Several years ago, I wrote an article on a biblical topic that had been examined and explained by many experts in the field before. My article received very favorable comments; although there was one commenter who took issue with the fact that I had not studied Hebrew or Greek, therefore I had no authority to write on the topic. This type of response is typical when the responder cannot refute the substance in an article, then they resort to attacking the author’s lack of credibility or authority to even express an opinion. I told him I didn’t need to learn Hebrew and Greek because I used two or three reliable translations of the Bible, translated by Hebrew and Greek scholars.
As I considered the historical accuracy of the experts in theological disciplines, I observed a pattern of failure of purpose. Theology literally means the study of God. First, we need to find truthful information that accurately reveals God’s intellect, at least as much of it as He has been pleased to share.
God is Holy Consciousness (Holy Word). Their form is spirit in its nature, they are Father (Eternal Most High), Mother (Holy Spirit) and Son (Son of the Most High and Holy Spirit), who changed His spiritual body for flesh and blood when He was born of a woman. He became a Son of Man.
God’s spiritual body is not what makes Him God, it is what is in His intellect that makes Him God. God’s intellect contains truth and nothing else.
“In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” (John 1;1-2 JB)
There are two groups of people in this world, people who believe in a higher spiritual power or consciousness and those who do not. Each group has subgroups. These subgroups have come about because of differences of opinion that have developed within each group. A developing subgroup has its own set of experts/leaders.
Words (information) have the power to unite or divide people. Individuals or groups who manage this information do so to control those that have accepted it. Truth is singular and absolute. When allowed, truth will unite all who have been scattered by lies. This fact is best described by the lost sheep representation in Matthew 15:12-14. The sheep is lost because it had been scattered when the wolf appeared and scattered the flock. The wolf represents the devil, the source of lies. The hired hand has no concern for the flock, because the one paying him is working for the wolf. It is the word of truth, which is the voice the Good Shepherd that the lost sheep hears and recognizes. A lost sheep has had it with lies and will only respond to the words of truth. This will be explained in detail later.
Lies will first divide then scatter, this is the purpose of lying in the spiritual context. In the beginning there is truth, but surreptitiously the truth was infiltrated and then replaced by lies, and where there once was light the darkness came and then overwhelmed the light. Lies brought about wars, hatred and the caste system. Lies destroyed the knowledge of the true God, allowing high ranking spiritual beings to take for themselves what was not rightfully theirs to have.
Lies are empty words, words that have no value, they are nothing. Truth is light. Lies are darkness. Light and darkness do not interact, nor do they share the same space. Light and Darkness are mutually exclusive. The presence of light and darkness does not bring balance, because truth has substance and lies are an empty void.
Through Him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through Him. All that came to be had life in Him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower. The Word was the true Light that enlightens all men (John 1:3-5,9) JB
“How dare you say: We are wise and we possess the Law of Yahweh? But look how it has been falsified by the lying pen of the scribes! The wise shall be shamed, caught out, confounded. Look how they have rejected the word of Yahweh! So what use is their wisdom to them? (Jeremiah 8:8-9) JB
Lies Create and sustain a method of practice creating a false reality. This false reality is darkness, the absence of light is the absence of truth. The prophet Jeremiah was speaking to the experts on the Law of Yahweh (the chief priests and scribes), informing them that Yahweh knew what had been done, they had replaced the truth with lies, or more appropriately, the Word of God was replaced by lying words from the devil.
The authorities throughout history, with rare exception, have a well-established pattern of being on the wrong side when challenged by the truth. What a student learns can only be what their teacher has learned, because that is all that the teacher knows. It is the established faculty of an institution of higher learning that gives the authority to a teacher to teach. If the bulk of what is learned is lies, then of what is the use is this knowledge. Authority to teach is granted by the source of the words being taught. The source of all truth is God. The source of all lies is Satan. Knowledge built with truth that is then applied through true understanding, demonstrates true wisdom. Knowledge built with lies and applied with false understanding demonstrates empty wisdom. Empty wisdom is foolishness.
One very good example of the danger of relying only on expert authority is when the Son of God had come to earth to testify on behalf of the truth, and to teach His disciples what they needed to know to teach others who would listen.
