Index
Why did the Lord God need a Primary Contract? We will take a brief look at Paul's reliance on faith. This will be followed by a deeper look at the Covenant. You can then decide for yourself who, if anyone, you believe. Acceptance or rejection of a contract is based on a free choice - ie, entirely free from coercion or duress.
Paul et al annulled the Mosaic Covenant on the grounds that it was lethal, faulty, based on inadequate promises, and irrelevent (Covenant Denigration).
[21] But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. (Romans 3:21-22a NIV)
Yet Jesus often highlights the lack of faith of those around Him or those He encounters. Jesus even comments on the lack of faith of those closest to Him:
[30] Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30 KJV)
[14] When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, [15] and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. [16] And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him." [17] Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me." [18] And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. [19] Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" [20-21] He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:14-21 NRSV)
Jesus deliberately uses the mustard seed to show the inadequacies of mankind's faith.
Paul, in Romans 3:21-22, asserts that mankind's faith is sufficient to ensure our salvation. But faith is a variable commodity. This is brought into sharp focus by Jesus:
[1] When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. [2] There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. [3] The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. [4] When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, [5] because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” [6] So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. [7] That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. [8] For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.” [9] When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” [10] Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. (Luke 7:1-10 NIV)
So, in Paul's theology, how is a person's faith to be measured? How is the faith of a community to be measured?
And what is the minimum measure of faith required? Not only at the individual level, but also at the collective level? There is no way of knowing. Consequently, people will try to increase their faith by bootstrapping and by their overbearing arrogance.
Obedience to the Law, on the other hand, is a more measurable quantity. Scripture explains what is acceptable; at the same time it explains what is unacceptable.
Sin falls into either of three basic categories:
Collective confession in church tends to go along the lines of, "We have done those things we shouldn't have done, and we have left undone those things we should have done." I have never once heard a public confession of explicit wrongdoings. By way of an example, think of the scandal surrounding the paedophile priests, and the attempts to cover everything up.
Blanket confessions of wrongdoing are not sufficient. It is imperative to know and to understand precisely where one went wrong:
[5] When you realize your guilt in any of these, you shall confess the sin that you have committed. (Leviticus 5:5 NRSV)
[Analysis: Why is a blanket confession not enough? Why is it necessary to know - precisely - where one has gone astray?]
The Prime Axioms declare that the Lord will reject everything which is inadequate or imperfect. Necessarily, therefore, since our faith falls short of perfection, Paul's false declaration of sufficiency will not secure redemption in court on the Day of Judgement.
Clearly, Paul has failed to do his homework! The Lord God, on the other hand, did His homework and research well in advance - even before He begot His Son in the Heavenly Realm!
Paul's doctrine cannot withstand comparison with the Primary Contract.
Paul' doctrine of 'faith in Jesus' fails on several counts:
In our daily lives, an offer is formulated only after a need has been perceived and that the necessary resources are available. Such an approach was unacceptable to the Lord because of its reactive nature. Admittedly, He needed to be reactive, able to respond quickly to changing circumstances. But as far as the Primary Contract went, with its role of 'the avoidance of sin', this would be inadequate. He knew that - first and foremost - He must take a proactive approach to the Primary Contract and the avoidance of sin.
[Essay: The proactive and reactive facets of the Primary Contract with regard to the Law.]
Since the Son was begotten, there must necessarily have been a time before that when the Heavenly Realm was occupied solely by the Lord God and the Lord Spirit.
The research into Prime Axioms goes right back to that interval of time before Jesus was begotten of the Father. We cannot go back any further than this simply because of a lack of information. And so we cannot say where God came from, other than that to the best of our knowledge He always existed. This may be a less than satisfactory answer, particularly when asked, but is the best that can be done. Life, whether on Earth or in the Heavenly Realm, is not an illusion! A dream has no independent physical existence, since it can exist only in the mind of a physical being.
The interval under consideration is not covered specifically by Scripture. Yet there is sufficient information within Scripture to allow us to work backwards - what I refer to as 'reverse engineering'. This reverse engineering works because the Lord God is consistent across the timeline.
[Homework assignment: Essay: The immutability of the Prime Axioms.]
[Homework assignment: Essay: Inconsistency and its dangers.]
