Author: Ryan Moody

When Jude wrote “ye should earnestly contend for the faith [faithfulness] which was once delivered unto the saints” (v. 3), he was referring to God’s people in the Exodus, “the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed [trusted] not” (v. 5). God commanded faithfulness to Him, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exo 20:3), and obedience to Him, “And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exo 20:6). Yet His people didn’t trust Him and were destroyed.

While still in Egypt, God declared to His people the land inheritance promised to their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised” (Exo 12:25), “which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exo 13:5). But God began testing their faithfulness and trust as soon as they crossed the Red Sea, “So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water … And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” (Exo 15:22,24). “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron … ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exo 16:2-3). They weren’t trusting Him for their daily provision as His Son would later teach, “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on … Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (Mat 6:25,31).

The writer of Hebrews defined the gospel as the message God preached to His people in the Exodus, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith [faithfulness] in them that heard it” (Heb 4:2). That they were “not being mixed” is that “they were not united with those” (HCSB, LEB, TLV), “they did not join in with those” (NET). Ten of the twelve spies “brought up an evil report of the land” (Num 13:32), but Joshua and Caleb exhorted the people, “If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not” (Num 14:8-9). The people didn’t join themselves with Joshua and Caleb’s faithfulness and trust, “And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed [trusted] not?” (Heb 3:18).

The people failed to trust God at that crucial moment because they had already been sinning and hardening their hearts against Him, “lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13). And Paul listed their sins, “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them … Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed … Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted … Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured … Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition” (1Co 10:6-11). Those events were written as our examples because that is the gospel message by which we’re saved.

When we sin against God by lusting, idol worshipping, fornicating, testing, and complaining, our hearts harden and we’ll find it difficult to trust God even for the basic necessities of food, water, and clothing. But when we’re keeping His commandments, He breathes into our hearts the confidence to trust Him. It wasn’t that Caleb just had positive thinking but that he had another spirit or breath, “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit [breath] with him, and hath followed me fully” (Num 14:24). The majority, however, were in bondage to evil spirits because of their sins.

When God told Joshua, “that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee … This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein” (Jos 1:7,8), it wasn’t about memorizing Scripture but exhorting each other daily to keep His commandments, “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13), “the deceitful lusts” (Eph 4:22).

The gospel isn’t a system of theology given to the early church by the apostles that is simply to be believed, “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” It’s the message of faithfulness and obedience to God in keeping His commandments, and trusting Him to enter the inheritance we have through Christ.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Mat 7:15-20). Jesus said that wolves are exposed by their fruits.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Mat 12:33-35). The “fruit” by which wolves are identified is the words that come out of their mouths from their hearts. The reason it’s “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” is because what we say to ourselves in our hearts regularly, one day will come out of our mouths publicly!

Nobody but God knows what’s in our hearts but others will know once they hear it come from our mouths. God will put us in situations that pressure us to speak out loud the abundance of good or evil we’ve been speaking to ourselves in our hearts. The heart is to the mouth what a tree is to fruit.

This is also what Jesus meant by “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (Mat 6:31). If we’re serving God, we can’t be questioning to ourselves about His provision for our lives, or planning for our provision tomorrow, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow” (Mat 6:34). Jesus taught a parable about a rich man who spoke in his heart to himself, “And he thought within himself, saying” (Luk 12:17). He concluded His parable by teaching, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on” (Luk 12:22).

James taught extensively about the tongues, “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?” (Jas 3:8-12). His questioning “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?” parallels what Christ Himself had asked “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” The heart is known by the tongue as a tree is known by its fruit.

James went on to say, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.” (Jas 3:14-15). Envying and strife in the heart is from the devil. The phrase “from above” hearkens back to earlier in his letter, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Jas 1:17). What’s “from above” is Christ Himself, “He that cometh from above is above all” (Jhn 3:31), “Ye are from beneath; I am from above” (Jhn 8:23). Therefore, the wisdom “from above” is the teaching of Christ who came from above, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (Jas 3:17-18). The “fruit” of being right with God is a pure heart that makes peace with others.

