Like a chestnut tree

And He said to them, “It is written: ‘MY HOUSE WILL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a DEN OF ROBBERS.” (Matthew 21:13)

In this passage, John describes that the event happened near the Passover. Like Ezekiel, John puts emphasis on when the event happened. The true Passover lamb is Christ.

It appears that selling animals for sacrifices was legally accepted possibly because of what is written in Deuteronomy 14:24-27:

But if the distance is so great for you that you are not able to bring the tithe, since the place where the LORD your God chooses to set His name is too far away from you when the LORD your God blesses you, then you shall exchange it for money, and bind the money in your hand and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you may spend the money on whatever your heart desires: on oxen, sheep, wine, other strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. Also you shall not neglect the Levite who is in your town, for he has no portion or inheritance among you.

Some interpret that Christ was angry because people were buying and selling on the temple grounds. But I think Christ was angry because of what was in their hearts. Christ is the true temple.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking about the temple of His body. (John 2:19-21)

Because of Christ, we can pray to God and God accepts our prayers.

Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

Be pleased to accept the voluntary offerings of my mouth, LORD, And teach me Your judgments. (Psalm 119:108)

Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all guilt And receive us graciously, So that we may present the fruit of our lips… (Hosea 14:2)

Many of the Jewish leaders were confident that they were keeping the law. But they loved money more than anything. Therefore, they were angry at Christ.

And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written: ‘MY HOUSE WILL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a DEN OF ROBBERS.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and they began seeking how to put Him to death; for they were afraid of Him, because all the crowd was astonished at His teaching. (Mark 11:17-18)

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were ridiculing Him. (Luke 16:14)

They were afraid that their position as leaders, reputation, and money would be taken away by the Romans. Hence, they put Christ to death.

If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation. (John 11:48)

Christ came to redeem us from slavery and make us the children of God. But those who put all their hope in the law did not accept Him. They understood neither the law nor the prophets. They instead loved to put yokes on others’ shoulders. They used the church system to exploit the poor and needy. This is happening even now. Theologians and ministers love money and use the church system to get money from others. They write books and go around the world to promote their new books. But they could not foresee the coming of the white horse. They are not interested in looking after God’s flock. There are few who really love God and do the tasks given by God quietly and diligently. False shepherds teach that Christ had to keep the law perfectly and that our righteousness is tied to the law. They are trying to take us back to Egypt.

Christ, the Son of God, became the Son of Man and freed us from the bondage to sin on the cross. Nathanael confesses that Jesus is the Son of God. He understood that One who is above the law must come and free His people. Although Christ was born under the law, it is clear that He is above the law. He came to fulfill the law. No other sacrifice can satisfy the Father except the Son who knows and loves Him. The ultimate sacrifice needed to be God. Righteousness is not about Christ’s moral perfection or merely external keeping of the law. Righteousness is about being united with God and knowing His will. There is no action without knowing God and His will.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’ ” (Hebrews 10:5-7)

The apostles emphasize that Christ is the ultimate Passover lamb. He is also the temple. True knowledge of God brings true faith. The Book of John (and other book in the NT) tells us about the contrast between the Pharisees and Christ in regard to the interpretations of God’s words. The Pharisees pursued a moral living shown externally like the Puritans, but God was angry at them. External piety attracts many people but there is no piety without being truly united with God.

No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him. (John 1:18)

Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” (Revelation 19:9)

In this passage, we read the key words that symbolize the coming Kingdom and the works of Christ. They are: marriage, feast, wine, water, and purification.

No other book in the NT describes this event of the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. But John described this event as the first sign (v. 11) that Christ performed. John wrote the seven signs that Christ showed before His death.

We need to pay attention to where the sign happened. Jonah the prophet was from Galilee.

This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. (2 Kings 14:25)

Gath-hepher means the winepress of the well or the winepress of the digging. The place is related to water (well or digging) and blood (winepress). The Book of Jonah is closely related to Christ’s work on the cross.