The action takes place in God's home in the Heavenly Realm. An infinity of space is available to Him, so it would be safe to say that His home only occupies a fraction of that space. There would be ample room for the projects He had in mind.
He'd been thinking for some time about begetting a son. And beyond that He was contemplating creating some heavenly beings.
But before bringing anyone into His world, He'd better think about the problems and consequences He would have to face. Some serious planning was called for!
God's home was a study in perfection! There was nothing there which was flawed or blemished or unsightly. Beauty and harmony flourished, for He had a perfect artist's eye: Jesus was later to say of the lilies of the field, "And I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Mat. 6:29 NIV).
Here is a photo of a Blue Violet growing in a hedgerow a mile or so from my home:
Fig.1: Blue Violet
And where would we be without our butterflies?! The Red Admiral is but one example:
Fig.2: Red Admiral
But perfection didn't begin and end with the things around Him.
So just imagine what the Lord's home must look like!
For even in those early days the Lord God was as committed to an uncompromising code of conduct as He is today. It left no room for self-deceit; compare that with our own capacity for self-deception! Because of the danger resulting from self-deception, the Lord sent word to Zedekiah, king of Judah:
6 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet: 7 "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, 'Pharaoh's army, which has marched out to support you, will go back td, to Egypt. 8 Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.'
9 "This is what the Lord says: Do not deceive yourselves, thinking, 'The Babylonians will surely leave us.' They will not! 10 Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down." (Jeremiah 37:6-10 NIV)
Scripture is quite clear about God's attitude to imperfection. For example:
32 If the offering he brings as a sin offering is a sheep, he shall bring a female without blemish. (Leviticus 4:32 (Tanakh))
21 And when a man offers, from the herd or the flock, a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD for an explicit vow or as a freewill offering, it must, to be acceptable, be without blemish; there must be no defect in it. 22 Anything blind, or injured, or maimed, or with a wen, boil-scar, or scurvy—such you shall not offer to the LORD; you shall not put any of them on the altar as offerings by fire to the LORD. (Leviticus 22:21-22 (Tanakh))
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it [the New Jerusalem], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation 21:27 NIV)
Scripture, too, is clear about God's unchangeable character:
19 God is not man to be capricious,
Or mortal to change His mind.
Would He speak and not act,
Promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19 (Tanakh))
29 “Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not deceive or change His mind, for He is not human that He should change His mind.” (1 Samuel 15:29 (Tanakh))
6 "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6 NIV)
Since the Lord God doesn't change, we can apply that knowledge retrospectively. Hence we can say that, even before Jesus was begotten, the Lord God defines perfection, and that He does not tolerate imperfection.
Perfection isn't restricted to those objects around Him. Perfection applies equally to His code of conduct in the Heavenly Realm. House Rules exist even in these early days, for the Lord God is fully aware of the difference between right and wrong!
The Lord God's total abhorrence of imperfection and wrongdoing ensures that neither imperfection nor evil will exist in the New Jerusalem.
It would therefore be fair to say that at this time before Jesus was begotten:
As He looked around Him He was pleased with everything He saw. But was this all there was to life? Did life amount to nothing more than doing as He pleased?
With Eternity stretching endlessly in front of Him, something was missing!
We might imagine that the Lord God had everything the heart could desire! He had complete authority; He had power without limits; He was surrounded by beauty and perfection; He could do whatever He wanted.
Yet, having everything, He had nothing!
Home alone, bored, unfulfilled, and a life centred on Himself ... His life really was quite empty! And, even worse, Eternity stretched endlessly ahead of Him... Not good.
Idle speculation?
Probably not. And I think that the clue is to be found in Scripture. For when God said, "It is not good for man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18a T), I am sure that He was speaking from personal experience.
As Dr Paul Tournier has explained, quoting from Amiel, one cannot give what one does not possess. How else could the Lord God have understood the void in Adam's existence unless He'd experienced something similar Himself?
[Homework assignment: Essay: The 'humanity' of God.]
Populating the Heavenly Realm would give purpose and direction to His life. Having a purpose in life was important.
Were He to add to the population, either by begetting a son or by creating beings, He wanted them to have a purpose too, for it was something which had been lacking in His own life.
