We are to purify our hearts (the lintel) and cleanse our hands (the 2 side posts). We are to be afflicted and mourn and weep and let our laughter be turned to mourning and our joy to heaviness….with “bitter herbs” shall we eat of the Passover. We are to keep the feast with the unleavened of sincerity and truth and not in deceit….not by taking advantage of our brothers by preaching deceitfully out of the hidden covetousness of our hearts for money. We can not be double-minded about this.
Exodus 12:
(7) And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
(8) And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
If we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, He shall lift us up.
James 4:
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
“Bitter herbs”….
(9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
(10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
We are to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty (shame) …not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully. But by the manifestation of the truth, we commend ourselves to EVERY man’s conscience in the sight of God. When we preach the Word of Truth in sincerity in Christ, no man has an opportunity to profane the name of our God because of dishonest preaching for money. Let us immediately forsake our evil nets (handling the Word of God deceitfully) that we have caught many in and follow Him.
2 Corinthians 4:1-5 KJV
(1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
(2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
If the good news is hid, it is hid to those that are “lost”….that is, perishing away in the flesh. They can not see the Light because of dishonest preaching for money.
(3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We are NOT to preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your SERVANTS for Jesus’ sake.
(5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
By good words and fair speeches are many being led astray from the commandment to have love for one another and into the denominations of men where there is envy and strife and hatred of one another. MANY are led astray to the destruction of the mortal flesh by the flattering tongues of men (Babylon) who speak glittering things that sound appealing to them. The life of Jesus is being prevented from appearing in the mortal flesh of those they deceive.
Romans 16:17-18 KJV
(17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
(18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
We can not be “double-minded”. We can not serve 2 masters. We can not serve God AND mammon.
Matthew 6:24-25 KJV
(24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(25) Therefore I say unto you, 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. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
How long will His people halt between 2 opinions...being double-minded?
1 Kings 18:20-21 KJV
(20) So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
(21) And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
We must not keep company with those who are serving “Baal”….which means “lord, master”. They are serving for money….serving mammon… as they peddle the Word of God and preventing the life of Jesus from being made manifest in our mortal flesh because of what they are teaching for mammon's sake. Many of them will not want to hear the Word of God spoken in Christ. It will be the “savor of death unto death” unto those that are perishing from off this earth as they hastily go after the wages of unrighteousness. They are all actively perishing away in the flesh now.
2 Corinthians 2:15-17 KJV
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
MANY are retailing the Word of God. “Corrupt” = to retail.
(17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
We must not keep company with those who are preaching for money. They are not working with their own hands to support their own necessities as commanded by the apostles in the name of our Lord Jesus. A true “apostle” which means “sent” is sent out WITHOUT “purse, nor scrip”….things to receive money in. Nor is one sent with “shoes”….a product to sell to the spiritually poor in order to lead them astray from the Way of righteousness. An apostle does not “salute” any man by the way….that is, flatter men in order to get gain. Nor are they to take “2 coats”….using flattering words for a cloak of covetousness.
Luke 10:3-7 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.
(5) And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
(6) And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
The “laborer” in the Word is worthy of hospitality only. Let brotherly love continue and “entertain strangers”.
(7) And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
As true APOSTLES OF CHRIST, the exhortation is not of deceit nor of uncleanness (covetousness) nor in “guile”…fraud. No deceit is to be found in their mouths. A true SENT person by Jesus does not come with “purse or scrip” and deceitfully teach things to receive money.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-11 KJV
(3) For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
Nor does the true apostle of Christ speak to please men….. “saluting men by the way”. Nor does one use flattering words….taking “two coats”….as a cloke of covetousness.
(4) But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
(5) For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
Nor of men do they seek glory so that they might not be burdensome….as the APOSTLES (SENT) of Christ. They do NOT preach for money.
(6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
(7) But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
(8) So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
The true apostles showed us all things: how that laboring night and day did they preach the gospel so that they would not be chargeable to any of us.
