Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance, and Realty - Part 4

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance, and Realty - Part 4 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

4/27

In our previous three messages we shared with you some truths about shadows, clouds, idolatry, and the traditions of men. Scripture, rightly divided, proves that traditions of men no loger have any place in our walk with the Lord. The written word of God, as interpreted by the Holy Ghost, is our ONLY authority. Not once did Jesus speak well about traditions, neither did Paul, as he said in 

Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." 

In this message we want to share with you some of the differences between the traditions of men and the ways of the Lord. Perhaps the first thing we should notice is the phrase the ways [plural] of the Lord. Have you ever tried to count the different ways that the Lord healed someone? I have found five different ways, but there could be more. Jesus is THE Way, but He uses different ways to accomplish the same result. That means that we must hear His voice in every situation that requires action on our part. For example,

Many long years ago in the early 1970's my wife had a serious physical problem. Both my wife and I believed we knew what the problem was and also what we should do about it. But we never told anyone what we had heard from the Lord. I simply told Christians that she had a serious physical problem. However, during that stage of our walk in the New Testament house church, we had received much teaching that "in the mouth of two three witnesses, every word should be confirmed." So I sought every possible avenue to have two or three witnesses to either confirm or deny what we believed we had heard. I heard everything from A to Z. That included one prophet and two apostles, all at the same time. Finally we called for the elders of the church. After all, that is what James 5:14 says. (Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.) They all came over to our house, anointed her with oil, and pronounced her healed. Then they left. I did not witness to what they had just done, but I said nothing. The next day, one of the elders who had been present called me. He said that he did not witness to what the other elders had done but he said nothing to avoid confusion. He said that while he was driving over to our house (about a 10-minute drive), he simply asked "Lord, what is wrong with Linda?" He said that the Lord told him that Linda had a cyst on her right ovary and if she went to a doctor that the Lord would honor that, but the Lord wanted to heal Linda all by Himself, sovereignly. Well, that is quite a very specific word. And that is exactly what my wife and I had heard in the beginning; that is exactly what we did; and that is exactly what the Lord did. He healed Linda almost immediately, all by Himself. Glory be to God!

Hebrews 3:7-11, "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known My ways. So I sware in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.)"

Isaiah 55:8-11, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 

Romans 11:33, "O the depth of the riches both ofthe wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"

The only way that we can understand the ways of the Lord is if they are revealed to us.

Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

From that last verse, revelation without application or without works is dead.

Psalm 103:7 says, "He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel." 

Why did the Lord make known His ways unto Moses but only His acts to the children of Israel? where "His acts" were those things visible to the natural senses, because Moses asked for it.

Moses said, in Exodus 33:13, "Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, shew me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this nation is Thy people."

Now anyone can know His acts, but who wants to know His ways? More importantly, let us consider WHY Moses asked the Lord to show him His ways. Verse 13 says "that I might know Thee, that I may find grace in Thy sight: and consider that this nation is Thy people." That seems to indicate that unless we know His ways, we cannot know Him. That does not say, and does not mean, that I might know ABOUT Him. I do not know the Hebrew language but I am sure the context means that we might know Him personally, intimately, and thoroughly. In other words, we must desperately want to know Him. The last part of Exodus 33:13 says, "and consider that this nation is Thy people." In other words Moses was interceding on behalf of all of Israel.

Psalm 25:1-6, "A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O LORD, Thy tender mercies and Thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old."

Back in our old house church days in the 1970's we used to sing that song. If you google "Unto Thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul," you will find a good version by the Maranatha Singers.

2 Samuel 22:1 says, "And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul." 

The following 50 verses of 2 Samuel 22 contain that song of David. In Verse 22 of that song, David said, "For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God." That verse is repeated, word for word, in Psalm 18, Verse 21. David also said, in 

Psalm 138:4-5, "All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD." 

Hosea 14:9, "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein."

Now let us consider 

Ezekiel 44:23,"And they [the sons of Zadok] shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean." 

There are two different ways that the priests, the sons of Zadok, can reveal shadows, clouds, idolatry, or the traditions of men, in order to teach the difference between the holy and the profane. One way is simply to expose, one at a time, some specific examples of the profane. But the higher way is to cause the Lord's people to discern for themselves between the unclean and the clean.

Malachi 3:16-18, "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."

Philippians 1:10, "That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;"

Perhaps a better translation of the verse is, "That ye may discern things that differ." 

Hebrews 5:14, "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Now let us consider the current coronavirus pandemic one more time. Several messages ago I shared my belief concerning the coronavirus. I believe that the source of the virus (from man, the devil, or the Lord) is important and is an example of what we should be able to discern. However the most important issue is why it came and what does the Lord want us to discern about it. Do we need to cry out to the Lord, turn away from the shadows, clouds, idolatry, and traditions of men, and walk in His ways for the glory of God?

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 

Note that verse says nothing about those who are not born again.

The Washington Post, this past Saturday, April 25, 2020, Page B2, has a half-page article titled, "Donations plunge, putting some churches in peril." The article quotes four Evangelical pastors, one Catholic executive director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, and one Hindu religious temple leader. Listen to some of the direct quotes in the newspaper article:

"Some experts think the coronavirus could reshape the country's religious landscape and wipe out many small houses of worship. Most Catholic dioceses were able to apply for aid made available this spring by the Small Business Administration to help with paying for salaries. About 20 percent of those that applied got federal aid. The bigger concern is the longer term financial crisis that is coming. One of the evangelical pastors who applied for the SBA money did not get any. Clergy are making hard choices in the meantime. One Evangelical pastor said, If people stop giving, we die." (end quotes)

My comments on those pastors' and religious leaders' comments are the following:

It appears that none of the six religious leaders quoted understand the ways of the Lord. Most Christians are aware of 

1 Peter 4:17, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

Could it be through all of this pandemic that the Lord is bringing judgment on our present religious systems? It is true that many evangelical Protestant churches, all mega-churches, all Catholic churches, and more are indeed businesses. As businesses, they should have been required to pay taxes. I have been hoping and praying for 50 years that the Federal Government would eliminate the 501C exemption for all religious organizations. When Abraham, in Genesis 14, gave Melchizedek tithes of all, Abraham never asked for a tax receipt. In Matthew 17, When Jesus and Peter paid the tribute morey or tax, they did not ask for a tax receipt. Thee is no place in the Bible when anyone asked for a tax receipt. Yes, I am aware that the government today allows such a deduction from our income tax. I also heard 45 years ago, an elder in our New Testament house church voice the carnal reasoning that if we Christians deduct our tithes and offerings from our tax returns, then we will have more money to use for the Lords work. Well I have learned experientially that whatever pittance you might gain from that tax deduction is peanuts compared to the unspeakable financial blessing you will receive by following the ways of the Lord. Abraham said he would not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and he would not take anything that belonged to the king of Sodom, lest the king should say I have made Abram rich.

