Bible Doctrine

America, you had better realize what you have done, what you have become, and what your future holds if you do not turn back to the God you confessed when first declaring your independence from England. God’s judgments grow progressively more severe when ignored or declared to be the natural order of things. You haven’t seen anything yet.  That’s not Batman and Robin in the White House.  Your days of peace and prosperity ended long ago.  You have sown to the wind and you are now reaping the whirlwind.

How many unborns did you slaughter today, America?  A thousand?  Ten thousand?  How many men married other men today?  How many women married other women today?  How many American males now call themselves females and adopt female mannerisms and clothing?  And how many American females think themselves to be men and demand that others address them as “sir”?  Sodom and Gomorrah would blush to see that for which you have no shame.  You even boast of your gay pride!!!

Sex outside of marriage is the norm and is practiced by multitudes of professing Christians.  To be a box office hit, a film must feature sex, nudity and violence.  And the average professing Christian will plop down ten or twelve dollars in an instant to view such filth.

 America, your days are numbered!  Even the mightiest empires rise and fall through process of time.  “In God We Trust” on our coinage and paper currency is the height of hypocrisy and an affront against God.  Don’t ask for whom the bell tolls, America.  It tolls for thee!

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh (philosophers, educators, etc.), not many mighty (politicians, leaders, etc.), not many noble (royalty, aristocrats, etc.) are called (to salvation, to a relationship with God). But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world (the common folk) to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world (the nobodies) to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not (are of no reputation) to bring to nought things that are., that no flesh should glory in his presence” (I Corinthians 1:26-29). (Note: All comments inside of parentheses are those of the author).  The call for all others will come at a later time – after Jesus Christ returns and sets up His kingdom on this earth.

“Ye know that ye were Gentiles (prior to conversion) carried away unto these dumb idols even as ye were led (by Satan and his demons)” (I Corinthians 12:2). “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him. In love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will….that we should be, to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Ephesians 1:4-5, 12).  Yes, those described in I Corinthians 1 verses 26 through 29 are merely the FIRST to trust in Christ, submitting their lives to His direction and guidance.

“Wherefore remember that ye being IN TIME PAST Gentiles in the flesh….that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off (from Israel, the covenants of promise and God) are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both (Israelite and Gentile) one (family), and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us (that divided the court of the Gentiles from Israel)…..for to make in himself of twain (the two groups) one new man (a spiritual Israelite), and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body (the body of Christ, the church, the family of God) by the cross, having slain the enmity (hostility) thereby….For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye (Gentiles) are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens (of Israel) with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles AND PROPHETS, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (See Ephesians 2:11-20).

“For the earnest expectation of the creature (the remainder of humanity) waits for the manifestation (revealing) of the sons of God, for the creature (humanity) was made subject to vanity (a more or less vain existence, cut off from God), not willingly (having no choice in the matter), but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope (of a future relationship with their Creator), because the creature (creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God, for we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (by the coming resurrection from the dead)”

(See Romans 8:19-23).  Yes, those called to join the family of God now, in this era, actually extending from the time of Adam forward, are merely the firstfruits of salvation.  Only after Christ’s return will mankind as a whole comprise the great harvest of humanity to hear the truth, react to the same and be granted immortality – eternal life!

“In the last days….many nations shall come, and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord (Zion, or Jerusalem), and to the house of the God of Jacob (God’s temple), and He will teach us of His ways (via His now resurrected and glorified elect sons and daughters), and we will walk in his paths (forsaking Islam, Buddhism, Shintoism, Hinduism, etc.), for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off (great military powers distant from the Middle East), and they shall beat their swords into plowshares (military armaments will be melted down and recast into agricultural implements – then used to sustain life rather than to snuff out precious human lives), and their spears (will be converted) into pruning hooks.  Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”  (See Micah 4:1-3).  That, my friend, is what awaits mankind – not to be tortured in the fires of hell throughout all eternity.  Only the incorrigible wicked, human refuse will suffer the second death – death in eternal fire that reduces the physical human bodies cast therein to ash, ascending into the sky as far as the eye can see.  (See Malachi 4:1-3 and Matthew 10:28).  And even the incorrigible will have knowingly chosen the way of rebellion against their Creator rather than submission to the Lord.  My prayer is that God will give you understanding in these truths.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

