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Welcome to the Sub Domain, www.unbannedbiblepublications/e-books |
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Jesus Christ is the Creator God |
UNSCRIPTURAL HIERARCHY OF RULING CHURCH ‘ELDERS’ |
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Renette Vermeulen
© COPYRIGHT NOW UNBANNED PUBLICATIONS NONE OF THESE BOOKS AND ARTICLES ARE FOR SALE, YET THE CONTENT AND CONTEXT MUST NOT BE ALTERED, SOLD OR USED IN MATERIAL THAT IS SOLD, CLAIMED OR PREACHED AS PERSONAL PROPERTY AND REVELATION, DISTRIBUTED FOR PERSONAL GAIN, OR MISUSED IN ANY WAY Subjects · True ministers are stewards and servants, who have no rank or preference, except in the unscriptural “rise of the bishops” · Where did the words “bishop” and “deacon” come from? These are merely separate church offices for hierarchical ‘elders.’ · Translators of the Bible substituted the concept of the “servant or [spiritually mature, God-called] elderly” with the words ‘bishop,’ ‘elder,’ minster’ and “deacon” to make them into ‘important’ and well-paid hierarchical church posts for unscriptural clergymen. · Because they are misogynists, the ‘elders and bishops’ excluded women from their all-male hierarchy. True scriptural ‘elderly’ and not unbiblical ‘elders’ have the real anointing of the Holy Spirit. God “poured out His Spirit on all His male and female servants (ministers/elderly,) and they will prophecy, [teach, lead, etcetera,]” (Acts 2:17-18.) Spiritually, there is no longer race, social status, or gender in the truly born again body of Christ, (see Gal. 3:28-29!) · The “Jezebel spirit” does not mean ‘women in ministry’ but ‘male and female seducers who call God’s servants to follow strange spirits!’ · “But someone has to take control!” someone shouted. Yes, the Holy Spirit must be given all control. · Was it Paul and the other “elderly’s” ‘right’ to claim tithing and extort money from Jesus’ believers?
INTRODUCTION Why is the Bible written in two different Testaments or Covenants? The Old Testament Covenant was directed at God’s physical nation, country, temple, priesthood, kings, sacrifices, feasts, Sabbaths, wars, and so forth — all governed by the Dual Law, (the Moral and Sacramental Law.) All this were mere shadows or symbols of the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal spiritual, New Testament Covenant, (Mt. 26:27-28!) At the cross, the Lord Jesus, as “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the entire [believing] world,” fulfilled the Law in its entirety, as well as every prophesy that pertains to Him as the Christ, (Jn. 1:29; 3:16-18; 19:28-30.) At that moment, the entire covenant with the old Hebrews and everything pertaining to it was annulled so the Lord Jesus could establish His eternal, spiritual, New Testament Covenant with all believing Jews and Gentiles from all nations, (Heb. 8:7,13; 3:16-18.) When Jesus was risen from the dead, everything symbolic in the Old Testament became real in the full, spiritual victory of the Lord at the cross over sin, death, and Satan, (Heb. 8:5; Col. 2:9-15!) The Lord Jesus Christ became the Eternal High Priest Melchizedek, (Heb. 8:1-6!) His priesthood became all His true disciples; the body and bride of Christ, (Heb. 7:11-19; 1 Pt. 2:9-10.) All sacramental, outward laws were annulled as the spiritual priesthood only have one Law and all its many precepts: the inward Moral Law, written on their minds and hearts, (Heb. 9:8-15; 9:18-19; 10:16.) The Hebrew nation became God’s spiritual nation of believers from all nations. The land of Israel became life in heaven, (Heb. 11:13-16; 12:22-24!) The temple became the temple of true believers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, (Acts 7:44-50; 1 Cor. 3:16-17.) Mixing the two very different yet interacting Covenants of the Bible with each other, is where the entire literal church system, based on pagan temples and the ousted Israeli temple, the ousted Levitical priesthood, church dogmas, norms, and forms, and whatever else could enrich and puff church clergies, were established. The hierarchical clergies of all denominations flourish on these manmade “If perfection were through the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the [ousted] Old Testament [ceremonial] Law,) there would not have been need that another High Priest should arise, [under Whom all believers receive God’s Grace…] So the priesthood was changed… because [the