But He (Jesus) answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves a sign; and so no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet … (Matthew 12:39)

The event in Cana explains who Christ is and what He would do for His people. Water and blood are inseparable when explaining Christ’s works.

This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. (1 John 5:6)

Christ’s first sign tells us that water is turned into wine (blood). Wine was used during the Lord’s Supper.

And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28)

In my previous post, I explained that water symbolizes the Word and Truth. Christ who is the Son of God knows and loves the Father. Water explains us that Christ is the Son of God. And that water became blood.

This passage refutes Federalism because Adam could never become the head of the church. Because the fall was God’s decree, we conclude that God planned the kingdom of His chosen people saved though His Son before creation. Christ saves only those given to Him (John 10:14). Adam could not earn the eternal life for the whole mankind because it was simply not God’s will. The Father gives everything to the Son, not Adam who was a mere creature and slave. Adam neither understood nor loved God. Because Christ is water, He is also blood. Without wine, there is no wedding feast.

As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, For He will bear their wrongdoings. (Isaiah 53:11)

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings. (Genesis 3:7)

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, And they became as detestable as that which they loved. (Hosea 9:10)

Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (John 1:48)

There are many Christians around the world who are under the fig tree. They try to avoid God’s wrath using this fig tree, but they fail to see that it does not bear fruit. The fig tree contrasts with the grape vine of Christ. Side to side, fig tree leaves look similar to vine leaves. But fig trees are made not to bear fruit. What we eat is actually flowers. The fig tree tells us that anyone under the old covenant do not bear fruit.

In Hosea 9:10, both grapes and the figs show that God loved the Israelites. But they rebelled against God. Christ is referred Himself as the grape vine, not the fig tree (John 15:1). The fig tree symbolizes prosperity but also the old covenant. The old covenant is based on works/the law. Adam was under this covenant and became dead. All under the fig tree are dead. No one can bear fruit. The Israel nation in the OT was under this fig tree. Theologians and ministers teach us that we are still under the fig tree because our righteousness is from the law. They do not see that Christ is the grape vine. They believe the old covenant is eternal and say that the new covenant is only continuation of the old covenant. They say that Christ had to keep the law for our righteousness. But this is a wrong understanding of our righteousness. Our righteousness is from being one with God. Christ came and made us the children of God by being the ultimate sacrifice. If the Son of God had to become a man to keep the law perfectly to gain righteousness, the Bible would have used the word “kept”. But it uses the word, “fulfilled”.

Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. (Matt 5:17)

We who are one with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit uphold the law. But we do not think our righteousness is based on the works of the law. John tells us that Christ’s works are summarized as water and blood. Water is connected with Truth/Word. Christ spent most time teaching during His public ministry. Christ revealed the Father to us. Blood is associated with Christ’s work on the cross. Christ has redeemed us from eternal damnation. Water prepared us for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Blood is for our righteousness because the cross has always been God’s first and foremost will. However, water and blood cannot be separated.

… regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me. (John 16:10)

Paul emphasizes Christ’s work on the cross in Romans 5. He never said Christ kept the law for our righteousness. Theology has gone corrupt because of people’s love for human philosophy. Theologians and ministers believe that Christ’s works are His lifelong obedience to the law and the work on the cross. Their idea is against what the Bible says.

In this passage of the Bible, Nathanael is told by Philip that they have found the Prophet whom Moses told.

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the prophets also wrote: Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!” (John 1:45)

From this, we see that Nathanael has been waiting for the Prophet. If the old covenant was perfect, he would not have waited for Him. While the Pharisees and the teachers of the law emphasized the law, they did not keep the law. Nathanael waited for the Son of God, the King of Israel. While theologians and ministers claim that our righteousness is based on the law, they do not keep the law.

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen. (Deuteronomy 18:15)

The Book of Deuteronomy may be the most important book to understand the old covenant. Christ quoted words from this book when tempted by the devil. In this book, Moses foretold that the Israelites would rebel against God after his death. He gave the Israelites both curse and blessing. He also said that God did not give the Israelites the heart to know Him.

