Pastor and theologian, Jack Deere, reveals what knowing God is:

"It took me too long to learn that knowing the Bible is not the same as knowing God, loving the Bible is not the same as loving God and reading the Bible is not the same as hearing God. What I am saying is that it is possible to put almost any good thing above Jesus Christ without realizing what we are doing. We can put the Bible and its commandments above the Lord. We can put the spiritual gifts and even various kinds of worship above the Lord. We can put various forms of ministry-witnessing, caring for the poor, praying for the sick-above the Lord. The essence of all of life is loving God and then loving his people." (Matthew 22:36-40) (3)

The bible is clear on certain moral codes for salvation, such as the restrictions on murder, stealing, adultery, lying and other hurtful acts against humanity. Yet even these acts are repeatedly violated in various accounts. For the bible literalist, it is also clear on certain theological doctrines, such as having faith in Christ Jesus, his resurrection, his ransom for mankind and his mediatorship for mankind to God. But are knowing these theological doctrines necessary for salvation? And what about other doctrines in the bible, which are not so clear? Is having correct theological knowledge a requirement? Is belief or non belief on doctrinal issues such as the trinity, hellfire, immortality of the soul, 144,000, heaven or earth destinations, the rapture, God's name and much more, the identifying mark of true Christians ? Are unity on these doctrinal points necessary for salvation?

Apostle Paul stated to the Corinthian congregation that they:

"Should all speak in agreement and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you many be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought." 1 Cor 1:10

Was this about doctrinal issues with all having unity on the same theological interpretations of various scriptural knowledge? The context shows it not to be about doctrinal teachings, but rather shows Paul to be speaking about the divisions of the Corinthians in being divided, some following men, others solely the Christ. Some were following the direction of Apostle Paul, others Cephas, therefore "the Christ exists divided." They lacked true unity in being divided to following different men. The same is true today where persons identify themselves with a certain Christian denomination made of men, with their group interpretations of scriptures, reasoning's and name labels, such as "Baptist," "Lutheran," "Catholic," "Presbyterian" & etc., instead of individually identifying themselves solely with Christ. Therefore the "Christ exists divided." What Apostle Paul was appealing for was not a total uniformity of understanding of each and every point in scripture, but rather for the putting aside of divisive attitudes that were splitting them up into fractions, so that they could be of a united disposition and outlook. Not uniformity on every doctrinal issue and certainly not a humanly imposed uniformity by a supposed "slave class" religious counsel or group of men. (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

"Sometimes those of us who treasure right doctrine think we possess and inside track on the truth of God. God informs us, however, that supposed knowledge, lacking in a pure love of God, is a sure route to spiritual arrogance (1 Corinthians 8:1-3). There is something about being cocksure of possessing the truth that breeds spiritual cockiness. Sometimes good theology subtly breeds conceit, the greatest cancer of spiritual health." Seeing Ourselves In The Pharisees Extreme Righteousness - page 71 - Tom Hovestol

What about doctrinal knowledge ? Many denominations, along with Jehovah's Witnesses say that this is one of the identifying marks of Jesus' true disciples and they will quote Apostle Paul, who when speaking about the Jews stated

"They have a zeal for God, but not according to accurate knowledge." Rom 10:2

But if you simply read the context, in two verses later, in verse 4, it can be shown that it is not detailed doctrinal knowledge with interpretive explanations that Paul is speaking about, rather this "accurate knowledge" is,

"For the goal at which the law (Torah) aims is the Christ, who offers righteousness to everyone who has faith." Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of those establishing righteousness by the decrees, regulations and works of sacrifices of the old covenant pronounced in the law, so that everyone exercising faith in him may have righteousness. This is the "accurate knowledge" that Paul is speaking about and the basic doctrine for salvation, not one of the thousands of unclear doctrines and zig zagging interpretations of many churches and of the Watchtower such as 1914, the other sheep class, the great crowd, blood components, employment on a military base, joining the YMCA & etc. Instead the "love of Christ surpasses all of this knowledge" And this "love," small acts of individual mercy shown to others, is what we are to "add to our faith." (Eph 3:19; Romans 10:1-4; 2 Peter 1:5-8)

The "Sacred Secret" of God Is Not The Doctrinal And Theological Knowledge That Goes Beyond Faith and Love

The "Sacred Secret" of God Is Faith In Christ and Love.

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. "Everyone who loves, both knows God and is born from God." for "God is love." "This is God's commandment, that we have faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ and be loving one another." (1 John 3:23; 4:7-8, 5:12) The sacred secret of God are two things: Faith in Christ and Loving our fellow man. Those who put faith in Christ, receive God's Spirit. Those who receive God's Spirit are then able to walk in love by following this spirit that dwells inside of them. Faith in Christ does not require having orthodox, absolute knowledge of doctrinal theology, for we see in a "hazy mirror of knowledge and it will remain this way until the second coming of Christ. But our faith, along with our mercy and love (not sacrifice) will bring us everlasting life. (John 17:3; 1 John 4:7-8; Romans 8)

"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory." 1 Timothy 3:16 Revised Standard Version

"God's plan is very great as we all know. Here it is: we saw God as a man; God's Spirit proved he was right; angels saw him; the nations were told about him; people of the world believed in him; God took him up into heaven." 1 Timothy 3:16 Worldwide English Version

Others state Jesus words at John 4:24, that we must:

"Worship God in spirit and truth." John 4:24

What is the "truth" Jesus is speaking about? It is as Jesus said:

"I am the way, the 'truth' and the life." John 14:6

He is the "truth" and the only way to get to the father, God, not the thousands of doctrinal interpretations that change from year to year because of supposed "new light" or understanding. The "truth" of Jesus Christ is known as the "sacred secret of God." He is the gift God gave mankind, for those who put faith in him. The requirements for mankind are faith and love. Without both, neither one is valid. (1 Tim 3:16)

"For "the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesy." Rev 19:10

It is only faith in this man that pertains to the sacred secret. It has absolutely nothing to do with the believing or unbelieving of the thousands of unclear teachings and manmade interpretations such as the rapture, the year 1914, the trinity, the use of the tetragramaten, a faithful and discreet slave class, ... a literal kingdom government of God and much, much more. However, this faith must be accompanied by works of love and mercy towards our fellow man. Apostle John states the meaning of this "sacred secret" in 1 John:

"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 3:23 "Everyone who loves, both knows God and is born from God," for "God is love." 1 John 4:7-8 "This is God's commandment, that we have faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ and be loving one another." 1 John 5:12

God's Will Is More Than A Concept - But A Mystery

God's will is a profound and holy mystery and the fact that we live our everyday lives engulfed in this mystery, should not lead to so underestimate its holiness. Living, knowing and acknowledging God's mystery is not some cop-out. God's ways are "higher than our ways," and are progressively revealed to us in our stages of growth and maturity. God's will is not a mere concept nor formula that can be solved as problem with a quick fix or perfectly fitted sized garment.