Lord Jesus Christ is] Melchizedek the High Priest forever:” Heb. 7:11-12. > The Old, Levitical temple priesthood literally lost their office that day at the cross when the man Jesus Christ became the eternal and last sacrifice for spiritually dead, lost, and cursed humanity: 1 Pt. 2:9-10. It was no longer necessary to fulfil the literal requirements of the ceremonial law on a physical altar in a material temple: Heb. 7:18-19. The Old Israeli Levitical priesthood too, suddenly became “obsolete.” > The temporal, hierarchical priesthood descended from the tribe of Levi, but the Lord Jesus was born from the tribe of Judah, “making it plain that another High Priest arose Who was not constituted on the basis of a requirement, [of the ceremonial temple law,] but on the basis of an endless Life, after the order and with the rank of Melchizedek, [King of Salem; King of Peace.] So the previous physical regulation, [concerning the Levitical priesthood], is cancelled… [Hebrews 7:11-12,] because a better hope is introduced through which we now come close to God… For the Lord has sworn: ‘You are the High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,’ and He became the Guarantee of the Better, Stronger Agreement of the New Covenant. The previous line of priests was prevented by death from continuing their office, but He holds His priesthood unchangeably, because He lives on forever:” Heb. 7:13-17. > This was the literal fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, “To us a Child is born. To us [the Son of God] is given. The government will be upon His shoulder, and His Name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Almighty God, [Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 15:3; 19:6; 16:5-7,] Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace… [and Emmanuel, God with us:]” Isa. 7:14. Only the Lord Jesus Christ, Melchizedek the eternal Divine High Priest, Who manifested all the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Coming Christ, could commission His disciples: “…All authority [all power and reign] in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore [in My authority] and make disciples from all the nations, baptizing [My disciples,] and teaching them everything I have said. [Not church dogma.] And I will be with you even to the end of the world:” Mt. 28:18-20; Lu. 2:11. >> The entire chapter of Hebrews 7 focuses on Melchizedek, the Eternal Spiritual High Priest of God, to Whose mystical, non-ranking spiritual priesthood every sincere believer now belongs: 1 Pt. 2:9-10. Hebrews 7:3 states that He, the Lord Jesus Christ, is God Himself, “Who is without a spiritual father and mother, without [physical] descent; having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and was made… High Priest forever…” As God lives from all eternity as The Eternal Spirit, He was not born from any physical ancestral line. So, as the risen Lord Jesus Christ, lives entirely in a spiritual line, “from which He inaugurated an entirely new line of spiritual priests.’ As a result, “Jesus became the Surety of the Better Covenant…. Because He continues forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore, He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them:” Heb. 7:22-25. The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest of His spiritual priesthood, lacks absolutely nothing! >> Paul defined the spiritual oneness this priesthood shares in Christ. Galatians 3:26-29: “[All sincere believers are spiritually genderless] sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus… There is neither Jew nor Greek, [race] neither slave nor free, [race,] neither male nor female, [gender.] For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, you are Abraham’s [spiritual] seed, [of true believers.]” > 1 Peter 2:9-10 described what this spiritual priesthood of all true believers looks like: “[Together, they] are a chosen [New Covenant] generation, a [spiritual] royal priesthood, and [a spiritual] holy nation, His own special people… called out of darkness, [entirely leaving darkness behind to be placed by the Spirit] into His [spiritual Kingdom] of marvelous Light:” Colossians 1:13-14 Amplified, says it like this: “[The Father] has delivered and called [all true believers] to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness, and transferred them into the Kingdom of Light… as in Christ Jesus, we have [present tense] our redemption through His