When Paul writes the Gentile believers in Galatia and says “peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God,” he is not referring to fleshly Israel there but to spiritual Israel – every truly converted man or woman regardless of their ancestry, DNA, or genealogical background. (See Galatians 6:16). The “new creature” to which he refers in verse 15 is, again, spiritual Israel. When he writes the Gentile believers in Rome and says, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel,” he is again speaking of the truth that God’s true Israel has non-Israelites in her ranks. Converted Gentiles become spiritual Israelites in God’s eyes. Paul had just mentioned that his “kinsmen according to the flesh” – that is, fleshly Israelites, were “accursed from Christ.” (See Romans 9, verses 3 and 6). Therefore when he wishes peace upon the Israel of God in the Galatian letter he cannot be referring to fleshly Israel as he knew they were accursed from Christ. That curse, of course, is only temporary. At Christ’s return it will be lifted, “for God hath concluded them all (save for a small remnant) in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all….for I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery….that blindness in part is happened to (fleshly) Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (to the nation of spiritual Israel), and so ALL Israel shall be saved…” (See Romans 11:32, 25-26). And in the 17th verse of that same chapter (Romans 11), Paul speaks of Gentiles as “a wild olive tree” that has been “grafted in among them (fleshly Israel)” thus becoming spiritual Israelites. And notice how Paul refers to this phenomenon as “this mystery” (verse 25). Only God through His Holy Spirit can open a spiritual “mystery” to man’s mind. Unless God does this such remains a mystery.

Men and women can then read these texts and have no inkling of what is being said. This is one of the major proofs of the divine inspiration of scripture and of the fact that there is indeed an invisible God through His invisible Holy Spirit working behind the scenes, illuminating, guiding, instructing His called out ones in His truth. Paul is again making reference to this mystery when, in Romans 4:16, he refers to Abraham as being “the father of us all” – Jew and Gentile! And in the 11th verse of that same chapter, Paul refers to Abraham being “the father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised” – that is though they be not fleshly Jews. Again, in verse 17, God says to Abraham, “I have made thee a father of many nations” – Jew and Gentile. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul tells these Gentile believers, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham…So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham…that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (See Galatian Faithfuls 3:7, 9 and 14). And therein is contained one of the greatest truths of Holy Writ. Faithful children of God, though Gentiles physically, are spiritual Israelites, sons of God AND of Abraham. Therefore WHATEVER is promised to Abraham and his offspring is promised us – and that includes physical healing and a whole lot more!

