26. Visions of the Kingdom Age Study No 26 by James Dillingham

This will be the 26th presentation in the series entitled Visions of the Kingdom age originally presented at the Cranston, Rhode Island ecclesia’s adult Sunday School class.

This class will center on a rather counter-intuitive issue that was a small part of our considerations addressing how the kingdom age is identified so frequently by the number 12, and referenced in our previous class in relation to the 3 divine rituals performed at the door of one’s home.

https://youtu.be/olQzMDpLpok

While there appears to be no indication of the practice of slavery in the prophecies of the laws, rituals and conditions in the restored kingdom age that we anticipate soon, there were most definitely divine laws concerning slavery during the first age of the kingdom of God. The practice of slavery was divinely accommodated and before that during the patriarchal age as well. In fact slaves actually had greater privileges in the participation of divine rituals than those qualifying as merely hired servants. This was the case in relation to participating in the ritual of circumcision and also in Passover.  In Genesis 17 starting in verse 12 we read, And he that his 8  days old shall be circumcised among you every man child in your generations. He that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.  He that is born in thy house and he that has bought with thy money must needs be circumcised. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant and the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.

There is no mention of the hired servant here or even the indentured servant or apprentice. The only two required categories are genealogical relation, being born in Abraham’s house, or he that was purchased with Abraham’s money, indicating a slave. We see this interesting slave-inclusion in the Passover ritual as well. In Exodus chapter 12 reading at verse 43 we see, And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, this is the ordinance of the Passover. There shall no stranger eat thereof but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. A foreigner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof. In one house, thou shall not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of that house. Neither shall thou break a bone thereof.  It wasn’t that a foreign visitor or hired servant was absolutely forbidden to participate in Passover, it was just that they could not be compelled. But certainly were forbidden if they were not circumcised. Circumcision was an absolute prerequisite for Passover participation. We all  probably note the initially odd exclusion of women from participating in Passover. After all we’re told in verse 48 that absolutely no uncircumcised person could participate in the Passover meal. Well since it is impossible to circumcise a female and there’s no doubt women participated in Passover, We have to ask on what legitimate basis was that female participation in Passover divinely acceptable.

Now I recognize this probably seems to be outside our target consideration, as to why slaves were particularly included in a Passover participation while hired servants were not. But the reason for both both the mandated participation of the male slaves and the historically accommodated participation of the uncircumcised women, are both validated in divine principles that are demonstrated in spiritually expressed truths throughout scripture. This is the principle of extended benefit. The basis by which an uncircumcised female could legitimately participate in the Passover meal was her relationship to her qualifying husband or father. This is exactly the qualifying precedent for every single faithful member of the enlightened community. We are only going to participate in the ultimate “passing over” of death which is the salvation of immortalization, on the basis of how our father and husband experienced the ultimate circumcision of his crucifixion. We are only saved on the basis of “ extended benefit.” We certainly don’t deserve salvation independently of Jesus Christ. The faithful are repeatedly expressed as the Bride of Christ. The salvation experience is repeatedly presented in the terms of a marriage ceremony. Additionally Jesus is prophetically presented as the father of the faithful, due to the fact that we have to be born again to inherit the kingdom. We have to be reborn into the spirit nature of our creator as Jesus explained to Nicodemus. This is why Jesus is prophesied in Isaiah 9, so appropriately, as being an everlasting father.

We read, Isaiah 9:6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counsellor the mighty God the everlasting father the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom. Jesus is certainly an everlasting father, as it’s through his victory the faithful can be born again into everlasting life. Jesus certainly was not from everlasting as that is the exclusive distinction of the creator of the universe. But he will certainly continue to everlasting, and therefore qualifies for the legitimate title everlasting father. We also can confirm this understanding of how Jesus becomes a father in Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 53 and verse 10, we read Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He has put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul, his life, an offering for sin he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days.