blood, [which means,] the forgiveness of all our sins:” Eph. 1:7. > Only Jesus Himself, the Eternal High Priest, now Heads His spiritual priesthood of sincere believers, who all descend from His God-King-Priest order of Melchizedek. Real New Testament, spiritual ‘servants’ cannot have a human high priest ever again. Although they have different gifts and callings in the body of Christ, Jesus’ priesthood all serve on equal footing in a completely different way than the temporal, Old Testament, hierarchical priests served: 1 Pt. 2:4-5; 9-10; Rom. 12:1-11. The substitute for the Melchizedekian priesthood There is no way that anyone, who personally reads the Bible and studies the Scriptures in context, can accidentally overlook or mistake the plain truth about Who the Lord Jesus Christ Is, how He completely redeemed, saved, and blessed all true believers; what the temple of the Holy Spirit is, who His true body of believers are, and how they have to function as His spiritual priesthood here on earth. >> Yet, in the same way Jesus Christ was rejected by His natural nation, the Hebrews, who are still waiting for a political savior, so the church system substituted His unchangeable Melchizedekian priesthood for the religious but spiritually devoid replica of hierarchical church ‘clergies:’ Jn. 1:14. The Vatican and all their Protestant and other denominations modeled their churches and clergies on the physical example of the ousted Old Testament temple and its Levitical priesthood: Heb. 7:11-19. > Most blasphemously, these completely illegitimate church clergies even substituted Christ Jesus Himself as the Head of His priesthood, by “ordaining” many so-called human priests and ‘high priests:’ 1 Pt. 1:9-10. Thus, their ‘body of a christ,’ has thousands of hierarchical heads, which make it a monster, not a body. So, Christians rejected Jesus the One and Only God, King, Christ, High Priest, and Head of His spiritual body of believers, to serve as slaves in a grotesque church system. Ecclesiastical elders versus the humble ‘elderly’ True ministers of God’s Gospel and Word were not called to rule but to serve, as the Lord Jesus demonstrated and commandment: Jn. 13:12-15. “Therefore, the act of serving is not a church office, [in an ‘ordained’ ranking order;] it is not a [well-paid] clerical job, nor a seat of authority, but a labor of love; evident of a life lay down…” [Davis and Clarke: ‘The Ecclesiastical Conspiracy.’] > The Roman Catholic/Protestant word ‘presbuteros’ or ‘elder’ does not describe the servants of the Melchizedekian priesthood: 1 Pt. 2:9-10. Practically, it means ‘an ordained church elder’ or ruler, [a lofty pastor, teacher, etcetera,] disguised as an authentic ‘minister of Christ.’ Church elders occupy self-important, well-paid jobs in ‘church offices.’ They form the hierarchies of ‘god-christ men;’ (the dogma of Theosis,) in the church system, which King James ordered to be retained in his 1611 Bible translation. It spells out the ranking order of male ‘presbuteros,’ who allegedly consist of ‘mediating,’ ‘super anointed or ordained church ‘ministers,’ under command of the ranking order of self-styled popes, bishops, cardinals, and priests. These monsters also walk about in Protestantism; often under aliases such as deacons, elders, pastors, and senior pastors or ‘high priests.’ They blaspheme again, because the risen and ascended Jesus Christ will always be the Only High Priest and Head of His entire body of believers and the Only Mediator between them and God. >> Church clergies also unashamedly revealed their dreadful gender bias by discriminating against female servants in the body of Christ. Acts 2:17-18 distinctly reveals: “God declares, [at Pentecost,] ‘I will pour out My Spirit upon all [believing] mankind, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy… and on My menservants and on My maidservants, [true ministers among the body of Christ,] I will pour out My Spirit, and they will prophesy [or proclaim My Gospel and True Word.]’” Gal. 3:28-29: “There is now [no spiritual distinction between…] male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus…” By ignoring God’s creation principles and unmistakable commandments concerning His ‘universal order,’ (male and female managing creation and ministering together as equals,) clergies ingrained misogyny into their minds, dogmas, and church orders: Gen. 1:27-28; Acts 2:17-18. >> This could not have been so in the beginning among Jesus’ original New Covenant ‘servant leaders’ after Pentecost: Rom. 16:1. His humble servants, the apostles included, were originally called ‘the elderly,’ not important ‘church elders.’ > 'The elderly’ in this context have nothing to do with ‘church office’ rule and hierarchical importance. The true ‘elderly’ are ‘spiritually and emotionally mature believers; called and equipped by the Holy Spirit Himself according to their God-entrusted knowledge, personal integrity, and obedience to the truth of His Word: Titus 1:1-8; Rom. 12:1-2. The Amplified Bible 1964 demands in Titus 2:3: “The older women, [just as all the male ‘elderly,’] must be humble and devout in their behavior as becomes those engaged in sacred service [to the body of Christ, under the Headship of Christ Jesus, the eternal High Priest…]” [Acknowledgement to Frank Daniels.] > Paul tackled the church elders, who are in total opposition to the “sacred service” of “the elderly,” saying, “Who separated you from us? Who made you superior and gave you pre-eminence…? You behave as if you are already filled and have enough. Already you have become rich… and came into your [fake church] kingdom without including [the elderly…] For it appears as if God made us [true elderly] the last of all…We are looked upon as fools on account of Christ… [of which you know nothing, as persecution is not part of your ‘office.’] We are weak but you are strong! You are esteemed, but we are in disrepute and contempt…” 1 Cor. 4:7-12. ‘The elderly’ of Melchizedek is not a hierarchy To be great and important in the sphere of Christian and other religion is not a new aspiration. It stems from the fallen nature of sinful man without God. A mother once asked Jesus to seat her two sons in His kingdom, one on His right and one on His left: Mt. 20:21,25-28. But Jesus replied, “You know that the rulers of the [world] exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. [Such hierarchies] must not be among you. Whoever will be great… let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to but to serve…” The Melchizedekian ‘elderly’ are not religious divine kings, popes, elders, ‘bishops,’ ‘head elders,’ or a] ‘special breed’ of ruling ‘ministers’ that supposedly outrank one another. > In Matthew 16:18-20, Jesus was not exalting Peter as the ‘god, christ, or rock’ of ‘the church.’ He was showing Peter his place in God’s Spiritual Kingdom, as well as the form and structure of the genuine body of Christ. The footnote in the Spirit Filled Bible 1991 explains, “The Rock is not Peter as an individual, since Jesus substituted petra, a foundation rock or boulder, for petros, a fragment of the petra,” for all believers individually are ‘bricks’ of that great dwelling of God: the spiritual temple of the Holy Spirit.” Though Peter was an ordinary member of His body, Jesus called him as the apostle to the Hebrews, and used him at Pentecost to unlock heaven’s door for 3,000 souls through the preaching of His Word: Gal. 2:8; Acts 2:41-43. Still, this great calling and miracle says nothing about Peter the so-called ‘most important elder’ of Christianity. It says everything about Jesus the most important Christ and Creator God of the universe! >> It is obvious that the literal church system and its hierarchies of clergies are the direct opposite of the spiritual temple of the Holy Spirit, the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ, His non-ranking Melchizedekian priesthood, and the “elderly servants,” who minister among the body of Christ. The servant ‘elderly’ are all uniformly humble instruments of the Holy Spirit. They were genuinely called and equipped by the Holy Spirit. All believers, (the humble priesthood of Melchizedek,) the elderly servants as well, are on equal footing before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ. >As seen in Paul’s rebuke to the haughty church clergies of his day, (1 Corinthians 4:7-12, ) ‘the elderly’ are not esteemed by Christian religionists, as they are unassuming, spiritual kings and priests to their Eternal Mediator or High Priest, Jesus Christ: 1 Pt. 2:9-10! Those from the Melchizedekian priesthood who were called by the Holy Spirit as part of “the elderly,” will never seek honor, prize, or profit for themselves. They live to wash the feet of people with the Truth of God’s Word and to minister the powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit to glorify only the Lord Jesus Christ.
