Behind us are the two thousand years of the time of grace known as the “last days” (Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:1-2 a. o.), which God has allotted to humanity during the time of the New Covenant. Before us lies the great event of the taking away of the Bride Church to the marriage supper in heaven (Mt. 25:1-10; 1. Thess. 4; 1. Cor. 15; Rev. 19). The marriage supper in Glory is followed by the seventh millennium of humanity. We shall not concern ourselves with the two-thousand-year period from Adam to Abraham and also not with the two-thousand-year epoch from Abraham to Christ, likewise not with the short period of the great tribulation between the rapture and the beginning of the Millennial reign. We have already covered those subjects in other publications.

The »Day of the Lord« is being described in various contexts in the Old and the New Testament: as day of wrath and anger (Isa. 13:6-16), as day of darkness with signs in heaven and on earth (Joel 2), as the day that will come as the thief in the night (1. Thess. 5:1-4), as day on which all the works of men will go up in flames of fire (2. Pt. 3:1-10) a. o. The Lord Jesus spoke about it as the “day of resurrection”. In John chapter 6 this day is mentioned in connection with the resurrection four times. “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (vv. 39, 40, 44, 54). At the commencing of the “last day” the first resurrection and at its end the second resurrection will take place. “… And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (Jn. 5:29).

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:1-6). Then the last judgement will be, known as the “White Throne Judgement” (vv. 11-15). After it follows the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1) and time merges into eternity.

Now again a time period is fulfilled which could end at any moment. Although no one knows the day or the hour, the signs of the time do declare it. The promised return of Christ is already overdue, it is only the long-suffering of God, waiting for the last ones to enter His Kingdom (2. Pt. 3:9). For 2,000 years true believers have been waiting for the fulfilment of the promise the Lord Jesus made, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Jn. 14:1-3). Never before has there been a time in which all the accompanying circumstances, which go along with this greatest event in the plan of salvation, were as prevalent as they are now. May the scoffers ask, as it was predicted for the end-time, “Where is the promise of his coming?” The Apostle Peter already then was led to give the answer, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise … but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2. Pt. 3).

The various things that would take place before His coming, the Lord Jesus mentioned in Mt. 24, Mk. 13 and Lk. 17 a. o. It would be as it was in the times of Noah — back then the interbreeding of the two lineages, the one of Seth and the one of Cain — the sons of God with the daughters of men —, took place (Gen. 6), which was ended by the flood. It would also be like it was in Sodom and Gomorrah, when morality reached its lowest point (Gen. 19). Abraham was the prophet of that time to whom the Lord revealed what would be (Gen. 18:17). God sent the judgement by letting fire and brimstone rain down from heaven. Before this world will experience the apocalyptic judgements of wrath and will be purified by fire, God offers grace and redemption. The warning is given before the judgement.

The Lord Jesus in view of the end-time confirmed the promise of the sending of the prophet Elijah, who should come before this great and terrible day (Mal. 4:5-6). It is so important that He renewed the promise in Mt. 17:11 and also in Mk. 9:12: “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” This promise is of equal significance as the one that spoke of the ministry of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the Old-Testament-fathers to the New-Testament-children (Lk. 1:17), which referred to the first coming of Christ. Now the second part is being fulfilled, to turn the hearts of the children back to the apostolic fathers in the direct connection to the calling out and preparation of the Bride Church before the return of Christ. A complete restoration is promised in the Word of God to the New Testament Church, wherein she would be placed back into her original state.

The question certainly does arise about what the church of the living God lost that now before the return of Jesus Christ must be restored again. We have undoubtedly arrived at the turn of an era. Not panic, but recognition of the message, which precedes the coming of Christ, is the command of the hour. All should consider this exposition in the light of God’s Word. To be in a state of readiness, everything must be returned to its original state within the Church of the living God, according to the promise. Therefore it is written, “… when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21). It has become fashionable to speak about the “end-time prophecy” and preach a “gospel of prosperity”, all the while bypassing the biblical promises given to the Church. In the celebrated meetings we observe with the spiritual eye a repeat of what already happened at the first coming of Christ. The Lord again weeps over His Own, saying, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.” (Lk. 19:42). It is now as it always has been, even in the days of our Lord, believers of the Scripture thank God for what He has done, look ahead for what He is going to do, and bypass what He is presently doing.