Now we’ve really used this reference to prove the human nature of our Messiah. That due to the offering of his life, his soul, for sin that his days would be prolonged. That is utterly impossible to prolong the days of an immortal, that foolishness would be laughable. There is nothing beyond forever. No one can promise more days of life to an immortal. Therefore Jesus was not already immortal when he was crucified because his days certainly were prolonged just like God states in the prophecy of our Messiah. Over our real point in our current context is that on the basis of Jesus offering himself as a sacrifice for sin he would see his seed. He would see his descendants, his children and this is why Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians 15 starting to read in verse 21,”For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the Dead. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order. Christ the firstfruits afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

The resurrection from the dead came by the man, Jesus of Nazareth. The next ones to experience that resurrection to immortality, that prolonging of our lives, will belong to Christ. They will be his at his coming, at his return. On the basis of the divine principle of extended benefit. This is why the children the faithful are considered holy to God on the basis of extended benefit. We see this principle expressed in 1 Cor  chapter 7 verse 14, For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean. But now are they holy.. So the reason why it was appropriate for women and girls to partake of the Passover meal was on the basis of their relationship to their qualifying father or husband, perfectly projecting exactly how all of us, the hopeful bride and hopeful children of our Messiah, will be able to participate in the “forever” passing over of death.

While this observation about how women could legitimately partake of the Passover meal, despite being uncircumcised, is not directly associated with our focus on the divine accommodation of slavery during the patriarchal and first kingdom ages, this understanding does set a precedent for understanding the spiritual lesson shadowed in Why a purchased slave was required to be circumcised as well as being invited to participate in  Passover, yet a hired servant was forbidden, unless of course they chose to participate and submitted to circumcision. The slave was owned by the master the relationship was direct and therefore the principle of extended benefit would apply as opposed to being merely a hired employee.

Slavery is universally despised in our social structure in this last generation of the ecclesial age. It is counterintuitive on the basis of the overwhelming power of social presumptions to think of slavery as some kind of acceptable framework in the the principle of divine righteousness, it is just counterintuitive. While these observations about the divinely afforded privileges of slavery can certainly be ignored, that doesn’t eliminate their legitimacy.

The capacity for the human heart to deceive and blind our eyes and deafen our ears is not a big secret.  God tells us through Jeremiah that the human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, So we need to move past that instinctive repulsion to any degree of a positive reference to slavery in order to observe the spiritual truths and principles being shadowed.

Not only was slavery divinely accommodated during that first Kingdom age, there was actually a divine law and ritual for voluntary slavery for members of the enlightened community. An Israelite, a member of the enlightened community in covenant relationship with Yahweh, in other words of Christadelphian during that first Kingdom of God age could sell their services for 6 years. They could get room and board and be expected to perform their duties for 6 days each week for those 6 years. Ater all 6 is the number of the curse of sin and death. Hard labor was one of the features of the curse imposed on mankind and all of creation as a direct result of introducing that contagiously corrupting influence of sin into a previously “very good” creative order. In their 7th year after 6 years of service these indentured servants would go free, but not only be set free, but supplied liberally with food and goods to jump-start their financial independence.

We read about this in Deuteronomy 15 beginning to read at verse 13. And if thy brother an Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman be sold unto thee and serve thee 6 years then in the 7th  year thou shalt also let them him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee thou shall not let him go away empty, thou shall furnish him liberally out of thy flock and out of thy floor and out of the wine press of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee, thou shalt give unto him. Thou shalt remember that thou was a bondman in the land of Egypt and the LORD thy God redeemed thee. Therefore I command thee this thing today and it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee,  because he loves you and your house because he is well with you then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear unto the door and he shall be thy servant for ever, and also unto thy maidservant shalt thou do likewise.

This law is also spelled out in Exodus 21 we read in verse 6, Then his master shall bring him unto the judges he shall also bring him to the door or unto the door post. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl and he shall serve Him forever. Now the Hebrew word translated “judges” here is actually Elohim but simply means mighty ones. Yes I am sure you are aware Elohim is predominantly translated as “God” throughout the Old Testament and primarily references the angels of God but can certainly be applied to the leaders of the enlightened community as it is here, to the mighty ones of the enlightened community, the respected and politically elevated, leaders of the community.

