In the Beginning was the Word — not the Interpretation

Indictment — Warning — Clarification

Without the usual introduction we shall get straight to the point. For judgement and jurisdiction in reference to all biblical matters — teachings or practice — which are to be dealt with, God has already decided in His Word what should be valid. In this exposition the incorruptible, everlasting Word of God, as it is written in the Bible, shall stand, for it will be used at the »day of judgement« as the final pronouncement of the verdict. As in a court case we shall now have to declare the indictment before God’s judgement seat and give the warning.

The charge is of continuous religious fraud. Humanity is still being deceived, as we shall see, and lied to in the name of God and religion. If there would be any chance of changing our eternal destination after death, no one would go to the trouble to make this indictment. However, it shall be as it is written, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.” (Heb. 9:27).

The charge is not against the »unknown«, but rather and in the first place against the whole clergy on the entire earth. Seeing things from our human perspective, we could try to plead extenuating circumstances, because we were all born into the inherited errors and deception. From God’s point of view there is no excuse for anyone, for He has left us the valid guidelines in the Bible. Thus saith the Lord Jesus, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:46-48).

All study the Holy Scriptures and arrive at completely different results because of their own views. To search and to study is not enough, that is being done by all churchmen. It starts with a personal revelation and the actual following of Jesus Christ. He is the crucial element to the complete manifestation of God, in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:2-3). It is written, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (Jn. 5:39-40).

It is absolutely not permissible to judge Bible subjects from one’s own viewpoint. We all have to submit to what God’s Word says. The Supreme Judge does now and will on the last day judge only according to His Word. The Apostle Paul writes, “… for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.” (Rom. 14:10). In his letter to the Corinthian church he emphasises once more, “Wherefore we labour, that … we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” (2. Cor. 5:9-10). The final judgement is being described to us in Rev. 20, from verse 11.

The present concern is for all those who refer to God to respect the Bible teachings and the examples set for us since the apostolic days as for ever valid. After His resurrection our Lord spent forty days before His ascension to heaven teaching His disciples (Lk. 24:50-51). Then He commanded His chosen apostles, to whom He appeared as the resurrected Lord, that they should also teach all nations to keep all things He had commanded unto them (Mt. 28:20; Acts 1:1-3). This is being done by all true servants of God according to the example set forth by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost and will continue until the end in the same teaching and practice. Thus the word spoken by the Prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled, “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” (54:13). In the Gospel according to John, our Lord refers to this scripture, saying, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” (Jn. 6:45).

The charge is made against all those who have changed God’s original Word as it is written in the Bible and have altered and falsified the teachings. Now humanity must hear the divine message clear and true in the original form. It is sad but true, the ministers of the various denominations walk in their own ways. Some speak of salvation, but they themselves do not come unto the way of salvation as is shown at the very beginning of the New Testament church.

During my international ministry, spanning over four decades and more than 130 countries, I came to know almost all denominations and churches. Travelling all over the earth, I am up-to-date with the things going on in the religious world. Everywhere the ecumenical spirit is pushing back the religious party spirits and leading softly into the »multi-cultural-system«, into the «world community« wherein all find their place. There is, for instance, the so-called “Apostolic Creed”, which should rather be called the “Nicean-Chalcedonean Confession”, that was only instituted in 325 and 381 A.D. and has been more or less commonly adopted by the Christian denominations. Therein one can read, “I believe in a holy Catholic church, in the communion of the saints …” A statement of faith with twelve points was presented to me in a full Gospel church in a Far East country. The above mentioned passage could be found under point 9. Recently I had a similar experience in a Central American capital, when the president of the Pentecostal churches wanted me to sign their statement of faith before I would register into the hotel. Only then the doors in the whole country would be opened to me for meetings. Due to just the first paragraph I could not have signed that statement with a good conscience. Thanks be to God, Who changed the attitude of that man and opened the doors anyway.

On my recent missionary trips I observed the practice wherein the prayers are being ended with the formula, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost”. It was also strange to me when during the worship service the Father, then the Son and the Holy Spirit were successively given the same amount of time to be praised. This practice is founded in the belief that “all three” should be equally honoured and are equally worthy of praise. Sometimes even the following announcement may be given, “Now we shall welcome especially the person of the Holy Spirit by offering a ‘Good evening, Holy Spirit’ with great applause.” That goes way too far, that is already bordering on blasphemy. What do such people think about the true apostolic way to address God, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3 a. o.)? Also this formulation, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Spirit be with you all!” is commonly being used at the end of a prayer. Whoever reads the epistles of Paul will quickly find out that he never thought of issuing a formula to be the standard norm that should be used every time. In every letter his ending is different. In the letters to the church in Rome he used two different endings, “Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” (15:33) and “… To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” (16:27). In the last line of the last verse in the Holy Scripture we read, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (v. 21). Why should anyone introduce an organised system and not let the Holy Ghost have His way at all times?

Such experiences and other things not mentioned here are the reason for this exposition, which is meant to be a challenge and a warning. What do we find written in the Holy Scripture and what is being read into it and then taken for granted? What was practised in reality by the apostles and what is being assumed of them? That must be asked and clarified. What is the Word of God and what is interpretation?