"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."

(Heb. 13:8)

CIRCULAR LETTER April 1996

I greet you all, near and far, in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ with the word from Revelation 1:17b-18:

"Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

We find the phrase "Fear not!" more than seventy times in the Bible, beginning with Abraham in Genesis 15:1 to Revelation. Again and again the Lord always had the words for His own "Fear not!", which imparts confidence and trust in Him. Especially in the Gospels we encounter "Fear not" and "Only believe" in a wide variety of situations. Even today, we find comfort in these words, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.

The apostle John writes: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18). The true believers have nothing to fear, for their punishment was laid upon the Lamb of God that they might have peace, and with His stripes we are healed. The love of God was fully and completely revealed in the Son of God, on the cross of Calvary, for all sons and daughters of God.

The words Paul spoke, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself," cannot be overemphasized. As the Son of God, our Redeemer partakes with us in His body of flesh. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15).

According to the testimony of Scripture, by the blood of the New Covenant, we are fully redeemed, justified by grace, sanctified by His Word, already perfected, and brought to the goal (Hebrews 10:14). While we were still dead in sins and transgressions, God quickened us together with Christ, raised us up with Him, and made us sit together in heavenly places (Ephesians 2). For us, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Ascension Day, and Pentecost are not holidays that we celebrate once a year with special devotion, rather they are historic salvation events in the fulfilled redemption plan of our God, in which we may participate with all the redeemed. We have been granted forgiveness, justification, renewal, rebirth and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We were indeed chosen before the foundation of the world and predestined in Jesus Christ to be sons and daughters of God (Ephesians 1 and other verses). Those who believe this in their heart and have actually experienced it are no longer afraid, neither of the present nor of the future. Even more so, because we are permitted to recognize the signs of the times, we lift up our heads, as it is written, because we know that our redemption draweth nigh.

The Evidence

It is simply wonderful how the Lord God foretold everything in the Old Testament through the mouths of the prophets and then confirmed in the New Testament the fulfillment of what was announced through His apostles. In total, we find 845 quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament, 333 of which refer to Christ. 109 found their fulfillment at His first coming, 25 of them in the last 24 hours when He suffered and died. Because God is truthful, He keeps all of His Word, even those that are connected with His return, with Israel, and all the end-time events.

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, 'I thirst' … When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, 'It is finished': and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost" (John 19:28-30). Not a single prophetic utterance needed to be interpreted or explained, everything was fulfilled with literal precision, as it had been foretold. The same is true of the return of Jesus Christ and the various comings thereafter. The words: "… that the scripture might be fulfilled…" apply forever. The prophetic word does not allow for any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). Everything happens as it is written. Amen. He who interprets misses the fulfillment; he who does not interpret, but simply believes and tarries, experiences the fulfillment.

With the fulfillment of the events foretold in the Holy Scriptures, the Risen One also opens up an understanding of the Scripture to His own. "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures." (Luke 24:44-45).

Every time the Scriptures are fulfilled before our eyes, we can read it in black and white and, like our Lord in Luke 4:21, exclaim: "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears!"

The Holy Scriptures must always be seen and proclaimed in connection with its fulfillment. Regardless of the question, the subject, the teaching or the experience of salvation, the Old and New Testaments, the prophets and the apostles, the prophecies and their fulfillment are always in agreement. All servants called and sent by God teach in full harmony with the overall testimony of the Holy Scriptures. They are in the same spirit, have the same revelation, teaching, and practice as the apostles.

Even today, on every biblical subject, we can exclaim with our forerunners in the apostleship: "And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written…" (Acts 15:15). Paul placed great value on his preaching, his testimony, being founded on the prophetic word: "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come…" (Acts 26:22).

In the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the focus is once again on the Old Testament: "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening." (Acts 28:23). This is what true proclamation of the Word looks like in the New Testament!

The Return of Christ

For the apostle Paul, the subject of the return of Christ was very important. Thirteen times he mentions baptism, but fifty times he speaks of the Return. Strictly speaking, every thirtieth verse in the New Testament refers to the second coming or return of Jesus Christ.

