Again and yet again in the Sacred Scriptures we are warned to be on our guard, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Mat 24:24) It is no surprise then that, like the other events given as signs of Christ's return such as wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, a rise in open iniquity and a "growing cold" of natural affection (Mat 24:7,12), this too should come to pass. In this article, I propose to examine a group, and more specifically an individual, in whom these prophecies have been fulfilled. Many other writings have been done to "refute" his claims in the past, however my approach will be not to examine the past, or actions involved - aside from a brief "background" section - but rather to look at the teachings themselves, and to see exactly where the errors came from, and why they are so detrimental.

A few things should be noted first. Although I will be looking at the teachings of Wayne Bent (A.K.A. Michael Travesser) in a rather "pointed" manner, it is not my intention in any way to level an "attack" per se. We who are Adventists believe that truth and error, particularly in these last days, will lie so close together that it will take a great outpouring of grace, and the discernment of the Spirit, in order to recognize which is which. As such, this article is an appeal. Wayne has recently begun to publicize a movie his group has produced called "The Final Atonement - The Passion of Christ's Return," which chronicles the experience of the group's leader - the title of which is playing upon the popularity of the recent movie "The Passion of The Christ." Neither that movie nor this article has any connection with Mr. Gibson's work.

The appeal of which I spoke is simply this: There are a number of teachings that Wayne has accepted and promoted that are not only against the Scriptures (which they claim as the foundation of their faith), not only dangerous to the spiritual advancement of individuals, not only close enough to the truth about redemption to make it a real hazard in terms of evangelism, but are in fact some very old mistakes in Christian theology. These teachings were first espoused, not by Mr. Bent and his people, but by a group of individuals known as Gnostics while the apostles were still alive and ministering to the early Church.

It is not necessary to go into every detail of the teachings, but as with every other such group, apostasy begins with a failure to understand the nature of the Godhead. Arianism, Gnosticism, Trinitarianism, Animism, Pantheism, all of these in one way or another misrepresent the Godhead, and lead to a multitude of derivative errors. But this need not be the case, and the Scriptures give us sufficient warning, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) In the days before Adventism had its doctrines corrupted by familiarity with the "daughters of the land," (Gen 34:1) the testimony was given to one who was promoting pantheistic ideas: "You are not definitely clear on the personality of God, which is everything to us as a people." [Letter 300, Ellen G. White, 1903]

While there may be many false prophets, and many false teachers, they will surely have one thing in common - a misunderstanding of the Godhead, a lack of vital knowledge concerning who our Father and His Son are. The foundation of this study will not be to slander, or to make ad hominem attacks on character, for saying "how crazy" something sounds is no proof of its error. Instead, we must follow the instruction given by the words of inspiration, to compare all things by the Scriptures, going "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa 8:20) In my examination of the people and the teachings, though it was relatively brief, I was impressed with the sincerity of the followers (although we know sincerity is not evidence of either truth or spiritual insight), and this appeal is for the sake of those who are not so far down the road of assimilation that they cannot turn back.

Many within are close to the Kingdom, perhaps genuinely living that victorious experience during which we are always tempted, but never overcome, by sin. We are both resting in the promises of the Messiah, experiencing that day-by-day, minute-by-minute Sabbath, and also aware that the destroyer is always at the door, and more so with we who have the "testimony of Jesus Christ." (Rev 12:17) Unto those who are willing to accept the Bible as it was written and to make it the foundation of their faith regardless of the charisma and good intentions of the deceived, the voice comes from Heaven, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev 18:4) If the writings of this instrument may add a whisper of assent to that mighty Voice, may Yah our Father be praised, for I am compelled by the Spirit within to invite those who are near at hand to a more sure way, to a more certain word of prophecy.

Those who are taken in a gentle trap are just as ensnared as those who are clapped in irons and led into slavery against their will.