A mystery is unlike a problem and unlike a puzzle. It is not something that can be thought as objectively figured out with a neatly packaged and formulated answer. Mystery is not something we solve, but something we enter into. We enter into a mystery, as we become living in it, walking in it, breathing in it, we progressively grow in it and have revelations of understanding and insight there of. We enter new levels of insight and perception that no page in a book can say in mere human words. Our experiences living inside of life, watching God's creation, living with His Spirit within us, observing, looking, walking with, moving forward, correcting, adjusting, learning in growth as we progressively become revealed to deeper layers of God's will in our lives.

Peter Gomes relates:

"Nowhere in the Bible are we given to understand that by faithful study and good works, or even with a little bit of luck, we will be able to understand all that we need to know about the fundamental mystery of our relationship to God. Those who think that a careful, painstaking study of the scriptures will reveal all to them in the fullness of time have understood neither the scriptures nor God. If there were to be found such clarity, such a lifting of the veil of ignorance, as it were, there would be no need for all of the extra-biblical devices of theological and philosophical speculation by which we have long sought to make our way form the unknown to the unknowable by way of what we thing we know. It always amazes me that certain of my Presbyterian friends think that because the Westminster Confession is so thorough, so eloquent, and so convinced of its own virtuous logic it somehow is able to take them where scripture, unaided by the marginal notes of those seventeenth-century divines, cannot. The Westminster Confession and the Shorter Catechism take the prized for theological immodesty. Thank God for the Bible. It is there, after all, that in 2 Chronicles 8:1, "The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness." It is in scripture, in that marvelous assault upon virtuous knowledge, in the book of Job, where the great question is asked: "Can you find out the deep things of God" Can you find out the limit of the Almighty" It is higher than heaven--what can you do? Deeper than Sheol--what can you know?" (Job 11:7-8)

Gomes relates mystery to the distinction between the amateur detectives who are short sided to see limited answers in solving their problems. Being "tidy-minded" they look for an answer that they fail to find, looking at the surface. But the skilled detective, such as Sherlock Holmes, uses his imaginations and enters into the mystery of the situation, looking, listening and watching for surrounding and inner happenings that do not have explanations. Slowly his investigation progressively reveals facts about his case.

Knowing that special attributes of mystery bring revelation, growth and understanding, we can perceive that God's will is just that,

"God's will is a profound and holy mystery, and the fact that we live our everyday lives engulfed in this mystery, should not lead us to underestimate its holiness. We dwell in the will of God as in a sanctuary. His will is the cloud of darkness that surrounds His immediate presence. It is the mystery in which His divine life and our created life become "one spirit," sine, as St. Paul says, "those who are joined to the Lord are on spirit." ( 1 Corinthians 6:17) There are religious men who have become so familiar with the concept of God's will that their familiarity has bread an apparent contempt. It has made them forget that God's will is more than a concept. It is a terrible and transcendent reality, a secret power which is given to us, from moment to moment, to be the life of our life and the soul of our own soul's life. It is the living flame of God's own Spirit, in Whom our own soul's flame can play, if it wills, like a mysterious angel. God's will in snot an abstraction, not a machine, not an esoteric system. it is a living concrete reality in the lives of men, and or souls are created to burn as flames within His flame. The will of the Lord is not a static center drawing our souls blindly toward itself. It is a creative power, working everywhere, giving life and being and direction to all things, and above all forming and creating in the midst of an old creation, a whole new world which is called the Kingdom of God. What we call the "will of God" is the God's presence cannot be brought back by our knowledge and our effort of memory, any more than it can be elicited by the work of imagination. It is a "discovery," and each time the discovery is new. movement of His love and wisdom, ordering and governing all free and necessary agents, moving movers and causing causes, driving drivers and ruling those who rule, so that even those who resist Him carry our His will without realizing that they are doing so. In all His acts God orders all things, whether good or evil, for the good of those who know Him and seek Him and who strive to bring their own freedom under obedience to His divine purpose. All that is done by the will of God in secret is done for His glory and for the good of those whom He has chosen to share in His glory. (2a) "The "remembering" of God, of which we sing in the Psalms, is simply the rediscovery, in deep compunction of hear, that God remembers us. In a sense, God cannot be remembered. He can only be discovered. "God cannot be remembered." If taken completely literally, just as it stands, without qualification, this statement would be false. We can have a valid conceptual knowledge of God. This knowledge can be stored in the memory and called back to mind. But the aphorism derives its point from the fact that there is another knowledge of God which goes beyond concepts, which passes through concepts to attain Him in the mysterious actuality of His presence, grasped in some sort, in an "experience," Even these experiences of God remain deeply engraved in the memory: but when we remember them, their actuality is no longer present, but past. This actuality of God's presence is something that does not belong to the past or to the future but only to the present. It cannot be brought back by an effort of memory, any more than it can be elicited by the work of imagination. It is a "discovery," and each time the discovery is new.(2b)

The Danger of Knowledge

Religion and vast amounts of knowledge though it works to produce good external behavior, it does not transform hearts. Religion and knowledge can blind us to personal depravity. Even though we may understand that knowing about God is not the same as knowing from God, it is easy to blur that distinction. The Pharisees knew the Word of God extremely well, the same as many of us do today, as Tom Hovestol comments:

"The Pharisees know the middle verse and letter, had counted all the commands, and no doubt some had memorized all 613 of them. (In contrast, few people today can recite the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.) The Pharisees were insistent on the correct interpretation of the Scriptures. Moreover, the Pharisees were not content, as frequently we are, to simply know the content of God's Word. They desired to obey it as well. So they aided its application by devising religious rules. But for all their Bible knowledge about God, many of them did not know God and therefore did not recognize God incarnate. Why? Their right doctrine had produced wretchedness, instead of righteousness. Proper doctrine is essential, yet even today it can give a false sense of spiritual security and superiority without true spiritual reality. Bible knowledge can calcify rather than tenderize the hearer. It can blind and bind. How can that be? bible instruction can easily be diverted from its God intended purpose: love of God and fellow human beings. In its place is a new, lesser purpose; the bible as an object of curiosity and fruitless spiritual debate (1 Timothy 1:3-11). The Bible can become an end in itself instead of the means to an end. Subtly almost everything of God can and will be counterfeited by appearance of goodness with a hidden dark side. The ultimate danger of being people of the Book is that we can acquire knowledge about God without actually coming to know God." (3a)

Like us, the Pharisees had the knowledge of the letter of the Word; however, some did not understand or incarnate

Academic Knowledge Vs. Spiritual Intimacy

"Shortly after my conversion I went out preaching in the villages. I had had a good education and was well-versed in the Scriptures, so I considered myself thoroughly capable of instructing the village folk, among whom were quite a number of illiterate women. But after several visits I discovered that, despite their illiteracy, those women had an intimate knowledge of the Lord. I knew the Book they haltingly read; they knew the One of whom the Book spoke. I had much in myself; they had much in the Spirit. How many Christian teachers today are teaching others as I was then, very largely in the strength of their carnal equipment!" - Watchman Nee (4)

it's spirit. Their foreheads literally contained copies of the scriptures, yet they failed to realize and see the hardening of their hearts, loosing sight of the fact that God's word is not an end in itself. They became knowledgeable in an academic way rather than a practical way. They put legal requirements and their interpretative molds of theology ahead of flexibility, mercy, kindness, and justice which bend according to truth, truth that can differ from our conception and interpretive standards. The Pharisees teach us that Bible study can be a dangerous profession. It can blind the eyes, puff up the head, and harden the heart.Knowledge can also become a source of pride rather than humility. Charles Swindoll asserts:

