GOD and MAN TODAY
The Sacred and the "Secular"
Biblical "Church" & Qualifications
Transition in Acts; Time of Reformation
John's Jewish Mikveh Baptisms
Ordinances Ended at the Cross
Current Events; All About Israel
The Book of Revelation
By Alan Hemenway
Man has created NOTHING. He can only use the resources provided by God's creation. There is nothing outside the realm of God and His Creation; therefore it is impossible to validate the separating of a "secular" away from the sacred as legitimate. In God giving Adam dominion over all the Earth... it is obvious that Adam was commissioned as an object of Gods favor. The Fall of Adam changed much of that. Not discounting God's foreknowledge, I can't imagine God intending to have Adam displaced by the sinful persons who were to follow. As just stewards, and not passive Calvinists, we are responsible to not let evil triumph. We have allowed society, principalities & powers, to set the agenda and the rhetoric which has weakened our influence. As Born Again Christians, we have God's favor. We believe the Bible. It includes God creating Man, the fall of Man, and the ongoing process of God eventually winning Man back to Himself.
Thesis: Everything in this life is subject to the standards and terms of the Creator God. Man will be successful or unsuccessful based on his relationship, or lack of relationship, with the Creator God, just as His laws of physics cannot be changed by anyone but Him. It is laughable that anybody exercises their free will and [temporarily] get- away with the sin of turning their back on God and going contrary to God. There are dire consequences to any alternative life style away from God. Do they think that the infinite all-knowing God is busy elsewhere and not constantly watching everything we do? God is interested in all that Man is doing or not doing; and if He be God, He will judge us.
Those who do not embrace God have attempted to separate themselves from God by effectively assuming they are bigger than God, and by accepting false concepts implanted in society, through such terminology as "secular" and "separation of church and state", until even Christians accept these false concepts. A Christian is supposed to be a Christian 24 hours per day every day of their lives. If you become a prominent executive or politician, what you believe as a Christian should be reflected in your entire lifestyle, freely and unapologetically, but we cave in to the pressures of society from the media, the educational system, and social interaction, which attempt to validate their independent secular humanism. It exists but it reflects the doomed rebellion against God in which a degenerate World is attempting to cancel out God.
WHO IS THE "CHURCH"
Please keep in mind that the church is defined by the New Testament and not by the traditions of men that have been brought into the "church". The church is not a man-made building but is the assembly of all the Christians now, or have ever existed. Many Christians do not recognize the difference. They are prejudiced by what they have been taught or conditioned to believe; without question. There is one true church to which all Christians belong; wheath they know it or not. It is a spiritual body but men condescend to things they can see and touch and do... by religiosity! There is "one Lord, one faith [no sects], one baptism [not two], one God and Father of all," Eph. 4:5-6, written about 64 A.D. The literal definition from the original Greek New Testament is "out-called-ones" from the Greek word ekklesia, which is a gathering together.
The New Testament, especially in the original Greek, is all we need to know to bring all Christians to consensus, as it is designed, but the works of men have produced confusion, with all it's denominations. The early New Testament church, in breaking from the old Temple worship, did not have sacred buildings, ordinances, holy days, denominations, seminaries, ornaments, nor ecclesiastical garments.
The apostle Paul did not hold back God's truth for fear of offending strangers. "Rightly dividing the Word of truth", 2 Timothy 2:15, is a call to study the Scriptures by comparing scripture with scripture, using the original Greek, and Greek grammar. When somebody becomes saved, they seem to think they have to do something. You will find man-made church traditions not supported by scripture, as well as works programs, ordinances, and holy days carried over from the Law of Moses. They are now discontinued under Grace since Jesus death fulfilled the Law, which was of sin and death, but is now the forgiveness of sin through Jesus paying for our sin by His death, in our place. And through His Ressurection, He prepared a place for us, true believers, in Heaven. He did it for all who would receive Him. The Christian life is not a religiosity about Christ; it's a loving relationship between us and Christ; not for us to be busied seemingly for Him, but to be preoccupied with Him, the center of your life.
Try to picture God's intended Christian standard -- His standard for every human being. For a more recent example, we have a model in the Pilgrims of Plymouth, who were trying to function according to Biblical standards, and the implication is that they would not consider any part of their lives as "secular"; The Pilgrims were not Puritans. The Puritans were trying unsuccessfully to reform a Church of England which was not far removed from the Church of Rome. The Pilgrims were Separatists, and except for the Mayflower Compact which simply says they intended to be civil toward one another, were not a man-made denomination. The Pilgrims strongly believed that the Church of England, like the Church of Rome, "had strayed beyond Christ's teachings, and established religious rituals, and church hierarchies, that went against the teachings of the Bible. This belief put them at odds with church officials who, in the early years of King James I, tried to have them arrested and thrown in jail for refusing to participate in church rituals.", and "The Pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas and Easter. They believed that these holidays were invented by man to memorialize Jesus, and are not prescribed by the Bible or celebrated by the early Christian churches, and therefore cannot be considered Holy days." "It seems too much for any mortal man to appoint, or make an anniversary memorial [for Christ]," taught the Pilgrims' pastor John Robinson. The book Perth Assembly (Leiden, 1618)--the book that got Elder William Brewster into such hot water with the King of England and ultimately resulted in the confiscation of his printing press--was largely about the rejection of Christmas and other appointed "Holy Days." as per www.mayflowerhistory.com/religion/ The Pilgrims would not proclaim a denomination. History records a separated life that was Bible-based in spite of how the revisionists would re-define those who were called Pilgrims or Separatists.
