], not having spirituality. 20But YOU, beloved ones, by building up yourselves on YOUR most holy faith, and praying with holy spirit, 21keep yourselves in God’s love, while YOU are waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view. 22Also, continue showing mercy to some that have doubts; 23save [them] by snatching [them] out of the fire. But continue showing mercy to others, doing so with fear, while YOU hate even the inner garment that has been stained by the flesh.

(Colossians 3:8-11) 8But now really put them all away from YOU, wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of YOUR mouth. 9Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, 10and clothe yourselves with the new [personality], which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it, 11where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, foreigner, Scyth′i·an, slave, freeman, but Christ is all things and in all.

(Galatians 3:19-22) 19 Why, then, the Law? It was added to make transgressions manifest, until the offspring should arrive to whom the promise had been made; and it was transmitted through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now there is no mediator when just one person is involved, but God is only one. 21 Is the Law, therefore, against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, righteousness would actually have been by means of law. 22 But the Scripture handed all things over to the custody of sin, so that the promise resulting from faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those exercising faith.

(Galatians 3:23-25) . . .. 24 So the Law became our guardian leading to Christ, so that we might be declared righteous through faith. 25 But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a guardian. . .

(Hebrews 8:5, 6) . . .” 6 But now Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry because he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established on better promises.

If you believe the physical nation of Israel are God’s people you are rejecting Christ.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Jesus stated he did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. When that law of the covenant was fulfilled we were promised a new covenant. If we cling too tightly to the old covenant we could be blinded to the fact the old covenant was fulfilled by Jesus ransom sacrifice and fail to listen to Jesus and the new laws he gave us when he instated the new covenant. By listening to Jesus and putting our trust in him we experience a certain freedom. God lifts spiritual blinders off of us. Many think that the nation of Israel are God’s people but when that covenant was fulfilled a new nation of Israel was created. When we cling to the belief the physical nation of Israel are God’s people we are not accepting that there is a new nation of Israel with Jesus as our king and we become blinded on how to enter that kingdom which is through the narrow gate. Jesus is the narrow Gate.

Does this mean that God changed his mind. Certainly not it was prophesied that the messiah would come through Abraham’s seed and there would be a new everlasting covenant. Jesus fulfilled the covenant given to Abraham. We are now under the new covenant so the circumcision we now are required to do is circumcision of the heart by writing God’s word on it. If we continue to believe the physical nation of Israel are God’s people we are rejecting the new covenant and rejecting that Jesus has been set on the heavenly throne by his father and that he is the king of the new spiritual nation of Israel. Surely we would not want to reject Christ. God gave him full authority to deliver us when the time is near. When Jesus made the new Covenant he gave us many commands, some of them were from the old covenant like the ten commandments which were covered under the new covenant.

(Matthew 5:17-20) ¹⁷ “Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill. ¹⁸ Truly I say to you that sooner would heaven and earth pass away than for one smallest letter or one stroke of a letter to pass away from the Law until all things take place. ¹⁹ Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I say to you that if your righteousness does not surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.

(Ephesians 2:14-18) . . .. ¹⁵ By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, in order to make the two groups in union with himself into one new man and to make peace, ¹⁶ and to reconcile fully both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity by means of himself. ¹⁷ And he came and declared the good news of peace to you who were far off, and peace to those near, ¹⁸ because through him we, both peoples, have free access to the Father by one spirit.

(2 Corinthians 3:13-18) . . .did when he would put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel might not gaze intently at the end of what was to be done away with. ¹⁴ But their minds were dulled. For to this present day, the same veil remains unlifted when the old covenant is read, because it is taken away only by means of Christ. ¹⁵ In fact, to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies upon their hearts. ¹⁶ But when one turns to Jehovah, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now Jehovah is the Spirit, and where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And all of us, while we with unveiled faces reflect like mirrors the glory of Jehovah, are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, exactly as it is done by Jehovah the Spirit.

(Galatians 6:12-16) ¹² All those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who try to compel you to get circumcised, doing so only to avoid being persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ. ¹³ For even those who are getting circumcised do not keep the Law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may have cause for boasting about your flesh. ¹⁴ But may I never boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been put to death with regard to me and I with regard to the world. ¹⁵ For neither is circumcision anything nor is uncircumcision, but a new creation is. ¹⁶ As for all those who walk orderly by this rule of conduct, peace and mercy be upon them, yes, upon the Israel of God.

(2 Corinthians 5:16-19) ¹⁶ So from now on we know no man from a fleshly viewpoint. Even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, we certainly no longer know him in that way. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; look! new things have come into existence. ¹⁸ But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not counting their offenses against them, and he entrusted to us the message of the reconciliation.

(1 Peter 2:10-12) . . .For you were once not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not been shown mercy, but now you have received mercy. ¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residents to keep abstaining from fleshly desires, which wage war against you. ¹² Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, so that when they accuse you of being wrongdoers, they may be eyewitnesses of your fine works and, as a result, glorify God in the day of his inspection.

(Romans 9:25) It is as he says also in Ho·seʹa: “Those not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not loved, ‘beloved’;

(Acts 15:12-21) . . .many signs and wonders that God had done through them among the nations. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied: “Men, brothers, hear me. ¹⁴ Symʹe·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written: ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and raise up again the tent of David that is fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, ¹⁷ so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, ¹⁸ known from of old.’ ¹⁹ Therefore, my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, ²⁰ but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient times Moses has had those who preach him in city after city, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath.”

(Ephesians 2:11-18) ¹¹ Therefore, remember that at one time you, people of the nations by fleshly descent, were the ones called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision,” which is made in the flesh by human hands. ¹² At that time you were without Christ, alienated from the state of Israel, strangers to the covenants of the promise; you had no hope and were without God in the world. ¹³ But now in union with Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. ¹⁴ For he is our peace, the one who made the two groups one and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off. ¹⁵ By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, in order to make the two groups in union with himself into one new man and to make peace, ¹⁶ and to reconcile fully both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity by means of himself. ¹⁷ And he came and declared the good news of peace to you who were far off, and peace to those near, ¹⁸ because through him we, both peoples, have free access to the Father by one spirit.

(Romans 2:25-29) ²⁵ Circumcision is, in fact, of benefit only if you practice law; but if you are a transgressor of law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ If, therefore, an uncircumcised person keeps the righteous requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be counted as circumcision, will it not? ²⁷ And the physically uncircumcised person will, by carrying out the Law, judge you who are a transgressor of law despite having its written code and circumcision. ²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision something on the outside, on the flesh. ²⁹ But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit and not by a written code. That person’s praise comes from God, not from people.

