The Good News

Surely we know how to read God’s Word. Doesn’t He teach us? Surely He does: through His Word. How to read His Word: a brief exhortation.

Surely we know how not to read His Word. As it was with Jehoiakim, king of Judah, when the scroll of Jeremiah the prophet was read before him, “The king cut it with a scribe's knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.” (Jeremiah 36:23) For it says, “The king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments.” (Jeremiah 36:24) For they did not fear the Word of the LORD and the desolation He promised to pour out on Jerusalem. But as the LORD declares, ”To this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:2) And worse yet is to read God’s Word and pervert it; as it says, “The untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) For they do not humble themselves before the LORD, nor did they fear His Word; instead they twist His Words to suit their own lusts. 

Do you not know that Satan quotes the Bible too? So “Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (James 1:22) For the Lord Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:26) When does a man only listen and do not heed to what is said? Is God’s Word as a sensual song to you? As it says, “Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them.” (Ezekiel 33:32) So be a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer only. For if you do not do, why read at all? Does that not make your reading in vain? For, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) But if you are a hearer only and do not do, what profit is there? “Are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?” (James 2:20) 

But if you continue in the Word of God, “not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer” (James 1:25), you will be blessed. As “Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."” (John 8:31-32) For “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” (2 John 1:9) And God who is faithful has promised us righteousness through this very faith. So abide!

For this is the very Word which divides; as the Word did in the beginning, dividing light from darkness, sea from land, water from water; and is able to pierce “as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) And the same Word which divides, created all things; for “We understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3) And the same Word which causes us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)

“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21) And “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16) For, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:31) So then, listen to this Word which is spoken from heaven; for these are heavenly Words sent to save your soul from the coming destruction.

For in times past, God sent His sweet manna from heaven; “and its taste was like wafers with honey.” (Exodus 16:31) And they were to collect manna every morning for one day, but on the sabbath they were to collect enough for two days. “But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; and Moses was angry with them.” (Exodus 16:20) For to the people who obeyed the Word of God, the manna was sweet; but to those who disobeyed, the manna bred worms and became foul. As the LORD God says, “Do not My words do good To the one walking uprightly?” (Micah 2:7) For God’s Word is sweet to those who obey, but foul and like death to those who disobey. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) “To the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.” (2 Corinthians 2:16) But if we repent and hear the same Word, will it not be sweet unto us? So there is nothing wrong with God’s Word, but with us; as it says, “With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.” (Psalms 18:26)

Do you want to be blessed? Do you want to be happy? Then obey God’s Word. For the blessing lies not in the hearing of God’s Word, but in the doing. As the Lord Jesus says, "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17) And then the apostle says, “One who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:25) If we do what God asks, then what we ask, God will do. For, “Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:22) And we will store up for ourselves great assurance on the day of visitation; as it says, “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) And then it says, “Those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 3:13)

As the Lord Jesus says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25) So imitate the men of old who read God’s Word with humility and weeping and sackcloth and ashes. As the Psalmist says, “You save an afflicted people, But haughty eyes You abase.” (Psalms 18:27) And, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." (James 4:6) So we ought to humble ourselves before the LORD and submit to Him; for they who were greatly distressed in times past upon reading His Word, found favor in His eyes:

As it was with Josiah, He obtained favor with the Lord; as the LORD declares, "Regarding the words which you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD. "Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.” (2Ki 22:18-20) And as it was with Daniel, who read the words spoken by Jeremiah the prophet; and as soon as he prayed and blessed the Lord his God, angels were sent to visit him. Because upon reading the Word of God, he sought the Lord God “by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3) And he received insight about future events and was encouraged by the words, “You are highly esteemed.” (Daniel 9:23) And when the scribe Ezra read the book of the law of Moses to the people, “all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:9) For they humbled themselves before the LORD God and were terrified by the Words which were written, which came to pass, which their ancestors did not give heed. But they were encouraged by the governor, Nehemiah, when he said, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) And when the people continued in the Word, they found out that they were to live in booths that month; so they obeyed the Word of the Lord and settled in booths; for they trembled at His Word.

Likewise, to us whom these last days have arrived, we have been given Scripture which is being fulfilled before our very eyes. As the apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ says, “Realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) And again, “The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1-3)

One may say, “Ah this evil! It is surely from the devil!” But if it is from the devil, then seek him for deliverance! Since you fear him so much why don’t you serve him? But if it be from the Lord, "Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?" (2 Kings 6:33) So that the LORD may be feared. In accordance with what is written, "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) For the fear is due to Him who is highly respected; and without question, men subject themselves to one in authority; does anyone subject themselves to anyone who is taken lightly? This is certainly why idolatry is so abominable! Does a man fall down to the work of his own hands? Does a man exalt excrement? Or love their filth to their own destruction? Surely not! But man ought to fear God for from Him come both good and ill.

And this is according to the teaching: as the LORD God says, “That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other, The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.” (Isaiah 45:6-7) Furthermore He says, “See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.” (Deuteronomy 32:39) And as it says of Him, “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth?” (Lamentations 3:37-38) And then it says, "The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He set the world on them.” (1 Samuel 2:6-8) And again, “The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11) So, “If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?” (Amos 3:6)

"Will you speak what is unjust for God, And speak what is deceitful for Him? Will you show partiality for Him? Will you contend for God?” (Job 13:7-8) For we know very well the LORD will contend for Himself; He appeared to Job in a whirlwind. He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the third and forth generations. So who are we you quarrel with our Maker? Or even question Him? Does He not question us? And aren’t we the ones who must answer? As He says, “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know.” (Job 38:2-5) And then He says, “Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me. Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God, And can you thunder with a voice like His?” (Job 40:7-9)

So if anyone is contentious about their sufferings, saying, “Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9) We ought to say, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10) However it may be, the LORD does not execute evil, for “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor.” (Habakkuk 1:13) But He sends ministers of darkness to execute ill; as it was in Egypt, for the LORD sent “the destroyer” (Exodus 12:23) to strike the firstborn of the Egyptians; and He sent a destroying angel when David sinned by taking a census (2 Samuel 24:16). The LORD also sent an evil spirit to judge Abimelech for slaying his brothers on one stone (Judges 9:23). And He sent a deceiving angel to seduce Ahab (1 Kings 22:21-22); and He sent an evil spirit to torment Saul, son of Kish (1 Samuel 16:15); And when God, Most High, brings about the end of the world, He will release destroying angels from the abyss; as it says of them, “The four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.” (Revelation 9:15) 

So much so that in one account of Scripture it states: “Now again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah."” (2 Samuel 24:1) But in another account of the same event, it says, “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.” (1 Chronicles 21:1) For the LORD God protects from evil, and if He so wills, He hands over to evil. He uses satan for His own good purposes, and sends him unto nations to execute judgement. “Now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth, and let it teach you; And let the fish of the sea declare to you. Who among all these does not know That the hand of the LORD has done this, In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?” (Job 12:7-10) For even the animals know, so we also ought to know these things.

Although these are so, evil spirits cannot be released without His permission, and they cannot do more than what He wills; as it says of them, “They were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.” (Revelation 9:5) And, “The LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” (Job 1:12) Then, “The LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life."” (Job 2:6) Although these spirits are subject to the will of God, in times past God sent nations to execute His judgements; as He did with the Babylonians, as He did with the Assyrians; but they exceeded His wrath, and went beyond His will (Zechariah 1:15); and David seeing this said, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man." (2 Samuel 24:14) So we see that these spirits do not execute evil by their own will, but they are subject to the will of God. So it is not they who we should fear, but God Almighty who executes righteous judgment through them. 

“Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his sins?” (Lamentations 3:39) For, “You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve;” (Ezra 9:13) “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” (Psalms 103:10) For even today, God has left a remnant chosen by grace; for “Unless the LORD of hosts Had left us a few survivors, We would be like Sodom, We would be like Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9) For “Your hands fashioned and made me altogether, And would You destroy me?” (Job 10:8) So death was never the will of God, but death came about because of the disobedience of sin, and reigned throughout all creation. “But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” (Psalms 130:4) 

Furthermore these angels used to execute judgment will not escape the judgement of God; for God oftentimes uses ministers of evil to execute His purpose, but then destroys them. As it is pronounced against Babylon, who God used as instruments of destruction, “Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am going to arouse against Babylon And against the inhabitants of Leb-kamai The spirit of a destroyer.” (Jeremiah 51:1) And as it says of the angels in the abyss, “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;” (2 Peter 2:4) But in regard to Israel it says, “'Therefore thus says the LORD, "I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it," declares the LORD of hosts, "and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem."' Again, proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”’” (Zechariah 1:16-17)

For now, God has been gracious to us. Yes, He has inflicted us, but will He not heal? He has bruised, will He not also bandage? He breaks, will He not repair? “For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.” (Romans 11:32) “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21) For He has broken so that He may heal; He has bruised so that He may bandage; and He has broken, to repair. He has taken into account sin, so that He may forgive us all. He has sent evil spirits, and He sends forth His Holy Spirit. He makes blind, but gives sight to the blind. He makes deaf, but He gives hearing to their ears. The LORD God does all these things; and He came down: Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. He worked miracles, healing those who were born blind that the glory of God might be displayed in them (John 9:3). Men who died from illness were raised from their tombs because of the life of the Son of God; as He said to the dead man, "Lazarus, come forth." (John 11:43) And “The man who had died came forth.” (John 11:44) For God puts to death, as it says, “It is appointed for men to die once,” (Hebrews 9:27) but through Christ, all will be made alive; “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

For in times past God worked miracles of death to the people of Egypt, who did not believe in Him. Yes, He worked miracles of death in their midst and made His fame renown through them. But how much more now, as He works miracles of life to everyone who believes? For the Israelites were spared from the plagues and only witnessed them with their eyes. They were preserved, but Egypt was left in ruins. How much more today? For those who do not believe, they are cursed with plagues, but to those who do believe, they are blessed with life and peace with God. For when Moses put his hand in his cloak, “Behold, his hand was leprous like snow.” (Exodus 4:6) But when Christ came into the world, “A leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:2-3) For the signs God gave to Moses were signs of death, but when Christ came into the world, His signs were life and restoration.