Frequently the Son of God was challenged concerning the substance of His teaching. His authority to teach was constantly challenged. He told them He had received authority to teach from His Father, whom they said was their God and the author of their Law. The Law had been given to Moses on Mount Horeb in the wilderness. They claimed they had received authority from their “fathers” to enforce the dictates of the Law. They claimed that it was the Law that gave them the authority to condemn Him to death. The same Law that foretold of the coming of the anointed One was being used to condemn Him to death. This is how empty wisdom is performed. The Son of God presented evidence to testify to the authority He had received from God, the astounding works of wonder He frequently performed were proof supporting His claims.
The Son of God taught that there were different classifications of sheep. using sheep as representation for people. These classifications are found in John 10:7-18. The classifications are three: My Sheep, Not My sheep, and Lost Sheep. He also said He had other sheep that were not currently of “this” fold, and these He had to lead as well.
God’s kingdom is represented by the sheepfold. Those who were previously called to be His sheep ignored His voice, the voice of the Good Shepherd. Taking into consideration the two parables of the vineyard and the invitations to the marriage feast, the sheep of the fold were the children of Israel, and the “other” sheep were the nations. The sheep of this fold had generally ignored the voice of the Good Shepherd, as witnessed by the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-46). At the conclusion of this parable the Messiah asks the chief priests and the scribes what should be done to the wicked tenants. They said He should bring those wretches to a wretched end and rent the vineyard to other tenants. The parable of the wedding feast described a King who had invited guests to attend the wedding feast for His Son, but they could not be bothered. So, He invited anyone and everyone.
The Good Shepherd is the Son of God. His voice is speaks only truth, His testimony confirms truth. His testimony is the truth. His sole purpose for being born and coming into this world, was to testify to the truth. His sheep are the people of His kingdom that recognize the truth and follow it into the sheepfold/kingdom. Those who are not His sheep refuse to listen to the truth, believing it to be a lie. These sheep prefer lies over truth. The Good Shepherd said “I lay down My life for My sheep.” Therefore, if you are not His sheep your debt of death remains unpaid. I know this sounds crass, but you can read this for yourself. He told the leading theologians to their faces, “Why do you not hear what I am saying, it is because you are not my sheep.” When He says I lay down My life for My sheep He excludes those who are not His sheep. The truth is the determining factor in eternal life, because it determines whether or not you are one of His sheep.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you know what the Son of God taught, because what is being taught in the churches today is no more true than what was being taught in Jesus’ day. The experts have always managed to get it wrong and they have always managed to keep this error from their congregations. If what you believe to be true is not what the Son of God taught, it is not the truth.
Remember, many pious religious authorities have led their sheep to slaughter. Remember what happened to the northern kingdom Israel, and what followed shortly thereafter by the southern kingdom Judah? The same mistakes were made by the same pious authorities of the Law concerning their Messiah. He turned out not to be who they wanted, because He was not like them.
“Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchers of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, ‘We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day’. So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.” (Matthew 23:29-32) JB
Many times I have heard said words like these; If I had been in the Garden, I would never have eaten from that tree. If I had been alive at the time of Noah, I would have been on the Ark. If I would have been alive with the Israelites in the wilderness, I would not have worshipped the golden calf. If I were alive at the time of Jesus’ ministry, I would have been a faithful follower. I would not have abandoned Him when He was arrested, or when He hung on the cross. This are the exact same words the religious authorities were saying to Jesus, yet they could not think of anything else but how they were going to kill their Messiah. The sad part is that they honestly believed they were acting on God’s behalf. Never underestimate the power of a lie. There is no greater fraud than to believe you are completely right when you are certainly wrong. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
There are many cases where top scientists have been wrong and demonstrated they are wrong, but still refuse to acknowledge the fact. Pastors, MD’s, PHD’s, MD’s and a multitude of professors offer the same response to irrefutable evidence exposing the fallacies in their “facts”.
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because My choice withdrew you from the world therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on My account that they will do all this because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come, if I had not spoken to them, they would have been blameless; but as it is they have no excuse for their sin”. (John 15:18-22) JB
The Son of the Father came from the heavens to this earth. He entered this world as have all, born of a human woman. The reason He did this was so we would have the exact words of His Father as a reference, which gives eternal life. You may say, “But how can we be sure that the words are His, not some translator’s translation of them? And why did He say the world would hate those of His disciples, because it hated Him first?” In a world ruled through the clever use of lies, the one who knows the truth and speaks it, he is the enemy.