My next comment on the newspaper article: How can the Small Business Administration give money to ANY church? Does that not violate the separation of chuch and state?

A number of Catholic parishes received SBA money but an evangelical church did not ... does that create a bias in favor of Catholicism?

Next, the article says that "Clergy are making hard choices in the meantime." In Revelation 2:6 and Revelation 2:15, the Lord says that He hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans. What are the Nicolaitans? by definition they are "people-conquerors." The clergy-laity division is an abomination to the Lord. Yet in some churches, both Catholic and Protesant, the so-called clergy wear distinctive garments, such as robes or "clerical collars" (sometimes commonly called "dog-collars") to let the so-called laity know they are different.

Finally, what kind of Evangelical pastor could say that if people stop giving, we die? Does life depend upon money? Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (end of my comments on the newspaper article)

One of my favorite verses is 

Zechariah 3:67, "And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou shalt also judge My house, and shalt also keep My courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by."

From those verses, note that it is not sufficient simply to understand the ways of the Lord. We must WALK in the Lord's ways. Now what does it mean to "keep His charge"? Let us look at the first occurrence in the Bible of the word, "charge." In Genesis 26:4-5, the Lord told Isaac, 

"And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." 

The word "charge" means to enjoin, instruct, order, or command. Now who are those that stand by? Paul, Peter, John, Stephen, and all the overcomers who have gone before.

About 18 years ago I sovereignly connected with a local church whose pastor was from a country in Africa. As I recall I was only one of two Caucasian believers out of about 200 who attended his church regularly. On the third Sunday that I attended that church, the pastor preached a very dynamic message. After that service the pastor came over to me and said, "Let's go into my office," so we did. He closed the door and sat down while I was still standing. He looked up at me like a little kid in a candy shop and said, "Teach me." Well, I was rather astonished and stunned, to say the least. I was also impressed because he knew almost nothing about me. It was so sudden that I did not know what to say at that time. That seemed to be a genuine display of humility. I assured him several times that my only purpose was to assist him in any way that he decided would be of help. I attended that church every Sunday I was in town for 18 months.

There were several things about how that pastor taught and operated his church services that bothered me, but nothing so serious for me to talk with him about. About a year later, he told me that three years ago a great man in Africa had prophesied over him that in three years he would begin to function as an apostle. He said that those three years were about up so he needed to set his church "in order." He called for a Saturday night meeting at nine p.m. of all the important ministries in the church. There were about 15 or so folks at the meeting. He asked me to sit next to him, so I did. He proceeded to describe his new church organization chart, which looked exactly like a business organization, with him as the CEO, four vice presidents under him, the functions of each of the four divisions, etc. My place on the chart was like his personal advisor.

Shortly after midnight, after three hours, I whispered to him that I needed to go home because my wife had expected me back home long ago. He nodded his approval. I found out the next morning at the regular Sunday service that the meeting had lasted until 5:00 a.m.

That pastor put my wife and me in charge of counseling those who wanted to get married or those who were already married. I was the ONLY other person in that church that the pastor allowed to preach or teach on Sunday morning. He gave me the pulpit four different Sunday mornings. The very first time that I spoke on a Sunday morning the Lord impressed me to speak from 2 Chronicles 2:26 concerning Uzziah, the king of Judah.

Uzziah started off as a very good king. He accomplished many good things for his people. However, his heart was later lifted up in pride because of all of his accomplishments. That morning I read,

2 Chronicles 26:16-21 

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:

And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.

Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar.

And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

Under the Old Covenant, the functions of a king and a priest were separated. A man could be a king and a prophet. David was such a man, but King David was not a priest. The priests were from the tribe of Levi. David was from Judah. Ezekiel was both a prophet and a priest, but never a king. No man, except Melchizedek, was ever both a king and a priest. I assume that God thought it not wise for any man to have too much power ... to be over both church and state.

Unfortunately, because of the pride of Uzziah, he tried to assume the power of both king and priest. Had Uzziah repented of his wrong power move after Azariah the priest and 80 more priests warned him not to burn incense in the sanctuary, Uzziah would probably have been spared. But he became very angry at the priests and never repented. So the Lord smote him with leprosy.

I saw very clearly at that all-night Saturday meeting when that pastor set forth his new church organization, that he had no idea about the functioning of the body of Christ, so I knew he could not possibly function as a true apostle. Therefore, because a year or so earlier he had asked me to teach him, I tried to do just that, but in the most gentle way that I possibly could. I still have a record of what I said to him. I also told him that he had no greater of a supporter than me, but I tried to explain to him the higher ways of the Lord. However, just like Uzziah, he got violently angry. So when I tried to teach him, as he had requested, he wanted no part of it. He accused me of wanting to take over his position as pastor of that church. So I have never seen that man again in the past 16 years. I can only pray that he repented. About five years after I left that church the Holy Spirit revealed that the first message I preached in his church about Uzziah was for his personal benefit, but he never got the message. What a tragedy!

Now to some degree I believe that man was a victim of circumstances. For the past 170 years or more, African nations have been taught the Evangelical doctrine. They have been handed down from generation to generation and many otherwise good men have just assumed the Evangelical teachings and traditions have been true. Before I proceed any further, let me make it crystal clear ... I have never and do not now doubt the motivation or sincerity of any true Christian believer at any level. However I do doubt the understanding of many professing Christians. Although there are always exceptions, in general the major beliefs of modern day Evangelicals seem to include the following:

1. A focus on natural Israel. Now I have no problem whatsoever with anyone who has a burden for the Jewish people. But I also believe that God loves the Arab just as much as He loves the Jew. God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

A very "hot spot" in Christian thinking and discussion today is "natural Israel" versus "replacement theology." Some folks look at natural Israel as being the fulfillment of many scriptures. I am aware of a number of believers who decry what some have called "replacement theology." I do not know what "replacement theology" has to say because I have never seen anything in writing or heard anyone proclaim that view. I HAVE seen, in print, an exhortation that all Christian groups should include something "Jewish" in their services. I, for one, am not about to return to Judaism; nor do I believe that outward ritual is what God is after.