"Knowledge can be dangerous when it isn't balanced by love and grace. Such knowledge results in arrogance, which leads to an intolerant spirit, an exclusive mindset." (3b)

Knowledge can also cause focus on the letter of the law and miss the Spirit of the law, to know the word of God, but not the God of the word. John White in The Fight wrote,

"Knowledge, especially biblical knowledge has the same effect as wine when it goes to your head. You become dizzily exalted. But Bible study should be conducted not with a view to knowing about Christ but to knowing him personally." (3c)

The Context of John Chapter 17

"Knowing God" - Knowing About vs. Knowing From

"This means everlasting life, to know (have knowledge of - not about) the only true God and the one that you sent forth Jesus Christ" - John 17:3

In John chapter 17, Jesus raises his eyes to heaven and speaks to his Father, saying, "the time has come for you to glorify your son, that he may glorify you." Jesus who was one hundred percent God and one hundred percent man, gave up his glory that he had "before the founding of the world," to become a mortal man, to sacrifice himself for man and pay the penalty of sin, buying back mankind in favor with God, reconciling man, the price being his blood. Jesus did all this, so mankind could have everlasting life and receive the very same glory Jesus had. Jesus is the everlasting life, the way and the truth. This means everlasting life, knowing (having knowledge of) the Father and the Son, Jesus. To know (have knowledge of) God is to know him intimately, personally, from him, experiencing him. This was not knowing about him, nor learning academic theology, but rather an intimate spiritual encounter with Jesus Christ and the Father. In turn, this would mean everlasting life. Knowing God is not knowing the bible, nor theology but knowing God is knowing the person. Scriptural knowledge is God's way of getting to know him, the person.

Jesus requests of his Father,

"And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began." I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." John 17:5-17

We are not to be taken out of the world but to be watched over by God, to be protected and sanctified by God's word, the truth. Jesus prays for us to be protected. He has obtained his glory through us. His prayer asks the Father that we who know him, may be one in complete unity with all others who know him intimately, which in turn is knowing the father personally on an intimate level.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:4-5

The knowledge of God does not come through simply a bible study. No question and hour sessions, written reviews, nor the attachment to others who claim to be in union with Christ brings one to know God. Rather the knowledge of God is a 'oneness' that can only be obtained by knowing from God, not about God, by knowing him intimately as his Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that is, spirit touches spirit. No theological orthodoxy, numerical calculations, nor detailed prophetic explanations can come between him, us and all others who have an intimate and personal relationship of Spirit with Christ and the Father. We are to be one, as Jesus and the Father are one. Our glory has been "chosen by God to be in union with Christ before the founding of the world, foreordained to the adoption through Jesus Christ as sons to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will."

How To Obtain The Knowledge of God

Knowing About God vs Knowing From God Intellectualism   The Holy Spirit

There are two ways to know God: We can know about God and we can know from God. We can know about God through theology, preaching, teaching, meeting attendance, book studies, through many doctrinal ministries, from reading the bible and conversing with other people who know about him, yet in order to really know God, we must know from God.

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3

The only way to intimately know God is learn from him. His spirit attaches to ours, meshes as interwoven fabric tightly knit, tranforming us into new creatures.To learn from God is to know His Spirit. We can find His Spirit within us, die to our egos, and submit our wills to we walk Him. For if our actions relate to our egos and fail to walk with God's Spirit, "dwelling inside" us, then according to St. Paul, we are walk according to the flesh. We simply cannot be without God's Spirit inside of us and be a follower of Christ. It is through our faith that enables us to walk according the Spirit, allowing Him to "bear witness to our spirit, to cry out 'Abba, father,' confirming that we are God's children." We reconize that we are not separate from God, but He is in us and we in Him.

"And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9

To intimately know God, we recognize the "love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge." We do this with our faith in God's Spirit that resides inside of us. It is through our unconditional love of ourselves and others that we allow our tranform and empower us in imitation of Christ.

Jesus spoke about the condition of the heart. He likened it to the soil of the earth, the ground where plants grow. When asked why he Spoke in parables. He answered to them that only those granted access to the Holy Spirit would understand. That would require faith and humility. Humility to learn from God, to personally rely on Him alone and seek Him within ones self. To look to the religious leaders, the religious system and to the inspired scriptures themselves, they alone, could never bring one in contact with the living God. His Spirit is always needed, a Spirit that can never be replace by the scriptures themselves.

"Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "`You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." Matthew 13:10-17

Our faith in the Holy Spirit "dwelling inside" of us enables us to see with eyes of faith. Eyes that can see beyond our physical realm. St. Paul states,

"The eyes of our heart may be enlightened in order that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." Ephesians 1:18

Walking in accord to the Spirit requires our faith in knowing we are in union with him. We are not separate but "one" with him, as Jesus prayed for all his followers to be "one" as "he and his father are one." This is the only way we can truly know God.Beyond the text of written scripture, we can learn from the living God and truly know Him. As we die to our egos and become "born again" with God's Spirit, we can allow it to personally teach us to know and understand, to be intimate, to have God as our Father and we as His children.

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:18-23

When we encounter God, we can hear and feel and see with our eyes of faith, as we "walk by faith and not by sight." Yet what we can see by sight, are the transformations of souls, of people exercising true compassion and forgiveness to one another. We see "gifts" of the Spirit operate on others, as they once did on the Corinthian and Galatian congregations. We simply must have God's Spirit to know Him, to understand Him, to truly have compassion and love for our fellow man.

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3

John W. Frye describes the Greek word used for "Know," as follows:

"Elementary Bible students soon learn that the verb know is more powerful and profound than know about. It is the verb of intimate, personal knowledge. Eternal life is experiential intimacy with God and his Son, Jesus Christ. An Old Testament usage of the verb can be found in Genesis 4:1: "Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived" (KJV). Knowing about does not produce babies."(2)

Acts of Love and Mercy

If doctrinal issues, intellectualism and orthodox theology are not what identifies true Christians, then what is?