CHURCH'S FOUNDATION MUST BE BIBLICAL
All the World's problems are spiritual problems, both in individual lives and that which society is doing to itself. We get the news! How can we as Christians not be aware? Satan is slick. He has been doing everything he can to keep us Christians (and Jews) out of his way, rendering us impotent so as to not interfere with his own program. Satan "goes to church" and has corrupted the churches into feel-good places and entertainment cathedrals; something that does not resemble the Biblical model. We heed the traditions we've been taught rather than what the Bible says, and most Christians don't know what the Bible really says. Over time, Biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down. We've lacked checks and balances on what Christians are being taught. Most Christians are weak conformists, going along with denominational traditions rather than rightly dividing what the Bible really says, and be corrected. The so-called churches have been so institutionalized, as re-defined over the centuries, especially from Constantine to Luther, so much so that we don't see or even question the lack of the Biblical model. With all the denominations and conflicting doctrines, something has got to be very wrong!
This author was in a workable setting in California. Teachers had a Biblical literacy superior to what's been achieved by the seminary system, making the seminaries superfluous by their ignorance and lack of Biblical foundation precision.
This study was originally written to 15 ministering brethren personally known to this author, most of which had some understanding of the implications of the New Testament Greek which will be discussed herein. It had to do with a church split and church splits in general. Later, after editing the material to perhaps help with the understanding of the Greek for non-Greek reading people, it was sent to about 200 known families. The issue of this Greek presentation that follows is that in Titus 1:5 "point out" overseers would be a better translation than "appoint" now that the apostles are gone. Timothy and Titus had the power of the Holy Spirit to discern who to "appoint" as overseers [so-called bishops]. With the apostles gone, it is left to the elders to recognize those among themselves who have the qualifications to be an overseer as per the Pastoral Epistles: Timothy and Titus. Local assemblies were autonomous. They did not have denominational hierachies.
There is not found a popular translation of the English Bible that is completely faithful to the original Greek. The singular problem with the King James is that it preserves the ecclesiastical terminology of the Church of England which came from the Church of Rome, designed to preserve the clergy/laity system of hierarchical control. From Constantine, about 311 A.D., to Luther, the established church defined institutional church tradition which continues to be similar to the influence of Judaizers with ordinances and holy days which continues to this very day. When "Christianity" became institutionalized by Constantine, he played a significant role in shaping ecclesiastical doctrine, mixing the old traditional pagan Easter with the Ressurection of Jesus Christ. The correct word for the time of the Crucifiction in the original Greek is Pasha because it was on the Passover, but it happened to co-incidentally be on the pagan Easter that year which is related to fertility worship.
Today, we do not have an acceptable popular N.T. translation because all popular translations since 1881 use the Gnostic Greek text from Alexandria Egypt; The result is the confusion of many strange sounding translations in their departure from the Biblical consistency of the Textus Receptus/Majority Greek text, eventually resulting in the spawning of today's apostate former evangelical churches. The evidence is extensive on the Internet; Youtube, with books by Les Garret, Gail Riplinger, Mary Chrnalogar, et.al. A recent word-for-word literal translation of the Textus Receptus Greek is the KJ3 Literal Version. Even a child can understand it. See it: http://www.thewordnotes.com/litv/litv.htm
THE PASTORAL EPISTLES NEGLECTED
The Lord and the apostles are the real foundation of the church [not the reformers and their institutions], Christ Jesus being the chief cornerstone. (Eph 2:20) Bible students & preachers who are lacking in knowledge of the Greek N.T. commonly don't reconcile the difference between elders and so-called King James "bishops". The Biblical model for the church is clear and absolute, for known local men from among [Titus 1:6] the older brethren (Greek; presbuteros=seniors) to qualify as overseers (Greek; epi-scopos= literally 'over-sight') [not man's traditional doctrine of 'bishops' and the word 'office of'' is nowhere implied in the Greek] who are required to meet 17 qualifications, as required according to Titus (and Timothy). It would be arrogant for men to declare a calling and appoint themselves but should be pointed out by their brethren who know them. The Bible does not mention a search committee to look for nor consult other overseers from outside. The apostles are gone and did not leave us anything but a local consensus of elders. Obviously, with Timothy and Titus gone, the process is that the potential overseer(s) are to be vetted by who else but all the elders [all the older brethren] in the local assembly, in recognition of those known among them who should qualify. Today, churches are institutionalized and denominated against keeping with a local autonomy. When more than one church joins together, there becomes a control issue leading to splits and hierarchical sectarianism.
Titus 1:5, "...in order that you [Titus] might amend the things which are deficient and [Titus] should designate elders in every city." [KJ3 Modern Literal Version] With the infant church coming together, Titus' [& Timothy's] instructions by Paul are presumed to be given them accompanied by the Apostolic power of the Holy Spirit to be able to discern who to designate as overseer(s). The Greek word for designate in the text is κατάστασης [kata stasis], literally per equilibrium or according to stasis. The authoritative word appoint doesn't seem appropriate after the apostles are gone. [The idea is more of 'recognize' or 'point out' considering a vetting process.] Additionally, with today's secular Greek dictionary translation being repair and status and without the και [and or but] - fix the status. It is Titus being sent to fix any situations in the young assemblies = κατά πόλιν πρεσβύτερος [kata polin presputeros] by city, elders.
Strong's No. 2525 even in the J.P. Green, Sr. Interlinear Greek/English New Testament indicates spuriously to κατθιστημί [kathistami] which is not in the actual Greek text. The original Greek is κατάστασης [kata stasis; according to stasis] as above; κατθιστημί [kathistami] is not κατάστασης [kata stasis]; Strong's κατθιστημί [kathistami], the wrong word, says to place down permanently, i.e., (fig.) to designate, constitute, convoy: appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set; Is Strong trying to be politically correct with man's traditions from the institutionalized ecclesiastical order of things; a man to have the authority to appoint/ordain today? God's Apostle Paul authorizes Titus to appoint or designate overseers by the anointing they had of the Holy Spirit; The apostles are gone and by default the overseers are to be vetted by the elders since then, today.