28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Romans 2:28-29

I have even seen one statement, in print, that "If there had never been a Jewish people, there never would have been any Jesus." That I must call heresy! Scripture IS clear that some number, and perhaps a large number, of Jews will come in the last days to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (Romans 11:25). However, I do NOT agree with those who say that Romans 11:26 (And so all Israel shall be saved) means that EVERY Jew will come to know the Lord. Among other things, that would imply absolute predestination and that man has no free will, neither of which I agree with.

2. An emphasis on being born again (although they usually call that being "saved"), with less emphasis on maturing beyond personal salvation. More often than not, their gospel is a me centered or humanistic gospel ... what I get.

Some Evangelicals believe in "once saved, always saved." A number of Scriptures debunk that false doctrine, such as Hebrews 6:48, Matthew 5:13, Matthew 24:12-13, Ezekiel 3:20, Hebrews 12:15, and more. That false doctrine also means that after we are born again we no longer have free will. But Jesus had His own free will as a man right through His crucifixion; He said "not My will but Thy will be done."

3. An emphasis on fulfilling what they believe is the "great commission" as recorded in Mark 16 and Matthew 28; in other words a focus to "go into all the world and get them saved." But Jesus never said for us to do that. Those verses were a specific word to the apostles to make disciples of those whom the Lord initially causes to be born again.

Some Zionists actually believe that all Jews will be saved. I do not know what Bible they use, but my Bible says something different.

10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,

11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

Jeremiah 19:10-11



4. As a result of #3, above, evangelicals have undoubtedly sent more "missionaries" to foreign countries, particularly Africa, than any other religious group. Evangelical beliefs no doubt have been extended to as many as 150 million people in other countries. Missionaries started promoting their evangelical message to Africa about 170 years ago. Now, in the past 40-50 years, Africans have brought that same message back to the United States. And what do the missionaries from Africa to the United States preach and teach? that which they received 70 years ago from American Evangelicals. Evangelism only spreads the current version or understanding of religion. The traditions of men are very difficult to break. It takes the dynamite power of the Holy Spirit.

5. A mode of operation where the pastor is the dominant ministry, in other words what we see in most denominational churches. Scripture is clear, however, that there must be a plurality of elders in every local church.

 
6. A firm belief in the so-called "rapture" doctrine, particularly the pre-tribulation variety, along with the Great Tribulation theory. Those topics are much too involved to include in this message. Hopefully we can devote another message on these two theories.

7. A focus on getting involved in politics in order to get Christians into high political offices; the theory being that thereby we can somehow make the world "better" and "clean up" the political community. Democracy never has been God's form of government. Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's." We might add, "but don't ever mix the two." Oil and water do not mix. The things of the world do not mix with the things of God (Matthew 22:21).

8. A tendency to look at most of the Bible to be literally true, in the natural realm. Many years ago I heard with my natural ears a prominent evangelical preacher (who at that time had TV air time on 220 different TV stations) say that when he gets to heaven he is going to wear a literal crown on his head and a literal robe. He is in for a big surprise. Some evangelicals believe they will have a golden room and a golden Bible when they get to heaven. In reality, there are hundreds of phrases and verses in the Bible that cannot (or at least should not) be translated literally. I made a list of 50 such without even seriously looking for more. 

In John 6:53-56, "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him." 

Does that mean that we should be cannibals? In a future message I hope to share my understanding of those verses.

For many long years we have seen essentially a war between Jews and Palestinians over who "owns" the land in the Gaza strip. Many evangelical and charismatic believers say the land belongs to the Jews. They quote Genesis 12:7, which says that the Lord said to Abram, "Unto thy seed will I give this land."

This same promise is made to Jacob in Genesis 48:4, but then we have spiritual clarification in 

Galatians 3:16, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."

Now, I do not believe that the dirt in natural Israel is any more holy than the dirt in my backyard or any other physical location in the world. I find no scriptural basis that says the physical ground in a place called Israel in the Middle East is more holy to the Lord. In Genesis, Chapter 1, when God made the world, no preference is given for one part over another part. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life. Unless we allow the Holy Spirit to shed light on the written word, we can get into a swamp of misunderstanding very quickly. For example, I am confident that the word "Israel" in some places means natural Israel, i.e., Jews; in other places it means true Christians; in other places it refers to the Jacob who was renamed Israel; and in at least one place it refers to the Lord Himself.

Now I believe that Evangelicals are not the only segment of the Christian community that has missed the mark. Neither do I doubt that there are some good men in the evangelical ranks. Mega-churches likewise are not scriptural.

I believe that few Christians would doubt that we live in perilous times.

2 Timothy 3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

Likewise, I believe that many Christians would agree that we are living in the time of the Church at Laodicea. I also believe that the order of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 speaks of a history of the Church from the Day of Pentecost until the second coming of Christ. (perhaps more on that later)

Revelation 3:15-19, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, said, in 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." 

Amen.

Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance and Reality - Part 3

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance and Reality - Part 3 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In our previous message we shared some thoughts about clouds and idolatry. Now we want to share with you my understanding about the traditions of men, which are perhaps the biggest obstacle (other than self) to the maturity of us Christians. I am sure that we Christians will one day be surprised at all of the traditions of men that we have substituted for the Word of God.

The word "tradition" occurs 13 times in the New Testament and not once in the Old Testament. In addition, in 1 Corinthians 11:2, the word "ordinance" is the same Greek word translated elsewhere as "tradition." In 11 of the 13 times that "tradition" occurs in the New Testament, including all occurrences of the word by Jesus, (traditions of men or traditions of the elders), it is clearly in a negative context; i.e., to be avoided as not the truth of God.

Let us consider the remaining three times that the Greek word translated as "tradition" or "ordinances" is found in the New Testament. No one would question that Paul understood the difference between traditions of men and the word of God.

1 Corinthians 11:1-2, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you."

The word "ordinances" is the same Greek word translated elsewhere as "tradition."

2 Thessalonians 2:15: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."

2 Thessalonians 3:6, "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."

What ordinances and traditions are Paul talking about? All three of those verses have the same common theme. Let us consider two more verses which say the same thing.

