We have no doubt heard it loftily said that “…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” We are accustomed to believing that we are free – and we are in many ways unconstrained to do what we want, but does this make us really free?

We are free to make choices, but not all choices make us free. There is one Way that does, and many others that do not. Of course it is God’s Way that truly frees us, and Satan’s that truly enslaves us.

When we follow the path that the devil has enticingly put before us, it seems pleasant for a time – this is how he sells the lies that he is pawning. In the end, whether we know it or not, there are dire consequences for choosing these falsehoods. They lead to sorrow, pain, damage, destruction and ultimately in all cases to death. His ultimate goal is to thwart the plan of God any way that he can, and he will stop at nothing to frame his lies as truth.

It is God’s truth and only His Way that can free us from the penalties of sin that we can become bound by in both the short and long term. This is how we are truly made free! We have the opportunity to reap the benefits of this now, as well as qualify to be a part of the Kingdom and the Family of God later.

If we weigh our actions against the commands of the Bible and choose wisely, not only will we be free from sin, but we will be free to enjoy the fruits and blessings that come with doing what is right. Then we can truly stand in the liberty by which Christ can and does make us free (Galatians 5:1).

God’s plan is basic and simple. It does not have difficult complexity to it. God is, and always has been a Family, and His plan is to enlarge His Family through man. To accomplish this, man was created physically with the opportunity to become spirit. Blood is the common element in the human family—it maintains us physically. God’s Spirit sustains us spiritually, with the prospect of eventually inheriting eternal life as a God being and member of the God Family.
 
God’s plan is based on love and maintains ten simple rules, as it were, outlining how to establish a proper relationship with God and our fellow man. These fundamental rules are known today as God’s Ten Commandments. The first four commandments show us how to love God, and the last six commandments teach us how to love our neighbor.
 
Satan invented what he determined to be a better plan. His plan is not based on man’s love for and obedience to the ten rules of a godly relationship with God and man, but it is based on the contrary and destructive principles of get, selfishness and greed. In God’s plan, man was to maintain and embellish the earth. Satan, not willing to obey God, influenced Eve to sin by disobeying God’s instructions, and Adam followed her bad example.
 
Satan has become the god of this world. He has deceived the whole world. His plan is in full-fledged mode today, and what do we see? We see wars, destruction of the environment, murder and mayhem.
 
God wants the earth to be a paradise for man. Satan wants to use the scorched earth approach in an attempt to destroy mankind, and all human flesh. He also wants those of us who are being called now to fail in our calling. He wants us to become disqualified, preventing us from becoming God beings. He also wants to thwart our efforts of proclaiming this gospel or good news of the Kingdom or Family of God. He wants to prevent the gospel from reaching mankind. He does not want anyone to repent, but that all would remain his captives.
 
Which is the better plan? The one, which entails peace and harmony between man and God, and which provides the means for man to eventually become God–or the one, which would lead to the destruction of all flesh and the pollution of our entire earth?
 
The answer is self-evident, and that is part of the reason why it is so important for us to remain focused on and to proclaim the good plan of God, and to go faithfully through doors which God may open for us in this endeavor.

“Never before, in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so MANY to so FEW.”  These words were spoken by the late Sir Winston Churchill, who served Great Britain as prime minister during World War II. He said this in tribute to the pilots and air crew who gave and even lost their lives during the battle for the defence of the British Isles. These men and some woman were the “FEW.”

With “THE MANY,” Churchill referred to the main populace of the British Isles, and the generations that would follow, who were allowed to enjoy their inherited physical blessings and freedoms a little while longer.

Winston Churchill also spoke of  “THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT.” What did he mean by that? He was a noted and respected historian. He is author of the major work, “History Of The English Speaking Peoples” – written in four volumes. He was very familiar with the many HUMAN CONFLICTS and wars that involved the birthright peoples of the British Isles.

It may be interesting to apply his words to our Christian warfare. Many times in God’s Word, parables and analogies are used to help us understand something important. And so, Jesus referred to His people as “the little flock.”  That is how it has been down through the eras of Church history. Compared to the main populace of this world who have not yet been called, we are the “FEW.”