For when Moses took water from the Nile and poured it upon the ground, “The water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” (Exodus 4:9) But when Christ came into the world, He turned the water into wine (John 2:1-10). And without question, if water is blood, men should fear; but here, Jesus turned the water into wine for a joyous festival. For the good news of God has come, the righteousness which is from faith to faith in the Son of God. For just as Moses’ staff became a serpent (Exodus 7:8-13), so Christ judged the serpent on that cross “That through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the Nile and out came swarms of frogs which came up on all the Egyptians (Exodus 8:1-7). As a result of these plagues, it says of Pharaoh, “He hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 8:15) But without question, when Jesus performed a miraculous catch of fish, making them come up out of water by the disciple’s net, Peter fell down on his face and said, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8) “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) So the plagues of death caused worldly sorrow in Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but the signs that Christ performed led to godly sorrow to repentance to life. 

In regard to Aaron striking the dust and turning it into gnats (Exodus 8:16-32), I say that in Christ, the promise given to Abraham is made full; as stated, "I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.” (Genesis 13:16) For we who believe in Jesus Christ are Abraham’s descendants, sons of God by the Spirit of the Son. For, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:29) And what’s more miraculous than one man, and as good as dead, turning into a multitude of nations by the promise and fulfillment of God? And are we all not but dust? As it is written, “The LORD God formed man of dust from the ground.” (Genesis 2:7) “For I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.” (Luke 3:8) 

Furthermore the livestock and the crops of the Egyptians were destroyed. Their very food was taken away from them as punishment. Their crops were stripped by locusts (Exodus 10:14-15); and their livestock died of pestilence (Exodus 9:1-7). But when Christ came into the world, those that were hungry were fed, even a great multitude, He fed them with “only five loaves and two fish.” (Matthew 14:17) Multiplying the few provisions for the great multitude and leaving with more bread than they originally had! And He was doing this on more than one occasion for those who believed in Him and followed Him. He fed them with spiritual food, bread from heaven, and fed them with provisions for the flesh. 

Is there fault with the LORD? Are not His judgements just and fair? As it says, “The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them.” (Isaiah 19:22) "For when the earth experiences Your judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” (Isaiah 26:9) For His wounds are so that men would “RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.” (Matthew 13:15) And He breaks so that they may come; as it says, “Fill their faces with dishonor, That they may seek Your name, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever, And let them be humiliated and perish, That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalms 83:16-18) For when they find Him, “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” (Psalms 147:3)

And furthermore Moses threw soot from a kiln into the air and it became boils breaking out with sores on man and beast. But when Christ came into the world, He healed 10 lepers, saying to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they were going, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:14) For they came to Him and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (Luke 17:13) And because they trusted in His mercy, they received their hope. And not without cost, for just as God sent a “darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt." (Exodus 10:21) He also sent His Son into the world to be the light of the world; and just as God took the lives of the firstborn of the Egyptians, He gave His firstborn Son as a ransom for sin, even the sins of the whole world, to work life in everyone who believes.

“The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name.” (Exodus 15:3) "They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.'” (Isaiah 45:24) The men of old errored, they trusted in the strength of Egypt; as it says, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help And rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!” (Isaiah 31:1) For they did not look to Him for strength, for they did not believe in Him. Instead they committed harlotry with other nations, trusting in their shadow. They were not saved. As it says, “Now the Egyptians are men and not God, And their horses are flesh and not spirit; So the LORD will stretch out His hand, And he who helps will stumble And he who is helped will fall, And all of them will come to an end together.” (Isaiah 31:3)

As the man of God, David says, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.” (Psalms 20:7) Did he merely say this? No! For with horses did he come to Goliath, or with chariots. No, not even with a sword! In what strength did he come then? "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.” (1 Samuel 17:45) David came with a sling and a staff in his hand, for he knew the victory belongs to the LORD. As he taught Solomon, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD.” (Proverbs 21:31)

And the son of God, Jesus Christ, did not work victory for the whole world with weapons of war, but in the name of God, He came with a cross, which is wood. As David came with a staff in hand, Christ worked victory for all with wood. And Moses delivered Israel from Egypt with staff in hand, by which God worked acts of power. For David appeared as no threat to Goliath, and Moses as a sport to Pharaoh; and in Christ’s weakness, He was never considered a threat to the enemy, but He nevertheless worked victory for the whole world. In this, God shows His incredible strength; for, “the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) And in His weakness, He gained the victory, not only for Himself, raising from the dead, but for the whole world, for all who put their trust in His name. 

God shows forth this victory in His name through the great acts in times past. He worked victory for Israel as they trusted in Him. As Hezekiah king of Judah spoke, "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” (2 Chronicles 32:7-8) And since they trusted in Hezekiah’s words, they trusted in the Lord, and what was the outcome? As it says, “And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria.” (2 Chronicles 32:21) And what did Israel do but rely upon the LORD their God? And God worked the victory and the deliverance for them. For our hand is not strong to save.

What about what Jehoshaphat said? As he said, “Put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed." (2 Chronicles 20:20) And then he said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting." (2 Chronicles 20:21) And what was the outcome? As it says, “When they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.” (2 Chronicles 20:22) For they believed the word of Jehoshaphat which was in accordance with the Psalms and the Prophets which say, “Seek the LORD,” and “Take refuge in God.” For seeking the LORD is faith, and taking refuge in Him is trust.

Consider when Israel and Judah were fighting against one another: Israel’s trust was in two golden calves which Jeroboam made for them, but Judah’s trust was in the LORD. Did Israel conquer their brethren? For they worked abominations and distrusted the LORD their God. Will the strength of wickedness deliver them? Or will the lies which they made for themselves be a goodly foundation? A stronghold in the day of trouble? Of course not! As the truth says, “Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand.” (2 Chronicles 13:15-16) And for what reason? “The sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers.” (2 Chronicles 13:18)

And when Samaria was under siege by the king of Aram, how were they delivered? By their own strength? Did they submit themselves to the king? No! But by God’s grace the prophet Elisha gave the promise of God, saying, “Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'” (2 Kings 7:1) And God worked deliverance; as it says, “For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army; (…) Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life.” (2 Kings 7:6-7)

And the man who disbelieved the promise of Elisha perished, for he did not believe God was able to do what He promised. He resembled Israel in the wilderness, for they said in their hearts, “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out, And streams were overflowing; Can He give bread also? Will He provide meat for His people?" (Psalms 78:20) And likewise the man said, “If the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this things be?” (2 Kings 7:2) And as a result, he was trampled by the feet of them who hurried after the fulfillment of the promise. And he seen God’s power with his own eyes, but he was not able to taste of it. As the LORD says, “Is the LORD'S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not." (Numbers 11:23)

In a similar way, they who did not believe God in the wilderness perished; they seen the land with their eyes and the signs which God performed, but they did not enter the land. As the LORD testifies about them, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?” (Numbers 14:11) For although they saw signs, they did not believe in Him, and in their much seeing, they perished. For “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) As the writer writes about us and them, “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” (Hebrews 4:2) For the good news we have preached to us is Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

And those spies which gave an ill report, perverting the gospel of the promise of God, and all who believed their corrupted report, disbelieved in God — and all of them perished in their wanderings in the wilderness; they did not inherit the promise because of their unbelief. But Caleb and Joshua trusted in God and believed He was able to give the inhabitants over into their hands, despite the bad report, despite the giants of the land. As the LORD God testified of Caleb, “My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” (Numbers 14:24) 

What about when they were to inherit the promised land? Did they do so by their own strength? Did God promise and leave the fulfillment up to them? Of course not! God fought for them. When five of their kings and their armies of the land came against Israel to fight; He gave the promise, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you." (Joshua 10:8) And Joshua believed the promise, for “Joshua came upon them suddenly by marching all night from Gilgal.” (Joshua 10:9) And God fulfilled what He promised; as it says, “The LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and pursued them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.” (Joshua 10:10-11) 

Then Israel had rest on every side because God subdued their enemies before them. As Joshua testifies, “The LORD has driven out great and strong nations from before you; and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day. One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.” (Joshua 23:9-10) And the promise given through Moses says, “The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 1:30) And the LORD God fought Egypt with plague after plague because they did not let His people go. And He delivered them from Egypt. And when the Egyptians pursued them, “The LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from Israel, for the LORD is fighting for them against the Egyptians." (Exodus 14:24-25)

These things testify to the work of Jesus, the Christ, which He worked on our behalf at the cross on Calvary. He saves us apart from works which we have done. He fights for us and delivers us from the slavery of sin through His body. For true slavery is not captivity to nations. No. For if that were so, then Christ would have come to deliver Israel from the Romans; but instead, He came and died to deliver from the slavery of sin by justifying us freely through His blood. He delivers us from Egypt by His work. For our works produce wrath, but the work of Christ, deliverance. By our works, we work sin into slavery, but by the work of the eternal Spirit, He works righteousness unto salvation to everyone who believes. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4) “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

For if they were not able to prevail against God in times past, how will anyone today? If God justifies us, who then can condemn us? Did they succeed who fought against Israel? Did the rulers succeed who fought against Christ and His apostles? As it says, “The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed.” (Psalms 2:2) If they succeeded, how is the Message standing today? How is Christ proclaimed throughout the earth? For “If it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.” (Acts 5:39) And, “O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." (2 Chronicles 13:12) For true Israel puts their faith in God, believing in Him; they put no confidence in the flesh, they put their trust in God. 