It is an important, central subject in Scripture. Just as the hope of the believing Israelites was the coming of the Messiah, and is now again, so the hope of the believers of the nations is the return of Jesus Christ. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:3). As has been preached and written many times before: The return of Christ will be the greatest event at the end of the time of grace! All the details associated with it and what will happen in the process are described in detail in the Word.

When the heavenly Bridegroom returns and takes His earthly bride up to the wedding feast of the Lamb, Matthew 25:1-10 will be literally fulfilled: Half of the virgins who come to the Bridegroom are truly ready and will enter into the wedding feast. It is the "readiness" that counts, as it is written: "… and his wife hath made herself ready" (Revelation 19:7). In various biblical passages, the election that will then be revealed is made clear to us: two will lie on a bed, two will grind on a mill, two will be in the field, and so on; one will be accepted, the other stays behind.

At the return of Jesus Christ, all Bible passages related to it will find their literal fulfillment, including what is written in the letter of the Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…" (1 Corinthians 15:51). Paul wrote down the mystery revealed to him; he has clearly stated how it will happen, namely, that at the appointed time of Christ's return, those living in Christ will not die, but will be immediately transformed. He explains this concept further in 2 Corinthians 5, where he himself did not want to be unclothed by death, but clothed upon by the transformation.

What is very important about this subject is that the return of Jesus Christ will not take place over years, weeks or days, nor will it take place in different stages, but as the Lord Jesus himself said: "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" (Matthew 24:27).

Paul agrees exactly with the words of the Lord and describes how it will happen: "… In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52). The apostle refers to this trumpet in 1 Thessalonians 4, when he writes, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout [wake-up call], with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (vv. 16-17)

Paul did not speak in uncertainty, but had the absolute of God's Word. That is why he could also write: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord…" (1 Thessalonians 4:14-15a). It cannot be said more clearly, more concisely and in every detail than as it is stated in the Holy Scriptures. We believe as the Scripture says. He who teaches that the Lord Jesus has already come has forsaken the word and lost his mind; his mind is corrupt and he is basically under an antichrist influence, which denies the bodily return of Jesus Christ and spiritualizes it. The teaching that Christ's "parousia" has already taken place has no biblical basis. The word "parousia" means "bodily presence".

All accurate Bible translations render the two important passages, namely 1 John 4:2 and 2 John 7, in different tenses. The first relates to the coming of Jesus Christ at the time when the Word became flesh and reads: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 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…" The apostle goes on to write: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

The beloved disciple of Jesus clearly elaborates on the origin of the true children of God until the end of the fifth chapter. He speaks of the begotten from God and emphasizes: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness…" (v. 19)

In the second passage, namely 2 John, verse 7, the apostle refers to the return of Jesus Christ, in other words to His second coming, and writes: "For many false teachers have gone out into the world, that do not confess Jesus Christ comes in the flesh. This is the false teacher and the antichrist." (Zurich translation.) This biblical passage is actually found in the future tense in the thorough translations, such as the translation by Dr. Hermann Menge, the Greek Interlinear Translation, the Hebrew "Bethel Edition", the Zurich Bible and others. Whoever denies the Lord's bodily return and spiritualizes His coming is therefore deceived and has disqualified himself from the first resurrection, transformation and rapture!

Jesus suffered in His fleshly body, died and was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. HE Himself said after His resurrection, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself [really me]: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39). Thomas would and could not believe until he had seen the prints in the hands and side of the resurrected Saviour (John 20:24-29). We preach Christ, the Crucified and Risen One and the One who ascended to heaven. According to Acts 1:11, the same Jesus who was lifted up bodily into heaven before the eyes of His disciples (Luke 24) will return in the same way.

According to the divine plan of Salvation, the wounds of redemption remain with our Lord until the completion of the congregation from the nations and the chosen ones from Israel. When Israel repents, they will look upon the Crucified One, upon Him whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10); yes, before all the world our Lord will reveal Himself as the Crucified One with great power and glory before the establishment of the kingdom: "… and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen!" (Revelation 1:7). Every knee will then bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that the One despised by all the world, crucified for the salvation of His own, is the Lord Himself.