According to Kittle's Dictionary, Vol. VII, pages 568-571, στάσης (stasis) outside the Bible is used to denote the results of action as well as being qualitative. In the Greek Septuagint [which is a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek] a sense of what is set up, boundary stone, statute, treaty, stability (of the sun and moon), place where one stands. In the New Testament, unchanged existence Heb 9:8, uproar Mk 15:17, uproar which threatens political security and thus gives rise to complaint Act 9:40, conflict Act 15:2, a στάσης [stasis] between Pharisees and Sadducees, unrest and the intervention of the procurator. Kittle, p. 571, says στάσης [stasis] never used in the NT regarding conflicts within the Christian community. The Oxford Dictionary says that it is a period or state of equilibrium.
Again, in summary, the context is the model for the local churches to be established, "set in order" στάσης [stasis] as the standard [not man "ordain"], and to continue after the apostles are gone for known local men from among [Titus 1:6] the older brethren (Greek; presbuteros=seniors) to qualify as overseers (Greek; epi-scopos= literally 'over-scope', 'over-seers') [not KJV 'bishops'; and 'office of' is nowhere implied in God's chosen Greek], who are required to meet 17 qualifications, according to Titus 1:5-9 [and I Timothy 3]. Most churches are out of order, and not legitimately blessed because men seek what they think are ministering "leadership gifts" and preeminence without considering the foundational qualifications set down by Timothy/Titus. Hey! It's God's Word! Shouldn't the "churches" go back and get themselves in order?
"Leadership" is not Christian doctrine. "Leader(s)" appears 9 times in the concordance and each instance refers to the world's examples and not to relationships in the church. If somebody gets in your face and mis-represents themselves as "are over you in the Lord", with that attitude, they are a fraud.
There are teachers who understand these issues who have either survived the seminary system, or managed to avoid it, who have an uncompromised Biblical literacy superior to what is lacking in the seminary system, making the seminaries superfluous by lack of a valid Biblical foundation.
The study http://www.mauricejohnsonarchives.com/Bishops_and_deacons.html by Milton Dunavant, suggests from the Old Testament the implication of ages of 'elders' (inclusive of overseer elders) and 'servants' [diakonoi] are likely to be. ['Deacons' should not be considered an assured path to 'overseer'.] An overseer qualifies in the Lord's eyes. Since the apostles are gone, it is necessary that a vetting process recognize this. An overseer's 17 qualifications suggest that he might be the most humble man in the assembly, congenially working in one accord with all the older brethren who vetted him; trusting them who trust him. The world's examples of military leadership and chain of command, which demands that you follow the leader, right or wrong, is not compatible with Christian fellowship. The elders are a consensus endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Ephesians 4:3, not a rubber stamp on the 'preacher' but through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to Robert's Rules of Order, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Statements of Faith, and any other worldly vehicles. But, as usual, many modern preachers are covetous of their positions and not secure enough to let the Biblical model happen naturally because they lack faith in it being able to happen without them being in control. Overseers are supposed to be humble, the opposite of the model high-powered CEO who the World admires and the seminaries instill in their postulants.
As per: Titus 1:5-16 [and I Timothy 3:1-13 similar]: These are called the Pastoral Epistles which are the Biblical standard for pastoring; how we are to minister to one another. Once we are saved this is what we are supposed to do. It is how we sustain the ekklesia in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Timothy and Titus must be the most neglected books of God's Bible because most churches haven't conducted themselves accordingly over many centuries because of their allowing dominant un-vetted men to lead them astray.
"If anyone is..."
Blameless
One wife [polygamy common among the new Gentile converts from the culture]
Vigilant
Sober
Of Good Behavior
Given to hospitality
Aptitude to teach
Not given to wine
Not covetous
*Rules well his own house
*Having children in subjection with all gravity
Not a novice
Have a good report of them from outside the assembly
No striker
Not greedy of filthy lucre
Patient
Not a brawler
*The elder, typically 50 or more years old [implied in the O.T., Numbers 4:23; 8:24-26], to be qualified as an overseer must be: Ruling his entire family well. His wife also circumspect, having children of faith in subjection with all gravity not accused of riot or unruly [1 Timothy 3:4], which can be very telling of genuineness not long after they leave home, the overseer still liable as having been a fit parent.
Titus 1: (KJ3 Literal Translation)
5 ¶ For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I ordered you: 6 ¶ If anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in accusation of loose behavior, or disobedient, 7 (for the overseer must be blameless as a steward of God), not self-pleasing, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not a quarreler, not greedy of ill gain; 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate, 9 clinging to the faithful Word according to the teaching, that he may be able both to encourage by sound doctrine and to convict the ones contradicting. 10 For there are indeed many insubordinate men, empty talkers and mind-deluders, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouth you must stop, who overturn whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of ill gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. 13 This testimony is true; for which cause convict them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not listening to Jewish myths and commandments of men, having turned away from the truth. 15 Truly, all things are pure to the pure, but to the ones being defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience has been defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and worthless to every good work.
1 Timothy 3 (KJ3 Literal Translation)
1 ¶ Faithful is the Word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. 2 Then it behooves the overseer to be blameless, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching; 3 not a drunkard, not a contentious one, not money-loving, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not avaricious; 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all respect. 5 But if anyone does not know how to rule his own house, how will he care for an assembly of God? 6 He should not be a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the devil's judgment. 7 But he must also have a good witness from those outside, that he not fall into reproach and into a snare of the devil. 8 ¶ Likewise, deacons are to be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9 having the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 And also let these be tested first, then let them serve, being without reproach. 11 Likewise, their wives are to be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their own houses and children well. 13 For those having served well gain a good grade for themselves and much boldness in faith, those in Christ Jesus.