The Good Samaritan Showed True Love of God and Neighbor - Luke 10:29-37
To the theologically correct and self-righteous Pharisees, It was shocking to see the despised, false religious Samaritan (an apostate), with tainted Assyrian blood, & a moral law breaker to be the hero of this story, simply for an act of loving kindness.
This Samaritan who did not have accurate knowledge, did not preach, have a bible study or label this Jew as a false follower, but performed an act of loving kindness, proving himself to be the only true righteous neighbor.
Knowledge From (Not About) God And Christ, Not Theological Doctrines "This means everlasting life, to know (have personal and intimate knowledge from) the only true God and the one that you sent forth Jesus Christ" - John 17:3 Knowledge Is Love, Not Doctrines, For "God Is Love" "Everyone who loves has been born from God and gains the knowledge of God" - 1 John 4:7 (New World Translation) "He who loves is born from God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7 (Revised Standard Translation) Knowledge = Love "For in loving kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice: and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6) Knowing God = Loving The Afflicted, The Poor "As for your father, did he not eat and drink and execute justice and righteousness ? In that case it went well with him. He pleaded the legal claim of the afflicted one and the poor one. In that case it went well. "Was that not a case of knowing me" is the utterance of Jehovah? (Jeremiah 22:15,16)

Apostle Paul states that:

"Love is the perfect bond of union." Colossians 3:14

"Love is the laws fulfillment." Romans 13:10

This love is the same that Jesus spoke of to be the identifying mark of his true disciples.

"For by this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." John 13:35

And this is the "pure language" of the true worship of God, not the unclear doctrinal knowledge that is interpreted by a supposed "slave class" or religious organization.

"For then I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language, (Internal Faith & Agape Love of our fellow man) in order for them all to call upon the name of YHWH, in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder." Zephaniah 3:9

Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verses 2 and 13:

"If I have the gift of prophesying and am acquainted with all the sacred secrets and all knowledge and if I have all the faith so as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing ... Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." Notice that without love, all the knowledge and faith, hope, gifts of prophesying and all the sacred secrets are worthless. So, it is not the gifts or knowledge, but love that "joins us together" with Christ. "Love is the laws fulfillment." 1 Corinthians 13:2, 13

(Zeph 3:9; John 13:34,35; Col 2:2)

The word charity has a secure place in the English Bible, when it is most memorably found in in St. Paul's works in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. In the more modern translations, this word has been replaced by the word love. This change was meant to more accurately portray Paul's meaning in his use of the Greek word agape in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, which suffers in the late twentieth century's confusion of the English word love with sentimentality and sexual feeling. People glaze over when they hear the "love" chapter as part of the liturgical decor of endless wedding ceremonies, and to recapture their attention. The word "charity," is closer to the meaning of agape, meaning work that proceeds from the heart, the seat not only of the emotions but of rational and responsible feeling. Acts of charity are those that proceed from the responsible heart. They are actions that proceed from an attitude. They are outward and visible sings of an inward and spiritual dimension. (5)

Charity is what is done for others because of what has been done for us. Because the Christian has been from creation onward the object of God's charity, the Christian is obliged to translate that into a care and concern to the neighbor, the orphan, the alien, the stranger, and all those in need. Charity is an obligation on the part of the Christian, but charity cannot be "earned" by those who receive it, and thus the Victorian concept of the "deserving poor" is contrary to the spirit of Christian charity, as, in its first impulse, charity is not a response to the condition of the neighbor, but to what God has done for us. (5)

If we have the Spirit of God in our hearts, we will live by His law of charity, inclined always to peace rather than dissension, to humility rather than arrogance, to obedience rather than rebellion, to purity and temperance, to simplicity and quietness and calm, to strength, generosity, and wisdom, to prudence and all-embracing justice, and we will love others more than ourselves, for it is the commandment of Jesus that we should love on another as He has loved us. (John 15:12; Phil 2:3) (5a)

True, in Hosea's day, the "knowledge of God" was lacking in the land of Israel, thus causing terrible bloodshed, but what exactly was this "knowledge of God?" Was it detailed doctrinal prophesies, interpretations and elaborate explanations? Was it the knowledge of following hundreds of rules and regulations? No, rather it was the knowledge of "loving kindness," forgiveness and mercy. This "pure language" of faith, love and mercy, is precisely the "knowledge that leads to everlasting life" and the very type of "knowledge of God that will fill the earth as the waters are covering the very sea," not the doctrinal knowledge of the existence or non existence of hellfire, immortality of the soul, 1914 & etc. (Hosea 4:1-2; Habakkuk 2:14; Isaiah 11:9; Zeph 3:9; John 17:3)

"Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed." Hosea 4:1-2 "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3 (Know faith in Christ and agape love of man) "They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of YHWH as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:9 (The knowledge of faith in Christ and agape love of man to fill the whole earth and cover the sea)

Under the law's (Torah's) "old covenant" with Moses, the Jews were under the "curse" to obey hundreds of written detailed rules, regulations and works of sacrifice. Despite all of the legal requirements, it was still "loving kindness that Jehovah took delight in, not the sacrifices and whole burnt offerings," for the law's old covenant also stated that "you must love your fellowman as yourself" and to put faith or trust in God for salvation. (Hosea 6:6; Gal 4:5; Lev 19:18; Gen 15:6; Exodus 19:9; Heb 11:23,24)

The law's (Torah's) "old covenant," with Moses, was based on faith and love, along with the "handwritten documents against us, consisting of decrees" and "curse" of hundreds of commands, ordinances and works of sacrifices. Under the law's (Torah's) "new covenant" arrangement, with the Christ, this curse of regulations and decrees would be "blotted out" and a new unwritten covenant based on faith and love (written on hearts) would replace it. This "new covenant" would now become the law's (Torah's) true meaning, which the Christ upholds as the "law of Christ."

True Christianity reveals itself in quiet acts of mercy and goodness that no one sees or applauds--but God.

Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse pronounced in the former covenant by becoming cursed on our behalf" and "wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us." Jesus, who showed complete unconditional love, brought the law or Torah to it's goal, a goal based on "faith," bringing man back into a personal relationship and reconciliation with God. (Romans 2:28-29; Jer 31:31-33; Col 2:12-14; Heb 8:13; Phil 2:9-11; Romans 5:10-11; Gal 3:13, 4:5; Gal 6:2; Gen 15:6; Exodus 19:9; Heb 11:23,24; 2 Cor 3:3)

A new strange concept of each individual having a personal and intimate relationship with God viewing him and calling him their "father" instead of his formal name Jehovah or Yahweh would now come to be. Instead, it is Jesus, who "was given a name above every name," including the name of the father, Jehovah or Yahweh (YHWH). All the rules and regulations "that stood against us" would be removed and replaced by "the kingly law of love."

And this love would be the core of what Jesus Christ taught.