(Genesis 12:1-3) And Jehovah said to Aʹbram: “Go out from your land and away from your relatives and from the house of your father to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will become a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who calls down evil on you, and all the families of the ground will certainly be blessed by means of you.”

(Galatians 3:13-18) ¹³ Christ purchased us, releasing us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: “Accursed is every man hung upon a stake.” ¹⁴ This was so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the nations by means of Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised spirit through our faith. ¹⁵ Brothers, I speak using a human illustration: Once a covenant is validated, even if only by a man, no one annuls it or attaches additions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “and to your descendants,” in the sense of many. Rather, it says, “and to your offspring,” in the sense of one, who is Christ. ¹⁷ Further, I say this: The Law, which came into being 430 years later, does not invalidate the covenant previously made by God, so as to abolish the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has kindly given it to Abraham through a promise.

(Matthew 1:17-23) ¹⁷ All the generations, then, from Abraham until David were 14 generations; from David until the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations; from the deportation to Babylon until the Christ, 14 generations. ¹⁸ But this is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. During the time his mother Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant by holy spirit before they were united. ¹⁹ However, because her husband Joseph was righteous and did not want to make her a public spectacle, he intended to divorce her secretly. ²⁰ But after he had thought these things over, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a dream, saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take your wife Mary home, for what has been conceived in her is by holy spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All of this actually came about to fulfill what was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: ²³ “Look! The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will name him Im·manʹu·el,” which means, when translated, “With Us Is God.”

(Matthew 7:13, 14) ¹³ “Go in through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; ¹⁴ whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.

(John 10:7-11) ⁷ So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep. ⁸ All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage. ¹⁰ The thief does not come unless it is to steal and slay and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance. ¹¹ I am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his life in behalf of the sheep.

(Micah 5:2-4)  ² And you, O Bethʹle·hem Ephʹra·thah, The one too little to be among the thousands of Judah, From you will come out for me the one to be ruler in Israel, Whose origin is from ancient times, from the days of long ago.  ³ So he will give them up Until the time that she who is to give birth has given birth. And the rest of his brothers will return to the people of Israel.  ⁴ He will stand up and shepherd in the strength of Jehovah, In the superiority of the name of Jehovah his God. And they will dwell in security, For now his greatness will reach the ends of the earth.

(Luke 1:31-33) . . .. ³² This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, ³³ and he will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom.”

(Hebrews 1:8-14) ⁸ But about the Son, he says: “God is your throne forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdom is the scepter of uprightness. ⁹ You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed you with the oil of exultation more than your companions.” ¹⁰ And: “At the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. ¹¹ They will perish, but you will remain; and just like a garment, they will all wear out, ¹² and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as a garment, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never come to an end.” ¹³ But about which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet”? ¹⁴ Are they not all spirits for holy service, sent out to minister for those who are going to inherit salvation?

(Jeremiah 31:31-34) ³¹ “Look! The days are coming,” declares Jehovah, “when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. ³² It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, ‘my covenant that they broke, although I was their true master,’ declares Jehovah.” ³³ “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovah. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.” ³⁴ “And they will no longer teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know Jehovah!’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them,” declares Jehovah. “For I will forgive their error, and I will no longer remember their sin.”

(Hebrews 13:20, 21) ²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, with the blood of an everlasting covenant, ²¹ equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us through Jesus Christ what is well-pleasing in his sight, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

A new name.

Written by Lee Stevenson. Sorry I am a lousy editor.

When God restored true worship his people would be given a special name. I will let the scriptures show what this name would be. God’s name has been removed from many bibles but in some it can still be found in Psalm. It is an english interpretation of the tetragrammaton of YHWH. No one knows what the original name was pronounced like. Most names in the bible no one knows the true pronunciation. It is the meaning that matters. Jehovah means “one who causes to become”. So if someone wanted to play on words and the proper pronunciation we could get caught up in debates that lead to no one learning anything because the name Jesus, Isaiah or any other name in the bible we could question the pronunciation on. It is the meaning of the names or the person the name represents that is important. There is only one true God. He is the one that caused everything to become or caused everything to come about. Gods name originally appeared thousands of times in the bible. I can see why Satan had inspired to have God’s name removed. Satan, Devil and other terms used in the bible are not his name but are words that describe certain aspects of him this is why in some areas of the bible Satan is referred to as the oppressor and even serpent. If he could not be worshiped by name then he would almost definitely be jealous of people knowing God’s name. When true worship is restored there would be identifying marks that would make his people stand out.

(Psalm 83:18) ¹⁸ May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

(Isaiah 65:13-15) ¹³ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “Look! My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. Look! My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. Look! My servants will rejoice, but you will suffer shame. ¹⁴ Look! My servants will shout joyfully because of the good condition of the heart, But you will cry out because of the pain of heart And you will wail because of a broken spirit. ¹⁵ You will leave behind a name that my chosen ones will use as a curse, And the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will put each of you to death, But his own servants he will call by another name. . .

(Isaiah 62:2)  ² “The nations will see your righteousness, O woman, And all kings your glory. And you will be called by a new name, Which Jehovah’s own mouth will designate.

(Isaiah 43:6, 7)  ⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth,  ⁷ Everyone who is called by my name And whom I created for my own glory, Whom I have formed and made.’

(Acts 15:14-18) ¹⁴ Symʹe·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written: ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and raise up again the tent of David that is fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, ¹⁷ so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, ¹⁸ known from of old.. . .

(Jeremiah 14:9)  ⁹ Why are you like a man who is stunned, Like a mighty man who cannot save? For you are among us, O Jehovah, And your name has been called on us. Do not abandon us.

(Revelation 14:1-5) 14 Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. ³ And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, ⁵ and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.

(Isaiah 43:10) ¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, And after me there has been none.

(Acts 1:6-8) ⁶ So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” ⁷ He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction. ⁸ But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a, and to the most distant part of the earth.”

(Luke 4:42-44) ⁴² However, at daybreak he departed and went to an isolated place. But the crowds began searching for him and came to where he was, and they tried to keep him from going away from them. ⁴³ But he said to them: “I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So he went on preaching in the synagogues of Ju·deʹa.

