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In this fourteenth installment expounding the book of Matthew, John Ritenbaugh reiterates that to have the Pharisees and Sadducees band together against a ‘common enemy’ (namely Jesus) would be tantamount to have the Republicans and Democrats (Conservatives and Liberals) align themselves together against a common enemy--an extremely rare occasion. Jesus challenged both groups that they were unable to discern the signs of the times. As physical Israel was divorced by God Almighty for spiritual adultery, we, as the espoused Bride of Christ (the Israel of God), have to assiduously avoid spiritual fornication. In order to avoid spiritual fornication, we need to come out of the world, dropping the ways of thinking and acting as we have been long accustomed. Even things permitted by God, like eating and drinking, if done to excess (gluttony and drunkenness--practices often encouraged or condoned by the world) do not glorify God, but constitute a form of spiritual fornication. As it is wrong to yoke an ox and an ass together, we cannot become yoked together unequally. Any time we allow ourselves to become influenced by the ungodly ways of the world, we become unequally yoked. Unless we admit we have been wrong, very little change will take place. The leavening of the Pharisees constitutes a false belief or doctrine that takes root within the mind of a person having a deadly effect on the outside, somewhat analogous to a consuming cancer. The Pharisees doctrines or practices consisted of legal system of external rituals. The Sadducees attempted to alter the political structure. Neither the practices of the Pharisees nor that of the Sadducees can change, cleanse, or purify the internal spiritual state of an individual. Changing a person’s external environment does not change the carnality within. Our special calling consists of an internal change in which God’s Holy Spirit actually allows us to know Christ, causing us to believe Him, obey Him, yielding to His purpose for our lives. Only the Spirit of God can empower one to do this seemingly impossible task. Peter’s recognition of Christ’s true identity had to come from revelation. The true foundation of the Church is the living Christ. The study concludes with a discussion of the principles of binding and loosing, only allowing decisions consistent with principle already contained within God’s law. [NB: This series of Bible Studies from 1981-82 is incomplete.]

Adulterous generation Binding and Loosing Cancer analogy Caesarea Philippi Coming out of the world Discerning the times Doctrine or belief Good News Gospel of the Kingdom of God Gospel published around the world Israel’s adultery Keys of the kingdom Leavening as sin Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees Pan Petra Petros Sadducees and Pharisees Plowing with an ox and ass together Sign of Jonah Signs of the times Signs Spiritual adultery Spiritual fornication Spiritual discernment Strength made perfect in weakness Temple prostitutes Transmigration of souls Unequally yoked Watch and pray always

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