(9) For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
(10) Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
(11) As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
The true apostle of Christ does not come to pass around a collection plate nor does he take tithes from people. A “king” collects money from his subjects and puts them to work in his “kingdom”….a servant does not. A KING WILL TAKE from you....
1 Samuel 8:11-20 KJV
(11) And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
(12) And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
(13) And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
(14) And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
(15) And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
(16) And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
(17) He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
(18) And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
(19) Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
(20) That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Yet, His people love to have it so. They put with them GLADLY seeing that they are so “wise”. They want a man to be “king” to be over them to bring them into bondage and take of them and exalt himself over them.
2 Corinthians 11:19-20 KJV
(19) For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
(20) For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
His people love to have it so. But what will they do in the end?
Jeremiah 5:30-31 KJV
(30) A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
(31) The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
We are to remove our way far from those who use their flattering tongue to deceive us into their denominations of bondage. “She”…the “strange woman” ….is the flattering tongue that handles the Word of God with deception in order to get money and leads many astray from having love for one another (from the keeping of the daily sacrifice).
Proverbs 5:7-13 KJV
(7) Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
(8) Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Why give your honor unto others and your years unto the “cruel”?
(9) Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Why sit together with them as they are filled with our wealth and all of our labors are for them?
(10) Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
What will we do in the end? We shall MOURN at the last when our mortal flesh and our body are consumed and will say “how have I hated instruction and my heart did despise reproof….” The life of Jesus is being prevented from appearing in our mortal flesh when we are sitting with them and participating in their idolatry….preaching for money.
(11) And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
(12) And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
(13) And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
Our King is to be God. He is our “Husband” and we are His “wife”. He shall deliver us from wicked and unreasonable men who have taken advantage of us.
Isaiah 54:5-7 KJV
(5) For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
(6) For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
(7) For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
There is “fornication” among us. A man has the Father’s “wife” (we are “wife” of the Father in heaven) as they exalt themselves over us and take advantage of us. The nations of the world see this and blaspheme. It is commonly reported among the world that men are taking advantage of His flock and His flock loves it so. Not even the world gladly puts up with men taking advantage of them.
His people are glorying in men who exalt themselves over the churches and take advantage of us instead of mourning that he that does this be taken away from us.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 KJV
(1) It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
(2) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
(3) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
(4) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
They are being judged already as their flesh is being destroyed so that their spirit may be saved. Why glory in men who are taking advantage of us in their company and putting us to work in their kingdoms?
(5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
We must NOT sit together with them or we are perishing along with them. We are being destroyed with them. In the end, we shall mourn when our mortal flesh and body are consumed that we should have listened to the instruction: PURGE OUT the old leaven and not keep company with the “fornicators”.
(7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
(9) I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
(10) Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
(11) But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
We can not judge those who are “without” the church but judge those that we are keeping company with. We are to put away from among ourselves that wicked person who is preaching for money. A little leaven leavens the whole group.
(12) For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
(13) But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
We are NOT to judge the outside world….yet (that is, “until the morning”). We shall judge the world later….but now we must judge who we are sitting with at the “feast”. We are not to go out at the door of the house….that is, judge the outside world….because it is God who is judging the outside world….the “Egyptians”.
Exodus 12:
(22) And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
It is God who passes through the outside world and judges them. The outside world and its lusts are perishing….as their flesh is decaying away to the grave as they rejoice in their meaningless works done under the sun of His wrath (the subject of Ecclesiastes). The “firstborn” is the natural….the mortal body…that is being stricken with decay until it dies.
The “destroyer” = “TO DECAY”. The mortal body (the “house”) is decaying as flesh is as the grass that withers under the sun of God’s wrath that rises upon all flesh so that NO FLESH may glory before Him.
(23) For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
But all of those who will DO the Word of God shall live unto the age….for the Word of God is “eternal”…abiding to the age. We are to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts and keep His commandments always.
(24) And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
God judges the outside world….the “Egyptians”. He has chosen the foolish things of the outside world to “confound”….that is, shame down… the wise. He has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. Their flesh is being decayed as they pursue the meaningless things of this world.
1 Corinthians 1:27-31 KJV
(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
(28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
(29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.