So since we have such great promises, let us submit ourselves to God and learn from Him the righteous warfare; as it says, "He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” (2 Samuel 22:35) And, “Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle;” (Psalms 144:1) For David was a man of war. He fought a righteous warfare, for the cause of God: the peace of righteousness and the rest of holiness. For the LORD says, “There is no peace for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22) And contention is between the righteous and the wicked. As Jeremiah was called a man of contentions; but he was speaking the word of the LORD in righteousness; as it says, “Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me As a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, Yet everyone curses me.” (Jeremiah 15:10) So he was righteous, but they were wicked.

What fellowship is there between good and evil? As it says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14) Furthermore it says, “I am for peace, but when I speak, They are for war.” (Psalms 120:7) For the lips of the righteous are righteousness. If we keep quiet, we will be subdued by the enemy. Where there is no resistance, there is submission and troubles of many kinds; as it says, “If you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live.” (Numbers 33:55) As it was with Rebekah, who was troubled by the inhabitants of the land: "I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?" (Genesis 27:46)

As David says about his commander Joab, “he also shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt about his waist, and on his sandals on his feet.” (1 Kings 2:5) For David’s enemies were submitting to him, to righteousness, but Joab slew them; for although Joab was David’s commander, although he was on David’s side, he was fighting against the cause which David was upholding; and Joab fought for the enemy in unrighteousness. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) For this is the true warfare, not merely flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces; and the weapons of our warfare are Spirit and truth; as it says, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)  

For the belt of the wicked are splattered with blood and the feet of the contentious are with blood; but the feet of them who bring good news, “WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;” (Ephesians 6:15) And the belt of them, “GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH.” (Ephesians 6:14) But to the men of unrighteousness, “He has scattered the peoples who delight in war.” (Psalms 68:30) But if the wicked do not repent, Christ’s feet will be shod, with peace? No. Blood. As it says, “And He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” (Revelation 19:15) And with what will His garments be? “I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My raiment.” (Isaiah 63:3) For in the time of God’s grace and peace, they reject it; instead they delighted in wickedness and wrongdoing. Children of strife! Their judgement comes swiftly; for the children of wrath will inherit wrath in the day of God’s fierce wrath. 

As Christ says, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER IN LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER IN LAW; and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.” (Matthew 10:34-36) For this is the warfare which Christ fought; and David, and the prophets, and the men of God, and the apostles and believers in the Lord Jesus. As it says, "Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (Jude 1:3) This is the fight of peace, the fight of righteousness, the fight of the faith of grace and peace in the Lord Christ. As Christ says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) For God is the God of peace. 

Now let us look to those before us who fought this fight, which is not by human hands. Do you remember Lot? How he contended with the wicked in Sodom, saying, "Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.” (Genesis 19:7) As it says of him, he was “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men. (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds)” (2 Peter 2:7-8) And he even sought to hand over his two daughters for the sake of the men he gathered to himself. And for what cause was the contention? He contended for the cause of righteousness, the cause of peace. For if he would not contend, he would become just like them! The evil around him would have subdued him. For when one does not fight, he becomes a prey and is overcome.  

Or Abraham, for example, in regard to the same city, he interceded on their behalf, saying, “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?” (Genesis 18:24) For he sought not their condemnation or destruction, but their salvation. And the apostle Paul was saying the same thing when he says, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) For what is the purpose? As it says, “that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” So it is for the cause of peace.

Or the man traveling through Gibeah, who found a refuge in an old man’s home; and when the men of that town, the men of darkness, came to the door to work heinous acts of darkness in the dark, the old man said, “No, my fellows, please do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not commit this act of folly.” (Judges 19:23) And he even sought to give his virgin daughter. And what was the judgement of Sodom and this town? Did God say, “Peace to you”? But rather, “The work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” (Isaiah 32:17) And the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15) But they were unwilling. So judgement came from heaven, from the LORD. 

Or do you remember when Abraham who made a covenant with the inhabitants of Canaan? As one spoke to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.” (Genesis 21:22-23) And they made a covenant of peace together; for righteousness walks hand in hand; as it says, “Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?” (Amos 3:3) And, “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Psalms 85:10) 

For these reasons it says, “the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2) For the LORD will never deviate from His right way to pursue us in crooked ways; we must turn to Him and He will turn to us. If He is with us, He will fight for us; but if He is not with us, we will be subdued. As it says to those who were rebelling, who were moving when the LORD God did not move, “Do not go up, or you will be struck down before your enemies, for the LORD is not among you. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will be there in front of you, and you will fall by the sword, inasmuch as you have turned back from following the LORD. And the LORD will not be with you."” (Numbers 14:42-43) Yes, Jesus ate with sinners, but He wasn’t a friend of them; He did not walk with them in their sin; He called them to Himself through repentance and faith.

And Isaac made a covenant with Abimelech; for he came to him and said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you; so we said, 'Let there now be an oath between us, even between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.'" (Genesis 26:28-29) For these sought their favor because they seen God was with them. And they sought for their peace, doing good to them. When a dispute was brought up, they addressed it. And they received a blessing; as the promise says, “I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)

Do you remember when David sent consolers to the king of the Ammonites, Hanun, on behalf of his father’s death? David certainly did not seek war at that time, did he? But, “Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away.” (2 Samuel 10:4) Then they went out to battle against David. And David sent out the hosts against them. Certainly the Ammonites weren’t fighting for peace, were they? For they were opposing David, the man of righteousness. But when they were defeated, they made peace with Israel and served them. For “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1)

Or when David was cursed by Shimei and threw stones at him, did he fight back? No. But rather it says, "Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.” (2 Samuel 16:11) For he did not fight against God’s will, but he humbly accepted it. For David was being punished by God for his sins with Bathsheba, so he sought for peace with God even though the LORD’s hand was against him; for who can strive against God and succeed? And isn’t it similar when his son, Solomon, sinned against the Lord and the kingdom was split because of it? Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was going to battle against Israel to restore the kingdom to himself, but the word of the LORD came to the prophet saying, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me." So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.” (2 Chronicles 11:4) 

As it says, “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?” (1 Peter 2:20)  These did not retaliate even though they suffered for wrong-doing; instead they endured it, hoping not to make an evil matter worse. They sought for peace with the LORD by patiently enduring suffering. And through their actions they became a type of Christ, except He was without sin; as it says, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:21-24)

Who knows? Perhaps the Lord would look upon with favor; if there is retaliation, perhaps it would be worse with them. As it says, “Why should any living mortal, or any man, Offer complaint in view of his sins?” (Lamentations 3:39) What peace comes from contending with God? Are we stronger than He? Are we more perfect than He? The LORD is not quick to bring about the day of punishment; but rather, as it says, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) For He extends the days of His grace and delays the day of His judgement for the sake of salvation.

And the apostle Paul with wisdom says, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) For he casted down every refuge which men find themselves in, which are not Christ through the Word of truth. And he continues, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-6) For our warfare is spiritual, our enemies are erroneous thoughts, lies, lofty imaginations, and everything which is contrary to the true knowledge of God in Christ Jesus. And he says, “By the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left.” (2 Corinthians 6:7) For only one hand is dominant, but God helps both hands for righteousness by which we may “overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21) “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?” (1 Peter 3:13)

So let us think seriously of the fight of faith; for those who fought in times past and lost, their bodies died, but the faithful fight is for eternity, for the soul and the body. For the men of God also slew men. If those who disobeyed back then suffered death, how much more those who disobey Christ suffer eternal death? For fire flashed forth from heaven by the word of Elijah; as it says, “The fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.” (2 Kings 1:12) And furthermore, he slew 450 of Baal’s prophets in the name of the LORD; as it says, “and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.” (1 Kings 18:40) And Elisha, his successor, bore the sword as well; as it says, "It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.” (1 Kings 19:17) So if these prophets were men of war in the flesh, how much more when they come with raging fire with Christ Jesus?

And the same Elijah stood against 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel according to the Word of the Lord. He is one prophet, but he stood against 450 in the name of the LORD. As he said, "I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.” (1 Kings 18:22) Yet he stood against them and the LORD God flashed forth fire from heaven; and Elijah gave the command to slay all the prophets of Baal; as it says, “Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.” (1 Kings 18:40) For he was one man, yet he was strong in the Lord, defeating many in the name of the LORD; through weakness, he was made strong.

And Joshua as a man of God, a man of war, killed the men and women of Jericho and Ai, and burnt the city with fire. The Israelites did other such things to the people of Canaan, all according to the Word of the Lord; for He was patient with them; as He said of them to Abraham, “Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” (Genesis 15:16) For He did not send Israel into the land until the wickedness of the land was made full; as Moses also says of this, “It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 9:5) For God does not slay the innocent.

And the prophet Samuel was a man of God who slew; as it says, “Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:33) He did not slay him in unrighteousness, but it was according to the Lord’s judgement. And the tribe of Judah fought against his enemies, and mutilated the king of his enemies; as it says, “But the king fled; and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. The king said, "Seventy kings with their thumbs and their big toes cut off used to gather up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me." So they brought him to Jerusalem and he died there.” (Judges 1:6-7) For as these did to others, it was done to them according to the righteous judgement of God.

And do you not remember what David did to his enemies? As it says, “He also brought out the people who were in it, and set them under saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon.” (2 Samuel 12:31) And look what he did to the men who killed the innocent: “David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron.” (2 Samuel 4:12) He also hamstrung horses in war. For if these men were prophets of God and did these things, how much more terrifying will Christ’s coming be, when He comes as a Warrior in strength to reign with His saints, to recompense His enemies who fight against Him in unrighteousness?