(Matthew 24:14) ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

A great tribulation is about to occur we need to prepare.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not every good at editing.

We are in the time of judgment. Things are rapidly winding down. God has warned us what to look for so we could prepare. God also built up his peoples faith and courage in times past before judgment started. I am going to cover in this blog post how God prepared people and how he also prepared them to receive the the promises he had given them. Those who choose to oppose the beast and refuse to get the mark will be seen as vulnerable just as God’s people were seen in times past. God always protected and saved them no matter how powerful the enemy seemed. God has saved his people and protected them in the past and he will again when the whole world is judged. There is nothing that is secret to him so we have to patiently wait as things are exposed. We are told many will doubt we are in the last days so we have to expect that many will have hardened hearts and will not believe the warnings even with all the signs occurring around them they will be blind to the truth. The bible warns many will choose to believe the lie. So just as in times past we will be criticized by others including our own family and friends for sounding the warning. We have to be patient Jesus is going to expose the truth even now we see the corruption being exposed in world wide governments and religion world wide.

(Exodus 15:8-10)  ⁸ By a breath from your nostrils waters massed together; They stood still, holding back the floods; The surging waters congealed in the heart of the sea.  ⁹ The enemy said: ‘I will pursue! I will overtake! I will divide spoil until I am satisfied! I will draw my sword! My hand will subdue them!’ ¹⁰ You blew with your breath, the sea covered them; They sank like lead in majestic waters.

(Ezekiel 38:10-12) ¹⁰ “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘In that day thoughts will come into your heart, and you will devise an evil plan. ¹¹ You will say: “I will invade the land of unprotected settlements. I will come against those living in security, without disturbance, all of them living in settlements unprotected by walls, bars, or gates.” ¹² It will be to take much spoil and plunder, to attack the devastated places that are now inhabited and a people regathered from the nations, who are accumulating wealth and property, those who are living in the center of the earth.

(1 Corinthians 4:5) ⁵ Therefore, do not judge anything before the due time, until the Lord comes. He will bring the secret things of darkness to light and make known the intentions of the hearts, and then each one will receive his praise from God.

(2 Peter 3:2-4) . . .. ³ First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires ⁴ and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.”

(Matthew 24:48-51) ⁴⁸ “But if ever that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ ⁴⁹ and he starts to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, ⁵¹ and he will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his place with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.

One of the requirements God has is his people had to worship in truth. They could not have any other gods. As a matter of fact in times past God’s people were known by his name Jehovah, which means one who brings about or causes to happen. In times past those who opposed true worship learned to fear Jehovah’s name because he protect and those who worshiped him in truth and called on his name. When Jesus was restoring true worship he made God’s name known. Many bibles have removed God’s name and have taken it from the bible. How can they know what god is the one true God if they do not know his name. God is a general term and not a name. Even the bible stated there were many God’s but only one true God. If there was someone who promised to protect you but you did not know his name or anything about him would you really trust that person? If people do not know the name of the one true God or do not know anything about him could they fully put trust in him?

(Exodus 23:27-33) ²⁷ “I will send the fear of me ahead of you, and I will throw into confusion all the people you encounter, and I will cause all your enemies to flee from you in defeat. ²⁸ I will send the feeling of dejection ahead of you, and it will drive the Hiʹvites, the Caʹnaan·ites, and the Hitʹtites out from before you. ²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, so that the land does not become desolate and the wild animals of the field multiply against you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. ³¹ “I will set your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Phi·lisʹtines and from the wilderness to the River; for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out from before you. ³² You must not make a covenant with them or their gods. ³³ They should not dwell in your land, so that they may not cause you to sin against me. If you should serve their gods, it would surely become a snare to you.”

(Malachi 1:11) ¹¹ “For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations. In every place sacrifices will be made to smoke, and offerings will be made to my name, as a pure gift; because my name will be great among the nations,” says Jehovah of armies.

(Deuteronomy 28:9, 10) . . .. ¹⁰ All the peoples of the earth will have to see that Jehovah’s name has been called upon you, and they will be afraid of you.

(John 17:25, 26) . . .. ²⁶ I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them. . .

We will be asked to leave many things behind. Abraham was very wealthy and he had to leave all this behind. Noah when he entered the ark knew he would be leaving everything behind and never see it again. Many knew they would not see the future promises but they still had faith that God would fulfill what he had promised. Just as Noah survived the flood many who God has found worthy will survive when God’s great day arrives and the fire of his rage consumes the earth.

(Hebrews 11:7-16) ⁷ By faith Noah, after receiving divine warning of things not yet seen, showed godly fear and constructed an ark for the saving of his household; and through this faith he condemned the world, and he became an heir of the righteousness that results from faith. ⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, although not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. ¹⁰ For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith also Sarah received power to conceive offspring, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who made the promise. ¹² For this reason, from one man who was as good as dead, there were born children, as many as the stars of heaven in number and as innumerable as the sands by the seaside. ¹³ In faith all of these died, although they did not receive the fulfillment of the promises; but they saw them from a distance and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. ¹⁴ For those who speak in such a way make it evident that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. ¹⁵ And yet, if they had kept remembering the place from which they had departed, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven. Therefore, God is not ashamed of them, to be called on as their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

(Hebrews 11:32-38) ³² And what more will I say? For time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on, Baʹrak, Samson, Jephʹthah, David, as well as Samuel and the other prophets. ³³ Through faith they defeated kingdoms, brought about righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the force of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from a weak state were made powerful, became mighty in war, routed invading armies. ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection, but other men were tortured because they would not accept release by some ransom, in order that they might attain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Yes, others received their trial by mockings and scourgings, indeed, more than that, by chains and prisons. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were tried, they were sawn in two, they were slaughtered by the sword, they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, while they were in need, in tribulation, mistreated; ³⁸ and the world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves and dens of the earth.

(Zephaniah 1:18-2:3) ¹⁸ Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; For by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be consumed, Because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.” 2 Gather together, yes, gather yourselves, O nation that feels no shame.  ² Before the decree takes effect, Before the day passes by like chaff, Before the burning anger of Jehovah comes upon you, Before the day of Jehovah’s anger comes upon you,  ³ Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, Who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah’s anger.