The Biblical order of the early disciples had greater influence upon the World than all later generations of Christianity combined. Everyone professes to admire them but very few are motivated to emulate them. (JWL) How many preachers emulate them today? I haven't found a single Christian assembly that functions in obediance to God's Pastoral Epistles.
MAN'S ECCLESIASTICAL DECEPTION
Man's devised traditions, religiousity, gave us the clergy/laity system and the seminary concept. The so-called churches today have a feeder system through the seminaries for anybody who wants to be a 'Reverend'. Ps. 111:9, "holy and reverend is His name". 'Reverend' appears in the Bible once, only referring to God! The ecclesiastical system might as well be a model of the world's secular humanistic system of striving for excellence in the flesh, without God. Similar to the rites and rituals, ceremonial cleansings and washings, ordinances, and liturgy of the Jewish temple [not for Gentiles under Grace]; their 'reverend' is the celebrant who ascends the altar. Did the apostles have an elevated pulpit for the apostle Paul rising above the assembly; the ekklesia [literally, the 'called-out ones'] distranslated as church. The Greek word αίρεση, (h)airesi, is literally translated heresy published as sect. Acts 24:5; 28:22, etc. The εκκλησία; ecclesia as explained in Kittle's, Vol. 1, Pgs 182-183. The word church is derived from the German kirche which was the word some time ago for the architectural design of a traditional "church" building.
Ambitious men have carnally coveted the ministering gifts: 'activity' such as preaching, teaching, exhortation, serving, administrations, giving, and mercy [empathy], not to be confused with 'qualification' required to be an overseer. Again, rightly dividing the Word in Timothy & Titus, men are not actually 'qualified' to be an 'overseer' unless they have been vetted locally, as having lived among, thus being known for their long established reputation by those to whom they would oversee or preside cooperatively; with the inclusiveness of the priesthood of all believers. 1Peter 2:9. The sectarian tradition of the clergy/laity system of subservience to the clergy, encompassing most of organized religion ever since, would find the Biblical model threatening to their job security as it purges the churches of their carnality. The 17 qualifications in Timothy & Titus would in themselves automatically vet the most righteous and humble men in the congregation. Again, the apostles are gone and this is the limit of what they left us. The Holy Spirit will only bless us if we are Biblical. Sectarian religion led us astray. The Reformation from within/without had compromising results. We should be capable of seeing the deficit. Any rationale that the Ecclesiastical / seminary system is practical, is a departure from God's order. The diverse sectarian confusion and the apostasy we see today are the proofs of a bad system. "Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." Where there is liberty, the spirit of the Lord moves and bears fruit. Man's innovations are not better than God's. When we take over, the Holy Spirit likely abandons us to our own devices. See "The Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy": www.awildernessvoice.com/GEC.html
DIVINE BIBLICAL DESIGN AUTHORITY FOR THE EKKLESIA
We all only belong to the Lord' one church [ekklesia=out-called-ones].
Being right with God should be easy. What you truly believe, you should likely abide by. If everybody values and abides by Biblical doctrine, they will have unity. One with Christ is automatically one with each other. Our conduct requires the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If we are selfish, or impose our personality on others, we break the unity.
There are scriptures about division in the church and of its consequences. Some are Romans 16:17, divisions and offences; 1 Corinthians 1:10, that there be no divisions; 1 Cor 3:3, divisions, are ye not carnal; and 1 Cor 11:18, hear that there be divisions. If we are part of a division we need to let go of it and become part of the solution and not be part of the problem... in order for us to be right with God. We are part of the priesthood of all believers! 1 Pet 2:9 Do not fear rejection when you have a conscience void of offense. Splits have grieved the Holy Spirit enough to abandon us to our own devices. Some "ministers" conduct themselves like inquisitors. If they would have been vetted by all the elders, as per Titus 1 (and 1 Timothy 3), they would not have qualified as overseers. When nobody is vetted, we get stuck with the unqualified and the result is God's judgment. We'd deserve it! Do the men just go along with those who are dominant. How do we restore the blessings of the Holy Spirit? We'd need to rekindle the Holy Spirit back among us. It starts with us as individuals to immediately embrace an attitude in our hearts of the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and not be fearful, discouraged, nor destroyed because of the selfish ones who want to carnally be in control, or of those who flee independently, often finding false liberty in independent lifestyles that are not in keeping with a time when Christian fellowship was more fruitful in our separation from the carnality of the World. It would be tangible and do-able for the older brethren to come back and all decide who qualifies to be overseer(s). It would be a real miracle for such a motivation to take place. We [many of the original addressees] once had it very good but lost it when the assemblies compromised and gave in to those who were carnally ambitious for control. For now, we are to ignore the naysayers and the ambitious who have destroyed whatever unity we once had, and those who are still part of the problem. Simplicity in Christ brings joy if we have the Holy Spirit and the love of God's Word. The real ekklesia, so-called church, is not about us, and our wants, it is all about Christ. Christ through his Word has all our solutions beyond our alibis and arguments. Through the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:1-3.
TRANSITION IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
We need to understand that Acts is a transition from Phase 1, all Jewish Christians, to Phase 2, including Gentiles, to Phase 3, all being one in Christ. The transition starts in Acts 10, Acts 15, and Galatians. What to do with the Gentile Believers? Acts 15: "24 Since we heard that some of us having gone out have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we gave no command; 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put not one greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 To hold back from idol sacrifices, and blood, and that strangled, and from fornication..." No ordinances for Gentile Believers in Acts 15 nor for Jewish Christians in any of Paul's late epistles; all under Grace.
