1. Presents Mistaking The Identity of Christ Mistaking The Identity of Christ Compiled and Illustrated from The study of The Word of GOD And The Spirit of Prophecy, February 2015 Introduction-(4) Part (4) `

2. In Part (3) of the Introduction of this series of study, on “Mistaking The Identity of Christ”, we have learned through Matthew’s report about Christ Jesus, Who, as One sowing The Seed of The Word of GOD into their hearts, He spoke and taught the multitude in parables, and said to them all, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” And His disciples came to Him, to ask Him a question, saying, “Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath” (Matthew 13:10-12). Notice, or perceive what Jesus has said to His disciples, who not only listened for His Voice, but also heard His Voice.

3. For they, being among a great multitude of people, who were not all-paying attention to what Jesus was saying; some might have caught only a part of what He was saying, because of the distractions that were made to break their concentration on His message being sown within the soil of their hearts. But Jesus said to those, who had ears to hear His Voice, saying, “…it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” For it is The Word of GOD, Who makes us HIS Elect by what we hear of HIS Word. As it was presented in Part (3) to, “Be careful how you interpret Scripture. Read it with a heart opened to the entrance of God's Word, and it will express heaven's light, giving understanding unto the simple.” Yet, Bible’s, are presented, as different interpretations of The Scriptures, different versions of The Word of GOD, to be spread around the world.

4. But they may not all be opening to the hearts of men and women, The Light of The Mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, Which has been given to all, who have ears to hear, What has been said by GOD in The Voice of HIS Word. As a devout Pharisee before his conversion, Saul studied The Scriptures. But he was not receiving by perception The Message of GOD’S Word to his heart. And although many in his day were not understanding The Things of GOD to their hearts, Paul wanted them to comprehend That, Which could not be understood by man’s wisdom. So he wrote in his testimony to the church in Corinth, and said, “…I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1, 2). Paul made it clear why he came to them not with excellency of speech, or of Wisdom, declaring unto to them The Testimony of God. Because he said…

5. “…I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:1-6).

6. Paul spoke to those, who could not hear, and said… I, could not brethren, spiritual, you as unto as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. fed you with milk, with meat: ye were not able to bear It--The spiritual neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? speak unto but I have and not for hitherto

7. From what Paul said in his letter to the church, there are natural men, who receive not The Things of The Spirit of GOD. One might ask the question: Why does the natural man receive not The Things of The Spirit of GOD? Through Paul’s report, the answer is given. It is because The Things of The Spirit of GOD are foolishness unto the natural man. Neither can the natural man know of The Things of The Spirit, because they are spiritually discerned, not carnally received and understood. Through Paul, The Word of GOD has demonstrated how GOD can reveal The Spirit of Truth to the church, which is “The Called out ones”, who are led by HIS Word. By Paul, The Word of GOD revealed to those, who are made perfect by their hearing of The Spiritual Things of GOD, Which the natural man cannot perceive of himself, The Things GOD has revealed by HIS Word. As Jesus taught His disciples, who had ears to hear His Voice, He had more than just twelve disciples, who followed Him to receive The Bread of Life. And He said unto them all…

8. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me” (John 6:53-57).

9. “This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard [this], said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? [What] and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (John 6:58- 62).

10. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:63-68).

11. Notice that except we eat The Flesh of The Son of Man, and drink His Blood, Which is of His Spirit, to dwell in us, that we might live by His Spirit of Life in us, then we will have no Life in us, to quicken us unto Eternal Life, to live forever. Although Christ Words, are from The Father, WHO speaks to us by HIS Word of Life, Who dwelt among men in the likeness of men, many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Christ Jesus--The Son of Man, because they said of His Words, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” And Jesus said to the twelve disciple, “Will ye also go away?” And Peter said, “…Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” And those, who heard His Voice, to received The Word of GOD into their hearts, He said….

12. “But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous [men] have desired to see [those things] which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear [those things] which ye hear, and have not heard [them]” (Matthew 13:16, 17).

