The Vine and the Branches

Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making wine, jam, juice, jelly, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and grape seed oil. Grapes are a non-climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. 

The health benefits of grapes include its ability to treat constipation, indigestion, fatigue, kidney disorders, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and prevention of cataract.

Why this fruit bearing trees was used as an example of Christ to explain our relationship with him? The vine and the branches are inseparable for without the vine the branches will not bring much fruit. Christ is the vine and we are the branches thus we can do nothing without him.

Jn 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The one leading the Apostles is Christ. The disciples duty is to follow him wherever he will go while preaching the gospel.

Lk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The obvious thruth is that, they can do nothing without him so it is but correct to say that John the Baptist and his disciples can not be credited of performing the baptism alone without Jesus.

Jn 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

Jn 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Even in the manner of preaching, the disciples were assured by Christ to be given a mouth and wisdom that can not be rejected by the listener.

 Lk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer. 

 Lk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

The assurance of his presence in the preaching and in the baptism extend up to the end of the world.

Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.

If Christ is with us always even up to the end of the world, he is therefore the one talking when the minister is preaching. If one can do nothing without Christ, no flesh can glory in his presence. Indeed Christ is the leader and head of the Church of God and we are the unprofitable followers and servants.

Third Heaven

I thought all along, when I was still a child, that there were seven heaven up above us. The Scripture mentioned that there are only three (3), the highest is called as the third heaven.

2 Cor 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

2 Cor 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

The third heaven where Saint Paul was caught up is also the paradise talked about by Jesus to the other man nailed on the cross beside Him.

Lk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

This is the place where God the father dwell. Jesus told this to His Apostles.

Jn 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Jn 14:3 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.

The second heaven is in between the third heaven and the heaven that can be seen by our naked eye.

Mk 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

If the power that are in the second heaven are shaken, much more to those in power underneath.

Lk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for apprehension of those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

The second heaven and the heaven underneath shall be removed as it is both shaken.

Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Retaining only the heaven not shaken where God and the Son dwell. The third heaven called Paradise.

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

Let not your heart and mind be troubled.

Jn 3:13 And no man hath ascended to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven.

Even the Apostles who died in spreading the gospel of Christ are not yet in heaven.

Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The living and the dead will have to wait for the coming of Jesus, when the mansions that he prepared are all ready for us to dwell. Remember, they (the Apostles, including Mary) without us should not be made perfect.

Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

The Father

Take note that an existing law may be re-affirmed, superseded or changed to a more appropriate law. It is a transition from the law of Moses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

There was an instance in the Bible where the Prophets like Abraham are called Father in the Old Testament. This is one justification used by Catholics why they are called Father.

John 8:53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

And Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples and to scribes and the Pharisees saying:

Matthew 23:9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Above is a good example of a change in law but below was a superseded law.

Deuteronomy 14:8 Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.

This is the new law.

Matthew 15:16-17 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man.

Acts 11:7-9 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’

Now the priests want to justify their position saying.

Let us not concentrate in one aspect only which is the word Father because there are three that must be considered for us to be holistic in our thinking.

1) do not let yourself be called MASTER

2) Do not call anyone on earth your FATHER

3) …nor should you be called TEACHER

Matthew 23:9-11 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

There was no law in the entire Bible especially the new testament that the prohibition of calling anyone a father was superseded.

But for the Master and the Teacher is this;

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

As the Scripture said, God has appointed them. Who are we to question it?

As Paul said to his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 4:14-15 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

This is not like a father and son relationship where when your son begotten a son then you are the grandfather and when the grandson begotten a son then you are the great grandfather. If we are not allowed to call anyone a Father then logically we are all sons of the Father or just brothers. Isn't it that they call Jesus Christ "bro" or brother?

The word "as my beloved children" is just like saying likened to. Although it connotes a father and son relationship but still they don't have the authority to be called father or even used it as a title in their name. Have you read in the entire Bible that the Apostles used Father as a title? In fact Paul was called by Peter beloved brother.

2 Peter 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,

Do Priests have the same authority with God or a higher authority over Jesus Christ and the Apostles?

Hebrews 7:23-24 Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

If they call Jesus Christ as our forever & unchangeable Priest "Bro" then it's a weird doctrine to call themselves "father" or "holy father" or "most holy father" or "reverend father".

A very unstable father. lol