Paul stated, in 2 Thessalonians 2:5, "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?" 

And in 1 Corinthians 15:1 Paul said, "Moreover brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached to you ..."

In all five of those verses, and several more, Paul says he already had taught them in person but now he is writing it down. Everything in the New Testament of any value in our walk as a Christian was first spoken by the apostles in person and then was written down, but it was the same truth whether by personal, spoken word or by letter. Paul put in writing what he had taught them earlier. That way we Christians would not forget or corrupt it after his death. It is much easier to distort what is orally handed down and left up to individual memory. Many of the modern translations of the Bible are periodically being retranslated in part. That attempt by theologians and academic scholars is nothing but a work of the flesh.

What the church accepted and practiced after the apostles was that which was written, not what was spoken. That is why the Scripture is our final authority.

Every time the devil tempted Jesus, our Lord countered with the word of God ... it is written. What was written at that point in time? only the Old Testament. Any and all traditions become invalid if in any point they contradict the Bible. Any teachings of praying the rosary, praying to saints and Mary, purgatory, indulgences, etc., are not found in the Scripture and they contradict scripture's teachings. Further, there is no other book or writing that is equal in significance to the Bible. The Catholic Church and other churches have made their traditions equal to the word, but only the word itself has authority.

As time goes on generations could and have passed on memories that have been contrary to the original teachings by word of mouth. God had Moses write everything down in the book of the law, so there would be no question what was said. Any mistakes would be minimized. God did that in the Old Testament and He did the same in the New Testament. Jesus pointed to the Old Testament word. The early church also pointed to the written word as contained in the Old Testament. The modern-day church must also point to the written word, both from the Old and New Testaments.

Paul also said to "let the word of God dwell in you richly" (Colossians 3:16). It is the word of God that is quick and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) to change us from the inside; traditions can never be an alternative or of equal value to what God has spoken and written down for all generations to live by.

Paul said, in Galatians 1:14-16, "And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:"

Note that Verse 16 does NOT say "to reveal His Son to me." Those verses in Galatians clearly affirm that the "traditions of my fathers" are not to be followed.

2 Peter 1:16-21, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Although Peter, James, and John heard the voice of the Father and saw the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter said that we have a more sure word of prophecy ... namely the written word of God. He also said, in 2 Peter 1:20, that no scripture is of any private interpretation. That means that whatever revelation the Lord gives to one man, He will also give to other men.

Forty-some years ago I went to a gathering of local believers in a brother's house on a Saturday afternoon. The man that most of our local church considered to be an apostle was there from another state. He said that instead of him teaching, that we all would read 2 Peter, Chapter 1.

We went around the living room, each person reading one verse of 2 Peter, Chapter 1. After we had read all of the chapter, the visiting minister asked what anyone had received from those verses. Several believers had a few comments, none of which seemed very important. So I silently read again the whole chapter. When I came to 2 Peter 2:19, a light bulb came on! I then shared what the Holy Spirit had just quickened to me from Verse 19, which says

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:" 

I said that I had seen many Christians taking heed, taking heed, and taking heed, which is Judaism or legalism. But the purpose is for the Day Star to arise in our hearts. That speaks of Christ in you, the hope of glory. So our purpose as Christian believers is not simply to read, understand, and take heed to the written word of God. That is necessary but not sufficient. But our purpose is that the word must become flesh within us. We must walk in the light that we have received but earnestly desiring that the Holy Spirit will make the word real within us.

Nowhere is it written or even implied that we continue to have traditions by word of mouth after the apostles. Let me emphasize, that there is NO NEW revelation outside of or in addition to the Bible. However, understanding the true significance of the written word is like peeling an onion ... there is always another level available. Almost all Christians have their own interpretation of the Bible. But the purpose of any true apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or elder is to rightly divide the word of God so that the body of Christ might be built up into a mature or perfect church, without spot or wrinkle.

Revelation 22:18-19, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 1 Samuel 8:4-5

In the natural realm, kings and all those in authority are the world's answer to peace and prosperity, but only if they are "good" kings. In the spiritual realm, only the Lord Jesus Christ is our King. But we Christians are much more attuned to the natural realm ... men we can see and hear with our natural senses. 

1 Then came together unto Him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2 And when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, Why walk not Thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mark 7:1-13

Both 1 Samuel, Verse 5, and Mark 7, Verse 5, are examples of when all of the elders were wrong. That should not be too surprising. The Lord has allowed me to see the same thing (when all of the elders were wrong) in modern-day charismatic churches several different times in different locations.

In Verse 1 of Mark 7, note that the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem all the way to where Jesus was at the time, which was at the Sea of Galilee, some 85 miles away! And 85 miles in that day was no small distance, with no planes or trains or cars. Amazing! Jesus had already become a Person of interest to the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. He had become a possible threat to their religion even at this early stage of His ministry on earth. Jesus had not been to a seminary or brought up as a qualified rabbi. This was another delegation of fact-finding religious leaders from Jerusalem, sent to investigate the Galilean activities of Jesus.

In Verse 2, the delegation sent out by the Jerusalem Sanhedrin found fault with Jesus' disciples because they ate bread with defiled, unwashed hands. In other words, their religion was of the form, "Our way is the only way. We have all the truth of God." Human nature has never changed. That is why we have literally thousands of denominations, non-denominations, inter-denominations, fellowships, house churches, and all forms of church groups today.

In Verse 3, note the phrase, "the tradition of the elders." Scripturally, historically, and experientially, the problem within the chosen people of God has always been because of the elders ... those in positional authority but those who do not have spiritual authority. (A few good men are in visible leadership positions today, but in general they are largely hidden from the masses of Christian people.)

After the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations governing the daily life of the people. These were interpretations and applications of the Law of Moses, handed down from generation to generation. The tradition of the elders was considered to be binding. In Jesus' day this "tradition of the elders" was still in oral form.

It was not until about 200 A.D. that it was put into writing in the Talmud, which consists of two parts: the Mishnah and the Gemara. The Mishnah is the written compendium of Judaism's Oral Torah (instruction or teaching). In standard print, the Talmud is more than 6,200 pages long. One specific teaching from the Oral Torah is given in Verses 1-5 of Mark 7 (cannot eat with unwashed hands). I have read that another specific entry in the Oral Torah is that no one is allowed to put an egg outside on a stone on a hot Sabbath day because the sun might cook the egg and cooking is not allowed on the Sabbath day.