And David, a man of war, as one man, defeating Goliath, a giant; David fought against him with no weapon at all; he only had a staff and a sling and stones. Yet, he trusted in God and fought the good fight, overtaking his enemy. He stood alone against the giant; but he was not alone, for the LORD God was with him; he trusted in the LORD and He delivered Israel. As it says, “The LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few." (1 Samuel 14:6) For “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." (2 Kings 6:16) David’s mighty men imitated him; as it says of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, “He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.” (1 Chronicles 11:23)

And Samson, who slayed a thousand men with a jawbone of a donkey; he had no weapon at all, but fought in the strength of God. A sword is a weapon, and so is a spear; but God works through the weak things, and shows His strength. Samson as one man killing a thousand. How is it so, except by His God? For the LORD brought about that great victory. As it was with Adino the Eznite, who “slain eight hundred at one time;” (2 Samuel 23:8) And this might man slayed 800 with a sword; who could imagine killing a thousand without a sword, but a jawbone of a donkey? So it is, these are mighty men of God. They held down fortresses alone, and fought against multitudes; their hands clung to the spear and did not let go. They were made strong in God and fought against unrighteousness in the flesh.

For all these took up the sword, pointing to the time of Christ’s return when they will also rule with Him; all these look toward to the future reign of the righteous. Christ Jesus is coming. And it says of Him, “You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.” (Psalms 2:9) And, "I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth." (Isaiah 63:6) And regarding the saints it says, "Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, For your horn I will make iron And your hoofs I will make bronze, That you may pulverize many peoples, That you may devote to the LORD their unjust gain And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.” (Micah 4:13)

And all of these look to Christ, for they are types of Christ. For Christ Jesus is the ultimate Warrior. He is one and He stood up against a host of enemies. He stood up against the religious Pharisees and Sadducees. He stood in the truth, fighting against them with the truth. Yes, He is one, yet he withstood them all. There was not a righteous man on earth to help Him, but He entrusted Himself to God. As it says, “Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25) And so, He clung to the Father; as it says of the warriors in times past, “He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword.” (2 Samuel 23:10) So God’s grace is our strength.

And Christ did not fight against His enemies with a sword or a spear; no, He fought against them with a weapon which is no weapon at all. He fought with “a staff”, a piece of wood: the cross. And with it, even in His death, He subdued more of His enemies than He did in His life. As it says, “The dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.” (Judges 16:30) For, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:15) And He, being one man, with no weapon at all, subdued the powers and principalities which govern this world by freely justifying us through the cross. He fought against them, and worked the victory on our behalf; being one, He wins justification for the whole world. “The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name.” (Exodus 15:3)

I don’t want to do evil, but I do it anyway; I want to do good, but I don’t do it. I’m living in slavery, for the things I will to do, I can’t do, and the things I will not to do, I do. I am compelled to do what I hate; I am forced into doing what I don’t want to do. I am a man in prison; I would rather be outside; I would much rather sleep in; I want to read now or watch a cartoon; however, I am compelled to be inside; I am forced to wake up early and make my bed; I must clean rather than read books. I dream about having my own home and my own wife and my own children; but I am forced into laboring for another man’s family, for plans and objectives which are not mine. “Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” (John 8:34)

Does anyone say, “I wish not to be free?” Is it a good thing to be shackled? Why would anyone want chains about them? Which is better: obligation or free-will? Is not obligation slavery? And free-will, well… freedom? Are you free if you’re free to sin? Of course not! One is not free who is delivered from the oppression of nations, or masters, or principalities; no! For if he is free’d from these and sins, he is a slave to sin. There is no such thing as free to sin; there is such things as freewill, but there is no freedom in sin; "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” (John 8:34) There is only freedom from sin; deliverance is from sin into true freedom.

How does repentance come about? I want it, but I don’t know how to obtain it. Furthermore, God’s wrath is against sin; He abhors it; and He will judge sin with eternal damnation. Why would anyone want sin? I affirm: if anyone wants sin, sin has deceived them. If sin were truthful, no-one would willingly choose it. If sin were truthful, it would say, “You can have me now, but you’ll have everlasting disgrace later; I am far less superior than anything, but anyway, I am now; you’ll need me again quickly later, for I am fleeting. There is no good in me, and if you taste me, you’ll taste sickness, pain, and burnings; the wrath of the Almighty is right behind me, and He has prepared a place ahead of me. Everyone who tastes me, tastes death; taste a little bit of me and I have full reign in you. Everyone who loves me, hates their own self.”

But instead sin lying says, “Surely you will not die; you will feel good; did not God create you for me and me for you? Besides, you will love me! Can anything this bad taste this good? If you feel bad later, I can speak to you more and relieve your guilt — I will give you more of me so that you will forget. I offer you wisdom and superior knowledge, others do not know what I know — I only offer you the best! Don’t you hear me already? Don’t you recognize the knowledge even in these sayings? Yes, the Almighty says, “Beware of me”, but I know what He really means. I am good; look how happy they are who taste me!”

So then, how does repentance happen? What is it? Repentance is change of mind. For example: A man goes down a wrong path, and sees many warning signs which say, “Dead End”; but he continues down the wrong path anyway. Later, he sees from a distance: the path is leading to death. Then he comes to his senses and changes his mind, and he turns back; he didn’t want to die, he wants to live. He didn’t believe the signs; he figured, “They’re old signs, very ancient writings; I know the way I’m going, the very way of my ancestors. Were they all wrong too?” But the truth came to him, and he came to his senses. He very well could have said to himself, “My eyes are deceiving me!” And continued down his way; but when he seen death from afar, he remembered the signs and came to his senses, “Even the distant sight of it terrifies me! The many signs were frightening, and I ignored them all! And they all sang the same dirge! How foolish am I! I will return back with my head laid low.” 

We all have one face and one back. If we wish to change direction, from south to north, we must first put our back to the south and face the north. So we turn. If we had no back, but two faces, we wouldn’t need to turn around. We would just walk in the other direction. But we do not have two faces, so we must put our back to what we face, and face what we’ve turned our back to. Repentance is change. Change of what? Ways, actions, motives? Yes. “But how? I want to change, but I can’t. I want to do good, but I don’t. I don’t want to die; but I am following sin unto death!” Repentance is a change of mind.

When the mind is changed, then all the members which are governed by the mind also change. My hand does what my mind says; and my foot does the command of my head. I tell it, “Pick it up” and they do it; and I tell the others, “Go over there” and they go. I send the command and the left works with the right and the right with the left, and they accomplish my command — all according to my direction, which I supposed in my mind. So if I will for my members to change from doing one thing to another, the command must come from my mind. “But my mind is perverse! It is evil; there is no good thing it thinks. It is set on evil! And my members follow its direction!”

So then how does repentance come about? “How can I change my mind?” You cannot change your mind. There is nothing good in it; can that which is evil reform itself? Can dirty water purify? Our mind is sinful, so it can’t change itself; if it does, it is for the worse. Therefore, the message is not within ourselves, but it is outside; it is from Another. Words change the mind. Persuasion. Debate. Speaking. These are words which are consumed by the mind. Words are not for the stomach are they? No! Words are for the mind: whether spoken or read. The mind contains words: whether spoken or unspoken. So it is by words, our minds are changed. And if it’s not by our own words, then whose?

The Word of God brings about conviction, persuasion, and assurance. Namely, the Word of God concerning His Son, Jesus. He was sent for us, for our good; He loved us to death, even on the cross; His love is great for us, even though we’re sinners. He loved us to die for us, for our sins. He became the atonement for our sins to wash us from our sins. The message is received by faith, by believing the message of the cross, which purifies our minds and hearts. The love of God made known to all through the message of the cross of Christ, the gospel of peace. He has made peace with us through His Son Jesus Christ. He has justified us freely, apart from our works, by His blood on the cross; He makes us right with Himself through the sanctifying work of His sacrifice, through faith in His name. 

Through the conviction of the Word of the testimony of God, which He has given concerning His Son, our minds are changed, they are renewed, by continually setting our minds on Christ in the heavens. Remembering Christ crucified for us by which we are saved through faith. He died for us, shedding His blood, the Innocent for the guilty, to reconcile us to God by faith. God’s compassion and mercy towards man to die for us on the cross, loving us in shedding His blood for us. We must die for our sins, but Christ died in our stead to reconcile us to God, heavenward.

Repentance comes about by setting your mind on these things. And your members, being servants of your mind, will soon follow. Does our repentance precede God’s kindness? Rather God’s grace has appeared to all men, and, “the kindness of God leads you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4) Therefore, continue in the Word of Christ, setting your mind on Him, and the Word of God will renew and wash and cleanse your mind, granting you repentance to life with faith in the truth, through the true knowledge of Him; call upon His name with a pure heart, and He will deliver you. 

Scripture: Setting the Mind on Things Above

• “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” (Romans 8:5-9) 

• “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

• “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

• “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

• “But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:20-24)

Scripture: Sanctification by Faith

• “To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.'” (Acts 26:18)

• “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.” (John 17:17-19)

• “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

• “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

• “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” (Hebrews 13:12)

• “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

• “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5)

Scripture: God grants Repentance

• "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31)

• “When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."” (Acts 11:18)

• “The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25)

• “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

• “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Scripture: We Turn to God and He Turns to us

• "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Return to Me," declares the LORD of hosts, "that I may return to you," says the LORD of hosts.” (Zechariah 1:3)

• "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?’" (Malachi 3:7)

• "I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44:22)

• “namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)

• “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

Scripture: We Change our Mind and God Changes His Mind

• “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.” (Jonah 3:10)

• “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days." (1 Kings 21:29)

• "Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and the LORD changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves."” (Jeremiah 26:19)

• “Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying, "Go and say to Hezekiah, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.” (Isaiah 38:2-5)

• "because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD. “Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place." So they brought back word to the king.” (2 Kings 22:20)

• “When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)

• "Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.” (Jeremiah 26:13)

Listen! The LORD God says, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"” (Exodus 33:20) For God is holy; so holy that they who peered into the ark of His covenant were slain; saying, “He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the LORD. He struck down of all the people, 50,070 men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.” (1 Samuel 6:19) His voice is terrifying, His appearance fire; they seen the fire and said, “'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.'” (Deuteronomy 18:16)

Therefore, God has removed the sight of Him that we may not die; for even while He came down on Sinai, they “heard the sound of words, but saw no form—only a voice.” (Deuteronomy 4:12) And furthermore, when the high priest entered through the veil into the most holy, he, even he, needed a veil of incense to diminish the sight of the ark; as it says, “He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will die.” (Leviticus 16:13) 

Who is it that can ascend to the mount of God, to continual burning and fire, to see God and live? As it says, "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?” (Isaiah 33:14) It was Moses who went up to God in Sinai; saying, “The LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” (Exodus 19:20) "So I (Moses) turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.” (Deuteronomy 9:15) 

So likewise now God has raised up Another, like Moses, that abides and speaks with God face to face, who dwells with consuming fire; as it is written of Moses, “Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10); and the Prophet which was to come, came, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who lives with the consuming fire and who abides in the bosom of the Father; as it is written of Him, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18)

And as Moses writes of Christ, “The LORD said to me, 'I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:17-18) Those who believe Moses, believe Christ, for Moses wrote of the Christ; as Christ was saying, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47) So Moses is a shadow to Christ and wrote about Him.