13. Although The Spiritual Things of GOD have been revealed, to those, who have ears to hear, and eyes to perceive and see The Invisible Things of GOD, many like the disciples of Christ walked no more with Him, because to them His Words were hard to digest, and to receive into their understanding. So in like manner, as a result of not understanding The Words of Life given to the church by The Father, WHO spoke by HIS Word, Who also became flesh in the likeness of men, Ellen G. White wrote of the spiritualistic theories, which have been accepted. And she said that, "The spiritualistic theories regarding the personality of God, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian economy." {1SM 203.4} The logical conclusion of what men might understand from The Word of GOD is not the same, as The Spiritual discernment, which gives us Life, to dwell in Christ and He in us by His Spirit. For Jesus said, “…Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.”

14. Paul made “It” clear to the church at Corinth that his speech and his preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, or man’s logical conclusions. The Words through him were in demonstration of The Spirit and of Power. Why? That our faith should not stand in the logical conclusions, or in the spiritualistic theories of the wisdom of men, but in The Power of GOD. And speaking of those, who have ears to hear and eyes to perceive The Things of GOD, Paul said, we speak Wisdom among them that are perfect. Yet, The Wisdom he spoke of was not of the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, whose wisdom comes to nothing, or is done away, because it is of partial understanding. But all, who are made perfect by hearing The Voice of GOD’S Word to them, they will speak The Wisdom of God in a mystery.

15. And The Wisdom of God would not be, as a mystery to those, who are joined, as One Spirit with Christ. But, The Wisdom of GOD would be a mystery to those, who have ears to hear, but their hearts are waxed gross, because their ears are dull of hearing The Truth of GOD’S Word, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, to be converted, and Christ should heal them. The healing does not come first, according to The Word. Neither does perfection come without first receiving GOD’S Word. Healing comes after a person is converted in the heart. And the heart is converted from The Word of GOD, Who is received in the heart, to give understanding in The Things of GOD. And The Understanding comes to the heart by what is heard with the ears, to see. And seeing is perceived from What is revealed to the heart from what is heard by The Word of GOD in the ears. Jesus said to the multitude and to His disciples…

16. “…Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath” (Mark 4:24, 25). “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have” Luke 8:18).

17. Jesus clearly revealed The Truth of Wisdom to His disciples, when He said, “it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given”, because they have not ears to hear. The Hidden Wisdom of GOD has been ordained of GOD before the world unto our glory. But if the princes of this world know not The Hidden Wisdom of GOD, Who was ordained of GOD before the world unto our glory, and they estimate as nothing The Light that Christ came from heaven to give John, to give to His people--His church, and they teach that the scenes just before us are not of sufficient importance to be given special attention, then they are making of no effect The Truth of heavenly origin. And of the people of God, who are the members of Christ body, they are robbing them of their past experience of The Faith, to give them instead a false science. Jesus gave a message of warning to His disciples, which should concern us all in our time, which is the time of the last days, even for the time of the disciples, according to the time prophecy given by The Word of GOD to Daniel. For Jesus said to them…

18. “…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4, 5). For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things” (Mark 13:22, 23).

19. The reformation that consisted in being seduced into giving up the doctrines, which have stood, as the pillars of our faith, has the same effect, as the disciples of Christ, who give up The Things He taught them, to walk no more with him, because they could no hear and receive the doctrines of His Words, Which has been given to us, that we might know The Mysteries of The Kingdom of heaven. The children of Israel, who were chosen by GOD to be HIS elect, according to Deuteronomy 7:6, they did the same thing, as the disciples, who walked no more with Christ. And rather than just turning and walking no more with Him, because they knew Him not, they had Him crucified, because they saw Him not, as their Lord and King of glory. They mistook His identity to crucify Him. But in speaking of The Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from The Father, to Testify of Christ Jesus by His witnesses, Jesus said to His disciples…

20. “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart” (John 16:1-6).

21. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:7- 12).

22. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you” (John 16:13, 14).