So how did God prepare those who put faith in him? He first restored true and pure worship. Then he prepared their hearts by having them take in and apply his word so it would guide all they do. Those who delivered the messages and were helping to restore true worship often times were not viewed favorably even by their own people. They often times had to go into hiding , even Jesus sometimes had to do this. Jesus and many of the past prophets did not tell the people what they wanted to hear they told them what they needed to hear. So that we do not get misled or become hardened in our hearts we need to know our bibles well so that we cannot be misled. When you read your bibles there are many examples where they had more love for the false teachers who tickled their ears then for those delivering the truth and trying to teach people what God required. Just as the anger always came to a head and they would attack and try to kill those restoring true worship this will occur again on a world wide scale. Many of us will have to flee or go into hiding. We must do our best to desperate ourselves from false worship so we do not suffer the same fate they will suffer. So we must figuratively write his word on our hearts so it will guide all we do. When we do not understand something we must look into it deeper so we do not get misled. We know the destruction is going to come quickly at a time no one expects so we must be prepared just as Noah and others in times past prepared.

(1 Kings 18:3-6) ³ Meanwhile, Aʹhab called O·ba·diʹah, who was over the household. (Now O·ba·diʹah greatly feared Jehovah, ⁴ and when Jezʹe·bel was doing away with Jehovah’s prophets, O·ba·diʹah took 100 prophets and hid them 50 to a cave, and he supplied them with bread and water.) ⁵ Aʹhab then said to O·ba·diʹah: “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we can find enough grass to keep the horses and mules alive and not have all our animals die.” ⁶ So they divided between themselves the land they were going to pass through. Aʹhab went alone by one way, and O·ba·diʹah went alone by another way.

(1 Kings 19:9-18) ⁹ There he entered a cave and spent the night; and look! Jehovah’s word came to him, telling him: “What are you doing here, E·liʹjah?” ¹⁰ To this he said: “I have been absolutely zealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, and I am the only one left. Now they are seeking to take my life away.” ¹¹ But He said: “Go out and stand on the mountain before Jehovah.” And look! Jehovah was passing by, and a great and strong wind was splitting mountains and breaking crags before Jehovah, but Jehovah was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake. ¹² After the earthquake, there was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a calm, low voice. ¹³ As soon as E·liʹjah heard it, he wrapped his face in his official garment and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice asked him: “What are you doing here, E·liʹjah?” ¹⁴ To this he said: “I have been absolutely zealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, and I am the only one left. Now they are seeking to take my life away.” ¹⁵ Jehovah said to him: “Return, and go to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazʹa·el as king over Syria. ¹⁶ And you should anoint Jeʹhu the grandson of Nimʹshi as king over Israel, and you should anoint E·liʹsha the son of Shaʹphat from Aʹbel-me·hoʹlah as prophet to take your place. ¹⁷ Anyone escaping from Hazʹa·el’s sword, Jeʹhu will put to death; and anyone escaping from Jeʹhu’s sword, E·liʹsha will put to death. ¹⁸ And I still have left 7,000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bent down to Baʹal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

(2 Timothy 3:15-17) . . .. ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

(2 Peter 1:19-2:3) . . .. ²⁰ For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. ²¹ For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit. 2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. ² Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct, and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively. ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago, is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.

(James 4:4) Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God.

(Revelation 18:4) And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.

(1 Corinthians 10:21, 22) ²¹ You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons. ²² Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’? We are not stronger than he is, are we?

(Jeremiah 16:11-13) ¹¹ You must reply to them, ‘“Because your forefathers abandoned me,” declares Jehovah, “and they kept following other gods and serving them and bowing down to them. But me they abandoned, and my law they did not keep. ¹² And you have behaved far worse than your forefathers, and each one of you follows the stubbornness of his wicked heart instead of obeying me. ¹³ So I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your forefathers have known, and there you will have to serve other gods day and night, because I will show you no favor.”’

(Revelation 16:8-11) ⁸ The fourth one poured out his bowl on the sun, and to the sun it was granted to scorch the people with fire. ⁹ And the people were scorched by the great heat, but they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent and give glory to him. ¹⁰ The fifth one poured out his bowl on the throne of the wild beast. And its kingdom became darkened, and they began to gnaw their tongues because of their pain, ¹¹ but they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their ulcers, and they did not repent of their works.

(Revelation 16:15, 16) ¹⁵ “Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.” ¹⁶ And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon. . .

(Revelation 19:19-21) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

In times past God would have Israel read his statutes over and over so they would remember them and live them so it would guide and protect them. When you read God’s word a part of your life it prevents the world from robbing you of your identity and give us much more confidence and faith in God. Almost no matter what we endure we can remain happy. So it is very important to set aside time for studying the bible daily and meditating on it. We must be cautious of those who do not want to read the full world of God because it can reveal the intention of the heart so some may react violently when they are faced with the truth. Things are rapidly winding down and very soon we will be told to stop sharing the bible truths. We are not to just believe the bible but we are to meditate on what we have read and research the things we have heard to make sure they are true.

(James 1:22-25) ²² However, become doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, and he goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he is. ²⁵ But the one who peers into the perfect law that belongs to freedom and continues in it has become, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; and he will be happy in what he does. . .

(Matthew 7:24-27) ²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them will be like a discreet man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house, and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”

(Hebrews 4:12, 13) ¹² For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And there is not a creation that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account. . .

(Joshua 1:7-9) . . .Do not deviate from it either to the right or to the left, so that you may act wisely wherever you go. ⁸ This book of the Law should not depart from your mouth, and you must read it in an undertone day and night, in order to observe carefully all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful and then you will act wisely. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and strong. Do not be struck with terror or fear, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go. . .

(Acts 17:10, 11) . . .. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Some of the final prophecies marking the last days have been fulfilled. Only a few have not and that is for the harlot , the beast and it’s allies to establish one government world wide and to buy sell or trade they will try to force people to bow down to the beast instead of God. They will require people to put their faith in a human government instead of God. The beast will offer false hope. Then the beast will turn on the harlot which is false worship and destroy her. The beast is the disgusting thing that Jesus mentioned that we are to be aware of . It is the final act of rebellion against God. It started in the Garden of Eden when Satan convinced Adam and Eve they did not need God to rule over them and guide them. It will come to a climax when man tries to replace God on a world wide scale. Once the beast destroys false religion Satan and his people will become angry and try to destroy those who are worshiping God in truth and then the beast and people world wide would turn on true worship. The bible warns us we will need to flee at this time. Jesus warned some will not even have time to grab their coats we may have to flee so suddenly. The bible does not say if you experience persecution. When you worship it truth it says you will experience persecution. Some may experience it sooner then others. You see these supposed teachers of God’s word that the world is very fond of. They get paid a lot of money. These ones are very famous. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing and they will turn on the sheep when the tribulation starts. The world is found of what belongs to it and we know the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. Jesus only had the clothes on his back. He did not charge in order to teach. As a matter of fact he stated you received God’s word free you give it free. The apostles worked when they were in service to try and relieve the burden on the congregations they were visiting. Those who follow Jesus examples will be willing to give their lives for their sheep. Jesus referred to ones like that as white washed tombs.

