Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters, dear Friends,

This is Brother Frank speaking to you from the International Mission Center in Krefeld, Germany. It’s always a privilege to share with you God’s precious and holy Word. We call this ministry apostolic-prophetic, bible-based ministry. To make sure that you understand: we don’t represent a church or denomination, not even ourselves. We just believe the Word of God the way it is written. And all the teachings, all the practices, everything, as we believe, should be restored to the Church of the Living God before the Return of Jesus Christ.

One of our subjects is the Return of Jesus Christ, the calling out, the preparation of those who make up the Bride Church to meet the Bridegroom when He does come. Then, of course, we think about Galatians, chapter 1, where the Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit emphasizes that there is only one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and this Gospel we must preach and we have to teach all things according to the Word of God. Then in Galatians 1, verse 10, the apostle says, “For do I now seek the favour of men, or of God?” The same I say today. And also, as we continue, “Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” We can only please God, or men. There is no way in between. The same applies to the teachings of the Bible doctrines. 

And Friends, if we go to 1 Peter, chapter 1, we are told that before the foundation of the world we were chosen and ordained to eternal life. 1 Peter, chapter 1, verse 2, “… elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” Here we have the revelation that God before time began had His Plan of Salvation. He knew that man would fall, that redemption would become necessary. And therefore, the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to acquaint you, to let you know what God has done in Christ. Foreordained, chosen, but then through the preaching of the Word of God you must respond, you must confirm your calling, you must believe, because you are chosen. And therefore we read in Acts, chapter 13, “… all that were ordained to eternal life believed.” So we must make make sure that we don’t follow a church tradition, as we spoke in the last few sermons about obedience, about faith, about baptism.

Today if we look into Christianity, all walk in their own ways, all have their own teachings. But those who have the life of God within them, they who are born again by the Holy Spirit, they do have a direct connection to God, they are under the blood of the new covenant, they are ordained to believe and to obey the Word of God and follow Jesus Christ, their Lord and Saviour. In the same chapter of 1 Peter 1, we read from verse 18, “… redeemed not with corruptible things … but with the precious blood of our Lord Christ …” You can read verse 18, 19 and 20, “… who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world …” Not only we, but the Lamb of God, the Son of God who died for us was ordained from before the foundation of the world.

 And Friends, then if you go to Romans, the 8^th chapter, it says in verse 29 – Romans, chapter 8, verse 29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.” How precious are such statements! Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the firstborn among many brothers. And Friends, I like to emphasize this, because it is so important to become sons and daughters of God. I also shared this sometime ago, that only if we are born again we can call God our heavenly Father. But now not only millions, but over a billion on earth pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” And they don’t know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, they never repented, they never were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – they walk in a tradition – and praying, and praying all these prayers. 

And Friends, we have to say this: there will be such a disappointment at the end of our journey. I do not wish to be in the shoes of those who never accepted Christ as their personal Saviour, because only in Christ we receive grace, we receive all the blessings, full salvation and of course eternal life. Also this I must say over and again: Only if you during your lifetime receive eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, you can and will live eternally. There is no possible way to live eternally without having eternal life.

Now coming back again to the wonderful thought and reality that Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. Let us go to Hebrews, the second chapter, to see what the Scripture has to say about this subject. Hebrews, chapter 2, and here we shall read verse 11. It states in a wonderful way, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one …” – of one and the same – “… for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren …” We are of the same Father, that’s why our Lord and Saviour could say in John 20, verse 17, “I go to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.” But what does it mean? It means that we have to have our personal experience to be truly born again. First we receive the seed of God’s Word into our soul and we believe, and then the Holy Spirit comes upon us, creating this new life in us. And then we can testify with the Apostle Paul like he did in Galatians, chapter 2, “I am crucified with Christ. Now I live no more, but Christ lives in me.”

Coming back to Hebrews, the 2^nd chapter, let us read verse 12, “… saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” Here is a very, very special statement, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren” – not to everybody, but “unto my brethren” – to those who are born again by the same Holy Spirit. They receive the revelation of the name of God. And here we have a very important subject. What is the New Testament covenant name? What is the name the Saviour revealed to all those who are saved? If you go to the Great Commission, our Lord said, “… baptizing them into the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” Not three times: into the name of the Father, into the name of the Son, into the name of the Holy Ghost, but one time, baptizing them into the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost. There is one movement within the Full Gospel ranks: they baptize three times. They baptize, saying, “I baptize you in the name of the Father”, dipping under, “in the name of the Son”, dipping under, “in the name of the Holy Ghost”, again dipping under the water. But that is not the scriptural pattern. 

In Ephesians 4, we read, “… one Lord, one faith, one baptism …” So we shared all the places, showing how the New Testament believers since the day of Pentecost were baptized. Acts, chapter 2, verse 38; Acts, chapter 8, you can read right from verse 15; Acts, chapter 10; Acts, chapter 19. And all true believers were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because that is the New Testament covenant name. “Thou shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” And the second scripture: “His name will be called Emmanuel.” – God personally manifested in Jesus Christ. And then we fully understand: in heaven He is our Father; on earth He revealed Himself in His only begotten Son; in the believers He dwells by the Holy Spirit: God above us, with us, in us. Three manifestations of the same God to accomplish His own plan of Salvation! “I will declare Thy name” – not to everbody but “to my brethren.” Wonderful! Thereby we come to understand, whether we are born again, whether we are truly the brethren who are meant according to this scripture. 

Then in Hebrews, the 12^th chapter, we are told about those who are the firstborn to gather in the presence of Almighty God in the completion. Here we have Hebrews, chapter 12, from verse 22, “But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels …” Here we have the completion, when we all shall gather, when the Lord will return and take us home to Glory. And it says in verse 23, “… to the general assembly and church of the first-born” – not to a protestant, not to a catholic, not to an Anglican, not to any church, but to the church of the firstborn, “who are written in heaven” – not written in any church book, but whose names are written in heaven, “and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the just men made perfect” – made perfect. O glory be to God! What a full salvation and redemption right from the beginning to the completion, when our Lord shall return!

Friends, may I ask you in love: Are you born again? Are you part of those who will be gathered as the firstborn in the New Jerusalem? Will you have part in the first resurrection? Will you have part at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Will you be ready when the Bridegroom returns? I could share all these scriptures with you.

Then we go to 1 John. Here we read in chapter 2 – 1 John, chapter 2, verse 28, “And now, little children, abide in him, that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” What an important scripture! “Now, little children, abide in him …” Our Lord said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you …” – “Abide in Him! When He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” The preaching God entrusted us with has one goal: that all who hear the true Word of God, the true message of the hour, the true Gospel of Jesus Christ should be ready for the Return of Christ, that no one would be ashamed and left behind at that most important moment in all the history of mankind. The coming, the second coming of Christ will be the climax in the time of grace. 

And Friends, I say this again: 1 John, chapter 2, verse 28. Please read it again and again. And then it says in verse 29, “If ye know that he is rightous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him.” Born of Him – the same Father, the same life, the same fruits of the Holy Spirit, everything the same in all the sons and daughters of God. The nature of Christ, the Son of God, is in us. 

So, Friends, let me say finally: the Return of Christ is imminent. The true message of God’s holy Word is being preached to all nations. The last call is going forth and all who have an ear to hear what the Spirit says unto the churches should listen very carefully and prepare, prepare for that great day, when the trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we who are alive shall be changed and together we shall be taken up into Glory. I want you to be there. Therefore we have to share God’s Word in truth and honesty for you to have the chance to also prepare for the Second Coming of Christ. God bless you and be with you in Jesus’ holy Name. Amen.