The Same
“The same yesterday, and today, and forever”
By: Walter Giddings
March 22, 2026
Greetings, kindred and fellow sheep. We are on a first name basis here. My first name is Walter Marsh. If it seems unusual to you that I have two 1st names, I can tell you I come by both names honestly. Whenever my father and mother required me to come before the family Judgment Seat, in matters of eternal importance, for my transgressions, I would hear the dreaded, imperial Walter Marsh (!). My Grandfathers were named Walter and Marsh. Continuing that Family tradition, I maintain both 1st Names today. Do not bother me by insisting that I have a “middle name”! Both categorically and habitually, I denounce and deny that!
In prior Lessons we have explored the unfortunate Fact that Sheep give Stupid a new Name! Facts are stubborn things! And “stubborn” means we are born to stub our toes! We are counselled in James 5:12, “confess your faults one to another”, and in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “… take pleasure in infirmities”! In free confession before this local Body of Christ, I cannot recall in my eighties if I have ever taken pleasure in stubbing my toes! It is such a Rude Reminder of my helpless mortality!
Therefore, this Lesson incorporates some precautionary provisions to help Sheep with Sheep avoid giving Stupidity a new name. This is more than cautionary. This is precautionary. This is a major Statute of Bible Study in the form of a precautionary Question: “Is this a doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?!!
Can we find in The Scriptures more than one Witness to the value of this major statute of Bible Study in the form of a precautionary Question?
“.. in the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established.”
Matthew 18:16.
(Ecclesiastes 7:29) Can we see our need for the precautionary Question “Is this a Doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?”
p 29 Lo, this only have I found, that
God hath made Adam upright; but
they have sought out many inventions.
Ecclesiastes chapter seven.
Why would we do that? Why would we seek out many inventions?
(Psalms 99:8). Is this another Evidence of our need for the precautionary Question, “Is this a Doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?
c 8 Thou answeredst them, O LORD
our God: thou wast a God that for-
gavest them, though thou tookest
vengeance of their inventions.
Psalms chapter ninety-nine.
“Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.” (Psalms 106:39).
39 Thus were they defiled with their
own works, and went a whoring with
their own inventions.
Psalms chapter one hundred six.
“And went a whoring with their own inventions.” Does this sound a whole lot more serious than stubbing our toes?
(Romans 1:18). Hear our prayer O God. Let it please you to be our Help.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Romans chapter one.
Are we prone to “hold the truth in unrighteousness”? Why would we want to do that? (Look at Verses 19-22).
p 19 Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them; for God
hath shewn it unto them.
c 20 For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal
power and Godhead; so that they are
without excuse:
p 21 Because that when they knew God,
they glorified him not as God, neither
were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened.
c 22 Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools
Romans chapter one.
Look at the last phrase in Verse 20. “They are without excuse”. If we are “without excuse”, does that give stupid a new name?
Back to our original Question: Why do we so easily go a whoring with our own inventions?[Psalms 106:39]. From where does that source?
(Genesis 3:8). Can we find the answer in Adam’s Fall?
8 And they heard the voice of the
LORD God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day: and Adam
and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the LORD God
amongst the trees of the garden.
Genesis chapter three.
“Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God”. Does “a whoring” with our own inventions source from our own carnal nature? Does American Israel prefer God in his own Image, or a god in our own image? Does American Israel hide from God a whoring after their own inventions? Does our carnal nature feel more comfortable with a god in our own image? Can we see the worth in our readiness to ask ourselves “Is this a doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?”
Does The God of our Fathers see worth in our readiness to ask, “Is this a doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?” Does there exist in The Scriptures a local Body of Christ that is called “noble”? If so, where do we find that?
(Acts 17:10-12). How many churches in The Scriptures were called “noble”? Do we recall that Jews in Thessalonica consorted with Paul and Silas who preached unto them Jesus’ suffering and resurrection, and this Jesus is Christ? But the Jews who believed not, for envy, gathered “lewd fellows of the baser sort” and assaulted Jason’s household to bring them out to the mob! Not unlike “the protestors” of the unlawful assemblies of our day! When they could not find Paul and Silas there, they dragged Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers because Jason and the brethren had received “these that have turned the world upside down”! Jason and the others posted bond, and were released.
p 10 And the brethren immediately
sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither
went into the synagogue of the Jews.
c 11 These were more noble than
those in Thessalonica, in that they re-
ceived the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures
daily, whether those things were so.
p 12 Therefore many of them believed;
also of honourable women which were
Greeks, and of men not a few.