However, it was important to avoid getting ahead of Himself! It would be necessary to think things through very carefully. It was all very well to think of the advantages; but what might be the difficulties and problems?
His home was firmly established, as was His lifestyle. He was set in His ways, for He could tolerate neither imperfection nor wrongdoing. Could He cope? More importantly, how would He fare if things went badly?
So how might new arrivals fit into His way of life? How would new arrivals affect His own way of life?
If His desire to populate the Heavenly Realm were to go ahead, then He must anticipate the problems, consider the possibility of failure, and ensure that all His plans were well thought out and bullet-proof.
Their free choice was essential. He needed people around Him who were there because they wanted to be there. He had no wish to be surrounded by people who were only there because a gun was being held to their head!
But free choice meant that failure was always on the cards. In other words, there was a possibility of His home being trampled by those who might reject Him. Was He prepared to accept this? And if so, for how long?
He decided that He could put up with disruption in the short-term, but was not prepared to endure His home being trampled for Eternity. So, assuming He went ahead with His plans, a line would have to be drawn in the event of failure: in the event of failure, He would eventually have to permanently remove all imperfection and wrongdoing from His Realm and presence.
But the Lord God is nothing if not fair! He realised the obstacles which every new arrival would have to face.
A new arrival would know nothing of His House Rules, His Code of Conduct, or His standards of perfection, yet would be expected to adhere to them on pain of Spiritual Death!
He recognised that if new arrivals were to survive in the Heavenly Realm, then it was necessary for them to understand the position they were in, their vulnerability, and their total dependence on Himself to guide them safely through the minefield.
Understanding the Prime Axioms was the first essential, since it would be key to understanding the person of the Lord God! Without that understanding, individuals would fail to acknowledge their total dependence on God, and inevitably go astray.
Their obedience would be essential for survival. And 'understanding' would be the key to obedience.
At the time before Jesus was begotten in the Heavenly Realm, life was fairly static. But that would change if He went ahead with populating the Heavenly Realm. Change and progress would be inevitable.
A rising population would bring a whole raft of problems. Accommodation, travel, communications, education ... The list just went on and on...
The problems didn't end with infrastructure in a rising population. For, if He went ahead with His idea, He fully intended giving individuals various jobs, duties, and responsibilities. He had no intention of creating a Heavenly Holiday Camp! Each individual would have a purpose in life: a purpose which would lend meaning and fulfilment:
And so, in the Book of Genesis, we find the Lord God making Adam and Eve responsible for the care of the Garden Annex and for the whole of creation:
28 God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.” (Genesis 1:28 (Tanakh))
15 The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden, to till it and tend it. (Genesis 2:15 (Tanakh))
Then there would be the inevitable individual variations which He must consider: intellect, abilities, skills, temperament...
It would be necessary for individuals to work together. So He must deal with people collectively as well as individually.
Disunity was an ever-present danger which had to be considered and countered.
All in all there would be a continuing succession of problems to be dealt with.
And in addition He must always be looking far ahead to warn of impending danger.
'Guidance' would not be a simple matter!
A static list of rules and regulations would not be sufficient in what would clearly be a dynamic environment. A static list would therefore require continuous update; and everyone would have to be notified of the updates if they were to avoid falling into sin and error. A 'universal church of believers' would work in the short-term, where the numbers were few; but, with a rise in the population, the overhead of maintenance would become too great. Every individual would have to be personally notified of the updated list of rules - a situation which would rapidly get out of hand with an increase in the population and its dispersion. With the differences in capacity between individuals, it would be easy for some to get hold of the wrong end of the stick, and to lead others into sin and error.‡
[‡ Such a breakdown in education can be seen in the Book of Job. It provides an insight into why God implemented the Mosaic Contract with the nation of Israel. (See Job)]
He would have to deliver guidance continuously in real-time to each and every individual or group - no small task! What He was proposing would be a major undertaking requiring His total commitment. He would have to monitor the situation, and be ready to introduce specialists who would shepherd the sheep, thereby centralising and maintaining education, worship, and integrity. He also knew that comms would improve with time ... to that which is available today.
But the onus wouldn't rest on Him alone. For, as the saying goes, one can lead a horse to water but one can't make it drink.
If people were to avoid falling into sin and error, then they must follow His guidance to the letter. There could be no deviation. Their dependence and obedience must be total if they were to avoid straying from the straight and narrow.
