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Lyall Johnston—May 6, 2023
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Greetings everyone from the Southern Hemisphere on this God's Sabbath Day.
Today I would like to touch on a subject that is very important for us. We are living, as we know, in the end-times. This subject has to do with the world in which we live. It also has to do with what we are to do now that Christ has called us out of this world. God the Father and Jesus Christ are dealing with us as their sons and daughters. How are we walking in this world?
One of God's servants, the Apostle John, and he gives very specific instruction; very clear. What does John mean when he says:
1-John 2:15: "Do not love the world… [Is he talking about cleanliness or something else?] …nor the things that are in the world.… [he narrows it down a little and we need to find out what those things are] …If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
That's a very important statement! It's a very important question for us to ask of ourselves: Do you love the world? As John says, IF we do—and the understanding that John is giving us—the love of the Father is not in us! None of us want to be in that position!
Verse 16: "Because everything that is in the world…[then he describes what he's talking about, 3 things]: …the [#1]lust of the flesh, and [#2]the lust of the eyes, and [#3]the pretentious pride of physical life—is not from the Father, but is from the world."
Do we want to ensure that none of these facts, these items, these things that John has mentioned that we are a part of?
Verse 17: "And the world and its lust is passing away…"
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pretentious pride of life (which is also a lust) are to be recognized. It's a lust that is not only pride but is vanity. That's the one area of life that Satan attacks all the saints of God! Today, he's really having a 'hay day' with the rest of the mankind. Look at the nations, the governments and our organizations and structures of the world.
Do they have the love of God? Or Do we see the lust of the eyes, the flesh and the pretentious pride of the physical life? Yes, we see those things!
What God wants us to do: He's calling us out of that world! So, let's think about it. God has called us out of this world, but are we fully out of the world as part of the Family of God, the children of God?
We find in Rev. 18 an absolutely astounding statement:
Revelation 18:1: "And after these things I [John] saw an angel…"
I don't think any of are aware that we may have seen an angel. We may have in a time of distress or trouble; there may have been an angel there. Many of us have suspected, at times, when there has been an angel presence, because we can't explain what has happened to us in any other way.
We do have guardian angels, and Jesus Christ has His angel as we will see.
"…descending from heaven… [this is in vision] …having great authority…" (v 1).
That's something that God has promised for those who are going to be a part of His born again Family. Right now we're in a stage of gestation in the womb of 'mother' in that sense, the Church, which is the Body of Christ! We will not be born again until the return of Christ. It's that stage when either we are changed from this physical life or we're resurrected from the grave once we hear the words of Christ!
That's when the spiritual re-birth happens! Jesus explained that quite clearly to Nicodemus. But Nicodemus, but he couldn't understand what Jesus meant when He said that you must be born again.
He couldn't understand it because he couldn't imagine an old human being entering again into his mother's womb a second time. But that's not the womb that the Church is in. The brethren—the Christian saints—today are in the womb of the Church awaiting to be born.
All those who have gone before us clear back to Abel, who was a righteous man before God and did that which was pleasing in God's sight, like many other that followed. When I say 'many others' by comparison of the number of human beings who have ever existed on the earth, it's a very small number. Today:
- How many people understand Who God is?
- How many people know God?
- How many people really know Jesus the Christ?
- How many people know about the command to keep the Passover, the Sabbath and the Holy Days?
Those explain God's Plan as recorded in the publication: God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days. {truthofGod.org}
God's Plan is described in the Sabbath and Holy Days, a very important (inaudible) that we need to be well versed with. If you're new, it's a great place to begin with, to understand what God is doing, and what part you can have in the Plan of God.
It has been hidden from mankind and continues to be hidden, unless God the Father calls you. Once He's called you, then there's the responsibility on your shoulders: you must respond to the Father before He can continue with His Plan for your life! His Plan for your life is far greater than anything you could want, think about, meditate on in your own mind. God has revealed it through His Sabbath and the Holy Days!
What is the key day that makes it possible for us to have…? It's the Christian Passover that's kept between the two evenings as the 13th of the 1st month comes to an end and the 14th begins. That's when the Passover lamb was killed in Egypt, and the same day is required today. If you want to keep the Passover of God and Jesus Christ—Who was the supreme sacrifice…. There are still people walking around who have no idea about the Passover and it's significance!
Think back to Egypt, and who are these Israelites coming out of Egypt? If they don't understand the Christian Passover, and we do need to know and read and understand about the Christian Passover.
I heard recently of a group that has been discussing this problem of when the Passover is, and they had three different options. But they didn't know which! If they could only put their hands on The Christian Passover book, it's vital (truthofGod.org); it's the beginning of God's Plan! The whole Bible is really focused on that one event and what took place with Christ and Him crucified!
That is so important! It's the beginning point of our salvation, and the salvation of all mankind. Without that event, without the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, there is no forgiveness of sins! Full stop! Period! End of life with no purpose in living! All the scientist are trying to figure out:
- What's the meaning of life?