Acts chapter seventeen.
“They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Have we found two local bodies of Christ that The Holy Spirit calls “noble”? “Noble” translates G2104 eugenes, yoog-en’-ace; well born: -- more noble, noble, nobleman. (Luke 19:12).
12 He said therefore, A certain
nobleman went into a far country to
receive for himself a kingdom, and
to return.
Luke chapter nineteen.
Who is this certain nobleman? And with what event is “went into a far country” equated? Who is this certain “nobleman”?
Where in The Scriptures do we find the fulfillment of “went into a far country”? (Acts 1:9-12).
c 9 And when he had spoken these
things, while they beheld, he was
taken up; and a cloud received him
out of their sight.
p 10 And while they looked stedfastly
toward heaven as he went up, behold,
two men stood by them in white ap-
parrel.
c 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus, which is taken up from
you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into
heaven.
p 12 Then returned they unto Jerusa-
lem from the mount called Olivet,
which is from Jerusalem a sabbath
day’s journey.
Acts chapter one.
Does the Ascension of Christ equate well with the nobleman’s journey “into a far country ... and to return”?
(Mark 10:18). But we might want to consider what Jesus said to the rich man in Mark 10!
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why
callest thou me good? there is none
good but one, that is, God.
Mark chapter ten.
Why did Jesus insist, then, that He was not good? He was born of a virgin. He lived the sinless life. How was he not “good”? And, yet, if the “nobleman” of Mark 10 who “went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return” is Jesus, how do we explain the difference? Same Jesus. What is the difference?
Do we recall the G2104 eugenes, yoog-en’-ace has the seminal or seed meaning “well born”? Was Jesus the 1st born Son of the Resurrection? If Jesus is no longer clothed in the flesh of Abraham, but clothed in His Resurrection Body, is this a mighty Difference? Same Jesus! A whole Different Body! (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). First Corinthians chapter 15 is known as the ______________ Chapter ! Fill in the Blank. Here Paul, the least of the Apostles, talks about preaching this!
p 3 For I delivered unto you first of
all that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins accord-
ing to the scriptures;
c 4 And that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according
to the scriptures:
p 5 And that he was seen of Cephas,
then of the twelve:
c 6 After that, he was seen of above
five hundred brethren at once; of
whom the greater part remain unto
this present, but some are fallen as-
leep.
p 7 After that he was seen of James;
then of all the apostles.
c 8 And last of all he was seen of me
also, as of one born out of due time.
First Corinthians chapter fifteen.
(Look back to Verse 6). “He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present.” Has God ever left himself without witness? Shall we fill in the blank? First Corinthians chapter fifteen is known as the resurrection chapter!
(Back to Acts 17). Did we notice, (verses 10-12), no single member of the Thessalonican or Berean churches is called “noble”? Is it the whole Thessalonican body of Christ that is called “noble”? Is it the whole Berean body of Christ that is called “noble”? Does The Holy Spirit lay claim to both the Thessalonican and Berean congregations? Does The Holy Spirit have good reason to claim them both? Did Jason and the members of the Synagogue endure persecution for righteousness sake, and effect the Rescue of Paul and Silas from a maddened and unreasoning mob, hell bent on destroying Christ’s Family on earth? And did they effect the Escape of Paul and Silas, accused of “turning the world upside down”? And yet the congregation at Berea The Holy Spirit calls “more noble than those in Thessalonica”! (Back to Acts 17:11). Why is the Berean congregation called “more noble than those in Thessalonica”? What could possibly be “more noble” than enduring persecution for righteousness sake, and helping Paul and Silas to escape?
11 These were more noble than those
in Thessalonica, in that they received
the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were so.
Acts chapter seventeen.
To answer the Question, Is this a Doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man (?), would we have to receive the word with all readiness of mind, and search the scriptures daily whether those things are so?
Shall we examine a Major Doctrine among Protestant denominations? This Doctrine appears in one book under the subheading “Some Unerring, Infallible Marks” with this Admonishment: “If in going down through the centuries we run upon a group or groups of people bearing not these distinguishing marks and teaching other things for fundamental doctrines, let us beware.”
6. The inspired scriptures, and they only;
in fact, the New Testament and that only, to
be the rule and guide of faith and life, not
only for the church as an organization, but
for each individual member of that organi-
zation.
The Trail of Blood. A series of lectures on the persecutions of local bodies of Christ down through the centuries, beginning from the Ascension of Christ to the 20th Century.
