Monday, October 14, 2024

Oneness with God!! (Pt.2)

TextEphesians 4:10: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things:  vs 11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers:  vs 12: For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  vs 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST.

In part one in relation to being “one with God”, we discovered that “one” is from the root word homothumadon’, meaning unanimous; indivisibility; inseparability; homogeneity; identity; sameness; uniformity.  This word homothumadon’ is from two words:  homos (same) and thumos (mind).  So it means “to be of or with one accord”, or “to be of the same mind”.

The “mind” we must have to be “one with God”, is “the mind of Christ” that Paul spoke of:  Philippians 2:5: Let this mind, be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  vs 6: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

Jesus being in the “form of God” wasn’t just because He had on a flesh body, but it was because He had the same mind as the Father.

·         John 5:19: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he see the Father do:  for what things so ever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise”.

Example:  Genesis 2:7: And the LORD God “formed man” of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

This word “formed” is the Hebrew root word yatsar’,  meaning to mold into a form; especially as a potter; to determine (form a resolution); fashion; frame; make; purposed; to press; be narrow; be in distress; be straitened (in straits); be vexed; through the squeezing into shape.  This is how the man Adam (male & female) were made into the image of God, and this squeezing process took place in the mind of man”! 

·         Isaiah 26:3: Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose “mind” is stayed on thee:  because he trusts in thee.

This word “mind” is from the Hebrew root word yet’ser, meaning a form; conception in relation to purpose (the point or goal aimed at); thing framed.  Then it goes to the other root word yatsar’, meaning to mold into a form; especially as a potter; to determine (form a resolution); fashion; frame; make; purposed; to press; be narrow; be in distress; be straitened (in straits); be vexed; through the squeezing into shape. 

The word mind”  in Isaiah 26:3 and formed in Genesis 2:7 are from the same Hebrew root word.  So the “forming” of man in Genesis 2:7 was through the breathing of the breath of God into man's nostrils (aph), meaning the face, countenance, or forehead, that caused him to become “a living soul”.  He was in the “dust”  (not the dirt) of death.  The dust being the misery, destruction, ignorance, sorrow, and wickedness of that darkness of death But it was the breath (neshamah’), meaning the inhalation of divine inspiration spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, that impelled and motivated man (male & female) into creative thinking and action by divine influence!  The breath of God “kindled” or aroused a “fire” within man.  In the “wind” or “breath” of God was His blood!!  “The life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).  Adam’s name means “to show blood in the face”!!  At this point man [Adam - male & female] had the “innocent or not guilty" blood of Christ” breathed into them, that gave them eternal life.

Briefly, in relation to the anatomical make-up of man with the cerebrum part of the brain it has four lobes:  the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.  I’m touching only on the frontal lobe”. This lobe (the forefront of the brain) is responsible for voluntary motor control of skeletal muscles; personality; higher intellectual processes (concentration; planning; and decision making); verbal communication:  [Concepts of Human anatomy and Physiology (VanDeGraaff/Fox)].  When CPR is performed on an adult, you close the nostrils and breathe into their mouth (face; countenance).  For man to be in the form of God the process had to begin in his “mind”, his thought processes had to change from that which was carnal to that which was spiritual or from death to life!

·         Romans 8:6: To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

So for Jesus Christ to be in the form of God He had to function in and through the mind of His Father, we must also do the same to truly be one with God our Father”!!

In our theme scripture:  Ephesians 4:10: He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things:  vs 11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers:  vs 12: For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  vs 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST!

All is the root word pas, meaning, all, any, every, the whole; all men, whosoever, everyone come.  Come (katanta’o) [to meet against, in relation to arriving at or to attain] being the goal of becoming “one again” with the Father!  All means just what it says, “ALL” (the whole of creation), which includes not just us that’s in this physical realm but also those in the spirit (unseen) realm as well.

·         2nd Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that “all” should come to repentance.

