Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Are Two Able to Walk Together? Sermon


Leonard V. Johnson







Greetings Everyone! I was trying to think up a subject for the sermon this holy Sabbath – and it appears as if God helped provide an idea. The LORD our God asks in the Book of Amos – “’ Can two walk together, unless they are AGREED?’” And the question can be asked, will your pet cat meow in the wild to their own kind!?
     The LORD our God desires us brethren to “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” – 1st Corinthians 1:10.
     The apostle Peter says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” – 1 Peter 3:8.
     The apostle Paul tells us, brethren, “let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, … you stand fast in ONE SPIRIT, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” – Philippians 1:27.
     Today on Facebook – and this of what I bring up here is in relation to today’s message – I had innocently responded to a person in pain from the loss of their beloved pet. “I'm sorry for your loss.” And believing that this person was of the “same mind and Spirit” I suggested that she might enjoy our article “Do Animals Have A Spirit?” She responded with a seemingly cold reply, “I was born and raised in the church and know that all men have their opinions of what will happen in the kingdom.” And she stated very matter-of-factly, “We will have power to bring our pets back to life just like He did with Lazarus.”
     Again, the LORD our God says to us, “’ Can two walk together, unless they are AGREED?’”
     God’s living word gives us NO INDICATION that He will allow us to do such a thing! It might bring us great joy and hope to think that we would be able to bring back to life our long-dead pets. But again, God’s living word simply does not indicate this. Now, animals of all kinds will continue to serve their physical purpose even in the Millennium, yet, we should not teach as a matter of fact that just because “with God all things are possible” that we will have the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ to resurrect our long-dead pets. {1} The apostle Paul warns us – “If anyone teaches any different doctrine, and does not adhere to SOUND WORDS, …”
     Simply put: Based upon the living word of the Eternal One, we must conclude that the LORD our God did not place within animals a spirit for the purpose of resurrection. Resurrecting animals is nowhere indicated or implied. “SOUND WORDS” – meaning, if the LORD our God were to resurrect or allow the resurrection of, a beloved animal, would it not also seem logical for the LORD our God to resurrect all animals and creatures!? Where would the LORD our God draw the line!?
     God admonishes us to emphatically “all speak the same thing.” And the apostle Paul continues, “even those of our Lord Jesus Christ, …” – 1st Timothy 6:3.
     As an example: Just believing that the Devil’s Tower National Monument in Wyoming USA is a giant petrified tree does not make it so. {2}
     Brethren, if we are led by the glorious Holy Spirit of God and are so blessed to enter into His holy Kingdom at the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP, will God’s Kingdom be of one mind!?
     Again, the apostle Paul teaches, “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” – Romans 15:5.
     Now it’s true that everybody has an opinion. But when that opinion is put in place of SOUND DOCTRINE and SOUND WORDS, then to God it is but foolishness – cf. 1st Corinthians 3:19.
     We are to aim for restoration. But what I am witnessing with the churches of God is grave division!
     The apostle Paul teaches us – through the inspiration of God’s Spirit – 2 Corinthians chapter 13 –
     Verse 11 – “In conclusion, brethren, rejoice! Be perfected; be encouraged; be of the same mind; be at peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” The English Standard Version uses the phrase, “Aim for restoration.”
     We are, so to speak, in the process of being perfected in mind and in SOUND WORDS for the entrance into the glorious Kingdom of God – in which we shall even be judging disobedient angels – 1st Corinthians 6:3.
     A kingdom that does not have sound doctrine or sound words – and one which does not have the same mind toward one another CAN NOT STAND!
     Now, many might feel that the resurrection – or no resurrection – of animals is petty. And I agree, it doesn’t have anything to do with salvation – but it has to do with SOUND WORDS! The LORD our God, if indeed His living Spirit is within you, is perfecting you to speak with SOUND DOCTRINE and SOUND WORDS! Here is something that Minister Guy stated, and it is something that we all need to keep in mind as servants of the LORD our God:
     “As for animals: That’s up to God. It’s MANKIND that has evolved animals into more than what they were designed for. We are told to care for our animals, but PEOPLE have made many of them into what they wanted. It used to be that dogs – as an example – were used primarily for hunting and scavenging. Cats were once pagan idols. Many folks who are animal lovers place their emotions as their reasoning for those animals being resurrected. I’ll tell you what – whatever God decides is perfect with me.”
     And this is the attitude all servants of God should have! Because – “’ Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.’”
     Now the apostle Paul instructs us in Romans chapter 16 –
     Verse 17 – “Now I urge you, brethren, NOTE those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18) For those who are such DO NOT serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, …”
     And brethren who want to argue God’s living word and get upset when another brother or sister is unable to communicate with them and then goes and tries to cause divisions and offenses with other brethren should be marked and avoided – so says the LORD JESUS CHRIST!
     And “avoid them” means just that. Walk away from them. Do not invite them into having a chat with them in a chat room. Stay away from people who gossip to you they will gossip about you. We should avoid those who want to argue, cause division amongst brethren, or offenses – and for that matter, gossip about others.
     To the Church God commands, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother [or sister] who is walking IRRESPONSIBLY and not according to the ORDINANCE that he [or she] received from us. … 14) Now if anyone does not obey our word by this epistle, TAKE NOTICE of that [person] and do not associate with him so that he may be ashamed.”
     Now, brethren, I’m not speaking of shunning. As I stated recently in a text to someone, “I speak with everybody. I give everybody the benefit of the doubt. Whether Catholic, Protestant, or Islam. I will talk with them. That doesn't mean I agree with them.” Back in 2020, I wrote an article that will help you understand what I mean, “’ You’re Not Welcome Here!’” But it is so very important that He had the apostle John, in roughly A.D. 85 – 95, write, “If ANYONE comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11) for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” – 2nd John 10, 11.
   Even now, on Facebook, there are “Facebook Friends” who claim to be servants of God, yet are causing division, UNSOUND WORDS, and offenses – NOT speaking the same thing as Christ Jesus.
     And, “by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” The simple being the unwary, the unsuspecting. They deceive those who listen to them – claiming to serve God but DO NOT agree with God.
     There are more than a few on Facebook which has their own “Christian Group” that uses flattering speech and arguments concerning Scripture to try and lure away unsuspecting brethren. So they send out “flattering speech” in texts, attempting to associate God’s Church with their own. Saying, “I have argued in the past with some of the people of a certain group about the difficult Scripture of Paul’s. And I had to straighten them out.” In other words, to question and doubt the validity of the doctrines CHRIST JESUS had placed within His Church! Also saying, “Some brethren have apostatized from the truth, … I ‘spread the truth’ only.”
     But, TRUTH BE KNOWN – the apostle Paul pleads with us, “brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, …” – 1st Corinthians 1:10.
     But, I ask, how can that be done!? How has the LORD our God provided the Way that we may all speak the same thing!?