Of the first occasion on which this message was brought before the SDA Church, Mrs. White wrote, "The message that was given to the people in these [Minneapolis Conference] meetings presented in clear lines not alone the commandments of God--a part of the third angel's message--but the faith of Jesus, which comprehends more than is generally supposed. And it will be well for the third angel's message to be proclaimed in all its parts, for the people need every jot and tittle of it. If we proclaim the commandments of God and leave the other half scarcely touched, the message is marred in our hands. There was precious truth and light presented before the people, but hearts that were obdurate received no blessing. They could not rejoice in the light which, if accepted, would have brought freedom and peace and strength and courage and joy to their souls." [The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, page 367] "An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lord's message through Brethren {E.J.} Waggoner and {A.T.} Jones. By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost." [Selected Messages Book 1, page 234]

This message of which she spoke was the teaching of Righteousness by Faith, which later became the Gospel of the Victory over Sin. In this teaching it is fulfilled what was written by the apostle, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His Seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. " (1John 3:9) Far from teaching that those born again have holy, untemptable flesh, those who are converted acknowledge freely that the flesh is sinful, and they are not free of temptations by any means. Rather, the Spirit is holy (for the Holy Spirit dwells within - Ezek 36:27) and thus no temptation overcomes the believer. (Psa 119:11, Rom 6:2, 1Pet 4:1, etc. etc.) This was once taught by the Adventists who accepted the message. "All who claim to be Sabbath-keeping Adventists, and yet continue in sin, are liars in God's sight. Their sinful course is counterworking the work of God. They are leading others into sin." [Manuscript Releases Volume Nineteen, Ellen G. White, page 177] No longer is this Word heard from the pulpits of the denomination.

Having had their message rejected by the Conference Adventists, the ministry became an independent organization, taking the name "The Lord Our Righteousness," or simply "L.O.R." in 1987/88. This group continued to teach the Gospel as it is revealed in the Scriptures for a time, however because they began to lose sight of the true nature of the Godhead (as described below), they began to see a difference between "Jesus" and "the Christ." As Wayne himself put it, calling most professed believers Jesusites rather than Christians, "A Jesusite is one who professes to follow the man Jesus and professes that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God. Their testimony of Him alone is their faith. A Christian is coming from a different place. The word 'Christian', literally means, 'followers of the Anointing.' Christ is the word for Messiah, or the Anointing. If one is a Christian, or a follower of the Anointing, they are receivers of the Anointing, and living in the Anointing."

While this may seem to be true enough on the surface, the word "Christian" does not mean a follower of the anointing, but rather a follower of the Anointed. In Latin, the phrase "one who follows the anointing" would be something like "a Chrismian," or using more modern language, "a Charismatic." If this seems to be a subtle difference, it is not. Christians are those who do truly acknowledge the man Yahshua (Jesus) as both Messiah and Son of God. They do follow the Way, but they follow the Way (the Anointing) through their association with the Anointed. There can be no distinction made between the MAN and the WAY, for the MAN is He who said, "I am the WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. " (John 14:6) "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1Tim 2:5) Do not let the reader take this to be implying that the Christ was merely Man. Far from it. He was fully Divine, fully equal with the Father: Uncreated, Pre-existent, and manifest as (not in!) a human being: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

The error being made by the L.O.R. group goes back some 2000 years, to the beliefs of the Gnostic groups, who considered the "Christ" to be a Spirit who chose the body of the man Yahshua in which to manifest itself temporarily, but was independent of Him, and separate from the man. The Bible teaches that the Son of God came "in the flesh," not that He merely chose a body to possess, but actually "was made flesh" and became inseparably linked to humanity. Anyone who claimed anything different was declared by John the Beloved to be "a deceiver and an antichrist. " (2John 1:7)

That having been said, there is no greater deceiver than he who manages to deceive himself. When he has succeeded in doing this, he is at liberty to deceive others by the sheer force of his will, and the absolute conviction with which he is then permitted to speak. Having lost the vital pin on which redemption rests, that through Yahshua God became inseparably linked to humanity and is thus able to "succour [help] them that are tempted" (Heb 2:18), Wayne was able to accept the suggestion from our invisible opponents (Eph 6:12, Col 1:16) that he was, in fact, the latest and final "incarnation" of the Christ-spirit.

