So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7

Paul explained the doctrine of Grace. He had a way of expressing things that got to the root of the matter, dividing one thing from another, by means of the Word and the Spirit. He often captured complicated things in such a way as to express and administer them to people so that there could be understanding of what was being taught so that people could come to the same place of agreement in faith concerning subjects as he had.

In speaking to the church at Colossae, Paul laid out the way of Grace through faith. Grace is the enablement of God, and faith is God’s gift.
When we consider the children of Israel, it says they perished in the wilderness because they did not mix their promises with faith. Although they had faith, they did not choose to use the free gift of God, and so enter into His Rest.

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The name written on her forehead was a mystery:  BABYLON THE GREAT — THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES — AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth

Revelation 17:5, 18

The great harlot of Revelation 17 is a point of conjecture and debate by students of Eschatology.  Despite its strong symbolism and ties to the city of Rome, being the most notable “city on seven hills” of its day, many have attempted to lay claim that it refers instead to either Jerusalem, or, a some-day-to-be-rebuilt Babylon. Yet, as we study out this passage, it becomes apparent that this part of the vision of John is about Rome, but not just the city, but about something else.

When we refer to “Rome”, we may in fact be referencing more than one thing, and it is necessary to identify to what this name can refer to.  First of all, Rome was a world-ruling empire that dominated the entire “known-world”.  Second, Rome was a city, which was the capitol of the empire with the same name.  Additionally, however, Rome was ALSO the name of the the goddess that personified the city, Rome, or Roma.  This third entity called Rome, or Roma, it is said, “…has been seen as a goddess, a whore, … and as the symbol of civilization itself”.

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The identity of the “great whore” of Revelation 17 is of great interest to students of Eschatology.  Some have suggested the city of Rome for this, while others sometimes suggest Jerusalem or a future, rebuilt Babylon.  Looking historically in the lens of Biblical prophecy, it apperas as if Babylon the Great is referring specfically to the city of Rome.  The identity of the harlot, then, is Roma, the goddess that personifies this city.  This video looks at the prophetic and historical reasons for this interpretation as well as other issues.  Enjoy the video.

The Kingdom of God.  Is it now, or is it yet to come?  Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force.  This wasn’t a future statement, but rather it was fulfilled then.  Compare this to a popular scripture from the book of Daniel.

 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Daniel 7:18, emphasis added

Clearly, the Law and the Prophets were until John (the baptist), and since that time the Kingdom of God is being preached (Luke 16:16).

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Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6

As Truth is a person, so is The Way.  As surely as any understanding of who He was and what He taught could be expressed, it cannot be understood outside of the person of Who He Is, What He Did and Why He Did It.  The Path of Life therefore, as it were, is following Jesus.  For the original twelve apostles, this was through both observing who Him directly, as well as by hearing Him teach.  Today, while we do not see exactly how He lived the words He preached, we have His Spirit within us to guide us into all truth.

But, most assuredly, His Words are to be obeyed.  None of His Words can be fully embraced without the provision of His Spirit, but through Him, and His enabling power, we are able to overcome through faith.

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For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 8:14

The ground floor of the church building is the life of the Spirit, that is, being led by Him.

There is no other life, no other functional place of ministry than to be spiritually minded, and any ministry that occurs outside of that will only reproduce after its own kind.  Any other form of church is a hollow, man-made shell, with no lasting fruit nor legacy.

Jesus came and demonstrated the first spirit-led life.  He was cut off from this Earth through the waters of baptism, lived apart and separated in the Spirit realm of the Holy Ghost, and only after His death was he granted brothers.

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Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

John 5:33-35

Light reveals.  Light illuminates.  Light is righteousness, and darkness is evil.

In all places, the true light that gives light to every man, Jesus Christ, is always a portrait of illumination, but also of righteousness.  It is the voice of Him who is above, who is true light, the Father of Lights.

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But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’  And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?  They said, ‘The first.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.

Matthew 21:28-32

When we look at the faith teachers in the past, we do not always see the Gospels and the teachings of Jesus explicitly mentioned, even though they do teach Faith, the anointing, and the realm of the Spirit perfectly.  While there are many variations on faith teaching, it must be noted, however, one crucial thing.  Despite how much revelation one teacher had or another, or how well any person was able to present the message of faith, of more important than the ability to understand and teach faith is whether we choose to LIVE it!

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Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6

The Scriptures are sufficient for the Christian life.  They show the way of Salvation, Jesus Christ, and they instruct in righteousness, fully equipping the man of God for every work of service.  The Scriptures are not the sum total of everything knowable about God of course, for Jesus Himself said that He had much more that He wanted to share that He couldn’t, because it would be too much for His disciples (John 16:12).  The Holy Spirit is here to guide us into all truth.  But, when that comes, the object is not necessarily to write a new book about it.

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John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

John 3:27

The Spirit of Revelation was Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:8, that God might grant it unto His people.  Jesus operated by a Spirit of Revelation, through the ministering of angelic messengers (John 1:51, Luke 22:43, Luke 2:9, Mark 1:13).  By way of revelation, because it is the revelation that makes it known to be followed, Jesus did only what He saw His father doing (Luke 5:19), and He spoke only what the Father gave Him to say (Luke 14:24).  Jesus was not a “free” man unto Himself, He waited for His proper timing in everything, whereas for other people, any time was acceptable (John 7:6).  In short, Jesus was a solder.  He was a man under authority with others under Him (Matthew 8:9 — think angels, which is the only possible explanation of this passage in context with the Centurion to whose house Jesus never went).  He didn’t operate as His own agent, but only out of the place of revelation to be about the business of His Father.

Not only did Jesus Himself operate in revelation, it was so important, that John the Apostle said that testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy (Revelation 19:10).  It was by revelation, by means of a vision, that John received the last book of the New Testament, and revelation is a key factor in all of the books in between there and the Gospels.  For, it was by revelation that Paul received all His great insights (Galatians 1:12).

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