As Christians, we are required to do battle in the field of conflict. We refuse to fight against human beings, and we do not fight with tanks, guns and planes, but we are to put on the spiritual armour of God, including His mighty power, to fight against evil spirits in high places. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds.” Our “field of human conflict” is spiritual. The battles are very real and very difficult. Victory requires the protection and power of God, enabling the “FEW” to be winners! 

In God’s great and wonderful plan of salvation, only few are called in this day and age. The “MANY” have not yet been called. They will be given their first opportunity to obtain salvation during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment period. Jesus Christ is the forerunner and perfect example, but He will be assisted by the “few”—the pioneers—who were called in this life and who overcame and qualified for the Kingdom of God. As pilgrims, strangers and foreigners, they had to come out of this world of hate and war and misunderstood “peace” and “freedom.” They had to become living sacrifices, to prepare for the wonderful world tomorrow. Some even lost their lives quite literally in the process. In the future, the “MANY” will realize how much they “OWE” to the FEW—and especially Jesus Christ, the Captain of their salvation. Such indebtedness will “never before” have been so great! 

Even though Winston Churchill spoke merely about physical warfare, with the goal of protecting human life and temporary physical freedom, his words, if rightly applied, can give us great encouragement and motivation to continue in our spiritual battle for eternal life and true and enduring freedom.

As the United States prepares for another presidential campaign in the coming year, hopeful candidates begin to present their plans and ideas for how they can get the country back on track. Whether it has to do with reducing public debt, solving the problem of health care, or creating jobs, the candidates present their answers with an abundance of confidence and hubris. Taken at face value, all of the candidates would appear to solve the country’s troubles, if only elected into the presidential office.
 
It may be a pessimistic prediction, but we can be reasonably sure that whoever will be elected president of the United States next year will not bring about any lasting solutions, and in all likelihood, will cause a further decline in international favor. With prophecy in the equation, the pessimistic prediction becomes a realistic certainty. The Bible makes it clear that man’s answers to his own problems, when God is not in the picture, are doomed to ultimate failure.
 
The only way to escape imminent destruction is through repentance and returning to God. Recall the story of Nineveh, when the city repented in a comprehensive manner, directed from the leadership (compare Jonah 3:5-8). At that time, the disobedience of the people in that city aroused the anger in God, who threatened to destroy it.  However, after hearing about the prophesied destruction that would come upon them, the inhabitants took it to heart and changed. As a result, God too changed His mind. Jonah 3:10 reads, “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”
 
Can you imagine any secular politician campaigning on a platform of returning to the one true God and His laws? Can you imagine a candidate presenting the simple act of repentance of our sins as the solution to the country’s problems? To say the least, it is far-fetched to even conceive of that happening. And even those who may occasionally speak of God and the Bible and our “Judeo-Christian heritage” do not represent the true God, nor do they even understand, let alone embrace and live, the timeless laws of the Ten Commandments, statutes and judgments. Instead, as man’s history repeats itself, God’s ways will continue to be rejected in favor of his own solutions (compare Mark 7:9). Yet, repentance is what must happen to turn the direction of our countries and the world around.
 
Sadly, such a turn in direction will not happen with the re-election of the current president of the United States, nor the election of a different one. However, we do know, through the prophecy of the Word of God, that a righteous kingdom will be established on earth. At that time, the hearts of the people living on earth will turn, as they did in Nineveh (compare Malachi 4:6). While we can be sure that the current or a new president of the United States will not take that path, we look forward to the time when God’s kingdom will be established. At that time, Isaiah 9:7 will become a reality:  “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” May that time come quickly.

Jesus Christ was rejected by His nation, by those who were leaders of religion in Judah and even, at first, by His own family. However, there were some whom He chose who came to know that He was indeed the Son of God and Savior of the world!
 
Consider who actually is able to understand this truth:
 
“At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight’” (Matthew 11:25-26; compare 1 Corinthians 1:26-31).
 
As it was in the time of Christ, so it is now—Jesus Christ is being denied and spurned! While nominal Christians appropriate His name, almost none of them are willing to obey Him.
 
In answer to those who falsely assume that they are Christians, Jesus stated:
 
“‘And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”’” (Matthew 7:23).
 