This is certainly the case in the very next chapter in verses 8 & 9 where the term Elohim is appropriately translated as “judges.” We read in verse 8 of chapter 22 of Exodus, If the thief be not found then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, Elohim,  to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor’s goods. For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox or ass or sheep for raiment or for any manner of lost thing whether which another challenges to be his. The cause of both parties shall come before the judges the elohim and whom the judges the elohim shall condemn he shall pay double unto his neighbor.

Each of those three references to the judges of Israel are actually translated from Elohim as simply meaning mighty ones but again most often translated God and often referring to the immortal angels of God. In fact this identification of the judges of Israel as Elohim predominantly translated into the English language as God is exactly the defense Jesus used when he was accused by the Jews of claiming to be God. It is very confusing to hear Christianity quote John 10 and 30 as a supposed proof of the Trinity, when we see that is exactly the conclusion the Jews make who wanted to kill Jesus and he actually rebukes them. Why in the world would anyone want to identify their reasoning with the enemies of Jesus Christ especially when Jesus rebukes them for their false understanding. It is this distinction of the judges of Israel being called gods or mighty ones that Jesus used to defend himself against the ridiculous accusation that he was claiming to be his own father the creator of heaven and earth.

We read the account in John 10 starting in verse 30 where It says, I and my father are one, are the words of Jesus. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered. For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because thou being a man makest thyself God.  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said you are gods? If he called them gods unto whom the Word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him whom the father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemous because I said I am the son of God..

When the Jews incorrectly presumed Jesus is declaring that he himself is God and they start gathering rocks to execute him in the divinely prescribed manner of stoning, for blasphemy anyway, Jesus inquires about the basis of their legitimacy. These Jewish enemies of Jesus respond with the same reasoning as the Trinitarians, saying the man Jesus makes himself out to be God simply by saying they are one. Jesus rebukes them ending with the correction, that he simply defines himself as only the Son of God. However the scriptural defense Jesus quotes in his rebuke to the Jews, and the Trinitarians. is taken from Psalm 82, where the real God addresses the judges in Israel that were not judging righteously. We read in Psalm 82 starting at verse 2, How long will you judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked. Defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy, deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not neither will they understand. They walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course.  I have said You are gods and all of you are children of the Most High, but you shall die like men.

Jesus shows how the leaders in the enlightened community were called Elohim, because that is what the Hebrew word translated “judges” in verse 6 of Ex 21 Is, despite mostly being translated God throughout the Old Testament. Jesus even explains the basis by which the elders, the leaders of Israel could legitimately be defined as the Elohim by God, because the Word of God had come to them. We read that in John 10, reading in verse 34, Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law,  I said  You are gods. If he called them God’s unto whom the Word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, He corrected them and rebuked them about the fact that all he ever said was he was the son of God. It is the understanding of the word of God that makes the faithful into mighty ones, into elohim, into an extension of God, as they have the same words. On the basis of those unique understandings of eternal right-ness, The enlightened community become the mighty emissaries of the eternal God, a category of Elohim.

The conclusion of Christ’s rebuke to the Jews,  about how he and his father are one, meaning simply indicating a complete agreement and a perfect accord, that since God Himself calls mere Israelite judges, Elohim, the creator’s mighty ones, then why would those Jewish Bible scholars want to stone him simply because all he claimed was to be the son of God, not God himself. It is absolutely mystifying to understand why any Trinitarian would voluntarily embarrass themselves so severely by suggesting that statement Jesus makes in John 10 and 30 is some kind of evidence for supporting the blasphemous doctrine of the Trinity, which was prophesied twice by the Apostle John as being the signature doctrine of the Antichrist system. The denial of the flesh,  the humanity of Jesus Christ.

But the original point was that this Jewish master of his indentured servant, brought that indentured servant volunteering for life long slavery, to the elders of the community, the mighty ones of the community, the Elohim. The ones who were representing God in their judgments. However this distinction of bringing the indentured servant who wishes to volunteer for lifelong slavery specifically to the elohim, is one of the licenses for considering this law and ritual, in the context of the divine substance casting this shadow law, and shadow ritual. This is the divinely approved procedure for voluntary slavery. The assigned visual identification of this relationship was the opened ear, the ear that had been punched open by an awl against the doorpost of the home of the master. There were other divinely assigned visual identifications marking God defined relationships like the uncut hair of the Nazarite who had separated himself or herself to Yahweh with that Nazarite vow. Like the linen clothing of the priests who had the very distinctive clothing of the high priest,  all serving as visual identifications of a specific relationship. We do this in our society with a wedding ring identifying our relationship with our wife or husband. Sports teams wear distinctive coordinated uniforms as do military personnel and police officers.

