WHERE THE CARCASS IS
According to the grace of God given to me through Jesus Christ, and in accordance to His revelation of the truth, I have gone in many places preaching the message of God, which He sent to us through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
It is a message that tells us about the only true Life that can give us the peace and happiness, which every man is looking for.
This message is not something that comes through mere thinking which many have called spiritual revelation, resulting to the present religious confusion.
The message is the scripture in the pages of our bibles, for in it, our Lord says, “and this word is the good news which was preached to you”. And again; “- – abolishing death and revealing life through the gospel 2Tim. 1:10”.
So let no one get biased to assume I am exalting my preaching above others. This is not my preaching. I’m just reading to you what is in the bible, without any addition or subtraction, so that it may be evident that it is God’s message, and that He truly is the one who has revealed it to me as He did to the prophets and the apostles, and has sent me to proclaim it to you.
IN THE MIDST OF CONFUSSION
Amid the many differing groups, with the many different teachings, we have taught the scriptures, i.e., verse-by-verse explanation of every issue at question.
Some minorities among the listeners have confirmed this to be the true gospel, seeing that it is non-else other than what God is instructing.
But they are so much used to their groups. They are so much wielded to the people they congregate with; so much proud of what they have achieved in those groups, such that, they think it is a lose to quit and go where they are hearing this plain truth.
As a result, they have approached me wondering what to do. They ask: “Do you mean we now leave our groups and come to you? Yes, we have heard a truth we don’t have in our groups. But can’t we continue there and still uphold this truth? Isn’t Christ everywhere?”
So, lets ask ourselves this same question: is Christ everywhere? Is He the one who has formed these different groups with the differing messages?
Is He the one who has ordained the differing leaders of the different groups, thus, bringing the great confusion among his followers?
Our answer may be yes. But what does He say? Let us listen please. And this is what we are saying within our groups. “Now this I say, that everyone of you says, I am of church of God eternal; I am of SDA; I am of PCOG, PCEA, etc. Is Christ divided? Was the Anglican Church crucified for you? Or, were you baptized in the name of restored church of God – 1Cor. 1:12 – 13?”
Friends, what answer do we get from Christ’s own mouth? Toes He say that He is everywhere among the groups? He says no. He says; “I am not divided; I am united”. If thus, then where is He that we may go to him?
Brethren, this message is the answer to the above question, and as usual, it is for those whom God is calling, who must first deny themselves if they will receive it, for He tells us; “— whosoever shall lose his life for my sake will find it – Mat. 16:24”.
Even though we are plainly admitting that the gospel we hear from our various groups are not fully in line with the Bible, we go ahead and disobey Christ, because of selfish ambitions; we go short of total self-denial.
We feel that our group should be the right one; we feel that this true preacher should join us, not us joining him. We don’t want to lose our faces, fulfilling the scripture; “—– many believed on him, but because of the leaders, they did not confess him, lest they be put out of the groups – John 12:42”.
Is it the preacher we are joining? Whose voice is that bible we are hearing from the preacher?
Where is Christ speaking from, to His church today and how can we confirm so that we be with him there, for He says; “where I am, there should my servant be – John. 12:26”?
To answer this question, we must go back to the past and see where He used to speak to His people from then, because, this is the same place from where His voice will be heard today, where also, His people should go to Him, for, “yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus is the same – Heb. 13:8.”
For we know that, God lives in His temple and from there, He speaks to His people. In the Old Testament, He spoke from his temple in heaven to the prophets, who in turn spoke to His people, for He tells us, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in the past unto the fathers by the prophets – Heb. 1:11.”
Remember, “— whosoever things were written in the past, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures may have hope – Rom. 15:4”. Yes, the scriptures are God’s explanation of His life and of how He dealt with His people in the past, which is how He will deal with us, because He changes not, and because His dealings were designed before the foundation of the world. So, through them, we prove whether we are in the right, a reason why they give us hope.
GOD SPEAKING FROM EVERYWHERE?
Did God in those days speak to everyone, everywhere? We have just seen how He dealt with the prophets, who spoke to His people, for He says; “Yet, many years you forbear with them, and testified against them by thy spirit in thy prophets – Nehemiah. 9:30.”
Since God’s purpose is to have a one, united family, which has one mind, He has always spoken from a specific point, where His people would go for His instruction, as His word continually confirms, “Where He places His name.”
Whenever the kings of Israel wanted to enquire from God, they used to go to the prophets, because that is where He had placed His name, where His voice would be heard.
Foundation Laid Forever
When Christ came on earth He proclaimed the gospel to all. Those who believed followed him wherever He went that from him, they may learn more. But if we are getting it right, we will agree that those that understood His teachings did not follow him because they were attracted to him as a person, but they were after His teachings. God was teaching them, using Christ as His temple from where He spoke because He says; — God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself – 2Cor. 5:19”. Did God speak from everywhere? No.