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

• “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape (punishment of some kind at some point)” (Proverbs 19:5).  Every pastor, every preacher, every Bible teacher needs to think deeply on the warning given in that proverb.  In the concluding words of the Book of Job, we read these words: “And it was so that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, ‘My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has'” (See Job 42:7). “My wrath is kindled against you….” says God to this man. 
• God does not like to be misrepresented.  It makes Him mad.  When some pastor or preacher insists “God’s Word says this or that” when in actuality the Word of God says something entirely different God doesn’t like it one bit.  And that one preaching or teaching error will someday answer to an angry God who forewarns us that such a false witness will not go unpunished.  The preaching or teaching of error can be quite costly to the one who is guilty of the same. “For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself” (Romans 14:7).  All of us live lives that impact others one way or another.  We can be examples for good or examples for evil. 
• And “we shall ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ….so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (See Romans 14:10,12).  The pastor who leads his congregation into embracing error and sees to it that they stay on that pathway is going to pay a heavy price for his folly.  It matters not that he was sincere, that he actually thought he was speaking the truth, he will give account for what he has done to Jesus Christ Himself.
• The Christian religion consists of a potpourri, a mixed bag of various and sundry beliefs, dogmas and doctrines.  Various denominations differ widely and often quite dramatically in what they believe the Bible teaches.  Most hold Sunday to be the “Lord’s Day,” while millions of others insist the true and only Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, more accurately the time that commences at sundown on Friday and continues until the following sunset on Saturday.  They cannot both be right.  One of them is totally wrong and in error.  One of them is trampling on God’s holy day, the other is honoring God in their belief and practice.  God have mercy on the one who fails to figure it out and gets it wrong!  Many professing Christians couldn’t care less about this issue, thinking it doesn’t matter one way or another .”And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, ‘This is the way, walk you in it'”, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.” (See Isaiah 30:21).  But the only way the Spirit of God can whisper such into the mind of a believer is when that believer is fully dedicated to walking in holiness and righteousness before the Lord.  If that believer ridicules the very idea of living a holy life in this present evil world, then he, or she, is tone deaf to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit.  Such a believer is wide open to spiritual deception and ripe for Satan’s deceptions. The truth can be known, folks, but it is quite costly.  It is the pearl of great price, a treasure hidden in a field.  Do you have your shovel in hand?????

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

• Donald Wiley

In order to understand the scriptures correctly a redeemed believer will have to abandon any and all known sin in their life in order for the Holy Spirit to shine the light of the truth of what is said in the scriptures as the fantastic blinding power of Satan continues to blind the mind to the truth if that person has unrepented of and unforsaken sin in their life. That is a spiritual law as inflexible and fixed as any law of physics. The apostle Peter warned that disobedient believers, those believers who continue to sin, are divinely appointed to stumble at God’s Word unable to see what the scriptures actually teach. (See I Peter 2:8). That is WHY many are unable to see the truths of scripture. They have some unrepented of and unforsaken sin in their life which effectively prevents the Holy Spirit from illuminating their minds as Satan is permitted to continue operating his blinding POWER in the minds of such persons. In fact, many denominational churches teach that it is impossible for a believer to stop sinning! All such denominations, therefore, embrace gross error in some, if not most of their doctrines. The Word of God cannot be broken. It says what it says and means what it says. (See John 10:35).

Peter further warned that there would be false preachers and teachers in Christianity and that the majority would follow such, causing the way of truth to be evil spoken of. (See 2 Peter 2:1-2). And what is the one common trait among all such? THEY CANNOT CEASE FROM SIN! (See 2 Peter 2:14). They promise their followers liberty from God’s law, while they themselves are servants of corruption. (See 2 Peter 2:19).

The prophet Daniel spoke of how we must turn from our sins in order to understand God’s truth. (See Daniel 9:13). Every sin has a blinding component. In Proverbs, we read how God’s “secret is with the righteous.” (Proverbs 3:32). “The way of the wicked is as darkness; they know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19). The writer of Hebrews warns of “the deceitfulness of sin” (See Hebrews 3:13). There again is the deceiving component coexisting with all sin. Peter speaks of our being led away with the error of the wicked. (See 2 Peter 3:17). Paul warned Timothy that when we turn away from having a good conscience we then turn aside to vain speech and beliefs. (See I Timothy 1:5-6).

Satan bends over backwards to promote continued sinning in a believer’s life as he knows such will effectively blind that person from seeing the truth in many areas of his or her doctrine. Jesus said, “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me, and he that loves me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (See John 14:21). Jesus reveals truth to the obedient. “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalm 97:11).

“My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He that walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me” (Psalm 101:6). 

A deceived person does not know he is deceived. He is 110% certain he has and knows the truth. Roman Catholic priests are certain they faithfully represent the Lord. The same holds true for Mormon bishops and a multitude of other believers. The pertinent question all should ask themselves is, “Am I walking in holiness and purity of mind and spirit 24/7? Do I abhor and shun all sin?” If the answer is, “No,” they need to repent and carefully scrutinize all their beliefs in the light of God’s Word. God help you to understand is my prayer.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

UNCLE CLARENCE’S DAY TRIP TO HEAVEN!