"You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it is this, Your must love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments the WHOLE law hangs, and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40; James 2:8)

Also, 1 John 3:10-12 says:

"The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should have love for one another; not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother." 1 John 3:10-12

The Watchtower's comments on this scripture:

"Thus, God's people are a nonviolent, global brotherhood."- The Watchtower

While this is true, what the Watchtower Society misses entirely, is the fact that being a child of God and being part of a true brotherhood, is to be united by agape love, not by a centralized governing body of elders who have incorporated various bodies of rules and regulations for men to follow and obey or face expulsion with the shunning of friends and family members. True children of God are allowed the freedom to "press on to maturity," while teaching discernment, forming an invisible, internal relationship with God. But of far more importance they are to have true faith in Christ, relying on solely him to evangelize the world and not us, using a large human visible organization to do so. Our faith must be accompanied by our individual works of mercy, towards our fellow man, as few and small as that may be. This love is not the sacrifices of religious, programmed and neatly packaged prescribed works of the door to door doctrinal preaching and other organizationally promoted sacrifices. True love of our fellow man neither judges "our brothers" as sinners nor shuns them for disagreeing with theological interpretations. True love is based on faith in Christ alone, apart from a mediator "slave class." True love is faith in Christ which anoints all followers with his spirit, eliminating the interpretation of an "other sheep" class of non-spirit filled Christians, as Paul stated in Romans 8:

"And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9

On the contrary, the "Children of the Devil" are those which enforce human authority as the ultimate obedience tool, "sitting in the seat of God" as his so called and self appointed "slave class" representative, falling nothing short as the "man of lawlessness." (Hebrews 6:1; 5:12-14; Galatians 5:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12)

The early, original Christian congregation was one of an invisible, spiritual, internal brotherhood, a "royal priesthood" with only "one head" and mediator between God and men, a man Jesus Christ. What held them together? Was it theology, scriptures, meetings? Was it an external, visible human institutionalized authority structure or slave class? None of these were the unifying factors, but rather "love, the perfect bond of union" was the only true unifying factor, with individual freedom that held this spiritual nation together, the uniting factor and only identifying mark of the true followers of the Christ. (1 Peter 2:9; Colossians 3:14; 1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 5:7)

Author of "Elijah, a man like us," and one of the founders of Idaho Mountain Ministries, David Roper explains:

"Those who God is making good have an extraordinary effect on others. They leave behind "strangely warmed" hearts. Others take note that we have been with Jesus. We leave behind his fragrance, an unforgettable ambiance, a sweet aroma. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). The memory lingers and leaves others longing for more."

Those identified by Christ are those who have God's spirit and power. Roper future goes on to say:

"Spiritual power is rarely apparent. It is not a function of charm and chutzpah, nor is it a matter of vast knowledge, strength of will, or personal magnetism. Self-conscious and self-effected influence is always pretentious. When we try to be influential, we become too aggressive and intrusive. Our actions seem forced and our words ring hollow. True authority is a subtle redolence, an unaffected persuasion that pervades people's thoughts and gently goads them towards God." (1)

Agape - Charity

Divine Power Needed

Human love is near powerless. Our love of others ends at either one's suffering or finally in death. Flowers on a grave, attempts of communication are all in vain. And while living, no one can successfully enter into another's suffering with a love more than a limited helplessness.

The power to love as Christ can only be achieved with Christ living in us. His Spirit anointing us, dwelling inside, the Kingdom of God within us, can give us the "power beyond what is normal," to both know and live in divine love. Thomas Merton explains,

"It is true that we can also have compassion for others merely because suffering is an evil in its own right. This compassion is also good. But it does not really become agape- charity, unless it sees Christ in the one suffering and has mercy on him with the mercy of Christ. (1a) In Christ's passion living in us, the helplessness of human love is transformed into a divine power which raises us above all evil. It has conquered everything. Such love knows no separation. It fears suffering no more than crops fear the spring rain. But the strength of such love, and such communion, is not found merely in a doctrine. The Christian has more than a philosophy of suffering. Sometimes, indeed, he may have not philosophy at all. His faith may be so inarticulate as to see absurd. Nevertheless, he knows the peace of one who has conquered everything. Furthermore, He has united us to one another in Himself. We all live together in the power of His death which overcame death. We neither suffer alone nor conquer alone nor go off into eternity alone. In Him we are inseparable: therefore, we are free to be fruitfully alone whenever we please, because wherever we go, whatever we suffer, whatever happens to us, we are united with those we love in Him because we are united with Him." (1b)

We love others as ourselves pertaining to "Christ that is in us" and Christ that exists in them. The Holy Spirit that we recognize in ourselves, we use to recognize in others, all others. It is our faith in Jesus that allows us to access and use God's Spirit within us, revealing to us who we are, enabling us with power of agape - charity towards others in the way Christ loves us.  

"It is clear, then, that to love others well we must first love the truth. And since love is a matter of practical and concrete human relations, the truth we must love when we love our brothers is not mere abstract speculation: it is the moral truth that is to be embodied and given life in our own destiny and theirs. This truth is more than the cold perception of an obligation, flowing from moral precepts. The truth we must love in loving our brothers is the concrete destiny and sanctity that are willed for them by the love of God. One who really loves another is not merely moved by the desire to see him contented and healthy and prosperous in this world. Love cannot be satisfied with anything so incomplete. If I am to love my bother, I must somehow enter deep into the mystery of God's love for him. I must be moved not only by human sympathy but by that divine sympathy which is revealed to us in Jesus and which enriches our own lives by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. The truth I love in loving my brother cannot be something merely philosophical and abstract. It must be at the same time supernatural and concrete, practical and alive. And I mean these words in no metaphorical sense. The truth I must love in my brother is God Himself, living in him. And I can only discern and follow that mysterious life by the action of the same Holy Spirit living and acting in the depths of my own heart.(1c)

Works of "Mercy" Vs Works of "Sacrifice"

Works of Sacrifice   Mercy Not Sacrifice

Apostle Paul states in Galatians 2:16,

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,

Have You Not Read "I Want Mercy And Not Sacrifice"  - Math 9:13

but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Apostle Paul tells us that we are declared righteous by faith only, for although the righteous Torah or law with the "old covenant" taught this teaching as well, it also consisted of "decrees," "works of sacrifices" and "curses" that were to be "blotted out" in the future by the messiah, the Christ. These "works of sacrifice," with their commandments and regulations were a "curse," not the law or Torah itself. The further perverting of the law with legalism and oral traditions of both the Pharisees and the newly converted Christians, were making "the word of God invalid," causing Apostle Paul to repeatedly emphasize that it is only with "faith" that one can find Christ, not by legalism or works of sacrifice. Obedience to rules, regulations and church or slave class interpretations were not to be the "saving" factor. Only our faith in Christ is required. This is the context of Paul's statements in his letters to the Romans, Ephesians and Galatians.

Works of Mercy

However, Apostle James states in chapter two, that,

By works a man is justified and not by faith only . . . faith without works is dead.(James 2:26)

James relates that there were those who saw others without adequate food and clothing and simply said, "Go your way and be warm and well fed" but did not perform works of mercy, by feeding and clothing them. These acts of mercy , not sacrifices, would be the determining factor of our faith and judgment by God, as "judgment will be without mercy toward one who does not show mercy; but mercy exalts triumphantly (wins) over judgment."

