This great blessing applies to all that are His. A faith that acts and reacts positively during the whole life of a child of God, from conversion to glorification. The eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, ‘Hebrews’ seems to have been the name given to converted Jews. In fact, all Israelites are really Hebrews, as was their father ‘Abraham the Hebrew’ (Genesis 14: 13) To this day they speak Hebrew, and the Old Testament is written in Hebrew!

In his epistle to the Philippians, the apostle Paul had reasons, at one point, to mention his pedigree, I shall not mention the context of it, but he said: ‘If anyone else thinks he has reason to put confidence in the flesh, I have more; circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; (Not Jew) in regard to the law a pharisee, as for zeal, persecuting the church, as for legalistic righteousness faultless.’ (Philippians 3: 4-6) He thought that as such He had the best pedigree, a member of the elect nation, yet he had to realise that it had no importance, for after his conversion he calls himself the chief of sinner!

Jesus did not and does not divide His disciples into an echelon of importance. All disciples have been given the same standing, one cannot be more than a son of God, hence, Jesus did not mean that John was more important than Peter or any other disciple, or apostle, but each had a different work to do, and to do it they will receive the same assistance, which is the anointing of the Holy spirit! Yet each one was/is loved the same, and if there were a social ladder among the people of God, all would climb it to the same level. We are all sons of God, with different functions, this is the highest distinction one can reach while on earth and forever after, and it is all through grace! 

Yet, having written what I have to end the previous ‘Link,’ what I meant to say, is, that certain things, in the plan of God are different in their application. That becomes clear in what follows the previous verse, for it is written that: ‘Peter turned and saw that the disciple Jesus loved was following them. This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is going to betray you – this was John!  I understand that it was normal in those days, for a writer, not to mention his name, it appears strange to us, but this was expected in the Jewish culture of those days. So, When Peter saw Him, he asked: ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to be alive until I return, what is that to you? You Follow me! Because of this, the rumour spread that this disciple (John) would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; He only said. ‘If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know his testimony is true. (John 21: 20-23) Eventually they were all martyred, they gave their life for the honour of their Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Roman Catholic Church, has created this unholy clerical pyramid, which is a human institution and creates a wrong idea of the relationship Jesus had with all His followers. Seeing lately on TV the visits of the Pope in various countries, the masses of brainwashed followers, worshiped Him, and it was obvious that He enjoyed it. He will have a big shock when he wakes up on the other side! We realise that for few years after the ascension of the Lord, Peter and John were inseparable in various activities, this was so even when He was alive; but the time came when the Holy Spirit sent them in separate ways!

So, we all, after twenty centuries, become sons of God in the same way as they did, but the way to salvation may be quite different! Their mission was a continuation of that of their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. The choosing by the Lord of a Christian to preach and teach the Gospel, is not to a job, nor is it to a career, it is a calling, to which follows a commitment to the heavenly cause, to which is involved the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I consider that it is so to this very day, the preaching of the Gospel is still as important to God as it was before Jesus ever left this planet! Jesus testified very often, to the unbelieving Jews, that the words He preached, were given to Him by God, His Father; it is all done by His initiative, all that are saved are saved by the grace of God and for His glory! It is this Gospel, that God gave Him to preach, with that passion and faithfulness, that He commissioned the apostles to share with the world.