"When our Lord Jesus Christ discoursed to His Jewish disciples on the night He was betrayed, He said, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now; howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:12, 13.) Had He told them at that time that the religious system under which they were living—the Jews' religion (Gal. 1:13, 14)—was decaying and waxing old and ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13), that it stood only in meats and drinks and divers baptisms (Gr.) and carnal ordinances (Heb. 9:10), and was to be displaced with "better" things (Heb. 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:40), they could not have borne it. That revelation had to wait for about thirty years, when God gave it to Paul, in order that all differences between Jews who believe and Gentiles who believe might be dissolved. Three years after the revelation in Hebrews, Peter said there were some things in Paul's Scriptures "hard to be understood." —2 Pet. 3:15, 16." [ quote, Ed Stevens] https://mauricejohnsonarchives.com/ChartOfTheTransition.html
THE SCOPE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS
"In Acts, first chapter, we find our Lord Jesus Christ meeting with the disciples and commanding them not to depart from Jerusalem. This was during the forty days after His resurrection—about 33 A.D. In the last chapter we find Paul a prisoner at Rome, dwelling in his own hired house for two years, during which time he wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews (63 A.D.), in which the Jewish believers are told that the Mosaic system, "imposed on them until the time of reformation" (9:10), is become old and is "now ready to vanish away" (8:13). And the revelation is given about this time that the barriers between the Jews and Gentiles, though potentially broken down by the cross, were actually left standing until the clear revelation of this new man. (Eph. 2:11-19.)" [quote, Ed Stevens]
Acts 2 Pentecost - Jews and Jewish Prosilytes saved.
Acts 8 Samaritans saved.
Acts 10 Cornelius' gentile household saved, 8 years after Pentecost.
Acts 15 Council at Jerusalem regarding Gentiles, 19 years after Pentecost.
Acts 18:18 Paul observes Jewish vow.
Acts 21:24 Paul's reference to purification tites 27 years after the cross.
Acts 28:28 End of Acts, 31 years after Pentecost.
One year later - 64 AD, Ephesians 2:14:15, Colossians 2:14, and Hebrews 9:10.
Christ "who hath made both one, and broken down the "middle wall of partition" between us [differences between Jews and Gentiles]; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances", Ephesians 2:14-15; and "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against uo, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross", Colossians 2:14; abolished at the cross... but not revealed until after the close of the book of Acts, about one year later when Hebrews is written to Jewish believers, and Colossians and Ephesians is written to Gentiles; this is "the time of reformation", as in Hebrews 9:10, where the original Greek text is literally, "setting things right imposed". It took a long time to get there.
THE TIME OF REFORMATION
The Jewish believers continued Jewish ordinances up until the time of reformation; just after Acts. The carnal ordinances, the ceremonies, the meats and drinks, which were imposed on the Jews in the Mosaic law, had then come to an end. Note what Paul says, Hebrews 9:10, concerning the system... "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings (Greek baptismos) and carnal ordinances imposed on them (the Jews) until the time of reformation (Διορθώσεως επικειμενα ; diorthoseos epikeimena ; literally, “setting things right being imposed)." After Acts was written, the Epistle to the Hebrews, AD 63 or 64, along with Ephesians and Colossians, was written, releasing the "Jews which believe" from the Mosaic system, and unveiling the "better" things that displace the fulfilled law. This brought them into the same relationship to the law that the "Gentiles which believe" had been enjoying for twenty years, completing a major purpose of the Book of Acts. "Until" the time of reformation has to be connected here to the Hebrews 9:10 scripture contemporally because this is when Paul imposes it and there is no indication that it is something in the future. See Saved By Dry Baptism: https://mauricejohnsonarchives.com/baptism.htm
"ONE BAPTISM"
If there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism", Ephesians 4:5, the one baptism occurs the instant you become a true Christian, by the Holy Spirit; it's not water! [There is] "one Lord, one faith [no sects], one baptism [not two], one God and Father of all," Eph. 4:5-6 Jesus "baptism" was his anointing to be The Christ, He had no sin! Christos means The Anointed One. Christ Himself spoke only of a spiritual baptism to come. Acts 1:5, "for John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days after." There is no other water baptism authorized to take the place of John's immersion according to the traditional Jewish Mikveh in natural flowing water, e.g., the Jordan, or self flowing pipes. The instant Jesus died, the Jewish Law with animal sacrifices, ceremonial cleansings and baptismal washings ceased. Otherwise, we would still have a works program. No fleshly ordinances nor holy days for any believers therefore "now no condemnation to the ones in Christ Jesus, not walking according to flesh, but according to Spirit.", Romans 8:1. "Christ also loved the Assembly [ekklesia=out-called-ones] and gave Himself up on her behalf, that he might sanctify her, cleansing it by the bathing of water in the Word.", Ephesians 5:25-26; by the Holy Spirit. "Not by works in righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5. "Which antitype now also saves us [Noah didn't get wet], baptism (not putting away of the filth of the flesh; the answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.
JOHN'S JEWISH TRADITIONAL MIKVEH BAPTISM
A mikveh or mikvah (Hebrew: מִקְוֶה / מקווה, Modern: mīqve, Tiberian: mīqwe, pl. mikva'ot, mikvot, or (Ashkenazic) mikves, lit.,"a collection") is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. In Orthodox Judaism, these regulations are steadfastly adhered to; consequently, the mikveh is central to an Orthodox Jewish community. Conservative Judaism also formally holds to the regulations. The existence of a mikveh is considered so important that, according to halacha, a Jewish community is required to construct a kosher mikveh. Mikvot appear at the beginning of the 1st century BC, and from then on, ancient mikvot can be found throughout the Land of Israel, as well as in historic communities of the Jewish diaspora. Hundreds of mikvot from the Second Temple period have been discovered so far across the Land of Israel, in locations including Jerusalem, Hebron, Masada, and Hannaton. Traditionally, the mikveh was used by both men and women to regain ritual purity after [many] various events, according to regulations laid down in the Torah and in classical rabbinical literature. [Source: Wikipedia].