Believing that the Father had now given him the name Michael (for Adventists do believe that Michael the Archangel is a pre-incarnate form of Christ), Wayne began to teach that He was the "second coming" of the Messiah predicted in the Scriptures, and that He was the Savior of mankind. He now teaches, as his followers now affirm, that "Michael (i.e. Wayne) is the only way of salvation." The message is not without power. A favorite quote I have noticed in their arsenal is 2Th 1:10, which states, "When [Christ] shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day..." They see this as pointing to a return of the Christ in the persons of His saints only, and not, as intended, a reproduction of His Spirit within us leading up to His bodily return. (Acts 1:11)

When Wayne received his new name, the group reorganized themselves as a body known as "Strong City," and then later as the Travesser family, which they explain to mean, "doggedly determined to cross over."

As one might expect, the proclamation of Wayne as an Avatar of the Christ-Spirit, a doctrine that combines both Gnostic Dualism and the Hindu/New Age belief in Incarnations, caused something of a split in the L.O.R. group. Those who remain faithful to Wayne now believe, as one follower put it, that "...Michael is the archangel, Christ. It was Michael in Jesus that was walking among men. Now, Michael has appeared in us as it has been prophesied." This background thus ends by pointing out the central error that led to the others, a separation of Christ/Michael from the man Yahshua (Jesus). A closer examination of the principles involved, and some of the other major teachings this doctrine has produced are outlined below.

Paul writes that there are many "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2Cor 11:13) From what I have seen and read of Wayne himself, he is quite an eloquent speaker. This is no surprise to those who knew him when he was an SDA pastor for 12 years. Such an education cannot surely be wasted, and all the gifts that come with it: grace in speech, a firm grasp of the Scriptures, the ability to instruct crowds, all these may outfit us to be mighty workers in the vineyard of the earth, or may equip us to be the most deadly snakes in that garden. Is it not written, "Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them"? (Ezek 16:17) Mighty Lucifer, of whom Paul spoke in that Corinthian passage, had the greatest of gifts from the Throne (Ezek 28:12-15), and by the perversion of these gifts he became the most artful tempter.

There is, however, a way to recognize the true Christ from those who may "appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (Mat 23:27b)

I began this study with the statement, "And Yahshua answered and said unto them, 'Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, "I am Christ;" and shall deceive many. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, "Behold, He is in the desert;" go not forth: "Behold, He is in the secret chambers;" believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.'" (Mat 24:4,5,26,27)

Naturally, this is the most "obvious" Scripture that comes to mind when dealing with one who a) claims to be Christ, b) has come in the flesh on a limited, local scale and not "as the lightning," and c) lives in the desert. One would think this should immediately settle the matter, however as it is the most obvious refutation to Wayne's theology, everyone uses it when discussing him, and he has had plenty of occasion to promote an alternate understanding. While the Travesser family claims to be taking the Scriptures "as written," they nevertheless must add a number of alien concepts to this verse to get it to fit.

In an attempt to show that the common Christian understanding of this verse is wrong, one follower declared the following:
     "...you quote Mat. 24:26 in attempt to disprove Michael. If you take this verse just as you profess its
     meaning, you would have to exclude your own “second coming” doctrine, and also your own Jesus.
     Jesus met in the “inner chambers”, the “secret chambers,” when he met in the upper room for the last
     supper. He was often in the desert teaching those who followed Him. If Jesus had meant it as the
     foolish of today take it, then they would have to say that Jesus, Himself, was one of those false
     teachers He referred to."

What this individual claims to be "foolish" is actually a quite rational understanding of the element of time. While it is true that Christ met in the desert, in secret places, and in the upper room during His earthly mission, His disciples had asked Him, "what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Mat 24:3b) The Messiah's instruction was that although He had (in the past) met them in secret, and instructed His followers in the desert in order to reach the greatest amount of people where they were at the time, in the last days it would not be so. In fact, it is written, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Mat 24:30) This was the way by which His followers could know it was truly He, and it was by way of answer to their direct question as to how these things would be known. It is further written that He did not speak to His disciples in parables when discussing His teachings (Mat 13:10-13), and therefore no other interpretation of what He said can be allowed by the Biblical record. These things were to take place just as He described, and so they shall.

The Travesser rebuttal to this most plain proof of Christ-hood therefore falls by the wayside, if the context and principles of the true Messiah's teachings are accepted "as is." The Scriptures teach a literal second coming, and not an appearance in the person of the saints only. To illustrate that, we may look at the oft-used Scriptures they claim justifies their belief in Wayne (and themselves, to some degree) as being personifications of the Messiah.