Having given people the freedom to choose whether or not they wished to dwell with Him, He couldn't then take that free choice away from them. It would be their choice: and they would have to take responsibility for their choices.
The Lord God had no wish to deal with robots remotely controlled from HQ. He wanted to enjoy the company of free-thinking, like-minded individuals. And, since He wished to give them various duties and responsibilities, a hands-off approach would be necessary as far as was practicable. To hand people responsibility and then micro-manage their every move, treating them like robots, would be to revoke the authority and responsibilities given them.
[Homework assignment: Being micro-managed by the Spirit would absolve the individual of responsibility for their actions. Discuss.]
Although the Lord God would be looking ahead to warn of impending danger, responsibility would also rest on each individual. So, should someone be overtaken by something never experienced or seen before, and for which there was no precedent, then it would be necessary to seek God's guidance as to how to proceed. Similarly, any new revolutionary ideas or inventions they might come up with would have to be run past the Lord God for his direction; and then His ruling faithfully obeyed. In these cases, responsibility would rest with the individual. For, to neglect to consult God as to the rights and wrongs would be to set oneself up as a god able to define perfection and imperfection, right and wrong.
People's dependence on God must be total if they are to avoid the pitfalls of living with God in the Heavenly Realm! But it is a shared responsibility, as we shall see with the Primary Contract.
As already mentioned, it is the Lord God alone who sets and defines the standards. And He lays down guide-lines in the form of various rules and regulations. These rules and regulations - while offering excellent guidance - also define the limits of mankind's autonomy within the framework of the Covenant.
However, when someone is overtaken by some baffling question, then the individual is responsible for approaching the Lord God and obtaining His guidance prior to taking action. God's direction and ruling are to be obeyed if sin and error are to be avoided. It is important to note that God's answers may update the Covenant (as, for example, was the case with the Zelophehad Amendment).
The handling of baffling questions is well documented in the Mosaic Contract†. But, alas, following the annulment of the Covenant, it is no longer used; instead, our church leaders prefer to rely on their own interpretation and belief. In this way they dishonour the Lord God and His Prime Axioms; but, in claiming the authority and direction of the Lord Spirit, they are dishonouring Him as well.
† 8 If a case is too baffling for you to decide, be it a controversy over homicide, civil law, or assault—matters of dispute in your courts—you shall promptly repair to the place that the LORD your God will have chosen, 9 and appear before the levitical priests, or the magistrate in charge at the time, and present your problem. When they have announced to you the verdict in the case, 10 you shall carry out the verdict that is announced to you from that place that the LORD chose, observing scrupulously all their instructions to you. 11 You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left. 12 Should a man act presumptuously and disregard the priest charged with serving there the LORD your God, or the magistrate, that man shall die. Thus you will sweep out evil from Israel: 13 all the people will hear and be afraid and will not act presumptuously again. (Deuteronomy 17:8-13 (Tanakh))
The scope is wide ranging, for 'perfection' will encompass many different characteristics, such as:
The Prime Axioms are a statement about God and his position on perfection. They do not attempt to define imperfection: for that, it is necessary to study the Law in its context. The Prime Axioms do not enumerate those things which are imperfect - and for very good reason, as the list would be endless! However, they do include a statement of His intention to remove from His Realm everything which is imperfect, wrong, or evil.
Later on, when looking at the Primary Contract, we will come across the penalty clauses for failing to comply with the contract. But we discover - here in the Prime Axioms - the reasons behind those penalty clauses: the penalty clauses will allow the Lord to lawfully remove from His presence all those who have broken the contract which exists between mankind and the Most High. Note that in some of the schematics I have summarised the penalties as 'Death'.
Defining perfection in a changing world is far from easy. It is, of course, impossible to enumerate every instance of wrongdoing or imperfection without knowing the context! And who knows what the future may bring? In this regard, the Lord God freely admits to being caught out!
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire---something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind (Jeremiah 7:31 NIV).
They have built shrines to Baal, to put their children to the fire as burnt offerings to Baal--which I never commanded, never decreed, and which never came to My mind. (Jeremiah 19:5 (Tanakh))
The world is ever changing; new situations arise; science and technology bring undreamt of possibilities; the advance of civilisation brings changes in attitudes and social mores... Unless all these things are brought to the Lord before action is taken, there is a grave risk of falling into sin and error.