In Verse 4, note that "when they come from the market" they also must wash their hands before eating. The reason for that, according to the Oral Torah, is that any place where Jews would come into contact with Gentiles, or with Jews who did not observe the ceremonial law, they would become ceremonially unclean.

In Verses 6-8, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13-14.

13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

Jesus said that Isaiah prophesied of the Pharisees and scribes, which was 750 years after Isaiah's time. In reality, Isaiah prophesied of the chosen people of God of his day, the chosen people of God when Jesus walked the face of the earth, and the chosen people of God in our day. It will also be true of the next generation of the chosen people of God (if in fact there will be another generation). Human nature has never changed. That means that the wisdom and understanding of God is still largely hidden from the leaders of the modern-day church. Why? because of the traditions of the elders and because their heart is far from the Lord (focused more on numbers of people, collecting money, and a variety of other less important and unscriptural activities).

Now some charismatic believers might think it "funny" concerning the rule in the Mishnah that no one is allowed to put an egg outside on a hot Sabbath day because the sun might cook it. However, it would be interesting if we knew how many "funny" traditions of men that we charismatic believers also have today.

Many charismatic pastors seem to have no idea about all of the traditions of men that are commonly taught as correct doctrine. But all of the ways of the Lord are clearly written in the law and in the prophets, if we only had ears to hear and eyes to see.

When Jesus walked the face of the earth, His ministry was always a contention with the traditions of the Pharisees, which were burdens that brought the people into bondage because they went beyond Scripture. Every time the Pharisees brought up traditions as equal to the Scripture, Jesus brought them back to the written word. This is why he called them the traditions of men because they did not come from God but from religious men who were steeped in self and deception. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to validate and approve what they called the traditions of the elders. Jesus was clear He did not approve of their traditions by saying, in Mark 7:7, "Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mark 7:7 was true when Jesus spoke it and Mark 7:7 is equally true today.

Jesus did not give too many examples of specific traditions of men (although He knew all of them). If the charismatic community today were enlightened to all of the many traditions of men that are commonly practiced and considered to be scriptural, we might all be shocked. Perhaps some of those traditions of men can be exposed at another time, hopefully by the Holy Spirit.

We are all creatures of habit. We are all creatures of traditions. We are all creatures of our experiences and our parents' experiences. We like to be conformed to our peers and our neighbors. We learn the charismatic language quickly. We assume that what the pastor says and what he does and the language that he uses is all correct. Those things keep us bound to the past, bound to the earthy Jerusalem, bound to the ways of man. Any time a word is shared, we Christians tend to pull that word down to the level of our experiences or previous teachings so we can understand with our natural minds. It is too much "work" to be like the Bereans who searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11). However it does no good to search the scriptures using our natural minds. We tend to be like the Israelites who said, "Let not God speak with us lest we die, but we will hear the Lord through Moses" (Exodus 20:19). That is much easier than hearing from the Lord for our self.

Although most believers say that I (we) do not know everything, in reality or practicality, most believers think that I (we) are moving in the truth of God. My (our) interpretation of scripture is correct. That is called human nature. That is also called deception. "If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" 

(1 Corinthians 8:2). Thank God for His grace and mercy! Amazing grace!

We do not like change. We do not like anything that disagrees with our understanding or traditions or what we have been taught in the past. In general we want to hear only nice things that appeal to our emotions. We want someone to prophesy smooth things (Isaiah 30:10). I am OK, you are OK. All is well. We can sit and listen and say, "Amen!" to a teaching and never really understand or perceive that the word is intended to elevate our vision beyond our habits, traditions, cultures, and experiences ... beyond our natural understanding. We have a tendency to say, "That word does not apply to me," in response to any not-so-flattering word. Perhaps the most common and "popular theology" in vogue today is that when we get "saved" we get every blessing and prosperity and promise while on earth; then when things get really difficult, we will just go "poof" into the air. Sounds wonderful! Who can refuse that?

But the Lord always wants to challenge His people. The Lord always wants us to "come up higher." No matter what your vision is, it is too small. No matter what my vision is, it is too small. No matter what our corporate vision is, it is too small. 

"He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" 

(Ephesians 3:20). 

The finite mind cannot understand our infinite God.

8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

Another very real phenomenon is that in any place where God's people are (as a church or fellowship), our adversary is sure to infiltrate in various and sundry ways to try to prevent the truth from coming forth or to distort the truth. It does not take much to make the real truth distorted or off-center. Rat poison is 99% pure wheat; it is the other 1% that gets you. The false always emerges before the true.


17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 1 Corinthians 11:17-19

Paul says, "There must be also heresies among you." Why? because our adversary wants to deceive us; he wants to keep us from maturing spiritually; he wants to keep us ignorant. He wants us to focus on the natural rather than on the spiritual. He wants us to swallow the false before the true emerges. We have little patience; therefore we swallow the first thing that sounds scriptural. We have no patience to wait for our Isaac; we jump on the Ishmael first. Some heresies sound very scriptural to the natural mind. That is why we must cry out to God that we may have His discernment to differentiate between good and evil on the one hand and the will of God and the truth of God on the other hand. Christian man's perception of good frequently is not at all God's perception of good. Further, we should not use Webster's dictionary to define spiritual terms. We should always use the word of God to define the word of God.

Different cultures have different customs and different traditions. Most of us believe that which we have heard or experienced in our early religious or spiritual walk must be true. Therefore we tend to perpetuate that which we have been taught. Many things that charismatic believers have been taught may have been true; other things not quite true; and a few things perhaps in the off-center category (or worse). Forty-some years ago, in our New Testament house church, we received much teaching from many good men. Most of that teaching was very good. Hindsight, some very important aspects of our Christian walk were seldom, if ever taught. In addition, after a few years, the Holy Spirit quickened that a few of our received teachings were not quite true (specifics available upon request).

