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Founded on the King James New Testament scriptures using only the words in them and without change. The Lord's Porter™ bible study lays the proper foundation for a personal experience with Jesus the Christ-the Word of God.
Many Bible studies, schools, and colleges remove "Holy Ghost" from the King James New Testament and replace it with "Holy Spirit". This seemingly insignificant change is the cause of considerable confusion when trying to understand the difference between the flesh and spirit or the will of God in your life.
Consider the following two verses, for example. One of them is correct and the other is not. Incidentally, this verse is the statement that aligns the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost in proper orientation.
John 7:38-39 (KJ) CORRECT:
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (Emphasis added)
John 7:38-39 AS CHANGED (Changed by many other books improperly claiming Bible status, including the NIV):
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (Emphasis added).
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The result: The above changed verse is blasphemous (i.e., the act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things). God intended people to receive the Spirit (i.e., the Word) immediately when they believe on Him, yet the NIV postpones receiving of the Spirit to a later unknown time or event. Furthermore, the NIV makes no mention of the Holy Ghost, i.e., the Spirit of truth that is part of God, AND the part that bears witness to the truth of the Word in power. The same Holy Ghost power made the universe and initiated the Word in mankind (Jesus) and in us by Him after He was glorified (i.e., resurrected to Heaven). But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 15:26-27. (The "Comforter" referred to above is the Holy Ghost-Spirit of Truth that bears witness in spiritual Godly power to the truth of the Word.)
So, what does the believer get and when? According to the NIV, a Spirit of unknown description at an unknown time which may never happen. This my brothers and sisters is precisely what happens when people or publishers change the Word by authoring confusion for money. God and the things of God (e.g.,His Word) are not confusing. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:33.
The Word of God does not confuse, or cause us to find another source for answers, but many books purporting to be the bible do not contain the actual Word of God. Changing the Word is a major cause for bogus teachings. It's like changing 2+2=4 to equal 3.9 or 5 instead. It is not God's will for anyone to follow any person or doctrine of men that changes the Word. The Bible is supposed to "open our eyes" and promote understanding. As to those who perpetrate the blindness of their congregation we must,...Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:14. What are we-the brethren to do? Warn others by making the truth known.
The Lord's Porter Bible Study course uses the complete writing of the New Testament. Nothing is changed, modified, substituted, or altered, etc.
Changing the pure Word causes confusion. It prevents the works of Jesus from being done by us, because people don't know Jesus expects us to by Him-the Word. When the Word is hidden or changed, we do not do the works He did. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. John 14:12. Think of it this way, if you were given a treasure map that leads to a great treasure and someone altered the map making the treasure more difficult or impossible to find, you would wish it weren't so.
From the beginning when the Word was given to all people, many who desired power and influence were tempted to filter the Word and made it less known or understandable. Why would they do that?
We come to know Jesus, and He comes to know us by and through the Word. When anyone, for any reason, decreases a person's ability to know Jesus, they seek to minimize the works of God and do the works of an anti-christ. More specifically, if someone believed that which is not true, do you think their works would be the works (and greater works) of Jesus Himself? God forbid. We need the pure Word and a Life in Christ matters!
Foundational truth is about getting the basic understanding correct. Many people purporting to be teachers of the Bible fail to convey the intended meaning by not using the original wording. A basic understanding of the differences between flesh and spirit is needed to experience the fullness of a Life in Christ. Life in Christ matters!
This module introduces the Almighty God according to what He says about Himself. In order for anyone to come to know God’s will and more importantly to do it, they must accept God is supreme and Almighty, otherwise He is not God, so, what's the point? ..for he that cometh to God must believe that he is… Hebrews 11:6.
This module provides the basic understanding we all must have in order to appreciate who we are as mankind and the relationships between God, mankind, and the enemy often called the devil. Here, we begin to understand the significance of body, soul, and spirit.
By now we know or at least can comprehend, that mankind is naturally of the flesh (temporal), but God is naturally of the Spirit (eternal). We should also presume God is “Holy”–meaning without “sin” or transgression of His own will; He lives by His own Word. But what is “sin” and “transgression”? This module helps us understand the importance of pleasing God by receiving His Word.
Because of the transgression of God’s Word and His will by Adam in disobedience (unbelief), all of mankind was disconnected from the will of God and “lost.” This “lost” condition continued for all until the “Law” was given to mankind.
Many believers advocate "once saved, always saved, no matter what." The problem is, the Bible is clear on the matter. Many of the Old Testament Jews were "broken off" because of their unbelief in the Word, and many others will turn to Jesus in the end and say, "Lord, Lord, look at the wonderful works I did in your name." To some He will reply, "Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you." Thus, WE can separate ourselves from Him and salvation if we reject the Word.