Every professing Christian needs to ever keep in mind that we Christians living in the 21st Century are living two thousand years past the time of Jesus’ appearance on earth and the time of His apostles. Since that point in time Christianity has been split into dozens and dozens and dozens of differing denominations teaching and believing widely different doctrines and beliefs. Two thousand years is a long, long time. Satan, the master of deceit has had many centuries to color and confuse the truth. A Roman Catholic priest is as sincere and dedicated to his beliefs as is a Jehovah’s Witness, a Baptist evangelist, or an Amish elder. They all differ widely in what they believe the Bible reveals. Preconceived ideas and beliefs lodge in the mind and memory and present a formidable obstacle to the acceptance of any opposing belief. Folks don’t naturally assume they are wrong, but they sure naturally assume they are right.

When Uncle Clarence is revived after having been clinically dead for 18 minutes and states that he went to heaven and talked with Jesus and saw Aunt Hilda picking flowers from one of heaven’s many gardens, are we to believe him? Or are we to believe Cousin Ernie, who was clinically dead for 23 minutes, but states he saw or remembers nothing during that time? Or are we to believe King Solomon, who wrote, “The dead know not anything”? (See Ecclesiastes 9:5). And how about the Psalmist, who wrote, “Put not your trust in princes (or Uncle Clarence or Cousin Ernie), nor in the son of man (any human being, even Billy Graham or Donald Wiley), in whom there is no help. His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth, IN THAT VERY DAY HIS THOUGHTS PERISH” (See Psalm 146:3-4).

Over and over again Jesus cautioned the Jewish people to pay heed to what God had said through Moses and the prophets, warning them that they erred greatly due to the fact they failed to pay heed to these scriptures. The Hebrew scriptures, commonly called the Old Testament, contain foundational truth. We are to build our belief system on that scripture foundation. The first foundational truth God ever uttered was to tell Adam and Eve point blank, “Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return.” We are physical human beings. We ARE souls. We do not possess a “soul.” The word soul in Hebrew merely means a living breathing creature. We have a spirit, but in the Hebrew the spirit means we have breath, we live. When scripture says our spirit returns to God who gave it, all that scripture implies is that our breath, or our prospects of ever living and breathing again, is in God’s hands. Unless He resurrects us, brings us back to life at some future time, then this life we now experience is all there is.

George Washington is not tripping the light fantastic in heaven right now. Neither is Adolf Hitler screaming in the fires of hell right now. They are dead. They know nothing as their brains disintegrated long ago.

Jesus Christ, the prophets of the Old Testament, and Jesus’ apostles whenever speaking of death or the dead use but one of two terms calling them dead or asleep. No other terminology is ever used in all the Bible. “Now with the Lord, passed on to glory, gone to be with Jesus, etc.,” no such language is ever found in the Bible. It’s just preacher talk. “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” That is NOT what Paul wrote. (See 2 Corinthians 5:6-8_.

Jesus said, ‘Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming (yes, it is future), in the which all THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES shall hear His voice, and shall come forth (from their graves, not from heaven or hell), they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (or judgment)” (See John 5:28-29). Where did Jesus place the dead? In their graves, NOT in heaven or hell.

The truth can be known, but first God has to sweep from our minds all the error that has accumulated there down through the years. Much that we have come to accept as fact is actually gross error. Until we come to realize that fact, we will be unable to grasp and retain the truth in our minds. We will have scriptures that we think support us in our beliefs when, in actuality, those scriptures do not support us at all. Something to think about, folks.

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

THE UNFINISHED TOWER

Do you suppose Jesus Christ ever told it like it is? Do you think He was ever deadly serious? Or, do you think much of what He said could be taken with a grain of salt or was meant only for those who were actually present when He spoke and His words were meant only for them and no others? Or maybe His words were meant only for those who wished to become preachers and no others. 