Whosoever is not connected to the last move of God will certainly not be ready to participate in the rapture. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was taken to Glory without seeing death. He was a type of those living now in the last church age, who were given the following promise, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev. 3:21). The true believers are now expecting what the Apostle Paul has written, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1. Cor. 15:51). Before the body can be changed, the heart and life must be changed. In the Old Testament God made the promise of a new covenant to give unto His people a new heart, a new Spirit and a new life (Jer. 36:31-34; Ezek. 11:19; Ezek. 18:31-32). We find it confirmed in the New Testament (Mt. 26:26-29; Heb. 8:6-13 a. o.). Of Enoch we read, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Heb. 11:5). Now we need the rapturing faith and the divine assurance that we are pleasing unto God before being taken up.

To be enlightened and born again by the Spirit does not suffice for the first resurrection, the changing of our bodies and the rapture. The transforming power of the Holy Spirit must dwell in us to quicken our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11). We need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a confirmation that we are sons and daughters of God, as it was with the Son of God (Mt. 3). “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:6). It continues right to the direct leading by the Holy Spirit, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14).

All prophets to whom the Word came were inspired and led by the Spirit of God. And all who believe the Word experience the same inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit and are sealed thereby, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13-14). We must experience all redemptive blessings personally in our fellowship with God. That includes the renewing by the Spirit and the new birth, as well as the anointing and infilling of the Holy Spirit as it happened with the believers at the beginning.

All who wish to stand before God and participate in the taking up to Glory have the desire to walk with God. A life pleasing to Him is only possible in the direct agreement with His Word and Will. All other things are theoretical and wishful thinking. Two times God expressed His pleasure in His Son: once at the baptism, when He said “ … for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Mt. 3), and then at the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17). There was the added command, “… hear ye him!” There have always been people on earth who were ordained to be sons and daughters of God according to the pleasure of His Own Will (Eph. 1:5 a.o.). They are the ones to whom the mystery of His Will and counsel is made known (Eph. 1:9-14). With view to the shortly expected return of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul encourages the true believers, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure … That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation …” (Phil. 2:12-18). God must be pleased with us before we can be taken up.

Now we shall present a further test, to see whether what someone believes is what the Holy Scripture teaches or what men are saying. We must come back to the prophetic promise for this time. John the Baptist was the fulfilment of Mal. 3, as the four Gospels confirm. He had his ministry two thousand years ago, just at the beginning of the Day of salvation. Now the time of grace is ending and the Day of the Lord is at hand and Mal. 4 had to be entirely fulfilled. We now again have a prophetic period, therefore the Lord emphasised, as already mentioned, the validity of this special promise, which was confirmed after the ministry of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah, as still being in the future,“Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Mt. 17:11).

Whenever God does something extraordinary on earth, He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets (Am. 3:7). Thus is fulfilled what the Lord predicted, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” (Mt. 10:41). But also the warning applies, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (1. Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). Then there are always those who stone the prophets of God who are sent to them, but decorate the tombs of those who have passed on. Whatever the reaction might be, the Lord sends messengers to His people before the judgement.

Just as Elijah called God’s people together, took the twelve stones according to the twelve tribes and rebuilt the altar that was torn down and then placed the sacrifice upon it, so God could answer (1. Ki. 18), thus through the Elijah-message the doctrines of the twelve apostles must be re-established (Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:20 a. o.) and all the true believers must be called together so that God can answer.

