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Sunday, October 20, 2013

"Two witnesses" ...Literally?

Some feel that as long as there are literally "two" Chosen ones, teaching the same thing, that this makes that doctrine true.
This is based upon the meaning of John8:17 and a literal interpretation of Rev.11:3.
Is this accurate?

How do the Chosen know that they are anointed?
Do two people tell them?
Not according to what Rom.8:16 reads:
"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God".

Note that in this case, the Holy Spirit can be a witness along with one human spirit.
See another important instance of this, as the Pharisees spoke to Christ...
"The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid."
True...Jesus did not have another perfect twin brother to preach with him.
How did Jesus reply to this?
"Jesus answered, 'Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me is with me. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.'" John8:14,16,18
According to Jesus, Holy Spirit is a valid witness.

1John5:9 reads:
"We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son." 
(see also John5:32,37)

Is there evidence of this backing by God's spirit today? 
Jesus said:
"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." John10:37,38

Jesus said he could be identified as true (symbolized by "two witnesses") if the Father's backing of Holy Spirit was evident, as displayed through the Father's works (1John2:17; Matt.12:50; 7:21) that His Spirit enabled Jesus to perform. 
This also made evident, that "the Father is in Me, and I in the Father."

What about anointed being backed in this way, and therefore, as also being proven as true. Was this possible?
Note John17:21,22,23...
"...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—  I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (Matt.3:17)
(John15:4-5)
Christ was pointing to the faithful anointed being unified with God and Christ. As Christ was united with the Father, and this resulted in works which bore testimony to his divine credentials, so too, "the world will know"that the faithful are also loved by the Father, and have His backing of spirit, by their works in harmony with the will of God. Those who remain in union with God and Christ, are the men of Truth (John15:4,5; 1John2:28).

The anointed today do not perform literal miracles as Jesus did;
so what works can the world view which demonstrate backing by God's spirit,
thereby fulfilling the "two witness" requirement as it was fulfilled with Christ?
Jesus said that the works of his followers, compared to "fruit that would last" (John15:8,16).
That fruit sourced in Christ (Matt.24:35; John15:4,5,8,16; Rom.11:17; Matt.10:27; Luke12:12; 21:15; John14:26)
comes from the lips of chosen priests (Heb.13:15; Prov.12:14; Mal.2:7) but is sourced in a heart united with God's spirit (John14:17; Rom.8:9; 1John3:24) (Matt.12:33,34,35,36,37; 7:20)....not in worldly research, religious doctrine, and intellect, upon which those lacking spirit must depend.
All the faithful slaves of Christ's body, would be guided by God's spirit of truth alone (John16:13; 1John2:20,27; 1Cor.2:13) manifested in it's various forms (1Cor.12:7,4; 1Pet.4:10; Eph.4:11,16).
(pearl-finetrees.blogspot.com)

If we return to John7 we can see that there is a way that a true prophet can be identified in just the same way Christ was...

"Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." (John7:17,18,16) 
(also John8:28,31,47)
How would we identify such a faithful witness for truth?
Would it be by him having a literal companion mimicking each of his words,
or perhaps by reflecting the physical orientation of the Pharisees, requiring two authors for each article written?
Liars can also be in agreement, and work together (Rev.16:13)
Foolish is the man who relies on such empty physical rules.

According to Jesus,
"A man of truth" would "seek the glory of the one who sent him",
by deriving every teaching from scripture, rather than their own research into worldly knowledge, current events, and their own resulting deductions (1Cor.2:13,14). In this way, the source of a true prophet is the scriptures of God, whose words the prophet seeks to glorify as supreme. 
God's spirit backs such a one to bear loyal fruit, providing the second witness, as it did with Christ.

Those who do not depend upon spirit (Matt.25:3,10), but puff up themselves by means of confidence in their own efforts and ability, seek their own glory. 

All the true prophets of old, did not have a rule to go about their commission in pairs.
Did this make them liars?
No, because like Christ, the spirit of the Father in Heaven was backing them as they carried out His Will. In response, these prophets declared the Word of God faithfully, and as a result, that Truth has, and will, endure (John15:16; 2Pet.1:19; Eph.2:20; 1Cor.3:10,11,12,13,14; 2Tim.2:19; Heb.11:10).


We know from the book of Revelation, that horns represent kings (Rev.17:12).
The false prophet who incites "all the earth" to commit idolatry, by worshiping the Beast and it's Image (Rev.13:8,12,14,15; Exo.20:4; Rev.2:14,20) has itself "two horns"/kings, "like a lamb" (Rev.13:11). 
Does this counterfeit sign of "two witnesses"/kings (Rev.11:3), mean that this composite prophet is true?
Not at all, since it "spoke like a dragon" (Matt.7:15; Rev.13:11; John8:44; Rev.19:20; 20:10).

During this great final battle between truth and lies (2Cor.10:3,4,5; Luke10:19; 21:15; Eph.6:12; Rev.16:13,14,15,16; 12:7; 17:14; 19:11,14,8)
...seek out prophets who like Christ, are in union with God's spirit,
made evident by their works...the fruit they produce by completely relying upon God's spirit and His Word of Truth (John4:23,24) so that they might glorify the same.

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2 comments:

  1. To be anointed is easy to understand, it is described in the Bible, Matthew 3:16 As soon as Jesus was Baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.

    taste of being a spirit. spirit bred.

    2 Corinthians 5:1-5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, Because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, Because We do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

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  2. Thank you. Yes...and at "sealing", we receive that clothing, our heavenly dwelling. It is symbolized in Revelation as our "white robe".

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