At His return it will be fulfilled that "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:21).

John admonishes us: "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming … but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 2:28+3:2b). This is then perfect redemption according to soul, spirit and body. The Lord of glory, in whose image we were created, has become like us in this body of flesh in which we have sinned, and was delivered over to death, died in our place so that our trespasses and sin might be forgiven, to make perfect atonement, to overcome death and the devil, even to the transformation of our bodies to be like Him. Just as we all bear the image of Adam on earth, so we shall bear the image of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).

Finally, on this subject, which was dealt with in detail by the apostles, let us also mention what Peter writes in connection with the return of Jesus Christ: "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:16). At the return of Jesus Christ, the power of God, the resurrection power, the power of transformation will be revealed. In this context, the Apostle Peter writes the words: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy…" (v. 19).

I may and we all may say the same thing also. We have both: the prophetic and the apostolic word. We believe as the Scripture says. But it must also be fulfilled that people say: "Christ is here! Christ is there!" The Lord warned us: "Believe it not!" (Matthew 24:23). Christ will not come upon a mountain nor into a valley, neither in the desert nor in a chamber. We will, as it is written, be caught up and meet Him in the air. This is Thus saith the Lord. He who has been born again from the seed of the Word by the Spirit of God has the connection to the Word through the Spirit and can only believe, as the Scriptures say. From the time of Pentecost until the end of the world, Jesus Christ has always been with and in His own in the Spirit, will return in the flesh; then our corruptible and mortal bodies will put on incorruption and immortality, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Thirty years of service

It is with deep gratitude that I can look back on thirty years of full commitment in the service of the Lord. Since April 1966, I have been able to serve the Lord with entire dedication in accordance with the calling of April 2, 1962. As I have often done, I would like to emphasize the faithfulness of God that I have experienced in so many ways. God is faithful, He is true and holy in all His doings.

As Paul writes to the Corinthians, we are co-workers with God and are allowed to carry out the duties entrusted to us by grace according to His will. I am fully aware that I stand before God like all those whom the Lord has ever called, and that I must give Him an account of all that I have preached and taught. My conscience testifies to me in the Holy Spirit that in all these years I have only preached what is written in the Word, and therefore I will stand before God with all of you who believe, as the Scripture says.

Books could be written about the many experiences, preservations, and leadings that I was able to experience. This month, for the second time in the entire period of my ministry and against my will, I had to cancel meetings that were firmly planned. Again it was the hand of the Lord that made it so. On Thursday, April 11, 1996, I wanted to fly from Düsseldorf to Berlin at 4:45 p.m., on Friday the 12th, to Prague, and from there to the meeting in Presburg-Bratislava on the 13th. However, due to an injury to my right shin bone, I was forced to cancel this trip. When I learned that a fire had broken out in Terminal A of Düsseldorf Airport shortly after 4:00 p.m., claiming 16 lives, I realized that I could easily have been the 17th victim. Inevitably, I remembered the trip to India that I had to cancel in 1976. At that time, on the flight to Madras, for which I was firmly booked, 96 passengers burned to death in the air shortly after take-off in Bombay. I would certainly have been the 97th passenger if the Lord had not commanded me to cancel the trip. I can look back with gratitude on many experiences with God and special leadings in which the Lord held His hand protectively over me.

But the greatest thing for me is the preservation in the Word and the introduction into the whole counsel of God, such as has never before been revealed in this perfect and all-encompassing way. This certainty does not come from me, but comes from the Absolute of the Word of God. No man of God was an Absolute as a man. The Absolute has always been the Word of God as divine authority, passed on through the mouth of man. Until today, and I say this to the glory of God, I have only expounded what I could teach from the Scriptures.

Continue to remember me and the entire missionary work as well as all serving brothers in your daily prayers. May the Lord bless all of you who support this missionary work and share in what God is doing now. May HE reward you for it and be with you all.

By His Commission

Notice

The newly published tract "Vision 7000" is available for all to distribute, and invitation slips for the three planned meetings at Pentecost at the end of May are still available.