The most common I have seen, as I stated above, was this one: "When [Christ] shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day..." (2Th 1:10)

The Travesser family has, to a large degree, limited the return of Christ to this singular application, ignoring both the context of Paul's statement and the larger picture to which the apostle was pointing his readers. In the next two verses Paul writes, "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Verses 11,12) We see here that although He lives in us by His Spirit, it is His "name" (Yahshua) that is glorified in us (more on that in Section V), and His return is not limited to the manifestation of His Spirit in His disciples. Far from it, the Bible teaches rather that we will "keep this commandment [to profess the Gospel] without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Tim 6:14) Clearly, even though Christ is "formed in" each of His followers (Gal 4:19), there is also an external, unique event of His return. As the angels said to those who saw the Messiah ascending to the Father, "this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven." (Acts 1:11b) To further illustrate this specific point, the book of Zechariah instructs us that long after the second coming, the Messiah will continue to maintain His human form as an eternal sign; and even in His glorified body there remains the scars and wounds He endured for the sake of all men. "And one shall say unto Him, 'What are these wounds in thine hands?' Then He shall answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.'" (Zech 13:6, cf. John 20:24-28)

One final issue remains regarding the association between Christ and His followers, and it is this: The Bible teaches we will be "as" (like) Him, (Luke 6:40) but those of the Travesser family believe, based on Wayne's teachings, that we become Him in a much more spiritualistic way. They quote Revelation 21:7, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son," and declare the meaning of this to be that we are equated with the Son. What the Bible says is that the Man Yahshua is the "only begotten," (John 1:18) and that we are sons, not by generation as He was, but by adoption. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." (1John 3:1) What is the manner of love? It is a matter not unclear from the Scriptures:

     "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'" (Rom 8:15)
     "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Gal 4:4,5)
     "[He has] predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." (Eph 1:5,6)

In these verses, two things shine through clearly. First: we are made acceptable to Yahweh "by Jesus Christ to Himself," who is consistently spoken of as "His Son," "Jesus" and "Christ" interchangeably, and Second: there is a great gulf in terms of nature fixed between those who are sons by the adoption of sons, that is - by grace, and the One who is like no other, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1Cor 3:11)

These words are most sacred, and most true. Our eternal Father is not a man, although men were created in His image. Even so by His Son, Divinity was manifest as flesh, and by that union, by that marriage, salvation came to humanity. As the Word became flesh, so the Word shall remain throughout the ceaseless ages, receiving glory and honor, and giving them in turn to the Father upon whose eternal Throne He sits. (Rev 5:6) While we are invited to share that Throne with the Son (Rev 3:21), we neither become spirit, nor do we personify the Spirit at the expense of our individuality. Although "self" is dead at conversion, and Yahshua becomes our life, "nevertheless I live, yet not I," (Gal 2:20) and it is in this balance, this apparent paradox, that the truth is found.

The doctrines of Wayne Bent declare that the Christ-Spirit has become personified in himself, and to some degree in his followers also. As such, he considers himself to be "the very Michael" even as Yahshua was "very [truly] Christ." (Acts 9:22) There is a difference, however, between bearing the testimony of someone, and being that person himself. As I mentioned before, doctrines known as Gnosticism have crept into the beliefs of the Travesser family, and this corrupts the testimony a Christian is to bear. The parallels are manifest in this:

Gnosticism teaches that Yahweh Himself is so far removed from humanity that the Divine is named "Ein Sof," or "That Which Cannot Be Known." It is not this Divine being that created the physical universe, but rather a dark aspect known as the Demiurge. This, their version of "Satan," is the spirit of worldly lusts, the physical universe, and all that is contemptible. They put an irreconcilable difference between the Spirit and the Flesh which, although not incorrect, is taken to an extreme that strains the principle past its boundaries. This results in the teaching that only that which is spirit can be "good," but all that is physical is "evil" by definition. Food, sex, money, any biological need, these were looked upon as inherently evil, although they were "necessary evils" in some cases. Against this asceticism, both Paul and John had much to say.

