Justice for Jesus is justice for the Word of God- which means setting the Word of God free from the lies and misunderstanding that have plagued it and disturbed its peace by a people who profess to know and practise it. The word of God is suffocating underneath the false doctrines that have arisen from the lack of knowledge which destroys God’s people, and the lying pen of the scribes who interpret the word of God according to their state of powerlessness and greed for worldly power. Justice is choked, truth stumbles in the streets of the narrow path that leads to life, and righteousness stands at a distance because we would not allow the Spirit of truth to come near us lest He exposes our darkness and casts us out of our religious stiff-neck restrictive ways. Day after day injustice is done to Jesus- His Name is constantly blasphemed because of us when we fail to consistently manifest the fullness of the power of the truth of His words.
But enough is enough. Today, the Lord wants the word of God set free and the sin of sexual immorality committed against the word of God declared forgiven. This is the conduct arising from the ignorance of the word of God, as ignorance bears it fruits of poison from the sin of sexual immorality. It does not only pertain to the flesh in our relationship with one another, but it is our unfaithfulness in all facets of our relationship with the Godhead. For we are called to come into a monogamous relationship with the word of God- with Jesus- the Holy Spirit- and our God our Creator our Father.
As we were taught two Wednesdays ago, the adulterers of the word of God are those who believe in God but follow false teachings and idolise the false doctrines. Since we are ones who were restored the lost command, “Listen to Jesus”- we have been blessed with the truth and the power which surges out of it. Here we always talk about the problems of factionalism in the church- but this is the solution: we forgive our brothers and sisters because we love them as Jesus has loved us, for we ourselves have been forgiven of much and love much.
Listen to the Lord’s call to His church, “Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.”[1] God has seven bowls of wrath which He will pour out on the earth, but He has a separate cup filled with the fury of his wrath that is reserved only for Babylon.[2] We forgive the people of the sin of sexual immorality because if we forgive them, they are forgiven. The specific sins will be exposed and declared, and as they are- we forgive them.
We are ones who know the truth, are we not? Amen. We are ones who practise the truth, are we not? Amen. We are ones who have received the Holy Spirit, are we not? Amen. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we demolish every argument and pretension that set itself up against our Jesus the word of God. We take down every golden calf that has reared it ugly head in the word and we grind it to powder and burn it in fire. We set the captives free as we forgive the sin of sexual immorality committed against the Word, and we dissolve the power of that sin which has enslaved the church for too long, so that its people are set free to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Forgiveness which comes from a heart that obeys our Lord’s command, “Love one another. As I have loved you, love one another”, has the power to demolish strongholds. Forget the enemy for a second as they weep and gnash their teeth at us in their total defeat. The power of forgiveness executed by extreme followers of the one who brought us into the new covenant gives rise to the exercise of kindness, righteousness and justice on earth that delights the Father. If the Father likes to exercise of kindness, righteousness and justice on earth, what does He like to exercise in heaven? And on new earth?
This is the eleventh hour where the Holy Spirit is rising up to show His power through His elect who He has trained up in distinctive ways and gifting. It is time to turn the churches around in the miraculous manner which Jesus converted Paul on the road to Damascus. The Lord made Paul blind so that he may see again- the churches need to see the truth again, the scales must fall from their eyes and they must be filled with the Holy Spirit again so that they will regain its strength. Through the effect of the sin of sexual immorality, which is ignorance from not listening to Jesus, the enemy has had the churches tie up the strong man, the Holy Spirit, for too long. Division and unforgiveness have wreaked havoc in the house of prayer and grieved the Holy Spirit- but today on- our brothers and sisters are forgiven. Justice to the Holy Spirit!
1. We declare forgiven the sin of the false doctrines of the “Mother of Heaven”[3] and the “Mother of the Church”. We set free the people of God who have been enslaved by prayers to Mary the mother and the rosary[4], and we dissolve the power of the sin which has a hold over them.
2. We declare the sin of the false teaching of “The Rapture” be forgiven. Let the church see that we are called not to escape the earth before it comes, but that we will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that is coming, and end up on our feet before the Son of Man.[5] This brings Jesus justice and honour- to have waiting for Him His true disciples who are not cowards or traitors, but are His friends, brothers and sisters, and faithful supporters. Church: we are to preserve the earth with the knowledge and wisdom that we have received, and by the power of the Holy Spirit entrusted to us, so that when the Son of Man returns, He will find faith. We are the salt of the earth,[6] which calls for patient endurance and perseverance. If the whole church is taken away in rapture as it so prays and desires, who will have authority over the earth before Jesus comes back- the unbelievers, the new-borns in Christ or the false prophet?
Church: Do not be deceived. We need the power of the Holy Spirit for our survival- His departure from the earth is imminent until we re-unite with Him again. The Father knows it, the Lord knows it and the Holy Spirit knows it- now you know it too.
3. We declare the sin of ignorance in James’ letter to the Gentile church forgiven (Acts 16). We declare those who have followed the teachings which sprung from that letter be forgiven. And we declare James’ misguided use of the name of the Holy Spirit be forgiven.
4. We declare forgiven the sins of those who lust after the old covenant after the new covenant has been firmly set in place by the sin offering of Jesus. I tell you that anyone who looks at the old covenant lustfully has already committed adultery with it. If your right eye causes you to sin, gauge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for the whole body to be thrown into hell. We have been given a certificate of divorce from the old covenant because of our marital unfaithfulness- and we have drunk the blood of a man so we can no longer go back to it. Now, church, move on into the new covenant completely, for the glory of the present covenant is greater than the former. Church: If you have one foot straddling on the old covenant and the other foot on the new covenant, you are not a disciple of Jesus, nor a student of the Spirit, nor a listener of the Father. You are neither here nor there, and you will be split in two. When God sends His earthquakes to shake the nations and break the gates that bar His way, you will fall between the jagged cracks of an earth which is passing away, because your foothold is not placed firmly on the Rock- the solid foundation of the new covenant.