And Christ’s speech is not booming like God; as it says of Him, “He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street.” (Isaiah 42:2) And His appearance is not the consuming fire like God; as it is written of Him, “He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” (Isaiah 53:2) And the Spirit of Him is a gentle whisper; as it says, “After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.” (1 Kings 19:12) Albeit these are so, “It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which He shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:19) So “Be on your guard before Him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your transgression, since My name is in Him.” (Exodus 23:21)

Even as these are so, He is the Son of God, in God and apart from God. As the saying goes, “Like father, like son”, so Christ is like the Father. But how much so? When men have children, the child has an attribute or two of the father and some of the mother; so much so, people may say, “I see his father’s creativity in him; and I see his mother’s temperance in him.” But not so with Christ, for Christ doesn’t have an attribute or two of the Father, but resembles Him in His exact likeness, every attribute and every likeness, every work and every deed; as He says, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?” (John 14:9)

Furthermore, the apostle says, “For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) And by His Light He creates us anew in Himself for Himself. Furthermore, it is said of Jesus, “For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) For He is God with us: the Eternal Father.

Under the Old Covenant, those who seen the Father, or even the Ark of His Covenant, died; but in the New Testament, those who see God in the face of Christ live. Those who see the face of God die, but those who seek the face of God through Christ live; as David wrote in the Psalms, “When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” (Psalms 27:8) But he did not know the Son, he did not know His name; as it says, “What is His Name or His Son's name? Surely you know!” (Proverbs 30:4) But surely David knew faith, otherwise He would seek God’s face to death; for whoever sees God perishes, but He gives grace to those who see Christ.

However, many did see God in the Old and did not die — they did not see a fire, but an angel, the angel of God’s Presence; as Isaiah writes of Him, “In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9) One who did see Him was Gideon; as it says, “When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face." The LORD said to him, "Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die."” (Judges 6:22-23) As it says, “Peace to you, do not fear;” For with sight of Christ Jesus comes grace and peace with God. 

Another who saw Him and even wrestled with Him was Jacob; as it says, “Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." (Genesis 32:28-30) For it was the angel of the LORD that wrestled with him, and He is God, yet he did not die — only the socket of his thigh was rent out of place. And like Moses, Jacob saw God face to face and spoke with Him.

And another example is Manoah and his wife; as it says of them, “Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the LORD. So Manoah said to his wife, "We will surely die, for we have seen God." But his wife said to him, "If the LORD had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time."” (Judges 13:21-23) And their lives were spared; they received the favor of God, receiving the promise of a son, Samson, the deliverer and judge of Israel. And what about Hagar who seen the angel of the Lord and called Him, “The God who sees”.

But all of these did not know the Angel's name; they only seen the Angel, for His name had not yet been disclosed to them; as it says in the account, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” (Judges 13:18) And, “Why is it that you ask my name?” (Genesis 32:29) Therefore, no name was given; thus the answer to the question, “What is His Son’s name?” was not known during those days. Just as it was in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for the patriarchs did not know the Father God’s name; as God says, “I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.” (Exodus 6:2-3) 

But when He revealed Himself to Moses, “God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.’” God furthermore said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.” (Exodus 3:14-15) Then the LORD made for Himself a glorious name; as it says, “Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, Who divided the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name, Who led them through the depths? Like the horse in the wilderness, they did not stumble; As the cattle which go down into the valley, The Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. So You led Your people, To make for Yourself a glorious name.” (Isaiah 63:12-14) And when God ceased, His name remained on earth, sanctified.

So likewise, when the Son of God, the Angel of the LORD, was to be revealed, His name was made known; saying, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:31-33) And His name was made great by many signs and miracles and wonders by the power of the mighty hand of God, as it is even to this day. 

For the Father God visited and left, leaving His great name to be called upon through faith; and Christ Jesus came and left, sanctifying His name for salvation to everyone who believes; saying, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) Therefore, if on earth they do not revere His holy name, certainly they will not revere Him when He comes in great power and glory to execute wrath on His enemies. Unless you, oh man, think otherwise? But I ask you, who know the Scriptures, who is it that will gather together to battle against the Son of God on the day of His visitation (Revelation 19:19)? Is it not they who do not fear His name? Won’t they not revere Him when He comes even in great glory? 

Therefore, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” (1 Peter 3:15) For when a person is absent, it is necessary to come or another to come in his name; and Jesus Christ has come in the Father’s name, working His works and speaking His words; and He has left, leaving His name for us to call upon for salvation; as it says, “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” (Romans 10:13)

And now, Christ is absent until He comes again; and where His absence is, there is given His Spirit and righteousness by faith; as He says, “I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7) And, “concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;” (John 16:10) For if He were here, we would see Him and the righteousness thereof could not come by faith, for faith is the conviction of things unseen. But we who see Him, do so by faith to life; for who can call on Him unless they believe in Him?

So therefore, seek faith! I ask you, know you not the eyes of faith? As the writer of Hebrews says, “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:2) Is it our physical eyes that he is talking about? Of course not! Who of us has seen Him risen, except the apostles? He is speaking of the eyes of our mind; just as Paul says about those who have no faith, “even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) And we can now only see God through the image of God, that is Christ; and even so now, only through faith, through the image of our mind, through the vision of our head, do we see Him; as Solomon says, “And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.” (Ecclesiastes 2:13-14)

For even the Holy Son of God needs to be sought after through this kind of vision; and this is the vision we preach: faith. It is sight without seeing, for God is terrifying, a consuming fire; who can see Him? So thus, we need Christ, our Mediator, and furthermore, faith. For while Christ dwelt with them, they were constantly terrified, even of Him, putting even great kings to fright. And this is the vessel of faith: the eye of our understanding. As it was with Adam and Eve, their eyes were opened; or do you think Adam and Eve were led by the hand being blind before they ate of the fruit? As it says, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.” (Genesis 3:7) Rather, it was the eye of their understanding that was opened, for although they were naked, they did not perceive it. God makes humans physically blind that we would see this; as He says, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11)

Just as Paul was physically blind when he seen the living Christ; as it says, “Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.” (Acts 9:8) For those who are blind need to be led by someone who can see. Likewise, the spiritually blind also need leading, as Paul was saying, “and are confident that you (teachers of the Law) yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness.” (Romans 2:19) Or even the Lord, “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39) And, “Let them (Pharisees) alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." (Matthew 15:14)

Concerning spiritual vision: how did Paul see when he was blind? As it says later, “and he (Paul) has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” (Acts 9:12) If he were blind, how could he see? Therefore, anyone who seeks God must seek Him through spiritual means, which is faith, for God is Spirit. The one who sees God in spirit sees more than the one seeing only in the flesh; the one who is physically blind and believes has more sight than the one who is sees. As it says, “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.” (Ecclesiastes 1:8) But, “whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.” (John 3:15)

Who led the multitude of soldiers by the hand when Elisha struck them with blindness? As it says, “When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:18) But no-one led them by the hand, for it was their understanding that was blinded, and they became blind in mind; and they needed a leader. It was Elisha who they sought after, it was Elisha who led them right into the enemy territory; as it says, “This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he brought them to Samaria.” (2 Kings 6:19) “Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"” (2 Kings 6:21) So there was none to lead them by the hand, for they were not physically blind.

Furthermore Christ says, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." (John 9:39) For true blindness is unbelief; and true sight is faith; and Christ making the physically blind see, gives true sight as well, but to those who do not believe are hardened; as He says, “WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.” (Mark 4:12) For many who were hardened by unbelief, although having eyes, they did not see, nor perceive; as Christ says, “HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR?” (Mark 8:18)

Give us, Oh Lord, “eye salve” (Revelation 3:18) that we may see! For, “When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:6-7) And help us with our unbelief; saying, “Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."” (Mark 9:24) Help us to see Your works that we may see You; saying, “let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.” (Exodus 33:13) For we know You are gracious and merciful, abounding in lovingkindness and truth!

Therefore, whoever you are, open up your eyes, and awake! Circumcise your hearts and ears; come to the Light! For, “We grope along the wall like blind men, We grope like those who have no eyes; We stumble at midday as in the twilight, Among those who are vigorous we are like dead men.” (Isaiah 59:10) “By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon as in the night.” (Job 5:14) For the one who walks in the darkness “does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:11) But Christ has become to us who are blind, the great Shepherd and Leader of the sheep, the Light of the World, and the Way to life.

Come to the knowledge of Christ! Jesus Christ crucified for you! The love of God in Christ Jesus. See! Not with eyes of flesh, but with eyes of spirit; as it says, “before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.” (Galatians 3:1) For “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) Just as a blind dolphin can see by triangulating noises in water through hearing, and a submarine by echolocation, so we can see Christ through hearing the testimony of Him; and by seeing Him through faith, the righteousness of God comes; saying, “The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.” (3 John 1:11) So the one who does good has seen Him.