Now consider one specific example ... In some areas of the Christian community a cookie-cutter approach is used. A lot of cookie dough is presented to a teacher, who uses a cookie cutter to stamp out many cookies. The cookie dough is would-be pastors. The cookie cutter is the understanding of the teacher. And so the understanding of one (or several) teachers is taught, preached to each individual piece of cookie dough at the same time. The premise is that by presenting what the teacher believes to be truth to many folks in a classroom type setting or a "church" setting, then the students will thereby "mature" and be able to become pastors and repeat the process. Those who take this approach perhaps quote the following exhortation from Paul to Timothy to justify their approach to making cookies.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2

No one would dispute the fact that Paul was an exceptionally good teacher. No one would dispute that his understanding of the gospel of the kingdom of God has rarely, if ever, been matched. Is it correct exegesis to take a rhema word from Paul to Timothy and make it into a logos word to every believer? Further, the word says, "commit thou to faithful men." Is it correct exegesis to make that read, "commit thou to all men?" Or is it possible that we might need to listen to the Holy Spirit as to when, where, and to whom we should teach and preach?


7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Acts 16:7-10

Many years ago I went to a "Lay Witness Mission" in a Methodist Church in Chester, Pennsylvania. I was the only "team member" from the visiting team in an adult Sunday school class. When that session began I stated that they did not know me and I did not know them. I asked if anyone could tell me where he/she/they were spiritually. Immediately, one woman broke down, crying, and said, "I am nowhere." Immediately, Romans 10:9-10 came to my mind.

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

But just as immediately, I felt a check by the Holy Spirit NOT to quote those verses. The Lord impressed upon me that no amount of reading Bible verses or reciting a "sinner's prayer" would bring her to salvation. What the Lord told me to say was, "Before you leave this room you will be somewhere." I later realized that that woman was born from above as soon as she cried out, "I am nowhere!" The Lord always hears and responds to a genuine heart cry. A format or tradition seldom works. Have you ever tried to count all of the DIFFERENT ways that Jesus healed a person in need?

Philip is called an evangelist (Acts 21:8). In Acts 8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them. Many people were saved after seeing the miracles, healings, and deliverances that were manifested through the ministry of Philip. They were also baptized in water in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John (Acts 8:14), who laid their hands on them and they then were baptized with the Holy Ghost. Now surely Philip was acquainted with the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Why had Philip not laid hands on them so that they could receive the Holy Ghost? Could it be because Philip, as an evangelist, knew that was a function for the apostles and not for an evangelist? Incidentally, the Lord is able to baptize folks with the Holy Spirit all by Himself. He did that on the Day of Pentecost; he did that with Paul; and I have known several believers personally when that happened to them. In other words, no man laid hands on them.

Experientially, I have seen a number of good men try to function in a place they were never called. It never worked. Does that mean that we should function in the place where we have been called but not try to function in a place where we have not been called? Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues [in an assembly]? Do all interpret? Is every member of the body a mouth? Does the hand see as well as the eye? Does the heart hear as well as the ear? There is a difference between hearing the voice of the Lord for myself and hearing the voice of the Lord for the church. Peter apparently was a mouth. Not only was he the spokesman for all of the apostles on the day of Pentecost, but he preached a similar message in Acts 3. In Acts, Chapters 3-8, every time we see Peter we see John; but it is never recorded that John said anything in the Book of Acts. John was a heart. He is the man who leaned on Jesus' breast at what we call the last supper. John was a man after God's own heart.

Most churches today are distinctly "pastor" oriented. The pastor teaches, preaches, sets forth the acceptable doctrine, administrates, and in general calls the shots, subject more or less to elders. In Acts 2:42, the early church continued steadfastly in the apostles' (plural) doctrine. Also we "are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians 2:20).

A good question, perhaps, is why do we see so many traditions of men in operation today in our churches? Only the Lord knows all of the answers, but we would suggest one possible reason. Could it be that many of the "problems" within the charismatic community are because there is little or no true vision in our churches? Even when a visionary is in a local church, his ministry may not be received. Consider this scenario. The watchman stands upon the walls. He sees something or someone coming. The king and the other subjects are sitting comfortably in the dining room, feasting on good delicacies. The watchman calls down and says he sees danger approaching. The king and the subjects say that they don't see any danger; therefore the watchman must be wrong. Of course they do not see anything approaching; they are not standing on the wall. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18a). And where there is little or a small vision, the people are weak and sickly and many sleep (paraphrased from 1 Corinthians 11:29-30). The first word I ever shared publicly was titled, "Appropriating the Christ in others." (That is a lengthy word in itself.) 

Although the written word is absolute, we need to be careful because our interpretation of Scripture may not be correct. Paul told Timothy and all elders over all of time, in 

2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 

A number of years ago I went to a weekly Bible study in the home of a man who went to another church. He would read some passage of Scripture and then ask everyone what they thought those verses meant. Some said one thing, some said another thing. Then the leader of the group gave his opinion, which was typically a copy of what William Barclay said in his "The Daily Study Bible," first published in 1954. Then everyone went home still believing their own version of the verses. But are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers?

The greatest Apostle and Prophet who ever walked the face of the earth (the Lord Jesus Christ) came unto His own and His own received Him not. Furthermore, the chosen people of God crucified Him. Jesus said,

"If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" 

(Luke 23:31). 

The Lord Jesus is the green tree. Green speaks of life. In Him is life. He is life! We are the dry. There is no life in the natural man ... only existence for a short while.

Is it time for the members of the body to function in the place that they have been called? Is it time to appropriate the Christ in others? Is it time to lay aside all of the traditions, customs, and cultures of natural man? (We must know what those traditions are before we can lay them aside.) Is it time to come up higher? Is it time to cry out to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth? The answer to every question is available if we only cry out, "Help, Lord!"

Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance and Reality

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

4/18 

Shadows, Clouds, Idolatry, Traditions, Substance and Reality - Part 1 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

As usual, what we present is simply that which we believe we have received from the Lord at this point in time. It is presented for your edification exhortation, comfort, and hopeful application. Revelation without application becomes only information. Certainly what the Church does NOT need today is more information. We have been saturated with information for many long years. You might want to get a pencil and paper and write down the chapter and verse of a few scriptures which I will only reference but not turn to. We should always keep in mind that the word of God is timeless and independent of race, culture, gender, geographical location and everything else.

There are many opposites in the natural world. For every thesis there is an antithesis. For every head of a coin there is a tail. For every front there is a back. If we see a front that has no back, then that front is an illusion. Then we have hot and cold, plus and minus, positive and negative, and many more examples.

In the spiritual realm, we know that God is love (1 John 4). Jesus said, 

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me" 

(John 14:5). 

Jesus also said, in John 8:12, "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." 