One has to honestly admit that all the charismatic meetings with all the praises and the special music are not yet the promised time of refreshing, but rather a well-meant but misleading celebration and religious entertainment. With the final move of the Holy Spirit the restoration of all things in the New Testament Church must take place. She has to be found in her original state, for that is the explicit promise. Sad but true, the worship is in vain, as our Lord said, if the worshippers still remain in man-made teachings, actually despising the Word, putting it out of force for themselves. Church creeds were declared infallible and compulsory for the members. The infallible Word of God at the same time was set aside. If a matter does not originate with Christ, then it is actually directed against Him. Therefore thus saith the Lord, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men … making the word of God of non effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such like things do ye.” (Mk. 7:7+13).

After the facts have been presented in this exposition, all have to decide for themselves whether the highly honoured church fathers and their representatives are still worthy to be respected and celebrated, or if from God’s point of view they all must be charged at the divine Judgement Seat. All are also asked whether it is sufficient from the scriptural viewpoint to go back to the reformers and what they said and taught, or whether we have to go back to the very beginning, to that which was spoken and taught by Peter, John, James and Paul and to what they practised. Others may follow their own judgement on whether it is enough to go back to what renowned men in the past centuries have said, or if it is a must for us to go back to the beginning and the things which were clearly taught and practised when the New Testament Church came into existence.

With this final comparison, so that no one is left out, we need to ask whether we should turn to the world-renowned TV-evangelists and ask what they teach about God, about baptism and so forth. Most certainly we have to make the strong point that we must go back to the Word of God. Back to the beginning! That is a must for all the preachers and the people alike.

It also must be brought to our attention that at the beginning of the New Testament the renowned Jewish teachers did miss God’s time of visitation. The Christian leaders of today speak of them as hypocrites and Pharisees, but in reality can be guilty of the same. Back then they did not submit under the mighty hand of God, they did not do the will of God, as they rejected the baptism of John. Therefore it is written, “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised of him.” (Lk. 7:29-30).

These days we also have plenty of evangelists and charismatic personalities who teach others, celebrate their services, and in their own eyes play an important role in God’s Kingdom, but do not recognise what God is currently doing according to His plan of salvation.

John the Baptist was a promised prophet who introduced the time of grace, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Lk. 3:2-6). “That all men through him might believe.” (Jn. 1:6-13). John himself testifies in respect to the Saviour, “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.” (1:31). Through the last prophet and his message the final time of grace has set in, and once again the emphasis is placed on baptism, now it is compulsory for everyone who submits to the plan of God to be baptised scripturally in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whenever God makes history on earth, the Kingdom of God breaks forth and the time to continue in our own ways is over. That all would comprehend what biblical and apostolic means and have no excuse for ever, we shall go to Acts 19.

The Apostle Paul visited a believing group in Ephesus. His first question was, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” Astonished that believers had not received the Holy Spirit he asked, “Unto what then were ye baptised?” They replied, “Unto John’s baptism.” They were baptised with the same baptism as Jesus Christ, being the disciples of John. But that was no longer sufficient. The work of redemption was accomplished. The new covenant was in force. The Church was founded. From that moment onward was valid what the Apostle Peter by divine commission declared in his first sermon. Without discussion, so it is written, they obeyed what the man of God said, “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

It needs to be emphasised that all things at the end must be as they were at the beginning. Looking back into time, the reformation and all revivals that followed had their place. Before World War I, at the beginning of the 20^th century, there was a mighty move of the Holy Spirit. After World War II God sent the mightiest healing revival since the days of the apostles. But this is the hour of the final visitation of God at the end of the time of grace before the return of Christ. Now is no longer valid what someone taught or practised in the past ages, but only what the Word states, which was in the beginning. The divine biblical order as it was in the original Church must be re-established.

All who now refuse to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is part of the initial teachings (Heb. 1:2), reject for themselves God’s plan of salvation, which they think to be preaching or believing. If someone does not agree with the original, basic teachings, then it certainly will not be of any benefit to them to list all the things they have done in His name (Mt. 7:21-27). They will have to hear the “Depart from Me …” from the lips of the Lord Himself. That is Thus saith the Lord in His Word.