Trinitarian Pastors fighting against the true view of God taught by His Son reveal what’s in their hearts. They betray themselves as wolves by what they say, “by their fruits ye shall know them.” And I found the same proved true with some fellow “Christians” whom I knew for many years. We were in each other’s homes, enjoyed meals together, met for worship and group prayer, and joined in many Bible studies and group discussions. Yet these same gentle and loving people would sometimes speak harsh words—talking despitefully about others, falsely accusing, arguing, causing divisions, and ultimately rejecting what Jesus Christ taught about God.

We don’t know what’s in anyone else’s heart. But when someone is bearing “evil fruit” by speaking evil, we can know their heart for certain, that they’re an “evil tree.” Hypocrites are very skilled at acting favorably in public—wearing sheep’s clothing. But when pressure is applied or when they think nobody is listening, we’ll hear from their mouths what’s truly in their hearts. By their fruits we know them.

God sent His only begotten Son into this world to teach us about Him and to sacrifice Himself for our sins. Christ’s teaching about God and about Himself isn’t just close enough to the truth but is the truth. He pledged His name, His glory, and His life upon the truth He taught. And since He suffered and died for us to get it right, therefore we must get it right. Close enough isn’t good enough.

The Father and His Son know each other and agree with each other completely: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Mat 11:27); “All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him” (Luk 10:22); “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me” (Jhn 8:18); “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father” (Jhn 10:15); “I and my Father are one” (Jhn 10:30).

Only the Son of God has seen His Father God, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (Jhn 1:18), “Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father” (Jhn 6:46). The Son’s teaching about His Father and about Himself is the truth and anyone teaching differently either doesn’t know what they’re talking about, or they’re purposely teaching differently. Highly educated ministers are smart enough and knowledgeable enough to get this most essential right. If they’re teaching it wrong, however, then the only reasonable conclusion is that it’s willful and intentional—they shouldn’t be heard.

Jesus Christ said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (Jhn 17:3). And John taught, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1Jo 5:20). Eternal life is knowing the only true God and His Son Jesus Christ—getting it wrong means perishing. Close enough isn’t good enough.

God became the Father by virtue of having begotten His Son. And He sent His only begotten Son into this evil and sinful world having appointed His sufferings, sending Him into those sufferings, then witnessing every moment of His sufferings. Can any parent imagine such? God loves us that much, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (Jhn 3:16), “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world” (1Jo 4:9). Since the Father gave the most for us, do we think that giving back less will suffice? Do we think that close enough will be good enough?

Furthermore, it’s also about our unworthiness to be loved, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:7-8), “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself” (Heb 12:3). The immense chasm between His great love and the objects of His love further attests that close enough won’t be good enough.

Considering all the Father and the Son sacrificed and suffered so we could know them in truth, will they accept what’s close enough as good enough? Jesus said, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit [breath] and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (Jhn 4:23). Since the Father seeks those that will worship Him in truth, He sent His Son to teach us the truth. And since His Son accomplished what He was sent to do, will the Father accept worship of Him that’s any less than the truth? His Son Jesus Christ ensured that we would get it right, therefore close enough isn’t good enough.

Today especially, with the wide availability of Bibles and study tools, we have more than enough help to get the right view of God and no excuses for getting it wrong. Throughout history many people got it right about God with far less resources and advantages than we have. Why would it be acceptable for us to get it wrong with more when they got it right with less? This evil world system with all of its problems, distractions, and entices, lulls us to lethargy—we just don’t have the time or the desire to search the Scriptures and seek God prayerfully with all our hearts. Since any view of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ that’s not entirely right is wrong, will we stake our eternal destiny on close enough being good enough?

Trinitarianism asserts that the Son of God is coequal with His Father God and use these two statements as support: “making himself equal [isos 2470] with God” (Jhn 5:18); “thought it not robbery to be equal [isos 2470] with God” (Phl 2:6).

