Bible Study at Surabaya - Monday, March 05, 2007

Previously we have conferred around Jude 1:2, which speaks of greeting. From the teaching word’s point of view, the greeting is not a mere lip service, but preface of the teaching word. Therefore, we should be careful not to play or change it to anticipate the content of teaching word being changed as well.

Based on structure of Tabernacle, the epistle Jude refers to covering of badger skins – the fourth and uppermost covering of Tabernacle – which signifies the protection and attention of God towards the true Church, as well as separation from false Churches.

Here are the signs of the true Church:

1. Jude 1:3
   3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
   Contending earnestly for the faith / not failing from the faith until Jesus returns for the second time.
2. Jude 1:9
   9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
   Hoping in the Lord alone.
   Angel Michael is the angel of war/skillful in war but as he disputed about the body of Moses, he did not trust in his own strength and simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Thus, the true Church hopes in nothing or none, but in Christ alone.
3. Jude 1:20-25
   20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
   21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
   22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
   23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
   24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
   25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
   Keeping / having the love of God.

Thus, Jude 1:3, 9, 20-25 speak of the signs of the true Church, while other verses are of false Churches.
In short, the signs of true Church are below:

• Contending earnestly for the faith (verse 3)
• Hoping in the Lord only (verse 9)
• Keeping/having the love of God (verse 21)

How to contend earnestly for the faith? (we learn from the epistle of James which points to faith)