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Luke 21:20-24) ²⁰ “However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. ²¹ Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her, ²² because these are days for meting out justice in order that all the things written may be fulfilled. ²³ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! For there will be great distress on the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled. . .

(2 Timothy 3:12, 13) ¹² In fact, all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted. ¹³ But wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.

(Matthew 16:24) Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and keep following me.

(John 15:20) Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe

(John 15:17-23) ¹⁷ “These things I command you, that you love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me also hates my Father.

(John 10:12-15) ¹² The hired man, who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them— ¹³ because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the fine shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my life in behalf of the sheep.

(Matthew 10:6-8) . . .. ⁷ As you go, preach, saying: ‘The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’ ⁸ Cure the sick, raise up the dead, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.

(Acts 8:18-24) ¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying: “Give me this authority also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive holy spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the free gift of God with money. ²¹ You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart is not straight in the sight of God. ²² So repent of this badness of yours, and supplicate Jehovah that, if possible, the wicked intention of your heart may be forgiven you; ²³ for I see you are a bitter poison and a slave of unrighteousness.” ²⁴ In answer Simon said to them: “Make supplication for me to Jehovah that none of the things you have said may come upon me.”

(John 10:13-15) . . .. ¹⁴ I am the fine shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my life in behalf of the sheep.

(John 15:13) No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.

(1 John 3:16) By this we have come to know love, because that one surrendered his life for us, and we are under obligation to surrender our lives for our brothers.

(1 Timothy 4:1, 2) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron.

(2 Peter 2:3) ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago, is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.

(2 Timothy 3:1-5) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. . .

(Matthew 23:27-31) ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and of every sort of uncleanness. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the graves of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous ones, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have shared with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Therefore, you are testifying against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

(2 Timothy 2:2-5) . . .. ³ As a fine soldier of Christ Jesus, take your part in suffering adversity. ⁴ No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. ⁵ And even in the games, anyone who competes is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules.

We have to build our faith now. A time is coming when indecisiveness could cost us our lives. By building our knowledge of God, by learning to rely on him and to seek him out often in prayer we build our faith. Many are indecisive and are like waves on the ocean whichever way the wind blows this is the way they will go. By knowing what God requires and worshiping him in truth we know when to make our yes mean yes and our no mean no which will protect us and get us through what is about to occur. By studying Gods word. Praying to him and working towards our payers we are building our faith. The bible tells us anything done without faith is a sin. So we must have faith in God’s word, faith in the future promises. We must have faith that he has seated Jesus on the heavenly thrown and is about to give Jesus the command to set matters straight. Right now God may tolerate our serving two masters but the time for indecisiveness will end and if we are serving two masters and not serving God wholehearted it could cost us our life. The bible does not say if we experience tribulation and persecution it says when we experience it. Some may experience them sooner then others but we all will experience it. We can find comfort in Gods word knowing Jesus is going to set matters straight and many will walk through the great tribulation. Just as in times past when God judged a nation his people had to flee or go into hiding to escape the judgment we to will have to flee or go into hiding. When it is time to flee to delay would show a lack of faith and we have covered how doing anything without faith is a sin. We have to trust God with our whole soul, and our whole minds.

(James 1:5-8) . . .. ⁶ But let him keep asking in faith, not doubting at all, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. ⁷ In fact, that man should not expect to receive anything from Jehovah; ⁸ he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.

(Isaiah 55:6, 7)  ⁶ Search for Jehovah while he may be found. Call to him while he is near.  ⁷ Let the wicked man leave his way And the evil man his thoughts; Let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy on him, To our God, for he will forgive in a large way.

(Romans 14:22, 23) . . .. ²³ But if he has doubts, he is already condemned if he eats, because he does not eat based on faith. Indeed, everything that is not based on faith is sin.

(Matthew 6:24-32) ²⁴ “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches. ²⁵ “On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing? ²⁶ Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? ²⁷ Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span? ²⁸ Also, why are you anxious about clothing? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin; ²⁹ but I tell you that not even Solʹo·mon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. ³⁰ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field that is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? ³¹ So never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’ ³² For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

(James 1:2-4) ² Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, ³ knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.

(Luke 10:25-28) ²⁵ Now look! a man versed in the Law stood up to test him and said: “Teacher, what do I need to do to inherit everlasting life?” ²⁶ He said to him: “What is written in the Law? How do you read?” ²⁷ In answer he said: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁸ He said to him: “You answered correctly; keep doing this and you will get life.. . .

(Matthew 24:20-22) ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short. . .

(Daniel 12:1) 12 “During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. . .

(Revelation 7:13-17) ¹³ In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(Jeremiah 25:31-33) ³¹ ‘A noise will resound to the ends of the earth, For Jehovah has a controversy with the nations. He will personally pass judgment on all humans. And he will put the wicked to the sword,’ declares Jehovah. ³² This is what Jehovah of armies says: ‘Look! A calamity is spreading from nation to nation, And a great tempest will be unleashed from the remotest parts of the earth. ³³ “‘And those slain by Jehovah in that day will be from one end of the earth clear to the other end of the earth. They will not be mourned, nor will they be gathered up or buried. They will become like manure on the surface of the ground.’

So how can we identify true worship? We were warned the great apostasy would exist for a while before true worship was restored. Jesus also stated the gate to life is narrow and few would take it indicating most would not worship in truth. The great apostasy has been revealed by those teaching how to worship in truth and giving hope in the future promises the heavenly kingdom will bring. As a matter of fact the preaching of the heavenly kingdom throughout the whole earth is one of the final prophecies. This world wide work has been done in every nations from door to door. This witnessing work would expose the great apostasy and expose false worship. The bible said we would know them by their fruits and just as the pharisees talked a good talk and appeared to be righteous on the outside their hearts were far removed from God and they put undo burdens on people with their traditions of man. They lacked humility to serve others. Jesus set the example of how a real servant of God would behave when he washed the disciples feet which is something a servant would have done. We are warned that destructive sects would arise many there would be many led astray by false teaching and it is why there are so many different religious sects now days. We know we are in the last days because there would be signs of world wide distress. It is this witnessing work that will help to defeat Satan. He accuses just as he did Job saying that people only obey God not because they love and trust him but because he blesses them. So when we endure hardships and still love and trust God we are proving Satan to be the liar that he is.