This is precisely why Jesus quoted Hosea to the Pharisees saying,

"I want mercy and not sacrifice." (Matthew (9:13)

It is only by our works of mercy, compassion, empathy and consideration (not sacrifices) of others that are required with our faith. This is the context of Apostle James words. (James 2:13, 14, 26; Galatians 2:15,16; Matthew 9:13; Hosea 6:6)

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" 1 John 3:17 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. James 2:14-19

"Even the demons believe but they shudder." Their belief is in vain, for they do not have true faith, Neither can we, if our faith is not joined with works of love, not sacrifice. For if we fail to have love and live love to our fellow man, then our faith is dead and becomes merely belief. Belief alone is not faith. Faith is a dependence, a reliance and a trust that opens God up to send us, anoint us and enter us with his Spirit, relieving us of our anxieties and trust in ourselves, which we then discipline ourselves to walk with the Spirit in showing God and our fellow man, our "brothers," mercy and agape love.

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:20-26

But if you had known what this means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. Mat 12:7

What is the difference between works of sacrifice and works of mercy and love ? Works of sacrifice or legalism are the following of interpretations, rules and regulations of men that are not specifically stated or "go beyond the things written" in the bible. They also include the observance of the various "sacrifices," offerings and days and seasons pronounced in the "old covenant" with Moses. The Pharisees took this much further with oral traditions and legalism, making "the word of God invalid." Today, they can include church rituals, specific meeting attendance requirements, the counting of time spent preaching, "pioneering,"  restrictions on holiday observances and the enforcement of men's interpretation of scripture to be accepted from church leaders, slave classes or governing bodies. (Matt 15)

On the other hand, works of love are just that, kind loving acts of helping others. The illustration that Jesus gave of the good Samaritan showed he was the true neighbor, as he showed mercy to the injured man. And this required no sacrifice of preaching, rule following, or organizational requirements of any kind, rather just a loving act of kindness, imitating God and Christ. Works of sacrifices, such as preaching, should only come after faith and works of love and should be motivated from the heart, not due to any external pressure from any religious organization or supposed "slave class."

Of even much higher meaning, this man being a Samaritan, was hated by the Jews. Samaritans were considered "apostates," having Assyrian blood, and false worshipers, failing to worship in Jerusalem but on Mount Samaria of their own separate kind. They were completely despised and not to even be spoke to. And here in Jesus parable, the only righteous man, is the Samaritan. A shocking story to many, having a man, a despised man from an apostate religious sect, obvious with the lack of orthodox accurate theology. Yet this Samaritan is told as more righteous than the Pharisee and the Levite, who incidentally were extremely righteous persons. The Pharisees were honest orthodox persons who had high regard for the scriptures and aimed to both live that way and have the all of Israel walk in the pure way of God's word as well. (Rom 10:10; 1 Cor 4:3; Luke 10:29-37)

Paul brings out in Romans chapter 8, that there are only two ways a man can walk, according to the flesh and according to the spirit. He goes on to state:

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature of the flesh but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ" Romans 8:9

People can show mercy and love using the works of the flesh, and Paul's words in Romans chapter 2 shows a strong possibility that they may be "excused" and given a another chance to obtain faith in the Christ. However, the above shows, that in order to walk in accord with spirit (of true agape love), people must both have the spirit and belong to Christ." This requires faith in Christ. (1 John 3:23)

Many Christian denominations preach "love your neighbor," yet they are convinced that this is limited to helping primarily those in their religious organization. Apostle Paul speaks otherwise saying, "Let us work good towards all, especially towards those in the (Christian) faith." "Working good towards all is not limited to a preaching work, but is as the good Samaritan performed, an act of loving kindness, and in the case of Christians, a loving kindness that comes from God's spirit that "dwells inside you." When Jesus asked "Who of these three seems to you to have made himself neighbor to the man that fell among the robbers?" Then a certain man answered Jesus saying "The one that acted mercifully toward him, (the Samaritan). Jesus then said to him, Go your way and be doing the same yourself."

The fact that this Samaritan did not have accurate knowledge, being from the Samaritans, a false

The Two Mandatory Requirements For A Christian Faith In Christ & Agape Love

"Add To Your Faith . . . Love" - 2 Peter 1:5-8

religious sect split off of Judaism, and yet it was only this man that proved to be the righteous person and true neighbor, shows that accurate knowledge was not the issue here, nor a requirement to do God's will, but "loving one's neighbor" with acts of kindness and mercy were the only determining factor. It was not required for this person to be from the so called true religious human visible organization, but instead the invisible "royal priesthood" of those with faith in the Christ. It shows that any person on earth that is loving their fellow man is the true neighbor and is doing God's will. As far as living the law of love, it is not limited to those in the same religious denomination or faith but rather acts of mercy "toward all" persons, regardless of their cultural, sexual, political, and religious views will determine each individual's outcome. The difference though with those who follow the Christ are, their acts of love are to be from the spirit, which the only way to obtain is by having faith in the Christ. Those who do so by the "works of the flesh," outside the spirit, are still doing it, just as "those who do not have the law, but do the things of the law, prove to have the law written on hearts." Faith and love is the spiritual view, the "pure language," "the perfect bond of union," and those who live it both "know God" and are "born from God," 

"For everyone that loves is born from God and knows God" and "without faith it is impossible to please God." (1 John 4:7-8; Romans 2:14-16; Romans 8:1-10; Hebrews

In the account of Jesus followers, Mary and Martha, whose home Jesus often entered, he always found it perfectly suited to his needs. He began to teach, and Mary, who instinctively knew the most crucial, pressing need of the day, sat at his feet, absorbing his presence and everything he had to say about faith, mercy and love, the keys to life.

Martha, who had much to do for Jesus, busied herself with sacrifices of work to please Jesus, becoming "distracted by all the preparations that had to be made, hustling about the place to make more presentable, doing things for Jesus that he didn't want done at all. Her sacrifices blinded her to the more important things, knowing what faith, agape love and mercy is from the master himself.

Jesus said in his kindly way that what Martha was doing was much ado about nothing.

"Martha, Martha," he said, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only on thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

Mary was internalizing her faith and love for Jesus. Martha was trying to do the external works, the sacrifices of God. (2) It isn't any different today, as many are so busy performing the sacrifices of preaching theology, meeting attendance and scrupulously obeying hundreds of legal requirements that a religious authority or slave class requires, that they blindly loose perspective on the real meaning of the Christ, faith, agape love, mercy and forgiveness of our fellow man. Like Martha, they become worried and upset for their failure to live up to the external works that are demanded from them, failing to internalize both their faith and love. (Luke 10:38-42)

"Perhaps in our day, Jesus might have framed the story of the Good Samaritan, as the parable of the good homosexual New Ager. There are people in our world, like homosexual individuals or those who embrace New Age theology, who may well be more compassionate than the majority of people found in a Christian church on any given Sunday. Some homosexuals, for instance, give all they have to help friends who are dying of AIDS. It would be hard to find many evangelicals who match their compassion! ....... we must recognize some Pagans will surpass our good deeds ..................... people who we despise for their so called lack of rightness can actually be more righteous than us." - Extreme Righteousness , page 56 - Tom Hovestol (Italics added)

So when a religious group uses the bible to label all those that are not part of their group as lacking "accurate knowledge" and are therefore "worldly," "workers of lawlessness," members of "Babylon the Great" and the "unclean thing," they are NOT showing love of neighbor. Can you imagine if the good Samaritan only preached doctrinal knowledge, but did not act merciful towards the Jew, both physically and materially? He did not preach, have a bible study or label this Jew as a false follower, but performed an act of loving kindness. Preaching God's word is certainly showing love to others, but is simply "sacrifice" and not a requirement for salvation and doing so alone is not being a "doer of the word." Faith, mercy, love and kindness towards all, far out weighs a mere academic study of scripture" and are the only true requirements and obligation of man.