And it is here that academic knowledge of God begins to break down. The importance of going from academic knowledge to personal contact with the Lord God is immediately apparent. For if we fail to discuss today's problems in their context with Him, then we are not going to find today's answers. Finding answers to today's problems by interpreting yesterday's doctrine, which has no knowledge of today's problems or their contexts, will surely end in tears. Even worse is the fact that Paul et al have denigrated and annulled the Covenant, replacing it with their false new-covenant doctrine. Finding today's answers from the interpretation of yesterday's false doctrine, is what the new-covenant church have been doing, and are still doing. Evidence for the failure of their interpretations is to be found in the divisions and disunity which exists in the new-covenant church. Jesus explained where such division will lead:
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. (Mark 3:25 NIV)
In other words, division will lead to complete structural collapse and abject failure.
To rely solely on academic knowledge of either the Lord God or Jesus, is to place oneself in danger. For while it is true that Father and Son outline many guidelines, they are not so arrogant as to imagine they will have covered all eventualities.
They are also restricted by the limitations of human knowledge. How could the Lord talk to Adam and Eve about genetics, in particular the genetics of man and wife in the context of marriage?† Today, of course, that knowledge exists - except that no one bothers to discuss genetics or genetic manipulation with the Lord!
[† Jesus explains marriage in a manner which everyone can understand:
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
4 "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' 5 and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." (Matthew 19:3-6 NIV)]
[Homework assignment: The new-covenant church affirm the sufficiency of the Bible, interpreting its content to find answers to today's problems. Discuss.]
[Homework assignment: How, in Genesis, does the Lord work around ignorance of the genetics of man and wife in the context of marriage?]
The danger of relying solely on academic knowledge of Father and Son is that it invites error. Our academic knowledge is important! But we are required to follow Jesus' example and discuss matters with the Lord God before taking action.
Dialogue with the Lord God is essential. Face-to-face discussion will help us to hand our lives over to Him, and to find out what He would like us to do with our lives.
In order to fully understand the problems facing new arrivals to His Realm, He really needed to put Himself in their shoes.
Since He would not be dealing with pre-programmed robots, they would arrive at His doorstep having no knowledge whatsoever of what lay ahead of them. They would know nothing about perfection and its demands; 'house rules' would be meaningless to them.
How, then, could He condemn them were they to trample His home?† They would remain, a permanent blot on the landscape. He realised that this would be a totally unacceptable state of affairs.
[† 41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin;” (John 9:41a NIV)]
We can sympathise with the Lord God. For we - like Him - do not welcome the visitors from hell into our homes. Where possible we avoid them. And those who do wreak havoc will never be invited to return, whether adults or children. We are therefore in a position to understand the Lord God's point of view.
There had to be accountability! His commitment to perfection was such that there could be no exceptions.
The only way this accountability could be enforced would be through contracts. Thus, in the Garden Annex, Adam and Eve were subject to the Primary Contract and the Prime Axioms (which, taken together, formed the Eden-Covenant). The Lord is not unfair, and He realised that new arrivals would have to be educated; having reached the Age of Discretion, new arrivals would then be held accountable for their actions.
The simplicity of the terms and penalties the Lord God put to Adam and Eve, meant that there was little need for a prolonged period of education. Compare that with the Mosaic Contract, which would require an extended period of education.
That a contract existed in the Garden Annex before the fall, is recorded in the Book of Hosea. The Lord God compares unrepentant Israel to Adam:
7 And they, as Adam, transgressed a covenant‡, There they dealt treacherously against me. (Hosea 6:7 YLT)
[‡ Because the [Mosaic] Covenant is a contract, the term 'covenant' necessarily means 'contract'.]
[Assignment: Covenant Law defines the framework and limits of mankind's autonomy. Discuss.]
Jesus said to the Pharisees,
“If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (John 9:41a NIV).
Blindness exonerates - as is the case with children before reaching the Age of Discretion.
But a false claim to sight by those who have reached the Age of Discretion, will result in condemnation and negate a later defence of spiritual blindness.
