In the time of the old covenant in Israel there was a temple made with hands according to God’s will and commands. There was also a priesthood according to God’s will. In the new covenant, after the work of Christ was completed and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, all these things were abolished. Therefore, no such things are even commanded or mentioned in the writings of the apostles. Of course not! No temple and no church built with hands. Each individual body, the body of each saint, is the temple of the Holy Spirit and all the saints together are now the house of God. “Whose house we are . . . .” Heb. 3:6. We gather together in any kind of house, whether it be a private house or larger or smaller meeting halls or outside in the fresh air—whatever is practical or meets the purpose. To accord a building made with hands some kind of holiness, and call it a “church” or a “temple” or a “tabernacle” and furnish this “church” with some stained glass, and crosses or some other solemnity must now be considered to be idol worship and sorcery or paganism. This makes it blatantly clear that they have misunderstood everything. In the old covenant the altars were made with hands according to God’s will, but now in the new covenant this is utterly superfluous. There is no visible place that we can call an altar so we can invite someone to come up to the altar. To do so reveals a complete misunderstanding of the entire work of salvation. Salvation in its entirety and all the sacrifices take place within us, for there the temple and the altar are found. What takes place there on the inside is manifest in our lives in all kinds of ways. What people now call “the priesthood” is a terribly offensive practice that has no place either in the old or the new covenant. It is a fruit of apostasy from the life and teaching of the apostles. It is quite simply a blasphemous act of tyranny that has been perpetrated against the rest of God’s people on the basis of having had some education or possessing eloquence etc. The people are usually so foolish that they are happy to allow someone like that to be a “priest” for them. They pay them, in part, to do what they themselves should be doing. We do not learn to be a priest by going to school. Neither are we equipped to be a priest because of our eloquence, musical giftedness, or handsome appearance. No, and again no! We are saved, born, and transformed to be a priest! In the new covenant the church does not consist of one individual or only a few priests and a group of people who are not priests but only “laymen.” No, absolutely not! This is written to the entire church, to all the members of the body of Christ: “You [all together] are . . . a royal priesthood.” 1 Pet. 2:9. In agreement with this, Paul writes, “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has . . . .” 1 Cor. 14:26. We are members of Christ and members of one another. As long as the body is healthy and strong, and if everything is in order (even though we are far from perfected), each single member is indisputably active according to the leading and commands of Christ, who is the Head. The so—called priesthood, the so—called priest, usually sits on a platform exalted over the others in an extra-large chair, often dressed in more or less peculiar garments, wearing a hat with an especially broad rim—alas and alack! What megalomania!!! This priest and these priests cause more harm than all “laymen” put together! Spiritually speaking it is criminal. In addition, they demand to be paid for harming and leading souls astray in this manner. It is sad that it should be necessary to mention such ABCs of Christianity. Unfortunately it needs to be done. Down with this asinine darkness! Away with this tyranny that is opposed to Christianity! Away with this priestly rule! Away with the concept of the “church,” meaning a house built with hands! Away with investing outward things with a false significance! Away with all the unbiblical inheritance from the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, and what is becoming increasingly prevalent in the Pentecostal Church. Yes, away with all the work of man!!!Elias Aslaksen

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of division between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity . . . so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. . . . For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Read Ephesians 2:13-22. There was enmity between the Jew and the Gentile to the point where a Jew was not even allowed to eat with a Gentile. However, Jesus put to death the enmity through the cross and reconciled them both in one body. The wall of division was in the flesh, because according to the flesh the one was born a Jew and the other a Gentile. Now Jesus came and broke down the middle wall of division and through the cross put to death the enmity, so that they both had access to the Father in one Spirit. Since Jesus was able to do this work of creating one new man out of the two, how much more should not all Christians be reconciled in one body? The church is the body of Christ, but now there are many “churches,” and it is evident that they cannot be reconciled in one body. There are far too many walls of division. In other words, the flesh, in which are the walls of division and the enmity, is not crucified. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Cor. 12:13. When those who believe in Jesus do not become one even as the Father and the Son are one, it is because the one Spirit is not given full rein to lead, but the flesh is also allowed to lead. Walls of division arise as soon as the flesh is allowed to lead a little bit. In these so-called churches it is of great importance what you are according to the flesh. If you are talented, you stand a good chance of obtaining a leading position. Little thought is given to whether you are spiritual or not. But if you are a capable person, you will make good progress—especially if you have a lot of money, or a high education. If you want to be a pastor of a large assembly, you have to have a worldly education. But does anyone have access to the Father through any of this? Did Jesus not praise the Father because He had revealed it to babes? All of us have access to the Father in one Spirit. Don’t we all have to have it revealed to us by the Spirit—whether we are learned or unlearned—as to what belongs to the kingdom of God? Unfortunately the things that belong to the kingdom of God are not of sole importance in these so-called churches. There are so many things of this world that must be accommodated, so there is a need for people who have an understanding of worldly business and greatness and glory. This is how the flesh gains influence and how the walls of division rise up. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets,” etc. Eph. 4:11. There are various gifts, but the Spirit is the same; there are various ministries, but the Lord is the same; but the revelation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. 1 Cor. 12:4-11. Then follows a list of a number of ministries and gifts, and “the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Where is the body of Christ—the church—where the Spirit has such liberty? In that church the possibility of becoming a leader because you are a talented person or have a worldly education, etc., is non-existent. Only those who walk in the Spirit and whose flesh is crucified have possibilities there. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty to serve as the Spirit distributes and works in each one individually. This is how we can act according to the apostles’ words, “Therefore comfort [exhort] each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thess. 5:11. However, that middle wall of division, and the enmity in the flesh, will rise up as soon as someone wants to be called “pastor” or “evangelist” or wants to be “elder brother.” For such people it is not sufficient to serve according to how the Spirit distributes, and it is not sufficient for them just to perform a service. They also want to have a title and be regarded as both this and that. All this gives rise to dissension, and each of them boasts of his teacher. 1 Cor. 1:12; 4:6. They consider their ministry a robbery, and if the Spirit were to work through someone else for a blessing, they are immediately afraid of competition instead of rejoicing that God is in their midst. 3 John 9-10. The body of Christ can never be built wherever a party-spirit rules. Therefore those who want to be reconciled in one body have to leave such a party system. Once you depart from that simple and child-like edification where each one comes with whatever the Spirit gives him, there is an end of revival. Polished and elegant speeches are substituted instead. Then all those who are carnal have their chance, and it begins to mean so much what you are according to the flesh. The result will be as the apostle says: “They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.” 1 John 4:5. That is really something for the world to listen to because they have natural talents and an understanding of business and the arts. “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6. When our sole desire is godliness, it would be strange that we should not be able to edify one another in one body—and that one should warn against the other. Then we need to test those who warn you to see if there is anything they seek besides godliness—whether they seek to be something great or whether they want to be considered someone special. Perhaps they feel more comfortable among those who are great in this world than among those who fear God, those who in child-like simplicity edify one another through the Word of God and prayer. You, who seek God with all your heart, beware lest anyone bind you or make you a prey through worldly wisdom or vain deceit. Col. 2:8-10. Seek God together with those who have said “Farewell” to all worldly greatness and where you have liberty to serve as a member of the body according to the workings of the Spirit. There is only one body and one Spirit. Only if the flesh is on the cross can we be reconciled in this one body and be led by this one Spirit. What a blessed salvation, fellowship, and unity. Jesus said, “Seek, and you shall find.”Sigurd Bratlie

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.” Prov. 11:1. “Even though divination is on the lips of the king, his mouth must not transgress in judgment. A just weight and balance are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are His work.” Prov. 16:10-11. People have always cheated with balances and weights, and it has always been an abomination in God’s eyes. When it concerns measuring and weighing each other in a spiritual sense, none of us have, by nature, the right balance and weight. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.” 1 Cor. 2:14-15. The natural man has nothing but his own ideas and opinions to put in the balances; and if he has something against the person he is weighing and judging he will convert one gram into many kilograms. When it concerns buying and selling here in this world the authorities require that unbalanced scales be adjusted; otherwise they will affix a notice to the scales that it is unlawful to use them for buying and selling. Most people are like unlawful weights in a spiritual sense. They cast their opinions on the scales according to their moods and their likes and dislikes. They have no fear in their hearts. People who are precious and weighty in God’s scales are perhaps rejectable or small and insignificant according to their weights and balances, and as such they find them too “light” as their fellow men. However, it is extremely dangerous to measure and weigh your fellow brothers and sisters, and the more God-fearing a person is, the more dangerous it is. We can read about how it went with Korah and his men. Let us also take Jesus’ words powerfully to heart: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Matt. 7:1-2. “A just weight and balance are the Lord’s . . . .” No one has this in himself, that is, in his human nature, even if he is ever so clever and shrewd. We have to get the right weights and scales from the Lord, for the weights are the work of the Lord. We can put the correct weights in the scales on the basis of His nature, His spirit of fear, love, mercy, righteousness, and truth. May we daily adjust our weights in all humility before Christ’s face. Jesus will be the Judge of all men, because He was the Son of Man. He never passed a false judgment during His sojourn here on earth. His judgment was not influenced by any carnal relations and friendships. He knew no one according to the flesh, and no one could gain His favor by means of flattery or hypocrisy. Now we are being educated to be Christ’s co-judges in the world to come. Let us therefore be extremely careful when we say something about another person or a certain situation. God pays close attention to the judgment of our heart. May God give us great grace to appreciate people and things, for their true worth. May holy and precious God-fearing people who are precious in God’s eyes, also be precious in our eyes. Those who obey the Lord’s commandments are God’s friends. Let them also be our friends. May we always put the correct highest value on the heavenly things and the least value on all earthly things so that we can always be preserved in a blessed rest and joy.Aksel J. Smith