Receiving The End Of Your Faith, Even The Salvation Of Your Souls, Grace Be Unto You And Peace Be Multiplied!- Part 2022

"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you ..." (I Peter 1:10)

"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things!" (II Corinthians 6:10)

The good news for those who believe in Jesus as both Lord and Christ, and are water baptized in His Name -- the precious holy Name of the Lord Jesus Christ -- can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, because we know in whom we believe. (Acts 2:36-41) We know from whence comes our salvation. And, as the scriptures dictate, we are saved according to His abundant mercy wherein He has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (I Peter 1:3-4)

What is this abundant life? An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you and I -- who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1:4-5) And now, as noted, we are the elect according to the "foreknowledge" of God the Father THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:2)

In writing the first epistle, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia greets us by saying: "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (I Peter 1:3) 

Who overshadowed Mary so that she could bring forth a son? Luke tells us the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary. (Luke 1:35) Indeed, the Holy Ghost fathered the "holy thing" which was in Mary. The same Lord God that moved upon the face of the waters in the very beginning f/Fathered the child that Mary herself rejoiced in saying, "My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke 1:45-46) 

Thus, as a consequence of believing in Him -- for whosoever believes in Him -- we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein we can greatly rejoice. (John 3:16) So that in the trials of our faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes (though it be tried with fire), might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom having not seen Him, ye love, in whom though now ye see not, yet believing, ye continue to rejoice with joy unspeakable. 

This is why we willingly gird up the loins of our mind, and are sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning ourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversing. Because it is written -- "Be ye holy for I am holy." (I Peter 1:16; Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2; Leviticus 20:7; II Corinthians 7:1; Romans 12:2)

"And in your patience, possess ye your souls." (Luke 21:19) 

But there is another understanding here that we should also look at herein, which was alluded to earlier.  That is, we are blessed because the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again. (Note: the scripture does not say "their" abundant mercy but "His" abundant mercy -- God is One Lord -- Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) 

As Jesus said to Nicodemus, ye must be born again-- not just of water but of the Spirit too. (John 3:1-24; John 3:3, 7)  "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God ... marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." (John 3:5-8)

It is for this reason that now -- in this current dispensation of grace, Christ risen from the dead has "become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." (I Corinthians 15:20-23)

Yes, Jesus was the Lord from heaven, the Son of man as well the Lord of glory. He became the first fruits of them that slept. This same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ, as Peter (standing with the eleven) preached on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:36) God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:!6; Isaiah 9:6; II Corinthians 5:19; Revelation 1:8; Acts 20:28)

"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)

Indeed, Jesus Himself said, "If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also; from henceforth, ye know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7) Jesus also told His disciples, "I and My Father are One!" (John 10:30) And that also, "verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM." (John 8:58)

"And I will dwell in them ... and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters," saith the Lord Almighty. (II Corinthians 6:16-18; I Corinthians 3:16-17; I Corinthians 6:19; Leviticus 26:12; Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:26-27; Isaiah 52:11; II Samuel 7:14; Romans 8:14)

All the way through the scriptures, both in the old and the new, we understand that "Lo, behold, the volume of the book is written of Me." This is why all the angels of God worship Him, because Jesus was the brightness of glory and the express image of His person, being made so much better than the angels, who hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent NAME than they. (Hebrews 1:3-5; Hebrews 1:1-13)

In the scriptures, there is never any reference to God the Son (always the Son of God) or God the Holy Spirit. Why? Because there is only ONE GOD and He loved us enough to become our Saviour. "After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared!" (Titus 3:4)

God is not divided into thirds as the modern day religious culture proclaims but the One and Only Lord God Almighty (who in His love for His blessed people) decided that He would become our salvation too. Thus, when the Lord God declared, "This day have I begotten Thee" -- He did so to signify to us who believe that the the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. (Hebrews 9:8; Psalm 2:7; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5) In other words, the guard had to change (from the old to the new) if we were to obtain life everlasting in Him.

Therefore, when the Holy Ghost this signified, we see the unfolding of the new covenant, in which He hath made the first old. (Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:8) The dayspring from on high hath visited His people. (Luke 1:78) Thus, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit" we become His elect -- His Spirit -- the Comforter -- the Holy Ghost dwelling within. (John 14:26; John 15:26; Luke 24:49) 

"Ad it is the Spirit that bears witness because the Spirit is truth." (I John 5:6)

The Spirit here is the same Holy Ghost which overshadowed Mary so that she could bring forth a son. (Luke 1:35; Matthew 1:21-23) The same Spirit of the Lord God that moved upon the face of the waters in the very beginning. (Genesis 1:2) By his own blood He entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, and if this be the priests of old, then 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 9:12, 14) 

Remember, until the day Jesus was taken up, AFTER THAT HE [JESUS] THROUGH THE HOLY GHOST gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3) This same Jesus -- both Lord and Christ! 

The doctrine of Christ which is foundational for us who believe to understand and know in whom we have believed. "To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." (II Corinthians 5:19) 

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, 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)

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation ..." (Hebrews 9:28) "But hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour ..." (Titus 1:3) The Word made flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-18) 

And yes, His Name is JESUS for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)

Stand in the offering plate.