The flesh and bones part of Jesus (i.e., His body) is human. As a human, he had a human soul as we do. But what about His father? God the Father is of the Spirit, and He is also the father of the man Jesus. So, what did Jesus get from God as a parent? Because His father is God and all Spirit, Jesus must also be born of the Spirit of God just as His Father is of the Spirit. Stated another way, some aspect of Jesus must be the "spiritual" offspring (progeny) of the Spirit as sired (conceived).
Because the Romans did the killing, the Jews did not break the letter of the Law, but they did violate the spirit of it–God’s will! Simply stated, when God said, “Thou shalt not kill”, He did not mean it was okay to have others kill for you. By their own actions, the Jews rendered their own Law moot as being disconnected from the will of God, and yet God by His own mercy brought us a better way through the sacrificial death of Jesus–the New Covenant for all mankind.
The death of Jesus fulfilled the letter of the Old Testament Law and the writings of the prophets. In the context of atonement for sin, the death of Jesus left nothing undone. Therefore, why don’t all people everywhere get to go to heaven no matter what they believe? Either He died for the sins of mankind or not.
Jesus died for the sins of mankind starting a New Covenant of the Spirit by the eternal LIFE in Christ-the everlasting Word!
Many books purporting to be the Bible change the original wording of the original Bible text and actually hide the pathway to the fullness of a Life in Christ. The original meaning of the Word matters, because Life in Christ Matters!
God made a really big deal about laying the foundation in the Old Testament for getting His will known in the context of sin and repentance from it. For example, even before the atonement sacrifice could take place, all of the priests had to be cleansed with pure water. The significance of their cleansing helps establish the basis for being “born of water” and the “baptism of water” for repentance, prior to receiving the Holy Ghost.
For an understanding of the “Spirit”, we must be consistent in our use of the terminology within the Bible in order to reconcile the Bible by what the Bible says. The King James Bible (the “Bible”’) recognizes the use of both terms, “Holy Ghost” and “Holy Spirit”. Unfortunately, most all of the newer “versions” of the Bible universally change “Holy Ghost” to “Holy Spirit” when rendering their interpretation even though doing so is wrong.
Jesus said we would be better off if He would go, because the another comforter the Holy Ghost (spirit of the Father) would come to replace Him! Remember, the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth and an enabler. The Holy Ghost quickens the mortal body of a human and raises it from the dead by the truth of the promise God made in, and proved with, His Word. The Holy Ghost quickens our mortal bodies enabling us to effectively obey (do) the Father’s will and glorify Him while living in this world.
The family members of our “old man” may chastise or persecute us for rejecting the lives and lifestyles we once had–the same ones they cling to and continually defend. We fully understand the difference between the “lives” of our “old man" and our “new man”. In their persecutions of us they seem to forget: 1.) We voluntarily of our own free will left behind the lives of our old man for the life in Christ we now have, and 2.) We now repudiate those old lifestyles we left behind, and they prefer.
The facts is, not everyone claiming to be a child of God is, in the context of eternal life by and through the Spirit. If the Word is the doorway to the Spirit and thus eternal life in it, as the Word clearly claims, why then do people change the original words of the Bible (i.e., why do they change the Word)?
When He was on earth, we know the body of Jesus–the begotten son of God the Father was considered the “body” of the Father. By the Holy Ghost, we are part of the body of Christ and members in particular. If our body and spirit (will of man) are owned by God as His purchased possessions, we then MUST serve Him as our Lord and master.
Jesus is referred to as Emmanuel, meaning God with us (Matthew 1:23). It is His “glorified body” in which we must live, simply because we died with him for us to live in Him as explained previously in the context of our old man. We know His “spirit” is that of the Word and not the letter of it which is the Law. When we live in Him, our own spirit/will of man receives the Word, and the Holy Ghost bears witness to this fact.
Our faith in Him is evidenced by our “first works” of repentance and an amendment of life out of human love in our hearts for Him. Through repentance and proving our desire to please God, we receive the Holy Ghost and accede to the faith of Christ–HIS faith, assuming we know about it. When we live in Christ by the Holy Ghost, the faith of Christ is familiar to us, and we demonstrate our life in Him by our sacrificial love for the brethren (believers) and doing the works He (Jesus) did.
The corruption in the world, and the cheap grace many depend on.
The Bible says by grace we are saved through faith, and salvation is the gift of God. This invaluable gift can only be claimed through faith because it is impossible to please God without faith. Living by the pure unadulterated Word and by the quickening of our mortal bodies by the Holy Ghost to do the will of the father means we have the faith OF Christ Jesus and are dead to sin, which equips us to do His works as explained previously.
These informal programs use on-line activities, interactive exhibits, and printable materials. Great for home study groups.
Live and on-line classes, seminars, and workshops for your congregation or vacation Bible school.
Preferred by Biblical studies majors and discipleship training centers.
We use some non-downloadable, embedded videos and instructor assistance tools, perfect for you to hotlink into your local/member ministry website.
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