The word "the" makes something unique. Indeed, the Lord is definitely unique!

We also see opposites in the spiritual realm. What is the opposite of love? hate. What is the opposite of light? darkness. What is the opposite of life? death. What is the opposite of the truth? a lie. What is the opposite of the Way? every wrong direction. What is the opposite of Christ? Antichrist. So the devil is the antagonist or opposite of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, in 

John 8:44, that "the devil was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." 

So the first attribute of the devil is that he was a murderer from the beginning. 

1 John 3:11-12 says, "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 

The Lord said, in Isaiah 14:12-15, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

Note the 5 "I wills" in the devil's declaration. Jesus won the victory, the battle over the devil at Calvary, but the war, the Armageddon, still continues between the body of Christ and the devil. Whether or not there will be a natural, physical war called Armageddon between natural men is neither here nor there. The real war is between the devil, or the Antichrist, and the members of the body of Christ. That war is being waged in the minds and wills of professing Christians. Jesus prayed to the Father, "Not my will but Thy will be done" (Luke 22:42). Any time we believers insist on our will being done, we slip over into the kingdom of darkness and become a lawful captive. Hundreds of thousands of professing Christians repeat every Sunday "The Lord's Prayer," part of which is "Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven;" and then go back to their own will the next six days of the week.

Another of the devil's tactics is to counterfeit the works of God before they actually manifest themselves in time. For example: the first Adam before the last Adam; Cain before Abel; from Genesis 10:21, Japheth was the elder of Noah's three sons, but the lineage of Jesus came through Shem; Ishmael before Isaac; Esau before Jacob; natural Jerusalem before the heavenly Jerusalem. In the Book of Revelation, John saw the false church (Babylon) in Chapter 17 before he saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ in Chapter 21.

The lies of the enemy are another of the devil's tactics that many professing Christians fall for. Jesus said that in the last days that many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many (Matthew 24:11). Peter, in 2 Peter 2:1, said there shall be false teachers among us. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:5, that "many shall come in His name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many." One of the very few true prophets I have ever met says in an admonition in his website,

"In 1950 at a Church Seminar, during a Scripture lesson, the congregation was suddenly electrified. The front doors burst open behind the audience. A well-dressed man with a two-foot beard, Bible under arm, hands raised as if he were God's man of faith and power for the hour, rushed into the meeting. With a booming voice, expecting eulogies, he shouted, "I am Jesus!" I remember saying to the congregation, "If you believe this you are in trouble!" 

From my own awareness and experience, I am quite certain that literally hundreds of thousands of professing Christians have run after the counterfeit prophets and teachers. Why? partly because of ignorance or lack of true knowledge or lack of discernment and partly because of a lack of patience. In fact, I believe that another lesson that the Lord is trying to teach us through this coronavirus pandemic is patience. The natural man does not possess the patience which comes from God. Sometimes we Christians don't fare well in that category either.

Hebrews 10:36, "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."

In general there is no life in simply pointing out what men call "negatives." However, that is what the Lord told Jeremiah to do (root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down) prior to building and planting (Jeremiah 1:10) ... four "negatives" followed by two "positives." I believe that this series of perhaps six messages is particularly important. Jeremiah's ministry was to the Judah of his time, and to the spiritual Judah (charismatic community) over all of time. Each of these messages may be intermixed with the so-called "negatives" and the so-called "positives."

There is nothing "negative" about the word of God. Sometimes there are just too many weeds that must be removed before good grass can be planted. I believe that we live in such a time. This is a time when everyone is going to his own place (Acts 1:25 and Revelation 22:11). This is a time when many exhortations, both in the Old and New Testaments must and will be repeated. This is a time when:

And [Moses] said, If thou wilt diligently hearken [be obedient] to the voice of the LORD Thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26

Here is another of the many conditional promises of God. If we will ... then He will ... In order to "hearken to the voice of the Lord" (His rhema word to us), we must be able to hear His voice speaking to us. In order to do that which is right in His sight (not our sight) we must know that which is right in His sight. This is a time when:

8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. Deuteronomy 12:8-9

Has the Christian community today come to the rest and to the inheritance which the LORD gives to us? Have you and I come to the rest and to the inheritance which the LORD gives to us? What is that rest? It is the rest from all of our perhaps good-intentioned works of the flesh. (See Hebrews 6:1, which speaks of repentance from dead works.) The Book of Hebrews, Chapters 3 and 4, speak of the rest that we are called to enter into.

What is that inheritance that the Lord gives to us? It is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is living and walking in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 25:31-34, "When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:

And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"

1 Corinthians 6:9-10, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

The word "inherit" means "to come into possession of belongings from someone else" or "to come into possession of something as a right." In Scripture, at different times three different men asked Jesus the same basic question, namely, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" In Mark 10:17, "there came one running" to ask that question. The fact that he came running indicates it was of utmost interest to him. In Luke 10:25 a certain lawyer asked the same question. (A lawyer in those days was not like an attorney in our days; he was a man who taught about the Mosaic Law.) And in Luke 18:18 a certain ruler asked the same question. There is no reference in the Bible that indicates that any of the three ever accepted Jesus as their Lord. More importantly, all three men were looking "eternal life" straight in the eye and did not know it. Likewise, just before the crucifixion of Jesus, Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" even as he was looking Truth straight in the eye.

In the New Testament we see two related, but different, Greek words, translated as "everlasting" and "eternal." "Everlasting" denotes no end of time, excludes any interruption or is permanent, and is used mainly where something future is spoken of. 

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The word for "eternal" carries the idea of quality of life as well as quantity. Eternal life is independent of time and has no end. Eternal life can function outside of and beyond time, as well as within time.

In the first Adam, all of mankind rebelled against God and were banished from the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). Every human being born into this world is born a sinner, not because we have sinned, but because we were born. David said, "In sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5). Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The gift of eternal life comes to those who believe in Jesus Christ, who is Himself "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). However, we should not make seeking eternal life our goal. Rather we should seek the Giver of eternal life ... even the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God, by His amazing grace, restores our access to the tree of life. This access is provided through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Right now, every sinner is invited to know Christ and to receive eternal life. The Lord says, in 2 Corinthians 6:2, "behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

How can anyone know that they have eternal life? First, confess your sins before our holy God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins, and He rose again the third day. Therefore accept God's provision of a Savior on your behalf. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). Believe this good news; trust the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and you will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). This must be more than simply repeating a few words. It must be a cry from our heart.