(Matthew 7:13-20) ¹³ “Go in through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; ¹⁴ whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it. ¹⁵ “Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.

(2 Thessalonians 2:3-5) ³ Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. ⁴ He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things?

(2 Peter 2:1-3) 2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. ² Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct, and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively. ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago, is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.

(John 13:2-11) . . .. ³ So Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going to God, ⁴ got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. And taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. ⁵ After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciples and to dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶ Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him: “Lord, are you washing my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things.” ⁸ Peter said to him: “You will certainly never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him: “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him: “Lord, wash not only my feet but also my hands and my head.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him: “Whoever has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is completely clean. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew the man who was betraying him. This is why he said: “Not all of you are clean.”

(Isaiah 43:10) ¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, And after me there has been none.

(Matthew 24:14) ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Revelation 12:10-12) . . .“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! ¹¹ And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. ¹² On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time.. . .

So lets cover some more aspects to true worship. For example what are some things God required in the past? In the past they were to use no images in their worship of heaven above or earth below. We are to worship in spirit. God requires exclusive devotion. We are told not to learn the customs of the nations which can be a form of idolatry. Often times these customs involve materialism as expressions of love or involve giving honor to mythical characters instead of God. God requires exclusive devotion.

The nation of Israel would become a spiritual nation in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham that his seed would bless all the families of the ground. Jesus fulfilled this and other covenants which opened the door for those who were not a part of Israel to become a part of the spiritual nation that the new covenant Jesus made had brought about. Jesus told the pharisees the nation would be taken from them and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. So this nation would be given to those restoring true worship. The nation of Israel had God’s perfect laws to guide them and they still failed miserably which demonstrated that the heavenly kingdom under Jesus rule in the heavenly kingdom is the only thing that can restore true worship and fix all the things man has done. The pharisees new of the bible prophecy but resisted Jesus because it meant they would need to change and accept the changes that were going to be made as Jesus fulfilled the old covenants and instituted the prophesied new covenant. Jesus gave us an example of what this true worship would look like but as shown earlier after the last of the apostles died the great apostasy would exist for a while then true worship would be restored.

(Matthew 4:10) Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.

(Exodus 34:13-16) . . .. ¹⁴ You must not bow down to another god, for Jehovah is known for requiring exclusive devotion. Yes, he is a God who requires exclusive devotion. ¹⁵ Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, because when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, someone will invite you and you will eat from his sacrifice. ¹⁶ Then you will surely take some of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves to their gods.

(Deuteronomy 5:8-10) ⁸ “‘You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁹ You must not bow down to them nor be led to serve them, for I, Jehovah your God, am a God who requires exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation of those who hate me, ¹⁰ but showing loyal love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

1 John 5:19-21 ²⁰ But we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us insight so that we may gain the knowledge of the one who is true. And we are in union with the one who is true, by means of his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting. ²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

(Jeremiah 10:1-4) 10 Hear the word that Jehovah has spoken against you, O house of Israel. ² This is what Jehovah says: “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Because the nations are terrified by them.  ³ For the customs of the peoples are a delusion. It is just a tree of the forest that is cut down, Worked by the hands of the craftsman with his tool.  ⁴ They adorn it with silver and gold And fasten it with hammer and nails so that it will not fall over.

(Genesis 12:1-3) 12 And Jehovah said to Aʹbram: “Go out from your land and away from your relatives and from the house of your father to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will become a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who calls down evil on you, and all the families of the ground will certainly be blessed by means of you.. . .

(Galatians 3:7-14) ⁷ Surely you know that it is those who adhere to faith who are sons of Abraham. ⁸ Now the scripture, foreseeing that God would declare people of the nations righteous through faith, declared the good news beforehand to Abraham, namely: “By means of you all the nations will be blessed.” ⁹ So those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with Abraham, who had faith. ¹⁰ All those who depend on works of law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not remain in all the things written in the scroll of the Law by doing them.” ¹¹ Moreover, it is evident that by law no one is declared righteous with God, because “the righteous one will live by reason of faith.” ¹² Now the Law is not based on faith. Rather, “anyone who does these things will live by means of them.” ¹³ Christ purchased us, releasing us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: “Accursed is every man hung upon a stake.” ¹⁴ This was so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the nations by means of Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised spirit through our faith.

(Matthew 21:43, 44) ⁴³ This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits. ⁴⁴ Also, the person falling on this stone will be shattered. As for anyone on whom it falls, it will crush him.”

(1 Peter 2:8-10) . . .. ⁹ But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies” of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ For you were once not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not been shown mercy, but now you have received mercy.

(Hosea 2:23) ²³ I will sow her like seed for myself in the earth, And I will show mercy to her who was not shown mercy; I will say to those not my people: “You are my people,” And they will say: “You are my God.. . .

(Galatians 3:26-29) ²⁶ You are all, in fact, sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in union with Christ Jesus. ²⁹ Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s offspring, heirs with reference to a promise.

(Romans 10:11-15) ¹¹ For the scripture says: “No one who rests his faith on him will be disappointed.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. There is the same Lord over all, who is rich toward all those calling on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” ¹⁴ However, how will they call on him if they have not put faith in him? How, in turn, will they put faith in him about whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach? ¹⁵ How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent out? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!”

So what would this spiritual Israel be called? Where would they come from? The bible teaches us that these people would be from throughout the whole earth. We get a clue also in the scriptures when God states he will take a people out of the nations for his name. This nation of Israel would be a people who once were not God’s people but the ransom sacrifice opened the door for people from all nations of the world to worship the one true God. Just as God’s people were called by his name in the post and known for using his name so would those who returned to worshiping in truth.

(Hosea 2:23) I will sow her like seed for myself in the earth, And I will show mercy to her who was not shown mercy; I will say to those not my people: “You are my people,” And they will say: “You are my God.”’”

