I

This is Apollos, to the Churches in Asia. Greetings. I do not know whether war is necessary against you, but it seems our elected governor, put in power by good Christians, wishes to seethe a dispute with you over something that was ordained by God, and directed to bring the deceiving nations a sense of humility. For as you know there are rumors of great plagues terrorizing all the inhabitants of the world. This was by no fault of yours, I am sure, but was in fact God’s design to bring back repentant souls, and to discourage the wicked from establishing their regimes. For, there were earthquakes in Assyria, and great works wrought by God which brought the unbelieving hearts of many to Christ.

It was said by one man in particular, that it was a good deed to go to war with Babylon. He had said, “God had told me to war with Babylon.” Had God spoken to this man, he would have clearly seen in Jeremiah that it was a foul and disgusting thing to go to war with Babylon. Which, the whole world has suffered under needless wars for centuries now, but he has caused the nations to doubt whether Christ is truly the Son of God.

Doubtless, you hear rumors about Homosexuality, how it is clean and right, and that women are not forbidden by Christ to commit fornication. When, indeed, when Christ spoke of men, he spoke of women. Equally, they both bear the weight of guilt under the law, and equally, both are shareholders of the same rewards and punishments. Do not accept this heresy, as it will confuse the church, and lead to a great falling away, as is prophesied. Rather, humble those brethren who believe such things, by reminding them it is a filthy act which is committed by the sons of men, and it need not be entertained as righteous, but as an abomination and filth.

Furthermore, there are those of the Amorites who have chosen God, and have colonized the land of Moab. These have found it dutiful to restrict certain luxuries in their villages, and it is done in the name of Christ. Such abstinence ought to be observed by all, to a less radical degree. For, it is these luxuries which are causing the most deceptions.

Furthermore, if I write to you a letter, churches in Asia, I write it to tell you to obey your governors, for I have prayed fervently for a place where Christ may flourish, for His spirit is fading in all of Europe. I believe that by your swift obedience to the laws, and by your unwillingness to partake in revolts, you will sway your emperors to allow Christ to be freely preached, for no other freedom do we need. For with Christ comes all freedom, and without Christ, what is called freedom is actually a bond and restraint.

Therefore, it must be said that sheep feed on grass, and chew the cud. They do not feed on wars nor violence. Do not hesitate to reprimand officials for their crimes, for Jeremiah had done such, and was rewarded greatly by God. However, do not take up stones to hurl at brethren, for wars are not our business. Only the preservation of the Gospel. Therefore, feed on the cud, and chew on it, for if you do, you shall remain wise and satisfied by poetry and the sundry things which Christ has given you the liberty to understand. For it is wise to get wisdom, and to use it for the expediency of peace. Understand that Christ is the Word, and the unwise cannot perceive Him, therefore, pray that they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to perceive what remains holy, but hidden from their eyes. However, also know that there will be wars and rumors of wars, and we are not to violate our love for Christ by fighting. Let Moabites fight for Moab, and let Assyrians fight for Assyria. However, we shall not resist Babylon.

If you doubt that this is indeed Apollos, I have it on confidence that I have talked with Paul, and am indeed the man whom he referred to, who was called up to the Third Heaven. And what was not lawful to speak, I shall not speak. However, it was not licentiousness that God confided to me, but rather the mystery of Zion. Antichrist will say that it was licentiousness since we share a similar mind, and this shall be a subtle way to identify him when he comes. For the Spirit of God attests that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh, therefore, He is not merely an idea or fable, but is the living, breathing God, seated in His glorified body with the Father in heaven. Amen.

 

II

 

A second revelation came to me today, about worldly philosophy and the such. A woman asked me, “How is there free will, if God knows our decisions beforehand?” As such questions are common among the gentiles, let me show you the answer by which we give.

Jeremiah had said that we are living clay in the hands of almighty God, and God, while shaping the clay, had fashioned us into one lump with the Law of Moses. But, the Law of Moses had marred the clay, and did not produce the behavior which God had intended for His people. Instead, the people of God acted corruptly, therefore, it was the law which marred the clump of clay. Not that God makes mistakes, for the law was intended to mar the lump, and therefore, bring every vessel under the wrath of God’s condemnation.

Yet, now God fashions us as a new lump, as Christ Jesus for our new body, and His Spirit rests upon us, and does not wiggle, like our former selves had. And in this knowledge, that the Spirit of God is upon us for our salvation, we allow ourselves to have proper glaze and delicate paint. Whereas, if we were an unworthy vessel, who still adhered to the law of Moses, or had no law whatsoever, we would be unruly lumps of living clay, moving in God’s hand and never setting still so God could keep us.

Such an answer ought to be given to the gentiles, for their questions of worldly philosophy are accounted by men’s wisdom and not God’s. We know that there is no law among the Gentiles which they uniformly follow, but instead are disorderly and warmongers. But, with the Grace and Law of God in our hearts, we ourselves are peace amidst their ever troublesome wars. For what is it that we have choice or free will? Are not these silly constructs created by men? Is there either, or neither? The answer is best left to philosophers to debate about, but in evangelistic manner, we ought to report the truth found in scripture, and not the report given by men, and their worldly traditions.

For, it is good if one tries to tell a Christian that there is good, and to reason with them thus. But, to a nonbeliever, there can be no good, nor anything evil, and telling them so, they will not understand. These will be condemned to hellfire, and mischief will be upon them, and in their hearts is to do murders and slanders and all sorts of wicked deeds. The LORD’s people said Amen.

 

III

 

As a third and final revelation on this day, God had explicitly made a covenant with the Jews for salvation for all people. It was the covenant of the Lamb’s blood, which the Jews had profaned, and dishonored God to His face. For the Jews’ wars were to bring peace to all nations and tribes and tongues. And the Jews rather mingled with the peoples, and behaved wickedly. Which severed their Olive Branch from Christ. What became of this, was that God had told Nehemiah to eat of the fat of the lambs, which was unlawful, and to drink the sweet, which was also unlawful. Telling the Jews to wait patiently for a New Covenant, as is prophesied by Jeremiah.

The New Covenant is the LORD Jesus Christ, and His blood to save. I testify to you that Jesus Christ is the LORD, and that when the Gentiles speak of wars fought by Israel, know it is only because they fear God’s judgment on their own soul. For, the wars speak judgment against them, and God will surely slay them with the sword. The Law condemns entire nations, and condemns even the little ones to be slaughtered in the day of wrath. For this, the Gentiles tremble at Who God is, yet God had given them arms to cry out on, and a holy branch to bear them. What the Gentiles do with it, or the Jews, is up to their discretion, yet God knows forthwith the decision, yet the decision He has given to the sons of men, and many will make decisions, and still curse the Son of God for the judgment they see measured against them. For the wicked soul cannot call upon the LORD, nor is it in their favor to do so. Therefore, leave them as a first fruit of the harvest of sin, so others can see them, and be warned about their treachery. For, we appeal to those who have a conscience, and not to those who have none. Let God distinguish who these are, but let us be wise, and thoroughly refute them to their face, so the crowds watching can be made more shrewd.