Text: 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.
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 ONE” with 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 again” with 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