(30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
The world is “under the sun” of God’s wrath as they pursue the foolish things of the world….for all is vanity and vexation of the spirit. He has given them “sore travail” to be “exercised” therewith…..that is, to be HUMILIATED with as their mortal flesh fades away to the grave in their pursuits of emptiness of which God allows them to enjoy in their brief time upon this earth. NO FLESH is glorying in His presence as they are ALL perishing in their mortal flesh to the grave. No man can keep his life saved here by any means other than through Christ Jesus our Savior.
Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 KJV
(12) I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
(13) And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
(14) I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
The rich of this world are being made low…..for as the flower of the grass he shall pass away from this earth. Yet, God allows them to rejoice in their works of emptiness as they being made low in their mortal flesh. No flesh is glorying because they are all decaying away to the grave under the sun of God’s wrath who judges them..
James 1:8-12 KJV
(8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(9) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
(10) But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
The sun of God’s wrath rises upon the earth with a burning heat and the flesh of men wither away. The rich are fading away in their ways.
(11) For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
(12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
We can not keep company with those who are double-minded. We can not keep company with those who are called brothers but are covetous (as they preach for money). The abomination of desolation is covetousness that destroys our mortal flesh.
Ephesians 5:3-14 KJV
(3) But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
(4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
No covetous man….who is an idolator….has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God for they are passing away in their mortal flesh.
(5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with empty words…for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Their mortal bodies are decaying (the destroyer) away to the grave and all of their followers are being led down the broad way to the destruction of the flesh with them.
(6) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
WE ARE NOT TO BE PARTAKERs WITH THEM.....for we are then of "ONE FLESH" with them.
(7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
(8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(9) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth)
We are to instead be not partakers with them and walk as children of Light. When the life of Jesus will be made manifest in our mortal flesh, we PROVE what is acceptable unto the Lord.
(10) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
(11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
(12) For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
(13) But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
We must not be partakers with them. We are to “awake” and arise from the “dead”.
(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
For we were once partakers with them….being children of wrath...as we lived according to their lusts and envy and strife. We were “children of wrath” even as others….even as the outside world.
Ephesians 2:1-8 KJV
(1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
(2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
(3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
(4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
(5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)
(6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
(7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Exodus 12:
(7) And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
(8) And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
If we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, He shall lift us up.
James 4:
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
“Bitter herbs”….
(9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
(10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
We are to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty (shame) …not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully. But by the manifestation of the truth, we commend ourselves to EVERY man’s conscience in the sight of God. When we preach the Word of Truth in sincerity in Christ, no man has an opportunity to profane the name of our God because of dishonest preaching for money. Let us immediately forsake our evil nets (handling the Word of God deceitfully) that we have caught many in and follow Him.
2 Corinthians 4:1-5 KJV
(1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
(2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
If the good news is hid, it is hid to those that are “lost”….that is, perishing away in the flesh. They can not see the Light because of dishonest preaching for money.
(3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We are NOT to preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your SERVANTS for Jesus’ sake.
(5) For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
By good words and fair speeches are many being led astray from the commandment to have love for one another and into the denominations of men where there is envy and strife and hatred of one another. MANY are led astray to the destruction of the mortal flesh by the flattering tongues of men (Babylon) who speak glittering things that sound appealing to them. The life of Jesus is being prevented from appearing in the mortal flesh of those they deceive.
Romans 16:17-18 KJV
(17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
(18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
We can not be “double-minded”. We can not serve 2 masters. We can not serve God AND mammon.
Matthew 6:24-25 KJV
(24) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
(25) Therefore I say unto you, 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. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
How long will His people halt between 2 opinions...being double-minded?
1 Kings 18:20-21 KJV
(20) So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
(21) And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
We must not keep company with those who are serving “Baal”….which means “lord, master”. They are serving for money….serving mammon… as they peddle the Word of God and preventing the life of Jesus from being made manifest in our mortal flesh because of what they are teaching for mammon's sake. Many of them will not want to hear the Word of God spoken in Christ. It will be the “savor of death unto death” unto those that are perishing from off this earth as they hastily go after the wages of unrighteousness. They are all actively perishing away in the flesh now.