Using our instruction from The Scriptures in this Lesson, where would be a good place to begin?
(Hebrews 3:16 unto Hebrews 4:16). Shall we begin with “the inspired scriptures” in “the New Testament”? For time’s sake, we will make a limited selection of Verses from the contextual selection of Hebrews 3:16 through Hebrews 4:16! May I commend to you the entire Context as your homework? Preview of a coming attraction: classmates, God willing, you will see the entirety of these verses in another Lesson in the not too distant future. (Hebrews 3:17-19). The key word for this portion of our Lesson is “unbelief”.
c 17 But with whom was he grieved
forty years? was it not with them
that had sinned, whose carcasses fell
in the wilderness?
p 18 And to whom sware he that they
should not enter into his rest, but to
them that believed not?
c 19 So we see that they could not en-
ter in because of unbelief.
Hebrews chapter three.
Who are “they” and “them”? Are these the Hebrew children called Israel who took wedding vows with The LORD God of Israel at Mount Sinai?
(Hebrews 4:1). Who is “you” in Verse 1?
Let us therefore fear, lest, a prom-
ise being left us of entering into his
rest, any of you should seem to come
short of it.
Hebrews chapter four.
Who is “you” in Verse 1? Are “you” in Verse 1 “us”? There are 54 verses in our Bibles wherein God or angels command us to “fear not”! But, here in Hebrews 4:1 we are counselled to “fear” coming short of God’s Promise to enter into His Rest!
Look what we are told in Verse 2.
2 For unto us was the gospel
preached, as well as unto them:
but the word preached did not
profit them, not being mixed with
faith in them that heard it.
Hebrews chapter four.
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them.” Whom did we say is “them”? Why does The General Epistle to the Hebrews tell us The Gospel of the Kingdom was preached unto God’s Family under The Old Covenant? Could this mean the Validity of the New Covenant is based squarely upon the Validity of The Old Covenant?
In view of Number 6, of “Some Unerring, Infallible Marks” of the Churches of History that were persecuted for The Faith with The Trail of Blood they shed revealing their martyrdom in every century, Hebrews 4:2 is astonishing!
When presented with surprises from The Scriptures, what is a good Question to ask?! Do we have a 2nd Witness that The Gospel of the Kingdom was preached to God’s Family living under The Old Covenant? Can we get a Witness?!
(Mark 1 Corinthians 10:1). Why does the Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, want us to come out of ignorance? Are there a lot of things we all do not know? Or as Pastor Don from time to time says, none of us has it all together! With what ignorance is Paul most concerned here?
Moreover, brethren, I would not
that ye should be ignorant, how that
all our fathers were under the cloud
and all passed through the sea;
1 Corinthians chapter ten.
Were the Hebrew children, called Israel, under the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night? Why is Paul telling the Gentile churches in Corinth in Macedonia that their fathers were the Hebrews of the Exodus from Egypt?
(1 Corinthians 10:2). And why was this an ignorance within which Paul was so eager and earnest that the believers in Corinth did not continue to suffer?
2 And were all baptized unto Moses
in the cloud and in the sea;
1 Corinthians chapter ten.
“Baptized”?! In the Old Testament? In the Old Testament Scriptures? And why does Verse 2 say “baptized unto Moses”? Was the destruction of Pharaoh and Egypt’s military might under the cloud and under the sea God’s way of showing his approval of the assignment of Moses as Israel’s civil ruler?
(1 Peter 3:20-21). Does this remind us of another reference to baptism in the lives of the saints in the Old Testament?
p 20 Which sometime were disobe-
dient, when once the longsuffering
of God waited in the days of Noah,
while the ark was a preparing, where-
in few, that is, eight souls were saved
by water.
c 21 The like figure whereunto even
baptism doth also now save us (not
the putting away of the filth of the
flesh, but the answer of a good con-
science toward God) by the resurrec-
tion of Jesus Christ.
First Peter chapter three.
(Look again at Verse 20). “Eight souls were saved by water.” (Look again at Verse 21). “Baptism doth also now save us … by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
(Return to 1 Corinthians 10). Not only were our Hebrew brethren in the Exodus “baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” but they all ate and drank spiritual food!
p 3 And did all eat the same spiritual
meat;
c 4 And did all drink the same spirit-
ual drink: for they drank of that spi-
ritual Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ.
First Corinthians chapter ten.
