K-3. Revelation Ch. 3 Verse by Verse Study of Revelation!

K-3. The Book of Revelation Chapter 3 Verse by Verse!

Verse by Verse Study of Revelation Chapter 3

This is a VERSE-by-VERSE study of chapter 3 in the Book of Revelation.

This verse-by-verse study on the Book of Revelation is from or with a Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

In other words, verses like Revelation 1:8 are interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God and NOT in the TRADITIONAL church interpretation.

To say this another way, it is NOT Jesus who is the one speaking in Revelation 1:8. 

But rather, it is Almighty God the Father speaking in Revelation 1:8. 

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Revelation Chapter 3.

What Does Revelation 3:3 and 3:14 TRULY Mean?

Let us begin the verse-by-verse study in Revelation chapter 3 by reading the first three verses before we take a closer look to learn their meaning.

Revelation 3:1. “AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write. These things say he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your WORKS, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.

Revelation 3:2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have NOT found your WORKS PERFECT before God.

Revelation 3:3. Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall NOT watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.”

The first thing that jumps out to me is, Jesus is observing our WORKS. 

Also, there is a group of Christians who have a NAME, so to speak, or they are KNOWN by their teaching of no WORKS to be saved.

Then Jesus says the phrase “You have a NAME that you live and are dead.” 

The word “name” speaks of what we are known by. In other words, there are some Christians who are KNOWN to SAY we are NOT saved by WORKS.

And there are also Christians in “name” only. They SAY that they are Christians, but they are NOT walking in love and obeying the teachings of Jesus. 

In other words, their WORKS or the fruit they bear, shows they are not obeying the teachings of the New Testament under the New Covenant. 

Just because a person bears the NAME CHRISTIAN does not necessarily mean that they are saved. 

And by saved, I mean in right relationship with God, obeying the words of His covenant, in the New Testament. 

Again, some say that they are Christians, but they do not obey the teaching in the New Testament to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

Rather, they are following a “RELIGION”, the “traditional” church teaching of their church DENOMINATION.

To say this another way, they are following a man-made teaching using select verses taken from the Bible out of context to try and support what they teach. 

Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:22,23, teaching us to know those who are in error by their WORKS or by the fruit that they bear.

Matthew 7:16-23.

“You shall know them by their fruits. (Or by their WORKS) Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

Matthew 7:17. Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. (The word evil in the Bible means to NOT do what God Himself says to do. 

God told the children of Israel to go and possess the land. 

But rather than OBEYING God they sent twelve spies to see if they were able to possess the land. 

And ten spies brought back an EVIL report saying, we cannot do it. 

But two spies brought back a GOOD report, saying, let us take the land like God said.

So then, God’s word says that sin shall NOT have dominion over us. 

And to say we can NOT live without sin and then sin every day believing you cannot overcome sin is bringing forth an EVIL fruit)

Matthew 7:18.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 

Matthew 7:19. Every tree that brings NOT forth GOOD FRUIT (Or every Christian that does NOT bring forth GOOD WORKS) is hewn down and cast into the fire. 

Matthew 7:20. Wherefore, by their fruits (Or by their WORKS) you shall know them. 

Matthew 7:21. Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOES the WILL of my Father which is in heaven. (The WILL of Almighty God the Father is that we hear and OBEY the WORDS of His Son Jesus written in the New Testament. Matthew 17:5. “While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YOU HIM.” 

The Old Testament prophesied about a prophet that God would raise up like Moses, and whosoever did not hear HIS words would be cut off or cast into the lake of fire. 

Please read Acts 3:22,23. “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; HIM shall you hear in ALL THINGS whatsoever He shall say unto you. Acts 3:23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will NOT hear THAT PROPHET, shall be destroyed from among the people.”

And that prophet is Jesus, the beloved glorified human SON of Almighty God Himself! 

And it is the WILL of Almighty God the Father that we hear and obey the WORDS and teachings of Jesus, which are the words of the NEW Covenant written in the New Testament) 

Matthew 7:22. MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name cast out devils? (And NON-Christians cannot cast out devils, according to Acts 19:11-20. 

Therefore, these are TRUE born-again Christians that Jesus will NOT find worthy to receive eternal life because their WORKS are not PERFECT before God) And in your name done many wonderful works? 

Matthew 7:23. And then will I profess unto them I never knew you: (Or I know you no more) depart from me you workers of iniquity.”

The Christians who teach once saved always saved use verse 23 here to try and prove that those who Jesus will say to, depart from me, were never truly saved, because Jesus said that he NEVER knew them. 

This just shows how some Christian take verses out of context to have them save what they WANT them to say. 

First of all, an UNSAVED person has no authority to use the name of Jesus and cast out devils, according to Acts 19:11-20. 

The devil will laugh and say to those who are not truly saved, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know but WHO are you”. 

Secondly, the Greek words TRANSLATED as I “never” knew you could equally be translated as I no MORE KNOW YOU or I no longer know you.

Also, there are some, who are indeed true born-again Christians, but they have lost their first love. 

And thus, they are backsliding as some say. To “backslide” means that they have made excuses for their sin so much that their conscience is beginning to become seared or hardened. 

Therefore, they have become COLD because of sin, like Jesus says in Matthew 24:12,13.

Matthew 24:12,13.

                          “And because iniquity (Or because SIN) shall abound, (Or because sin shall be all around to vex Christians like Lot in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah) the love of many shall wax COLD (Or GROW cold, as in, the FLESH of many will love the pleasure of sin more than they love God. 

And thus, they will give into the temptation to sin and not obey the law that God has written on their HEART. 

They begin EXCUSING their sin until it becomes a lifestyle of sin, which they no longer consider sin)

Matthew 24:13. BUT he (Of you TRUE born-again Christians) that shall ENDURE unto the END, the SAME shall be SAVED.”

So then, ONLY those of us who are found FAITHFUL to ENDURE unto the END shall receive our reward or promise of eternal life in the world to come. 

The END means the end of a Christian’s physical life when they die. And the END also means the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

So then, the END is whichever comes first, physical death of some Christians or the coming of Jesus. 

For you see, some Christians will not die physically, but rather, there will be many Christians all over the world who will remain alive unto the SECOND coming of Jesus.

Remember what we just learned in Revelation chapter 2 about our WORKS. Remember that if a Christian’s WORKS are not found to be WORTHY, then that Christian will NOT receive their reward or promise of ETERNAL LIFE, and they will be cast out into outer darkness.

And Revelation 3:2 ALSO warns us that we need to be WATCHFUL. 

To be watchful not only means that we need to judge ourselves lest we are judged, but ALSO that we need to watch in prayer so that our inner man will be strengthened to overcome temptation. 

To judge ourselves lest we are judged means that we are to search our own hearts and repent of any sins that we may not have truly repented of already with sincere godly sorrow. 

We are to judge ourselves lest we are found unworthy when Jesus comes.  

But also know and understand that it is not only when Jesus comes that we are judged because of sin that we have excused and have not confessed to be forgiven. 

For you see, when one is living in sin or has sin that they have not confessed with true sincere godly sorrow, then that opens the door for Satan to oppress that person. 

Living in sin opens up Christians to the attacks of the enemy to oppress them. 

So then, the laxer or the more complacent we become in our relationship with Almighty God the Father and His Son Jesus and the reading of God’s word, then the more vulnerable we become to the attacks of the enemy.

In Revelation 3:3, we again find a warning from Jesus for us to WATCH.

Revelation 3:3. “If therefore, you shall NOT watch, I WILL come upon you as a THIEF, and you shall NOT KNOW what hour I will come upon you.”

And Jesus coming as a THIEF is NOT a good thing. Trust me when I say that you do NOT want Jesus to come upon you as a THIEF in the night!

Also, Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 that no man KNOWS the day or the hour of his coming. 

So then, it would be pointless for Jesus to WARN us, if we are NOT WATCHING, then we will NOT KNOW the hour of his coming.

In other words, Jesus is actually saying that if we ARE WATCHING then we WILL KNOW the HOUR of his coming.

Let us go ahead and read Matthew 24:36.

“But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Now, when I first became a true born-again Christian in the Assemblies of God denomination, I was first taught the PRE-tribulation rapture of the church. 

And according to what pre-tribulation rapture teaches, I was taught that no man, as in, no true born-again Christian can know the day or the hour that Jesus comes again. 

But those LEFT behind COULD KNOW the day and hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus, because they could simply COUNT the days.

In other words, the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine teaches that Jesus will come as a THIEF in the night to SECRETLY catch up or rapture his church to escape the time of great tribulation. 

And they use this verse in Matthew 24:36 to try to give support to their teaching of Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night as being a GOOD thing that we should want and look for to happen.

But I tell you the TRUTH that the PRE-tribulation doctrine is a FALSE man-made doctrine that “tickles” the ears of those who heap teachers together, to hear how they will escape the period of great tribulation.

Here is how the pre-tribulation teaching argument goes. 

Those who teach a rapture of the church before the great tribulation argue that since people WILL KNOW the day and hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus, then his coming will NOT be like a THIEF in the night to SECRETLY rapture the church.

For you see, THEY, the ones LEFT BEHIND, will SEE the SIGNS begin to come to pass. 

And thus, those left behind can simply count 1260 days from the abomination of desolation. 

Therefore, this verse in Matthew 24:36 PROVES a pre-tribulation rapture, because Jesus says no man knows the day or hour. 

And thus, the Christians that teach the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine conclude that there MUST be TWO separate comings of Jesus, one before the great tribulation with no SIGNS of his coming, and his SECOND coming right after the great tribulation having many SIGNS to watch for to KNOW the HOUR of his coming. 

Now I agree with this teaching in part, in that, no man knows the day or hour right NOW BEFORE the SIGNS begin appearing. 

So, you can see HOW Christians READ INTO the Scriptures their PRECONCEIVED belief based upon an INCORRECT interpretation of just ONE verse of Scripture.

In other words, Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night does NOT mean a so-called SECRET rapture of the church. That is an INCORRECT interpretation.

For the true sound Biblical meaning of Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night, please read the study called J-11. Jesus is COMING as a THIEF in the NIGHT!

Again, even the pre-tribulation view and the mid-tribulation view teaches that WHEN the abomination of desolation occurs, THEN those going through the great tribulation can simply count 1260 days FROM the abomination of desolation to the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

And, therefore, those left behind WILL KNOW the day and the hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus.

So then, I do not believe this verse in Matthew 24:36, where Jesus says no man knows the day and hour of his return, teaches us that no man can NEVER know the day or hour. Let me explain what I mean.

Take another look at Revelation 3:3 and read a paraphrased version of mine. 

This paraphrase version clearly shows that the OPPOSITE of what Jesus said in Revelation 3:3 is EQUALLY true.

My paraphrase version of Revelation 3:3. 

“Therefore, if you SHALL watch you SHALL KNOW what hour I will come and I will NOT come upon you as a THIEF.”

Now let us go back to Matthew 24:36. The word “KNOW” here in this verse carries the idea of perceiving. In other words, “... but of that day and hour, no man has perceived as yet…” 

But then, Jesus goes on to say, and I again paraphrase in my own words “BUT know this or BUT this much I have perceived so know and understand this much that I have PERCEIVED thus far…”

In Habakkuk 2:3 we read.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed TIME, but at the END it (Referring to the END of this present world the vision, it) shall SPEAK, (Or at the end of days of this present world the vision will SPEAK or be made KNOWN) and NOT LIE: (It is as if God knew that Satan would deceive Christians with his LIE that Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night is a good thing) though it tarry, wait for it, because it will come, and it will not tarry.”

In other words, on the last day, the vision will be made KNOWN to us. So what does this mean? 

I see two things that this verse of prophecy in Habakkuk 2:3 means.

#1.  It means that we shall know with absolute certainty which teaching is the truth. 

For you see, today in the church, depending on which church denomination you attend, there are three MAIN teachings as to WHEN the rapture of the church will occur. 

There is the PRE-tribulation view. 

There is the MID tribulation view. 

And then there is the TRUTH, the POST tribulation teaching.

Please notice that this verse says that the vision will speak and NOT LIE. 

This teaches us that there are false teachings in the church body, but as the end draws closer to the coming of Jesus, the TRUTH will become known and NOT LIE.

Now, simply considering the second coming of Jesus, we all AGREE that Jesus is coming to execute the WRATH of Almighty God.

But some Christians fail to see that the rapture of the church will occur SECONDS before Jesus AND ALL of the saints will execute the vengeance and wrath of Almighty God, according to Psalm 149:6-9. 

For a deeper understanding of the rapture, the second coming of Jesus, and the end times please read all the related studies on this subject. 

I might suggest starting with J-4. The SECOND COMING of Jesus! Or you can jump right in with both feet and read the study J-7. WHEN is the RAPTURE of the Church?

#2.  Not only will the church as a whole know that the rapture will occur at the second coming of Jesus immediately after the time of great tribulation, but the church, as a whole, will know the day and the hour by counting the days from the abomination of desolation. 

For you see, when we shall SEE Jerusalem surrounded by ARMIES to MAKE DESOLATION, then that knowledge or the understanding will be the starting point of the exact day or the coming of Jesus.

Now, we may not know with absolute precision the exact day or hour, until we begin seeing the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which will usher in the WRATH of God that we, as Christians, are NOT appointed to receive. 

Again, please read the studies that I have written on the second coming of Jesus. J-4. THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS!

But for now, let us look at the next chapter of Habakkuk in chapter 3.

Habakkuk 3:2.

“O Lord I have heard your speech, and I was afraid; O Lord, revive (Keep alive, energize or restore strength to) your work in the MIDST of years, in the MIDST of the years MAKE KNOWN; in WRATH remember mercy.”

Now, when the Holy Spirit first revealed to me the TRUTH as to WHEN the rapture will without fail occur, I was extremely AFRAID. 

I did NOT want to know this, if God was showing me the truth of the POST tribulation rapture of the church. 

So, I shut my Bible and refused to look at the verse in Revelation 20:4-6, which opened my eyes to the truth that the church WILL go through the great tribulation. 

You can read my full testimony in the studies on the end times of that experience in my life.

But my main point right now is for you to notice the phrase “in the MIDST of years” repeated TWICE. 

For those of you, who have at least a little teaching on the last days, this phrase should ring a bell for you pointing to the seventieth week of Daniel, in the MIDST of the week.

Now, Habakkuk 3:2 tells us exactly WHEN the MIDST of years will occur. The midst of years is WHEN the WRATH of God will occur. 

And the wrath of God will occur AFTER the period of great tribulation and BEFORE the 1000-year reign of Jesus.

Now, there are many more passages of Scriptures that point to the fact that one day we WILL KNOW the day of our Lord’s return. 

And perhaps, we will know the approximate hour of his coming well before Jesus comes again. 

And by “well before” I am speaking of 3 1/2 years before, which is commonly or traditionally called the MIDST of years, as in, the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel. 

But this is another study in and of itself. If you would like to know more on the topic of the rapture and the second coming of Jesus please read the study called more on the rapture: J-10. NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY NOR THE HOUR! 

And I suggest reading two of my newest studies called J-30. A NEW Look at the Seventieth Week of Daniel! And J-31. When is the MIDST of the 70th Week? 

Or you can read one of the many other studies I have on this topic on ** J-0. Prophecy The 2nd COMING of Jesus! **  

But for now, let us continue on with this verse-by-verse study in the book of Revelation here in chapter 3 by reading verses 4-6.

Revelation 3:4. “You have a FEW names even in Sardis which have NOT defiled their garments, and THEY shall walk with me in white: for THEY are worthy.

Revelation 3:5. He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 3:6. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

The letter to Sardis differs a little from the letters to the other churches in that Jesus gives a rebuke first, but then, Jesus follows with an exhortation. 

In other words, up to this point in the letter to the seven churches in Asia, Jesus exhorted the first five churches in Asia first. And then Jesus gave them a rebuke. 

But with Sardis, the fifth church, Jesus rebukes the Christians first.

I also find it interesting that Jesus said EVEN in Sardis there are a few names that have kept themselves from sin, and those who are found spotless without sin shall be clothed in righteousness because they are found to be worthy. 

Again, the opposite is equally also true! And that means that those whose garments are NOT spotless, being without sin, shall NOT walk with Jesus to be found worthy to be clothed in white. 

In other words, a true born-again Christian can lose their salvation by being disobedient to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. So then, HEAR what the Spirit is SAYING!

Jesus goes on to say in the next verse that whosoever shall overcome the temptations that are tempting them to sin and not deny my faith shall be saved. 

In other words, he who ENDURES unto the END the SAME shall be SAVED. 

And thus, he who does NOT endure unto the end the same shall NOT be saved or found worthy to receive eternal life in the world to come. 

Again, Jesus is WARNING us that ONLY those who remain FAITHFUL unto the end shall be saved. 

The name of those of us found to be good and faithful servants of Jesus shall NOT be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life, and Jesus will confess their name before his Father and his angels. 

Notice that it says the names of those who remain faithful shall NOT be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life. But yet in SOME church “tradition”, in some church denominations, Christians are wrongly being taught FALSE doctrine. 

For you see, SOME Christians teach that when a person comes to know the Lord as their personal Savior that their names are written in the book of life at that point in time and they can NEVER LOSE their salvation.

In other words, some Christians have gone TOO far to the extreme to teach that a true born-again Christian’s name can NOT be blotted out of the Lambs book of life. 

To say this another way, some Christians wrongly teach the man-made doctrine of once saved always saved.  

So, please click on the link to read the study called F-2. Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

However, this passage of Scripture in Revelation 3:4-6 tells us when our names are actually written in the book of life and that they CAN be BLOTTED OUT if a Christian is NOT found faithful to ENDURE unto the END. 

Here is what I believe. It is my opinion that when Jesus said to his God and Father when he was hanging on the cross, “It is finished” and then gave up the Ghost, it is  “WHEN” salvation was made AVAILABLE for every human on the earth in the eyes of God.