This opened ear was an identifiable symbol of voluntary obedient service. Therefore it is very consistent to witness how the community of the enlightened in covenant relationship was divinly rebuked for demonstrating an unopened ear of rebelliousness. But our Messiah was commended for demonstrating an opened ear of submissive obedience.We read this concerning our Messiah, and Psalm 40 starting at verse 6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desired. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo I come. In the volume of the book it is written of me.  I delight to do thy will oh my god, yea thy law is within my heart.

David is inspired to testify on behalf of his promised descendant, Jesus Christ, that it wasn’t the blood of bulls and goats Yahweh wanted, but obedience, that opened ear of the voluntary and lifelong slave that didn’t want freedom from the master.  Isaiah uses this understanding of obedience being defined as an open ear in  Isaiah chapter 50, beginning at v 4. The Lord God has given me the tongue of the learning that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary. He wakened morning by morning, he wakeneth my ear to her as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Once again we see that unique communication tool of our Heavenly Father, that precision redundancy, that should be understood as a significant spotlight to those with hearing ears and seeing eyes. The ears plural of our Messiah were wakened, which is associated with hearing and learning,  and that the ear, singular, of our Messiah was opened, which is defined as the opposite of rebelliousness. This is as opposed to how Israel’s rebelliousness is defined in terms of demonstrating an unopened ear. In Isaiah’s prophecy of the restoration of Yahweh’s favorite,the Jewish people at that second coming of Jesus Christ. We read this in  Isaiah 48 starting at verse 8. Yea thou heardest not, yea, thou knewest not, Yeah, from that time that thine ear was not open, for  I knew that you would deal very treacherously and was called a transgressor from the womb. For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger and for my praise, will I refrain from thee that I cut thee not off.

Unlike their Messiah the Jewish people did not demonstrate the voluntary submission and dedicated service demonstrated in the symbol of the opened ear. Now this may seem instinctively inappropriate to associate our beloved master, our King, Jesus Christ with the opened ear sign of slavery, but that is the unmistakable context being consistently presented. In fact the very Hebrew word identifying a bond-servant, a slave, is used prophetically of our Messiah in the iconic prophecy of his sacrifice and subsequent exultation. In Isaiah 53, and  picking up in verse 10, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he has put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.  By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.

That righteous servant, that righteous ‘ebed’ as the Hebrew word indicates. That righteous bond-servant or voluntary slave, would voluntarily and submissively offer his life, his soul, as a sacrifice for sin. Additionally we are told it would be by his knowledge that this righteous servant, that righteous bond servant, that righteous voluntarily slave demonstrating the obedience of the opened ear, would justify many on the basis of his knowledge. Now this should be particularly inspiring to us offering a template for our own voluntary obedience. That we might be among those who are justified by Jesus Christ on the basis of his knowledge. First is the lesson of the opened ear, and second is the justifying capacity of knowledge.

Slavery is instinctively identified with degradation and humiliation, exactly the opposite default frame of reference for the serpent-compliant and heart- controlled thought process of self-exultation that is common to mankind. Rebelliousness is actually exalted in our current society as if it is righteousness. As in the freedom of political protests, the freedom of workers to unite in labor unions, to rebelliously threatened their employers. We’ve noted in the past how the serpent thought-process inappropriately elevates freedom above truth, such as how no structure is permitted to be built higher than the freedom statue atop the Capitol building Washington DC, here in the United States but supposedly because nothing is more important than freedom. That is of course a God-despising lie. It is interesting to note that the that freedom statue was actually produced with the significant assistance of a slave named Phillip Reed who was purchased by a slave owner named Clark Mills, and was set free in President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, during the American Civil War. We as the enlightened community, have voluntarily chosen to shift our loyalties, too refuse to serve sinm to be slaves to sin, that serpent philosophy that we are born with, and rules unchallenged in the kingdoms of men. We have chosen to serve the one who will crush the head of the serpent. Our Messiah already broke his power, broke the power of sin, through his willing obedient sacrificial death. But he has yet to crush the head of the serpent in that 8th day when the final enemy, death is eliminated, and God will be all in all.