Open up your eyes and see where you have come to! “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:20-24) For even Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And God answered the man of God with a physical sight to see, “And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

“All a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.” (Ecclesiastes 6:7) For the gut growls within us like a dog, and it is never satisfied; as it says, “They return at evening, they howl like a dog, And go around the city. They wander about for food And growl if they are not satisfied.” (Psalms 59:14-15) Our appetite is like a dog which is never satisfied. 

Oh, the power of food! Is not a roaring lion tamed with even a little bit of food? And a crying baby pacified with milk? And when an animal is trained, is it not because of food? And God, Himself being a consuming fire, is pacified, or appeased, by the smell of sacrifice; as it says, “The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.” (Genesis 8:21) And is not the sacrifice on the altar considered food? As it says, “Then the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD.” (Leviticus 3:11)

Or what about Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal? (Genesis 25:29-34) Was he not overpowered by food? And did not his father Isaac love him more because of his cooking? As it says, “Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had a taste for game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.” (Genesis 25:28) Can’t it also be a stumbling block? As for the Israelites in the wilderness, craving food, said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna." (Numbers 11:4-6) Or Rachel who sold her husband to Leah for mandrakes; as it says, “But she said to her, "Is it a small matter for you to take my husband? And would you take my son's mandrakes also?" So Rachel said, "Therefore he may lie with you tonight in return for your son's mandrakes."” (Genesis 30:15) Or what about the atrocities that happened in Israel when they were in famine and besieged by an army? “So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son." (2 Kings 6:29) For they ate their own children because of hunger.

Did not sin come into the world through eating forbidden food? As it says, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6) As the Proverb says, “To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.” (Proverbs 28:21) But in this case, a piece of fruit. And can’t our appetite even be a god to some? As Paul warns, “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-19) And earlier he says, “Beware of the dogs…” (Philippians 3:2) And then in Romans, “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.” (Romans 16:18) 

Just as some of the early disciples came to Christ, following Him, but not for Him, but their appetites; as He says to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” (John 6:26) And what good comes from this? As it is written, “Outside [the city] are the dogs…” (Revelation 22:15) For nothing unclean can enter into the kingdom of God; and a dog is declared unclean by the Law of Moses (Leviticus 11:27) Remember Esau? Who “When he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:17) And outside the City, it is said, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For Esau sought the blessing, but did not obtain it and wept; and so it will be in the end: outside the city there will be weeping. And all these things are written in the Word of God so that we would fear and not be among those who do not enter the City of God,  but among those who do enter by perseverance.

So knowing that God’s kindness works repentance (Romans 2:4), and that godly sorrow works repentance without regret (2 Corinthians 7:10), and that the fear of the Lord is to depart from iniquity (Proverbs 16:6), we can be encouraged by the Word of God which leads us away from godlessness to Christ. For we have great encouragement through the Holy Scriptures concerning our needs; as Christ promises, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) For Elijah was fed by the Lord God, even by ravens; as it says, “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.” (1 Kings 17:6) And the angel, sent by God, later appeared to him, feeding him; as it says, “Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.” (1 Kings 19:6) Or even Obediah, who feared the Lord, who “Took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.” (1 Kings 18:4) Did he not provide for them in the fear of the LORD? Or even the widow, who God provided for, so that she should provide for Elijah (1 Kings 17:9).

What about the 600,000 men fed by God in the wilderness in the days of Moses? As it says, “Now there went forth a wind from the LORD and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp…” (Numbers 11:18-35) Or Christ feeding the multitudes of people with a few loaves of bread and small fish; as it says, “And those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.” (Matthew 15:38) For God can use even our little for big works. So, as Jesus says, “Do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.” (Luke 12:29-30) And since He knows our needs, He will provide for us, considering we seek not them, but His kingdom first. For His work is truly our food indeed. For our stomach can never be satisfied, but in regard to righteousness, He says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)

For this is the greater food; as He also says, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” (John 6:27) But later, He says, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:48) And, “For My flesh is true food, and My blood true drink.” (John 6:55) For Jesus gives Himself for us to eat as Food by the will of the Father; as He says, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:54) For by the Father’s will, He became Food for us to partake. For in the time of Moses, the sacrifices on the altar were consumed by God through fire and also eaten by the offerer; so the sacrifices were shared by God and man; so the sacrifice mediated between God and man through consumption. Likewise it is today, for Christ is our Sacrifice, He is our Mediator. By Him we have reconciliation with God, for He is our Peace Offering, making peace between us and God. 

As He says, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34) The will of Him was to make atonement on the cross for us; as He says, right before the hour, “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour.” (John 12:27) “That by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9) This word “Taste” also means to eat, for He tasted the bitterness of death for us by the grace of God so that we wouldn’t have to. And He is received by us through faith for our strengthening in righteousness.

For He was sent by the Father bearing the Message of His death, foretelling His death, before the cross many times; and for this reason He came into the world. Just as Uriah was sent by David with the letter of his death in his own hand (1 Samuel 11:14), so the Father sent Christ into the world bearing the Message of His death. But it was impossible for Christ to bear bad news, but only good; for Christ is good through the Father, who alone is Good. As He says, “Why do you call me good? There is no-one good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18)

And so, by this Good News we have reconciliation with the Father by the death of His Son. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:10) For He was raised from the dead and now lives, for God raised Him from the dead. This is why He says, “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” (John 6:51) For although He seen His death beforehand, He also seen His resurrection and exaltation. 

You see, those who consume the things of this world, which are necessary for the body, eat death. For an animal is first slain, then eaten; and a plant is first plucked from the soil, which is its life, then eaten. For that which no longer grows undergoes decay; and decay is death. And we eat such dying things for nourishment for the body. How much more do you suppose we live who eat Christ, who lives forevermore? If we eat death and die, how much more do we eat Life and live? As He says, "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” (John 6:49-50)

But you may ask, “How do we eat Him?" As they asked, ”What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:28-29) And if it is by faith, then it is counted as grace; as it says, “For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace.” (Romans 4:16) And, “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” (Romans 11:6) So we consume Him through faith, hearing the Word about Christ.

As it also says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) And Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1-3); even, “The Word of Life” (1 John 1:1) “For the word of God is living and active…” (Hebrews 4:12) It is the Word of Christ that we eat for strength; so, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)

Those who eat, do so for strength, that they might do work. And so do we eat God’s grace so that we might be strengthened in spirit to do His will. As Paul says, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) For when we eat food, it abides with us for some time; and by the strength of it, we labor. How much more God’s grace, which is true food, which is for our hearts, and His love, which builds us up, strengthen us for the good work which He has for us to do?

For we consume grace through faith; as the apostle says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” (Ephesians 2:8) And food works best when hungry and weak; as it says, “A full man loathes honey, But to the hungry man any bitter thing is sweet.” (Proverbs 27:7) So He says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) And also, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) So our hunger and weakness is turned to fullness and strength in Christ Jesus, our Lord, by the grace of God.

Therefore, Be weak! “Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:9-10) Fast from physical food, abstaining for a little while, for the men of old, while doing so, found true food from God; as it is written about Elijah, “So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.” (1 Kings 19:8) And we know the revelation he received by God’s grace at that time.

And what about Moses, who went to the Mount of God and fasted twice for 40 days and 40 nights? Did he not live by God in those times? A man can go some time without food, but without water, he is sure to die. But he lived thereafter, eating and drinking Christ. And as Jesus Christ was in the wilderness for the same amount of time, He found strength in God, even enduring temptation from the enemy. And these things are written in the Word of God so that we would be weak in the flesh and be strengthened in the spirit by God’s grace.

“Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.” (Hebrews 13:9) For Christ came to us in love, which edifies; however, the Pharisees judged Him in regard to trivial food: the disciples picked grain on the Sabbath, and they said, "Why do you do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" (Luke 6:2) So they judged when they prepared food and ate. And then they said, “This man receives sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2) For they judged who He ate with. And, “When the Pharisee saw, he was surprised that He had not first ceremonially washed before the meal.” (Luke 11:38) For they even judged how He ate. And then they asked, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" (Mark 2:18) For they judged why He even ate in the first place. But, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

Therefore, it says, “I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.” (Romans 14:14-15) And again, “Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:20-23)

Eating is sin, if we eat food sacrificed to idols, which is fellowship with darkness (1 Corinthians 10:14-22), or if we consume blood, which is the life of the body (Leviticus 17:13-14), or if we eat the Lord’s supper unworthily, which is sin against His Body and Blood (1 Corinthians 11:27), or if our eating is not from faith, which is sin (Romans 14:23), or if our eating causes another brother to stumble, which is not acting in love (Romans 14:15), or if our eating is in any way corrupted by sin, for food is a good and pure gift given from above. “Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.” (Ecclesiastes 10:17)

Therefore, “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.” (Luke 21:34-35) “For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” (Proverbs 23:21) Drunkenness is a friend to sleep, and both dwell in darkness; as it says, “For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:7) Now, the sleep mentioned is unawareness; for a man may sleep even while awake; so the opposite of drunkenness is soberness, and the opposite of sleep is alertness; as the apostle says, “For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-6) So that we may overcome the devil; as Peter says, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

If we be of the day, we will not be surprised by the coming of the Lord Jesus; for that day will come like a thief in the night; as the Proverb says, “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest— Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:10-11) “But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,' and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51) And then it says, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” (Ephesians 5:18-20) For if we are alert and sober, we are made good unto prayer; and prayer is our weapon in which we may overcome temptation, with thankfulness.

