A man’s enemies will be of his own “house”….that is, his own “church” that he is attending when a man shall hear the Word of Truth and will believe in what he hears. Those of his own “house” will become adversarial toward any who will receive the love of the Truth in this coming time. Perilous times shall come for those who are in “church” and have received the love of the Truth. We must come out from among them and be separate. We must not shrink back when they will persecute us but follow Him out in faith.
We must bear our cross….that is, not rendering evil for their evil when we leave. Let us bear His reproach outside the “camp” . Let us not look back like Lot’s wife.
Luke 14:25-27 KJV
(25) And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
(26) If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
(27) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Let us go forth unto Him without the camp …..outside our churches…..bearing His reproach without rendering evil for evil….that is, we are to bear our cross. Bearing His reproach = bearing the cross=following His example.
Hebrews 13:12-16 KJV
(12) Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
(13) Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
(14) For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
By Him, we are to offer the sacrifice of our lips: praising God continually….giving thanks to His name. We are to confess His authority with our mouths. His thoughts and ways are higher than our own.
We are to always do good especially in the face of the persecutions of the “family” we leave behind in our churches. They will think it strange that we will no longer run with them and will speak evil of us for leaving but let us always do the will of God thereby praising Him always and sanctifying Him in our hearts continually.
(15) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
(16) But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Those we leave behind in our churches shall try our faith with their false accusations and the slandering of our names. We are to be baptized by “fire”….the testing of our faith…for all who live godly in Jesus shall suffer persecution by those we leave behind.
But we are to REJOICE when this will happen for then we are made partaker of His sufferings. If we suffer with Him, we shall also share in His GLORY when it shall be revealed so that we may be glad also with EXCEEDING JOY. His life is to appear in our mortal flesh and we shall be exceedingly joyful and our enemies shall be mortified.
1 Peter 4:12-19 KJV
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
(15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
It is the will of God that we keep our souls to Him in well doing. We are to suffer according to the will of God bearing His reproach as we leave the “camp” and go out unto Him.
(19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Some will have left their churches after they have found that those who call themselves “apostles” are not who they say they are. They shall try those that say they are apostles but are not.
Revelation 2:
(1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
(2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
(3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
We are to not keep company with those who call themselves “brothers” but are covetous. These are men who preach for money rather than work with their own hands to support their own necessities in life. Many are preaching and getting paid for it as they build their kingdoms that they rule in. A king collects his taxes from his subjects and puts them to work in his kingdom. Not so with a true apostle.
The “tradition” that we have received from the true apostles is that they worked with their own hands day and night so that we should follow them in their example. They were servants of the Lord Jesus Christ and did not preach themselves….getting paid for preaching.
A true apostle works with his own hands to support his own needs and is not a busybody in the church. The church is NOT a business but is the body of Christ. Covetousness should not be named once among us as saints. It has NO BUSINESS being among us. We are to have our own job or business apart from the “church” to support our own needs. Some will disagree with this: the brothers that will walk “disorderly” and not after the transmission (tradition) that we have received from the true apostles.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-16 KJV
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
(7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
(8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
(11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
(12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
The false apostles will NOT obey their word. We identify them by their refusal to obey the commandment and we are commanded to no longer keep company with them. They will fail the test of a true apostle as they will continue to preach for a pay check and disregard the definition of a true apostle.
(14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet we are not to count them as an enemy but admonish them as brothers. We must not weary in well doing even when they will fail the test of a true apostle.
(15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
(16) Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
The word “apostle” means “sent”. Jesus sends out the brothers WITHOUT “purse, nor scrip”….things to collect money in. The truly “sent” ones go without their hands held out for money. They preach not for money but are servants in the Word.
They will not take “shoes”…a product to sell the spiritually “poor”. They will not be selling their books, sermons, music, seminars, etc to the sheep. His house is NOT a house of merchandise. An apostle will not salute any man by the way. That is, he will not flatter others with the tongue in order to get gain.
Luke 10:3-4 KJV
(3) Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
(4) Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
We shall LACK NOTHING if we follow His directive. Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and all of those other things shall be added to us. God knows we need them. "apostle" = "sent". They are sent without all the things to collect money and without guile (deceitful flattery) in their mouths.
