The Gospel of John #46

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By Robert E. Guenther

We are continuing our review of the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, which is continuing the debate on whether or not the rulers should believe that this man Jesus is indeed the Christ. 

Vs. John 8:7  “So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” These men seem to be relentless in trying to trip up the Lord with questions that they believe He will not be able to answer correctly.

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I Therefore...Beseech You #11

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By Oscar M. Baker

"And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening:  knowing that your Master is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him" (Eph. 6:9). Note that the masters are to do the same things to the servants that the servants do are to do to the masters. Their work is not to be of eye service, as men pleasers. They are to do the will of God from the heart, doing service as unto the Lord, and not as unto man. For whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether bond or free.

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En Tois Epouranios #42

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

A correction from last article #41 = Isaiah 6:9-10 was not quoted three times in the N.T. but is quoted three times in The Scriptures. The final quote in the Biblical time line being by the apostle Paul in Acts 28:26 & 27 (the end of the “Acts period” being at or very close to A.D. 64).

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I Therefore...Beseech You #10

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By Oscar M. Baker

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God" (Eph. 5:20,21). Too many think that prayer is begging for something from God. But thanksgiving should preface all prayer. And be thankful for everything. Can you do that? And how about this submission one to another? Our slogan is all too often, "Me first." We can and should consider our neighbor Christians better than ourselves. How easy, then, to get along.

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The Promise in Eph 3:6 #10

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By Oscar M. Baker

Sealed? Yes, sealed with that holy spirit of promise, Not by, but with. So this promised holy spirit is the seal. A few other names by which it may be known are: everlasting life, the new man, nature, (in Rom. 8, spirit of life, spiritually minded, spirit of God, spirit of Christ, spirit of Him, His spirit, spirit of adoption), and the inward man. The One Who affixes this seal is the Holy Spirit Himself (Eph. 4:30). So then, the Holy Spirit seals us with the holy spirit.

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I Therefore...Beseech You #9

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By Oscar M. Baker

"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.  Be not ye therefore partakers with them" (Eph. 5:6,7). Vain words are like bubbles, they may have all the colors of the rainbow and are very attractive, but it takes little to burst them. All too many are fed on such food. Nothing to it. The children of disobedience follow after such things. We are not to be of them. It is deceit.

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The Promise in Eph 3:6 #9

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By Oscar M. Baker

We have considered the great overthrow, the sin of Adam, and the announcement of the sacrifice which would redeem from all this. But there is a further aspect of this great redemption. Before these mighty events took place, God, knowing the end from the beginning, made a wonderful choice that would directly affect many of Adam’s posterity. To learn of this choice we need to turn once more to the writings of the Apostle Paul. Through him the Holy Spirit tells us in Eph. 1:3,4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us in Him before the overthrow of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

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I Therefore...Beseech You #8

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By Oscar M. Baker

"Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice" (Eph. 4:31). Note what is to be put away. And at the bottom of all this trouble is the little word malice. You just do not like someone. And that is the start of all the other evils. The basic cause of malice is selfishness, the flesh taking over.

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En Tois Epouranios #39

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

Israel has been “lo-ammi” (not My people) for some 1900+ years up to the present day and consequently, as a nation, has not been in service concerning the will and purposes of God since being set aside. In the advancing of our understanding of the context of Eph. 1:11, we must remain aware of this fact. In Acts 28:28 Paul proclaims “Be it known therefore unto you, (the nation of Israel, that the salvation of God, (meaning the Deliverer Himself, the One Who mediates salvation, the Lord Christ Jesus), is sent unto the Gentiles, and they will hear it.” (they will receive salvation and the One Who brings it).

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I Therefore...Beseech You #7

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By Oscar M. Baker

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every mantruth with his neighbor; for we are member one of another" (Eph. 4:25). The margin tells us; that having put away the lie, speak every man truth with his neighbor. The latter part is quoted from Zech. 8:16, where lying is one of the things that God hates. The lie has to do with anything Satan teaches, most of which is based on the lie, the immortality of the soul ("Thou shall not surely die").