How can newcomers to the Heavenly Realm be held to account if they are unaware of God's standards and House Rules? Jesus' words confirm that they are indeed 'not guilty'!
As for visitors running amok in our home, we wouldn't allow it; but neither will the Lord God permit it in His own home. People enter our home by invitation, not by right: and they remain by invitation, not by right. It is the same for the Lord God: Jesus explained how the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son - and the record includes the fate of the interloper:
'2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen' (Mat. 22: 2-14 KJV).
The Lord God will not permit His Realm to be trampled under foot for ever. "Trample my courts no more," exclaims the Lord God in Isaiah 1:12 T. And in Revelation 11:1-2 we read that the Gentile trampling of the Outer Court and Holy City will not be permitted to continue indefinitely (Rev. 11:1-2 KJV(fn)):
'And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months' (Rev. 11: 1-2 KJV).
If the Lord God will not permit the trampling of His Courts in this Earthly realm - which contain but copies of the Heavenly Realm - how much less will He permit the trampling of both Home and Heavenly Realm? Although He permits it in the short-term, He certainly won't endure it for Eternity.
And so the Lord God intercepts the new arrivals at the front door, as it were, before they cross the threshold and gain admittance. And He deals with the problem there and then.
He explains the situation to newcomers. And He invites all to remain provided that they are willing to abide by the House Rules. He explains that He alone sets the rules and standards, not them. And so they are given the option of abiding by the House Rules, in which case they are made welcome; or they can go their own way and eventually face Eternity far removed from His presence. No one would be held against their will; but those individuals who chose unwisely would be responsible for their eventual fate.
The threshold' is not, in fact, the physical threshold of a doorway! It is a level of 'understanding' - as can be seen from Isaiah 7:15 T:
“By the time He (Immanuel: v. 14) learns to reject the bad and choose the good... (Isaiah 7:15 (Tanakk))
See also Deuteronomy 1:39:
39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad---they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. (Deuteronomy 1:39 NIV)
In reply to the newcomers' admission of ignorance of the rules, He stresses His commitment to their ongoing education and guidance: He will not abandon them or leave them in the lurch. Education and guidance are but a part of His contribution as a party to the Primary Contract - as history will later confirm:
17 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. (Psalm 71:17 NIV)
102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. (Psalm 119:102 NIV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105 NIV)
13 All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace. (Isaiah 54:13 NIV)
32 The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done---they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. (Jeremiah 32:32-33 NIV)
44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.” (John 6:44-45 NIV)
11 The word of the Lord came to Solomon: 12 "As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, carry out my regulations and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel." (1 Kings 6:11-13 NIV)
[Assignment: Discuss 'benefit' and 'detriment' as they apply to contracts.]
[Assignment: God's commitment to ongoing education and guidance are a part of the detriment He suffers as a party to the Primary Contract. Discuss.
How does God benefit from the contract?]
But if they wish to remain safely in His company, then they must acknowledge their complete dependence on Him, and they must obey Him. To rely on their own efforts will be to fail.
As Jesus was later to say, their dependence and obedience would not weigh them down:
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
[Assignment: The new-arrival's commitment to obedience is a part of the detriment suffered as a party to the Primary Contract. Discuss.
How does the new-arrival benefit from the contract?]
He makes the offer; but the choice is always theirs. Having been made aware of the situation, they are required to come to an immediate decision. He explains that He wishes to spend Eternity in the company of like-minded people who share and uphold His values, who seek and enjoy His Company; but no one will be forced to stay against their will. In fact, an alternative home will be provided for those choosing to go their own way.
[Essay: Hell - an eternity of unrestrained anarchy.]
So much for the theory! How about the practicalities?
Learning the basics about God, His standards, and His House Rules, is going to take a certain amount of time. The amount of time required will vary from person to person according to personal ability or circumstances.
In other words, there will be a transitional period. There will be a period of learning before we reach a working knowledge of what God expects of us. Clearly, we shall never attain God's level of knowledge, understanding, foresight, or ability. Necessarily, therefore, we will remain forever dependant on God's guidance, and on His definition as to what constitutes right and wrong, perfection and imperfection. Change and progress will lead to many baffling questions, the answers to which will only be found following discussion with the Most High.