This word repentance here is not just someone running down to the altar, getting saved, but repentance here is the Greek root word metan’oia, meaning, compunction (for guilt), including reformation (a change in someone that they no longer behave in an immoral manner).  I really like this definition from the other root word metanoe’o, meaning to think differently or afterwards; to reconsider.  There is a lot of things that has been religiously taught to God’s people that we need to “reconsider” and “think differently” about.  That’s why Jesus said, John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”!

So my question is what was the purpose of Jesus’ descending so as to ascend?

·         Ephesians 4:8: Wherefore he saith, “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men”.  Vs 9: Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth.

The “lower parts of the earth” was not down below the crust of the physical earth way down somewhere in the center of the ground.  Lower is the root word kato’teros, meaning inferior (locally, of Hades) [the unseen world of spirits]; downward; beneath; under].

First we must understand what the earth is he’s referencing to here in this verse. 

·         1st Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy:  the second man is the Lord from heaven.

1st Corinthians 15:47, referring to “the first man being of the earth” is the natural or psuchikos' man (the frail, sensitive man that caters to his flesh; the carnal, or mortal man).

In order for God to deliver man from the mortal [that which is liable to die, but doesn’t have to] state” that he was in, God Himself had to become what man was and that was “flesh” in the person of Jesus the Christ!

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:  vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

·         Philippians 2:7: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant (slave) and was made in the likeness of men.  Vs 8: And being found in fashion (sche’ma) [a figure (as a mode or circumstance); external conditions] as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The “lower parts of the earth” (His descending) was Jesus incarnate (God putting on flesh) which made it possible for Him to taste (experience) death, and His “ascension” was the depositing of that flesh body back into Spirit out of which it came.

 St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:   vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.  John 4:24: God is SPIRIT!

Even though the SPIRIT God put on a flesh body, He still retained (kept possession of) and maintained (continued) His position as Most High (Elyown’) God!!  And when He manifested His flesh again, it was, still is, and always will be manifested in the flesh bodies of His people!  This was after His resurrection, when He rose a "many-membered" body.  1st Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:  so also is CHRIST.

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

·         Colossians 1:18: And he is “the head” of “the body(som’a) [as a sound whole; one; preserved; saved], the church(ekklesi’a) [a called out assembly or congregation].

Listen people of God, to what Jesus said to His disciples, at His appearance “after His resurrection”!  Luke 24:36: And as they thus spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said unto them “Peace be unto you”.  Vs 37: But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit.  Vs 38: And he said unto them, “Why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts”?  Vs 39: “Behold my hands and my feet, that IT IS I MYSELF:  handle me, and see:  for A SPIRIT hath not FLESH AND BONES, AS YOU SEE ME HAVE”!!!  Vs 40: And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.  Vs 41: And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, “Have you here any meat”?  Vs 42: And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.  Vs 43: And he took it, and did EAT before them!!!  [Remember, spirits don’t need and can’t eat food]!!  This is the “incorrupt and immortal flesh” that He has put in us!!

I’ve got to take me a “praise break”!!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s why Jesus said:  John 6:53: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Vs 54: Whoso eat my flesh and drink my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at (with respect to; as touching; on behalf of; as pertaining to; concerning) the last day.

Meaning, He will raise him (male & female believer) up within Himself (The Christ), who is “the Last Day”!  Revelation 1:17: I am the “first and the last”!  Outside of Christ is no other day!

·         John 6:55: For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed.  Vs 56: He that eat my flesh and drink my blood, dwells (men’o) [stays (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy); abides; continues; endures; remains] in me and I in him.

So how do we eat His flesh?  By eating the “Word”, that was made flesh (St. John 1:14).

So Jesus died as a man and for man, and rose with all power and has restored the whole of creation back to the Father.  Those in this natural realm and those in the spirit realm (unseen world) as well!

So, who were those in captivity (held as prisoners) mentioned in Ephesians 4:8 that also had to be made “one with Christ”?

First of all: Jesus was dealing with people bound by law that had to be made free.

·         St. John 1:11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  Vs 12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 15:56 “The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law”.  He wrote “The letter kills, but the Spirt gives life” (2nd Corinthians 3:6).

·         Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free (liberated; delivered) from the law of sin and death.