And by “salvation”, I mean that God provided a SPACE for EVERY person’s name to be written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In other words, at the moment Jesus died on the cross, God CONCLUDED ALL to be under SIN because all have SINNED. 

And thus, God has prepared His WAY in which Almighty God HIMSELF has chosen to SAVE whosoever BELIEVES in the NAME of His only begotten Son. 

What I mean by this is that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the WHOLE world. 

This means that a WAY of salvation has been PROVIDED and made AVAILABLE for ALL of mankind. 

So then, as soon as a person BELIEVES the gospel of Jesus Christ and repents of their sins they are saved. 

However, they are saved, as in, they are forgiven of all their past sin and placed in a right relationship with God and their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life at that moment in time. 

And that does NOT mean that they can NEVER lose their salvation by being DECEIVED to walk away from God. 

It would be POINTLESS for God to WARN us as true born-again Christians to NOT take the MARK of the beast if it was impossible for Christians to be DECEIVED.

It is also my opinion that the names of every person, who BELIEVES on Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God who died for their sins, will remain written in the book of life UNTIL they take their last breath and die, or Jesus comes again. 

In other words, God never leaves or forsakes us to the very last SECOND. But, any one of us can be deceived by the enemy to take the mark of the beast and walk away from God.

So then, it is at precisely that exact moment in time that a person DIES physically or Jesus returns, that I myself believe their name is either left written in the Lamb’s book of life or it is BLOTTED OUT of the Lamb’s book of life being based on their WORKS. 

And by their WORKS, Jesus means whether they are found worthy by living RIGHTEOUSLY. That is to say, living without sin in their lives by not sinning and by quickly confessing their sins. 

And by WORKS, Jesus ALSO means if they are living in a “lifestyle” of sin or they are living with unrepented sin in their life like holding a grudge of hatred toward someone and they are found NOT to be worthy to receive eternal life.

Jesus did say that we will not be forgiven if we do NOT forgive others, according to Matthew 6:14,15.

Keep in mind that he that sins willfully MEANS to DENY Jesus. 

And thus, converting to Islam is the same as crucifying Jesus anew, for you see Muslims reject Jesus as being the Son of Almighty God. 

And they also deny that Jesus died on the cross.

So then, by willful sin in Hebrews, that passage of Scripture is speaking following a FALSE gospel like keeping all of the Law of Moses in order to be more pleasing to God.

Also, another kind of wilful sin is EXCUSING one's sin calling it NOT sin. 

Or knowing that it is sin, but being deceived that they can never lose their salvation no matter what they do or do not do. 

And thus, they blindly accept sin as a part of their lives and they no longer resist sin as they should be resisting sin. 

There is also an “extreme” teaching among some once saved, always saved believers that there is no need to confess any sins after a person has accepted Jesus as their Savior. Please do not be deceived by such false teachings.

And again, do NOT be deceived to convert to Islam, which I believe is the MARK of the beast. Please read the study J-27. Could Islam be the MARK of the BEAST? 

And also read Book 8 What is the TRUTH Faith? Here is the link to chapter 1 called B-8 Ch1 Is Islam the TRUE Faith? 

Also, read Ezekiel 33:11-20. It is vital that you understand that Christians CAN lose their salvation! So, please read the study F-2. Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?  

He that has an ear, PLEASE, I implore you to HEAR what the Spirit of the living God is begging you to hear. This brings us to the end of the letter to the church in Sardis.

Let us continue with the letter to the church in Philadelphia which begins in Revelation 3:7. 

Again, we will read three verses together.

Revelation 3:7-9

Revelation 3:7. “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. These things say he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens;

Revelation 3:8. I know your WORKS: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for (Or because) you have little strength, AND have KEPT my word, and has NOT denied my name. (In other words, you have made it by enduring unto the end to be found worthy to be clothed in white)

Revelation 3:9. Behold I will make them which SAY they are Jews, and are NOT, but do LIE; behold I will make THEM to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”

Again, Jesus begins by saying that he knows our WORKS. Jesus also speaks about opening a door that no man can shut and shutting a door that no man can open.

Here is what Jesus said in John 10:7b.

“...Verily, verily, (Or truly, truly) I say unto you, I am the DOOR of the sheep.”

In verses 1-5 of this same chapter in the gospel of John chapter 10, we find an interesting parable that will shed some more light on or more understanding on what Jesus meant when he said in Revelation 3:8, I have set before you an OPEN DOOR.

Let us read Revelation 3:8b again.

“...Behold, I have set before you an open door and no man can shut it...”

Let us go ahead and read John 10:1-11 so that you can see that the translators have not always translated every word to the God INTENDED meaning.

John 10:1-11.

“Verily, verily, (Or truly, truly) I say unto you, He that enters NOT by the DOOR into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the SAME is a thief and a robber. (In other words, there is only ONE FAITH that leads to eternal life in the world to come)

John 10:2. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

John 10:3. To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

John 10:4. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

John 10:5. And a stranger will they NOT follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

John 10:6. This parable spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them. 

John 10:7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the DOOR of the sheep. 

John 10:8. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (Now, to me, a more correct translation of verse 8 would be, “All that come AFTER me that set themselves ABOVE me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep do not hear them” 

And Muhammad, the prophet of Islam has set himself ABOVE Jesus by claiming that he is the “final” prophet sent by God to straighten out the Jews and the Christians. 

But Jesus himself says that he is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE and that no man comes to God except through or by him)

John 10:9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

John 10:10. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

John 10:11. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his LIFE for the sheep.”

Again, according to John 14:6, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father, but by the Son of Almighty God. 

In other words, we must believe in BOTH the SON and the Father and if one does NOT have the SON, then they do NOT have the Father either.

But yet, Muslims DENY that Jesus is the SON of Almighty God. And the Jews deny that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures. 

Muslims SAY that they believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but they DENY that Jesus was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world. 

The prophet Daniel teaches us that in the last days that there will be those that will try to persuade us that holding on to our faith and suffering even unto death is foolish, and not needful. 

They will say something like, “Islam is the true faith, and Christianity is not the true faith.” 

For you see, Orthodox Christianity says that Jesus is the one true God.

Then Muslims will show from the Bible ITSELF that Jesus is NOT Almighty God Himself and convince some weaker Christians to convert to Islam. 

Again, Islam denies that Jesus is the SON of God, but Muslims do NOT tell you all of what they believe until after you convert to Islam.

Now, Islam also denies that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the entire world so that WHOSOEVER BELIEVES that Jesus is the Christ, the SON of the living God, should not perish but be given an OPEN DOOR, which leads to eternal life in the world to come. 

There are many false deceivers even in the world right now and Islam is not the only deception that leads to the lake of fire on the final Day of Judgment.

I have personally seen videos where weak Christians are being converted to Islam in just a matter of a few minutes. 

And Muslims are doing this simply by exposing the ERRORS in orthodox church doctrine of the Trinity. Muslims then say to the weak Christians, “How can you trust those who LIED to you?” 

And SOME Roman Catholic Chistians have converted to Islam.

And to me, the FALSE doctrine of the Trinity is to be blamed for Christians converting to Islam, which DENIES that Jesus died for our sins.

So I implore you, dear children of God, to NOT be deceived to take the MARK of the beast which to me, is converting to Islam. 

I implore you to read the study J-27. COULD ISLAM be the MARK of the BEAST?

Continuing with Revelation 3:4-6, Jesus also said that there will be those who SAY that they are Jews, and they are NOT truly Jews. 

But rather, they are liars and are deceiving themselves and others by their lies. Now, when people are DECEIVED, they sincerely believe that they are teaching the TRUTH.

Do not believe their lies! Do NOT be DECEIVED by what has DECEIVED them! 

Jesus teaches us that he is the only true door that he has opened to you and whosoever BELIEVES in the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And no man can close that OPEN door to eternal life by taking your life. So, do not fear what men can do to you. 

But rather, fear God who is able to destroy both the body and the SOUL. 

We know as Christians that whether we live or whether we die, we shall LIVE for all eternity with Almighty God and His Son in the City of God. 

In other words, no man can take your crown of eternal life unless you yourself GIVE it to them by denying Jesus as the SON OF God and your Messiah, who died for your sin and God raised him from the dead.

They can DECEIVE, but they cannot FORCEFULLY take your crown of eternal life. Only your FEAR of death to DENY your faith to SAVE your mortal life will cause that open door to be closed. 

So then, only YOU can close the open door to eternal life. God will never leave nor forsake any person, but any person can walk away from God or not come to God’s drawing them to Jesus to be saved.

The open door is like an OPEN INVITATION to come in. The door remains OPEN so ANYONE may enter. 

And when one enters the open door it does NOT close locking them in.

No, the open door remains OPEN. And thus, Christians can become deceived to walk back OUT of that open door. 

There can be a number of things these verses mean, but the one thing I know is what God has already said He is not going to go back and change what He has spoken in His word. 

Almighty God simply WILL NOT go back on His word. God is forever faithful to perform His word. And it is impossible for God to LIE. 

And thus, the Quran is NOT the inspired word of Almighty God. Please read Book 8 What is the TRUE Faith? Here is the link to chapter 1 called B-8 Ch1 Is Islam the TRUE Faith? 

And for a deeper understanding on this subject of God’s faithfulness to do what He Said He would do, please read the study called Cc-25. The SOVEREIGNTY of ALMIGHTY GOD! 

Also, as I have already said above. I myself believe that Jesus is saying by these words that they have FINISHED their course and are found to be that good and faithful servant.

And then, as one of our rewards, Jesus will have those who are NOT found worthy at the time of his coming, the remnant of Jews and those left of the nations to come and bow down at our feet. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Let us move on to the next verse.

Revelation 3:10. “Because you have KEPT the word of my patience, I will ALSO KEEP you from the HOUR of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try THEM that dwell on the earth.”

Now, some Christians who teach on prophecy, teach that the HOUR of temptation or trial referred to in this verse is speaking of the time of great tribulation. 

However, I myself believe that Jesus is referring to the WRATH of God when Jesus said that he will keep us, who keep his word, from the HOUR of temptation. 

Simply take a look at Revelation 6:17 to COMPARE Scripture with Scripture.

Revelation 6:17 and Revelation 8:1.

Revelation 6:17. “For the great day of his WRATH is come; and who shall be able to stand?...

…Revelation 8:1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an HOUR.”

The rapture of the church takes place BETWEEN the great tribulation and the WRATH of God. 

In other words, we can see the picture of the rapture of the church BETWEEN the SIXTH seal and the SEVENTH seal, BETWEEN the SIXTH trumpet and the SEVENTH trumpet, and BETWEEN the SIXTH vial and the SEVENTH vial.

So then, the first SIX are the great tribulation and the SEVENTH is the WRATH of God. 

And we are NOT appointed to the WRATH of God. But we are appointed to TRIBULATION.

The HOUR of God’s WRATH is divided in HALF. The first HALF an HOUR of God’s wrath will be immediately AFTER the great tribulation. God will have MERCY and lift His WRATH for 1000 years during the 1000-year reign of Jesus.

Then God will release Satan out of the bottomless pit to DECEIVE the nations to make WAR one final time. 

And the last half HOUR of God’s wrath will come down as FIRE from heaven and CONSUME the wicked in a lake of fire. 

The earth will pass away and the elements will MELT with fervent heat.

So then, to me, the HOUR of temptation is the WRATH of Almighty God executed in two parts, BEFORE the 1000 years and AFTER the 1000 years.

Now take a look at Revelation 18:1-24, which teaches us about the rapture of the church and the pouring out of the wrath of God at the end of verse 19.

Revelation 18:9 b.

“...for in ONE HOUR is she made desolate.”

Also, the CONTEXT of this verse here in Revelation 3:10 is written to the CHURCH going through temptations, trials, tribulation and even being martyred. But yet not denying their faith in Jesus. 

The whole context of what we have read thus far in Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3 is all about OVERCOMING and being found faithful. 

Remember just a few verses earlier Jesus WARNS us, the church, that if we are NOT watching, then he WILL come upon us as a THIEF. 

And thus, if we are watching and keeping our garments spotless then Jesus will NOT come upon us as a thief in the night.

And again, when we compare these verses, comparing Scripture with Scripture where Jesus comes as a thief, then we will see that Jesus coming as a THIEF is Jesus coming to execute the WRATH of God. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, we learn that WHEN Jesus comes as a THIEF in the night, it is speaking of his SECOND coming to execute the WRATH of God.

In other words, Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night is NOT some so-called pre-tribulation rapture to escape the period of great tribulation. 

Keep in mind that 1 Thessalonians 1:1-11 is part of the CONTEXT in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the famous “rapture” passage of Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. (Times and seasons of WHAT? The times and season of the RAPTURE of the church taught to us in chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, verses 13-18. 

We must keep the verses we are studying in their CONTEXT even when going into another chapter)

1 Thessalonians 5:2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a THIEF in the night. (But NOT coming on us who are WATCHING for his coming and keeping his WORD to keep sin out of our lives and not to deny his name)

1 Thessalonians 5:3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; (Now, some who teach a pre-tribulation rapture before the great tribulation, INTERPRET these words as the antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel. 

But this interpretation cannot possibly be correct seeing that Jesus himself places the WRATH of God AFTER the time of great tribulation in Matthew 24:29-31. 

Also, the CONTEXT of this verse is speaking of the WRATH of God and NOT the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation. So then, when they SAY peace and safety) then sudden destruction comes upon THEM, as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY shall NOT escape. (Now, to me, the pronoun THEY and THEM are referring to the Muslims who SAY that Islam is a religion of PEACE)

1 Thessalonians 5:4. But you, brethren, are NOT in darkness, that that day (Speaking of the DAY of the Lord when Jesus executes the WRATH of God upon the world as a THIEF in the night) should overtake you as a THIEF. 

1 Thessalonians 5:5. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are NOT of the night, nor of darkness.  

1 Thessalonians 5:6. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (The word sober in the context of the next verse seems to be intended to mean to abstain from drinking alcohol and not get drunk. 

But the word sober also means to be discreet. And the word discreet means to watch on all sides. 

So then, we need to watch for the SIGNS of the coming of Jesus, but we also need to watch what we do and say)

1 Thessalonians 5:7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 

1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God has not appointed us to WRATH, (So again, the CONTEXT of the DAY of the Lord coming as a THIEF in the night is the WRATH of God and NOT the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation) but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:10. Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11. Wherefore, COMFORT yourselves together, (The SAME words we read in the CONTEXT in 1 Thessalonians 4:18, the RAPTURE passage of Scripture) and edify one another, even as also you do.”

So then, ALL of what is written in the letters to the seven churches spans from the early church all the way through to the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

And thus, ONLY those found WORTHY at the time of his coming will hear the words of Jesus saying, BECAUSE you have KEPT the word of my patience, then I will KEEP YOU from the WRATH of God that shall try all the world. 

Well done my good and faithful servants, you have been faithful in few things so you will be made ruler over much, enter you into the joy of your Lord, according to Matthew 25:21. 

And Luke 19:17 says, that on that day when we will rule and reign with him on the earth that the faithful in little things will be given much is speaking of having authority or rule over the cities of the nations.

Luke 19:17.

“And he said unto him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have you authority over ten cities.”

To me, this is speaking of ruling and reigning WITH Jesus over the whole earth for 1000 years. 

And entering INTO the joy of our Lord Jesus Christ means RECEIVING the SAME joy that was set before Jesus to ENDURE the cross. 

And that joy is being GLORIFIED with the SAME glory that God gave to Jesus, according to John 17:13-22.

In other words, entering into the joy of our Lord means to enter into the kingdom of heaven to be given the divine nature of immortality to rule and reign with Jesus. 

Please read the Verse Study called D-26. John 17:5 PROVES the Son of MAN ENTERED INTO GLORY! 

Again, please read the studies I have on this subject of the rapture of the church. 

For you see, all of Scriptures prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that the church will go through the ENTIRE period of GREAT tribulation. 

And thus, the rapture of the church will take place at the SECOND coming of Jesus.

Let us continue with the next verse in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:11. “Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that which you have, that no man take your CROWN.”

Here in verse 11, we see yet another WARNING by Jesus HIMSELF to guard our walk with him, LEST we become deceived by false teaching. 

Jesus is saying to NOT become LAX in our faith, to become complacent, to slip back into living is sin. 

For you see, living in a lifestyle of sin is to be found NOT WORTHY. 

And by doing works of iniquity, Christians are in danger of having their crown of eternal life to be stolen from them by following the LIES of false teaching.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:11-13 that ONLY he that endures unto the END shall be saved. Many will grow cold in their walk with the Lord and cast away their faith in the last days. 

Jesus is admonishing us here to be patient, to ENDURE persecution and hold fast to our faith to overcome sin.

With that being said, let us move on to verse 12 and 13 in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:12. “Him that OVERCOMES will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God; and the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my NEW NAME:

Revelation 3:13. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Again and again, Jesus warns us that only those of us who OVERCOME will be given eternal life at his coming.

Notice that Jesus calls the Father his God four times in this one verse of Scripture. 

And that is because Jesus is not Almighty God in the flesh as church TRADITION teaches.

Also, notice that God gave Jesus a NEW NAME. And according to Philippians 2:6-11, God gave the Son of MAN, Jesus, this NEW NAME after the cross and resurrection for a PURPOSE. 

And the purpose of the Son of MAN, Jesus, being given a NEW NAME above every other name is so that every knee will bow at the NAME and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the GLORY of Almighty God the Father. 

Please read the two-part study called D-23. What is the NEW NAME of Jesus? Part 1, and D-24. What is the NEW NAME of Jesus? Part 2.

But for now, let us continue with this verse-by-verse study of Revelation chapter 3. 