Although I’ve said one must know the NT to understand the OT, the NT cannot be understood without knowing the OT. There are many Christians who read only the NT. But their understandings are often very limited. We cannot understand why Christ called Nathanael under the fig tree without understanding the OT.

I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

The saints in the OT era are not saved because they have kept the law perfectly. They are saved because of their faith in God’s promise.

And I will make enemies of you and the woman, and of your offspring and her Descendant;
He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15)

And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ (v. 33)

John the Baptist was asked why he was baptizing people.

John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.” (vv. 26-27)

John’s baptism was baptism of repentance. Its purpose was to prepare people for the coming of Christ. After Christ’s ascension, the ceremonial baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit was given to people as a sign of joining the visible church (see Matthew 28:19-20).

Now it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “On the contrary, we have not even heard if there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-5)

The true meaning of baptism is written in 1 Peter 3:18-22.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, who once were disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Considering water, John the apostle wrote about Christ washing the disciples’ feet.

Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” (John 13:10)

John the apostle also wrote that Jesus came by water and blood.

This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. (1 John 5:6-8)

Both in the OT and the NT, water means cleansing and life. These indicate Jesus Christ. Christ taught truth and gave the saints the new life by shedding His own blood while on the earth. Therefore, Christ is the Word and Truth. Therefore, water and blood are the works of Christ. And the Holy Spirit applies all of Christ’s works to the saints. Therefore, “the three are in agreement”.

John the Baptist baptized people with this in mind. It was restricted to that time (before Christ’s ascension) and place. Although it is different from the baptism one receives when joining the visible church system, both are shadow of the real baptism. John 4:2 tells us that Christ did not baptize anyone. I believe the reason was because baptism done outwardly has only a symbolical meaning. Christ allowed the disciples to baptize people so that they would eagerly wait for the real baptism. Unless one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit, he/she remains detached from Christ. Even though one has already received the Holy Spirit, he/she receives a ceremonial baptism when joining a visible church. It is proved throughout history that a ceremonial baptism is not the real baptism of the Holy Spirit. There have been many deserters and false believers who received the ceremonial baptism but distorted God’s words within churches. I can only conclude that ceremonial baptism has a purpose, and it is connected with the visible church system. It was God’s will that the visible church system replaced the Israel nation.

Calvin believed that the ceremonial baptism is the replacement of the circumcision in the OT. But the Anabaptists rejected the infant baptism. Later in England, the Baptists also rejected it. In England, many Protestant groups and denominations were born. They wanted religious freedom and made their own confessions. However, God sees the Protestant church as one. From 17^th century, the Protestant church has been in the similar situation to the Israel nation in the Book of Judges.   

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6)

I heard that the Reformed Baptist churches are strong in the United States. They are not Reformed/Protestant because they reject infant baptism. Christians around the world often connects corruption and violence with the US. I heard one saying, “What happened to what was once a great Christian nation?” I believe God is not pleased with the non-conformists. I am not talking about the Non-conformists in the 17^th century England. I am not saying that God is pleased with the Book of Common Prayer or the Church of England. I am talking about the non-conformists who reject the common/shared Reformed beliefs and yet claim that they are Protestants.

Although I have been talking about the limits of the Reformation, the Protestants need to know their doctrines written in the Three Ecumenical Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity. Neglecting education is the greatest sin of a church. There is no acceptable worship if the sheep are not fed.

“Feed My sheep.” (John 21:17)

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him. (v.17)

The Word in Greek is Logos. Some people link this word to logic and rationality. I think the word emphasizes that God’s words are spoken by Christ. The words of God are powerful when they are spoken/proclaimed. I’ve mentioned of my dream about the Reformed church I went to. The farmer wrote on the wall and said that the house was named “the end”. He wrote it in my mother tongue. It may sound strange, but the word written did not make a sense until it was spoken. Only when I heard him saying it, I understood the word “the end”.

Although I’ve been telling you to read the Bible, the messages of God must be delivered by spoken words when the time comes. Ministers do not encourage people to read the Bible. Instead, they want others to listen to what they say. Their words prevail over God’s words in churches. This is evil.