JESUS COMMANDED GREAT HUMILITY NOT THE VERY ‘IMPORTANT’ OFFICES OR POSTS OF THE ‘ELDER’ CHURCH HIERARCHY In their wonderful book, ‘The Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy,’ Davis and Clark wrote, “The early believers followed the Lord’s example and instruction on this all-important matter [of ecclesiastical servant-slave leadership,] and they viewed servanthood as the highest vocation [to glorify God.] But by the close of the first century, the rise of the [so-called] hierarchical elders, bishops [and deacons] began, [when Jesus true disciples, The Followers of The Way, fell from God’s Truth into false church and Christian religion at Antioch: Acts 9:1-2; 11:26.] Ever so cunningly, to corrupt the simplicity of the faith and to defile the example of the humble Christ… [In reality, the real] anointed consists of all those [male and female,] whom God has sanctified to be His people, (see 1 Pt. 2:9-10!!! 1 John 2:22,27; Acts 2:17-18! Gal. 3:28.) No where [in the context of Scripture can any believer in Christ be a literal king, [pope, ‘head’ elder, high priest,] or a ‘special breed’ of ruling ministers [called ‘deacons,’ ‘elders’ and the bishops that supposedly outrank them.] Genuine ministers were NOT called to rule, but to serve… [Therefore,] the act of serving is NOT a well-paid office, [a ranking order,] or a clerical job. Nor is it a seat of authority, but the labor of love and a life laid down… “To this [physical replica of Jesus’ Spiritual priesthood,] a woman could not ‘hold an office,’ (1 Pt. 2:9-10.) Moreover, the idea of serving being an office was what they were trying to justify… Throughout the entire New Testament, the word “office” is found nowhere in the Greek text in connection with the ecclesia, [the spiritually genderless assemblies of the sons, bride, and body of Christ, who did not assemble in churches but “broke bread from house to house,” Acts 2:46-47.] Yet the word ‘office’ t is used five different times in the King James Version of the Bible… We do not deny that there were those whose lives were set aside to serve the [true Biblical] saints in the first century ecclesia [or home-to-home assemblies of believers.] However… true servants were [and are] simply following the example of Jesus Who ‘made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant…’ (Phil. 2:7.) “What in the world is a bishop… There is that word office again [that was added to Bible Scripture!] ...It is amazing how much one little word can change the meaning of a passage of Scripture… [Jesus forbids His disciples to lord over one another, 1 Pt. 5:3.] Frank Daniels interpreted ‘presbuterion,’ [the so called super spiritual and anointed ‘elders’ or ‘ministers,’] as ‘the ELDERLY ,’ [actually spiritually mature believers, called by the Holy Spirit Himself and equipped for service by their true knowledge of, and personal obedience to the real truth of His Word..] We recognize that being elderly does not necessarily make one Godly or fit for service in the body of Christ… The elderly in reference here are the Godly elderly [or those who laid down their lives for the flock, and who followed closely in the footsteps of the serving Christ…” To be great and important in the sphere of religion is not a new aspiration. It stems from the fallen nature of sinful man without God. A religious mother once asked Jesus, (Matthew 20:21-28,) to seat her two sons in His kingdom, one on His right and one on His left. But Jesus replied, “You know that the princes of the [unbelieving] Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it will not be so among you. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant, even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto…” Jesus’ teachings on pride and ungodly ambition are unmistakably clear. He also demonstrated His humble ministry to all people and especially to His disciples by physically washing their feet AS AN EXAMPLE of His own humility. It is clear from these passages that the sins of pride and self-centeredness are the essence of Satan, the mastermind of all religiosity without a personal relationship with God in Christ. As a result, reborn believers must DIE to their sinful love of self and religious aspirations, to live in the true calling of God, (Gal. 2:20; 2 Cor. 5:17.) Different from those who are mere church members, Scripturally and personally born again leaders must be humble servants to believers and willing “slaves” to Christ, which is NOT a prohibition to better oneself as God opens opportunities for His gifts, (1 Corinthians 12:1-11,) as Jesus explained in the parable of the talents, (Mt. 25:14-30.) It is a ban on reckless ambition, the love of money and selfish and sinful control over people. The opposite attitude must reign in those who live in a Scriptural relationship with God, and especially in those who serve in His Kingdom just because they love His body of believers and strive to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Cor. 7:20-23.) So, Paul instructed in 1 Timothy 6:6-12, “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and shelter, let us be therewith content. [Because God, and not Mammon, the god of money and other materialism, must be our highest priority.] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare… and pierce themselves with many sorrows.” We cannot serve God and Mammon. Nor can we serve God and idolatrous Kingdom-Now religion; pretending to be humble servants of Christ while inwardly we are “ravenous wolves” who “lord over the flock” and control them to deceive, use, and abuse them — and worst of all, to shift their focus from heaven to outward pretences of importance and other material sin, (Mt. 6:24.) Hence, Paul drew our attention to Romans 12:3-5: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, [do not be puffed up, arrogant, proud, unteachable, unapproachable, and sinfully ambitious,] but think soberly...” God’s grace does not differ from person to person, but His calling and gifts do, (1 Cor. 12:11.) Our calling and gifts do not make anyone ‘more important’ than another, as we receive everything by the grace of God. That’s why He Alone is worthy of all glory, honor and praise! Paul knew this, therefore he wrote in Romans 2:11: “God does not show partiality, undue favour or unfairness; with Him one person is not different from another.” The only place where so-called ‘importance’ among believers exists is in the all religious systems, (Christianity too,) where arrogant people carry the spear of spiritual independence in their hands. Independence from God, fuelled by their idolatrous pride and haughtiness. “Be not called Rabbi… and Father, [religious titles of honor],” Jesus commanded in Mathew 23:8-12, “for One is your Master: Christ, and you are all brothers.”