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En Tois Epouranios #38

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

We stated in Article #37 that Eph. 1:11 is the most accurately translated that “we were made (and thus we are) The Father’s own personal heritage or inheritance.” This reinforces the fact of how much The Father loves us. For all who have suffered the emotional, mental and/or physical pain of say a much less than ideal family situation, Eph. 1 reveals an eternal heavenly Father literally pouring His heart out with blessings, love and delight towards us filling us with a thorough knowledge of His will so that we can really and honestly say, “it does not matter what I suffer on Earth, if it humbles me, - producing a faith in me (Christ’s faith) which in turn creates a hunger for a complete knowledge of such superb truth!” -- A real experience folks of knowing the love of The Father through His Beloved Son!

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En Tois Epouranios #37

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

As for “the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish & without spot: Who verily was foreordained  before the foundation of the world” (I Pet. 1:19&20); the only other time The Holy Spirit uses this phrase in the entirety of God’s Holy eternal Word is concerning us, our foreordination unto adopted sonship in The Son of The Father’s love that we should be holy and without blame before The Father according to the good pleasure of The Father’s own will (Eph. 1:4&5 reworded). Spiritually speaking, simply phenomenal!!!

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The Promise in Eph 3:6 #6

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By Oscar M. Baker

To Eve, Satan uttered the impious words that revealed once more the arrogant and blasphemous assertion he had once made concerning himself. To appreciate their full force we will set out these statements in the order in which they were uttered. Satan said:

1. Can it be that God said?God's Word (Truth) Denied! (He abode not in the truth).
2. Ye shall not surely die.No death! Yet Satan himself abode in death (1 John 3:14).
3. Ye shall be as God. PossessingDivine Nature Apart From Christ. (I will be like the Most High).
(Isa. 14:14; 2 Thess. 2:4).

This threefold claim by Satan has provided the foundation of all the false doctrines which have since emerged. In the reasoning of fallen man, God is not permitted to reserve to Himself the right to act in judgment, for it is boldly said, "If He is a God of love He will not act contrary to this characteristic!" Thus His truth is denied and men are lulled into a sense of false security by the one in whom the whole world lieth (Gr. 1 John 5:19). Ever since the first utterance of the awful words, "Ye  shall not die" man has sought to convince himself that Satan's lie is the truth. To this end various means have been adopted: the Spiritist's so-called communication with the dead: the kindred Satanic delusion of the non-existence of pain and death and the Mind's ultimate triumph over matter: and finally the creed that affirms that at death a man either goes to a place of bliss or a place of torment! These false ideas contribute to and support The Lie concerning death.

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I Therefore...Beseech You #6

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By Oscar M. Baker

"That ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk" (Eph. 4:17). And how do these other Gentiles walk? In vanity of mind; darkened understanding; alienated from the life of God; in ignorance; blinded hearts. They have become past feeling, and so have given themselves over to lasciviousness: they work uncleanness with greediness. They did not learn this from Christ.

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I Therefore...Beseech You #5

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By Oscar M. Baker

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive"(Eph. 4:14). The composition and the goal of the church of the dispensation of the mystery is such that there can be no place for children, that is, the immature folks.

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The Promise in Eph 3:6 #5

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By Oscar M. Baker

The passages show that Satan at one time occupied the position of King-Priest: "The workmanship of they tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee." (Kingship). "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave and thy viols." (Kingship). "Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth...upon the holy mountain of God." (Priesthood.) He may have typified that office which can now only be fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ, the office of Priest upon His throne.

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En Tois Epouranios #36

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By Michael S. Mecikalski

Seriously considering the creation of the vast universe, the planetary systems, the Earth, the atmosphere, the elements, plant & animal life and the complex miracle of human life; to realize the Creator of all just being on Earth in our form leads one to exclaim in dumbfounded astonishment; “how can that be?!!” I’m sure the apostle John had these thoughts as he testifies in I Jo.1:1&2 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon (meaning gazed at in admiration) and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life; (for the Life was manifested, and we have seen It, and bear witness and shew unto you that Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)” Certainly one of the most tremendous affirmations of witness ever uttered or written; awesome!

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