Christ spent much time on speaking and explaining God’s words during His ministry. He did not merely repeat the written words in the OT. He said what He knew and understood. He is the incarnation of God’s words. Therefore, John refers Him as the Word.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (v.14)

Throughout the Book of John, we see that the Pharisees (and the teacher of the law) are against Christ. The Pharisees claimed that they were the disciples of Moses and accused Christ of breaking the law. Theologians and ministers also emphasize on the law and claim that Christ became a man to keep the law perfectly to gain righteousness. However, verse 17 tells us that Christ is superior to Moses. Here, “the law” contrasts to “grace and truth”. The law brings condemnation and death.

The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. (Romans 7:10)

Was Christ inferior to Moses as a man? The Bible said Moses saw God face to face.

So the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. (Exodus 33:11)

But the Bible also says that no man can see God.

He further said, “You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!” (Exodus 33:20)

Verse 17 tells us that Christ is superior to Moses and the law. When we say that Christ is equal with the Father, this does not mean that only His divine nature is equal with the Father. Theologians say that the Son of God is equal with God, but the Son of Man is inferior to God. When people think of equality, they think of ranks. We often think one does not take orders from the other if one is equal with the other. That’s human understanding of hierarchy. Christ’s two natures cannot be divided. Even though Christ obeyed the Father’s commands, this does not mean He is not equal with the Father. The Father is beginning of all things. He gave the Son everything. The Son obeyed the Father out of love. The Son has the same authority as the Father.

In the Athanasian Creed, there is this part that may confuse people:

… equal to the Father as regards divinity, less than the Father as regards humanity.

I consider that this part is no more than what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5-8:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.

Paul did not write this to tell us that Christ’s human nature was inferior to the Father. His intention was for us to be like the Son who humbled Himself and obeyed the Father. We must be careful not to fall into the Nestorian heresy by dividing Christ’s two natures. When we say that Christ is equal with the Father, we talk about the Word who has two natures (divine and human) undivided.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:1-3)

The Gospel of John plays a significant role in the new reformation because it explains the right understanding of the Trinity. I understand that the Jewish religion, the Islam, Jehovah’s witness, and other religions consider that Jesus is a mere man. The Roman Catholic church and the Protestant church also have a wrong understanding of Christ’s two natures. This is because they have been trying to explain God’s words using human reasoning.

Many Christians follow their religious leaders and think that they are Christ. Some of them have many followers. But I think they work for money. They speak what others want to hear. We do not follow some people as if they are Christ. They cannot save anyone. It is the Word that saves.

But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, (Romans 10:8)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

It is believed that Moses wrote the Book of Genesis. Moses foretold that God would send a prophet like him.

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen; to him you shall listen. (Deuteronomy 18:15)

God gave Moses and the Israelites the law and made the (old and conditional) covenant with them. God promised them righteousness if they kept the law. None of the Israelites could gain righteousness. But there were people under the new covenant even in the OT beginning from Abel. Their righteousness was from faith. That faith is a gift from God and is from the heart of flesh that knows, understands, and loves God. Adam did not have the heart of flesh because he wanted to become like God and rebelled against Him. He relied on his own wisdom. Most of the Israelites were not given the heart and perished.

Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. (Deuteronomy 29:4)

If the new covenant is only the continuation of the old covenant, God would not have made the two tablets breakable.

And it came about, as soon as Moses approached the camp, that he saw the calf and the people dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:19)

The new and eternal covenant is not breakable because its life is in the only begotten Son of God. The Father never forsakes the Son. The Israel nation, the law, and the old covenant were only shadows to the real one. They indicated the coming of Christ. They existed to tell people that the Messiah must come. Christ’s beginning is not 2000 years ago. The Son’s beginning is from eternity like the Father. The Son is the mediator of the new covenant. This tells us that the new covenant is what God planned before creation. Although it is called “new”, it is the eternal covenant that was planned before creation because its life is in the Son who is from eternity.

