Shortlist

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The shortlist

Someone contemplating the state of mankind, problems with the governments of the world, and a need for change in their relationships with each other, mentioned the line from a movie, "Before kingdoms can change, men must change." [1]

I knew the movie was Jesus of Nazareth and the actor was Michael York playing John the Baptist.[2] He was speaking to Herod Antipas while in prison waiting for his execution.

I recently searched for that phrase in that and other forms of the quote[3] in the Bible and on the internet. While the quote is not specifically found in the Bible, there are numerous people that attribute it to John the Baptist.

While, Christ came to change the hearts of men, not the government He did say He was going to take the government away from one group[4] and appoint it to another,[5] which He did.[6]

It is true that repentance<Reef>Matthew 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luke 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

</Ref> and seeking righteousness together[7] are changing the way one thinks and relates to others. And certainly "being born again"[8] also involves change. Do we have the power to change ourselves and if we did where do we get the knowledge to know how to change? Eating of the tree of knowledge is how we got in trouble back in the Garden.

So we can agree that we needed to "change" by some sort of transformation of the mind.[9] But do we have the personal power to transform our own minds with our own mind?

It should be clear that is not the words of preachers or prophets written upon our minds, nor our own alterations to our mind which transform us but the actual writing of God and His Holy Spirit upon our hearts and minds.[10] The original witness of this process of change being implemented in us by God and not by our own efforts was at least in Jeramiah.[11]

This writing by God's Spirit is not by flesh and blood but revelation.[12]

We see evidence of this with Paul's teachings about "not by works" but by "regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost".[13]

Paul wrote to the remaining Roman Christians after many Christian Jews were expelled from Rome.[14] The remaining Roman Christians were considering conforming to the rules and traditions of the Jews like those concerned with circumcision when Paul wrights for several chapters about "circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit".[15]

Being saved is an act of grace by God who transforms and changes us through no physical act or mental alteration of our own will. Yet, there must be free will in order for there to be love. That choice may be seen in the prayer, "not my will, but thine".[16]

Then the question may arise as to how do we know the will of God?

Is it by our "study" of ourselves or our heart or even the "study" of the Bible that we will know the will of God for us?

Is not "study" our flesh and blood works simply eating of the tree of knowledge?

We know that it is not flesh and blood that we will know the truth[17] nor inherit the kingdom.[18]

We are told to repent and to seek but many of the places were are told to study the author was apparently telling us something different.

In Thessalonians were "commanded" to "study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands".[19] But the word "study" in the original text is philotimeomai[20] which actually mean to bring something to pass because of your love of honor, striving.

In 2 Timothy Paul tells us to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman"[21] But again the word study is from the Greek spoudazo [22] which has to do with exerting oneself, endeavoring and give diligence which as workmen seems to have to do with works.

The only time the Bible speaks to us about study it seems more a warning.[23] not that there is any prohibition for the tree of knowledge is placed in the garden but it is just not to be the source from which we are given direction and the power to act or even change.



Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 


tells them they are not saved by works. [24]

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.



The shortlist? I must change. "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Transformed= metamorphous, i.e. caterpillar to butterfly. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." "Unless you become like little children you shall not see the kingdom of God." While I am ego-driven, little children, infants, do not have egos. I must be spirit-led. The real battle for the kingdom transpires inside me. Am I in control of my ego, or is my ego in control of me? The ego is what is keeping us divided.'

I would have to differ in my observation of Children.

Children are some off the strongest egos around from my observation.

They are full of "I want", "I need", "wait on me" attitudes and have very little appreciation, knowledge or concern of or for the work that actually goes into sustaining the basics they demand and are given and provided.

What young children are is pliable, and accepting. They have a natural loyalty to their parents, at least at first, because their parents are the ones they look to.

So what about this ego thing? And how can we change or even know what to change?

I personally have no problem with ego since it is the Latin verb for I am. The I AM" is a good thing depending on what "I AM"...

The creator is called I am and we were supposed to be made in His image. When we disobeyed the wisdom of our Father and gave birth to our own opinion and self-righteousness we were remade in another "self-serving I am" other than the "I AM" of our Father.

