False religious leaders and false brethren left Jesus Christ because they wanted their own way. They went from Him because they refused to follow His example. "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame - who set their mind on earthly things" (Philippians 3:17-19).

Remember, the term brethren simply means: those in God's Church who are being sanctified. Brethren only remain brethren as long as they stay joined in following Jesus Christ's example. Jesus Christ set the right example. Why? So the brethren can have a pattern to live by. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You. And again: I will put My trust in Him. And again: Here am I and the children whom God has given Me" (Hebrews 2:10-13).

By their refusing to join in the following of Jesus Christ's example (which would have made them free), they remained in their yoke of bondage. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage"(Galatians 5:1).

The yoke of bondage remains on all who refuse to live the life Jesus Christ lived. Our Saviour lived the royal law of liberty in the Spirit by demonstrating outgoing concern away from self - which is perfect love. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13).

What is true liberty? It is perfect love. Perfect love means being made complete. Remember, God is love. "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). Therefore, perfect love is the fulfillment of God's law. "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10).

Bunyat Special Education Center in Amman, Jordan for the mentally handicapped

Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem, built to help Arab and Jewish children

The Light of Truth is perfect love. The Church of God is free. It does stand in true liberty. God's Church does love and therefore does know God. The Church of God does no harm to humanity because it is joined to God through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, The Church of God receives the unbreakable power of God to stand in true liberty and remain free from the yoke of bondage. "But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever" (Hebrews 7:24-28).

Today, the Light of God's Truth is found dwelling only in one place amid all this Babylon of confusion, as our loving King and Saviour Jesus Christ said it would be. Our Lord gave several parables to illustrate this point.

Jesus Christ taught the precious Light of God's Truth is like someone searching for the hidden treasure and what he did when he found the hidden treasure. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44).

Notice again how Jesus Christ likened the Light of God's Truth to a merchant seeking for pearls and what he did when he found the pearl of great price. "Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:46).

Think seriously on this for a moment! These parables reveal to us there is only one hidden treasure, or one pearl of great price. Through these parables, Jesus Christ is plainly teaching us that the glorious Light of God's Truth is dwelling only in one place - The Church of God. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

Although the one hidden treasure, the one pearl of great price, and the one Church, is the plain teaching of Jesus Christ, it is still a very hard saying for the vast majority of mankind to accept, because Satan, the devil, has every other place on earth under his deceptive influence of accepting his counterfeits. "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).

Notice again the clear emphasis the Word of God puts on this major point of truth: "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9). The whole world is held captive under the evil rule of Satan and his demons. Satan is the master when it comes to counterfeiting. "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Comprehend this revelation of knowledge! It is a vital point of truth! It cannot be rationalized! Nor can it be spiritualized away! Let the clear words of Holy Scripture be accepted and understood as it is written. Not twisting the astounding facts of the Sacred Word of God as the Apostle Peter warned, men would want to do. "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures" (2 Peter 3:16).

False suppositions cannot be used. The Plain Truth of the Bible must be accepted in the same way the Apostle Paul taught Timothy to do. "But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

These verses are undeniable. They are clear. All Scriptures, which means the whole Bible, is given, so that The Church of God will be thoroughly complete in doing God's will and work. And the Bible is the Word of Truth. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17).