Therefore, we ought not to be like the disciples who could not watch in prayer for even an hour; as it says, “And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."” (Mark 14:37-38) And fasting is often accompanied with prayer; and what is more sober than fasting? Nor should we be like the church who was asleep; as Christ says to the Church, “Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.” (Revelation 3:2-3)

For sleep is akin to death; “For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."” (Ephesians 5:14) And as Christ says to her who died in the Lord, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” (Matthew 9:24) So let us escape from the snare of spiritual sleep, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)

Hear the promise of the Lord Jesus! “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.” (Luke 12:37) And by the angel, “Then he said to me, “Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." (Revelation 19:9) And, "Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.” (Isaiah 55:1-2)

The leper covers his mouth and uncovers his head. All of his hair was to be shaven, except the place of the leprosy. The covering of the hair on the dead flesh did not hide the leprosy, but exposed it, for the hair is white like an aged man; although God has given hair as a covering, for the leper it did not conceal, but exposed the flesh of leprosy. For if the hair in the mark is white, it is leprosy. The man is unclean. 

Nevertheless, his uncleanliness is in him, for his mouth is covered; as it says, “Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’” (Lev 13:45) For it is what comes out of a man which defiles him; the source of his defilement is not physical, but rather spiritual — not flesh, but within. As Isaiah exclaims, “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Isa 6:5). For uncleanness is within, and comes out of a man, namely by his speech, this is what defiles him.

The covering of the mouth, uncovering of the head, and uncovering of the body comes with mourning; as it says, “Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.” (Ezek 24:17) And then it says, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people.” (Lev 10:6) For the men of God were commanded contrarily not to mourn in these ways, showing these are signs of mourning. 

A covering hides what is shameful, sinful, and improper; it is still there, but merely covered. The nakedness of the flesh is covered with a garment and our most improper parts even doubly covered. That is also why sin cloaks itself in darkness, in deep isolation, for it hides itself, for it is improper. That which is proper does not need to be covered, for it is comely, for everybody to see; it is light. This is why it says, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov 28:1) Even if the light is concealed for a little while, it is not so forever; as He says, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand? For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.” (Mrk 4:21-22)

In like manner, the leper is destined to an unclean place outside the camp: “He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Lev 13:46) The leper bears his sin because he refused the unblemished lamb; he then bears the blemish on his own flesh, not accepting the LORD God’s atonement by bringing the lamb to the tent for a sin offering. He is left uncovered and bare, because he neglected the covering of God’s sacrifice. And furthermore, that which does cover him, exposes him, even as a leper. How much more ought we to fear lest we neglect acknowledging sin and neglect a much greater salvation, a greater unblemished Sacrifice, a greater covering of atonement which has been revealed to us from heaven? All these things are written to us as a warning so that we do not reject the covering of atonement that God has ordained: Jesus Christ.

A hypocrite is one who makes a covering for himself, not only rejecting the covering of atonement that God has ordained, but also making a covering which is pleasing in his own sight; these receive a greater damnation, just as Christ says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” (Mat 23:14) For their pretense, or covering, was their long prayer. As the apostle Paul says about them, “They being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Rom 10:3) For they reject faith in Jesus; as it says, “The Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.” (Luk 7:30)

For who can come to Christ without first acknowledging sin? Is it not sin that Christ died for? And not His own but yours? But if you claim you have no sin, then He did not die for you, since your sin is nothing and you are perfect; in such a case, you should be saving us! But Christ came for those who know they are sinners, not them who think they are righteous; none of us are righteous — only God is righteous; and if we be in Him, we partake in the righteousness of Him, which is by believing through grace. This is the new covenant, the new testament, and the new law, from start to finish.

For we all have sin, and none of us is exempt from the power of sin. As it says, “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” (Prov 20:9) Or, “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.” (Ecc 7:20) And even, “If even the moon has no brightness and the stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, that maggot and the son of man, that worm!” (Job 25:6) And sin is so evil, and deceptive, that it makes us believe we are righteous! This is surely sin living within us: it will blame others, but will never take accountability; it will judge others, then claim grace while still in sin. As Peter warns, “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (1 Pet 2:16) For sin is exceeding evil that it uses even Christ as a cover up for further evil.

Is that not of the old creation? Is that not of the first man? As Job testifies, “If I have covered my transgressions as Adam, By hiding my iniquity in my bosom.” (Job 31:34) And, "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” (Gen 3:6,7) For if the covering of the first man, Adam, had been sufficient, he would have no reason to hide; but a greater covering was needed.

And likewise, did not Haman do the same? “Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.” (Esther 6:12) For to him, he was naked, without covering, so he fled home to hide, to be covered by his home, by darkness, even covering his head while hurrying home. For his sin was revealed, and he was uncovered, and he was exposed; just as it is written, “If all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.” (1 Corinthians 14:24-25) For when the naked (who are made naked by sin) are exposed, they hide; but they who acknowledge their sin, seek a covering for their sin and come to the saving light which exposed them to salvation.

This is the way of salvation for us who believe, even confessing our sin, our nakedness: as it says, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.” (Psa 32:5). And then it says, “To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins; (…)” (Luk 1:77) As David speaks of the blessedness, in the same Psalm, of the man whose sin is forgiven, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!” (Psa 32:1-2) A deceitful man will attempt to hide his sin from the Lord, covering it up; but here his sins are forgiven apart from his works, by only dwelling in truth — that his sins are always before the Lord.

For sin is first acknowledged, then it is forgiven; and this is not one time, but continually; as it says, “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.” (Proverbs 6:23) And also, the Lord God says, “Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice' declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 3:13) For the Spirit brings conviction, and we acknowledge the truth about our sins.

Even as Christ warns, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luk 12:1-3) For a little bit of this yeast spreads throughout; that is why the leper covers his mouth, for his uncleanliness is within him. As it says, “Their talk will spread like gangrene.” (2 Timothy 2:17) But we, justified by grace, are to “Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph 4:22-24) These things are written as a warning to us that we do not make a covering of atonement for ourselves, acting godly when our hearts are far from the truth.

Let us be greatly encouraged: the extraordinary kindness of our God and Father who sent forth His Son to preform His will. He no longer imputes sin against us who believe, but makes atonement for us by His blood, removing our sin from us. As John, the Baptist, says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) And the apostle, "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:19) If the blood of lambs and goats pacified sin for a time, how much more the Son of God who purges our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For those sacrifices covered sin for a short while, but Jesus, after one sacrifice, takes away the sin of the whole world.

Just as Joseph, the firstborn of the beloved and the highly favored of his father, was stripped of his colorful robe by his brothers and was given over to death, so Christ, for a time, put off willingly His brilliant garb and was found like one of us; as it says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” (Php 2:5-7) And was handed over by His own people, the Jews, to death, even on a cross: “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Php 2:8)

For He found not a righteous person on earth, and goodness had become outcast; as it says, “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.” (Isa 59:14,15) And despite His foreknowledge, despite Him becoming prey to the wicked, “He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.” (Isa 59:17) For Christ Jesus was clothed in these; as it says of Him, ”A Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob, declares the LORD.” (Isa 59:20)

For He put off His Godly splendor for our sakes and put on our sins for a short while; just as the Psalmist says, “You have cast off and rejected, You have been full of wrath against Your anointed.” (Psa 89:38) Although there was found no fault in Him, “You have made His splendor to cease And cast His throne to the ground. You have shortened the days of His youth; You have covered Him with shame.” (Psa 89:44,45) And for what purpose? As Joseph says to his brethren, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:20) Likewise, it is said of the Messiah, “The LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.” (Isa 53:10)

For He bore our sin, without a covering, being found blameless, yet with the fault of us all, being put to open shame: “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” (Isa 50:6) Upon Him was the suffering deserved by us all. He endured the cross, so that we would no longer be covered with a mantel of sin, but with Himself, the living hide — as it says, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gal 3:27) For He, on the third, rose from the grave, being made alive by the Spirit and reigns forever by an indestructible life.

For when a burnt offering is slain, the hide is kept by the priest: “And the priest who offers anyone’s burnt offering, that priest shall have for himself the skin of the burnt offering which he has offered.” (Lev 7:8) And those skins came from the sacrifice; but we, putting on the living Sacrifice, Him who died, rather who now lives, makes us, like Isaac, into a living sacrifice unto God by the living Sacrifice of Himself, being made and fashioned and found among the first-fruits of the new creation by the work of Himself. For Isaac was presented to God as a sacrifice, but lived thereafter. And he is the first to be circumcised on the eighth day, which now refers to this new creation, this new life in Christ.

Sacrifice means death; therefore we ought to mind ourselves with the same attitude, being dead to our own will, living for the will of God. For revival happens when one is first dead, then by the power of God, reviving. And baptism is into Christ’s death, so that we would be made alive through faith in Christ Jesus; as it says, “So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.” (2 Ki 13:21) So how much more do we who “Were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4)? For we have been baptized into the tomb of Christ.

For that which was supposed to bring forth life, instead brought forth death; I am speaking of the law, which was supposed to bring life, but brought death instead, which was rendered ineffectual because of the limitation of our human flesh. But that tomb, which was supposed to inhabit death, brought forth life instead, for Christ rose from it on the third day. And everyone who dies with Him will live with Him. For even the death of Sarah’s womb could not hold back the promise of God — through her, Isaac was born to Abraham according to the promise. And the Law, being a fertile womb as it is, did not produce children of life, but children still-born of death; as it says, "While we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.” (Rom 7:5) But the tomb of Christ produces children of the promise and children of life.

Therefore, we obtain to life through death; as it says, "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” (Luk 9:24) And then He says, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Mat 10:38) For we give ourselves over to death, filling up what is lacking in our bodies of the afflictions of Christ, so that His life would reign in our mortal bodies, that we might bear fruit unto eternal life by the Holy Spirit. 

