April 13th, 2002
Dear Friends,
This Sabbath is the New Moon of the Second Month. Those of you who are to take the second Passover should be preparing from now onwards to take the Lord's Supper on the Fourteenth Day of this Second Month.
I wish to speak this Sabbath and New Moon about being soldiers in the army of God. We are all required to render service in all things as we would to God. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God. We have all made a commitment to the body of Christ and we are responsible for discerning the body. It is with that body that we keep the Passover and no other. Those who do not keep the Passover with us are not of us.
It has been my unfortunate duty to remove some from the rolls of the church who have failed to attend and keep the Passover without just cause. Those so removed are no longer in communion with us and we are to remember that fact so that they might be saved in the last days.
The Passover is the renewal of our faith and the forgiveness of our sins. It is the second sacrament, of two sacraments, of the church, after baptism.
Paul tells us (Eph. 6:11 ff) to put on the whole armour or panoply of God that we might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil the adversary.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
For that reason we are to take on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
It is in this manner that we are to stand.
We are to have our loins girt about with truth: In this manner we are able to counter false accusation and the lies that are uttered by men who speak lies in hypocrisy. Such have not only been against us but also have been among us and who all sought to destroy us.
We are to wear the breastplate of righteousness:
In this manner we are able to stand blameless before God and man, and Christ
is able to take up our cause. If you have sinned repent. If you have anything
against your brother go to them in sincerity and humility and thereby you might
win your brother. None of us are without fault before God.
Our feet are to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In this way we might be better able to serve the prince of peace and to be at peace with all men and to explain to them how they might be at peace. Our nations are in efffect at war. That war will escalate steadily now as we proceed down the path to destruction. It is our duty to explain to all men how they might prevent war and the destruction of our planet. The carnal mind is enmity towards God because it is against the Law of God. It is thus that men teach contrary to the Law of God. In this way you know those who are against us because they are against the Law of God . Such men were once of our own house but they fell away denying the Law and the God who sent Christ to save them.
We above all are to take the shield of faith, for by faith Abraham was justified before God and counted righteous in obedience. All those of the church over the centuries from the Patriarchs and Rahab were justified by faith. The prophets died in faith and we walk by faith.
With the shield of faith we are able to quench the darts of the wicked for they seek to accuse us and to destroy our faith in God through our obedience and mislead us down paths to destruction. The adversary is the accuser of the brethren. In this way we know his servants, even those who were once among us. Be careful in this matter as through gossip we send darts on their way against brothers who are blameless in faith and justified before God and hence glorified. If God is for us who can be against us. So too we are to be for each other and prevent the slander of our people.
Those who go out from us are not of us, for if they were of us they would have not gone out from us. John teaches us that fact. How do we know those of the faith. They know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent (Jn. 17:3). Those who seek to divide the divinity of Christ from his humanity show thereby that they are of Antichrist. Those also teach the abolition of the Laws of God because sin is transgression of the Law. By the law of God are they condemned and so they justify themselves by attacks on the Law of God.
Take also the helmet of Salvation:
For by the helmet are we able to protect our thoughts and mind from the false
spirit that emanates from the demons and sons of iniquity that withhold the
truth in unrighteousness and thereby take on themselves the wrath of God as
it is revealed from heaven.
We are able to counter these blows with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. By your knowledge in the Spirit words are given to you that will answer for you and your understanding will confound the mighty being able to bring down strongholds in this battle against the rulers of darkness and wickedness in high places. It is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
We are to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. We work and pray in these matters with perseverance and supplication for all saints.
So our battle is not fought alone. Each of us in prayer for one another shows ourselves justified before the elders at the throne of God. Hence Christ is not ashamed to call us brothers before them.
In this matter the Holy Spirit makes known to us the Mysteries of God and allows us to proclaim those mysteries boldly before all men. In these last days we work fervently to accomplish the work of God and the salvation of our people in all nations so that all men may come before the throne of grace in salvation.
Paul saw through a glass darkly and we are given more each day as the time approaches. John understood the Law and was given the last work of the Revelation of God to Jesus Christ. Hold fast to the vision and work together to finish the task that is set before us.
Forgive those who work against us and persecute us. However, do not fall prey to their wiles and put on the whole armour of God so that we might combat the false Spirit of accusation and lies that are uttered to frustrate the plan of God.
Remember that, at the Wave Sheaf, Christ was presented before God as a spotless living sacrifice so that we might have access to the throne of Grace and go boldly before it. No other doctrine is attacked by the demons more vigorously than this doctrine, for by its understanding the truth is laid bare before all men.
On the Wave Sheaf Sunday of the Passover and Unleavened Bread at 9AM we begin the fifty day Omer count to Pentecost which is the Feast of Weeks. We count fifty days from the Sunday to the Sunday as our people have done before us for two thousand years. In this way we remember our calling and harvest. We fast on the seventh day of the First Month as our people did for centuries. By our prayers and fasting for one another and the simple and erroneous among us we go before God and help sanctify the people who know no better.
Remember now to forgive and pray for the salvation of all men but take no part in the wickedness of those who would destroy us. Walk humbly before God and your fellow men but rejoice in the fact of your calling and that our names are written in heaven.
Love one another
Wade Cox
Coordinator General
© Copyright 2002 Christian Churches of God, All Rights Reserved