Luke tells of a time during Jesus’ earthly ministry when He discovered there were great multitudes following Him. He then does something rather perplexing. “He turned, and said unto them, ‘If any man comes to me, and hates not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and, yes, his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple'” (See Luke 14:25-27). I’ll bet that startling statement sure thinned the ranks. No doubt a dust cloud probably immediately arose from all the people beating a hasty retreat down the road and in the opposite direction from which Jesus was traveling.  And what’s this about hating everybody else? Didn’t Jesus say we are to love our neighbor as our self? Did you notice that the only folks Jesus said we are to hate are close family members: father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters? Neighbors and strangers aren’t mentioned at all! Neither are cousins, aunts or uncles. Rather curious, wouldn’t you say? How can we keep the commandment to honor our father and mother and hate them at the same time? Are these words of Christ some of the words we can take with a grain of salt or just plain ignore? 

Jesus Christ is not giving a command to hate our closest relatives. He is merely drawing a comparison, informing us that our love for God must totally eclipse our love for any human being, including, and especially, our closest relatives. Jesus is to come first, absolutely and always first in our lives. We are to love God with a love that is even greater than the love we have for our own life! And we are to put self to death; that’s what He meant by our bearing our cross. A cross had only one purpose. It was used to end a person’s life!

 But we must not overlook the next words out of Jesus’ mouth. He then says, “Which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and COUNTS THE COST, whether he has sufficient (commitment) to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.'” (See Luke 14:28-30).  Those preachers who tell their organist to play “Just As I Am” while they cajole, wheedle and plead with the crowd “Won’t you give your hearts to Jesus? All you gotta do is believe.” Well, they better tell their listeners the type of belief they are talking about, that it is a belief so profound that they are committing their lives to obeying God in all things at all times. And when they have the audience sing “I Surrender ALL” they better mean every word that they utter with that tune. No wonder there are dozens and dozens of differing and bickering denominations in the Christian world. Christian churches overflow with false converts. Men and women, boys and girls, who are told all that is necessary is that they accept Jesus finished work on Calvary. Presto-chango they are now and forever children of God and on their way to glory. Hallelujah! Live life as they please for the most part. Don’t mess things up by any type of obedience or striving for godliness. Something to think about, believer!

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

Alright, let’s look at 1 John 1:8: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  At first glance one might think that few Christians make such a claim.  On the contrary, hordes of Christians, millions of believers make that claim, and they are deceiving themselves in doing so.  This is HOW they make that claim, and this is WHAT John meant when he wrote those words: They claim that the shed blood of Christ covers all their sins: past, present and future.  Therefore, they believe they have no sin.  John says they deceive themselves with that argument or belief.  God DOES see a believer’s sins if and when a believer lets down his, or her, guard and transgresses.  It is ONLY a believer’s PAST sins that are blotted out and removed from him as far as the east is from the west.  Look at that verse in context.  Beginning with verse 6, we read: “If we (believers) say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness (that is, SIN), we lie (break the 9th commandment), and do not the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light (thus avoid sin), we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin.  If we say that we have no sin (while walking in darkness, lying, SINNING), we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness” (verse 7 through 9). 

In the beginning verse of chapter 2, John wrote, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that you SIN NOT!”  Do you see it?  All John is saying is if, as believers, we sin and think God does not see that sin, that our sins are no longer counted against us, we deceive ourselves!  When the glorified Jesus Christ looked upon the believers at Ephesus, He saw their sin, telling them, “Thou art fallen…REPENT!”  (See Revelation 2:5).  To the church at Pergamos, Jesus commanded, “Repent!”  (See Revelation 2:16).  He gives that same command to Thyatira (verses 21 and 22), to Sardis (See Revelation 3:3), and Laodicea (verse 19).