The Greek adjective isos is where our English isosceles—a triangle with two equal sides or legs—is derived along with skelos the Greek word for “leg.” It means “agreed,” “equal,” or “like” as it’s used in five other places in the New Testament: two groups of people being paid the same amount, “These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal [isos 2470] unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day” (Mat 20:12); the agreement of eyewitness testimony, “For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not [isos 2470] together … But neither so did their witness agree together [isos 2470]” (Mar 14:56,59); receiving a like favor in return, “And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much [isos 2470] again” (Luk 6:34); receiving a like gift from God, “Forasmuch then as God gave them the like [isos 2470] gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (Act 11:17); the heavenly city of Jerusalem having equal or like dimensions, “And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal [isos 2470]” (Rev 21:16).

To understand in what way Jesus is “equal [isos 2470] with God” (Jhn 5:18; Phl 2:6), it must first be acknowledged that the Greek theos for “god” is simply a position of authority and not a kind of being. The Father is God because of His status as the highest ranking authority over all, including over His Son Jesus Christ. That theos isn’t a kind of being is evident by Jesus and Paul both using this word for different kinds of beings: “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods [theos 2316]? If he called them gods [theos 2316], unto whom the word of God [theos 2316] came” (Jhn 10:34-35); “For though there be that are called gods [theos 2316], whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods [theos 2316] many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God [theos 2316], the Father” (1Co 8:5-6). Since a kind of being and a position of authority are two different things, the Son can be “equal to” or exactly like His Father as a being yet “not equal to” Him in position of authority.

The Son was begotten in the exact likeness of His Father as the same kind of divine being, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son … the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jhn 3:16,18). As the same kind of being, He had all power and ability to create everything from nothing: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (Jhn 1:3); “God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Eph 3:9); “all things were created by him, and for him” (Col 1:16); “by whom also he made the worlds” (Heb 1:2).

As a human son is equal with his father in humankind but not in authority, so it is with the Son of God and His Father. In His statement “but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal [isos 2470] with God” (Jhn 5:18), Jesus Christ’s claim of equality with God was consistent with His earlier claim of having been begotten of God as His Son, “his only begotten Son … the only begotten Son of God” (Jhn 3:16,18). He was equal with God by virtue of having been fathered by God.

When it was said, “thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (Jhn 10:33), it wasn’t that He claimed to be God Himself, but God’s Son sent into the world, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (Jhn 10:36). Like Adam, all men originate from the earth, but He originated from God and was sent to the earth from heaven, “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (1Co 15:47).

Dictionary.com defines the adjective like: “of the same form, appearance, kind, character, amount, etc.” This is how Paul used isos here: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal [isos 2470] with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Phl 2:6-7). While in the form of God, He was like God. But took on the form of a servant and became like man. This isn’t about equality in authority.

Trinitarianism, on the other hand, teaches that “equal [isos 2470] with God” means coequal: “equal with another or each other in rank, ability, extent, etc.” as defined by Dictionary.com. It denies the way in which He actually is equal with God—begotten as the same kind of being—and confesses a way in which He is not equal—co-equal in position of authority.

God proved, tested, or tried Abraham’s faithfulness, “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt [nacah 5254] Abraham” (Gen 22:1). And He tested His people many times: “there he proved [nacah 5254] them” (Exo 15:25); “that I may prove [nacah 5254] them, whether they will walk in my law, or no” (Exo 16:4); “God is come to prove [nacah 5254] you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not” (Exo 20:20); “to humble thee, and to prove [nacah 5254] thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no … that he might humble thee, and that he might prove [nacah 5254] thee, to do thee good at thy latter end” (Deu 8:2,16); “for the LORD your God proveth [nacah 5254] you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deu 13:3); “That through them I may prove [nacah 5254] Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not” (Jdg 2:22); “Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove [nacah 5254] Israel by them … And they were to prove [nacah 5254] Israel by them” (Jdg 3:1,4).

Is the message of sola fide or “faith alone” proposed by Martin Luther about 500 years ago the true gospel? It seems not to be. Scripture is clear that salvation is by faithfully serving the Lord Jesus Christ, not by simply believing some facts are true—it’s not by faith but by faithfulness: “the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness” (Hab 2:4 NET), “the righteous person will live by his faithfulness” (Hab 2:4 NIV), “The just shall live by faith [faithfulness]” (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38). Therefore, the Lord tests our faithfulness to Him regularly.