A natural consequence of this teaching, that every physical construct was by its very existence "evil," was that the doctrine of the incarnation was rendered hateful to the ones who accepted it. They could not truly believe that Something or Someone Divine would truly come to manifest Himself in a fleshly body, and therefore they began to teach that the Christ was, and remained, a Spirit, a "pure being," while the body was either a temporary dwelling or, more frequently, that "Jesus the Christ" was an illusion sent to earth to instruct us about spiritual things while meeting us on our own, physical, level.

The way to salvation in Gnostic belief was by an accumulation of "gnosis," or knowledge, from which the movement took its name. As a result of this gnosis, the human could transcend the corrupt flesh, save his spirit, and whatsoever he did after this point, even IN the flesh, was holy, as he was now "spiritual" in nature. Against such vastly destructive teachings John wrote, "He that saith, 'I know Him,' and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. " (1John 2:9, 4:3)

Much of John's epistles are dedicated to refuting the two basic teachings of Gnosticism that were in conflict with Christianity, namely these: a) The man Yahshua was not the Christ come in the flesh, and b) When one became "spiritual" not only his spirit, but also his flesh changed, and whatsoever he did after that point, even if it appeared to be "sinful" to outsiders, was nevertheless holy, because the believer was holy.

The idea that an act may be sinful for some and righteous for the "spiritual" is a corruption of Paul's doctrine of freedom of conscience, (Romans 14) and John writes of it in a pointed manner, "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1John 3:7,8)

Both these ideas, that Christ is a spirit which is separate from Yahshua (and therefore free to possess any other material being), and that one who is born-again can claim sinlessness to the degree that he has, as it is called, "holy flesh," are found at the very root of the Travesser family's teachings. But the parallels do not end there.

Gnostics also teach that as one accumulates gnosis, he enters into a spiritual "marriage" of the Divine and Human. This doctrine is also found in the teachings of Wayne Bent, and it is called there the "Consummation." As a result of this, he has taken two wives (which is permissible for him according to his teachings, since the "holy flesh" doctrine makes it a consecrated act as he is the manifestation of Yahshua), and declares them in his movie to be "the two witnesses" of Revelation 11.

Aside from the purely theological problems with that, there are some definite Scriptural discrepancies as well. Of the Two witnesses, we know that they will prophecy 1260 days, be killed by the enemies of the Gospel, rise into Heaven after being resurrected, and have the power to call down the plagues. (Rev 11:3-12) The problematic part is that all these things take place before the true consummation, which takes place when Yahshua receives His Kingdom (singular) from the Father. (Rev 11:15, Dan 7:13,14) The Marriage is between one Lamb and one Church, as it should be between one man and one woman for symbolism's sake. Even the symbol used by the Travesser family is unlike that which takes place in Heaven, and therefore can have no value as an instructive measure. Even if one wishes to spiritualize these events, and to make them the marriage between two women and a man who represents the Messiah, the timing is still out of sync, and the associated signs are still missing. It remains therefore to conclude that on the basis of the Gnostic beliefs they have (perhaps unwittingly) been advocating, the teachings and practices of this group represent the revival of a system of theology so contrary to the Gospel of Christ and His apostles, that entire epistles were dedicated to refuting the principles it espoused.

The teachings of the group are not all error. They have a great emphasis on victory over sin and righteous living, yet so did Gnosticism. What they have done is taken old beliefs and new, and fused them together to create a system that is complete, and very deceptive as it is so close to the true Gospel. Paul explains exactly how this comes to pass: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 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. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." (Rom 1:22,23,25,28)

It is when men turn from worship of the true God and Savior, to the worship of ANY created beings, be they beasts, statues, or men claiming Divinity for themselves, that they are given over to that "reprobate mind," in which the incalculable may occur: they are swept away to destruction. So it was with idolaters and Gnostics, so it will be with any who turn their allegiance from the Invisible Elohim to a mere image. Even the greatest of saints are only instruments, and not the Messiah Himself. It is written, "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? [It is] as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood." (Isa 10:15)

The redeemed have a testimony. They have promises to which they cling. They acknowledge that they are able to be tempted, even as Christ was tempted, yet they know by faith they will not fall under the power of those temptations. We are, yes, like the Master, but we are not He, for He is One, and we are one with Him by faith, but not by substance.