- Where are going?
- Why are we here?
Some are wanting to setup civilizations on the moon and Mars. Well, good luck with that! Not going to happen! If that were so, God would have told us. There is no life on other planets so far as we're told. If there were I think God would have something to say about it. Or He's keeping that a secret. But I very much doubt it, because God's Plan to create a Family is being conducted on this little planet right out at the edge of cosmos as we understand it, a very humble planet. Why?
There suns that are far greater than our particular sun! There are planets and objects out there that are far greater than our planet Earth. Yet, it's very humble. That is why God has chosen planet Earth. The angels rejoiced in the day…
Revelation 18:1: "And after these things I saw an angel descending from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
Can you picture that? An angel descending from heaven from where God's Throne is, where Jesus Christ and the Father dwell together and the legions of angels. The angel comes down and he is so powerful and his body is so glorious with the glory of God shinning through him and the whole earth was illuminated with his glory!
Do you think that that angel has something to say. Would we listen to the message, because this is recorded for us, recorded for the Church, and for all the Churches that have existed since the 1st century, from the Day of Pentecost in 30A.D.
The sun only illuminates a certain portion of the Earth as the Earth circles around the sun. but here we're told that the angel illuminates the whole Earth. We don't know, but I kind of suspect that the glory of this angel is so great and the mission is so powerful that it may very well have occurred this one time. That's just, in one sense, the way that I understand it at this point in time. If we get more understanding then we'll understand it.
Verse 2: "And he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, 'Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen…'"
That's the great religious system that is a copy of the system that was back in the days of ancient Babylon, who were totally against God and God scattered them with all their languages and religions.
Why do all these religions seem to have a common core? Christmas! Christmas is not just 2,000 years old. It was being observed 4,000 years ago! Satan has a caliphate not only for the Holy Spirit being called a person. Ancient Babylon had that, and not only that tradition but the worship of the sun was the whole basis of their religion! That's sun today, as then, represented Satan.
Can you think of any church that uses that symbolism, that is part of a religious system that Jesus Christ is coming back to destroy. That's an important point as we will see in a moment.
The angel cries out; v 2: "…'Babylon the Great…'"—present-day Babylon!
We had the ancient Babylon and now we have that same Babylonish system on earth today, which is affecting all nations and more and more as the days pass. We can see that! We can listen to what is being broadcast, because it's very clear for those who have eyes to see, take a warning!
"…is fallen, is fallen…" (v 2)—twice, it's sure to happen! God's Word says it! You have to believe it! He says it twice so you double-down and believe that. That is exactly what's going to happen. There is nothing that is going to cause that church to survive the wrath of God. It is a polluted religious system that affects all the governmental and institutional systems we have on the earth. It is corrupt, polluted, perverted and totally evil!
That's why we read in 1-John 2, 'Don't love the world, because if you love the world, the love of the Father will not live in you, you don't know the Father.
"…and has become a habitation of demons…" (v 2).
A religious system that has it's tentacles like an octopus around the world sucking the life blood out of all the religious systems and pouring its poison in its false doctrines, false teachings such as Christmas, Easter—which is a caliphate—Satan's caliphate on Passover and all the Holy Days. I mentioned the book that explains that.
"…and a prison of every unclean spirit…" (v 2).
Describing a religious and political system, which is controlled by Satan the devil!
All religions today—Catholic, Protestant, Islam, Buddhism—you name them, they can trace all their origins back original Babylon. They're teaching the same teachings that were being taught, explained and understood at that time. Nothing has changed.
The names have changed, and that may make it a little difficult for you to find out, but there are many books around that go into the details, archeologically and many other ways and you can get the basis of it. Some of you are quite familiar with those.
Verse 4: "And I heard another voice from heaven…" Now we have a second voice!
- Who could this be?
- Could this be Jesus Christ?
- Are these words or statements given to Him by God the Father?
"…saying, 'Come out of her, My people…'" (v 4).
Who are God's people? We can go back to Exodus and see that God called the people of the nation of Israel that developed and grew to a multitude. He calls them 'My people.' So, there's one possibility.
In the New Testament after the life, death and crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ we find something else. That God the Father and Jesus Christ call us His children! His Family! His people! But surely God called you out of this world, Babylon! You have come out of Babylon!
But have we come out of Babylon completely?
Verse 4: "And I heard another voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, My people… [Why?]: …so that you do not take part in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues, for her sins have reached as far as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities" (vs 4-5).
God is going to severely punish, in fact He's going to wipe that whole system out through Jesus Christ coming back and King of kings and Lord of lords! He's our Lord and Master!
The book of Revelation comes from the Apostle John, but is it John's thinking? or Is there another source? Most of us know the answer:
Revelation 1:1: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God [the Father] gave to Him, to show to His servants… ['My people'; we are the people of God; this is a message directed to the Church] …the things that are ordained tocome to pass shortly; and He made it known, having sent it by His angel… [Jesus sent this message by His angel] …to His servant John."
