As believers in Jesus the Christ, by faith, who seek His righteousness and mercy, we have so much to be thankful for. Indeed, we are the believing offspring of the SEED child of the Holy Spirit, who was predestined according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. What was God's plan? To bring together a holy nation of redeemed, blood washed, water baptized in Jesus' Name and Holy Spirit filled born of God people who would inherit the gift of eternal life through faith in the incorruptible promised Word of God.
His promise being to you and to your children and to those who are afar off, when we believe in Jesus, and His name.
For those who may not understand, the SEED spoken of here was the SEED of promise given of God to Eve and later, Abraham. God said that this promised SEED (which is the SEED of the Holy Spirit) would be brought together at the fullness of time. These promised SEEDS at the fullness of time were deposited by God into the womb of a young virgin girl who was a most willing surrogate mother. Whilst in her womb, the child was clothed upon with sin prone flesh.
But note that the child life was not of her. She was a surrogate mother of the child that was to be named Jesus. In other words, this child was the manifestation of the promised SEED of blessing veiled in flesh. The old testament prophecies of the Christ to come being fulfilled, and thus, ushering in the new covenant of grace. "God with us" bringing to you and I His perfect plan of salvation -- the greatest love story ever told. John 10 (below) elaborates further on this point:
Jesus is speaking. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.
To Him the porter opens; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."
This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them.
Then said Jesus unto them again, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the Shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep."
Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and One Shepherd.
Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father."
As one can only imagine, after hearing Jesus' words, "there was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, "He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye Him?" Others said, "These are not the words of Him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?"
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, "How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly."
Jesus answered them, "I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do ye stone Me?"
The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God."
Faith in JESUS then is exercising faith in the words spoken by "God with us" -- the Good Shepherd -- the Word in the flesh -- who the Jews wanted to stone -- because He -- Jesus -- makest Himself God. They did not understand who God was. It is this unbelief -- even today -- that prevents the promised blessing of God.
The promise of blessing hinges upon faith in Christ making Jesus the SEED of blessing. As many as receive JESUS -- who is the Spirit of God manifest in flesh -- and the Lamb of God provided of God to be the sacrificial offering for sin -- they shall be saved.
Yes, God purposely veiled His pure spiritual humanity in a sin prone body so that you and I could be saved. God was in the man Jesus the Christ effectively reconciling to Himself a people which He alone foreknew -- a people not only called by HIS NAME but a people who have not forgotten His name.
Let those who have ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.
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