(Romans 9:25, 26) ²⁵ It is as he says also in Ho·seʹa: “Those not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not loved, ‘beloved’; ²⁶ and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

(Amos 9:9-12)  ⁹ ‘For look! I am giving the command, And I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations, Just as one shakes a sieve, And not a pebble falls to the ground. ¹⁰ They will die by the sword, all the sinners of my people, Those who are saying, “The calamity will not come near us or reach us.”’ ¹¹ ‘In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, I will repair the breaches, And I will restore its ruins; I will rebuild it as in the days of long ago, ¹² So that they may take possession of what is remaining of Eʹdom, And all the nations on whom my name has been called,’ declares Jehovah, who is doing this.

(Acts 15:12-21) . . .. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied: “Men, brothers, hear me. ¹⁴ Symʹe·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written: ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and raise up again the tent of David that is fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, ¹⁷ so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, ¹⁸ known from of old.’ ¹⁹ Therefore, my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, ²⁰ but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient times Moses has had those who preach him in city after city, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath.”

(Isaiah 43:5-7) ⁵ Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east And gather you together from the west.  ⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth,  ⁷ Everyone who is called by my name And whom I created for my own glory, Whom I have formed and made.’

(Revelation 3:12, 13) ¹² “‘The one who conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem that descends out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. ¹³ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’

False religion had a very early start in the bible.

We can see false religion had a very early start with Cain. But because Cain was not worshiping in truth God would not accept his worship. Instead of listening to God Cain became angry at Abel and killed him even though God had repeatedly warned him this would occur if he did not change. Our worship must be pure God requires exclusive devotion. So anything God would not approve of should not be a part of our worship it keeps our hearts from being complete with God and can lead us down a path of sin like what occurred with Cain. We may not murder someone but we may do something that we will regret the rest of our lives if we are not doing our best to make our hearts complete with God.

We are not to use images in our worship. We are not to get involved in traditions of man like the pharisees and others did. There are many many very subtle things that may seem harmless but they keep our hearts from being complete with God.

(Jude 11-13) ¹¹ Too bad for them, for they have followed the path of Cain and have rushed into the erroneous course of Baʹlaam for reward, and they have perished in the rebellious talk of Korʹah! ¹² These are the rocks hidden below water at your love feasts while they feast with you, shepherds who feed themselves without fear; waterless clouds carried here and there by the wind; fruitless trees in late autumn, having died twice and having been uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea that cast up the foam of their own shame; stars with no set course, for which the blackest darkness stands reserved forever.

(Genesis 4:2-7) . . .Abel became a shepherd of the flock, but Cain became a cultivator of the ground. ³ After some time, Cain brought some fruits of the land as an offering to Jehovah. ⁴ But Abel brought some firstlings of his flock, including their fat. While Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and on his offering, ⁵ he did not look with any favor on Cain and on his offering. So Cain grew hot with anger and was dejected. ⁶ Then Jehovah said to Cain: “Why are you so angry and dejected? ⁷ If you turn to doing good, will you not be restored to favor? But if you do not turn to doing good, sin is crouching at the door, and its craving is to dominate you; but will you get the mastery over it?”

Many believed the Sadducee and pharisees were teaching bible truths. The difference is so subtle we can be easily deceived. This occurs when we follow the desires of our flesh or heart instead of letting God’s word guide us and accepting and applying all that it instructs us to do. This resulted in many persecuting those who were worshiping in truth. This also resulted in Jesus own people persecuting and killing him. Many will believe they are worshiping in truth because they listened to and followed false teaching. This is why we should make certain of what God requires. Because people do not write God’s word in their hearts and let the things they view as little things persist it results in them being easily swayed by persuasive people. Merchants profit heavily from this fact by taking advantage of traditional holidays claiming these things are to honor God or in celebration to him. But none of these things were instituted by God and Israel had lost God’s approval in the past for getting involved in such things.

Just because it is lawful to do and does not seem to hurt anyone does not mean it is beneficial for us. In the long run it can harm us by weakening us spiritually. All Satan needs is one foot in the door to be able to hinder us spiritually and keeping us blinded. His attacks are not always obvious and often times his most effective attacks are the more subtle ones.

Because of their sin against God Israel started to suffer. When they removed the false worship from among themselves the bible tells us God could no longer tolerate Israel’s suffering.

Many believe that the physical nation of Israel is God’s chosen people but that covenant was fulfilled and this paved the way for the spiritual nation of Israel to be built. This may seem like something minor but think about it. Jesus ransom sacrifice fulfilled the promise to Abraham that through his seed people of all the nations would be blessed. This sealed the new covenant producing a new nation a spiritual nation. So the nation of Israel in our times is a spiritual nation.

Becoming a part of that spiritual nation is not easy. We have to remember Satan has most of the world deceived. So it comes with persecution and hatred towards those who choose to worship God with a complete heart. Just as they persecuted those who worshiped in truth in the past they are doing it and will do it again. The persecution is going to get worse. Very soon those who were indecisive will not have the choice to worship in truth because the system is very near it’s end so now more then ever we need to make certain we are worshiping in truth. Jesus is king in heaven now. By rejecting the spiritual nation we are in a sense rejecting that Jesus is king of that spiritual nation. We would never what to do that. By acknowledge that Israel is a spiritual nation we are acknowledge the king is also a spirit being in heaven sitting on the thrown ruling over that nation, but if we declare that Israel is a physical nation we are rejecting that Jesus fulfilled the promises given to Abraham and we could be rejecting the new covenant that was promised.

(Acts 4:1-4) 4 While the two were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came up to them. ² These were annoyed because the apostles were teaching the people and were openly declaring the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. ³ So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ However, many of those who had listened to the speech believed, and the number of the men became about 5,000.

(1 Thessalonians 2:14-16) ¹⁴ For you, brothers, became imitators of the congregations of God in union with Christ Jesus that are in Ju·deʹa, because you suffered at the hands of your own countrymen the same things that they also are suffering at the hands of the Jews, ¹⁵ who even killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us. Furthermore, they are not pleasing God, but are against the interests of all men, ¹⁶ as they try to prevent us from speaking to people of the nations so that these might be saved. In this way they always fill up the measure of their sins. But his wrath has at last come upon them. . .

(2 Corinthians 11:12-15) ¹² But what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis for being found equal to us in the things about which they boast. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

(1 Corinthians 6:12) ¹² All things are lawful for me, but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful for me, but I will not let myself be controlled by anything.