23. Notice, or perceive What Jesus has revealed to us by His Testimony through His disciples, who have shared their reports of Him to us. As the prophets of old, searched what, or what manner of time The Spirit of Christ, Who was in them did signify, when He Testified beforehand of His sufferings and the glory that should follow, His Spirit was in His disciples, testifying to us through them. It is The Words of Christ Spirit that they have heard, and have share His Testimony with us. But there were many things that Christ Jesus could not share with them at the time. Paul also desired to share with the church Things of GOD, Which they could not bear, because, they were babes in their knowledge of The Invisible Things of GOD and HIS Spirit. Paul made this clear, when he spoke of Christ in them, ministering His Words of Life through them to the church. In his demonstration of The Spirit of Christ speaking through him, Paul said…

24. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:5- 7).

25. Notice that Jesus said to His disciples that His followers would be dis-fellowshipped, to be put out of the synagogues, or the churches. He said that the time would come, which did come, and for years, even in our time, many have been put out of the churches for their faith. And those, who are being killed today for their faith in Christ, they are being killed by those, who think that they are doing the service of GOD. But Christ Jesus has revealed to those, who have ears to hear, and eyes to see, that these things are being done today, even to Him, Who dwells in those, who believe and serve Him by their faith. And those, who persecute Him a fresh, just as Saul did before his conversion, by killing the members of Christ body; they are doing the same unto Him, because they have not known The Father, nor The Son of GOD, Whom they recognized only as a Prophet. But as Christ Jesus--The Voice from heaven That spoke to him, and said…

26. “…Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus.” (Acts 9:4-8).

27. Like The Jewish nation, which crucified The Son of GOD, because they knew Him not, to have made His abode among men in the likeness of the flesh. Paul confessed that he knew not The Lord Jesus Christ. And many are doing the same thing today, because they mistake The Identity of Christ, because they don’t recognize Him in the members of His body of flesh, which are called Christians, to be Christ-like by His Spirit in them. They are being deceived by the spirit of error, which they believe to be correct. To confirm The Truth, of The Light of The Knowledge of The Glory of GOD, Who is seen in The Face of Jesus Christ, The Word of GOD has revealed Himself, as The Hidden Treasure of GOD, in the earthen vessels, who have received Him. And they have revealed Him, as The Wisdom of God, and The Spirit of Truth, Who has been ordained before the world our glory. In his report to the church on The Spirit of Truth in His earthen vessel, John said to the church of Him, saying…

28. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them” (1John 4:1-5).

29. “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:6-10).

30. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:11-16).

31. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:17-19). “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me” (John 6:56, 57).

32. Notice what John has revealed to the church about The Spirit of Truth. John said… Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits they are of God: whether because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: every spirit that confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: And and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, ( your flesh ) greater is He that is in you, ( your flesh ) he that is in the world. than

33. John said… We are of God: They are of the world: he that knows God hears us; therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. of God he that is not us. hears not Hereby know we The Spirit of Truth, and the spirit of error.

34. Notice that there are many prophets that are in the world. But we are to believe not every spirit, but discern and examine whether these spirits are of God. When we examine these prophets, we will recognize that there are only two sides, in which these prophets place themselves. John said, “Hereby know ye The Spirit of GOD.” On one side, there are those, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, because they are not hearing, or they still have not heard, nor understood what John is saying to them of Him, whom they are to receive in their flesh. And there are those, who will confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, of those, who are of God. But those, who confess not this Truth that Jesus Christ is received in them, then they are none of His, because they are of that spirit of antichrist. John made known The Word of GOD to those, who have ears to hear and said, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

35. John made the distinction between the spirit of error, and The Spirit of Truth by saying, We are of God: he that knows God hears us. But he that is not of God hears not us. And speaking of those, who hear not The Word of GOD through His members, John said, They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. Of those, who hear and understand only partially The Things of GOD, Paul said, “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity” (1 Corinthians 13:9-13).

36. Although many are on the side of knowing only in part, because they are not hearing The Spirit of Truth, to be perfected by Him, Who dwells in us by our receiving of His Spirit in us, John said, “…he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us.” “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” As Paul said of GOD’S Love, “…now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these [is] charity”, which is our love for one another, because of Him, Who first loved us, and gave Himself for us, who were not walking in The Light of His Glory, which GOD ordained before the world unto our glory.

37. And speaking of GOD’S Love for us, John said, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:17-19). (End of Part 4) As Paul said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And John said, “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:12, 16), because the greatest of these [is] charity.