Some ignorant theologians view that John 1:1-18 shows the influence of Greek philosophy. They want to interpret everything by human reasoning and are proud of their knowledge in philosophy. They speak nonsense because they do not understand what the Bible teaches. One with the Holy Spirit understands the Bible. The knowledge of God inevitably leads to John 1:1.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

John emphasizes the fact that Jesus Christ is from eternity just like the Father and is equal with Him. He also tells us that Christ is not above the Father or is separate from Him. This teaches us a lot. At present, Christians worship Jesus as if He saved us from the hands of the Father. They love to make a song about Jesus but refuse to sing in God’s words. They preach what Jesus has done but do not speak about Him being one with the Father. Christ did exactly what the Father wanted Him to do. But people want to worship a man called Jesus. While they say they love Jesus, they don’t do what He taught.

God makes everything new at the end because the old order of things passes away. As we read Revelation 21 and 22, we conclude that everything was made for and through the Son. The old things demand the new things. But the new things are not the continuation of the old things. Rather, the old things are shadow of the reality.

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” (Revelation 21:5)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)

John the Baptist starts public ministry before Christ. His coming was written in Malachi 3:1. Malachi is the last book of the OT. In the book, God spoke of the covenant of the Levi and the restoration of the priesthood. Although it is restoration, true priesthood of the saints started only when Christ resurrected. The eternal and only High Priest leads our way. John came to testify that the OT is all about the Son and the new covenant that He brings. However, people like the old more than the new.

And no one, after drinking old wine, wishes for new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’ (Luke 5:39)

Can a person know God by human reasoning? Absolutely not. Even though the truth is right there in front of a person, he/she cannot understand the mysteries of God unless the Holy Spirit comes and gives understanding. One may be able to mimic what other Christians say but his/her own words eventually reveal what is in his/her mind. At present, churches around the world are engulfed by people who claim to know God and yet have no understanding. This is exactly what the prophets in the OT said against the Israelites. Our knowledge of God may be imperfect, but we share the same knowledge in the fundamental doctrines such as the Trinity and TULIP. I believe the Protestant church succeeded the Apostolic church and got separated from the Roman Catholic church in the 16^th century. But she has become adulterous as her sister. They are exactly the same. They share the same thing – theology based on human philosophy. In the center, there are Anselm of Canterbury and Thomas Aquinas.

Theologians and ministers love human philosophy because it can persuade many people. They love people because of money and fame. I do not ask for money from others. That is what I asked God in 2017. Money distorts truth. For many years, theology was for the educated people. It is true that Paul was an educated man compared to the disciples of Christ. However, Paul considered his former life as dung.

Earlier, I mentioned that the Book of the Revelation is the key to understand Genesis. Likewise, the NT is the key to understand the OT. When one reads the Bible, he/she often starts with Genesis. I remember that I got stuck at the Book of Leviticus or Numbers and stopped reading the Bible in my youth. When I read the law, I got dismayed because there were so many things that I needed to remember. Now I understand why God gave the Israelites the law. And Torah does no longer stop me from reading the Bible.

The limitation of the Reformation is that the Reformed theologians considered the new covenant as the extension of the old covenant. From the beginning, there was no such thing as righteousness that comes from the law or works. It is true that God promised righteousness upon perfect keeping of the law.

And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to follow all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:25)

If the new covenant is the extension of the old covenant, God would not have called it “new”.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The old covenant tied to the law existed for us to realize that we cannot do anything right beginning from Adam. The Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ focus on the law as the only way to righteousness. Therefore, the theories see Christ as a mere substitute to Adam who could not keep God’s command during the probation period. Considering the probation period, God never talked about it. It is a men-made fantasy. Adam never had a chance to become the head of the church. According to these theories, Christ had to keep the law perfectly for our righteousness. I believe that these theories cannot explain why Christ is from eternity.

There are many theories concerning when the Gospel of John was written. It is believed that it was written later than the other three Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). I believe that there were many issues within churches because people understood Christ as they liked. The situations they were in were not much different from the challenges that we face.

