In one place, Jesus is saying that there will be a day come,
when “ye shall seek Me, and shall not find [Me]; and where I AM, thither ye
cannot come.” (John 7:35-36) Of course, this dialogue has confused the Jews who
are now seen asking one another – “Whither will He go that we shall not find
Him? Will He go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?”
Even the thought of the Gentiles being adopted must have been disconcerting to
them.
Nevertheless, in the last day, that great day of the feast,
Jesus cried, saying, “If any man thirst let him come unto Me, and drink. He
that believes on Me, as the scripture hath said, “Out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water.” (John 7:35-38)
But the established scripture which encompasses Jesus oft
stated message to come unto Him does not end there. The scripture continues
with a highlight in parenthesis, which states – (But this spake He of the
Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was
not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39)
This latter scripture alone should be sufficient to clarify
that the Holy Ghost could not be given until after Jesus was glorified, and
therefore, as Jesus states in another place, had to be taken up first before the
Holy Ghost could be given unto them that believe.
However, just in case, we further see this critical
understanding of the Godhead firmly established in Acts 1 which states:
“Until the day in which He [JESUS] was taken up, AFTER THAT
HE [JESUS] THROUGH THE HOLY GHOST HAD GIVEN COMMANDMENTS UNTO THE APOSTLES WHOM
HE [JESUS] HAD CHOSEN; TO WHOM ALSO HE [JESUS] SHEWED HIMSELF ALIVE AFTER HIS
PASSION BY MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS, being seen of them [His apostles] forty days
and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God: and being
assembled together with them, commanded them [His apostles] that they should
not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father, “which”
[saith He], “ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water: but ye
shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
The promise was the Comforter “which is the Holy Ghost whom”
as Jesus stated in John 14:26 “the Father will send in My Name [the Name of
JESUS], He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance
– whatsoever I [JESUS] have said unto you.” (John 14:26)
Later, Jesus states, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth which proceeds
from the Father, He shall testify of Me, and ye also shall bear witness because
ye have been with Me from the beginning.” (John 15:26)
And again, Jesus tells His disciples – “Howbeit, when He,
the Spirit of truth is come, HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH: for He shall not
speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He
will shew you all things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of
Mine and shall shew [it] unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine:
therefore, said I, that He shall take of Mine and shall shew [it] unto you. A
little while, and ye shall not see Me; and again, a little while, and ye shall
see Me, because I go to the Father …” (John 16:13-16)
And yes, because of space limitations, I am moving through
chapters John 14-16 quite quickly but this does not mean that you should not go
back and read these important scriptures on your own, apart from this blog.
Indeed, I thoroughly encourage you to do so because, as Jesus said, “These
things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you.”
And in this context, there was so much more for the apostles
(and by extension, you and I as well), to learn and understand. But first there
had to be the cross. The purchase with blood had to be made. Jesus – being the
perfect sacrifice.
“And for this cause, He is the mediator of the new
testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that
were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise
of eternal inheritance. For where a testament [is], there must also of
necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men
are dead; otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives ….” (Hebrews
9:15-28)
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them that look [eagerly wait] for Him shall He appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28)
God’s plan of redemption displayed for the entire world to
behold in this current dispensation of grace. That is, God Himself became our
Saviour! (I Timothy 3:16; Titus 3:4-7)
“The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the “way” into the
holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet
standing – which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered
both gits and sacrifices that could NOT make him that did the service perfect,
as pertaining to the conscience … but Christ being come a high priest of good
things to come – BY A GREATER TABERNACLE, NOT MADE WITH HANDS, THAT IS TO SAY,
NOT OF THE BUILDING … HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO THROUGH THE
ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM
DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD?” (Hebrews 9:1-14)
“ … but now once in
the end of the world hath HE appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself.” (Hebrews 1:26)
Which is why apostle Paul wrote: “For we being many are ONE
bread: for we are all partakers of that ONE bread.” (I Corinthians 10:17) And,
also, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the
same office; so we being many are ONE BODY in Christ …” (Romans 12:4-5)
But there is more to understand herein but perhaps first,
for those who have been taught to be wary of apostle Paul’s understandings, note
that Peter did acknowledge Paul’s writings in one accord in his first and
second epistles. And that we be mindful of the words which were spoken before
by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord our
Saviour. (II Peter 3:2)
“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 – for by
ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles
[literally Greeks], whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink
into ONE SPIRIT … but NOW are thy many members but ONE BODY.” (I Corinthians
12:12-27)
One Spirit – the Holy Ghost – the Spirit of the living God
that was from the very beginning, He made a way when there was no way. One
Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all and
through all and in you all.” This SAME God in Christ – JESUS – who said He will
never leave you nor forsake you – He IS BOTH LORD AND CHRIST! (Acts 2:36-47)
Stand in the offering plate.
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