The choosing of voluntary slavery that opened ear rather than freedom, was also demonstrated in the Greek word translated “servant” that Paul and Peter and Jude used to define their own relationship to God in Christ. The Greek word is “doulos” indicating a slave, not a temporarily hired servant. The freedom Jesus offers through truth is not ultimate freedom from everything, but freedom from the oppressive authority of the curse of sin and death. That curse was righteously inflicted on creation due to Adam and Eve’s voluntary choice to accept the false testimony of the serpent thereby contagiously corrupting that previously very good creative order. That freedom from the effects of sin is the freedom that can be awarded on the basis of truth. This is actually the warning Peter presents to the Christadelphians of both the beginning of the ecclesial age and the end of the ecclesial age, in other words to us specifically.

Peter starts his warning to the brotherhood about the false teachers within our community by saying in verses 1 & 2 of 2nd Peter 2, But there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you. Who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. Peter concludes his warnings about false teachers operating within the enlightened community by highlighting this freedom and bondage parallel in verses 19 to 22. While they, meaning the false teachers within the enlightened community. While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them, meaning the false teachers within the enlightened community, not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is returned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. While liberty and freedom is the cry of the false teachers within the enlightened community, the real message and the result of being deceived, is a bondage to corruption. The parallel Peter makes of dogs returning to their vomit and the pigs returning to their filthy mire, is in reference to false teachers within the enlightened community, which would mean the Christadelphian community, of whatever age. It should come as no surprise. There have always been false teachers within the enlightened community. Our generation is no different from all those before us.

Let us note again how the initial escape from that bondage to corruption came by knowledge. Escaping the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is the knowledge by which Isaiah prophesied our Messiah would justify many, back in Isaiah 53. This emphasis on knowledge is how Peter began this letter to the enlighten community. We read that in chapter 1 and beginning at verse 1. Simon Peter a servant, “doulos,” meaning a bought and paid for slave, a servant, and an apostle of Jesus Christ. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord according as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue whereby, that is by this knowledge, are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these, you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Grace and peace can be multiplied to us, but that’s done through knowledge. Peter also explains how it was on the basis of knowledge that we’ve been called and invited to inherit glory and virtue and by the knowledge of great and precious promises we might be partakers of the divine nature, immortality, escaping that ultimate bondage, the slavery to corruption that is in the world on the basis of lust, in other words temptation or sinful impulses. Therefore let us respect the principle of knowledge, the knowledge of the truth concerning our Creator’s rightness more than the principle of freedom.

One of the signs of a deceiver in our community will be this dismissing of knowledge as if it is inconsequential, that everything is all about love. It will be said by the deceivers that, Well, knowledge puffs up. What they don’t recognize is that it is, loveless knowledge that puffs up. This is the context of Paul’s warning in first Corinthians 13 when he’s addressing the egotistical failings of those within the Corinthian ecclesia who were exercising their miraculous powers of the holy spirit inappropriately, in the environment of the ecclesia, in a very unloving and self-promoting way. With the miraculous speaking in tongues, many different languages, brethren and apparently sisters were actually competing with each other in volume to be witnessed in the performance of a miraculous demonstration. It is knowledge that is unloving and egotistical that puffs up. It is knowledge that is lovingly employed that empties us and deflates us. The knowledge that we have shifted masters, that like Paul and Peter, we should have the mind of an obedient slave to Jesus Christ.This is exactly how Paul advises the Christadelphians at Philippi to think of themselves as bond servants, slaves. We read this in Philippians chapter 2 starting in verse 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God thought equality with God not to be grasped,  but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Paul’s Greek expressions have been horribly twisted by the mis-translators with their blasphemous Trinitarian understandings, in order to degrade our Messiah into a liar and deceiver, who merely pretended to be a human being, lying about having the capacity to sin, lying about having died, as immortals wearing a cloak, a disguise of mortality, certainly don’t have the capacity to die. And then lying about coming back from the dead, which is impossible for an immortal in the first place, to die.  Jesus would not so much as grasp at equality with God.  Adam and Eve grasped for the fruit that they foolishly thought would make them like their Creator.  Jesus humbled himself, accepting the requirement of submissive obedience. That servant form he chose is the doulos form, the form of a slave. This is the mindset Paul recommends Christadelphians adopt. The mind of a voluntary obedient slave, just like Paul and just like Peter and just like Jesus.