John teaches us that the NT is the key to understand the OT, not the other way around. Without knowing Christ, one cannot understand the OT. What we now call “The Reformed theology” tells us that God wanted us to keep the law, but we could not, and therefore, sent the Son. Because we cannot keep the law perfectly, we gain righteousness by faith in Christ who kept the law for us. This is a wrong understanding of righteousness. Righteousness tied to the law disappears when one sins. Such righteousness is not true righteousness. Besides, this theory cannot explain why Christ is from eternity. And if our relationship with God is based on the law, we are not the children of God. The new covenant promises our rebirth from above. And this has always been God’s ultimate will – the kingdom of love. Our obedience does not come because there is the law. It is from our love for God and His people. This love was shown by Christ, our head. Christ, from eternity just as the Father, loves and understands Him. We become like Christ.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency. My dreams indicated that the pandemic is the white horse, and that the first three years would be severe. The three-year period ended this year. As written in Revelation 6, the next horse, the red one, indicates war. The black horse indicates famine. And the final horse indicates death by sword, famine, and plague and by wild animals. We all know war and famine is already here. It is no coincidence Ukraine used to produce much crop before war. And there is destruction of nature by pollution and climate change, which affects the production of crops. I was shown that the post-pandemic world would experience extreme immoralities. However, most people will not realize that the end is approaching fast.

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:37-39)

The message to the world is always the same – Repent! But churches love the world. Indeed, the judgement will start from the house of the Lord.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)

I’ve written many posts so that you would go back to the Bible and stop worshiping people. I am not writing for people to overthrow authorities. God is absolutely against violence. History tells us how wrong the Crusades and the Nazis were. They used Christianity to justify their actions, but they gravely sinned against God. Sin is connected with false knowledge of God. The saints must endure until Christ comes back.

As I’ve mentioned before, I will talk about my dream on the new church. In the church, I was shown what issues the new church will have. I am not suggesting any solutions for the issues. I believe that the two men I saw need to work on the issues.

I had this dream in 2019. Some dreams of mine have three parts. And this was one of them.

Part 1 – I was standing in a church building. The room I was in was rather small and it was where people worship. At the front, I saw two men in suits standing side by side. Each one was holding a basket and they were collecting money/offering. One by one people lined up to give something. I was on the side of the room, looking at the two men and observing people. One woman put a very precious jewel in a box. Parallel to the woman, another woman also put a jewel. It looked old and more like antique. Her jewel was from her grandmother. Compared the precious shiny jewel, it looked dull. The two men looked puzzled. They didn’t seem to know what they should do with this antique jewel. One of them asked me something. I answered. I could not hear what they were saying or what I was saying. Then I left the room.

Part 2 – I was walking a corridor. On the side, there was a large window. I could see a grape vine. But there was only one bunch and nothing else. The grapes looked very large and ripe, almost overripe. Then I fell on my knees and cried, “Lord! Give us more fruit!”

Part 3 – Then I saw a bunch of young people. There was a figure skating competition. They were the skaters competing one another. The door opened and everyone went into the ice rink. But they all stumbled because they never skated before.

At first, I did not know what the dream meant. Now I think I know what it means. The new church will have issues with the old church traditions. People will want to keep the traditions that are handed down from their grandparents. They consider them precious and important. But they have only sentimental values. Does God want us to remove them? I do not know. I can only think of Matthew 13:30.

Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

The new church will have good knowledge on one thing, but no other. Only some will understand the significance of the third reformation. I was very saddened by the lack of fruit. The reason behind the lack of fruit is lack of training/education.

Considering Christian education, I do not think the Reformed church is doing well. I agree that the foundational doctrines are important. But the law is overly emphasized because of wrong understanding of Total Depravity and Adam. From youth, people are burdened with predestination and the original sin and own sins. Following church traditions and authorities does not mean that a person keeps the law. The law is taught as the only way to righteousness because of the Active Obedience of Christ. This idea is from misunderstanding of God’s will. Although people say that Christ kept the law for us, the doctrine tells us that our righteousness is forever tied to the law. This is wrong. But I do believe that young children need to learn about God from youth through the Bible. It is wrong to confine people in the church system and threaten them by saying they will go to hell if they leave the church or disobey the church authorities. That is not how salvation works. The church’s first and foremost role is nurturing people with the words of God and teaching them who God is.