Moses said that the reason God tested His people was “to prove [nacah 5254] thee, to know what was in thine heart” (Deu 8:2). But God already sees and knows our hearts. Why test us? Jesus Christ told all seven of the churches in Asia, “I know thy works [actions]” (Rev 2:2,9,13,19, 3:1,8,15). And then said “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works [actions]” (Rev 2:23). He was quoting Jeremiah’s words about Himself, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer 17:10). Christ reveals what’s in our hearts by testing our actions—whether we’re faithful or unfaithful to Him.

Jeremiah was afflicted both physically and verbally, “Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks” (Jer 20:2), “I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me” (v. 7). He became discouraged to the point that he wasn’t going to preach anymore, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name” (v. 9). But then he learned that these hardships were testing his heart, “But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause” (v. 12). His action of entrusting his cause to God revealed his faithfulness to Him.

The theme of James’ letter is the testing of our faithfulness, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith [faithfulness] worketh patience” (Jas 1:2-3). And he cited Abraham’s testing as an example, “God did tempt [test] Abraham” (Gen 22:1), “Was not Abraham our father justified by works [actions], when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith [faithfulness] wrought with his works [actions], and by works [actions] was faith [faithfulness] made perfect?” (Jas 2:21-22). Abraham’s obedient actions, “because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Gen 22:18), justified his faithfulness to God. It’s not “faith without works” (Jas 2:20) as translated, but “faithfulness without actions.” If we’re not faithful in our actions, we’re not faithful.

Peter also wrote about the testing of our faithfulness, “That the trial of your faith [faithfulness], being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” Receiving the end of your faith [faithfulness], even the salvation of your souls” (1Pe 1:7,9). Tested and proven faithfulness to the Lord is much more valuable than any amount of gold because the end result of our faithfulness is that our souls will be saved from death at the return of the Lord!

Are we saved by “faith alone,” or by tested and proven faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus said, “I know thy works [actions]” and “I will give unto every one of you according to your works [actions].” And it’s the actions of the dead that will be judged, “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works [actions] … they were judged every man according to their works [actions]” (Rev 20:12,13). It’s not that they didn’t believe but that they didn’t act! The Lord tests our faithfulness to Him by our actions.

Paul spoke of a mystery hidden since the beginning: “the revelation of the mystery [mysterion 3466], which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom 16:25); “a mystery [mysterion 3466], even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world” (1Co 2:7); “the mystery [mysterion 3466], which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God” (Eph 3:9); “the mystery [mysterion 3466] which hath been hid from ages” (Col 1:26). The true gospel message was hidden by God in the creation account, “the mystery [mysterion 3466] of the gospel” (Eph 6:19).

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night … And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night” (Gen 1:3-5,16). Before creating the first man, God showed there would be two classes of people— the “Day” and the “Night.” The “Day” would be ruled by the Greater Light—God’s people under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and all others the “Night” ruled by the lesser light—the devil and evil spirits. This is the true gospel message in a mystery.

The two great lights in heaven, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven … lights in the firmament of the heaven” (Gen 1:14,15), Paul wrote about in Ephesians, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [epouranios 2032] places in Christ … Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly [epouranios 2032] places” (Eph 1:3,20). The “greater light” in the heavens foretold of Christ now seated at God’s right hand as Lord of God’s people, while the “lesser light” is the devil ruling over everyone else, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [epouranios 2032] places” (Eph 6:11-12).

As when darkness was upon the face of the deep and God spoke “Let there be light,” Jesus Christ spoke the “light” of the gospel message into the “dark” hearts of this world, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (Jhn 1:5), “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them … For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts” (2Co 4:4,6). Our hearts were “dark” but the “light” of Christ’s gospel makes us the “Day” ruled by Him as our Lord.