The absurd interpretation many give to 1 John 1:8 would mean believers should be able to say, “Thank God, we’re not deceived.  We’re all still sinning.  Are you still sinning, brother?  Hallelujah, then you’re not deceived.  Keep on sinning!”  Don’t you see how utterly absurd is the popular interpretation of 1 John 1:8?  The popular interpretation of that verse would make every child of God a slave of sin, God Himself warning us not to think we can stop sinning!!!  How utterly ridiculous and how crafty is Satan in his deceptions.  John says He writes this letter “that you SIN NOT!” (See I John 2:1).  And goes on to say “Whosoever abides in Him SINS NOT” (See 1 John 3:6).  This does not mean a believer cannot, or will not sin.  It means a believer need not sin.  The apostle Paul presents this magnificent hope in I Corinthians 10:13, when he dogmatically affirms: “There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.  But God is faithful, who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted above that (which) you are able (to bear), but will with the temptation (at that exact moment in time, simultaneously) also make a way to escape (a GOD-MADE, hence a PERFECT way of escape) that you may be able to bear it (bear up under temptation without sinning).” God help you to understand.

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

More than once Jesus said to His disciples, “Why reason ye among yourselves” (Matthew 16:8), or, “Why are you asking one another of what I said? Ask me!” Jesus is the source of eternal truth. If you want to get your doctrines and beliefs straight, saying what Jesus says in a given matter, go to Jesus, go to the Word of God – the Bible, especially the four gospel accounts that contain the very words that Jesus spoke.

Many in reading the scriptures, especially the gospel accounts – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – fail to take into account the preconceived ideas and beliefs of our Lord’s disciples upon reading some of the questions His disciples asked Jesus. Remember, Jesus’ disciples did not expect a sacrificed Messiah. When He spoke of His impending betrayal and crucifixion, they asked one another “What is He saying? What does He mean?” They expected a conquering Messiah – a glorious one who would throw off the Roman yoke and return Jerusalem and Israel to their former glory. “Then He took unto Him the twelve, and said unto them, ‘Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished, for He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on, and they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death, and the third day He shall rise again.’ AND THEY UNDERSTOOD NONE OF THESE THINGS, AND THIS SAYING WAS HID FROM THEM, NEITHER KNEW THEY THE THINGS WHICH WERE SPOKEN.” (Luke 18:31-34).

Who do you think was hiding these truths from the disciples? Satan, of course. NEVER underestimate the deceiving POWER of Satan. Here was Jesus, in person, speaking as plainly as language will allow to His own disciples and Satan hid from them the plain truths Jesus was uttering. And, Satan can do the same with you, friend, whoever you are if you allow any manner of sin to control in your life. These disciples, from the time they were little boys, had heard and been taught that the coming Messiah would be the greatest. most successful leader Israel would ever have. He would outshine Moses and Joshua, David and Solomon. He would deliver Israel from all her oppressors. So, when Jesus said He would be delivered into Roman hands, mocked, spat upon, whipped and put to death, Satan was easily able to hide from them the plain truth of Christ’s words. So, too, with many Christians today. Many Christian denominations have taught profound error for so long to so many, now when they hear the truth, if it is ever presented to them at all, they can’t receive it. Jesus’ own words can be read or quoted to them verbatim, still it is hid from them neither know they the things which are spoken. Sin has an accompanying blinding component. Continue to knowingly, wittingly sin and spiritual error will slowly and surely color your thinking and beliefs. The prophet Daniel understood this truth perfectly writing of how one must turn from their sins in order to comprehend and understand God’s truth. (See Daniel 9:13). The apostle Peter stated that this was a divine spiritual law, stating that men “stumble at the word, BEING DISOBEDIENT, whereunto also they were appointed” (See 1 Peter 2:8). God’s high regard for spiritual truth is seen in how He absolutely refuses to grant spiritual understanding to those who continue in disobedience. God help you to understand is my prayer.

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley