Be Ye Followers of Me; Even As I Also Am Of Christ - Part 1529

"Oh, that I knew where I might find Him; that I might come [even] to His seat! I would order [my] cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words [which] He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me. Will He plead against me with [His] great power? No, but He would put [strength] in me. There the righteous might dispute with Him; so should I be delivered forever from my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. On the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him: He hides Himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him ... but He knows the way that I take: [when] He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:3-10)

I found this scripture by happenstance. And I raise it, not to speak specifically of Job, but rather about our inward desire to search the scriptures, yearning to know more intimately the God who became our Saviour. Indeed, I was invigorated when I read -- "He hides Himself on the right hand that I cannot see Him" -- because this is exactly what the Lord did. He hid His glory from those who desire only to be physically fed, and sadly, in today's modern day religion, it is this doctrinal confusion that is causing disarray -- spilling over onto the social fabric.

The doctrine of Christ (listed as one of the foundational understandings of His Word in Hebrews 6:1-2) is considered the milk and not the meat in the greatest love story ever told. That is, the same God who created man and woman in the very beginning -- in His image -- became as one of us so that we might be redeemed once and for all. Our sins forgiven, and our hearts turned to Him. After His kindness and love, God became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)  

However, still, the Godhead remains a stumbling block for many, and toward offering clarity for them, I cite the following scriptures. My suggestion is to find a quiet place, get your pen and paper, and coloured markers (or pencils) for highlighting scriptures in your Bible, and start going through each of these. Ask the Lord Jesus to fill you with His wisdom and knowledge so that you will understand too that God was with us in the world. (Matthew 1:21-23)

"He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)

Yes, the Lord God Himself clothed/robed Himself in a body of flesh, so that He Himself could become the perfect sacrifice on the cross. Remember when the Lord counseled with Himself? What did He say? "Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send? and who will go for us?" Then said I, "Here am I; send Me." (Isaiah 6:8) 

And thus, having counseled with Himself the Lord decided that He -- "The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man ..." (Isaiah 42:13)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His should; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace!" (Isaiah 9:6)

The Lord Jesus whom ye crucified becoming both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)

This same Jesus who said to Philip (and His disciples), "he that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father, and how say thou [then], "Shew us the Father?" (John 14:6-15)

While on earth, He hid His true identity from the crowds. The same can be seen within His Word, if you do not look therein for your daily bread. As Jesus told those who would come, trying to take Him by force and make Him a King -- this was not His time. You see, the Lord had a purpose that had been hid in the bosom of the Father from the beginning of the world -- a mystery -- and that was to shed His precious blood on the cross so that we who respond to His call could be redeemed/sanctified and cuddled with His abundance of love. Continually embraced in His mercy and grace that surpasses all human understanding. Thus, we see that even while on earth, He hid Himself -- His true identity from the multitudes. 

Even so, the SAME Rock which was Christ when the Israelite's passed through the Red Sea in the old covenant is the very SAME Christ who we are invited to follow today. 

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ." (I Corinthians 10:1-4)

Not another, but the One and Same Lord God Almighty who loved us so much that He Himself (robed in sin prone flesh and yet without sin) would bear all of our faults and transgressions on that cross. This is why He can so intensely understand our sorrows and heart aches. And He grieves/wept when we ourselves choose death over choosing life in Him. But I am getting ahead of myself.  

Scriptural references? Let's begin with I Timothy 3:16: 

"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) 

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6)

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." (Deuteronomy 32:4)

"Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and [let] Him be your fear, and [let] Him your dread, and He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a Rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ..." (Isaiah 8:13-14)

"To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25) 

"To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?" (Isaiah 40:18) 

"For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me." (Isaiah 46:9)

"Unto thee it was shown, that thou might know that the LORD He is God; there is None else beside Him. (Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else." (Deuteronomy 4:35, 39)

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD thy God is one LORD." (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)

"See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with Me ..." (Deuteronomy 32:39)

"Wherefore Thou art great, O LORD God; for there is None like Thee, neither is there any God beside Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (II Samuel 7:22)

"That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else." (1 Kings 8:60 )

And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, "O LORD God of Israel, which dwells between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth." (2 Kings 19:15)

"O LORD, there is None like thee, neither is there any God beside Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (1 Chronicles 17:20)

"Thou, even Thou, art LORD alone; Thou has made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preserves them all; and the host of heaven worships Thee." (Nehemiah 9:6)

"For who is God save the LORD? or who is a Rock save our God?" (Psalm 18:31)

"For Thou art great, and does wondrous things: Thou art God alone." (Psalm 86:10)

"O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwells between the cherubims, Thou art the God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: Thou has made heaven and earth. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art the LORD, even Thou only." (Isaiah 37:16, 20)

"Ye are My witnesses," saith the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Savior." (Isaiah 43:10-11)

Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and His redeemer the LORD of hosts; "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside Me there is no God. Fear ye not, neither be afraid; have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even My witnesses. Is there a God beside Me? yea, there is no God; I know not any." (Isaiah 44:6, 8)

"I am He; I am the first; I am also the last." (Isaiah 48:12) 

Jesus said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last." (Revelation 1:8, 11)

"Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time: who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me." (Isaiah 45:21)

"To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25) 

"To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto Him?" (Isaiah 40:18) 

"Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but Me; for there is no Savior beside Me." (Hosea 13:4)

"And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and My people shall never be ashamed." (Joel 2:27)

"And the LORD shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be One Lord, and His name One." (Zechariah 14:9)

And Jesus answered the scribe who had come to Him, "The first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:" this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." And the scribe said unto Him, "Well, Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is One God; and there is none other but He: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." And no man after that durst ask Him any question." (Mark 12:29-34)

Jesus said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the Only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." (John 17:3)

"Seeing it is One God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith." (Romans 3:30)

"As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but One. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but One God, the Father, of whom all things, and we in Him; and One Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him." (I Corinthians 8:4-6)

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is One." (Galatians 3:20)

"One Lord. One Faith. One Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:5-6)"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (I Timothy 1:17)

"For there is One God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (I Timothy 2:5)

"Thou believe that there is One God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." (James 2:19)

In fact, when it came to His beloved creation, there was no limit to what the Lord would do. 

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared; not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ the Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

This is why "they on the Rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the Word with joy ..." (Luke 8:13)

As those that gladly received the Word on the day of Pentecost, whereby the first 3,000 water baptized into the new testament church were baptized in the precious Name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 2:38) 

Those that understood that the Lord (in the physical sense) gave His right arm so that we might have life in Him. 

Jesus made it clear. "I and My Father are One." (John 10:30) God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) "He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not." (John 1:10) The Word made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. (John 1:1-18)

"Therefore, His arm brought salvation unto Him and His righteousness, it sustained Him." (Isaiah 59:16) 

But not everyone will believe. Some will prefer religious culture and dogma to the truth of His Word. The Lord knew this when He asked: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1; Isaiah 52:10; Isaiah 9:6) 

The arm of the Lord being Jesus. 

Thus, as it is written, "Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and Rock of offence: and whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed." (Romans 9:33)

But for those who desire the Lord Jesus in all His glory -- the Holy Ghost renewed living within -- there is a victory to be had. 

"If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that heals thee." (Exodus 15:26)

Stand in the offering plate.