Luke 22:35 KJV
(35) And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
The church in Ephesus (meaning “FIRST”) are the first to trust in Christ. They will see the false apostles for who they are but they will forget to admonish them as brothers. We are not to treat them as enemies but admonish them as brothers.
They had left their first love….brotherly love. They had fallen but they were counseled to REMEMBER and change the mind and do the “first works”.
Revelation 2:
(4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
(5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
These are the “first works” that we are to do…..
2 Peter 1:1-12 KJV
(1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
(3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
If we do these “first works”….having these things in us abounding, they will make us so that we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church in Ephesus was not having brotherly love towards the false apostles.
If we remember to do them and change our minds and overcome, we shall be able to eat of the “tree of life”. He shall make us fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord. We shall win souls. If we are publicly shaming the false apostles by name, who will then listen to us? The candlestick will be removed from its place as no one will be won over with our bad mouthing of the false apostles. No one will listen to the testimony of Jesus in us if we speak evil of others.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
If we do the first works with diligence, we shall never FALL. The church in Ephesus left their first love. They weren’t giving it their full diligence to make their calling and election sure. They had fallen and were counseled to REMEMBER and change their minds and do the “first works” so that they may not be barren nor unfruitful in His knowledge. He would give the to eat of the tree of life…..as they will then be fruitful in His Word of Truth by winning souls for Him.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
(11) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The church in Ephesus was counseled to REMEMBER for they had fallen….they had forgotten to do them. Peter wrote to us today to put us always in REMEMBERANCE of these things so that we shall not fall.
(12) Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
We shall be fruitful….eating of the fruit of the tree of life…..that is, we shall then be able to win souls if we pursue the first works with all diligence.
Revelation 2:
(6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
(7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…..winning souls for Him. We shall be fruitful in His knowledge.....He give to eat of the tree of life. We are to use our tongues as the tree of life so that others may hear us....so that they may be won over.
Proverbs 11:30 KJV
(30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
A healing tongue is a tree of life.
Proverbs 15:4 KJV
(4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
We can not use our tongues as swords to cut off the hearing of another. We can not single out someone by name and cut off the ear so to speak. Who will listen to us if we are vilifying someone? We will never be fruitful but will then be barren.
John 18:10-11 KJV
(10) Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
(11) Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
We must bear our cross….that is, not rendering evil for their evil when we leave. Let us bear His reproach outside the “camp” . Let us not look back like Lot’s wife.
Luke 14:25-27 KJV
(25) And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
(26) If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
(27) And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Let us go forth unto Him without the camp …..outside our churches…..bearing His reproach without rendering evil for evil….that is, we are to bear our cross. Bearing His reproach = bearing the cross=following His example.
Hebrews 13:12-16 KJV
(12) Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
(13) Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
(14) For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
By Him, we are to offer the sacrifice of our lips: praising God continually….giving thanks to His name. We are to confess His authority with our mouths. His thoughts and ways are higher than our own.
We are to always do good especially in the face of the persecutions of the “family” we leave behind in our churches. They will think it strange that we will no longer run with them and will speak evil of us for leaving but let us always do the will of God thereby praising Him always and sanctifying Him in our hearts continually.
(15) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
(16) But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Those we leave behind in our churches shall try our faith with their false accusations and the slandering of our names. We are to be baptized by “fire”….the testing of our faith…for all who live godly in Jesus shall suffer persecution by those we leave behind.
But we are to REJOICE when this will happen for then we are made partaker of His sufferings. If we suffer with Him, we shall also share in His GLORY when it shall be revealed so that we may be glad also with EXCEEDING JOY. His life is to appear in our mortal flesh and we shall be exceedingly joyful and our enemies shall be mortified.
1 Peter 4:12-19 KJV
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
(15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
It is the will of God that we keep our souls to Him in well doing. We are to suffer according to the will of God bearing His reproach as we leave the “camp” and go out unto Him.
(19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Some will have left their churches after they have found that those who call themselves “apostles” are not who they say they are. They shall try those that say they are apostles but are not.
Revelation 2:
(1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
(2) I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
(3) And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
We are to not keep company with those who call themselves “brothers” but are covetous. These are men who preach for money rather than work with their own hands to support their own necessities in life. Many are preaching and getting paid for it as they build their kingdoms that they rule in. A king collects his taxes from his subjects and puts them to work in his kingdom. Not so with a true apostle.