Revealed to us in His living word!

     FIRST – the apostle Paul shows us why all did not speak the same thing. He said some were looking to the apostle Peter, some to the apostle Cephas, some to the apostle Apollos, and some were looking to the apostle Paul. In other words, they were looking to MEN – and not to JESUS CHRIST!
     In chapter 2 of the book of 1st Corinthians, the apostle Paul says he did not come with clever and flattering speech. He says, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words [another way of saying, ‘with favorable to one argument or unfavorable to the other argument’] of human wisdom, but in DEMONSTRATION of the Spirit …” – recall, the fruits of the Spirit; cf. Galatians 5:22-23 – “ … and of power, 5) that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men [or even of ONE PARTICULAR MAN] but in the power of God.”
     In Philippians 2:5, God tells us, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
     No one will come to understand the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God except by receiving the Spirit of God.
     Again the apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 2 –
     Verse 10 – “But God has revealed them [speaking of the truth of His living word] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches ALL THINGS, …” – yes, including SOUND WORDS on the resurrection – or no resurrection – of animals. {3} “ … yes, the deep things of God. … 11) … Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.”
     Yet, division is among the churches of God. The LORD our God placed His true doctrines into His Church through the writers of the Holy Bible! Yet, even today in this 21st century, His Church would rather believe different MEN than to believe JESUS CHRIST!
     The Holy Bible is the living word of the Eternal One in print!
     Thank you so much for joining us today for this holy Sabbath day. Have a wonderful and spirit-filled Sabbath. Until next time, this is Leonard V. Johnson for the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries. Goodbye for now.

Editor's Notes:

{1} Editor's Note: Afterthought. Just like we are to obey our earthly parents, we will obey our heavenly Parents. And it may not be God's will to resurrect animals. Never should ANYONE on purpose promote or teach something that has no SOUND DOCTRINE or SOUND WORDS! Does it really make a difference what we believe - even if it has nothing to do with salvation!? Sound doctrine based upon the Bible and sound words are IMPORTANT because what we believe affects what we do. Behavior is an extension of theology, and there is a direct connection between what we think and how we act. As an example, at the grave of a recently lost pet; one believes it's alright to talk to their dead pet, and the other believes that God considers talking to the dead (certainly human or animal) a detestable practice. Their actions equate to two not walking together in one mind and in one Spirit.
{2} Editor Note: Mr. Johnson uses this as an example because a great many professing Christians glom onto many false claims, such as that the Devil's Tower is a petrified tree stump. In fact, a friend's nephew (who claims to be a Christian) believes in this false information.
{3} Editor's Note: Something to consider. First and Foremost, if we are so blessed and honored to be born into the family of God - the very GOVERNMENT OF GOD - we will be busy! In a hundred years, a thousand years, even more, will your long-dead pet which you had at the human age of 53 even come to your mind!? 

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