Saturday, March 3, 2018

GOD Who Is Spirit Has Done Likewise; FATHERING All His REDEEMED Children In A Son's Body - Part 1986

"O Lord, Thou art my God. I will exalt Thee. I will praise Thy Name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." (Isaiah 25:1)

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." (I Timothy 2:3-4)

The question for this day then -- who is the Holy Ghost? Is He a third person of a triad god, a trinity made up of dividing God Almighty into thirds -- as the false modern day religious culture teaches? Or, as the scriptures state, is He the same power of the Highest -- the Most High -- that overshadowed Mary so that she could bring forth a son?

Note that Mary (the surrogate mother of Jesus) said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke 1:46-47) As the scripture states, the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary so that she could bring forth a son. (Luke 1:35) Mary is not alone in this understanding -- that after His kindness and love toward men, God became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16; John 1:10-11; Isaiah 9:6; Acts 1:2; Revelation 1:8)

Apostle Paul likewise declared that we should "adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, for the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men ... and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works!" (Titus 2:10-14; Romans 5:15; I Corinthians 1:7; Colossians 3:4; Isaiah 53:10-12; Galatians 1:4; Ezekiel 37:23; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 9:14; Exodus 15:16)

How does this come about? There is a transition between Luke 24 and Acts 1, that is often missed. Luke is telling of Jesus is appearance to His disciples one last time. Note that when they saw Jesus, the disciples supposed that they had seen a s/Spirit. So, Jesus says, "Peace [be] unto you. Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold, My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." (Luke 24:36-38)

And when Jesus had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, He said unto them, "Have ye here any meat?" And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them. And Jesus said unto them, "These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning Me."

Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. And He said unto them, "Thus, it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."

And there we see Jesus leading them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifts up His hands and blessed them. As the scriptures state, "while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God, Amen." (Luke 24:39-53)

Note that Jesus told them that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations. This is very important, particularly in response to those who falsely attempt to divide God into three different and distinct beings, because herein Jesus is clearly stating that His Name -- the Name of JESUS -- is the Name that was given, that would save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9; Acts 2:36-38) The Name of the Christ who had to suffer and rose on the third day. But I digress.

The continuation of Luke 24 is found in Acts 1, wherein the former treatise to Theophilus is "of all that Jesus began to do and teach -- 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." (Acts 1:2-3)

Indeed, Jesus had been visiting with them for a considerable period of time before He commands His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem, and to wait for the promise of the Father, "which ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:4-5; Luke 24:49; John 14:16-17, 26; John 15:26) The Holy Ghost being the Comforter that would come only after Jesus ascended.

Continuing, the disciples ask Jesus if He plans to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time. Jesus answers, saying, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judae-a, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8)

When Jesus had spoken these things, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold two men stood by in white apparel, which also said, "Ye men to Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in the manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 21:27; Revelation 1:17; Revelation 14:14)

Note that in order for the Holy Ghost to descend on the day of Pentecost, Jesus had to first leave. Because Jesus THROUGH the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. The scriptures do not state Jesus "and" the Holy Ghost as [sadly] some would have you believe. It is for this reason that 120 disciples "in one accord in prayer and supplication" were in the upper room, including the disciples, the women, the mother of Jesus and His brethren. (Acts 1:12-14; Luke 24:52; Acts 9:37-39; Acts 20:8; Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 6:15; Jude 1; Acts 2:1, 46; Luke 23:49, 55; Matthew 13:55)

To recap, when Jesus walked this earth, He told His disciples that they would see Him no more. Moreover, Jesus said that He must first leave in order for Him to send to them another Comforter, the Holy Ghost, which would lead and guide them/us into all truth. This same Holy Ghost which would bring unto our remembrance His Word. And also, that this Comforter which Jesus would send from the Father would dwell in us.

Jesus said, "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 14:26; John 15:26-27)

For clarity, note that apostle Paul said that he was very last to see Jesus, as one born out of due time. (I Corinthians 15:1-8) So, if Jesus was to be seen no more, then how can He live within us? Because, as the scriptures state, He was quickened. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit ..." (I Peter 3:18)

Taking this further, and on the New Testament side of the cross we understand that “In the beginning was the Word.” (John 1:1) Herein, the Word reveals that JESUS is the embodiment of the Word; the same Word that was with God and was also God! And as we read further in the first chapter of John, we understand that this same Word that was God was made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18)

The Word was veiled in flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. 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)