This word pillar here in verse 12 is used only four times in the New Testament and it means leader. 

This word also bears the meaning of one who is grounded and firmly fitted or established upon the truth. 

The church is also referred to as a pillar in 1 Timothy 3:15. And most of us have heard the saying, he is a pillar of the community.

1 Timothy 3:15b.

“...that you may know how to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the CHURCH of the living God, the PILLAR and ground of the truth.”

In Proverbs 9:1 we read.

“WISDOM (A figure of Jesus) has built her house, she has hewn out her SEVEN PILLARS;”

This is prophetically pointing to the seven churches which are in Asia. Jesus is the builder of the house of God, the CHURCH.

It may be that Jesus will divide the world into seven regions where seven groups will be over these seven regions or districts having one region for each group. 

I do not know and I am just sharing some of my speculation or some thoughts that I have.

But what I do know is that I see the distinction that John has and is still making between Jesus and Almighty God the Father. 

And thus, I want to draw your attention to the distinction found in this verse that is repeatedly made between Almighty God the Father and His Son Jesus. 

Remember it is Jesus, who is the one talking to John and telling him what to write to the church at Philadelphia. 

And Jesus says not one, but four different times in this same verse the phrase “My God.” 

Jesus refers to Almighty God his Father as HIS God four times in this ONE verse of Scripture. 

And this is after Jesus was raised from the dead, given eternal life by his God and Father, and ascended up to heaven to be highly exalted and to be seated at the right hand of Almighty God on the throne of his God and Father.

In other words, Almighty God HIGHLY EXALTED the Son of MAN, Jesus, to come and join God on His throne to be second in command to Almighty God Himself. 

And God did this to PROVE that an inferior creation made lower than the angels can and will rule FOR Almighty God the Father in the NAME of God for 1000 years without having any WARS.

And AFTER the 1000-year reign of Jesus and the saints has ended, God will release Satan out of the bottomless pit to PROVE to the good angels that Satan and the fallen angels will never repent of making WAR. 

And then, God will judge the world, Satan, and the fallen angels by the MAN who He ORDAINED and RAISED from the DEAD, according to Acts 17:29-31.

It is my opinion and my belief that the church has missed out on the WHOLE truth of God's word because we have not totally discerned the difference between God Almighty and Jesus His only begotten Son. 

The church, for the most part, teaches that Jesus is Almighty God himself and there is no difference between Almighty God and Jesus.

However, I do NOT believe that the WHOLE word of God teaches this. 

You will find many more references showing a clear distinction between Almighty God and His Son Jesus in the book of Revelation as well as throughout the entire New Testament of the Bible. 

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Do not simply take my word for it. Prove it out for yourself that God CREATED His Son Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary. 

Hebrews 5:1 clearly teaches us that there was NO Son of God in the eternity past.

Hebrews 1:5.

“For unto which of the angels said he at any time, You are my Son, THIS DAY have I begotten you? And again, (Or in another PROPHECY in the Old Testament) I WILL be to him a Father, and he SHALL be to me a Son?”

God is NOT a LIAR that He would PROPHESY of a DAY that He WILL be to His Messiah a Father, and His Messiah SHALL be a Son to Him if God’s Son ALWAYS existed in the eternity past as church TRADITION dogmatically demands if you want to remain in their church denomination.

This brings us to the end of the letter to the church at Philadelphia. And verse 14 begins the letter to the church of the Laodiceans.

Revelation 3:14. “And unto the angel of the church of Laodiceans write; These things say the Amen, the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God;”

What I am about to expound upon next may strike a nerve with some orthodox Christians, but I believe the truth is important, and thus, the TRUTH must be taught. 

That is why I have shared with you what God has shown me about the truth of the rapture of the church being at the second coming of Jesus and NOT a so-called secret rapture before the great tribulation as church TRADITION claims.

And thus, seeing that we have been taught incorrectly in one area, might not it also be possible that we have been taught other things that are in error as well? 

For you see, what we are taught may sound logical and may appear on the surface to be based upon the word of God. 

However, when closely examining it in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God, then some of the things that we have been taught are found NOT to be what the WHOLE word of God ACTUALLY teaches.

As I have said many times and in the many studies I have written, any verse when taken out of context and viewed alone and apart from the rest of God’s word may SEEM to say or be made to say something that it is not truly saying when it is correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of God.

And sometimes the truth is hard to receive at first, due to what we have previously been taught. 

But, if we look to God’s word as our foundation ALONE, rather than looking to the traditions of men, then the TRUTH will become apparent.

Please keep in the forefront of your mind Proverbs 18:13 and do not make a judgment or CONCLUDE a matter, until you have heard the entire matter, the WHOLE MATTER. 

Again, keep in mind that this is Jesus speaking when he calls himself the BEGINNING of THE CREATION of GOD. 

This phrase can and has been interpreted in no less than three ways.  But always remember that whatever one concludes or INTERPRETS a verse to mean, then that interpretation must, without fail, AGREE with the REST of God's word. 

And if it does NOT agree with the WHOLE word of God then that INTERPRETATION is NOT the correct interpretation.

One view of this verse is that Jesus was the BEGINNING of the creation of God, in that, Jesus was the spoken LOGOS of God or the spoken WORD of God, as in, the spoken SAYING of God, which God spoke out from His mouth.

And as soon as God spoke forth His Word, His logos, His saying, then things that God SPOKE began to come into being. In other words, creation began by Almighty God speaking forth the IMAGE that was WITHIN Him out of His mouth as His spoken WORD or SAYING.

Now, keep this view in mind COMPARED to what church TRADITION has taught concerning John 1:1-14. Orthodox church “tradition” teaches that Jesus is the WORD, as in, the Word was a separate divine being that was WITH God.

But, in truth, the Greek word that is “translated” as the English word “with” God, LITERALLY means TOWARDS God. It also means WITHIN the God. 

So then, to me, Jesus, or more specifically, the Son of God BEGAN as the spoken Word that came out from the MOUTH of Almighty God the Creator. 

And thus, Revelation 3:14 means that Jesus is the BEGINNING of the NEW creation of God by being the FIRST BEGOTTEN human from the DEAD.to be given the divine nature of IMMORTALITY to be having in himself even as the Father has always had LIFE in Himself, according to John 5:26,27.

For you see, when we COMPARE Scripture with Scripture, we can clearly see that Jesus is ALSO called the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS in Revelation 3:14 as well.

And when we COMPARE Jesus being called the “faithful and true WITNESS”, we clearly see that Jesus became the faithful and true witness after God raised the Son of MAN, Jesus, from the DEAD.

Revelation 1:5.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS, and the FIRST BEGOTTEN the DEAD, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

The conjunction “and” in light green is NOT in the original Greek text, it was ADDED by the translators. 

And thus, John INTENDED the phrase “the FIRST BEGOTTEN of the DEAD” as an adjective modifying the phrase, “who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS”. 

So then, like the word “Father” is an adjective to the words Almighty God in the phrase “Almighty God, the Father”, verse 5 should be understood the same way. 

In other words, we should understand the first part of Revelation 1:5 as follows.

Revelation 1:5a.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS, the FIRST BEGOTTEN the DEAD…”

Now, COMPARE this phrase to Revelation 3:14.

“And unto the angel of the church of Laodiceans write; These things say the Amen, the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God;”

And, in the same way that the ADJECTIVE “the FIRST BEGOTTEN of the DEAD” tells us WHEN Jesus ANOINTED became the FAITHFUL WITNESS.

So, does the ADJECTIVE “the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God” tell us WHEN Jesus became the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS? 

It was WHEN the Son of MAN. Jesus, was BEGOTTEN from the DEAD to become the FIRSTBORN of EVERY CREATURE to be made in the IMAGE of the invisible God, according to Colossians 1:15-22.

If you would like to know more on the subject of who is the creator please read ALL of the studies under the subject heading menu list of studies on that subject called ** P-0. Jesus is NOT the CREATOR! **

 In other words, P-11. Ephesians 3:9-11 Did Jesus Create Everything?

Another way of looking at or “interpreting” this phrase, “Jesus was the BEGINNING of the creation of God”, is that Jesus, the Son of God was the very FIRST CREATION of God. 

In other words, Jesus was the first thing God brought forth into existence in the eternity past. 

This view, of course, would require Jesus to have a BEGINNING. And, therefore, Jesus could NOT be Almighty God Himself as Orthodox Christianity teaches.

Now, to me, this view of the Son of God being created in the eternity past is NOT what the WHOLE word of Almighty God ITSELF actually teaches. 

But I will go ahead and explain what OTHERS, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, mean by the Son of God being the very first creation of God in the eternity past. 

THEY teach that God created His SON whom He called the Word, and then His Son, called or named the Word, created all other things.

And, obviously, the third view is the TRADITIONAL Orthodox view of the Trinity Godhead where ALL three separate persons of God are the CREATOR.

But that traditional Orthodox view does NOT explain WHY God the Son needed to be the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS in the eternity past when God the Son supposedly BEGAN the creation of God in the eternity past.

So then, the FIRST view is that the creation which is being spoken of here in this verse is God’s NEW creation where Jesus is the FIRST fruit of God's NEW creation being the FIRST born from the dead, the FIRST born among many brethren. 

If you would like to study this topic more in depth I have written a study devoted totally to this truth that Jesus is truly the Son of God, and NOT ALMIGHTY God HIMSELF as some have taught, please read the three-part study on the Deity of Jesus ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF!

U-13. #1. The DEITY of Jesus ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF!

U-14. #2. The DEITY of Jesus ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF!

U-15. #3. The DEITY of Jesus ACCORDING to the Bible ITSELF!

Also, read the studies called  N-1. JESUS THE SON OF MAN!, and P-11. Ephesians 3:9-11 Did Jesus Create Everything?

 But for now, here are a few verses that show us the TRUE meaning of Jesus being the BEGINNING of CREATION to mean that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN among many brethren speaking of Jesus being the beginning of God’s NEW CREATION, which is what the word of God is all about.

Colossians 1:15-18 says.

“Who is the IMAGE of the invisible God, the FIRSTBORN of every CREATURE: (Now, a CREATURE is a CREATION of God, and Jesus being the FIRSTBORN of every CREATURE means every NEW creature. 

For you see, the CONTEXT teaches us that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD)

Colossians 1:16. For by him (Or more correctly translated, for in him) were ALL things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL things were created by (Or in) him, and for him:

Colossians 1:17. And he is before ALL things, (As in, Jesus is preferred above the ALL who are created in Jesus by Almighty God the Father things), and by him ALL things consist. (As in, by reason of what Jesus did for us on the cross made it possible for ALL who BELIEVE to consist in him. For you see, the English word “things” in light green is NOT in the original Greek text. And the LITERAL translation reads THE ALL, which the CONTEXT teaches as being the BODY of Jesus Christ)

Colossians 1:18. And he is the head of the body, the church: (THE ALL who BELIEVE. In other words, Jesus is the HEAD of THE ALL who believe, the church) who is the BEGINNING, the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD; (The FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God) that in ALL things He might have preeminence.”

Notice that this verse says that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN of every creature, which I believe means that Jesus is the BEGINNING of God’s creation, as in, God’s NEW CREATION of THE ALL who believe being created by God in Jesus Christ. 

I also firmly believe that the WHOLE word of God clearly teaches us that Jesus has a BEGINNING and is NOT co-eternal with Almighty God the Father as the doctrine of the Trinity teaches. 

The mere fact that Jesus was begotten of God clearly teaches us that the SON had a beginning being BORN of God. In other words, Jesus was born or brought forth into existence by Almighty God the Father.

And I believe that when God sent His SPOKEN word of prophecy down to the earth by His angel Gabriel, who then SPOKE God’s word to the Virgin Mary, who then BELIEVED God’s word and said, “be it done unto me according to your word”. 

Then at that moment in time, it was the spoken word of God that was conceived in her womb to be born as a human being or as the HUMAN Son of Almighty God. 

For you see, it was AFTER the cross and resurrection that the Son of MAN became the ETERNAL Son of Almighty God.

Jesus was the first begotten of the Father or as John 3:16 puts it. Jesus became God’s only BEGOTTEN Son AFTER the cross and resurrection. 

The word begotten means to be born, and only begotten means UNIQUELY born like no other human being. Jesus had no earthly father. 

But rather, the human Son of God was brought into existence in the womb of Mary by the SPOKEN word of Almighty God being the fulfillment of PROPHECY. 

Also, notice that Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the IMAGE of the invisible God. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “image” as a reproduction of the appearance of someone or something. 

This agrees with the LITERAL meaning of John 1:1 where the word was WITHIN THE God. Again, the LITERAL translation of John 1:1 says, the SAYING was TOWARD the God. 

Jesus said he came OUT FROM God in John 16:27, which agrees with the PROPHECY in Isaiah 55:8-11, which says the word came OUT of the MOUTH of God and will come down like rain from heaven.

John 16:27.

“For the Father himself loves you, BECAUSE you have loved me, AND (Because you) have BELIEVED that I CAME OUT FROM God.”

Please read my NEW book 1 called Book 1 The Bible Made SIMPLE to UNDERSTAND!

 Chapter 7  of Book 1 is John 1:1 Made SIMPLE to Understand! 

And also read the study V-22. John 1:1 The WORD Was GOD!  

And I also have many other related studies on the subject of John 1:1-18 listed under the subject heading called D-15. John 1:1 The Biblical Unitarian Meaning! 

In those studies I break down John 1:1-18 into SMALLER Verse Studies, which will give you a deeper understanding on the subject of Jesus having a beginning.

Hebrews 1:3 says.

“Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express IMAGE of His person, and upholds ALL things by the word of His power, WHEN he by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”

Here again, Jesus is described as the express IMAGE of God. This means an exact image of God’s character. 

It also means that God expressed the image that was WITHIN Himself by SPEAKING forth His word of prophecy out of His mouth what He desired to come to pass. 

And thus, the spoken logos out of the mouth of God BECAME the EXPRESS or expressed IMAGE of God’s person.

Simply read the PROPHECIES about Jesus. Here is one to get you started.

Isaiah 45:13.

“I (Yahweh) have raised him (Jesus) up in RIGHTEOUSNESS, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of hosts”

God prophesied every detail of His Messiah to NOT FAIL, according to Isaiah 42:4.

Also, notice in Hebrew 1:3 that Jesus sat down or was seated by his God on the right hand of his Father, Almighty God and Majesty on high. 

This teaches us that the THRONE itself still belongs to Almighty God and that Jesus has been GIVEN authority to rule on his God and Father’s throne.

The Bible itself teaches us that Jesus will rule as God, FOR God, and in the NAME of God for 1000 years during the world to come. 

And after the 1000 years have ended. Jesus will step down from ruling over the earth and COMMIT the kingdom back into the Father’s hand. 

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 tells us that Jesus will one day, at the END of his 1000-year reign, commit all this authority of rulership that was given to Jesus from his God and Father, BACK to his Father and his God. And then, Almighty God will be all in all once again. I am not making this up. 

This is what the word of God ITSELF actually teaches. People say to me, I have never heard this before in my life. But this is all right there in the word of God for you to read for yourself. 

Sometimes we must UNLEARN some things that we have been TAUGHT by church TRADITION in order to be able to see the TRUTH. Read it for yourself.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead and BECOME the FIRSTFRUITS of them that slept. 

1 Corinthians 15:21. For since by man came death, by MAN came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1 Corinthians 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1 Corinthians 15:23. But every MAN in his own order: Christ (The Son of MAN) the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (Here we see that Jesus is one of us who become the FIRSTFRUITS unto God. 

Jesus if the FIRST of the firstfruits unto God and then we who are in Jesus Christ will also become firstfruits unto God at the coming of Jesus)

1 Corinthians 15:24. Then comes the end, (Speaking the end of the 1000-year reign of Jesus) when he (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; (The New Testament always clearly identifies God as being the FATHER) when He (Almighty God, the Father) shall have put down all rule and authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:25. For he (Jesus) must reign, till He (Speaking of Almighty God, the Father) has put down all enemies under his feet. 

1 Corinthians 15:26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:27. For He (Almighty God) has put all things under his feet, (Referring to Jesus) But when He (Almighty God) says all things are put under him, (Jesus) it is manifest (Or clearly shown and made known) that He (Speaking of Almighty God) is excepted, which did put all things under him. (Jesus)

1 Corinthians 15:28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the SON ALSO HIMSELF be SUBJECT unto Him (Almighty God the Father) that put all things under him, that GOD may be all in all.”

Now, to all of my Trinitarian readers. THINK this through for yourself. The doctrine of the Trinity says that the Son of God is co-equal with God and that neither is greater than nor less than the other.

So, let us ASSUME that a CO-EQUAL Almighty God the Son came down from heaven and BECAME the Son of MAN in the womb of the Virgin Mary like the doctrine of the Trinity teaches.

Then the Son of MAN, or God the Son was HIGHLY EXALTED after the cross and resurrection to be MADE Lord and Christ, according to Acts 2:36 and Philippians 2:8-11 to RULE over the earth for 1000 years during the world to come.

Then, when the 1000-year reign of the HIGHLY EXALTED Son of MAN, or the HIGHLY EXALTED God the Son comes to an END, the Son or God the Son will step down from ruling over the earth and be SUBJECT to Almighty God the Father.

Now, HOW do these verses of Scripture FIT your man-made doctrine of the Trinity that took over three CENTURIES to be formed? 

HOW is your God the Son in the flesh HIGHLY EXALTED if he was once CO-EQUAL with God the Father in the eternity past, but NOW God the Son is UNDER and SUBJECT to his God and Father?

Plain and SIMPLE, the man-made doctrine of the Trinity CONTRADICTS what the Bible ITSELF teaches!

Everything that Jesus is and everything that Jesus was GIVEN to him by HIS God and HIS Father, the one true and only Almighty God. 