5. We declare the sin of the false teaching that has led to the practice of the binding of the devil be forgiven. Let the people understand the words of Jesus that the strong man is the devil but the stronger man is the Holy Spirit. We have been robbed by the devil because we were bound by this false teaching- but we are tied up no more. And with the Holy Spirit, we will attack the house of the enemy and take away the armour in which the devil trusts in, which is the power of doubt and deception, and divide up the spoils.
6. We declare the sin of adultery with the law of copyright pertaining to the word of God and the revelations of the Holy Spirit be forgiven. Copyright law is a law of man- it does not belong to God, and it has no place in the work of God and in the service of feeding and taking care of His sheep. We declare the mixing in of man’s law with God’s word be forgiven, and we set the people free from the greed of possession of the things of God which was whispered in their ear but should be proclaimed from the rooftop, free of cost.
7. We declare forgiven the sin of sexual immorality where the church picks and discards parts of the word of God which they perceive as the truth or a myth, mistranslation or mistake from the toils of time and language barriers. The bible is a true representation of events transpiring from different people’s relationship with God and a true record of the words spoken by Him. Not every word is the truth because the words of men and devils are written in it, but it is true that what is written is how it happened- what is said is how and when it was said. The word of God is true.
8. We declare the sin which resulted from the strife over water baptism forgiven. Let even the ones who have priests water baptise their pet animals be forgiven.[7] From today, let all the disputes over water baptism be settled by the truth. Make it known that it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire which counts because we receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us. For John baptised with water for repentance,[8] but Jesus baptises with the Holy Spirit for resurrection. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.[9]
9. We declare the sin which resulted from the division over speaking in tongues forgiven. Now, churches, be free to speak, shout and sing in new tongues of fire and let the Holy Spirit pray through you. Amen Holy Spirit!
10. We declare the sin of those who teach and follow the doctrine that hell is eternal be forgiven.[10] Let the distinction be made that the eternal fire is not hell, but is the fiery lake of burning sulphur. On Judgment Day of the great white throne, the sea will give up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades will give up the dead that were in them, and each person will be judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death. And anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire, together with the devil, the beast and the false prophet.[11] Hell is not eternal damnation; the lake of burning sulphur is eternal damnation because the torment continues day and night forever and ever.[12] In Daniel, the Lord said, “But at that time your people- everyone whose name is found written in the book- will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”[13] The shame and everlasting contempt here does not relate to the lake, but to those whose share in the tree of life and in the holy city is taken away from them by God.[14]
11. We declare the sin of the doctrine of salvation by works forgiven.[15] The Lord said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”[16] We are given the gift of grace so that we who have faith in Jesus and believe all His words will be saved from the condemnation that belongs to the unbelievers of truth. To believe in Jesus and His words takes faith. It is not by the works of the old covenant that we are saved, but by the blood of the new covenant which has been poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins- that if you believe Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, you are saved. However, in terms of works- there is one we are called to do by the Father, and that is to listen to Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
12. And the last shall be first: We declare forgiven the sin of the church which has not followed these words of Jesus: “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached around the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” The church has not followed the teaching of the Lord to mention the beautiful thing that Mary Magdalene had done for Him and has failed to listen to Jesus to preach the gospel in the prescribed way. Let the church be set free to mention Mary Magdalene in honour of the joy and affection she had given to the Lord, and the love they shared. Let the gospel of Jesus Christ be preached in the fullness of truth and power, fulfilling all righteousness of the new covenant.
Father, we forgive our brothers and sisters who have fallen into the sin of sexual immorality because they did not obey your command to listen to Jesus. We declare their sins forgiven and we set them free from the desires and the power of darkness that has held them and has grieved your Holy Spirit. Lord, may justice be brought to the Holy Spirit, who is our Counsellor- let His counsel not be despised nor His rebukes be spurned anymore that he may raise up kings who reign and rulers who make laws that are just. Let He whose mouth speaks what is true and whose words are just be listened to, be respected, be received, be responded to, be agreed with, be loved and adored, and be so missed when He is gone. Let us wait patiently for the days when we will hear His voice again when He and the bride say, “Come!”
Holy Spirit, we thank you for your patience as you continue to guide us into all truth and teach us all things. May the forgiveness of our brothers and sisters make your yoke easier and your burden lighter, as the Lord has made it light and easy on us. May it bring joy and ease into your heart, Holy Spirit, and be grieved no more. We love you, Holy Spirit.
[1] Revelation 18:4
[2] Revelation 16:19
[3] http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/godhead/father/Heavenly_Mother_EOM.htm; http://home.nyc.rr.com/mysticalrose/marian10.html
[4] http://www.catholic.org/clife/mary/promises.php
[5] Luke 21:36 Message Version
[6] Matthew 5:13
[7] The Sunday Telegraph; 10 October 2004; at page 54.
[8] Acts 1:5
[9] Ephesians 4:5
[10] http://www.carm.org/uni/eternal_hell.htm; http://www.biblehelp.org/hell.htm; and http://www.cymmelb.org/xpress/040407hell.htm. Or go to http://www.google/.com, search “eternal hell” for further read.
[11] Revelation 20:10-15
[12] Revelation 20:10
[13] Daniel 12:2
[14] Revelation 21:19
[15] http://dianedew.com/salv-rc.htm
[16] John 3:16
