Matthew 16:13-20

‘When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.' (KJV)

The keys of the kingdom of heaven remove from within that which resists the truth (Mark 11:22-26); plucks up the root of our offense that causes others to stumble (Luke 17:1-6); brings cessation to our ineffectiveness (Matthew 17:19-21), and bears the fruit of righteousness as disciples (John 15:1-8). These verses of Scripture bind on earth that which has been bound in heaven and loose on earth that which has been loosed in heaven. Exercise yourselves to them: they are life to those who find them, and health to all flesh.

 'So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.' (Luke 17:10 KJV)

Certain men count Themselves as Having Apprehended

‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.' (Jude 1:3-5 KJV)

'Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.' (Jude 1:8 KJV)

'But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.' (Jude 1:10 KJV)

'These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.'

(Jude 1:12,13 KJV)

'These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.'

(Jude 1:16 KJV)

'Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.'(Philippians 3:13,14 KJV)

'But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.' (Jude 1:17-19 KJV)

Those who gather must understand: we have to willingly make room for Him; and there is just one way about it!

The Comforter shall teach you All Things

‘Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you ALL THINGS, and bring ALL THINGS to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.' (John 14:22-26 KJV)

'And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these THINGS? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us ALL THINGS?' (Romans 8:28-32 KJV)

The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, will awaken, remind and quicken to ALL THINGS freely given in 'the record that God gave of his Son.' (1 John 5:10 KJV)

God Gives Liberally, Yet These Receive Not

‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith produces patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.' (James 1:1-8 KJV)

Since God gives liberally, and does not scold when asked for wisdom; why do these yet not receive wisdom from the Lord? When wisdom of God comes, it is confronted by other considerations. Doublemindedness makes little room for God's wisdom, and since its not received with gladness, that wisdom falls away. Repentance will bring us right back to where God provided wisdom before it was choked out.

Need, Assignment, Reward (Matthew 3:17- 4:11)

“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' "

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, 'If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.' But He answered and said, 'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." ' "

"Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: "He shall give His angels charge over you," and, "In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone." ' Jesus said unto him, 'It is written again, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God." ' "

"Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, 'All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me.' Then Jesus said to him, 'Away with you, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve." ' Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him."

And we say that we want to be the body of Christ that continues in His confession!

Through Jesus Christ our Lord

‘O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God-THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord!'

(Romans 7:24,25 NKJV)

'But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal body THROUGH His Spirit who dwells in you.' (Romans 8:9-11 NKJV)

'that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ (Romans 10:9,10)

You will be saved if you confess Jesus: so keep confessing! As you confess Him, remember!

'For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps: "Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we having died to sins, might live for righteousness---by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.' 

(1 Peter 2:22-25 NKJV)

through: moving in one side and out of the other side of; continuing in time toward the completion of  (a process or period)

Discipline in Principle to Perfection

‘For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ; let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.' (Hebrews 5:12-6:8 NKJV)

We read what happens when someone 'falls away' after having once been enlightened: 'they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame'. They make God a liar by their lack of discipline in principle to perfection. They bear thorns and briers rather than useful herbs. I know of few who would fall away on purpose, realizing the end of those works. Each of us must be willing to examine ourselves in these words and teach by example.