1. James 1:19-20
   19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
   20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
   Being swift to hear the word of God.
   Romans 10:17
   17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Indonesian: firman Kristus the word of Christ).
   Faith comes by hearing by the word of Christ. Christ means the One who is anointed. So, the word of Christ is the word anointed by Holy Spirit.
   What does “being swift to hear the word of God” mean?
   Hebrews 5:11-13
   11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
   12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
   13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
   Milk denotes the word of gospel while solid food refers to teaching word.
   Some become dull of hearing, whereas God wills us to be swift to hear His word for the faith’s being contended. In short, being swift to hear the word of God means being able to hear teaching word / solid food / the word which is sharper than any two-edged sword.
   “For by this time” has the same meaning as this question: how long have we become Christians? If there is no teaching word at church, but the word of gospel only, the Church must spiritually become dull and remain children. It looks nice to drink milk: pleasant, fresh, and quick. Nonetheless, it is dangerous to drink milk continuously, since children are quickly tossed and fro and carried about with false teachings (Ephesians 4). In such a condition, they will fail from the faith.
   Ephesians 4:14
   14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
   If we do not want to hear the teaching word just because of the preaching takes much time also with hard word, we will spiritually remain children who are:
   • easily tossed to and fro and carried about with false teachings
   • easily deceived by false pastors and workers
     Above all, we must fail from the faith just like a sinking ship tossed by the wind and waves. The only way to contend earnestly for the faith is to be swift to hear the teaching word. It is a must that we have to be swift to hear the teaching word for Jesus’ coming is drawing near.
   (be swift to hear = be able to hear the teaching word)
   The way we hear teaching word is important that is to say in the anointing of Holy Spirit, see that the word of Christ means the word in anointing of Holy Spirit. We hear the word not with our intelligence but with the anointing of Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must pray seriously that both preacher and hearer of the word are in the anointing of Holy Spirit. Hearing the word in anointing of Holy Spirit is like a baby needing milk/we feel hungry and need rice to eat. In such condition, we hear the word not because of habit or duty. Besides, we will never be boring.
   We eat rice three times a day but never feel bored because we need it. I then wonder why people at church always want different preachers at each service to avoid boredom. Such infringes on the Lord’s law, saying: the loaves of bread are mad new every Sabbath, not the priest. This is also introspection for pastor to have the new revealed word always. Very often the Church get bored of hearing the word of God because they hear it as a habit/duty, not as a need.
   By hearing the word under the anointing of Holy Spirit:
   • we can concentrate and not disturbed by anything
   • we can hear the word well although we are not clever enough because Holy Spirit gives us ability to understand
   • we hear the word as our need.
     As a result, we understand and the word is written on our foreheads, so that antichrist cannot seal the triple six on our foreheads.
   How do we know if we understand the word / the word is sealed on our foreheads?
   James 1:19-20
   19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
   20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
   • Being slow to speak = thinking over the words that we would say with the word of God, whether they are along with the word of God or not. It does not mean an impediment but we do not say vain words in our lives.
   • Being slow to wrath; meaning:
     • restraining emotion
     • not complaining and disputing
       Faith becomes weak as we speak vain words and lies (not being slow to speak), and salvation goes far away if we are swift to wrath.
2. Believing in / being sure of the word
   The word of God is not enough to be written on the forehead only, but also in heart; otherwise, it will become knowledge causing disputes. Thus, we must understand as well as believe in the word, which means the word is written in heart and becomes faith.
   James 1:21
   21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
   To believe in the word of God, we must have a meek heart, which is free from all filthiness (“lay aside all filthiness”). Such a heart is anointed by Holy Spirit.
   A filthy heart cannot receive the word. Jesus is Perfect and so is His Anointing, and He could not speak with emotion. Nonetheless, the scribes by no means could receive the word of God, even always disputed what Jesus said because their hearts were full of filthiness (envy, etc). The meek heart is as good ground of heart in which the word is planted to become faith. We must keep it carefully from filthiness.
   In the parable of a sower, the seed sowed fell on some places:
   stony places, connoting the hard heart full of revenge, envy, bitterness, and wickedness. It is hard to sow and grow seed on such places.
   ground with thorns refers to doubtful and worried heart. For instance, a student does not go to church because he chooses to study at home to prepare a test. It is because of anxiety causing unbelief to the word of God “seeking first the kingdom of God” that says we must prioritize service to God more than other things. It does not mean that students may not study because they depend on God’s help. It can not be so because we must have heart that believes in the word through our sacrifice, i.e. the students does not take a nap but study in order to commit service in the evening. Do not become doubtful or double-minded (with saying: Is the word of God true or false?) I often say to the servants of God who think it will be great if the receive many teachings that receiving many teachings will make doubt, not great thing.
   wayside, implying no concentration to hear the word of God, no faith, and no salvation.
   Although there are great wonders, we will not believe them if we do not believe and be sure of the word.
   Luke 16:29-31
   29 "Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
   30 "And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
   31 "But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’"
   It is all about the heart; as long as the heart is like stony places or wayside, or filled with thorns, he will not be persuaded though one rises from the dead.
   Thus, we have to keep our faith carefully through hearing the word of God under Holy Spirit as our need until we understand, believe, and be sure by a meek heart, which is free from filthiness and anointed with the Holy Spirit.
   Students of Lempin-El, you must keep two main things below:
   • Do not become as Ruben, who is unclean. You cannot have relationship in love with other students in Lempin-El, otherwise you cannot hear the word carefully nor believe in it.
   • Do not become as Simeon and Levi, who fought with sword and killed others because of revenge/envy, otherwise you cannot hear the word carefully nor believe in it.
   The implanted word in a meek heart will bring forth these fruits:
   • salvation (James 1:21), which is determined by the way we hear the word.
     (1) delivered from terror strikes, disasters, etc.
     (2) not destroyed
   • patience
     Luke 8:15
     15 "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
     Salvation and patience are one; meaning that a Christian brought to salvation must have patience. Yet if he is not patient, his salvation is questioned.
   The good ground / meek heart is able to accept and believe the hard teaching word, so that the word becomes faith bringing forth salvation and patience.
   Acts 2:41-42
   41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
   42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
   Verse 41 is about salvation of baptism of water (we are saved and not destroyed in God’s wrath).
   Verse 42 is about patience.
   The apostles formerly continued steadfastly in fellowship, in doctrine, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. This means to us three kinds of main services as follows:
   • patience in fellowship = patience in General/Sunday Service (picture at http://gptkk.org/pelita-en.php)
   • patience in doctrine and in the breaking of bread = patience in Bible Study Service and Holy Communion (http://gptkk.org/mrs-en.php)
   • patience in prayers = patience in Pray and Worship Service (http://gptkk.org/dupa-en.php)
   If we see Tabernacle, those three kinds of patience refer to Holy Place on which God has set coverings. So, we must be saved/covered as long as we continue steadfastly in the three main services (being shepherded).
   Our patience (Holy Place) is leading us to perfection (the Most Holy Place).
   If we hear the word of God carefully, we must bear fruit. If we do not hear it carefully, we will not bear fruit and our heart will be dirty because of many stones and thorns also wayside heart. For example, a man writes a letter to his friend, hearing the word of God. He will not bear fruit because he does not believe in the word nor have salvation.
   Provided we listen to the word carefully, we will bring forth the fruit of salvation and be delivered from any kind of dangers, also the fruit of patience until it has its perfect work that God may be pleased.
   James 1:4
   4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
   The fruit of our patience will have its perfect work, so that we will lack nothing, being covered in the abundance of God’s attention and protection. The word “abundance” means thanksgiving (we are able to give thanks to God), not billions of money. This is the perfect work of patience.
   Another perfect work is: we become as perfect as Jesus is, without spot and blemish (= entering into the Most Holy Place)
3. Practicing the word
   James 1:22
   22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
   Practicing the word is as follows:
   • Being swift to hear the teaching word although it is hard teaching and takes long time.
   • Believing and being sure to the word
   • Obeying the word
   It is our fighting to keep faith.
   Both preachers and hearers must practice the word; or else, they deceive themselves, since they hear of the word “A” but they do “B”, they preach “A” but behave “B”. As written in 1 John, those who deceive themselves do not confess their sins and consider themselves true. There is no truth in such.
   1 John 1:8
   8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
   Truth is the word of God. Thus, those not practicing the word do not have the truth of the word, but self-truth. For instance, if I suggest you to sacrifice, but I myself do not sacrifice, it means that I deceive myself. Therefore, we must beware of self-truth, which is symbolized as leprosy. Just like a leper live in isolation and sorrows, so do people with self-truth.
   A man practicing the word will quickly realize and confess his mistakes/sins and God will certainly forgive and justify him. Self-truth motivates men to regard themselves true although they have sinned, even blame the others.
   Besides, a man practicing the word will have works of faith until his faith is made perfect/permanent.
   In short, practicing the word is as follows:
   • Being swift to hear the teaching word although it is hard teaching and takes long time.
   • Believing and being sure to the word
   • Obeying the word

