Who Has The TRUTH?

adapted from an open letter from

James

Bread Upon The Waters Ministry
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Jesus REALLY is coming soon. BE READY!!!

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Editor's Introduction: This page is presented as a complimentary article to the "What's Worth Arguing About" page (which see). As stated elsewhere in this site, a major point of the Message of this Ministry is that most Christians will not be ready when the Tribulation begins. One of the major failures of the modern Church that will contribute to this is all the division that is allowed to exist, particularly all the arguing about doctrine. The "What's Worth Arguing About" page mainly presents the problem. This page expounds the Biblical solution. It is a solution that all Christians who want to be ready should apply to their lives.

The church has been arguing about the TRUTH for nearly 2,000 years. Since the Reformation, we now have 26,000 denominations of Christianity in The World. In Korea, there are 1,000 denominations of Presbyterians. AMAZING. It seems that no one can agree on the TRUTH.

1 Corinthians 1:10: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment".

1 Corinthians 11:18: "For first, when ye come together in assembly, I hear there exist divisions among you, and I partly give credit to it".

1 Corinthians 12:25: "....that there might be no division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern one for another.

Let's see, what can contend, wrangle or argue about:

(1) Continuance of spiritual gifts

(2) Lordship Salvation versus "Only Believe"

(3) Method of Baptism, Children Baptized

(4) Pre Tribulation or Post Tribulation Rapture of the Church

(5) Prosperity - God wants you rich, God wants you poor

(6) Tithing or No Tithing

(7) Drink Alcohol or Abstain

(8) Women wear coverings or not

(9) Divorce and Remarriage

Now I believe the ONLY item listed above worth contending about is related to salvation - "Lordship salvation" versus "Only Believe". The other issues are secondary in my opinion. Will they make or break a person's salvation, I don't think so.

YES, I want to know the TRUTH concerning these issues, BUT, there is another knowledge that is more important to me. These are not doctrines of the church. The only way to learn and KNOW these things is to SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD. The Holy Spirit of God is the teacher of these TRUTHS. If you can teach me these things then I am all ears. I want to learn and KNOW these things. These are the things I want to KNOW. I would guess that you are the same and these are the desires of your heart. I KNOW one thing, I can't learn them from a book.

I only want to KNOW Jesus and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. This is the only thing that is essential. You could have all TRUTH about the above subjects and not KNOW Jesus and where would you be ?

(1) I want to KNOW the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. Can you teach me this ?

Ephesians 3:14-21: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

(2) I want to KNOW Jesus, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Teach me this and I will listen.

Philipians 3:8-14: 8"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus".

(3) I really want to KNOW nothing but Jesus and Him crucified. Is not this the cry of your heart ? I want to say like Paul, " But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world". ( Gal 6:14).

1 Co 2:1-5: And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

(4) I want to KNOW His voice and to follow Him. I want to KNOW Jesus and be known by Him. I want Jesus to call me by name and I want to follow Him forever. Is this not what you also what to KNOW ?

John 10:1-5: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."

(5) I want to KNOW how to LOVE (Agape) the brethren.

1 John 3:14 -18:"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him."

I don't KNOW these things as I should. This is the KNOWLEDGE I want. How about you ? I would venture to say that your heart also aches for these things in prayer.

Now, if you want to contend for the Word of God, let's concentrate on this type of KNOWLEDGE.... Teach me please, don't blast me.

In conclusion, I would rather KNOW Jesus and be KNOWN by Him. I don't want to fight with other people who put their faith in Jesus for their salvation. You would just disagree with what was said and where would we be ? I will however, fight and contend and strive with/for people who don't know Jesus ...

2 Tim 2:22-26: "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

Look back to the things that I want to KNOW and seek after and think whether you desire the same things....

Love,

James

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