John the "baptist", the apostles, and the Ethopian Eunoch were very familiar with the Mikveh in Jewish society. As early believers, what do you think they were doing?
Mikveh in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Mikveh excavation in Qumran.
Why do the Baptist types have two baptisms? Which baptism does the one baptism have to be? The one Baptism occurs the instant you believe! Otherwise not Biblical. John the "Baptist" was preaching the Kingdom Message for the Nation of Israel to repent while still under the Law and Christ was only about to begin His formal ministry. The Mikveh could be used as a vehicle in John's interest. But Jesus, without sin, was only being annointed for something bigger. As of today, the Nation of Israel still hasn't repented!
No fleshly ordinances nor holy days for any believers therefore "now no condemnation to the ones in Christ Jesus, not walking according to flesh, but according to Spirit.", Romans 8:1. "Christ also loved the Assembly [ekklesia=out-called-ones] and gave Himself up on her behalf, that he might sanctify her, cleansing it by the bathing of water in the Word.", Ephesians 5:25-26; by the Holy Spirit. "Not by works in righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5. "Which antitype now also saves us [Noah didn't get wet], baptism (not putting away of the filth of the flesh; the answer of a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.
"COMMUNION" VS. PASSOVER
The Passover Seder, one night per year for Jews only, doesn't look like nor translate into communion Sunday. Communion; the Greek koinonia equals the word koinonia for fellowship. The 'Lord's table' is part of everything being the Lord's when Christians come together. e.g., 1 Corinthians 11 which was attended by both Jews and Gentiles. This was not the Passover. Gentiles were never told to celebrate ordinances. Some use guess work and think that communion is instituted as a memorial to Jesus Christ! How can you hold a memorial for Christ who is alive in Heaven and alive in you? There is no scriptural authorization for that which man has described the elements and designated as "communion". They don't look alike but if you tell people often enough, they might believe it!!!
HOLY DAYS
The New Testament does not instruct Gentiles to celebrate holy days; Christmas and Easter were mixed with pagan origins long before Christ. See www.MauriceJohnsonArchives.com and www.ChurchGrowth.CC and see the Encyclopedia Britannica.
FORMER FUNDAMENTALIST "CHURCHES"
There are Christians who lost their churches to the praise movement and they are on the Internet, warning and writing books about it. The churches they had are no longer fundamentalist; but churches [sic] driven by the drum beat of praise music which lacks strength of melody, harmony, and words of doctrinal depth, in the guise of being relevant today. If their Words are weak, they cannot be called fundamentalist. It's a carnival where they get pumped up for an hour or two.
The Calvinist, like the Buddhist Monk, is effectively a pacifist and, effectively, to them, everything good or bad is pre-ordained by God, including the placement of evil persons to rule the World to slaughter millions of people, and is perceived by some Christians to supposedly punish the World into submission to God, even in this age of grace. Psalm 75:7 "But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. It doesn't say that He processes everybody up or down. God did not ordain Hitler and Stalin. If Calvinism were true, man cannot do anything of any effect because of destiny, so why try to evangelize? By contrast, God's people have neglected their part in having dominion "over all the Earth... and subdue it". Gen.1:26-28
ISRAEL, THE KEY TO WORLD HISTORY
The key to understanding World History is found in focusing on the Biblical significance of the Jews. They had a problem accepting Jesus as Messiah because they were looking for a powerful militant prophet, priest, and king who would lead them against their worldly enemies. Throughout History, and in keeping with Bible Prophesy, every major event is in a continuity which points to Israel in ways that may not be too obvious. Satan doesn't want anyone to recognize Israel as the main player in World History; and Satan wants Christians to not interfere with his "Secular" program.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries we see nominal "Christianity", though with compromises, having some impact in the World, even in high places; and a little impact into the early 20th Century. Christianity was pro-active. "Christianity" had a respectability among the general public. Jesus had some reference in people's lives, obviously more than is the case today. I fear that many have tolerated the "secular" concept that has neutralized the saints of God into being passive because we don't want to appear to be carnal and involved in "worldly" things.
For recent decades - and steadily increasing, Christianity is being persecuted by a growing "politically correct" minority which is gaining support by the courts, the legal system, and zealous administrators -- by the misinterpretation of "separation of church and State". What the framers of the U.S. Constitution precisely had in mind was that they rejected the European model of the established church controlling the principalities and powers of Europe; many of our Founders were quoted as Christians!
Our voices and our representations are being suppressed from public display, as never before in the History of the United States of America. It is becoming a cultural restructuring motivated by those who adamantly reject the Lord Jesus Christ. Our representation, as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ, is being suppressed by the Christ rejecters. Christ is the real target but we are the tangible target. The question is... How far can this go in the interim before we, with our families, are rounded up in a Holocaust to be eliminated? Is the thought offensive enough, that you don't want to consider it? If it happened to the Jews, it could happen to us.
Besides global ambitions, Hitler found it necessary to get rid of the Jews. Picture the Jews lining up for the Holocaust. They did not resist. They went as sheep to the slaughter. Today, radical Islam [one of Satan's many proxies] has the same objective and wants to annihilate both Christians and Jews. They are in our midst procreating five times faster than us. They target the United States and Europe because they consider them Christian [sic], if not for the fact of our unwanted presence in Islamic countries, but especially because the United States has been a very prominent friend of the State of Israel. Israel is what this is all about, and it fits Bible Prophesy and the whole Biblical scenario.
There is no indication in the Bible that Christians won't go through physical persecution, prior to the Rapture, not unlike the Inquisitions and various other persecutions which Christians have already experienced throughout History. God's chosen people went through the Holocaust. Are the redeemed of the Lord exempt? The World is in extremely terrible spiritual shape, especially in most recent times when you look at all the conflicts and injustices, and Christians being exterminated in the Islamic and Communist Worlds, etc. -- which the news media suppresses. It is most disturbing that so-called civilized nations like the USA are becoming anti-Christian.