2 Corinthians 2:15-17 KJV
(15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
MANY are retailing the Word of God. “Corrupt” = to retail.
(17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
We must not keep company with those who are preaching for money. They are not working with their own hands to support their own necessities as commanded by the apostles in the name of our Lord Jesus. A true “apostle” which means “sent” is sent out WITHOUT “purse, nor scrip”….things to receive money in. Nor is one sent with “shoes”….a product to sell to the spiritually poor in order to lead them astray from the Way of righteousness. An apostle does not “salute” any man by the way….that is, flatter men in order to get gain. Nor are they to take “2 coats”….using flattering words for a cloak of covetousness.
Luke 10:3-7 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.
(5) And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
(6) And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
The “laborer” in the Word is worthy of hospitality only. Let brotherly love continue and “entertain strangers”.
(7) And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
As true APOSTLES OF CHRIST, the exhortation is not of deceit nor of uncleanness (covetousness) nor in “guile”…fraud. No deceit is to be found in their mouths. A true SENT person by Jesus does not come with “purse or scrip” and deceitfully teach things to receive money.
1 Thessalonians 2:3-11 KJV
(3) For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
Nor does the true apostle of Christ speak to please men….. “saluting men by the way”. Nor does one use flattering words….taking “two coats”….as a cloke of covetousness.
(4) But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
(5) For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
Nor of men do they seek glory so that they might not be burdensome….as the APOSTLES (SENT) of Christ. They do NOT preach for money.
(6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
(7) But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
(8) So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
The true apostles showed us all things: how that laboring night and day did they preach the gospel so that they would not be chargeable to any of us.
(9) For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
(10) Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
(11) As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
The true apostle of Christ does not come to pass around a collection plate nor does he take tithes from people. A “king” collects money from his subjects and puts them to work in his “kingdom”….a servant does not. A KING WILL TAKE from you....
1 Samuel 8:11-20 KJV
(11) And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
(12) And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
(13) And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
(14) And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
(15) And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
(16) And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
(17) He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
(18) And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
(19) Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
(20) That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
Yet, His people love to have it so. They put with them GLADLY seeing that they are so “wise”. They want a man to be “king” to be over them to bring them into bondage and take of them and exalt himself over them.
2 Corinthians 11:19-20 KJV
(19) For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
(20) For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
His people love to have it so. But what will they do in the end?
Jeremiah 5:30-31 KJV
(30) A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
(31) The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
We are to remove our way far from those who use their flattering tongue to deceive us into their denominations of bondage. “She”…the “strange woman” ….is the flattering tongue that handles the Word of God with deception in order to get money and leads many astray from having love for one another (from the keeping of the daily sacrifice).
Proverbs 5:7-13 KJV
(7) Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
(8) Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Why give your honor unto others and your years unto the “cruel”?
(9) Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Why sit together with them as they are filled with our wealth and all of our labors are for them?
(10) Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
What will we do in the end? We shall MOURN at the last when our mortal flesh and our body are consumed and will say “how have I hated instruction and my heart did despise reproof….” The life of Jesus is being prevented from appearing in our mortal flesh when we are sitting with them and participating in their idolatry….preaching for money.
(11) And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
(12) And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
(13) And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
Our King is to be God. He is our “Husband” and we are His “wife”. He shall deliver us from wicked and unreasonable men who have taken advantage of us.
Isaiah 54:5-7 KJV
(5) For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
(6) For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
(7) For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
There is “fornication” among us. A man has the Father’s “wife” (we are “wife” of the Father in heaven) as they exalt themselves over us and take advantage of us. The nations of the world see this and blaspheme. It is commonly reported among the world that men are taking advantage of His flock and His flock loves it so. Not even the world gladly puts up with men taking advantage of them.
His people are glorying in men who exalt themselves over the churches and take advantage of us instead of mourning that he that does this be taken away from us.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 KJV
(1) It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
(2) And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
(3) For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
(4) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
They are being judged already as their flesh is being destroyed so that their spirit may be saved. Why glory in men who are taking advantage of us in their company and putting us to work in their kingdoms?