(Jeremiah 10:1-6) 10 Hear the word that Jehovah has spoken against you, O house of Israel. ² This is what Jehovah says: “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Because the nations are terrified by them.  ³ For the customs of the peoples are a delusion. It is just a tree of the forest that is cut down, Worked by the hands of the craftsman with his tool.  ⁴ They adorn it with silver and gold And fasten it with hammer and nails so that it will not fall over.  ⁵ Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, they cannot speak; They have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”  ⁶ No one is like you, O Jehovah. You are great, and your name is great and mighty.

(Judges 10:13-16) . . .. ¹⁴ Go to the gods whom you have chosen and call for help. Let them save you in your time of distress.” ¹⁵ But the Israelites said to Jehovah: “We have sinned. Do to us whatever is good in your eyes. Only save us, please, this day.” ¹⁶ And they removed the foreign gods from their midst and served Jehovah, so that he could no longer tolerate Israel’s suffering.

(2 Chronicles 7:14) if my people on whom my name has been called humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear from the heavens and forgive their sin and heal their land

(Isaiah 43:10-12) ¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, And after me there has been none. ¹¹ I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.” ¹² “I am the One who declared and saved and made known When there was no foreign god among you. So you are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “and I am God.

(Acts 15:15-20) ¹⁵ And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written: ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and raise up again the tent of David that is fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, ¹⁷ so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, ¹⁸ known from of old.’ ¹⁹ Therefore, my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, ²⁰ but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

(Acts 10:34, 35) At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial, ³⁵ but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

(1 Peter 2:9, 10) But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies” of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ For you were once not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not been shown mercy, but now you have received mercy

(Genesis 22:17, 18) . . .. ¹⁸ And by means of your offspring all nations of the earth will obtain a blessing for themselves because you have listened to my voice.. . .

(Galatians 3:8, 9) ⁸ Now the scripture, foreseeing that God would declare people of the nations righteous through faith, declared the good news beforehand to Abraham, namely: “By means of you all the nations will be blessed.” ⁹ So those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with Abraham, who had faith.

(Matthew 21:42-46) ⁴² Jesus said to them: “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone. This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? ⁴³ This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits. ⁴⁴ Also, the person falling on this stone will be shattered. As for anyone on whom it falls, it will crush him.” ⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his illustrations, they knew that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ Although they wanted to seize him, they feared the crowds, because these regarded him as a prophet.

(Galatians 3:7-9) ⁷ Surely you know that it is those who adhere to faith who are sons of Abraham. ⁸ Now the scripture, foreseeing that God would declare people of the nations righteous through faith, declared the good news beforehand to Abraham, namely: “By means of you all the nations will be blessed.” ⁹ So those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with Abraham, who had faith. . .

(Hosea 2:23) ²³ I will sow her like seed for myself in the earth, And I will show mercy to her who was not shown mercy; I will say to those not my people: “You are my people,” And they will say: “You are my God.. . .

We know Jesus is on the heavenly throne now and taking action because things have gotten very bad. Satan and the demons have been cast out of heaven and they know they have very little time left so they are angry. Because many do not know the sign to look for to know Jesus is now sitting on the throne they will ridicule because they cannot see him. Jesus will destroy all the rebellious nations and the heavenly kingdom will rule over man for eternity. No more will man decide what is right or wrong for ourselves. We have seen the end results of that. We see the injustice, famine, wars, chronic illness and death. Man has not been able to prevent any of this, we are only making things worse. Once Jesus work is done he will hand the kingdom back over to his father Jehovah and it will rule over man who will happily obey God. Even the disciples had not understood that the new nation of Israel would be ruled over by the heavenly kingdom and mistakenly thought the nation would be a physical nation on earth. There were many prophecies that have been fulfilled so we have a more complete picture then that had at that time. At that time they had not fully known how things were to occur they only had the prophecy given to king David so they had not realized the seed would be sitting on a heavenly thrown. Chronicles 17:11-14)¹¹ “‘“When your days come to an end and you go to be with your forefathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your sons, and I will firmly establish his kingship. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will firmly establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will become his father, and he will become my son. I will not remove my loyal love from him the way I removed it from the one who was prior to you. ¹⁴ I will cause him to stand in my house and in my kingship forever, and his throne will last forever.”. . . Later we know the apostles had come to realize the the nation of Israel would be a spiritual nation and that it would not be one with an earthly king but it would be one that was ruled from heaven. (1 Peter 2:4, 5)⁴ As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen, precious to God, ⁵ you yourselves as living stones are being built up into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, in order to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . .

(Revelation 12:10-12) . . .“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! ¹¹ And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. ¹² On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time. . .

(Acts 2:31-36) . . .. ³² God resurrected this Jesus, and of this we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore, because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ³⁵ until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ ³⁶ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake. . .

(2 Peter 3:2-4) . . .. ³ First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires ⁴ and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.. . .

(Jeremiah 23:17) ¹⁷ They are saying again and again to those who disrespect me, ‘Jehovah has said: “You will enjoy peace.”’ And to everyone who follows his own stubborn heart they say, ‘No calamity will come upon you.’

(Romans 9:7, 8) . . .” ⁸ That is, the children in the flesh are not really the children of God, but the children by the promise are counted as the offspring.

(Romans 11:17-24) ¹⁷ However, if some of the branches were broken off and you, although being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a sharer of the richness of the olive’s root, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches. If, though, you are arrogant toward them, remember that you do not bear the root, but the root bears you. ¹⁹ You will say, then: “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ That is true! For their lack of faith, they were broken off, but you are standing by faith. Do not be haughty, but be in fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ²² Consider, therefore, God’s kindness and severity. There is severity toward those who fell, but toward you there is God’s kindness, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you too will be lopped off. ²³ And they also, if they do not remain in their lack of faith, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them back in. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!

(Galatians 3:28, 29) . . .. ²⁹ Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s offspring, heirs with reference to a promise. . .

(Daniel 2:44) ⁴⁴ “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever,

(1 Corinthians 15:24-28) ²⁴ Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.

(Luke 19:11) ¹¹ While they were listening to these things, he told another illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear instantly.

(Acts 1:6) ⁶ So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

(John 18:36) ³⁶ Jesus answered: “My Kingdom is no part of this world. If my Kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.”

(Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel blew his trumpet. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.

To be accepted into this kingdom it is very important we know what God requires. So we should know what the bible really teaches.

https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/bible-teach/