Looking at the signs of the times -- political, economic, social, and religious, they suggest the eventual crippling of the United States of America, along with the rest of the world, by the deterioration of the infrastructure and the destruction of commerce into the chaos of wars and rumors of wars. [Matthew 24:6-8].
"The New Book of Christian Martyrs" is a 600 page book by Johnnie Moore. It is based on the idea of the 16th-century Foxe's book of martyrs and upon "observations that when Islamic terrorists attack Christian churches in the modern day, they don't look for the Catholics or the Protestants or the Evangelicals or of the Baptists or any of these things. They just look for the cross." [Moore] A large portion of the book deals with Christians killed in recent decades. "There have been more martyrs in the last century than the previous 19 centuries combined. I've traveled around the world, met with persecuted Christians in the most difficult places... they always say it didn't begin like this. Here it began with our community being squeezed and marginalized and discriminated in our workplaces. It began with our children being treated differently in schools." [Moore]
The Globalists admit they want to change Western Civilization. Their thesis is that Jews and Christians gave us today's Western Civilization and that Jews and Christians must be destroyed in order for the Globalists to transition to a Global Reset of total control of the World, no matter the cost. [Josh Hammer]
We see that Satan is behind all the evil in the World and the motive behind it is the destruction of the Jews and Christians, so that he can rule. Global upheaval is the means to that end. Satan's efforts will be assisted by the [Beast] anti-Christ and the false prophet; both human. If you've been watching the news regularly over recent times, you will note that the USA and the World have been accelerating toward madness. When we run out of delays, it will continue to play into the hands of the Anti-Christ as per Bible Prophesy. The World becomes bankrupt and emergency measures imposed on the World for a new world order Reset; it will be the intended setup for the Anti-Christ, who will be revealed after the Rapture of the Lord's true believers. With our infrastructure destroyed and massive unemployment, unavailable resources and utilities, it will create the kind of civil unrest that will cripple the World, set for the anti-Christ to come, who will supposedly solve the World's problems, including the debts of nations being dissolved into a Global Reset.
THE BOOK OF REVELATION: Late Chapters
I am thankful for the very recent opportunity in being called upon to teach the Book of Revelation, which required me to improve myself in prepartion. I ordinarilly would not have chosen Revelation but it is one of the best things that has happened to me. It is very accessible if taken literally. I reject the "higher criticism" which would venture to reject any of God's Soverign miracles. If God was able to create the entire Universe, He is capable of doing anything He chooses. If any of Revelation would be allegorical, the results would be the same.
The Rapture is when God's children ascend into the sky, to meet Christ in the air, the same way that the Lord Jesus Christ arose, as prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. The Rapture must occur before the Antichrist signs the peace treaty with Israel, because Believers will be kept from the Tribulation, which includes the Seven Trumpet judgments in the Book of Revelation. There is no place in the Book of Revelation that indicates, in it's contexts, the moment or the Chapter for the occurance of the Rapture. A lot of preaching is guess work in this regard, especially regarding Chapter 4 when the Apostle John is briefly caught up to Heaven as a witness for him to be able to write The Book of Revelation.
Before the Rapture, we expect tragic events with widespread chaos, but at Rev 9:13-21, which should be after the Rapture, a World War occurs with 1/3 the world destroyed. We don't remember World War 1 nor World War 2; so... why not another but of Biblical proportions. We don't want to think about it, so we subjectively and unnecessarily prejudice ourselves on the preaching, and we pray for an 'Early Rapture'. We fear for lack of knowledge. There is no fear when we trust in Rev. 3:10, which should be before the Rapture, and removes our fear, "Because you kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial which is going to come on all the habitable world in order to try those dwelling on the earth." If we could insert 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 [and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17] in it's propper sequence in Revelation, then we would know the sequence of when the Rapture takes place, "In a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Likewise for 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 'Because the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in Christ will rise again first. Then we who remain alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.". We need to respect God's precise and appropriate timing and trust Him for the care of his ekklessia ( out-called-ones; "church").
The serious Bible student should not neglect the Book of Revelation. The Rapture seems to take place significant time; because of many events, before the destruction of Babylon in Chapter 18, the Battle of Armageddon is in Chapter 19, the Millenium is Chapter 20, and the New Heaven and New Earth is Chapters 21 & 22. With the Rapture, the true believers are gone to be with the Lord and the Lord directs His total attention to the Nation of Israel for the rest of the Book which takes us believers into eternity. In God's timing, the Rapture, with the removal of the Holy Spirit from the Earth, should have already taken place prior to the revealing of the anti-Christ. Then starts much pouring out of curses and judgements by the Lord, upon an evil World, typically through His angels. Satan; Lucifer, was a fallen angel himself and he had 1/3 the angels follow him. There will be battles involving men and/or angels. The book of Revelation does not reveal the amount of time between events but there is the impression that there might be a great amount of time between the Rapture and the Battle of Armageddon, i.e., many Chapters with many events. Angels have great power and can destroy cities, etc. [Genesis 19:13] Then they can even look like us. Hebrews 13:2, "Do not forget hospitality, for by this some unknowingly took in angels as guests." Angel, angelos in the literal Greek translation, simply means "messenger". They don't have wings. Seraphim have six wings; the four living creatures in Revelation 4:8; Isaiah 6:2. Cherabim spread their two wings over the ark of the covenant; 1 Kings 8:7.