By looking to our Father who art in Heaven, the "fathers of the earth" or some facsimile created by our own imagination our "I am" is changed, just as a child is changed as they look to their parents.

This is why we have to be as little children. It is not the destruction of the ego but the conformity of our ego to the "I AM of God" as our father. But what is the shortlist of the I am of God.

God is a worker, a doer, a provider, a creator, a giver of life, and a forgiver of mankind.

Are we these things or even seeking to be these things in diligence and perseverance?

We are not changed by a philosophical approach to the problem. We are changed by the Spirit of God dwelling in us which is made possible by doing the will of the Father and the humble admission that we are often not doing according to the nature of God which is the nature of Christ.

It is time to get out of the theoretical approach to engine repair and get the hood up of our own hearts and ask why are we not following the shortlist of Christ for His ministers and for His sheep.

We cannot change so how are we changed according to the shortlist and the "viable workable plausible plan" of action and doing that people... can actually implement to establish those communities and congregations required to do some of those things that Stan listed. I think "in the doing" or seeking to do the will of the Father the ego will be adjusted according to His Spirit.


The Shortlist:

  1. Repent of trying to establish the kingdom of God by force and violence and do so in faith, hope, and charity which is love.
  2. Attend to the weightier matters
  3. Seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness by sitting down in a network of the tens, the fifties, and hundreds as commanded by Christ in order to rightly divide the bread of that charity from house to house.
  4. Give so that you may be given to.
  5. Forgive so that we may be forgiven or we will fail to persevere in the gathering together to care for one another.

The actual doing of the work and providing reliable services will bring us to the nature of the Father so we can be what the "I AM THAT I AM" is. It will take dedicated men and their families to make this work and the consistent and timely support of the people...



The law in the kingdom of God is a simple ten commandments summarized in two. If you love those... great ... if you don't then punishment is built into reality we live in whether we recognize it or not.... just like gravity, heat and cold, light and darkness.

Loving and following that law of God, which is merely the way of God, establishes a few "policies" in your heart and mind.

You will love others even if they are foolish, stupid or "know not what they do". You will forgive others whether they hate you, rebuke you justly or not. You will be giving to others, sacrificing your time, your wealth, your life and your fortune.

We are supposed to tear down the altars of men who worship the devil, i.e. the adversary of God.

People worship at those altars every time they "pray" to them for benefits provided at the expense of their neighbor by men who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority.

We can only tear down those altars by building the altars of God which operate by faith, hope and charity and the perfect law of liberty.

You are not going to conquer anything, defeat anything, beat anything... You are going to conform to Christ, and the Father and become a brother to all men through giving and forgiving or you are going to die.

There is work to be done and this group is going off away from it again.