In John 17:3, Jesus prayed, "Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." Jesus equates "eternal life" with a knowledge of God and of the Son. This life-giving knowledge of the Father and the Son is a true, personal knowledge, not just a mental awareness. There is no knowledge of God without the Son, for it is through the Son that the Father reveals Himself to His chosen people (John 17:6). The Apostle Paul, after 30 years of ministry, said, "That I might know Him" (Philippians 3:10).

Some on Judgment Day will claim to be followers of Christ but never really had a relationship with Him. To those pretenders, Jesus one day will say, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:23).

Eternal life is something that Christians experience now. Believers don't have to "wait" for eternal life, because it's not something that starts when we die. The focus of eternal life is not on our future, but on our standing or abiding in Christ. Eternal life begins the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. Jesus, in John 10:28 says, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." The believer "has" (present tense in the Greek) eternal life. (Also see John 6:54, which says the same thing.)

1 John 5:9-13: "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." 

Now that we have seen the significance of our inheritance in Christ and the eternal life that all true believers have now, let us look briefly at a truth that is at least as important, if not more so, namely what is the Lord's inheritance? Paul, in 

Ephesians 1:16-18 says, "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," 

Again we ask, what is the Lord's inheritance?

First of all, we know that God is love. But love does not exist in a vacuum. Love is incomplete without an object or objects to love. In the natural realm we use the word "love" in a variety of different contexts. We say, "I love my new car; I love my house; I love my dog; I love chocolate; I love fried chicken or pizza or ice cream." We also say, "I love my spouse; I love my children; I love my church." But as a generality, we love that which is like us. We know from Genesis 1:26 that God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." No verse in the Bible says that God loves angels. Why? because they were not made in the image of God, after His likeness. So God loves the true believers who are made in His image, after His likeness. That "making" is a process in a believer called sanctification. Now it is true that "God so loved the world ..." God loves the sinner but hates the sin. But God knew before the foundation of the world who would receive His Son. Therefore God is bringing many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10). Why? So that He might have fellowship with many sons and love each son for an eternity. The Father will have such a family of sons.

Jesus said, in Luke 12:31-32, "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." 

Note that Jesus said "little flock." That means two things ... it means little in our own sight and little in numbers. Jesus never worked with a multitude. Today if you see a lot of Christians going in the same direction, look at it carefully again. According to the PEW Research Center a few years ago, there are at least 500 million evangelical professing Christians in the world and at least 75 million evangelicals in the U.S. If all of those folks are walking with the Lord, then Jesus must have already returned to earth, which of course is not true. Moreover,

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Proverbs 21:2

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 17:6 and Judges 21:25.

It is also true that "in THESE days" there is no king in spiritual Israel, but every man does that which is right in his own eyes. This is a time when:

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the LORD. Jeremiah 8:7

Why do the Lord's people not know His judgment? for two major reasons ... first, because the judgment of God is not preached from the pulpits; and second, because we Christians have lost our sense of individual responsibility to hear from the Lord our self in that we say, "Let the pastor tell us what God is saying. That is what we pay him to do." This is a time when: 

26 For among My people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Jeremiah 5:26-29

My people in Verse 26 are the chosen people of God. This verse particularly applies to modern-day Judah, the charismatic community, which has been blessed abundantly, but which in large part has been deceived by those who set snares, set a trap, and catch men (believers).

Dozens and dozens of men in positional authority (it is easy to list specific names) have become great (in name only) and waxed rich and fat by making merchandise of the gospel, by preying on those with little discernment, and robbing the saints of millions and millions of dollars (by seducing the people of God to contribute to "their" ministry) so that they can build their personal empires. It never ceases to amaze me how professing Christians can continue to support false teachers by their presence and by throwing so much money to charlatans.

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11

Now what I will share next is a real tragedy. Do you want to know the fastest way to become a millionaire? Just start a church in your garage. Start with a handful of people and preach good, prosperous blessings. In less than five years you will be a millionaire. That is because so many people are looking for answers in this troubled world. One pastor of a mega-church in the south followed that procedure about 34 years ago. He held his first service in front of only eight people in the cafeteria of an elementary school. In 2018 his net worth was reported at 27 million dollars. He also got his flock to buy him a 77 million dollar jet aircraft so he can "spread the good news faster." He said in an interview that he sometimes gets up to $100,000 for a single appearance on his packed schedule of speaking engagements. And of course you can buy any of his 30 books for between 7 and 30 dollars each. He has written several books offering followers his advice on how to get out of debt and take lessons from the Bible in building wealth so they can better live as Christians. If that man does not repent, one day he will receive the judgment of God. That is just one of many such examples.

We are rapidly approaching the time when:

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Revelation 18:1-4

Now let us consider some lies of the enemy that try to keep us from accepting and appropriating all of the wonderful Truth that is in Christ Jesus. We will start with shadows. A shadow is the least real of all objects. There is no reality, no substance in shadows. It is caused by anything that blocks or obscures the light. A shadow may be caused by a person, by a building, by a tree, or by the natural, carnal mind. The proximate cause of the shadow may be deliberate (all shadows caused by Antichrist are deliberate); or the cause may be from ignorance (lack of knowledge, lack of understanding, lack of discernment, etc.).

6 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. Song of Solomon 4:6-7

Death has a shadow, but no substance or reality for a believer because a believer has eternal life, the life of Christ. The words, "shadow of death," occur 20 times in Scripture, 10 of them in the Book of Job. One of the most familiar of such verses is,

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Hebrew 2:14-18, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted."

The devil still has the power of death over those who have not been born again. But the devil can kill only the physical body. He does that through his lies and his deception. He is a murderer. But if we Christians are walking in the light that we have received and submit our self to God, the devil has no power over us (James 4:7).

Jesus said, in Matthew 16:24-26, "Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Paul said, 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Granted, it is very difficult for any professing Christian to arrive at that place in his life. Actually, it is impossible except by the power of the Holy Ghost working within us. But I guarantee you that if any man will continue to walk with the Lord, the day will come when he will be able to say, in truth, that which Paul said in 

Philippians 1:21-24, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." 

A few more verses about shadows.

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer.

4 For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Hebrews 8:1-5

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Hebrews 10:1

James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." 

God's nature is unchanging and His promises are secure.

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17).