Our calling is one that is intimately and inextricably bound up in obedience to the marvelous laws of God. In fact, the Word of God reveals that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), and it further states concerning those who desire to love the Father and His Son:
 
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
 
Who then really does accept and believe in Jesus Christ? Who can truly say that they know God? Can you—because you are now living a life of obedience to God? Are you rejecting this world and its false god along with deceiving ministers who practice lawlessness? Are you growing in the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit, and are you becoming more and more like Jesus Christ (compare 2 Peter 3:18)?
 
While we should all be firmly grounded in our calling, we, nonetheless, must remain vigilant. Just how thankful are we to be among the precious few who have been called by God Himself to be in the first resurrection—the “better resurrection”—as firstfruits in the Family of God?

In Update #427, dated January 15, 2010, we made reference in our Preaching the Gospel section to a StandingWatch program, which was posted on YouTube, titled, “Never Spank Your Child?” In the program, a British paper, The Telegraph, was quoted, stating in its article of January 3, 2010, that occasional proper spanking of children up to the age of eleven has positive results. This, of course, angered children’s right campaigners.

Recently, a graphic video from 2004 was posted on the Internet, showing a Texas judge beating his 16-year old daughter with a belt for illegally downloading music from the Internet. This sad video was used by many as welcome support for their position that corporal punishment of children is wrong under any circumstance. One “expert” was quoted by Time Magazine (in its November 4, 2011, edition) as saying that spanking is “absolutely not” a good way to deal with misbehavior. He continued: “It does not contribute to positive behavior or development of self-control [in children]. It contributes to aggression — kids spanked are more likely to hit others, both peers and adults. It’s very confusing for kids to be hit by their parents because they think that they’re loved by their parents, yet they’re being hurt by those parents. It’s emotionally conflicting and can result in depression and emotional anxiety.”

This sweeping allegation may only be true, to an extent, if at all, if the spanking of a child is administered wrongfully, without proper motivation, or excessively. However, to say that it is always wrong to spank a child is not only unsupported by the scientific evidence—it also shows how far our Western society has moved away from the clear instructions of God in His inspired Word, the Holy Bible.

In our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families,” we state the following about spanking and corporal punishment:

“There is nothing biblically wrong with punishing a child if the child behaves wrongly and deserves punishment. The punishment must never be excessive, however, but it must be administered in a consequent fashion, as corresponding to, and fitting the infraction. We read that Christ ‘rebukes and chastens’ (Greek, ‘paideuo,’ i.e. educates, trains, disciplines) everyone whom He loves (Revelation 3:19). He does it because He loves us. So we, as parents, must do it because we love our children. But even then, we must never forget to be merciful and forgiving.

“…we have to make it clear to our children what they did wrong. It’s not good to punish them for wrongdoing, without explaining to them what they did and WHY it was wrong… There is never a justification for physical abuse. On the other hand, to totally ban spanking and define it as physical abuse only shows how liberal and anti-biblical our Western society has become… As parents, we must be aware, though, that in certain countries, spanking is illegal, and could result in the authorities coming in and taking away our children. And even in countries where spanking is not illegal, many governmental officials look at such practice with great disfavor…

“Note what the Bible clearly teaches in regard to corporal punishment in Proverbs 13:24, ‘He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who LOVES him disciplines him promptly [or early].’ Since using the rod is compared with prompt or early discipline, it is clear that this passage includes the concept of spanking, where and when appropriate. Of course, we don’t spank a teenager or an adult, so the spanking needs to be done early in the life of the child. But note, again, we discipline our children, because we LOVE them. If we discipline our children for any other reason, or because of any other motive, we do NOT follow God’s instructions. Spanking should never cause physical injury to a child…

“Proverbs 19:18 says, ‘Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.’… The Ryrie Study Bible comments, ‘[D]o not neglect child discipline and thereby bring on your son’s death.’… What is the connection between lack of child discipline and the death of the child? Let’s note Proverbs 22:15, ‘Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.’

“Foolishness, if not overcome, can have terrible consequences. The discipline of a child must be administered by the parents with the desire and motivation to HELP the CHILD to get rid of foolishness. If we get angry with our kids and lock them up in their rooms because we ‘can’t’ deal with them right now, then we have missed the entire point of child rearing. Rather, as concerned parents, we must try to do whatever we can do to see to it that the foolishness in the child disappears…”

The New Testament confirms the principles stated in the book of Proverbs. Christ warned that those who sin knowingly will be punished with many stripes, while those who sin and commit things “worthy of stripes,” without fully understanding what they are doing, will be punished with just a few stripes (compare Luke 12:47-48). And Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:5-8 that God chastens and scourges us when we deserve His punishment, and he asks this question: “…what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (verse 7). In Paul’s mind, appropriate corporal punishment of children was a self-evident, proper way of dealing with unacceptable conduct.