Behind us are the two thousand years of the time of grace known as the “last days” (Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:1-2 a. o.), which God has allotted to humanity during the time of the New Covenant. Before us lies the great event of the taking away of the Bride Church to the marriage supper in heaven (Mt. 25:1-10; 1. Thess. 4; 1. Cor. 15; Rev. 19). The marriage supper in Glory is followed by the seventh millennium of humanity. We shall not concern ourselves with the two-thousand-year period from Adam to Abraham and also not with the two-thousand-year epoch from Abraham to Christ, likewise not with the short period of the great tribulation between the rapture and the beginning of the Millennial reign. We have already covered those subjects in other publications.

The »Day of the Lord« is being described in various contexts in the Old and the New Testament: as day of wrath and anger (Isa. 13:6-16), as day of darkness with signs in heaven and on earth (Joel 2), as the day that will come as the thief in the night (1. Thess. 5:1-4), as day on which all the works of men will go up in flames of fire (2. Pt. 3:1-10) a. o. The Lord Jesus spoke about it as the “day of resurrection”. In John chapter 6 this day is mentioned in connection with the resurrection four times. “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (vv. 39, 40, 44, 54). At the commencing of the “last day” the first resurrection and at its end the second resurrection will take place. “… And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (Jn. 5:29).

“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:1-6). Then the last judgement will be, known as the “White Throne Judgement” (vv. 11-15). After it follows the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1) and time merges into eternity.

Now again a time period is fulfilled which could end at any moment. Although no one knows the day or the hour, the signs of the time do declare it. The promised return of Christ is already overdue, it is only the long-suffering of God, waiting for the last ones to enter His Kingdom (2. Pt. 3:9). For 2,000 years true believers have been waiting for the fulfilment of the promise the Lord Jesus made, “… I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Jn. 14:1-3). Never before has there been a time in which all the accompanying circumstances, which go along with this greatest event in the plan of salvation, were as prevalent as they are now. May the scoffers ask, as it was predicted for the end-time, “Where is the promise of his coming?” The Apostle Peter already then was led to give the answer, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise … but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2. Pt. 3).

The various things that would take place before His coming, the Lord Jesus mentioned in Mt. 24, Mk. 13 and Lk. 17 a. o. It would be as it was in the times of Noah — back then the interbreeding of the two lineages, the one of Seth and the one of Cain — the sons of God with the daughters of men —, took place (Gen. 6), which was ended by the flood. It would also be like it was in Sodom and Gomorrah, when morality reached its lowest point (Gen. 19). Abraham was the prophet of that time to whom the Lord revealed what would be (Gen. 18:17). God sent the judgement by letting fire and brimstone rain down from heaven. Before this world will experience the apocalyptic judgements of wrath and will be purified by fire, God offers grace and redemption. The warning is given before the judgement.

The Lord Jesus in view of the end-time confirmed the promise of the sending of the prophet Elijah, who should come before this great and terrible day (Mal. 4:5-6). It is so important that He renewed the promise in Mt. 17:11 and also in Mk. 9:12: “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” This promise is of equal significance as the one that spoke of the ministry of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the Old-Testament-fathers to the New-Testament-children (Lk. 1:17), which referred to the first coming of Christ. Now the second part is being fulfilled, to turn the hearts of the children back to the apostolic fathers in the direct connection to the calling out and preparation of the Bride Church before the return of Christ. A complete restoration is promised in the Word of God to the New Testament Church, wherein she would be placed back into her original state.

The question certainly does arise about what the church of the living God lost that now before the return of Jesus Christ must be restored again. We have undoubtedly arrived at the turn of an era. Not panic, but recognition of the message, which precedes the coming of Christ, is the command of the hour. All should consider this exposition in the light of God’s Word. To be in a state of readiness, everything must be returned to its original state within the Church of the living God, according to the promise. Therefore it is written, “… when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21). It has become fashionable to speak about the “end-time prophecy” and preach a “gospel of prosperity”, all the while bypassing the biblical promises given to the Church. In the celebrated meetings we observe with the spiritual eye a repeat of what already happened at the first coming of Christ. The Lord again weeps over His Own, saying, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.” (Lk. 19:42). It is now as it always has been, even in the days of our Lord, believers of the Scripture thank God for what He has done, look ahead for what He is going to do, and bypass what He is presently doing.