The gospel Jesus Christ preached is obedience to Him as Lord: “That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 5:20); “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them … And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not” (Mat 7:24,26); “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Mat 28:20); “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luk 6:46).

He preached that we must be faithful servants to Him as our Lord: “No man can serve two masters” (Mat 6:24); “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord” (Mat 10:24); “Who then is a faithful and wise servant” (Mat 24:45); “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Mat 25:21); “Who then is that faithful and wise steward” (Luk 12:42); “And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters” (Luk 16:12-13); “We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (Luk 17:10); “Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luk 19:17).

The true gospel message from the very beginning and from Jesus Christ Himself is faithfulness to Him as Lord. The message of sola fide or “faith alone” from Martin Luther about 500 years ago is NOT. Nowhere does Scripture record Christians calling themselves “believers,” only some mistranslations giving that impression. They always called themselves “servants”: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ” (Rom 1:1); “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ” (Phl 1:1); “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ” (Col 4:12); “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Jas 1:1); “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (2Pe 1:1); “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ” (Jde 1:1).who is one of you, a servant of Christ” (Col 4:12); “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ” (Phl 1:1); “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Tit 1:1); “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Jas 1:1); “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (2Pe 1:1); “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ” (Jde 1:1). The true gospel message is living righteously in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Rom 1:16), he clarified at the end, “my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ” (Rom 16:25). The true gospel message is what Jesus Christ Himself preached that Paul wasn’t ashamed to proclaim as his own gospel message.

The gospel Jesus Christ preached begins and ends with His claim to be the Son of God. The religious leaders of His day tried to kill Him for this claim, “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God” (Jhn 5:18). They accused Him of blasphemy for this claim, “Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (Jhn 10:36). And they eventually had Him put to death for His claim, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God” (Jhn 19:7).

His claim to be the Son of God was a threat to the religious system of His day. And about 2,000 years later, although the context is different, the situation is essentially the same. The Trinitarian religious systems of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism claim that Christ is God Himself—denying what Christ declared that His Father is God, “thee the only true God” (Jhn 17:3), and He is His Son. Along with roughly 2 billion Trinitarians in the world today there are also 2 billion Muslims, all denying that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Like the Christians of the early church, we’re also living in a religious context in which our faithfulness to Him is going to be tested. Will we be faithful to His message that He is the Son of God, or will we be ashamed?

The statement “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:11), concerns Christ’s prayer to His Father in John 17 when He sanctified or set apart His disciples from the world: “the men which thou gavest me out of the world” (v. 6); “I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me” (v. 9); “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (vs. 14, 16); “Sanctify them through thy truth” (v. 17); “that they also might be sanctified through the truth” (v. 19). That they were “all of one” is that they were all in unity and agreement with Him: “that they may be one, as we are” (v. 11); “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (v. 21); “that they may be one, even as we are one” (v. 22); “that they may be made perfect in one” (v. 23). Since Christ’s disciples were in unity and agreement with Him about God, “that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (v. 3), therefore “he is not ashamed to call them brethren.”

Jesus Christ said, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Mat 10:32-33), “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels” (Luk 9:26). Being unashamed of Him and His words means standing for what He stood for and teaching what He taught.

Paul wrote to Timothy, “if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2Ti 2:11-13). The Son of God is the Messenger of the Lord that called to Abraham from heaven, “By myself have I sworn” (Gen 22:16). He swore by Himself, therefore He can’t deny Himself. As God’s Messenger, Christ faithfully lived and died for the message His Father sent Him to preach. On judgment day therefore, if we denied Him, He must deny us or else He would have to deny Himself. He can’t make even one exception.

Christ’s message to the early church was, “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Rev 3:5). As they had to overcome the contentious environment in which they lived, so will we under similar pressure. We must not care about being shamed in front of people.

Jesus Christ said: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mat 7:21-23); “Verily I say unto you, I know you not” (Mat 25:12); “I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity” (Luk 13:27). Our destiny is in the Son’s hands. If we denied Him before people, then He will deny us before His Father. Sadly, this will be the case with many, “Many will say to me in that day.”

Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is committing ourselves to be faithful to Him unto death and possibly die for His name as He died for our sins: “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Mat 10:38); “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom 6:3); “being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phl 3:10-11).

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost [Breath], And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Heb 6:4-6). Once we’ve been enlightened to the truth and partake of God’s Holy Breath in our hearts, we must be faithful unto death. To have “tasted of the heavenly gift” is the bread from heaven; the Lord’s broken body, “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1Co 11:26-27). Eating the bread and drinking the cup unworthily is being guilty of His body and His blood as Judas was—crucifying Him to ourselves.

The Son of God created all plants to produce after their kind, “grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind” (Gen 1:12). And hidden within this principle is the message of eternal life: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (Jhn 12:24); “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom 6:5); “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die” (1Co 15:36). To be raised unto eternal life as the Son, we must be planted “after his kind” in the ground—die in faithfulness as He died.

“And the angel [Messenger] of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Gen 22:15-18). Isaac was a type of Christ, “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Heb 11:19). He was Abraham’s seed—his only begotten son that was his rightful heir, and figuratively sacrificed and resurrected. The Messenger of the Lord that called to Abraham from heaven is the Son of God. He is Abraham’s Seed, “And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal 3:16). That “I will multiply thy seed,” is that God will multiply His Seed “after his kind.” We must be “planted together in the likeness of his death” as a seed to be raised with Him.

“God is a Spirit [Breath]: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit [breath] and in truth” (Jhn 4:24). There’s not an article in Christ’s statement “God is a Spirit [Breath]” but is more accurately translated “God is Spirit [Breath]” (NET, NIV, NLT). He wasn’t telling us what God is—as though He is a type of Spirit being—but rather from Whom comes all breath. And He emphasized this by employing a metaphor that He is our very breath. Since He is our breath of eternal life, we must worship and serve Him with our breath in this life. Paul said, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit [breath] in the gospel of his Son” (Rom 1:9); “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit [breath], and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phl 3:3). We must give our breath back to God for Him to give breath back to us.

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Mat 16:25); “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (Jhn 12:25); “I have kept the faith [faithfulness]” (2Ti 4:7-8), “I have remained faithful” (NLT); “These all died in faith [faithfulness]” (Heb 11:13); “be thou faithful unto death” (Rev 2:10); “and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11).

“I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven” (Gen 22:17); “and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan 12:3); “for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.” (1Co 15:41-42). When we’re discouraged and think we’re all alone, that nobody knows what we’re going through, just look at the stars above at night and remind ourselves that there will be millions of others in glory that endured the same kinds of trials but were faithful unto death.

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people … But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken … Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth [trusts] shall not make haste” (Isa 28:11,13,16). Zion is Jerusalem, “Zion: the same is the city of David” (2Sa 5:7). Isaiah prophesied about the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem with the sign of tongues—the day Peter taught precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little. He quoted a little from Joel, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Act 2:16), and a little from David, “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved” (v. 25), “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool” (vs. 34-35). By sound reasoning line upon line through the Scriptures, he built an airtight case for Jesus Christ as Lord and Messiah at God’s right hand, leaving his Jewish brethren with no excuse.

Through the prophet Joel, God Himself called His Son at His right hand “my Breath,” “I will pour out of my Spirit [Breath] upon all flesh … I will pour out in those days of my Spirit [Breath]” (vs. 17-18). He didn’t say “pour out” but “pour out of.” On that day in Jerusalem, God poured out of His Breath seated next to Him, “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit [Breath] and has poured out what you now see and hear” (v. 33 NIV).

Prior to His death, Jesus spoke of His coming advocacy for us at the right hand of His Father but figuratively as the Breath: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate … But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit [Breath]” (Jhn 14:16,26 NIV), “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit [Breath] of truth who goes out from the Father” (15:26 NIV), “about righteousness, because I am going to the Father” (16:10 NIV), “Though I have been speaking figuratively” (16:25 NIV). John later affirmed that it is He that is our Advocate with the Father, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1Jo 2:1). And after having been seated at His Father’s right hand, He called Himself “the Breath” seven times, “hear what the Spirit [Breath] saith unto the churches” (Rev 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22).