I believe God established the visible church system after the ascension of Christ, just like the Israel nation in OT. When Christ was on the earth, the hypocrites, who thought they were chosen and were keeping the law, opposed Him. Similarly, many Christians talk about the law, faith, and grace, but they do not understand what they mean and reject the gospel. At this stage, I think the third reformation is for the visible church. Even during the Babylonian exile, the Israel nation existed in the form of its people. The nation did not go away because it is the people. Even if the church era is ending, Christians will carry on the visible church system. However, only the invisible church, the remnant, is saved.

I have been criticizing the Protestant church. But I do have hope in the Protestant church because I believe the new church will spring from her. I have been using the words “Protestant” and “Reformed” interchangeably. Some people may feel confused so I will explain what they mean. The Protestant church is the church that has separated from the Roman Catholic church in the 16^th century. However, some Protestant denominations do not hold the foundational Protestant doctrines. For example, the Baptists have wrong understanding of ceremonial baptism. The Methodists believe that everyone can be saved. What the Protestant initially believed is the Reformed faith. So, when I say “Protestant”, I mean “Reformed”. I consider all Protestant churches as one Protestant church although most of them are unorthodox. All Protestant churches are supposed to hold Five Solas and accept the three Ecumenical Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity as educational tool. But only the Reformed church seem to follow them at present. Even within the Reformed church, there are different denominations. Some (if not most) of them have abandoned the foundational doctrines.

The new covenant promises the same knowledge shared by the saints.

They will not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I will no longer remember.” (Jeremiah 31:34)

Therefore, it is important for the visible church to write the common beliefs. However, it is also important not to focus on men’s words. The Creeds and the Reformed confessions cannot replace the Bible. We need to understand what went wrong from the Reformation.

I had much hope in the Reformed church. But God showed me why they are not doing well. While I was in a Reformed church, I was shown three major issues.

1. Federalism
2. Men-made songs during worship
3. Sexual immorality/crimes

Concerning the first one, I’ve been explaining why Federalism is wrong. They, along with Puritanism, eventually lead people to salvation by works. Most people believe that the NT exist because of the OT, not the other way around. I believe that neither Federalism nor Dispensationalism accurately explain God’s covenants. The OT exist as the shadow of the real covenant.

Concerning the songs used for worship, God really, absolutely, undeniably hates men-made songs sung during worship. False believers do not understand God’s words so hate singing in God’s words. The Psalms are made for worship. People have wrong understanding of the OT so do not want to sing the Psalms. They have their own ideas about God. They do not understand the Bible. People want to believe that God will bless them more if they make songs about God. The church’s first and foremost role is education. If they think the Bible is inadequate to teach us about God, they are greatly mistaken. It is fitting for us to sing in God’s words and listen to them during worship because Christ is Word and Truth. God accepts only the Son.

Thirdly, all unbelievers and false believers prove themselves false by committing sexual crimes against God. The church is God’s bride. People often mention of David and his sins of adultery and murder and how he was forgiven. David was taught a lesson through the sins. He was disciplined over a long time because his son Absalom gave him great humiliation by rebelling against him and also pain through his (Absalom’s) death. David suffered the rest of his life because of the sins he committed. That is how God disciplines His people if we commit such crimes. However, people tolerate such crimes against God within churches and think they will be OK. When a sin is discovered, they think, “He/she is my friend/family. We must forgive him/her.” Slowly, adultery engulfs all members of a church. The saints suffer greatly. When I was in the church, I was surprised to hear from people that pornography was a big problem in many churches. Many do not think pornography is a form of adultery. It is adultery. I can confidently say that God really, absolutely, undeniably hates pornography. If a minister keeps preaching on Sundays not to watch pornography, many Christians will say, “We are not legalists!” and look for another church. They might even remove the minister. So, ministers do not say what they should say at the pulpit because of the fear of people and losing the job. God hates any form of sexual immoralities/crimes.