Revelation reveals that the Sixth Trumpet War, Revelation 9:13-19, depicts one of God's many judgments upon an evil World by the release of four angels from the Euphrates, who unleash a massive army of two hundred million mounted troops, causing the death of a third of mankind through plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur. The World will have a long way to go... as bad or worse than it has ever been, for the Anti-Christ to clean-up and rebuild. The anti-Christ and the false prophet are human beings. They are located in Babylon in the land of Shinar, Genesis 10:10; 11:2. [Peter mentions a church in Babylon, in his time.] Revelation 14:8 says that "Babylon is fallen". Revelation 17:1-7 describes Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth, which is an evil, materialistic, power hungry world system presided over by the Antichrist. Babylon is not Rome! Rome appears to have been swallowed up by Babylon long before Revelation 17. The descendents of Magog will have had millenia to spread over the former Roman Empire with a large future population from that time until now. The description of Babylon suggests that it will take significant time to be achieved.
Then, Armegeddon is some time later in Revelation 19. Bible prophesy gives the consolation that Christ will eventually defeat the anti-Christ. When the nations attack Israel, The Lord Himself destroys the armies of Gog and Magog, etc. Magog was the second son of Japheth [Genesis 10] who settled in the land of Gog, also know as Scythia, and the descendants continued to spread from there toward all Europe, the Near and Far East, including the areas of the former Roman Empire. The Battle of Armageddon lasts an hour:
Revelation 19: "19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies being assembled to make war with the One sitting on the horse, and with His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with this one the false prophet doing signs before it, by which he led astray those having received the mark of the beast, and those worshiping its image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword of the One sitting on the horse, [like] the sword having gone forth from His mouth. And all the birds were filled from their flesh." They are thrown in the Lake of Fire by an un-named Angel.
"End-Times" is assumed to be referring to one application in Bible Prophesy. "Last days" εσχαταις ημεραις [escatais hamerais] - literally, in the Google Greek dictionary, "you are finally here", it appears in various contexts: in Gen 49:2, "will happen to you in the days to come"; Isa 2:2, "the mountain of the Lord's temple shall be established"; Mic 4:1, "mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established"; Act 2:17, "last days"; 2 Tim 3:1, "last days"; Heb 1:2, "he made the ages"; Jam 5:3, "stored up treasure in your last days"; 2 Pet 3:3, "will be coming in the last of the days"; -- all are not unique to the "End Times" excitement. "Last days" appears to be applicable to the end of any period of time or event.
The current year on the Jewish calendar is 5785 [as of 2025]. "What if" scenario: "What if" speculation... if the Seven Millenniums of Jewish History Theory is indicative and if valid, The Kingdom Age / The Millennial Reign of Christ would begin in the year 6000? Completion would be 7000, then a new Heaven and a new Earth. The rapture could be seven years before 6000... 208 years from now [from 2025]. The prior years may be necessary for the remaining portion of the World to hear the Gospel when all peoples are with advanced communication technology. By that time Babylon can reach her prophesized status. I don't look for an imminent Rapture but we still need to always be ready. The Lord tarries, and we continue to cope.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Those of us who are separatists need to realize that although every denomination is man-made, and virtually all not functioning according to Timothy and Titus, that all of them are not totally apostate. Some of our sectarian brethren lead the charge in defending the Body of Christ from our eroding U.S. Constitution and Legal system. The whole World is similar. The rest of us avoid what we think is carnal involvement in "worldly" things, and simply wait for the next Holocaust. When things get a lot worse, and we can no longer do anything about it, our families suffer, and persecutions get to the point where we start losing our lives, not unlike examples in the past; we will wonder... desperately, how long the Lord will tarry.
Everything in this life is subject to the standards and terms of the Creator God. Man will be successful or unsuccessful based on his relationship, or lack of relationship, with the Creator God, just as the laws of physics cannot be broken.
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 24:3-15 Literal Translation, Textus Receptus Greek, J.P. Green, Sr., Editor.
[KJ3 Literal Translation published in 2006 is translated word for word literal.]
3 And as he was sitting on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? and what is the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
4 And answering, Jesus said to them, See (that) not any mislead you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ; and (they) will cause many to err.
6 But you are going to hear of wars and rumours of wars. See, do not be terrified. For all things must happen, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will be raised against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be famines, and plagues, and earthquakes, against (many) places.
8 But all these (are) the beginning of throes [travail].
9 Then they will deliver you up to affliction, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10 And then many will be ensnared, and they will deliver you up one another, and will hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will be raised, and will cause many to err.
12 And because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But the (one) who endures unto (the) end, that one will be kept safe.
14 And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.
15 Then when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in (the) holy place, the (one) reading, let him understand.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 KJ3 Literal Version [Textus Receptus Greek Text]
13 But brethren, you have no need for anything to be written to you concerning the ones who have fallen asleep [died]; in order that you may not be sorrowful like the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose up, so the ones who fell asleep through Jesus, God will also bring together with Him.
15 For this we say unto you in the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who are left in the presence of the Lord, should never attain heaven before the ones who fell-asleep.
16 Because the Lord himself will be descending from heaven, in a commanding yell, in the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be rising up first;
17 therefore we, the living, who are left, will be seized at the same-time together with them in the clouds, to the encounter of the Lord in the air, and so we will always be together with the Lord.
18 So then, encourage one another in these words.
Hebrews 8:6-11 KJ3 Literal Version [Textus Receptus Greek Text]
The promised New Covenant is not realized with Israel and the House of Judah yet.
If this is not in the Millenium, it is certainly the New Kingdom of Heaven and Earth.
6 But now He has gotten a more excellent ministry, also by so much as He is a Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
7 For if that first was faultless, place would not have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault, He said to them, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will make an end on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah; a new covenant shall be,
9 not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day of My taking hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not regard them, says the Lord.
10 Because this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, giving My Laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
11 "And they shall no more teach each one their neighbor, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because all shall know Me, from the least of them to their great.
KJ3 Literal Version - See it all: http://www.thewordnotes.com/litv/litv.htm
Alan Hemenway - April 12, 2016 [Edited March 24, 2025]
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