You see, Almighty God HIMSELF is the one who has highly exalted the Son of MAN, Jesus, and gave him a NEW NAME that is above every other name. 

I know and understand that most of us have been taught by the doctrine of the Trinity that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the flesh. 

As in, Jesus is Almighty God Himself, being fully Almighty God and fully a man at the SAME time during the days of his FLESH. 

But again, I believe the word of God itself teaches us differently. 

So then, why not just teach what the clear, plain, simple word of God teaches? 

Why not teach in SIMPLICITY that Jesus is the SON of God whom Almighty God ANOINTED and empowered at his baptism? 

And then, why not teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, which is, the HUMAN Son of God was highly exalted to be GIVEN all power and authority after the cross and resurrection?

WHY complicate the clear, plain, and simple word of God by trying to prove that Jesus is Almighty God HIMSELF, when there is no verse, no not ONE single verse that CLEARLY and PLAINLY states that Jesus is the Almighty God.

Yes, Jesus is called God after the cross and resurrection because His God and Father HIGHLY EXALTED the Son of MAN, Jesus, to be MADE Lord, King, and God over the earth for 1000 years during the world to come. 

And thus, the word was TOWARD God and the word was a God.

All the verses that are used to teach the man-made DOCTRINE of the Trinity are the INTERPRETATIONS of those, who teach the doctrine of the Trinity. Which states that Jesus and God the Father are EQUAL in every way, where neither is GREATER than nor less than the other. 

But CLEARLY and PLAINLY, the WHOLE word of God teaches that Almighty God the Father is GREATER than His Son Jesus. 

Please read John 14:28.

“You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is GREATER than I.”

Also, we read in 1 Corinthians 8:6,7, which teaches us that there is but ONE God and then that same verse CLEARLY and PLAINLY shows us that this ONE God is the FATHER. 

Then, this same verse teaches us that there is ONE Lord, and also that this ONE Lord is Jesus the Christ, or Jesus the ANOINTED one of Almighty God. 

For you see, the word CHRIST means the ANOINTED one of God or the one ANOINTED of God. 

1 Corinthians 8:6,7a.

“But to us there is but ONE God, the FATHER, of whom are all things, and we in him; and ONE Lord JESUS CHRIST, by whom are all things, and we by him. (Keep in mind that the ONE God who is the Father, MADE the HUMAN Son of MAN, Jesus, both Lord and Christ AFTER the cross and resurrection, according to Acts 2:36.

The TRUTH of the matter is that NOW, after the cross and resurrection, there are TWO Gods who are in AGREEMENT as ONE.

For you see, Almighty God the Creator is in the process of DETHRONING the god of the present world who is no longer ONE in AGREEMENT with Yahweh.

And God is REPLACING Satan with His FAITHFUL and TRUTHFUL witness to be the God over the whole earth during the world to come in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels)

1 Corinthians 8:7a. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge...”

No, not everyone is going to accept this truth right away, and some may never accept it, because of what tradition has taught them. 

Well, as I said before if you want to study this topic more in-depth read my study entitled U-1. THERE Is BUT ONE GOD! 

But before we leave this verse, I would like to share one more Scripture from the Old Testament that I believe clearly teaches us that Jesus has a BEGINNING.

Proverbs 8:1-35 talks about wisdom and understanding, which are types of Jesus. 

This passage of Scripture is written in the narrative with wisdom and understanding doing the speaking. In other words, the pronouns I, my, and me refer to Jesus, and the pronouns he and his refer to Almighty God, the Father.

With this in mind. Let us begin with Proverbs chapter 8, verse 21 and read through verse 35. 

And please keep in mind that this is a PROPHECY of Jesus where Jesus is in the MIND of God and the Almighty is planning His re-creation or the RESTORING the earth and heavens for His FUTURE Son to INHERIT.

Proverbs 8:21-35.

“That I (Jesus) may cause those that love me (Jesus) to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures.

Proverbs 8:22. The Lord (Speaking of Almighty God. the Father) possessed (Or acquired or created) me (Jesus) in the BEGINNING of His way, BEFORE His works of OLD. (In other words, in the same way that the Lamb was SLAIN BEFORE the foundation of the world, Jesus was CREATED in the womb of a virgin in the MIND and PLAN of God BEFORE God’s works of OLD to RESTORE the earth to be habitable once again.

For you see, according to Psalm 8:1-6, God acquired His PLAN of salvation, BECAUSE of His ENEMIES in order to STILL His enemy, Satan)

Proverbs 8:23. I (Jesus) was set up (Or I was inaugurated to become the King of kings and the Lord of lords in the mind of God in the same way that the Lamb was SLAIN in the MIND and PLAN of God) from everlasting, from the BEGINNING, or ever the earth was, (Again, Jesus was also SLAIN from before the foundation of the world as well.

But this does not mean that he is literally slain by men who have not yet been created. 

Rather, this means that in the MIND of God in his plan of salvation He set up His Son to one day in the FUTURE be his King of kings over the earth.

Thus, Christians need to read Proverbs 8:20-31 as PROPHECY of a FUTURE Son of God who will ASCEND into heaven to be SEATED at God’s right hand)

Proverbs 8:24. When there was no depths, I (Jesus) was BROUGHT FORTH: (Or travailed. God was birthing His Son in His image within Himself as the reason FOR CUTTING DOWN the heavens and FLOODING the earth to end the WAR between one side of heaven against the other side of heaven) WHEN there were no fountains abounding with water. (Or when God had not yet FLOODED the OLD earth because of the fallen angels during a PREVIOUS age of the earth)

Proverbs 8:25. Before the mountains were settled, (Or sunk under the Luciferian FLOOD to end the war between the fallen angels and the good angels) before the hills was I (Jesus) BROUGHT FORTH: (Or travailed in the MIND and PLAN of God)

Proverbs 8:26. WHILE as YET He (Almighty God) had NOT made (Or when He had not finished, dressed, or furnished) the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust (Or MUD) of the world, 

Proverbs 8:27. When He (Almighty God) prepared (Or when He rendered sure, or set a right) the heavens, I (Jesus) was there: (In the MIND, THOUGHTS, and PLAN of Almighty God as His Lamb SLAIN before the foundation of the world) when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: (This means that God had His future Son in His mind or in His view when God surrounded the fallen angels in the heavens and CONFINED them to the earth)

Proverbs 8:28. When He established the clouds above: (Or when He strengthened the clouds above to be ALERT) when He strengthened (Or when He AFFLICTED) the fountains of the deep: (To cut down the fallen angels with the Luciferian flood) 

Proverbs 8:29. When He gave the sea (Symbolic language for the wicked, and in this case, the fallen angels were given) His decree, that the waters (Again, waters is symbolic language for people. And in this case, the angelic beings) should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: (Or when He made the rules for the fallen angels to not leave the boundaries of the earth’s atmosphere)

Proverbs 8:30. Then I (Jesus) was by Him (Or by Almighty God’s side in the future) AS one BROUGHT up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;

Proverbs 8:31. Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; (This teaches us that this is a PROPHECY of Jesus and NOT a HISTORY of what has already taken place.

For you see, Jesus was God’s DELIGHT watching Jesus in the HABITABLE part of His earth BEFORE God had finished RESTORING the earth to be HABITABLE once again. 

This is a record of the IMAGE God had WITHIN Himself that He SPOKE forth out of His mouth as PROPHECY to bring forth His human Son into existence.

It was as if His Son was brought up with him, but NOT literally brought up with him) and my delights were with the sons of men. 

Proverbs 8:32. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, (Or hearken to God’s Messiah, according to Psalms 2:12, which is also a prophecy of God’s future King whom He SET on a THRONE to rule for God) O you children: for blessed are they that keep My WAYS. (This teaches us that the OLD covenant is no longer in force and we are now to obey the words of Jesus under the NEW covenant written in the New Testament) 

Proverbs 8:33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it NOT. 

Proverbs 8:34. Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 

Proverbs 8:35. For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.”

Now, if Jesus is the BEGINNING of all creation in the eternity past as being the CREATOR or at the very least a CO-CREATOR with the Father, then WHY is Almighty God the ONLY one doing the works of old in Proverbs chapter 8? 

If the Son was LITERALLY there as being the creator of all THINGS, then WHY does the Son not lift a single finger to create anything in Proverbs 8:22-31?

The TRUTH of the matter is that the Son was there at the BEGINNING of the RESTORING of the earth in the MIND and plan of Almighty God WITHIN the God as the IMAGE God desired to BE brought to past. 

Jesus came OUT FROM God by God SPEAKING the IMAGE that was WITHIN Him. Jesus came out of God’s mouth as PROPHECY of God’s yet future HUMAN Son that God would HIGHLY EXALT to be RECEIVED up into heaven to be SEATED at His right hand. Book 6 - Chapter 8. 

So then, FIRST, the HUMAN Son of God came into existence in Mary’s womb to be born a human being. 

Then, the Son of MAN was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit at his baptism and SENT into the world. This is what the WHOLE word of God teaches us. 

Again, please read all the related studies on this subject as to ** N-0. Who is Jesus According to the Bible ITSELF? **

 But for now, let us continue with the next verse in Revelation chapter 3 by reading verses 15-20.

Revelation 3:15. “I know your WORKS, that you are neither hot nor cold: I would you were cold or hot.

Revelation 3:16. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:17. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods and have need of nothing; and know NOT that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Revelation 3:18. I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich, and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Revelation 3:19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him and will sup with him, and he with me.”

This passage of Scripture could be speaking of Christians, who are living in sin, but they are reasoning away their sin or excusing their sinful lifestyle. 

Or this passage of Scripture could be referring to Christians in NAME ONLY that are not true born-again Christians, but they think that they are already saved. 

Or this passage of Scripture could be referring to those who are unsaved and do NOT think they need a Savior.

Now, just recently it came to my attention that there is a sect of Black African American Christians, who are CLAIMING that they ALONE are the TRUE Jews. 

And THEY claim that the Jews in the land of Israel are FAKE Jews. Please read the study Dd-79. WHO ARE THE TRUE JEWS? 

In any case, all four of these groups of people are being exhorted and implored to repent and open the door of their heart and let Jesus come into their lives to save them. 

And then, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide them into all TRUTH. 

Verse 17 is speaking of trusting in the shed blood of Jesus to be cleansed of all their sin and clothed in a white garment so that the angels do not see their nakedness. Being naked symbolizes being in SIN.

In my own opinion, the phrase about buying GOLD from Jesus is an incorrect translation. To buy also means to be REDEEMED. 

So, to me, Jesus is counseling or reasoning together with those who THINK that they do not need to be saved to be REDEEMED in Jesus like GOLD that is tried in fire to be made pure.

And then, once they are placed back into right relationship with God, they are to KEEP SIN out of their lives in order to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in the end. 

I do not believe there is enough emphasis placed on the TRUTH that we must, without fail, live our lives without sin just as Jesus did in order to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. 

This does NOT mean walking perfectly without ever sinning again, but rather, it means repenting quickly when we do sin and continually seeking God to HELP us do better.   

I encourage all my readers and seekers of the TRUTH to read the first twenty or so studies that I have written, which deals with being SAVED and RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE. I say twenty or so because I keep adding more studies. 

What most believers do not realize is that salvation is a PROCESS that only BEGINS with our accepting Jesus as our savior. This is ONLY the FIRST STEP in a LIFELONG process of OBTAINING ETERNAL LIFE. 

We must all OVERCOME in order to be accounted WORTHY to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in the world yet to come. 

I cannot stress this TRUTH enough, because some in the church believe that there is NOTHING that we need to do after we have accepted Jesus as our savior. 

In other words, some Christians wrongly teach that once a person accepts Jesus, then according to them who teach once saved always saved, they can never lose their salvation no matter what they do or do not do.

However, this is NOT what the WHOLE word of God teaches us. So be not deceived by these doctrines of men. 

Read the word of God for YOURSELF! Go back just in these letters to the seven churches and see how many warnings Jesus gives to us, the church, about our WORKS needing to be improved in order to receive eternal life. 

We who are in Jesus are indeed SAVED, but we have not yet received our reward of eternal life.

Again, when the word teaches us to live WITHOUT sin and to follow the steps of Jesus who did no sin. Yes, the GOAL is to not have ANY sin in our life. 

But being PERFECT does not mean that a person must NEVER SIN again, or it is over for that person, as in, one strike and you're out. 

No, a thousand times no! Rather, we are to obey the LEADING of the Holy Spirit. 

This means that when we do sin, then the Holy Spirit will lead us to REPENT and confess our sin. 

So then, do NOT sit and ARGUE with the Holy Spirit to EXCUSE your sin. 

But rather, OBEY the leading of the Holy Spirit and CONFESS your sin. 

Each and every time you OBEY the Holy Spirit to confess and repent of your sin, then you are made PERFECT once again in the eyes of God. 

So then, STAY in that PERFECT relationship by OBEYING the Holy Spirit to confess your sins IMMEDIATELY. 

I believe that this is what Jesus meant when he said be you PERFECT even as your Father in heaven is PERFECT. 

So STAY in the PERFECT gift of RIGHTEOUSNESS that God has given to whosoever BELIEVES in His Son, Jesus, as the atonement for their sins.

And again, always continually seek God and HIS strength to do better and better as you grow in the Lord. Do NOT believe the lies that you can never live without sin and you will always be a filthy sinner. 

You are NOT a sinner. You are a NEW creature created by Almighty God in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus would have never told us to put off the old man of sin if it was impossible to do. With MAN it is impossible but NOT WITH God!

Now, if you are tired of sinning and repenting, sinning and repenting, again and again, like being a so-called “roller coaster” Christian, up one day and down the next, then I implore you to read the study F-12. HOW YOU CAN LIVE YOUR LIFE FREE FROM SIN! 

Moving on to the last two verses in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:21. “To him that OVERCOMES will I grant to SIT WITH me in my throne, EVEN as I also overcame, and am SET down with my Father in His throne.

Revelation 3:22. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Again, the warning in all seven churches is about our WORKS and OVERCOMING even as Jesus OVERCAME the world.

Also again, we see Jesus making a distinction between himself and Almighty God his Father. 

Now, please notice that Jesus says to us who OVERCOME, we shall be GRANTED to sit WITH Jesus in his throne in the same manner that Jesus was GRANTED to be SET down WITH his God and Father in His FATHER’S throne. 

You see, it was BECAUSE Jesus OVERCAME the enemy to do all his Father’s will, EVEN to suffer and die on the cross, that the human Son of God was GRANTED to be seated on God’s throne.

Right now, Jesus is a PRINCE, according to Revelation 1:5, but he will be crowned as the King of kings and Lord of lords over the whole earth during the world to come.

The throne still belongs to Almighty God and is on temporary loan to His Son for 1000 years. Micah 4:6-8 prophesied that Jesus would rule during the FIRST DOMINION and then Yahweh will rule HENCEFORTH or after the first dominion. 

And that agrees with 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, which teaches that the Son will COMMIT the kingdom back into the Father’s hand so that God may be all in all. 

And Isaiah 40:10 teaches us that the ARM of Yahweh shall RULE FOR Yahweh.

Isaiah 40:10.

“Behold, the Lord GOD (Yahweh or Almighty God the Father) will come with strong hand, and His ARM (A prophecy of Jesus the SON of Almighty God the Father being Yahweh’s ARM, Jesus, who) shall RULE FOR HIM: (Again, Jesus the SON of God shall rule FOR the Lord God Yahweh the Almighty for 1000 years, the FIRST dominion) behold, his REWARD is with him, (Speaking of Jesus having our reward of eternal life and the reward of WRATH for the disobedient to the Gospel. Compare to Revelation 22:12-15) and his work before him.”

The work before Jesus is to rapture the church, then execute the WRATH of God. 

And then, Jesus will rule for God in the NAME of God, as the God over the whole earth for 1000 years.

Revelation 22:12-15.

“And behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD is with me, to give every man according as his WORK shall be. (In other words, the REWARD for the saints will be eternal life. 

And the REWARD for the UNSAVED, whose work is NOT BELIEVING in Jesus, will be the WRATH of Almighty God) 

Revelation 22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Revelation 22:14. Blessed are THEY that doHis commandments, that (Or so that) THEY (Speaking of ONLY they who are KEEPING the commandments of God which He gave to His Son Jesus under the NEW Covenant written in the NEW Testament, that Jesus gave to us to give to the world in the world to come) may have RIGHT to the tree of LIFE, and may ENTER in through the gates into the city. 

Revelation 22:15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.”

To me, this last phrase means those who LOVE God and His Son, Jesus, but yet, they unknowingly MAKE a LIE by teaching FALSE doctrine that they sincerely believe is the truth. 

And by false doctrine, I mean a teaching such as once saved always saved, which can cause some Christians to lose their salvation by wrongly understanding that they can do whatever their flesh wants to do, and they will never lose their salvation.

Please read the study called F-2. Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

Another group of Christians that love God and His Son Jesus, by yet they make a lie is the seventh day of the week Sabbath keeping Christians. 

Their false doctrine that teaches ANOTHER Gospel of keeping all the Law of Moses in order to please God.

Please read the studies under the heading ** D-0. The Biblical Jesus** Biblical Unitarian VIEW of Jesus!

This brings us to CHAPTER 4 of the Book of Revelation.

To continue with CHAPTER 4 just click on the link or go to the menu list below to click on the link to a different chapter in the Book or Revelation.

Here is the Table of Contents with links to all of the chapters in the Book of Revelation. 

It is best to read them in the order that they are listed. But please feel free to skip any chapter and any verse.

** K-0 The Book of Revelation VERSE BY VERSE! **

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands. 

And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels. 

Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. 

For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here?  Is God at WAR? **.

More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God. 

If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.

For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1-In the BEGINNING, and D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD! 