All these three problems may look different. But they are all connected. Wrong understanding of God has led to all these issues. Hence, the third reformation is focused on the knowledge of God and correcting the errors of the second Reformation.

Although I speak against the Federalism and the Active Obedience of Christ, I am not against the law. I believe there are certain rules we must adhere to. However, the law of freedom is not burdensome because we have the Holy Spirit. Those who claim to have the Holy Spirit and yet are not afraid of sinning against God (and His people) are false believers. The new covenant promises that the law is written on our heart.

“For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:33)

The second reformation was a reformation that affected all areas of European society. It was a social, political, economic, and religious reformation. The third reformation is only for the saints. Only the saints understand it. The rest will never know why it is important.

The Protestant church has not completely separated from the Roman Catholic church because of the Reformer’s adaptation of theology of Anselm and Aquinas. Anselm and Aquinas denied Total Depravity. Therefore, it is not strange that most Protestant churches deny Total Depravity now. Many follow the 17^th century Reformed theology. I believe that there was significant shift in the Reformed theology in the 17^th century, especially in England. Consequently, Adam and the law became center of the attention because the Reformers believed that he could have been the head of the church if he continued to keep God’s command in the garden of Eden. This is a result of misinterpreting Total Depravity. And it is a limitation of the Reformation. The second Reformation was incomplete. It requires us who live in the third Reformation. It is crucial to examine what went wrong. Although the Reformed confessions are useful in teaching people, they are not without errors. We must go back to the Bible.

The church has incurable cancer. If you look up, you will be fascinated by what a cancer cell does to a body. It proliferates rapidly taking up all the nutrients. Normal healthy cells starve. The cancer cells disguise themselves as normal cells. So, the immune system does not realize that they are harmful. The cancer cells say, “We are like you. We are your family.” The church is full of cancer cells who pretend to be sisters and brothers. They support and preach strange doctrines. They silence the saints. They proliferate until they occupy the body. And the body dies. Many churches have already received the death sentence. The cancer cells live longer than the body they occupy. I heard that they live about a half an hour longer than the body. They do not give up until the body dies. People in churches are ignorant of how sick their churches are. Most of them enjoy strange doctrines. They themselves are cancer cells. They say, “We are doing well. We have money and food. We are at peace.” How severe the punishment for false leaders will be at the end! Ezekiel 9 tells us what will happen at the end. God will punish evil leaders and give the mark on the saints who mourn over all the abominations happening in churches.

And the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and make a mark on the foreheads of the people who groan and sigh over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” (Ezekiel 9:4)

In 2017, I asked God, “Surely, the Reformed churches are doing well, aren’t they? They teach the Creeds and the Confessions.” God showed me that they are not doing well. I was shown a chestnut tree in a dream. The saints must defend themselves from cancer cells. They need to get educated and trained. We need to go back to the Bible.

The first role of a church is not worshiping on Sundays. Her first and foremost role is to nurture the saints. However, the system now welcomes false teachers and strange doctrines and supports them. The church era is ending because worship is corrupt because of bad education. There is no knowledge of God in many churches today.

Theologians and ministers want to believe that the Reformation was the result of some great men like Luther and Calvin. They call them “genius” or “great thinkers” and praise their works. The saints need to remember that we are nothing but worthless servants.

So you too, when you do all the things which were commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ (Luke 17:10)

In many areas of both the Western and the Eastern culture, we can find the influence of Greek philosophy and religion. The Renaissance swept across Europe from the 14th to 17^th century. It still dominates our society and culture. It emphasizes the greatness of humanity. The Greek/Roman gods are sinful and evil like any human. Yet, many love their gods. They, in fact, worship themselves. That is the sinful nature of a human, starting from Adam.

We must remember that the Reformation was God’s work. However, the Reformation was not the end of reformation. The light becomes brighter as time goes by.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Proverbs 4:18)

They go from strength to strength, until each appears before God in Zion. (Psalm 84:7)