The perfect faith is in Tabernacle symbolized the golden pot that had the manna.

James 2:21-22
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

We will fail from the faith if we do not practice the word of God, but none can bring a charge against the perfect faith.
Thus, this is the true Church: laboring to contend earnestly for the perfect faith.

Below are the role models of the works of faith:

• Abraham, representing the Israelites
  That Abraham offered Isaac signifies we should give anything that God asks – even if we have to suffer. You can imagine how Abraham received a promise to get a son from Sarah’s womb after twenty five years. He was joyful after getting the son but God asked the son back. Abraham had to suffer in all aspects we can see when he brought his son to the mountain and his son asked where the Lamb was. Nevertheless, Abraham had to undergo it because God asked the precious thing he had. Now, God asks our sins and we have to give them to Him. If Isaac, Abraham’s precious son was given, we have to give Him our sins. Whatever we give to God in fleshly suffering has an obvious direction toward the building of Christ’s body.
  2 Chronicles 3:1
  1 Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
  Mount Moriah was the place where Abraham would offer Isaac and where Solomon built the house of the Lord (denoting the Body of Christ). It means if we are willing to offer what God asks through His word (not men’s voice), we are being built to be the Body of Christ and there comes Jehovah Jireh – God provides everything that we need. Instead of Isaac, a ram was provided to be offered to God.
  Genesis 22:10-14
  10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
  11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."
  12 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
  13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
  14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The–LORD–Will–Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided."
  We should give everything that God asks through His word and should not be worried, for God is very much responsible. Our pride offered (just like Isaac as the only son and the pride of Abraham) will not go away, since our God is Jehovah Jireh, the Provider.
• Rahab, representing the Gentiles
  James 2:25
  25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
  Rahab was a harlot; spiritually meaning: the life of Gentiles is only intended for the forming of the body of Babylon / the great harlot in her perfect uncleanness / perdition. For that reason, the Gentiles have to hear the word of God like Rahab did (Joshua). It shows faith and the work of faith.

Rahab received two spies in her house. If the king or inhabitants of Jericho had known what Rahab did, she would have been killed and it should have worried her (since worry is the nature of Gentiles – Matthew), but she did not worry even about her life.

Abraham deeply suffered to offer Isaac, but he ignored his feeling. And so did Rahab; she received the two spies without doubt although she had to sacrifice her life for the work of God.
What is the work of God? See that Israelites would go to Canaan through Jericho, Canaan points to the revival of Holy Spirit at the last time for which we may not worried although giving our soul. This is Gentiles’ work of faith.
As a result, Rahab received a line of scarlet cord.

Joshua 2:18-19
18 "unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household to your own home.
19 "So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him.

