Bible Studies

 

Part One

No, this is not the present-day war with Iran, but it is an ongoing war that began shortly after the Ascension (Acts 1: 9), during the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, in Jerusalem, Israel, some 2,000 years ago, and will continue on until the Rapture (1Thess 4: 16, 17) takes place.

Earlier, the Commander-in-chief, being the Lord Jesus Christ, made it clear that He, and the Church that He would commission, had not, “...come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt. 10:34),” that would bring conflicts and divisions, even in the closest of human relationships (Matt. 10: 35).

Along the way, this original Army of God, being the Church that God designed, has united itself with various allies such as Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, different Protestant Communities, and non-denominational groups, some being more consistent than others regarding preservation of the unadulterated Gospel Message and the primary objective of the Great Commission.

Where such inconsistencies exist, they are used to the enemy’s advantage.

Maintaining the course and agenda that God established for the Church that He designed has been an internal struggle from the very beginning (Gal. 3: 1), and is only going to get worse as we approach the end of the Age (1Tim. 4: 1).

The devil appreciates all that the Christian Community does, trying to make his world (Luke 4: 6) “a better place to live,” for as long as it lasts, providing the unadulterated Gospel Message and accurate accompanying doctrines are left out of the picture.  

Establishing a productive kingdom, without God or the things of God being in the picture, has been the long-established desire and objective of the devil that originated BEFORE the creation of Man!

The type of “peace on Earth” that had been angelically announced at the First Advent (Luke 2: 14), was not peace between individuals or between nations, but peace between God and the individual members of the human race who would be born again.  

Lasting international peace will not take place until the Second Advent. Until then, there will be wars and rumors of wars (Matt. 24: 6) that “must’ take place.

Trying to live in peace is a noble ambition (Rom. 12: 18), but know that the “blessed (worthy to be praised) peacemakers “ of Matt. 5: 9 are advancing disciples who would spread the unadulterated Gospel Message, providing individuals with the opportunity to establish permanent peace between them and God.  

The devil is not very concerned about an unproductive “followers” of Christ, who have heard the Word (James 1: 22), but do not apply it to themselves or share it with others, to the glory of God.

“…these are the ones who have heard (read, or been taught) the word, but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for OTHER things enter and choke the word, and it (they) become unfruitful (Mark 4: 19 2020NASB parentheses mine),” as opposed to advancing disciples who evangelize or edify scores of others (Mark 4: 20).

The devil would just as soon leave unproductive “Christians” alone, as they pose no threat to his agenda. He may even promote them with prosperity (Luke 4: 6), if that is all it takes to keep them and others distracted and disinterested in pursuing a productive life of discipleship.

Enlisting in the Army of God to participate in the Great Commission is received by the devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil, as a declaration of war. He and they will respond in a like-manner, targeting you in the realm of spiritual warfare, keeping pace with whatever forward progress you might make along the road to spiritual maturity.

This explains why some seem to go about unmolested, whereas other seem to have more than their share of adversity.

No one should want to leave this world before having made peace with God, but the devil will fight tooth and nail to prevent this from happening. Matt. 7: 13, 14 indicates that he has had, is having, and will have considerable success!

The Army of God established a base of operations during the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, in Jerusalem, Israel, around 33-34 AD, after being given its aggressive marching orders of global edification (not political domination), documented in the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20).  

By divine design, Christianity will NOT secure earthly domination until the Second Advent, when the Lord Jesus Christ, as king of kings, and lord of lords, returns and sets up His kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem, where it all began!

In the meantime, the Church that He designed is here to primarily…

“Go, therefore and make disciples of ALL nations…Math. 28: 19.”

A disciple is a born-again believer who becomes a student and applier of the Word of God to ALL that he thinks, says, and does, initially for his or her own spiritual growth, but with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission.

Discipleship has got NOTHING to do with earning or retaining salvation, but has got EVERYTHING to do with executing the post salvation spiritual life.

End of Part One