1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

  1. ↑ Post on the ekklesiachurch email group October 14, 2008 from DJ.
    "Before kingdoms can change, men must change." I credit this line to a movie, but at the .moment can't remember which one.
    The shortlist? I must change. "Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Transformed= metamorphous, i.e. caterpillar to butterfly. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." "Unless you become like little children you shall not see the kingdom of God." While I am ego-driven, little children, infants, do not have egos. I must be spirit-led. The real battle for the kingdom transpires inside me. Am I in control of my ego, or is my ego in control of me? The ego is what is keeping us divided. Ego is the chainsaw falling the United States, as well as the so-called modern "church." A house divided against itself cannot stand. Ego is the fundamental element that divides, the primary element an adversary relies on to conquer. The enemy can and does exploit this, especially against those who are unconscious of the means by which the ego works.
    The shortlist? We must each recognize the ego within us and others, and learn the mechanics of its functioning. From there, the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth because we will be able to be guided. We need only follow. We cannot follow the lead of the Holy Spirit if we are unconsciously allowing the ego to drive while we sit back in the capacity of a mere passenger. We cannot follow the Holy Spirit if we are constantly led by our ego. If we cannot distinguish our ego at work, we are hopelessly blind.
    Control. Are we in control of our ego, or is our ego in control of us? If my ego is in control of me, the governments of the world have a stake in me. If I am in control of my ego, and I have given my allegiance to my Father, no government of the world can have a hold on me.
    Fear, doubt, and disbelief all reside in the ego. Love is the power that can transform these residents of the ego. Sanctification is the means of cleansing, and this is accomplished by surrender. I must therefore sacrifice my ego to the transforming power of love.
    What would a man look like, what would a man be like, whose ego has been completely transformed?
    The kingdom of God is within us. So is the United States. The choice is ours. Ego is the chain binding us to the latter, preventing us from entering fully into the former. Preventing us from cooperating. Preventing the kingdom from being fully manifest in us, both individually and collectively.
    The Kingdoms of this world are ego based, ego driven, as are all institutions of the world, and this would include some if not most churches. Is this church ego based, ego driven? If it is, it is no difference than any other church, as it is still of the world, notwithstanding our legal appearance of separation from the world. Unless our Father build the house, they who build it labor in vain. The kingdom of heaven is not of this world, i.e. not ego-based. The gates of hell will not prevail against a church that is not ego-based, as such a church is spirit-based and spirit-led. All other churches will invariably fail.
    Our king "killed," his ego at Calvary, thereby showing us the means by which we too may enter the heavenly state. "Pick up your cross, daily, and follow me," he said. I will interpret that as meaning: "address the issue of your ego daily, sacrifice it for the sake of others, for the sake of the kingdom, and you will lead them by following my example." He "died so that we might live." What about him died? His ego and his body. He was still alive, though he were dead, and thereafter his whole being was resurrected. If there is any doubt that his ego is what he was putting to death during this process, that the ego was what he was sacrificing, why then was he sweating drops of blood in prayer the night before.
    It is easy for me to see ego at work because I am so good at being led by my ego. It is easy for me to recognize in others what I do not like about myself. I see much ego driven conversation in this group. This needs to be recognized for what it is, and ultimately curtailed. The kingdom of God will not flourish in an ego driven environment.
    The shortlist? We must each recognize the control our respective ego's have over us personally. In so doing we will recognize the control the ego at work in others. In recognizing this, we can begin our work by taking the impediment into consideration.
    Interesting. My ego is deriving a certain satisfaction in writing this. I look forward to the day when I speak from pure spirit."
  2. ↑ you can hear him say it 2:24 minutes into (Part One) Jesus of Nazareth
  3. ↑ "Before governments will change, men must change" most of the search results, at least on Google, were my own writings, articles, and books or people quoting them.
  4. ↑ Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
  5. ↑ Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
  6. ↑ Luke 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
    John 19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
    John 19:15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
    Acts 17:7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
    Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
  7. ↑ Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
    Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
    Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
    Matthew 21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
    [we... might serve him without fear]Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
    John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment
  8. ↑ John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God... John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
    1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
  9. ↑ Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
  10. ↑ Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
    Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
  11. ↑ Jeremiah 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
  12. ↑ Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
  13. ↑ Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
  14. ↑ Acts 18:2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
  15. ↑ Romans 2:29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.
  16. ↑ Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
  17. ↑ Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
  18. ↑ 1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
    Galatians 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
    Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
  19. ↑ 1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
  20. ↑ 5389 ~φιλοτιμέομαι~ philotimeomai \@fil-ot-im-eh’-om-ahee\@ middle voice from a compound of 5384 and 5092; ; v AV-strive 1, labour 1, study 1; 3
    1) to be fond of honour
    1a) to be actuated by love of honour
    1b) from a love of honour to strive to bring something to pass
    2) to be ambitious
    2a) to strive earnestly, make it one’s aim
  21. ↑ 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing[orthotomeo 3718 "to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right] the word of truth.
  22. ↑ 4704 ~σπουδάζω~ spoudazo \@spoo-dad’-zo\@ from 4710; TDNT-7:559,1069; {See TDNT 735} v AV-endeavour 3, do diligence 2, be diligent 2, give diligence 1, be forward 1, labour 1, study 1; 11
    1) to hasten, make haste
    2) to exert one’s self, endeavour, give diligence
  23. ↑ Ecclesiastes 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books [there is] no end; and much study [is] a weariness of the flesh.
  24. ↑ ?
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