·         Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed (paid the ransom in full; rescued) us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy (disintegrate; demolish; dissolve; overthrow), the law or the prophets:  I am not come to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17).  So the good news is that the law is fulfilled in love”!  Jesus was the total of the “love” of the Father walking around on two feet! 

·         Romans 13:8: “Owe no man anything but to love one another:  for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law”.

We are no longer under the law, but grace:

·         Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast:  vs 13: But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  Vs 14: For he is our peace, who hath made both (Jew/Gentile) ONE, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us:  vs 15: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity (hostility), even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain ONE new man, so making peace:  vs 16: And that he might reconcile both unto God in ONE BODY, by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  vs 17: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Secondly: those in the unseen world of spirits (hades) had to be made free:

·         Matthew 27:50: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  Vs 51: and behold, the veil of the temple (His flesh) was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. Vs 52: And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose:  vs 53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

This couldn’t happen until after Jesus’ resurrection.  Examples:

Luke 24:13-35 (Jesus appears to the two disciples on the road to Emmaeus talking to them about His crucifixion):

·         Vs 27: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.  Vs 30: And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it and brake and gave to them.  Vs 31: And their eyes were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight.

They knew and recognized Jesus by what He did! 

John 20:11-18 (Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene at the sepulcher):  vs 13: And the two angels said unto her, “Woman, why weep thou”?  She said unto them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him”.  Vs 14: And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw JESUS standing, and knew not that it was JESUS.  Vs 15: JESUS said unto her, “Woman, why weep thou, whom seekest thou”?  She supposing him to be the gardener, said unto him, “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away”.  Vs 16: JESUS said unto her, “Mary”.  She turned herself and said unto him, “Rabboni”:  which is to say, Master.

Mary recognized and knew who JESUS was at that point, by what He said!  This is how people will know who we are, by “what we say”!

The two disciples in Luke 24 and Mary Magdalene here in John 20, knew who JESUS was before He went to the cross, and had He appeared in that body after the resurrection, they still would have known who He was.  But He was now appearing in another body, which was a many-membered body, called CHRIST!!!

This was JESUS appearing in those saints that had come out of the graves (the unseen world of Hades) after His resurrection. That same JESUS is appearing in His people today and many do not know who He is.  But those that know Him by the Spirit know that when they “see one another” they are looking at “JESUS”.

·         1st Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is ONE and hath many members (parts; limbs) and all the members of the ONE body, being many, are ONE BODY:  so also IS CHRIST (christos’) [anointed in relation to the Messiah, or Jesus Christ]!!!  Vs 13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond of free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Are you ANOINTED??  Then you, me, we, are Him (His body) in the earth of which He is the HEAD!!!

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members (parts; limbs) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

·         1st John 4:17: “As he is, so are we, in this world”.

In these two passages of scripture, Luke 24 and John 20, you can see how Jesus through His resurrection has made those in the spirit realm and those of us in this natural realm ALL ONEwith Him!!  Once again I say……..

·         2nd Peter 2:4: For if God spared not the angels that sinned but cast them down to hell (not in a place down in the ground), and delivered them into chains (seira’) [a chain (as binding or drawing)] of darkness (gloom) [as shrouding like a cloud; blackness)], to be reserved (guarded; kept) unto (not until) judgment.  Vs 5: And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the “ungodly”. 

[A little food for thought:  there were more people in the world than just those in the ark, before, during and after the flood.  That’s another teaching].

UNTO denotes the point reached or entered of place, time, or purpose in relation to intent of the purpose of setting us “at ONE againwith the Father.  The time of judgment had now come for Jesus to destroy the works of the devil and He did, via His death, burial and resurrection.

·         Matthew 28:18: And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, “All power (ability; privilege; force; mastery; authority; jurisdiction right) is given unto me in heaven and in earth”.

·         John 12:31-32: “NOW is the judgment of this world:  NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out”.  “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”.