"Through Christ let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is the fruit of lips which make a public declaration to his name. Moreover, do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Hebrews 13:15

These "acts of mercy" or sacrifices of human kindness and forgiveness are precisely what the Roman army officer Cornelius performed, bringing him favor with God and Christ, despite being a Pagan with inaccurate knowledge. His mercy to others opened the way for him to obtain the only knowledge needed: the knowledge of the faith in Christ (Hebrews 13:15-16; Galatians 6:10; Luke 10:36-37; Matthew 7:21-23; Rev 17:1-2; 18:4-10; Romans 10:2; James 1:20; Acts 10:1-2)

What is God's will for mankind?

"It is that all men be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth"

What is that "knowledge of truth?"

That "there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men,"(2 Timothy 2:5),

A man also being a part of God who acts as a doorway to get to God and both taught and demonstrated how persons should treat their fellow man.

This knowledge is not any elaborate detailed scriptural information, but simply the faith and love of God's free gift, Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ said:

"I am the way, the life and the 'truth."

This "knowledge of the truth" goes far beyond doctrine to the inner mystery of the self, the interior knowing of God's presence, the ability to rest in silent assurance in the peace of God. Doctrine itself can never stand up to biblical literalism and the Spirit of God that lives within us.. Doing good and sharing of things with others,"  forgiving others and "acting mercifully," emotionally, physically and materially to all others, regardless of their religious following are the fruits that follow. (1 Timothy 2:3-5; John 14:6; Heb 13:15-16)

While Jehovah's Witnesses will put emphasis on intellectualism, "taking in knowledge" and "sacrifice" for salvation, many churches, but not all, will put emphasis on simply verbal affirmations of "having faith" or "believing" in Christ without works of mercy, led by the spirit. Both of these roads of thinking overlook the very core of Christ's teachings, love and mercy, as our acts of mercy to others should be our visible signs of our unseen intimacy with God and His self felt inside our nothingness. Our worship is narrow, without the freedom to put selfishness and greed above kindness to others, yet we

"Exert ourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow gate." Luke 13:24

This is not through a rigid belief system and restrictive way containing vigorous "sacrifices." Nor is it simply "having faith" or "believing" in Christ without exhibiting the works led by the spirit that are to dwell inside you, the works of showing impartial loving acts of kindness to others. Salvation is obtained through faith and impartial vigorous love, showing acts of kindness, both to those in the faith and outside of the faith, with no particular limitations or rules, outside of faith and love. It is as the good Samaritan performed in Jesus' illustration, an act of loving kindness. Anyone can say they "have faith" and "believe" in Christ, but unless they "love their neighbor as themselves" they do not truly have faith, knowledge or believe in Christ and make the "word of God invalid," being hearers only and not doers of the word by showing mercy. (John 17:3; Galatians 3:8; 5:14; 6:10; Luke 13:24; Matt 22:37-39; James 1:20; Matt 15:6-9)

The Good News

What Is The Good News?

What about "preaching the word?" For Apostle Paul tells Timothy,

"I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, Preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season, teaching, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Paul even went further to state about himself,

"Woe is me, if I did not declare the good news." 1 Corinthians 9:16

As Christians we are commissioned by Jesus Christ to:

"Make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

The questions are, what are the "teachings" that Christ "commanded" his disciples? What are the teachings of the "good news" that we are to preach? Doctrinal explanations that require a detailed question and answer bible study? What is "fully accomplishing your ministry?" (2 Tim 4:1-5; 1 Cor 9:16; Matt 28:19,20)

The answer are in Jesus words at John 13:34 and 1 John 3:23

"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another, just as I have love you, that you also love one another." John 13:34 "This is his commandment, that we (1) have faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ and (2) be loving one another." 1 John 3:23

It is also as Apostle John states, repeating Christ's words, "this is his (God's) commandment, that we have faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ and be loving one another." The good news is about Jesus Christ being God's son, his death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, sacrificing himself as a ransom for mankind, reconciling man with God, opening the opportunity for men to "enter into the kingdom of the heavens" and rule along with Christ. But of higher importance, which

"Love of Christ surpasses knowledge" Ephesians 3:19

The 'love of Christ surpasses" the doctrinal knowledge stated above, and is absolutely necessary, are Christ's teachings of "love of neighbor" and "mercy," which means loving God,

"For on these two commandments the whole law hangs." Matthew 22:40

The only way to fully obtain God's love is to have faith in Christ and be anointed with his spirit, enabling a person to walk by the spirit:

"Without faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6 "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9

Jesus not only taught this agape love, but also performed this mercy to the poor, the sinners and those with hardships and illnesses, having "pity for them." This teaching and performing

"We entreat you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose." - 1 Cor 6:1

"Sorry brother, I can't help you today, I have to go out preaching." "I can't count my time."

love and mercy to all others is the "preaching of the good news" and not the mere academic knowledge of scriptures and verses, with a detailed question and answer bible study with elaborate intellectual explanations. It is the actual emotional, physical and material actions of love and mercy towards all others, regardless of their religious persuasion. This is precisely what Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to perform, when he told him to "preach the word."

For preaching words are nothing but refuse if no love and mercy are shown as Apostle John so aptly states,

"Little children, let us love, neither in word nor with the tongue, but in deed and truth." 1 John 3:18

Certainly, it would not be following Christ, to withhold helping a fellow brother, physically, materially or emotionally, because you believe it is more important to go out preaching the doctrinal knowledge of the scriptures to people. (1 John 3:18, 23; James 2:13; Matt 24:14; 9:36; 11:12; 10:28)

Is the "good news of the kingdom," that is to be preached, about a literal government that will bring the earth to a paradise ? Or is it a message of simply admitting that one is a sinner and "believing in Christ," without truly showing "love of neighbor?" Are those the messages of salvation that are to be declared through out the entire earth and a witness to all nations ? (Math 24:14) Apparently not, for the good news that was preached by the apostles in the bible is about repenting and putting faith in Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, thus opening the way to enter into the kingdom of God, that is heaven. (1 Cor 15:52) Nowhere can it be found that Jesus and the first century Christian congregation "preached the word" of a paradise earth with a literal government and a detailed numerical explanation for the invisible arrival of Christ. Nor can it be found the church doctrines of the trinity, hellfire, rapture, Pope and Saint mediatorship. But of far more significance, "surpassing" this doctrinal knowledge, the "good news" was about love and mercy to God and neighbor,