Whosoever is not connected to the last move of God will certainly not be ready to participate in the rapture. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was taken to Glory without seeing death. He was a type of those living now in the last church age, who were given the following promise, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev. 3:21). The true believers are now expecting what the Apostle Paul has written, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1. Cor. 15:51). Before the body can be changed, the heart and life must be changed. In the Old Testament God made the promise of a new covenant to give unto His people a new heart, a new Spirit and a new life (Jer. 36:31-34; Ezek. 11:19; Ezek. 18:31-32). We find it confirmed in the New Testament (Mt. 26:26-29; Heb. 8:6-13 a. o.). Of Enoch we read, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” (Heb. 11:5). Now we need the rapturing faith and the divine assurance that we are pleasing unto God before being taken up.

To be enlightened and born again by the Spirit does not suffice for the first resurrection, the changing of our bodies and the rapture. The transforming power of the Holy Spirit must dwell in us to quicken our mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11). We need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a confirmation that we are sons and daughters of God, as it was with the Son of God (Mt. 3). “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4:6). It continues right to the direct leading by the Holy Spirit, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14).

All prophets to whom the Word came were inspired and led by the Spirit of God. And all who believe the Word experience the same inspiration and leading of the Holy Spirit and are sealed thereby, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13-14). We must experience all redemptive blessings personally in our fellowship with God. That includes the renewing by the Spirit and the new birth, as well as the anointing and infilling of the Holy Spirit as it happened with the believers at the beginning.

All who wish to stand before God and participate in the taking up to Glory have the desire to walk with God. A life pleasing to Him is only possible in the direct agreement with His Word and Will. All other things are theoretical and wishful thinking. Two times God expressed His pleasure in His Son: once at the baptism, when He said “ … for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Mt. 3), and then at the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17). There was the added command, “… hear ye him!” There have always been people on earth who were ordained to be sons and daughters of God according to the pleasure of His Own Will (Eph. 1:5 a.o.). They are the ones to whom the mystery of His Will and counsel is made known (Eph. 1:9-14). With view to the shortly expected return of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul encourages the true believers, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure … That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation …” (Phil. 2:12-18). God must be pleased with us before we can be taken up.

Now we shall present a further test, to see whether what someone believes is what the Holy Scripture teaches or what men are saying. We must come back to the prophetic promise for this time. John the Baptist was the fulfilment of Mal. 3, as the four Gospels confirm. He had his ministry two thousand years ago, just at the beginning of the Day of salvation. Now the time of grace is ending and the Day of the Lord is at hand and Mal. 4 had to be entirely fulfilled. We now again have a prophetic period, therefore the Lord emphasised, as already mentioned, the validity of this special promise, which was confirmed after the ministry of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah, as still being in the future,  “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Mt. 17:11).

Whenever God does something extraordinary on earth, He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets (Am. 3:7). Thus is fulfilled what the Lord predicted, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” (Mt. 10:41). But also the warning applies, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (1. Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15). Then there are always those who stone the prophets of God who are sent to them, but decorate the tombs of those who have passed on. Whatever the reaction might be, the Lord sends messengers to His people before the judgement.

Just as Elijah called God’s people together, took the twelve stones according to the twelve tribes and rebuilt the altar that was torn down and then placed the sacrifice upon it, so God could answer (1. Ki. 18), thus through the Elijah-message the doctrines of the twelve apostles must be re-established (Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:20 a. o.) and all the true believers must be called together so that God can answer.