So let us also fear, for there is a day of judgement in which Christ will recompense the living and the dead according to their works; and He shows no partiality. He first came to make covering for sin, and deliverance from sin, blotting them out of remembrance, and not counting them against us; but in that day which is set by the Father, all coverings will be removed and all things which are hidden will be revealed. If man can deceive man with trickery and guile, how can we, ever so even dare, let alone be successful, to deceive the living God? (“Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?” (Job 13:9)) As it says, “Sheol is naked before Him, And Destruction has no covering.” (Job 26:6) And, “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!” (Prov 15:11) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Today only you know your thoughts. But if there is a God, He would certainly know your thoughts. We can conceal our blasphemy, hatred, envy, lust, from men for a time, but they are not hidden from the Lord, not now nor forever. If we shut our mouth and become mute, not exposing anything, even our inner thoughts are known by Him. “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me, And the light around me will be night,’ Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.” (Psa 139:11-12) For He sees the deep darkness of the human heart as day; as it says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5) For He beholds the wicked and the good alike.

I say, “Only you know your thoughts”, but you do not comprehend your own thoughts, nor can you trust them. You do not know the source of your own thoughts. For sin is deceptive, and flatters us concerning sin and the hatred of it. And this world is filled with spirits, deceptive spirits, which make their home in the sons of men. Therefore, in truth, only the LORD God knows your heart; as it says, “Whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.” (1 Kings 8:39) If we say we know, we do not know; just as a man cannot see in darkness, so man cannot comprehend his own heart, for it is darkness.

There is no place the eyes of the Lord cannot see; no darkness can amply cover from the eyes of the Lord. If we hide sin, know certainly that Christ sees and will expose it in that day. Everything secret will be made known to all. For that day will expose everything in the light — that is why it is called, “the Day of the Lord”. And the light has already come; as it says, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” (Jhn 3:19-21) For all light exposes and illuminates.

And in that day, “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.” (1 Cor 3:13) Men will seek for refuge, for covering, in the cleft of the rock, seeking death more than even looking at the face of the Son of Man. Heaven will flee: as it says, “I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.” (Rev 20:11) How much more should we fear now, knowing that not even a shadow of a cloud will be a covering or a hiding place for us? Therefore, as long as we have time, let us make use of that time and repent. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)

If He struck fear in the king Herod being only a new born at that time — as he commanded to put to death a multitude of infants on His account — how much more affright will they be when He comes exalted in power and glory, when He comes riding on a white horse with a sharp double-edge sword, with an indestructible life? If His first coming was met with hostility, how much more His second? If He rebuked a fig tree and it withered, what will be the outcome of those that He rebukes that gather together against Him? If they delivered the Christ over to death and God raised Him up, how much less will they prevail against Him who comes with countless thousands of hosts and an indestructible life? And if they put the apostles in prison and God released them (for “the word of God is not imprisoned.” (2Ti 2:9)), then who are they who hate their own lives more than those who even try to fight against God?

Therefore, let us make our good confession with our heads uncovered, honoring our God, presenting the Gospel of truth without a cover of pretense, but in sincerity and truth speaking the Word of life which has power to save. And praying to our God, without making for ourselves a covering for sin, but confessing our sin with open heart to Him who is faithful to forgive. And not being ashamed of our Head, but always giving a reason for the hope that lies within us. For the man who covers His head is ashamed; as it says, “Because the ground is cracked, For there has been no rain on the land; The farmers have been put to shame, They have covered their heads.” (Jer 14:4)

Those who are under the law, submitting to it, are also under hypocrisy, for there is not a man who can keep the whole Law; as it says, “Why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Act 15:10) These, being evil, cover their evil with a covering which they have made, with obedience to the law, as Adam did in the garden; and as Christ warns, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luk 12:1) These, while claiming the law, are lawless, hypocritical, content with their sin, even living with it, and hating it from afar in others. The law begets children like these, not because of the ineffectiveness of the Law, but because of the weakness of the human flesh. 

Is this not what by the apostle of the Lord says? “But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Cor 3:14-16). And that veil is a mask, covering one’s sight, even blinding; the mask is their hiding place as they act as someone they’re not, even remaining godless in heart; but when the Law is taken away by Christ, then even so the veil. So this is a hypocrite: one who wears a mask, and acts. This is the false circumcision, even of the flesh; but the true circumcision is of the heart, the cutting away of the covering of hypocrisy, that of the sinful nature.

Blessed are those who in truth confess their sin, bringing it to the light, then being covered with Christ! As it is written, “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” (Gen 3:21) For they came to God and He covered them with animal skins; and we, having a better covering, namely that of Christ Jesus, are sufficiently clothed. Just as Jacob was clothed with Esau and received a blessing; the Gentiles also have found the blessing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — not through fraud, but by putting on Christ Jesus, the Son of God, for the Father shows no partiality, but makes sons after Himself. As Peter, the apostle, says, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” (Act 10:34-35)

Therefore, we must face the sin within us! The hatred of good, the blasphemy, the immoral thoughts! Do not make a covering for yourself saying, “That is not me, I am better than that.” Covering one’s mouth is what the unclean do, bottling up sin. Know that in the days of John, the Baptist, the people confessed their sins in the wilderness and washed away their sins in baptism. This is the way of salvation through which we have the forgiveness of sins. For where sin is forgiven, there is no wrath for sin. And we, being baptized into Christ, have confessed and put off the secret and shameful hidden things of darkness and have put on Christ like new clothes.

So be truthful, uncovered, sincere. This is what it means to be circumcised. “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Phil 3:3) Everyone who covers himself outside of Christ is a hypocrite, covering only with a mask to appear differently; he is insincere. But as the apostle says, “We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Cor 4:3)

Christ came, appearing differently for a time, to make us in the likeness of His true appearance: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor 3:18) And He, emptying Himself of His glory, was found among us to be in the likeness of man; but when He appears in glory, He will be seen as He really is; as some have seen while on earth, as it says, “As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.” (Luk 9:29) But even later all of us will see, as it says, “We are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1Jn 3:2)

Therefore, be no longer a thief in the night, lest the Lord come to you as a thief; but rather, be of the day. For a thief is only one at night, during the day he acts virtuous. Christ did not come for those who think they are righteous, but for them who know they are sinners; as it says, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Luk 5:32) Only God is righteous. So do not keep sin hidden within you as a thief; for it says, “When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, And the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; A thief comes in; A band of robbers takes spoil outside. They do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face.” (Hos 7:1,2) 

Instead, like a bandit, expose your sins always before the Lord, confessing them without hiding. For a bandit does crime in the light, unlike a thief who robs during the night. And the bandit does not need to be told he is a sinner, for he knows; but the thief is surprised when he gets caught, and he only feels shame when he is caught. And the thief receives the greater condemnation; as it says, “If the thief is caught while breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. But if the sun has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.” (Exodus 22:2-3) Hence, the thief at night dies, but the bandit pays back for his theft. “As the thief is shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed.” (Jeremiah 2:26)

So then, do not find a covering, a refuge, in this world. For this is the place that unclean spirits find their home; as it says, “And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Rev 18:2) For Christ, your God, is your Refuge and Stronghold and Rock. Flee for refuge to Him! He is your Place of Refuge; as it says in the Law, “Until the death of the high priest”, which is also to say, until the old things pass and the New High Priesthood is setup forever, which is after the order of Melchizedek.

And cover not your hearts with drunkenness lest that day catch you unaware: “Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.” (Ps 119:70); and, “They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly.” (Ps 17:10) With sin comes shame and guilt, but you, confess it to the Lord, your Maker, instead of smearing it with pleasure which does not take away, but only covers. A covering only hardens, leading to a lack of feeling to greater sensuality; and they who are unfeeling, stimulate themselves through sensuality; as it says, “They, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” (Eph 4:19) But when one is circumcised by the Lord, their heart becomes flesh, which is the only good flesh, that of the flesh of the heart.

For drunkenness is akin to sleep; as it says, “For the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” (Pro 23:21) However, “You are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.” (1Th 5:5-7) This sleep is spiritual; just as Zechariah wrote, “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep.” (Zec 4:1) For he was in the spirit, even in a vision, and the angel came to him while he was sleeping in spirit.

Instead, find your refuge in the Lord God and receive rest for your souls. Through the cross, all pretense and hypocrisy is taken away; for around the time of Christ’s death, a young man was stripped of his garment and fled (Mrk 14:51); and the disciples all likewise fled, having confessed they were ready to die for the Lord moments earlier. For they sinned, uncovering themselves; as it says, “Moses saw that the people were naked. (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies)” (Exodus 32:24) Now, they were made naked by sinning with the golden calf, but they were not physically naked. And Christ saying, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin.” (Joh 15:22) For the Son came to testify to their works, that they are evil, that they may confess their sin and be found clothed in Christ.

Therefore, seek not the justification of men, but the righteousness of God; as it says, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luk 16:15); and, “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” (Rom 2:29) For the new nature is of God, not man. So be in the same manner of heart as King David, who received the testimony from God, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22) For he regarded the sight of God more important than what men esteem. Therefore, be among his descendants, imitating what he did, for this is of faith.

And beware of them who are not of the flock, which cover themselves deceitfully; as it says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matt 7:15) Who do good to be seen by men, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” (Isa 64:6) As the Lord found some in Sardis, "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” (Rev 3:1) For to men, they were alive, but in truth, they were dead.

Rather seek love. For this is a garment fitting for God’s saints; even with love, we may be covered; as it says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.” (1 Pet 4:8) And, “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (Jam 5:20) I have written to you in regard to sin done in the past; but “By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.” (Prov 16:6) Therefore, seek the fear of the LORD so that you will not continue in sin.

And neglect not charity. For men of old atoned for great faults with it, appeasing anger. As it was with Jacob, “For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me. Then afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” (Gen 32:20) And again, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, it is a covering before all who are with you, and before all men you are cleared.” (Gen 20:16) And, “We have brought an offering for the LORD, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.” (Num 31:50)

And veil not your light, as Christ says, “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” (Mat 5:5) Let your everlasting brightness shine before men, for “We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.” (2 Cor 3:13)  Cover and cherish your chastity like pure virgins, as it says, “She had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.” (Gen 24:65) 

Remember and be encouraged with these heavenly words: “We know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.” (2Co 5:1-5) And, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Co 15:53-57)