He spoke from one station, i.e., Jesus Christ. But what they learned from Jesus, joined them with God. This is because, Christ wasn’t speaking about himself but about God the father, as, He says, “my doctrine is not mine but His who sent me – John. 7:16.”
Now, the believers heard teachings, which were very different from those of the Pharisees. After accepting, did they say they would continue going to the Pharisees while they applied what Christ taught them?
It couldn’t have been possible because the Pharisees were opposed to Christ. So, it forced them to follow Christ, because He had the teachings they wanted. Yes, by following Christ, they were following God, for Jesus said; “— he who receives me receives Him who sent me – Mat. 10:40.”
Christ became the foundation of the church for, it is written; “For there is no other foundation can anyone lay except the already laid one, which is Jesus Christ – 1Cor 3:11.” We know that, a person can’t understand the word of God, unless Christ reveals it to him. So, on this foundation, Christ established the 12 apostles, whom He taught, and told them.”
“This secret of the kingdom is only given unto you to understand but not to others” – Mat. 13:11. What does this mean? We can’t find the knowledge of God’s life in any other place except in those unto whom it’s revealed.
This is why, like Jesus, they teach the bible so clearly, such that, those who hear them find a difference between their teachings and those of the groups. After hearing and believing, can one continue in this group, which has a wrong teaching, and at the same time practice the right teaching?
It can’t be, for if we believe in Christ then we should go where He is teaching. Those who believed left the Pharisees and followed Christ. We have heard people saying that they can worship God in any group, that they can fellowship with those who teach heresy while they follow what is right.
What will be one’s interest in such a group? If we get the truth from some other place, and its what we are after, what’s wrong with following it there? What’s wrong with fellowshipping with the right people? Can there be unity in disagreement?
CHRIST’S VOICE, THE MAGNET
The church of God is composed of those who have faith in God, which is the faith of Christ. That faith comes by hearing of the word being preached by one whom Christ has revealed it to – see Rom. 10:14, 17.
So, as many as do believe the true gospel, also gather around where the voice is originating; yes, gather around the priest from whose mouth comes God’s instructions, for our Lord says; “for the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from His mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of host – Mal. 2:7.”
Does this mean we follow the messenger? Many have made this mistake and, “worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever – Rom. 1:25.”
When we gather around the messenger, we gather around Christ. We go to him to learn, not the person but the life of God and Christ, which He has sent that person to teach us, for Christ tells us, “He who receives you (the messenger) receives me (Christ) – Mat. 10:40;”
And again; “- – come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths – Isa. 2:3.”
Some other people have refused to be united with the messenger in the truth, not wanting to be seen to follow a person. Either position is wrong. It is the voice of Christ, which gathers His sheep around him. Christ speaks from His temple, which is men’s heart, for he says; “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the holy spirit who is in you – 1Cor. 6:19”? And again; “— for you are the temple of the living God, as God has said; “I’ll live in them – 2Cor. 6:16.”
We go to God’s servant because, that is where God places His name, His word. But the person is not anything. It’s like sitting around a radio, listening to a president’s address, which comes to us through the radio.
For Christ to teach his people, “God has appointed some, apostles, prophets, teachers ——-“. What for? “For the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry; for the edifying of the body of Christ – Eph. 4:11 – 13”. But this appointment doesn’t make one superior than others. They are just mere radios. Speaking to them, Christ says: “So likewise you when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say; we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do – Luke. 17:10.
The point is; Christ is teaching us through his appointed men, a people who have first denied self such that, “not them that live but Christ living in them – Gal. 2:20”. So we gather around and in that word of God. It is that voice which draws us together, the main reason being to learn what the voice says so that we may live that way.
ONLY ONE GROUP
With that knowledge of the voice of Christ, let each one of us turn into his/her mind and ask ourselves: “What made us join the group we fellowship in? What do we follow when we go there every Sabbath? Is it this specific one voice of Christ? If yes, why is the voice we hear there teaching differently from the one we are reading here? Could both voices be right, coming from the one Christ?”
To clearly and rightly answer those questions, we must accept that the voices we heard initially which drew us to the different groups were not of Christ. This means that, we believed a lie, yes, we were deceived by the people Christ warned us about when He said.” Take heed that no one deceives you by any means. For many shall come in my name, saying I’m the Christ, and shall deceive many – Mat. 24:3 – 5.”
This I say, because our Lord tells us very clearly that the groups are as a result of people who first, “ – rejected sound (true) doctrine (see also Mark. 7:8 – 9) – but according to their desires, accumulated for themselves teachers (man – chosen teachers). And they turned away from the truth, and listened to fables (imaginations of men) – 2Tim. 4:3 – 4.”
So what I call my group; what you call my church, is most likely a man-made organization, based on imaginations of men. This is why we find most of what we believe in, disagreeing with the bible, the teachings of Christ, which is the true gospel. This is why when the bible is read in its true context, we think it’s a new and strange teaching.