One has to honestly admit that all the charismatic meetings with all the praises and the special music are not yet the promised time of refreshing, but rather a well-meant but misleading celebration and religious entertainment. With the final move of the Holy Spirit the restoration of all things in the New Testament Church must take place. She has to be found in her original state, for that is the explicit promise. Sad but true, the worship is in vain, as our Lord said, if the worshippers still remain in man-made teachings, actually despising the Word, putting it out of force for themselves. Church creeds were declared infallible and compulsory for the members. The infallible Word of God at the same time was set aside. If a matter does not originate with Christ, then it is actually directed against Him. Therefore thus saith the Lord, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men … making the word of God of non effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such like things do ye.” (Mk. 7:7+13).

After the facts have been presented in this exposition, all have to decide for themselves whether the highly honoured church fathers and their representatives are still worthy to be respected and celebrated, or if from God’s point of view they all must be charged at the divine Judgement Seat. All are also asked whether it is sufficient from the scriptural viewpoint to go back to the reformers and what they said and taught, or whether we have to go back to the very beginning, to that which was spoken and taught by Peter, John, James and Paul and to what they practised. Others may follow their own judgement on whether it is enough to go back to what renowned men in the past centuries have said, or if it is a must for us to go back to the beginning and the things which were clearly taught and practised when the New Testament Church came into existence.

With this final comparison, so that no one is left out, we need to ask whether we should turn to the world-renowned TV-evangelists and ask what they teach about God, about baptism and so forth. Most certainly we have to make the strong point that we must go back to the Word of God. Back to the beginning! That is a must for all the preachers and the people alike.

It also must be brought to our attention that at the beginning of the New Testament the renowned Jewish teachers did miss God’s time of visitation. The Christian leaders of today speak of them as hypocrites and Pharisees, but in reality can be guilty of the same. Back then they did not submit under the mighty hand of God, they did not do the will of God, as they rejected the baptism of John. Therefore it is written, “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised of him.” (Lk. 7:29-30).

These days we also have plenty of evangelists and charismatic personalities who teach others, celebrate their services, and in their own eyes play an important role in God’s Kingdom, but do not recognise what God is currently doing according to His plan of salvation.

John the Baptist was a promised prophet who introduced the time of grace, “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Lk. 3:2-6). “That all men through him might believe.” (Jn. 1:6-13). John himself testifies in respect to the Saviour, “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.” (1:31). Through the last prophet and his message the final time of grace has set in, and once again the emphasis is placed on baptism, now it is compulsory for everyone who submits to the plan of God to be baptised scripturally in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whenever God makes history on earth, the Kingdom of God breaks forth and the time to continue in our own ways is over. That all would comprehend what biblical and apostolic means and have no excuse for ever, we shall go to Acts 19.

The Apostle Paul visited a believing group in Ephesus. His first question was, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” Astonished that believers had not received the Holy Spirit he asked, “Unto what then were ye baptised?” They replied, “Unto John’s baptism.” They were baptised with the same baptism as Jesus Christ, being the disciples of John. But that was no longer sufficient. The work of redemption was accomplished. The new covenant was in force. The Church was founded. From that moment onward was valid what the Apostle Peter by divine commission declared in his first sermon. Without discussion, so it is written, they obeyed what the man of God said, “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

It needs to be emphasised that all things at the end must be as they were at the beginning. Looking back into time, the reformation and all revivals that followed had their place. Before World War I, at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a mighty move of the Holy Spirit. After World War II God sent the mightiest healing revival since the days of the apostles. But this is the hour of the final visitation of God at the end of the time of grace before the return of Christ. Now is no longer valid what someone taught or practised in the past ages, but only what the Word states, which was in the beginning. The divine biblical order as it was in the original Church must be re-established.

All who now refuse to be baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is part of the initial teachings (Heb. 1:2), reject for themselves God’s plan of salvation, which they think to be preaching or believing. If someone does not agree with the original, basic teachings, then it certainly will not be of any benefit to them to list all the things they have done in His name (Mt. 7:21-27). They will have to hear the “Depart from Me …” from the lips of the Lord Himself. That is Thus saith the Lord in His Word.