The Sword of the LORD

As John the Baptist began preaching in the wilderness of Judea , his message was simple and direct: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   He was sent to announce the imminent appearance of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the ushering in of a new dispensation.   Later, after John was cast in prison, Jesus began His earthly ministry by proclaiming much the same message as John’s.   He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”   The “time” that Jesus mentions being fulfilled here is the time, or dispensation, of the law and the prophets.   This we know because He says in Luke 16:16 , “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”   That the preaching of the kingdom of heaven was to take center stage is evident because it is mentioned 118 times in the gospels and another 31 in the Book of Acts whereas “c...

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."   (John 1:12, 13). Power is something that many men - and women - seek in this world.   The power to amass wealth, the power to lead others, and the power to command respect are all ways in which people seek to wield power.   God offers us something more, however: the power to become the sons of God.   He is not promising us merely a title (for this would require no power at all), but He is promising us the ability to become spiritually mature sons of God, having the same characteristics as the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.   He has promised us that we can be "partakers of the divine nature," and be changed into His image.   (2 Peter 1:4).   How do we receive such power?   It is simply a matter of receiving Jesus Christ, and...

A new report published this year by the American Religious Identification Survey from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, finds that 75% of Americans identify themselves as Christian. Despite these findings, only about 40% of Americans confess that they have been "born again." This seems to reveal a widespread misunderstanding about the necessity of the new birth to those who would desire to know God. I would like to offer here an explanation of the new birth which, I hope, will be helpful in clearing up some of the mystery about it for those who have not experienced it, or who are not sure if they have. The necessity of the new birth is clear enough. Jesus Himself said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) This is a step that cannot be skipped or avoided if we expect to have a place in the kingdom of heaven. In fact, it is the very first step that we must take in our quest to know God. Every other step is meanin...