So this is why slavery was not unilaterally condemned in that first kingdom of God and why slaves actually enjoyed greater privileges and inclusion in the context of divine rituals like circumcision and Passover, than those who are merely hired servants. Those were actually free and not slaves, well I should say, supposedly free. The truth is that we have been purchased. The sacrificial blood of our Savior has been the purchasing medium. This understanding is expressed again by both Paul and Peter. We read in 1st Corinthians 6 starting at v 19, Know you not that your body is the temple of the holy spirit which is in you, which you have of God and you are not your own. For you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.

We also see in 2nd Peter 1 at chapter 2 verse 1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. We have to be very careful and attentive to that repeated context that knowledge can save us, that it is knowledge with which Jesus justifies us. It is knowledge that multiplies grace and peace. the knowledge can save us when it is partnered with love. Be careful because Paul and Peter have warned us about the false teachers they’re always part of the enlightened community. They will promote freedom they will deny knowledge refusing to recognize our voluntary slavery to righteousness and rejection of our bondage to sin. Promoting easy and automatic forgiveness insisting that salvation is all about forgiveness. That judgment has been completely eliminated by forgiveness, and that knowledge isn’t really important, that there’s nothing to fear from God and the fear of God is only the pleasant subcategory of reverential fear.

I have seen and heard these messages in repeated presentations and commentaries from within our community. One approach is to associate the knowledge with the Pharisees and Sadducees and scribes who were supposedly the experts on the law. That these men who opposed Jesus were full of knowledge but didn’t love. That may sound like a simple comfortable message, but it would be a lie. Those members of the enlightened community were not knowledgeable at all. In reference to the truths and principles of our Creator Jesus endlessly corrected their false presumptions and the complete inadequacy of their knowledge. We hear Jesus addressing them with responses like, Have you not read? Have you not read so much as this?

These men who opposed our Savior in his preaching were not knowledgeable at all. They just thought they were. These men were also not unloving. I mean they loved, they just loved the wrong things. Everyone has love. I mean that’s an absolutely ridiculous understanding that certain people are unloving. It is really an issue of what we love and how much love we invest in each of those loves. That value ladder of our loves, what we love most and what we love least. It is coming to understand the terms of our creator’s rightness, his righteousness, that knowledge that permits us to reshuffle our love into the correct order. Hopefully we remember from a previous presentation about the love laws in scripture. To love Yahweh our Elohim with all our heart and life and mind and strength and then our messiahs new law given at the last supper when he commanded his own new commandment to the faithful to love each other greater than we loved ourselves to be ready to lay aside our own lives to bear the burdens of the least of Christ’s brethren and then that third last and least love law that was bumped to third place by our Messiah snoo love law that we must love our neighbor but only as much as we love ourselves less than our brothers and sisters will in truth and far less than our Heavenly Father. It isn’t an issue of being unloving because everybody loves. The big question is what do we love most? What is the value ladder of our various loves and does our love spring from knowledge. Do we have a mind-controlled heart? In other words a circumcised heart. Circumcised by that sharp two-edged sword of the Word of God. In other words knowledge. Or do we demonstrate a heart-controlled mind with an uncircumcised heart that dismisses divine knowledge, which will result in endlessly diminishing the knowledge of our Creator’s righteousness into oversimplifications. The point of our consideration in this class has been to understand why slavery was divinely accommodated and even brought certain divine inclusion privileges during the patriarchal and first kingdom ages.

Transcription by Fay Berry 2018.