"For love is the laws fulfillment." Romans 13:10

Any that preach a different "good news" and put it above "love of neighbor," would come under Apostle Paul's words at Galatians 1:6-9,

"However, if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:6-9

It certainly appears true, that God has a heavenly kingdom and those in God's kingdom "will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years." They are the "seed of Abraham," "circumcised in their hearts," the new

The Central Theme of Jesus Preaching was not about a kingdom literal government with various legal requirements and scrupulous sacrifices to conform to, but rather it was about justice, mercy, faithfulness and to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation and keep oneself without spot (materialism, greed and lust as a life pursuit) from the world. (Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:8, Zech 7:9-10; James 1:27)

"chosen race, a "royal priesthood, a holy nation." However, this came secondary to the message of "this good news of the kingdom," which was to exercise faith in Christ, trusting in him, becoming weak, letting go of our own efforts and thus receiving God's Spirit which then empowers us the ability to walk in accord with the Spirit and show agape love on an individual basis to the people we meet, gaining entrance into this "kingdom of the heavens." Today "this" is still the same exact message that needs to be preached to the entire earth, not the knowledge of a detailed governmental arrangement that has been invisibly present operating in heaven since the year 1914 and will soon extend it's ruler ship over the earth restoring it to a paradise, or a detailed trinity explanation and other church doctrines. The message of the "good news" was without elaborate, lengthy and detailed explanations of scripture, as shown in Acts 2:38:

"Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit." Acts 2:38 (1 Pet 2:9, Rev 20:; Romans 9:6-8; 2:28-29)

In this situation, in Acts chapter two, as with all others in the Christian Greek scriptures, all of the 3000 or so

The Good News Preached In The Bible	VS	The Good News Preached By The Watchtower
Exercising Faith Solely In Christ	__	Using a so called appointed "Faithful And Discreet Slave Class" as mediator between Christ and men.
Gaining Entrance Into The Kingdom Of The Heavens	__	Living On Earth Under A Governmental Arrangement That Has Been Invisibly Present Operating In Heaven Since The Year 1914 And Will Soon Extend It's Rulership Over The Earth, Restoring It To A Paradise
Becoming An Anointed, Spirit Filled, Born Again, Child of God, New Creation And Spiritual Jew Romans 8:9	__	Becoming A Non-Anointed Christian, Interpreted To Be Part Of The "Other Sheep" In John 10:16 And The "Great Crowd" Of Revelation 7:14, Who Are Supposedly A Non-Spirit Filled, Non-Born Again Group of Christians
Showing Works Of Love And Mercy - Love Of Neighbor	__	Performing The Works Of Sacrifice Of Preaching Door To Door, Weekly Meeting Attendance, Rule Following, Shunning Former Members & etc.

people who got baptized, neither had a detailed governmental arrangement restoring a paradise earth explained to them, requiring a 6 month study of a book that is written and published by a 20th century man made organization, nor did they have the "trinity doctrine" or a "hellfire" doctrine taught to them. Rather they repented for their sins and gained faith in (took in knowledge of) God and Christ:

"This means life everlasting, having faith in the only true God and the he sent forth Jesus Christ." John 17:3

They were baptized the very same day and all gained the hope of a heavenly reward. (Heb 3:1) Whether they were baptized by a sprinkling or immersion of water is of no importance, "straining out the gnat" and is completely overlooking the teaching of Christ, faith and love. The people recognized the need to put faith in Jesus Christ, "becoming weak to become strong," his ransom sacrifice and accepting him as their savior in order to gain acceptance with God, and receive the power of his spirit to "dwell inside" them. For this they were baptized. But this knowledge and baptism would be futile, if they were not letting go our their own strengths and abilities and relying on Christ for strength and guidance, receiving the spirit and walking with it by imitating Jesus, following his commands of love, demonstrating their faith by their individual works of love and "mercy," no matter how small and few they were, and not walking with the flesh of the "sacrifices" of preaching doctrines, hours spent in field service, meeting attendance and religious organizational works. Their faith along with showing love and "mercy" to others, in imitation of Christ, was their obligation to fellow men. They were to walk with the spirit and not the flesh.

"This" was the good news declared to them in the bible and is the same good news that must be preached and

Sin and Salvation were the subjects Jesus spoke about in almost all of his dealings with people.

1. We're all sinners. 2. We all must have faith in Christ. 3. We all must be anointed, Born Again with Spirit. 4. We all must walk in the Spirit, with love of our fellow man.

taught to the world's population today, not a detailed doctrinal study that requires 3 one hour sessions with the local elders to determine whether you agree with the Watchtower organization's unique interpretations of the bible, coupled with a requirement of attendance at various meetings and counted hours spent out preaching to persons. Nor was it becoming part of a certain denomination, identified by a different name then Christians. It was not about the many righteous Saints who wrote and taught after the bible was completed, nor was it the many doctrines that they and various church counsels decided to be church dogma. Instead, the good news was about "the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge." (James 2:26; Rev 20:12; Romans 13:10; Matthew 22:37-39; 9:13; 24:14; Heb 13:15,16; 1 Peter 2:21; Eph 3:19)

David Roper, writer of Elijah, a man like us, Discovery House Publishers, explains preaching the good news in this way:

An Example of
Preaching The Good News

Take the example of Zacchaeus, a tax collector that the Jews looked on as a man who sold his soul to the Devil, a man who worked for the Romans and extorted money from people. To them, he was on his way to Genhenna. He was as what we consider today a drug pusher, a pimp, or a trafficker in kiddy porn, but apparently his heart was searching for God. No one took this man seriously, nor did anyone care, except Jesus. Notice how Jesus preached the good news: "To the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind and to release the oppressed." (Luke 4:18)

Jesus picked Zacchaeus out of the crowd and invited him to eat and drink with him. Jesus wanted to be this man's friend.

"We must be faithful where we are befriending one or two people, if that's all we can do, loving them and imparting God's truth to them. As Francis Schaeffer used to say, "There are no little places and there are no little people." Every person in every place is of infinite value to God. "If there were only one of us," Augustine said, "Jesus would still have died." "Who despises the day of small things?" asked one of Haggai's contemporaries (Zechariah 4:10) The answer of course, is that we do. Small has fallen on hard times, inclined as we are to equate size with success. Small is now a value judgment: If we're limited to one or two, we're hardly worth anything at all. Some people look good with the masses but fail miserably when it comes to one or two. Yet our love for one person is the test of our love for all. Authentic Christianity is this: "to look after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27). Reality reveals itself to quiet acts of mercy and goodness that no one sees or applauds-but God." "He looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

"All the people began to mutter" that this man was a low life, no good person, and who is this Jesus that he should show kindness to him? Who is he to even to invite himself over his house yet and socialize with him? The righteous religious leaders would have thought: who is this Jesus to invite himself inside the home of a sinner, a man who does not follow the religious laws and fails to obey the religious organization? Jesus did not judge this man, nor all the other so called sinners. His "Good News" was to preach faith in himself with the fruitage of agape love, both showing and living agape love as he did this. He came to "save what was lost." The end result, Zacc