At the top of my homepage, there are subjects or categories which contain compiled lists of ** ALL Studies! ** I have written on that particular subject. So, if a link within a study is broken, then click on ** ALL Studies! ** to find the suggested study.

Or you can scroll down to the MORE dropdown menu list to find those studies as well. 

Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! ** 

This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. 

So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

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Revelation Chapter 3.

What Does Revelation 3:3 and 3:14 TRULY Mean?

Let us begin the verse-by-verse study in Revelation chapter 3 by reading the first three verses before we take a closer look to learn their meaning.

Revelation 3:1. “AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write. These things say he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your WORKS, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.”

Revelation 3:2. “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have NOT found your WORKS PERFECT before God.”

Revelation 3:3. “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall NOT watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.”

The first thing that jumps out to me is, Jesus is observing our WORKS. 

Also, there is a group of Christians who have a NAME, so to speak, or they are KNOWN by their teaching of no WORKS to be saved.

Then Jesus says the phrase “You have a NAME that you live and are dead.” 

The word “name” speaks of what we are known by. In other words, there are some Christians who are KNOWN to SAY we are NOT saved by WORKS.

And there are also Christians in “name” only. They SAY that they are Christians, but they are NOT walking in love and obeying the teachings of Jesus. 

In other words, their WORKS or the fruit they bear, shows they are not obeying the teachings of the New Testament under the New Covenant. 

Just because a person bears the NAME CHRISTIAN does not necessarily mean that they are saved. 

And by saved, I mean in right relationship with God, obeying the words of His covenant, in the New Testament. 

Again, some say that they are Christians, but they do not obey the teaching in the New Testament to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 

Rather, they are following a “RELIGION”, the “traditional” church teaching of their church DENOMINATION.

To say this another way, they are following a man-made teaching using select verses taken from the Bible out of context to try and support what they teach. 

Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:22,23, teaching us to know those who are in error by their WORKS or by the fruit that they bear.

Matthew 7:16-23.

“You shall know them by their fruits. (Or by their WORKS) Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

Matthew 7:17. Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. (The word evil in the Bible means to NOT do what God Himself says to do. God told the children of Israel to go and possess the land. 

But rather than OBEYING God they sent twelve spies to see if they were able to possess the land. And ten spies brought back an EVIL report saying, we cannot do it. 

But two spies brought back a GOOD report, saying, let us take the land like God said.

So then, God’s word says that sin shall NOT have dominion over us. 

And to say we can NOT live without sin and then sin every day believing you cannot overcome sin is bringing forth an EVIL fruit)

Matthew 7:18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 

Matthew 7:19. Every tree that brings NOT forth GOOD FRUIT (Or every Christian that does NOT bring forth GOOD WORKS) is hewn down and cast into the fire. 

Matthew 7:20. Wherefore, by their fruits (Or by their WORKS) you shall know them. 

Matthew 7:21. Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOES the WILL of my Father which is in heaven. (The WILL of Almighty God the Father is that we hear and OBEY the WORDS of His Son Jesus written in the New Testament. Matthew 17:5. “While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YOU HIM.” 

The Old Testament prophesied about a prophet that God would raise up like Moses, and whosoever did not hear HIS words would be cut off or cast into the lake of fire. 

Please read Acts 3:22,23. “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; HIM shall you hear in ALL THINGS whatsoever HE shall say unto you. Acts 3:23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will NOT hear THAT PROPHET, shall be destroyed from among the people.”

And that prophet is Jesus, the beloved glorified human SON OF Almighty God Himself! 

And it is the WILL of Almighty God the Father that we hear and obey the WORDS and teaching of Jesus, which are the words of the NEW Covenant written in the New Testament) 

Matthew 7:22. “MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name cast out devils? (And NON-Christians cannot cast out devils, according to Acts 19:11-20. 

Therefore, these are TRUE born-again Christians that Jesus will NOT find worthy to receive eternal life because their WORKS are not PERFECT before God) And in your name done many wonderful works? 

Matthew 7:23. And then will I profess unto them I never knew you: (Or I no you no more) depart from me you workers of iniquity.”

The Christians who teach once saved always saved use verse 23 here to try and prove that those who Jesus will say to, depart from me, were never truly saved, because Jesus said that he NEVER knew them. 

This just shows how some Christian take verses out of context to have them save what they WANT them to say. 

First of all, an UNSAVED person has no authority to use the name of Jesus and cast out devils, according to Acts 19:11-20. 

The devil will laugh and say to those who are not truly saved, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know but WHO are you”. 

Secondly, the Greek words TRANSLATED as I “never” knew you could equally be translated as I NO MORE KNOW YOU or I no longer know you.

Also, there are some, who are indeed true born-again Christians, but they have lost their first love. 

And thus, they are backsliding as some say. To “backslide” means that they have made excuses for their sin so much that their conscience is beginning to become seared or hardened. 

Therefore, they have become COLD because of sin, like Jesus says in Matthew 24:12,13.

Matthew 24:12,13.

                          “And because iniquity (Or because SIN) shall abound, (Or because sin shall be all around to vex Christians like Lot in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah) the love of many shall wax COLD (Or GROW cold, as in, the FLESH of many will love the pleasure of sin more than they love God. 

And thus, they will give into the temptation to sin and not obey the law that God has written on their HEART. 

They begin EXCUSING their sin until it becomes a lifestyle of sin, which they no longer consider sin)

Matthew 24:13. BUT he (Of you TRUE born-again Christians) that shall ENDURE unto the END, the SAME shall be SAVED.”

So then, ONLY those of us who are found FAITHFUL to ENDURE unto the END shall receive our reward or promise of eternal life in the world to come. 

The END means the end of a Christian’s physical life when they die. And the END also means the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

So then, the END is whichever comes first, physical death of some Christians or the coming of Jesus. For you see, some Christians will not die physically, but rather, there will be many Christians all over the world who will remain alive unto the SECOND coming of Jesus.

Remember what we just learned in Revelation chapter 2 about our WORKS. Remember that if a Christian’s WORKS are not found to be WORTHY, then that Christian will NOT receive their reward or promise of ETERNAL LIFE, and they will be cast out into outer darkness.

And Revelation 3:2 ALSO warns us that we need to be WATCHFUL. 

To be watchful not only means that we need to judge ourselves lest we are judged, but ALSO that we need to watch in prayer so that our inner man will be strengthened to overcome temptation. 

To judge ourselves lest we are judged means that we are to search our own hearts and repent of any sins that we may not have truly repented of already with sincere godly sorrow. 

We are to judge ourselves lest we are found unworthy when Jesus comes.  

But also know and understand that it is not only when Jesus comes that we are judged because of sin that we have excused and have not confessed to be forgiven. 

For you see, when one is living in sin or has sin that they have not confessed with true sincere godly sorrow, then that opens the door for Satan to oppress that person. 

Living is sin opens up Christians to the attacks of the enemy to oppress them. 

So then, the laxer or the more complacent we become in our relationship with Almighty God the Father and His Son Jesus and the reading of God’s word, then the more vulnerable we become to the attacks of the enemy.

In Revelation 3:3, we again find a warning from Jesus for us to WATCH.

Revelation 3:3. “IF therefore, you shall NOT watch, I WILL come upon you as a THIEF, and you shall NOT KNOW what hour I will come upon you.”

And Jesus coming as a THIEF is NOT a good thing. Trust me when I say that you do NOT want Jesus to come upon you as a THIEF in the night!

Also, Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 that no man KNOWS the day or the hour of his coming. 

So then, it would be pointless for Jesus to WARN us, if we are NOT WATCHING then we will NOT KNOW the hour of his coming.

In other words, Jesus is actually saying that if we ARE WATCHING then we WILL KNOW the HOUR of his coming.

Let us go ahead and read Matthew 24:36.

“But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Now, when I first became a true born-again Christian in the Assemblies of God denomination, I was first taught the PRE-tribulation rapture of the church. And according to what pre-tribulation rapture teaches, I was taught that NO man, as in, no true born-again Christian can know the day or the hour that Jesus comes again. 

But those LEFT behind COULD KNOW the day and hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus, because they could simply COUNT the days.

In other words, the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine teaches that Jesus will come as a THIEF in the night to SECRETLY catch up or rapture his church to escape the time of great tribulation. 

And they use this verse in Matthew 24:36 to try to give support to their teaching of Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night as being a GOOD thing that we should want and look for to happen.

But I tell you the TRUTH that the PRE-tribulation doctrine is a FALSE man-made doctrine that “tickles” the ears of those who heap teachers together, to hear how they will escape the period of great tribulation.

Here is how the pre-tribulation teaching argument goes. Those who teach a rapture of the church before the great tribulation argue that since people WILL KNOW the day and hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus, then his coming will NOT be like a THIEF in the night to SECRETLY rapture the church.

For you see, THEY, the ones LEFT BEHIND, will SEE the SIGNS begin to come to pass. And thus, those left behind can simply count 1260 days from the abomination of desolation. 

Therefore, this verse in Matthew 24:36 PROVES a pre-tribulation rapture, because Jesus says NO man knows the day or hour. 

And thus, the Christians that teach the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine conclude that there MUST be TWO separate comings of Jesus, one before the great tribulation with NO SIGNS of his coming, and his SECOND coming right after the great tribulation having many SIGNS to watch for to KNOW the HOUR of his coming. 

Now I agree with this teaching in part, in that, no man knows the day or hour right NOW BEFORE the SIGNS begin appearing. 

So, you can see HOW Christians READ INTO the Scriptures their PRECONCEIVED belief based upon an INCORRECT interpretation of just ONE verse of Scripture.

In other words, Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night does NOT mean a so-called SECRET rapture of the church. That is an INCORRECT interpretation.

For the true sound Biblical meaning of Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night, please read the study called Jesus is Coming as a THIEF in the Night!

Again, even the pre-tribulation view and the mid-tribulation view teaches that WHEN the abomination of desolation occurs, THEN those going through the great tribulation can simply count 1260 days FROM the abomination of desolation TO the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

And, therefore, those left behind WILL KNOW the day and the hour of the SECOND coming of Jesus.

So then, I do not believe this verse in Matthew 24:36, where Jesus says no man knows the day and hour of his return, teaches us that no man can NEVER know the day or hour. Let me explain what I mean.

Take another look at Revelation 3:3 and read a paraphrased version of mine. This paraphrase version clearly shows that the OPPOSITE of what Jesus said in Revelation 3:3 is EQUALLY true.

My paraphrase version of Revelation 3:3. 

“Therefore, IF you SHALL watch you SHALL KNOW what hour I will come and I will NOT come upon you as a THIEF.”

Now let us go back to Matthew 24:36. The word “KNOW” here in this verse carries the idea of perceiving. In other words, “... but of that day and hour, no man has perceived as yet…” 

But then, Jesus goes on to say, and I again paraphrase in my own words “BUT know this or BUT this much I have perceived so know and understand this much that I have PERCEIVED thus far…”

In Habakkuk 2:3 we read.

“For the vision is yet for an appointed TIME, but at the END IT (Referring to the END of this present world the vision, it) shall SPEAK, (Or at the end of days of this present world the vision will SPEAK or be made KNOWN) and NOT LIE: (It is as if God knew that Satan would deceive Christians with his LIE that Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night is a good thing) though it tarry, wait for it, because it will come, and it will not tarry.”

In other words, on the last day, the vision will be made KNOWN to us. So what does this mean? 

I see two things that this verse of prophecy in Habakkuk 2:3 means.

#1.  It means that we shall know with absolute certainty which teaching is the truth. 

For you see, today in the church, depending on which church denomination you attend, there are three MAIN teachings as to WHEN the rapture of the church will occur. 

There is the PRE-tribulation view. 

There is the MID tribulation view. 

And then there is the TRUTH, the POST tribulation teaching.

Please notice that this verse says that the vision will speak and NOT LIE. 

This teaches us that there are false teachings in the church body, but as the end draws closer to the coming of Jesus, the TRUTH will become known and NOT LIE.

Now, simply considering the second coming of Jesus, we all AGREE that Jesus is coming to execute the WRATH of Almighty God.

But some Christians fail to see that the rapture of the church will occur SECONDS before Jesus AND ALL of the saints will execute the vengeance and wrath of Almighty God, according to Psalm 149:6-9. 

For a deeper understanding of the rapture, the second coming of Jesus, and the end times please read all the related studies on this subject. 

I might suggest starting with J-4. THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS Or you can jump right in with both feet and read the study J-7. WHEN IS THE RAPTURE?

#2.  Not only will the church as a whole know that the rapture will occur at the second coming of Jesus immediately after the time of great tribulation, but the church, as a whole, will know the day and the hour by counting the days from the abomination of desolation. 

For you see, when we shall SEE Jerusalem surrounded by ARMIES to MAKE DESOLATION, then that knowledge or the understanding will be the starting point of the exact day or the coming of Jesus.

Now, we may not know with absolute precision the exact day or hour, until we begin seeing the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, which will usher in the WRATH of God that we, as Christians, are NOT appointed. 

Again, please read the studies that I have written on the second coming of Jesus.

But for now, let us look at the next chapter of Habakkuk in chapter 3.

Habakkuk 3:2.

“O Lord I have heard your speech, and I was afraid; O Lord, revive (Keep alive, energize or restore strength to) your work in the MIDST of years, in the MIDST of the years MAKE KNOWN; in WRATH remember mercy.”

Now, when the Holy Spirit first revealed to me the TRUTH as to WHEN the rapture will without fail occur, I was extremely AFRAID. 

I did NOT want to know this, if God was showing me the truth of the POST tribulation rapture of the church. 

So, I shut my Bible and refused to look at the verse in Revelation 20:4-6, which opened my eyes to the truth that the church WILL go through the great tribulation. 

You can read my full testimony in the studies on the end times of that experience in my life.

But my main point right now is for you to notice the phrase “in the MIDST of years” repeated TWICE. 

For those of you, who have at least a little teaching on the last days, this phrase should ring a bell for you pointing to the seventieth week of Daniel, in the MIDST of the week.

Now, Hosea 3:2 tells us exactly WHEN the MIDST of years will occur. The midst of years is WHEN the WRATH of God will occur. 

And the wrath of God will occur AFTER the period of great tribulation and BEFORE the 1000-year reign of Jesus.

Now, there are many more passages of Scriptures that point to the fact that one day we WILL KNOW the day of our Lord’s return. 

And perhaps, we will know the approximate hour of his coming well before Jesus comes again. 

And by “well before” I am speaking of 3 1/2 years before, which is commonly or traditionally called the MIDST of years, as in, the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel. 

But this is another study in and of itself. If you would like to know more on the topic of the rapture and the second coming of Jesus please read the study called MORE ON THE RAPTURE: J-10. NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY NOR THE HOUR! 

And I suggest reading two of my newest studies called J-30 A NEW Look at the Seventieth Week of Daniel! And J-31 When is the MIDST of the 70th Week? 

Or you can read one of the many other studies I have on this topic on J-0. Prophecy, the Second Coming of Jesus.  

But for now, let us continue on with this verse-by-verse study in the book of Revelation here in chapter 3 by reading verses 4-6.

Revelation 3:4. “You have a FEW names even in Sardis which have NOT defiled their garments, and THEY shall walk with me in white: for THEY are worthy.”

Revelation 3:5. “He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

Revelation 3:6. “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

The letter to Sardis differs a little from the letters to the other churches in that Jesus gives a rebuke first, but then, Jesus follows with an exhortation. 

In other words, up to this point in the letter to the seven churches in Asia, Jesus exhorted the first five churches in Asia first. And then Jesus gave them a rebuke. 

But with Sardis, the fifth church, Jesus rebukes the Christians first.

I also find it interesting that Jesus said EVEN in Sardis there are a few names that have kept themselves from sin, and those who are found spotless without sin shall be clothed in righteousness because they are found to be worthy. 

Again, the opposite is equally also true! And that means that those whose garments are NOT spotless, being without sin shall NOT walk with Jesus to be found worthy to be clothed in white. 

In other words, a true born-again Christian can lose their salvation by being disobedient to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. So then, HEAR what the Spirit is SAYING!

Jesus goes on to say in the next verse that whosoever shall overcome the temptations that are tempting them to sin and not deny my faith shall be saved. 

In other words, he who ENDURES unto the END the SAME shall be SAVED. And thus, he who does NOT endure unto the end the same shall NOT be saved or found worthy to receive eternal life in the world to come. 

Again, Jesus is WARNING us that ONLY those who remain FAITHFUL unto the end shall be saved. 

The name of those of us found to be good and faithful servants of Jesus shall NOT be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life, and Jesus will confess their name before his Father and his angels. 

Notice that it says the names of those who remain faithful shall NOT be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life. But yet in SOME church “tradition” in some church denominations, Christians are wrongly being taught FALSE doctrine. 

For you see, SOME Christians teach that when a person comes to know the Lord as their personal Savior that their names are written in the book of life at that point in time and they can NEVER LOSE their salvation.

In other words, some Christians have gone TOO far to the extreme to teach that a true born-again Christian’s name can NOT be blotted out of the Lambs book of life. 

To say this another way, some Christians wrongly teach the man-made doctrine of once saved always saved.  

So, please click on the link to read the study called Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

However, this passage of Scripture in Revelation 3:4-6 tells us when our names are actually written in the book of life and that they CAN be BLOTTED OUT if a Christian is NOT found faithful to ENDURE unto the END. 

Here is what I believe. It is my opinion that when Jesus said to his God and Father when he was hanging on the cross, “It is finished” and then gave up the Ghost is the “WHEN” when every man, woman and child on the earth was saved in the eyes of God. 

And by “saved”, I mean that God provided a SPACE for EVERY person’s name to be written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In other words, at the moment Jesus died on the cross, God CONCLUDED ALL to be under SIN because all have SINNED. And thus, God has prepared His WAY in which Almighty God HIMSELF has chosen to SAVE whosoever BELIEVES in the NAME of His only begotten Son. 