The redeemed can truly say, "And He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." (John 8:29) The redeemed can truly say, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." (Acts 23:1) The redeemed have this testimony, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11) That is the testimony of Yahshua, and it is written of the redeemed that, "they overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev 12:11) It is by the faith we have, and the testimony of Yahshua, that we prevail.

What we cannot say is "I am Christ," (Mat 24:5) or that we become one with God in a sense other than adopted sonship, and a partaking in His nature by virtue of this alone. The Almighty declares, "I am Yahweh: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." (Isa 42:8) By becoming one with Him, we receive the glory of redemption, yet we never receive praise. We do the praising. There is, and will always be, a difference between the Creator and the Creature; Yahweh manifest Himself in the flesh once, through divine congress with humanity (Luke 1:30-35), and so has the Son remained. Yahshua the man is not separate from the Christ, for He was knit together of Divinity and Humanity, and so He remains, as a sign and symbol of the very Atonement He came to effect. To separate "Jesus" from "Christ" is to put a difference between what the Father has ordained for eternity, and it is written as of marriage, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mark 10:9) Wayne cannot be Christ; Yahshua is Christ, and it is contrary to Christianity and favorable only to Gnosticism (which verily undoes the work of the Cross and the meaning of the Son's suffering), to declare otherwise.

Let the redeemed bear witness of Christ in their lives, and give worship to the Father and Son who are in Heaven, One seated at the right hand of the Other. That is the testimony we bear. It is written, "Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things." (Mark 9:12) As it was with the first Advent, so it will be with the second. There will be a people who come, like John the Baptist, "in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:17) We, the Church of the Messiah, are the "Eli-Yah People" who are called, made ready, and sent first (Rev 19:6-18), before the reappearance of the Christ who was, and remains, Yahshua - the Son of the Almighty. Of each one of us it will be said, as it was of the Baptist, "He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light." (John 1:8)

Contained within those words are both wondrous promises, and dire warnings. May Yah grant that no lie may be found in our hearts on the day of all Vision. May He grant that we have not followed those who have said in their hearts, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isa 14:14) May He grant that thirsting souls find the wellspring of life that flowed once from a wounded side. (John 19:34, 1John 5:8)

It is true, the deceptions of these last days will be so great that even "the very elect" stand in danger of being taken. Nevertheless, because of the faith of the elect, they may stand. Those who choose Yahshua as their Savior are indeed "chosen," and may stand any test, and overcome any destruction, but their faith is not in an abstract, it is in a Reality, a true gift to us by Heaven, and bound up in the name of the Redeemer: Yahshua - Yah Saves - "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

The bright and powerful Son of Yah took on the name Yahshua to become our Savior. He forsook all the Names He had before, and never more bore any other title: Michael, Malakh Yahweh, or Adonai. What He was, all that He was, became the gift of Heaven to Humanity, a greater gift than we can conceive, and in the Garden of Gethsemane He began to pour out His Spirit on His Bride, that they would partake of His nature. Daniel saw the mighty Archangel standing up to redeem His people, but the prophet was not permitted to see the Name He would bear, just as we are not permitted to know the name He will bear when He returns to take us to Paradise. (Rev 19:12) Even so, we trust in that One, and dare not shift our worship from the Creator to the Creature.

It is my appeal, therefore, to all who have another Advocate, another Mediator between themselves and the Father. Repent, turn ye from images, and return to the One from whom your faith has sprung. No man walking the earth today is the Bridegroom, but behold, the Bridegroom cometh! May the Spirit give edge to my words, and my heart draw the blade. I am not that Light, but I come to bear witness to that Light, for He who keeps me may keep one and all from sin, from deception, and from the dark power of the Land of Silence - death. May Yah and His Son give the Bride a great harvest from those who have come close, so close, to the path of Righteousness, and may even the weakest saint lay hold of the promises, "For the Son of God, Yahshua the Messiah, who was preached among you by us [...] was not Yea and nay,' but in Him was 'Yea.' [Certain] For all the promises of God in Him are 'Yea,' and in him 'Amen,' unto the glory of God by us." (1Cor 1:19,20)

Yahshua is our only Ransom, only accept Him and live. "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. In the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the Ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isa 35:5-10)

David.