THE LAST GATHERING IS ON
When the nation of Israel, turned to baalism, God did send Elijah, whom He used to restore them to His laws, and right worship. When Christ was about to start his work at His first coming, God sent John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah to restore people to the truth that they may receive Christ when He begins to teach – see. Luke. 1”16 – 17, 7 – 77. We are living in the last days and the church has fallen away from the foundation on which Christ built it, i.e., the apostles and the prophets, (old and new testament) all-standing on Christ, the chief corner stone.
Yes, the church has turned lukewarm, a reason why people have become, so carefree, that they can easily put aside the word of God and introduce their own without any fear of God. We have so many believes among these groups, which we ourselves see very clearly how they disagree with the scriptures but, we still want to stubbornly embark on them, proving beyond doubt that we have locked Christ outside of our hearts (the true leodicean nature).
In the midst of this mass rebellion, a lone voice is what you are reading here, yes, Christ’s voice in the spirit of Elijah, is once again calling his people back on the right foundation, for He said; “behold, I’ll send Elijah the prophet before that great and dreadful day of the Lord – – Mal. 4:5.”
I don’t claim to be the Elijah but one who is perpetrating the Elijah voice and the message of the Angel to the leodicean era of the church. When we speak like this, many of the self-righteous, who misapply scripture to support their imaginations, do also misapply our statements and accuse us of exalting ourselves above others.
Brethren, this is not the time to think selfishly. It is the time to examine self. It is the time to prove all things. It’s the time to take seriously and diligently the perfect law of liberty (scriptures), the only spiritual mirror we have, and confirm everything by it.
For this reason, don’t feel bad when we talk this way. Take your bible and prove whether our message is that last voice of Christ, preparing his church before He comes back on earth to usher in the kingdom of heaven. See 1Thes. 5:20 – 22; James. 1:19.
Once we confirm this, then Christ is telling us; “see that you do not refuse him who speaks, for if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on the earth, much more shall we not escape if we refuse him who speaks from heaven – Heb. 12:25 – 6”. See also Heb. 10:25 – 26.
Remember, we, the few whom Christ has called now are scattered among man-made groups. They are there, grumbling and complaining about many things they see and hear which are not biblical, but for fear of being isolated, they bear while their hearts suffer. The few who take the courage and speak out are thrown out of the groups and end-up sitting at home.
Am sure we joined those groups, thinking the voice we heard was Christ’s voice, yes, thinking we are going to Christ. Am sure we still want to go to Christ and not to men. He said; “my sheep know my voice, and they follow me”. We must now come out of these cages, these groups and once again follow Christ in His word, for the warning right now is; “come out of her my people, lest you partake of her sins, lest you partake of her punishment – Rev. 18:4 – 5.”
Remember, Christ is the one who gathers His church not men. We can’t sit and unitedly agree to form Christ’s church. Everyone who is given to understand this voice will follow it by living according to the instructions there-in which is the scriptures, for as we saw, the voice of Christ is the scriptures, the word of God, and “- – this word is the gospel that was preached to you – 1Peter. 1:25.”
So, when everyone follows this voice individually, he will live in Christ, in the word, and because it is through this voice that Christ is drawing people to himself, them, as many as will be drawn into the word will also be united in one group, for of the drawing, He says; “and other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also, I must bring and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd – John. 10:26.”
Understand, here please. Nobody is following another. Everybody is following Christ in his word. But once everybody is in Christ, then we are united in him, fulfilling His prayer; “that they all may be one, as you Father are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us – John. 17:21.”
Do you see any campaign here, of people putting efforts by flattery and sweet words to pull others to themselves? Do you see any sweet talk geared at attracting people?
We are a people who by the grace of God have been given to understand that, “No one can come to Christ unless God draws him – John. 6:44”. We also believe what Christ is telling us, that his sheep knows His voice.
So we know that once we read and preach the scripture without adding or subtracting from it, those God is drawing to Christ will understand and Christ will join them with us in him.
Its time we forget the groups we are used to. Its time we removed all the imaginative traditional teachings of men from our minds. The church foundation is the word of God, which was spoken by Christ through the prophets, and the apostles, which also was written to form the bible – see Eph. 2:20.”
Its time we took all what we had learned from men as nothing, “counting them as lose for the sake of Christ – Phill. 3:7 – 9.” Let’s now study the bible diligently and do what it says without minding of what people say or what we become. Let us diligently, according to the word, search for those who are of this same pathway and fellowship with them, for our Lord says, “those who worship God with a pure heart and a genuine love.”
Once we do this, everyone will individually find himself or herself in Christ, diligently striving to obey God, not as men pleasers, but as a servant of Christ, and we will automatically find ourselves joined together as a group in Christ, for it is written; “Eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, for there is one body and one spirit; just as you were called in the one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and father of all – Eph. 4:3 – 6.”
Yes, Christ is one and He lives in His word. And as many as live in the word, are his body parts for; “Where the carcass (Christ) is, there the eagles (saints) are gathered (not scattered) together – Mat. 24:28”. Whoever is given to understand, let him hear what the spirit is saying.
James Waema Mutulu
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: waema_j@yahoo.com