What I mean by this is that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the WHOLE world. This means that a WAY of salvation has been PROVIDE and made AVAILABLE for ALL of mankind. 

So then, as soon as a person BELIEVES the gospel of Jesus Christ and repents of their sins they are saved. 

However, they are saved, as in, they are forgiven of all their past sin and placed in a right relationship with God and their names are written in the Lambs book of life at that moment in time. 

And that does NOT mean that they can NEVER lose their salvation by being DECEIVED to walk away from God. 

It would be POINTLESS for God to WARN us as true born-again Christians to NOT take the MARK of the beast if it was impossible for Christians to be DECEIVED.

It is also my opinion that the names of every person, who BELIEVES on Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God who died for their sins, will remain written in the book of life UNTIL they take their last breath and die, or Jesus comes again. 

In other words, God never leaves or forsakes us to the very last SECOND. But, any one of us can be deceived by the enemy to take the mark of the beast and walk away from God.

So then, it is at precisely that exact moment in time that a person DIES physically or Jesus returns, that I myself believe their name is either left written in the Lamb’s book of life or it is BLOTTED OUT of the Lamb’s book of life being based on their WORKS. 

And by their WORKS, Jesus means whether they are found worthy by living RIGHTEOUSLY. That is to say, living without sin in their lives by not sinning and by quickly confessing their sins. 

And by WORKS, Jesus ALSO means if they are living in a “lifestyle” of sin or they are living with unrepented sin in their life like holding a grudge of hatred toward someone and they are found NOT to be worthy to receive eternal life.

Jesus did say that we will not be forgiven if we do NOT forgive others, according to Matthew 6:14,15.

Keep in mind that he that sins willfully MEANS to DENY Jesus. 

And thus, converting to Islam is the same as crucifying Jesus anew, for you see Muslims reject Jesus as being the Son of Almighty God. 

And they also deny that Jesus died on the cross.

 So then, by willful sin in Hebrews, that passage of Scripture is speaking following a FALSE gospel like keeping all of the Law of Moses in order to be more pleasing to God.

Also, another kind of wilful sin is EXCUSING one's sin calling it NOT sin. Or knowing that it is sin, but being deceived that they can never lose their salvation no matter what they do or do not do. 

And thus, they blindly accept sin as a part of their lives and they no longer resist sin as they should be resisting sin. 

There is also an “extreme” teaching among some once saved, always saved believers that there is no need to confess any sins after a person has accepted Jesus as their Savior. Please do not be deceived by such false teaching.

And again, do NOT be deceived to convert to Islam, which I believe is the MARK of the beast. Please read the study J-27. Could Islam be the Mark of the Beast? 

And also read Book 8 What is the TRUTH Faith? Here is the link to chapter 1 called B-8 Ch1 Is Islam the TRUE Faith? 

Also, read Ezekiel 33:11-20. It is vital that you understand that Christians CAN lose their salvation! So, please read the study F-2. Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?  He that has an ear, PLEASE I implore you to HEAR what the Spirit of the living God is begging you to hear. This brings us to the end of the letter to the church in Sardis.

Let us continue with the letter to the church in Philadelphia which begins in Revelation 3:7. Again, we will read three verses together.

Revelation 3:7. “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write. These things say he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens;”

Revelation 3:8. “I know your WORKS: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for (Or because) you have little strength, AND have KEPT my word, and has NOT denied my name. (In other words, you have made it by enduring unto the end to be found worthy to be clothed in white)

Revelation 3:9. “Behold I will make them which SAY they are Jews, and are NOT, but do LIE; behold I will make THEM to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”

Again, Jesus begins by saying that he knows our WORKS. Jesus also speaks about opening a door that no man can shut and shutting a door that no man can open.

Here is what Jesus said in John 10:7b.

“...Verily, verily, (Or truly, truly) I say unto you, I am the DOOR of the sheep.”

In verses 1-5 of this same chapter in the gospel of John chapter 10, we find an interesting parable that will shed some more light on or more understanding on what Jesus meant when he said he in Revelation 3:8, I have set before you an OPEN DOOR.

Let us read Revelation 3:8b again.

“...Behold, I have set before you an open door and no man can shut it...”

Let us go ahead and read John 10:1-11 so that you can see that the translators have not always translated every word to the God INTENDED meaning.

John 10:1-11.

“Verily, verily, (Or truly, truly) I say unto you, He that enters NOT by the DOOR into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the SAME is a thief and a robber. (In other words, there is only ONE FAITH that leads to eternal life in the world to come)

John 10:2. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 

John 10:3. To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

John 10:4. And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 

John 10:5. And a stranger will they NOT follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 

John 10:6. This parable spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them. 

John 10:7. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the DOOR of the sheep. 

John 10:8. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (Now, to me, a more correct translation of verse 8 would be, “All that come AFTER me that set themselves ABOVE me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep do not hear them” 

And Muhammad, the prophet of Islam has set himself ABOVE Jesus by claiming that he is the “final” prophet sent by God to straighten out the Jews and the Christians. 

But Jesus himself says that he is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE and that no man comes to God except through or by him)

John 10:9. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

John 10:10. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

John 10:11. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his LIFE for the sheep.”

Again, according to John 14:6, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father, but by the Son of Almighty God. 

In other words, we must believe in BOTH the SON and the Father and if one does NOT have the SON, then they do NOT have the Father either.

But yet, Muslims DENY that Jesus is the SON of Almighty God. And the Jews deny that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament Scriptures. 

Muslims SAY that they believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but they DENY that Jesus was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world. 

The prophet Daniel teaches us that in the last days that there will be those that will try to persuade us that holding on to our faith and suffering even unto death is foolish, and not needful. 

They will say something like, “Islam is the true faith, and Christianity is not the true faith. 

For you see, Orthodox Christianity says that Jesus is the one true God.”

Then Muslims will show from the Bible ITSELF that Jesus is NOT Almighty God Himself and convince some weaker Christians to convert to Islam. 

Again, Islam denies that Jesus is the SON OF God, but Muslims do NOT tell you all of what they believe until after you convert to Islam.

Now, Islam also denies that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the entire world so that WHOSOEVER BELIEVES that Jesus is the Christ, the SON OF the living God, should not perish but be given an OPEN DOOR, which leads to eternal life in the world to come. 

There are many false deceivers even in the world right now and Islam is not the only deception that leads to the lake of fire on the final Day of Judgment.

 I have personally seen videos where weak Christians are being converted to Islam in just a matter of a few minutes. 

And Muslims are doing this simply by exposing the ERRORS in orthodox church doctrine of the Trinity. Muslims then say to the weak Christians, “How can you trust those who LIED to you?” 

And SOME Roman Catholic Chistians have converted to Islam.

And to me, the FALSE doctrine of the Trinity is to be blamed for Christians converting to Islam, which DENIES that Jesus died for our sins.

So I implore you, dear children of God, to NOT be deceived to take the MARK of the beast which to me, is converting to Islam. I implore you to read the study J-27. COULD ISLAM BE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?

Continuing with Revelation 3:4-6, Jesus also said that there will be those who SAY that they are Jews, and they are NOT truly Jews. 

But rather, they are liars and are deceiving themselves and others by their lies. Now, when people are DECEIVED, they sincerely believe that they are teaching the TRUTH.

Do not believe their lies! Do NOT be DECEIVED by what has DECEIVED them! 

Jesus teaches us that he is the only true door that he has opened to you and whosoever BELIEVES in the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And no man can close that OPEN door to eternal life by taking your life. So, do not fear what men can do to you. 

But rather, fear God who is able to destroy both the body and the SOUL. 

We know as Christians that whether we live or whether we die, we shall LIVE for all eternity with Almighty God and His Son in the City of God. 

In other words, no man can take your crown of eternal life unless you yourself GIVE it to them by denying Jesus as the SON OF God and your Messiah, who died for your sin and God raised from the dead.

They can DECEIVE, but they cannot FORCEFULLY take your crown of eternal life. Only your FEAR of death to DENY your faith to SAVE your mortal life will cause that open door to be closed. 

So then, only YOU can close the open door to eternal life. God will never leave nor forsake any person, but any person can walk away from God or not come to God’s drawing them to Jesus to be saved.

The open door is like an OPEN INVITATION to come in. The door remains OPEN so ANYONE may enter. 

And when one enters the open door it does NOT close locking them in.

NO, the open door remains OPEN. And thus, Christians can become deceived to walk back OUT of that open door. 

There can be a number of things these verses mean, but the one thing I know is what God has already said He is not going to go back and change what He has spoken in His word. 

Almighty God simply WILL NOT go back on His word. God is forever faithful to perform His word. And it is impossible for God to LIE. 

And thus, the Quran is NOT the inspired word of Almighty God. Please read Book 8 What is the TRUE Faith? Here is the link to chapter 1 called B-8 Ch1 Is Islam the TRUE Faith? 

And for a deeper understanding on this subject of God faithfulness to do what He Said He would do, please read the study called Cc-25. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD! 

Also, as I have already said above. I myself believe that Jesus is saying by these words that they have FINISHED their course and are found to be that good and faithful servant.

And then, as one of our rewards, Jesus will have those who are NOT found worthy at the time of his coming, the remnant of Jews and those left of the nations to come and bow down at our feet. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Let us move on to the next verse.

Revelation 3:10. “Because you have KEPT the word of my patience, I will ALSO KEEP you from the HOUR of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try THEM that dwell on the earth.”

Now, some Christians who teach on prophecy, teach that the HOUR of temptation or trial referred to in this verse is speaking of the time of great tribulation. 

However, I myself believe that Jesus is referring to the WRATH of God when Jesus said that he will keep us, who keep his word, from the HOUR of temptation. 

Simply take a look at Revelation 6:17 to COMPARE Scripture with Scripture.

Revelation 6:17 and Revelation 8:1.

“Revelation 6:17. For the great day of his WRATH is come; and who shall be able to stand?...

…Revelation 8:1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an HOUR.”

The rapture of the church takes place BETWEEN the great tribulation and the WRATH of God. 

In other words, we can see the picture of the rapture of the church BETWEEN the SIXTH seal and the SEVENTH seal, BETWEEN the SIXTH trumpet and the SEVENTH trumpet, and BETWEEN the SIXTH vial and the SEVENTH vial.

So then, the first SIX are the great tribulation and the SEVENTH is the WRATH of God. 

And we are NOT appointed to the WRATH of God. But we are appointed to TRIBULATION.

The HOUR of God WRATH is divided in HALF. The first HALF an HOUR of God’s wrath will be immediately AFTER the great tribulation. God will have MERCY and lift His WRATH for 1000 years during the 1000-year reign of Jesus.

Then God will release Satan out of the bottomless pit to DECEIVE the nations to make WAR one final time. 

And the last half HOUR of God’s wrath will come down as FIRE from heaven and CONSUME the wicked in a lake of fire. 

The earth will pass away and the elements will MELT with fervent heat.

So then, to me, the HOUR of temptation is the WRATH of Almighty God executed in two parts, BEFORE the 1000 years and AFTER the 1000 years.

Now take a look at Revelation 18:1-24, which teaches us about the rapture of the church and the pouring out of the wrath of God at the end of verse 19.

Revelation 18:9 b.

“...for in ONE HOUR is she made desolate.”

Also, the CONTEXT of this verse here in Revelation 3:10 is written to the CHURCH going through temptations, trials, tribulation and even being martyred, but yet not denying their faith in Jesus. 

The whole context of what we have read thus far in Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3 is all about OVERCOMING and being found faithful. 

Remember just a few verses earlier Jesus WARNS us, the church, that if we are NOT watching, then he WILL come upon us as a THIEF. 

And thus, if we are watching and keeping our garments spotless then Jesus will NOT come upon us as a thief in the night.

And again, when we compare these verses, comparing Scripture with Scripture where Jesus comes as a thief, then we will see that Jesus coming as a THIEF is Jesus coming to execute the WRATH of God. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, we learn that WHEN Jesus comes as a THIEF in the night, it is speaking of his SECOND coming to execute the WRATH of God.

In other words, Jesus coming as a THIEF in the night is NOT some so-called pre-tribulation rapture to escape the period of great tribulation. 

Keep in mind that 1 Thessalonians 1:1-11 is part of the CONTEXT in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the famous “rapture” passage of Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you. (Times and seasons of WHAT? The times and season of the RAPTURE of the church taught to us in chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, verses 13-18. 

We must keep the verses we are studying in their CONTEXT even when going into another chapter)

1 Thessalonians 5:2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a THIEF in the night. (But NOT come on us who are WATCHING for his coming and keeping his WORD to keep sin out of our lives and not to deny his name)

1 Thessalonians 5:3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; (Now, some who teach a pre-tribulation rapture before the great tribulation, INTERPRET these words as the antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel. 

But this interpretation cannot possibly be correct seeing that Jesus himself places the WRATH of God AFTER the time of great tribulation in Matthew 24:29-31. 

Also, the CONTEXT of this verse is speaking of the WRATH of God and NOT the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation. So then, when they SAY peace and safety) then sudden destruction comes upon THEM, as travail upon a woman with child; and THEY shall NOT escape. (Now, to me, the pronoun THEY and THEM are referring to the Muslims who SAY that Islam is a religion of PEACE)

1 Thessalonians 5:4. But you, brethren, are NOT in darkness, that that day (Speaking of the DAY of the Lord when Jesus executes the WRATH of God upon the world as a THIEF in the night) should overtake you as a THIEF. 

1 Thessalonians 5:5. You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are NOT of the night, nor of darkness.  

1 Thessalonians 5:6. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (The word sober in the context of the next verse seems to be intended to mean to abstain from drinking alcohol and not get drunk. 

But the word sober also means to be discreet. And the word discreet means to watch on all sides. 

So then, we need to watch for the SIGNS of the coming of Jesus, but we also need to watch what we do and say)

1 Thessalonians 5:7. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 

1 Thessalonians 5:9. For God has not appointed us to WRATH, (So again, the CONTEXT of the DAY of the Lord coming as a THIEF in the night is the WRATH of God and NOT the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation) but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:10. Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11. Wherefore, COMFORT yourselves together, (The SAME words we read in the CONTEXT in 1 Thessalonians 4:18, the RAPTURE passage of Scripture) and edify one another, even as also you do.”

So then, ALL of what is written to the letters to the seven churches spans from the early church all the way through to the SECOND coming of Jesus. 

And thus, ONLY those found WORTHY at the time of his coming will hear the words of Jesus saying, BECAUSE you have KEPT the word of my patience, then I will KEEP YOU for the WRATH of God that shall try all the world. 

Well done my good and faithful servants, you have been faithful in few things will be made ruler over much, enter you into the joy of your Lord, according to Matthew 25:21. 

And Luke 19:17 says, that on that day when we will rule and reign with him on the earth that the faithful in little things will be given much is speaking of having authority or rule over the cities of the nations.

Luke 19:17.

“And he said unto him, Well, you good servant: because you have been faithful in a very little, have you authority over ten cities.”

To me, this is speaking of ruling and reigning WITH Jesus over the whole earth for 1000 years. 

And entering INTO the joy of our Lord Jesus Christ means RECEIVING the SAME joy that was set before Jesus to ENDURE the cross. 

And that joy is being GLORIFIED with the SAME glory that God gave to Jesus, according to John 17:13-22.

In other words, entering into the joy of our Lord means to enter into the kingdom of heaven to be given the divine nature of immortality to rule and reign with Jesus. 

Please read the Verse Study called John 17:5 What Does the GLORY I had Before the World Was TRULY Mean? 

Again, please read the studies I have on this subject of the rapture of the church. 

For you see, all of Scriptures prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that the church will go through the ENTIRE period of GREAT tribulation. 

And thus, the rapture of the church will take place at the SECOND coming of Jesus.

Let us continue with the next verse in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:11. “Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that which you have, that no man take your CROWN.”

Here in verse 11, we see yet another WARNING by Jesus HIMSELF to guard our walk with him, LEST we become deceived by false teaching. 

Jesus is saying to NOT become LAX in our faith to become complacent to slip back into living is sin. 

For you see, living in a lifestyle of sin is to be found NOT WORTHY. 

And by doing works of iniquity, Christians are in danger of having their crown of eternal life be stolen from us by following the LIES of false teaching.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:11-13 that ONLY he that endures unto the END shall be saved. Many will grow cold in their walk with the Lord and cast away their faith in the last days. 

Jesus is admonishing us here to be patient to ENDURE persecution and hold fast to our faith to overcome sin.

With that being said, let us move on to verse 12 and 13 in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:12. “Him that OVERCOMES will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God; and the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my NEW NAME:”

Revelation 3:13. “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Again and again, Jesus warns us that only those of us who OVERCOME will be given eternal life at his coming.

Notice that Jesus calls the Father his God four times in this one verse of Scripture. 

And that is because Jesus is not Almighty God in the flesh as church TRADITION teaches.

Also, notice that God gave Jesus a NEW NAME. And according to Philippians 2:8-11, God gave the Son of MAN, Jesus, this NEW NAME after the cross and resurrection for a PURPOSE. 

And the purpose of the Son of MAN, Jesus, being given a NEW NAME above every other name is so that every knee will bow at the NAME and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the GLORY of Almighty God the Father. 

Please read the two part study called What is the NEW NAME of Jesus Part1?

But for now, let us continue with this verse-by-verse study of Revelation chapter 3. 

This word pillar here in verse 12 is used only four times in the New Testament and it means leader. 

This word also bears the meaning of one who is grounded and firmly fitted or established upon the truth. 

The church is also referred to as a pillar in 1 Timothy 3:15. And most of us have heard the saying, he is a pillar of the community.

1 Timothy 3:15b.

“...that you may know how to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the CHURCH of the living God, the PILLAR and ground of the truth.”