However, despite all that the Lord Christ Jesus stood for, some 50 years after His ascension, religion factions, titles of honor, rank and snobbishness sneaked in among the first believers when, shortly after the cross and Pentecost, The Followers of The Way joined the first pagan-Judaist-Christian Roman Catholic Church during the latter part of 1 A.D. Still today, even in the same church and denomination or division of Christianity, so-called ‘importance’ divide believers into stuck-up groups that have little in common with one another. It all began with the Roman Catholic clergy who still believe they are spiritually, intellectually and of course financially, so much more important to God than the “laity.” Therefore, they still pretend to be gods themselves. This haughty hierarchy was and still is justified by the ghastly abuse of Matthew 16:18-20, which the Vatican made into a mandate to adore their so-called ‘divine’ Christian priesthood — but in the context of Scriptural truth this is not so. And let us not forget the Protestant “clergies” and their dreadful lofty pride and sinful control over their church ‘laity,’ because during the Reformation, they simply inherited all the most important norms and forms of Roman Catholicism to apply it to their own church systems. In Matthew 16:18-20, Jesus was not exalting Peter as the ‘god or rock of the church.’ He was showing Peter his own place in God’s Spiritual Kingdom, as well as the form and structure of the genuine, genderless body of Christ, (Gal. 3:28.) The footnote in the Spirit Filled Bible explains, “The Rock is not Peter as an individual, since Jesus substituted petra, a foundation rock or boulder, for petros, a fragment of the petra,” for all believers individually are ‘bricks’ of that great dwelling of God: the spiritual temple of the Holy Spirit.” Though Peter was an ordinary member of the body of Christ, Jesus fulfilled this promise at Pentecost when He used Peter to turn the Gospel-key to unlock heaven’s door for 3,000 souls, (Acts 2:41-43.) Still, this great miracle says nothing about Peter the ‘most important elder-god’ of the Vatican. It says everything about Jesus the most important Christ of the entire believing world! In the context of Scriptural truth, Jesus actually said to Peter in Matthew 16:13-23, “[You are the one that could say that I am not John the Baptist, Elijah, or any of the other human prophets, but the Christ,] because flesh and blood did not reveal that to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. [Therefore, you have nothing to boast about. If you want to boast, boast in God.] Your name, Peter, means ‘rock’ [and to you as an example of one of My spiritual New Covenant priesthood,] I give the keys of My Kingdom, [which means that I will delegate the spiritual authority of My Kingdom to you as an example of a spiritual priest of My New Testament/Covenant, Melchizedekian priesthood: 1 Pt. 2:9-10.”] Then Jesus must have pointed to Himself, saying, “For on this Rock, I will build My true bride and body of believers, [and you and all your descendants of sincere believers will be merely My instruments in achieving this,”] (1 Cor. 3:11; 1 Pet. 2:9-10.) Peter was only one of Jesus’ instruments in this world to establish His New Testament bride or body - a little rock of the Great Rock, a humble little temple of the Grand Temple, a trowel in the Hand of the Greatest Builder and Creator of heaven and earth, and everything that lives on earth and in heaven. These spiritual keys of authority to unlock the Spiritual Kingdom of God for everyone who would sincerely choose to believe in Jesus and accept His Gospel truth, (Jews as well as Gentiles,) testify to our right standing with God through Christ Jesus Alone, as John explained in 1:12-13: “To those who [chose to] receive Him, He gave the power, [authority, privilege, spiritual right], to become the children of God.” (See John 3:16-18.) |