·         Colossians 2:14-15: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross:  and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

·         Revelation 1:18: I am he that lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

The “judgment” is passed already!  It is not a “coming event” as religion preaches and teaches.  The “judgment” happened when Jesus went to the cross and rose from the dead!! 

We now become our own judge and executioner:  {Jesus said]:  Matthew 12:36: But I say unto you, "That every idle (inactive; unemployed; lazy; useless; barren) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment".  Vs 37: For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (judged against; pronounced guilty).

That "day of judgment" begins, when those idle words comes forth out of one's mouth.  Proverbs 18:20: A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth:  and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.  Vs 21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue:  and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

People that don't believe God's Word are already judged:  John 3:17: God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  Vs 18: He that believeth on him is not condemned (damned; sentenced to; judged):  but he that believes not is condemned (damned; judged; sentenced) already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Back to those that were in captivity:

·         1st Peter 3:19: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

This prison is a guarding, the place, condition, the time (as a division of day or night), imprisonment, hold, cage, and ward.  Religion itself is a cage, hold, and ward, housing prisoners by philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of men, rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8). 

Let’s take a look at what John saw in Revelation in relation to Babylon:

·         Revelation 18:1: And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory.  Vs 2: And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold (prison; ward) of every foul spirit, and a cage (prison) of every unclean and hateful bird”.  

When Dorothy in the wizard of oz made mention of "lions, tigers, and bears", she was onto something!  These are the manifestations of devils, foul spirits and hateful birds we see amongst Christians more so than love.  Jesus said, John 13:34: A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another:  as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  Vs 35: By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.

dHell is not down deep under the crust of the earth, but it’s defined in New Testament scripture as either Hades (the unseen world) or tartoro’o (place of torment), or gehenna (hell fire).  Anywhere outside of Christ is “hell” (torment).  Many people are in “hell” and are being “tormented” right now experiencing the “judgment fire” of God right now while they’re alive.  It's happening in our homes, on our jobs, in our churches, even within oneself.  But if we would love and obey the Father, the “water of life” which is the fullness of the Truth of His Word will cool that “judgment fire” and bring our total man (heart; soul; mind; body) into the place of perfect peace, divine health, eternal life, dominion, authority and power!!

·         Isaiah 26:3: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusts in thee:   John 14:27: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled (agitated), neither let it be afraid (timid; faithless).

·         Isaiah 53:5: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed:   1st Peter 2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:  by whose stripes you were healed.

·         Luke 10:19: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you:  Acts 1:8: You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you!

·         St. John 3:15: Whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal (quality) life:  vs 16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting (unending) life.

·         3rd John 2: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.

Our prosperity doesn’t hinge on how much money we may have, but it hinges on the “prosperity of our soul”!!!

Back to the unseen spirit world:  Hebrews 11 (speaks of the heroes of faith):

·         Vs 39-49: And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

·         Hebrews 12:1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Those in that Hades (unseen world) are not off beyond the blue, but they are right here where we are witnessing all we go through because we are being perfected (made complete) in Christ Jesus together with them as ONE!!  We are not going to sail off up through the clouds as religion preaches to join the Christian band, we are already connected as “ONE”!  Those freed from Law, those of us in this natural realm and those in the unseen world of spirits are NOW made “ONE” in Christ Jesus!!

·         Hebrews 12:22:  But you ARE COME (present tense) unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.  Vs 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect (teleio’o) [to complete; accomplish or consummate (in character); consecrate; finish; fulfill] / (tel’os) [to set out for a definite point or goal; the conclusion of an act or state; result; ultimate purpose].

The definite point or goal that was aimed at through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, was to bring the whole of the creation back to the Father and He did!

·         1st Corinthians 15:22: In Adam all die:  even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

·         2nd Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know) that God was in Christ, reconciling (reuniting; restoring; making peace between; harmonizing) the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We the Body of Christ are God’s city: 

·         Isaiah 60:14: The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, the city of the LORD, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

·         Isaiah 62:12: And they shall call them, the holy people the redeemed of the LORD:  and thou shalt be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken.