In Proverbs 9:1 we read.

“WISDOM (A figure of Jesus) has built her house, she has hewn out her SEVEN PILLARS;”

This is prophetically pointing to the seven churches which are in Asia. Jesus is the builder of the house of God, the CHURCH.

It may be that Jesus will divide the world into seven regions where seven groups will be over these seven regions or districts having one region for each group. 

I do not know and I am just sharing some of my speculation or some thoughts that I have.

But what I do know is that I see the distinction that John has and is still making between Jesus and Almighty God the Father. 

And thus, I want to draw your attention to the distinction found in this verse that is repeatedly made between Almighty God the Father and His Son Jesus. 

Remember it is Jesus, who is the one talking to John and telling him what to write to the church at Philadelphia. 

And Jesus says not one, but four different times in this same verse the phrase “MY God.” 

Jesus refers to Almighty God his Father as HIS God four times in this ONE verse of Scripture. 

And this is after Jesus was raised from the dead, given eternal life by his God and Father, and ascended up to heaven to be highly exalted to be seated at the right hand of Almighty God on the throne of his God and Father.

In other words, Almighty God HIGHLY EXALTED the Son of MAN, Jesus, to come and join God on His throne to be second in command to Almighty God Himself. 

And God did this to PROVE that an inferior creation made lower than the angels can and will rule FOR Almighty God and Father in the NAME of God for 1000 years without having any WARS.

And AFTER the 1000-year reign of Jesus and the saints has ended, God will release Satan out of the bottomless pit to PROVE to the good angels that Satan and the fallen angels will never repent of making WAR. 

And then, God will judge the world, Satan, and the fallen angels by the MAN who He ORDAINED and RAISED from the DEAD, according to Acts 17:29-31.

 It is my opinion and my belief that the church has missed out on the WHOLE truth of God's word because we have not totally discerned the difference between God Almighty and Jesus His only begotten Son. 

The church, for the most part, teaches that Jesus is Almighty God himself and there is no difference between Almighty God and Jesus.

However, I do NOT believe that the WHOLE word of God teaches this. 

You will find many more references showing a clear distinction between Almighty God and His Son Jesus in the book of Revelation as well as throughout the entire New Testament of the Bible. 

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Do not simply take my word for it. Prove it out for yourself that God CREATED His Son Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary. 

Hebrews 5:1 clearly teaches us that there was NO Son of God in the eternity past.

Hebrews 1:5.

“For unto which of the angels said he at any time, You are my Son, THIS DAY have I begotten you? And again, (Or in another PROPHECY in the Old Testament) I WILL be to him a Father, and he SHALL be to me a Son?”

God is NOT a LIAR that He would PROPHESY of a DAY that He WILL be to His Messiah a Father, and His Messiah SHALL be a Son to Him if God’s Son ALWAYS existed in the eternity past as church TRADITION dogmatically demands if you want to remain in their church denomination.

This brings us to the end of the letter to the church at Philadelphia. And verse 14 begins the letter to the church of the Laodiceans.

Revelation 3:14. “And unto the angel of the church of Laodiceans write; These things say the Amen, the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION OF God;”

What I am about to expound upon next may strike a nerve with some orthodox Christians, but I believe the truth is important, and thus, the TRUTH must be taught. 

That is why I have shared with you what God has shown me about the truth of the rapture of the church being at the second coming of Jesus and NOT a so-called secret rapture before the great tribulation as church TRADITION claims.

And thus, seeing that we have been taught incorrectly in one area, might not it also be possible that we have been taught other things that are in error as well? 

For you see, what we are taught may sound logical and may appear on the surface to be based upon the word of God. 

However, when closely examined it the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God, then some of the things that we have been taught are found NOT to be what the WHOLE word of God ACTUALLY teaches.

As I have said many times and in the many studies I have written, any verse when taken out of context and viewed alone and apart from the rest of God’s word may SEEM to say or be made to say something that it is not truly saying when it is correctly interpreted in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of God.

And sometimes the truth is hard to receive at first, due to what we have previously been taught. 

But, if we look to God’s word as our foundation ALONE, rather than looking to the traditions of men, then the TRUTH will become apparent.

Please keep in the forefront of your mind Proverbs 18:13 and do not make a judgment or CONCLUDE a matter, until you have heard the entire matter, the WHOLE MATTER. 

Again, keep in mind that this is Jesus speaking when he calls himself the BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD. 

This phrase can and has been interpreted in no less than three ways.  But always remember that whatever one concludes or INTERPRETS a verse to mean, then that interpretation must, without fail, AGREE with the REST of God's word. 

And if it does NOT agree with the WHOLE word of God then that INTERPRETATION is NOT the correct interpretation.

One view of this verse is that Jesus was the BEGINNING of the creation of God, in that, Jesus was the spoken LOGOS of God or the spoken WORD of God, as in, the spoken SAYING of God, which God spoke out from His mouth.

And as soon as God spoke forth His Word, His logos, His saying, then things that God SPOKE began to come into being. In other words, creation began by Almighty God speaking forth the IMAGE that was WITHIN Him out of His mouth as His spoken WORD or SAYING.

Now, keep this view in mind COMPARED to what church TRADITION has taught concerning John 1:1-14. Orthodox church “tradition” teaches that Jesus is the WORD, as in, the Word was a separate divine being that was WITH God.

But, in truth, the Greek word that is “translated” as the English word “with” God, LITERALLY means TOWARDS God. It also means WITHIN the God. 

So then, to me, Jesus, or more specifically, the Son of God BEGAN as the spoken Word that came out from the MOUTH of Almighty God the Creator. 

And thus, Revelation 3:14 means that Jesus is the BEGINNING of the NEW creation of God by being the FIRST BEGOTTEN human from the DEAD.to be given the divine nature of IMMORTALITY to be having in himself even as the Father has always had LIFE in Himself, according to John 5:26,27.

For you see, when we COMPARE Scripture with Scripture, we can clearly see that Jesus is ALSO called the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS in Revelation 3:14 as well.

And when we COMPARE Jesus being called the “faithful and true WITNESS”, we clearly see that Jesus became the faithful and true witness after God raised the Son of MAN, Jesus from the DEAD.

Revelation 1:5.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS, and the FIRST BEGOTTEN the DEAD, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”

The conjunction “and” in light green is NOT in the original Greek text, it was ADDED by the translators. 

And thus, John INTENDED the phrase “the FIRST BEGOTTEN of the DEAD as an adjective modifying the phrase, “who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS. 

So then, like the word “Father” is an adjective to the words Almighty God in the phrase “Almighty God, the Father”, verse 5 should be understood the same way. 

In other words, we should understand the first part of Revelation 1:5 as follows.

Revelation 1:5a.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the FAITHFUL WITNESS, the FIRST BEGOTTEN the DEAD…”

Now, COMPARE this phrase to Revelation 3:14.

“And unto the angel of the church of Laodiceans write; These things say the Amen, the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION OF God;”

And, in the same way that the ADJECTIVE “the FIRST BEGOTTEN of the DEAD” tells us WHEN Jesus ANOINTED became the FAITHFUL WITNESS.

So, does the ADJECTIVE “the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God” tell us WHEN Jesus became the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS? 

It was WHEN the Son of MAN. Jesus, was BEGOTTEN from the DEAD to become the FIRSTBORN of EVERY CREATURE to be made in the IMAGE of the invisible God, according to Colossians 1:15-22.

If you would like to know more on the subject of who is the creator please read ALL of the studies under the subject heading menu list of studies on that subject called DID JESUS CREATE ALL THINGS?

Another way of looking at or “interpreting” this phrase, “Jesus was the BEGINNING of the creation of God”, is that Jesus, the Son of God was the very FIRST CREATION of God. 

In other words, Jesus was the first thing God brought forth into existence in the eternity past. 

This view, of course, would require Jesus to have a BEGINNING. And, therefore, Jesus could NOT be Almighty God Himself as Orthodox Christianity teaches.

Now, to me, this view of the Son of God being created in the eternity past is NOT what the WHOLE word of Almighty God ITSELF actually teaches. 

But I will go ahead and explain what OTHERS, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, mean by the Son of God being the very first creation of God in the eternity past. 

THEY teach that God created His SON whom He called the Word, and then His Son, called or named the Word, created all other things.

And, obviously, the third view is the TRADITIONAL Orthodox view of the Trinity Godhead where ALL three separate persons of God are the CREATOR.

But that traditional Orthodox view does NOT explain WHY God the Son needed to be the FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS in the eternity past when God the Son supposedly BEGAN the creation of God in the eternity past.

So then, the FIRST view is that the creation which is being spoken of here in this verse is God’s NEW creation where Jesus is the FIRST fruit of God's NEW creation being the FIRST born from the dead, the FIRST born among many brethren. 

If you would like to study this topic more in depth I have written a study devoted totally to this truth that Jesus is truly the Son of God, and NOT ALMIGHTY God HIMSELF as some have taught, please read THE DEITY OF JESUS AND THE TRINITY and N-1. JESUS THE SON OF MAN!

Also, read the study P-4. Ephesians 3:9-11-Did JESUS CREATE ALL THINGS? 

But for now, here are a few verses that show us the TRUE meaning of Jesus being the BEGINNING of CREATION to mean that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN among many brethren speaking of Jesus being the beginning of God’s NEW CREATION, which is what the word of God is all about.

Colossians 1:15-18 says.

“Who is the IMAGE of the invisible God, the FIRSTBORN of every CREATURE: (Now, a CREATURE is a CREATION OF God, and Jesus being the FIRSTBORN of every CREATURE means every NEW creature. 

For you see, the CONTEXT teaches us that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD)

Colossians 1:16. For by him (Or more correctly translated, for in him) were ALL things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL things were created by (Or in) him, and for him:

Colossians 1:17. And he is before ALL things, (As in, Jesus is preferred above the ALL who are created in Jesus by Almighty God the Father things), and by him ALL things consist. (As in, by reason of what Jesus did for us on the cross made it possible for ALL who BELIEVE to consist in him. For you see, the English word “things” in light green is NOT in the original Greek text. And the LITERAL translation reads THE ALL, which the CONTEXT teaches as being the BODY of Jesus Christ)

Colossians 1:18. And he is the head of the body, the church: (THE ALL who BELIEVE. In other words, Jesus is the HEAD of THE ALL who believe, the church) who is the BEGINNING, the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD; (The FAITHFUL and TRUE WITNESS, the BEGINNING of the CREATION of God) that in ALL things HE might have preeminence.”

Notice that this verse says that Jesus is the FIRSTBORN of every creature, which I believe means that Jesus is the BEGINNING of God’s creation, as in, God’s NEW CREATION of THE ALL who believe being created by God in Jesus Christ. 

I also firmly believe that the WHOLE word of God clearly teaches us that Jesus has a BEGINNING and is NOT co-eternal with Almighty God the Father as the doctrine of the Trinity teaches. 

The mere fact that Jesus was begotten of God clearly teaches us that the SON had a beginning being BORN of God. In other words, Jesus was born or brought forth into existence by Almighty God the Father.

And I believe that when God sent His SPOKEN word of prophecy down to the earth by His angel Gabriel, who then SPOKE God’s word to the Virgin Mary, who then BELIEVED God’s word and said, “be it done unto me according to your word”. 

Then at that moment in time, it was the spoken word of God that was conceived in her womb to be born as a human being or as the HUMAN Son of Almighty God. 

For you see, it was AFTER the cross and resurrection that the Son of MAN became the ETERNAL Son of Almighty God.

Jesus was the first begotten of the Father or as John 3:16 puts it. Jesus became God’s only BEGOTTEN Son AFTER the cross and resurrection. 

The word begotten means to be born, and only begotten means UNIQUELY born like no other human being. Jesus had NO earthly father. 

But rather, the human Son of God was brought into existence in the womb of Mary by the SPOKEN word of Almighty God being the fulfillment of PROPHECY. 

Also, notice that Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the IMAGE of the invisible God. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word “image” as a reproduction of the appearance of someone or something. 

This agrees with the LITERAL meaning of John 1:1 where the word was WITHIN THE God. Again, the LITERAL translation of John 1:1 says, the SAYING was TOWARD the God. 

Jesus said he came OUT FROM God in John 16:27, which agrees with the PROPHECY in Isaiah 55:8-11, which says the word came OUT of the MOUTH of God and will come down like rain from heaven.

John 16:27.

“For the Father himself loves you, BECAUSE you have loved me, AND (Because you) have BELIEVED that I CAME OUT FROM God.”

Please read my NEW book 1 called Book 1 Table of Contents! The Bible Made SIMPLE to Understand! John 1:1 Made SIMPLE! 

And also read the study V-22. JOHN 1:1 THE WORD WAS GOD!  

And I also have many other related studies on the subject of John 1:1-18 listed under the subject heading called D-15. John 1:1 The Biblical Unitarian Meaning! 

In those studies I break down John 1:1-18 into SMALLER Verse Studies, which will give you a deeper understanding on the subject of Jesus having a beginning.

Hebrews 1:3 says.

“Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express IMAGE of His person, and upholds ALL things by the word of His power, WHEN he by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”

Here again, Jesus is described as the express IMAGE of God. This means an exact image of God’s character. 

It also means that God expressed the image that was WITHIN Himself by SPEAKING forth His word of prophecy out of His mouth what He desired to come to pass. 

And thus, the spoken logos out of the mouth of God BECAME the EXPRESS or expressed IMAGE of God’s person.

Simply read the PROPHECIES about Jesus. Here is one to get you started.

Isaiah 45:13.

“I (Yahweh) have raised him (Jesus) up in RIGHTEOUSNESS, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of hosts”

God prophesied every detail of His Messiah to NOT FAIL, according to Isaiah 42:4.

Also, notice in Hebrew 1:3 that Jesus sat down or was seated by his God on the right hand of his Father, Almighty God and Majesty on high. 

This teaches us that the THRONE itself still belongs to Almighty God and that Jesus has been GIVEN authority to rule on his God and Father’s throne.

The Bible itself teaches us that Jesus will rule as God, FOR God, and in the NAME of God for 1000 years during the world to come. 

And after the 1000 years have ended. Jesus will step down from ruling over the earth and COMMIT the kingdom back into the Father’s hand. 

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 tells us that Jesus will one day, at the END of his 1000-year reign, commit all this authority of rulership that was given to Jesus from his God and Father, BACK to his Father and his God. And then, Almighty God will be all in all once again. I am not making this up. 

This is what the word of God ITSELF actually teaches. People say to me, I have never heard this before in my life. But this is all right there in the word of God for you to read for yourself. 

Sometimes we must UNLEARN some things that we have been TAUGHT by church TRADITION in order to be able to see the TRUTH. Read it for yourself.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28.

 “But now is Christ risen from the dead and BECOME the FIRSTFRUITS of them that slept. 

1 Corinthians 15:21. For since by man came death, by MAN came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1 Corinthians 15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1 Corinthians 15:23. But every MAN in his own order: Christ (The Son of MAN) the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (Here we see that Jesus is one of us who become the FIRSTFRUITS into God. 

Jesus if the FIRST of the firstfruits unto God and then we who are in Jesus Christ will also become firstfruits unto God at the coming of Jesus)

1 Corinthians 15:24. Then comes the end, (Speaking the end of the 1000-year reign of Jesus) when he (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; (The New Testament always clearly identifies God as being the FATHER) when He (Almighty God, the Father) shall have put down all rule and authority and power.

1 Corinthians 15:25. For he (Jesus) must reign, till He (Speaking of Almighty God, the Father) has put down all enemies under his feet. 

1 Corinthians 15:26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1 Corinthians 15:27. For He (Almighty God) has put all things under his feet, (Referring to Jesus) But when He (Almighty God) says all things are put under him, (Jesus) it is manifest (Or clearly shown and made known) that He (Speaking of Almighty God) is excepted, which did put all things under him. (Jesus)

1 Corinthians 15:28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the SON ALSO HIMSELF be SUBJECT unto Him (Almighty God the Father) that put all things under him, that GOD may be all in all.”

Now, to all of my Trinitarian readers. THINK this through for yourself. The doctrine of the Trinity says that the Son of God is co-equal with God and that neither is greater than nor less than the other.

So, let us ASSUME that a CO-EQUAL Almighty God the Son came down from heaven and BECAME the Son of MAN in the womb of the Virgin Mary like the doctrine of the Trinity teaches.

Then the Son of MAN, or God the Son was HIGHLY EXALTED after the cross and resurrection to be MADE Lord and Christ, according to Acts 2:36 and Philippians 2:8-11 to RULE over the earth for 1000 years during the world to come.

Then, when the 1000-year reign of the HIGHLY EXALTED Son of MAN, or the HIGHLY EXALTED God the Son comes to an END, the Son or God the Son will step down from ruling over the earth and be SUBJECT to Almighty God the Father.

Now, HOW do these verses of Scripture FIT your man-made doctrine of the Trinity that took over three CENTURIES to be formed? 

HOW is your God the Son in the flesh HIGHLY EXALTED if he was once CO-EQUAL with God the Father in the eternity past, but NOW God the Son is UNDER and SUBJECT to his God and Father?

Plain and SIMPLE, the man-made doctrine of the Trinity CONTRADICTS what the Bible ITSELF teaches!

Everything that Jesus is and everything that Jesus was GIVEN to him by HIS God and HIS Father, the one true and only Almighty God. 

You see, Almighty God HIMSELF is the one who has highly exalted the Son of MAN, Jesus, and gave him a NEW NAME that is above every other name. 

I know and understand that most of us have been taught by the doctrine of the Trinity that Jesus is Almighty God Himself in the flesh. As in, Jesus is Almighty God Himself, being fully Almighty God and fully a man at the SAME time during the days of his FLESH. 

But again, I believe the word of God itself teaches us differently. 