Yes, as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from My mouth does not return to Me empty, without carrying out My will and succeeding in what it was sent to do. (Isaiah 55:10-11) JB
There are any number of excuses one might use to explain why they choose to continue in the way they have chosen, they may say the words in the Bible are copies of copies of copies. So consider the God who created the universe and everything in it. Consider the God who says that His words will not return to Him without accomplishing the purpose for which they were sent. Who are we too infer that God is not trustworthy, and that He would give us false information and false hope?
Do not think it will be any different in the end of days than it was in the day that the Messiah walked among men. The only difference this time is that the whole world has been invited to enter the kingdom of God (the marriage feast). Do not think that the truth will be widespread and thoroughly understood. It will be the same as it was the first time He came. Do not look too mainstream theologians working in mainstream denominations or any of the churches for truth, because the truth is not in them. How do I know?
He put another parable before them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32) JB
While you were gazing, a stone broke away, untouched by any hand, and struck the statue, struck its feet of iron and earthenware and shattered them. (Daniel 2:33) JB
In the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever—just as you saw the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what is to take place. The dream is true the interpretation exact.” (Daniel 2:44-45) JB
‘“So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your Master is coming. You may be quite sure of this that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42-43
“”What sort of servant, then, is faithful and wise enough for the Master to place him over His household to give them their food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his Master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you solemnly, He will place him over everything he owns. (Matthew 24:45-47) JB
These texts all describe how the kingdom of God begins. It is very small, the size of a grain of mustard seed. A stone that cuts itself out of the slab in the quarry. It is onne individual, the “head of the household” of God, who if he proves faithful and wise enough and faithfully carries out his purpose, will be placed over everything God owns. These texts also say that this tiny but significant beginning will ultimately fill the whole earth.
What we know about the kingdom of God is this; it starts with one person who “feeds” his fellow servants the truth, the testimony of the Son of Man. His Master returns to find him awake and teaching his fellow servants. The message this person is delivering is widely rejected by mainstream churches and religions. Lies cause confusion in the presence of truth. No better demonstration of this was given by John the Baptist when he sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the Messiah they had all been waiting for. John the Baptist was the one who was preparing the way for the Messiah, and he had doubts (see Matthew 11:2-3).
As the three disciples were walking down from the mountain, where they had just seen Moses and Elijah. (Matthew 17:9-13) JB, Jesus gave them this order, “Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.” And then the disciples asked Him this question, “Why do the scribes say then that Elijah has to come first?” “True;” He replied, “Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognize him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.” The disciples understood then that He had been speaking of John the Baptist.
According to this response we know they are two Elijah type prophets. The first was John the Baptist, but he did not know who he was. This was the cause of confusion among the disciples of Jesus and the people, and John the Baptist himself (see John 1:21). The second would appear in the end of days and he would accomplish the restoration of truth and the establishment of the kingdom of God. This is another proof that the “faithful and wise” servant is one person, not several diverse individuals around the world.
What should be our expectation for the end of days? There will be one person sharing the truth with as many others as will listen. This will not be found in any church or religious organization or institution. Just as it was for John the Baptist, the message of the Faithful and Wise servant will have a message that will be challenged and discredited by mainstream theologians. The world may be intrigued by the message and many will accept it. The result is that from its humble beginnings it will ultimately defeat the kingdoms of the world ruled by Satan. It will fill the whole earth. Just as the Son of God told His disciples on the way down from the mount of transfiguration, the Elijah who is coming will put everything back in order, as it was in the beginning.
The harvest time is coming and is now here. Are the words in your intellect the words of the Son of Man/Son of God? The Good Shepherd is calling, do you recognize His voice?
“I, the light, have come into the world, so that whoever believes in Me need not stay in the dark anymore. If anyone hears My words and does not keep them faithfully, it is not I who shall condemn him, since I have come not to condemn the world, but to save the world: he who rejects Me and refuses My words has his judge already; the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. For what I have spoken does not come from Myself; no, what I was to say what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent Me, and I know that His commands mean eternal life. And therefore, what the Father has told Me is what I speak.” (John 12:46-50) JB
The Good Shepherd leads His sheep. His sheep recognize the voice of truth and follow the truth to the kingdom and eternal life.
“I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) JB
Follow the Word to the kingdom and receive eternal life.
Rick Sterling
Executive Director
Spirit of Truth Ministry