The “tradition” that we have received from the true apostles is that they worked with their own hands day and night so that we should follow them in their example. They were servants of the Lord Jesus Christ and did not preach themselves….getting paid for preaching.
A true apostle works with his own hands to support his own needs and is not a busybody in the church. The church is NOT a business but is the body of Christ. Covetousness should not be named once among us as saints. It has NO BUSINESS being among us. We are to have our own job or business apart from the “church” to support our own needs. Some will disagree with this: the brothers that will walk “disorderly” and not after the transmission (tradition) that we have received from the true apostles.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-16 KJV
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
(7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
(8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
(11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
(12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
The false apostles will NOT obey their word. We identify them by their refusal to obey the commandment and we are commanded to no longer keep company with them. They will fail the test of a true apostle as they will continue to preach for a pay check and disregard the definition of a true apostle.
(14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet we are not to count them as an enemy but admonish them as brothers. We must not weary in well doing even when they will fail the test of a true apostle.
(15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
(16) Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.
The word “apostle” means “sent”. Jesus sends out the brothers WITHOUT “purse, nor scrip”….things to collect money in. The truly “sent” ones go without their hands held out for money. They preach not for money but are servants in the Word.
They will not take “shoes”…a product to sell the spiritually “poor”. They will not be selling their books, sermons, music, seminars, etc to the sheep. His house is NOT a house of merchandise. An apostle will not salute any man by the way. That is, he will not flatter others with the tongue in order to get gain.
Luke 10:3-4 KJV
(3) Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
(4) Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.
We shall LACK NOTHING if we follow His directive. Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and all of those other things shall be added to us. God knows we need them. "apostle" = "sent". They are sent without all the things to collect money and without guile (deceitful flattery) in their mouths.
Luke 22:35 KJV
(35) And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
The church in Ephesus (meaning “FIRST”) are the first to trust in Christ. They will see the false apostles for who they are but they will forget to admonish them as brothers. We are not to treat them as enemies but admonish them as brothers.
They had left their first love….brotherly love. They had fallen but they were counseled to REMEMBER and change the mind and do the “first works”.
Revelation 2:
(4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
(5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
These are the “first works” that we are to do…..
2 Peter 1:1-12 KJV
(1) Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
(3) According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
(4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
If we do these “first works”….having these things in us abounding, they will make us so that we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church in Ephesus was not having brotherly love towards the false apostles.
If we remember to do them and change our minds and overcome, we shall be able to eat of the “tree of life”. He shall make us fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord. We shall win souls. If we are publicly shaming the false apostles by name, who will then listen to us? The candlestick will be removed from its place as no one will be won over with our bad mouthing of the false apostles. No one will listen to the testimony of Jesus in us if we speak evil of others.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(9) But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
If we do the first works with diligence, we shall never FALL. The church in Ephesus left their first love. They weren’t giving it their full diligence to make their calling and election sure. They had fallen and were counseled to REMEMBER and change their minds and do the “first works” so that they may not be barren nor unfruitful in His knowledge. He would give the to eat of the tree of life…..as they will then be fruitful in His Word of Truth by winning souls for Him.
(10) Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
(11) For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The church in Ephesus was counseled to REMEMBER for they had fallen….they had forgotten to do them. Peter wrote to us today to put us always in REMEMBERANCE of these things so that we shall not fall.
(12) Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
We shall be fruitful….eating of the fruit of the tree of life…..that is, we shall then be able to win souls if we pursue the first works with all diligence.
Revelation 2:
(6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
(7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life…..winning souls for Him. We shall be fruitful in His knowledge.....He give to eat of the tree of life. We are to use our tongues as the tree of life so that others may hear us....so that they may be won over.
Proverbs 11:30 KJV
(30) The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
A healing tongue is a tree of life.
Proverbs 15:4 KJV
(4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
We can not use our tongues as swords to cut off the hearing of another. We can not single out someone by name and cut off the ear so to speak. Who will listen to us if we are vilifying someone? We will never be fruitful but will then be barren.
John 18:10-11 KJV
(10) Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
(11) Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