·         Matthew 5:14: You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

The only thing we as Christians are captive to (engrossed in; wrapped and absorbed in) now is the “Kingdom of God” with the power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt us (Luke 10:19).

As Jesus said of Himself, so it is for the sons of God (male & female) now!  What did He say?

·         Luke 4:18: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives (prisoners), and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (crushed).

Them that are “bruised” are those crushed under the iron hand of religious order, by philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of men, rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8), that Paul warned (cautioned) us about.

John 8:32: And you shall know the truth (Christ) and the truth (Christ) shall make you free (liberated; exempt from moral, ceremonial, or mortal liability).  Vs 36: If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

How are we free from moral liability?  Morality is that which is concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior; good or bad in human character.

·         Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit:  vs 14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God.

How are we free from ceremonial liability?  Because we are no longer governed by the law, but grace!

·         Ephesians 2:8: By grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God.  Vs 9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Vs 10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are also freed from ceremonial liability because Jesus is become the “perfect sacrifice” for sin! 

·         Hebrews 9:28: Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation.

He appeared the first time on the cross as our “sin bearer”, as the Lamb slain to take away our sins!

·         Hebrews 9:22: Without the shedding of blood is no remission.

He appeared the second time after His resurrection by the Spirit, without sin unto salvation”!

·         Romans 10:9: If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:  vs 12: But this man after he had offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God [not out in the sky somewhere – but the right hand is a place of power, dominion, and authority].

That’s why I’m not waiting for Jesus to come back out in the sky on a cloud, because He is
ALREADY HERE, living in me and in you by His Spirit, who are His clouds of witnesses!

How are we free from mortal liability?

·         St. John 3:15-16: Whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal (quality) life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting (unending) life.

·         John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “He that hears my word and believe on him that sent me, hath everlasting (unending) life and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed (changed places; departed; removed) from death unto (reached or entered into) life:  vs 25: Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead (not those in the grave yards, but those sitting on church pews) shall hear the voice (message of truth by revelation) of the Son of God:  and they that hear shall live.

·         1st Corinthians 15:53: This corruptible (phthartos’) [decayed; perishable] MUST (not optional) put on incorruption (aphtharsi’a) [incorruptibility; unending existence; genuineness; sincerity] / (aph’thartos) [undecayiing (in essence or continuance); immortal] and this mortal (thnaytos’) [liable to die (but doesn’t have to)] MUST (necessary; urgent; compelled to] put on immortality (athanasi’a) [deathlessness]:  vs 54: So when [at what time; after which; just then (implies suddenness)] this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal SHALL HAVE put on immortality, THEN (at that time; afterward] shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory (triumph).

SHALL, imposes an obligation on the subject of the sentence.  MUST, imposes an obligation on someone other than the subject of the sentence.  So SHALL and MUST obligates US (you and me) “to believe” that this “INCORRUPTION” AND “IMMORTALITY” can take hold of our bodies not out in the future beyond the blue, but RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW and render unto us eternal and everlasting life!!

·         2nd Corinthians 4:11: We which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest (displayed; shown; demonstrated; revealed; evident) in our mortal flesh (that which is liable to die, but doesn’t have to)!

What did Jesus say in His prayer to His Father?

·         John 17:1: These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven (higher realms of spiritual elevation), and said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  vs 2: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him:  vs 3: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Know is the root word ginos’ko, meaning to know (absolutely [completely; entirely; perfectly]); to perceive; understand; be aware of; have knowledge of; can speak; be sure].  This word means to “take in” the knowledge of God, come to know God, recognize (clearly discern) who God is, and come into complete understanding of who God is in us and who we are in God!!

Talking about us being “ONE WITH GOD”, further in John 17 (Jesus’ prayer to His Father):

·         Vs 20: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word:  vs 21: That they ALL may be ONE, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be ONE in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me:  vs 22: And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be ONE, even as we are ONE:  vs 23: I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in ONE; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

This is “gospel” (good news), knowing that God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son has made us “ALL”, those of us in this natural realm and those in the spirit realm ONE with Him in the Holy Ghost!!

Pastor Gracie Perry