Whom do we want to believe? Do we trust God’s inspired and timeless Word—the Bible—or do we place our confidence in the teachings of self-proclaimed “experts” who are being trained in the ignorant and far-too-often agnostic or atheistic philosophies of this God-defying, Satanically-inspired world? You must answer this for yourself, but remember that “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (compare 1 Corinthians 3:19).

In last week’s Update, there was an item where an article, “A Nightmare Scenario—Europe’s War Against Britain,” was quoted. The newspaper article was prefaced by the comments: “Europe at war 2018, German troops storm Greece. Putin’s tanks crush Latvia. France humbles the British Army. Unlikely, yes, but as Angela Merkel says euro meltdown could endanger peace, a historian’s imagination runs riot…”

In the letters section after the article, there were hundreds who derided the writer for describing such conditions as not being possible. In our comments after the article, we stated: “Even though this is not quite the way it will happen, the Bible clearly predicts a war between continental Europe (under German, not French leadership) and Great Britain, while Russia will flex its muscles in the meantime, ready to strike Europe at an opportune time.”
 
It got me to thinking, once again, that there are a few people who do see dangers connected with the European Union, but generally do so from a purely political and secular viewpoint. Christianity, and anything to do with the Bible has been side-lined, derided and treated with contempt by the intellectual elite which has filtered down to the man in the street. Proof of this is the influence of the writings by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchins and other atheists who have written best-selling books bought by the masses and viewed as unerringly correct. Anything to do with the Bible is now seen as old hat and biblical knowledge is, generally, neither sought, understood, nor respected.  
 
And even when a secular author can see real problems arising in the foreseeable future about the UK, Europe and many other countries, negative comments far outweigh those who can actually visualise trouble ahead. However, we should not be surprised, as many who have known the truth and cast it away don’t seem to recall what was taught by the Church when they were members. Perhaps there are even some faithful Church members today who think that there is plenty of time left, and that world conditions are not as bad as reported.
 
Many people react negatively to any prophecies or statements regarding the end of this age, and scoffers abound (compare 2 Peter 3:3).
 
Jesus talked to the Pharisees and Sadducees about discerning the signs of the times when they didn’t recognise Him at His First Coming. The same principle can be used now to discern the sign of the times today, indicating that the Second Coming cannot be too far away.
 
It is increasingly obvious by all that is happening that Christ’s return is drawing ever nearer. But we mustn’t expect the proclamation of this wonderful news to be met with unbridled joy and excitement. And when secular authors can envisage problems ahead, they too will be sneered at. But it was all prophesied to happen, and we should be encouraged, as we see prophecy being fulfilled on such a regular basis. The time certainly draws near…

At the local coffee house that I frequent, I’ve gotten to know a few of the regulars pretty well.  Recently, one of them had to go through a second bout with his pancreatic cancer, the same type that killed Steve Jobs last month.
 
Because of the nature of this type of cancer, this man’s doctor said that they would continue to administer the chemo for as long as he could stand it.  There was a good chance if they were not able to kill it off this time around, then this may be his last chance to do anything about it.
 
In his early 50’s and in good shape, he was ready and willing to pull out all the stops.  After about eight rounds of treatments (some can only handle two) it was all that he could take.  Now all that was left was to sit and wait and see what the outcome would be.  He didn’t have to wait too long before the doctors gave him a clean bill of health!  He had won his battle.
 
In the course of this ordeal, he lost about a year of his life fighting the disease, racked up bills of nearly $200,000, and lost 10-20% of the feeling in his finger tips.  He considered all of these worthwhile sacrifices, especially in light of the outcome.
 
Now understand, he had no guarantee that he was going to make it through this adversity.  But he felt if he could, then perhaps he would continue to enjoy life for much longer, even as long as his father had, which would be another 30 years.
 
This man endured an incredible trial in order to continue in his gift of physical life, albeit for a fleeting amount of time in the scope of things.  Now think of the assurances that we  have for the future.  What should we be willing to go through for the gift of eternal life in the Family of God? Nothing can compare with that.