In this context then, JESUS is God’s Word manifest in the flesh. And as we know from our own humanity, one cannot separate the word(s) from the person saying the words. As well, the scriptures reveal that in JESUS did ALL the fullness of the Godhead (divine nature and essence) dwell bodily. (Colossians 2:9) Therefore, without controversy God was manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)

Moreover, God is Spirit and it is in God that we now live and move and have our being. This is evident from the day of Pentecost when this same JESUS told the disciples, "I will come to you" and does so, in the form of the Holy Ghost. It is here that we begin to see God being an unseen Spirit manifest in the flesh, appearing as a Son named JESUS. Remember, the scriptures clearly state that in Jesus dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) To wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. (I Corinthians 5:19) " ... over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." (Acts 20:28)

The blood in JESUS' veins was not of Adam’s sin prone race. No, the blood within JESUS' veins was the blood of the holy Spirit that originally moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) The Same Spirit that led the Israelites through the Red Sea. The Same Spirit that closed the door to the ark which Noah built. The Same Spirit that appeared to Abraham with the angels in the tent. And this Same Spirit prepared for Himself a body, wherefore He would come into this world as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6; I Timothy 3:16)

Does that mean that the holy Spirit purchased our redemption with His own precious blood? It sure does. More importantly, it means that we were not redeemed with corruptible things as the priests of old did, but with the precious blood of a Lamb. JESUS, the Lamb of the Spirit of God. The perfect sacrifice. Our Most High Priest.

"Which in His times He shall shew, who is the blessed, and onely Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords ..." (I Timothy 6:15 /Authorized KJV)

"“To the onely wise God our Sauiour, be glory and maiestie, dominion and power, now and euer. Amen.” (Jude 1:25 / Authorized KJV)

Yes, God laid down His humanity for us. When JESUS was crucified, He was declared even then to be the Lord of Glory! Jesus dwelt within a sin prone body, for redemption required the death of a righteous man from Adam's race. However, there was not a righteous man to be found. Why not? Because as the Bible has stated, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Each and every one of us has been born into sin, because of Adam's transgression in the Garden.

Still, why did God have to prepare for Himself a body and become a man? (Isaiah 9:6) Why did the Lord God have to come forth as a mighty man? (Isaiah 42:13) Why did God have to Himself become our Saviour? (Jude 1:25) Because judgment demanded that a man had to pay the price of redemption. This is why the Word which was with God -- being God’s own Word and not that of another person -- became man. In this context, God ‘SEEDED’ His own spiritual Word into Mary's womb whereupon the child, the "only begotten" Son of the Spirit of God (named JESUS)was veiled in sin prone flesh.

God whose Word is Spirit and Truth was veiled in a sin prone body. Inside JESUS body did dwell the life of God’s own holy Spirit - which Spirit is pure and notably untainted humanity. God’s own pure humanity. Emmanuel, being interpreted, God with us! (Matthew 1:21-23) Therefore, God manifest Himself in the flesh - which flesh is destined to be crucified in order that we could obtain a means of salvation - whereby sin prone fallen sons and daughters of God could be redeemed.

In the man Christ JESUS, God was manifest in the flesh and fashioned as a Son. (I Timothy 3:16) Similarly, wherein the holy Spirit life and blood did dwell, also dwelt the power, wisdom and Word of God. All of these are inseparable from God. (I John 5:7) For if any of these were to be distinct and separate from God, then God would be no longer God. Neither would all the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily in Him.

But we know assuredly from the scriptures -- God is not divided into thirds. We also know that after God said, "This day I have begotten Thee," the Holy Ghost did signify that the New Testament could not be ushered in until the old covenant had been taken away. (Hebrews 9:8, 14-18) Before this appointed time, God was referred to by many names, and described for example, as the Spirit of God, the Lord God, the Holy Spirit, the Lord of hosts, the Lord of glory, and the as well, in Genesis, the Spirit of the Lord God. This list is not exhaustive but serves as an example of the many different ways and Names God used throughout the Old. But now, when the Lord had declared to do a new thing, we see the dayspring from on high visiting His people.