Eliphaz:
1 Eliphaz the Temanite said in reply:
2 Can a man be of use to God,
A wise man benefit Him?
3 Does Shaddai gain if you are righteous?
Does He profit if your conduct is blameless? (Job 22:1-3 (Tanakh))
[Assignment: Analyse and discuss Eliphaz' questions in Job 22:1-3 (Tanakh).
How does the Covenant answer Eliphaz?]
This academic threshold of knowledge and understanding is referred to as the 'Age of Discretion' - at which point the individual becomes fully accountable for their actions, and must choose whether or not they wish to dwell with the Lord God.
Eventually, education must lead to an understanding of the Lord God and the demands which the Heavenly Realm make on a person. Call this the 'Age of Discretion' - not a generalised age, but an age which is specific to each individual.
On reaching the Age of Discretion, a choice is required. The options are cut and dried! Do you want to spend Eternity in the company of the Lord God? Or do you want to go your own way? 'Or' is used exclusively: one can do one or the other, but not both.
But reaching the Age of Discretion and making the right choice presupposes a good education!
The Lord God refers directly to the Age of Discretion when He says:
“Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the devisings of man's mind are evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21 T).
'Youth' marks the end of infancy:
16 'But before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right...' (Isaiah 7:16 NIV)
15 '(By the time He [Immanuel, v. 14] learns to reject the bad and choose the good... '). (Isaiah 7:15 T)
The Lord doesn't state a specific age, since the Age of Discretion will vary from person to person.
These verses underline the existence of the age of discretion, and the free choice which is then required.
This 'Age of Discretion' would vary from child to child, depending on the individual. God's determination of an individual's age of discretion will be far more precise than the necessary fail-safe legal approximation, and in many cases will be very much younger.
The Lord God taught Adam and Eve the basics. But this responsibility would then have fallen to the parents in bringing up their children. Although the Lord God met up with Adam and Eve from time to time (Genesis 3:8-9 (Tanakh)), had children been born in the Garden Annex, then their day-to-day education would have fallen to the parents.
But, the parents, in turn, would have required guidance as to how they should go about educating their children up to the Age of Discretion.
Assuming the soundness of a child's education, on reaching the Age of Discretion they should know enough about the Lord God to enable them to decide if they wish to dwell with Him throughout Eternity. If they wish to dwell with Him, then they should be aware of the commitment they will be required to make, and of the commitment He, in turn, will make to them.
Note that these commitments are contained in the Primary Contract (which is included - together with the Prime Axioms - in the Covenant).
Having reached the age of discretion, individuals must choose whether or not they wish to dwell with the Lord God; and they become accountable for their actions. Note that deferring a decision to a later date amounts to a rejection of the Lord God and all that He has been explaining and teaching.
What if things didn't work out as expected? Giving people free will would introduce an element of chance as to the outcome. To assume complete success would be the height of arrogance! The way forward was to expect success yet plan for failure. Some sort of strategy was required in case things didn't work out as hoped.
However, their removal would have to be carried out in an orderly manner which left His reputation intact. He couldn't act as a hanging-judge presiding over a kangaroo court - that would never do! Their removal would have to follow due process. Thinking things through, the Lord God realised that the use of contracts - legally binding agreements enforceable by law - was the way to go. Such contracts would require the commitment of all parties; and disobedience to the terms would automatically trigger the penalty clauses.
The evidence would have to be collected and made available for production in a courtroom. Justice would have to be completely transparent and fair to everyone. Later on, we discover that the matter of evidence gathering will be accomplished by the setting up of the Books of Record and the Book of Life:
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (Revelation 20:12 NIV)
As for fairness, this must be ensured by having rules and regulations which are consistent across the timeline. And transparency must result from a court procedure which is open and visible to all, so that all may see the consistency of God’s Law across the timeline. Immoral conduct under old covenant law which was deemed acceptable under the new-covenant, would - rightly - raise a furore in open court on the Day of Judgement! Such a court would be corrupt and therefore illegal.
[Assignment: By contradicting God, and by endorsing inconsistent or contradictory doctrine, Paul et al are corrupting the rules of evidence, fairness, and transparency in court on the Day of Judgement. Discuss.]
[Asignment: Individuals will not be tried in camera on the Day of Judgement. Discuss.]
Version: 2024-11-20