I recall about fifty years ago visiting a manufacturing company with two fellow co-workers, where they made nuts and bolts and also chains.

The place was kind of grungy, with dirt floors and poor lighting, and I was somewhat fascinated by the chain maker and went to look at the process for making chains. He was a short rotund man with beads of sweat on his brow. He was standing before a furnace with an opening about twelve by twenty four inches. It had hot coals on the bottom where he was placing links of chain, not yet formed into completed links.

The links were made and shaped out of rods depending on the size of the link, and they had a gap in them. The purpose for the gap was so that when the link was properly heated up, the chain maker could hook it to the existing length of chain he was making and perform the required procedure.

He examined the links in the hot coals till they had the right brightness of glow.  Then he removed them with a metal tong and placed them on the chain that was already completed. He put it in a jig, and struck it with a hammer. This caused the gap to close and the metal to be fused at that point.

If you look at a chain which has been made this way, you will notice midway a part that has a small lip and is a bit bigger than the rest of the chain. That part has been totally fused by the impact of the hammer and the correct temperature of the metal. The molecules are fused together so that there is no difference in the strength of the link where it is fused with any other part of the link. The molecular structure is the same–they are one.

Interestingly, if the link is too hot or if the chain maker strikes too hard with the hammer, the link would flatten and would have to be cut off. If it was too cold, it would not fuse, and it would separate under stress of use. The chain maker knows by experience just when to take the link out of the hot coals and just how hard to strike to make a perfect link, properly fused with the correct strength.

I want to compare this to baptism, or to a person seeking to be baptized. When God’s Holy Spirit is working with such a person, it is like the link in the coals. They are getting hot, but there is a gap there. Before baptism, there is a gap between the mind of God and the human mind.

During the baptism process, placing the person under water is like placing the hot link in the chain. The laying on of hands is akin to the striking of the hammer to initiate the fusion of the link.

Once we receive God’s Spirit, we begin to have a fusion of the minds. Our minds will become more and more like the mind of God the Father and Jesus Christ. The gap will slowly disappear and we will become one with God and Christ (John 17:20-23), which adds more meaning to what Paul said in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…”

It will become more and more a complete mind meld, which will enable us to develop a closer relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ.

A potential candidate for baptism must evaluate him- or herself, and must determine, with the aid of ministerial counseling, when is the best time to proceed with the baptism, since as the saying goes, “Timing is everything.” It is important not to procrastinate unnecessarily or delay baptism, once one is truly ready and practical conditions for a baptism exist. At the same time, it is also important not to rush into baptism, before one is truly ready. Baptism is a life-long commitment, which cannot be reversed.

Once we have the mind of Christ in us, we can better understand God’s Word and spiritual things, and we will appreciate more Peter’s admonition “to arm yourselves also with the same mind,” even in respect to suffering (1 Peter 4:1). Without the Spirit of God in us, it is impossible to accomplish this.

This example of the chain maker can also be applied to other areas in our lives that require some planning and forethought, but it is crucial to bear in mind that when we are ready, we must make decisions quickly and “strike while the iron is hot.”

We have the opportunity to meet once a week and now with the upcoming God-ordained Feast of Tabernacles, we will have the chance to up the ante.  Including the Last Great Day we will be meeting eight days in a row which will give us the occasion to be with like-minded people.

Will we be unified?  Will we all be on the same page spiritually?  If we all have the Holy Spirit of God, then we will be — case closed.

There is ONLY “one body and one Spirit” because there is only “one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).  So if we are of this body and have the same Spirit, then we will all be on the same wavelength.  We will be unified in our approach towards Christianity and one another.  We will all have a similar spiritual personality that will be exemplified in our daily actions and interactions.

In His last prayer before being wrongfully taken into custody, Jesus asked four times on our behalf:

• “…that they may be one as We are,”
• “…that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You,
• “that they also may be one in Us,
• “…that they may be one just as We are one” (John 17:11, 21-22).

For Him to ask this many times when He knew that His physical life was near its end, shows us just how important this was and is.  Do we assign it all due weight today?

As we fellowship with one another, realize that by the Power of God working in and through us, we can be a part of the solution… a part of the answer of this prayer of Jesus Christ.