So then, why not just teach what the clear, plain, simple word of God teaches? 

Why not teach in SIMPLICITY that Jesus is the SON OF God whom Almighty God ANOINTED and empowered at his baptism? 

And then, why not teach what the Bible ITSELF teaches, which is, the HUMAN Son of God was highly exalted to be GIVEN all power and authority after the cross and resurrection?

WHY complicate the clear, plain, and simple word of God by trying to prove that Jesus is Almighty God HIMSELF, when there is NO verse, no not ONE single verse that CLEARLY and PLAINLY states that Jesus is the Almighty God.

Yes, Jesus is called God after the cross and resurrection because His God and Father HIGHLY EXALTED the Son of MAN, Jesus, to be MADE Lord, King, and God over the earth for 1000 years during the world to come. 

And thus, the word was TOWARD God and the word was a God.

All the verses that are used to teach the man-made DOCTRINE of the Trinity are the INTERPRETATIONS of those, who teach the doctrine of the Trinity, which states that Jesus and God the Father are EQUAL in every way, where neither is GREATER than nor less than the other. 

But CLEARLY and PLAINLY, the WHOLE word of God teaches that Almighty God the Father is GREATER than His Son Jesus. 

Please read John 14:28.

“You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is GREATER than I.”

Also, we read in 1 Corinthians 8:6,7, which teaches us that there is but ONE God and then that same verse CLEARLY and PLAINLY shows us that this ONE God is the FATHER. 

Then, this same verse teaches us that there is ONE Lord, and also that this ONE Lord is Jesus the Christ, or Jesus the ANOINTED one of Almighty God. 

For you see, the word CHRIST means the ANOINTED one of God or the one ANOINTED of God. 

1 Corinthians 8:6,7a.

“But to us there is but ONE God, the FATHER, of whom are all things, and we in him; and ONE Lord JESUS CHRIST, by whom are all things, and we by him. (Keep in mind the the ONE God who is the Father, MADE the HUMAN Son of MAN, Jesus, both Lord and Christ AFTER the cross and resurrection, according to Acts 2:36.

The TRUTH of the matter is that NOW, after the cross and resurrection, there are TWO Gods who are in AGREEMENT as ONE.

For you see, Almighty God the Creator is in the process of DETHRONING the god of the present world who is no longer ONE in AGREEMENT with Yahweh.

And God is REPLACING Satan with His FAITHFUL and TRUTHFUL witness to be the God over the whole earth during the world to come in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels)

1 Corinthians 8:7a. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge...”

No, not everyone is going to accept this truth right away, and some may never accept it, because of what tradition has taught them. 

Well, as I said before if you want to study this topic more in-depth read my study entitled U-1. THERE IS BUT ONE GOD! 

But before we leave this verse, I would like to share one more scripture from the Old Testament that I believe clearly teaches us that Jesus has a BEGINNING.

Proverbs 8:1-35 talks about wisdom and understanding, which are types of Jesus. 

This passage of Scripture is written in the narrative with wisdom and understanding doing the speaking. In other words, the pronouns I, my, and me refer to Jesus, and the pronouns he and his refer to Almighty God, the Father.

With this in mind. Let us begin with Proverbs chapter 8, verse 21 and read through verse 35. 

And please keep in mind that this is a PROPHECY of Jesus where Jesus is in the MIND of God and the Almighty is planning His re-creation or the RESTORING the earth and heavens for His FUTURE Son to INHERIT.

Proverbs 8:21-35.

“That I (Jesus) may cause those that love me (Jesus) to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures.

Proverbs 8:22. The Lord (Speaking of Almighty God. the Father) possessed (Or acquired or created) me (Jesus) in the BEGINNING of His way, BEFORE His works of OLD. (In other words, in the same way that the Lamb was SLAIN BEFORE the foundation of the world, Jesus was CREATED in the womb of a virgin in the MIND and PLAN of God BEFORE God’s works of OLD to RESTORE the earth to be habitable once again.

For you see, according to Psalm 8:1-6, God acquired His PLAN of salvation, BECAUSE OF His ENEMIES in order to STILL His enemy, Satan)

Proverbs 8:23. I (Jesus) was set up (Or I was inaugurated to become the King of kings and the Lord of lords in the mind of God in the same way that the Lamb was SLAIN in the MIND and PLAN of God) from everlasting, from the BEGINNING, or ever the earth was, (Again, Jesus was also SLAIN from before the foundation of the world as well.

But this does not mean that he literally slain by men who have not yet been created. 

Rather, this means that in the MIND of God in his plan of salvation He set up His Son to one day in the FUTURE be his King of kings over the earth.

Thus, Christians need to read Proverbs 8:20-31 as PROPHECY of a FUTURE Son of God who will ASCEND into heaven to be SEATED at God’s right hand)

Proverbs 8:24. When there was no depths, I (Jesus) was BROUGHT FORTH: (Or travailed. God was birthing His Son in His image within Himself as the reason FOR CUTTING DOWN the heavens and FLOODING the earth to end the WAR between one side of heaven against the other side of heaven) WHEN there were no fountains abounding with water. (Or when God had not yet FLOODED the OLD earth because of the fallen angels during a PREVIOUS age of the earth)

Proverbs 8:25. Before the mountains were settled, (Or sunk under the Luciferian FLOOD to end the war between the fallen angels and the good angels) before the hills was I (Jesus) BROUGHT FORTH: (Or travailed in the MIND and PLAN of God)

Proverbs 8:26. WHILE as YET He (Almighty God) had NOT made (Or when He had not finished, dressed, or furnished) the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust (Or MUD) of the world, 

Proverbs 8:27. When He (Almighty God) prepared (Or when He rendered sure, or set a right) the heavens, I (Jesus) was there: (Un the MINS and PLAN of God as His Lamb SLAIN before the foundation of the world) when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: (This means that God had His future Son in His mind or in His view when God surrounded the fallen angels in the heavens and CONFINED them to the earth)

Proverbs 8:28. When He established the clouds above: (Or when He strengthened the clouds above to be ALERT) when He strengthened (Or when He AFFLICTED) the fountains of the deep: (To cut down the fallen angels with the Luciferian flood) 

Proverbs 8:29. When He gave the sea (Symbolic language for the wicked, and in this case, the fallen angels were given) His decree, that the waters (Again, waters is symbolic language for people. And in this case, the angelic beings) should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: (Or when He made the rules for the fallen angels to not leave the boundaries of the earth’s atmosphere)

Proverbs 8:30. Then I (Jesus) was by Him (Or by Almighty God’s side in the future) AS one BROUGHT UP with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him;Rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; (This teaches us that this is a PROPHECY of Jesus and NOT a HISTORY of what has already taken place.

For you see, Jesus was God’s DELIGHT watching Jesus in the HABITABLE part of His earth BEFORE God had finished RESTORING the earth to be HABITABLE once again. 

This is a record of the IMAGE God had WITHIN Himself that He SPOKE forth out of His mouth as PROPHECY to bring forth His human Son into existence.

 It was as IF His Son was brought up with him, but NOT literally brought up with him) and my delights were with the sons of men. 

Proverbs 8:32. Now, therefore, hearken unto me, (Or hearken to God’s Messiah, according to Psalms 2:12, which is also a prophecy of God’s future King whom He SET on a THRONE to rule for God) O you children: for blessed are they that keep MY WAYS. (This teaches us that the OLD covenant is no longer in force and we are now to obey the words of Jesus under the NEW covenant written in the New Testament) 

Proverbs 8:33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it NOT. 

Proverbs 8:34. Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 

Proverbs 8:35. For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.”

Now, if Jesus is the BEGINNING of all creation in the eternity past as being the CREATOR or at the very least a CO-CREATOR with the Father, then WHY is Almighty God the ONLY one doing the works of old in Proverbs chapter 8? 

If the Son was LITERALLY there as being the creator of all THINGS, then WHY does the Son not lift a single finger to create anything in Proverbs 8:22-31?

The TRUTH of the matter is that the Son was there at the BEGINNING of the RESTORING of the earth in the MIND and plan of Almighty God WITHIN the God as the IMAGE God desired to BE brought to past. 

Jesus came OUT FROM God by God SPEAKING the IMAGE that was WITHIN Him. Jesus came out of God’s mouth as PROPHECY of God’s yet future HUMAN Son that God would HIGHLY EXALT to be RECEIVED up into heaven to be SEATED at His right hand.

So then, FIRST, the HUMAN Son of God came into existence in Mary’s womb to be born a human being. 

Then, the Son of MAN was ANOINTED with the Holy Spirit at his baptism and SENT into the world. This is what the WHOLE word of God teaches us. 

Again, please read all the related studies on this subject as to >>>N-0. WHO IS JESUS?>>> 

But for now, let us continue with the next verse in Revelation chapter 3 by reading verses 15-20.

Revelation 3:15. “I know your WORKS, that you are neither hot nor cold: I would you were cold or hot.”

Revelation 3:16. “So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you out of my mouth.”

Revelation 3:17. “Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods and have need of nothing; and know NOT that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

Revelation 3:18. “I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich, and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”

Revelation 3:19. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

Revelation 3:20. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him and will sup with him, and he with me.”

This passage of Scripture could be speaking of Christians, who are living in sin, but they are reasoning away their sin or excusing their sinful lifestyle. 

Or this passage of Scripture could be referring to Christians in NAME ONLY that are not true born-again Christians, but they think that they are already saved. 

Or this passage of Scripture could be referring to those who are unsaved and do NOT think they need a Savior.

Now, just recently it came to my attention that there is a sect of Black African American Christians, who are CLAIMING that they ALONE are the TRUE Jews. 

And THEY claim that the Jews in the land of Israel are FAKE Jews. Please read the study Dd-79. WHO ARE THE TRUE JEWS? 

In any case, all four of these groups of people are being exhorted and implored to repent and open the door of their heart and let Jesus come into their lives to save them. 

And then, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide them into all TRUTH. 

Verse 18 is speaking of trusting in the shed blood of Jesus to be cleansed of all their sin and clothed in a white garment so that the angels do not see their nakedness. Being naked symbolizes being in SIN.

In my own opinion, the phrase about buying GOLD from Jesus is an incorrect translation. To buy also means to be REDEEMED. 

So, to me, Jesus is counseling or reasoning together with those who THINK that they do not need to be saved to be REDEEMED in Jesus like GOLD that is tried if fire to be made pure.

And then, once they are placed back into right relationship with God, they are to KEEP SIN out of their lives in order to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in the end. 

I do not believe there is enough emphasis placed on the TRUTH that we must, without fail, live our lives without sin just as Jesus did in order to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE. 

This does NOT mean walking perfectly without ever sinning again, but rather, it means repenting quickly when we do sin and continually seeking God to HELP us do better.   

I encourage all my readers and seekers of the TRUTH to read the first twenty or so studies that I have written, which deals with being SAVED and RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE. I say twenty or so because I keep adding more studies. 

What most believers do not realize is that salvation is a PROCESS that only BEGINS with our accepting Jesus as our savior. This is ONLY the FIRST STEP in a LIFELONG process of OBTAINING ETERNAL LIFE. 

We must all OVERCOME in order to be accounted WORTHY to RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE in the world yet to come. 

I cannot stress this TRUTH enough, because some in the church believe that there is NOTHING that we need to DO after we have accepted Jesus as our savior. 

In other words, some Christians wrongly teach that once a person accepts Jesus, then according to them who teach once saved always saved, they can never lose their salvation no matter what they do or do not do.

However, this is NOT what the WHOLE word of God teaches us. So be not deceived by these doctrines of men. 

Read the word of God for YOURSELF! Go back just in these letters to the seven churches and see how many warnings Jesus gives to us the church about our WORKS needing to be improved in order to receive eternal life. 

We who are in Jesus are indeed SAVED, but we have not yet received our reward of eternal life.

Again, when the word teaches us to live WITHOUT sin to follow the steps of Jesus who did no sin. Yes, the GOAL is to not have ANY sin in our life. 

But being PERFECT does not mean that a person must NEVER SIN again, or it is over for that person, as in, one strike and you're out. 

No, a thousand times no! Rather, we are to obey the LEADING of the Holy Spirit. 

This means that when we do sin, then the Holy Spirit will lead us to REPENT and confess our sin. 

So then, do NOT sit and ARGUE with the Holy Spirit to EXCUSE your sin. 

But rather, OBEY the leading of the Holy Spirit and CONFESS your sin. 

Each and every time you OBEY the Holy Spirit to confess and repent of your sin, then you are made PERFECT once again in the eyes of God. 

So then, STAY in that PERFECT relationship by OBEYING the Holy Spirit to confess your sins IMMEDIATELY. 

I believe that this is what Jesus meant when he said BE you PERFECT even as your Father in heaven is PERFECT. 

So STAY in the PERFECT gift of RIGHTEOUSNESS that God has given to whosoever BELIEVE in His Son, Jesus, as the atonement for their sins.

And again, always continually seek God and HIS strength to do better and better as you grow in the Lord. Do NOT believe the lies that you can never live without sin and you will always be a filthy sinner. 

You are NOT a sinner. You are a NEW creature created by Almighty God in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus would have never told us to put off the old man of sin if it was impossible to do. With MAN it is impossible but NOT WITH God!

Now, if you are tired of sinning and repenting, sinning and repenting, again and again, like being a so-called “roller coaster” Christian, up one day and down the next, then I implore you to read the study F-12. HOW YOU CAN LIVE YOUR LIFE FREE FROM SIN! 

Moving on to the last two verses in Revelation chapter 3.

Revelation 3:21. “To him that OVERCOMES will I grant to SIT WITH me in my throne, EVEN AS as I also overcame, and am SET down with my Father in His throne.

Revelation 3:21. “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”

Again, the warning in all seven churches is about our WORKS and OVERCOMING even as Jesus OVERCAME the world.

Also again, we see Jesus making a distinction between himself and Almighty God his Father. 

Now, please notice that Jesus says to us who OVERCOME, we shall be GRANTED to sit WITH Jesus in his throne in the same manner that Jesus was GRANTED to be SET down WITH his God and Father in His FATHER’S throne. 

You see, it was BECAUSE Jesus OVERCAME the enemy to do all his Father’s will EVEN to suffer and die on the cross that the human Son of God was GRANTED to be seated on God’s throne.

Right now, Jesus is a PRINCE, according to Revelation 1:5, but he will be crowned as the King of kings and Lord of lords over the whole earth during the world to come.

The throne still belongs to Almighty God and is on temporary loan to His Son for 1000 years. Micah 4:6-8 prophesied that Jesus would rule during the FIRST DOMINION and then Yahweh will rule HENCEFORTH or after the first dominion. 

And that agrees with 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, which teaches that the Son will COMMIT the kingdom back into the Father’s hand so that God may be all in all. 

And Isaiah 40:10 teaches us that the ARM of Yahweh shall RULE FOR Yahweh.

Isaiah 40:10.

“Behold, the Lord GOD (Yahweh or Almighty God the Father) will come with strong hand, and His ARM (A prophecy of Jesus the SON OF Almighty God the Father being Yahweh’s ARM, Jesus, who) shall RULE FOR HIM: (Again, Jesus the SON OF God shall rule FOR the Lord God Yahweh the Almighty for 1000 years, the FIRST dominion) behold, his REWARD is with him, (Speaking of Jesus having our reward of eternal life and the reward of WRATH for the disobedient to the Gospel. Compare to Revelation 22:12-15) and his work before him.”

The work before Jesus is to rapture the church, then execute the WRATH of God, 

And then, Jesus will rule for God in the NAME of God, as the God over the whole earth for 1000 years

Revelation 22:14,15.

“And behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD is with me, to give every man according as his WORK shall be. (In other words, the REWARD for the saints will be eternal life. 

And the REWARD for the UNSAVED, whose work is NOT BELIEVING in Jesus, will be the WRATH of Almighty God) 

Revelation 22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Revelation 22:14. Blessed are THEY that DO His commandments, that (Or so that) THEY (Speaking of ONLY they who are KEEPING the commandments of God which HE gave to His Son Jesus under the NEW Covenant written in the NEW Testament to give to us to give to the world in the world to come) may have RIGHT to the tree of LIFE, and may ENTER in through the gates into the city. 

Revelation 22:15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.”

To me, this last phrase means those who LOVE God and His Son, Jesus, but yet, they unknowingly MAKE a LIE by teaching FALSE doctrine that they sincerely believe is the truth. 

And by false doctrine, I mean a teaching such as once saved always saved, which can cause some Christians to lose their salvation by wrongly understanding that they can do whatever their flesh wants to do, and they will never lose their salvation.

Please read the study called F-2 Is Once Saved Always Saved Biblical?

Another group of Christians that love God and His Son Jesus, by yet they make a lie is the seventh day of the week Sabbath keeping Christians. 

Their false doctrine that teaches ANOTHER Gospel of keeping all the Law of Moses in order to please God.

Please read the studies under the heading >>>Dd-0 What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<<

This brings us to CHAPTER 4 of the Book of Revelation.

To continue with CHAPTER 4 just click on the link or go to the menu list below to click on the link to a different chapter in the Book or Revelation.

Here is the Table of Contents with links to all of the chapters in Book of Revelation. 

It is best to read them in the order that they are listed. But please feel free to skip any chapter and any verse.

Table of Context of Chapters with links!

Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands. 

And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels. 

Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels. 

For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here?  Is God at WAR? **.

More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God. 

If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.

For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1, In the BEGINNING! 

And also read the study called D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD! 

At the top of my homepage, there are subjects or categories which contain compiled lists of ** ALL Studies! ** I have written on that particular subject. So, if a link within a study is broken, then click on ** ALL Studies! ** to find the suggested study.

Or you can scroll down to the MORE dropdown menu list to find those studies as well. 

Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. 

And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. 

And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **

And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! ** 

This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. 

So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament. 

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