Now that the Breath is seated at the right hand of God, blasphemy against Him will never be forgiven, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost [Breath] shall not be forgiven unto men” (Mat 12:31). In Antioch of Pisidia, Paul preached from the Scriptures precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little (Acts 13:17-41). But the Jews hearing him blasphemed against the Breath, “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” (Act 13:45-46). They forfeited all hope of eternal life. Jesus Christ advocating at God’s right hand is the Breath and blaspheming against Him leaves no hope.

Peter wrote about the gospel he preached on the Day of Pentecost, “preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost [Breath] sent down from heaven” (1Pe 1:12), “And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1:25), “Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth [trusts] on him shall not be confounded … And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word” (2:6-8). When the gospel message about the Lord Jesus Christ is taught by sound reasoning through the Scriptures “precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little,” people are left without excuse—they either receive the message of eternal life, or they stumble and fall backward to their own destruction. Christ is either the foundation stone upon which we build our lives, or the stumbling stone over which we trip and never get back up.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is the greatest composition ever penned of reasoning through the Scriptures precept upon precept and line upon line “the gospel of God” (1:1), “the gospel of his Son” (1:9), “the gospel of Christ” (1:16). He quoted voluminously from the Scriptures to form irrefutable arguments by sound logic for the message he preached. This is how we know the truth about God and gospel message of salvation—by harmonizing all of Scripture through sound reasoning and logic. Christ becomes either the foundation stone “I lay in Sion a chief corner stone,” or the stumbling stone “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.”

Jesus told a Samaritan woman, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (Jhn 4:22). The Jewish people know the God they worship because He revealed Himself to them and only to them. Therefore, only they had been given the hope of salvation and eternal life through knowing Him and His Son Jesus Christ, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (Jhn 17:3).

The correct view of God is the revelation of Himself to His people Israel: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exo 20:3), “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deu 6:4). And God’s Son affirmed it, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord” (Mar 12:29). There is only one true God, “thee the only true God” (Jhn 17:3), the God of Israel.

Writing to the Gentiles at Ephesus, Paul revealed the mystery hidden from the beginning that God would choose a people, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation [casting down] of the world” (1:4). Figuratively, Adam is Christ and his wife is God’s people. They were given first opportunity to trust in Jesus as their Messiah, “who first trusted in Christ [Messiah]. In whom ye also trusted” (1:12-13). And God’s chosen people are saved by Him favoring them in sending His Son to die for their sins, “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace [favor] ye are saved;) … For by grace [favor] are ye saved through faith [faithfulness]; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (2:5,8). Though Gentiles had long been without God, they can now be joined with Israel and saved through Christ, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world … Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (2:12,19).

Salvation came to all nations of people through one nation of people. Salvation is in the promise made to Abraham and fulfilled through his lineage in one specific Seed or Descendant, Jesus Christ: “and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:3); “thou shalt be a father of many nations” (Gen 17:4); “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 22:18); “to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (Rom 4:16); “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14); “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” (Gal 3:16); “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:29).

Both the Old and New Covenants were made with Israel, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jer 31:31; Heb 8:8), “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.” (Rom 9:4-5). Christ took of the bread and wine with His Jewish disciples, then shed His blood to ratify the New Covenant, “For this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mat 26:28).

The apostle Paul served the God of his fathers: “The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus” (Act 3:13); “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus” (Act 5:30); “so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (Act 24:14); “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience” (2Ti 1:3).

Gentiles are saved by partaking with the Jews in their covenant: “and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them” (Rom 11:17); “Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people” (Rom 15:10); “For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things” (Rom 15:27); “who first trusted in Christ [Messiah]. In whom ye also trusted” (Eph 1:12-13); “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (Eph 3:6); “made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Col 1:12).

Salvation isn’t by worshipping the Trinity of the Gentiles but the God of the Jews: “we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews … the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (Jhn 4:22,23); “so worship I the God of my fathers” (Act 24:14).