“That Rock was Christ.” We have found three Witnesses in “the New Testament and that only” whose understanding depends on study of The Old Testament Scriptures!
Without a firm foundation in The Old Testament Scriptures what hope would we have to understand “the New Testament Scriptures”? Does “the New Testament Scriptures” function as The Best Commentary on The Old Testament Scriptures?!
(Scroll down in 1 Corinthians 10 to Verse 11). Just how firmly does Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, rely on us, “upon whom the ends of the world are come”, to have a firm foundation in The Old Testament Scriptures?!
11 Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples: and they
are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come.
First Corinthians chapter ten.
Are “all these things” key events in The History of God’s People on Earth? Do we recall that History is “His Story”? Are even the Heavens witness to “His Story” from Virgo the Virgin to Leo the Lion of Judah? The Bible from Genesis unto Revelation has a 2nd Witness in the Zodiac as the Psalmist sings and plays the 19th Psalm!
“To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun.” [Psalms 19:1-4].
(Micah 4:8). Do we find “The Gospel of the Kingdom” preached in The Old Testament Scriptures?
8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the
stronghold of the daughter of Zion,
unto thee shall it come, even the first
dominion; the kingdom shall come to
the daughter of Jerusalem.
Micah chapter four.
“The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.” In case there is someone within the sound of my voice, or the sight of the words of this Lesson, who believes Micah 4:8 does not apply to you, we return to The New Testament.
(Galatians 4:26). Here, Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, reminds the churches of Galatia who they are in Christ:
26 But Jerusalem which is above is
free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians chapter four.
How many pulpits in America preach this New Testament doctrine on Mother’s Day?
(Hebrews 13:8). We conclude this Lesson with our signature Scripture.
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and today, and forever.
Hebrews chapter thirteen.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and the same today, and the same forever. Do we recall we had this figure of speech in our previous Lesson, Translation? Ellipsis, or Omission of Repetition, occurs in Hebrews 13:8. For emphasis, I added back what is omitted. Does it appear to us that Jesus Christ is the very personification of the Harmony of The Scriptures? If we perceive disharmony in The Scriptures it can only exist in our minds! It does not exist in the Mind of God. God’s Reason is righteous. Man’s reason is corrupted! “The New Testament and that only, to be the rule and guide of faith and life, not only for the church as an organization, but for each individual member of that organization”, faces our Question:
Is this a doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?
Are we now able to point our Bibles toward Heaven, relying on “The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit” to keep and guard them to our possession? The Bible is our Family Lawbook, the Bible is our children’s Heritage, and who has the right to take any part of it from us!!!
Bibliography
Hebrews 13:8
“the same yesterday, and today and forever”
[James 5:12] “confess your faults one to another”
[2 Corinthians 12:10] “take pleasure in infirmities”
Is this a doctrine of God, or a doctrine of man?
[Matthew 18:16] “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be establish”
Ecclesiastes 7:29. “they have sought out many inventions”
Psalms 99:8. “thou tookest vengeance of their inventions”
Psalms 106:39. “they ... went a whoring with their own inventions”
Romans 1:18. “men ... hold the truth in unrighteousness”
Romans 1:19-22. “they are without excuse”
Genesis 3:8. “Adam and his wife hid themselves from … God”
Mark Acts 17:10-12. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica”
“noble”. G21104 eugenes, yoog-en’-ace; well born: -- more noble, noble, noble(man).
Luke 19:12. “A certain nobleman”
Acts 1:9-12. compare “went into a far country ... and to return.”
Mark 10:18. “there is none good but one”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Same Jesus! A whole different body.
Return to Acts 17:11.
“the New Testament and that only” The Trail of Blood.
Hebrews 3:16 unto Hebrews 4:16. The Context.
Hebrews 3:17-19. “with whom was he grieved forty years”
Hebrews 4:1. “Let us therefore fear”
Hebrews 4:2. “the gospel preached .. unto them”
Mark 1 Corinthians 10:1. “all our fathers were under the cloud …”
1 Corinthians 10:2. “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud ...”
1 Peter 3:20-21. “eight souls were saved by water”
Back to 1 Corinthians 10:3-4. “that Rock was Christ”
1 Corinthians 10:11. “ensamples … are written for our admonition”
Micah 4:8. “the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.”
Galatians 4:26. “Jerusalem ... is the mother of us all.
Hebrews 13:8. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever.”
Our Family Lawbook, our children’s Heritage, and who has the right to take any part of it from us?!