Abraham was willing to give whatever God asked him although he suffered and he met Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides non-existent thing. He blessed Abraham.
Rahab did not worry about her life for the revival of the Body of Christ, so that she obtained the line of scarlet cord. Scarlet is red and points to the Blood of Jesus. Thus, Rahab received the Blood of Jesus saving her and all her household.
“goes outside the doors of your house” = undo the line of scarlet cord

Everything that we offer is incomparable to our salvation. Therefore, we as Gentiles should not be in doubt and worry to join in the forming of the Body of Christ. If you are stirred, do not keep in silence or make a distance of it because of worries. None of the world can be compared with the line of scarlet cord/the blood of Jesus.
Rahab obtained the line of scarlet cord / the Blood of Jesus; meaning as follows:

• She and all her household were saved.
• The Blood of Jesus unites the Gentiles with the Israelites that both become one perfect body.

  Ephesians 2:13-16
  13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
  14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
  15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
  16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Verse 11 is about Gentile, who is uncircumcised also a harlot but the Lord wants to save even perfect through Jesus’ blood. We have the line of scarlet cord/salvation. With the work of faith through hearing, understanding, believing and practicing the word. It is amazing that we can enter into the revival of Holy Spirit at the last time without any anxiety although sacrificing our soul because there is the line of scarlet cord saving us and our family.

If any of our family is far off as Rahab who once was a harlot, there is still a hope for salvation provided s/he is willing to accept the scarlet cord.
Students of Lempin-El must take heed this matter. If only you are saved among your family, you must be serious in Lempin-El. Remember your family, you must hold the line of scarlet cord as Rahab and bring it to the door of your house to save your whole family.
Not only saved, we are also united with the Israelites to become one perfect body / the Bride of God. That a harlot is made the Bride of God is just because of the scarlet cord / the Blood of Jesus.

Now, no matter whatever condition we have, although as an unclean harlot, in failure, we have the line of scarlet cord if we have faith and the work of faith. God is able to change us become His Bride.

I beg your pardon if it sounds not good but I want to show how great and deep the meaning of the line of scarlet cord/Jesus’ blood/Holy Communion is. It can change us from harlot becomes God’ Bride.

What is the proof of being God’s Bride, not a harlot anymore?
As Gentiles, we are only harlots like Rahab going toward Babel but now we are God’s Bride to be because of Jesus’ blood/our work of faith. In such condition, we have relationship only with one man/husband. You can see that a harlot hopes many men. She will get more money from many men.
On the contrary, we have been washed by Jesus’ blood to hope in One Man, i.e. Jesus the heavenly Bridegroom. We have relationship with Him as the Head/Husband - we are His body/wife – not with other men. We may not hope others from the world. The relationship between one body/wife with one Head/Jesus the heavenly Bridegroom is in worship. Let us worship Him more now for it proves that we are prepared to become His bride having relationship with One Man only.
Worship is to connect body with the Head; one body with One Head / a bride with a groom. Only Jesus the Groom is our hope, especially for widows. For old ladies who are widowers, you have obvious chance to hope in Jesus, the Husband/heavenly Bridegroom.

Ephesians 5:28-30
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

We worship and hope Jesus the Groom alone because:

• “I am not a harlot anymore.”
• “I do not trust any man in the world.”
• “I may receive salary but it is not what I want, as You are my only hope.”
  By the above confession, Jesus as the Responsible Head will surely nourish and cherish us.

The words “nourish and cherish” gives us details as follows:

• to feed; the Lord fed Israelites in the wilderness with manna.
• to protect carefully; the Lord protected the Israelites from beasts very carefully.
• to care with love

So husbands ought to love their own wives by feeding, protecting carefully, and caring them with love. Jesus has shown His genuine love until He gave Himself to die in Golgotha, which means the Place of a Skull. Jesus did it all to prove Himself the Responsible Husband/Head nourishing and cherishing us unto death.
As it is written, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings...” so we are like chicks; neither feeding nor protecting ourselves, while birds and snakes are ready to devour us.

Luke 13:34
34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

We live no more than chicks that:

• cannot seek food
• need protection
• need warmth; just like wives need their own husbands and chicks need their mother.

Seeing that, we nowadays have to hold the scarlet cord and only hope God. Show our powerlessness and God will stretch forth His Hands to help us!

Matthew 1:1, 5, 16
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
5 Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse,
16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.

Abraham and Rahab were of the genealogy of Jesus Christ; meaning Abraham and Rahab, by their faith and the work of faith, could welcome Jesus’ first coming. This means to the gentile Churches (including us): everyone is able to welcome Jesus’ second coming by faith and the works of faith.

The attention and protection of God is now real until the day of His second coming.

Luke 18:8
8 "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Let us live by faith and the works of faith since we have no strength like a harlot and chicks! God is now ready to help us.
God bless you!