But if Our Gospel Be Hid, It Is Hid to Them That Are Lost - Part 838

Jesus said, "He that believes on Me believes not on Me, but on Him that sent Me ... and He that sees Me, sees Him that sent Me." (John 12:44-45) 

"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness --- God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)

The Godhead is simple. There is only One God, and this same Almighty God -- who in the very beginning breathed the breath of life into our nostrils -- became our Lord and Saviour. His name is Jesus. Understandably, explaining the Godhead to new believers can be difficult. It can be particularly challenging when all one has heard in their life are the false trinitarian doctrines emanating from the current religious culture. The churches that talk about God as a triune God, or three in one.

Know that you are not alone. At times, Jesus' apostles struggled with understanding His teachings.

"These things understood not His disciples, at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him." (John 12:16)

Therefore, like the apostles, the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His identity is revealed to us when we press closer to Jesus. When we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness with all our minds, our hearts, our souls and our strength. When we make a conscious decision to learn firsthand from the Word who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And likewise, we do all things in word or deed in His name.

The Apostle Paul encourages us in Ephesians to no longer be strangers from the covenants of promise in which we formerly had no hope because we now have an opportunity to personally know the King of kings and Lord of lords, and to be His sons and daughters -- His friends. 

"But now," Paul writes, "in Christ Jesus ye who once were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for He [Himself] is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [division] between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in Himself of twain one new man so making peace, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby ... for through Him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father." (Ephesians 2:13-18)

The first chapter of Colossians elaborates further: "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled ... in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight." (Colossians 1:19-22)

What is the catch? The scriptures state ... "If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven." (Colossians 1:23)

 Indeed, continue steadfastly in the faith so "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; [and that] the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ..." (Ephesians 1:17-20)

Remember too, that "He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love ... having predestinated us before the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will ... to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace .. wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself .. that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in Him.

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will; that we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory -- wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks." (Ephesians 1:4-23)

Praise Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.