On this day a Son was begotten. From that point forward, the Holy Ghost is referenced because the new work that had been prophesied from the beginning -- the mystery of the Godhead that was hidden in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning has now been unveiled for one and all to see. As John states in the second epistle -- he that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he hath BOTH the Father and the Son. In other words, the Holy Ghost reflects the love displayed when God willingly became our Saviour on that cross. (II John 1:9)

Moreover, I would be remiss if a reference was not made also to He that was promised afore by His prophets in the holy scriptures concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, by whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name." (Romans 1:1-5; I Timothy 1:11; Acts 26:8; Galatians 3:8; Psalm 89:3-4; Psalm 132:11; Isaiah 11:1; Galatians 4:4; Psalm 2:7; Acts 9:20; Acts 13:33; Acts 2:1-47)

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God [be] honour and glory forever and ever, amen" -- Jesus Christ -- which in His times He shall show who is the blessed and only Potentate; the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see to whom be honour and power everlasting." (I Timothy 1:11; I Timothy 6:14-16; I Corinthians 9:17)

We know also from the scriptures that all the fullness of the Godhead did dwell in Jesus. (Colossians 2:9) And we likewise know that JESUS breathed upon His disciples saying to them, “Receive you the Holy Ghost." There is a reason for this. The holy Spirit within JESUS' body breathed and said, "Receive you the Holy Ghost." In JESUS dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead. JESUS being the embodiment of the Father, The Word and the Spirit and these three ARE ONE. (I John 5:7)

JESUS is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God is JESUS. JESUS is the Word of the Spirit of God and the Word of the Spirit of God is JESUS! God is one Spirit who has manifested (or revealed) Himself in the face of JESUS. (Hebrews 1:1-12)

As well, JESUS is the fruit and offspring of the Spirit of God. God Himself clothed in flesh as a Son in whose crucifixion we were to be born again -- to be fathered by the Seed body of the holy Spirit being crucified. The shell of the body (veil of the holy Spirit died and in death has brought forth an innumerable amount of offspring.) We are His offspring. We are the JESUS people.

What else do the scriptures say? Except that a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abides alone. But when it dies it brings forth multitudes of offspring. In this same way, JESUS the shell -- wherein the Seed life of the holy Spirit died -- is bringing forth SEEDED people who then become JESUS' offspring.

Therefore, no man "took" JESUS' life. At any time, JESUS could have called for a legion of angels to deliver Him from the horror of the cross. But JESUS came to lay down His life as a Son in order that we - the fallen sons of God - should be proclaimed free from the bondage and entanglements of this world. For he who is set free by the sacrificial offering of the sinless body of the holy Spirit is really free. Born again into glorious liberty as the sons and daughters of God.

Thus, it was for you and I that He said, "Father, why hast thou forsaken Me?" If JESUS had not spoken these words, then that sinless body would never have died. But then He said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do!" And at that point, the perfect sacrifice, so that we might find abundant life in Him was finished, once and for all. The holy Spirit bore our sins in His own body on a dead tree. And we know this to be true because even the sun darkened when we crucified the Lamb of God - the Lord of Glory on that day! We even shouted away with Him because we will not have this man to rule over us!

Nevertheless, as a consequence of JESUS being crucified once and only once there is no more sacrificial offering required for sin. The true light of the glorious gospel of God in the face of Jesus the Christ -- forever more shines. A Light much brighter than even the noon day sun. And now, we are better able to understand how God who is Spirit has done likewise FATHERING all His REDEEMED children in a Son's body. This is why He that has the Son has Life! Hear ye Him!

Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you Lo, I am with you always!"

Thus, by the time we read John's epistles, we know better the commandment of the doctrine of Christ. That "whosoever transgresses and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; he that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he hath BOTH the Father and the Son." (II John 1:9) Not as a trinity or triune god, or a god in three persons but rather, the doctrine of Christ wherein we who repent and are water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of the Lord God Almighty dwelling within us. In this dispensation of grace, His Name is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)

Therefore, as the disciples oft wrote, we need to fully understand the grace and mercy and peace which is from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ -- the Son of the Father in truth and in love, the vehicle in which God became our Saviour. (II John 1:3) Not as separate beings (or God in three persons / a triad or trinity as the modern day religious culture wants us to believe) but as the One and Only God who willingly and gladly laid down His life for His enemies, as the Great Shepherd, so that you and I, His beloved creation could and will have life everlasting in Him.

This is indeed the greatest love story ever told, wherein the Great Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep. Thus, for the truth's sake, which dwells within those who believe in Him shall be with us forever, as we proclaim the good news gospel of Jesus Christ to one and all - as it is written.

In closing, let me ask you this -- have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? If not repent and be baptized into the Name of JESUS this day, going down into the water in the ‘likeness’ of JESUS' death and being raised up out of the water in the ‘likeness’ of JESUS' resurrection ... so that you too shall receive the promised gift of the holy Spirit of JESUS as He breathes eternal life into you!

Of course there is much more, but let this suffice for this day. To all my brothers and sisters in Christ from all nations, peace be to you all in JESUS! Stand in the offering plate.

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