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As we saw in our last study, Dark Christian Doctrines, Satan, the evil one, the destroyer was not exposed to man in the Old Testament. Man’s non-spiritual point of view could only discern the working of one single spiritual force…… “the Lord.” The truth and dividing off of Satan did not come into view until Jesus Christ.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:22-24 (Jesus is praying to God) All things are delivered to me by my Father; and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see; For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
Not only is Satan “divided off” from the Lord of the Old Testament, so is the true God! This is what Jesus came to do, to separate out the two great spiritual powers…..one true and one false. The truth is always spiritual reality. Spiritual reality is truth.
John 4:24 God is spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
John 16:13, 14 Howbeit when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
John 14:16, 17 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the spirit of truth; which the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him; but you know him; for he dwells with you (in Jesus) and shall be in you (beginning at Pentecost).
Here are a couple of examples in the Old Testament where God describes the same event from both man’s unspiritual point of view, and also from the true, spiritual point of view.
Man’s point of view:
II Samuel 24:1 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.
The spiritual truth:
I Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
Man’s point of view:
Exodus 12:23a For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door,
The spiritual truth:
Exodus 12:23b and will not allow the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
To the degree that man holds to the Old Testament, in his understanding, study, belief and practice, he will continue to think that God does evil; he will continue to attribute to our loving spiritual Father those characteristics of Satan, which are theft, death and destruction. Following are some of the Dark Christian Doctrines that continue to hold sway among various Christians, due to this Old Testament adherence.
God is sovereign. This word “sovereign” is never found in the Bible at all! The idea is that everything that happens is God’s will. That God is capricious, that He does whatever He wants whenever He wants. This is so not true, and in fact cannot be substantiated in the New Testament!
John 10:10 The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Why is there an apparent choice, or effort, to be made, if all things that happen are the will of God?
II Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Which is exactly what we’re endeavoring to do in this study!
Romans 9:21 Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11 are not addressed to born-again believers. In these chapters, Paul takes a little “side trip” and addresses himself concerning Jews who were still mentally living in the Old Testament. This is Old Testament scriptural reference (Jeremiah 18:6), and should be understood as such.
God causes death. No He doesn’t. The devil does.
Hebrews 2:14 For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he (Jesus) also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Death is, or can be, good. No it can’t….ever.
I Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
You should belong to and go to Church. (meaning, an organization, or denomination). This is so Old Testament synagoguish! When I’ve been told this (probably 546 times in the last 35 years), I usually ask, “Please show me in the Bible where God wants me to go to Church?” Not a single person ever has. In fact:
Ephesians 2:22 In whom (the Lord Jesus Christ) you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.
God dwells in His people. Wherever people can be most at ease, most able to just be themselves…..that is where good “church” is going to be. Mealtimes can be intensely spiritually edifying; or sitting in a living room! God dwells in His people! Wherever they are, however impromptu is their meeting.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Our fellowship with and experience of God and His son, Jesus Christ, is always intensely personal. Jesus may have been in the middle of crowds, but he was always aware of the individuals around him. Remember, Jesus came to display the true God. What Jesus did, how he lived and ministered, that is the true nature of God.
Now the truth is that you certainly can experience God in a church building (or not), and even have great (or not so great) fellowship with other believers there . You can hear from God (or Satan) and learn spiritual truths (or error) there. But you can be anywhere and have these things happen.
We need to be conscious of our sinfulness, and continually repent. No we don’t. The New Testament says that confession of Jesus as Lord is required. Believing that he is the son of God is required. Believing God raised him from the dead is required. Because he dealt, once and for all time, with our sin….so that we never have to.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
God judges us by our behavior. No, God judges us by our faith in Christ.
Hebrews 10:14-18 For by one offering He (God) has perfected forever those who are sanctified. Of which the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us; for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these (sins and iniquities) is, there is no more offering for sin.
Romans 1:17b as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
We need to invite God into our presence. No we don’t. Once there, he’s always there. Once born of God, we cannot become unborn. The only thing left to do is learn to walk in the rights, privileges and power of our sonship!
Ephesians 1:13, 14 In whom (Christ) you also hoped, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.
We’re sealed with Holy Spirit, God’s very nature and presence. It’s always in us.
We should obey the 10 Commandments.
Galatians 3:24, 25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster until Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Walking by the 10 Commandments means not walking in the completed work of Jesus Christ. You can keep the 10 Commandments, yet never walk in love. If you walk in the love of Christ, you will (super) naturally do those things contained in the law.
We shouldn’t ask too many questions. We should just accept it (whatever our church or pastor says) by faith. Whaaat??? God is not threatened by your questions. Only unspiritual people are. See II Timothy 2:15 above!
Communion is required. Water Baptism is required. Church attendance is required. None of the above. See Romans 10:4 above.
Well, the above are some, but not all, of the dark doctrines of the Christian Church, which are founded and propagated by the darkness and lack of understanding of the Old Testament. There are others…..all unsubstantiated by the truth revealed by Christ. But we are not children of darkness any longer!
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord; walk as children of light;
Colossians 1:13 Who (God) has delivered us from the power (exousia – authority) of darkness, and has transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.
Where all is light, and all is of God. Dwell in Christ every moment of every day, and enjoy the fullness, the very good pleasure of God. Live the most amazing, spontaneous, fulfilled life that can be lived. Dwell in all the goodness of the revealed Father of Jesus Christ, Who has raised Christ from the dead and made him Lord of all spiritual and physical creation for our benefit. Learn to walk in the inheritance you have as a joint-heir with Christ. It will take an eternity to grow into what we’ve been made to be by God Himself, so enjoy your journey!
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See other studies:
The Faith of Christ has Come!
How Do We Get Faith? ….. God GIVES It To Us
Dead to the Law
The Law of God
The God of Death – Part 1
The God of Death – Part 2
Does God Kill People?
I’ve believed as you’ve written for quite some time, but to have it all spelled out so clearly with scriptural references was a beautiful blessing to read! Thank you!
We were recently discussing the verse John 10:10 and the idea that the devil has the power to kill, but does it say he is the only one who uses that power? The full verse, though, clearly is contrasting him with God and life and then Hebrews 2:14 backs up the idea of the devil having the power of death.
The reference to II Samuel 14:1 should be II Samuel 24:1 instead.
Thanks Chris. It’s corrected.