John brought His message to us, as God gave to him. John wrote it down word for word. God caused John to remember every word to write it down, so what is recorded is exactly what God wants.
Let's have look at something else in Rev. 2 & 3. Is it possible that the Churches represent God's Church in the 1st century and also shows elements of the Church down through history? Today we can look around and see various Churches of God and we can see different elements within them.
There are good elements and there are bad elements! There's good teaching and there's bad teaching for some have yet to learn. When we are faced up with that truth, if they were accepted then they will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If we won't accept the Truth as God reveals it to us, we're facing a stumbling block. We can't grow and progress. We're here to make sure that we prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. But there are some who are probing into different things and not the teachings of the Scripture.
I've heard recently about men who go around within the Churches of God where there are little groups and they bring their own teachings, like: When is the Passover? We don't really know, but here are the options! Let's make up our own minds which one we're going to keep!
What they need to do is get The Christian Passover book {truthofGod.org} and they will have every question answered right down to the last detail! Failure to do that is a loss and they'll never come to an understanding of what and when the true Passover of God is. It's very sad!
Pride and the love of this world, the love of prestige. Men like to go around and make a name for themselves, and the Bible and Scriptures warn us—particularly Peter, Jude and Paul, and John—over and over again. We have got to be listening and aware. We've got to be on guard, guard the door of our mind, particularly when it comes down to the Truth of God and the doctrines that are in the Bible! If we study the Bible verse-by-verse, doctrine-by-doctrine, Scripture-by-Scripture God will reveal it to us!
He says, 'Ask whatever you want.' We ask, 'Father, please help me to understand your doctrine! Please guide by Your Spirit as I read this. Help me to select the right helps so I can come to understanding.'
All of this is loving the Truth of God, loving the Word of God, and NOTloving the world.
- What does it mean to walk in the Christian life?
- What does it mean to look into the face of God?
- How do we do that?
Paul says, 'I know that you know these things, but the reason I'm repeating them is because that's good for you. We need that repetition because the Bible has so much information. We need to have it being presented to us in every different way and facet so we can get all the nuances and understand the depths of the teachings of God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6:33: "But as for you, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. and all these things shall be added to you."
Don't love the world, love the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!
Colossians is a great book for teaching the Truth of God, the Word of God and through Paul from Jesus Christ Who received it from God the Father. All teaching we have comes from God the Father through Jesus Christ through to His servants—the apostles and prophets—there for us in black and white.
More than that, as Jesus said, the words written on these pages are Spirit and they are Life.
Colossians 3:1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ…"
You've come out of this world; God has called you. You repented and were baptized and had hand laid on you and received God's Spirit. You are committed to walk in the way of Jesus Christ! You've committed to come out of this world. You've committed yourself not to love this world or anything that is in the world. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit guides us through the labyrinth of lies, cheating, diversions and one of the major sins that keeps coming up again and again happens to be in the areas of sexuality: adultery, fornication, everything that is NOT according to the Word of God.
God wants to draw us out of that, but we must want to come out! When we examine ourselves:
- Do we still find that there are strongholds, as Paul said?
- Do we still find things that we cannot give up in this world that we're still clinging onto?
We just don't want to give up on them! If we do a real deep and sincere searching of our own thoughts and mind from the Word of God, on our knees before God. God will show us, help us, but it's time throw off those shackles. The world is beginning to come in and crumble around us.
Even on conservative television, they're coming after those who do not agree with the liberal philosophies of this world: the lies, the cheating! It just phenomenal! They're not even trying to hide it today. It's blatant!
Verse 1: "Therefore, if you have been raised together with Christ…" Talking about your calling, repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit!
Beginning that walk in the spirit toward the Kingdom of God! "…seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your affection on the things that are above…" (vs 1-2).
Not on the world or anything that is in the world that goes against the laws and commandments of God. In the box (TV) it's just amazing. It's of the world! It is not of God! Not of the mind of God!
Are we willing to throw off those aspects of our personal lives that we're still clinging onto? Some of those things can only be done with prayer and fasting. To get rid of them and cut them out of our lives.
Verse 2: "Set your affection on the things that are above and not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died…" (vs 2-3).
Dead to this world! So, when we see the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, when those things come to us, we see them for what they are, and we reject them!
That's what God will help us to do! We are to be dead to those! In fact we made that promise to God the Father and Jesus Christ in baptism. When we were buried under that water we were dead to the pulls and strings of this world in this life.
We have that message, the second voice from heaven above that says to us: Come out of her My people! We are today God's people! Let us make sure that we are coming out of Babylon the Great!
Scriptural References:
- 1 John 2:15-17
- Revelation 18:1-2, 4-5
- Revelation 1:1
- Matthew 6:33
- Colossians 3:1-3
Scripture referenced, not quoted: Revelation 2 & 3
Also referenced: Books by Fred R. Coulter {truthofGod.org}:
- God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days
- The Christian Passover
LJ:bo
Transcribed: 5/12/23
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