(5) To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
(6) Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
We must NOT sit together with them or we are perishing along with them. We are being destroyed with them. In the end, we shall mourn when our mortal flesh and body are consumed that we should have listened to the instruction: PURGE OUT the old leaven and not keep company with the “fornicators”.
(7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
(8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
(9) I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
(10) Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
(11) But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
We can not judge those who are “without” the church but judge those that we are keeping company with. We are to put away from among ourselves that wicked person who is preaching for money. A little leaven leavens the whole group.
(12) For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
(13) But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
We are NOT to judge the outside world….yet (that is, “until the morning”). We shall judge the world later….but now we must judge who we are sitting with at the “feast”. We are not to go out at the door of the house….that is, judge the outside world….because it is God who is judging the outside world….the “Egyptians”.
Exodus 12:
(22) And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
It is God who passes through the outside world and judges them. The outside world and its lusts are perishing….as their flesh is decaying away to the grave as they rejoice in their meaningless works done under the sun of His wrath (the subject of Ecclesiastes). The “firstborn” is the natural….the mortal body…that is being stricken with decay until it dies.
The “destroyer” = “TO DECAY”. The mortal body (the “house”) is decaying as flesh is as the grass that withers under the sun of God’s wrath that rises upon all flesh so that NO FLESH may glory before Him.
(23) For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
But all of those who will DO the Word of God shall live unto the age….for the Word of God is “eternal”…abiding to the age. We are to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts and keep His commandments always.
(24) And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
God judges the outside world….the “Egyptians”. He has chosen the foolish things of the outside world to “confound”….that is, shame down… the wise. He has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. Their flesh is being decayed as they pursue the meaningless things of this world.
1 Corinthians 1:27-31 KJV
(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
(28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
(29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.
(30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
The world is “under the sun” of God’s wrath as they pursue the foolish things of the world….for all is vanity and vexation of the spirit. He has given them “sore travail” to be “exercised” therewith…..that is, to be HUMILIATED with as their mortal flesh fades away to the grave in their pursuits of emptiness of which God allows them to enjoy in their brief time upon this earth. NO FLESH is glorying in His presence as they are ALL perishing in their mortal flesh to the grave. No man can keep his life saved here by any means other than through Christ Jesus our Savior.
Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 KJV
(12) I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
(13) And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
(14) I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
The rich of this world are being made low…..for as the flower of the grass he shall pass away from this earth. Yet, God allows them to rejoice in their works of emptiness as they being made low in their mortal flesh. No flesh is glorying because they are all decaying away to the grave under the sun of God’s wrath who judges them..
James 1:8-12 KJV
(8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(9) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
(10) But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
The sun of God’s wrath rises upon the earth with a burning heat and the flesh of men wither away. The rich are fading away in their ways.
(11) For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
(12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
We can not keep company with those who are double-minded. We can not keep company with those who are called brothers but are covetous (as they preach for money). The abomination of desolation is covetousness that destroys our mortal flesh.
Ephesians 5:3-14 KJV
(3) But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
(4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
No covetous man….who is an idolator….has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God for they are passing away in their mortal flesh.
(5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no man deceive you with empty words…for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Their mortal bodies are decaying (the destroyer) away to the grave and all of their followers are being led down the broad way to the destruction of the flesh with them.
(6) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
WE ARE NOT TO BE PARTAKERs WITH THEM.....for we are then of "ONE FLESH" with them.
(7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
(8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(9) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth)
We are to instead be not partakers with them and walk as children of Light. When the life of Jesus will be made manifest in our mortal flesh, we PROVE what is acceptable unto the Lord.
(10) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
(11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
(12) For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
(13) But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
We must not be partakers with them. We are to “awake” and arise from the “dead”.
(14) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
For we were once partakers with them….being children of wrath...as we lived according to their lusts and envy and strife. We were “children of wrath” even as others….even as the outside world.
Ephesians 2:1-8 KJV
(1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
(2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
(3) Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
(4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
(5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)
(6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
(7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: